The Viscount's Veiled Lady

by Jenni Fletcher

  ‘Arthur.’

  He turned around slowly at the sound of her voice. He hadn’t heard footsteps, but she was standing right behind him, just out of arm’s reach.

  ‘Frances.’ He attempted a smile, but she didn’t respond. ‘Your father told me that Lydia’s awake again. I’m pleased.’ The words felt woefully inadequate.

  ‘Yes, Dr Muggridge is with her again now. He says it’s a good sign that there’s no confusion or memory loss.’

  ‘Good.’ He resisted the urge to take a step towards her. He was aware, painfully aware, of how cold his behaviour must seem, but what else could he do? He couldn’t take her in his arms and hold her one last time, no matter how much he wanted to.

  ‘You should go and speak to her.’

  ‘Me?’ He drew his brows together in surprise. ‘Why?’

  ‘She says she’s sorry for what she did.’

  ‘Tell her it’s forgotten. I don’t care about that any more.’

  ‘I still think...’ she stopped and swallowed, as if she were having trouble forming words ‘...that you ought to go and speak with her.’

  ‘If you want me to, but—’

  ‘Our engagement was a mistake,’ she interrupted, speaking in a sudden rush.

  ‘What?’ The words seemed to hit him with the force of a physical blow. ‘What do you mean, a mistake?’

  ‘We were both forced into it, but there’s no need for the charade to continue any longer. I’ll deal with my father and I don’t care about gossip.’

  ‘Frances...’ This time he did move towards her, seized with an acute sense of panic. He ought to be glad, he told himself, or at least relieved that she was ending things and saving him from doing it, but all he could feel was dread and an intense sense of loss. That and an incongruous desire to win her back.

  ‘You don’t mean that.’

  ‘Yes, I do.’ She put a hand up, backing away from him at the same time as he advanced towards her. ‘I’ve made up my mind.’

  ‘Well, I haven’t! We weren’t just forced into it. That’s not all there was between us, you know that.’

  ‘That was a mistake, too.’ Her cheeks darkened, though her determined expression didn’t falter. ‘If you’re referring to the night when Violet had her twins, we were both exhausted and emotional. People do strange things in those kinds of situations. You know that better than anyone.’

  He jerked his chin up as if she’d just struck him. Yes, he knew that, of course he did. It was what he was afraid of. But if he was certain of anything, it was that he hadn’t imagined his feelings for her, or his desire either. He’d never felt more certain of anything in his whole life. But then he’d been certain that she cared for him, too...

  ‘You wish to end our engagement, then?’

  ‘Yes—’ she nodded firmly ‘—but I’ll make it clear that it was my decision. No one will blame you.’

  ‘I don’t give a damn if anyone blames me!’

  ‘None the less, I’ll make it clear. Since I’m the one who made the mistake...’ She looked past him towards the sea, as if her thoughts were already moving on. ‘I hope that we can still be friends.’

  ‘Friends.’ He couldn’t stop his lip from curling. ‘If that’s what you want.’

  ‘It is.’ She gave another decisive nod. ‘Just don’t forget to visit Lydia. I know she’ll be glad to see you.’

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Arthur slammed his axe down hard on to a log, splitting it down the middle and sending pieces splintering off in different directions. He had a big enough pile of firewood already, probably enough for the whole winter if he didn’t stop chopping soon, but he didn’t want to stop. He’d finally found a way to vent his feelings, the combination of loss, frustration and regret that only seemed to have grown in intensity every day for the past month. His broken engagement was now public knowledge, a feat that had been accomplished without any effort from him, and he was a free man. Alone again, just as he’d wanted. Alone and damned miserable.

  ‘What did that log ever do to you?’

  He glowered at the sound of hoofbeats, accompanied by his brother’s carefree voice.

  ‘What do you want, Lance?’

  ‘Oh, nothing much. I just wanted to remind you that we’re leaving at the end of this week, that’s all.’

  He dropped the axe with a sigh. ‘Not this again, Lance.’

