Tempted

“Captain Mountjoy does not know that.”

“Then I have only to tell him so.”

“There is no reasoning with you when you have taken one of your romantic starts.”

“If we are speaking of romantic starts, what about a new widow who suddenly marries a man nearly twice her age?”

“That was different,” Helen said, holding her head up proudly. “I had advertised as a housekeeper, not a wife. I think in the beginning Hiram simply felt sorry for me, caught with young Ralph and almost no pension.”

“Not to mention two sisters, one of whom was a fallen woman.”

“But that wasn’t your fault. I advised you to go with Banstock. I believed him when he said he preferred to be married in Bath rather than Bristol.”

“I believed him, too. So do not worry about me being taken in by another man. I mean to be very careful.”

“Very well.” Helen kissed her lightly on the cheek. “We must go down now. I so hate to be the last to go in to dinner.”

“Helen?”

“Yes, dear?”

“You do love Lord Mountjoy now, don’t you?”

“Very much. You see, I thought he was only trying to save us. I never expected he actually wanted me, or that I would be having a child to him.” She stroked her round stomach affectionately. “He is the best of men.”

“Yes, I know.”

After Helen left, Judith stroked the green dress that became her so well. Evan had picked the color. If Helen perceived that he was no gudgeon, then Judith herself should be wary of him. Still, Gram had had a high regard for her grandson. Judith supposed that she should not let one devastating experience color her judgment of all men. But what did it matter, really? She was going to be a spinster aunt and remain at Meremont forever. So why should she not enjoy Evan’s gallantry? She was completely safe from him.

Evan determined to show Bose that his fears were ungrounded. By dint of speaking only when he was spoken to, Evan made it through the evening meal without a single hitch, though he was called to attention half a dozen times for not answering. He could not help noticing that Judith wore the same gown she had the previous evening, and that when the candles were set out in the library, she picked up a basket of mending. He occupied himself with ruses for providing his future wife with a more extensive wardrobe immediately. She could sew; that was something. So all he had to do was put the materials into her hands. That was surely not the same as buying her clothes. It came to him that he was taking a lot for granted in expecting her to accept his proposal. She was too good for him. But he had better ask her. Then, of course, he could say she was working on her trousseau. Yes, that was the best plan of action. He nodded to himself as though he had just finished the work plan for the next day and was surprised that the table did not contain innumerable maps and drawings to roll up and put away.

His father was staring at him, and Evan smiled blankly. Lord Mountjoy scowled. “I asked if you were going to ride about the place tomorrow with me. But I suppose you are too deaf to hear me.”

“Sorry, I was not attending. May Judith come as well?”

“If she wishes.”

“I want to go, too,” Angel said.

“Not on one of my horses,” his father declared.

Angel looked appealingly at Evan.

“Afraid I can’t afford to have one of mine lamed, either,” he said warily, assuming the worst.

“It’s not fair.”

“Best stay home, child,” Lord Mountjoy said more kindly. “You would only hold us up. You are forever dropping things.”

“Terry, may I ride one of your horses?” Angel asked sweetly.

“No, absolutely not. You don’t even like to ride.”

“How shall I ever grow to like it if I am not given the chance?”

“Liking it isn’t enough. You have to be good at it,” Evan said, but he was looking at Judith, who blushed becomingly.

“Is Judith good at it?”

“Very.”

“I believe the ladies will go up now,” Helen interrupted ruthlessly. Evan soon followed them, since he had no desire either to drink or argue, and Terry’s less-than-coherent grumbling would lead him to one or the other. He was interrupted in the process of undressing himself by a knock and threw his shirt back on before opening the door to Lady Mountjoy.

“I mean to talk to you.”

“Sit down, please.”

“I shall require only a moment. I may have to put up with you, but I will not have my sister preyed upon by you. If you lay one finger on her I will—I will shoot you.”

Evan blinked at her and then smiled. “I admire your fortitude, and I should have spoken to you before, so as not to worry you. My intentions—”

“I know what a soldier’s intentions may be. I cannot live in a house without being aware of what is going forward below stairs.”

“Oh, Bose. But he and Joan have known each other for decades. It’s only to be expected that his affair progresses more rapidly than—”

“His affair, as you name it, disgusts me.”

“But his goal is marriage, as is mine, I assure you.”

“A man may promise anything…”

“If you have been disappointed by some man at some time, that does not mean we are all cut from the same cloth.”

“I flatter myself I know what cloth you are cut from. I’ll send her away if I have to. You will not have Judith.”

“But I want to marry her. She will be Lady Mountjoy someday…or is that it? A sister you have taken for granted for years, almost turned into a drudge, might someday have precedence over you?”

“I’ll see you in your grave before I’ll see her married to you.”

She turned on her heel and exited, with Evan thoughtfully closing the door behind her. He realized he might have to revise his plans. But what could not be taken by direct assault could be had by patient siege, and he knew how to be patient.

The ride about the estate was not the casual affair that Evan had anticipated, but a tour of the lands acquired in anticipation of his father’s canal project. They were all under cultivation, as it happened, but the acquiring of them might well have beggared him. Evan could see some point to it, if they had a manufacture to ship goods from or even a woolery, but with the current price of corn and cloth, it would never pay for itself. He did not, however, ruin the ride by saying so. Judith was in her glory, garnering compliments on her new skill from both Lord Mountjoy and Terry. Evan liked to see her smiling shyly at them, since most of the things he said to her drew a suspicious look.

They returned to the house with hours to spare before dinner, so Evan invited Judith for a walk. He led her toward the dower house and found them a seat in its neglected garden. Even in its overgrown state it seemed very familiar to him. It should. He had spent many days here recovering from the accident that had claimed his brother.

“I miss her,” Judith said, picking a flower and twirling it sadly between her fingers as she sat sideways on the stone bench.

“So do I. I would have come if I could.”