How long this enjoyable badinage could have continued before she said something outrageous was debatable. He laughed at her silliness and then his expression sobered as if he thought it inappropriate. He was going to leave, and she had something she wished to ask him before he did so.
‘My lord, as you are now going to stay until Sultan is fit, could I prevail upon you to do me an enormous favour? Although the estate is in good heart, and the factor and my uncle’s man of business are honest hard-working men, I fear Canfield Hall is lagging behind in terms of improvements and innovations.
‘Would you be willing to ride around the estate and see what might be done to improve productivity and the lot of our tenants and workers?’
He nodded. ‘I should be delighted to do so, Miss Stanton. However, it would not be civil of me to do so without informing Mr Bishop.’ He stood up and strolled to the door, calling back as he exited. ‘You must dress for dinner tonight. I have my evening rig here and will be disappointed if I cannot wear it.’
She yelled her reply at his departing back. ‘In case you haven’t noticed, I’m unable to leave this daybed and must not put any weight on my foot for two days.’
He reversed and turned to stare at her through narrowed eyes. ‘Shouting is most unladylike, Miss Stanton. I am not an imbecile, I’m well aware of your infirmity. I shall, of course, carry you down.’
Before she could protest at his high-handed suggestion he vanished and she could hear him whistling merrily as he walked away. The man was too fond of having his own way and she was not going to allow herself to be carried about the place like an unwanted parcel.
There was only one way she could prevent him from carrying out his unacceptable suggestion and she was determined to put this plan into action and thwart his schemes.
It was difficult to settle with her book after he had gone. Her ankle throbbed unpleasantly and she needed the commode. She stretched out and rang the little brass bell, relieved when Jenny and a chambermaid came at once.
*
Gideon reached the gallery and for an insane moment was tempted to slide down the polished banister. By rights he should be in a sombre mood, after all, his parent had only been dead just over four months. However, he had never felt so invigorated in his life. There was something inviting about Canfield Hall and he was more than happy to remain for another few days.
He informed the butler of his change of plans and the man seemed inordinately pleased. There was something havey-cavey going on and he was determined to discover what it was. His host was having a nap and could not be spoken to, but he was assured a message would be taken as soon as Mr Bishop was awake.
In fact, he had had no intention of departing today, and had been certain Sapphire would ask him to stay on. His luggage was being unpacked at this very moment, the carriage would already be unharnessed and put away. In his note to his mother he had said he would be staying for a day or two but had also given her the good news of the invitation to join the Bishops for the house party next month.
Now was as good a time as any to check his stallion’s progress. He was halfway to the stable when the fog in his brain cleared and he saw what his elderly relative was about. The intention was for Sapphire to become his wife – that way she would remain with her brothers.
A surge of excitement made him catch his breath. Was this why he felt so happy? Was it possible that he already had warm feelings for his cousin? They had been acquainted barely twenty-four hours – could he have fallen in love so quickly?
His head was spinning. He didn’t know if he was confusing desire with a genuine emotion. There was no doubt at all that he found her desirable, would love to share his bed with her, but was this the same as being in love? All this was new to him, he had never had the slightest interest in any other young lady even though he had met dozens of hopeful debutantes over the past few years.
He needed to get away from here, clear his head, but that was impossible at the moment. Both the horses that had pulled the barouche would also go under saddle, but they could not be ridden so soon after their long journey. Fortunately there was nothing up to his weight in the stables.
He would walk around the lake. He was about to head off in that direction when a puppy of indeterminate ancestry shot through the archway hotly pursued by the twins. He had the foresight to reach down and snatch the wriggling animal from the path before it vanished into the bushes.
‘He ran away, sir, he’s a very naughty puppy.’ Tom held out his arms and Gideon handed him the little dog.
‘Silly is ever so sweet, but he doesn’t come to his name,’ David said.
Gideon dropped to his haunches beside them. ‘I’m not surprised if you have called him that. You have only had him a few hours, boys, it will take him a day or two to learn his new surroundings and understand that his name is Silly. It might be better to play with him in a loose box where he can’t escape until he is accustomed to you both.’
They nodded solemnly. ‘We will do that, won’t we Tom? Are you going now? Your carriage isn’t ready yet.’
‘I have decided not to leave until Sultan is sound. I’m going down to the lake, would you like to come with me? I notice that there is a rowing boat and punt in the boathouse. I thought we could try one out together. But first you must inform your nursemaid. Remember, you must never go near the water on your own, even when you can both swim properly.’
They trotted off obediently and he heard them talking to the nursemaid, moments later they reappeared with her. ‘I beg your pardon, my lord, but are you quite sure you want to go boating with these two little rascals?’
‘I am quite sure, thank you. However, it might be wise if you accompanied us just in case you are needed.’
The girl looked relieved to be included in this jaunt and he didn’t blame her. He was probably the last person she would wish to trust her precious charges with. He glanced at his smart apparel. ‘Boys, I think we need to change into something that won’t matter if it gets wet. If I remember correctly, the last time I was in a boat I returned extremely damp.’
