A Suitable Bride

by Fenella J Miller

  ‘In which case, Aubrey, you should have made that clear. I apologise for barking at you. Forget your breeches and get on with your breakfast.’

  As he devoured a massive breakfast one-handed (Giselle had carefully cut everything into bite-size pieces) Bennett thanked God that he wouldn’t have to abandon his family in order to be with Grace. The badinage continued, but it washed over his head, he just continued eating and listening to his siblings.

  Two days passed and still there was no news of Grace. His buoyant mood began to fade and his shoulder hurt like the very devil. The quack was recalled and declared him to be free of infection but recommended that he slowed down and allowed his injury to heal.

  ‘I’m going to look myself if we don’t hear anything by the end of the day, Beau. I can’t sit around here waiting for news, it’s driving me insane. Small wonder my shoulder’s sore.’

  His brother’s attention appeared to be fixed on something outside and Bennett joined him by the window to see what was so interesting.

  ‘Over there, by the trees, I swear I saw one of Grace’s little dogs.’

  ‘God’s teeth! I believe you’re right. How the devil did he get here?’ His question was rhetorical and by the time he’d finished speaking Bennett was racing across the hall almost giving the footman on duty there an apoplexy. The poor fellow barely had time to open the door for him.

  Bennett jumped down the steps, shouting to attract the dog’s attention. Of course it could be another animal entirely, but it certainly looked like Ginger. Then the beast was hurtling towards him barking his delight and moments later the other two appeared and were heading in his direction.

  He dropped to his knees and they flung themselves on his lap. They were bedraggled, filthy and footsore but otherwise unharmed. He patted and stroked them with his good hand knowing that his prayers had been answered. Grace couldn’t be that far away if they’d found their way back here on their own.

  ‘Where did you three come from? You must be half-starved and you certainly need a bath. Look at me – I’m as dirty as you are.’ The dogs continued to whine, yap and lick but refused to get off his knees.

  ‘Here, let me take them so you can stand up.’ Beau reached down and picked Ginger and Buster up leaving him to stand with Toby tucked under his arm.

  ‘They need to be fed and bathed, the stables are the best place for them. They’ve come to fetch me, and once they’ve recovered they’ll lead me to Grace.’

  ‘If you’d said such a thing yesterday I would have thought you fit for Bedlam, but now I believe you might be right. I’ll accompany you when you leave tomorrow to make sure Grace agrees to return.’

  ‘I’ll take the curate with me, and then we can be married immediately, before she has time to change her mind. Her companion can be the other witness.’

  The dogs were handed over and were made a great fuss of by the grooms. Bennett arranged to have his carriage ready for the following morning, although he intended to ride despite his injury. He was perfectly capable of managing a horse one-handed, he’d done so many times when serving on the Continent.

  Madeline and Giselle were ecstatic at the news that he was to be married and insisted that they come as they had no intention of missing such an important occasion. ‘You will be the first of us to step into parson’s mousetrap, Bennett, and we intend to be there to see this momentous occasion,’ Perry said firmly and Aubrey agreed.

  ‘We can’t all turn up on her doorstep, wherever that might be, and expect to be accommodated. Maybe it would be better to hold the ceremony here,’ Beau said.

  This wouldn’t do at all. He could hardly explain to the girls that he wished to spend the night with Grace with or without the benefit of clergy. ‘No, Beau and I will go on our own and you four will remain here. We shall celebrate our nuptials in style on her return. Get started on the arrangements for the garden party and why don’t we hold the ball as planned?’

  ‘In all the upset over the past few days I’d quite forgotten to cancel the invitations to our neighbours. Do you think you’ll be back by next weekend?’

  ‘We’ll make sure we are, Madeline. Beau, I’ve been considering how best to encourage the dogs to lead us back to her. If we have one dog running free at a time and the other two inside the carriage they shouldn’t get overtired. I’m riding and will be able to follow them across country.’

