The Marriage Truce

by Ann Elizabeth Cree

  ‘And she almost smiled,’ Sarah said with no little astonishment. It was the first time since her arrival that a movement had touched the lips of the dour housekeeper which could possibly be termed a smile.

  Jessica reached for a piece of toast. ‘She quite approves of you.’

  ‘Whatever makes you say that?’ Although Mrs Humphries had dutifully appeared at the door of the library nearly a week ago to tell Sarah that ‘his lordship says I am to take orders from you,’ there had been nothing in her demeanour that suggested approval. Since Sarah had spent most of the time quizzing Jessica on the intricacies of running Ravensheed, she probably thought Sarah was incapable of doing so herself.

  ‘She told me so.’ Jessica buttered her toast. ‘Yesterday. She owned that, although she experienced severe misgivings the day he arrived with you on his arm, she thinks you’ve been an influence for the good on his soul.’

  Sarah nearly choked on the tea she had just sipped. Perhaps Mrs Humphries was delusional as well as dour. ‘I…I see.’ Since Jessica’s arrival, he had been even more distant than before. Except for meals, she rarely saw him.

  Which was just as well. His remark at the conservatory at Kentwood had hurt her deeply. He had made it very clear he did not trust her.

  ‘Sarah?’

  Jessica’s voice recalled her to her surroundings. ‘I am sorry, I was daydreaming.’

  ‘Again?’ Her eyes held a hint of teasing. ‘You are as bad as Dev. Since my return, I’ve noticed he fades off into the same sort of trance in the middle of a conversation.’

  ‘Does he?’ Sarah tried to keep her voice indifferent.

  ‘Yes.’ Jessica’s smile faded. ‘I’ve tried to persuade him to come riding with us, but he says he is too busy. I think it’s merely that he is afraid.’

  ‘Afraid? What would he be afraid of?’

  ‘You.’

  This time Sarah nearly knocked her teacup over. She withdrew her hand. ‘Me? But why?’

  ‘He likes you. It scares him.’

  Sarah tried to smile. ‘I should hope he likes me a little. We…we did marry.’ Any pretence of being in love had gone badly by the wayside. It was difficult to keep up when one of the parties was absent.

  ‘Oh, Sarah.’ Jessica’s voice held sympathy. ‘After the wedding, I began to suspect that you were forced to marry him. I know it cannot be easy—I dearly love Dev, but he can be so difficult. He wasn’t always like this. Oh, he could be quite provoking—he was rather wild and could be so terribly stubborn. But at least he seemed to care about things! And then Mary died and he shut himself away for months. I have sometimes worried he does not intend to care about anything again!’

  ‘But he cares about you,’ Sarah said softly. The pain in Jessica’s face tore at her heart.

  ‘He does. But it is not enough.’ She looked swiftly at Sarah. ‘I have worried terribly about leaving him here. Which is why I told Adam I did not wish to marry right away.’ A little smile crossed her face. ‘And then Dev told me he was to marry you and I knew he would be safe.’

  ‘How can you possibly say that?’ Sarah asked unhappily. ‘He is always so excessively polite except when he is dictating to me. Most of the time I feel rather like a…a stray kitten he’s been forced to take in. And he said he does not like cats.’

  Jessica giggled. ‘I don’t think he regards you as a stray kitten at all. I knew he liked you, even when we were in London. But he doesn’t want to.’

  ‘I see. He likes me against his better judgement.’ The thought was hardly comforting.

  ‘Oh, Sarah! You are as bad as my brother.’ She giggled and then sobered. ‘I think it is because of…of your brother, but more than that, he is afraid of being hurt again.’

  Sarah was puzzled. How could she possibly have any power to hurt him? Such hurt could only come from a strong attachment. ‘He must have loved Mary very much.’

  Jessica’s brow puckered. ‘I don’t know. Perhaps.’ But there was a doubt in her voice that puzzled Sarah. ‘Their marriage was arranged. My father and her father had wanted the match since Mary was born so it was expected they would wed as soon as Mary had her first season. I do not think either one of them ever thought about falling in love.’

  Sarah said nothing more. Somehow, prying into the relationship between a husband and wife seemed wrong, as if she trod on sacred ground.

