Tea and Scandal (21 page)

Jane wished she could stay home the next morning when the ladies were preparing for the visit to Swann
’
s, but she knew Fay would dislike it. A companion did as her mistress wished, even when her mistress was also her aunt. Perhaps it wouldn
’
t be so bad to be married to Swann after all. He would be easy to manage, and at least she would be her own mistress.

A smiling Scawen met them at the door. He complimented both the younger ladies on their bonnets. Jane noticed that Harriet blushed up to her eyes and said that it was most obliging of him, as her bonnet was aeons old.

“
It just suits you,
”
he said. Even this ambiguous remark Miss Stowe took with a smile.

Harriet was introduced to Lady Sykes, who subjected her to a close scrutiny and a barrage of questions. Mr. Gurney had not yet arisen. Phoebe sat alone, her eyes glittering with suppressed excitement. She refrained from battle until she had established exactly who Harriet was.

Before long, Scawen said,
“
I thought you might like to take a hike upstairs to meet Mama, Miss Stowe. She is expecting you. She always likes to meet any new callers.
”

“
That is very kind of you,
”
Harriet said, rising to follow him from the saloon, murmuring,
“
Excuse me
”
and
“
Sorry
”
to left and right as she departed.

Jane heard Harriet demurring and Swann reassuring her as he led her toward the stairs.
“
I am so nervous, Mr. Swann.
”

“
Nothing to be nervous about, my girl. She won
’
t bite you. Even if she did, she
’
s missing half her teeth.
”

Once they had left, Lady Sykes sat like a poisonous adder, primed to spit venom at her victims.

“
Well, Miss Lonsdale,
”
she said, wriggling in anticipation of the ammunition she had to pummel the enemy.
“
So you have brought a teaching friend to join you at Wildercliffe. Why was Miss Stowe turned off? Not for carrying on with the music master, I hope? Such a forward creature would not do for Mrs. Swann
’
s companion.
”

Phoebe
’
s snapping eyes, even more than her barbed words, revealed that she knew the story of Fortini. It was no hypothetical
“
music master
”
to whom she referred.

“
No, she was dismissed for defending my fair name when Miss Prism unjustly accused me of misbehavior.
”

“Unjustly?” Phoebe laughed ironically. “Miss Prism has a sterling character. She hasn’t the reputation of accusing anyone
unjustly.
Her school is most highly regarded, which makes it imperative that she not have women of loose morals teaching her girls.
”

Lady Pargeter took up her cudgel with a fulminating eye. “She is less stringent in her requirements of her male teachers,” she said. “For your information, Lady Sykes, the music master made improper advances to Miss Lonsdale.
”

“
A likely story!
”

“
It is of no interest to Miss Lonsdale or myself whether you choose to believe it or not, but it happens to be true,
”
Fay said grandly.
“
As a matter of curiosity, might I know how you came to be aware of all this?
”

“
You can
’
t hope to keep a scandal like that quiet for long! I wager Bath is humming with it by now. I wonder what Lady Fenwick will make of it.
”

“
That is of no more interest to us than what you think of it, Lady Sykes,
”
Fay retaliated.

Phoebe turned a disparaging eye on Jane.
“
You want to keep on your aunt
’
s good side, Miss Lonsdale, for you will never find any other position with the sort of reference Miss Prism will give you.
”

“
My niece is not looking for another position,
”
Fay shot back.
“
I wouldn
’
t part with her for any consideration.
”

Jane felt a pronounced desire to flee the room, but until Harriet returned, she must sit and be insulted. She hadn
’
t the heart to defend herself, nor was it necessary. Aunt Fay could and did do a much better job of it.

After a deal of gibing and verbal sparring, Swann
’
s heavy tread was heard on the staircase. He and Harriet duly appeared in the saloon.

“
What, no tea?
”
Swann said, looking around.

“
Lady Sykes and I have been having such an interesting conversation, she forgot to order it,
”
Lady Pargeter said.

Swann said,
“
I
’
ll do it this instant.
”

“
Not on our account, Mr. Swann,
”
Fay said, rising.
“
I have quite lost my appetite, and I am sure my niece feels the same,
”
she said, with a disparaging glance at Phoebe.
“
Miss Stowe, are you ready to leave?
”

“
Certainly, milady,
”
Harriet said.
“
Sorry to have kept you waiting.
”

Swann accompanied the ladies to the doorway.
“
I am taking Harriet to see the swans this afternoon,
”
he said to Jane.
“
I hope you
’
ll come with us.
”

“
Thank you, I have seen the swans,
”
Jane said in a weak voice. She only wanted to go home and forget this awful visit.

“
There will soon be some new ones for you to see. Had a letter from Fenwick this morning. He has got a line on a black pair for me.
”

Jane waited on tenterhooks to hear if he had anything further to say about Fenwick. She bit back the nearly overwhelming urge to ask. Swann immediately spoke of other things, arranging a time to call for Harriet.

The conversation on the drive home was about Harriet
’
s meeting with Mrs. Swann.

“
She seemed to like me,
”
Harriet said shyly.
“
Mr. Swann is sure she will hire me. He didn
’
t like to ask her in front of me, you know, but he feels she will have me. Is it not fortunate, Jane? We shall be neighbors, and Mr. Swann is so considerate, I
’
m sure he won
’
t object to my calling on you. He says his mama usually sleeps the afternoon away.
”

“
That is good news,
”
Jane said. She had to force herself to simulate enthusiasm, for her mind was elsewhere.

