The Constant Heart (29 page)

'Rosie, dearest.' Harry took her by the hand. 'I would have thought that Trigg would infinitely prefer working as your maid to the alternative of the workhouse.'

'The workhouse!' Caddie's knees buckled and she collapsed on the bottom stair tread, burying her face in her hands. 'For the love of God, sir. Not the workhouse.'

'See what you've done.' Rosina shot him a furious look. She rushed to Caddie's side, placing her arm around her shaking shoulders. 'Don't worry, there's no question of you ever going to the workhouse. You are safe here with us.'

'I'll be your maid, miss,' Caddie said, sniffing. 'I'll work for nothing so long as you let me and me babies stay with you.'

Edward made his way past them. 'I can't pay you, my dear. But if young Harry has a mind to, then I'd say you should take it and be grateful.'

'Maybe he'd like to pay me too,' Bertha muttered, helping Rosina to raise Caddie to her feet. 'It's years since I had any wages.'

'We already have a housekeeper,' Harry said stiffly. 'But I'm sure that Captain May will keep you on after Miss Rosina and I are married. Naturally we will be living with my parents in Wellclose Square.'

'But Harry, this is my home.' Rosina cried angrily. She had not considered the practicalities of being married into the Gostellow family, and now she was really worried. Panic seized her and she was tempted to run up to her bedroom and lock the door, but Harry had taken her firmly by the hand and he drew her gently away from Caddie.

'Silly goose, of course we'll live in the mansion with my parents. You wouldn't expect me to live here, would you?' He turned to Caddie. 'Fetch Miss Rosina's mantle and gloves, please, Trigg. My father's carriage is waiting in the High Street, and I suggest we leave before it starts to rain.'

The first clap of thunder rolled around the darkening sky just as the carriage pulled up outside the Gostellows' mansion in Wellclose Square. The matched pair of bays snorted and reared in the shafts, and the coachman leapt off his seat to hold their heads. A footman ran down the steps to open the carriage door. Harry climbed out first and he helped Rosina to alight. He smiled down at her as he led her up the steps and into the house. 'Welcome to what will soon be your home, my lovely bride-to-be.'

A flash of lightning illuminated the gloomy hallway for a brief second and Potter loomed from behind a marble pillar, making Rosina jump.

'May I take your mantle, miss?'

Rosina shrugged the garment off and handed it to him. 'Thank you, Mr Potter.'

'It's just Potter, miss.'

'You have so much to learn, my darling.' Harry chuckled as he handed his top hot and gloves to the butler. 'Are my parents in the drawing room?'

'They are, sir.' Potter hobbled over to Edward to relieve him of his hat and coat.

'Come and say hello to your future in-laws, my darling.' Harry offered her his arm. He glanced over his shoulder at Edward. 'You know my father, sir, but I do not believe you have ever met my mama.'

Edward cleared his throat, running his finger round the inside of his starched collar. 'No. I've not yet had that pleasure.'

Rosina shot him an encouraging smile, but she suppressed a shudder as they entered the drawing room. She felt a definite chill, even though it was hot and sultry out of doors. Margaret Gostellow was lying on the chaise longue in front of a roaring fire. She might never have moved since the last time Rosina had seen her, except for the fact that she was now wearing an ivory satin gown lavishly trimmed with Brussels lace and pearls. She stared at Rosina through a lorgnette, her hooded eyes registering nothing except the faintest hint of surprise. 'I see that you can look presentable when you make the effort. I'm agreeably surprised.'

Rosina bit back a sharp retort. 'Good evening, ma'am.'

Harry leaned closer to Rosina, lowering his voice. 'Mama meant it as a compliment, my love. She speaks her mind, but you'll soon get used to that.'

Margaret eyed him with an ominous frown. 'If you have something to say, Harry, say it so that we can all hear.'

'Mama, may I introduce Captain Edward May?' Harry gave Edward a gentle shove towards the chaise longue. 'Captain May, my mother, Margaret Gostellow.'

Edward bowed from the waist. 'Charmed to make your acquaintance, ma'am.'

A flash of lightning illuminated the shadowy room just long enough for Rosina to realise that a man was sitting in a wing-back chair, smoking a cigar. He rose to his feet, moving towards them and exhaling a cloud of blue smoke. 'So this is your intended, my boy?'

'Yes, Father. May I present my fiancée, Rosina May?'

'How do, my dear?' Harold Gostellow breathed cigar fumes into her face as he kissed her on the cheek. 'What a little beauty, Harry, my boy. You show excellent taste in women as you do in horseflesh.' He winked at Rosina and guffawed. She saw that he had long yellow teeth, rather like one of his horses. She was not absolutely certain, but she thought that his free hand had strayed to touch her bottom, although with a bustle at the back of her gown it was not possible to be completely sure. Bobbing a curtsey, she backed away. 'How do you do, sir?'

Harry did not appear to have noticed his father's raffish behaviour and he smiled as he motioned Edward to step forward. 'Of course you know my future pa-in-law, Father. Captain May.'

'Good evening, Ed, old boy. Bad do about your boat, but if you're in need of work I might be able to find you something suitable to a man of your talents.' Harold slapped him on the shoulder, causing Edward to cough. 'No need to thank me, old chap.' Harold signalled to the butler, who was drooping quietly in the shadows. 'Potter! Fetch the brandy decanter and three glasses.'

'Come here, my dear.' Margaret's voice quavered as she beckoned to Rosina. 'Come over here where I can see you more clearly.'

