The Conundrum of a Clerk

by Sande, Linda Rae

  “I promised you, and I say it again, I shan’t take a mistress,” Teddy said in a whisper. He knew Daisy was about to remark that he had better not when he added, “I think I shall have my hand full with just you. That is, if you’re still of a mind to marry me.”

  Daisy nodded, a sob interrupting her watery smile. “I am,” she agreed.

  “You’re sure? You seem to have an awfully poor opinion of marriage—”

  “I didn’t wish to marry—before now, of course,” she said as she gave him a wan smile.

  “Why now then?” he asked, a bit suspicious of her motives. Ever since that night—just two nights ago—when she had seduced him, he wondered at her motives.

  “Hmm,” she murmured as her head moved back to the small of his shoulder. “It has little to do with marriage and more to do with the man, I suppose,” she said.

  “The man?” Teddy repeated, his heart skipping a beat just then.

  “Yes. The first man to kiss me. Other than my father, and he only ever kisses me on the cheek,” she said with a grin.

  “I shall remember that first kiss for the rest of our days,” Teddy whispered.

  “The only man besides my father to say that he loves me,” she went on.

  “That I do.”

  “The only man besides my father to whom I’ve ever said those words.”

  “The most welcome words I’ve heard in my entire life,” Teddy said, just before he kissed the top of her head.

  “The man who is going to be the father of my children.”

  Children? he nearly repeated, not having given a thought to that particular issue. “I’ll do my best,” he managed.

  “Since I don’t intend those children to be illegitimate, then it means we must be married.”

  Teddy frowned. “I was just about to say you could just be my mistress, but it would have to be a contract for life, and then we couldn’t have children if they had to be legitimate,” he said, a hint of sadness creeping into his voice.

  “Oh, no. I’m not about to take up my mother’s profession,” she replied with a shake of her head.

  “Thank the gods,” Teddy said as he tightened his hold on her. “Besides, I don’t think I could afford you.”

  The pasteboard box bumped against her shoulder, and Teddy was reminded he still held onto it. “By the way, you’ve a box to open.” From the weight of it, he couldn’t imagine it holding very much. Jewelry, he imagined, if only because of the flat shape of the box.

  Daisy pulled it from his fingers and regarded it for a moment. “I’m always very surprised by my father’s gifts,” she said as she regarded the box.

  “What do you think it is?”

  “As an operative, I knew these to be jewelry boxes from Ludgate Hill,” she replied. “Usually containing a bracelet.”

  “Why not a necklace?” Teddy asked.

  “Too small. The necklace box would be larger by at least two inches. Heavier, too. This...” She gave the box a shake. “Doesn’t feel as if it contains anything more than paper.”

  “Perhaps that’s what it is,” he replied, trying to imagine what might be hidden beneath the white lid. “Open it, my sweet, or I shall,” he warned with a grin.

  Daisy pulled the lid from the box, not surprised to find a folded piece of paper fitted perfectly into the square bottom. “Paper. See? I told you,” she said. She plucked the parchment from the box bottom, allowing the box to drop into her lap. Unfolding the paper, her eyes widened at seeing a bank cheque made out to her name in the amount of ten-thousand pounds. “Oh!” she breathed, her brows furrowing.

  Why ever would her father give her ten-thousand pounds? He had already given her an inheritance—her dowry—in a separate account at the Bank of England.

  “There’s another paper in the box,” Teddy said, a combination of shock and uncertainty making it hard for him to breathe just then. With this kind of money, Daisy didn’t have to continue in her position. With this kind of money, she might not wish to marry, either.

  Daisy unfolded the square sheet and held up the note, her father’s familiar script filling the small paper almost all the way to the edges.

  My Dearest Daisy,

  Please forgive my interference—just this once. After our discussion about the maintenance issues at your school, I wish to see to it repairs are made immediately. I shouldn’t want you losing pupils because, as Lord Lancaster complained in my hearing, “A drop of water fell upon my daughter’s head as she was learning to make a French knot.”

