A Ramshackle Start

by Heather Boyd

  Tessa’s smile faltered, and a guilty expression crossed her face. “She was speaking of her plans for her new life.”

  He’d bet that wasn’t all there was to it, judging by the high color of her cheeks now. Tessa and Anna had become firm friends since she’d come to live with them, and he suspected they shared many intimate secrets. He wished to become her confidant. He wished to share everything with her.

  Robin brushed a tendril of dark hair back behind her ear gently as his heart began to pound. “Anna, there’s something I need to—”

  The knocker sounded on the front door, stopping Robin from finishing his sentence.

  “What do you need?”

  He smiled quickly, slightly embarrassed that the timing still wasn’t right to propose. “What I want will have to wait until later.”

  Her smile slipped away. Their stolen moment had come to an abrupt end. Robin caught Tessa’s elbow and urged her out of the room and down the stairs to greet their guests. Tonight was soon enough to make it clear that he adored her, and always would.

  Chapter Three

  Tessa wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. Anna was married, and such a beautiful bride indeed. Anna’s new husband, William Leven, couldn’t stop grinning, too, which made it clear to all that their affection was equally felt.

  “Freddie is one lucky devil,” Mr. George Leven murmured, nodding his head toward the happy couple. As he handed Tessa the glass of punch she’d asked for, his fingers brushed hers, then paused to caress the back of her hand.

  Tessa quickly took a step back.

  “Possibly,” Robin said as he joined them, standing very close to her side. “Let’s see what he has to say about marriage after living with my sister for a week, shall we?”

  Tessa longed to laugh at Robin’s remark. It might ease the sadness building inside her.

  Mrs. Cooper had been positively gloating earlier to their neighbors about her impending trip to the sea, heartlessly ignoring how her bright future meant the end of Tessa’s peace. In just a few hours, the life that Tessa loved would be over. There would be no more breakfast trays sent to her room, no more quiet rainy afternoons in Robin’s company. She’d be on her own with old Mrs. Cooper.

  “It is a pity there is no music today,” George complained, but then grinned at Anna warmly. “We could have shown everyone how well we dance together.”

  “Dancing will have to wait for another occasion,” Robin told him, sounding cross.

  As George took hold of her hand, she felt Robin’s touch at her back. Caught in the middle of the two very different men, Anna could barely breathe.

  George Leven was loud and brash, competitive over everything. If his brother William bought a new coat, George would have a new one, too, before the end of the week. Once William’s marriage to Anna had been announced, George had begun dropping hints about wanting a wife himself. Unfortunately, he seemed to have singled out Tessa for that role.

  “I have to say, I look forward to dancing with Tessa many times in the future,” George promised with a flirtatious twinkle in his eye.

  Tessa eased back into Robin’s embrace a little more, alarmed that George would act so familiar without any encouragement on her part. She had never given him permission to use her given name. Only Robin had her permission for that. Tessa had never encouraged George Leven’s attention, but he continued to pursue her just the same.

  Robin’s hand left her back, and he stepped around her. “Mr. Leven, perhaps we should have a private word now.”

  Tessa glanced at Robin’s face. His jaw was set in a hard line. “Robin?”

  Robin threw a fleeting smile her way. “Nothing to be concerned about. We will return long before the happy couple departs for their honeymoon. Excuse us.”

  The pair left the room together. George looked back, smiling, but Robin never did. By the set of his shoulders, Robin was unhappy with George’s overfamiliarity. By marriage, George was considered family, and so some allowances could be made for a greater degree of informality between them. But she did not want anyone to assume she welcomed or encouraged George’s attentions, especially Robin.

  Tessa considered following just to be sure the pair did not argue, today of all days. There was no point worrying about what George said or did now, anyway. He would forget about her soon enough and turn his attention elsewhere once she was gone. And yet, she hated the idea of Robin talking about her with anyone, especially a gentleman like George Levin.

