‘So,’ hissed Aurelia, as she and Leah waited to climb into the carriage behind Mrs Butterby, ‘you did not tell me your Dolph is as obsessed with you as you are with him.’
‘Is he? Am I?’ Leah raised one eyebrow, affecting nonchalance despite the blush heating her cheeks. ‘That sounds singularly inappropriate given he was my employer.’
‘Tosh. You don’t fool me, sister. Or are you in the habit of allowing your employers to make love to you under the cover of assisting you with your pelisse?’
Another shiver racked Leah as she felt again the brush of Dolph’s fingers over her sensitive nape, and the sweet, petal-soft touch of his lips upon her neck. She had hoped no one had noticed. Trust Aurelia—nothing much escaped those sharp blue eyes of hers.
‘Can you trust him, though, Leah? Ask yourself what he is doing here in London.’
‘He has come on business. Please, take care,’ Leah whispered urgently. ‘Mrs Butterby will hear you.’
A footman handed first her and then Aurelia into the carriage, which immediately set off. Leah resisted the urge to look back to see if Dolph was there, somewhere, watching her depart. What did it all mean? The carefully selected words; that kiss; the fire that smouldered in those grey eyes? He’d said there was something she needed to understand before they could discuss the future. She tingled with excitement. She had prayed he might realise he loved her when she was gone, and she now prayed he could convince her of it, for her resolve was as strong as ever. If she must accept a marriage of convenience—and she was by no means certain she would do so—she would rather it was to a man whose heart was at least free to grow to love her. She would not wed a man still in love with his first wife, for that way lay misery and heartache.
A sharp nudge from Aurelia’s elbow brought Leah back to her surroundings. They were nearing home. Mrs Butterby was uncharacteristically quiet, staring out of the carriage window and nibbling absently at the finger of her glove. As the vehicle slowed, she jerked out of her reverie.
‘How is your headache now, ma’am?’ asked Leah.
‘Oh. It is a little better, I believe.’ Mrs Butterby massaged her temples as the carriage drew to a stop. ‘The noise at the rout did not help, but I have also been thinking about Beatrice, after our conversation this afternoon. I know I said there is still time, and that is true, but... I honestly did think she would be here by now. I know dear Sarah was very worried when she found out how badly her brother treated her.’
She accepted Vardy’s hand to help her down the carriage steps and walked into the house ahead of Leah and Aurelia, straight up to the drawing room, where she sat down. ‘We shall discuss what we are to do in the morning when my head is clearer. However, I cannot retire to bed without first asking you about Lord Dolphinstone, Leah.’
‘What about him?’ Leah caught Aurelia’s smirk out of the corner of her eye and glared at her.
‘May we attach any significance to his calling upon you tomorrow? He is a fine figure of a man and I do know he is well respected in Society. And an earl!’ She sighed. ‘Quite the catch!’
‘I do not know,’ she said. ‘I hope so. And yet...’ She shrugged helplessly.
Aurelia sat beside her. ‘Why do you not tell us the whole, Leah? I was right there was something between you when you worked for His Lordship, was I not?’
‘You were. We grew close and we kissed.’ She smiled, ruefully. ‘And I did not mean to, but I fell in love with him, despite knowing he had vowed never to remarry because he still loved his late wife. When I decided I must leave before I fell any deeper for him, he asked me to marry him.’
‘He asked you to marry him? And you love him?’ Mrs Butterby shook her head. ‘Why are you here? Why did you not snap his hand off, you foolish girl?’
Leah sighed. ‘He only proposed to me for the children’s sake, to stop me leaving. I overheard him tell his friend Lord Hinckley that he would do anything to stop me going, and L-Lord Hinckley suggested he marry me. It was not even Dolph’s idea. And he made no attempt to hide that it was a practical solution, as far as he was concerned.’
‘The scoundrel!’ Aurelia patted Leah’s arm. ‘But he followed you. That is a good sign, is it not?’
‘I hope so. And what he said tonight... I told him my reasons for refusing him have not changed, and he said that his reasons for making that offer have changed.’