  This announcement elicited a storm of protest which he ignored. ‘Abbott and a groom can ride with me, he prefers horseback to a carriage every time. I intend to travel fast, and one or other of them can make sure the carriage follows in the correct direction.’

  ‘I’m damned if I’m being cooped up with a curate – I’ll ride too. Now that’s settled, I’ve some estate business to attend to so will see you all at dinner.’

  During the afternoon Bennett and Madeline studied the list of those invited to the ball and decided to add a few more names as they no longer had a houseful of guests.

  ‘I heard that Heatherfield has been sold. Shall I send an invite to the new family?’

  ‘Depends who it is. Do you have any idea?’

  ‘I’m reliably informed that it’s one Lord and Lady Carshalton, he’s only recently inherited the title and used to be a soldier like you.’

  ‘In which case, go ahead. I like the sound of them. Heatherfield is only a few miles from my estate and it would be good to have another military man to talk to. Hopefully Lady Carshalton will become a friend to Grace too.’

  His sister smiled. ‘I doubt it, she’s his grandmother not his wife.’

  ‘How the devil do you know so much about this family?’

  ‘Giselle is bosom bows with Lucinda, daughter of their closest neighbours, Sir James and Lady Bagshot.’

  ‘I take it the Bagshot family are coming next weekend?’

  ‘Of course, there are also two brothers, after all one can’t have too many gentlemen at a ball.’

  The next morning they were ready at dawn and Buster frolicked around Lucifer’s feet eager to set off. All three of the dogs had made a full recovery and Bennett was sanguine they would suffer no harm by returning from whence they’d come.

  Even the kidnapped curate seemed happy to be accompanying them. It was fortunate there were three of them mounted as the route Buster took was unsuitable for the carriage. The dogs had obviously made a circuitous journey to Silchester Court, but that was hardly surprising. What was amazing was the fact that somehow they’d found their way back at all.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Several more dreary days passed at Drummond House and Grace moped about scarcely eating and unable to hold a conversation without dissolving into tears.

  ‘My dear girl, you must pull yourself together. It will do no one any good if you fade away. How would you feel if you heard that Lord Sheldon had died from a broken heart?’

  This bracing comment was enough to give her pause. ‘You’re right, I must put this behind me and start to plan my future life. Knowing that he’s alive somewhere in the world will have to be enough.’ She sighed and wandered to the window where the sun shone relentlessly – rain would have been more appropriate.

  ‘Good girl. Why don’t you change into your habit and take your stallion for some exercise. You never know, you might find your dogs somewhere in the neighbourhood. If they wandered onto somebody else’s land they could have been adopted as strays.’

  ‘I’ll do that. However, first I’d better have something to eat.’

  An hour later she was in the stable yard and Rufus was prancing about in his eagerness to be off. ‘I’m glad I decided to ignore convention and ride astride for I’m sure he’d have me off otherwise.’

  Peterson tossed her into the saddle and then mounted Silver Lady. ‘There’s a grand ride across the fields, no hedges or ditches to jump – just space to gallop.’ He gestured with his whip towards the north where on the horizon she could see a forest of some sort.

  ‘That’s a relief, straight and f
ast will suit both of us.’ They clattered out of the yard and along a narrow track which led to the fields. ‘I should think we’ll hear from Collins today and then we can start to make arrangements to bring the horses down here.’

  ‘I think that both mares will foal next year. Too early to know for sure, but Rufus did his duty in the paddock at Silchester Court.’

  This was a highly unsuitable conversation for an unmarried lady but one she was accustomed to having. ‘Then it’s fortunate that two of the team are geldings or we’d have no animals to pull the carriage next spring.’

  ‘If we’re staying here, miss, then I reckon you should sell that vehicle and buy something lighter. A gig or barouche would do just fine.’

  It became impossible to continue the conversation as an inviting stretch of greensward was sending her mount into a series of bucks and rears. ‘All right, my boy, calm down. We shall have our gallop now.’

  After a mile or two her horse had settled and the trees were rapidly approaching. She sat deep in the saddle and pulled gently on the reins. The stallion responded immediately and dropped into an extended canter, then a trot and finally to a walk. He was barely hot; the run hadn’t put him in a lather.

