From Governess to Society Bride. Helen Dickson

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СКАЧАТЬ said, ‘Please let your daughters play with Estelle—just for a minute.’ Lord Stainton’s face became cool with the compelling arrogance she associated with him.

      ‘I told you, we have to be getting back,’ he uttered sternly.

      Eve looked at his daughters. Their little shoulders were slumped in dejection and her heart went out to them. There was something rather timid about Sophie and Abigail, something cowed and contrary to the normal exuberance of children.

      ‘Children need to run about and shout and laugh once in a while, Lord Stainton,’ she said calmly, trying to speak to him without the abrasive tongue of an enemy. ‘There’s no harm in it.’

      ‘Please, Papa,’ Sophie whispered tentatively, ‘can we play with Estelle for just a little while?’

      Eve looked straight at him, waiting for him to reply to Sophie’s quiet plea, hoping he was not inclined to inflict his bad temper on his children. She was relieved when she saw his expression soften.

      ‘Very well, Sophie,’ he conceded. ‘Miss Lacy, please don’t let them out of your sight.’ Instructing the driver to wait with the carriage, he opened the carriage door and lifted his excited offspring down on to the grass, before striding back to his horse.

      With Estelle and Sophie scampering on ahead, Eve took Abigail’s hand and walked with her to the picnic. Lord Stainton watched them from atop his horse and he began to smile, for their laughter was infectious. His face was soft and his eyes were warm. He had a strong sense of responsibility and felt a deep affection for his daughters.

      It worried him greatly that they were growing up without the influence and love that could only come from a mother, but when his wife had walked out on him, she had also callously abandoned her children. Turning his horse away from the delightful picture of the picnicking group and feeling a knot of envy that he was not a part of that group, he trotted over to speak to an acquaintance.

      Settling herself on the grass beside Sarah, Eve glanced at her with concern. Her expression was strained and apprehensive and Eve suspected things weren’t well with her. ‘You look pale, Sarah. Are you all right?’ she enquired with quiet concern. ‘It can’t be easy for you working for a man as formidable as Lord Stainton.’

      Sarah smiled, watching her young charges as they laughed and chattered over their jellies and buns, happy to see them fitting in well with Mrs Seagrove’s two boys, Thomas and David. ‘It must seem like that to you, but his bark can often be worse than his bite. I’ve given much thought to what I told you yesterday—about leaving my employment.’

      Eve looked at her expectantly. ‘And?’ she prompted. ‘What have you decided?’

      ‘I’m going to marry Mark. It’s what we both want—but it will break my heart to leave Sophie and Abigail.’

      ‘Have you told Lord Stainton?’

      She nodded. ‘This morning. I will carry on working for him until he leaves for the country—perhaps two or three weeks. I haven’t told the children yet. I—don’t know how to.’

      Eve reached out and squeezed her hand comfortingly. ‘I know just how difficult that will be for you, but I’m sure you’ll find a way—and Lord Stainton will be sure to find someone who will care for his daughters.’

      ‘Yes—I’m sure you’re right.’

      Their attention was drawn to the children who, having finished eating, with cries of delight scampered off across the grass, Sophie and Estelle hand in hand. Not intending to be left behind, Abigail shouted, ‘Wait for me,’ and ran awkwardly after them. Unfortunately, she was so intent on catching the two older girls that she didn’t look where she was going, and the next instant she had run straight into a tree. There was a howl and Eve and Sarah turned simultaneously to see Abigail on the ground, her skirts tipped up in a froth of white lace petticoats and drawers, and a horrified Sophie running back to see what had befallen her sister.

      Observing the incident from a distance, Lucas cursed beneath his breath and dismounted. As he strode towards what was quickly becoming a mêlée, an expression of immense concern clouded his face, anxious and not at all pleased.

      Sophie, her eyes huge and brimming with tears, stood looking down at Abigail, her hand still clutching that of Estelle. ‘Abigail was running and bumped into the tree and banged her head,’ she wailed, crying even louder when she saw the graze and the swelling bump on her sister’s head, almost choking on her tears.

      Eve immediately scooped the injured child up into her arms to comfort her while Sarah tried to console Sophie.

      ‘I knew this would be a mistake,’ Lord Stainton thundered, glowering accusingly at Eve. It was as if she had physically pushed the child into the tree.

      For a full five minutes the picnic area was filled with the voices of crying children, the concerned voices of Beth and Sarah, and Lord Stainton’s deeper, alarmed and irate voice.

      Eve looked at him coldly. ‘Will you please be quiet,’ she said, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible. ‘Shouting like that will only upset the children more than they already are and make the situation worse.’

      Inconsolable, Abigail continued to sob loudly, her hand on the already swelling lump on her forehead. She was frightened and bewildered by the sharp anger of her father and she cried fiercely. Completely ignoring the glowering Lord Stainton, whose mouth had clamped shut at her firm reproach, Eve sat on a bench with her young burden and cradled her on her lap, hugging her tightly and murmuring soft, soothing words against her wet cheek.

      ‘Does it hurt very much?’ she asked the sobbing child. ‘Did that nasty tree get in your way?’

      She nodded. ‘Yes,’ she wailed, ‘it did.’

      ‘Here, let me see.’ Eve wiped the hair from Abigail’s wet face.

      ‘I bumped my head,’ Abigail said between sobs, ‘and it hurts.’

      ‘I know it does, sweetheart,’ Eve murmured, hugging her once more, ‘and when you get home I’m sure Miss Lacy will put something very special on it to make it better.’

      ‘And will that hurt?’

      ‘No, of course it won’t. It will make the horrid bump go away in no time at all.’

      Eve would have been surprised if she had looked up and seen Lord Stainton’s face as he watched her cradling his daughter, her cheek resting on the child’s dark curls. Looking on, he felt as though he was an intruder, a stranger, and that the two children belonged to someone else.

      Mesmerised by the lovely picture the woman and child created, his expression had softened. He listened intently to her trying to sooth Abigail, which was something that came quite naturally to her. Gradually the child became quiet and ceased to cry, looking at the face of the woman with something akin to adoration and responding to the warmth in her voice.

      Both the scene and the words of comfort Mrs Brody murmured bewitched him and reached out to some unknown part of him that he had not been aware he possessed. It touched and lightened a dark corner for a brief instant and then was it was gone.

      Aware of Lord Stainton’s presence, Eve looked at him. Abigail saw her father and was shy of him, hiding her face in Eve’s neck. Standing up and carrying the child, Eve murmured, СКАЧАТЬ