by Lynn Collum
“And Lord Hawksworth agreed to them being sent away?” Emily’s tone held an angry edge as she wondered if the lady’s influence on his lordship was so strong.
“Oh, he and Sir Ethan were called to the stable after breakfast to confer with Bates about a sick horse. Why did you not tell me that Lady Cora was to become the children’s aunt?”
Emily tugged at the fringe on her blue cashmere shawl. “Did Lord Hawksworth tell you that?”
“ ’Twas the countess who informed me that was the reason they came to the castle. She proclaims it is her fondest wish that one day soon the lady would be sharing responsibility for the children with their uncle. I tell you, my dear, it was all I could do to keep from telling her ladyship that Lady Cora hadn’t a maternal bone in her body. Oh, she is all sweetness and condescension to the children when the earl and her ladyship are present, but she did little to hide her dislike of Honoria and Jamie once he and the countess were gone.”
The news did not surprise Emily. “Do you think we should do something to reveal her deception to them?”
Delia eyed her employer fearfully. The last thing she wanted was for Emily to be more involved in the earl’s affairs. “Heavens, no. I feel certain that the earl will see through her ploy, even if the countess does not. Time will do the trick. I think the more the lady must deal with the children, the more difficult it will be for her to mask her true feelings.” Still, Delia couldn’t bear thinking about the children being under the thumb of the selfish Lady Cora.
“But once Lord Hawksworth has declared himself, he cannot in all honor draw back. Surely we should—”
“Miss Collins, Mrs. Keaton?” Honoria came dashing up to the ladies, interrupting their whispered conversation. “Can we not play a game?”
The suggestion had merit for Delia, since she hoped to distract Emily from concocting some plan to discredit Lady Cora. “An excellent notion, my dear. What say you, Emily?”
Seeing the expectant look on both the children’s faces, Emily smiled. “Just the thing to enliven a rainy day. What do you suggest?”
It was soon settled that they would play a game of hide and seek in the west wing, since only they occupied the floor at the moment. They idled away much of the morning with the simple entertainment, but at nuncheon the children returned to the nursery and the ladies went downstairs to join the others.
Emily noted that the earl was polite to all but looked bored. Lady Cora and the countess dominated the conversation, and Hawksworth rarely commented save when Sir Ethan made some remark.
Not that Emily could blame him, for both she and Delia knew little of the doings of Society and in truth found much of the gossip the ladies discussed a dead bore. As the meal progressed, she looked up to find the earl’s steady blue gaze upon her. Her heart began to race when his sensuous mouth tipped up into a smile she felt certain was meant for her. Then his grandmother, ever vigilant of his straying attention, asked him some inane question which required an answer, and the intimate moment was gone.
As the conversation ebbed and flowed about her, Emily was puzzled by the earl’s polite but distant treatment of Lady Cora. It seemed to Emily that whatever Lady Hawksworth’s plans, the earl was little inclined to pursue a betrothal. That thought left her in a lighthearted mood.
After the meal, there was little change in the day’s routine dullness. Lady Hawksworth invited Lady Cora to her room for a coze when the gentlemen decided to engage in a game of billiards. Emily and Delia returned to their own sitting room to handle personal tasks, knowing the children would be resting.
Delia attempted to discuss either pursuing the purchase of a house in Somersetshire or setting a time to remove from Hawk’s Lair to London, but Emily only put her off, saying she was too concerned about the children to leave just yet. When Emily walked to the window to stand in thought, Delia at last gave up and picked up her sewing. After several moments, Emily remarked that the sun was coming out from behind the diminishing clouds. She prophesied that the morrow would be sunny, and they fell into a brief discussion of the weather. But after a time they became quiet, each with her own thoughts.
Without warning, Emily remarked, “I think you are correct about Lady Cora.”
Delia, startled from her thoughts about a handsome Scotsman, looked up from her stitchery. “What do you mean?”
Emily smiled, but there was a speculative look in her amber eyes. “The lady needs to spend more time with the children.”
“To be sure, but how do you intend to make that happen? As soon as his lordship goes about his business, she will make some excuse to be rid of them.”
