The Inconvenient Elmswood Marriage (Penniless Brides 0f Convenience Book 4)

by Marguerite Kaye

  ‘And I would be—Oh, Lord knows. It doesn’t bear thinking of. Our marriage has made everyone a good deal happier—me, you, and the people of Elmswood.’

  He turned the pony into the farmyard and Kate brushed aside the question of whether or not she was actually happy.

  ‘You can tie up at the gatepost here,’ she said, jumping out of the trap.

  Daniel followed her, looking around him with a slight frown on his face. He was dressed in country clothes today, boots and breeches, with a coat and hat, though no gloves. A cow lowed in a big new barn. Chickens were scratching in a desultory way in the caked mud.

  ‘English chickens are so much fatter than African or Indian chickens,’ Daniel said. ‘And they seem to have a great deal more feathers.’

  ‘They need them here in the winter. I suppose they can make do with less in the tropics.’

  ‘I hadn’t thought of that. I can’t get used to the countryside being so green, or the way the fields here are marked out so clearly and the hedgerows are awash with colour. I’m used to a palette that consists of shades of brown beneath a stark, blinding blue.’

  ‘Be careful, Daniel, you’re sounding almost as if you prefer the English countryside.’

  He secured the reins on a gatepost. ‘I’ve never had anything against England. At this time of year it’s quite beautiful. Here comes your farmer and his wife.’

  ‘Edward. And Emma. How lovely to see you.’ Kate smiled reassuringly, for the couple emerging from the farmhouse were eyeing Daniel askance. ‘May I present my husband, Lord Elmswood? This is Mr and Mrs Styles, Daniel.’

  Emma dropped a deep curtsey. Edward—reluctantly, it seemed to Kate—was about to make a bow when Daniel held out his hand.

  ‘How do you do, Mr Styles? It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.’

  ‘My lord. A pleasure.’

  Though his face said otherwise, Kate thought, surprised.

  ‘May we offer you a cup of tea, my lord, or a mug of ale?’ Emma asked, casting her husband a reproving look.

  ‘His Lordship will be wanting to inspect the farm,’ Edward said. ‘Doubtless you’ll be wanting to be reassured that our modern methods are not compromising your profit, my lord. I did not have the pleasure of meeting your father, but I believe he had a reputation for being conservative when it came to the running of the estates’

  ‘I am not—’

  But Edward gave Daniel no time to say what he was or was not. ‘I know that Kate here—that is, Lady Elmswood—has been investing heavily, but I think you’ll find we are reaping the benefits of her foresight—quite literally. It would be a shame—no, it would be a tragedy—to return to the old ways.’

  ‘Edward, my husband doesn’t—’ Kate began.

  ‘Her husband has no intentions of interfering with the management of the estate,’ Daniel said tersely. ‘I am here only as an interested observer, I assure you. I take a natural pride in my wife’s achievements but she, as I’m sure you already know, is extremely modest. So much so that she has generously attributed those achievements to you.’

  ‘Oh.’ Edward’s cheeks turned a dull shade of red. ‘I beg your pardon, Lord Elmswood. Only I thought—all the tenant farmers were worried, you see—that with your being absent for so long you might have inherited your father’s rather outmoded view of the way things should be done.’

  ‘I admit to being largely ignorant on the subject—which is why I’m interested in hearing about the changes.’

  ‘Well, now...’ Edward’s brow cleared. ‘I’d be more than happy to tell you, if you really are interested, though I’m not sure where to start. Would you like to hear about the wheat?’

  ‘Very much,’ Daniel said, to his credit looking enthusiastic.

  Kate bit back a smile. ‘Edward is a scientific farmer. He has been experimenting with different types of fertiliser over the last five years, using guano, which is—Actually, it is the deposit left by seabirds, which is imported from Peru.’

  ‘Peru!’ Daniel exclaimed, seemingly genuinely startled. ‘In South America?’

  ‘Have you been there on your travels, my lord? No? Well, perhaps you’ll go exploring there next and see if you can get a deal for us with the guano. We’ve been comparing it with potash, which is the ashes of elm, and also with bone meal.’

