CHAPTER FIFTEEN #2
‘And I regret it also. Forgive me. Yet it is hard for me to comprehend that you can trust me as a friend, but cannot, or will not, trust me as a lover. Can it not be that in a marriage both co-exist, the one strengthening the other?’
‘I suppose that is the case.’ She sounded very doubtful.
‘Then you cannot stop me hoping, for I doubt Dembleby was ever your friend.’
243‘He was not, but then nor was he my lover, in the sense that he did not love me in heart and mind.’ She closed her eyes for a moment, willing the memory to go away.
‘But I do.’ It was almost a whisper. They both sat very still, and he saw her hand tremble and be clasped by the other.
‘I did not come for this, to press you. I came to give you news and to warn you about Hurstwood. I do not say “forget this conversation”, but may we set it aside for a while, if I can offer my assistance – in conjunction with Gilmorton’s – in keeping Miss Newent from rumour, if not ruination? ’
‘Yes, that would be … wise.’ She took a deep breath.
‘I have mentioned my concerns to Mrs Newent, who is not a foolish woman, but since there were no factual grounds upon which they were based, she has not done more than urge Lydia not to throw herself at the man’s head.
His title and lineage mean a lot to a lady whose own marriage, however happy, has seen her social status decline and, I gather, has necessitated stringent economy at times.
It is hard for her to imagine the scion of a noble house without a feather to fly with, howsoever that might yet be the case. ’
‘I am perfectly prepared to relate to her what I know of him.’
‘Yes, but my fear is now that even if Mrs Newent tries to get Lydia to push him away, she will not do so, and simply think her mama has had her mind poisoned against him. Mr Gilmorton and I between us try not to leave her in situations where he may engage her in conversation, but she is not under lock and key. There are times when she may leave her house with the escort of a maid, and 244who can say but that such a person might be persuaded, from romantic ideal, or for money, to dawdle, and not mention any assignation that takes place.’
‘Then if you, we, cannot influence the girl, may we not influence Hurstwood?’
‘I am sure that I cannot do so, my lord.’
‘No, but I may. He knows me, and knows that I dislike him. His hackles will be raised, so to speak, and if he snaps at me in front of Miss Newent she may see a less favourable aspect to him.’
‘You mean that you would bait him?’
‘Er, it sounds unfair and infelicitous also, but essentially yes.’
‘Is that not a risk?’ Louisa frowned.
‘I hardly think he would call me out, ma’am, for such a reason, and I have proven I can still shoot, even with the left hand.’
‘No, no, please, do not even mention such a prospect.’ Louisa paled. ‘I would not put you at risk just because you sought to aid me in this.’
‘But you know that I will serve you in whatever way possible.’
‘Not that. I could not bear the thought of it upon my conscience. Promise me that you will not goad him into challenging you. Promise me.’
‘I will not goad him that severely, if it is your wish.’
‘It is. Oh, it is.’ She sounded distressed.
It was at this point that a small disturbance was heard upon the landing outside – the ‘small disturbance’ being three years old. Miss Emily Henley was clearly not 245impressed with something. Louisa was distracted.
‘Oh dear. Do excuse me a moment.’ She rose, and he did also.
When she opened the door, Emily was sitting upon the floor and clinging to a spindle of the staircase.
Betty was attempting to remove this ‘limpet’ and being told, most vociferously, that her charge was not going for a walk.
Both looked towards the opening door, Betty making ready to excuse herself.
Emily saw her mama but beyond her the red-coated figure of Lord Barkby, and suddenly her expression changed and she let go of the stairs.
‘Barky sir!’ The scowl became a brilliant smile, and she ran to the doorway, arms outstretched, and right past her mama’s skirts. He crouched and lifted her up.
‘Are you being a naughty girl?’ he asked, as she patted his cheek.
‘No,’ she said, shaking her head.
‘No? Yet you were not doing as you were told, unless your nurse told you to sit upon the floor.’
‘It is cold. I do not like cold, and Betty walks fast in cold.’
‘Walking faster keeps you warm.’
‘Makes me tired.’
He controlled the urge to smile. There was a certain logic to the tot.
‘Even if it does, young lady, you must not be disobedient.’ He sounded firm, though not angry, but it was too much for Emily to be told off by her hero. Her lip trembled, and then she flung her arms about his neck and sobbed.
