An Inconvenient Companion

by Audrey Harrison

  A gentle knock at the door disturbed Martha from her reverie. She opened the door slightly, to reveal a troubled looking Charles.

  “May I come in?” Charles asked quietly. Although they were in an inn, miles away from anyone who knew them, it was not appropriate for him to be asking for admittance to an unmarried lady’s bed chamber.

  Martha moved aside and allowed Charles to enter. “Is there anything amiss?” she asked.

  “I cannot sleep until I apologise.” Charles started, walking over to the fireplace and turning to face Martha.

  “Whatever for?” Martha asked, surprised.

  “I should never have behaved in such a way, especially in your brother’s house. I’m sorry Martha.” Charles said, his words rushing out, needing to have it confirmed that he had completely lost any hope of securing her affection. He had convinced himself that once he heard her disgust at his actions, he would be able to accept that he had lost whatever sliver of hope he had and he would try to let go of her.

  “There is no need to apologise.” Martha said quietly.

  “I acted like a brute, without sense or decorum.” Charles continued, giving her the words he had expected to hear.

  “I’m glad you did.” Martha responded, not quite meeting his gaze.

  It took a moment or two for Martha’s words to sink in, but once they had Charles needed them confirming. “You are glad I acted as if I was in a tavern brawl?” he asked in disbelief.

  “During the carriage ride, I thought that I have never had anyone coming to my rescue, as you did today,” Martha started, flushing. “But then I remembered that I have.”

  Charles did not realise stomachs could plummet into one’s boots until he heard those words. “Who was it?” he asked, but his voice had dulled.

  “You know him,” Martha said, with the first smile of the day. “He was the one that promised that he would bring Elizabeth back to me safe and sound, he was the one who cared for me when Laura had been attacked and he was the one that today stood up against my cheating brother and gave me the strength to stand up for myself.”

  “Martha, I….” Charles started, not sure of how to express himself, but Martha stopped him, by placing her hand on his arm.

  “I own that when we first met, I disliked you, perhaps it was insecurity, perhaps jealousy, perhaps even attraction,” Martha admitted, flushing a deep red. “But it was not very long before I realised that I had done you a disservice and I did not know how to right it. I’m sorry Charles, I am ashamed of how I have behaved.”

  “But you said no when I asked you to marry me.” Charles said, struggling to keep himself under control. He had the feeling that this was a one and only chance to make things right and he was determined to make every word count.

  “I thought it was a proposal made out of pity and I did not want to trap you into a marriage that you would regret. Perhaps there was some wounded pride at play too.” Martha responded, looking down with embarrassment at admitting so much.

  “Oh Martha, do you not know me well enough to know that I would never have made such a proposal out of pity?” Charles asked exasperated.

  “It was after Thomas’s request for money, so I thought it must be.” Martha responded honestly.

  “It gave me the perfect excuse, to utter the words that I’d wanted to say for a long time, but I had guessed that you would not welcome me declaring myself like a love sick fool. It wasn’t the best time to make the proposal, I realised that almost as soon as I’d said the words, but they were there, inside me, wanting to come out.” Charles said with a shrug.

  “Like a love sick fool?” Martha asked.

  Charles took hold of Martha’s hands and held her at arm’s length, he still was not sure if she would push him away if he tried to hold her closer. “Have I not been completely transparent?” He asked. “I have thought that I was constantly revealing how smitten I’ve been for so long now, that I cannot remember when it started, but it was probably the day I first met you.”

  “But you tormented me,” Martha said, thinking back over the times that he had angered her.

  “I did not know how to act, you appeared so far above me in every respect,” Charles admitted. “At first, I wanted to see if I could get beyond that cool, calm exterior. Another man would have achieved it through poetry and words, but not me. No, I went blundering in, and instead of making you fall into my arms, you hated me.”

  “I didn’t hate you, never that, but I was so angry.” Martha admitted.

  “When I realised what I had done, it was too late,” Charles continued. “I have only ever wanted you to be mine.”

  “Oh.”

  Charles sighed, this was not looking good. “Oh?” he asked. “Am I too late then? Are you going to turn me away again when I ask you to be my wife for the second time?”

  Martha’s eyes filled with tears, she had to ask the next question and although she wanted the truth, she dreaded the response. “Be honest with me, please. Are you asking out of pity after what has happened today?”

  Charles squeezed her hands. “I once asked you to trust me and you said that you did,” he started, looking her directly in the face. “Do you still trust me?”

  “Yes.” Martha responded, feeling breathless all of a sudden.

  “Good,” Charles replied with feeling. “I want to marry you because you drive me to distraction, because I want to be the one who you drape your hair over while you sleep, because I love you and not through pity, but because you are a beautiful, vibrant, capable woman, who I would be proud of to call my wife.”

  Martha took a deep breath and a slow smile spread across her face. “In that case, I suppose I should say yes.” Her laugh was lost as Charles pulled her towards him and kissed her, not gently as he had intended, but fully, forcefully, the kiss of a man in love, who had waited too long.

