A Vow for an Heiress

by Helen Dickson

  She had been expecting Clarissa to arrive alone, so Rosa’s appearance was unexpected and Clara’s reaction was filled with disbelief and pure delight. When condolences had been made for the death of their grandmother, she ushered them into the drawing room and ordered refreshments. They sat chatting companionably for a while and then Clarissa excused herself, saying she would like to rest before dinner.

  ‘I can’t tell you how delighted I am to see you back in London,’ Clara said, taking a seat beside Rosa and arranging the skirts of her gown. ‘It was so good of you to stay and take care of me when I was ill, instead of going to Berkshire with Clarissa. Now tell me about Lord Ashurst. I thought your grandmother was considering him a match for Clarissa and now here she is, back in London and about to marry the young man from Barbados. And the Earl of Ashurst? What happened to him?’

  Rosa sighed. ‘It’s a long story, Aunt Clara, and not a very happy one.’

  ‘Tell me. I’m a good listener.’

  Clara listened patiently to what had transpired between Rosa and Lord Ashurst and when Rosa fell silent she squeezed her hand with sympathy and compassion while feeling a duty to bolster her niece’s spirits. ‘Dear me, Rosa, what a time you have had.’

  Rosa nodded. Her eyes held a deep sense of sadness, but she raised her head with pride. ‘Yes. There is no point in crying about it. I’m not the first woman to be jilted on the eve of her wedding. So you see, Aunt Clara, in the end he didn’t want my money—or me. The source of my wealth is abhorrent to him—his rejection humiliating and degrading for me. He must have had a better offer than my own. I can only feel relief that we didn’t go through with the wedding.’

  ‘Then you must let him go. No good will come of brooding over what might have been. You have your whole life to consider. What you need,’ she said, her voice softening as she sipped her tea, ‘is something to occupy your time—and a little light entertainment. I shall so look forward to introducing you to my friends. With Clarissa returning to the Caribbean—and I know how you will miss her dreadfully—I will see to it that you are never bored. Lord Ashurst will cease to matter.’

  Rosa laughed. ‘I’m sure you will.’

  ‘No one need know of your association with Lord Ashurst. If it becomes known that the two of you were engaged to be married and he jilted you on the eve of the wedding, it will do your reputation no good. From what you have told me it would appear that he has too much on his plate right now to divulge it himself and if he were to do so it would not show him in a favourable light.’

  ‘I don’t think he will do that. Besides, it is hardly likely we will see each other again.’

  ‘Possibly not. I am engaged in so many interesting charities and projects that I do not have too much time on my hands—I know I was against you helping me when you broached it before, but since your grandmother’s demise, I have decided to let you help me. The two small institutes we opened five years ago for destitute children we struggle to keep open. They are inadequate for the number of children we take in and we are constantly short of funds and must find ways to raise more. Taking care of the children has become an important part of my life. I would so like to find better premises and even to open an orphanage but...’ she smiled wistfully ‘...all that is for the future. You have a lot to offer and there’s so much you can do to help.’

  Rosa was happy to comply. Aunt Clara had always been a source of common sense and good advice. She was all about living and being engaged in life, and was passionate about all she did. She was just what Rosa needed now and perhaps the wealth William Barrington had turned his back on could be put to good use after all. She would not say anything to her aunt just now, not until she had seen what it would entail.

  * * *

  Clarissa and Andrew were married in a quiet ceremony by special licence two weeks after Clarissa arrived in London. They were to travel to Portsmouth, where they would board ship for Barbados. Rosa’s heart was heavy with sadness when the time came for Clarissa to leave—it was the first time they had ever been apart. It was difficult for Rosa to watch her go. The separation would leave a huge hole in her heart. They were both tearful, but Rosa was happy for her sister: a new island, a new home—a new life.