“Then we must make certain that Lord Hawksworth is included in our plans. What say you to a picnic on the morrow?”
Delia put aside her sewing and came to Emily. “You cannot be taking such domestic matters into your hands. The countess will take exception to your pushing yourself forward in such an unbecoming manner.”
Emily knew her companion was correct. “There must be some way to suggest such an outing without being impolite.” She grew quiet for a moment, then a smile lit her face. “Do you think Sir Ethan would make such a suggestion to the earl? I am certain he would do it for you.”
Delia blushed, but shyly said, “I know he does not like the lady. There is only one way to know. I shall ask him at dinner.”
When the appointed time to dine arrived, Emily was quite anxious to join the others. She watched as Delia drew the baronet aside before the gong sounded for dinner. But to her disappointment, the gentleman frowned and seemed to have little to say to Mrs. Keaton. At last the pair rejoined the group, but neither Delia nor Sir Ethan gave any indication as to the outcome of their discussion.
The evening moved slowly, much like the night before, only this night Emily avoided any private conversation with the earl and made a concerted effort to be pleasant to the countess, who in her turn was very sociable. The children again came to the drawing room when the tea tray was brought.
Emily watched Lady Cora closely. After fawning over Honoria and Jamie on their arrival, she pasted a patently false smile on her face and seemed to physically recoil from them as they sat beside her. The lady wanted no part of the responsibility of caring for children. No doubt she would see them all enrolled in remote schools the first chance she got.
With a determined sigh, Emily made up her mind to broach the subject of a picnic with the earl before she retired, no matter the impropriety. But to her delight, Sir Ethan joined in the plan.
“I believe tomorrow is promising to be a delightful day, Hawksworth. Do you think Cook could make arrangements for a picnic on the estate on such short notice?”
Honoria, hearing of a picnic, jumped up from her position beside the dowager and rushed to take her uncle’s hand. She tugged it gently, saying, “Oh, Uncle, please say that we may go as well. There is nothing Jamie and I like better than to eat out of doors.”
Oliver’s gaze moved to Emily. “We must make certain that our guests would enjoy such an outing.”
In an unseemly rush, Emily said, “My lord, I know that Delia and I should greatly relish a chance to enjoy the English countryside once more.”
Jamie threw his arm around the neck of the countess. “Will you come too, Great-grandmama?”
Lady Hawksworth smiled indulgently at the boy. “Good heavens, child, I am much too old to be dining on the ground, but I shall not spoil your fun. You may all have your picnic. Luella and I shall remain indoors. I have several friends I wish to write to and announce the arrival of my delightful great-grandchildren.” With that she tweaked Jamie’s nose.
The marquess, seeing the mutinous look on his daughter’s face, quickly spoke before she could refuse. “I shall keep the ladies company here, but I am certain that my daughter would enjoy whatever outing is decided upon.”
Lady Cora gave a wan smile. “To be sure, I should enjoy dining alfresco. Such fun.”
Oliver stared at the lady briefly. He was not in the least fo
oled by her false pronouncement. But he knew for certain that such an outing would be a welcome relief from the dull doings into which the castle had fallen. “Then I shall make the arrangements. Shall we set the time for two tomorrow afternoon?”
Everyone who was going agreed. Emily knew she was looking forward to an afternoon spent with the earl and away from the countess’s watchful eyes. If Lady Cora’s true self was revealed in the course of the outing, all the better.
The following morning the spring air held only a slight chill, and the sunny afternoon was perfect for the proposed outing. The servants worked busily setting up a table loaded with a variety of food and drink near the ornamental lake. Several large blankets were spread upon the ground with shade umbrellas positioned so that the ladies might dine in comfort.
Emily, Delia and the two eldest children—the countess had deemed Wesley too young—as well as the excited Kali, arrived to find Lord Hawksworth and Sir Ethan standing beside Lady Cora, who’d settled upon a blanket near the water’s edge. The lady looked a picture in a white muslin gown with a sheer overdress of white embroidered flowers. A straw bonnet with pink ribbons framed her beautiful face.
