The Heart That Lies (18 page)

Meldon wondered what he was doing here, shouting at her and making her afraid of him.

“Can we start again...please?”

Anna
nodded and placed herself close to him again. When he had asked her to teach him, he had expected to impress her with the ease with which he would waltz. What was happening could only make him less in her eyes.

“
Perhaps, my lord, if you stand further away from me, I can watch your feet and see what’s happening.”

Obediently he took a step back. They danced a few steps.

“Ah,” said Anna and they stopped.

She lifted her face to his.

“I have an idea. Will you follow my lead for a moment?”

Meldon knew he must look like a disappointed schoolboy when he nodded, but Anna
stepped close enough to take all his cares away and they started again. He knew at once where he’d gone wrong.

“
Ah,” he said.

Ann
a smiled and they stopped. Neither of them spoke, but he felt her relinquish the lead to him and it was as if she was giving him a gift. He didn’t even count, but set off and she followed.

Whether he had danced well before or not
, he was no longer indifferent. Dancing with Anna became the single most important thing in his life. Her smile was reflected on his own face and it was only when she began to laugh that he stopped.

“Don’t stop,” she begged, “please.”

“But you’re laughing. I must be doing something wrong.”

“You’re doing nothing wrong. I’m laughing because I’m enjoying myself and I won’t be able to laugh tomorrow.”

Meldon laughed with her. There seemed no other appropriate response. Then they set off again and he knew happiness.

“I’ll show you how I did it if you want.”

Anna watched Meldon and Finch exchange a glance.
They were in Meldon’s dressing-room drinking whisky and playing cards. Even though it was time shared with someone else, usually Perkins, this was Anna’s favourite time of the day. She and Meldon rarely spoke as they played, but it seemed she knew him better then than at any other time of the day.

“We know how you did
it; we just don’t know why we didn’t see it.” Finch was exasperated. It was he who had brought up the trick she had played on Meldon in order to call him out. Meldon had told her some time ago that he had worked out how she had done it and they had not mentioned it since. Finch had just complimented her on her skill at cards after she had caught him trying the same trick on her. She acknowledged that he had not been trying to cheat; he was just curious about how she had done it without being seen, since it had been easy enough for her to catch him out. Anna sighed; they would not like the answer. She was glad Perkins was not with them.

“You were none of you looking at my hands or the cards.”

“Yes, we were,” said Finch. “We always look at hands, just to make sure.”

“No, we weren’t,” said Meldon, reluctantly, although
she thought he must have been relieved to realise that he wasn’t the only one to be confused by his reaction to Jonas Smith.

“Of course we were,” blustered Finch.

“Think about it if you wish, but do not ask Miss Smith to explain it.”

“But Meldon...”

“Do not ask her,” repeated Meldon slowly and forcefully.

Anna wasn’t sure if it was for
Finch’s sake or her own.

They continued their play, but Anna watched Finch’s face more often.

“Miss Smith, perhaps it would be better if you retired to bed now.”

Meldon had caught her watching his friend.

“There’s no need, unless you wish to go, Miss Smith,” said Finch. “I understand now how you did it.”

“I am not proud of it, Mr Finch.”

“I am just surprised that such a young woman should have such knowledge of men’s basest natures.”

“It’s because she’s a beautiful young woman.”
Meldon spared her the embarrassment of an explanation. “We all reacted to a beautiful young woman and we couldn’t admit it to ourselves, because we thought she was a man.”

“
You’re a very clever young woman,” said Finch turning to her.

“I didn’t feel very clever,” said Anna. “I didn’t know that’s how it would be, you must believe me.”

“But wasn’t it a big risk?” asked Finch.

“Not really. If I was seen, Lord Meldon would call me out, or so I thought. Now I know that I was mistaken.
I should have known...”

“Enough,” said Meldon,
kindly. “There’s no need to distress yourself.”

