by Wendy Vella
The interior was dark, the only light spilling in through the large stained glass window directly above the front door. The smells were the same, beeswax and the sharper tang of scented candles. Will looked to the large cross that was suspended above the altar at the rear.
“You found us, my lord!”
Searching the church for Isabella, he found her sitting in a pew resting her leg.
“Not a terribly auspicious task when you told me where you were going, Isabella,” Will said, following Olivia with his eyes as she started arranging flowers. He didn’t want her lifting anything heavy seeing as she was still injured in some capacity. He missed the small, knowing smile Bella gave him as he quickly walked to where Olivia was hefting a large vase onto the table.
“Can you not ask for help?”
“I would if I needed it.” She grunted as the vase landed on the bench.
“I don’t remember you being this stubborn five years ago,” Will said, lifting the two others into place. “In fact, I remember men running hither and yon at your behest and you merely batting your eyelashes in gratitude.”
“Things other than physical appearances change in five years, Lord Ryder, as I’m sure you are aware.”
She looked at him briefly and then returned to fussing with the flowers. She was hiding secrets behind those eyes. Will knew it, yet he had no idea how to get her to trust him enough to share them.
“Do you and your sisters get support from Lord Langley?”
Taking several big glossy leaves she then forced them into the back of each vase.
“I hardly think that is your concern, my lord.”
“Do you want for anything, Olivia, anything I can help you with?” Will persisted.
She crushed a leaf in one hand before speaking. “I will tell you what I told the Duke and Duchess, my lord. We are not their subjects, or in need of charity, and are more than capable of looking after ourselves.”
Will grabbed her arm as she reached for another flower. He pulled her to face him and her eyes widened as she took in his anger.
“That is insulting to both you and my brother, Olivia. Joseph has never thought of you as his subject, or anyone else for that matter,” Will said softly. “We are friends, Olivia, of long standing. I hope I can offer my support to you without you taking offense, especially after the loss of both your parents.”
She tugged her arm free and began once again to arrange the flowers, her long elegant fingers twisting a stem or leaf until she was happy with the result. He couldn’t see the emotions that undoubtedly flitted across her face, only the side profile of her cute little nose and full lips and, of course, the stubborn thrust of her chin. He wondered why he hadn’t noticed that before. She then sighed as she took a step back to look up at him.
“Please accept my apologies, my lord; it was not my intention to insult you.”
“It certainly sounded like an insult.”
“I have apologized, my lord. It is not only men who have pride,” she muttered, tweaking a petal. “Thank you for your concern, but we are quite well and have no need of your assistance. Now I have work to do, so please do not let me detain you further.”
Will studied her face and realized he had yet to see her laugh like she once had, with unrestrained abandon; it had been one of the things he had loved about her.
“There you are, my lord.”
Will watched Phoebe walk into the church followed by Freddy.
“Miss Olivia Langley, Miss Phoebe Langley and over there sitting down is Miss Isabella Langley, please allow me to introduce Mr. Frederick Blake to you all. He and I have traveled together these past five years.”
Olivia curtsied as Freddy bowed to her and her sisters and then he said something in his booming voice that made her smile. Will’s man of affairs was good at that, making people feel comfortable.
“It is lovely to meet you, Mr. Blake, are you happy to be back in England?”
Freddy nodded his head. “Very happy, although the weather takes a bit of getting used to, Miss Langley.”
“Will you ever get used to it, do you think? I know I still shiver all winter and I’ve never left here.”
Will wanted that smile on him, gentle and almost playful. Olivia let Freddy see the soft side of her but not him.
“And now you must excuse us, Mr. Blake, as we are due home,” Olivia added, moving back to the flowers.
“Will you allow us to take you home?” Freddy said before Will could open his mouth. “The weather has turned and the wind has a bite to it now.”
Olivia looked to where Isabella was slowly getting to her feet before answering.
