Chapter Fourteen

Jack saw Sabrina flinch as the childish voice shattered the moment. He took a step away from her. Happiness had been within his grasp, but the moment was gone now, and it took a supreme effort of will to turn and face whoever had come into the room.

Mary of course, her young face wreathed in smiles. Holding her hand was a tall, very thin man with grey hair and a face lined by care. Jack gave him a little bow.

‘Ah, Mr Steadmarsh, at last.’

‘I’ll give you at last, sirrah! What the devil do you mean by appropriating my house?’

Before Jack could form a reply, Sabrina stepped forward, looking calm and very much more in command of herself.

‘It is hardly an appropriation, sir,’ she said mildly. ‘We were snowbound and took shelter here. When we discovered your daughter was quite alone and had no one to look after her, we saw it as our duty to stay.’

‘And who might you be, madam?’ demanded Mr Steadmarsh, not a whit appeased by her explanation.

‘I told you, Papa.’ Mary piped up. ‘This is Lady Massyngham. She and Mrs Nidd, her maid, have been very kind to me. And Lord John, too. He has been helping Abel and Sam with chopping wood and keeping the fires burning.’

Mr Steadmarsh was beginning to look a little confused by all the names. It was then that a small woman dressed all in black stepped out from behind him and spoke for the first time.

‘I am Mrs Luckarty, Mr Steadmarsh’s sister, come to keep house for him. It seems to me there’s a great deal to be explained here,’ she said crisply. ‘Perhaps we should all sit down.’

‘Yes indeed,’ agreed Sabrina. ‘There is a good fire already burning in the drawing room, and I am sure we would all be more comfortable there.’ She turned a coaxing smile towards Mr Steadmarsh. ‘I know it is not my place to order things in your house, sir, but you have only this minute come in, and perhaps, just this once, you will allow me to fetch in refreshments for you all?’

‘No need for that, my lady,’ replied Mrs Luckarty. ‘I know fine well where the kitchen is.’

Sabrina beamed at her, refusing to take offence at the lady’s abrupt tone. ‘Of course you do, ma’am. You will find Mrs Nidd there, and I am sure she will be very delighted to see you.’

Mrs Luckarty went out in a rustle of bombazine skirts and Sabrina led the others off to the drawing room. Jack held the door and she glanced up at him as she passed, but he could read nothing from her look.

Sabrina ushered everyone into the drawing room, knowing she must put aside all thoughts except how to deal with this new situation. The arrival of Mr Steadmarsh and his sister had turned everything on its head. The first thing to do was to explain to the anxious father just what had occurred at Hare Hall since he left. With Mary’s help, they pieced together the story, and Mr Steadmarsh listened closely, shaking his head occasionally and interspersing the odd question.

‘I am beholden to you, Lady Massyngham, and to you, Lord John,’ he said, when at length they were finished. ‘I never thought, when I set off for Exeter, that I should be away for such a time, or that my servants would behave so reprehensibly. But the fault is mine, most assuredly, and I alone must take the blame.’

He broke off as Mrs Luckarty and Jane Nidd came in. They both carried trays bearing tea and coffee pots, saucers and cups. Sabrina was about to suggest the gentleman might prefer a glass of wine when she recalled her suspicion that grief had driven Mr Steadmarsh to drink. The man was already frowning direfully, as if struggling now with great troubles.

‘It is only right that I give you all an explanation,’ he said heavily, when everyone was supplied with a hot drink.

Sabrina put up a hand to detain her maid, who was about to leave the room.

‘Perhaps you would like Jane to take Mary to the kitchen, sir,’ suggested Sabrina. ‘They might read together there...’

Mr Steadmarsh shook his head. ‘No, no, my daughter deserves to hear the truth about her father, however distressing.’

Receiving a nod from Sabrina, Jane silently withdrew.

Jack said gently, ‘Sir, Lady Massyngham and I have no need for explanations, if you would rather not. We are only too happy that you have returned safely.’

‘No, no, let me tell you everything.’ He glanced towards his sister. ‘They say confession is good for the soul.

‘I had been finding life...difficult since my dear wife’s death. I was neglecting my duties, thinking only of my own grief. Mrs Fitch, my housekeeper, could see that things were not going well, and she urged me to seek help, impressing upon me the need to find someone who could act as a mother to Mary. Thus it was that I decided I would go to Exeter, to seek out my sister Luckarty and ask her to come to Hare Hall and help us for a while. If I had realised quite how parlous things had become here, I would never have gone! At the very least, I should have taken Mary with me. I see that now. My journey south was beset by problems...’

