A Companion for Life (20 page)

“I’m afraid not. He fell over and hit his
head. He can’t remember falling in love with you or getting
engaged. It’s just as well because he didn’t really love you. He
merely wanted to possess a lovely object. It would have been a bad
match.”

“How do you know what he felt, you hateful
man?”

“If I’m so hateful why did I save
your life after you kicked me and tried to claw out my eyes?”

“Because you hate me…you want me to
suffer!”

“Your attitude makes you ugly Miss
Philips.”

Heartbroken sobs wracked the slender girl. “I
want my Mamma…”

“I want a peaceful house. You will control
your temper; if you get angry you’ll walk in the garden until
you’re in possession of your faculties or you’ll regret it. Pinch
or slap anyone in my household and my housekeeper, Mrs Jones, will
be instructed to return every pinch or slap. If you hit, kick or
punch beware her husband Jones will be asked to belt your backside;
one lash for every blow you deliver. As you do to others, it will
be done to you. If you’re kind and helpful you will find me and my
household the same. Mr Jones will not relish belting you, but he
will do it. For your sake, I urge you not to lose your temper.”

“Hate you…”

“Good. I shall feel no remorse in ordering
Jones to belt you for being a she-devil.”

As the carriage pulled up outside his house
his ears were ringing with the sound of his niece sobbing. “I want
my Aunt Lily!”

Acute longing rushed like an invisible wave
through his internal organs make his mouth water as he swallowed a
moan. He wanted Lily too. His heart was drumming his chest in
delight as he climbed out of the carriage and hurried into the open
door on weak knees. “Where’s my wife?”

“She’s in your sitting room…”

Penryth didn’t wait to remove his hat or
coat. Clutching his chest he raced up the stairs vaguely aware of
sobbing behind him. He opened the door and stepped into a cloud of
warmth and peace. She was sitting on the green settee with a book
in her hands. She stared up at him in surprise from underneath a
new generous cap, the ivory silk ruffle framing her pretty face.
His knees trembled as his heart threatened to burst from
withholding its secret. “Mrs Bowen…” The words caught in his throat
as the book in her hands was set aside as she stood up. “…you look
well.” What was he saying? She was a dream come true. Her freckled
cheeks were free of unsightly bruises, her brown eyes filled with
relief. His tongue and limbs felt suddenly awkward as if he’d
borrowed them from a better man in the hope of impressing her. “I’m
sorry about your sister…”

“You’re safe…” Tears welled in her eyes.
“…that’s what matters. I was so afraid…”

“Cariadon…” He held out his arms, his chest
aching for her nearness. “…you don’t think I’d die before I could
tell you that I…”

“Aunt Lily!” His heartfelt declaration was
rudely interrupted as Grace pushed past him and flung herself
against Lily, sobbing into the well padded shoulder. “I’ve been
disowned!”

Mr Bowen looked stunned as Grace’s arms
wrapped around her like a living garter. She wasn’t the only one
suffering disappointment; the beautiful swan with fresh scratches
and bruises on his face clenched his fists and hissed in rage at
the young woman obstructing his desire. Lily’s heart filled with
warm air threatening to carry her away into the clouds; Mr Bowen
was angry because he couldn’t hold her.

“Go cry somewhere else Baggage! I want my
wife.”

Between loud sobs, Grace said, “Mr Bowen says
he’s going to beat me. He hates me. He says I’m ugly.”

Lily watched her husband roll his eyes. “Mr
Philips refuses to have anything to do with her and I don’t blame
him, but he didn’t have to pawn the brat’s clothes. Now I’ll have
to buy her a new wardrobe or she’ll stink up my house.”

“Am I invisible?” Grace spoke from Lily’s
shoulder without moving her head. “I’ve been disowned…no one loves
me…”

Lily rubbed her sobbing niece on the back.
“That isn’t true…your friend Helen loves you.”

“Helen hates me. She borrowed my necklace and
then lost it. She didn’t even offer to replace it. When I asked to
borrow one of her hats she said her mother didn’t let her lend
things because they never came back clean. No one loves me.”

Lily looked into frustrated dark eyes a few
feet away and absently said, “That isn’t true.”

Grace assumed the fervent words were for her.
“You think I’m beautiful?”

“You’re very beautiful.”

“Miss Philips mistakenly equates being
thought beautiful to being loved.”

