Country Cousin

by Jacqueline Gilbert

  ‘You’ve found out, have you?’ Constance smiled and said with satisfaction: ‘Your father and I thought he showed a deep concern for our feelings by coming. He knew what it must be like for us, you being away, and he felt we ought to have the chance to see for ourselves the man who was taking our daughter from us. He stayed nearly a whole day, had a long talk with your father, but wouldn’t stay the night. We both like your Edward, Nell darling,’ she finished warmly.

  ‘But when did he...?’

  ‘It must be about five weeks ago. He wanted it to be a surprise.’ Constance peered round the hall, unaware of the impact of her words. ‘Have you seen Dodie anywhere? She’s disappeared. I do hope the wretched child keeps out of mischief. You know what she’s like.’

  ‘I’ll keep my eyes open for her,’ promised Eleanor, while her brain was hammering—five weeks ago! And nothing made sense any more.

  ‘Ah, there you are, Nell, I’ve been looking for you, my dear,’ Hilary said, taking her arm and leading her to a reasonably quiet corner.

  ‘And I’m looking for Edward,’ she answered, in growing frustration. ‘Do you know where he is, Daddy? I must talk to him and I can’t seem to manage it.’

  Hilary looked at her consideringly and said: ‘He’s waiting for you at home,’ and he absently brushed confetti from her hair.

  ‘He is?’ she replied, surprised.

  ‘You’ll find him in the study.’

  ‘Oh ... right then, I’ll go.’ She gave his cheek a quick kiss and he held her to him for a moment.

  ‘Be happy, my dear Nell,’ her father said, and gave her a push out of the door. Eleanor threw him a startled look over her shoulder and paused in flight, but Hilary smiled and shook his head, motioning her to go, and closed the door firmly behind her. Puzzled, she ran through the church grounds and across the Rectory gardens, lifting the skirt of her dress high with one hand, the other still holding her bridesmaid’s posy. The Rectory was very quiet as she let herself in and the study door was wide open, and as her steps sounded in the hall, Edward turned away from the window and she stood in the doorway, suddenly shy. The window through which he had been gazing looked out on the path by which she had come, and she wished she had walked calmly and sedately, embarrassed that he should have seen her running so urgently. Now that they were alone, her opening lines flew right out of her head and she was glad of the excuse to catch her breath.

  Edward smiled slightly and crossed to close the door behind her and she said breathlessly: ‘F—Father said you wanted to see me,’ and twisted the posy nervously between her hands.

  ‘I thought we should talk, Eleanor. I’m sorry to take you away from the festivities, but I must leave in a couple of hours. It was good of you to come.’

  ‘Why, not at all,’ she replied, decidedly correct. She searched his face desperately for some clue. The last time she had seen Edward in London he had barely looked at her, his goodbye had been casual and offhand. There was nothing casual or offhand about him now. There was a suppressed air of tension belied by the indolence of movement and his eyes had not left her face since she first entered the room. His regard was unnerving and she added quickly: ‘Edward, why have you come?’

  He stopped a yard from her and folded his arms across his chest.

  He gave the question his consideration. ‘Oh, one or two reasons,’ he drawled, and reached out and took one of her hands. Contact, as always, was electric between them, and the blood rushed to her cheeks. Raising her eyes to his, she said with desperate calm:

  ‘Edward, that’s not fair.’

  ‘No, I know it isn’t, but life isn’t fair, is it? and I need to hold your boxing hand, I feel safer,’ he reproved gently, amusement in his eyes.

  Eleanor was quite happy to gaze into his eyes, to feel the warmth flowing from his hand to hers, but sanity returned and she said feebly:

  ‘W—what reasons?’

  ‘Oh, to thank you for my picture of Sykes.’

  She raised her brows. ‘You could have sent a thank-you letter.’

  ‘I’m a terrible letter writer!’ he responded heavily. ‘I thought Henry might be missing me,’ he said, after thought.

  ‘You’re outrageous!’

  ‘Yes, I know. I hoped you might be missing me.’

  There was a long silence while Eleanor’s hand trembled in his grasp. She swallowed, and whispered unsteadily: ‘You know I’ve been missing you, Edward.’

