by Wilma Counts
She sat back down and wiped her eyes and her nose, presenting a caricature of abused womanhood. When it came her turn to testify, she admitted her role in helping a respected member of society to secure what he had convinced her was rightfully his: custody of his grandson.
“That certainly provides a reason—of sorts—for your willingness to be a party to the abduction of Lord Spenland,” Dunbar said, his tone deceptively mild. “However, we are left wondering what possible motivation you might have had for your crass indifference regarding Lady Cassandra.”
“I meant the child no harm.”
“No harm, eh? But the maid, Rose Davis, told us you suggested the child could be sold. Is that what you mean by ‘no harm’—sell a little girl to God knows what kind of fate?”
A murmur of pure outrage sounded among the spectators. It was merely an echo of the horror and anger they had directed at the erstwhile nurse when Rosie had first testified to that stage of the events.
The duke’s barrister jumped to his feet, protesting the “prejudicial language” of his adversary.
The magistrate pounded the gavel again. Kate wondered if his desk had dents in it.
Miss Cranstan swallowed a sob and made a show of shrinking away from her interrogator. “Rose Davis does not like me. She wanted my position—and she has it now. I never suggested—I would never—I have devoted my life to caring for children. Please, you must believe me.”
Dunbar turned away in a show of disgust. “Methinks the lady doth protest too much.”
Stephenson, the duke’s barrister, rose to request a short recess. His client, he said, still suffered great pain as a result of an accident caused by reckless and irresponsible pursuit of his carriage on the day in question. Dunbar agreed to a recess so long as the phrase reckless and irresponsible was stricken from the official record of these proceedings. So far as Kate and Jeremy could tell, the request for a recess was a ruse to allow the legal experts to confer among themselves. Phillips rejoined the Kenrick party to confer with them.
“Stephenson, of course, just wants this to go away with the least possible damage to his client,” Phillips said.
“Any damage is his own doing,” Robert asserted.
“True enough,” Phillips said, “but I am instructed to find out what your wishes are, Kenrick—you being the chief plaintiff in this matter, since neither the child, as a minor, nor his mother, because she is a female, is authorized to be such.”
“A remarkably unfair aspect of English law,” Jeremy said with a sympathetic look at Kate.
Phillips smiled briefly and said, “You can take up the issue of women’s rights later, my friend. What do you want me to tell Dunbar and Stephenson?”
Jeremy took Kate’s hand in his. He looked at her questioningly and she nodded. “We too just want to this behind us. Wynstan’s punishment seems to have been taken out of mortal hands. The Cranstan woman deserves to be transported—or worse—for what she intended toward my daughter. But, frankly, I do not care at all what happens to her.”
“She’s been deserted by those she thought of as her family,” Kate said. Jeremy squeezed her hand.
“Perhaps that truly is punishment enough for her,” Lady Elinor said.
Robert snorted. “Hardly. But if she is to be free, can you not at least stipulate that she never show herself within, say, ten miles of either of the children she tried to harm?”
Phillips thought about this for a moment. “That seems reasonable—and most generous. I am sure the magistrate will agree.”
So, by means of a good deal of obscure and legalistic language, the hearing ended with indeterminate findings: the carriage driver’s death was an accident in which his own skill as driver was possibly a contributing factor; the children had been taken against the will of their parents, but said parents were not pursuing the matter further as a legal issue so long as the perpetrators of the deed maintained an established distance.
Two days later, Mrs. Packwood delivered the epilogue of the story during one of her regular visits to Kenrick Hall where, on this day, she had tea with Lady Elinor and Kate in the family drawing room. Rejected by the Mortimers, Miss Cranstan was to become Nurse Cranstan again. Instead of seeing to bathing, dressing, feeding, cleaning soiled linens, and generally seeing to the intimate needs of children, she would be performing these duties for the demanding, cantankerous Duke of Wynstan.