“I would be grateful if you could take my sisters’ home, Mr. Blake, and I will follow shortly as I still have things to do here.”
“Freddy, you take Phoebe and Isabella to the carriage and I will wait for Olivia to finish and we will join you shortly,” Will said, helping Isabella to her feet. He then handed her over to Freddy who, followed by Phoebe, left the church.
“I can walk home, Lord Ryder. Please join the others.”
“We will wait for you, Olivia,” Will said, aware of the fact that being alone in his company unsettled her. “If you keep frowning, that line will become permanent,” he added. Reaching over her head as she turned to pick up the vase, he beat her to it.
“Where would you like to put it?”
He kept his face expressionless as she gave him a look that told him she would like to smash it over his head and then followed as she led him to the pedestal it was to sit on.
Quickly pulling on her, bonnet and gloves she then made for the door with Will on her heels.
“We’ll have snow by morning.”
She looked silently up at the gray skies above them to check the accuracy of his words and then made her way through the gate to where his carriage waited.
Bella was standing beside it talking to Luke, Freddy and Phoebe when they arrived. His friend had a polite expression on his face that showed none of the emotions he had experienced earlier and the youngest Langley had a rosy flush to her cheeks that Will guessed was not just from the cold air.
“Luke, how wonderful to see you again.”
Will watched as Olivia took the hand Luke held out towards her and squeezed it.
“And you, Miss Langley.”
“Olivia, please, we are old friends.”
Funny how she urged Luke to call her Olivia yet he was to call her Miss Langley, Will thought, feeling the unfamiliar bite of jealousy.
“I shall help you inside now, Miss Isabella,” Luke said, putting his hand beneath Bella’s arm. “It’s too cold out here to stand about chatting.”
Will watched as Luke helped Bella inside, handling her as if she was made of the finest china, then Phoebe and Freddy followed.
“Climb into your seat, Luke, I shall see to Olivia.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“You’ll keep, Fletcher,” Will muttered, as he reached for Olivia only to have her step up into the carriage unaided. Snapping his teeth together and ignoring Luke’s snort, he followed.
Seating herself, Livvy then moved as close to the window as she could, leaving a large space for Will. Seconds later, she felt him sit beside her, his solid thigh pressed against hers and even through the layers of clothing that separated them she felt the heat from his body.
“Did Thea tell you she is to have a skating party for her birthday?” Isabella told Will. “It will be excellent fun, my lord, and I shall enjoy watching you all, unless of course you cannot skate,” Bella teased him.
“I can skate, thank you, Miss Isabella. It is the cold weather that I am not overly fond of.”
“He is no longer a sturdy English gentleman, Bella,” Phoebe added.
“I shall take that as a compliment, thank you, Phoebe, as a sturdy English gentleman sounds as if he should have a wide girth and red nose, neither of which I have yet to cultivate,” Will stated. “Perhaps with the support of two healthy English gen
tleman you can skate a few times around the ice also, Isabella?”
“I hardly think that…”
“I would like to try, my lord,” Isabella rushed to add, thereby cutting Livvy off. How dare Will raise her little sister’s hopes like that?
“Her leg is painful, my lord, and she cannot support her weight for long periods of time,” Livvy said in clipped tones.
“And yet she walked into the village today,” he said calmly, still looking at Bella. “Therefore, a few laps on the ice, supported by myself and Luke, should not pose too much of a problem, should it Isabella?”
Livvy watched her sister smile at the prospect of skating. Could Bella skate if only for a little while? Perhaps, only time would tell, but she would not allow this man to raise her hopes too high. Bella had had more than enough disappointment in her life. This would not be another one.
“It needs to snow enough first,” Livvy added, thereby putting an end to the conversation. She felt Will’s eyes on her briefly before he winked at Bella.
“Did you acquire a new hat, Freddy?” he then questioned his man of affairs.
“Yes, my lord, and gloves.”
“I hope you didn’t invest in a pair in an unmanly color.”
