“I am,” she said, weakly. “Lady Polly knows my propensity for sickness from the motion of the carriage and asked to stop, though she made sure to choose a place we could all enjoy.”
“Why don’t you sit for a moment?” Sebastian suggested, and the maid agreed, making her way to a large boulder next to the road and taking a seat as quickly as she could, seemingly pleased just to be still for a moment.
His eyes swept over to Polly, who was now standing still as she looked out into the countryside, the field sweeping down to a pond in the distance. He watched as she tilted her face up to the sky, and the sun’s rays peeking through the clouds kissed the light skin of her face.
He walked over to her, standing beside her as he looked out over the view she had so wanted to see.
“I suppose it is rather beautiful,” he said with a bit of surprise. He had ridden this way many a time before, but had never truly taken a good enough look at his surroundings.
“It is heavenly to be out here, out of the city,” she said, taking in a deep breath.
“The city and all its people?” he asked, raising his eyebrows at her.
“And all its people,” she said with a slight smile on her lips, and he was relieved to see that some of the tension seemed to have already left her body. “And for a time, I no longer have to even worry about my freckles.”
Sebastian looked closer at her face, and could see that already the sprinkle of freckles on her nose were growing darker. They were rather endearing, he thought, and couldn’t understand why she would wish to hide them.
“Thank you for coming with me, Lord Taylor,” she said. “I know it was a rather odd request, but I feel … safe when I am with you.”
“I am glad to hear it,” he responded, although he wasn’t sure if he was or not. Was it a compliment for a young lady to feel “safe” around a gentleman? He wasn’t entirely sure.
“It’s just that,” she continued, “with my brothers away, Violet married, my father in the country and my mother being … my mother, I feel you have been there for me in a way that I required. My family owes you a great deal of gratitude. For, if you had not been present when I needed you, well, who knows what type of situation I might have found myself in.”
“I am happy to have been able to assist,” he murmured.
“Tell me, Lord Taylor, what does your land look like?” she asked suddenly, turning to him.
“My land? It does not look so different from this — aside from the bluebells of course — or from Greville’s,” he said with a shrug. “Much of the English land is all the same, is it not?”
“Not at all,” she said, her eyes wide as she shook her head. “Everywhere you go, each place has its own identity, its own stories to tell. Think of all the people who have been here before, who have walked this earth and lived their lives nearby. There are new stories everywhere you go, and the land becomes different, as does the sky and the atmosphere around it,” she said, and when he turned to look at her, her eyes were closed as if she were feeling all that she had spoken of.
“Why, Lady Polly, you are a romantic,” he said with a laugh.
“You sound like my sister,” she said with a rueful grin, which quickly fell with her next words. “However, I think it more accurate to say I was a romantic. For I do not believe that I shall ever again in my life trust another gentleman.”
He was sorry to hear it, but he understood her words.
“I would like to tell you that not all gentlemen are like Lord Yardley,” he said, “but I do understand your reluctance to return to London to find another suitable gentleman.”
“Thank you, Lord Taylor, I appreciate that.”
He nodded as she took a couple of steps forward, her back to him as the breeze stirred her curls, many of which had fallen from their pins.
“I thought you might try to tell me that not every gentleman is like Lord Yardley, that I should not judge by my one experience,” she said, looking back at him from over her shoulder.
He shrugged. “Experience has taught me otherwise, I’m afraid.”
He quickly changed the subject, as, if he had learned anything from his time with her, it was that Lady Polly liked to ask questions, and in this moment he did not feel like providing any answers regarding his current romantic situation, nor any he had in the past.
“What are you going to tell your sister?” he asked quietly.
“The truth,” she said, turning back to him but looking down at the ground now, and he wished he hadn’t brought up the subject. “She knows me better than anyone, and will know something is the matter. She will continue to nag at me until I tell her, so I might as well from the start. Besides, I wouldn’t mind discussing it with her. Lord knows she had enough seasons herself to understand the workings of society.”
