by Fimch, Fanny
Jacob’s eyes brightened and he smiled at them. “Ah, yes, Cooksey Castle. We have been there many times. Please follow me.”
Emma splashed water on her face and ran her hands through the basin even though it was already turning brown. “I will need much more water than this.”
“I believe she will be bringing more,” Camilla said, reaching in front of Emma to take the dirty water to the nearby window. She dumped it out and brought the basin back, refilling it with fresh, clean water from a large pitcher sitting on the floor by the dresser.
“You do not need to tend to me, Camilla,” Emma said, though her gratitude for her cousin’s help was obvious in her voice. “You must clean yourself, too.”
Camilla smiled at her. “Do not be silly, cousin. You will be helping me when you are through. Besides, you are filthy. I am not as filthy as you.”
Emma chuckled. It was true. She did not know how she had managed to cover herself with so much mud. She was anxious to take off her dress and stockings. Rose assured them she had extra dresses that would fit and a few pairs of stockings, too. Camilla promised to repay Rose for her kindness, even though she did not need new stockings or boots.
“Thank you, Camilla.”
“Of course, my dear,” Camilla lifted the pitcher and poured a generous amount over Emma’s hands as she rubbed them together. She set the pitcher back down and took a thick towel from the rack next to her. She unfolded it and handed it to Emma, who pressed it against her face.
“Tell me, Emma,” Camilla said in a voice that gave away what she was going to follow up with. Emma stiffened a little, bracing herself. “Did you enjoy the ride here? I saw you and the Duke of Lox talking. I even saw you smile at him. The Duke of Rabney and I were pleased to see it.”
Emma looked over the towel at Camilla, her eyes narrow. “You were talking about us?”
Camilla blinked at her innocently. “We were not gossiping about you, if that is what you mean. We were simply observing that you were smiling at each other. Did you ask him about Lady Christian?”
Emma gasped. “Of course not, Camilla! Such a thing would not be appropriate. It is not my place to question him about her. If he wishes to reveal his intentions, he will.”
Camilla’s face turned darker and she frowned. “Are you upset with him again?”
Emma made her face a blank and rubbed the towel between her hands. “I would rather not say.”
Camilla looked exasperated and sighed heavily. “Oh, Emma! It is as though you look for something to be wrong so that you can be upset with him. Why is that? I see the way he looks at you. Why do you not see it?”
Emma wanted to burst out saying she did see the way he looked at her but her doubt stopped her. She could not be completely sure of his trustworthiness. She did not know him well enough. She said as much to Camilla, who threw up her hands, shaking her head.
“Emma, you will not get to know him if you keep turning away from him when he is reaching out to you. You will push him away, I have no doubt. You must make up your mind. You do not have much longer to decide. Why, it may already be too late!”
Emma’s eyes opened wide and Camilla lifted both hands, saying apologetically, “I do not mean that your father has passed on, Emma. If you continue to push the duke away, you may push him into the arms of Lady Christian, where he does not want to be. You must think of that.”
“I do not want to be someone’s second choice,” Emma said.
“Emma Wentworth!” Camilla exclaimed. “You are the one who must make the choice! I am certain he is not interested in Lady Christian while it is obvious she wishes to be with him. You should not assume anything! I am sorry, Emma, but I truly do not want to see you lose this good man because of your fear.”
“My fear?” Emma took a few steps backward and settled on a cushioned chair, relieving her aching feet. She set the towel to the side and began to hike up her skirt to remove her dirty stockings.
“You are afraid of the Duke of Lox. But you must make a decision. What are you more afraid of?”
Emma stopped moving and stared at her cousin through teary eyes.
“Are you afraid of falling in love with the Duke of Lox? Or are you more afraid that you will be forced to marry Lord Archibald? You must make a choice, Emma.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Emma could not get Camilla’s words out of her mind as they rode toward Cooksey Castle. The look on the Duke of Lox’s face when she came out from the back wash room spoke volumes to her. His eyes widened in admiration and a bit of color came to his cheeks. She was amused that he moved his eyes away from her after scanning her from head to toe.
