He strolled around her, to get a better look at her dishabille. She in turn noted his. No cravat or coats. He wore only trousers and boots and that white shirt that opened at the collar. She resisted turning defensively as he paced behind her. She felt his vague touch on the long tail into which she had tied her hair after Susan brushed it out.
He tucked her arm to his own, like an escort. “Come with me.”
She knew that she should not go with him. She was sure that doing so would be unwise. But she really had no choice, because he did not leave the decision to her.
“Were you testing the tree, to see if you could escape if you ever decided to?”
Hawkeswell was almost sure of the answer, but not positive, so he asked it. Some conversation would also distract him from the speculations about the night and their isolation and the possibilities that suddenly wanted to make an argument for being not only attainable, but desired by her as well as him.
That was his blood talking, urging the bad judgment that so often got men into trouble. Even if she comprehended the mood surrounding them both, and he was not sure that she did, she would deny it. Why she would had become a significant question today. Enough that he was wondering for the first time if he had been unforgivably careless two years ago, with her future and his own.
“I think that you should look to your own honor, and not try to direct mine,” she said.
The white of her skin was very visible, down to the ruffled edge of her undressing gown. The skin of her leg had been just as clear in its delicate, feminine curves. So had the scent of her, and the faint musky odor that said his proximity stirred both her fears and her sexuality.
“You remind me of my honor only to avoid my question. You have no reason to doubt it. I may have wanted to caress much more than your leg back there, but I did not, did I?”
She tensed at his boldness, but she did not miss a step. Her delicate profile remained facing him as she looked to the garden path they trod. He resisted the urge to stop her and embrace her and make her look at him.
“When we spoke in Cumberworth, you said that if I had made an effort to know you better, I would have understood why you resisted the marriage,” he said. “Since we are supposed to use these days to become more familiar, perhaps you will explain it now.”
Her undressing gown was full and shapeless and festooned with layers and little bits of lace. Its fabric hit his leg while she walked. The body within it did not, however. She was very careful about that, which took some effort on her part.
“We both know I will never be accepted. Not truly. It is not my world. You know that I am correct on this. The title, and that world, were alluring, but when I was honest with myself, I admitted the reality would never match the dream.”
In other words, she had concluded he brought her nothing, since his place in society was the only currency he contributed to the bargain.
Her cool dismissal of his status was not a view to which he was accustomed. Yet even as his ire gathered, he guessed that she was humoring him, and giving him an answer that would cost her nothing and make sense to him.
“I do not believe that a few rocks on the road as you traveled in society would matter that much to you. Other women might require that total acceptance, but I do not think you would. I think there was more to it.”
“Much more. The most important part. The part that my cousin deliberately violated in forcing this marriage, and perhaps the reason he did so.”
Now they were down to it. “What was that?”
“It was not my father’s wish for me to marry such as you. He intended my husband to be a man who could take his legacy and my inheritance and continue building his dream and his company.”
“I have never met a man like your father who did not want his children to raise themselves up. He probably would have been delighted to have you made a countess.”
“If you had known him, you would realize how humorous that is. He taught me that the guillotine had been a suitable end for those aristocrats in France, and we could use a few such machines here. He would have never bequeathed me the majority share of his company if he thought I would marry a man who disdained industry, and who was devoted to nothing but pleasure.”
It was well-known that Verity’s father had not been any upholder of tradition. A man who devises a new method of machining iron could be excused for believing the old ways in everything could use some new inventions.
Joshua Thompson had hardly been known as a radical, however, let alone one of the revolutionaries who called for the abolition of the nobility. Either he had saved those views for those closest to him, or Verity was exaggerating for her own ends.
“You do not know me well either, Verity. Furthermore, you speak a common and inaccurate prejudice. A man of my station cannot be devoted only to pleasure, and is not respected if he is. I have duties in Parliament that are a form of industry in themselves, and I am responsible for managing the land bequeathed to me, to the betterment of the many lives it supports.” He lightened his tone, so his response would not sound like a scold. “However, I will admit you are partly right. We aristocrats have enjoyed various pleasures for generations, and with practice have become expert in indulging in them.”
“I do not know why you asked about this, if you are only going to treat my reasons as an excuse for lectures and clever wordplay.”
“My answer was an effort to be polite. Actually, I am trying not to mind too much that you just implied that you would rather see my head cut off than be married to me. The notion raises the devil in me, for some reason.”
He thought a good response from a wife would be her reassurance that of course she would not like to see his head cut off.
“I am being honest,” she said instead. “You asked why, and I am telling you why. You were never supposed to happen. This is not the life I am supposed to have.” She stopped walking and managed to extricate her hand and arm. “I have a proposal. Now that you know something of me and my mind, I think that you will agree that it is in your interests to accept it.”
“Let us hear it, then.”
“I am of age now. If I am free, that business is mine to shepherd and enhance. Bertram wanted me married to a man who would take no interest, you see, so he could be in control even without the majority share. But if I am free—”
“Surely you cannot think to manage it yourself.”
