by Sahara Kelly
How long could she keep it at bay? How much longer before she cracked under the erotic weight of four men lavishing such passionate affection on her? And what would it be like when she did?
“Oh God,” she muttered, seizing her trowel and attacking the soil with renewed fury. Could there be too much of a good thing? Should she dismiss three of them and take the fourth to her bed?
Her heart revolted at the thought. She had come to love each of them, to recognise their differences and celebrate their similarities. How could she choose?
A shadow fell across the garden. “I have not heard of any buried treasure at Wolfbridge, Lady Adalyn.” Giles stood there, a look of curiosity on his face.
She frowned, then realised she had dug quite a respectably sized hole, rather than extracted more weeds. “Ah.” Mentally chastising herself, she rose from her knees, accepting his hand as she did so. “I think my mind must have been elsewhere.” She looked down at the soil. “However, I did get a lot cleared, so I am satisfied. Perhaps we can start our planting in the hole?” She glanced at Giles…then burst out laughing, as did he.
“An oak tree, perhaps?” he chuckled.
“All right, jest if you will. There is something soothing about this work. It does allow one’s concentration to wander a little.”
“I think yours paid a visit to the Antipodes,” answered Giles in a dry tone. “But never mind. Lunch is ready if you’d care to put away your tools for the day?”
She laughed and stood, brushing the worst of the grime from the old pair of gloves she’d used, and then stripping them from her hands. “I rather enjoyed it, to be honest.” She walked alongside him toward the kitchen. “It’s not often one gets the chance to sit in the sunshine—or kneel, in this case—and dig. I suppose I might have done so as a child,” she paused, “but it would have been most unlikely.”
“Did you have a garden?”
“We did. And a gardener, because Mama liked telling people she had one. He was an elderly man who happened to love plants and flowers, and since we only had a small area, he was quite happy there. But to hear my mother talk, you’d think we had an estate and fourteen under-gardeners.” She shook her head. “I will never understand people like that.”
“I believe it is because they feel inadequate. They must emphasise and perhaps enlarge on their possessions to make themselves feel as important as others.”
Adalyn considered his words. “You know, Giles, that could very well be true. My parents were always focussed on moving up in the world, mixing with the Ton, being treated with what I constantly felt to be obsequious attentions from toadying neighbours.”
“And yet you never succumbed, you never shared their goals?”
She gave a quick sharp shake of her head. “Absolutely not. I was shy, to begin with, which did not bode well for such mannerisms. I did not consider myself above anyone else, and I couldn’t have been more than a dozen years old when both Mama and Papa gave up on me and reinforced that opinion. From that point on, I was always either kept home or told to hold my tongue if we were in company.”
“The subject of your marriage must have arisen as you grew up, Adalyn,” said Giles gently.
“It did, of course. But I had just turned eighteen when my grandmother passed away. I did not know her well; she was what my parents considered common. But she had left quite a bit of money to my Mama, and a period of mourning was required. When that ended, I was already past my prime, and of little social status according to the Ton. My common background, in addition to my age, pretty much made me ineligible to anyone of consequence who might have been looking for a bride. The money was soon whittled away, but it did purchase my parents enough social standing to make the acquaintance of people like Sir Ridley Wilkerson. Older men looking for a last chance to sire an heir.”
“Oh dear.” Giles sighed. “Yes, there are more than a few.”
“I believe I have met most of them,” she commented. “Some were nice, others less so. I learned to stay silent if I was accidentally groped, and you might be surprised by how often that happened.”
He frowned. “Dear God.”
They stood in sunshine, outside the kitchen door, but for Adalyn it was as if she had returned to her mother’s drawing room and the awful moments when she had been displayed for the delectation of the latest elderly visitor.
“This went on until my parents found Wilkerson. Here was a man with a title, which they would share vicariously, of course—our daughter’s husband, Sir Ridley Wilkerson, such a dear man—you can imagine the sort of thing. They were beyond ecstatic.”
