A Matter of Honor (4 page)

Aggie felt her hackles rising. He needn’t imply that
she
was responsible for Cecilie’s
character. She had done her very best for the girl. Her eyes grew a deeper blue as she returned his gaze. “I understand your orders, milord,” she said stiffly. “And I shall obey them.” For another long moment their eyes held. Then Aggie could stand it no longer and let hers fall.

Denby turned to Cecilie. “Do you understand these rules?” he asked.

“I heard them,” replied Cecilie, cramming another muff
i
n into her mouth.

The Earl had a surprise in store for him if he construed this as a statement of assent, Aggie thought; but she doubted that he would appreciate being told so. However, he surprised her.

“You’d better
remember
them,” said his lordship. “And
obey
them. If you do, we shall deal well together. If you do not
-”
He frowned deeply and his dark brows met in a straight line across his forehead, giving him a grim, threatening look. “If you do not, I assure you that you will regret it.” His expression softened. “However, I trust that you are a good sensible girl with an eye to the main chance. And, since you’ve got a proper dowry, we should have no trouble finding you a good husband.”

Cecilie made no reply to this
,
continuing to stuff food into her mouth in a way that caused even Aggie, aware of the girl’s intent to annoy, to feel a little nauseated.

Denby turned to her and his gray eyes held clear reproach. “I trust that before Miss Winthrop’s come out, you will take the time to instruct her in the proper table manners. Otherwise, we shall never get her to the altar.”

Aggie felt the color flooding her cheeks, but it was the color of anger, not of embarrassment, that stained them. Her blue eyes blazed at him, but she managed to keep her temper under control. There was no point in antagonizing his lordship further, not when she had to stay in this house until Cecilie was safely married. “Cecilie knows good manners, milord,” she replied evenly.

“And I use them - when the occasion requires,” added her charge in cutting tones.

“
Cecilie
!”
Aggie could not stop the exclamation that burst from her lips or the look of dismay that she instinctively gave the girl. This was
not
the way to get along with Denby or with any man used to running everyone around him.

The Earl’s lips set in a grim line and he rose from the table, pushing back his chair. He fastened his smoky gray eyes on Cecilie as he did so. “Miss Winthrop
.”
The chill tone of his voice made Aggie’s knees tremble and she knew from the set of Cecilie’s
shoulders that in spite of her bravado, the girl was frightened, too.

“I suggest that you reconsider your manner of behaving. The next time I am forced to undergo such a disreputable display of ill-conceived boorishness
,
I shall send you to your room to contemplate your sins.” His eyes swung around to Aggie and rested on her coldly. “As for you
,
Miss Trimble
,
I suggest that you take this occasion to speak severely to your charge.” His eyes seemed to scorch her and she fought to keep from dropping her gaze. “After all
,
” he added with a sardonic humor that did not sit well with her at all, “your interest is at stake, too.”

Then, before she could summon her wits to tell him just how despicable she found his behavior, he turned swiftly on his heel and strode off, leaving her to stare after him in consternation.

Chapter Three

The rest of the day passed with a minimum of fuss. Together Cecilie and Aggie made long lists for the come out. They debated over the various kinds of refreshments they might serve and the kinds of flowers to be used in decorating the ballroom. In both cases Aggie acceded to the girl’s wishes. She was not at all sure, however, that the Earl would. He had not been much amused by Cecilie’s childish display of bad manners. If only she could persuade the girl to act in a reasonable and mature manner. But this was the forlornest of hopes. Aggie had never been able to prevail upon her charge to act reasonably. The girl was far too spoiled. And that was due, not, as the Earl seemed to think, to Aggie’s laxness in regard to her charge, but to the very bad beginnings made by Cecilie’s papa. He had absolutely doted on the girl and every time Aggie had attempted a f
i
rm hand about some matter, a few smiles or tears had soon turned things to Cecilie’s way of thinking.

