Trondelaine Castle (19 page)

“I understand more than you think,” she said softly.
“If we had met anywhere else, I think we would have
been friends. But-”

She hesitated and he finished for her, “But as it is,
we’ve each seen the other at their worst. I can’t forgive
you for being a gold digger, and you can’t forgive me
for being a bloody, meddling fool!”

Wendy glanced quickly at Richard and Kevin. They
were deep in their game and had not heard. She gave an
unconscious sigh of relief. When she looked at Tony
again, his face was lined and grim. Hers was much the
same and he forced himself to smile gently. “Never
mind. We mustn’t talk about such serious matters.
Particularly as neither of us is likely to change. Shall I
pour you more tea?”

“Yes, thank you.”

As she took the cup, Tony said, “How is your work
progressing?”

“Well enough,” she admitted. “It’s really fascinating,
you know. To be able to translate something well, you
have to learn to think like the author of whatever
you’re translating. And that in itself is a challenge.”

For several minutes, they talked about her work.
Then Kevin glanced up as he realized his cup was
empty. “Pour me more, luv, will you?” he said.

“Who’s winning?” she asked as she gave him the tea.

Kevin grimaced. “I’m not sure. It’s a tight game.”

“Oh, I’ll win,” said the Earl, glancing up. “I always
win. More tea, please, Wendy? And perhaps some of
those fresh scones? Your turn, Kevin.”

His face flushed, Kevin turned back to the board.
Lord Richard continued to smile easily. He was still
smiling when, two hours later, they rose. “I told you I
always win,” he said genially.

“I want another match tomorrow,” Kevin warned.

“Of course.”

As they started to walk back to the house, Kevin
gently rested a hand on Wendy’s shoulder. They fell
back behind the two men. “Hey, luv, you’ve mud on
your pants,” he told her with some amusement.

Dismayed, Wendy realized he was right. And on the
white pantsuit the stains were very obvious. Oh, well, at
least she wouldn’t have to worry about cleaning the
pants. There were some advantages to being a guest in
an earl’s castle. Abruptly, she realized Kevin was
talking to her. But she relaxed again as soon as she
found he was merely discussing the chess game.

“Tomorrow I’ll surprise his lordship. I underestimated him, but I won’t again. I’m starting to really admire
Lord Richard. I can see why you find him attractive.”

Wendy opened her mouth and closed it again. Kevin
continued, “And, of course, having money and a title
can’t hurt. Good thing I have first claim on you!”

They had, by now, reached the castle door near her
room and, impulsively, Wendy said, “I’ve a bit of a
headache, Kevin. I think I’ll have to lie down for a
while.”

“Sure, luv.” His face was concerned. “Perhaps it was
the sun.”

“Perhaps.”

When the door was safely closed behind her, Wendy
gave a sigh of relief and leaned against it. Then, feeling strangely depressed, she slowly moved to the bed and
sat down on its edge. After a moment, she pulled a pen
and writing paper from the little table and began a long
letter to her father.

When she finally stopped writing, Wendy found it
was time to dress for dinner. She washed up and
combed out her hair, then turned to the wardrobe for a
dress. And halted. Staring. For in the place of the five
long dresses that had hung there the night before, was a
dress she had never seen. Astonishment turned to anger
and she began searching through her other clothes and
the drawers. After several minutes, Wendy was forced
to admit the dresses were really gone.

Reluctantly, she pulled out the new dress. It was, she
had to admit, beautiful. White, with silver threads, it
would have suited her perfectly. Even without the
label, she would have known it came from one of the
most exclusive shops in London. For a moment, she
held the dress against her as she looked in the mirror.
Wistfully, she thought how she would look wearing it:
competition even for Lady Sylvia.

Then, resolutely, she hung it back in the wardrobe
and closed the door. She looked at her watch. They
would all be assembled by now. Unconsciously
squaring her shoulders, she moved out into the hall.
The slow pace forced by the cane gave her added
dignity.

As she entered the James Room, all three men
turned to stare. She paused, absorbing the sight of
velvet dinner jackets and startled faces. Then, her own
face an uncompromising mask, Wendy walked over to
Lord Richard. “Where are my dresses?” she demanded.

He quirked an eyebrow. “Dresses? Why do you
expect me to know?”

