Theirs to Eternity Read online

  “I was hoping you would be able to tell me that, Jess,” replied Davina breathlessly. She turned the frame round so that the painting was visible and propped it up on the chaiselongue. “There!” she said triumphantly, gesturing for Jess to look. “Isn’t she beautiful?”

  When Jess did not reply, Davina turned to look at her in surprise. Jess’s face was set grimly and her eyes had narrowed.

  “I’ve seen better,” she muttered.

  Davina put her head on one side. “But – do you know who she is?”

  “I can give a fair guess, miss.”

  “So – who is she, Jess?”

  Jess suddenly looked uncomfortable. “Can’t say, miss.”

  “Can’t or won’t?” asked Davina, raising an eyebrow.

  Jess pursed her lips and stared at the floor.

  “Well,” shrugged Davina after a pause, “even if she has to remain a mystery, I am still going to have her hung in my dressing room.”

  Jess suddenly came to alarmed life. “That’s asking for bad luck, that is, miss.”

  Davina was perplexed. “Bad luck?”

  Jess sniffed sullenly. “That’s all I’m saying, miss.”

  Davina regarded Jess gravely and then walked to the bell pull.

  “I am going to ask for someone to come and hang the portrait for me,” she asserted firmly. “I am not going to be dissuaded by any – superstitious nonsense.”

  Jess stood in silence as Davina tugged on the bell pull. There was nothing more she could do to prevent her young mistress from keeping this painting, but of one thing she was certain.

  Davina would live to rue the day!

  *

  By mid-afternoon the weather had improved enough for Davina to take a drive out in her horse and trap, accompanied by Jess.

  Determined to see something of the neighbourhood, Davina drove along the driveway to the gates of the estate.

  The gates were locked and there was no sign of the gatekeeper. “He’s not there,” said Jess, returning to the trap after having been sent to knock at the lodge door.

  Davina frowned. She climbed down from the trap and walked to the gates, where she stood staring out through the bars.

  “It’s too bad of Papa,” she thought. “Did he really think I would drive all the way to the station and get on the train to London?”

  She was about to turn away from the gates, when she heard the sound of hooves on the road beyond. Two gentlemen came into view, trotting on a pair of shining black stallions.

  Davina was struck by the visage of one of the gentlemen. He reminded her so much of Felix Boyer! Her father would have remarked that the resemblance lay in the stranger’s weak mouth and soft blue eyes, but Davina saw only his fair hair and open, handsome face.

  She barely noticed his companion until the two men drew abreast of the gate. Then she saw that the other was as unlike Felix as it was possible to be. He had dark, serious eyes and almost stern features. There seemed indeed to be a great deal of gravity in his expression. His hair was jet black and his skin was burnished, as if he had spent time under foreign skies.

  The gentleman who reminded her of Felix slowed his horse to a walk when he saw Davina. He swept off his hat with a flourish and gave her such a broad, bright smile that she blushed.

  His companion barely inclined his head in polite greeting.

  The riders passed on and Davina turned to Jess, who had been standing by the trap all the while.

  “Do you know those gentlemen?” she asked.

  Jess nodded. “They’re the young masters, miss, who live at Lark House. My cousin works there as under-maid. They are your nearest neighbours,” she added.

  “And yet they have not called on us!” exclaimed Davina.”

  “They don’t call on anyone lately, miss.”

  Davina looked at her with interest. “Why is that?”

  “Not sure, miss. Their father, Lord Delverton, died early this year, maybe that’s why. Master Charles – the older, dark haired one – he is the new Lord Delverton. He came back from Africa for the funeral.”

  “Africa!”

  “Yes, miss. He’d gone out there to run a diamond mine that he’d inherited from some distant relation. He was out there for – oh – eight years. But from what I hear, the mine failed and he lost a lot of money.”

  “What about his brother?” asked Davina.

  “Master Howard? My cousin says he’s a charmer. When old Lord Delverton took sick, Master Howard ran the estate. So I don’t know how he feels about Master Charles coming back and taking over.”