  Jessica finished her toast and shoved her plate away. She glanced outside. The sky was a lovely cerulean blue with only a few lazy clouds floating overhead. ‘Shall we ride today? Perhaps to the tower. Did you climb up inside when you went with Dev?’

  ‘No. We did not have time.’

  ‘Then we will today. The view is magnificent, Sarah. You can see everywhere.’ She grinned. ‘And Dev will come with us.’

  ‘I doubt if he’ll agree.’ He would probably rather be dragged behind a runaway carriage than spend an unnecessary minute in her company.

  ‘Oh, he will, particularly when he discovers we’re planning to climb the tower.’ Jessica’s eyes sparked with mischief. ‘He planned to spend the day with Mr Dalton going over accounts. We’ll send him a note just before we leave the stables. He will be there almost before we will.’

  ‘Jessica, I really don’t think that is wise. He’ll probably be furious.’

  ‘Well, yes, a little. But he is leaving for London tomorrow. How else will we ever see him? And how will he ever realise there is no need to be afraid of you?’ She looked mischievous again.

  ‘Jessica,’ Sarah said weakly, ‘I really have no desire to put myself in his way.’

  ‘I see. You’re afraid of him also.’

  ‘I really am not.’

  ‘Then why don’t you want to see him?’

  ‘I do see him. At dinner.’

  ‘But that is not properly seeing him,’ Jessica said. She pushed back her chair. ‘Come, Sarah, he’s really not so dreadful and it will be fun. Besides he knows all the history. He can tell you all the most boring details about all of our very dull ancestors. I suspect you like that sort of thing.’

  ‘Yes, but, Jessica…’ Sarah heaved a sigh. Her sister-in-law’s sweet countenance had a stubborn expression that was remarkably like her brother’s when he wanted something.

  ‘Don’t worry.’ She patted Sarah’s arm. ‘Nothing bad will happen.’

  Dev tore open the note the footman had just delivered. He perused it quickly and then swore.

  Dalton glanced over at him from his place across the table. A large book of accounts lay between them. ‘A problem?’

  ‘My sister has decided to take Sarah up the old tower. She knows better, it’s damably dangerous unless you’ve done it a dozen times. I’ve no idea why she wants to risk Sarah’s neck.’ However, he strongly suspected Jessica was using it as a ruse to obtain his company. Otherwise, she would have kept quiet.

  ‘Then perhaps you’d best go with them,’ Dalton suggested mildly. ‘There is no significant change since we last went over the figures two days ago.’ He looked faintly amused as if he knew why Dev had developed a sudden passion for reviewing numbers every day.

  Dev scowled. It was bad enough that Jessica had noticed he avoided Sarah, but now his employees did too. He rose, loathe to give into his sister’s blackmail, but his concern for Sarah overrode his misgivings. ‘I’ll return as soon as I sway them from their folly.’

  ‘Of course,’ Dalton said, obviously not believing a word he said.

  Dev caught up to them just as they were crossing the pasture near the tower. He rode up next to Sarah. ‘I am sorry for the delay.’

  She gasped and looked at him, a delightful blush rising to her cheeks. ‘I…I did not hear you.’

  ‘But weren’t you expecting me?’ His eyes roved over her face under the becoming hat she wore. The lively colour in her cheeks made her eyes sparkle.

  ‘Not…not exactly.’

  His brow shot up. ‘No? But I suspect my sister was.’ He glanced over at Jessica, who rode on the other side
of Sarah.

  Jessica merely grinned at him.

  They halted the horses near the old wall and tethered them to the rings. He helped Jessica down and then turned to Sarah. She hesitated and then slid into his arms. Unable to resist, he pressed her closer than necessary, the softness of her breast against his chest. His arms tightened around her and then he quickly dropped them away. What was he thinking of? This was why he was trying to avoid her, otherwise he forgot their marriage was nothing but a sham.

  She backed away, her cheeks heated. ‘Th…thank you.’

  ‘Not at all.’ He turned to find Jessica watching them, a quizzical look on her face. He stalked towards her. ‘Well, what is it you wanted me for?’

  She giggled. ‘I never said I wanted you. Only that we were going to visit the tower.’

