by Carla Kelly
As if in punishment for her ungraciousness Diana knew Lady Frances would excel as soon as she began to play. The earl stood behind the lady, his rich baritone harmonising with her voice in a love song that they had clearly sung together before. Diana looked down, surprised to see that her hands were tightly clasped and she made a conscious effort to relax. It should not matter at all to her that they were so at ease with one another.
When the duet was over she applauded and praised the performance to Meggie and Florence, who were clapping enthusiastically.
‘You enjoyed that, did you, brats?’ The earl was smiling as he came away from the harpsichord with Lady Frances on his arm.
‘We did, very much,’ exclaimed Florence. ‘Will you sing again for us, sir?’
He laughed and shook his head.
‘Perhaps later. We must let the others have their turn.’
‘Diana is teaching us to play,’ Meggie announced. ‘And she plays for us to sing and dance, as well.’
‘Does she?’ Lady Frances was smiling, but Diana thought there was more speculation than warmth in those blue eyes as they rested upon her. ‘Perhaps you would like to play for us this evening, Miss Grensham.’
Quickly Diana disclaimed any desire to perform but the lady persisted, finally turning to the earl.
‘Alexander, my dear, will you support me? Insist that she plays for us.’
Diana froze and struggled to utter a protest from a throat that had suddenly dried.
‘I assure you, my lord, I—’
‘I will do nothing of the sort, Frances,’ the earl said, as if she had not spoken. ‘Miss Grensham shall play for us when and if she chooses to do so.’
Lady Frances was not pleased with his response and an awkward silence descended.
‘I wish I could play well enough to take a turn.’ Meggie sighed, oblivious. ‘Or I could dance for you!’
Her comment broke the icy restraint. The earl reached out and patted her hair, saying, ‘I have no doubt you could, but it is your bedtime now.’ He added, when her face fell, ‘You may dance for us another night, brat.’
‘Mayhap Miss Grensham will help you to prepare a little concert for our next visit,’ purred Lady Frances. ‘Then we may see the accomplishments you have learned.’
Diana’s spirits swooped in dismay at the thought of another party at Chantreys.
‘Good idea.’ Lord Davenport agreed absently, but it was clear his thoughts were elsewhere. ‘Off you go now. Miss Grensham shall take you upstairs.’
Diana rose and encouraged the children to make their curtsies before she led them away. She was aware of the earl’s unsmiling gaze as they passed him.
‘Goodnight, my lord.’
‘You will come back, Miss Grensham, once you have settled the children.’
She inclined her head, acknowledging that he had spoken, but she said nothing. She had endured enough for this evening. She would not return.
* * *
Alex wandered about the room, a word here, a smile there, but the evening dragged intolerably. When Diana did not appear after an hour he realised she would not be coming back. He was not surprised, she had not wanted to appear in the first place, but at least she should be proud of her charges. Their manners and deportment were a credit to her teaching.
‘My lord, you are not listening to me.’
Lady Frances shook her head at him as he quickly begged pardon.
‘I was merely saying that I cannot wait for this evening to be over, so I may have you to myself.’ She moved closer, smoothing her fingers over the lapel of his coat. ‘You could come to my room, Alexander, or...’
He had a fleeting memory of Diana in his arms, her little hand pressed to his chest and his heart thundering against it. Madness. To be forgotten. He stepped away from Frances, out of reach.
‘I do not think that would be wise.’ She looked at him with a mixture of surprise and disappointment and he sought to explain. ‘I would not have any hint of impropriety attached to this visit.’
‘Nor I.’ She added softly, ‘But I can be very discreet.’
‘I am sure you can, Frances, nevertheless we will have to restrain ourselves while we are at Chantreys.’
Anger flashed in her eyes, almost instantly replaced with a smile.
‘As you wish, Alexander. But I shall not lock my door. Oh, and I have had my maid’s truckle bed moved into the dressing room. She is a very heavy sleeper.’
With another alluring smile she moved off and Alex watched her walk away. Every sway of her hips was an invitation but, strangely, he was not tempted to follow. He castigated himself as a fool. What difference did it make that the girls and their governess were lying abed on the top floor? They need never know what was going on below, yet he could not be easy. He signalled to Fingle to bring him another brandy. Hell and confound it, he was developing a conscience. The sooner he moved the children to another house the better.
* * *
Diana sat on the edge of her bed, slowly dragging the brush through her hair. So that was the first evening over. Mrs Wallace was disappointed that Lord Davenport and his guests were staying for no more than a se’ennight, but Diana wished he was staying only half that time. The freedom she and the children had enjoyed at the house was severely curtailed and she could only pray that the weather would remain fine and she would be able to take the children out of doors for a good part of every day.
* * *
The next morning, at least, her prayers were answered and she sent a message to the stables to have the old curricle brought to the door. She was just making her way down the stairs when the earl came out from the dining room. At the sight of her in her walking dress he looked seriously displeased.
‘Why are you not joining us for breakfast?’
‘I broke my fast with Meggie and Florence,’ she replied evenly. ‘I am now taking them out for an airing.’
