Josette (5 page)

Captain Carter strode from the house dressed in a clean blue frock, gold trim shining from his jaunty bicorn. He ignored the footman and leapt effortlessly onto his mount. Whatever goodbyes proffered to her family had been accomplished. He did not look back as he cantered down the drive toward the smooth highway.

She watched him grow small and refused to acknowledge the uneasy knot in her chest. It was as if it had all been a dream. Carter would go back to his ship. There would be a new first lieutenant. The
Persephone
would head back out to sea, and somewhere from beyond George would watch over them all.

Josette sighed deeply. The sun’s rays crested over the trees and swept across the grounds. Life would go on, and so would she. George would have ordered her to “make it so.” She smiled at the pale girl looking back at her in the glass.

Poor Cousin Edward.
He would not know what to do with the girls of Beddingfield Park.

CHAPTER FOUR

One cloudy morning a commotion at the door echoed throughout the house. The happy sounds drew Josette and Amy hopefully out of the drawing room, for both were listless from the coverlet of mourning that had fallen over Beddingfield Park. Hannah was jumping up and down like a little girl, and Bernard was laughing his deep, throaty cackle.

They found Edward Price standing at the door with his arms flung open wide. “Edward,” Josette cried.

“Cousin!” he answered. “Your letter reached me just before I left town.”

“We’re so happy you have come.” Josette saw uneasiness in Edward’s happy blue eyes. She took his hand. “There’s no need to be ill at ease,” she said, squaring her shoulders soldier-like. “Mama has aired out your room and Papa oiled his guns.”

Edward blinked at the announcement that Sir Robert was polishing his weapons. “I haven’t been hunting in ages.”

“But you love it so,” said Josette in disbelief.

He smiled again, all care wiped from his face.

Amy was hunkered down against the stairwell, as if trying to make
herself
small.

“Miss Amy Price.” He gave her a deep bow. “My, you’ve grown.” He looked her up and down then back at Josette, who did not miss the sheepish blush on his cheeks.

“Do come in,” she said, breaking the spell. They hurried him into the drawing room.

It felt like Christmas with him there. Edward, with light brown hair tied back, had a fair complexion that George had once labeled milk-
maidish
. Although lean, fast, and just as boisterous, Edward did not like to get dirty. His attention leapt from one form of entertainment to another, which made him a fascinating conversationalist and attractive companion. Josette listened politely to his accounts of the London Theater, while Amy’s lips pursed in disapproval.

“The stage?” she said, as if the words tasted bad.

“I only dabble, though I’ve just finished writing my first play. I plan to pursue a tribute to
Florizel
and
Perdita
with another writer after Twelfth Night.”

“A Shakespeare man,” said Josette.

Amy added, “Our aunt must be very proud.”

Edward broke out another charming grin. “You’re still angry with me, aren’t you, kitten? What happened to that last toad I left in your reticule?”

“I’m not your kitten.” Amy’s face changed from pink to red and pink again. She glared at Josette as if she’d encouraged him.

“He’s only teasing.”

“I wasn’t his kitten then, and I’m certainly not now.”

Josette shrugged at her cousin. “Sensitive.”

“Ah,” Edward said sagely, “then that much has not changed.” He sank back on the settee spreading his arms like a falcon. “My mother is not unhappy I’ve decided to pursue the arts. In fact, she’s intrigued.”

“I’m sure she is,” Josette said.

“As for my father,” he said with a reluctant look, “I’m certain it would have not been his first choice of occupation for me.” He glanced heavenward as if his father was glaring down in disapproval.

“Well I hope you don’t expect Papa to congratulate you.” Amy turned about with an impertinent look on her face. “He’d rather see you at sea than near the theater.”

“Like George, you mean? There was no reason at all for George to go.”

At Edward’s reminder of why he was there, Josette frowned darkly, but at her sister. “There’s no need for insults. George joined because he felt it was his calling. I’m sure he would have wanted Edward to follow his own heart.”

Amy and Edward stared at one another until he had to scratch his ear. He crossed a leg in Josette’s direction and gave a telling grin.

“Speaking of naval matters, I met your Captain Carter at the opera house not a fortnight ago. He was with some younger woman in a becoming blue gown.”

For some reason this was not exactly what Josette expected to hear. “He was with us, you know,” Josette explained. “He brought us the news.”

“I know.” Edward patted her hand as tears glimmered in her eyes.

“I thought he had relatives in the country. I suppose the lure of the city drew him back again.”

“I’m sorry I could not be here,” said Edward.

“George would have understood,” Josette reassured him.

From the window, Amy scowled. “We found Captain Carter to be a remarkable gentleman and a great comfort.”

