Breaking the Governess’s Rules (11 page)

‘Kindness itself.’

‘Yes, she was. I need to get Miss Daphne’s tincture.’ Louisa drew her shawl tighter about her body, aware suddenly of how close he was and how comforting his arms could be. And how she’d vowed over her daughter’s body that she’d never need him again. ‘She will worry if I am gone too long. She depends on me.’

He put his hand on her shoulder and the warmth radiated outwards, but it also held her in place. ‘What were you doing in the booking office? It seems a strange place to purchase a tincture.’

‘Doing my good deed for the day.’ Louisa pointed towards where the young woman stood patiently waiting for the coach. ‘Helping that woman purchase a ticket to safety.’

Jonathon’s entire body tensed as he turned his head.

‘Thompson! Thompson!’ Jonathon called and a heavy-set man appeared at his side. He gestured towards the woman. ‘I believe we have found Sims’s missing daughter. You know her better than I, but she reminds me of the girl.’

‘Yes, master. It is the young person.’

‘Then she is alive and well and not at the bottom of
the Tyne as you predicted. Her parents will be relieved to see her again.’ Jonathon pointed to the woman. ‘Whatever you do Thompson, keep her from getting on that mail coach. We want her to go home voluntarily.’

The man hurried off towards the woman and spoke to her, gesturing towards where Louisa and Jonathon stood.

‘What are you doing, Jonathon?’ Louisa caught his sleeve. ‘You have no right to prevent that woman from getting on that coach. I will not allow your man to abduct that woman.’

‘Annie … Annie Sims!’ Jonathon called out and the woman turned. Her ruddy complexion burned scarlet, but she quickly dropped a curtsy. Louisa sucked in her breath. Perhaps she was wrong. Perhaps Jonathon did know her. ‘Stay there! Wait for Thompson.’

The woman obediently moved out of the queue. Louisa let Jonathon go, but to her surprise, he stood there watching as Thompson moved in between the carriages. ‘What with one thing and another that woman has caused me a great deal of trouble over the past few weeks. Hopefully now Sims will begin to shoe horses properly again.’

‘You know her?’ Louisa stared at Jonathon in surprise as the burly Thompson caught up with the woman and began an animated conversation. After a few words, Thompson handed her a handkerchief and Annie burst into noisy sobs. He then led her away. ‘Where he is taking her? It is against the law to abduct a woman.’

‘I am doing what is best.’

‘If a hair on that woman’s head is harmed… I
should call a parish constable! You are not in Chesterholm now!’

‘Thompson is my valet. He is trustworthy. You need not worry. Annie is safe. She will be amongst friends. She does not belong with this filth of humanity.’

‘But what is your connection with Annie Sims?’ Louisa crossed her arms. Jonathon might be able to act in that high-handed fashion on his estate and with his employees, but not with her. ‘What right does your man have to take her anywhere?’

‘Annie is the only daughter of my farrier, Matthew Sims. Home is Chesterholm village.’ Jonathon stared down at her, his eyes serious. ‘Her parents are sick with worry about her, so much so that her father has been unable to shoe horses properly and I have three lame race horses as a result. I promised them if I should discover her in Newcastle that I would bring her home.’

‘When did she leave?’

‘Annie vanished in the night several weeks ago, about the time of the latest thefts. Her father swears she was not involved, but—’

‘She left because of a man,’ Louisa interrupted. ‘It is an old story.’

‘Yes? Where is this man of hers?’

‘He is married with children, so she left. A depressingly familiar tale. It will be just a coincidence about the theft happening at the same time.’

‘But she has money to take a mail coach.’ His face showed his scepticism. ‘Or did you give that to her?’

‘Her mother slipped her some … in case. But she does not want to return home. She is afraid of her father’s fists,’ Louisa explained slowly.

‘Matthew Sims would not harm a hair on his daughter’s head. He worships the ground she walks on. She …’ He sighed. ‘Come with me and speak to her if you don’t believe me.’

Jonathon led her over to the inn and a small private room where Annie and his valet sat in close conversation.

‘Got her, my lord!’ Thompson called out. ‘She’s going home! We will have runners in the Hexham Plate after all.’

‘I suppose you are pleased. Horses must come before what a woman wants,’ Louisa said as a self-satisfied smile crossed Jonathon’s face and the tension appeared to flow out of his shoulders.