“Are you claiming you didn’t order all of the long
dresses taken from my room and replaced by another?
A white one?” she asked sarcastically.

“Oh. Yes. It had-er-slipped my mind. Didn’t you
like the dress? I thought you might since you liked the
other three so well,” he answered casually.

“Three? Three dresses?” Kevin said.

Wendy ignored him. “That is not the question, Lord
Richard! I don’t want your dresses. I want my own!”

She felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Tony’s. “Is it
so important?” he asked reasonably. “Why not wear
the dress for one evening?”

She pulled free, fighting to control her temper. “Yes,
it’s important! I want my dresses back, Lord Richard.”

He shrugged. “I shall give the necessary
orders …tomorrow.”

“Very well. It seems I shall just have to wear pants
for dinner, then,” she retorted.

“What is this talk about dresses, luv?” Kevin
demanded. “Have you really accepted three from his
lordship?”

“No!”

“Yes!” the Earl corrected her.

She glared at him and turned back to Kevin. Taking
a deep breath, she said, “Lord Richard insisted I dress
for dinner while I was here at the castle. I had nothing
appropriate so he insisted I borrow three of his
mother’s dresses.”

“I don’t like it, luv. Why didn’t you write me to send
up your dresses?” Kevin demanded.

“Because I didn’t think you would understand,” she
began miserably.

“You think I find this easier to understand?” He was
incredulous.

“Kevin, I-”

She was cut short by the appearance of Charles.
“Dinner is served,” he said impassively.

Well trained as he was, only his eyes betrayed
Charles’s shock at her unorthodox attire. Nor did he do
more than stiffen slightly as he noticed the mud stains.

At the table, the atmosphere was strained. Kevin
could only glare at Wendy. And if Lord Richard was
annoyed, he hid it behind an urbane manner calculated
to irritate the two. Tony was the only one not involved
and he sat as though isolated by more than the distance
between places. What they talked about, no one could
remember later. It certainly was not the subject on
everyone’s mind.

After dinner, Lord Richard insisted on playing a
piece by Mahler, which relaxed no one. Finally, not
caring if she was being rude, Wendy rose and strode out
of the music room. As she entered her own, she locked
the door. A little later, there was a knock and she told
whoever it was to go away. Eventually, it was possible
to sleep.

The next day, Wendy’s dresses were returned, but
the white dress remained also. Kevin had apparently
carefully thought over the matter, for when he saw her
that morning, his manner was entirely different.

He sought her out in the library. “Cheers, luv.
Working hard already?” She nodded warily and he
continued, “I’m sorry, ducks, I was so upset last night.”

Wendy relaxed slightly. “Oh, Kevin, I get so mad at
Lord Richard sometimes! Tony warned me he was
going to cause trouble between us.”

Kevin squeezed her shoulder. “Not to worry, luv, he
won’t cause any more trouble for us. If you were
wearing my ring, he might not even try, though.” Kevin
saw the concern on her face and he backed up hastily. “I’m not trying to crowd you, ducks. Take your time to
decide.”

She gave him a grateful smile. And after a few
minutes, feeling quite satisfied, Kevin left Wendy to her
work. But soon the Earl wandered in to work also. At
her glare, Lord Richard merely smiled. “Not to worry.
You may stay. You won’t disturb me.”

Without replying, Wendy turned back to her own
desk. Eventually, she managed to become absorbed
again in her work. Her concentration was shattered,
however, by the feel of a hand gently stroking her neck.
She jerked her head around. Lord Richard stood
behind her. The offending hand now rested on the back
of her chair.

Frozen with fury, she couldn’t speak. But the Earl
did. “You really are angry with me, aren’t you? I don’t
quite understand why. Unless you don’t want to chance
Mr. Lisle seeing. But, my dear, you can’t expect me to
sympathize with that. For one thing, he’s so common.
You know, I really had thought the dress would please
you. I spent some time choosing it.”

Wendy stared at Lord Richard blankly. “I-you-”
What could she say? How could she argue with a man
so sure of himself? “Believe me, Lord Richard, you’ve
made a mistake. I-”

She stopped as they both heard a sound. It was Tony
in the doorway of the library, looking very embarrassed. After a moment, the Earl smiled, shrugged,
and, pushing past Tony, left the room. Tony came in
and closed the door behind him.