  “Is he – is either of them – married?”

  Jess suppressed a smirk. “No, miss. Nor spoken for neither.”

  Although Jess had done her best to hide her amusement at Davina’s question, Davina was still able to divine her maid’s reaction. She tossed her head as she climbed back into the trap. “Not that I have any interest. But it’s good to know that if we ever have a party at Priory Park, there are at least one or two unattached gentlemen to invite.”

  She was about to take up the reins, when the gatekeeper appeared around the side of the lodge, in company with a swarthy fellow in a red waistcoat.

  The two men were deep in conversation but stopped in their tracks when they saw the two young women. The gatekeeper stepped forward while his companion stood back in the shadows, a gun slung carelessly over his shoulder.

  “I hope you’re not wanting the gates opened, mistress,” said the gatekeeper defensively. “I was told by his Lordship to keep ’em locked, unless there was visitors.”

  “Why?” demanded Davina, convinced it was to stop her fleeing to London and the arms of Felix Boyer.

  It was the gatekeeper’s companion who replied, stepping out of the shadows to do so.

  “Why, to protect your pretty self,” he said with a leer.

  “There’s been a number of robberies around here recently.”

  Davina felt uncomfortable under the man’s black gaze. Without a word she took up the reins and turned the trap around.

  “Is that true, Jess?” she asked as they set off back along the drive.

  “About the robberies?”

  “I did hear, miss,” replied Jess, “that some carriages were attacked on the Lalham road. And there were intruders up at Caddleford Manor.”

  It was a moment before Davina spoke again. “And that man with the gatekeeper. Does he work for us?”

  “Jed Barker? Bless me, no. He – he works for the Masters Delverton, if he works for anyone.”

  “You mean – Charles and – and Howard?”

  “Yes, miss. He’s like their – foster brother. He was found when he was about three years of age, wandering around the gardens of Lark House.

  “No one came forward to claim him, so Lord Delverton called him Jed and paid the widow of a farmer on his estate to bring him up. The boy took her surname, Barker. She had no children of her own and Jed grew up playing with both the young masters Delverton, though he were always the closest to Howard.”

  At this, Davina’s forehead puckered for an instant.

  It was hard to associate the baleful Jed with the handsome, charming Howard Delverton! She shook the reins, urging the horse on. She was not sure if it was the fresh air or the thought of Howard, but her face suddenly felt as if it was burning.

  For the rest of the drive back there was only one thing on her mind. How soon would she encounter Howard Delverton again?

  *

  Davina’s face might have burned even more fiercely had she known that her name arose at Lark House later that evening.

  Aunt Sarah Delverton, who lived five miles away at Locksley Place, had come to visit her nephews for a few days. She and Howard were playing cards at a table drawn up near the fire. Charles sat at a desk in the far corner, poring over the accounts. At last he gave a sigh and rested his head in his hand.

  Aunt Sarah glanced at her elder nephew over her cards.

  “Why don’t you put all tha
t work away and join us?” she suggested. “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”

  Charles raised his head. “While all play and no work makes Jack a poor boy, aunt,” he countered.

  Howard threw down his cards angrily. “That remark is aimed at me!” he cried.

  “Now, now,” soothed Aunt Sarah. “Charles is merely expressing his concern over the finances of the estate.”

  “No, he isn’t,” said Howard, a sullen cast over his handsome face. He was not at all pleased that his elder brother had returned to ‘rule the roost’ now their father was dead. “He is letting me know that he thinks I didn’t work hard enough when he was away. Away having a fine time in Africa.”

  Charles gave a rueful smile. “I would hardly describe my experiences there as a fine time.”

  “Well, they must have been, otherwise why didn’t you come home when father took ill? I had to take care of the estate business single-handed!”

  “I could not return at that time,” replied Charles patiently. “It was a crucial period at the mine, when we really thought we had made a breakthrough. And that would have meant that the future of Lark House would be secure.”

