The Pleasure of the Rose

by Jane Bonander

  Geddes drained his cup and handed it to her, gesturing for more.

  Fen shook her head. “No refills for you, not yet. I’ll see that Rosalyn gives you another cup before bedtime. Until then, I suggest you sleep.”

  He smiled and it was the first time she had ever seen him totally unguarded. And he was beautiful.

  • • •

  Rosalyn met Fen on the stairs. “How is he?”

  “He’ll live. It’s probably just some kind of croup. He has no fever this morning, but that doesn’t mean it won’t crop up again tonight.” She dug into her basket and drew out the flask.

  “Give him a cup of this before bedtime, but not before. It will help him sleep.”

  Rosalyn uncapped it and sniffed. “Whiskey?”

  “Partly. That’s why he shouldn’t have any more until he’s ready to retire, else he’ll just suffer the rest of the day.”

  Rosalyn slipped the flask into her apron pocket.

  Adolescent laughter erupted from downstairs.

  Fen took Rosalyn’s arm as they descended. “They seem to be making themselves at home.”

  “The lads, aye. They are strapping and handsome and full of life.”

  Nodding, Fen answered, “I met Kerry on the steps as I rode up.” She raised her brows and shook her head. “You’re right; she’s a beauty, but you’ve got your hands full with that one.”

  “I know. But I think she’s merely protecting herself. You know how children can be, better to act tough than to show your vulnerabilities.”

  “I hope you’re right and that’s all it is.”

  “As do I,” Rosalyn responded. They arrived in the foyer. “I’ll have Evan take you home.”

  Fen shook her head. “No need. The walk will do me good.”

  As she started down the road she turned back and briefly glanced up toward Geddes’s room. Her heart gave a little bump when she saw him standing there, watching her leave.

  • • •

  Rosalyn worked through the wave of nausea, the second one of the day. If she weren’t absolutely certain of it before, she knew for sure now: she was pregnant. But it would still be her secret. And Fen’s. Her husband had enough on his plate; he didn’t need to worry about her.

  She went to Geddes’s room and found him resting in a comfortable chair by the window. He glanced up. “Good morning.”

  She responded with the same, and went to sit on the hassock in front of him. Recalling her discussion with Miss Blessing, she said, “Tell me what the conditions were in which the children were found.”

  “Conditions? Well, indeed their grandfather had died.”

  “And they were left alone, to fend for themselves?” If Fletcher ever learned that, he’d never forgive himself. Ever.

  Geddes frowned. “No, not at all.”

  “No? Then…”

  “They were—well, Gavin and Kerry were staying with some of her Comanche relatives. I learned that it is not unusual at all for orphaned children to be taken in by family.”

  “So, they were fine?”

  “Yes, mostly. Kerry was concerned because Duncan had declared himself an adult and had gone off alone. He was found working on a nearby ranch. It seems it took some doing to get him to agree to accompany the other two.”

  Rosalyn nibbled at her lower lip. Odd that Miss Blessing would make it sound like the children had been in danger. “Well, I’m happy about that. Do you need another of Fen’s potions?”

  He smiled. “No whisky this morning.”

  As she descended the stairs she met Kerry and Miss Blessing, their heads together, speaking in near whispers.

  Rosalyn pasted on a smile to mask her unsettled stomach. “What have you two got planned?”

  Kerry gazed off, looking beyond Rosalyn’s shoulder, not meeting her eyes. Miss Blessing bent her head slightly in acknowledgment and then said, “I thought we’d take a stroll around the grounds. Would you care to join us?”

  Immediately Kerry nudged the chaperone with her elbow and frowned.

  Rosalyn got the picture. “Oh, no, thank you. But if you’re going to walk along the seashore, I suggest you take a wrap. It’s colder than you think down by the water.”

  Again, Miss Blessing nodded, but the two of them disappeared outside, neither wearing a cape.

