A Bride for Lord Esher (6 page)

Lord Esher had yet to present his wife with any of the estate jewelry. She guessed at the reason behind his reluctance, but since he had given her so much already, Chastity had not felt the loss of it. So she was dressed now in a simple cream linen dress, embroidered with pink and purple flowers that made her think of meadows and summer. But for adornment she wore nothing, not even a wedding band since the subject had not been raised by either party.

When at last she vacated her bedchamber and descended the stairs to join her husband, Lord Robert said nothing but simply nodded. He took her hand to help her climb into the carriage, and handed her a small picnic basket once she was comfortably seated.

Tom Warren’s estate was some five miles west of their own, near a small village called Denwood, famous for sheep rearing and wool products. The weather was favorable for the short journey, and she found Lord Robert uncommonly communicative. Chastity was pleased. She loved to hear him speak, regardless of the subject. Her husband had a fine, deep voice that penetrated her heart and always caught her attention. Though he rambled on about trivialities, she didn’t mind, enraptured as she still was by this strange new world of wealth and fashion.

The party at Denwood was fairly small, made up of just a few close friends and all of whom she knew already. Chastity was both happy and relieved. She had come to dread her husband’s reaction when the people of his acquaintance were informed of their union. She breathed a sigh of relief to find only Tom Warren, Lady Sudbrooke, and Lord and Lady Ashworth were to join them.

She found Lord Ashworth to be a simple, dull fellow, quite pleasant in a way but with very little to say for himself. Robert had informed her that his sister had married him for money and status, for the Ashworth’s were an ancient family with vast estates and a fortune amassed from years of service to the monarchy. His new wife,
Lady Eliza Ashworth, was something else altogether. Like her brother she was clever and intelligent, though unlike him, she had a sweet nature and smiled a great deal more.

“Hello, dear sister,” Lady Ashworth said, as Chastity stepped carefully out of the barouche. “What a charming dress that is, so nicely cut and such pretty embroidery. You shall have to tell me who it is making your dresses, though I warn you now I plan to steal them for myself.”

“My lady in waiting knew an excellent seamstress. Her name is Pearl, and though I’d rather you didn’t steal her, I’d be happy to share her with you.”

“Silly girl, you must learn not to give away all your secrets, for there is nothing so saucy as a little mystery and intrigue. Isn’t that right Mr. Warren?”

Tom Warren was talking to a servant, giving final instructions before the party set off on their adventure. Hearing his name mentioned he turned, and went to greet his arriving guests.

“I’m so glad you could make it Lady Esher, for you are my guest of honor and the brightest new jewel of my acquaintance.”

Though Tom Warren’s oily words made Chastity wince as he took her hand, his words had an altogether different effect on another member in their party. Lady Sudbrooke stood just a few feet away and appeared to wince as he spoke. She swiftly lowered her eyes to hide her true feelings. Chastity wondered if she had any designs on the young man. Even though he had no peerage, she had learned his fortune was believed to be in excess of fifteen thousand pounds a year.

Chastity turned back to Lady Ashworth. Eager to return the compliment about her dress, she looked enthusiastically at her sister-in-law’s person, intent on finding something of genuine praise. Like all the other women present, Lady Ashworth was simply attired as was fitting for an excursion into the country, yet she wore an exquisite cameo brooch on her bodice.

“What a fine brooch that is,” Chastity said.

“Indeed, my mother gave it to me on the occasion of our marriage, and though we venture into the wilds today, I couldn’t quite bring myself to part with it.”

“Damned foolish woman,” said her husband. “If you lose it on the journey we won’t hear the end of it.”

Lady Ashworth laughed, clearly unafraid of upsetting her husband. “Oh, pooh, I shall do no such thing you old worry wart.” Still she looked down and checked the clasp just the same, “I must say I did have some bother with the thing this morning. This French lace is so dense the clasp just wouldn’t close properly. Oh well, I got it secured in the end.”

“Come on now lords and ladies, my meadows await. Grabs your husbands and lets all get to it.”

