Dorothy Elbury

by The Viscount's Secret

  ‘Oh, dear!’ Katharine jumped up and ran to her sister’s side. ‘I’ve promised to spend tomorrow at the farm,’ she blurted out apologetically. ‘We could do it the following day, Gina—I’m awfully sorry!’

  ‘No matter!’ Georgina assured her. ‘I can easily make a start by myself—there is a mass of it and the still-room is practically empty. It will give me something positive to do.’

  Her sister regarded her pensively for a moment. ‘You didn’t actually get round to telling me what it is that’s bothering you, Gina,’ she reminded her.

  ‘Oh, that!’ said Georgina hurriedly, as she made for the bed and picked up a pile of embroidered pillowcases. ‘It was really of no significance, Kate. Now, come along, dearest, we’d better pack away your bottom drawer before Becky calls us for lunch—I find that I’m absolutely ravenous today!’

  Katharine wasn’t convinced but, glad that her sister’s mood seemed to have lightened, she refrained from pressing her with any more questions and, with Georgina’s help, threw herself into rewrapping her precious bits and pieces and returning them to their rightful location.

  Chapter Twenty

  Donning one of her shabbier dresses, Georgina picked up the rather battered old wide-brimmed shepherdess straw that her mother used in the garden and rammed it over her hair, which she had not bothered to put up in her usual tidy fashion. She tied one of Becky’s huge Holland aprons around her waist and, collecting a flower basket, gloves and scissors from the still-room, she made for the lavender patch at the bottom of the rear garden.

  Determined to prune back at least half of the many bushes that sprawled over the pathway, she set about snipping off the sprigs of lavender and was soon engrossed in her self-appointed task. The rumbling of carriage wheels on the gravel drive at the front of the house momentarily disturbed her concentration but, having decided that the visitor was probably her Uncle Arthur, she opted to carry on with her labours, reasoning that her mother would send Becky out to fetch her if her presence was required in the house.

  The back door opened and Templeton stepped out into the afternoon sunshine. For several minutes he stood transfixed, staring at the enchanting vision with which he found himself presented. Georgina was clad in a faded cotton-print gown with a voluminous apron wrapped around her waist and, although the wide brim of her straw hat partially obscured her face from his view, it could not hide the riot of chestnut curls that tumbled carelessly over her shoulders. To Templeton, it was the most entrancing sight he had ever witnessed. His heart was beating so wildly that it was all he could do to stop himself from leaping over the intervening flowerbeds that lay between them and sweeping her into his arms. He cleared his throat noisily and started to walk towards her.

  The unexpected sound cut into Georgina’s reverie and, as she raised her head to look towards the house, she saw him approaching. She froze and, before she knew what was happening, the basket had slipped from her nerveless fingers and fallen to the ground, scattering its contents all over the path. With an exclamation of dismay she fell to her knees and tried to retrieve the cuttings that she had so arduously gathered.

  In an instant Templeton was down on one knee at her side, gathering up the fallen sprigs of lavender, tossing them by the handful back into the basket. His eyes searched her face, desperately trying to gauge his welcome.

  ‘I’m so sorry.’ Full of anxiety, he was unable to control the tremble in his voice. ‘I didn’t mean to startle you.’

  For a moment, shaken by his sudden unexpected appearance at her side, Georgina could only stare at him, convinced that she must be dreaming.

  ‘How—w-what are you doing here?’ she asked breathlessly, when she was finally able to still the tumultuous pounding in her heart but, although it was a struggle to gain her composure, she was fiercely determined not to allow him to see how affected she was by his presence. He seems to think that he can go off and reappear just as the fancy takes him, she thought bitterly, and now he’ll no doubt expect me to accept without question whatever new explanation he cares to drum up!

  Templeton stood up and, holding out his hand to help her rise, replied, ‘I came back as quickly as it was humanly possible—and I have brought someone with me. You must come and meet him this very instance!’

  An irrational surge of resentment swept over Georgina. ‘You cannot possibly expect me to receive a visitor dressed like this!’ she protested crossly, as she indicated her highly disordered appearance. ‘Besides which, you can’t have failed to notice that I am far too busy to see anyone this afternoon.’

