In the morning three days later, having overruled the protests of the boys’ tutor about his charges missing their lessons, Faith went up to the schoolroom to fetch her sons for the journey to visit her sister. The carriage was ready; Davie was walking his horse in the mews, waiting on them, and the boys were almost as excited as she was to be meeting their cousins for the first time since the birth of five-year-old Colin, her youngest.
For today, at least, she could put out of mind the unpleasant fact that her brother-in-law was now in residence, a worry that seldom was far from her mind. Though, as yet, Lord Randall had provided no reinforcement for her fears. As far as she could tell, he’d been absent from the house since she’d encountered him that first night.
She suspected that his mama had provided him with funds, which he was happily occupied in spending on women, spirits, and games of chance. Since in that case, he’d probably not return to Berkeley Square until he ran out of blunt, she sincerely hoped his luck would hold.
‘Will there be a pond, and horses?’ seven-year-old Matthew asked when she entered the schoolroom.
‘Dogs? Trees?’ Colin piped up, pulling away from the nursery maid who’d helped him into his jacket, and running over to her.
‘I don’t know about a pond,’ she said, ruffling his blond curls, ‘but there will certainly be trees, horses and dogs. Probably ponies, too, which the grooms might help you ride while I visit with your aunt Sarah. The older boys will probably be with their tutor, but your younger cousins will be able to show you about.’
‘I should not like to be helped by a common groom,’ eight-year-old Edward said, standing with his arms crossed.
‘One should never refuse the help of an expert, even if he is a commoner,’ Faith replied. ‘If we’d spent more time in the country, Edward, you would already be a proficient rider, with your own pony. I hope soon, we will go to Ashedon Court, and you may begin lessons.’
‘I want to climb a tree!’ Colin announced. ‘Mama’s climbed lots of trees. I want to be up in the branches, taller than everyone!’
‘Looby, Mama is a duchess,’ Edward said with an exasperated look. ‘She doesn’t climb trees.’
‘I don’t know—I might still be able to manage it,’ she replied, a bit disconcerted by her eldest’s pronouncements. ‘I certainly climbed any number while I was growing up. We shall see about that later today, Colin. Now, into the carriage, boys. Mary, bring their extra things.’
Excitement rising higher, Faith helped the nursery maid usher the boys from the room. Though she was disappointed to learn from his note that Davie planned to ride escort, she could understand why he’d not want to be confined for several hours in a carriage with three active boys. He’d keep pace at her window, his missive said; they would be able to chat.
But not touch, her frustrated senses knew. Although she was thrilled to be taking her sons to meet the family they hadn’t seen in so long, having them with her meant that she would have no time alone with Davie.
Which might be a good thing, she acknowledged as she descended the stairs behind her sons, the younger two whooping as they chased each other. She was still undecided on what to do about this...passionate connection between them. It would be a good deal safer to content herself merely with a revival of the camaraderie they’d shared long ago.
In truth, Davie’s unfailing good humour, intelligent conversation, and supportive concern were so many miles beyond what she’d experienced in these last meagre years of isolation, despite the frustration of her senses, she felt blessed enough to have that.
‘Mary, take Colin’s hand and help him avoid the puddles,’ Faith instructed as they caught up with the boys and exited the back stairs into the garden. Reaching over to snag Matthew’s, she added, ‘I’d at least like to begin the journey with the boys not all-over mud.’
But puddles and mud and boisterous boys fled from her mind as they walked out the gate to the mews where the carriage waited—and she saw Davie, dismounted beside his horse.
He was dressed for riding in breeches, jacket and boots, a simple neckcloth knotted at his throat and a modest-sized beaver hat on his head. The coat sat easily across his broad shoulders, the breeches loose-fitting enough that they suggested, rather than outlined, his powerful thighs. Neither garment was fashionably tight enough to have required the efforts of a valet to force him into them, and for a naughty instant, she regretted his body was not encased in garments that would have more closely outlined his form.
Then he was bowing before her, smiling. Her hands itched to brush the dark hair off his forehead as he straightened, and for a moment she allowed herself to focus on nothing but the steady warmth of those blue, blue eyes.