“She truly had no choice, you know,” Mrs. Packwood confided. “The alternative would probably have been a workhouse. Her parents are long dead and she has never associated with any other relatives—if she has them. She has no one. At her age, few would see her as able to manage children.”
“Luckily, Wynstan has a valet,” Lady Elinor said.
“Not at the moment. He left the duke’s service,” Mrs. Packwood informed them. “He said he did not hire on to take care of an invalid—especially an ill-tempered one.”
“Oh, dear. It just gets worse and worse for Cedric,” Lady Elinor said, “but it is hard to feel truly sorry for one who was so much the agent of his own misfortune.”
“I agree,” Kate said, “and I think it applies to both the duke and his new caretaker. Still, it is hard not to regret what might have been. My son does not know his grandparents on my side and now has only negative memories of his father’s father.”
Lady Elinor patted her hand. “Never mind, my dear. I shall happily fill that generational role for both Cassie and Ned. The Good Lord knows that Jeremy’s stepmother, the current countess, is unsuited to such a role. So . . . you have me.”
“To spoil them, you mean?”
“Is that not the proper role of grandparents?”
“I suppose it is.”
CHAPTER 25
Plans for the wedding proceeded apace. Prior to the magistrate’s hearing, Madame Aubert had delivered the first of the dresses Kate had ordered, along with suitable accessories. Now, having finished that order, she and her assistants set to work on a wedding gown for the woman who would be the wife of the most important man for miles around. What the new Countess of Kenrick wore at any time, but especially on her wedding day, would reflect mightily on her dressmaker. The gown, a pale green silk concoction trimmed with Belgian lace, brought out the flecks of green in Kate’s hazel eyes.
“Think of it as supporting a local business,” Jeremy said when Kate voiced a mild complaint about the expense and the time needed for fittings.
Kate sat through the second reading of her wedding banns alone, for Jeremy had accompanied Phillips and Lawrence back to London with a vague explanation about having items of business to take care of in the city. Kate thought that among these he might intend to screen possible candidates for two new positions in the hall—housekeeper and governess—though he had promised her a voice in the final selections.
When she made this observation in idle chatter with Lady Elinor, Jeremy’s aunt offered another idea. “He may also be searching for the perfect wedding gift for you, my dear. As a boy, Jeremy delighted in surprising people.”
Kate shrugged off wondering what Jeremy was up to. She was far too busy making preparations for the wedding itself. These included not only fittings for the wedding gown, but making other selections for a modest bridal wardrobe. In addition, she supervised plans and menus for the wedding breakfast and, together with Lady Elinor and Mr. Wilkins, arranged for an elaborate garden party to be held for servants, tenants, and locals having connections to the Kenrick holdings. She and Mr. Wilkins saw to the opening of the heretofore closed wing of the Hall, for Jeremy had sent word that extra rooms would be required. This meant hiring extra maids and footmen, but she left that largely up to Mr. Wilkins. She looked forward to seeing many of the guests. Mr. Phillips would be returning with his wife; Jeremy’s sister Margaret would arrive along with her husband and children, and Kate looked forward to becoming acquainted with her. And there would be others, Robert warned; after all, the 46th Rifle Regiment would want to celebrate the nuptial of its a
ngel.
“This is getting out of hand,” Kate complained to Jeremy when he returned ten days after leaving.
He had arrived in mid-afternoon, disheveled and with a two-day growth of beard. Nevertheless, she threw herself into his arms, kissed him very soundly, and reveled in just having him close, road dust, scratchy whiskers, and all. After bathing and shaving, he pronounced himself fit for company again and grateful that he needn’t sit in a saddle again for a day or two. Kate found herself feasting her eyes on him and manufacturing reasons to touch him throughout the evening.
Immediately on his arrival he had popped in to tell the children hello and give them little gifts he had for them—a gold locket on a chain for Cassie and handcrafted spurs for Ned’s riding boots. He and Kate had joined them later for the nightly ritual of stories and prayers, but before that, they sat the children down on the couch in the schoolroom and themselves occupied cushioned chairs facing the two youngsters. Cassie and Ned looked curious, but not alarmed.
