My Lord Tremaine

by Oliver, Marina

  'Am I to understand term at Oxford has finished?' she asked.

  'Lord, yes, weeks ago! I've been staying with a friend near Exeter. But tell me all about our dear Edmund? Resurrected from the dead, William said when he wrote me. That was certainly a blow for him.'

  He suddenly noticed Diana, who had been staring at him with her head on one side.

  'Hello? I don't know you, do I? Unless the last time I saw you was years ago and you were just a scrubby brat.'

  Diana giggled and shook her head.

  'I haven't seen you before. I'm Lady Tremaine's niece,' she said. 'I don't know you but I think you must be William's brother?'

  'We will become better acquainted while I am here.'

  Lady Tremaine stood up.

  'We will leave you to eat, and if your mother wishes to stay, you can talk to her. Pray do not join us until you have changed into different clothes. Perhaps some of William's will fit you until your own arrive. Come, Diana.'

  'Wear my dear brother's toggery? They will be years out of date.'

  Jane and Elinor followed Lady Tremaine from the room, overhearing her chiding Diana for showing friendliness to such a dreadfully behaved creature. Jane hesitated, then turned towards the stairs.

  'I'll go to bed,' she said.

  Elinor nodded. 'But I must find out more,' she said. 'I will come and say good night later.'

  In the drawing room she found Lady Tremaine in full flood regarding modern day manners.

  'I suppose we have to endure his presence, but I will make it plain to his mother that I will not tolerate such incivility. Pray, child, do not give him any encouragement. He is not a suitable person for you to know, even though he is my husband's nephew.'

  'Did you not expect him here during the vacation, Ma'am?' Elinor asked.

  'I understood he was to stay with friends. I imagine he made himself so objectionable to them they sent him away. Well, he will go with his mother to the Dower House as soon as Edmund returns. I will not have him here for longer than it takes to arrange.'

  *

  On the following morning Elinor went down to breakfast to find both George and Diana in the breakfast room before her. George was still wearing his riding clothes, and bemoaning the dilatory progress of his valet, who had not yet arrived with his other gear.

  'Never mind, I mean to ride out this morning,' he said. 'Will you come with me, Diana the huntress?'

  Diana giggled and cast him a flirtatious glance from beneath lowered lashes.

  'I doubt my aunt will permit,' she said.

  'Nonsense. She won't be down for hours, I warrant, so she'll never know. You won't betray us, will you, Elinor?'

  'I have no interest in what either of you does,' Elinor said, helping herself to coffee.

  'Hoity toity! Oh, I see, you are still in a miff with me because I tried to be friendly when William married your sister. You are a cold woman, Miss Elinor. I suppose that is how I must now address you?'

  'I would prefer you did not address me at all, especially in such an insolent manner.'

  Diana giggled again. George turned to her.

  'You are not so standoffish, are you? Well, Diana, will you ride with me?'

  Elinor drank her coffee and nibbled at a slice of toast. Diana, with a triumphant glance at her, left the room, followed by George who said he was going to find some decent horses for them to ride.

  'For mine was near foundered last night. But no doubt Cousin Edmund has some good horseflesh in the stables.'

  Guiltily hoping that he might be thrown, Elinor went slowly upstairs to see how Jane was. She found Mattie with her, trying to convince Jane that once her baby was born she would think no more about her past loves, and when Mr Costain had left England again she would soon forget him.

  'For you did before, my pet, and soon found someone else when you were to marry his lordship, then again Mr William.'

  'You are saying I fall in love easily,' Jane said, sighing, 'but I swear I have not loved the others in the same way I loved Richard.'

  Elinor tried to distract her by telling about George and Diana, but Jane turned her head away, saying pettishly she was not interested in them or their doings.

  'I wish they would all go and live in the Dower House,' she said.

  'Well, Diana would not, and I confess it will amuse me to see how she will manage to flirt with George and evade her aunt's strictures. It was plain Lady Tremaine has no love for him. I wonder,' she added, 'whether he is aware she is a big heiress?'

