A Seven Year Hitch (19 page)

“Your arrogance does you no credit, My Lord!” Erica retorted, angry because she knew he spoke the truth.

“Let us clear up that misunderstanding, at least.” Ross said. “I do not have a mistress and will not be acquiring one. I believe in fidelity in marriage and besides will never want another woman now I have you. I will not apologise for having kept mistresses in the last seven years for I truly had no recollection of our nuptials, but I truly regret having hurt you with talk of them.”

“Very magnanimous of you, My Lord,” Erica replied. “And the accusations you threw at me?”

“I was an angry and jealous fool. Will you forgive me?” he asked humbly, accompanying his words with a devastatingly charming smile.

“ I forgive you but only because we still have a while to endure under the same roof, and it would be uncomfortable for my guests if we were openly hostile. Besides, I would not like us to part company on bad terms!” she told him before spurring her horse on to join Fiona.

Upon reaching the seaside, the party broke up to follow different activities and Erica joined the children on the sand to build a castle fit for a princess. With Gerald and Stephen in tow, it soon turned into a fierce competition with their efforts becoming larger and more elaborate. Moats and bridges were built along with tall towers and battlements.

“Stephen that is never going to work” Erica pointed out when he foolishly tried to build a bridge across a particularly wide part of the moat.

“Oh course it will!” he replied, continuing with his endeavours.

“No it won’t. It is structurally unsound and will need at least one support, probably two. You need to narrow the moat” Erica insisted.

“I’m sure I know more about building bridges than you do!” he told her, shaping the wet sand in his hands.

“I’m sure you don’t,” she mumbled and then louder, “See, I told you!” when his construction came tumbling down.

“If you’re so brilliant, show me
,” he challenged, convinced she would have as much success as he had.

Within a very short time, Erica had gathered some pebbles and constructed a support before completing her very sturdy bridge. Stephen
watched with a scowl but as he could find nothing to criticize he stomped off to inspect the work of their rivals.

“Very impressive, sweetheart.” Ross sat himself down beside her and watched as she helped Thomas place shells for windows.

“Do you think it a castle fit for a fairy princess, My Lord?” she asked him.

“It’s the best fairy princess castle I have ever seen!” he told her but Thomas was not happy.

“It is not a fairy castle. It’s a knights’ castle and the dragon is coming to try and burn it down. The knights have to fight the nasty dragon with their swords,” he explained.

“Perhaps the knights are protecting the fairy princess, then
,” Ross suggested, but Thomas vetoed the idea.

“No they’re not. A princess would just get in the way and cry all the time!” he said disgustedly.

“Not a fairy princess,” Erica joined in. “She would use her magic to help fight the dragon.”

Just then, a real attack began on their castle as war broke out between the different castle constructors and the discussion was dropped as Thomas and Erica tried to defend their work against saboteurs.

“Whoops, sorry!” Gerry pretended to trip and kicked their tallest tower over, before scooping Thomas up and dropping him on the rest of it, flattening it completely.

“Looks like the dragon won this time,” laughed Erica, wiping her hands as she stood up.

“Would you care for a stroll along the front, Erica?” Gerry asked as he tossed a squealing Thomas into the air and caught him again.

“Yes, a walk would be lovely
.”

“Trevellyn will accompany you, I’m sure,” he told her, bending to plant a swift kiss on her cheek and laughing at her outraged expression.

Ross nodded his thanks to Gerald, and taking her hand, led his wife to the promenade.

“I should have guessed. And you can let go of my hand now, My Lord!” she said.

“I like holding your hand and I thought we had agreed that you were to call me Ross.”

“People will talk, it is far too intimate and no, you suggested it but I declined!
”

Several others were sauntering along the front but apart from nodding in greeting to those they passed, Trevellyn and Erica were left to converse without interruption. The sun glinted off the calm, azure sea and the warm but bracing breeze was a welcome relief from the heat of the day. All around were the sounds peculiar to being beside the sea on a hot summer’s
day. Erica breathed in deeply; taking in the smell of the sea and savouring the invigorating freshness of the air. She was loath to disrupt the sense of well being that such a beautiful setting evinced and was therefore determined not to argue with her husband. Thus the two of them ambled along in harmony with one another.

