by Anne Herries
He had called her his dear one! All the rest went over her head. She looked at him uncertainly.
‘Do you think that Mama thinks of you as a matrimonial prize?’
‘Mrs Horne has more sense,’ Drew said. ‘She told me that she does not care much for worldly things and wants only your happiness.’
‘Mama married for love and was happy until the day Papa died.’
‘She was fortunate,’ Drew said and frowned. ‘This is what I wanted to speak to you of, Marianne. I believe you must know that I have strong feelings for you—and I think you may have similar feelings towards me?’
Marianne nodded, but could not trust herself to answer. Drew took her hand as they sat down on the bench, looking at each other.
‘To understand what I am about to say, you must know that both my parents died when I was a small child. I hardly remember them. I was left to the care of a nursemaid, who enjoyed smacking troublesome boys, and I believe I must have tried her patience sorely, for I was always a little wild. When I was old enough, my uncle put me in the charge of a tutor, who took not the slightest interest in my welfare for years and then I was sent away to school, because I spent my time in the woods rather than studying. My uncle had a son of his own and I think he could not be bothered with his brother’s child.’
‘Oh, Drew,’ Marianne said, and her heart felt for him. ‘How alone you must have been. I always had the love of my mother and sisters—and especially Papa. He was so wonderful, Drew. I wish you could have known him.’
‘I did meet him once,’ Drew said, surprising her. ‘I was home on leave after Salamanca and, as I may have told you before, I was near mad with grief and anger. One morning I walked into a church. I stood there and the anger must have been in my face for a man came up to me. He asked me why I was so bitter and I told him that I no longer believed in God. Instead of raging at me for being a blasphemer, he invited me into the vestry and we sat and talked. I do not recall what either of us said, but I know that something about him seemed to reach into me and take away the pain…’ He smiled at her. ‘It was the beginning of my recovery. He was your father, Marianne.’
‘Oh, Drew,’ she whispered and tears hovered in her lovely eyes. ‘I am so glad that you knew him…that he helped you. He was like that, everyone said it.’
‘I did not know he was your father then,’ Drew said. ‘I have since realised it, but I did not know then.’ He reached out and touched her cheek. ‘I wanted you from the first moment I saw you, and though I tried to put you from my mind, you never quite left me. I think you must know that I have wanted to make love to you several times, but…’
‘But you do not wish to marry?’
‘No, that is not what I meant to say,’ Drew said. ‘I shall be honoured and happy if you will consent to be my wife, Marianne—but I have hesitated, because I am afraid of hurting you. I have not always been a good man or a sensible one. There is a wild streak in me, which I have tried to control, but I cannot say it has been tamed—and though I care for you, need you in my life, I am not sure that I can give you the kind of love you deserve. I am not sure that I know how to love a girl like you, my dearest. I want you, need you…desperately, but I fear that I may hurt you one day.’
‘Oh, Drew…’ Marianne’s breath caught in her throat. She wanted to weep, but she also wanted to laugh, because she felt happy. He did care for her, he did want her. She reached out and took his hand. ‘I love you, Drew. I think I fell in love with you the first time you kissed me, though I did not dare to think it then. Since then that love has become stronger and deeper, and I think I should never have married had you not asked me.’ She smiled at him. ‘Yes, I shall marry you, Drew, though I must ask you if Lucy may come and stay with us often, for it upsets her to be parted from me.’
‘She may live with us if it pleases you,’ he said gruffly and reached for her, drawing her into his arms to kiss her with such tenderness and sweetness that any lingering doubts disappeared. ‘Teach me how to love and be loved,’ Drew said in a humble tone that made her smile. ‘I don’t want to hurt you, my darling, and I am so afraid that I shall.’
‘If you hurt me unintentionally, it will mend,’ Marianne said. ‘Papa told me once that human beings are frail creatures and we cannot help hurting each other sometimes, but if a quarrel is made up before the day is finished it will be forgotten by the next.’