  Martha responded to her man. Yes, her man, by wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him close. The day that had seemed to end so badly, had ended in the best way possible. Charles loved her, he actually loved her and she loved him. She had admitted it to herself, but being able to acknowledge it openly and tell him again and again, made her feel lightheaded.

  Charles took pleasure in the woman in his arms, who was responding to him as she had never responded before. Every time he thought that he was pushing her too far, she responded with a small moan and held him closer, encouraging him further.

  He forced himself to pull back and although he cupped her cheek in his hand, he stopped kissing her. “We need to marry soon,” he said, taking deep breaths in an effort to control himself. “I can’t be responsible for my actions if we are forced to have a long engagement.”

  Martha smiled, “We are too old for long engagements.”

  “Speak for yourself, there is life in this old dog yet.” Charles said, nipping her bottom lip with his teeth.

  Martha moaned softly. “How soon were you thinking?”

  “Special licence?” Charles asked.

  “Definitely.” Martha agreed, trying to kiss Charles. She felt as if they had talked for long enough.

  “Martha, stop,” Charles groaned, returning the kisses, but trying to keep control, not easy when the love of your life, was being as tempting as Martha was. “If we continue….”

  “Yes?” Martha asked.

  Charles pulled away again, “Martha, there comes a point when a man’s resolve disappears and there is no turning back. I am reaching that point, I need to leave before you force every rational thought from my mind.”

  “I had hoped that you were already beyond that point,” Martha said provocatively, but the words caused her to blush, showing her innocence.

  Charles almost sank to his knees with the effort of keeping his actions under control. “Martha, you don’t realise what your words mean. If I stay…”

  “I want you to stay, I know what my words mean,” Martha said quietly. “We have both been foolish, I don’t want to be apart from you another mome
nt.”

  “Oh God, Martha, I love you,” Charles said, picking her up in one easy movement. He walked over to the bed and laid her down gently. “We will never be apart again.”

  Epilogue

  Alfred became an efficient steward, as Charles had anticipated. He took on the role seriously and worked hard to ensure that Home Farm was as efficient as it could be. He instilled loyalty in the small staff that worked in the house and the tenant farmers that worked on the land.

  He did not marry until Frederica was fully grown. Being the steady man that he was, he took his commitment to his daughter as seriously as he took every other task he took on. Frederica grew up, secure that she was loved and although knowing that her father had loved her mother, she was not told of the history that brought her parents together. When she married a local farmer, she was delighted when her father married the maid who had cared for her throughout her life. The young maid had become her substitute mother and for Frederica it was perfect that the two people whom she loved as much as she did her husband, should find happiness together. Lord and Lady Halkyn took a keen interest in Frederica throughout her life and provided her with opportunities that she would not have normally had, which enriched her upbringing even more.

  Alfred loved Laura until his dying day, but he was able to open his heart eventually to another love and was loved in return. He had no other children, but he found contentment with his wife and they both indulged their grandchildren as they increased the size of their family.

  Charles and Martha returned to Dunham House and were married soon afterwards. Charles insisted that he wrote to Martha’s brother and although Martha had no idea what had been written in the letter, a few weeks later she received a letter of apology from her brother containing the money she had set aside for her retirement. Charles and Martha never mentioned the incident again and although Martha kept in touch with her family, she could never quite feel the same about her eldest brother.

  They had two children, which was a double blessing, as Martha had presumed that her age would prevent her from having children at all. Charles had to endure two occasions when he prowled the house, as expectant fathers had done before him, while his wife was in labour. Two boys filled the house which had become their home on the Dunham Estate. Martha never tired of the noise, mess or tricks that her boys created. She was also able to provide a second home to the children of Lord and Lady Dunham, who visited on a daily basis, enjoying being in such a welcoming home.

  Lady Dunham had been delighted that Martha had found happiness, but experienced a real wrench that the woman who had been her companion and friend for so many years, was no longer living under the same roof. Not one for visiting normally, there were few days that passed without Lady Dunham walking down to Martha’s cottage with her children and sitting down at the kitchen table, gossiping and chatting.

  Every morning Charles awoke with a silent prayer of thanks. His Martha was not the prim and proper woman that he had first met. She was vibrant, passionate and challenged him whenever she disagreed with him, which unfortunately for him, was often. Luckily for Charles, he could always bring a smile to Martha’s lips when he took her into his arms and reminded her exactly why she had agreed to marry him.

  Martha was finally living the life she had thought was out of her reach and had never been happier.

  About the Author

  Audrey Harrison has always wanted to write, or live in the Regency period, but life, work and problems with time travel stopped her. Anyway, circumstances change and the dream began! (Well, maybe not the travel back to the Regency period, but I would not admit to that anyway, would I?)

  The Complicated Earl and the Reluctant Earl have proved really popular and the modern take on a regency novel, A Very Modern Lord has also done really well.

  When writing An Inconvenient Ward, it was going to be a stand-alone book, but as the story progressed, so did the sub stories. There is now a trilogy to the series, An Inconvenient Ward, An Inconvenient Wife and An Inconvenient Companion. Each book can be read alone, but I hope that readers enjoy finding out about the other characters in the stories.

