The Six Month Marriage (25 page)

Madeline frowned. It was not like Jenny to be surly.

‘Is anything wrong?’ she asked. ‘Have you been having
trouble with the inquisitive footman again? Danson?’

‘No. Nothing’s wrong,’ Jenny said. ‘Which shawl will you
wear this morning? It’s a cold day, for all it’s bright.’

Madeline looked at the clear blue sky, with here and
there a wisp of white cloud, and said, ‘Yes. I expect you’re right. These
bright days are often cold. I think I’ll wear the
Cashmere
.’

As Jenny seemed to become her usual self, Madeline said
no more and put the maid’s initial dourness down to tiredness. Which was not
surprising, thought Madeline, as they had all worked very hard to prepare the
fête, and had worked even harder to enjoy it.

Once dressed, Madeline went downstairs. She was hoping
to see Philip but there was no sign of him and she reasoned he must have
breakfasted before her. After finishing her own breakfast she went out to the
barn. The servants were clearing up after the fête but none of them had seen
Philip. Still, she was not concerned. He had perhaps been called away to the
home farm. One of the prize animals, mayhap, had been taken sick.

She missed him and wanted to be with him but knew that
he had a lot to do, and it only made her look forward to their next meeting
even more. And in the meantime, she had her own activities to occupy her.

Returning to the drawing-room she settled herself down
at her
escritoire
. Taking out a sheet of paper she began to write a
letter to Emma, telling the young girl all about the Christmas fête. She had
not quite finished when the door opened and Crump appeared.

‘Mr Greer is here to see you, my lady,’ he said.

‘Mr Greer?’ Madeline lay down her quill in surprise.
What could the manager of the
York
properties want with her? she wondered. ‘I think it must be the
Earl he wants to see.’

‘No, my lady. He asked to see you particularly,’ said
Crump.

Madeline was puzzled. The only way to find out what Mr
Greer wanted, however, was to grant him an interview and so she said, ‘Very
well, Crump. Show him in.’

A minute later Mr Greer entered the room. Madeline felt
a return of her earlier feelings, when she had met Mr Greer for the first time.
There was something about the little man she found unsettling. She had not
taken to him at all. But telling herself she was being unreasonable she offered
him a seat and then said, ‘How can I help you, Mr Greer?’

‘Oh, no, my lady, it’s I who am here to help you,’ he
said, balancing himself on the edge of a Hepplewhite chair. ‘The Earl asked me
to call on you.’

‘You have seen the Earl?’ asked Madeline in surprise.
Philip had not spoken of a recent meeting with his property manager.

‘Oh, yes, my lady. I have just left him.’

‘You have seen him this morning?’ asked Madeline in astonishment.

‘Oh yes, my lady, he came over to
York
first thing. He asked me to give you
the keys to the
York
house. It
has been completely redecorated, my lady, and the Earl said that now everything
is finished you will want to move in straight away.’

Madeline felt an icy feeling stealing over her heart.
Surely it could not be true? Philip could not have left her that very morning
and ridden over to
York
, instructing
Mr Greer to give her the keys to the
York
house, could he? After all they had shared? He did not really mean
her to move out of the Manor? Did he?

But why not? Her marriage to him was a temporary
arrangement. She had always known it. He had never made any bones about it. He
had not deceived her in any way. But after last night —

After last night, what? she demanded of herself. He had
taken her to bed, yes, but what did that signify? To her it had signified
everything. To him it had signified nothing, she saw that now. He had given
into the temptation of the moment and had regretted it. And to put himself
beyond the reach of further temptation he had left the Manor, arranging for her
to move out immediately. Most probably not intending to return until she had
gone.

But such cowardice seemed so unlike Philip.

And then her mother’s warning, a warning that had
almost, but not quite, been stilled over the past few months, came back to
haunt her. "Never trust a man, Madeline. It only leads to despair".

No, thought Madeline resolutely. She did not accept
that. She would not let it lead to despair. She may be devastated; she may feel
her heart was breaking; but she could not blame Philip. He had been completely
honest with her. He had said all along that he wanted only a temporary marriage
leading to an annulment so that he could go on to marry Letitia, and if she had
ever imagined, wanted or expected anything else then she had only herself to
blame.

She had trusted him, and she had been right to trust
him. He had kept to his side of the bargain. He had done everything he had
promised. He had provided her with a house and an annuity, and if he wanted her
to move into that house now, instead of waiting for the last few days of their
six-month marriage to run their course, then why shouldn’t he ask it of her? A
few days here or there could make no difference. He presumably must think it
would make no difference to his inheritance. As long as he presented himself at
his lawyer’s office on the appointed day, with his wife beside him, he could
claim his fortune.

As long as the marriage had not been consummated, that
was.

But how were the lawyers to know otherwise? If Philip
said the marriage had not been consummated, she was certainly not going to
gainsay him. She had too much pride.

But again she felt dissatisfied. It did not seem like
Philip at all to act in such a way.

But why else would he send Mr Greer to her with the keys
to the
York
house? she demanded
of herself. There was no other explanation.

‘Yes. Thank you, Mr Greer.’ It was difficult to force
the words out, but force them out she did. Her voice, she was pleased to
notice, did not wobble or otherwise betray her strong emotion. Instead, it
sounded calm and level; as though the idea of her moving into the
York
house was of no great moment to her.

‘Thank you, my lady.’

He handed her the keys and withdrew.

