Fifteen
Vivi’s mount pranced on the lane as she, Luke, and Lord Andrew neared the tenants’ cottages. Her horse was a high-spirited mare likely made more rambunctious by Vivi’s excitement. Father and Ash had kept her ignorant of their responsibilities and goings-on, so Luke’s suggestion that she accompany them to visit the tenants provided more evidence he was unlike other noble gentlemen. She liked that about him.
She and Luke had stayed out talking until the first streaks of dawn had swept the sky. She had shared the happier times in her life when she had lived with her brother, and Luke had told her funny stories about growing up with his two brothers. For long intervals, they had simply lain there in silence, holding hands, and Vivi had held her breath, hoping he might kiss her again.
He hadn’t.
The tenants’ homes were nestled in a valley, snug and safe from nature. Thick clouds of gray smoke rolled into the air, and flames licked at large black cauldrons suspended above fires. Several women stood at wooden tubs, elbow deep in water, while others draped garments over bushes to dry. Most of the women stopped to stare as their party approached.
One of the older women snagged a child to whisper in his ear when he and his playmates ran by. The lad’s laughter faded as he glanced their way, his eyes bulging. With a quick nod, he took off in the opposite direction, his bare feet kicking up dust.
Curious, the other children moved toward the lane as if to watch a parade. The boy’s mother, or perhaps grandmother, wiped her hands on her apron and curtsied as they drew near. “Your Grace.”
The other tenants followed her example now that Luke had been identified.
He dismounted and went to greet the woman. “Mrs. Ogden, how lovely to see you again. You remember my brother, Lord Andrew.”
“Of course, Your Grace, although it has been a long time.”
Lord Andrew flashed a dimpled grin. “I promise not to cause any mischief this time. Is George around? I should like to catch up.”
The woman’s cheeks flushed, and an affectionate light shone in her brown eyes. “You boys were always up to mischief, my lord. He’d like to see you, I’m sure. You will find him tending sheep.”
“Thank you.” He handed the basket he carried on Vivi’s behalf to her then urged his horse along the lane.
Luke reached up to help Vivi dismount then tucked her hand into the hollow of his arm. “Mrs. Ogden, may I present my betrothed, Lady Vivian Worth, the Marquess of Ashden’s sister.”
“Greetings, milady.” The woman lowered her head and bowed, but not before Vivi spotted a broad smile breaking across her face, nor did she miss the note of surprise in the woman’s greeting.
Before Vivi could respond, a man appeared on the lane. His craggy face and graying hair spoke of his years, but his barrel chest and large arms could have belonged to a man half his age.
“Your Grace, is something amiss? I pray Lord Richard is well,” the man said.
Luke’s friendly smile didn’t falter, but his bicep shifted beneath Vivi’s fingers.
“He is well, Mr. Ogden, and residing at Shafer Hall. We will join my family in Northumberland in several days, but I wished to check on the properties at Twinspur before we continue our journey.”
Mr. Ogden blotted the perspiration beading on his upper lip with a yellowed handkerchief. “Of course, Your Grace. We can speak in my cottage.” He motioned to two older boys to tend the horses.
Luke patted Vivi’s hand. “Mrs. Ogden, would you be kind enough to keep Lady Vivian occupied while I speak with your husband? She’s a curious sort, so do not be surprised if she has several questions for you.”
Vivi would have offered a smart retort if she didn’t have several pairs of eyes glued to her at the moment. The teasing sparkle in Luke’s blue eyes made her think he would have added “behave yourself” if they didn’t have an audience.
“It’s my pleasure, Your Grace,” Mrs. Ogden said before turning to Vivi. “Would you like some tea, milady? I can put on the kettle.”
“Thank you for the offer, but I would prefer to enjoy your company rather than have you waiting on me. I don’t wish to keep you from your wash. Is there anything I can do to assist?”
The woman’s warm smile returned. “No, milady.”
She hadn’t expected Mrs. Ogden to accept her help, but she wished she had something to do while she waited for Luke. Vivi found a stump and sat with the basket in her lap as the woman returned to her wash.
