Chapter Twenty
Clara waited in expectation for Lord Stapleton to return home that evening. While she bided her time, she found herself pacing up and down in her quarters like a lion in its cage, practising what she was going to say to the man. She must have paced between the living room and her bed chamber around twenty times in all. ‘Lord Stapleton…’ she shook her head, ‘Howard, I am so sorry to have doubted having a relationship with you…’
‘No, that’s no good. I don’t know if I can say the words.’ She took a seat at her escritoire and dipping her pen in the inkwell, began to write just how she was feeling inside, the words of her heart. The words flowed out of her and quite soon she had penned a letter that spoke of his great kindness and how when she was with him she felt as though she could be herself and maybe if they took things gradually and bore in mind the children’s feelings, then maybe there was a chance for them to have a relationship with one another. She blotted the paper and neatly folding it, slotted it into an envelope which she addressed to Lord Howard Stapleton Esq. She slipped the envelope into her dress pocket and decided to leave it on his bureau in the drawing room for him. He would surely see it this evening when he came home as he often took a drink of brandy in that room before dinner.
She was on her way down the staircase when she heard a commotion in the hallway. Billy and some of the other servants seemed in a fluster and Mrs Montgomery was issuing out orders. ‘Help him into the drawing room!’ she shouted.
Help who? Then Clara’s eyes were drawn to the coach driver and footman who between them appeared to be assisting Lord Stapleton to walk as they flanked him either side supporting him beneath his arms, as if he were inebriated. Surely not, but then she noticed by the distress caused and what Mrs Montgomery was saying, this was not the case.
‘Be careful how you go, Jeffers,’ she was saying to the coachman, ‘we don’t know if his lordship has broken something. I’ll summon Dilly to fetch Doctor Alderman right away, he’ll know what to do.’
It was beginning to sound serious as Clara’s stomach flipped over with the anxiety of it all. She stood with her hand on the bannister rail of the staircase to steady herself. Mrs Montgomery glanced up at her and then hurried up the stairs towards her. ‘Go back to your quarters, dear. This will be too upsetting for you…’ she urged as drawing near to her, she put a firm hand on Clara’s shoulder.
Clara shook her head. ‘No, please let me go to him.’
The housekeeper looked her in the eyes and said, ‘That wouldn’t be wise right now.’ She lowered her voice for fear of being overheard. ‘The best thing you can do is keep away for time being. The doctor has been summoned. If you should go to him right now the staff will guess your feelings towards him and you wouldn’t want that now, would you?’
Clara shook her head as she realised the woman was speaking sense, then something occurred to her. ‘What happened?’
Mrs Montgomery sniffed loudly. ‘It appears that the coach veered out of control. Mr Jeffers says another coach and horses almost collided with his lordship’s coach.’
Clara heart began to race. ‘I might be wrong here, but I believe Mr Jeffers was driving his lordship’s coach a few months ago when he almost ran our cart off the road. It was horrible. It’s my belief that maybe the man was intoxicated at the time…’
The housekeeper stiffened momentarily and Clara wondered if she’d said the wrong thing to her but then the woman said, ‘You may have a point there as Billy has said much the same thing. His lordship should have fired the man a long time ago. Though it is not the time nor the place to discuss such matters. Return to your quarters and I’ll keep you abreast of what’s going on after the doctor calls here.’
Clara nodded. ‘Thank you,’ was all she managed to say before she turned and made her way shakily back up the stairs to her quarters.
***
It was another hour or so before Mrs Montgomery knocked on Clara’s door with the news that the lord was going to be all right. Doctor Alderman had said it was a simple case of concussion and just to watch that he didn’t vomit or lapse into a state of unconsciousness, and for that, someone would need to watch him for the next day or so.
Clara blew out a breath of relief. ‘Thank goodness for that,’ she said, swallowing hard to hold back the tears.
‘There is one other thing,’ the housekeeper said solemnly, ‘the doctor noticed the odour of alcohol on Mr Jeffers’ breath and has suggested we eject him from this house forthwith. Billy and the footman tried to get him to leave a few minutes since, but he won’t. I’ve tried myself but to no avail, he makes such a fuss defending himself, shouting at the top of his voice and I don’t wish to disturb his lordship to cause further distress...’
Clara’s chin jutted out with determination, ‘Then I must try myself,’ she said, realising it was something she could do to make amends to Howard. After all, if she hadn’t rejected him like that then maybe he wouldn’t have been out on business as much as he had been settling down to a pattern of dining most evenings with her.
