Christina Hollis (29 page)

‘This is only to keep his upholstery clean.’ Amusement had not been far from his features since they had met. Now a slow smile spread over his face, lighting up his quick grey eyes. ‘Michael didn’t have time to tell me much. Just that he and Kitty are going to be inseparable. I know how he must feel. All I want to do is kiss you.’

Madeleine blushed, and pretended to be busy in untying her bonnet ribbons. ‘I don’t think a perfect gentleman should be speaking so in a carriage, sir,’ she said quietly.

‘As you’ve said before, Madeleine, talk is cheap.’ His eyes never once left her face, and eventually she had to look at him, however shyly. ‘There’ll doubtless be a lot of fuss and chatter about the county for a while. If you wanted to move away for a time...’

‘There’ll be no need for that, Philip. I’ve always been a good girl in that way, and idle gossip can’t hurt. My conscience is clear. That’s the truth...’ she began slowly, but coloured up too much to continue.

‘It wouldn’t matter to me even if the reverse were true, Madeleine. I love you, and everything about you.’

At this she looked up, and almost crossed the carriage to sit beside him.

‘No—don’t get up, Madeleine. Stay there. I’m afraid the hotel I have been frequenting did not have the best of facilities.’

That convinced Madeleine. ‘I’m used to a lack of room service.’

In one quick movement she crossed the carriage and seated herself next to him. When he made no movement towards her, she looked up to find him troubled.

‘It matters to me. What must I look like? I’ve never gone so much as one day without shaving before—’

Madeleine reached up and stroked the soft darkness of beard that shadowed his pale features. ‘That’s quite all right by me,’ she said, before snuggling close to the warm but wholly natural fragrance of him.

Two hours later, Madeleine was sitting in the sunlit summer drawing-room at Willowbury. Kitty had tactfully moved back to Highlands, and only the staff had been there to greet Madeleine and Philip’s return.

Outside, the sun was shining through a filigree of leaves, making warm pools of light dance over the pink and gold sofa. With a quiet click the door opened, a through draught momentarily lifting the muslin drapes about the garden doors. It was Philip, as clean and immaculately dressed as he had ever been. His best suit of mallow and silver hung upon him rather more casually than it once had, but Madeleine remembered how quickly a few good meals had filled her out.

‘Madeleine...’ He crossed the room urgently, as though they had been parted for years rather than barely an hour. Stopping a little short of her, he put out his hand.

‘May I kiss you now?’

Taking his hand, she allowed him to raise her to her feet. ‘Of course—’

Instantly he gathered her to him, but she held back.

‘Cook is preparing you something to eat. Betsy will be coming to fetch you at any minute—’

‘I’ve waited a long time for this.’

Madeleine’s warning had no effect. He kissed her, first with a gentle longing, then with growing intensity. His strength was drawing a delicious sensuality from her, and she responded eagerly.

‘Now—will you marry me?’ he breathed between kisses.

All she could do was nod. He was kissing her again, making her forget time and place and anything she had ever known.

A sudden knock at the door made them hesitate. It was an unwilling pause, and only a further rap from outside made them separate altogether.

‘Steamed fish, mashed potatoes and peas, sir,’ Betsy muttered as she barged her way in. ‘I thought you’d prefer it on a tray in here since mademoiselle ate while you were upstairs.’

‘Thank you, Betsy,’ Philip began, but the maid was already backing hastily towards the door. ‘Betsy?’

The call halted her, and the maid looked up a little guiltily.

‘You might like to tell the others that Mademoiselle Madeleine and I are to be married.’

Relief flooded Betsy’s face like magic. ‘Oh, thank goodness, sir! Oh, I’m that glad!’ She threw open the door, giggling as she did so. ‘I’ll make sure I always knock first in future, then!’

With a last chortle she was gone in a rustle of lace. Madeleine was more thoughtful.

‘That’s true—I’ve noticed the staff don’t usually knock before coming in. You don’t suppose she might have seen anything, Philip?’

‘I don’t care if she did.’ He took Madeleine in his arms once more. ‘If you’re willing, my little flower, as soon as I’ve eaten this we’ll walk over to the vicarage. Special licence, bribery and corruption—I don’t care what it takes. I’m going to make you mine as soon as possible. I’ve wasted too much time in reticence already.’

