Anne Ashley (6 page)

‘You’re the only one who knows the circumstances surrounding
our marriage, Ben,’ Luke said, forcing himself to concentrate his thoughts on
the present, ‘and I trust you to keep that privileged information to
yourself…but, yes, she is an exceedingly pretty young woman who I’m certain
possesses many fine qualities, which I have yet to unearth. I’ve already
discovered all the servants are as devoted to her as they were to my late aunt.
I also know she’s anything but light-minded. And, yes, she certainly doesn’t
want for spirit.’

The hint of concern in his master’s voice was unmistakable.
‘You think she might prove to be a problem, sir?’

‘Having come to know her a little better, I would be foolish
indeed to rule out that possibility. I’ve gained the distinct impression that
she’s no longer inclined to dismiss me as nothing more than a feckless fribble.
And in truth it is a role I’ve found increasingly difficult to maintain, most
especially when around her, strangely enough. It is to our advantage, I suppose,
that she rarely ventures here. I’m reliably informed shooting game is not at all
to her taste. She’s more likely to be found on the west lawn practising her
archery skills. So our activities here shouldn’t receive too close a scrutiny.
All the same, it wouldn’t do for my young bride to get an inkling as to what I’m
really about down here, now would it?’

‘That it wouldn’t, sir.’

‘So, for the time being we must remain very much on our guard,’
Luke announced, after casting an eye over the lodge, which was showing clear
signs of neglect with its several missing tiles and peeling paintwork, not to
mention broken window-panes. ‘Besides, we can do little with workmen about the
place, putting it in order. When I travel to town later, I shall arrange for
work on the lodge to be started as soon as maybe. That should set me in good
stead with the locals. Leave it a few days, then see what you can find out from
the workmen that might be of interest.’

‘’Course I will, sir. But I don’t want you to go to a deal of
trouble or expense on my account,’ Ben urged him. ‘I’ve slept in worse places
than this, as well you know.’

‘We both have. But this isn’t Spain,’ Luke pointed out. ‘And it
wouldn’t do for my darling wife to become suspicious at this early stage. I’ve
introduced you as my most loyal servant. She would think it odd indeed if I
allowed you to dwell in a place where the roof leaks and the wind howls through
broken windows. She might then insist you reside with the other servants back at
the Manor. And that, my old friend, wouldn’t do at all!’

* * *

As Briony emerged from the house an hour later, dressed
in the grey gown and bonnet she had donned for the wedding, her mind was
completely empty of any suspicions regarding her spouse. If anything, she
experienced elation at seeing the most up-to-date racing curricle awaiting her
at the front entrance, with the tall figure of her husband in charge of those
two beautifully matched greys she had glimpsed earlier in the stable.

‘Are we to travel to town in this, sir?’ she asked, taking no
heed of the young groom whom she had also seen earlier in the barn.

Luke, on the other hand, was very aware of the lapse and cast
her a frowning glance as he bent to lend her a helping hand to clamber up beside
him. ‘You do not need to be so formal in front of the servants, my darling. None
of them will take it amiss if you address me by my given name. And, yes, I do
intend to travel in the curricle,’ he added, after she had acknowledged the
blunder with an apologetic look. ‘You have no objections, I trust?’

‘None whatsoever,’ she assured him. ‘I’ve never travelled in a
racing carriage before. And the day looks set to remain fine.’

Luke, none the less, betraying touching concern for her
comfort, insisted she tuck a rug over her knees, before he instructed the groom
to jump up on the back, then gave his horses their office to start.

Not for an instant did Briony feel in the least nervous, even
though they travelled along at a cracking pace, overtaking other vehicles with
inches to spare. Clearly Luke was no novice at tooling his own carriage. He
handled the ribbons with effortless ease, hardly seeming to pull on the leather
straps as he manoeuvred his horses safely along the road.

‘Have you always tooled your own carriage?’ she asked,
appreciating anew how ignorant she was about the man beside her.

‘I tooled my first carriage at the age of ten. It was Aunt
Lavinia’s groom, Sam, who taught me.’

‘I know he taught you to ride. He taught me, too, as it
happens,’ she enlightened him. ‘I never rode at all until I came to live with
your aunt. Mama couldn’t afford the expense of keeping a horse, you see. Now I
ride as often as I can.’

