The Honorable Marksley (6 page)

“Later today for tea, if you’ve a taste for it.” Richard
grinned. His friend was always eager for sustenance.
“The Ashtons are guests at Penham. The Countess
could not be moved to lend her son to this enterprise,
but she deigned to volunteer a suite of rooms” His
glance darkened as he turned once again to the glass
doors. “I’ll wager the little baggage is already cataloging the Hall’s valuables”

“I cannot believe any relative of Tolly Ashton’s
would be so mercenary.”

“Perhaps they are not related. And if anyone is con stitutionally unable to think ill of a person it is you. I
vow you would excuse even Caroline.”

“There you are wrong, Richard,” Jeremy said. A
decided grimness settled over his features. “I sent
Caroline to the devil many moons ago. Any charity I
might once have granted her I withdrew when she married old Bellis. No true nonpareil could ever have cared
for you and married him.”

Richard turned back to him.

“Then perhaps I can rely on your good judgment
with respect to Harriet Ashton. If I am being too harsh,
Jeremy, if my instincts are unsound, you must tell me.
And I trust to your cleverness, to help me devise an end
to this predicament.”

Hallie, seated in the sumptuous drawing room at
Penham Hall, was distinctly unhappy. Her unease had
nothing to do with the room, where pale yellow paper
and tasteful gold and green appointments evoked bounteous fresh daffodils. Her discomfort had everything to
do with the occupants.

“Did Reginald tell you anything of Surrey, Miss
Ashton?” The Countess’s voice, while still courteous,
held a challenge.

“Nothing at all, milady.”

“It is quite delightful, particularly at this season. I
wonder that he did not speak of it.”

“Why should you wonder at it, milady? As you have
made clear, I have never met your son, Lord Langsford,
only his cousin, Richard.”

Lady Penham’s lips firmed. Alfred Ashton glared a
rebuke, but he could not touch Hallie now. She had
agreed to do everything he wanted. After this, he could
ask no more.

The butler announced the gentlemen. A second later,
Hallie’s gaze locked with Richard Marksley’s. It puzzled her that she should again feel the same slight
check to her composure. Here she sat, staring at
Richard Marksley, when her first surprise should have
been the presence of Jeremy Asquith.

“Lord Jeremy! What a treat for us!” The Countess
eagerly extended both her hands. Hallie noticed that
she was not above batting her eyes at a considerably
younger man. “You’re staying with Richard, of course.
How delightful.”

“Thank you, my lady. I stay only fleetingly. But the
idyll will seem all the shorter when I leave your company.”

Oh, do stubble it, Jeremy, Hallie thought. Again she
caught Richard Marksley’s glance and realized that he
was thinking the same. The realization stunned her.

The countess was all aflutter. “Dear Jeremy. But of
course you must return soon-for the wedding?” Her
words froze everyone else in the room, though she was
apparently oblivious to their effect. “Three weeks from
Sunday, is that not right, Mr. Ashton?”

Hallie’s uncle harrumphed and eyed Richard
Marksley. “You remind me, countess, that Mr.
Marksley and I have some business to discuss. What
say you, Marksley?”

Hallie should have known her uncle would make
even a polite tea unbearable. Her look entreated Jeremy.

“Perhaps I might walk out with Miss Ashton for a
moment?” Jeremy offered. His smile was reassuring. “I
believe we have some mutual acquaintance.”

The countess sent her a swift, assessing glance.
“Indeed? You astonish me, Miss Ashton. Truly. I shall
ring for tea at once, my lord. Pray do not leave us long”

“Never, ma’am. Richard.” Jeremy nodded to
Marksley, who returned the gesture stiffly. Hallie rose
to join Jeremy at the garden doors. “Miss Ashton, I
believe we might find a tolerable stroll here just off the
terrace,” Jeremy said loudly enough for the others.

She let him lead her out onto the terrace. Even in the
sun, the breeze remained chilly, but nothing short of an
arctic blast would have sent her back into the house for
her wrap. Millicent Binkin had already moved to watch
them through the glass. Hallie defiantly turned her back
to the windows and pressed her cold palms together.

“Jeremy,” she said softly, “you must help me”

“Happily, m’dear,” he said, too calmly for her taste.
“I shall tell Richard the truth.”

