A Fallen Woman (13 page)

‘
Lord Sheridan,’ the young man said, dragging his eyes away
from Rachel. ‘How nice to come upon you like this.’

‘
Good morning Mr. Thursby,’ Lord Sheridan returned affably.
‘And Miss Thursby, how delightful to see you. It has been some
time.’

‘Indeed,
my lord,’ Miss Thursby agreed. ‘We are all very much looking
forward to coming to Thorncroft tonight. Mama is beside herself
with excitement.’

Mr. Thursby’s
eyes had drifted back to Rachel, as if they could not stay away.
‘Miss Sheridan,’ he said, a little abruptly. ‘You are looking very
well.’

‘Thank
you, Sir,’ she replied politely. ‘I am very well.’

‘
I have not seen you riding for some time,’ he continued. Nash
had the impression that the rest of the party had faded away for
Mr. Thursby, leaving his sole focus on Miss Sheridan. ‘Do you not
ride as much as you used to?’

‘
I do,’ Rachel’s tone was cool. ‘But not around
here.’

Her reply was
perfectly polite but the underlying note of reserve was
unmistakable. Rachel was implying that she did not ride where
others might discover her.

‘
What a pity.’ Thursby hesitated. ‘Dare I hope for a dance
tonight?’

Nash was surprised. This was hardly the sort of thing that
a gently reared sprig of the
ton
might say, especially when the girl’s father was present.
Violet stirred and cast her brother a look of mingled exasperation
and annoyance, quickly veiled.

‘
I am sure that Miss Sheridan will satisfy your curiosity on
that score tonight, Richard,’ she said firmly. ‘My lord, I
understand that Charlotte is to be married tomorrow?’

‘Indeed.
Let me introduce you to my future son-in-law, Lord Casterton. And
to his friend, Lord Worsley.’

Violet’s
eyes went to Nash and he caught a quick flash of interest that was
just as avid as her brother’s had been when they had settled on
Rachel. Violet Thursby, it seemed, knew who Lord Worsley was and
had immediately swung into what he now categorized as the ‘virginal
vixen’ manner that a great many young females adopted when
presented with prime husband material. The long lashes dropped, the
soft pink mouth curved seductively and there was a gleam in her
eyes that suggested Lord Worsley was suddenly the most interesting
creature in the room. Or, in this instance, the snowy
field.

‘Lord
Worsley,’ she murmured, edging her sorrel mare forward and holding
out her hand. ‘How nice to meet you.’

‘It is a
pleasure, Miss Thursby,’ he returned, leaning forward to take the
gloved hand in his and raising it briefly to his mouth.

‘
Will you be at the ball tonight, my lord?’

‘
I will indeed.’ Knowing full well that something else was
expected of him, he added, ‘I look forward to seeing you
there.’

‘And I
you, Sir.’

It was
quite bold for a girl that looked as if she had not long left the
schoolroom and Nash gave an inward grimace. Since returning to
England, an unmarried man who had yet to select his countess, he
had discovered that his popularity was limitless, people’s attitude
towards him almost invariably warm. The mystery of how he had spent
his time away from England no doubt helped matters, for very few
people could actually claim him as a friend, although many tried.
Nash had not actually thought of what returning to England would
mean in terms of his social standing. In truth, he had been more
focused on his obligations than the benefits that were inherent in
his position and had been slightly taken aback to discover himself
feted wherever he went. He had hardly led a monastic life in his
travels but the local gentry had been entirely accepting of
anything and everything he might have to offer.

Nash had found
such attention to be disconcerting and had quickly decided that
removing himself from England had not been such a bad idea, no
matter what his motivation had been.

It was
interesting that even in the furthest flung county (before one
reached the wilds of Scotland) that the name Guthrie – and,
inevitably Worsley – had been heard. He had a sudden, unsettling
image of a network of females across the country, writing missives
to spread the word that a new contender had entered the country
and, consequently, the Marriage Mart. Perhaps such communications
came with a synopsis of his attributes; money in the funds, number
of estates and income per year. There might even be a mention of
his physical status. Not at all hideous and only think about the
money!

