The Portrait (26 page)

"Then we will keep her guessing a while longer, for she
cannot be relied upon to keep her triumph secret"

Arriving in the yard at Fly, they were met with the information that Lord Carlton had left for London.

"Damnation, I would have gone in his stead," declared Sinclair, dismounting.

"It will make no matter." Jenny smiled, doing likewise.
"And I will have your company a while longer."

"Aye, tomorrow will do as well," he agreed, resisting the
temptation to put his arm about her waist as they left the yard.
"I will not leave my girl quite so soon"

During the evening Flora cast them several inquiring
glances, but as she was met with naught but a noncommittal
smile, she remained in ignorance of the true state of affairs and
retired to her bed none the wiser of the events that had taken
place.

66 Confound it, Sinclair, does your family intend to descend
on me en masse?" snapped Hawley when the earl was ushered
into the library. As the earl would have replied, he raised a
hand. "There's no need for your pleadings; I will tell you exactly what I told your damned brother-in-law. Jennifer and
Freddie do not go to Brighton. They return to London immediately. Indeed, my coach is already on its way to collect them"

"It's not on that issue that I requested this interview," replied
Sinclair, keeping his calm only with great effort. "I come on
an entirely different matter, though 'tis one I believe will find
favor with you."

Hawley rose from his chair behind the desk to pour himself
a glass of burgundy, but he made no offer of refreshment to
the earl. "And what is it that you think will find favor with
me?" he asked with a sneer, returning to his seat. "I am most
eager to hear it."
"

"I will not prevaricate; Jennifer has agreed to marry me"

Hawley's face suffused with color. "You approached her
without my permission? That was extremely unwise. While she's under my guardianship, there's no way on this earth that
I'll agree to your marriage." And he brought his hand down
forcibly onto the desk.

Bearing in mind Jennifer's words, Sinclair tried a different
tack. "I would have thought it to your advantage to see her creditably settled. Will it not then leave you free to pursue your own
nuptials? Indeed, Freddie may live with us at Fly; even he will
not be allowed to hinder you. You will be free of all responsibility."

"You may not be aware, but my own betrothal is at an end,"
snapped Hawley. "Therefore I gain nothing by allowing this
marriage. Indeed, I would be loath to allow my sister to ally
herself with such as you. She deserves more than half a man"

Sinclair started forward, fury showing in his every line, his
intent only too obvious.

Hawley sat back in his chair. "Do not think to attack me in
my own home," he warned. "My servants are well within hailing distance, and nothing would please me more than to have
you manhandled from my house, which I assure you I would
have no hesitation in doing." Extending a hand, he rang a bell,
and immediately the door was opened. "My lord is leaving," he
informed the lackey. Then, turning to Sinclair, he added, "Your
method of leaving is entirely in your own hands"

"The matter does not end here," the earl assured him, realizing the futility of attempting to prolong the interview. Turning on his heel, he left Hawley to contemplate the situation
alone.

Which he did at great length, his own state of rejection paling into insignificance. Convinced of the humiliation he was
sure the earl was presently suffering, he congratulated himself
on the great piece of fortune that had laid revenge within his
grasp.

However, in this particular he was quite wrong. The interview had not so much left the earl in a state of dejection but in
one of extreme determination. The thought that if Hawley had
already dispatched his chaise to Fly, his beloved should be returned to London before morning, did a deal to appease his mood. Hawley would not be able to keep her under lock and
key. At worst, his opposition would only be allowed for the
length of his guardianship, which in not much more than a
twelve-month would be at its end.

Presenting himself once more at the Earl of Hawley's door
the following morning, determined to see Jennifer, he was informed that the lady was indisposed and unable to receive visitors. When asked to qualify the indisposition, the servant
relayed the news that he believed her ladyship was overly
tired from the previous day's journey.

Assured that his intended was indeed well and that the denial was issued at Hawley's instigation, the earl removed himself to White's, determined that it should not appear to Hawley
that he languished in any way.