  ‘Yes, this again. You might not want it to happen, but it is. Our new house is ready and Violet tells me the nursery is a thing of beauty. She can’t wait to move in.’

  ‘What about all the money you’ve spent on Amberton Castle?’

  ‘Considering that the iron mine is on your land and earns me a pretty decent return, I’d say we’re even, especially since Francis and Sophoria are the heirs.’

  ‘Which is exactly why you should stay and look after the house for them. How can you just abandon our family home?’

  Lance made a face. ‘I don’t think people in glass houses should be quite so sanctimonious.’

  ‘My situation’s different.’

  ‘Actually it’s not...’ Lance jumped down from his horse with a determined expression ‘...and it’s about time you faced up to your responsibilities.’

  ‘You’re lecturing me on responsibility?’

  ‘Yes. I’ve become quite the staid gentleman in my old age.’

  ‘You’re still younger than me.’

  ‘But quite a bit more mature at this point, I’d say. You’ve been an absolute monster for the past month. Coincidentally since you ended your engagement to the woman you love.’

  Arthur narrowed his eyes. ‘What about all the staff? What will happen to them?’

  ‘They’re your staff really, not mine. You’re the Viscount.’

  ‘Only in name. As for the rest, you know I don’t want it.’

  ‘Arthur—’ Lance sounded uncharacteristically sombre ‘—hasn’t it ever occurred to you that you need to go back there? Whatever demons you still have to confront, maybe they’re in that house.’

  ‘No! I can’t go back as if nothing ever happened. I can’t be the man Father wanted.’

  ‘Then go back and be yourself. Be your own man.’

  ‘I am my own man. Here on my own.’

  ‘Really? Because I think you’re stuck. You think you don’t deserve to go back because you feel guilty about what happened to Father, but you won’t back down from your last argument with him either. So you’re at an impasse. But tell me this, big Brother, what was the point of your running away if you refuse to move on? Make your peace with the past. You didn’t mean to hurt Father and you don’t have to be the man he wanted either, but you can still go back home. You are who you are, but who you are belongs at Amberton Castle and you can let yourself be happy, too. You can still marry Frances.’

  ‘It’s not as simple as that.’

  ‘Why not?’

  Arthur ran a hand over his newly cropped head in frustration. ‘Does Violet know that you’re here? I thought she might have forbidden you from speaking to me.’

  ‘Yes, she does and, no, she hasn’t and she’s not not speaking to you. She’s just upset for Frances, that’s all.’

  ‘Frances is the one who ended our engagement!’

  ‘Because?’

  ‘Because she said we’d been forced into it.’

  ‘Something that didn’t seem to bother her before.’ Lance lifted an eyebrow pointedly and Arthur sighed.

  ‘It did at first, only I thought we were past all that.’

  ‘What else did she say?’

  ‘Just that it was a mistake and that I ought to speak with Lydia. She was quite insistent about that.’

  ‘And have you?’

  ‘Spoken with Lydia? No.’

  Lance rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ‘And that didn
’t strike you as odd, that she wanted you to speak with her sister?’

  ‘No, it struck me as what she wanted. That’s all there is to it.’

  ‘So you let her go that easily?’

  Arthur picked up another log and glowered. ‘She wanted to end it, Lance. Believe me, she was very convincing.’

  ‘She was pretty convincing as a woman in love a month ago, too.’

  ‘Well, clearly she changed her mind.’ He placed the log on the chopping block as a sign that the conversation was over, but Lance only rubbed his chin some more.

  ‘It just doesn’t make sense. Didn’t she give any other reason?’

  ‘No!’ He picked up the axe and then lowered it again. ‘Except...’

  ‘Except?’

  ‘I suppose, while Lydia was unconscious, my behaviour might have seemed a bit distant. There’s a chance that Frances might have thought I’d changed my mind about marrying her, too.’

  ‘Oh, good grief.’ Lance rolled his eyes. ‘A normal person acting distant is bad. You acting distant... Well, no wonder. Why on earth did you do that?’