He nodded, agreeing with her, and was happy that she would have someone else to speak with.
“How did you know?” she asked suddenly, cocking her head as she studied him, as if she could find her answer simply by a look.
“Know of what?”
“How did you know what Lord Yardley would do? You knew of his reputation of course — it seems most of the ton did. And yet you seemed to be rather convinced that he would try something, despite hardly knowing me or the man.”
It was Sebastian’s turn to be rather disquieted, and he tried to think of something witty to say to her, but he couldn’t bring himself to keep the truth from her.
“I really shouldn’t tell you this,” he began, slowly, “but I had been watching Yardley for some time.”
“Why?” she asked, her eyebrows drawing together. He drew in a breath. “I do some work for … an organization. Investigations, if you will. It seems Lord Yardley has been named by a number of gentlemen regarding the ruination of their daughters, and I was asked to see what I could find out. While keeping a close watch on him, I overheard him make a bet with other gentlemen to see if he could … win you.”
Her eyes widened. “Why did you not tell me any of this?” she exclaimed, loud enough that Sebastian caught the maid and the driver turn sharply to look at them to make sure all was well. He gave them a quick wave.
“You never would have believed me,” he said quietly. “You were infatuated with the man, and besides that, you didn’t understand my intentions in warning you away from him. At some point, I realized that the only way you would understand was to see for yourself. I simply ensured I was there so that nothing untoward would occur.”
Sebastian could see the warring emotions all over her face. She knew he was right, and yet she didn’t want to give in, but rather preferred to believe that had he said anything, she would not have let her emotions overtake her logic. Finally, she seemed to realize he was right as she sighed.
“Well, it is over and done with now,” she said, her gaze darting back to the carriage. “Thank you, Lord Taylor. I want you to know that I appreciate what you have done … more than you know.”
She stood up on her tip toes, and leaned up, giving him a chaste kiss on the cheek. Her scent, fresh as the field of bluebells they stood in, filled him, and before he could think of what he was doing, he turned his head and caught her lips with his. She gave a bit of a gasp of surprise but didn’t pull away. Rather, she leaned into him, letting his lips roam over hers with abandon. He felt her hands creep up his chest and come round his neck, and he pulled her tightly toward him, bringing one of his hands to her hair. It was only when he heard a small moan of delight escape her that he realized what he was doing, and pulled back.
They stood in silence as the awareness of one another slowly crept in. Finally, Sebastian turned his head and saw Lucy watching them, her mouth agape. “I, ah, believe your maid is feeling better.”
Polly turned her head. “Yes, it seems she is. I suppose we’d best be on our way.”
“I suppose we shall,” he said, and yet he could not ignore the glimmer of remorse that their time alone had all too quickly come to an end.
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“Polly!”
Trying not to weep, Polly threw herself into Violet’s arms, hugging her tightly.
“My goodness, how I have missed you!” Violet exclaimed, grasping Polly’s shoulders and looking into her face. “Your letter was just what I needed, although I was a little surprised to get it right in the middle of the Season.” She tilted her head and studied Polly, the smile slowly beginning to fade. “I do hope there isn’t anything wrong?”
Polly swallowed and tried to smile. “I will tell you all about it a little later,” she replied, softly, as Lord Greville finished greeting Lord Taylor and turned toward her. She greeted her sister’s husband warmly.
“Thank you so much for having me, my lord,” she said. “I do hope I haven’t put you out.”
“Not in the least,” he exclaimed, placing an arm around Violet’s shoulders. “We are glad to offer it. You should know that you are always welcome here. Indeed, I haven’t seen my wife so overjoyed in some time.”
Violet smiled into her husband’s eyes, making Polly’s stomach clench. She had done much the same with Lord Yardley, yet it had all been a shallow facade, not anything like the depths of affection her sister and Lord Greville shared.
“And you must refer to me as Joshua,” he continued, turning back to Polly. “We are family now, are we not?”
