A Promise of Pure Gardenias

by Jackie Williams

  Brendon grunted as he crunched his own biscuit.

  “Huh! Well, don’t think I am going to open an orphanage here. I’ll leave all that kind of thing to my friends and relatives.”

  Sophia studied the man for a moment.

  “So what are you going to do with it? It’s a little large for one man on his own.” She glanced about the huge room.

  Brendon glanced about too, but his eyes soon came back to his guest. She looked perfect gracing his drawing room. He picked a stem of grass from his sleeve and twiddled it about his long fingers as he spoke again.

  “I might settle down and raise a family. Though not as large as Sommersford, Fallows is perfect for a bundle of children. Remember all those games of hide and seek we used to play?”

  Sophia laughed, the gentle sound reverberating about the high ceilinged room.

  “You and Algernon hated them. You only played along so you thought you could avoid Felicity and I for hours on end while we hid from you. Don’t think we didn’t guess.”

  Brendon’s lips quirked up at the corners.

  “Ha! And then Algernon got himself caught out anyway. Young love, eh?” He referred to Algernon and Felicity’s first childhood kiss. “I knew they were meant for one another right from the start.”

  Sophia’s eyes widened in surprise.

  “You did? Well, you could have fooled me. The way you used to wallop Algernon with almost monotonous regularity made me think that you actually disliked my brother.”

  Brendon slouched further into his chair. He hated to be reminded of his awful temper tantrums towards his friend.

  “I think I was just trying to be the protective big brother.”

  Sophia’s back straightened.

  “So even though you thought they were meant for one another, you still hit Algernon? I simply don’t understand your reasoning. He told me that you hit Lucas the other day. Lucas is a man of the world and his boxing skills have made him very popular with the ladies. I wonder who you were being protective over that time. Angelique perhaps?” She rose from her chair, her silk skirts rustling as she made to walk from the room, but Brendon rose quickly and cut off her retreat.

  He stood between her and the door fighting the ball of rage that swept through him. How dare she throw Angelique in his face again? She knew nothing about his relationship with the woman. No one did. And it was over anyway. He sucked in a long breath and curled his finger beneath Sophia’s chin. He raised her face until she had to look him in the eye.

  “No, not Angelique. Believe me, she doesn’t need any protection.” His fingers drifted across Sophia’s silk soft cheek and his anger instantly ebbed away as another emotion assaulted him. “But you clearly do.” Lord, but she was beautiful! He could barely think as her fragrance invaded his senses. Her eyelashes fluttered and her lips trembled at his words. God! He wanted to kiss her. Had to. He had to taste those ruby lips before he went insane. She stared wide eyed up at him as he lowered his head.

  A great crash outside made them both jump apart. A loud cry and then another thump followed by a long groan had both of them rushing for the window.

  “Hell! Mr. Dodds, my roofer!” Brendon opened the sash window and climbed out. “Don’t move. Tell me where it hurts.”

  Sophia leaned out of the window. A man lay half hidden in a large rhododendron bush struggling to catch his breath. She hitched up her skirts and climbed out of the window after Brendon.

  “I think he’s winded himself. Where was he? I didn’t see him out here when I arrived.”

  Brendon began running his hands over the man’s legs.

  “He was on the roof replacing tiles. He must have slipped.” He finished his examination as James came running around the corner of the building.

  “I heard the noise. Jesus! What happened?”

  The man on the ground opened his eyes and spoke for the first time.

  “Just winded, I think. I was on the balcony rather than the roof, thank the Lord.” He struggled to fight his way out of the leaves. Both Brendon and James assisted him. After much grunting and groaning, the man spoke again. “I had finished this part of the roof and was checking the pointing on the first floor. I leaned against the balustrade to get a better view and the whole section fell out, taking me with it. Just as well this shrub was here or I might be fighting for my life.”

  Brendon looked up. The terrace outside his father’s master bedroom sat directly above them. A gaping hole yawned in the balcony’s edging. He scanned the ground beyond the bush and saw the great lump of stone a few feet away.

  “I don’t understand how it came loose.” He squatted to examine the piece and brushed his fingers over the stone. A frown creased his brow as he noticed sharp chip marks in the remaining masonry that should have cemented the blocks together. He turned sharply, his boots grating on the gravel. “Who has worked on the house recently? I mean before I arrived.”

  James came over to him and examined the stone carefully, noticing the same marks. He looked up quickly.

  “No one has worked on the house for months. Your father sent someone down to take a look at the place a few weeks back, but apart from telling him what I knew needed to be done I left him to it and went back to the stables. I can ask mother if she knows if he actually did anything.”

  Brendon stood again and turned to the worker who, with Sophia’s assistance, now climbed awkwardly from the bush.

  “Lor’! What a shock!” Dodds pressed his hands into the small of his back and flexed himself.

  Brendon came to the man’s side.

  “You need to rest, man. I can find you a bed here if needs be.”

  Dodds shook his head and touched his forehead.

  “I feel a bit shaky. One second I was on firm ground and the next it had fallen away from me. I swear I saw my life flash before my very eyes.” He brushed dirt and broken stems from his trousers. “I’d rather get back home, if you don’t mind, my Lord.”

