Chapter 23
Twenty-Three
The next morning only Hattie accompanied me on my walk, as I got up too early for Mrs. Drake, and Millicent said she would rather catch up on some letter writing.
When we returned, I proposed that we all go shopping again. Yes, I wanted to avoid being called on, but I also wanted to buy the children some new toys and games.
Mrs. Drake was putting on her shawl and bonnet when she said with a frown, “You don’t have to always be out if you don’t wish to receive callers. You can just have the servants tell your callers that you’re not at home. It is a very common practice.”
I’d rather not ask my servants to lie, even if it was a common practice, but I only said, “I have some shopping to do. But I’m well aware that we need to return in time to ready ourselves for our dinner guests.”
Indeed, I enjoyed the shopping trip and purchasing toys I thought the children would like. But every time I thought of Lord Markeley, I felt a twist in my stomach, worrying that Millicent was hurt and angry with me, and worrying that tonight would further cause her pain.
Somehow I needed to put Lord Markeley off, to convince him that I would not marry him even if he asked.
Perhaps I could find a way to tell him privately that Millicent Skidmore had a fortune of her own, for her father had dedicated fifteen thousand pounds to go to her when she married, plus an annuity of five hundred pounds.
That was no small dowry. Lord Markeley could certainly do worse.
But I suspected he already knew what her dowry was.
Such things were usually public knowledge so that each gentleman knew what he was getting before he proposed marriage.
After an enjoyable time shopping, we arrived home just after calling hours were over. Samuel and Annabelle had gone back to Lord Brookhaven’s. “We decided the children needed a little time apart,” Gretchen said with a smile when I came upstairs.
So Sarah and Joshua were alone in their room when I brought the gifts to them. When Sarah saw one of the dolls, with its real blond hair and bright blue painted eyes, she cried out and hugged it to her chest.
“My very own doll,” she gasped.
“Yes, indeed.”
But the moment was not to last, for Joshua whooped as loud as any banshee as he fell upon the wooden rocking horse the footman brought and set down in the middle of the playroom. He immediately climbed on and held the rein with his good hand, yelling, “Get up and go, horsey!”
I stayed as long as I could, watching them play, my heart full of joy and my eyes equally full of tears, at times, until I had to get ready for our dinner party.
Somehow, after the joy I’d felt at the children’s excitement, I couldn’t feel any dread about the evening, though I’d lain awake the night before, trying to plan what to do.
Lord Brookhaven was the first to arrive, followed immediately by Mr. Merritt. We sat in the drawing room. The conversation felt rather forced, but when Lord Markeley arrived, he’d obviously been imbibing in spirits. His eyes were red, and he couldn’t seem to stop talking.
“Miss Robbins, you’re looking particularly pretty this evening,” he said, stumbling over the many syllables in particularly.
“Miss Skidmore loaned me her ribbon, and doesn’t she look fetching? I think the way the servant did her hair this evening is especially attractive.”
Lord Markeley seemed reluctant to turn his head and look at Miss Skidmore, but he finally did and said, “Miss Skidmore looks wonderfully well, as always.” He made a point to bow to her, and in doing so, he spilled a few drops of his drink on the floor.
Mrs. Drake rang for a servant while Lord Brookhaven threw down his handkerchief to soak up the wine.
“Come on, Markeley,” Mr. Merritt muttered. “Why don’t you drink some tea so you don’t end up embarrassing yourself.”
“Embarrassing myself?” Lord Markeley scrunched his face and let out a long hiss. “I’m not the one—” Lord Brookhaven put his arm around Lord Markeley’s shoulders and guided him out the door into the hall, talking quietly in his ear.
“But I’m not the one who—” could be heard growing quieter as the two men made their way away from the other guests.
Percy Allen arrived and then there was nothing left to do but pray that Lord Brookhaven could get Lord Markeley to sober up before making their way back by the time dinner was announced.
“Allow me to congratulate you on your inheritance, Miss Robbins,” Mr. Allen said, the most words I’d heard him string together at one time. “My father and mother asked me to send their good wishes for your health and happiness.”
“Thank you, Mr. Allen. Are your parents well?”
“They are, I thank you.”
The conversation was just that scintillating, until Millicent, Hattie, and Mr. Allen began to talk of their favorite music. Then Mr. Merritt turned to me and said quietly enough that no one else could hear, “Have you thought any more about my proposal?”
“I have thought about it, and I know it isn’t fair to you, but I haven’t come to a decision yet. Forgive me. I promise not to make you wait much longer.”