  * * *

  At Ashurst Park William poured himself a large brandy. His mind occupied with financial matters, he settled himself in a comfortable chair near the hearth, propping his feet on the brass fender. During the day he gave himself up to adjusting to life at Ashurst Park and the day-to-day running of the estate. Bailiffs were called in to give an account of their management, accounts gone into and meetings with his tenant farmers, which always made him feel that Charles was looking over his shoulder. The tenants had held Charles in high regard and his tragic death and near bankruptcy had affected them all, making William even more determined to make things right.

  He stared into the shifting flames, but his mind was wandering far afield as an image of Rosa entered his thoughts—of dark-fringed eyes, glowing with their own light, the colour in their depths forever changing like a roughly hued gemstone. She was seared into his memory. He could see the way her hair blew in the wind when she rode her horse, the sway of her hips when she walked. She filled every inch of his mind.

  Casting this image aside, he brought a more favourable one to mind, of moments when her eyes had been bright and full of laughter, expressive and alive, of a pert nose, gently curving lips—then he held the image in his mind, where it burned with the memory of their incredible softness beneath his own. When he had kissed her he had not been driven by lust, but he had wanted to kiss her, very much. He thought of the rounded grace of her body, which possessed a subdued strength and honesty that lent her a naïve elegance. She was unaware of how lovely she was and she dwelt firmly in his mind.

  The truth was that neither time nor distance had blunted the feelings he had for her. As he continued to gaze into the flames they leapt high, then died back, the coals snapping as if with a stoic purpose. Just thinking of her he felt a protectiveness so profound that it shook him to the depths of his being. Yes, he missed her but maybe the best way of protecting her, not to make her a target for the gossips, would be to stay away from her. Looking back, the sweet memory of her response to his kiss touched him deeply. She had been so open and generous in her response, as she was in every aspect of her life. What he was feeling stunned him. So, what was to be done to fill the gaping emptiness of his life her departure from it had left?

  When the clock chimed the hour, he rose, having reached a decision.

  * * *

  Refusing to wallow in self-pity, days merged into weeks that passed in a blur of activity for Rosa. Aunt Clara left her no time to brood and refused to let her be still for a day. She was happy to work alongside her aunt on her charities and could not believe the poverty and destitution that she saw. The children touched her heart. They had nothing and very little hope. She was swamped with guilt when she thought how she had lived a life of privilege, taking all she had for granted, while children all over the world were living in such abject poverty. A great many of them were orphans, others unwanted, having been turned out by parents who had too many mouths to feed already, and others had been sold to chimneysweeps and the like for a few shillings. She could not help all the children but she would do her utmost to make a difference for as many as she was able. She made a generous donation to the charities but they were always short of funds.

  The long summer days slipped almost unnoticed into autumn.

  When they weren’t occupied with charity matters, the days were filled with a frenetic round of social activities. With Uncle Michael and Aunt Clara acting as chaperons, Rosa was escorted to soirées and any social event to which they were invited. She loved attending the theatre and the opera and she was often to be found seated beside her aunt in an open carriage when they would join the elegant traffic to promenade through Hyde Park during the fashionable hour. The
park was a rendezvous for people of quality, fashion and beauty, with splendid, shining carriages and high-stepping horses.

  Under Aunt Clara’s instruction, Rosa blossomed into an extremely attractive and desirable young woman, who was refreshingly unselfconscious of her beauty. She was a new distraction and London welcomed her and embraced her. She drew the admiring, hopeful eyes of several dashing young males displaying their prowess on prime bloodstock.

  There were few people in Aunt Clara’s elevated circle of friends and acquaintances who didn’t know of her background, and all the unattached males at the social events she attended clamoured to be introduced. It was not just her charming self and her beauty that drew them to her, or the mystery of her tropical-island background, but what she had always feared, the enormous wealth the man fortunate to win her would receive when he placed a wedding ring on her finger.

  * * *

  William had taken up residence in his London town house in Grosvenor Square. He had no love of the city—it was much too noisy and too many people wanted to encroach on his time. He had much to occupy himself with and his forays into society had gone well. The buzz of curiosity he had aroused in the ton he could have done without, but nevertheless it amused him.

