A Most Unusual Governess (16 page)

'Ah!' Sarah, following her own train of thought, gave a satisfied sigh, as though she had just solved a problem that had been worrying her. 'So that's where
I’ve
heard the name Forbes before. I knew it was familiar. It was Sam, the gardener's boy, who mentioned it when he was telling me about old Reverend Merriweather. He said that old Reverend Merriweather lives in one of Forbes's cottages down by the sea.' She broke off as she noticed James's face. Is there something wrong?'

He spoke slowly. 1 think there might be.' He had forgotten that Forbes owned a number of remote cottages and could easily have stayed in one of them undetected if he had wanted to. He put his hands on Sarah's arms and looked down into her eyes. She felt a tingling sensation run up her arms and down her spine.

'Sarah, I have to leave you.'

I've already stayed downstairs too long.'

'No. That isn't what I meant. I want you to wait for me. Will you meet me on the terrace in ten minutes' time?'

Sarah nodded.

He hesitated, as if wondering how much to say. 1 won't be gone long, but it's very important you don't mention this to anyone else. Particularly not to Forbes.'

'It's significant, isn't it?' she asked, trying to gauge what the matter could be by looking into his face.

He nodded. "It is. I can't tell you what it is yet, there is someone I have to talk to first.'

Sarah nodded and James reluctantly took his hands from her arms. He turned and went back into the ballroom, finally disappearing through one of the doors that led into the hall.

Sarah, too, returned to the ballroom but she was not alone for long. First, the footman brought her her shawl. Then Mr Masterson, who had seen her go out onto the terrace with Lord Randall earlier, and had been waiting for his opportunity to speak to her, lost no time in joining her.

'I was hoping I would see you here tonight,' he said, having detached himself from the small group of people he had been talking to.

'Mr Masterson,' Sarah acknowledged him.

You are looking very charming, if I may say so.'

Sarah gave him a quizzical look.

He smiled. It takes more than fashionable clothes to make someone look charming,' he told her. 'And more than unfashionable ones to extinguish true beauty.'

Sarah smiled. You're flattering me.'

'Perhaps. But it is true, nonetheless.' He paused, then continued on a new note. Tell me, Miss Davenport, do you play cards?'

Sarah nodded, wondering where the conversation as leading.

Then might I trouble you for a hand?'

Willingly,' Sarah agreed.

Mr Masterson was a pleasant and courteous gentleman, and she had no objection to playing a hand of piquet with him until James returned.

'I thought the children performed very well tonight,' he said as he guided her into the card room. You have done a great deal for them, Miss Davenport. The concert was surprisingly enjoyable.'

They worked very hard,' Sarah pointed out.

'And you, too, must have worked hard.

Sarah noticed with surprise that the card room was empty, except for a very deaf old dowager nursing a grumpy lap dog.

Mr Masterson was less surprised. He had already noticed that it was almost empty and he had invited Sarah to play a hand of cards with him because of this fact. The dowager's presence was enough to prevent the situation from being improper but it suited him to have an almost empty room so that he could say what he wanted to say.

'Miss Davenport.' He hesitated. They had just reached one of the card tables, and he wanted to prevent Sarah from sitting down. He felt sure that he would find it easier to say what he had to say if they were not separated by a table.

To her surprise, instead of sitting at the table, he turned to her with a look of great earnestness and said, 'Miss Davenport. Before we begin - that is to say - there is something I want to say to you. I think you must have some idea of what it is.'

Sarah looked at him blankly; so blankly that he realised she had no idea of what was in his mind.

That made it more difficult. But still, it was something he was determined to do.

'Miss Davenport, we have only known each other a short while, but already I feel that we are friends. When I met you at the boating party I realised you were someone I could respect, someone I could work with - in short, what I am trying to say is that, although not wealthy, I am happily a prosperous man. I have a comfortable home, a comfortable income, and have, I believe, no real vices. I could perhaps not offer a wife an exciting life, but I could offer her a respectable and enjoyable one.'

I'm sure you could,' she replied politely.

Mr Masterson, uncomfortably aware that she had not realised his speech had a point to it, took her hands in his. She was so surprised that she left them there. It felt pleasant. It felt very much as it had felt when her brothers had taken her hands before her family had been separated. Nice, cool and pleasant. So that it did not prepare for his next words.

'Sarah - I hope I may soon have a right to call you by that name - Sarah, I would like you to be my wife.'

Sarah s eyes widened in surprise and then she felt a rush of colour to her cheeks. How could she have been so stupid? If her mind had not been elsewhere she would have guessed what he was about and would have been able to stop him before he went too far. As it was, she was faced with the sad task of having to disappoint him.

You do me too great an honour,' she said, withdrawing her hands from his.

'Don't say "no".'

We hardly know each other,' she pointed out.

We will come to know each other. Many people many without knowing each other beforehand and go on to be very happy. My father and mother met only twice before they were married and they enjoyed forty years of happily married life.'

Sarah shook her head. 1 could not do that,' she said.

'I think it would be for your good, as well as for mine if you said "yes". I believe I could make you happy.'

'If I could accept you, I would. But I can't,' she said gently.

'I have rushed you,' he said. 'Say nothing now, but give me leave to hope that -'

'No.' Sarah was firm. Mr Masterson was a good man, and she could not let a good man believe she might change her mind when she knew full well that she never would.

'Nevertheless, my offer remains open. If you should reconsider, a brief message will bring me to the Grange. You deserve more than the life of a governess, Sarah. I can give you that life. I can give you a respectable establishment; and in time, perhaps, there would be children of your own.'

