A Shadow's Bliss

by Patricia Veryan

  "Translating? Is he proficient in a foreign language?"

  "My brother says his pronunciation is not good, but—yes, he can read Latin."

  "Well, well. Fancy that…" Lady Morris looked thoughtful, then said as if recollecting herself, "Er, there is something odd there, my dear. Be on your guard. Faith, but I cannot think where your father has stored his wits! Lord Kenneth would never permit that such a misfit be employed! Of course, all great houses are not run in the same way, but…"

  She rambled on and on.

  Keeping meekly silent, Jennifer sent up a small prayer concerning tomorrow's weather.

  Chapter 11

  When she reached the cluster of standing stones near the edge of the cliff, Jennifer drew her rather somnolent gelding to a halt, and slid from the saddle. Jonathan rode up and looked down at her gravely.

  Gathering the reins, she said, "Oh, do get down and come and talk to me! I have worried and worried. Why you must persist in keeping behind me all the way here, I do not know! Lots of grooms ride beside their ladies."

  "But many would not consider me to be a groom. It were wiser for me to stay mounted. If anyone should see us—"

  "Who is to see us? There is not another soul for miles, I dare swear. Johnny—please…"

  He sighed and swung down with easy grace. Tethering the horses to a shrub, he said, "But you must not come near to me, because—" And turning, he found her breast to breast with him, her eyes tender with love.

  "Because—what, my very dear?" she murmured, her hands sliding up his shoulders.

  He gave a gasp and wrenched away. "You know—why."

  She was beside him again at once. "Dearest, I—"

  "Jennifer—do not." Stern and unbending he gazed at the far horizon. "Don't make me add to my shame."

  "I am a selfish woman." She caressed his averted cheek. "I refuse to marry my only suitor, so I shall never marry. If this is—is to be my only time for happiness, Johnny, do not deny me." And when he still refused her attempt to turn his head towards her, she said wistfully, "Never be afraid, my dear. When you have cleared your name, I won't really demand that you wed me."

  At that he did turn, to face her with blazing angry eyes, and to grip her arms hard. "How dare you think such things! If ever my name could be cleared the greatest joy of my life would be… to…"

  She leaned to him, but though every fibre of his being longed to hold her close, he held her away. Surely, this was the cruellest part of his punishment. For so long he had dreamed of such a moment, without the faintest hope that it would ever come to be. But the miracle had happened; against all reason this pure and lovely girl offered him the wonder of her love. And Fate decreed that he must leave her. Surely everyone had a right to some happy moments? And if those moments were to be brief and few, had they not the right to gather them as though they were the jewels of life, to be marvelled at and cherished, and called back to warm the heart through all the empty years ahead? He gazed down at her and she smiled up at him. His heart ached with love for her. Involuntarily, his fingers were tracing the beautiful curves of her lips. He whispered her name and her arms slid up around his neck. She was soft and warm and yielding against him. Her hands were pulling his head down… Her eyes closed, her rosy lips lightly parted, she lifted her bewitching face. And he was lost. With a muffled cry he wrapped his arms around her and restraint was swept away. All his long repressed adoration went into that kiss so that when at last their crushing embrace ended, she was weak and breathless, and clung to him feebly, while he kissed her brow and her eyelids and her throat.

  "Johnny," she gasped. "Oh, my Johnny…"

  As shaken as she, he thrust her from him, and after a moment said harshly, "You must be stark raving mad. You've not a hope in hell to bring it off…!"

  "Thank heaven! How you frightened me!" Jennifer's face was blurred and deathly pale. Inexplicably, she was bending over him, pressing a wet handkerchief to his forehead. Equally inexplicably, he lay on the turf. Awareness came, and with it mortification. He groaned and sat up. The cliffs and the sanding stones swung sickeningly. Jennifer's arm was about him. Resting his head on her shoulder, he said wretchedly, "I did it again, didn't I?"

  She pressed a kiss on his temple, and said with a quivering attempt at a laugh, "I'd not dreamed my kiss would have such an effect on you, love."

  Dreading her answer, he asked, "Was I—very bad?"

