by Bess McBride
“How can I help you, your lordship?”
Halwell could not measure his words. He told the agent everything, even his heartbreak over the loss of Mary. Phelps stopped him at that point.
“Your lordship. You do understand that Lord St. John is my closest friend and that my loyalties lie with him. You are not about to ask for my help in interceding with him, are you?”
“No, no, not at all. I know Mary loves another and is now married. While that may take some time for me to come to terms with, it is not what drives me mad at the moment. It is that woman, Miss Hickstrom. And perhaps Miss Lee. I cannot understand why Miss Hickstrom must set herself to interfering in my life. You will remember I told you that she insisted I must find the love which was before me? Miss Lee tells me that love, that person, is her, that Miss Hickstrom told her I must fall in love with Miss Lee or become ‘doomed’ to be nothing more than my mother’s son, that I will never marry if apparently not to her. Can this be a ploy on Miss Lee’s part, perhaps in concert with Miss Hickstrom? Come, man, you know I am a wealthy man! Is this what young women have resorted to in order to secure a husband these days?”
Phelps tried to speak, but Halwell warmed to his newfound suspicions.
“How could I not arrive at that conclusion earlier in the day? No, of course I could not have. Miss Hickstrom only stated that I must find the love before me. She did not name Miss Lee. Very clever, I might add. Then Miss Lee sends me a note and expands on the topic, telling me that it is she with whom I must fall in love...or else.”
“But your lordship, you stated you wrote to Miss Lee first.”
“To apologize! Nothing more. I certainly did not extend her an offer of marriage! My mother has warned me to be careful of such scheming, but I chose not to listen to her. She is proven correct!”
“Oh, no, your lordship. I think you are misinterpreting. There are things about Miss Lee that you cannot possibly know. She is not here willingly.”
“How so?” Halwell snapped.
“I...I am not able to say, but please believe me when I say that she is no scheming miss indeed. I have no experience with such, but I can assure you that she is no more desirous of marriage than you.”
The agent’s words struck a blow to Halwell’s chest. He coughed, as if he could somehow loosen the discomfort.
“Well, of course,” he muttered. “Naturally.” He looked at Phelps. “Truly?”
“Yes, your lordship. I heard Miss Lee say so herself. She wishes to return home.”
“Home? To America?”
Phelps raised an eyebrow.
“Yes, I believe so.”
“How very odd! And she said she wished to return to America before today?”
“Yes?”
Halwell could not fail to hear the agent’s unspoken question.
“It is simply that I hope I am not instrumental in her desire to leave England.”
“How would that be, your lordship?”
“I fear that I angered her a short while ago—though I am not particularly certain how—but if you say she already wished to leave, then I can feel confident that I am not the reason she wishes to...leave.” He stopped. “I fear my tongue is twisted, or has become twisted. My thoughts as well.”
“Yes, you do seem distressed, sir.”
“Indeed.”
“By...”
“Women!” Halwell exclaimed.
“I see.”
“Not the least of which will be my mother when I return to Alton House. You do have such a cozy setup here.”
“Yes, I am fortunate.”
Halwell sipped his brandy. “If I may disclose one other very odd comment by Miss Lee...” He paused.
“Yes, your lordship?”
“Miss Lee called Miss Hickstrom a fairy godmother.” Halwell allowed himself a small smile at the absurdity of his words.
Phelps did not laugh. He did not even smile.
“How unusual,” he said blandly.
“Well, certainly it was an unusual comment. Why would she call Miss Hickstrom such?”
“I cannot say, your lordship.”
“Do you imagine such a term is common in America when referring to a lady of indeterminate age?”
“I should not think so. I do not see a correlation with age.”
“Then why would Miss Lee call her such?”
“Did you ask Miss Lee?”
“I did not. I believe at that point Miss Lee was already angry.”
“Perhaps I missed your explanation as to why Miss Lee was angry with you, sir?”