She turned her head in time to glimpse a strange expression
flickering over his strong features. She wouldn’t have described the look as
pity, exactly—it was more like gentle sympathy.

‘You must think me incredibly gauche behaving like an excited
schoolgirl being taken out for a treat,’ she suggested, when he didn’t offer to
make conversation, ‘only it’s a novel experience for me. I expect racing
curricles are commonly seen in the capital.’

‘Indeed they are,’ he enlightened her, frowning dourly. ‘And
too many of ’em in the hands of crass young fools who aren’t capable of tooling
a donkey, let alone prime horseflesh.’

He had sounded genuinely annoyed. Which was most strange, now
she came to consider the matter, Briony mused. After all, since he had left the
army, gossipmongers had vilified him as the very worst kind of pampered fribble,
one with too much money at his command and little understanding.

That certainly wasn’t an accurate assessment, she finally
decided a moment later. There was absolutely nothing wrong with his mental
faculties. In fact, she would go further and say he was as sharp as a tack. And
as for being a care-for-nobody…well that was grossly inaccurate, too. He cared a
great deal about his horses. Any fool could see that. And he considered the
well-being of his servants seriously too, all of whom, as far as she could tell,
thought highly of him. The only flaw she had detected in his character thus far
was a tendency to levity. He most certainly derived much enjoyment out of
teasing her, at any rate! She favoured him with a sidelong glance from beneath
her lashes. Or had she, perhaps, credited him with more high-mindedness than he
deserved?

‘I am correct, am I not, in thinking you wish to visit the town
for the sole purpose of engaging workmen to make good the lodge so that your
servant may be comfortable there?’

‘Yes, but I don’t expect you to accompany me. I’m sure you can
find a more pleasurable way of spending half an hour or so.’

‘Indeed, I can,’ she responded, feeling smugly satisfied that
her judgement of his character, as far as it went, had not been grossly flawed.
‘I should be very much obliged to you, Luke, if you could deposit me outside the
haberdashery in the main street. I ordered two dresses to be made some weeks
ago, and have never returned for so much as a fitting. Mary must be wondering
what has become of me!’

He slanted a mocking glance. ‘In a community this size, and
with so many associations with the Manor, I would be astonished if she didn’t
know precisely what has happened to you and was far too considerate as to plague
you at a time when she knew you would be busy making arrangements for your
wedding.’

* * *

Again Briony discovered that Luke’s judgement was sound
when she entered the haberdashery some thirty minutes later to discover a very
different Mary from the morose young woman she had seemed weeks before. She
appeared almost buoyant as she ushered Briony into her private sanctum at the
back of the shop, offering her sincerest congratulations on the recent marriage
as she did so.

‘But I would never have expected to see you out and about so
soon, Miss Briony—Mrs Kingsley.’

‘Briony will do very well. We have known each other long
enough, after all.’

‘Well, if you say so, but not when there’s others around. It
wouldn’t be proper for me to take such liberties, especially as I’m as good as
working for you now.’

‘Oh, no, you’re not!’ Briony corrected. ‘You’re your own
mistress, Mary, and have been since Lady Ashworth set you up in business. That
was the way she wanted it and that’s the way it will remain, with you continuing
to pay off the loan.’ She smiled at a sudden thought. ‘Not that I didn’t think
at one time we might go into business together, as it were, with me joining you
in the rooms above the shop. I’d be the first to admit that I cannot ply a
needle anywhere near as well as you can, but I could have made myself useful in
other ways.’

Mary was perplexed and it clearly showed, even before she said,
‘What on earth do you mean, Briony? You never considered coming here instead of
marrying Mr Kingsley?’

‘Well, of course I did. It wasn’t love at first sight, you
know.’

‘Perhaps not, but soon afterwards, surely? That was why I was
so surprised to see you today, the wedding having taken place only yesterday.
It’s quite usual for newlyweds to want to spend time alone together and it’s not
that you can travel abroad to enjoy a honeymoon, what with all the goings-on
across the Channel.’

