the vast sum of £4,000 every year for the comfort of his grieving
widow!
'No!'
'No, what, my lady?' He
could almost feel the waves of fear issuing from her tense body and knew a
sudden desire to allay them. He allowed his lips to curl into a smile of
reassurance, gentling the harsh lines of his face, and the gleam in his eyes
was soft. It appeared to have no calming effect whatsoever on the lady.
'You do not wish to marry
me, my lord.'
'How do you know, my lady?
I have not yet asked you.'
Honoria could think of no
immediate reply. Panic rose into her throat, threatening to choke her, her
heart beating so loudly that she felt it must be audible to everyone in the
room. She could not possibly marry Francis Brampton, of course she could not.
She must not allow this situation to continue. She could not take any more
humiliation. With an urgent need to escape she pushed herself to her feet—but
then simply stood, transfixed by the power in Mansell's eyes that held hers,
trapped hers. She might have laughed if she could find the breath. She now knew
exactly how a rabbit would react when confronted by a hungry fox.
'There is no need to fear
me, my lady.'
'I do not,' she whispered,
hands clenched by her sides. But she did. And she feared even more her own
reaction to him.
The lawyer looked from one
to the other, struck by the intensity of emotion that had so suddenly linked
them. 'There is no compulsion here, my lord, my lady,' he suggested calmly
after a short pause in which neither of them had seemed able to break the
silence. 'There is no financial penalty if you choose to go your own separate
ways. It is merely Lord Edward's personal recommendation with the best interests
of the lady and of the estate at heart.'
'I feel free to doubt that
Lord Edward ever had anyone's best interests at heart but his own.' Mansell's
words and tone were critical and condemning, but his eyes remained fixed on
Honoria, and they were kind.
'I have to say, my lord,'
Wellings continued, 'that on this occasion I find room for agreement with Lord
Edward. In the light of present events and the uncertainty of war it would be
most unwise to leave a lady without protection. Leintwardine Manor would be
almost impossible to fortify, an easy target for anyone wishing to take
control if its security was not looked to. And a lady on her own...' He looked
anxiously at Lady Mansell. 'As for raising the annual sum from the property,
run-down as it is...' He shook his head. 'I advise you to think carefully, my
lady, before severing your ties with the Bramptons. Unless, my lord, you
yourself are bound into an alliance with a young lady?'
'No.'
Mansell walked across the
room and handed the document to Honoria so that she might read of her proposed
fate for herself. She took the paper in fingers that were not quite steady and
dropped her gaze from his at last.
'If you decide to take the
advice of Lord Edward, I might suggest that you do so promptly,' Wellings
continued. 'To bring the properties back into the estate will give you, my
lord, every legal right to look to the preservation of Leintwardine Manor and
Ingram House.'
'Thank you, sir, for your
time and your timely advice. I believe there is much value in what you say.' He
kept his attention on Honoria's bent head as she read.
'It is my pleasure. I hope
to be of use to you in the future. To both of you.' The business completed to
his satisfaction, Wellings rose to his feet and bowed.
'Lady Mansell and I need a
few private words in respect of the codicil, Mr Wellings. If you wish to gather
up your papers, I will send Foxton with some refreshment. I will see you before
you leave, of course.'
He took Honoria's
unresisting hand, removed the document from her fingers and then drew her hand
through his arm, making the decision for them both.
'My lady, I suggest we
repair to the solar to consider this new situation.'
The solar was warm and
inviting if either of them had been in the frame of mind to give
widow!
'No!'
'No, what, my lady?' He
could almost feel the waves of fear issuing from her tense body and knew a
sudden desire to allay them. He allowed his lips to curl into a smile of
reassurance, gentling the harsh lines of his face, and the gleam in his eyes
was soft. It appeared to have no calming effect whatsoever on the lady.
'You do not wish to marry
me, my lord.'
'How do you know, my lady?
I have not yet asked you.'
Honoria could think of no
immediate reply. Panic rose into her throat, threatening to choke her, her
heart beating so loudly that she felt it must be audible to everyone in the
room. She could not possibly marry Francis Brampton, of course she could not.
She must not allow this situation to continue. She could not take any more
humiliation. With an urgent need to escape she pushed herself to her feet—but
then simply stood, transfixed by the power in Mansell's eyes that held hers,
trapped hers. She might have laughed if she could find the breath. She now knew
exactly how a rabbit would react when confronted by a hungry fox.
'There is no need to fear
me, my lady.'
'I do not,' she whispered,
hands clenched by her sides. But she did. And she feared even more her own
reaction to him.
The lawyer looked from one
to the other, struck by the intensity of emotion that had so suddenly linked
them. 'There is no compulsion here, my lord, my lady,' he suggested calmly
after a short pause in which neither of them had seemed able to break the
silence. 'There is no financial penalty if you choose to go your own separate
ways. It is merely Lord Edward's personal recommendation with the best interests
of the lady and of the estate at heart.'
'I feel free to doubt that
Lord Edward ever had anyone's best interests at heart but his own.' Mansell's
words and tone were critical and condemning, but his eyes remained fixed on
Honoria, and they were kind.
'I have to say, my lord,'
Wellings continued, 'that on this occasion I find room for agreement with Lord
Edward. In the light of present events and the uncertainty of war it would be
most unwise to leave a lady without protection. Leintwardine Manor would be
almost impossible to fortify, an easy target for anyone wishing to take
control if its security was not looked to. And a lady on her own...' He looked
anxiously at Lady Mansell. 'As for raising the annual sum from the property,
run-down as it is...' He shook his head. 'I advise you to think carefully, my
lady, before severing your ties with the Bramptons. Unless, my lord, you
yourself are bound into an alliance with a young lady?'
'No.'
Mansell walked across the
room and handed the document to Honoria so that she might read of her proposed
fate for herself. She took the paper in fingers that were not quite steady and
dropped her gaze from his at last.
'If you decide to take the
advice of Lord Edward, I might suggest that you do so promptly,' Wellings
continued. 'To bring the properties back into the estate will give you, my
lord, every legal right to look to the preservation of Leintwardine Manor and
Ingram House.'
'Thank you, sir, for your
time and your timely advice. I believe there is much value in what you say.' He
kept his attention on Honoria's bent head as she read.
'It is my pleasure. I hope
to be of use to you in the future. To both of you.' The business completed to
his satisfaction, Wellings rose to his feet and bowed.
'Lady Mansell and I need a
few private words in respect of the codicil, Mr Wellings. If you wish to gather
up your papers, I will send Foxton with some refreshment. I will see you before
you leave, of course.'
He took Honoria's
unresisting hand, removed the document from her fingers and then drew her hand
through his arm, making the decision for them both.
'My lady, I suggest we
repair to the solar to consider this new situation.'
The solar was warm and
inviting if either of them had been in the frame of mind to give
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