Beneath the Major's Scars (5 page)

He reached out, his hand hovering over the sweetmeats as he
said lightly, ‘Perhaps you should look for a husband.’

‘No!’

The vehemence brought his head up immediately and she was
subjected to a piercing gaze. She decided to be flippant.

‘As I am penniless, and notoriously difficult to please, I
think that might be far too difficult. I do like this wine—is it usual for
gentlemen to drink it at the end of a meal? I know Reginald prefers brandy.’

To her relief he followed her lead and their conversation moved
back to safer waters. She took another glass of Madeira and decided it must be
her last. She was in danger of becoming light-headed. Darkness closed around
them. The butler came in silently to light more candles in the room and draw the
curtains against the night, but they made no move to leave the table, there was
still so much to say.

The major turned to speak to Graddon and Zelah studied his
profile. How handsome he must have been before his face was sliced open by a
French sabre. It was a momentary thought, banished as soon as it occurred, but
it filled her with sadness.

‘You are very quiet, Miss Pentewan.’

His words brought her back to the present and she blushed, not
knowing how to respond. In the end she decided upon the truth.

‘I was thinking about your face.’

Immediately he seemed to withdraw from her.

‘That is why I wanted you upon my right hand, to spare you that
revulsion.’

She shook her head.

‘It does not revolt me.’

‘I should not have shaved off my beard!’

‘Yes, you should, you look so much better, only—’

‘Yes, madam? Only what?’ The hard note in his voice warned her
not to continue, but she ignored it.

‘Your hair,’ she said breathlessly. ‘I am surprised your valet
does not wish to cut it.’

‘I have no valet. Graddon does all I need.’

‘But I thought he was a butler...’

‘He does what is necessary. He was with me in Spain and brought
me back to England. He stayed with me, helped me to come to terms with my new
life.’

‘And Mrs Graddon?’

‘She was housemaid at Markham and decided to marry Graddon and
come with him when I moved here.’ He raised his glass, his lip curling into
something very like a sneer. ‘You see, my misfortune is their gain.’

She frowned.

‘Please do not belittle them. They are devoted to you.’

‘I stand corrected,’ he said stiffly. ‘I beg your pardon and
theirs.’

‘I think you would look much better with your hair cut short.
It is very much the fashion now, you know.’

He leaned closer, a belligerent, challenging look in his eye.
It took all her courage not to turn away.

‘I need it long,’ he said savagely. ‘Then I can bring it down,
thus, and hide this monstrous deformation.’ He pulled the ribbon from his hair
and shook the dark curtain down over his face. ‘Surely that is better? I would
not want to alarm the ladies and children!’

He was glaring at her, eyes narrowed, his mouth a thin, taut
line, one side pulled lower by the dragging scar.

‘Nicky is not afraid of you,’ she said softly. ‘Nor do you
frighten me.’

For a long, interminable time she held his eyes, hoping he
would read not pity but sympathy and understanding in her gaze. He was a proud
man and she was dismayed to think he was hiding from the world. To her relief,
his angry look faded.

‘So would you have me trust myself to a country barber?’ he
growled. ‘I think not, Miss Pentewan. Perhaps next time I go to London—’

‘I could cut it for you.’ She sat back, shocked by her own
temerity. ‘I am quite adept at cutting hair, although I have no idea where the
skill comes from. I was always used to trim my father’s hair, and since I have
been at West Barton I have cut Nicky’s. I am sure no one could tell it was not
professionally done.’

He was frowning at her now. She had gone too far. The wine had
made her reckless and her wretched tongue had let her down. Major Coale jumped
up and strode to tug at the bell pull. He was summoning a footman to escort her
to her room.

‘Graddon, fetch scissors and my comb, if you please.’ He caught
her eye, a glint in his own. ‘Very well, Miss Pentewan, let us put you to the
test.’

‘What? I—’ She swallowed. ‘Are you sure it is what you
want?’

‘Are you losing your nerve, madam?’

