Gayle Buck (21 page)

“I have not made Margaret my mistress!” Lord Damion said furiously.

“And I have not asked, my lord,” Victoria said coldly. “But I shall say that I do not care for my daughter to witness such particular attentions as those you favor Mrs. Giddings with.”

“What do you accuse me of, my lady?” Lord Damion asked softly, a hard look about his mouth.

Fine color rose in Victoria’s face. She did not stop to analyze her hurt anger. “You are a rakehell, sir, entirely without shame or conscience!”

Lord Damion laughed at her. Mockery lighted his eyes. “And I believe you are jealous, my lady.”

Victoria leaped to her feet. The novel tumbled to the carpet. “You are insufferable, Lord Damion!” She ran out of the library, leaving him with an astonished expression on his face.

Victoria sought refuge without thinking. Miss Webster looked up in surprise when her sitting-room door flew open. She saw Victoria’s face and her voice was filled with quick concern. “My dear Vicky, what is it?”

“Oh, Rebecca!” Victoria threw herself down at her old friend’s knee and burst into tears. Between sobs she attempted a tangled explanation of the scene between her and Lord Damion.

Miss Webster was able to piece enough together from Victoria’s incoherent words to make sense of what had happened. Gently she raised Victoria’s face from her lap. “My dear, do you not see? It was not that Jessica was exposed to her first flirtation that has upset you.”

Victoria wiped her eyes. Her heart thumped painfully. “What are you saying, Rebecca?”

“I believe you know,” Miss Webster said quietly.

Victoria bent her head. “I have made a fool of myself, haven’t I?”

Miss Webster laughed and touched her hair. “My dear, love makes fools of us all.”

“Oh, pray do not call it that!” exclaimed Victoria, raising her hands to her burning cheeks. “I cannot bear to think of him in that fashion.”

“Then do not. However, one day you will be compelled to put a name to your feelings, Lady Victoria,” said Miss Webster. “And I hope that you will be honest with yourself.” She hesitated, looking down at Victoria’s somber profile. “My dear, I received a letter from Carlos in the post.”

Victoria looked up quickly, all thought of her own confused state forgotten. “You are leaving us, then?”

“In only a few days. I am sorry, Vicky,” said Miss Webster unhappily. “I feel that I have failed you.”

Victoria rose from her knees to give her a quick hug. “Nonsense, Rebecca. I can deal with whatever happens. And I shall have our splendid Eliza to assist me. Oh, I am so glad for you! How I wish that Jessica and I were returning also, but we shall follow as soon as the will is read. And then we shall all be merry, I promise you.”

Miss Webster agreed to it, but she was concerned as she looked at Victoria’s determinedly cheerful expression. She knew that stubborn unconcern of old and hoped that her former charge would do nothing foolish. However, she kept her reservations to herself and hoped that she was not making a terrible mistake in leaving the Crossing just at this time.

Chapter Twenty

It began snowing the morning that Miss Webster left. Victoria stood at the front of the small group that had gathered on the steps to see on her former companion. She held Jessica in her arms. “Wave now,
menina,
Rebecca is going,” she said quietly. The little girl did as she was told and Miss Webster returned her wave from the carriage window.

The carriage pulled away and Miss Webster continued to wave from the open window until the carriage made the curve in the lane. Victoria felt a lowering of her spirits and stared after the carriage while fine snow peppered her dark hair.

Lady Hortense glanced at Victoria’s somber face and patted her arm. “We shall all miss Rebecca, I am sure. But she has her own obligations and we could not keep her with us forever,” she said. Victoria agreed rather forlornly.

Dorothea exchanged a glance with Lady Hortense. “Do come out of the cold, Victoria. Eliza is waiting to take Jessica up to the nursery for her tea time and I need your support,” said Dorothea.

“Of course,” said Victoria. She reentered the hall with the other ladies and gave her daughter over to the nursemaid. Then she accompanied Dorothea to the picture gallery, the younger woman leaning lightly on Victoria’s arm.

Dorothea and Victoria took their daily exercise in the long gallery. As they walked slowly up and down the gallery they wrapped their shawls close to ward off the drafts. Doro’s black and white spaniels ran with exuberant energy, but the ladies’ pace was always leisurely because Dorothea had become clumsier as her pregnancy advanced.

