Chapter Four #2
The group cantered to the stables, and he told his coachman to ready the horses for their return to Redfield.
“Would you care to come in for something to drink, Your Grace?” Lady Verina asked. “I am certain you are as parched as I am after our long ride.”
He wanted to simply to spend more time in her company, but Matthew decided that would not be wise.
“No, thank you, my lady. I must head home.”
“Remember to check with the duchess to see when I can bring my cousins to call upon her,” Hugo reminded him.
He did not think it would be a good idea for them to come to his estate while Miss Stannis was present. She seemed spooked enough with Mama and him. Then again, they could ask her to keep to her bedchamber while they entertained guests.
Smiling, Matthew said, “I will let Mama know and have her check her diary. Tell Tia I shall send a note around for when you might visit Redfield.” He turned to Lord Traywick. “When you return to the area, my lord, I will extend that invitation to you, as well.”
“I am looking forward to it, Your Grace.”
He bid them goodbye and mounted the steps to his carriage while the team was being attached to it.
Should he take a wife? Eventually, he must do so, if only to get an heir off her.
While he was not yet ready to pursue Lady Verina as a suitor, it would not hurt getting to know her a bit during her stay at Merrifield.
The atmosphere would be informal, making it easier to get to know more about her.
If he decided he thought her a good candidate to be his duchess, he could begin a courtship next spring during the Season. That would please Mama to no end.
They reached Redfield, and he left the carriage. Higgins, his head groom, came to meet him.
“A word, Your Grace?”
“Of course, Higgins.”
“Her Grace and the new young lady have been in the stables for hours. With the kittens.”
Matthew recalled Mama mentioning the kittens, and Miss Stannis had seemed interested in seeing them.
Twice, they had actually given a cat to one of the women who remained in one of the cottages at Dove Hall.
Giving them a small creature to look after seemed to give them purpose.
He believed this would be the case with Miss Stannis.
“I worry about Her Grace being here for so long,” Higgins continued. “Maybe you might intervene, Your Grace.”
“I will go there now,” he assured the groom.
He entered the stables and walked down the row of stalls, coming to the last one, which had its door open. Inside, sitting on the hay, were Mama and Miss Stannis. The mother cat was nursing her litter, which looked to be about six weeks of age to him.
“Good afternoon,” he said softly, not wanting to frighten their guest. Still, Miss Stannis startled at the sound of his voice, her body tensing. Her eyes flew to him, wild, and Matthew deliberately remained outside the stall.
“Do you recall me, Miss Stannis? It is Reddington. Mama and I came and helped you leave the bad place.”
He never referred to where the women had been kept as an asylum or madhouse, learning early on that it triggered strong—even sometimes violent—emotions.
His second mission, that of a Miss Harrington, had driven that lesson home to him.
When she had tearfully asked if she were truly now free, he had assured her that she would never be confined to a madhouse again.
The very use of the word had produced a wild look in her eyes, and she had lashed out, blackening his eye in her terror.
From that point on, Matthew made certain to avoid any term which might cause one of the women to erupt in anger or fear.
She nodded slowly, but he could see she still had no trust in him. Most likely in any man.
Turning his attention to his mother, he said, “Mama, I hear you and Miss Stannis have been here all day. Perhaps it is time you come in and had some tea.”
“No!” the young lady barked. “I want to stay here. With the kittens.”
His gaze met Mama’s, and she shook her head subtly. “I will stay with Miss Stannis, Reddington. She finds petting the kittens soothing. I am thinking she would do a wonderful job if we allowed her to keep one.”
A hopeful look crossed the young woman’s face. “You would? I could have one?”
“Yes,” Mama said soothingly. “You would need to care for it, though. Feed it. Groom it. Play with it. Even love it.”
“Oh, I can do that, Your Grace. I can, I truly can!”
“They are too young now to be taken from their mother. Once they are weaned in a few more weeks, then we can talk about you taking custody of one.”
Miss Stannis turned her eyes to the litter, biting her lip. “Oh, I do not know which one I should take. They are all such sweet little furballs.”
“You do not have to decide just yet, Miss Stannis,” Mama assured her. “We shall see which one you bond with. It always seems that a kitten will gravitate toward someone. Why, it is almost as if they choose you, instead of the other way around.”
Matthew knew then that Miss Stannis would be with them at Redfield for a few more weeks.
This had only happened one other time, a woman so fragile that she could not heal at Dove Hall and needed special care from his mother.
He wondered if he should even ask Tia’s cousins to Redfield. That decision would be left up to Mama.
Returning to the house, he spent several hours in his study, only emerging at teatime. When he entered the drawing room, he did not see Miss Stannis present.
“Where is Miss Stannis?” he asked.
“She has gone to her room to lie down.” Mama smiled. “She told me she would be thinking of which kitten she might like.”