  ‘Good boy, that was most enjoyable. Shall we investigate the forest before we return?’ Peterson arrived and she was pleased to see Silver Lady wasn’t sweating either. ‘I’d like to go into the trees. It will be cool and pleasant out of the sun. It’s the sort of place the dogs liked to be, with plenty of rabbits and squirrels to chase.’

  ‘We looked in here first off, miss, and didn’t find hide nor hair of them. But it won’t do no harm to have another look for they might have wandered back.’

  Riding under the canopy of green was pleasant, like being underwater, restful after the mad race down the fields. Grace allowed the reins to slip through her fingers so her mount could stretch his neck knowing he wouldn’t do anything untoward now he’d had sufficient exercise.

  ‘Listen, Peterson, I can hear noises in the undergrowth. It must be foxes, as rabbits don’t make so much noise.’ She leaned forward in the saddle in order to peer beneath the trees and the next thing she knew she was tumbling through the air and fell on her back on the soft leaf mould.

  Before she could move a small, wriggling bundle of fur landed on her chest and her face was smothered with sloppy licks. ‘Ginger, my darling boy, why have you been hiding in here all this time?’ She pushed herself upright just as her groom arrived at her side.

  ‘Well I never! Would you look at that? Where the devil has he been all week?’ Belatedly he nodded at Grace. ‘You all right after your fall, miss? Rufus saw the dog and stopped dead and you went flying over the side.’

  ‘I’m perfectly fine, in fact, I’ve never been better. If Ginger is here, then Buster and Toby must be somewhere around too, for they are never far apart.’

  She called and they searched for twenty minutes to no avail. ‘I’ll take this little chap home with us; I’m not letting him out of my sight again. I’m sure the other two will follow his scent up to this point and then they should be able to find their way to Drummond House.’

  Somehow she managed to scramble into the saddle with her dog tucked under her arm. She wasn’t going to let him run loose in case he disappeared again.

  *

  Bennett turned the air blue. ‘What the hell has happened to that wretched animal? I’m sure he headed into this forest but he’s nowhere to be seen.’

  ‘We’ve been looking for an hour, I don’t think he’s here. Perhaps he’s gone back to join his brothers.’ Beau was equally frustrated by this setback.

  ‘I have it – we’ll fetch the other two and put them down here. With luck they’ll pick up Ginger’s scent and put us back on the trail.’

  ‘It’ll be full dark in an hour, let’s hope we can find somewhere more salubrious than last night’s accommodation. No doubt you’re accustomed to having crawlers after your stint in the army, but it’s not something someone of my elevated status should be obliged to suffer.’

  Bennett laughed at his brother and together they retraced their path and rejoined the carriage. They’d sent a groom to find them somewhere to stay and he saw him in the distance, he was approaching at a gallop and waving his hat and shouting something. Although he couldn’t hear what was being said, Bennett almost exploded with joy. Grace had been located – there could be no other reason for this demonstration. He kicked Lucifer and raced to meet him.

  ‘We found them, my lord, Miss DuPont has taken a place called Drummond House. It’s no more than three miles from here, on the edge of the village.’

  Beau reined in beside them and overheard this information. ‘It’s too late to go there tonight, they will be abed by the time we get there. There’s no rush, we’ll arrive in good order first thing in the morning.’

  He was about to argue the point but decided to hold his peace. ‘You’re right, I stink of the stable, not conducive to a happy reunion. We can appear spruced up with the curate in tow tomorrow.’

  His brother appeared satisfied with his answer and they followed the groom back to a substantial inn where they were given adequate chambers. Fortunately he didn’t have to share with Beau and retired early saying his injured shoulder was stiff after a day in the saddle.

  As soon as he was alone with his valet he explained his plan. Abbott wasn’t entirely convinced, but agreed to assist him in this lunacy. The hostelry was quiet by midnight and he and his man slipped silently, boots in their hands, through the sleeping house and out by a side door. Ten minutes later they were outside Drummond House, Buster and Toby frolicking at their sides.

