Loving Protector (3 page)

“You are young now, My Lady,” said
Blanche. “Why, I do not believe you can be a day over seventy.”

“I am sixty-five,” said Lady Bedlington.
But as she said it, she winked at her great nephew. Calista lowered her head so
that her smile was not too obvious. “And you child,” Lady Bedlington said,
addressing Calista, “my great nephew tells me that your father was an
architect.”

“That is correct, My Lady.”

“I knew the Haywoods of course, as a
young lady. Everyone did. A most talented family. I believe your late uncle was
a painter was he not and that his portrait of the king is very well thought
of.”

“I believe so, My Lady.”

“The Haywoods were related to nobility,
did you know that, Brook?”

“No, Aunt Agatha, I did not.”

“Yes. If I am correct in thinking so,
Miss Haywood’s grandmother was the youngest child of Lord Norton. Their family
is very artistic. Are you artistic, Miss Haywood?”

Blanche, clearly deciding Calista had
had enough attention said, “I am told, though it is not for me to say, that I
play the pianoforte to perfection. Perhaps I could play for you one night.”

“I was speaking of Miss Haywood. Are you
as artistic as the rest of your family, child?”

“I paint a little,” said Calista. “And I
write poetry. I …” She paused, afraid that what she said next would be
considered shocking.

“Yes, do go on.”

“I like to design buildings, though I do
not have my father’s talent.”

“It is hardly a pursuit for a lady,”
said Blanche. “Do you not think, Lady Bedlington?”

“The Countess of Shrewsbury, helped to
design Chatsworth House and Hardwick Hall,” said Calista, hotly.

“Bess of Hardwick,” said Lady
Bedlington. “Yes, she was a rather formidable, but very talented woman.
Chatsworth is a masterpiece. Not that I am quite so old that I knew her.” Her
Ladyship’s eyes twinkled in Blanche’s direction, but Blanche seemed not to
notice.

“Calista also redesigned some of our old
dresses,” said Evelyn. “She copied styles from the latest magazines to do so. I
do not think anyone would notice they are not brand new.”

“They will now you have said, Mama,”
Blanche muttered.

“That is very sensible,” said Lady
Bedlington. “Women spend far too much on clothes. I still have dresses that I purchased
twenty years ago. My maid does her best to redesign them but perhaps you might
take a look at them whilst you are here, Miss Haywood.”

“I would be glad to be of any
assistance,” said Calista.

“Of course,” said Blanche, “I was only
saying this morning, ‘Mama, you must not spend so much on clothes. It is a
waste of money.’ She would not listen and insisted I had all the accessories I
needed.”

Calista clamped her lips shut,
remembering that particular tantrum well. Blanche had attracted the attention
of everyone in the shop.

“Well…” said the Colonel, standing up.
“Whilst this talk of fashion is all very fascinating, Mr. Benedict and I must
arrange to have our luggage brought over.”

“We forgot you were there, dear,” said
Lady Bedlington, smiling benignly.

The colonel bowed. “Perhaps, Miss
Haywood, you would permit me to see some of your designs one day. Of buildings,
that is, not dresses.”

“I fear I may well be out of a job
soon,” said Mr. Benedict, with a kind smile in Calista’s direction. “Especially
if you do have our father’s talent.”

“As dearest Calista has told you in her
customary modest way,” said Blanche. “She is not very good.”

“I hope she will allow us to be the
judge of her talent,” said the Colonel. “As we will be when you when you play
the pianoforte for us, Miss Kirkham.”

Calista was not sure, but she suspected
there might have been an insult lurking in the Colonel’s words.

 “I shall very much look forward to
playing for you,” said Blanche, looking up at him through lowered lashes.

Chapter
Three

Calista sat in the garden and listened.
For once all she could hear was the sound of birds singing. Blanche had been
invited to visit two young sisters she had met at dinner the night before, and
it was made clear that Calista was not invited. Evelyn had left with Blanche,
apologizing to Calista as she did so.

She did not mind. The sisters had been
vacuous in the extreme and she was more than happy to take a break from her
step-sister. The previous afternoon had been dominated by another tantrum about
Calista monopolizing Lady Bedlington.

“I can hardly ignore her when she
addresses me directly,” said Calista.

“Oh don’t play the innocent, Calista.
You were pushing yourself forward. What did you mean saying that you liked to
design buildings? I suppose that was to get the colonel’s attention. Do you
really wonder at why he has asked to stay with his aunt? He wishes to be close
to me. It is perfect, as if my plan were meant to be.”

Calista closed her eyes. She would not
think about the argument. Not whilst she had the chance to be alone with her
own thoughts.

“I hope I am not interrupting you, Miss
Haywood.”

Her eyes opened, and immediately looked
up into the colonel’s grey eyes. “Of course not, colonel. I was just taking the
air.”

“And enjoying the peace and quiet?”

“Yes. It is not often I have time
alone.”

