Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
With his eyes firmly fixed on the fine window above the altar, showing the crucified Christ, Sebastian let the familiar words of the morning prayer pass over him.
Just like the manner of his arrival at the hall, this morning would set the tone for his stewardship of the Somerton estate.
Everything he did or said would be noted, dissected, and conclusions drawn about him that would be hard to erase.
His common upbringing could either serve to set him apart or give him empathy with his tenants and neighbours.
His fingers tightened on the prayer book as he willed his stepfather to send him some sort of divine guidance.
In the absence of inspiration, he fell back on what he knew best. He straightened his shoulders and assumed the countenance of a man about to do battle.
As the sermon dragged on, he tried not to steal a glance at Lady Kendall. Even across the aisle of a church, he sensed the powerful attraction of this woman who wasn’t ‘any better than she should have been’, as Bennet, relating his conversations from below stairs, had described her.
He looked forward to meeting Harry’s wayward older sister, Georgiana.
There had been many a night in Spain when Harry had read of his sister’s antics in back copies of London gossip sheets.
His brother officers had chivvied him and demanded introductions.
Had someone said she had been through three husbands?
A shiver of anticipation ran down his spine.
The congregation rose for the last hymn, and he could hear Lady Kendall’s clear, rich soprano rising into the ancient beams of the church.
He had every intention of making himself better acquainted with the mysterious, and possibly scandalous, Lady Kendall as soon as the service ended.
The thought caused the blood in his pulse to quicken.
Everyone, it seemed, had cause to linger after the service and, as Sebastian emerged with his aunt on his arm, a noticeable flutter seemed to go around the small groups gathered near the graves.
His intention of speaking with Lady Kendall was thwarted by the veritable bevy of pretty young ladies of good standing in his path, eager to make his acquaintance.
He looked to Isabel to effect the introductions and managed to stutter out some polite conversation about the weather and the sermon.
Only as the woman in green approached. Beside him Isabel stiffened, drawing back a little.
He cast a quick glance at Isabel in her dowdy clothes and unflattering black bonnet and felt a tinge of guilt.
The serene, oval face did not betray her emotions.
In the circumstances, she must find such encounters difficult but there could no avoiding the woman with whom Anthony had allegedly spent his last evening.
Lady Kendall curtsied and pushed back the veil from her hat. Sebastian drew a quick breath. The fleeting glimpse in the church did not disappoint: High cheekbones, large, green eyes and full, red lips that invited a kiss.
‘Lady Somerton.’ Lady Kendall acknowledged Isabel with a quick bob. ‘How do you do on this beautiful morning?’
‘Lord Somerton,’ Isabel said with absolute politeness, ‘allow me to present Lady Kendall.’
‘Welcome to Brantstone, my lord. I believe you are acquainted with my brother, Harry?’ Her voice had a deep, husky tone that reminded Sebastian of warm honey.
Lady Kendall held out her hand and he took it with a polite bow. ‘Lady Kendall. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, and yes, Harry is an old comrade in arms.’
As he straightened, she smiled at him with her head tilted as she had done in church. Her eyes were the colour of emeralds and, like the jewel they resembled, they glittered.
‘The parish is simply dying to make your acquaintance,’ she said in a lowered tone. ‘Your coming has been anticipated for some time.’
‘Well, I hope the reality does not disappoint,’ Sebastian managed.
‘Not at all. Harry has spoken often of you.’
Ignoring Isabel, Lady Kendall tucked a small, gloved hand into his arm and looked up at him.
‘Would you do me the honour of walking me to my carriage?’
As she had already begun to propel him down the path, he could only offer a short apology to Isabel and the others.
‘Indeed,’ Lady Kendall said as soon as they were out of earshot, ‘I am sure you are everything the good mamas of the county would wish for.’
‘And what is that?’ Sebastian asked.
‘A title, a fortune and unwed,’ Lady Kendall replied.
Sebastian gave a snort of laughter. If only they knew how illusory the ‘fortune’ had proved to be.
‘You know you are very like your cousin to look at,’ she said.
‘So I’ve been told, but I assure you that is where the resemblance ends,’ Sebastian replied. She invited a bit of gentle sparring so he countered, ‘I believe you were well acquainted with my cousin.’
Lady Kendall laughed and her gaze met his in perfect understanding.
‘Yes, we were indeed… quite well acquainted.’
A barouche waited by the lychgate and, as Sebastian handed her up into the carriage, she smiled down at him.
‘I shall look forward to our next meeting, Lord Somerton. You must come and take tea with me.’
‘It would be a pleasure, Lady Kendall.’
She leaned forward to instruct her driver, but suddenly straightened.
‘There he is, the rogue!’ She stood up and waved as a man on a roan horse trotted towards them. ‘What kept you, Harry?’ she demanded, resuming her seat.
Harry Dempster slid from the saddle and, looping the reins over his shoulder, walked over to the barouche.
‘Sorry, George, I overslept.’ The man turned to Sebastian, and a grin split his face. ‘Alder? Good God, I hardly recognised you from our encounter in London.’
‘Dempster! It’s good to see you.’
The two men grasped hands, slapping each other on the shoulder.
