Enchanted Summer: (Regency Romance) (11 page)

Caroline’s eyes moved around the full room and alighted on Mrs. Meade. Her shapely lips moved downward at the corners as they did when something displeased her. She said something aside to Beatrice, their heads coming together at her words. Beatrice looked up to where Caroline’s glance directed, at Mrs. Meade, and the girls laughed again. It had escaped her mother’s notice, but it had not escaped Celia’s.

Caroline turned to Mrs. Meade. “And when are we to meet the mythical Sir Hugh Downing,
dear
Mrs. Meade,” she said, “your venerable cousin, that is, madam?” 

Celia was appalled that Caroline was baiting her mother in public. Celia moved to warn her mother before she spoke, but was too late.

Mrs. Meade, excited at the opportunity to mention her cousin, did not realize Caroline was taunting her and searched her mind to make a favorable impression on the group.

“Why…let me see.” Mrs. Meade recalled a curt note she had received from Sir Hugh in the expanse of four or five years; this to countless letters from her.

“My cousin, Sir Hugh, has not been in great health lately so he is not corresponding at the moment.”

“And what ails Sir Hugh, exactly,” asked Caroline, set on exposing Mrs. Meade.

“Why…”

“Is he perhaps not eager to have you visit him, Mrs. Meade?” she asked cruelly, and at a look of horror on Mrs. Meade’s face, went on, “Or is it possible Sir Hugh has been trapped in a dungeon these last few decades and that is why no mortal has had the felicity of gazing upon him?”

“A dungeon?”  Unable to understand what Caroline meant, Mrs. Meade turned around looking for Celia, a vague expression on her face. “Celia, dear, what does Caroline mean?”

“Perhaps,” interposed Lord Merrick as Celia reached her mother and took her hand in hers, “Sir Hugh would not care to have his health discussed in public. And also,” he added, “a turn at the pianoforte would distract us all from thoughts of dungeons.”

“Of course,” said Caroline quickly, heading to the pianoforte before anyone beat her to it and flashing a beaming smile at Robert.

Celia was thankful that Robert had diverted Caroline from humiliating her mother further but she dared not glance at him for she did not trust her eyes not to betray what she felt for him. Instead, Celia got up, feeling the room too hot, and headed for the terrace. Scott, on seeing her leave the room, joined her as she walked to the terrace. And had Celia glanced back at Robert, she would have seen his frown as he saw Scott hurrying after Celia.

CHAPTER 13

Celia lived in agony after the incident in the wood with Scott Bannister. The scene would come back to her again and again in vivid detail: the instant when she had looked up at Scott when he had said her name and she, her thoughts with Fred as she wished he had been the head of the family rather than she, had looked at Scott and Scott had mistaken her look for one of welcome.

How to explain to Robert that Scott’s kiss meant nothing to her when there was no chance to do so? And what did he think of her now? Did he think of her as a flirt who would flit from him to Scott with amazing ease?

Tears slid in her heart as well as her eyes at these tortuous thoughts pressed on her mind with unbearable pain and there was nowhere to go to flee from them.

For the next few days, Celia did not see either Lord Merrick or Ellen, until a letter from Ellen arrived in which she told Celia she was leaving for Scotland to spend a week with an aunt. In it she also disclosed that Robert had gone to London on business. Ellen’s letter was warm, yet Celia could detect a distancing. Ellen was no doubt hurt because Celia rejected her brother without giving a reason for it.

Celia felt listless and unhappy and yearned to be anywhere but at Rook’s End. The weather kept her indoors, and having little in common with Bella or her mother she was forced to listen to her mother’s constant complaining about Caroline’s behavior.

She wished for a break from the monotony, where her only escape from the agony of her thoughts was her art, for she could not go to the Delaney wood or further into the Shelton forest. At least for a while.

Relief came one day in the form of a note from her dear friend, Henrietta Epson. Henrietta disclosed that his father’s cousin had surprised him by offering him the management of a lodge that included a few farms that he had inherited from an uncle. As his health was not such that he could oversee the estate he had offered it to Henrietta’s father. This overwhelming change of fortune for her best friend made Celia very happy and was surprised by the next paragraph in Henrietta’s letter.

Henrietta pleaded with Celia to accompany her there and spend the first weeks of autumn with them, emphasizing that the lodge was a distance of only five miles from Rook’s End. Henrietta’s letter had been sent from the lodge, for they had moved to it already.

