Page 2 of The Fortunes of Ashmore Castle

He turned away to hide the wryness of his mouth at the mention of her dearest friend, who had married a wealthy industrialist twice her age.

Giles’s hopeless feelings for Nina had to be kept deeply buried because, yes, he had married Kitty for her fortune, but he was fond of her and had no wish ever to hurt her.

He hid his face by keeping his back turned while he put on his jacket.

‘I am not in love with Giulia, Kitty,’ he said.

‘I never have been. You do believe that, don’t you?

’ She didn’t answer. He turned to face her.

She was frowning a little, deep in thought, but she did not seem distressed.

‘I’m going down,’ he said. ‘Are you coming?’

She shook herself back from her thoughts. ‘You go. I’ll come when the bell rings.’ And she went back through the dressing-room door.

Alice dressed herself, except on very formal occasions, and it hadn’t taken her long to put on her dark green tartan dress and wind her daytime plait into a chignon.

Ready, she went upstairs to the old schoolroom, which she and Rachel used as a sitting-room.

The dogs, which had been lying outside Giles’s room, came rushing to her, longing for company, and followed her upstairs.

Since Kitty had taken over the running of the house, there was always a good fire kept in the old schoolroom.

When her mother had ruled, fires had been rationed.

She sat on the rug with a dog either side of her and stared into the flames.

Her thoughts went, like a bird flying home, to the last time she had seen Axe, and they had kissed.

It was the first time she had ever kissed a man.

To remember it, to relive it, was her one comfort, because she knew she must not see him again.

He was the estate woodsman; she was Lady Alice, sister of the earl.

If anyone found out about their deep and tender friendship, they would destroy him.

She longed for him, ached for him, but she knew they had been lucky so far.

In a country district like this, secrets could not be kept.

She must never go back there, to the one place where she felt belonging.

She had always been a cheerful, practical sort of girl, not given to thinking about herself, but she was coming to realise that her upbringing had left her lonely.

Her father had always been a distant, rather frightening figure.

Her mother noticed her rarely, and then only to criticise.

Giles and Richard were hardly ever at home.

She’d had Rachel for a companion, but Rachel had always been a different kind of girl.

Rachel was prettier than Alice; her hair was always tidy, her hands always clean; she was quiet and ladylike; she loved parties and balls.

She’d always wanted to get married and have lots of children. Grown-ups had approved of Rachel.

All Alice had wanted was to be left alone to ride and run about with the dogs, to read books and to draw.

Her feelings for Axe had crept up on her.

At first she was just glad there was someone who liked her.

Then she began to appreciate someone who did not either treat her distantly, because she was gentry, or patronise her because she was young and female.

He treated her as an equal: that in itself was a wonder.

The realisation that they were of different sexes – or, rather, the realisation that it mattered – had come to her only lately.

As a child of fifteen she had known, vaguely, that people would disapprove of her friendship with him.

Now she was eighteen, the matter was much more serious.

What she wanted she would not be allowed to have; and the consequences to him would be disastrous.

She had grown up; and it made her shake her head in wonder to think how much Rachel had longed for adulthood, because to her it was no pleasure at all.

The dogs jumped up, hearing Rachel’s light footsteps an instant before she did. ‘I thought I’d find you here! Oh, Alice, you shouldn’t sit on the floor! You’ll get dog hairs all over your skirt.’

‘You do look pretty,’ Alice said, to distract her. Rachel’s dress was emerald green silk with a wide, deep lace collar almost like a bertha. Her hair was in a soft mound on top of her head and she was wearing earrings.

‘Do I? Angus likes green – it’s his favourite colour. Oh, Alice, he’s here ! Isn’t it wonderful? Isn’t he just the handsomest man in the world?’ Rachel sat in the nearest chair, clasping her hands to her breast; her eyes shone in the firelight.

‘He’s very nice,’ Alice said, ‘but what is he doing here? He wasn’t invited.’

‘He’s come for me,’ Rachel said impressively.

‘Oh, goodness! “So stately his form and so lovely her face . . .” Well, that part’s right. He is quite stately. Good shoulders – and I remember from seeing him in a kilt that he has good legs, too.’

‘What are you talking about?’ Rachel said impatiently.

‘Don’t you remember the poem about Young Lochinvar? How he snatched up his love behind him on the saddle and galloped away with her? Are you going to gallop away with Angus?’

