Melinda Hammond (9 page)

Sir Joseph shook his head.

‘It is possible, but I think it more probable that he has been persuaded by his family of the impropriety of running off with a gently born young woman.’

A gloomy silence settled over the room. Lady Fryer was inclined to take a more hopeful view of the case. After all, the earl was a most eligible parti, despite his reputation, his title and vast fortune making him a target for many a match-making mama. These reflections lightened her mood considerably, and Lady Fryer thought it would be as well to prepare for her niece’s visit. She broke up the party by ordering her son off to change his raiment, saying there was no knowing what time the newlyweds would arrive, and she would not have her son looking like a scarecrow. When Mr Fryer had gone, she took her husband’s arm.

‘Now Joseph, pray do not look quite so serious. That he has married her means that she is safe, and as Lady Aldringham she can command more luxuries than we could ever give her.’

Sir Joseph patted her hand. “You are right, of course. It is too late for tears. We must make the best of this match and trust that she will be happy.’

‘I have no doubt she will be, for she is a sensible puss and knows just how to go on. Do you know, the more I think on it, the more certain I am that things have worked out for the best!’

Late in the afternoon, the earl’s carriage drew up outside Whiston Hall. It was followed by a larger, old-fashioned vehicle, loaded with baggage and carrying no less a personage than my lord’s valet and a soberly dressed female hired to wait on the countess.

The butler, warned to expect visitors, hurried out to greet the travellers. He let down the steps and tenderly handed Lady Aldringham out of the carriage, begging her to step inside. The earl followed his wife and, after a brief word to his servant, ran lightly up the steps into the hallway, where Lady Aldringham was divesting herself of her stylish pelisse and bonnet. They were shown into the yellow saloon, where Sir Joseph and his wife were waiting to receive them. As soon as Melissa entered the room Lady Fryer hurried forward and enveloped her in a warm embrace, while the two men exchanged polite bows, Sir Joseph stiffly courteous in contrast to the earl’s careless grace.

Lady Fryer held Melissa at arm’s length.

‘Oh my love, let me look at you! What a beautiful gown!’ She wiped her eyes, ‘My dear, you look very well, very well indeed!’ She lowered her voice. ‘Are you happy, my love?’

Melissa laughed and hugged her aunt ruthlessly. ‘Of course, dear Aunt! Pray, don’t cry.’

Sir Joseph came forward to greet Melissa, and Lady Fryer was left to receive the earl, who made her a respectful bow. She received his attention with fluttering confusion, and was grateful when she could once more turn to Melissa.

‘I have had rooms prepared for you. You will be staying, at least one night?’

Melissa looked at her husband.

‘Thank you, ma’am. We shall be delighted to break our journey here.’ He bowed again.

‘Then it is settled. Let me show you to your room, my love!’ Lady Fryer lost no time in carrying Melissa off, leaving Sir Joseph alone with the earl.

Sir Joseph coughed. ‘Well, sir! Am I to congratulate you on your new state?’

‘If you so wish. Sir Joseph. I count myself fortunate to have won such a treasure.’ The earl’s smooth words brought a flush to Sir Joseph’s cheek.

‘Bah!’ he said, turning away. He was embarrassed by the earl’s presence, feeling he should make some mention of their past dealing, but not quite knowing how to start. He coughed again. ‘My lord, I think we should settle a few points before - well, what I mean to say is—’

‘If you intend to talk about those damned bills of yours, I pray you will be silent!’ interrupted the earl. ‘I struck a bargain with your niece and what she chooses to do with them is her affair, not mine.’ He drew out his snuff box but paused in the act of taking a pinch. ‘She isn’t holding out for payment, is she?’

Sir Joseph reddened. ‘Of course not! How could you think—’ Noting the mocking gleam in the earl’s eyes he bit back his retort, realizing his lordship was only amusing himself at his expense. Any further conversation was halted by the entrance of Mr Fryer, who checked in the doorway.

‘Oh, I beg your pardon! I trust I am not interrupting, sir? I did not know . . . .’

‘Come in. Simon. I would like to present my son to you, my lord. He is down from Cambridge at present, and spending a few days with us.’

Aldringham bowed.

‘Rusticating or merely the vacation?’ he asked pleasantly.

