Hope of Romance

by Ellie St. Clair

  “I could not,” Polly said, helplessly, looking up at her sister. “Mama was so delighted about my success, for a great many gentlemen sought me out for dancing and the like, and she was slowly beginning to warm to Lord Yardley – how could I tell her that I had failed so terribly?”

  Her sister gave a small smile. “Polly, none of this was your fault, but Lord Yardley’s. I am sure Mama would have understood, in time, although I can see why you did not say anything. My dear, you have been through so much. You must stay here for as long as you wish it. I will not have it any other way.”

  “You will not tell Mama or Papa?”

  Violet shook her head, her eyes filled with sympathy. “No, of course I will not.” Sitting forward, she held Polly’s hand for a moment. “And why is Taylor here?”

  Polly shrugged, not quite sure how to explain his presence as she hardly knew herself. “I asked him to come with me. I can’t really explain why I simply … wanted the companionship, and he knew all that had occurred. I wouldn’t have to pretend with him.”

  “Is that all?”

  “I’m not sure,” Polly said slowly, uncertain how much to tell Violet. “There is something about him that I can’t quite determine, but I seem to feel much more at ease when he is around. Does that make sense?”

  “It does,” said Violet with a smile. “Do you think perhaps, Polly, that you have feelings for him?”

  “Oh, no,” Polly said quickly. Too quickly, she realized, as Violet looked up at her, questions in her eyes. “I was so easily fooled by Lord Yardley. I will not be so again. No, I will never again give my heart away.”

  “Oh, Polly,” said Violet with a sigh. “You had one terrible experience, true. But don’t give up. You have always wanted to know the love of a good man, and you can still have that. Listen to advice, Polly. Taylor did speak to you about Yardley before, did he not?”

  There was nothing to do but agree to that, even though her sister did not understand her emotions.

  “Yes, he did,” she admitted. “My stubborn heart refused to believe him. I suppose I do feel something for Lord Taylor, Violet. There is something between us that almost requires him to be nearby for the time being, although I cannot explain what that is.”

  Violet nodded slowly, a look in her eye that Polly could not quite make out.

  “You must talk to me whenever you wish it,” Violet said, getting to her feet. “I am so glad you are here, Polly, truly. I can’t imagine what you must be feeling, but I assure you that the pain will fade in time.”

  Polly shook her head. “It is not so much pain, but embarrassment. Can I ever again trust my heart?” She gave her sister a wane smile. “Perhaps I shall become a spinster aunt to all my nieces and nephews, whenever they come along!”

  Violet’s smile was warm at the mention of children, her eyes bright. “Do not give up on gentlemen so easily, Polly. You have met one man that treated you horribly, but I assure you there are plenty of others who are exactly the opposite of Lord Yardley. Believe me. Just give it time, Polly. You will have your chance at love.”

  14

  The laughter pouring out of Polly’s lips brought a warmth to Sebastian’s heart. Her countenance had certainly changed since they had arrived at Colemore. The melancholy that had surrounded her in the past few days seem to be slowly lifting, both from being away from London and also, he guessed, simply the presence of her sister. This was what she needed, and he was glad she had enough sense to come here, leaving behind the trappings of the city and the Season.

  She and Violet were currently giggling over something their mother had apparently said or done. The poor woman seemed to the subject of many of their jokes, but they were all said in great fun.

  They had just finished dining and had settled into the drawing room. They weren’t very formal here, it being just the four of them, and Sebastian, in truth, preferred it. He liked Polly in a simple dress, her hair pulled back in an unadorned chignon that showed the attractive planes of her lovely face.

  He watched as she stood and made her way over to the window, where she gazed out at the fields beyond.

  “It’s so beautiful here,” she said wistfully. “I wish I had brought my painting supplies but, alas, I left them at our own country home. I didn’t think I would have the time to put them to any use in London.”

  “Oh, I have some you could use,” said Violet. “Lord knows I never have. You still paint, then?

  “I do!” Polly responded. “This past winter I truly applied myself and found I actually enjoyed it.”

  Sebastian tried to picture Polly sitting in one place for longer than a short matter of minutes, and found he could not do so.

  “I shall paint you, Lord Taylor!” she said suddenly, a smile breaking out on her face.

  “Paint me?” he asked, aghast, and she laughed.

  “Why, is that so shocking? You have an interesting face and you have nothing better to do while you are here. It shall be good practice for me. I find the female face easy enough to sketch and paint, but the male face … well, I have quite the time of it.”

  Sebastian had to laugh at her comment regarding his “interesting face.” It seemed to sum up what he had heard said about himself more often than not — he was good looking, true, but did not possess the heart-stopping good looks of some men — men like Lord Yardley, who had captivated Lady Polly so.

  “You must let me. Say you will, Lord Taylor.”

  And, just like he had too many times before now, Sebastian found himself saying yes to that upturned face, and he cursed his fickle heart when it warmed at her smile.

  As Greville and Violet began murmuring something to one another in low tones, Polly took the opportunity to speak with him about a subject he now wished he had never mentioned.

  “Lord Taylor,” she said, quietly. “You must tell me more about this group you say you work with. It sounds ever so exciting! What do you do for them? Is it dangerous?”