“Don’t call me that…I’m not a Philips.”
Audible sobbing resumed with force. I’m Grace the bastard. No one
will marry me. I’ll die an old maid.” Lilly eyed her niece in
confusion and then looked at her husband for help.

“Don’t worry Miss Philips, I’m sure we can
find you a groom, just don’t expect him to speak English. If you’re
lucky we may even persuade Mr Grayson to give you away. Now if
you’re done watering my wife I wish to have a turn being held in
her arms.” Lily glanced up and blushed again with pleasure at the
look in his eyes.

Grace ignored the command. “My whole life
has been a lie; I don’t even know who I am. I hate Thomas
Grayson.”

“He’s in an elite club. Cry about your
spurious parentage somewhere else. I want my wife.”

“What is she talking about? Mr Grayson is…was
Rosamund’s good friend. She even named her eldest son after him. He
spends…spent a month or two every summer with the family. Mr
Philips used to invite him personally.”

Mr Bowen removed his hat and tapped it
against his leg before absently returning it to his head. “If you’d
ever seen a group of Grayson girls you’d know it’s true. Rosamund
confirmed it; Mr Philips was unable to have children. Hence the
bastard son of a duke was considered a fit surrogate father for a
possible future duke…”

“Uncle Penryth, what is she doing here?” The
three looked toward the fire to see a bandaged head with sleepy
eyes appearing around the wing of the arm chair. “You can’t let her
stay here. She jilted me!”

“Do you expect me to freeze to death in the
gutter? He’s my uncle too!”

“Only by marriage; he’s my father’s older
brother. Go home and leave us in peace.”

“I don’t have a home! Papa disowned me and
pawned all my clothes.”

“Are you sure he didn’t burn them in
celebration?”

“I hate you. My uncle is desperate to bed my
Aunt so if there was a fire he’d save me before he saved you
because she’d be more upset at my death than yours so there.” Lily
flushed deep red in horror as her eyes slowly traveled over the
floor and up her husband’s dusty clothes to his livid
expression.

“Miss Philips, what I do or do not wish to do
with my wife does not make a fit topic of conversation for a
dependent. Repeat it and you’ll be eating porridge and water for a
month. That means no sugar, no butter, no milk…porridge and water
for every meal. Do you understand?”

“It’s not my fault. William…”

“It is your fault Miss Philips because you
opened your mouth and flapped your tongue.”

“Ei! You flapped your tongue and jilted me
you silly goose and now you’ll be lucky if some smelly old squire
will take you as his fifth wife. Ha! I wouldn’t ask you to marry me
again if you put a pistol to my head.”

“You heartless beast, I’m practically an
orphan.”

“I’ve been an orphan for years. I’ve suffered
longer.”

“Your mother didn’t tell you, you were a
bastard minutes before she was ran over by a mail coach. I’d be
dead too, but my uncle saved me.” Lily’s eyes sprang in horror back
to Mr Bowen’s face. He hadn’t mentioned anything in his letter
about saving Grace. All he’d written was that he’d been unable to
save Rosamund. Mr Jones’ assertions that Mr Bowen was in love with
her and that he wouldn’t risk his life had haunted her thoughts. If
Mr Bowen had risked his life to save Grace, someone he didn’t even
like, did that mean he wasn’t in love with her? The thought brought
tears to her eyes as her heart started to deflate.

“Cariadon? Are you feeling ill?” She shook
her head as he approached, his nearness causing more tears. “Of
course you’re upset, you’ve lost a sister. That brat has upset you
hasn’t she?”

Grace turned her head so she could glare one
eye up at her rescuer. “Maybe you’re upsetting her with the stench
of your dirty linen.”

Lily was relieved to see she wasn’t the only
one with red cheeks as Mr Bowen choked on his embarrassment. “Mind
your tongue Brat or I’ll hire a cab and send you to Grayson with my
compliments and perchance you get any silly ideas; William is
effectively penniless for the next nine months. He can’t afford a
new hat let alone a trip to Scotland.”

“Why would I want him? He’s a beastly
bore!”

“Because Morley will be canting into every
available ear that he’s deflowered you which will considerably
narrow your choice of husband.”

“Morley’s a lying snake turd!”

“That truth won’t save your reputation.”

“I hate you!”

“Good. Now if you’ll release my wife you can
remain here exchanging insults with William while I talk with my
wife in private elsewhere.”