“Oh, no, Jeremy. Please. You cannot” She glanced
back at the doors, where Millicent peered into the sunlight, her spectacles flashing ominously. “I must have
that. I must have my life. If you tell him, `twould ruin
me”

“Hallie, I beg your pardon, but the thinking seems to
be that that is already the case.”

“Jeremy! How can you believe that? And of all people, with that-that egregious Langsford?” She paused. “Is
that what Richard Marksley believes? That I am ruined?”

“He doesn’t know what to believe. You realize he is
not in a position to act on his belief, regardless”

Hallie bit her lower lip and again turned from the
house. She rubbed some warmth into her thinly-clad
arms. Then the words spilled from her.

“I was fooled, Jeremy. I mistook Reginald for R.E.
Marksley. Only I believe-in fact, I know-that he
intended I do so. He was with a group of men at the
coaching inn in Tewsbury. Reginald had just said
something, and one of the others clapped him on the
back and claimed the quip was `worthy of R.E.
Marksley’ or `just like R.E. Marksley’-something distinctly like that, in any event. They all laughed. The
worst of it is that I sought him out. I was glad to meet
him. At last! Even though I had promised myself not to
try until the spring, until I can leave uncle.” Hallie
sighed and shook her head.

“I saw him while Millicent was speaking to the
innkeeper’s wife, nattering on about some church fete.
When I went up to him he must have thought I was
there at the inn, living there, some hostess or-oh, I
haven’t a clue what he thought. Before I even suspected his intention, he had pulled me through to a side
room and kissed me, and there was Millicent. He may
even have seen her coming.” Hallie immediately
checked to see if Millicent was still watching. “Then he
deceived us, Jeremy. He claimed he was Marksley of
The Tantalus. He intended we should all believe he was Richard. That despicable man meant us to” Hallie
could not prevent her shiver.

“Come, let’s walk a bit.” Jeremy took her arm. “Miss
Binkin hasn’t served you well in this, Hallie. But it’s
not beyond Reginald to have done this deliberately.
You offered him the means, of course, but as you’ll
soon learn, he is spiteful to the core, and he hates
Richard.”

“Why should he?”

“No earthly reason. Just a simple matter of envy, if
such can be simple. And fear-because Richard is
actually the direct descendant at Penham”

“How is that possible?”

“Richard’s father was the elder son, by several years.
But he married, against his family’s wishes, a charming
Welsh lass-so I’m told-and was cut off. When he
died, his brother, the present Earl-that would be
Richard’s uncle Cyril-managed to install Reggie as
heir, with some balderdash about Reggie being six
months older and the line not reverting. Had anyone
been representing Richard’s interests such stuff never
would have held at law. The whole business probably
sped the demise of Richard’s mother, poor woman.
Anyway, old Cyril and the Lady Geneve ended up
responsible for Richard nonetheless. A constant
reminder, no doubt, of their own ambitious maneuverings. They treated Richard accordingly. Yet Reggie was
always jealous as a cat. Since you’ve met the two of
them you know why” His grip on her arm tightened.
“Hallie, you must tell Richard the truth”

“No” She shook her head. “There must be some
other way”

“I don’t believe so, m’dear. Richard will help you
until Reggie’s return. He believes he can prevail upon
him. But I know, and you must suspect, that that irresponsible devil will never marry you. You cannot
retreat to Berkshire, because your uncle believes you
have been compromised. The news must be all over
Tewsbury and more by now. You must marry-and who
else might your uncle find acceptable? I would offer for
you myself but fear you would not have me. Again.”

“Jeremy-”

“I should not have mentioned it, I know. And you
were right to refuse me. Though I could easily have felt
myself blessed, you no doubt would have regretted it.”

Hallie placed a hand upon his arm. “You hardly
knew me. You offered because of Tolly, and for that I
shall always consider you the best of friends. But you
found a different path for me, and I have been more
than grateful. Even happy” She looked away from him.
“If only things were not such a muddle!”

“You must tell him. In the end it will have to be
Richard, Hallie. Just as it has always been Richard-and
always will be Richard.” At her questioning glance he
added, “‘Tis Richard Marksley who’s kept the illustrious inhabitants of Penham afloat these many years. The
Earl is infirm, near senseless much of the time, and
Geneve has mind and heart only for her worthless sonthe egregious Langsford, as you aptly term him. To be frank, Hallie, you are my friend. I will do what I can for
you. But Richard is more. He is … a brother-at-arms”

“But I am desperate, milord.”

