A Cornish Maid

by Fenella J Miller

  “I’ve brought you another gift, definitely something less formal. Will you wear it for me tonight?”

  She was tempted to refuse. For him to purchase garments for a lady not his wife was quite unconventional. However, if he’d been kind enough to think of her when he was away the least she could do was wear his gift. “I will. I was intending to walk into the village but I think another storm is brewing so will remain in the grounds instead.”

  “Good. Then I shall take your advice and take a nap in my room. I should hate to fall asleep at the table.”

  He left her on the terrace and was halfway up the stairs when she recalled her gifts were still on his bed. If she was to appear in whatever he’d bought her, she must go at once and collect the items. Perhaps one of the staff had already done this; she’d check first.

  However, when she enquired, Betty shook her head. “No, miss, I’m sorry but I’ve not been upstairs. Shall I go now?”

  “No, thank you. Dr. Fairfield has gone to his chambers.”

  Tom and Jack ran past, clutching their soldiers. “We’re going to build a fort outside, Melza, come and see.”

  “Sorry, Jack. I have duties to attend to. Perhaps I can come later on.” The boys rushed away, too excited by their gift to be bothered by her refusal. The children loved Lucas; they were going to be devastated when he vanished from their lives.

  Her love for him was of a different sort. He filled her every waking minute with his presence. She was beginning to wonder if his arrival was going to turn out to be more of a curse than a blessing to her family.

  His bedchamber door was firmly closed. Surely he couldn’t be asleep so soon? He’d only gone up a few minutes ahead of her. She knocked loudly but received no reply. Lifting the latch, she peered round the door. He was sprawled on top of the bed in his shirt sleeves and breeches, apparently sound asleep. No doubt soldiers learnt to snatch whatever rest they could and had the knack of dropping off immediately. The parcels were in a heap on the boards and there was no way of telling which three held her items. They were all topsy-turvy, one on top of the other. On hands and knees, she carefully prodded and poked and peeped but discovered nothing feminine inside the brown paper. There were crisp shirts, cravats, two waistcoats, undergarments, breeches and a smart, bottle green jacket.

  Disgusted, she sat back on her heels and looked around for the missing packages. They were nowhere in sight. Of course, he must have taken them into her room. What a goose she was not to have checked in there first. Springing to her feet, she tiptoed out closing the door quietly behind her.

  But her gifts were not there either. Mystified, she crept back. Only then did she spot a mound of brown paper on the far side of the bed, to the left of his stockinged feet. She’d wasted a good half an hour scrabbling about on the floor. Why hadn’t he taken the parcels into her bedchamber for her?

  Edging around the bed, she leant forward to collect the first item. To her consternation his arm shot out and captured her wrist. His eyes opened and he smiled lazily. “I was waiting for you to collect these, my love. If you had thought to ask I would have told you they were on the bed.”

  Thoroughly flustered, she tried to tug her hand free. His grip tightened and before she could steady herself he jerked and she tumbled headlong into his arms. This was not supposed to happen. He’d promised he would not kiss her again.

  “You gave me your word — ”

  “If you recall, sweetheart, you asked me to promise not to kiss you but if you recall I refrained from answering.”

  His hands soothed her as if she were a fretting child; his gentle strokes from shoulder to hip somehow chased away her reservations. A sweet warmth travelled through her body and she couldn’t help herself. She rolled against him, loving his bulk against her softness.

  “Look at me, my darling. I want to see your lovely eyes. I could drown in their depths. I am under your spell, you have enchanted me like a wild, Cornish wood nymph.”

  Then his lips touched hers and she was lost to all common sense. All that mattered was she loved him and he loved her. Somehow they would find a way to make a future for themselves and she would persuade him to take on the children as well. She would tell him she had changed her mind and would become engaged to him after all.

  He drew back after kissing her and gently moved her from the bed. “Go, I must rest. There are things we need to speak about this evening.” He rolled over and within seconds was genuinely asleep, his deep even breathing filled the silent room, allowing her no chance to reply.

