The sound of steady hoofbeats usually cleared his mind, but all he could think about was one woman. Edith Wilson was a conundrum of different sides. At first, he’d pegged her to be shy, but with a hint of liquor, he’d realized she was bold and excitable. Now he also knew her to be forgiving and lighthearted. Miles shook his head to clear his thoughts. Only time would tell if she was the type of person he would like to have in his life. For he also feared she would fall for him, which wasn’t something he wanted. His hand moved to his left cheek, where her lips had softly touched him. Even before she knew that he was rich and titled, Miss Wilson had shown an interest in him. And with only one compliment she’d kissed him, and that could not be repeated.
Edith collapsed onto her bed. The weight of her conversation with the earl loomed over her head as she contemplated her options. London hadn’t been her every fantasy, and she liked Lord Camden. He was easy on the eyes, rich, and every moment she’d been in his company had felt like an adventure. Her life was at a crossroads, and she wasn’t sure which fork she ought to take. If she went to Avonview, Sir Archibald was bound to follow. It wasn’t as though she would put all of her marital hopes on one man.
At the same time, there were hundreds of gentlemen in London. None of them were interested in her, but the probability of finding a match was higher if she stayed. What it came down to was this; did she play it safe and stay, or take a leap into the unknown?
Gretchen was pacing the floor. Her wonderful maid had kept her thoughts to herself so far, but Edith could tell she wanted to talk. “Alright, Gretchen, I’m ready to hear whatever scolding you have swirling around in your head.”
“I ain’t one for giving my betters a talking to. And you might not want to hear it, but your conversation today was not proper. I ought to go and report his poor behavior to your aunt.”
“I rather thought you would be congratulating me for getting the attention of such a man.”
“That’s just it, miss. Attention and love are two different things. I have a feeling that man is going to break your heart,” Gretchen said.
Edith had a similar worry wiggling around in the back of her mind, but she squashed it. “This is my chance. If I try, I might be able to make him fall in love with me, or at least like me enough to want to spend the rest of his life with me. Did you hear him laugh in the carriage? He looks so much better when he’s happy.”
“Aye, I’ll give you that. He’s a very fine looking man. So, what are you gonna do?”
“I am going to convince my aunt to spend time with Mama at Avonview. Can you keep all you’ve heard to yourself? I’m fine, my reputation is fine, and should that change because of him, he’ll come to scratch.”
“I’ll make sure of that, miss. You can count on my silence and my support, for now. If you need to talk, I’ll listen. What little knowledge I have of romance, I’ll share with you.”
Gretchen was close to Edith’s age, but her maid was both kind and lovely. Not for the first time she wondered at the cruelty of fate. In a more just world, she would be the maid, and Gretchen would be wearing fancy dresses and enjoying a season. Edith thanked her maid and asked for some time alone to think. After a short while, she decided on a course of action. She was tired of London. She hated going to balls and being in crowds of people. She was insignificant here. She wanted to visit Avonview. Now, she just needed to get her aunt onboard.
An hour later Edith was surprised at how easy it had been to talk her aunt into letting her go. All she’d needed to hear was that the earl had invited them personally, and Margaret started making all of the necessary arrangements to leave London. They wrote a pile of apology letters explaining they would not be able to make it to so and so’s ball or musicale. Her hand was sore from writing, but her aunt assured her they would be able to leave in two days as long as the weather cooperated.
The house was a flurry of activity as trunks were packed and supplies were collected for their trip. They would miss the first week’s entertainment at Avonview, but the house party would last until after Christmas, which would still give them plenty of time to enjoy the beautiful manor and to get to know the other guests.
The next day at Lady Sheppard’s soiree, Edith was happy to see Sir Archibald amongst the crowd. She winded her way past groups of socialites to his side. “Good afternoon, Sir Archibald. How are you feeling today?”
“I am perfectly healthy and happy to see such a lovely face so early in the day.” His chiseled cheekbones and square jaw were accentuated by a wonderfully tied cravat. Edith was in awe of his beauty and needed a moment to gather her thoughts before they were ready to exit her mouth. It really was unfair of him to be so physically perfect. Yet at the same time, Edith preferred the manly confidence and rough exterior of Earl Camden over Sir Archibald’s flawless face. Something about such perfection made him seem unreal, like a doll or painting come to life.
“I enjoyed your flowers the other day. Though I will miss seeing you at the musicale tomorrow. I am traveling out of town for Christmas.” She let the information sink into his head and saw the wheels turning as he realized his predicament.
“And where are you going to be over the holiday?” he asked.
“I’ve been invited to Lord Camden’s country home. Apparently, Countess Camden holds a gathering there every year at this time.”
For half of a second, a flash of anger crossed the man’s features, but it was gone as quickly as it came. “What good luck I have. You see, I too have been invited to Avonview, and though I was called away for some business in London, I will also be going to Avonview.”
“You’ll have to visit his stables. I hear he has a wonderful selection of horses.”
His brow furrowed. “He told you, didn’t he?”
“Who told me something?” she asked innocently.
“Lord Camden talked to you about me, didn’t he?”
