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Authors: A Clandestine Affair
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him looking at her when he thinks no one is watching,” his spouse asserted with supreme confidence. “He certainly did not return to the Wards for the sake of Belinda’s charms! You wait!”
Arthur began to think his wife might be right when, on the following day, Sir Ingram appeared at the manor.
“Are you expecting Mary this afternoon, my love?” he asked, and received a blank look from his love.
“Oh, she often drops in, but there was nothing arranged,” Caroline replied airily, and turned to her guest with a query about London.
After a time Arthur excused himself, saying he needed to see to some matters on the farm, and Caroline offered to show Sir Ingram her gardens. They were in the rose garden when Mary appeared.
“Oh, I was not aware you were here, Sir Ingram,” she exclaimed.
“Or you would have gone away again, no doubt,” he said softly as he took her hand and held it close for a moment. “I have been admiring Mrs Grafton’s roses,” he went on in a louder voice, and turned back to Caroline to ask when she recommended pruning her bushes.
They went indoors and Caroline dispensed tea. She and Sir Ingram bore the brunt of the conversation, for Mary seemed abstracted. Caroline, more than ever convinced that her conjecture was correct, secretly rejoiced for her friend.
Eventually Mary said she must return home, and Sir Ingram instantly offered to escort her. While they were waiting for his horse to be brought round from the stables, Mr Knowle was announced.
“Why, Mr Knowle, it’s an age since you have called on me,” Caroline greeted him. “You shall stay and keep me company, for Mary and Sir Ingram are deserting me! How are the preparations for your removal coming along?”
Mr Knowle did not appear to be anxious to stay, but politeness forced him to appear nonchalant as he watched the other two leave, and Caroline bore him inexorably back into the drawing room.
“How long do you intend to remain with the Wards?” Mary asked, when they had covered half the distance towards her own home and she felt that the silence had become unbearable.
“I have not yet decided. It depends on many things, including the behaviour of my dear cousin.”
“Have you heard from Teresa? How is she?”
“I do not anticipate hearing from Teresa until she is frightened of the number of bills she has accumulated, and needs me to pay them for her,” he rejoined. “However, Aunt Hermione writes that she is well, and that your brother pays her assiduous attentions. I must admit that she has shown a preference for him for longer than I might have expected. For his sake I hope that it is not merely to demonstrate to me how badly I misjudge her!”
They had reached Mary’s gate by now, and she suggested he might care to visit her father.
“I thank you, but not today. I had not realised it was so late, and have promised to return in time to escort Belinda to a party one of her friends is giving.”
They parted, and Mary tried to distract herself from thoughts of Sir Ingram paying compliments to Belinda Ward by taking down from the shelves in the parlour those books which she and Matthew kept there, and vigorously banging them to dislodge the dust that clung to them. Engrossed in her task she looked up with surprise when Susan announced a visitor, for she had not heard the door bell.
“Mr Knowle, Miss.”
She rose to her feet, somewhat dishevelled, and smiled nervously. He had not spoken to her alone since the night of the Graftons’ party more than two weeks earlier, but as he was leaving Appleacre in less than a month, she knew that it could not be delayed much longer.
“Forgive me, I am not prepared for a visitor,” she said flustered.
“I do not mean to remain more than a few minutes, so pray do not disturb yourself. I came, my dear, to ask for an answer to the question I put to you some time ago. I think I have given you ample time to consider it, and hope that your answer will be what I so
Arthur began to think his wife might be right when, on the following day, Sir Ingram appeared at the manor.
“Are you expecting Mary this afternoon, my love?” he asked, and received a blank look from his love.
“Oh, she often drops in, but there was nothing arranged,” Caroline replied airily, and turned to her guest with a query about London.
After a time Arthur excused himself, saying he needed to see to some matters on the farm, and Caroline offered to show Sir Ingram her gardens. They were in the rose garden when Mary appeared.
“Oh, I was not aware you were here, Sir Ingram,” she exclaimed.
“Or you would have gone away again, no doubt,” he said softly as he took her hand and held it close for a moment. “I have been admiring Mrs Grafton’s roses,” he went on in a louder voice, and turned back to Caroline to ask when she recommended pruning her bushes.
They went indoors and Caroline dispensed tea. She and Sir Ingram bore the brunt of the conversation, for Mary seemed abstracted. Caroline, more than ever convinced that her conjecture was correct, secretly rejoiced for her friend.
Eventually Mary said she must return home, and Sir Ingram instantly offered to escort her. While they were waiting for his horse to be brought round from the stables, Mr Knowle was announced.
“Why, Mr Knowle, it’s an age since you have called on me,” Caroline greeted him. “You shall stay and keep me company, for Mary and Sir Ingram are deserting me! How are the preparations for your removal coming along?”
Mr Knowle did not appear to be anxious to stay, but politeness forced him to appear nonchalant as he watched the other two leave, and Caroline bore him inexorably back into the drawing room.
“How long do you intend to remain with the Wards?” Mary asked, when they had covered half the distance towards her own home and she felt that the silence had become unbearable.
“I have not yet decided. It depends on many things, including the behaviour of my dear cousin.”
“Have you heard from Teresa? How is she?”
“I do not anticipate hearing from Teresa until she is frightened of the number of bills she has accumulated, and needs me to pay them for her,” he rejoined. “However, Aunt Hermione writes that she is well, and that your brother pays her assiduous attentions. I must admit that she has shown a preference for him for longer than I might have expected. For his sake I hope that it is not merely to demonstrate to me how badly I misjudge her!”
They had reached Mary’s gate by now, and she suggested he might care to visit her father.
“I thank you, but not today. I had not realised it was so late, and have promised to return in time to escort Belinda to a party one of her friends is giving.”
They parted, and Mary tried to distract herself from thoughts of Sir Ingram paying compliments to Belinda Ward by taking down from the shelves in the parlour those books which she and Matthew kept there, and vigorously banging them to dislodge the dust that clung to them. Engrossed in her task she looked up with surprise when Susan announced a visitor, for she had not heard the door bell.
“Mr Knowle, Miss.”
She rose to her feet, somewhat dishevelled, and smiled nervously. He had not spoken to her alone since the night of the Graftons’ party more than two weeks earlier, but as he was leaving Appleacre in less than a month, she knew that it could not be delayed much longer.
“Forgive me, I am not prepared for a visitor,” she said flustered.
“I do not mean to remain more than a few minutes, so pray do not disturb yourself. I came, my dear, to ask for an answer to the question I put to you some time ago. I think I have given you ample time to consider it, and hope that your answer will be what I so
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