by Regina Darcy
The injustice of it all tore at his heart all over again. Little wonder that he hated the Christmas season with such fierceness. The only reason he had come to his father’s estate at this time of year was so that he would not have to spend Christmas in his own, smaller estate… the estate where he had found his wife dead.
Letting out a long breath, Thayne rubbed one hand over his eyes and shook his head. He would have to apologise to his mother when he returned home, of course, but he would allow his anger to burn itself out before he did so. There was still a fierce heat rifling through his veins, making his jaw clench and his hands tighten on the reins. Mayhap he would find an inn where he might have something to eat and have his horse cared for and fed before returning to his father’s estate.
“Whoa, there.”
Reining in his stallion, Thayne let his gaze pierce the ever-increasing gloom, seeing the outline of a large building a little further ahead. He was quite sure he could smell something on the air, something that made his stomach growl. A cheerfulness entered his heart, chasing some of his anger and melancholy away, and he pressed his heels into his horse’s sides, hurrying forward towards what he hoped was going to be an inn.
Soon, he found himself approaching the large structure. Wonderful food smells seemed to be coming from The Bell and Whistle coaching inn. It was a bustling interchange area which made up for what it lacked in luxury by being reasonably warm and comfortable.
Aaron walked inside with a small smile playing about his lips, wondering if he might choose to return here on Christmas Day instead of remaining closeted in his own rooms at his father’s estate. It was only days away from the first advent, and the inn was decorated accordingly with evergreen, hawthorn and Christmas rose.
His stallion was being well taken care of in the stables, being rubbed down and fed. Thayne tossed an extra coin or two at the two stable hands. He had told the fellows that he would be some time and not to saddle the stallion again until he had returned. In fact, now that he had seen the sort of establishment this was, Aaron felt himself rather tempted to remain overnight.
“Can I get you something to eat, sir?”
Thayne, who had sat down at a table near the back of the inn, looked up at the young lady who had spoken to him. He made to answer, only to find his words lodging in his throat. Frowning, he coughed once, twice, and then tried to speak again.
“What is there?” he asked, wondering why he had such a strange reaction to the girl, who still had not looked directly at him.
She answered him quickly, but Thayne did not manage to listen all that well, given that his eyes were seemingly fixed on her, trying to take her all in. Perhaps it was that she appeared rather proper for such an establishment, a little too genteel to be an innkeeper’s wife or the like. Was she a maid here? But a maid would not be wearing her hair in such a fine coiffure surely? His eyes travelled to her hands which were clasped tightly in front of her. He would be surprised if there were callouses on those hands. Frowning, he looked up into her face again and saw that she was looking back at him steadily.
His breath went from his chest.
This young lady, whether she was a maid or not, had the biggest blue eyes he had ever seen—and, in that way, they reminded him of his dear wife. They were framed with dark eyelashes, her alabaster skin smooth and her lips a deep shade of red. Her fair hair was, as he had noticed, neatly put up, but a few tendrils were gracing her temples, softening her already delicate appearance. Had she been a lady, she would have been hailed as a diamond of first waters. Her cheeks were beginning to turn a dusky pink as her eyes darted away from his own, evidently uncomfortable with his scrutiny.
Thayne felt his mouth go dry as he continued to regard her. Her figure was curving and regal, her neck slender and dovelike. Despite her situation, she was the very embodiment of innocence. Thayne swallowed hard, raking his hand through his hair. To find himself so caught with a young lady who appeared to be nothing more than an innkeeper’s maid, was quite ridiculous, he knew, but for whatever reason, he could not prevent his heart from quickening in his chest. Was it because he thought of his wife when he saw her, even five years after she had gone?
“Sir?” the young woman asked, her eyes still turned away from his. “What is it I may fetch for you?”
“You may give me a few minutes of your time,” he said, without having meant to say anything of the sort. “And a meat pie and glass of ale.” He tilted his head, seeing her blush exquisitely. “I will pay extra for you to sit by me. I do not think the innkeeper will particularly mind.”
She shook her head. “I cannot, sir. I must earn my keep.”
This comment surprised him.
“Earn your keep?” he repeated, frowning. “You will earn more than enough, I assure you, if you will but sit by me for a few minutes. I find myself intrigued with you.”
Her eyes shot to his. “I—I am no one of particular interest, sir.”
His eyebrows reached high, his eyes twinkling up at her. “I hardly think that is true, miss. I can tell from the way you carry yourself that you are no maid. Are you gentry?”
She looked at him, biting her lip. “Are you acquainted with Lord Archibald?” she whispered, the colour draining from her face. “Is that why you have come?”
His gut twisted, hating the fear in her expression. “I know no Lord Archibald,” he promised, wondering why she now appeared so afraid. “Are you in trouble? If I can assist you, then—”
“I can trust none but myself,” she interrupted, her eyes flashing with a sudden tenacity. “You need not concern yourself with me, sir. Now,” she cleared her throat and lifted her chin, “a meat pie and a glass of ale. I will bring them momentarily. Do excuse me.”