  ‘What does it matter now?’

  ‘Because we’re trying to work this out!’

  ‘Maybe it’s best left alone.’ Arthur threw the axe to one side again. ‘Look, the truth is I had changed my mind. But then I changed it back again and now...now I think this is for the best.’

  ‘Because you’re managing so well?’ Lance made a cynical face. ‘Honestly, I ought to bash the pair of your heads together, though I suppose it might be somewhat hypocritical coming from me. All I know is that Frances cares for you. I might have been somewhat distracted a month ago, but even a blind man could have seen that. And you care for her, too. So leave those poor logs and go and get her back.’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Damn it, Arthur, what are you so scared of?’

  ‘You know what!’ He whirled on his brother angrily. ‘What if what happened before happens again? What if my mind isn’t stable enough for marriage? I saw you that night with Violet. You were desperate, too. I couldn’t stand to go through anything like that.’

  ‘You were the strong one that night. You helped me.’

  ‘But what if it had been Frances?’

  ‘Then I’d have been the one threatening to punch you.’

  Arthur gave a short laugh. ‘You know what I’m saying. What if I end up failing her the way I’ve failed everyone else I ever cared about?’

  ‘Everyone? You never failed me.’

  ‘I was never able to stop you and Father from arguing.’

  ‘As if anyone could have!’

  ‘But I promised Mother!’

  Lance’s expression looked arrested for a moment. ‘I had no idea...but you can’t feel guilty about that. It wasn’t your responsibility, Arthur.’

  ‘I know. Deep down, I know, but I’m still scared of failing Frances. What if something happens and I have another episode? What if I end up running away again?’

  ‘What if?’ Lance gripped hold of his shoulders. ‘You can’t base your life on what if. What if I turn out to be as bad a father as ours was?’

  ‘What? Of course you won’t be.’

  ‘And you won’t have another episode. Funny how we can be so sure about each other, isn’t it?’ He let go of his shoulders again. ‘Anyway, if it’s running away that you’re worried about, then you’re too late. I hate to break this to you, big Brother, but what do you think you’re doing now?’

  ‘I’m not running anywhere.’ Arthur felt his whole body go tense.

  ‘You’re not fighting either. As far as I can see, you’re running away from the love of your life and hurting yourself and her into the bargain.’

  ‘I would never hurt Frances!’

  ‘But you are. This is failing her! So go and tell her what a damned fool you’ve been. Go and demand to know why she ended your engagement and then propose to her again.’ Lance kicked away the log from the block. ‘Do whatever the hell it takes to win her back.’

  Arthur drew in a deep breath and then let it out again. ‘All right, let’s just say for a moment that you’re right, what do I do? What do I say to her?’

  Lance threaded his fingers together, flexed them and then grinned. ‘I was afraid you’d never ask...’

  * * *

  Frances climbed up beside Lydia and Georgie on the trap. She’d been vaguely surprised when her sister had suggested a ride out, even more so when their mother hadn’t objected, though Frances had eventually agreed to accompany her on condition they didn’t go far. She had work to finish, a pair of matching brooches in a pre-Raphaelite design that she personally thought were the best pieces she’d ever produced. Mr Horsham had already offered to take them, as well as anything else she made. Her jewellery was selling so quickly that she could barely keep up with demand. Which was just as well since working distracted her.

  ‘Are you sure that you ought to be doing this so soon?’ She glanced nervously at Lydia as her sister took up the reins.

  ‘Perfectly sure and it’s not so soon. It’s been a month and you know what they say about getting back on the horse.’

  ‘The doctor still says...’

  ‘That I’m lucky I wasn’t more badly hurt and that I shouldn’t overdo things?’

  ‘Yes, so maybe you should listen.’

  ‘I am, but it’s such a beautiful day. I doubt we’ll get many more like it before winter and Georgie and I want a picnic up on the Moors, don’t we, darling?’