  Now, I’ve no idea what a French knot is, but it sounds rather important to a young woman’s education. I shouldn’t want any others to be plopped on the head by an errant raindrop and thus prevented from learning what they must.

  Knowing of your attention to such details, I rather imagine you have already lined up a suitable roofer to see to the repair, but may I suggest an entire replacement? And not just for this one classroom’s roof, but for all of those on the premises? I’ve some experience with such matters, you see, and know ’tis better to simply replace a roof. While you’re at it, why not simply see to all the necessary repairs?

  Remember, you promised you would visit.

  Your loving father,

  Ariley

  Daisy let out a sound indicating disbelief coupled with a snort. “Did you read it?” she asked as she turned her attention back to Teddy.

  He swallowed as he glanced in her direction. “I admit, I did. It’s not his responsibility to pay for the repairs, though. And with your investment, we have the funds to cover all the invoices...”

  His words were stopped when Daisy placed a finger on his lips. “Let him do this. Just this once,” she said in a whisper. “He has tried for years to get me to take my inheritance—”

  “Have you?” Teddy asked, despite her fingers still resting on his lips.

  Daisy held her breath a moment. “I admit that in addition to the five-thousand pounds I gave you for my investment, I withdrew the interest. About fifty pounds, but only because I had no other income, and my account from when I was an operative was depleted,” she explained, sounding almost as if she had stolen the money. “If we’re careful, we’ll never want for money,” she whispered.

  Teddy furrowed a brow. “The interest was fifty pounds?” he repeated. He sat back and attempted to figure how much was in her account. “You’ve been a wealthy woman this entire time, but instead of simply living on your inheritance, you’ve been... working?” He straightened, though, when he recalled her earlier words. Living the life of a privileged daughter of the ton wasn’t her choice. “You’re probably never going to spend your inheritance, are you?” he asked then. He could think of a dozen ways in which his townhouse could be improved, or how they might have a second Tilbury and a matched pair to pull it, or how he might have suits of clothes for six days a week and she could have a wardrobe full of beautiful gowns and all the fripperies to go with them.

  Daisy regarded him with a wan smile. “I suppose we could order a Tilbury,” she suggested. “Bid on a matched pair of greys at Tattersall’s. Maybe modernize your townhouse a bit. But I do think we need to keep some for the children. For their inheritance.”

  Teddy blinked. “Children?” he repeated again.

  Wondering at the odd way in which he said the word, Daisy moved a hand to her belly. “I could already be with child,” she whispered.

  A slow smile spread over Teddy’s face as he thought about what it would be like to have a tot like David greeting him in the morning. What it would be like to toss him into the air as George did. Swing him through the air in a circle.

  Then he remembered he couldn’t do such a thing.

  He only had one arm.

  He was about to suggest they forego children when Daisy said, “I shouldn’t want you tossing our babes into the air, though. Or swinging them about so their arms almost come out of their sockets.”

  Teddy blinked. Could she read his mind? “Did your father do that to you?”r />
  Grinning, Daisy gave a nod. “As I recall, my sister vomited on him every time he did it to her. I’ve no idea how I reacted, but suffice it to say, he doesn’t do it with my stepbrother or my stepsister. I don’t think his duchess would allow it.”

  “I love you,” Teddy said, just before he captured her lips in a kiss. “I’ve a mind to give you the rest of the day off just so I might have my way with you.”

  Giggling, Daisy replied, “I’ve a mind to let you.” She suddenly sobered. “But I’ve a class to teach, and there are roofers—”

  “Later, then,” Teddy said. “I must be getting to Angelo’s. I’ve a match with George, and I intend to skewer him.”

  “But, why?” she asked in alarm. “You do realize he’s responsible for seeing to it we ended up together at the theatre?” she half-asked. “And all the rest.”

  Teddy inhaled and held his breath a moment. “True,” he acknowledged. “Perhaps... perhaps I’ll go easy on him.”

  With that, he gave her another kiss before taking his leave of Warwick’s.

