“No,” she said vehemently. “Not at all.”
“You were quite excited about the Season upon our arrival,” Lucy said, stopping what she was doing to look at her mistress. “I know it is not my place but … is something the matter? Is there anything I can do?”
“Oh Lucy, you are so kind,” Polly said with a bit of a watery smile at the girl. “Truth be told, yes, I had a run-in with a gentleman who was not who he proved to be, I’m afraid. After our encounter I have found myself quite finished with London and all the facades people wear. It is like the masquerade ball the other night. We can all dress up in our finest and cover our faces with masks, but it doesn’t take long for the masks to be thrown off to portray who we truly are!”
Lucy stared at her in astonishment, and Polly let her hands fall from her hips, shaking her head at herself. “Well. I am sorry, Lucy, that was not at all what you had asked for, but it is simply how I feel. Now, what do you think of the blue muslin? It seems like a lovely dress for a country visit, does it not?”
Lucy nodded, saying nothing more, though Polly could tell she wanted to know more of what happened. Polly, however, couldn’t bear to speak of it, and instead continued to go through her clothing.
It was not long until the butler came to inform them that Lord Taylor had arrived and was ready to escort them. Polly descended the stairs to find her mother waiting for her at the bottom.
“Oh, Polly, I so wish you were not leaving,” she said. “We were having such fun, as it were. I know you wish to see Violet, but it seems such strange timing. Please, don’t stay long. There is much to do here in London, and there are many more wonderful events planned that I am sure you will not want to miss.”
“I know, Mama,” said Polly, giving her mother a quick kiss on the cheek. “And I do hope you enjoy yourself while I’m gone. I shall send word on when I plan to return, all right?”
Her mother nodded, then followed her and Lucy out the door to where Lord Taylor awaited. Polly stopped when her foot hit the first step. Lord Taylor was sitting atop his black stallion, dressed in tight-fitting riding breeches, a hat sitting tall upon his head. He looked rather … regal, she thought, and actually quite ruggedly handsome. She shook the thought from her mind as he dismounted, taking off his hat and coming over to them with a quick bow.
“Your Grace, Lady Polly,” he said. “Lovely to see you both today.”
“Thank you for accompanying Polly to see her sister,” said Marie. “I know Greville will appreciate not having to make the additional trip.”
“Not a problem at all,” he said. “I have been meaning to visit Greville for some time, and I am looking forward to a beautiful ride through the countryside. It has been some time since my horse has been anywhere but Hyde Park.”
Marie nodded. “Well, do take care, and give my best to all,” she said as Polly climbed into the carriage, followed by Lucy.
“Goodbye, Mama!” Polly called out the window, and soon enough they were away.
* * *
Sebastian had been honest when he said he had been looking forward to the ride. As soon as they left the city, he could feel the difference in the air, which washed over him with its fresh scent and cleanliness that had so been lacking in London. Greville’s home was not far, and he was rather looking forward to seeing his old friend again. He realized he should have come to visit some time ago, but he had been so caught up in his duties in London.
Perhaps this trip to the country was exactly what he needed to shake this strange feeling of unease that wouldn’t leave him, he thought, and his gaze darted unbidden over to the carriage next to him.
A couple of hours into the journey he was startled suddenly when he heard Polly’s voice cry out from within, and he quickly drew up next to the carriage to see if she was all right.
“Lady Polly?” he inquired, as her head and shoulders emerged through the window.
“I’m fine!” she answered. “But have Adams stop, please!”
“Are you sure nothing is—”
“Oh yes!” she exclaimed, continuing to lean out the window, and he wanted to tell her to take her body back inside. “Look over there, Lord Taylor. An entire field of bluebells! Can you believe it? Oh, we must take a closer look. Hurry, Lord Taylor, tell him to stop before we are too far.”
