Sally MacKenzie Bundle (102 page)

“Very well. I’ll take Prinny down to the long gallery and let him exercise a little. The house party guests are all picnicking at the Pantheon.”

When Emma reached the gallery, she learned that she was mistaken. Mr. Stockley was there before her. He was admiring the long line of Knightsdale ancestors arrayed in artistic splendor on the walls of the gallery. She stopped and bent to grab Prinny’s collar. She definitely did not want to repeat her experience with Mr. Stockley in the grotto, especially so soon
after her upsetting interlude by the lake with the evil marquis. She started to drag Prinny toward the stairs but stopped to stare at Mr. Stockley’s odd behavior.

He was looking
behind
the paintings. She blinked. Yes, he did it again. He carefully lifted the frame away from the wall and peered behind it. Then he stuck his hand into the space and moved it up and down. Whatever was he thinking?

Prinny thought this activity unusual as well. He started barking. Mr. Stockley jumped and almost knocked the bust of Charles’s Great-Uncle Randall off its pedestal.

“Miss Peterson. I thought you were at the picnic.”

Emma entered the gallery. She didn’t really have a choice. Prinny was determined to investigate Mr. Stockley’s bizarre behavior. She gave up and let go of his collar. He tore off to sniff Mr. Stockley’s boots. The man wrinkled his nose and stepped back.

“Could you call your dog off, Miss Peterson?”

“Prinny’s really quite friendly, Mr. Stockley.”

“Perhaps. However, the fact remains that I do not care for animals.”

“I see.” Emma was not surprised. She had decided Mr. Stockley was an unpleasant individual. She bent to grab Prinny’s collar, but the dog danced out of her reach.

“Prinny, come here now!”

Prinny sneezed, suddenly losing interest in Mr. Stockley. He went off to sniff the wall behind Great Randall.

“I would not say you have much control over your animal, Miss Peterson.”

“Prinny is actually my sister’s dog.”

Mr. Stockley lifted an eyebrow, clearly not believing that statement. “I see.” Then a corner of his mouth
turned up and his voice got the oily quality it had had at the grotto.

Oh, Lud! He was wiggling his eyebrows at her again.

“I also see we’re quite alone. Noticed I’d left the group at the Pantheon, did you?”

“Mr. Stockley!”

He chuckled, putting his hands on her shoulders. She tried to wriggle free. He tightened his hold.

“We were interrupted the last time we had a few moments alone, weren’t we? I thought you might find your way to my room.” He pulled her closer. “No matter. I’m happy to attend to you now.”

“No, please.” She almost choked. How could she have kissed this man at the grotto? He obviously did not make regular use of tooth powder. Prinny’s breath was better than his.

“Mr. Stockley, I assure you—”

“Now, Miss Peterson—Emma—you are not a young miss. No need for these false protestations.”

“They are not false. I wish you to unhand me, sir!”

“You wish me to get a hand under your skirts. I know. I shall be happy to oblige.”

Under her skirts! Even Charles had not been under her skirts, though the thought was strangely appealing. But certainly not with this disgusting snake.

“Try it and I’ll scream.”

“Oh, and who will hear you? Your little dog, perhaps?” Mr. Stockley snorted. “What will he do? Challenge me to a duel? I’m quaking in my boots.” He leaned closer, a very nasty light in his eyes. “But thank you for the warning. I’ll be sure to cover your mouth before I cover your—”

Emma did not wait for more information. She screamed as loudly as she could, but Mr. Stockley was
quick. His mouth slammed down onto hers before she had gotten her lungs more than slightly emptied.

It didn’t matter. Someone had heard her. Mr. Stockley let go of her and yelled much louder than she ever could have hoped to. Prinny, her savior, growled.

“You bloody—”

Prinny droppe his mouthful of blue superfine and doeskin and bared his teeth, obviously prepared to take another bite from Mr. Stockley’s backside. The man saw reason. He turned and fled, treating Prinny and Emma to glimpses of his snowy-white rump.

“Good morning, Miss Peterson.”

“Where’s your beau?”

Emma looked up from the book she was reading to stare at the Farthington twins. “Excuse me?”

“They mean Papa Charles, Mama Peterson.”

Emma frowned at Claire. “Back to your letters, miss.”

The Farthington twins giggled.

“Papa
Charles,” Miss Esther said.

Miss Rachel grinned. “I’d wager Lord Knightsdale would make a very good papa.”