‘I’ll tell you if you’ll just listen for a moment,’ Rachel said. ‘It isn’t in the least funny.’

‘I never thought it was,’ said Alice. ‘Go on.’

‘Well, his father wants him to marry Diana Huntley. And her parents want it as well.’

‘And what does Diana Huntley want?’

‘I’m sure she wants to marry Angus – who wouldn’t?

He’s argued and argued with his father and pleaded to be allowed to marry me, and his father simply won’t listen.

And just two days ago he told Angus that the Huntleys were coming to spend Christmas at Craigend, and that Angus was to propose to her during the visit.

He said everyone was expecting it. Angus thought it would be shocking to be having the row when the Huntleys were there, in front of Diana and everything, so he packed a bag and slipped out, and he’s been travelling for two days.

Oh, and just as he was getting down from the train at Canons Ashmore, there was Uncle Fergus getting out of the first class.

Angus had travelled third, to save money.

We’d sent a carriage for Uncle, of course, so that’s how they arrived together.

Luckily, Uncle didn’t ask him any questions. ’

‘Uncle Fergus never asks questions. But I expect he’d quite approve of Angus being Young Lochinvar, seeing as he’s in love himself. But Mama wouldn’t approve of Angus being here.’

Some of Rachel’s euphoria evaporated. ‘No, she’s against us too. Oh dear, what are we to do?’

‘What’s Angus’s plan?’

‘I’m not sure he has one. I haven’t had much chance to talk to him yet, just a few words in the hall while everyone was fussing over Uncle’s news.

But he swears he won’t marry anyone but me.

At least we can have Christmas together.

And there’s the hunt on Boxing Day – Giles will have to lend him a horse.

Then the ball at the Grange on the day after.

Oh, to dance with him again! He dances like an angel. ’

‘I know. “Never a hall such a galliard did grace”.’

‘What?’ Rachel asked, but did not wait for an answer. ‘It’s so different dancing with the person you love. You can’t imagine.’

Alice felt sad for them both. ‘Don’t get too hopeful, will you?

If they’re all against it, it probably won’t happen.

In stories true love triumphs and they live happily ever after, but real life isn’t like that.

In real life, marriage is like our mother and our father, or Linda and poor Lord Cordwell. ’

Rachel was stubborn. ‘But Angus has shown them he absolutely will not marry Diana Huntley. So Sir Gordon will have to agree.’

‘But there’s still Mama. And you know she never changes her mind about anything.’

Giles trotted down the stairs to the drawing-room, feeling hard done by.

He absolutely was not in love with Giulia Lombardi, said his internal monologue, and it was unfair of Kitty to suspect him.

Yes, he admired Giulia’s intellect and enjoyed her conversation.

Had enjoyed it. Since that awkward moment on the ship coming back from Alexandria when the tipping of the vessel had thrown her into his arms and he had kissed her, she had been notably cold towards him.

Richard, in whom later he had confided, had said it was not the kiss that had upset Giulia, but his apologising for it afterwards.

He did not understand that, but it was a fact that Giulia had snubbed him at the ball, had actually refused to dance with him.

Now he was worried that her accepting Uncle Fergus was somehow connected.

He was anxious for her well-being, that was all.

It was too bad of Kitty to be giving him Looks across the room at the mention of Giulia’s name!

The bell hadn’t gone yet and he was expecting to be the only one down, but Angus was lurking near the Christmas tree, evidently hoping to waylay him. Ah, yes, Giles thought, he could legitimately be angry about Angus.

The young man got his word in first, smiling anxiously. ‘I was hoping to see you, sir. I wanted to have a private word with you.’

‘And I want to have a private word with you ,’ Giles said grimly. ‘What the devil are you doing here?’

‘Well, sir—’

‘For God’s sake stop calling me “sir”.’

Angus blushed. ‘I thought, with you being the earl, head of the family—’

‘Not of your family. Your mother is my mother’s aunt so I suppose it makes us cousins of some sort – is it second, third, or once removed?

I’ve never understood all that business.

I am, however, responsible for Rachel while she’s under my roof.

And to save you time: I know, because my mother told me, that you and Rachel have taken a fancy to each other and want to marry. ’

‘It’s more than a fancy. I love her, and she loves me,’ Angus protested.