‘A thoroughly satisfactory outcome.’ He straightened his hat and sobered. ‘It is one item off my list. I promised her father that if I encountered Annie in Newcastle that I would bring her back. I would have done this even if my horses were not involved.’

‘Are you ready to go then, Mr Thompson? I’d like see my mam as soon as possible, now that his lordship has said it is fine.’ Annie pushed her glass away from her and then gave a quick gasp of pain. ‘Oh, no, someone left a splinter of glass on the table. I have cut my wrist. Stupid, really. It shows what my day is like.’

Louisa watched in horror as several dark red spots appeared on Annie’s wrist.

‘Here.’ Jonathon withdrew a snow-white handkerchief from his pocket. ‘Bind it up with that.’

‘I couldn’t possibly.’ Annie protested. ‘It belongs to your lordship. I could never—’

‘Do it!’ Jonathon ordered.

Annie bound her wrist up. ‘Your lordship is very kind. I hadn’t expected—’

‘I look after my own, Annie. Remember that.’ Jonathon patted the woman’s shoulder. ‘Go with Thompson. He will see you right.’

Louisa stared after the pair.

‘She trusts you? She was adamant before … that she’d never go back.’

‘Some people do, Louisa, as surprising as it seems to you.’

‘And when she gets back to the village. Will you keep her safe then?’

‘Sims knows what will happen if he crosses me. The entire village knows it. I once beat a man who tried to steal one of Sims’s horses.’

‘You beat someone.’ Louisa stared at Jonathon. She had always considered him more of a lover than a fighter, someone who avoided unpleasantness.

‘All those pugilist lessons came in use that night. I developed a mean upper cut. The man deserved it.’

‘And do you really think she had something to do with the missing cameos? She did not even want to take your handkerchief.’

Jonathon shrugged. ‘Whoever took the cameos had a great deal more knowledge about the security in the house than Annie. They knew the combination for the safe and where they were stored.’

‘Could her lover have been involved without Annie’s knowledge?’

‘I will obtain a description of the man she ran away with and see if any of the servants were seen with him.’

Louisa listened with growing surprise. The old Jonathon had never known anything about the servants, let alone servants’ gossip. But he appeared to know about this woman, what she did and who she associated with. ‘It is good that Annie has someone looking out for her.’

A muscle jumped in his jaw. ‘You have nothing to fear when you and Miss Daphne are guests in my house. Once you trusted me…’

‘And if I have grown beyond needing your protection?’ Louisa asked and forced a warm curl from her insides. Jonathon had not changed, not really. He remained the same sort of man that he had always been—self-absorbed and concerned only about those things that affected him. He was speaking about her surrendering her independence and she had no intention of becoming a clinging vine, running to him for every little thing as she had done before.

‘It is still offered.’ He reached out and tightened the shawl about her shoulders. ‘The rain is starting. You do not want to catch a chill.’

‘I know what to do.’ Louisa kept her body stiff and away from his touch. ‘I learnt my lesson a long time ago.’

‘Louisa, I look forward to welcoming you to Chesterholm, to my home.’ He tilted. ‘Will Furniss be travelling with you?’

‘He is Miss Daphne’s nephew.’ Louisa gave her brightest smile. Here finally was a chance to show Jonathon that she did have other beaux. ‘He is very attentive to his great aunt. It has been most refreshing to see.’

She strode purposefully away, resisting the temptation to see his reaction.

*  *  *

‘You returned.’

‘You seem surprised.’ Louisa carefully retrieved the tincture from her reticule and set it on the table in front of Miss Daphne. She shook the raindrops from her shawl.

‘It did cross my mind that you would book your passage to Sorrento and go. You were flustered when you left. You forgot your umbrella.’ Miss Daphne’s eyes narrowed. ‘First time ever.’

‘It was not raining when I left.’

‘This is Northumberland, rather than Sorrento. It rains.’

‘I know where I am,’ Louisa replied carefully as she poured a scant measure of the liquid and handed it to Miss Daphne. ‘Why are you asking me?’

‘Because you have returned with bright cheeks and sparkling eyes and the wrong sort of tincture. That is the one I used to take, the one Mattie complained always made me too merry in the evening. It has gin in it. Lots of gin.’

Louisa stared down at the label and gritted her teeth. She had been positive that she had chosen the correct tincture. But in her haste and confusion, she must have asked for the wrong one.

‘You met Lord Chesterholm while you were out.’ She leant forwards and her smile widened. ‘Deny it at your peril, Louisa.’

