An Unlikely Suitor

by Nicola Cornick

  Lavender sighed. Whilst it might be an accepted thing for a man to marry beneath him, particularly for fortune, the same could not be said of a lady. She understood what Lewis had been implying, knew that in the eyes of the world she would be making a deplorable mé-salliance. And yesterday Barney had been adamant that he would never ask her to do so. Now, however, his hand had been forced…

  She was not sure how long she had been sitting there when the door opened and Barney came in. He was still very pale under his tan and his expression was set. Lavender got to her feet, suddenly nervous. Barney came across to her and took one of her cold hands in his.

  ‘Miss Brabant. Yesterday I explained why I could not offer for you despite the esteem in which I hold you. It now seems, however, that I have compromised your reputation and I accept that that is true and that I must take the blame for it. I therefore have your brother’s permission to ask for your hand in marriage.’ He stepped back punctiliously, releasing her.

  ‘You would do me great honour—the greatest honour—in accepting my offer.’

  Lavender took a deep breath. His words had hurt her, for he made no bones about the fact that he was only proposing out of necessity. This was not how she had wanted it, and it seemed so cruel that she had had no time to talk him round, to change his mind…

  She tried to smile.

  ‘Pray, sir, may we not sit down and discuss this in a comfortable way? I fear that all this emotion so soon after breakfast will overpower me!’

  Barney gave her a slight smile, but he sat down beside her on the window-seat and she saw him relax a little. He took her hand again, this time more naturally.

  ‘Lavender, I am sorry that this is not as you would have wished it! God knows, I hold you in the highest esteem and could wish for nothing more than that you would be my wife! But,’ he shook his head, ‘I must ask you to also to consider the change in your circumstances, were you to marry me.’ He got to his feet again restlessly, as though he was unable to stand the thoughts that crowded in on him, and took a few agitated paces away from her before turning back with a gesture of despair.

  ‘I feel sick at heart to be asking this of you! How long would it be before you regretted so hasty a marriage? You might become bitter and resentful, longing for what you had given up!’

  He saw her instinctive gesture of denial and hurried on. ‘Oh, you say now that you would never feel like that, but what can I offer you? I do not even have a profession! What, are you to live above the draper’s shop? You, a lady brought up here at the Manor? Are you to help me serve behind the counter, dealing with the customers, at my father’s beck and call?’ He turned violently away from her. ‘It is intolerable! And yet that is what I am asking of you, because now I am obliged to offer you the protection of my name—and that is all I can offer you! No home, no profession, nothing of my own!’

  Lavender put her hands over her ears. ‘Barney, I shall not listen! It need not be like that—’

  ‘That is precisely how it is!’ Barney’s eyes were black with fury now. Lavender dimly realised that his anger was not for her, but for the frustration and cruelty of their situation. She stood up, moved across to him.

  ‘Barney, listen. It is not as you suggest—’

  ‘In fact it is even worse than I am suggesting!’ Barney’s face was tight with self-loathing. ‘You may not know that I am no son of Hammond’s, only his bastard nephew! I hold the little that I do have from his charity! I do not even have a name of my own to offer you! And you—’ He closed his eyes briefly, to open them again and focus intensely on her face. ‘You have a considerable fortune of your own, not a penny of which would I touch if we married—’

  ‘Barney, stop!’ Lavender came close to him, compelling his attention with her eyes. She put both her hands on his arms, holding him still.

  ‘I would feel my fortune had been put to a noble use if it enabled you to pursue your ambition—’

  Barney broke away from her. ‘No! It is all wrong!’

  ‘That is just foolish pride talking—’ Lavender took a deep breath and spoke more calmly. ‘You have done me the honour to ask me to be your wife. I am fully aware of the…disadvantages you perceive in our situation, but…’ she kept her eyes fixed on his face ‘…I love you.’

  She slid her hands up to his shoulders and stood on tiptoe to kiss him. After a moment she felt his arms go round her and he bent his head to hers. The kiss was deep and sweet, but there was an edge of desperation to it and after a moment Barney freed himself. There was despair in his face.

  ‘Lavender, I love you too, but it is not enough…’

  Lavender stood back out of the circle of his arms. She felt suddenly cold. Her gaze scoured his face and a part of her withered at what she saw there. She spoke slowly.