The grounds of Tom Warren’s estate, like his house, were excessively pretty. It all surprised Chastity, who had been expecting something much finer and grander, but instead she met with simple elegance and charm that she found much more to her taste. In spite of the natural beauty of her surroundings, she noticed the men in the field didn’t tip their head toward Tom Warren as they did on her husband’s estate. Instead the working men just bowed their heads low, as if afraid to catch their landlord’s eye.

Tom Warren had chosen his picnic site well, and they spread their blankets at an elevated spot that overlooked the valley below for miles. Chastity opened the picnic basket prepared by their kitchens. Not knowing what to prepare, her husband had overseen the order for her, and she gasped in wonder at the provisions within.

“A little step up from inn food I would imagine,” said Tom Warren. His cutting comment drew a sneer from Lady Sudbrooke, but in other regards the joke seemed to fall flat. Lord Esher, who was lazily spread out on a blanket, accepted a small sandwich from his wife, then lay back to enjoy the warm sun.

“It’s certainly different,” said Chastity. “But I find over indulgence in super fine food results in a vulgar paunch on the belly, and that is something I wish to avoid.”

Tom Warren did have a bit of a tummy, which he generally took great pains to cover up, but which was far more apparent when he was squatted down on the floor, as he now was. At this Lord Esher laughed heartily, and while still chuckling, reached familiarly across to his wife for another sandwich. “Quite right, dear, quite right. We wouldn’t want to see too much flesh on your fine figure before your time. Let’s push out a few son and heirs before you go that way.”

This time Lord Esher lay back and cradled his head in his wife’s lap. Chastity stroked him affectionately, and then bent down to kiss his forehead. Robert reached up and stroked her cheek fondly. When Chastity looked up she noticed Tom Warren watched them both closely. His eyes were not smiling.

“So, Lady Esher, how are you settling into your new life? Is Lord Robert here being a charming husband?”

“I think I’m settling in rather well. It’s an adjustment of course, but Lord Robert is helping me, and I’m learning to read.”

“And your father, will you be inviting him to dine any time soon?”

Lady Sudbrooke snorted into her glass of wine, and Lord Esher raised himself up onto one elbow.

“Careful Warren, you go too far.”

Tom Warren’s eyes opened wide in mock surprise. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“I’m sure you do.”

Lady Ashworth stood up and ushered the two other ladies to join her. “Come, bring your baskets. There’s some very fine flowers just beyond and I’ve a mind to pick some.”

Although Chastity suspected her husband’s attentions were a deliberate attempt to annoy Tom Warren, she relished in them just the same. So it was with a heavy heart that she got up - for she was sorry to leave her husband in such a contented mood. Though Lady Sudbrooke sighed, she also climbed reluctantly to her feet. The gentlemen remained seated, as the women gently raised their skirts, and went for a short stroll across the meadow.

***

Lady Sudbrooke was most reluctant to leave the gentlemen. She was determined to make a good impression on Tom Warren, for her own sake, as well as her father’s. On the occasion of her coming out, he had taken her to one side and told her in confidence that all the family money had gone. It therefore befell on her, as the eldest daughter of the house, to make what amends she could through marriage.

On her visit to Devonshire House, she had been introduced to many potential beaus, and though Tom Warren did not carry a peerage as did many of the other young men did, he had something far more important, a most significant annuity, one that would set her and her family fortune back on track. She cared nothing for his foppish reputation, and disregarded any whispers regarding his choice of friends. No, in spite of all this, Lady Sudbrooke was determined to have him for a husband, and it was the sole reason she had agreed to join the picnic party today.

“How are you finding my brother, really?” said Lady Ashworth. “Is he being very brutish, I always remember he was so as a child?”

“No, not really,” said Chastity. “In the beginning he was perhaps a little rough. I guess this whole business has been hard on him, hard on us both in fact, but it gets better and better every day. Though I was purchased for him, I find I’m growing exceedingly fond of him.”

The last remark withdrew a snort from Lady Sudbrooke.

Lady Ashworth raised her eyebrows.

“Really,” said Lady Sudbrooke. “We all know where you came from,
Lady Esher
.” She said the name very pointedly. “I can’t imagine a few harsh words from your husband count as any great hardship. If I was in your shoes, and I’m thankful that I’m not, I’d be singing his praises night and day, and thanking God for my deliverance.”

