Never Too Late

by Christina Courtenay

  ‘So do you ride well, Anna?’

  Maude looked up when she heard Luke ask her daughter this question. Up until that point, she had concentrated on her food and taken no part in the conversation. They didn’t seem to need her to as they were getting on famously. Maude could only listen with growing wonder, but also sadness. If only Edward had treated his daughter the same way, what a difference it would have made, she thought.

  ‘No, I’ve never learned,’ Anna replied.

  ‘What, you’ve never been on a horse?’ Luke frowned at Maude, making it clear that she had been very remiss in not teaching her child such a basic skill.

  ‘Yes, once or twice, but not on my own. Papa sold the pony.’

  Luke lifted his eyebrows at Maude, as if he was waiting for an explanation. She cleared her throat. ‘Horses are expensive, as you must know, my lord, and Edward considered it a waste to keep a pony. He … needed the money for something else at the time and never got around to replacing it.’

  ‘It was Joseph’s pony, but Papa said he’d never need it now so there was no point keeping it,’ Anna put in.

  ‘Who’s Joseph?’ Luke looked confused.

  Maude stilled, her entire body turning to ice. How was it possible that he didn’t know?

  ‘My brother, of course,’ Anna said. ‘You know, the one who’s in heaven now.’ She had a child’s simple view of things and believed whole-heartedly that her brother was in a better place, just as Maude had told her.

  Maude thought she heard Luke swear under his breath and then he turned to her, his green eyes wide with consternation. Maude swallowed hard and stared at her plate where a piece of rapidly congealing omelette no longer seemed as inviting.

  ‘I’m so sorry, I had no idea,’ she heard Luke say. ‘I mean, no one informed me. I assumed ... Forgive me.’

  Maude shook her head and attempted a smile. ‘There is nothing to forgive. If no one told you, then how could you have known?’

  Inside, she was seething with anger at the fact that her father-in-law or Edward hadn’t informed Luke of Joseph’s birth or death, but it certainly wasn’t his fault. She took a deep breath to regain her composure and gave him the basic facts. ‘Joseph died of congestion of the lungs when he was four. Anna was three at the time, so she barely remembers him, do you, my love?’

  She had trained herself not to show any outward emotion when speaking about Joseph, since that had irritated Edward no end, even though it still cut her like a knife to even think about her little boy. He’d been so sweet, so perfect, but he’d been snatched away from her without warning. She still had trouble accepting it now, three years later, but she’d learned to grieve quietly, alone.

  Anna shook her head. ‘No, but I remember the pony.’

  Luke reached out a hand and put it over Maude’s, which was resting on the table. ‘I am very sorry for your loss,’ he said and she could see that he meant it. He genuinely hadn’t wanted to inherit the title and estate because of the death of a little boy, she was sure.

  ‘Thank you,’ she replied and pulled her hand away. His had felt so warm and solid on top of her smaller one, but she couldn’t bear prolonged contact. His touch had made a frisson dart through her and she didn’t want to let him see that he affected her in any way. She still had her pride, even if she had nothing else left. She pasted a false smile on her face. ‘Anna doesn’t need to ride. We go for long walks in the nearby woods and that is exercise enough for a young lady, isn’t that so, my dear?’

  ‘I suppose.’ Anna looked doubtful, but then her little face brightened and she smiled at Luke. ‘But maybe Uncle Luke could teach me? You have a horse, don’t you? I heard it last night.’

  ‘Anna, don’t badger Lord Hexham. That’s most unseemly,’ Maude admonished sternly.

  Luke smiled back at the girl, however, and nodded. ‘That’s a capital idea, but I don’t think old Blue is quite suitable for you. Leave it with me and I’ll see if I can’t borrow a pony for you from one of our neighbours.’

  ‘Oh, thank you, you’re the best!’ Anna was out of her chair and had her arms round his neck before Maude had time to even open her mouth to protest.

  Maude couldn’t understand why her daughter was behaving so freely with Luke. With her father, the child had been reserved and quiet. It was only with her mother and some of the servants that she chattered on in this way. And as for embracing a complete stranger – Maude didn’t know what to think.