Thayne watched her leave, his interest growing with every moment. She was a lady of quality, he was quite certain of it, but it was apparent that, for whatever reason, she did not want to say a word to him about it. Yet, to leave her here alone, even though she was evidently quite able to earn her keep by waiting on tables, felt entirely wrong to him. A lady in distress required his aid, and he was not about to turn away from her, even if she did not want his assistance. Thayne was surprised at his own reaction to her, for he had not felt himself warm to any lady of his acquaintance in the last five years.
And yet, here, in the middle of nowhere and with a lady who was working under the innkeeper’s orders, he found his heart quickening, his eyes widening and his mind caught up entirely with her.
She was quite different in appearance from his late wife, aside for their similar eyes. This young lady was flaxen haired, tall, and willowy, whereas Ramona had had long, dark tresses, broad shoulders and a slightly thicker waist.
He could still recall her softness as he had held her close, remembered how it felt to dig his fingers into her long brown hair. It was only in the briefest moments that he could recall just how she had looked when she had smiled, only the smallest glimpses into a life he had once had. Time had taken Ramona from him, bit by bit, ripping even the happiest memories away.
But, as he thought of her, his gaze caught on the young maid working at the inn, sending all thoughts of his wife spiralling away. As the lady moved back towards him with both his food and his ale, Thayne could barely take his eyes from her. Was it because of the mystery she presented? And if that were the case, then how could he get her to talk to him?
“Here, sir.”
“At the very least,” Aaron said, capturing her hand as she set the plate with the meat pie down on the table. “Tell me your name. There is more to you than you are revealing, I can tell. No innkeeper’s maid has such soft hands.”
The young woman blushed deeply and tugged her hand out of his. “Sir, I cannot,” she pleaded, her tone one of desperation. “I must do my duties so that I can be paid for my work. Else, I will be entirely destitute!”
“I have more than enough funds to ensure that does not occur,” Thayne replied firmly, although he was not yet sure why he was su
ggesting such a thing. “Not all gentlemen are cruel, conniving men, miss. I am offering you my aid.”
She shook her head. “I cannot trust anyone,” she replied with a trace of anger in her words, “especially not a stranger in an inn.”
“I can set you up in a boarding house not far from here,” he promised. “A Mrs Hardcastle runs the place, and she is a good woman, by all accounts. It is not far removed from my father’s estate, and at least, there, you will not have to work for your living. My own estate is not too far, although there are a good few miles between my father’s estate and my own.”
The young woman’s eyes darkened. “And what will you require in return for your kindness, sir?” she asked, her voice low and trembling. “I am not as desperate as you might think.”
Realising what she meant, Thayne felt himself flush.
“I am not that kind of gentleman, my lady,” he replied gently. “I can see that you have had a very difficult experience and are fearing for yourself and for your future. Can you not believe that there is some goodness in this world and that all gentlemen are not cruel and unkind as you might think them? I can tell that you are more than a maid, that you have elegance and refinement. Please, if you are in trouble, might you not accept my offer of help? After all,” he finished, hating that he was about to use the season he despised as a reason for his kindness, “it is Christmas, which is more than enough of a reason to show consideration.”
The young woman hesitated for a moment, then dropped her head. “You would not offer me such kindnesses if you knew the foolish things I have done, good sir,” she mumbled, her eyes now sparkling with tears. “I am unworthy of such considerations, as you say. Please, I thank you for your good will towards me, but you need not concern yourself with me.”
So saying, she made to turn and leave, only for Thayne to grasp her hand, half rising from his chair. He did not know what had made him do such a thing nor why he felt such desperation to keep her with him, but the grief and pain in her eyes had sent his heart into pangs of sympathy and compassion.
“That does not mean that you are unworthy of any help or aid that I offer you,” he said, softly, his mind working furiously over what it was she might have done that had brought her so much shame. “Please, my dear girl, sit down here and tell me everything. Thereafter, we will see what we can do.”
Lifting his hand, he waved at the innkeeper, Mr Truscott, who came over at once.
“Here,” he said, handing Mr Truscott five gold coins. “This young lady is to converse with me for a time and then retire. I’m afraid you will have to find yourself a new maid, for I intend to make arrangements for her to come and work on my father’s estate.”
Thayne did not like the knowing look that appeared in the innkeeper’s eye, nor the way that he chuckled darkly, but accepting it for what it was, he simply shrugged and waved the man away.
“Now,” he said, more determined than ever to coax the truth of what had occurred from the girl’s lips. “Why don’t you begin by telling me your name?”
THREE
Christiana did not know what to say, looking at the gentleman before her with a careful eye. She was not at all certain of him, wondering if the gentleman had unscrupulous motives for requesting her company this evening. It was quite clear that he wanted to know as much about her as he could and appeared to be quite genuine in his desire to help her, but had she not fallen for such foolishness before? Lord Archibald had seemed to be entirely serious in his offer of marriage, in his promise that he loved her, and yet she had found herself rejected, alone and utterly ruined.
