Laura Matthews (26 page)

“I should hope so,” he replied with mock sternness. “You must not think that I have forgotten you while I have been away, Olivia. Far from it. There were so many things I wanted you to have, but I could not travel with them all.”

“Those are all for me? What of your mother and sister?”

“They shall each have a gift later this evening when you’re asleep.” He drew the closest of the packages toward her. “This one I found in London and I could not resist it.”

Olivia unwrapped the Staffordshire salt-glaze figurine of a young woman obviously on her best behavior and Noah commented laconically, “I thought you would especially appreciate it.”

“You mock me, sir,” she laughed as she set the figurine on her bedside stand. Noah placed a larger parcel in her hands and warned her to open it carefully. She found within four Beilby goblets with a fine opaque-white twist in the stem and a design of grapes and vines on the bucket-shaped bowl. “How beautiful!”

“Yes, I thought they were exquisite,” he agreed, “and I hope you’ll keep them here in your room for special occasions, such as tonight. We could have our wine from them.”

Their meal was brought in then and set out before Noah dismissed the servants. He found that Olivia had not the appetite she had previously displayed but he did not urge her, knowing that she was not well yet. When she had consumed as much as she wished, she entertained him with accounts of her activities during his absence and news of the estate and village.

Her eyes occasionally wandered to the pile of packages at the foot of her bed and he teased her with being as eager to open them as a child on her birthday.

“I have never had many presents,” she answered seriously. “As often as not my brothers were not even at Stolenhurst, but the housekeeper always remembered me, and Miss Stewart.”

“Then we shall get on with the opening straightaway,” he declared lightly, though he found himself rather shocked by her admission.

There was a burgundy gown from Paris, and a hammered gold ring, a number of books in French and English, a pair of silver candlesticks, and a sheer gold negligee. By the time she had finished, the array that was spread on her bed was truly staggering to her.

“You’re far too generous, Noah. Any one of them would have pleased me beyond reckoning, and the whole is almost incomprehensible.”

“Since I could not be with you, it gratified me to search for special things I felt sure you would enjoy.” He took her hand and spoke seriously. “I
could not
be with you, Olivia. That is difficult to understand, I know, but it was very necessary that I go.”

In her eyes he could see the struggle to trust him, to believe him. Why should he expect that of her? “It was an errand for the government, and it took longer than I had expected. Really, it is a secret, and I should not tell you more, but...”

Olivia swallowed painfully. “No, if you should not speak of it, then do not. I missed you, and sometimes I was angry with you for leaving me alone, but I had no right to expect you to dance attendance on me.”

“It was unfortunate that everything conspired to happen at once so that you should be alone here. I know Miss Stewart proved an agreeable companion, but it is not the same as having one of your family about. I doubt it could happen again.” Noah saw that her eyes were heavy with fatigue and he apologized for keeping her from a good night’s sleep. The presents were removed carefully from the bed to various tables and stands about the room before he sat down beside her.

“We’ll talk more in the morning, my dear, but now I’ll send in your maid.” He kissed her gently and drew the bedclothes about her, then disappeared from the room leaving her surrounded by all the beautiful tokens of his... what? Affection? Guilt? Olivia was too tired and pleased to give the question more than a cursory consideration. He was home.

Chapter Twenty-three

Lady Lawrence did not recover as well as she should have from her illness, and
Dr. Davenport spoke privately with Noah about the possibilities of his mother taking the waters at Bath. “It would not harm your sister, either. She is looking haggard after her weeks of nursing.”

Dr.
Davenport very properly neglected to mention the young woman’s romantic disappointments. Even he was aware that Alexander Cutler had eloped with Esther Draskin; it was the
on dit
of the countryside as well as of London.

“And Olivia? Would you recommend Bath for her as well?”

The doctor shook his head, his lips pursed. “No, I think the journey would be most unwise. She should remain quietly at the Towers. I do not say that she is not recovered, but there is no sense in taking such a risk. The jolting of the carriage ride... well, I would not advise it.”

“Then she shall not go,” Noah said with finality.

