Montgomery Family 01 - Lost Pleasures Found (4 page)

“I’ve also enjoyed spending this time with you immensely. Even though we have only known each other for a few weeks, I’ve grown quite fond of you, and I look forward to continuing our friendship.” Henry stopped his curricle and turned to Melody. They were hidden behind some bushes, so he took her in his arms and kissed her. He flicked his tongue across her lips, so Melody parted them, and he deepened the kiss. She tasted as sweet as he remembered, and he could go on kissing her forever. He felt his passion stirring, but he knew he needed to stop, before he went too far. He did not want to frighten Melody, so he reluctantly ended their kiss. “You have the sweetest tasting mouth! You taste just like the strawberries we ate a moment ago. I never want to let you go, but we don’t want anyone to see us, so we need to stop.”

Melody looked at Henry and smiled, “You already know that I enjoy your kisses, and I find them very exciting. I’m going to miss you, and I look forward to your visit. When do you think you’ll be able to come?”

“I need to spend a few weeks with my family and find out how I can help my brother, but I should be able to come around the middle of September. Would that be convenient for you?” he asked.

With a radiant smile on her face, she replied, “I’m sure that would be fine. I’ll let my parents know when to expect you.”

They arrived back at Lady Helton’s house, and Henry helped her out of his curricle. As he lowered her to the ground, he held on to her, as if he never wanted to let her go. Melody’s heart was beating very fast, and her hands were shaking from the emotions she was feeling. She looked into his eyes and saw his were intensely blue and filled with what she now believed was desire. While desire was a new sensation for Melody, she nevertheless knew she desired him desperately. Slowly Henry released her and stepped back. He escorted her inside to take his leave of her aunt.

Henry turned to Melody and smiled as he said, “I’ll see you soon, Melody. I’ll send you a note to let you know when I shall arrive in Lincolnshire.”

Melody gazed into his eyes and answered, “I’ll look forward to your arrival, my lord.”

Henry turned to Lady Helton and said, “I’ve appreciated your hospitality, and I hope to see you again.” Then he turned to Melody and lifted her hand to his lips. While gazing up at her, he tenderly kissed her hand. He bowed, and then he was gone.

Aunt Miriam turned to Melody and asked, “Melody what was that all about, my dear child?”

Melody replied, “Lord Montgomery has asked if he could come and visit me at my home, and I told him that I would enjoy his visit immensely.”

Melody’s aunt rushed to her and gave her a hug. “Oh, this is wonderful news! I just know he is falling in love with you. You mark my word, you will soon be engaged. He would never ask if he could visit you at your home if he weren’t serious about his intentions.”

“I think you must be right. I know that I’m falling in love with him. While I’m pleased, I’m also very apprehensive. What if I’m wrong about how he feels? It’s only been three weeks since we met! Could he possibly be in love with me in so short a time?” she asked.

Aunt Miriam looked lovingly into Melody’s eyes as she replied, “Darling, it’s normal to be concerned, because everything has happened so quickly. However, sometimes love happens that way. Just relax and enjoy how you are feeling. All will be well, just you wait and see!”

Melody left for Lincolnshire the next day. The trip was long and boring, but it gave her quite a bit of time to think about Henry. She knew that she was in love with him, and while it felt marvelous, she was a little frightened. Even though she was still very young, she had plans for what she wanted to do with her life, and if Henry asked her to marry him, those plans would be difficult to achieve.
Oh well, she was getting ahead of herself anyway. It’s not as if he had asked her to marry him, and he could change his mind about coming to visit anyway.
She decided that she would put it out of her mind until he wrote to her, and then she just might believe he cared.

The countryside was simply gorgeous; the leaves were just beginning to turn. While Melody loved the summer, she did enjoy all the gorgeous colors of fall. Thank goodness, the weather was cooperating; they had not had any rain during the entire trip. Even though it took five days to get to Lincolnshire, they had made good time. Millie spent most of her time doing needlework, and Melody read several books, which helped to pass the time.