Zelah quite thought that she was. Two voices warred within her:
one told her that to dine alone with a gentleman who was not related to her was
improper enough, but to cut the man’s hair would put her beyond the pale. The
other whispered that it was her Christian duty to help him quit his self-imposed
exile.

The glint in his eyes turned into a gleam. He was laughing at
her and her courage rose.

‘Not at all. Let us do it!’

* * *

‘Major, are you quite sure you want me to do this?’

He was sitting on a chair by the table and Zelah was standing
behind him, comb in hand. They had rearranged the candelabra to give the best
light possible and the dark locks gleamed, thick and glossy around his head,
spreading out like ebony across his shoulders. The enormity of what she was
about to do made her hesitate.

The major waved his hand.

‘Yes. I may change my mind when I am sober, but for now I want
you to cut it.’

Zelah took a deep breath. It was too late to go back now, they
had agreed. Besides, argued that wickedly seductive voice in her head, no one
need ever know. She picked up the scissors and moved closer until her skirts
were brushing his shoulder. It felt strange, uncomfortable, like standing over a
sleeping tiger. Thrusting aside such fanciful thoughts, she took a secure grip
of the scissors and began. His hair was like silk beneath her fingers. She
lifted one dark lock and applied the scissors. They cut through it with a
whisper. As she continued her confidence grew, as did the pile of black tresses
on the floor.

His hair was naturally curly and she had seen enough pencil
drawings of gentlemen with their hair
à la Brutus
since she had arrived at West Barton to recreate the style from memory—Reginald
and Maria might live in a remote area of Exmoor, but they were both avid
followers of the
ton
, receiving a constant stream of
periodicals and letters from friends in London advising them of the latest
fashions. She cut, combed and coaxed the major’s hair into place. It needed no
pomade or grease to make it curl around his collar and his ears. She brushed the
tendrils forwards around his face, as she had seen in the fashion plates. Her
fingers touched the scar and he flinched. Immediately she drew back.

‘Did I hurt you?’

‘No. Carry on.’

Carefully she finished her work, combing and snipping off a few
straggling ends until she was satisfied with the result. It was not strictly
necessary, but she could not resist running her fingers though his glossy, thick
hair one final time.

‘There.’ She brushed the loose hair from his shoulders. ‘It is
finished.’

‘Very well, Delilah, let us see what you have done to me.’

He picked up one of the candelabra and walked over to a
mirror.

Zelah held her breath as he regarded his image. In the
candlelight the ugly gash down his face was still visible, but it seemed
diminished by the new hairstyle. The sleek black locks were brushed forwards to
curl about his wide brow, accentuating the strong lines of his face.

‘Well, Miss Pentewan, I congratulate you. Perhaps you should
not be looking for a post as a governess, after all. You should offer your
services as a
coiffeuse
.’

Relief made her laugh out loud. She said daringly, ‘You look
very handsome, Major.’

He turned away from the mirror and made a noise between a growl
and a cough.

‘Aye, well, enough of that. It is time I sent you back to the
sick room, madam. You will need to be up betimes.’

‘Yes, of course.’ She cast a conscience-stricken look at the
clock. ‘Poor Hannah has been alone with Nicky for hours.’ She held out her hand
to him. ‘Goodnight, sir. I hope we shall see you in the morning before we
leave?’

Again that clearing of the throat and he would not meet her
eyes.

‘Perhaps. Goodnight, Miss Pentewan.’ He took her hand, his grip
tightening for a second. ‘And thank you.’

Chapter Three

T
he following morning Reginald drove over
in his travelling chaise, which Maria had filled with feather bolsters and
pillows to protect Nicky during the long journey home. Nicky looked around as
his father carried him tenderly out of the house.

‘Is Major Coale not here, Papa?’

‘He sends his apologies, Master Nick,’ said Graddon in a
fatherly way. ‘He went off early today to the long meadow to oversee the
hedge-laying.’

‘But I wanted to say goodbye to him!’