Convincing Lady Lawrence of the necessity of her going to take the waters was not an easy task. She adamantly refused to leave Olivia and her home, but Olivia took a hand in urging her to do what was necessary. “You would not wish to be at less than your best health when your first grandchild is born. Lady Lawrence.”

“I am sure that I shall be; there is no need to go jauntering off to see my health restored,” the older woman grumbled.

Ignoring her, Olivia continued, “I think the change of scene would do Julianna a world of good, as well. You might return before the weather turns bad, and you would be here for the holidays and the confinement.” Olivia grinned at her obstinate mother-in-law. “And I would not mind being here alone with Noah when he returns from escorting you.”

“I dare say. Well, I shall think on the matter,” Lady Lawrence conceded.

The combined efforts of her family eventually held sway, and she and her daughter began packing for their journey. Noah had spent the three weeks since his return home in a circle of attendance on his wife, his mother and his sister, interspersed with efforts to attend to the backlog of estate business which he alone could handle. In addition he had been given a commission by his friend the Comte de Mauppard to purchase a small estate in England in the event it should become necessary for him to remove from his homeland.

As Olivia’s strength returned, she enjoyed short excursions into the neighboring countryside with her husband in this pursuit, though she was not at all sure she wished to have the lovely Françoise as a neighbor. Noah never denied the gossip concerning his relations with the young woman; he considered it refutation enough to lavish attention on his wife. After all, he knew he had no guilt on his conscience in that direction, or any other. His pride did not allow him to discuss the matter.

“I may be gone two or three weeks, you know,” he remarked one afternoon as they returned to the Towers. “I should like to see Mother and Julianna settled in before I return. They have not been to Bath before and neither of them is so strong right now as to undertake the venture without some assistance.”

“I hope you’ll stay as long as you wish, Noah.”

“I don’t like leaving you alone again.”

“But, Noah, I am quite recovered now and look forward to seeing to the nursery. It hasn’t been used in many years and is in need of a thorough cleaning and redecoration.”

He reined in his pair in the shade of a leafy oak, out of the hot sun. Olivia turned to him inquisitively and he put his arms around her and pressed her to him. “Lord, how I want you,” he murmured into her black tresses.

“But, Noah, I am perfectly all right now. I have been ... surprised that you did not... come to me,” she said softly, her eyes lowered. “I thought perhaps because I am all swollen now you did not...”

“You could never be less than desirable, my dear. Never think it.” He gently touched the swelling in her middle. “Did Dr. Davenport not speak with you then? No, I suppose he would not. He told me it would not be... advisable for us to have relations.”

“Oh. I didn’t know.” Olivia was relieved that there was an explanation for her husband’s behavior. “For how long?”

“He would not commit himself precisely. It would be safest to wait until the child is born.”

“But that’s months away,” she protested, “and I feel quite strong now, Noah.”

“I know,” he sighed, as he twisted a black ringlet about his finger.

“Could you not speak with him again? I must be much better than when he made such a statement,” she said somewhat indignantly.

Noah laughed. “Indeed. I’ll speak with him, Olivia, but you mustn’t be disappointed if he doesn’t change his advice. He’s rather conservative in his treatments.”

“And you would nonetheless follow his advice?”

“It is for your own welfare, my dear, and that of the child.” Noah kissed her again before resuming their drive. He glanced at her stubbornly set face and chuckled. “Perhaps when I return from Bath.”

“Humph.”

* * * *

Two days later the carriage set off for Bath with Lady Lawrence, Julianna and Noah. Lady Lawrence had very nearly refused at the last moment, but the rest of her family had overruled her objections and hurried her into the carriage. Olivia stood waving them off until they were out of sight, then she returned to the house rather forlornly to begin working on the nursery.

Lady Lawrence wrote from each posting inn, and usually there was a post script from Noah or Julianna. On their way through London they learned of the army revolt at Nancy and of the Marquis de la Fayette’s intervention to put it down; all this intelligence was casually transmitted to Olivia. Although it held little importance for her, it was of some moment to Noah, and he perused the news coming from France more carefully than before. The loss of prestige to the Marquis de la Fayette, when the populace called it a massacre, was significant to his supporters, including the Comte de Mauppard.