‘Sorry. Milly sorry.’
246Lord Barkby looked at Louisa, unsure what on earth to do. For her part, seeing Emily distraught at even the mildest reproof, when she had herself had some interesting trials of will with her little girl, left her stunned. After a minute of Emily’s sobs and tears, she spoke quietly to her.
‘Now, Emily, do not cry into Lord Barkby’s nice red coat. You have said sorry, and now you must do as you are told.’
Emily lifted a tear-stained face, and nodded, with a sniff. Lord Barkby melted.
‘That’s my girl,’ he said, without thinking.
‘Can I be your girl?’ responded Emily eagerly, taking him literally.
He thought fast. ‘You are the only young lady I have introduced to my horse, and you are the only one I will permit to show me their ark. I think that means the same thing. If your mama permits, I will come and see you tomorrow, before your dinnertime, and you can show me all your animals, two by two, if you have them here in Bath.’
‘I do. Mama, can Barky sir come and see my animals?’
‘Yes, darling, if you are a good girl now and go quietly with Betty for your walk.’
Emily squirmed instantly, and Lord Barkby put her down. She ran to take Betty’s hand, and almost pulled her to the top stair.
‘Before dinner, Barky sir,’ she cried, reminding him, and let Betty help her down the flight of stairs.
‘You are certainly first oars with Emily, sir.’
‘Yes. She clearly has a fascination with the military.’ 247He was watching the little girl but turned to Louisa. ‘I hope you do not mind?’
‘No, I … I do not mind.’ There was a silence between them, and then he took a deep breath.
‘I should go. Will you be in the Pump Room tomorrow morning, with Miss Newent?’
‘Yes, I believe so.’
‘Then I will meet you there, and remain until I need to depart for my assignation with Noah and his ark.’ He smiled, and this time put out his right hand and lifted hers to his lips, only the use of the palm rather than fingers making the action unusual. ‘Until tomorrow.’
‘Until tomorrow.’
As he departed, Louisa did not return to the drawing room but went up to her bedchamber and sat upon the bed.
She brushed away a tear. Emily’s attachment was remarkably affecting, but Lord Barkby’s response was equally so, and as genuine.
Could a man that true with a child be duplicitous with a woman?
It was a very thoughtful Lord Barkby who walked back to the rooms he had engaged for himself, his mother and his aunt, during their sojourn in Bath.
The reactions of both mother and daughter had taken him by surprise.
The latter ought to have been easier to accept, but it was inextricably linked to the former.
It was understood that little Emily had never had a father, other than in the literal sense.
She had no man whom she recognised, or with whom she felt at ease.
Without trying in the least, he had become her father figure, from whose lips praise or admonition were 248regarded as important.
Her affection was instinctive, and drew from him a fatherly affection in return.
Yet he had no right to place himself in that position.
Only if her mother could bring herself to love him would he be able to treat her as ‘his girl’, his daughter.
The thought made him feel a wave of warmth.
Other than being Louisa Dembleby’s husband, he could think of nothing more wonderful than being Emily Henley’s father.
As far as the child was concerned, this was not a problem.
He wondered if her open affection made his suit more acceptable to her mother.
He thought that it must, or at least took away a possible bar.
She would not consider any man who looked upon Emily as an encumbrance, or dismissed her.
Thus, it ought to count in his favour that they had a natural affinity.
This brought him to consider how Louisa Dembleby had reacted to him, after that perceived flicker of emotion in the Pump Room.
He was convinced that there was some feeling towards him, instinctive feeling, and that she was struggling with it.
Her previous experience of marriage had so warped her view of men that she refused to admit that giving up her independence, newly gained and relished, was worth it.
At the same time she liked him, yes, he was sure that she liked him, and although she had put him at arm’s length when the gossipmongers had done their worst, she had not greeted him with loathing today, nor had she rejected his offer of aid or refused his request to come and see Emily’s ark. He must be patient.
249‘The thing is,’ said Mr Gilmorton, staring at a lamb cutlet as though it might be listening to every word, ‘I would not see an innocent girl harmed by a scoundrel such as Hurstwood, nor Lady Dembleby’s good name suffer when she has chaperoned her on numerous occasions.
At the same time it has meant that I … I have been unable to ascertain if I might engage the affections of another young lady. ’
‘Fallen for a pretty face and a neat ankle at last, have you, Gil?’ Lord Barkby raised an eyebrow, and looked at his friend over the rim of his glass.
