The Lady And The Military Man_Conquer My Heart Page 7

  "There you see, Lady Jane?" The major said to Jane. "That's the reason I can't live with my wife. Never a kind word. Of course I want to see my daughter – I want to make sure she is my daughter for one thing. For all I know the chit's an adventuress out to see what she can get."

  Catherine laughed. "An adventuress? You think that, do you?"

  "I heard that you were here!" Henry flung open the door.

  Jane had met Henry again earlier. She adored her. The first time she'd met Henry had been at Henry's school in York, where Catherine had sent her as punishment for her hoydenish ways. To Mrs. Eardley's outrage, Henry had been striding around the Gostwicke Hall's estate in breeches, even working as a stable lad in the stables at The Oaks, the estate which marched alongside Gostwicke Hall.

  Henry's days of striding about in breeches were long behind her. Now, Henrietta Eardley was everything that a young lady of the ton should be. Elegant, with a superb carriage, and flattering curves which drew male attention effortlessly, she was startlingly beautiful.

  Henry slammed the door, and advanced on Major Grove.

  He stood, and she threw herself into his arms. She hugged him, kissed his whiskery cheek briskly, and turned to her sister. "Catherine, why didn't you tell me that dear Philip was coming? Brother, we never see enough of you. I wish you would come to terms with Catherine, so that we could be a proper family again."

  Jane's eyes widened when she saw tears standing in Major Grove's eyes. He released Henry, and found a handkerchief in the bulging pockets of his riding coat. He blew his nose. "If I'd ever received as warm a welcome from Cat as I receive from you, Henry my dear, I would certainly be a member of the family."

  "You've come to see Babette?" Henry asked. She watched him carefully, while unbuttoning her leather gloves. She wore an elegant riding habit, with a frothy cravat and a sapphire pin. The fashionable habit's skirt was hooked onto the sleeve of her pelisse.

  "He thinks that Babette is an adventuress," Catherine said dryly.

  Henry put a small hand to her face and chuckled. "An adventuress! I don't think so — Philip, you must meet her at once. You will take us both riding — and Lady Jane will come too. You wouldn't credit it, a daughter of yours who cannot ride. Someone must teach her, and who better than her own father? Were you not in the cavalry when you first joined the army?"

  That caught the major's attention. "What? The girl can't ride? We'll remedy that – I don't understand how a daughter of mine doesn't know how to ride."

  "Where is Babette?" Catherine asked Henry.

  "Changing from her morning dress into a riding habit — I'll send Cormac to hurry her along." Henry went to the door, and spoke to someone standing outside.

  "Cormac?" Major Grove frowned. "What — Elaine's footman? Why would the Duchess of Sommerforth — "

  Catherine lifted her hand. "Lower your voice…Yes, Elaine's given Cormac charge over Henry," Catherine said quietly. "It's useless to allow Henry to go about with just a maid — she's accosted by men wherever she goes. Elaine says that Henry will listen to Cormac, because she trusts him. And Cormac's large enough to be threatening when he chooses."

  Catherine turned to Jane. "My dear, will you accompany the girls and Philip?"

  "Of course." Jane left to change into her riding habit. She couldn't help wondering whether Henry was really as fond of Major Grove as she seemed to be.

  Melly, the Countess of Linton, had personally chosen horses for Jane and Babette to ride during their stay at Linton Lodge.

  When Jane reached the stables, the elegant grey Arabian mare which Lady Linton had selected had already been saddled for her. A groom led the mare to a mounting block, and helped Jane to mount.

  Across the vast courtyard of the complex of stables which made up Linton Lodge, Babette and Major Grove were speaking with the stable master, while Henry was inspecting the hooves of a well-muscled, tall chestnut mare.

  Henry introduced her father to Babette briskly, cheerfully warning Major Grove that he must not frighten the young lady, who would take time to become accustomed to him.

  To Jane's surprise, the major accepted Henry's instructions humbly, bowing to Babette, smiling, and speaking gently. Babette stared at her father for a moment, then she nodded, and took his arm when he extended it to her.

  Jane had just settled herself in the saddle, when Major Baker-Cornhill appeared in the stable yard. He rode a rangy black stallion with an especially ugly head.

