Page 135

Jane laughed. "Elsbeth, it is about time you learned that I do not possess a well-disciplined mind, however much I may try to conceal that deplorable circumstance.

In truth, I also possess my share of pride, and that pride demands I serve Lady Tipton and Mrs. Hedgeworth some measure of a trick as they would me. "

Lady Elsbeth pursed her lips and shook her head slowly."I don’t understand, Jane. Won’t you please tell me what happened between you and Serena and Millicent?”

Jane looked at her aunt with deep regret swimming in her liquid green eyes.

"I’m sorry, Elsbeth, truly I am. Perhaps it is best if we drop this subject.

It is too fine a day to talk of gloomy things.

And it is nearly teatime. Do you know where the children are?

I picked some blackberries today, especially for them. ”

“Blackberries? This early?”

“First of the season, I believe, but very juicy nonetheless.”

“I don’t believe they would care to miss fresh blackberries. They’re outside, no doubt getting as filthy as pigs. Nurse Twinkleham sent them out with one of the maids, young Becky, I believe, while she helped Mrs. Phibbs and me inventory the linens.”

Jane, amused, rolled her eyes. "Perhaps not the best of choices. Bertram and Edward hardly ever mind her.”

“I know, but she would only have been underfoot here. Becky is worse than useless as a maid, though she does try hard. Sometimes I wonder how Mary can see fit to keep her on, even if she is Mrs. Phibbs’s niece.”

“I believe she hopes that Becky’s multitude of good intentions will one day help her to compensate. I’ll wager Bertram’s talked Becky into going to the Folly. I’ll go and see if I can’t urge them to return home with a bribe of blackberries.”

Jane carelessly tied on a plain straw bonnet and set out purposefully across the park toward the Folly in the distance.

The day had become quite warm. When she came to the man-made lake about halfway to the Folly, she stopped to loosen the buttons of her dress at her neck and wrists, pushing her sleeves up to her elbows.

Screening her eyes from the late afternoon sun, she looked up the hill toward the miniature replica Greek temple that sheltered a telescope.

Bertram loved that telescope. He spent hours using it to scan the park, spying on the servants’ comings and goings or the wood's wildlife.

But there was no sign of children or maid there now.

A concerned frown pulled at Jane’s lips.

Where could they be? Jane scanned the park, searching for any sign of movement.

The boys knew it was near to their teatime.

Their aunt didn’t put it past them to engage in a game of hide-and-seek to prolong their time outdoors.

She started to walk back toward the house.

The only thing to do was to send the grooms out in search of them.

She hoped they had not talked Becky into letting them explore too far afield.

The maid had a poor sense of direction and was often lost. One day she had been sent to the village, only to end up circling the town five times before she came upon someone who could direct her way.

That memory brought with it a shiver of uncertainty.

Jane picked up her pace, walking quickly back toward the house.

“Miss Grantley! Miss Grantley!”

Jane sighed thankfully. The high, strident voice was Becky’s. She turned toward the sound, followed a moment later with Becky bursting out from the shadows of trees surrounding the park. Her mobcap was askew, and leaves clung to her dress.

Becky ran up to Jane and seized her arm."Oh, Miss Grantley, it is reet sarry I is. I can’t git him down. The tyke’s just a hangin’ there. I didn’t think it would be no harm, honestly I didn’t. I tried, miss, I did try. Now only it’s a cryin’ he is.”

“Calm down, Becky, calm down. It’s all right. Tell me slowly. Where are the children?” Jane asked, firmly grasping the hysterical maid by her shoulders.

“Like I been sayin’, miss, uppa tree! Leastwise, Master Bertram insisted he stay with his brother.”

“Edward is caught up in a tree? Where is he?”

“In the ol’ orchard, miss. Near the lane to his estate. I’m that wurrit lest he sees them. He eats children, ya know, miss,” the little maid finished in an awed whisper.

“Do not be ridiculous, Becky,” Jane said, prying the girl’s fingers loose from her arm. "Go on up to the stables and fetch one of the grooms. I’ll go on to see if I can’t be of some assistance. At least I may be able to get Edward to calm down.”

Becky shook her head, clinging like a leech to Jane’s arm."But miss, I heard tell he does even worse to young ladies!”

“Becky, that will be quite enough! Do as you’re told!” Jane said with exasperation.

“Yes, miss,” Becky’s face screwed up in anguish, tears threatening to fall. She meekly bobbed a curtsy before running toward the stable.

