Leap of Faith, page 4
“Be that as it may, do you not wish for your sisters to make good matches?”
“Of course I do!” Her eyes flashed and her cheeks pinkened as he had known they would.
“Do you expect to find these matches in Bath?”
“I do not see why not.” Her chin lifted, and her eyes met his. What a fierce little tiger she was. He felt his interest stir but had no intention of succumbing.
“What do you mean to do with us, then, sir?”
“As I said before, I intend to read the will for myself.”
“There was very little to read with regards to us, I am afraid.”
“You have read it yourself?”
“No, but Lady Halbury’s solicitor read it to us. There was only a short portion stating she set aside 5000 pounds for each of us in the funds, and that you were named our guardian. The solution seems simple to me! I have been caring for my sisters alone this past twelvemonth. I am very happy to continue doing so. If you would but release my funds to me, we may set up a household and manage quite comfortably.”
“And you have a great knowledge of what it takes to run such an establishment?”
“Lady Halbury taught me to manage Halbury Hall.”
“Admirable. And how many months remain until you are of age?”
“Six.”
“And do you realize it could very well take longer than that to arrange what you ask?”
He could see that she did not realize. He softened his tone. “Would a short stay in London be so terrible? Your sister could make a great match. She already has the three most eligible bachelors in the palm of her hand.” Quite literally, Dominic noticed, as they looked over to where his friends, who would normally run as far as their feet would take them from an eligible miss, were at her feet fawning over her and handing her food.
“I have little doubt Hope would be a success,” Faith said. “However, the expense of a Season would consume my entire portion. Then where would we be when six months has passed?”
“Where, indeed?” They turned to walk back towards the others. “What of yourself, Miss Whitford? Will you be a martyr for the cause of your sisters?”
“I would hardly call it martyrdom! They are everything to me.”
“And when they are married and gone?” He held up his hand. “You will have your cottage in Bath.” She had no idea how she would herself be besieged. He suspected she would next think she could chaperone her sister and watch from the dowager’s seats. If Satterlee had followed his instructions this time, his plan had already been set into motion. Miss Whitford would meet her match in his mama.
He smiled as she stepped over to where the repast had been spread out on a blanket. His friends stood and made a great show of seating her and preparing a plate of food for her.
Dominic made up a plate for himself and ate in contemplative silence. Miss Whitford had no idea just how unwelcome his guardianship of her was.
CHAPTER 4
It was very late by the time they reached London, and even though she had read, played chess and cards, napped, and been idle in a carriage for the entire day, Faith was still exhausted and ready to seek her bed. To her surprise, however, they pulled up at an unknown house instead of the Pulteney.
They pulled to a stop, and a footman opened the door, but Lord Westwood was there to hand them down. Faith hesitated, but took his hand, very conscious of how the touch of him made her feel very odd. She looked up into his meadow-green eyes, with cheeks and a jaw that looked chiselled by a master sculptor. His lips were pursed in a habitual, careless irreverence.
“Where are we?”
“Westwood House. My mother resides here. I have arranged for you to stay with her whilst you are in London instead of a hotel.”
Faith stopped. “We could never impose so!”
He raised a questioning brow at her, and she was reminded of how she’d unwittingly done that very thing to him. She felt heat rise to her face and neck.
“You will be more comfortable here than in a hotel, I assure you. I wonder why Satterlee didn’t think of it. Come! Let me introduce you to my mother. She is expecting us.”
Faith paused while he handed Hope out as well, and stood looking in wonder at the magnificent house before them. It was a square mansion of Portland stone several storeys high, with large columns supporting it and a pediment bearing a coat of arms surrounded by intricate carvings.
“Where are your friends?” Hope asked, looking around to see if they were out of sight.
“They have departed to seek their own homes. They bid me wish you adieu, and will call on you soon.”
“You do not live here as well?”
Lord Westwood glanced at her, baffled. “I prefer to keep my own house.” Without further elaboration on the subject, he escorted them into the house. The door was opened by an imposing-looking butler who clearly felt his own consequence. “Welcome, my lord.”
“Hartley,” his lordship acknowledged. “This is Miss Whitford and Miss Hope.”
He bowed. “Her ladyship awaits you in the saloon.”
“We will show ourselves up.”
“Very good, my lord.”
Lord Westwood led them up a beautiful marble staircase, the walls of which were adorned with statues and paintings that glowed by candlelight, then through a beautifully carved wooden door into a room that was quite the opposite of what had graced his lordship’s hunting box. The walls were white panelled with gilt, and groupings of cream upholstered chairs surrounded low tables. Marble fireplaces at either end of the room held a blazing fire, and next to one of them, in a high-backed chair, sat a handsome woman not above perhaps five and forty years, who was surveying their entrance critically.
Lord Westwood released them and bent over his mother and kissed her cheek dutifully. “Mother, may I present Miss Whitford and Miss Hope Whitford?”
They curtsied deeply.
