Embracing Ashberry (25 page)

Her words seared him—shocked him. “You
whimpered,” he replied softly, one finger reaching out to touch her
bottom lip.

“I am unused to such intimacy,” she answered
defensively, her cheeks reddening. “I was ... surprised.”

“Your lips are swollen.” The words were
still regretful but without the agony Ellie had heard in his first
apology.

She swallowed hard, knowing the words had to
be said, knowing they would be difficult even as she said them.
“Ashberry, you are a good man and I trust you, even with me. But
sometimes you make me feel, feel things I’ve never felt and things
I don’t recognize. If a little swelling in my lips is a part of
what it means to be your wife in the way you want me to be then I
will gladly be part of it.” Her arm touched his, and he saw and
heard the fervent determination in her voice. “I am the one who has
caused pain here, for you are hurting every day and tonight I made
it worse for you. I promise you, I shall not tease you again.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, I should be most
disappointed if you did not,” he said after a few moments, his
voice strangely soft. He sighed deeply before speaking again, “Call
Carrie and go to bed, Ella. We’ll have plenty of time to talk after
tomorrow.”

She bit her lip, a charming uncertainty on
her face. “You will stay with me tonight?”

He hesitated but nodded. “Late. I have some
things to finish downstairs.” He didn’t remind her that Edward
planned to stop at the house. She had seemingly forgot the
afternoon’s episode and he had no desire to remind her of it.

“Goodnight Stephen,” she whispered.

“Goodnight, dearest.”

* * * *

The next morning, Ellie's last in London,
passed quickly. Her mother arrived nearly too early for anyone to
sanction, even Alexander, who appeared quite dour as he announced
the Lady and admitted her to Ellie’s sitting room. Still in her
dressing gown, Ellie was pleased to see that her mother appeared to
be well rested. “Edward brought me to see you,” she explained. “I
thought Charlotte and Caroline might be here through the
afternoon.”

Ellie nodded, directing her mother to a
chair so that Carrie could finish her hair. The conversation was
not unusual, for the two discussed Ellie’s brothers. Richard would
depart soon for Cambridge and John was to soon begin a position in
the Foreign Ministry. He had already been searching for bachelor
quarters near St. James and Ellie's mother reported that the
previous day he had found a place he particularly liked. After
Ellie’s impending travel plans were discussed and Ellie was
dressed, the two made their way to the morning room. Only then did
Ellie’s mother discuss the previous day.

“I can’t predict your father anymore, Ellie.
He is being completely unreasonable.”

Ellie nodded, deciding she needed a cup of
tea despite the early hour. “I know, Mama,” she sighed. “I’m sorry
that I have caused you and Papa so much trouble.”

Lady Whitney shook her head. “Do not be
ridiculous, Ellie. You are not responsible for your father’s
foolishness.” She waited as Ellie began to prepare the tea before
asking, “Are you truly happy? Those things he said, they weren’t
true?”

Her daughter smiled, for though Ellie and
Ashberry were hardly on the most intimate of terms yet, Ellie knew
that they were headed in the right direction. Quite honestly, she
said, “We are still adjusting to one another, Mama, but I made the
right decision. Ashberry is a wonderful man.”

Lady Whitney nodded. “Edward says so and I
have no choice, I suppose, but to trust your word.” She smiled
fleetingly. “It’s just that your father is excellent at inspiring
doubts.”

Ellie considered her words carefully. “He
seems ... different.”

Her mother’s face saddened for a moment.
“Not really,” she said softly. “You never saw it, I know, because
his temper never was focused on you.” Ellie had no reply. She
poured her mother a cup of the tea and sipped her own, watching as
her mother’s shoulders relaxed.

Ellie was unsurprised when her mother
continued. “And at Rose Hill, he was away fairly often. Out on the
farms, in the greenhouses. Away in London.” She sighed and shook
her head again. “Until Edward was old enough to come along, he even
came to London without me, from February to April and again in
October and November. And he didn’t interfere in the nursery very
often.” Her lips twisted as she added, “Edward told me that he and
Ashberry had spoken about you.”