Giles nodded, but stayed silent.
“He promised a comfortable financial marriage settlement and waived any dowry. So without any further ado, I found myself engaged to an elderly and dissolute man who had no interest in me as a person whatsoever. I was a brood mare. That was all. Looking back on it, I can say that my mother and father sold me. That is the unvarnished truth.”
“And your parents?”
“Took the settlement money and booked themselves tickets to Naples. They sold their house as well.” She closed her eyes for a moment, letting the sun warm her face. “I never saw them after that. The closure came the day before my wedding. They had come to the mansion an hour before I was to leave for the church. I was told to mind my new husband. Then they said goodbye, got into a hackney and left for the docks. The Wilkerson carriage collected me, and the one bag of my belongings. The servants shut the door of what had been my home…and I was alone.”
“You are not alone now,” reminded Giles as he opened the kitchen door.
“Here’s our lady,” said Evan, putting a dish onto a tray. “We need lunch. You have worked hard this morning, Adalyn. The body needs food.”
“Not just me,” she managed a smile. “I’m sure everyone’s been busy today.”
“They await your presence,” Giles commented. “Everyone is here to share the meal.”
“How wonderful.” Adalyn gave a little skip. “I do enjoy being with my gentlemen. But I must wash the garden dirt off my hands.” She hurried to the door. “I’ll be down in five minutes.”
“We’ll be waiting…” Evan smiled that particular smile of his.
Adalyn couldn’t help a tiny little shiver of delight.
~~~~~
Lunch was, as always when all the gentlemen were present, so much fun. And the laughter carried through to the tea Evan made for them to complete the meal.
Adalyn watched the jesting, the discussions, the easy give-and-take that these four different men had developed; a camaraderie that seemed to go deeper than she’d have believed possible. They shared similar views of the world and she knew each and every one would protect her, champion her and do all in their power to keep her safe.
And every now and again she would intercept a look, a smile, something that stirred a similar emotion inside her. There was more than honour here; she felt something deeper and more intense, something growing every day. They were warmly affectionate with her now, since over the past months they had shared so much together.
It was no longer strange to end a day talking to each or all of them while in her nightclothes, or to find herself wrapped tightly in the arms of one of them. She shared kisses that had progressed from polite to loving, and were now bordering on passionate.
She was learning their tastes too, Jeremy was sweet and tangy, Daniel tasted of man and something minty. Evan was always fresh, like mornings in a meadow, and Trick had a unique taste, a musky male tongue she’d recognise even if she were blindfolded.
Their arms, their hands, their caresses—all were becoming familiar and desirable to her. She took comfort from them, and for the first time in her life felt wanted. Needed, perhaps, as well. In fact, she had discovered that perhaps she was also feeling loved. Whatever these feelings were, they had become indispensable to her well-being, replacing as they did the void left by an empty childhood.
Her heart was opening to them…
but whether that was good or bad had yet to be seen.
Lunch was barely over when a loud pounding on the front door made them all jump. Giles rose and strode from the room, frowning at the over-use of the door knocker.
They all stood, Evan moving a dish or two from the table, and Adalyn finishing her tea.
“Who could be calling, I wonder?” Daniel offered Adalyn his arm.
“It could be someone from Ditchley,” said Jeremy. “They’re supposed to send over a lad to look at the vines on the wall of the south-east corner. Giles thinks they may be threatening some of the brickwork…”
“And I want to find a certain recipe which might be in the Rose room…” Evan followed.
“I should be off,” said Trick. “One of the Little Maddington farmers has a mare that I should look over. If she foals as well as she’s been bred…”
“That sounds interesting, Trick.” Daniel turned as he and Adalyn reached the hall. “I’d like to know the result. We might consider buying a bit of new blood for our stable…”
Their conversation stopped as they heard Giles’s voice raised in argument. This was so unlike him, that everyone froze.
“And I repeat, your accusations are completely outrageous.” The repressed fury in Giles’s words made Adalyn gasp.