“I am not able to say. I remember that I told her that I could not possibly transfer my affections to her, as I had given my heart to...” He paused.
“Lady St. John.”
“Yes. Forgive me for the awkwardness. I told Miss Lee that a gentleman cannot love one woman one moment and then another in the next moment. Something to that effect. The conversation was a difficult one for me.”
“I can only imagine. You told Miss Lee then that you could not fall in love with her?”
“I hope I did not say so in such plain terms, Phelps!”
“Forgive my impertinence. That is what I thought I heard you say.”
Halwell drew his brows together.
“I am certain Miss Lee understood my true meaning.”
“Which was?”
“That I could not fall in love with her...given the circumstances.”
“Ah! Yes, I do believe that is what I understood you to say as well.”
“She asked the question, ‘Am I really so awful?’ I reassured her she was not at all awful and that any number of my bachelor acquaintance would be honored to offer her his heart.”
“If I may recap, your lordship. You believe that Miss Hickstrom is attempting to coerce you into falling in love, if not marrying, Miss Lee. You believe Miss Lee may or may not have joined forces with Miss Hickstrom for that purpose, but that thwarted from her goal—marriage with you, presumably—Miss Lee is now angry with you. Have I accurately represented your concerns?”
Halwell pursed his lips. “I cannot like the way it sounds when repeated back to me, but I do believe the facts remain. Miss Hickstrom has cursed me—or attempted some such nonsense—and Miss Lee is angry with me. My mother will discover from the servants that I came to Alvord Castle in response to a note, and she will harangue me to no end until I disclose my mission. Lady St. John is happily wed.”
“Goodness!” Phelps said. “It is too much for one man to bear.”
Halwell finally smiled. “Perhaps a bit much, but London beckons. I mean to remove myself from this place, from all women until the dust settles, as it were.”
“I understand,” Phelps said. “Perhaps that is for the best.”
“You say Miss Lee is returning to America? When?”
“I do not know, sir. Soon, I believe, if you intend to leave for London.”
“Why would she leave sooner if I go to London? Ah! You agree with me then! This has all been a plot to ensnare me!”
“No. I spoke out of turn, your lordship. I do not know when Miss Lee will leave, nor do I believe she was ever set on ‘ensnaring’ you.”
“But you do believe that if I leave the area, she will leave.”
“I think I can no longer speak on this with any relevance. I simply cannot say.”
Halwell rose. “Thank you, Phelps, for listening to my improbable tale of fairy godmothers and curses. I did not feel I could take this information to Alton House, nor did I wish to keep my own counsel. I thought I must go mad!”
Phelps joined Halwell at the door. “You are welcome, your lordship.”
Phelps pulled open the door, and on the other side stood Miss Lee, her hand raised as if to knock.
“You!” she exclaimed, her expression severe.
“You!” Halwell exclaimed. “Who accompanies you, Miss Lee?” He looked beyond her and saw that she was alone. “You cannot mean to call upon Mr. Phelps without another lady pres
ent, can you?”
Phelps ushered Halwell out the door and closed it behind him.
“I am certain Miss Lee has been sent to fetch me to the house on Lord St. John’s behalf. Is that not so, Miss Lee?”
“No! I came to see you myself. I needed to talk!”
“That is impossible! Quite extraordinary,” Halwell insisted. “That is not how things are done here in England, Miss Lee. Tell her, Phelps!”
“This is none of your business, Lord Halwell. Are you still here?” Miss Lee retorted, with her arms crossed in the most belligerent fashion.
“I am not!” Halwell said. “I am leaving. I am leaving this castle. I am leaving Hertfordshire. Good day, Miss Lee. I wish you well. Safe travels. Goodbye!”
Halwell turned, snatched up the reins of his horse, mounted and trotted away without a backward glance.
Chapter Fifteen
“What an arrogant—” Rachel cut herself off in deference to Roger. She locked her arms across her chest and stared at Halwell’s rigid back as he trotted away.