  "Fortunately I have brothers who often fail to guard their tongues before me. You—you've a remarkable store of oaths, Johnny."

  "Oh, my dear! I am so sorry. Was… was I cursing anyone in particular?" He sat up straighter, and daring to glance at her gave a cry of horror. "Dear God! I struck you!"

  She touched the burning ache on her cheekbone. "Never look so stricken. 'Twas not me you attacked, but another lady. My goodness, how I had to fight you! I hope your Mimi knew how to defend herself."

  His eyes dilated, he stared at her. "Please—tell me what I said."

  "You informed me that I must be raving mad, and said I would never be able to bring something off. Then, while I was wondering whatever you meant, you went down. I ran to find some water, and when I came back and tried to tend you, you were raving."

  He touched her cheek remorsefully. "My poor girl. What did I rave about?"

  "It was…"—she knit her brows—"all jumbled up. Something to do with reefing the sails, and mumbles about the hold and the cargo, and that they would know. You kept shouting that. 'They'll know! They'll know.' You were clutching your head, as though it pained you terribly, and then you were whispering about changing course, and saying 'No more, Mimi.' That's when you began to fight."

  "Is that—all?"

  "Yes, I think so. It was—er, rather hectic now and then."

  "So I see. Do you understand now what a—a menace I am?"

  "What stuff!" She touched his head lovingly. "I understand that this dear article was damaged and is, I think, trying to tell you something. Have you said the same things in your other attacks?"

  "I'm not sure. Father Mason said I used shocking language. The people in Garrison Pen said I was—possessed. I… can scarce blame them."

  "I can blame them! They almost killed you, and only because you were ill! Poor darling, when I think what you've suffered," her hand clenched, she said fiercely, "I could strangle them!"

  He took that small fist and pressed it to his lips. "How very good you are, not to be disgusted by—by such a stupid performance. I can only be grateful that it was a mild attack compared to some. At least, I didn't start climbing, or go rushing off."

  "Thank heaven! With the cliff so close you'd not have rushed far." He was not quite so terrifyingly white now, and she probed cautiously, "Dearest, it sounded very much as though you had been held 'gainst your will!"

  "Why? Because I said 'They'll know'? That could have been a fear of being found out."

  "But why should you fight this Mimi lady, and beg for 'No more'?"

  "Perhaps I was ill, and poor Miss Phillips was trying to give me medicine."

  "But you said, 'You'll never bring it off,' which must mean you were warning her against—something. Suppose I'm right, and she was an adventuress? You might have caught her in someone's cabin, perhaps stealing their valuables. She could have had an accomplice, Johnny, who came in and struck you down from behind."

  "And then kept me bound and gagged for weeks while none of my crew, nor my servants, or the surgeon, or anyone on board noticed that their captain had disappeared?" He shook his head and said with a wry smile, "A lovely drama, but unlikely at best, I'm afraid. And we malign the dead. Mimi Phillips was among those lost, poor soul." He sighed, then asked, "For how long was I senseless?"

  "It seemed an eternity, but I suppose 'twas actually about five minutes. And I begrudge each one, Johnny, for we have so few."

  He said quietly, "And have already used too many. We must go—"

  She put her hand over his lips. "Not yet, please! We must plan for o
ur future."

  Taking her hand, he kissed the warm soft palm and said, "This is our past, our present, and our future. There is nothing else. We must face that, dearest love."

  "No! I won't accept that! There must be a way for us—what we have to do is to find it. Johnny—help me!"

  He looked into her anxious face and said, "I must help you back to Breton Ridge before the gabble-mongers start their tongues wagging about you and the village idiot."

  "But we've scarcely had time to talk, and 'tis so hard for me to see you!"

  "We have several days yet We'll talk again, my dearest. Come—we must get on."

  She searched his face, but it was unyielding, and with a sigh she abandoned her struggle. For the moment. "Are you able to ride now?"

  "Quite able, I thank you." He got to his feet and helped her up, then touched her cheek with one gentle finger and said shamefacedly, "That is going to bruise, I fear. Faith, but I'm a villain!"

