The Temptation of Lady Serena (17 page)

Robert studied her. He’d been so stupid dealing with this woman. He’d used his knowledge of the women he bedded to try to understand her; however, she was unique. How very wrong he’d been. “Come, I’ll race you back.”

Robert urged Démon into a gallop.

Serena’s laughter trailed on the wind as she passed him.

By the time he rode into the stable yard, she stood next to Shamir with a wide smile on her face. Robert swung down from Démon and grabbed her around the waist.

Smiling provocatively, he said, “What do you deserve for beating me as thoroughly as you did?”

“Ah, my lord, you were forewarned.”

“I should kiss you,” he said, “to assuage my battered ego.”

Serena’s eyes grew wide with apprehension.

He released her abruptly. “But I won’t.”

“Thank you.” The tightness left her face and she gave him a small smile.

How much more of an idiot could he be? Flirting would not win her over to him, but it seemed as if he couldn’t stop himself from responding to her. He wanted her. Her laughter, her serenity, her gentleness and beauty. She soothed his soul, but if he couldn’t give her what she wanted, all would be for naught.

 

Serena ordered luncheon to be served in the study before escaping to change. When she returned, the carpenter was with Robert.

“Good, show me the plans by the end of the day,” Robert said.

She added, “The new cottages must be completed before the first frost sets in.”

“Yes, my lady.” The carpenter bowed himself out.

“Shall we make our final lists and then call in Foster?” Robert asked.

“Yes, I think we must, don’t you?”

He frowned. “I’m not looking forward to it.”

She took his hand. “No, how could you? He’s an old and trusted retainer, but you’ve seen what’s happening. Ou—people cannot live like that.”

Robert heard her. She’d almost said “our people.” Two days and she was already part of the Hall and even more a part of him.

Once Serena finished eating, Mrs. Norton came to fetch her.

He met Serena’s gaze. “I’ll see you later.”

“Yes. Mrs. Norton, shall we go?”

“Just come with me, my lady, we need to look at all the hangings . . .”

Robert stared as Serena walked away, her head tilted to listen to Norry, giving the housekeeper her complete attention, just as she had with Cook. As she once had with him. Yearning filled him as he remembered the joy and trust she’d given so easily until he’d betrayed her.

He went to see if Johnson and Armstrong had arrived. They awaited him in the stable yard and all three of them set off in the wagon to York.

“My lord, have you looked at the drainage problem yet?” Armstrong asked.

“No, we were going to look at it to-day, but the other cottages took our attention. We’ll go out first thing in the morning. Do you have any idea what’s causing it?”

They shook their heads. Robert encouraged them to discuss the farms and what had been happening since his father died, especially anything concerning his steward.

“He just don’t seem interested,” Armstrong said. “Not like he was afore.”

“How long has that been going on?” Robert asked.

Armstrong replied. “Oh, I’d say the past three or four years. Don’t you think, Johnson?”

“ ’Bout that. After his wife died.”

Foster’s wife had died, and Robert hadn’t even known about it. He needed to talk with Serena.

After he returned, he sent a message to her to meet him early in the drawing room. When she entered, he handed her a glass of sherry.

Serena took a sip. “What is it?”

“It’s Foster. His wife died three or four years ago. That’s when the estate began having problems.”

Her eyes widened. “You didn’t know?”

“No, no one told me. I’ve spent so little time here.” His voice faded. “I didn’t have many happy memories here for most of my life.”

“That would certainly explain the lack of interest in the estate.” Serena looked at him over the rim of the glass. “What to do is still a problem. I can feel compassion for Foster. However, the neglect cannot be allowed to continue.”

“No,” Robert said sadly. “Maybe now there’s a better chance he’ll agree to retire.”

Serena put her arms around Robert. “We’ll speak with Foster to-morrow.”

He wished he could kiss her, seek comfort from her as a man does with a woman. So many of his beliefs about himself were changing.