Soon after his arrival in Bath, Noah wrote to Olivia instructing her to complete the purchase of the last piece of property they had inspected for the comte. On the day his letter arrived there was also a letter directed to him from France and Olivia immediately dispatched it to her husband, with an assurance that she would conclude the purchase for him.

Noah’s letter from the comte advised that the situation in Paris was less amenable for him now that the Marquis de la Fayette was discredited in some circles. The comte was a practical man and foresaw the necessity of transferring more of his resources out of the country, citing the difficulties of several of his colleagues.

With sufficient delicacy he hinted that Noah could be of service to him at this time, but that he would not wish to impose on his friend if it were not convenient for him to journey to France. Noah had a strong desire to tear up the letter and pretend that he had never received it, but be was too conscious of the kindness and assistance so recently offered him. So he wrote that he would be free to journey to Paris in a week or two.

The letter Olivia received informing her of this news she did tear up in exasperation and burned in the grate of the Winter Parlor. Really, it was too much. So what if he would stop in London on his way, to see if Miss Stewart was free to come to the Towers? Miss Stewart’s company was scarcely a substitute for that of her husband. And she probably would not be free to come in any case, Olivia thought with annoyance. To say nothing of the fact that Noah was perfectly willing to drop everything to rush to Paris. What did he care if he deserted his long-suffering wife again? There were attractions enough in Paris for him. His abject apologies burned very well, Olivia thought fiercely as she watched the smoke curl up the chimney.

Miss Stewart was able to come, as she informed Olivia in a letter immediately preceding her arrival. Her friend was again traveling and would be from London for at least a month, should her stay need to be that long. Olivia had no idea how long a stay Miss Stewart need contemplate, and she did not wish to consider the subject.

“God alone knows when Noah will manage to return to the Towers,” Olivia remarked with asperity. “He’ll no doubt return with a portmanteau full of presents for me and expect that I shall ignore his habitual absence.” She grimaced pitifully. “On the other hand, he may be interested in meeting his child one day, so I shall not give up hope of seeing him again. Let us forget him, Miss Stewart. I’m involved in a new project which will interest you, I know, a great deal more than my opinion of my husband’s wanderings.”

Miss Stewart was indeed fascinated by the possibilities of decorating the nursery, but she took Olivia’s distress to heart and transmitted her sorrow to her own loyal correspondent. Such a careless fellow as Sir Noah was proving to be, she wrote, and his wife deserving much better. It was inconceivable to Miss Stewart that her former pupil should not be held in the highest regard by any man lucky enough to marry her, and did not her correspondent agree?

There were letters from Noah this time, and although Olivia still longed to consign them to the Winter Parlor grate, she did not. He was delayed, the comte had not been able to make the necessary arrangements. Paris was a strange mixture of ferocity and gaiety; the streets were not altogether safe; the balls not entirely pleasing. He wished that Olivia could be with him and he hoped that her health continued well.

Olivia in her turn wrote to him, precise little epistles telling of her daily activities with no expression of her anger, loneliness or fondness. Had she not accepted his explanation of his first absence with no rebuke? And what did he do but go straight off again. Let his mother assure him that he was always in her thoughts and affections. Olivia refused to accord him the satisfaction.

September hastened into October and October drifted past. Lady Lawrence wrote that she was feeling inordinately better and that Julianna had acquired a new beau, which had done wonders for her. They were looking forward to returning to the Towers soon and only waited for Noah to return to escort them. Their expectations were not disappointed, for Olivia soon heard from Noah advising that he was at last leaving for England where he would journey first to Bath.

Miss Stewart, who was on the point of departure, felt an immense relief at this news. She had been debating the wisdom of leaving Olivia alone, and, much as she wished to return to town to see her friend, she almost felt a duty to remain behind with her young companion. As it turned out, there would only be a matter of days before the party from Bath returned, so she held to her plans with a clear conscience.