  *

  Grace took Ginger up to her bedchamber determined he was going to stay close to her until she could be sure he wasn’t going to vanish again. She was woken by him scratching at the door and whining, obviously desperate to relieve himself.

  ‘You’re a nuisance, you should have taken care of that matter before you came up. Wait whilst I put on my bedrobe, kindly don’t disgrace yourself in here.’

  Once she was ready she scooped him up and with a candlestick in the other hand made her way down to the side door. Suddenly Ginger shot from her grip and launched himself at the front door barking loudly enough to wake the dead.

  His noise was greeted by more barking from outside. Her beloved pets had found their way to her. She ran to the door and flung back the bolts. The door was scarcely open when two furry bundles wriggled through the gap and launched themselves at her.

  She fell to her knees and held them close, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks. She’d dropped her candlestick and the sliver of moonlight coming through the door was the only illumination in the vestibule. ‘Shush, shush, boys, you’ll wake the household.’ She scrambled to her feet and pushed the door shut and shot the bolts home. ‘Come along, you must come with me to my room. I know it’s unprecedented to have you inside, but I’m not letting you out of my sight ever again.’

  They clattered beside her their claws loud on the uncarpeted boards, but appeared content to be indoors. She halted on the landing to listen hoping the racket hadn’t woken Aunt Sarah, but everywhere was silent.

  ‘In here, boys, you can sleep on the rug by the window tonight. I’ll arrange for something more comfortable in the morning.’ She led them into her bedroom and pointed to the place she wished them to settle.

  For some reason the dogs were ignoring her and were more interested in something in the darkness by the open door. Quickly she ran back and closed the door, then removed her bedrobe and draped it tidily over the end of the bed. As she turned she walked into something solid.

  Her bladder almost emptied in shock and she drew breath to scream. Then she knew who it was. ‘Bennett, what are you doing in my bedroom? Have you run mad? I thought you understood the situation.’

  ‘Darling, I’ve just spent the most miserable week of my life. Your dogs came to fetch me and I’m not leaving your side ever again.’

&n
bsp; Before she could protest he pulled her close. Only one arm was around her waist. ‘You’re injured. Tell me at once what happened.’

  ‘Someone tried to kill me, but Abbott shot him. I’m perfectly well apart from the fact that I can’t use my left arm at the moment.’

  ‘I’ll find the tinderbox. I want to see for myself. I want to know exactly what transpired.’ When she tried to move away he prevented her.

  ‘No, sweetheart, the time for talking is over.’ He stepped closer to the bed and pushed her gently backwards.

  ‘What are you doing? You must leave at once before anyone knows you’re here. I’ve no wish to be your mistress…’

  ‘I should think not, my love, tomorrow you’ll be Lady Sheldon and my brother’s here to witness the event.’

  She shot upright colliding painfully with him as he bent to kiss her. ‘The duke is here?’ She peered around his shoulder with absolute horror.

  His laughter filled the room. ‘Good God, darling, he’s not here at this precise moment. Do you think I brought him to witness this?’

  She rolled away and dropped to the floor on the far side of the bed. Her eyes had become accustomed to the dark and she could see his outline clearly. ‘Go away, Bennett, I’ve no wish to marry you, and you being here doesn’t change that fact.’

  He ignored her protest and she watched in growing agitation as he began to disrobe. By the time he turned his back to remove his breeches she was mesmerised. Her skin burned and her heart was pounding.

  He’d made the decision for her. If his brother was here then the family had decided she was a suitable bride after all and who was she to cavil?

  Before he could face her she pulled back the sheet and slipped beneath it. The bed dipped as he joined her. ‘This garment is superfluous, sweetheart, allow me to remove it.’

  Instead of pulling it over her head he gripped the opening at the neck and ripped her nightgown in two. When her naked flesh touched his she forgot her reservations and discovered what the meaning of true love really was.