The Trouble With These Gentlemen (The BainBridge - Love & Challenges) (The Regency Romance Story)

by Jessie Bennett

  “No, my dear, it is not as serious as it would be if someone was here when it happened. What if the children had stayed behind for some reason, one of them or all of them? What if they had been hurt? That would make for a serious situation. Lady Eliza will have her shop back as soon as the workers can come in and fix what is damaged and she is able to have some new flowers shipped in.”

  “Won’t that take a while?”

  “I don’t know,” the Duchess replied as they reached the top of the stairs. “But I do know that Lady Eliza needed a holiday long ago. Now she will have time to go.”

  Anne Marie couldn’t keep the smile from her face. The Duchess was a delightful woman. Anne Marie wasn’t surprised by how admired she was by all those in the village of Bainbridge. The older woman gave off the most positive vibrations Anne Marie had ever felt.

  The Duchess opened the door before Anne Marie could do it for her. She swished through, pushing her jacket from her shoulders as she went.

  “Lady Eliza!” She called out in a high-pitched happy tone. “Oh, Lady Eliza, where are you, my dear?”

  The blanket Anne Marie had used to cover Eliza before she left earlier was crumpled up at the end of the settee. The woman was gone.

  “Lady Eliza!” The Duchess called once more, crossing through the room, past the settee, the small mahogany end tables and the large piano sitting in the corner.

  “Duchess?” The door to the kitchen opened and Eliza poked her head through. “Oh, your grace! It… It is good to see you. I did not know you would be coming.”

  “I had to come. You know I would not let any of my friends go through a traumatic event without offering my support.”

  Eliza pushed open the door and waved the ladies toward her. “Please come in, if you would. I have just put the kettle on. Would you like a cup of tea? Perhaps a scone? I have some that are fresh and delicious.”

  “That sounds wonderful, Lady Eliza, thank you.”

  The ladies followed Eliza into the kitchen. Both sat at the long dining table.

  “I’m sorry my flat is so small, your grace. It is not as clean as it could be either.”

  The Duchess shook her head. “Don’t fret for a moment, my dear. Your home is lived in and that is what matters the most. Where are your children?”

  “My sister took them to her house when we let her know what happened. They were frightened and hurt when they saw the shop when we got home from church. I cannot imagine how long it will take for them to feel safe here in their home again.”

  “We will make sure everything is back to normal as quickly as possible. Wilfred and I have already signed on several men who will fix the window and there are so many people downstairs sweeping and cleaning up the mess. We are all here to support you and your family, my dear. You needn’t worry about a thing.”

  Eliza was standing in front of a stone stove with a metal grate on top. The tea kettle sat on top of the grate, a flaming fire burning inside the stove, heating up the kettle. Anne Marie had not been in a kitchen that looked like that before. She wondered if Eliza employed any servants to help her cook and clean. She had no idea what the family finances were like and whether they could afford such a thing. She was aware of the servants in the hotel who came and went without speaking to anyone else. They nodded in acknowledgment if someone caught their eye. Otherwise, she did not notice them. They were practically like spirits, coming and going as they needed to.

  It didn’t take long for the water in the kettle to start boiling. Anne Marie watched Eliza wrap a cloth around the top of the kettle and lift it from the fire. She turned a knob that closed the flue of the small stone stove, cutting off oxygen to the fire. There were mugs set upside down on the counter behind her and some hanging on small pegs on the wall. She took three of them down and set them on the table.

  Once she had served them the tea and set the scones on the table in between them all, she sat down with a deep sigh. “I am truly blessed to be living in Bainbridge right now, your grace. I would be lost without the help of my dear friends.”

  The Duchess put one hand over hers, which was stretched out on the table in front of her, her fingers splayed. The stress showed on Eliza’s face. It was pulled taut, making her look tired and a bit ill.

  “It is our pleasure to help you, my dear. You have always been such a dear girl to everyone in this village, ever since you came riding into town on your white horse. Do you remember that?”

