A Countess of Convenience

by Sarah Winn

  “Prudence, our dinner's here.”

  She opened her eyes and blinked up at Malvern. “Good heavens. Did I fall asleep?”

  He smiled and nodded.

  “I don't know why I'm so sleepy lately.”

  “Would you like me to bring you some food?” Anthony asked.

  “Certainly not.” She scrambled off the bed and let him usher her into the sitting room that was now comfortably warm. On a small table in front of the fireplace, two place settings and a steaming meat pie waited.

  “This smells wonderful,” Prudence said. “I'm starving.”

  Anthony smiled at her again. “Good. You didn't eat much while we were away. I was beginning to worry about you.”

  Wasn't it sweet of him to notice and be worried. “I suppose I was just too excited to eat.”

  She served large slices of the pie, and between bites, they talked of installing the new oil lamps they had bought, and plans for the Christmas Eve party for the residents of the estate. She was still excited about having the party, but dreaded all the necessary preparations. Of course, she had more servants to help her now.

  After they'd eaten, Anthony said, “Since you're so tired, I suppose you'd like to sleep alone tonight.”

  She grinned. “After my nap, I'm much refreshed.”

  “So you wouldn't mind my company?”

  “I'd rather like it.”

  When he raised his eyebrows, she chuckled and said, “You make a nice bed warmer on these cold nights.”

  He pushed his chair back from the table and opened his arms. She rose and moved toward him slowly, pretending to hesitate. When she was near enough, he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her down onto his lap, and she giggled and snuggled into this warmth.

  With one arm around his neck, she studied his face for a moment and then began to press light kisses on his cheek and chin and even the tip of his nose. He wore a self-satisfied grin until she reached his lips and he joined her in an arousing exploration of each others’ mouths.

  Tasting the port he had drunk with his dinner, she pulled away from him. “I'm sorry, I'm keeping you from your after-dinner cigar. However, I'll have to ask you to go into your room to smoke it, for the smell has gotten a bit too much for me lately.”

  He stroked her cheek and looked deeply into her eyes. “I can smoke a cigar any time. I certainly won't pass up a chance to make love to a beautiful woman for a smoke.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “But I'm your wife. You can have me any time too.”

  He shook his head. “To tell you the truth, Countess, you're not always as warm and welcoming as you seem to be tonight.”

  “Does that make a difference?”

  “Absolutely.” His arms encircled her and she felt his fingertips undoing the buttons at her neckline. “Enthusiasm on the woman's part adds a great deal to lovemaking, for both parties.”

  “Show me,” she whispered.

  “Your command is my wish.”

  After he proved his point, Prudence lay comfortably in his arms and thought what a silly girl she'd been to believe only people in love could have happy marriages. If two people respected each others’ feelings, they could get along quite well together. Of course, being physically compatible added considerably to the relationship.

  If she kept her guard up against Malvern's charm, constantly reminding herself that he, like all men, treated her well only to get what he wanted from her, they could have a companionable marriage. She could enjoy him when he was present and not be heartbroken when he wasn't.

  As Prudence entered the dining room the next morning, Malvern put aside his newspaper and stood. She waved him down and let Alfie help her with her chair. After a glance at Malvern's plate of sausages and eggs, she asked for toast and tea.

  “Will that be enough?” Malvern asked.

  “Oh, yes.”

  Alfie brought her breakfast, and she nibbled at her toast.

  Neil entered the dining room like a ray of sunshine. He smiled broadly, moved with a bounce in his step, and greeted them jovially. Then he requested an enormous breakfast from Alfie.

  Malvern looked up from his newspaper. “What's made you so chipper?”

  Neil paused behind his chair. “I am happy to announce that Miss Effie Culpepper has agreed to become my wife!”

  Prudence choked on a sip of tea, while Malvern rose and heartily shook Neil's hand. “Congratulations, old sport.”

  The two men sat down and Neil said, “You'll be happy to know the squire wants to relieve my debt to you so that I can begin learning how to run Pepper Hill.”

  “You're not going to leave before the new bailiff arrives, are you?”

  “No, I explained to the squire that I'd have to stay until the new man is acquainted with Aysbeck.”

  Neil turned toward Prudence, who stared at the two men in shock. “What about you, sister? Aren't you happy for me?”

  Prudence had to cough into her napkin a few times before she could speak. “Did you tell her the truth: that her father's money is what you really want from her?”

  Neil plopped onto his chair. “That's not the way of it.”

  “Really?” She sneered. “You announced your engagement and promptly started discussing the financial arrangements. Money is obviously what's important to you.”

  Alfie entered the room just then, carrying Neil's breakfast. After the plate was set before him, Neil made a loud display of shaking his napkin open and placing it in his lap until the servant had left the room.

  Then he turned back to Prudence with his chin jutting out. “I would think that you, of all people, would understand the necessity of marrying well. It doesn't seem to have worked out badly for you.”

  “I knew what I was getting into,” she said, making no attempt to soften her tone or her glare. “Have you explained your true feelings to Effie or have you overwhelmed her with flowery declarations of love?”

  Malvern interrupted. “Ah, Prudence, don't you think this is Neil's affair?”