  Chapter 37

  Inattentive Witnesses to a Wedding

  Four weeks later

  James, Duke of Ariley, held onto his duchess’ hand as he watched his oldest daughter exchange marriage vows with the head of clerks from the Bank of England. Their witnesses, Lord and Lady Bostwick, stood off to the side, their gazes not on the bride and groom, but on each other, as if they were reliving their own marriage vows all over again.

  And happily so.

  He could just imagine what they would be doing when they returned to Bostwick House later that day.

  As for his daughter, Daisy looked every inch the daughter-of-a-duke she was, dressed in a gown he had insisted she allow him to have made for the occasion. Just this once, she finally agreed, but only after he presented her with the ivory silk confection. Adorned with embroidered daisies made with pearls and row after row of satin ruches at the hem and neck, the gown was probably more appropriate for a younger bride. Once she was in the gown, she seemed to transform into the daughter she had been those few years after her mother’s death.

  If the front of the gown appeared crushed, it was because he had hugged her so tightly just before she joined her betrothed at the altar.

  Try as he might to remain stone-faced through the ceremony, James found he couldn’t when he noticed how tears streamed from Helen’s eyes. “What ever is wrong?” he whispered in alarm.

  Helen sniffled into a lacy handkerchief. “I always cry at weddings,” she replied in a whisper interrupted by a sob.

  “You didn’t cry at ours,” James countered in a hoarse whisper.

  “That’s because I was frightened out of my wits,” she whispered back.

  James frowned and turned to stare at his wife of over eight years. “Pray tell, why would you be frightened?” As he remembered it, she was rather willing in the marriage bed that night, but then, it hadn’t been their first time together. As her betrothed, he had deflowered her well before the ceremony.

  Given his age, he was determined to get a child on her as soon as possible. That it took four years was probably because he was trying too hard.

  Helen allowed a shrug. “We were married in front of a huge crowd of aristocrats, if you recall. The queen was there. The prince was there. And I left Harrington House knowing the wedding cake had fallen at some time in the middle of the night. The cook was frantically trying to repair it with sugar frosting when I left for St. George’s.”

  Blinking, James remembered the cake he had been served at the wedding breakfast. He always wondered if the person who had cut his piece did so knowing he had a sweet tooth. “Best cake I ever ate,” he murmured, just as Teddy and Daisy were about to say their vows.

  “As I recall, your piece was all frosting,” Helen said, her breath catching in a quiet sob.

  James grinned. “It was,” he agreed, just before he surreptitiously kissed her. “Best cake ever.”

  Helen gave him a look of disbelief. “We’re in church!” she whispered in a scold.

  Managing a look of contrition, James turned his attention back to his daughter. “Will today’s cake be just as good?” he asked.

  “Better,” Helen whispered, sniffling into a lace hanky. “I have assurances from the cook that it turned out perfectly.”

  “Hmm,” the duke replied with a hint of disappointment, his gaze going to his almost son-in-law. “He’s a fierce competitor on the pisté.”

  Helen’s watery eyes widened. “I thought he was missing an arm,” she argued.

  “He is, but don’t let that fool you, my sweeting. I’ve seen him skewer Bostwick on more than one occasion.”

  Giving him a quelling glance, Helen sniffled again. “William wanted to come today,” she whispered. “He’s quite taken with his older sister.”

  James sighed, a wan smile appearing just as his daughter completed her vows. “Smart boy, he is. Do let him come to the wedding breakfast, won’t you?”

  “Of course. I rather doubt he could be kept away. He’s learned how to manage door handles.” This last was said as one of her eyebrows arched up in warning.

  Blinking, James regarded his wife for a moment—the very moment his daughter was being declared Theodore Streater’s wife—with a hint of alarm.

  “When was this?”

  Helen allowed a teasing grin. “Sometime in the middle of the night,” she replied in a whisper. “About the time you were attempting to get another child on me despite the fact that you already have,” she added as her eyebrows waggled suggestively. “You didn’t lock the door.”