His words trailed away and he bowed his head. Mrs Luckarty, who was sitting beside him, leaned forward and patted his knee.

‘Now, Brother, you were steeped in grief and not thinking clearly. No one blames you for that.’

‘Perhaps not, but I blame myself,’ he declared, looking up. ‘I saw only my own selfish concerns, so mired in self-pity that I succumbed to drink on the journey. For several days after I reached Exeter, I was quite unable to go on. As it was, when I finally arrived at Mrs Luckarty’s house, I was barely able to make myself understood.’ He turned his head to look at his sister. ‘I shall be eternally grateful that you did not turn me away at first sight, Ada! Instead you took me in and tended me until I was in my right mind again. For that I shall always be in your debt.’

‘Hush now, Brother!’ Mrs Luckarty shifted on her chair. She said gruffly, ‘It is what anyone would do for family. You were in the Slough of Despond and ’twas my duty as a Christian to help you out of it.’

‘It was far more than I deserved, Ada, and I would not have blamed you for shutting your door upon me. For my Mary’s sake, I thank you.’ He dragged out a handkerchief and blew his nose before continuing. ‘Of course, I had no notion that things had reached such a pass here.’

‘The servants thought you were never coming back, Papa,’ said Mary, who was sitting beside him on the sofa. ‘Even Mrs Fitch thought it, although she stayed as long as she could after everyone else had left.’ She took his hand and smiled up at him. ‘But I always knew you would come, once the snow had cleared.’

‘And you were right, my maid,’ declared Mrs Luckarty. ‘Your papa would never abandon you. And as for the servants, well, we shall find more, and better ones, too. I’m here now and I mean to stay just as long as I am needed!’

It was undoubtedly a relief to have Mary’s family with her, but Jack soon realised that although Mrs Luckarty was a very practical woman, her brother was quite the opposite. He had been accustomed all his life to being waited upon and was happy to sit by the fire in the drawing room while everyone else kept the house running as smoothly as was possible without the help of any housemaids or indoor servants.

‘We must be thankful his sister has come with him to take charge,’ said Sabrina, when Jack remarked upon it shortly before dinner.

They were momentarily alone in the dining room, where she was setting the table while he prepared the fire.

‘It is no wonder things came to such a pretty pass,’ he said, adding a log to the pile of kindling he had coaxed into a blaze. ‘At least the fellow has given up drinking anything stronger than small beer.’

‘I think the poor man has had a salutary lesson,’ she said, leaning over to tweak a knife a little straighter. ‘I have no doubt Mrs Luckarty will soon have him facing up to his responsibilities. She has already set him to spend an hour each day reading with Mary.’ She stepped back, critically surveying her handiwork. ‘There. I think that will do.’

‘It looks very good to me.’ He came to stand beside her. ‘If anyone complains I shall take them to task! You have been exceptionally busy since we came here.’

‘Thank you, but what else could we do? At least I have been spared the very worst household tasks, which Jane and the others have tackled.’ She added, with a touch of restraint, ‘You, too, have worked hard and without any complaint, my lord.’

‘Aye, I have,’ he agreed, glancing down at his work-roughened hands. ‘I shall be obliged to wear chicken-skin gloves for weeks when we get back to town, like the veriest fop!’

He grinned at her, and when she smiled back at him, he was emboldened to say what had been on his mind since their conversation had been interrupted.

‘There is no reason now why you should not return to town with me.’

Immediately the smile disappeared. He started to reach out for her, then stopped.

‘I beg your pardon,’ he said ruefully. ‘My hands are not only rough but dirty from the fire!’

‘Do not apologise for your honest toil, my lord.’

Her response encouraged him to try again.

‘Sabrina, whatever you think of me, pray allow me to escort you to London. It is a long journey back to the capital from here, at least two nights on the road, and it will be made more hazardous by the uncertain weather. I shall not rest until I know you are safely back in Brook Street with your own servants to look after you.’

‘It is already decided that we will spend two more days here, helping Steadmarsh and Mrs Luckarty to settle,’ she replied after a moment. ‘My own carriage may be mended by then. Perhaps you would allow one of your servants to attempt to take a message to my own postilions at Torrington. If the roads are clear, they can come here and carry me back to town.’

‘Of course. I will send Sam out first thing in the morning.’

‘Thank you. You are very good.’

