Now Stemple looked bewildered.
“My lord, I am certainly not angry or annoyed. You have saved my life by giving me this position and I cannot thank you enough for it. The work I do here is meaningful and I hope you are satisfied with my efforts.”
“I am extremely pleased, as is Rose. In fact, if you let me in there, I can tell you the great compliment she paid you….good Lord, man, why are you so reluctant to let me in? Are you afraid I’ll steal you blind? I can assure you I will only take any cash you might have lying about.”
“I am not alone, my lord,” Stemple whispered.
“But who…” Colin was the veriest of fools. Could he be more of a blunderer? “I am terribly sorry, Victor, for intruding this evening. Do not worry about arising early for the post. I can take it there myself. Tomorrow shall be a holiday for you. For both of you.”
“My lord, that is not necessary and I will gladly deliver your package to the post.”
“No, you deserve the rest. It is good that at least one of us has his romantical affairs in order.”
“My lord, how do you feel about servants marrying?”
“In this case, it is an excellent idea. Other than that, I haven’t given it any thought whatsoever. I hope the two of you do not leave us, though, of course, I will understand if you do. I’ll understand, but make a spectacle of myself begging you to stay.”
Victor grinned. “I cannot imagine a place we’d rather be. Although, I should probably get back to my bedchamber. She is probably panicked by now.”
“Of course. Give her my best. Actually, do not do that as I think it would probably embarrass her. Wait until an appropriate time tomorrow then give her my best wishes for your marriage. Actually, I will do that in person. I am blathering like a drunken lord when in fact I have had a lamentable lack of spirits. Good night. And congratulations, Victor.” He shook his friend’s hand.
“Thank you…Colin.” He smiled. “Now, my lord, may I have that package to take to the post?”
“I shall do it.”
“Do you have any idea where to take it?”
“No.”
“Give it to me, sir.”
In the end, Colin gave him the package, then climbed the stairs to his bedchamber. So Victor and Maude were getting married. He was glad for both of them.
And oh so very envious.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Myra Babcock was bored. Bored with this horrid village with nothing to recommend it. Bored with England if it meant rusticating without any chance of even seeing a British soldier in his splendid uniform. As an American, she knew she shouldn’t hold British soldiers in such high esteem, but she simply loved a man in uniform.
It was really too bad that in this God-forsaken county the only single man of any merit was the earl. There was nothing wrong with Ridgeway, of course, and he had once been a soldier. Perhaps he still had the uniform. Myra was sure he looked splendid in it. Perhaps he could be convinced to wear it on a visit to the manor. She would pay him to do so. From what their gossipy chaperone Miss Patton had said, he’d likely do anything for enough blunt.
The only problem was that he seemed determined to court Nora. What’s more, their parents were quite set on him making their eldest daughter a countess. Well, not papa, since he usually judged a man by his net worth and the earl was lamentably poor. But their mama definitely had her heart set on the match.
But that didn’t mean Myra had to fall in with their plans. And it’s not like Nora was some matrimonial prize, despite her great beauty. For even Myra had to grudgingly admit her sister was beautiful. Nora Babcock had two things going for her: beauty and the ability to hide her true self. Of course, it’s not as if gentlemen looked all that hard for Nora’s faults. But they were there. After all, hadn’t Nora laughed harder than anyone at the stories Miss Patton had told of Leticia Emerson’s birth?
No wonder Nora was doing so well with Lord Ridgeway. The man had absolutely no idea who she really was.
But then, people tended to underestimate Myra, as well.
She became aware of a disturbance downstairs. A delivery boy from the village had probably gone to the front entrance, earning himself a scold from their insufferable butler.
There was a knock on her door, then Richard entered. “What are you doing up here when there’s a lord downstairs?”
“Mama has probably already shoved Ridgeway and Nora into a closet somewhere hoping for an indiscretion. I’m sure she won’t let me near him.”