For a long time Anna had known how men reacted
to her. It still troubled her that men’s eyes became dark with lust when they were introduced to her. She had learned to be cool so that they were not encouraged to pursue their desire. When some men had reacted in the same way to Jonas Smith, she had wondered whether she might be able to use it to further her plans. She should have been pleased when Meldon reacted so strongly to her, but her reaction to him had been equally powerful. Torn between love and hate, she had chosen hate, for he had made love impossible by killing James.

“I’m sorry,
my lord.”

Meldon frowned.
“I wish you would stop calling me ‘my lord’.”

“What else can I call you?”

“George.”

Anna was so distracted by
the thought that she smiled, even though she realised that that was his intention. She thought carefully before she answered.

“I should very
much like to call you by your name, but I fear that it would elicit gossip that would harm us both.”

“When we are alone, then.”

Since they were so rarely alone, it was a promise easily given.

“Or with
Finch.”

Anna gasped and knew that she blushed. Meldon
looked pained.

“Perhaps you’ve had enough to drink, Meldon,” suggested Finch.

“Perhaps I have,” conceded Meldon, although Anna had noticed that he had been even more abstemious than usual. Meldon drank little, whilst appearing to drink a great deal. Anna doubted Finch thought his friend was drunk. He might not be as clever as Meldon, but he was more observant.

“Another hand?” suggested Anna.

Finch shook his head. “If I’m to dance with beautiful women for many hours tomorrow, I must sleep tonight.”

He
stood and Meldon followed. Reluctantly Anna stood as well. There could be no more evenings like this.

Meldon and General Warren rode side by side slightly ahead of Finch and Anna. Meldon guessed that Warren either wanted to tell him the outcome of what he and Finch had done in Kent or give him a new mission. He wasn’t expecting what the general was telling him.

“We
intercepted a package going to France. There was news of your man Carstairs.”

Meldon
held his breath; the rumours had been right.

“I don’t want you to do anything about it at the moment and you must promise me that you won’t.”

Warren was silent.

“
You’re going to tell me something that will make me want to harm Carstairs.” It was a statement, not a question.

“Yes,” agreed the general.

Meldon thought for a moment. He was already reining in his desire to harm Carstairs because of Anna. Where his country was concerned his head always ruled his heart, but he had little self-control where Anna was concerned.

“Very well. You have my word.”

“Carstairs killed Vincent.”

The knowledge affected Meldon less than he had expected. His first thought was that he must keep Anna
away from Carstairs tonight and every other night. Then he knew anger.

“Meldon?”

“I was thinking about Miss Smith.”

“
Yes,” said Warren. “When I heard about Carstairs’ desire to court her, I thought she might be your first concern. You can’t tell her and you can’t warn him off.”

“I know.”

Meldon was already working through the possibilities. “But you will allow me to be the one who kills him.”

“When the time comes.”

“I can tell Finch?”

“Of course. I thought I might have to rely on
him to restrain you.”

Meldon wondered why. He had
controlled his passions for so long it was a surprise to him that anyone could think he would ever act without calmly working out his strategy to the last detail.

Today they eschewed the cottages in favour of the sheep, who had arrived the day before. Anna had expressed a desire to see them and Meldon wished to keep her as happy as she had been yesterday.

As he helped her down from her horse he thought she looked pale. He recalled that he had not heard her laugh on the way here.

“Are you ill, Miss Smith?” He was unable to hide his concern.

“Only tired, my lord. I slept ill last night.”

“I am sorry to hear it.”

He took her hand and tucked it into the crook of his free arm, careful to make it look impulsive. He, too, had had little sleep as he had put the finishing touches to his strategy for what he had convinced himself would be their last easy day together.

As he had expected, she smiled up at him and walked beside him. She gave no
sign of being unbalanced by his uneven gait.

“I don’t know
what you see in sheep, Meldon,” said Warren as Meldon signalled the shepherd to start moving the sheep in their direction.

“Wool,” said Meldon.
“My wealth is founded on it, but my great-grandfather lost faith in it and sold the flocks. I want to build them up gain. This land is good for sheep.”

