Jessica (11 page)

“He was bound to be nosy about the accident
—
it was inevitable.”

“Nonetheless....”

“I shall be more circumspect in my dealings with him. I am honored that you sought to warn me.” His eyes were dark.

“I would not wish any harm to come to you.”

He came nearer, bending to cup her face in his hands. “Do I detect any gentleness in your heart, Jessica?”

“I pray not,” she whispered, “for it would be so
unsuitable
.
”

His lips were warm as he kissed her, and she closed her eyes. Suddenly she stood, moving away from him. “Don’t, please.”

“Because of Philip? Answer me, Jessica, for I must know,”

“I don’t know, Nicholas. Don’t you see? I don’t know if it is because you look so like him, or if it is you that I.... I am confused and uncertain of myself. So much has happened in so short a while.”

“The devil, Jessica! What it is to envy a ghost, for that is surely what I do now. You loved him in life and now you love his memory almost as much.”

“Would you think any more of me were I to forget him so quickly?”

He straightened. “No. But I feel bitter that a man like Philip could so keep his hold on you.”

“Am I really the only one still wearing blinkers concerning him?”

He nodded. “And my mother
—
although I fancy she refuses to remove the blinkers although she knows she should.”

“She blames me for what he was.”

“She would blame anyone. There must be a scapegoat.”

“But how could I not have seen anything of this other side that I am continually assured did exist?”

“Love is blind.”

“He was everything I could ever have wished for, you know.”

“You would have discovered the truth in the end. Even Francis Varangian refused to visit Woodville House while my brother was alive. He did not set foot over the threshold once.”

“And now?”

“Now he has called. I believe to see Rosamund. He was there after breakfast this morning.”

“She will be glad.”

“I could have wished he had remained away under the circumstances. If I can, I will trap him, and that will not help my sister-in-law.”

“Does Lady Amelia know he was there?”

“No, she remained in her rooms.”

“That is just as well.”

“Indeed. But we have digressed, have we not?” He turned her toward him. “I cannot leave matters between us in so unsatisfactory a state.”

She took his hand and rested it against her cheek. “You are being honest with me and I am trying to do the same for you. I like you. I like you very much, although I never would have dreamed that I would.”

He drew her closer. “That is sufficient for me for the moment,” he murmured, kissing her again.

In spite of herself she returned the kiss, slipping her arms around him to hold him tightly. The blood rushed through her veins.

He drew away, smiling. “I shall exorcise that persistent ghost yet.”

“Perhaps there is too much of a past, Nicholas.”

“No.” He picked up his hat and drew his gloves on slowly. “No, I will not believe that. I shall send some maids to clear up then.”

“Yes.”

He paused before her, looking into her wide green eyes. “I am very close to loving you, Jessica. You know that, don’t you?”

She nodded.

She watched him ride away, leaning her head against the cool glass of the window. The roses around the doorway bobbed and danced in the breeze and she could smell their sweet perfume. A pigeon fluttered down among Tamsin’s vegetables and she went to the door, clapping her hands noisily. She looked at the well-worn path leading into Ladywood where the heavy green leaves folded over it as if to hide it from sight. In three days were Cluffo and Jamie to meet for poaching as they said? Or, were they smuggling?

She looked back to where Nicholas had ridden away. How much danger was he in? She closed her eyes, remembering how he had kissed her.

By nightfall the maids had cleaned the cottage from top to bottom, and Tamsin slept on in her bed, oblivious to the clatter of brushes and dishes that went on all round her throughout the long summer afternoon.

As the sun set at last beyond Ladywood, Jessica lay in the mulberry-hung bed and looked through the small latticed window. She saw Francis’ scarlet curricle skim up the incline towards Varangian. Had he been to visit Rosamund again? She turned to look up at the bed hangings. What had Philip been blackmailing him for? She closed her eyes to sleep, but her head was spinning with unanswered questions.

“Tamsin, you should not be bending about with that vegetable patch. Your head will begin to ache again.”

“Weeds don’t respect people’s headaches, Miss Jess.”

Jessica sat down on the grass and began to remove the leaves from the bunch of sweet Williams she had gathered. “Have you seen Dolly Dowdeswell lately?”