“Go away!” Wendy snapped. “I don’t want to talk to
anyone!”

But he sat in the chair by her desk and waited until
she was calmer. Tony’s face was grave. “Are you happy?” he asked softly. “You seem to have won with
the Earl. Or are you beginning to wonder if that’s what
you really want?”

Wendy answered angrily, “Listen to me, you
conceited windbag! I’m tired of your constant interference. You’ve never once given me a chance, never once
listened to what I had to say. The last thing I need now
is you giving me a lecture or gloating over me!”

Tony stood slowly. “I never meant to gloat,” he said
quietly.

Then he was gone. Wendy felt an urge to call him
back, but did not. It would have been no use. He would
never really understand her. Softly, she began to cry.

Sometime later, when she was a little calmer, Wendy
gathered together her papers and things. She could not
work here again. In fact, as soon as she could find
Kevin, she would ask him to take her back to London.
It didn’t matter what threats the Earl made. It would be
worse to stay.

In the hall, she encountered Gwen. “Oh, good
morning, Miss Pratt. Lord Richard said to tell you that
he and Mr. Lisle will be gone until evening. Dr. Witler
is expected for tea.”

“Thank you, Gwen,” she said quietly.

So. She couldn’t leave Trondelaine before evening at
the earliest. But she could pack. Taking refuge in her
room, Wendy carefully folded her clothes and placed
them in her suitcases. She lunched alone and emerged
from her room only when it was teatime. Again, tea
was to be served in the garden. She seated herself there
and waited for Tony and the doctor to arrive.

Roger was first, smiling. “Well, let me look at the
foot,” he said.

Roger was quick and efficient. He seemed quite satisfied with what he found. He flashed a boyish grin
at her. “I wish all my patients were as easy to take care
of as you are!”

Wendy laughed. “How soon will I be off the cane?”

He frowned. “Maybe a week. Don’t be too quick to
give it up. Check with your doctor in London first.
Unless, of course, you’re still here in a week.”

She nodded, then said, “Please sit down, Roger.
Gwen will be bringing tea in a few minutes and Tony
should be joining us, also.”

“Richard?”

“Out somewhere with Kevin until this evening,” she
replied.

“Kevin?”

“Oh, I forgot you hadn’t met him. My boyfriend,”
Wendy explained.

Roger was about to reply when Gwen arrived with
tea, followed by Tony carrying the teacups and plates.
“Hello, Tony! Still here? Well, considering Wendy’s
presence, I’m not surprised,” Roger said cheerfully.

Tony smiled, but he had a definite reserve as he
answered, “Hello, Roger. Yes, I find it very relaxing
here.”

Roger glanced at him carefully, then turned back to
Wendy. “By the by, when are you planning to leave?”

“Soon,” she said, carefully concentrating on the tea
she was pouring, “I think.”

She passed a cup to Tony, who said abruptly, “Well,
Roger, tell us about your clinic. Any interesting
patients?”

Wendy and Roger exchanged glances. She shrugged
and he began to describe some of his latest cases. It was
the longest tea hour Wendy had ever spent. Tony kept
to the same manner the entire time, and Roger began to
grow impatient with him. More than once, Wendy diverted his attention before trouble could occur. She
was not at all sorry when Tony finally rose and excused
himself. As soon as he was gone, Roger exploded,
“What the devil-”

Wendy cut him off. “It’s been rather strange here the
past few days, Roger.” She gave him a brief summary,
including the morning’s events. Concluding, she said,
“And poor Tony is rather upset by it all.”

“What a bloody mess! I hadn’t realized Richard
could be such a blithering idiot. As for Tony, if he’s
fallen in love with you, why doesn’t he just say so?”

Wendy looked at Roger incredulously, then started
laughing. “Roger, the idea of Tony falling in love with
me is absurd! Not only does he dislike me, he
thoroughly disapproves of me.”

For a moment, Roger didn’t answer. When he did,
the reply was rather cryptic. “He’s a better man than
Richard.” He stood abruptly. “Well, I must leave. I
wish you luck with all this. And, Wendy, try to
remember that you aren’t the only one who shuts like a
clam when hurt.”

Wendy opened and closed her mouth, trying to hide
her irritation. “I’ll remember. Goodbye, Doctor.”