The Heart That Lies

by April Munday

  Finally Meldon had to get back on the horse, for it still pained him to walk very far. He pulled Anna up in front of him.

  “It’s a shame Jonas Smith will not be riding with me tomorrow. We could visit the lodge again.”

  “Do you prefer Jonas Smith to Lady Anna?” Anna could barely ask the question for fear of hearing the answer.

  “No, but as I watched you dress I realised it would take me the devil of a time to get you out of that habit again.”

  Anna laughed. “Then perhaps you should take Jane’s place tonight and practise.”

  “Oh, my love, you should not be so generous.”

  Anna rested her head against his shoulder. “It is not generous to give you what is yours.”

  When they arrived at the house it seemed the whole household was waiting for them. Anna had not thought until now how worried Lady Meldon must have been by her prolonged absence.

  “Oh, Anna, it’s such a relief to see you.” Lady Meldon took Anna’s hands into hers.

  “I’m so sorry, Lady Meldon. If I had known I would give you a moment’s concern I would have returned to the house immediately.”

  “These are dangerous times,” said the older woman.

  “I told you there was no reason to worry, Mother,” said Meldon, handing a bag down to Finch. “I found her quite early and we have been talking. Our quarrel is quite made up. It is my fault she was away so long.”

  The countess looked up at her son. “I don’t know how you managed to quarrel with someone as sweet-natured as Anna and I can’t forgive you for allowing her to walk off. You should have caught her.”

  “Sometimes, Mother, you forget that I am lame.” Meldon’s tone was sharp.

  “And sometimes, George, you forget your manners.” The countess turned back to Anna, “Come inside. I don’t know why George didn’t bring you straight back, you must be freezing. Simpson, arrange a bath for Lady Anna.”

  Anna spared a rueful glance for Meldon before she allowed herself to be led into the house.

  Epilogue

  Meldon looked around the gaming room and was glad he had not brought his countess with him. Lady Anna would not have fitted in with the men and their courtesans who filled this hot and smoke-filled room.

  He glanced briefly at this companion. The young man seemed to be enjoying himself. He had certainly won a great deal of money this evening and two women stood by him, hoping to be noticed. The object of their attention looked up and, seeing Meldon looking at him, smiled.

  “It seems you are lucky as well as skilled.”

  “I think, my lord, only you know how lucky I am.”

  Meldon thought it impossible that anyone could be luckier than he himself. He was fortunate in his wife, a woman of sense and intelligence and, it now seemed, fruitfulness.

  Marriage had not lessened her interest in the running of his estate. When the time for lambing had come in the early spring, she had cut her hair and gone to live with him in the hunting lodge, rising at all hours to assist where she could. It had been a time of great happiness.

  Meldon had found that he enjoyed the company of Jonas Smith again and, once lambing was done, had had fashionable clothes made for him. One morning in April he had told his mother that they would be away for a week and then driven Anna to the hunting lodge. All the time she had protested that she had not packed and there were things she needed to do before she could go away for any time.

  Once inside the lodge Meldon had laid out the new clothes. Still Anna did not know his plans, but she smiled and laughed as he helped her out of her clothes. It was mid-afternoon before they were dressed again and had set out in the phaeton to Southampton.

  “You deserve a week’s rest,” he had said as they had driven up to their fashionable lodging.

  “I shall certainly need to take the waters if you are to use me every day in the way you did this morning.”

  She made no comment, however, when, once installed in their suite he used her again.

  In their lodgings and the gaming rooms Anna was Nicholas Bowen, a distant cousin of Meldon’s; in their bedroom she was the wife of his heart.

  Each morning they took the waters and visited the assembly rooms. Each afternoon they took the phaeton out, taking it in turns to drive out into the countryside around Southampton. In the evening they went to the gaming rooms risking little and winning much.

  Meldon’s favourite part of the day was when they closed the door to their suite and he took Anna into his arms and kissed her.

  “Do you mind?” she asked one evening as she held his face and looked into his eyes.

  “Mind what?”

  “That you can only kiss me once a day.”

  “It is a small price to pay if you are enjoying yourself.”

  “I am. More than I expected.”

  “I think I miss Jonas Smith almost as much as you do.”

  “We can certainly do some interesting things together,” she said as she unbuttoned his waistcoat.

  There would not be much more chance of that for a while, thought Meldon. Anna had conceived during lambing and was no longer the slim young man she been when they had first met. It was now early July and her figure was filling out. Not enough to disturb the two young women standing either side of her now, but enough to be obvious to the man who knew every inch of her body intimately.

  She caught his eye frequently and he guessed that she longed to be in their lodgings as much as he did. In his impatience he lost his hand.

  “You seem unable to concentrate this evening, George.”

  “If you are ready, we should return to our lodgings, before I lose any more money.”

  They walked back in the evening heat and Anna unwrapped her breasts as soon as the door was closed behind them.

  “It grows uncomfortable,” she explained.

  “Perhaps after the baby is born...”

  “Do not think you have seen the last of Jonas Smith.”

  Now that she was more comfortable, she sat in his lap, untied his cravat and kissed him.

  “I think, though,” she said when he released her much later, “that tomorrow will probably be the last day that anyone else should see him.”

  Meldon rose from the chair and carried her into the bedroom.

  “As you wish.”

  Stafford

  24th February 1812

  My dear Meldon,

  I have travelled to Staffordshire in the hope of finding some resolution to the events of this last winter, without success. I did, however, have the satisfaction of visiting the new Marquis of Wreybourne and informing him of Lady Anna’s marriage. His indifference was not, I think, entirely feigned.

  I trust that you and the countess are in good health. I do not expect to see you in London for some months. Indeed, I am shortly to go abroad to learn about a new process for strengthening glass during its manufacture. Freddie sends you his love and his thanks for the almost continuous supply of biscuits from Meldon house. If you could find some time while I am away to write to him, I know it would cheer him.

  I shall remain here a few days before I return to London, for I am convinced that there is something to be learned and I hope I am the man to learn it.

  I saw my father on the way here and he sends his regards. The manufactories are doing well and I shall have news about your investment when next we meet.

  I wish I could have had your company as I go away, even thought you know as much about glass as I know about sheep. Nonetheless, I shall miss you.

  Your friend, Edmund Finch.

  About the Author

  April Munday lives in Hampshire with a few chickens and a vegetable plot. This is her first journey to the Regency, but she doubts it will be her last.

 

 

 
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