After having seen her at her worst, she was relieved to feel pretty again. And clean. And respectable. She and Camilla spoke briefly of the irony that the dukes had come along the road right at that moment, in their most troubled hour. It was almost like divine intervention, Camilla had said in a wistful voice.
Emma looked through the window of the hackney at the passing scenery. The land was so familiar to her. She had passed this way as far back as she could remember, going to Cooksey Castle to see her dear cousin, Camilla. That had been when her father was in good health and they had get-togethers regularly.
Emma longed for the days of her childhood at times but was content to be at an age where she could make her own decisions and set goals for herself. One of her most recent goals was to purchase and read at least three new books every year.
The thought made her eyes slide to the Duke of Lox, remembering how they had spoken about reading and poetry. He was familiar with the great works of Shakespeare and Aristotle, as well as the works of Chaucer, which Emily had read without her parents’ permission. They would not have approved.
He was looking through the opposite window, gazing out as the small buildings passed by, the landscape dotted with trees and shrubs, flower beds and leaves covering the ground. She wondered what he was thinking at that moment.
He must have sensed that she was looking at him, because his eyes moved and met with hers. This time, she did not drop her eyes as she had done in the past. She hesitated to think she was testing him but essentially, that’s what she was doing.
She gazed at him, keeping her face neutral, begging him with her mind to come forth with the truth about Lady Christian. She could not prompt the conversation, nor could she ask such a question of him. If he was truly interested in seeing her on a more consistent basis, if he should start calling on her at Corning Manor, she would need to know what, if anything, was between them. It was a glimpse into his character.
No gentleman would ever seek out the affection of two women at the same time.
Unfortunately, she saw nothing in his eyes except admiration. He wore the tiniest of smiles, just the edges of his lips turned up but even that slight change made his high cheekbones rise up, giving him the face of a Greek god. Adonis, perhaps. Or Zeus.
Sure that her cheeks were flaming red, Emma finally looked away from the Duke of Lox. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed his smile became more visible and he turned his head back to the window.
“How is the lovely Lady Christian, your grace?”
Shock went through her when Camilla asked the question of the Duke of Rabney. Her eyes darted to the man’s face and watched him closely to see his reaction. He had the same type of smile on his face the Duke of Lox had been wearing but his eyes were settled comfortably on Camilla’s pretty face.
She also noticed the look on the Duke of Lox’s face when Camilla asked the question. Like her, his head had spun back away from the window. He was giving Camilla a sharp look. She felt like he was avoiding looking at her. Her heart sunk. Why had Camilla brought up Lady Christian? She was sure her cousin was only trying to help clear up the situation but she was terrified by what she might hear.
“I am sure she is quite well,” the Duke of Rabney answered in a hearty voice. “She is settling in at Brisbourne.”
“She is staying at Bris
bourne? This is surprising news.” Camilla moved her eyes to the Duke of Lox.
The Duke of Rabney jumped in to clear up the confusion. “I am staying with Baldwin for the time being. Until I decide where I will settle. It was not appropriate for us to allow Danie… Lady Christian to stay in a hotel when Brisbourne has extra rooms.”
“That does make sense,” Camilla replied, nodding. Her voice still had a trace of doubt in it and the Duke of Lox caught the sound of it.
“Lady Christian is a lovely woman,” he said. “At times, however, I find her presence a bit… overwhelming. Had it not been for Christian staying with me at Brisbourne, she would not be there. I do apologize for the harshness of my words. Lady Christian can be a bit… unnerving.”
Emma was sure she had never before experienced a feeling of relief quite like the one that flooded through her at the conclusion of the Duke of Lox’s words. Her heart suddenly sped up and a warm feeling swept through her. She smiled at him.
He saw the look and smiled back.
“I see we are of like mind.”