  ‘Where, dare I ask, does that come from?’

  ‘The knacker’s yard,’ Edward told him, grinning. ‘There’s some don’t like it, ploughing the ground-up bones of horses into the soil that those same horses might have ploughed, but for me it’s a natural cycle.’

  ‘And what has this to do with wheat?’

  ‘Simple, my lord, it’s all about yield. Of course it’s not only down to the fertiliser we put in the soil. Scientific farming is a whole combination of things. There’s crop rotation...’

  Kate watched, amused, as Edward launched into a lengthy explanation of what was obviously a subject very close to his heart, though she was soon drawn in, reminding him of failures and successes, of comical misunderstandings, and of the resistance they had met with some of the neighbouring farmers, who had worried their own crops might be contaminated.

  ‘But Edward’s success speaks for itself,’ she finished, with a glowing smile. ‘Though there are still a few die-hards, stubbornly sticking to traditional methods, there are more who have started to follow where he leads and to see the results too. He is an acknowledged leader in the field now—if you’ll pardon the pun. He has even been asked to speak at agricultural fairs as far afield as Somerset. We are very proud of him here at Elmswood.’

  ‘Thanks to you, for giving me the opportunity, Kate—and for letting me have the farm. I’m not from these parts, my lord, and there were several men wanting this tenancy when it became vacant. But your good wife had the foresight that other landowners lack, in being keen to encourage experimentation. My Emma and I never forget how lucky we are to have been given the chance. You must be very proud of her.’

  ‘And grateful,’ Daniel agreed, slanting her a smile, ‘I am more than happy to leave the running of the estate in her capable hands, for I have neither her expertise nor her passion.’

  ‘Well,’ Edward said, smiling shyly, ‘I’ll be honest, my lord, and tell you that I’m very glad to hear that.’

  ‘I’m so sorry,’ Kate said two hours later, as they sat together on the bench in the shade of the terrace. ‘I didn’t intend for you to have to listen to a lecture on modern farming techniques. How tedious for you. I shouldn’t have suggested we call. I should have known that Edward would get carried away.’

  ‘I wasn’t bored—though the subject doesn’t hold quite the level of fascination for me that it does for you.’

  ‘There is a limit to how much discussion even I wish to have about ground-up bones and seabird droppings. Just between ourselves, I’m not hugely interested in the day-to-day business of farming. I enjoy the challenge of planning a strategy and implementing it—just as I have enjoyed the challenge of restoring the gardens here, and the house, but now it’s over...’

  ‘Don’t tell me you’re finding your precious Elmswood tedious?’

  ‘Not tedious, exactly, and it’s not as if I don’t have enough to do, but...’

  ‘You need a fresh challenge. Is that what you’re saying?’

  ‘What I’m saying is that you have unsettled me. I don’t mean our—what we...’ Kate took a sip of her iced lemonade. ‘I am not referring to our making love. I mean that your presence has made me look at myself and Elmswood in a different light.’

  ‘You would probably have started to do so regardless. Estelle would have fled your little nest of her own volition sooner or later, even if I had not been forced to play the cuckoo who usurped her.’

  Kate giggled. ‘You say the strangest things sometimes, but you’re right. Estelle would have left. Being here alone mig
ht not necessarily suit me, but it would have taken me a good deal longer to recognise that possibility—or at least to admit it to myself—if I’d been alone and not had you for company.’

  ‘Temporarily, remember. This comfortable nest you have made for yourself is yours for as long as you want it.’

  ‘Into my dotage, you mean? I could grow old and fat...’

  ‘And possibly adopt a few cats for company.’

  ‘Cats adopt people, not the other way round. I would certainly be comfortable...but would I be happy, do you think?’

  ‘You have been up until now, haven’t you?’

  ‘Yes.’ She drained her glass. ‘Yes, I have. And I shall be happy again, I’m sure.’

  ‘You don’t sound very convinced.’

  Kate shrugged. ‘It doesn’t matter.’

  ‘You mean it’s none of my business?’

  ‘I suppose I do. That’s what you want, isn’t it? For us to go back to how we were? Exchanging polite notes every other month that say next to nothing?’

