Will tried to ignore the small voice in the back of his mind that warned this might have been their last opportunity, and brought up something that had been nagging at him since Davy blithely announced their destination. “Before we get to your home, Davy, would you please do me one favor?”
Busy tidying himself with his handkerchief, Davy grinned. “Good heavens, Will, after all that? You must be indefatigable!”
“Not that!” he said, blushing despite himself. “It’s your family. There are so many of them. I’ve met your mother, and your sister—Mary, was it? And I know your sister Amelia writes to you sometimes. Could you remind me once more of the rest of their names?”
“Of course, Will. I’m sorry, there’s quite a crowd of Archers, isn’t there? I have two brothers and four sisters: Mark, the eldest brother, is my father’s heir. Then there’s Mary, Ronald, Anne, Amelia, myself, and Genie. Amelia and Genie are still at home. Mark and his wife Virginia also live at Grenbrook with their three daughters when they are not in town, but the
girls often
spend the Christmas season with Virginia’s mother. If we’re lucky, she may keep them till Spring—they prefer the city in winter, and their Grandmama is very fond of them. Any of the others may be there, with or without their spouses—the last I heard, Anne’s husband was away in the Army. And I believe we have a cousin staying at the place, and of course there are all manner of servants. I shall write up a list of
dramatis personae
when I can get hold of a pen and paper.”
He was joking, of course, but Will was not when he said, “I may need it.”
Chapter Three
“Good Lord.” The words were spoken in reverence, not as an oath, when the post-chaise left the road and entered the tree-lined drive to Grenbrook Manor, which wound through a grove of young oaks, their bare branches making patterns against the sky. The house, dignified without being extravagant, lay some half a mile away, though the curving drive extended the distance. “Davy, when you said your family had a ‘biggish country house’ I thought you actually meant a fair-sized country house, not a half-grown castle. They won’t be expecting you to bring home strays, I’m sure. You’d best have the driver let me off at the servants’ entrance.”
David chuckled as Will nervously adjusted the single epaulet that identified him as a Commander in His Majesty’s Navy. The old place did look impressive, especially when the bare trees let it be seen from such a distance. Only the newer part of the house was visible from here, the stern brick walls brightened by evergreen shrubbery. He wished he might have brought Will to see it in the spring. “If you go in the servants’ entrance, I’ll have to, as well. Bear up, Will, once you’ve passed inspection we should be given at least some time to ourselves. I have always been so far down the chain of command in this place, I ought to salute the butler.”
“Yes, but you’re an Archer, a son of the house. You belong here. I’m—”
“I’ve told you this before, sir! You are an officer of His Majesty’s Navy, you are in command of your own ship—or at least you were until a few days ago, and you still hold that rank, regardless—and you are my commanding officer. You are also my dearest friend, and if it weren’t for you I wouldn’t be here myself.” Will still looked so serious he could not resist teasing, “By now Father must be desperate to find a husband for Amelia, and Genie’s old enough to be considering the question, too.”
Will’s black eyebrows flew up in alarm. “Davy!”
“Gently, Will, gently. You’re safe enough.” He squeezed his lover’s hand. “I wouldn’t let Genie have you, even if she weren’t far too young. She would drive you mad straightaway, and you would make her miserable. And from all I can determine, Amelia means to be a bluestocking spinster. She cares more for her books than any living man, though if you were in the market she might actually consider you, on my recommendation.”
Will did not look consoled. “But your father—would he actually expect me to…?”
“Oh, good Lord, of course not! I’m sure he would be delighted if you took a fancy to each other, but you’ve not even met her yet, and I do have a certain prior claim!”
“Yes, but that’s hardly something you could tell your family.”
“I’m afraid not. Wouldn’t if I could—it would make all my sisters jealous.” Truth be known, if David were to compare his friend to his two brothers-in-law, the gentlemen married to his elder sisters would suffer by the comparison. “Even if we did not have ...” he stroked Will’s palm with his thumb, “our own arrangement, you have done me service enough by coming with me into the lions’ den.”
