Chapter Eighteen

 

The carriage swayed as it made its way down the road toward Elford Estates, causing a heaviness in Joseph’s eyes. He had time to lean his head back and rest before he arrived at the house to collect Miss Cooper, and he felt apprehension at their outing today.

Although he had promised to take her into town the day following their walk through the gardens, an urgent matter of business had delayed their outing four days. He had sent a message informing Miss Cooper of the unfortunate circumstances, but she had failed to send a reply. Either she was angry or she was yet unaware of the expectations of replying. The reason behind her misstep did not matter; he would inform her as soon as he arrived, and then he would see if it had been anger or ignorance which had caused the infraction.

Joseph found Miss Cooper to be an enigma, a mystery. Soon they would be married, sealing his inheritance and finally giving him the recognition he craved. However, it was the last words the woman had said to him during their stroll five days earlier that haunted him, keeping him awake at night as he pondered them. She had said he was already a success, and her words had lifted her spirits. However, what did a woman of her upbringing know of success and failure? Could he believe the words of one who saw success in the number of patrons in a pub?

Yet, why did her words plague him so? It was a dilemma he could not unravel, this person who came from lower stock, and a woman no less, one who could speak to his soul.

The carriage slowed and when Joseph opened his eyes, he saw the front entrance of Elford Estates, Miss Cooper standing at the top of the steps. Joseph took a deep breath. The woman had made great progress in her training, but she still had much to improve. There was ‘presentable’ and there was ‘perfection’, which was more acceptable to Joseph, and Miss Cooper was far from perfect. However, Joseph had too much to gain to allow the woman to get away from him, so he would endure a visit to town, wishing that he would not run into any of his peers. Kellington was large enough that he had gone into the village without once seeing someone he knew, so the chances were good they would remain unseen, or so he hoped.

The carriage door opened and Joseph stepped down. Miss Cooper came down the steps wearing a yellow dress with tiny white daisies embroidered on the bust. The puffed sleeves and neckline were lined with white lace. Her hair had been expertly done with white flowers pinned throughout it.

As he approached her, she dropped into a deep curtsy that would have impressed the Queen herself. When she rose, she gave him an admonishing look. “You are late again,” she said with a shake to her head.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his watch. “I am ten minutes early,” he stated, unhappy that she would make such accusations of him. “You may see for yourself.” He thrust the watch toward her, and she gave it a half-glance.

“Your letter stated you would be here at ten and it is almost eleven,” she said with a frown.

Joseph stood staring at the woman. He recalled saying he would arrive at eleven, but perhaps he had been so weary, he had written ten instead. This was the second time he had been late in her presence, and his frustration at his lack of discipline in managing his time irked him.

Then he looked back up at Miss Cooper, who was giggling behind a gloved hand. “Oh, how I adore teasing you,” she said, this time laughing outright. “You have nothing to fear; you are indeed early.”

He glared at her. “Why would you do that?” he demanded. “You know how I prefer to keep to my schedule.”

“That I do,” she said, laughing again. “I wished to show you that it is of no import if you are ten minutes early or ten minutes late. I was still here waiting for you. Nothing else should matter. The world did not end and the sun will still set when it goes below the horizon.” Then she walked to the carriage. “I suggest we leave if you wish to maintain that schedule of yours.”

He now recognized the playfulness in her tone and he could not help but smile. She had been right; regardless of his timing, nothing would change.

She took his hand and he helped her alight the carriage, then he followed closely behind. A Footman closed the door and the carriage wobbled as the driver returned to his seat at the front.

He smiled at the woman who sat across from him. “I must admit, you look quite beautiful today. Your dress, it is very becoming of you.”

Her cheeks reddened. “Thank you,” came her reply. “And I must say, you look quite handsome in that coat.” She leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Then again, you always look dapper.”

