Leah stepped down from Dolph’s carriage and peered up at the town house that would be her home for the next few months. Despite the anguish of leaving Dolphin Court—and the heart-wrenching memories of the tear-stained faces of Stevie and Nicky, and their sobbing pleas for her not to leave—she had worked hard not to dwell on what she was leaving behind during the carriage ride to London, instead setting her thoughts firmly on the future.
Her future. Her half-sisters. The new life that awaited her.
That was the only way to banish the memory of Dolph and his kisses, that awful proposal, and his utter lack of emotion as he bid her goodbye. She was grateful to him for the comfort of her journey, however, so she would not become bitter that a man she had fallen in love with did not feel the same way towards her. That thoughtfulness—to send her to London in his own carriage, with the maid, Sally, to lend her respectability—confirmed her basic instinct that Dolph was a good man. Sally’s presence had also stopped Leah brooding, helping her control her misery, and now they had arrived, she couldn’t deny the thrill of excitement that raced through her at what was to come.
The coachmen unloaded Leah’s trunk as the front door opened to reveal a nondescript man with mousy hair and a prominent nose, dressed in a black tailcoat. His sharp gaze took them all in, and then he bowed to Leah.
‘Miss Thame? We have been expecting you.’ Before leaving Dolphin Court, Leah had written to Aurelia to tell her she was on her way. ‘I am Vardy, your butler.’
Two footmen hurried out past him to collect Leah’s trunk and carry it inside.
‘I am pleased to meet you, Vardy.’
‘Will your people require accommodation?’ He eyed the carriage. ‘I’m afraid we cannot stable the horses—there’s only the two stalls in the mews.’
‘Don’t you worry about us, miss,’ Travers said. ‘His Lordship said we was to put up at his town house for the night. It’s closed up, but there’s a caretaker there and we’ll make do for one night, never fear.’
‘Thank you.’ Leah looked from one to the other, all faces grown familiar to her, and tears prickled behind her eyes. ‘I am grateful for all your help on the journey.’
She fumbled in her reticule and withdrew some coins to give to the three. ‘In appreciation. Thank you again. And goodbye.’
A parting less painful than that with the boys. Or, even worse, with Dolph—although the memory of his shuttered expression fired her determination to forget all about him as soon as she could. Her heart might have been torn into pieces, but he showed no remorse at losing her. Decent man or not, that proposal really had been all about her staying for the sake of the children. She welcomed the hot flare of anger inside—anger she would need to help her put the past behind her without too many backward glances.
The carriage rattled away, and she followed Vardy along the entrance hall and up the stairs.
‘Mrs Butterby and Miss Croome are in the drawing room.’ He opened a door off the landing. ‘Miss Thame has arrived, ma’am.’
He stood aside, and Leah—her insides a tangle of nerves—walked into a pleasant room with high windows and decorated in shades of gold and green. Her nerves soon disappeared as Aurelia crossed the room with her hands outstretched. She looked altogether different from the gaunt, dull-haired woman Leah had met in the solicitor’s office just under five weeks ago. Now her fair hair shone, her hollow cheeks had filled, her skin glowed and her high-necked morning dress with blue bodice and blue and white striped skirt accentuated her blue eyes. She looked every inch the Society lady and Leah felt dowdy in comparison.
‘Leah! I am so pleased you are come at last. Come and meet Mrs Butterby, our chaperone. I warn you, she takes her role very seriously,’ she added in a whisper, rolling her eyes.
Leah peered over her half-sister’s shoulder at the elegant grey-haired lady standing by the sofa. The name Butterby had conjured up a plump, motherly figure vastly different from this slender, unsmiling female.
She switched her gaze back to her sister, contentment spreading through her. ‘I am happy to meet you again, Aurelia. Thank you for the welcome.’
Daringly, she kissed Aurelia’s cheek, breathing in an exotic, spicy scent that conjured up images of faraway lands, colour and sunshine.
‘And, Mrs Butterby.’ She crossed the drawing room to the lady and, not knowing quite what would be expected, bobbed a curtsy. ‘Thank you for taking on the role of our chaperone.’
