An Adventurous Lady

by Valerie King

  “You have,” Sir Edgar said. “Do you mean one that indicates where the treasure is buried?”

  “Yes, precisely so,” she responded enthusiastically.

  “By Jove, but this is famous.”

  “Sir Edgar,” Rotherstone interjected, a hard light in his eye. “If you please.”

  The baronet rose hastily to his feet. “Tell me you do not mean to be mulish about this, Gage. She has a map, and even I have grown sufficiently familiar with the tales abounding in your neighborhood.to know of its significance.”

  “That is hardly the issue.”

  “Then what is?” Evelina asked firmly.

  Rotherstone narrowed his eyes. “That I strongly suspect you intend to incommode me with the object of the map, which no doubt places the treasure somewhere on Blacklands. But mark my words, my lady, I have no intention of digging up even a square inch of my property merely to serve your curiosity or that of my neighbors. Besides, I rather suppose that you have in some manner been wretchedly humbugged.”

  Evelina could not help but glance at Sir Edgar. For one thing, she wanted to see just how he had responded to his friend’s outburst. But she also wanted to determine if she might have an ally in him. Sir Edgar, however, had returned to the table where they had been playing piquet. He was now placing the cards in a neat stack, his back to both of them. It would seem she must fend for herself.

  Turning to Rotherstone, she asked, “Will you not at least discuss the matter with me?”

  “No,” he responded.

  “Do you even care to look at the map? I have brought it with me.”

  “I have not the smallest interest.”

  “Then there is nothing I can say or do to persuade you on any score?”

  “Nothing.”

  Evelina regarded him frankly for a long moment. She was not in the least deterred, though she could not say precisely why. He was clearly not to be moved, yet she must find a way to deliver him out of his mulish position. But how? Only one course of action came to her, but Sir Edgar’s presence made such a notion impossible to execute. She thought it possible that, had they been alone, she might have offered another kiss in hopes he would acquiesce. In her experience, gentlemen became quite agreeable when permitted to hold a lady in their arms.

  This was not to be, however, so she rose to her feet. “I suppose I must take my leave then and beg your pardon for having inconvenienced you.”

  “I suppose you must,” he responded, also rising.

  He did not even smile, the beast.

  She huffed an impatient sigh. “Permit me to say, my lord, that your attitude toward your neighbors is completely incomprehensible to me. Indeed, I would like to think that were you to relent in your isolation, you might find a friend or two in Kent.”

  * * * * * * * * *

  Rotherstone regarded Lady Evelina closely and tried to determine her motivation for saying such a thing to him. He thought it likely she was hoping that if she enlightened him, he would agree to allow a great deal of digging on Blacklands. He knew, however, that she had no notion just how disinclined he was to oblige any of his neighbors. “Though I will disappoint you, I daresay we will never be of a mind in that regard.”

  She frowned slightly. “But are you entirely certain that you do not wish to see the map? I assure you, it is fascinating and is dated from 1652.”

  “Since, as you have said, the treasure appears to be on my lands, why do you not give me the map and be done with it?”

  She appeared quite shocked.

  “I see,” he responded, smiling. “You want the treasure for yourself.”

  She seemed unable to speak. Her mouth opened and closed several times.

  “Just as I thought.”

  Finally, she said rather heatedly, “I can see that you are disgusted with me, but I believe you have mistaken my hesitation. In truth, I have not thought at all about the actual treasure, merely the finding of it. However, if I did have command of the treasure, I think I would make certain that it belonged to the community.”

  He barked a fairly substantial amount of cynical laughter. “You are quite naive if you think your neighbors will simply permit a treasure of any value to be given to a local charity or good work. I am fully persuaded there is more than one of your acquaintance who will want the treasure for himself.”

  “I cannot pretend to know all the intentions of our neighbors, but I am not so unhopeful as you.”

  “So you will not give me the map?”

  “The map, my lord, is one thing I do believe belongs to me, since I found it in my own attic.”