She followed Mrs Montgomery down the stairs where an altercation between Mr Jeffers and Billy was in full swing, with the footman removing his tunic and rolling up his shirt sleeves as if to prepare himself to wade in for a fight.
‘Stop this at once!’ Clara shouted from the foot of the stairs, causing all three heads to whip around in her direction. In her haste, she pushed past Mrs Montgomery almost knocking the woman over. Then she stood in front of all three men as she wagged her finger at Mr Jeffers. ‘You almost caused a bad accident on the road for us a few months ago which I suspected was due to you consuming alcohol. I didn’t have any proof then but I do now from what the other staff have told me. Mr Jeffers, you sir are a liar!’
The man’s eyes widened as though shocked as he was not used to being shouted at. His mouth opened and it snapped shut again. ‘I have not been drinking, not the shhhhlightest drop has passhed my lipsssh…’ he slurred, then hiccupped loudly.
Clara stood close to him just to check it was indeed alcohol as maybe he was concussed himself, but as she drew close she could sniff the fumes and there was no doubt about it. ‘I suggest that you remove yourself from this property forthwith before his lordship fully recovers and throws you off his property himself.’
Mr Jeffers began to scuffle with Billy and the footman just as the front door burst open and a familiar voice declared, ‘It looks as if I have returned here just at the right time!’
***
All heads turned in Patrin’s direction as he just simply smiled. ‘I would normally use the servant’s entrance but the front door was ajar and I heard the commotion…’ he explained. ‘From what I can see and what I just overheard, Mr Jeffers needs ejecting from the property?’
When Clara had got over her surprise to see Patrin once again, she nodded. ‘Yes, the man’s intoxicated and he’s caused a coach accident which has left his lordship concussed.’
‘That’s good enough for me,’ said Patrin as he grabbed hold of the man putting him in a headlock so that his bowler hat fell on the black and white tiled marble floor. The man was unable to struggle as Patrin easily applied his strength to get the man out of the door. He returned ten minutes later after having ejected him from the land as well with a stern warning what he would do to him if he ever set foot on the property again.
Meanwhile, Clara made her way to the drawing room to see how Howard was. He was being attended to by Dilly when she arrived, who was holding a damp washcloth to his head as he lay reclining on the sofa. Clara gazed down on him and felt a swell of love for the man in her heart. Before this she had been confused about her feelings for Patrin, but it was Howard she had the romantic sort of love for. She was pleased to see Patrin once again as she’d missed him, but it was Howard who needed her now.
‘Thank you, Dilly,’ she said. ‘I’ll take over now. If you could just fetch a couple of his lordship’s pillows from his bed chamber and a warm blanket as well.’
Dilly stood. Then she nodded and dipped her knee in Clara’s direction. ‘And if you could then bring me a glass of milk and a cake or something as I have missed out on my evening meal and a glass of water for his lordship.’
‘Yes, Miss.’
Clara realised she would need to take care of herself too if she were to sit up with Howard all night.
He began to stir and then groaned. ‘Where am I?’ he asked as he tried to pull himself into a sitting position as Dilly left the room.
‘You’re in the drawing room. I’m afraid you had an accident in the coach earlier, that’s quite a bump on your head you have there.’
‘I did?’ His eyes darted around the room as if he was trying to make sense of everything.
‘Try to stay where you are for now, Dilly has gone to fetch some pillows for you and you have been examined by the doctor.’
‘I was? I have no memory of that.’ He went to shake his head but Clara stilled him.
‘Try to remain where you are or else that cold wash cloth will end up on the floor,’ she playfully scolded him, causing him to smile at her.
‘I’m sorry, I’m not the best person to have as a patient, but I couldn’t wish for a better nurse,’ he said, taking her hand and planting a kiss upon it.
‘Well, I intend to stay up with you to watch you all night long,’ she said softly. ‘There is one other thing to tell you…two actually…’
‘Oh? Good or bad?’
‘Both.’
‘You’d better give me the bad news first.’
‘Very well. The accident was caused by Mr Jeffers because he’d been drinking alcohol.’
‘Really?’
‘But surely you must have suspected something during the time the man has worked here? Remember that time your coach collided with the cart where I was a passenger? I suspected it then.’
‘No, I hadn’t realised, I am so sorry. I’ve been so wrapped up in my own grief if someone had told me the moon was made of green cheese, I’d have believed them.’ He laughed at his own joke and then touched his head as if it was sore as he winced. ‘And the good news?’
