Laura Matthews (13 page)

“Thank you for seeing me, sir. I have no wish to intrude, but your name was suggested to me by William Potherby, and I had hoped that we might speak for a moment.”

Noah waved the man to the chair he had risen from and seated himself opposite, negligently draping one leg over the other. “I have not seen William in some time. I believe he is now with the Foreign Office.”

“That’s true, and a very dedicated young man he is. There is some concern, as you would expect, over the developments in France this last half-year or so. Since the storming of the Bastille, the unsettled nature of affairs in France is of interest to our government. Mr. Potherby is aware of your longstanding friendship with the Comte de Mauppard, whom we believe to be active in the current state of affairs.”

Noah nodded slowly. “Yes, Jacques has written expressing his wariness of the unrest resulting from what he calls ‘The Great Fear.’ “

“Fear, certainly such general fear, can lead men to acts of rashness which could disrupt the whole country, and have an effect on our own. The activity of the mob in Paris has already caused grave concern.”

“Jacques hopes that the work of the National Assembly will alleviate some of the problems and achieve a stable social situation. Is it his views in which you are interested?”

“Not precisely,” his visitor replied. “We are asking several men to visit France at this time in order to obtain as much information as possible on the nature of the disturbances and the attitudes of a wide range of people. It’s essential that the government receive intelligence from the old and young, the rich and poor, the master and the servant. You’ve been recommended for a number of reasons. You have no tie with the government, but you’ve previously rendered it service—a matter in Italy, I believe. Also, you’re young and personable. But it is your friendship with the Comte de Mauppard which is most essential.”

“You want me to spy on him?” Noah asked incredulously.

“No, no, not at all. Your friend is in the thick of things and I doubt that he has any secrets to hide. It is his impressions and those of the people around him in which we are interested. How strong is the basis of this revolution, and in what direction is it heading? We would be interested as well in having you travel about the countryside to judge the concerns there. You must understand, Sir Noah, that there is unrest in our own country, and a proper understanding of the atmosphere in France would assist us in preventing any tragic consequences here. The information we wish is not secret, but it is diverse. We need interested and knowledgeable people to accumulate it for us. Would you be interested in assisting?”

“Yes,” Noah said thoughtfully, “but you may be unaware that I am about to be married. I cannot leave England at this time, or for a while.” For the first time he felt an annoyance at the imminence of wedlock. The stirring of his irritation at the implicit question of his independence made him offer, with a decided flourish, his services in the matter of a few months’ time. “I will then be at liberty to be of service to my country,” he concluded ironically.

To have to refuse such an adventure, and for such a reason, left him feeling edgy, and he lived recklessly in London for a few days, drinking, gambling and nearly being taken up by the watch. This last finally sobered him, and he met Peter at the solicitor’s office in a fairly chastened frame of mind.

“From what Baker tells me, you have been too generous with Olivia, Noah. I understand the way to hold the upper hand with a wife is to keep a firm hand on her finances.” The Earl laughed. “A woman will be properly obedient when she is in need of the ready,”

“Is that how you expect to go on with Lady Elizabeth?”

“I would, but her father is making it difficult. He expects me to make her an allowance the equal of her mother’s. Well, I ask you, where is the comparison? Her mother has expenses that Elizabeth could not have for years. I think the old fellow would call the whole thing off, but Elizabeth will not let him. In the end we will make a compromise, undoubtedly, but I expect to get the better of him.”

“I can think of nothing more depressing than having a wife pleading for money the livelong day,” Noah returned dampingly. “Well, Peter, are you willing to agree to the settlement?”

“Oh, certainly. It’s your funeral, my dear fellow.”

When the documents had been signed and tied with a ribbon, Noah poked them into his coat pocket. “I hope you’ll attend the wedding, Peter.”

“I don’t intend to leave London until I go to Newmarket in April. No need for two trips.”

“It’s your sister’s wedding, and I think she would appreciate your being there.”

“I shall be far too busy preparing for my own, Noah.”