“But it’s not Ridgeway. It’s some other pompous lord. You don’t want Nora to take all the men, do you?”
It was a rhetorical question since Richard knew quite well how Myra felt about their sister’s success with men. So, she straightened her gown, pinched her cheeks and went downstairs to meet the new arrival.
He was passably handsome, with blonde hair and a charming smile.
As could be expected, their mother was in alt. She turned to Marvins. “Go find Miss Babcock immediately.”
Myra noted their mother had not sent for her. She made her presence known anyway, but wished she’d worn a gown that showed her bosom to better advantage. “Do we have a guest, Mama?”
“Ah, Myra, there you are. Have you seen your sister?”
“I cannot say that I have.” Nor would she admit it if she had.
Mrs. Babcock curtsied to their guest for what was likely the fifth or sixth time. “Viscount Clayton, might I present my youngest child, Miss Myra?”
Viscount Clayton bowed elegantly. “The pleasure is all mine, Miss Myra.” And the way he darted his eyes across her bosom made Myra realize her gown wasn’t so bad after all.
“Myra, be a good girl and ring for tea,” said Mrs. Babcock. “Come with us to the sitting room, my lord. Now, Viscount Clayton, where is ‘viscount’ on the hierarchy of titles?”
Myra rolled her eyes and was glad to see this Clayton fellow showed his own distaste for the question. “It is an honorary title I will hold until I become the earl.”
“And when will that be?” asked Mrs. Babcock.
“That is difficult to predict,” said Clayton, carefully. “It would mean the death of my own father.”
“Oh, dear! Such a horrible fate to contemplate. Is he in good health, your father?”
“Yes, Mrs. Babcock, dreadfully so. But tell me, I am most interested to know where Ridgeway is. I thought this was his home.”
“It was. Technically, I suppose, it still is. But Mr. Babcock has taken it for our winter stay here in England. Lord Ridgeway and those sisters of his live in the dower house. Our daughter Nora is quite a beauty and we thought to rusticate before going to London.”
“Your daughter Miss Myra is also quite well-favored,” said Clayton with a smile Myra did not trust, but appreciated just the same. “So, Ridgeway’s finances must truly be dire if he’s lost his home.”
“I do not know anything about finances, being a lady and all,” replied Mrs. Babcock. “But I hear tell he doesn’t have two farthings to rub together. Are you of sound financial health, my lord?”
The man smirked and Myra had a feeling he was laughing at her mother, as well he might. “My blunt is the picture of health, if I might speak plainly.”
“Always, my lord. We value plain speaking above all else. We are Americans after all. Now, you simply must stay with us.”
“I couldn’t possibly intrude.”
“But it would not be an intrusion. I will not think of you staying anywhere else.”
“I could always stay with Ridgeway.”
“No!” said Mrs. Babcock so vehemently that the hovering footman jumped. “I will not hear of such a thing. We have plenty of room here. Ridgeway calls on Miss Babcock with a flattering frequency. Anything you have to say to him can be accomplished when he visits, I am certain. Is that not right, Myra?”
Myra studied the man in front of her. It would be just the thing to steal a wealthy viscount from under Nora’s pert nose. And, after all, this ma
n would one day be an earl, too. “Yes, Mama, it is a capital idea for Viscount Clayton to stay here.”
“You must be an especial friend of Lord Ridgeway’s to come all this way to see him,” said Mrs. Babcock.
“Not so great of a friend,” he said. “I have come to deliver wages to two servants who formerly worked for me. Tell me, does Miss Conway reside at the dower house, as well?”
“I am sure I wouldn’t know about other people’s servants,” said Mrs. Babcock. “Though I am sure she has her work cut out for her with that sister of his. Now, I shall ring for Marvins to show you to your room.”
“I can do that, Mama,” said Myra. “We should put him in the blue room.” It was conveniently located on her end of the family wing.
“I do not believe that would suit Lord Clayton,” said her mother. “Put him in the room with the ships.”
