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Dalton liked her. He thought he would when they had conversed at tea. And he had been right. She was serene, but her sense of the ridiculous seemed always hovering, very near the surface in her conversation. She was easy to talk to and quick to laugh. And how her appearance changed when she did! He wondered at thinking her stodgy and middle-aged upon first seeing her in the window embrasure!
He had waited patiently to be presented to the woman with her hair so severe and who so obviously occupied the position, he now knew, of companion to the spoiled daughter. They had shared a few moments of banter, and he determined he might wish to spend as much time with her over the next two weeks as with any other member of the Dinsmore family. In fact, there were two things that greatly piqued his interest in the woman.
First, her odd spectacles. They were tinted, not that unusual, but they were of a dark blue shade and kept her eyes completely hidden. Perhaps she had some malady in which light or any brightness caused her pain. He had heard of such. But he was an excellent judge of character, and that came from reading others’ eyes. He thought it might be interesting to learn more of her difficulty, though she had a well-honed sense of humor. He had a well-developed need to discern the characters of the people around him. It became a small challenge to talk to her in the dim light of the evening when she would, he hoped, not need to wear the offending glasses.
But even without seeing her eyes, he was quick to notice the two children turn to share their surprise and joy with Miss Montgomery, not their sister, not even their mother! After Lady Dinsmore introduced him and before she gathered the children, he determined that he would know her better. In his experience, the trust of a child went a long way in showing a caring character. She appeared to be the one person in the house who had shown genuine, honest emotion.
He could not put his finger on it, but there was also some mystery there. He doubted he would get the time to figure it out within the fortnight, but that she was obviously a lady fallen on hard times was the least of it.
His intent had been to get Merlin and go back to Midhurst. He thought he could spend the afternoon in search of information about the woman he met on the bridge the night before. He was not disappointed, however, by spending the time with Miss Montgomery.
Had it been Miss Charity he stumbled upon, he would have been frustrated indeed! The chit seemed intent on flirting with him and leaning on his arm since he arrived. She was beautiful; there was no denying that. But beauty without intelligence and kindness could not keep his interest. Only look at how he preferred Miss Montgomery.
He supposed the girl would do well enough when she came out; she probably had a respectable dowry attached to her person, but she had been positively brazen with him and she could be no more than seventeen. Normally, he would steer clear of such a child, but staying here put them in close quarters. Worse, still, was that her parents did nothing to stop her forwardness. He was beginning to believe Miss Montgomery could be his only ally in the house. Miss Montgomery and Jezebel, that is!
* * *
To Kathryn, the rest of the day passed slowly, she knew why. It was because she was to meet Lord Dalton again tonight on the bridge. One minute she was excited at the thought of spending time with him alone; the next, she berated herself for taking such chances, risking exposure. She told herself she would not agree to go again. This had been a mistake, and she seemed prone to them. But she would keep her promise to meet him this night, and then the cloaked woman would disappear.
She ate little dinner; she was too nervous. She did every possible thing wrong while helping Charity retire for the night. “He did not come to the drawing room after dinner! I am so vexed. How am I supposed to make him fall in love with me if I am never to see him?”
“Charity, he was probably tired after his trip.” What a bouncer! He had been in Midhurst since the previous night. “You must prepare yourself. He is here to buy horses, and that will be his primary purpose each day. Everyone other than your father will have to play second fiddle to the horses.”
“Pshaw!” she said, asking Kathryn to stop brushing her hair with such force. “I will make him so besotted with me that horses will fall to the wayside. You see if I don’t.”
“I wish you the best of luck.”
“You know, Kate, you can be fired. You may have Mother bamboozled with your talk of London. But I have Papa in my pocket. I would watch your step if you wish to remain here.”
She finally went to bed and Kathryn went to her room, dressed in one of her oldest walking dresses, and waited, sitting on her bed until the house was quiet.
The grandfather clock struck eleven-thirty.
She went out of the back of the house. Heaven forbid they should run into each other leaving the manor!