  “But you didn’t make a breakthrough, did you?” Howard pointed out cruelly.

  Charles sighed. “No. Which is why it was so important that the finances of this estate were kept in as good an order as possible.”

  “There you go again!” Howard exploded. “Insinuating!”

  “Insinuating?” Charles picked up a sheaf of receipts. “Then can you explain these? Receipts and bills for everything from tailors to vintners. Hotel bills and club bills. There’s even a bill here for a racehorse. A racehorse! I suppose it was Jed who inveigled you into that particular purchase?”

  “Leave Jed out of this. You’ve always had a grievance against Jed.”

  “My only grievance is that he has too much influence over you. Though I don’t imagine you needed much influencing when it came to the rest of these bills. Handmade boots from Italy and hand-made saddles from Spain. Hats and cloaks and hand-stitched gloves. With all this buying when did you have time for working?”

  “A fellow has to look good around town,” muttered Howard. “After all, that’s the way we might get ourselves out of this mess.”

  Charles raised an eyebrow. “Exactly how would cavorting about in expensive clothes get us out of this mess?”

  Howard shook his head. “My, but you are a fool! All that time in the heat of Africa has addled your brains. Has it never occurred to you that we could marry ourselves out of penury? There are a great many unattached heiresses floating about London like sycamore seeds. Ours for the taking.”

  Charles slumped back in his chair and stared at his brother. “I had no idea that you had so lost all sense of pride,” he said at last.

  Howard snorted. “Pride can go to the devil, brother. Pride will not pay the bills.”

  “Let me make one thing clear, Howard,” Charles answered. “I will not have what little money remains spent on – on bounty hunting in London!”

  “I am tired of having you dictate what I do,” growled Howard. “Since your return you’ve turned us all into hermits. We go nowhere, see no one, accept no invitations, invite no one here.”

  “We cannot afford invitations that we can’t return,” insisted Charles. “We simply do not have the money to entertain on the scale you have unfortunately led people to expect of Lark House.”

  “Well, see here, I’ve had enough!” cried Howard sullenly. “I’ll take myself off to London for the season and try my luck there.”

  Charles tightened his jaw. “At the gaming tables, no doubt!”

  Aunt Sarah had been listening to this heated exchange with growing dismay. “I do wish you boys would not quarrel so,” she pleaded. “What would your father say if he could hear you now? And Charles, your brother has a point. It is perfectly acceptable to marry for money.”

  “If I cannot support a wife on my own money, then I will not marry at all,” announced Charles firmly.

  Aunt Sarah shook her head. “Oh, that’s – that’s so silly. But Howard is being somewhat silly too. I do not see why he thinks it necessary to go all the way to London to find a wife. Particularly when there’s such a splendid catch nearer home.”

  “What do you mean?” asked Howard, all ears suddenly.

  “Why, didn’t you know, Priory Park has been bought by Lord Shelford? He is a very wealthy man and his younger daughter Davina is unattached. I believe she’s at the Park now.”

  Howard remembered the girl at the gates of Priory Park earlier.

  “I think we’ve seen her already, he said. “A pretty thing, rather pale. Unattached, eh?” He was instantly cheered by this information and began to whistle under his breath.

  Charles regarded him with distaste but decided to say no more. He picked up his pen and turned back to his accounts. Aunt Sarah, relieved that the quarrel was over, began to tidy the cards.

  Howard rose to his feet. He wandered over to the mantelpiece and took a cigar from a box. He leaned down to light it at the fire, took a deep puff, and breathed out the smoke. He watched it curl in the air for a moment and then gave a little chuckle.

  “Davina Shelford,” he murmured to himself. “Davina Shelford. Well, she’ll do, if I don’t find better in London.”

  Had Davina heard these sentiments, she would have been mortified. As it was, she lay dreaming of a young man who was the image of Felix Boyer, sweeping off his hat to her as he rode so elegantly by.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Two days later the London Gazette arrived in the post at Priory Park. Lord Shelford always read the paper at breakfast and commented on its contents to his daughter.