The picture he painted was an attractive one and Mr Masterson was an attractive man. Nevertheless, Sarah's answer remained unchanged.

That is very generous of you, but I can never marry you, Mr Masterson. I don't love you and I could never marry where I do not love.'

He inclined his head. 'I see. Then I will trouble you no more.' He paused awkwardly. It would be unchivalrous of him to leave Sarah alone in the card room, but he no longer felt equal to a game of piquet.

Understanding his dilemma, Sarah saved him from it by saying, If you will excuse me, Mr Masterson, I find I am not in the mood for a game. Perhaps I could find you another partner?'

But, as she had expected, he took the opportunity to excuse himself she had offered him, and withdrew.

Sarah took a turn around the room after he had gone, reflecting on the opportunity he had offered her. He was a good man but she never once regretted her decision. It was true that, for some people, love blossomed after marriage but Sarah knew that it would not have done so for her. She felt nothing when she was near Mr Masterson, except perhaps a sense of friendship, and for Sarah that was not enough.

A hubbub of conversation broke out at the door. A party of guests had decided they were bored with the orchestra playing in the ballroom and had decided to have a few hands of cards instead. A few unfriendly looks were directed at Sarah. Recalled to her situation she excused herself and

left the card room. Then she returned to the terrace where she had arranged to meet James.

* * * *

What do you think?' asked James.

He was in the library, standing by the mantelpiece. Sitting in a deeply-buttoned leather chair opposite him was General Abercrombie, James's ex-commanding officer and his contact in the radical affair.

The General stroked his white moustaches. It's possible. Perhaps probable. Yes, Forbes could be the man we're looking for: someone who's organising a group of radicals to keep in touch with Napoleon's supporters, so that if the former Emperor escapes from Elba - we should never have imprisoned him on Elba, Randall, it's far too close for comfort - so that if the former Emperor escapes then the radicals will have advance warning, giving them time to organise an uprising over here to take place as soon as the army leaves England to go and fight Napoleon again. Yes, Forbes fits the bill. He's an influential man, with good organisational abilities. A landowner, but a disillusioned one.'

'And his land is mortgaged to the hilt,' James put in.

The General nodded. 'Once wealthy, now bankrupt, he may well be dissatisfied with his lot.'

'Bankrupt through his own vices,' remarked James.

'But still bankrupt. He has nothing to lose by joining the radicals, and perhaps everything to gain. Yes. Forbes bears watching.'

Then 111 have him followed, said James. It will be interesting to see if he really returns to Derbyshire. If not, it will be even more interesting to see where he does go.'

The General stroked his moustaches again. 'Better if your hand isn't seen in this, Randall. You're useful to us down here. Once we've picked up Forbes, if Forbes is the ringleader, there may be others, either now or in the future. We need you to be above suspicion.'

James nodded. Very well.'

Well have him followed and let you know the result,' said the General. He took a drink of brandy from the glass next to his hand. 'What put you onto it?' he asked. 'What alerted you to the Derbyshire thing?'

James gave a wry smile. 'Miss Davenport. She overheard him talking and, because she used to live in Derbyshire, she realised that what he said didn't make any sense.'

The governess?' The General sounded surprised. 'Must be an unusual filly.'

James smiled. 'She is.'

This could be just the break we need,' said the General. 'A good piece of work, Randall. Well done.'

The General left to set things in motion and James headed towards the terrace, where he hoped Sarah would be waiting for him.

But instead of finding Sarah there, he found Maud de Bracy.

Why, James,' she said, going towards him with a seductive smile. 1 haven't seen you all evening. I was beginning to think you had deserted me.'

Maud had not been best pleased with the parly so far. True, she was beginning to doubt whether James would indeed propose to Miss Leatherhead, but instead she had discovered something far worse: James was attracted to Miss Davenport.

To lose James to Margaret Leatherhead would have been tolerable, but to lose him to a governess was unbearable. Contrary to Hanson's belief, Maud and James were not lovers, but not from any lack of trying on Maud's part. She had wanted James for years, and she realised that if she did not make a play for him now it would soon be too late.

'It was such a good idea to hold a house party. I have had a most delicious week. Still - She gave him an arch look. ' -it could be even better.' She moved closer to him. 'Boating and concerts are all very well, but there are other, more adult, pleasures we could enjoy.'

As she spoke she moved so close to him that her body was touching his. She smiled seductively and put her hand up to stroke his face.

He caught her wrist. Try to remember that you are a lady,' he said coldly.

He was in no mood for Maud's flirting. In fact he never had been. He had never really liked her, he merely tolerated her for politeness' sake, and the disdain he felt for her showed in his eyes.

His expression was a direct challenge to her and reaching up she kissed him on the mouth.

He pushed her away, contempt written all over his face; but catching sight of movement to his right he turned his head and was just in time to see Sarah's shocked face, and then to see her running down the terrace steps and into the darkened grounds beyond.

He glared at Maud and then followed Sarah down the steps, his long legs taking them three at a time. There was only one thought in his mind; to find Sarah and tell her that what she had seen wasn't real.

He didn't care what anyone else thought. He didn't care if the whole of London thought he was having an affair with Maud. But he couldn't bear Sarah to think it.

'Sarah!' he called. 'Sarah!'

There was no answer. He came to a stop, looking round through the starlit dark to see which way she had gone. He heard a rustle; he headed towards it; he saw her and ran after her. She quickened her step, but she could not escape him. He caught her arm as she ran into the woodland that bordered the lawns.