  He let out a deep breath. ‘I rather hoped you were. Dear, sweet, generous Eleanor.’ He raised her hand and held it to his cheek. ‘I didn’t know. My egotism has been slightly undermined over the past few weeks and so I only hoped. I will now give you back your hand, I don’t want to take an unfair advantage of you—besides which, I find it difficult to think clearly,’ and he let it go, thrusting his own in his pockets, contemplating his shoes. ‘Now that the time for talking has come I want to explain about Felicity.’

  ‘There’s no need, truly,’ said Eleanor.

  ‘Oh, but there is,’ asserted Edward emphatically, ‘if only because I’ve rehearsed the damned words all the way over here.’ He took a breath. ‘I was invited into Felicity’s bedroom that fatal night to give my expert opinion upon a French clock, which the lady in question had recently purchased. I left within ten minutes.’

  The explanation was given in such a fatalistically calm manner as if no one in their right mind could possibly believe it. No one in love is in their right mind, thought Eleanor, an absurd bubble of extraordinary happiness stirring inside her, and she observed gravely:

  ‘It makes a change from etchings.’

  ‘Yes, it does, doesn’t it? The clock was a particularly fine example of Buhl—I was quite envious.’

  ‘She couldn’t persuade you to stay longer?’

  ‘No.’ His eyes held hers and she felt the colour come again to her cheeks.

  ‘I’m desperately sorry, Edward, for ... hitting you. I’m deeply ashamed.’

  ‘Don’t be,’ he said quickly. ‘For once in my life it mattered what another person thought—my past reared its ugly head and laughed in my face.’ He paused and tilted his head. ‘And talking of ugly heads ... I bumped into our friend Mark Ives, who thought I should have one of your masterpieces. He sent it round the other day and I found it was a most interesting one of myself.’

  ‘Oh,’ said Eleanor, foolishly unable to meet his eyes.

  ‘It showed me that you can see me without horns now and again—which boosted my morale. There was no halo, of course, but it was nicely flattering.’

  ‘It was nothing of the kind,’ protested Eleanor indignantly, rising beautifully to the bait. ‘And it’s a long time since I thought of you with horns.’

  ‘How have you thought of me, Eleanor?’

  ‘Y—you know perfectly well,’ she said feebly, going ridiculously weak at the knees at the look on his face.

  ‘Your father rang me last night and said I was to come and put the light back in your eyes. Will you give me the chance to woo you, Eleanor? Will you let me touch you ... and kiss you ... knowing I mean it, knowing I love you?’ His voice was making love to her and he took her hands. ‘I tell you now, Eleanor, that the Mansel arrogance has no intention of letting you walk out of my life. I’ve put this ring on your finger and that’s where it’s going to stay! Dear God, these two weeks without you have been endless. Will you marry me, my darling? Take pity on a poor tired bachelor who doesn’t know what’s hit him?’

  She raised her eyes, face beautifully aglow, and said demurely:

  ‘So long as it’s clearly understood that I’m only doing it for your money...’ and then she was swept into his arms and most thoroughly and satisfyingly kissed.

  ‘Sweet heaven,’ he murmured, after a long moment, and kissed her again, reluctantly lifting his head when a banging on the window made them both swing round. Dodie’s face was pressed hard against the pane and with an exasperated groan, Edward strode over and opened the window.

  Dodie
leaned through. ‘I’ve got it, Edward,’ she said triumphantly, holding up a shoe box with remarkably grubby hands. Her face was bright with excitement and she beamed with pleasure when Edward said: ‘Good girl,’ taking the box from her and digging into his pockets for some coins.

  ‘I don’t think I ought to take any money,’ she declared doubtfully.

  ‘Why not?’ Edward put the money into her palm. ‘That’s what we agreed.’

  Dodie grinned. ‘Okay, but I think you’re crazy to...’

  ‘Dodie!’ exclaimed Eleanor in horror, coming out of her bemused state and taking a good look at her sister for the first time. She rushed over to the window. ‘Your dress! Wherever have you been? You’re covered in mud, Dodie, and just look at your shoes!’

  ‘Don’t fuss so, Nell,’ grumbled the object of her dismay, brushing the dress ineffectively. ‘Oh, golly, I am in a bit of a mess, aren’t I? Do you think they’ll notice?’

  ‘Of course they’ll notice, you nitwit,’ wailed Eleanor despairingly. ‘Don’t you dare go back in there—Kate’ll have hysterics!’

