A knock sounded on the door before Major Baldwin peeked inside. “Is Vicky ready?”
His words stopped short as he gazed at her. Slowly, he walked into the room, moving his attention over her. His gray eyes literally sparkled. Her heart skipped a beat and danced crazily against her ribs. Once again, she knew this was something she wasn’t used to experiencing.
“You are stunning,” he said, stopping in front of her.
“Do you think I look like my mother?” Vicky asked.
“No.” His eyes locked with hers. “I don’t see the resemblance now.”
She chuckled and picked at her gown. “I’m very grateful you still had my mother’s clothes.” Tearing her gaze away from his, she looked down and patted her chest. “Miss Thompson had to adjust the bodice a little. Apparently, my mother was blessed with a large bosom.”
A pearl of laughter erupted from his chest. “I suppose you could say that.”
Vicky sneaked a peek at the major and realized that pointing out the differences between hers and her mother’s chest had made his attention move there, as well. Embarrassment filled her and she quickly turned away. Her legs became weak, but it had nothing to do with her accident.
When she turned and glanced at him again, he was looking down, shifting from one foot to the other. Even the color in his cheeks appeared to be darker than normal.
His expression quickly changed and he cleared his throat. “So, Vicky...um, would you like a ride around the estate?” His gaze lifted and met with hers once more. “I know you’re gaining your strength, and I don’t want to overexert you in any way. But I thought we could take a drive in the buggy for a few hours.”
Happiness burst inside of her. Excited, she nodded. “That will be wonderful. I must admit, I’m rather tired of being cooped up in the bedroom.”
He smiled. “I’ll have Miss Thompson fetch you a shawl, and then we shall be off.”
It only took another few seconds before the maid brought over a white shawl and draped it over Vicky’s shoulders. Like a true gentleman, he held out his arm for her to take. Her hand shook slightly when she linked her arm with his, but she figured she was just nervous because of the excitement of finally being able to go outside.
As he escorted her down the stairs, she felt like a grand lady...and then she mentally chastised herself for having these feelings. Her mother would be turning in her grave about the passionate thoughts Vicky harbored for a man who had first been a stepfather and was now her employer.
What other choice did she have? Although her memory was empty, she felt as if no other man had made her feel such excitement.
Why was instinct telling her to hold onto that emotion?
FIVE
Cole accompanied the very lovely Vicky outside to the waiting two-seated buggy, never feeling so majestic in his life. Before marrying Rebecca, he’d had opportunities to squire beautiful ladies around town, but in all those times, he’d never felt as privileged as he had at this moment. The thrill he once had only diminished after he’d married Rebecca. Inwardly, he groaned. Would his guilt ever leave him in peace?
Today’s weather was slightly windy, but the hood of the two-seated buggy helped to block any debris. The temperature was quite warm, so the breeze would make the ride pleasant.
He assisted Vicky into the buggy and climbed in beside her. Taking the reins, he slowly urged the horses forward. Silence stretched between them for the first few minutes.
With great pleasure, he studied her profile. Her dark brown hair appeared silky smooth, and wisps of her ringlets moved in the breeze. Her pink cheeks and delicate chin enhanced her heart-shaped lips. Strange to think that she didn’t resemble her mother at all right now. In fact, Rebecca’s memory was fading fast from his mind.
Vicky turned her head and caught him staring, but he didn’t remove his gaze. Her cheeks tinted a darker pink, and she lowered her eyes, but it was the smile stretching across her lips that encouraged him that much more.
He mentally tried to shake the desirous thoughts out of his head as he switched his attention to the road. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see her studying him, also. Although it made him uncomfortable for fear she’d remember, he enjoyed the way she looked at him because interest danced in her pretty green eyes.
“Major Baldwin?”
He took his eyes off the road to briefly glance her way. “Please, call me Cole.”
“All right, I shall.” She smiled. “Cole, how did you and my mother meet and fall in love?”
Silently, he cursed. This was a question he didn’t know how to answer, but his mind still scrambled and put his words together. “A friend of mine introduced me to your mother. Because a lot of my friends were acquainted with Rebecca, it was only a matter of time before we’d meet.”
“Go on,” she urged.
“Your mother liked to help poor lost souls, and when she and I were introduced, I believe she felt as though I was someone she could help.”
“You were a poor lost soul?” she questioned warily.
“In a sense, yes. I hadn’t quite decided what I wanted to do with my life. My father had been a terrible gambler. He left our family destitute, and our manor falling apart. I believe Rebecca could see I was struggling with the problems my father had created, and that’s why she decided to take me under her wing. We became good friends, but your mother wanted to remarry, and I was her target. She not only promised to help me fix up my family’s home, but she paid for my commission into the military, which was what I finally decided I wanted to do with my life.”
Vicky sighed and looked toward the road. “My mother sounds like such a giving woman. I wish I could remember.”
“Indeed, she was very caring to everyone.” He paused, and then chuckled lightly. “She was actually the one who asked me to marry her.”
“What?” She swung her head toward him. “That doesn’t seem proper.”
“Your mother was a very bold woman who did and said anything she liked—proper or not.”