  “Very well, but you may tell our delightful neighbors that I have no intention of allowing even one of them to set foot on my property.”

  Evelina watched him closely. She could see that he felt confident this would be the end of the matter, but regardless of his present stubbornness, she was not cast down. She had begun this adventure, and she would see it through to a proper end. She would gain his support and cooperation. She would find the buried treasure.

  Therefore, she offered him a smile, thanked him for his time, bid Sir Edgar a good-day, then quit the chamber. Leaving the house, she approached her mount wondering how it was possible she had ever enjoyed kissing such a horrible man.

  * * * * * * * * *

  Rotherstone moved to the window overlooking the drive and watched as his recent guest mounted her horse, gathered her reins and encouraged her gelding to begin at a walk down his long drive. He felt strangely uneasy about his encounter with Lady Evelina, but he could not understand why. He had conducted himself with her as he had with any of his officious neighbors who dared to call on him uninvited. He had made his dislike of her presence clear, and he had thwarted her plan to invade his lands. Yes, he should have been well pleased. Instead, something nagged at him.

  Sir Edgar drew near. “She has an excellent seat,” he commented.

  “Yes, I suppose she does.”

  “Do hold back your enthusiasm,” he retorted, “I am embarrassed by such an excessive display.”

  At that, Rotherstone smiled. “You are right. I am hardly being fair. She sits her horse uncommonly well.”

  “Much better, only will you please explain to me how it came about you treated possibly the most beautiful lady in the entire world in such a cowhanded fashion, as though you have not a particle of wit in your brain?”

  “I believe our Lady Evelina has quite turned your head.”

  “Damme, I liked her very much indeed,” he responded. “And it was not just her beauty. I thought her quite an unusual female. Did you not think so?”

  “Unusual in that she paid a call on a bachelor’s establishment without a maid in attendance?”

  “No, unusual in that she did not attempt even once to throw herself at your head. You must give her that. I did not hear one word of flattery pass her lips. Although perhaps she was too frightened to do so when you were being so high-handed.”

  “I must disagree with you there,” he said, frowning. “I daresay she was not frightened of me a jot.”

  “No, by God, she wasn’t. Well, then, I do like her. Only why did you not let her show you the map? I vow I was all agog to see it myself.”

  “You cannot possibly believe for a moment that it was anything more than a hum, do you?”

  Sir Edgar shrugged. “I suppose now we shall never know.”

  Rotherstone turned to face his friend, who appeared rather forlorn. “Is it possible you have tumbled in love with her?”

  Sir Edgar ran a careless hand through his blond locks. “No,” he drawled. “I think not, though I will admit she was excessively pretty. But it was something else. Do you know, she quite put me in mind of Emily Cowper. That same gentle spirit but with a determination underneath, almost of adventure were the right circumstance to present itself. I had not been in her company but two or three minutes before she knew more of my history than many of my friends. Yes, I liked her very much indeed.”

 
; Rotherstone watched her trot down the drive. “Perhaps you ought to court her.”

  Sir Edgar glanced at him, a speculative light in his eye. “Maybe I shall, by God.”

  “You cannot be serious. You heard her quite impertinent suggestion that I allow her to hunt for treasure on my land, and this from a stranger. Only one motivation sits at the bottom of that lady’s heart—a desire to be mistress here.”

  At that, Sir Edgar burst out laughing. “You have been far too long in possession of your rank if that is what you think. I never saw a lady less interested in a house or, indeed, in you, once you came the crab with her. However, I shan’t complain, for were you to charm her, I daresay I should not have even the smallest chance of winning her. In fact, I beg you will excuse me.”

  “Of course.”

  Sir Edgar quit the chamber on a run, and a moment later Rotherstone watched him emerge from the house onto the drive and call after Lady Evelina.