“I believe we all feel that way, Baldwin,” the Duke of Rabney said. “My cousin has good intentions and seeks no ill will.”
“She seems quite taken with you, your grace.” Camilla turned her eyes to the Duke of Lox. “She did not attempt to make conversation with anyone else quite as often.”
“Yes, she is an admirer,” the Duke of Lox replied in a voice so cold it made Camilla’s grin widen.
“My lord, you do not sound happy about that.”
The Duke of Lox narrowed his eyes, though he looked amused. “I did not intend for it to sound happy.”
A soft chuckle rose from the others as the duke sighed and shook his head.
“May I ask you, Lady Wentworth,” he said when they were quiet again. “What made you fear so much that you left your home on foot? You were seeking us out? What did you hope to accomplish?”
Emma pushed away the feeling that the duke was judging her somehow. She pulled in a deep breath and held it for a moment. Her eyes moved to Camilla, who tilted her head to the side.
“Would you like for me to tell them, Emma?” Camilla’s voice was gentle. Emma shook her head.
“No, I will. It is only that Lord Archibald has been seeking my hand in marriage and though I must marry before the end of the season so that my family is secure when my father passes, I do not wish to marry him.”
“You do not have to marry him, then,” the Duke of Lox said. “Do you?”
“No, there is no arrangement at this time. But that may be what is happening now. I did not want to see Lord Archibald. I am afraid if I am there at the same time as him, I will be informed that the duchess has made just such an arrangement with him.”
“Does the duchess have a right to do this? What does your father think?”
Emma shook her head. “He does not want me to marry someone I do not love.”
The warm look the Duke of Lox was giving her, the way he refused to move his eyes from hers, made Emma’s heart pound. She was finding it somewhat hard to breathe and put one hand below her neck as if it would help open the passages and slow down her rapid heartbeat.
“Then you must secure your future before your father passes on,” the Duke of Lox said.
Emma nodded. “I am trying.”
One of his eyebrows lifted up and he gave her a curious look. “How are you trying?”
“I am attending all the events of the Season and dancing with fine gentlemen wherever I go.”
Emma had forgotten Camilla and the Duke of Rabney were even in the hackney. She did not care if the driver heard every word she said. She was completely focused on the Duke of Lox.
What would it be like to be his wife, the woman on his arm, his pride and joy?
“Is that all?” She recognized the teasing in his voice. She tilted her head in confusion.
“Is there anything else I can do?”
He shrugged, closing his eyes as he did so and then smiling at her. “I suppose it is all you can do if you do not have one gentleman to focus on.”
“Emma needs to decide if she is going to let her step-mother rule her life,” Camilla said. The Duke of Lox and Emma both looked at her serious face. Their smiles diminished and they glanced at each other solemnly. “I simply do not understand why the duchess would want Lord Archibald to marry Emma so badly. They have no relationship that I know of.”
“One can never tell what is happening in someone else’s life. They do not live it, they cannot know.” The Duke of Lox moved his eyes to each of his companions. “If Lady Wentworth does not want to marry Lord Archibald, she should not do so. The duchess and Lord Archibald may have malicious intentions toward you, Lady Wentworth. Can you imagine why?”
Emma shook her head. “I cannot believe that Lord Archibald’s intentions are bad. He is just… he gives me the impression he…” She couldn’t say the words.
“Loves you?” Camilla supplied. Emma dropped her eyes to her hands, which were folded in her lap, and nodded.
“Yes, that is right.”
“Well, that may be the truth,” the Duke of Lox said quietly. “But sometimes love is not reciprocated. He needs to know that lesson.”
Emma wondered if he was trying to tell her something. His eyes were on her again, she could feel them. But she didn’t bring her eyes up to his. The thought of Lord Archibald and becoming his wife was repulsive to her. She did not care what gifts were bestowed upon her by Lady Bonneville or anyone else. It would be a life-long sentence in Hell.
