The Gypsy Legacy: Marquis Page 15

  They wouldn’t win, she thought. She would not let them know how much their animosity affected her. Stiffly, she faced the crowd, tamping down her fear of possible violence. So lost in her thoughts was she that she didn’t register the force that parted the crowd until Jay was standing before her.

  “I thought I might find you here,” he said evenly, “but it’s time to leave. Are you ready?”

  She nodded, unable to speak. Ready? She was more than ready. At this moment, she wanted nothing more than to get back to Thane Park where it was safe. Where she was safe. Where no one looked at her with accusation in their eyes. Where no one assumed the worst without consulting her first. Yes, she was more than ready to leave this place.

  Jay turned and directed a freezing glare at the throng-filled doorway. A moment later it was empty and he and Tina were crossing the small street to his curricle where he lifted her onto the seat. He spoke for a moment with the blacksmith, who had come outside as they crossed the street, then joined her and they were off.

  As they left the village behind, relief poured through Tina, causing her to tremble violently as she tried to relax. She took deep calming breaths in an attempt to still her trembling limbs. It was no use. The harder she tried to calm herself, the more she trembled.

  Jay recognized the signs of shock. He should not have left her alone outside. He knew, after the words he exchanged with the vicar, she probably wasn’t safe in the village. Although he worried she might be snubbed, or subjected to a scathing comment or two, it hadn’t occurred to him she might be in physical danger.

  He glanced over at her as he maneuvered the team onto a small track leading back to Thane Park and circumventing the village. She was shaking visibly now and he wanted more than ever to stop the curricle, pull her into his arms, and comfort her, but he couldn’t, not yet. Berating himself again for allowing her to stay outside, he turned to give the road his attention. The last thing he needed right now was for them to overturn.

  Just a little further and they would be out of sight of the road and any passersby. Then he could stop. Until then he silently willed her to be strong. She had withstood so much already, it might have broken someone weaker. He knew of no woman who might have endured the scene with the outward calm she had managed. Another might have resorted to threats to get out of the situation, but not Tina. She had merely stood there quietly, chin held high, refusing to be cowed. What had she said earlier? “I have done nothing wrong.”

  It might be true, but even in this modern age, old superstitions died hard. And they took the longest to die in the smallest villages. With old superstitions came old fears, and old fears were invariably irrational. People who clung to such old superstitions were often easily duped into believing the unbelievable. Such was obviously the case with the inhabitants of Parkton village. The question to be asked was Why?

  Why had Roderick Milton gone to such lengths to destroy her? Stealing her quarterly allowance, Thane Park, or even Collingswood was one thing, but he had gone beyond that. He had tried to completely destroy her—as if he was driving her…away? Did he expect her to just up and disappear? What could he possibly have hoped to gain? Jay had thought Milton was trying to marry her to get his hands on the fortune and holdings, but if the steward had gone to such lengths to rid himself of her, maybe he’d planned something much more permanent.

  They topped a rise and descended into a small depression. Jay halted the team beneath a spreading oak and glanced around the area, concluding they were far enough from the road and possibly prying eyes. Quickly, securing the reins, he turned and gathered her shaking form into his arms. She did not resist. Stroking her back and speaking soothing nonsense in a low voice, he waited for the storm to pass.

  He knew she had not registered the progress of the curricle or that it stopped. She was still breathing deeply, trying to reclaim her composure. Very slowly, the tension eased and gradually she became soft in his arms.

  Eventually, Jay felt her body go limp against him and realized she had slipped into a doze. For long moments he sat still, wondering if she would wake if he shifted. He was not uncomfortable holding her, but he knew they should not stay out in the heat for very long. She would be more comfortable back at the Park, yet he could not help but wish to continue to hold her against him as if protecting her from the rest of the world.

  Lifting her gently, he shifted her across his lap. She made a small, soft sound and snuggled closer as he settled her against him and reached to take up the reins again.

