A Promise of Pure Gardenias

by Jackie Williams

  Brendon rolled his eyes.

  “That’s because it wasn’t. You used to spend the rest of the summer with your family at Maybanks Hall. That’s nearer to here than London.”

  Lucas considered the point and nodded.

  “Of course. I had forgotten. I used to love those summer weeks here. All the games of hide and seek. Pity we all had to go to school. But we came down occasionally during the holidays before your parents stopped them. Why was that? Your parents aren’t the stuffy kind. Can’t have been because of anything we got up to.”

  The door opened behind him. Brendon gave a wry smile as James walked into the dining room, but the man hesitated when he saw Brendon had a visitor. Brendon waved him in.

  “James, come on in. This oaf has left enough breakfast for you, I think.” He gestured for the man to pull up another chair before turning back to Lucas. “Lucas Caruthers, meet James Lawson, my newly discovered brother in law and the probable reason for the cessation of the Fallows famous house parties. Think he would have been about ten years old when you last saw him.”

  Lucas rose to shake the newcomer’s hand, but his mouth suddenly dropped open in surprise as he took in the man’s striking appearance.

  “Gracious! Little Jimmy Lawson! You have changed a lot since I last saw you. Well, well, this explains things. No denying who your father was with a face like that. Old Barclay could never keep his hands or any other body parts to himself.” He glanced at Brendon. “Do Algernon and Sophia know?”

  Brendon nodded.

  “Yes, of course, but only since this week. No call for James to go over to Sommersford, or for them to come here until I arrived. Sophia came over with some of Felicity’s furniture and we both saw a familiarity, but it wasn’t until we all went back to Sommersford that the connection became obvious to all. Bit of a surprise for everyone, however, everything is explained. My parents even helped set the whole thing up. Old Barclay had been up to his tricks and left James’ natural mother in a terrible situation. Poor girl died giving birth to this young man, but Mr. and Mrs. Lawson stepped into the breach. Naturally, no one wanted a scandal so when James began showing undeniable signs of the Barclay heritage, my parents stopped throwing the parties,” he explained.

  Lucas nodded as he sat back down.

  “Ha! So we can blame you for spoiling our fun. Excellent. I do like to have a scapegoat or two spare. Can’t wait to tell Daisy, Bertie, and Pierce the news. They are bound to want to come and renew their acquaintance.” He picked up his fork again. “So, this duel and John... er, er... the person you wrote to me about...” He stopped and eyed James briefly.

  Brendon lifted his chin and smiled as he glanced at James.

  “It’s fine. He’s family, and the only reason this place is still standing. I trust him implicitly. We can discuss anything with him here.”

  Lucas nodded and carried on immediately, clearly accepting Brendon’s assurance on the situation.

  “There’s not a word on either the duel or a Johnson. Nothing at all, not even a whisper behind the matrons’ fans. If I hadn’t seen your father lying injured in his bed, I would have called your imagination into question and demanded to see evidence of the wound. It is as if nothing has happened at all. Your mother has put it about that he has a bout of influenza and everyone appears to believe her story. At least, no one is calling her a liar. And those tongue waggers definitely would if there was something for them to wag about.”

  Brendon’s brows dipped into a dark line.

  “So who the hell shot him? You must have missed something. You said yourself that you have been lying in bed for a week. How could you know what has been said.”

  Lucas laughed but stopped quickly and placed his hand at his jaw, massaging it gently.

  “I do have visitors other than Sophia, you know. Apart from my usual group of friends, Ivan has been over every day, and you wouldn’t believe the things he overhears at Delemere’s clubs. By the way, did you know that Angelique moved on less than twenty minutes after you gave her the heave ho? Pierce couldn’t believe his luck. He was a bit worried at first. Thought you might wallop him for taking up where you left off, but when I told him about all the country widows you were probably entertaining down here, he brightened right up. He has been going about like a dog with two tails since. It’s positively revolting!”

  Brendon felt James’ eyes on him and he tried to stifle his blush.

