Destiny's End

Chapter 1: Warrick-2

Fortescue Manor was a lovely house of faded cream brick, old, but not as old as Thorny Walk House, and far more pleasing than the house I grew up in.

I rode around to the stables and left my horse there in the care of the groom, then went to the kitchen.

“Lord love us if it isn’t Master Warrick!” Mrs Rivers, the cook, smiled at me. “Whatever are you doing here at this time of night?”

“Hoping you might take pity on me and feed me?” I wheedled.

“Sit yourself down.” She began preparing a plate of roast beef, potatoes, and asparagus. “Jane, go tell Master Thomas he’s got a visitor.”

I didn’t protest that I didn’t want to interrupt the Smythes’ dinner. They were long since done. It was Mother who preferred to keep Town hours, something Father went along with for once.

The little maid bobbed a curtsey and hurried out.

I washed my hands and took a seat, and Mrs Rivers placed the meal before me.

I began eating. “Mmm.” The cook at Thorny Walk House never prepared food as succulent as this, and I sometimes wondered if it might be because there was love in this house.

“Thorn?” Thomas strode into the kitchen. He looked me over, and I knew what he saw: me in a dinner jacket but with my hair in disarray from the gallop to Greenbriers. He shook his head. “What’s to do?”

“I need to speak with you privately.” I sent Mrs Rivers an apologetic glance.

“I’ll keep this warm for you, shall I?”

“Thank you.” I seized Thomas’s sleeve and dragged him along after me. “Where can we be private?”

He gave me an odd look. “Mother and Father are in the lounge. We can go to the conservatory. I must say you’re making me curious.”

I hurried him through the house until we came to the conservatory. The odour of Lady Eugenia’s roses scented the humid air.

“Thomas, I…” I suddenly realised I could hardly tell him there were some who might confuse our friendship for something else. “I think it’s time we lost our virginity.”

“Truly?” His eyes lit up. “I’ve been waiting—”

“There’s a milkmaid on Thorny Walk who should do nicely.”

“Ah. I see. And this is what you want?”

No! “Yes.”

His smile was crooked, not the usual one I got from him. “Then of course we shall.”

“I’ll…I’ll make the arrangements.”

“Excellent. We should bring her a gift.”

“Why would we do that? She works for my father.”

“She’s being kind to us. We still want to give her some little token. That’s what Bertie does with his Saturday-to-Mondays.”

“His what?”

“His mistresses.”

“You brother has mistresses?”

“Hush. Mother isn’t supposed to learn of that.”

“Yes, but…mistresses?”

“He only has one at a time.”

I thought about it for a moment, then shook my head. “Well, she’d hardly be that.” I was starting to regret coming up with this plan.

“Warrick. It’s the gentlemanly thing to do.”

“Oh, very well. If you insist.”

“Good. Now, I’ll give her some flowers.”

“What am I supposed to give her?”

“Use your imagination.”

I ground my teeth together. In spite of the fact that my father was wealthier than Sir Henry, Thomas’s allowance was a good deal more than mine. Still, I wouldn’t let him think me niggling in this matter. I knew there had to be something in the attics that would appeal to a woman who was unfamiliar with the finer things in life.

“Now, why don’t we return to the kitchen so you can finish your meal? I take it Lady Helena sent you away from the table early?”

“She did.” At one time I’d wished to know why my mother never seemed to care for me, but I’d long since given it up as unknowable. As for whatever motherly affection I needed, Lady Eugenia, Thomas’s mother, was kind enough to provide it.