Willowswood Match

by Gayle Buck

  “I must express my gratitude for this enlightenment, Miss Wainwright,” said Lord Townsend. He made a sharp bow to her and strode quickly to the drawing room door. A second later the door banged shut behind him.

  Miranda felt the tears rush to her eyes. She hastened out of the drawing room and ran up the stairs to her bedroom. After turning the key in the lock, she threw herself across her bed to enjoy in private a hearty bout of tears.

  * * *

  Chapter 24

  When next Miranda saw Lord Townsend, it was at dinner. His very demeanor was arrogant and he treated her with the same haughty manner that she had received at his hands upon their initial acquaintance. Miranda could hardly bear the change in the viscount’s attitude. Gone were his warm friendly glances, his bantering words, his easy laughter. She withdrew into a shell of studied politeness, never allowing the hurt she suffered to show by so much as a glance.

  Anne was astonished and bewildered by the sudden cold antagonism between her cousin and her brother-in-law. When she and Miranda had left the dining room so that Lord Townsend could enjoy his wine, she at once taxed Miranda about it. “Miranda, you must tell me what has happened between you and Andrew. It was horrible to listen to the cold, indifferent exchanges that were hurled between you this evening,” she said.

  Miranda glanced at her as she seated herself on the settee before the fireplace. “Why, I do not know what you mean, Anne.” She picked up a copy of The Ladies’ Magazine and began to flip rapidly through the pages.

  Anne sat down beside her and pulled the magazine down. “I shall not be put off, Miranda! Something terrible has happened and I insist upon knowing what it is.”

  Miranda stared at her cousin. She saw the determination in Anne’s eyes and the firmness about her mouth. Miranda sighed. “Very well, Anne. If you must know, the viscount made an offer for my hand this afternoon, and I rejected his lordship’s proposal.”

  “Miranda! But how wonderful. I had hopes—” Anne abruptly realized what her cousin had said. “One moment! How could you reject Andrew’s suit? I do not understand. Surely you are in love with him. I quite thought you were. Come, I know that I am not wrong!”

  Miranda could not bear her cousin’s quick rush of words. She covered her face with her hands. “Please do not, Anne. It is not my feelings, but his, that are wanting. He offered for me out of chivalry, Anne.” She let her hands drop to show an anguished countenance. “Anne, he had heard the gossip linking the two of us. He offered for me to spare me any further distress, if you please! I cannot marry him knowing that he feels only pity for me!”

  “Oh, Miranda, I am certain that you are wrong. Andrew is not the sort of gentleman to do such a thing. I know that he must harbor affection for you,” said Anne sympathetically. She was overwhelmed by the despair evident in her cousin’s quick headshake. She seized Miranda’s hands. “I shall speak to him, Miranda, and discover—”

  Miranda tightened her fingers on Anne’s. She said fiercely, “No, no! You must not. I do not want to deepen his pity for me. Anne, promise me that you will not.”

  Anne began to protest, but Miranda was so emphatically against it that she reluctantly agreed to abide by her cousin’s wishes. “But I do think that you are wrong, Miranda. Why, I know Andrew better than anyone, I should think, and I quite thought he exhibited a partiality for you.”

  “Pray do not say another word, Anne. I do not wish to discuss it any further,” said Miranda, her voice ending on a quiver.

  Anne realized that Miranda was on the verge of tears and sighed in defeat. “As you wish, dear cousin. I shall not refer to it again.”

  She was to regret many times over her promise to Miranda. The next week saw increasing distance between Miranda and Lord Townsend. The atmosphere of frost was of such intensity that it made all around them uncomfortable, from Robert and Anne down to the servants. Miranda thought she must go mad before the month was out. For her, the last straw was Robert coming to her with a terrible frown marring his features and asking, “What is wrong with you. Cousin Miranda? You never smile or look happy anymore. And I don’t like you half as well as before.”

  Miranda felt as though her heart was breaking a second time. She knelt and wrapped her arms around the boy in a fierce embrace, which he returned. She looked into his eyes and managed to smile at him. “I know that I have been a positive bear, Robert. I shall try to do better, I really shall.” He nodded, satisfied, and ran off to play.