‘Oh, just a vacation, sir.’ Simon flushed slightly under Aldringham’s knowing glance, and for some unaccountable reason he felt rather overdressed in the earl’s presence. The immaculate blue frock-coat worn by the earl was very plain, relieved only by a minimum of snow-white lace. A single diamond winked from the folds of lace at his throat, and a heavy gold signet ring was the only ornament on the long fingers. Young Mr Fryer, with his elaborate bag-wig and profusion of ruffles thought that perhaps he had overdone the number of fobs and seals about his person, and the heavily embroidered waistcoat now seemed out of place for a country dinner. Simon had already decided he would dislike the earl for his scandalous treatment of his cousin, but finding himself faced with the epitome of grace and elegance, he was torn between a compulsion to make a mortal enemy of the earl and a desire to copy him slavishly. It was unfortunate for the young man, struggling with his emotions, that Melissa chose to enter the room at that moment. She greeted her cousin with a warm smile, and hugged him in her usual fashion.

‘Simon! How good it is to see you again.’ She stepped back, smiling. ‘And looking very smart, too. Is that a new waistcoat, Cousin? Very dashing!’

Sir Joseph gave a crack of laughter.

‘Ha! That’s a joke, miss. A young coxcomb is what I would call him!’

‘No, no, Uncle,’ exclaimed his niece, her eyes twinkling. ‘A young man about town must be up to snuff, is that not so, Simon?’

Mr Fryer mumbled a confused reply. He would have liked to say something witty, but in the presence of his father’s ridicule and the earl’s sardonic looks, he felt himself to be ill-used, seeing in Melissa his only ally. The comments on his dress touched his pride, and he thought that Aldringham was silently mocking him. His confusion turned to anger and his fevered imagination soon produced a reason: Melissa’s warm reception of him and her taking his part in the discussion convinced him that she felt more for him than for a mere cousin. The conversation had moved on to other subjects, but Simon brooded silently on the earl’s villainy. It did not take him long to conclude that Aldringham had stolen his future bride and was flaunting the fact before him.

 During dinner Simon convinced himself that Melissa had always shown him a marked preference. He conveniently forgot the many young ladies in Cambridge with whom he flirted regularly and the many occasions when he had accused Melissa of behaving like a censorious older sister. From his experience as a man of the world he could see that his innocent cousin had been tricked into marriage by an ageing rake. It also seemed perfectly clear to him that Aldringham knew of their previous attachment and was taking great delight in mocking his young rival. Simon was by nature a romantic, and the thought of rescuing his cousin from the clutches of a villainous creature such as Aldringham was one that appealed to his poetic soul.

That Miss Langham returned his newly discovered passion he never doubted, and the practicalities of rescuing a married lady from her husband without causing a scandal never entered his head. Melissa was his childhood sweetheart, his promised bride, and now she needed his help!

Chapter Nine

Lady Fryer was determined that dinner should be a lively affair, with no constraints, and she kept up a constant flow of small-talk, ably assisted by Melissa. A few attempts were made to include Simon in the conversation, but his answers were brief and his mama, a fond parent, remarked complacently that he must have the headache, a comment that did not endear her to her son. Left to himself, Simon studied the earl carefully, reading much into his teasing manner towards his wife. Melissa would have been amused if she had known that Simon considered Aldringham’s unusually mellow manner to be a sneering jibe at herself. Knowing Aldringham only by reputation, Mr Fryer had not yet incurred his displeasure. Melissa could have informed her cousin that Aldringham was at present in the best of moods, and she dared to hope that this would continue for the remainder of their visit. Although she was very fond of her aunt and uncle, she was not blind to the fact that they were country gentlefolk, and she would have been mortified had Aldringham made them the target of his barbed wit. But her worries were unfounded. The earl was determined to be pleased, and Sir Joseph and his lady were sufficiently well versed in society ways to keep up a pleasant dialogue. Simon’s silence at the table had not gone unnoticed by the earl, and the boy would have been surprised to note just now close to the truth Aldringham had guessed. Stifling any evil prompting he felt, Aldringham had done his best to allay the lad’s jealousy without seeming over-concerned. These tactics were showing signs of working extremely well, until an unfortunate remark by Lady Fryer as she rose from the table ruined all his good work. Casting an anxious eye over her firstborn, she advised Simon to retire to bed in order to shake off his headache.