“Why yes, now that you mention it, he did say you love to ride. That must be why I thought you would like to see his stables. I myself am dreadfully afraid of the beasts. You know, they have very large teeth.” Edith wasn’t ready to let the baronet realize that she knew about the bet just yet. She looked forward to making him wonder whether or not she knew. “Now I see my aunt waving to me. I think she wants to introduce me to someone,” she said. Edith waved to Margaret across the crowded room.
“Until next time then, Miss Wilson.”
Miles washed the road off and made himself presentable to speak with his mother as soon as he returned to Avonview. His sister had already heard gossip about him and Miss Wilson that morning when he left London. She’d quickly guessed that his business in Town had to be with her and had asked him a hundred questions he’d been unwilling to answer. Now he could only hope the news wouldn’t reach Chippenham. At least Rosie had promised not to write to Mother about the gossip.
He quickly found Mother in her favorite room in the house, the library. She rose from the comfortable leather wing-back chair by the fireplace and glided across the room to give him a warm hug.
“I’m so glad you're back safe and sound. Everyone here has missed you, especially Lady Ann Wycliffe. You should play cards with her tonight after dinner, she is very good at whist. I’ve lost more pennies to the woman than I care to admit.”
“It’s good to be back, Mother, and I am willing to play cards with all of the young ladies you’ve invited this year. I think it is about time I put aside my desire to be single. That doesn’t mean I’ll choose any of these girls, but I will think about it. I will give them a chance.”
His mother hopped up onto her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. With tears in her eyes, she exclaimed, “I have been waiting for you to be ready for a new romance for years. I know that you and Louisa had some trouble. You stopped smiling after you married. It was even worse when she passed, but there is nothing like love to put sad experiences out of your mind. Now I only wish I’d invited a few more eligible misses. This year there are five perfectly acceptable ladies
, and though Miss Lucy Wilson is a little on the young side, she is absolutely gorgeous. She’s already receiving sonnets from the men and glares from the ladies.”
“I fear your numbers are off. I bumped into Miss Lucy’s sister in London and asked her if she would join her family here for the holidays and she accepted. Miss Wilson and her aunt shall be joining us shortly.”
“What is this? You personally invited a woman here.” A mischievous look entered Mother’s eyes. “Now I think I know the reason why you are ready to start looking for a wife. Do you like this girl? I believe her name is Edith.”
“Miss Wilson,” Miles accentuated the more formal version of her name, “is not anything like her sister. She is not the type of girl to entice a man. That being said, she is kind and trustworthy. You might need to help her become more independent and confident. She lets her mother control her too much.” Hope and joy were radiating off of his mother. He couldn’t spoil it by telling her he wasn’t actually looking for love. “Now I need to go and see my Gracie before she feels put out with me.”
“Yes, go see your daughter. I have a lot of plans to arrange..”
Chapter 8
Miles half sat in a child’s chair not quite big enough to accommodate his size and drank a cup of imaginary tea with his daughter and her toys. “Now Mr. Bear is in love with Suzy.” Grace pointed at the dark-haired doll he’d given to her for her last birthday.
“And does Suzy feel the same way about Mr. Bear?”
“Of course not, Papa. He’s a bear, and not human at all. It is a tragic romance.”
“Speaking of romance, what do you think of the ladies here this year? Are you fond of any of them?”
“I hardly ever get to see anyone since I am still in the nursery and not allowed out, but I have met them once or twice. They all treat me like I’m a baby. The only one I don’t like is Miss Georgina. I heard her yelling at the servants and saying bad words.”
“Then I shall stay away from her. Would you like to have a mother?”
“I do have a mother, I’ve gone to her grave.”
“I mean, would you like me to marry?”
She pursed her lips and looked up at the ceiling in thought. Miles could almost hear the wheels turning in her head. “I sometimes wish to have a mother who hugs me when I get hurt or who spends time with me like Lacie’s mama. She is so nice, but I don’t need one. I have Grammy and you, and that’s better than a mean mama like Paul’s.”
Miles wasn’t sure whose daughter was named Lacie, but Paul was surely the blacksmith’s son whose wife was overly fond of yelling and paddling. He picked up his empty teacup and pretended to sip at its contents. “How about this? Why don’t you help me choose a wife? I have a friend coming from London who can help you decide who would make the best mother.” She stood up and twirled around the room. Her skirt knocked Mr. Bear off of his precarious seat. “Now don’t get too excited, Gracie. I have to like the woman too.”
Grace stopped her dancing as abruptly as she started. “Of course you do, Papa. That way you’ll smile more and stop being so sad. I’ll do my very best to help you pick a good wife. What’s the name of your friend who's going to help me?”
“Edith Wilson, she’s Miss Lucy Wilson’s sister, but don’t expect them to look anything alike.” Miles stood up from his daughter’s tiny chair and stretched his sore legs. It was hard trying not to fall off of such a miniature seat. “Now come and give me a kiss. I have work to do and you need to be studying with Mrs. Gardner.”
Grace bounded up to him full of energy, and he scooped his daughter up into his arms as she gave him a kiss on the cheek. He set her down and left the nursery, headed for his den. He did have a lot of things to work on and very little time. The next few weeks were going to be full of socializing.
