Proposals in Regency Society: Make-Believe Wife / The Homeless Heiress

‘We have some excellent instruments here. You are welcome to use them whenever you wish. I enjoy music. I could employ a music master for you if you wish to be taught.’

‘I shall attempt the pianoforte tomorrow,’ she promised. ‘If I have the aptitude, a music master might be useful to improve my skill. I am good with the needle.’

‘Do you like to sketch or paint?’

‘I think I have not had the opportunity.’

‘Your guardian was remiss in your education. You may need some social skills, Miss Roxanne. Perhaps we should send for your godmother, Luke. She is a foolish woman, but might be of some use in giving our gel a little nudge. What do you think?’

‘I believe I shall leave the decision to Roxanne, sir. I am not certain Lady Paula would come.’

‘Nonsense. Write to her and ask her to come down for the ball. She will be here before you have time to turn round. Her curiosity will bring her, if nothing more.’

The earl waved the footman away as he offered more wine. ‘Nothing more for me. I think I shall leave the pair of you to amuse yourselves. If I stay up this evening, I shall not be fit for guests tomorrow. No, no, do not get up. Finish your meal. Jarvis, give me your arm. Goodnight, Miss Roxanne. My suggestion was for your benefit, not an order.’

‘I thank you for the thought, sir.’

‘Well, he is certainly taking an interest,’ Luke remarked as the door closed behind his grandfather. ‘Shall we go through to the parlour, Roxanne? I thought we might use the front parlour when we are alone. It was my mother’s favourite and the drawing room is far too large. Shall I ask Mrs Arlet for some tea and coffee?’

‘Would you not rather have port or brandy? Tea will do very well for me.’

‘If you do not mind, I shall have brandy.’ He nodded to the remaining footman. ‘In twenty minutes or so, Smith.’

Roxanne proceeded him into the front parlour. It was of a similar size to the one the earl preferred, but its décor was a little in need of refreshment, though comfortable and with a pleasant aspect out over steps leading down to a wide expanse of lawn in the sunken garden. At that moment the light was fading and she could not see beyond the windows, for the candles had been lit.

‘Did you bring it?’ Luke asked, having made certain the door was closed behind them. ‘I must admit I am curious to see this jewel.’

Roxanne reached inside her bodice and took out the ruby. It was warm where it had lain nestled against her breasts. She held it out on the palm of her hand and it glowed in the candlelight.

‘Good grief,’ Luke exclaimed as he saw it. ‘I have never seen its like. This must be worth a king’s ransom, Roxanne. It looks as if it came from an Indian maharajah’s crown.’

‘Then it is valuable,’ Roxanne said as he held it to the light between his thumb and forefinger. ‘Sofia said as much, but I was not certain. How could I have come by it, do you imagine?’

‘I believe it must have come from India. The secret of its origin must lie locked in your subconscious, Roxanne. Could your father have brought it home? Did something happen that made you take it and run away?’

‘I truly wish I could answer that question.’ She looked thoughtful. ‘I have wondered if Black Bob guessed I had something valuable. He was determined I would be his woman—did he know that Sofia had hidden this for me? He would not have dared to steal it from her. The other players respected and revered her. Had he stolen from her or harmed her, I think they might have turned on him.’

‘So he waited until she was dead.’ Luke inclined his head. ‘It is possible that he might have suspected something. One of the others might have seen it in your hand when you refused to be parted from it.’

‘Yes, perhaps. What do you think I should do about this? Would it be possible to trace the rightful owner?’

‘I dare say a good few would claim it as theirs if they could whether or not they had the right,’ Luke said. ‘I suppose I might place a vague advert in The Times newspaper and see what happens. I should ask any respondent to contact a solicitor by letter and see what replies we get, but I think we must take great care of the jewel, Roxanne. If Sofia told you that you claimed it was yours, it may be—and this ruby is extremely valuable. If no one likely comes forward in response to the advert, I think you should accept that you own the jewel.’

‘Would you have it placed somewhere safe for me? I was nervous enough of carrying it before, but now—I should hate to be accused of being careless if it was lost.’

‘I shall have it stored in my grandfather’s strong room until I return to London,’ Luke said. ‘We keep all the more valuable heirlooms there when they are not being worn. Hartingdon thinks them as safe here as in a bank and I think he is right. The strong room was once a dungeon and the locks have been made stronger.’