  Jane begged her either to go away or stop talking about irritating people she didn't want to know, so both Mattie and Elinor went to deal with Mattie's preserves. Neither George nor Diana appeared in the dining room for luncheon, but Lady Tremaine clearly did not know where they were. Apart from a mild query to Gooch, who only said Miss Diana had gone riding, she was concentrating on attempting to persuade Mrs Tremaine of the advantages, now her son was with her, of removing to the Dower House.

  Mrs Tremaine reiterated her refusal, and Amelia was bold enough to say she would not feel safe in a house so far away from the main one, for it was isolated, she knew.

  'It is a bare half mile,' Lady Tremaine snapped, 'and not at all dangerous or isolated. 'In fact, it is closer to the village.'

  They were moving out of the dining room, Lady Tremaine and Jane going to the drawing room and the others upstairs, and Elinor paused to speak to Gooch about a badly-fitting window in her bedroom, when there was a thundering knock on the front door. Gooch opened it, and Elinor saw a military looking man standing on the doorstep.

  'Pray tell Lady Tremaine that Colonel Watts has called to see her,' he said, stepping past Gooch into the hall.

  Colonel Watts? She had heard that name before. Then she remembered, and Elinor stifled a laugh. This must be Lady Tremaine's elderly admirer from Truro. She made haste into the drawing room and seated herself where she might watch Lady Tremaine's reaction to this visitor.

  *

  CHAPTER 11

  As the Colonel followed Gooch into the drawing room, Lady Tremaine blushed like a young girl, began to get to her feet, then sat back and busily wielded her fan. Jane, seeing him, shrank back into her chair and also employed her fan. Elinor gave her a puzzled glance, then turned back to see the Colonel, a fatuous smile on his bewhiskered face, approaching Lady Tremaine.

  'My dear lady! How delightful it is to see you again. It seems so very long since you were in Truro.'

  'Colonel! This is so unexpected. A pleasure of course, but I am unprepared. I had no notion you were in the area. Are you staying with friends?'

  'I am for the moment residing at the Black Bull in the village.'

  He paused expectantly, and Elinor swallowed a giggle. Did he expect to be invited to stay at the Court?

  'The Black Bull. Oh, yes, I believe it has been converted into a very respectable establishment. But do permit me to present my nephew William's wife, Jane, and her sister, Miss Elinor Darwen.'

  The Colonel turned towards them, nodded amiably to Elinor, then took a closer look at Jane.

  'But surely, Ma'am, I have seen you before? I could not forget such a lovely young lady.'

  Before Jane could respond the door opened and Diana came hastily into the room, followed by George. She was wearing her riding habit, a very military looking scarlet with epaulettes and gold braid, and carried a shako-style hat. She burst straight into speech.

  'Aunt, do pray forgive us! We were riding and became lost. George thought he knew the way, but he did not, and we went miles in the wrong direction so that I began to think we would have to sleep out in the woods! We are so very late, I suppose we have missed luncheon, but I am sure you will forgive us and let us eat!'

  'Diana, my dear, we have a guest! My niece, Colonel. Colonel Watts lives in Truro, Diana.'

  She smiled, enchantingly, and dipped a curtsey.

  'Are you come to visit? Apart from George there is no man here at present.'

  'Go and change into a
proper gown, child, and Gooch will see to providing some food for you. Colonel, I do apologise!' she said as Diana and George departed. 'She is such a child still, and so lively!'

  'A delightful girl, so like her aunt!'

  Elinor almost choked. She had been puzzling over where the Colonel could have seen Jane, and came to the conclusion he must have been the other person in the room at the Black Bull when Jane met Richard. Jane had thought he had been asleep, but he had probably pretended to be so in order not to embarrass his fellow guest. She must try and prevent the revelation.

  'Jane, it's time for your medicine. Come. Pray excuse us, my lady.'

  Before Jane could protest she seized her by the arm and almost dragged her out of the room. Jane looked puzzled, but thankfully did not protest.

  'Is he the man who was in the coffee room when you saw Richard?' she demanded as soon as the door was closed behind them.

  'I think so, but I really took no notice of him, he was asleep.'

  'You'll have to deny it, say he was mistaken.'

  Jane sighed. 'Why is everything so difficult?'

