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At that moment, Charles ran over to tug at her sleeve. ‘Miss Theo! Teacher says she needs you to come tell our story now.’
‘Very well,’ she said, patting the boy on the shoulder. ‘Tell Miss Andrews I’ll be with you in a moment.’
Turning back to her tormenter, who stood regarding her with a smirk she longed to slap off his face, she said, ‘I’m afraid I can’t stay and trade insults any longer.’
‘Cute little urchin, and too well spoken to be an enlisted man’s leavings,’ Tremaine said, watching Charles skip back towards the building. ‘Was that Everly’s brat? Funny, with him and his doxy so dark, to have the boy turn out so fair. He’s almost as blond as...’
Tremaine’s words trailed off and amazed recognition lit his eyes. Consternation filled Theo as the lieutenant turned back to scrutinise the child until he was lost to sight inside the building.
‘Well, now, what an interesting development,’ he murmured, looking back at Theo. ‘Ah, the stories I could tell! Maybe you’d like to reconsider my offer?’
Desperately Theo schooled her face to indifference, hoping Tremaine hadn’t seen the flash of fear in her eyes.
‘Why ever would I wish to do that?’ she asked in a bored tone. While her mind raced, trying to decide whether it would be more effective to add another dismissive disclaimer, or say nothing further, she suddenly noted the sound of approaching hoofbeats. Relief filled her when she turned to see that Dominic was nearly upon them.
‘You’ll have to excuse me. Here’s my landlord, coming to consult about the property.’
Tremaine looked over her shoulder. ‘Dominic Ransleigh! Might not have recognised him, but for the missing arm. I’d forgotten his family had an estate in Suffolk. “Consulting about property”, eh? Darling, if you’re still giving it away for free, why waste your charms on a cripple? A real man could make it so much better for you.’
At that insult to Ransleigh, her control, already pushed to the edge by Tremaine’s insinuations and her own panic, finally snapped. Stepping forward, Theo slapped his face with all the force she could muster.
Chapter Thirteen
Trembling with rage and dismay, Theo jumped when Ransleigh suddenly materialised right behind her.
‘Is something amiss?’
Theo forced her voice to calm. ‘Nothing I can’t handle. Lieutenant Tremaine was just leaving.’
‘Am I? With all the stories I have to tell?’ Tremaine said, a challenge on his face as he rubbed at the scarlet mark of her palm on his cheek.
With a great show of indifference, she shrugged. ‘Tell whatever tales you like. No one of discernment gives any credence to what you say anyway. Now, you really should be leaving.’
‘Perhaps you need further encouragement?’ Ransleigh said, his voice a snarl and his one hand curling into a fist.
Tremaine looked from Theo to Ransleigh and back. ‘Not this time. Wouldn’t want to distress the urchins. But you may be hearing from me again, Theo.’
Motioning Ransleigh, who looked ready to have a go anyway, to stay where he was, Theo said, ‘I devoutly hope not. Have a pleasant life, Lieutenant Tremaine.’
He stared at her, but she faced him down, unsmiling, until finally he broke eye contact. ‘Sure you won’t reconsider?’
At her curt negative shake of the head, he said, ‘Your choice. Don’t blame me if you—and your little urchins—have cause later to regret it.’
At that, with a negligent nod to Ransleigh, Tremaine strode to his mount, threw himself in the saddle, and rode off.
As Theo took a shuddering breath, trying to slow the racing of her heart, Ransleigh said, ‘Why did you stop me? If that varlet said something meriting a slap, I would have enjoyed planting my fist in his face. Although, accustomed as I am to your plain speaking, telling him no one believes anything he says was a bit harsh.’
‘It wasn’t kind, perhaps, but I hope to prevent him carrying tales. My reputation is...already sullied, but I would like to prevent him tarnishing yours.’
‘Sullied?’ Ransleigh said, an odd note in his voice. ‘Forgive me, I overhead some of your conversation as I approached. Surely he didn’t say you were “giving it away for free”? How could you keep me from punishing him for uttering something so scurrilous?’
