In the morning Alicia would arrange transport to her aunt’s in Aylesbury. Alicia was hoping her aunt was in residence and would take them in. Alicia’s quiet life had been thrown into turmoil only two weeks earlier when her step-father, Sir Cecil Clarence, had arrived at his family seat unexpectedly. Accompanying him was his new bride, the well-dowered diamond, Lady Clarissa. No notice or warning of the Baronet’s marriage had been given to his step-daughter and the arrival of a new Lady Clarence, who was three years younger than Alicia herself, had come as a serious shock to all at the Manor. Alicia had tried to welcome the new bride, but her friendly overtures had been snubbed.
Lady Clarissa found the presence of an older step-daughter who efficiently ran the Manor’s household, taught her two younger half-sisters and acted as unpaid agent for the estate highly undesirable. The ethereal blonde beauty, Clarissa, had stridently declared she was not sharing a home with her new husband’s dowdy, spinster step-daughter. She demanded the younger girls Phoebe and Grace be packed off to school in Bath at the earliest opportunity. At the mature age of twenty-one that alternative was not available for Alicia. Following two days of furious quarrelling from Clarissa, Sir Cecil came up with a solution to appease his shrewish spouse.
Two years earlier, Alicia had received her only proposal of marriage from the sexagenarian baron, Lord Emmersley, which she had rejected in disgust. The Baron had buried three wives, all much younger than his corpulent self.
“I am prepared to marry you, Miss Alicia,” he declared making use of her name without her permission. “I’m prepared to overlook that you are not a beauty and have no dowry. My three young daughters need a new mother, as theirs so tragically died and my bed needs warming. You have done well managing Clarence’s estates so I decided that factor outweighed your lack of looks and fortune. So I’m prepared to marry you, Alicia, what do you say to that girl?” he declaimed pompously, breathing brandy fumes over her.
He was very put out to discover his magnanimity in offering for the mousy Miss Lambert was politely but resolutely declined.
The county’s gossips avidly recounted the deplorable behaviour of the Baron averring he was drunk more than he was sober. Reports of his late wives’ treatment as far from gentle encouraged the wags to declare they had chosen death to shorten the misery of life with Lord Emmersley. Two days after Lady Clarissa’s arrival at the Manor, Sir Cecil visited Lord Emmersley and the following day Alicia was informed the Baron wished to have a private interview with her.
The interview that followed was disagreeable but short.
“I am very pleased, Alicia, that we are to be married after all. I will arrange for the banns to be read at once,” Lord Emmersley had stated.
Then he enveloped Alicia in his huge arms and pushed a very wet mouth over hers before she managed appalled to escape his embrace. Sweeping out before the horrified Alicia said a word in protest. Alicia overwhelmed with revulsion; followed him from the room to find Sir Cecil boosting him on to the back of his large bay gelding, full of bonhomie. Sir Cecil was very pleased with himself for dealing with the problem of his unwanted step-daughter so easily.
“Congratulations, Alicia. You are a very sensible girl to have accepted such a creditable match as Lord Emmersley,” he told her with self-satisfaction.
“I did no such thing, Sir Cecil, he did not request my hand and if he had, I’d have refused him. I have no intention of marrying him. He gave me no chance of answering him, just told me we are to be married before leaving.”
“Well, marry him you will or you’ll find you have no roof over your head.” Cecil had stormed furious to have his plans thrown awry.
Chapter Four
Nothing she said had any effect on her step-father. Or on Lady Clarissa who gloated with glee, that in little over three weeks’ time she would be rid of her step-daughter. Alicia felt it was a bad dream, she would wake from. She wrote at once to Lord Emmersley, declining his proposal emphatically. Sir Cecil shredded this missive in front of her, refusing to frank it. Church on Sunday brought further mortification.
“I publish the banns of marriage between Alicia Helena Lambert, spinster of this parish and William Henry Emmersley, widower of our neighbouring parish of Shoreham,” the Vicar had melodiously intoned.
She sat through the readings and sermon in stupefied indignation, but when on leaving the Church the vicar gave her his enthusiastic congratulations on her forthcoming nuptials, Alicia found her voice.
