by Clare Jayne
Did he know? Mr Nathaniel Fenbridge was his relative so it was not impossible and it would greatly improve her opinion of him if he did not choose to condemn his cousin.
“Then I am very glad for them both.”
“As am I,” he said.
It was the first time they had been in agreement about anything.
* * *
Mr Brightford changed into his evening clothes, a smile on his lips as he thought about his conversation with Miss Daventry. He had enjoyed it a great deal. Far too much, in fact.
The fact she had forgiven him for so serious a misdeed was a great relief and that combined with her wit had entirely won him over. How could he have failed to see all her positive qualities all this time? He was sure she knew the truth about the relationship between Fenbridge and Harrington too and wished them well, which showed a rare tolerance.
Perhaps he should have told her about writing to Wrackley but she would see him at the wedding so they could resume their courtship soon.
His heart twinged at the thought.
He made a note to give up selfless behaviour: it was clearly not good for his health.
Chapter Twenty
AMELIA SMILED with pleasure at the sight of Mr Alexander Fenbridge’s estate, which would soon officially be Lottie’s too, happy to finally get here and be on the verge of seeing her friend again.
The rest of the journey had passed much like the first day with slight variations of who travelled in which carriage and where they stopped to rest each night, Mrs Gallerton’s non-stop chatter and hints about Amelia marrying constantly in her ears. After three days of this torture they finally reached their destination.
The countryside was beautiful, some of it farmland with men working in fields of wheat and vegetables, but closer to the estate was a large wooded area then a large fenced-off field with a few horses in and a long road leading up to the house. In front of the building was a circular garden with flowers and a waterfall. As Amelia got out of her carriage and tried to stretch her aching back in a surreptitious manner she saw that Lottie and Mr Alexander Fenbridge were on the doorstep to greet the group, behind them an impressively large medieval building three storeys high with turrets on either end.
Greetings and introductions were made and, as the others talked and headed in, Lottie and Amelia hugged each other.
“It is so good to finally see you,” Amelia said, almost overwhelmed at having her friend back again when she had felt Lottie’s absence so keenly over the last few weeks.
“And you. I was so sorry to hear about your father,” Lottie responded as she pulled back and held Amelia’s hands. “You must miss him very much.”
“It has been difficult. I did not know at first how we would bear it.”
“He was the best of men.”
“I know I will always miss him but I hope it will grow easier in time to not have him here. Now it is a constant ache.”
“I am sure it will get better.” Lottie let go of her hands but put an arm round her as she led Amelia inside, the rest of the party having already progressed to a room downstairs, presumably the drawing room. “Let me show you your room so you can unpack and rest.” She glanced back over her shoulder to the room holding the others, where a loud female voice could be heard. “I did now know you had an aunt.”
Mrs Gallerton had insisted on introductions to the couple almost before she was out of the carriage and was no doubt now telling Mr Alexander Fenbridge her life story.
“My father, very sensibly as it turns out, would not speak to her. You will quickly understand why.” She looked around as they ascended a long elegant staircase. “This estate is beautiful.”
“I will give you the full tour later, I promise. The gardens behind the house are lovely too.”
Amelia paused then said hesitantly, “And is everything as you expected with Mr Alexander Fenbridge?”
“You mean, have I changed my mind about the marriage? No, I am more happy about it than ever. Alex is a wonderful man.”
Amelia could see the truth of this in her face and manner. Lottie was more relaxed than she had been in months and had a glow of contentment about her. “I am glad.”
“You do not intend to try and talk me out of it?”
“That is the last thing I wish to do. That you are happy is my sole concern and I have had more than enough trouble with people interfering in my life.” She thought of Mr Brightford but had not for some time felt her previous dislike of him. Indeed, she had increasingly enjoyed his company on the journey here.
“What do you mean?” Lottie asked her.
Amelia shook her head, the story too long and complicated to go into now. Besides, she found she did now want Lottie to think badly of Mr Brightford, which was ridiculous since Lottie had always had to defend him from Amelia’s criticisms. Their lives had certainly changed these last few months.
* * *
“What plans has everyone made for the afternoon?” Mrs Gallerton asked.
Benjamin, who had had to put up with her company in the carriage this morning, thought that he would happily volunteer to do anything that she would hate and, therefore, not join in with.
“I was thinking of riding out to visit my old friend, Mr Wrackley,” Nathan said. “Harrington, I hoped you might accompany me so I could show you more of the estate on the way?”
“Delighted, sir.” Benjamin could have kissed him and, now he thought of it, that would certainly put Mrs Gallerton off his company. If things got too desperate, it was worth considering.
He paid little attention to the remainder of the conversation - which would have been a great deal more interesting if Mrs Gallerton had said far less - but rose at once when Nathan did so. In all honesty, it was less Mrs Gallerton than his parents he was happy to escape. They had not had an opportunity to speak to him in private yet and he knew there was an unpleasant scene ahead - probably just the first of many - when they discovered he was not engaged.
