Macbeth's Niece (33 page)

“Of course not,” Tessa assured her. “Many a
young man stammers. It takes only time and love to cure it.”

Mary’s plain face glowed. “I knew you’d
understand. Oh, I have missed being able to talk to you. You are so
brave, and a wonderful friend beside. My mother-in-law—” Her voice
dropped to a whisper. “—thinks I’m a mouse.”

“Then she does not know you well enough as
yet, I say. You are wonderful, too, Mary. If you knew how it cheers
me just to see you!”

“Well, there was a terrible scene when you
left, I can tell you. Uncle William was on about how you’d deceived
poor Eleanor, and Sir Cedric was in a rage because he looked the
fool, but Auntie Madeline said you must have had good reason for
what you did, despite their ranting. Not that we believed William,
who looks out only for himself. But we were very worried about
you.”

“I’m back now, but my circumstances are even
worse than before. My uncle the king is dead, his family despised.
I have nothing, Mary, and I don’t know where to turn.” Tessa’s
shame almost overcame her to admit this to her friend, but she
could hide none of it.

Mary’s glance took in Tessa’s brown skin,
thinness, and the makeshift cloak, and her face became serious. “I
am sorry to hear it.” There was little Mary could do for her
friend. As a young wife, she was very much under the control of her
husband and her in-laws. She could not simply open her home to
Tessa, much as she might want to.

Her face brightened again with a thought.
“Aidan will help. He was quite fond of you; I know it. He’s in York
now, though, at William’s sickbed.”

“I had heard Sir William was ill.” So Hawick
had told the truth about that much, anyway.

“Oh yes, very. They say he won’t last much
longer. He’s gone home, where Auntie Madeline nurses him. It seems
Aidan will soon be the heir to Brixton with Ethelbert renouncing
his title and Jeffrey gone—”

“But Mary, Jeffrey isn’t dead. I found him
in Scotland, held captive by outlaws. He is well—at least he was
when last I heard news of him.”

They heard noises from the back of the shop,
signaling Mistress Hope had finished her business. Mary stared at
Tessa as she digested the information. When she could speak, she
whispered, “That’s wonderful news. We must speak again. Francis and
I live in Oxford, and I must return there this afternoon, but I
will send word when next I come to London and we will meet. Where
are you staying?”

“The Mace and Thyme,” Tessa answered.

“I shall return in three days’ time, then,”
came a voice, and Tessa shot Mary a warning look.

Mary understood, and when the lady emerged
from the back, said only, “How nice it was to see you again, my
dear,” as if speaking to a former servant. She took Tessa’s hand
briefly before leaving with her mother-in-law. When Tessa looked
down, there were coins in her hand, and Mary’s backward glance
indicated she should not worry, for she had friends in London.

Banaugh was waiting at the well when Tessa
hurried back. “I saw t’ ribbon an’ figured ye meant me t’ bide
here,” he said. “If ye’d been in trouble, I doot ye’d tie sae nice
a bow.”

Quickly telling him about Mary, she showed
him the coins. “She gave me this, enough to pay for our lodging and
food for several days.”

“We shall soon pay ’t back, Lass, for I ha’
taken employment.” His grizzled face showed pride in anticipation
of her reaction.

“Employment? Banaugh, you were only gone an
hour!”

“True, bu’ God looks after us both. I
wandered by a dram shop, an’ inside was an auld woman tryin’ t’
move a barrel int’ place an’ havin’ a devil o’ a time of it.
Natur’ly I stepped in t’ help. She tells me her husband has died,
leavin’ her th’ shop, but it’s powerful hard on her. So I says,
‘Wha’ aboot a Scotsman tha’s honest, hard-workin’ a’ knows a bit
concernin’ whiskey?’ An’ th’ old woman giggles an’ says, ‘Well, I
macht give a man like tha’ a try, then.’ So I come back here t’
tell ye I’ll be takin’ up m’ new job as soon as I hae ye settled
back a’ th’ inn. The pay’s nae much, bu’ I can live Ii’ th’ back o’
th’ shop an’ take m’ meals there as well.”