  But Miranda stood for several minutes staring into space, grappling with her feelings and her thoughts. Finally she came to the decision that had been in the back of her mind for days. She went to the study, hesitating before she entered. But fortunately Lord Townsend was not in the room and Miranda sat down at the desk. She hurriedly scrawled a short letter to her brother, Jeremy, to tell him to await her in London; she had finally decided to leave Willowswood.

  Once the decision was made and the letter sent, Miranda discovered that she was strangely reluctant to put her resolve into action. She went several days just floating in a sort of limbo, going through the motions of her usual activities. But the characteristic interest that she brought to whatever task she took on was now lacking. Her preoccupation was commented on by some of the servants and it began to be wondered if Miss Wainwright was coming down ill, so pale and lackadaisical as she was becoming. Anne well understood the cause of Miranda’s lethargy and though it took an exercise of will, she did not tax her cousin about it.

  The one person who seemed not to notice nor care about Miss Wainwright’s sharp decline was Lord Townsend. But then he made certain that he was not often in her company, preferring instead to be about estate business. Some time before, he had discovered plans drawn up by his brother for the renovation of the ruined section of the house and now spent much of his time conferring with the builders whom he had hired to begin the renovations. If Lord Townsend did chance to come face to face with Miss Wainwright, he retained his air of distant arrogance and spoke to her as little as possible.

  Finally Miranda shook herself free of her melancholia enough to begin making preparations for the trip to London. She chose not to reveal her decision to anyone but Constance until she had already made arrangements for a post chaise to come for her at Willowswood. Constance disliked the suddenness of the move, but she did not question it. She thought that even if she were blind, she could not have failed to notice the marked coldness between her mistress and the viscount. “Ah, a lover’s quarrel,” she sighed. She quietly began to pack away gowns and dresses. Constance could only shake her head over the unfairness of it all. Miss Miranda had been unlucky in love once before and she appeared to have lost again. Constance knew herself to be friend and confidante, but she saw something in Miranda’s eyes that warned her that this time even sympathetic words would not be welcome.

  Miranda announced to the family late on a Thursday evening that she would be leaving the following day for London. There was an immediate outbreak of protests from Anne and Robert, who had been allowed to come down to the drawing room for an hour before his bedtime. “You cannot be serious, Miranda!” exclaimed Anne.

  Robert stared at Miranda with a mutinous expression in his eyes. “I shan’t let you go, Cousin Miranda. I don’t want you to go. Mama, make her stay!”

  Anne put her arm around the upset child. She threw a glance of rebuke at her cousin. “Really, this is too sudden. Miranda, you must give this decision more thought. What are we to do without you?”

  Miranda dug her nails into her hands. She did not glance toward Lord Townsend, who stood silent and motionless at the mantel. “Forgive me, Anne, but I really must go. I have not seen Jeremy in ages and London not at all.” She managed a smile for her cousin and the boy, whose small face was streaked with tears. “I shall come back one day, you know. I love you too well not to.” Her voice choked then and she could no longer face their accusing, sorrowing eyes. Blindly, she turned to the drawing room door and hurried out.

  It
was not until she had gained the hall that Lord Townsend went after her. “Miss Wainwright!”

  She did not heed his call, but only walked more quickly toward the stairs. Her arm was seized in an unfriendly grip. She cast a hunted look up at him. His expression was exceedingly grim, his eyes hard. “You will grant me an audience, I know,” he said harshly. He pulled her into the study and shut the door with decided force. Miranda had flown to take refuge behind the desk as he turned to look at her. “Miss Wainwright, I do not like the distress that your resolve to leave Willowswood so unexpectedly has brought to my sister-in-law and nephew,” he said ungently.

  Miranda clutched hard the top of the desk chair, her knuckles whitening. “It pains me as much as it does you, my lord. However, my decision has been made. Jeremy will already be expecting me. I am quite looking forward to seeing London.”

  “Let us put an end to this polite bilge, Miranda! It is not the lure of London that has inspired your decision, but the differences between you and me,” said Lord Townsend with harsh emphasis. He advanced until he could place his hands on the desk and leaned over it toward her. Miranda instinctively drew back from his angry expression. “I should have seen this coming. But fool that I am, I ignored all of the signs. You are not leaving Willowswood, Miss Wainwright. I am. I have decided to buy a commission in the army.”

