"When I was a girl, a young man came to live at one of the neighboring estates. He was the nephew of a fine man who was childless."
"Oh," Tempest said, her eyes going wide and she took a hearty bite of cake. As an expectant mother, Tempest was doing her part to eat for two.
"We met in the woods one day when I was but a girl, and he was a lad a few years my senior. I immediately fell in love with him, but of course, as a young girl would think about a kindly boy who enjoyed listening to her stories and never once made her feel silly or peculiar for the thoughts she had or the questions she asked."
"Oh," Tempest said again with a sigh. "How I would have loved it if anyone had listened to my thoughts and not made me feel foolish. Mattie, who is now my maid, was the only one I had, and she never had much time for my fancies since my aunt and uncle practically ran her ragged. They were notoriously pinchpenny and never kept enough servants. Those they did employ had to carry much more of the workload than was humanly possible, it seemed. But, I have diverted you. Please, tell me more."
"We would meet in the woods and I would tell him my tales and he would listen as though I was the most interesting person in the world. I thought him quite handsome and dashing. No one else knew of our rendezvous, or at least I never told anyone. Oh, it was all quite innocent. We were but children. Still, my mother would not have permitted it. Besides, it pleased me to have a secret friend and I stored up my stories of fancies and fairies to tell him."
"Oh," Tempest said longingly. "Do go on, please."
"After a few months, his uncle sent him off to school. He was quite bright, you know, and his uncle had great hopes for him."
"Where was his family?" Tempest asked.
"He never spoke of them much, but I gathered his parents were still alive, but they had not the means to educate and care for a young man of such promise and so his uncle and aunt took up the task, particularly since they were childless."
Tempest paused and looked across the room, an expression of melancholy on her face. "I wonder how my life might have been different if my aunt and uncle had wanted me... or my parents had not died."
My heart pinched up with sadness for the child she must have been, alone and unwanted. I reached over and squeezed her hand. "But, you might not have met my Jimmy, if that had been the case and I would have been very sad not to have you as a daughter."
She squeezed my hand in reply and composed herself before smiling at me with fondness in her eyes. "Yes, I cannot imagine anyone being a better mother-in-law for me, than you."
The dear girl really did warm my heart.
"But, please," she insisted, "I must know the rest of the story." She refilled our tea cups and helped herself to a second slice of cake.
"After he left for school, I did not see him for several years and I was busy with my own life. I had lessons in the classroom and with a music instructor and the dance master. While William was away becoming a man, I was learning all about how to be a proper young lady. After a time, I did not wander the woods nearly so often, as my mother did not think it proper. But, I still thought about him often and wondered if he was well and if I would ever see him again."
"Did he never come back?" Tempest's question surprised me. I had gotten so caught up in telling the story, I forgot I had an audience. Those years were so very long ago, and yet sometimes they seemed like just yesterday.
"Yes, he did come back. A few months before my eighteenth birthday, he returned. Oh my, but he was good looking. He had grown into a strong and handsome man, not even a young man, but a man as far as I was concerned. I shall never forget the first time I saw him after all those years, and of course, no one knew we were already acquainted having spent so many hours in the forest together.
"The breath caught in my throat and I am sure a flush covered my face when he walked into the room. And when he looked at me, I could see in his eyes he was pleased with how I had grown up.
"I have never been vain, honestly I have not, I never cared two straws about being pretty, other than it pleased my mother and father that I was well-turned out. But, when I saw the appreciation in his eyes, I thanked heaven for my good fortune in having a creamy complexion and lustrous hair."
"So why did you not marry him?"
"I wanted to. I intended to, and I assumed that is what he intended as well, though he never said as much. I waited patiently, or as patiently as I could, for him to speak his intentions but he never did. Oh, he was attentive and whenever I was at a local dance I could feel his eyes following me around the room and oh, the way he would glower when another gentleman paid attention to me or asked me to dance. Sometimes I flirted with other young men just to watch the way his brows would scrunch up in a scowl or the way his lips would make a straight line across his face."