And yet, despite her knowledge of such things, there was something about this gentleman that made her want to trust him. Her heart yearned to be home in the warm bosom of her family for Christmas. To forget her sordid adventure and pretend for one blessed weekend that it had never happened. Could this man be the way to achieve that? She bit her lower lip.
His hazel eyes were intense, regarding her as though she were some sort of mystery that he was determined to solve. She had to admit that he was a handsome man and certainly looked to be every inch the gentleman.
His clothing was impeccable, his cravat neatly tied, and his broad shoulders and firm jaw gave the appearance of strength. His dark hair was a little windswept, although it was clear he had made every attempt to sweep it back with his fingers so that it was a little neater rather than being entirely out of place. As she looked back at him, choosing to regard him without fear or anxiety, she felt there was some sort of sadness held behind his eyes, as though he had experienced a great tragedy that he still carried with him. It was, she thought, the only thing that allowed her heart to open just a little towards him, to lead her hesitantly to hope that he might not be of the same ilk as Lord Archibald.
“You are not going to tell me your name?”
She started a little, just as the innkeeper set down a rather dirty looking pot of tea and a chipped china cup without a saucer. Murmuring her thanks, she took her time to pour the tea, adding a splash of milk from the small porcelain milk jug that had been set by her elbow. She did not want to ask what the slightly brown skin at the top of the milk was, praying silently that drinking her tea would not force her to cast up her innards.
“I should introduce myself first, I suppose,” the gentleman said, stabbing his fork into his meat pie. “My name is Aaron Thayne.” He chewed quickly, swallowed and then added, “Youngest son of the Earl of Penwick. My father still lives, and his estate is only a few miles away from Nettlefold.” She shot him a surprised look which made him smile. “I rode off in a state of distress,” he explained, piling more food on his fork. “Not that it is worth mentioning, but I was attempting to escape from a conversation that brought with it a good deal of difficulty. At times, one tries to get away from such a thing without knowing where on earth one is going.”
“I see,” Christiana murmured, her stomach suddenly grumbling very loudly and making her flush with shame.
Thayne raised his eyebrows, his expression growing suddenly apologetic.
“My lady, I did not so much as think to ask you about whether or not you were hungry!” he exclaimed, rising from the table. “Do excuse me for a moment.”
She wanted to protest, but the words died on her lips. She was hungry, famished, in fact, given that she had endured long hours with very little opportunity to eat these last few days. It had been a blessing to have found an innkeeper so willing to accept her offer of help in lieu of any payments for a room and board, but she had not expected to be working until her legs ached and her heart began to thump painfully from lack of sustenance. Of course, she had been too afraid to say a word, given that the innkeeper could easily turn around and tell her that she would then have to pay to remain at the inn.
Looking all about her, Christiana felt herself shrink inwardly. She had hated working here the last few days, aware of how the men stared at her, how their loud, ribald comments made her tense with fright. She was always afraid that one of them would try to take advantage of her, quite certain that the innkeeper would be powerless to do anything about it should such a thing occur. Now, however, there was the chance that Thayne was to provide her with an avenue to safety—if he could be trusted.
“How can I know?” she asked herself aloud, as she watched Thayne come back towards her holding a plate that held another meat pie. “I do not know anything about him.”
Thayne sat the plate down carefully in front of her, looking at her for a fraction too long, before taking his seat opposite her. Christiana could not help but begin to eat at once, suddenly aware of just how ravenous she was as the first forkful of meat and pastry went into her stomach.
She ate in silence, and he did not interrupt her, continuing with his own meal as she ate hers. Christiana did not look up at him once, her mind trying to work its way through the jumbled thoughts that seemed to go around and around within her.
Thayne had been nothing but kind thus far, but was it so that s
he would, in fact, trust him? That she would go with him as she had done with Lord Archibald? She did not know anything about him, only that he had brought her food and ensured that the innkeeper would not treat her poorly for spending her evening with Thayne instead of working hard serving the others who came in. To go with him to this boarding house, if it even existed, would require a great leap of faith.
But what else could she do? She resumed chewing on her lower lip.
To remain here meant a life of servitude, for she could not return to her father and sister with all that had transpired. She had no knowledge of what direction Prudence’s life was going to take, but she was quite certain that her father would offer her hand to the Duke of Essington, the man who was to be her betrothed. Whether the Duke had accepted or not, she did not know. However, Christiana knew she could not ruin Prudence’s chances for such a match or any other by reappearing in London, destitute and alone. The scandal would send waves of gossip all through London, meaning that no gentleman would ever wish to tie himself to the Marquess of Winchester’s family again. No, she could not return to them yet. That was why, on her first day at the inn, she had managed to procure a piece of paper and had sent a letter to her sister, proclaiming that she was wildly happy and deeply in love. She did not want Prudence to worry.
And what about the emerald?
As much as she wanted to regain the emerald pendant, Christiana knew that there was very little chance of her succeeding if she remained here. She had no idea as to where Lord Archibald might have gone and certainly had no means of following him even if she knew his precise whereabouts. A lady travelling alone was not at all wise in any case.