  It was a long, slow drive back to the house. The jostling of the curricle caused her body to slide against his chest. The silk of her hair beneath his chin sent his imagination into a full gallop. His body reacted like a spark on dry tinder and turned his blood to liquid fire. He would not have changed anything, except the incident which led to her being in his arms. She was small and trusting, soft and warm, and she smelled faintly of roses. The light, delicate scent filled his nostrils and he knew he would forever associate her with that particular flower.

  Upon reaching the house, he managed to get down from the curricle and carry her inside without waking her. Reaching the room he knew to be hers, he laid her down on top of the coverlet and removed her bonnet and shoes. A light blanket lay over a chaise before the doors to the balcony. Retrieving it, he covered her lightly and glanced around the room before turning to leave.

  Reaching the door, he took one last look at her sleeping peacefully amid the pillows then left, closing it softly behind him.

  Expelling a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, he shook his head to clear it, then headed back down to the study. He had people to talk to and work to do.

  *

  Tina was awakened a short time later by her maid, who informed her Felicia was looking for her and it was almost time for tea. For a few moments, she looked around, trying to remember how she came to be in her own room. The last thing she distinctly remembered was being in the shop…Mrs. Barnes…Mrs. Pettigrew…the crowd…and Jay. Oh! Jay had rescued her from the shop. But how had she gotten here?

  “Milly,” she addressed the maid who was pulling a sky blue dress from her wardrobe.

  “Yes, m’lady?”

  “How did I get here? I mean, who…?”

  “Oh, his lordship brought you in. Carried you in himself, he did. Said you weren’t feeling well and should rest until tea time.”

  “Oh.”

  Tina allowed Milly to help her change her dress and redo her hair. Still feeling slightly disoriented, she left her room and headed downstairs. She found Felicia and Jay in the large salon facing the front of the house. Felicia ran to her as soon as she entered the room.

  “Tina! I heard what happened. How are you?”

  Somehow Tina found herself holding a distraught Felicia and looking at Jay in accusation. Jay shook his head.

  Disengaging herself to look at her sister, she asked, “What did you hear? And who told you?” Steering Felicia to a settee, they sat and she waited.

  “Nan was in the village visiting Ella. I was at Daisy’s when she came in to tell her what happened. I would have come, but by then she said Jay had taken you away.”

  “Felicia!” Tina was horrified at the thought.

  Keyes entered with the tea trolley. Leaving it in front of Tina, he withdrew, closing the door behind him.

  As Tina began to pour, Jay said, “I, for one, am glad you didn’t. I would not have wanted to rescue you both.”

  Felicia turned a bright smile on him as she answered, “Oh, you wouldn’t have had to rescue me. The villagers never bother me.”

  “And why is that, minx?”

  “Because they are all afraid of Midnight,” she replied as Tina handed her a cup.

  Jay stared at her, consternation written all over his handsome face. Tina had to struggle not to laugh and managed to hide her grin by looking down and pouring another cup.

  “Afraid of Midnight?” he repeated, wonder in his voice. “I should have guessed
. Does this have anything to do with how well trained he is?”

  Tina handed him a cup and saucer. Warmth sped through her as their fingers brushed.

  “Well, yes, I suppose it does. But it doesn’t hurt that he’s all black, too,” Felicia answered innocently.

  “Explain.”

  Felicia looked over at Tina then shrugged in resignation.

  “After those absurd rumors started, I went into the village one day to see Ella. It was not long after we were officially out of mourning for Mama. As I was leaving to come home, there were some boys playing in the street. I guess one of the bigger ones decided to be a show-off.”

  She stopped to take a bite of the lemon cake on her plate, then continued. “He tried to grab me as I untied Midnight. Even though I pushed him away, another one joined him and took Midnight’s reins and started to lead him away so I couldn’t mount. So, I whistled Midnight to stop, then called him to come back.”