  Gathering up her presents, she returned to the privacy of her own domain. With shaking fingers, she tore off the paper. Her eyes widened as she held up the gown. The garment was an unusual shade of greenish-blue, not a shade she’d ever seen before but quite similar to the colour of a duck’s egg.

  The gown was in the new fashion and would suit her slender figure and rounded curves to perfection. The neckline was heart-shaped and delicately sewn with the palest turquoise beads, which were repeated around the edges of the little cap sleeves and on the hem. She held the dress up in front of her and spun around the room. The dress fitted perfectly, elegant enough to wear in the evening but perfect for the dining room at Tregorran House. With a sigh she draped the gown over a chair back.

  He had kissed her, said he loved her and wanted to marry her. So why did she still hesitate? She had behaved appallingly. A well brought up young lady should not have responded to his embrace the way she had.

  Mama must be turning in her grave. She would have told her there was no choice but to accept the offer. Demelza must move to Hertfordshire even if it meant leaving the children behind.

  Tears spilled down her cheeks and she brushed them aside. Lucas was a good, kind man. Eventually he must agree to allow her siblings to join them. Why couldn’t he stay here instead? She shook her head, she already knew the answer to that.

  Lucas was strong, determined; he would not let something as trivial as a romance stand in the way of his duty. If he believed his life was in Hertfordshire restoring his ancestral home then that is what he would do.

  She must decide. Should she do what was right or what was in her heart? Did her good name mean more than her brothers and sister?

  No, she had promised Mama she would take care of them. She couldn’t break her word even though it would break her heart to let him go.

  Therefore she must make the most of every precious second that remained. At least then she would have memories to keep her warm in the dark winters that would follow his departure. She was glad now that she hadn’t had time to tell him of her change of heart. This secret she would keep from him and the rest of her family.

  Demelza was certain she’d never looked better. Her new gown fell in gossamer folds about her ankles. When she was stationary, her toes were hidden, which was a shame as her gifts had included matching slippers. Somehow her neck appeared longer, her eyes larger and instead of her arms looking thin tonight they seemed elegant.

  Grand ladies of society would, of course, be shocked rigid by the fact her skin was not white but golden brown from the hours she spent outside in the sunshine. Her mouth curved. Lucas’s face was darker than her own, but then soldiers spent most of their time out of doors.

  He’d gone downstairs some time ago and was moving about restlessly on the terrace below her window. Where was Martha? She must go and see what was keeping her friend. It would be wise to remain chaperoned this evening.

  She knocked quietly. Receiving no response, she pushed open the door to discover the bedchamber in darkness and the shutters drawn. “Martha, are you unwell again?”

  The huddled shape on the bed moved slightly. “I am a martyr to sick headaches, my dear. I’m afraid you must go down alone tonight.”

  Having made sure there was nothing she could do, Demelza quietly closed the door behind her. How odd that these headaches appeared at such inopportune moments. Could fate be conspiring to push she and Lucas together regardless of her reserva
tions?

  She had no option. She was already tardy so must go unaccompanied.

  The children had gone to the beach with Josie. She couldn’t delay her descent by visiting the nursery. Taking a deep breath, she straightened her shoulders and walked toward the stairs. Her pulse quickened. What was he going to say to her? Was he thinking of their future? Had he realised why she had refused him and had changed his mind about the children?

  Footsteps on the flagstones warned her Lucas had come in. She stiffened, hardly daring to move and see his expression when he saw her in her finery. Demelza slowly turned, being careful to keep her ankles decorously hidden beneath her skirts. Her eyes widened.

  Who is this handsome gentleman smiling down at me so charmingly?

  In his evening garments, Lucas was devastating. She forgot about her own appearance — she couldn’t take her eyes from his.

  “Move along, miss, these here plates won’t take themselves to the table. Betty has your first course in her hands.”

