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Authors: Anne O'Brien
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matter.
'That you abducted
Torrington's niece from under his nose and forced her into marriage to get your
hands on her inheritance.'
Lady Aldeborough lowered
herself carefully on to the chair behind her. 'This is even worse than I
thought. What have you done, Aldeborough?' Her tone might be faint with shock,
but her expression was steely.
'So, is it true?' Matthew
insisted,
'Of course it is true.
Would you not expect me to be capable of such dishonourable behaviour? Even
you, it seems, Matthew.'
Matthew frowned at the
bitter cynicism imprinted on his brother's face, echoing in his harsh tones.
'Well, no. I don't believe it, as it happens. Are you jesting? And if it is true— where is she?'
'Behind you. You will note
her terrified appearance and the marks of coercion and cruelty about her
person. I had to treat her most unkindly to persuade her that marriage with me
would be an attractive proposition.'
Matthew grinned, shrugging
with some relief as Aldeborough' s expression relaxed and the tension slowly
drained from his body, but he still had the grace to look more than a little
embarrassed as he swung round towards the window embrasure. 'Exactly. You
deserved that. You had better come and meet her. I dare not imagine what
impression you have made on her,' Aldeborough added drily, but with a trace of
humour at his brother's discomfort.
Aldeborough came to
retrieve Frances from her seat by the window, taking her by the hand and
leading her back into the centre of the room. 'This, my lady, is my graceless
brother Matthew, who believes that I beat you into submission. You have my
permission to snub him completely if you wish.'
'Please don't. I had no
intention of making you uncomfortable. I am very pleased to meet you.' His
engaging smile lit his youthful features.
Frances found herself
smiling back at the genuine greeting from the young man who was very close to
her own age. He was slim and athletic and looked to have just grown out of the
ungainly lack of co-ordination of youth. He was fairer than his brother, with
blue eyes and an open, laughing countenance that Frances instantly felt drawn
to. His manner suggested that he stood in awe of neither his mother nor Aldeborough,
and his clothing that he was experimenting with the more extremes of fashion.
His cravat was a miracle of folds and creases and his striped waistcoat caused
Aldeborough to raise his eyebrows in amused disbelief.
'And what have you been
doing with yourself, apart from rigging yourself out like a dandy?' Aldeborough
queried. 'Up to no good as usual, I expect.'
'Definitely not. No debts
and definitely no scandals. I say, Hugh. You haven't changed your mind about
buying me a commission, have you?'
'Certainly not!'
'But it looks as if we
shall have to continue the war against Bonaparte.'
'Very true. But we shall
have to continue it without you. At least until you are a little older.'
'But it will all be over
by then. Do reconsider.'
'I will think about it.
But don't raise your hopes.'
This was clearly a
frequently held exchange of views. Nothing daunted, Matthew changed tack. 'By
the by, the new horse you bought from Strefford was delivered yesterday. It is
a splendid animal. Come and see it.'
'I think it an excellent
idea for you to go off to the stables if you are going to talk horseflesh,'
interposed Lady Aldeborough, determined to regain control of the situation.
She rose to her feet again and disposed her shawl in elegant folds around her
shoulders. 'It will give me the opportunity to get to know your new wife a
little better. We can have a cosy chat over a dish of tea. Do you not think so,
my dear?'
'Of course.' Frances's
heart sank. She was not fooled by Lady Aldeborough's sudden change of
demeanour. Her civility was knife-edged and threatened to be deadly. It promised
to be a difficult interview.
'Will you be quite
comfortable, my lady?' Aldeborough allowed her the opportunity to play the
coward, but she would not.
'Certainly, my
'That you abducted
Torrington's niece from under his nose and forced her into marriage to get your
hands on her inheritance.'
Lady Aldeborough lowered
herself carefully on to the chair behind her. 'This is even worse than I
thought. What have you done, Aldeborough?' Her tone might be faint with shock,
but her expression was steely.
'So, is it true?' Matthew
insisted,
'Of course it is true.
Would you not expect me to be capable of such dishonourable behaviour? Even
you, it seems, Matthew.'
Matthew frowned at the
bitter cynicism imprinted on his brother's face, echoing in his harsh tones.
'Well, no. I don't believe it, as it happens. Are you jesting? And if it is true— where is she?'
'Behind you. You will note
her terrified appearance and the marks of coercion and cruelty about her
person. I had to treat her most unkindly to persuade her that marriage with me
would be an attractive proposition.'
Matthew grinned, shrugging
with some relief as Aldeborough' s expression relaxed and the tension slowly
drained from his body, but he still had the grace to look more than a little
embarrassed as he swung round towards the window embrasure. 'Exactly. You
deserved that. You had better come and meet her. I dare not imagine what
impression you have made on her,' Aldeborough added drily, but with a trace of
humour at his brother's discomfort.
Aldeborough came to
retrieve Frances from her seat by the window, taking her by the hand and
leading her back into the centre of the room. 'This, my lady, is my graceless
brother Matthew, who believes that I beat you into submission. You have my
permission to snub him completely if you wish.'
'Please don't. I had no
intention of making you uncomfortable. I am very pleased to meet you.' His
engaging smile lit his youthful features.
Frances found herself
smiling back at the genuine greeting from the young man who was very close to
her own age. He was slim and athletic and looked to have just grown out of the
ungainly lack of co-ordination of youth. He was fairer than his brother, with
blue eyes and an open, laughing countenance that Frances instantly felt drawn
to. His manner suggested that he stood in awe of neither his mother nor Aldeborough,
and his clothing that he was experimenting with the more extremes of fashion.
His cravat was a miracle of folds and creases and his striped waistcoat caused
Aldeborough to raise his eyebrows in amused disbelief.
'And what have you been
doing with yourself, apart from rigging yourself out like a dandy?' Aldeborough
queried. 'Up to no good as usual, I expect.'
'Definitely not. No debts
and definitely no scandals. I say, Hugh. You haven't changed your mind about
buying me a commission, have you?'
'Certainly not!'
'But it looks as if we
shall have to continue the war against Bonaparte.'
'Very true. But we shall
have to continue it without you. At least until you are a little older.'
'But it will all be over
by then. Do reconsider.'
'I will think about it.
But don't raise your hopes.'
This was clearly a
frequently held exchange of views. Nothing daunted, Matthew changed tack. 'By
the by, the new horse you bought from Strefford was delivered yesterday. It is
a splendid animal. Come and see it.'
'I think it an excellent
idea for you to go off to the stables if you are going to talk horseflesh,'
interposed Lady Aldeborough, determined to regain control of the situation.
She rose to her feet again and disposed her shawl in elegant folds around her
shoulders. 'It will give me the opportunity to get to know your new wife a
little better. We can have a cosy chat over a dish of tea. Do you not think so,
my dear?'
'Of course.' Frances's
heart sank. She was not fooled by Lady Aldeborough's sudden change of
demeanour. Her civility was knife-edged and threatened to be deadly. It promised
to be a difficult interview.
'Will you be quite
comfortable, my lady?' Aldeborough allowed her the opportunity to play the
coward, but she would not.
'Certainly, my
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