  To her relief, Luke took it in good humour though. ‘Don’t thank me yet,’ he said. Then he turned to Maude again. ‘What about you, Maude, do you ride these days? I seem to remember you used to be forever in the saddle.’

  She felt her cheeks heat up. That was how they had always met back when they were courting, on the pretext of riding together for exercise. Maude’s groom had been amenable to bribery and often let the two of them gallop off ahead of him after Luke had slipped him a coin. Maude still remembered the excitement of those days.

  ‘I don’t have a horse either,’ she admitted now. ‘When mine died, she was never replaced.’ She didn’t tell Luke that at that time, Edward had just had a particularly bad run of luck at the gaming tables and Maude had been struggling to find enough money to run the household, never mind buy a horse.

  Luke’s mouth tightened. ‘We’ll have to see about finding you a mount too then. Leave it with me.’

  ‘Oh, but there’s no need,’ Maude protested. ‘I’m perfectly happy to walk.’

  ‘Nevertheless, if we are to teach Anna to ride, you’ll need one. I can’t take the child out alone.’

  Maude liked the sound of that ‘we’, but she refused to acknowledge it even to herself. It was only wishful thinking on her part.

  Chapter Three

  Eliza Gascombe arrived the very next day and the entire household was left in no doubt as to how pleased she was to have been invited. Wreathed in smiles, she swept into the hall, wearing a poke bonnet trimmed with a great quantity of garish pink silk flowers and a matching Spencer jacket. Maude knew her friend prided herself on following London fashions, even though they lived in the deepest countryside. She tried not to feel dowdy in comparison and told herself sternly that such things didn’t matter. Especially not now she was a mere housekeeper.

  ‘My dearest Maude, what a lovely surprise it was to receive your little note. I came at once, of course. Couldn’t possibly leave you in the lurch and I quite understand. Such a delicate situation, is it not?’ She added in a theatrical whisper, ‘And so difficult for you, isn’t it?’

  Maude pasted on a false smile. No doubt the entire neighbourhood were gossiping about the fact that she’d been left with nothing, but she was determined not to let anyone know how angry and hurt she felt. ‘Not at all. I have accepted the fact that this all belongs to Edward’s cousin now. I’m just pleased that Anna and I are allowed to stay.’

  ‘But of course he couldn’t throw you out! That would have been most callous, and I don’t remember Luke – that is to say, Lord Hexham as I suppose we must call him now – in short, he was never the heartless type.’

  Maude reflected that Eliza obviously didn’t know about Luke’s sudden departure after the fiasco of the supposed elopement, which was just as well. She had never talked to anyone about it and had no wish to discuss it now.

  ‘I believe he’s just doing what he sees as his duty,’ she said.

  ‘How noble of him.’ Eliza sighed theatrically, as if Luke was some kind of knight in shining armour. ‘And where is his lordship?’

  ‘Out riding somewhere, I think. I’m sure you’ll see him soon enough.’ Maude linked arms with Eliza and led her towards a small sitting room at the back of the house. ‘Let’s have some tea. I believe Cook has made muffins. I know they’re your favourites.’

  Maude wasn’t convinced the servants were as happy to see Eliza as she was to be there. Donne was wearing his sternest face as he ordered their guest’s trunks to be taken upstairs and Maude saw the maids grimace at ea
ch other. Every time she stayed at Hexham Hall, Eliza was always curt to the point of rudeness with servants. Although Maude suspected it was because she herself came from a rather humble background and wanted to make sure everyone knew she was now a lady of some standing, it could make life difficult sometimes. She sighed inwardly. Perhaps inviting Eliza hadn’t been such a good idea after all, but it was too late now. She was here and she was usually good company, which was something at least.

  Luke was out for most of the day and didn’t meet his guest until supper time. He came down to find Eliza Manning already waiting in the salon for him. As he entered, she came towards him with her hands outstretched, as if they’d been the best of friends, which was not the case at all. He reminded himself he mustn’t forget to call her Mrs Gascombe now.

  ‘My dear Lord Hexham, how lovely to see you again!’ She smiled and tilted her head to one side coquettishly. ‘And so kind of you to invite me. As I was telling Maude, I was of course thrilled to be of service. I’ll stay as long as you need me.’

