For the Lady Mary and Christopher Bryce and their family, the day ended there. Everyone thought it for the best if the girls were taken home to have an early night. And while the Duke and Duchess of Roxton had obligations to their guests, the Duke and Duchess of Kinross with their daughter decided to return to Crecy Hall. And so three carriages crossed over the main stone bridge across the lake for the short journey along the tree-lined avenue, the adult occupants subdued and still stunned by what they had just witnessed between two young men who had been best friends and as close as brothers could ever be for sixteen years, and hardly a cross word exchanged between them.
Teddy and Lisa remained mute on the journey to the lodge, and later when they went up to Teddy’s room. Neither wanted supper. And so after their baths, they were put to bed, each with a mug of hot milk. And while Christopher tucked in his sons, the Lady Mary sat with the girls for a while. She brought Sophie-Kate with her, which offered Teddy some comfort because she loved to have cuddles with her baby sister. But despite the color returning to her face, and the bath helping to soothe her, Lisa was still so much affected by events that she fell asleep exhausted without saying her prayers or her good-nights.
Her appetite had not returned the next morning when she went down to breakfast, the last of the family to do so, and where she found Teddy, who insisted she have a slice of toast and a cup of tea. She learned that Mr. Bryce had already left for the day with his eldest son David, to go hawking with the other gentlemen and boys old enough to ride unassisted. Uncle Roxton and Aunt Deb decided that the men would spend the day as far away from the big house as possible, while the ladies and girls would remain indoors occupying their time in more leisurely pursuits: Embroidering, dabbling in water colors, walking the Long Gallery, enjoying a musical recital, and watching the children rehearse their dance steps and musical pieces to be performed at the wedding breakfast. Of course there was little the ducal couple could do to stop the gossiping about the previous day’s extraordinary turn of events, but while Deborah presided over the teapot, she kept a keen ear out for any disparaging or inflammatory remarks, helped in this endeavor by the Countess of Strathsay.
“And we are to spend our day here, doing whatever we please,” Teddy said buoyantly. “Which will make for a nice change.”
“You wish you were out hawking too, don’t you?” Lisa said with a smile, nibbling on her toast.
Teddy grinned. “I do. But I also wish to spend the day with you, and Jack.”
“Jack? He did not go hawking?”
“No. That pleasure was denied him. He must apologize to you for—”
“Oh, Teddy, no. Please,” Lisa said with a self-conscious frown. “I could not bear it. It is I who should be apologizing to him—”
“Nonsense! Besides, he wrote me the most wonderful apology letter.” With a smug smile, Teddy held up a folded sheet of paper, its red seal broken. “It was delivered at first light, so he must have spent all night composing it. And this was after his scolding from Uncle Roxton, who summoned him to his library, which apparently is the worse summons to receive. It strikes dread into the hearts of those who must walk the length of the library with hundreds and hundreds of books peering down from a great height as if they are persons in a courtroom, and with the judge—that’s the Duke—seated behind his big desk, sour-faced and waiting to berate you for your infraction. So Jack says. And he has only ever had that happen to him once before, but he says the experience stays with you so you hope it never happens again!”
Lisa blinked. “But His Grace seems the most amiable of men, and Her Grace, too, is quite lovely. One does not have to be in their company long to see that they love each other very much, and adore all their children equally.”
Teddy’s eyes shone.
“There’s lots of cake-making going on in that family that’s certain!”
Lisa gasped, clapped a hand to her mouth and then could not help herself and giggled. When she found her breath, she said with a smile, “You are the wickedest girl I know! But also the most loving. Thank you for making me laugh.”
Teddy poured them out a second cup of tea.