Victoria and Dorothea were much closer since the younger woman had discovered that Victoria was a mother. Dorothea had since learned her friend’s moods and she was sensitive to Victoria’s distance after losing Miss Webster’s companionship. She therefore attempted to keep the conversation light, but they soon entered on one of their more far-reaching discussions.

“Of course I want a son. Evelyn does not admit to it, but he very much wants our first child to be a boy. And for his sake, I hope that it is,” said Dorothea.

“Do you always put Evelyn’s desires first?” Victoria asked.

Dorothea laughed at her. “Oh Victoria, what an odd question! I love Evelyn and naturally his desires are mine. Yet I do have ambitions of my own, which Evelyn will do all in his power to satisfy because he returns my love tenfold.” She looked curiously at her taller companion. “Was it not that way between you and Charles?”

“I hardly know how to reply. Charles and I had such contrasting natures,” said Victoria. “Yet we were happy. And particularly when Jessica was born.”

“That is all that mattered, is it not?” asked Dorothea gently.

A voice hailed them and they turned to discover that Lord Damion had entered the gallery. “I hope that I may join you ladies, for I am in dire need of exercise and fresh company. I have just escaped my mother and Sir Aubrey, who are hotly debating a point of honor in cards,” said Lord Damion ruefully.

Victoria and Dorothea laughed at his expression. Then Doro said, “I fear you must excuse me from any further walking, my lord. I have finished mine for the day and now I desire only a comfortable chair. But I am certain that Victoria shall oblige you, for she is always full of energy.”

Before Victoria well knew what Dorothea was about, she had called to her spaniels and left the gallery. Victoria found herself alone with Lord Damion for the first time in days. Since their quarrel she had taken pains to avoid his company.

Now Victoria walked arm in arm with that same gentleman. She did not know what to say or where to look. She could only wonder if Lord Damion recalled that she had fled upon being accused of jealousy.

After several failed attempts at conversation, Lord Damion finally stopped her. “My lady, I behaved shamefully with you,” he said quietly. “If there were any way I could make amends, I would, for I have lost a friend.”

Victoria flushed, then paled. She met his gaze steadily. “I cannot mistake your meaning, my lord. But indeed, the fault lies with me. I should not have provoked you—” She stopped, her lashes falling to mask her eyes.

Lord Damion gently tilted up her chin with one finger. “My darling Victoria, you are very dear to me,” he said softly. At once he was amazed by his own words. It had not been what he meant to say. But the look of wonder in Victoria’s eyes surprised him more. The blood pumped faster in his veins. Slowly Lord Damion lowered his head to take her half-parted lips in a long, seeking kiss.

When Lord Damion raised his head, he felt as though he had wakened from a languorous sleep. He stared deep into Victoria’s softly glowing eyes and carefully drew her toward him, uncertain if she would bolt. But she came willingly into his arms and her kiss was welcoming.

“Victoria! Victoria?” Evelyn entered the gallery and abruptly stopped short at sight of the embracing couple.

Immediately Lord Damion released Victoria and took a step forward to shield her from Evelyn’s amazed scrutiny. “Yes, Evelyn?”

Evelyn took note of Victoria’s furious blush before he settled his gaze on Lord Damion. “Doro told me that I might find you both here. The solicitor has arrived and is ready to begin with the reading,” he said shortly.

“We will come immediately,” said Lord Damion, half turning to offer his arm to Victoria. But she had already made for the door and did not see his gesture. She could think only of escaping her feelings for him.

Lord Damion fell into step with Evelyn as they followed her. “I shall be glad to have this business done. Did the solicitor say why he has taken so long to come to us?” he asked casually, his eyes on Victoria’s retreating back.

“He said he took time to have some documents pertaining to Jessica’s inheritance notarized.” Evelyn saw the peculiar light in his cousin’s gaze and was startled. Suddenly uneasy, he put out a hand and caught his cousin’s sleeve. “St. Claire—” Lord Damion turned his head, raising a thin brow. Evelyn looked into the taller man’s arrogant face and his own jaw firmed. “We will talk later, cousin.”

“As you wish, Evelyn,” said Lord Damion, mildly surprised by Evelyn’s unusually grim tone. But he dismissed it quickly as they joined the rest of the family in the library where the solicitor had chosen to hold the reading of the will.