"He got mad because you were flirting, and he married someone else?"
"No, stop guessing. I will tell the story faster, as there is not much left to tell at this point. When I turned eighteen my parents threw an elaborate ball in my honor, it was to be my introduction to society and the hall was full of eligible gentlemen from counties near and far. I was shocked when I saw the long line of carriages circling the drive and the bounty of handsome escorts who arrived for the party. It was almost too much, like looking at all the sweets in the window at Gunter’s and trying to decide which one to choose.
"In truth, I knew there was still only one man for me. And when I saw him come through the receiving line and wish me a happy birthday, all the other men in the room vanished from my view. He truly was the only man for me.
"But, it was a party and I was expected to dance and enjoy all of the guests. And I love a good party and this one was in my honor. I was the star of the event. I could hardly sit idly by and my father forbade me from dancing more than two dances with any one man as it would give the appearance of a preference which was inappropriate, he said, for a girl of my age.
"William dutifully filled in his name on my dance card and I looked forward to our time together. Until then, I danced with others and enjoyed myself. I felt his eyes on me the whole time, boring little possessive holes in my back as I danced or spoke with the others. Honestly, he reminded me of a caveman and I wondered if he would grab me by my hair and drag me outside."
"James looks at me that way sometimes. I find it rather... exhilarating," Tempest said with a blush.
"I was not so wise as you," I said. "Although I appreciated his attention and did, as I mentioned, sometimes flirt in order to get a rise out of him, after a while, I found his behavior rather boorish. He had not, in fact, stated his intentions and though he had been quite attentive, and I found his company most stimulating and invigorating, the fact remained I was very young, and I did not trust my heart. The attentions of so many attractive and charming men went to my head a bit, and I did not handle it well. Or maybe I handled it too well. When I noticed the way William was prowling around the room like a wolf hunting his prey—and I was the prey—it made me angry. I knew his dances were coming up but before his turn, I was slated to dance with Lord Knox."
Tempest gasped, and I nodded. "Yes, that Lord Knox."
"He was a bit shy, but I thought he was sweet and though he was not so bold as some of the other men in attendance, he was a gentleman through and through. He brought me a gift for my birthday and invited me to go out to his carriage to collect it. Going out alone, especially near the empty carriages, was not really proper, but it was my birthday and curiosity got the better of me. When we got to Lord Knox’s carriage and I saw his gift—a puppy—I was thrilled. Until William yanked the carriage door open and hauled Lord Knox out onto the ground."
"No!" Tempest's hands covered her mouth in shock.
"Yes," I said. "It was an ugly sight, I tell you. I had never seen William, or anyone for that matter, in such a state. He bloodied Lord Knox’s nose. The whole affair was decidedly ungentlemanly. I kicked him in the shin and he finally calmed down. It was as though he was possessed by a dem
on."
"No!"
"Yes, and then I told him to leave and never return. That is exactly what I did. I do not know where I found the fortitude, but he had angered me greatly. But my anger dissipated quickly and when I saw him walking away across the lawn I wanted to run after him. He held his head high and his shoulders were stiff with pride and it was all I could do not to run across the garden after him and jump on his back, begging him to stay. But, I did not. Lord Knox, perhaps because he saw an opening, quickly escorted me inside and told me funny stories to distract me from my upset.
He really was a sweet man and I thought I might be able to care for him, but I could not forget about William so quickly."
"Did he leave the party entirely? When did you see him again?"
"Yes, I knew by the look in his eye and the set of his shoulders as he walked away, he was leaving the party. I spent the rest of the evening glancing about for him, while trying not to appear to be looking for him. And when he failed to claim the two dances he had reserved on my dance card, I knew it was pointless to look for him anymore. Lord Knox saw an opportunity and took me to the dance floor in his stead.