  ‘Surely you can stop what you’re doing for a few minutes?’ said Templeton, exasperated. Two days with very little sleep had left him feeling somewhat short on temper. ‘Surely you must know that I wouldn’t ask it of you if I didn’t consider it extremely important.’

  ‘Then at least give me time to change,’ answered Georgina obstinately, as she moved towards the house. ‘You will have to entertain your companion until I am fit to present myself—I am sure Mama will be happy to provide you both with refreshments.’

  Incensed at her outrageously offhand manner, Templeton’s hand swept out and grabbed her by the wrist. ‘Damn it all, Gina,’ he ground out. ‘I’m not sure I can stand any more of this! How much longer do you mean to go on punishing me? I’ve told you I’m sorry at least a dozen times—what more must I do to earn your forgiveness?’

  ‘You can let go of my wrist for a start,’ Georgina flashed back at him, trying in vain to extract herself from his iron grip. ‘However, since it seems that you are so set upon it, I agree to accompany you into the house to meet this friend of yours—I assume that your lordship will not object if I wash my hands first?’

  As though he had been stung, Templeton dropped her hand and, shaking his head in frustration, he watched her disappear through the back door into the still-room. Dispiritedly following after her, he marvelled how, on the one hand, she had the ability to totally inflame his senses and yet, on the other, make him feel so damned maladroit. He prayed that he wasn’t about to commit a grave error of judgement.

  Georgina removed her apron and ran her fingers through her hair, trying to restore her unruly curls to some sort of order. She had absolutely no idea why she was behaving so badly when, more than anything, she wanted Templeton to wrap his arms around her and shower her with kisses. She didn’t really care where he had been or why he had been away so long. Surely, all that really mattered was that he was here now? She knew that she should be glad that he had taken the trouble to come back and explain himself to her mother. It was, after all, the courteous thing for a gentleman to do in the circumstances and, just because she had been foolish enough to allow herself to fall in love with him and, in addition, had actively encouraged him to kiss her, didn’t mean that he was under any obligation to her. In all likelihood their mild flirtation during his short country sojourn had probably meant very little to him, anyway.

  Brushing off the odd leaves and twigs that still clung to the hem of her shabby gown, she sighed and came to the conclusion that, insofar as her appearance was concerned, there was not a great deal more that she could do. She went through to the kitchen and saw that Templeton was standing waiting for her in the hallway.

  ‘I am hardly presentable,’ she said shortly, unable to meet his eyes. ‘But I have done my best.’

  ‘You look delightful,’ he attempted to reassure her. ‘Thank you—it is good of you to do this.’

  Praying that he had made the right decision, he took her hand and led her into the sitting room where, to her surprise, she perceived that a very aristocratic-looking elderly gentleman was seated on one of the sofas, deep in conversation with her mother.

  Templeton drew her forward. ‘I’d like you to meet my father, Lord Ruscombe,’ he said hesitantly. ‘Father, this is Georgina!’

  At once the old man rose to his feet and turned to greet her. ‘It is a great pleasure to meet you at last, Miss Cunningham,’ he said. ‘My son has been
telling me all about your most daring exploits.’

  Stifling her dismay and consternation, Georgina dipped into a curtsy. ‘Your lordship,’ she gulped. ‘Please excuse my appearance—Lord Templeton stipulated urgency—I was unprepared…’

  ‘Nonsense, my dear,’ the earl assured her. ‘You look quite lovely. Now, come and sit by me and we shall have a little chat.’ He turned to Templeton. ‘I believe you have another small matter to attend to, my boy? Perhaps Mrs Cunningham would be willing to assist you in discovering her son’s whereabouts?’

  With a beam of encouragement in her daughter’s direction, Mrs Cunningham took the viscount’s proffered arm and allowed him to lead her out of the room.

  Lord Ruscombe resumed his seat and patted the space beside him. ‘Sit down, my dear and, please, do not look so terrified. I promise not to eat you!’