‘Even the weather smiled on you today, Duchess,’ he said. ‘I was afraid we might have to journey in the pouring rain, which would have made conversation impossible.’
‘Then I am glad, too, for the fair weather. But let me make you known to my boys. Mr Smith, may I present Colin Evers, Matthew Evers, and my eldest, Edward, now Duke of Ashedon. Boys, this is Mr Smith, a Member of Parliament for Hazelwick. He graciously agreed to escort us today since he has matters of government business to discuss with your Uncle Nicholas.’
After the men large and small made their bows and exchanged greetings, Edward said, ‘You have no title, Mr Smith?’
‘No, Your Grace,’ Davie replied.
Edward looked over to his mother. ‘Carlisle says that a duke and duchess should travel with outriders. Not a simple “mister”.’
Faith frowned, not pleased with the pattern of her eldest’s comments this morning. She suspected that his tutor, almost as toplofty in his opinions as the Dowager, must have stepped up his efforts to instil in the boy a sense of the consequence due his position, now that he was the Duke. Quite prematurely, in her opinion.
‘Perhaps, during Tudor times, when the whole court went on progress, there were outriders and equerries,’ she replied. ‘But not for a simple visit to your uncle’s house, a short drive out of London.’
‘Can we go now, Mama?’ Matthew said. ‘I want to see the horses and dogs and ponies.
‘Up with you, lads,’ Davie said, helping Matt and Colin to clamber into the carriage, his good humour seeming not at all affected by Edward’s slighting remark. Her annoyance with her son, his tutor, and her intentions to challenge the man faded as Davie stepped over to assist her.
Pushing all problems aside, she let herself savour the pleasure of his one hand on her arm, the other pressed against her back to steady her as she mounted the steps. She had a sudden notion to lose her balance, so he might catch her in his arms.
She was seated, regretting the loss of his touch, before her mind wrenched control back from her senses. Behave yourself, it reproved. You’re a mother of three, not a silly, swooning girl—or a doxy on the stage.
Her cheeks burning as she acknowledged the truth of that assessment, she nonetheless couldn’t keep her gaze from veering back to Davie, as, with an easy grace, he threw himself up into the saddle. Then the coachman snapped his whip, and they set off.
The narrow streets and congestion of the city prevented Davie’s riding beside her window until they’d reached more open country. While her boys crowded the windows, pelting him with questions, Davie pointed out pastures, woods, grazing cows, inn signs and, once, the excitement of a mail coach passing with a blare from its horn. Even Edward relaxed his demeanour, becoming once again an eight-year-old excited by an excursion into the country, rather than a peer preparing to don his ducal coronet.
Fortunately, before Davie tired of their barrage, the carriage turned off the main road and headed down a drive that led to a red-brick manor house set at a distance in a pretty park. The drive threaded around old trees and crossed a rushing brook before passing a stable block and approaching a handsome porticoed entrance.
‘Would you ask the coachman to stop here?’ Faith called to Davie. ‘I’d like the boys to stretch their legs before trooping into the house, and I could do with a short walk myself.’
Davie passing on her request, the coach halted. ‘Can we visit the stables, Mama?’
‘Will the dogs be out?’
‘Can our cousins take us to fish?’ the three boys’ questions overlapped as they jumped down.
‘To the house, first, boys,’ she replied. ‘You must greet your aunt properly before you go haring off across the property.’
With a collective sigh, the boys fell in line, Colin skipping as he followed his older brothers. Faith slowed to relish the feel of her hand in Davie’s as he helped her down, then began walking beside him. ‘I’m sorry about Edward’s impertinence,’ she murmured.
Davie waved a disparaging hand. ‘He’s just a boy, and mimicking what he hears, I suspect.’
‘Yes, I believe it’s his tutor’s influence. Carlisle has a starched-up sense of consequence which my late husband appreciated, and I don’t. I would wish my poor son the freedom to be a boy before he has to shoulder all the responsibilities of a duke. Which I would like him to shoulder responsibly, without the toplofty sense of superiority his father and uncle possess.’