  ‘No.’ Daniel poured himself another glass of lemonade. ‘I know we can’t do that.’

  ‘What, then? Do you think our marriage has served its purpose?’

  ‘Kate!’

  ‘It’s an obvious question, wouldn’t you say? Elmswood doesn’t need me. I could easily hand the management over to Oliver.’

  ‘No, not him.’

  ‘Why on earth not? Why don’t you like him?’

  ‘I don’t have any feelings at all for him.’

  ‘That’s not true. You don’t even like to pass the time of day with him in the morning.’

  ‘That’s one of the things I don’t like about him. He’s always there...hovering in the background!’ Daniel exclaimed.

  ‘Oh, for goodness’ sake! He’s our head gardener. He works in the gardens. Of course he’s always there.’

  ‘No, I mean—Oh, I don’t know. There’s something about him that unsettles me. But you know him, and I don’t, so if you want to train him up as your replacement, go ahead. No one is forcing you to stay here if you don’t want to, least of all me. You’ve more than fulfilled your side of our bargain. And if it’s a question of divorce...’

  Kate’s glass slid from her hand and broke on the terrace paving. ‘You want a divorce?’

  Tears sprang to her eyes. She leaned over to pick up the shards of glass, but Daniel put a restraining hand on her arm.

  ‘Leave it. I’ll clear it up in a minute.’

  ‘A divorce! Won’t it be expensive? To say nothing of the scandal?’

  ‘I don’t give a damn about either. Look at me, Kate.’

  ‘No.’ She sniffed. ‘I don’t know why I’m crying.’

  ‘I don’t want a divorce.’ He put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her towards him. ‘I thought you did. And if it’s what you want, then—’

  ‘I don’t. I know that our marriage is—well, it’s unconventional, to say the least, but I’ve always considered myself married to you, Daniel, for better or worse. For always.’ She was too comfortable, nestled against him, so she pushed herself upright. ‘But whether I remain in Elmswood or not is a different matter. You married me to be caretaker for your heir, whoever that may turn out to be. I’ve done enough to ensure that Oliver or whoever you choose to employ can do that job now. When you return to foreign service I don’t want to remain here.’

  ‘You sound very certain about that.’

  ‘I do...’ she said, much struck. ‘It’s one of those occasions, I think, when you don’t know something is true until you say it. I am certain I don’t want to remain here. I’m sorry.’

  ‘You’ve no reason to be sorry. I am sorry. I thought you loved this place.’

  ‘I do, but—Oh, I don’t want it to be my entire world any longer. And that is your fault. Or rather Sir Marcus’s, for plucking me from here and opening my eyes. Must we talk of this now?’

  ‘We’ll need to discuss it in a lot more detail at some point. I have written to my lawyer, asking him to track down my heir. If only Eloise’s child had been a boy it would have been an simple matter. Perhaps her next offspring will be the appropriate sex.’

  ‘She’s only just had little Tilda, and her son—if she has one—would inherit his father’s title.’

  ‘Well, whoever it turns out to be, once the lawyer has found him I can make a will and sort out a settlement for you.’

  Fresh tears sprang to her eyes. ‘I don’t want a settlement.’

  ‘Now you’re being quite ridiculous. You’ve earned it.’

  ‘But won’t we—? Are you saying that we—? When you go, Daniel, will I never hear from you again?’

  ‘I don’t know.’ He reached for her, and then changed his mind. ‘You might meet someone else you want to marry, in which case my lawyer will need to do whatever it takes to rid you of me.’

  ‘Stop that! I have one husband already. I don’t need or want another. Please can we stop talking about this now? What we really should be discussing is the garden party.’

  Daniel heaved a theatrical sigh. ‘I think I’d rather talk about making a will.’

  ‘How much notice do you think we will need to give?’

  ‘As little as possible. Then we’ll kill two birds with one stone—there are bound to be people who won’t be able to make it, and Sir Marcus will not have to write to me to remind me of my obligations.’

  ‘Oh, my goodness, do you really think he’s keeping an eye on us? How?’

