Page 74 of Scandal at Greystone Manor

‘Will you go to Jane? I will drive over to Greystone’s to tell them Jane has recovered consciousness. I’ll bring her ladyship back with me. She will, no doubt, want to see her daughter.’

* * *

The damage to the curricle had not been great and had soon been mended and both his own horse and Bonny had not suffered any harm. In no time at all he was bowling along the village street towards the Manor. As he passed the church he saw the Rector by the lych gate, who waved to him to stop.

‘How is the invalid?’ he asked him, coming to stand with his hand on the side of the curricle.

‘Making good progress, I think. She has regained consciousness and is able to speak. I am going over to tell Lady Cavenhurst the good news.’

‘That is a great relief to us all. She will soon be back to her old self, then?’

‘It is to be hoped so.’

‘I heard she was to be married to the gentleman staying at the Fox and Hounds. The people in the village are very excited about it. They say Miss Cavenhurst deserves her happiness.’

‘Indeed she does,’ Mark said, through gritted teeth.

‘I found Lord Bolsover wandering round the churchyard. He made himself known to me and desired me to have the grave of Colin Paget cleared of weeds and the headstone cleaned. He is an ancestor of his, I believe.’

‘So I have heard.’

‘Perhaps there will be a double wedding. His lordship seemed amused by the idea, but he did not say he did not like it.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Mark said, anxious to end the conversation. ‘I must be on my way to fetch Lady Cavenhurst.’

‘Of course. I must not detain you.’ He stepped back. ‘Please tell Miss Cavenhurst that I am thinking of her and wish her well. Tell her I have recruited some volunteers to help clean up Witherington House when she is ready.’

‘I will, but we do not need to wait until Miss Cavenhurst is out and about again, we can make a start on the house. I think it will please her.’

‘Yes, that is a good idea.’

‘I will speak to you about it when I have more time.’

So that’s what his mother meant about rumours, Mark mused, as he continued on his way. Even if they had not been perpetrated by Bolsover, which seemed likely, he had certainly not denied them. There was an almighty scandal brewing and he did not know how to prevent it.

* * *

Lady Cavenhurst seemed unaware of the rumours when he was shown into the drawing room at the Manor and delivered the news that Jane was awake and her mental state had not suffered because of the injury to her head. ‘She is wishful of coming home,’ he said.

‘Much as I would like her home, she must not do that,’ her ladyship said. ‘Lord Bolsover has called every day and is as determined as ever. He has practically accused her of pretending to be ill in order to delay speaking to him. I had to ask Dr Trench to confirm that she was deeply unconscious and incapable of making a decision. I even hinted that she might have lost some of her mental faculties in the hope he would withdraw his suit, but Sir Edward was quite angry with me. He says Jane is our only hope, so we must not tell Lord Bolsover she has come round.’

‘Then Jane must stay where she is. Would you like to come back with me and talk to her?’

‘Yes, please. I will go and put on my hat.’ She left the room and he wandered round, waiting for her. He had not realised until now how shabby everything looked, especially with the pictures down and the shelves emptied.

‘Oh, it’s you, Mark.’ He whirled round to face Isabel. ‘I thought I heard a visitor arrive. How is Jane?’

‘She woke up about an hour ago. She is very weak, but otherwise none the worse.’

‘I am so glad. It is dreadful here without her, everyone going about with Friday faces. I will be glad when she comes home.’

‘But then she will have to give Lord Bolsover his answer.’

‘Why not? She will have to give in, in the end.’

He was angry. ‘Isabel, you surely would not condemn your sister to marrying that dreadful man?’

‘He isn’t that dreadful, not when you come to know him better, he can be very charming and he is our only hope. She is lucky to find a husband at all at her age and he is very rich.’

He was so annoyed he was speechless, but luckily Lady Cavenhurst returned, wearing her hat and gloves, and he escorted her to the curricle.

He was still seething and wondered if her ladyship had heard and if she agreed with her daughter. Isabel was totally self-centred. He could not marry her, he simply could not. But how could he get out of it with any honour?

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