Lady Prudence listened as Marietta burst at the seams with excited rambles in her attempt to tell her new companion everything that there was to know about her life at Halthaven Manor. Lady Prudence could not help but think that it was so very different from the cold and imposing homes in which she had lived.
Though her own mother had tried her best, it had been impossible to provide any sort of lasting comfort under the firm thumb of her tempestuous husband. Instead, the family had slunk around in the shadows and done their best to avoid his wrath.
It took no time at all for the females to find that they got on just fine. Posey was a bridge that allowed the strangers to focus their attentions upon a mutual task with combined goals. By the time Marietta was called to wash for dinner, the puppy was able to sit upon command and respond somewhat to her own name. All in all, it felt like a victory for Lady Prudence who had for so long craved such simple pleasures.
Lord Halthaven was kind enough throughout the meal, though not overly talkative. Lady Prudence found herself taking a liking to his quiet ways as well. He participated in the conversation, offered a teasing note here or there to incite the laughter of the women, but did nothing to oppress his table-mates. Marietta’s voice dominated the supper, and both adults were happy to encourage it.
Prudence allowed the edge of worry in her mind to creep away as she relaxed into the role of companion. That night when she closed her eyes she could almost imagine that there was nothing else outside of this quiet home. If only, it could remain so forever, she thought.
6
Jasper Numbton, the Earl of Fondleton returned from his visit to London to find his small country Manor in disarray.
“I am sorry, my lord,” his steward informed him as soon as his feet hit the cobbled stone of the lane. “We have searched high and low, but she cannot be found. I sent a man to Nettlefold but there has been no sign of her in the village or near her family home.”
It took Jasper a moment to process the information that his wife was missing. Though he had been loath to wed one such as she, neither as thin nor as beautiful as he preferred, he possessed enough male pride to be furious that she had the gall to defy him. He had given her wealth and a title, everything a lady could need.
All that he had expected in return was that she remain a dutiful wife and fulfill his every wish and whim. Of course, she could not even do that willingly. That was no matter, he had thought, he liked a little fight in a lady, a little fear in her eyes.
Still, he had thought her obedient enough to remain in wait until his return.
His trip to London had been much needed. He had been craving something new. An acquaintance had told him of a place well-hidden in a quiet neighborhood of London where the girls were young and came at a decent price.
Lord Fondleton, however, was not one who would be seen in such a place. Furthermore, he preferred the challenge of the hunt, to catch his prey with skill and temptation, rather than pay a sum. He fancied himself quite apt at his business. Never a suspicion or claim had been laid to his name. Now that he was wed, he had even more cause to be trusted. Perhaps his forced marriage to the Lady Prudence was not so terrible in that way.
London was a good place to go unnoticed, if one wished it. It was easy enough to come upon a female of questionable ilk if you hung around the places where they were sold. There were always one or two that had been bought, used, and abandoned for the next best offering. Of course, then Jasper could take what he wanted and no one would be the wiser. What gentleman worth his salt would take the word of base slime over an earl?
He had thought to return for a fortnight to handle his matters of estate, and then find a nice quaint countryside to frequent for the holidays with new faces and females to chase. His wife could remain at the Manor, perhaps even with an heir in her womb to make her useful.
Never had he expected that his plans would have to be altered to pursue the minx to whatever end of the countryside she had fled. She must be found so that she might be silenced, and the clarity of his name ensured. Though he allowed the rage to fuel his action, he could not deny that there was an inkling of interest that she had proven to be more resilient than expected.
Such a daring act was beyond most ladies. In fact, it almost made him want her again. He would return her to his care and if he chose to be so kind, she could never be allowed the same freedoms. Still, there was something appealing about having a wife under lock and key. A whisper of a rumor that she was ill would be enough to keep the questions at bay. Then, he could have his way, both within his domain and without.
Lord Fondleton could not suppress the surge of laughter that overtook him.
“My Lord?” his steward looked at him with concern. “Are you not concerned?”
“Concerned?” Jasper scoffed. Then his face broke out into an evil grin.
“I am furious. Have my items cleaned and packed at once. I leave at first light.”
He would find Prudence if it took him a lifetime of searching. She would not best him and make him a fool. No, he thought. She would suffer for her defiance, of that he would be certain. The lady had few enough resources to her name. It would not take him long to discover where it was that she had fled.
He would begin in that drat little town of Nettlefold, where he had first happened upon her. Soon enough he should know all of her family connections. Then, he would smoke her out like a fox from its den.
7
Lady Prudence saw little of Lord Halthaven for the first week of her stay, except at mealtimes. He was busy making arrangements for the harvest of his fields, which would supply the manor and its residents with foodstuffs for the upcoming winter season.
She entertained Marietta as best she could considering the girl’s energetic disposition. It was fortunate that Posey had been brought along for many hours were whiled away in the stables with the attempt of training the animal. Marietta had taken her guardian’s word to heart when he had promised that Posey might be allowed to sleep at the foot of Marietta’s bed once the dog could be trusted inside the Manor. Lady Prudence could not help but applaud what she understood as Lord Halthaven’s attempt to give the girl a project upon which to focus her time and energies during a period that would otherwise be filled with boredom.