Sebastian reluctantly had the driver bring the carriage to a halt, and before he could even dismount Polly was out of the carriage and running into the field, flinging her arms wide as she twirled around. He stopped for a moment, appreciating her beauty melded with that of her surroundings.
His attention was caught by her maid, who slowly disembarked after her, looking rather sick.
“Are you all right?” Sebastian asked the girl.
“I am,” she said, weakly. “Lady Polly knows my propensity for sickness from the motion of the carriage and asked to stop, though she made sure to choose a place we could all enjoy.”
“Why don’t you sit for a moment?” Sebastian suggested, and the maid agreed, making her way to a large boulder next to the road and taking a seat as quickly as she could, seemingly pleased just to be still for a moment.
His eyes swept over to Polly, who was now standing still as she looked out into the countryside, the field sweeping down to a pond in the distance. He watched as she tilted her face up to the sky, and the sun’s rays peeking through the clouds kissed the light skin of her face.
He walked over to her, standing beside her as he looked out over the view she had so wanted to see.
“I suppose it is rather beautiful,” he said with a bit of surprise. He had ridden this way many a time before, but had never truly taken a good enough look at his surroundings.
“It is heavenly to be out here, out of the city,” she said, taking in a deep breath.
“The city and all its people?” he asked, raising his eyebrows at her.
“And all its people,” she said with a slight smile on her lips, and he was relieved to see that some of the tension seemed to have already left her body. “And for a time, I no longer have to even worry about my freckles.”
Sebastian looked closer at her face, and could see that already the sprinkle of freckles on her nose were growing darker. They were rather endearing, he thought, and couldn’t understand why she would wish to hide them.
“Thank you for coming with me, Lord Taylor,” she said. “I know it was a rather odd request, but I feel … safe when I am with you.”
“I am glad to hear it,” he responded, although he wasn’t sure if he was or not. Was it a compliment for a young lady to feel “safe” around a gentleman? He wasn’t entirely sure.
“It’s just that,” she continued, “with my brothers away, Violet married, my father in the country and my mother being … my mother, I feel you have been there for me in a way that I required. My family owes you a great deal of gratitude. For, if you had not been present when I needed you, well, who knows what type of situation I might have found myself in.”
“I am happy to have been able to assist,” he murmured.
“Tell me, Lord Taylor, what does your land look like?” she asked suddenly, turning to him.
“My land? It does not look so different from this — aside from the bluebells of course — or from Greville’s,” he said with a shrug. “Much of the English land is all the same, is it not?”
“Not at all,” she said, her eyes wide as she shook her head. “Everywhere you go, each place has its own identity, its own stories to tell. Think of all the people who have been here before, who have walked this earth and lived their lives nearby. There are new stories everywhere you go, and the land becomes different, as does the sky and the atmosphere around it,” she said, and when he turned to look at her, her eyes were closed as if she were feeling all that she had spoken of.
“Why, Lady Polly, you are a romantic,” he said with a laugh.
“You sound like my sister,” she said with a rueful grin, which quickly fell with her next words. “However,
I think it more accurate to say I was a romantic. For I do not believe that I shall ever again in my life trust another gentleman.”
He was sorry to hear it, but he understood her words.
“I would like to tell you that not all gentlemen are like Lord Yardley,” he said, “but I do understand your reluctance to return to London to find another suitable gentleman.”
“Thank you, Lord Taylor, I appreciate that.”
He nodded as she took a couple of steps forward, her back to him as the breeze stirred her curls, many of which had fallen from their pins.
“I thought you might try to tell me that not every gentleman is like Lord Yardley, that I should not judge by my one experience,” she said, looking back at him from over her shoulder.
He shrugged. “Experience has taught me otherwise, I’m afraid.”
He quickly changed the subject, as, if he had learned anything from his time with her, it was that Lady Polly liked to ask questions, and in this moment he did not feel like providing any answers regarding his current romantic situation, nor any he had in the past.
“What are you going to tell your sister?” he asked quietly.
