Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

B eth glanced at Lord Bingham through the dim light of the carriage. The sun was nearly gone as she adjusted her shoulder under the weight of Julianna’s head. Not that she minded her sister using her as a pillow, but Julianna had been asleep for nearly an hour and had grown progressively heavy during that time.

“Are you sure you are comfortable?” Lord Bingham asked for the third time.

Before she answered, Mr. Kaye spoke up. “Perhaps we should switch places.”

“I think not, Mr. Kaye. That would be highly improper.”

“Come, Miss Haynes. You must be a full stone smaller than Miss Julianna and even in the dim light we can see your discomfort. It is only for another hour or so. Plus, who would know? I am simply offering my shoulder like any gentleman should.”

Beth searched his face. Her shoulder did pain her a great deal. “All right, but only until we reach the drive. Then we must return to our current positions. And if any riders come from my uncle’s estate, we must act quickly. Julianna does not need any rumors following her about.”

Mr. Kaye nodded, then leaned forward and placed his hands under Julianna’s head and shoulder so Beth might slip out from under her. The exchange went off far smoother than she could have hoped as Mr. Kaye nestled his shoulder under Julianna.

Lord Bingham held the lap robe up for Beth to take Mr. Kaye’s seat and laid it across when she settled. It felt odd to share the thick blanket with him, but she did not mind at all the warmth he emitted. While she’d been fairly comfortable with Julianna, her sister had not kept her nearly as cozy.

Then again, maybe that was the embarrassment she felt tucked up with a man she hardly knew, but who’d selflessly thrown himself under her to block her from pain.

“How is your shoulder?”

He moved the offended part up and down. “A bit better. I am sure it will bruise, but it does not smart as much as it did earlier today.”

“Thank you again for saving me.”

“It was my pleasure.”

The earnest way he said the words, his voice nearly a whisper, sent delightful little tingles up her spine. When Julianna had teased her last night about Lord Bingham she’d been able to honestly show her indifference, but after the moment they’d shared in the carriage when his beautiful grey eyes had bored into hers, she could no longer claim that indifference. In truth, the immense amount of emotion that had clogged her throat and kept her from speaking at that moment still surprised her.

After Edward, she never thought she’d feel butterflies dance in her stomach again, and yet they had with great vigor.

“I must thank you as well,” Lord Bingham continued quietly.

“Me? I do not see why?”

“For helping me with my glove. I—” He glanced across the carriage at Mr. Kaye. His friend seemed to be occupied with staring out the window.

He dipped his head to speak closer to her ear, the warmth of his breath sending happy little chills down her neck. “It is hard for me to ask for help with something I used to do without thought.”

She peered at him, understanding how difficult losing one's abilities could be. She had not lost any physical ones, but over the last few years the ability to find joy in life had become increasingly difficult. Each day ran into the next with no relief in sight. And while she’d insisted to Julianna that they need not rush into any relationships, she longed to be a wife and mother so much that it hurt.

But it was that exact longing that had sent her into Edward’s unfaithful arms. They’d been childhood friends after all, and it only seemed natural that their relationship should advance into something more. Apparently he was not as convinced on the subject as both of their fathers.

She squeezed her hands together in her muff. No. She would not think on it. Edward had stolen too many of her yesterdays. She would not give him today as well.

Carefully she removed her hand and placed it on Lord Bingham’s gloved one. “I am happy I could be there to see your need.”

He smiled and his thumb twitched under the pressure of her hand. Turning it slightly, he allowed her fingers to fall within his own. Only the forefinger truly curled around hers, but it was enough. Her heart warmed at the contentment and comfort she found in his gaze.

“Not apple… short please, with pink…”

Beth’s eyes shot to her sister and she pulled her hand free of Lord Bingham’s. Mr. Kaye peered at Julianna in confusion.

A smirk broke free of Beth’s usual emotional constraints. “She talks in her sleep. Sometimes she thrashes her arms too. I would stay on my guard if I were you.”

A grin appeared on Mr. Kaye’s cheerful face. “Duly noted. I shall make certain I am prepared to defend myself.”

When they reached Kendal, Beth was saved from another awkward change of seats. Julianna woke with a start when the carriage rumbled along the cobblestones that lined the street in the middle of the small village.

Once the conveyance passed through the town, they turned right up a long tree-lined drive. A grey stone home with three stories came into view. Not much of the exterior had changed since Beth’s last visit other than the trees growing larger and the ivy covering more of the home than she remembered.

She leaned forward to get a better look, catching Mr. Kaye and Lord Bingham’s attention. “Gentleman, welcome to Haverton, our Uncle Waverly’s favorite place to be in the entire world.”

Mr. Kaye let out a whistle. “That is a fine house. Had I known such was possible, I might not have sold out of His Majesty's Royal Army.”

“Do not let the exterior fool you,” Julianna said. “It is a work in progress. When Uncle Waverly bought the place it was in quite a state of disrepair. It has taken years to renovate. And since his service ended, Uncle Waverly has not been satisfied with the normal updates.”

“How so?”