  In spite of her nervousness, Georgina found herself smiling. It was easy to discern the source of Templeton’s good looks. The earl was almost a mirror image of his son. Not quite as tall, perhaps, but with the same erect bearing and the same broad shoulders. His high forehead, finely sculpted cheekbones and straight patrician nose were carbon copies of Templeton’s own and his eyes were almost exactly the same shade of grey. Only his hair was different for, instead of the crisp military cut that his son favoured, Lord Ruscombe’s silvery locks were tied back in an old-fashioned queue similar to the style that her own father had worn.

  She became aware that his lordship was looking at her most intently, his eyes at once quizzical and sympathetic.

  ‘I was surprised that Templeton found it necessary to call on my services,’ he began slowly. ‘It has never been in my experience to have the word of a Latimer called into question.’

  Georgina bit her lip. ‘Well, it didn’t seem to me that he had been particularly honest with us,’ she replied somewhat defensively, determined that she was not going to be overawed by the man, no matter who he was.

  ‘Oh, I agree with you completely, my dear,’ the earl assured her with a smile. ‘His little prank was most foolish in the extreme—I cannot imagine what he thought he was about! However, if I have understood him correctly, you appear not to have entirely accepted his explanation—which, in my book, is tantamount to calling a man a liar!’

  ‘Oh, no, sir!’ Georgina was horrified. ‘It wasn’t that I disbelieved his explanation, it was…’ She stopped, and a rosy flush covered her cheeks. ‘It was because I couldn’t bear to hear it,’ she said in a small voice.

  ‘Hmm. I believe I follow you,’ nodded Lord Ruscombe and, leaning forward, he patted her hand. ‘We Latimers have always held rather unconventional views, Miss Cunningham. Ned was merely following in his ancestor’s footsteps when he chose to flout his father’s wishes and hare off to Spain on Wellington’s staff. When he finally managed to return from the war unscathed, I’m sorry to say that I did press him rather hard to get on with the business of choosing a wife—the succession of the line is very important to us, you see.’

  ‘Oh, believe me, sir, I do understand your point of view!’ said Georgina fervently. ‘In your world, that is how these matters are conducted, but Ned—I beg your pardon—his lordship—had led me to believe that he totally disapproved of the system—just as I do, myself—and I couldn’t believe it when he told me that he had settled for Miss Cornwell simply because she seemed suitable!’ She clenched her fists indignantly. ‘Had he not overheard Nell telling her mother that she would not have him, he would surely have proposed and eventually married her, simply for convenience’s sake!’

  Lord Ruscombe smiled and shook his head. ‘I doubt it, my dear, not when it finally came to the coup de grâce—I recall I was in a very similar situation in my own green years and just as much of a rebel as Ned is!’

  ‘You, also, went against your father?’ Georgina asked shyly.

  ‘Oh, absolutely!’ laughed the earl, his face lighting up in recollection. ‘My bride had been picked out for me in the usual manner and was all that the family could wish for in the way of suitability and so forth but, in the end, I could not bring myself to go along with my father’s wishes and I took myself off to Bath before matters reached a head!’

  ‘But I doubt if you pretended to be something that you were not!’ Georgina protested. ‘Nor, I suspect, did you set out to cozen yourself into the good books of an impoverished churchman’s family. In any event,’ she then pointed out, somewhat triumphantly, ‘you must eventually have settled upon a wife from your own circle!’

  An impish grin appeared on Lord Ruscombe’s face. ‘Ah!’ he said softly. ‘So my son has not yet told you who his mother was?’

  Georgina flushed and looked away. ‘He was always very careful not to divulge too much about his family,’ she said hesitantly. ‘And then—well, he left shortly after he told me his true identity. I’m afraid I know very little about his background.’

  The old man studied her bewildered face, his eyes brimming with mischief. ‘Ned’s mother, my beloved wife Felicity, was in fact the daughter of the bishop of Bath and Wells,’ he chuckled, ‘who was not exactly impoverished, it is true, but a churchman nevertheless! I met Felicity at the Pump Room the day after I arrived in the city. She was a lady, very much like yourself, my dear, with quite decided views on a number of topics. I was completely bowled over, of course, and we were married within the month. I am rather pleased to see that my son appears to have inherited at least a modicum of my good judgement!’