‘Yes, Uncle Alex,’ piped up Meggie. ‘Diana is taking us out in the curricle.’
‘Oh? And who is driving?’
‘I am.’ Diana’s chin went up. ‘The late earl had perfect confidence in my ability to handle the ribbons.’
‘Did he?’
The speculative look in his eyes roused Diana’s spirit.
‘You need not worry, my lord, Meggie and Florence will be perfectly safe with me.’
She shepherded her charges out of the house, but to her annoyance the earl strolled out after them and nodded to the old groom who was standing at the horses’ heads.
‘Well, at least you will have Judd with you in case you have trouble,’ he said. ‘That relieves my mind.’
The old groom chuckled. ‘Now then, my lord, you’ve no reason to worry about Miss Grensham handlin’ the ribbons. Besides, I’d be hard pressed to do anythin’ from that rear seat.’
Diana was grateful for Judd’s support, but she maintained her silence as she helped the children into the curricle. The girls were excited, regarding a drive in the antiquated vehicle as a high treat. Diana had just finished tucking the rug around their legs when Florence invited the earl to join them.
‘Don’t be silly,’ said Meggie. ‘There wouldn’t be room for all of us.’
‘No indeed.’ Diana saw an opportunity for retaliation and turned to the earl, fixing him with a bright smile. ‘Perhaps Lord Davenport would like to take you out today?’ She glanced at the two elderly horses harnessed to the pole. ‘Salt and Pepper are not quite such a, a bang-up team as you are used to, sir, but I am sure you will be able to manage them.’
A sudden bout of coughing affected the old groom. Diana and the earl ignored it.
‘Thank you, Miss Grensham, I am sure I should, but I would not deny you the pleasure.’
The look in Lord Davenport’s eyes promised retribu
tion, but Diana met it with a bland smile before she limped around to take her place beside the girls. She knew him to be an excellent whip, but the temptation to tease him had been irresistible. Would he make her suffer for it? She thought not. He might be arrogant and selfish, but he had a sense of the ridiculous and she had seen the gleam of humour in his eyes on more than one occasion. She bade the girls to hold on as she flicked her whip over the horses’ ears, relieved she did not make a mull of it with the earl’s critical eyes upon her.
Alex watched them drive off in grand style, an appreciative grin tugging at his mouth. So she still had spirit enough to make fun of him. She drove well, too, he noted, although he wondered if she would have set off at such a smart pace if he had not been watching. He found himself wondering how well she would handle his racing curricle with its fast-paced greys.
The smile died and he turned and went back into the house. Not that he would ever know. The less he and Diana Grensham saw of one another the better. In fact, the sooner she was away from Chantreys the better. Not that he wished her any harm, far from it, but she was a thorn in his side where the children were concerned. What she needed was something to think of other than the children. A husband, perhaps, as Frances had suggested. Well, there were three single gentlemen at Chantreys, excluding himself, so perhaps one of them would take her fancy. Not Gervase, of course, he was a confirmed bachelor, but Hamilton and Avery were perfectly eligible. He had made it clear to them that his sister-in-law had funds. Not a fortune, perhaps, but an easy competence. Enough to tempt a gentleman of modest means, so he was not unhopeful that one of them would make a play for her.
Chapter Five
The old curricle was no longer smart, and the horses definitely not fast goers, but Diana enjoyed tooling it through the lanes surrounding Chantreys. By the time they returned to the park the sun was at its height in the cloudless blue sky. The day was very warm and Diana wished that it were possible to drive to the secret lake. Of course it wasn’t really secret, but it was hidden deep amongst the trees on the south side of the park with only a narrow, little-used path leading to it. No time to walk back there today either, Diana decided. The children had been out of doors all morning and once they had had nuncheon they would spend the afternoon in the schoolroom, at their lessons. She hoped to avoid Lord Davenport for the rest of the day, but although he did not come in person to the top floor, he did send a message requesting her to accompany the children to the drawing room after dinner.
Diana was not deceived. It was not a request but a command and one she could not ignore, however much she disliked the idea of going into company. To her relief no one paid her much heed when she entered the drawing room. She was allowed to retire to a corner while the guests made a fuss of the children and, apart from a nod when she came in, the earl did not speak to her. She was a little disappointed when he did not repeat his request that she return to the drawing room once the children had retired. Not that she wished to return, of course, but she was piqued that he did not ask her.
* * *
Rain pattered against the window of Diana’s bedchamber as she dressed the next morning. The weather was responsible for her dullness of spirits, she decided, eyeing the leaden sky. That and the frustration of having a house full of visitors. She kept the children in the schoolroom after breakfast, but the lessons did not go smoothly, for the girls were fractious and disinclined to sit still. However, by the afternoon the weather had improved sufficiently for Diana to take them out of doors.
After walking in the park they went into the formal gardens, where they were soon joined by Lord Davenport and one of his guests, a Mr Avery. The girls ran to the earl, delighted to see ‘Uncle Alex’.
‘Well, brats, are you destroying my flower garden?’ he demanded, observing the plants they were clutching in their hands.
‘Of course not.’ Meggie giggled. ‘These are wild flowers and leaves from the park. We are going to take them upstairs to paint them.’
