Davenham ran up the second flight of stairs, his face grim as he approached Elinor’s door. After briefly trying the handle he set his shoulder to the door and in a matter of seconds there was a splintering of wood and the door flew open to reveal Elinor lying on the floor, the unsheathed knife beside her and a small bloodstain upon her bodice.
‘Oh my poor babe!’ exclaimed Hannah.
She started forward but the viscount was there before her, dropping on one knee beside Elinor. He saw the faint throb of life at her neck.
‘Fetch the doctor, quickly!’ He lifted Elinor gently and carried her across to the bed. ‘The blade glanced off the boning of her corset.’ He gave a shaky laugh. ‘I never thought to be grateful to this fashion for tight-lacing! By the time the blade had cut through the padding and reached the rib-cage, the force was not sufficient to do more than scratch the skin. I think she has merely fainted, but we must remove her gown to be sure.’
Hannah almost hustled the viscount out of the way.
‘This is a woman’s work now, my lord,’ she told him briskly. ‘I am much obliged for your help, but you need have no fear of leaving Miss Nell to me.’ Observing his look she said in a softer tone, ‘Off you go, sir, and don’t worry. I have nursed my mistress through many a crisis. She will be safe now.’
* * * *
For more than a week Elinor kept to her bed, she slept a great deal, and would take but a fraction of the nourishing dishes with which Hannah tried to tempt her. She developed a fever and grew delirious, reliving the recent events that had rocked her life. Upon one occasion she awoke from a particularly vivid dream to find a gentleman sitting beside the bed. It was dark, and there were no lights near the bed to disturb her rest. She lay still for a moment, trying to make out the shadowy figure beside her. Sleep still clouded her mind and she lifted her hand a little from the covers.
‘Ralph?’
‘No, Elinor. Go back to sleep.’ Davenham’s voice came to her from a great distance. She wanted to smile, to tell him she was glad he was beside her, but the effort was too great and she drifted away again into slumber.
The fever passed, but it left Elinor weak and listless. On the doctor’s advice Elinor was lifted from her bed each morning and made comfortable upon a day-bed that had been drawn over to the window, so that she could look out upon the small pleasure garden that had been built to the earl’s design. As spring passed into summer the garden bloomed with colour, providing a delightful prospect for the invalid, although she scarcely seemed to notice it. Every day the viscount came to sit with her for an hour, reading from books that might amuse her, or bringing her news of her acquaintance in Town. He was careful to avoid any mention of Lord Thurleigh or any other matter he thought might upset her, yet all his attempts at entertainment evoked no response. Elinor would listen to him in silence, a closed look upon her face that seemed to shut out the world. Davenham was in despair. It seemed no amount of coaxing would bring the fire back to those green eyes that now gazed at him so indifferently.
* * * *
Lord Hartworth was aware of his son’s growing anxiety, noting the grim set of his mouth after each visit, and at length he decided it was time to try a different approach. On a particularly sunny morning Lord Hartworth visited the sick-room. Hannah had just finished making Elinor comfortable upon the day bed when the earl entered.
‘May I come in? If you will permit me, Madame, there are a few matters I should like to discuss with you.’ He gestured to Hannah to leave the room, then he drew up a chair towards the day-bed and sat down. ‘My son fears to upset you, but I know you are a young woman of considerable spirit, Elinor Burchard, and you deserve to know the truth.’ Receiving no response, the earl turned his gaze to the window. ‘I cannot remember looking at the garden from this point before. I designed it, you know. It is looking beautiful this morning, do you not think so? Although I do think the roses on the west wall should have been cut back a little harder. They look decidedly untidy.’
‘I like their wildness.’
Not by so much as the flicker of an eyelid did my lord acknowledge that anything unusual had occurred, although he was well aware that Elinor had spoken to no one since the fever had abated. Her merely nodded, his eyes still fixed upon the window.
‘Perhaps you are right. I came to tell you that Bishop Furminger has now made his confession to the proper authorities. You will be pleased to know that he will now be judged as he deserves. Also, his Majesty is very grateful to you for your part in bringing the traitors to justice.’
He paused, turning slightly to observe her as he spoke again. ‘You should also know that the bodies of Lord and Lady Thurleigh have disappeared.’
Elinor’s eyes widened slightly.
‘I sent to Lord Thurleigh’s town house the day after his death, as soon as the streets were safe again, but it seems Thurleigh’s servants never returned there.’
‘Then, the ruby has gone, too.’
‘Yes.’
Elinor gazed blankly out of the window.
‘It was in truth a blood stone. I pray it will not curse another family as it has done mine.’ Her eyes fixed themselves upon the earl. ‘Is there no hope of learning the truth?’
‘I fear not. A search of the area brought to light the burned-out shell of a large carriage, but there was no means of identifying it. I think we must face the possibility that the marquis and his wife may never be found. Which brings me to the point of my visit.’
A tinge of colour crept into Elinor’s pale cheek, but she continued to meet his gaze.
‘My lord – you know of Lady Thurleigh’s disclosure?’
