The Nomad Harp

by Elizabeth Rotter Matthews

  “I have succeeded to my cousin's title, Miss Forbes, and have responsibilities in that direction now."

  “I see. I thought you had two cousins, Cap— Lord Pontley."

  The interview was not proceeding as he had expected and he replied stiffly, “While at Lockwood we received word that my cousin Keith who was serving in India under Lord Wellesley had been killed in the autumn."

  “Your poor aunt! How could she bear to lose two sons in so short a space of time? I offer you both my condolences.” Her blue eyes were troubled and the fair, smooth skin wrinkled into a frown. “Should you not have stayed with your aunt?"

  “My presence only adds to her grief."

  Glenna was startled by his obvious lack of sympathy and found herself unable to reply. Under his scrutiny she felt uncomfortable, and rose to ring for refreshments. He politely rose with her and watched her cross to the pull. There was the same calm efficiency of movement he had noted and approved on previous visits. The blue muslin gown was becoming and modest, the white cap delightfully fantastic, almost as though it were a laughing reminder of her age. But where he was used to seeing the blue eyes lively with enthusiasm, now they were downcast and troubled. The reddish-blond hair curled about her face in a frame, and the nose was rather short and turned up perhaps too much for real beauty, but he thought once again that she was an attractive woman. And she had nothing to say to him. When she turned to find him studying her she made a small gesture of helplessness with her hands and remained silent.

  “You have not congratulated me on my new title, Miss Forbes."

  “In the circumstances I find it difficult. It necessitated the deaths of two of your cousins, which must have caused your aunt untold grief, and I see no sign of sorrow in you.” She remained standing with her back against the wall, feeling almost at bay.

  “I am not in the habit of exhibiting my emotions, Miss Forbes, and I had little acquaintance with my cousins. Nonetheless, I have agreed to my aunt's wish that I postpone my marriage for a year in suitable mourning for them."

  “I commend you on the propriety of your decision, Lord Pontley, and appreciate that you had no time to consult me on such a matter. I shall call a halt to the preparations that are in progress, of course.” She turned to give instructions to the footman who had entered and then resumed her seat. “I cannot feel so sanguine, however, on your decision to abandon your career."

  “I cannot very well manage the running of three estates if I am at sea, Miss Forbes, to say nothing of the incapacity caused by my wound.” He unconsciously tapped this injured member with an angry finger. “My cousin has left his affairs in a sad state, I fear, which will require a great deal of my time to straighten out."

  “To say nothing of your lack of knowledge on the subject,” she murmured.

  “What would you have me do, Miss Forbes? Leave matters to sort themselves out? Return to my ship and turn my back on those dependent on the estates?"

  “Your decision may very well be the right one, sir, but I cannot feel that you will be comfortable being a country squire after your years at sea."

  “I shall hate it, Miss Forbes. And you? Does it make a difference to you?” His intent brown eyes held hers forcefully.

  “Yes, it makes a vast difference to me, Lord Pontley. Not the life so much, you understand, but that you did not feel it necessary to speak with me before taking your decision."

  His eyes opened incredulously. “You are annoyed that I did not consult you, Miss Forbes, and perhaps allow you to make the decision?"

  Glenna bit her lip to force back the retort she wished to make. How had she ever become engaged to this man? How could she have overlooked his insensitivity and autocratic manner? It did occur to her to wonder if she was refining too much on the matter, and she sat silent considering the possibility.

  “You do not answer me, ma'am. Are you vexed that you did not have the opportunity to sway my mind? Had you rather have a husband who is away at sea the better part of the year?"

  “Yes,” she flashed at him, “that is precisely what I wish.” Although it was not altogether true, there was enough truth in it to pique her.

