Proposals in Regency Society. Anne Herries

of marriage to Luke Clarendon more and more appealing.

      What else could she do with her life that would bring her comfort and safety? A woman alone in her position would be prey to rogues and predators, men who would trick her and seduce her for their pleasure. As Luke’s fiancée, and perhaps his make-believe wife, she would have respect and a settled income. Surely that was enough for any woman?

      Yet there was something inside her that wanted more. How foolish she was! Luke had never intended more than a temporary arrangement, but now the earl was insisting on a marriage after three months. No doubt he wanted to know a grandchild was on its way before he died.

      Luke’s child. For a moment the thought sent a warm spiral curling through her and she smiled. How pleasant the picture was, though quite impossible, of course. They must try to please the earl in his last months, but a child would be too much. She frowned as she recalled her first meeting with the earl. He looked frail, but he did not look particularly unwell.

      Could Luke have overreacted to the earl’s illness? Was he truly as sick as his grandson believed?

      What would she feel if Luke expected her to provide the heir?

      The questions went round and round in her head as her maid helped her prepare for bed. When she was in her nightgown, Roxanne sent the girl away and curled up on the deep window seat to gaze down at the gardens. She was already beginning to feel more at home here and she could not help but think it might be nice to live in a house such as this, not just for a visit, but as the mistress.

      ‘Foolish,’ she murmured aloud as she twirled a strand of red hair over her finger. ‘It is not poss…’

      The words trailed away as she saw the shadow of a man reflected on the lawn in the moonlight. He appeared to be trying to hide in the shrubbery, but the moon was at his back and cast a shadow for a few seconds before he moved further back into the darkness and was lost to sight.

      She did not think it had been Luke and it was certainly not the earl. Perhaps one of the servants? Yet it had seemed to her that there was something furtive about the man, as if he wanted to watch the house without being seen.

      Could Black Bob have followed her here? For a brief moment the thought sent cold chills winging down her spine, but then she dismissed them. The leader of the travelling players was an opportunist. Given the chance that day at the fair he might have grabbed her and forced her to go with him, but she did not think he would spend days following her to this house, only to hide in the shrubbery and spy on her.

      Now she was being very foolish. Why should the man in the shrubbery be spying on her? Luke had said something about having an enemy when they first met. It might be that someone had followed him, intending some harm.

      It was too late to go in search of Luke now. She did not know where his rooms were. Besides, the servants would be shocked if she went looking for him at this hour. She would just have to wait until the morning. Slipping into bed, Roxanne tried to be sensible. The man in the shrubbery was probably only one of the servants.

      ‘Someone hiding in the shrubbery watching the house?’ Luke looked incredulous when she told him her fears at breakfast. ‘I imagine it must have been one of the keepers. They probably take a walk round the house at night just to make sure everything is secure.’

      ‘Yes, I expect you are right. Though, whoever it was seemed a little furtive, as if he wanted to watch the house without being seen, but perhaps that was my imagination.’ She helped herself to a little scrambled egg and ham from the vast array of dishes under silver covers on the sideboard and carried her plate to the table. Luke was finishing his rare beef eaten with sauté potatoes and pickles.

      ‘I dare say he was being discreet rather than furtive. Grandfather would not want the keepers to be patrolling in full view of the house, but I think that is what you saw, Roxanne.’ He pushed his plate aside and poured more coffee into a delicate porcelain bowl.

      ‘I am relieved to hear it. I wondered if Black Bob had followed us here, and then I thought that perhaps—you spoke of an enemy when we first met?’

      ‘An enemy?’ Luke looked puzzled, then smiled ruefully. ‘In truth, I do not have an enemy, Roxanne. Are you anxious about this fellow who threatened you before?’

      ‘No. He would grab me if he saw me by chance, but I do not think he would take the trouble to follow us here. I am sure you are right. The man in the garden was merely a keeper on patrol. I shall not give it another thought.’

      ‘You are safe now, dearest,’ Luke said and smiled across the table. ‘You have me to look after you—to say nothing of the earl’s household.’

      ‘Yes, of course. I am not anxious for myself, but I thought I should tell you what I saw.’

      ‘I am glad you did. What are your plans for this morning, Roxanne?’

      ‘I have been invited to visit the earl at eleven o’clock. Until then I think I shall try to make myself familiar with the house.’

      Luke got to his feet, tossing his napkin on the table. ‘I would love to stay and show you round, but I have an appointment with Grandfather’s agent and bailiff. Perhaps we can spend the afternoon together? Do not let Grandfather bully you, Roxanne.’

      ‘I have no intention of it. He is a peppery gentleman, but I rather like him.’

      ‘You do?’ Luke arched his brow, a smile quirking at the corner of his mouth. ‘Well, I wish you luck. He is seldom at his best in the morning. Excuse me, I must go or I shall be late—finish your breakfast at your leisure. Had you wished, I am sure you could have had a tray in your room.’

      ‘I like to rise early. Please do not let me keep you from your appointment.’

      After Luke had gone, Roxanne drank her coffee and then pushed back her chair. She examined the contents of the silver dishes and saw that most had not been touched. Leaving the room, she glanced at the maid hovering outside the door.

      ‘You may clear now, Maisie—it is Maisie, isn’t it?’

      ‘Yes, Miss Peters.’

      ‘Please call me Miss Roxanne. Everyone does and I prefer it, as I have told Mrs Arlet.’

      ‘Yes, Miss Roxanne. Mrs Arlet said she was at your service if you should care for a tour of the house.’

      ‘I think I should like that very much.’

      ‘I’ll tell her you’re ready, miss, before I clear.’

      ‘How kind of you, Maisie, but I think I know where her sitting room is; she told me where to find her yesterday.’

      Maisie bobbed a curtsy and went into the breakfast room. Roxanne wandered through the hall to the back stairs and then went down to the area that was used exclusively by the servants. The housekeeper’s sitting room was on a small landing just above a short flight of stairs, which led to the servants’ hall and the kitchen. Pleased that she had remembered correctly, Roxanne knocked and was invited to enter.

      ‘Miss Roxanne,’ the housekeeper said and looked surprised. ‘I would have come to you if you’d sent for me.’

      ‘I wanted to see if I could find my way here,’ Roxanne said. ‘I should like to begin with the kitchen, if you please. I have no intention of interfering with the way you do things, Mrs Arlet, but I think I should know the layout and the way everyone works. It is a long trek for the servants to carry the food to the dining room. I find it hardly surprising that things get a little cool sometimes.’

      ‘Yes, miss, that is a fault. Cook has been asking if we couldn’t have a serving hatch somewhere. It would save Mr Marshall going up and down those stairs so much—and the food would keep hotter.’

      ‘Would you like me to speak to the earl for you?’

      ‘If you think he is up to it, miss. When he was down a year or so back, his lordship did mention having a modern range put in and a tap in the scullery to save us fetching water