“Of course,” she replied, quickly, her heart lifting just a little. “Then I shall be Polly.”
He chuckled, glancing over at Lord Taylor. “A merry little party, I should think,” he smiled, before gesturing up toward the front of the house. “Now, shall we go in? I am sure you will need to rest before dinner.”
Lord Taylor smiled and bounded up the steps. “Not I,” he declared, making Violet laugh. “It was not a particularly hard ride and I did enjoy the beautiful country views once we left London. It has altogether revived me.”
“Then you must be hungry, at the very least,” Violet answered, looping her arm through Polly’s. “I shall have some refreshments sent to your rooms at once.”
Polly looked up at Violet, not wanting to be left alone. “Might you come up with me?” she asked, softly, as Violet looked back at her with somewhat wide eyes. Polly knew what she must be thinking. She had always been rather independent and her request must seem somewhat strange to her sister, who knew her so well. “I feel like it has been an age since I last saw you.”
Violet smiled, though her eyes were troubled. “Yes of course. I do not have to change for dinner, given that it is just family and we are not one to stand on ceremony here at Colemore.”
“Lord Taylor is not family.”
Violet chuckled and gestured at the two men ahead of them, who were walking together and laughing. “He may as well be. I believe he and Joshua have been close friends for a great many years. Joshua considers the man to be as much a brother as I consider you a sister.” She led Polly up the staircase, following the two men. “Now, your room is just to the right. Come with me.”
Polly followed, smiling as she was shown into a beautiful bedchamber, decorated in soft pastel colors, the drapes of the one large window pulled open to welcome the late afternoon sunlight.
“There is the dressing room, of course,” Violet said, pointing to a door within the room. “And the window overlooks a rather lovely part of the estate gardens.”
Making her way to join Violet at the window, Polly caught her breath. Her room was at the back of the estate and allowed her to see a large part of the gardens, filled with beautiful blooms of all different shades and colors. Polly smiled, a small sigh escaping her lips. Here, she could forget Lord Yardley, forget all that had occurred. Here, she was safe.
In no time at all, her things were nearly all put away by some very efficient maids and a tea tray sat on the small table in the middle of the bedchamber.
Quickly discarding herself of some of the more cumbersome traveling garments, Polly joined Violet at the table and gratefully picked up a cup of tea, smiling over at her sister. “It seems you are very happy here.”
“More than happy,” Violet agreed, her eyes lighting up. “Despite our rather troublesome beginnings, Joshua has made such a wonderful husband. I feel quite fortunate to have found myself such a man. To my mind, they are often in short supply!”
For a moment, Lord Taylor flashed into Polly’s mind. Lord Taylor was a good man, there was no doubt about it. She had been utterly shocked when he had kissed her in the field. She had sworn she would not so much as look at another gentleman after Lord Yardley, and yet when his lips had come down on hers, all thoughts had left her, and all she could think of was how wonderful the moment felt. Instead of the feeling of uncertainty that had filled her in the gardens with Lord Yardley, with Lord Taylor she had only wanted more.
She could not explain the quickening of her heart when she thought of that moment together, but chose to ignore it, giving herself a slight shake. What must Lord Taylor think of her flighty affections? She vowed she would not allow her heart to become overtaken with feelings of another, only to be broken once again.
“Was Lord Taylor good company on the road here?” Violet asked, looking at her with a slight suspicion in her eyes, as if she had read her thoughts. Polly tried to keep all emotion off her face. “I was surprised Mama and Papa allowed you to share a carriage!”
“They did not,” Polly replied, quickly, not wanting Violet to think ill of Lord Taylor. “Lord Taylor rode here, and I was in the carriage with Lucy.”
“Oh, of course,” Violet replied, with a wry smile. “He said as much, did he not?”
Polly smiled. “Yes, he did.”
“Did poor Lucy suffer on the trip as much as ever?”