‘If you don’t like the tutor, dismiss him.’
Faith halted, surprised. ‘Can I do that? Would the trustees allow it?’
‘Find a respectable replacement and notify them. If they do object, you can always apologise and promise not to exceed your authority in future.’ He grinned. ‘Ask forgiveness, rather than permission; that’s always been my motto. In the meantime, you’ll be rid of an employee who doesn’t please you.’
‘Perhaps I shall,’ she said, cheered by the idea of dispensing with the impediment Carlisle had become. ‘But I don’t have any idea how to find a replacement.’
‘Ask Englemere, or your sister. Surely they’ve engaged several tutors for their sons over the years.’
By then, they’d reached the entry steps, the butler holding open the front door to admit them. Before Faith finished handing over her wrap to the butler, her sister Sarah came hurrying out.
‘Faith! My darling Faith! I’m so delighted to see you! And your sons—my, how they’ve grown. Come give your Aunt Sarah a hug, boys!’
As she knelt down, her smile warm and her arms open, the boys scampered over like eager puppies, even Edward unbending to accept her embrace.
She rose, leaving her arms loosely around the shoulders of the two youngest. ‘Mr Smith, how kind of you to escort my family here safely. And to bring out those committee reports, sparing my husband one day’s ride in and out of London. We both very much appreciate it.’
‘It was my privilege. Your princess is doing better, I hope?’ Davie said.
‘Yes, Lizzie seems much improved this last week. With it being so sunny today, I may even let her go outside with her cousins—I’ve given them all a holiday from their lessons, in honour of your visit. Cook made some special jam tarts, too. Once you boys have had some tea in the nursery, you can go outside.’
‘To see the horses?’ Matthew asked.
‘Horses, ponies, dogs. I think we have some hoops and sticks in the stables, too. A pond with frogs, or you might drop a line in it.’
‘Fishing?’ Edward said, his eyes brightening.
‘Whatever you wish,’ Sarah replied. ‘It’s not often that my nephews visit. Now that you know the way, I hope you’ll come back.’
‘Me, too,’ Colin said. ‘I love tarts!’
‘We will come back, won’t we, Mama?’ Matthew asked.
‘Yes. Yes, we will,’ Faith replied, meeting her sister’s questioning regard, a wave of warmth and affection sweeping over her. This was her family, the older sister who’d been more mother than sister to her, whose children she barely knew. Freed from the shadow of her disapproving husband, she intended to rectify that error.
‘I’ll leave you to your family party,’ Davie said. ‘Though I will regret missing those jam tarts! Is Englemere in the library?’
‘Yes, I’ll have Wendover show you the way. And don’t worry, I’ll have some of those tarts sent in for your tea, too.’
‘Thank heavens! You’re an angel, Lady Englemere. Duchess.’ Giving Faith a nod and a little wink, Davie walked down the hallway after the butler.
Faith stared after him as he disappeared. The pang at the loss of his company was eased by a growing sense of warmth and well-being—the feeling of coming home again, she realised with a little shock.
She looked back to see her sister watching her watching Davie. Colouring a little, she turned to her sons. ‘Shall we go up to the nursery and meet your cousins?’
‘Yes, yes,’ the boys chorused as, laughing, Sarah took each of the younger ones by the hand. ‘Follow me, then.’
‘You must tell me how they are doing,’ Faith said as they climbed the stairs. ‘Aubrey, Charles and Nicholas will be studying with their tutor, since you chose not to send any of the boys to Eton. And Elizabeth is still with Nurse, recovering?’
‘Yes, I’ve kept Elizabeth away from her brothers, so she’s not tempted to exert herself too much yet, though as I told Mr Smith, she is much better. Charles and Nicholas are very much anticipating taking a holiday from study today with your boys, but Aubrey isn’t with us; he left for Oxford earlier this year.’
‘Oxford?’ Faith exclaimed in shock. ‘Impossible! He can’t be old enough yet!’
