Proposals in Regency Society: Make-Believe Wife / The Homeless Heiress
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‘I find that it does not suit me to be at odds with you, sir. Is that so very strange?’
‘I suppose it threw you into a blue fit because of that little incident.’ The old man glared at him. ‘Well, I mustn’t nag on at you or your fiancée will scold me. I am pleasantly surprised, Luke. When your letter came I scented a rat, thought you would try to play one of your tricks on me, but Miss Roxanne seems a decent gel. For the moment I shall reserve judgement.’
‘I hope I shall not let you down,’ Roxanne said. ‘The marriage cannot happen until I have my father’s permission, so there is plenty of time.’
‘Indeed, I might argue with that,’ the earl said. ‘What makes you think your father will write if he has not done so for years?’
‘I can only hope that he will do so, sir.’
‘And if he does not?’ Hartingdon’s eyes gleamed suddenly. ‘I shall give you three months to seek his permission. If after that there is no word, I shall insist on the banns being called.’
Roxanne looked at him and saw the challenge in his eyes. She sensed that he was testing her and smiled, but before she could answer Luke spoke.
‘I am certain we could agree to that,’ he said. ‘After all, your father could not blame you for going ahead if he makes no attempt to contact you, Roxanne.’
‘It is so long since I heard anything, he may be dead,’ Roxanne said carefully. ‘If in three months’ time nothing has changed—and we are all content with the situation—I shall agree to the banns being called.’
‘Then you have my blessing,’ the earl said and looked smug, as if he had gained what he sought. ‘However, there is one caveat—and that is that Miss Roxanne remains here with me so that I may get to know her. If you have business elsewhere, Luke, you may leave us for as long as it takes. Your fiancée will reside here.’
‘I’m not sure…’ Luke looked stunned. Clearly he had not expected anything of the kind. ‘Roxanne—how do you feel about living here with Grandfather?’
Roxanne hesitated. She had expected a visit of two to three weeks at the longest. To live in this house for three months under the eye of the earl would be a huge challenge.
‘I…’ she began and then encountered a strange expression in the old man’s eyes. The challenge was there, as she had expected, but there was something more—a vulnerability and frailty that seemed to be pleading with her rather than demanding. ‘I think that would be an excellent idea. I have a great deal to learn if I am to be the mistress here, Luke. I hope you will stay with us as much as you can, dearest, but I shall be perfectly content to help Mrs Arlet. I believe she is quite keen to open up some of the family rooms that have been under covers for years.’
‘Told you that, did she?’ For the first time there was a glimmer of true respect in the earl’s eyes. ‘Jane Arlet knows quality when she sees it. If she approves of you, miss, I expect you will do. Don’t worry that I mean to keep you a prisoner. We shall have guests to entertain and you can visit our neighbours, though I do not go out at night these days. Barely go further than the garden even in summer, but I’m not too decrepit to entertain the family and our neighbours. We shall have a ball in a couple of weeks. Mrs Arlet will give you a list and you can write the invitations, girl. You can write, I suppose?’
Roxanne laughed softly. ‘Sofia said I had the most beautiful copperplate hand she had seen, sir.’
His brows met in a frown. ‘And who, pray, is Sofia?’
‘She was my dearest friend, almost a mother to me. Unfortunately, she died recently. I miss her very much.’
‘Humph…’ His gaze narrowed thoughtfully. ‘Name seems familiar, though I can’t think why. Well, why are you both still here? It is a beautiful morning. Get off out and leave me in peace. You should show Roxanne the gardens, Luke.’
‘Yes, sir, delighted.’ Luke held out his hand as Roxanne rose to her feet. She took it, smiling up at him when his fingers closed about hers. ‘Would you like that, my love?’
‘Yes, I should,’ she agreed and bobbed respectfully to the earl. ‘Thank you for receiving me, sir.’
‘Come and see me again tomorrow in the morning and we’ll talk. I may dine with you this evening, but we have no guests until the following day. I wasn’t sure whether you would really come.’
‘Or whether I should be presentable,’ Roxanne said and gave him a look that was deceptively demure. He glared at her, but she thought there was a glimmer of appreciation in his eyes. ‘Please dine with us if you feel able, sir.’