He was quiet, staring down at the sofa cushion between us. Finally, he said, “I believe I may promise that you will be very comfortable, very content when you are my wife.”
I said nothing, and he went on.
“I would treat you gently, and you would lack for nothing. I’d protect and honor you. You believe me?”
“I . . . I do believe you.” But I immediately wondered if that was true.
“Dinner is ready, ma’am.” The servant bowed and left the room.
No one spoke for a moment, then Mr. Merritt said, “I’ll go and see if I can fetch the two errant lords.”
We all smiled at his referring to the earl and the viscount as if they were children.
Less than a minute later, the three men returned, Lord Markeley looking a bit more sober, and we were able to pair up and proceed into the dining room.
I’d paired Millicent with Lord Markeley and Hattie with Mr. Allen, who was so much altered from the house party at Lowndesbury House that I wondered if his parents’ presence there had caused him to be antisocial.
I’d paired Mrs. Drake with Mr. Merritt, and myself with Lord Brookhaven, since his status as an earl would entitle him to the highest place at the table.
But that meant that these two gentlemen were on either side of me.
The meal progressed pleasantly enough, with Millicent, Lord Markeley, and Mr. Allen telling Hattie stories of the party at Lowndesbury House.
And Lord Brookhaven and Mr. Merritt talking pleasantly enough with me and Mrs. Drake.
I never would have sensed any tension between the two gentlemen if not for the fact that I’d seen them speaking much more familiarly and in a much friendlier manner at Lowndesbury House.
I’d managed to sneak away just long enough to whisper to the servant pouring the wine and ask him to make certain he only gave Lord Markeley the watered-down wine I reserved for myself and Hattie.
It was the only kind of wine Mrs. Southey allowed her schoolgirls and teachers to drink, so we preferred it.
I hoped it helped keep Lord Markeley from ruining our evening.
While we were being served the second course, I thought I heard a knock at the front door. But I ignored it, until half a minute later I heard shouting.
I jumped up and rushed toward the sounds of raised voices. In the hall, I felt Lord Brookhaven’s hand on my shoulder.
“Allow me to go first,” he said, even as he maneuvered himself between me and the man shouting at the young footman who’d answered the door.
“Them’s m’ rightful kin,” he was shouting. “Your mistress took ’em unlawful-like. You bring ’em down here to me.”
“You are trespassing, sir,” Lord Brookhaven said.
“I want what’s rightfully mine! I know my Joshua and Sarah are here.”
“Joshua and Sarah are orphans,” I said from behind Lord Brookhaven’s shoulder. “You’re not their father.”
“That’s all you know! They’s my own niece and nephew, my sister’s young’uns. Now hand ’em over, or I’ll be fetching the constable.”
“We will speak to your solicitor about it in the morning,” Lord Brookhaven said.
The man spit out a curse, and that was when I smelled the alcohol on him.
“Ain’t never had no solicitor. But I’ll be back, mark my words.” He pointed a dirty finger at me. “You ain’t seen the last of me.”
“And what is your name?” Lord Brookhaven asked.
“Gilbert White, and I know my rights. This is still England, and the lady of this house has my kin.”
The man backed out the open door, and Lord Brookhaven shut and locked it.
I lifted my hand to my face, then noticed it was shaking and put it down again.
“Are you all right?” Lord Brookhaven asked.
“Yes.”
“Have you ever seen that man before, or have the children mentioned him?”
“No, I haven’t, and they have told me themselves that their parents are dead and they have no home.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “I will not allow that man to take them. They are happy here. I won’t allow it.”
Mr. Merritt, Mr. Allen, and Lord Markeley were standing in the hall behind us, just outside the dining room. The ladies appeared to be crowded behind them.
I heard a bit of shuffling and glanced at the stairs. At the top of the landing were Sarah and Joshua, looking wide-eyed.
“I’ll be back in a moment,” I said to my guests, then climbed the stairs.
“Why aren’t you in bed?” My hands were starting to shake even more, as if I was having a late reaction to what had transpired moments ago.
“We heard shouting,” Sarah said softly.
I knelt down in front of them so I could look into their eyes. “Did you recognize that man?”
Joshua and Sarah exchanged glances but said nothing.
“He says he’s your uncle. Is that true?”
They nodded. “I think he is our uncle,” Sarah said quietly, “but we never saw him until our mother died. Will he bring the constable and take you to jail? Take us?”