  As she took a step to follow, her arm was caught, and Anna spun her around. “Where were you going?”

  “I…” Tessa floundered a moment. “The punch bowl seems a little low. I was going to ask the housekeeper to refill it.”

  “It’s nearly time for us to leave,” Anna said, then she sighed with pleasure. “I am so happy to be married at last.”

  “It’s obvious to all who look at you.”

  Anna’s new husband joined them, smiling broadly. “Cousin,” he murmured by way of greeting. “I wish you didn’t have to leave us so soon.”

  Tessa glared at Anna. “You promised you wouldn’t mention it.”

  “I had to tell my husband why I was feeling so happy and yet so sad.”

  “Shh, not now,” she begged. She was barely holding herself together.

  Mr. Leven nodded. “I wish things could have been different, but I have hope that you may return sooner than you ever dreamed.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’m sworn to secrecy, but I expect to hear good news at any moment.” He touched his nose and fell silent.

  Anna giggled and hugged him. “I’m so happy, husband.”

  “So am I, dear one,” he murmured.

  When William began looking toward the door a few minutes later, Tessa turned around, too.

  Robin returned, striding into the room, clearly still irritated.

  Behind him, however, was only empty space. George Leven did not return to the room—but they all heard the front door bang shut. Everyone turned to look in that direction. When no one appeared in the doorway, chatter resumed slowly.

  Tessa gulped as she realized whatever Robin and Mr. Leven had spoken about had been very serious, and not to George Leven’s liking. Or Robin’s. Although she tried to catch Robin’s eye, he kept his attention on his other guests.

  “Ah,” William murmured. “Perhaps we won’t see you as soon as I was led to believe.”

  “Oh, dear.” Anna winced, casting an apologetic smile toward Tessa. “I had hoped Robin had changed his mind about the dowry.”

  Tessa blushed fiercely. “I never expected him to.”

  William sighed. “We’ll have to discuss this. There isn’t time today. Are you ready to come home with me, Anna?”

  Anna looked at her new husband, shyly, for a change. “Yes, I just need my reticule and shawl.”

  “I’ll get them,” Tessa quickly offered.

  Tessa rushed from the room but saw no sign of George Leven as she made her way upstairs to Anna’s room. The bedchamber was terribly bare now, and the sight made her heart ache. She closed the door upon leaving…but paused at the top of the stairs when she heard Robin and his mother bickering.

  “Who told George Leven that Miss Abbott possessed a dowry of any size?”

  “Not I. I know you never had any real intention of helping her find a husband,” his mother exclaimed.

  “Mother, don’t ever presume to know my intentions,” Robin bit out.

  Tessa closed her eyes and then squared her shoulders. She descended the staircase, holding on to her tattered pride. “Here they are.”

  William was more than happy to place the shawl around his bride’s shoulder, and then Tessa passed over the reticule. It was time to part ways. Who knew when they would see each other again?

  She hugged Anna. “I love you,” she whispered as she choked up with emotion.

  “I love you, too,” Anna replied, holding her so tight it was almost painful.

  Tessa relucta
ntly let Anna go as Robin stepped in to separate them.

  “I knew this would end in tears,” he said aloud to everyone with a laugh.

  Tessa stood shaking, wiping at her eyes as everyone laughed along with him. “I’m sorry.”

  Robin suddenly put his arm around her, supporting her as the bride and groom turned for the door and started saying their farewells. “You can have a good weep and a cup of tea after this is all over,” he whispered. “I promise not to tease you later.”

  Tessa choked on a sob. “Yes, indeed, I will most likely cry my heart out later.”

  Chapter Four

  “They are on their way at last,” Robin Cooper murmured with utter satisfaction as his younger sister and her new husband drove away from Robin’s home. He waved one last time and then faced the woman he hoped to marry one day soon.

  Tessa was teary as she wrapped her arms around her chest. “Indeed they are, and very much in love. I do hate goodbyes, though.”