  Sebastian winced. He never should have mentioned his work. He only did so to keep her from prying into his past, but now she was asking too many questions regarding his present.

  “It … has been dangerous now and again, but is not typically,” he said, trying to think how much he could tell her without giving himself away. “I am usually simply finding information that would be difficult for one should they not be a member of the aristocracy.”

  “I see,” she said, her eyes shining, her interest in him seeming to grow further than before now that he was something of an enigma.

  “What has so captivated you regarding Taylor here?” Greville asked his sister-in-law, and Sebastian could have groaned aloud. They weren’t supposed to tell any others of their work. Violet knew, of course, but she hadn’t until she and Greville were married, and even then, it was only because she was involved in a scheme that rather threatened her life and her safety. In this case, the only thing at stake was Polly’s virtue, and it seemed that matter had been discussed and reviewed. As of yet, all was intact, and would hopefully remain that way so long as Yardley said nothing.

  “Lord Taylor here is involved in something rather secretive, yet altogether exciting,” said Polly, smiling at him before turning to look at her sister and her brother-in-law. Greville was grinning, while Violet was looking down at the floor, not meeting her gaze.

  “You knew!” she breathed, looking from them back to Taylor before returning her gaze to her sister. “How could you not have told me? How did you know?”

  Violet shrugged. “It certainly wasn’t my secret to tell, Polly,” she said, before Greville added, “Actually, we are not to tell anyone when it comes to our work with the Runners.”

  “The Runners?”

  “I never told her who it was,” said Sebastian with a pointed look at Greville.

  “Ah,” his friend said. “Well, I suppose you know now, Polly, so it’s best we tell you the way of it.”

  Greville described his work with the constabulary, who many referred to as
the Bow Street Runners, how he had recruited Sebastian, and what they did together. He touched on what had happened that had led to the marriage between him and Violet, and Polly seemed both fascinated and aghast at the same time.

  “Violet, I can hardly believe I never knew the full extent of this!” she said. “I mean, I knew pieces of your story but this … this is so romantic.”

  She smiled wistfully, and Sebastian knew she was thinking of her own future, of all she wanted, which she wasn’t sure if she would ever have now.

  “You can still have the future you had always dreamed of,” he said, whispering in her ear. “Do not let one man destroy your happiness.”

  As he said the words, he realized they could likely be applied to his own situation, but he shook his head, not letting the idea take root any further in his mind.

  “Well, I for one applaud the two of you,” she said. “You are doing much good, and we are all benefiting from it. On top of that, you have not asked for any recognition, but rather have done so out of the goodness of your hearts. I think that is rather admirable.”

  She kissed her brother-in-law on the cheek before doing the same to Sebastian, and he could no longer deny the emotions that were growing within him. He was developing feelings for the girl, and he wasn’t sure what to do about it.

  Polly hummed a bit of a tune as she strolled down the hallway to her bedroom. Her mind was swirling with thoughts of Lord Taylor — and Greville, she reminded herself — and the work they had done. She was rather proud of them, she thought, which was extremely silly. It was certainly not her place to be proud of either man!

  As she opened the door to her chamber, her sister called out her name from down the hallway.

  “Polly!” she said as she reached her. “I do hope you are not angry with me for not telling you of Greville’s involvement with the Bow Street Runners.”

  “Not at all,” Polly said, smiling at her sister to ease her concern. “I understand your duty to your husband.”

  “Besides that, he is no longer a part of them,” Violet continued. “He gave it up once we were married. He felt that it was too dangerous, given all that had happened. I will tell you more of it in due time, I promise.”

  Polly nodded and said goodnight to Violet, though as she pushed her door open she could not help but think that if it were her husband, she would want him to remain involved, to continue what he was doing. Oh, of course there was risk and danger, but wasn’t that part of the fun?

  That night, for the first night in a long time, her thoughts were not of what could have been, what she had wanted with Lord Yardley. No, rather his tall frame with the shock of light blond hair was replaced by a man who was shorter, but with much broader shoulders. His hair was a darker blond, a sandy color that was styled practically yet in the latest fashions. His nose was strong, his features large, and yet, they fit together rather well, especially when he smiled.

  She dreamed of how it might feel to have those strong arms around her, his lips on hers, his body pressed close against her. She woke with a start, surprised at herself. Do not give your heart away so easily once again, Polly, she chastised herself. One kiss in the middle of a beautiful field, and her romantic heart was making it into something so much more than it was.

  No, Lord Taylor saw her as nothing but a silly young girl who had been easily fooled by a known rake. Besides that, she had vowed to keep from giving her heart to another once more. And yet … one could not help but have dreams, she thought, and as she floated off to sleep, she felt the smile on her lips.

  15

  Sebastian smiled as he watched Polly and Violet stroll across the lawn, arm in arm. They had been here for a sennight now and Polly already seemed to be in better spirits. He was glad for that, for he had hated seeing her so despondent.

  “Violet told me what happened with Yardley,” Greville began, as they walked in the same direction as the ladies. “I must thank you, as Polly’s brother-in-law, for what you did. She means a lot to Violet, and I’m grateful you were there when I was not. I am sorry I haven’t mentioned it before now.”