  The lady drew her horse up, turned the black gelding about and began walking her mount at a quick pace back to Sir Edgar. A conversation ensued that resulted in the lady laughing, nodding several times and at last resuming her course. Rotherstone found himself quite irritated. There could be no doubt that Sir Edgar had just arranged to call on her.

  He should have felt completely indifferent. He had no true interest in Lady Evelina, since he had already taken her measure regardless of Sir Edgar’s protests. However, memories assaulted him quite suddenly of just how she had felt in his arms the night he had found her trespassing. He felt a dreadful sinking sensation in his heart. She had been a small miracle that night, a gentle surprise. He had meant to punish her by kissing her, and instead the kiss had transported him out of the doldrums of his present existence. He had entered a place that reminded him of his youth, when he was full of hope and even excitement for the future. He admitted now what he had been striving to deny since his first encounter with Lady Evelina: that when he had kissed her, he had felt fully alive for the first time in many, many years.

  He only wished she had not been so very determined about the map and about the supposed buried treasure. He did not like her determination, not in the least. And as for her denial that she had thought nothing of the treasure itself, he simply did not believe her. He was five and thirty and had had a great deal of experience in the world. His betrothed of several years ago, the beautiful Angelique Punnett—with whom he had believed himself to be deeply in love—had broken their engagement to marry a wealthy marquess. She had been a masterful teacher, and he had promised himself that he would never forget the lessons learned under her tutelage.

  No, whatever Lady Evelina’s protests, he could not believe she was indifferent to the treasure.

  * * * * * * * * *

  A half hour later, Evelina left her horse at the Wildings stable and returned on a brisk step to the house. She was smiling, and it was Sir Edgar who had placed the smile on her lips. He had given her such hope, and wouldn’t Rotherstone be shocked were he to know that his friend meant to be of use to her.

  Before she had crossed the gallery, William came racing up to her, throwing his arms wide. He was still small enough—but not for long, no doubt—to enable her to catch him up in her arms. She did so now and swung him in several circles until he was giggling and calling for more.

  “I must stop,” she said. She released him and struggled to keep her balance. Pretending to be far too dizzy to do so, she sank into a heap, at which time he launched himself on her. This afforded a perfect opportunity to commence a lengthy tickling. More giggling ensued, and before two minutes had passed, Mia, Alison and Sophy entered the gallery to see what all the laughter was about.

  “Dear ones,” Evelina said.

  Mia, just sixteen and feeling every year, refused to join in the fun, but neither Sophy nor Alison held to the smallest speckle of propriety and took to tormenting their brother quite happily as well. They were twins, just two years Will’s senior. Mia, however, stood by and occasionally reached down to give her brother’s arm a tweak.

  The melee did not cease until the soft tones of Lady Chelwood’s voice intruded. “What news, Evie?”

  The children untangled themselves at once, and Evelina rose to her feet. Her bonnet was hanging by a loose knot and her neat curls had come undone, unleashing a waterfall of her curly red hair. “Good morning, Mama. How are you feeling?”

  “Quite well since Bolney put a little oil in the wheels.” The dowager Lady Chelwood was an invalid and confined most of the time to a Bath chair. She was still a lovely woman even though she was some years past fifty. Her red hair was only slightly graying, and when she smiled, as she was now, her green eyes still sparkled. “But enough of me. Has Rotherstone agreed to permit you and our neighbors to explore his lands? I would not have thought it possible, but you could not appear happier than in this moment.”

  Evelina huffed a sturdy breath and crossed the room to her quickly. “He has not agreed, at least not yet.”

  “But you are hopeful?” Lady Chelwood sounded entirely disbelieving.

  “I refuse to be unhopeful,” she responded, bending down to kiss her mother’s cheek. She then twirled the chair about and began pushing her mother back into the drawing room that connected to the gallery.

  Her mother remonstrated at once, insisting that if she were not permitted to manage her own chair, she would soon grow too weak to be of use to anyone. Evelina refused to listen and did not cease pushing her until she was settled near the fireplace. “Why is there not a fire built up in here?” she demanded.