‘Is it in the old wing—where the tower is?’

‘Yes. We seldom use that wing, because parts of the tower are unsafe. Grandfather hasn’t opened the strong room in years, but I shall ask him for the key. You will not mind if I show him the ruby?’

‘Supposing he asks where it came from?’

‘I shall tell him it is your inheritance from your friend, which in a way it is. Had Sofia been other than she was, she might have sold it long since.’

‘She would rather give me all she had than take something of mine,’ Roxanne replied with a smile. ‘Yes, it should be safe in the strong room—though if it is claimed we shall need to explain.’

‘I doubt it will be,’ Luke said. ‘The only person who might know of the ruby would be the owner, whoever that might be.’

‘My father…’ Roxanne sighed. ‘I think it must have been his and that it came from India, just as we have surmised, but perhaps I wish to believe it. Perhaps I have invented the fairy tale?’

‘Did Sofia never try to find out where you had come from?’

‘We were always moving from one place to another. Besides, I think she was afraid someone would take me away from her. She says that I was very quiet and I cried in my sleep for months when she first took me in. It was in her mind that I had been harmed in some way. She would not have given me up to someone who might hurt me.’

‘A jewel like that might cause many people to do things they would not otherwise do,’ Luke said and frowned. ‘I shall seek the advice of my lawyer before placing the advert, Roxanne. It may bring more than we would wish for and I must be certain it cannot be traced back to you.’

‘You think I might be in danger?’

‘I cannot know for certain—but there must have been something that frightened you or you would not have been in such distress when Sofia found you. If you were so determined not to give the ruby up, you must have had good reason to think it was yours.’

‘Sofia has said much the same to me.’ Roxanne looked up at him. ‘I would willingly return it to its rightful owner if it is not mine.’

‘Yes, well, we shall see what happens,’ he said and his eyes were thoughtful, as if wondering how much he could believe of what she’d told him. ‘Do not worry about it, Roxanne. I think Grandfather seemed pleased with life this evening, do you not agree?’

He had pocketed the ruby and Roxanne was glad to see it in his safekeeping. She did not wish to be responsible for such a jewel and felt she would not mind if she never saw it again—and yet, according to Sofia, as a young girl, she had been determined not to give it up.

‘I hope he will be as pleased with me in a few weeks. I am doing my best, Luke, but he is bound to discover gaps in my education. Sofia taught me so much about the world, and I read plays and poetry, but I know little of the things most young ladies learn.’

‘And your mind is all the better for it,’ Luke said. ‘You cannot imagine how boring some of them are, Roxanne. I would swear you could discuss Shakespeare in more depth than most.’

‘Yes, at least the roles I have played,’ she said and dimpled. ‘I shall not mind if the earl employs tutors to rectify my lack. It will pass the time and give me something to strive for.’

‘Have you thought about what happens in three months?’

‘It is a long time,’ Roxanne said. ‘I dare say he will have discovered I am a fraud and declare me unsuitable to be the mistress of a house like this long before that, and if he does not…well, that is up to you, I think.’

‘Would you go through with the wedding if I asked it?’

‘On the terms you offered before?’ He inclined his head and Roxanne was silent for a moment. ‘If we are both of the same mind in three months, I think I might.’

Why on earth had she agreed to marry him in three months if he should ask her? Roxanne wondered what had got into her head. A sham engagement was as far as she had been prepared to go initially, but, oddly enough, she had begun to find the idea of marriage to Luke Clarendon more and more appealing.

What else could she do with her life that would bring her comfort and safety? A woman alone in her position would be prey to rogues and predators, men who would trick her and seduce her for their pleasure. As Luke’s fiancée, and perhaps his make-believe wife, she would have respect and a settled income. Surely that was enough for any woman?

Yet there was something inside her that wanted more. How foolish she was! Luke had never intended more than a temporary arrangement, but now the earl was insisting on a marriage after three months. No doubt he wanted to know a grandchild was on its way before he died.

Luke’s child. For a moment the thought sent a warm spiral curling through her and she smiled. How pleasant the picture was, though quite impossible, of course. They must try to please the earl in his last months, but a child would be too much. She frowned as she recalled her first meeting with the earl. He looked frail, but he did not look particularly unwell.