‘No idea about her ankles.’ Mr Gilmorton went a little pink, imagining, then sighed. ‘I daresay you would not think her a beauty, but there is something about her, and she has these glorious eyes that are understanding and yet twinkle when she jests and …’
‘Head over heels?’
‘’Fraid so.’ Mr Gilmorton gave a second sigh. ‘I have no idea if she is just being friendly or feels even a little of what I feel for her, and it has been rather sudden, I admit.’
‘How sudden?’
‘Er, well, just over two weeks. But I have been in her company every day at some point, for she is a close friend of Lady Dembleby, from back in Berkshire.’
‘Good grief! You cannot be thinking of marriage after less than three weeks, Gil.’
‘Oh, I was not thinking of making her an offer just yet. I daresay her parents, let alone mine, and more importantly, my grandmama, would have an apoplexy if I did, but I do think it is serious, Ben, not just some flirtation.’ It was 250not often that Mr Gilmorton called his friend by the name he had used in the regiment, and for a moment it took Lord Barkby back to draughty billets and jovial evenings about campfires.
‘You see, she is not some diamond, in the accepted sense. I have not fallen for a pretty face but a wonderful person. I feel utterly comfortable with her, and … and her name is Caroline.’
‘Well, I wish you luck, Gil, I do really.’
‘I think I am going to need it. I spend so much time trying to keep Hurstwood away from Miss Newent that … oh Lord! What if Miss Brailes, Caroline, thinks I am dangling after the Newent chit?’
‘Is that likely?’
‘I do not know. Lydia Newent is the sort of porcelain shepherdess beauty, not my style but eye-catching, and Miss Brailes, I know, is undervalued and considered by her mama to be on the shelf.’ He frowned, and Lord Barkby refilled his friend’s wine glass, hoping the claret might cheer his mood.
‘Now I have turned up as reinforcements though, Gil, you will have time to devote to your own wooing. You have stood buff on your own thus far, but with two of us … Though I am off to see an ark tomorrow.’
‘An ark … as in boat with Noah?’
‘Exactly that.’ He grinned. ‘Miss Emily is going to show me her animals, two by two. It should be very … interesting.’
‘There are limits, my dear fellow. There are really.’ Mr Gilmorton shook his head. ‘Just remember if you send bouquets, to which female in the house you are giving them.’
251‘I am not sure either would appreciate them. Little Miss Emily would, however, expect me to tell her what every different flower was called, and I draw the line at botany.’
‘I should think you would.’ Mr Gilmorton emptied his glass, and Lord Barkby thoughtfully refilled it, as Mr Gilmorton returned to the topic closest to his heart.
‘It is odd. I had never contemplated setting up my nursery until I met Miss Brailes, not once, and now … It is a good job I cannot write poetry, or I would be penning verses daily.’ He sighed. ‘Go on, tell me I am mad.’
‘Not mad, just besotted, my friend. But you are sure this is not just a passing emotion?’
‘Absolutely. You see, if I were paying court to some diamond of the first water, like every other fellow, it might be like that, but she is the sort of girl most men overlook. Yet the first time I met her it was as though something ignited within me. She was the spark that did it. I felt we understood one another without trying, the way it is with close friends, like it is with you. Except, of course, I do not love you.’
‘Thank Heavens for that.’
‘Well, yes. I mean, I love you as a friend, almost dashed well as a brother, just not …’
‘Exactly.’
‘I never thought I would fall in love with a stick, mind you.’
‘A stick?’ Lord Barkby was now confused, and could only assume his friend’s mind was wandering after too much wine.
‘Yes, one of those skinny girls like a pole. Caroline … 252lovely name, “Caroline”. She has curves in all the places a woman should have them.’ Mr Gilmorton’s shapely hands described her hourglass figure and then wafted about. ‘She has … everything a man could want. Everything I could want.’
‘Then I wish you every success, Gil.’
‘This wooing thing is not as easy as some people make out, though, is it?’
‘No. I admit that.’
‘It’s like … like setting your horse at a gate. Take off too early and you crash into the thing. Too late and some other fellow has got there first and stolen it from under your nose.’
‘Gil, you are foxed.’
‘Yes, I know. Stop me if I start singing, dear fellow.’
‘I will, I promise.’