  Blushing furiously, Demelza apologised to Molly and rushed past him into the dining room. Not waiting for him to pull out her chair, she sat down and busied herself unfolding the napkin so she didn’t have to look at him when he entered.

  “The gown is perfect on you, Demelza. And I feel a different man entirely in these smart togs — small wonder you were surprised at my appearance.” He grinned at Betty who had followed with the second tray. “This looks and smells delicious. Thank you.”

  They sat in silence until the room was empty. Demelza was reluctant to reach out in case he took her hand.

  “This is ridiculous, sweetheart. The prawns in cream are getting cold; the sole and bass fillets will not improve by being left to congeal. Are you going to sit like a statue?”

  She stared at him frostily. “I believe it’s usual for a gentleman to help a lady, not the other way around. I’m neither your wife nor your daughter, so I have no obligation to wait on you.”

  His expression darkened. For a moment she wished she’d not spoken, then he smiled politely and began to dish up the food. She ate enough so Molly would not be offended. The atmosphere in the room was decidedly chilly. Somehow she got through the meal but had never been more grateful when the dessert was removed and she could leave.

  “You still have half a decanter of claret to finish, sir, so I’ll leave you to it.” Hardly the graceful words of the perfect hostess but she needed to get away from him. He’d done nothing to actually offend her but his offhand behaviour had hurt.

  Lucas watched her go. He had behaved shamefully, treated her as if she was of no account. Twice he’d taken advantage of her innocence and put her in an impossible position. She was gently born and would know a gentleman didn’t kiss a lady unless they were betrothed. There was only one thing that would put matters right, but he was reluctant to push her into an engagement that was, for some strange reason, apparently not to her liking.

  Something was holding her back. The only thing he could think of was that she had no wish to leave her beloved Cornwall. He could offer the little ones so much more than they could get in this remote part of the world. His eyes lit up as he imagined leading Serena onto the dance floor at her come-out ball. She would be as beautiful as her sister and make a brilliant match. He would employ the best tutors for the boys and they could attend his own school when they were older.

  He was used to getting his own way; his powers of persuasion were legendary. He would not be defeated in this battle. He would win her over somehow. He was sure she felt the same way as he did, she would not have allowed him to embrace her otherwise. It didn’t make sense. He was a wealthy man and perfectly presentable. Why wasn’t she delighted to be receiving an offer from him?

  The grass was damp and impulsively Demelza took off her slippers to feel the dew beneath her feet. It was a perfect summer’s evening. Nothing could spoil her mood of optimism. Tonight she must remind herself that Lucas’s generosity had changed the family’s fortune and not dwell on what might have been.

  She had yet to discover a puppy for the boys. There had been nothing suitable in the village. Tomorrow she would ride Silver around the neighbourhood until she found what she sought.

  The sound of childish laughter coming from the cliff path drew her across the grass. As the children emerged from between the gorse bushes, Lucas called her from the house. She turned and waved. The little ones would think it strange if he didn’t come over and see what they had collected. He had discarded his smart jacket and tossed his cravat aside. He looked much more familiar to her in his shirt sleeves and breeches.

  “See, Melza, Jack and I have got mussels, Serena’s got crabs and shrimps.” Tom said.

  She turned back to examine the children’s treasures, and then Josie puffed to the top arriving red — faced and breathless.

  Serena tugged at Demelza’s skirt. “Melza, why doesn’t Uncle Lucas come to see? Did you have an argument?”

  Lucas wasn’t walking toward them, he was standing ramrod straight on the terrace waiting for them to approach. She ignored Serena’s question.

  “I ’spect he’s tired, isn’t he Jack?” Tom said.

  “He’s got new boots on, Melza. Can I have some too?”

  “One day, Jack, I’m sure you can.” They had almost reached the house. Why didn’t Lucas move? Her cheeks flushed. The boys rushed forward as if nothing was the matter and eagerly showed him the contents of their buckets. Immediately he was the old Lucas and dropped down on his haunches to exclaim at every shell and crab.

