Where Love Grows (Jasmine Cottage Book 5)

CHAPTER ONE

Tidworth, Audsley Abbey 1833

Emma laughed as she ran through the grounds of Audsley Abbey on a beautiful summer day. The bright blue sky was broken up by white clouds which floated over the ancestral grounds of the Earl of Audsley. Forests scattered throughout the property filled the air with the fresh scent of pine but, even more than that, it smelled like roses, courtesy of the hundreds of rosebushes which had been planted throughout the grounds and had somehow resisted the relentless efforts of gardeners to tame them.

Just as Emma had resisted the efforts to tame her. At twenty, she couldn’t understand why it was so terrible to run on a beautiful day, even though ladies rarely moved any faster than a slow, sedate pace. Perhaps if she’d been in London she might remember to behave with some decorum. But she was home in the country. Her parents rarely paid enough attention to upbraid her and she cared little enough for the censure of the gossipy shopkeeper Mrs. Canterbury. Lady Amelia Audsley, the mother of the current earl, would surely disapprove, but she disapproved of just about everything.

But Emma didn’t care. It was a beautiful day and the roses were intoxicating. However, it wasn’t the roses which filled Emma with joy. It was the man who owned the roses, the estate and Emma’s heart.

Christopher Aston, the Earl of Audsley, had been the longtime object of Emma’s affections since she’d been a young girl. Eight years her elder, he had barely known she existed, but she’d been in love with him ever since he’d carried her home when she’d fallen out of one of his trees when she’d been seven years old. She’d been so captivated by the boy that she’d even forgotten about the pain in her arm as he’d carried her from the abbey to her family’s home down the lane in Tidworth.

Her parents had made a great fuss and thanked him profusely, but he’d humbly said very little other than he hoped she’d be more careful the next time. But the smile he’d given her had quite emblazoned itself on Emma’s heart. And from that point onward, she looked forward to getting glimpses of him when he returned home on school holidays, first while he’d been at Eton, then when he’d gone on to university.

He was a man of few words and while some people had called him proud, even arrogant, Emma was certain he was simply shy. His father had unexpectedly died two years earlier and he was now the earl, with all its myriad responsibilities. That meant he was in London quite a bit to tend to his duties in the House of Lords. It was where his mother usually chose to remain when she wasn’t visiting friends on the continent. If Emma had to be completely honest, she didn’t care for Lady Audsley all that much. If anyone in the family should be considered proud, it was she. Emma was quite certain that Audsley’s reputation in the village wasn’t as it should be not because of him, but due to his mother. She never thought anything was good enough for her family, especially for her only son.

But none of that mattered now. Emma and Audsley had become friends a year earlier, once she had finished boarding school and returned home. It was as if he’d seen her for the very first time and a flirtation had ensued whenever he was at the abbey. Her parents had warned Emma not to take anything to heart since his mother would never truly countenance a romance with anyone who wasn’t from the highest levels of the ton. Emma’s grandfather was an earl – though a very scandalous one, which was one reason why she loved him so very much – but her parents had never cared for society overly much. They loved to travel and had little regard for the many rules of the world they’d been born into. In fact, they didn’t really care for the company of anyone other than themselves and their two daughters. If Emma were completely honest with herself, she’d have to say that she and her sister Grace took a distinct second place to the love their parents had for each other. That’s not to say she and Grace had ever lacked the necessities of life, but sometimes she thought the main reason her parents had sent them to school was so they could have more time to themselves.

Her parents were about to embark on a trip to the Orient, so they had arranged to rent a small cottage for Emma and Grace for a year. Emma had been terribly disappointed when she first saw it. It was a ramshackle house, with two small bedchambers upstairs, a primitive kitchen and windows which were so warped they didn’t close all the way. But she didn’t complain to her parents because she didn’t want them to worry while they were away. And there was another reason not to complain since the cottage was part of Audsley’s estate. If there was a problem with the house, she was certain he would attend to it and she looked forward to any opportunity to see him.

He had been most attentive to her in the last several months as her parents prepared to leave and Emma was looking forward to seeing where things led. This new phase of their relationship had started in the most unexpected place – Mrs. Canterbury’s shop.

Emma’s parents had been selling most of their possessions to pay for their trip when Grace – two years Emma’s junior – had learned their much-loved copy of Pride and Prejudice had been sold. This was a sacrifice Emma had not been willing to make, even for her parents, so she decided to buy it back from Mrs. Canterbury.

Emma entered the shop to find a happy Mrs. Canterbury wrapping a purchase at the counter, which immediately put Emma on guard. If Mrs. Canterbury was happy, that surely meant something bad had happened to one of their neighbors.

“Good morning, Mrs. Canterbury,” said Emma as cheerily as it was possible to be with the gossipy cat.

