Chapter Fifteen

 

Monday came round sporting blue skies with a scattering of clouds, though it had rained throughout the night. A new housekeeper had been appointed but would not begin until the following day, the former housekeeper having given her notice due to her sister falling ill and needing a caregiver. Hence, Hannah had taken over the woman’s duties until the arrival of the new housekeeper.

Lucy looked forward to the arrival of her friends Mrs. Eliza Treverton, Lady Martha Sorenson, and Lady Nancy Drake. She had spent many an afternoon gossiping over cups of tea, and despite all she had forgotten, Lucy felt a sense of excitement and comfort at the possibility of resuming her life as she knew it once again.

She walked over to the window, which overlooked the gardens, and gazed at the rose bush where she had stood the previous day with Andrew. How delighted she had been remembering that he had torn his sleeve on that very bush, and though it was all she recalled, she was thankful for that one tidbit of memory. It had bought a joy to her heart, and she had to admit that being in Andrew’s embrace had brought up another feeling, as well. Safety. In his arms, crying into his chest, she had never felt so secure. The embrace had been firm and yet gentle. Granted, he was a rogue of sorts at times, but at that moment, he was more like the man from when she had awakened after her accident. He was handsome, strikingly so, and though their squabbling angered her, she could not stop the attraction she felt for him.

A gardener walked past with a shovel on his shoulder, and for a moment Lucy was drawn out of her thoughts, but once he disappeared from sight, she once again fell into thoughts of Andrew. Rogue or not, he had remained a gentleman. Some nights she worried he would storm into her room and press his lips to hers as she attempted to escape him.

Her cheeks heated up when she admitted inwardly that she might not try to stop his advances. Nevertheless, her memory returning was of the utmost importance, much more significant than kissing a man she did not love.

“Your Grace,” Mason announced in a formal tone, “Mrs. Eliza Treverton has arrived.”

Lucy turned and Eliza entered, her white dress billowing around her slippers. A pink ribbon matched the tiny pink tambour flowers on the bust and around the hem of her skirts, and Lucy found herself admiring the woman’s tastes immediately.

“Eliza,” Lucy said as she kissed the woman’s cheek. “Thank you for coming.” She gazed behind Eliza and added, “You are alone?”

“Yes, unfortunately, Martha and Nancy had prior engagements.” She took a step away and looked Lucy up and down. “You look well. I trust you are feeling better?”

“Oh, yes,” Lucy replied. “I am making progress with my memory.” Then remembering her manners, she indicated a beige settee with large purple and red flower print. “Please, sit. I will have tea brought to us.” She went to the bell chord and pulled it and in no time, Millie arrived and gave a quick bob. “Would you see that tea is brought up?”

“Yes, Your Grace,” the young girl said with another quick curtsy before turning and rushing out the door to do her mistress’s bidding.

Lucy took a seat on the opposite end of the settee and smiled. “I must admit it is wonderful to see you again,” she said. “There is so much I wish to discuss with you.”

Eliza moved a loose strand of hair from her face. “Oh? Well, ask away, my friend. However, before we begin, you must tell me…what is the last thing you remember?”

Lucy was not surprised by the woman’s request; it had to be a topic of great interest among the gossip-mongers these days. However, Eliza’s tone told Lucy the woman was more concerned for Lucy’s well-being than for gathering ammunition for the latest discussion groups. She shared with Eliza her last memories and then explained that everything that happened after that point in her life was clean as a blank slate.

“I do remember a majority of the stories we shared when we met for tea,” Lucy explained, though she felt her face heat up at the memories of each woman sharing what she had heard about someone else and how everyone had an opinion about what had happened. “How I miss those days.”

The tea arrived, and once it had been served, Eliza took a sip from her teacup, but Lucy did not miss the slight scrunch of the woman’s brow. “What is it?” she asked. “Is there some tidbit of gossip I do not know about? Or is this something concerning me?” She said the latter with trepidation. Had she now become a topic of gossip? The idea horrified her somehow. Every woman was subject of gossip at one time or another, but when she learned of it, knowing so did not lesson the misery of it.

“It is not that,” Eliza assured her. “I am simply surprised. The last time we spoke, you informed me that you did not wish to listen to such things anymore.”

Lucy laughed. She not wanting to hear gossip? That was highly unlikely; she reveled in it. “I do not recall saying such a thing, but I assure you, I wish to learn as many new juicy tidbits you have as I ever did.”

Eliza set her teacup in the saucer and leaned forward. “Very well, then,” she said excitedly, “I do have a juicy tidbit. Are you acquainted with Lord Linfield?”

The name sounded familiar to Lucy and it took her several moments to recall the man. “I believe so, yes. He was at the party hosted by Lord Perry for the New Year.” It was also where Andrew had first asked her to dance, but she kept that information to herself. “I believe he is married, but was there not something concerning his wife?”

Eliza smiled as she picked up her teacup once again. It was always a sign when she delayed in the telling that the information was indeed quite good. “One of his scullery maids became pregnant.”

“And?” Lucy asked expectantly.

“It seems,” Eliza continued with a lowered tone. “this is a miracle in itself, seeing as the Earl’s wife is unable to bear children but the maid can.”

Lucy gasped. “So, the Earl is the father?”

Eliza nodded. “Not only is he the father, but rumor has it that his wife, the Countess, has run off with the Earl’s brother!”

Lucy shook her head in disbelief, just as she would be expected to do; however, there was an unsettled feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was not a memory exactly but rather the feeling of having discussed these people in much the same way. Yet, that was not what bothered her. For whatever reason, hearing about the misery of others did not hold the same sense of exhilaration as it once had.

