Less than an hour later she was downstairs having breakfast, and upon being told that her husband had departed the house she requested that Bella be prepared and brought round from the stables.
‘If my husband should ask where I am, please tell him I have gone for a ride and will not be long,’ she informed the butler half an hour later as she departed the house.
‘Very well, my Lady.’
Mounting her horse after nearly a year of separation, brought a rush of exhilarating warmth to her as she leaned forward and laid her head gently against the soft, silky mane. ‘Hello, Bella,’ she whispered, stroking her neck. ‘I am so happy to have you back. We shall have such fun together again.’
And she had Ralph to thank for that.
Pushing the thought firmly away, she set off once again in the direction of the village.
CHAPTER SEVEN
‘Oh my Lady ... it is so good of you to call on us.’
Sophia took the hand that was offered and clasped it tightly. ‘How is your husband, Mrs. Barnes?’
‘He improves every day, madam... indeed he has returned to work this very morning, though I am not sure he should have. However, it cannot be helped.’
‘This morning! But yesterday when I saw him he was in no fit state to go back to his work so soon. You should not have allowed it.’
‘But I knew not what to do.’ To Sophia’s distress Mrs. Barnes suddenly burst into tears. ‘Oh my Lady, my Lady ... I am so sorry ... when you have been so good to us ... but we had no choice ...’
‘My dear Mrs. Barnes ... hush ... please, what is the matter? What do you mean you had no choice? I am sure my husband would not wish any of his workers to be toiling the land when they are recovering from the pneumonia as is your poor husband.’
‘It was Mr. Browning, My Lady. He called to see my husband last night and when he saw that he was still abed he told us that we will need to move out ... that our house is not intended as a hospital ... and that if my poor Tom could not return to work by this morning then there would no longer be a job or a home for him here on the estate. What could he do but return to his work? We have five mouths to feed.’
Sophia’s eyes flashed in fury and her lips pursed together in a straight line.
‘That man!’ she exclaimed hotly. ‘This time he goes too far. I shall speak to my husband.’
‘Oh no your Ladyship, please ... I would not wish to cause more trouble than we find ourselves already in. If Mr. Browning was to find out ...’
They were both interrupted by the sound of an imperious knock on the door. ‘It is Mr. Browning,’ Mrs Barnes said fearfully. ‘What shall we say?’
‘I am not frightened of him,’ Sophia said firmly. ‘Open the door, Mrs Barnes and let him in.’
But to Sophia’s shock, it was not Browning standing on the threshold but Ralph. For a long moment they stared at each other, neither saying a word then slowly his eyes moved round the room, taking in the dingy surroundings, the single table sitting in the middle of the room piled high with washing, the sight of his wife comforting the distraught woman.
‘What is going on here?’ he demanded.
She felt Mrs. Barnes flinch at her side and pressed her hand reassuringly.
‘Leave this with me Mrs. Barnes. I shall speak with my husband in the privacy of our home,’ this last said with a warning look in Ralph’s direction, ‘and he will tell us what is to be done. This situation cannot be allowed to continue. My Lord - if you would care to escort me?’
She thought for one moment he was going to insist on discovering the truth of the situation there and then but with a curt nod in Mrs. Barnes’ direction he followed his wife out of the little house.
‘You followed me?’ she accused in a low, angry voice as he aided her in mounting her horse. ‘Do you not trust your wife, Sir?’
‘Not when she is so obviously deceiving me and refusing to confide in me! Is that where you have been going all these weeks ... to visit that woman?’
‘Her and others like her,’ Sophia retorted angrily, aware that her secret could be kept from him no longer.
‘I cannot envisage such a thing! It is not appropriate that my wife should mix so freely with the locals – without even an escort. You place yourself at immeasurable risk in doing so.’
‘Oh stuff and nonsense!’ Sophia declared. ‘These people are your tenants ... they look to you and me for protection when they hit hard times ... and what do they get instead? Your man Browning threatening to evict them from their homes when they are too ill to go into work – stopping their wages so that they cannot afford to even put food on their tables ...’