‘Your papa was a wise man,’ Drew said and kissed her softly. ‘I think we should go back now, my dearest one. The rascal is watching everything we do and I think perhaps your mama should be told of our intention to marry.’
‘Yes, that would be a good thing,’ Marianne said and stood up. They strolled back across the grass to the curricle and Drew helped her up.
The rascal grinned as he gave the reins to his master and hopped up at the back. ‘All settled then, milord,’ he said. ‘I’ve won me bet, for ’Arry said as you weren’t the marryin’ kind, and I bet him a shilling that you would be wed afore Christmas.’
‘As for that, it depends on Miss Marianne,’ Drew said and tossed him a florin from his pocket. ‘Watch your tongue, rascal. I shall expect some respect for my wife in future.’
‘Right you are, milord,’ the rascal said, his grin becoming even wider as he looked at Marianne. ‘Robbie told me you were a real beauty. He said that if milord let you go, he would be a bigger fool than he thought.’
Marianne laughed as Drew gave him an awful look. If the rascal and the pirate were representative of Drew’s servants, it must be an unusual household.
‘I cannot wait to meet the rest of your servants,’ she said in a low voice to Drew. He smiled at her, but made no comment. Marianne thought that perhaps she understood. Having no family, he had taken the rascal under his wing, treating him with careless affection, and no doubt, it was a similar feeling that made his friendship with Robbie what it was, but perhaps that was the limit of his indulgence, for the servants at Marlbeck would have served his uncle and be of a very different ilk.
‘I cannot wait to take you home,’ he said. ‘But first we must settle the wedding—shall it be here or at Lady Edgeworthy’s home? I understand that your mama and sisters are to make their home with her.’
‘Yes, that is so,’ Marianne said. ‘We must ask Mama and my great-aunt what they think would be best. For myself, I think I should like it to be at Sawlebridge House, but we must ask them.’
‘I am sure they will be happy to do as you wish,’ Drew said. ‘If they agree, I shall return to Cornwall and make the arrangements at the end of the week.’
In the event it was decided that they would all return to Sawlebridge at the end of that week. Lady Edgeworthy was delighted that Marianne thought of it as her home and was eager to make her wedding a happy occasion. She told them that she had enjoyed her stay in Bath, but would prefer to live at Sawlebridge House now that she had company.
‘You will be living with me, Cynthia,’ she said, looking very content. ‘And Jo will come to us after her visit with Lady Wainwright—and, of course, dear Lucy will be with us for some years yet.’
‘Jo has written to say that the visit to Bath has been deferred yet again,’ Mrs Horne said. ‘She must come for your wedding, Marianne, and my sister may come with her if she wishes. They may travel to Bath from there.’
‘Yes, for I should love to see Jo again,’ Marianne said. Her eyes were glowing with happiness as she looked at her mother and aunt. ‘It is all so very wonderful. I thought that Drew had forgotten me—but he was ill. He went out in a storm and Robbie had to nurse him through an illness, but he came straight here as soon as he was well enough.’
‘Yes, he told me that he had been unwell for a few days. Apparently it was a fever that he contracted while fighting with the army overseas, and it returns now and then, though he assures me it is not serious,’ Mrs Horne said. ‘So everything is just as you would like, my dear?’
‘Yes, Mama,’ Marianne said. ‘Of course it is. I love Drew very much a
nd I want to be his wife.’
If a little voice in her head told her that she wanted him to declare his love, she quashed it ruthlessly. Her heart told her that he did love her, but as he had confessed, he did not know what loving meant. She was sure that when they had been married for a while he would come to understand that what he felt for her was love.
Henriette looked at the ring on Marianne’s left hand when they attended her dance. She frowned for the news had filtered through, as it always did in small communities.
‘You did not tell me that you were to marry Lord Marlbeck?’
‘I did not know it myself until yesterday,’ Marianne said. ‘We knew that we liked each other very well, but he had not proposed.’
‘Oh…’ Henriette sighed, but did her best to hide her disappointment. ‘He is very handsome—and Mama says rich, but I do not care for that part of it. I hope that I meet someone as interesting as Lord Marlbeck one day, for at the moment I do not wish to marry any of the gentlemen I have met.’