“He has not heretofore been considered such,” Roger offered with a wince.
“Well, he is! I don’t suppose he told you about his visit?”
“He told me he had come to see you. I believe you had asked him to call?”
Rachel shot him a look out of the corner of her eyes. “What else did he say?”
“Miss Lee, Rachel, I do not...” He let his words die out.
“Well, his visit was humiliating!”
“How distressing for you.”
“You didn’t tell him about me, did you, Roger?”
“That you come from the future? No, certainly not.”
“Good! He can’t handle the truth!” Rachel had always liked that line, and it certainly applied.
“Do you think not?” Roger asked.
“No!” Rachel raised a hand to wiggle her tight jaw into relaxation. “Well, I don’t know. I don’t think he would care. He would only care about Mary, and of course, I couldn’t tell him about her. That’s her business.”
“I would agree.”
“It doesn’t matter anyway. He’s leaving. Hopefully, I’ll be leaving when Hickstrom figures out there is no way that man thinks he can fall in love with me, so...”
“So?”
“That’s it. So.”
“Did Lord Halwell actually say such a thing to you? It seems so very ungentlemanly of him. Out of character, I would say.”
“Well, he was shocked when I told him what Hickstrom had said. He’s still very attached to Mary, and he can’t see his way out of that. I asked to see him so that I could tell him I release him from this silly curse, that of course he doesn’t have to fall in love with me and can marry anyone he likes. I’m sure of it!”
“I have been with St. John for most of his life, Rachel, including the years he was imprisoned here at the castle. He could not pass through the gate. I think you must believe that this Miss Hickstrom has extraordinary powers. If she has ‘cursed’ Lord Halwell, I do not believe there is anything you can do to lessen the conditions of that curse. Only she can.”
Rachel turned to the estate agent. “But I can’t be the source of Halwell’s...entrapment! How awful for him!”
“No, surely not ‘awful,’ Rachel. You do yourself an injustice.”
“He was pretty appalled when I told him that he was supposed to fall in love with me.”
“Was he?”
“I think so.”
“Perhaps he was simply surprised.”
“No, he’s in love with Mary and doesn’t think it’s okay to fall in love with someone else so soon, if ever, maybe. I’m not exactly sure, but he may have suggested fixing me up with some of his friends in London.”
“Fixing you up?”
“I exaggerate. He said that any bachelor of his acquaintance would be honored to offer me his heart.”
“A romantic sentiment.”
“Mmmhmmm.”
Roger sighed. “I wish I could offer you a cup of tea, but...”
“No, I know. I heard it loud and clear from Halwell.”
“When do you next expect to see Miss Hickstrom?”
“I don’t know. I might try calling her. Did you know that Mary can just call out and Hickstrom appears?”
“I did not know that. Do you wish to try now? It is obvious you have questions for her.”
“Hmmm... Why not?”
Rachel turned toward the road, looked up and called.
“Hickstrom! Can you come here please?”
She waited, searching the area, but Hickstrom did not appear.
“Hickstrom! I need to talk to you! Can you come here?”
Rachel waited again, but still no Hickstrom.
“I wonder if Mary is the only one who can call her.”
“Perhaps.”
“Well, I’d better head back to the house. Mary will wonder what happened to me.”
“Good day, Rachel. I believe I will see you at supper.”
“See you then.”
Rachel descended the steps and walked out onto the drive, turning toward the castle.
“Yes, dear, did you need to speak to me?”
Rachel jumped at Hickstrom’s voice. Dressed in a purple sack dress, she stood next to Rachel in the road.
“I didn’t hear you!”
“You called me.”
“Why didn’t you come when I called? Was it because Roger was there?”
“Roger, is it? You mean the estate agent, Mr. Phelps?”
“Yes.”
Hickstrom linked her arm through Rachel’s, and they resumed walking.
“Perhaps. Perhaps I was busy with other lonely hearts.”