"The next day, my mother and I called upon his aunt. She had been unable to attend the party because she was ill, so it provided the perfect excuse for my mother and I to visit her. I was desperate for a moment alone with William to apologize and beg him to forgive me, so we could go back to our happy friendship and more, I wanted more. As an innocent girl, I had no real idea what the more was that I desired, but I knew he was the other half of my heart. When his aunt reported he had joined the army that very day, having woken his uncle at dawn and insisted on him making the arrangements for a commission, my heart shattered, and I saw my entire world crash around me." I paused and glanced up at Tempest.
She stared back with her mouth agape. "Oh," she groaned. "What a tragedy."
"Yes, it certainly was a tragedy. My mother and William's aunt suspected our affinity for one another and if they had not, I am certain my reaction to the news that he had joined the army gave away my true feelings for him. Of course, I had been brought up never to show emotion, particularly not outside of my family, but I could not help but gasp and I am sure my face went absolutely white. However, I managed to get through the rest of the call and neither my mother nor our hostess said anything directly to me, though I could tell by the looks they exchanged they knew I was not an uninterested party."
"Did you write to him? Why did you not go after him? Surely, he had not gotten far." Tempest was in a near panic with the retelling of my story.
"No," I said, shaking my head from side to side. "Things were much different back then. Not as progressive as they are now, and a proper young lady would not write to a man who was not her husband or fiancé. And, even if I had wanted to follow after him, I would never have accomplished it. It was not as though I had experience in moving about the country on my own."
There was a moment of quiet while Tempest and I refreshed ourselves with cake and tea, each lost in thought.
"So, what of James' father? Did you love him?" Tempest asked gently, her brow furrowed with worry.
I was pleased I could answer with honesty. "James' father, Lord Knox, was an honorable man and I liked him better than any of the others... all save William, of course. We continued to spend time together after meeting at my eighteenth birthday party. After the debacle with William, I spent many weeks simply going through the motions of life. I felt rather numb."
I gazed out the window. I was not one for fits of melancholy and it had been many years since I had allowed myself to become immersed in the emotions from that period on my life. To an outside observer, my life was idyllic. My family was well-regarded and well-endowed. My first London season beckoned, full of promise for romance and new experiences. Adulthood, marriage, motherhood, all were nearly in my grasp.
At the time, however, it did not feel so idyllic. I had been rash in my reaction to William’s behavior and he had been even more hot-headed and irrational in his actions.
What fools we had been.
Tempest, because we were enough alike I knew it pained her to be patient, waited for me to collect myself and continue my story. "So, when Lord Knox asked for my hand, I said yes. It was a brilliant match, he being the Earl of Knox with a large estate. He was a pleasant enough man and quite handsome. He adored me and indulged me more than he ought." A bit of wistfulness came over me for the man who had been my husband. "I believe he knew my heart was not entirely untouched at the time of our marriage, but he never questioned my affection for him. Eventually, I grew to love him, and we were, overall, content."
Tempest relaxed. "I am glad to hear it. I know not everyone is lucky enough to marry for love, but I would be sorry to think you had not been happy with James' father."
"It would be a grave disservice to him to say I was unhappy. I have, in fact, missed his company since his passing, which was why I sought Lady Ambrosia’s services in the first place. Never in a million years would I have expected to be reunited with William after all this time."
Tempest brightened. "And now, you are married. How incredibly romantic. How did you find each other? Had he been waiting for you all these years? Did he ever marry?"
"No, he never married. He says the army was his mistress."
"And he had hired Lady Ambrosia to find you?"
"No, that is the extraordinary thing about it. He had no notion who Lady Ambrosia was. She asked me to return for dinner in order to meet the man who would be my husband. She managed to find him in an afternoon and brought him to her house, so we could be together. Have you ever heard of anything so extraordinary?"
"Never!" A grin spread across Tempest's pretty face. "Lady Ambrosia really is magic."