‘Really? Avery here is quite a botanist,’ the earl remarked, drawing his guest forward.
The young man coloured slightly and disclaimed.
‘I wouldn’t say that, I have a mild interest in flora, that is all.’
‘I was about to show him around the garden but I think you would be a much better guide, Miss Grensham,’ the earl continued, all affability. He held out his hands to Meggie and Florence. ‘Come along, girls, I believe Cook has made some gingerbread so let us go to the kitchens and see if it is ready yet!’
Diana was so surprised by his actions that she could think of nothing to say. Mr Avery gave a little laugh.
‘It appears Lord Davenport is more interested in cake than flowers, Miss Grensham. I hope you do not object to showing me about the gardens?’
‘N-no, not at all,’ she stammered.
‘I fear Lord Davenport has exaggerated my knowledge,’ he confided, offering her his arm. ‘I have only a mild interest in botany, as I told the earl when he mentioned it just now, but he immediately insisted upon bringing me out to look at the roses. He must be very proud of them.’
Diana blinked. As far as she could remember the earl had never shown the least interest in the rose garden, but she could hardly say so. Perhaps he wished to spend a little time with his wards, she thought as she set off along the gravelled path with her companion. If that was the case, who was she to prevent it?
* * *
Mr Avery was in no hurry to quit Diana’s company and it was late in the afternoon when she finally caught up with Meggie and Florence, who told her triumphantly that Uncle Alex had agreed to play a game of cricket with them. Diana accompanied the girls to the lawns, where she found the earl had already brought the small bat down from the schoolroom. Everyone else had come out to watch and some of the gentlemen had even been persuaded to join in. When Mr Wollerton asked Diana if she was going to play she quickly made her excuses and limped back into the house. The thought of hobbling around in front of an audience was too mortifying to be considered.
* * *
Diana looked longingly out of the window as she took the children downstairs after dinner. If it were not for the visitors she would have left the girls in Nurse’s care and taken an evening stroll through the park, but such luxuries were at an end, at least until she and the girls had Chantreys to themselves again.
‘Ah, here come your little charges, my lord,’ Lady Frances called out as Diana followed the girls into the drawing room. ‘Good evening Lady Margaret, Miss Arrandale.’
Meggie and Florence ran across the drawing room to join the party gathered about the harpsichord and Diana tried not to resent the fact that Lady Frances had ignored her in her greeting. She was a governess, little more than a servant and of no interest to Lord Davenport’s guests.
As if to prove her wrong, Mr Wollerton and Mr Avery acknowledged her entrance with a bow, and Mr Hamilton stopped to talk to her for a few moments. She answered him briefly before she excused herself and limped across to a distant sofa where she could enjoy the music and her own company until it was time to take the children upstairs again.
Her solitude did not last long. As Miss Prentiss took her turn at the harpsichord Lord Davenport broke away from the group. Diana felt her pulse quicken as he approached her.
‘I trust you enjoyed your time in the gardens, Miss Grensham.’
‘Thank you, yes. The girls spent a happy hour sketching the flowers we collected.’
‘I was referring to your walk with Mr Avery.’
‘That was very pleasant.’
‘But you could not be persuaded to play cricket.’
She shook her head. ‘You did not need me, my lord.’
‘It is not a question of need, Diana. I thought you enjoyed the game.’ When she did not respond he gestured towards the group gathered around the harpsichord. ‘Will you not join u
s? Meggie tells me you sing very prettily.’
She bit her lip.
‘I would rather not sing in company, my lord. Not amongst strangers.’
‘If you spent more time with my guests they would not be strangers.’
She inclined her head.
‘True, but they go on very well without me and I prefer to sit here quietly.’ She was aware of his disapproval and added quickly, ‘This is the only evening gown I possess, I would not wish to draw attention to the fact.’
They would despise me.
She did not say the words but he would understand. It would be cruel of him to insist and he was not cruel. At least, she hoped she was not wrong in her judgement of him. After a tense moment he gave a little nod and walked away. Diana let her breath go, slowly. Another ordeal averted, at least for the moment.
* * *
‘Look, Diana, Uncle Alex is waving at us!’
The two girls were standing at the schoolroom window, their noses pressed against the glass. At Florence’s excited exclamation Diana glanced out at the drive below where Lord Davenport was mounted upon his powerful chestnut hunter, waiting for the rest of his guests to ride round from the stables to join him. A day’s riding, Nurse had explained when she came upstairs from the servants’ hall that morning. Everyone was going and Fingle had been told not to expect them back until dinnertime.
‘So we have the house to ourselves for the whole day,’ murmured Diana, relieved. The children might run up and down stairs as much as they wished and she need not fear bumping into Lord Davenport. Or any of the other gentleman, who seemed to have a knack of being present whenever she ventured into the library or the garden or the morning room. Diana thought that if she were vain and had an inflated notion of her own worth, she might suspect that they were lying in wait for her.
Florence sighed. ‘I wish we were going riding with them.’
‘Uncle Alex likes to travel hard and fast,’ said Meggie, ever practical. ‘Our little ponies would not be able to keep up.’