Nicky’s disappointed wail touched a chord in Zelah: she too
would have liked to see the major. However, she was heartened by Reginald’s
response.

‘Your mama has already penned a note to Major Coale. She has
not only given him permission to call at any time, but she has also invited him
to dinner. And once we have you home, Nicholas, you may write to him yourself,
thanking him for his care of you.’

‘Yes, and I can ask him to call and see me,’ agreed Nicky. He
frowned, suddenly unsure. ‘He will come, won’t he? If I ask him ’specially.’

‘I do not see how he can refuse.’ Reginald grinned at Zelah.
‘But I might have to instruct the staff not to send him round to the
kitchens—when I saw him last he looked so ragged one might easily mistake him
for a beggar.’

‘I think you might be surprised,’ murmured Zelah, smiling to
herself.

* * *

The five miles to West Barton were covered with ease and
they were greeted with great joy by the household. Maria clasped her stepson and
wept copiously, bewailing the fact that she had been unable to visit him, while
Nurse promised him all sorts of treats to make up for his ordeal.

‘I only hope being in That Man’s house hasn’t given you
nightmares,’ said Nurse, tucking Nicky into his bed. ‘I believe he is truly
hideous to look at.’

Anger welled up in Zelah, but she fought it down and said
quietly, ‘Nonsense. Major Coale has a scar on his face, nothing more.’

‘Yes, and I don’t care for
that
,’
exclaimed Nicky. ‘He’s a great gun.’

‘Of course he is, my pet. Now, you need to rest after your long
journey.’

Obedient to her unspoken wishes the others left Nicky to
Nurse’s care and made their way back downstairs to the morning room.

‘I don’t like to think that he has been making a nuisance of
himself.’ Reginald frowned. ‘When Coale told me he has been running free at
Rooks Tower—’

‘Major Coale and his people are very happy to see him,’ said
Zelah. ‘With everyone here so busy with the new baby, Nicky has been left too
much to his own devices.’

Her words were met with a short silence. Then Maria sighed.

‘It is very true. Nurse has been giving all her attention to me
and little Reginald and we were only too happy to think that Nicky was amusing
himself in the garden.’ Her softly reproachful eyes moved to her husband. ‘And
you have been out of the house so much recently...’

‘Trying to gather evidence for the villagers,’ he replied
defensively. ‘I could hardly take the boy with me! I never thought—Nicky seemed
quite happy.’ He gave Zelah a rueful smile. ‘No wonder he took to you so well,
although looking after Nicky was not the reason you came to us. My poor sister,
you have been with us for only a few weeks and we have turned you into a
nursemaid.’

‘I am pleased to help, you know that, but Nicky needs
companions of his own age,’ she said gently. ‘Or at the very least a
tutor...’

‘But he is so young!’ Maria clasped her hands together. ‘I
suppose I must stop thinking of him as a baby now.’ She brightened. ‘You are
looking for a post as a governess, Zelah—perhaps you should start with Nicky. We
could pay you—’

‘Dear sister, that is a kind thought, but that is not what I
meant. And I could not take a salary off you; I have no wish to be an added
drain upon your resources.’

Reginald shook his head.

‘No, it would not do at all. I believe Mr Netherby gives
lessons to a few boys in the vicarage. I will make enquiries when I go into
Lesserton this afternoon.’

Maria stretched out her hands to him. ‘Oh, must you go, with
Nicky just come home...?’

He squeezed her fingers.

‘I’m afraid I must.’

‘What is this business that takes you there so often,
Reginald?’ asked Zelah. ‘Is it something to do with Lydcombe Park? I remember
you saying the new owner was causing difficulties.’

‘Aye. He is planning to open mines on his land.’

‘But surely that is a good thing,’ exclaimed Maria. ‘It will
provide work—’

‘Not much. Evanshaw will be bringing in engineers and miners of
his own. But the land he wants to mine is in dispute. The villagers believe it
is theirs by ancient charter and have been using the land for years, grazing
their animals on the hill as well as hunting in Prickett Wood. Sir Oswald claims
it for his own and he has employed a bailiff, William Miller. A nasty piece of
work who patrols the land with his henchmen.’

