Beneath the Major's Scars (6 page)

‘Yes,’ he said indifferently. ‘I recall Netherby telling me
something of it when he came to call.’

‘Did he not tell you of the meeting?’

‘He did, but it’s no business of mine.’

His tone was final and Maria was quick to change the
subject.

‘Goodness, how the morning is flying! I am sure Nicky is
anxious to see you, sir. Zelah, my love, perhaps you would escort Major Coale
upstairs?’

‘Oh—but I was about to retire to change my gown. It became
sadly muddied during my walk....’

‘Well, the major has already seen it and Nicky will not
notice.’ Maria laughed aside her objections. ‘I must go and relieve Nurse—little
Reginald will be waking up soon and demanding to be fed.’ She turned to smile at
the major. ‘I shall say good-day to you now, sir, and look forward to seeing you
here for dinner next week.’

Silently Zelah led the major away. The slight hesitation in his
step had returned, but whether it was due to the exercise or the awkwardness of
meeting his hostess she did not know and would not ask. Nicky’s face lit up when
the major walked in.

‘I knew you would come!’ Nicky greeted him
enthusiastically.

‘Did you doubt it, after you wrote me such a very polite
letter?’

‘It was Zelah’s idea. She helped me write it.’

‘But the sentiments were all Nicky’s,’ she said quickly.

The major turned towards her, amusement warming his hard
eyes.

‘Including the invitation to call? I am quite cast down.’

Zelah flushed scarlet, but she was saved from finding a
response by her nephew, who had spotted a packet protruding from the major’s
coat pocket.

‘Is that a present for me, Major?’

‘It is, sir. It is the travel backgammon set from Rooks Tower.
Hannah told me how much you enjoyed using it so I thought you might like to have
it. She sends you her best wishes, by the bye.’

Nicky gave a little crow of delight and immediately challenged
the major to a game.

‘Oh now, Nicky, I am sure Major Coale is far too busy—’

‘Major Coale has a little time to spare,’ Dominic interrupted
her. ‘And my honour is at stake here—I cannot refuse a challenge!’ He nodded at
her. ‘You may safely leave the boy with me for an hour, Miss Pentewan, if you
wish to go and change your gown.’

* * *

‘...and he stayed for a full two hours playing
backgammon with Nicky. It was most good-natured of him. It left me free to look
after baby and Zelah went off to write her letters.’

The family were at dinner and Maria was telling her husband
about Major Coale’s visit.

‘Yes, I must say he struck me as very gentlemanly when I passed
him on the road,’ said Reginald. ‘Quite a change from when I first made his
acquaintance.
Then
he was looking very wild, but he
is very much altered.’ He cast an amused glance at Zelah. ‘Having you in the
house was a civilising influence, my dear.’

‘Not that civilising,’ she responded. ‘I told him about your
opposition to Sir Oswald’s plans for Prickett Wood and he was not at all
interested in supporting you.’

Maria was inclined to be sympathetic.

‘One can hardly blame him, poor man. He is so hideously
disfigured it must be a trial for him to go into society at all.’

Reginald paused, considering.

‘Do you really think him so repulsive, my love? I can’t say I
really noticed his scar the last time I saw him.’

This response earned him a warm smile from his
sister-in-law.

‘Well, of course, it
was
the first
time I had seen him,’ said Maria. ‘But his manners are so polished and he
is
the son of a viscount. Once he has been to dinner
and I have seen him a little more, I am sure I shall grow accustomed.’

* * *

A week went by and Zelah waited hopefully each day for a
response to her advertisement for a position as governess. She had written it
out in her best copperplate and sent it to the newspaper offices in Barnstaple
and Taunton, but no replies were forthcoming.

‘Oh, my dear, perhaps it is not meant to be,’ said Maria, when
Zelah explained this to her. ‘Can you not content yourself with living here? You
know we are very happy to keep you with us.’

‘Thank you, Maria, and I love being here as a guest, but it was
never my intention to become your pensioner.’

Maria cried out at that, protesting that she would always be a
guest, never a burden, but Zelah had seen Reginald poring over his accounts, she
had heard him discussing with Maria the possibility of selling off some of their
land to pay for Nicky to attend Mr Netherby’s school. Zelah did not mention it,
merely saying cheerfully, ‘I do not despair—tomorrow I shall write another
notice and send it off to the newspapers in Bristol and Bath. I am sure someone
there must require a governess.’

