The Folly at Falconbridge Hall (12 page)

Her heart beat faster at the invitation in his eyes. “I’ll just finish putting these flowers in water.”

“We’ll let the parlor maid do it. That’s what we have servants for.”

She began to say it wasn’t a chore, that she loved to arrange flowers, but changed her mind. When he took her hand, she followed him up the stairs. It bothered her how quickly he’d come to mean so much to her. When he shut the bedroom door and took her in his arms, she wondered at the change in him. He was acting like a lover. Whatever had caused such a change she was certainly enjoying the experience.

*****

Several nights later, in Julian’s bedroom, Vanessa watched as he moved aside an oil painting of sailing ships hanging on the wall. Hinged, it opened to reveal a safe behind it. He twiddled a dial, pulled a lever, and removed something from it, then closed it again. “I’ve written the combination down for you. I’ll put it in my sock drawer; it won’t be disturbed while I’m gone. You’ll find jewels and money in here should you need it. Everything else is with my solicitor. His details are here too.”

He was protecting her should he not return. She didn’t want to hear it. He came to where she sat at the dressing table, opening a box as he moved. “I have something for you.” He set it on the dressing table and withdrew a glittering object.

“Oh, but it’s exquisite!” Vanessa put her hand to her throat when he clasped a delicate diamond necklace around her neck. In the box, lay a pair of matching diamond earrings.

She swiveled to look up at him. “Thank you, my love.” Shocked that she’d said it, she tried to read the expression in his eyes but his lashes shuttered them, as he straightened the necklace, his fingers light on her skin. The endearment laid her emotions bare before him, to rebuff her or to acknowledge how she clearly felt about him. Time was so short. She breathed in deeply.

“I shall gain much pleasure from giving you pretty things.” He picked up her hand and pressed a kiss onto the palm.

It wasn’t a rebuff, nor was it a clear confirmation of his feelings. She turned back to the mirror to put on the earrings, fighting disappointment. She watched him in the glass as he turned away. “Why didn’t you ask Miss Patterson to marry you?”

He swung back to face her with raised brows. It was impertinent and entirely unreasonable, and her heart nearly stopped while she waited for his answer. She almost wished to take the words back, but with their brief time together racing towards the end, she had to ask it.

She searched his gaze and found humor lurking there. “Might you be a little jealous of Miss Patterson?”

She pulled on her gloves. “A little.”

“I’m flattered, but you have no reason to be.”

“You haven’t answered my question.”

“Why I didn’t ask her?” He picked up his gloves and top hat from the bureau. “It just didn’t occur to me.”

Rising, she walked over to rest her hands on his chest. “It didn’t occur to you?”

He held his hands over hers with a smile. “I suppose I didn’t wish to. I wasn’t considering marriage at that point.”

“But you asked me.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

His eyes grew shadowed. “You know why.”

“Because you trust me with your daughter’s welfare?”

“Yes. I trust in your common sense.”

“And Miss Patterson … lacks common sense?”

He broke away from her and picked up his evening cape. “Does she? I don’t know.”

“For a scientist, you are being remarkably obtuse.”

He gave a strained laugh. “And you’re being remarkably inquisitive.”

She looked down at her hands and swiveled the ring on her finger. “I have to know, Julian.”

“Do you? Well, you have nothing to fear from Miss Patterson. No doubt she will be engaged or married by the time I return.”

This was getting them nowhere. She bit her lip and attempted to hide her disappointment.

“Shall we go?” Julian said, placing her evening cape around her shoulders. “Capstick has brought the carriage around.”

Little was said between them on the way in the carriage. Julian appeared thoughtful and self-contained and unaware of how nervous she was. Annoyed with herself and a bit with him, she stared out at the halo of gas lamps lighting the pavements. She realized she must stop hoping for something more from him than their initial agreement. He had warned her.

Lord and Lady Forster resided in grand white stuccoed house in Belgrave Square. They were greeted by the elegant couple in the soaring, marble hall where a butler and maid waited, ready to whisk away their hats and coats.

Lady Forster cast a sharp eye over her, perhaps searching for signs of anguish. Apparently satisfied, she took Julian’s arm and led them into the throng, with Vanessa following on Lord Forster’s arm.

The stylish guests enjoyed the soft evening, roaming the stone terrace Vanessa could see through the French windows or chatting beneath an enormous chandelier in the crimson-papered drawing room. Vanessa, naturally shy, blanched at the sight of them turning to gaze at her. It didn’t help that, as the room’s centerpiece, looking ravishing in pale lilac tulle, stood Miss Abigail Patterson, surrounded by men. Her gaze slid past Vanessa and alighted on Julian. Her look, before she quickly glanced away, was full of longing. Vanessa silently commiserated. Again, she wondered why Julian had not chosen Miss Patterson. There was so much she didn’t know about him. She longed to understand what had happened to bring his marriage to Clara to an end, for until she did there would be gulf between them. Had he made love to many women? Even by her own limited knowledge of such things, he was undoubtedly a practiced lover. She couldn’t bury the thought that she was an interloper in this world Miss Patterson inhabited with such poise. But Julian had chosen to marry her, and she would fight to remain with Blythe whatever happened in the future.

