Lillian's Light Horseman (15 page)

“Mrs. Simpson,” Lillian said quietly. “Despite what you might think, I’m just the governess. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” She turned away from the bitter woman and walked quickly in the opposite direction.

Lillian seethed quietly as she returned to their picnic blanket. The nerve of the woman to suggest that she was angling to marry William! What William had ever seen in her, Lillian could only guess at, but she assumed that it had rested on her willingness to share her bed so readily.

As their picnic blanket came into view, so, too, did two newcomers who’d obviously made themselves quite comfortable. Lillian recognized Mr. George Dawson and his daughter Margaret, who had taken the seat vacated by Lillian earlier. Mr. Dawson was lounging casually on the picnic blanket, sipping on a glass of blackberry wine and chatting amiably.

What enflamed Lillian, however, was the blatantly flirtatious attention of the young Miss Dawson toward William. She was giggling shamelessly at something that William had obviously said and had placed a small gloved hand on William’s shoulder as she tittered prettily into her other. Even more vexing to Lillian was the fact that William appeared to be enjoying the attentions of the young woman. He reclined on the blanket in a very masculine manner—one leg hooked underneath him while the other was bent at the knee, his arm resting across it at the elbow. His right shoulder relaxed against the chair in which Miss Dawson was seated.

From an outsider’s perspective, the little party of picnickers made a lovely tableau and could easily be assumed to be a comfortable, happy family enjoying the day of festivities.

Suddenly and inexplicably, Lillian felt like an interloper and as though joining the group would be a rude intrusion. She was frozen to the spot for a long moment, racked with indecision and an overwhelming feeling of loneliness. Then, quickly, her wits once more restored, she spun on her heel and strode in the opposite direction, desperate to make an escape before her presence was detected.

Chapter Seventeen

“So, Cartwright, how is your new governess working out?”

William looked at the other man in surprise. “Fine, thank you for asking. The children adore her and Miss Hamilton is very good with them.”

“So how is she coping with life in the outback? It can’t be an easy transition for her, coming from London as she has.”

“Miss Hamilton is not new to the area or the outback lifestyle,” William remarked. “We grew up together. That’s how I knew she’d be the perfect person to teach the children what they need to know. I see her time spent in England as an advantage, actually. I imagine that she has a great many experiences that the children will benefit from.”

George Dawson narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. “I didn’t realize that the two of you share a history.”

“Just the history of childhood friends, Dawson,” William responded mildly. “And the mutual respect that situation often engenders.”

He was not about to discuss his private life with the likes of George Dawson. While he had nothing against the man, he didn’t class him as a close friend and he had a feeling that Dawson wouldn’t like the fact that he considered Lillian to be much more than just his governess. Thinking of Lillian made him glance around for her.
What is taking her so long?

He hadn’t missed all the admiring looks that she’d been receiving since they’d arrived. He wasn’t surprised—she looked breathtaking. She was fresh and vibrant and she easily surpassed in loveliness all the women at the gathering. He looked up to where Miss Dawson sat by his side, dressed in pale pink. She looked very pretty and could be quite charming, but in his eyes, she lacked the exquisite beauty and clever wit of Lillian.

Miss Dawson, seeing his eyes on her, grinned coquettishly and fluttered her fan as he smiled at her absently.

“Cartwright,” George Dawson interrupted his reverie.

William looked in the man’s direction to see him smile smugly.

“Sorry to interfere with your perusal of my daughter’s lovely countenance, but we would like to invite you to lunch next week. It’s been too long since we have spent some time together. We need to catch up.”

William nodded noncommittally. “Yes, it’s been a while. Lunch next week would be very nice, but I have to check my calendar. I expect a busy week on the property.”

Margaret Dawson giggled and slapped him on the arm playfully with her fan. “Oh, William. You have a manager and station hands who can run things for an afternoon.”

He nodded absently, not wanting to commit to anything specific. He was now quite concerned with Lillian’s continued absence and decided that it was time to go in search of her.

