She looked across at Jemima afraid she was getting too carried away. After all, it was the garden designer who had mapped out the major features.
Jemima took over.
“Instead of the smaller individual beds, we suggest a more rambling pattern with white roses interspersed with other white plants – hostas, clematis, anemones, plus some with silvery leaves, stachys lanata, and so on. There are some paving stones which we can use to make four paths through the plantings with a statue where they cross.”
“See here, I’ve tried to sketch a view of what it will look like.”
Selena handed over another piece of paper, this one a coloured view.
“This is more like it!” the Earl said enthusiastically. “It’s lovely. Have you done any others?”
More sketches were handed over to him and Selena and Jemima alternated with explanations of how they saw the garden as a whole being developed.
By the time Martha came through to say that dinner was ready and why had Selena not laid the table as she had been asked, the Earl had a big pile of sketches on the table beside his chair.
As Selena placed cutlery and glasses on the table, he looked through each of the sketches in turn.
When sat down at the table and Martha had brought in her goulash, the Earl was filled with admiration for their ideas.
“I think it all looks quite quite wonderful,” he said and then paused as Martha offered him a tureen of casserole to serve himself.
“Oh, Martha, your goulash, my favourite! Now the evening is perfect. Would you like me to serve the wine?”
They all settled down to one of the most delightful evenings of Selena’s life since her mother had died.
The Earl seemed so very happy discussing the plans and even produced an idea or two of his own.
“We could always knock down that dreadful house my old grandfather built for his aunt and use the brick to construct walls for some of your rooms.”
“Excellent idea,” beamed Jemima, as she turned to Selena. “It’s that gabled building on the eastern edge of the garden.”
“I thought it did not blend in with its surroundings.”
“You mean it’s an eyesore!” laughed the Earl.
After the Earl had departed with profuse thanks for their hospitality, Jemima looked at Selena.
“That went extremely well. I didn’t expect any real opposition to our proposals, but his enthusiasm took me by surprise. I do think you really have been sent by Heaven, Selena!”
Selena blushed.
As she retired to her bed, she hugged herself as she slipped into sleep.
She could not believe her luck in having found such a wonderful place to live.
*
On the next morning Jemima drove the Earl’s horse and trap with Selena to Stallden, the local town.
It was only two days since Selena had arrived at the station with the Earl, but already she felt at home.
Jemima took the trap into the stables of the George Hotel and directed Selena to the most likely source for the boots and gardening clothes she required.
She herself was about to order various supplies for the work they were about to embark on.
“Will it worry you not to be chaperoned, Selena?”
Selena laughed.
“If I can make my way across the Channel on my own, I am sure I can negotiate the streets of Stallden.”
“Remember you must tell them to send their bills to you care of me at Wakefield Hall Cottage.”
“Jemima, I am well able to manage everything and I won’t look for fashion in my choice of boots either!”
“I have every confidence in you, Selena. Shall we meet back here at, say, eleven o’clock? We could have a cup of this establishment’s excellent coffee.”
Selena was happy with the amount of time allowed for her shopping, but nervous of entering the hotel lounge on her own.
“I will introduce you to the hotelier. Mr. Brack is a good friend of mine and he will look after you.”
The proprietor was a quicksilver sort of man whose eyes took in every aspect of his business.
He appeared delighted that the two ladies were to take coffee there later and he promised to look after Selena should she should arrive ahead of Jemima.
Selena passed an hour choosing two pairs of sturdy boots she was sure would carry her comfortably through a long day and deal with any amount of mud.
Then she bought a large canvas apron with pockets for gardening tools and she added a plain skirt, two brown shirts and a corduroy waistcoat.
Finally she found a weatherproof hat and jacket and asked for all her purchases to be delivered immediately to the George Hotel.
On the way she found a bookshop and thought that life would be perfect if she could read in the evenings.
She had a delightful chat with the bookseller and came out with a light novel, which she was assured would be relaxing after a long day’s gardening.
When she explained, as she had in the other shops she had patronised, that she had no cash on her, but a bill posted to Wakefield Hall Cottage would receive her immediate attention, there was no problem.
At the hotel the proprietor greeted Selena.
“Miss Jerrold has not yet arrived, but if you would care to take a seat in that nice quiet corner over there, I will bring a copy of The Times for you while you wait.”
Selena gave him a nervous smile and started over to where he had indicated.
She had not taken more than a step or two before a loud voice boomed,
“By all that’s wonderful, if it isn’t the beauty from the ferry!”
Coming towards her was the unmistakeable figure of Lord Taverner.
In the low-ceilinged lounge and dressed for riding, he seemed even larger than he had on the Channel ferry.
“My Lord, you are acquainted with Miss Norton?” asked Mr. Brack, a note of enquiry in his voice suggesting that he had noticed the way she instinctively shrank away from this powerful-looking man.
“Oh, we are old friends, are we not, Miss Norton?”
Selena took hold of her courage.