Mrs. Ogden watched her surreptitiously as she reached into the tub and extracted a garment to scrub against the washboard. It seemed Vivi wasn’t the only curious one.
“Do you like living here, Mrs. Ogden?”
The woman blinked. “Uh…”
“The area is beautiful,” Vivi added, “and the cottages seem to be in good repair.”
“Aye, milady. Lord Richard is usually quick to respond to our requests.”
Vivi tipped her head to the side. It made no sense that Luke’s brother would see to the tenants’ needs rather than Luke. “Why does Lord Richard respond to your requests?”
“I couldn’t say, milady.” Mrs. Ogden’s attention fell to her task. When it became apparent she had nothing else to say, Vivi suppressed a sigh. Her gaze strayed to the other women, who looked away quickly. She would get no answers from them either. She would have to ask Luke about this later. Eventually, she settled on watching a group of children playing in the distance.
Upon returning her attentions to the women, she discovered a young girl clinging to her mother’s skirts and peeking at her. Vivi waved, and the little girl buried her face against her mother’s legs.
“Mary tends to be shy, milady. Please forgive her.”
“There’s nothing to forgive. She is a clever girl. Why, if I didn’t know myself, I wouldn’t speak to me either. As a matter of fact, even though I do know me, I probably shouldn’t talk to myself, but I just can’t help it. I have so much to say.”
The girl’s mother chuckled, and the tense lines in her face faded.
“I am sure you have noticed, Mrs…?”
“Mrs. Turner, milady. And I apologize for laughing.”
“Nonsense,” Vivi said. “Everyone should laugh at least a hundred times a day for a healthy constitution.”
Mary looked at her curiously, and Vivi made a silly face. The girl giggled.
Vivi tapped her fingers against the basket and mouthed “May I?” to Mary’s mother. The woman nodded, her smile growing wider.
Vivi opened the top. “I almost forgot. Mrs. Dillingham, Twinspur’s cook, prepared sugar biscuits for me to bring, but I am afraid they may not taste good. I really shouldn’t hand out biscuits that haven’t been tested by anyone.”
Mary eased from behind her mother, but still held a fistful of her skirts.
Vivi made a show of pulling a sweet from the basket and waved it. “I wonder if anyone would be so kind as to taste one for me. Perhaps one of the other children—?”
“Me,” Mary declared in a soft voice.
“Why, dear Mary, would you do me such a kindness? I don’t know how to thank you.”
Vivi waved the biscuit in the air again. The girl released her hold on her mother and wandered to Vivi’s side to take the offering.
In a matter of two bites, she and Mary became bosom friends.
“Would it be acceptable for me to offer biscuits to the other children?” she asked the women.
They had stopped regarding her with wariness and smiled kindly. “Of course, milady.”
“Mary, would you like to be my helper?”
When she agreed with an eager nod, Vivi took her small hand, and off they went to deliver their treats. The other children were much less shy and accepted the sweet gifts readily. They had many questions for her, some of which she wasn’t sure how to answer, such as who she was.
No, she wasn’t the duke’s sister. She wasn’t a princess either.
Yes, she did think His Grace was kind, and she agreed he appeared tall when he sat upon his horse.
She was fairly certain his dark hair did not make him a highwayman, no. But he would be an excellent one if he so chose, given his skill with firearms.
Once the children had exhausted their curiosity, an older boy asked if she would like to play tag. Vivi accepted his invitation with a curtsy, and cried foul when he declared she was It. She set the basket aside and chased after the darlings, laughing at their delighted squeals.
***
Luke shook hands with Mr. Ogden, his steward, at the conclusion of the man’s detailed description of the tenants’ living conditions. He had been relieved when his man had chosen to provide a verbal accounting instead of handing over a book for him to read.
“You may expect digging to begin on the new well as soon as possible, Mr. Ogden. I will summon a surveyor at once to determine the best location.”
“Thank you, Your Grace.”
“In the meantime, you may draw water from the well at Twinspur. No one is to use the other. Close it off today.”
