Gayle Buck (18 page)

Victoria smiled at Dorothea. “I am about to take Jessica upstairs to show her the nursery. Should you like to accompany us, Doro?”

Dorothea shook her head with a small smile. “It is kind of you, but I can see that you would rather be private with Jessica. I shall visit later.” Victoria nodded. She excused herself to Lord Damion and Dorothea and started upstairs with her daughter nestled securely in her arms.

Lord Damion quietly asked a footman to take up the baggage that had been brought in from Miss Webster’s carriage. He turned to find Dorothea staring after Victoria with a wistful expression. “Never mind, Doro. You will not have to wait much longer,” he said gently, drawing her arm through his.

She blushed furiously and cast a hesitant glance up at him. “Am I then so transparent, my lord?”

Lord Damion smiled. “Yes, child. But come into the sitting room for now. I have the most lowering feeling that Miss Webster shall be very happy to volunteer endless advice on the joys of raising a child.” Dorothea gave him a grateful smile as he escorted her into the sitting room. Under his breath he murmured, “Courage, Damion.”

When Miss Webster entered the nursery two hours later, she found Victoria gently laying a sleeping Jessica into bed. Victoria smiled at her friend but remained gazing down at her daughter’s rosy-cheeked face for several moments before she followed Miss Webster into the small sitting room.

Miss Webster glanced around as she drew off her kid gloves. “Very pretty, ‘pon my word. I assume that door there leads to the bedroom?”

“Yes. And I am but a few doors down the hall,” said Victoria. With a sigh she seated herself in an elegant chair beside a small table. Victoria gestured at the pot of tea and tea cakes on the table. “The housekeeeper, Mrs. Lummington, sent up tea when she heard of your and Jessica’s arrival. Jessica and I have already made inroads, as you can see.”

“Most obliging of Mrs. Lummington. Lady Hortense, however, has already done the pretty and I am awash with tea,” said Miss Webster as she took the other chair. She glanced keenly at Victoria’s pensive face. “You seem preoccupied, my lady. Is it Jessica?”

Victoria smiled at her affectionately. “You could always read my heart, Rebecca. It is Jessica, and more. I missed her so. And I am homesick for my life as it was before I received Lord Robert’s invitation.”

Miss Webster nodded in understanding. “They seem a friendly enough lot. But one could not be altogether comfortable among them, I suppose.”

“I am better situated than in the beginning. At least I am no longer suspected to be Lord Damion’s mistress,” said Victoria humorously.

Miss Webster stared at her. “Perhaps you should begin at the beginning, Vicky. I perceive it is a highly edifying tale.”

Victoria obliged by swiftly outlining her meeting with Lord Damion and her subsequent introduction to the Crossing and its inhabitants. “Needless to say I have never before come in the way of such astonishing behavior. And my own conduct is becoming as bad, for I actually contemplated the idea of pretending to fall in with Sir Aubrey’s scheme so that later I may show them up for fools,” confessed Victoria.

“Madness indeed. Perhaps you should accept it instead in all sincerity,” said Miss Webster.

“Rebecca!”

Miss Webster ignored Victoria’s astonished tone. “Wealth cannot buy you the warmth of companionship, Vicky. Lord Damion looks a decent man despite his rakehell reputation.”

Victoria was silent a moment. “I do not love him, Rebecca.”

“You married once for love. It is not likely to come again in such full measure,” said Miss Webster. “So marry with an eye to simple companionship and gradual respect for one another.”

“Rebecca, I can hardly believe my ears. You have never before advised me in such a fashion,” said Victoria, bemused.

“I have lately given the matter much thought,” said Miss Webster, fiddling uncharacteristically with her gloves.

Victoria’s mouth dropped open. “My dearest Rebecca, do not tell me that Carlos has at last posed the question!” Miss Webster’s embarassed expression told her that her guess was correct. Victoria jumped out of her chair and flew around the table to catch her friend in a quick hug. “Dearest Rebecca, I am so glad for you. I know that you shall make me a splendid aunt,” she said warmly, laughing.

Miss Webster returned her quick embrace. “Thank you, my dear. I am most happy.”

“But this must have happened before we ever left Lisbon and you never said a word,” said Victoria, almost accusingly.

“I did not know quite how to tell you, for you needed me for Jessica’s sake. I spoke to Carlos and he agreed that my duty lay with you at this particular time,” said Miss Webster.

