to marry me. There were times I was delighted to discover that he was too used up to try to get close to me.”
“If this is my welcome to the way things really are, aren’t there some things we need to share?”
“Amanda, you are cleverly tilting this conversation away from its subject.”
“Mother,” Amanda started slowly. “Six months ago, you and I were going into the city for fittings. I waited for you in your apartment, as always, and I idled through your bookshelves. I happened on a book of poetry with a rose pressed in it, nothing more, except it lay on a page of desperately declared love.”
Daisy lowered her eyes.
“Well?”
“Your father is a bit of a brawler in bed and I had never really known a gentle man before. He was English, actually. I met him on my first trip to England. He was, of all things, a theatrical producer with a wife, children, and later, grandchildren. He passed away a few years ago.”
“Oh, Mother,” Amanda said compassionately.
“Obviously we carried out our trysts with extreme discretion. He knew of islands off England or up north in Scotland where no one knew us or gave ‘tuppence ha’penny.’ I don’t believe your father would have really cared. Perhaps it would have been a small blow to his ego. But how could the man complain with his string of mistresses, and a wife who ran his home and social life flawlessly?”
“Are you certain?”
“Yes. The only thing that Horace Kerr fears is public ridicule. So long as the news never reached his clubs or banks or the press, he wouldn’t give a damn. Just his fine name matters to him.”
“Was it worth it?”
“Hard to say, Amanda. After a while you stare at the rose pressed in a book of poetry and hardly remember what he looked like. What I do know about Horace Kerr causes me to shiver on your behalf. He was beyond cruel to your brother Upton, his only son.”
“And Emily, hidden away for none to see?”
Daisy sagged. “We won’t talk about your sister.”
Amanda arose deliberately and began to walk off.
“You’d be a fool to underestimate this man. He’ll stop you. He’ll stop anyone. The way your father adores you, he’ll destroy you before he lets you go, even if it means he must destroy himself in the process. Do you hear me, for God’s sake?”
“I hear you.”
“Hang on to this place you’ve won and learn to live in it. Don’t test him. Do not test him!”
• 13 •
THE PLEASURE GARDEN
Two Weeks Later
Something tickled Zachary’s nose. His hand rubbed it as he opened his eyes and yawned. He saw Amanda kneeling over him and smiled.
She had teased him to awakening with a stem of hay. Zach propped on his elbows. He was in the barn of the Inverness stable.
“I wasn’t expecting you to arrive till noon.”
“I got off duty early yesterday. Captain Storm loaned me his chaise. Anyhow, I got here in the middle of the night and didn’t want to make a grand entrance. The guard and his wife invited me to sleep in the gatehouse, but after I got the horse fed and watered, I decided to open a bale and bunk in here.”
“You must be hungry.”
“Always,” he said.
“Are we going to Chesapeake Park?” she asked. “You promised.”
“You got permission?” he asked.
“Of course,” she said.
“Let me grab my pack and clean up.”
Zach followed her to a kitchen as large as the one in his barracks. There were several servants’ tables, according to rank. A platter arrived with a Maryland breakfast, including fried chicken. “Sawyer will show you to the washroom. I’ll be back in a bit.”
He could not eat the platter clean. Zach gave off a happy stretch and followed the servant to a washing room and showers.
Zach returned to the kitchen and saw Amanda waiting at one of the tables with a black girl, of her age, sitting beside her, and assumed she was a member of the household staff. On closer look, the girl was dressed in a lovely way, with a stunning hairdo and a smart little
“If this is my welcome to the way things really are, aren’t there some things we need to share?”
“Amanda, you are cleverly tilting this conversation away from its subject.”
“Mother,” Amanda started slowly. “Six months ago, you and I were going into the city for fittings. I waited for you in your apartment, as always, and I idled through your bookshelves. I happened on a book of poetry with a rose pressed in it, nothing more, except it lay on a page of desperately declared love.”
Daisy lowered her eyes.
“Well?”
“Your father is a bit of a brawler in bed and I had never really known a gentle man before. He was English, actually. I met him on my first trip to England. He was, of all things, a theatrical producer with a wife, children, and later, grandchildren. He passed away a few years ago.”
“Oh, Mother,” Amanda said compassionately.
“Obviously we carried out our trysts with extreme discretion. He knew of islands off England or up north in Scotland where no one knew us or gave ‘tuppence ha’penny.’ I don’t believe your father would have really cared. Perhaps it would have been a small blow to his ego. But how could the man complain with his string of mistresses, and a wife who ran his home and social life flawlessly?”
“Are you certain?”
“Yes. The only thing that Horace Kerr fears is public ridicule. So long as the news never reached his clubs or banks or the press, he wouldn’t give a damn. Just his fine name matters to him.”
“Was it worth it?”
“Hard to say, Amanda. After a while you stare at the rose pressed in a book of poetry and hardly remember what he looked like. What I do know about Horace Kerr causes me to shiver on your behalf. He was beyond cruel to your brother Upton, his only son.”
“And Emily, hidden away for none to see?”
Daisy sagged. “We won’t talk about your sister.”
Amanda arose deliberately and began to walk off.
“You’d be a fool to underestimate this man. He’ll stop you. He’ll stop anyone. The way your father adores you, he’ll destroy you before he lets you go, even if it means he must destroy himself in the process. Do you hear me, for God’s sake?”
“I hear you.”
“Hang on to this place you’ve won and learn to live in it. Don’t test him. Do not test him!”
• 13 •
THE PLEASURE GARDEN
Two Weeks Later
Something tickled Zachary’s nose. His hand rubbed it as he opened his eyes and yawned. He saw Amanda kneeling over him and smiled.
She had teased him to awakening with a stem of hay. Zach propped on his elbows. He was in the barn of the Inverness stable.
“I wasn’t expecting you to arrive till noon.”
“I got off duty early yesterday. Captain Storm loaned me his chaise. Anyhow, I got here in the middle of the night and didn’t want to make a grand entrance. The guard and his wife invited me to sleep in the gatehouse, but after I got the horse fed and watered, I decided to open a bale and bunk in here.”
“You must be hungry.”
“Always,” he said.
“Are we going to Chesapeake Park?” she asked. “You promised.”
“You got permission?” he asked.
“Of course,” she said.
“Let me grab my pack and clean up.”
Zach followed her to a kitchen as large as the one in his barracks. There were several servants’ tables, according to rank. A platter arrived with a Maryland breakfast, including fried chicken. “Sawyer will show you to the washroom. I’ll be back in a bit.”
He could not eat the platter clean. Zach gave off a happy stretch and followed the servant to a washing room and showers.
Zach returned to the kitchen and saw Amanda waiting at one of the tables with a black girl, of her age, sitting beside her, and assumed she was a member of the household staff. On closer look, the girl was dressed in a lovely way, with a stunning hairdo and a smart little
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