  Eliza smiled at the older woman. “Of course, I do, my lady. It was a wonderful day. It was the day I became a woman. I was independent at the time,” Eliza moved her eyes to Anne Marie. “I had the wealth my parents had given me to find my way in the world. It was unconventional for them to send me traveling without an escort but I had no title and nothing to search for in terms of a husband. I did not want to give up my wealth as some sort of dowry so that the man I married and his family would become richer while I became a pauper. I didn’t want my husband being able to control my living or dying in the style to which I’d become accustomed.

  Anne Marie lifted the hot cup of tea to her lips but her eyes moved around the fairly small kitchen while she sipped the liquid. Eliza seemed to notice, much to Anne Marie’s chagrin.

  “Yes, I took a step down when I met Thaddeus.” Her voice changed when she mentioned her husband. Anne Marie could hear the warmth and love behind her words. “It was worth it, you must believe me. My husband… I am blessed to have met him. I am blessed because he agreed to this flower shop and he tries very hard to maintain it. He does the business with the men to make sure I am happy. He… he vowed that no one would ever take my flower shop away from me.” Eliza lowered her head and put one hand on her forehead to hold it up. “Your grace, who would want to destroy my little shop? I have no enemies. Who dislikes me this much?”

  The Duchess shook her head. “My dear, if I had the answers, I would certainly tell you. But I have no answer for you. The men will sort through it. They will make the decisions. Just know that your shop will be taken care of. We will help you in every way we can.”

  Eliza dropped her hand and nodded, still keeping her eyes down on the table top. “Thank you, your grace.”

  “You are most welcome, child. I know you’ve had the pleasure of meeting Lady Wiltshire.”

  “Oh yes, my lady.”

  “You will be pleased to know that she is thinking of staying here in the village. I believe she is looking for a suitor and has chosen someone here in Bainbridge already.”

  This perked up Eliza’s ears and made Anne Marie blush. Eliza looked at her with a half-smile. “You have chosen someone? Who?”

  It was Anne Marie’s turn to drop her eyes to the table top. The Duchess chuckled softly. “You will not get it out of her. It is a deep secret for her. I do believe she is biding her time. There are several eligible suitors for her. As beautiful as she is and with a heart of pure gold, as well. She will be the perfect match for just about anyone who takes a liking to her.”

  The Earl was the first man who crossed Anne Marie’s mind. Not everyone was a perfect match.

  “If I take a guess at who the young man is, will you tell me?”

  Anne Marie shook her head softly.

  “I think it might be one of my sons.” The Duchess said. “But I cannot get her to tell me.”

  “Your grace,” Anne Marie spoke up. “You have never really asked me, have you?”

  The Duchess laughed. “You wouldn’t tell me if I did ask you, would you?”

  Anne Marie pressed her lips together. “I wish that you would not ask.”

  “And that, my dear, is why I haven’t.” The Duchess still had one hand over Eliza’s. She moved the other hand which had previously been clutching her cup of hot tea to put it over Anne Marie’s in the same fashion. “And I won’t. It is your right to keep your feelings to yourself, my dear. I will not force anything from you. Just keep in mind… if you ever need to talk, I will listen with open ears and welcoming arms.” She chu
ckled again, removing both hands so she could wrap one around her tea cup and take a scone with the other. “Even if it is not one of my sons that you choose.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  ANNE MARIE WANTS TO BE ALONE

  ANNE MARIE WANTS TO BE ALONE

  Later that evening, when the sun was just dipping down below the horizon and the rain had finally ceased, Anne Marie and Clara walked back to the hotel. By the time they got there, lightning was crashing through the sky. The air was heavy and humid. The ladies felt drenched when they walked into the hotel, as if they had been walking in the rain anyway.

  They stepped through the hotel front doors and immediately began unbuttoning their shawls.

  “This feels so heavy,” Anne Marie murmured. “And it is the lightest material I have.” She shook her head. Clara nodded.

  “Yes, my lady, I feel the same way with this one.”