  ‘The Moors?’ Frances stiffened, belatedly noticing that they were taking the road towards Sleights. ‘But I thought you didn’t like the Moors?’

  ‘I didn’t used to, but I’ve changed my mind about a lot of things since the accident.’

  ‘Can’t we go somewhere else?’

  ‘No, and don’t even think about jumping down and abandoning us. I could faint at any moment.’

  ‘You just said you felt fine.’

  ‘For now. Only my head feels dizzy already.’

  ‘Oh, all right.’ Frances folded her arms in chagrin. ‘Then I hope you’ve brought cake.’

  ‘Naturally. Some lemon buns from Mrs Botham’s. Georgie told me how much you like them.’

  ‘Did he?’ She looked askance at her sister.

  ‘Yes. In fact, he’s told me a lot of interesting things recently, all about cakes and picnics and building sandcastles on the beach.’

  ‘Mmmm.’ Frances twisted her face to one side, making a pretence of looking at the landscape as they branched off from the main road and on to a smaller track over the moors.

  ‘Speaking of castles...’ Lydia carried on blithely. ‘I thought it was high time I visited Amberton Castle again.’

  ‘What?’ Frances swung round again so quickly that she felt a searing pain in the back of her skull. ‘Why?’

  ‘Partly because I missed the garden party and partly because we’ve been invited. The grounds there should be lovely for a picnic.’

  ‘No!’ She felt her stomach lurch almost painfully. ‘Not there, Lydia, please. I mean, I want to see Violet and the babies again, but...’

  ‘Oh, she isn’t the one who invited us.’

  ‘You mean Lance?’

  ‘Guess again.’ Lydia threw her a smile. ‘Though it shouldn’t be too hard. There’s only one other answer.’

  ‘Arthur? No! Absolutely not. Turn the trap around right now!’ Frances made a grab for the reins, but Lydia pulled them out of her reach.

  ‘Did I mention that I met him a few days ago? He called at the house when you were out at the jeweller’s.’

  Frances felt as though her heart had suddenly stopped beating. ‘No, you didn’t mention it.’

  ‘Silly me. By the way, the hamper’s just on the back there. Have a sandwich if you’re hungry.’

&
nbsp; ‘Lydia!’

  ‘What?’ Her sister’s face was the picture of innocence. ‘We have cheese and pickle and beef and...’

  ‘Tell me the truth, are the two of you in love?’

  ‘Arthur and me?’ It was Lydia’s turn to look surprised. ‘Don’t be ridiculous. What on earth makes you think that?’

  ‘Because you must have spoken about your past. Your past feelings for each other, I mean... And after your accident, he was so worried. And you said...you sounded...’ she cleared her throat awkwardly ‘... I thought maybe you’d realised how much you still meant to each other.’

  ‘In love...’ Lydia burst into a fit of giggles. ‘Nothing like. We did touch on the past briefly, but most of the time we talked about you. It was quite galling really.’

  ‘You mean—’ Frances felt her heart start to beat again ‘—you’re not engaged?’

  ‘Engaged?’ Lydia sobered long enough to lift her eyebrows accusingly. ‘Do you think I’d be taking you to Amberton Castle today if that was the case? What do you take me for?’

  ‘I...’ Frances stared at her sister, her thoughts spinning. ‘I’m sorry.’

  Lydia made a harrumphing sound. ‘Well, that’s all right. I suppose my previous behaviour speaks against me, but that’s all over and done with now. I’m a new woman, a better daughter, sister and mother.’ She reached behind her to tousle the curly mass of Georgie’s hair. ‘This is the only man I’m interested in from now on.’

  Despite her confusion, Frances couldn’t help but smile. The way the little boy was gazing adoringly up at his mother suggested her own days as his favoured companion were numbered. Lydia looked different from her usual polished and preened self, too, with a smile that touched every part of her face and made her eyes crinkle at the corners. She looked less perfect and even more beautiful.

  ‘But why has Arthur invited us to Amberton Castle?’ She dragged her thoughts back to the situation in hand.