The lady’s smile was unexpectedly sweet, relieving the severity of her face as her eyes crinkled at the corners. Leah immediately felt more at ease.
‘I am happy to meet you, Miss Thame. And Aurelia is correct—’ a censorious look was levelled at Aurelia, who elevated one perfectly arched eyebrow in response ‘—I do take my role seriously. It is my ambition to see you all successfully wed by the end of the Season and, to that end, you will both do well to remember I have cultivated the hearing of a bat, the eyes of a hawk and a nose for trouble—essential attributes for a chaperone with three wealthy young ladies’ reputations to protect.’
Leah caught a second eye-roll from Aurelia and bit back a smile. Battle lines, it seemed, had already been drawn between them. She could hardly blame Aurelia for being put out when she, like Leah, had been earning her own way in life—she would understandably chafe at such restrictions. For her own part, Leah did not much care. She had no desire to go out there and flirt with various men. Mentally, she wafted away the black cloud that descended whenever her thoughts drifted in Dolph’s direction. Soon, she hoped, she would feel genuine enthusiasm for the Season ahead instead of the fake excitement she must project to the world to disguise her inner heartache.
‘And, speaking of reputations, I ought to forewarn you, Miss Thame—Lady Tregowan’s will, and the identity of the beneficiaries, has been the gossip du jour from the moment of Aurelia’s arrival. I counsel you to keep the details of your paternity a secret, however. An air of mystery will do none of you any harm and the truth that you are half-sisters might well blight your chances with some of the most eligible gentlemen.’
Leah disliked the idea of hiding her relationship to her half-sisters but, seeing Aurelia’s quick shake of the head, she said nothing. For the moment.
‘Have either of you heard from Beatrice?’ she said instead. ‘Do you know when she is likely to arrive in London?’
‘No.’ Mrs Butterby frowned. ‘I hope she will arrive soon—we have all manner of appointments with mantua-makers, milliners and dancing masters, and the later she arrives, the more of a rush it will be to prepare her for when the Season proper begins. As it is, she will miss out on the earlier entertainments. There are already a few families in Town, and I expect invitations to start to arrive as soon as word spreads about three heiresses on the hunt for a husband.’
On the hunt for a husband... What a dreadful phrase. What a dreadful prospect.
‘Shall I ring for refreshments? I dare say you are fatigued after your long journey, Miss Thame.’
‘Oh, please. Call me Leah. Every time I hear Miss Thame, I am transported straight back to the schoolroom, and I intend to leave all memory of my time as a governess in the past.’
Surreptitiously, she crossed her fingers, praying that if she told herself that enough times, it would be true.
‘Leah. Thank you. Although I shall stick to the formalities in public.’
‘Of course. Might I freshen up first? I feel decidedly grubby.’
‘I asked the kitchen to heat water ready for you. Come. I shall show you up to your bedchamber.’ Aurelia headed for the door. ‘Your maid will have unpacked your trunk by now, I dare say.’
‘My maid?’
‘Yes indeed.’ Mrs Butterby’s eyes twinkled. ‘If you are to take the ton by storm, you will, first and foremost, need to look the part. Unless you wish to spend hours coaxing your own hair into the latest fashionable style?’
‘Of course.’
Life would be easier if she agreed to everything until she worked out which aspects of this new life suited her and which did not. It would take time to become used to the fact she was a wealthy woman and, as such, in control of her own life. Until she married, that was. If she married. She had already decided she would not wed just any man for the sake of it because, if that was to be her fate, why would she not have accepted Dolph?
Except you already love him. And he still loves Rebecca. That is why.
Nevertheless, she would try to find a husband to suit her—a man she could respect and with whom she could be comfortable. Life might not reach the peaks of excitement with such a spouse, but she would at least be protected from the despair that would result from her loving too much and him too little.
She joined Aurelia and followed her upstairs to the second floor.