‘But...that is wonderful.’ Mrs Butterby clasped her hands to her bosom. ‘So-o-o-o romantic.’
‘But then he said there is something I need to understand before we can speak of the future. And I have racked my brains, but I cannot think what he means. I so want to believe my dream will come true, but I have been fooled before and now I just feel confused.’
‘Well...he had the look of a man who is enamoured,’ said Aurelia, ‘but is he to be trusted? You know him best, Leah.’
Leah frowned. She so desperately wanted to trust Dolph, but the memory of Peter and Usk loomed large. Could she really trust her own judgement? But...this is Dolph. Has he ever given me reason not to trust him? She felt guilty for even doubting him. She loved him, and surely trust must go hand in hand with love?
‘You are right, Aurelia. I do know him. He was honest about the reason for his proposal at Dolphin Court and I trust him to be honest with me tomorrow.’ She prayed she was right. ‘I fear I have allowed conjecture and my emotions to distort my good sense.’ She rose to her feet. ‘I shall see you both in the morning. Goodnight.’
Despite her resolve to stop trying to guess what Dolph was to tell her, and to trust him, Leah still struggled to sleep. The following morning she awoke with a start as Faith bustled into her room.
‘Miss Thame! Miss Thame!’
Leah blurrily focussed her eyes on her maid as she fought the desire to turn over and sink back into oblivion. But the urgency in Faith’s voice roused her curiosity.
‘What is it?’ Leah propped herself up on one elbow.
‘It’s Miss Fothergill, miss. She has arrived, and...oh, miss, I knew you would want to know, so I hurried up here straight away.’
Leah frowned. Beatrice? Here? ‘What time is it?’
‘Almost nine, miss. Mr Vardy has put her in the morning parlour next to the fire. She’s chilled to the bone, poor thing.’
Leah jumped out of bed and grabbed her shawl, thrusting her feet into her slippers before hurrying from her bedchamber. ‘Have Mrs Butterby and Miss Croome been told?’
‘Bet has gone to tell them, miss.’
The door to the morning parlour was ajar and, from within, Leah could hear the snap of the fire. She paused outside the door.
‘Thank you, Faith. Please ask the kitchen to send up a warm drink and something to eat for Miss Fothergill.’
‘Mrs Burnham is already seeing to it, miss.’ Faith bobbed a curtsy and hurried away. Leah bit her lip and pushed the door open, wondering what she might find.
Beatrice was sitting on the chair nearest the fire, huddled over and seemingly talking to a wicker basket by her feet. Her head snapped up as Leah entered and her fearful expression changed to one of sheer relief. She leapt up and rushed across the room. For one moment, Leah thought Beatrice would hurl herself into her arms, but her half-sister abruptly halted when just a few feet away, her fingers plucking nervously at the skirts of her lilac gown.
‘Leah! I cannot tell you how happy I am to see you again.’
Her attempt at a smile tugged on Leah’s heartstrings. She cared not for societal norms of behaviour. Beatrice was her half-sister—her flesh and blood—and Leah’s instinct was to touch...to offer comfort. She smiled warmly, opened her arms and drew Beatrice close in a hug. Her cheek, when Leah kissed it, was cold.
‘And I,’ she said, ‘am delighted you have joined us at last. Come, sit by the fire again. You are shivering.’
She urged Beatrice to sit back down and then tugged another chair alongside so she could keep hold of her sister’s icy hand. The basket rocked and an unearthly yowl sounded from within.
‘What on earth is in there, Beatrice?’
‘Oh, dear. I hope it is all right. It is Spartacus. My cat. I could not leave him behind.’
‘Of course you could not. Is it time to let him out of there, do you think?’
‘He is hungry. I—I asked Vardy to bring something for him from the kitchen. Is that all right?’
‘Beatrice...my dear...this is your home. Yours and mine and Aurelia’s. If you wish to bring your cat, and to give an order to the butler, you are perfectly entitled to do so.’
