“At last! I have been so concerned.” A smile lit her face as she snatched the letter from his hand and read quickly. More tears came to her eyes, tears of happiness this time.
“Triplets! I cannot believe it. What wonderful news! And Felicity and the babies are well. Thank goodness. I can’t wait to go and see them. We must travel there today.” She fought to sit upright again.
James sat in the chair beside her bed.
“I think that is going to be out of the question. Apart from your injuries, have you forgotten that you are marrying today? I doubt Brendon will want to visit Sommersford so soon after your wedding. Besides, you have another visitor who wants to see you. Lucas Caruthers has arrived from town.”
She lay the letter aside as she groaned miserably.
“Please don’t remind me of my coming nuptials. I was rather hoping that if I stayed quiet enough and perhaps hid under the covers, everyone would forget about me and them. However, I am glad Lucas has arrived. I could do with a little light conversation. Better than talking about this ridiculous wedding.” She let out a sigh.
James let out a sigh of his own and leaned forwards, resting his elbows on his knees.
“Do you have real objections to marrying Brendon? He seems hardworking and genuine about restoring the place. I don’t think he will beat you if you argue with him, or make you scrub the floors, or even ask you to arrange flowers if you don’t want to. And from a woman’s point of view, he is probably not too uneasy on the eye. I won’t make you do this if you genuinely detest the man, but your association will ruin your chances for any other proposals. Too many people know what happened.”
She cuffed an errant tear with the back of her hand while she scoffed.
“Uneasy on the eye? No, he’s not uneasy on my eyes and I don’t think he will beat me, even if he does try and do it to everyone else, but why didn’t you stop him staying here with me!” She suddenly raged at her brother. “He is doing this because of some stupid misplaced notion of chivalry. It will be a disaster of a marriage.”
James shook his head.
“I didn’t know he had remained with you until it was too late, but my mother says that she couldn’t move him. He simply wouldn’t leave your side. Please give this a chance before you condemn yourself to a lifetime of spinsterhood, Sophia. I think there is something more than chivalry going on here, and you will regret your decision if you refuse him.” It was the only hint he could give. He couldn’t reveal feelings that Brendon should declare to her himself.
She huffed out an irate breath.
“And he will regret it if I accept. Neither of us can win in this. Even if I knew that he was a willing participant, this,” she waved her hand over her legs, “this will ruin any hope of happiness. How can I even attempt to make something of it if I am lying in bed all the time?”
James smiled at her.
“You won’t be in bed all the time. You will get better. In the meantime, there are such things as chairs downstairs. I know that the house is a little uncared for at the moment but you could help him make it a wonderful home again.”
She sighed again, her eyes drifting away from James and down to her hands.
“Him being Brendon Spencer. I have no choice, do I? He has forced this on both of us even though it cannot be what he wants. He has barely had time to get over losing his mistress. I don’t see how he could possibly want another relationship so soon.” She tried to hide the jealousy in her tone, but wasn’t sure that she managed it.
James let out a low laugh.
“I have the feeling that his relationship with the ‘lovely but frivolous’ Angelique wasn’t quite what it appeared. Besides she has already moved onto your friend Pierce, and Brendon didn’t seem the least bit worried about it.”
Sophia raised a delicate eyebrow.
“And how would you know that Angelique is lovely but frivolous?”
“Just an expression that Lucas Caruthers used. She doesn’t sound as though she is a close friend. I certainly don’t recall any Angelique at the house parties of your youth, though I wasn’t privy to all that went on, obviously.” He couldn’t help the blush that rose to his cheeks.
Sophia took hold of his hand.
“You have nothing to ashamed of, James. Our father was not a pleasant man. And his brother was even worse.” She referred to her uncle, who had stripped the Barclay estates of everything of value while Algernon fought for his country. “I am envious of you having the parents who adopted you. They clearly loved and wanted you very much.” She caught Mrs. Lawson’s eye as she spoke.