She was starting on a new life and she had to learn to deal with setbacks and nuisances.
And that was what this man was, a nuisance.
“I don’t believe that we have been introduced, Lord Taverner,” she said in a very frosty voice. “Mr. Brack, you offered to find me a copy of The Times, please would bring it to me over there. Good day, my Lord.”
She gave the slightest of nods to Lord Taverner and walked quickly to the seat in the corner, forcing her head to remain erect and her step steady.
“Not so fast, my pretty.”
Lord Taverner was beside her in an instant.
“It is surely fate that brought us together the other day and now fate has decreed a second meeting. You cannot deny fate.”
Selena felt her arm seized and then she was pulled round to face him.
There was no one else in the lounge and Mr. Brack had gone to collect the newspaper he had promised.
Anger rather than panic filled her.
“How dare you!” she hissed in a low forceful voice.
“I do like a bit of spirit in a girl,” he breathed as he drew her closer to him. “Especially when she is as pretty as you!”
“Let me go!” she screamed, her eyes blazing.
“Not before I claim a kiss. You owe me that after refusing my offer of a glass of wine on board the ferry.”
She tried to pull away from him.
“I just have to believe that you have been drinking, my Lord. For surely no gentleman would treat a lady the way you are treating me.”
She experienced a brief sense of inward satisfaction that she had managed to get this sentence out.
His face darkened and his eyes narrowed.
“What a little vixen you are. But I shall show you who is master here.”
With an abrupt movement, he drew Selena against his body and lowered his mouth to he
rs.
Selena struggled furiously to free herself.
She was shocked to the very core by the force of his mouth on hers and revolted by the smell of alcohol, horse and sweat that rose from him.
“My Lord,” intoned Mr. Brack in shocked tones as he returned at that very moment with The Times. “I must ask you to release Miss Norton immediately. She is a lady under the protection of Lord Wakefield.”
Selena was released with a suddenness that had her reeling backwards.
She put out a hand to the back of a chair to prevent herself from falling over.
“Did you say Wakefield?”
“Indeed.”
Mr. Brack’s voice wavered a little.
At that moment Jemima entered the lounge together with the Earl.
CHAPTER FIVE
“Wakefield, you sly dog!” Lord Taverner roared at the Earl. “You sneaked under my guard and swept off this beauty for yourself.”
“No!” cried out Selena.
“You are an idiotic fool, Taverner,” snarled the Earl contemptuously. “You must not judge other men by your own despicable standards!”
Lord Taverner’s colour deepened to a brick red.
“Don’t talk to me like that, Wakefield. You can’t deny this pretty bit of fluff is under your protection!”
For a moment Selena thought the Earl would fly at him, but Jemima caught his arm.
“Alex, he isn’t worth it.”
Mr. Brack was positively dancing around them.
“My Lords, please, no ruckus in here.”
The Earl gently disengaged his arm from Jemima’s grip.
“Taverner, you no doubt recall Lord Norton? As I remember you both served on a committee two years ago.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Miss Norton is his daughter. She is here to assist Miss Jerrold, who is a cousin of my late wife, in her garden design business. Miss Jerrold lives at Wakefield Hall Cottage on my estate. My connection with Miss Norton is no more than that.”
Selena watched as Lord Taverner stared first at the Earl and then, suspiciously, at herself.
She could not help shrinking back at his look.
“Load of farradiddle,” he mumbled. “I wish I could believe a word of it.”
“Are you calling me a liar?” the Earl shot at him.
“I said I wish I had heard it before,” Lord Taverner replied sullenly.
“Well, you’ve heard it now so I suggest that you apologise to Miss Norton.”
Selena felt like saying that all she wished to do was to leave so that she would not have to see Lord Taverner again.
His very presence made her feel uneasy.
There was a strange power that emanated from his prominent features and broad figure that was unsettling.
But she forced herself to remain where she was.
“Good God, man, how this little encounter is being blown up out of proportion. I was merely acknowledging that Miss Norton is one of the prettiest girls it has been my good fortune to set eyes upon. Nothing more, I assure you. Wakefield, you must surely accept that I could envy you your contact with her?”
The Earl did not relax his aggressive stance.
“I suppose that will have to do, Taverner.”
“I will say good day to you.”
Lord Taverner picked up his hat from where he had placed it on a side table, crammed it on his head and strode away.
Before he even reached the door, he was whistling a nameless tune to himself.
Selena shuddered.
Her legs started to shake and she collapsed into the nearest chair.
Jemima sat on the arm by her and gently massaged one of her hands.
“The brute has gone, think no more of him. Men!” she exclaimed in a tone of disgust.
“Brack, coffee for us, if you please, and a glass of brandy, as soon as you can.”
The landlord hurried away.
The Earl sat down in the chair opposite Selena and looked closely at her.
“Did that unspeakable oaf do you any harm?”
She almost told him about the kiss, but she dreaded him running after Lord Taverner and attempting to knock him down.
“No, my Lord, your arrival on the scene was very timely.”
