A Bloom in Winter (12 page)

“Is flying all you have been thinking about?”

“No. And you know it, too.”

He gave a low laugh and she turned her attention back to
the conversation. “You should really go up in one of their aeroplanes, Sebastian. I know you would love it.”

He nodded. “I’d like that very much, actually.”

Rowena squeezed Jon’s hand and gave him a meaningful look. Catching her glance, he leaned forward. “Well, how about tomorrow then? You could fetch Rowena, and she could show you the way.”

Sebastian caught their plan immediately. “So I’m to be an accessory, eh? I can do that. But I do expect to be taken up in an aeroplane as part of my payment.”

Jon grinned and held out his hand. “It’s a deal!”

The food arrived and the talk moved on to other things, but Rowena hardly followed the conversation. All she knew was that Jon was next to her, holding her hand, and that was all that mattered.

“So a little bird told me you made a surprise visit to the Wells Manor a while ago.”

Rowena looked down at her meal, the sponge cake turning to dust in her mouth. “And what little bird was that?” She could just imagine the things his brother would say.

“Cristobird.” He laughed. “She said you didn’t stay nearly long enough but you did promise to come back and sup with us. Can we arrange that for this week?”

“Perhaps.” She finally raised her eyes to look at him. Her breath caught and she wondered whether she would ever stop being surprised at how very blue his eyes were. “I’m sorry I rode over there. I was just so confused, and I hadn’t heard anything from you . . . ”

His hand squeezed hers under the table and he leaned close to her ear so that only she would hear his words. “You don’t
need to doubt my intentions toward you again, all right? Even if I can’t get in touch with you, just remember that I will always make my way back to you.”

The words were stark in their intent and sounded more like a vow than any wedding pledge Rowena had ever heard.

The meal ended far too soon for Rowena, but she could part with him knowing they would see each other tomorrow. She could bear anything if she could go to bed each night knowing she would see him again. He held her arm possessively as they walked to the car. Discreetly, Sebastian and Mr. Dirkes went to the front of the motorcar. Sebastian cranked the starter and the sound of the motor drowned out their conversation.

Jon’s eyes searched Rowena’s face. Even though the pale winter sun was far in the west, she could see the blaze of his blue eyes. Her body leaned toward his, as if the distance between them was just too great. Without warning, he bent his head, pressing his lips against hers. Just like the first time he’d kissed her, they were in public, but this time, Rowena didn’t hesitate. She kissed him back and the moment spun out between them like an eternity. Then Jon broke away and laughed softly. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow,” she murmured.

*   *   *

The next morning, her aunt was at the breakfast table when Rowena finally appeared downstairs. Elaine shot her a look of warning, and Rowena’s heart stilled.

“Good morning,” she called to both her aunt and her cousin. She gave Elaine a look in return and mouthed “What?” behind her aunt’s back.

Elaine shrugged.

No help there.

Breakfast was served buffet style on a large ornate side table so that the family could eat whenever they arose. Her uncle usually ate first, as he woke up earliest to get a good start on his daily work, and Aunt Charlotte rarely came downstairs for breakfast, preferring to eat in the comfort of her own room. She usually only appeared when there were visitors, so today her presence was highly unusual and highly suspect.

Rowena had come downstairs famished, and even the advent of her aunt couldn’t stay her hunger. She served herself a bowl of strawberries with a dab of fresh cream and a few poached kippers on a thick slice of bread and butter. Kippers were her father’s favorites and though a lump rose in her throat at the thought of him, the feelings of anguish had abated. He wouldn’t want her to be unhappy. Ever.

She sat down at the table and began eating with enjoyment. “I don’t believe it’s going to be nearly as cold today as it was yesterday,” she said to her cousin and her aunt. Her aunt smiled politely and continued reading her newspaper.

Elaine shook her head. “No. And the wind has stopped, too, thank God. I thought the roof was going to blow right off last night,” she said, her eyes darting between her mother and her cousin. Years of experience with her mother made her anxious and Rowena could feel the misery coming off her in waves. In her mother’s presence, the mischievous and fun-loving Elaine disappeared, leaving behind the intimidated, gauche little girl she used to be.