Marietta missed her friends more than anything. Yet, many of them were well beneath her station and had been set to working for the season. Though she longed to travel to the village to see them, Prudence was happy for the excuse that the town was all but empty these days.
It was a week to the day of her arrival that Mrs. Perkins appeared with a stack of Lizzie’s dresses to make Prudence a new gown despite her protests. Her own dress had not been salvageable. She could not bring herself to care. Besides, she was happy to hear that the ruined gown’s remaining cloth was promised to be used to outfit a child in the village.
The dress fabrics were plain and the style both muted and modest but Lizzie’s hand with a needle made every cut and stitch follow the ample curves of Lady Prudence’s form so that her buxom hourglass figure was displayed like a masterpiece. The neckline had been raised demurely, as was to be expected for the preference of a lady of the cloth. Yet, never before had Lady Prudence felt more confidence in an article of clothing.
She cursed away all of those flashy gowns that she had been forced to wear for fear that she, herself, were too plain. Now, with the simplicity of the gown, even one as dull as she might seem to shine above it.
She wondered how it was that that could be possible as she stared at her reflection in the glass. Praise for Lizzie’s hand was given to be passed with all her thanks to the woman herself. Of course, she had worked a miracle.
Before she could prevent the thought, Lady Prudence felt the green pallor of jealousy shadow her satisfaction. If such progress could be made on her own features by the skill of a handy seamstress, what sort of fanciful creations might be made for those as beautiful as Lady Prudence’s sisters, particularly Temperance or the t
wins? Prudence felt her heart sink as she wondered if still, even at her best, she did not do the gown its full due service.
She thanked Mrs. Perkins heartily and promised to visit Lizzie at her bedside at regular intervals to provide what little relief she could to the poor mother-to-be in her bouts of boredom.
She was in the process of laying smooth the elegant blue folds that Lizzie had arranged to disguise the fact that the gown had once concealed a protruding womb. The fabric had been tucked and stitched so that it could be re-let if ever the need arose for, of course, the gowns would be returned to Lizzie under the assumption that Prudence would have no need for them upon her return to the abbey.
Lady Prudence pressed her hands to her own stomach and wondered if she had been right to tell the Reverend Mother with such certainty that she was not with child. Though there had been no sign or symptom, she could not be truly sure after so few weeks. The idea that she might be carrying Jasper’s child made her ill. Would she feel the draw to return to him for the sake of an heir? Or could she manage to care for another being on her own, without the support of a man? The thoughts raced through her mind until she felt dizzy with panic.
In an attempt to outrun her fear, she turned upon her heel and hastened toward the stables. Marietta was at her studies and what Lady Prudence required more than anything at this moment was a sample of unconditional love.
She knew exactly where to find it.
She felt a wave of relief upon the discovery that the barn seemed deserted and quiet. She did not wish for anyone to witness her in her moment of weakness. She crept along on silent feet and checked the stalls as she passed by. The tears in her eyes were barely restrained. She told herself she need only get to the stall which Posey had come to call home to find relief in her furred companion.
A large bay horse snorted at her side and caused her to start, but Lady Prudence only took a deep breath and scratched the beast along the length of its neck before she moved on.
Just as her hand settled upon the latch to the stall door, she heard a pair of male voices approaching with laughter from the wide opening at the far end of the barn. Still not wishing to be seen, she spun through the door and closed it behind her just before the voices rounded the corner and entered the main isle of the stables.
Lady Prudence closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief as she leaned against the stall door. Her eyes ached from all of the emotions that she had suppressed in recent months. For her entire life, if she were to be honest. She wanted to scream and cry all at the same time, though she would settle for holding Posey close and stroking her velvet soft ears.
“Ah, now you’ve caught me,” came a low voice from the corner.
Lady Prudence’s eyes flew open with a wild panic. For an instant she wondered if her fears pertaining to her dangerous husband had caused him to appear out of thin air like the magicians on the streets of London might produce a dove or a flower for a lady. How might he have found her and hidden himself away in the very stall in which she found herself at the moment?
“It was never my intention to startle you,” Lord Halthaven explained. It took a moment for Lady Prudence to recognize the gentleman seated on a stool in the corner of the stall with a sleeping puppy cradled in his arms.
It all made sense now. Lord Halthaven’s voice was much kinder than that of Jasper Numbton’s raspy growl. She should have recognized it at once, rather than allowing fear to overtake her at the sound of any male word.
“My lord,” she pressed a hand to her breast and began to take slow breaths to calm the racing of her heart. “What are you doing here?”
The baron allowed himself a grimace of embarrassment.
“I am afraid I have been caught in my secret,” he laughed. “I have been slipping away almost daily to find a moment of quiet for my thoughts. It just so happened that I was worried that, as a runt, the pup would have difficulty surviving.” He explained how he had come to check on the welfare of the animal.