‘Patrin has returned and ejected Mr Jeffers from the property.’
The lord looked thoughtful for a moment as he rubbed his chin as if in contemplation. ‘Someone is happy then?’ he said looking up at her doubtfully.
‘Yes, but don’t you worry about that. It is you I have strong feelings for, not Patrin.’ It was then she realised what she had uttered out loud and she wondered whether she should have said those words or not.
‘Oh, my dear,’ he said softly as he sat himself up as he wanted to embrace her, but she made him lie down again.
‘Please do not exert yourself,’ she said smiling. ‘Our time will come. I am sorry I ran off when you revealed your feelings towards me that night, it was such a shock…’
‘I’m sorry about that.’
She shook her head. ‘No, I meant it was more of a surprise that I wasn’t expecting from you.’
‘If you want to know the truth, it was a surprise for me too,’ he said as Dilly entered the room with two pillows and a folded blanket, which she handed to Clara. The girl had not realised what a tender moment she had interrupted.
Until a new coach driver could be found, it was decided that Patrin take over Mr Jeffers’ duties, though he was not required in that capacity until his lordship regained his full health. Meanwhile, Clara was on hand when she wasn’t teaching the children to help nurse him and keep his spirits up. Mrs Montgomery and a couple of the maids, filled in for Clara when she wasn’t available. The children though were delighted to have their father so close at hand that they could call to see him in his quarters at any time. The only time they were refused entry was when the lord was asleep or they needed to be at their desks. Clara thought it was wonderful to see the man rebuild his relationship with his children. James had been keen to show his father the new toy boat that Patrin had whittled for him from a stray piece of drift wood. The boy was thoroughly delighted when his father asked him if he’d still like to have a puppy or kitten. James chose a puppy. Patrin promised his lordship that he’d bring one over from the Downing’s farm the following day as their sheepdog, Bess, had given birth to a litter a few weeks back and they were seeking good homes for them. Danielle loved to read her father stories from her favourite books in the afternoons after her schooling, and Amelia regaled tales of Samson from the stables. So all in all, it became a cosy family scene at Stapleton Manor and it warmed Clara’s heart to witness it.
While Patrin awaited being summoned as a temporary coach driver, he continued to work in the grounds of the house as he had before, and sometimes helped the new game keeper. Clara found him in the woods one afternoon. It was now almost Easter and she wanted to speak to him alone as at the big house there often seemed to be someone else around.
‘I’m glad I caught you, Patrin,’ she said as she watched him hammering a wooden fence post into the ground with a mallet.
He looked up and smiled at her and then stopped what he was doing. His tweed jacket was strung over a tree branch as if he had become too hot from the work he was doing, even though it was a chilly day. He brought his hand to his face to push back the peak of his cap so that he could see her properly. ‘So, what brings you out here?’ he smiled.
She hesitated, knowing she was going to have to tell him something before he worked things out for himself. ‘It’s me and…’
He raised his brow in a quizzical fashion. ‘You and who?’
‘His lordship and myself.’ She swallowed hard not wishing to stumble upon her words, clasping her hands and deliberating as she chewed on her bottom lip. ‘We have grown close to one another of late and he would like to marry me…’
To her astonishment, he turned his back on her as if he hadn’t heard her say those words and began to hammer away at the post with even greater intensity than he had previously.
‘Patrin!’ she raised her voice. ‘Did you hear what I had to say to you?’
He dropped his mallet on the ground and turned towards her but avoided eye contact. ‘Aye, I heard.’ He said in a short, clipped manner. ‘What do you expect me to say?’
She stood there open mouthed, hardly believing her ears. It wasn’t that she expected a huge congratulations from him, more that he’d be pleased that she’d shared the news with him first. She hadn’t even told her mother as yet, only Mrs Montgomery had an inkling of what was going on and if it hadn’t been for her wise advice, then none of it would happen anyhow as she’d thought she wasn’t good enough for the man due to his breeding, but Mrs Montgomery had convinced her that wasn’t so.
‘I…I thought you might be pleased for me, for us?’
He tossed his head and turned to face her properly before saying, ‘My dear Clara, you are free to do as you see fit, but you are not a member of the aristocracy. Lord Stapleton is of a different class, a different ilk if you like.’
‘And so are you!’ She raised her voice at him, almost scaring herself as at that moment a wind picked up and made the leaves on the trees rustle around them, almost as if people were whispering about them.