‘Jonathan told me.’
She looked down at her hands, clasped together in her lap.
‘You should also know, sir, that the story is borne out by what I have learned from Hannah. There seems no reason to doubt that I am … I am the daughter of the Marquis of Thurleigh.’ Her voice was scarcely above a whisper and a fleeting glance at the earl’s face told her nothing of his thoughts. ‘I am sorry - I fear I have inconvenienced you long enough, sir. Regretfully I do not yet have the strength, but if you would be good enough to make the arrangements for me, I shall of course remove from your house at the earliest possible –’
‘If that is your wish, Madame, I can only wonder that you have not spoken of it sooner.’
The earl’s tone was perfectly reasonable, but still Elinor winced.
‘In truth, my lord, I have been refusing to consider the matter. I offer you my apologies, for I know you will want me gone from here.’
‘You know nothing of the sort, young lady!’
She drew out her handkerchief. ‘I am sorry, my lord.’
‘And I wish you would rid yourself of this tiresome habit of apologising for everything. I have no idea why you should think it necessary to do so. Doubtless you mean to tell me you are sorry for saving my son’s life?’
She afforded his words a watery chuckle. ‘Indeed, sir, I could never do that!’
‘Then let us get back to the matter in hand. From what Davenham has told me, the servants were too far away to hear Lady Thurleigh’s story, so the only people who know of your parentage are in this house.’
‘Is that not enough?’
‘Answer me one thing, child.’ He ignored her interruption. ‘Do you wish to acknowledge the connection?’
She stared at him. ‘Of course I do not!’
‘Don’t forget, Elinor, that the marquis was a very rich man. I believe the title must pass to a male heir, but the best part of his property would go to any legitimate child of his marriage.’
Elinor shook her head.
‘I have more than enough for my needs. I should be desperate indeed before I could be induced to touch one groat of his fortune!’
‘That is as I expected,’ said the earl, rising. ‘Well, let them fight it out amongst themselves, all those distant relatives who will now turn up, claiming their part of the Thurleigh inheritance. As for
you, child, if you are content to be known as the daughter of Ambrose Burchard, I see no reason why that should not be the case. Indeed, I think it is the greatest compliment you could pay my old friend.’
‘Th-thank you, my lord.’
‘And perhaps I could persuade you to take a little stroll around the gardens later. I think you will find that upon closer inspection you will agree with me about the roses.’
With a smile and a bow my lord turned and walked out of the room. Elinor, dazed by the effort the interview had cost her, rested her head against the cushions to consider all that had been said. After a few moments her eyelids drooped and when Hannah came into the room a little while later she found her mistress in a deep slumber.
* * * *
Following the earl’s visit Elinor made rapid progress. As summer reached its height the earl and his household removed to Hart Chase, where my lady hoped Elinor would benefit from the country air. The house at Knight’s Bridge was given up and Elinor was persuaded to make an indefinite stay with Lord and Lady Hartworth. No longer obliged to hide away, she could now take part in the picnics, rides and parties that were arranged between the neighbouring families and with these mild entertainments she passed away the summer months. Lord Davenham had not accompanied them, and if Elinor was missing his company, she gave no sign, nor would she admit even to herself how many hours were spent in useless fantasies. She conducted herself with calm assurance and such an air of serenity that Lady Hartworth was convinced they had mistaken the matter. However, the earl would not be drawn. He merely smiled knowingly and went about his business.
* * * *
At the beginning of September Lord Davenham sent a message to say he would be joining his parents for a brief visit. Elinor heard the news calmly, thinking that after a separation of more than six weeks she was well able to cope with meeting the viscount again. Yet when he entered the library at Hart Chase two days later, she could not prevent the colour rising to her cheeks. The earl and his lady had gone out to visit friends and Elinor was alone, engaged in making a fair copy of a household inventory when Lord Davenham walked in. Taken by surprise and furious with herself for blushing, her embarrassment was complete when her pen spluttered, blotting the neat lines of figures she had just completed. The viscount’s harsh look relaxed as he watched her.
‘I find that very encouraging,’ he remarked, stripping off his riding gloves. ‘I am not sure whether or not you are pleased to see me, but at least you are not indifferent to my arrival!’
She laughed and came around the big mahogany desk, holding out her hand to him.
‘How could I be indifferent, when you have made me spoil my whole morning’s work? How do you do, my lord?’
‘That’s much better,’ he told her, holding on to her hand and smiling down at her in a way that made her heart pound uncomfortably. ‘I was afraid you would greet me as coldly as you bade me goodbye.’
Elinor felt the heat in her face. She disengaged her hand and turned away from him.
‘Was I cold?’
‘As an iceberg,’ he assured her cheerfully.
‘Well, you could hardly call your own manner friendly!’ she retorted, nettled. ‘And then to remain in Town, with never a word to us for so long!’ She broke off, conscious that she had allowed her feelings to get the better of her.
‘Have you missed me, Nell?’