  They hung their shawls on the hooks by the front door. Clara nudged Anne Marie’s arm. “It looks like James beat us home. I thought he was still there. I had not seen him for about a half hour but I got a chance to speak privately with him earlier.”

  Anne Marie pushed down her jealousy so that it would not be obvious to Clara. “What did you speak about?”

  “I asked him what his favorite meal was.”

  Anne Marie frowned. “What is the relevance of that question?”

  “I wanted him to know that I’m interested in things having to do with him.”

  “It seems that may have been slightly inappropriate though.”

  Clara shook her head, a smile on her face that showed she was unaware of Anne Marie’s true feelings. “Not for commoners like James and me. We can talk about anything we want. If I were to go traveling, I would go on my own, not with a companion, an escort, or a chaperone. It would just be me. And I would have to take positions in the little towns and villages and the big cities I chose to visit because I have no wealth to keep me going. I would have to eat, now wouldn’t I?”

  “I see.” Anne Marie headed toward the stairs to go up to her room. “I am a bit tired; I would like to lie down. I think it may be time for me to retire for the night. Would you care to sit with me and talk until I sleep?”

  Clara nodded, a look of concern crossing her face. “Yes, of course, my lady. Are you feeling all right?”

  “I’m tired. It will be an early night for me.”

  “I would be happy to sit with you and chat until you fall asleep, my lady.” Clara followed Anne Marie as she went up the stairs to her room. Anne Marie was grateful to see a blazing fire in the fireplace in her room when she went in. It lit up the room so that she didn’t have to light a lantern. When Clara made to light it, Anne Marie stopped her.

  “No, Clara, I want it dark in here. I have a slight pain in my head. The light only aggravates it.”

  Clara nodded, walking to the window and pulling the drapes closed. “I’m surprised they left this open. It doesn’t seem right to light the fire and leave the window drapes open.”

  Anne Marie had nothing to say to that. She went to the wardrobe and took out a long thin nightdress made of a soft material that she liked. She slipped out of her dress and into the nightgown quickly. Clara took the dress from her and hung it in the wardrobe where clothes that had been worn were placed. Anne Marie slipped into the bed and pulled the covers up over her knees. She was sitting up.

  “I wonder if it would be too much trouble to have a cup of cocoa milk like the one James made for me. I should have waited to get dressed in my nightgown. I would go downstairs and get it.”

  “Miss Anne, you know that I will go get that for you. It is my duty to be here for you and to serve you even though I’m not a servant.”

  “You are my friend and companion, Clara. I don’t want you doing something that a common servant should be doing.”

  “I’ve never heard you talk that way before, Miss Anne. Class distinction and status have never played a role in your decisions before.”

  “And they don’t now. I just do not want you to feel like a servant.”

  “I feel fine, don’t worry. Now, would you like for me to get the cocoa milk for you?”

  “That would be lovely. Thank you, Clara. If there is no fresh milk, I will make do with a cup of hot tea.”

  “All right and you’re welcome.” She went to the door and turned around when she got there to say, “I do think of you as my friend, Miss Anne. I hope you know that. I do not feel you treat me in a subservient way. You are a fine woman of class. I appreciate you more than you understand.”

  Anne Marie smiled at her friend and, as Clara went out and the door closed behind her, she suddenly realized she had sent the woman directly into the arms of James, who would be downstairs and would know where to find the cocoa.

  James was in the kitchen with the very servants Anne Marie had been thinking about earlier in the evening. He was giving them instructions on what meals would be preferred for the next week and asking for a list of supplies that would be needed from the market. He was seated at the table with a quill and paper, writing down what the cook and the maid would need. It was a small hotel and they only employed four servants. Two housekeepers, the cook, and the maid.

  The cook, Betty, and the maid, Diane, were standing in front of him, their hands clasped in front of them. Both were in their mid-thirties but looked older than they were. They spoke in low voices so as not to bother the guests in the drawing room. They listed off items they would need to fulfill the dinner requests James had spoken about. He glanced up to see Clara push open the door but continued talking to the two in front of him.