‘Aye, I’m a gypsy and make no mistake and maybe you don’t belong in my world either, not that I wouldn’t want you in it mind. You need your inside emotions brought out by some man, that’s for sure. You’ve lived a very tame life, Clara. Been told what to do for long enough…’ he stepped forward filling the space between them so she could smell his skin which was a mixture of soap and fresh perspiration. And then she was in his arms as his face was inches from her own, his lips hovering over hers. She was confused, this shouldn’t be happening. Then she heard a loud cracking sound as if someone had stepped on a twig. At that moment as she feared they were being watched by someone, she jolted to her senses and pushed Patrin away to release herself from his embrace, then she slapped him hard against his face, so that he recoiled backwards. Touching his jaw, he stood open mouthed as he stared disbelievingly at her.
‘How dare you make advances towards me!’ She said, feeling most affronted. Yet, she couldn’t deny that until that moment when she’d heard that twig snap and feared they were being watched, she might well have succumbed, carried along by the wave of passion that had welled up inside of her.
‘For one so gentle, you pack a powerful punch, my dear,’ he said, rubbing his jaw, then he turned back to his task in hand and lifted the mallet to bang once again at the wooden fence post as if nothing had happened at all.
She heard a rustle and saw a fox emerging from the bushes behind her. So, that’s what had made the snapping noise that had startled her. Thank goodness it had arrived at that moment, making her believe they were being watched, because if it hadn’t, who knew what might have happened.
***
The following day, the lord was on his feet once again and excitedly making plans. He wanted the children informed first about their upcoming engagement. This all seemed to be going a little too fast for Clara though. She did love him but felt there needed to be a period of courtship before the engagement. The thought that maybe Howard was just looking for a mother replacement for his children did flit through her head briefly, but as fast as she thought it, she dismissed it. She realised that her mother would have to be informed soon as gossip had a way of getting out of big houses. She would hate it if Mrs Pettigrew was the one to inform her. Mrs Pettigrew seemed to know everyone as her husband was such a popular baker and he supplied the kitchen with bread and cakes from time to time if there was a special function on and Cook didn’t have the time to bake for it.
Clara avoided Patrin over the next few days, and thankfully, he rarely came into the house as most of his work was outside of it, but sometimes, Cook offered him into the kitchen for a warm and a bite to eat with a hot beverage.
The staff would be informed soon enough of the engagement. Howard had said he’d like to throw the doors open for a big Spring party as the last year had been a sad one, but now the light had gone back on in his life again after meeting and falling in love with her. Patrin’s words and actions though had taken Clara aback, she had seen something in his eyes that she’d never seen before and she wasn’t quite certain whether that was love or lust, maybe it was both. Whatever it was though, he posed an element of danger for her and she was best off keeping out of his way from now on.
***
On the Saturday afternoon of that week, when there was no school work for the children, they were summoned together in the drawing room, where their father stood beside Clara to tell them the news that they had fallen in love and eventually, she would become his wife.
Danielle and James seemed excited by the prospect but Amelia just scowled, but that was to be expected, Clara supposed. The girl had been hard to win over in the first place and being that little bit older, she had much more understanding of the situation. But even so, she eventually forced a smile and said, ‘I suppose you’ll do.’ She tossed back her curls. ‘I had thought Papa was going to marry that dreadful Susannah!’ Then the ice was broken as they all laughed in unison.
So now there was only Clara’s family to inform before the staff would be told of the situation. The children were warned to keep it to themselves for time being, which they agreed to do.
When the children had left the drawing room to go to the treehouse to play, Howard looked at her thoughtfully. ‘It’s good to see you so happy, my dear,’ he said with a smile. ‘I’m putting that down partly to our engagement and partly because Patrin has returned here. I don’t know how I ever managed without the man…’
Clara wished with all heart that he had not returned and how could she possibly tell her husband-to-be what had transpired in the woods the other day? If he found out about how the man had been on the verge of kissing her, he would banish him from Stapleton Manor for good. No, it was best that no one found out for time being, not even Cook or Mrs Montgomery. She didn’t want to burden either of them with her concerns.
She forced a smile before saying, ‘Precisely! I have never been happier.’ She turned her head and bit her lip. She would have been happy too if Patrin had not tried to kiss her because now he had caused some confusion for her. Before that happened she hadn’t been sure what her feelings for the man were, but surely she had always felt something for him as she would never have brought that gold coloured pixie necklace with her to Stapleton Manor otherwise. Why hadn’t she given it as a gift to Emily or Meg instead?