  ‘Oh, well... it’s awfully boring at these do’s—the food’s the best part. Just think! I’ve got to go through it all again for you two,’ and Dodie gave them a dark look.

  The thought was too new and disturbing and Eleanor said faintly: ‘Do go and change, Dodie, and keep out of sight of the school rooms!’

  ‘Righto. I didn’t tell her, Edward, about your visit, I mean,’ and giving a quick once-over round the terrain, Dodie dodged out of sight. Edward closed the window, amusement on his face.

  Curbing her curiosity over the box, Eleanor watched Edward place it carefully in the middle of the table and said shyly:

  ‘Why did you come—five weeks ago, I mean?’

  He raised a dark brow and pursed his lips. ‘It was an impulse.’

  A laugh burst from her. ‘I don’t believe you do anything on an impulse, Edward!’

  His lips went down wryly and then he asked quietly: ‘Eleanor, who is Joe?’

  She could hardly comprehend the question. ‘Joe?’ she echoed uncertainly, and then it dawned on her. ‘Oh! Joe!’ The warmth crept into her cheeks. ‘He’s Maisie’s little boy. He’s four...’ and her voice trailed.

  ‘You little devil!’ and his eyes gleamed as he pulled her to him. ‘You’re right. I’ve come to the conclusion I never do anything on impulse,’ and he gently kissed her eyes, her nose, and sweetly lingeringly, her lips. ‘I’ve thought deeply and seriously about doing that for a long time,’ he murmured softly, sweeping her off her feet and carrying her to the old armchair, sitting her possessively on his lap and settling them both comfortably.

  ‘Of course, I came to the wedding to compromise you,’ he said complacently. ‘I was my most charming to all the old biddies and openly made love to you with my eyes.’ He laughed. ‘If you could have seen your face when you saw me!’

  ‘Oh, I quite realise how hopelessly transparent I was,’ grumbled Eleanor lovingly. ‘You knew perfectly well I loved everything about you.’

  ‘Even the eyebrows?’

  ‘Even those,’ she agreed with a smirk, ‘but they only come second to this dimple,’ and she stabbed his cheek with the tip of her finger. ‘When you first genuinely smiled at me I was done for.’

  ‘Rubbish. You disliked me intensely,’ Edward said fondly. ‘You told me so often enough.’

  She took his hand in both of hers, holding it to her cheek. It was the same hand she had known for a long time, but now it could be explored, viewed with new eyes ... it could be caressed, kissed, and fingers could be entwined.

  ‘I know you think me an innocent,’ she murmured into his chest, ‘but I knew from the start that there was some spark between us, and it seemed easier to be anti and ward off trouble.’

  He threw back his head and gave a bark of laughter. ‘Ward off trouble? My dear girl, you’ve been nothing but trouble to me from the minute I set eyes on you,’ and he shook his head in mock despair. ‘You brought out the worst in me, I’m afraid, purely for self-preservation ... I interpreted the gleam in my dear mama’s eyes the minute she knew you were coming ... I was anti before I’d even seen you! And then you turned up with that ridiculous accent and my interest was roused, and gradually you wormed your way into my life so that you came between me and everything I did! I wasn’t the same! All my confidence that no woman could make me dependent upon her—and certainly not a slip of a thing who shouldered everyone’s troubles!—it all went... with alarming rapidity. I didn’t go down without a fight, though.’

  ‘You were horrible to me,’ she murmured reproachfully.

  ‘I’ll make up for it,’ Edward promised, moving slightly to accommodate her more comfortably. ‘By the way, your father knew about us.’ Eleanor twisted a startled face up at him. ‘How the engagement happened,’ he added. ‘I told him when I first came.’

  ‘You told him...?’ Words failed her and she could only gape incredulously.

  ‘Everything,’ he said, a tinge of amusement creeping into his voice as he shrugged slightly, ‘well, nearly everything, but what I didn’t say, he guessed, hence his telephone call last night.’

  Eleanor expelled a long breath. ‘Good heavens! All this time he’s known!’ She put hands to hot cheeks. ‘And Mother?’