  Josie took her new duties as nursery maid seriously. “I think it’s time you all go up; it’ll be dark soon.”

  “I’ll be along later to read you a story. You may play with your soldiers for half an hour if you go up without a fuss.” Demelza told them.

  Serena hung back. “Do I have to go to bed at the same time as them? I’m nearly grown-up. I think I should be allowed to stay up longer.”

  Demelza was about to agree when Lucas stepped in. “Not tonight, Serena. You have been given an instruction; kindly do as you’re told.” Without another word, her sister vanished.

  Did he think he was their guardian? How could he presume to interfere when he didn’t even want them in his life when he left here?

  “My sister’s behaviour is none of your concern, Dr. Fairfield. If you wish to remain here, kindly remember your place. You are my paying guest, not the master and it’s high time you understood your position.” She raked him with an icy stare. “My life is here with the children, protecting our inheritance. Tregorrans have lived here for hundreds of years. I am mistress of this establishment and you would do well to remember it.”

  She stalked off. Her nails bit into her palms as she blinked away her tears. She had allowed him to take liberties with her person. She didn’t care that she might have damaged her good name. What had happened had not been his fault; he had made her an offer. She had decided not to accept. The ruination of her good name was entirely her concern. She would never marry so what did it matter what another gentleman might think?

  If she couldn’t be the wife of the man she loved, she would remain a spinster forever.

  Lucas wanted to call her back but thought better of it. She’d made her feelings perfectly clear. He could hardly force her to marry him because he had overstepped the mark. He strode back to the dining room and slumped at the table. He drained his glass and refilled it, slopping the wine over the brim. A dark red stain spread across the polished surface. He swirled his finger in the spill and sighed.

  However much he loved her — and he was quite sure she was the one for him — if she wouldn’t leave here he must accept that. Anyway, a gentleman ought to put his duty first. He couldn’t abandon his responsibilities and remove himself to the wilds of Cornwall in order to be at her side.

  A wife should follow her husband. That was how things were done in Society. Unless she was prepared to move, he could see no future for them.

  He would leave
the next morning. He could not share a house with the woman he loved and not be able to speak of it. Too dispirited and tired to think further, he trudged upstairs and dropped onto his bed, fully clothed.

  Chapter Nine

  Demelza heard Lucas leave at dawn. How could he creep away without saying goodbye to her and the children? How was she going to explain his disappearance? How could she tell them it was her fault he had gone and even worse, that he didn’t want them in his life?

  She wasn’t going to tell the children the truth. Far better to prevaricate for the moment, let them become accustomed to his absence before revealing the true state of affairs.

  It would be easier to speak to them whilst they were in the schoolroom as they would be too busy to ask awkward questions. Her feet dragged. The nursery stairs seemed steep this morning. She pushed open the schoolroom door to find Martha drawing a map on the blackboard whilst the children worked industriously at their slates.

  “I’m sorry to interrupt your studies, but I have some important news to give you.” She felt a tingle of embarrassment trickle down her spine. “Uncle Lucas has had to return to Plymouth to complete his business. He made a special journey yesterday in order to bring us our gifts. Wasn’t that kind of him?”

  “Will he be back for our birthday, Melza?” Jack asked.

  Martha came to her rescue before she was embroiled in more falsehoods. “I’m sure that Dr. Fairfield will come if he can. Now, Demelza has given you the news; kindly return to your studies.”

  Smiling her thanks, Demelza slipped away. This improbable explanation would not do for anyone but the children. When she had come to terms with the loss of the man she loved she would explain everything to Martha.

  She moped about the house and even the lure of the beach was not enough to raise her spirits. Martha respected her privacy and made no comment about her unlikely explanation for Lucas’s departure. Eventually, Demelza decided she must explain the whole to her family and she invited them to join her in the drawing room.