  “Any gentleman would have done the same,” Sebastian replied, not wanting to make too much of it. “I knew she was your sister-in-law and wanted to make sure that she was kept from harm.” He grimaced, throwing a dark look in Greville’s direction. “Unfortunately, Yardley is a man who is very convincing.”

  Greville frowned, a few lines of worry appearing on his forehead. “And you think it has been contained?”

  “I hope so,” Sebastian replied, with a shrug. “Only Yardley’s friend saw the interaction, and he was told to keep quiet. However, one can never tell who might be within the depths of the gardens, nor as to whether Yardley will want to cash in on his bet. I would hope that given it has now been more than a week since the masquerade where it occurred, that all is contained.”

  “But, then again, we are in the country and not in London,” Greville pointed out. “Violet does not care for the latest en-dits, so we have no society papers delivered here.”

  “Then we shall just have to wait for a frantic letter from the Duchess, informing us of any mishaps,” Sebastian replied, with a slight grin. “Although, knowing the woman, she would be more likely to appear at your doorstep should it get out. No, I do not think we need worry, Greville. Enough time has passed without incident.”

  His friend nodded, the concern slowly lifting from his expression. “I suppose you are right.” Sebastian nodded at him, and returned his gaze to Lady Polly, walking ahead of them. Greville cleared his throat. “I did wonder whether there was any kind of attachment between you and Polly, Taylor. Might I ask if there is?”

  Sebastian felt his face warm and was unable to look over at his friend. “No, of course not,” he stammered, feeling a little foolish. “I came to be concerned for her when I heard Lord Yardley intend to make her his next conquest, that is all. Knowing you and her other brothers were out of the city, I felt obligated to look out for her.”

  “Very well, you need not be so hasty in your answer,” Greville replied, with a chuckle. “Although may I say your quick dissent only makes me believe otherwise. I know you better than anyone, don’t forget.” He gave him a sidelong glance, a small smile on his lips. “I would be rather glad if that were the case, Taylor. After all, it has been a good many years since Miss Gladstone, has it not?”

  Sebastian felt his heart tug painfully. He had not let go of the memory of Patricia Gladstone for a great many years. While it was not the woman herself that he still held onto, it was the idea of what he thought he’d had with her. Perhaps that was why he had felt it so necessary to look out for Polly — he hadn’t wanted her to suffer the same fate that he had. “It has been over five years now,” he replied, quietly.

  “And have you, therefore, changed your mind about finding yourself a wife?”

  Sebastian paused, thinking over the question. His eyes fixed on Polly, seeing her laugh up at her sister, and the feeling in his heart he was trying so hard to ignore began to blossom.

  “I am not sure, Greville. I have always vowed not to fall in love again and I thought my heart was closed to the idea. I believed that I had silenced that desire, once and for all.”

  “Just as Lord Yardley is not a representative of all gentlemen, all womankind are not like your Miss Gladstone,” Greville said, quietly. “I have always hoped that you might let go of your past and find someone to care for again.”

  “I do not want to care for her,” Sebastian muttered aloud, before realizing just what it was he had said.

  Greville chuckled, slapping him hard on the back. “We do not always get what we want, let me assure you of that,” he replied, with a wide grin. “I never thought I would come to love Violet but now you see me as a happily married man, content with life and grateful for all that I have.”

  “I had thought your scheme to wed her rather ridiculous, but I am glad to see all ended happily. Do you miss the detective work you once did?” S
ebastian asked, surprised at how little he had thought of it himself since arriving here at his friend’s estate. “After all, the two of us made quite a good team, if I recall. Brought more than one scoundrel to justice!”

  Their assistance with the constabulary now and again on few more serious cases had been required. For a few years now, they had been called upon when investigations involved those within the upper reaches of society. He had enjoyed the work, as had Greville – but ever since Greville had wed, he had stepped away from that side of things.

  “I find that a rather ordinary life is one I can now appreciate,” Greville replied, as they drew nearer to the ladies. “I do not miss the struggles and the difficulties I once had, but now find my life quite complete with my wife and my estate. We enjoy the odd foray into London, of course, but there is a great deal to do here. And I am sure that, very soon, there will be children all about us. It will be the next great adventure of my life,” he finished, with a warm smile toward his wife who had turned to look over at them both.

  Sebastian nodded and chose not to respond, standing back just a little as Greville walked toward his wife and kissed her cheek gently. He had, on his own, done a few things for the constabulary ever since Greville had stepped back, but it had not been the same. There had been no camaraderie, no one to bounce ideas off, no one to talk things through with. He found he no longer enjoyed it. Of course, he had told the constabulary that he would continue, as he appreciated the opportunity to make a difference, but it was still not the same as it had once been.

  His gaze landed on Lady Polly, who averted her eyes the moment their gaze met. For a fleeting moment, he wondered whether or not he could share his work with the constabulary with her, just as Greville had shared it with Violet – although she had not chosen to become involved, but rather circumstances had required it.

  “Something on your mind, Lord Taylor?”