The steward bobbed his head. “Yes, sir.”
Luke didn’t understand his brother’s delay in seeing to the project. The well was running dry, and the remaining water might be contaminated, given the five cases of stomach ailments. He was grateful the outbreak did not appear to be cholera. In all instances, the tenants recovered, but he didn’t want to take any more risks. There was no telling how the illness would affect a young child or elder.
How many other needs had gone unmet this past year? Richard had been assisting Father with overseeing the lands for ages, and he had stepped into their sire’s shoes upon his death, managing their wealth and settling accounts when Luke hadn’t seized control. Luke had been caring for his mother and sisters at the family home, but now he realized the inadequacy of his excuse. He had neglected many other people who relied on him. He may have trusted his brother to manage everything, but Luke should have been more engaged in the welfare of his tenants.
As he and Mr. Ogden left the cottage, he spotted Drew and George, their childhood playmate, with George’s mother. Vivian, however, was missing. He scanned the area, his heart skipping a beat when she wasn’t within sight, before he chided himself for behaving like a nervous grandmother. Vivian may have a tendency to get into trouble, but there was no danger here.
“Where has Lady Vivian hied off to?” he asked as he approached.
One of the women pointed down the lane. “She and the children were last seen walking that way, Your Grace.”
Luke checked his watch. “We had best retrieve her. Mrs. Dillingham is planning luncheon, and if memory serves, she likes everything to run on a precise schedule.”
He was eager to tell Vivian about his conversation with Mr. Ogden. It was the first time he’d felt competent in a long while.
Luke had been a good student before his accident and taken his abilities for granted. His later struggles in the classroom had shaken him; his concentration had vanished. Everything seemed to rile his temper at that time, too, and he’d wound up in several rounds of fisticuffs. It was no telling how many fights he would have fought if his brother, Richard, hadn’t informed their father of his troubles.
Luke had been summoned home. His father hadn’t wanted to believe his difficulties were real, and he’d pushed Luke to prove that he could still do what would be required of him. He failed the tasks time and again, growing more devastated each time his father looked at him in despair. Eventually, his father sent him to the continent for his grand tour. He thought Luke would find himself again, but a year later, Luke knew the truth. He had regained his concentration and his rages disappeared, but he would never be the same. Nevertheless, today had gone well. He wanted to celebrate his small victory with Vivian, even if she wouldn’t understand the significance.
Drew and George fell into step with Luke on the lane as he went in search of Vivian. As they neared the fifth cottage, a loud screech made his heart spasm. “Vivian?”
He broke into a run and rounded the house, but came up short.
For the love of God.
Vivian was on her hands and knees, her head wedged under a back porch. Half the children were also on the ground, peering beneath the structure. A chit ran by, chasing a boy twice her size. When she tossed a limp worm at the boy, he let loose a high-pitched scream. Drew and George caught up to Luke and froze. Vivian’s derriere wiggled as she lowered to her elbows and tried to crawl farther under the porch.
“It’s all right, little one. No one is going to hurt you,” she cooed.
One of the boys lowered to his belly, too. “He’s right there, Lady Vivian. You almost have him.”
“I see him, Matthew.”
George Ogden gaped, his cheeks as red as if he had been slapped.
Luke crossed his arms and glared. “That’s the future Duchess of Foxhaven you are ogling, George.”
“Oh!” He whirled around, his back to her. “Pardon me, Your Grace.”
Luke raised an eyebrow at Drew. “You may not look either.”
His brother’s smile just widened, dimples piercing his cheeks. He slanted his head to the side. “She bears a striking resemblance to Mother, wouldn’t you agree?”
“No!” Luke punched his arm.
“Ow!” Drew laughed and rubbed a hand over his arm. “In behavior, I mean. What did you think I meant?”
Luke just shook his head, his eyes rolled toward the sky.
“Lord Andrew is correct, Your Grace,” George piped up. “The duchess never had any qualms about getting her hands dirty either.”
“I have him,” Vivian called then wriggled her way back out and sat on her haunches. She held a trembling puppy at arm’s length, looked him up and down, and then cradled him against her chest. The children scooted closer to reverently touch the pup.