  Pontley rose abruptly and winced at the pain his swift movement caused him. With an elaborate bow, he muttered, “You must pardon me, ma'am. Had I known, of course I would have rejected the viscountcy and retained my position in the Royal Navy. There are some ladies, I believe, who would be delighted to find themselves engaged to a peer when all they had hoped for was a mere sailor. I see you are not one of them, though, and I offer you my most humble apology.” His burning eyes belied any humility; he stood poker straight, every fiber of his being awash with anger.

  “Oh, pray sit down, for God's sake, and let us discuss the matter rationally.” When he continued to tower over her, glaring all the more, she rubbed her eyes distractedly and attempted to calm herself. After a moment she said gently, “I did not mean to upset you, sir, by intimating that I wished to be rid of you when we were married, or by seeming to wish to order you about. I will grant that I am given to a certain measure of independence which is not perhaps acceptable to you in one of my sex.” She raised her eyes to meet his, and found them unyielding. “Would you like me to cry off?"

  Stunned, he could not bring himself to speak. There was nothing he wished more at the moment, but it seemed wrong to him that she should suggest such a thing after attempting, however unsuccessfully, to apologize. He sat down.

  Glenna smiled her appreciation of this move. “Perhaps I should tell you why I accepted your offer, Lord Pontley, so that you can understand my situation. My father's health is indifferent and he lives in perpetual fear of dying and leaving me unprovided for. I cannot like the additional strain this worry puts on him and I had determined to marry to ease his mind. Not that I have anything against marriage in itself, you understand, but I am aware that my years of freedom have engendered in me an independence which does not perhaps bode well for marriage. Therefore it seemed wise to choose a man who ... would not be continually harassed by my independence, and who would not be always about to keep too firm a hand on the reins, so to speak."

  Although his face had become a blank, Glenna saw the muscle at the corner of his mouth twitch. “I know several men who would not keep any rein on me at all, of course, but I would be just as unsatisfied with such an arrangement as with too heavy a hand. It seemed to me that you answered my situation very well. When you were on leave you could be in charge of the household, but for the most part you would be away and I would be free to run my own life as I saw fit."

  “You make it sound very practical."

  “I assure you it was. Do not think that I would not have done everything in my power to provide you with a comfortable home, for it seemed to me that that was precisely what you required. I know you are fond of the harp and are satisfied to be accepted into the circles in which I move, without making an effort to develop social contacts of your own. So you see, when you came here today in a rather belligerent frame of mind, and informed me that everything had changed..."

  “I was not aware that I came to you in a belligerent frame of mind."

  “I may be mistaken about that, I grant you, though I cannot help but feel you were ill at ease to present me with your news. The impression you conveyed to me was that I could accept these changes willy-nilly or break the engagement, and that you would as soon have the latter as the former."

  “The necessity of a year's wait did strike me as a possible point of annoyance to you, Miss Forbes."

  “It is, Lord Pontley, but I can accept the inevitability. My father would be happy to see me settled sooner, but for myself I cannot mind."

  “Another year of freedom for you,” he murmured.

  “You might look at it that way,” she admitted with a grin which lit the blue eyes. “Now that you understand my situation a little better, I shall ask you again: would you like me to cry off?"

  He regarded her ruefully. “How am I to answer such a qu
estion? It is apparent that you have grave doubts as to whether we could live together comfortably under the changed conditions, but on the other hand your father will have the same worry on his hands if you do not marry. From my small acquaintance with your circle of young people, I would say you have already rejected every eligible male you know."

  Her eyes danced appreciatively. “That does not preclude my meeting someone new."

  “To be sure,” he said curtly, “but your age is a disadvantage."

  “Do not let that hamper you in your decision, Lord Pontley. I do not."

  “It is not my decision. I stand by my offer for you. If you are willing to accept the change, then we will be married in a year.” His leg had begun to ache and he shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

  “In that case I should like a month or two to make a decision. Perhaps during that time I could meet your aunt and see Lockwood, and we would have a chance to get to know one another better."

  “I fear my aunt would not welcome a visit from you at just this time,” he said stiffly, “and it will be necessary for me to spend the next few months visiting the estates in Gloucestershire and Somerset."