Will gave him an odd look. “Is it so difficult to live in this grand style?”
David realized how foolish he must have sounded, and smiled apologetically. “It’s not the place, as such. I love it, if you want to know the truth. And I can’t deny its superiority to a midshipman’s berth...But that’s not what I meant, Will. It’s not the place so much as the people—or, rather, my own place among them, as a disappointment of a youngest son.”
“Disappointment?” Will snorted. “I’ll not speak ill of your father, but if he is disappointed in you, his expectations must have been preposterous.”
“They were stringent, at any rate. But I believe the new uniform will improve my standing.” David looked down at his own extremely elegant Lieutenant’s dress uniform, which he had barely had occasion to wear since he’d picked it up at a Portsmouth tailor’s shop over a year ago. “It’s been almost four years since I’ve been home, and I was only a midshipman then. The novelty ought to give me a bit of credit.”
“If the prospect is so unpleasant, Davy, why on earth did you wish to come here? I’d have gone anywhere else with you, and gladly.”
“Oh, you mustn’t take my complaints too seriously.” He wasn’t entirely sure of his own reasons, though traveling elsewhere with Will did sound agreeable. “I thought Sir Percy’s suggestion had the sound of an order about it, didn’t you? Where else were we to go?”
“We’d have thought of something.” Will hesitated. “But—surely your family will be glad to see you, and have you home for a little while? Especially after they came so close to losing you!”
David sometimes envied Will his freedom from the weight of family expectations. “Most of them will, yes. I do want to see my mother again, and my sisters.” It would be good to be reunited with at least some of the family, especially after that time when he thought he might never see any of them again. “And my eldest brother.”
Will nodded. “Will your other brother be here as well?”
“Ronald? I hope not. But I truly don’t know. Amelia said he had planned to be home for Christmas, but for some reason could not get leave. With the Peace, I’d have expected his regiment to return to England. Or it may not have been brought home; I’ve no idea where he was last stationed.”
With a slight frown, Will said, “Are you certain there’ll be room for me?”
“Yes, of course. This is nothing unusual, really; the family often gathers here at Christmastime. If Anne’s husband in still in India, she may well have come with the intention of staying until spring.” He smiled once more at the look of worry on his lover’s face. “Look at the bright side, Will. The house itself is bigger than a dreadnought, the entire crew is much smaller, and we can always go out for a stroll if the togetherness is more than we can bear.”
“I’m sorry,” Will said. “Of course you should visit your family—how often do you get the chance? And I do appreciate the hospitality. It has simply been so long since I’ve been ashore, in civilian company—what shall I do, with no one to salute?”
“Oh, if that’s your only worry, rest assured. You’ll know who’s in command. My father is quite masterful.” Although, he remembered, Mark was beginning to take the reins. It would be interesting to see how smoothly the Earl and his heir were dealing with the transfer of power; his father was proud of Mark, and getting on in years. It was none too soon to pass the torch. But would he be able, in fact, to relinquish his control over every last detail?
David bit his lip as the carriage swept around the last curve to slow before the pillared entryway. It felt as though returning to the family home was moving him back through time, turning him once again into the youngest brother, the least among them, always cautious, guarding his words.
No. He would not go back to that old role. Whatever the family might expect, he had outgrown it. He had a modest inheritance, the prize-money he’d won, the house in London. He was a man grown, in control of his own life. His father would simply have to accept that fact.
As the coach drew up under the porte-cochère, he acknowledged to himself where his true loyalties lay. “Will, I know I’ve spoken of him before, and it is vile of me to cast aspersions on my own flesh and blood—but if Ronald should be here, you must always be on your guard around him.”
Will shot him a curious look, but said nothing. They had been through enough together that Will knew he would not say such a thing without cause, and the few times he had mentioned Brother Ronald before, he’d never had anything good to say of him.