Rosina went to stand by the chaise longue. 'Yes, ma'am.'

'Sit down, child. You're making my neck ache.'

Rosina perched on the edge of a chair opposite her prospective mother-in-law.

'So, my boy has asked you to marry him?'

'Yes, ma'am.'

'I can't say that I was surprised, or that I was best pleased. I had hoped that Harry would pick a girl of good family, similar to my own. My father was a magnate, you know.'

Harold, apparently overhearing this remark, gave a loud snort. 'He was a bloody dustman, just the same as I was when I started out. Made a fortune out of other people's rubbish, did old Ezra Huggins.'

'Don't pay any attention to him.' Margaret fluttered her fan, casting a furious look at her husband. 'My papa was a public servant, overseeing the refuse disposal of the city. He was a hygienist.'

Doing her best to ignore Mr Gostellow's loud guffaws, Rosina made an effort to sound impressed. 'I didn't know that, Mrs Gostellow.'

'Well, he was. And he left this house to me, together with the money that set my husband up in business. I was quite a catch, I can tell you. And I was considered to be a beauty until ill health forced me to retire from polite society.'

'I'm sorry to hear it, ma'am.'

'But you will be a comfort to me, I hope, Rosina. You will keep me company during the long winter days when I am too fragile to venture out of doors, or to receive guests. I'm sure we will do very well together, once you have learned to be a lady.'

Rosina was saved from replying by Harry who strolled over to them clutching a glass of brandy in his hand. 'How are you two getting along? Splendidly, I hope. I told you that you would love her, Mama, just as I do.'

'She's very pretty, Harry. I'm sure she will learn to be a good wife, given time, and the benefit of my knowledge and experience.'

Harry leaned over and kissed his mother on the forehead. 'She could not fail to benefit from your patronage, dearest Mama.'

'My darling boy.' Margaret aimed a triumphant glance at Rosina. 'See how he idolises his mama, Rosina. I hope that when you have sons they appreciate you as Harry does me.'

Rosina felt herself blushing. She had not given motherhood a thought. In fact, she had only the haziest idea what constituted the intimate side of matrimony, and this had been gained from whispered conversations with Sukey, who had quizzed her newly married cousin, Jane, about what actually happened in the marriage bed. They had concluded that Jane had made up most of it to shock them, and that she was not a reliable witness, since she had insisted that she kept her eyes tight shut and had thought about chocolate cake and ice cream during the whole beastly business. Although, Sukey had said, on reflection – Jane had been married for nearly a year with no sign of a happy event, so she might have been telling the truth. It was a well-known fact, according to Miss Carmody, who had taught French at the dame school attended by Sukey and her sisters, that if one did not enjoy marital relations, then a baby would not be the result. Unfortunately Miss Carmody had been sent away in disgrace shortly after this conversation, and so the girls had not been able to question her further.

'See how she blushes, mama. Isn't she a dear?' Harry sipped his brandy, smiling his approval.

Margaret's lips curved, but her eyes were cold as agate as she stared at Rosina. 'So where is this ring then? I thought you were taking her to buy one this afternoon, Harry.'

He gulped down the remainder of his drink. 'I, er – we didn't get round to it, Mama.'

'And diamonds are a shocking price. Your father is not a generous man, and I doubt if he would sanction such a gross extravagance.' Margaret tugged at the ring on her engagement finger, working it round until it came off in her hand. 'This is the engagement ring that he bought me, all those years ago. Hold out your hand, Harry.'

With child-like obedience, Harry held out his hand and his mother placed her ring on his palm, closing his fingers round it with a sigh. 'There, give her that, my dear boy. And I hope it brings Rosina as much happiness from her marriage as mine has to me.'

Harry opened his hand and stared doubtfully at the small stone. 'But you have not been happy, Mama. You are always telling me so.'

She smacked him with her furled fan. 'Silly boy. You know I like to tease you. Give it to her now.'

Rosina clenched her hand into a fist. She did not want his mother's ring. The thought of wearing it made her feel physically sick. She shook her head. 'Really, ma'am. It's too much to ask you to part with something so precious.'

'Rosie's right, Mama. You must not part with your engagement ring.' Harry tried to give it back, but Margaret thrust his hand away.

'You will displease me greatly if you don't put my ring on her finger. I can feel an attack of palpitations coming on. You know that I must not be upset.'

Harry gave Rosina a pleading look. 'My darling? It means so much to Mama.'

Reluctantly, Rosina held out her left hand, suppressing a shudder as Harry slipped the ring on her finger. If he had clamped an iron manacle on her she could not have felt more disturbed and ill at ease.

'What's this then?' Harold peered over his son's shoulder. 'Doing the right thing by the little lady, eh? Congratulations, old fellow.' He slapped Harry on the back. 'Now, as her future father-in-law, allow me to be the first to kiss the bride-to-be.'

Before Rosina had a chance to move out of reach, Harold seized her round the waist and drew her to him, planting a wet, slobbery kiss on her lips, and taking rather more pleasure in it than was appropriate.

'Put her down, you lecherous beast,' Margaret said, raising her voice to a point where the crystals on the chandelier tinkled in unison. 'The girl may be common but she is not a maidservant with whom you can take liberties.'

'Come now, ma'am,' Edward said, tugging nervously at his whiskers. 'I'm sure that it was just a mark of fatherly appreciation. My girl is precious to me and I would take it badly if a man was to show her any disrespect.'