Bought for Revenge(11)

'Even after Edwin was gone I still liked to come here. Often I would  ride my pony through the woods, exploring.' She chuckled. 'It was a  chance to escape from my governess for a while. I liked being alone  here, especially if I was unhappy, or there was some little problem I  wanted to think about.'

'I hope you still feel you can do that, Miss Havenham.'

She shook her head. 'No. It is your land now, sir.' She urged Apollo on.  'We need to press on, if we are to see much more today.'

The Home Wood was extensive and they had not covered the half of it when  Clegg drew her attention to the sun, which was sinking low towards the  horizon. Belle looked about her, surprised. Had they really been riding  for so long?

'We should be turning back,' she said. 'Papa will worry if I am late.'

'I hope you have enjoyed your time with me, Miss Havenham.'

'I have, very much.' Heavens, he would think her far too friendly! 'But I  would have enjoyed pointing out the hidden valleys and bubbling springs  to anyone who showed such interest.' Now she was too casual and felt  compelled to compliment him. 'You are a good student, Mr Monserrat, and  you already know a great deal about Morwood.'

'I have made it my business to study the ground plan and talk to the  locals,' he told her. 'Those who are not afraid of the ghosts.'

She knew he was teasing her and chuckled. 'If there are ghosts here they  are friendly ones, for I have never felt in the least uneasy, even in  the ruins of the house itself. But I have never seen anyone from Stanton  here, which is why I am surprised they know so much about it.'

'Ah, but I pick up a great deal of information from the taproom of the  Red Lion, so perhaps the people I have spoken with make more, er,  nocturnal visits.'

'You mean poachers! That is much more likely. I hope you are not planning any dark nefarious deeds of your own, sir!'

Instead of the laugh she expected, his face darkened and there was a  dangerous glitter in his eyes. It was gone in a moment and Annabelle  wondered if she had imagined it. Mayhap it had been a cloud passing  across the sun, because now he was smiling at her again.

'We have not seen the half of the Morwood estate yet, Miss Havenham. I would like to ride out with you again, if you will?'

'Why, yes, if you wish-and if the weather holds.'

She gave him a shy smile. Again Lucas felt that uncomfortable prickle of  conscience. He shrugged it aside. He meant the chit no real harm, after  all.

The afternoon was well advanced by the time they returned to the manor house.

'I would ask you to stop and take some refreshment with me,' said Lucas,  'but I fear there is only water or the builders' ale to be had.'

'Then I shall decline gracefully and go on my way.' A workman was  approaching, mopping his brow with a red handkerchief. She recognised  him as one of her tenant farmers and nodded. 'Good day to you, Elias.  You have plenty of work here, I think.'

'Afternoon, Miss Havenham, Mr Monserrat.' The man tugged his forelock.  'Aye, there's work aplenty here for us, which is good, seeing as how the  harvest failed last year. We've had to buy in seed for this year and  this'll go some way to pay for it.'                       
       
           



       

'I have taken on Greenwood as my foreman,' explained Lucas. 'And he is a very good one, too.'

'Aye, well, it helps to be able to turn a hand to summat else when times  is bad. Which reminds me, sir, if you've a minute, I need to ask you  about the stone lintel for the new porch. It don't look quite right to  me.'

'And I must be going home,' said Annabelle quickly. 'Pray do not think  you have to escort me back to Oakenroyd, sir, you will be far more  useful here, working on your house.'

Lucas hesitated. 'If you are sure.'

'Very. I have Clegg with me, after all.'

'Then I shall take you at your word and stay.' He leaned across and held  out his hand to her. 'I only wish I could offer you hospitality.'

'All in good time, sir. Perhaps when the manor is finished-' Annabelle  broke off, feeling the blush steal into her cheeks again. Was she being  far too forward? After all, it was not long since she had vowed never to  speak to this man. Now, with her fingers snugly clasped in his, she was  inviting herself into his house.

'When it is finished I shall be delighted to welcome you here.'