Beth placed the bonnet she’d had in her lap on her head. “The house was already a veritable maze of odd rooms and hidden passageways, but I suppose with the inactivity of a gentleman’s life Uncle Waverly has found a hobby in adding onto the home's unique qualities. At least that is what our aunt reports in her letters.”

“This holiday is sounding more and more diverting the closer we get. How many more surprises do you think we shall find, Bingham?”

Lord Bingham crossed his arms. “I will settle for less diversion and more warmth. Let us hope our old general’s projects have not left his home drafty.”

Beth scrunched her eyes in the dark of the interior trying to make out Lord Bingham’s angular features. Where had the contented man she’d witnessed not one hour ago gone? He seemed irritated and out of sorts.

“No need to be surly.” Mr. Kaye said. “I am sure they will have a large fire, thick blankets, and a nice bowl of gruel for you, old man.”

“Yes and hopefully a nursery for you,” Lord Bingham shot back.

Mr. Kaye’s bark of laughter filled the carriage. “Do not mind him, ladies. Bingham here gets a might ornery when he is cold.”

“You would too if you had any amount of sense in your head, but somehow you lost that during our march in France.”

“Cannot lose something you never had to begin with. Cold never did bother me, Bingham.”

“I agree with Lord Bingham on this one,” Julianna said through chattering teeth. “I cannot wait to be warm again.” Then she turned to Beth. “Please do not take offense, but you are not near as warm as Mr. Kaye.”

The man laughed. “Now that is a compliment. I think I shall claim it at every elegant event. I can see the exclamations of all the young ladies now. ‘Mr. Kaye is quite a catch. Not only will you get a relatively poor yet dashing man, but you will also gain a ready-built fire for whatever room he is in.’”

Lord Bingham snorted. “You are not poor.”

“Compared to you, I am.”

A harrumph was all the answer Mr. Kaye got before the coach stopped and the door was ripped open.

“There you are.” Aunt Waverly fairly pulled Beth out of the carriage. “We were so worried.”

Beth stumbled on the step, but her uncle steadied her. “Is all well? What happened?”

“A broken axle on our first conveyance, sir,” Lord Bingham said from within.

“Bingham, is that you, man?”

“It is, General.”

Lord Bingham exited to stand next to Beth. General Waverly slapped him on the back and she worried he’d tumble into dirt on the drive. Her uncle was no small man and had hands nearly the size of dinner plates. But Lord Bingham held his ground.

Mr. Kaye helped Julianna down behind them, and both she and Beth were met with crushing embraces by their aunt.

“Oh, I am so glad you are here. When your companion arrived hours ago, I thought maybe your carriage had overturned or you’d been set upon by highwaymen.”

Their uncle’s booming laugh filled the frigid night air. “Or you’d all run off to Scotland.” He put a hand to the side of his mouth and faux whispered, “Which was probably her hope.”

“Hold your tongue, Henry.” Aunt Waverly glared, but a little twinkle in her eyes belied her words. “Although I must admit it did cross my mind, especially with Mrs. Barker fretting up a storm convinced of its actuality.”

Uncle Waverly continued to chuckle, but the back of Beth’s neck heated with his not-so-subtle comment. What exactly did her aunt hope to accomplish at this house party? Was she as set on matching them with their current companions as Julianna seemed to be?

As they were all rushed into the house to warm up by the fire, Beth began to worry. While a little flirtation was all well and good, five weeks was an awfully short time to overcome years of hurt. She was not ready to be pushed into anything permanent yet, even if one of their companions had made her heart trip over itself.

But what was she to do if her sister and aunt insisted on pushing her into his arms? She supposed she’d have to play oblivious. It had worked before.

Nervously her hand went to her throat to rub her locket, only it was not there. She stopped, her hand searching frantically under the collar of her pelisse. Had it come undone and fallen down into her dress?

“What is the matter, dear?” Aunt Waverly asked.

“My mother’s locket. I was wearing it earlier and now it is gone.”

“Do not trouble yourself, I am sure it is somewhere in all those layers. Why once I lost a string of pearls coming home from the Twelfth Night ball and do you know where I found them?”

Beth shook her head. Aunt Waverly took hold of her arm and pulled her along, creating distance between them and the others. Then lowering her voice, she whispered, “They had fallen down into my stays.” Aunt Waverly’s mouth quirked into a smile and her eyes danced with laughter. “I am sure when you ready yourself for bed your necklace will make its appearance.”

Beth smothered a laugh. She’d forgotten how diverting her mother’s sister could be. “Thank you, Aunt. I am certain you are right.”

But when Beth readied for bed later that evening she was dismayed to find no trace of her prized possession.

“Could you have lost it in the accident?” Julianna asked. “Perhaps it is still in our coach.”

An ache began in Beth’s fingers and traveled all the way to her heart as she rubbed the place the locket should have been. If it was still in the coach, was there any hope of getting it back? Not all people were honest. What if someone at the posting inn found it and decided to take it for their own, or even worse, sell it?

“Oh, Beth. Do not fret. You can write to the inn in the morning. I am sure they will keep it safe until we can retrieve it.”

Julianna’s optimism was sweet, but Beth knew better. The world was not always filled with sunshine and daisies. Mankind often let one down, especially if a body was not near enough to remind them to hold to their honor.