He groaned theatrically.
'I suppose you will send me to bed early with gruel,' he teased.
'You certainly won't be sitting up half the night playing cards with Luke!'
They also brought some letters which had been delivered to Cavendish Square. Sir Thomas handed one to Damaris.
'This one is from your guardian,' he said. 'There was a covering letter to me. He was not pleased to hear you had left London, says it was without his permission, and has instructed me to send you to Yorkshire immediately.'
'Instructed?' Mary asked. 'Does he really presume to instruct you? The impertinence!'
'I did not like his tone, certainly, but he is Miss Hallem's guardian. He has some right to control her movements.'
Damaris had been reading Humphrey's letter to her, and growing more and more angry.
'I wrote, as a courtesy, to inform him I was coming here, but this is beyond anything! He is offended that I did not first ask his permission, and accuses me of acting behind his back, and doing what I must be aware would not meet with his approval. He threatens that if I am not back in Yorkshire by the end of June he will come here and force me to return. Just let him try!'
'There is barely time to travel to Yorkshire by the end of the month,' Lord Frayne said. 'I wonder why he did not send the letter here, if you gave him the direction?'
'To make life more difficult for me,' Damaris said. 'He likes to find fault with me, and after the humiliation of the Chelsea affair he will be aching to prove his superiority. When I am not back in time he will consider he has a right to chastise, even punish me. I would not be surprised if he tries to prevent my birthday celebrations.'
'He cannot do that,' Mary said.
'Well, I suppose he could threaten my tenants if they start the preparations before then, though I can celebrate at any time afterwards. I think he has run mad. Whatever he threatened them with he would have no power to carry out.'
'He is a disappointed man,' the Earl said, but refused to elaborate.
Damaris noticed the Countess looking at him with a slight smile on her face, and wondered what she was thinking. She said nothing, however, and soon afterwards left the room, saying she needed to talk to Cook.
'Gruel! I knew it!' Mr Willett said.
Mary took Sir Thomas to see the children, who were having their riding lesson from the head groom, and Damaris told the Earl and Mr Willett of Clarence's visit. They were all three convulsed with laughter when they thought of Clarence and Humphrey engaging in a duel.
'If they'd killed one another it would have solved several problems,' Mr Willett said. 'Mrs Frayne would not be able to push Jennifer into marriage, and you, Luke, would have to abandon your bachelor state and provide yourself with another heir.'
'Jennifer is adamant she will not marry Humphrey,' his lordship said, frowning at him, 'and I cannot blame her. He is a boor.'
'But I cannot believe your aunt will have given up all hope of securing some sort of husband for her. She has been after you for years, and if you had lost your heir she would have redoubled her efforts to have Jennifer provide one. She is not a lady who submits to being thwarted.'
'I wish you would stop talking nonsense. I think your wits have been addled as well as your bones being broken!'
*
Damaris and the Earl rode out again the following morning, this time with Barbara and Sir Alex. Mary and Sir Thomas were making plans to leave on the following day for Weymouth, and as they rode ahead of the others Luke suggested to Damaris that they would have to play their final game of chess later that day if Mary were to be their chaperone.
'I do not wish to tell my mother of the situation,' he said, 'and if Barbara knew we were about to have our final game she would not be able to resist joking about it.'
'Of course. But can we be sure of three hours without interruption?'
'I think so. Mama often rests in the afternoon, Frank will keep the men occupied, pleading boredom and the need for a game of cards, and Barbara said she intends to go and say farewell to some of her old friends.'
'You have it all planned,' Damaris said, and experienced a shudder of anticipation at the thought her fate, and that of Frayne Castle, would so soon be decided.
The Countess had retired to her room, Frank had been installed in the drawing room with some packs of cards, and the others crept like guilty conspirators to the library. Mary sat in the bay window with some embroidery, and his lordship had just set out the chess pieces when they became aware of a carriage coming to a halt by the front door.
'What now?' his lordship asked. 'I forgot to say I was not to be disturbed.'
They all held their breath, and waited while the butler went to answer a peremptory knock on the door. Damaris's eyes widened in dismay as they heard a loud voice demanding to be taken at once to the Earl.
'It's Humphrey!' she breathed.
'I had best go and speak to him,' Luke said.
'I'll come with you. It's me he wants to see.'
Before they could go into the hall, however, the butler was showing Humphrey into the room. He stalked in, saw Damaris, and went threateningly towards her.
'So, you disobeyed me, did you? You knew you had my permission to be in London, even though it was forced from me when you disobeyed me by going there, but you did not have it to go gallivanting all over the country without my approval.'
'Buckinghamshire is hardly all over the country,' Luke said gently.
Humphrey turned on him.
'Don't quibble! She sneaked away, she did not have my permission, and that is the important thing. And now I find the two of you closeted together. What are you trying to do, compromise the wench?'
'As you compromised my cousin?' Luke said, his tone sterner than Damaris had ever heard before.
He could be quite intimidating, she thought.
'I did nothing of the kind, as you well know. It was hardly our fault those ruffians locked us in. This is quite different, you have deliberately hidden in here, without a chaperone, and I demand an explanation.'