Noah could get no further with the Earl. Nor was his success with Olivia’s other brothers, Charles and Samuel, much more encouraging. Samuel was sure that he had an engagement in Kent about that time, and Charles gave an assent so vague that Noah doubted his intent was to do more than fob him off.

As a devoted brother himself, Noah was not able to understand their total lack of interest in their sister; but since they showed no more fondness for one another, save in any self-seeking venture, he decided not to waste his efforts.

The journey back to Norfolk was sobering, with Noah’s reflections on his impending marriage less light-hearted than before. The disappointment of not being able to drop everything and leave for France rankled at the back of his mind. He eyed with chagrin the work box on the carriage seat beside him. Probably Olivia would have preferred the useless spinning wheel after all.

There was something in the female mind which eluded that of the male, he decided. They would rather have one’s regard proved by a waste of money on some trinket than on an everyday item which could be kept by them year after year as a perpetual reminder. Both attitudes seemed grossly sentimental to him right then, and he pulled his hat down over his eyes to nap until they reached the Towers.

His arrival followed only by an hour that of the women, and his mother and Julianna were only too pleased to leave him with Olivia so that they might be about their business. It was an effort for him to be solicitous of Olivia on this occasion, though he was aware that her final parting at Stolenhurst might have upset her. “Were you able to arrange matters to your satisfaction, my dear?”

“Oh, yes, and it was not nearly so distressing as I had expected,” she confided. “I have brought some of my childhood treasures to put in the schoolroom here. You had no problem with Peter?”

“No, he was bored by the arrangements but put no obstacles in the way.” He thought to prepare her for a disappointment and took her hand gently. “It is unlikely that he or Samuel will attend the wedding, Olivia, though Charles may.”

“I had expected no more,” she replied sadly.

Thinking to cheer her, but now wholly convinced that the work box had been a mistake, he drew it forth from the cabinet where he had placed it on his arrival.

“I found this in London, and I thought of you. That is, the engraving bears some resemblance. Perhaps you would have preferred something less... mundane; but I believe it is a handsome little piece. Decorative, you know. There is no need to use it if you already have a serviceable work box. This scene,” he remarked as he touched it with a finger, “reminded me of the lake.”

“Yes, an uncanny resemblance.” She studied the various engravings carefully and ran her fingers lovingly over the polished rosewood. “Thank you, Noah; it’s beautiful.” Her very real delight in the present was partially destroyed by the sudden realization that perhaps she should have brought him some little thing—a snuff box or a cane, anything—from her own journey. “Later I... shall show you what I brought for the schoolroom, if you would be interested.”

Disappointed by her reaction but determined to do what he could to make up for his unfortunate choice, he said heartily, “Certainly, with the greatest pleasure. Another time I shall get you one of those toy spinning wheels.”

“A spinning wheel? Whatever for?” Olivia regarded him with some confusion, and became aware that he was standing somewhat stiffly with that formality which comes from wounding someone’s feelings. “Noah, I love the work box. Not only is it lovely in itself, but I have need of one. My own broke at the hinges just before I first left Stolenhurst to come here. I shall cherish it, I promise you.”

“That’s all right then,” he murmured, his relief obvious. “It cannot be pleasant for you to have left Stolenhurst under these circumstances.”

“Pooh, I scarcely regard it.” She offered him a shy smile. “You must not be concerned for me.”

But it was she who began to feel concerned for him over the next few days. He was more withdrawn than he had been at any other time during their engagement; and believing him, as she did, to have come back to Welling Towers from Mrs. Dyer’s arms, so to speak, she did her utmost to accommodate herself to his moods. Olivia did not believe herself to be jealous of Mrs. Dyer, but she could have wished that Noah’s life was as uncluttered of previous entanglements as was her own.

She chided herself for such an unreasonable attitude, certainly not in keeping with her agreement to their practical marriage. Not even to herself would she acknowledge that it was the fact that he had stopped kissing her which upset her most. Olivia had come to depend on the affection, even such a small sign offered her, and she felt a sense of loss when it was withdrawn.