  "There you are Kelly!" Major Grove roared. "Have you met my daughter?"

  Kelly responded, raising his voice to call across the yard, "I told you — your daughter and I met in York. I escorted her and Lady Jane to London."

  "Expect I was too cast away to listen, eh? I'm teaching my girl to ride."

  Kelly turned to Jane. "Lady Jane, may I compliment you on that riding habit? Very smart."

  He'd seen her in the same riding habit at least five times, but Jane thanked him. They were far enough away from the major and his daughter so that they could speak without being overheard.

  "How's the father and daughter reunion proceeding?" Kelly asked. "Any fireworks with Catherine?"

  Jane shrugged. "Babette is a little overwhelmed by him, but he's — avuncular. He's on the way to accepting her… Although he did fear that she might be an adventuress. Catherine seems calm, for the moment. He seems very fond of Henry — as she is of him."

  "An adventuress, eh? He would think that. As for Henry — she dislikes him intensely," Kelly said, his tone mild. "She hit him over the head with a silver teapot once — knocked him right out of his wits. He was shouting at Catherine, and Henry wouldn't have it. Linton told me about it."

  "She dislikes him? She had me believing that she missed him as a favorite brother, but there was something that didn't ring true…"

  "Well, Henry's clever, almost as clever as Catherine. Delmere thinks that she's cleverer. I don't know her well enough to make any assessment, but I know that she has Grove's measure. She'll watch him to make sure that he doesn't harm Babette. Or Catherine, or you — Henry is very protective."

  Later during their short ride, Major Grove handed Babette's leading rein to her groom, and rode his horse alongside Jane's. "Lady Jane, I just recalled who you are. You're the sister of Lord Alex Vernon are you not?"

  Jane nodded.

  "Babette tells me that you are preparing her for her come out next year."

  "Yes sir, I am."

  "Thank you. My daughter says that you have been very kind to her."

  With that, he rode away from her.

  Jane frowned and stared at his back. He sounded sincerely concerned about his daughter's welfare. However, there had been something in his voice, and his eyes. Major Grove had very cold eyes. They made her shiver.

  In the early hours of the morning, Jane was woken by a loud argument, which culminated in slamming doors. Sitting up in bed, she recognized the voices. Major Grove, and Catherine.

  She rested her hand on her chest. Her heart was thumping hard. After that, she lay awake for hours, until Lizzie brought in her hot chocolate.

  Newmarket, Thursday, 10th July

  The day of The Pirate's race arrived.

  When Jane took Babette out for her riding lesson on the morning of 10th July, the mist was rapidly burning from the ground. The day promised to be fine and warm.

  Babette said little. She focused on her mount, a very pretty, small grey pony. The pony was kept in the stables to calm flighty thoroughbreds. Well-behaved and stolid, the pony mare was the perfect mount for someone learning to ride.

  Although Babette responded to Jane's questions, she was subdued. Jane didn't know whether she should be concerned about Babette, or not. Major Grove hadn't called at Linton Lodge again, after this loud argument with his wife, but Jane knew that the major had taken his daughter out riding.

  When she and Babette returned to the stables, Jane saw her brother in the stable yard, speaking with several grooms. He waved to her cheerfully.<
br />
  Alex was enthusiastic about The Pirate's prospects. He told her that the horse was in fine condition. "If he doesn't win, he doesn't win. But he is ready."

  The Linton Lodge guests were leaving for the racetrack at 11 o'clock; the first race was at one, and Lady Linton's picnic would be at twelve.

  After breakfast, Jane found Catherine in her personal sitting room. She hadn't come downstairs. She sat at her desk, a stack of mail beside her. A footman had brought the mail from Eardley House; he'd given Jane a letter from Dorinda.

  "I've received a letter from Mother," Catherine said. She handed the letter to Jane. "Read it for yourself. Mother loves Baden-Baden. She tells me that she wants to buy a house there — can you imagine? And she wants us all to join her… She's been hiking, and riding, as well taking the waters. I'll have to write to Colonel Marsden. He'll be most upset if she stays — I've no doubt that he will hurry to Baden to bring her back."

  She studied Jane's face. "What's the matter?"