“And be very good at earning that title, if you know what I mean,” Miss Esther whispered, elbowing her sister in the ribs.

The ladies giggled harder.

“Oh my, yes. Those shoulders…”

“…those legs.”

“Mmm. Wears his breeches quite well, don’t he?”

“Ladies, please!” Emma felt her cheeks flush. She looked back at Claire. Both she and Isabelle were watching the twins with bright, interested eyes. “Did you come up to the schoolroom for a specific reason?”

“Oh, no.”

“Just passing by.”

No one “just passed by” the top floor of Knightsdale.

“We’ll be going now.”

“We’ll tell the marquis where he can find you.”

“That’s quite all right. Please, don’t bother.”

Emma watched the two elderly ladies leave. She hoped they made it down the stairs safely.

“Now what do you suppose that was about?”

Claire and Isabelle just giggled.

“I just saw Lord Knightsdale go into his study.”

Emma centered the tallest red rose in the vase of flowers she was arranging in the drawing room. “Thank you for warning me, Miss Russell.”

“No, I’m not warning you, I’m telling you.” Miss Russell leaned closer. “He’s alone.”

“Oh?”

The older lady nodded vigorously. “It would be a perfect time for…you know.”

Emma straightened her spectacles. “No, I don’t know.”

“You don’t?” Miss Russell frowned. “Lavinia said she’d seen you coming back from the lake with your dress falling—”

“Yes, well, thank you, Miss Russell. I will certainly take note of Lord Knightsdale’s whereabouts. So good of you to tell me.”

Miss Russell beamed. “I knew you’d want to know. I’ll finish up the roses for you.”

“Thank you. That would be very kind.”

Emma smiled and almost dashed from the room, hurrying to get as far from Lord Knightsdale’s study as possible.

“Miss Peterson—Emma—do you have a moment?”

Emma pulled her head out of the schoolroom cabinet she was inspecting.

“Not you, too, Mrs. Begley.”

“I have no idea what you mean.” Mrs. Begley looked at Claire and Isabelle. “Girls, why don’t you take Prinny for a walk? I have a few words of a private nature to share with Miss Peterson.”

“Is it about Uncle Charles?” Isabelle smiled.

Claire grinned. “The Misses Farthington have already told Mama Peterson what a good papa he’d make.”

“Have they? Well, yes, I do wish to discuss Lord Knightsdale, so be dears and run off.”

“Girls!”

“We’ll be back, Mama Peterson.”

“I’m sure Prinny does need a walk, Miss Peterson.”

Emma watched the children leave and then turned to Mrs. Begley.

“Mama
Peterson?”

Emma flushed. “Lady Claire would dearly love a mother. It seemed kindest to allow her to call me ‘mama,’ though she is supposed to do so only when we are alone.”

Mrs. Begley nodded and cleared her throat. “So, the Farthington twins stopped by, did they? They can be a pair of ninnyhammers sometimes.”

Emma nodded. “Yes, indeed.”

“However, in this case they are quite right. Lord Knightsdale
would
make a splendid papa.”

“Lady Begley—”

Lady Begley held up her hand. “No, hear me out, Miss Peterson. You don’t have a mother to advise
you, and I know you and Mrs. Graham are not on the best of terms.”

“Mrs. Begley, please…”

“You
need
a married lady to speak to, Miss Peterson, about the um…married life. About the marriage bed. About conjugal relations.”

“Mrs. Begley!” Emma was certain she was going to burst into flames, her cheeks were so hot.

“Now, I know you’re almost thirty….”

“I’m
twenty-six
, Mrs. Begley.”

“Twenty-six, then. Most girls your age are married with a quiverful of children. But you’ve lived a sheltered life, and you’ve had your papa and sister to care for.”

“Yes, yes.”

“I just don’t want you to be afraid of…you know.”

“No, no, I’m not afraid of…of anything.”

“Because some girls, they don’t like it much. I suppose with the wrong man, it could be uncomfortable, or even unpleasant.”

“You really don’t need to—”

“But the, um, conjugal act is really quite nice. You do understand what a man and woman do in bed together?”

“Uh…”

“No, no one has told you, have they? Well, men, they take their, their…
thing
.” Mrs. Begley made a vague gesture toward her waist. “And they put it, um, where it goes.” Another vague gesture to her waist. “The first time may hurt a bit, but after that it can be quite lovely. And there’s usually a bit of kissing and snuggling and…and kissing that goes on.” Mrs. Begley got an odd, almost dreamy expression on her face. “Squire is very good at it, you know.”