  'Life is! But we have to prevent William finding out about Richard. He would be angry, I suppose?'

  'Oh yes. It takes so little to anger William. But Elinor, I cannot endure never to see Richard again!'

  Elinor wanted to shake her. How could she be so imprudent?

  'You will have to. Now come upstairs and you can rest, and hope the Colonel will go away soon.'

  *

  The Colonel did not go away for long. He came to visit again on the following day, and Lady Tremaine invited him to dine. Diana pouted, but she was too busy flirting with George to be interested in a much older man. They had been out riding again that morning, and though Lady Tremaine frowned, and warned Diana not to give a young man like George, with no prospects and no fortune, so much encouragement, she did not forbid their expeditions. There was little enough to entertain the girl, and she may have judged Diana's interest in him would fade once Edmund returned.

  Mrs Tremaine and Amelia conducted a low-voiced conversation, and Elinor caught just a few words, mainly to do with what business could have taken William away, and how soon he would be back.

  At first the talk at dinner was all about the people in Truro. The Colonel admitted that since Lady Tremaine had left he had seen little of her sister.

  'I find Truro insipid of late. I still intend to move to Bath,' he said. 'I must go there soon and find some suitable lodgings. I am wondering whether somewhere like Laura Place would be preferable to rooms in the higher town. Of course I am still fit, the climb would not incommode me, but I have to be conscious of possible visitors. Where would you favour, my lady?'

  'Oh, within easy reach of the Pump Room and the theatres,' Lady Tremaine said. 'Of course, now Edmund is at home, I need to stay here as his hostess, until, that is, he marries, but I will no doubt pay occasional visits to Bath. I shall depend on you, my dear sir, to find me suitable accommodation. Would it be best to stay at an hotel, or hire rooms for just a few weeks?'

  'Hire rooms, undoubtedly. But if you will permit me, when I am settled there, I should be delighted to help you. Hotels do not suit me for more time than absolutely necessary, for one can never be sure of meeting congenial guests.'

  'How do you find the Black Bull? It was used to be just a village inn, patronised more by the local peasantry than people of quality.'

  'Oh, I am never incommoded by the regular patrons. This young fellow from the West Indies is the only other resident, and he is very affable. I am minded to suggest he might call on you. He does not appear to know many people in the district. He informed me that those he knew before he went to his uncle's plantation have either died, or left the area. I cannot think why he stays on, but I fear he has no other acquaintances in England. He said all his family were dead, and after several years he has lost touch with many friends. It is a sad condition to be in, coming back to one's old haunts and finding changes.'

  Fortunately Lady Tremaine was concentrating on the Colonel, and Diana was flirting with George, so Jane's blushes went unremarked. Elinor hoped Lady Tremaine would resist this claim on her hospitality, but the Colonel's wishes were clearly of paramount importance.

  'Bring him with you to call one day,' she said. 'If he is as pleasant as you say, he will be a welcome new acquaintance. There are not many local people who are like us, I fear, so we depend a great deal on our own company.'

  Elinor began to wonder whether the local people like the Cravens were considered unsuitable company for Lady Tremaine, or whether they preferred to remain on the most distant of terms. She sighed, and found herself looking forward to when Edmund would return. Life was much more interesting when he was at home.

  *

  Jane was sitting at her bedroom window the following day, looking disconsolate. Elinor had given up attempting to make her accept she must forget Richard, and was checking Jane's gowns to see if any needed mending. When Jane suddenly gave a cry of fright she turned to see her sister craning to see out of the window.

  'What is it?'

  'It's that wretched Colonel, but there is someone with him, and I am sure, yes, it is, it's Richard. Oh, what shall I do? I must warn him not to admit we were once betrothed!'

  Before Elinor, encumbered by one of Jane's gowns, could prevent her, Jane had rushed from the room. Elinor tossed the gown onto the bed and went after her. Jane would ruin everything if Lady Tremaine discovered her former connection with Richard.

  Jane was running towards the main staircase which led down to the entrance hall.

  'Jane, stop! Think! What can you do if they are already in the house?' Elinor demanded as she ran after her sister.