When she arrived home, she was glad to see her parents. Even though she had enjoyed London tremendously, she was overjoyed to be home again. She realized she had missed them terribly. They wanted to know all about her first season and how many new friends she had made. During one of their conversations, she casually mentioned Henry and said, “He mentioned that he might come to visit. His father, the Duke of Sanderford, has property in Doncaster, which is not too terribly far away. He said that he would come to visit on his way to his father’s property, if that would be all right with you. I enjoyed my time in London, and I went to so many balls, soirees, and garden parties that I actually grew tired of them. Aunt Miriam was a delightful hostess and made sure that I had plenty of activities to do. Susan got me involved with St. Mark’s Orphanage, and I really enjoyed spending time with all the children. We also went to the Royal Opera House in Covent Gardens, and I found it to be divine. All the singers had incredible voices, and I was extremely impressed. I know that I’ll be an opera lover for the rest of my life.”

Melody’s mother said, “Honey, we’re so pleased that you had a wonderful time. Lord Montgomery sounds like a nice young man, and we would be happy to have him come for a visit. We missed you so much, and we’re just thankful you have returned to us.”

H
ENRY HAD MADE up his mind. He was in love with Melody, and when he went to visit her in Lincolnshire, he would ask her father for permission to pay his addresses. After everything he had been through with the war; he was not going to waste any more time. He already knew Melody was the woman that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Whenever he was around her, he became very aroused, especially when he kissed her. His desire had been so strong that he found it difficult to end their kiss, but he did not want to frighten her with his passion. After all, she was an innocent, and it was up to him to protect her. When she told him he was the first man to kiss her, well words could not describe how truly special that had made him feel. He knew they would be happy together, and he felt sure that Melody returned his regard. He could tell she did, by the way she looked at him, when she did not realize he was watching her.

Henry did wonder how his father would feel about her, since he was so high in the instep. He was not going to let anything get in his way, regardless of what his father thought. It really did not matter anyway since he had never been able to please his father, no matter how hard he tried. He had not been able to figure out why his father did not seem to like him, but it had always been that way ever since he was a young child. His father always seemed to be harder on him than his brother even though he had tried so hard to live up to his father’s high expectations. Neither one of his parents seemed to have much time for him while he was growing up. Now as an adult, he refused to let what they thought matter to him anymore. If they did not like Melody, then that was just too bad, because he was determined to marry her regardless of how they felt about it. Maybe he was worrying about something that would not even happen. They did not take much interest in anything he did anyway, so they might not even care enough to say anything.

His father had talked to him about marrying Lady Penelope, but he told him that he was not interested the last time he had been home two years ago. Lady Penelope was a shrew, and he had no intention of ever marrying her, no matter what his father wanted. He just hoped that they would be nice to Melody regardless of what they felt about him. Of course, he had not spent much time with either of his parents, since he had been in the army. He had left home six years ago when his father bought his commission for him. Now that was the best thing his father had ever done for him. He really did love army life, and he knew he would miss it. Now that he was probably getting married, he would not want Melody to have to follow the drum, and since staying in the army would mean being away from her for long periods of time, he knew he would not want to do that. Henry was ready to settle down, and having Melody in his life would be very appealing.

Henry decided he would not tell his father about Melody until after they were married. He certainly did not need his father’s permission to marry. Thank goodness, his maternal grandmother left him an inheritance, so he did not have to depend on his father for money. He was certainly not wealthy, but he could support Melody and any children they might have.

Henry knew his brother, Nelson, would love Melody, once he met her, because she was such a sweet person and because he would understand how much Henry loved her. He wished that Nelson’s wife had lived instead of dying in childbirth along with their son. He hoped that Nelson would meet someone to love, once he got over the loss of Nora. He certainly was looking forward to spending time with Nelson. It had been two years since he was home, and he really looked forward to seeing his sisters also. He could just imagine how much they had changed.

The day before he was due to leave for Sanderford Park, Henry went to his favorite jeweler to pick out a ring for Melody. He knew exactly what he wanted it to look like. As he looked over the selection of rings the jeweler had to offer, he spied a gorgeous square cut emerald with baguette diamonds on each side and immediately knew he had found the ring for her. After he paid for the ring, he returned to Sanderford House for a quiet evening before his trip home the next day.