  "You are," she said, smiling at him. "Never worry so. We'll say I rode into a branch or took a spill or something of the sort. Now if you will be so good as to throw me up, dear villain, we'll go on, and you can tell me what happened with Falcon and Lieutenant Morris. I've been fairly frantic to know."

  His head swam again when he mounted up, but the weakness soon passed, and as they rode slowly through the bright early morning he told her of his meeting with the two men. He had begun to fear that her brother Howland must be deeply involved in the business, so although he described the League of Jewelled Men, he did so only in a very sketchy fashion, implying that it was probably a group of gentlemen enjoying the practice of free-trading. Lord Hibbard Green, he said, was one of them, and had evidently wanted to expand their operations by building a dock so that the illicit cargoes could be delivered directly to the beach.

  Despite his careful censorship, Jennifer's eyes were very wide when he finished. She said a hushed, "Good gracious! What a dreadful thing! Johnny, they plan to use our mine as a storage area! With a dock, they could off-load in broad daylight, pretending their cargoes were supplies for the mine restoration. I must warn Papa!"

  "Yes, of course. But not until we can present him with some proof. Falcon has not a scrap of evidence to back up his claim, and you may be sure that Lord Green would deny such a scheme if he was accused."

  "Yes, but—" Jennifer stopped abruptly, it having dawned on her also that Howland was very probably a part of that scheme. She said lamely, "Oh. Is that what Falcon and Lieutenant Morris were about that night you were shot at? Trying to find proof?"

  "Yes. I've no doubt they mean to try again, and—"

  She clutched at his arm. "And you will help them! Johnny—no! Hibbard Green is a vicious creature. I do believe that if he wanted something, human life would mean not a button to him!"

  "Whereas your life and well-being mean a great deal more than a button to me." He covered her fingers with his hand, and said with grim earnestness, "You may be sure I mean to prevent that scoundrel from endangering either."

  "I think every lady longs for such dear protection, and I thank you for it, love. But I beg you to remember that when you risk your life, you risk mine also. No, do not tell me I must not say such things. 'Tis said, and you are not the only one, my Jonathan, who can set his chin and be immovable."

  He smiled, and touching her chin, said, "What—this dimpled terror?"

  "Only look." She stuck out the "dimpled terror" and summoned her fiercest scowl.

  Jonathan threw up his hands in pseudo-alarm. "Pray do not! I am quite unmanned!"

  "Good. Keep it in mind, sirrah!" It was time for the next move in her campaign. She asked, "Now tell me, are you able to row a boat?" She saw his suddenly fixed look and added quickly, "On the lake, I mean. I won't be able to see you again today, I know. And tomorrow there is to be a breakfast cruise aboard Lord Kenneth's yacht."

  His brows lifted. "I wasn't aware he owned one. The weather should be perfect. You will like that."

  "Usually, I do, for the Deliverance is a beautiful boat. But—how can I like to go when I shall miss you so, and 'twill steal our precious hours?"

  He said teasingly, "Are you suggesting that I row out and carry you off, buccaneer style?"

  "Would that you could. My plan is not so grand, but you know, Johnny, it has been so very hot, and in mid-afternoon everyone takes a nap, so I thought…"

  The breakfast cruise was a great success. August Falcon declined the chance for a brief sea voyage, but most guests thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Lieutenant Morris devoted himself to Jennifer and proved an amusing and light-hearted companion. By noon however, the calm surface of the ocean was less calm, and the increasing swells resulted in a sudden flutter among the guests so that the Deliverance turned for home, and was soon anchored in her quiet and sheltered cove once more.

  At half-past three o'clock, Jennifer sent Tilly away, saying she meant to take a nap. As soon as her handmaiden's sharp eyes were gone, however, she slipped into a gown of blue muslin embroidered in white and worn over many fluffy petticoats. A blue satin riband threaded her frilled cap, and carrying a parasol of pale blue silk fringed with white lace she crept from her room.

  No one was about. Elated, she hurried down the stairs, and turning onto the first-floor landing, all but collided with

  August Falcon, impeccable in leaf green and cream. He put up his quizzing glass and scanned her critically.

  "You look the veritable spirit of summer, Miss Britewell, despite the rigours of your ocean voyage. Dare I ask where you are off to in such haste?"