Leah was rewarded with a smile that revealed dimples in both Beatrice’s cheeks. ‘I am sorry. I worry... I—I do not wish to take advantage, or to upset anyone.’
‘Trust me. You will not upset any of us. Everyone will just be happy you have arrived, I promise.’
Another furious and long-drawn-out yowl emerged from the basket as Mrs Burnham, the housekeeper, entered, carrying a tray laden with a pot of chocolate, two cups, a plate of fragrant, gently steaming fresh rolls, and two dishes, one of meat scraps and one of water.
‘Thank you, Mrs Burnham.’ Leah moved a side table to within Beatrice’s reach. ‘Place it here, if you please.’
Mrs Burnham poured the chocolate and then placed the two dishes on the floor, at the edge of the carpet square. ‘For the cat,’ she said.
‘Thank you.’ Beatrice knelt by the basket and unbuckled the straps. Before she could open the lid, a huge black cat pushed it up and squirmed through the opening. He hissed loudly, ears flat to his head, before streaking across the room and scrambling onto the windowsill where he glared malevolently at the three women. ‘Oh, dear.’
Leah bit back a smile and judged it better to ignore Spartacus’s antisocial behaviour for Beatrice’s sake.
‘Thank you, Mrs Burnham. And would you arrange for water to be heated for a bath for Miss Fothergill, please?’ Leah smiled at Beatrice. ‘A bath will warm you up, and we can eat a proper breakfast afterwards with Aurelia and Mrs Butterby, if you are still hungry.’
As soon as the door closed behind the housekeeper, Leah handed one of the cups to Beatrice, who wrapped her hands around it and sipped, her eyes closed. Leah took advantage of the moment to study her sister. She looked thinner than she remembered from their meeting in Bristol eight weeks ago, and some of her bloom had faded.
‘I presume by your early arrival you travelled up on the mail coach, Beatrice? You must be exhausted. I...’ Leah hesitated to pry, but she could not resist saying, ‘I am surprised your brother allowed you to travel all this way unescorted.’
Beatrice slumped in her chair, closing her eyes as she rubbed the middle of her forehead, effectively shielding her expression from Leah.
‘He did not know. I—I had to run away, you see. Percy...he’s my brother...he found the will and he insisted he would bring me to London himself. Well, him and his wife, Fenella, and her b-brother...but, oh, Leah... I could not bear them to taint my new life, and so I had to leave when I got the chance but, the whole way, I was so scared he would catch me and spoil everything.’
She hung her head and heaved in a shuddering breath, and Leah recalled Beatrice’s agitation when she had mentioned her brother after their first meeting in Bristol. She couldn’t wait to hear the whole story of what had happened, but she curbed her curiosity.
‘At least you are here now, and you are safe from him, Beatrice.’
Beatrice shook her head despondently. ‘You do not know my brother. He will not give up so easily.’ Then she fell silent, catching her lower lip between her teeth before releasing it and straightening in the chair. ‘He is not my brother, though, is he? I ought not to feel guilty for running away. And I have another family now. He can no longer tell me what to do.’ She turned a pair of huge blue eyes—so like Aurelia’s but trusting rather than wary—to Leah. ‘Can he?’
Leah squeezed Beatrice’s hand. ‘No, Beatrice. He cannot. You are a wealthy young lady now, and we—Aurelia and I—are your family.’
Beatrice set her cup down, picked up a plate and took a roll. She bit into it and chewed, her forehead creased in thought. Then she swallowed and sighed. ‘But he knows this address, Leah. He will follow me here, I know it.’
‘Let him come, then. You need never be alone with him—I, or Aurelia, will be with you.’
Beatrice smiled. ‘Thank you.’
‘There is no need to thank me. We are sisters. We will all look after one another. And, look...even Spartacus has made himself at home.’
She pointed at the cat—the biggest she had ever seen—who was crouching over the dish and wolfing down food as though he hadn’t seen a feed in a fortnight.
‘All will be well,’ she added, and her heart leapt as she recalled Dolph saying the exact same words to her last night, and as she remembered he would be here at eleven o’clock.