The
shepherd came up to him and Meldon asked how the journey had been and how the sheep had coped. All the time he was aware of Anna’s hand on his arm. She asked questions, too, and Josh, the shepherd, showed his pleasure as he answered them.

“I see Miss
Smith shares your interest in sheep,” said Warren as they walked back to the horses.

“I do, General Warren. Lord Meldon has chosen well.”

Warren was still talking to Anna as Meldon helped her onto her horse, so it was only natural that they should continue together, while Meldon followed with Finch.

“What are you going to do,” asked Finch when Meldon had passed on Warren’s news.

“Kill him, of course.”

“I’m sure he will give you cause.”

“You mean with Miss Smith? We’ll keep her out of it. I don’t want her name associated with his.”

“Then I’ll watch him
tonight.”

“Why?”

“He’s bound to annoy Miss Smith.”

“She’s sympathetic to his attentions. Caro told me.”

“I believe she told you that Miss Smith is considering accepting his offer when it comes. Not the same thing.”

Meldon grunted.

“I don’t see how you can keep her out of it. Once she accepts him he won’t be far away from her side. Defending her honour would be a very plausible reason to kill him.”

Meldon clutched at the reins until his knuckles whitened.

“We will not involve her.”

“Then you will have to think up another plan very quickly, because I don’t imagine that he will show Miss
Smith the respect that you will.”

Anna’s head was spinning by the time Jane came to help her dress. All day Meldon had stayed close to her. At breakfast he had served her himself. Afterwards, instead of going to his office to attend to estate business as he usually did, he asked if she would mind if he read in the library with her and they had gone to the library together. It was unlike him to leave his guests unattended and Anna wondered if there was something he wished to discuss with her, but Meldon settled himself in his chair and picked up the volume of Pope that he had been reading before Finch’s arrival. This was the opportunity that she had hoped for, so she stood and approached him. Immediately he stood.

“Can I do something for you, Miss Smith?”

“No, my lord, I have a gift for you.”

“Another gift? I have not yet got ove
r the magnificence of your last one.”

He did not smile and she was relieved
that he was not mocking her.

“I am afraid that, in the s
ame way that the materials of that gift were your own, your money paid for this one, too.”

“Do you still chafe at living at my expense?”

“I should prefer to live at my own.” Anna looked away from him for a moment. “I’m sorry, my lord, my ingratitude has spoilt the gift.”

Meldon moved so that she must look at him. “You bear your poverty well. Is there really nothing good enough for Jonas Smith to publish? He used to write so well.”

“Jonas Smith fought for every word he wrote.” Then she realised what he had said. Did he mean that he had read the poems that she had published? He could only have done that if he had sought them out, for she had not published consistently.

“Does your ease here distract you? Should I not feed you unless you can pay me?”

“It is not the ease, my lord.”

“Is it the distractions, then? I can lock you in here from the moment you rise to the moment you go to sleep.”
He smiled, but his eyes were worried.

“I am no longer interested in the subjects that Jonas Smith wrote about and no one would wish to buy the poems that I write now.”

“They would pay for the one you wrote for me.”

“But... but...”

“I would not wish you to publish it, though. I treasure it too highly to wish to share it. That cannot have been the only poem of any value that you have written these last weeks.”

“No, it is not.” Anna thought of all the poems in the box that declared her love for him. “They are all of great value to me, but not to anyone else.”

“I will not pretend that I understand you. Oh! Have you written me another poem and I have just...”

“No, my lord. It is not another poem.” Anna held out the gloves that she had finished that morning and wrapped in a piece of cloth that had been left over from her gown for tonight.

Meldon undid the ribbon and, when he had uncovered the gloves, smiled and traced the pattern of her fine embroidery. “You are very thoughtful,” he said. “Thank you.”

He undid the gloves he was wearing and removed them. Carefully, as if they were the most fragile thing he had ever touched, he eased her gloves onto his hands. They were a perfect fit.