“Come here and let me have a good look at you.”
Faith very much disliked being brought out like a horse before auction, but since she was at the woman’s mercy, who in all likelihood had also been told, not asked, what to do, she complied.
The lady looked to her son. “There will be riots, you understand quite well, do you not?”
Faith and Hope glanced at each other with confusion.
“Perfectly,” he replied, and the lady smiled at him.
“I suppose that was your plan. And there are three more, Satterlee tells me? What are their ages?” The latter was addressed to Faith.
“Patience is eighteen, my lady. Grace is seventeen next month, and Joy is fifteen.”
“You are almost one and twenty?”
“Yes, ma’am, and Hope is nineteen.”
“And not a boy amongst you!”
“No, my lady.”
“Are your sisters as beautiful as you?”
“I am often told we all favour each other greatly.” Faith set little store in her beauty, though she could acknowledge that her sisters were uncommonly pretty.
“You will be deemed the virtues, no doubt.”
“We have been referred to in such terms before. Our parents were missionaries, my lady.”
She sniffed, making clear what she thought of such occupations. “And how come you to be my son’s wards?”
“I do not know, my lady. The guardianship was stipulated in Lady Halbury’s will.”
“Ah. Then the blame is likely to be laid at my door.”
“You knew Lady Halbury?”
“Not as well as you would think, but my husband and I did make her acquaintance on a visit to Bath. I recall one conversation in particular about her childless state and how, in the same situation, I thought I might likely adopt one. My husband, a kind man, professed his agreement with me. I see she thought it qualified us to be your guardians.”
“But the duty has fallen to your son.”
“It appears it has, though he seems very willing to share the duty with me.” She looked at her son with undisguised amusement.
“Was I wrong to think you would be unwilling?” he asked.
“No, Dominic, but four are ready to be brought out now!”
“Perhaps three,” Faith intervened. “I have no need of a Season, and Grace can certainly wait until Joy is of age and they may be brought out together. However, I would prefer to return to Bath and bring them out there myself!”
“Nonsense, child! You have little hope of making them eligible matches in such a place. Unless, of course, your fancy them marrying men old enough to be their fathers?”
“Of course not,” Faith said. “But neither do they need to make grand marriages. They have a respectable portion, thanks to Lady Halbury. But nothing enough to tempt fortune hunters.”
“Nothing will be resolved tonight, however, and it grows late. I will speak with my solicitor in the morning then call afterwards,” Lord Westwood said.
Faith was relieved to pause the conversation. She was too tired to fence with those that were used to having their every word obeyed without question.
Lord Westwood went immediately to his mother’s side to help her rise from her chair. “I am not an invalid, Dominic,” she scolded with affection.
“Surely a mother does not scold her son for gentlemanliness? I only wished to kiss you good night.”
She offered him her cheek.
“Besides, would I bring a pack of young ladies to you if I believed you an incapable invalid?”
Faith knew she should not be listening to this private exchange, but she could not help herself and knew not where to go. She turned slightly and pretended to study a painting on the wall. It was heartening to see this man had a good relationship with his mother. Thus far, he had seemed nothing more than an autocratic lord with no redeeming qualities other than a handsome face.
“Dominic, you are a rascal of the first order, but I will do it!”
“I knew you would not fail me,” he said quietly in her ear.
“I only hope you know what you are about,” she warned.
“Dashed if I do!”
He made a proper bow to them, then stopped near Faith and whispered, “As you’ve seen and experienced with all in my acquaintance thus far, there is no one here to hurt you or your sisters. We are only thinking of your family and what is best for you. You may want to think on that instead of argue and gainsay every suggestion.”
He left before giving her the chance to reply, leaving her burning with shame for there was truth in his statement. Yet, to take all of their choices away from them as though he knew them—it was unfair, and she was losing control of the situation entirely.
Faith and Hope followed Lady Westwood to their chambers, feeling as though their world had been upended even more than Faith had when the solicitor had broken the news of a guardian to them. Never could she have imagined this.
How had life changed so much in less than a week? Never before had she even considered her sisters’ fate would be taken from her hands. She did not think it was at all what Lady Halbury would have wished for them, yet she felt powerless to stop it. She supposed a few months in London would not be so terrible, but what would she be left with to live on once her sisters were fired off? She knew it would be horribly expensive. But most of all, what she could not determine was why a Town Buck of the first stare would not want to be rid of the lot of them when he had the chance. Why ever would he wish to trouble himself with five females? Three of which he had yet to meet! Although to give proper due, it seemed as though he was going to fob that duty off to his mother.
Faith could not put her mind at ease at all about the situation she now found herself in. Never would she begrudge her sisters anything, including Seasons and good marriages. However, she did have the future to think of beyond. Resolution returned to anger and she finally drifted off to sleep, determined to put her foot down with the high-handed lord who was now their insufferable guardian!