“Oh, it’s you,” said the shopkeeper, as she eyed Emma’s gown. “I see they didn’t teach you about fashion at that school your parents sent you to. Or if they did, your parents should apply for a refund since the lessons obviously didn’t take. I’m certain they could especially use the money now when their funds are in such short supply.”

Emma dug her fingernails into the palms of her hands. She knew to expect such behavior from Mrs. Canterbury and would normally offer a rejoinder, but if she had a hope of buying the book back at a decent price she couldn’t antagonize the woman. “No, our classes were much more oriented toward literature and academic subjects.” That was only partially true. The headmistress had been a tiresome woman who thought the highest aspiration for a young woman was to marry well. Failing that, it didn’t hurt to have some knowledge of sums. Fortunately, Emma, Grace and their friend Daphne had decided knowledge was more useful than a husband, since knowledge wouldn’t waste money on drink and lightskirts.

Emma smiled at Mrs. Canterbury. “Our parents made an error when they sold you their goods. They inadvertently included our copy of Pride and Prejudice and I was hoping to exchange it for what you paid them.” Emma knew her parents needed every coin for their trip, so she was going to pay for it from her meager savings. But it would be money well spent to recover her favorite book. Grace was taking their parents’ imminent departure especially hard. This would make her feel better.

Mrs. Canterbury raised a brow and her chin. “I must say this is a havey-cavey business, selling and buying back your own possessions. Are you certain your parents should even be making this trip? You certainly wouldn’t want them to go halfway around the world only to be stuck there, would you? This is usually the type of expenditure only those of us in better society can afford.”

Emma’s fingernails clenched even harder. Mrs. Canterbury’s claim to being part of better society was complete rubbish. She and her husband were better off than most people in the village, other than the residents of the abbey, of course. But as far as Emma knew, they had no society blood or connections. Not that Emma put much stock in such things. She loved her grandfather very much, but she cared little for the trappings of society. A person’s character was much more important than any lineage.

Emma plastered on a smile. “As you say, it is a rare treat for anyone to undertake. They have a lot on their minds, which is probably why they made this error. May I buy the book back, please?”

Mrs. Canterbury sighed. “I suppose. Though if they’re that careless now, they really shouldn’t be going to the Orient where your mother is just as likely to be kidnapped to be a royal concubine than to come out alive. Your father will almost certainly have his head removed.”

Emma winced as she felt a nail cut her skin.

Mrs. Canterbury put the beloved book on the counter. Then she quoted a price which was at least twice what her parents had received.

Emma blanched. “Is that what you gave them?”

“That’s not how commerce works. I couldn’t survive if I didn’t make a profit.”

“You’ve had the book for less than a day.”

“And I could have sold it to anyone who passed by. You’re just fortunate I still have it.”

Emma weighed her response. She knew the residents of this village and couldn’t imagine many of them would be interested enough in Miss Austen to buy a copy of a book which was all but falling apart. “Did someone inquire about it?”

Mrs. Canterbury weighed her response. “It wasn’t yet on display.”

“Don’t you display most of your wares? Isn’t that how commerce works?”

Mrs. Canterbury narrowed her eyes. “The price has just gone up.”

“But you already gave me a price.”

“That was before I realized just how valuable this book is. It is now double what I quoted you.”

Emma’s stomach plummeted. There was no way she could meet that price or even a fraction of it. She was tempted to simply grab the book and throw what little money she had on the counter. But then she was interrupted.

“I will buy it,” said a deep voice from the back of the store. Emma knew that voice immediately. It had been in her heart ever since he’d rescued her from falling out of the tree, though, admittedly, the pitch had deepened since then. She turned to see Audsley watching her. All six feet of slim but muscled Audsley, with his dark hair and dark eyes. Emma had to resist the urge to straighten her dress and smooth her hair. She didn’t know why it was, but she always felt so unkempt when she was around him. She had wild red hair and blue eyes, and even if her school had taught her about fashion, she feared she would never look as she should whenever she ran into him. He was effortlessly put together. She was not.

To make matters worse, she realized he must have overheard the entire embarrassing story about how her parents had to sell most of their possessions to finance their trip. Now there he was looking at her, as if he couldn’t quite decide what he thought of her.

Audsley finally turned his disconcerting gaze to Mrs. Canterbury, who positively squirmed under the pressure. Then he pulled out his purse and extracted the amount Mrs. Canterbury had just quoted. Emma could tell the woman was kicking herself for not setting the outrageous price even higher. But Audsley simply looked at the shopkeeper with that gaze some said was arrogant and Emma thought was only misunderstood. He put the coins on the counter and Mrs. Canterbury handed him the book.