  Was it Luke’s imagination, or had she emphasised the words ‘you’ and ‘need’?

  He took her hands somewhat reluctantly and bowed over them, but let go as soon as he possibly could, not sure how to react to her flirtatious manner. He remembered Eliza as rather plain, with brown hair and hazel eyes, but looking at her now he had to admit she had grown more attractive with age. He supposed she had only seemed plain to him because he had always compared her to Maude, whose cool blonde beauty outshone every other lady in the county. It still did.

  ‘I find it hard to believe that Maude is a dowager now, don’t you?’ Eliza laughed, a pretty tinkling sound, although rather artificial to Luke’s mind. ‘But then I would have been too if Gascombe had had any heirs. Lucky for me he didn’t.’

  Luke frowned. ‘Surely she’s not a dowager until such time as I marry?’

  ‘Perhaps not, but to all intents and purposes …’

  At this moment, Maude came into the room and interrupted her friend. Anna was skipping along behind her and Maude put out a restraining hand to keep the child in check. ‘Good evening, my lord. Are you sure you still want Anna to sit with us at table? She could easily have a tray upstairs.’

  Her fine blue eyes seemed anxious as they passed between him and Eliza, and Luke wondered why. He had his answer soon enough.

  ‘The child is eating with us?’ Eliza sounded surprised. ‘Really, Maude, I would have thought that’s at least ten years too soon.’

  Luke turned and narrowed his eyes at her. ‘I’m afraid it is on my orders, Mrs Gascombe. I believe it will do her good to learn how to behave in company and as there’s no one here, apart from yourself, what harm can it do? She can learn from our example. Since you have come to lend Maude countenance, I quite see you as a member of the family.’ He added this last sentence on purpose and the flattery worked, just as he’d thought.

  ‘Family? Oh, yes of course. Then naturally I can have no objections to, er ... eating with a child present.’ Eliza cast Anna a look of acute dislike, which Luke noticed was returned in full measure by a glare from the little girl. He hid a smile. It was obvious that Eliza had never had children herself. But then Eliza turned back towards him and her smile returned. ‘It’s very kind of you to take an interest, my lord, and a few meals will suffice to show her how to behave, I’m sure.’

  Luke heard the unspoken hope that Anna would only be eating with them temporarily and refrained from telling Eliza that it was to be a permanent arrangement. She’d find out soon enough.

  ‘Shall we go into the dining room then?’ He offered his arms to both ladies and winked at Anna who brought up the rear. ‘I’m sorry I only have two arms,’ he told her with a smile over his shoulder. ‘You don’t mind being without an escort?’

  She grinned at him. ‘No. I couldn’t reach your arms anyway, could I?’

  A few days later Maude was sitting in the nursery on the top floor of the house with Anna, teaching her sums, when there was a peremptory knock on the door.

  ‘Come in.’

  To her surprise, Luke entered and he smiled at Anna. ‘Good morning. I’m sorry to interrupt your lesson, but there is something I particularly want to show you.’ He looked at Maude. ‘Do you mind? It won’t take long.’

  She had stood up as he entered and although she wasn’t sure what he was up to, she nodded. ‘By all means.’

  ‘You should probably come along as well,’ he said, almost as an afterthought. Maude picked up her skirts and followed him down the stairs.

  ‘Where is Mrs Gascombe this morning?’ he asked along the way.

  ‘She takes her breakfast in bed,’ Maude informed him, trying not to show how much this annoyed her. Eliza may be a guest, but she was supposed to be chaperoning Maude and she could hardly do that from her bedroom. Also, Eliza had the maids running up and down the stairs because there was always something not quite right with the food they brought her. Maude had already endured a half hour of complaints from Mrs Mason on the subject.

  ‘Good,’ was all Luke said, however, and Maude didn’t get a chance to ask what he meant by that.

  He led the way out of the house and round the back into the stable yard. There he nodded at a groom, who had been loitering just inside the doors of one of the loose boxes. The lad came outside, leading a small, sturdy pony by a rein, and Anna squealed with excitement.

