The Convenient Felstone Marriage

by Jenni Fletcher

  ‘Mrs Felstone.’ The housekeeper bobbed a small curtsy.

  ‘Thank you so much for this lovely reception. It was very thoughtful of you.’

  ‘Not at all, ma’am.’

  ‘And, Mrs Lughton, I’m delighted to meet you, too.’

  ‘Pleased to meet you, ma’am. May I introduce our kitchen maids, Peggy and Hannah?’

  ‘Peggy. Hannah.’ She shook each of the girls’ hands in turn. ‘Thank you for coming to greet me.’

  She moved along the line slowly, trying to memorise names as she talked to every footman and housemaid in turn. At the end she breathed a sigh of relief, turning to find Robert watching her with a look of approval.

  ‘Thank you, everyone, that will do for now.’ He kept his eyes on her as he spoke, waiting until the others had filed away before gesturing towards the staircase. ‘I’ll show you to your room.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  She crossed the hall eagerly. Her room. She hadn’t had a room that was truly hers since she’d left home after her father’s funeral. To have a place of her own again, a place to feel safe and protected...that was all she wanted now. She could hardly believe that she was so close to finding it again.

  Excitedly, she followed him up the staircase and along a wide corridor, legs trembling with anticipation as he opened a door near the end and then stood aside to let her pass. Tentatively, she peered around the door frame, closing her eyes in disbelief and then opening them wide with a gasp of delight. It was beautiful. Large and airy, bathed in a soft golden glow as rays of sunlight streamed in through an expanse of bright white-net curtains, making the whole room seem to radiate light and warmth.

  She wandered inside slowly, hardly daring to breathe in case it broke the spell, twirling around on the spot with a sense of wonderment. This was more, far more than she’d ever expected. Definitely more than she deserved...

  She pushed the thought away, refusing to let it spoil the joy of the moment, trailing a hand over the elegant furniture—a large four-poster bed, a chest of drawers, a vanity table with a three-sided mirror and a large mahogany wardrobe, standing open to reveal her dresses already hanging inside. The modest chest of belongings she’d brought with her on the train must have been sent ahead and unpacked, though her sensible grey clothing looked somewhat incongruous in their new environment.

  ‘It’s wonderful.’ She found her voice at last, looking back over her shoulder to where Robert was still standing in the doorway, one shoulder propped against the frame. ‘I don’t know what to say.’

  ‘I’m glad you like it.’ His expression was as inscrutable as ever.

  ‘How could I not?’ Her gaze fell on a door in the corner. ‘What’s through there?’

  ‘That leads to my room, though they’re quite separate, I assure you. You can lock the door from your side if you wish.’

  ‘I’m sure there’s no need.’ Her cheeks flushed self-consciously. Whilst that thought was comforting, she didn’t want to offend him by doing so, still less to cause gossip amongst the servants.

  ‘There isn’t. This is your room, Ianthe, I won’t bother you in here.’

  ‘Oh.’ She cast her eyes downwards. Bother her? She didn’t know how to respond to that.

  ‘You did well before—meeting everyone, I mean. They liked you.’

  ‘Do you think so?’

  ‘I wouldn’t say it otherwise.’ He pushed himself up off the door frame, prowling slowly towards her. ‘Though I’m afraid there might still be gossip.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘About how quickly we were married.’

  She frowned. ‘But I thought you told people we had a long-distance courtship?’

  ‘I did, but my staff know more about my business than most people. They know my plans altered. Fortunately, they’re also discreet.’

  ‘Then I don’t understand. What would they talk about?’

  Pale eyes flashed with something like amusement. ‘Generally, when couples rush into marriage, it’s because they don’t wish the reason to be too obvious.’

  ‘What reason?’

  He stopped an arm’s length away. ‘There’s usually a baby involved.’

  ‘You mean your staff think I’m pregnant?’ She drew a shocked intake of breath.

  ‘It’s a natural assumption, I’m afraid, given the circumstances. You can’t really blame them.’

  ‘I most certainly can!’