Swann had heard from Fenwick. That was how Lady Sykes knew all about her disgrace. Fenwick had sat right down and written all the details of his investigation to that dreadful woman. Probably warned her not to send for Nigel, now that they knew she was penniless. The frustration grew in Jane until she wanted to haul off and strike someone.

“
And of course, you will call on me,
”
Harriet said.
“
Mr. Swann says I can have the use of his carriage when he is not using it, and the donkey cart any time I like, as soon as he gets it painted, and gets a donkey.
”

“
He is very considerate,
”
Jane said.

She was too upset to notice that Scawen was showing Harriet all the consideration he used to lavish on her, nor would she have cared a groat if she had noticed, except to be happy for Harriet.

Swann came immediately after lunch to take Harriet to see the swans. Malton arrived half an hour later. As the day was so fine, he invited Lady Pargeter out for a drive.

“
You come with us, Jane,
”
Lady Pargeter said.

Jane was happy to have a while to herself.
“
I would prefer to take a walk about the estate,
”
she said.
“
I need some exercise.
”

“
You do look a little peaky,
”
Malton said at once. Jane sensed that Malton wanted his lady to himself.

As soon as they left, she took up a novel and strolled out into the park. She had no intention of reading, but the book made a good excuse to sit under a tree on a balmy day and think. Her first thoughts were of Fenwick’s perfidy. This was so painful that she forced her mind into the future. Her situation wasn’t desperate by any means. Her aunt would never turn her off. She could be useful during Fay’s confinement, and afterwards help with the baby. She had no experience of infants, but it couldn
’
t be so difficult. Women had a natural instinct to care for children. There would be a wet nurse, of course, to tend to the feeding and help out.

Before too many years, Malton would be too old to get about. He was considerably older than Fay, and not in the best of health. At least he complained a good deal. Then Fay would be happy to have a companion. And if her child was a girl, she would require a governess. There Jane felt she could make a real contribution.

Was that to be her future, attaching herself like a barnacle to her aunt, living vicariously through Fay? Growing old in another lady
’
s house, that dread creature the poor relation? Worst of all, the spinster. It was almost as dreary as teaching at Miss Prism
’
s. The physical amenities were superior, of course, but at least at the school she had been living her own life, not someone else
’
s.

The ultimate irony was that she faced this bleak future because Mr. Fortini had found her attractive. He was
“
overcome by her ravishing beauty,
”
he had said. It was what he said to all the ladies he molested. Odd he was never overcome by the ravishing beauty of the noble daughters he taught. Their pedigree protected them from such licentious behavior. Miss Prism might turn a blind eye to the complaints of her teachers, but not of her pupils.

Jane looked up when she heard the sound of a horse approaching, expecting to see only the bailiff or game warden. She gave an instinctive gasp of surprise tinged with pleasure when she recognized Lord Fenwick. The sight of him in Pargeter’s meadow, mounted on a sleek bay mare, threw her into temporary confusion. Even while her stomach tightened in anger, she noticed how handsome he looked, how well he sat his mount, as if born in the saddle. No wonder she had fallen in love with him. He should be riding a white steed, girded in gold. He might be a prince riding out of a fairy tale, with the blue sky and green meadow around him and the sun forming a halo against his head and broad shoulders.

How dare he come here after prying into her life, causing trouble? She was overcome with a blind rage. Here was the cause of half her woes. The little scandal might have died aborning if he had not gone to Bath, digging into it all. Lady Sykes would be bound to trumpet the story around Bibury, causing Jane
’
s potential friends to despise her. She rose up from the grass, rigid in her fury, as if she were meeting an armed adversary. The final straw was that he tried to con her with a smile.

“
Miss Lonsdale, what luck to find you alone. I was just on my way to call on you.
”
He dismounted in an easy glide, holding on to the reins.

Jane found she could hardly speak for the tightness in her throat and the pounding in her breast.
“
What do you want now?
”
she demanded in an angry, strained voice that she hardly recognized.

A playful frown drew Fenwick
’
s eyebrows together.
“
Get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, Miss Lonsdale?
”
he asked.

“
Why didn
’
t you stay away? Why did you have to come back?
”

“
Why do you think, Jane?
”
he asked softly, and reached his arms out to her. The way he spoke, using her Christian name, had a devastating effect on her taut nerves.

The scene was so different from what she expected that she hardly knew how to respond. Instead of the haughty contempt she expected to see on his face, she saw only confusion, rapidly changing to a warm smile as their gazes held. Before she could draw back, his arms were around her, cradling her gently against his shoulder.

“
Tell me all about it, my dear,
”
he murmured.
“
This hostility is not like my gentle Jane. Who has been annoying you?
”

She drew back and looked up at him with a question in her eyes. That
“
my dear
”
sounded like celestial chimes in her ears. What new mischief was he contriving against her with his insidious charm?
“
Yes, someone has been pestering me! You! Why did you do it? Why did you go to Bath?
”

The small smile that curved his lips rose slowly to light his eyes as she watched, mesmerized.
“
You missed me? Good! I missed you, too, more than I would have thought possible. I haven
’
t slept a wink for thinking of you, Jane,
”
he said, and lowered his head to kiss her.

Jane’s heart trembled in tune with her lips. When he firmed her lips with his kiss, her heart trembled the harder and her knees turned to water. The warmth of his body seeped into hers in a thrilling intimacy she had never even imagined, disarming her hostility. His arms tightened insensibly until he was crushing her against the hard wall of his masculinity. It was like a dream, washing away all the doubts and fears and anger that had engulfed her. He had missed her! He must care for her, at least a little. For a full minute she succumbed to the madness, before sanity returned.