  “Er, I think I should give you some news. There are no country widows, nor will there ever be. Sophia and I are getting married. Today, in fact. It is a happy chance that you turned up. I was wondering who would stand up with me. It’s not like I can ask James as, with Algernon unavailable, he will be walking...er, will be escorting Sophia.” He finished quickly.

  It was Lucas’ turn to drop his fork.

  “Good Lord! You sly old dog, sneaking in and snapping up the most beautiful woman this side of Constantinople while the rest of us were otherwise engaged. How did that come about? I thought you detested her. You avoided her for the whole of last year. Didn’t think she was that keen on you either from what she said over breakfast on a couple of occasions.” He stopped when he saw Brendon begin to swell, and then raised his eyebrows in sudden realization. “Oh ho! Now I understand. That’s why you planted me a facer the morning you told me about your father’s predicament. It didn’t have anything to do with the duel at all. You were jealous of her meeting me for breakfast in my apartments.”

  Brendon’s bluster deflated and he glowered down at the remains of his breakfast. It wasn’t as if he could deny the charge. Jealous didn’t go anywhere near explaining how he had felt that morning, but it still didn’t excuse his actions even if he felt the punch was probably well deserved. He muttered into the dregs of his tea.

  “And you weren’t going to mention the incident ever again.”

  Lucas chuckled.

  “Quite, but you only had to say where your feelings lay. You have nothing to fear, you know. Sophia doesn’t like me like that at all. She’s a jolly good sport though, I can tell you that. Been very supportive of my new career when others thought I was being an idiot. She has a fine eye for detail. Appreciates the discipline of sports and how hard one has to practice to keep ones skill at the top levels. And while I am on that subject, I wouldn’t get on the wrong side of her good nature if she is anywhere near a gun. She practices a lot and is an excellent shot.”

  Brendon felt his stomach drop. He might have guessed that she still kept her hand in, and he hadn’t checked her riding habit pockets. Perhaps he should ask Mrs. Lawson to do it before he attempted to go to Sophia’s room with the marriage licence.

  The previous night, even several hours after telling Sophia that he had already spent one night at her side, hadn’t been nearly as comfortable as he had hoped. If he hadn’t been so concerned about her injuries he might well have escaped to his own room rather than suffer under her silent, livid frown. But her eyelids had eventually drooped, her angry, shallow breaths became deeper and more even and she slept at last. Brendon had felt it safe enough to relax into a fitful sleep.

  He had woken not long after dawn. Mrs. Lawson’s gentle knock rousing him from his slumber, and this time he had accepted her assistance and let her sit beside Sophia while he bathed, dressed, and set about discovering if there were indeed any gardenias still growing in the orangery before he took her breakfast up.

  But his delightful plan to take her a spray of her favourite flowers and to feed her delicious morsels of smoked trout, boiled eggs, and fresh bread came to nought when Mrs. Lawson appeared in the kitchen and took the tray from his hand, removing the plate that he had served for himself and his cup and saucer too. She had given him a warning frown when he had been about to protest.

  “Best you stay down here unless you have news of your sister. Her Ladyship is not best pleased with you. I think it would be detrimental to her health and yours, if you put in an appearance for anything but good news from Sommersford
.”

  But he wasn’t going to let a few frowns and hard looks get in his way now. He had beamed at his housekeeper.

  “Excellent! That gives me time to go to town. I’ll call in on the bishop while I am there and the parson on the way back. With any luck Algernon will have sent word by the time I am home and we will have a smiling bride by this afternoon.”

  Mrs. Lawson’s face had been a picture.

  “Well I never did! Talk about strike while the iron is hot. It’s still sitting in the coals! And you haven’t even asked permission of her brother!” But her face fell as he grinned even more widely and she suddenly remembered that her own son was actually Sophia’s brother too. She had stalked from the room muttering about indecent haste and bridal breakfasts and no time or consideration.

  The clock struck eleven and Brendon gestured for Lucas to remain where he was and finish his breakfast.