“I know a kitten is the prize you are offering her. I only hope the thought of caring for it will help in her recovery. She seems more fragile than most of the others.”
“Most of those whom you have helped, Matthew, are older than Miss Stannis.”
He realized that was true. She looked young and was probably no more than a year older than Lady Verina.
Suddenly, the thought of Lady Verina being placed in an asylum caused a rush of rage to pour through him.
The thought of the willowy beauty wedding a man who might one day cast her aside caused a wave of protectiveness to fill him.
Mama frowned. “I do not believe she will be one we can send back out into the world, I am afraid. We need to start thinking of which cottage to place her in. Whether to leave her on her own or to have her live with one of the other women.”
The teacart was rolled in, and Mama poured out for both of them.
Accepting a cup and saucer from her, he said, “I think it wise for Miss Stannis to have a human companion. I do not believe she would do herself harm, especially if she has a kitten to care for, but she needs company. Someone to talk with. I suggest Miss Ross.”
Matthew referred to Lady Ross, a dove whom they had brought home a little over two years ago.
She was in her mid-forties and barren, the reason her husband had her locked away.
Lord Ross had even told his wife he sent her to the asylum to die, hoping she did so sooner rather than later.
While they had been able to bribe the doctor who ran the establishment she had been placed in, continuing to pay the monthly fee for Lady Ross on top of a generous bonus to release her into their hands, they had learned Lord Ross had died in a racing accident.
Matthew had met with the Ross family’s heir and solicitor, and the new Lord Ross had given over the monies due to Lady Ross in the case her husband preceded her in death, seeing the marriage settlements were quite clear.
She now lived in one of the cottages at Dove Hall and had Matthew invest her funds for her, insisting that part of them go toward helping other women such as herself.
Lady Ross insisted upon going by Miss Ross.
She volunteered in the local community and played the pianoforte at the local assembly each month.
“Yes,” his mother agreed. “I can see that. Despite never having any children of her own, Miss Ross is quite nurturing. She would look after Miss Stannis. It would not have to be a permanent situation, though. I believe Miss Ross cherishes her solitude. The next time we are at Dove Hall, I will go and see her and discuss the situation.”
“When would you like to go to Dove Hall and speak with Miss Ross?” he asked.
“Not for a few days, at least. I do not think Miss Stannis would agree to accompany us there. She is too sensitive. I cannot leave her alone.”
“I agree. In the meantime, Hugo would like to bring Tia’s cousins to visit with you. Lord Traywick is leaving tomorrow. He has business in town and then will return to Cumberland, bringing his mother back at Christmastime. Tia’s cousins, Lady Verina and Lady Justina, will remain until then.”
Mama’s eyes lit up. “Oh, I would love to meet them, Matthew. Tia is such a lovely young lady. I am certain her cousins are equally pleasant.” Then Mama paused, and he knew what was coming next as she innocently asked, “How did you find them?”
“They were quite amiable. Lady Verina is the elder, and she will make her come-out next spring. Lady Justina is a year younger than her sister.”
“I see. Let us give Miss Stannis tomorrow to continue settling in, and then we could have Tia and her cousins come visit the following afternoon. I shall send a note to ask them to visit on Friday.”
“You will not have Miss Stannis at tea, will you?” he asked, worried how the young woman might behave around guests.
“Oh, certainly not. Miss Stannis is not ready to be around anyone yet,” Mama assured him. “She can remain in the stables with the kittens while they are here. They will not even know she is at Redfield.”
“I told them an unexpected visitor is what kept you from coming with me yesterday.”
“All right. I will keep that in mind in case any of them ask.” Mama smiled. “So, tell me more of Tia’s cousins.”
He did so, talking about all three of them so that Mama would not focus on Lady Verina. Still, he must have given something away as he spoke.
“This Lady Verina seems unusual. Is she someone you might be interested in, Matthew?”
Not wanting to tip his hand, he merely shrugged. “Possibly. I have just met her. I am certain I will see something of her—and Lady Justina—because I go to Merrifield regularly. Hugo and Tia are often here, as well, which will mean seeing these two cousins.”
Mama smiled enigmatically. “I am looking forward to meeting Lady Verina.”
Matthew knew his mother was like a dog with a bone at times. It would be best not to say anything else, or she would pick up on his interest in Lady Verina.
“I think I will have a slice of the cake,” he said affably.
She handed him a plate with the cake and said, “You do not fool me, my boy, even if you think you do. I will respect your feelings and not pry. For now…”
So much for trying to hide the fact that he was intrigued by the young woman.
“I think you will like her, Mama. Lady Justina, as well,” he said, before changing the topic.
At dinner that evening, Mama told him that she had sent a message to Lady Tia, asking her and her cousins to spend the day at Redfield on Friday.
Matthew decided he could wait patiently until then.