“She did,” said Polly with a nod. “The poor girl. I told her she could remain in London and I would have another maid accompany me, but she refused to stay behind.”
“And did Mama take some convincing to allow you to come here?” Violet asked, her question a little probing. “I confess I was surprised that you wished to visit in the middle of the Season. I thought you had been looking forward to it, and from Mama’s letters, it seemed you were enjoying yourself. She even hinted at a slight romance blooming between you and another gentleman.”
Recalling the various arguments she had endured with her mother, Polly closed her eyes for a moment. “It was rather difficult to talk to Mama about my change of heart but, in the end, Papa was able to convince her that I should be allowed to come here if I wished it.”
Violet nodded slowly, capturing Polly’s gaze. “And why did you wish to come here, Polly?”
Now it came to it. Polly shook her head, her eyes immediately filling with tears as she ducked her head.
“Oh, my dear!” Violet exclaimed, evidently seeing her sister’s distress. “Whatever is it? What happened?”
Haltingly, Polly began to explain. “I was convinced that a particular gentleman truly cared for me,” she said, slowly. “Mama and Lord Taylor tried to reason with me that his roguish ways were not something he had simply discarded, but I refused to acknowledge their concerns. I thought he had changed his ways for me. Lord Yardley – for that was his name – was rather convincing.”
“Lord Yardley?” Violet repeated, her eyes widening. “Oh, Polly!”
Realizing that her sister knew of Lord Yardley by reputation, Polly dropped her head, knowing her cheeks were brushed with color. “It was foolishness, I know, but even Mama seemed to like him by the end of it.”
“He was always able to play a part very well,” Violet agreed, quietly. “Had I been there, I would have told you to stay well away from the man.”
“Lord Taylor would have beaten you to such a warning,” Polly replied, miserably. “I did not believe him. In fact, I thought he was being rather petty and perhaps jealous even, but then, at the end of it, it was he who saved me from a dreadful situation.”
Violet leaned forward and put one hand on Polly’s. “Lord Taylor is a good man,” she said, quietly. “It
does not surprise me that he did such a thing.”
“Lord Yardley tried to press his attentions on me,” Polly whispered, unable to look at her sister. “He was rather forceful – and even then, I did not want to believe that he had ill intentions.” Her throat constricted, the ache within it growing with every passing second. “It was only when he laughed at me, told me that I was nothing more than a bet that my world came crashing down.”
There was a moment of silence.
“A bet?” Violet whispered, her expression something between upset and furious.
“He told his friends he would be able to seduce me, I believe,” Polly replied, her head dropping still lower as shame burned within her. “I tried to push him off but, had Lord Taylor not been present, then I believe Yardley would have forced the issue.”
“Thank goodness Taylor was there,” Violet exclaimed, sitting back in her chair in relief. “Whatever was he doing in the gardens?”
Polly shrugged, not sure where to look so as not to give away the swirling emotions within her. “I believe he was looking out for me, since he knew that I would not listen to the truth about Lord Yardley. And he said he was involved in an investigation of some kind.”
Violet nodded. “It seems Joshua and I should be ever more grateful to the man,” Violet said, softly. “And did Lord Yardley threaten your reputation?”
Recalling how Lord Taylor had stood over Lord Yardley, Polly shook her head. “I think Lord Taylor made sure that such a thing would not happen. He also threatened to tell Father or even Daniel, and we know what he might do in response. But still, I could not remain in town. I do not have the strength of character needed, I don’t think. How could I go to a ball and carry on as though nothing had happened? How could I pretend that all was quite well when everything was so very wrong? To see him again, and to even think of opening my heart again to another…” She trailed off for a moment, her eyes tightly closed. “I could not bear the thought of it.”
“And so, you came here,” Violet finished, quietly. “My dear Polly, I am so very glad that you felt able to write. Did you speak to Mama and Papa about all this?”
Hope of Romance_A Historical Regency Romance Page 9