  Another bite of lemon cake went the way of the first. “The boy who had his reins got tangled up in them, so Midnight dragged him back, too. Then the first boy tried to grab me again, but I ducked and Midnight hit him.”

  “Hit him?” Tina asked.

  “Actually, he butted him with his nose.” Tina heard the shrug in Felicia’s voice. “It was an accident, but I think they thought I told him to do it. After all, I was a gypsy witch. I should be able to command animals—especially all black ones,” she grinned. “Once I mounted, I had Midnight raise up on his hind legs and I think the boys thought I was going to trample them so they ran off.”

  “Why didn’t you ever tell me?” Tina asked worriedly.

  “Because it was just silly little boys acting even sillier. There wasn’t anything you could have done about it. I’d heard all the rumors, so I knew what they were thinking, but since Daisy didn’t care, I didn’t either. And Eddie helped by telling everyone how fierce Midnight was. The villagers don’t bother with me when I’m on Midnight, so I always ride him when I go.”

  “In your breeches? Oh, Lord, Felicia!” Tina struggled between being appalled and laughing.

  “Well, actually,” Felicia began sheepishly, “I usually wear my breeches under one of my old dresses, so I don’t look quite so scandalous.”

  Tina shook her head woefully. “I wish I’d known. You could have been hurt.”

  “But I wasn’t, and there wasn’t anything you could have done, except worry all the more. You had enough to do without worrying about whether I was safe, and I couldn’t have borne it if you wanted me to stop riding Midnight, or going to visit Daisy’s family.” Felicia’s tone begged her to understand.

  Jay, who had merely listened up to this point, now spoke up. “Well, there is something that can be done about it now.” Putting down his cup with a snap, he said, “We leave for Collingswood day after tomorrow, so make whatever arrangements you wish before then.”

  Sapphire blue and aquamarine eyes turned to look at him in astonishment.

  “Leave?” Felicia found her voice first. “But, why?”

  “Because until we find Roderick Milton and get to the bottom of this, Tina is virtually a prisoner here. From what I was able to learn this afternoon, Tina has been the main target of the animosity engendered by Mr. Milton.”

  Jay refused to reveal how much the afternoon’s incident had scared him. He had never felt such panic in his life as when he emerged from the blacksmith’s shop and discovered what was happening across the street. It had taken all of his self-control not to wade into the crowd, fists flailing and not caring who he hit—man, woman, or child—in order to get Tina out of there and safe. He never wanted to see her feeling so helpless and frightened again.

  For now, he knew the best way to get them to leave would be to convince Felicia that Tina’s safety was at stake. Despite Felicia’s outwardly indifferent attitude toward their situation, he could see she was upset by the afternoon’s events. She had dealt with their situation in the past the only way she knew how, but that method would not protect Tina and he was aware she would do anything to protect her sister.

  “Will I be able to take Midnight?”

  “Of course,” he agreed. “However, you may not ride him along the way. If you wish to ride, you may ride one of the mares from the stables.”

  Felicia acquiesced and said no more. Minutes later, she excused herself, hugged Tina, and left the room.

  “Is it really necessary for us to leave?” Tina asked after she was gone, and he wondered whether she would balk at his orders.

  “Yes, I believe so.”

  Tina sighed and took another sip of tea. “I did not realize Felicia’s attachment to Midnight had such a practical side to it. It seems, however, as if we are leaving under duress.”

  “I had planned to go to Collingswood either next week or the week after. The Park is doing better now, and I need to inspect the rest of the properties. I thought I’d start with Collingswood.”

  “Oh.”

  “I thought to tour the rest of the properties, but I would have waited until you made your decision before I proposed the idea. We are running away from nothing—the incident this afternoon merely gave me a reason to move forward my original plan.”

  He watched her put down the delicate cup and look up as he rose to his feet. “If you will excuse me, I have a few things to finish up before we leave as well.”

  Tina jumped to her feet. “I didn’t thank you for rescuing me,” she began.