“There is a master of painting here, dear Celia,” she said in her letter, “who is a friend of Mother’s from her youth. Perhaps now the opportunity to take those painting lessons you have so long wished for can be realized. I have talked to him about you and he has eagerly proposed a plan whereby he would waive his stipend if you became his temporary assistant, helping him with the lessons he gives to young girls during the four weeks you spend here. He assured me a month’s time would be the minimum time for you to profit from his lessons. Is this not an excellent plan by half?

“Say yes quickly, Celia, for I await your response in dreadful suspense, lest my hopes be dashed by your denial.”

Celia could think of nothing she would like better at this time, when her life was in such a muddle. Not only would she benefit from the painting lessons, she would be removed for a few weeks from a place that had lately given her nothing but strife. She would have relief from the pain of her memory of the look in Robert’s eyes as he had glanced at her after she had been kissed by Scott.

Yet she hesitated. She had never been away from her family for more than a few days. The decision, however, was taken from her hands when Bella’s revealed to her what she had overheard.

“I must speak to you, Celia,” said Bella when the house seemed unusually quiet; the servants had retired to the hearth in the kitchen and her cousins and uncle were all out.

“What is it, dear?” asked Celia. She noticed the heightened color in Bella’s face, which was usually a pale peach.

“I overheard a dreadful conversation, Celia.”

“You should not eavesdrop—you know what they say of eavesdroppers,” smiled Celia.

“I could not help it—I was trapped into listening.”  Bella’s voice had risen in excitement as she interrupted her sister. Celia glanced toward the other room where her mother was asleep after a heavier than usual meal and motioned Bella to lower her voice.

“How do you mean trapped?”

“Exactly that, Celia, trapped. I would have died if I’d been caught. I was in the window seat, the large one in the drawing room where I often sit to leaf through my scrapbook and the curtains on it were drawn. Oh, Celia, you should have heard them.”

“Who?”

“Caroline and that awful aunt who moved in here last week.”

“Giselda Crink.”

“Yes. I think she hates us, Celia, and she doesn’t even know us.”

“She’s trying to ingratiate herself with Caroline, but she has no authority here.”

“She might have, if Caroline has her way.”

“What do you mean?”

“Part of what they were discussing was that Uncle Worth would remove the running of the house from Mama and give it to Mrs. Crink.”

“What else did they say?” asked Celia. A shiver shot through her, even though they were close to the hearth.

“They spoke of you, Celia.”

“Of me? What did they say?”

“Caroline told Mrs. Crink that you were brazenly trying to take Lord Merrick away from her. That you threw yourself shamelessly in his path at every opportunity you could find, and that when you did not find an opportunity, you created one.”

“Go, on,” said Celia when Bella hesitated.

“Caroline said that she had already spoken to her father about it and that Uncle Worth was alarmed.”

“What did Mrs. Crink say to that?” asked Celia, feeling a pressure in her chest.

“She said it was outrageous that ‘dear Caroline’ had to suffer such low relations, and that she, too, would talk to Uncle Worth.

“Caroline is awful, isn’t she, Celia?”

“She’s predetermined to dislike us,” said Celia. “There is nothing we can do about that. What else did she say?”

“Caroline also said that Lord Shelton had assured her he would talk to his son about you!”

“Probably more of Caroline’s intrigue,” said Celia. “It looks like she’s now working on Lord Shelton, which proves how desperate she’s become.”

“She’s dangerous, Celia,” said Bella.

“I suppose in a way she is,” agreed her sister. “What else did she say?”

“Nothing more; they walked out of the room then. I dashed out of the window seat the minute they were gone. I was trembling at the thought of being caught there.”

“There’s something I have been meaning to talk to you about, Bella,” Celia told her sister, “for I must have your opinion. I want to make sure you would handle it well.”

“Handle what well?” asked Bella, an alarmed look in her eyes. She had never ‘handled’ anything in her life, well or otherwise. She waited expectantly. She admired Celia ardently and had looked up to her from childhood. Celia was a second mother to her.

“I have been invited by Henrietta to spend a month with her in a lodge they have moved to. Her father was offered the management of a cousin’s estate and it comes at a good time, for her mother is ill and the doctor has advised the countryside.”

“You would leave…you would leave Mama and me?” asked Bella in a faint voice.

“It’s only a few miles from here, pet. The trip can be made in less than two hours, as the road has been repaired recently.”

“You would leave us?” Bella repeated. Her sky blue eyes were round with worry.

“I’m considering it,” said Celia. As Bella had disclosed what she had overheard, Celia realized that a lot of Caroline’s hatred of them stemmed from the fact that she saw Celia as a rival for Robert’s affection. If she were to remove herself from the house for a month she would be removing the main reason Caroline had shifted from disdain to hostility.