“You’re very welcome. I do like to see you smile, Lisa. And you are not to concern yourself. None of what happened yesterday was your fault. Jack didn’t tell me what Harry said to you to make him furious, but if you need to confide—”
“Thank you. I don’t—I don’t want to speak about—about that yet,” Lisa confessed, losing her smile and putting her hand out across the table. When Teddy took hold of her fingers and smiled in understanding, she smiled back. “Let’s have our tea first…”
She was relieved not to be made to speak openly about Henri-Antoine, because she was sure if she did she would barely be able to speak at all, or become a blubbering mess. And although she was desperate to know that he was not greatly harmed, and was safe, and how Jack had fared, she did not ask, again because it was still too raw. So instead she asked,
“I hope His Grace wasn’t too harsh on Jack?”
“Jack accepted the rebuke, and once he had explained matters to Uncle Roxton they both agreed that while Jack should have shown more restraint and not hit Harry, he was provoked. And this,” Teddy announced, holding aloft the letter again and then kissing it before putting it away in a pocket, “is quite the most romantic letter Jack has ever written to me. So I shall keep it always. And he explained everything, and I forgive him. In fact, I love him even more, if that is possible, for being so chivalrous.”
“He did? He was? You do? He explained it all in that letter?”
“No, silly. His letter was about us. He gave me his explanation in person, as was proper. He’s here. We had breakfast together before Papa set out with David for the big house. He’s outdoors with Luke, who was most upset at being too little to go hawking with his big brother. So Jack and Luke are out playing in the wagon, Jack running it up the hill and then he and Luke getting in it and coming down at a speed, which I am very sure is sending Mama’s lovely hair gray, however much she smiles and tries to appear as if she hasn’t a care in the world.”
“Do you know, Teddy, that as well as being very pretty, your mama is the most composed person I have ever met. I do not think anything or anyone ever ruffles her feathers.”
Teddy stood and pushed in her chair. Lisa did likewise.
“She is. And it doesn’t. Oh, except for Granny Strathsay. But she ruffles all our feathers. Mama and her brothers had the most appalling upbringing, so she said she would never allow her children to be treated that way.” Teddy’s eyes widened. “Imagine if you can, sitting for hours with a book on top of your head, all to keep your back straight, and being beaten if you let it slip off. No wonder my uncle Dair climbed out the schoolroom window!”
“You would’ve too, given half the chance!”
“Yes, and climbed onto the tree next to the ledge, too.” Her smile became superior. “I’m still the best tree climber in the family. Come. We need some fresh air, and Jack wishes to see you…”
They linked arms and then Teddy led Lisa to the back of the house, through the kitchen, where she gave Silvia a kiss, and then through the kitchen garden, where she waved to Carlo who was in conversation with the gardener supervising one of the kitchen hands collecting vegetables, and then on out the back gate, to the other side of the stone wall to an expanse of lawn at the base of a small hill, which provided a natural privacy barrier. From atop the rise, there was a good view into the walled gardens of the Gatehouse Lodge, and in one direction was picturesque Crecy Hall, and in the other, the big house dominating the landscape in which it sat.
Teddy and Lisa joined the Lady Mary, who had a hand up to the peak of her straw bonnet to further shade her eyes from the sun, and was standing by a haycock with two of the outdoor servants. Their attention was focused on Jack and four-year-old Luke who were seated in a wooden wagon that had large wheels at the rear and smaller wheels up front, all with a number of spokes missing. And by the messy st
ate of the haycock, this wasn’t their first or third run down the slope, and if they kept at it there was every chance of the wagon falling apart altogether.
Jack had his long booted legs stuck outside either side of the wagon, and Luke was cross-legged, back snug up against his cousin, and with both hands holding firm to the wooden frame. Jack had control of the pull bar with one hand, and his other arm was around Luke. With Luke nodding he was ready, Jack dug his boot heels into the grass and gave an almighty push so that the wagon sped forward with the weight of his body. Down the hill it rattled, its occupants holding on tight, the wind in Luke’s face forcing the black ringlets out of his eyes, and Jack steering as best he could at speed and with little control, and only his feet as brakes.