‘He’s turned seventeen,’ Sarah said, a mingling of pride and sadness on her face. ‘A young man now, off preparing himself to enter a man’s world. I miss him dreadfully. Charles is fifteen, and even little Nicholas is now seven. My babies are growing up!’
Faith shuddered. ‘I’m happy my eldest is only eight!’
The party reached the schoolroom, where Sarah’s sons bounded out to meet them. As the sisters reintroduced the cousins to each other, Edward gravitated towards the oldest of his counterparts. ‘Do you have a tutor?’ he asked Charles.
‘I do, although Mama and Papa read with us, too,’ the boy replied, then halted, dismay on his face. ‘I’m so sorry—Mama told me you lost your papa this year. You must miss him awfully.’
Edward shrugged. ‘I never saw him much.’
Charles’s eyes widened. ‘Did you not? How unlucky! I get to see mine every day, unless he must stay overnight in London for a meeting. I suppose your papa travelled a lot.’
‘I guess,’ Edward answered vaguely.
Regret, anger and anguish stirred in Faith’s gut. How long would she be able to shield Edward before he discovered just what sort of ‘travelling’ had led to his father’s premature demise?
After a concerned glance at Faith’s face, Sarah said quickly, ‘Boys, I’ve sent for your tea to be brought up—’
‘With jam tarts, Mama?’ Nicholas interrupted.
‘Yes, with jam tarts.’ While he and his brother Charles cheered, she continued, ‘After tea, you must take your cousins to the fishing pond and the stable. I think all the boys would like to take a turn on your ponies.’
‘That would be beyond everything wonderful, Aunt Sarah!’ Matthew cried.
‘I would like to see that fishing pond,’ Edward admitted.
‘You boys enjoy yourselves, while your mama and I have a comfortable coze.’ Sarah leaned over to give her two sons a kiss. ‘Don’t let them break anything important, like an arm or a leg.’
‘Nothing bigger than a finger, Mama,’ Charles promised with a grin.
Leaving the boys in the schoolroom with the nursery maids, Sarah led Faith to her private sitting room. ‘We’ll have our tea here, and catch up.’
‘Oh, Sarah, it is so good to see you and the children again! I am sorry I stayed away so long.’
‘So am I. I did call on you several times in those early years, when Nicholas was in London for Parliament. I was always told you were “unavailable”. Which I know was on Ashedon’s instructions, not yours.’
‘“Unavailable”?’ Faith cried. ‘You truly came to the house, and were turned away? That’s—that’s incredible!’ She seized her sister’s hand. ‘I’m so sorry! And, no, it was certainly not on my instructions. I would never have been too busy to see you!’
Sarah squeezed her hand before releasing it. ‘I thought as much. I wasn’t angry, just sad, and worried about Ashedon exerting so much control over your life—just as I’d feared he would.’
‘He’d certainly discouraged me from contacting any of my family. How like him to make sure that dictate was enforced, by forbidding the staff to let me know you’d called,’ Faith said bitterly. ‘And how gracious you are, not reminding me that you’d strongly advised me not to marry him.’
Sarah gave her a sympathetic look. ‘It’s hard to dissuade a girl as much in love as you were.’
‘A girl too stupid to recognise the truth when her sister told it to her.’
Sarah waved a disparaging hand. ‘Not stupid at all! Even I, who was suspicious of his intentions, had to admit his display of affection was convincing. For your sake, I’d hoped it was genuine. But from what I knew of his character, I suspected it was not.’
‘He got exactly what he wanted—a girl so bedazzled she tried to anticipate his every desire, a girl too meek and obliging to resist him even long after she realised he’d only married her to get a well-bred brood mare to produce his children, one spineless enough not to create scenes or tax him about his affairs.’
Sarah gave her a hug. ‘You are too hard on yourself. You offered him the love and warmth and sense of joy you radiate to everyone around you. It was his loss that he did not appreciate such a gift.’
‘Well, enough about the sorry past. We’re seeing each other again, and I intend that we shall continue to. Bad enough I didn’t begin until it was too late for my boys to know Aubrey; I want to make sure the rest of the cousins can become as close as we siblings were, growing up.’