The will occasioned few surprises. Lord Damion ascended to the tide and became the Sixth Earl of March. Various objets d’art were left to Sir Aubrey and Lady Hortense, while Evelyn was given a handsome income. The most noteworthy item was Lord Robert’s surprising generosity to the daughter-in-law and granddaughter he had never met. “Of course, the funds are tied up in trust for Miss Jessica until she reaches her majority,” said the solicitor, looking over his steel-rimmed eyeglasses at Victoria. She nodded her understanding. He glanced down once more at the parchment in his hands and cleared his throat. “There is also a rather unusual codicil pertaining to you. Lady Victoria, which provides for a possible future increase of your income.”

Victoria felt heat rise in her face. Her fingers were clasped tightly together, but otherwise she showed no other outward signs of her distress. It was monstrous that the entire family was to know of Lord Robert’s manipulations, but especially that Lord Damion would learn firsthand the particulars only moments after the kiss in the gallery.

“It will not be necessary to make public the codicil at this time,” said Sir Aubrey brusquely. “I was in the earl’s confidence and took it upon myself to inform Lady Victoria beforehand of the codicil’s import. If she wishes, she may request a private explanation from you, sir.”

“I believe that an excellent suggestion,” said the solicitor, much relieved. He turned to Victoria. “I hope that meets with your approval, my lady.”

“Oh yes,” Victoria said quietly.

The solicitor nodded and began shuffling together the papers before him. “Then I believe we have concluded the business for which we have gathered.”

Lady Hortense rose immediately. “My dear Mr. Beckworth, you have not yet taken time for luncheon, I know. Do pray join us before you set out once more.” He bowed and thanked her.

As the family members dispersed, Evelyn held Lord Damion back. “A private word with you, my lord.” Lord Damion raised his brows at his hard tone.

Sir Aubrey, who had paused to congratulate Lord Damion on his ascendancy, glanced sharply from one to the other. “What is this about, Evelyn?”

“Pray go on, sir. We shall join you and the ladies momentarily,” said Lord Damion. Sir Aubrey hesitated, then finally nodded and left.

Lord Damion seated himself and unstoppered a decanter of wine. “I assume that this has to do with your earlier request for an audience.” He poured a glass of wine and looked over at Evelyn. “Will you join me?” Evelyn shook his head, his jaw tight. Lord Damion took note of the hardness of his expression and sat back to await events. From all signs his cousin was operating under some distress.

Evelyn took hold of a chair back, his knuckles tight on the wood. It was more difficult to begin than he had imagined. Though he had always gone to pains to conceal it, he stood in awe of his elder cousin. He said abruptly, “I wish to discuss Cousin Victoria with you.”

Lord Damion’s brows shot up. Of all topics this was the least expected and he curiously waited for Evelyn to continue.

“When I first met Lady Victoria and learned that she had arrived in your company, I mistakenly assumed that you had brought your mistress to the Crossing,” said Evelyn.

“That was gross misjudgment on your part, Evelyn,” said Lord Damion quietly.

Evelyn reddened. “I know it, St. Claire. I quickly discovered how much in error I was. Cousin Victoria is a lady of quality and I have come to respect and admire her.”

“Where is this leading us, Evelyn?” asked Lord Damion. “For I must assume that you have a point.”

Evelyn stared down at him. “Only this, my lord. I wish to know in what light you regard our fair cousin. For I tell you straightly that I shall not stand idly by if you mean to give her a slip on the shoulder.”

Surprise and anger crossed Lord Damion’s face. “You forget yourself, Evelyn,” he said evenly, his eyes hard.

“I think not, my lord,” Evelyn said doggedly. He had always before been intimidated by his elder cousin’s icy hauteur, but on this occasion he was determined not to back down. “I witnessed what passed between you and Lady Victoria in the long gallery and—”

“What has passed between Lady Victoria and me does not concern you,” said Lord Damion bitingly.

“It does, by Jove!” Quick anger flared in Evelyn’s blue eyes. “I care for Victoria as though she was my own sister and I shall protect her if I can. I am all too familiar with your damnable reputation, my lord. In London you are called the Demon for your amorous activities.”

Lord Damion’s voice was flinty. “You may rest easy, cousin. Though I fully earned my reputation, it was not done by ravishing unwilling females.”

Evelyn slammed his palm against the back of
the
chair. “Damn you, St. Claire. Do you take me for a fool? I saw how Victoria responded to your lovemaking. You have her half on the road to ruin now. No, my lord, only your word of honor that you will stay away from Victoria will satisfy me.”