It just so happened that Posey had a fondness for the liver that the chef had been pressing upon the baron with the claim that they would benefit his health. He had been stealing the dish away under the guise of consumption to be pressed no further as well as to fatten the happy pup. As the habit developed into a daily excursion, he had found comfort in the solitude. Still, he had not intended to make it known that he had a soft spot for the creature.
Lady Prudence could not help but find the admission endearing. She had come to the stable for the very same reason. Now, however, she felt that the pressure in her eyes and throat had lessened. She no longer felt the urge to release her tears of agony now that she looked upon the comical scene of a respectable gentleman too nervous to make it known that he was attached to a small bundle of fur.
Her own woes were forgotten for the moment as she informed Lord Halthaven that he was welcome to visit Posey as often as he wished.
When he made a move as if to transfer the pup to Lady Prudence’s care and leave her to her peace, Prudence assured him that he was welcome to keep his seat. She secured a second stool from the far corner and brought it to rest beside the other. Then, she might scratch the dog behind its ears while it continued to sleep in the gentleman’s arms.
“I am not opposed to the company,” she said and found that she meant it. Were she alone she would likely find herself crying until there were no tears left, locked in her misery. Instead, she felt the lightness of companionship settle upon her. She was happy for it.
They spoke for a long while about Marietta and then the progress in Posey’s training that had been improving with each passing day.
Then, Lord Halthaven tilted his head and stared at Lady Prudence with a confused expression.
“You look different,” he mused as if he could not put his finger upon the change.
Lady Prudence felt the blood rush to her cheeks. “Lizzie altered some dresses for my use,” she explained.
“Ah, yes,” he nodded. “That must be it. I have grown so accustomed to your grey curtains that I do believe that this is the first time I have seen you look…” He paused. Lady Prudence wondered if he were about to say that this was the first time he had seen her look like a lady.
“Curtains?” she laughed. Of course that was an accurate description of the quality of the gown that she had been wearing since her arrival. Lord Halthaven had the decency to appear ashamed at his statement but Lady Prudence could not help but continue to laugh, for she needed it dearly. “I suppose that you are right,” she agreed once she had composed herself.
Lord Halthaven paid the obligatory compliment to her new attire but Lady Prudence did not register his words. His features had turned pensive. It was as if he were looking upon her for the first time and seeing something different than before.
It was the goal of a postulant to mute themselves to the point of invisibility. Though, Lady Prudence had always thought herself invisible. Besides, she thought, it was not her wish to catch the eye of anyone, especially not an eligible gentleman who had devoted himself as her protector.
Again, her cheeks flushed and she was forced to look away. She had never once thought of Lord Halthaven as an eligible gentleman until this very moment although, it was clear that he was quite free of any attachments as far as she could tell. She cursed the thought from her mind. She would not, could not, view him in such a manner.
If she did then she might be forced to admit that he was attractive.
It took all of Lady Prudence’s skill to suppress the groan that threatened to creep forth. Her mind was determined to betray her for, now that she had thought it, she could not help but admit that she appreciated the subtle nature of his elegant features. She could not think such things. The baron may be free of attachment, but she was not. Though her husband was loathsome, she was still a legally married woman.
“Are you quite alright, Miss Riverford?” he asked with concern when she was unable to conceal that she was flustered.
“What? Oh,
yes…” she stammered. “It is only that I have a lot on my mind.” She had learned enough about his character to feel confident that Lord Halthaven would not press her for further detail. He was used to those that were sent to his care and their preference for privacy. Ever since she had first expressed the desire to keep her tale to herself, he had never brought forth the topic again.
“That is to be understood,” he said with a soft tone, as if he truly did understand her state even without the details of her trauma.
She nodded and kept her eyes upon Posey, whose paw was cradled in her hand so that she might rub her thumb in a circular motion through the velvety fur.
“Perhaps we can lighten your mood!” Lord Halthaven suggested with a burst of energy that brought a surprised grin to Lady Prudence’s features.
“Oh?” she asked.
“Marietta has been craving a ride but it has been far too wet with all the rain,” he explained. “Today is just the day, I think.”
Lady Prudence scrunched her nose as she considered the offer. She was not the finest of horsewomen. Mediocre would be generous.
“You can ride the old mare,” he laughed upon witnessing her expression. “She’ll not go faster than a trot no matter how you tempt her and she is as calm as a fine summer’s day.”
“Marietta craves a chase,” she replied. It was all the girl had talked about in recent days, the urge to feel the wind in her hair as her own mount sprinted across the fields.
“She might go ahead of us, so long as she remains within sight,” he shrugged. “She needs to release her spirit every so often, else I shall have a mutiny on my hands.”
“Us?” Lady Prudence asked before she could swallow the question.
“Unless you’d rather not.” Lord Halthaven seemed not the least bit offended that the lady might not be comfortable in his presence. In fact, it was that which made her decision.
The Countess and The Baron: Lady Prudence Baggington (The Nettlefold Chronicles Book 3) Page 6