  The Duke of Ariley allowed a groan before he gamely stood up and watched Daisy and Teddy take their leave of the altar.

  “Well, I suppose that means I’ll have some explaining to do during the wedding breakfast,” he replied. He was about to suggest they send their daughter to a nunnery, but thought better of it.

  He was sure he would be as proud of Rose as he was of his other two daughters.

  Epilogue

  Four months later, on a Saturday afternoon

  “What are your thoughts?” Teddy asked as he angled his head to one side.

  Daisy regarded her husband with a wan smile. “My gowns are all too small, my ankles are swollen, and two of my students are most vexing,” Daisy replied from where she stood to his right.

  Teddy frowned, hoping he appeared appropriately sympathetic.

  George had warned him this would happen.

  “The modiste will deliver your new gowns on the morrow, and I shall see to massaging your feet as best I’m able when we get home,” Teddy replied, rather glad he could support her ankles with his wooden arm while he massaged her feet with his hand. “I’m not sure what to do about your vexing students, though, other than to say they will no longer be your vexing students when Miss Easterly and Miss Weston take on your classes Monday.”

  The two new instructors had just that day moved into Alpha House, Miss Easterly having been hired from her position as a governess for an earl, and Miss Weston from an agency promising she could teach even the most left-footed young boy how to dance.

  Teddy took a breath. “Now. What do you think?”

  Daisy dimpled as she regarded her husband with a widening smile. “It’s beautiful. They’re all beautiful,” she said, referring to the buildings lined up across the street from where they stood. “They look like they were built with marble. However did the colorman manage it?”

  Teddy grinned, rather glad he had arranged for the brick buildings to be encased in a layer of white stucco the week before the colormen arrived to do the painting. “It is rather amazing what can be done to stucco,” he agreed with a sigh. “It’s paint. Merely paint made to look like marble.”

  Daisy’s eyes widened. “I suppose it cost a fortune,” she said in awe.

  Teddy wasn’t about to argue, but marrying a duke’s daughter meant having to accept a gift of ten-thousand-pounds to help renovate an aging finis
hing school. That didn’t mean he had to spend it all in one place, though. “Half a fortune,” he replied.

  Daisy rolled her eyes. “So, we have Father to thank for that,” she replied, all too familiar with the expenses associated with the renovations.

  She was seeing to the books, after all.

  “The windows are splendid,” she added with a sigh.

  “Indeed,” Teddy replied. “But then, they should be. They cost enough.” Instead of just a few replacements here and there, the entire school had new plate glass windows.

  “When will the locksmith be done?”

  “He finished this morning.” Teddy pulled a few keys from his waistcoat pocket and held them up. “These, my sweeting, are the keys to your apartment, your office, and Omega House,” he said, not adding that he had copies for himself in his other waistcoat pocket. Although he didn’t expect to have to use them, he thought they might come in handy should he wish to join his wife for tea some afternoon.

  Daisy dimpled as she took the set of keys. “Did you give Mrs. Barnaby a key to her classroom?” she asked.

  “Mr. Barnaby has it,” Teddy replied. “He insisted on watching the entire installation.” Although Charity no longer lived at Warwick’s, Nicholas Barnaby saw to delivering his wife to her classroom every morning as well to escorting her home from it every afternoon. “Apparently she’s bemoaning having moved out of Alpha House, though. She learned of the new carpets, and now Mr. Barnaby is having to arrange new carpets in their townhouse.”

  Daisy allowed a gasp. “I wonder if Mr. Jenkins will have to do the same?” she asked in dismay. Jane had married the gardener the week after regular classes ended in June, although she had returned to teach the music and art classes once school resumed.

  “No doubt he will,” Teddy commented.

  “I never realized just how important carpets were to the comfort of a house,” Daisy said with a sigh.

  All the carpets in the Warwick boarding houses had been replaced during the school’s closure for the summer recess. Gas lighting had been installed in all the buildings, too, including the classrooms. Some carpentry work was still scheduled in the boarding houses, but for the most part, the renovations were complete.