As silence surrounded them, she frowned and chewed lightly on her thumbnail. Cole suspected she had another question, and he hoped to answer it honestly. He couldn’t hide the truth from her forever, but he was certain she’d hate him when her memory returned.
“Cole, I know this next question might sound rude or presumptuous, but I really need to know.”
“Yes?”
“How old are you?”
He laughed heartily as a relieved sigh rushed through him. “I wondered when you were going to ask that.” Tipping the hat off his forehead, he met her stare. “I’m younger than your mother by eighteen years. Your mother was in her sixth and fortieth year.”
Her forehead creased as she paused. After a few seconds, she nodded. “So you’re eight and twenty.”
“Indeed, I am.”
“Now, I know this will sound foolish, but...how old am I?”
He placed his hand over hers and squeezed gently. “That’s a most reasonable question since you lost your memory. But to be honest, I don’t know how old you are. Your mother never discussed the ages of her children while we were married.”
Her eyes widened. “How can that be?”
A gust of wind blew inside the buggy. Both of them shielded their faces with their arms. Within seconds, the breeze had exited the vehicle.
Cole adjusted in his seat and gripped the reins with both hands again. “Well, I was gone quite a bit most of our marriage, working my way up in the military. When we married, her children were in a boarding school. She visited you often, but not with me.”
“Oh.” She frowned, adjusting her bonnet from when the wind knocked into it.
He looked back toward the road. Guilt consumed him once again, reminding him that he had not been a good husband to Rebecca, even though they hadn’t married for love. But he should have at least gotten to know his wife better.
“How old do you think I look?”
Her question startled him out of his thoug
hts, and he returned his attention to her. “Come now, Vicky. That is a question women should never ask men—not unless we want a slap across the face for being wrong.”
She laughed and placed her hand on his arm. “Humor me, please. I promise not to slap you.”
Her smile made him feel giddy once again, and he wondered why her touch always did this to him. When she withdrew his hand, his emotions slowly returned to normal.
“Yes, I know you won’t slap me. I suppose you don’t look much younger than me. Perhaps you are five and twenty? Mayhap younger.”
“Can I ask you one more question?”
He shook his head and chuckled. “You are certainly full of questions today.”
“Do you blame me? I’m tired of having nothing in my head to think about.”
“Of course, and no, I don’t blame you.”
“Well, what I need to know is if—um, well...were you in love with my mother?”
His hands tightened on the reins as his heart dropped. That was a question he did not want to answer. How could he tell her that the only reason he’d married her mother was so that she could pay for his commission to get into the military? Things were going so well between him and Vicky, he didn’t want her to hate him yet.
Out of the corner of his eyes, there was a movement by the fence. Two of his field hands ran toward one of his horses. The brown and white steed bucked furiously, darting from one spot to the next. His heart dropped. Something was wrong.
He pulled on the reins, stopping the buggy. Standing, he searched the field to see what might have spooked the horse. Then he spotted something. Hooked on the edge of the fence, was a hessian sack, flapping in the wind.
He cursed under his breath. Who could have put that there? Obviously, it was done by someone who didn’t know how easily horses were spooked.
“Stay right here,” he told Vicky before jumping out of the buggy.
He rushed toward Toppy and Paul who were running after the steed, trying to stop him. Cole shouted to them, trying to explain they needed to remain calm. That was the only way the animal could be appeased, but it was if his workers had consumed four pots of black coffee, because they were just as out-of-control as the horse.
Suddenly, someone else came into view. He stopped and watched with wide eyes as Vicky calmly walked toward the horse with her hands at her sides, palms facing up. Panicked, he darted toward her, but she quickly looked his way and shook her head. Her stern expression told him she could handle the horse. Cole had no other choice but to let her since he didn’t want to startle the animal any more. He couldn’t hear what she was saying, but her tone of voice was soothing. The field hands also stopped.
The steed finally relaxed and wasn’t jumping all over the place. Vicky continued moving slowly toward the horse, speaking with a gentle voice. Amazingly, she was able to walk up to the horse. The steed jumped back, but Vicky didn’t become upset. She kept her hands down by her sides.
Finally, she was able to grasp the reins, and then she stroked the middle spot on his head. It was if the horse could understand her, because he became completely calm.
Cole looked at Toppy and motioned toward the hessian sack. “Slowly,” he emphasized, “walk over and remove the sack from the fence. That was what upset the horse.”
It was hard to believe this woman could be so gentle with the animal. Cole didn’t know about Rebecca’s daughter, but it was obvious she knew horses well. Slowly, he moved toward her. The closer he came, the more he could hear her words.
“That’s good. Nice and easy.” She stroked the animal’s head. “You’re fine. Nothing is going to hurt you now that I’m here.”
She must have heard him approach, because she turned to look at him. She smiled. “I believe the horse is calm now.”
“Indeed. It’s quite remarkable. You certainly have a way with horses.”
Turning her attention back to the animal, she nodded.
“Have you remembered something? I assume you have worked with horses before.”
She shrugged. “I still don’t remember anything, however, I feel that I have dealt with horses in the past.”
