A Suitable Husband

by Fenella Miller

  Her knees felt weak and her stomach churned. Before she had time to react further Oliver’s hands gripped her shoulders roughly and spun her around. His face was a mask of fury, his teeth barred, a feral glint in his eyes. Then she saw the tomato embedded in his forelock and, without thinking, she reached up to remove it. The unexpected gesture gave him pause.

  ‘Oliver, you have got egg on the end of your nose,’ Sarah said as though puzzled by its appearance.

  ‘Sarah you’re outrageous, absolutely impossible, what am I to do with you?’ Oliver’s mouth softened in a rueful smile and she could sense his anger was subsiding. The painful grip on her shoulders slackened and, emboldened, she started removing the debris from his clothes.

  ‘I am so very sorry, Oliver. I have quite ruined your neck cloth.’

  He grinned down at her lovely upturned face. ‘Not to mention my dignity!’

  Sarah giggled. ‘Very well, I will not do so. You’ll need to bend your knees, Oliver, if I am to remove the egg from your …’ her voice faded as she saw something unwelcome flicker across his face.

  He tightened his hold once more and inexorably drew her closer. ‘It’s strange you should mention my knees; I have just thought of a much better use for them.’

  Sarah instantly took his meaning. ‘Oliver, please, you cannot. I have apologized, please.’ She struggled ineffectually but he was far too strong for her.

  ‘Why should I not spank you soundly? Your childish prank deserves a suitable punishment.’

  She struggled desperately, as her feet swung helplessly inches from the floor. ‘You agreed you did not believe in physical chastisement.’

  ‘We were, if I recall, discussing Edward, not a full-grown adult. I believe the situation to be quite different.’ His tone was conversational, no hint of his former fury. Sarah finally realized he was teasing. Her fear vanished.

  ‘If you do not put me down, Oliver, I will scream. Edward is in the garden, do you wish him to hear me?’

  Instead of releasing his grip he crushed her against him, and plundered her open lips with a ferocious kiss that was more punishment than pleasure. When he eventually set her down, Sarah ostentatiously wiped her mouth with her hand, her expression wary. ‘I think I would have preferred the beating.’

  ‘Don’t provoke me, my dear. My anger is on a very tight rein at the moment.’

  ‘Then I will remove myself from your presence, Oliver; that way we can both be happy.’ She reached the exit and had the door safely open before she continued. ‘I think I just heard the sound of the carriage arriving. It might be advisable to change before you greet them.’

  She heard a definite thud as a missile hit the hastily closed-door then she gathered up her skirts and made a decidedly undignified retreat.

  ***

  When Oliver burst from the room her laughter was still echoing down the passageway. Unsure whether he was angry or amused, but certain he was frustrated, he banged his fist into the wall before following her down the passageway. He met Edward coming in from the garden.

  ‘Papa, why do you have food all over your head?’

  ‘A good question, son, for which I have no answer. Your mother is in the drawing-room, perhaps she can give you a satisfactory explanation. I, however, must go upstairs and change.’

  ‘I came to tell you the men from yesterday have come back.’

  ‘Thank you, Edward. Tell your mother I will join her directly.’ Unwilling to be seen by any-one else wearing his breakfast Oliver shot upstairs to his bachelor quarters. Jenkins, newly promoted to his personal servant, was wise enough not to comment on his master’s appearance.

  Freshly washed and clothed in another of his outfits from Weston, Oliver felt calm enough to speak. ‘Jenkins have my gear moved to the master suite today.’

  ‘Yes, sir.’ Oliver detected a distinct hesitation in the answer.

  ‘And get Beth to move Mrs Mayhew’s belongings to the adjoining room.’ Oliver scowled. ‘That’s an order, Jenkins.’

  ‘Yes, Captain; I’m sorry, excuse me for asking, sir, but does Mrs Mayhew know she’s moving?’

  ‘Damn it, Jenkins, what business is it of yours? Your job is to do as I tell you, nothing else. Is that understood?’

  ‘Yes, sir!’ Jenkins saluted smartly.