  “Very well. We will terminate the engagement now, then, and I thank you for your kindness in offering for me, Lord Pontley.” She rose and offered him her hand, her frank eyes never leaving his face.

  “You misunderstand, Miss Forbes,” he protested, wincing as he rose rapidly to his feet. “I did not mean to put obstacles in the way of your suggestion, but my aunt will be looking for a companion preparatory to moving to the dower house and will be much occupied. She has convinced me of the necessity of seeing to the other estates, as they are in desperate need of some management. There is no need to make a hasty decision. I will call on you on my return for your answer."

  Glenna sighed and nodded her head. “As you wish. A few months can make no difference to either of us at this point."

  Chapter 3

  With the recovery of Mr. Forbes's health in mind, Glenna informed him only that her betrothed had sustained a great change in his circumstances. He was delighted with the news that his daughter would be marrying into the peerage and have a country estate on which to live, but he was not wholly oblivious to her dispassionate rehearsal of this information. The thought did occur to him that she was not entirely pleased with the new arrangement.

  “You must not mind that you will be living away from Hastings,” he comforted her. “I shall go on here very well."

  She forced a laugh. “I place great reliance on Mrs. Booth, Papa.” The housekeeper was indeed loyal to her employer, and Glenna trusted that she would be called in any emergency. “Besides, we must wait a year to marry, so I shall not have to face such a parting for some time. Perhaps Lord Pontley will allow me to have you at Lockwood for a period each year. There was so much to discuss that I had no time to ask him."

  “A short visit now and then to see how you go on would indeed be welcome,” he admitted with a tender smile, “but I would not have you press him to keep me there for a protracted stay. I am fond of my house, and Hastings, and I have my work here. You will wish to have time alone with your husband."

  Glenna murmured an affirmative reply and, feeling guilty for her deception, offered to play for him. As the days passed she grew more upset by Pontley's lack of sympathy for his aunt's plight, and she evolved a plan by which she might help soften the old woman's sufferings. Lockwood was located not far from Haywards Heath, and Glenna had a cherished friend who lived with her parents at the vicarage in Burgess Hill. It would require a certain amount of deception in itself, but Glenna could excuse that on the basis of the good she would be doing, since her erstwhile fiancé obviously intended no assistance whatever to his bereaved aunt.

  * * * *

  Phoebe Thomas was delighted to receive her friend's letter, but it puzzled her that Glenna should be asking the vicar for a letter of recommendation for her cousin, and especially that such a letter should be sent to the Dowager Lady Pontley. True, the vicar knew Glenna's cousin Mary Stokes, but it was inconceivable to Phoebe that Mary, who was placid to the point of indolence, could desire a post as companion to the dowager. It was even more suspicious that any reply to this offer was to be sent to Glenna herself, since Phoebe had but the day before received a letter, perhaps rather one would call it a note, from Mary herself saying that she was bound to London for the season. Since Phoebe was not unfamiliar with Glenna's youthful pranks, she had some misgivings, but she nevertheless caused the vicar to dispatch such a letter to the dowager and within a matter of days received a reply which she dutifully forwarded to Glenna.

  It seemed to Glenna that it could make no difference whatever to the dowager who she took for a companion, provided the companion served her well.

  If Pontley thought it would upset his aunt to meet Glenna at such a time (and she could understand that the bereaved woman might be distressed to have her successor as mistress at Lockwood to stay just now), then she should meet someone else who would offer her the comfort and assistance she must need at such a time. There was, of course, the possibility that the deception would have to be revealed later if Glenna did indeed marry Pontley, but she considered this highly unlikely. For the present she wished only to provide some comfort to the distressed woman, since Pontley apparently felt no obligation to do so.