“There is no doubt.”
Paul gently took the reins from Vicky. “I hope this animal didn’t hurt you, Mrs. Hampton.”
“Of course not.” She stroked the horse’s nose.
When Paul guided the animal away, Cole sighed in relief. Thank goodness nobody was hurt, especially Vicky.
“How are you feeling?” he asked her. “Would you like to resume our ride?”
She hesitated for a few moments before frowning. “Actually, no. I don’t know why, but I suddenly feel very tired. My head is starting to pound, as well.”
As he took her back to the buggy, he wondered if something had happened in her past that had to do with a horse....and, that it hadn’t turned out well. Was that the reason she suddenly had a headache?
This was very strange, indeed.
“OH, LOOK CHARLES. SHE’S opening her eyes.”
Tori Hampton’s body felt as though she’d been hit by a team of horses, and then run over by another team. Her head throbbed painfully, especially a spot in the back of her skull. She tried lifting her hand to touch the spot on her head, but her limbs ached too much, so she left her arm resting against the soft mattress.
Where am I?
“Dearie,” a woman’s squeaky voice said softly, “can you hear me?”
Tori blinked again, trying to focus on the voice. Two people were by her bed; an older slender woman with silver hair, and an older man standing behind her with his hand resting on the woman’s shoulder. Why are they in my room?
She blinked until the two came into focus a little better. Both wore worried expressions on their wrinkled faces.
“How are you faring?” the man asked, pushing his fingers through his thinning white hair.
“I-I-I hurt all over.” This time Tori forced herself to lift a hand and touch the back of her head. Her fingers brushed across a bandage. She winced. “What happened to me?”
“Oh, dear, Charles.” The older woman looked up at the man. “She doesn’t remember.”
“Remember what?” As soon as the words left Tori’s mouth, in a flash, she saw herself standing on the dock, hurrying to find a hackney. That’s when mayhem broke loose. The screams she’d heard during that chaos still echoed in her memory.
Groaning, she closed her eyes. “Now I remember.”
This wasn’t good at all. She had plans. She didn’t want anything to disrupt her from getting things accomplished. Being held up in a strange place as she recovered from the accident was not permissible.
“Why is my head bandaged?” she asked, opening her eyes again.
The silver-haired woman gently patted Tori’s shoulder. “You have a head injury. The physician thinks you’ll be laid up for at least a week.”
Tori gritted her teeth, but even that hurt. “I can’t be here that long.” She glanced around the small room. Yellow-lace curtains hung on the single window. Besides the bed on which she was lying, the only other piece of furniture was the night stand. A lamp stood upon that, dimly lit. “Where am I?”
“You are at our house, dearie.” The woman smiled. “My name is Hazel Watkins, and this is my husband Charles.”
Tori forced a smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, and I thank you for taking me into your home to nurse me back to health.”
“There were so many people injured at the docks,” Charles said, “that the hospital asked for volunteers to help tend to the wounded.”
“Well, you two are certainly generous. I appreciate your kindness. However,” she struggled to sit up, but her pounding head kept her from moving, “I can’t stay here.”
The wrinkles in Hazel’s expression deepened and she placed her hands on Tori’s shoulders, keeping her still. “But dearie, you can’t go anywhere until you are better.”
Tears stung Tori’s eyes, but she blinked them away. She couldn’t admit d
efeat now! Not when she was so close.
“Do you have any family around?” Charles asked.
Expelling a frustrated breath, Tori shook her head. Since her brother was out of the country, her mother was the only family around this part of England, and she was buried six feet under. “No. I have no family here.”
“Then please,” Charles leaned toward her, “consider us your family until you are well enough to leave.”
Tori had to admit, this older couple were very sweet. They both had huge hearts. She was fortunate to have gotten such caring people to take her in. And really, she had no other choice. She couldn’t move without experiencing pain.
“I thank you again,” Tori said. “You are indeed, a very sweet couple. I shall stay here until I’m well.”
Finally, the older couple smiled. Immediately, she felt comforted as though a large, thick quilt had been placed over her. Perhaps she had no other choice but to stay, but at least this would give her time to plan her strategy. She needed to be more confident when she met Major Cole Baldwin for the first time. Tori needed to tell him who was in charge of her mother’s money and land, and it certainly wasn’t going to be him.
SIX
“Oh, the poor dear.” Baroness Baldwin shook her head before sipping her tea.
Cole paced in his study as his mother sat on the sofa sipping her tea. She’d always been a timid woman. She’d tried hard to fit in with society, especially when his sister, Diana, was trying to find a husband, but society snickered behind their backs. Cole knew what they talked about. It wasn’t hard to figure out their father had dragged their name through the mud, yet again.
“What does the physician say about Mrs. Hampton’s health?” she asked before taking a cookie from the platter one of the maids brought in for his mother’s tea time.
Cole stopped in front of the older woman and pushed his fingers through his hair. “The good doctor states that she will recover her memory, but he cannot say when.”
She gazed up at him with wide, green eyes. “What are you going to do during that time?”
Sweet Memories Page 6