It was luck rather than steering that kept the wagon on course, and once again it came to a thumping stop into the partially-destroyed haycock. Both occupants were left covered in straw and laughing, Luke with excitement, and Jack with relief to have survived another run. He breathed an audible sigh when the Lady Mary confirmed that was indeed the final wagon ride for today, ignoring Luke’s repeated pleas for just one more run down the hill. His mother was firm. Luke needed to be cleaned up. Did he forget he was accompanying his mama, Sophie-Kate, Granny Kate, and Fran across to the big house? Best of all he could go off and play with his cousins, most particularly the young twins, Will and Tony, who were the same age. And yes, Otto and David would not be there because they had gone hawking with their papas, so there was no chance of those two rascals spoiling the younger boys’ fun.
“I wonder if we’ll have twins…” Jack mused, watching Luke run off ahead of his mother through the gate.
“Twins? I hope not!” Teddy said with a snort of incredulousness.
“Why not? Uncle Roxton and Aunt Deb have two sets, and your Uncle Dair and Aunt Rory have a set, too.”
Teddy carefully removed a hay stalk from Jack’s hair, but then she gave him a playful shove.
“Just because I have two aunts who’ve had twins, doesn’t mean I will, or even want to. If you want twins, Sir John, you birth them!”
“If it meant you need not be in any pain or discomfort, I would!” Jack stated fiercely and grabbed her to him. He kissed her forehead, and then her mouth, both with an unusual tentativeness because his bottom lip had a small split and was swollen and was thus tender to the touch. “Unfortunately men are relegated to playing a bit part in that drama, and that is as a quivering jelly.”
Teddy smiled up into Jack’s eyes, one of which was showing signs of bruising. “But my quivering jelly…”
Suddenly, they came to a sense of their surroundings and Jack let Teddy go. It was not only because Lisa was there, it was the fact the situation yesterday still needed resolution, and a great deal had been left unsaid. The moment Jack had taken Teddy into his arms, Lisa had turned away and wandered a little way off pretending an interest in the grass to give the couple some privacy. Now they came up to her, and sensing there was unease between them, Teddy said to Lisa,
“Don’t be alarmed by the bruise or the cut to Sir John’s lip. And on no account are you to offer him any sympathy. He brought it all on himself.”
“Theodora is quite right,” Jack replied good-naturedly. He bowed to Lisa with great courteousness. “But I do owe you an apology for my ungentlemanly conduct. The argument I had with Harry should never have come to blows, and never before an audience, and most definitely not before you, Miss Crisp. Can you forgive me?”
Lisa took the hand he held out to her, and looking down saw that his knuckles were grazed. She lightly covered his hand with hers and held it a little longer saying, after a hard swallow, and bravely meeting his troubled gaze, “You did what any man who professes to be a gentleman would do in coming to the aid of a female who is being verbally assaulted. As for the fight…” She let go of his hand and glanced at Teddy before saying with a sad smile, “How could you not have reacted in the way you did, when you were goaded to it?”
“Goaded to it?” Teddy repeated, puzzled, but was not given the chance to say more when Jack jumped in, eyes bright.
“That’s what I said to Uncle Roxton! And I didn’t say Harry provoked me all to shift blame. I said that thinking about the fight and what started it, I’m convinced Harry made me as mad as hell fire so that it was impossible for me not to hit him!”
“I have thought about it, too,” Lisa mused. “Over and over. All of it. And your physical response to his words was precisely what he wished for—
“And I fell into his trap! More fool me!”
“Why would Harry want you to hit him?” Teddy asked, puzzled. “That’s nonsense. I know he can be moody and exasperating, and there are times when I do not understand him at all, but he has never been so obnoxious that Sir John has ever wanted to hit him.” She looked at Jack, puzzled. “You said he made an ungentlemanly remark about Lisa, and that’s what provoked you to strike out at him.” She then looked at Lisa. “And it did seem to us up on the hill that the two of you were having an argument…” She looked from Lisa to Jack and back again, and put a hand to Lisa’s arm and asked in a low voice, “Did he—did he make an improper advance? You were both very friendly at dinner, and perhaps he received the wrong impression altogether. He is a flirt, and you are exceedingly pretty, and—” She looked to Jack. “He did, didn’t he?!”