  ‘Well, we can put that rumour to rest soon enough. Your appearance today might have done it already. You’re too thin, Ianthe. Have you been ill?’

  ‘No.’ She crossed her arms defensively. Admittedly she’d lost a little weight over the past few months, but she hadn’t thought it was noticeable. Now Robert looked as if he were determined to find out the reason why.

  She changed the subject adroitly. ‘Speaking of children, I thought your ward would be at the ceremony?’

  His face seemed to shut down at once. ‘I’m afraid ten-year-old boys aren’t particularly interested in weddings. I told him it wasn’t necessary to attend.’

  ‘Will I see him at dinner, then? I’d like to meet my new pupil. He was the one subject Kitty didn’t seem to know anything about.’

  ‘Kitty hasn’t met him. What do you want to know?’

  She blinked, taken aback by the sudden hard edge to his voice. ‘His name, for a start.’

  ‘Matthew.’

  ‘Oh.’ She waited, but he didn’t volunteer any more information. ‘Well then, I look forward to meeting him tonight.’

  Robert nodded, though his expression remained tense. ‘There’s just one more thing. I need to go to London in the morning.’

  ‘So soon?’

  ‘I have some business that can’t wait.’

  ‘Oh.’ She forced herself to smile placidly. After all, this was what he wanted, a sensible wife who wouldn’t interfere with his business affairs. Even if they were only just married. ‘How long will you be gone?’

  ‘Three days at the most. I’d invite you to come with me, but there won’t be much time for sightseeing.’

  ‘No, of course.’ She battled an unexpected feeling of hurt. Not that she wanted to go with him, but apparently he didn’t want her to go either, not even for a brief pretence of a honeymoon. ‘Then I’ll see you at dinner.’

  ‘Very well.’ He nodded with a look of satisfaction before walking back towards the door. ‘Dinner’s at eight.’

  He left the room, and she flung herself backwards, sprawling across the bed in a confused state of relief and resentment. But at least she was in her own room, in her own home. Whatever else she felt, she was finally safe. Safe from Sir Charles and her past—sensible, respectable and married. For the first time in as long as she could remember, she could finally relax. Now all she needed was a nap, a brief rest before she went downstairs and introduced herself properly to Mrs Baxter.

  She could feel herself drifting off to sleep already.

  Just a nap...

  Chapter Ten

  Robert stood by the drawing-room fireplace, swilling a tumbler of whisky in one hand as he waited for Ianthe to come down to dinner.

  All in all, he felt satisfied with the events of the day. Despite a rocky start, everything had proceeded almost exactly as he’d planned. After he’d brought his new bride home, he’d walked down to the shipyard and made an announcement to his stunned workforce, before giving them the rest of the day off as a holiday. Then he’d done some paperwork, made a tour of the workshops, inspected the hull of his new vessel and finally come home to change. Not bad for a day’s work. So why was he so anxious about seeing her again?

  He tossed his head back, swallowing the contents of his glass in one gulp.

  Love has nothing to do with it!

 
Strange how much those words had bothered him. It wasn’t the first time he’d overheard her say something indiscreet on a train, but this time he really wished that he hadn’t. He ought to have applauded the sentiment, ought to have been pleased by her businesslike approach, but instead he’d felt an inexplicable feeling of hurt. Not that he expected her love. He neither wanted nor needed it. He wasn’t accustomed to the emotion, had never heard the words, not even from his own mother, yet to hear the truth expressed so bluntly, so unexpectedly when he’d actually been eager—eager!—to see her again, had made his chest ache in a way that he hadn’t anticipated.

  He’d reacted sternly, half-expecting her to call off the wedding there and then, though she’d actually seemed more concerned that he might have changed his mind. Clearly she’d taken his lack of attention over the past three months to signal an equal lack of interest, though in fact the very opposite was true. Much as he hated to admit it, he’d done little but think of her.

  The way she’d accepted his proposal had bothered him ever since he’d left her on her aunt’s doorstep. He’d thought about it at length—during meetings, on journeys, in the middle of the night—though he still hadn’t been able to fathom the motive behind it. The more he’d thought of it, however, the more convinced he’d become that it hadn’t simply been wedding jitters, that something had happened to make her say yes.

