Anna Jacobs (18 page)

She could feel her colour rising. “I just - wanted to have a think. Somewhere quiet.”

“Well, Lymsby’s anything but quiet today, I’ll grant you that!” Johanna sighed. She turned to Mrs. Powis and said with feigned casualness, “There is some question of whether my daughter is expecting twins or not, you see, so Boris has sent for the doctor - and Jennice doesn’t like fusses.”

Mrs. Powis’s eyes brightened. “Twins! Now, that is good news.”

“Yes, but we shall have to look after her. I would,” Johanna avoided meeting Beatrice’s eyes, “certainly value your advice on that.”

Mrs. Powis beamed at her. “Any time, your ladyship. The Newthorpes and the Serles have always been good neighbours to one another.” Then she turned back to eye Beatrice. “I’ll go and order a light meal now for you now, Miss. And afterwards, when you’ve eaten it - every scrap, if you please! - you are to go to sleep again. There’s nothing like a good long sleep for reducing the chances of a chill.”

She marched majestically out of the room, tossing over her shoulder. “By tomorrow, she’ll be able to limp on that foot - if she does as she’s told now, that is, Lady Ostdene - and I’ll find a walking stick to help her.”

When she’d left, Johanna put her hand over Beatrice’s. “My dear, I’d be extremely obliged if you did as you were told while we’re here.”

“But Johanna - “

“Please! You see, Boris is going to ask for Mrs. Powis’s help with the birth - though what Jennice will say to that, I don’t know. Mrs. Powis is the best midwife hereabouts, even if she does terrify everyone.”

Beatrice muttered to herself, but gave in and did as she was told. She was surrounded by well-wishers who were driving her mad and who were all in league against her. Besides, she didn’t wish to cause more trouble for Mr Serle, with Mrs. Powis or with anyone else.

Just as she was drifting off to sleep, however, she jerked upright and clutched at her cousin’s arm. “Johanna! You won’t tell anyone about this, will you? Promise me! I couldn’t bear people in town to know!” They would say she’d been throwing herself at Mr Serle and insist he was not for her. As if she didn’t know that.

“My dear girl, surely you’ve lived in the country for long enough to realize that we won’t need to tell people anything. The news will already have wafted around the district and by tomorrow it’ll have crept across the county without any help from me.”

“Oh dear! You’re right. It’s just the same at Satherby.” Beatrice stared into the distance, then said firmly, “That settles it, then! I’m not going back to London! I can’t face what people will say after having him rescue me again! I just can’t!”

“We’ll think of something,” Johanna said soothingly, patting her hand. “There’s no need to do anything drastic. Now, go to sleep, do.”

* * * *

In the morning, Mrs. Powis reluctantly conceded that the danger of chills had probably been averted and gave permission for Beatrice to leave Melbury, though not until after luncheon, when the day would have warmed up a little.

Beatrice found her ankle to be much better and was able to move around quite easily with the stick, if more slowly than usual.

When she limped downstairs, she was met by her host, with a rueful smile on his face.

“I do hope you’re all right now, my dear B- Miss Dencey? Can you ever forgive me for tipping you into the water?” His smile was particularly warm, begging her to share his amusement.

Aware that both Johanna and Mrs. Powis were watching them with great interest, Beatrice said stiffly, “It was an accident. I’m perfectly all right, thank you, Mr Serle.”

Justin also became aware of the two spectators and said in a low voice,  “Look, I need to talk to you, Beatrice. Alone.” He raised his voice and added, “Would you care to come and see my father’s collection of oil paintings, Miss Dencey? They’re on this floor, so you won’t have any more stairs to climb.”

After a moment’s hesitation and a doubtful look at her cousin, Beatrice accepted Mr Serle’s arm and allowed him to escort her along to the gallery. Now would be as good a time as any to cut short his attentions. She would then have the satisfaction of knowing that she was doing her duty to her aunt and it must be just the aftermath of the accident which was making her feel like bursting into tears at the mere thought of what she must do.

When Mrs. Powis came back a little later with a light snack for the guests, she found only Lady Ostdene sitting thoughtfully by the fire.

“They’re still looking at the paintings,” Johanna said, yawning and stretching like a well-fed cat. “I don’t think we should disturb them just yet.”