  ‘Very well, then, Mr Hammond. If that is the case, I cannot marry you. You give with one hand, then take away. You offer me marriage, then tell me all the reasons why I should not accept! I love you and you say that you love me too, yet that is not enough for you. Well, I am braver than you. It would have been enough for me. But have no fear. I will not accept you. I thank you for the honour that you have done me, but I fear I must decline your offer.’

  It was when she saw the relief in his face, fleeting as it was, that her heart truly broke. She was not sure how she kept her composure long enough to dismiss him, but her voice did not even shake.

  ‘There is nothing more to say. Good day, Mr Hammond.’

  When she heard the door close behind him, she threw herself down on the window-seat again and cried and cried.

  ‘It is very difficult,’ Caroline said, with what her sister-in-law thought was huge understatement. ‘On the one hand, Mr Hammond is in the right of it, for there is no doubt that it would be a very unequal match in worldly terms!’

  Lavender took a turn about her bedroom. She had locked herself away earlier, wanting to see no one, but Caroline had persuaded her to let her in and was now sitting curled up on the end of Lavender’s bed.

  ‘Why does everyone have to think in such a way?’ Lavender demanded. Her head ached from the misery of it all. ‘Barney is in every way my equal—he is clever and compassionate and kind, yet no one rates those qualities and everyone thinks only of money and position—’

  ‘Here’s a pother!’ Caroline said, eyes twinkling. ‘You have no need to defend him to me, Lavender! I like Barney Hammond immensely and it has not escaped my notice that he is all the things you say and a very attractive man into the bargain! But—’ the light died from her eyes ‘—there is no doubt that if you marry him you will be making what the world views to be a huge mistake. Further, there is a practical point. You may think now that you could tolerate any circumstance for love, but in practice I think you would find it difficult. Leaving aside the slights and sneers of your fellow men, you would have that pushing Arthur Hammond as a father-in-law and a husband who was obliged to work in a shop. Surely you can see that your circumstances would not be enviable!’

  Lavender went over to the window and stared out into the dusk. Suddenly she wanted to escape the house, escape the intolerable problem of her future. The picture that Caroline had painted was bleak indeed and she could not deny it. It would have taken a great deal of love and tenacity to overcome it. She had been prepared to take a risk on that love, but Barney had not—and that was the end of it. So perhaps, after all, there was no debate.

  Briefly Lavender thought of Barney’s secret plans to study to become a pharmacist. She could have funded his studies if he had been prepared to swallow his pride and accept her money. They could have been free of Hammond’s influence, they could have been happy…

  But Barney had shown himself too stubborn to agree to live off his wife’s charity, even for love. Lavender pressed her head against the cool window-panes and closed her eyes for a moment.

  She turned back restlessly to Caroline.

  ‘There is another alternative, although we have not yet spoken of it. I have r
efused Barney and I will keep to my decision. It is not because I did not feel I could live with all the disadvantages you have outlined, dearest Caro. It is because he does not feel that he loves me enough to do so. So I shall take my fortune and move away from the gossips and live on my own and never marry!’

  It was said defiantly, but there was an ache in her heart. In the first place she loved Hewly and the Abbey villages, and hated the thought of living away. Secondly, she loved Barney even more, but if he could not see a way clear to marrying her for love, she would not compromise. It was a bleak future but it was at least an independent one.

  Caroline was looking thoughtful. ‘I understand your principles, Lavender, but there is a problem. You are but three and twenty and do not come into your fortune for another two years. What is to happen in the meantime? Are you to stay here and suffer the scandalmongering? And wherever you go, your reputation will be in shreds—’

  Lavender tried to shrug it off. ‘It is of no consequence. I cannot care for the petty attitudes of small-minded people…’

  As if in response to her comment, the door opened and Julia Chessford entered. She smiled limpidly at Lavender.

  ‘Good evening, Cos! Are you well? And am I to wish you happy? Judging from all the gossip, I would hope so!’