  Brendon nodded.

  “Of course. You have been very lucky. It cannot happen again. I must go and call all the other workers down immediately. I’m afraid I am going to have to check for other major faults before anyone can continue working on the place. We cannot have another accident like this or I will be dealing with a lot worse than a jarred back.” He turned to James. “If you take the back, I’ll find everyone on this side of the house. How many workers did you bring?” He looked back at the man who stood stretching his back muscles again.

  “Four, my Lord, but they won’t be happy to come away. This is good work for them and that’s hard to come by around here.”

  Brendon glanced up along the building and dread curled in his belly as he realized that the balcony stretched across the doors to his mother’s rooms. For a moment he forgot how to breathe. Sophia! It could have been her lying broken on the ground! He spun back to her and his chest expanded again as he saw her brushing the last leaves from Dodds’ waistcoat.

  “I’ll pay them anyway. There are bound to be jobs to do at ground level, but until the safety of the upper floors has been checked, there is to be no more work done on them.” He walked over to Sophia, his heart still skipping beats as he thanked God that she hadn’t gone up to her room before he arrived. “If you would excuse me, Sophia, I must see to this emergency, but if you go to your room, please don’t attempt to go out onto the balcony until I have had it checked and made safe.” He prayed silently that she wouldn’t argue with him.

  To his surprise, she acquiesced immediately.

  “No, of course not. I’ll wait downstairs until you can accompany me. Mr. Dodds must come inside until the carriage can be brought round to take him home. I’ll order us some more tea. Just let me know if there is anything else I can do to help.” She took hold of the man’s arm and guided him towards the door.

  James stood staring up at the gaping gap in the balustrade but waited until Sophia had gone inside before he spoke through gritted teeth.

  “Someone has tampe
red with the masonry. That was meant to fall with the weight of whoever leaned against it.”

  Brendon stood beside him, his heart still galloping at the mere thought.

  “I know, and that would normally be my father. It is the exact spot where he always stands to take his evening nightcap, and to smoke his frightful cigars. He has them made especially and my mother won’t have them in the house. But this means that someone thought he was coming down here and deliberately sabotaged the place.”

  James scratched his head.

  “Lord Spencer did promise to come on several occasions, but there was always something to delay him. I assumed that was why he sent someone else that time. He was the only one who had access to the house apart from the staff and you cannot possibly believe that any of us did this. He must have caused the damage.”

  Brendon agreed.

  “You have his name, I take it.” He would tear the man’s heart out with his bare hands!

  James nodded.

  “Of course. I keep all your father’s correspondence and make a note of anyone who calls. We can take a look as soon as we have all the other men off site and Dodds settled.”

  Less than twenty minutes later Brendon stood looking at Mr. Johnson’s letter of introduction. Sure enough, it appeared that the man had been sent by Lord Spencer with instructions to assess the condition of the house. There was even a copy of his report in James’ meticulously kept files.

  “He was here for two days and had full access to all of the property. Odd looking fellow, but I thought he was genuine enough. At least he didn’t appear to be up to sabotage. Mother put him in your bedroom, but he could have easily gained access to the master suite. It’s not as though we ever lock any doors.”

  Brendon tapped the report.

  “Yes, quite. He mentions the general disrepair of roof and damp in the scullery. Also the rotten window frames at the east end of the house amongst other things, but he doesn’t mention a thing about the balcony. Given that my father has only just been shot, it seems likely that this could have been a previous attempt on his life that simply never came to fruition because father never bothered to come down here. To think that the man could have been up there loosening the stones while the rest of the household slept.” He ground his teeth together. “I must write to father immediately and warn him. He could be in imminent danger.”

  James pressed his lips together for a moment.

  “It would seem that your father has been in danger for some time since it was over a month ago that Johnson made his visit. You need to ask who has to gain by his death?”

  Brendon pondered the question a moment before he thought of the only obvious answer.

  “Me! But I don’t wish my father any harm. Quite the opposite in fact. I love and admire him and don’t mind admitting that I want him to live as long as possible so I don’t have to take over responsibility for all the rest of his estates.” He ran frustrated fingers through his hair and winced as the strands caught on his sore blisters. “And I didn’t have the opportunity to do this. I haven’t been here for years.”

  James regarded him steadily.

  “But you could have paid Johnson to do it for you.” He held up his hands as Brendon’s chest expanded and his shoulders appeared to grow to frightening proportions. “Not that I mean that you did. I am just saying that there was an opportunity.”

  Brendon thumped his fist on the desk. The scattered papers all jumped.

  “This has to be something to do with the duel, but I suspect that if I ask my father he will just stonewall me again. I don’t know what he is up against, but he need not fight this battle alone. I must send word to Lucas Caruthers. He has friends in places I wouldn’t care to go. He can find out about this Johnson my father hired. He has to be in the pay of someone.”

  “But who? Who would want to see the end of your father? There has to be another agenda here. Perhaps it is something that has nothing to do with your inheritance.” James put his files back together.

  Brendon dragged some sheets of paper towards him and picked up a pen. The nib scraped across the page as he wrote quickly. It was but a few minutes until he signed the last of them and blotted his words.

