A Court of Thorns for Lady Ambergrave: A Historical Regency Romance Novel

by Emma Linfield

  Luci fell back against the pillows, tired from their conversation, but she smiled adoringly. “I am making a proclamation right now. As Luci, Marchioness of Ambergrave, I hereby declare that we are finished with all of our apologies. We have both committed offenses against the other, some intentionally petulant and others completely by mistake. We have now made our amends and will henceforth move forward without looking back. Does that suit you?”

  “Very much, My Lady. You are truly a wise and generous leader of Ashworth Hall,” Gideon answered jovially, joining in Luci’s game. “Come, we shall celebrate with a feast of broth and more bread.”

  “I cannot,” Luci whined, laughing at Gideon’s attempt at feeding her more. “I am already uncomfortably full from the first bowl.”

  “Then if it is all right with you, I shall leave you to your rest now,” he said, taking her tray himself and carrying it over to a table. “You need to become stronger, and the only way is to not tax yourself overly much. I will see to Jacques, and then I have some decisions to make about the repairs to Ashworth.”

  “Will you come back later?” Luci asked hopefully. “Perhaps for supper?”

  “Of course,” Gideon said, a genuine smile lighting up his stern features. “I should like nothing better. Rest now, and I will return soon.”

  When he had left her alone, Luci’s mind began to churn with a long-forgotten concern—Ashworth Hall. What had Gideon just said about seeing to the repairs? In the tumultuous days of her arrival, followed soon by the disagreement with Gideon and her resulting injuries, she had forgotten all about the damage to the house.

  She had intended to write to her mother and learn what she might have heard about this home and its fire, but she had not had time. Luci gasped as a new thought filled her with dread, the realization that her parents never knew she was ill.

  “You’re no invalid, silly girl,” she chastised herself as she looked across the vast room to her writing desk. “Get up. You must write to your mother at once.”

  Hesitating at first, Luci gently pulled her feet from beneath the coverlet and slid down until they reached the floor. It felt cold beneath her bare feet, but the feeling seemed to awaken her more. This was the first time she’d so much as stood without assistance in weeks, and she was both eager and fearful about walking even this short distance.

  Clinging to the chair Gideon had just vacated, Luci managed to shuffle slowly across the distance. Each step felt stronger, and each step proved to cause her to tremble less. After some time, she reached her desk and slumped gratefully into the chair where she required several minutes to recover.

  When she felt up to it, Luci retrieved a sheet of paper and her writing supplies and wrote to her mother. She was careful not to divulge anything that would cause the woman to panic, but did mention the severity of her illness, though not the full truth of its initial cause. She further inquired about the state of Ashworth Hall and any circumstances that might have led to its ruin.

  “My Lady,” Mrs. Cushings cried as she opened the door to retrieve Luci’s tray. “What are you doing out of bed?”

  Luci smiled at the woman who’d cared for her so tenderly throughout the weeks of her illness. “I have an urgent letter I must write. Will you help me see that it is posted?”

  “Of course. But My Lady, you should not be up. Here, please let me help you back to your bed. Or at least let me call your maid.”

  “Thank you, that would be wonderful. Only let me finish this first.” Luci continued to write, scrawling her words as quickly as careful penmanship would allow. Not wishing to keep the housekeeper waiting, Luci kept her letter brief.

  “There. All done,” she said weakly. “Thank you, Mrs. Cushings, I will rest now.”

  The housekeeper took Luci by the arm and guided her back slowly, then helped position her feet beneath the covers before tucking the blankets around her.

  “Oh, and would you please tell Cook that her broth is wonderful? It has had the most amazing effect, I can already tell that I am feeling stronger thanks to her concoction,” Luci said, and Mrs. Cushings beamed.

  “I will be certain to let her know, she’ll be rather pleased to hear it’s done you good,” the housekeeper answered. “But I’ll be needing the physician for the pain in my heart if you were to try to get up and fall. Don’t try to be brave, only call your maid or one of us to help you next time.”

  The older woman smiled sweetly and took the tray away, leaving Luci to rest from her exertion. While it was true that the staff all doted on her, she had to wonder how deep their loyalties ran. Would any of them tell her the truth about this house if she were to ask?

  Chapter 20

  It was another two days before Luci felt well enough—and Gideon or any of the staff would even consider it—to get up and leave her rooms. An entourage of skeptical supporters all but carried her downstairs, leaving Luci to wonder how many more days it would take before she would be permitted to actually venture outdoors.

  But Gideon surprised her. After she’d bathed and dressed and been led to the drawing room, he announced they would take the excursion she so desired later that day, if she felt up to it.

  “Absolutely! Yes, I cannot wait to be out of this house,” she cried before remembering herself. “That did not sound polite at all, did it? I only meant to say, while this is a lovely home, I wish to see the outdoors again. If only to assure myself that a world beyond these walls still exists.”