Theo sighed. ‘Will you walk with me? I don’t want the children to overhear, and after what you saw—and heard—you’ll want an explanation.’
‘I wouldn’t wish to pry into the private details of your life.’
She laughed without humour. ‘Unlike me, who had no hesitation about prying in yours. But there has always been honesty between us, and you ought to know the truth about your tenant—unless you’d rather not hear it.’
After a short pause, he said, ‘If it concerns you, I’d like to hear it.’
‘Very well. Let me tell Miss Andrews I’ll be another few minutes.’
After informing the teacher she’d be delayed, Theo rejoined Mr Ransleigh. She hoped he’d have enough compassion for the children not to reveal to anyone what she was about to confess. Even though, she knew with a sick certainty that made her stomach churn, she would surely forfeit his respect once she’d told him.
No point delaying the unpleasantness any further.
Waving him to follow, she set off walking. Once they were out of sight and hearing of the school, she said, ‘Let me come straight to the point. While Tremaine’s wording was crude, it’s still...true. I suppose, after that kiss in the wildflower meadow, you suspected that I’m not an innocent. I’ve told you how much I loved Marshall. We were to be married as soon as I returned from escorting Lord Everly’s wife back to England.’
She fell silent a moment, lost in the memories. Probably shocked speechless to find that a woman he’d thought virtuous, wasn’t, he didn’t prompt her to continue.
‘How many times I’ve regretted not insisting we find the nearest chaplain to marry us before I left!’ she said at last. ‘But Marshall wanted me to have a proper wedding when the army went into winter quarters in Lisbon, with a reception for all our friends and Papa giving me away in a smart new gown. So we waited—for the wedding. But I didn’t want to wait to belong to him completely...and he didn’t deny me that.’
‘Unfortunately, the night we slipped away, Tremaine followed us. And watched, apparently. When I returned from the convent with Charles, he started shadowing me, making suggestive overtures whenever he caught me alone. He seemed to think that if I’d allowed Marshall to touch me, I was fair game for any man.’
‘And you never told your father of this?’ Ransleigh interrupted. ‘I can’t imagine he would have tolerated it!’
‘No, Papa would probably have shot him, or at least run him out of camp. But Tremaine was very careful not to make his insinuations where others could overhear him. It would have been difficult to accuse him to Papa without having to confess the whole and I...I dreaded forfeiting Papa’s good opinion. As, I fear, I’ve now lost yours.’
He frowned. ‘Do you know me so little as to think I would disdain you for giving yourself to the man you meant to marry, when men take women lightly all the time without reproof? If I did not know you must be upset by Tremaine’s visit, I’d be insulted.’
Her throat felt tight, and tears threatened. ‘Most men have different standards for themselves and for women. When a maid gives herself to a man, and does not end up marrying him, she is scorned.’
‘Miss Branwell, I have never known a woman more principled and honourable than you! And before you insult me again by asking, I have no intention of betraying your confidence to anyone.’
Knowing what she’d not told him, his unqualified support was almost worse than disdain. She considered confessing the whole...but gentleman though he was, the risk was still too great.
Swallowing hard, digging her nails into her palms to keep the tears at bay, she whispered, ‘You are too kind.’
‘Not at all,’ he retorted, ‘though I was too courteous. For his insults and for upsetting you, I should have pummelled Tremaine anyway, despite the possibility of the children overhearing us.’
‘I’m glad you did not. I have a singular dislike of a man being punished for telling the truth. Besides, he was the best pugilist in the regiment.’
‘All the better to prove what I can still do with one hand. But can he make trouble for you?’
‘If he were to cast aspersions on my character, Lady Wentworth—and others—would likely withdraw their support. But with the school already staffed, and with agreements in place for the local masters to apprentice willing students, the effect wouldn’t be as devastating as it would have been earlier. I’d have to press Aunt Amelia to find places for the girls.’
