A Lady of Secret Devotion (12 page)

“Whyever would there be a problem?” Mrs. Jameston questioned.

“Because Cassie doesn’t—”

“Hush, Elida!” their mother commanded.

This was Cassie’s undoing. She was already trembling from Mark’s whispered breath on her skin. The nearness of him was overwhelming her. She pulled his hand down and found a dapple-gray horse standing not three feet away.

She couldn’t halt the scream that escaped her mouth, causing the horse to start. The groomsman fought to keep the beast under control while Cassie turned quickly to bury her face against Mark’s shoulder.

“Whatever is the matter?” asked Mrs. Jameston.

“Cassie is afraid of horses,” Mrs. Stover told their hostess.

Cassie hated the way her heart pounded in fear, but she found Mark’s hold soothing. He patted her back while whispering words of comfort.

“You’re all right. The horse will not harm you. Look, she’s calmed now.”

“Cassie witnessed her father’s death,” her mother began to explain to the confused Mrs. Jameston. “He was thrown from a horse and trampled to death. She’s been afraid of horses ever since.”

“Oh, my dear. I am sorry,” Mrs. Jameston declared. “Wills, take the mare back to the stable. Cassie, I wish I had known. I feel so bad. I could not have chosen a worse gift.”

“On the contrary, Mrs. Jameston,” Mark stated. “Miss Stover had already agreed to let me help her get over her fear. This will be perfect. I can come here and work with her, and eventually take her out riding. It is the perfect gift.”

“And if Mama agrees, he’s going to teach me to ride too,” Elida announced.

Cassie drew a deep breath and squared her shoulders as the groomsman led the animal away. She could see the worried expression on Mrs. Jameston’s face and knew she would have to put her fear aside.

“Mr. Langford is right. I do plan to overcome my fear. Your gift is not only thoughtful and overly generous, but perfectly appropriate.” She went to Mrs. Jameston and kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you so very much.”

“It hardly seems like something you should thank me for.”

“Miss Stover is right,” Mark offered. “It is very appropriate, and she’s quite a handsome mare. She’ll suit very well, I’m sure.”

Mrs. Jameston still didn’t look convinced, but said nothing more. She moved quickly toward the house. “Why don’t we go back inside and have our dinner. Later, you may want to see the horse again. Perhaps with the animal in its pen, you will feel less fear.”

“Perhaps,” Cassie said, forcing a smile. She glanced at Mark, who gave her a wink. “Perhaps the horse will also sprout wings and fly away.”

Mark gave a hearty chuckle, causing everyone to turn and stare. Cassie merely shrugged her shoulders. “He’s a very happy fellow, is he not?”

Mark couldn’t remember the last time he’d enjoyed a day as much as he had this day. Watching Cassie with her sister, he was touched by her patience and genuine affection for the child.

“Your daughters seem quite fond of each other,” he told Mrs. Stover as they relaxed in the garden.

“Oh goodness, but they are. Cassie has been a second mother to Elida. They love each other dearly. Don’t tell Cassie, but Elida cried almost every night for over a week when Cassie moved here to live with Mrs. Jameston.”

“I wouldn’t dream of mentioning it,” Mark promised. Mrs. Jameston had taken leave of them to attend to her son’s demands, and Mark was quite glad for the time to speak privately with Cassie’s mother.

“When I lost their father, the girls were all I had to keep me going. Sorrow nearly swallowed me whole.”

Mark nodded. “When my wife died, I felt the same way. My friend Richard helped pull me through, but it was the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to do.”

“You must have been quite young.” Mrs. Stover offered him a sympathetic smile. “Of course, to my eyes, you seem young even now.”

“I feel as if I’ve aged a decade of years past my thirty-two. I only recently lost my friend Richard as well. It has been most difficult to endure, but I find Cassie has been a pleasant diversion.” He smiled as she played tag with her sister.

“Cassie is a dear girl,” her mother agreed. “I hope you will be kind to her. She’s never allowed herself to be courted.” Mrs. Stover looked hard at Mark. “She’s never allowed herself much fun at all. Not since her father’s death.”

“I can well imagine. She seems to take responsibility very seriously.”

“Yes—even responsibility that doesn’t belong to her.”

“If it comforts you, I have only the best intentions. I would never purposely hurt her.” But even as he spoke, Mark felt a twinge of guilt. While he found Cassie fascinating, even special, he was also here because of Sebastian. He reminded himself that Mr. Jameston had to remain the focus of his attention.