“A nice pale gray, my lord.” Freddy lifted his gloves for the occupants of the carriage to inspect.
Livvy nodded her approval and thought she may have smiled, but in truth she didn’t know. Will’s close proximity was scrambling her thoughts. Desperately seeking a distraction, she looked out the window.
The weather had turned as Mr. Blake had predicted; in fact, the air felt still and cold and Livvy realized that Will was correct. Snow would follow soon.
“Well, I think it is a very manly color, Mr. Blake, and matches your lovely eyes very well indeed,” Phoebe said.
Studying the darkening landscape as they traveled through the village, Livvy listened as Phoebe flattered Mr. Blake with ease as she did every man. There had been a time when she had been able to converse like that. Now, all she seemed to do was argue or censure people. In fact, Livvy was fairly certain that she was turning into a brittle-tongued harridan.
“Don’t flatter him too much, Phoebe. He already has a sizable ego,” Will drawled.
Livvy tried to move closer to the window just to gain even an inch of space between them, but as she moved he merely shifted his legs and trapped her skirts. Trying to be circumspect, she gave them a small tug but still she could not move.
“I seem to have my skirts trapped beneath your leg, Lord Ryder,” Livvy whispered when all her attempts failed. Luckily, Mr. Blake and her sisters were having a loud discussion over the colors men now wore and didn’t hear her.
“So you have.”
Livvy’s mouth dropped open as Will leaned closer to her with these words, thereby making any movement on her part impossible. Livvy only managed to draw a shaky breath when he once again sat up straight.
“I will state here and now that I will never be seen alive in yellow clothing or pink for that matter… possibly pale blue also,” Will said.
“I don’t know,” Livvy said, giving her skirts another surreptitious tug which yielded her precisely nothing. “I think some men are born to wear yellow and pink.” Tilting her head to one side, she then added. “I believe you could be one of those men, my lord.”
“Ho! Met your match there, my lord,” Freddy roared.
The rogue didn’t say anything further. He just smiled and leaned closer, ignoring her little squeak of outrage as her skirts pulled tight across her thighs. Thankfully, Willow Hall came into sight minutes later; soon she would be away from his disturbing presence.
“Jenny!” Isabella waved to the woman walking out the front door as the carriage stopped. “We have eaten cinnamon and plum buns,” she added as Luke helped her down.
“If you will move, my lord, I can follow my sisters,” Livvy said as she attempted to rise after the others had left. He, however, did not move. Instead, his fingers cupped her chin, forcing her to look at him.
“Before I do, let me just say that I hope we can be friends, Olivia. Because being away from home for five years taught me one very valuable lesson.”
“Wh—what was that,” she whispered. He held her gaze intently for several seconds before he spoke.
“There are plenty who will say they are your friend but only a few who actually mean it.”
“Were there many?”
“Many what?” He released her chin to pick up her hand.
“Who claimed to be your friend?”
Placing his lips on her palm, he held them there until Livvy could feel the imprint of his mouth on her skin. Only then did he look at her.
“Too many to count, Olivia.” He smiled gently and Livvy felt herself returning the gesture. Releasing her hand, he moved to the door.
“Goodbye, Olivia, and I will state once more that if you ever need anything, I hope you will come to me,” he said after helping her from the carriage.
Livvy opened her mouth to refuse, but before she could utter a word he had the door shut. Taking a step back, she watched as the carriage rolled away.
CHAPTER SEVEN
“Phoebe,” Livvy said as she followed her sisters through the front door.
“Yes?”
“I… I think we must ride out tonight.” Livvy felt her stomach sink at the thought of robbing another carriage. “My shoulder is healed and we must do it before the snow sets in.” Pulling off her gloves, she began to rub her tingling palm. She could still feel the heat from Will’s mouth.
“If you’re sure that your shoulder is up to it.”
“My shoulder is fine.”
Phoebe snorted but said nothing further.