  Prudence turned on him, her anger only growing. “He'll break that sweet, naive girl's heart. Can you stand by and watch that and do nothing?”

  “Effie and I are good for each other,” Neil declared loudly, “And I truly care for—”

  Prudence jumped to her feet and placed her fists at her waist. “Effie deserves to know the truth before she decides to marry you. You tell her or I will.”

  “Now, Prudence, it's not your place...” Malvern started.

  As she stalked out of the room, she heard Neil plead to Malvern, “Do something to stop her...”

  Malvern stopped at the open doorway to Prudence's bedroom and watched her ruffling through her armoire, apparently looking for something to wear on her trip to Pepper Hill.

  Why was she so upset about Neil's betrothal? It seemed a good match to him; Neil would at last obtain financial security, and the Culpeppers would move up in society.

  He cleared his throat, and she glanced over her shoulder with an unwelcoming frown. He moved into the room. “Surely, you aren't planning to visit the Culpeppers at this hour?”

  “It's my duty to welcome Effie into the family,” she replied in a haughty voice.

  She sounded more like his mother every day. Gad! Where had the nymph from Wildwood Lodge gone? “This is hardly the hour to go calling. Most people are still at the breakfast table, if they're out of bed at all.”

  She paused, some of the starch going out of her backbone. “And you've eaten almost nothing,” he said. “Polly's brought up a tray. Come have tea at least.”

  She sighed as if he'd asked her to make a terrible sacrifice and then shrugged and headed for the sitting room.

  He followed after her, treading softly, wondering how he could soothe her anger. He seemed to be doing a lot of that lately. When he joined her at the table, she'd already poured tea into the two cups on the tray. He sat down and stirred a spoonful of sugar into his cup. “Why don't you talk to Neil again, before going to the Culpep
pers? He seems to have genuine feelings for Effie.”

  “You of all people should know what a talented liar Neil is.”

  “People do change and feelings can grow when and where we least expect them.”

  She grimaced at him. “Don't talk to me like I'm a witless child. Men prey on women's feelings to get what they want. That's been proven to me over and over again.”

  He was trying to remain calm but found that remark offensive. “Have I ever lied to you?”

  She stopped spreading marmalade on a toast point and looked squarely at him. “You had no reason to lie to me, and I think that's one of the reasons we get along so well. Neither of us have unreasonable expectations.”

  Then she took a bite of the toast and stared across at him with a smug challenge. Sometimes he wished Prudence wasn't quite so clever.

  “So how do you intend to tell a young woman, who is wildly in love, that her fiance doesn't return her feelings?”

  That wiped the smugness from her face. She chewed the toast for a moment longer than he thought necessary, and then took a sip of tea. “Perhaps I'll tell her about our marriage, how it's possible for two people to develop a good relationship when they're not in love.”

  She warmed to her subject, waving the remainder of toast about to emphasize her words. “In fact, we probably have a better relationship because we aren't in love.”

  He felt his jaw sag. Had he turned a sweet country girl into a stony-hearted sophisticate? “I thought you believed in love?”

  She shrugged. “I may have entertained some silly illusions when I was younger, but life has taught me to see things as they really are, and I'm better off for it.”

  “Would you feel any differently if I apologized for jumping to the conclusion that you were in collusion with Neil?”

  She raised her eyebrows. “Are you saying that just to win an argument?”

  “No, now that I know you better, I know you are too honest to have taken part in such a hoax.”

  She smiled at him, but it was a short, tight smile. “Thank you. I'm relieved that you no longer believe me to be a liar and a cheat, but that doesn't change my feelings about love. You aren't the first man who failed to love me. My brother and my father—” Her voice caught in her throat.

  He reached across the table and caught her hand. “I'm sorry your father didn't leave you a dowry, Pru. I know that must have hurt.”

  “What hurt the most was what he did to my mother. Having to give up the kind of life she was used to, right after losing the man she loved, broke her heart and her health.”

  “Perhaps there were problems you weren't aware of.”

  “The only problem was that he loved Crump Manufactories more than he loved his family.”

  She pulled away from his touch so she could raise her napkin up to her eyes and hold it there for a moment. Then she threw it down on the table. “So you can see why I have to go to Effie. She doesn't have a mother and her sister is away from home. Someone has to warn her.”

  “About what?”

  “The unreliability of men.”

  “All you'll do is hurt her. Leave it alone.”

  Her back stiffened. “Are you ordering me not to go?”

  He was sorely tempted to say “yes” but how could he enforce such an edict if she refused to obey it? Locking her in her room would surely damage their already shaky relationship. “If you must go, please wait until this afternoon, the normal time for paying calls.”

  Her lips tightened for a moment and then relaxed. “You're right. I'll wait, but I still intend to tell Effie the truth.”

  “I won't try to stop you, but before you go ask yourself one question. Are you doing this only out of consideration for Effie, or are you seeking revenge against Neil, for using you to save himself from debtors’ prison?”

  She glared at him indignantly, but then insecurity crept into her eyes, and she turned back to her breakfast. He followed her suit and finished his tea in silence as he mulled over the fact that his wife truly did not believe in love. It surprised him that this bothered him to the point of pain.