“I thank God daily, though it was not for my deliverance. I didn’t come from some cesspit in Tooley Street, I came from a respectable working family. I see no blemish that smears my name.”

“No, perhaps you don’t. But Tom Warren was right, what of your family? Lord Esher moves in the first set, he can hardly bring your father into the fold. This marriage does not so much elevate you as denigrate him. I am sorry for it, for he was a handsome man of good fortune and would make any other lucky lady of his class an excellent husband.”

“Like yourself?” sneered Lady Ashworth. “We all know why you’re here.”

“Oh, and why is that?”

“You’re husband hunting and Tom Warren is the mark.”

Lady Sudbrooke had thought her mission a secret, and her cheeks flared red at this new discovery. Still, she would not be put down by Lady Ashworth, who was famed for such a marriage herself. “Perhaps this is the proverbial kettle calling the pot black.”

“Come ladies,” said Chastity. “As women it befalls on us to better our families through marriage. In this regard we are all one and the same, are we not? Come, let us put these ugly words behind us and set about the business of gathering flowers, as we all set out to do.”

Lady Sudbrooke scowled, but she said nothing more. She disliked Lady Ashworth, but she totally despised Lady Esher. To have to consort with a woman of her class was unthinkable. How could a creature of such low birth get herself such a husband? Lord Esher was not only a very wealthy man, but he was easy on the eyes as well. Fate could be cruel. Here was she, a daughter of a respectable and ancient family, forced to fight for a husband such as Tom Warren, whereas this little guttersnipe tavern whore had the cream of the crop fall directly in her lap. It was too much to bear.

Lady Ashworth had found an exceptionally pretty clump of flowers growing in the shade of a hedgerow. The lady was bent there now, breaking the little stalks and adding a collage of color to her wicker basket. Having exhausted the supply, she moved to stand straight but somehow lost her footing, and fell into the hedgerow for her trouble.

Forgetting their differences, both ladies immediately rushed to her aid, and hearing the commotion, the gentlemen were soon running across the meadow to come to their assistance. Lord Esher was the first to make it, and he carefully disentangled the distressed lady from the foliage.

In spite of her difficulty, Lady Ashworth laughed good-naturedly. “Oh my, that was an adventure!” she said.

“Are you quite alright?” said her brother. Lord Esher looked her over and pulled some small loose twigs from her hair.

“Yes, yes, just a few scratches, no real harm done.”

“Perhaps you should try a glass of wine. It will settle your nerves and help you recover.”

“A most excellent idea,” said Lord Ashworth. He pushed past Lord Esher, and taking his wife’s arm in his own, led her back to the picnic spot.

Lord Esher turned to Chastity, who had knelt down to recover her sister-in-law’s basket. She was putting back the flowers which had scattered during the fall.

“You seem to have cut yourself,” he said. Chastity looked down and they both examined the raw scratches on her hand.

“Oh it’s nothing, really. I just caught myself on some thorns as I tried to help her.”

“Nevertheless.” Lord Esher raised his wife to her feet and kissed the affected spot. “Come, let’s get this looked at.” And then they too walked back arm in arm, closely followed by Tom Warren who clearly wanted to stay close to the drama.

Abandoned, uncared for, and alone, Lady Sudbrooke glared as she watched the departing company. “What a waste of a perfectly good afternoon,” she scoffed. At her feet were many of the abandoned flowers, and she kicked them to one side, as if making a path for her own retreat. Something under the broken stems glistened in the sunlight and caught her eye. On the floor by her feet was Lady Ashworth’s cameo brooch, and were it not for the sunlight on the clasp she might have overlooked it. She bent down, and was about to run after and restore the gem to its rightful owner, when another thought entered her mind. For the first time that day, she felt fortune had favored her above the others, and a wry grin twisted her pretty face. She slipped the cameo inside her pocket, and with a renewed sense of purpose, strolled back to join the party.

Tom Warren knew Lady Sudbrooke had designs on making him her husband. She wasn’t the first, and if he had his way she wouldn’t be the last. However, his mother, a vain and proud dowager, was determined to purchase a peerage for her son. Rumor had it had it that the Sudbrooke family had squandered their fortune, but since money was not their chief object, they could purchase the Sudbrooke nobility and their influence at court for a song.