Mrs. Stover smiled. “I didn’t believe you would. But she is rather naïve about matters of the heart. I only ask you to treat her kindly and with great respect.”

“I give you my word,” Mark declared.

Cassie came to join them just then. Elida seemed to have endless energy, but Cassie made it clear that she was spent. “I have to catch my breath. You’ve worn me out.”

Mrs. Stover laughed. “We must make our way home, Cassie. Mrs. Jameston has offered her carriage for us, and I told her we would be ready to leave by four.”

“Oh, do we have to go?” Elida moaned. “I love it here. It’s so cheery. Not dark and gloomy like our house.”

“Elida!” Cassie waggled her finger. “That is unkind. Our little house is quite nice.”

“We don’t have a garden like this,” Elida muttered. “And the roof leaks.”

“We’ll soon set the roof right, and perhaps if you were willing to do the work, you could have a very pleasant garden too,” Cassie chided. “Gardens are very time consuming. Wills spends a good deal of time out here trimming and planting. His wife, Miriam, helps as well. Later in the summer, Mrs. Jameston even hires a couple of other young men to come and help. It takes a great deal of effort to develop something like this.”

“Come, Elida. We need to get home.” Her mother stood and smiled down at Cassie. “I left your birthday gift in your room. Mrs. Jameston took me there earlier.”

“You shouldn’t have brought me a present. You made us lunch, after all.”

“And a wonderful lunch it was,” Mark added, getting to his feet as well.

Mrs. Stover smiled and pulled on her bonnet. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

Cassie kissed her mother good-bye. “I will see you at church tomorrow.”

“Can’t I stay?” Elida begged.

“Perhaps sometime you may,” Cassie replied, “but for now I think you should accompany Mother, or she might grow too lonely.”

Elida reluctantly sighed and nodded. “Good-bye, Cassie. It hasn’t been any fun at all without you at home. I’ve missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you, too, but everything will work out. You’ll see.” Cassie gave her sister a hug and then kissed the top of her head. “Come on, I’ll see you to the carriage.”

“Nonsense,” her mother said, waving her off. “I know the way, and you have a guest to entertain. Please give Mrs. Jameston my regards.”

“I’m sure she will be sorry to have missed your departure. Her son has taken up a great deal of her time of late.”

Mrs. Stover nodded. “It is no bother to me. Just let her know what a wonderful time we had.”

“I will.”

Mark waited until they were gone before speaking. “Maybe we could visit your mare for a few moments. She really did seem gentle.”

Cassie looked at him and rolled her eyes heavenward. “So do rabid dogs—until they decide to attack.”

Mark laughed. “And how many rabid dogs have you encountered of late?”

“Well . . . I suppose to be honest . . . none.”

“And I have never dealt with one either, so I believe that to be a rather poor analogy.”

“Perhaps, but you understood my position nevertheless.”

He took hold of her arm. “Indeed I did. But, for the sake of pleasing Mrs. Jameston, why don’t we pretend that you adore her gift and have never wanted anything as much as you do that dapple gray.”

“I’m good at pretending,” Cassie told him. “I just don’t know if I’m that good.”

“Well, you’ll never know if you don’t at least give it a try.”

By the time Cassie fell into bed that evening it was quite late. Her mother’s gift of a new handmade shawl lay neatly across the end of the bed, while Mark’s book of poetry was tucked beneath her pillow. She supposed it was silly, but she’d thought to put it there much like a piece of wedding cake—to encourage dreams of the one she might one day marry.

Her fingers touched the binding as she closed her eyes. “I know I’m being silly,” she whispered into the night, but she left the book there nevertheless.

Chapter 10

W
ell, well. This looks to be a cozy family luncheon,” Sebastian said, eyeing Cassie and his mother. He hobbled into the dining room, with Robbie following behind. “A quiet Sunday dinner it would seem. Am I to be excluded?”

“I didn’t expect you to join us, but I can have Essie set two more places,” Mrs. Jameston replied with a frown. “Are you certain you are well enough to be out of bed?”

“I am greatly improved,” Sebastian said as he took his place at the table. “And I needed a change of scenery.” He gave Cassie a seductive wink. “I find this scenery is greatly improved over that in my bedroom.”

