In the Shadow of Arabella (33 page)

“And now he does, and that is why he is angry with you?’’

“Angry? That is a bit of an understatement. Sickened by the sight of me would be a more accurate description. I will never forget the look of contempt on his face as long as I live.”

When she did not respond and the silence between them lengthened, he finally said, “Please tell me what you are thinking, Charity.”

“I am wondering how old Pamela’s mother was when she . . . when you and she . . .”

“She was eighteen.”

Charity rose and turned away, but not before he saw the disappointment in her eyes. “I do not understand,” she said.

“What?”

“I do not understand how you could take advantage of such a young girl. Surely you knew it was very wrong.”

“Of course I knew it was wrong, and I am not trying to make excuses for myself. But
she
came to me, Charity, and she was as eager as I. I knew there was risk, but we had decided to marry.”

She still stood with her back to him, her shoulders rigid with disapproval.

He moved to stand behind her and spoke quietly, his voice strained. “If you feel that you need to be released from your commitment to me, I will understand.”

She turned. “It is not that, Oliver. I do not love you any less because you once made a mistake in judgment—even though it was a mistake that hurt many people, not the least of which is an innocent child. What worries me is that you did not tell me about it until you were forced to. If you have any other surprises for me, I would like to hear them now, please.”

“There is nothing else, I swear.”

“How did Lord Rudley discover the truth?” she asked.

“I’m not certain, but I think he must have finally told Katherine that Pamela is not his. She, of course, would not have believed him, for she would have seen the family resemblance. Evidently, she pointed it out to him, and he guessed the truth. I always thought it strange that he never saw the likeness himself, but I suppose as in so many things we see only what we wish to see. However he came to suspect, he simply asked me outright if I was Pamela’s father. I could not deny it, Charity. I have never lied to Ned, and if I had he would have known instantly; and I love Pamela dearly, even though all these years I have been unable to tell her she is mine. Now that Ned knows, I cannot be sure what will happen next. I do not think it likely that he would jeopardize Pamela’s happiness by casting her off, but in his present mood I must admit it to be a possibility.’’

“No,” she interjected. “He would never do so. She is, after all, his niece, and I am convinced he could never be so cruel.”

“I hope you are right, but regardless of what action he takes, if you marry me, you will become directly involved in it. Whether it turns into an open scandal or remains a private war, it will not be pleasant either way.”

He stared out over the room, looking at nothing in particular, seeming to speak to no one in particular. “After all this time, I thought that part of our past was dead. I guess our sins always have a way of coming back to haunt us. I should have told him . . . he would have taken it better if I had told him myself. But I was afraid that just this sort of thing would happen. All I ever wanted was to keep Arabella from coming between us, but she has managed it at last. She is dead, but she has what she wanted. She always hoped to destroy our friendship; she has finally succeeded.”

He seemed to recall himself and turned to face Charity again. “So, you see, I have botched the affair from beginning to end.”

“You did what you thought was best at the time. None of us can do more than that. I never thought you were perfect, Oliver. I love you as you are, and I will always love you. Whatever the future holds for us, good or ill, we will face it together.”

* * * *

Since the use of the dower house was now out of the question and the wedding only two months away, Oliver decided to hire a house in London. Once he and Charity were settled in town, they could take their time finding a suitable place, for Oliver did not intend to buy anything that she could not first see and approve.

Upon his return to town Oliver started an active search for a house to hire. He was not enormously wealthy, but his father had left him a comfortable income. Much of this had been allowed to compound, for he was not a spendthrift, nor did he gamble, and living with his brother he had not the expense of lodging or board. Over the years he had accumulated a respectable fortune. He felt confident that he could provide a comfortable home for Charity and Nicholas.

It was during his search for a house that he heard, quite by chance, that the former Ashley estate, where his mother had been born, might be available. He was talking with his friend, Peter Everett, and mentioned that he was looking for a suitable house to hire. “You know,” Everett said, “the property to the west of Rudley’s might be offered for sale one of these days.”

“Weiring?” Oliver asked, amazed. “What makes you think so?’’

“The fellow who owned it lost it to Claremont last week.”

“Gambling?” Oliver asked. Everett nodded. “What a fool!”

“I did not see the game myself,” Everett continued, “but word is he had been under the hatches for some time and was making one final attempt to come about. But he lost everything: house, furnishings, land—the lot. I never met the man, but from what I hear he was a real odd one. Retired from the navy, I think. Anyway, they say he seemed relieved to be out from under the property. Said he never felt he belonged there in the first place.”

“What makes you think Claremont will be selling?”

“It stands to reason. He already owns one of the largest houses in London and has at least half a dozen country places. What would he be wanting with another?”

Acting on this information, Oliver called on the Duke of Claremont the following morning. The duke admitted he had not given the subject much thought, having had the property in his possession little more than a week. He said, however, that he was not opposed to the idea of selling and would consider the matter and have his solicitor contact Oliver within a few days.

Oliver was ecstatic. What incredible luck that the only house he had ever really wanted should be available at exactly the time he needed it! Weiring was not a large estate, but properly administered it could provide a comfortable living.

Oliver suspended all plans to rent and waited impatiently for word from the duke’s representative.

When the news came it was bittersweet. The duke was willing to sell, and the price he asked was fair and reasonable, but Oliver knew that even if he collected all his available assets, he would still fall short of the amount needed. He asked for some time to consider the proposal and review his financial situation, and Claremont’s lawyers gave him sole option on the property for six weeks.

Oliver dispatched a letter to Charity immediately. “I am short of the amount needed to finalize the sale,” he wrote, “but the property would be so perfect for us that I will beg or borrow what I need to get it.” There was no mistaking the determination behind his words.