  “It is not necessary.” He waived away her thanks and moved to stand before her. “I knew when I left the vicarage I shouldn’t have taken you into the village, but, foolishly I assumed you would be fine for what I thought would be a short visit to the blacksmith’s to discuss some repairs. I wanted to grant your request, you see, but I discounted what Mr. Farthingale said about the villagers.”

  “My…my request?”

  “That we spend some time getting to know one another.” He paused for a moment, then continued. “You were right when you said we did not know each other very well. I thought we could spend some time this afternoon…talking.”

  Tina was taken aback by his admission. She had not thought he’d given her suggestion any credence. After the last time she had spent in his arms, she was convinced he thought her free with her favors and had developed a disgust of her.

  “Perhaps on the way to Collingswood,” he said now. “But, I suspect we will have to keep it innocuous or Felicia might guess our intent.”

  “Do you not want Felicia to know?” she asked. “She has always known I was to marry Aaron—and probably knows about the exchange of names on the betrothal contract.”

  “I had not thought much about it,” he admitted. “You know her better than I—how do you think she would react?”

  Surprised by the question, she replied, “I’m not sure I know.” She was silent for a moment, then continued, “There was a time when I would have predicted her reaction, but I’m not sure any more. She has been somewhat detached over the past few years. We are still close, but I wouldn’t hazard a guess as to her reaction.”

  “Will you tell her?”

  “Of course,” she responded instantly. “But not until after I make my decision. I think I will be able to give you my answer after we reach Collingswood.” Trying to sound as if she discussed marriage proposals every day, she continued, “I think by then I should have thought it through enough to make a decision. As for Felicia, if nothing happens soon, she will likely come right out and ask.”

  *

  True to his word, they left Thane Park shortly before dawn two days later. Collingswood and Thane Park were a long day’s ride from each other, so there was no need to worry about where to stop for the night. Felicia and Tina began the journey riding in the coach, but Jay promised later they could ride in the curricle with him if either of them wished. Felicia was also wearing her habit, intending to take Jay up on his promise of letting her ride one of the mares being led by Eddie.

  About mi
d-morning, Jay took Tina up in the curricle, while Felicia mounted the other mare. Understanding he needed to concentrate on the road, Tina was quiet and relaxed, enjoying the countryside as it went past. Felicia rode beside the curricle for a short while, asking Jay questions, then moved to ride beside Eddie.

  For Tina, the day had a near magical quality about it. She found comfort and ease in Jay’s company. Although they talked little, she discovered her reticence around him vanished when he wasn’t concentrating solely on her. Watching him handle the ribbons, she was especially impressed with his skill because she knew he had spent most of his time away from England at sea.

  She also found herself wondering whether he truly wanted to marry her—or whether he was sacrificing himself for the sake of his father. It seemed odd to her that, after leaving home originally to get away from his father, he would return to do his father’s posthumous bidding. Nothing seemed to add up except, for some unexplained reason, Jay was willing to honor a contract to which he had not, legally, been a party.

  So, how did she feel? She’d told him she was honor bound to respect the provisions of the contract, although it could be argued she had not consented to its provisions either. She had agreed to marry Aaron when he was standing before her and she had, in essence, grown up with him. But, she had not agreed to substituting Jay’s name on the contract. In fact, she had not been consulted, so had neither agreed nor disagreed. Perhaps she had accepted the change by not speaking up when she learned of it. Perhaps the old marquis assumed she would agree simply because she had been groomed to take her mother’s place as marchioness.

  And perhaps, a small voice taunted, you didn’t argue because you felt guilty over Aaron’s death. It had been very hard to watch the old marquis, her beloved “Papa”, deteriorate as he had. Perhaps she had acquiesced because it seemed to make him happy—or at least content. Whatever the reason, she had not opposed the substitution and, after her stepfather’s death, felt obligated to abide by its terms.