When she arrived, he was already waiting, but not on the bridge. He was with Merlin, leaning up against a tree, cheroot in hand.
He had not yet seen her, and she began to have second thoughts. What was she doing? Last night and today she had concluded there was no harm in this midnight madness. Suddenly, she wondered what good could come of it. One night of reliving the past was not enough reason to risk her life here in Trotton. And meeting with a man clandestinely was still wrong, though she was already ruined.
Had she learned nothing in nine years?
“Will you not come the rest of the way?” His voice startled her. Did he know she was there all along?
She stepped out of the shadows and walked up to Merlin. “May I touch him, my...Mr. Dalton?”
“I do not think he will let you, ma’am. Once trained for the army, they know not to let the enemy steal them away. But they have no idea who the enemy is, so they must learn only to trust their masters.”
Even as he finished the last, Merlin turned his nose to her shoulder, almost knocking her down. Lord Dalton was at her side in an instant.
“I am fine, sir. I do not think he meant me harm. He just caught me off guard.” To prove her point, she began to whisper softly to him, remembering not to use his name yet. Though she had learned that name in the afternoon as Miss Montgomery. He would have caught that lapse in a moment.
She put one hand on his neck, rubbing the taut muscles under his mane. She placed the other on his nose.
“How wonderful it is to be made a fool of by your own horse. But I am impressed, fairy. Perhaps you are kindred spirits. Merlin senses you are not of this world.”
“Ah, Merlin,” she cooed to the horse. “I knew there was something magical about you.” He used his front hoof to paw the ground. She laughed, and it felt good. Too good.
“May we go to the bridge, sir? I am not comfortable here in the shadows.”
He dropped his cigar, stepping on it as he followed her. “I got the impression you were not comfortable at all.”
“Not uncomfortable, only aware that this was not a good idea.” She held on to her hood at the breeze blowing across the river. “I realized what you must think of me and was going to leave.”
“I think you are a lonely woman who enjoyed my company. Not lonely, perhaps, more sad.”
“A mind reader! Do you tell fortunes, as well?”
“It did not take a mind reader to see that you were troubled last night. You paced, then calmed, then paced again. And yes, I do tell fortunes. I predict that your sadness will change when you meet a stranger on a bridge.”
She laughed spontaneously.
“You see?”
“I have not so much as a ha’penny with which to pay you.”
“Very well. In recompense, you must tell me your name.”
“Did we not chase that rabbit last night?”
“Yes, but I did not catch it.”
“You, Mr. Dalton, are very tenacious. But I cannot give it to you. I am sorry.” She noticed he never corrected her when she called him mister. She wondered why. Surely a woman who would agree to such a meeting would be more forthcoming to an earl.
“And am I not to see your face?”
“No, sir.”
“May I ask why?”
“I think not, it is a very long story,” she said. “No doubt you will think me married and having a flirtation behind my husband’s back?”
“It is one of many reasons why it could be so, but I did not think it of you.”
“I must go. I am sorry to have agreed to this, but it is very wrong.” She pulled her cape closer around her and began to move away.
“I only wish to talk.” His voice was quiet. “You see, I am a little sad myself today.”
Her sympathetic heart heard his, and she did not know what to do. Oh, how she had loved him. Would that she could take him in her arms and comfort him. Instead, she decided she would make him laugh.
“You know, I am not really a fairy. The truth is...I have never told anyone this, but I am in fact the troll that lives under the bridge.”
His head came around slowly, unprepared for what she was saying.
“Shh! You see, a wicked ogre placed a spell on me and I can only be myself when the moon is full. In the dark and during the day, I am doomed to scare little children.” She looked both ways then whispered, “Do you think Merlin has a spell to release me?”
Merlin’s master let out a laugh that was music to her ears.
“How unfeeling! I think I would rather talk to him, anyway.” She turned her nose up, though still buried in the cloak, and began to walk past him.
“No, no,” he said, laughter in his voice. “You must have human company on this moonlit night.”
“Well, that is what I thought, but you laughed at my secret!”
