by Tinnean
“And yet you seem to be quite fond of him.”
My cheeks heated. “He is a good man, Aunt. Did you not think so yourself? Do you not think so?”
“Yes.” She brought her cup to her lips. “I beg your pardon, Ashton. It just came as such a shock…. I should not have become angry with you. It is not your fault.”
“No, it is not. How has Arabella taken it?”
“Not well, as you may imagine.” I could imagine it, all too well, and I was relieved I hadn’t been present to witness it. “She ran up to her room in tears, poor child. Fortunately, Flowers and Mollie will see to her.”
I felt the blood drain from my cheeks. “Arabella will reveal all this to them.”
Aunt Cecily shrugged. “Flowers is very discreet. As for Mollie, she is turning into quite the competent lady’s maid. We’ll have to trust her to be discreet as well.”
“Will we?” I rose and crossed to the bellpull, giving it a vicious yank.
Flowers would most likely send the girl to the kitchen to have Cook brew a tisane for Arabella. I’d come across Mollie a time or two giggling and blushing with another of the maids, sharing one tidbit or another about the household. What the servants of one house knew, the servants of the entire countryside would know, and I would not have a guest in my house subjected to that.
Colling entered. “You wished something, Sir Ashton?”
“I want all the house servants in my study immediately.”
“Ashton?” Aunt looked puzzled.
“All of them, sir?”
“All of them.”
“Beg pardon, sir, but I’m not sure if Cook—”
“She may set aside whatever is on the hob.” I bit the words off one by one. “Do I make myself plain?”
“Yes, Sir Ashton.”
Colling had barely shut the door behind him when Aunt Cecily spoke. “I don’t understand, Ashton.”
“Don’t you, Aunt?” I snarled. “Do you want the countryside to get wind that our guest—the son of your very good friend—has been unmanned? I have no doubt Mollie will spread the word if given half a chance.”
She shrank back, then paled. “Oh, dear God, I hadn’t thought…. If George should hear…. What will you do?”
“What I can.” I smoothed a hand over my hair and started for the door. “Pray excuse me, Aunt Cecily.”
“Yes, of course. Ashton, for a moment, you… you looked very like your uncle.”
“Do not ever again say such a thing to me!” In spite of myself, I slammed the door behind me, and walked straight into Colling, who was standing there with an unreadable expression on his face.
“I beg your pardon, Sir Ashton.”
“What is it, Colling?”
“Everyone is in your study, sir.”
Hell and the devil! Never before had I confronted any of my staff, and I had wanted to be there when they arrived, seated behind my desk, looking in control; I’d needed that slight advantage.
“Excuse me, sir.” Kincaid approached. “Mr. Stephenson is wishful of you joining him in the—”
“Not now, Kincaid. I have some household matters that need attending.”
“But… yes, sir. I’ll let him know.”
“Do,” I muttered under my breath, knowing that Geo would not be best pleased. Still, there was nothing I could do at the moment but attempt to nip this bit of gossip in the bud. I glanced at my butler. “Very well, Colling.” I could scarcely tell him to come along; after all, the man was at least three times my age. I started toward my study with him a step or two behind me.
I paused in the doorway, somewhat taken aback by the number of servants standing there. They had never been all in one place at the same time, and I’d never realized….
I cleared my throat, drawing their attention to me. “I will keep this brief. Certain information about my guest has become—or soon will become—common knowledge within these walls….” I directed my gaze at Mollie, and she had the grace to blush. “Very personal information. It will stay within these walls. If it comes to my attention that anyone—Lord Hasbrouck, Squire Newbury, Colonel Whittemore, the Marquesa, the Misses Petre, Mr. Colbourne, anyone!—has been made privy to it, I will turn you all off without a character. It will not matter who is to blame, you will all be gone from Laytham Hall!” I forced each one to meet my eyes. I was not liked. I was not respected. But by God, I would be feared! “I trust I’ve made myself clear.”
The men shifted uncomfortably. Colling stared blankly past my shoulder, while David tried his best to emulate him. Cook and Mrs. Walker were stony-faced. Flowers looked put out. I wasn’t particularly troubled about her. The only lady’s maid she considered her equal, and thus worthy of conversing with, was the Marquesa’s, but since the woman had no English, I hadn’t much in the way of concerns. As for the housemaids, they whispered one to another until Mrs. Walker frowned fiercely at them, and then they subsided.
“That is all I have to say. Colling?”
“Yes, sir. Return to your tasks, everyone.” They quickly disbursed. “Was there anything else, Sir Ashton?”
“No, Colling. That will be all.”
He bowed, and I was left alone in the room.
My stomach rumbled, reminding me I’d had no breakfast. I rubbed my palm over it, relieved there was no one to hear the sound.