  ***

  The visit of the Earl of Westover’s men of business was brief. As the object of their journey had been removed from their jurisdiction all that was left to do was deliver a sealed and monogrammed letter and depart.

  Sarah stepped forward, automatically holding out a hand, but to her chagrin she was ignored and the missive was handed to Oliver. She dropped her arm and pursed her lips, clamping back the exclamation of annoyance. She realized she would have to learn to live with being invisible, at least in public.

  As the lawyers were being shown out Sarah tweaked the letter from Oliver’s grasp. Before he could protest she had removed the wax seal and unfolded it. Quickly she perused the closely written content, keeping her shoulder between the letter and her husband. ‘It is as we thought, Oliver.’ She handed the paper to him. ‘Lord Fitzwilliam wishes to meet Edward. He expects us to travel to Kent immediately.’

  Oliver scanned the contents before answering. ‘We can’t leave until the carriage returns from delivering your father home.’ He thought for a moment. ‘Are you agreeable to travelling to Westover at the end of next week?’

  ‘If we must, then yes. Sally and Beth can go the day before with the luggage; they can take the old carriage. I suppose we will have to put up somewhere for the night. It is too far to travel in one day.’

  ‘I will send Peters with the reply; he can also arrange our accommodation. There are several excellent coach houses on the Dover Road, any one of them will do.’ He re-folded the letter and slipped into his pocket. ‘If you will excuse me, my dear, I have business to attend to.’

  ‘Are you dining in, this evening, Oliver?’

  He paused at the door, obviously undecided. His mouth curved slightly. ‘I will, if you promise my food will remain on the plate and not adorn my person.’

  Sarah blushed. ‘This morning’s episode will never be repeated, I give you my word.’

  ‘Until tonight, then.’ Much to her disgust his smile sent tremors through her. She tugged the bell cord, hard. Thomas appeared a few minutes later.

  ‘Thomas, Edward and I will be spending the day at Hepworth House. I would like the carriage outside in thirty minutes.’

  Edward was delighted to be missing lessons for the second day. ‘We’ll have to ride back, won’t we, Mama? Grandfather needs the carriage to go home in.’

  ‘So that means you must change into your riding clothes and I into my habit. Will you tell Sally you will be home at suppertime?’

  Sarah spent a happy day exchanging news with her sister and father and the time for her departure arrived too soon. ‘I wish you could both stay longer; it could be months before I see you again.’

  ‘You and the Captain and Edward must come and visit as soon. Perhaps in October? It will not be so hot and.’ Elspeth said.

  Sarah was unsurprised this belated invitation was now issued. Sir John Humphrey would look quite differently on the heir to the Earl of Westover and, as his legal guardian, Oliver’s status was immeasurably raised. Her reply was vague and noncommittal. Much as Sarah loved Elspeth half an hour in the company her husband was overlong.

  Her father also issued an invitation but to this she also made half-hearted promises. The vicarage at Little Pickering was far too small and would necessitate a proximity to Oliver that she was not ready for. The ride back was accomplished without mishap, although Edward’s pony tried hard to unseat him when asked to break into a canter.

  ‘Sally will be waiting for you in the nursery, Edward. You must have your supper there this
evening.’

  ‘Are you dining downstairs with Papa tonight?’

  ‘I am; and I have left myself too little time to change, so I must hurry.’ Sarah stooped to kiss her son and they parted in the hall as Edward preferred to use the back stairs.

  Her evening gown was waiting and her undergarments were laid out on the bed. Her bath has a trifle cool but served its purpose. It had taken Beth some timewhen she first came to be in Sarah’s employ to become accustomed to Sarah’s unusual habit of daily bathing. The accepted practice amongst the gentry being to wash only their hands and faces and take a bath occasionally.

  ‘I wish to have my hair in a loose arrangement, not in a coronet. It is too hot for braids.’

  ‘Shall I thread silver ribbons through? There’s a length that exactly matches your dress.’

  ‘No, thank you, it takes too long. I do not wish to keep Captain Mayhew waiting tonight.’