  “I will send one of you to the market tomorrow with the money to get what is needed. Is there anything the two of you or the housekeepers need?”

  Diane cocked her head, looking up at the ceiling as if the answers were written there.

  “I am in need of a new apron, m’ lord, if you can.” Betty replied with a smile.

  “And I could use another bit of soap for my hands, m’ lord.” Diane nodded, her eyes still pointing upward as she thought. Finally, she looked back at James. “I would need t’ ask Victoria and Ellen. May I tell you in the morning after I have spoken to them?”

  James nodded. “That would be fine, Miss Diane. Meet me in here at 8 o'clock so that you can get the shopping done before breakfast at 10.”

  “Yes, m’ lord.”

  The two women nodded their acknowledgment of Clara as they passed her.

  “Good night, ladies.” James called after them.

  “Good night, m’ lord.” They both called back at the same time.

  James looked up at Clara and then stood up. “Greetings, Miss Clara. How are you on this fine evening?”

  “The Lady and I are a bit tired, sir,” Clara replied.

  “Please, when we are alone, you may call me James.”

  “Thank you, James.” Clara smiled at him. “And you may call me Clara. Just Clara.”

  “All right, just Clara.”

  They both laughed.

  “My lady would like some of the cocoa milk you made her last week. Is there any fresh milk?”

  “I believe the milk is in the cooling box and yes, there may be some left. Would you like some for yourself?”

  “I shouldn’t. It would be only for the nobles, is that right?”

  James threw his head back and laughed. He cut himself off abruptly, glancing over her shoulder to the door. “I believe Lady Melanie asked for quiet in the hotel this evening.”

  “Surely the sound of laughter would not be offensive to her.”

  James snorted softly, leaning forward conspiratorially. “You would be surprised by the things that are offensive to Lady Melanie Saville.”

  “Oh. Is she difficult to deal with?”

  James turned to the insulated box that held the perishable items for a few days. He opened it and looked back at Clara. “Lady Wiltshire is in luck. There is half a bottle of fresh milk still in here, ready to be con
sumed with cocoa powder mixed in. I would like to make you a cup, Clara, if you’d like. There is little in this small village that is only for the nobles. Please. Allow me to show you the wonders of this cocoa powder. You will not believe it.”

  “All right.”

  “I will tell you what I will do. I will make the cocoa milk for the Lady first. I will wait till you return to make some for you, so that you can stay and chat with me, if you’d like.”

  Clara smiled.

  “Do you think she would like to have it heated? I can put the fire on the stove and heat it up in a pot. It is delicious either way.”

  “My lady tends to get cold easily. She would probably prefer it to be warm, if you don’t mind, my lord.”

  James was unsure whether she was trying to spend more time with him before returning to Anne Marie or if she sincerely thought the Lady would like it warm. Either way, he was fine with it. He would have preferred Anne Marie come down and get her hot cocoa milk herself, but from the sound of it, she was too tired. She was probably already dressed for bed. He avoided picturing that in his head. He knew what her robe looked like because she’d been wearing it the night she’d come down and he’d shared the cocoa milk with her. He knew what she looked like when she prepared for bed.

  He knew that she was looking for a man with wealth and a title. Those were two things he did not have and never would. As much as he would have liked to pursue a courtship with Anne Marie, that was two things he was unable to give her. He’d decided during the hectic day at the flower shop that he would not pursue Anne Marie, as much as his heart desired it. He was hoping she would find one of the Cornwall sons interesting enough for her attention. Even though that meant watching her with another man – a close friend – for the rest of his natural life.

  Clara sat down at the table. He glanced at her while he made the fire in the stove and placed the pot of milk on top to heat it up. When he turned back, he could tell by the adoring look on her face that he wasn’t going to need to put in a lot of effort if he wanted to make this woman his. She probably already was in her mind. He sat across from her a bit hesitantly.