Rowena gave Elaine a smile she hoped was bolstering and met the problem head-on. “So what has led you to grace us with your presence this morning, Aunt Charlotte?” she asked, sounding almost as impudent as Victoria.

Her ladyship put down her newspaper and leveled a stern look at Rowena, who remembered suddenly why she detested confrontation so much. It terrified her, as did her aunt. She stared down at her kippers, her appetite waning.

“I thought it was time we had a chat, my dear. When you and your sister came to us, I realized how many years we had lost because your dear father chose to take you and your sister abroad so much instead of spending more time here.”

“But we spent every summer—”

Aunt Charlotte raised her hand to stop her. “Yes, I know you spent your summers here, but so much time was spent entertaining that we did not have time to become as close as I had hoped. Now, of course, you are a young woman and the time for me to step in as a mother to you is long past.”

Rowena risked a glance up at her aunt, but her aunt wasn’t looking at her. She stared off in the distance, over the top of her teacup, a slight frown marking her lips as if she was pondering chances lost. Rowena glanced at Elaine, who looked as baffled as Rowena felt. Where was this leading? She had a sinking feeling.

“So when I hear a report concerning your behavior such as the one I received yesterday, why, I’m almost at a loss as to how to proceed . . . ”

Elaine’s eyes went wide and Rowena slumped in her seat.

“Auntie—”

But her aunt continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “And while I am, of course, appalled at such public behavior, and
certain
that it will never happen again, I think I am far more hurt that you didn’t tell me that you and Sebastian were engaged.”

Rowena froze.
Sebastian?
Public behavior? What on earth was her aunt accusing her of? Her face flamed as realization suddenly
struck. Her aunt must assume that because Sebastian had picked her up, it was Sebastian she had kissed outside the inn. But who had reported her? “Oh, no, Auntie, we’re not, I mean . . . ”

Her aunt set her cup down with such force that the tea sloshed over the sides. “What do you mean you’re not? Don’t tell me he took such liberties in public without any kind of understanding?”

Rowena held up her hand. “No, of course not.”

“I should hope not. You were both raised better than that and the gossip is all over town. And at an
inn
.”

Her aunt didn’t say “where there are bedrooms,” but Rowena imagined she was thinking it. She looked at Elaine for help, but Elaine’s mouth hung open and she looked as if she was going to burst into laughter or tears. Rowena shut her eyes for a moment. God forgive her for lying. “It’s just that we haven’t made it public yet because, of course, Sebastian would want to talk to Uncle first. He just asked me and . . . ” She let her eyes fall to the table demurely. “I guess we got carried away.”

There was a moment’s pause, as if her aunt was judging her sincerity, which Rowena had no doubt that she was. She only hoped she had given a good enough performance.

“Well, I can see how that could happen, my dear. But it puts us in a bit of a bind as we will have to make the announcement as quickly as possible before the talk gets out of hand. Right now, I’m sure it’s just Summerset gossip, but we will want to announce it before anyone outside the town hears about it.” Aunt Charlotte reached out and covered Rowena’s hand with her own. “I can’t tell you how very pleased I am. For a while I had hoped Elaine and Sebastian would make a match, but you will be so much more fitting of a wife for him than Elaine.”

Rowena smiled weakly while her cousin rolled her eyes. Oh, God. What had she gotten herself into? And Sebastian. What would she tell Sebastian?

Just then Cairns came into the room. “Lady Summerset, Lord Billingsly has arrived.”

Sebastian breezed into the room. “My apologies for arriving so early, but I wanted to get a good start on the day, and don’t tell Mother, but your breakfasts are the best.”

Rowena wanted to die.

Elaine took one look at Rowena’s face and leapt from her chair. “Let me be the first to welcome you into the family,” she cried. “Of course, you’ve always been a part of the family, but this just clinches it!”

Elaine kissed Sebastian’s cheek, and from where Rowena was sitting, she could see her whispering fiercely into his ear.