She took Luke’s arm and they left the earl’s room, going downstairs, through the hall and out of a side door into a small walled garden. It was square with rose beds on all sides and a sundial in the middle. Most of the roses were still in tight buds, though some had begun to show signs of opening.
‘Was it too much of an ordeal?’ Luke asked and looked down at her, a flicker of doubt in his face. ‘He seemed to like you, though you might not have thought it—but believe me, he can be much worse.’
‘Yes, I dare say he could. You told me not to be afraid of him and I thought it best to speak out from the start. I believe he prefers plain speaking.’
‘He cannot abide mealy-mouthed women. I have a godmother, who was also a great friend of my mother’s. Hartingdon was abominably rude to Lady Paula the last time she was here. She left in tears, vowing she would never visit again.’
‘I dare say he can be intimidating if he chooses,’ Roxanne said. ‘Yet I think underneath the growling and the harshness, he is lonely and vulnerable.’
‘Good grief.’ Luke stared at her in astonishment. ‘You saw that too? I thought I might have imagined it—he does his best to drive everyone away, you know. All the time I was growing up, he never showed me any sign of affection. He shut himself away from everyone after my mother died and often went for days without speaking to me. He was a harsh disciplinarian, though, when I look back, I believe he was fair. I dare say I was a rebellious lad and even more so as a youth.’
Roxanne laughed and hugged his arm. ‘I can understand why you rebelled when you reached your majority. Sofia always said that if you tied a dog to a short lead it made him wild when let free—and I think it is much the same with us. The best discipline is that which we apply to ourselves, do you not agree?’
‘You are amazing,’ Luke said. ‘You seem to have wisdom beyond your years, Roxanne. How old are you actually, do you know?’
She shook her head. ‘I think I may be nineteen or perhaps twenty. Sofia was never certain, but I was with her for more than five years and must have been thirteen or fourteen when she took me in. If I seem wise, it is because I spent all my time listening to her. She was an intelligent woman with great experience of the world and its foibles.’
Luke nodded, his eyes intent on her face. ‘You still recall nothing of your past?’
‘Nothing.’
‘Then what are you hiding from me? I have sensed something, but did not wish to pry lest it was painful for you.’
Roxanne hesitated, then made her decision. She must trust him with her secret. ‘I have in my possession a ruby of great value. Sofia says I was clutching it in my hand when she found me. I held on to it fiercely and would not be parted from it for some days. When I finally did release it, she hid it and kept it for me. I had forgotten about the jewel until she reminded me just before she died. She says that when I was found, I was dressed in good plain clothes, but not silk, and I had no other ornament.’
‘Are you thinking that you may have stolen it?’
‘I do not know. Sofia told me that I should sell it and set myself up as a lady, but I should be reluctant to do so. It is the only clue I have to what happened before Sofia found me. Besides, it may not be mine to sell.’
‘You think you took the ruby and ran away? Are you certain it is a real jewel and not simply glass?’
‘Sofia thought it valuable. I will show it to you later. I do not know if there is any way to trace the rightful owner…’
‘How do you know that you are not the rightful owner?’
Roxanne looked at him, wrinkling her brow in thought. ‘Sofia told me that I kept saying it was mine, but after I relinquished it to her, I seemed to forget about it and did not ask for it again.’
‘It must have held great importance to you at the time.’ Luke looked thoughtful. ‘You told me that India came to mind when you thought of your father. It is quite possible that a man who either served with the British army or for the trading company might acquire such a jewel. Perhaps it belonged to your father.’
‘Why would I steal a jewel from my own father?’
‘He might have given it to you.’
‘The memory of India was just Sofia’s game.’ Roxanne sighed. ‘I have tried so hard to remember, but I cannot.’
‘Did you keep the jewel hidden in the secret pocket beneath your gown when you travelled?’
‘Yes, in the place where I put your gold to keep it safe. It is not there now. I will show you this evening and then you can tell me your opinion of its worth.’
Chapter Five
Roxanne took the jewel from the dressing case Luke had bought for her. She had placed it in the secret compartment for safekeeping. It was as large as a pheasant’s egg, a strange oval shape with slightly pointed ends and a deep dark red in colour. When it caught the light from the candles on her dressing table it sparkled and glowed with fire. Something about it at that moment sent a shiver down her spine. She had not noticed before, but there seemed something mysterious, even sinister, about the jewel.