“I can leave.” He smiled wryly.

“I did not mean that…”

“No, I understand what you mean. Your
step-sister is … vigorous.”

Calista laughed. “That is one way to
describe her.”

“And very cruel to you.”

“I am sure she does not mean half of
what she says.” Why Calista felt the need to defend Blanche, she did not know.
She supposed family was family. Plus, it was not in her nature to criticize
people behind their backs. If she had something to say to Blanche, she said it
to her face, as exhausting as that was at times.

“I wondered if you would like to come
and see my house, so that I can share my plans with you so far.”

“I am afraid my step-mother is out with
Blanche,” said Calista. As much as she would have liked to go with him, it
would not be proper for her to go out with him alone.

“I have already considered that. My aunt
has agreed to accompany us, so you will be chaperoned. She has asked cook to
prepare us a luncheon.”

“I …”

“Are you not curious about my plans?”

“Yes, yes, I am. And I should like very
much to see your house and hear about them. Thank you.”

An hour later, they stood in the hall of
a crumbling mansion somewhere in the centre of London. “As you can see it is
great need of renovation, hence my presuming on your hospitality, Aunt Agatha.”

“Yes, your uncle was most neglectful,”
said Lady Bedlington. She exchanged a glance with the colonel.

“Harry has been working on the plans. I
hope to have several bathrooms installed, along with plumbing.”

“It is a beautiful old building, even
without renovation,” said Calista. “I agree it is need of updating, but I hope
you will not change too much. The Corinthian columns in this hall are very
beautiful.” There were four columns of amber marble on each side of the hall,
set about six feet apart and leading to the sweeping staircase.

“I promise I shall not make changes for
the sake of change, Miss Haywood. Though I would rather like to open up the
drawing room a little more, by combining it with a small sitting room. It is
upstairs. Perhaps you will let me show you.”

“You both may go, Brook,” said Lady
Bedlington, “I will seek solace in the study with a glass of sherry. I find
stairs too much of a trial nowadays.”

As far as Calista recalled, Lady
Bedlington did not appear to have any problems with the stairs in her own home.

The colonel gestured for Calista to go
ahead of him up the stairs. “Unfortunately much of the wood on the banister is
rotted,” he explained. “So I will replace that as soon as possible. Do be
careful there.”

As he spoke, the banister under
Calista’s hand crumbled, causing her to lose her balance slightly. She felt his
hands on her waist as he caught her and helped her to stay upright. Her back rested
against his muscular chest. “I apologise, Miss Haywood, I should have warned
you sooner.”

“I am well now,” she said, realizing
that he still held her. He moved his hands away, yet she could still feel the
impression of them upon her waist and the warmth of his body against hers. She
continued to the top of the stairs, more gingerly this time. She hoped he could
not hear her ragged breath.

“How long have you owned this house?”
she asked when she reached the top. She turned around to face him, trying to
keep her conversation calm even though she felt anything but.

“Windebank House has been in my mother’s
family for many years,” he replied. “But I did not come here until recently,
when my uncle died and it was left to me. He lived mostly in the country, and
as a bachelor, when he was in London he stayed at his club rather than here. It
was once a great family home and I hope to make it that again.”

“It already has strong foundations,”
said Calista, smiling. “I am sure it will be wonderful once you have finished.
But a house needs people to be a home.”

“Then we are in accordance. That is what
I believe. Come, the drawing room is this way.”

He took her to a room to the left of the
staircase and with large sash windows overlooking the square.  He threw open
the shutters to reveal a room that had once been grand but which, like many of
the others in the house, had fallen into disrepair. Dust sheets covered the
furniture, and the fire place was full of ashes. She wondered when the house
had last had servants. She guessed that the Colonel’s uncle had not wanted to
pay them if he never stayed there.

“What a wonderful room,” she said. The
colonel opened a door at the far end, and said, “This is the sitting room I
wish to combine with this one.”

“I hope you do not mind me saying,” said
Calista, “But I think this would make a wonderful library. The space is similar
to that at Blenheim Palace. Papa took me there when I was a child, and I
remember the library. I believe it is over one hundred and eighty feet in length.
If you could combine all the rooms on this side of the house …” She stopped. “I
apologise, Colonel. I am speaking out of turn. It will also make a very
charming drawing room.”

“Yes, I have seen Blenheim Palace.
Vanburgh was a fine architect.” The colonel was looking at her in a way that
unnerved her. “I do not think I have nearly enough books to fill such a
library, but it sounds very grand.”

“And perhaps not fitting for a family
home.”

The Colonel folded his arms and leaned
against the wall next to the window. “Tell me about yourself, Miss Haywood.”

“What do you wish to know?” Calista
continued to walk around the room, looking at the old wallpaper, and the
architecture, feeling shy about the way the Colonel’s grey eyes pierced into
her. “My father, as you know, was an architect. He died two years ago. Mama was
also an artist. She never showed her work, of course. She died when I was ten.
Papa married again when I was fifteen. Evelyn … Mrs. Haywood … has been every
bit a mother to me. She too is a talented artist, though she is too modest to
say so… I am sorry, Colonel? Have I said something wrong?” Calista had stopped
talking long enough to notice that he was frowning.