‘
Well, it has been delightful encountering you both,’ Lord
Sheridan commented, ‘but it is time we were heading back. We shall
be late for luncheon and my poor wife becomes quite distressed when
her table arrangements are placed in jeopardy.’

‘
We could ride along with you for a way,’ Mr. Thursby suggested
quickly.

‘Thorncroft is hardly on your way,’ Rachel replied, before
her father had the opportunity to respond. ‘Besides, I find I am in
need of one more gallop. Good day, Mr. Thursby.’ And turning about,
Rachel urged her horse from a walk to a canter and then, true to
her word, to a gallop.

The group watched her go for a moment, then Adam flashed a
smile. ‘I’d best go after her. Charlotte will never forgive me if
her sister loses her seat
and twists something. Miss Thursby, Mr. Thursby,
it was a pleasure to meet you.’ Adam disappeared after
Rachel.

‘Difficult to imagine Rachel ever coming off a horse. She’s
a better rider than either of her brothers,
’ Lord Sheridan murmured, before
turning back to the Thursbys. They said their goodbyes, Richard
Thursby rather forlornly, Violet with a smile at Nash that promised
many things, should he wished to avail himself. He found that he
did not. Violet Thursby was not his type of female.

Nash and Lord
Sheridan rode together in silence for a time, their pace steady but
unhurried. Finally, Lord Sheridan spoke.

‘Richard
Thursby hoped to marry Rachel, some years ago,’ he observed
quietly. ‘Mind you, I doubt he would have carried it off. They were
friends since childhood but I am certain Rachel never thought of
him as anything more. But Thursby would have offered for her, if he
could.’

Nash was
silent for a moment, surprised that his host had offered such
personal information to a man who was, after all, practically a
stranger. ‘Have they remained friends?’ he inquired, already
knowing the answer. Like most of their neighbors, Richard Thursby
would not have seen Rachel since her return to
Northumberland.

‘
I am afraid not.’

Richard
Thursby may not have been bold enough to go against public opinion
and visit his childhood friend, but he had seemed very eager to
become reacquainted with her. Would a man ever be daring enough to
offer marriage to Rachel? If he did, he would be giving up his own
standing in Society, effectively cutting himself off from the herd
and few would have the courage to take such a step.

It would take a
great deal of courage.

Would the prize
be worth it?

An image
of Rachel’s laughing face as she bent low over her horse’s neck,
urging her eager mount forward flashed into his head, green eyes
sparkling, the cold air whipping color into her cheeks came to him
and he thought that, yes, it just might. A man would have to go
through hell if he married Rachel Sheridan, but he just might find
heaven at the end of it.

Grimacing at the direction his thoughts were heading, he
determined to think of something else. Something less…
controversial. What the future contained for Rachel was none of his
affair, although he suspected that with Charlotte married to Adam
he would be connected to the family, if only because of the close
proximity – and long friendship – of th
e Castertons and Worsleys. The sooner
he selected some likely female to be his wife and installed her at
Bromley Hall the better it would be. Otherwise, there was no saying
what kind of idiocy he might get up to…

They
arrived back at the house just fifteen minutes before luncheon,
although Lady Sheridan assured them that the meal could be delayed.
After changing into more suitable attire, he hurried from his room,
pausing when he saw Rachel coming towards him.

‘
Miss Sheridan,’ he said gravely, as she came up to him. ‘Did
you enjoy your ride?’

‘
I always do,’ she admitted. She seemed more relaxed with him
and he found that he was pleased. ‘Mama says I should temper my
enthusiasm but I must admit, I cannot find the necessary
restraint.’

‘
Do not try to. You are a natural in the saddle.’

Rachel’s cheeks
went a little pink at the compliment and she gave him a shy smile.
‘Why thank you.’

‘
You seemed surprised to encounter the Thursbys,’ he commented,
as they made their way towards the stairs.