“Reverend Hapsgood, could you please clarify a point of law for me?” she said sweetly.
“It would be my pleasure, Miss Lambert to do so. How may I inform you?”
“Is it legal for the banns to be read in Church when the bride to be, has not accepted a proposal of marriage from the groom?” she declared in a loud ringing voice which all the interested parishioners could hear.
Whilst her step-father red-faced tried to hustle her away to the Clarence carriage, she continued. “And the bride to be has no intention of ever accepting such a proposal.”
The journey back to the Manor as both Sir Cecil and Lady Clarissa unleashed an unceasing tirade upon Alicia’s head for her lack of conduct, gratitude and obedience to their wishes was uncomfortable for her sisters, but Alicia barely listened. Ignoring them, she stared out the window with a stony face. As she alighted from the carriage, Sir Cecil was busy ordering her to her bedroom without supper. Alicia turned her back and walked away. Reaching her bedroom she changed into her charcoal grey riding habit and headed down the back stairs to the stables through the kitchens. She turned back to the cook and informed her “Sir Cecil and Lady Clarissa are rather upset and have decided they will not be sitting down to dinner this evening.” Thinking if she was not to eat, let them come down and find nothing has been prepared for their meal.
Greenways, their head groom knew nothing of Sir Cecil’s orders that Alicia should be confined to her bedroom and would have ignored them if he had known.
“Could you saddle up Siren for me, Greenways please?” So Greenways saddled her dapple grey mare for her, with his usual smile and his own horse as well. Then they set out at a fast canter. They travelled some miles in silence.
“Miss Alicia, we had best turn around if you are to get changed before dinner, “Greenways advised.
“I’m not to have any, Greenways! I’m to stay in my bedroom until I agree to marry Lord Emmersley. And I told Cook, that Sir Cecil and Lady Clarissa were so upset they’d decided not to come down for dinner. If I’m not to eat, they can wait for their dinner!”
Greenways chortled at this remark. “Where are we headed, Miss?”
“To Ferring House, Sir Cecil tore up my letter declining Lord Emmersley’s proposal, so if he is home he can hear it direct from me. And if not I shall ask for pen and paper and leave a note refusing his suit.”
As by this time they were nearing the drive of Lord Emmersley’s country house, Greenways decided no further conversation was necessary. The gate-keeper let them in with a grin. The banns had been read in Shoreham’s Parish Church that morning too. He saw no reason to refuse admission to my Lord’s affianced bride. Although he thought it a shame as Miss Lambert had always seemed a charming girl to him. On arrival at Ferring House, the door was opened by Lord Emmersley’s butler, Quirk.
“I am sorry Miss Lambert, my Lord is regrettably away from home, but may I offer my congratulations on your engagement to my Lord,” the butler stated.
“As to that Quirk, you are misinformed. I accepted no proposal from Lord Emmersley. Can you find me paper and ink so I can write him a note, please?”
Quirk was pleased to oblige Miss Lambert and she sat down at a table in the drawing room and drafted the following missive.
Dear Lord Emmersley
I am informed you believe I have accepted a proposal of marriage from you. Although you made no such proposal to me, I wish to clear up this misunderstanding. I have accepted no such proposal and have no intention of ever becoming your wife. Hono
ured as I am that you should wish to make me the fourth Lady Emmersley, I feel myself unable to accept that position. I trust I have made my position on this matter entirely clear and that the erroneous banns will now be withdrawn.
Yours truly
Alicia Lambert
Alicia sealed the note and handed it to Quirk to be delivered to his master on his return to Ferring House. She took her leave of Quirk, who bowed her out with a wry smile on his lips. He could imagine his Lord’s reaction to this little billet doux. He would warn the other staff to keep out of my Lord’s way or learn to duck flying objects. Greenways and Alicia returned home at a leisurely pace, discussing matters concerning the stables and estate that needed dealing with in equable humour.
The following week was equally wretched at the Manor. Alicia went about her duties as best she could, avoiding contact with Lady Clarissa and Sir Cecil as much as possible. Meals were dismal, alternating between nagging demands she accept Lord Emmersley’s suit and sullen silence between all concerned. Alicia was ordered to remain at home during the next Sunday’s service, but as soon as the carriage pulled away, she rode to Shoreham with Greenways and attended the slightly later service there.