“Don’t you generally wrap your wares?” he asked her.

“But…” Mrs. Canterbury gestured to Emma as if to say she wasn’t worth the effort. But when Audsley raised a brow, she set about wrapping it. “Do you want the rest of your purchases now or will you send someone to collect them, my lord?”

“You can deliver them,” said Audsley, choosing the option which hadn’t been offered. “Miss Moore, may I escort you home?”

“I would be delighted, sir.” Emma couldn’t be happier with both the offer of an escort and the look of surprise on Mrs. Canterbury’s face as Audsley took the book, then escorted Emma from the premises. She laughed as soon as they were outside.

“That was very well done of you,” she said as they walked down the lane. “I don’t think I’ve been this indebted to you since I fell out of the tree.”

“You’re not still climbing them, are you?”

“Only on occasion. I try to time it when handsome men are there to catch me.” Emma knew she was being bold, but seeing Mrs. Canterbury bested had made her giddy, not to mention the fact she was walking with the man she’d been in love with for years. “Thank you very much for the book.”

“What makes you think I’m going to give it to you?” From the look he gave her, she couldn’t quite tell if he was making a jest.

“Are you going to give it to me? I should tell you it’s Grace’s favorite book. She’ll be most disappointed if I return empty-handed.”

“Why is it no one can tell when I am making a jest?” He seemed genuinely perplexed by it.

She could have said it was because he so rarely ever made one, but she didn’t want him to feel bad. “You are very dignified, Audsley. I think most people forget you are also human.”

“But you know that.”

“I do,” she said, suddenly aware that the conversation was taking an oddly serious turn when she so hoped he would flirt with her. He looked almost cross – as he too often did – so she got back to the reason she was there. “Please let me reimburse you for the book. Well, not exactly ‘reimburse’ you since I don’t have what you paid for it. But let me give you what I was going to give Mrs. Canterbury.”

“I don’t want your money, Emma.”

“Then what do you want?” Perhaps this was the moment he would ask for a kiss. She’d be more than happy to oblige.

“Your friendship.”

That wasn’t what Emma had expected.

* * *

That wasn’t what Audsley had meant to say. As soon as the words were out of his mouth he wondered how they had flown out of it. It was especially odd for him since he was so careful with everything he said. His father had taught him that. He’d said that a nobleman must be true to his word in all his interactions. His mother had emphasized that it was especially important to be honest with social inferiors so they wouldn’t get ideas above their station. And it was even more unusual that he would ask for Emma’s friendship. He didn’t have many friends, just a few from school, and none were female. But, somehow, he felt like sunshine had come into his life when he was walking with this girl he’d known for so long. And he didn’t like the idea of the sun fading away when she left.

That wasn’t to say he approved of her, far from it. Her parents had always been reckless in the upbringing of their two daughters, living in a ramshackle house and neglecting the girls, who always seemed to be wandering off in the village without a proper escort. Emma had even fallen out of a tree one day when she was young, badly injuring her arm, though she’d tried her best not to show how painful it had been. He’d been angry that day as he carried her home to parents who should have been looking after her. She’d chattered on about spring and other nonsense, while his rage had built that a girl would be hurt that much when she should have been home tatting or embroidering or whatever else young girls did at their leisure. Her parents had been distraught when they’d seen she’d been hurt but had taken none of the rightful blame for it. They’d simply thanked him and told Emma she’d have her favorite dessert that night.

As if dessert would make up for their neglect or her sore arm.

Their current scheme to sail to the Orient was one of the most irresponsible actions Audsley had ever heard of and they had a long history of selfish behavior where their daughters were concerned. While he approved of educating girls, he knew the only reason the Moores had sent the girls to school was so that the parents could go haring off on their own adventures. It was true that Audsley’s parents had spent little time with him while he’d been growing up, but it was because of that very reason that he believed parents should spend time with their children to teach them. When he had children – an obligation of being an earl – he would ensure they were safe, educated and aware of their responsibilities in the world of the ton.

It was the height of irresponsibility that Moore and his wife would leave their two daughters unprotected as they pursued their dreams, especially since it meant the girls would have to move from their family home to less expensive quarters. Audsley had been so indignant he’d come close to refusing Moore when he’d asked to lease the cottage on the abbey estate. The cottage was so rundown that Audsley had seriously considered using it as a pen for his wayward goats. He would certainly never allow any daughter of his to live there.

But he’d finally relented because they had little money for rent and the girls might end up in a house with an unscrupulous landlord. At least with the cottage Audsley could keep an eye on them to ensure they didn’t end up in too much trouble. When he had to be in London, he’d leave instructions for his staff to watch out for them.