‘I am sure you will one day,’ Marianne said. ‘Perhaps next year when you have your Season in London.’
‘Yes, perhaps,’ Henriette said, but she looked wistful as she saw Drew approaching. ‘You are so lucky, Marianne…’
‘Yes, I am,’ Marianne said and smiled as he came up to her. ‘I have saved three dances for you, Drew—though you are a little late.’
‘Yes, I am sorry for it,’ he said. ‘A friend of mine came to see me and I was delayed.’ He frowned and she sensed that he was bothered by something. ‘I must leave in the morning early. I had meant to accompany you home, as you know—but something has happened.’
‘Is something wrong, Drew?’
‘Nothing that need concern us this evening,’ he said and smiled at her. ‘They are playing a waltz—I trust this is one of my dances?’
‘Yes, it is,’ she said and went into his arms.
‘Oh, it was such fun last night,’ Lucy said as she sat on the edge of Marianne’s bed the next morning and stole the sweet biscuits from her plate. It was a ritual they had got into since they had come to Bath and both of them enjoyed it. ‘I am looking forward to your wedding, Marianne, but I shall miss you so much when you go away.’
‘You will soon make friends,’ Marianne told her. ‘Aunt Bertha told me that she knows of one or two girls of your age that live not far from her. She will invite them and their mamas to tea and you will get to know them.’
‘It isn’t like having you and Jo,’ Lucy said. ‘I like Henriette, of course, and she says that she shall write to me, but she isn’t you, Marianne.’
‘Well, you may come and stay with us when we are married,’ Marianne said. ‘Drew says that you are welcome to stay as often as you like.’
‘Oh…’ Lucy’s face lit up. ‘Then perhaps I don’t mind you getting married after all!’ Lucy took her hand, examining the beautiful sapphire and diamond ring on Marianne’s third finger. ‘This is so pretty. You will have lots of jewels when you are married, I expect.’
‘Perhaps, but I already have the pearls that Aunt Bertha gave me. I have returned Mama’s pearls now that I have my own, for Jo may wish to wear them.’
Lucy looked thoughtful. ‘Henriette said that I shall have to curtsy to you when you are the Marchioness of Marlbeck.’
‘Henriette talks a lot of nonsense,’ Marianne said and smiled as she leaned forward to kiss her sister’s cheek. ‘Drew does not expect you to curtsy to him, does he?’
‘Oh, no,’ Lucy said and giggled at the idea. ‘He wouldn’t, of course, because he is such a tease. I like him. He makes me laugh—and he gave me a guinea the other day, but said not to tell anyone.’
‘Just like Papa,’ Marianne said and laughed. ‘He used to give us a shilling and warn us not to tell Mama—do you remember?’
‘Yes.’ Lucy nodded. ‘He gave money to the village children as well—do you suppose Drew does that, too?’
‘I should not be surprised,’ Marianne said, because she was discovering that there were many sides to the man she loved. ‘Go and get dressed now, my dearest. We have a long journey ahead of us and Aunt Bertha wants to start by ten o’clock.’
‘Yes, I hadn’t forgotten,’ Lucy said and snatched another biscuit before she left.
Marianne threw back the bedcovers and got up. She was glad to be returning to Sawlebridge, which had become her home these past weeks. In another few weeks she would be married, and then she would have to make her home at Marlbeck, as Drew’s wife.
She began to sing as she dressed, feeling the happiness wash over her. It seemed odd to remember that when they came to Bath she had been close to despair.
They had been home for two days now, and each day had been wet, dull and dark. The rascal had delivered a note to Marianne on the second day. Drew had sent his apologies, but said that he would not be able to call that day, because he was busy, but would come the next day unless something happened to delay him.
Marianne had given the rascal a shilling and asked him if everything was well at the cliff house.
‘The food ain’t much good,’ the rascal said, ‘’cause Robbie ain’t much of a cook. But I’ve ’ad worse. His lordship has a friend stayin’, see, and he’s out all the time. They’re searchin’ for some geezer what is gonna be in trouble when they get ’im—but I dunno more than that, ’cause his lordship told me to mind me own business.’