Lord Emmersley was not present, but the banns were read again. After the service Alicia made the shocked parson aware of her refusal of Lord Emmersley’s proposal in a carrying voice and instructed him to refuse to read them the following week. The parson, who had been notified of her statement by Reverend Hapsgood, stammered in response.
“I have already tried to bring the banns’ legality to Lord Emmersley’s attention, Miss Lambert. Reverend Hapsgood informed me of your declaration. My Lord insisted that if I did not read the banns, he would dismiss me from my living, Miss. I am sorry.” The embarrassed parson apologized.
Sir Cecil had informed her she would be wed on the Monday following the third calling of the banns threatening, if she refused to say her vows she would be locked in her bedroom unfed until she did. Alicia was not frightened of Sir Cecil being capable of carrying out that threat; the household staff would rebel at such treatment of their young mistress. She had told Sally when she could not bear the situation any longer.
“Sally, I am going to have to leave. I am not going to go through the embarrassment of being dragged to church and refusing to marry Lord Emmersley and I have no intention of agreeing to be his wife,” she had said to Sally one night.
“No, you can’t stay here, Miss. Not with Sir and Lady Clarrisa acting up like they are. They ought to be ashamed of themselves. Is this all the thanks you get for everything you have done for him? It is very wrong of him to treat you this way, Miss Alicia. Have you thought of anywhere else to go? Your friend Mrs Lindsay would take you in.” Sally had declared.
“Yes Daphne Lindsay would help, but it is too close to the Manor to try and stay there, Sally. Sir Cecil would easily come and drag me back and there is nothing Daphne could do to stop him. I fear I will have to work for a living, but it is where to go while I look for work. I thought I would ask my aunt, Lady Maud Prestyne to shelter me for a while. She lives in Aylesbury. Would you be prepared to travel with me on the Mail to Aylesbury, Sally. I don’t know if I will be able to keep you on after that because I don’t think I will be able to pay you. But I am sure we can pay your travelling expenses back home from there?” Alicia had asked.
“I’ll not leave you, Miss. Don’t you worry about money for now. First we have got to get you out of the house as soon as possible. We had best start packing. I’ll go and fetch your mother’s travelling cases. Sir Cecil won’t miss them, as his new ones are all fancy. Greenways will buy us tickets for the Mail and deliver a note to the widow Lindsay,” Sally had stated practically.
“When do you think we can be ready to leave by Sally? I shall miss Grace and Phoebe. I shall miss everyone here. It seems strange to be thrown out of my home,” Alicia had said.
“You can’t leave it too long Miss. I think we should get the mail-coach next Wednesday. There will be time to make all the arrangements and to pack your bags discreetly.”
So Alicia had asked Greenways to carry a note to Daphne Lindsay and to buy Sally and herself tickets for the mail. Sally meanwhile discreetly got on with packing up all of Alicia’s possessions. Then Alicia asked to speak with Sir Cecil.
“I’ve been asked by my friend, Mrs Daphne Lindsay, who lives two villages away in Kirksham St Godfrey’s, to stay for a few days. It is a long standing invitation, but I could not take it up because of running the estate and manor house. I will not be able to take up the invitation after the wedding so I thought I should go now. Do you have any objections, Sir?” she had requested.
“No, you go, excellent idea. Pleased to see you have accepted the marriage, Alicia. You may go,” he had agreed, relieved to be rid of his step-daughter’s insufferable presence for a few days.
“Would you send Greenways with the gig to collect Sally and me late on Friday, please Sir Cecil?” She had asked disingenuously. Alicia had known that if Sir Cecil had realised how many bags had been taken down the back stairs to the gig, that he would object. But the loaded gig had left the manor house early in the morning before Sir Cecil rose at noon.