  Jane ignored her. She reached the head of the staircase, swung herself round the newel post, and started down the stairs. Elinor reached the top of them as Jane, hurrying, caught a foot in her gown and fell headlong down the remaining stairs to collapse in a heap at the feet of the two visitors who had just been admitted to the house.

  Elinor, picking up her skirts, ran down and dropped to her knees beside her sister. She found a strange young man kneeling with her as she began to check her sister's limbs.

  'She has broken her left arm, I think, and there is a bump already on her head. Gooch, send for Doctor Carson at once, if you please.'

  'Yes Miss, at once.'

  Lady Tremaine came out of the drawing room, demanding to know what the commotion was.

  'Jane fell down the stairs and is unconscious.'

  'Foolish girl! Here, Elinor, take my smelling salts. And someone go and fetch some burnt feathers from the kitchen. Really, what did she think she was doing? Colonel, what must you think of her?'

  The unknown man, who must, Elinor thought, be Richard, stood up.

  'We can treat her with burnt feathers, Ma'am, later. I think it would be best if we got her to bed as soon as possible, where she will be comfortable. If I carry her can you support her arm?' he asked Elinor.

  'Yes.'

  With no more ado, handing the smelling salts to her ladyship and ignoring her protests about the impropriety of a strange man entering a lady's bedroom, he gently raised Jane and waited for Elinor to hold her broken arm.

  'Good. Now show me the way. There is no haste, we don't wish to jostle her unnecessarily.'

  They laid Jane on the bed and Richard, after a long look at her, nodded.

  'I am staying at the inn in the village. I'm Richard Costain. Pray let me know how she fares. Now I had best make Lady Tremaine – I assume the smelling salts woman is she? – happy by leaving the room.'

  Lady Tremaine, followed by Phyllis, came into the room at that moment, puffing slightly. Slowly as Richard had borne Jane up the stairs, she had not been able to keep pace with him, and was breathless. She sank into the chair Jane had been sitting on by the window.

  'Here, my smelling salts. Though I feel I need them almost as much myself. The shock of it! And just when the Colonel had arrived. I
was never of any use when my husband or Edmund were ill. Not that they were, a great deal, I am thankful to say. And now he and that dominating young man are leaving,' she added as she glanced out of the window. 'How very unfortunate for this to happen just as they arrived. Eades, did you get the feathers? And perhaps a glass of hartshorn?'

  'Jane cannot drink that while she is out of her senses,' Elinor said. 'Thank you for the salts, my lady, but perhaps Phyllis and I can undress Jane, before the doctor comes? Maybe you should go downstairs to inform him, when he comes, of what happened?'

  'Molly is burning some feathers, my lady,' Phyllis said.

  Lady Tremaine nodded and rose to her feet, though she demanded the support of Phyllis's arm.

  'For I am so unsteady after the shock I feel I may fall down the stairs myself. I suppose I will have to tell Mrs Tremaine her daughter-in-law is hurt. And the Colonel has gone.'

  'He will certainly come tomorrow to ask how Jane is,' Elinor said through clenched teeth. 'Phyllis, please ask Mattie to come and help me.'

  They had Jane's gown off and had pulled on a nightgown by the time Doctor Carson arrived. Jane was beginning to stir, moaning softly, and fretfully pushing away the burnt feathers. Then she cried out as she moved her broken arm.

  'Oh, it hurts!'

  'Lie still, my pet,' Mattie said, 'then it won't hurt.'

  'I hurt all over! Elinor, where is Richard?'

  'Hush, love. He carried you up here, but he and the Colonel have gone back to the village. Don't fret. He'll come to ask after you tomorrow, no doubt, so you must do as the doctor says.'

  Doctor Carson set Jane's broken arm, said there seemed nothing else amiss apart from bruising and a lump on her head, which would soon go down, gave her a sedative, and said he would come to see her tomorrow. He then went to see Lady Tremaine, who had retired to her room saying she felt faint and shaken. Elinor left Mattie sitting with Jane, and went to her own room to sit and ponder this development. It would certainly bring Richard here. She must warn Jane not to say too much, just that she had known Richard years ago.