Serena brought his head down and touched her forehead to his. Then, as if she understood, lightly—very lightly—she kissed him. Robert struggled not to take her lips and her mouth. If there was a hell, he was in it. His life was changing, what of hers?

He stepped back.

Fortunately, their aunts entered the room just ahead of Finster announcing dinner.

“Serena, my dear,” Freddy said, “I don’t ever remember having such a fine meal here. What did you do to Cook?”

Serena chuckled. “We agreed meals did not have to be as the old lord wanted them. She appears to be very interested in trying new dishes.”

“I shall send my compliments to her,” Freddy said.

“Please do. It will make her happy.”

“My dear, didn’t you inspect the house to-day?” Catherine asked.

“Yes, I did.” She turned to Robert. “I found the same types of problems, but easily fixed.”

He nodded. “What needs to be done?”

“Many of the hangings need to be replaced, as well as some rugs. We will need to paint, of course—it has been years since it’s been done. Some of the windows are loose and a few of the fireplaces smoke. Nothing more than I expected,” she said. “I was extremely pleased to find everything clean and polished. Mrs. Norton is an excellent housekeeper. She is to give me a list of the linens to be replaced. I’ve given her carte blanche to purchase what is needed. I’ll have to visit a warehouse to select fabrics soon. Would you like to come with me?”

Robert was inordinately pleased that she wanted him to accompany her. “Yes, we can make a day of it, and I’ll show you some of the sites in York. Freddy and Catherine can help you shop for materials.”

“That sounds delightful,” Catherine said. “I know just the warehouse you should visit.”

“I wonder if the Black Swan or the Lamb and Lion are still there,” Freddy mused. “If they are, we could select one for luncheon.”

“Ask Finster to make the arrangements,” Robert said.

“Yes, I will!” Freddy grinned. “What are you going to do to-morrow?”

“We were going to visit the rectory,” Serena replied. “We’ve had to put our plans off again. Two of the cottages must be burned and replaced. We will begin that to-morrow. I’ve already spoken with Mrs. Norton and Cook.”

“Burned? Whatever for?” Freddy asked, aghast.

Serena explained what she’d found.

Freddy glanced at Robert. “Where was Foster while all that was going on?”

“His wife passed and it devastated him. He became quite reclusive. We’re hoping he’ll agree to retire.”

“How sad,” Freddy said. “He and his wife were very much in love. I can see how he would be lost without her.”

Robert had just put more peas on his plate and lost his appetite. A chill of foreboding went through him. What if Serena didn’t stay? How long would it take him to recover from losing her? Or would he?

Wanting to change the subject, he said, “It was interesting watching Serena tell the tenants their cottages must be burned.” He forced himself to chuckle. “Apparently, the men almost mutinied at being told they’d have to bathe.”

His aunt grinned. “Serena, how did you convince them?”

“I didn’t have to do anything. Their wives were so happy to be getting new homes they forced their men to agree.”

Robert glanced at Serena. He’d been so proud of her to-day. “It was touch and go for a few minutes. I was just about to step in when I saw the women haranguing their husbands.”

Freddy was clearly impressed. “How very brave of you, my dear.”

Serena’s cheeks turned a lovely shade of rose. “It had to be done, and the women knew it. I truly think it was Robert’s intimidating scowl that carried the day.”

“I refuse to allow you to underestimate yourself,” Freddy said. “Just say, ‘Thank you, ma’am.’ ”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

“Aunt Freddy is right. You’ve been working wonders.” Robert met her gaze. She smiled in gratitude and his chest tightened. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and hold her close. He stifled a groan. He wanted to ravage her mouth, make her his, as she, in her innocence, was claiming him.

Instead, he smiled.

After escorting Serena to her room, he forced himself away from her door and back downstairs to have a brandy. His need to touch her was becoming entirely inappropriate. He could barely keep from kissing her now, even in front of others. He could lie to her and tell her he loved her. But she’d know the minute she saw his face. He had a whole new appreciation for the predicament of the men in Aristophanes’s play
Lysistrata
.