He changed into riding clothes then met Nathan at the stables outside where a groom was saddling two horses for them. He and Nathan exchanged grins then he petted the horses, getting acquainted with them, until they were ready to leave.
“It is pleasant to be out in the fresh air,” Nathan said as their horses trotted side by side over the grass.
“It is pleasant to be away from Mrs Gallerton,” Benjamin countered with feeling.
Nathan’s tone became more intimate. “It is pleasant to be alone together.”
Benjamin shivered at the suggestive tone, recalling their previous night together. “It is indeed.”
It took them less than half an hour to reach Wrackley’s estate, which was an even more impressive size than that of Mr Alexander Fenbridge.
“He is the wealthiest man in the county,” Nathan revealed, “although he does not boast of it nor put on grand airs.”
They handed over their horses to the groom of a large stable. Apparently Wrackley bred horses as a hobby and included several thoroughbreds among them, which Benjamin looked forward to discussing with him. It turned out not to be possible during this meeting, however.
“Did Miss Daventry come with you? Do you think I should go and speak to her at once?” Wrackley said the moment they had greeted each other, his handsome face animated and his mood restless.
“You had a change of heart over spurning her?” Nathan guessed.
“Mr Brightford wrote to tell me he had been utterly wrong about her character and that he was sure she had been in love with me.”
That fool. Benjamin listened in disbelief. Brightford and Amelia could have been engaged before Mr Alexander Fenbridge and Lottie were even married and now look at the mess Brightford had made of everything.
* * *
“There is something I must confess to you,” Lottie said as they wandered through the estate’s formal back garden which was full of a myriad of scents and colours. “Mr Wrackley has visited us since we have been back.”
Amelia
waited for a burst of unhappiness at the reminder of him and when it failed to appear she said, “That is hardly surprising since he and Mr Alexander Fenbridge are friends.”
“No, but I thought of asking him why he had treated you the way he did and Alex convinced me not to. He had good reasons,” she added hastily as if she expected a furious reaction from Amelia. “He thought that it might make things worse for you if we interfered and, in any case, Mr Wrackley will be at the wedding so he thought that that would be a better time to re-introduce you as a good friend of both of ours. What do you think?”
“There is something you do not know about.” Amelia told her what Mr Brightford had said to Mr Wrackley and Lottie gave a gasp of outraged shock. “How could he be so cruel and unfair?”
“To be fair he had overheard me say in the past that I wanted a wealthy husband.” Amelia drank in the smell and sight of roses as they walked by a column of them.
“And what did the matter have to do with him?”
“Mr Wrackley is his friend.”
Lottie gave her a perceptive look. “You are being unexpectedly forgiving. Does this mean your feelings towards Mr Wrackley have lessened or you have lately warmed to Mr Brightford?”
“Both.” Amelia shook her head. “Neither. I do not know.”
Lottie sat down on a stone bench set in between two flowerbeds and indicated that Amelia should join her. “Then I think you should tell me absolutely everything that has occurred between you and Mr Brightford since I left.”
Lottie’s eyes widened when Amelia told her about the slap but she offered no criticism and Amelia explained about the mutual apologies and repeated several amusing comments Mr Brightford had made since then.
“You are falling for him,” Lottie pronounced at once, looking pleased at the idea.
Amelia frowned, trying to reconcile all the contradictory feelings she had towards Mr Brightford. “Do you think so?”
“Certainly. A month ago you would have dismissed such comments as ill-mannered and now you find them endearing. You love him.”
It was true that she thought well of him now and looked forward to time in his company. “But I have been introduced to him for over a year and known him in passing before that and I never felt anything but irritation towards him. How could I fall in love with him now? The timing is terrible.”
“Not necessarily. Seeing my wedding to Alex might give him some ideas.”
She smiled at the thought, letting herself imagine for the first time what a future would be like with Mr Brightford, but she only said, “Now you sound like Mrs Gallerton, only she would say it to Mr Brightford’s face.”
They both shuddered then got to their feet to stroll back to the manor house. Amelia picked a small piece of lavender, rolling it between her fingers and inhaling its scent, considering Mr Brightford’s behaviour and hoping his opinion of her had greatly improved in the last week.
Lottie brushed a leaf from her dress and said, “I am glad now that I did not say anything to Mr Wrackley about you.”
“Yes, indeed.” It would have been awkward if he had decided to court her again but there was certainly no likelihood of that.
* * *
“Why on earth did you write to Wrackley?” Nathan demanded.
Mr Brightford rolled his eyes. He had been relaxing in the library and having a quiet conversation with Alex when Nathan burst in, saying he needed to speak to him alone. The fire was not even lit in the billiards room where they now stood and the evenings were cool. At least Brightford had had the foresight to bring his glass of brandy with him – emotional conversations always made him thirsty. “First you are angry with me for speaking against Miss Daventry to Wrackley and now you are angry when I have tried to put things right.”
“But you are in love with her!”