Aggie looked across the room to where Cecilie was playing with the monkey. With her tousled golden curls and her wide eyes, she presented quite an entrancing scene. Aggie stifled a sigh. If only they could get Cecilie married without anyone coming near her! The rude and vulgar young woman at the breakfast table had been quite different from this enchanting creature. But the Earl had not yet seen Cecilie at her worst. And when he did
...
Although she was concerned, Aggie could not help smiling just a little at the thought. Cecilie provoked was apt to do one of two things. Either she would throw herself upon the floor and scream and kick like an infant, or she would turn red in the face, begin screaming, and throw whatever was closest at hand. Neither of these ways of behaving, Aggie judged, was apt to make the desired impression on the Earl. He was too experienced a man to be moved by such childish behavior.

Aggie sighed again. “I am going to take a turn or two in the courtyard,” she told the girl, who was busy dressing the monkey in an old scarf and a string of pearls. “Do you want to come along?”

Cecilie shook her head. “No. I think I’ll just stay here and play with Dillydums
.”

“Very well,” said Aggie. She closed the door carefully behind her, f
i
ghting down the impulse to remind Cecilie of the Earl’s dictum. She knew that to remind her about keeping the door closed was more likely to lead to it being left open out of sheer perversity.

She made her way to the courtyard where the spring flowers were blooming in profusion. Aggie sniffed appreciatively. For some moments she wandered contentedly among the blossoms, f
i
lling her eyes with their bright color and her nostrils with their scent. Then, discovering a little stone bench, she sank down upon it. As the weight of her thoughts began to press in upon her again, the beauty of the little garden receded. If only Cecilie were already married... Or if her guardian were not the Earl... A shiver swept over Aggie, though the sun was quite warm. Cecilie and the Earl were both strong-minded and spoiled. They were going to come to cuffs often - that seemed apparent. It was also clear that Aggie was apt to be caught in the middle - a most uncomfortable position, as she well knew.

But try as she might, she could think of no way to avoid trouble. Cecilie listened to no one and Aggie could hardly see the Earl condescending to take advice from a mere governess/companion, especially one he thought so little of. A sob caught in Aggie’s throat and took her unaware. It would not be easy to be near the Earl even if Cecilie
were the best-behaved young woman. And with her carrying on in this fashion, it was going to be very difficult.

A sparrow landed on a bush nearby and began to chirp merrily. Aggie swallowed again and blinked back the sudden tears. Spring, with its reminders of her own Season, always made her a little sad. For a moment she slipped back into the past, into those golden days when she had lived in the exciting knowledge that a man cared for her. Aggie stared unseeing at a rosebush while her mind presented her with a series of pictures: herself, flushed and nervous at her come out, surrounded by flattering, admiring young men. Then he had appeared
,
so dark and so heart
-
stoppingly handsome. From that moment on all other men had seemed like cheap imitations. And later
,
at Almack’s
and at other balls, he had swept her round and round the floor to the pulsing rhythm of the waltz, all the while staring down at her from those smoky gray eyes f
i
lled with tenderness. Or so she had thought at the time. Her eyes closed as Aggie relived in her memory the feel of his arms around her, the strange sense of excitement his nearness gave her, and the shuddering ecstasy of his kisses.

The sound of footsteps on the stones startled her and her eyes flew open. For one brief moment her heart leaped in happiness at the sight of that beloved form, and then sense returned
,
and with it the fear of what her face might have revealed to him.

The Earl had evidently just returned to the house. He was wearing trousers of buff kerseymere, Wellingtons, and a coat of brown superfine. He looked quite well, just as handsome as he had the f
i
rst time she had seen him, those f
i
ve years ago.

But when she looked closely at his face, she saw that something was wrong. His dark brows met over his nose and his eyes were now hard and cold as the stones beneath her feet.

“Milord, what is it?”

He was obviously under great stress
,
the strong line of his mouth grimly f
i
rm. “Have you taught that idiot child nothing at all?” he demanded fiercely, towering over her like some angry god of old.

Aggie, wrestling with the strange fear she felt, got to her feet. “I did the best I could with Cecilie
,”
she replied evenly. “What has she done to upset you now?”