She tucked it into the bodice of her gown and went out of her room, her heart beating faster. It was a relief to share her secret with Luke, because it had lain heavy on her conscience ever since she’d rediscovered the ruby in Sofia’s things. Making her way down to the smaller of the two dining parlours, Roxanne wondered if it would be possible to trace the origin of the jewel. She thought Luke was right. It had most likely been brought from India—but was it a gift to her from someone or stolen from its rightful owner?
The earl had decided that he would dine with them that evening. Dressed immaculately in evening clothes that belonged to an earlier age, he seemed more formidable than previously, a proud autocratic man with a strict manner. However, he was the soul of courtesy to Roxanne and did not once give her reason to blush or feel uncomfortable. With Luke he was sharper on one or two occasions, but, receiving only polite answers, he lapsed into silence and then glanced at Roxanne.
‘Do you play chess, Miss Roxanne?’
‘Yes, sir. Sofia taught me. We played in the evenings for there was little else to do…except sew, of course.’
‘You did not have an instrument?’
‘No, not for some years.’
‘We have some excellent instruments here. You are welcome to use them whenever you wish. I enjoy music. I could employ a music master for you if you wish to be taught.’
‘I shall attempt the pianoforte tomorrow,’ she promised. ‘If I have the aptitude, a music master might be useful to improve my skill. I am good with the needle.’
‘Do you like to sketch or paint?’
‘I think I have not had the opportunity.’
‘Your guardian was remiss in your education. You may need some social skills, Miss Roxanne. Perhaps we should send for your godmother, Luke. She is a foolish woman, but might be of some use in giving our gel a little nudge. What do you think?’
‘I believe I shall leave the decision to Roxanne, sir. I am not certain Lady Paula would come.’
‘Nonsense. Write to her and ask her to come down for the ball. She will be here before you have time to turn round. Her curiosity will bring her, if nothing more.’
The earl waved the footman away as he offered more wine. ‘Nothing more for me. I think I shall leave the pair of you to amuse yourselves. If I stay up this evening, I shall not be fit for guests tomorrow. No, no, do not get up. Finish your meal. Jarvis, give me your arm. Goodnight, Miss Roxanne. My suggestion was for your benefit, not an order.’
‘I thank you for the thought, sir.’
‘Well, he is certainly taking an interest,’ Luke remarked as the door closed behind his grandfather. ‘Shall we go through to the parlour, Roxanne? I thought we might use the front parlour when we are alone. It was my mother’s favourite and the drawing room is far too large. Shall I ask Mrs Arlet for some tea and coffee?’
‘Would you not rather have port or brandy? Tea will do very well for me.’
‘If you do not mind, I shall have brandy.’ He nodded to the remaining footman. ‘In twenty minutes or so, Smith.’
Roxanne proceeded him into the front parlour. It was of a similar size to the one the earl preferred, but its décor was a little in need of refreshment, though comfortable and with a pleasant aspect out over steps leading down to a wide expanse of lawn in the sunken garden. At that moment the light was fading and she could not see beyond the windows, for the candles had been lit.
‘Did you bring it?’ Luke asked, having made certain the door was closed behind them. ‘I must admit I am curious to see this jewel.’
Roxanne reached inside her bodice and took out the ruby. It was warm where it had lain nestled against her breasts. She held it out on the palm of her hand and it glowed in the candlelight.
‘Good grief,’ Luke exclaimed as he saw it. ‘I have never seen its like. This must be worth a king’s ransom, Roxanne. It looks as if it came from an Indian maharajah’s crown.’
‘Then it is valuable,’ Roxanne said as he held it to the light between his thumb and forefinger. ‘Sofia said as much, but I was not certain. How could I have come by it, do you imagine?’
‘I believe it must have come from India. The secret of its origin must lie locked in your subconscious, Roxanne. Could your father have brought it home? Did something happen that made you take it and run away?’