  “Andrews is moving all my things to the master suite as we speak. You can use my old room as I am assuming you want to stay a few days.” He rose from the table.

  Lucas flushed deeply.

  “Well, that’s very decent of you, but I think I’ll push on over to Sommersford, given that this will be your honeymoon. Wouldn’t want to curtail your... Well, you know what I mean.” He coughed into his hand, clearly embarrassed.

  Brendon shook his head.

  “You won’t be interrupting anything. And you probably won’t be welcome over at Sommersford either.”

  “I wouldn’t?” Lucas sounded surprised. “Well, I suppose Sophia will be coming here after the wedding, so I’ll not be seeing much of her, but perhaps Algernon might like some male company.”

  Brendon sat down heavily again.

  “I fear I must make more explanations.” He held his breath for a second before blurting out the news. “Unfortunately Sophia had a riding accident the afternoon before last.” He carried on with the story of the twins early arrival and how Sophia came to be upstairs.

  Lucas held his fork halfway to his mouth for a good ten minutes while Brendon relayed the tragic events and then placed it back on his plate, his appetite apparently gone. He pushed his plate away and frowned deeply at his friend.

  “So Sophia lies upstairs completely at your mercy, and you have more or less forced yourself on her. Damn you Brendon! Those are hardly the actions of a gentleman. And Algernon doesn’t even know what dastardly plot you hatched to get her. Have you even asked her to marry you, or have you just blundered ahead like you always do?” Fury filled his tones.

  Brendon drew in a breath of his own, swallowing down the knot of guilt that suddenly hit him.

  “It’s not as though we have a choice. Too many people know I stayed with her.”

  Lucas stood up and pointed his finger threateningly at his now former friend.

  “Don’t you act the martyr. You have done this deliberately. I knew you liked her years back, but she would scarcely look at you after you thumped her brother once too often, and now you have used this disaster to your own ends. You make me sick.” He threw down his napkin and would have stormed from the room, but Alfred suddenly opened the door and tottered in.

  The old man staggered back and dropped the silver tray he carried as Lucas’ wall of a chest met him.

  Lucas reached out and steadied Brendon’s white-haired butler.

  “I beg your pardon, Alfred. Take a moment to catch your breath.” Lucas bent to pick up the fallen letters while Alfred gathered his wits and, after regaining his dignity, he took back the tray and made his way towards his master.

  “A note from Sommersford, your Lordship. I’ve shown the delivery lad to the kitchen for some refreshment, but he’s come with a cart and asks if he can take back that furniture he delivered only the other day.”

  Brendon grabbed the letter and tore it open as he saw Algernon’s handwriting, more ragged than usual but still recognizable. He scanned the page twice before grinning over at James.

  “Congratulations are in order. We are uncles! But not to twins. Triplets! Felicity had triplets! A boy and two girls. All tiny but doing well so far. They haven’t yet had time to choose names. I must go and give the good news to Sophia.” He turned to leave the room.

  “Oh no you won’t!” Lucas snatched the letter from his hand. “You don’t get to see the bride before her wedding. It’s traditional. I’ll take the note up to her. Your mother’s old room, you said?”

  Brendon was about to argue when James pushed his chair back and stood shoulder to shoulder with Lucas. Brendon frowned deeply at the pair of them.

  “What’s this? I am to be kept from telling her she is an aunt at last?”

  “Until after this damnable wedding, yes. Family and close friends only.” Lucas growled.

  Anger rippled through Brendon as he faced the men.

  “And you two consider yourselves closer to her than I?” He lifted his chin. “You have known she is your sister for but three days, and you.” He pointed at Lucas. “You have merely taken advantage of her good nature for the last year or more.”

  Lucas sneered down his long nose.