  Edward shook his head. ‘No, there was no need to tell your mother, we decided it would only worry her. Of course, I didn’t tell him I loved you, I was still fighting my losing battle, but he’s very astute, your father, and he knows how adorable is his Eleanor Rose.’ He kissed her upturned lips gently. ‘Such an eminently kissable mouth!’ His arms tightened and his voice was rough. ‘Dear God, Eleanor, when I saw you crumpled in a heap at the bottom of those damned cellar steps, for a moment everything stopped, I was finished, and then, when you moved, the relief that swept through me was unbelievable, the final link in the chain that bound you to me. Fool that I was, instead of telling you, there and then, what you meant to me, I dragged you off to Felicity’s to try—well, heaven knows with what intent! I suppose I still wasn’t completely sure that you loved me.’ He gave a snort of derisive laughter. ‘Instead of propounding my love I received a thwack across the face that nearly knocked me off my feet!’

  ‘Poor love,’ comforted Eleanor, caressing the offended cheek tenderly. ‘I was so angry because you were right about the jealousy ... in fact, that’s probably what you intended me to feel that weekend, so that your declaration would be received with open arms!’

  ‘I deny it,’ drawled Edward, turning his cheek to her hair and savouring the perfume that wafted his way. ‘My real intent was to see this stupid charade through to the bitter end and start again. Your gratitude was a dreadful barrier, my dear, and...’

  Eleanor groaned. ‘Gratitude! Edward, you seem obsessed with that word! You were kind to me and my family, and yes, gratitude has played its part, but it would never make me do anything against my wishes.’

  This rather revealing statement brought the colour to her cheeks as she remembered their passionate lovemaking that night in the study.

  Edward, obviously following the same line of thought, said softly:

  ‘Perhaps it’s as well I didn’t know that. You’re so beautiful, Nell my darling, so warm and compassionate, loyal and true, you went to my head the night I gave you that damned present like a rocket exploding into the sky, and your response only fanned the flames!’ He smiled wryly. ‘I ran away to Paris to sort myself out!’ He gazed down at her face, at the sweet curve of cheek, lashes fanned across creamy skin, wispy tendrils curling along slender neck, the once tidy coronet of hair becoming appealingly astray. ‘How long are you going to make me wait, Nell?’

  Eleanor’s lashes trembled, a small frown creased her forehead.

  ‘There’s such a great deal to organise with weddings, Edward.’ She held the pause for as long as she dared. ‘Would ... a w—week be too long, do you think?’ and as she met his eyes, exclaimed: ‘Edward! I was only j—
joking! It’s not possible in a week!’

  ‘A week you said ... and a week ... it will be!’ he ground out between ruthless kisses, and with a groan, he thrust her from him. ‘You’re dynamite, young woman, and should only be handled in small doses!’ He heaved them both out of the chair. ‘I think we’d better make sedately for the bosom of your family.’

  Eleanor dimpled and said teasingly: ‘Oh, well, if you can’t stand the pace!’ and evading his grasp, dodged round the table, helpless with laughter, until he caught her and pulled her roughly to him. They clung together, the laughter dying as their eyes held, hearts thumping in unison, and their lips slowly met.

  ‘Three weeks,’ said Edward thickly.

  ‘Three weeks,’ echoed Eleanor faintly, breathing softly: ‘Edward, I do love you so.’

  He stood, holding her close. ‘I can’t think why, but I’m very glad to hear it.’

  ‘And we w—will be happy, won’t we?’ She buried her head in his jacket. ‘I’m a bit scared, Edward. You’re sure...?’

  ‘Quite, quite sure, and stop being an idiot,’ he told her lovingly. ‘It’s not going to be easy, nothing worth while ever is, but we’re going to work very hard at our life together.’ He grinned. ‘You know how efficient I am,’ he teased gently.

  After a while Eleanor said dreamily: ‘I hate to be mundane, darling, but my left foot has the cramp and your box is moving.’

  ‘Good lord, so it is!’ Edward released her reluctantly and they looked at it. ‘I’d forgotten the darned thing,’ adding with a grin, ‘I had other things on my mind.’

  ‘Well, now you’ve remembered, are you going to show me what’s in it? I know you think I’m a paragon among women, but I’m consumed with curiosity!’ Eleanor wailed.

  ‘Patience!’ ordered Edward, leaning against the table, and pulling her comfortably back into his arms. ‘Once upon a time,’ he began, ‘there was a beautiful princess, whose name was Nell...’