“Well, at any rate, this whole thing is a nightmare! Halwell is determined to be faithful to his love for Mary, for the foreseeable future, at least. I can’t make him fall in love with me. I wouldn’t know how, and I don’t want him to. He’s arrogant!”
“Arrogant! I have some limited acquaintance with George. I have never considered him arrogant! He was always so affable. How very odd.”
“Well, I guess you never saw him trapped before!”
“Trapped, my dear?”
“You’ve basically told him that if he doesn’t fall in love with me, he’s doomed never to find anyone else, right?”
“I do not believe I worded the case so harshly, and I never told him that he must fall in love with you.”
Rachel stopped. “You didn’t? But you told Mary and me that he had to fall in love with me.”
“I told him only that he must find the love which was before him.”
“So me...”
Hickstrom inclined her head. “Yes.”
“The problem is still the same. He’s leaving for London. He wants gone, out of this, and I don’t blame him, and I think he should go.”
“London!” Hickstrom exclaimed. “Oh, no, no, that will not do.”
“Don’t, Hickstrom!” Rachel said in a warning tone. “Please don’t interfere with his plans. Let him go! You can’t make him love me!”
“No, I cannot make him choose from the heart, but I can ensure that he does not squander the opportunity I have offered him.”
“I feel like a golden goose on a platter.”
Hickstrom laughed. “You are a gift, my dear.”
They had resumed walking again.
“Hickstrom. Fairy godmother, I’m no one’s gift. Really. I told Halwell that I released him from this ‘curse’ you put on him.”
“Poor dear,” Hickstrom said, patting Rachel’s hand.
Rachel realized she was the “poor dear.”
“You do not have that power, but it was thoughtful of you to try.”
“I want to go home, Hickstrom.”
“Not just yet, dear. Wait until after the ball.”
“Why?”
“Trust me, dear. If Halwell does not find his heart captured by the end of the ball, I shall send you home, and he may spend the res
t of his years searching for the love he lost.”
Tears gathered in Rachel’s eyes. “Oh, Hickstrom! That sounds so sad.”
“He has a choice.”
“What about me?”
“It is your choice as well.”
“Am I also cursed never to find anyone of my own if I don’t fall in love with the unavailable Halwell?”
“No, dear. I would not do that.”
“I’ll wait until the after the ball, but he won’t be there. He’s going to London. I’m not sure he’s welcome at the ball anyway. There was a fight this morning between Halwell and St. John, and St. John kicked him out.”
“I am aware,” Hickstrom said. “Who could not be? Even now Halwell stands in front of his mother explaining the gossip which has already reached her.”
“Oh dear.”
“Leave it to me. Halwell will attend the ball. I must go now, Rachel. Yours is not the only lonely heart to which I must attend.”
Hickstrom slipped her hand from Rachel’s arm, walked away a few steps and vanished. Rachel stared at thin air, wondering how she was getting used to an apparition coming and going like that. Time travel seemed ordinary in comparison.
She returned to the house and updated Mary on all that had occurred. They ate a light luncheon with St. John, and then Mary said she hoped that Rachel would understand but that she couldn’t keep her eyes open and needed a nap. Rachel understood. Sally’s sister had trouble staying awake early in her pregnancy as well, something to do with hormones, she had said.
Rachel found herself with time on her hands, and she went down to the library and studied the books there. Touching their bindings reminded her of her shop, and she missed it terribly. She picked up a book, settled into a chair and spent the rest of the day there reading.
The days before the ball passed in much the same fashion: breakfast in the morning; a walk around the grounds with Mary, accompanied on occasion by St. John; a light lunch; extra sleep for Mary and more books to read for Rachel. Mrs. Green handled most of the preparations for the ball, often consulting with St. John, who had more experience planning a Regency country ball than did Mary.
Rachel discovered that Mrs. Green did indeed know that Mary had traveled through time, and she knew about Rachel as well.