“I am sorry, Mr. Giles. I’m just doin’ my duty, sir.”
Adalyn moved forward, dropping Daniel’s arm and hurrying to the front door. “Giles, what’s happening? Who are these men?”
Three people stood on the Wolfbridge doorstep, tidily dressed, but clearly not members of country Society.
“Ma’am.” The one in the front doffed his cap. “I’m William Dressling, Ma’am. County Constable and representative of the Lord Lieutenant, Sir Gerald Ffolkesborough.”
“Are you indeed, sir. Well all this sounds quite important, but it has obviously upset my…my butler. Would you please restate the reason for your visit?”
Adalyn could feel Giles’s fury, his lips tightly closed, radiating anger from every pore. It unnerved her, but she found the courage to stand beside him with her chin high.
“Ma’am, I’m charged by the Lord Lieutenant—as yer can see by this here warrant I’m a carryin’,” he waved a sheet of foolscap at her, “to hereby take into custody one Mr. Trevallyn Jones, known to all hereabouts as Trick.”
“What?” Adalyn’s mouth fell open. “Trick? What on earth are you talking about?”
“He’s to come along with us, Ma’am. We has to take him into custody, like I said. He’s to be remanded into the Roundhouse in Ditchley, until such time as his Lordship Sir Gerald comes an’ speaks with ‘im.”
“About what?” pursued Adalyn. “Is my groom being charged with something? Surely you have more information than this…”
Her heart was pounding and her hands were damp, and she felt Evan, Daniel and Jeremy move close to stand with her.
“I’m sorry, Ma’am, my Lady,” the man lowered his gaze for a moment. “’Tis not good news.”
“I gathered as much, Mr. Dressling. Out with it. Why are you here to arrest Trick?”
“Well, Ma’am, it has to do with the…” he lifted the paper and consulted it for a moment, then lowered his hands and looked at Adalyn. “Mr. Jones is under arrest, and is to be held on suspicion of causing the untimely death of Sir Amery Fairhurst from Fivetrees.”
“I don’t believe a word of it…” Evan sputtered out his confusion.
“What?”
“This is outrageous…”
“Absurd, completely absurd…”
Adalyn’s exclamation was closely followed by both Daniel’s and Jeremy’s outbursts of shock and disbelief.
“It’s the truth, my Lady.” Dressling held out the warrant. “”Ere. Read it fer yerself…”
Adalyn noted his language had lapsed a little, and she eagerly perused the document to ensure that no mistake had been made. But it was all there.
She looked at Giles. “It’s a valid warrant, Giles. What do we do?”
“There’s nothing to be done, my Lady.” A voice from behind them made them all turn.
Trick stood there, to one side, pale but composed. “I did not do it, of course. It’s an absurd charge. But there is no point in denying these gentlemen the opportunity to do their job.”
Adalyn heard the quick sigh of relief from Dressling, as Trick’s statement sank home.
“That’s good of you, sir.” He gave Trick a slight bow. “We mean you no harm, just doing as we’re bid.”
“Trick, you can’t…” Adalyn grasped his arm as he stepped close.
“I must, my Lady,” he replied. “This mess will be straightened out, but for the moment ’tis better you stay to one side and let me manage what I can.”
She shook her head, tears filling her eyes. “I don’t like it, and I can promise you we’ll be doing all that we can. Just know this…” she squeezed his arm. “There’s only one side we’ll be on, Trick. And that’s your side.”
He turned his head to look at the others and nodded, making sure he looked away from the men waiting for him.
“I know, Adalyn, love.” As he whispered, he covered her hand with his, then withdrew.
“God, Trick, I don’t want you to go…” she whispered back, her words choking on frightened tears.
“I’ll be back, my Lady.” He formally raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. “You can wager your last bonnet on that.”
He managed a smile, then turned and walked to Dressling. “I would ask that you not place me in manacles. I will accompany you willingly, upon my word as a member of the Wolfbridge family.”
“Yer promise?” asked Dressler uncertainly.