He also leaned forward with a smile, their faces only inches apart. “As do you. I must admit that your beauty is something that leaves me at a loss for words.” When her cheeks turned a deep crimson, he smiled even wider. A wave of desire washed over him, and he felt an urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her thoroughly, and for the first time he did not regret that feeling.

However, the carriage rocked as it began to move, and the moment was lost.

They both sat back in their seats, and Joseph did not miss the way Miss Cooper’s breasts rose and fell, as if she found it difficult to breathe.

“You mentioned in your letter that you were delayed due to business matters,” she said, breaking the silence that had fallen between them. “May I ask what they were?”

Joseph went to reprimand her, to make her understand that a woman had no place in business matters, especially his. However, as he looked into her blue eyes, he felt as though he had fallen into a trance unable to refuse her whatever she might ask. “There is a carriagemaker in Exeter who is looking to expand his business. We have come to an agreement on procuring a location within the year. Then, I was able to obtain another property from a man who is moving to London.” He stopped suddenly when he saw the wide smile Miss Cooper was wearing. “Why are you smiling?” he asked.

“When you speak of business matters, your demeanor changes. You smile more. It is as if you become a different man.”

It was true, he thought. The art of business dealings did make him smile, but there was another reason he was smiling just then. It was the woman who sat across from him, and he found her admiration and praise of him brought on a feeling he had not had for many years.

Happiness.

***

“How can one be so happy over a hat?” Joseph asked in wonder. “I still do not understand it.” They had just left the millinery where they had spent an exorbitant amount of time choosing a new wide-brimmed straw bonnet, yellow to match her dress and adorned with flowers.

“Because it is lovely and goes well with my dress,” Miss Cooper explained as if she had been thinking as such her entire life. She was certainly making progress toward becoming very much like a woman of the ton. “It feels so freeing, yet somehow secure.”

Joseph had no idea what she meant, but she was so content and radiant, he did not ask. Instead he laughed with her and then said, “It is very becoming. And it complements your beauty.” He offered her a smile, which she readily returned. For a moment he wondered if, indeed, marrying the woman was the best thing for him. She had an uncanny way of lifting his spirits when nothing else could. If he had been on this shopping journey with his mother, he would have been irritable and bored, but now, in her company, he found he was enjoying himself.

As they walked, her hand in his arm, he found his mind wandering to life with her as his wife, a life filled with laughter, and perhaps, one day, children. Unlike his home while growing up, he could see himself spending time with his wife and children rather than allowing work to keep him away.

Shaking his head and trying to dismiss the thoughts, he realized that that type of life would not be possible. For one, his mother did not approve of Miss Cooper and he knew her well enough to know that she would be a thorn in their side at every turn. The second, and more important, was he knew that he would not be able to keep up this charade of happiness for very long. He was too much like his father—that is the father he had known before gambling took over the man’s life—in that work consumed his days, and although Miss Cooper was a fine distraction, once they were married he would ultimately revert back to his old ways; it was in his blood.

Truth be told, he had forgotten his reasons for tricking her into marrying him, so great had been his enjoyment of her company. If he could keep his mind focused on this day, perhaps there could be a chance for a marriage filled with happiness.

His thoughts broke as Miss Cooper released his arm and hurried over to the dirty window of a pub at the end of the street. From within came the voice of a woman singing bawdy songs and Joseph knew immediately that the pub was an establishment the lower class frequented. It had a reputation of drunken patrons and at least one fight per night, and the idea that his future bride should be standing at the window peering inside made him feel ill.

“Oh, My Lord, come look at the fun they are having,” she called out, her face beaming as she turned to look at him from the window. “Might we have a drink here? It would be great fun.”

She appeared so happy that we went to respond, to tell her that they might be able to stop in and have one drink, but a couple walked by, their clothing stating that they were peers, though he was not acquainted with them. They glanced at Miss Cooper, then at Joseph and finally at the pub, their noses crinkled as if they had smelled meat that had rotted.