Emily gave the lady but a cursory glance, for her gaze was drawn to his lordship, who stood smiling as he watched their approach. A light breeze ruffled his raven-black hair, giving him a boyish charm, yet his blue eyes held a sensuous light that made Emily’s heart beat faster. Embarrassed at where her thoughts wandered, she drew her gaze to his dark-blue coat and grey buckskins, then felt her cheeks warm at the thought of the athletic figure beneath.
“Welcome, ladies. Honoria, Jamie, your great-grandmother sent you a surprise.” The earl gestured to the side of the blanket where two large boxes sat, but his gaze remained steadfastly on Miss Collins.
The children eagerly ran and fell to their knees, tearing off the tops to see what Lady Hawksworth had given them. From her box, Honoria lifted out a wooden baton with a long red streamer. She immediately stood and ran around, making the ribbon trail after her in long rippling waves, seeming to float on the breeze.
While his sister was dashing about, Jamie opened his gift. In the box was a ball and a cricket bat. “How shall I play cricket without a team of lads?”
Hawksworth, putting aside his thoughts of the lady, looked at Sir Ethan, and that gentleman gave a brief nod of his head. “For today, we gentlemen shall be your team. Come, we shall make a start.”
Lady Cora’s eyes glittered. “And what are we ladies to do, while you play Nanny, sir?”
Emily shot a pleased look at Delia, but merely said, “Come, ladies. Let us join in the fun. While we cannot play, we can certainly retrieve the ball.” When the earl looked surprised, she added, “Delia and I are not so fragile as you think, my lord. We have faced the wilds of an Indian plantation, so a little game of cricket does not strike fear in our hearts.”
The earl grinned; then, placing his arm round Jamie’s shoulders, he led the lad out into the open grass. Lady Cora’s mouth flattened into a thin line as her gaze followed the gentleman. In a voice intended only for Emily’s ears, she remarked, “Well, Miss Collins, I am certain you are of very hardy stock, but a lady does not dash about on a cricket field. Have you been so long from Society as not to know what constitutes civilized behavior?”
Emily rose, saying, “You would be quite amazed, I think, at how much Society exists in Calcutta, Lady Cora. Yet I think that an afternoon’s fun will do little to damage your standing even in London’s stricter surroundings.”
Lady Cora’s chin rose. “My standing allows for a great deal more than yours, Miss Collins. Yet I will forgo the pleasure of dashing about with you and the gentlemen, for I do not think they will admire such hoydenish behavior.”
“As you wish, Lady Cora.” With that, Emily and Delia moved to where the game was about to begin.
But Lady Cora’s prediction proved wrong. Oliver found he liked watching Emily’s elegant figure as her muslin gown molded to her when she dashed forward to retrieve the ball. Despite the ladies’ lack of skill, fun was had by all the participants. Even the mistakes proved amusing. The earl couldn’t remember when he’d felt so carefree, nor laughed with such abandon.
During a lull in the cricket game, Honoria came dashing up shouting, “Uncle, Uncle, look at me.”
She ran about the earl with her baton raised high, the red streamer trailing on the breeze. But at that moment Kali jumped and caught the red ribbon in her teeth. The feisty little dog dashed in the opposite direction from Honoria. In an instant, the streamer was wrapped several times around Oliver’s legs.
“Nuncheon is served, my lord,” Bedows called from the tables.
Oliver couldn’t move or he would break Honoria’s new gift. “I believe I could use some assistance, Miss Collins.”
Emily and Jamie, standing nearby, laughed at his lordship’s predicament. The lady called, “I do believe your wards have you where they want you, my lord.”
The earl, hands on his hips, laughed. “It would seem so.”
Jamie soon convinced Kali to surrender her hold on the ribbon and freed the earl.
Within minutes everyone was gathered back at the blanket where Lady Cora waited, her eyes glinting in anger. “I hope you had a delightful time while I was sitting here all alone.”
The earl’s eyes gave not a hint to his feelings, but he politely remarked, “I do apologize, my lady. Won’t you have one of these marvelous sandwiches that Cook has prepared?”