  Some goodbyes were worth the wait.

  The presumptive George Leven had taken himself off as soon as he realized he wouldn’t get a penny from Robin to take Tessa off his hands. The man couldn’t have loved Tessa even a little to have said that to anyone, especially to Robin. George Leven had only asked for Tessa’s hand to secure the dowry he’d been led to believe Tessa would bring to her marriage. He had assumed it must equal Anna’s generous marriage settlement.

  When Robin had confided that there never had been any funds set aside by her long-dead parents, nor was he about to settle any on her either, George had stormed out in quite a temper, vowing never to call on Tessa again.

  It had been worth the lie to divine the strength of George Leven’s attachment to Tessa. If he had shown one shred of yearning for Tessa alone, without the dowry, Robin would have eventually revealed the size of the dowry he’d always intended to provide her with.

  Since George Leven had stormed out, he felt vindicated that he was right to have been distrustful of the man’s pursuit.

  “Goodbyes are always the start of a new adventure,” Mother exclaimed as she fluttered her handkerchief in the air, shooing away the departing carriage.

  Robin said goodbye to any lingering wedding breakfast guests with considerable relief and waited for Tessa to do the same.

  “Anna always longed to be married and have a home of her own,” he told Tessa. “She always had a soft spot for poor William, too. He never stood a chance once she started fluttering her lashes at him.”

  “The poor fellow, to have fallen so low as to want to actually marry anyone,” Tessa murmured, craning her neck to see the carriage. “I couldn’t be happier for her, or for him.”

  Love matches were always preferable, in Robin’s opinion. Robin was sure of William Leven’s affection for his sister Anna. He had deliberately withheld revealing the size of Anna’s dowry until he was satisfied that William would have wed Anna without a penny.

  “Everything is almost perfect,” Mother announced suddenly. “But there is still so much to be done. Come. Come.”

  She hitched up her skirts to climb the front steps with unusual haste.

  He exchanged a rueful glance with Tessa. Like him, the young woman knew better than to get in his mother’s way when a mood like this struck, and he was glad that she hesitated to follow after Mother immediately, just as he always did.

  Expecting the worst sort of scheme to be launched upon them, Robin snagged Tessa’s arm and followed his mother inside at a slower pace. “Let’s get this over with,” he whispered. “I do wonder what else Mother could have in store for us today. I was really hoping for a bit of peace, at least until morning. The fuss that’s been made over Anna’s wedding has been quite ridiculous.”

  “I’m sure you’ll have peace soon,” Tessa said with a decisive nod.

  “Now, Bates,” Mother was saying as Robin closed the front door behind him and Tessa. “I want the trunks brought down immediately. Hurry, man. Time is getting away.”

  His mother smacked her hands together, scowling as if the butler wasn’t already moving faster than a sprightly pace for a man of his advanced years.

  “Mother,” Robin growled, a sense of dread building in the air as he took off his hat and gloves and set them aside. “What are you about now? What trunks need to be brought down at this late hour? My sister has already gone and taken everything she could possibly have wanted to her new home.”

  Tessa’s warmth slipped from his arm, and he missed her touch immediately.

  “I should go and help,” she whispered, then rushed up the staircase in the butler’s wake without looking back.

  There was always something separating them—usually Mother. But soon, nothing ever would, if he had his way. He turned to his mother. “What is going on?”

  “Well, now that your sister is married, it’s high time I got out of this dreary city.” Mother preened before the mirror. “I’m going to visit my sisters.”

  “Surely, not today!” Devil take it! Mother was having one of her proper fits. Robin hoped Tessa could handle the holiday and return with her sanity intact. Most of the time, Robin fled the house to avoid dealing with his mother’s changing whims. He often felt guilty for leaving Tessa behind to deal with Mother, and the timing for this trip could not be worse. He had something important to speak to Tessa about, but he hadn’t meant to ask for her hand this suddenly.