  Once again, his suspicions had fallen on Sir Charles, though discreet enquiries had revealed that he hadn’t been seen in Pickering since the night of the ball, had in fact left for London soon after. Other enquiries had drawn an equal blank. There seemed to be no obvious reason for her bizarre behaviour, but he’d kept away precisely to avoid asking questions. If he’d seen her, he would have been tempted to pry and he’d had a feeling that pushing her was the very worst thing he could do.

  So he’d been deliberately neglectful instead, wanting to give her time to recover from whatever it was that had panicked her, time to calm down and reconsider if necessary. If she changed her mind, he’d told her she had only to write to him. No matter what his ambitions for the shipyard, he wanted a willing wife, not a frightened one.

  Ironic, then, that he’d actually wanted to see her. To kiss her again, too, though his mind shied away from the implications of that. More than once, he’d considered boarding the train to Pickering, but common sense had prevailed. As bad as it might appear, staying away for so long, he hadn’t wanted to mislead her. Their kiss had been the result of a passing physical attraction, plain and simple. It hadn’t meant—and it certainly didn’t promise—anything more. The longer he left her alone, the better they’d both understand that.

  Even so, her appearance that morning had come as a shock, her pallid skin and red-rimmed eyes giving her the appearance of someone who’d been sick, not eagerly anticipating her wedding. She definitely wasn’t pregnant. He didn’t think he’d ever seen a tinier waist. In retrospect, he concluded, perhaps keeping away for three months hadn’t been one of his better ideas. What the hell had happened?

  On the other hand, she’d seemed overjoyed by the sight of her new bedroom that afternoon. At least he’d managed to do one thing right...

  He glanced up as the scamper of running feet in the hall provided a welcome distraction.

  ‘Matthew?’

  ‘Yes, sir?’ A small, mischievous-looking face peered around the door.

  ‘Where were you this morning?’ He beckoned the boy inside. ‘You were supposed to be here when Mrs Felstone arrived.’

  ‘At the stables with Joe. Mrs Lughton said it was all right.’

  ‘Didn’t she tell you to be back by noon?’

  ‘Yes, sir.’ The boy shuffled his feet with a shame-faced expression. ‘She did.’

  ‘So?’

  ‘I forgot, sir.’

  ‘You forgot that I was getting married?’

  The boy curled his small hands into fists. ‘Joe says that women are the root of all evil!’

  ‘Did he?’ Robert fought the temptation to laugh. That sounded like something his curmudgeonly old groom would say. ‘Though I hope that statement doesn’t extend to my wife.’

  ‘He says she must have got her claws into you right quick.’

  ‘Indeed?’ His expression hardened. ‘Did he say that to you?’

  ‘No, to Nate when he brought the carriage back. Nate said she seemed nice, though.’

  ‘She is.’ Robert unclenched his jaw. He’d have to deal with Joe later. At the very least, tell him to keep his thoughts to himself when the boy was around. ‘She’s your new governess, too.’

  ‘I don’t want a governess.’ Matthew scowled ferociously. ‘Why can’t I just come with you to the yard?’

  ‘Because there’s more to learning than how to build ships.’

  ‘Not if I’m going to be like you. You never even went to school. Joe told me.’

  Robert rolled his eyes, resolving to confront his groom first thing in the morning. ‘You’ll be glad of it one day. You can still spend your afternoons with me, provided that you let her tutor you first. Understand?’

  ‘Yes, sir.’ Matthew folded his arms sulkily. ‘Do I have to eat in the dining room tonight?’

  Robert pondered for a moment. He’d intended to introduce Ianthe to Matthew as soon as possible, if only to get the meeting over with, but after the tense atmosphere that day he was reluctant to do so now. Perhaps it could wait until the morning and he could let the lad eat in the kitchens tonight instead...

  He’d just opened his mouth to answer when he heard the rapid tread of footsteps descending the stairs. Damn. It was too late to send the boy away now. They’d have to get the scene—and he’d no doubt it would be a scene—over with tonight after all.