 

Serena sat at the dressing table while Mary pulled the pins out of Serena’s hair. The maid had been going on about how welcoming the staff was and how they had taken great pains to make her comfortable.

Serena smiled and nodded at the appropriate times, but inside, sadness overcame her. Everything Mary said was true. The dependants here were hard working and caring. Serena loved the Hall. Leaving would rip her apart.

“We are staying, my lady, aren’t we?” Mary asked.

Serena tried unsuccessfully to smile. “I don’t know yet, Mary. It depends upon Lord Beaumont.” And whether he could offer her the love she so desperately needed.

R
obert and Serena rode out the next morning to supervise the cottage burnings. Some of the other tenants had agreed to take in the newly homeless families until temporary houses could be built. Their meager possessions were already in carts by the time Robert and Serena arrived. She saw to the last-minute questions and instructions, while Robert supervised the structures for the fires.

Mrs. Norton arrived with soup and sandwiches, then ran Serena and Robert off before the bathing began. They galloped over to the field with the drainage problem, and Robert soon found the cause.

“I’m glad to see this can be easily fixed.” Robert turned to Serena. “What do you want to do next? Visit the rectory or speak with Mr. Foster?”

She pulled a face. “I choose the rectory. I am not looking forward to our discussion with Mr. Foster.”

“Nor I,” Robert agreed. “Race?”

She laughed. “You know I always win.”

“Give me a five-minute head start?” he asked hopefully.

“Not a chance, my lord.” Serena spurred Shamir and was quickly across the field.

“You’re a miserable witch, and I love you,” he shouted after her.

She was already too far away to hear him, but his heart buoyed.
He’d said it and he’d meant it. He loved her.
His shoulders felt lighter, lighter than he could remember. He urged his horse after her. She and Lora, the rector’s wife, were in conversation when he reined in.

“I told her you would be along soon,” Serena said saucily.

Lora’s eyes danced. “Does she always beat you?”

“Always.”

She held back a giggle. “Come in and drink some tea.”

John met them at the door. “You’ve finally made it, I see.”

“We have been rather busy,” Robert retorted.

“So I’ve been hearing. Burning down houses, shopping for ploughs, a new stove. You have the whole town talking.”

“Does everyone know our business?” Robert asked aghast.

“Robert, it
is
the country. News travels quickly,” Serena reminded him.

He shook his head. “I’d forgotten.”

Lora smiled knowingly. “News travels especially quickly when it’s a new lady causing the changes.”

Serena shook out her skirts, but a betraying hint of pink rose in her neck. “I do not understand why so much is being made of doing one’s duty.”

“It is because you do it so well, my love. Will you excuse John and me for a few moments?” Robert asked. “I’ll be right back. I promise.”

She nodded. “Yes, of course,”

John led Robert back to the study. “What is this all about?”

“Serena hasn’t decided if she’ll marry me or not.”

“Robert, we saw the announcement in the
Morning Post,
and then you dashed up here and told everyone you were marrying.” John looked at his friend. “What did you do?”

Robert paced the room, stopped, and met John’s eyes squarely. “I trapped her into marrying me.” Robert flung himself into a chair. “Go ahead, tell me I am a fool. I know it.”

“You compromised her? Robert, why?”

“I wanted her. She drove me insane, though she did nothing obvious to try to attract me. I went back into the
ton
for her. But she said she wouldn’t marry me unless I loved her.”

“And?” John asked.

“And now, I love her. I told her so to-day, but she was already too far ahead of me to hear. Now I’m trying to get up my courage to say it to her face. I’m a wreck, what if she changes her mind?”

John gave a short laugh. “Robert, you’ve found someone to love you, that you love, and who is good for you, and the Hall and Haythrope. Find a way to tell her you love her fast. Otherwise, you’ll lose her, then you really will be a fool.”

“Yes, you’re right.” He stood. “Let’s go back to the ladies. I told Serena I’d not be long.”