The lady took the proffered plate, then began to nibble on the sandwich with little enjoyment. She hated being outdoors, she hated being ignored, and most of all she hated children. With noticeable ire, she moved her gown away from Jamie, who’d pushed in to sit beside her with his ugly black mongrel. The boy chattered about the game as he devoured numerous sandwiches with such speed that Lady Cora hoped he might choke.
Instead, the boy was soon finished and asked his uncle if he might be excused. He dashed off to the water’s edge, where he found something to amuse himself.
As the adults ate, conversation was sporadic and confined to the excellence of the meal. Then the talk turned to India, and the gentlemen were full of questions about the countryside. But as first Delia, then Emily, spoke of things they remembered, the earl noted that Lady Cora became more sullen to be excluded from the conversation.
Oliver, remembering his promise to his grandmother to be a good host to Lady Cora and feeling guilt at having abandoned her during the game, asked her several questions about the Season. Soon the lady was in high gig, describing all the events she’d attended. She ended with, “I do adore London.”
Sir Ethan, fully agreeing with Delia that the marquess’s daughter would make a dreadful wife for the earl, decided to put the lady’s resolve to a test. “Then why, dear lady, have you come all the way into the country at the height of the Season?”
Lady Cora’s aqua gaze moved to the earl. With a coy giggle, she said, “I believe the countess had her reasons for issuing an invitation to my father. I am a great favorite of—”
“Uncle!” Suddenly Jamie interrupted the lady’s discourse as he plopped down beside her to announce, “Look what I have found.” He opened the box which formerly held his cricket bat and ball. Inside was a veritable army of green frogs in all shapes and sizes. As the curious Kali bounded forward to inspect the treasure, all the creatures attempted to escape the confines of their new prison. The frogs leapt out in all directions, landing in the food, on the blanket and on the ladies.
Ever ready to do her duty, Kali pounced on the nearest frog, sending plates and cups flying. For a moment it seemed as if the blanket were alive with green leapers. “Get away, get away!” Lady Cora shrieked.
Emily grabbed several of the frogs, trying to keep them from jumping on the terrified woman. “Don’t be afraid, my lady. They won’t hurt you.”
But Lady Cora wasn’t listening, only waving her arms and screeching hysterically. To everyone’s surprise, she e
xhibited more agility than one would imagine from her earlier inactivity as she jumped to her feet. The lady swore with the expertise of a groom even while she batted at two frogs which clung to her gown stubbornly. Before anyone could utter a word of warning, the lady staggered backward and fell into the lake.
“Lady Cora!” Oliver was on his feet and in the water in a flash, fearful the lady might come to harm as she sank under the murky depths. But no sooner had he helped her to her feet than she jerked her arm free and stomped out of the water with drooping blond curls plastered to her wet face, her once white gown now a grimy green. She came to stand face-to-face with what she saw as her tormentor, Jamie Carson.
“Everything is ruined! This is all your fault, you little monster.”
With that she drew back her arm and prepared to cuff the boy. But Emily was there before her, grabbing her wrist. Quite forgetting that she still held a great green frog, she pointed the writhing creature in the lady’s face, indignantly saying, “You will not hurt this child, Lady Cora, as long as I am present.”
On seeing the frog dangling inches from her nose, Lady Cora squealed and jumped back.
From behind the stunned group, Lady Hawksworth’s angry voice pierced the afternoon air. “How dare you try to strike my great-grandson?” All eyes turned to the countess and her companion, Miss Millet, who’d come down to visit the picnickers.
Lady Cora, her rage so deep, that she gave little thought to the circumstances, glared at her ladyship. “Look at my gown! ’Tis ruined and all you care about is this hell-begotten puppy.” Then she rounded on the earl, who’d moved back to the shore. “I will have you know, sir, that I cannot abide all this rural domesticity. It is well enough to visit one’s estate on rare occasions, but London is where one should spend one’s time.”
Oliver was heartily tired of Lady Cora. Seeing the outrage and distaste on his grandmother’s face, he decided he might at last take action. “You, my lady, may return to your beloved London with my compliments, but I fear that my new responsibilities require that I spend a great deal of time with my delightful young wards in the country.”