Chapter Twelve

With some embarrassment Olivia found herself promoting occasions when she and Noah might be alone. She assured herself that it was only proper for an engaged couple to spend a certain amount of time together, for there were matters to discuss about the wedding and their future life. Lady Lawrence and Julianna put no barrier in the way of such meetings, in fact encouraged them, but Noah remained polite and abstracted when he was with Olivia.

One afternoon, a week before the wedding, they were riding through the village of Welling when Olivia reached out a hand to Noah’s arm to attract his attention. He looked over, surprised, and said, “Is something the matter, Olivia?”

“I have no money left,” she admitted, disconcerted.

Noah raised a quizzing eyebrow. “You have only to ask, my dear. I thought it was understood that I would meet any expenses inherent in preparing for the wedding. Mother said the bills were being sent to me.”

“I tried at first to meet them myself,” she confessed, “but there were too many. Your mother insisted that I have practically an entire wardrobe.”

“That is just what I would wish.”

Olivia drew a deep breath. “You don’t understand, Noah. I need some pocket money.”

“Very well,” he agreed, puzzled. “Will five pounds suffice for now?”

“No, I need twenty.”

“But, Olivia, if you wish to spend so much as twenty pounds you should have the bill sent to me. I do not consider it safe for a woman to wander about with twenty pounds in her reticule.”

“I do not wish to have the bill sent to you,” she returned stubbornly. “I wish to have the money.”

Noah was surprised by her adamance. “Would you perhaps tell me why?”

“I would rather not.”

“I can only surmise that you wish to buy something I would not approve of,” he said with some acerbity.

“That is not true. I would not be without a feather to fly with were it not for all those clothes I had to buy and have not the least need of. I came to Welling Towers with quite a satisfactory amount of money, since I had been able to save a bit from last quarter’s allowance as well. Now it is all gone, and I need twenty pounds. You said you would not be ungenerous with me,” she accused him.

“But I have offered to pay for your purchase,” he protested.

“It is not the same. I do not wish to have the bill sent to you. That would be most... inappropriate. Please, Noah, may I have twenty pounds? I promise I will ask for no more until next quarter.”

“It is not a matter of the amount.” He dug into his pocket for his stocking purse. A perusal of its contents was unsatisfactory. “I have only twelve pounds and some shillings with me. Do you need the entire amount right now?”

“No, I can return to the village tomorrow,” Olivia said placidly.

“Then I will give you the entire twenty pounds this evening,” he remarked grudgingly as he stuffed the purse back into his pocket.

“Thank you, Noah. It is important to me.”

“I can see that,” he grumbled as they turned their horses toward home.

The evening passed and Noah did not provide her with the money. Olivia watched him reproachfully as he bid his mother and sister and her good-night, saying that he intended to read for a while. Allowing the others to progress toward their rooms, she hung back, her eyes intent on him. He had turned to kick the fire with a booted foot and only became aware of her presence when he headed for the Small Library.

“Did you wish to speak with me?” he asked innocently.

Olivia swallowed her chagrin and said sweetly, “You promised you would give me the twenty pounds this evening.”

“So I did, but I have decided that I want payment for it,” he responded with a slow grin. “Come here, Olivia.”

She walked hesitantly toward him, her hands clenched nervously behind her. “What... what sort of payment?”

“Nothing so very difficult,” he replied gently. “I have been remiss in my lessons on acquainting you with me, and I had thought to catch up a bit.”

Noah ran a finger about the oval of her face and touched her lips while she stood frozen, blinking seriously up at him. “You really are quite lovely,” he murmured as he bent to kiss her.

She accepted his kiss, as she had on other occasions, with a slight heightening of color but no other response. “Do you know that it is perfectly permissible for you to kiss me in return?” He regarded her with comically raised brows.

“I do not remember ever kissing anyone,” she said shyly. “I am sure I would do it wrong.”

“I doubt it. If you wish your twenty pounds you must make an effort for it.”

“That is not fair. You promised me the money.”