  “Evelina,” her mother complained. “You must not coddle me. I am perfectly well.”

  Evelina lifted a brow and crossed the chamber to give a tug on the bellpull. “I am mistress of this house,” she said with a smile. “And while you are here, you will do as I say.” She had meant for the words to be playful, and she was certain they sounded as such, for even Mia and the twins were smiling, but Lady Chelwood merely released a very deep sigh.

  Evelina was not certain she would ever quite understand her mother. She had brought her to Wildings, as well as the youngest of her siblings, for the happy purpose of tending to them. In no way had she ever felt obligated to do so. She loved her family more than anything on earth, and given the truly wretched fact that her eldest brother, now the Earl of Chelwood, was in dun territory, she had supposed her mother would be content. Perhaps her illness was affecting her more deeply than she had thought.

  When Bolney arrived, she asked that a fire be built and tea brought in.

  The twins played spillikens with Will on the carpet near the table while Mia took up her embroidery that their mother was supervising. “Was Rotherstone as disagreeable as everyone says?” Mia asked, threading her needle with blue thread.

  Evelina took a tour about the chamber. She pondered her sister’s question but at the same time let her critical eye survey the decor. The house was taking shape, but some of the fabric on the chairs and sofas still needed to be replaced. Lord Bramber had allowed every piece of brocade from the prior century to become threadbare.

  As for Mia’s question, she was not certain how to relate her experience of Rotherstone to her family. “Our neighbor was not the most convivial host, but then I had not been invited to Blacklands, so I suppose he had reason to be put out.”

  “Did he offer an insult?” Alison asked, her large eyes wide. She was a sweet, soft-spoken girl, boding well to become a great beauty. Her hair was a light brown, her eyes as blue as spring bluebells and already she was so accomplished on the pianoforte that she would soon exceed even talented Mia in her abilities.

  Evelina at last took up a seat not far from the group on the floor. “No, he did not. He was merely unwelcoming.”

  “And he refused your request?” Mia asked.

  “Yes.”

  “What gives you hope then?” Lady Chelwood asked.

  Evelina glanced at the plasterwork on the ceiling, then averted her eyes at once. There was
still so much work to be done at Wildings that dwelling on it overly much tended to lower her spirits. “It was not Rotherstone who gave me hope, but rather his friend, Sir Edgar Graffham.”

  At that all eyes turned upon her. “Who is Sir Edgar?” Sophy asked. She was a keenly intelligent child, more interested in the study of nature and fossils than music.

  Evelina smiled down at her. “I believe he is a very great friend to Lord Rotherstone, a man I liked very much.”

  “Are you in love with him?” Will asked suddenly.

  Evelina was surprised by the question. Glancing down at him, she responded, “No, dearest.”

  He searched her eyes in the way a child does when he is trying to solve what seems to him a very great mystery. “Is that because you are already in love with that other man?”

  “What other man?” four female voices intoned as one.

  Evelina knew precisely to what Will was referring. She was horrified by her present predicament, for she might be able to humbug Will or the twins, but certainly her mother and sixteen-year-old Euphemia were awake upon all suits.

  She chose to ignore her sisters and mother. “You mean that gentleman who carried you on his shoulder?”

  “Yes, the man who was hugging you. He was hugging you, was he not?”

  “Hugging,” the four voices cried out again.

  Oh dear, there is nothing for it, she thought. She could hardly prevaricate now, especially since a blush was already heating up both cheeks. “As it happens,” she said, “the man who assisted us two nights past was Rotherstone.”

  “What?” the ladies said.

  Will scowled. “That man was Rotherstone?” he said. “But I liked him, yet everyone says such bad things of him.”

  “Yes, I know,” she continued, still addressing him exclusively. “He was very kind to us that night, for reasons of his own, I must presume. But in general, I fear, he is not so beloved in our community.”

  “But why?”

  “That is a question I believe you must put to him, perhaps the next time you see him.”

  “When will that be?”