Oh, Cherry Ripe

by Claudy Conn

  “Go away,” Francine said, folding her arms across her chest.

  Felix stood up in the gig as though to protect his sister and Miss Cherry and said, “You heard my sister … go away.”

  “Well now, little rascal—my brother is going to drive you and your sister home while I give Missy a ride on my fine blood.” He had already dismounted and grabbed for Cherry’s reins, pulling them roughly out of her hold.

  Felix kicked at him, and Thomas Anderson pushed the boy back hard enough that he fell backwards into the gig. Francine screamed and went to her brother.

  Cherry hit Thomas with her driving whip as he pulled her roughly out of the gig. She fell to the grassy earth and heard Walter Anderson shout, “Stop it, Tom! What the deuce are you doing?”

  “Whot? Am I to let a snippet like that address me in such a manner? We own the mill, and I’m sick of the gentry treating us—”

  “Like the blackguards you are?” Cherry shouted as she jumped up and brushed the dirt away from her clothes. She stomped forward and shoved the lad with all her might. He went reeling backwards and was momentarily startled, but not enough, for he immediately raised his hand and slapped Cherry across her cheek.

  Felix jumped out of the gig, ran to her, and began kicking at the man’s shins. Francine joined him. During the scuffle none noticed another rider bearing down on them.

  Something though caught Walter’s attention, and he looked around. He gulped as he called for his brother’s attention. “Tom … eh Tom, we have trouble …”

  They all looked up to find a large, darkly clad man, his hair blowing wildly about his face, his cloak flowing in the breeze, on a bay horse moving at some speed directly for them and looking like the devil about to attack.

  Tom looked around irritably, for Cherry had once again taken up her driving whip and was threatening him with it. He frowned at his brother as he demanded, “What the devil—who is that?”

  His younger brother had no time to reply, for Lord Westbrooke was already upon them and looking like a thunder god!

  “What the devil is the meaning of this?” his lordship demanded of Tom Anderson, who stood still and staring defiantly.

  “What? We were just offering to drive the lady and her brats home. That’s all,” Tom answered audaciously. “And it’s none of your business, now is it?”

  “Allow me to advise you that even if the lady you refer to were not under the protection of my family because of the status she holds in our household, even if the brats were not my own brother and sister, still would I take exception to you forcing yourself upon them.” So saying, Lord Sky Westbrooke jumped off his horse and landed the youth a facer that sent him plummeting to the earth Cherry had just picked herself up from.

  Felix roared with pleasure, and Francine folded her little arms across her chest and said, “There, you horrible man.”

  “Zounds, brother … ’tis himself … ’tis Lord Westbrooke,” Walter breathed as he gave Sky a slight bow and offered, “We are certainly sorry, my lord, indeed, we had no idea … meant no real harm … just a bit of un—”

  “Is that so?” His lordship directed his question back to Tom, who had just picked himself up off the ground.

  Tom Anderson was upright once more and had not made any moves to continue the fight. He stood, however, defiant but not stupid enough to carry this any further. He lowered his gaze and mumbled, “No harm intended …”

  Rubbing his cheek, he made his way to his horse grazing nearby and hoisted himself into the saddle. Silently both decided it was best to depart, and without another word they rode off at a hasty trot back towards town.

  His lordship grasped Cherry’s shoulders as he looked down at her face and inquired, “Are you all right? Did he hurt you?”

  “He pulled her out of the gig and onto the ground!” Francine wailed, hugging Miss Cherry around her waist. She had never witnessed anything like this before.

  Felix came to stand by Cherry’s side and looked up at her. “Pluck to the backbone!” he said adoringly up at her. “She was about to bash him over the head when you arrived, Sky … a regular right ’un, she is.” Pride made him swell and beam, well pleased with the entire adventure.

  His lordship looked around, saying, “Indeed … but we will talk about the wisdom of traveling the Post Road once it is dark. Where is Freddy? I was told he had accompanied you.”