He heard a
faint sigh. ‘I used to know them quite well.’

‘But not
so much now?’ He knew the answer but he asked the question anyway,
wondering if the Thursbys’ defection had cut deep.

‘
No,’ she agreed dryly. ‘Not so much now.’

There was
no time for more as George and Lydia emerged from their room and
the four went down the stairs together.

Discussions about the fast approaching party occupied a
goodly part of the meal, along with the wedding the following day.
Miss Charlotte Sheridan, he noted, was looking particularly well,
her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkling. While she was an
exceedingly pretty girl, she did not have Rachel’s outstanding
beauty. Indeed, the eldest Miss Sheridan was considered to be an
exceptionally love
ly young woman. Nash had certainly never seen
lovelier.

‘
We encountered the Thursbys on our ride, my dear,’ Lord
Sheridan informed his wife as he inspected a plate of green
beans.

‘
Richard and Violet?’ Lady Sheridan inquired, sounding a little
surprised. ‘Were they riding in the forest, then?’

‘
No, no, just taking a short cut through to their own land, I
daresay.’

‘
I see.’ Lady Sheridan glanced down the table towards Rachel,
but she was engaged in explaining why the youngest Miss Sheridan
should content herself with glimpsing the evening’s festivities
through the bannisters, just as she and Charlotte had done when
they were her age. ‘They are coming tonight, of course. I am sure
that Regina Thursby sent me an acceptance.’

‘Oh,
certainly. They both seemed to be looking forward to
it.’

‘Miss Thursby certainly was,’ Adam said, giving
N
ash a wicked
smile. ‘She seemed very taken with our Lord Worsley.’

‘Oh,
Violet,’ Charlotte said with a slight grimace. ‘Really, Lord
Worsley, you should be warned. Mrs. Thursby is determined to make
the best possible match for Violet and has quite the reputation as
a matchmaking mama.’

‘
I think I can manage to fend her off,’ he returned easily. ‘In
fact, I have been honing my skills in that department since
returning to England.’

‘
I am sure you have,’ Lady Sheridan said with a touch of
sympathy. ‘It is fortunate that it is out of Season or you would
have been inundated.’

‘
I admit, I was relieved to go home to Warwickshire. I thought
London would be quiet at this time of year but there seemed to be
an extraordinary number of people about.’

‘Oh, quite a few people remain in town, I believe,’
Charlotte said, with all the wisdom of a girl who had successfully
completed her first Season and so was knowledgeable about the ways
of the
ton
.
‘I suppose it would be all right, but I must say, I was pleased to
come home to the peace and quiet of Thorncroft.’

The talk became
more general, about the delights to be found in town when winter
settled in.

‘
Personally,’ the refined accents of the Hon. Mrs. James
Sheridan captured Nash’s attention, ‘I should be quite happy to
stay in town but James likes the country air in winter for the
children.’

‘I am
sure it must be of benefit,’ he agreed, having no idea if this was
the case. Air, as far as he could tell, was much of a sameness
anywhere.

‘It’s the smoke from the fires,
’ she explained. ‘And indeed, it is
quite dreadful in the poorer parts of town, but it is hardly an
issue in Belgrave Square.’

Nash would have
thought that the poor couldn’t have nearly as many fires as those
better off than them, but forbore to comment. He was hardly an
expert, after all.

‘
You have two children, I believe?’

‘Indeed
we do, Sir,’ Charity gave him a smile that was as thin as those
brows of hers. She gave the impression of being thin all the way
through, from her fine, carefully coiffed silver-blonde hair to her
milky, translucent skin through which blue veins could be seen
running beneath the skin across her forehead and temples. Charity
should have been a very attractive young woman but, like her
coloring, there was a coldness about her that he found a little
repellent. He had barely spoken to her on the previous evening,
except for a brief exchange of pleasantries and she had not come
down to breakfast. ‘A boy and a girl. They are at home with their
nurse.’