‘I do not have the headache, Mama. I wish you will not fuss so.’

‘Then you must be sickening for something, my love. I will ask Mrs Hyndle to prepare a nightcap for you.’

‘Oh don’t fuss over the boy, my dear, I will see he does not drink too much,’ put in Sir Joseph testily. Lady Fryer frowned at this lack of parental concern, but declined to comment. She bore Melissa off to the drawing-room, leaving the men to their brandy.

Melissa and her aunt were soon engrossed in conversation, Melissa giving her aunt all the news she could from Town, and a somewhat edited description of her visit to Lady Carlestone. However, it was not long before they were joined by Sir Joseph and Aldringham, Simon having taken his mother’s advice and retired. Soon after the tea tray had been removed, Melissa thought it time to retire, and bidding her aunt and uncle goodnight she left the room, pausing only to look up at Aldringham, who was holding the door for her. He raised her hand to his lips.

‘Goodnight, my dear.’ He read the question in her eyes and murmured, ‘Your aunt has prepared adjoining apartments for us, my love, just as the landlord did at the inn last night. There will be no makeshift marriage bed for my countess: our marriage must be consummated in one of my own houses.’

The words were so quiet only Melissa could hear them, but she felt a hot blush flooding her cheeks, and her stomach turned to liquid fire. Mumbling her reply she hurried out into the hall and was making her way to the stairs when she heard a voice behind her. Simon was beckoning to her from the library.

‘Melissa, please - a word with you.’

She followed him into the library, exclaiming, ‘Simon! I thought you had retired. Can you not sleep?’

Mr Fryer, having worked himself into a frenzy of apprehension waiting for the chance to speak to Melissa, now grabbed her hand.

‘Cousin, you must let me rescue you from this farce. I was never more shocked in my life than when I heard of your fate!’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘This - this marriage that you have been forced into. I am not sure how it can be done, but I will help you escape from the clutches of that monster.’

‘Simon, I do not know what you have been told, but I have no wish to be rescued from my marriage.’

‘Ha! He has tricked you. You are too young and innocent to be allowed to fall into the clutches of an old man—’

‘Aldringham is not old!’ she cried indignantly. ‘And I would thank you to let go of my hand, or I will be forced to conclude that you have been drinking.’

Instead of releasing her, Mr Fryer pulled Melissa inexpertly into his arms and tried to kiss her. Struggling to free herself, the kiss landed on her ear.

'You shall not lie to me,’ he muttered, his arms tightening around her. ‘I know you do not love him. You were trapped into this marriage, sacrificed upon the altar of - of ... and I shall rescue you.’

‘Let go of me this instant!’

In a rage Melissa stamped heavily upon her cousin’s foot. He yelped with pain and she took advantage of his distraction to free herself from his embrace. She stood before him, breathing hard and her eyes blazing, but before she could speak again the door opened.

Aldringham stood in the doorway, his brows raised. His eyes narrowed as his gaze swept over Melissa, who was smoothing out her crushed gown, her cheeks still flushed with indignation.

‘I apprehend that you are feeling better now, Fryer. However, I think perhaps it is time you retired.’ There was a cold note of dismissal in the earl’s voice, and Melissa, observing that Simon was inclined to hesitate, added her own entreaty.

‘Yes, Simon, please do go to bed and sleep off your odd humour.’

Simon was aware that an argument would immediately bring his father to the library. He made a stiff bow and lounged out, Aldringham closing the door after him.

‘You seem to make a habit of being alone with gentlemen, my dear.’ He approached her, his eyes glinting with menace. ‘I really must advise you to give up the practice.’

‘My cousin wanted to tell me he is worried about me,’ she said, her anger cooling rapidly. ‘He is very young, I am afraid, and wishes to figure as someone’s knight in shining armour, although it will not be mine!’

‘After the scene I have just witnessed I find it difficult to believe you.’

Melissa frowned up at him. ‘You think - oh, how dare you!’

Aldringham moved closer and tilted up her chin with one lean hand. He looked steadily into the dark, angry eyes and murmured silkily, ‘If I ever find you in such a situation again, you will both suffer for it, my dear.’

She pushed his hand away.

‘I have done nothing improper and well you know it. If you would but consider a moment, you would acknowledge that it is so.’ She flushed a little. ‘One might almost assume that you are jealous, my lord.’