‘My bedchamber and one other overlook the street, so we put you in that one,’ Aurelia said. ‘Beatrice’s room and Prudence’s are at the back.’
The name Prudence conjured up a picture of Nicky and his pony, now renamed Swift. It felt as though a knife stabbed her through the heart, but Leah forced a laugh. ‘Prudence?’
Aurelia’s blue eyes narrowed. ‘What’s wrong?’
Leah shook her head. ‘Nothing. I—I used to know someone called Prudence, that’s all.’
‘And is Prudence the reason you crossed your fingers when you claimed you wished to leave all memories of your time as a governess in the past?’
I shall have to take care around Aurelia. She is altogether too perceptive.
‘I don’t know what you mean.’ Leah swallowed. ‘Is Prudence Mrs Butterby’s name?’
‘Clever diversionary tactic there, Leah. And yes, although she has not suggested I use it, so I don’t call her that to her face.’ An impish grin lit Aurelia’s face. ‘One has to take one’s pleasure where one may.’ She winked. ‘Here we are.’ She opened a door. ‘My bedchamber is next to yours.’
Leah stepped inside a room decorated with a trailing light pink and green floral-design wallpaper. Two tall windows were dressed with rose-coloured curtains that matched the drapes around the bed and the eiderdown. Matching walnut furniture, including a wardrobe, chest of drawers, washstand and dressing table, was placed around the walls, and a gently steaming jug and a basin stood on the washstand, ready for Leah to wash. Her trunk was already empty, and a dark-haired woman of around five-and-forty was placing Leah’s clothing in the drawers. She turned as they entered and curtsied.
‘Good afternoon, miss. I am Faith, your lady’s maid.’
Her gaze travelled over Leah from head to foot and back again, making Leah squirm as she imagined the thoughts running through Faith’s head. No doubt she would regret not having a rewarding subject like Aurelia to dress. She drew herself up to her full height.
‘I am pleased to meet you, Faith.’ Leah turned to Aurelia. ‘Thank you. If you will excuse me, I should like to wash and to change my gown. I’ll join you in the drawing room shortly.’
Aurelia smiled. ‘I am glad you’ve arrived, Leah. I’m looking forward to getting to know you.’
Faith helped Leah to remove her carriage gown. ‘Which gown shall I lay out, miss?’
‘The green muslin, please.’ Leah washed her hands and face, and then, enjoying the warm water on her skin, she stroked the washcloth over her bare arms and legs.
‘Have you only just started here, Faith, or did you work for Lady Tregowan before?’
‘Mrs Butterby appointed me a fortnight ago, miss. Me and Maria, who will be Miss Fothergill’s maid when she arrives. Bet started earlier—she is working for Miss Croome.’ Faith had found Leah’s muslin and laid it on the bed. ‘This colour must suit you very well, miss, if you don’t mind me saying? It will bring out your eyes—such a lovely colour, they are. And it’ll be a stunning contrast with your hair.’
She handed Leah a towel. Leah dried her face, then patted her limbs dry before handing it back, Faith’s words running through her head the entire time.
‘Red hair is unfashionable,’ she ventured.
Faith cocked her head to one side. ‘In my book, to be different is a good thing. All those young misses...they are like peas in a pod! You... Look at you, miss. I count myself lucky to have you rather than Miss Croome. Golden hair? Pah! You are tall. Slim. Elegant. Your hair is stunning, and your eyes are amazing. We will work to make the most of you, and you will end up the toast of the Season. You see if I am not right.’
I don’t want to be the toast of the Season. I want Dolph!
Would pain slash at her every time he entered her thoughts? Would she ever forget him? She turned to the dressing table. ‘Well, I count myself lucky to have you too, Faith. You have bolstered my confidence no end. Thank you.’
‘Ah, bless you, miss. I love my job...’ Faith moved behind Leah and began to unpin and then brush out her hair. Leah closed her eyes, enjoying the luxury of someone else teasing out the tangles. ‘I used to work for Lady Yeovil,’ Faith continued, ‘until she passed away. She was also, as they say, not in the common way, but in her heyday the gentlemen buzzed around her like bees around blossom.’
