Surrender (50 page)

Lucas asked bluntly, all traces of restless

ness vanishing instantly.

 
Fine animal fodder. Good for your

poorest soil, of course, but I'm more

in favor of oats, wheat, and corn where

possible."

 
I have heard buckwheat can be eaten

by humans in times of wheat shortages."

 
Only by those who live on the continent.

Doubt you'd get an Englishman to eat it

unless he was frightfully hungry."

 
I see your point. I have also become

quite interested in marl as opposed to

manure of late," Lucas said.
 
What is your

opinion?"

 
As it happens, I have done a bit of

investigation on the subject," the vicar said,

glowing with enthusiasm.
 
Tried marl out

on my wife's rosebushes. Also peat, ground

bone, and fish. Kept a detailed log. Would

you care to hear the results?"

 
I certainly would." Lucas stood up.

 
Why don't we go to the library where

I have some maps of the estate we can

look at?" He turned belatedly to Victoria.

 
You will excuse us, my dear?"

 
Of course."

 
Come along, vicar, I have several

questions to put to you. Now, about

manure. I must admit it has the advantage

of being readily available."

 
True. And when one does run short,

one can always have it brought in from

London. Several thousand horses stabled

in London, you know. Something has to

be done with all that manure. Have you

by any chance read Humphrey Davy's

Elements of Agricultural Chemistry?"

 
No," said Lucas.
 
But I did get hold of

a copy of Marshall's The Rural Economy of

Yorkshire. Marshall is very fond of marl."

 
It has its merits, I'll grant you. I shall

loan you my copy of Davy's Elements, if

you like. The man takes a very scientific

approach to the subject of manuring. I

believe you will find it most interesting."

 
I would appreciate that very much,"

Lucas said.

The two men moved out of the room,

talking intently.

Victoria looked at her guest.
 
More tea,

misses Worth?"

 
Thank you, my lady." She gave her

hostess an apologetic look.
 
Please forgive

my husband. I fear he is quite impassioned

in his studies of horticulture and agriculture."

Victoria grinned.
 
Believe me, he is in

good company. My husband's interest has

grown just as strong of late. You may have

noticed."

misses Worth relaxed. Her small chuckle

was delightful.
 
I did. Imagine discussing

manure in a drawing room. But, then, that

is life in the country."

 
It is not altogether different from life

at my aunt's home in London. My aunt

is very much interested in matters of

intellectual inquiry and I fear I have

followed in her footsteps. I quite enjoy

such discussions."

The vicar's wife beamed enthusiastically.

 
Perhaps you and Lord stone vale would

be interested in attending some of the

meetings of our local Society for the

Investigation of Curious Matters. We meet

every week on Monday afternoons in our

home. Quite a large crowd attends, I am

pleased to say." The good lady suddenly

flushed and began to stammer.
 
Of course

our meetings would probably not be of

great interest to you. I am certain you are

already far ahead of us since you have had

the advantages of being in Town."

 
Not at all. The prospect of attending

your next meeting sounds quite delightful.

I shall look forward to it."

misses Worth's smile returned in full

force.
 
How kind of you. I cannot wait

to tell my friends."

 
You say you grow roses, misses Worth?"

misses Worth began to beam, and said

shyly.
 
They are my passion, I fear."

I would dearly love to discuss some

plans for the gardens here at stone vale.

I cannot live without a proper garden

and Lucas is far too busy with farming

problems to help me. Would you care to

examine the grounds with me?"

 
I should be delighted."

 
Excellent. And while we're about it, we

can get on with our discussion of the most

pressing charity needs in the area. In all

truth, I am far more anxious to get started

on that project than I am the gardens."

The vicar's wife smiled with genuine

approval.
 
It is easy to see why the villagers

are so eager to believe their Amber Lady

has returned."

Victoria laughed.
 
You refer to my

preference for a certain shade in clothing,

I imagine. Pure coincidence, I assure you."

