Chapter Seven
When Laurence stepped outside that afternoon with his makeshift walking stick in hand, he breathed deeply a few lungsful of air.
He had been confined to his bed yesterday due to a possible relapse because he’d overworked himself in the hopes of getting better.
The day before, he’d managed to board up a window that had broken in one of the rooms on the main level when a duck had flown too low and smashed into the glass.
There had also been archery that day, and while he’d enjoyed both challenges, they had drained most of his strength.
The rest had been appreciated, but he’d missed being in Rose’s company, for yesterday had been the day when she and Mrs. Henderson went into the village for supplies. He would have enjoyed accompanying them; perhaps next week.
“Uh, Captain Danbury? Or rather Lord Wendlesham?”
He turned about at the sound of John the footman’s voice, for he’d only gotten as far as the terrace at the rear of the manor. “Yes?”
“Mr. Madison sent me out here to give you this.” The younger man held out a walking stick of hickory with an ornately carved rounded head. “He said you would have more use out of it than he would.”
“That is… Well, it’s quite extraordinary.” As he exchanged the walking stick for the branch, he frowned. “Why would the butler wish for me to have this?”
“I don’t know. Mr. Madison has told us stories that he traveled the world when he was a younger man. It was one of his prized trinkets.”
“Yet he is giving it to me?”
John shrugged. “If you want to know the reason why, perhaps you should talk with him.” When the footman turned away, Laurence recalled him with a word.
“John?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.” When the other man nodded, he continued. “Do you think Mr. Madison can spare your services as a footman for a valet? Part time, of course, but I’ve been having the devil’s own time getting myself dressed as I recover from this dashed illness.”
The footman’s eyes widened. “Me? A valet?” Astonishment seeped into his expression.
“Why not?” Obviously, the man wouldn’t be as good as his former valet, but one needed to make do with what one had in the hopes of regaining what he once lost. “A man is seldom confined to just one role in life.” Lord knew he hadn’t been.
John nodded. “I would be honored, Captain. I’ll ask the butler as soon as I return inside the manor.”
“Very well.” Once more, he glanced at the walking stick. “I appreciate the loan of this, though. I’m still waiting for my strength to return.”
“It takes time, Captain, but it will come.”
Laurence blew out a breath. “I hope so.”
“Well, I should return to my duties.” Yet the footman hesitated. “Uh, do you think you’ll spend time with Miss Landry this afternoon?”
Again, he frowned. “I’m not certain. Why?”
The footman shrugged, but his grin was this side of foolish. “I just wondered. She’s a bit of a looker, isn’t she?”
“She is attractive, yes, but I don’t think we should discuss Miss Landry, since it is on her benevolence that I’m staying beneath her roof.” The last thing he wanted was to be caught gossiping about the woman who’d essentially saved his life. “What is it you really wish to say to me, John?”
“Uh…” The other man shifted his weight from foot to foot. A dark flush went up his neck. “The two of you seem to get on together. And she’s been here by herself for so long, fighting through grief and heartbreak that I thought you could—”
“Stop.” Laurence held up his free hand. “Miss Landry and I are friends. To repay her kindness of saving my life, I’ll do some repairs around the property, so she won’t need to hire a tradesman.”
“I understand that, Captain, but don’t you think life might be infinitely more satisfying if you had a lady to court?”
A chuckle welled in Laurence’s throat, and then he finally released it into the air. “You think I should court Miss Landry?”
The footman shrugged. “It couldn’t hurt, and you don’t seem to have other attachments or responsibilities at the moment.”
There was that. “Yet I don’t have anything to recommend me either.” That thought had knots of worry pulling in his gut. “It wouldn’t be fair to her—or any woman—to be involved without the promise of a future.”
John stared at him as if he didn’t quite comprehend the explanation. “Some women don’t care about titles and coin.”
“True.” Why the devil was the footman so interested in this? “I promise to give your advice some thought.”
The other man nodded. “I will let you know what Mr. Madison says about me splitting my duties with acting as your valet while you’re here.”
“Thank you, John. I appreciate that.” Then he parted ways with the footman in favor of beginning his daily exercise. The walking stick felt both foreign and comfortable in his gloved hand, and he imagined himself a dapper gentleman of the beau monde while using it.
Then his thoughts went to Rose, and the question John had asked him regarding her.