“You are so caring, Rebecca,” said Victoria softly. “I hope that Carlos realizes what a jewel he is getting.”

Miss Webster’s cheeks held a soft bloom of color. “Thank you, Vicky. You know that my home shall always be open to you and little Jessica.”

“Yes.” Victoria suddenly laughed. “I feel so like a matron with her first daughter to be married. What does the bishop think about it all?”

“Horace is the most unflappable creature in nature. He says that he has been expecting something of the sort for years,” said Miss Webster. Victoria chortled and her companion found it impossible to
keep her countenance. The bishop was renowned for his lack of proper anxieties.

“But surely Carlos will not want you to remain indefinitely with Jessica and me,” said Victoria when she had sobered.

“True, Vicky. I must return to Lisbon in a very few weeks,” said Miss Webster with something of an anxious air.

Victoria squeezed her hand. “My dearest Rebecca, you are not to spare a thought on my account. My business here will be complete then. I only hope that I may return to Lisbon in time for your wedding.”

“You have greatly relieved me.” Miss Webster smothered a yawn. “Forgive me, my lady. I find
that
I am fatigued of a sudden.”

“Then I shall leave you for now, Rebecca, and allow you to rest before dinner. And I shall take dinner in the nursery with Jessica so you may sit down with Charles’s family. I shall enjoy hearing all your impressions,” said Victoria.

“I infer from your tone that I am in for a high treat,” said Miss Webster. Victoria only laughed as she left the room.

Victoria did not return to the drawing room but stayed in the nursery to watch her daughter sleep. Miss Webster had given her a great deal to think about, for she had assumed that Rebecca would always be with her. Also, she admitted candidly to herself that she had been unusually encouraging to Lord Damion. It was almost as though she had already made an unconscious decision to further Sir Aubrey’s scheme.

When dinner was served downstairs, no one thought it particularly remarkable that Victoria had chosen to take the meal with her daughter. “After all, she has not seen the child for days, said Lady Hortense. “I hope, however, that Lady Victoria means to bring Jessica down to meet us tomorrow.”

“I am certain that she will, my lady,” said Miss Webster, and casually directed the conversation into other channels. She proved herself an agreeable dinner companion, offering news of the war and describing the society of Lisbon. However, any inquiry regarding Lady Victoria or her daughter was adroitly turned aside with a small witticism.

When the ladies rose from the table and left the gentlemen to their wine, Sir Aubrey remarked, “There goes the most closemouthed female of my experience.”

“Indeed, Miss Webster is remarkably skillful in fending off the curious,” said Lord Damion. “One understands why Lady Victoria felt safe in entrusting Jessica to her.”

‘I’m rather awed by her,” said Evelyn. He tossed back the last of his wine and set down the glass. “I am for joining the ladies directly. Cousin Victoria must surely mean to make an appearance.” Evelyn’s companions agreed to his suggestion and the gentlemen repaired to the sitting room. But nothing was seen of Victoria that evening.

Victoria did not feel apologetic for spending the evening alone with Jessica. Since her daughter’s arrival she had been poignantly aware of how much she had missed her. She could not feast her eyes enough on Jessica’s little face or hold her too long. Her heart pained her when Jessica clung to her for reassurance. “I stay with you now, Mama?” Jessica asked, her eyes somber.

“Yes, my sweet girl,” said Victoria, hugging her close. When Jessica finally nodded off and Victoria laid her in bed, she promised herself that she would never again leave her.

Chapter Eighteen

Victoria woke early the following morning. She dressed quickly and immediately went to the nursery, for she had promised to be with Jessica when she awakened. Jessica was just stirring as she approached the bed. Victoria bent to kiss her. “Good morning. Miss Slugabed,” she said softly.

“Mama!” Jessica threw herself into Victoria’s arms and clutched her tightly around the neck.

Victoria laughed at her, protesting that she could not breathe. Jessica began chattering excitedly and Victoria cautioned her to quiet. “Or someone will hear and come just when we are telling our best stories.”

“I tell them to go away,” Jessica said, nodding emphatically.

“And I shall let you,” Victoria said. They spent a very happy two hours alone together before Miss Webster put in an appearance. Victoria turned a flushed, happy countenance to her. “Do but look, Rebecca. We are building a tower and have a place for each tin soldier,” she said.

