Page 58 of The Seductive Love of a Lady
The expression in Pembroke’s eyes implied he was laughing at Drew, without actually laughing. ‘I was like you,’ he said. ‘But you know that. I did not think I could love. I assure you, when the child arrives you will have no choice but to love him or her. You will be smitten at first sight. You are not like your parents, any more than I was like my grandfather. You will love the child.’
Drew’s hand combed through his hair, hiding how much his hand shook.
The servants delivered the lemonade and Pembroke ran to fetch the boy who had reached the edge of the lawn.
They sat on the terrace while Pembroke fed his son pieces of cake and sips of lemonade. Drew smoked a cigar, mesmerised by them, wanting to learn how to be the same. He would cherish his children.
When the cake had all gone, Drew and Pembroke sat on the steps to watch the boy crawl over the grass.
‘I have a property you may be interested in,’ Pembroke said. ‘It is on the edge of my estate, a few miles away, so you would not literally be on my doorstep. It is a small manor, with income from two tenanted farms which are part of the property, and a home farm. I will give you Mary’s dowry back, so, I would expect you to purchase the manor and lands, but at a fair rate. Or I could lease it to you, but in that case you would not have the chance to pass it on to your child in future years.’
‘And you fancy having us close,’ Drew quipped. ‘So you can keep an eye on me, and Mary, because you do not trust me.’
Pembroke held Drew’s gaze, but there was no fierceness or challenge in his expression.
‘I do not wish you close, but I wish Mary happy and settled. The property is ideal. You and I were acquaintances once, perhaps if you let down your guard, we could be friends. Certainly, Mary would like to have Kate and I near.’
And Mary was the most important thing to them all.
‘You may show me this manor, and I will consider it.’
‘We can ride there tomorrow.’
30
Andrew had been solicitous every day since he arrived here. They rode horses about the grounds, talked and walked, and in the evenings, they played cards with Kate and John, or Andrew read a book to her, or he sat beside her and turned the music as she played the pianoforte and sang.
He was purchasing a property from John. It was nestled in woodland, halfway down a hill which dropped into a river valley. An old Tudor manor, with wooden beams forming a skeleton through red bricks. It was not large, but it was charming.
The house was his favourite topic of conversation. He talked about making it a home, and he was already learning about farming and estate management from John and his steward. One afternoon, he had ridden out to the farms that would become his and met the tenants and labourers.
Now, he was sitting in a chair that caught the sunlight from a long window, reading a newspaper, his shoulders relaxed and a smile on his lips. The Andrew she knew visible to John and Kate too.
Mary looked up from her needlework as a footman hurried into the room. He said something to Finch who then spoke up. ‘A carriage is approaching, Your Grace.’
John had Paul on his knee. He looked at the footman. ‘Is there a coat of arms on it?’
‘There is, Your Grace.’
John stood, lifting Paul to his hip. ‘Well, it appears we have a guest. Finch, would you ask the kitchen to be prepared and send for the nursery maid? I will go downstairs. Katherine, would you hold Paul until the maid comes?’
Andrew stood too. ‘May I join you?’ Mary knew he was wary of Lord Kilbride’s threats.
She put down her sewing and stood too, as John passed Paul to Katherine. ‘I shall come with you.’
John walked to the window as they heard the carriage and horses on the gravel near the house.
‘It is Uncle Richard’s insignia.’
Mary looked at Andrew, thinking what he was probably thinking – that her uncle would have news from London.
A few moments later, she walked across the gravel outside, as a footman put down the carriage step.
Richard climbed down. ‘John.’ Richard’s voice rang deep with formality. He looked at Andrew.
Mary held Andrew’s hand, knowing he would face another test.
‘How are things?’ Uncle Richard asked John.