‘I’m staying with my sister, Georgie.’ Harry indicated Lady Kendall who smiled in response.
‘I only got in yesterday. Georgie was bursting to tell me that there was a new Lord Somerton who had been plucked from the obscurity of His Majesty’s finest.’ He slapped Sebastian on the shoulder again.
‘And just for once I was able to enlighten her. None other than my old comrade, Bas Alder!’
Lady Kendall sighed. ‘What a happy reunion. I suppose you two are going to catch up on old times? I shall leave you to it. Drive on.’
The barouche lurched forward at a pretty pace, the green feather in Lady Kendall’s bonnet bobbing as it rounded the corner.
‘My lord, we really must return to the hall shortly.’
At the sound of Isabel’s quiet voice, Sebastian tore his eyes away from the departing carriage as Harry turned to Isabel. He took her outstretched hand and bowed over it.
‘My dear Lady Somerton. How are you?’
‘Well, thank you, Colonel. Excuse me, gentlemen, I must speak with Mrs. Bryan before we leave,’ Isabel said.
She turned away to talk to a stout woman in a blue gown who had been trying to get her attention.
‘Fortune has smiled on you at last, Alder,’ Harry said.
Sebastian held up his hands. ‘I scarce believe it myself.’
‘Well, I’m glad! You’ve earned it. I didn’t hear the full story when we met in London so please enlighten me. How did this change in fortunes come about?’
Sebastian recounted the family antecedents and the tale of waking up in Somerton House to the news.
Harry shook his head. ‘Well, you hear these tales, but I never thought to put much credence in them. So, how does it feel to be the new Lord Somerton?’
‘Can’t say I’ve come to terms with it yet. Between us, my late cousin has left me with a pile of debt and trouble.’
‘Doesn’t surprise me. An interesting chap, your cousin,’ Harry said.
‘How well did you know him?’
Harry shrugged. ‘Reasonably well. Met him through Georgie and we shared a few good dinners and rounds of cards, in London mostly. You know the sort of thing. I always found him hard to judge. A bit mercurial if you know what I mean.’ Harry’s cheerful face became serious. ‘What are you going to do about it?’
Sebastian shook his head. ‘Sell off some assets.’
Harry’s face brightened. ‘If you are considering selling any of the racehorses let me know.’
‘Ah yes, the racehorses. I have to confess I haven’t even seen the stables yet. I found some pedigree books in Anthony’s papers. He seemed to know what he was doing.’
‘Your cousin may have been a fool in some ways, but he knew his horses,’ Harry agreed.
Sebastian shook his head. ‘I had better not get too attached to them then. What about you? I haven’t seen you since you left the regiment in ’09 or was it ’10?’
‘I got out in ’09. Had enough of bad food and hard beds, and my father was nagging me to show some interest in the estates.’ He rolled his eyes.
‘Well, I’m glad to see you. Glad of a familiar face, truth be told.’ Sebastian smiled with genuine pleasure. ‘Will you join us for dinner?’
‘Unfortunately, I must get back to London for a few days, but I’ll return by the end of the week,’ Harry said. ‘And now, if you don’t mind, I’d better follow Georgie home, or I’ll never hear the end of it. Give my regards to Lady Somerton.’ He tipped his hat in Isabel’s direction.
‘It’s always good to see an old friend,’ Sebastian said as Isabel rejoined him. He had an ally now, someone with whom he could be himself.
‘I can understand that,’ Isabel said. ‘My own friend, Lady Ainslie, lives too far away for us to meet often, but when we do, it is as if we have only been parted a few days.’
Sebastian offered her his arm. She hesitated before slipping her hand into the crook of his elbow, a comfortable and familiar gesture.
He glanced down at her, frustrated that her bonnet obscured her face.
While Lady Kendall had the power to invoke instantaneous lust, he found this woman far more intriguing.
She remained silent as they retraced the path through the woods. He swung the cane he still carried.
‘Harry used to talk about his sister,’ Sebastian said at last, breaking the silence between them. ‘She would be a few years older than him.’
Not that you would think it to look at her, he thought privately.
Isabel stopped in the path, withdrawing her hand from his arm.
‘Lord Somerton, I think there is something you should know about Lady Kendall. Indeed, I am surprised you haven’t been apprised of the choicest piece of gossip concerning my late husband.
He had been visiting Lady Kendall the night he died. ’
Sebastian cleared his throat. ‘I had heard that.’
‘You should know that he was, in fact, a frequent visitor to her home. Lady Kendall occupied a very particular position in my husband’s life. She was his mistress.’
Sebastian tried to look surprised but could see from the tightening of Isabel’s mouth that he had failed.
‘I’m sorry,’ he mumbled. ‘I had heard the story. I should have been more careful of your sensibilities.’
She looked away, the muscles in her neck taut as she swallowed.
‘Brantstone Hall is your home, Lord Somerton and Lady Kendall is your friend’s sister.
I can raise no objection if you wish to entertain her, and her brother, of course, but do not ask me to play at being the gracious hostess in her company. ’
‘I understand.’
She looked back at him, an almost wild desperation in her eyes. ‘Do you?’
Before he could respond she set off at a brisk pace. He joined her, but they walked back to the hall in silence.