‘What about your mother? Mistress Constance will have forty fits! You know what she says—”One can always stoop and pick up nothing”.’

‘You’re not getting out of it that easily, Madeleine! Mother loves you like the daughter she’s never had. Don’t breathe a word to Kitty, but I think you’ll always be her favourite. You’ll see—Mother will need no persuading whatsoever.’

‘I thought you might be keen on Kitty yourself. When Mr Pettigrew came here with his offer I thought you’d accept her.’

‘Me?’ Astonished, Philip hugged her again while his lunch went cold unnoticed. ‘Not a bit of it! I felt sorry for her, after everything that happened, and we’ve talked now and then. It was only ever her father who had rather more lofty ideas for poor Kitty.’

‘I was jealous, imagining all sorts of things.’

He laughed out loud. ‘And I thought I was the jealous one! Jack did his best to sting me into action, but I was so wary of failure. He would have snapped you up for himself if you’d encouraged him, you know!’

‘I wouldn’t have been interested. He’s nice, but no substitute for my one and only.’ Madeleine traced a line of silver embroidery across Philip’s waistcoat with her finger.

‘I’m glad you think so, because when Michael, Kitty and little Benjamin Arthur Edward move in here to take Willowbury on in mortal combat, I shall be going into partnership with Jack. And I don’t relish the thought of any wife of mine making eyes at my business associate!’

Madeleine stopped his laughter with another kiss. ‘Never,’ she breathed.

Only when Madeleine and Philip sat together hand in hand on Mr Wright’s lumpy settee did any foreboding strike them. The parson merely nodded gravely as Philip explained everything and made their request to be married. Removing his spectacles and polishing them slowly on his sleeve, the parson scrutinised Madeleine before clearing his throat to speak.
        At once she remembered secretly dreading the knowing glances of the county folk, but with the reality of Philip’s reassuring hand on hers she knew she could stand anything.

‘And where do you intend to live after your marriage?’ the parson said sharply. ‘You can’t expect Michael to disappear back to wherever he came from. Willowbury is beginning to show great promise—he’ll want to take it in hand.’

Madeleine felt Philip’s hand tighten over hers. He had put so much time and effort into the estate. Surely a share of the roof over all their heads wouldn’t be too much to ask?

‘My brother and I have yet to discuss the matter, Reverend, but I dare say we can come to some arrangement. Willowbury is plenty big enough for all of us.’

‘He is the rightful heir.’ The parson pursed his lips and looked down at the papers on his dust-cluttered desk. ‘Younger sons should by rights make their own way in the world.’

Their audience seemed to be over. Philip stood, drawing Madeleine up with him. ‘Michael will be home by now. We’ll go and see him directly, if it makes you feel any better, Reverend.’

The pleasantries exchanged as they left were strained on all sides. Madeleine could hardly wait to be out of sight of the vicarage.

‘Phew!’ She hopped from foot to foot as Philip opened the gate for her. ‘He didn’t look very impressed, did he?’

‘I don’t care.’ Fastening the church gate behind them carefully, Philip replaced his hat before taking Madeleine’s arm. ‘It’s perverse, I know, but after hating the land and its drudgery I’ll find it hard to give up.’

‘It will be for something better!’ Madeleine skipped along beside him, struggling to keep up with his long strides. ‘Just think—you’ll be able to finish your training now, and be a proper doctor, like Jack!’

‘Hmm.’ Philip stopped, and as Madeleine caught her breath he straightened her bonnet with gentle fingers. ‘Students are notoriously short of money, Madeleine. We’ll be very much the poor relations for a while! It will be all I can do to keep myself, let alone you—’

Madeleine stood on tiptoe and kissed him, there in the lane. ‘That doesn’t worry me. It’s no fun, but I’ve managed before, and besides,’ she accepted a tender kiss from him in return, ‘As long as I can be with you, it will all be worthwhile...’

‘Now then, now then—what’s all this? Kissing in the lane? Philip Adamson, I never would have thought you capable of such a thing!’

Michael was laughing at them over the tunnel field stile. In response to Madeleine’s blushes he put out his hand to help her across. As the lush grass was crushed beneath her feet it gave off a heady perfume that would always remind Madeleine of that long summer.

‘This little lady told me in her letter how much you irk against the daily round here, Phil. You’ll be glad to get away!’

Philip stepped over the stile with heavy tread, muttering something indistinctly.