“Either you are very observant or Perkins assisted you,” he said.

“Perkins assisted me,
” she admitted.

Meldon nodded thoughtfully.
“I do not know now which of your gifts to treasure more.”

“Do you have to choose between them?” Anna was feeling quite breathless at the idea that he would treasure either of her gifts let alone both of them.

“No. How did you manage to make these without me noticing?”

“I sewed some mornings while I sat here and, lately, in my bedroom.”

“Ah, that explains the candle.”

“Oh, did Perkins get into trouble about the candle.”

“Perkins gave you a candle? Well, well.” He smiled slightly, as if the knowledge amused him.

“Please don’t be angry with him.”

“I’m not angry, not in the least. I’m surprised. Perkins has never shown any inclination to assist any woman in my family or amongst my guests. He seems to have taken a liking to you. Don’t worry. The candle was a mystery. Simpson drew it to my attention, because there was one missing. I’m glad you have explained it and I shall not be mentioning it to Perkins, or Simpson.”

“Thank you.”

Meldon undid the gloves and removed them, replacing them with the gloves he had been wearing.

“Please do not be insulted. I am merely saving them for a more appropriate occasion. They are too fine for everyday use.”

“I am not insulted, my lord. They are yours to do with as you please.”

Anna
returned to the desk in the window and Meldon sat down with Pope, but Anna felt that neither of them gave their tasks the attention that they deserved.

Later
they sat in the drawing-room with his guests. Meldon spent the time first with his brother-in-law, then with his oldest nephew. Finally he settled in the chair next to her and began to question her about her embroidery. From there they had moved to other things. Occasionally he had made her laugh, but mostly they had talked easily. Anna was glad that they finally seemed to have recovered what they had lost since he had gone to Kent.

At last it w
as time to dress for the ball and now Anna sat on her bed waiting for Jane. It had been a perfect day. It was almost as if Meldon had planned it just to please her.

As Jane helped her into her dress, she reflected that she had one more joy to look forward to; she was to dance with Meldon.

“You look beautiful, Miss,” said Jane and Anna knew that she did. She had done all she knew to present herself to Meldon the way a gracious guest should.

As Anna moved towards the
door Jane stopped her.

“
His lordship asked if you would wait here for him.”

Jane smiled shyly as she closed the door behind her.

Anna didn’t have time to wonder what this might mean, for there was a knock on the door almost as soon as Jane had closed it.

Meldon stood on the other side when Anna opened it. “May I come in?”

Anna moved aside so that he could do so and saw that Jane was standing in the passage. Meldon left the door ajar so that Jane could not see them, but could hear them.

“I
hope you will forgive the intrusion, Miss Smith, but my sister reminded me that you have no jewellery of your own. Would you do me the honour of wearing these?” He held out a box containing a sapphire necklace, bracelet and a pair of earrings. “Although it would be rather painting the lily.”

He looked at her appreciatively.

Anna realised that her mouth was open. The sapphires suited her colouring perfectly.

“Oh,” she said at last.

“It’s not a gift,” said Meldon obviously mistaking her hesitation for reluctance.

“No
, of course  not. They’re beautiful. How thoughtful of you.”

She took the earrings
from the box and put them on herself, but let Meldon fasten the bracelet around her wrist and the necklace around her neck. He removed his gloves so that he could handle the delicate jewellery. His hand brushed the nape of her neck as he did so and she shivered. Looking at the gloves that he had placed on her dressing-table she recognised them as the gloves that she had given him that morning. This, then, was the occasion for which he had saved them. The thought pleased her greatly.

Meldon moved so that he stood in front of her.
Slowly, he pulled his gloves back on and she thought he smiled briefly as he did so.

“Would you like a glass so that you can see how beautiful you are?”

She shook her head. The look on his face was enough.

“Then let us go down.”

He offered her his arm. Anna hesitated, then took it. Jane smiled as they passed her and Anna smiled back. Many guests had already arrived and Anna could hear the musicians tuning in the ballroom.