The remainder of the afternoon was spent being lectured by Mrs Butterby on all aspects of tonnish life. Aurelia—having, as she said, heard it all before—soon excused herself, claiming she wanted to read her book in peace. Mrs Butterby watched her go.
‘Really! She will be the death of me, that girl.’
‘Why do you say that?’
‘I know she is your half-sister, Leah, but she is determined not to accept my advice. Headstrong, that is what she is. I fear for her reputation—let alone her virtue—when she is let loose in Society.’
‘Do not forget Aurelia has been looking after her own life—and virtue—since her mother died. I am sure she hears what you are saying, even if she appears unwilling to take your advice. I’m certain your fears are unfounded.’
‘I hope you are right. I am keen to see all three of you happily settled, that is all. Do not misunderstand me, Leah. I like Aurelia. She has a quick mind and she is a beautiful woman. But she is stubborn; she has a sharp tongue at times; and she is, I find, guarded. Mayhap she will confide more in you, as you are nearer the same age. You might prove a calming influence on her.’
Leah intended to love Aurelia as her sister, whether or not she proved stubborn, sharp-tongued and secretive. She hoped they would also become friends.
The conversation then veered onto the coming Season. Later, when they were dining, Leah broached the subject of their unexpected inheritance.
‘Will you tell us about Lady Tregowan, Mrs Butterby? Apologies if you have heard all this before, Aurelia, but I long to understand why she left her entire estate to three strangers. And why those particular conditions were included.’
‘I have no objection,’ said Aurelia.
‘Very well,’ said Mrs Butterby. ‘Now, let me see... I lived with Lady Tregowan—Sarah—for many years. She took me on as her companion after Beatrice’s mother left. Sarah was a semi-invalid following a bout of illness soon after she wed Lord Tregowan, hence her need for a companion. She didn’t know the real reason for Beatrice’s mother’s departure until much later, when His Lordship confessed all to her.’
Mrs Butterby shook her head, her expression one of contempt. ‘He experienced an epiphany when he himself fell ill. He wanted to clear his conscience before meeting his maker, and so he did just that, with no regard for the pain it would cause Sarah. He did not say it directly, but the implication was it was her fault he had strayed because she was unable to give him children. And nothing I said could shake her of the belief she was responsible for the ruin of your mothers’ lives.’
Always the woman’s fault! Sympathy for Lady Tregowan and both anger and shame for her father filled Leah. ‘And so she thought to make amends by leaving us money?’
‘Yes. Eventually. It was Aurelia’s circumstances that prompted her to act.’
‘Not that Her Ladyship ever set eyes on me that I know of,’ Aurelia said. ‘All I knew of her was as a lady who came to our milliner’s shop in Bath once. I was not there, but I remember Mama telling me and hoping she would become a regular client. But she never came back.’
‘She rarely went out and therefore had little need for new hats,’ said Mrs Butterby. ‘But that was not when she altered her will. After His Lordship died—eight years ago, now—Sarah discovered the circumstances of all of you and, as none of you appeared wanting, it never occurred to her to intervene. But then she grew sicker. We leased a house in Bath for the winter months in order that she could take the waters regularly and, while there, we learned of Aurelia’s mother’s death, which had left Aurelia in difficult circumstances.’
Aurelia hunched a shoulder but offered no clarification. Leah hoped to find out more as they became closer.
‘You say she altered her will,’ Leah said. ‘But who were the original beneficiaries?’
‘The current Lord Tregowan. He inherited the title and the entailed estates when your father died, but Falconfield and this house were unentailed and your father left them to his widow.’
‘The current Lord Tregowan?’ Leah frowned. ‘But...she must have experienced a sudden change of heart, for is it not Tregowan we are forbidden to marry?’
‘It is.’ Mrs Butterby sighed, laid down her knife and fork, and leaned back in her chair. ‘It all happened very quickly. One thing on top of the other. Do not misunderstand me—what I am about to say does not mean I disapprove of you inheriting Sarah’s estate, but the decision to change her will was made rather hastily.