Uncle Worth was not of strong character when it came to his family. It had taken all he possessed to allow the Meades to stay at Rook’s End over the wishes of Caroline. But how long would he hold out?

Celia knew that Uncle Worth’s work was a great part of what gave him joy. His business, a thriving tea trade with India absorbed him. He had told Celia once that anything that upset his ability to manage his business in peace became a burden he could not tolerate for it affected his health.

Celia had read accurately into her uncle’s meaning. The message was clear. Uncle Worth did not want any problems with Caroline because such problems upset his ability to concentrate adequately on his business.

Celia felt a shiver run through her at the thought that they would be asked to leave.

Here at last was an immediate solution. She would be able to leave the field clear for Caroline to secure Lord Merrick.

The more she thought of it the more appealing the sojourn away from Rook’s End appeared. She had so many other reasons to be away from the place. Not only would it now be unbearable to be in Robert’s company after what had happened in the wood with Scott, but it would also put a stop to Scott’s unwelcome attentions.

“You would leave Mama and me alone with Caroline?”

Celia, who had all but forgotten Bella, lost in her own thoughts, now turned to her sister and saw the alarm in her beautiful blue eyes.

“You can come with me if you want.”

“And be away from Jack?”

“You must choose one or the other,” said Celia smiling. Her spirits had risen with her decision and she was anxious to write back to Henrietta, accepting her invitation. She would deal with her mother later.

“It would only be for a month,” she repeated to the despondent Bella. “But you need not despair. I would come back at least once during my stay with Henrietta. We both know that Mama would not permit it otherwise. Henrietta, in order to convince me into accepting, has assured me of this in her letter.”

“Well, then it would not be so bad,” said Bella, brightening.

“I cannot leave you for a great length of time, pet,” said Celia hugging her sister. “Who knows what mischief you would get into while I’m away?”

“Oh, don’t concern yourself, Celia. I will be in my best behavior while you are away.” Celia could see that Bella was suddenly worrying she might be forced to go with Celia, even against her wishes. She could not now be away from Jack for such a length of time. She was certain he would lose interest in her.

“You’re thinking again of Jack?” asked Celia. “Bella, you mustn’t allow yourself to become too obsessed with him. His family would be tooth and nail against him attaching himself to a girl with no dowry. We must be practical, my sweet. Remember how his mother acts when he turns his attention to you? Do you really believe she would allow him to marry you?”

“People can be won over,” Bella said.

“Not this ‘people,’” Celia said with a laugh.

“But that would not be the main reason I would want to stay,” said Bella quickly. “I fear he would forget me. He has told me often of the many young ladies who are always seeking his company.”

“Dearest,” said Celia frowning, “Young men who advertise their conquests to young ladies of their acquaintance are not of the kind of character that makes a good husband. How will it be, do you think, if having achieved that goal you have of securing his affection and become his wife, he would then, during the marriage, have a roving eye?”

“No, he would never—no, not ever, Celia. Once he fell in love with me it would be different.”

“I fear Mama and I have not been successful in instilling in you a sense of proportion about such things, Bella. We seem to have failed miserably.”

A cloud settled on Celia. The bright prospect of a visit with her dear friend seemed now less glowing, for she would leave Bella behind for few a weeks.

But it was only a month, she reminded herself. Four weeks of lessons from an artist! And besides, if there should be any problem that arose from her departure, she would come back
immediately.

And four weeks that Caroline would have Lord Merrick to herself and would not run to her father with complaints. And during this time Caroline would leave Mrs. Meade in peace.

“I’ll write to you every day, Celia,” Bella said, for she feared the look in Celia’s eyes meant she was considering taking Bella with her. Celia could see that Bella would not mind Caroline’s snubs so long as she was able to be in Jack’s company now and then.

“Well, we must have Mama’s opinion, in any case,” said Celia.

* * *

When her mother woke from her nap, Celia disclosed her plan to her.

At first, Mrs. Meade objected excitedly. She did not see how on earth she could manage without Celia. For Mrs. Meade, Celia was the bulwark that protected her from a world that was often threatening.

“It would only be for a month, Mama,” Celia assured her, “and I would come to your side at once, should you need me. You have only to send an express. I believe everyone would benefit from my temporary absence.”

“How on earth should
I
benefit?” Mrs. Meade’s face had lost the glow with which she had greeted Celia.

“Sweet Mama, of course you would benefit,” said Celia. “I have not been away from you for more than a few days at a time. You would be forced to fall more on your own resources. And just think, Caroline would have less to blame me for. She would be busy pursuing Lord Merrick and would leave you in peace.”