“So sorry,” he mumbled.
They were both comfortable to be quiet for a moment and enjoy the night.
“Do trolls get married?”
She choked, remembering he, too, had a sense of humor.
“Oh, dear, I do not know! I am sure one has never been asked, though.” She leaned back against the bridge. “I suppose it would only be wise to drop by during the day to visit the troll half. When I am the troll, I am not this charming.”
“Or I could come on a moonless night.”
“Yes, I suppose you could do that, but you would not get a good look at me then, and that really would be important to know before asking me to marry you.”
“Oh, did you think I meant you? I am so sorry. There is a troll I’ve had my eye on in Rye! I have been too shy to ask. Please forgive me.”
At that, they both laughed, and it echoed through the trees and across the water. As they wiped the tears streaming down their faces, he turned serious. “Will you please tell me who you are so I may call on you?”
She was ready for the quick change in subject.
“I am sorry, sir. I cannot. The reasons are too complicated to overcome, and I only came tonight because I could not bear to think of you waiting here.” She put her hand on his face. “This is goodbye, Mr. Dalton. But thank you for curing my sadness. Thank you for everything.”
With that, she ran off again and he did not follow her.
Chapter Four
“But I cannot, Lady Dinsmore!” Kathryn exclaimed, horrified. “It would be most unseemly!”
“Mother, I absolutely refuse to consider it. Why, I should be mortified!”
“Charity, you will hold your tongue. This is between Miss Montgomery and me.”
The three ladies were in the sewing room, and Lady Dinsmore had become quite adamant. “Kate, last night’s dinner was a disaster. Sir John and the rector said only ten words between them, and Charity,” she said, giving the girl an evil glance, “did nothing but throw herself at Lord Dalton. He showed himself quite at ease with you during tea yesterday. I believe he will enjoy his meals more could he share them with someone who had London in common. Besides, it will solve the problem of uneven numbers, as well. I meant to mention the matter to you last week when I invited Mr. Wimpole to dinner during Lord Dalton’s stay, but I confess it quite slipped my mind.”
“I can assure you, my lady,” Kathryn argued in an agitated manner, “Lord Dalton will be much more shocked to find himself seated at the table with a companion than he would be to see uneven numbers!”
“Oh, Mama, it does not bear thinking on. You always say we must defer to Kate’s opinion regarding the activities of the ton. He will consider us...rustics!” The last was said with such horror that Kathryn could barely stop herself from laughing.
Lady Dinsmore had not expected such a to-do, and she began to be vexed. “Miss Montgomery, I am perfectly aware how to run my household despite your considerable knowledge of Society’s dictates.”
Kathryn had the grace to blush. “My lady, I certainly never meant...”
“Of course you did not, my dear. I know in London it might seem a little out of the ordinary, but we are not in London. And you know I quite consider you part of the family.”
“Lady Dinsmore, please, I should be most uncomfortable. You can use the country as an excuse for the odd count or the informality. Pray, do not ask me to socialize with your guests.”
The good lady sat rigid and quiet for a moment. “Well, I certainly never thought to hear you refuse a request for help, Kate. I was obviously quite mistaken in you.”
Kathryn knew she was being manipulated, just as she knew the entire house was being manipulated in order to make Charity shine. But she was torn between what she owed Lady Dinsmore and her mixed emotions about Lord Dalton.
And that was the crux of the matter. Kathryn knew if it were anyone else in the world, she would not have been so adamant in her refusals. She must not let him have so much power over her, especially after last night. It would be too easy to fall in love with him again. He had changed only for the better, so how could she not?
* * *
“Oh, Lord Dalton, I have ever so many friends I should like you to meet.” The child had not stopped talking since they sat down. Dinner the previous night had been interminable. The gentlemen said little, and Lady Dinsmore obviously had no control over her forward daughter. Miss Montgomery was not even in attendance.
He determined to find some excuse from dinner during most of his stay, but knew he could not do so after the dismal experience of last night. His hostess was astute enough to know why.