They had retraced their steps and were nearing The Swan when Erica spied a gentleman walking towards them, accompanied by two women.

“Why Mrs. Prentiss and Mr. Prentiss how very nice to see you,” Erica greeted them warmly.

“Miss Wilmshurst, likewise. Allow me to present my youngest sister, Leticia.” Mr. Prentiss made the introduction and his sister curtsied.

“I’m very pleased to meet you, Miss Prentiss.”

“My brother has told me so
much about you Miss Wilmshurst,” Letty said.

Erica felt Ross stiffen beside her and when she turned to introduce him, she noted his grim look.

“My Lord, this is Mrs. Prentiss; her son, Mr. Robert Prentiss and Miss Leticia Prentiss. This is the Marquis of Trevellyn.”

If Mr. Prentiss felt any hostility emanating from the Marquis, he gave no sign but greeted him with all the respect due to his title.

“I was not expecting to see you, Mrs. Prentiss. Are you here to enjoy the sea breezes?” Erica asked.

“We are on a visit to my Mother who lives a short drive from here but as she likes to nap in the afternoons, we thought we would take the opportuni
ty to stroll along the seafront,” Mrs. Prentiss informed her.

“And you, Miss Wilmshurst, are you here with family?” Mr. Prentiss asked with a significant look at Ross.

“Yes, on mass,” laughed Erica. “I am surprised you have not bumped into any of them. It is our annual family get together and this year everyone has come to Monksleigh Abbey. We are about to all meet up at The Swan for refreshments, I would be honoured if you could see your way to joining us.”

“W
e would not want to impose,” replied Mrs. Prentiss but was reassured by Erica.

“Not at all. You are friends with so many of my aunts and uncles that I
would be incurring their wrath if I did not bring you along. Please say you’ll come.”

“Put like that, how could we refuse? I would hate to put you into the bad books of your family. It would be lovely to catch up with all the news
,” Mrs. Prentiss graciously accepted.

Together they made their way back to The Swan, but although Erica tried to free her hand, Ross refused to release her, preferring to keep her by his side. He offered his other arm to Miss Prentiss leaving Robert to accompany his mother. The dark looks Erica bestowed upon him were ignored as Trevellyn asserted himself to setting his other companion at ease, drawing her out by instigating a conversation of her home and family. Having spent the best part of seven years on enemy territory, he knew the advantages to be had in finding out as much as possible about one’
s adversaries and Miss Prentiss; blossoming from the attentions of such a handsome gentleman, obligingly provided detailed information.

A boisterous gathering was already in progress when they were shown into the private room set aside for the family’s use and it took a moment to become accustomed to the sudden noise that assailed their ears. The Prentiss family, well known and liked by the Wilmshurst clan, were immediately swept up into the general banter and Erica, using the excuse of needing to tidy her hair, escaped into the ladies retiring room where she removed the note from her pocket and hurriedly scanned its content.

Trevellyn circled the room and was soon caught up in a discussion about sailing and the merits of keeping one’s own yacht, an ambition held by Gerald now he was settled permanently at Monksleigh.

“I’d be grateful if you did not mention it to Erica though
,” he said to Trevellyn. “Given our parents met their untimely end in a boating accident, she is against me keeping a yacht. When Uncle Richard arranged sailing lessons for Michael and me during our youth, she refused to speak to him for a whole month!”

“You have my word. I have no wish to sink even lower in her esteem, and she would find some way to twist it into being my fault, believe me. But sooner or later you are going to have to own up!” the Marquis replied.

“I am hoping she will be so busy with married life and a husband to fuss over that she will not have time to object to my activities,” Gerald said.