“All is well,” she said in a soothing voice. And just like that, Luke knew she’d had him from the moment he had discovered her in the spring. She was part of his destiny.
The best part.
But after his noble talk of offering her choices, he couldn’t break their agreement and demand she honor her brother’s promise.
He would just have to make certain she chose him.
Sixteen
Vivi suppressed a sigh as she dropped her line back into the water, willing to try once more for a nibble. Not that she would know what one felt like, since this was her first time fishing. The two hours she and Luke had been at the water’s edge this afternoon had yielded nothing. She clamped her lips together when the urge to ask him again if the lake was truly stocked with fish bubbled up in the back of her throat.
How much longer would this pointless activity go on?
Even the sun seemed to be giving up. Yet, as it sank on the horizon, the earth absorbing it, Luke continued with a determined set to his jaw.
She shifted her weight. Her toes were screaming to be freed from her boots. Unable to stand it any longer, she plopped to the grass and tugged at her laces. “Are you—?”
“Yes, Vivian. The lake is well stocked.”
“That wasn’t what I was going to ask.”
He glanced her way, a twinkle lighting his blue eyes. “Wasn’t it?”
“No.” Well, it was, but he needn’t be presumptuous. After freeing her feet from her boots and stockings, she pulled her knees up and rested her forearms across them. “An afternoon of fishing sounded more stimulating than it has proven to be.”
“It’s only fun if you catch something, and today has been slow.”
What a talent he had for understatement.
Luke sat beside her on the bank, leaving his line trailing in the water. His heat warmed her side. At least there was some reward to the activity, time alone with Luke. She wanted nothing more than to lay her head against his shoulder and savor his nearness as she had two nights ago.
She didn’t do it, though.
While picking at the grass, she counted the faint ripples around his fishing line as it drifted in the wind. She had very little experience with men, and Lana’s instruction on how to entice a gentleman left Vivi with doubts as to her ability to ever be like other women.
She had felt foolish practicing smoldering looks in the mirror that morning. Instead of appearing tempting, she had only managed to look confused, like she couldn’t remember if she had left the lamp burning in the library.
“Will we resume our journey tomorrow as planned?” she asked, hoping for at least one more day to work on charming Luke, if she even possessed the ability.
“Mother is expecting us. I promised we wouldn’t be delayed for long.”
So much for extra time.
She breathed in deeply, savoring the smell of sunbaked earth. A soft breeze lifted wisps of hair that had slipped from her knot and carried the promise of a cooler evening. The glass-like lake reflected shades of orange and pink from the setting sun. She didn’t want to leave Twinspur for more than one reason.
“It’s peaceful here,” she said.
His shoulder touched hers. A brush so soft she couldn’t determine if the contact was purposeful or not. “Do you think you would like to summer at the cottage?”
Her heart bolted at his unexpected question. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, not wishing to reveal her hope that his question held some significance. “I am certain I could tolerate it if I must,” she teased, attempting to sound normal and unaffected. “Did you have fun here as a boy?”
An easy smile spread across his lips. “I did. It’s the perfect place for children. Richard, Drew, and I would head outside as soon as the sun rose. There were many things to keep us occupied: fishing, swimming, sword fighting with large sticks.” He pointed to a crescent scar at his temple. “Richard once split my head with a well-aimed blow. Father took him to task for it, but it could have as easily been the other way around.”
She turned toward him fully, reminded of Mrs. Ogden’s statement about Lord Richard. “Why has your brother been the one responding to the steward’s requests? Yesterday Mrs. Ogden said Lord Richard has been good about responding to most of their needs.”
An almost unnoticeable tic of his eyebrow alerted her that she might have tread where she was not welcome. “He acted as our father’s representative when he was alive, so naturally Richard assumed the role upon his death.”
Vivi studied Luke’s face for clues as to how he viewed his brother claiming what should have fallen to him. As always, he hid his feelings well behind a mask of contentment.