“We’ll leave them to come back of their own accord,” Mrs. Powis agreed. “If I might ask, your ladyship, has Master Justin known Miss Dencey for long?”

“For a month or two. They seem to get on well, most of the time, anyway, but don’t get your hopes up, Mrs. Powis, for there’s been nothing lover like about them so far. In fact, they very frequently argue with one another.”

Mrs. Powis’s eyes brightened. “That’s a very good sign, if you don’t mind my saying so, your ladyship. He would never be happy with a lady who didn’t stand up to him. He’s like his father there.”

“We’ll see. My cousin’s not really interested in finding a husband for herself, though it’s what my mother wishes.”

“Even better. Master Justin hates ladies who chase after him.”

Johanna shook her head but didn’t continue the discussion. With any other couple, she would be sitting here expecting an interesting announcement. With Bea and Serle, she had no idea what to expect.

She looked at the clock, sighed and decided to take advantage of the moment on her own behalf. “I shall be glad to return to Lymsby, for I don’t mind telling you, Mrs. Powis, that my daughter is rather upset at the possibility of twins.”

Mrs. Powis frowned. “And Master Boris?”

“He’s delighted. But I fear Jennice is not the maternal type. I don’t quite know what to do about that.”

“You make sure they put the babies into her arms the minute they’re born. It never fails!”

“The trouble is,” Johanna confided, “the doctor also said that Jennice has been racketing about too much and he advises her to take things more easily from now on. Boris is determined to see that she does so, and the two of them have done nothing but squabble about it ever since the doctor left.”

“She needs a good talking to! The idea of it, and her probably carrying The Heir to Lymsby! Still, I dare say she’ll grow accustomed to it. Do twins run in your family, then?” Mrs. Powis had a hungry expression on her face,

“Oh, yes! In both the Dencey and Graceover lines. My grandmother bore twins.” Johanna’s face clouded. “Unfortunately, they both died, poor things. But I believe there have been several other cases with happier outcomes. We’d have to ask my mother for details. She knows everything about the family history.”

“Twins do need careful rearing, that’s for sure,” agreed Mrs. Powis. “If I can be of any assistance to Miss Jennice at the birth...”

“Oh, Mrs. Powis, if only you would! I’m sure that with you to help her give birth and to look after them all afterwards, Jennice would cope very well. A stranger is never the same. The doctor is talking about bringing in a month-nurse from Watford, but how do we know what she’d be like?”

“We don’t know. And I shall be delighted to help, Lady Ostdene. Delighted.”

* * * *

In the picture gallery, Justin stole a glance at Beatrice, wondering how to start. Strange that he’d thought her silly on first acquaintance! She was probably the most intelligent woman he’d ever met. And the bravest. Not to mention being beautiful. And who else would have been able to laugh at their misfortunes yesterday?

He walked on for a few paces pointing out some of the better paintings as he wondered whether to press his suit immediately or whether it would be better to lead up to the declaration with a few compliments. He felt horribly uncomfortable and as nervous as any callow young man at his first ton party. And Beatrice, who had a distant air to her today, wasn’t contributing much to the conversation, or even looking at him, which didn’t help matters.

“Perhaps it might be more pleasant to sit outside in the sunshine?” he ventured, offering her his arm again.

She jumped back as if he were poisonous. “Oh, no! Thank you, but I’d much rather study the paintings.” She stopped in front of a landscape and perused it earnestly, though it might have been a page of algebraical equations, for all she noticed about it. “Lovely,” she said in a faint voice and as he moved toward her, she limped hurriedly on to the next painting.

“I’m glad you like them. We share several interests, do we not?”

Her heart lurched at the warmth in his eyes. If only she didn’t feel so - she would not allow herself to finish that thought. She stared at another blur of colour. She could hardly be so rude as to cut him short and flee back to her cousin’s protection, so she continued to move along the wall of paintings, jerking on to the next every time he drew too near or took a deep breath, as if about to speak.

After a few minutes of this, he stepped forward quickly and with a firm hand turned Beatrice round so that she was forced to look at him. “I rather get the impression that you’re trying to prevent me from speaking, Miss Dencey.”

Her face flamed. “Oh, no, I - I just - I’m still feeling a trifle out of sorts. That’s all. What did you wish to s-say to me?”

He tried to take her into his arms and she pushed him away quite roughly, letting her walking stick fall to the ground in her agitation. “Oh pray don’t! We mustn’t!”