  “Yes, yes, Freddy gave us escort and meant to catch up to us … I—I suppose he was delayed.” Cherry bit her bottom lip and looked away from his lordship’s penetrating gaze. She kept her peace, for she knew Freddy was in for it now.

  “Delayed? Really? He allowed you to set off by yourselves on the Post Road at this hour … alone?” Clearly his lordship was stunned. “I cannot believe he is so lost to what is decent …” He allowed this to trail off, and Cherry watched him fall deep into thought.

  “Well, it wasn’t quite dark when we set off, and I am certain he thought he would catch up to us immediately …” Cherry said meekly.

  “Indeed,” his lordship said angrily as he led Cherry back to the gig and helped her get situated. “Right then, monkeys … in you go—I am certain the entire household is anxiously awaiting our return.”

  As ‘household’ could only mean staff, and since his lordship had never indicated any concern for the staff’s interests in their regards, Cherry found this a remarkable statement. However, she made no demur as she urged the fidgety pair of horses forward.

  Little was said on the drive homeward, for even the twins were strangely reticent. Cherry heard Felix whisper to his sister, “Maybe something has happened to Freddy … he would have caught up to us otherwise.”

  “I love Freddy, Felix, I love him so much, but this was bad, very bad. If he cared about us he wouldn’t have just left us … would he? I tell you what, he is in for it now and deserves to be.”

  “Ay … maybe … I dunno … and don’t want to talk about it any more.”

  Cherry pretended not to hear any of this, but she was herself quite concerned. Had something happened to Freddy? He was infatuated with her enough that she knew he meant to catch up to them and give them escort home.

  She sighed and worried over this. Just what was wrong with Freddy?

  ~ Fourteen ~

  DINNER HAD BEEN consumed in a strained atmosphere. Freddy was not yet home, which seemed to be an ominous cloud that hung over them all.

  For Cherry other matters also kept a shroud over her mood. Until he’d appeared on Post Road, she had not seen his lordship since she slipped out of his bed, donned her nightdress, and hurried down the long corridor to her own small room. He had been gone in the morning, and since then she’d had mixed emotions floating about her head.

  His lovemaking had taken her mind, her heart, and she felt even her soul to another level of awareness. However, she saw the world with open eyes and knew society would condemn her for her wanton behavior. She told herself she didn’t care and that what ‘society didn’t know—they didn’t need to know,’ which of course made her smile. However, what did really concern her was what did he think of her? She glanced sideways at him hurriedly lest he catch her looking and noticed the thoughtful expression in his dark blues before she turned away.

  Sky took up his snifter of brandy from the sideboard and looked directly at Cherry as she played a card game with the children. Francine lost her hand and sighed. “I’m tired … think I’ll go up to bed.”

  Felix surprised Cherry and his lordship by agreeing to this, and then Cherry caught a sly smile as she watched the two kiss Sky’s cheek and turn to run and hug her tightly. She said lightly to them, “I’ll come and tuck you in.”

  “No,” returned Francine. “You stay, Miss Cherry … ’tis a nice fire. Felix and I—well, we’ll just go wash up and play another game in our rooms.”

  Again, the funny little smile appeared on Francine’s face before they left the library. Cherry turned to his lordship, all too aware that Francine had closed the lib
rary door, and said softly, “I think I’ll turn in as well.”

  He reached for and caught her fingers. “No.” He pulled her towards him. “Wait awhile yet.” He moved to the sideboard and poured her a cup of coffee with a dab of cream and handed it to her. “I have noticed that you like a cup after dinner.”

  She felt a warm glow as she took the cup from him and he bade her be seated. She couldn’t believe how shy she felt and took a ladies’ chair across from him, rather than sit on the sofa beside him. Only a few nights before she had been wildly, erotically, passionately in his arms. Now, she couldn’t meet his eyes. She turned towards the fire and sipped her coffee. She could feel him watching her. Something began vibrating in her chest. It was vibrating so strongly she thought he might hear it … was that her heart?

  “I … we … I thought we might talk.”