‘Do not be ridiculous,’ Ralph said impatiently. ‘Is that what they tell you?’
‘It is true! The Barnes are not the only family to have been so ill used. I have seen with my own eyes what is going on and I cannot condone it. Nor can I stay quiet any longer. You have been away too long my Lord and left Browning to run things in a manner that is not worthy of your … our… name. Today he has made a man with pneumonia return to work or face eviction from his home. Is that the sort of reputation as a Landlord that you wish to acquire amongst your peers?’
This last was said with such disdain that Ralph flinched.
‘Browning has run the estate for the last six years. My father trusted him. I cannot believe he would abuse his position in such a manner.’
‘And how would you know?’ Sophia demanded. ‘Have you ever visited your tenants yourself and discussed with them the situations they have to endure? I think not! Before your return here you had not visited since the death of your father over a year ago. My papa may be a gambler but he knows every one of his tenants in person – and so did I and Mama!’
‘Well that is not how things are done on this estate. I will not have my wife wandering the entire countryside without even a groom at her side. Do you understand?’
‘Oh, you…’ With an exasperated kick into her horse’s side Sophia spurred Bella furiously on, the wind in her hair doing little to relieve the angry heat in her cheeks as she took off through the woods. Hadn’t she known he would put an end to her visits - the one thing in her life that gave her pleasure and a sense of worth? Despite her best endeavours to stop them, she felt the tears well up and trickle stingingly down her cheeks. How glad she was that the wind brushed them away as quickly as they fell.
A few minutes later she came to a halt outside the house and slid from her saddle, brushing her eyes angrily. She would not let her husband see how much he had the power to upset her.
‘Sophia!’ He had come to a halt beside her and dismounted quickly. ‘Wait!’
But she was already running towards the house seeking the sanctity of her room. For a long moment Ralph watched her, then swinging sharply away he remounted his horse.
***
Inside the house, wanting only to retreat to the privacy of her rooms, Sophia was brought to an abrupt halt.
‘Lady Pennington is in the morning room, my Lady,’ Beaumont advised her, ‘she seemed a little … distraught that you were not here, so I took the liberty of informing her that I thought you would not be long and asking her if she would care to take some refreshment.’
‘Oh, thank you, Beaumont.’
Isi! She could not believe it. It had been ages since she had seen her friend. Straightening her hair and composing herself, she changed direction immediately and headed for the morning room. How fortuitous. Just when she so desperately needed someone to talk to.
She opened the door and found Isabelle sitting on the window seat, staring blankly out of the window.
‘Isi? Oh it is so good to see you,’ Sophia declared, rushing over to embrace her. ‘It has been so long.’
She drew back and observed her friend’s thin frame and drawn features in shock. ‘Are you quite all right, Isi? Forgive me, but you do not look …’
For a long moment Lady Pennington’s fingers clung tightly to Sophia’s hands, before with a shaky la
ugh she detached herself.
‘Of course I am all right. I am sorry to intrude Sophia, but I … needed to escape for a while. I hope you don’t mind?’
‘Of course I don’t. How can you even ask? Have we not been like sisters for all of our lives? But what is the matter? What is so wrong that you feel the need to escape?’
Isabelle shook her head. ‘It is nothing, nothing. Ah Sophia, it is so good to see you. I … I miss our friendship so very much.’
Sophia’s expression was wounded. ‘As do I. But it has not been my choice that our friendship should wane. We have invited you on several occasions to dine but … I do not understand … why have you become such a recluse?’
‘Oh Sophia, if only you knew how difficult my life has become. Although maybe you are married now, you have some idea? Are men not the most awful of creatures? My husband is a harsh, cruel man – he … he does not like me to keep in touch with my old life. He expects now that we are married, that I adopt his life, his friends.’
She shuddered. ‘It is awful,’ she whispered.
‘But Isi, it surely cannot be that bad?’