He grinned at Tessa, who struggled to
comprehend so much news so quickly. Banaugh had a job, Mary was yet
her friend. Could things turn out well after all? She felt the
tension inside her relax a little as she hugged the old man’s bony
shoulders in congratulation.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Tessa awoke the next morning with a strange
feeling. After days of travel and the constant companionship of
Banaugh, she was alone.

She dressed quickly, for the room was
bitterly cold. Another winter was on its way. Getting dressed
wasn’t much of an effort these days, for she had only one simple
gown she’d carried rolled up in her blanket from Scotland. It
needed repair, and her poor sewing skills were going to have to do,
for she had no cheerful Cecilia to guide her.

Tessa had a moment of intense longing for
the days at Brixton before Eleanor’s death. They had all been so
happy then, and it had seemed like home to her. Life did not stay
the same, however. It changed without regard for happy times or sad
ones, and that was probably good. With a sigh, she went downstairs
and found the landlord’s daughter.

“Might I have a needle and some thread?” she
asked the girl of thirteen or so.

“What for?” the girl asked dully.

“I must mend my dress.” The girl stood
looking blankly at Tessa, and she indicated a large tear near the
hem of the gown. “Here. I would like to mend it so it does not get
worse.”

The girl looked sullen. “I s’pose. When I
get time.”

“I will be very grateful.” The girl waited
to be offered something for the favor, but Tessa had nothing to
spare for such a little thing as the loan of a needle and a yard of
thread. She returned to her room.

The girl’s discourtesy reminded Tessa she
was nobody. With no money, no family, and no power, she could
expect this sort of treatment the rest of her life. Aidan had not
been wrong in insisting he was her best hope for a comfortable
life, but she had rejected his offer. She was not sorry either, for
she could return only affection for his love and would rather have
nothing.

As she combed her hair she let herself think
of the events she’d experienced, especially those concerning
Jeffrey Brixton. What was he to her? It didn’t matter. He might be
dead at the hand of Ian Hawick if the outlaw or his men had caught
up with him.

The thought bothered her more than it
should. After all, he’d never said anything to indicate he cared
for her. He’d made love to at least two beautiful women. How many
more had there been? He claimed he’d forgotten Eleanor and had
never loved Mairie, but what girl didn’t know that men were apt to
lie to the woman they gazed upon at the moment? She of all people
knew Jeffrey was a natural actor. He had played a part at Macbeth’s
the first night she met him, and he had played the brainless fool
at Hawick’s for months. What was to prevent him from playing the
lover if it gained him what he desired at the moment?

She wondered also where Ian Hawick was and
whether he still meant her ill. If Mairie came to England, Hawick
would soon follow. It was essential that Tessa avoid him, but
London was a large enough city she hoped it would be possible. She
had no social circle now. She was shut out from the Brixtons, who
had introduced her to society, as long as Sir William had anything
to say about matters.

There was a light knock at her door, and she
opened it to find the landlord’s slovenly daughter. “There’s a
gentleman to see you,” she said, her face plainly indicating what
she thought of women who received male guests. “Shall I send him
up?”

“Certainly not.” Tessa frowned. “I will come
down.” Her curiosity was piqued. A gentleman? Had Hawick found her?
She peered round the corner of the stair and breathed a sigh of
relief and joy. The man who stood waiting was dressed in a new
suit, much finer than anything she’d seen him wear before.
“Aidan!”

Aidan opened his arms, taking Tessa into
them with great warmth. “Tessa! Tessa, my wandering Scot! We were
so worried about you.”

“With some cause, I must say,” she answered,
able to laugh at it now. “Still, I am returned with no harm
done.”

“Let me look at you.” Aidan stepped back and
examined her. “A bit thinner, quite browned by the sun, but still
beautiful.” His admiration made her glad she’d taken the time to
plait her hair neatly.

“How did you find me?” But she knew the
answer before she’d finished the question, so they both said “Mary”
at the same time, which made them laugh.

“I went to visit her as soon as I got to
London yesterday, to tell her of William’s death,” Aidan said
soberly. “She had gone home to Oxford, but she left word with a
servant that an invitation must be sent to Tessa at the Thyme and
Mace to visit on Thursday next. It didn’t take me long to conclude
it must be you. I sent the news of William’s death with the servant
and came here myself.”