‘I should love that, too! So, what do you intend to do with yourself, now that you no longer have to please a husband? You...haven’t given a thought to remarriage yet, have you?’
Recognising that as a subtle enquiry about her relationship with Davie, Faith felt her face flush. ‘Having just got out of one highly unsatisfactory marriage, I’m not sure I ever want to risk the institution again. I doubt that my powers of discernment are much better now than they were at seventeen. How could I trust that a man valued me for myself, and not for my wealth and position? And even if I could trust his affection—’ in her mind’s eye, she saw Davie’s face ‘—how could I trust that it would endure, once he spent as much time with me as a husband would?’ She shook her head. ‘I think I would do better to content myself with mothering my boys.’
And what of passion? her senses demanded. She pushed the question away, not ready to make a decision about that yet.
‘Nicholas told me that you’d attended a dinner at Lord Witlow’s,’ Sarah’s voice recalled her. ‘And seemed to enjoy discussing politics. Don’t I remember you used to discuss that, and all manner of things, with Mr Smith?’ She laughed. ‘For six months after the summer you spent with Cousin Joanna, I heard nothing but “Mr Smith thinks this” and “Mr Smith said that”.’ She pinned Faith with her frankly assessing gaze. ‘You seem to have resumed your friendship.’
‘Yes,’ Faith replied. ‘But don’t give me that look. I’ve already said I have no interest in remarriage; even if I did, I know that Mr Smith, despite his rise in politics, wouldn’t be considered suitable. But surely now I am free to choose whatever friends I like! And friendship is all I’m interested in.’
And maybe something warmer than friendship? the sharp voice of honesty added.
‘You can’t fault me for wishing, after all the unhappy years you spent, that you might find the same happiness I have with Nicholas,’ Sarah protested. ‘But as long as you are getting out, mingling with friends and engaging in activities you enjoy, I shall be content.’
‘As long as I can do that, and spend time with the dear family I have been estranged from for too long, I shall be content, too,’ Faith replied.
‘Speaking of family, shall we go see what the boys are up to?’
Comforted and encouraged by their talk, Faith rose. ‘Yes, let’s join the children.’ Arm in arm, they descended from Sarah’s salon to the terrace and down the gravel path to the tree-bordered garden.
They encountered the boys, a pack of dogs running and barking around them, as soon as they turned the corner at the edge of the walled kitchen garden—all except Colin. A spurt of alarm zipping through her, before she could ask Charles what had become of her youngest, she spotted him, proudly perched on the first branch of a nearby oak tree. ‘Mama, look!’ he called. ‘I can do it! Charles only had to help me a little. I’m taller than everyone!’
‘So you are. Bravo!’ she replied, smiling with fond affection at her fearless, adventuresome son.
‘Can you climb up, too, Mama? There’s room.’ He patted a place on the limb beside him.
‘Since this is a day for finding my roots again,’ she said, grinning at Sarah, ‘maybe I should.’
‘Oh, Mama, don’t be silly,’ Edward said.
Irritated at his dismissive tone, she turned to him. The look of distaste on his face, the disparagement of his tone, made him seem the image of his late father—who’d been so unappreciative of who she was, who’d tried in every way to squelch the freeness of spirit she was finally rediscovering, or smother it by forcing her always into company with those just as disapproving.
Sudden fury filled her. Before she knew what she intended, she’d marched to the base of the tree, kicked off her slippers, and reached up to grasp the lowest branch. After examining the trunk to find the best toe-holds, she steadied her grip, swung herself up and dug her feet into the furrowed trunk.
While the boys whooped and clapped, Colin laughed in glee and Edward looked on, astonished, as she managed to pull, push and shimmy herself several feet up the trunk, where she eased to a resting position on the branch beside her son. A beaming Colin scooted over to give her a fierce hug. ‘You’re the bestest mama ever!’
‘It appears I still have the knack!’ she announced, hugging him back.
‘So it does.’
