The Importance of Love (8 page)

“Oh, yes,” nodded Luella, enthusiastically. Her blue eyes lit up and became at once more animated as her mouth curved into a smile. “I love to ride but have not had much opportunity over the past year. In Scotland we have a fine stable of horses that I miss a great deal.”

“Shall we meet outside in say an hour?” asked the Viscount. “I am afraid I do not have any suitable clothing to offer you.”

“I have something that will do, although, I would need to borrow a crop.”

“Cork will see to it. Cork!”

The butler spun round as he stood by the buffet stacking the empty dishes.

“There is an old riding outfit of Madame's in a wardrobe upstairs, if Miss Ridgeway would care to try it. I believe there is a crop and gloves as well.”

“Excellent. Perhaps you would have Maisie go and fetch them at once.”

Cork bowed and left the room.

Luella arose from the table and promised to meet the Viscount later.

At half-past ten sharp, the Viscount hurried down the stairs to meet her. Luella was already outside enjoying the sunshine.

“It's a beautiful day. What a pity Aunt Edith cannot join us as she loves to ride.”

“I have had to ask Cork how to get to the stables,” said the Viscount, as they walked together around the outside of the house. “It is all still very new to me.”

“I am very eager to see your designs,” commented Luella. “Will you keep the outbuildings as they are now?”

“As I have yet to see them, I could not say and then, there is the problem of the gardens. Although I am perfectly capable of redesigning bricks and mortar – it is a different matter when it comes to flowers and foliage.”

“I may be able to help you,” said Luella with an enigmatic smile. “You must show the gardens to me after our ride.”

The stables were far better than the Viscount had expected. There was a groom and a stable boy in attendance much to his surprise.

There were half a dozen or more horses and some pushed their heads out of their stall doors when they heard Joshua, the groom, approaching.

“I've selected Bonaparte, a sturdy black stallion for you, my Lord,” said Joshua. “And for miss 'ere, there is Delphine, a dapple-grey mare. Don't be fooled by her pretty looks, miss, she's a sly one with a great turn of speed.”

“Then, she shall suit me very well,” exclaimed Luella flushed with excitement.

She followed Joshua to Delphine's stall and immediately took a liking to the spirited mare.

“We shall have a fine time together, Delphine,” she said, as she stroked the mare's soft nose.

She tucked the crop that had once belonged to Madame Le Fevre under her arm and waited for Joshua to bring Delphine out of the stall. She was wearing the blue riding skirt and gloves that Maisie had found in the wardrobe.

The Viscount stood behind her and watched as Joshua pulled out the box for her to stand on to mount Delphine.

The sun glistened on her pale hair and the riding habit she wore suited her. He admired the way she mounted the mare so nimbly and her ease with a strange horse.

As soon as Bonaparte was ready, he hauled himself into the saddle and they trotted off away from the house.

The Viscount produced a rough map of the area covered by the estate and suggested they head for the far boundary and then traverse along the river before returning to the front of the house.

Luella surprised him by overtaking him almost as soon as they reached open countryside. Delphine, it appeared, did not need much persuasion to stretch her legs into a gallop.

Catching up with her by a small coppice, the Viscount complimented her on her prowess.

“I was put on a horse as soon as I could walk,” she answered. “Papa was the finest horseman in Scotland and insisted that I be given the opportunity to follow in his footsteps, even though I was only a girl!”

“It was much the same with me,” admitted the Viscount. “Father had an estate and house in Hertfordshire and we spent many summers there. Cork tells me that there is fine sport to be had on Exmoor and that people come from miles around to join the hunt.”

“I do not care for riding to hounds. I find it tedious and pointless.”

“I must attempt to show you the error of your ways,” remarked the Viscount with a smile.

“I shall ask Cork if the hunt meets before you return to Scotland.”

Luella did not reply. She simply smiled and spurred Delphine into action and the Viscount was soon in pursuit. After a few hours, he became quite fatigued and signalled to Luella that they should return to the stables.

“A pity,” she called, as they galloped back towards the house. “I feel as if I could ride all day on Delphine – she is a magnificent animal!”

“Joshua knew what he was doing when he chose her for you.”

On their way back to the house, having returned the horses to Joshua, they wandered through the neglected gardens.

“What a shame,” cried Luella, fondling an overgrown rose bush that was heavy with suckers and dead heads. “This is a very lovely rose with a wonderful perfume –
rosa damascena.
Whoever planted it here, knew it was the perfect spot for it. And look, this clematis has not been pruned for years and has become woody.”

“You seem to know a great deal about gardening,” commented the Viscount appreciatively.

“It's one of my passions in life,” sighed Luella, as she inspected a drooping fuchsia bush. “In Scotland, I designed many of my neighbours' gardens.”

She stopped for a moment and appeared to have an idea. “I could do it for you!” “The garden? I could not ask you – ”

“It would be a wonderful way to repay your kindness,” she insisted. “If you would allow me, I could sketch a plan for planting and add some suggestions for features – it would be great fun to work on such lovely surroundings. And so different from anything in Scotland.”

The Viscount regarded her intently.

Her whole face was shining with enthusiasm as she flitted from bed to bed, examining what still lived and what had died.

“Please,” she said pleadingly. “It would be such a pleasure to use my brain again after my year of idle self-indulgence.”

“Well, if it would not be too much trouble,” he began. “As I have said, I am no expert when it comes to horticulture.”

“Then I shall start at once,” replied Luella twirling around in delight. “But I shall need some help in the form of gardeners. Do you have any on your staff?”

“No, but if you would care to word an advertisement for me, Cork can place it in the local newspaper.”

Luella ran towards him and much to his delight and astonishment put her arm through his.

“Good. It is all settled. Let us return to the house so that I can tell Aunt Edith at once.”