That was on Nora’s end. Myra smiled sweetly at her mother. “As you wish, Mama.”
Her mother eyed her suspiciously, before running off. No doubt to alert Nora to Lord Clayton’s arrival. Well, Myra had her own plan. “If you will follow me, my lord.”
Once they’d started climbing the stairs and were out of earshot of the nosy servants, she turned to him. “Now, Lord Clayton, why did you inquire about Miss Conway?”
“As I said, I owe her wages.”
“Could you not have had your man of business take care of the debt?”
“I could have, I suppose. Perhaps I just wanted to see my schoolmate.”
“Lord Clayton, perhaps I should tell you that I can always tell when someone is not being truthful.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Are you accusing me of lying, Miss Myra?”
“Yes.”
That elicited a laugh from Clayton. “I believe the usual response would be ‘of course not.’”
“You’ll find I am not all usual. Now, what is your real reason for wanting to see Miss Conway?”
She opened the door to his room. The blue room. Not the one with the ships.
“This does not look like the bedchamber your mother wanted you to place me in.”
“You didn’t like that bedchamber and who am I to argue with a viscount? Now, tell me about Miss Conway.”
“With pleasure, my dear,” he said, as he motioned for her to join him in his room.
*
“Maude, I’m so excited for you!” said Ava, as she hugged her friend. Stemple had just announced the news of their betrothal at breakfast.
“This is wonderful!” said Rose, who also hugged Maude. “We must make the perfect wedding dress for you. We can alter one of the gowns in the attic.”
“Oh milady, I couldn’t have you do that. Those are your family’s gowns.”
“And you are part of the family now,” said Rose. “I’m sure we can find something that will work. You must come up to the attic with me to look through them.”
“Can I come?” asked Letty.
“Of course. We shall need your help to design it, as well as Miss Conway’s.”
Ava congratulated Stemple. “I wish you very happy. You’re gaining a wonderful wife,” she said as she kissed his cheek.
Colin shook his butler’s hand. “All I know is that the overnight stay at Clayton’s, while unpleasant in the extreme, has certainly benefitted us all. Unless you whisk your bride off to a better place, then I will have something else to blame Clayton for.”
“We are very happy to stay, my lord,” said Stemple.
“Thank heavens.” The earl then kissed Maude, who blushed. “Maude, this is excellent news. He is the best man I know.”
“He is, your lordship. I am very blessed, indeed.”
“This calls for a celebration,” said Colin. “I would suggest a celebratory dinner, but that would rather defeat the purpose. I imagine the two of you would like to go to the church to arrange for the banns to be read.”
“Thank you, my lord,” said Stemple. “We were hoping to be wed as soon as possible.”
“I thought you might.”
So, in short order Stemple and Maude left for the church, while Rose and Letty went to the attic in search of a suitable gown. Ava was about to join them when Colin asked for a word.
“Miss Conway, would you care to join me in the library?” But it was clear they both had the same recollection of what had transpired between them in that room. “Or perhaps the sitting room?”
“I believe the sitting room would be better, my lord.”
“Not for all things,” he muttered, as he motioned for her to precede him. Once they arrived, he was disappointed to see her take a seat in a chair and not on the settee, where he could sit beside her.
“I am pleased to report, my lord, that Lady Leticia is an excellent student. And since your library…”
“Ahh, the library again. Perhaps we should go there now.”
“I can give you my report just as easily here. With the excellent books in the well-stocked library, I am certain Lady Leticia will continue to excel at her studies since she has a natural curiosity about everything. I just hope her next governess takes the time to nurture her love of learning.”
“You are doing such a great job with her lessons, I can only hope you will stay on as her teacher.”
“That is impossible, my lord. As soon as I secure other employment I shall be going.”
“But who will take your place, Ava?”
“It is Miss Conway, my lord.”
