Cinders and Ashes (15 page)

“
You’re not coming,” Dominic boomed, shooting to his feet.
Amelia eased back in her seat at the outrage on the large man’s
face. Although he looked so much like Sebastian, there was a
darkness about him that immediately made her wary.

“
It’s not safe, Isobel,” Sebastian added, glaring at his
sister-in-law. Amelia watched as Isobel glared back at both men
defiantly, before raising her delicate chin in annoyance. She
looked like a school ma’am telling her young charges off for being
naughty.

“
You cannot expect us to just sit here quietly while you lot
go off on your adventures,” she snapped, watching as the men
bristled with masculine indignation.

“
We expect you to remain safe,” Peter added. “We have all had
enough of your adventures, my dear,” he murmured, referring to
Isobel’s own brush with death earlier in the year.

“
That wasn’t my fault.”

Amelia
didn’t understand, but watched the interchange between the wilful
female and the dominant men with interest, and growing feminine
respect for the other woman.

Isobel
glared at each man individually, before turning to Amelia. “Do you
ride?”

Amelia
fought the urge to smile for the first time since she arrived,
loving the challenging defiance clearly etched on Isobel’s
face.

“
Yes I do. It has been some time since I have ridden, but I am
sure it will come back to me,” Amelia replied, ignoring Sebastian’s
growl from the other side of the room.

“
I think I can remember where Uncle Benedict lives. If not,
then we can ride around until we find it.” Isobel was wise enough
to know that this would raise her husband’s ire. After all he
couldn’t be sure she wouldn’t go through with her
threat.

“
I’ll be damned if you are going riding around the countryside
on your own, woman,” Dominic snapped, running a hand through his
hair in frustration. He already knew they were sunk, but felt for
the sake of mankind he had to protest anyway. His wife usually got
her own way in the end.

“
I won’t be on my own. Amelia will be with me, won’t
you?”

“
Of course I will,” Amelia replied firmly, a defiant glint in
her own eye.

“
Neither of you are going anywhere. Sebastian, say something.”
Dominic spun to face his brother beseechingly. He was fairly
certain that a night with Isobel could ensure she was too tired to
get up early in the morning to accompany them, but he needed
Sebastian to do his bit with Amelia. Otherwise, both ladies were
definitely coming with them. He watched nonplussed as Sebastian
studied Amelia, assessing for a few moments.

“
It seems to me that the ladies have already made their minds
up.” He turned to Amelia and spoke directly to her, for the first
time since their altercation in the bedroom. “Do you really want to
come?”

Amelia’s
gaze locked with his warily, and she nodded. “I do.” She waited for
the argument. His masculine scorn at her ability to face the
journey perhaps, or an arrogant declaration that a woman’s place
was at home. What she hadn’t expected was the slight dip of his
head as he accepted her request.

“
Then I think it is best if you and Isobel took the carriage.”
He ignored Dominic’s protest, and looked directly at Amelia. “As it
has been some time since you last rode, then I think you would be
more comfortable in the carriage, but it means we will have to stay
overnight. Make sure that the maids pack an overnight back for you
both.” He ignored Isobel’s look of delight, and smiled softly for a
moment at a shocked Amelia, before turning to an equally surprised
Dominic.

“
Amelia saved my life, and put her own into considerable
danger by doing so. She dragged my half-dead carcass across the
countryside to safety. All by herself. In the middle of one of the
worst storms ever to hit England.”

Silence
descended upon the room for several moments. Amelia felt all eyes
turn towards her with renewed respect.

“
Not only will both ladies be safer with us, but if Amelia
wants to be involved in the capture of Ballantyne, and given
everything she has sacrificed to save my life, I think as long as
she is kept safe and doesn’t do anything stupid, I can see no
reason why she should not investigate with us. She has earned the
right.” Sebastian didn’t add that he wanted her with him for every
possible moment while she was under his roof. He needed to take
every chance available to persuade her that her place in life was
beside him.