“Aye. This morning in the market. Why?”

“I just wondered. Could we not get some cognac, too?”

“Miss Jess. I’m ashamed of you.”

“Cognac is very nice in coffee.”

“London habits.”

“Some Henbury habits are doubtful.”

“True enough. Well, I doubt as us’ll get any cognac now for the ring is ending after tonight, so Dolly says. Seems like there’s trouble among the revenue men, rumors about nets closing in and such like. There’s one more load coming ashore tonight and then that be it.”

Jessica turned a sweet william in her hand, looking at the delicate rosettes of pink and white. One more night and then Nicholas would be safe from detection.

Tamsin wiped her forehead and straightened, rubbing her back. “There be something on your mind, I can tell.”

“Would it be very reprehensible to fall in love with Sir Nicholas?”

“It’d be a sight more in line than when you went off with his brother.” Tamsin stepped carefully over the line of carrots and sat beside her. “You and Sir Nicholas then?”

“I think so.”

“That be what I might call moving at a fair gallop, if’n you don’t mind me saying so.”

“I know.”

“And still it do seem right?”

“Yes.”

“Then happen, it is right. But you’ll meet a sight of opposition from most directions, you know that?”

“Yes.”

“And you can get over losing Master Philip so quick?”

With a jolt, Jessica realized she had thought very little about Philip from the moment Nicholas had kissed her, “Yes.”

“And good riddance, too, for he were a bad lot, a very bad lot.”

“I begin to know that.”

“Ah, well, that were inevitable. His brother be the better man. There ain’t much wrong with Sir Nicholas Woodville. Miss Jess, did you know as how Sir Francis and Miss Rosamund have been stepping out together?”

“Well....”

“Only when I were in Henbury it were the regular talk. Seems there was a terrible scene with Lady Amelia who right enough don’t approve of such things when Miss Rosamund should still be wearing black. She’ve confined Miss Rosamund to the house for the time being, and if’n Miss Rosamund wants to keep a roof over her head, then she has to do as she’s told.”

“Poor Rosamund.”

“Well, her knew what her was doing when her went out with Sir Francis.”

“I hope it goes well for her now.”

“Talk of Old Bogey and he’s sure to appear. Look.”

Jessica turned toward the driveway to see the Woodville barouche drive in from the Henbury road. Inside sat Rosamund, her face pale and troubled.

Slowly, Jessica stood, taking a deep breath. It would be hard to be pleasant to Rosamund after what Jamie had revealed about her presence at Applegarth on the night of the ball.

The barouche came to a halt by the yellow door, and Jessica waited as the coachman opened the door for Rosamund to alight.

“Rosamund?”

“Jessica.” There was a tremble in the soft voice.

“I came to see if you would accompany me on a drive to Henbury Lake.”

Jessica was taken aback. “Please come inside.”

“No. No, I will wait here.” Rosamund glanced uneasily at the cottage.

“Then I will put on my pelisse and come now.”

“Thank you.”

“Surely it is I who should be thanking you for this unexpected pleasure.”

Rosamund shook her head. “I come on a purely selfish errand, for I have something most special to ask of you.”

Tamsin wiped her hand on her apron. “Miss Rosamund, did I hear you say Henbury Lake?”

“Yes, Tamsin, why?”

“Begging your pardon, miss, but could I perhaps beg a ride with you to the gates of Woodville House, for you must pass that way. Our pony be at the farrier’s.”

“Yes, of course. But what business have you there?”

“It’s on account of Harry Parr, Miss Rosamund, I hear as how he got his self shot and as he’s my mother’s cousin, and family like. .. .”

“You wish to visit with him?”

“If I may, for ‘tis only polite.”

“But, of course. I am sure he would be pleased to see you. Tanner informs me that Parr is most fractious and frets at being confined to his bed.”

“Oh, that be Harry Parr all right, a regular terror when he’s not well. I’ve some honey and a batch set aside to take for him, and a jar of elderberry wine from last fall.”

Tamsin hurried in to fill a basket and was waiting in the barouche when Jessica at last came out with her hair pinned beneath a straw bonnet and her navy blue pelisse buttoned tidily.