  Prudence watched Effie move across the upstairs salon with uncommon speed. Apparently the joy that radiated from her face also lightened the wooden shoe. “It's so kind of you to come,” Effie said with none of her usual shyness.

  “How could I not?” Prudence placed a light kiss on Effie's cheek. “At last, I have a sister.”

  A trilling little laugh escaped Effie as she gave Prudence a brief hug and gestured toward chairs near the fireplace.

  When they were seated, Prudence sought to open what she expected to be a difficult conversation. “Have you made any wedding plans yet?”

  “Not yet. I'm still amazed to find myself engaged to a wonderful man like Neil. As a girl I dreamed of a charming prince coming to claim me, but I never really believed it would happen.” She placed her hands over her heart and sighed. “But now my dream has come true.”

  Prudence was astounded that Effie saw Neil in such a positive light but was touched by her happiness.

  Effie placed her hand over her mouth to smother a giggle. “But I'm being silly telling you of such. Your dream came true, too.”

  Prudence forced a smile to her lips. “Dreams don't always turn out as we imagine they will.”

  Effie looked startled for a moment, and then laughed. “Oh, I see. You never dreamed you'd marry a man as handsome and elevated as the earl.”

  “For a while, I thought I wouldn't marry at all. You see, I had no dowry.”

  Effie's hand flew up to her mouth as she obviously grasped the terrible implications of what Prudence had just revealed. “I thought your father was a wealthy man?”

  “He was, but...” Prudence had to stop and consider how to proceed. Effie had shown so much concern for Prudence's pain that it seemed churlish of Prudence to have no concern about the pain she was about to inflict on Effie. And yet it would be for the girl's own good.

  “Oftentimes men place greater importance on business than on personal considerations.”

  Effie's brow wrinkled as she thought about that statement. “I suppose so, but I'm fortunate that my father always placed his loved ones above his business.”

  Was she implying that Squire Culpepper loved his daughter more than Horace Crump had loved his? No, it wasn't about love, Prudence had to remember that. “I mean, men's lives revolve around external affairs. Women are more concerned with hearth and home. We can't expect men to feel as intensely as we do.”

  An impish smile brightened Effie's face. “If you had seen Neil's pained look when I refused his proposal, I don't think you'd say that. He was truly distressed.”

  “You—you refused him?”

  “At first.” Effie's smile disappeared and her cheeks grew rosy. “I didn't think I was good enough for him.”

  Prudence shook her head. “If anything, you're too good.”

  “But my—my disability.”

  “Pshaw! You're as capable as any woman I know.”

  “But my ancestors have all been tradesmen.”

  “I'm prouder of the tradesman side of my family than the noble side.”

  Effie looked doubtful.

  “Think about it, dear. Our fathers had to be clever and resourceful to earn their fortunes. Neil has been hamstrung all his life by the limitations his blood placed on him. Marrying you is the best thing that could possibly happen to him. You can give him a real life.”

  Prudence couldn't believe what she'd just said. But she suddenly knew it was true.

  Sadness flickered across Effie's face. “My father's estate will do that,” she said in a small voice.

  Dear God, does Effie understand Neil's greediness but love him so deeply that she does not care? Although Prudence thought the girl foolish, she could not be the one who destroyed Effie's happiness. “Neil needs a person to belong to as well as a place,” she said softly. “Only you can give him that.”

  The twinkle returned to Effie's eyes.
“Oh, Prudence, you are so understanding. But I knew you would be. After all, we're both women in love.”

  This time it was really hard to force a smile to her lips, for Prudence had never known and would never know the kind of love that now shimmered through Effie. That realization filled her with sadness.

  She had to change the subject before tears overcame her. “So, what did Neil do when you told him, ‘No'?”

  “He got down on his knees.”

  Prudence laughed. “He probably fell out of his chair and landed on his knees.”

  Effie giggled even as she shook her head. “He was very deliberate and very sweet.”

  “I didn't know Neil could be so convincing.”

  “He didn't have to be terribly convincing. Refusing him was the hardest thing I'd ever done. As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I thought my heart would stop. If he had accepted my answer, I probably would have thrown myself at his feet. Can you imagine?”

  Prudence reached over and patted Effie's hand and nodded. Could she imagine being so in love with a man that she'd sacrifice her own happiness for his? She had protected herself from love's pain by not allowing herself to know its joy.

  The conversation turned toward wedding plans. The squire joined them, tea was served, and Prudence thought it would be nice to have these people as family.

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  * * *

  Chapter 21

  Prudence went home in late afternoon, with gray clouds hanging so heavily overhead that she wondered if they contained snow. The house, quiet and brooding, seemed to be affected by the weather.

  No footman rushed to open the door for her, but the door was unlocked, so she didn't bother to sound the knocker. Still, that seemed rather inefficient of Mrs. Fossey.

  As she stood in the front hall, removing her gloves, she noticed the twinkling light of a fire shining through the open doorway of the library. Was Malvern working at this desk? He'd need more than the light from the fireplace on such a gray day.