‘And is there nothing they can do?’

‘Those he has evicted are too poor to do anything themselves,
but I have been organising the villagers. We have petitioned the Crown and put
together a fund to pay for a lawyer to come to Lesserton and settle this once
and for all.’

‘But can you not talk to Sir Oswald?’ said Zelah. ‘Surely he
does not want to be on bad terms with his neighbours.’

Reginald shrugged. ‘I called upon him as soon as he took
possession of the house on Lady Day, but he was not at all hospitable. I do not
think he intends to live at Lydcombe. The house is merely a shell; everything of
value in it has been sold. He told me he means to sell off the timber from his
land and then sink his mine. He has no interest at all in the people.’

‘Then of course you must fight this,’ exclaimed Zelah. ‘I quite
understand now why you are so busy. And please do not worry about Nicky, at
least for the moment. I am very happy to help you look after him.’

Zelah went upstairs to relieve Nurse, satisfied that Maria and
Reginald would find a solution to Nicky’s loneliness. Taking lessons at the
vicarage would go a long way towards filling his days and would also provide him
with the companionship of other boys. For the present, her concern was to keep
him entertained while the deep gash on his leg healed.

* * *

The fine spring weather continued but Zelah was too busy
to go out, dividing her day between Nicky and Maria, who was delighted to have
her back and insisted that Zelah should sit with her whenever she could. It was
therefore a full three days before she could find the time to enjoy the
sunshine. She tied a straw bonnet over her brown curls, but declined her
sister’s offer of a parasol, declaring that her complexion was past praying
for.

Leaving the house by a side door, she set off across the grass
at a very unladylike pace. It was good to be out in the fresh air again and she
lifted her face up to the sun, revelling in its warmth. She walked briskly,
enjoying the opportunity for a little quiet reflection.

She had been at West Barton for a month now and had made no
progress in finding a position. She could make excuses, of course. Maria had
told her how helpful it was to have her there, looking after Nicky, but deep in
her heart Zelah knew she did not want to dwindle into the role of favourite
aunt, at everyone’s beck and call and willing to perform any little task in
gratitude for being allowed to live with the family.

‘You are being very ungrateful,’ she said aloud. ‘A position as
governess would be far from comfortable. Here you could more than earn your
keep.’ She climbed over a stile and jumped lightly down. ‘But as a governess I
would be
paid
!’

She strode on. What she wanted, she realised, was independence.
If she was fortunate enough to find a good position, then it might be possible
to save a little of her salary each year until she had enough to retire. That,
of course, would take many, many years, but what else had she to look forward
to?

Perhaps you should look for a
husband.

Major Coale’s words came into her mind. She could almost hear
his deep voice saying them.

A husband. That was the ambition of most young ladies, but it
was not hers. Besides, no man would want her if he knew her past—and she could
not consider marrying a man without telling him everything.

No, thought Zelah practically, she had only two choices: she
could remain at West Barton, loved and valued at the present, but destined to
become nothing more than a burdensome old maid, or she could make a bid for
independence.

‘I choose independence,’ she said to a cow, regarding her
balefully from the next field. ‘I shall go back now and write out an
advertisement for the newspaper.’

She crossed the field and scrambled over the stile on to the
lane that led up to West Barton and as she did so she saw a rider approaching
from the direction of Lesserton. Major Coale. In a panic she considered jumping
back over the stile and hiding until he had gone by, but it was too late; he had
already seen her.

‘Good morning, Miss Pentewan.’ He raised his hat to her. She
felt a little rush of pride when she saw his short hair. His cheeks were still
free of a beard, too. There was no sign that he planned to revert to his former
shaggy appearance. ‘I am on my way to enquire after young Master Buckland.’

‘He is doing very well, Major, thank you. The doctor says he
may leave his bed tomorrow.’