‘I am sure they do, love, but for now let us forget this plan
of yours and look forward to this evening. Major Coale is coming to dinner, had
you forgotten?’

Zelah had not forgotten, but for some reason she did not want
to admit it and she was glad when her sister continued.

‘What will you wear, Zelah, the green robe you had made up last
summer?’

‘I thought I might put on my grey gown.’

‘What?’ Maria sat up, scandalised. ‘That gown has done service
for several years now and is very severe. You should save it to wear when you
are interviewed by a prospective employer. No,’ she said decisively, ‘you will
wear the green and I shall fetch out my Norwich shawl for you to drape over your
arms, should the evening turn chilly.’ Maria sighed loudly. ‘There is certainly
no reason for you to save your best silk any longer. If you are set upon finding
work, then it is not at all suitable for a governess.’

Zelah hugged her.

‘Pray do not be sad for me, dearest sister. I think it is quite
exciting, and if I find the children are just too abominable, I shall give it
all up and come running home to you!’

* * *

When the dinner hour approached, Zelah ran lightly down
to the drawing room, her silk skirts whispering as she moved. She had to admit
there was something very uplifting about putting on a pretty dress. Maria had
even sent her own maid to put up Zelah’s hair, restraining it by a matching
green bandeau and leaving just a few loose curls tumbling artlessly to her
shoulders. To complete the picture Zelah threaded a small jade cross on a green
ribbon and tied it around her neck.

‘There,’ she told her reflection, ‘a picture of simple
elegance. What does one need with diamonds and emeralds?’

The approving looks of her sister and brother-in-law raised her
spirits even more and when Major Coale arrived she turned towards the door, her
eyes sparkling and a smile of genuine welcome parting her lips.

* * *

Dominic entered the room ready to bow and say all that
duty required, but when his eyes alighted upon Zelah Pentewan he stopped, his
brain refusing to function. In a matter of seconds he regained his composure,
bowing to his host and greeting Mrs Buckland with the usual polite phrases, but
all the time his brain was in turmoil.

He had not been looking forward to the evening. He remembered
his first meeting with his hostess, recalled her hesitation and the way her eyes
travelled everywhere save to his face. He hoped she would soon recover from the
habit, but it did not surprise him. It was always thus with a new
acquaintance.

Except Zelah, who had never shown any reluctance to look at
him, save when he teased her or paid her compliments and made her blush. Gazing
at her now, he wanted to shower her with compliments, for she looked quite
charming. Her gown, which was the colour of new leaves, brought out the green
flecks in those expressive eyes that now met his own and a delicate flush
mantled her cheeks. She looked genuinely pleased to see him and for a moment his
spirits soared.

It had been a long time since any young woman had smiled at him
in quite such a welcoming way, save those he had paid on rare occasions to spend
the evening with him in a vain attempt to relieve his loneliness. Dominic
quickly damped down his pleasure. Her smiles were nothing more than natural
friendliness. No woman could ever be attracted to him now.

So he retreated into the safety of his perfect society manners
and quelled the impulse to hold her fingers an instant longer than was required,
or even—as he really wanted—to kiss her hand.

* * *

Dinner should have been a relaxed affair. Maria and
Reginald were at pains to put their guest at ease and the major responded with
perfect civility. There was very little for Zelah to do other than eat her food
and enjoy the sound of his deep, well-modulated voice, yet she could not be
easy. Every nerve end ached, her skin was so sensitive she wondered if it was
perhaps some kind of fever, but when she touched her own cheek the skin was not
unnaturally warm. Zelah wondered at her reaction and finally concluded she had
lived retired for too long and had forgotten how to behave amongst
strangers.

At last Maria gave the signal to withdraw and the ladies left
the men to their brandy.

* * *

‘I think it is going exceedingly well,’ said Maria,
sinking into a chair and disposing her skirts elegantly around her. ‘Major Coale
is very well read and Reginald was right, now that we have been in his company
for a while I hardly notice his poor face at all. But you have been very quiet,
Zelah my love. I would have thought the major’s knowledge of art and literature
would have made him an interesting guest for you.’