  The reply from the dowager was short and to the point. She stated her requirements, the wages she was prepared to pay, and wrote that if the terms were agreeable to Mary Stokes, she was to present herself at Lockwood one week from the day of writing to be employed on a probationary basis. Glenna, while making allowances for the dowager's emotional state, still had a qualm when she read the letter. The imperious tone and niggardly wage offered did not suggest a personality with which she was likely to live in harmony. That could not be helped, however, and she felt herself committed to provide what solace she could, so she advised her father that she would be heading for Phoebe Thomas's for a period of time.

  Mr. Forbes, his health recovered, was delighted that his daughter should be released from her nursing duties and have the opportunity to go visiting for a while. He agreed to direct his letters to Phoebe, as Glenna remarked that she would be staying at other places as well, but would always contact Phoebe for her correspondence. When all was in readiness and the post chaise ordered, Mr. Forbes frowned at the portmanteaux in the hall and turned to his daughter. “Do you not intend to take your harp, Glenna? The vicar has remarked more than once on how much pleasure it gives him to hear you play."

  In her nervousness about the whole venture, Glenna very nearly betrayed herself. Her second thoughts suddenly seemed very rational and she was disposed to give up the whole project. Why should not Pontley take care of his own aunt? But her heart cried out for the deserted dowager and she calmly replied, “I fear the harp will take up too much space, Papa."

  “Oh no, my dear, it will be worth the inconvenience, and will in some measure repay the vicar for his kindness in having you. I will direct that it be brought down."

  Glenna nodded acquiescence and wondered desperately how the vicar would feel about having a harp left in his small home while she went elsewhere, for she had no intention of descending on Lockwood with it. Companions did not travel about with harps, no matter how gently born they were. With a shrug of resignation she watched the awkward instrument bundled into the post chaise, where it barely left room for her and the maid who was to accompany her to Burgess Hill. “I think May had best not come, Papa. I will be no more than four hours on the road and we could not but be cramped to death."

  Her father reluctantly agreed when he surveyed the crowded interior. “Very well, Glenna. Perhaps I should not insist that you take the harp."

  His worried expression brought forth a cheerful smile from his daughter. “Nonsense. I would miss playing, you know, and the vicar will be pleased. Perhaps Phoebe will take the opportunity to learn.” She hoped fervently that her friend would do so; otherwi
se there was absolutely no purpose in bringing the instrument with her at all.

  After a fond parting, Glenna disposed herself as comfortably as she was able and, despite the roughness of the passage, entered her thoughts in her journal as she progressed. Putting them down helped to solidify her purpose, and she arrived at the vicarage with more determination than she had left her home. She planned to spend one night with her friend before progressing to Lockwood, where instinct cautioned her she would need every ounce of her resources.

  Phoebe stared in amazement at the harp when the steps were let down for her friend to descend. “Dear God, Glenna, I had no idea you meant to bring the harp for such a short stay."

  “Never mind, love, I will explain.” Glenna whispered this aside before turning to the vicar and his wife, who appeared no less astonished as the postillion struggled to release the instrument from where it had become securely lodged in the chaise. It took the combined efforts of the postillion and one of the Thomas's servants to unload the unwieldy harp and convey it into the vicarage.

  The vicar and his wife politely refrained from commenting on the invasion of their diminutive home by the instrument, but Phoebe's eyes indicated her desire to get Glenna alone for the promised explanation. As soon as she could do so without appearing rude, Glenna excused herself from tea and asked Phoebe to escort her to her room.

  When the door was closed behind them, Phoebe caught her hand and demanded, “What is going forward, Glenna? Are you up to some mischief'?"

  “I suppose you would say so, Phoebe, though I assure you it is with the best of intentions.” Glenna's eyes danced with merriment. “I thought you might enjoy learning to play the harp."

  “Pooh, you thought nothing of the kind, my dear friend. Do you intend to leave that ... monster with us?” she asked incredulously.

  “I'm afraid I shall have to, love. I cannot very well take it to Lockwood with me, now, can I?” Taking pity on her confused friend, Glenna proceeded to unfold the story of her engagement and her decision to befriend the dowager.