Then Will looked at the house, and caught his breath. “Davy, over the door…”
David looked, and felt his heart constrict at the sight of the black bunting. Mourning. A death in the family?
“I’m sorry,” Will said quickly. “Do you have any idea who—?”
“None. But my father’s not young.” The Earl—strange, to think of one’s father only by his title—was sixty-eight now, his wife seven years younger. “They were all in good health, the last I heard. Mark is nearing forty, and is almost never ill. But no, if it were Father there would be hatchments up as well—his coat of arms. Oh, God, I hope it’s not my mother!”
After many years of walking about on a moving deck, David didn’t wait for the carriage to stop, or worry about a dignified exit. Will was a few steps behind, having given the post-boys instructions, and then the door opened and Leland’s honest face gaped at him in amazement. “Master David—I’m sorry, sir, Lieutenant Archer—we had no word you were coming.”
How had his hair grown so grizzled in only four years? David took off his cloak and handed it over. “It’s all right, Leland, the leave was unexpected. I saw the mourning outside. My father—?”
“He is as well as might be. It was your brother, sir. Lord Mark.”
Mark?
He swallowed, for a moment unable to speak. “But— When? How?”
“The funeral was three days ago, sir. You had no letter?”
“The letter’s probably on the water hoy doing Channel duty,” Will said, just behind him. He looked slightly startled to have his overclothes taken out of his hands; Leland disappeared with them through a nearby door. “We weren’t expected in port, after all. I am sorry, Davy.”
David nodded. “Leland, how is my mother?” The butler, returning empty-handed, smiled sadly.
“I’m sure your presence will be a great comfort, sir. She is in her rooms, and may be asleep. Shall I show you upstairs?”
“No—no, I can still find my way about. Is my father in his study?”
“I believe he is out riding, sir. Three of your sisters are at home, however; I shall see they are informed them of your arrival.”
“Thank you.” Slightly relieved that he was not required to face his father immediately, David turned. “Well, Will, it seems we’re left to our own devices. I believe I can still find my way around the place, unless you would like some refreshment first?”
“Whatever suits you. I’m glad enough to just stand and walk about for a bit.”
“Let me show you the old place, then—starting with the necessary facilities.”
The necessary attended to, he was unsure where to begin. After living on a ship-of-war, the halls of Grenbrook seemed much larger than he remembered, their footfalls echoing hollowly on the polished floors. Mark dead! Mark, big, bluff, hearty, almost a living model of an English landed gentleman. Their mother would be devastated, and the Earl...it had only been a year or two since his eldest son had retired from his Army career to come home and run the estate, after his father had finally admitted that his age and health left him unequal to the task.
Then it struck him.
Ronald is heir, now. Oh, holy Jesus
. The thought halted David in his tracks; he felt as if the ground was falling away beneath him.
“What is it?” Will asked.
He shook his head, unable to explain it in any coherent way. As he hesitated, he realized that two very small, identical toddlers were peeking around the morning-room door, studying the strangers in their handsome blue and white uniforms. “Girls, come back here!” a woman’s voice said from beyond the doorway. Then another familiar face appeared behind the children, foreign-looking in her somber black gown. “Davy!” his sister exclaimed, rushing toward them.
“Amelia!”
“When did you arrive? We’ve had no word, how long will you stay, oh, it’s so good to see you!”
He was enveloped in a hearty squeeze, saluted with a kiss on the cheek. “My sister Amelia,” he explained hastily, at Will’s broad grin.
“Your twin, I would guess,” Will said.
“Not quite.” Conscious of the ambiguity due a lady’s age, he added, “There’s a year and a bit between us. Amelia, this is my friend and shipmate, Commander William Marshall.”
“I am honored to meet you, Lady Amelia,” Will bowed slightly, on his best behavior. “My condolences on your loss.” He glanced at David, then said, “I did not mean to intrude on your grief; if you wish, I can remove to an inn—”