“Wait a minute. This is Thursday. I’ll announce the banns on Sunday. You have two days.”

“I thought you were my friend.”

John smiled wryly. “I am.”

 

Serena sat in the cozy parlor, discussing the town and its residents with Lora. “Is there a school?”

“Not as such,” Lora said. “Once or twice a week, one of the ladies teaches the children reading and writing. It is very informal and not consistent. They only take the town’s children.”

Serena frowned. “So none of the estate’s children are included?”

“No.” Lora tightened her lips. “The feeling is that if the Hall wishes to educate their young, it is their responsibility.”

Serena had never confronted this problem in Scotland. “If the estate provided some of the funds, would the town help to support a proper school that included the Hall’s children?”

Lora was quiet for a minute, thinking. “Yes, I believe so. You would have to discuss it with the council, but yes, I imagine they would.”

“Is there a suitable building in town or must we construct one?”

“Actually, there is a house in the center of town that would support several classrooms. The old lady who lived there died. If her heirs would be willing to sell . . .”

“Will you take me to see it?” Serena asked.

“Now?”

“Yes, why not? I can at least look at the outside.”

“Oh, the inside is not a problem either. Hardly anyone locks their doors here. Do you wish to wait for Robert?”

“I don’t want to interrupt him.”

Lora rose. “Let me tell John where we’re going.”

She knocked on the door of her husband’s study and peeked in. “I’m taking Serena to see old lady Crenshaw’s house.”

“I think we are finished here,” John said.

Robert walked to the door. “May we accompany you?”

“Yes, yes, of course you may,” Lora assured him. “I am just going to fetch my hat.”

When Robert entered the parlor, Serena smiled at him.

“Why do you want to see the Crenshaw house?” Robert asked.

She told him about the lack of a proper school and the problem with the estate’s children.

His eyes twinkled. “So, we’ll start a school?”

“Yes.”

“I am pleased to see you don’t do things by half-measures, my dear.”

The kiss he gave to her cheek stunned her into silence.

Serena approached the front door of Crenshaw House and paused.

“Allow me.” Robert opened the door and surreptitiously brushed her cheek again as she entered and followed around as she made an inspection.

Despite her broken concentration, she nodded. “I think this would work.”

“With space to grow,” Lora said.

Serena worried her lower lip and looked at Robert. “I think the Hall should own it. I would not like to be always quarrelling with the council over the building’s use. The council should help pay for the teachers, of course.”

“I agree,” John said. “With the arguing that goes on at council meetings, it’s a better idea for the Hall to own the building.”

Robert looked thoughtful for a moment. “In that case, I’ll look into the purchase without involving the council.”

The four of them were on their way back to the rectory when two women came up to John. One of the women supported an obviously distraught friend.

“Mr. Stedman, you must help! I don’t know what to do. A man came and took Silly’s son yesterday. He said he had the right to do it. She finally came to me to-day in vapors.”

“Someone took her son?” John asked. “Where was he?”

“Well it’s hard to get anything out of her,” the woman replied. “She’s been crying so much.”

Serena stepped forward. “Let me talk to her.” Putting her arm around Silly, Serena bent her head, and set herself to calming the woman as she walked toward the rectory. “You must tell me what happened so we can help you.”

Haltingly, Silly said, “He were a big hulking man. He come out of the woods and saw my Jemmy and grabbed him and I screamed and tried to pull Jemmy back. And the man told me he had the law on his side to take my Jemmy to work in the mines. Jemmy, he’s my oldest.” She sobbed. “He does odd jobs and helps with the young’uns. Oh, I don’t know what I’m going to do without him.”

Serena’s heart contracted. What could be worse than losing a child? She looked back over to John, Robert, and Lora. “What do you know about this?”

John pressed his lips together. “It is common enough farther south, but we’re so remote we’ve not seen it here. They must be desperate if they are coming this far north.”

“
Do
they have the right to take children?” It would be infamous. “I can’t imagine that they could. That’s barbaric.”