“I want to exercise the rights of ownership that are mine by legacy. One of those rights would be to do whatever I choose with the income and profits. My proposal is this: If you petition to be free of me, and I of you, and we succeed, I will give you half of whatever that income will be. Forever. By contract, so if I ever marry, even my husband could not undo it.”
Her voice carried earnest sincerity. He wanted to laugh, not so much at her naïveté about the world in concocting this plan, but at his own amazement that she would go through so much trouble and cost to get rid of him.
“Verity, if I do not seek to be free of you, I will get all the income. It is unseemly to talk about this, but since you are determined to—”
“Your tone is that of a patient elder speaking to a child, Lord Hawkeswell, but it is you who are the child if you believe that Bertram will ever give you a fair accounting of my share’s value. Trust me, you will do better with my plan than with his apportionment of your rights.” She stepped closer and peered through the night at his face. “And God forbid I should die in truth, I would put your share in my testament so it continues for you and your heirs. As I said, it will be yours forever.”
She had it all planned out, he realized. She had spent these two years calculating what she would do when she came out of hiding. Marriage, at least to him, was not part of the plan. That much was obvious.
“I am not interested in your proposal, Verity.”
But he was not totally uninterested either, and his brief hesitation before responding probably told her that. They most likely did not suit, except in t
he sensuality that he thought might be common ground once it was explored. Bertram probably would fix the accounts to steal part of the income too.
He had married for money, after all, and her proposal probably guaranteed more in the long run.
He needed to contemplate this, and accommodate the realization that she had just revealed a shrewd mind that her mild manner and lovely face obscured.
He also needed to think it over when the vision of her looking like a moon goddess in the night was not encouraging his blood to disregard any suggestion that he might not take her soon.
She knew that he was eyeing the lure she had cast. She sensed his interest, and she smiled. He was sure that he saw the stars enter her eyes.
The next thing he knew she was right in front of him. Her hands went to his shoulders and she rose on her toes. In quick succession she planted three kisses on his lips, each one lasting an instant. She startled him so much that he did not grab for her until she had already turned on her heel and begun to run back to the house.
“Think about my offer,” she called over her shoulder as she fled. “Also, we are even on the kisses now, my lord, and can start afresh tomorrow.”
She lifted the billows of her undressing gown’s fabric and darted through the night, her long tail of hair flying and her white legs flashing in the dark.
Chapter Seven
“Did you have a good night, Verity?”
Audrianna’s welcome the next morning when Verity entered the breakfast room seemed a little peculiar. It was not the words that were odd, but the tone that Audrianna used.
“A very good night, thank you.” She sat across from Audrianna and accepted the coffee offered by a servant.
Audrianna just smiled. She folded her hands upon the table’s top and smiled again.
“What is vexing you?” Verity finally asked.
“Nothing. Nothing.” Audrianna’s hand went to her chestnut hair, feeling absently for errant locks even though her lady’s maid had dressed her hair perfectly. She glanced over. “Well, not nothing. It is only—after all that time explaining to me in the carriage why this marriage cannot stand, I expected you to show a little more fortitude when Hawkeswell turned his charm on you. Not that I am criticizing you, please understand. The earl is a handsome man—that cannot be denied—but really, if you were so distressed, I thought you would at least give Hawkeswell a good run first, before ceding the race.” She smiled. “That is all.”
“I have not ceded any race. Why would you assume that I had?”
“You haven’t? I must apologize, then. It is only that you were seen last night. In the garden. Together. In dishabille. Both of you.” She smiled weakly. “Together, as I said. It is just assumed that—” She shrugged.
“Who saw us? Who assumes this?”
“Sebastian. My maid. Who knows who else? Almost every bedchamber can view the distant garden, and a white shirt and pale undressing gown would be visible out there even with little moonlight—” She shrugged again.
“We were only talking about our unfortunate situation. You must tell your husband and maid that they misunderstood. I need you to be most firm with all of them, Audrianna. I cannot have the servants, and Lord Sebastian of all people, assuming more has transpired than has.”
“Certainly. I confess that I found their reports odd, since I know your plan.”
“I am still very determined on my plan. In fact, I have cause to think that I may have convinced him of my views. I believe we could be very close to a right understanding on the entire matter.”
Audrianna raised her eyebrows. “Indeed? You astonish me, Verity. I do not think you should have to live this marriage after what you told me about your cousin’s deception, but I did not have much hope that you would ever get Hawkeswell to agree. Especially when, during that dinner at that inn, I became convinced that he intended to do his own persuading, in his own way.”
“He has seen the light, I believe. Since there has been no consummation, we may triumph in the church courts if he joins my petition.”
Audrianna’s expression flexed between optimistic and skeptical. Verity did not need her good friend to explain how the odds were against her, so she turned the conversation to the environs around Airymont.