  ‘Perhaps that damned St James is his man on the inside,’ Daniel said. ‘It would explain why he’s forever appearing out of nowhere.’

  ‘You don’t really imagine...?’

  ‘No, I don’t. Come on, let’s start with a list of guests. What about your Mr Styles and his wife?’

  ‘Isn’t the party intended for the local gentry?’

  ‘All the people you don’t mix with, you mean? I see no reason why we shouldn’t do a little mixing of our own. We shall be the radical Lord and Lady Elmswood.’

  ‘Are you serious? I rather like the idea, but there are some who might take offence.’

  ‘I doubt they’ll be offended enough to refuse, however, and miss out on the opportunity to inspect us in our own environment, so to speak.’

  ‘You make us sound like specimens in a jar.’

  ‘Not a bad analogy. But at least we’ll be specimens floating in our jar together.’

  ‘How lovely. I shall look forward to that.’

  ‘I wonder if we could ask Phoebe to put together a menu for the buffet?’

  ‘Won’t it be easier if you don’t tell my nieces about the party? Then they won’t feel left out.’

  ‘But what if they hear from someone else? Then they’d be hurt. Whereas if I let them know and explain—Though what I am to say, Daniel, that won’t be hurtful, I have no idea. It will look as if you are choosing to meet anyone and everyone save your own flesh and blood.’

  ‘That is because I don’t give a damn about anyone and everyone,’ he snapped.

  ‘So you do give a damn about them?’

  Daniel pushed his chair back, draining his coffee as he stood. ‘The only thing I give a damn about is reassuring Sir Marcus that I am playing ball. The details I am happy to leave in your more than capable hands. Excuse me.’

  Chapter Nine

  Two weeks later, Kate stood staring out of the window at the early-morning sunshine. The rain which had been falling incessantly for the last week, perfectly matching her gloomy mood, seemed finally to have lifted. It looked as if it was going to be a lovely day for their garden party.

  Her spirits refused to lift at this welcome development.

  She and Daniel had tried, since that last difficult conversation, to find a compromise which would allow them the comfort of physical contact, the t
enderness of fleeting kisses, without the risk of it leading to lovemaking. It was a compromise intended to wean themselves of desire, but it was not working. Every seemingly innocent touch, every chaste kiss, fed the embers they were so valiantly trying to dampen. Worse, as far as she was concerned, it set both of them on edge, making them acutely aware of their feelings for each other without allowing them any outlet.

  Daniel, a man accustomed to denying himself any feelings, was finding it a battle. Kate, accustomed to being entirely open, was on the brink of declaring defeat.

  Breakfast had become a tense affair, as they both girded their loins for whatever mood the day might bring. Sometimes they both managed to maintain a certain calm demeanour, co-conspirators in the pretence that all was well, but usually one or other of them was unable to maintain the facade. They were both brittle, wary of each other, and though neither deliberately set out to start the day on a sour note, that was often the net result.

  For the most part, save for the welcome oasis of their yoga practice, they avoided each other, kept busy by their respective tasks relating to the organisation of the garden party, prolonged discussion of which made dinner painless enough, if tedious. Neither of them was happy with the situation, but they endured it, for they could not envisage doing anything else.

  Today, Daniel’s smile was forced, but at least he was smiling.

  ‘It looks as though the weather is finally co-operating,’ Kate said, relieved, as he began to set out their breakfast. ‘Thank goodness. I’d really rather not move the party indoors.’

  ‘Come and have your tea.’

  She sat down, waiting while he poured her tea and his own coffee, smiling her thanks when he passed her a slice of bread and butter. Today, she was determined, was going to get off to a positive start.

  ‘Mrs Chester has promised to come in early, which is good of her.’

  ‘She’s already here, and so is Sylvia, supervising the small army of helpers already gathering.’

  ‘I should go and...’

  ‘Sylvia is in her element, ordering everyone around. And Mrs Chester is happily assembling ingredients and consulting the very detailed receipts Phoebe so kindly sent. The stables, I have no doubt, are another hive of hired-hand activity. Leave them all to it and enjoy your breakfast, Kate. It’s going to be a long day.’