‘Well, quite!’ Briony agreed, feeling that some explanation was
expected of her for what in Mary’s opinion was clearly unconventional behaviour.
‘Only Mr Kingsley wished to engage some men to make necessary repairs to the
hunting lodge and I thought it was the ideal time for me to come and see you.
He’s strongly opposed to me going about in full mourning, you see, and I
remembered those two dresses I asked you to make for me and thought they might
prove suitable alternatives.’

‘Indeed they will. I followed the list of measurements from
gowns I’d made for you in the past, so I’m sure they’ll fit very well. They’re
both finished and already parcelled up,’ Mary revealed. ‘I intended to bring
them over to the Manor myself, but I’ve been that busy of late. Lord Petersham’s
niece is staying with him at present. She arrived a couple of weeks or so ago,
bringing a party of friends with her. Several ordered new gowns to be made, all
of which had to be finished before they left. It’s been so very hectic of late,
I rarely get a free moment. I might even need to take on another girl if things
carry on like this.’

She disappeared into a large cupboard and emerged a second or
two later with two packages in her arms. ‘That bolt of silk you advised me to
place in the shop certainly changed my fortunes for the better. You were
absolutely right. I do need to cater for everyone. My increasing business has
persuaded me to invest in several bolts of material I wouldn’t ordinarily have
carried.’

Mention of Lord Petersham had struck a chord of memory and
Briony asked after Mary’s brother. ‘You were concerned about Will, if I remember
correctly. Getting into bad company, or some such. I trust everything is all
right now?’

Only for a second or two did a shadow of doubt flicker over
Mary’s features. ‘I sincerely hope so. At least he’s promised me that…that he’ll
behave himself from now on.’

As she had clearly detected the sound of the door bell tinkling
on several occasions since her arrival, confirming that Mary was indeed busy,
Briony decided not to tarry longer and carried her purchases through to the
shop, only to discover the tall figure of her husband unexpectedly studying the
wares on sale, his eyes lingering on one section of shelf in particular, where
more expensive bolts of material took pride of place.

‘I trust I haven’t kept you waiting?’ Briony enquired, thereby
gaining his immediate attention.

His smile in response was both spontaneous and rather
disarming, as she was fast discovering it all too often was. ‘Not at all,’ he
assured her. ‘I achieved my errand swiftly and, instead of awaiting your return,
I decided to escort you back to the White Hart myself.’

She noticed his eyes flicker in Mary’s direction. ‘You might
remember, Luke, that Mary Norman was employed as parlour-maid up at the Manor
for several years.’

‘Honesty obliges me to admit that I do not remember you, Miss
Norman. I fear I must put my appalling memory down to my declining years.’

‘Not at all, sir,’ she responded, not sounding one whit
offended. If anything, she appeared to have already fallen victim to that
winning masculine smile. ‘In truth, I do not believe I would have recognised
you, Mr Kingsley, had we passed in the street. It has been many years since you
were in these parts, but your return is most welcome. May I offer my sincerest
congratulations upon your marriage.’

Luke received the felicitations with all the aplomb of a
well-mannered gentleman of breeding. After remaining long enough to exchange
several other polite utterances with the proprietress, he ushered Briony from
the shop.

‘Clearly Miss Norman is making a success of that venture,’ he
remarked as they set off in the direction of the town’s most popular inn. ‘I
cannot help wondering, though, whether all her business dealings are strictly
above board.’

‘What on earth can you mean?’ Briony didn’t attempt to hide her
dismay. Nor did she hesitate to come to the defence of her friend. ‘Mary’s one
of the most honest people I know. Why, I trust her implicitly!’

‘Your loyalty does you great credit, m’dear, but do not allow
it to blind you to what’s in front of your very eyes. There is a whole shelf in
that establishment that carries materials you wouldn’t ordinarily expect to find
in a shop catering for what is basically a rural community. Silks, satins and
the finest muslins you would expect to find a-plenty in London. But here one
would need to cater for those less affluent souls, those who buy materials for
their hard-wearing qualities alone.’

Briony felt obliged to agree with this, but added, ‘Mary is
attempting to cater for everyone in the community. You must remember the town
has expanded in the past ten years, Luke, attracting many from the professional
classes, who are willing to pay more for their clothes.’