Ellie wasn’t sure how much her brother had
revealed but she nodded. “Edward was supposed to come by last night
to see Ashberry but I was asleep before he arrived. Ashberry didn’t
have time to discuss it this morning either—he left early to ride
with his brothers and do some final business with Sebastian.” Ellie
knew the implication was that the two had seen each other early,
probably in bed. In fact, she had woken to Ashberry already
dressed, polished boots, breeches and coat already perfectly in
place. He had kissed the corner of her mouth and left soon
after.

Lady Whitney had smiled, a wistful smile. “I
shall miss you, Ellie.”

Ellie had blinked but her smile to her
mother was genuine. “And I shall miss you—perhaps the last ten
days, Mama, have been a good adjustment.”

Her mother nodded, her smile still strangely
melancholy. “Perhaps they have.”

Ellie noted with concern that her mother’s
smile didn’t quite reach the lady’s eyes.

She remembered the conversation later, when
Ashberry joined her for a late breakfast. “Did you have a good
visit with your mother?” he asked quietly, aware of the butler and
footman.

She nodded in assent but added, “Mama told
me that Papa has always been stubborn but that before this, it was
never about me. She also said he's not been as difficult in the
last few years—especially since I, since we, since they decided to
go to Europe.” She stumbled over the last phrase but Ashberry
understood her euphemism. “I, I had the feeling that she wasn’t
telling me everything, there was something she wanted me to know
but wouldn’t say.”

Ashberry accepted her comment but didn't
remain on the topic for long. "I thought I should suggest, if you
haven't thought of it, that you take a look at the books in the
library. You'll be in the carriage for almost four days and it can
be quite tedious." His eyes twinkled. "Unless you’d rather have my
undivided attention the entire time, I mean.”

Ellie flushed at him, ignoring the last
comment. "Thank you. I will find some reading." She smiled at him,
so easily that he almost forgot his lack of control the previous
night. She added, "I've needlework as well."

With only that little conversation, they
separated, Ashberry not telling his wife about Edward's late-night
call and Ellie not asking. Edward and Charlotte arrived soon after,
however, and Ellie went to greet the two when Alexander showed them
into the morning room.

Edward came straight to the topic on his
mind. "Did you have a good visit with Mama this morning?" he asked
after Ellie and Charlotte settled into their seats.

His voice was slightly odd, though Ellie
could not see from his face what was wrong. Instead, she looked to
Charlotte, answering her brother as she observed the other young
woman's face. "I did. I thought she was ... downhearted." Ellie
realized almost immediately that Charlotte seemed tired, not
rested, but the girl's face showed no signs of distress.

Edward shook his head. "I think it's
repressed, Ellie," he said sadly. "Ashberry and I had a long
discussion last night about what he knows of Papa and I actually
learned a few things." He stood in front of the fire as he spoke,
warming his gloved hands. "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the
marquess joins us soon. I hurried Charlotte so that we would have
some time to speak freely about Papa before Caroline arrived." His
met his wife's eyes for a moment before he added, "I cannot keep a
situation like this from my wife because I need to speak of it and
also because it has already arrived on her doorstep, but she in
turn will have difficulty keeping it from Caroline."

Ellie sighed. "What situation?" she asked
softly. "Papa is just being impossible. Mama says it is not the
first time."

"No, it's not the first time," Edward said
quietly. "But it's not Papa just being impossible." He looked up as
Ashberry entered the room and waited until the marquess stood
behind his wife. "You were too little to remember, I suppose, but
Papa used to have terrible tantrums. He threw things, heavy things.
He shoved her one time against the railing of the stairs in the
upper hall. Mama pretended he didn't, of course, but I could hear
them even from the nursery."

"But he stopped?"

Edward nodded. "At least, he stopped having
those fits in front of us. Being a child, I thought he had just
grown out of it. I mean, I grew out of my tantrums." He shrugged.
"I was little." He walked to the window and stared out of it,
musing, "I haven't managed to figure out why, though."

Ellie looked behind her, but Ashberry was
focused on her brother and his sister. It was Charlotte who finally
continued. "Ellie," she said softly, "After Edward took you away,
he returned to your mother’s drawing room. Your father had your
mother by the shoulders and was shaking her. He had already hit her
once on the face, a slap, she said."