“Settle yourself in the parlor and I shall bring something to warm you,” Jenny called from down the hall.
“The guilt is the hardest part, don’t you think, Phoebe? Knowing we are taking from others and causing them distress?”
“I know, I feel the same. But it must be done, and perhaps after tonight we may have enough for Bella’s treatment.”
“I cannot think beyond what we must do now or the panic engulfs me,” Livvy whispered. “What of next year or the year after? Will we have to do this again…?”
“Enough,” Phoebe said, taking Livvy’s hand. “You’re the strong one, remember? I’m the one who gets scared.”
Squeezing the hand, Livvy nodded. “Yes, you’re right, and there is no going back now as we have already broken the law once.
They followed Isabella through the cold house and climbed the staircase where they entered the second door on the right into the small parlor that was for their use alone. They had furnished the room with things that were both comfortable and comforting. The four chairs were old but well-loved and the table before the fire had scratches and chips but the sisters knew who had made each mark.
“Pull the curtains, Phoebe, and the room will soon be warm.”
Livvy willed herself to relax. Being trapped in the carriage with Will had made her feel fluttery inside.
“I wish I could go to the Assembly with you and Phoebe tomorrow night, Livvy.” Bella perched on the arm of the chair Phoebe had fallen into. “I want to wear one of your creations, Phoebe.”
“You do every time we leave the house and when you go to visit Thea,” Phoebe reminded her sister.
Bella made a small noise, indicating this was not what she meant, which her elder sisters ignored.
“Just because I cannot dance does not mean I do not want to go and watch and have scintillating conversations with people.”
Livvy laughed. “I’ve had more scintillating conversations with Boris than I get at an Assembly. And the answer is no,” she added, unmoved by the look on her younger sisters face.
“I second that, Bella, so don’t think I’ll support you,” Phoebe added.
Livvy held her hands out to the fire hoping that the heat would remove the sensation of Will’s lips.
“He
re’s the tea,” Jenny said, bustling into the room.
Jenny Bell was more than a housekeeper. She was a friend and a sympathetic ear when any of the Langley sisters needed one. Livvy watched as she placed the tea tray on the small table before the fire.
“Sit, Jenny,” Livvy instructed and the housekeeper folded herself into one of the worn chairs. Bright-eyed with boundless energy, Jenny had been with the Langleys for as long as Livvy could remember, but it was after the deaths of Lord and Lady Langley that their relationship had progressed into friendship.
The room was quiet for several minutes as they tucked into thick slices of bread and jam and tea.
“I think one of you should marry Lord Ryder and then we would no longer have any worries.”
Livvy, who had just taken a mouthful of tea, proceeded to spit it all over the skirts of her dress. “Bella!” she spluttered.
“Surely the idea is not that repugnant,” Jenny said, getting out of her chair to mop it up with her apron. “He’s a handsome man, after all, and once you cared for him a great deal.”
“I… I…” Livvy couldn’t find the words to refute that claim as she swatted at her damp skirts.
“I suppose I could marry him as he would be as accommodating as the next man and far more handsome,” Phoebe mused as she chewed delicately on a corner of toast. “Although I feel no attraction for him, nor he for me.”
Breathe, Livvy. Her lungs had seized at the thought of Phoebe and Will together, which was foolish because she had no claim upon him nor did she wish to… not at all.
Bella flopped onto the rug beside her. Livvy knew that innocent look. It usually meant she was going to say something that would be better left unsaid.
“It will have to be Livvy then.”
Absolutely not!
Taking an even bigger gulp of tea, Livvy winced as it burned its way down her throat. Fighting the need to cough again, she made several loud, throat-clearing noises instead.
“I rather think Lord Ryder will take exception to you picking his bride for him, Bella. Furthermore, like Phoebe has already stated, if there is no attraction it would make for an unhappy match.” Livvy felt quite proud of the fact that she managed to keep her voice even and her words calm.