“I should never have let you come in here alone,” moaned Jemima, her plain face full of concern. “You are far too pretty. Did he just accost you?”
Selena gave her an account of the meeting on the ferry and then turned to the Earl.
“Mrs. Toms, the woman I was sitting next to, said you had seen how he was pressing me into accompanying him for a drink and that you had deliberately waylaid him. Was that true?”
The Earl nodded.
“I know Taverner’s reputation and I could see that he was making you very uncomfortable.”
“I have so much to thank you for,” sighed Selena in a most heartfelt way.
“Alex is a Prince among men!” stated Jemima.
“Now you are both making me blush,” he laughed.
The tray with coffee arrived and the Earl picked up the glass of brandy and gave it to Selena.
“Drink this. It will help steady your nerves.”
She laughed.
Now that the Lord Taverner had departed, a feeling of euphoria filled her. There were not two people alive in the world that she would rather be with.
“I do not need it, my Lord.”
“Hmm.” He looked closely at her. “Well, you do seem to have recovered your colour. You were so very pale after that little scene that I was afraid you would swoon.”
“I am made of sterner stuff,” she assured him before asking, “does Lord Taverner live near here?”
The Earl replied reluctantly,
“His family estate shares a short border with mine, but he is not a country person. He spends most of his time at his house in London.”
“You mean that I am not likely to run across him again?” asked Selena stoutly.
“Exactly so. But even if you did, I don’t think you will have any more trouble now he knows who you are.”
At that moment the parcel of her purchases arrived and the talk passed on to planting plans for the garden.
“What errand brought you into town, Alex?” asked Jemima as she finished her coffee.
“Ah – ” he looked excited. “The work went so well yesterday that this morning that I found I was in dire need of more supplies, but by then it was too late to ask you for a lift. Could I possibly load my purchases into the trap?”
“Of course,” agreed Jemima. “I will get the horse harnessed up and we will go and collect your items.”
As they set off back to Wakefield, Selena asked,
“What kind of supplies did the Earl buy?
“Ah! I think I will allow Alex to tell you himself.”
“You make it sound most mysterious, as though he is heavily involved in something illegal,” laughed Selena. “I do think you should enlighten me.”
“No – I don’t want to spoil his surprise.”
She would not say anything more about the Earl’s activities and Selena finally remarked,
“I think you are very mean, but, rest assured, I will find out!”
“Good Heavens, dear, of course you will. I merely want Alex to have the fun of explaining what he is working on himself.”
Despite the air being cold, the sun was shining and Selena felt happy as the horse and trap made its way back to the cottage.
When they finally returned, she impulsively hugged Jemima.
“Oh, thank you for everything!” she cried. “I am so happy.”
Jemima smiled at her.
“It does not seem to take much to make you happy. But I am glad you are, because already I can see that you are going to be such a help to me.”
Selena carried in her parcels and changed into her new working clothes.
After a quick luncheon she put on her boots and went out to help Joe.
They
worked hard for an hour or so, then, suddenly, the sunny skies clouded over.
First it started to rain, which Selena did not mind as she merely fetched her waterproof.
Quite quickly, however, the clouds grew darker and darker and the air much colder and then came the hail, hard and painful as pieces of ice pelted down.
“This is too much, Joe,” shouted Selena. “Let’s go and take cover in one of those buildings over there.”
Without waiting for an answer, she charged across the garden, through the arch in the hedge and headed for a large barn.
Unaware that Joe had taken off in another direction, she pulled open the rickety door and dashed inside.
“Shut that door,” yelled the Earl.
Feeling guilty, Selena pulled it to.
This, she supposed, was the Earl’s workshop.
Much of the barn’s roof had had its tiles replaced with glass so that light would normally flood the inside.
Now the clouds made everything dark and the hail rattling on the panes made it difficult to hear.
The Earl, seemingly unperturbed at Selena invading his workshop, had turned his attention again to a strange looking contraption lying on a long bench.
To Selena’s eyes it looked just like a huge kite of the sort she had seen children playing with on Hampstead Heath, except that this enormous version had a long tail of a rigid construction.
The Earl appeared to be painting the surface of the kite’s top and bottom canvas covers.
A series of struts separated and supported them and the air was filled with a pungent and intoxicating scent.
A little nervously Selena approached the bench.
The Earl looked round.
“So, you’ve found your way into my workshop,” he remarked, sounding amused.
“The hail was too strong to continue working in the garden.”
The Earl was dressed in blue work dungarees over a coarse weave shirt in a grey that matched his eyes, which were sparkling with fun.
Once more the now familiar electricity ran through Selena’s veins, producing a tingly feeling unlike anything else she had ever experienced.
“Now you are here, I expect you would like to see what I am working on, wouldn’t you?”
She nodded mutely.
Actually she did not care what he was doing in the barn, it was enough to be with him, to see the crinkles that deepened round his eyes when he laughed.
Love Came From Heaven Page 6