  “Oh, yes.” The servants returned, carrying two trunks between them. “Do not forget to hail a hack for Miss Abbott, Bates,” his mother said. “She is to meet the stage at precisely four o’clock.”

  Robin spun around. “Why does Tessa need a hack and the stage when she is traveling with you?”

  His mother laughed. “Oh, no, no, no, dear boy, such a fuddle-head. Tessa is bound for Begley Cottage, while I am headed to Brighton. She will need the hack, unless you prefer to save the coin and have her walk to the coaching house. Do you?”

  Robin was shocked. “No, of course not. I don’t want her to walk that far. I don’t want her to go anywhere at all. Why the devil is she going there, anyway? She cannot wish to visit with your mother when you never do.”

  “Well, an unmarried woman cannot be unchaperoned and keep her reputation intact when I’m gone. It was always understood that once your sister was off my hands, I would travel. If you had stayed at home more often, instead of enjoying Town and your friends so much, you might have remembered that today marks the beginning of my freedom. I have grown weary of chaperoning duties.”

  A sniff made him turn to watch Tessa descend the stairs, dressed for travel in her very best cloak, the one that had been laid out on the bed in readiness for her ridiculous trip.

  He felt a sharp pain in his chest. She was clearly upset about going. Had Mother given her any choice? “When will you return?”

  “Well,” Mother said, thinking the matter through very slowly. “I cannot imagine I shall be ready to return before Christmas. There is so much to catch up on with my sisters. Besides, with you going out so much, there is little to come back for.” His mother smiled broadly. “Perhaps I won’t come back until next spring. What do you think of that?”

  That sounded very good to him indeed—having Mother gone so long. A quiet Christmas at home was exactly what he longed for. It would be pleasant to have peace from theatrics, too. But… “Tessa?”

  Tessa said nothing but concentrated on catching the ends of her bonnet ribbons. She turned and faced the mirror to tie the bow.

  “Well?” he demanded. He could bear to be apart for two weeks, at most.

  His mother clucked her tongue. “Tessa shan’t be back at all, my boy. I’m sure you don’t want the expense of having her travel back and forth across the country. She will go to Begley today, and Grandmamma can watch over her from now on.”

  Chapter Five

  “The devil she will! Grandmamma will forget all about Tessa the moment she arrives, or worse, put her to work as if she were a servant,” he argued.

&nbs
p; Many of their relatives had done that to her, and he wouldn’t allow it to happen again. Tessa had already had a rough start in life, passed from one relation to the next until she’d landed on his doorstep. To cast her aside when she became an inconvenience was incredibly rude of Mother and against his wishes.

  Tessa was more than just a poor relation, dependent on his protection. She was his best friend in the entire world.

  With Anna married and Mother gone, he would easily find the money to hire a chaperone and keep her here. He was not so miserly as to toss Tessa out on the street again. And he did intend to marry her—if she’d consent to have him for a husband.

  Bates peered out the front window. “The hack has arrived, madam.”

  Tessa startled at the butler’s words, but then she turned to smile brightly at him. “Thank you for everything,” she murmured.

  Despite her smile, she clutched her reticule tight in her hands. The same old relic she’d carried when Robin had first met her. He’d never managed to replace it with a better one because it had been her mother’s, and she’d clung to the only thing she had left of her past. She’d not changed very much since those awkward first days in his home, really. She was still as timid, and too quiet, but he never wanted her to feel she was unwanted.

  “This isn’t right.” Robin didn’t recall a plan to send Tessa halfway across the country, and all on her own, no less. Of all the ramshackle starts, this was by far his mother’s biggest folly. “Why didn’t you warn me of her plan for you, Tessa?”

  “She told you,” Tessa murmured so softly, he almost didn’t hear her. “I was there. You said nothing against the idea, and you said you’d be pleased to have peace and quiet again.”

  Had he even been listening? Mother tended to ramble on, and he tended to not listen when she got too bad. He should have paid more attention.