“Thank you, Ashton.” The sound of Geo’s voice caused me to startle. He was standing in the doorway, an air of faint surprise about him. How long had he been there?
“Why are you thanking me?” I expected rather that he would be taking me to task for not meeting him as he’d requested.
“No one has ever defended my honor before.”
“I did no such thing. And surely you’re mistaken. Your friends….”
“Are buried in nameless graves throughout the Empire.”
Nameless? How odd. And how sad. “Well, it was no more than any would have done.”
“Perhaps, but nonetheless, you were the one who did it, and I thank you. I must confess I don’t know why you did it.”
I didn’t pretend not to understand him. Threatening one’s entire staff with dismissal was generally not done. “It was the only way I could think to ensure their silence.” My stomach rumbled again. “Pray forgive me. I haven’t breakfasted as yet.”
He smiled. “I will join you.”
“I’m afraid everything will be cold,” I warned him.
“Somehow, I’m inclined to doubt that.”
The door to the morning room stood open, and I was astonished to see a number of my servants clearing off the earlier food and others replacing it with steaming platters.
“I beg your pardon, Sir Ashton! Mr. Colling instructed me to have this done before you returned to finish your breakfast.” David poured me a fresh cup of hot chocolate. “Coffee, Mr. Stephenson?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“We shall have everything in readiness momentarily, sir!”
“Yes. Well. Er… yes.” Within moments, the servants had completed their tasks and whisked out of the room. “If you’ll help yourself, Geo?”
“Thank you, I could do with something. Breakfast was a rather truncated affair, I’m afraid.”
“I can imagine!” I filled my plate with eggs and sausages and some slices of buttered toast. “Whatever possessed you to make such an announcement over the breakfast table?”
He leaned toward me and filched a slice of toast from my plate. “I thought it best to get it out of the way as quickly as possible.”
“But to say you had lost your manhood?”
“Actually, I didn’t. I merely said the injury was to an inauspicious spot that rendered me an unfit candidate for husband, and Lady Cecily’s imagination ran away with her as Lap-Dog did with the Derby of ’26.”
“He was descended from Eclipse, wasn’t he?” Distracted, I stared off into space dreamily. “I would sell my soul for a stallion with his bloodlines.”
“Would you, Ashton?”
<
br /> “Oh, yes. The stud fees would soon see our heads above water.”
“But I’ve towed you from the River Tick.” He put down the toast.
“Yes, and I am exceedingly grateful; although I cannot understand what would persuade you to do so.” I smiled and shook my head. “No matter. Tell me, sir. How may I entertain you today?”
Geo observed me somberly for a moment, then said, “I should like to see your stables.”
“Yes, of course. Your bays. I don’t know how you could bear to leave them behind. They’re very sweet goers! And they aren’t touched in the wind after a mile or so.”
“Oh?”
“They needed to be exercised. I took them out to Farnham every day or so, and once to Guilford.”
“You had no trouble controlling them?”
“Of course not. Should I have?”
“And how will I find their mouths?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. Much about me could be maligned, but I would not sit for having my driving impugned. “Their mouths are in the same condition as when you left them here, sir: soft and undamaged. If you do not wish to take my word for it, we can go to the stable right now.” I threw my napkin onto the table and pushed back my chair.
“Pax, Ashton, pax. I was merely funning you.”
“Well, I do not appreciate it. I would never harm one of my animals, nor put it in jeopardy.”
“Would you not? In that case, stop combing my hair and finish your breakfast. I did the same with your greys, you know, and you’re right, they’re very sweet steppers.”
“Not mine; Sir Eustace’s. You’ll notice their tails were docked.”
“Barbaric fashion! However, they’ve created quite a stir in Town. I let it be known that they might be had for a respectable offer. I think you should be hearing from Lord Bainbridge before too long, and possibly from Lord Wittenby.”
“Truly?”
His expression relaxed in a smile. “Truly.”
“Well, then. I’m quite finished. Shall we go?”
As we entered the stable yard, Geo looked casually ’round and said, “I must say I’m impressed by the excellent condition in which this is kept.”
“It’s Mr. Ruston’s pride and joy.”
“And yours also, I think.” He smiled at me.
“Yes,” I agreed, returning his smile. “Mine, also.” Mr. Ruston was leading out a black gelding. We’d discussed the possibility of providing a mount for my… guest, and decided that a mild-mannered animal might be best until we saw his ability. “Do you ride, sir?”
“Of course. I’m an Englishman, aren’t I?”
“Perhaps I should have said, do you still ride?”
“Not as much as before.” He gestured to his leg.
“I’m sorry. I had hoped….”
“You’d hoped what, Ashton?”
“That you would ride with me.”
“Thank you for asking me. I believe I should enjoy it. It’s been too long.”