  He was to book Ahmet, Dhanu and Mishka a passage on one of the East India vessels sailing for India. Kamal Kapoor still posed a threat to Dhanu so he would continue to keep the boy safe until he could leave. Today William was enjoying some leisure time riding in Hyde Park with others whose acquaintance he had made, when his attention was caught by one of the occupants in a carriage parading in the ring.

  Chapter Seven

  Since Rosa had come to London, the onset of winter had forced a knife-edge to the colder weather, but today the sun was shining and did not deter people from parading in the park. It had filled up with its usual array of rich and famous when Clara told the driver of their carriage to head for home. They were to attend a fundraising event later and she wanted to make sure they had ample time to prepare.

  Rosa’s attention was drawn to a group of young gentlemen on the grass close to the ring. They were a melee of horses and riders moving and shifting, the air around them filled with noise and laughter. Having just run a race, they appeared in jocular mood. She was surprised to see a woman in their midst, totally at ease in masculine company. A tall, handsome woman, she was dressed entirely in sapphire blue, her blonde hair arranged in flattering curls beneath her hat set at a jaunty angle. Infected by their fervour, Rosa smiled to herself, her eyes idly drifting over their shining faces. One gentleman in the midst of them seemed familiar.

  She watched him dismount and say something to the woman, which she obviously found amusing, for she threw back her head and laughed hilariously. Rosa’s eyes were drawn to back to the gentleman. He turned so that his face was in full view. Rosa’s gaze became riveted on the scene and a sick paralysis gripped her when she recognised William. A shock tightened itself about her heart. He wore a dark green riding coat and a pristine white neckcloth and was so tall that he towered over his companions. His narrow hips and muscular thighs were encased in buff-coloured breeches and his gleaming black boots came to his knees. His dark hair was brushed from his brow and his high-planed cheekbones gave his handsome face a harsh expression. In the surrounding haze Rosa was no longer aware of anyone save him. Her heart gave a sudden leap of surprise and consternation. How positive his presence was. She was aware at that moment of a sudden pang in her breast.

  Despite her efforts to try not to think about him, he was never far from her thoughts. His appearance here in London was completely unexpected. She stared at him fixedly, with a strange sensation of fatality, and the tidal wave of emotions caused by his presence almost overwhelmed her. For a moment she was thrown into a panic. Her first instinct upon seeing him was to climb out of the carriage and hide, yet at the same time she was unable to move.

  Looking at the woman once more, she now recognised her as being Lady Caroline Willoughby. Beautiful and vivacious, her red lips parted in a wide smile of sensuality, she dominated the scene. A pain like she had never experienced before almost severed Rosa’s heart in two. She suspected that it was no coincidence that William and Lady Willoughby were here together.

  Unable to tear her eyes away and hoping they could drive past without William seeing her, she tried to compose herself. Unfortunately there was a congestion of carriages and their driver had no alternative but to stop.

  * * *

  Clara, noticing her niece’s strained profile beside her and sensing that she was not enjoying the outing, leaned towards her. ‘Rosa, are you all right? You’re not ill, are you?’ she enquired softly.

  ‘No. No—I’m quite well, Aunt Clara,’ she replied with a weak smile. ‘I’m a little tired, that’s all.’

  Unable to ignore his presence, wide-eyed, Rosa looked directly at William, as did Aunt Clara, whose sharp eyes had observed his interest in her niece.

  ‘That gentleman staring at you, Rosa—is he familiar to you by any chance?’

  ‘Yes. It is Lord Ashurst, Aunt Clara, the Earl of Ashurst.’

  Clara’s eyes narrowed on the gentleman in question. ‘Is it, indeed? Then I would like to be introduced.’

  Rosa’s eyes hadn’t left him. She became like a senseless inanimate object, mindless, and she thought she might have remained this way for ever, with the crowd milling around them. Although there was noise, laughter, the conversation of people who came to the park to absorb the atmosphere and socialise, there was stillness and silence about them.