“We are almost to the castle, Emma,” Camilla said, leaning over and whispering dramatically. “You look like you could use some rest. The hour is growing late and I know dinner will be ready when we get there. I am sure the lords will stay for dinner?” She glanced at the dukes, her eyebrows raised. They both nodded their heads. “We will get you in bed as soon as you have some food in your stomach.”
Emma looked at her. “Do I look that tired?”
Camilla tilted her head. “Not tired. Worn through. You have been through so much today. I just want you to get some rest.”
“I will.” Emma could not help feeling that Camilla’s assessment was right. And she could add the word tired to the list, exhausted being another.
“You have your own clothes at Cooksey Castle and your own room. Think of that. Will it not be lovely to get a good night’s sleep?”
Emma concluded Camilla was attempting to distract her from worrying about her father’s condition. It could be the only reason her cousin was behaving in an anxious manner. Camilla was the collected one. She was the one who got over-excited about things.
“Yes.” She nodded in agreement. “It will be lovely.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
The night passed slowly for Emma. Dinner was served shortly after their arrival and the young women told their story to the Duke and Duchess of Cooksey, who listened with amused faces. Neither Emma nor Camilla mentioned the reason for their sudden departure from Corning Manor. It was described as a “walk,” which was not a lie.
“I have a mind to tell Camilla not to visit with you, Emma,” the Duchess of Cooksey said in a teasing voice. “You always seem to get in some kind of trouble.”
“It is never intentional, your grace, I promise,” Emma responded with a smile. She shook her head and sighed. “I suppose the Lord wants me to have an adventurous life.”
“There is nothing more adventurous than stepping in a mud puddle and filling your boot with it,” the Duke of Lox added. “And then attempting to walk to town.”
“We went to Hillshire, just as we intended,” Emma said in rebuttal but with an equally humorous tone.
“As we intended once we had the mishap,” Camilla put in quickly. “I am so grateful to you and the Duke of Lox for stopping to help us.”
The Duke of Rabney shook his head, his eyes moving to the Duke of Cooksey. “No, it was our pleasure. There is no need to thank us. Your father would have had us in
the firing line if we had not stopped to help.”
“And even if that was not the case,” the Duke of Lox cut in, “you were ladies in distress. We would not pass up ladies in distress without offering assistance.”
“I am certainly glad that you came along,” the duchess dropped her napkin beside her plate and wagged her finger at Camilla. “You must behave like a lady, Camilla, and remember never to bring shame to your husband with your wild ways.”
Camilla’s cheeks flooded with her embarrassment. Her eyes darted to the Duke of Rabney and then away from his just as quickly.
“I thought it was quite becoming,” the Duke of Rabney said in a voice loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. “It was refreshing to come across young women in a position that gave them the opportunity to show their true characters. These are fine young women. I am proud to know them.” He looked at the duke and duchess. “You have done a fine job. I commend you.”
Now it was the duchess’s turn to blush deeply. She could not hide her smile. Once she turned her eyes to her daughter, they were warm. “I do not often scold Camilla. She is a smart girl and I love her dearly.”
Camilla laughed. “You speak of me as if I am not sitting right here listening. But thank you, Mother. I love you, as well. And Father, too. I am filled with love, overflowing with it!” She lifted both hands, her fingers splayed and acted out an explosion from her heart through her head. Her family laughed.
“Lady Wentworth,” the Duke of Rabney drew Emma’s attention. “Would you care for us to ride out to Corning Manor after dinner and see how things are going with your father? We will report anything back to you right away.” He glanced at the Duke of Lox. “I apologize for not asking you first. I assumed you would not mind.”
“Not in the least,” the Duke of Lox replied. “If there is anything we can do, just tell us.”
“I do not wish for you to take up all of your night worrying about me and my worries.” Emma did want the dukes to check on her father. She did not, however, want her step-mother to know where she was quite yet. If something happened to her father and she was arranged in marriage to Lord Archibald, there was a good chance she would throw some clothes in a bag and run as far away as possible.