It was safe to say he didn’t approve of the Moores, but he had to admit that Emma had caught his eye ever since she’d finished school. He’d watched in fascination today as she’d tried to buy back the book her parents had mistakenly sold – if it had been a mistake. He had a feeling the Moores cared less for their children’s wishes than for their own welfare. Emma had walked into the shop with her head of unruly red hair held high. He admired that, especially since any other lady would be ashamed to have it be known that her family was having financial problems.

If Audsley’s mother had sold the family’s belongings, he was quite certain the humiliation would have kept him out of the public eye for several months. Not that he could picture his mother doing such a thing, of course. She was much too well-bred.

But it was an open secret in the village that the Moores were selling everything of any worth. And Emma should have known that a gossipy fishwife like Mrs. Canterbury would never sell the book back to her, especially when she knew how much it meant to Emma and her sister.

Audsley had watched the interaction between the two from the moment Emma stepped into the shop. He would have had too much pride to try to get the book back, but he admired Emma for doing something to help her sister. He also admired her spirit as she set about negotiating with the infuriating shopkeeper. He could tell how much it was costing Emma to curb her tongue from the way she was clenching her fists. She had beautiful hands with long slender fingers and it must have hurt to keep pressing her nails into her palms. But she was determined to be victorious. He could have told her she was employing the wrong strategy. Mrs. Canterbury was the type of bitter, small-minded person who would keep the book out of spite, especially since it was doubtful the woman was much of a reader, save the gossip pages from the London papers which arrived abominably late.

Finally, when he could stand Mrs. Canterbury’s pettiness no longer, he had stepped forward and bought the book. And now Emma was offering to buy it at a steep price. For even though she had not even half of what he had just paid for it, he was fairly certain it was all the money she possessed.

He didn’t want to take her money but had no wish to offend her pride, which she’d already had to abandon once that day. So, he’d asked for something she was free to give – her friendship.

Then he was surprisingly uneasy when she did not immediately agree. He found himself completely at a loss as to what to say. He’d never had the ease of address common to so many young men at school. He talked easily at length and in depth with his few true friends. But he hadn’t a clue how to communicate with others. Especially with ladies. Especially with a young lady whose drab dress hinted at a lovely bosom.

Finally, she spoke.

“I’m surprised you’d be interested in such a thing.”

It wasn’t exactly the response he’d been waiting for. “You think I am without friends?”

“Quite the contrary. I’m certain you have many friends from school and you are an earl. You must socialize often in London.”

He did, though he rarely enjoyed it. “Then what is so surprising?”

“That you’d want to be friends with me. I care little for the rules of society, have not a single gown which wouldn’t be out of place in London and my own parents would consider me a hoyden if they gave it much thought. Why do you want to be friends with me?”

“To be honest, I do not entirely know.”

“That is honest to a fault.”

Now it was his turn to wonder if she was making a jest. Since he wasn’t sure if he should laugh, he decided to be honest, instead. “You have a way about you which lightens a room. I admire it.”

She turned to look at him and he couldn’t tell what she was feeling. When her scrutiny was almost unbearable, she spoke. “That is quite possibly the finest compliment anyone has ever paid me. And yes, I would like to be your friend.”

Audsley wasn’t certain what to say to that, so he simply nodded. They walked in silence until they approached her small home. It was more than a bit shabby, with a shutter on the second floor on the verge of falling off and a haphazard collection of flowers scattered throughout the small garden which must have been planted with little-to-no thought. They obviously couldn’t afford a gardener, but Audsley wondered why Mrs. Moore hadn’t tended to them better herself.

“The flowers are lovely, aren’t they?” asked Emma. “I like seeing them grow where they wander. I wish we had roses because there isn’t anything quite so lovely as the smell of a rose garden in summer.”

She was smiling and the sun lit her hair so that it glowed like a sunset over water. “I can think of something lovelier than a rose garden,” he said without thinking.

“Do not leave me in suspense. Pray tell me what it is.” She wasn’t being coy. She truly didn’t know he was talking about her. She was so unlike the ladies of the ton. Perhaps that was the reason for his fascination with her.

He couldn’t very well tell her his real thoughts, so he said the first thing which came to mind. “Reading a good book on a summer day. I just happen to have one.” He handed her the ragged copy of Pride and Prejudice. Her smile warmed him thoroughly.

“Thank you so much for this. You’ve made Grace very happy.”

“Just Grace?” He hadn’t done it for Grace.

“You’ve made both of us very happy. Would you like to come in?”

“No, thank you, I must be off. Enjoy your book.”

“I will, my friend.”

Audsley couldn’t think of anything else to say, though he knew there was probably a smooth response a flirtatious gentleman would let roll off his tongue. Since that in no way described him, he simply bowed and departed.

But he thought about Emma Moore all the way home.