  “Talk?” Oh no, was he going to send her away?

  “About Freddy,” he said after a moment, looking at her intently. “Has Freddy told you something I should … at this point know?”

  She shook her head. “He has not confided in me. He said it was his job to protect me, not embroil me in anything that might be troubling him.”

  “Did he? Well, that is something, at least.” He bent over and touched her knee, and Cherry felt a shiver shake her. When she met his dark blue eyes, he sucked in a breath of air as he said softly, “Cherry … sweet … we are in a difficult situation.”

  Ah, she thought at once, here it comes. “Yes … perhaps we are. The rogue in me, and, my lord, I am … you must realize by now, a rogue, does not give a fig about proprieties. However, the governess … does, very much.”

  He frowned at her. “Miss Cherry … or Sarah Parker … I think the time has come for you to tell me who you really are—where you really come from.”

  “I have given you my name.”

  “Stop it. Don’t prevaricate to me, woman. Look at you—at the clothes you arrived in, which I’d wager came from the best shops on Bond Street. Look at the way you carry yourself, the way you ride.”

  “Indeed, your point?”

  “My point being that you were not groomed to be a governess!” he snapped.

  “True. I was certainly taken very good care of … until I chose to leave.”

  “Ah, now we are getting somewhere. Why did you choose to leave, and whom did you choose to leave?”

  “I found it impossible to stay. Remember? It was I … running away. You must recall?” she teased, attempting to lighten the moment.

  “This is absurd. Look at you now—your gown, while modest, displays style. Even when you shopped for a governess’s gown you still were able to clothe yourself in the first stare. Do not try and fob me off by telling me you have chosen to be a governess!”

  “I am telling you that I choose to be a governess to your darling Felix and Francine,” she answered, her brow up with the challenge. She put away her coffee cup and stood up. “They are most important, and I think it best that we maintain a distance from one another. The other night … was the other night, and now I mean to—”

  He was on her in a trice, pulling her into his embrace. His voice was husky, tender, and full with emotion as he whispered her name. “Cherry … at least that was the truth. That is your name … I can feel it.”

  His lips found hers immediately, gently at first with a cherishing aura that enveloped them both. This moved quickly into something wild, something that nearly engulfed her, and she was amazed at her own strength as she pulled away from him. “Please, my lord, do not—”

  “Do you think I would not take care of you always?” He frowned as his eyes hungrily looked into hers.

  “It was a moment of madness, that night, but it ends there. I shall not take on two responsibilities—governess by day, mistress by night.” She turned and gave him her back as she walked stiffly from the room.

  It had taken everything she had to walk away from him. So much depended on it. She wanted him, but she wanted him for all time …

  * * *

  They sat in a somber mood at the breakfast table. The day was a bright one, and spring was displaying itself in seductive waves, but even this did not heighten the spirits of the assembled family at Bromley. This was due nearly all to the fact that Freddy had not returned home until ten minutes before breakfast had been served!

  In addition to that, his lordship appeared to be ill-tempered on every front. Cherry wondered (somewhat hoped) that it had been because her door had been locked last evening.

  Freddy attempted a cavalier air as he sauntered past his older brother and made for his bedroom, while the twins and Cherry looked on just as they entered the breakfast room.

  “Frederick!” His lordship’s tone boded ill.

  “Good morning … see you later, Sky. Mean to get some sleep and be down for lunch.” Freddy’s attitude didn’t extend into his eyes, and Cherry noted his trepidation with pity.

  His lordship controlled his temper and said in a hard voice, “Really, is that what you mean to do? Well, I don’t mean to cast a rub in your plans, but I fear I must. Come with me to the library.”

  Freddy hung his head and did not look towards either of the twins or Miss Cherry as he followed his lordship into the library.

  “Come on then,” Cherry said, trying to bolster the twins. “Let’s go in and nibble at something until they are done and can join us.”

  “He is in for it, isn’t he?” Felix asked sadly.

