Page 26 of Waiting for Love

The ladies, aside from Georgiana, seated themselves near the window. Vanessa ignored the empty chair beside Olivia to sit next to Mama. Olivia could swear her sister-in-law was avoiding her. Vanessa never sought her out. They hadn’t had one private conversation. She refused any invitations to ride—not even to meet the tenants. It was puzzling.

But for now, they all fussed together over Hannah, who curled in Miss Jamison’s lap on the davenport, thumb in her mouth, eyelids heavy.

“I suppose I’ll have to break her of that after Christmas. She will be three in May and that is too old to be sucking her thumb,” Miss Jamison said.

“I suspect she will abandon it on her own before then,” Mama said. “Most children do. I must say, I’ve never seen the harm in it.”

Miss Jamison smiled. “That is my sentiment exactly. But I’ve worked for some who have been insistent to the point of, well, of cruelty to the little ones.”

Then Mama began to gently draw Miss Jamison out. She had a sister, married to a curate in a small town south of London. She had helped raise their five, then began her career nannying for others. She adored her little charges, but they grew up too fast, so she was always moving on. Alice went very still and her eyes dulled. Was she comparing her situation to Miss Jamison’s?

Vanessa changed the slightly melancholy subject by saying, “It will soon be too cold for playing in the garden. You must make use of more of this home. Too much of it lies empty.”

Miss Jamison flushed. “That is very kind of you, my lady. But it is Mr. Carroll’s decision, and he feels it is better if Hannah is not underfoot.”

And he felt it was better if people did not play games with her or give her gifts.

Mama said, “Well, he cannot object to you bringing her down to the dower house. You and I can have tea. I would appreciate the company.”

“Oh! You rogue!” Jasper cried out, slapping his cards on the table. “You have been practicing.”

Benjamin smiled a bit wolfishly. Evidently, he hadn’t heard Mama, though she had spoken loudly enough that he might have. Olivia wondered if Mama would repeat herself, but whatever might have followed was interrupted by thudding footsteps in the hall, followed by Peters’s appearance in the doorway. Alice gave a small gasp, and for a moment, her face seemed to brighten.

“My lord—” Peters began.

The next instant, Crispin slid past him. “Peters, my man, you will have to learn to walk faster.”

“Captain Taverston is here, my lord,” Peters finished, eyes glowing with pleasure.

The room erupted in a chorus of “Crispin!” with Jasper adding wryly, “And that is ‘just like Crispin’” while Crispin brushed the light dusting of snow from the shoulders of his greatcoat then stripped off his wet gloves.

Olivia’s heart fairly burst. She didn’t have a favorite brother, of course, but if she did, he had just come home.

Mama, all smiles, said, “It would be lovely if you were to give us some warning for once. Why didn’t you let us know you would be here? Peters, please make sure Captain Taverston’s room is made ready.”

“It is being attended to, my lady.”

Crispin peeled off his aged coat and a battered tricorn hat that Olivia had never seen before, and handed them to Peters along with his gloves. A messy tangle of blond hair, half falling out the leather thong he’d used to tie it back, drooped against his shoulders. Beneath the outerwear, he wore his redcoat with its gold braid and shiny brass buttons, black pantaloons, and boots that were coated with mud. He looked every inch the returning hero and Olivia was thrilled.

“I didn’t know I would be here until about seven hours ago. If I had waited to send a letter, you would have it but not me!” He crossed the room to Mama, then bent down to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’m supposed to be in London, but so are a lot of other men who are not there, so I thought I may as well not be either.”

“Meaning?” Jasper asked, raising one eyebrow.

“Meaning I came to London with two saddlebags full of letters, at least half from Wellington and so probably more than just Christmas greetings, and I was supposed to wander about London playing postman. Moreover, I had reports to make. But no one was at home to hear them.” His smirk turned into a scowl of irritation. “It is as though no one in England remembers there is a war being fought.”

“We remember,” Vanessa said in a low tone.

“Yes, well,” Crispin gave her a grateful look. “I should not complain. It gave me a day or two to come here.”

“A day or two?” Jasper said. “Surely—”

“Surely by then you will be sick of me.”

Olivia burst out, “Crispin, please say you will stay through the New Year. It is only a week!”

“Ah, Livvy-pet.” He sighed. “Perhaps we will be lucky and be blizzarded in.” Then he turned and focused his full attention on Georgiana. “You are the real reason I am here.”

Georgiana colored, her hand going to her swollen belly. “Well, as you can see, you are too early. You must return to us in February.”