The next morning, while he was packing up his belongings, he decided to stop by to see Weston, on his way out of town.

Henry found him at White’s. Weston was reading a newspaper when he looked up and saw Henry. “Hello, Montgomery, where have you been keeping yourself? I haven’t seen much of you in the last few weeks. Have you been too busy with your new love to have time for your friends?”

Henry walked over and shook his hand as he said, “You know I’ve been spending time with Miss Canterfield-Smyth. Weston, she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and I’ve begun to have strong feelings for her. I’m going to visit her in Lincolnshire, after I’ve spent some time with my family.”

Weston looked at Henry as he said, “I enjoyed meeting Miss Canterfield-Smyth at the ball the other week. She seemed to be quiet and shy. How in the world did you get her to talk to you? She is quite lovely to look at, and I’m sure that I’m not the only man who feels that way.”

“She really isn’t that shy, she’s just somewhat reserved until you get to know her. Once I got her to open up, she was delightful, and she has a wonderful sense of humor. We actually have quite a bit in common, since we both love to read and we also enjoy riding.”

Weston thoughtfully looked at Henry and replied, “Are you sure you want to go visit her at her home? That would definitely put you in a position where you have raised her expectations, and that’s definitely how her parents will see it.”

As they walked outside, Henry turned to Weston and said, “Weston, I’m going to ask her to marry me when I go see her, so I’m not troubled about raising her expectations. I just need her parents to like me, so they’ll approve the match. I know it seems fast, but I just know that Melody is the one for me.”

With an astounded look on his face, he said, “Well, Montgomery, I must say I’m surprised, since I know you have always said that you would not marry until you were at least thirty, if at all. I wish you all the best, but I’m glad it’s you and not me that’s getting leg shackled! When are you leaving town, old friend? Do you have time to give me a chance to get back at you? You trounced me at Gentleman Jackson’s the last time we went a few rounds.”

Henry shook his head and said, “I’m headed out right now. Sorry, old friend, it will just have to wait until spring. Well, I’ll see you next year, and hopefully, I’ll be a married man by then!”

Weston saluted Henry as he watched him ride away.

Henry made good time and arrived in Surrey that afternoon. As he came over the hill, he looked down and saw Sanderford Park for the first time in two years. How he had always loved it here! Everything was so peaceful and quiet. The park was so beautiful that he got a lump in his throat just seeing it again. Henry galloped down the hill, and when he arrived, a stable boy came running up to take his horse.

“Hello, Freddie! Please take Jupiter to the stables and give him plenty of oats. I’ve ridden him hard for several hours, and he deserves some special treatment. How have you been?” Henry asked.

“I’ll take Jupiter right now, and I’ll make sure he gets them oats. I been right good, milord. It’s good t’ see ye home!” Then Freddie led Jupiter away.

Henry dashed up the steps and opened the door. He ran into Simpson, the butler and said, “Simpson, it’s so good to see you! Where is everyone?”

Simpson bowed and said, “The family is in the drawing room, my lord. It is very good to have you home. It has been quite some time since you have been here.”

“I’ll go right up so that I can see everyone.” Henry took the steps, two at a time, and rushed into the drawing room. His mother was sitting on the settee with his sisters, Helen and Kathryn. Nelson was standing by the fireplace, and his father was in his favorite chair. Henry looked at everyone and said, “I’m home. How have all of you been? I’ve really missed you!”

Henry’s father looked disgusted, and his eyes were as cold as ice. He stood up and said, “I see that you have still not learned to show respect. Why do you have to be in such a hurry all the time, Henry? It is not dignified to rush about so much!”

Henry looked at his father and said, “Sorry Father, but I’m so pleased to be home, I forgot myself for a moment. It’s wonderful to see all of you again. I hope that all is well with you.”

His mother looked at him with distain. “It is about time you came home. I know that you have been back in the country for quite some time, but you chose not to come home until now. I would have thought that you would come straight here. Instead, you stayed in town to be with your friends.”