  The color drained from Miranda’s face. “But you cannot!”

  Lord Townsend slowly straightened, his eyes never leaving her face. “Since I am leaving, you may feel comfortable in awaiting Jeremy here at Willowswood. I hope that you will, for your presence will go far in soothing Anne and Robert over my leave-taking.”

  “But how can you join the army, when you know what such a step must mean to them?” asked Miranda. Without realizing it she came from around the desk, holding out her hands in appeal. “My lord, you know that it will devastate them.”

  “Nonetheless, that is the decision I have made,” said Lord Townsend inexorably.

  Miranda flushed. “You are selfish and hard, my lord! I find you contemptible. How dare you turn your back on those who love you and depend upon you!” In her fury she slapped him full across the face.

  Lord Townsend caught her wrist. When she struggled against him, his fingers tightened painfully about her slender bones. There was a red imprint from her hand rising on his lean cheek, but he did not seem to notice the sting. He looked down at Miranda with an odd expression in his eyes. “Why should it matter so very much, Miss Wainwright?”

  “You will likely be killed, you fool!” exclaimed Miranda. Her throat tightened at the thought. She turned her head quickly aside as tears pricked her eyes.

  The intentness of his voice sharpened. “Would that be such a bad thing?”

  “It would leave Anne and Robert alone, so very alone. You are too well loved,” said Miranda, her voice muffled. She raised her free hand to shadow her eyes. The fear and grief she felt was growing like a hard ball in her chest.

  The viscount drew her close to him, his hold becoming astonishingly gentle. He asked softly, “And what of you, Miranda? Do you love me also?”

  His tenderness completely overset her. She pounded on his broad shoulder with her fist. “Yes! But I hate you, too!” She burst into tears and hid her face against his coat.

  Lord Townsend folded his arms about her. After a moment he reached up to cradle her head, murmuring, “Oh, Miranda, what you have put me through. I thought I had lost you forever, my love. Sweetheart, pray do not cry.”

  His endearments eventually penetrated Miranda’s consciousness. With a watery sniff, she raised her head. “What did you call me?” she stammered.

  Lord Townsend smiled faintly. “I believe that I referred to you as my love. I do, you know. Even when you show me the reddest nose I have ever seen on a female.” He pulled out a handkerchief and inexpertly dabbed at her wet face.

  Miranda took the linen square from him and dried her eyes. She blew her nose and put the handkerchief in the pocket of her gown. “Why did you never tell me before that you loved me, Andrew? It would have made such a difference,” she said.

  Lord Townsend regarded her in open astonishment. “I thought it obvious. I am not in the habit of declaring myself to just any female I chance to meet!”

  Miranda gave him a wavering smile, shaking her head at his idiocy. Her eyes danced with a little of her old spirit. “I am glad we have resolved at least that question between us, my lord.”

  “Miranda, will you marry me?” asked Lord Townsend.

  She shook her head. “No, I will not,” she said decidedly. Lord Townsend swore comprehensively. Miranda waited until he was done, then said quietly, “I shall not marry a soldier, my lord. I do not wish to be a young widow like my cousin.” Lord Townsend stared at her in astonishment. Then he threw back his head and laughed uproariously. Miranda frowned at him, drawing away to the extent that his arms would allow. “I fail to see the amusement in this, Andrew.”

  Lord Townsend looked down at her again, still chuckling. “Do you not know, my love? Then I shall tell you. I never had any intention of going into the army. I only resorted to that ploy out of desperation. You have been so cool and indifferent toward me that I despaired of breaking down the walls between us. Yet I hoped that with time… But then you announced that you were leaving Willowswood. I could not allow you to walk out of my life without discovering what you felt for me. So I attempted to shock you into betraying your true feelings.”

  Miranda stared at him. Her eyes darkened with indignation. “You tricked me. You actually set out to trick—”

  Lord Townsend realized his danger and quickly pulled her close. His lips descended on hers before she could utter another word. The kiss was long. When at last Miranda was permitted to emerge from it, she was breathless. The viscount regarded this circumstance with approval. “I have at last discovered a way to effectively silence you, Miss Wainwright. I shall exercise it most freely, I warn you.”