“No! No, please, don’t feel—” Emma did not want
to think about portly Squire Begley and Mrs. Begley doing anything that involved a bed and…
things
located anywhere near a person’s waist. Squire Begley didn’t even have a waist any longer.

Mrs. Begley grinned. “Very good at it, indeed. Why, just last night…” She sighed and shook her head. “Well, that’s neither here nor there. The point is, Miss Peterson, that the marriage bed can be a very comfortable place. And I’m quite certain Lord Knightsdale knows how to please a lady. Why, if I didn’t have my Squire and if I were a few years younger…”

“Yes. Thank you. I’m sure I understand now.”

Mrs. Begley leaned forward. “But do you understand this is your best chance? Maybe your only chance? I don’t mean to be rude, Miss Peterson, but thirty-year-old women—”

“Twenty-six!”

Mrs. Begley waved her hand dismissively. “
Twenty-six
-year-old women, if you will, are quite firmly on the shelf. Few, if any, men are interested in shopping there when they can have their pick of the new crop of fresh, young maidens. I mean, what exactly are you saving yourself for?”

Emma took an agitated turn around the garden. If she saw another member of the Society for the Betterment of Women, she would run away screaming. She turned a corner and spotted Lady Beatrice. Fortunately, Charles’s aunt had not seen her. Emma ducked back behind a rose bush.

“Miss Peterson.”

She turned to see where the whisper had come from. The voice didn’t sound like it belonged to one of the Society ladies.

“Over here, Miss Peterson.”

The Duchess of Alvord was sitting on a bench under a tree and waving. She laughed as Emma reached her.

“Whom are you hiding from?”

Emma smiled. “Lady Beatrice.”

“Ah. Well, sit here beside me. We shall pretend to be in close conversation. If she comes our way, I’m certain she will be too polite to interrupt.”

Emma was not certain of that at all, but, fortunately, Lady Beatrice did not come their way.

“If you don’t mind my asking, Miss Peterson, why are you hiding from Lady Beatrice?”

“I’m afraid she is going to tell me why I should marry her nephew.” Emma flushed. “I must sound very conceited, but I’ve had four other ladies corner me today to give me that message, so I expected I would hear the same thing from Lord Knightsdale’s aunt.”

“Interesting. And you do not want to marry Charles?”

Emma studied the duchess’s face. Here was a woman—a young woman—who surely would understand. She was obviously completely in love with her husband—and the duke was wildly enamored of his wife.

“Lord Knightsdale doesn’t love me.”

“Oh.” The duchess blinked. “Has he told you so?”

“No, but it’s obvious, isn’t it?”

“Not to me. In fact, I do think James said Charles was rather interested in you.”

Emma shook her head. “Oh, he wants a wife—he needs one, now that he is the marquis. And I’m convenient. That’s all it is.”

“Are you certain? I have noticed his eyes follow you when you are in the room with him.”

Emma blushed, her heart suddenly pounding. “Surely you imagine it!”

“No, I don’t think so.” The duchess smiled. “Has he shown you any marked attention? Has he sought you out in private? Has he perhaps kissed you?” She laughed. “Don’t feel you need to answer those questions aloud. I am not so bold as to pry into your personal life.”

Emma smoothed her dress over her lap. Mr. Stockley had kissed her, and he definitely did not love her. Lusted after her, perhaps, but love? No. Why would Charles’s interest be any different?

Well, Charles
had
offered marriage.

This was exceedingly embarrassing, but she desperately needed to get some answers. She forced herself to confide in the duchess.

“Lord Knightsdale has, um, been somewhat particular in his attentions, so much so that I, I…” How could she say it? The duchess sat quietly, waiting. Emma reminded herself she needed advice. “I…I asked him if he loved me, and he…”

“…he said no?” The duchess sounded appalled. “But you just told me that he had
not
said he didn’t love you.”

“No! Yes. I don’t know. He didn’t actually
say
he didn’t love me, he just sat there and stared at me, mouth agape like a, a great cod!” Emma sniffed. She was shocked to feel tears trickling down her cheeks. She swiped at them with the back of her hand and bit her lip, but a hiccup escaped anyway.

She wanted to cover her face and wail. She felt as young…as lost…as if she were Claire’s age.

“He said he liked me very much, that of course he cared for me. He went on and on, getting more and more tangled in his words.” She swallowed, her
face burning. “I think he just…lusts for me,” she whispered.