“My Lord Spenland,” Jeremy said, sounding very serious and very formal, “I should like to ask your blessing and approval for me to marry your mother.”
Ned smiled. “Really? Really and truly?” He looked at his mother. “That means we never have to leave here?”
She smiled back at him and nodded.
Ned then sat straighter and said very formally, “Then, yes; I give you my permission. But you must treat her nicely.”
“Oh, I will. I promise,” Jeremy said.
Cassie poked Ned in the arm. “See? I told you this would happen.”
“No, you didn’t. You just said you’d like it to happen. You never said it would.”
“Same thing,” she said.
“No, it isn’t.”
Kate interrupted this squabble. “Cassie, does that mean that you will be happy to have me as your mama?”
“Oh, yes.” Cassie jumped from the couch to throw her arms around Kate. “Can I call you ‘Mama’ instead of ‘Lady A’?”
Kate hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek. “Yes, of course. I shall have a lovely daughter and Ned will have a sister.”
“I’d rather have a brother,” Ned said, “but I guess this is all right.”
“Whew!” Jeremy with a laugh. “I’m glad that worked out as it did.”
“Now can we have the story?” Cassie asked.
Finally, Kate and Jeremy were alone in his bedchamber, enjoying a nightcap of port and each other. They sat on the couch laughing indulgently over that scene with the children.
Then their discussion turned to some of the details of wedding plans.
“This is getting out of hand,” Kate said again.
“We cannot fault people for wanting to share our happiness,” Jeremy said, pulling her close and kissing her yet again. “Besides, we have much to celebrate. Ned’s future is secure. Our children are happy. The Chilton family once again has exclusive and unfettered control of all of Kenrick.”
“And we have each other,” she said softly, sliding her hands up his chest and around his neck.
“Yes.” He paused for another long, deep kiss that threatened—promised—to reduce her to quivering desire. “Yes. The best part. We have each other. How lucky can two people get?”
For a long moment they simply sat quietly, savoring their closeness. Then Jeremy disentangled himself from her and stood to get a small box from the top of his dresser. “I brought you a present from London too.” He opened the box to reveal a beautiful emerald ring flanked by two diamonds. He slipped it onto her finger.
“Oh, Jeremy,” she whispered. “It’s lovely.” She felt tears well as she kissed him.
He laughed and kissed away her tears. “It’s nothing to cry about.”
“I’ve never owned anything so beautiful, so precious.”
“Well, now you do.” He hugged her again and whispered, “All the way home I imagined you wearing nothing but my ring.”
“Mmm. I think we can arrange that, though the lady of the manor definitely needs more help with her clothing than the housekeeper did.”
“Always happy to be of service,” he quipped and fumbled only slightly with the tapes and pins on her dress.
Both were eager as they moved to the bed and wasted no time in engaging in the give-and-take of achieving mutual satisfaction. Afterwards, he continued to hold her close.
“I missed you,” he said.
“I missed you too.”
“By the way . . .” He still nibbled at her neck and ear and lazily stroked her body, but she sensed slight tension in him. “I stopped in at Finley’s inn.”
“And?”
“And I got a full helping of local gossip.”
“I know you have a point here somewhere.”
“I heard that Aunt Elinor gave Charlotte Mortimer a very proper set down.”
Kate laughed. “Yes, it was. Classic.”
“I heard the whole of it, I think.” He sounded more serious now, but rushed on. “Aunt Elinor had it right on the mark, you know.”
“About . . . ?”
“About me, at least. I am very much in love with you, Kate. I could never have been so happy with anyone else.”
“Oh, Jeremy.” She turned her head slightly to kiss him fiercely as she felt tears welling again.
“I gather that means she was right about you too,” he said with a triumphant laugh.
“Of course she was.”
“Then say it. I want to hear you say it.”
