Lady In Distress (The Langley Sisters Book 3) (9 page)

“I have been away, Thea. Things change.” Bella bit into the bun. Hopefully Thea would not expect her to answer if her mouth was full.

“You’ve been away for a few months.” Her friend’s response was wry. “Not a year or two, Bella.”
 

“Things change,” Bella said, and took a larger bite this time. Thea simply waited for her to swallow before starting her next question.

“I have never broached the subject of Luke Fletcher with you but I do know that you have loved that man since you were old enough to know what the emotion was, Isabella Langley. And whilst your differences once kept you apart, I thought that when he returned, and with the change in his circumstance, that perhaps—”

“How do you know I love him?”
Thea stopped in the middle of the street and simply stared at Bella.

“It’s rude to stare,” Bella muttered, but Thea simply raised an eyebrow, looking like Will, and remained silent. “All right,” Bella yielded when she could not stand the silence a second longer. “Yes, I do love him. But there is much more between us than that, and it is conflicting and confusing as we are both changing. Therefore, I’m having a season and if he still cares for me we will discuss our futures after that.”

“Of course he will still loves you,” Thea said softly. “The man is never more than a few feet from you at all times, and he cannot keep his eyes off you.”

Bella felt a surge of joy at her friend’s words.

“He was given a letter from my father that asked him to care for me,” Bella said, dropping her eyes as she began to pick out the currants from her bun. “I wonder if he hadn’t been given that, if he would have stayed in Twoaks.”

“He never told you that?” Thea looked horrified.

“He did, and Jenny confirmed that she was the one to give it to him.”

“He would have stayed anyway, Bella. There is more to this than a letter. But I will leave it for now, as I see by the look on your face that you have no wish to talk on the matter further. However, there will be plenty of time in London for me to interrogate you more.”

“There is nothing to discuss, Thea, honestly. It is best for us both to have this time. He still sees me as I once was, a pathetic woman in need of his continual support, and I fear that may never change.”

Thea said nothing further and continued to eat her bun as they began to make their way back towards Willow Hall, but Bella knew she was thinking about had been said.

“My dear Miss Langley, look at you!”

“Lord have mercy,” Thea muttered as Mrs. Popplehinge hurried towards them. Tall and stick thin, the woman was dressed in a black flowing cloak that would have been suitable for evening wear, but hardly appropriate for a stroll through the village, and a hat made entirely of fur that stood off her head in the shape of a cone.
 

“Mrs. Popplehinge. My, you are looking quite lovely today,” Bella said when she could find her voice.

“Oh, you are a dear,” the lady said loudly enough for anyone silly enough to be standing outside in the cold to hear.

“I have noticed something about you, Miss Langley. You are not lame any longer,” she cooed. “No longer the little lame Langley.”

Bella felt Thea stiffen, but she held her smile. Mrs. Popplehinge was not a mean person; in fact, the Langley’s and she had become quite comfortable with each other over the last few years. She was, however, totally without discretion.

“Thank you, Mrs. Popplehinge. I am most grateful for your kind words.
 

Bella looked over one of the woman’s shoulders as a movement caught her eye, and met Luke Fletchers gaze. He was leaning on the gate of Mrs. Elliot’s house, eating his bun with one of his siblings. Bella remembered the little boy as being the youngest Fletcher, Graham. He was perched beside Luke, his little body leaning into his big brother while he, too, ate a bun. They looked comfortable sitting there in the cold, and Bella closed her eyes briefly, remembering how it felt to be pressed against Luke.
 

“I never liked that particular description,” Bella said, pulling her eyes from Luke’s. “I would be most grateful if you did not use it again, Mrs. Popplehinge, as it no longer applies to me, as you can see.”

“Oh, well, of course I never meant to offend you—”

“I know that you did not, Mrs. Popplehinge. You, of all people, have been kindness itself to my family. But there are others…” Bella let the words hang in the air between them. “And I know I can count on you to change the views of those who do not know better,” she said gently.

Mrs. Popplehinge straightened, her thin shoulders now forming a line.
 

“Indeed, my dear Miss Langley, say no more. You leave it to me. I shall not allow another person to speak in such an insulting way about you again.”

They watched as she hurried away, no doubt ready to slay anyone who said little lame Langley again.

“You’ve changed,” Thea said when they started walking again.
 

“How so?” Bella ignored Luke, but waved to Graham, who returned her gesture.
 

“The old Bella would never have taken her to task over that horrid name; you would simply have shouldered it and walked away.”

“I think the new Bella is here to stay now, Thea.”

“Well, well, well. Did you grow a backbone in that clinic, too?”

“Perhaps I did.”

They walked out of the village towards the bridge, and Bella stopped before they made their way over. Looking down, she saw that the rest of Luke’s siblings skating on the ice.

“Come on, let’s go down and watch for a while. Perhaps one of them will lend me their skates. We used to do this, Thea, before I hurt my leg.”

“We’re not children anymore, Bella.” Thea laughed as Bella urged her along the grass and down the steps that had worn into the bank over the years. They were slippery, but with careful navigation, they made it down.
 

“It has been cold enough to freeze everything and the water down there is not overly deep, but still I should hate for it to crack and one of us fall in.”

“Lady Althea, I do believe you are scared,” Bella taunted Thea.

“I shall stop on this ledge for a moment, and watch you to see if it is safe.”

Rolling her eyes, Bella continued the last few feet to the bottom alone. When she arrived, the Fletcher siblings all stopped skating and drew near in a line to watch her.

“Hello,” Bella said. “You’re Luke’s siblings, aren’t you? Do you remember me?”