“Oh, I cannot blame the woman for leaving,” Eliza said as she brought her teacup back up to her lips and took a sip. “I cannot imagine living with a rogue such as he.”

When it seemed Eliza might consider telling Lucy another juicy tidbit, Lucy decided it was time to ask her questions. “Eliza, what do you remember of Lord Balfour and my courtship?” she asked, trying to sound as casual as she could. “I must admit that I am afraid I do not recall parts of it and I wish to fill in the information that is missing.”

“Well, let me see,” Eliza mused. “I was preparing for my wedding to James, so we did not speak often at that time. However, I do remember you saying on more than one occasion how handsome he was and that you were willing to look past…” she stopped suddenly and focused on adding another teaspoon of sugar to her tea, although she had already added two. “This tea is quite lovely.”

“What is it?” Lucy asked as her heart beat against her chest. “What was I willing to look past?”

Eliza glanced over her shoulder and then leaned forward, her voice barely above a whisper. “You were upset because you suspected that he had eyes for another woman, although you refused to tell me who that woman was. The next time I saw you, it was several months later, nearly Christmas time, and you had sent word of your engagement, so I assumed you had forgiven him.”

Lucy pursed her lips. So, her suspicions had been correct when she had awoken a few weeks ago. Andrew was most definitely a rogue. However, who was this woman rumored to have caught his eye? And why had Lucy chosen to look past it and marry the man anyway?

***

An hour remained before Lucy was to meet Andrew for dinner. Eliza had left only moments before and Lucy searched her mind as to whom this other woman who had caught Andrew’s eye had been. He was handsome enough to have many admirers, but if he was the rogue she remembered him as, any number of women could have been the object of his affections.

The door opened and Hannah entered looking splendid in her new pink dress with white flowers and lace. She still did not seem accustomed to wearing such clothing, nor sitting in the drawing room, for her demeanor was stiff and she had an air of nervousness surrounding her. The woman had a handsomeness about her, an innocence, and Lucy wondered if she knew anything of this mystery woman who had batted her eyelashes at Andrew.

“Hannah, my friend,” Lucy said sweetly. “Would you walk with me in the gardens before dinner?”

“I’d love to,” Hannah replied, her nervousness seeming to lift.

They made their way to the veranda and out into the gardens. A few lone clouds moved in front of the lowering sun, casting a momentary shadow over the pair as they strolled along, their steps slow and leisurely.

“Hannah?” Lucy asked.

“Yes?”

“I would like to ask you something, and I would like you to answer honestly.”

“But of course,” Hannah replied. “You may ask me anything; if I cannot answer, I will say so.”

Lucy wondered how to ask the question without sounding like a mad, jealous wife, but there was no way around it, so she simply said, “Sometimes men have wandering eyes…and hands.”

Hannah gave a derisive sniff. “Yes, I know the way they are! It is why I haven’t married yet.”

“Well, if someone, say…my husband for example, were ever to be inappropriate with another woman besides his wife, or his betrothed, would it be right in expecting the person who knows the truth to tell the wife?”

They came to the end of the footpath and they had the choice to turn either left or right, but Lucy chose to stop and wait for Hannah’s reply.

“That is difficult to say,” she replied finally. “If the woman’s a very close friend, then it’d be best if that someone was to say what she’s seen. If the woman is only an acquaintance, then that is when the water becomes a little murkier.”

“Let’s say the someone is a close friend to the wife, should that someone then expose the husband? Even if the someone was the object of that man’s affection.”

Hannah’s eyebrows rose at this question. “Blimey!” she said and then quickly covered her mouth. “Pardon me! It just hopped out.”

Lucy laughed. “No, it is fine.” She decided to keep walking and turned right on the path. “Let us say that my husband was to put his hands on you in an affectionate manner, perhaps even give a simple kiss, I would not be angry.”

Now Hannah’s eyebrows disappeared into her hair. “His Grace has never touched me, and never in that way!” she insisted.

“I believe you,” Lucy said, “but I want you to know that, even if he did try, you can come to me and tell me. I understand the way of men and I would not hold you responsible, but I do need to know the truth. Has he ever attempted to have his way with you or any other woman of whom you are aware?”

“No, Lucy, I promise you, nothing like that has ever happened,” Hannah said, with tears in the corners of her eyes. “His Grace has always been nice to me ever since he hired me. If I have done or said anything to make you believe…”

“Oh, no, it is nothing like that,” Lucy said in an attempt to calm the woman. “I am trying to remember bits of information I have heard, nothing more.” She led Hannah to a bench and asked her to sit. “When my friend was here earlier, she mentioned that I had been worried about a woman who might have caught Andrew’s eye, and I wish to know if you knew anything about that.”

Hannah sat for several moments. “I was given my old position when you and His Grace were engaged and you were there when he offered me the position.”

Lucy looked at her with shock. “I was? I do not remember that.”

“Oh yes, you made sure His Grace allowed you at his side, though I believe the you both did it in jest. You two were a bit…entertaining,” Hannah said with a laugh. Then her eyes widened. “I mean…that is…you would tease His Grace and make him laugh. That is what I loved about you two.”

“Oh?” Lucy asked, intrigued. “What was that? That we teased each other”

Hannah’s voice became dreamy as she replied, “Not that, exactly, no. It was more the way you two looked at each other. It was a beautiful thing to see.”

Lucy studied the woman’s face. Perhaps she had learned the truth concerning Andrew and another woman and her suspicions had been unfounded. That would explain how she came to marry Andrew despite those suspicions.

She sighed. So, what Hannah had witnessed had been a ‘beautiful thing’, had it? What did it feel like to love a man in such a way? Then her thoughts returned to the Andrew who was at her bedside and she considered that, however it felt, she imagined she could grow to enjoy it.