“Upset me!” thundered his lordship. “That girl would drive a saint into hell itself!” He glared at her.

“I am well aware that Cecilie is difficult,” said Aggie, her hackles beginning to rise. “What has she done?”

“Diff
i
cult! The girl is impossible. I shall never find anyone stupid enough to marry her. What a mess you made of her.”

“Milord!” Aggie’s back was up now. “Unfortunately, Cecilie’s character was formed long before I came upon the scene. She lost her mother when she was two and her father doted upon her. All her short life she has been accustomed to getting things her own way. Try as I might I was unable to do much. After all, she had only to run to her papa to have everything as she wanted it.” She gazed at him steadily, only half aware of the labored thudding of her heart. They stood quite close, as once they had stood on the ballroom floor, she thought, then pushed the thought away.

The Earl’s chest rose with the force of his emotion and he replied curtly. “Those days are over! That miserable chit may pout and cry all she pleases. She will have to learn who is in charge here. And so will you.” He swung on his heel and was about to stride away.

A wave of anger raced over Aggie. How dare he blame
her!
“Milord!” she cried, her voice rising. “Wait!”

He turned back in surprise and faced her, still glowering.

Aggie drew herself up with dignity. “I am well aware of my inferior position in this establishment,” she said icily. “Nor am I likely to forget it. But nothing will be helped by your thundering about like this. I am doing the best I can to help with Cecilie
.
She is not an easy child to deal with.”

“That is certainly an understatement,” snorted his lordship. “You have spoiled her rotten.”

Aggie, who had been about to advise him on the best way to handle Cecilie, suddenly changed her mind. “If it is not too much to ask
,
” she said coldly, “I should like to be told what it is she has done.” She f
i
xed him steadily with her eyes. She could not allow him to browbeat her like this.

The Earl took a deep breath as though to steady himself. “While you were out here taking the fresh air,” he said, sarcasm heavy in his voice
,
“Cecilie decided to take that monkey for a walk.” He glared at her.

Aggie shook her head. “Milord, what is so terrible about that?”

For a moment he looked so angry that she thought he might strike her. His chest swelled with his wrath and his face grew dark and stormy. “Life in the country has dulled your wits,” he commented acidly.
“
Cecilie
Winthrop is an heiress, with quite a portion, far too much to be cavorting about London’s streets alone.”

“Alone!” Aggie stared at him in horror.

“Quite alone,” he replied. “If I had not been just returning and seen her
,
God knows where she would have strayed to.” His eyes regarded her angrily. “I suppose that you have not forgotten that London’s streets are not exactly safe for young heiresses. All my efforts to keep fortune hunters off will prove useless if one manages to make off with her to Gretna Green.”

Aggie stood silent for a moment. “Cecilie would not run off with a stranger,” she replied, much aware that this was not an adequate answer.

“I am not at all sure
what
Cecilie would or would not do,” said the Earl coldly. “But that is beside the point. These men do not wait around for the woman’s consent; they merely drag her into a carriage and take off. When they return from Scotland, the man has the inheritance and the woman a miserable life.” His eyes flashed at her. “Much as Cecilie provokes me, I should not like to wish such a fate on any woman. And besides,” he seemed to be struggling to calm himself
,
“I have a duty to fulf
i
ll where she is concerned. Onerous as that duty is, I wish to discharge it properly.” He shut his mouth with a snap.

“I will do what I can.” Aggie strove to keep her voice even. “I will try to make Cecilie understand the dangers. She is not accustomed
-”

The Earl gave her a look of disgust. “I do not care to hear any more excuses for that spoiled brat,” he said flatly. “Nor for your part in this fiasco.”

Aggie felt her anger rising again. Why must he always blame her? “I was not aware that I was offering excuses,” she said coldly. “I was merely giving you information that I consider helpful.”

The Earl’s only acknowledgment was a f
i
ercer frown.

“Now, if you are quite through bellowing” - she saw him wince slightly at her use of the word and was glad - “I shall go f
i
nd Cecilie.”