“Southend-on-Sea is charming, although visitors from London can crowd it in August. Perhaps we can tour it after we sail today,” Audrianna said in describing the closest village on the coast.
“I would rather not go sailing. Would it be too rude if I declined?”
“Surely you are not afraid of being seen now? If you wear your bonnet, I doubt that you would be recognized, anyway, even in the unlikely event that someone who knew you was in Southend.”
“It is not fear of recognition, and I look forward to visiting the seaside. I would prefer not to spend the entire day with Lord Hawkeswell. I also find the sea frightening. The idea of being on a small vessel, at the mercy of all that water, distresses me. Could I not travel to the coast with you, and visit the village for a few hours while you sail?”
Audrianna reached over and patted her hand. “Of course you can decline to sail. We will use your fear of the sea as the reason.”
“I will go, then, and prepare, and jot a quick letter to Daphne and Celia while I wait for us to depart.” She stood. “You will be very firm with your husband and your maid about what they saw outside last night, won’t you? It is very important, Audrianna.”
“Of course, Verity. However—it might be wise, since you are determined on your plan, to avoid being alone with him when you are half-undressed. No matter what promise he made to you about this sojourn, he is a man.”
“You are very sure that you will not join us, Lady Hawkeswell?” Lord Sebastian made the offer again while servants carried on board the necessities for several hours at sea.
The yacht was at least fifty feet long with sturdy masts and several sails. Lord Hawkeswell and Lord Sebastian had already removed their frock coats to prepare to play sailors, but two servants would be the ones to climb those masts if necessary.
“I will be happier with my feet planted on dry land,” Verity said. Audrianna was settling herself in a chair under an awning. Her broad-brimmed hat and parasol would further protect her from the sun.
Hawkeswell worked at some fishing lines. “There is really nothing to fear,” he said. “I am a good swimmer, and the sea is peaceful today. If anything happened, I would get you to shore safely.”
“I am sure that your skill is unsurpassed, Lord Hawkeswell, but so is my cowardice. My father drowned in little more than a swollen stream and the sea’s power truly frightens me. I will occupy myself in the village and await your return. Audrianna gave me a list of places of interest to visit, so I am sure that I will not be bored.”
Hawkeswell put down the fishing lines and came over to her. “Take this.” He pressed some pound notes into her hand. “It is not wise to be off on your own without the means to hire help if you need it.”
She glanced down at the notes. There were perhaps fifteen pounds in all. “I really cannot—”
“Think of it as pin money. Buy a new bonnet if any shop sells them. However, I want your word that you will not use it to hire a carriage for the purpose of running away. I would follow and find you within a day, so there is little point in it.”
She had not expected this suspicion on his part. She looked at the pound notes.
“Your hesitation gives me pause, Verity. I am thinking that I should join you while you tour the village, to ensure you do not disappear again.”
“I have no intention of disappearing again. Nor would you be a good companion today if I am keeping you from your sport.” She looked him in the eyes. “You have my word that I will not use this money to hire a carriage for the purpose of running away.”
Apparently satisfied that he had guessed her game and ended it before it began, he joined Sebastian in getting the yacht ready.
After all was in order, they cast off. Verity h
eaded for the village. She stopped once she saw the yacht well out on the water, then opened her reticule to put the pound notes inside.
They fell alongside some others, and rested atop the soft, rolled chemise that hid her gold chain and other meager valuables. She looked in that reticule and whispered an unladylike curse.
She had intended to hire a carriage and be well gone before that yacht returned. There was a chance she had convinced Hawkeswell last night to accept her proposal, but she could hardly count on it. If she could get away, the sensible course was to do so.
She had even left a note in her chamber at Airymont, explaining it all to Audrianna. Hawkeswell was devilish to hand her the money that would make her escape much easier and simpler than bartering that gold chain, but also force her to promise not to escape at all.
Taking some solace in admitting that her plan of escape had been only half-baked, and reminding herself that Hawkeswell might very well accept last night’s offer, she resigned herself to passing the hours onshore as she had promised.
Southend-on-Sea was a fishing village that had grown to accommodate those visitors from London whom Audrianna had mentioned. A long, broad terrace faced the water, raised from the beach on a little cliff. Expensive bonnets and very fine boots mingled on the walkway with the simple garments of the local people. Hotels and guesthouses lined the terrace, facing the sea at the western end.
After visiting the little church with its tidy, attractive garden and ancient gravestones, and the famous Royal Hotel, she strolled down the lane of better shops. Then she set her steps eastward, toward the old neighborhoods and the fishing boats.
None of the Londoners ventured here, and the common folk went about their business as if nothing had changed in generations, which it most likely had not.
A few boats had already returned, and women hawked the catch at a market that clogged the lane. The smell of fish—briny and salty and unmistakable—filled the air. The glances cast her way were not due to her garments, which were plain enough to attract no attention. Rather this was like Oldbury, the village back home near the ironworks. Everyone knew everyone else and a stranger was notable.
Provocative in Pearls Page 7