There was no argument on this point and they scampered off to change leaving him to follow at a more stately pace. The boys would wait on the terrace if they were ready before him and vice versa. Ellis, his valet, wisely made no comment when he was asked to find garments that would not be ruined if immersed in lake water.
His appearance on the terrace in bare feet and shirtsleeves sent the children into fits of giggles. Immediately they sat down and stripped off their own stockings, boots and waistcoats. ‘Now, lads, are you ready for your adventure?’
They frolicked around him like a pair of overeager puppies, asking innumerable questions for which there were no sensible answers. What had possessed him to suggest this activity? He would have been better off taking them for a sedate walk through the woods.
It was cool and dark inside the boathouse, but light enough to see that the punt looked in better shape than the rowing boat. ‘Right, the punt it is. Jump in, boys – no – let me rephrase that. Climb in very carefully, I have no wish for you to fall out so early in this escapade.’
He steadied the punt with one hand and with the other carefully guided each child into the centre of the boat where they sat, quivering with excitement, on the slightly damp, and mouldy, plush cushions.
Tom screwed up his face in puzzlement. ‘How does this boat go, sir? Where are the sticky out things you have to pull and push to make it move?’
Gideon held up the punt pole. ‘There are no oars, young man, I stand on this flat piece here and push us along with the pole.’ They both looked unconvinced at his explanation. ‘You will understand once we are under way. Hold tight, I cannot use it in here, I must move the punt out of the boathouse and then climb in myself.’
After a great deal of shoving and pushing he eventually succeeded in his task and carefully placed the long pole along the edge of the punt and scrambled onto the small, wooden deck at the stern of the boat.
The boys were sitting facing him and so far were quite dry. He doubted that would last for much longer as he had not propelled a punt since his time at Oxford – and even then he had been the least proficient of his cronies.
‘Right, I think we are finally ready to attempt to cross the lake. We must brave the shark infested waters and pray we reach the island before we are capsized and eaten.’
He expected them to join in the play acting but for some extraordinary reason the boys believed what he said, even though they had been swimming quite safely in the water just the day before.
Before he could prevent it both of them jumped to their feet and attempted to climb onto the bank. The punt rocked alarmingly and the gap between the side and the bank got wider. ‘Sit down. Tom, David, sit down or you will have us in the lake.’
The children were screaming, the thought of being plunged into waters that might be full of man-eating fish made them even more desperate to escape. His bare feet were already wet and he could not get a purchase on the slippery surface.
He rammed the pole into the lake bottom and pushed with all his strength, praying he could prevent the boat from capsizing and himself from toppling into the water.
Chapter Nine
Sapphire was becoming increasingly frustrated at being trapped on a chaise longue whilst the sun was shining and her brothers and his lordship were outside enjoying themselves. The sound of their laughter carried quite clearly through the open window.
The window seat was no more than a few yards from where she was – she could hop such a short distance and would be able to elevate her foot just as well from there. She rang the bell and Jenny popped her head around the door.
‘I want to be able to look at what’s going on outside, if you give me your support I can achieve that objective without placing my foot on the ground.’
She had barely got settled when she saw her brothers and their escort crossing the greensward towards the boathouse. She caught her breath. He had bare legs and feet and his shirtsleeves were rolled up exposing his muscular forearms. Tom and David were also without stockings and shoes. Meg was walking a respectful distance behind the three of them, her arms were full of dry clothes and towels. This was going to be an interesting afternoon.
Perhaps if she was very careful she could kneel on the window seat and rest her elbows on the windowsill. She would have a much better view like this. After a great deal of shuffling and wincing she was settled comfortably.
The trio had vanished into the boathouse and it was now impossible to see or hear what they were doing. Meg had found herself a place in the shade of the willow tree and sat down with her bundle. Ten minutes passed by before she spied the prow of the ancient punt emerging.
David and Tom were sitting facing the stern and to her astonishment Lord Ilchester was in the water and pushing the boat. Although the water was only two feet deep at the edge, his breeches would be submerged. Who would have thought it? The more she knew about this gentleman, the more he surprised her. With an athletic spring he landed on the punting platform and picked up the pole.
Her thoughts wandered as she watched this unusual spectacle. He would make an excellent father, she could not imagine another aristocratic gentleman prepared to get himself wet like this. Then everything changed.
Her brothers began to scream and stood up as if wishing to get out. The punt rocked alarmingly and the prow swung outwards making it impossible for the boys to get off. Ilchester shouted at her brothers to sit down, but they ignored him. In desperation he rammed in the pole, swinging the boat towards the bank.
Too late! His feet slid from under him and he disappeared head first into the lake. The impact sent the punt crashing into the bank and the children were hurled face first onto the grass. Her breath hissed through her teeth. What could have been a catastrophe was merely an amusing accident.
Meg was already at the children’s side and they flung themselves into her arms obviously beside themselves with terror. As the nursemaid was comforting them she turned her attention to his lordship and was relieved to see him emerge from the deep.