His voice was quiet, but there was something in his tone that made her  blush even more. She tried to look up, but could only raise her eyes as  far as his mouth. The lips were curved upwards into a smile and the  lines at each side had deepened. How could she ever have thought him  unattractive? Shaken, she disengaged her hand and busied herself with  the reins.

'I must go.'

'Of course. And thank you for your company today.'

'Not at all. I hope it was of use.'

'It was,' he responded. 'I am very grateful.'

She could think of nothing else to say, but still she could not bring  herself to go. They stayed thus, not speaking, with Elias Greenwood  watching them, his eyes shifting from one to the other. Apollo grew  restless. He threw up his head impatiently and Annabelle shook herself  out of the unaccustomed inertia. With a final murmured goodbye she  turned the grey and trotted away.





Chapter Five


Lucas watched her ride off, admiring the way she handled Apollo, the  straight line of her back, the proud set of her head. Had he really  thought her such a nonentity when they first met? He glanced down at his  fingers. They still tingled from the shock he had felt when she clasped  his hand, the excitement that had pulsed through him, the sheer  exhilaration of touching her. He had not expected that.

He heard someone clearing his throat and realised that Greenwood was still there, watching him.

'Ah, yes. The porch lintel. We'll go and look now.' He jumped down and  tethered Sultan to a post. He took a final look at the lane, but  Annabelle was no longer in sight.

'No need to worry,' said Greenwood, grinning. 'Miss Belle's a cracking rider. She'll get home safe enough.'

'Miss Belle?'

'Aye, that's how we've always known her. Grand lass she is, too. Not a  bit high in the instep, for all she's mistress of Oakenroyd.'

For some reason the information did not please Lucas.

'Is she not a little spoiled?' he asked casually. 'After all, she is Havenham's only child. He says himself he dotes on her.'

'Oh, he does, but she has the sweetest nature. Why, when my wife were  lying in last year and having such a bad time of it, Miss Belle goes  herself to fetch the midwife, then stays looking after the little ones  so's I wouldn't miss market day, such as it was. She's a good 'un, sir,  and no mistake. Thinks well of everyone, or tries to.' Elias paused,  then added slyly, 'She'll make someone a good wife, I do reckon.'

Lucas affected not to hear this last comment. He began to stride away  towards the house. 'Right,' he said curtly. 'Let us see what is wrong  with that lintel!'

A period of dry sunny weather followed and Annabelle rode with Lucas  almost every day. No arrangement was made, but as she rode across the  park each morning Annabelle would look out for him on the moors above  her, the black figure of a horse and rider outlined against the eastern  sky. He would gallop down to meet her and they would ride over the  Oakenroyd land, then across to Morwood, where she accompanied him to the  outlying farms, explaining the histories of his tenant farmers and  their families, details that the taciturn northern people would never  tell him themselves, such as how young John Sutcliffe had struggled to  rebuild the farm after his father was killed in a riding accident two  years ago, and how Matthew Crabtree bred the best milch cows in the  county and Jonah Oldfield the miller might appear surly at first, but he  had a heart of gold, while his wife Hannah had a gift for healing.  Lucas remembered Elias Greenwood's words: Thinks well of everyone, or  tries to. What would she think of him, when she knew the truth? He  pushed the thought away.                       
       
           



       

By the time April was sliding gently into May they had covered the whole  estate and Belle declared that Lucas had no further need of her. They  were within sight of Oakenroyd, the point where the path to her home  parted from the road into Stanton.

'Are you tired of my company, then, Miss Havenham?'

'Not at all, but … '

She hesitated over her next words. She was aware that spending so much  time in Lucas's company was giving rise to comment. Even Mr Keighley had  mentioned it when he called at Oakenroyd recently. Her father had been  quite sanguine.

'I fear it is my fault,' he had said in his gentle way. 'Belle is  standing in for me by showing Mr Monserrat over his new lands and  introducing him to his tenants. I do not ride so often now, you know,  and never to Morwood.'

'Then the rumours of an alliance are unfounded?' asked Mr Keighley.

'Oh, completely,' Samuel had replied comfortably. 'I'm afraid I quite  bullied Annabelle into going out. She is merely being neighbourly.'