  Rosalyn shook her head, wondering why she bothered to be civil when it was obvious those two didn’t care a whit. She went to the solarium, settled into a comfortable chair, and picked up her sewing. Sima and her pup, Bonnie, were already there, napping. Rosalyn studied the bunting she was making, quite sure no one would wonder what it was. She had kept it to herself, not wanting to explain to anyone else why she was doing it. She felt so very protective of this child that grew within her. It was almost as if she feared something would happen to it if the news were made public.

  She thought back to Geddes’s suggestion that she get pregnant to replace her sweet Fiona. She frowned and shook her head as she continued to make tiny stitches in the soft fabric. Men did not understand that there was no such thing as a replacement for a child.

  Hearing the sound of horses beating a path over the lawn, she glanced outside just in time to see His Grace and his brothers racing over the grass—oh, no! Racing over the grass toward her rose garden!

  She stood, her sewing falling to the floor, and raced from the room. “Oh, no. No, no, no!”

  By the time she got outside they had ridden out of sight and her roses…She stifled a sob. Her rose garden was in shambles.

  She crossed to the patch that she had spent so many hours cultivating. Falling to her knees, she surveyed the damage, and damage it was. Great clods of rich earth were strewn everywhere. Rose petals were flung wide, scattered like refuse over the ground.

  The devastation was like a death. When she no longer had a child to rear, she had turned her love and attention toward her gardens, particularly her roses. She spoke to them. They listened and they thrived.

  Another sob forced its way into her throat, and she did not swallow it back but allowed it to come forth, with her tears of anger and disappointment.

  She knew it was not logical, but she bent over and cried, mourning her loss.

  The return of the horses penetrated her sorrow. She looked up to find the three of them, His Grace, Duncan, and Gavin, smiling gaily—until they saw her face.

  Just then, Kerry and Miss Blessing rounded the side of the castle as well, and it was as if Rosalyn now had an audience for her grief.

  “My garden! Look what you’ve done to my roses!” And now she could stop neither her weeping nor her fury. “Oafs! Great, clumsy oafs! Auch! Don’t you have enough land to gallop over? Aren’t there acres upon acres upon which to ride your blasted horses? Did you have to ride right through the only thing out here that is mine, and mine alone? That makes any difference to me?”

  Still fuming—and still crying—she marched past all of them into the castle, taking great pains to slam the mighty door behind her.

  • • •

  Fletcher dismounted and handed the reins to Duncan. “Stable him. And make sure they all have oats and water.”

  Duncan glanced at the castle. “She was really mad, wasn’t she?”

  “Truthfully, I’ve never seen her so angry before. And she’s had reason to be so, believe me.”

  Duncan and Gavin led the mounts to the stable.

  Beside Fletcher, Kerry gave a little snort. “Why would she get so upset over some dumb flowers?”

  When Fletcher didn’t answer, Miss Blessing did.

  “I imagine she has worked hard in her garden. I will say it’s quite spectacular. Or…at least it was.”

  “But,” Kerry argued, “flowers aren’t people. Shouldn’t she be more concerned about people?”

  Fletcher drew Kerry close; she burrowed against him. “Rosalyn takes pride in her gardens, Kerry. The boys and I got carried away. They aren’t to blame. I, of all people, should have known better than to ride so close to the flower be
ds.

  “And now,” he said, “off with you two. I must go find my bride and mend some fences. Or, plant some gardens, as it were.”

  He went first to the solarium, which was where he knew Rosalyn took solace. She wasn’t there, but he noticed something on the floor by her chair. He picked it up and studied it, his heart racing. He might be a great oaf, but he knew what it was. He laid it on the chair and strode out into the chilly hallway, intent on going up to his wife’s bedchamber.

  Instead, he went to the stables and prepared the rig that could take him into the village and leave some room for purchases.

  • • •

  Rosalyn was not a person who could stay angry for long. Yes, she could explode quite readily, but after the explosion, she usually came around and rued her prior behavior.

  Such was the case now. Oh, she certainly was angry that they had so cavalierly trampled her roses. That had been quite thoughtless. But she also realized that when she had seen the destruction, something inside her cracked and weeks of anguish and frustration had poured out of her. Once again she was reliving the pain of losing Fiona. Once again she wanted to destroy Leod before he destroyed her family. Once again she railed at having no control over her past or her future.