Essie entered the room carrying a tureen of soup. She nearly dropped the fine china piece at the sight of Sebastian. Cassie quickly took the soup from her and placed it on the table.

“Essie, we need two additional place settings,” Mrs. Jameston instructed.

Cassie watched as Essie lowered her gaze. “Yes, ma’am.” She hurried from the room.

“Such a little mouse,” Sebastian commented. “She always has been rather skittish.”

Robbie took his seat beside Sebastian and laughed. “You seem to have that effect on a lot of women.”

Sebastian laughed. “Miss Stover, do you feel that way? Do I make you skittish as well?”

“I have no feelings toward you, skittish or otherwise.” Cassie picked up her linen napkin and placed it on her lap. “Mrs. Jameston, would you like me to offer grace?”

Just then Essie returned and hurriedly put down two place settings of china and silver. She pulled linen napkins from her apron pocket and offered them to each of the men.

“Essie, you naughty thing, you haven’t yet come to visit me,” Sebastian said, taking hold of her hand as she extended the napkin.

Cassie couldn’t help but notice the frightened way Essie looked back and forth from Sebastian to his mother.

“Sebastian, unhand her. You know better than to act in such a way,” his mother admonished. “Essie has no purpose or reason to visit you. Now leave her alone.”

“We were once very close,” he told Robbie as he finally dropped Essie’s hand. “Very close.”

“Not by choice,” Mrs. Jameston interjected. “Now, Cassie, please offer our prayer of thanks.”

Cassie muttered a quick prayer, but her mind was hardly on the words. She couldn’t help but remember the way Mr. Jameston had handled her when she’d gone to help him. She could still remember the feel of his hands on her body, and it repulsed her greatly.

She concluded the prayer and looked up to see Sebastian watching her closely. His scrutiny made her feel uncomfortable, but Cassie did her best to disguise it as she removed the lid from the soup tureen.

“Silas has made us an oyster soup,” Cassie announced.

“I asked him to,” Mrs. Jameston said. “We’re soon to be into the summer months. April is the last good month for oysters until September.”

Essie bustled back and forth to the table several times to bring additional dishes of food. She was careful to steer clear of Sebastian, which made an awkward placing of all of the food on one side of the table.

Mrs. Jameston didn’t admonish her for this, however. She merely dismissed the girl and proceeded to serve herself.

“I am glad to see you on the road to recovery, Sebastian,” Mrs. Jameston began. She passed a plate of bread to her son and added, “Perhaps it would be a good time to consider moving elsewhere. Say, to a hotel.”

Sebastian frowned. “Why would you suggest that? This is my home, isn’t it?”

Mrs. Jameston focused on a platter of roasted lamb. “To be quite honest, it isn’t. You made that choice some time ago. You only return here when you are in need. Otherwise, I scarcely even know if you’re alive or dead.”

“What a horrible thing to say to your only living child.” Sebastian appeared greatly offended, but Cassie could see the underlying hatred in his eyes. “Would your mother ever treat you so poorly, Robbie?”

Robbie looked first at Sebastian and then at the bowl of candied sweet potatoes being offered him by Cassie. He took the food and smiled. “She might, if I were remiss in visiting or attending to her needs.”

“But Mother has no needs. She has hired a complete stranger to share her company and has more than enough money to buy anything else she needs,” Sebastian countered.

“She has no need of my company. At least that’s what her comment would suggest.”

“I had great need for your company, at one time. You chose to turn away from me,” his mother replied.

“You were the one to turn away first, Mother. After my brother died, you scarcely acknowledged having another son in the house. My nanny took more interest.”

“But it wasn’t always that way,” Mrs. Jameston said in her own defense. “I’ve never been able to understand why you can’t find it in your heart to forgive me my mistakes. I’ve lived these long years with the consequences, grieving the loss of our relationship.”

“Just as I grieved the loss when a small boy.”

Cassie felt sorry for the man. For a moment he almost seemed vulnerable, and then she saw him harden again as he watched his mother’s reaction. Was it all just a game?

“Can you not forgive your father and me?”

Sebastian’s eyes glinted as they narrowed. “And that would make it all better? Would that ease your conscience, Mother?”

“Why must you always act with such hostility?” she asked. “I acknowledge that you were wronged, and whether you believe me or not, I am deeply sorry. I regret my actions of long ago.”