  In the absence of her father, Davina opened the paper and spread it out on the table to read herself.

  She was taking a spoonful of bramble jelly for her toast when her hand stopped in mid-air. An announcement had caught her eye.

  Mr Felix Boyer to wed the daughter of the Duke of Scrimpton. Splat! The jam dropped from its spoon and landed on the word ‘wed’. She had barely been out of London for two weeks and Felix had found someone else.

  All her father’s hints of Felix’s unworthiness as a suitor flooded Davina’s mind and she suddenly felt very foolish.

  How could she ever have imagined that she could compete with all those sophisticated women who swarmed the theatre foyers of London?

  How could she ever have imagined that a man as worldly as Felix would be genuinely interested in her? She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. How humiliating to be so trifled with!

  She sat for a moment longer and then a thought made her sit up.

  One tear! She had shed only one tear. There was no sign of another. She screwed her eyes up to be sure, but they remained defiantly dry.

  She scraped the jam from the word ‘wed’ and then folded the newspaper carefully for her father’s return.

  She returned to her room and hummed to herself as Jess dressed her hair for the day.

  Jess kept her eyes low so as not to have to look at the portrait of the mournful young woman that now hung above the dressing table.

  “You’re cheerful, Miss Davina,” she commented.

  “I certainly am,” replied Davina merrily. “I even feel I am going to like it here at Priory Park after all.”

  Jess twisted a golden tress at the nape of Davina’s neck. “Might that be because you now know you have a charming neighbour?” she asked.

  Her eyes met Davina’s innocently in the mirror and Davina blushed.

  “Well,” she said after a moment, “at least it means there will be someone to dance with. If we ever have a ball.”

  Jess teased her no more but Davina’s thoughts had darkened a little.

  Was she really so shallow as to change her mind about a place because she had discovered that a handsome young man lived nearby? Was she really so fickle as to have shed only one tear over a gentleman with whom she had once been
convinced she was falling in love?

  Did she even know what love was? She had always thought it was the flutter of your heart when someone looked at you, the flush in your cheeks when someone took your hand.

  Supposing it was more than that? Supposing it was something that she had never experienced at all? “Jess.”

  “Yes, miss?”

  “What – what is love, exactly?” Jess gave a bray of laughter. “Love, miss? The eager fly, that’s what love is.” Davina’s eyes widened. “The – the eager fly?”

  “Yes, miss. The fly that can’t wait to get to the sugar.

  He lands, tastes and then he’s away.”

  Davina’s brow furrowed. “But – if your fly is a he, where is the she in your story?”

  “It’s no story, miss, and the she is the sugar. Just the sugar.”

  Davina said no more. She was struggling with the idea of herself as just the sugar.

  That was probably all she had ever been to Felix.

  Well, she was not going to let herself be the sugar again. She would not be trifled with by any man, that was for sure! She stood and held up her arms while Jess slipped her day dress over her head. As Jess hooked up the back, Davina watched a ray of bright sunlight stream across the carpet and dapple her feet.

  “It’s too beautiful to stay indoors,” she said.

  Since she could not take the trap out of the estate, Davina decided she would take a walk in the grounds.

  Jess declined to accompany her. Her mistress was perfectly safe within the confines of the park and besides, if there was one thing Jess disliked more than eager flies, it was using her feet to no purpose. If you were not walking on an errand or to accomplish a chore, what was the point?

  Davina was perfectly happy to be left to explore alone. She put an apple in her silk purse and set off. The air was so balmy she hardly needed her shawl.

  She strolled to the edge of the lake that lay to the south of the house.

  The water was as still as glass and a lone swan glided on its blue surface.

  She walked right around the lake to the other side and looked back at Priory Park from this vantage point.

  The house was large and imposing but she still felt there was something a little forbidding about its exterior. As if it had originally been built by someone more interested in power and prestige than in beauty and harmony.