The barouche had been cleaned thoroughly inside. Jessica sat opposite Rosamund, looking down at the well-scrubbed carpeting where not a sign of blood remained. At the gates of the big house, Tamsin climbed out.

“Miss Jess, I reckon as how little Jinks will have been reshod by the time I’ve done with my visiting, so happen I’ll be back at Applegarth afore you.”

“Yes, Tamsin. Give my good wishes to your cousin.”

“I will. And thank you again, Miss Rosamund.”

Rosamund inclined her head, then tapped the front of the barouche and it moved off again. Jessica looked through the great iron gates hoping to see Nicholas, but she saw nothing except the trees lining the curved driveway.

“Well, Rosamund? You have something to ask of me?”

“Yes. It concerns Francis and myself. You have heard what has happened?”

“I have heard something, yes.”

“Well, most probably you have heard the truth. Lady Amelia will throw me out if I insist upon seeing him again. Jess, I have nowhere to go if she does. I would go to Francis, wearing his ring or not, but he will not hear of it. He says he cannot marry me yet, as he has doubts that he will be master of Varangian much longer.”

“Francis said that?”

“Yes.” Rosamund looked away suddenly. “I would go to him, with or without his fortune.”

“But what can I do to help?”

“You can offer me a home.”

“At Applegarth?”

Again the sliding, unhappy eyes. “Yes.”

“You are sure that that is what you want?”

“Yes. Oh, yes. Jess, I have a terrible confession to make.” Tears filled the lovely eyes.

“That you were the one who broke into the cottage?”

“How did you know that?” gasped Rosamund, turning even paler than before.

“Shall we say that a little bird told me?”

“You knew, and still greet me as a friend?”

“I hoped perhaps you would tell me, and explain why you did it. It was very difficult to look gently at you, I do assure you.”

“I was looking for something, something I thought must be in your possession. You see, Francis was being blackmailed by Philip. Did you know?”

“Francis told me himself. He accused me of being party to it.”

“Yes. Francis has not told me anything concerning it. I knew only because I once accompanied Philip to Varangian, and overheard them speaking together. Philip told Francis he would continue to demand payment as he still had possession of the note, and while he did so Francis was caught.”

“Note?”

“That was the word used. So I knew that something existed that gave Philip a hold over Francis, although I still do not know what. I could tell it had begun again since your return to Henbury and, like Francis, I put two and two together to make five. I saw you at the ball and left, fully intending to ride back to Applegarth to make a search for the note that I believed you to have. I did not know Tamsin Davey was living with you. I panicked when I heard her get out of bed, for I knew she would see me and recognize me if I tried to escape, so I hit her with the teapot.”

“Her precious silver teapot? Rosamund, I am surprised at you.”

“I am horrified and disgusted with myself. I knew as I was searching that you could not possibly be guilty of so foul a crime as blackmail. And not to Francis of all people, for he had never done you any harm. Indeed, when you left him, he alone in Henbury spoke out in your defense. I was in such a quandary that I left the cottage and stood by my horse, wondering what to do about Tamsin who was still lying at the foot of the stairs where I had left her. I knew she was not badly hurt, but my conscience was so very terrible. Then such a commotion broke out in Ladywood that I mounted and left without further ado. I had only just left my horse in the stables at Woodville House and had time to get to my rooms when I heard the barouche returning. Can you ever forgive me?”

“You have forgiven me much, how then can I refuse to do the same for you. Of course, I forgive you, and, of course, you may come to Applegarth. Only....”

“Yes?”

“How does Sir Nicholas feel over this matter of you and Francis?”

“He has said nothing at all, except to once ask me to reconsider.”

Jessica looked out at the passing hedges. The sky blue waters of the lake glinted through the lacing branches. If Rosamund burned her bridges by coming to Applegarth, and then Francis was indeed caught as the ringleader of the smugglers. ... But there was only tonight to survive. “Where will Sir Nicholas be tonight?”

“I have no idea. Why ever do you ask?”

“No reason, really.”

“Did you wish to see him then?”

A way seemed to open before Jessica. “Yes. Yes, I think I should perhaps speak to him before anything is done.” Yes, and keep him at Applegarth for as long as possible so that he could not watch over anything in Ladywood.