  Gideon laughed. “I assure you, the world continues to move forward in your absence, though it cannot thrive as it once did when you were a part of it. But I understand your agony. One who loves the sky above and the grass beneath their feet as you do must be longing to see it with your own eyes. We’ll go after you’ve had your luncheon.”

  “Always with the food,” Luci said, sighing dramatically and pretending to faint. “I shall be a stuffed pork roast before this is all over.”

  Nothing could be farther from the truth, though, and Luci knew it. While she had written to her mother that she wished to visit, Luci was still grateful for the brief delay as it would give her time to bring some color back to her pale cheeks. She knew from the fit of her gown and the bony edges of her wrists that she was considerably thinner than before.

  “What if we took it with us?” Gideon suggested, and Luci’s face lit up. “I’ll ask Cook to pack a hamper that we might take to the grove. It will be warm enough but without the glare of the hot sun there.”

  Soon, Gideon and Luci were loaded into a serviceable wagon for their outing. Luci instantly felt her spirits lift at the warmth of the midday sun on her thin shoulders. She lifted her face towards the sky and closed her eyes, letting the rays revive her.

  “Oh no, do not close your eyes,” Gideon said, speaking softly in her ear. The feel of his voice brushing near her ear gave her an instant thrill. “You’ll miss the surprise I have for you.”

  “What surprise?” Luci asked, but she stopped short when she looked where Gideon pointed. A stable hand emerged from behind the house near the mews, leading Jacques by a line. “Jacques! How wonderful to see him at last. Am I to ride today?”

  Gideon only laughed, a joyful sound that carried no ill-intent. “I fear not. Oh, do not pout at me, my dear, that is Sir Rawlings’ orders. You must take it up with him when he comes ‘round again, but until then, I am going to be on my best behavior and do as he has ordered.”

  Luci looked sad but in truth, she was not feeling up to riding in the saddle yet. Gideon saw her wistful look, and added, “I only thought he might be nice company along the way, and he needs his exercise as much as you need this outing. Shall we go?”

  They set off after Gideon tied Jacques to the wagon near Luci so that he might walk alongside her. The sunshine was a welcome sight after weeks of a darkened, stifling bedchamber. A gentle breeze carried the welcome scent of fresh clover in the air and Luci breathed in deeply, reveling in the feeling of the earthy aroma filling her otherwise poorly body.


  “I do have another surprise if you’re feeling up to it,” Gideon said after they’d ridden for nearly half an hour. “But you must tell me truthfully if you’re too tired.”

  “No, I feel wonderful,” Luci said, fibbing only a little. The thought of returning to the darkness of her chamber filled her with dread, a sinking feeling that was far more harmful than any weariness. “What is this surprise?”

  “I thought we might perhaps ride into town and see the square,” Gideon said merrily. “You haven’t so much as set foot there since you arrived at Ashworth, have you?”

  “Why, no! I haven’t had the chance,” she answered, brightening considerably.

  “Then we shall go, but I’m sorry, I must insist we do not linger on this first visit. I cannot chance having you fall ill again on my account.” Gideon smiled and squeezed Luci’s hand, positively beaming. “Let us return Jacques to the stables and then we’ll be off.”

  Luci wanted to lean back against the seat and close her eyes, if only to enhance her enjoyment of the moment, but she dared not risk missing the serene beauty surrounding Ashworth Hall. She couldn’t help but sneak glances at Gideon as well, finally in the state of mind that would let her look on him with admiration.

  What a strange journey it has been to come to this point. From heartache and anger to gratitude and adoration, I would only that it had not taken such grave danger to come around.

  “What are you thinking about, dearest?” Gideon asked, and Luci blushed at the unexpected term of endearment.

  “Only that I’m very, very happy at this moment,” she answered truthfully. It was Gideon’s turn to shiver slightly with giddiness, obviously pleased that Luci was here with him.

  “It will be my lifelong promise that this is to be only the first of an infinite number of joyful days,” he assured her. “Now what would you like to see first? There’s a lovely chapel filled with a number of paintings, a row of charming shops, a rather small but still enchanting garden near a duck pond in the square… anything you like.”

  “I think I shall want to see it all, even if today we only take a turn around the streets. Do stop me from jumping out of the wagon in my excitement and racing after a tiny duckling, though,” Luci joked, “as I’m still not up to running around like a mad woman.”

  Gideon laughed at the notion of the Marchioness of Ambergrave running through the gardens as animals fanned out before her, trying to escape her outstretched hands.

  “I see,” he said after he could stop laughing. “Do not worry, I will never permit you to make a spectacle of yourself if it could result in harm to one of God’s tiny creatures.”

  Luci was mesmerized by the nearby village. As Gideon had said, there were a number of shops and a market where goods from the surrounding farms were hawked. People milled about their work or their errands, waving or tipping their hats as Luci and Gideon passed.