“If you insist, Miss Conway, and from your look I see that you do. But who in their right mind would come here to teach my sister for free? When you leave, she will have no governess and may never have one again. Must she suffer because you wish to leave?”
For a moment, Ava was struck with horrible guilt. She had not thought about the fact that Colin would not be able to afford to replace her. She’d only thought about how much she would miss Letty and Rose. Drat the man. She certainly didn’t want Letty’s studies to suffer. But then she remembered something.
“My lord, Lady Leticia had no governess when I arrived. What were you going to do to fill the position then?”
“Pray to the Lord above that He would have mercy on us and deliver a governess who was always quick with an impertinent remark. Then you walked in the door. It was truly a miracle.”
Ava narrowed her eyes. “My lord, you’re being blasphemous.”
“Only because I cannot countenance you leaving.” He rubbed his hand through his hair. “Do you really want to leave so much, Ava?”
“I must, Colin. I cannot remain.”
He rose to pace the room, which was odd, for she’d never seen him so restless. He sat back down. He rose again. He truly seemed to be shaken. “What if I do not marry Miss Babcock? Or any heiress? What if I married you, dear sweet Ava?”
Ava was aware of the world stopping. There was nothing there but Colin. Who’d just proposed.
Or had he?
“Are you asking me to marry you?”
He paused for a moment too long and the world took off with a jolt again, making her slightly ill. “Not yet. Nor do I know if I will be able to. I was just checking to see if you might be amenable to the possibility.”
Ava took a deep breath, wanting to ensure she would not say anything she could not take back. She was hurt, thoroughly, deeply. Though she knew that had not been his intention. But she could not remain silent. “Am I to understand that you are ascertaining whether or not you have an alternative waiting in the wings before you ask your first choice?”
“No, of course not! You are my first choice. But, as you know, I must have money.”
“Colin, if I were your first choice, you simply would have asked me to marry you. There would be no understudy for the role. “
“I never meant to imply you are any such thing. I am bungling this dreadfully, am I not?”
“Quite. Now I must redouble my efforts to find new employment.”
“You cannot leave until I pay you your wages.”
�
��But you cannot pay me until you marry.”
“Exactly.”
“I shall borrow the money from Maude.”
“You would deprive Maude of needed funds right as she marries?”
Ava closed the distance between them. “My lord,” she poked his chest with her finger. “I am not an understudy for your bride. I deserve to be the first choice.”
“But you are…” he began, before being poked again.
“Hush! You have an obligation to your family and descendants. I understand that. But I have an obligation to protect my heart. And as hard as it will be for me to leave here, I cannot be heart whole if I remain.”
“Will it really be hard for you to leave?”
“Yes. I shall miss Rose and Letty dreadfully.”
“Only Rose and Letty?”
“Also Maude and Stemple.”
“What about me, Ava? What about me?”
For a moment, she considered not answering him. Because she had no words to say. But in the end, she conveyed her message without them. She went to Colin and pulled him to her for a searing kiss. An amazing kiss. A kiss that changed lives.
But then she released him. And poked him in the chest yet again. “What do you think, you…you….nincompoop!”
She whirled away from him before he could catch her. She was going to leave him. And life would never be the same.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
The written invitation from the Babcocks was unusual in two respects. One was that it had a minimum of exclamation points and underlined text. Colin was used to receiving daily invitations from Mrs. Babcock that made clear her excitement. He was often asked to “Partake of a meal!” Or “Walk in the garden with Miss Babcock, who was SO looking forward to seeing him!” On one occasion, he was even promised an “Evening of untold excitement!!!” That evening had consisted of Miss Babcock playing the pianoforte. And not all that expertly.
Colin knew he should not be snide. It certainly wasn’t Miss Babcock’s fault that her mother was pushing the match with such urgency. In truth, the lady herself didn’t seem to share her mama’s enthusiasm for the marriage, though she always said the correct things.
Always Come Home (Emerson 1) Page 19