Mrs. Lawson came and ruffled her son’s dark hair.
“Yes, and I still do, but that doesn’t mean he can sit around here all day nattering like an old woman. Besides, I have to help you get dressed for a special occasion.” She motioned for James to leave the room.
“The parson will be here at four. You are allowed to be little late, but no more than ten minutes. I’ll let mother help you now and come up to carry you down just before.” He bent and touched his lips to her forehead before turning and leaving the room.
Mrs. Lawson brought the fabrics she held and came to the bedside.
“Well, I have done my best at such short notice. I had packed these dresses away for the mistress years ago. Perhaps there is something here that I can alter quickly to fit you.” She spread the gowns across the end of the bed.
Sophia’s eyes went to a pale blue dress.
“I remember Lady Spencer wearing that one. She always looked so elegant in it.” She brushed her hand across the diaphanous fabric.
Mrs. Lawson picked it up and held it against Sophia’s face.
“It is a simple design but I think it will look even more striking on you than it did on the mistress. Come, let us see what we can do.”
Sophia touched the material again. It slid through her fingers.
“It is beautiful, but I don’t like to borrow her clothes when she doesn’t know about it.” She buried her face in her hands. “She will be aghast when she hears what I have done.”
“She’ll be beside herself with joy, more like. That young man needs to settle down and start thinking about producing some heirs.” Mrs. Lawson removed the remaining dresses from the bed.
Sophia lifted her head again and blinked at the woman.
“Heirs? How, when I am like this?”
Mrs. Lawson let out a chuckle.
“Please don’t tell me that your mother hasn’t told...”
Sophia let out her own laugh even while she felt her cheeks heat.
“Felicity and I found out all about that sort of thing years ago. Lord Spencer had some rather enlightening books, but it is not as if Brendon will want to do any of those things with a stupid, lifeless lump. He has been used to the ‘lovely but frivolous’ Angelique. How can I possibly match up to his expectations?”
Mrs. Lawson pressed her lips together for a moment.
“I think you underestimate him. I never saw a man more worried in his life than he was the other day. He didn’t stay with you out of any sense of guilt. He wanted to be here with you, and he wants this marriage too. I know it.”
Sophia stared at the woman who had taken in an orphaned, bastard child.
“But why? What can he possibly gain? We argue, we annoy one another, he doesn’t like what I do. I don’t even have any money or special connections. I didn’t have much to bring to this marriage before my accident. Now I have even less.” Despair hit her.
The housekeeper sighed deeply.
“But you will get better. You have to believe that. We will begin with some exercises as soon as you feel up to them.”
Sophia huffed dramatically.
“Exercises! I can’t even feel my legs so I don’t know how that is going to happen.” She stared hard at the sheets and willed her feet to move. Even just the tiniest wiggle of her little toe would help, but there was nothing except the strange tingle in the base of her spine.
Mrs La
wson bustled around the bed.
“We’ll think of something. And I am sure his Lordship will want to help too. There is no way he will let you wither to nothing. He has too much at stake to let that happen.”
“I am going to be nothing but a useless burden to him. Staying with me and letting everyone know it was the worst, most stupid thing he could have done. He has saddled both of us with a lifetime of misery.” She pushed the blue material away from her.
Mrs. Lawson drew in a long breath as she shifted the rejected dresses from the bed.
“Well, I never took you for one to give up like this. Talk about underestimating master Brendon. I think you underestimate yourself too. And I know that you have feelings for him. It is written in your face every time that you look at him. It always was, even when you were a young girl.”
She couldn’t deny it. However much Sophia had told herself that she couldn’t have him, wouldn’t have any man unless he loved her, there was something in her that always hoped Brendon would see her as something more than his friend’s little sister. All her life she had hoped. Hoped that he would fall for her, would gather her in his arms and profess his undying love to her. But he never had. And now any affection would be simply due to his sense of obligation to his best friend.
“Am I so obvious?” She asked Mrs. Lawson.