‘It is worse than anything you can imagine,’ her friend said bleakly. Her haunted eyes met Sophia’s. ‘Now that you are married, you must surely have discovered how debauched, how brutal men are in the privacy of their bedroom suites?’
Sophia flushed remembering her encounter with Ralph only that morning. Inexplicably, she found herself needing to defend her husband.
‘It has really not been that bad for me,’ she said hesitantly. ‘In fact …’ her colour deepened, ‘I would almost go so far as to say I have quite enjoyed being intimate with my husband.’
Isabelle looked stunned. ‘Enjoyed it? How can you enjoy being abused so? Being made to do things that make your skin crawl?’ She rubbed her arm distractedly; then winced as if it hurt her.
‘What is the matter?’ Sophia asked quickly, and flinched as her friend pulled up her sleeve to reveal an arm that was one big bruise from her wrist up to her shoulder. ‘Has your husband done that to you?’ she asked in horrified tones.
Isabelle pulled her sleeve down quickly as if regretting her moment of weakness. ‘It is nothing,’ she dismissed. ‘I am sorry. I do not wish to draw you into this …’
‘Isabelle, if he is mistreating you so badly, you must stay here. Ralph and I will protect you.’
‘No.’ Her friend shook her head swiftly. ‘I have no choice Sophia. I have tried talking to my brother but all he says is that now he has children there is no room for me at home and it is my duty to remain by my husband’s side. He says I will be shunned by society if I divorce and he is right. I know I must return to my husband, and he is not always so brutal as this - but first I just wanted to see you my dear friend. If only for a little while. Let us not waste the precious time we have together for it will be over soon enough and there really is nothing that can be done.’
‘But it is abominable,’ Sophia declared, horrified. ‘You brother should never have forced you into such a marriage in the first place. There must be something you can do?’
Isabelle shook her head. ‘Believe me there is not. I am quite resigned to it.’ She braced herself. ‘Now, enough of me. Tell me what has been going on in your life since you married the infamous Earl of Avalon?’
‘Oh, Isi …’
But her friend’s face was enough to tell her that she would discuss the matter no further, and before she knew it, Sophia was pouring out her own heart, trying to make some sense of her confused emotions.
At the end of it, Isabelle looked at her, a faint glimmer of amusement in her eye. ‘It seems to me dear friend that you are in a much more fortunate position than I for I do believe you have fallen in love with your husband. Would you not agree?’
‘In Love? Absolutely not. That is absurd.’
‘Well, that is what it sounds like to me. And if that is the case, how lucky you are …’
‘Oh, no Isi. I really don’t think so …’
The sound of the door opening interrupted them. Ralph stood on the threshold looking at the two women in surprise.
‘You remember my great friend, Isabelle?’ Sophia said quickly. ‘She has dropped by for a visit.’
‘Of course,’ Ralph said in warm tones, striding into the room. ‘It is a pleasure to see you again.’
‘I am only sorry I have been unable to come before now. I have missed my friendship with Sophia so much, but …’
‘Her husband does not allow her to visit,’ Sophia said indignantly. ‘Is that not the most appalling thing, Ralph? Surely there is something we can do?’
But already Isabelle was leaping to her feet and throwing Sophia a warning look. ‘No, please … you must not interfere or it will only be the worse for me. This visit has given me so much pleasure Sophia – and maybe we can do it again - but I must return now. I only came because my husband is paying his weekly visit to his London club. If I am lucky he may not even get to hear of this.’
She clasped her friend’s hands tightly, then threw her arms around Sophia’s neck. ‘Be happy,’ she whispered. ‘It is good that at least one of us is.’
Turning to Ralph, she smiled. ‘Look after my dear friend. She is a treasure as I am sure you are discovering.’
After she’d gone, Sophia turned distraught eyes onto her husband. ‘Surely there must be something we can do?’ she said hopelessly. ‘You did not see the bruises on her arm Ralph … it was awful. And she is not herself at all. She is so sombre now.’