For a moment, Jane watched after her, then picked up her skirts and ran through the forest toward the orchard.

Poor Edward! He could not understand that he was too little to do everything his elder brother did.

She hoped he was not too badly frightened and had the sense to stay still until help arrived.

Jane tripped once over a root, ripping the hem of the same dress she had worked so hard that morning to keep from harm, but she scarcely noticed.

Her hat fell back off her head and bobbed up and down on her shoulders with each step.

Strands of black hair curled as perspiration ran down her face and neck.

“Bertram! Edward!” Jane gasped when she reached the edge of the orchard. She stopped for breath, her sides heaving.

“Here, Aunt Jane!” came Bertram’s clear, high voice.

She followed his call, relieved not to hear panic in his voice. When she finally spotted him, he was on the ground, peering intently up through the branches above his head. "Bertram, where’s Edward?”

“He’s up here, Miss Grantley. I’ll have him down to you in a moment,” drawled the sardonic voice of the Earl of Royce, coming from above.

She looked up in time to see the earl free Edward from his tightly-wedged position high in the tree. He swung the child onto his back and ordered him to hold tightly around his neck so he could carry him down.

Jane bit the knuckle of one hand as she watched them descend, terrified lest one or the other lose his grip. When they reached the ground, she rushed to pick up Edward and clasp him to her. "Are you all right?” she asked, anxiously searching for fresh cuts and scrapes or any sign of broken bones.

“Aunt Jane!” protested Edward, squirming to get out of her arms.

“Mind your manners, young man. Your aunt was worried about you,” the earl remonstrated. At the same time, he reached out to ruffle the boy’s hair.

Edward grinned cheekily.

“You must thank Lord Royce for his effort on your behalf,” Jane ordered Edward as she set him on the ground.

“Lord Royce!” ejaculated Bertram. He cuffed his younger brother on the shoulder. "Make a leg, you clodhead.”

Royce and Jane stifled laughter as a very serious five-year-old bowed and stammered his thanks.

“It is I who should be giving you thanks, Edward,” said Royce.

He laid his hand on the child’s shoulder.

"I haven’t climbed a tree since I was in short coats.

I’m glad for the excuse your little contretemps afforded me.

I’d forgotten how appealing the sights are from high up in a tree,” the earl said, his gaze resting on Jane.

A slow blush transfused Jane’s pale complexion.

She was suddenly aware of her disheveled appearance.

With trembling fingers, she smoothed the long sleeves of her dress, buttoning them at the wrist. "Bertram, Edward, it is nearly teatime, you know. I have a special treat for you, too. Blackberries. But you’ll need to get cleaned up first. Though whether you should have any or not, I don’t know.

” She was babbling and knew it. She avoided the earl’s gaze as she leaned down to straighten Edward’s jacket and brush grass from Bertram’s sleeve.

It was a useless, nervous endeavor, for the children’s clothes were too messy to be set to rights.

“Fresh blackberries! Did you hear that, Edward? I’ll race you home!” Bertram cried, tearing off through the trees.

“No fair!” declared Edward, taking off after his elder sibling.

Jane and the earl laughed again as they watched them scamper off.

“So all your efforts this morning were for those two scapegrace boys,” he said.

“Yes. The Littons, my sister and her husband, are out of the country. Their governess wished to be relieved of her duties, so my aunt and I came down to Penwick Park to care for the boys in their absence,” she found herself explaining.

The earl nodded, his expression solemn. "They are lucky boys to be surrounded by people who love and care for them,” he said gruffly, a faraway expression in his dark eyes.

Then he looked back at her, his devilish smile returning.

"I am beginning to believe, Miss Grantley, that you need a keeper. First, I find you entangled in a blackberry bush, and now I discover you threatening that flawless complexion,” he said, lifting her hat from where it lay dangling by its ribbons on her back and resettling it on her head.

Conflicting feelings surged in on a tide of embarrassment.

Was that a touch of sorrow she’d seen in his face?

Why? By all reports, he did not care for children.

Rumors abided concerning a child born to him and a woman he fled to the continent with more than ten years past. Still, more speculation was raised as to why he never married the woman, for she was of good family.

Conflicting tales of the fates of those two innocents still circulated society, lessons for young women flattered by another rake’s attentions.

Suddenly Jane doubted all she’d heard about the earl. She looked up at him, a curiously intent expression in her eyes.

“My lord, would you care to join us for tea?”