The Bellerose Bargain (35 page)

"Well, you might want to try some of my brandy, now that you’ve earned it," Wesley invited Seavers.

"I would indeed, my lord, but if that is what you Virginians consider hard labor, I’ll be settling here sooner than I expected."

"And a welcome addition you would be, son," Wesley said, dropping an arm around his shoulders and leading him downstairs.

Alicia fell back into the pillows, fighting the urge to scream. How dare the pirate come here to unsettle her new life! How dare Preston allow it! How dare her family actually
approve
of him! Her heart pounded with fury that he would presume so much.

And in another place in her heart, a place she would not acknowledge, there was a mellow song rising: he had come
here
.

It was not in the least unusual for Geoffrey Seavers to be in no hurry to leave the Tildens’ fine accommodations; many visiting merchants and sea captains stayed on and on. But the situation put Alicia in dour spirits. Only Preston and she knew the intimate details of how Geoffrey had affected her life. And she could not think objectively when he was about.

In the morning, she waited to descend to the dining room until she suspected breakfast was finished. And her efforts to maintain an attitude of cheerfulness and joy were doubled, for she didn’t want to draw any attention whatever to her upset over Geoffrey. She greeted her mother in the kitchen with a kiss on her cheek. "Good morning, madam," she cooed.

"I trust you’re well rested by now," said Marguerite, smiling.

"I’ve become lazy," Alicia said apologetically.

"Rest while you can, dear. I imagine your responsibilities will triple in years to come—as mine have."

"Oh, madam, I could help you more. Please, what would you have me do for you this morning?"

"Alicia," her mother sighed. "I don’t mean that I need your help. I mean that when you find yourself with as many to care for as I have, your days of lolling abed will be over." She touched Alicia’s soft, ivory cheek. "I’m glad that you can be a little lazy. I think you deserve it."

"I’m lazy only because you spoil me."

"Well, I haven’t been able to for years. And I won’t be able to spoil you for long. You’ve grown up without me. Now, go sit down and let Etta bring you something to eat."

Alicia happily took her seat in the lonely dining room and waited for the housekeeper to bring her tea and fruit. She smiled brightly at Etta’s appearance; the housekeeper kept a grim expression on her face in the best of times, and Alicia had become fond of it.

"Ah, you’re better," she observed. "You work in the morning and do a little less in the afternoon. This heat gets better after the crops are brought in."

"It was difficult for you, wasn’t it Etta?"

"It’s all new, t’be sure. But don’t you fret, you’re strong and healthy." Etta stuck a chubby finger under Alicia’s chin and looked into her eyes. "Aye, you’re healthy. You’ll be fine, once you get used to it."

"How long have you been here?"

"How long have the Tildens been here?" she countered.

Alicia shrugged. She didn’t quite remember when her family first sailed for America.

"I’ve been here just as long. Lord Tilden bought my papers just about the time his first grandson was due to be born. I barely got a proper meal before someone was havin’ a baby. Missus talked mostly ‘bout you when she held her first grandchild. Aye, a long time ago."

"But you’re not indentured anymore," Alicia remarked. "Why haven’t you gone back to England?"

"Lass, there’s no more England for me. My family is all gone and this is my family now. No, all I remember of England is Newgate, and I’ve no need to see that again."

"Etta, was it horrible?" Alicia asked, remembering that her worst fear throughout the ordeal with Geoffrey had been imprisonment.

"Aye, it was grim. A foul nest. And I’d have been dead but for Lord Tilden. They planned to hang me."

"For what?" Alicia heard herself ask.

"God’s bones, has no one told you about old Etta? They said I killed my husband!"

Alicia let her mouth drop open as she stared at Etta. She was large and muscular and had a stem, gruff appearance. She looked as though she could have strangled a man her own size. "But you didn’t," Alicia insisted.

"Should have," Etta said, shaking out a napkin and placing it on Alicia’s lap for her. "He was a worthless old mutt."

"No more horror stories, Etta," Marguerite’s voice came. She entered the dining room with a cup of tea in her hand and sat at the table opposite Alicia. Etta mumbled something and went back to the kitchen.

"She didn’t," Alicia said to her mother.

Marguerite simply smiled and sighed. "I think Etta could defend herself or someone she loves by killing. But, no, I don’t think she did. I truthfully don’t care. She’s a good woman."

Alicia nodded and began to spoon the berries and cream into her mouth.

"What plans do you have for your day?" Marguerite asked.

"Nothing, madam. I can do whatever you need done."

"I have no chores for you, darling. But if you want the carriage for a drive, I can arrange it. Or is someone coming to call?"

"No one, to my knowledge, madam."

Marguerite’s eyes became sad. "Is there a reason why you won’t call me Mother?"

"No, madam, I—I’m sorry, Mother. I still feel a bit like a guest here."

"You needn’t. This is your home now. We are family."

"Thank you, Mother," she said solicitously.

"I think maybe the troubles with your father are smoothed over for now, Alicia. You were a trifle hard on him. He thinks only of your best interests."

"I know that," she said quietly. "I’m sorry."

"Is Bryson coming to call this week?"

Alicia sighed. "I’ve been hard on all of you," she said. "I should give Bryson more understanding."

"Not unless he is what you truly want, Alicia. Unlike your father, I do not consider your marriage of the greatest concern right now. But your father—"

"He only wants what’s best."

"No, that’s not the whole of it, dear. He doesn’t understand that there was more to your life than we know about. He doesn’t understand that there are things you have to forget about England before you can settle yourself to a new life in Virginia."