  ‘But your father?’ she asked curiously. ‘Wasn’t he very disappointed at your actions?’

  The earl waved his hand airily. ‘To begin with, he was perfectly furious.’ he said dismissively. ‘But, within weeks, my entire family was as much in my wife’s thrall as I was myself. Her good sense, coupled with her ability to endear herself to everyone she came in contact with, from the humblest labourer to the highest in the land, helped to ensure that the Latimer estate not only survived the economic tribulations of the last century, but actually prospered!’ A soft glow lit up his eyes. ‘We had many happy years together before she was taken from me and, in addition to providing the estate with an heir, she presented me with two lovely daughters.’

  ‘Lord Templeton has sisters?’

  ‘Yes, my dear, as I said. Caroline and Sarah, both delightful girls and both recently married—to gentlemen of their own choosing, I hasten to add!’

  Georgina eyed him with respect. ‘I see now why he went to all that trouble to bring you here, sir,’ she said reluctantly. ‘You are an excellent advocate for your son’s cause.’

  ‘Perhaps that is because I do not doubt that he loves you, Miss Cunningham,’ the earl offered gently. ‘Although, it be-hoves me to say that, had you but allowed yourself to hear him out, I am certain that he would have put his own case far better than I have been able to do.’

  ‘Perhaps I was too quick to judge him,’ she conceded ruefully. ‘Do you think I have hurt him very badly, sir?’

  Lord Ruscombe laughed. ‘I am sure he will recover soon enough with the right treatment, my dear. We Latimers mend very quickly, as a rule!’

  ‘But that’s exactly what he said when we first met!’ she exclaimed in astonishment.

  ‘The only point that remains now, dear girl,’ said the earl with a smile, ‘is whether or not you feel able to return my son’s affection—I should not wish to call him back in only to have his hopes totally dashed!’

  Georgina lowered her eyes and a soft rosiness suffused her cheeks. ‘I believe I could manage to do that, sir,’ she said primly.

  After some minutes of fruitless searching, Mrs Cunningham found her son ensconced in the study with his youngest sister. They were lying on the rug, poring over the etchings in Sophie’s book.

  ‘Good heavens, Rupert!’ said his startled mama. ‘I don’t believe I have ever seen you with your nose stuck in a book! Are you about to turn into an academic like your father?’

  Rupert grinned and sat up. ‘Shouldn’t think so, Mama,’ he
vouched sturdily. ‘Sophie was just showing me some stuff about the Battle of the Nile—Aboukir Bay, you know—terrifically interesting.’

  He caught sight of Templeton behind his mother and he sprang up, his eyes shining with delight. ‘I knew you’d come back, sir!’ he said gleefully.

  Templeton strode into the room and held out his hand. ‘Good to see you again, Rupert. I see you haven’t been wasting your time!’

  The boy looked up at him anxiously. ‘Have you—that is…?’ He stopped and his eyes travelled towards his mother, who was sitting at the desk leafing through some papers.

  ‘It’s all right, Rupert,’ Templeton assured him. ‘I have discussed the matter with your mama and she is perfectly happy for me to give you my report.’

  ‘This letter we received from the War Office merely states that Harry died in the execution of his duty,’ put in Mrs Cunningham, holding up a piece of paper. ‘I would have been glad to tell you, Rupert, if you had asked me.’

  ‘I didn’t want to upset you, Mama,’ said the boy, slightly shamefaced.

  ‘No matter.’ She smiled. ‘His lordship has something far more exciting to tell you.’ She held out her hand to her daughter. ‘Come, Sophie, let us leave the gentlemen in peace.’

  As soon as his mother and sister had left the room, Rupert turned eagerly to Templeton. ‘What did you discover, sir?’

  Drawing a piece of paper out of his jacket pocket, Templeton perched himself on the edge of the desk and looked squarely into Rupert’s expectant face.

  ‘It’s pretty grim, you know—are you sure that you’re ready for this?’ he asked gently.

  ‘Absolutely, sir,’ said the boy fervently. ‘As you said, not everyone can be a hero—I just want to know how he died—to put him to rest, sort of.’