The Complicated Earl (17 page)

She lifted her face as she
walked, appreciating the cool air on her skin. As much as she longed to return to the hustle and bustle of Bath, she loved this place, it had happy memories for her. As she walked she thought about James and Mary’s wedding. After her initial doubts she now felt happier about it than she had when she had seen James and Sophie together. She knew that James and Mary would be content; they were a good match similar in age, interests and outlook.

A sound further along the
pathway disturbed her thoughts; someone was coming in the opposite direction. Isabelle braced herself in case it was Frank, but Mr Roberts walked around the bend in the woodland. Isabelle smiled a genuine smile of relief and welcome to the clergyman.

“Hello
Mr Roberts.”

“Hello, Miss Crawford,” he bowed in greeting. “Are you alone?”
  He asked surprised.

Isabelle smiled, another man particular about respectability. “Yes, I often walk through the grounds alone, if I venture further I take a maid or groom. These lanes are so familiar and receive so few visitors I’m not really flouting any rules.”

“They are your brother’s lanes, so I suppose not,” Mr Roberts replied. Isabelle detected a slight note of disapproval in his voice, but Mr Roberts quickly changed his tone. “I am just going to the house myself. I believe there is a wedding to plan.”

“Yes, there is,” Isabelle smiled. “If you have no objections I will accompany you back.”

“None at all,” came the expected reply. They both turned and walked slowly through the wooded area. “I am honoured so new in my position to have the pleasure of marrying Mr Crawford,” Mr Roberts continued the conversation.

“I am pleased that he has finally realised who will make him happy. Mary is a wonderful person,” Isabelle replied.

“Your cousin was your companion in Bath was she not?”

“
Yes and my brothers have already started questioning whether or not I intend to move in with one of them, hence my escape into the woods,” Isabelle confided.

Mr
Roberts could not help smile at her frown. “I understand their concern, but I do sympathise with your frustration. What are you going to do?”

“I am determined not to live with either of them! Beyond that I have not thought
, there is plenty of time to make a decision. I shall not be forced into a decision that I am not happy with.”

“Do you like Hampshire?”
Mr Roberts asked tactfully changing the subject.

Isabelle appreciated his tact and smiled at him. “Oh yes, it is a wonderful part of the country. I love Bath, but there is nothing quite
like losing oneself in the Hampshire countryside.”

“The entertainments cannot compare to Bath though?”

“No, but I’m sure as I get older I will not want to constantly be in Bath, I do not want to become one of the fearsome spinsters that glower at the younger ones having fun. I shall retire to the country before then, “Isabelle laughed.

“You have no thought of marrying?”

Isabelle could have taken offence at the question, theirs was only a short acquaintance and it was a very personal question to be asking but she knew that it was the question at the forefront of most people’s minds. “Well it would be a little presumptuous to plan marriage with no beau courting me don’t you think?” Isabelle teased.

“I beg your pardon!”
came the quick, embarrassed response. “I ran away with myself. I should not have asked.”

“Do not trouble yourself. I don’t mind you asking. I do believe in marriage, but at the moment I have no thought of it. That may change, but I am
currently planning my life without that consideration.” Isabelle was slightly disappointed that her teasing had been met with embarrassment; again she was reminded of the man who would have returned a retort that would have equalled hers. Instead the conversation had come to an uncomfortable halt.

Mr
Roberts changed the subject again, away from anything personal. They continued to walk chatting politely until they reached the door of the house. Mr Roberts was led into James’s study and Isabelle escaped to the library.

After a week it was decided that Frank, Grace, Mary and Isabelle would all travel to Bath. Mary needed to arrange her possessions to be sent to Hampshire. All the ladies wanted to make sure their outfits were
arranged for the wedding. Frank and Mary would return to Hampshire after a few days, leaving Grace and Isabelle in Bath until the wedding. Isabelle had reluctantly agreed to stay in Hampshire with Frank and Grace until James and Mary returned from London and then it would be decided who Isabelle should ask to stay with her in Bath. Isabelle knew that they were hoping to have persuaded her to stay with one of them by then, but they were in for a fight if they thought she was prepared to give up her independence.

*

Isabelle felt a feeling of peace as she walked into her home on Great Pulteney Street. Immediately she could hear the familiar noise and bustle of living on one of the finest streets in the City and she felt at home. It was going to be hard getting used to Mary not living with her, but if that was the price to pay for living in Bath, so be it. She walked around her rooms touching the fireplaces and gazing out of the windows. So much had happened since she had left, but it still felt as if she had returned to her place in the world.

Mary
busied herself arranging her belongings into some sort of order for transportation. She also wanted to take her leave of her particular friends and so did not socialise as usual. Grace and Frank were keen to take part in all that Bath had to offer and as they did not visit often, Isabelle enjoyed herself taking them and showing all Bath’s finest entertainments.

On the first morning in the Pump Room, Isabelle saw with a sigh
Mrs Arnold and her two daughters coming towards her. She had not expected to see Mrs Arnold still in Bath and braced herself for the usual tirade of nonsense.

“Miss Crawford! Miss Crawford!” came the greeting as Isabelle fixed a smile on her face. “I have looked for your return every day since the happy event! Who’d have th
ought my Sidney marrying Lady Sophie? I did fear for his safety when the Earl set off, but I had every faith in my Sidney’s abilities at convincing the Earl. It was not right what they did to be sure, but it’s worked out in the end I’m sure you will agree. Oh, Sophie wrote a lovely letter to us on their return to Kent, she is a delightful girl and wants to do the best for the family. She has dropped her title! Can you believe it, she is happy to be plain Mrs Arnold, oh I was so touched! They are setting up a home in London and we are to go and stay with them! Us in London! Can you imagine what pleasure we will enjoy, what entertainments there will be on offer? Charlotte and Cecily will be sure to make good matches if we are in London with the support of the Earl!”