“The truth,” she said, turning back to him but looking down at the ground now, and he wished he hadn’t brought up the subject. “She knows me better than anyone, and will know something is the matter. She will continue to nag at me until I tell her, so I might as well from the start. Besides, I wouldn’t mind discussing it with her. Lord knows she had enough seasons herself to understand the workings of society.”
He nodded, agreeing with her, and was happy that she would have someone else to speak with.
“How did you know?” she asked suddenly, cocking her head as she studied him, as if she could find her answer simply by a look.
“Know of what?”
“How did you know what Lord Yardley would do? You knew of his reputation of course — it seems most of the ton did. And yet you seemed to be rather convinced that he would try something, despite hardly knowing me or the man.”
It was Sebastian’s turn to be rather disquieted, and he tried to think of something witty to say to her, but he couldn’t bring himself to keep the truth from her.
“I really shouldn’t tell you this,” he began, slowly, “but I had been watching Yardley for some time.”
“Why?” she asked, her eyebrows drawing together. He drew in a breath. “I do some work for … an organization. Investigations, if you will. It seems Lord Yardley has been named by a number of gentlemen regarding the ruination of their daughters, and I was asked to see what I could find out. While keeping a close watch on him, I overheard him make a bet with other gentlemen to see if he could … win you.”
Her eyes widened. “Why did you not tell me any of this?” she exclaimed, loud enough that Sebastian caught the maid and the driver turn sharply to look at them to make sure all was well. He gave them a quick wave.
“You never would have believed me,” he said quietly. “You were infatuated with the man, and besides that, you didn’t understand my intentions in warning you away from him. At some point, I realized that the only way you would understand was to see for yourself. I simply ensured I was there so that nothing untoward would occur.”
Sebastian could see the warring emotions all over her face. She knew he was right, and yet she didn’t want to give in, but rather preferred to believe that had he said anything, she would not have let her emotions overtake her logic. Finally, she seemed to realize he was right as she sighed.
“Well, it is over and done with now,” she said, her gaze darting back to the carriage. “Thank you, Lord Taylor. I want you to know that I appreciate what you have done … more than you know.”
She stood up on her tip toes, and leaned up, giving him a chaste kiss on the cheek. Her scent, fresh as the field of bluebells they stood in, filled him, and before he could think of what he was doing, he turned his head and caught her lips with his. She gave a bit of a gasp of surprise but didn’t pull away. Rather, she leaned into him, letting his lips roam over hers with abandon. He felt her hands creep up his chest and come round his neck, and he pulled her tightly toward him, bringing one of his hands to her hair. It was only when he heard a small moan of delight escape her that he realized what he was doing, and pulled back.
They stood in silence as the awareness of one another slowly crept in. Finally, Sebastian turned his head and saw Lucy watching them, her mouth agape. “I, ah, believe your maid is feeling better.”
Polly turned her head. “Yes, it seems she is. I suppose we’d best be on our way.”
“I suppose we shall,” he said, and yet he could not ignore the glimmer of remorse that their time alone had all too quickly come to an end.
13
“Polly!”
Trying not to weep, Polly threw herself into Violet’s arms, hugging her tightly.
“My goodness, how I have missed you!” Violet exclaimed, grasping Polly’s shoulders and looking into her face. “Your letter was just what I needed, although I was a little surprised to get it right in the middle of the Season.” She tilted her head and studied Polly, the smile slowly beginning to fade. “I do hope there isn’t anything wrong?”
Polly swallowed and tried to smile. “I will tell you all about it a little later,” she replied, softly, as Lord Greville finished greeting Lord Taylor and turned toward her. She greeted her sister’s husband warmly.
“Thank you so much for having me, my lord,” she said. “I do hope I haven’t put you out.”
“Not in the least,” he exclaimed, placing an arm around Violet’s shoulders. “We are glad to offer it. You should know that you are always welcome here. Indeed, I haven’t seen my wife so overjoyed in some time.”