The woman nodded.
“I am afraid so. It comes of being all too honest. ‘Tis a pity that Lord Barclay will not be here this afternoon, but at least you will have your other brother at your side.”
She thought of Algernon and his deep joy at becoming a father. His letter had been brief but his happiness couldn’t be denied. Did he even know that she couldn’t go to see him? Had anyone told him that she would marry Brendon within the next few hours? If she could only climb out of bed and mount another horse, she would be off back to the safety of Sommersford within a blink of an eye rather than let Brendon suffer for her own clumsiness.
She pressed her hands to her cheeks.
“Does Algernon even know what has happened to me?”
“Master Brendon is sending a note back with the lad who came to pick up the furniture. He didn’t want to worry his friend during Lady Felicity’s confinement, but he won’t keep quiet now he knows that all is well with the babies.”
A tap at the door distracted both ladies. Molly entered with two steaming jugs.
“I thought her Ladyship might like to have her hair washed before the wedding seein’ as his Lordship is going to such lengths. Lor’! I am all of a flutter! Such excitement. I ain’t ever seen a man so keen to be leg-shackled. There are baskets of flowers and a table full of food. He has even laid on a bowl of punch for us staff. I offer you my congratulations. You are a lucky lady, Miss!” She beamed as she placed the jugs on the washstand.
Sophia felt her heart thump hard beneath her breast. Why was he doing this? Was it all for show? Perhaps he wanted people to think that it had all been planned rather than a hashed up affair that would have tongues wagging for weeks to come.
But that didn’t mean she had to add fuel to their fire.
“Thank you, Molly. It has been more rushed than we planned, but after we had decided to wed there seemed to be no point in delaying the inevitable.”
“No, indeed.” Mrs. Lawson came to Sophia’s side and beckoned Molly over to help her. “Now, let us help you wash and then into this dress. With a little luck it won’t need much altering.”
Chapter Nineteen
The Secret is Out
“I now pronounce you husband and wife!” The parson’s voice rang out as clear as a bell and Brendon fought the urge to grin like a knife grinder’s monkey.
He bent his head and closed his eyes just as he touched his lips to hers for the first time in his life. A sweet breath of air drifted against his skin and the world stopped moving, the heavens opened, and a host of angels began singing in his head. She was his! She was his! His blood thundered in his veins.
A second later he stood straight again, staring down at the most beautiful creature he had ever set eyes upon. She gazed back up at him, confusion in her eyes, as though she could scarce believe what had happened. Which she probably couldn’t. James had carried her down the stairs only ten minutes beforehand and now she sat there a married woman.
Lucas came up beside him and glowered just once before slapping him on the back.
“May I be the first to offer my congratulations. You are a lucky man, my friend.” He turned to Brendon’s bride and Brendon had to hold himself back when the man had the effrontery to bend and kiss Sophia’s cheek.
James came and distracted him with a shake of his hand.
“Congratulations, brother in law. Just make sure you keep her happy or you will have not only Algernon, but me to answer to.”
Brendon smiled and laughed.
“I would expect nothing different. Thank you for your support. I know it means a lot to Sophia to have you here, especially as it wasn’t possible for Algernon to come.”
The doctor came over and took up Sophia’s hand. He bowed low over it, his moustache tickling the skin of her wrist.
“You make a beautiful bride. Congratulations, Lady Spencer.”
Sophia was about to respond when the drawing room door flew open and Algernon charged into the gathering, red faced and sweating.
“Damn! Missed it! And I rode like a maniac to get here!” He hid his disappointment as he strode over to his sister, but couldn’t keep the smile from his face when she cried out her delight at seeing him.
“Algernon! I am so happy to see you. Congratulations on becoming a father. How is Felicity and your brood? Have you thought of names yet?” Sophia held up her arms to take her brother in an embrace, but he had stopped dead when she didn’t rise to greet him.
“Sophia? Are you all right?” He looked her up and down.