'Good afternoon, Mr Lee,' Mary said quietly.
He swung round, and his mouth dropped open. Damaris could have sworn he was disappointed to find her also in the room. Recovering himself, he nodded to her, muttered something, and then demanded to see Damaris on her own.
'You might compromise me, cousin,' she said.
'Dammit, I'm your cousin and guardian!'
'The latter just for two more weeks. However, since you have taken the trouble to drive all this way, let us walk on the terrace.'
Without waiting for him to reply she went past him and he was forced to follow.
*
Humphrey, in Whitby, had decided he must act at once if he was to ruin Lord Frayne's hopes and win Damaris and her fortune for himself. Having sent the letter, and deliberately chosen to send it to London to cause some delay, he decided it might not be enough to force her to rush home. He had to see her himself, and reveal what he had hesitated to put in writing.
Mr Blenkinsop was still away, and he could not discover where the man was. He was feverish from frustration, but decided he would have to leave his business for as long as it took him to post down to this Manor, wherever it was, and back, bringing Damaris with him.
He followed her onto the terrace, and caught up with her as she walked towards the far end and sat down on a stone seat.
'Well, Humphrey? How can you justify your behaviour?'
'I don't have to justify it to you, except to say I am trying to prevent you from making a great mistake.'
'You will have to explain. What mistake?'
'Marrying this man who has apparently bewitched you, enticing you down here, away from your friends in Yorkshire. How well do you know him? What do you know about him?'
'I know he is kind and considerate, and he does not shout at me and attempt to force me to his will.'
'Humph! He soon will if you are stupid enough to marry him.'
'Si
nce I have no intention of marrying him, not that he wishes to, I cannot see why you are in such a state about it.'
Humphrey turned away from her and took several hasty steps. Should he tell her? Was she telling the truth? He had seen a flicker in her eyes when she had denied such an intention, and suddenly he decided it might be his only hope.
'Are you aware he is secretly married already?'
'What? Of course he isn't!'
'How can you be certain? His wife came to me in great distress, because she had been made aware of how much attention he was paying to you. She is from a humble family, and would not submit to him, so he married her but was too ashamed to inform his family and friends. She wished to save you from making a disaster of your life.'
'And you took her word for it? Would this supposed wife happen to be a certain Catherine Cartwright? His former mistress? Who was angry when he left her? And who, in revenge, when she thought he might be paying attentions to me, tried to damage my reputation by decoying me to that room in Chelsea? That explains why she devised such a plan. It was unfortunate for her that the letter came into the hands of Miss Frayne, who took it upon herself to go there and was mistaken for me.'
'She was not his mistress, though she had to pretend to be,' Humphrey said, but with a little less certainty. 'It doesn't matter, he's a rogue and a philanderer, taking up with such women.'
'Can you tell me you have never had a mistress, Humphrey? I have heard differently, however discreet you have tried to be.'
'How on earth – That's a slander,' he blustered, and Damaris raised her eyebrows in disbelief.
One of his discarded mistresses had once applied for help to her grandfather, saying she was with child and Humphrey had refused to accept it was his. She did not know exactly what had happened, but her grandfather had gone at once to Whitby and come back looking satisfied.
Humphrey, his face red either from anger of embarrassment, went on.
'I insist you come back to Yorkshire with me now. Go and pack your bags. You'll not stay another night under this wretched man's roof.'
'Oh no, Humphrey. I will return to Yorkshire when I choose. I don't think you have the nerve to tie me up and carry me off, even if the Earl would permit it. Now I intend to go and ask him about this slanderous accusation you have made.'
She stood up, and Humphrey, beside himself, grasped her and pulled her into his arms. He raised his voice and was almost shouting as they struggled.
'Damaris, can't you see I'm doing this for you? I've wanted to marry you for years, but tried to keep my patience until you were of age, so that I could not be accused of influencing you while you were my ward. Forget this devious man who only wants you to get the Castle back, and come home, marry me!'
*
Damaris struggled to avoid his embrace, but some slobbering kisses landed on her ear and chin. She was wearing soft sandals, but kicked at his shins. The kicks made no impression, but she did not want to scream unless she had to. As he brought up one hand to force her head round she was able to draw back slightly, and brought up her knee as strongly as she was able. She heard her skirt tear, for it was narrow and of muslin and not designed for such activity, but she also heard Humphrey emit a yelp of anguish. He released her and bent over, clutching himself and moaning, tears starting to his eyes.
'You vicious bitch! You'll pay for that!' he gasped.
A quiet voice came from a window above their heads.
'You do not appear to need any assistance, my dear Miss Hallem, but I will send out my son if you do. Who is this unmannerly brute who has invaded my garden?'
Damaris looked up and saw the Countess leaning from a window. She could not help laughing.
'My lady! I'm afraid it is my cousin and guardian, Humphrey Lee. He wants to force me back to Yorkshire against my will. I am so sorry if we woke you.'
'I was not asleep, and until he began to shout all I could hear was voices. It was most entertaining, though, to watch you disable him. I suggest you come indoors now, and change your gown. I will send some of the men to escort your cousin from the premises.'