She was now half hanging out of the window gazing wide-eyed with admiration. The wet, white shirt clung to his shoulders, it was almost transparent, allowing her to see the breadth of his chest beneath the cloth.
‘What is going on? What frightened the boys?’ Her voice carried across the grass and even from so far away he heard her. Only then did she remember his comment about her not yelling at him.
*
Dammit to hell! Gideon shook his head and spat out a mouthful of muddy water. This was supposed to have been a pleasurable experience and he had made a complete nincompoop of himself as well as scaring the boys half to death. Thank God his last minute effort to push the boat to the bank had been successful and both the children were safely in the arms of their nursemaid.
He was about to walk to the bank and climb out himself when someone shouted at him – the voice echoed across the park. Good grief! Sapphire had seen the debacle and was yelling at him from her sitting room on the first floor.
He could hardly get on his high horse when he was standing up to his knees in water and with his shirt clinging to him like a second skin. Instead of being irritated by her lack of decorum he gave her a cheery wave. She was beckoning frantically and he mimed that he would come and see her after he had changed into something dry.
Firstly he must reassure the boys that the lake was not full of sharks. He squelched to the bank, vaulted out and then walked towards the boys who had now stopped crying. The nursemaid tossed him a large towel and he nodded his thanks. He dropped to the grass beside them whilst he was drying his hair and face.
‘What a pair of sillies you two are. Do you think that either your sister or I will take you anywhere near the lake if it did have sharks swimming around in it?’ Now was not the time to explain where one would actually find these animals.
The boys exchanged glances and then stood up and pointed to the island. ‘But you said…’ David began to say, but his brother interrupted him.
‘Why did you say it if it was not true? Saffy says it’s wrong to tell lies.’
‘Do you never play at games of make-believe? Make a castle out of an upturned table and pretend you are knights of old fighting a dragon?’
They shook their heads. ‘We play games with our toys,’ Tom said, ‘but we don’t know how to do make-believe castles and pretend sharks. Will you show us, sir?’
Gideon was puzzled by this omission. Sapphire was a lively, intelligent young lady – why had she not shown the boys how to use their imaginations? This was something he would ask her when he went to see her later on.
‘Shall we have another go at getting to the island, boys? We are going to pretend there are dangerous fish trying to catch us and you must look out and warn me if you see any.’
David still looked unsure about this notion of imaginary danger, but Tom immediately added his own twist to the tale. ‘There are pirates out there too, and we are going to try and steal their treasure.’ When his brother looked unsure he leaned over and shoved him so hard he fell on his back. ‘Don’t be a silly, David, we are playing a game of let’s pretend.’
David not to be outdone, lashed out with his feet and Tom joined him on the grass.
‘What do you think you are doing, boys? Get up immediately. There will be no further games today after such a display of bad manners.’ He gestured to the nursemaid hovering nearby. ‘Take your charges to their bedchamber. They will remain there for the rest of the day. I shall decide if they are to have any tea after I have spoken to Miss Stanton.’
The children looked so crestfallen at this sharp remark that he almost relented, then decided it would do them no harm to be disciplined. Boys had a tendency to fight, but the sooner they both learned to solve their differences with discussion, the better it would be for everybody.
The girl nodded to him before taking a snivelling child in each hand an
d marching them away. She obviously approved of his punishment – he glanced at the window hoping their sister would not take exception to his interference.
However, she was no longer on the window seat, so either she had been so incensed by his actions she had not remained where she was, or she had missed the whole incident altogether. He met a gardener’s boy on his way back, he had decided it would be better to go in through the side door rather than drip his way through the entrance hall, and instructed him to arrange for the punt and pole to be safely returned to the boathouse. If the children were still interested he would take them out tomorrow after they had had their riding lesson.
Ellis was waiting, as always, to help him disrobe. His man commented dryly. ‘How fortuitous, my lord, that you thought to put on your oldest garments.’
‘It was indeed. I must now dress for a third time today and have still to change into my evening rig at six o’clock.’
He had already spoken to the butler and asked if dinner could be served inside tonight, in the grand dining room. He had also requested a more formal meal, if possible, several courses and removes. There was no point in dressing for dinner if the meal did not live up to the occasion.
As he was making his way to Sapphire’s sitting room it belatedly occurred to him that perhaps it had not been the wisest move to issue orders as if he were the master here. He hesitated outside the room, for the first time since he was a young boy, summoned to his father’s study for a beating, he was nervous about knocking on a door.
*
‘Jenny, Lord Ilchester will be along to see me as soon as he’s changed into dry clothes. I don’t want to be lounging on the daybed, could you please assist me to the armchair?’ When she explained to her maid what had just transpired she was not surprised at the reaction she received.
‘Well I never did! What a to-do, I must say. If you will pardon me for saying so, miss, Lord Ilchester is not like any other lord I’ve ever met.’
Sapphire hid her smile – for, as far as she knew, Jenny had never met another aristocrat and neither had she, so they did not have the knowledge to make a comparison.
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