Miss Patterson came to greet them, casting a quick glance at Vanessa’s dress. The dramatic bright orange and black pattern stood out amongst the softer hues in the room. Vanessa was glad she’d chosen it. Now was not the time to fade into the background.

People offering their felicitations swamped them. Vanessa knew she would never remember all their names. Mr. and Mrs. Watmore, greeted her warmly, then Lord Forster introduced her to the other explorer accompanying them to South America, Charles Frobisher. The tall, fair-haired gentleman, who was dressed rather rakishly in a cerise waistcoat and floppy bow tie, greeted her with a wide smile.

Mr. Frobisher stepped closer to Vanessa while Julian was engaged in conversation with an older lady. “I believe you are the Earl of Gresham’s niece,” he said. “His lordship belongs to my club.”

“I’m afraid I don’t know him well.”

“No?” His sandy eyebrows rose. “Starchy kind of chap, wouldn’t you say?”

Vanessa refused to be drawn into revealing her feelings about her uncle. “Are you looking forward to your trip to South America?”

“Indeed. It’s in my blood. I’m a descendant of Sir Martin Frobisher. He made three voyages to the New World to look for the Northwest Passage in the sixteenth century.”

“And did he find it?”

“It has yet to be navigated. But he had a sterling career.” He gave her an assessing smile, and rocked on his heels. “I’m surprised you haven’t heard of Sir Martin, bays and ships and crescents have been named after him.”

“You’ve whetted my appetite. I shall make it a goal to read about him. You don’t leave a wife and children behind?” He didn’t bear the settled appearance of a married man and had apparently come without a lady on his arm.

A spark appeared in his brown eyes. “No. Fancy free to seek out what most interests me.”

“And what interests you most on these trips?”

“The multitude of exotic animal species. It’s a fascinating continent with sloths, snakes, alligators and piranha, to name but a few.” He had a way of looking at her that made her suspect his interests lay with the feminine sex as well.

“What is a piranha?”

“Little fish that will strip the flesh off your bones if you let them.”

She shivered. “Ugh.”

Mr. Frobisher laughed. “They don’t pique your interest?”

“They do, from a distance. I gather they have very sharp teeth.”

“I could let you have my journal articles to read.” His eyes brightened. “That’s if you really are interested and not just being polite.”

“Thank you. I’d very much like to read them.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Julian’s head bowed to listen to something Miss Patterson was saying.

“You’ll find many of my specimens displayed at the British Museum of Natural History.”

She tried to follow Charles Frobisher’s conversation while her thoughts remained on Julian. “I’ll take Blythe to see them. It will prove most educational.”

“I could take you both and add my observations. Be happy to.”

“But aren’t you travelling to the Amazon with my husband?”

He shook his head. “I hope to join the men later. My father’s not well.”

“I’m sorry to hear it.”

Julian had left Miss Patterson’s side and walked toward them, pausing to speak to people along the way.

“Mr. Frobisher has been telling me about snakes and piranha,” Vanessa said when Julian reached them. “It’s enthralling.”

“Always glad to have an opportunity to talk about them,” Mr. Frobisher said. “You have saved your lovely wife, Grieve. Another minute and I would have launched into the minutiae.”

“It seems I have,” Julian said with a thin smile. He took Vanessa’s arm. “I hope you’ll excuse us, Charles. I wish to introduce Vanessa to Mrs. Manion.”

Charles winked. “A worthy lady, Mrs. Manion, with a generous purse.”

Julian’s hand tightened at her elbow as he led her away. She studied his serious profile. “Is something wrong?”

“Wrong? No, of course not.”

“I thought Charles was your friend.”

“Colleague, more like.”

“He offered to escort Blythe and me to the natural history museum.”

Julian turned to her, his gaze fierce. “I forbid it.”

“You forbid it?” She could only stare at him.

“You are not to go anywhere with Frobisher. Do I have your promise?”

“If you tell me why you don’t wish it.”

Julian drew her into an alcove out of earshot. She was startled to find his eyes hot with anger. “I don’t wish to discuss the reason. I’m asking you to obey me.”

“I must say I didn’t expect you to turn into a bully.” Dismayed, Vanessa huffed out a breath. “I only wished to know the reason.”

“I’m sorry you think that of me,” he said stiffly. “Here comes Mrs. Manion, who has expressed a desire to meet you. For heaven’s sake smile and look as if it’s mutual.”

Stunned at him ordering her about in such a way, Vanessa fell silent as a grey-haired lady dressed in maroon silk with magnificent rubies at her breast and swinging from long ear lobes, approached. She made a poor attempt at smiling and walked forward to greet the lady.

After that, she tried to enjoy herself, but Julian’s dictates had soured her mood. During the carriage trip home, Vanessa turned to study Julian’s profile. What had caused such unreasonable anger in her husband? It was so uncharacteristic she felt all at sea.