‘I truly wish I could answer that question.’ She looked thoughtful. ‘I have wondered if Black Bob guessed I had something valuable. He was determined I would be his woman—did he know that Sofia had hidden this for me? He would not have dared to steal it from her. The other players respected and revered her. Had he stolen from her or harmed her, I think they might have turned on him.’
‘So he waited until she was dead.’ Luke inclined his head. ‘It is possible that he might have suspected something. One of the others might have seen it in your hand when you refused to be parted from it.’
‘Yes, perhaps. What do you think I should do about this? Would it be possible to trace the rightful owner?’
‘I dare say a good few would claim it as theirs if they could whether or not they had the right,’ Luke said. ‘I suppose I might place a vague advert in The Times newspaper and see what happens. I should ask any respondent to contact a solicitor by letter and see what replies we get, but I think we must take great care of the jewel, Roxanne. If Sofia told you that you claimed it was yours, it may be—and this ruby is extremely valuable. If no one likely comes forward in response to the advert, I think you should accept that you own the jewel.’
‘Would you have it placed somewhere safe for me? I was nervous enough of carrying it before, but now—I should hate to be accused of being careless if it was lost.’
‘I shall have it stored in my grandfather’s strong room until I return to London,’ Luke said. ‘We keep all the more valuable heirlooms there when they are not being worn. Hartingdon thinks them as safe here as in a bank and I think he is right. The strong room was once a dungeon and the locks have been made stronger.’
‘Is it in the old wing—where the tower is?’
‘Yes. We seldom use that wing, because parts of the tower are unsafe. Grandfather hasn’t opened the strong room in years, but I shall ask him for the key. You will not mind if I show him the ruby?’
‘Supposing he asks where it came from?’
‘I shall tell him it is your inheritance from your friend, which in a way it is. Had Sofia been other than she was, she might have sold it long since.’
‘She would rather give me all she had than take something of mine,’ Roxanne replied with a smile. ‘Yes, it should be safe in the strong room—though if it is claimed we shall need to explain.’
‘I doubt it will be,’ Luke said. ‘The only person who might know of the ruby would be the owner, whoever that might be.’
‘My father…’ Roxanne sighed. ‘I think it must have been his and that it came from India, just as we have surmised, but perhaps I wish to believe it. Perhaps I have invented the fairy tale?’
‘Did Sofia never try to find out where you had come from?’
‘We were always moving from one place to another. Besides, I think she was afraid someone would take me away from her. She says that I was very quiet and I cried in my sleep for months when she first took me in. It was in her mind that I had been harmed in some way. She would not have given me up to someone who might hurt me.’
‘A jewel like that might cause many people to do things they would not otherwise do,’ Luke said and frowned. ‘I shall seek the advice of my lawyer before placing the advert, Roxanne. It may bring more than we would wish for and I must be certain it cannot be traced back to you.’
‘You think I might be in danger?’
‘I cannot know for certain—but there must have been something that frightened you or you would not have been in such distress when Sofia found you. If you were so determined not to give the ruby up, you must have had good reason to think it was yours.’
‘Sofia has said much the same to me.’ Roxanne looked up at him. ‘I would willingly return it to its rightful owner if it is not mine.’
‘Yes, well, we shall see what happens,’ he said and his eyes were thoughtful, as if wondering how much he could believe of what she’d told him. ‘Do not worry about it, Roxanne. I think Grandfather seemed pleased with life this evening, do you not agree?’
He had pocketed the ruby and Roxanne was glad to see it in his safekeeping. She did not wish to be responsible for such a jewel and felt she would not mind if she never saw it again—and yet, according to Sofia, as a young girl, she had been determined not to give it up.
‘I hope he will be as pleased with me in a few weeks. I am doing my best, Luke, but he is bound to discover gaps in my education. Sofia taught me so much about the world, and I read plays and poetry, but I know little of the things most young ladies learn.’
‘And your mind is all the better for it,’ Luke said. ‘You cannot imagine how boring some of them are, Roxanne. I would swear you could discuss Shakespeare in more depth than most.’
‘Yes, at least the roles I have played,’ she said and dimpled. ‘I shall not mind if the earl employs tutors to rectify my lack. It will pass the time and give me something to strive for.’
‘Have you thought about what happens in three months?’