"You will get no argument from me on that score."
"When will I get to meet him? I hate to interfere in your honeymoon period, but I am simply beside myself with excitement to make his acquaintance."
How could I say no to dear Tempest? Besides, I was eager for all of my favorite people to know each other.
"He will be here soon to collect me and the boys, as well as whatever of our belongings have been packed up. I shall send for the remainder after we get settled. You know Darcy, Bingley and Wickham can be a handful and do not adjust well to change."
Tempest stood. "I must go and change if I am to meet such an important personage." Calling for her faithful maid, Mattie, Tempest moved to exit the room, but her progress halted when something caught her attention and she paused before one of the large windows facing the street.
"I believe he has arrived," she said, turning to me with a mischievous smile. "He is a handsome gentleman." Her eyes glowed with excitement and I could not help the flush of pride I felt as I joined her and watched my beloved alight from the carriage.
"Oh, he is a well put together gentleman," Mattie, Tempest’s maid, said in a reverent tone as she gaped at William. Tempest and I had been so occupied with staring out the window, Mattie had entered the room without my notice. Her comment was highly improper for a servant and I ought to have chastised her, but I could not blame her for her reaction. William cut a fine figure.
Before he ascended the front steps, one of the footmen handed him several items. I cocked my head to the side and stepped closer to the window to make out what they were.
"Now why would a man be bringing toys into this house?" Mattie said.
"What do you mean, toys?" Tempest squinted through the pane of glass. "Bloody hell!" she said. "Is that a toy boat? And a ball?" Tempest turned on me. "What is he thinking? There are no children here."
My brow furrowed, and I worked my brain excessively to reason out what my husband could possibly be planning. It made no sense. In a rush, snippets of memory and conversation flashed through my mind and a knot formed in the bottom of my stomach.
"Oh, oh, oh no," I wailed and the two women with me stared in alarm.
"What is it?" Tempest took hold of my arm
.
"Shall I get the salts?" Mattie asked.
"H-he... he thinks the..." I could not get the words out.
"What?" Tempest gave my arm a shake. "He is nearly at the door. You must explain your distress."
She was correct, of course. Such a clever girl. Screwing up my nerve, I spit it out. "He believes the dogs are children."
Mattie, who had been leaning over me with concern, leapt back. "Is he daft?" She glanced out the window again. "What a shame for such a handsome man to be feeble minded."
Her words woke me from my stupor. "He is not daft. I am. I talked about my boys and I do not believe I ever explained they were not actually children."
There was a rap at the door. "I shall stall him as long as I can," Mattie said as she made for the foyer. "But I would not wish to be in your shoes when he learns the truth," she sniffed over her shoulder.
"Nor do I."
* * *
William
Though I had only been apart from Callie for a short time, I missed her presence by my side. Even the carriage, in which I had ridden alone for many years, felt empty and desolate without her. When the vehicle stopped in front of her soon-to-be former residence, so I could collect her and her boys, I jumped out, anxious to be reunited with my wife.
Wife.
I liked the sound of that. It was not a word I thought would ever be part of my vocabulary. Not after Calliope had sent me from her years ago. The army had required a full commitment of my mind, body and soul and I had been happy to give it.
Now, however, I wished to devote my attentions to family. Drawing a deep breath, I ascended the stairs. My talk with General Fitzwilliam had calmed my nerves over my new, and unexpected, role of father to three small boys, though it remained a daunting thought.
I had marched into battle with more confidence than I approached the front door of the house which contained my new charges. I had stopped at a shop after meeting with the general. There I solicited the advice of the proprietor, Mr. Magorian, on the best choice of gifts for seven-year-old boys as I had three new sons for whom I wished to purchase gifts. He had, understandably, looked askance when I mentioned three such youngsters all in the same household. Fortunately, he regained his composure and did not ask if they were triplets.
His Mischievous Bride: Regency Matchmaker Book Two Page 10