  ‘Which was tantamount to saying you wanted me since you know you’ve no business climbing it without me or someone else who knows it well.’

  She cocked a brow. ‘I thought you’d rather escort us than have me ask Charles Kenton.’

  It was all he could do to keep from swearing. He looked down at Sarah, who had come up beside them. ‘Well, do you wish to see the tower?’ he snapped.

  ‘Only if you wish to show us,’ she said politely.

  ‘Since I am here, I might as well.’

  Her face closed. ‘I really do not want to take up your time. Perhaps Jessica and I can walk by the stream.’

  ‘I will take you,’ he said impatiently.

  She looked at him, a touch of anger in her face. ‘It is very clear that it is quite against your will. I have no intention of forcing you.’

  And it was obvious it was against her will to have him do it. He ground his teeth together. ‘Very well, then I will return to my business.’

  ‘But…’ Jessica began in a subdued little voice.

  They both turned to look at her. Her smile had disappeared. She had the same crushed look on her face she would get as a young child when she suffered a bitter disappointment. He suffered a stab of guilt.

  He met Sarah’s eyes and saw the same guilt cross her face. She lifted her chin and gave him a tight smile. ‘I believe I would like a tour after all.’

  ‘Of course. I would be more than delighted.’ He held out his arm. It had never occurred to him that the awkwardness…no, the tension between himself and Sarah was affecting Jessica so badly.

  Sarah laid her gloved hand lightly on his arm. ‘Jessica? Shall we go?’

  ‘Oh, yes.’ Jessica’s voice was still subdued.

  She trailed after them through the gate in the wall and then through the garden. The door to the tower was inside one of the few remaining rooms that had survived the fire. He dropped Sarah’s arm and pulled a key from his pocket. He shot his sister a grin. ‘This was the other reason you needed me. You forgot the key.’

  Jessica had the grace to blush. ‘I remembered when we were halfway here, but I thought we could climb through the drawing-room window.’

  ‘We? I trust that does not mean you expected Sarah to climb through a window as well. Not everyone is the monkey you are.’

  Sarah shot him a challenging look. ‘I assure you that task is not beyond me.’

  ‘It had better be, my dear. I’ve no intention of carrying your prone body back to the house.’

  ‘So, you would just leave me here, then? I suppose it would not be such a bad place to haunt. Or perhaps you already have a ghost in residence.’

  His mouth suddenly quirked in a smile. ‘Not that I know of.’ He unlocked the heavy wood door and pushed it open. ‘Come in.’

  Sarah stepped into the old drawing room, comfortably furnished with a sofa, a table and chairs. She looked up at him, surprise on her face. ‘I had no idea it would be so well preserved. It is rather like a small cottage in here.’

  ‘My grandfather had it enclosed. These two rooms were damaged very little except for the smoke. There is one room upstairs that survived although the floor needs repair.’

  ‘How lovely.’ She crossed to the fireplace with its elaborately carved wooden mantelpiece and ran her hand over the wood. ‘What beautiful carving. When was this house built?’

  ‘In 1698.’

  ‘How sad it burned down.’

  ‘It was. But, fortunately, my grandfather and his family were in London at the time and all of the servants managed to escape unharmed. A very timely rainstorm helped put out the fire before it completely destroyed everything.’

  She smiled up at him. ‘That was indeed timely. Does anyone ever use the house?’

  ‘Sometimes. My parents often came here when they wanted some privacy. There is a bedchamber connected to this room.’

  ‘Oh.’ She flushed. ‘It would be very nice for that.’

  ‘Yes.’ He looked down at her flushed face and slightly parted lips. An image of her alone with him, shut away from the world together, sprang to his mind. They would dine in this small, cozy room and then he would take her to the heavy bed and…

  ‘Shall we climb the tower now?’ Jessica’s voice interrupted his lustful thoughts.

  ‘Er, yes.’ He glanced at Sarah. ‘Are you game?’

  ‘Yes.’ She didn’t quite meet his eyes. Her face flushed as if she had guessed his less-than-proper thoughts. He nearly groaned. The last thing he wanted to do was let her know how much he wanted her. She’d probably run like the devil himself was after her.