  ‘There’s no chance of that, madam; he only returned himself a short while ago.’

  Some of her tension drained away. ‘In that case, please put the ribbon in, Beth.’

  Twenty minutes later Sarah stood admiring her reflection in the full-length mirror. She saw a stranger staring back at her. A slender, beautiful woman with sparkling eyes and translucent skin. She compressed her lips to give them added colour then turned away satisfied she was looking her best.

  Beth agreed with her. ‘Madam, you look a picture! That evening gown has never looked so well on you.’ The maid stepped across, adjusted the heart-shaped neckline, and puffed out the filmy silver gauze over-dress. Then she handed Sarah the ribbon that held her demi-train safely suspended whilst negotiating stairs.

  Sarah floated down, head high, determined to behave as she should. She could not understand why, since Oliver’s arrival, she had become little more than a hoyden. The problem was not Oliver’s. She had known he was arrogant and dictatorial when she had asked him to marry her. It was really she who should adjust her behaviour to accommodate him, not the other way round.

  The drawing-room was empty. Relieved to be able to enter unobserved she decided to wait outside, on the terrace, for him. The sweet scent of roses and honeysuckle hung heavily on the warm air. The sun, although lower in the sky, still shone with unabated warmth. Keeping country hours was, she decided, a disadvantage in the summer. How could anyone wish to eat an elaborate meal whilst it was still so hot?

  Sarah thought she would suggest to Oliver they dined at eight o’clock in future, at least when the weather was so warm. She heard the drawing-room door open and close and turned to go in, pausing on the threshold to smile at her husband.

  Oliver saw an ethereal vision clothed in silver and framed by golden light and his eyes widened and the blood pounded in his veins. Forgetting his vow to keep his distance until his wife reciprocated his feelings he opened his arms and Sarah, to her surprise, walked straight in.

  Previous animosity evaporated in the heat of their passion and for a few wonderful, heady moments, she allowed herself to be transported to another world. Then sanity reclaimed her and she drew back, her face was flushed and her mouth swollen from his kisses.

  ‘No more, Oliver. I am sorry, but I fear I am not ready for our relationship to become more intimate.’

  With a wry smile Oliver released his hold and gently pushed a stray curl from her cheek. ‘I am afraid my baser instincts overcame my self-control, my love. I can only apologize most humbly.’

  Sarah smiled, unaware her smile turned his insides over. ‘It has been so long since I was a wife; I am afraid I am finding it much harder to adjust than I expected. We scarcely know each other, after all. Two months is too short a time to become properly acquainted, don’t you agree?’

  ‘There is no need to explain further, my dear, I fully understand. I am content to leave things as they are until you feel more settled.’

  ‘Thank you, Oliver. I gather you have moved your things into the adjoining rooms; that is sensible. It would have appeared odd if things had remained as they were.’

  Oliver laughed, debating whether to tell Sarah he had attempted to usurp her room but been thwarted by her abigail and the housekeeper. ‘Actually I had wanted to move into your room and transfer you to the adjoining chamber.’

  Sarah laughed. ‘I know, Beth told me. Poor Jenkins was thoroughly routed; it was unfair to send him on his own; he would have needed a regiment behind him to persuade Beth to give ground.’

  ‘I’m surprised that you’ve taken my presumption with such good humour, Sarah.’

  ‘If you had succeeded I would not be so sanguine, I can assure you.’

  Arm in arm, and still laughing, they returned to the drawing-room to await the call for dinner. The meal was served a la français and the dishes were positioned in the middle of the table, allowing them to help themselves. The first remove, which had included choices of succulent roasts and side-dishes, was cleared leaving them in possession of their plates.

  Sarah peered over half a glass of claret. ‘Cook has surpassed herself tonight. I am glad I suggested the staff gather later to celebrate our union, there will be enough left over to feed everyone twice over. I have never known her present so many side-dishes.’

  ‘Mmmm… have you not, my love? I rather think the excess food is linked to your kind invitation to the staff.’ Sarah put down her glass with such force the red liquid threatened to leap from it. ‘That is ingenious, Oliver. I’m glad they will share in such a magnificent repast. They deserve it. I will not feel so guilty when we send it back uneaten to the kitchen.’