“But Erica isn’t married!” stated Charlie, puzzled.

“Not yet maybe, but that’s not to say she won’t be soon,” said her brother casting a look at Trevellyn. “I am sure there is some courageous soul prepared to take her on!”

“Is Erica looking for a husband?” Robert Prentiss asked, having caught the tail end of the conversation as he’d approached. Trevellyn looked grim and Gerald thought it prudent to remain quiet but Charlie had no such qualms.

“Erica isn’t but Gerry’s keen to find her one so that he can go ahead with his plans of purchasing a yacht. What about you, Prentiss, are you brave enough to fix your interest with her?”

Trevellyn growled.

“Erica is a bright and attractive woman. I would happily seek her hand in marriage,” Prentiss replied with a glimmer of a smile.

Trevellyn growled louder.

“I’m sorry, My Lord, did you say something?” Prentiss asked.

“Frog in my throat
,” Trevellyn ground out and Gerald laughed as he clapped him on the back.

“Of-course, I have known her for several years now and we have become good friends
,” Prentiss added. “And you, My Lord, I cannot recall her having mentioned you so I assume you are a recent acquaintance?”

“Trevellyn was assigned to the Foreign Office and has been on active service in
France,” Gerry intervened before turning to safer topics.

             
Erica entering the room some ten minutes later frowned when she noticed Prentiss deep in discussion with her husband, brother and cousin. They were all animated with frequent bursts of laughter and hand gestures leading her to suppose that any animosity Ross had felt towards Robert had been laid to rest or at the very least, been allowed to lay dormant for the length of their conversation. Men, she thought, were a strange breed for she had, upon leaving them, half expected them to be at daggers drawn with the way Ross had bristled with arrogance and Robert had faintly mocked.

             
Feeling it would be best to avoid both gentlemen for the time being, Erica sought out her Aunt Hebe who was talking with Mrs. Prentiss and her daughter.

“Aunt, Mrs. Prentiss,” she addressed them, “Perhaps I could take Miss. Prentiss off to introduce her to some of my cousins.”

“That would be lovely, Miss Wilmshurst,” beamed Mrs. Prentiss. “With her only just emerging from the schoolroom, she would greatly benefit from making the acquaintance of others around her own age.” 

Taking her arm, Erica smiled at the older ladies and led the younger girl away. Leticia Prentiss was a pretty and petite girl with wheat blond ringlets and cornflower blue eyes. The likeness between her and her brother was marked but whereas she was all delicate and wraithlike, he was definitely built on more masculine lines. His eyes, more grey than blue were astute, able to penetrate and assess his fellow man no matter what defences he may hold in place. In business circles it had given him a reputation for being as cold and hard as granite, a man not to be hoodwinked or in any way crossed. His hair, a darker shade than his sister’s was burnished gold and worn in the careless elegance of the latest fashion. Glancing at him now, Erica noted he was a fraction shorter than her husband but in physique they were much the same; broad commanding shoulders, powerful torsos that tapered down to lean hips and long muscled thighs. B
oth men were dressed for riding; their clothes bespoke of the finest tailors and showed off their physical assets to best possible advantage and, Erica noted, had more than one of her young female cousins frequently glancing their way.

             
Turning back to the girl at her side, she assured her that she would soon make friends with her young relatives and how much more comfortable it would be to already have acquaintance in London when she embarked on her first London Season.

“My sisters have told me all about it and I must admit to be
ing somewhat nervous as well as excited,” she admitted. “But I would feel so much more comfortable if there were people I knew with me.”

Erica swept her along to meet Sophie and Charlotte and very soon the three girls were chatting away like old friends. Making sure
Charlotte knew to introduce her to the others who made up the younger set, Erica made her way to the open windows that led onto a balcony overlooking the sea. A fleeting glance at Prentiss conveyed a message and as she had anticipated, he soon joined her. Leaning over the balcony and surveying the seascape he asked, “Did you get my note?”