“Very pretty indeed.” Miss Webster suitably admired their efforts and then seated herself to one side, loath to interrupt their play. There was a knock on the door and a maid entered with a breakfast tray. Miss Webster asked her to set the dishes on the table in the sitting room.

Victoria reluctantly got to her feet. “I suppose this is my signal that breakfast is being served downstairs. I wish that I had thought to have a portion sent up for myself.”

 Jessica sensed immediately that her mother was leaving again and she ran to Victoria to bury her head in her skirts. “No, no! Mama stay here.”

Victoria sank down on her knees and put her arms around the small girl. “Pray listen to me,
menina.
I am not leaving you again. I shall come back later to play, I promise you.” Jessica was still uncertain. But Victoria repeated her promise and the little girl was able to watch her mother leave the nursery without tears.

When Victoria entered the breakfast room, she found only the ladies at the table. She returned the various greetings with a smile as she took her seat and inquired about the gentlemen. Margaret informed her that Lord Damion and Evelyn had once more left the manor at dawn with their Firearms and game bags.

“I know that you must have already been to the nursery. Pray, how is little Jessica this morning?” asked Dorothea.

“She is very well, Doro. Should you care to visit with her later this morning? I know that Rebecca shall not mind company while Jessica plays.”

“Thank you, cousin,” said Dorothea, her eyes bright.

“I am all admiration for you, Lady Victoria, for I see that you are the best of mothers,” said Margaret. Victoria was startled by the friendly note in her husky voice and stared at her, but she detected only sincerity in Margaret’s expression. Victoria wondered what had brought such a change in the woman’s manner.

Lady Hortense, whose appearance at breakfast was most unusual, announced that she wished to return the morning calls of Lady Belingham and Mrs. Pherson. “I know that you do not care for such things, Margaret, and so I shall understand perfectly if you prefer to remain here with Doro,” she said. “Victoria, I know, will accompany me.”

“But I would not miss it for the world,” murmured Margaret.

Lady Hortense observed the hard violet brightness of her eyes, then shrugged. “Very well, Margaret.” She instructed a footman to have a carriage brought around to the front steps after breakfast.

During the past week, true winter had at last descended over the rugged Derbyshire countryside. When the ladies stepped up into the carriage their breath frosted in the cold, clear atmosphere. Victoria was grateful for the rugs tucked over their knees. She put her face up and sniffed of the icy air appreciatively. She had always loved the cold. “Is it not truly wonderful weather?” she exclaimed.

Margaret looked at her as though she were mad. “I am wrapped as tight as a sausage, but I swear the chill penetrates still. Believe me, my misery does not allow for admiration of the season.”

“Never mind, my dear. We shall soon be at the parsonage and there we may find a warm welcome.” said Lady Hortense comfortably.

“From whom, ma’am?” retorted Margaret tartly, raising a laugh from her companions.

The reverend’s cottage was a charming dwelling set back from the road among a few trees. A white picket fence framed the yard. When the carriage stopped at the gate, Reverend Pherson and his wife came to meet them. The reverend greeted the ladies respectfully, and invited them in out of the wind. “And I may promise you refreshment after your cold drive, for Mrs. Pherson has just finished baking a plum cake.” Mrs. Pherson echoed her husband’s civilities to Lady Hortense, but as her eyes shifted to Victoria and Margaret her lips thinned.

Lady Hortense graciously accepted the reverend’s invitation and was escorted inside by him and his wife. Margaret and Victoria brought up the rear. “She would as lief have us freeze as allow us to sully her home,” Margaret murmured softly in Victoria’s ear. Victoria agreed with a laugh. Mrs. Pherson looked back and raked them with an unfriendly glance.

The reverend showed the callers into the parlor and made them comfortable in chairs before the fire. Lady Hortense declined his invitation to remove their outer garments, saying that they could only stay a moment. “For my coachman shall not want the horses idle for long in this cold,” she said with a smile. Reverend Pherson agreed and several minutes were passed in the exchange of pleasantries while the ladies accepted tea and a slice of Mrs. Pherson’s excellent plum cake.

Lady Hortense thought it time to bring up the point of their visit. “Now, Reverend, I must tell you that I have a request and I hope that you will not deny me,” she said with a smile.