“Why desperate? I should wish you happy. In my
view, Richard is the catch. You should be praying for
Reginald to continue west to America-and stay there
until he’s long in the tooth”

“I don’t wish to marry at all. To marry someone I do
not love. Who … cannot love me. Jeremy, you know
me. How shall I continue?” She frowned and gazed out
over the lawns.

Jeremy cleared his throat and turned her to face the
way they had come. “You might continue quietly, as
you have been, and continue to deceive him. No change
there. Since I helped you in the first place I cannot very
well object now. The only difference being, of course,
that we shall be playing this game in close quarters.
Or-” At Hallie’s hopeful look he chucked her under
the chin. “You can tell him. You would instantly be
freed. I guarantee it. He would spirit you out of the
country by camel if necessary; anything to place you
out of harm’s way. Do you not understand? ‘Tis your
attraction to Reginald he cannot fathom or forget. Your
explanation will make that error clear.” As they
approached the door, Jeremy laughed softly to himself.
“Forgive me, Hallie, but I cannot ignore the amusement
in this.”

“Is there any?” she asked tightly.

He nodded. “They may call Reggie the Gorgeous Langsford, but ‘tis Richard who fascinates the ladies.
Why, I’d wager there are half a dozen misses in town
who would eagerly forego their elevated prospects to
join R.E. Marksley in more modest circumstances.”

“Really?” Hallie asked, watching Jeremy’s face. “He
is … much admired?”

“Indubitably. The man has a honeyed tongue! They
swoon when he speaks. He quotes poetry at ‘em, don’t
you know.” Hallie’s gaze narrowed at Jeremy’s smugly
affected tone. “He would not attempt it with you, of
course. I believe he has determined that you ain’t his
style. La! But imagine what a novelty that would beto be wooed with one’s own verse” As Hallie paled he
reached to push her gently ahead of him through the
door. He spoke softly to her ear. “Don’t delay long,
sweet. Richard Marksley has never been a slow top.
He’ll soon discover that the elusive Henry Beecham is
very close indeed.”

Richard could not have departed soon enough. He
had watched Jeremy and Hallie Ashton return from the
terrace. He was convinced that mere acquaintances
could never have had so much to say to one another and
in so animated a fashion. Throughout that subsequent
torturous tea, though Miss Ashton had volunteered
nothing at all, Richard felt justified in ascribing guilt to
her every glance.

He did not speak to Jeremy for a good five minutes.

“You appear to know her rather well,” he said at last,
trying not to sound annoyed.

“Miss Ashton, d’you mean?”

“Of course I mean Miss Ashton!”

Jeremy smiled broadly and nudged his horse closer.
“I see, Richard, that you neither understand nor
approve my methods”

“Your methods? Your shameless pandering to
Geneve and winkin’ at Binkin?”

Jeremy laughed. “My dear fellow, what a sacrifice it
was!”

“No doubt your prolonged tete-a-tete with Miss
Ashton was a sacrifice as well.”

“Never! Hallie Ashton is a pearl beyond price.”

“A pearl? Ah, then you care a great deal for her, as
you-”

“As I cared for her cousin. Richard, understand me.
Do not confuse responsibility and friendship for something more. I did once, and was put promptly in my
place. Besides,” he added airily, “Hallie Ashton is
beyond my touch”

“You’re hamming me. You-a Duke’s son! And
she’s a simple country miss. A vicar’s daughter!”

Jeremy’s glance was penetrating.

“You are remarkably obtuse in this, Richard. It must
be the incident with Reginald that blinds you to the
worth of the girl. Had she not been hidden away in
tiny Tewsbury she’d have been a remarked beauty.
Those lovely eyes! You must admit she has fine eyes,
Richard, and an altogether striking face and form. ‘Tis
only her dress that is simple-a small matter of funds.
She is intelligent, kind, amusing, spirited. In fact I think, and have thought for some time, that she is
splendid.”

Richard’s horse shied. As he calmed the animal he
looked directly at his friend.

“You’re in love with the minx,” he stated flatly. He
did not like the possibility, and liked it even less that he
had voiced it.

Jeremy sighed loudly. “You are not listening,
Richard. Kindly trouble yourself to pay me some mind.
And you have me thinking that you are overly eager to
find fault with Hallie Ashton. You yourself must be
smitten.”