Shocked at the sound of Davie’s voice, Faith twisted, nearly losing her balance. She felt her cheeks flush as she watched him and Englemere stroll into the garden, suddenly aware of the dirt on her hands, what would doubtless prove to be stains on her skirts—and the fact that her climb had ruched up those skirts so she was now displaying a very indecorous amount of ankle and leg.
‘Well and truly caught, my dear sister-in-law,’ Nicky said, coming over to wrap an arm around his wife.
‘You do climb as well as you did as a girl,’ Sarah said, laughing.
‘Not quite,’ she replied, still embarrassed. But as she saw Davie’s gaze trace her leg from the stockinged toes to the curve of her calf, heat of a different sort washed through her. Suddenly breathless, she said, ‘It—it was much easier to climb in breeches. I’m not sure how I shall get down without creating a spectacle.’
‘Let me help.’ Davie walked over to the tree and stationed himself below her. Raising his arms, he said, ‘Lean down a little, and give me your hands. I’ll have you safely on the ground in a trice.’
Looking down, she was surprised to realise he was indeed tall enough that she needed to stretch down only a small distance to reach his extended hands.
‘Slide forward off the branch,’ he coached. ‘I won’t let you come to any harm.’
‘I know you won’t.’ She leaned forward and placed her hands in his.
‘I have you now. You can push off.’
And he did have her. She couldn’t take her eyes from the face, confident, slightly smiling, that gazed up at her encouragingly. He tightened his grip, pulled, and then she was falling, falling into the void—and into his arms.
He cushioned her descent, letting her slide down his strong, solid body until her feet touched the ground, and then steadied her, his eyes never leaving her face.
She stared up at him, suddenly unable to draw a breath, the memories racing back. He’d rescued her once before, when in the gathering darkness of a summer evening long ago, she’d misjudged her descent from the tree in cousin Joanna’s back garden where she’d been reading to him, and slipped. Waiting below, he’d caught her and eased her to the ground, bracing her until she found her footing.
And then, as a spangle of stars sparkled over them, he’d leaned down and kissed her.
From the sudden tightness of his grip, the blaze of heat in his eyes, she knew he was remembering it, too. The babble of the children’s voices, the gambolling dogs, the presence of her sister and brother-in-law watching them—all of it faded, until she could feel only the energy pulsing between them, see only his rapt gaze focused on her face, her lips.
With every fibre of her being she yearned for him to kiss her again. Even though she knew it was impossible.
He must have concluded that, too, for he stepped back and pushed her away, breaking the spell. ‘Safe on the ground again,’ he said gruffly.
On the ground again, perhaps, she thought. But not at all safe.
‘How about you, young lad?’ Davie called up to Colin. ‘Are you ready to hop down?’
‘Will you catch me, like you did Mama?’
‘Of course.’
‘Here I come!’ With that, Colin launched himself from the branch.
Davie caught him easily, then swung the boy round and round while he shrieked with glee, before setting him on his feet again.
‘I love climbing trees! Will you bring us again tomorrow?’
Oh, how I would love that! Faith thought. ‘I’m afraid Mr Smith has to work, Colin.’
‘Climbing trees would be heaps more fun,’ the boy coaxed.
Davie laughed. ‘You must know the committee members I have to deal with.’
‘All right, boys, back to the house,’ Sarah ordered. At the sighs and protests of dismay, she added, ‘Did I mention that Cook might have an additional treat waiting in the nursery?’
‘More jam tarts?’ Matthew exclaimed. ‘Bet I beat you there, Nicholas!’ With that, he took off running, the other boys pelting behind him.
‘Did your discussions go well?’ Sarah asked, turning to the gentlemen.
‘I think we’re getting ever closer to a compromise Englemere will be able to persuade his colleagues to accept,’ Davie said.
‘That’s excellent news!’ Sarah exclaimed.
‘We’ll take up the work again when I ride in tomorrow,’ Englemere said. ‘Thank you again for bringing out the latest documents, so I might be prepared, Mr Smith.’
‘It was my pleasure.’
‘And mine,’ Faith said. ‘Let me add my thanks, for allowing us to accompany you. It was so wonderful to spend time with my family again!’