Aunt Margaret fell on the ice the morning they were to leave for Avonview. The doctor came and left with very specific instructions. She was to stay in bed for three weeks. Edith sat next to her aunt and sewed. Fate had decided against her. She would have to stay in London and help her aunt recover.
Margaret woke a few hours later. The laudanum was wearing off, and there was pain on her face. “How are you feeling?” Edith asked.
“Like an old woman, but why are you still here? You need to hurry to Avonview.”
“I can’t leave you here alone like this. I’ll write to Lord Camden and let him know that we aren’t coming.”
“Nonsense. I have servants and doctors, and I’m fine on my own. I have been for years. The real question is this, do you want to spend time with Lord Camden?”
“It won’t matter. Mama says I will never marry for love. He won’t give me a second glance at Avonview, so I might as well stay here.”
“That’s not what I asked. Do you like him?”
“Perhaps. Possibly. I’m not sure.”
“Then go. This is your life, dear. Don’t let your mother or society decide your future for you. You need to grab the things you want before they slip away. I know how she is, your mother. She treated me awfully too, always rubbing her beauty in my face and saying she’d marry a rich man. Your father was good for her, but he loves her too much to change her. After I married a titled and wealthy man, she constantly told me that my husband didn’t love me the way hers did. She was wrong. I was plain, still am, and I found love. Now go get your maid, I’m hiring someone to take you where you need to be.”
Edith wasn’t used to other people putting her needs above their own. She kissed Aunt Maragaret and thanked her for the encouraging words. She left an hour later, with a simple goodbye to her aunt who had helped her so much over the last month. The ride was slow and uneventful. The weather held and they made it to Chippenham just before dusk. Gretchen tugged on Edith’s pelisse. “We’re here, Edith. Oh, you must sit up and get a good look at Avonview Manor—it’s lovely.”
Edith pulled back the curtains and leaned forward. It was beautiful. The house itself was classically designed and perfectly symmetrical; from her vantage point she couldn’t tell if it was U or H shaped, but the clean lines of cream-colored bricks were accentuated by perfectly matching trees and shrubbery.
“It is exquisite and grand. Why, you could fit four of our cottages inside and still have room left over.” Edith proclaimed.
To the left side of the building were a carriage house and the stables. Their coachman dropped them off in front of the house, and a bevy of servants came to retrieve their luggage and help them inside.
The giant oak doors opened without a sound and Edith stepped into the foyer. The spacious room drew the eye to the grand double staircase and the elegant crystal chandelier. The walls were covered in giant paintings of idyllic country scenes full of sheep and hay. Before they were whisked away to their respective rooms, a middle-aged woman with a hint of gray in her honey hair greeted them with an angelic smile as she floated down the stairs. She was dressed in peach muslin dripping in lace and jewels
“Welcome to Avonview, Miss Wilson. Where is your aunt? We were expecting her to accompany you.”
“Aunt Margaret told me to send you her deepest regards, Countess Camden. She remembers you fondly from your school days, but she hurt her hip and back after a fall and was unable to come.”
The Countess finished descending the stairs and gave Edith a hug. “The next time you see your aunt, let her know that I will never forget the stunt she pulled on our teacher. She put salt in the sugar bowl.” Lady Camden stepped back and gaze lingered. She didn’t seem disappointed by her and sweetly said, “But you must be tired after you’ve had such a long journey. It’s time for you to rest from your travels. I’ll see you later at dinner.”
“Yes,” Edith replied.
“Good. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Wilson. Your mother was particularly excited to hear you were coming. Daisy, show these ladies to their rooms and make sure that they are comfortable.”
A young maid with brown curls stepped forward and led her to the guest rooms upstairs
. Edith’s room was well designed to be both elegant and cozy. The bed was large and soft, and there was a lovely set of wingback chairs next to the window. Edith sat down and enjoyed the view. Her room overlooked an Italian styled garden with the River Avon meandering in the distance. Willows lined the water and Edith saw a perfect spot for a picnic by the banks of the Avon.
Gretchen arrived with her luggage as one of the other maids was drawing her up a bath of hot water. Gretchen unpacked her things while Edith soaked the journey away and scrubbed off the dirt from the road. She spent extra effort on her hair by adding rose and argan oils to help it shine. Once she was clean and dressed she rang for a maid to help her find her family.
The young lass led her three doors down and pointed out her parents’ room as well as Lucy’s room across the corridor. It was nice to know that they were all in the same wing of the house. When none of her family members answered her knocks, the maid suggested she look for them in the drawing-room where many of the guests were playing cards. The young miss showed her around the house as they crossed from one end of the manor to the other. She pointed out the library, the green salon, and the music room before they arrived at their destination.
“Edee!” Papa exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”
He left his companions and whispered, “Did your mother force you to come?”
“No, London wasn’t exactly easy for me. I’ve never been good around crowds of people. I came because I thought it would be good practice for me to get used to strangers. That way I’ll be more comfortable when I return to London.”
An Earl for Edith Page 8