  Feeling ridiculously guilty, she stammered, "Oh, er—I thought I might stroll in the—er, gardens." She smiled and walked on, but to her dismay he turned to accompany her.

  "Most of the guests are restoring their strength in preparation for the ball tonight. Are you always so energetic?"

  "Do you admire energetic ladies, Mr. Falcon?"

  "Oh, no." Her irked glance brought mischief glinting into his eyes. He drawled, "Am I de trop? You are perhaps en route to meet some lucky fellow."

  Her heart skipped a beat. "I was hoping to meet Caroline—Miss Morris."

  "What a shocking waste. And doomed, dear ma'am. Miss Morris is not so—ah, energetic as the lovely Miss Britewell. I heard her tell poor Sturtevant she meant to rest before dinner. Never despair. I shall escort you about the lawns—if one could call them that."

  They were almost to the foot of the stairs. The wide hall was deserted, save for a drowsy footman who sat by the front door and sprang to attention at their approach.

  Lord Morris left the book room at the end of the south corridor, and started towards them.

  Desperate, Jennifer halted on the bottom step, and said, "You are too good, Mr. Falcon. But I—rather fancy to be rowed out to one of the islands."

  He bowed and declared with a graceful wave of his quizzing glass, "Your wish, ma'am is my—Is… my—" He checked. His eyes opened wide. He snatched out a handkerchief, and gave a sudden gigantic sneeze, followed by another almost as violent.

  Lord Morris jerked to a halt, and with a look of terror, fled.

  Stepping back, Jennifer watched Falcon uneasily.

  Over the top of the handkerchief his dark blue eyes, bright with tears, searched about frantically. A large ginger and white cat minced down the banister rail and paused beside him, tail waving in the air, and a feline smile fixed on the afflicted gentleman.

  "I due it," gasped Falcon, retreating in horror. "Curst place is… A-SHOO… fairly crawlig with… A-SHOO!" He abandoned Jennifer and ran up the stairs, calling something incoherent over his shoulder, apparently having to do with Lieutenant Morris.

  With the perversion of its kind the ginger cat bounded in eager pursuit of the reluctant object of its affections.

  "Nice kitty," murmured Jennifer, watching it fondly. The footman grinned at her as he flung the door open, and she gave him what he later described in the servants' hall as "a proper captivacious smile."

  De
spite the heat of the afternoon, there was a slight breeze, and several guests were not so devoid of energy as to be resting. The grounds presented a charming picture. The buxom matron who had flirted with Falcon at luncheon the previous day sat in the shade of a small tree, her deep pink skirts spread about her, while an elderly admirer clad in purple and silver plied her with sections of sliced peach. Several of the younger gentlemen had shed their coats and were playing pale-maille, their elaborate waistcoats bright in the sunshine. Three damsels in great skirted pastel gowns sat in the shade fanning themselves, and forming an appreciative audience. Recognising Lieutenant Morris among the players, Jennifer smiled and he paused to wave his mallet at her.

  "Come and inspire us to drive through the hoop, lovely lady," invited another player.

  Jennifer shook her head laughingly, and went on towards the narrow dock where a tall coachman waited beside a moored rowing boat.

  She had to control the urge to run to his arms, but saw the white gleam of his smile fade abruptly.

  "Surprise, my dear lady!" Her heart sank and she had a strong compulsion to moan aloud as that blustering voice rang out. "Here's a treat for you! I am come just as I promised. Say how pleased you are to see me."

  With the sensation that a shadow had fallen over this lovely afternoon, Jennifer forced her eyes from Jonathan's expressionless face. She had no choice but to extend her hand as Lord Green bowed, and he pressed a wet kiss on her fingers.

  While he had been a guest under her father's roof, she'd been obliged to treat him with at least a modicum of good manners. Even so, her rejection of his advances would have daunted most gentlemen. Such tactics had not so much as made a dint in the thick shield of his lordship's ego, however. Well, he was not her father's guest now and perchance rudeness would succeed where courtesy had failed. She said, "I will say rather that I am surprised to see you, my lord."