‘It is a long time,’ Roxanne said. ‘I dare say he will have discovered I am a fraud and declare me unsuitable to be the mistress of a house like this long before that, and if he does not…well, that is up to you, I think.’
‘Would you go through with the wedding if I asked it?’
‘On the terms you offered before?’ He inclined his head and Roxanne was silent for a moment. ‘If we are both of the same mind in three months, I think I might.’
Why on earth had she agreed to marry him in three months if he should ask her? Roxanne wondered what had got into her head. A sham engagement was as far as she had been prepared to go initially, but, oddly enough, she had begun to find the idea of marriage to Luke Clarendon more and more appealing.
What else could she do with her life that would bring her comfort and safety? A woman alone in her position would be prey to rogues and predators, men who would trick her and seduce her for their pleasure. As Luke’s fiancée, and perhaps his make-believe wife, she would have respect and a settled income. Surely that was enough for any woman?
Yet there was something inside her that wanted more. How foolish she was! Luke had never intended more than a temporary arrangement, but now the earl was insisting on a marriage after three months. No doubt he wanted to know a grandchild was on its way before he died.
Luke’s child. For a moment the thought sent a warm spiral curling through her and she smiled. How pleasant the picture was, though quite impossible, of course. They must try to please the earl in his last months, but a child would be too much. She frowned as she recalled her first meeting with the earl. He looked frail, but he did not look particularly unwell.
Could Luke have overreacted to the earl’s illness? Was he truly as sick as his grandson believed?
What would she feel if Luke expected her to provide the heir?
The questions went round and round in her head as her maid helped her prepare for bed. When she was in her nightgown, Roxanne sent the girl away and curled up on the deep window seat to gaze down at the gardens. She was already beginning to feel more at home here and she could not help but think it might be nice to live in a house such as this, not just for a visit, but as the mistress.
‘Foolish,’ she murmured aloud as she twirled a strand of red hair over her finger. ‘It is not poss…’
The words trailed away as she saw the shadow of a man reflected on the lawn in the moonlight. He appeared to be trying to hide in the shrubbery, but the moon was at his back and cast a shadow for a few seconds before he moved further back into the darkness and was lost to sight.
She did not think it had been Luke and it was certainly not the earl. Perhaps one of the servants? Yet it had seemed to her that there was something furtive about the man, as if he wanted to watch the house without being seen.
Could Black Bob have followed her here? For a brief moment the thought sent cold chills winging down her spine, but then she dismissed them. The leader of the travelling players was an opportunist. Given the chance that day at the fair he might have grabbed her and forced her to go with him, but she did not think he would spend days following her to this house, only to hide in the shrubbery and spy on her.
Now she was being very foolish. Why should the man in the shrubbery be spying on her? Luke had said something about having an enemy when they first met. It might be that someone had followed him, intending some harm.
It was too late to go in search of Luke now. She did not know where his rooms were. Besides, the servants would be shocked if she went looking for him at this hour. She would just have to wait until the morning. Slipping into bed, Roxanne tried to be sensible. The man in the shrubbery was probably only one of the servants.
‘Someone hiding in the shrubbery watching the house?’ Luke looked incredulous when she told him her fears at breakfast. ‘I imagine it must have been one of the keepers. They probably take a walk round the house at night just to make sure everything is secure.’
‘Yes, I expect you are right. Though, whoever it was seemed a little furtive, as if he wanted to watch the house without being seen, but perhaps that was my imagination.’ She helped herself to a little scrambled egg and ham from the vast array of dishes under silver covers on the sideboard and carried her plate to the table. Luke was finishing his rare beef eaten with sauté potatoes and pickles.
‘I dare say he was being discreet rather than furtive. Grandfather would not want the keepers to be patrolling in full view of the house, but I think that is what you saw, Roxanne.’ He pushed his plate aside and poured more coffee into a delicate porcelain bowl.
‘I am relieved to hear it. I wondered if Black Bob had followed us here, and then I thought that perhaps—you spoke of an enemy when we first met?’
‘An enemy?’ Luke looked puzzled, then smiled ruefully. ‘In truth, I do not have an enemy, Roxanne. Are you anxious about this fellow who threatened you before?’