There was nothing unexpected in what the solicitor had to say to Dominic. He had combed through the will and, unfortunately, even though the intended guardian had probably been his father, as he shared his name, it was difficult to prove. Possibly, it could be revoked in the courts, but as Dominic had suspected, it would take longer than the remaining six months of Miss Whitford’s guardianship—and involve a great deal of bother—in Miss Whitford’s guardianship to see such a task done.
Dominic sat thoughtfully for a long time after the solicitor left, wondering why he felt the need to force Miss Whitford to remain in London for that time. Was it because he knew she thought to sacrifice herself on her sisters’ behalves, or because he was bored, and this would amuse him? Certainly, he enjoyed fencing and flirting with her.
True, it would also require him to bestir himself at events he normally avoided, but he would dance with each of his wards then escape. He need not spend more than an hour at such insipid doings.
He glanced at the ormolu clock on the mantel and rose. It was just about time for Satterlee to be returning from Bath. When the coach and four bearing his secretary appeared at his door, however, Dominic was more than surprised by the vision that alighted.
Three almost identical—except for height—visions in black crepe and black bonnets with bright blue eyes stepped into the street and could well have caused traffic to come to a halt had there been any to witness such an event. Once combined with their siblings, they would turn London on its ear. Certainly, there would be a storm the like of which London had ever seen. Beyond the shock that Lord Westwood was a guardian to five beauties.
A devilish grin crossed his face as he left his study to greet them. They were looking around and above them at his entrance hall.
“Ladies, allow me to introduce myself. I am Viscount Westwood.” He bowed.
“Our guardian?”
“Indeed. Would you like some refreshments before I take you to your sisters? I believe my chef has bestirred himself to prepare something for you.”
“That would be grand, sir!” the youngest said with an impish smile.
“You must be Joy.”
She bobbed a curtsy. “I am the easy one. Can you name the others?”
“Joy!” One of them whispered harshly with an elbow to her side.
“What? It was a perfectly valid question.”
Dominic tried to hide his amusement.
“But it is proper to be introduced, not ask a person to guess!”
“But he knew my name!” she persisted.
“I do believe you must be Grace, but I confess I would be guessing if I were to try to attempt to distinguish between all five of you at once.”
Grace bobbed a curtsy.
“Patience is the impatient one,” the little imp advised confidingly, “but she gets angry if anyone says so. She is anything but, according to Lady Halbury.”
“That is quite enough, Joy,” Patience intervened.
Dominic studied the girls and noted a slight difference in their mannerisms but keeping them correctly apportioned would be another thing altogether.
“Shall we have some of my chef’s cakes and tarts before we leave? I am certain you must be tired of being cooped up in the carriage!”
“That would be pleasant, my lord,” the eldest answered.
“But is it proper? Lady Halbury always said a young lady may never be alone with a gentleman,” Grace recited.
“Indeed that is correct. You will meet your chaperone shortly, but as you are together and I am your guardian, I believe we can enjoy a quick tête-à-tête so I may know you a little.”
His chef had outdone himself. Dominic, never one to appreciate any pudding or sweet, was clearly unappreciative of his genius. And now to have three young ladies with which to create masterpieces for! Before them was an array of delicacies fit for the King and Queen to visit.
“Does everyone eat like this with their tea?” Joy asked with wide-eyed wonder.
“No. In fact, I have hardly experienced such glories myself,” he muttered.
“Can your chef make us these every day?”
Dominic smiled. “You will be staying with my mother. She has her own cook, who I am certain will be delighted to make such pastries for you.”
“Why did you bring us here, then, Lord Westwood?”
He thought it was Patience who asked.
“Because I wished to meet you first.”
She frowned prettily.
He had never explained himself before, but found he was doing so now. “I wished to meet you away from under the watchful eyes of your sister. She has a notion that she would like to return you all to Bath and set up house there. I rather think it would do no harm to present the four eldest of you and have my mother bring you out.”
The sisters glanced at each other with, no doubt, a full conversation communicated in those looks.
“If you all prefer to return to Bath and marry an aging military man or an infirmed widower, then far be it from me to go against all of your wishes!”
“Oh, no! We would like to stay in London!” Joy answered for all of them.
Dominic looked at the others with a raised brow.
“I would love to see London, my lord,” Grace answered.
“We would wish to have a Season above all things,” Patience answered.
“As I thought. Then you would do well to help me convince Miss Whitford.”
They all seem to recoil a bit from this. Were they terrified of her?
“Are you afraid to talk to your sister?” he felt compelled to ask after their unexpected reactions.
“It is not that,” Patience hesitated.
“Someone please enlighten me. I would prefer not to be at daggers drawn with her.”
“We owe everything to Faith. She found a way to keep us together when our parents died, and she has been taking care of us ever since—especially this past year.”
“I do find it odd that Lady Halbury did not wish me to be notified of her demise until mourning was ended. What would you have done if something had happened?”
“She did not wish for Sir Reginald to remove us from our home, I presume,” Patience remarked.