“Mother, I had to put in my request for time off from my regiment and that took awhile,” he said. “I didn’t mean for you to think that I didn’t want to see all of you. I just wanted to get all my business handled before I came home.”

“Well, I still think you are an inconsiderate son. What do all the neighbors think about you not bothering to come see your family and gallivanting all over London?” the duchess asked.

“I’m sorry, Mother, you are right. I should have come straight home, but now that I’m home, can we please just be happy to see each other?” He looked over at his sisters and said, “Do you have a hug for your brother? I’ve missed both of you so much.” Helen and Kathryn rushed over to him and gave him a big hug. Then he looked over at Nelson and added, “Nelson, it’s so good to see you. How are you doing?”

“I’m doing fine, Henry. It’s good to see you made it home safely. I’m so proud of what you’ve accomplished. Our country is a much safer place because of your willingness to serve,” Nelson replied as he smiled proudly at Henry.

“Thank you, Nelson. I’m just glad the war is finally over and our country is now at peace. I’m going up to my room, because I have had an exhausting and hard ride, so I need to freshen up.” Henry turned to everyone else and said, “I look forward to seeing all of you at dinner.”

Henry hurried up the stairs to his room. He entered and was so relieved to have that over with. It was just as he had expected; his parents could care less that he was back home. Even though his mother asked why he did not come right home, Henry knew it was not because she missed him. It was just something that she could find fault with!
Oh
well,
it
was
pleasant
to
see
his
brother
and
sisters
again.
He was astonished at how much his sisters had changed in the last two years. Helen was a real beauty, and Kathryn was as pretty as ever. He could not wait to spend some time with Nelson. Henry knew that Nelson had missed him and would be grateful for any help that Henry was able to give him in managing the estates.

Henry rang for his valet and requested a bath so that he could wash all his travel dirt away. Mansfield prepared his bath and then started to get out his evening clothes. “Mansfield, how have you been? I’ll have to get used to having someone to take care of me again. It’s been a long time since I’ve had anyone do that for me.”

“I look forward to serving you again, my lord. You have always been a pleasure to serve. It is very good to have you home!” Mansfield said.

Henry smiled as he said, “Well, thank you, Mansfield. I appreciate your help. I’ll see you later this evening, and we can catch up, all right?”

“Very good, my lord, I look forward to it,” he replied.

Dinner went about as well as he expected. His parents continued along the same path they had started when they first saw him. It was not pleasant. When the duke got him alone over port and cigars, he really let him have it, and he even brought up Lady Penelope again. Henry reiterated again that he was not going to marry her and that there was not a thing that he could do about it, so he might as well quit bringing it up. By the time Henry left him, he was quite exasperated and went straight to bed instead of joining his sisters in the drawing room.

The next day, Henry and Nelson toured the estate, and Henry was pleased to see how prosperous everything was. It was obvious that his brother was doing a superb job of managing the estate. He just wished he did not look so sad. Nelson was obviously not over losing Nora. Henry knew how much he had loved her, and it must have been so hard to not only lose his wife, but also his son. Henry had hoped that Nelson would be doing better by now. “Nelson, how are you doing? You look tired. Are you feeling all right? I can just imagine how hard it was on you to lose Nora. I wish I could have been here to help you deal with it all.”

Nelson pulled back on the reins of his horse so that they could talk. “I’m doing all right. I just haven’t been feeling well lately. I’m sure that I’ll feel better soon. It’s good to have you back home again. I know that you would have been here when I lost Nora, if it were possible. How long are you going to stay?”

As they allowed their horses to meander along, he said, “I’ll be home for about a month, but then, I need to go to Lincolnshire. I’ve met someone. Her name is Melody, and … I’m in love with her. Nelson, I’m going to ask her to marry me.”

When Nelson heard this, he stopped his horse altogether, looked at Henry with astonishment on his face and said, “Henry, am I hearing you correctly? Did you just say you were getting married? I thought you always said that you would not marry until you were at least thirty and maybe not even then. She must truly be a special lady for you to change your mind about marriage. This is astonishing news. How long have you known her?”