  ‘Is he for me? You borrowed him so I could learn?’

  ‘Not exactly. I decided to buy him because his owner was letting him go cheap. What do you think? Will he do?’

  ‘Oh, Uncle Luke!’ Anna was almost incoherent with joy and threw herself at him, giving his middle a fierce hug. Then she went over to the pony, approaching him almost with reverence. ‘Hello, what’s your name then? You’re beautiful! Absolutely lovely.’

  Maude, who had been almost as surprised as her daughter at this kind gesture, had to smile. The tubby pony looked as if he’d been dragged through a hedge backwards and the word ‘beautiful’ was not one she’d have used to describe him with. She looked up and caught Luke’s gaze on her.

  ‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, is it not?’ he murmured, and for some reason this made Maude’s cheeks heat up as she remembered that he had once thought her beautiful.

  She focused on the pony and smiled. ‘Indeed. Thank you, you’ve made Anna very happy. It was most kind of you.’

  ‘Nonsense. I can’t have it be said that I’ve mistreated my relations. Young ladies need to learn to ride. What do you say, shall we try a short outing this afternoon with Anna on a leading rein?’

  ‘But I don’t have ...’ Maude started to protest, but Luke held up his hand and nodded to his left.

  ‘Yes, you do. Go and say hello to Mayflower. She’s not quite as fine a horse as Blossom was, but I hope she’ll do? It was the best I could find at such short notice.’

  Maude blinked. Another groom had led out a pretty white mare who stood tossing her head and staring at her new mistress. ‘I ... thank you! She’s perfect,’ Maude breathed. She was astonished at his thoughtfulness and at the fact that he even remembered her old horse’s name.

  Luke laughed. ‘Now you’re being as blind as your daughter.’

  Maude walked over to the mare and made friends, stroking the soft muzzle and murmuring softly. ‘Don’t pay any attention to him,’ she told the horse. ‘He’s just being rude.’

  ‘Here, perhaps this will make amends.’ Luke pulled a carrot out of his pocket and fed it to the horse. ‘And I apologise if I hurt your feelings, Mayflower.’ He was grinning, however, so Maude didn’t think he was being serious. She shook her head at him. This was a playful side she hadn’t thought to see in him ever again.

  Anna came over and demanded to be allowed to ride that instant, so Luke lifted her onto the pony and personally led her round the stable yard a few times. ‘That’s enough for now,’ he said. ‘We’re going for a proper ride after lunch.’

  To Maude’s surprise
Anna didn’t protest and the child even remembered to thank him again before they went back to the school room.

  ‘He’s the best uncle in the world, isn’t he?’ she asked her mother with shining eyes as they sat down to continue the maths lesson.

  Maude could only agree, but although she was grateful to him, she knew it placed her even further in his debt. How would she ever repay him?

  ‘You are marvellously patient with the child, my lord. You could just let the groom teach her, you know. I’m sure you have far more important matters to attend to.’

  Eliza had of course needed to be included on their ride and she had been watching Luke and Anna with a deepening scowl ever since they set out, although whenever Luke turned to reply to anything she said, the woman was all smiles. He was riding beside the little girl, showing her how to hold the reins, how to position her legs and feet and how to keep her back straight. Maude agreed that he was patience personified, but wished Eliza would keep her thoughts to herself. She was sure Anna would listen much more readily to Lord Hexham than to any groom, since she seemed to like him so much.

  She glanced at the man who followed them at a short distance. Luke had introduced him before the ride. ‘This is Stetson. He’s been with me ever since I first arrived in Portugal.’ Maude had gathered that Stetson was now Luke’s personal servant, but from the way they spoke to each other, they were almost like old friends. She supposed that if you had faced death together with someone, a bond was bound to develop. Either way, Stetson didn’t seem to take advantage of it in any way and was a nice, easy-going man.

  ‘I enjoy teaching Anna,’ came Luke’s calm reply to Eliza, and of course there was nothing she could say to that.

  ‘Don’t know why you all like horse-riding so much anyway,’ Eliza grumbled under her breath. ‘It was all you ever wanted to do when you were younger, and I couldn’t understand it. Nasty, smelly creatures, horses.’