It was still very early in the conversation between him and the lady, but he’d be a fool to ignore the attraction and desire between them.
Hell, she had already managed to fascinate him on more than a few levels, and the kisses they’d shared had been charged.
Where was the harm in exploring that further? If she consented to it, of course. For some reason, there was much skittishness in her shown with each progressive kiss.
With no immediate answers, Laurence set out on his walk in the opposite direction of where he had been going for the past few days.
This way would take him past the hedge maze, and when he drew abreast with it, on a whim, he decided to investigate the puzzle to see if he could solve it and reach the heart.
Though the sun shone down amidst fluffy clouds, there was a decided chill in the air that occasionally had shivers chasing along his spine. He would need to ask Rose what had happened to his greatcoat after she’d found him in the stable.
It took the better part of a half hour for him to navigate through the maze.
Shells and gravel crunched beneath the soles of his boots, and the pungent scent of evergreens danced across his nose.
However, it was more than worth it, for at the heart he found Rose herself, sitting on a black, wrought iron bench in what looked to be a circular rose garden.
“A rose among the thorns, perhaps?” he asked in a soft voice as he slowly approached her location.
“Hullo, Rose. You are certainly as lovely and as complex as a rose.” And in the afternoon dress of a deep maroon color with a pelisse in a moss green color trimmed with ivory stitching, she resembled one of those flowers as well.
She glanced over and when her gaze connected with his, she gave him a startled smile. “Laurence. What are you doing here? No one ever comes into this maze except me these days.”
“I was out for my daily walk but decided to visit the maze instead of go through the orchard.” And it was a damned fine decision, especially to have her all to himself in this moment.
“However, I can leave you in peace if you wish it.” In fact, she’d looked to be in deep contemplation of some sort when he’d come upon her.
The sadness cleared from her expression, but shadows remained behind. “Actually, I’d welcome the company.” When she would have scrambled to her feet, he waved her back onto the bench.
“Stay. We can easily talk here, and it’s a rather lovely place to do so.” Though most of the roses on the bushes had long past died and fallen, there was one bush with late blooms of a deep ruby color. The cloying scent of the roses reached his nostrils. “Striking flowers, those.”
“They were planted by my mother years ago when my last sister was born. She said the color represented her love for all her children, and forever she would love us.”
“Ah.” Slowly, he approached, and when she scooted over on the bench, he perched on it beside her, close quarters enough that his shoulder and thigh brushed hers. “While that is a noble gesture, I suspect that love didn’t extend to overcoming whatever your scandal was.” It wasn’t a question.
“No. It didn’t.” She shook her head, but the shadows didn’t leave her eyes, and she didn’t explain why. Then she bowed her head, and he couldn’t see her face past the brim of her straw bonnet.
Perhaps she would share her pain with him, and even more to the point, perhaps he should do the same to show her that there was no shame in it.
“Would you like to hear more about my family situation?”
“Yes, because right now, I don’t wish to leave this place. It has been much like a sanctuary for me over the years.”
“I believe that.” Daring much, Laurence took her gloved hand in his and held it. “Perhaps it will be helpful to remember that in this moment, you are not alone.”
Neither was he. And that meant everything.
Rose peered into his face, and at no time did she see anything except kindness and curiosity. Oh, the temptation to borrow his strength grew strong, but she feared to do so, for that would mean she’d show her vulnerability, her weakness.
Her shame.
And as much as she wanted to talk about that time in her life, she couldn’t bear to see judgment in his face or to hear a lecture from him about how much of an idiot she’d been to allow the earl to sweep her away on a cloud of pleasure.
“Keep believing, Rose. Life is difficult enough without us putting undo pressure on ourselves.” He patted her hand. “As I’ve told you, my father wasn’t a good a man. Did he start out that way? I’m not certain. Did he do the best that he could at the time? It’s doubtful.”
That was surprising. “Perhaps he merely gave up once your mother died.”
Laurence grunted. “I wonder, but if that was true, he wouldn’t have made such selfish choices that led me to his pass.”
“What happened? There is something you haven’t told me, isn’t there?” Despite herself, Rose had been enthralled by his story, and it helped her to forget about her own.
“When my mother died, she was in childbirth bringing my sister into the world.”
Rose gasped. “Did she also die?”