  The door to the study opened abruptly and a gentleman attired in traveling dress entered with a hasty step. His browned face taughtened at sight of Miranda and Viscount Wythe, who turned their heads to regard the intruder with astonishment. “Unhand my sister at once, sir!”

  “Jeremy!” exclaimed Miranda. She did not attempt to withdraw from Lord Townsend’s embrace, nor did he seem in the least inclined to remove his arms from about her. “Whatever are you doing at Willowswood?”

  “I came in answer to your last letter, Miranda. It was unduly agitated and now I fully understand the reason. A vastly pretty scene, I swear!” Jeremy left the door and strode forward. His hard eyes bored into the viscount’s mild gaze. “You will have the goodness to name your seconds, sir.”

  Miranda was stunned. When at last she moved, she flew over to her brother to clutch his arm. “Jeremy, what are you doing? You cannot challenge Lord Townsend! Why, he is your cousin!”

  “Cousin or not, I’ll defend my sister’s honor,” said Jeremy grimly.

  “What!” Miranda stared at her brother as though she thought he had gone mad. Her hand dropped numbly from his sleeve.

  Lord Townsend sat down on the corner of the desk. He contemplated the toe of his boot, then glanced across at Miranda with a faint smile. “I think Mr. Wainwright believes that I have compromised you, Miranda. What did you pen in your letter?”

  “Why, only that circumstances were such that I thought I would be more comfortable in London,” said Miranda. Her eyes suddenly widened. “Oh!”

  “You did not convey the information that Captain Daggett had left the neighborhood,” said Lord Townsend dryly, nodding.

  Jeremy looked from one to the other with an uncertain frown. He did not quite know what to make of the easy concourse between Miranda and Viscount Wythe, who he instantly concluded had seduced his sister.

  Miranda went into a peal of laughter. She shook her head at her brother, her eyes still shining with amusement. “I am sorry, Jeremy. I did not think. And you have charged down
from London to save me! I assure you, Captain Daggett is long forgotten.”

  “That is all very well, Miranda. But what of this bounder? If Daggett was already gone, then I would be a fool to believe his lordship had nothing to do with your state of mind when you penned that letter,” said Jeremy, gesturing at the viscount.

  Miranda colored. Her glance flew to meet Lord Townsend’s amused glance. “His lordship had everything to do with my agitation, actually. And you are quite right, Jeremy. I have been compromised —oh, beyond redemption!” She could not help laughing as Lord Townsend’s expression altered to one of consternation. She went to him and laid her hand along his hard jaw. “Forgive me, Andrew. I could not resist teasing you but a little.”

  “When we are wed, I shall beat you for it,” he growled, catching her fingers to his lips.

  Jeremy realized that he was quite forgotten. He swore pithily and the two at the desk turned in surprise. He bowed to Viscount Wythe, then flashed a dazzling grin at him. “I beg forgiveness for my misapprehension, sir. It becomes obvious that I am meeting my future brother-in-law. I am happy to make your acquaintance, my lord. Evidently my sister intends to lead you a pretty dance. I hope that you are equal to the task of taming her.”

  Lord Townsend glanced down into his betrothed’s dancing eyes. He slid his arm around her neat waist and drew her closer to his side. “I admit to reservations, Wainwright. However, I consider myself a relatively brave man and—”

  “Oh! You are horrid!” exclaimed Miranda, starting to draw back, but his arm only tightened about her. She appealed to her brother. “Jeremy!”

  He shook his head, his grin growing wider. “No, dear sister. I believe that this time you have met your match. I shall leave you to it, my lord!” He bowed once more and then left the study. He firmly closed the door behind him.

  Lord Townsend’s eyes were warm as he smiled down into Miranda’s indignant face. He caught her chin with his free hand. “I discovered an effective means of silencing you, Miss Wainwright. I wonder if it works equally well in disarming you?” He kissed her thoroughly. It was but seconds before Miranda’s arms slid around his neck.