  “Yes, and though we three know he quite deserves a dressing down, I am certain you feel as badly about it as I do,” Cherry said and touched Felix’s shoulder.

  “Aye … but Freddy should have been with us,” Felix returned. “I think it is time for him to start behaving.”

  Cherry laughed and hugged him. “Come on … for Francine is about to steal all the custard tarts!”

  * * *

  The twins and Cherry sat patiently for as long as they could, with Cherry sipping at her coffee and the twins fidgeting, as she had allowed them only one tart each.

  “Perhaps this is not the time to ask his lordship if I can take you to visit the Wilsons,” Cherry said on a heavy sigh.

  “Aw,” Felix started.

  “Hmmm,” Francine murmured in agreement, “he would only say no. Didn’t you see his face, Felix? He is so angry.”

  “Awww,” was all the comment Felix meant to make on the subject.

  “We could spend the morning doing your lessons and visit the Wilsons perhaps in the afternoon?” Cherry suggested.

  His lordship arrived with Freddy in tow, and breakfast was served. Somber, in fact, was an understatement.

  Cherry tried a few times to enliven the atmosphere but quickly caved when she received nothing but grunts. She played with her eggs but ate very little. She had her own problems looming as well as theirs.

  “Is there something amiss with your meal, Miss Cherry?” His lordship’s brow was up, but he looked deep into her eyes with his own, and the soft caress he gave her with those dark blues made her heart actually skip.

  “The coffee is lovely and eggs, wonderful, thank you.”

  “Humph,” his lordship returned. “You don’t eat enough, and I have noticed that you have taken off too much weight since you first arrived at Bromley, and you were thin then.”

  “I eat quite enough, thank you,” Cherry replied, puzzled at his concern.

  He grimaced but allowed the subject to drop. Since the twins had finished their meals and were fidgeting to be off, she lowered her lashes and asked his lordship softly, “May I take the twins and retire to the schoolroom?”

  He nodded, allowed Francine to bear-hug him and kiss him soundly on his cheek, and smiled warmly at Felix. Then he and Freddy stood up as Cherry stood to take her charges and escape.

  Freddy did not, however, sit back down, and Cherry heard him say as she left the room, “Must I also request permission to be excused, my lord brother?”

  Oh—this is so awful, she thought as sh
e hurried after the twins.

  * * *

  “You are a man, are you not? You decide what you must and must not do, what is right, and what is not. Only be ready to pay the consequences for the wrong choices,” his lordship said quietly.

  Freddy couldn’t reply to this, so he turned and strode from the room, and though he dearly wanted to slam the door at his back, he restrained himself. At the top of the stairs, he saw Cherry.

  She called out to the twins, “I will be with you in a moment. I want to speak to Freddy.”

  “Good idea,” Francine said.

  “I don’t think I can…” Felix returned quietly.

  Francine hurriedly pulled him along.

  Cherry hurried down the stairs to Freddy and said as she took up his hand, “Time for you and me—”

  He shook his head. “I know you want to help … but it is more than I can bear, and I am so very ashamed.”

  She stopped and held both his arms. “Why, Freddy? What can you mean?”

  “Sky told me that you were accosted on the road, and, Miss Cherry … I feel a cad …”

  “Absurd boy!” she answered him at once and took his hand. “Come with me to the study. I am a very good listener as well as a good talker, and you need to have a little of both. Freddy, I have been in the suds more than I can count, so I understand, I do.”

  He allowed her to pull him along and plopped himself down heavily on the sofa as she sat beside him. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. “I have made a mull of it, and what you must think me …?”

  “What I think is that you have been playing deep and need a hand to help you out of the mire. All of us do from time to time, you know.”

  He looked at her sharply and breathed on a whisper, “You don’t know how deep. And there is no help for it now.”

  “There is always help, though we don’t always recognize it. Come on, Freddy, what is it? Gotten yourself into debt?” It was a guess, but one based on many small things that Cherry had noticed in the last week.

  “How could you know …?” he was startled into replying.