Louisa pretended to take an interest in replacing the stopper on the tincture bottle. Carefully she explained the incident. ‘It was the purest chance. He thought I might be running away as well, but, Miss Daphne, I
stopped running years ago. Miss Mattie taught me that problems were to be faced. Everything is possible if one holds true to one’s ideals.’

‘Mattie was always liberal with her advice, but rather less inclined to take it in her own life.’ Miss Daphne waved her hand, dismissing the reference. ‘Did you run the first time?’

‘I had no choice. Mrs Ponsby-Smythe—’

‘Piffle, you always have a choice. You simply chose not to use it. You were young. You were pushed.’ Miss Daphne put down the book of poetry that she had been reading. ‘You have a second chance.’

‘A second chance for what? I will not make a fool of myself again.’

‘You sound exactly like Mattie there and where did it get her? A lonely bed on a foreign shore, dedicating her life to bits of rocks and shell.’

‘She was happy. She had a fulfilling life. An exciting one. She travelled far and wide.’

‘Have you been living or merely existing?’ Miss Daphne tapped her finger against her mouth. ‘You have seemed a different person since we encountered Lord Chesterholm. Far more alive. There is a glow about you. Rupert remarked on it as well. My nephew would make an excellent catch.’

‘I have no intentions in that direction and your nephew has not said a word.’ Louisa gave Miss Daphne’s hand a pat.

‘That is only because you cleverly turn the conversation.’ Miss Daphne gave a sigh. ‘I suppose I shall have to discover someone else for him.’

‘Isn’t it better to let things take their course? Lord Furniss might have his views on the subject. Miss Daphne, you must call a halt to this matchmaking. You could get yourself in trouble, or cause serious damage to innocent people’s reputations.’

Miss Daphne wrinkled her nose. ‘It is far more amusing my way. I am merely giving Eros a helpful push, so he can aim his arrows of love straight. It is up to the couple if they get married or not.’

‘I am old enough to make up my own mind without any assistance—divine or otherwise,’ Louisa said firmly. ‘I don’t plan to be dependent on any man, even Sir Francis.’

Miss Daphne tapped her fingers against her mouth. ‘All in all today has presented me with a solution to a most perplexing problem. I am looking forward to the Chesterholm house party more than ever.’

A warning prickle went down Louisa’s back. ‘Miss Mattie is not here to pick up the pieces.’

‘Mattie would agree with me wholeheartedly … this time. I believe she might even have had it in her mind.’ Miss Daphne rocked back and forth like a young girl. ‘Mattie would completely agree with my assessment of the situation. I wonder that I did not see it before. It was she who suggested that I revisit old haunts.’

‘And you are not going to tell me?’ Louisa leant forwards. ‘I could assist you.’

‘When the time is right, Louisa, my dear. Please trust my instinct.’ Miss Daphne reached for the bell and summoned the maid for tea, ending the conversation.

Louisa forced her expression to stay bland. Miss Daphne might be confident about her matchmaking
skills, but Louisa knew that there was no love in her future. Love was something that happened to other people.

A house party, a bloody house party, something he had sworn never to endure again after Clarissa had died—but Louisa had left him little choice.

He stared at the scrawled note. And now he had the added complication of Venetia arriving in the midst. Louisa would be protected from her, but he refused to allow the problem to fester. Venetia was even likely to take Margaret away if she heard about Louisa’s reappearance.

Jonathon strode back into Chesterholm Grange, his boot heels ringing on the polished marble floor as he advanced towards his study. There was something uplifting about returning to this estate. Despite the austerity of the Palladian façade, he loved the warmth and comfort of its interior. It was safe and it was home.

When he had left here a week ago, his future had appeared certain and, if he had been honest, a bit staid. And now everything he held dear had been turned upside down and his life, rather than being straightforward, had become a tangled web of half-truths.

He walked over to his desk and picked up the crude pen-and-ink drawing he had framed four years ago. Silently he took the black ribbon from around the frame and tossed it on the fire. He eased the picture out of the frame, intending to toss that as well. Louisa’s long-ago face stared up at him with its secret smile, daring him. Jonathon’s heart squeezed. Despite everything Louisa had said, he found it impossible to believe that
the Louisa he had known was gone and in her place a doppelgänger. No, the Louisa he knew was somewhere buried beneath the layers of smooth sophistication and quick-witted banter.