Embarrassment rushed through Joseph, his cheeks burning as rage simmered. He then realized that no amount of instruction would stop this woman from being who she was, a woman of low class and no grace. She could perform the facade well enough when she wished to, but moments like this would bring only humiliation to him and his family name. No, there could be no happiness in his future with this woman, not for the duration of their marriage. What irked him more than anything was that his mother had been correct once again.

“Miss Cooper, come away from that window this instant,” he hissed once the couple had moved past them.

Miss Cooper turned, a hurt look on her face. “I was only looking,” she said with a pout. “We do not have to go inside.”

Joseph glanced around to see who was nearby, which was no one now that the couple had moved on, stepped over to Miss Cooper and grabbed her arm to pull her away. “Do not disobey my instructions,” he demanded in a low, firm voice. “Why must you remain so defiant? Now, come, let us return to the estate.”

Miss Cooper remained quiet as they crossed the road, more than likely sulking because she had not gotten her way. As they moved away from the pub and the embarrassment that establishment had caused, his anger began to diminish, though he still glanced around to see if anyone else had witnessed the debacle that had taken place.

When he was certain they would not be overheard, he said, “Establishments such as that are ones we must avoid. You could have embarrassed me no end if one of my colleagues had seen your actions.” He moved his jaw in an attempt to loosen it.

Miss Cooper looked down at the footpath before them. “Establishments like that are what I grew up in,” she said in a quiet voice. “There were many lovely people who came through those doors, people you would most certainly have liked.”

Joseph stopped walking and turned Miss Cooper toward him, his hand grasping her arm roughly. “Do not argue with me,” he said in a tight voice. “You will keep away from that place, or any place like it. Is that too much to ask? I have given you free rein of the house, spent a fortune to see that you had an entirely new wardrobe and the best instruction, and provided a home for you in which to live. Must you continue arguing, or might we be able leave this matter behind us?”

She nodded without a reply, and Joseph felt a twinge of guilt for his tone. He supposed he could have handled it better, but he had been much too angry to do otherwise. Although he was not going to apologize, he realized that he needed to say something to ease the severity of the situation.

However, before he could say anything, a familiar voice behind him said, “There he is, the man the ton has been speaking of as of late.” Arthur Crantenberry, Duke of Bottleshire, and his wife by his side. Of course it would have to be this couple who had seen him in this dire situation.

“Your Grace,” Joseph said with a bow of his head to the Duke. “Your Grace,” he added with a deeper bow and small kiss on the knuckles of the Duchess. “Might I introduce you to my fiancée, Miss Rachel Cooper of Cornwall. Miss Cooper, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Arthur and Esther Crantenberry, Duke and Duchess of Bottleshire.” He could only hope and pray that the woman would use what she had learned and not embarrass him even further.

“Your Graces,” she said before giving what could only be deemed as the most perfect curtsy he had ever seen from the woman.

“Fiancée you say?” the Duke asked in his nasally tone. “I have not heard about this. Have you hosted your engagement party and not invited me?” He wore an offended look on his face.

“No, Your Grace,” Joseph replied. “We do intend to make the announcement soon, and when we have our party, you will be the first to know.” His eyes moved to the Duchess. Where the Duke was a stern man, his wife could not be considered anything less than harsh. Her face sat in a permanent scowl and she looked down her nose at anyone she came into contact.

“Well, we expect to hear from you soon, then,” the Duke replied. “I have matters to attend to. Good day to you both.” Without even a nod of farewell, they were gone.

Joseph took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He had no interest in inviting the couple to their party, but it would be expected. Plus, Joseph needed the man for his business connections. The Duke owned too many properties in London that would be perfect for one particular venture in which Joseph was interested.

He turned his attention to Miss Cooper once again. The woman was unusually quiet, and he offered her his arm to her. “Earlier with my words…” he started to say before she cut him off.

“There is no need,” she said in a voice just above a whisper. “I understand now your concern over being seen in front of the pub as we had.”

He gave her a surprised look and then a nod before they continued their stroll down the footpath in silence.