Besides,
if he left her behind, she would have time to write to Sir Hubert
and request a reference. At least with him, she wouldn’t be given
the time or opportunity to write letters. He made a mental note to
speak to Hodgkiss to monitor the post.

One
thing had come across loud and clear during the exchange earlier.
She didn’t appreciate his making decisions for her, and didn’t
believe she belonged with him. If he had any chance of convincing
her to take up the mantle of his wife, he had to give her free rein
to make her own decisions. As long as she didn’t put herself into
danger or do anything that would remove her from his life entirely,
then he had to accommodate her request. No matter how much it
aggravated his masculine nerves to have her at risk.

He had
to gain her trust enough for her to tell him about her past. To do
that he had to show her he trusted her ability to make her own
decisions, and make them wisely.

“
Have you lost your mind?” Dominic demanded, shaking his head
at just how easily his brother had buckled under feminine
persistence. He understood in that moment, just how much Sebastian
must love the woman before him.

“
The ladies can travel ahead in the carriage and we can go
cross-country. With a couple of the stable hands as outriders, and
one of us alongside, there is no danger to them. Peter and Edward
can ride ahead and open up. There is no point in taking servants;
we will just have to rough it overnight,” Sebastian said. He knew
that, given the poverty Amelia had been living in, Benedict’s cold
and empty house would still be a luxurious haven.

Isobel
had lived life on the streets and was not unfamiliar with living
rough herself, so wouldn’t be swooning at having to live with the
barest essentials.

“
That’s settled then,” Isobel announced, feeling somewhat wary
at the ease of their success.

Amelia
shook her head, unsure what exactly had just happened, but knew
that it was wise not to ask too many questions in case Sebastian
changed his mind.

The
following morning, Amelia found herself leaving Tingdale with
Isobel. The difference in departure from her leaving Glendowie was
striking. Everyone had taken sumptuous breakfast in their rooms,
after which Amelia, dressed in one of Isobel’s warm travelling
dresses, was informed the carriage was ready to leave when she was
ready.

Moments
later, Amelia left the house with a small smile of thanks to a
startled, yet clearly besotted Hodgkiss. Sebastian and Dominic were
chatting amiably next to a resplendent carriage led by four
matching bays.

“
Morning.” Sebastian smiled when Amelia stared at his horse in
something akin to horror. “That’s Bramble, he won’t hurt
you.”

“
Bramble?” she queried, with an astonished quirk of her brow.
“He’s huge,” Amelia exclaimed, not knowing much about horses other
than this one simply glistened with good health. By the way it was
dancing around; it was positively bursting with energy. Suddenly
she was so very glad Sebastian had suggested they should take the
carriage.

“
Peter and Edward have gone ahead to light the fires and open
the rooms up for us. You have the food,” Sebastian added, dropping
the step to hand the ladies into the carriage. “Dominic and I will
ride alongside you.”

“
Won’t that slow you down?” Amelia knew it would take several
hours more in the carriage than it would on horseback. She noted
the look Sebastian shared with Dominic.

“
Go ahead, we can ramble at our own pace and meet you there.”
She could sense the indecision between the two men.

“
It’s alright; we can meet the others later.” Dominic shifted,
clearly itching to get going, yet reluctant to leave the
ladies.

“
Go. Leave us alone. We will be fine. If you ride fast, you
may be able to catch Peter and Edward.” Isobel pecked her husband
on the cheek quickly, before jumping aboard the carriage. “Come on,
Amelia, let’s go.”

Amelia
fought the urge to smile as she climbed aboard, leaving the men
standing looking somewhat befuddled.

As the
carriage began to rumble down the long driveway, Amelia glanced out
of the carriage and saw Dominic and Sebastian trotting alongside.
Mounted, both men looked the epitome of arrogant masculinity, and
very imposing.