‘After learning Aurelia was in dire straits, she sent a man to find out how both you and Beatrice were faring, Leah. He reported back that the man who had raised Beatrice had died, leaving her nothing, and she now relied on the charity of her brother, and that you, Leah, were earning your living as a governess, and had been dismissed from a previous job after kissing the son of your employers.’
Leah’s face heated. ‘That was not the whole story,’ she protested.
‘It never is,’ said Mrs Butterby, not unkindly. ‘Sarah fretted so, fearing that any one of you—or all of you—would follow in your mothers’ footsteps. She became obsessed with how she could stop that happening.
‘Then she learned Lord Tregowan was in financial difficulties, and it was rumoured he had substantial gambling debts. You must understand, Sarah loved Falconfield Hall. She grew up there. She brought it to the marriage as part of her dowry, and she spent almost her entire married life living there. She hated Tregowan, which is in Cornwall, and very remote. It was Tregowan where Sarah fell ill and, rightly or wrongly, she always blamed the place, flatly refusing to live there afterwards.
‘It was the only thing they ever argued about. His Lordship wanted to sell Falconfield to raise funds to invest in Tregowan, but Sarah stood firm and he, in the end, gave in to her. She was adept at using her poor health to get her own way, and I do believe he felt guilty that she contracted her illness at Tregowan.
‘Sarah convinced herself the current Lord Tregowan would sell Falconfield to pay off his gambling debts and to invest in Tregowan, and she couldn’t bear the idea after she had fought so hard against it. She hoped one of you would fall in love with Falconfield and would make it your marital home.’
‘Is that the reason why we must give first refusal to the others should one of us—or our husbands—decide to sell our share?’ asked Leah.
‘Yes. She had a new will drawn up straight away. She would not even wait to consult the solicitors who had acted for Lord Tregowan but used a firm in Bath. She signed it and gave it to me to have delivered to Henshaw and Dent in Bristol, but I delayed, fearing she might change her mind again. Two days later, she died, quite unexpectedly even though she had been ill. Her heart, the physician said.’ She paused, to swallow some wine.
‘And the other conditions?’ Leah asked. ‘Why were they included?’
‘It was her way of ensuring you did not fall from grace, as your mothers did.’
‘Fall from grace?’ Aurelia’s eyes narrowed. ‘How dare she? Her husband had a role in every one of those seductions. He knew what he was doing whereas my mother, at least, was young, unworldly and innocent. She was seventeen years old when I was born. Seventeen!’
Mrs Butterby held up her hands in a gesture of calm. ‘I am aware of it, my dear. Please believe me. But Sarah... As I said, she was somewhat obsessed. She was housebound. Bedridden for much of the time. She had little else to occupy her thoughts.’
‘That explains the stipulation we must marry,’ Leah said, ‘but why the insistence on our spending the Season in London?’
‘It was to give you all the best chance of finding a good husband.’
‘Good?’ Aurelia’s laugh was bitter. ‘Aristocrats who care for nothing other than their own pleasures; who freely spend money they do not have, and care not how many debts they leave in their wake; aristocrats with their inherent belief in their own superiority over the rest of us. I do not consider men like that to be “good”.’
Leah gripped her hands together under the cover of the table. Dolph was not like that—superior, and obsessed with money and status. Was he?
No. He cannot be, or he would not have offered for me, a lowly governess.
Even though his offer was for the wrong reasons.
‘They are not all tarnished with arrogance and greed,’ said Mrs Butterby quietly, ‘just as not all poor people are dirty, lazy and feckless. There are good and bad individuals in every walk of life. Look at Lady Tregowan—would she have even considered your fate if she had been as you described?’
Aurelia lowered her gaze to her empty plate. Leah wondered even more what Aurelia’s experiences had been. It was clear there was a great deal of anger locked inside her, and she hoped the challenge of getting to know and understand her prickly half-sister would help to distract her from the fact her heart had been torn into pieces.