  "I daresay that it's nothing, but Babette seems very quiet. Very unlike herself. She normally chatters."

  Catherine shook her head, and sighed heavily. "It's Grove. A moment." She strode to the door, and asked the footman standing outside to present her compliments to Miss Eardley, and ask her to join them.

  "What do you mean?" Jane asked, when Catherine had closed the door again.

  "Grove is a manipulative hound. He is set on taking Babette to London with him. I know what he'll do with the young girl, and I won't have it… Although he won't admit it, I fear that he means to marry her off."

  Jane's eyes widened. "But — "

  Catherine sighed. "It's just the sort of thing that he would do. I imagine that he has someone in mind for her. He means to do to Babette what our father did to Anne and me."

  Jane was all at sea.

  "To put it bluntly," Catherine went on, "our father sold us to our husbands. Father happened to be in debt — which wasn't anything new. But then he realized that he had two marriageable daughters. So he found a husband for me, and then for Anne… Men who were prepared to pay to marry an Eardley. At that time, Grove still had money — he'd just come into his inheritance. When he arrived to meet Babette, he was oddly pleasant. So I knew that he had something like this in mind. That's why I argued with him — I daresay you heard us."

  "He couldn't take her, could he?"

  Catherine shrugged. "He'll try. But I'll stop him. My concern is that he'll manipulate Babette, and win her over. It will be easy. The child has never had a father. She's well and truly mesmerized by him, brute that he is."

  The footman tapped on the door, and Henry entered. She looked wonderful in a pale blue riding habit, with a navy pelisse. A tiny hat made of dark blue and ivory silk flowers, with a veil, topped her curls.

  "Here I am," Henry smiled. "What is it, Catherine? Lady Jane, you look well — are you excited? I am. I've put £10 on The Pirate."

  Jane shook her head. "£10? Oh no — that's far too much." £10 would keep a family for months.

  "No — I'm saving up my pin money for a new horse, so I regard the £10 as an investment. I have full confidence in Lord Alex," Henry said. She had become fast friends with Alex. "I've looked at all the other horses in the race, and The Pirate makes the best showing. He should win, but of course he may not do. That's racing for you."

  "Henry, have you noticed anything about Babette?" Catherine asked.

  "I had an argument with her." Henry looked down at her gloves, and smoothed them over her fingers. "Don't be angry, Catherine. I didn't say very much at all. I was just telling her about some of the things that Grove has done over the years — and she became immensely angry. She said that I wasn't to tell falsehoods about her father. And then I said – did she imagine that I was lying to her?"

  Catherine shook her head, and opened another letter from the stack on her desk.

  Henry shifted uncomfortably. "I daresay I shouldn't have told her about him, but I could see that he was cozening her, and I wanted her to be on her guard."

  "I'm not blaming you dearest," Catherine said. "It's that wretched man. He's manipulating the girl. He wishes to take her to London with him."

  Henry shrugged. "Well, he won't. We'll soon master him, won't we? You should set Doyle on him. With a few broken bones, he'll spend the next couple of months in bed. Much the best thing."

  Jane gaped at Henry.

  "Don't look at me like that, Jane. If anyone deserves a beating, it's Grove. The man is always making trouble, and I've no doubt that he means to harm Babette. She's naive."

  Catherine threw up her hands, and glared at her sister. "Henry, where do you get these ideas?"

  Henry chuckled. "Don't tell me you haven't had the very same idea, I am not so innocent as all that. And if anyone deserves a beating, it's Grove. I suppose that he's run up even more debts, and thinks that Babette is the perfect way to wriggle out of them. He's a bad man."

  "Are you riding to the track? Jane's taking Babette in the carriage with Melly."

  "Yes, I am. I'll wait for you, and we can ride together. I thought that we might leave at eleven?"

  "Very well. Off you go…" Catherine waved her hand at Henry.

  Henry chuckled. "I'm off then. I mean to go and see The Pirate to give him a pat for luck, they'll be taking him to the track soon."

  When the carriage reached the racecourse, Lady Linton left Jane and Babette to see to the picnic. "Everything will be ready at noon. The first race is at one o'clock."

  "Lady Jane, I'll go and find Henry, if I may," Babette said.