However, this became the pattern over the next few days.
Each morning he would arrive at his lordship's door, only to
receive the same rejection, the excuses ranging from the lady
had a headache to the lady was attended by the mantua-maker,
and his patience began to wear thin. He knew not whether she
was aware of his calls, but he felt some effort must be made to
contact her. Perhaps Freddie could be the solution, but Freddie
was nowhere to be found. He searched in all the likely places
he thought the youth would frequent but drew a blank. He returned to Fly Hall both irritable and weary, having left messages about the town that Freddie should contact him on a
matter of urgency.

Supper proved a solemn, solitary meal, and at its conclusion he retired to the library, ordering a decanter of brandy.
He seldom drank to excess, never feeling in need of the solace
of spirits, but tonight he drank steadily, his mood turning to
the morose. The hour advanced past midnight, and still he remained seated on the hearth, the candles burning low in their
sconces, the night air turning chill. Suddenly a discreet tap
came on the door, and the footman entered to announce Master
Frederick Lynton.

"At last," was Sinclair's relieved reply, not realizing the incongruity of the visit at so late an hour. However, when the figure of the youth entered, he leaped from his seat in amazement and crossed the room to gather the youth to his breast.

"Jen!" he cried. "My God, Jen" And he held her tightly to
him.

"You must let me breathe, Ned," she cried between laughter
and tears as she clung to him. Smiling indulgently, she pushed
him toward his chair and said, "Sit down" Which he did,
drawing her to sit on his lap and holding her there. She was
not averse to her situation and quite happily nestled against
him.

However, once the joy of reunion allowed, Sinclair gave a
rueful grin. "As you may have noticed, my dear, I'm decidedly half-sprung," he confessed.

"The thought had crossed my mind," she said, chucking
softly. "Why is it, Edward Thurston, that whenever I am in
need of you, I find you foxed?" She shook her head slightly, a
small frown puckering her brow. "No, that's not right," she
said, correcting herself. "I believe the term is bosky."

"The term on this occasion is foxed, decidedly foxed," he
replied, grinning unrepentantly. "Otherwise, I wouldn't be allowing you to sit unchallenged on my lap, when I should, in
all propriety, return you home."

"I am not going home," she declared blithely. "I shall never
go home again!"

He frowned heavily. "However much we would wish it, you
cannot remain here, my love. I will not allow you to discredit
yourself for my sake, for you would be quite ruined, no matter
what the outcome"

"I'm not remaining here, and neither are you. We join the
coach once more"

"We travel north again?"

"Most certainly!"

"You go to Rutledge?" he demanded, coming upright in the
chair and almost unseating her from his lap.

She smiled lovingly, laying a hand against his cheek. "What
a goose you can be, Ned. We go to the border."

"The border?" he queried in a befuddled manner. Then, as understanding came, he cried with delight, "Gretna Green ...
By Gad ... We elope!"

"The light dawns" She chuckled, unable to contain her
amusement. "I will remind you of this conversation when we
are quite old and staid, and you will not believe it ever took
place."

"But what about Hawley?" he asked, sobering.

"This time I have left a note. It states that I've gone to
Brighton. He will no doubt spend several days searching for
me there before realizing that he has been duped, and then it
will be too late. He must make what best he can of the situation."

"He's that stupid?" asked Sinclair in disbelief.

"Most certainly, he has neither an imagination nor a romantic soul."

"Which you have in abundance, sweetheart" The earl laughed
and would have kissed her again, but, disengaging herself from
his embrace, she stood before him, hands on hips.

"Edward Thurston, if we are to elope, I suggest you make
some effort to prepare for the journey. And before you ask,
yes, I do have a suitable gown"

He smiled, coming unsteadily to his feet. "You are very
resourceful, my love. Your brain, at the moment, is much
sharper than mine. Tell me, do we travel post?"

"Certainly not," she said, laughing as she urged him toward
the door. "We travel by the Accommodation Coach. What
other way does one travel to one's wedding?"

"Exactly!" he agreed. "I wouldn't have it any other way,
Jeremiah!"