Tessa wasn’t hypocritical enough to express
sorrow at the death of a man who’d hated the sight of her, so she
tempered her sympathy. “I’m sorry you must deal with another death,
Aidan. It seems Eleanor was with us just yesterday, yet I’ve missed
her over these long months.”

“I too,” Aidan agreed. “William, I think,
loved her more than he could admit. He became listless after her
death and drank more than was good for him.” He sniffed ironically.
“After all his lectures to me.! His health declined rapidly, and
soon he moved home to York, where Auntie cared for him with all
kindness.”

“She is a good woman, Auntie Madeline.”

“My brother died six days ago,” Aidan
finished. “At the end he was quite changed, less concerned with
outward show. He requested a small funeral, so we buried him
quietly next to Eleanor. I am here in London now to take up the
business of the Brixton estate. Imagine my joy to find that you are
here also. Perhaps I can convince you to consider again my earlier
proposal.”

Tessa was surprised at his broaching the
subject so soon. “Your proposal? But surely you know—I mean, have
you forgotten Cedric?”

“I’ll wager we needn’t worry on that
account. William and Cedric put their heads together after you
disappeared. They decided it was best not to let the truth of the
matter be known outside the family, mostly because it made them
both look ridiculous to have been fooled by a ‘Scottish
seductress,’ if you’ll forgive me for quoting my brother.” Here he
did a fair imitation of William’s pompous manner to soften his
words. “They announced that grief for the death of Eleanor had made
you ill, and you returned to your family to recover.”

“A fine lie.” How like William, and Cedric
too.

“I’m sure Cedric will agree to a quiet
annulment now the gossip has died down. With two fortunes between
us, he and I will accomplish it with discretion and speed, and you
will be free.”

Tessa felt relief flow through her. She’d
dreaded meeting Cedric here in London, but now it seemed Aidan was
taking charge of the whole matter. Then his reference to two
fortunes penetrated her consciousness. Aidan had paused for a
moment, but words burst from him impetuously. “It never mattered to
me that you weren’t Eleanor’s sister, and I know you married Cedric
out of desperation. I love you, Tessa, for courage, liveliness, and
beauty. When we are married, you’ll be my proudest possession.”

Tessa stiffened at the word. Possession? She
recalled what had Eleanor said of Sir William: he had wanted her
only to show off to other men, to make them jealous. Was that all a
woman was to her husband? Once she had convinced herself it would
be enough, but now she felt differently. Eleanor had been correct
that a woman might be herself with two types of men, but Tessa
could only be happy with one: a man who loved what she was, not the
way she looked or the name she bore.

Aidan realized from her expression that
something was wrong. His face showed concern, and for the first
time she wondered what kind of man he really was. Handsome,
charming and intelligent, to be sure, and he had served William
loyally. She could not help but wonder, though, if he shared
William’s lack of feeling for others. Now that William, the man who
had controlled him all his life, was gone, what real Aidan would
emerge?

“I will be no man’s possession,” she said
softly.

Aidan saw his error immediately. “Of course,
my dearest. I meant nothing by it, only that now I can give you
what you want. Do you realize I am heir to the Brixton holdings?
Ethelbert has renounced the title, and I am the surviving son. Now
I can offer what you deserve. Take Eleanor’s place as Lady Brixton,
and you will never want for anything again.” His eyes blazed with
emotion, and he seemed more alive than she had ever seen him. “You
will have everything Eleanor planned and more.”

Suddenly Tessa’s mind focused and she
realized this discussion was all wrong. She had to tell him what he
could not know, having missed Mary at her in-laws. “But Aidan,
Jeffrey is alive!”

There was a stunned silence as Aidan’s face
showed several emotions, surprise, shock, and what might have been
anger. Then the features composed to something like a mask, the
lips white and the skin around the cheekbones tight. “How do you
know this?”

“I saw him—in Scotland. Jeffrey helped me to
escape from the outlaws who had held him prisoner since his
accident. I have reason to believe he escaped also, but we were
separated, so I don’t know where he is now.”

“You went to Scotland and found Jeffrey.”
Aidan’s voice was as expressionless as his face. “You must care for
him very much.”

Tessa turned away, staring at nothing.
“Aidan, I don’t know anymore what I feel for Jeffrey.”