  Jane doubted that, since she and Henry had quarreled. Why was the girl lying to her? Nevertheless, she nodded. "Of course, my dear. I'll see you at the picnic."

  She watched Babette stroll away into the crowds. Jane bit her lip. She suspected that the girl was meeting her father.

  The Pirate's race was at 3 o'clock. Jane had decided that she would put £5 on the horse. She could do no less when Henry had already wagered £10. She told herself that she needed to support her brother. However, the sensible side of her nature told her that she would do better to put the £5 towards The Pirate's expensive training fees.

  She paid a small boy for a racing sheet, and studied the other horses in the race. When she looked up, she saw Lady Gamlinghay. Lord Talverne had already warned her that the woman would be at the races. Talverne, a family friend of the Eardleys, was staying at Linton Lodge too; Lord Linton was his uncle.

  Lady Gamlinghay, in her early twenties, and very pretty, was a wealthy woman, and an intimate friend of Major Baker-Cornhill's. She was small, curvy, red-haired and blue-eyed.

  Talverne was dismissive of her. "Kelly sent her on her way, but she's running after him again. Her latest lover quit her over her spending. She was angling for an invitation to stay at Linton Lodge, but of course Melly wouldn't have it. The woman manages to keep her place in the ton despite her very dubious reputation."

  Jane turned aside. She's taken an instant dislike to Lady Gamlinghay, without having been introduced to the woman.

  She placed her wager, then decided to check on The Pirate.

  Lord Keaton Beaumont

  Jane found that she couldn't get near The Pirate. A large crowd of men filled the stables. She had already turned away to find Babette when her brother hailed her. "Hoy – Jane, come here – I want to introduce you to someone."

  Laughing, Lord Alex shoved his way through the crush. "The Pirate's causing a stir," he told her. "I hope you've placed your bet my dear, the odds are shortening by the minute. I fear that The Pirate will start the race as the favorite."

  He took her arm. "Here, I want you to meet someone. He's been plaguing me for an introduction."

  A tall, lean, and elegantly dressed man immediately behind her brother bowed to her. Jane found herself captured by lively blue eyes in a very pleasant face. His eyes remained locked on hers for a long moment, until she was forced to look away, blushing.

  "Jane, I'd like
you to meet an old friend, Keaton Beaumont, you can call him Tommy. We've known each other for years. He's recently returned to England. He wished to meet you. I assured him that you are unmarried — he's widowed, and needs a mother for two his girls. You'd do very well together. He has my blessing to court you."

  Jane's eyes opened wide. "Alex," she gasped. This was beyond anything. Her brother had no grace at all. How could he make such an awkward introduction?

  Lord Keaton Beaumont bowed over her hand, and unable to help herself, she stared. With dark hair, in the fashionable coup au vent style, a spotless cravat tied in what she recognized as an Oriental, and a diamond pin, his lordship was a man of fashion. His broad shoulders and lean waist suggested a Corinthian, rather than a dandy, and she was glad of it.

  "My sincere apologies Lady Jane, I should have asked somebody else to introduce us," Lord Keaton Beaumont said softly, and held out his arm to her. "I've seen you in town, with Mrs. Grove. When I learned that you were Alex's sister I had to make myself known to you."

  Before she realized what had happened, Jane found that Lord Keaton Beaumont had guided her out of the stables. He told her that his home, Keaton Manor, was five miles from Gostwicke Hall. He'd known the Eardleys all his life; he'd recently returned to his home from Italy.

  "I lived retired in Italy after the death of my wife," he said. "But it's been five years. Long past time that I resumed my life — and that the girls grew to become young ladies, rather than Italian gypsies."

  He escorted her to Catherine and Melly, who greeted him as an old friend. Then he bowed, and left them, after gaining an agreement from Jane that she would watch the races with him.

  "Well – I didn't know that Tommy had returned home." The countess glanced at Jane. "I think he's looking for a wife. He might have you in mind my dear."

  "Nonsense," Catherine said briskly. "He's no money — he wouldn't do for Jane at all."

  The countess glared at her sister, who shrugged. "What? If Jane's to marry, then she needs someone suitable. Don't tell me that you'd have married Linton if he were as poor as —"