He professes to dislike society,
she thought.
Perhaps he will be satisfied with that report.
He will touch his hat, turn and ride away again.

‘I am glad to hear it.’ He kicked his feet free from the
stirrups and jumped down. ‘Are you walking back to the house now? May I join
you?’

‘I...yes, of course.’

She waited until he was beside her and began to walk on, very
slowly, the grey mare clopping lazily along behind them. After a few yards the
major stopped.

‘Is this how you usually walk, Miss Pentewan? I am surprised
you ever get anywhere.’

‘Yes—no, I...’ She trailed off, her gaze dropping to his booted
feet. ‘I thought, your leg...’

‘I am not a cripple, madam.’

Mrs Graddon’s words flashed into her mind and she recalled when
she had offered to cut his hair and he had got up from the table to summon his
servant. There had been no dragging step, no sign of a limp then.

‘Does the wound not pain you?’ she asked him.

‘Not at all, unlike this dawdling pace.’

She gave a little huff of irritation.

‘I beg your pardon. I was trying to be considerate.’

His hard look informed her quite clearly that he did not
appreciate her efforts. She put up her chin.

‘If the wound has healed and there is no pain, why, then, does
it affect your step?’

‘Habit, I suppose. What does it matter? I do not go into
society.’

‘But that might change.’

‘I think not.’

She gave up the argument and walked on at her normal pace. The
major matched her stride for stride and Zelah hid a smile. A little furrow of
concentration creased his brow, but he was no longer limping.

‘Your journey back was not too tiring, Nicky did not suffer
overmuch?’

‘Not at all. The new road is very smooth.’ She waved her hand
at the lane. ‘It puts our own track to shame.’

‘My engineer used a new method of road-building: smaller
stones, tightly packed. It seems very good, but we shall see how well it wears.’
His glance shifted to her skirts and the band of damp around the hem. ‘You have
not been keeping to the roads, I think?’

She laughed. ‘No, I have crossed a couple of very muddy fields.
It was such a lovely day I could not bear to remain indoors a moment
longer.’

‘I suppose Nicky requires a great deal of attention. Your time
cannot be your own.’

She was surprised by his concern.

‘You are not to be thinking I begrudge him a moment of it, nor
Maria, but sometimes one likes a little time alone—but I have had that now,’ she
said quickly, sensing his hesitation. She added shyly, ‘This last stretch is the
least interesting, and I am always glad of company for it.’

The house was in sight. She called to the gardener’s boy to
take the major’s horse to the stables and led him in through the front door,
sending a footman running to fetch Maria.

‘Please come into the morning room, Major. My brother-in-law is
out and will be sorry to have missed you, but my sister will be here
directly.’

‘Must I see her? I would rather you took me directly to see the
boy.’

‘You know I cannot do that. Besides, my sister will want to
give you her thanks in person.’

He gave a little pout of distaste but the scar at the left side
of his mouth distorted it into a full grimace. He muttered irritably that he
wanted no thanks. Zelah felt a smile tugging her lips.

‘You sound very much like a sulky schoolboy, Major.’ She heard
the door open and turned. ‘Ah, Maria, here is Major Coale come to visit Nicky,
if you will allow it.’

Maria hesitated at the door, then smiled and came forward.

‘Major Coale, I am so delighted to meet you at last. I have
heard so much about you from my son and I have been longing to thank you in
person for taking such care of him.’

Watching him take her outstretched hand and bow over it
gracefully, Zelah was aware of a little stab of jealousy that he had never
saluted her in that way.

‘My husband is in Lesserton at present, Major, and I am sure he
will regret that he is not here to greet you. However, he is looking forward to
seeing you next week at dinner—you received my note, I hope?’

‘I did, ma’am, and I am delighted to accept.’

‘Reginald is at a meeting,’ said Zelah. ‘There is a dispute
over the boundary between the villagers’ land and that belonging to Lydcombe
Park. Have you heard about it?’