Out in the hall, Mr Greer walked over to Danson, who was
lurking there. A bag of gold changed hands. ‘You’ve done well, Danson,’ said Mr
Greer in an undertone. ‘Keeping his lordship’s note and sending it to Miss
Bligh, instead of giving it to the Countess, has been very useful. It’s lucky
Miss Bligh decided to rent a house nearby when she returned from
Scotland
, so she could keep an eye on
things here. Otherwise you’d never have managed to get a message to her,
telling her what you’d done. How did you get it to her, by the way?’ he asked
curiously.

‘By way of one of the stable boys who exercises the
horses,’ said Danson. ‘He was happy to take a note for me and hand it to Miss
Bligh’s maid.’

‘Won’t he talk?’

Danson shook his head. ‘As far as he knows, all he’s
done is deliver a message from a lovesick footman to a lady’s maid .’

Mr Greer nodded appreciatively. ‘A good ruse. Miss Bligh’s
pleased with you. And when her wedding goes through there’ll be another bag of
gold for everyone who’s helped her. So keep your eyes open and your mouth shut.’

‘Look out,’ said Danson, as Madeline’s footsteps could
be heard approaching the other side of the door.

With one last knowing nod Mr Greer slipped out of the
house and Danson disappeared into the servants’ quarters.

Madeline
took a few minutes to steady herself and regain her composure. Then she left the
study, crossing the empty hall and mounting the stairs. She did not give way to
her feelings until she reached her room. Closing the door behind her, she leant
against it, waiting for her strength to return. Then, summoning her courage,
she set about doing what must be done. She rang for Jenny and began sorting out
her things.

‘Ah, Jenny, there you are,’ she said, as the maid
entered the room.

Jenny looked at the gowns laid out on the bed in
surprise.

‘I need your help,’ said Madeline. ‘We are going to the
York
house a little earlier than expected.
I want you to help me pack.’

Jenny, instead of looking surprised, looked tearful. ‘So
it’s true, then.’

‘What do you mean?’ asked Madeline.

‘What Danson said. About Her.’

‘Jenny, what are you talking about?’

‘Why are we going to
York
?’ asked Jenny.

‘The house is ready. There is nothing to stay here for.’
And oh, how much those words cost Madeline. Almost as much as her calm face. ‘But
what do you mean about it being true?’

‘It’s just something Danson said,’ said Jenny miserably.

‘And what did he say.’

‘That the Earl . . . ’ Jenny gulped. ‘That the Earl had
gone to Her.’

‘Her? You mean Miss Bligh?’

Jenny nodded mutely.

‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ asked Madeline, her voice
trembling. She had tried to show no feeling but it was too much of a strain.

‘I didn’t believe him, miss. I thought he was making
mischief. There’s something about him I don’t like. Are you sure it’s true?’

‘I don’t know where Philip has gone, but it’s true he
wants us to leave.’ She swallowed. ‘He sent Mr Greer round with the keys for
the house in
York
.’

‘Oh, miss.’

‘Greer of all people,’ said Madeline, giving way to her
feelings at last. ‘I know it is uncharitable of me, but I don’t like the man.’

‘They’re neither of them trustworthy, neither Danson nor
Mr Greer, I’m sure of it,’ said Jenny. ‘Couldn’t there be some mistake?’

Madeline shook her head. ‘I must confess I hoped so too
but there is no mistake. They may not be trustworthy, but Danson has no reason
for lying about Philip’s whereabouts, and besides, Mr Greer would not dare
bring me the keys to the
York
house unless Philip had asked him to. He knows he would be found out, and then
he would lose his position. And even if he dared to do it, why would he want to?
What could he hope to gain? Nothing. There could be no reason for him to do
such a thing. No, I know of nothing against him, except what my feelings tell
me.’

‘And mine,’ put in Jenny.

‘
Our
feelings,’ acknowledged Madeline, glad of
Jenny’s support, ‘that tell us he is not trustworthy. But there is no reason
for him to lie, as there is no reason for Danson to lie. And besides, if they
are lying, then how else can Philip’s absence be explained?’

‘Maybe he’s gone to help his friend,’ said Jenny. ‘The
one who saved his life.’

News of the true events surrounding the carriage
accident had inevitably leaked out, spreading from the coachmen who had been
there at the time to the other outdoor servants and then to the indoor
servants, and at last Madeline had revealed the full truth of it to Jenny.

Madeline shook her head. ‘If that was the case he would
have left me a note. And he would have told Crump where he had gone, or at
least said he’d been called away on urgent business. But when I asked Crump
where his master was he told me he did not know. Nor did he know when his
master would be back. He only knows that Philip has left the Manor. So you see,
it must be true. Even if Danson and Mr Greer were playing some deep game they
could not make Philip leave the Manor.

‘No, Jenny, there is no use looking for reasons to
explain away their behaviour. It is all too clear they are telling the truth.
Philip feels the marriage is over and has gone to join Miss Bligh. He would
like me to leave the Manor as soon as possible so that his future can begin.
And now our future must begin,’ she said, with an attempt at cheerfulness. ‘We are
very lucky, you know. We will have a beautiful house to live in and we will be
together. I will not be married to Lucius Spalding and you will not be turned
off, as you would have been if my uncle had had his way.’

‘Yes, miss,’ said Jenny, stifling a sniff.

‘Now, the clothes must be packed carefully . . .’

Three hours later Madeline’s things were packed. She
partook of a light lunch and then gave orders for the carriage to be brought
round.

‘I am going to the house in
York
,’ she said to Crump. ‘Mr Greer brought the keys for the house round
this morning. When the Earl returns he will like to know.’

She did not say anything further, being sure Philip would
like to explain the full details of the situation to Crump himself. Besides,
she did not feel equal to it.

‘Yes, my lady,’ said Crump, with all the poise of a
well-trained butler. He showed no surprise, but simply accepted Madeline’s
orders and saw they were carried out.