The Wicked and Wonderful Miss Merlin (12 page)

‘Your brother is not so worried about the financial side of things.  He wants to make sure that Toby is worthy of you and will make you happy…’  She broke off as she saw a man striding towards them.  ‘I think Lord Brough is coming to join us after all.’

She had been sitting with her back against some cushions placed against the trunk of a tree, but now sat up, making certain that the skirt of her gown was placed demurely over her knees and covered her feet and ankles.

‘You decided to join us,’ she said as he arrived, looking slightly hot from his exertions.  ‘You are just in time to open the wine, Brough.’

‘Cooling in the lake, how delightful,’ he said and going to the water’s edge knelt down and drew it in.  ‘Who will have wine?’

‘Not for me,’ Eleanor said. ‘ I prefer the lemonade, but you may refill my glass, if you will.’

‘Certainly, sister,’ Robert said and bowed to her.  ‘Your servant, ma’am.’

Eleanor went into a peal of laughter, but when she made to rise he bid her sit and served them both with their drinks before sitting down on the blanket near to Samantha.

‘How pleasant this is,’ he said.  ‘I have not had a picnic for years.’

‘We’ve eaten most of the food,’ Samantha said and sipped the delicious wine.  ‘I think there might be some cold fruit pie, if you should like it?’

‘I ate something with my tenant,’ Robert said.  ‘Samuel Allbright makes a delicious mutton stew.  He invited me to sit down with him and I was pleased to oblige.  I often ate with the family when I was a boy – but Millie was alive then.  I know he misses her.  With his son away he must be lonely.  We must give a supper for the tenants and invite him.  We’ll have a table in the courtyard one evening, cold meats, cheeses, bread and ale, with bowls of fruit if we have some in season – or cake if there is none.’

‘A harvest supper,’ Eleanor said and clapped her hands.  ‘Can we have music, Robert?  I recall that once we had a gypsy fiddler play and we all danced the night away.’

‘Yes,’ he said and looked sad.  ‘There were times we were happy before…it all went wrong.’

‘I never did know why you quarrelled with Papa,’ Eleanor said.  ‘After you went away it was awful.  He hardly spoke to anyone ever again.’

‘I think he may have been distressed for quite another reason.’ Robert frowned.  ‘I believe he intended to marry – a young woman who died.’

‘Oh no,’ Eleanor said.  ‘There was someone…I was outside his study and I heard them argue.  She accused him of sending you away and said it was you she wanted and then she ran from the house. I think it was then that Papa became so angry.’

‘I see…well, I am sorry for it.  I had hoped to spare him the truth, even though he did not truly deserve my consideration.  You may as well know, Eleanor.  She was his mistress for some years before Mama died...he had one mistress after another all the time they were married, but she was the one he cared for it and Mama knew.’

‘Poor Mama, how unkind of him,’ she said.  ‘I never knew…Mama never spoke of it to me.’

‘Nor to me,’ he replied, but the doctor told me there were complications after her last child was born…Philip lived only a few days.  She could never have another child and so Papa…’  He shook his head.  ‘I should not say, but it is one of the reasons why I do not wish you to marry unless I am certain that he loves you, as he ought, Eleanor.  I would not wish you to suffer as our mother did.’

‘Oh, Robert…’ Eleanor’s eyes filled with tears.  ‘It was so sad for her.’

‘Perhaps for him too,’ Samantha spoke, bringing both the brother’s and sister’s eyes on her.  ‘If he was deprived of his wife’s presence in his bed he may have been driven to seek female company.’

‘Yes, this is true.  She told me that she accepted his physical need – but it was his love for Marianne that hurt her so badly.  He wanted to divorce her but could not bring himself to face the scandal.  For years he provided a house, carriage, horses and jewels for his mistress – and he did not bother to remember Mama’s birthday.  I saw her crying once because he had not even wished her happiness on her special day.’