Violet smiled into her husband’s eyes, making Polly’s stomach clench. She had done much the same with Lord Yardley, yet it had all been a shallow facade, not anything like the depths of affection her sister and Lord Greville shared.
“And you must refer to me as Joshua,” he continued, turning back to Polly. “We are family now, are we not?”
“Of course,” she replied, quickly, her heart lifting just a little. “Then I shall be Polly.”
He chuckled, glancing over at Lord Taylor. “A merry little party, I should think,” he smiled, before gesturing up toward the front of the house. “Now, shall we go in? I am sure you will need to rest before dinner.”
Lord Taylor smiled and bounded up the steps. “Not I,” he declared, making Violet laugh. “It was not a particularly hard ride and I did enjoy the beautiful country views once we left London. It has altogether revived me.”
“Then you must be hungry, at the very least,” Violet answered, looping her arm through Polly’s. “I shall have some refreshments sent to your rooms at once.”
Polly looked up at Violet, not wanting to be left alone. “Might you come up with me?” she asked, softly, as Violet looked back at her with somewhat wide eyes. Polly knew what she must be thinking. She had always been rather independent and her request must seem somewhat strange to her sister, who knew her so well. “I feel like it has been an age since I last saw you.”
Violet smiled, though her eyes were troubled. “Yes of course. I do not have to change for dinner, given that it is just family and we are not one to stand on ceremony here at Colemore.”
“Lord Taylor is not family.”
Violet chuckled and gestured at the two men ahead of them, who were walking together and laughing. “He may as well be. I believe he and Joshua have been close friends for a great many years. Joshua considers the man to be as much a brother as I consider you a sister.” She led Polly up the staircase, following the two men. “Now, your room is just to the right. Come with me.”
Polly followed, smiling as she was shown into a beautiful bedchamber, decorated in soft pastel colors, the drapes of the one large window pulled open to welcome the late afternoon sunlight.
“There is the dressing room, of course,” Violet said, poi
nting to a door within the room. “And the window overlooks a rather lovely part of the estate gardens.”
Making her way to join Violet at the window, Polly caught her breath. Her room was at the back of the estate and allowed her to see a large part of the gardens, filled with beautiful blooms of all different shades and colors. Polly smiled, a small sigh escaping her lips. Here, she could forget Lord Yardley, forget all that had occurred. Here, she was safe.
In no time at all, her things were nearly all put away by some very efficient maids and a tea tray sat on the small table in the middle of the bedchamber.
Quickly discarding herself of some of the more cumbersome traveling garments, Polly joined Violet at the table and gratefully picked up a cup of tea, smiling over at her sister. “It seems you are very happy here.”
“More than happy,” Violet agreed, her eyes lighting up. “Despite our rather troublesome beginnings, Joshua has made such a wonderful husband. I feel quite fortunate to have found myself such a man. To my mind, they are often in short supply!”
For a moment, Lord Taylor flashed into Polly’s mind. Lord Taylor was a good man, there was no doubt about it. She had been utterly shocked when he had kissed her in the field. She had sworn she would not so much as look at another gentleman after Lord Yardley, and yet when his lips had come down on hers, all thoughts had left her, and all she could think of was how wonderful the moment felt. Instead of the feeling of uncertainty that had filled her in the gardens with Lord Yardley, with Lord Taylor she had only wanted more.
She could not explain the quickening of her heart when she thought of that moment together, but chose to ignore it, giving herself a slight shake. What must Lord Taylor think of her flighty affections? She vowed she would not allow her heart to become overtaken with feelings of another, only to be broken once again.
“Was Lord Taylor good company on the road here?” Violet asked, looking at her with a slight suspicion in her eyes, as if she had read her thoughts. Polly tried to keep all emotion off her face. “I was surprised Mama and Papa allowed you to share a carriage!”
Searching Hearts Box Set: Books 1-5 Page 48