  Lavender gritted her teeth. ‘No, you are not, Julia! It is all a big misunderstanding…’

  ‘Really…’ Julia breathed. She plumped herself down on the opposite side of the bed to Caroline. ‘Lud, how unfortunate! If you could hear what they are saying in the village—’

  ‘Thank you, Julia,’ Caroline interposed crisply. ‘We have no need of your gossip. No doubt the whole will blow over shortly.’

  Julia smoothed her skirts. ‘I wish I had your confidence, Caro. I think Lavender is very sensible to hide herself away! You know what the villages can be like—petty, small-minded, but with long memories!’

  ‘I know precisely,’ Caroline said, looking at her pointedly, ‘as I am sure you do too, Julia!’

  ‘Still,’ Julia continued, with a blithe smile at Lavender, ‘I confess it is a relief to know that there will not be such a low connection in the family! For all that Barney Hammond is a prodigiously good-looking young man, he and his fortune reek of the shop! It is preferable to climb the social scale rather than slide down it!’ She gave Lavender a little, catlike smile. ‘Though I do not suppose you understand the niceties of such things, cousin Lavender!’

  ‘Was not your own father in trade, Julia?’ Lavender asked crossly.

  Julia waved one white hand, not a whit discomposed. ‘Lud, yes! But that is precisely what I mean! I married a gentleman, and soon…’ she leant forward, eyes gleaming ‘…I shall attach a lord!’

  Lavender sighed, glad in part that the conversation had moved on from her own romantic tribulations. One could always rely on Julia to talk about herself. She found it far more interesting a subject than talking of anyone else.

  ‘I collect that you mean to marry Lord Leverstoke,’ Caroline said calmly. ‘Are you so certain of him, then, Julia? And had you forgotten that Leverstoke still has a wife?’

  Julia shrugged uncomfortably. ‘Poor Lavinia Leverstoke is very ill, you know, and not long for this world! And everyone knows that Charles has nursed her devotedly! I am sure that no one would grudge him some happiness when she is gone…’

  ‘So that is why you are here!’ Caroline said cheerfully, winking at Lavender. ‘We had all wondered why you were hiding yourself away! How discreet of you, Julia! Whilst Lady Leverstoke is dying—’

  Even Julia had the grace to blush. ‘You are too unkind, Caro! Why should I not have some happiness—’

  ‘I imagine those petty and small-minded people you referred to a moment ago might have something to say about the way in which you pursue your happiness,’ Caroline said, getting up and smoothing down Lavender’s counterpane with an irritable hand. ‘How long will dinner be, I wonder? Come, Julia, let us leave Lavender in peace! She has had a trying day and I am sure would appreciate some quiet!’

  Julia was impervious to hints. She turned her huge blue eyes back on Lavender.

  ‘Did you know, dearest Lavender, that Arthur Hammond is not really Barnabas’s father? That was a polite fiction put about to save his sister’s name, though I often wondered why they bothered, since the silly creature died a week after the birth!’ Julia wrinkled up her nose. ‘Eliza Hammond was in service somewhere over Northampton way—it could even have been Riding Park now I think of it—and came back in disgrace! Nanny Pryor knows all the tales!’

  Lavender gritted her teeth. ‘I have heard the gossip, Julia. It really is irrelevant—’

  Julia ignored her. Her eyes lit up and she gave a little shriek. She had clearly just had a scurrilous thought. ‘Oh, how piquant! I do believe it was Riding Park! How if the father of Eliza’s child was Lord Freddie Covingham himself, and when the Covinghams showed favour to Barney recently it was on account of the irregular connection!’

  ‘What a deal of nonsense you do talk, Julia,’ Caroline said disgustedly, resting one hand on the bedpost. ‘In the first place I believe that Lord Freddie and Lady Anne were but recently married at the time twenty-five years ago—’

  Julia opened her eyes very wide. ‘Lud, Caro, I know that you have led a sheltered life, but even you must know that there is nothing to stop a man newly-wed fathering a child on the maid!’

  ‘I pity you your cynicism!’ Caroline snapped.

  Lavender wished they would cease their brangling, and if they did have to quarrel that they might do so outside her bedroom. Julia was enough to try the patience of a saint and Caroline, who was normally so placid, seemed surprisingly quick to react. Lavender went over to her. She could see tears in Caroline’s hazel eyes and realised suddenly how much of a trial it must be for her sister-in-law at five months pregnant having to tolerate Julia, who was forever planting her spiteful barbs.