She couldn’t stop the tears forming in her eyes as she shook her head.
“I thought Brendon had sent you a note.”
Algernon shrugged.
“He did, but I was coming over anyway to see how you were. I was going to leave home at the same time as William but left later than I hoped. You try getting three screaming babies ready for the day. They surely have Felicity’s temperament, not mine. Only two days old and I swear that pandemonium reigns at Sommersford. I left as soon as I could and met young William with our cart and Brendon’s letter on his way back from here with all the furniture. He only mentioned that you were getting married. I put Hero into a full gallop immediately but still arrived a minute too late. Now I see that there is more to tell.”
Brendon moved to Sophia’s side. He lay a gentle hand on her shoulder and looked Algernon in the eye.
“I didn’t want to tell you in a letter. Sophia has suffered a more serious injury than the mere bump on her head that knocked her unconscious. We are sure she will get better, but for the moment Sophia is confined to a chair.”
The blood drained from Algernon’s face as he frowned at his friend.
“Confined to a chair? As in she cannot stand?”
Brendon couldn’t bear to speak. He simply nodded and beckoned the doctor forwards to explain in detail.
The doctor’s prognosis didn’t take long to relate. Algernon fell to his knees in front of his sister and took hold of her hands.
“We’ll get the best help we can. Anything you need, do you understand. Anything.” He waited until she nodded before he stood and faced his friend. “A private word, if you please. Now.” He tilted his head towards the hall and stalked out before Brendon could argue.
Algernon turned to face him as soon as he closed the drawing door behind him.
“Tell me that you haven’t married her out of pity.” His voice was scarcely above a whisper.
Brendon shook his head.
“I don’t deny that I have forced her into this, but not out of any feelings like that. I told you before all of this and I swear that it makes no difference to me. I love he
r.”
Algernon drew in a sharp breath.
“You forced her? You mean that you... that you...” He couldn’t form the words. He wiped his hand across his brow. “Please tell me that you didn’t, because I will have to kill you if you did.”
Brendon felt the breath leave his body.
“No, you idiot! What do you take me for? Some kind of animal. I’m not like your bloody father!” He spat the words, but knew he should have kept his mouth shut the moment he saw the sickened expression on his friend’s face.
“My father? What has he to do with this? I know he had many affairs and took advantage of his position, God! I only have to look at James to know that, but you clearly mean something different.”
Brendon slumped into a hall chair and closed his eyes as he pressed his fingers to his temples. He knew he had to explain his words, but the memory wasn’t an easy one to relive.
“Before you and Felicity married, do you recall me telling you about what I had seen your father doing with one of the housemaids? The day Felicity was trapped in the housekeeper’s linen chest?” He waited until Algernon nodded before continuing. “Well, it didn’t quite happen as I told you. Bessie swore me to secrecy. She feared for her job and her reputation.” He paused again, having to take a breath before forcing out the words. “Your father raped her. I heard these noises in the nursery and opened the door to investigate. I thought Lucas might have brought a piglet up to the room for a joke. But he hadn’t. It was your father, grunting and groaning as he raped the nursery maid. He didn’t even stop when I walked into the room. Told me I could learn something about the act if I watched, and to my eternal shame, I just stood there like an idiot and let him carry on.”
Algernon’s face was a mask of horror.
“Christ! And you never told anyone? What happened to her?”
Brendon shook his head.
“I couldn’t tell a soul. She made me promise not to. It was her word against his and she was a servant. Who would anyone have believed? She begged me not to tell and just carried on as if nothing had happened. But she was never the same and I don’t actually know what happened to her in the end. The bastard used her worse than you would a dockside whore and I never did a thing to help her. I would never take an unwilling woman. Any woman, let alone your sister. Jesus! Seeing him do that to Bessie affected me so badly, I’ve never even had...” He stopped suddenly, his voice drying in his throat.
A Promise of Pure Gardenias Page 19