‘Another couple of days like this and we’ll be ready to start the harvest. You’ll stay for that?’

‘I don’t know.’ Philip took his place beside Madeleine and laid his arm protectively about her shoulders. ‘I intend to marry Madeleine as soon as possible. If that gives either you or Mother any difficulty, then of course we will leave straight away.’

Michael was thunderstruck. As amazement turned to delight he folded his arms and beamed at Madeleine even more appreciatively.

‘Well, well, you’re a couple of dark horses and no mistake! To think, when I visited Mother last evening, all she could talk of was how you’d wasted all the chances she’d given you with the good and kind Mademoiselle Madeleine!’

It was Philip’s turn to be taken aback. As he held her even closer, Madeleine looked up at him and laughed.

‘You don’t mean to say that you never suspected? Oh, Philip, your mother has been dying for us to get better acquainted—didn’t you realise?’

‘Mother was delighted that Madeleine should have gone to so much trouble to find me, and she’s sure to be even more pleased at this little snippet of news!’

Madeleine bit her lip, the smile dying from her eyes. ‘I doubt that she’ll be too impressed with the other news this awful business has uncovered.’

‘That won’t make any difference, Madeleine.’ Philip held her close before looking at the weatherbeaten face of his brother. ‘Mother wouldn’t want us to leave, would she?’

‘Shouldn’t hardly think so.’ Michael idly tugged a tress of marsh speedwell from the hedge, letting it fall to the ground. ‘Anyway, it would be my decision— Willowbury’s my place now. I’ve sold everything in France, and my son and heir will be arriving here within the next few days.’ He laughed as he said the words. ‘I assumed you’d be off like a shot to finish your training, Phil, but you’re welcome to stay here as long as you like.’

‘Thank you,’ Philip said warmly, then continued with the merest hint of caution in his voice. ‘As you haven’t posed any objections, brother... I take it you’re willing to let me marry, too?’

‘Ah, now, don’t let’s be too hasty about that!’

Madeleine clutched at Philip for support before she realised that Michael was laughing again.

‘I’ll give you my blessing with one condition. Don’t have the wedding until after harvest. I’m as keen to make things legal for my little family as you are to marry Madeleine, but Kitty and I have agreed to wait until the crops are in. It’ll have to be all hands to the pump before then, and I can see I’d get no work out of you if you were already a new husband, Phil. The keener you are to get wed, the faster we’ll be finished with harvest!’

The next few days crept past in an agony of suspense. When would the wheat be ready to cut? Would there be enough helpers? Was that little cloud threatening rain? One downpour would ruin a whole year’s hard work.
        On the third day there was even more worry for Madeleine. She was out on the lawn, cutting wild flowers for the house, when a large black carriage swung in through the gates of Willowbury.

Mistress Constance had returned from Cheltenham.

Madeleine immediately dropped her flowers, picked them up again, frantically tried to brush the grasses and pollen from her gown, and cursed the fact she’d managed to escape from the house without her bonnet for once.

Uncertain whether she should run away from the house or towards it, Madeleine hesitated. In that instant the coach scuttered to a halt, a door flew open and Mistress Constance was bounding across the lawn to meet her.

‘Madeleine! Oh, Madeleine!’ she shrieked, sending peacocks scuttling in all directions. ‘I am so pleased...Philip explained all his plans to me this morning—won’t we both miss him when he goes back to Cheltenham?’

‘Yes,’ Madeleine said thoughtfully. Philip had indeed left Willowbury early that morning, but had not seen fit to explain anything to her before he went. ‘And what did you think of his plans?’

Mistress Constance slipped her arm into Madeleine’s and drew her towards the waiting coach. ‘I’m glad that I shall be keeping you here, even if I must lose Philip for a time. Come along, Madeleine—don’t hang back! You must meet Jemima! She’s come home for the weddings!’

The coach door swung back to reveal a frail slip of a girl in pink muslin and ribbons. Madeleine nodded politely as they were introduced, but she was more interested in the other occupant of the carriage.

Philip Adamson sat in his usual seat, smiling at her broadly. It did not seem to worry him in the slightest that his mother knew more about Madeleine’s future than she did herself.

‘Come in and sit beside me, Madeleine. I’ve told Mother what relentless chaperons Michael and Kitty have been—she’s going to make sure that we get a little more time to ourselves.’