‘Of – of course not.’ She tried to recover her ground. ‘We are so busy here, I have no time to think of anything...’
‘So busy in fact that you are reduced to copying out lists of household linens,’ he interrupted her, picking up the inventory. He tossed it aside as his eye alighted upon another scrap of paper. ‘Too busy to miss me?’
His eyes gleamed as he held up the scrap, upon which were drawn and embellished the initials JD in a very elaborate script. With a gasp Elinor put her hands to her cheeks.
‘I – I must have been day-dreaming!’ she cried, a look of dismay upon her countenance. ‘Pray, give it to me.’
She reached out but with a laugh Davenham snatched back his hand, holding up the paper.
‘Come here and take it.’
‘Wretch!’ Elinor stepped forward, stretching up to take the note from his hand. She became aware of how close she was standing to Lord Davenham and could not resist the impulse to look at him. In that brief second he bent his head and kissed her. The touch of his lips triggered the longing she had kept locked away for so many months. She returned his kiss fiercely, revelling in the contact as he wrapped her in his arms and pressed her to him.
‘Oh Nell, I have wanted to do this for so long!’ he muttered.
Elinor said nothing, but gave a little moan of pleasure. Her arms tightened about his neck as if to hold him there forever.
Later, when Davenham was sitting in an armchair with Elinor curled up on his lap, he said: ‘Oh Nell, I’ve missed you. I cannot tell you how many times I have wanted to ride down here and ask you to marry me, but I told myself you need time to recover. Not for the world would I rush you.’
She buried her face in his shoulder.
‘Oh pray do not talk of marriage! You must see how impossible that is. I don’t deny that, at one time, I had hoped…. but now everything is changed.’
He held her away from him, frowning into her face.
‘What is it, Elinor? Would an offer from me be so repugnant to you?’
Her eyes filled with tears.
‘Not to me, my lord,’ she managed to say, her voice breaking, ‘but to you – and your family….’
‘Here, take this.’ He gave her his handkerchief. ‘When you have dried your tears perhaps you will tell me what makes you think my family would object to our marriage?’
Having dutifully wiped her eyes, Elinor took a deep breath and began to speak, her fingers folding the viscount’s fine lawn handkerchief into tiny pleats as she sought her words.
‘You all see me as - as an obligation. Despite what your father says, I am the daughter of his bitterest enemy, scarcely the wife he would choose for you! And your mama made it quite plain to me that she regarded Lady Thurleigh as little more than a – than a –’
The viscount put an end to her explanation by the simple if ruthless expedient of kissing her, after which he told her lovingly not to be such a goose.
‘You cannot be held responsible for the misdeeds of your ancestors – why, if you cared to read my own family history I daresay you would find any number of rogues amongst them. In fact, if I remember correctly, the first earl was no saint, married his first wife for her fortune, then poisoned her off so that he could marry some cousin of the king, which is how he came by the earldom. Then of course there was the fourth earl, Robert, who had his own mother clapped up for treason-’
‘Oh pray be quiet!’ cried Elinor, between tears and laughter. ‘How can I make you understand that this case is quite different?’
‘You won’t,’ he said, looking at her with such a glow in his blue eyes that her heart began to pound in the most erratic manner. ‘I can assure you, Madame, that I have my parents’ full approval for the offer I am about to make you. Not that it is necessary, for I have been my own master for years, you know, but I suspect that you would not even consider my proposal without my family’s blessing, am I right?’
‘You are, my lord.’
‘Very well, then! In our eyes, my love, you remain the much-loved daughter of my father’s dear friend, and nothing would give us greater pleasure than a union between the two families. Well, Madame de Sange?’
She rose and moved away from him, still kneading the handkerchief between her fingers.
‘You are aware, my Lord Davenham, that I have had a – a very varied life?’
‘I am. And I hope we shall enjoy a very varied marriage! I will do my best to make you happy, Elinor.’
She smiled at that.
‘But could I make you happy, Jonathan? You would not be the first man in my life, you realize that?’
She shook her head, a faint smile curving her lips. ‘He told me he was not for me; at the time I could not believe it, but now I see that he was right. I owe him a great deal.’
The cloud lifted from the viscount’s brow.
‘Then what is there to prevent our marriage?’
‘If only I could be sure you would not regret it!’
He lifted her hands to his lips, kissing each of her fingers in turn.
‘No one can be sure of the future, Elinor, but I will try my best to make you happy. I love you very much, my dear. Will you consent to be my wife?’
She nodded, smiling mistily through her tears.
‘Yes,’ she whispered, ‘Oh yes, Davenham, I will!’
Copyright © 2003 by Melinda Hammond
Originally published by Robert Hale (London) [9780709073987]
Electronically published in 2013 by Belgrave House/Regency Reads
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No portion of this book may be reprinted in whole or in part, by printing, faxing, E-mail, copying electronically or by any other means without permission of the publisher. For more information, contact Belgrave House, 190 Belgrave Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94117-4228
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This is a work of fiction. All names in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to any person living or dead is coincidental.
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