“In that case, allow me to introduce Onyx. He’s easy-going, and he’ll do whatever you ask of him.” I wasn’t certain if Geo would be angry that I’d selected a mount for him. “He’ll be at your disposal.”
The corner of Geo’s mouth crooked in a grin, and I half expected him to say, As you will? As you are? Instead, he asked, “You mean he’s a slug?”
I flushed. “Not at all. He’s simply….” In truth, he was. Fireworks shot off under his tail on Guy Fawkes Night would not get a rise from him. However, until I could see how Geo sat a horse, what with the injury to his leg, I was reluctant to give him a mount with more ginger. “He won’t jounce you around.”
He limped to the gelding and held his hand out, palm up. “Hello, my fine fellow.” Onyx snuffled the proffered palm, lipped it curiously, then bobbed his head a time or two against Geo’s chest. “Perhaps it’s for the best. It has been some time since I’ve thrown a leg over a… horse.”
“Then I hope you’ll find the time while you visit with us at Laytham Hall.” I overlooked his mild innuendo and breathed a silent sigh of relief. “If you like, you can try him out today. After I’ve given you a tour of the stables, perhaps?”
“Yes, that would be delightful. It’s such a fine day, after all.”
“It is. Mr. Ruston, please see Onyx and Blue Boy are saddled. An hour?” I cocked an eyebrow at Geo, and he nodded. “In an hour.”
“Very good, Sir Ashton.”
“Where are Mr. Stephenson’s bays?”
“In the paddock by the apple orchard.”
“We can ride out there.”
“An excellent suggestion, Ash. And perhaps Cook will be so kind as to make some sandwiches for us as well.”
“Oh, yes!” An opportunity to spend a good portion of the day with him? I leaped at it. I’d bring along some lotion on the chance I could persuade him to dally with me in the dappled shade of an apple tree. The ground might be knotted with roots, but the saddle pads would make a decent enough bed. Or perhaps he might take me up against a trunk….
My mouth went dry, and I felt overly warm at the thought. No one else, not even John, whom I’d loved, or at least thought I had, had ever made my body sing as Geo did.
He linked his arm through mine, and as we slowly made our way between the long row of stalls, inquisitive heads appeared at the doors and followed our progress.
Chapter 10
That seemed to set the pattern of our time together. During the week, he stayed in Town, taking care of whatever needed to be done for His Majesty, and at week’s end, he would tool himself down to my estate, Kincaid up on the groom’s seat behind him.
He proved to be a crack shot, and we hunted—pheasant, quail, rabbit, partridge—to Cook’s delight.
I was surprised to discover he was not familiar with the use of a rod and line, and so I taught him how, and we fished while the weather was still mild enough, bringing home strings of trout that again pleased Cook.
We even rode to hounds a time or two when his leg was up to it, joined by Aunt Cecily and Arabella, who were both bruising riders. However, since the sight of blood made her squeamish, Arabella tended to avoid the kill.
In the evening, we played card games: Speculation or loo when the ladies joined us, piquet when it was just Geo and I, and I’d been tempted to offer stakes of an article of clothing a point, but in the end hadn’t brought it up, fearing he might think me sluttish.
Geo would chat with Aunt Cecily, who had quickly forgiven him for dashing her hopes of getting Arabella wed; he’d bring her news of his father and the latest on dits from Town.
Afterwards, Arabella would pester him to teach her the latest dances. I’d protested at first, shamelessly using the excuse of his leg, although truthfully not liking the idea of my lover twirling about with the chit in his arms, but Geo had laughed and done as he’d wanted.
Subsequently, he had taken me aside and pinched my chin, saying, “Since nothing will persuade me to marry her, the least I can do is see to it she has enough of the social graces that someone else will take her off your hands,” and I’d been mollified.
I’d been even more mollified when he took my right hand in his left, placed his right palm on my hip, and began to waltz me around the room, his movements smooth in spite of his injured leg.
On occasion we would retire to the billiards room. I had told the servants we were not to be disturbed since that tended to throw my guest off his game, and Geo had smiled knowingly. I won the game, to his surprise, and my prize was to have him take me over the green baize.
It would have been enjoyable to take him on occasion, I thought wistfully, but I never dared bring that up.
Once Geo suggested chess, having come across Sir Eustace’s set of ivory and onyx, but I’d never had the brains for it, and rather than have him learn this, I brusquely refused and stalked out of the room.
Later, after everyone had retired, he came to me. “It doesn’t matter, Ash,” he whispered in my ear. “You have much e
lse to recommend you.” And his clever fingers explored my body.
He spent a large portion of the night in my bed, and I hoped I gave him as much enjoyment in the act as he gave me.
It became easier and easier for me to believe that he did indeed like me, and I… well, I….