  “Take these to be posted when you drop Mr. Dodds off.” He placed the letters in separate envelopes and handed them to James. “I’ll begin checking the rest of the house.”

  James tilted his head towards the drawing room.

  “Hadn’t you best check on Lady Sophia first? She must be worried. The balcony runs right past her Ladyship’s rooms too. That could have been her falling...” He didn’t finish.

  Brendon held up a hand as he leaned on the other and tried to catch his breath.

  “Don’t say it. Don’t even think it. But you are right. I must see her while you take these and see Mr. Dodds home. Please see him right into his house and let him know that I will call on him in the morning when we take Sophia and her maid home.”

  James picked up the letters but didn’t move to leave.

  “We take them home? You mean that I should accompany you?”

  Brendon crossed the room to the door.

  “Yes, of course. I would like you to reacquaint yourself with my sister and my brother in law.”

  James tucked the letters in his pocket but still didn’t move.

  “I would prefer to stay here. With these things happening, I don’t think my mother will be comfortable with me going to Sommersford.”

  Brendon frowned as the man shifted about uncomfortably.

  “Why ever not? She cannot possibly have any objection to you meeting old friends. Besides Atlas needs a stretch and I also want you there when I discuss this event with Algernon. Three heads often work better together than two.”

  James walked around the desk and stood as if undecided for a moment or two before giving a short bow of acquiescence.

  “If you insist, my Lord.”

  Chapter Eleven

  The Height of Impropriety

  If her heart thumped any harder it would leap from her chest. Sophia sat forwards in the chair and poured Mr. Dodds a cup of tea, her mind not on the shaken man but on her own shaking body.

  Brendon had been about to kiss her! She had not imagined it. He had been so close that his breath mingled with hers and she could smell man and newly cut grass. If the balustrade hadn’t collapsed his lips would have touched hers. The cup rattled in its saucer as she passed it to Mr. Dodds.

  “Thank you, my Lady. ‘Tis most kind of you.”

  Sophia stared at him a moment before her thoughts cleared and she came to her senses.

  “Not at all, Mr. Dodds. You have had a terrible shock and are lucky to be alive. You should have a biscuit too while we wait. I have heard that the sugar is good for one if you have taken a fright.”

  The man’s gnarled fingers reached out to the plate.

  “Twas certainly that. I didn’t know what was happening. I heard the stone crumble and then I was falling.” He dunked the biscuit in his tea and Sophia watched, fascinated as he managed to put the drooping confection into his mouth before it fell into his cup.

  She swallowed her revulsion.

  “You are lucky nothing but the balcony is broken. I shudder to think what might have happened had you not fallen into that bush. I am only glad that his Lordship hadn’t thought to cut it down.” She decided against taking a biscuit herself and offered the plate once again.

  Mr. Dodds dug in happily.

  “Mrs. Lawson always was a good cook. The master is lucky he has kept her all these years. Had plenty of offers since her Albert died, but she has always kept the men at arm’s length. More’s the pity. She’s wasted out here in the middle of nowhere with only her son and a couple of staff to wait on.” He dunked the second biscuit. This time he didn’t quite make it and Sophia hid a smile as the biscuit dropped back into the man’s cup and a splash of tea leapt out. Unperturbed, Mr. Dodds lifted his cup, tipped most of the contents into the saucer, and proceede
d to bring it to his lips. A great sucking sound filled the room as he strained the tea through his moustache and Sophia nearly had a fit of the giggles. The man tipped and slurped again.

  Brendon walked through the door just in time to hear the final slurp.

  “Ah! I see that you have taken some refreshment, Dodds. If you are all done and feel fit enough, James is waiting at the door. You are to send word, at any hour, if you feel at all poorly or weak. Any hour, do you understand?” He told the man forcefully.

  Mr. Dodds stood and nodded.

  “Thanking you kindly, my Lord. I think I will be fine, but as you say. Any hour.” He walked from the room and Sophia collapsed against the back of her chair, her hand over her mouth as tears of laughter filled her eyes.

  “Did you see that? I have heard of it being done, but never witnessed such a thing. He had the remains of the wet biscuit stuck in his moustache.” She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand.

  Brendon sat in the vacated chair and picked up the last biscuit from the plate.

  “Probably going to save it for later, though dunking ones biscuit isn’t that uncommon. I’ve been known to do it myself on occasions.”

  Sophia could barely believe her ears.

  “Brendon Spencer dunking biscuits? I don’t believe it!” She paused a few seconds and looked around to check that no one was listening before she asked, “Do you ever let them become too soft? Mr. Dodds did. The tea splashed all over him, and from the look of his shirt, it wasn’t the first time it has happened!”

  By way of an answer, Brendon looked at her devilishly before considering his biscuit. He poured another cup of tea and dipped the pastry carefully three times. And then, rather daringly, a fourth time before removing it. The biscuit bent precariously, a crack forming just in front of his fingertips. He lifted it carefully, grinned at her, and popped it into his mouth before the wet part fell off.

  Sophia’s mouth dropped open in shock. He had clearly done this before, many times by the looks of his expertise.