  He took a step towards the door, bracing himself as Ianthe came hurtling through it.

  ‘Oh!’ She almost skidded to a halt when she saw him. ‘I lost track of time.’

  ‘So I see.’ Judging by the crumpled state of her wedding dress, not to mention the pillow imprint on her cheek, she’d only just woken up. He glanced at the clock. Had she really been asleep since he’d left? That had been four hours ago.

  ‘There’s no need to rush. I’m happy to wait if you wish to change.’

  ‘No.’ She shook her head breathlessly, reaching a hand up to smooth her hair out of her face. ‘Unless you want me to?’

  ‘Not at all. There’s only the two of us, after all. And Matthew here.’ He stepped aside to reveal the boy, half-hidden behind his legs.

  ‘Oh!’ Her smile of enthusiasm froze instantly. ‘H-hello, Matthew.’

  ‘How do you do?’ The boy’s voice was sullen.

  ‘Very well, thank you. I’m so glad to meet you. Your...guardian has told me such nice things.’

  Robert grimaced. This was what he’d been afraid of. That momentary hesitation told him everything about what she was thinking. It was the same thing everyone thought when they saw him and Matthew together. Over time, he’d hoped that the resemblance between them might have lessened, but if anything it had only become more pronounced.

  To give his wife credit, however, at least she was trying to hide her shock from the boy himself. Most people weren’t so thoughtful. That was the real reason he hadn’t brought Matthew to the wedding. That, and to avoid Kitty. He’d managed to keep him out of her line of sight for five years, ever since he’d first brought him home, not wanting to deal with people’s assumptions then any more than he wanted to deal with them now. Even if the person making the assumption was his wife.

  ‘Can I eat downstairs, then?’

  ‘If you want to.’ Robert gritted his teeth at the boy’s manners. ‘Just do as you’re told.’

  ‘I will!’ The boy scurried away, remembering at the last moment to turn and give a brief, formal bow. ‘Good evening, Mrs Felstone.’

>   ‘Good evening, Matthew.’ Ianthe gave what looked like a genuine smile. ‘I’m looking forward to starting our lessons tomorrow.’

  ‘Tomorrow?’ The boy threw him a look of appeal.

  ‘Tomorrow.’ Robert jerked his head, struggling to conceal his own sense of surprise. He’d assumed that Ianthe would want to settle in before starting the boy’s schooling, but apparently the role of governess was more appealing than that of wife.

  ‘You might have your hands full with him.’ He cleared his throat as the door closed behind Matthew. ‘I’m afraid I’ve allowed him too much freedom. He needs structure, but he’s not used to a classroom.’

  ‘Children need freedom, too.’ Her face was still turned towards the door, as if she were reluctant to look at him. ‘But I’ll do my best.’

  ‘I’m sure you will.’ Robert clasped his hands firmly behind his back, waiting for the accusation to follow, but she didn’t make so much as a murmur. Somehow that felt even more unnerving. If she were going to accuse him, then he wished that she’d just go ahead and do it. How could he refute the words if she wouldn’t say them?

  ‘Is there a problem?’ At last he couldn’t stand the silence any longer.

  ‘Not at all.’ She turned at last, her face the very picture of innocence. ‘He seems like a nice boy.’

  ‘He is.’ Robert drew his brows together, uncertain about how to proceed. ‘Shall we go in to dinner, then?’

  She nodded, and he led the way out of the parlour and across the hall into the dining room. It was one of his favourite rooms in the house, painted a pale duck-egg green, with white cornice mouldings and a white plaster rose on a high ceiling, gleaming exposed floorboards and a large bay window facing out to sea.

  ‘I hope you’re hungry.’ He helped her into a chair at one end of a long table before taking his own opposite. ‘I think Mrs Lughton wants to impress you.’

  ‘I could eat a horse.’

  ‘Good. You didn’t eat much at the hotel, I noticed.’

  Her smile wavered slightly. ‘It was a big day. You can’t blame me for being nervous.’