Her mouth open, Ellie nearly turned in her
chair. "Ashberry?" she asked uncertainly.

He nodded calmly. "I know," he replied
quietly. "He told me last night. But I thought it should come from
Edward."

Edward, his back still to the others,
shrugged his shoulders. "I wouldn't be surprised if Papa disowns
me, at least as much as he can," he said quietly. "Of course, he
cannot take away the title or Rose Hill and its income, but as to
the rest—it will probably all go to John and Richard if they aren’t
forced into a similar situation in the next few years." He shook
his head. “But I couldn’t allow him to continue as he was.”

"Why?" Ellie still couldn't fathom her
father in such a violent state of mind that he would cut out his
beloved son, not after they had already survived together, so the
question was incredulous.

"I hit him," Edward explained defensively.
"I turned him around and hit him, and told him to stay away from
Mama."

Ellie swallowed convulsively, grateful that
Ashberry's hands came to rest on her shoulders. "Why didn't Mama
say anything?"

He shrugged. "She wants you to think about
your marriage and yourself, Ellie, not worry about her. She thought
you might be unhappy or even unwilling to leave with Ashberry if
you knew." As he spoke, his eyes met Ellie’s for the first time,
then drifted away to meet the marquess’ gaze.

Ellie said nothing. Ashberry could think
what he wanted, she told herself. In any event, he answered on her
behalf. "Lady Whitney does not know me well," he spoke quietly.
"You had better finish the story, Edward, before Ellie faints."

Edward took a seat and faced his sister,
squaring his chin as he did. "Mama and Richard spent the afternoon
and night with Charlotte and I while John listened to Papa rail
about the injustice of it—of how Mama was to blame for forcing you
to marry, how it wasn’t in your best interest and then taking Mama
and I to task for leaving before he was finished ‘teaching her a
lesson she wouldn’t forget’. I came by here last night—” he stopped
until Ellie nodded before continuing, "And your husband and I
agreed on a course of action." Edward's eyes flashed with an
intensity that Ellie had not seen before and the look made her draw
a deep breath. "I know it is not my place to dictate to Papa but I
will do it in this case. I can support Charlotte comfortably
without his allowance and I will not allow Mama to endanger
herself."

"Will Mama let you manage her?" Ellie
doubted it, for she knew her mother resisted receiving orders from
anyone, especially her children. The question was evident in her
tone.

Edward drew a deep breath. "In this case she
agreed that it would be best if she allowed me to decide when and
if it would be safe for her to return home. After all, she’ll not
have anyone else except the staff to defend her after Richard
leaves next week and John moves into his own lodgings. In my
opinion, it isn’t safe anyway because we cannot be with her
twenty-four hours a day—and it won't be unless we can find out why
Papa is behaving so oddly and guarantee the episodes won’t be
repeated."

"I had done some research," Ashberry
murmured from behind Ellie, "On your family, before Edward and
Charlotte married. And with your brother's permission, I have asked
my contacts to explore a little more deeply and into Whitney’s past
than they did before."

"Until then?" Ellie came to the point that
concerned her. "How will you be able to keep him away from Mama? He
could take a magistrate into your house and force Mama to go with
him." She watched Charlotte carefully as she said her next words.
“And it can’t be easy having a houseguest so early in your
marriage—particularly Mama, who would run Parliament if she
could.”

“She was quite upset last night,” Charlotte
said carefully, “And I’m sure I would never put her back into your
father’s company simply because she is fussy about the way one’s
house is organized.” She seemed to want to say more but Edward
broke in.

"He'll not find her there," he promised
soberly. He sighed, finally taking his wife’s hand in his and
squeezing it. "After you've left, John and I will talk to
Papa."

"And where will Mama stay, if not at your
house?"

Edward paused. He waited for Ashberry to
answer. "Here," her husband announced calmly.

Ellie nearly twisted herself until Ashberry
came to stand by her side, allowing her to stare at him. “Here?”
The word was faint, a bit incredulous.