He was brought back to the present as Charity droned on. “Of course, they are not as fashionable as you and I are, but they enjoy my company.” Why did Lady Dinsmore not stop her daughter from touching his arm and shoulder each time she made a comment?
The doors to the dining room opened, and Dalton was never so happy to see anyone as he was to see Miss Montgomery shuffling into the dining room. Another entire dinner with the vain, loquacious daughter of the house would make him wish to impale himself with his fork! The companion quietly apologized for not joining them in the drawing room before dinner, and slowly lowered herself into the vacant chair diagonal to him.
When Dalton stood upon the entrance of Miss Montgomery, he knew they could not have such discourse as they had enjoyed yesterday in the stables, but he certainly hoped for a rational conversationalist unlike the singularly quiet males and the inane females he presently enjoyed. If Miss Montgomery failed him, he would make up his first excuse for tomorrow evening.
He noticed the dignified lady’s blush as he stood. Sir John remained occupied with his plate, completely ignoring a gentleman’s duty, while the rector’s attention was so focused on food, he apparently did not even hear her enter. Intuitively, though, he knew she was embarrassed at his gesture, not their lack of one.
She waved him to his seat with a quick hand. Interrupted from his turbot, Sir John responded with surprise to Miss Montgomery’s presence. “Ah, joining us for dinner, are you? Excellent, excellent.”
Did she not normally dine with the family? He gave Lady Dinsmore more credit than he had previously accorded her. She knew exactly what he felt last night, and she knew exactly how to remedy it. He should have guessed that Charity’s companion did not dine with the family despite being in attendance at tea. He wondered if the beauty beside him was not a little petulant because of it.
“I am sure Mama would have accepted your excuses were she aware that your schedule did not fit in with ours,” she said, the sarcasm dripping from her lips.
At such a small and intimate gathering, Dalton’s one solace was being allowed to converse with the entire group rather than confined in the normal way to only those on his immediate left and right. “Miss Charity,” he chided, trying to dampen her pretension yet preserve his manners, “I beg of you, do not make Miss Montgomery more uncomfortable than she no doubt already is. I daresay she was caught up with something of importance and there was no intent on her part to slight us.” He smiled most charmingly.
He received a smile of thanks from the plainly dressed woman, and he regretted that she did indeed wear her spectacles at night. When she smiled, he noticed her even white teeth and rather high cheekbones. But he had a feeling that her eyes spoke more thanks than her expression. And he knew an earnest desire to please her. It was quite odd! Who would have anticipated he would experience the mystery of two completely different women when he accepted this invitation?
Lady Dinsmore chimed in as she was wont to do after the spoiled belle put her dainty slipper in her mouth. He did not envy her parents having to fire off the girl beside him. Why, she was as volatile as Prinny himself!
“Charity, Miss Montgomery did mention she would be a few minutes late this evening.” Lady Dinsmore smiled at him. “Apparently, Jacob is planning a surprise for your lordship.”
“Perhaps we should ask Miss Montgomery to tell us of young Jacob’s surprise.” Kathryn raised her head from her plate but directed her comments to the entire assembly. “Indeed, my lord,” she answered in a quiet voice. “You can have little opinion of me if you think I should spoil his surprise in such a way.” She finally turned her face to him, but her eyes remained hidden. “Since this afternoon, Jacob has spoken of nothing but the hope of a visit to the nursery where he may show you the surprise himself.”
Dalton did not know why, but her answer pleased him immensely. An attention seeker would have taken full advantage of the opportunity he had thrust her way to dominate the conversation and bring complete notice upon her. But Miss Montgomery was made of sterner stuff, it seemed. She had no desire to spoil the delight of a child. Indeed, her answer pleased him beyond measure.
When the gentlemen decided they would forgo their brandy and cigars to join the ladies in the drawing room, he was looking forward to finding a chair as close to the engaging companion as he could. He did not make that observation lightly; after years on the Continent, he was an excellent judge of character, and he knew he had found a kindred spirit despite not being able to read her eyes.