Isab
elle smiled to think of Tom supporting the Arnolds. In reality she doubted that Mrs Arnold would ever see him unless absolutely unavoidable and Isabelle did have some sympathy with him. “I offer my congratulations, Mrs Arnold. I hope Mr Arnold and the new Mrs Arnold will be very happy.”

“Oh to be sure, they had such a good start. Sophie wrote every detail about her wedding, so romantic, such an adventure! Just what a good marriage needs to start
on a good footing. We are most impatient to go and visit them, but we must stay in Bath until they are settled in London. I hope to see you more now you have returned. Was your trip successful? I hope you will join us on some of our outings, we have become quite expert on Bath’s pleasures.”

Isabelle hiding some of the relief she felt
, announced that she would be returning to Hampshire soon and would not be able to take Mrs Arnold up on her kind offer. She made her curtsies and escaped to re-join Grace.

“Who on earth was that dreadful woman?” Grace asked as
Mrs Arnold moved onto another victim.

“Someone who has married into a family James knows,” Isabelle replied. “Hopefully she will h
ave moved away to London by the time I return to Bath. I don’t know how much of her I could cope with alone.”

“What do you mean alone?” Grace asked curiously.

Isabelle faltered, “Without Mary,” she said finally. “We were able to cope with her when we were both of the same mind.” Grace accepted her explanation, but Isabelle had almost mentioned Tom without thinking. It was his support and banter she had needed to deal with Mrs Arnold and was annoyed with herself that she had almost made her sister-in-law aware of her futile attachment.

After the first relief of arriving back in Bath
Isabelle struggled a little with her return. She loved coming home, for it did feel like home, but at every corner, in every situation she was reminded of being there just a few weeks ago with someone who had made the place feel so much more special. She knew it would fade in time, but it just made her long for what could have been that little bit more and did not initially help to heal a damaged heart.

A ball at the Assembly Rooms
saw her dancing with Mr Beckett. He was eager as always to hear her stories and laugh at her grievances, but it was not the same as being with the Earl. She told him of Mary’s upcoming marriage and he offered his congratulations.

“Does that mean Ollerton has more of a chance
after all?” he asked as they danced.

“I don’t understand
your meaning Mr Beckett,” Isabelle replied, having a sinking feeling that she did understand all too well.

“It was noticed that you danced with him at his Ball and th
en went home with a headache. The Bath gossips all guessed that he had renewed his proposal to you and he confirmed it when we had coffee together a few days later. He wasn’t very happy at your second refusal you know,” Mr Beckett teased.

“I had thought we were just friend
s, I thought he understood that. On the evening of the ball though, his words......his proposition, it was a different side that I had never seen before.” Isabelle flushed as she also remembered what Tom had said. She did not want to tell Mr Beckett how repulsive she now found Mr Ollerton, but she wanted to try and explain a little of how he had behaved to make him the last man on earth she would marry.

“He overstepped the boundaries of decency did he?”
Mr Beckett asked a little more sharply.

“His words did,” Isabelle admitted. “I managed to make myself clear before I made my escape.”

“And have you told your family of his behaviour?” Mr Beckett was all concern for his young friend.

“No, it would not achieve anything and I hope I was very clear in my refusal.”

“I think he is clear now, but he is still bitter about it, perhaps a little time away from Bath will do you and your suitors good. I think they have all been hoping you would change your mind with regards to matrimony and marry one of them in the end. After Ollerton received your second refusal, he is now set on finding another lady of fortune. So, bearing in mind his ungentlemanly manners, it may be best that you are not close to hand for a while.”Mr Beckett did not wish to elaborate any further to Isabelle, but her words and the actions of Mr Ollerton had betrayed how desperate he must be. It was best for Isabelle to be out of Bath until he found someone else who might be more amenable to his advances.

Isabelle suddenly realised that life for her in Bath could be very different
from what it had been so far. She had enjoyed flirting with a few men, but she was sensible enough to know that if they tired of her, she would be like every other spinster in the City and without Mary, life would be very dull. The thought depressed her and her frown betrayed her turn of mind.

“Oh come now, Miss Crawford, his
loss is my gain. I shall always offer you friendship and should you really become desperate for more I should happily make an honest woman of you, you know that.”Mr Beckett said, squeezing her hand slightly to express the sincerity of his light-hearted words.

Isabelle smiled despite herself. She could
never be offended at Mr Beckett the way Mr Ollerton had upset her, but she knew she could never marry him either. It was a comfort to know he knew that and was still prepared to be her friend and she appreciated him all the more for it.

Grace and Isabelle made sure their days were filled with shopping.
After the constant reminders of the Earl, the threat of being hounded by Mrs Arnold and Mr Beckett’s gentle warning about her suitors, Isabelle had come to the conclusion that she might stay in Hampshire for a little longer than she had first thought and wanted to make sure she had everything she could possibly need. It was also the one pastime that the Earl had not joined in and so held no poignant memories for her.

Isabell
e arranged for her horses to be sent down to Hampshire. At least while down there she would have plenty of opportunity to ride. James would be grateful for the company as Mary would not join him no matter how much in love she was. She was no horsewoman and refused at her age to try to improve. She packed her belongings with mixed feelings, a return to Bath was definite, but she did not know when. She felt a little like she had when she had set out to Bath a few years previously, not quite sure where she fitted into the world and it unsettled her.