  People had told her that if only they could have found Fiona’s tiny body, perhaps Rosalyn would have had a sense of finality, of laying her sorrow to rest, once and for all. What foolishness! Her sorrow would always be with her. Perhaps it wasn’t as acute as it had been, but the hole was still there, the jagged edges of her grief merely softened over time.

  She brought her hand to her stomach, certain she’d felt a fluttering, but knowing it was too early for that. Or was it? She counted back to that morning and decided it indeed was possible the bairn had moved. “I wonder what’s in store for you, wee one,” she mused. “Your father may be a great oaf, but he is a kind and good man. He will not forsake you.” But, she wondered, will he abandon her once the heir is born?

  Chapter Twenty

  Rosalyn awoke late. It had been two weeks since the children had arrived, and Rosalyn had kept busy, making sure everything went smoothly. Although she hadn’t seen much of the duke, she had been making a mental list of things she wanted to talk with both him and Geddes about, one of which was the children’s schooling. She guessed that they would have to hire tutors or send the children to Ayr, but she was certain her husband did not want that.

  She hurried from her bed as the queasiness rose in her throat and just made it to the commode before she experienced her first nausea of the day.

  Fletcher hadn’t shared her bed since the arrival of his siblings, and although she was curious as to why he hadn’t, she refused to dwell on it when she had so many other things to worry about. At any rate, her sleep had been interrupted with wild dreams that awakened her frequently, so it was just as well that she was alone. Or so she told herself.

  She stood at the commode and studied her reflection in the mirror. She was pale and there were mauve smudges under her eyes. She knew that these things would pass as they had before. And she also knew that Fletcher had gotten her with child that very first night when, in his fevered sleep, he had believed she was someone else.

  Once her morning ailments had passed, she dressed quickly and hurried to Geddes’s room. She knocked and he told her to enter.

  She poked her head in. “How are you this morning?”

  He was in his dressing gown and trousers, sitting in a chair by the window. Two weeks of rest had done him the world of good. “I’m fine.”

  She stepped into his room. “Do you want some breakfast?”

  “A biscuit and jam would be nice,” he said.

  “I’ll bring it right up.” She turned to leave.

  “Rosalyn?”

  She glanced back at him. “Yes?”

  Geddes appeared to weigh his words carefully. “Is it true that we now have no physician on the island?”

  Rosalyn closed the door and walked toward him. “It’s true. The old sot left while you were away.”

  “Then Mrs. Begley will be quite busy, won’t she?”

  “I dare say she will,” Rosalyn answered, cautiously hopeful. “Why do you ask?”

  “I was thinking…well…” He coughed and cleared his throat. “I, that is His Grace and I were thinking that perhaps she needs a bigger space to treat her patients.”

  Feeling a bump of anticipation, Rosalyn eased herself into a chair beside him. “You…and His Grace?”

  “Well, yes. I dare say the doctor’s old office space is empty, and it seems a pity to let it simply sit there, unoccupied. Do you…um…do you think she would consider using it, instead of her own home? And even if, at some time down the road, we get another physician, the space is quite ample for both of them.”

  “And whose decision will that be?”

  Geddes looked at her, puzzled. “His Grace’s, of course. And perhaps Mrs. Begley’s, considering she’ll be the only healer on the island for a while.”

  Rosalyn felt a surge of excitement, but contained it. As if mulling it over, she tapped two fingers against her lips. “Would she be required to pay rent?”

  “I…we haven’t discussed that yet. First we wanted to see if she was amenable to the situation,” he answered, his voice gruff.

  Rosalyn wanted to yelp for joy, jump up and down; instead she said, “Perhaps you should talk it over with her, as you have with me. I can’t say what her reaction would be, but I can’t imagine what reason she would have to turn down such an offer.”

  Geddes cleared his throat again and scraped a hand over the stubble at his chin. “Yes, well. I’ll get on it soon.”