Oliver cursed the bad luck that made this property available at a time when he was estranged from his brother. Rudley could purchase three estates such as Weiring and hardly notice the expense. Oliver knew that only two weeks earlier Ned would have willingly advanced him anything he needed in the form of a loan. Unfortunately, under the present circumstances, any application to Rudley was impossible.

The following week, still five thousand pounds short of the purchase amount, Oliver rode down to Hampshire to view the property with the eye of a potential owner. Perhaps, seeing it, he would find some inspiration that would show him where to secure the balance of the money he needed.

He did not present himself at the house, which was still inhabited by the luckless gamester who had recklessly thrown it away. Instead he stopped his horse at the edge of the woods and sat staring. He had many fond memories of visiting his grandparents when they had lived here. He had proposed to Charity on the day they rode here. If he could not manage to buy it himself, he was determined to have Claremont contact Rudley, who would, he was sure, not hesitate to buy it. At least then it would be in the family again.

Turning his horse, he started back toward the high road. Now that he was so close to home (somehow he would always think of the place where he had grown up as home) he wondered how Katherine was. He missed her. Had she recovered completely from her ordeal in January? Should he risk running afoul of his brother for a chance to see her, if only for a few moments?

He was not welcome on his brother’s property, yet he was at that very moment riding across Rudley acreage. He turned his horse toward the stream above the lake and, crossing it, left the bridle path and made his way through the woods and up the slope. As he crested the hill, he reined in. The carriage drive lay immediately below him, halfway down the hill. Rudley Court lay to his right, and midway between him and the house, standing on the stone bridge that spanned the stream, was his sister-in-law. She was wrapped in a warm hooded cloak against the chill of the March day, but he could not doubt it was Katherine.

He started his horse down the slope but had only covered a few hundred feet when she heard him and turned. Her smile was warm and spontaneous, and as he stepped down from his horse, she came forward with both hands outstretched. He bent to kiss her. “Hallo, sweet sister! May I say you are much improved since last I saw you? How long has it been?”

“Almost a month. Why did you not write at least?” she scolded. “I have been worried about you.”

“No need to worry, dear Katherine. I go on well, thank you. I saw Serena in town a few days ago.”

“Lady Brent invited her for the Season, and since I had recovered so quickly, she agreed to go. But tell me what brings you to Rudley Court?”

“I have not come to Rudley Court. I have been to Weiring, and I rode this way on impulse. I never dreamed I should have the good fortune to encounter you.”

“You had not planned to stop at the house?”

“How can you ask that, Katherine? You were there when Ned made his wishes known.”

“His wishes, however, are not mine, nor those of the children. We all miss you.”

“How are Pamela and Nicholas?”

“They are well and happy. But you have still not told me what brings you to Weiring.”

“It is for sale, Katherine. The owner lost it gambling, and I have the sole purchase option until the twelfth of April.”

“Oliver, how wonderful! But can you afford to buy it?”

“Ah, there you have it. I have borrowed and scraped together every available penny and I am five thousand short. But I still have more than a month; perhaps a miracle will happen.” He could see from her expression that she was already considering ways to help him. “And please, Katherine, do not embarrass all three of us by mentioning this to Ned. You know I could never ask him for the money, or accept if he offered it. And under the present circumstances we both know he never would.”

As ill luck would have it, Rudley himself appeared at that moment, trotting down the drive on Navigator, and Katherine realized how careless they had been to stand there talking. She was expecting him and in fact had walked out purposely to meet him.

They could do nothing now but stand and watch his approach. He was soon upon them and brought Navigator to a standstill. He looked from Katherine to his brother but said nothing, favoring them only with an impersonal stare.

Katherine broke the tense silence. “Oliver saw me from the top of the hill and stopped to greet me. He is down this way on business.”

“Then it would be best not to detain him, my dear,’’ Rudley answered. “I will wait for you across the bridge.” With a nod at Katherine, but not so much as a glance at his brother, he rode on. Dismounting at the far side of the bridge, he stood gazing out over the lake.

“Oliver, I am sorry.”

“Don’t be. He has good cause for his disgust of me. I can only be thankful that his anger has not extended to the children.”

“There is no chance of that,” she assured him. “He and Pamela are closer than ever.”

“That is something to be grateful for, then. Nicholas will, of course, come to us after the wedding. What becomes of Pam will largely depend on Ned, but whatever he decides, we must not hurt the child. She should not be held accountable for my mistakes. She has already had more than her share of unhappiness.”

“We both love her, Oliver. She will come to no harm here, I promise you.”

“I believe you.” He turned to his horse then and, gathering the reins, mounted swiftly. “I must go. Give my love to the children. I will see you all at the wedding, I hope.”

“Yes, I will bring the children. We would not miss it.” She reached her hand up to him and, bending in the saddle, he lightly kissed it. “Good-bye, Oliver, and good luck in your business venture.”

“Thank you. I shall need it.” He wheeled his horse and cantered off down the drive. Katherine watched until he disappeared beyond a bend in the road and then turned and walked on to join her husband.

“What a tender and touching reunion,” he said caustically.

“Ned, please, let us not argue about Oliver. You have declared war upon him, not I. He has rendered me more service than I can ever repay. I will not be unreasonably cross with him.”

“Which is to say I am.”

“Oliver feels you have just cause to be angry with him, and you feel the same. Since you both seem to be in complete agreement, I fail to see how discussing it further can serve any useful purpose. How was your visit with Lord Gilborough? Did he sell you the mares you wanted?”

* * * *

Early the following morning, when Rudley had gone to speak with his forester about some timber that was to be cut, Katherine went in search of Kendall. She was hoping she might be able to help Oliver with his monetary difficulties, and Kendall would be the best person to advise her.

She found him where he was most often to be found, in the estate office. “Peter, I need your advice.”

“Certainly, my lady. In what way may I serve you?”