seat she’d pointed to, flicking aside his coat tails. “Now, the first thing I must say is that this contretemps is not your fault. You could have had no idea seeing you in my wife’s clothes would upset me. I had thought myself recovered from the grief of her death, but I find it still as raw today as four years ago. That is not your fault either, but mine. From now on I shall try and put it behind me, for your sake and for my children.”
“Please say no more on this subject, sir. I was thoughtless. I shall instruct the seamstress to make me new garments when she has finished replenishing the children’s wardrobe.”
“There’s no need to do that, my dear. I have sent a note to London; a friend of mine understands these things. A suitable woman and her assistants will come here post-haste. I shall not have you dressed by any village woman.”
“Thank you, my lord. There are several things I wish to discuss with you. The first is that I’ve dismissed Nanny Brooks and the housekeeper, Jones, decided to leave with her.”
“Foster told me. I should have done so myself long ago. I have been a delinquent parent. I can already see the difference in the house and the children since your arrival. Blakely is your domain; you shall do as you please here. You have my permission to redecorate and refurbish. I don’t intend to spend…” He stopped as if embarrassed.
“I understand, my lord. If the children can see you periodically, they will be content. Perhaps you could ensure you are here on their name days, and for the festive season?”
He cleared his throat and ran his finger round his neck cloth as if it had become uncomfortably tight. “Exactly. To tell you the truth, I’ve no idea when they celebrate their birthdays. Once supplied with that information I shall make it my business to be here with them. There’s something that you need to know, my dear. I have no recollection of what happened last week, when I behaved so appallingly to you. I can’t imagine what possessed me, I’m not usually a man of such low morals.”
She stared at him, not sure what he was talking about. “Low morals?”
“I tried to force myself upon you, Foster told me what happened. My bad behaviour was the reason I offered for you. This was the least I could do.”
The blood drained from her face.
Good God! He thought he had molested her. That explained why Jane and Lady Haverstock had treated her with such gentleness. He had no idea she had only knocked him to the ground because he was shaking Ned. He had married her because he thought he had ruined her reputation. Whilst she thought he married her in order to save her from retribution.
“My dear, you’re unwell. I’m a brute to remind you. My behaviour must have been reprehensible indeed if the very thought of it so upsets you.”
He was so close she could smell the lemon soap he used to shave. Her voice failed her. There was nothing she could say. She could never tell him he had married her unnecessarily. If he knew her secret, he would repudiate her and send her back to her brother. When he recovered his memory, she would most certainly get her comeuppance.
She must enjoy every moment of what little time remained of her stay at Blakely Hall.
Chapter Ten
The next day Eleanor decided to visit the nursery before breakfast. By remaining with the children, she would not be obliged to talk to her husband. How could she have got herself in such a situation? If she had realized he was labouring under a misapprehension, however desperate her circumstances, she would never have agreed to marry him.
As it was to be a union in name only, should she confess the whole and let him arrange to have the marriage dissolved?
The children as always, were overjoyed to see her. They already considered her their mama. This made things even more difficult. If she revealed her secret she would deprive the children of her presence. Already she loved them—would it not be better to put
“Please say no more on this subject, sir. I was thoughtless. I shall instruct the seamstress to make me new garments when she has finished replenishing the children’s wardrobe.”
“There’s no need to do that, my dear. I have sent a note to London; a friend of mine understands these things. A suitable woman and her assistants will come here post-haste. I shall not have you dressed by any village woman.”
“Thank you, my lord. There are several things I wish to discuss with you. The first is that I’ve dismissed Nanny Brooks and the housekeeper, Jones, decided to leave with her.”
“Foster told me. I should have done so myself long ago. I have been a delinquent parent. I can already see the difference in the house and the children since your arrival. Blakely is your domain; you shall do as you please here. You have my permission to redecorate and refurbish. I don’t intend to spend…” He stopped as if embarrassed.
“I understand, my lord. If the children can see you periodically, they will be content. Perhaps you could ensure you are here on their name days, and for the festive season?”
He cleared his throat and ran his finger round his neck cloth as if it had become uncomfortably tight. “Exactly. To tell you the truth, I’ve no idea when they celebrate their birthdays. Once supplied with that information I shall make it my business to be here with them. There’s something that you need to know, my dear. I have no recollection of what happened last week, when I behaved so appallingly to you. I can’t imagine what possessed me, I’m not usually a man of such low morals.”
She stared at him, not sure what he was talking about. “Low morals?”
“I tried to force myself upon you, Foster told me what happened. My bad behaviour was the reason I offered for you. This was the least I could do.”
The blood drained from her face.
Good God! He thought he had molested her. That explained why Jane and Lady Haverstock had treated her with such gentleness. He had no idea she had only knocked him to the ground because he was shaking Ned. He had married her because he thought he had ruined her reputation. Whilst she thought he married her in order to save her from retribution.
“My dear, you’re unwell. I’m a brute to remind you. My behaviour must have been reprehensible indeed if the very thought of it so upsets you.”
He was so close she could smell the lemon soap he used to shave. Her voice failed her. There was nothing she could say. She could never tell him he had married her unnecessarily. If he knew her secret, he would repudiate her and send her back to her brother. When he recovered his memory, she would most certainly get her comeuppance.
She must enjoy every moment of what little time remained of her stay at Blakely Hall.
Chapter Ten
The next day Eleanor decided to visit the nursery before breakfast. By remaining with the children, she would not be obliged to talk to her husband. How could she have got herself in such a situation? If she had realized he was labouring under a misapprehension, however desperate her circumstances, she would never have agreed to marry him.
As it was to be a union in name only, should she confess the whole and let him arrange to have the marriage dissolved?
The children as always, were overjoyed to see her. They already considered her their mama. This made things even more difficult. If she revealed her secret she would deprive the children of her presence. Already she loved them—would it not be better to put
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