But Jack wasn’t looking at Teddy. He exchanged a look with Lisa which let her know he was well aware Harry’s mood had everything to do with her, but he was not about to betray her. Instead, he threw up a hand and effected exasperation.
“I don’t know precisely what was said,” he lied. “I just didn’t like his tone and manner. He can be intolerable at times, and struts about as only the son of a duke can! Miss Crisp ain’t used to such overblown hubris, nor should she have to tolerate it. And Harry has this habit of doing the contrary thing for the simple pleasure of watching you squirm. Which is well and good for persons who know him, like me! And I’ve always tried to keep in mind that his affliction does play its part in his—”
“Illness cannot be used as an excuse to be rude,” Lisa interrupted. “And so I have said many times to the patients at the dispensary. If they wish treatment and any sympathy at all, then they need to be mindful.”
“I do not doubt you keep Warner’s patients in check, Miss Crisp,” Jack said with a smile, which dropped into a frown when he added, “But I should never have hit Harry. Never. I fear it brought on one of his attacks and—
“I do not think it helped, but it certainly did not bring on the attack,” Lisa countered. “It is my considered opinion—and I am no expert, I can only go on instinct and observation—an attack was imminent. It was only a matter of when, not if. So you should not feel any guilt it was you who brought it on. I believe he knew it was coming. Having you hit him no doubt brought the episode forward, but it would have happened anyway. That he provoked you to hit him was shameful. That he had you hit him knowing he was experiencing the onset of a convulsion was unconscionable, but—and you know him much better than I, and so can correct me—such behavior was most uncharacteristic.”
Jack nodded, and could not help a spreading smile, though he gave a little jump when his lip suddenly stung as a reminder of his foolhardiness. He agreed with everything she said because he knew, as she did, what had motivated his best friend to act in such an irrational and self-destructive manner. Teddy still did not, though she sensed there was something neither Jack nor Lisa was telling her.
“How clever you are, Lisa,” she said wonderingly. “When you make such observations, it disheartens me that females with intellect cannot pursue professional lives.”
“Yes. For then I might have some hope of looking after myself, rather than needing to live off the charity of relatives who do not want me, and friends who do. Which brings me to your most generous and loving offer of having me live with you, and I am so pleased you are both here now for me to speak to you about—”
“W
e both arrived at the notion separately. Neither of us coerced the other. And we both want this outcome very much,” Teddy assured her. “Is that not so, Sir John.”
“It is.”
Lisa nodded, but could not stop the tears welling up.
“I cannot tell you how much your offer means to me. When I was orphaned I became an unnecessary burden on my father’s family. And there is some truth in that, isn’t there? They did not know me, so why would they want me? So to have friends who want me to live with them, to be part of their family, means more than I can possibly tell you. But…” She went forward and took hold of Teddy’s hands, and spoke to them both, “I hope you will understand that if I do accept your most wonderful offer, it is because I made the decision to do so, freely—”
“Of course! We never meant to compel you, Miss Crisp,” Jack interrupted.
Lisa smiled. “I know you did not, Sir John. It was made with the best of intentions.”
“Though perhaps we should have announced it more sensitively. Or not announced it at all, until we had spoken to you first…?” He glanced at Teddy, but said to Lisa, “I do believe Miss Crisp was not the only one who was startled by our announcement last night.”
Lisa found herself blushing. “I see that you do understand.”
Teddy looked from Lisa to Jack and back again. She was at a loss. “You do not want to be with us?”
“I do. It’s that—”
“Miss Crisp must make that decision for herself,” Jack explained and felt his face grow hot when he cautioned her. “Though I do hope… I trust that you will… That when you make your decision, you will not accept anything less than what you deserve, Miss Crisp.”
Satyr’s Son: A Georgian Historical Romance (Roxton Family Saga Book 5) Page 33