  He grinned as he refilled her glass. ‘As long as you’re not going to worry that you’re eating the food from their mouths with every bite you take.’

  ‘You are ridiculous, Oliver.’

  Three maids came in carrying an impressive array of oval platters which they placed efficiently in the space between them. Sarah surveyed them. ‘I spy, two kinds of fish, three pies, and several vegetable dishes.’

  ‘And I spy, two pheasants, one chicken, and three other un-identifiable puddings.’

  ‘There is no danger of anyone going hungry, I am delighted to say,’ Sarah said shaking her head in delight.

  Eventually they admitted defeat and not caring to remain for nuts and sugared fruit they escaped the suffocating heat of the dining-room and retreated to the welcome cool of the terrace.

  ‘It is pleasant sitting out here now the sun is set,’ Sarah said, as she spread out her skirts, ensuring her ankles were decently covered.

  ‘I’ll send for a lamp, in a little while, soon you will be invisible.’

  ‘No, please don’t, Oliver. The light will attract moths, and I hate to see them burn on the glass.’

  So, as the darkness fell, she sat companionably talking and planning, as married couples do. She retired to her rooms, believing their marriage was not going to be the disaster she had once feared.

  Chapter Eighteen

  ‘Can Rags come, Mama? He’ll be very good and I’m sure Lord Fitzwilliam will want to meet him.’

  Sarah counted to ten before answering. ‘I have already told you, Edward, the journey to Kent is too long for a large dog to be shut up in a carriage. It would be extremely unkind to do so, you must see that.’

  Edward stamped his foot. ‘If Rags is not going then I won’t!’

  Oliver strolled into the drawing-room, attracted by the shouting. ‘Edward, apologize to your mother at once for your rudeness. ‘The little boy took one look at his stepfather’s face and hastily complied. ‘I’m sorry, Mama.’ He hung his head and Sarah heard him sniff.

  ‘That is quite all right, Edward. There is no need to be upset, I am not angry with you.’

  ‘But I am, young man. I suggest you return to the school room and study your primer. I will inform you when you may come down.’

&n
bsp; Thoroughly chastened Edward slunk from the room without further dissent. Sarah waited until the door closed behind him before speaking. ‘Oliver, I feel that was a trifle harsh. He is only seven, and he did apologize.’

  ‘If I had shouted at my mother I would have been whipped; being sent upstairs for such a misdemeanour is hardly a punishment at all, in my opinion.’

  ‘Are you implying I am being too lax?’

  ‘Yes, I am; but not irredeemably so, my love. He’s a delightful child; he merely needs to know he can’t always have his own way.’

  ‘Oh dear, I suppose this is my fault. After Jonathan died he became even more precious to me and I must admit I find it hard to refuse him.’

  Oliver grinned and collapsed on the Chesterfield. ‘Obviously today you made an exception. I believe I heard him say he would not come to Westover with us?’

  ‘He wishes to take his dog, and I told him he may not.’

  ‘I don’t see why not? Having his pet to play with will keep him occupied.’

  Sarah’s mouth fell open. ‘Oliver! Are you mad? The dog will drive us insane.’

  ‘No, my dear, he will not.’ He was openly laughing at her. ‘For I will not be in the carriage, I intend to ride.’

  Sarah exploded. ‘You wretch! It will be me refusing to come if that animal travels in my carriage.’

  He raised his hand in surrender. ‘I was teasing, my dear. If you don’t to wish to take the dog he will stay behind. I can assure you Edward will not argue with me.’

  Sarah looked thoughtful and her mouth curved into a mischievous smile. ‘I have the perfect answer. If you are riding then Rags can run alongside with you. If he gets too fatigued then I will allow him inside for a rest.’

  ‘I see I’ve no choice; you have me cleverly cornered. We will agree to share the treat. I’ve arranged for Peters to travel on the box with the coachman. Jack and Murray can act as guards. Jenkins will ride alongside with me.’