‘However, I would advise you against being too hopeful, Sabrina. The Jessops have had reports that many of the roads are still blocked with snow. If Sam cannot get through to Torrington, will you then consent to travel with me?’ He could see she was minded to refuse, and he went on quickly. ‘You do not need to give me your answer now. We will not be travelling until Saturday, and I will do my best before that to show you that I am a gentleman.’

Her green eyes were dark and troubled, and he knew she doubted his ability to keep his distance. Jack thought of the attraction that sparked between them at every meeting, the heat that flooded him whenever their eyes met. He wanted her with every fibre of his being, and it put him on edge whenever they were together. It clouded his thinking.

And yet there had been companionable moments, times when they had been comfortable in each other’s company. Talking together at dinner, sharing a glass of wine. They had even built a snowman and frolicked on the lawn, until playfulness had been routed by desire. They both felt it, he was sure of that now. He had seen it in her eyes, the warmth, the longing. It was always there, hovering around them, ready to strike at unwary moments.

And now she was afraid to be alone with him.

What do you expect? You took her to your bed and then abandoned her. That is hardly the conduct of a gentleman!

He closed his eyes.

‘I can act as I should,’ he declared. ‘I will.’

When he looked at Sabrina again, she was still regarding him doubtfully.

He said, ‘Trust me to deliver you safely back to the capital, Sabrina. After that, you have my word I shall not trouble you again. What do you say?’

Sabrina saw the sober, anxious look on his face and knew he was in earnest. It would be far more sensible to let him take her to London. Jane would berate her soundly if she insisted on travelling separately in a hired carriage, which had been her intention. It would not be half so comfortable as Lord John’s well-appointed vehicle. Not only that, she would have to explain to her maid just why she refused to be in Jack’s company and how was she to do that? How was she to confess that she was too weak to resist the temptation of her own body, the desire that flowed through and around her whenever Jack Callater was near.

She said at last, ‘If my own vehicle cannot get through, I will consider it. Providing we can behave like civilised acquaintances until we depart.’

‘We can,’ he assured her. ‘Thank you.’

Jack made her a little bow before picking up the coal bucket and walking out of the room. He would not let her down. He would strain every sinew to behave like a gentleman. Even if it meant rolling naked in what was left of the snowdrifts at regular intervals to cool himself!

For the rest of that day and the next two, Jack exerted himself as never before. His behaviour to the others did not change, but he was on his guard not to single out Sabrina. It helped that there were more people in the house. They were never alone together and there was plenty to keep them occupied, but still he found it exhausting. He was obliged to ignore it if, in an unguarded moment, Sabrina smiled at him or if their hands should brush and set his skin tingling with the shock of it. Never once did he let his eyes follow her as she moved across a room, or dwell too long on her face when they were sitting down together.

His reward came at dinner on the eve of their departure, when Mr Steadmarsh brought up the subject of their forthcoming journey.

‘I recall you said your own carriage was being repaired in Torrington, Lady Massyngham. Have you had word of it?’

‘Alas, Mr Steadmarsh, the roads in that direction are still impassable,’ she replied. ‘Lord John’s man could not get through. But I left my people instructions to make their way back to Brook Street, if they do not hear from me.’

‘The snow causes such havoc in this part of the country,’ remarked Mrs Luckarty, shaking her head. ‘It can come on so suddenly, with great drifts blocking the lanes for weeks on end. You are fortunate that you will be able to complete your journey with Lord John.’

Jack kept his eyes fixed upon his plate. He had not pressed Sabrina for an answer and he waited now with bated breath for her reply.

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘I am very grateful for Lord John’s offer to escort me to London.’

‘And his travelling chaise is a luxurious equipage,’ enthused Mr Steadmarsh. ‘I took a look at it when I went out to the carriage house this morning. Everything looks to be of the finest quality, the well-padded seats, the springs...even the sheepskin foot rug to add to your comfort.’

Don’t look up, man. Don’t reveal how relieved you are that she has agreed to come with you.

But of course he did look up. Sabrina was watching him and he wanted to smile at her across the table. To convey in some way how pleased he was that she had agreed to come with him, but he was afraid she might still change her mind. Instead he addressed Mr Steadmarsh.

‘Why, thank you, sir. The chaise is a recent purchase, don’t you know, and to the very latest design...’

Sabrina listened to the two men discussing the finer points of the chaise and from there they soon moved on to carriage horses. Jack had shown neither excessive pleasure or surprise at her decision to accept his offer. She should be reassured by that, since he was keeping to his word not to discompose her, but it left her feeling sadly flat. She gave a little inward sigh. What a contrary piece she was, to insist a man keep his distance and then be disappointed when he did just that!