Alicia moved the berries to her mouth more slowly. There was indeed a great deal to forget, to undo, before she could consider romances—marriage. She wondered if she ever could.

She smiled at her mother, appreciative of the understanding, and put her spoon down to take a sip from her tea. She drank a little and replaced her cup, stretching her back and sighing.

"When do you expect your child will be born, Alicia?" Marguerite asked.

Alicia’s head snapped up in surprise and she stared at her mother with something akin to horror.

"I delivered six of my own children and have watched the grandchildren coming for several years. You are with child, aren’t you, dear?"

Alicia could not speak, but a tear gathered on her lashes and she simply shrugged at her mother, watching her through blurred vision.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" Marguerite asked.

Alicia dropped her head and looked down. Tell her mother that she was part of a bargain with Lord Seavers to gain a dowry she had no right to? That she’d lain with him, though it was not part of their agreement, and that there was nothing for her now but emptiness and pain?

"You don’t have to confide in me, Alicia. It’s your affair."

She looked up from her lap. "I’ve brought disgrace to your household. I can leave you and—"

"No, darling, I am not disgraced. And if you leave me now, my pain would triple what I felt fifteen years ago."

"But, madam, what am I to do?"

"Is there a man you would name responsible?"

Alicia shook her head. "I’m not unaware of the father, madam, but..."

"I see. Well there is a dowry and—"

"I’m sure he would be most grateful for that," Alicia said bitterly, sniffing back her tears.

"Alicia, I would not allow your marriage to a cruel and selfish man. If you do not love him, then the subject is closed. He won’t marry you. But I trust you will remember that love and passion are not always one and the same; willingness to provide for you and protect you can be a man’s greatest display of love."

"I do believe that, madam. I do."

"Then you will know what to do, Alicia. I have no fear."

But Alicia simply shook her head and let the tears flow. She didn’t have the vaguest idea what she should do: confront Seavers and let him inherit again through marriage; carry on the courtship with Bryson and let him carry Seavers’s debt; or simply bear her own disgrace and birth the child without naming a father.

"Alicia," her mother was saying, "it seems urgent, but it is not." She looked up at her mother. "You are already caught; a little while longer won’t matter much."

She nodded piteously, not sure whether offending her family with less than virtuous behavior, or her own dilemma, burdened her the more.

"You needn’t make a decision yet."

"But madam, I—"

"You have time, Alicia, and I mean for you to use it. Do nothing until you have thought this over. I can assure you, I am the only one to notice."

Marguerite rose from her seat and moved to Alicia’s side of the table, bending to place a kiss on her brow. "I think even you refused to notice until now."

"I had hoped it was not so," Alicia murmured.

"I know, darling. And I promise you, you are not the first maiden to be thusly burdened."

Marguerite left the dining room as quietly as she’d come, leaving behind only her wisdom and understanding. And as Alicia thought about her mother’s words, she could not say that she’d been criticized or reprimanded. But no matter how understanding her mother had been, she strongly doubted her father would be as sympathetic. She vowed to let very little time pass before coming to some decision.

And at this point, she preferred a life with Bryson to allowing Geoffrey to stumble upon another rich dowry.

Alicia spent the day in deep thought, coming to no conclusions at all. Etta brought her a cool drink in the afternoon and sat down on the veranda beside her, something Etta almost never did.

"That fancy Lord What’s-his-name been askin’ after you, lass. He’s waitin’ to know how yer doin’ now and I told him you’re a strong woman; no need for him to fret ‘n fear."

Alicia did not respond, hoping to discourage the discussion.

"That’s one fancy lord, that What’s-his-name—"

"Lord Seavers, Etta."

"Aye, Seavers. He’s thinkin’ about stayin’ on a long time, he is. He’s got his land here and—"

"His land is here?" Alicia said.

"Aye, as he tells it. That boy’s thinkin’ is mightly like all these Tilden men: he’s thinkin’ ships ‘n’ fields and women." Etta laughed at herself. "I think he’s mighty interested in you."

Alicia stood up abruptly and brushed at her skirts. "And why should that surprise anyone, Etta? I’m sure one of the first things he heard about was the new Tilden woman with the dowry."

Etta simply cackled. "That dowry talk gettin’ in the way of your eyes, lass?"

"No, but it gets in the way of everyone else’s!" Alicia huffed, stepping down off the porch and starting to walk at a brisk pace. She moved quickly, cursing under her breath. Seavers only compounded her delicate problems. She turned once to see Etta finish her drink and go back into the house, back to her chores. And Alicia kept walking, trying to clear her head.

The wooded areas around the Tilden house reminded her of the land around the inn, the place she would dodge to, to keep out of sight when Armand thought of additional chores. And now she entered the wooded path to keep from having any more discussions about Seavers, marriage, and other such confusing topics. After she’d passed a little time plucking wildflowers and enjoying the trees, she was ready to face the house again, but as she would have approached it, she spied Geoffrey and Preston just rounding the corner to go inside. They saw her at exactly the same time and stopped to stare at her for a moment.

Alicia tugged her shawl tighter around her shoulders and turned on her heel, heading back toward the river. But too late, for Preston called to her.

I will not turn, she silently vowed, taking longer strides. I will
not
.

She heard his footfalls as he came up behind her, and she also heard that he came alone, a fact that heightened her rage. And then she felt his hand on her arm to halt her, and she turned with a curse on her lips.

"Unhand me, you—"

"You shouldn’t be this far from the house alone, darling," Preston said. "Come on, I’ll take you back."

"I thought you were—"

"I know." He nodded toward the house and Alicia saw that Geoffrey stood on the veranda talking with Marguerite. "Don’t you think you should talk to him?"