“My dear boy,” Aunt Charlotte said, rising from her chair. “What a surprise you both have handed us. I had no idea.”

He embraced her awkwardly while shooting Rowena a look of panic over her ladyship’s shoulders.

Rowena shrugged helplessly. She felt as if she were aboard a runaway train with no discernible way to get off.

“This does leave us in a bit of a dilemma, though. His lordship has gone out early this morning and won’t be back until this afternoon. You can speak to him them. Does your mother know yet? No? Oh, no! I did so want to start planning the engagement party with her over the telephone. Well, this will have to do. You can tell her tonight and I will come to Eddelson tomorrow. Planning will be much more delightful in person. Now, what are your plans for today?”

If Rowena felt dizzy at her aunt’s barrage, Sebastian looked
positively sick, so Rowena took matters into her own hands. “We’re going for a drive. We thought we might drive to Norwich for the afternoon. We’ll be back in time for Sebastian to talk to Uncle.”

“You must take Elaine. After yesterday’s little display, you must not be seen alone together again.”

Sebastian gave Aunt Charlotte a weak smile.

“I’d be delighted to chaperone them. Just give me a moment to change,” Elaine said.

Elaine left and Aunt Charlotte patted Rowena’s arm. “Again, I am simply delighted about this turn of events. I am going to go begin planning your trousseau.” She exited the room and for the first time since they’d become an engaged couple, Rowena and Sebastian were left alone. He took her by the arm and propelled her from the room and into the sitting room, where they could talk undisturbed.

“What the hell was that?” he asked as soon as he closed the door behind them.

She sank into an ugly rose-patterned wing-backed chair and slapped a hand to her forehead. “I am so sorry. I had no idea what I was walking into this morning. It felt like an ambush.”

“I’m familiar with the feeling,” he said, his voice carefully neutral.

He sat across from her and crossed his long legs. “I think you had better start at the beginning.”

“That was the beginning,” she said. “Word of Jon’s kissing me had reached my aunt by this morning and she mistook him for you.”

He nodded. “And the part where you didn’t enlighten her but instead led her to believe we were engaged came after?”

“No, she just assumed that if you had kissed me in public that we must be engaged, unless you were a cad and wished to die by firing squad with her and your mother at the trigger.”

He nodded again. “That also makes sense. The only part now that doesn’t make sense is the bit where you allowed her to believe it was me and that we are, indeed, going to be married.”

His voice held a trace of humor now and Rowena sighed with relief. “Well, that part is a bit more complicated. You see, the Wellses and the Buxtons don’t speak. In fact, his family hates my family with a passion and for good reason. I’m fairly sure my uncle believes the Wells family to be little more than ants that invaded his picnic. My aunt, on the other hand, will be upset because the Wellses aren’t exactly society, and as Jon is the younger brother, he won’t even inherit.”

“Ah. So not only does he come from the wrong family, but he’s not even rich. A double sin, so to speak.”

“Exactly.” Rowena sighed.

“So just how far are we supposed to take little charade? To the engagement party? The wedding itself? And will you protect me from Jon? Because once he hears about our engagement he may come after me with blood in his eyes. The man is obviously in love with you.”

Her cheeks heated and she couldn’t help the delighted smile that played about her lips. “I promise we can break off our engagement soon. But it would work out perfectly if we let the rumor go on for at least a week. He’s heading back to Kent then.”

He stood and regarded her intently. “And what do I get out of this?”

Rowena shook her head. “I don’t know. Amusement?”

“Well, there is that, but you do know this is going to cost me a great deal of trouble with my mother, don’t you?”

She nodded, holding her breath.

He sighed and shook his head. “I’m either the world’s leading dolt or just a fool for true love. That’s fine. We both know there’s no reason for me not to go along with a phony engagement, but we’d best inform Jon before he hears of it on his own.”

“Thank you, Sebastian. You’re a very nice man, do you know that? I think Prudence was a fool.”

His jaw tightened for a moment. Then he nodded and held out his arm. “Shall we be going, my dear?”

Rowena linked her own arm through his. “Anything you like, my dear.”