Silence
settled over the carriage as the women watched the men thunder
past. Sebastian’s wave was accompanied by a cheeky grin as he swept
by the open carriage window, before disappearing over a low slung
wall, and heading off across the fields after Dominic.

Amelia
settled back with a sigh.

“
Boys will be boys,” Isobel muttered, studying her new friend
curiously. “It’s nice to have another female to talk
to.”

“
I know. The men are very nice, but sometimes only a woman
will do.” Despite their new acquaintance, Amelia felt a kinship
with Sebastian’s sister-in-law.

“
You love him, don’t you?” Isobel watched as a flicker of
disquiet swept over her friend’s face. It vanished so quickly she
wasn’t certain she had seen it.

Amelia
didn’t want to offend Isobel, not when the woman had been so
generous and kind to her, but felt she couldn’t lie. “I am a mere
servant,” she whispered softly, aware of the frown of concern that
stole across Isobel’s face.

“
A servant? Are you sure?” The question was out before Isobel
could stop it. She placed a gloved hand over her mouth quickly, and
mumbled an apology.

Amelia
smiled. “Yes, I am sure. I have worked as a housekeeper in the
Scottish borders for the past two years. I was on my way home when
I found Sebastian lying half-dead in the undergrowth.” Her gaze
became unfocused as she stared out of the window, lost in memories
of that fateful night. “I thought he was dead, but I knew from the
outset he was aristocracy and not for the likes of me.”

Isobel
knew instinctively there was something more Amelia wasn’t telling,
and wondered how far she could politely probe without causing
offence. “What do you mean, for the likes of you?”

“
I am a servant,” Amelia repeated, not sure if Isobel had
heard the first time.

“
Yes, you said that bit. But there is something more.” Isobel
settled back against the plush confines of Sebastian’s finest
carriage, and frowned at Amelia. “You don’t talk or walk like a
servant. You were bred for better things.”

Amelia
felt colour stain her cheeks as she contemplated how much she
should tell Isobel.

“
I don’t want to pry, but Sebastian clearly thinks you are not
a mere servant, or you wouldn’t be here. He would have ensured your
safety, servant or not. But if there was any real doubt as to your
suitability, he would have left you in the care of his housekeeper
who would have kept you in the servants’ quarters. Or, knowing
Sebastian, he would have furnished you with your own cottage on the
estate where you could remain for as long as you
wished.”

Isobel
knew her brother-in-law well enough to know he was a man of decency
and honour, and wouldn’t knowingly disgrace a servant. She had seen
enough of the tender looks Sebastian gave Amelia to understand that
there was real, deep affection between them. Whether she really was
a servant, or not.

“
Suitability for what?” Amelia asked, aghast at the thought
that the household considered her his mistress.

“
Well, as his wife of course,” Isobel replied, watching the
flush of guilt stain Amelia’s cheeks. Knowing the Cavendish men,
she supposed it was inevitable that Sebastian would follow in his
brother’s footsteps, and not wait for the church doors to open
before bedding the woman he wanted as his own.

“
I cannot be his wife,” Amelia replied, shocked.

“
Yes you can, my dear. Whatever your circumstance, you have
the makings to be the most suitable wife for someone like
Sebastian. The breeding is there, whether you admit it or not, and
he considers you most eligible. One only has to see the way he
looks at you to know that.”

“
How does he look at me?” Amelia shifted on her seat,
intrigued. She hadn’t been aware he had looked at her in any way
other than as a mere annoyance. Well, aside from the incident in
her room yesterday, when she was standing before him naked and
still wet from her bath. The shock on his face was something that
gave her a thrill of feminine delight, despite her
embarrassment.

“
Like he could drag you off to bed.” Isobel ignored Amelia’s
shocked stare, and continued unabashed. She was pleased Amelia
wasn’t offended at discussing such intimacies. “You must know he
cares about you deeply. I know him well enough to know that he
holds you in high esteem. The way he watches you, when you are in
the room together, is decadent. He positively eats you alive with
his eyes.”