* * * *

Lillian found herself at the stables. The smell of hay and the rich scent of horses assaulted her senses and calmed her instantly. She’d always loved horses. She found them to be soothing and reassuring creatures that had the ability to tap into a person’s emotions and provide comfort when needed. As if to prove her philosophy, a mare pushed her head over a stable door into Lillian’s shoulder and snorted softly against her skin. Lillian smiled and reached up to stroke the animal’s nose.

She was enjoying the peace of the moment. She couldn’t quite believe how a perfect day had turned into a less than perfect one so quickly. She understood that she’d overreacted just now when she had seen that the Dawsons had joined their picnic, but she hadn’t been able to help herself. The feelings of isolation and loneliness had been overwhelming and had taken her straight back to her dark days in England. She needed to distance herself from the situation and gain some rational perspective. She had no right to act jealously or be irritated by William’s associations and she was appalled at her own behavior, but things had been moving so quickly between them that she was confused by their relationship and her own feelings. Seeing William again after so many years had thrown her into turmoil and resurrected all her feelings for him that for so long and so hard she’d tried to bury. Now she was not only faced with William and all the wondrous sensations he aroused in her, but also the women with whom he associated, who seemed to have hidden expectations and agendas. The whole situation was stirring her into a turbulent mass of emotions and she had to take a step back to evaluate. She was no longer the sixteen-year-old girl who had fallen head over heels in love with her childhood sweetheart. She’d experienced a lot since that time, much of which was difficult, but all of which had served to make her a stronger person. She needed to take that strength now and use it to defend herself against any additional, potentially hurtful situations.

Lillian had continued to stroke the mare’s soft nose, taking comfort in the gentle creature’s nearness. A waft of tobacco smoke swirled toward her and alerted her to the fact that she was no longer alone. Startled, she turned to see John Steele leaning casually against a nearby post, quietly watching her while he sucked on a pipe.

“Mr. Steele,” she greeted him cordially with a slight nod of her head.

“Hello again, Miss Hamilton. May I say that you’re looking particularly lovely today? In fact, I would go so far as to say that you are the loveliest lady at this gathering.”

Lillian blushed. “Thank you. That is very kind of you to say. Although I would have to disagree.”

He shook his head in admonishment and walked toward her. “You are too modest, my lady.”

She smiled slightly and stepped away from the mare, giving her silky coat one last, soothing caress. “To what do I owe this unexpected meeting?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

“It’s just coincidence, I can assure you, but I’m glad that I ran into you. Please accept my apologies for my behavior at the dinner dance. I acted appallingly. I very regrettably misconstrued your desire for a walk.”

Lillian nodded in acknowledgment and watched as he tamped down his pipe before slipping it into an inner pocket of his waistcoat.

He offered her his arm. “Will you allow me to make it up to you? Will you walk with me? You look like you’re in need of some pleasant conversation and diversion. I love horses but they are not great conversationalists.”

Lillian smiled and linked her arm with his. “That is true, but they
are
very good listeners and providers of comfort. Horses have always soothed me.”

“And what has you in need of comfort, may I ask?”

Lillian studied him while they strolled. She knew that William harbored a dislike for John Steele, but as he hadn’t bothered to enlighten her about it, she could see no harm in taking an innocent walk with the man in broad daylight. Besides, Mr. Steele had happened along at a time when she could use a distraction and some light conversation.

“Nothing specific,” she finally answered.

“It wouldn’t have anything to do with Mary Simpson, would it?”

Lillian threw him a sharp look. “Why do you ask?”

“I saw you with her earlier. I was placing a bet when I saw you walk past and I’d planned to follow you to offer my apologies for my behavior the night we met. When I looked up next, you were engaged in conversation with Mary and it looked to be quite heated.”

Lillian gave him a level stare. “She’s under the impression that I’m more than a governess and she believes that I’m harboring some idea of acquiring William for myself.”

He looked shocked. “I can’t believe that she would approach you like that. Everyone knows that she has designs on William Cartwright, but to accuse
you
of such a thing is totally inappropriate.”