“At dinner last night, you spoke enthusiastically about your conversation with Mr. Ogden,” she said, “and the prospect of making improvements to the village aside from the new well.”
Luke’s eagerness had surprised her. The projects he had mentioned paled in comparison to discovering a new continent, but he had seemed equally as excited by doing something that would improve his tenants’ lives. She had fallen for him a little more in that moment.
“The well was something they needed months ago, but Richard denied the request,” he said. “I intend to speak with him when we reach the castle. I have come to accept it may be time to relieve him of some responsibilities, but I’m uncertain how he will take the news.”
Vivi tried to hold back a smile. He was talking about a future in England. She didn’t know yet if she would be part of it, but it felt like a small victory all the same.
“I’m sure your brother will understand.” It was an absurd reply. She knew nothing about Lord Richard, but if he was anything like Luke or Lord Andrew, he couldn’t be a bad man.
Luke nodded thoughtfully. “I will still require his assistance in some matters. Now, shall we discuss something more pleasant on our last evening at Twinspur Cottage?”
“Agreed.” From anyone else, it would have sounded liked a reprimand for prying, but Luke’s tone was conversational.
“In light of your suggestion that I attempt to make new memories, I have requested Mrs. Dillingham pack a supper for us.”
“Just you and me?”
“Aha!” He hopped up and jerked on the fishing pole. When he lifted the line from the water, there was a fish on the other end, thrashing its tail. He tossed a playful look over his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Vivian. I was talking to this fellow, but would you like to join us?”
Her cheeks heated even though she knew he was teasing her. She didn’t wish to assign more meaning to his invitation than he had intended. “Not if that poor fellow is to be our dinner. He’s tiny. Couldn’t you do any better, Your Grace?”
“At least I caught a fish, and I have shown you there are indeed fish in the lake.”
She shrugged one shoulder. “I suppose I must grant you that much.”
He waved her over then reached for the line to bring the fish closer. “Since you’re unimpressed with my catch, let’s release him. I’ll show you how to remove the hook.”
She moved to his side to watch. “May I touch him before you set him free?”
“If you wish.” He gripped the fish so his hand held down the top fin and wiggled the hook from the fish’s lip. Once the creature was freed, he held it out to her.
She ran her finger over its slick, iridescent scales. “He is pretty up close, isn’t he?”
“I believe you are the only lady in England capable of finding beauty in such an unlikely place.” Luke’s grin widened as he returned the fish to the water’s edge and let him go. “I like that quality.”
She had that expanding sensation in her chest again, like her heart had swollen ten times its normal size. At a loss for words, she joined him at the waterline and squatted to rinse her hands as he was doing. She stood and, overcome by a rush of mischief, flicked droplets at him.
Still kneeling, Luke lifted a brow and flashed a wicked grin. She backed up a step, but not fast enough. He smacked the water with his hand and aimed a stream at her. The shock of cold water against her bodice made her gasp.
“Luke!”
Her nipples tightened and jutted through her thin muslin gown. Crossing her arms, she spun away from him. “You are evil,” she accused, laughing in spite of her embarrassment.
“You started it, water sprite.” He came up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and nuzzled her ear. “And I always play to win,” he whispered.
His hot breath on her neck sent delicious pulses to her core and made her breasts tingle.
In the distance, she spotted servants coming their way with baskets. She stepped from his embrace and spun back toward the water. She kept her back to the young girls as they delivered their meal.
“Offer my thanks to Mrs. Dillingham,” he said, “and see that we are not disturbed again this evening.”
“Yes, Your Grace.” Vivi imagined the girls offering a rushed curtsy before dashing back to the house, eager to share what they had witnessed.
Heaviness settled in her chest, overriding her earlier lightheartedness. She had known she shouldn’t be alone with Luke, but she hadn’t sent for a chaperone when he had extended the invitation. In truth, she had practically run him down in her eagerness to escape the cottage. Every decision she made seemed fraught with recklessness. It had always been that way for her. She didn’t understand the reason Luke hadn’t yet noticed she wasn’t like other proper young ladies. Yet he must see her as she really was eventually. She dreaded arriving at Irvine Castle, where he would compare her to the other young ladies in attendance. How would she win his heart then?