  ‘Come, Caro, you must be tired,’ she said gently. ‘I shall go down to the kitchens and arrange for you to have dinner in your room. You must not exhaust yourself before the Covinghams get here!’

  Caroline gave her a grateful look. ‘Thank you, Lavender. I confess I do feel a little low in spirits.’ She took the hand Lavender proffered to help her to the door. ‘Oof! That’s better! I declare I am growing apace—in all directions!’

  Julia looked as though she was about to make some malicious observation on this, but Lavender glared pointedly at her.

  ‘Cousin Julia, do you wish to take your supper here? Though it is my room, I am happy to lend it to you!’

  Even Julia got the message this time. She got up. ‘Very well! I can see I am not wanted! I shall leave the two of you together and hunt up Lewis! It will be so delightful to talk to him of old times—just the pair of us!’

  ‘Silly piece!’ Lavender said stringently as she gave Caroline her arm along the landing to the bedroom. ‘Lewis will not thank her for inflicting her company on him! How much longer must she stay, Caro? Can we not find a way to persuade her to go?’

  ‘I shall spend my evening thinking on it!’ Caroline agreed, sinking down into a fireside chair with a sigh of relief. ‘She must be made to go or we shall all run mad!’ She patted Lavender’s hand. ‘I have not forgot, my love, that you are the one who has a dilemma to deal with now! If you wish to speak to me—’ She broke off, a twinkle in her eye. ‘Oh dear, does that stubborn look mean that you have made up your mind? The times I have seen Lewis look just the same…’

  Lavender laughed. ‘I fear so, Caro. I am still of the same mind. I shall not marry Mr Hammond.’

  Caroline shrugged. ‘So be it. We shall see what comes. I hope that Julia’s ill-bred remarks about his parentage did not offend you?’

  Lavender shook her head. ‘To tell the truth, I ought to thank her for it!’ She saw Caroline’s look of surprise and smiled. ‘She reminded me of the book you see—With all the other events, I had quite forgot to ask Mr Hammond where he had ob
tained it from! Yet if it were amongst his mother’s effects and she had been in service, she might well have taken it from Kenton Hall—’

  ‘Julia said that she was in service at Riding Park, not at Kenton,’ Caroline said slowly. She looked up at Lavender. ‘Still, it is a good thought! We shall ask Lady Anne when she comes, for I do not for a minute believe Julia’s scandalous assertion that Barney Hammond is Lord Freddie’s son!’

  ‘I should think not!’ Lavender made her way to the door. ‘The Covinghams are far too unfashionably fond of each other for such a tale to ring true!’

  ‘Besides,’ Caroline said with a smile, ‘Barney does not have the Covingham nose! One might as well suggest that he was Sir Thomas Kenton’s by-blow!’ Her smile faded. ‘Now there is a thought…’

  Lavender was laughing to think of the unworldly baronet siring an illegitimate son. ‘How your mind does run on, Caro! I fear that if Barney is the natural child of any nobleman, the Marquis of Sywell must still be the prime candidate!’ She sighed. ‘Do you have any rose water that I might borrow? I fear that Julia has left me with the most dreadful headache!’

  ‘I had hoped to find you in better spirits, my dearest Lavender,’ Frances Covingham said plaintively, holding her friend at arm’s length and eyeing her closely. ‘You look as wan as December! Now, what is all this gossip I hear about you? To think I always found the country slow!’

  Frances slipped her hand through Lavender’s arm and steered her away up the stairs. ‘Take me to your room so that we can have a coze together! I hear that Mrs Chessford is staying with you? What bad luck!’

  It was the following day and the Covinghams had arrived a half hour previously for a stay of a few days. It seemed that the atmosphere in the house had lightened immediately. Caroline was delighted to see Anne again and Lewis had immediately taken Lord Freddie off to have a look at the estate.

  ‘We shall soon have you in plump currant again,’ Frances continued as they reached the top of the stairs and went along the landing. ‘Lady Perceval, whom we called upon on our way here, said that she never listens to village gossip and that you were not to regard it. But before we disregard it, dearest Lavender, I want to hear all about it!’