“I was a little taken aback but I understand it for what it is. I won’t let her jealousy get to me.”

She supposed that she
was
more than a governess. What her actual status was in William’s life, she was unsure about, and she definitely wouldn’t be elaborating on it to virtual strangers.

John tightened his hand on her elbow. “Well, I admire your fortitude. I don’t think that I would be quite so understanding, given the circumstances.”

She smiled in gratitude. “Thank you.”

They rounded a corner and Lillian caught sight of a tall, impressive figure striding in their direction. It wasn’t hard to miss William’s formidable and intimidating physique, particularly when anger emanated from him in waves. He came to an abrupt halt in front of them and wrenched her away from John Steele’s hold.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” he growled. “I was worried!”

“I went for a walk,” Lillian responded coolly. “I didn’t want to disturb you and your neighbors.”

He narrowed his eyes on her before turning his arctic glare on her companion. “It didn’t take you long to seek out the company of Miss Hamilton, Steele.”

“I didn’t realize that you were required to vet her strolling companions, Cartwright. Miss Hamilton looked to be in need of some pleasant diversion and I offered my services.”

“Of course you did. You just happened to be in the right place at the right time.”

“That is exactly the case,” Lillian retorted sharply. “We were doing nothing more than enjoying a stroll together. Now if you’ll excuse me, I will see you back at our picnic.”

After being harassed by William’s jealous paramour and confronted by the cozy spectacle of him with his very eligible neighbor, she was in no mood to indulge his jealous flights of fancy. She spun on her heel and started quickly for their picnic area. She’d not ventured far, however, when William caught her up.

Grasping her by the arm, he halted her. “What were you doing with him, Lillian?” he asked, his voice ominously low. “You know my feelings about that man.”

“I don’t know
why
you feel the way you do,” she responded. “In any case, it was just an innocent walk. I’d grown tired of being confronted by the ladies of your acquaintance.”

His jaw hardened. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Your Mary Simpson is unhappy that you’ve called a halt to your liaison and she wasted no time in telling me her opinion on the matter.”

“She is not ‘mine’,” he snarled. “
You
are mine and I will not have you liaising with gentlemen that I see as unfit!”

Lillian was dumbfounded. “I don’t believe that you’ve any say in the matter,” she said coolly.

“That’s where you’re wrong, my sweet, and don’t test me on the subject. I’ll speak to Mary. She had no right to confront you.”

Lillian studied him, his fierce expression brooking no room for further argument, and she decided that she’d let the discussion rest for the moment.

“Fine.” She shook her arm free of his grasp and started once more to walk in the direction of their picnic.

William again caught her within two strides and, taking hold of her elbow, he tugged her close to his side. He leaned down to speak in her ear, his voice dripping with ominous promise, “Just wait until we get home, Lilly. I’ll show you who you belong to.”

Chapter Eighteen

Mrs. Thompson and the children were not joining them for the ball that evening. They’d all enjoyed an early dinner of salad and cold meat before the children were bathed and put to bed and Lillian had left Mrs. Thompson in the kitchen making a cup of tea that she planned to take to her room when she retired for the evening.

Instead, it would be just William and Lillian. The idea of attending with William, as if they were stepping out together, had Lillian a little nervous. William, however, had no such qualms and had insisted that he would want no other woman on his arm. This stance of his was proving more than a little confusing. Did it mean that he wanted to show everyone that she was more than an employee, more than just the governess? Of course, there was his continued references to her as
his
, which she found to be at once irritating and strangely exciting. Apart from that, William hadn’t said anything to her in regards to their relationship status, so she’d decided just to follow his lead.

The velvet maroon dress had turned out beautifully. It was cut lower than she would have initially liked, but Mrs. Thompson had declared that she should show off her best assets, as long as it was done tastefully. The V neckline flaunted a decorous display of cleavage. From there, the dress fell straight to below her waist where a wide satin sash tied at the side, providing the adornment and a break between fabrics. The dress ended just above her ankles in a swirl of maroon chiffon.