He picked up the stick and handed it to her, frowning. “Why must we not? I had thought we were getting on well together - more than well. You’ve seemed to enjoy my company over the past few weeks. As I have yours. Even when I pushed you into the pool you didn’t seem to hate me.”

“No! I mean, yes, but it’s not right! We can never...”

She wrung her hands and turned on him eyes so full of anguish he was startled into asking,

“Have I offended you in some way, Miss Dencey?”

“No. Oh, no!” How could it offend her for a man like him to pay her attention? But she mustn’t allow it. He was marked by the Dowager for Eleanor. He was the only one suitable on the whole list. If anyone deserved a good husband, dear Eleanor did. And Beatrice owed so much to her aunt, that she couldn’t let her down out of sheer selfishness.

He looked at her earnestly. “The last thing I wish to do is distress you, Miss Dencey, but I had thought this a suitable time to talk about ourselves. Perhaps, though, if you’re still feeling a little under the weather, we should postpone our discussion until tomorrow?”

“Oh, yes! Yes, that’s a very good idea.” She hardly knew how to stop herself from bursting into tears at the pain of having to prevent his proposal, and she found herself quite incapable of telling him to his face that she didn’t wish to marry him. She wished very much to marry him. She could imagine nothing better in the whole world. “I’m f-feeling a trifle dizzy. If I could just s-sit down and be quiet...”

“Certainly. There’s a couch over here. Let me help you to it.”

“No!” The violence of her rejection surprised them both. “Actually, what I’d really like is to retire to my room, if you don’t mind, Mr Serle. Mrs. Powis was right. An immersion in cold water can lead to a chill. I must be a trifle - a trifle feverish.”

He realized there was something else wrong, something she was concealing from him, but he didn’t feel he could press her when she was looking so desperately unhappy. He remembered the feel of her in his arms when they danced, the good sense of her conversation, the beauty of her eyes - why, there were a dozen things about her which had grown upon him gradually, so that he was now quite determined to make her his wife. He didn;t feel her to be indifferent to him, either. Indeed, her expression always revealed more about her true feelings than she realized.

He smiled at her, feeling quite overwhelmed with love for her.

She looked as if she was about to burst into tears.

They turned as one to walk slowly back along the gallery, neither speaking.

Justin was both perturbed and puzzled. He hadn’t expected to fall in love, not after all these years on the town, and he was feeling rather hesitant about it. Perhaps Beatrice was experiencing similar feelings? She was older than most women looking at marriage and probably afraid of ridicule.  Perhaps she’d given up any thought of marriage and now needed time to grow used to the idea again

? For the moment, he could only escort her to her bedchamber, then go down to let Lady Ostdene know that her cousin was feeling unwell.

* * * *

Once in her room, Beatrice threw herself upon the bed and gave way to the tears. A touch on her arm made her catch her breath on a sob and stare up at the worried face of her maid. “Oh! Tilly! I d-didn’t see you.”

“Is there anything I can do, Miss, anything at all?”

Beatrice shook her head. “No. No one can help me now. Please, I can’t talk about it. Will you just pack my things for me?”

“Are we leaving now, then, Miss?”

“Yes. I - I can’t stay here. He will ... I must get away from him!” She could see Tilly’s astonishment at this dramatic statement and went on quickly, “I think it’s time for me to return to Satherby. Tilly, would you consider coming to work for me as my maid - permanently. I think we might deal very well together.”

The young maid broke into a beaming smile. “Oh yes, Miss! Oh, I’d love to!”

“It’ll mean you moving away from London. I could never live in a city. I don’t think I’ll ever return.”

“Oh, I don’t mind where I live, Miss. It’s the people as count in life, isn’t it?”

Beatrice’s eyes filled again. “Yes. The people.” And the main people in her life were, had to be, Eleanor, whom she had helped raise, and the Dowager, who had taken her in when she was destitute, and who had so little time left to live. Their wishes and their happiness were far more important than her own.

There was a knock on the door and Johanna poked her head inside. “May I talk to you for a moment, my dear?”

Beatrice nodded dismissal to Tilly, dragged in a deep breath and prepared for the first onslaught. She took the initiative by immediately declaring her intention of returning to Satherby the very next day and refusing to give her reasons, refusing also to explain why she’d been weeping.