“Miss Bella,” one of them mumbled.

“That’s right,” she said closing the distance between them. “Now, let me see if I remember who you all are.”

“Hello!”

“Lady Althea is waving down to you all.” Bella laughed as they looked up to where Thea stood, calling out a greeting. They all waved dutifully back.
 

Bella studied them; all had Luke’s hair and eyes. “Tommy,” she said to the tallest boy,” who nodded back. “Alison,” she said to the girl to his right. “Michael.” The next boy was of a more solid build. “And you are Simon,” Bella added to the smallest of the group who was looking up at her with big eyes. “And finally, Rose,” she finished, looking at the eldest girl.

“Did I get them all right?”
They nodded.

“Why are you down here?”
“Well, Rose, I have just returned to Twoaks, from a clinic in Scotland as you know, because your brother brought me back. I used to walk with a limp but after being there, now I don’t.”
 

“You used to use a cane.”

“Yes, Alison, I did, but now I have no cane, and I wanted to skate, but of course as you see I forgot my skates.
 

They all looked at her feet and then at theirs. By silent agreement, Rose then spoke.
 

“You could borrow Alison’s skates, because she has the biggest feet, and we could help you if you like?”

Bella smiled. “I would love that above all things.”

Alison helped Bella attach them to her boots.
 

“I have to tell you all a secret, but you must promise to keep it to yourselves.”

They nodded as one.

“I fear I may be quite dreadful at this; however, I have no wish for anyone but Lady Althea and yourselves to know that.”

This made them smile, and Rose even giggled.

“We promise to keep it a secret, if that is your wish.”

“All right, then, I am now in your hands.” Taking the ice, she felt Tommy and Rose move to her sides.
 

“It’s better to start slow, just little steps. Try and glide.”

“All right, Rose, I shall try. Thank you both for supporting me when I know you would rather be skating yourselves.”

“No, we wouldn’t,” Rose said which made Bella feel ridiculously happy.
 

As she felt the muscles in her leg begin to protest at the strange movements, she realized her memory had not served her well; it was a lot harder than it appeared. But soon, after a lot of guidance from her two little helpers, she was skating.

“I remember this,” she whispered. “The joy of gliding around on the ice.”

They supported her as they moved in slow circles, and then Tommy left her side and it was just she and Rose.

“Rose, I’m skating,” Bella could hear the awe in her voice.
 

“That you are, Miss Langley.”

“I know you won’t, especially if you’re as stubborn as your brother, but if you feel you can then I would like for you to call me Bella.”

“Thank you, Bella, and yes, he is stubborn, but the very best of brothers just the same.”

“He is the very best of men, too, Rose, but I shall thank you for not telling him I said that.”

Her giggle was such a sweet sound it made Bella smile. “And now, my dear, I shall be grateful if you release me, and I shall endeavor to skate my way back to where the others await us.”

“All right, and I shall stay behind you if you should need me.”

Bella nodded as Rose released her. She concentrated on gliding as she had been told, and felt the movements come back to her with each step she took.

“What the bloody hell do you think you are doing!”

Luke’s roar startled Bella and she stumbled backwards, losing her balance and falling hard onto her bottom. Sucking in a deep breath as the damp soaked into her skirts, she tried to regain her feet, but they kept slipping. Then two large hands grabbed her and lifted her upright.

“I never thought you a woman of so little sense!”

Bella looked up into Luke’s furious eyes. “I was not doing anything foolish, merely skating with your family. Surely there has been no harm done?” He steadied her as she nearly overbalanced again. “I assure you they were in no danger from me.”

“I know you would not harm them, that is not what—”

“If you had not roared at me,” Bella said cutting him off, “then I would probably have reached the safety of the bank by now and not have wet clothing to contend with.” Bella’s temper simmered as she attempted to pull her damp skirts away from her bottom.

“Not that many months ago you walked with a cane, and now you can suddenly skate on a piece of ice that is probably not that far away from thawing.” His fingers bit into her arms as he shook her.

“You’re siblings were skating on it.”

“They are not…”

She saw the instant he swallowed the word. “Lame?” Bella added. “They are not invalids? Is that what you wanted to say, Luke?”

His scowl darkened, his eyes going from her to Rose, who had moved close to Bella.

“She’s not lame now, Luke, and I don’t know why you are angry with her. She was in no danger, and was having fun with us.”

Bella pulled her eyes from his and looked at Rose, who was staring intently at her brother.
 

“Be quiet, Rosie,” Luke said, still looking at her.
 

“Don’t tell your sister to be quiet,” she snapped, wrenching her arm free, and in doing so stumbled backwards but managed to right herself with a series of ungraceful arm flailing, feet sliding movements. Looking up into his eyes when she was once again steady, she saw them light with laughter, although his face still formed a scowl.

“Are you laughing at me, Luke Fletcher?”

“I would not dare laugh at you, Miss Langley,” he said, stepping forward to offer her his hand. Incensed, Bella took it and pulled hard. She saw the surprise on his face before she sent him sliding across the ice, much to the delight of his siblings, who were now laughing loudly.
 

“Help me quick, Rose!”

Too stunned to do anything but obey her, the girl held out her hand and helped Bella skate to the bank.
 

“Bella!”

Ignoring the masculine bellow from behind her, Bella bent to pull off the skates. Finished, she handed them to Alison. Then, after kissing Rose’s head and thanking her again, she hurried towards the bank with a brief backwards wave for the rest of Luke’s siblings.

“Thea, quickly, give me a hand!”