The young woman sobbed harder as she clutched
Lily. “Don’t leave me Aunt Lily! You’re all I have.”

“I’ll come as soon as I can Mr Bowen.”

He didn’t look pleased. He glared at his
niece and then sighed in resignation. “She’s not to hurt you in any
way. I’ve warned her; if she loses her temper she’ll wish she
hadn’t. He caressed Lily cheek and sighed again. “I’m going to
order a bath. As soon as you can detach Miss Grace, would you come
to my room?” The enchanted swan was suddenly blushing again as he
bashfully tipped the brim of his hat down over his face as he
whispered. “I have a confession I wish to give in private.” He
touched her face one more time before turning away and glaring at
his nephew. “Be a gentleman or you’ll be eating porridge and water;
two weeks should persuade you to treat Miss Grace like a lady.”

“A lady wouldn’t run away with Morley.”

“He said he’d marry me you hateful
beast!”

“And you were the fool who believed him. I’ll
celebrate the day you jilted me ‘till the day I die; you’re an
idiot…”

“William!”

“What? She called me a hateful beast. I only
called her an idiot.”

“A gentleman doesn’t belittle a lady.”

Grace picked her head off Lily’s shoulder and
sneered at her rescuer, “You called me a she-devil!”

William’s raised eyebrows and smug smile
appeared to darken Mr Bowen’s mood. “And for good reason; before
you take me to task again Miss you might want to first remember
that I’m the idiot who couldn’t leave you to freeze on Mr Philips
doorstep.”

The words hung in the air as Mr Bowen turned
and left the room calling for Jones to order a hip bath. Lily stood
there holding her niece with questions swirling in her brain. What
sort of confession? Was he going to tell her he’s bed some stranger
or worse Rosamund? Lily shook the ugly thoughts from her head and
concentrated on her niece.

…

Several hours later Grace had been washed,
changed into one of Lily’s new nightgowns and put to bed; Lily had
no more excuses to avoid Mr Bowen’s room. As she lifted her hand to
knock on his door she could smell tobacco smoke wafting from under
the door; he was waiting. Taking a deep breath she wrapped her
knuckles against the wood. There was a slight pause. “Enter.” She
closed the door behind her before looking towards the fire. He was
standing there with wet hair in clean clothes watching her through
an evaporating ring of smoke. “You finally escaped.”

“She’s sleeping.” Dark eyes pulled her
closer. Floorboards protested, creaking their discomfort as she
obeyed. “She didn’t like her room, but Jones insisted you’d chosen
it. She seemed quite afraid of Jones.”

“If she kicks or hits anyone Jones will be
lashing her backside. I suspect she’ll be keeping her temper until
she marries some fool who panders to her pretty face. Does that
displease you? You look upset.”

“It’s nothing…”

“That evil nothing again; do I finally get to
hold you?” He took his pipe out of his mouth and set it on the
mantel before holding out his arms calling her closer. His hands
paused to admire her natural waist before wrapping around her. “I
didn’t tell you that I’d rescued Grace because I didn’t want you
worrying that I might do something equally stupid before returning.
It wasn’t a rational act…I ran out and grabbed one and ended up
with Grace. My blood turns to ice thinking of you alone at the
mercy of her rage. Never again; she’ll learn to control her temper
or wish she had. You’re not upset with me for burying Rosamund at
the local church?”

“No.”

“Good.” He pulled her closer,” He moaned into
her ear and pulled her closer. Pleasant chills ran down the right
side of her body as wet kisses trailed over her right cheek. “I
have a confession Cariadon.”

Lily didn’t want to hear about any other
women. “Mr Bowen, I don’t care who you’ve bed. It doesn’t matter.”
Adoring lips abruptly lifted off her cheek.

“What do you mean who I’ve bed?”

“You said you had a confession.”

His eyes filled with righteous indignation.
“It doesn’t follow that I bed some wench; you don’t think I bed
Rosamund do you?”

“
I don’t care. I mean I do care, but it
doesn’t matter.” Now he was glaring at her.

“I haven’t bed anyone since that last vile
visit to Melisande. How could you think I would after what
happened?”

“Now you’re angry with me.”

“With reason, my Cariadon thinks I’m a
philandering old goat.” His arms withdrew from around her waist and
reached for his pipe which he violently tapped over the fire to
dislodge the old tobacco into the flames before refilling the
bowl.