  Rosalyn stood and moved toward the door. “I’ll bring you some breakfast.”

  Once she was on the stairs she nearly flew down them, her entire demeanor changed from earlier in the morning when she’d felt so wretched. But when she went into the dining room, she found it empty and one of the kitchen girls was clearing the table.

  “Everyone has eaten already?” Rosalyn asked, surprised.

  The girl curtseyed. “Only His Grace and the boys, mum. Can I get you some breakfast?”

  Rosalyn waved her off. “I can get it myself, dear. Thank you. But could you put together a tray for Mr. Gordon? He’s hungry for biscuits and jam this morning.”

  The girl curtseyed again, removed the tray of dirty breakfast dishes, and disappeared into the kitchen.

  Rosalyn poured herself some coffee, took a sip, and felt her stomach lurch. No more of that for a few months, she decided.

  After preparing a cup of tea, she heard laughter coming from outside. With her cup and saucer in hand, she went to the window. The sight that met her eyes surprised her so she nearly spilled her tea.

  Her husband, Duncan, Gavin, and Evan, were planting new rose bushes in her garden! They all worked feverishly, as if they had a timetable to which they adhered. She watched them work, recalling her horrid behavior nearly two weeks before. Until now she had avoided the subject, her nerves as scattered as the ground they had destroyed. How would she apologize? She had ranted and raved like an asylum lunatic. Now, here they all were, planting and digging, hoeing and raking, and even if the plants weren’t precisely where she would have put them, she couldn’t fault them for trying.

  She turned from the window just as Kerry and Dorcas Blessing descended the stairs. The two of them had, Rosalyn decided, become as close as peas in a pod. Perhaps it was time for the overprotective chaperone to say her farewells. Rosalyn would look into it, and happily so. Once out from under Miss Blessing’s wing, Kerry might just turn to Rosalyn, and Rosalyn thought it couldn’t be too soon. The longer the woman stayed, the harder it would be for Kerry to adjust to life on Hedabarr.

  Miss Blessing nodded to Rosalyn as they passed, but Kerry breezed by her as if she were invisible.

  “Do you two have plans today?” Rosalyn asked politely.

  The chaperone gave her a rare smile. “We had hoped to go
into the village. I’m running out of a few essentials and thought I could replenish my supply.”

  Yes, thought Rosalyn, it was time for the dear woman to bid the island and all its inhabitants farewell. “I would think you would be anxious to return to America, Miss Blessing. Surely you have family there who miss you.”

  Miss Blessing unfolded a napkin and placed it on Kerry’s lap. “No, I’m quite alone.” She looked up abruptly as the serving girl entered. “Bring us a full breakfast, and make sure it isn’t cold. Yesterday I nearly got a chill from the shirred eggs.”

  Rosalyn bristled.

  The young girl glanced at Rosalyn, her eyes wide.

  “Lucy, go ahead. I’m sure what you bring them will be fine.”

  The girl curtseyed and left the dining room. When she was gone, Rosalyn said, “I don’t appreciate your tone with the help, Miss Blessing.”

  The woman scoffed. “She’s just a servant.”

  “She’s a young girl in training. It’s hard enough to keep these girls from running off to the mainland. We don’t need them leaving because they’re treated poorly.”

  “I beg to differ. It seems to me that if they work under a stern hand, they will learn never to take advantage.”

  Rosalyn pressed her lips together and then said, “So, you have experience in training servants?”

  Dorcas Blessing backed down. “Well, no, but—”

  “Then I would appreciate it if you would not attempt to train mine.”

  Rosalyn left the dining room, and as she was making her way upstairs, she heard Kerry say, “She’s mean.”

  Rosalyn stormed into Geddes’s room, taking him by surprise.

  He had just finished shaving and was wiping his face with a towel. She exhaled loudly. “When is that woman going back to America?”

  Her brother frowned. “The chaperone? We haven’t booked passage yet—”

  “Well, you’d best do so before I take a broom to her backside,” Rosalyn interrupted.

  Geddes appeared confused. “What has she done?”