“That is ridiculous.” Brightford tried to come up with all the reasons he knew it to be ridiculous as he took a swallow from his brandy. Worryingly, none came to mind. “I like her better than I did but…”
“You love her,” Nathan repeated.
“Well, I might feel some… Oh, hell!” Brightford sat down abruptly in a convenient chair as it hit him that his cousin was correct. What a ludicrous turn of events. “In any case, she loves Wrackley and now she can have him.”
“She was warming nicely to you before this.”
“Nonsense.” Brightford took another swig of brandy and choked slightly. Nathan pounded him on the back then patted his shoulder, expression growing sympathetic.
“Well, you will just have to fight him for her.”
“You want me to fight a duel?” If this was his idea of a solution then his cousin had been spending far too much time with Harrington.
“No, of course not. I meant that you will have to show her you are the better man for her.”
“That would not be fair on Wrackley. They would be engaged by now if not for my interference.” Besides, he was not at all sure he was the better man in any way: he was too cynical and bad-tempered. No wonder she preferred someone as charming and handsome as Wrackley. Damn him.
“You do not know that,” Fenbridge insisted, “and anyway she did not know you so well then. Could you really bear to see her married to someone else?”
He was not certain he could. He knew that he ought to leave the way clear for Wrackley but could not convince himself to do so. Brightford was a wealthy bachelor; half of Edinburgh’s mothers wanted their daughters to catch him. Why then was his romantic life suddenly so infernally complicated?
Chapter Twenty-One
“MR WRACKLEY called while you were out riding,” Mr Alexander Fenbridge told Amelia when she and Lottie returned from a ride round the estate. “I said he should not wait but he wanted me to convey how sorry he was to have missed you.”
Amelia held back a snort with difficulty. She could not imagine why Mr Wrackley would suddenly renew his interest in her - perhaps he was simply bored and in need of a diversion - but she would no longer trust his whims. Besides, she did not want Mr Brightford to think she had feelings for anyone else, not that she was certain of his regard, something that increasingly worried her now she was sure of her own affection. Why could she not have known how she would feel a year ago when she might have avoided all those months of being rude to him?
When Amelia did not immediately respond to his words, Mr Fenbridge smiled at Lottie, full of affection, and asked them both, “How was your ride?”
“Lovely,” Amelia said. “You have such a beautiful estate that I will quite envy Lottie living here.”
“Then I am sure we both wish that you will be a very frequent visitor,” he said, cementing her excellent opinion of him. Mr Fenbridge was not only kind and good-natured but also generous and thoughtful. Amelia might have had doubts at the time but she was beginning to think that Lottie could not have made a wiser choice.
“Nothing could please me more,” she said. “And do you have many more guests who will be staying here for your wedding?”
“I have several relatives who are currently in London, who come up to join us in about a week.”
As always, the word of that particular city drew her like magic. “Then I hope they are talkative: I would love to hear all that is going on in London at the moment.”
“I am sure they will be glad to tell you. Personally, now that Lottie is here with me, I could not be happier anywhere else in the world.”
He spoke with quiet sincerity and Lottie gave him a radiant smile. Amelia watched them, a little embarrassed to see such private emotions but more certain than ever that they would be happy together. They suited each other in ways she had never before realised and it occurred to her that this was what real love was like; not the dizzying emotions both she and Lottie had felt in the past.
She hoped with all her heart that they might have both found it for real this time.
* * *
“I expected to hear a report from you when you arrived that you were engaged,” Mr Harri
ngton said, frowning, having sent for Benjamin to come to his room for a discussion. Benjamin had known this was coming and the only good thing about it was that he could now get it out of the way. “I presume you do have news on the subject?”
Benjamin met his father’s disapproving gaze steadily. “I do indeed. I am not engaged, sir, nor will I ever be. On the contrary, I have formed an attachment with Mr Nathaniel Fenbridge that precludes any other.”
“This is scandalous!” Mr Harrington exclaimed, face flushing with anger.
“Only if society in general finds out about it. I presume you are not planning on making it known?”
“Certainly not. You will break off this disgusting liaison immediately or I will disinherit you and throw you out of my house.”
“I love Nathan and he has already said that if you disinherited me I could live here.”
“You think Mr Alexander Fenbridge would allow such a thing if he knew the real nature of your relationship with his brother.”
“He does know,” Benjamin said, strangely calm in the face of his father’s fury. “He wishes us happiness together.”
His father glowered impotently at him, clearly at a loss now that his greatest threat had not brought Benjamin to heel. “Get out of my sight. I wish I might never see you again.”
Benjamin left the room, giving a shaky sigh once he was in the corridor. He went to find Nathan who had been watching a billiards game between his brother and Brightford. Nathan had been there when Benjamin received his summons and left the room to talk to Benjamin in the empty hall.
“I believe I have just been disinherited and disowned,” he said.
Nathan put an arm round his shoulder. “Both your parents?”
“Just my father so far. I am sure my mother will soon make her feelings known.”
“Perhaps she will be more understanding than you expect.”
“I hope so but I doubt it. She has always gone along with whatever he said.”