Her blue eyes sparkled most attractively as she led him up the path to the rear of the house.

“I will make this garden something that everyone will talk about and praise to the skies,” she asserted. “People will flock for miles around to view it and it will make your house all the more impressive.”

With a skip, she ran across the hall, leaving the Viscount to gaze after her in admiration.

‘Miss Ridgeway, you are full of surprises,' he mumbled, as he watched her mount the stairs, singing to herself.

As she did so, she stopped to cast a cheery smile towards the Viscount.

The moment their eyes met, something passed between them that made his heart leap.

Overcome with shyness, Luella blushed and tried to still her own beating heart.

*

In the bar of the
Grand Hotel
in Dover, Frank Connolly was in a foul mood.

Having spent the previous few days on trains and then a choppy crossing from Calais, he was infuriated to find that the trail had gone cold.

When he had finally exerted sufficient pressure upon the night porter at the hotel to tell him where the Countess and Luella had disappeared to, he had been so angry that he had slammed his whisky glass down so hard on the bar that it had shattered into a thousand pieces.

‘She thinks that she can escape from me. Well, I will show her!' he had snarled.

At once he had packed his bags and taken a carriage to the station and from there, had caught the boat-train to Calais.

And now, he was standing in the lobby of the
Grand Hotel
, after searching almost every large establishment in town. But his enquiries about his ‘sister-in-law and her aunt,' had fallen on fallow ground. No one had seen any such twosome.

At last, tired and hungry, he was forced to admit temporary defeat. He requested a room at the hotel and was waiting with his bags for the porter.

‘She must be somewhere,' he said to himself. ‘They will have gone straight to London. That is it.'

With each passing moment he was becoming more and more resolute.

‘If Luella thinks she has got rid of me, she is very much mistaken,' he muttered, as he entered his room. He handed the porter a coin and slammed the door.

‘If I have to hunt her down like a dog, I will,' he resolved. ‘I will leave no stone unturned until she is mine!'

Although the Viscount enjoyed entertaining guests, they also provided something of an unwelcome distraction to the task he had charged himself with.

He still arose early the next day and was at his new desk in the library by half-past six, but he found himself constantly listening out for signs that Luella was up and about.

When Cork asked him if he would care to take his breakfast as he worked, the Viscount found himself almost snapping at him.

“Certainly not. I shall eat in the dining room with our guest.” Later, as he sat and waited for Luella to appear, he became anxious and impatient.

Cork set some kidneys and bacon before him, but they remained untouched. He could not think of eating. He had too much on his mind.

“I do hope you have not waited for me,” called Luella, in her soft voice, as she entered the dining room.

She was wearing a pale-blue dress that brought out the colour of her eyes.

He felt his heart race as she smiled at him and took her place at the table.

“Is your aunt better this morning?”

“Yes, much, thank you. I do believe the colour is returning to her cheeks. Mrs. Cork's nourishing food is doing her the world of good.”

“I am very glad,” replied the Viscount, toying with his breakfast. “I, myself, have always set great store by the health-giving properties of the countryside.”

There was a momentary silence while Cork waited on Luella. Then she pulled out a piece of paper from her waistband and spread it out on the table.

“I have taken the liberty of sketching some rudimentary designs for the landscaping of the garden,” she started proudly. “Would you care to see them?”

“Of course,” agreed the Viscount taking the paper from her.

“I thought that the garden should be arranged in five terraces, seeing that it slopes upwards,” she explained. “Any large bushes or shrubs should be planted at the perimeters, while the main planting should be in the centre of each area.

“Might I suggest a kitchen garden in this space as indicated,” she waved her hand at the paper. “And each area will be linked with a series of arches and arbours.”

“I am afraid you have lost me already. I know very little about technicalities, as I explained. You have me at your mercy.”

As these last few words fell from his lips, he gazed at her underneath his intense black eyebrows and fancied that she blushed slightly. She had caught his meaning only too clearly.

Luella recovered herself and continued,

“Then there is the question of the gardeners. You will need full-time gardeners for gardens this size – might I offer to help you with that as well? I am well-versed in the instruction and management of such staff and would be only too happy to word and place an advertisement in your local newspaper.”

“I thought you said that Cork could do it?”

“I rather fancy a trip into Bideford today,” she said smiling. “It would be a pity to remain here until my aunt is better without a visit. I hear there is a pannier market on top of the hill.”

“Cork will advise you. I have been here only a day longer than you and know very little of Bideford.”

“Then, I shall ask Cork – it was just that Mrs. Cork mentioned I should see it.”

“You must take Bennett in that case. He will drive you in my motor car.”

“You have a
motor car
?” she asked eyes sparkling with excitement. “Although we saw them on the Continent, I have yet to experience one for myself.”

“It is settled then. Bennett will take you whenever you wish. Cork, will you send word to him that Miss Ridgeway will require his services this morning?”

“Yes, my Lord.”

They chatted pleasantly until Cork returned and informed them that Bennett was outside, whenever Miss Ridgeway was ready to leave. Luella excused herself from the table excitedly.

“Thank you so much,” she cried. “This is such a treat. Aunt Edith will be very annoyed to have missed the opportunity.”

“I am certain that there will be time for her to go for a drive when she is better. When is the doctor coming again?”

“Maisie said that he will be visiting again this afternoon, so I shall speak with him then. You will understand that we cannot linger here indefinitely – ”

“You are still concerned that this Frank man will find you here?” asked the Viscount. “I can assure you, he will not. He would have to be a great clairvoyant, like Madame Blavatsky herself, to divine where you both are.”

Luella hesitated in the doorway, her bottom lip trembling and giving her, he thought, a rather fragile air.

He longed to protect her and if he could root out this man and expunge him from the country – and from Luella's life – he would do so gladly and with his bare hands if necessary.