‘You must visit them often,’ Davie advised.
Every day, if I could claim your escort, Faith thought.
‘Shall we join the children back at the house?’ Englemere said. ‘Much as I hate to break up the party, it’s probably time to call for your carriage, if you are to return to London for the boys’ supper.’
‘I should do some additional work on those documents before tomorrow, too,’ Davie said.
Realising with regret that their interlude together was nearly at an end, Faith recalled Davie’s earlier advice. ‘Nicky, Sarah, could I ask your help?’ she said, taking her sister’s arm. ‘I’ve never got on well with the tutor Ashedon engaged for the boys. Then, since Ashedon’s death, he seems to be trying to instil in Edward an excessive concern for his own consequence. Though I am sure the Dowager encourages him, I cannot like it.’
‘You must have someone who agrees with your ideas for the boys’ education,’ Englemere said. ‘Edward has plenty of time to develop a sense of what is owed to him as a duke. Shall I make enquiries and send you some recommendations?’
‘That would be wonderful! I’d like to give the current tutor his notice immediately.’
‘Then do so,’ Englemere said. ‘Edward’s only eight; he’ll not suffer any permanent damage from missing a few lessons while you look for someone who will suit you better.’
‘Thank you!’ And you, too, Davie, for encouraging me, she thought, giving him a grateful nod.
* * *
All too soon, they had collected the boys, who begged to be allowed to walk down to the stables to meet the coach before being confined again for the journey back to London. Bidding her sister’s family goodbye with vows to visit again soon, Faith and Davie set off behind the boys for the short stroll to the stables.
‘You have a fine horse, Mr Smith,’ Matthew said as they walked. ‘Did a groom teach you to ride?’
Davie laughed. ‘No, I grew up on a farm, my first mount a gentle old plough-horse.’
‘A farm?’ Colin said. ‘With trees and horses and dogs?’
‘And fields and chickens and goats and ducks and pigs, too.’
‘You could ride and fish every day?’ Matthew said, awe in his voice. ‘That must have been wonderful!’
‘There was a lot of ploughing and weeding and milking and feeding stock, too, along with the riding and fishing,’ Davie told him. ‘But it was wonderful—for a time. When I was still young, there were bad harvests, and my family lost the farm. My parents went into the city to work in a factory, and were killed in an accident.’
‘How awful for you!’ exclaimed Faith. Though she knew Davie had been orphaned, he’d never before mentioned the circumstances.
‘The tragedy did allow me to get back to the country. An older widow took me in to help her with her cottage and the farm work.’
‘Where Mr Smith later encountered Sir Edward, who was so impressed by his abilities that he sponsored him at Oxford and, with your Uncle Nicholas, supported him to become a Member of Parliament. He now has a very important role in the governing of England,’ Faith told the boys.
‘Do you not have any land?’ Edward asked, frowning. ‘My tutor said every gentleman must own land.’
Before Faith, once again annoyed at Carlisle’s officious teaching, could rebuke her son for his implied criticism, Davie said, ‘I didn’t for many years, Ashedon. But I was recently able to buy back from Sir Edward the farm my parents used to own.’
‘So you have a farm, too?’ Matthew said. ‘Can we visit it?’
‘Some day, if you like,’ Davie replied, giving Faith a wink to forestall her objections. ‘It’s rather far away, though.’
‘Do you have horses and trees and dogs?’ Colin asked.
‘Yes. In fact, the horse I’m riding today was bred there. A tenant manages the land for me, since I spend most of the year in London, working on government business.’
‘I’m sorry you don’t have a title,’ Edward said. ‘But I s’pose it’s all right, if you own some land.’
They’d reached the stables by then, the boys running off to have one last look at the horses before being corralled into the carriage for the journey home. Turning to Faith, Davie said with a smile, ‘I think I’ve just been accorded the ducal approval.’