“I agree,” Robert replied. “We’ll have to consult a solicitor.”

Serena couldn’t believe something like this was happening. “Is he the only one who has been taken?”

John shook his head. “I have not heard of any others. However, children disappear from time to time. It’s possible someone’s been poaching them.”

“Well, they’re not going to poach the children here.” Robert’s countenance hardened. “When we go to York to-morrow, I’ll stop by the solicitor’s office to learn what the law is. But no matter what, I’ll not stand for it. Where exactly was the boy taken?”

“Do you remember that group of cottages bordering the wood at the other end of town?” Silly asked.

“That’s Hall property. I’ll tell my gamekeeper to keep an eye out for any strangers. You’ll need to spread the word in town. Serena and I shall speak with the squire. He’s been acting as magistrate in my absence.”

Robert and Serena rode back to the Hall in a subdued mood.

Robert cursed under his breath. “I’ve clearly not been spending enough time here, if someone thinks they can take the Hall’s children with impunity.”

“You are here now. That’s what is important. Robert, we must stop this outrage.”

He glanced at her, his eyes burning with anger. “We will.”

The squire, Sir Baldwin, and his lady were in the small drawing room with Freddy when Robert and Serena returned. They’d missed luncheon, were hungry, and had work to do, but now, Serena and Robert had no choice but to join their guests. At least, Robert wouldn’t have to spend time chasing Sir Baldwin down to discuss the abductions.

“Sir Baldwin, Lady Harriman, how nice to see you.” Robert bowed to Lady Harriman and shook the older gentleman’s hand. “My dear, allow me to present Sir Baldwin and his wife. Sir Baldwin is the squire and the master of the hunt. Lady Serena Weir.”

“Lady Harriman, Sir Baldwin, what a pleasure it is to meet you.” Serena shook their hands and took a seat.

“Well,” Sir Baldwin said, “as we’ve been telling your aunt, we wanted to stop by and welcome you to the county, Lady Serena.”

Lady Harriman curtseyed. “Indeed. We would not want to be backward in welcoming you to the Hall, my lady.”

Robert smiled with pride as Serena artfully drew Lady Harriman out concerning the families in the area while he spoke with Sir Baldwin about the kidnapping. It occurred to him that Serena was nothing like his mother and grandmother who favored London. Serena already loved the area and its people and she glowed with a confidence he’d not seen in Town.

Sir Baldwin promised to make inquiries about the missing children and have his servants keep an eye out for Jemmy. A half an hour later, Robert walked them to the door.

“That,” Freddy sapiently observed, “will be the first of many visits you may expect to receive.”

“I must change now.” Serena darted out the door of the drawing room.

Robert caught up with her on the stairs. “Meet me in the study. I’ll have Norry bring us a nuncheon.”

“Thank you. I’m so peckish.”

Serena slipped into the study just as a footman was leaving. She surveyed the feast set out on the desk. “Oh, this is wonderful.”

Robert held the chair for her as she sat to the side of his desk. They ate in silence, while Robert tried to find the perfect way to tell her he loved her. He’d put Serena through so much, she deserved that it be special.

Sitting back, she wiped her fingers on a serviette. “You’re very quiet.”

She was beautiful and everything he could ever want in a wife and lover. And now, she’d stay and love his home and their children. Robert felt almost giddy at the thought of his life with this magnificent woman. “I’m merely thinking.”

He’d wait until they were finished with their repast.

A few moments later, Griffin, the head gardener, came in wishing to speak with Lady Serena.

“Mr. Griffin, I will be with you shortly.” She turned to Robert. “I forgot I am to meet with him to-day. I have no idea how long this will take. He plans to discuss the formal gardens with me. They’ve not been replanted in many years.”

“Yes, that’s fine.” It wasn’t, but what was Robert to say? “If you don’t mind, I’ll speak with Foster while you are with Griffin.” Robert came out from behind the desk. “Serena, there is something I wish to tell you.”