‘He is—that is, the conversation was flowing so well I didn’t
like to—I mean, I could find nothing to add.’

‘That is most unlike you, little sister.’ Maria patted her
cheek. ‘I do believe you are a little shy of the major, but there is no need.
Indeed, you should know him better than any of us. You must try to be a little
more sociable. I assure you, Zelah, you have nothing to fear. He is perfectly
harmless.’

But Major Coale did not
feel
perfectly harmless. Zelah could not explain it. Part of her wanted to stay near
him, to engage him in conversation and at the same time she wanted to run away.
It was most confusing.

* * *

When the gentlemen came in she was prepared to make an
effort to join in, but they were getting on so well that the conversation flowed
quite easily without any contribution from herself and she remained beside her
sister, a relieved and silent observer. Maria, however, was determined that she
should participate more and when the tea tray was brought in she handed two cups
to Zelah, instructing her to carry one to their guest.

Bracing herself, Zelah moved across the room. Major Coale
accepted the cup with a word of thanks, adding, as Reginald lounged away and
they were left alone, ‘Buckland tells me Nicky is to go to school.’

‘Yes. Mr Netherby teaches a small group of boys for a few hours
each day and he has agreed to take him. It is as much for the company as
anything.’

‘And when does he start?’

‘As soon as he is walking again, which should not be long now,
he is making good progress.’

She sipped at her tea, trying to think of something to say. She
wanted to tell him how handsome he looked, but that would be most improper, and
unfortunately, everything else that came to mind was connected to their having
dined together, a fact that must remain secret.

‘You are very quiet this evening, Miss Pentewan. Why is that? I
know you are not afraid of me.’

The glinting smile in his eyes drew an answering gleam from
her.

‘Not when I was on your land, certainly. But here...’ she
glanced around ‘...I fear I am less at ease with you in these more formal
surroundings.’

‘That is singular—if anything you should feel safer here, with
your family.’

She smiled. ‘You must think me very foolish.’

‘Not at all. Have you found a suitable post yet, as a
governess?’

‘No, and it is very lowering. Maria ascribes it to my lack of
experience.’

‘She may well be right.’

‘But I am very well qualified! Papa himself took charge of my
education. He taught me French and mathematics and the use of globes—and he
allowed me free access to his extensive library.’ She sighed. ‘But of course,
apart from my nephew I have little experience of children.’ She turned her eyes
upon him as a thought occurred to her. ‘I wonder perhaps if you have a young
relative in need of a governess?’

He threw back his head and laughed at that. Zelah smiled,
surprised at the little curl of pleasure it gave her, to have amused him so.

‘No, Miss Pentewan, I do not. I have only one sister, you saw
her portrait. She is now married, but when she was younger she was such a minx
that I have the greatest sympathy with every one of the poor ladies employed to
instruct her.’

‘Oh dear, was she so bad?’

‘A perfect hoyden. She ran through at least a dozen
governesses. Do not look so dismayed, ma’am, the Coales are renowned for being
wild to a fault. Not all families will be as bad.’

‘No-o.’ Zelah was not convinced. She gave herself a little
shake. ‘I have not given up hope, Major. I have already sent off more
advertisements. I am sure something will turn up.’

‘Of course it will.’ He put down his cup. ‘It is growing late
and I must get back.’

He rose and crossed the room to take his leave of his hostess.
Zelah felt a deep sense of disappointment that he was going so soon, which was
irrational, since she had avoided his company most of the evening.

* * *

Nicky was making good progress. By the end of the week
he was hobbling around the garden, showing off his heavily bandaged leg to all
the servants.

Zelah watched him from her bedroom window. He was in the
garden, talking to the aged retainer employed to cut the lawn. She was too far
away to hear what was being said, but she could imagine him recounting the tale
of how he hurt his leg. The old man was leaning on his scythe and giving the boy
his full attention, even though she was sure he would have heard the story
several times over. She put her chin on her hands, smiling. Nicky had such a
natural charm, no wonder everyone loved him. Reginald was taking him to join the
vicar’s little school next week and she hoped the other boys would take to
him.