  “I don’t understand, though,” Luci said, sounding worried. “I do not see any children about.”

  “Ah, then we must visit the school,” Gideon answered. “It is a unique project I’m rather fond of.”

  He turned their horses down a wide cobblestone road and circled around to a two-story building beyond the chapel. A great brass bell hung from a post in the front, a rope swinging idly by its side.

  “This was a cause that my mother first championed,” he explained, slowing the horses to a stop near the wood and stone building. “Unlike many that the government refers to as a ‘public school,’ any child is permitted to learn here, regardless of the faith or means.”

  “Truly?” Luci asked, astonished. She sat up straighter to see better, adding, “Anyone? And what of their lessons?”

  “All of the children learn maths, letters, readings, common health and hygienic practices, and religion. My mother’s parents had championed and supported a foundlings’ home in their region, and this was something of a cause for my mother when she wed and came to live at Ashworth.”

  “She sounds like a very smart and educated person herself,” Luci suggested quietly, broaching the subject of his family with trepidation. “You must be very proud of her work here.”

  “Yes, I am. This school was of her own making, and I would continue to serve as its patron even should I find myself penniless, taking the food off my table to see to it that it remains open,” Gideon said, looking at the school with renewed interest. “Of course, my father lent his expertise and financial support to the farmers’ guild. Both of my parents were particularly concerned with the people’s welfare, and I hope that my efforts continue their important work.”

  A door to the school suddenly opened and a melee of pupils rushed out. Luci looked at Gideon in surprise, though he only smiled.

  “Their lessons must be finished for the day,” he explained. He pointed to one throng of young students and said, “Ah, what fortuitous timing. There is young Collin.”

  “Collin? Who works in your gardens? He attends the school?” Luci asked, somewhat surprised.

  “Of course, why should he not?”

  “I only thought that he would continue on in your service. What need has a gardener of lessons and schooling?” she wondered.

  “Every person has a need. There is nothing wasted in learning, whether it be for a duke or a servant. Of course, Collin has showed great promise in his studies, and if he chooses to continue his education when he is older and seek some other form of occupation, he will have my support.” Gideon raised up higher in the wagon seat and waved, calling out, “Collin. Hurry, we shall carry you home.”

  The boy waved wildly in acknowledgement, then bade his classmates goodbye before running to the wagon. He climbed up in the back and placed his books upon the floor carefully before sitting down himself.

  “Thank you, My Lord. It is well met that you were in town today,” the boy said. “And is this Lady Ambergrave at last?”

  Luci was taken aback at the friendly nature between the two, uncertain as to how to respond to such a forward request for an introduction from someone of Collins’ age and station, but Gideon was not baffled by it.

  “Of course, I had forgotten you have not yet been introduced. Lady Ambergrave, may I present Master Collin Drummond, a particularly impudent young man who is a veritable magician with the gardens but severely lacking in any sort of skill at cricket?”

  Luci couldn’t help but laugh, especially when she turned and saw the look of mock indignation on the boy’s face. “It is lovely to meet you, Master Collin.”

  “Very lovely to meet you as well, My Lady. Though I apologize that I shall be very rude to your husband and call him out for his outrageous lies. I am the better bowler, and he knows it.”

  Luci laughed again when Gideon feigned anger, reaching behind him and pretending to swat at the boy while Collin ducked from Gideon’s outstretched hand.

  “Wait until I get you home, you insolent lad. Then I shall show you who is the better bowler. In fact, we shall make a wager, the loser owes the other a handsome sum,” Gideon roared playfully. He turned to Luci and winked, and she immediately knew how the match between the two would end.

  “I accept your wager,” Collin replied confidently. “Though Mum will not let me accept my well-deserved winnings. She says placing bets is the road to ruin.”

  “She is quite right, you must listen to her counsel in all things,” Gideon said firmly, then murmured as he added, “But I can still best you.”

  Together, they pulled away from the school and out of the town proper, then turned back along the road that would carry them home. Gideon peppered Collin with questions about school, which the boy answered with mixed results.

  “I’m afraid the new teacher enjoys very dull books,” Collin complained once, “and does not permit us to read any adventure stories. It is nothing but speeches in the Greek and Latin translations.”

  “But not Homer?” Luci asked, turning back to face Collin again.

  He seemed surprised that she read Homer, and agree
d with her readily. “Precisely. Why can we not read of the Trojan War instead of dull lectures from ancient thinkers? I’m surprised, My Lord. You’d told me already that Lady Ambergrave was beautiful, but you had not mentioned that she is well-read, as well.”

  Gideon stiffened when Luci turned to look at him.

  “That’s because I have not had a great number of conversations about her schooling, Collin,” the Marquess said through clenched teeth, obviously embarrassed by the boy’s forthright nature. “But I am quite capable of seeing her face. You, on the other hand, were sworn to secrecy and not intended to tell anyone.”