“Julian?”

“Yes?”

“Did you enjoy the evening?”

“I did. Did you?”

“Yes, until you turned into a tyrant, and I’m not sure why.” She hoped he would find his sense of humor. It had certainly deserted him.

“A tyrant?” In the dark carriage, she couldn’t make out his expression, but she was sure he wasn’t smiling. “That’s an extravagant description. I hardly think it right.”

“You raised your voice to me. You…ordered me about as if I were a child or your servant.”

He frowned. “I doubt that, Vanessa. I would never exhibit such poor control over my emotions. You’re overreacting. I expect this has all been a strain. You’ll handle things better when you gain more experience of society.”

He was being insufferable! “I will never handle it, as you put it, if you continue to behave in such a manner. Surely, I did nothing to warrant it. ”

There was a strained silence. Never had she had the courage to speak so. She was as shocked by this quarrel as he, but she refused to take the blame for it.

“I’m sorry. I apologize if I behaved badly. I had my reasons, and I rather hoped you would understand.”

How neatly he batted the blame back at her! She bit down on the frustration at not being able to get the better of him in an argument. He had retreated into cool formality and didn’t sound at all sorry. He made no move towards her. She bit her lip and lapsed into silence.

The rest of the trip continued in moody silence. Regretful of her hasty words, she still felt angry at the unfairness of it. She thought she’d acquitted herself well during the evening, and yet, not a word of praise or support had issued from his lips.

Unfortunately, another test loomed. A tennis party, another skill she lacked, had been arranged for the next Sunday after church. Would she be required to play? The thought knocked the fight out of her.

When they reached the bedroom door, Julian shocked her by bidding her goodnight. “I have some urgent work to do in my study.”

A sob bubbled up in Vanessa’s throat. What had happened? She pulled on her nightgown and lay stiffly in bed. The hours passed, but her busy thoughts wouldn’t allow her to rest.

She heard Julian retire to his room and wondered if he had managed to fall asleep. Never go to sleep on an argument, her mother had always said. And barely wed, that’s exactly what they’d done. Although what the argument was really about left her baffled.

She turned on the lamp hoping he might see it and come in. The glow banished the shadows but also any possibility of sleep. Before she could think too much about it, she was on her feet. Opening their interconnecting door, she could just make out the outline of his body in the bed. Drawn to his side, she stared down at him. The light shining in from the other room cast shadows, and she couldn’t discern his face. She wasn’t sure if he slept.

A hand reached out and grabbed hers. She was pulled onto a hard chest and settled on the bed beside him. Without speaking, he arranged the covers over her. Lodged against his chest in the confined space, she could feel his heart beating fast, in rhythm with hers.

“I can’t sleep after an argument, can you?” she asked him breathlessly. Lying beside him like this made her want him.

“No,” he said gruffly. “It was unreasonable of me, I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too. I should have—”

His mouth found hers and swept away all rational thought.

*****

Vanessa would have liked to clear the air, discuss what had happened and the reason behind it, but Julian’s alternative proved a better one, for after the lovemaking, peace settled between them. Perhaps it was better to let sleeping dogs lie. He had been right. Making love proved to be even more wonderful as she discovered more about his body and he, hers. She wondered briefly if he had been jealous, but it was obvious there was more to it. He appeared to heartily dislike Charles.

“How can you work and travel with someone you dislike so much?” she asked when they lay drowsily replete.

“This is bigger than anything I feel. The expedition has need of his expertise.” He moved away, settling his head on the pillow. “I’m sorry I was short-tempered.”

“I would never deliberately disobey you. I simply wanted to know why,” she said mildly, not wishing to upset him and spoil the mood.

He chuckled. “You mean you would never disobey me if you thought I was fair.”

She smiled.

He propped himself up on his elbow. “Then I suppose it might be better to tell you, no matter how unpalatable a truth it is. During our last trip, Charles forced some of the native tribe’s women to have intercourse with him.”

“Oh no!”

“Oh, some were willing. He took part in their orgies for days, drinking their
cashiri
beer and fermented liquors made from corn and bananas. They’re quite intoxicating.”

Vanessa felt revolted. “That’s horrid.”

“These practices go on and are seen as quite acceptable by some. Not by me, however. Europeans do not always behave well when travelling through less developed countries, I’m afraid.”

“I most certainly won’t see him while you are away.”

“Good,” Julian said with a note of satisfaction. He yawned and turned over. “Let’s get some sleep.”

Vanessa curled up on her side, disappointed he still hadn’t praised her for her successful debut amongst his friends and associates. She wished he hadn’t turned away from her to sleep. But then his breathing deepened, and he settled closer. His hand stole across to rest on her hip. The promise of deep and peaceful sleep hovered close. More confident in her own skin, she felt as if she’d found her true self. She knew what she wanted and didn’t want. What she was prepared to fight for. The realization made her start. She had so much more now to lose.