  If you enjoy the books, please would you take the time to write a review on Amazon? Reviews are vital for an author who is just starting out, although I admit to bad ones being crushing. Selfishly, I want readers to love my characters just as much as I do!

  I can be contacted for any comments you may have, via my website

  www.audreyharrison.co.uk

  www.facebook.com/AudreyHarrisonAuthor

  Thank you for your support and for your enjoyment, please find Chapter One of An Inconvenient Ward, the first book of the series.

  Chapter 1

  London. January 1815

  Lord Dunham was bored. In fact he was bored, bored, bored. He looked at his reflection in the full length cheval mirror, as he struggled to fix his cravat. Normally this task would not be the ordeal that it had turned into today, so much so that his valet had wisely retreated to the rear of the large bed chamber. He watched in mortification as his master ruined one cravat after another as the struggle to tie one to his satisfaction continued. The pile of creased cravats on the bed mounted, and the sighs and curses increased equally as fast as Lord Dunham reached the end of his tether with his neckwear.

  Michael paused and stared at the face looking back at him in the mirror. When had he lost his spark? He had until four years ago been plain Mr Michael Birchall. He was heir to the then Lord Dunham and in fact had been named after him in honour of the family connection. He had not seen much of Uncle Michael as he had grown up, knowing him only as a figure in the background who took a general, but distant, interest in his heir. Everyone, including the young Michael, had presumed Lord Dunham would marry, and produce his own heir and thus he would be disinherited. The expectation had not upset the young man, he refused to miss what he had never had, and he enjoyed the life he had been born to, to the full.

  He had spent his formative years in the country. His father was Lord Dunham’s younger brother. He had married young, but an illness of the brain had prevented him taking part in family life. No one spoke about the illness; everyone was reluctant to acknowledge that there was madness in the family. Fortunately, his living in the country enabled such an affliction to be ignored by most of their society.

  Michael had an older sister Violet, and, between his sister and mother, he had enjoyed a childhood knowing that he was loved. Once old enough, even though he may have been considered young by an outsider, Michael ran the estate in place of his father, due to his father’s illness. He became master in his own right when he inherited the estate after his father’s death. Michael had had to learn to deal in a matter of fact way with such a curse in his family.

  His mother had passed away peacefully when he was in his late teens and he had mourned her loss, but he still had Violet, and the affection between brother and sister increased as their family became smaller. Violet had eventually married a good man, Edward Parker, whom Michael was happy to call brother, and she quickly produced three girls. Michael constantly teased her about needing to provide him with an heir, but she was content with her darlings. Her girls were showered with the same affection that Michael and Violet had been shown as children. She was a natural mother and the most important person in Michael’s life.

  When Michael had come of age he had spent his time in the London Season and had enjoyed himself to the full. He was not seen as a great heir; Lord Dunham’s health was good and he was still seen as a good catch by many of the ladies, even some of the younger ones. Desire for a fortune often overcame any reserves that marrying a substantially older man might have caused. So Michael was able to enjoy the entertainments and parties without having any fortune hunters having him in their sights. There was no pressure on him and he took full benefit of the lack of restrictions.

  Lord Dunham financed Michael’s Grand Tour and ensured that he was accompanied by a tutor who would instil the ways of a gentleman
. So Michael learned and developed on the Continent, returning a finer gentleman than before. His return to London saw him conquer a few more hearts, but never seriously fall in love. He was having too much fun to settle down. If he yearned for family life he spent time with Violet, Edward and their brood.

  The week after Michael’s twenty-fourth birthday, his life changed forever. A sudden, unexpected seizure caused Lord Dunham to pass away, long before anyone had anticipated. Michael was no longer just plain Mr Birchall, but the new Lord Dunham. Those who had previously dismissed him as a gentleman of no real importance suddenly wanted to become his friend. His good looks and manners had always made him popular with the ladies, but he now became so popular that he felt hunted.

  He was now twenty-eight. Four long years had passed since he had enjoyed a carefree lifestyle. Most days it felt as if decades had passed. At times like today when he really studied his reflection in his looking glass, he hardly recognised the man he had become.

  No-one could accuse him of being unattractive; his dark, slightly curly hair fell naturally in all the latest fashions. His skin was pale and unblemished, and his eyes were a deep brown that seemed to reflect his very soul when they were not guarded. Nowadays, only Violet saw them sparkle with laughter or warm with feeling; most of his friends or acquaintances saw the closed expression of a man keeping his distance. Little did they know that part of that reserve was caused by the fear that he would suffer the same fate as his father had. Once madness was in a family, all of its members feared contamination. Every new emotion was examined by Michael to see if it was a sign that the illness had started.

  He had taken to managing his new estates seriously. He had had a lot to learn and when he had seen what his life would be once he had inherited the title, he had preferred to immerse himself in learning everything he needed to know about estate management on a huge scale. He had a large estate in Somerset, tucked away but still convenient, as it was within easy reach of Bath. It was the Dunham principal home and was a beautiful Jacobean building that rambled over three floors. Michael had continued the improvements that had been planned, and anyone lucky enough to visit commented that although the property was grand in appearance it was also a comfortable, welcoming home.