‘That was cruel,’ Samantha agreed.  ‘As you said, Eleanor, it is sad – but I do not think that Toby would behave in a similar way faced with the same circumstances.’

‘No caring man would inflict such pain on another in any circumstances,’ Robert said.  ‘There is such a thing as self discipline.’

Samantha saw the pain and anger in his face and was silent.  It was an old wound and one that had clearly not yet healed.

‘Perhaps we should think of getting back,’ she said and stood up.  She was about to gather the rug under her arm when she heard Eleanor’s cry and saw the girl spring to her feet.  She went running back towards the house and, seeing the man walking towards them, Samantha smiled. ‘Toby must feel better.  He is here a day or so earlier than we expected.’

‘Well, we can make plans for our supper for the tenants, and then, in a few days we shall all go down to Bath.’  He forestalled her as she would have picked up Eleanor’s rug.  ‘No, leave everything.  A footman can fetch the basket and rugs.  Leave everything here and come with me.  I should like to take a little walk with you.’

‘Very well,’ Samantha said, smiled and slipped her arm through his.  ‘It must have hurt your father’s pride when his mistress told him she preferred you?’

‘She approached me, hoping that I would become her protector, perhaps more, for she was beautiful and I was young, she hoped impressionable.  When I refused her, she implied to my father that the advance had come from me and we quarrelled.  I fear that I was bitter because of Mama and said things I ought not.  I do not know why she refused her chance to be his wife.  Perhaps she had a better offer…but unfortunately, she took ill of a fever and died.’

‘How old was she?’

‘Perhaps five and twenty.  Too young to die and I am sorry for it, even though I did not care for her.’

‘She was my own age.’  Samantha looked into his face.  ‘Why would a young woman of that age give herself to a man so much older – and without marriage?  Was she of good birth?’

‘She was the daughter of a parson, but always wild I understand.  My father was not her first lover.  I believe there was a child some years before, when she was no more than sixteen – and the reason her father turned her out, of course.  I suppose she had no choice but to sell herself to the highest bidder.’

‘Sad indeed,’ Samantha said and shivered.  ‘I understand why you were so concerned for Eleanor when she ran away.  You feared she might suffer a similar fate.’

‘It was in my mind at the start, but after I spoke to you I came to see that it was unlikely.  However, I shall be very glad to see her wed to a good man who will care for her – whatever happens in the future.’

‘I am sure Toby adores her,’ Samantha said, smiling at him.  ‘You need not fear to give her to him, for he would never behave as your father did.  We all have our faults I dare say.  My father adored my mother, but he could never keep money in his pocket.  His friends asked and he gave with no thought of repayment.  Mama sold some of her jewels when they were short of money.  Papa always meant to purchase more for her, but then someone would be in need and he could not resist – I would not have had him different.  He was a dear man and we both loved him very much.’

‘Is that why you cling to your independence – because you cannot trust a man to care for you and keep you safe?’

‘No, I do not think so,’ Samantha said.  ‘I have become independent through necessity but…I have never found a man I liked enough…or loved.  I suppose I should marry if I did…’

Robert smiled.  ‘I am glad.  A woman as beautiful as you should not live her whole life alone.  I think we all need companionship and love, if we are lucky enough to find it.’

‘Yes, perhaps,’ she said.  ‘You have a beautiful home, Brough.  I think you must be very proud of it?’

‘You seek to turn the subject?  Very well, I shall not embarrass you.  As yet I have given you no chance to know me, Samantha.  We have some weeks ahead of us for that.  I hope by the end of our visit to Bath you will not dislike what you discover…’

                                                  
Chapter Eight

Changing for dinner that evening, Samantha was thoughtful as she glanced at her reflection in the mirror.  Beautiful.  Robert had called her beautiful.  She had never seen herself as a beauty, attractive, yes – but too beautiful to live alone?  What could he mean?

He had spoken of getting to know one another.  Did that mean he liked her…enough to offer her a home here…to make her his wife?