  Excusing himself to his companion, William ducked under the railing that separated them. With cool composure Rosa watched him approach. Clara ordered the driver to stop the carriage.

  William’s eyes lingered on Rosa. Her presence had taken him wholly by surprise. She was as beautiful as he remembered, a radiant sunburst among the colourful throng. She was innocence and purity, and worth far and above all the other young ladies on show in the park. Warmly dressed against the cold, the mass of her chestnut tresses was swept up in a sleek and sophisticated arrangement beneath a fetching little hat. Small diamond droplets dripped from her ears.

  All his attention was focused on her, each conscious of the anger, the argument and the strife of their parting at Fountains Lodge. Rosa displayed none of the frivolity that was present in the others in the park. Her eyes were wounded and cold. She wasn’t the same Rosa who had come to Ashurst Park to propose marriage to him. There was an unspoken message about her now that said, Don’t come too close. Had he done that to her? If so, he was deeply sorry. It was plain to him that what had transpired between them had stripped all humour from her, for she was as cool and aloof as an ice queen.

  Unsmiling, Rosa returned his gaze. Her lips curling a little, she inclined her head in acknowledgement of his presence, but his rejection still burned in her heart. His expression was hardly contrite. She tried to temper the pleasure she took on seeing him with the coolness appropriate to his behaviour.

  ‘Lord Ashurst,’ she said, greeting him with cool composure. ‘It is indeed an extraordinary coincidence to see you in London. I am surprised. I would have thought affairs in Berkshire would have kept you from town.’

  He acknowledged her graciously, bowing his dark head in acknowledgement, his magnificent eyes moving over her easily and familiarly before returning to her eyes. He saw that she was looking at him frankly, openly, and with a dispassion so chilling that he was intensely moved by it, yet he sensed that beneath it all was a heartbreaking dejection.

  ‘Make of it what you will, but it is a pleasure to see you here. My estate can do without me for a short while. I have important business commitments to discuss first-hand with my bankers and solicitor that need my personal attention. I also considered it time that I showed my face at Westminster.’

  ‘I see.’ The tone of his voice was as natural as if they had met the day before and
nothing untoward had passed between them. Its very ordinariness struck Rosa with ire. His eyes remained fixed on her. It unsettled her. It was weeks since she had last seen him, but she had not forgotten how brilliant and clear his eyes were. In a strange, magical way they seemed capable of stripping her soul bare. Every fibre of her being cried out for him, but her betrayed spirit rebelled. ‘We were about to leave the park, but before we do I would like to introduce my aunt, Mrs Clara Swinburn.’

  William turned his attention to her companion and bowed his head graciously. ‘My pleasure, Mrs Swinburn.’

  ‘I am happy to meet you, Lord Ashurst. My niece has told me so much about you that I feel I know you already.’

  William looked at Rosa, a slight smile curving his lips. ‘Has she? All good, I trust.’

  ‘But of course,’ Clara replied, laughing lightly.

  ‘And your sister?’ he enquired of Rosa. ‘Is she here with you?’

  ‘Clarissa is married now and on her way to Barbados with her husband.’

  ‘You will miss her.’

  ‘I do. Very much.’

  ‘And you will not be returning to Berkshire?’

  Her answer was sharp and to the point. ‘No. There is nothing there for me any more. My aunt has generously invited me to spend some time with her here in London.’

  ‘Of course,’ he said, amused by the note of indignation in her voice. He glanced at her aunt, who was looking from one to the other with a secretive smile playing on her lips.

  Another carriage drew up alongside them. The occupants were well known to Clara and she immediately made introductions before falling into conversation.

  ‘Mrs Swinburn,’ William said, seizing the opportunity to have a moment alone with Rosa. ‘May I have your permission to walk with your niece for a while? There are one or two matters I would like to discuss with her.’