‘Please, don’t encourage him!’ Faith said with a groan. ‘I’m going to give Carlisle his notice tonight! I shall do everything I can to make sure Edward doesn’t grow up to be a replica of his father.’ Looking up into Davie’s strong, kind, handsome face, she added softly, ‘I shall try to help him grow up to be like you. Compassionate towards his fellow man—those of his own rank, and those who are not. Diligent in his duties to his land and its tenants. Responsibly involved in the governing of his country.’
Davie reddened under her scrutiny. ‘I appreciate the compliment, but I certainly don’t deserve it. I’m no paragon, Faith. I have just as many flaws and faults as any man.’
‘Don’t disillusion me by pointing them out,’ she said with a smile.
‘Carlisle might turn...unpleasant when you dismiss him. Are you sure you want to tackle that now? You could wait until Englemere finds you a replacement.’
‘It won’t be any easier then. I’m not always a meek little mushroom! I can be hard, even toplofty, if the reason to be so is compelling enough. No matter how unpleasant the interview, knowing Carlisle will be gone at the end of it will make the experience worth it!’
‘How fierce you are,’ he teased.
‘Fiercer than you might expect,’ she tossed back. ‘Now, before the boys return and the groom brings out your horse, let me thank you one last time for escorting us today.’
‘You seem to thrive, back with your family, here in the countryside you’ve always loved. You certainly haven’t lost your talent for climbing trees!’
‘I do sometimes have difficulty climbing down, though.’
‘Ah, that’s the part I like best. The climbing down.’ He stepped closer, close enough for her to feel the heat radiating from his body.
The coachman and grooms were still in the stable with her boys. For this moment, blocked from view by the coach, they were almost...alone.
‘I liked the “getting down”, too,’ Faith said, her throat suddenly so constricted that the words came out in a whisper. The passion that had been simmering beneath the surface all day flared up to envelop her in heat and need. Helpless against his appeal, she closed the distance between them and angled her head up.
For a moment, he hesitated. ‘This is madness,’ he muttered. But even as she whimpered with frustration and urgency, he cupped her face with his hands and leaned down to kiss her.
His touch was gentle, tender, his lips tracing hers almost with reverence, the contact so sweet, she felt the burn of tears. But then, as she clutched at his coat, he coaxed her lips to part and delved inside.
She gasped as his tongue found hers, laved and stroked at first lightly, then with increasing force. Desire flaming hotter, she brought her hands up to clasp his neck, urging the kiss harder, deeper.
He tasted like tea, with a sweet echo of jam. She couldn’t get enough of the strength of his body against hers, the tender hold of his fingers on her face such a contrast to the fierceness with which he was devouring her mouth. She wanted more, closer—
And then he was stepping back, thrusting her away, keeping her at arm’s length when she would have closed the distance between them again. Only then, her senses swirling in a vortex of desire, did she hear it—the gruff tones of the grooms in counterpoint to the soprano of her sons’ voices, the whinny of the team being led to the traces.
Davie cleared his throat. ‘Shall I assist you into the coach, Duchess?’ he said loudly, his voice a little ragged. Not meeting her glance, he thrust out his arm for her to take and led her to the door, which one of the grooms trotted over to open.
Still beyond speech, she could only look back mutely at him as the groom took her hand from Davie and helped her up the steps. Then, before she could recover, he turned to accept his horse’s reins from another groom, and swung himself into the saddle.
‘I’ll ride ahead for a while,’ he told her over the giggles and chatter of her sons as they climbed up, agile as monkeys. ‘I feel the need of a good gallop.’ Giving her a nod, he put spurs to his mount and set off.
Her heartbeat only now beginning to slow, Faith watched him ride away. How she, too, would have appreciated the freedom of breeches and the possibility of a hard gallop, with a sharp wind to cool passion’s fire and clear the fog of lust from her brain!
She hoped he wouldn’t regret the kiss, for she certainly did not.
No, it had not been prudent; had they been caught, explaining it away would have been difficult, and she would place no reliance at all on the willingness of Ashedon’s servants, whose master had for years provided them with so much delicious fodder for gossip, to refrain from whispering about it.
But all she could think about was how wonderful it had been. And how, in a more discreet place and time, she could induce him to repeat it.