How foolish of her!  To hope for such happiness was to risk rejection and pain.  She had long given up all expectation of marriage, and yet – and yet there had been something in his eyes.  When he looked at her sometimes she felt that he wanted her – but did he care for her?

Samantha’s heart raced and she felt a wrench of pain. She was coming to care for him too much for her own comfort. Beside the lake, listening to him talking about his father, she had suddenly seen into his past, seen a man of ideals who had been hurt for his mother’s sake and still carried that pain inside.

She thought perhaps that man was a man she could love very much.

Taking one last glance at herself in the mirror, she patted a stray hair into place.  Her gown of cream silk with an overlay of lace suited her well, and her pearls gave lustre to her skin.  She did look attractive and perhaps…perhaps there was a chance that Robert might come to love her.

Dinner that evening was a pleasant affair.  Now that Toby was here, Eleanor had come completely out of her sulks and talked in an animated fashion.  Robert behaved in a friendly manner to the young man, speaking of his time in the army.  Toby confessed that he had once plagued his father for a pair of colours but, because he was the only child of the family, his mother could not bear to part with him.

‘And then I met Eleanor,’ he said and smiled at her.  ‘After that I no longer wished to go into the army.  My father was relieved and my mother cried for happiness so I dare say it all turned out for the best, sir.’

‘I dare say it did,’ Robert agreed and laughed.  His eyes met Samantha’s across the table and they shared a silent jest.  ‘Eleanor, why do you and Samantha not leave us to our port?  I would like to talk to Toby about the future.’

Eleanor looked anxious but at a nod from Toby she got up and led the way into the parlour they used for family evenings.  It was smaller than the drawing room, which was used when they had visitors, and comfortable with slightly shabby chairs and their books and possessions lying about.

‘I hope Robert’s wife will not change this room too much when he marries,’ she said and then laughed.  ‘I shall not be here often, shall I?  It should not matter to me what she does.’

‘Is your brother to marry?’

Eleanor wrinkled her brow.  ‘I do not know but he said something about it when we talked – something about leaving the refurbishing of the house to his future wife.  Whether he has an understanding or means to invite his friends and their sisters here in order to court one of them I do not know.’  She looked thoughtful.  ‘It would be wonderful if…but I cannot expect Robert to marry to suit me…’

Samantha did not answer.  If Robert was thinking of marriage there was probably a young woman somewhere that he thought suitable.  She was foolish to have allowed herself to think….but it was ridiculous.  Just because he had made an effort to be pleasant by the lake it did not mean that he cared for her.

She asked if Eleanor would like to play a game of cards or read.  Eleanor elected to play the pianoforte.  She was too restless to read or concentrate on cards, and the action of running her fingers over the keys soothed her.  She played well and Samantha was absorbed in the music and did not immediately notice that the gentlemen had joined them.  It was only when Robert sat down beside her that she became aware of him and turned her head.  Something in his gaze made her heart leap but she merely placed a finger against her lips.

‘Eleanor plays well,’ he leaned in to whisper.  ‘She was always talented but I think she has improved since she came to your school?’

She could feel his warmth breath close to her ear and trembled inwardly as she nodded and whispered back.  ‘Her natural talent shines through, but she has learned to apply herself to her practice.’

‘Something more I should apologise for.  My sister has certainly become more accomplished since you took her under your wing.’

She shook her head, smiling and placed a finger to her lips as Toby began to sing.  Robert drew back and she closed her eyes to listen.  Toby had a clear tenor voice, though it was untrained.  He could have been wonderful, a true professional, had he had the lessons that would teach him how to breathe and phrase the music.  However, it was still an accomplished performance for them both – and now that Robert was no longer so close that she could feel his breath on her cheek, her own breathing had recovered.

They both clapped as the performance ended.  After that the tea tray was brought in and they talked in a companionable way until they all said their goodnight and the ladies went up, leaving the gentlemen to a last nightcap or a game of billiards.