Damaris looked down and saw a gaping rent in her skirt. Trying to hold it together she ran back into the house, and managed to reach her room without encountering anyone. As she stripped off the ruined gown she began to shake, and had to take a firm grip on her emotions. She was so angry! Of course she did not believe Humphrey's ridiculous story about Luke having made a clandestine marriage which he was now repudiating. And he was quite mistaken if he suspected the Earl had any desire to marry her. Wasn't he?
She sat down on the bed and thought back over the past few weeks. Lord Frayne had been kind, and attentive, but not at all loverlike. He had not behaved in the sort of fashion she would have expected a man courting a girl to conduct himself. She sighed. Then she laughed a little. Neither had Humphrey, and if she had to choose between them she would far prefer to marry Lord Frayne!
Realizing where her unruly thoughts were taking her, she jumped up, found another dress, a pretty lilac muslin with gathered ruffles that she had not yet worn, and pulled it on. She made her cautious way downstairs, and was grateful to see the hall was empty. So was the library, and she finally went to the drawing room where Lord Frayne had been induced to join the card players, and Mary was sitting over her embroidery. Damaris went to sit beside her.
'Has Humphrey gone?' she asked quietly.
'Yes. What on earth happened? He was groaning worse than Mr Willett does when he is threatened with gruel.'
'Where has he gone? Is he coming back?'
'I think they directed the postboys to a hotel in Wycombe, and I heard his lordship wishing him a pleasant journey back to Whitby.'
Damaris choked with laughter.
'I almost feel sorry for him.'
'But what happened?'
'He said he wanted to marry me, and told me some stupid story that Luke had married his mistress, but kept it secret, and now wanted to abandon her and marry me. He tried to kiss me, and I – well, I did what my grandfather had once told me to do in such a situation. I – er – used my knee. I'm afraid I split my skirt, and the gown is ruined, but it's all in a good cause if I am rid of him!'
She suddenly realized she had called the Earl by his name, and blushed. She had not been thinking.
'We will have to find another time to have our final game of chess,' she said, remembering they had been interrupted.
'I don't know why you bother with the charade,' Mary said, and laughed. 'It's plain you are both smelling of roses and may, so why you don't just give in and agree to marry I can't imagine!'
'I – I won't marry someone who just wants Frayne Castle, like Humphrey does! I will abide by the challenge I made, if we can ever arrange that wretched third game! Mary, could you put off your journey for another day?'
'I would, but I would have to explain why to Thomas, and he would be shocked.'
'Yes, I see that.'
'Your Luke will find a way. No doubt Mr Willett would chaperone you.'
*
At dinner the Countess blandly enquired how they had all spent the afternoon, and Luke was convinced she had winked at Damaris as she asked.
He cast his mother a suspicious look, but forbore to answer. He had not been able to have any private talk with Damaris, so did not know what had taken place, only that the butler had informed him his visitor had been taken ill and had left rather hurriedly, in apparent pain.
He did not normally take much interest in the details of what women wore, but he had been vaguely aware that Damaris had on a different gown after Humphrey's departure. He wondered why, but dismissed the question as unimportant. Women were always changing their dresses, it seemed to him.
After dinner, when Frank had been carried up to bed, protesting that he abominated early nights, he was able to find a seat beside Damaris and quietly ask her what had happened when she spoke to Humphrey, and how she had induced him to leave without her.
'I said I did no
t intend to go with him, and he was persuaded to leave,' she said, smiling innocently.
Luke looked at her suspiciously, but accepted this.
'I suggest we have the final match tomorrow morning,' he said. 'My old nurse is married to Norman Jenkins, the tenant who breeds the Shetlands, and she will permit us to use her parlour. She will be a fierce chaperone too. We will ride out as normal, after Sir Thomas and Lady Gordon have departed, and go straight there.'
'So we can at last decide the matter.'
He did not ask any more questions. If she did not wish to tell him what had taken place he could not force her. When his mother said she was going to her bed, she said very firmly that she wished to have a few words with Luke, and he was to escort her upstairs.
'I told Miss Hallem a lie this afternoon,' she said conversationally when they reached her room and she had dismissed her maid, saying she would ring when she was ready. 'I said I had only heard the end of her discussion with her deplorable cousin, for I thought it would embarrass her if she knew I had heard all of it. I have very good hearing, as you know, and my window was slightly open.'
'You are a devious woman, Mama, and I love you.'
'Do you love Miss Hallem?'
'I think I do. I never believed in this sort of love, but it has crept up on me.'
'She knows about your last mistress. Her cousin was trying to persuade her you had married the wench clandestinely, so could not marry her.'
'What nonsense. Did she believe him?' he asked in sudden alarm.
'No, she has more sense. Then he attempted to propose to her, and a more inept attempt I never before heard. I had several proposals when I was young, and even they managed it better than he did. When words did not suffice he tried kissing her. She resisted, and in doing so tore the skirt of her gown. It was a very effective defence, and I imagine he will be walking doubled up for some time.'
Luke stared at her, and then gave a shout of laughter.
'So that is why I was told he was ill when he departed.'
Marriage Gamble Page 20