Hope - Lesley Pearse [105]
Ducks quacking on the river by the mill made her stop and put her basket down to look over the bridge. She had never seen so many in one place, at least twenty or more all chasing one another around on the water. The willows were coming into leaf, and there were a great many daffodils swaying in the wind on the bank. A lump came into her throat at the beauty of the scene, and she realized it was the first time since Christmas that she’d been aware of anything other than her own unhappiness.
Hearing horses’ hooves coming around the bend towards her, she stayed by the bridge railing, but turned her head to see who it was.
To her astonishment it was none other than Captain Pettigrew on his piebald horse, and in her position on the bridge she couldn’t hide.
‘Why, Nell!’ he exclaimed in surprise, reining his horse in and looking down at her. ‘How are you? I was told you’d left Briargate and I rather assumed you’d gone right away from the village.’
Despite Nell’s initial feelings about this man, he had won her over when Cook was taken ill. While her puritanical streak still told her she ought to be wary of a man who had come between a husband and wife, now she knew far more about the relationship between him and her ladyship, her instinct told her that he had truly loved her, and probably still did. It was also hard not to look into that strong, handsome face, knowing that he was Hope’s father, and not be willing to trust him.
‘I ought to leave here,’ she said, blushing because he was looking at her so keenly. ‘I have nothing but sad memories here now my sister has gone.’
‘I was told about that,’ he said, dismounting and moving closer to her, still holding his horse by the reins. ‘Rather a rum do! I understand you don’t believe she ran off with a soldier?’
‘No, sir, I don’t,’ Nell looked him square in the face. ‘For one thing no one had seen a soldier around here, and just before I left with Lady Harvey when her father was sick, Hope told me quite sadly that she had no chance of ever having a sweetheart because she never had the opportunity to meet anyone.’
‘She could have made opportunities while you were gone,’ the Captain said with a wry smile.
‘She only had a half day off each week and she spent those with our brother at his farm.’
‘Forgive me being so blunt, Nell, but as I understand it you believed your husband, the gardener, killed her. Is that so, or just foolish gossip?’
‘I did believe it, and I still do,’ Nell said defiantly. ‘Now I am being scorned because I deserted him, but how could I stay with such an evil man?’
‘Strong words, Nell,’ he said shaking his head thoughtfully. ‘But I think you are very brave to stand by what you believe. Lady Harvey must be missing you a great deal; I know how fond she was of you.’
‘Lady Harvey cares for no one but herself,’ Nell blurted out before she could stop herself.
The Captain raised one dark eyebrow.
‘Apart from you,’ Nell added, and blushed furiously because she shouldn’t have said that either.
‘Oh, Nell,’ the Captain sighed. ‘I know Lady Harvey had no secrets from you, and therefore I feel I can speak frankly. We are both victims of a very rigid society; Lady Harvey and I could have no future together without disgrace. She probably told you that I asked her a year ago to face that disgrace and come away with me?’
Nell was surprised and shocked to hear that. ‘No, she didn’t tell me that, sir. Only that she wrote while we were in Sussex and told you it was all over.’
‘That sounds like Anne.’ He gave a humourless chuckle. ‘She’s a great one for only telling half a story! But maybe that is why she was so hard on you, because you were brave enough to leave Albert!’
‘Lady Harvey’s situation