‘Oh, I see,’ Marianne said and frowned as she returned to the house. She had almost forgotten about Mr Hambleton, and the smugglers in the cove seemed a distant dream. She was sure it must be him that Drew and his friend were searching for, though she would have thought he would have gone long ago.
On the third morning the sun shone and it was much warmer than of late. Marianne spent the morning writing wedding invitations and opening some gifts, which had already begun to arrive. At a little before noon she went out into the garden to cut some flowers. There were still quite a few roses and some lilies, besides a pretty tall-stemmed daisy that would look well in her aunt’s parlour.
She was smiling as she laid the blooms one by one in her basket, feeling the warmth of the sun on the back of her neck. She hoped that it would be fine on the day of her wedding, but it would be late October then and she could hardly expect it to be as warm as this. Not that it mattered. She would be happy to be married whatever the weather.
‘So…’ a harsh voice said behind her, making her jump. ‘Nothing changes with you, except that I have heard that you are to marry that devil Marlbeck…if I don’t make you a widow before you’re a wife.’
Marianne swirled round, her face draining of colour as she saw Joshua Hambleton standing there. He looked different—he had not shaved and his beard had grown untidily, his hair looking as if it had not been combed for a long time. Her hand went to her throat, fear shafting through her.
‘What are you doing here? Why have you come?’
‘I am tired of living rough,’ Joshua said, his eyes glinting with anger. ‘All this would have been mine had it not been for you. Now I have nothing. I am ruined. There is nowhere for me to go, because they are looking for me everywhere.’
‘You are a traitor to your country,’ Marianne said, raising her head proudly. ‘You betrayed men who were your comrades for money—and you passed information to a French spy. You brought your ruin on yourself, sir. Besides, I do not think that you are who you say.’
He moved closer. ‘I have been many people,’ he said. ‘But I could have been a gentleman if you had not come here and ruined it all.’
Marianne took a step backwards, because she sensed the festering hatred in him and knew that he meant to harm her. ‘You had no right to anything—but if you had behaved differently, my aunt would not have disinherited you.’
‘But she did because of you.’ Joshua took out a little pistol and pointed it at Marianne, making her give a little cry of fear. He laughed evilly. ‘Oh, I don’t mean to kill you yet. I want revenge on that devil Marlbeck�
�and I want money. I am taking you with me, Miss Horne, and he can pay to get you back, if he wants you.’
‘No!’ Marianne backed away. Her gaze was fixed on his face, meeting his look of menace with pride and courage. ‘I shall not come with you. You cannot make me.’
‘Maybe it would please me to see you dead,’ Joshua said. He reached out and made a grab for her wrist, but she avoided him, retreating slowly but steadily towards the house. ‘Do as you are told, damn you! If you resist, I shall kill you now rather than later.’
‘Pull that trigger and you’re a dead man,’ a voice said from behind Joshua, causing him to spin round, his pistol now pointing at Drew. ‘Shoot me and you will hang. I’m not alone. There are fifty men on this estate searching for you. You were seen making your way here earlier. We know that you met with Raoul Viera at the mine last night, and we know that you fell out with him. He refused to pay you for your losses and you killed him. We found his body this morning, though you had thrown it into the mine shaft. You are finished, Hambleton, or whatever you call yourself now.’
‘Then I might as well take you with me and her!’ Joshua cried, his finger coming down on the hammer. At that precise moment, Marianne threw herself at his back, knocking him forward and causing his shot to misfire. In the next instant, Drew was on him, and her heart was in her mouth as they struggled for Joshua’s pistol, and then, suddenly it went spinning from his hand. ‘Damn you!’ Joshua swore as he struck out at Drew with such ferocity that for a moment he staggered and let go of his arm. Instantly, Joshua started to run.
Drew took aim at his retreating back, but then as Marianne came to him, touching his arm, he looked at her and lowered his pistol.