“He has given his word on this house,” said Giles, his voice—for once—uneven. “There is no greater oath for any member of this household, Mr. Dressler. You may rely on that.”
Dressler glanced at his fellows, neither of whom seemed inclined to disagree. “Very well, then. Up into the wagon. Joe, yer up there with him. Harry, with me.”
He shepherded everyone down the Wolfbridge steps, then turned back. “Yer can come visit him if yer wants. Everyone knows where the Roundhouse is.”
“I’ll be calling on Lord Ffolkesborough today, rest assured,” called Daniel from behind Adalyn. “We’ll straighten it all out, Trick, never fear.”
“Chin up, Trick,” added Jeremy. “We’re with you.”
Trick nodded back and saluted as the wagon drove away.
Adalyn simply sobbed.
“I’ll stay here with her,” Jeremy came to her side. “Daniel, you’ll want to be on your way to Ffolkesborough’s. It’s about an hour’s ride from here.”
“I’m going with you,” said Giles.
“All right.” Daniel nodded.
“He didn’t kill Sir Amery,” Adalyn raised her head and spoke through her tears. “I’ll testify to that in any court on earth. Trick did not kill that man.”
“Of course he didn’t. That’s the silliest thing I’ve ever heard,” said Evan, still shocked.
“Well someone thinks he did.” Giles closed his eyes and shook his head. “I leave you two to hold the fort here, Jeremy, Evan.” He glanced at the two men. “Take good care of Adalyn. We may not return tonight, depending on whether we can get an audience with Lord Ffolkesborough or not.”
And so they scattered, each to his assigned task, and Adalyn to the scant comfort of her favourite room. Even Evan’s warm hug was no consolation.
She’d lost one of her gentlemen, and the pain of it was terribly real. How could she go about her normal life without him?
She couldn’t. No matter which one it might have been, she’d have felt the same desolation.
She loved them all.
Chapter Sixteen
Wolfbridge was unusually silent that afternoon.
Not twenty minutes after Trick had been taken away from them, Giles and Daniel were mounted and on their way to the Lord Lieutenant’s residence.
; Aware that it was a long ride, they might not see the man when they arrived, and that an overnight stay could be a necessity, both men looked sombre as they left, leaving Jeremy, Adalyn and Evan to wave them farewell.
“I must return to the kitchen,” mumbled Evan. “We still have to eat, even though trouble has fallen upon us.”
“And I will make sure their rooms are tidy, a change of clothes laid out, and everything else they might need on their return is fully prepared.”
“I would like to take a package to Trick.” Adalyn’s voice wobbled. “He must eat too. Do you think they’d let me do that?”
Evan and Jeremy glanced at each other.
“It’s quite possible,” said Evan. “But truly, Adalyn, I would wait for at least today. Let Giles and Daniel see if they can do anything, or find out anything, before you go to Ditchley. We need to be prepared, informed of the full situation before we can address Trick’s immediate needs.” He slid his arm around her and gave her a hug. “Besides, if it is all a mistake, which we know it is, and he’s released in the morning, he'll be home and ready to devour my pantry before you know it.”
“Of course,” she acknowledged, relaxing a little. “It is all one huge mistake, so yes. Let’s hope that by tomorrow it’s all set to rights.”
They all nodded, knowing full well that none believed it.
“What can I do for you, Adalyn?” Jeremy took her hand as Evan left them. “I do not want you to sit alone, worrying all afternoon over something we cannot control.”
She sighed. “I don’t know, Jeremy. Honestly. I have no idea which way to turn or what I had planned for today.”
He agreed. “I feel the same.” He looked outside to see the clouds moving in. “Perhaps you might help me take care of some of Trick’s chores?”
“I know nothing about horses…”
“That’s all right. We should just make sure they have fresh hay in the stables, that their water troughs are clear and they’re settled. It will take a while, but at least we’ll know they’re cared for tonight. And tomorrow we’ll find ourselves a temporary stable boy to tide us over.”