  The staircase to the tower was located in a small hallway off the drawing room. Sarah and Jessica waited while Dev went up a few steps. He looked back down at them, his face partially in the shadows. ‘Come on,’ he said. ‘But be very careful.’

  ‘You go first, Sarah,’ Jessica said.

  Sarah took a tentative step. The wood creaked but seemed solid enough. She held her skirt up and started the climb up the steep, winding staircase. Light filtered down from some sort of window above. On the second turn, Dev stopped and looked back at her. ‘Watch the next step.’

  She could see where the wood had partially rotted. She carefully stepped over it. The next turn brought them to a small landing. Dev stopped abruptly and she smacked into his back. ‘I beg your pardon.’

  ‘Not at all.’ He shot her a rather wicked grin. ‘You may run into me any time. I rather liked it.’

  ‘Oh.’ His unexpected teasing threw her off balance completely. She stared at him and he stared back, his expression slowly changing as it had when they had ridden together.

  ‘Shall we show Sarah the upstairs room?’ Jessica came up behind them, breaking the sudden tension between them.

  ‘There’s not much to see, just a small room that was once used as a bedchamber.’ Dev opened a door on one side of the landing. He stepped aside so Sarah could peer in. She brushed against his chest, the contact sending an unwelcome spark of awareness through her. She was hardly aware of the small shuttered room.

  They continued up the stairs, Dev in front of Sarah. She had no idea why she should suddenly be so aware of his broad shoulders and narrow hips and the curl of his hair over his collar. It was extremely disconcerting. She hoped they would look at the tower and then leave so she could escape him as quickly as possible.

  At the top of the staircase was a small hallway with two narrow windows that let in the light. On one side was a heavy wooden door with a key in the lock. Dev turned the key and then frowned. ‘The key is nearly worn in half. Another reason why you’ve no business coming here on your own.’ He shoved open the heavy door and entered first. Sarah followed. Jessica peered around Sarah and shuddered. ‘Ugh. Cobwebs! There are probably mice too.’

  Dev shot her an amused look. ‘Probably.’

  ‘Well, I have no desire to see any mice. I will wait downstairs while you show Sarah the view.’ She turned on her heel and left, her footsteps echoing down the stairway.

  Dev glanced at Sarah and shrugged. ‘Do you wish to brave a possible encounter with a mouse?’ His voice was carefully nonchalant.

  ‘As long as we are here
I would like to see the view.’ It would probably be too obvious if she were to turn tail and run. She looked around the room. It was round and small, the only furnishing a wooden bench. Faded shutters covered the narrow windows.

  Dev opened the shutters on one of the windows. Brilliant sunlight poured across the room, transforming it from a rather shabby hole to an enchanted tower. ‘Come and see the view,’ he said.

  She gathered her skirts to keep from brushing against the dilapidated wood bench and moved to the window.

  Jessica was right, the view was stunning. The countryside spread out below, the green fields and hedge-rows and trees, and pastures dotted with sheep. The sky and the clouds rolled away into the distance where she could see the spire of the village church.’

  ‘What do you think?’ He had moved closer to her.

  She jumped a little, his nearness making her heart skip. She half-turned and tried to interject a note of lightness in her voice. ‘It is beautiful. I don’t think I would mind haunting this at all.’

  A smile flickered at his lips. ‘I hope you are still not offering yourself as the resident ghost. I’ve no intention of seeing you in that role.’

  ‘I suppose it would be rather confining.’

  ‘Among other things.’ He was watching her in a way that made her feel rather light-headed. ‘And I much prefer you in the flesh.’

  ‘Do you? I have sometimes wondered.’

  His gaze sharpened. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘It is just that…’

  The sudden click of the door made them both jump. Dev broke his gaze away. ‘What the devil?’ He strode to the heavy door and tried the handle. It refused to turn. ‘We are locked in here,’ he said. His voice held incredulity.

  Sarah crossed to his side. ‘Are you certain? Perhaps it is merely stuck.’

  ‘We shall see.’ He pushed against the door with his shoulder but it refused to budge. After another two tries, he finally looked over at Sarah, a wry twist to his mouth. ‘We’ll have to hope Jessica soon decides we’ve been here too long and comes to look for us. Then we’ll send her for help.’