Daphne was a young widow and would have been happy to give the fugitives sanctuary. But she agreed with Alicia, it was too near to the Manor for Sir Cecil not to insist on their return. Greenways did not need to be sworn to secrecy. Delivering Miss Lambert to Mrs Lindsay’s house he returned to the Manor with the empty gig. Their luggage was transferred to a borrowed carriage before dawn the next day and Alicia and Sally were driven to an Inn, ten miles further on where they boarded the Mail-coach. They were therefore able to travel without expectation of being missed before Greenways returned with an empty gig to the Manor, to inform Sir Cecil that Miss Lambert was no longer at Mrs Lindsay’s home and had not informed her where she was travelling to.
Alicia had lived in the Manor since her late mother’s marriage to Sir Cecil, when Alicia was eight, and had taken over managing the house on her mother’s death when she had been fifteen. Her father Colonel Charles Lambert, Baronet had died of his wounds following the Battle of Bergen when she was only six. As the only surviving child of the marriage, the entailed estate had gone to his deceased younger brother’s eldest son, who became Sir Frederick Lambert.
The beautiful widowed Lady Lambert soon attached Sir Cecil, as her former husband, Sir Charles had been a wealthy man who left only the entailed estates to his heir. Sir Cecil who aspired to the dandy set was now an imposing man in his early fifties. Considered quite a beau in his youth despite an overlong nose and a somewhat florid complexion, he was still considered quite good looking. The tight lacing of his no longer quite so slender waist, or the affectation of highly padded shoulders, wide lapels, an excess of shiny fobs and grossly high collars over an ornate mathematical cravat did not improve his appearance in Alicia’s opinion.
Maintaining his lifestyle as one of the Prince Regent’s set was appallingly expensive. While Alicia’s mother lived; they had managed to live well within their means. After her death, Sir Cecil was not inclined to rural seclusion and felt it only his just desserts to establish himself in London and live in some style.
It had fallen to Alicia secluded in the wilds of Staffordshire to exercise such economies to provide for the ever more demanding luxuries of life that Sir Cecil thought he deserved as right. No house-keeper was employed on her mother’s death, so Alicia simply assumed the role. When Miss Jenson, the elderly governess, who taught Alicia and her two younger half-sisters Grace and Phoebe, had been forced by ill health to retire, no replacement was provided for her either. So Alicia added teaching her half-siblings to her duties. When she reached eighteen, Sir Cecil made no mention of a season for her in London and Alicia aware of the amounts drawn to pay for Sir Cecil’s tailors, horses, carriages and other expenses, knew it would be hard to find the money to pay for one. It was just as well Alicia reflected she had no great desire to find a hu
sband or take her place in society.
The duties of agent to Sir Cecil’s estate had fallen on Alicia’s shoulders when Tooms, their agent, had taken a congestion of his lungs and had died after a few months’ illness. During his sickness every problem was referred to Miss Lambert, Sir Cecil as was his custom being absent from the Manor. On Tooms’ departure from life, Alicia had written to Sir Cecil requesting he appoint a new agent. As usual he had not bothered to reply, so Alicia had continued for three years acting as his agent and efficiently managing his estates.
Alicia had no pretensions to being a beauty, having taken after her father rather than her exquisite mother. Barely reaching five feet in height with abundant curves, the current fashion of high waisted dresses did not exactly flatter her figure. She was possessed of a small nose, light brown hair that would not hold a curl and straight eyebrows. No one but the most generous of observers could describe her as more than a fine looking girl. Her only decent feature was a pair of fine bright green eyes, neatly edged with lush sable eye-lashes. Her friends might have added she had an exceptional complexion, a lovely nature and elegant hands. Greenways would have said she sat a horse better than any lady of his acquaintance and was an accomplished whip.
Chapter Five
Sebastian dreamt of the unknown lady who had lain upon his bed. He really wished he had been able to get to know her better under less awkward circumstances, perhaps she might have been considered suitable for his bride and might accept a more sober proposal of marriage from him. He woke later than he had planned and rang for his valet, Prescott.
“Whatever were you thinking of last night, Prescott? You ushered a respectable unmarried woman into my room…the young lady was mortified by the mistake. I might in honour have been forced to marry her… what do you think his grace, would say about such a misalliance, Prescott? It would not be unreasonable for me to summarily dismiss you without references, would it?” Sebastian had tersely informed his servant.
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