  “Because she didn’t have anyone else to turn to! You, her supposed friend and champion, ditched her for the delights of the lovely but frivolous Angelique. You left Sophia isolated and alone in that behemoth of a London home for months on end. Oh yes, I know her mother is there for most of the time, but Lady Spencer is a not a social creature. Too many years spent with that bastard of a husband of hers. Sophia would barely have spoken to anyone if I hadn’t made sure of her wellbeing. And now, now when you have decided to take an interest again, you have let her near kill herself trying to find help that should have been there for her in the first place.” He drew himself up as if daring Brendon to contradict him before throwing down his final condemning remark. “You should be ashamed of yourself, but no. Even after this you are still the jumped up, self-serving arse that you always have been and declare yourself her only friend.”

  That was the final insult. And what made it worse was that every word Lucas said was true. Brendon’s stomach churned. He knew he had abandoned her, had left her to suffer alone, he knew that one of them, probably him as he wasn’t directly involved, should have remained with the ladies while Algernon, and James came back to Fallows to question Mrs. Lawson. And he knew he had trapped her into this marriage. He should have never spent the night with her. That was a low move and he knew it, but even after admitting it all to himself, Brendon couldn’t control the fit of temper that thundered through him.

  “Why you two faced Judas! I am not the one sneaking in and out of gentlemen’s clubs with her hidden under a cloak. You are the one who could have ruined her reputation, not me. At least I am doing what I should. Unlike you, who would have let her become fodder for the gossips if they had found out about your clandestine breakfasts.” His hand curled into a fist and stepped forwards, about to strike, but a firm hand landed on his arm and clenched hard, holding him back in a grip of iron.

  “Stop! The pair of you stop, before you both do or say more things you will regret.” James stood between them breathing hard. “You are behaving like children. None of this bickering will help Sophia. I will take the note up to her, and you two can settle your argument like gentlemen, or have you forgotten what you are?” He glared at both of them. “And that doesn’t mean by duelling!” He added as a gleam came into Brendon’s eye.

  Lucas stared at the man in front of him for a long second, bristling as he caught sight of Brendon’s ferocious expression, but he held back. There was something else in Brendon’s eyes, some other emotion. Pain? Anguish? For a moment Lucas couldn’t fathom it, but then it suddenly it came to him. Torment. Sheer torment, as though a slow burning but white hot fire consumed the man. And Lucas suddenly recognized the look for what it was. Forgetting his aching jaw, he let out a bark of a laugh.

  “Good God! I thought this marriage might have been something hashed up because you and Algernon have been best friends for so lon
g that it is almost expected, but it is not. I see that now. You are in love with Sophia. Totally, utterly, and hopelessly in love with her! And compromising her was the only way you were ever going to get her to agree to marry you!”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Preparations

  This could not be happening! Not only was she being forced into a marriage she wasn’t sure either she or Brendon wanted - though he didn’t seem to be the least bit bothered about it - she was stranded in her bed while not having heard a word from Algernon. Even if she put aside all her anxieties over her own situation, the worry over Felicity and the babies was killing her. The nightmare had to end. She had to climb out of this bed and end it now.

  Sophia concentrated so hard, she thought her head would explode. Though an encouraging tingle raced down her spine, her legs remained totally immobile. She fell back onto the pillows as frustrated tears flooded her eyes and ran down her cheeks.

  “Of all the stupid, most ridiculous, downright enraging things to happen!” The words fell from her lips on a sob of air. “I cannot marry Brendon Spencer when I am as useless as a stranded fish!”

  “You can and you will.” James spoke from the doorway where he stood beside Mrs. Lawson who carried a bundle of multi-coloured material.

  Sophia’s head jerked up in surprise. With all her attention given to moving her legs, she hadn’t heard the door open. She pressed her hand over her heart and forced its beat to settle as she spoke as calmly as she could.

  “But what sort of wife will I be? It is not as if he wants me anyway, but at least I could have helped around Fallows. Now I am as helpless as a newborn babe.”

  James walked further into the room. He smiled gently as he came forwards.

  “Speaking of which.” He held out Algernon’s letter. “We will worry about how you can assist Brendon later, Aunt Sophia.”