‘Now then,’ Howard continued, ‘when do you think we ought to tell your family the good news?’
She hesitated for a moment. ‘How about Sunday afternoon?’ she suggested.
‘That sounds delightful,’ he said, drawing near to her so she was aware of his masculinity, but for them to act on any desires would be unacceptable until she were legally wed. ‘I’ll arrange for Mrs Montgomery to take care of the children while we visit your family.’
Clara nodded. ‘Yes, I think we should go alone to break the news and maybe invite the children to meet my family soon thereafter,’ she said, thinking to herself that it would be good for Megan and Edmund to meet the Stapleton children as they were similar ages, but of course, of different backgrounds. Still, Clara’s family were well brought up and had in previous years, more money than most in the village of Foxbridge. They’d never had to struggle to make ends meet until Papa had passed away. But at least the Masters family had been afforded respect, there were no drunkards or layabouts in their family. No skeletons in the cupboard that might come rushing out to meet the Stapleton Family. The only thorn in Clara’s side at the moment who might ruin her future happiness was Patrin and his feelings towards her.
***
After Clara and her betrothed went to visit her family that Sunday afternoon and received their somewhat surprised but happy blessing for the pair, life began to settle down at the house. The staff weren’t as surprised about the upcoming engagement as Clara thought they might have been as Cook explained to her that walls had ears in the big house and a couple of the staff had taken word back to the kitchen to say they thought the Lord had designs on her, even before she realised it herself. But all in all, practically everyone was pleased, except for the one person whose blessing she wanted the most.
It was a week after announcing their upcoming engagement that Clara encountered Patrin again. This time he was far from being lustful for her, he was quite the opposite. Something had happened that she could see in his eyes, they looked so cold towards her and when he spoke to her, if and when he had to, his words sounded guarded almost as though he were erring on the side of caution. She wished it were not so, but if she were to give him the slightest morsel of encouragement that could make him warm towards her once again, then she knew full well as a woman, what that could lead to.
***
It was a full month later when she discovered from Howard that Patrin would be taking some time off to work at the spring fair in Crownley. The spring fair attracted a lot of folk from neighbouring villages and beyond. It was to be held on the same ground where she first encountered him—on the green common. Was that only just last Christmas? She could hardly believe it was so as it seemed so long ago now, much had happened since then.
The upshot of it all, the lord explained to her, was that Patrin was going to set up his boxing booth again offering to take anyone on. The draw for excited young men was the fact that they could win a purse of money which was rumoured to be five sovereigns, though where Patrin had that sort of money from she wasn’t sure for he could not have saved all that in the short time he worked for his lordship as he often sent his earnings to his sister. But as his lordship explained as he recounted the tale of Patrin’s intentions to Clara’s astonished ears, ‘I do not intend to lose! No one around these parts is capable of winning it! I am still the champion! The Gypsy King!’
‘So he sounded quite arrogant and boastful when he told you this?’ she said looking into Howard’s eyes for some kind of response from him.
He chuckled. ‘I suppose he has to be like that to prove his manhood, my dear.’
She shook her head. ‘I hope all goes well for him.’
‘You hope?’ said Howard crossing his arms as he stood near the fireplace in the drawing room. ‘My dear Clara, you shall be there as a spectator sitting in the front seat alongside me to see that it happens.’
She cringed and closed her eyes. ‘Oh, I couldn’t possibly watch something like that.’ The truth was, she could watch a boxing match, but not one that involved Patrin.
‘Very well, you don’t have to come along. I just thought it would be a lovely afternoon out for us, that’s all.’
‘Can I say I’ll think about it then? What else is going on at the fair this year?’
‘All sorts of attractions I’m told. Wandering minstrels, a sword eater, even a man who can swallow fire! Oh, and there’ll be clowns there too, the children will love all of that. You can bring Meg and Edmund along…’
She found herself relenting as he spoke so enthusiastically. Indeed, he now seemed a far cry from the man she’d first encountered at the fair at Christmas. That man had been rambunctious the way he’d shouted at that poor old man from inside his coach as he tried to beat him across the shoulder blades with his walking cane. The poor old fellow had only asked for money, but still, she reminded herself that Lord Howard Stapleton had not been in his right mind at the time as he was blinded by grief. Since then she had not seen any sign of aggravation in his nature, apart from the time he’d banished her from his home, and even that she quite understood.