Maybe she should let go of her ridiculous plan. She had made no real progress since they had departed from Brighthurst. He may have kissed her once, but that hardly meant a proposal was close at hand.
Luke slipped up behind her again and touched her shoulder. “Is everything all right, Viv? I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”
His gentle concern filled her heart to overflowing. Lord help her, but she didn’t have it in her to give up. Not with Luke. She turned, threw her arms around him, and buried her face against his neck. His skin was fragrant, robust and woodsy, as if he had bathed in water scented with clover.
He embraced her tightly, and she wilted against him as his hands traveled her back in slow caresses that made her long for more. Even though she feared never being capable of becoming the type of lady his position required, she couldn’t let him go. She needed him.
“I’m so sorry,” she said softly.
***
Luke’s heart was battering against his ribs. He tried to work out Vivian’s mumblings as she snuggled against him, her lips playing over his neck. He might have asked her to repeat herself, but that would mean she must pull away to be heard, and he liked her where she was.
He wanted to kiss her, but even in the fading light, someone might spy them from an upper floor of the cottage. After dusk, he could safely kiss away whatever worries were plaguing her without the chance of embarrassing her again.
It might be unfair to begin his courtship of her before she had met other potential suitors, but he didn’t care. If having her alone allowed him an advantage over other would-be suitors, he would take it. As he had admitted a moment ago, he was playing to win, and Vivian was a prize worth winning.
She would want for nothing as his wife, including the freedom to be herself. No other gentleman could pose a better offer. This knowledge alone eased his conscience somewhat for breaking his promise to help her make another match and binding her to him.
Reluctantly, he eased her from his arms and captured her hand. “Shall we see what Mrs. Dillingham has prepared for us?”
She nodded, uncommonly reserved.
He led her to the blanket the kitchen maids had spread over the grass and helped her lower herself onto it. At his request, Mrs. Dillingham had prepared a simple meal of cold meat sandwiches, fruit, and Vivian’s favorite, chocolate biscuits.
He hesitated when he spotted the jug of lemonade sitting on the ground. He had asked for casual, but perhaps this was too unrefined. Most courtships began with hothouse flowers and strolls through the park, not a meal better suited for peasants. But an extravagant dinner would have meant having footmen present, and he wanted Vivian alone their last night together.
He removed the stopper from the jug, poured lemonade into a glass, and held it out to her.
Her arched brows lifted and she teased him with a smile. “No wine tonight, Your Grace?”
“None for you,” he said with a wink. “I’m unprepared for further inquiries about the gap between my teeth.”
Her face flushed bright red, but she laughed. “I shall never live that down, I suppose.”
“Never.”
Nor would he forget discovering her in the spring or sharing the most amusing meal with her wearing that ridiculous wig or her attempting to milk a cow. Every moment spent with Vivian became a happy memory. And in truth, he needed that in his life.
By the time they had finished their meal, twilight had settled over his land. “Soon everything will be different for us.”
Her eyes appeared large and luminous in the fading light. “How—” She cleared her throat. “How so?”
“I may have to behave like a stuffy old duke when everyone is looking. But I’m encouraged that you will know I am pretending.”
She laughed softly. “And I must behave myself.”
He reached for her hand and squeezed it. “Only when someone is watching, but I’ll know what no one else does. Behind your polite words and charming smiles hides an adventuress. My kindred spirit.”
“Truly?” she murmured.
“Truly.” He climbed to his feet then helped her to stand. “What do you think about one last swim before we have to put on our masks?”
“Oh, I don’t— I’m not sure we should.”
“I promise not to look,” he coaxed. Not touching was harder to promise.
In the dark, he couldn’t read her expression, but he knew her well enough to know she was working her bottom lip and fighting against the urge to give in.
“It’s dark, Viv, and I know how you love the water. This will be our last chance to just be ourselves. Please, don’t make me swim alone.”
She blew out a noisy breath and he knew he had won. “You are a bad influence, Your Grace.”