“I love you, Jeremy. I love you, my Lord Kenrick. I think I have loved you since . . . since that interview in Grillon’s Hotel. I love you. How many times should I say it?”
“At least once a day for the rest of our lives might suffice.”
She held his gaze and said solemnly, “I promise to tell you I love you at least once a day for the rest of our lives.”
“And show me too?”
“Oh, yes. We must show as well as tell, mustn’t we?” She could feel that he was well on the way to being ready for another demonstration.
The next day was Sunday and marked the third reading of the banns. With the wedding set for the following Saturday, Kate was determined that nothing would spoil, or even taint her happiness. Truth to tell, there were so many visitors at the Hall now, she scarcely had time to dwell on the fact that she would marry again with none of her family present. Margaret Talbot breezed into the Hall with her husband William and their three children on Monday and immediately began to take her brothers to task, chastising Jeremy for not telling her sooner of this happy event and offering names of her female friends or their daughters or their sisters for Robert’s consideration in achieving a similar degree of happiness.
The next day everyone had gathered in the larger, more formal drawing room for coffee or tea after the midday meal. Though Lady Elinor was clearly the hostess of this house party, Kate, as usual, assumed many of the actual duties of hostess. Margaret accepted her cup of tea and resumed teasing her younger brother.
“You’re the only one of us left out now, Robert. We simply must do something about your single status.”
He threw up his hands and cried, “Enough already. Stop. I’ll marry the next female who enters this room just to make you quit nagging me.”
Everyone laughed when the next female to enter the room was his own mother, who had just arrived at the Hall along with a male friend, whom she introduced as Baron Herbert Gordon-Smythe, a tall, handsome man with a large nose, white hair, and a courtly manner.
Margaret quickly said, “Oh, no, we’ll have none of that Greek tragedy sort of thing. The next unattached woman who is eligible.”
Everyone laughed again and the arriving countess said, ”What? Don’t tell me I am already missing out on the fun.”
Kate thought Amelia, Countess of Kenrick and her prospective stepmother-in-law, seemed a bit hard around the edges, but gave her credit for fighting the good fight against the onslaught of time.
Introduced to Kate, Am
elia said, “Ah, you are the one who is forcing me to take on the title Dowager Countess of Kenrick. I cannot like that, but, alas, what is one to do?”
The baron took her elbow and said, “Now, now, Amelia, my dear. I keep telling you that if you dislike the word dowager so very much, you may always take on the unadorned title of baroness.”
“But, darling,” she trilled, “then I would have to give up wearing the Kenrick diamond tiara.”
“You will anyway, come Saturday,” Lady Elinor said tartly.
Amelia affected a flirty moue at this and waltzed herself into the center of the room to choose a seat that Kate suspected was deliberately calculated to focus attention on her.
Jeremy, who had been standing next to Kate, bent down to whisper, “She’s a bit overwhelming, but it’s only for a few days.”
Kate smiled up at him and happened to see a look of understanding pass between Robert and Margaret. Robert nodded, Margaret grinned, and Kate knew she had passed muster with her new sister, at least.
Phillips had returned with his wife, and Major Lawrence had come with them, along with another major, Templeton, and Templeton’s wife Anne, who had also followed the drum in Peninsula. Kate was sure Jeremy had arranged with Robert for these old friends of hers to be here to make up for her own lack of family on this occasion—and she loved him even more for doing so.
Kate found Mrs. Phillips as unassuming and comfortable to be with here as she had found her in London. She was glad to see a blossoming friendship between Rosemary Phillips and Anne Templeton. She was also glad to find herself warming to the cheerful merriment that seemed at the core of Margaret’s character.
“A penny for your thoughts, my lady,” Robert said, plopping himself onto the chair next to hers.
“At the risk of turning your head with flattery, I was thinking I am going to enjoy very much becoming a part of your family.”
Robert clasped her hand. “Margaret says we are lucky to have you—and she’s right.”
Jeremy approached and emitted a mock snarl. “Unhand my bride there, you—you—Don Juan.”