She glanced down at her yellow and white

afternoon dress with a wry smile.

misses Worth was startled and then

embarrassed that her hostess would think

she had made such a personal remark.

 
Oh, no, madam, I was not referring to

your lovely dress, although I will allow the

color is stunning on you and does create a

sort of amber effect. No, I was referring to

the legend. It holds that the knight's lady

was very kind and gentle."

Victoria wrinkled her nose and grinned.

 
Then it cannot have been referring to me.

I am certainly no paragon. Just ask my

husband."

A week later Victoria sat in front

of her dressing-table mirror while Nan

finished preparing her for bed. Her maid

was handing her a dressing gown when

the connecting door between Lucas's

room and her own was opened after a

perfunctory knock. Lucas sauntered in with

a proprietary air that Victoria was learning

to expect from him. She glared at him in

the mirror and nodded to her maid, who

bobbed a small curtsy to Lucas.

 
You may go now, Nan. Thank you."

 
Yes, ma'am. Shall I have a tea tray

sent up?"

Victoria met Lucas's sinfully amused

eyes in the mirror and shook her head.

 
No, thank you, Nan. I will not be wanting

any tea tonight."

 
Very well, ma'am. Good night to you

and yer lordship." She made her way

quickly to the door.

Lucas waited until the door had closed

behind the maid and then he moved

with lazy menace to stand directly behind

Victoria. He leaned forward and planted

both hands on her dressing table, effectively

caging her. His eyes continued to hold hers

in the mirror.

Victoria could not repress a small thrill

of anticipation. The man had a devastating

effect on her senses. And she was learning

the power she held over his physical

reaction to her. She wondered if it would

always be like this between them.

 
I saw that a letter arrived from your

aunt today." Lucas bent his head to kiss

her nape.
 
What does Lady Nettleship have

to say?"

 
That it appears as though we are

all going to brush through the scandal

relatively unscathed." Victoria smiled rue

fully, remembering the contents of her

aunt's letter.
 
Thanks to Jessica Atherton,

who has put it about that our hasty

marriage is the great romance of the

Season."

 
Good old Jessica." Lucas ran his tongue

along the sensitive rim of her ear.

Victoria shuddered.
 
I swear, Lucas, I do

not like being indebted to that woman."

 
Nor, do I, but as a soldier I long

ago learned to accept help from whatever

quarter made it available."

 
Obviously, or we would not now be in

our present position."

 
Shrew. You cannot resist such remarks,

can you?"

 
It is very difficult," Victoria admitted.

Her blood was already heating just from

the expression in his eyes and his closeness.

It struck her that even if someone waved

a magic wand and dissolved the marriage

tomorrow, she would never be truly free

of this man.

 
Any other news from your aunt?"

Victoria saw the flicker of intensity in his

eyes and knew it had nothing to do with

the sensual assault he was launching against

her.
 
Do you mean has she discovered any

other objects marked with a
 
W? The

answer is no. She also states she still

has not found anyone claiming to have

lost either the scarf or the snuffbox."

 
Does she mention Edgeworth by any

chance?"

 
No."

 
Just as well. Tell me, Vicky, what sort

of letter did you write back to your aunt?"

Lucas asked.

 
I told her about my plans for the

gardens and invited her to visit at her

earliest convenience. I also mentioned how

you and the vicar have discovered a mutual

interest in farming techniques, horticulture,

and manure. That was about all, I believe,

oh, and I asked her to send me some plant

cuttings and seeds."

 
What? No discussion of how you have

nobly accepted your unhappy fate and have

vowed to be a dutiful wife?" He kissed her

neck.
 
No talk of how you have come

to recognize that your womanly honor

demands you submit yourself to your

husband, even though the marital act

is, naturally, quite repellent under the

circumstances?" He nibbled on her earlobe.

 
No mention of how bravely you endure

the performance of your duties in the

marriage bed?" He kissed the curve of her

shoulder.
 
No pathetic little commentary

on how you have been made to pay the

price of your folly and what a lesson this

has all been to you?"