Ralph sighed. ‘I have heard rumours surrounding your friend’s husband and his … pursuits. They are not good. But it is very difficult in such situations to interfere I’m afraid. Regrettably, society does not support wives who leave their husbands and it would be very difficult to extricate her from her marriage – especially when she is not willing to be extricated. However …’
Sophia’s eyes flew to his expectantly. ‘Yes?’
He shook his head. ‘It may be possible to help in some small way. If she has people she can trust in her household we can perhaps arrange some method for you to meet up with her on a regular basis – maybe when, like today, her husband is away at his club. It will not change anything for your friend but it would be a way of supporting her if you wish to do that?’
‘I sensed he was a vicious and evil old man,’ Sophia declared hotly. ‘And he has at least thirty five years over her. How could her family do that to her?’
‘He has money,’ Ralph said. ‘And as you are well aware, money speaks louder than words. It makes your own family seem not quite so awful though, does it not? At least they chose someone of a similar age to you. And I have never yet taken to beating my wife – though I may have been sorely tempted at times.’
This last was said with a twinkle in his eye that belied his words and was designed, she could see, to lift the atmosphere. It was typical of Ralph she realised, to try and ease a situation to make her feel better. Ridiculously, Sophia found herself recalling Isabelle’s astonishing suggestion that she might be in love with her husband. It was nonsense of course but it left her nonetheless feeling uneasy and not inclined to enter into light banter with him.
‘I feel I have a headache coming on,’ she said abruptly. ‘And this business with Isabelle has upset me. If it is all the same with you my Lord, I will retire to my room for a while.’
‘By all means.’ He escorted her to the door and held it open for her. ‘May I bring you anything?’
‘No. That is, it is kind of you to offer … but I feel what I need most is to rest. I am sure my headache will pass.’
‘As am I,’ Ralph remarked enigmatically. ‘But I will check on you later … and do not worry too much about your friend. We can keep an eye on the situation and let her know that there is always room here for her should things get too bad.’
She did not go down for tea and when, true to his word he came to check on her and tell her that dinner was being served, she chose to forego th
at also, requesting instead a tray in her room. She was feeling remarkably out of sorts for some reason and all she knew was that it was because of this dark, enigmatic man who seemed to be invading not only her life, but her thoughts as well.
‘As you wish,’ Ralph said in response to her request. But she was quite sure that he was not fooled by her pretend headache.
She had not long retired to her bed when a soft knock on the door made her sit bolt upright.
‘How is your headache?’ Ralph asked in concerned tones, crossing the threshold.
‘I … it is improving slowly thank you, but still not gone I fear.’
Ralph tutted as he crossed the room and sank down onto the bed next to her. ‘It has been several hours now,’ he said solicitously. ‘Perhaps I should call out the doctor?’
‘Oh, no … it is not that bad. I am sure all I need is a good night’s sleep.’
‘Have you ever had a neck massage? It is a technique I learned when I was out in India several years ago. It is very good for relieving tension in the neck which is a common cause of headaches you know.’
‘Indeed? No … I can’t say I ever have. But maybe one day …’
‘Turn around,’ Ralph commanded, ‘we can try it now and see if it works.’
‘Oh, no Ralph … really, that is not necessary.’
But already he was gently turning her shoulders and manoeuvring himself so that he was seated behind her on the bed.
‘Ssh …’ he whispered in her ear, his hands moving up to encircle her neck. She could smell the warm aroma of brandy on him. It was not an unpleasant smell and she found herself breathing it in.
‘First of all, I gently stroke like this,’ he murmured, his thumbs starting to apply light pressure in a circular massaging motion to the little hollow at the back of her neck. ‘You need to relax. Forget that it is me and just let my fingers ease the tension from your bones and muscles.’
She tried to do just that but found it was very difficult when all her senses seemed to be leaping into life at his touch. She felt his hands loosening the tie on the back of her gown so that he could slide the material off her shoulders.
The Reluctant Bride (Regency Undone) Page 6