“No, nothing wrong at all. Apart from
the fact that I have asked you about you and all you have talked about is your
father, mother and step-father.”

“I suppose I am unused to talking about
myself.”

“Yes, Blanche does seem to overshadow
everyone else.” His perception only served to unnerve Calista all the
more.  “Now, please, tell me about you. I know that you paint … a little.
And write poetry … a little. You clearly have an eye for architecture. What
else should I know about you?”

“I am afraid you would find me very
boring, Colonel. I like to walk through the woods in spring when the bluebells
are in bloom. I like to make mince pies at Christmas. Unfortunately I also like
to eat them, which means that every January I have to let all my dresses
out.  I like to read the reports from Parliament, though no doubt that is
shocking for a young lady.”

“Surprising, but not shocking.”

“You think that women are incapable of
understanding politics?”

“No, I know of women who are more than
capable. But young ladies are a different matter. Most of those I’m forced to
spend time with would prefer to be told how beautiful they are.”

“I can assure you that you need not
waste time on that with me.” Calista smiled.

“And yet you are very beautiful.”

“Now you have disappointed me,” said
Calista, feeling flustered and trying to make a jest of his words. “Only a few
minutes ago you spoke to me as an equal. Now you are treating me as you treat
all other women.”

“I promise you I will never do that,
Calista. But we had vowed to always be honest with each other, had we not?” His
use of her first name flustered her all the more.

“I think I promised to be honest with
you, Colonel. I do not recall you making such a promise to me.” It seemed to
Calista that the air around them crackled with electricity.

“Then it was very remiss of me. I
promise now that I will always be honest with you. And that includes my remark
about your beauty.”

“I think that perhaps we should return
to Lady Bedlington. She will wonder where we are.”

“And there you go again. Turning the
conversation to others when I wish to discuss you.”

“I have told you, Colonel, I am not used
to it.”

“Very well, Miss Haywood, but I do
intend to learn everything there is to know about you.”

“Then there will be nothing left to
discover and you will be bored.”

“With you? I doubt that very much.”

Calista left the room without answering
him. Is this what happened when a man made love to a woman? Despite Blanche’s
insistence that Calista monopolized the young men in Derbyshire, she had not
had much experience of being wooed. She could only suppose the Colonel was
being polite. Or perhaps he was flirting with her because he was bored and had
nothing better to do. She imagined that the women he preferred to spend time
with were more worldly-wise and sophisticated. She had heard that the ladies
who graced the London season were called the
Incomparables
. She was
hardly that.

  Or perhaps he only paid her
attention because Blanche was not there. He said that Blanche overshadowed
everyone else. Because Calista did not much like her step-sister, she had
chosen to see it as a negative comment. Perhaps the Colonel meant it in a more
positive way. She hoped not, because she now knew that Blanche only intended to
use him to make other men jealous. Insisting to herself that it was the only
reason she did not want the Colonel to like Blanche, she carried on downstairs
to go in search of Lady Bedlington.

They ate their luncheon in a small
dining room at the back of the house. “I am afraid,” said the Colonel, “that
the main dining room is not fit for company as yet.”

“It is a good job I agreed to put you
up, Brook,” said Lady Bedlington. “Where on earth were you planning to sleep?”

“Harry and I have slept in worse places.
But we were going to stay at the club. When I realized you were in town, Aunt
Agatha, I knew you would give us shelter.”

“Is that the only reason you decided to
stay in my house?” Lady Bedlington’s eyes twinkled, and for the first time,
Calista noticed how much alike Great Aunt and Great Nephew were. Lady
Bedlington was handsome in the way a man was rather than a lady, and she had
the same grey eyes.

“Of course.”

“So, Miss Haywood,” said Lady
Bedlington. “What would you do to my great nephew’s house? Apart from knocking
it all down and starting from scratch, which I feel may be a better idea. His
uncle never did take care of this house.”

“I think it is a wonderful house,” said
Calista. “Though I fear I may have suggested a rather expensive renovation
upstairs. A library to rival that in Blenheim Palace.”

“Oh that caused a scandal. Not the
library particularly, but the palace. You are aware perhaps that the first Duke
of Marlborough, John Churchill, was given the house by Queen Anne, who was
great friends with his wife, Sarah Churchill. Then they had a falling out and
Her Majesty refused to continue paying for the building project. The Churchills
had to go into exile.”

“Ah, so that was a ploy by Miss Haywood
to force me out of the country,” said the Colonel.

“You have been out of the country too often
and too long,” said Lady Bedlington. Then, as if something else had occurred to
her, she said, “You know that the Duke of Midchester is in town and that he has
a new favourite, do you not?”