“And you a great comfort to him, I understand.” Edward turned back to Josette. “We have a common friend,” he explained, “who introduced me to his lovely companion. When I mentioned I was shortly to leave for Beddingfield Park, he seemed taken by surprise, and should I say it?” His eyes twinkled, “Envy?”

Josette bristled. She would have preferred to know Carter’s companion was old, not pretty.
Why?
asked
a little voice.
Because he deserved it
, she assured herself. “I don’t know what he could possibly envy here,” she said aloud. “Here, Mama will smother you with affection, and you will have to go shooting with Papa every day.”

“With no time for monologues or dramatic discourses,” was Amy’s sugary addition.

“I’m sure I shall survive it all.” Edward glanced at Amy. “He did ask me to give his regards.
Especially to you.”

Amy did not mask the smile of satisfaction.

“I don’t suppose he had anything to say about me,” said Josette.

“Why would he?” asked Amy, taking her seat again. “You were hateful and snobbish.”

“He was pompous and cold.”

“Most of them are,” Edward interjected. “Officers, you know.
All formality and propriety.”

“There’s certainly nothing wrong with propriety,” snapped Amy. Seeing Josette’s disgruntled look, she added, “And you have never liked anyone without George’s approval.
And Captain Carter so handsome.”

“Handsome?” repeated Josette. It was she that scrunched her face up this time.
Not her kind of handsome. He was too tanned, too serious. He walked stiff and probably danced like a wooden puppet.

“Captain Carter is not nearly as handsome as he fancies himself to be,” said Josette. “I find George’s summation of him to be spot on.”

“And what was that?” asked Edward, leaning forward.

“Prone to far too much self-reflection.”

“Yes,” Amy argued, “but he also wrote that he was a prime seaman, clever as a fox, and one of the greatest shots he had ever seen.”

“No wonder he admired him so,” admitted Edward, “but do you think he would admire him now? Making the rounds of the
ton
?”

“His ship is in the dockyard,” Amy said.

“He should be recruiting,” Josette grudgingly complained, “or at his estate, if he has one.”

“He’s the second son of the Carters of Ipswich. They don’t need him there,” Amy insisted.

“But do they welcome him?”

“He loves his father well.”

“And how do you know all these things?”

“If you had paid him any attention, Josette, you would, too.”

It was all Josette could do not to rebuke her sister but they had not yet recovered from the night she had struck her. Their feelings remained tender and cautious.

Josette made a wry face for Edward’s benefit. “Cousin, please do not mention that loathsome Captain Carter. I fear my sister and I do not agree about him.”

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Edward was invited to his uncle’s study. Lady Price’s absence was excused as an illness, which everyone knew to be a chronic headache that had not receded since Captain Carter’s departure.

Josette was aghast at her parents’ subdued welcome. It was not Edward’s fault George had died, neither had it been any avarice on his part that the estate be entailed after her father passed.

They took dinner with stiff smiles despite Edward’s liveliness. Josette tried harder than them all to keep their spirits afloat. After a tortuous half of an hour in the drawing room at cards, Edward suggested the girls accompany him on a walk and promised to keep them wrapped. Josette went for her shawl but Amy declined, leaving her two elders to walk about the park unrestrained in conversation as the sun set.

“You cannot imagine my reluctance in coming to you at this time,” Edward began as soon as the couple had escaped past the lily beds.

“It’s expected.”
 

“How can it be? I’m offensively overdue yet have arrived with you still in your black bombazine.”

“We know you come to comfort us.”

Satisfied that he had not earned her disregard, Edward changed the subject with a study of the treetops overhead. “Your sister has grown into a lady since I saw her last.”

“You mean since you last teased her?”

“And she hasn’t forgiven me.”

“Amy has lost a brother and a Season. One can hardly blame her.”

They walked along in companionable silence for a time, each lost in private thoughts. When Josette could not withhold her curiosity any longer she asked, “How did you find Captain Carter? Was he everything you expected him to be?”

Edward gave a low whistle. “I expected more of a buccaneer, the way George would tell it.”

“Whatever is he doing on shore leave?”

“That old bucket took a beating. They say it will be months before
Persephone
is keeled upright. Besides,
that sort never shirk
their duty. They certainly don’t aspire for half-pay.”

“I doubt his wages are of any concern. According to Amy, his father is a well-to-do gentleman through trade, though he is a second son.”

“I suppose he didn’t find the church his cup of tea.”

Josette gave a little laugh at the picture of Carter delivering a sermon. “George did think the world of him,” she admitted.

“And look where it got him.” A dark cloud fell over Edward’s face. He kicked an acorn with the toe of his boot and watch it crash off into the undergrowth.