Page 68 of The Colonel's Ungovernable Governess
“Father? I expected a letter, but not his arrival!” Instinctively, Edward kicked his horse’s sides. For a brief moment, he had forgotten his cousin, but Darcy’s horse quickly caught up to him. Together, they arrived in the circle before the house less than a minute before the earl’s coach rolled to a stop outside the main door. Darcy took control of the horses and handed them off to one of the stable hands. Meanwhile, Edward opened the carriage door to view the worried looks of not only his father but also the children’s mother, Lady Lindale.
“My lord,” Edward said with an incline of his head as he set down the stairs and stepped back to permit his father’s descent.
The earl reached out a hand and patted Edward’s shoulder, which was so characteristic of the man, but it brought tears rushing to Edward’s eyes. “Glad you are here, boy. I know you have addressed our worst fears and made things better.” That was all, but it was enough for Edward to release the worry that had followed him about for days. Darcy had essentially said the same, but the earl’s affirmation held more weight.
Lady Lindale was barely standing before the manor house when Vincent came barreling out the door. “Mama! Mama!” he called as he rushed into his mother’s embrace. The boy was quickly followed by Lady Victoria. Edward looked to the house, but Lady Annabelle was not with her siblings, which was another telling moment, in his opinion.
His father turned to shake Darcy’s hand and to kiss Elizabeth’s cheek. “Hope my grandnephew is within,” he told Darcy.
“He is, my lord,” Elizabeth answered for her husband as Darcy was giving orders for the coach. “Our Bennet is up on his legs and walking everywhere.”
“Grand,” the earl declared. “I will make her ladyship extremely jealous when I report that the lad walked into my open arms. The countess just said the other day that it would be time for Bennet to be taking those first steps.”
Then his lordship crossed to where Lady Romfield waited with her husband and Jocelyn so they might greet him. “Celine,” his father said with a bow, “I would have known you anywhere,” he declared, as Edward came to stand beside Miss Romfield. “You are the image of your dear mother.”
“Happy to be in company with you, at last,” Lady Romfield declared. “It has been too long. You recall my husband, Lord Romfield.”
“Absolutely,” Matlock declared while he shook the baron’s hand.
Lord Romfield directed the earl’s attention to Jocelyn. “Permit me to give you the acquaintance of my daughter and your future daughter in marriage, Miss Jocelyn Romfield.”
His father looked to Edward. “It is settled between you two?” he asked.
“It is, sir.” Edward lifted Jocelyn’s hand for his father to view the ring upon her finger, now that her sling was no longer required.
The earl bent to kiss Jocelyn’s cheek. “I understand you gave my son a good set down. Well done, my girl. Welcome to the family. I pray I may count on you to keep this one closer to home. His mother worries so when he is considering returning to the war.”
Jocelyn squeezed Edward’s fingers to warn him of her response. “Though I would not wish the colonel to leave us behind, it is not in my nature to stand against such a monumental decision, for your son would never choose to face danger unless he thought his presence would make a difference in the war’s outcome. He is a man built to protect both his country and his family.”
If everyone was not watching them, Edward would drag Jocelyn into his embrace and kiss her soundly; instead, he brought the back of her hand to his lips and whispered, “Later.”
Lady Lindale finally realized she should be performing as hostess, but Elizabeth cleared her throat and tilted her head towards the still open door. Vincent looked to the door and back. The child swallowed hard, but he said, “My mother is home . . .” He glanced to Mrs. Darcy, who nodded her approval. “Let us go inside . . . we must celebrate.”
Lady Lindale appeared surprised, but pleased, nevertheless. “Lead the way, my lord. My son.”
* * *
For the next two days, there were a number of conversations—some among all involved and some among only a handful of those in the household party. Lady Lindale spent a great deal of time chronicling the outcomes prompted by the girls’ foolish choices. “If Mr. Marksham had succeeded in killing your brother, you could have been prosecuted for assisting him. I do not know how you could prove to be so foolish. If such is what I may expect from your education, you will not be returning to school. I will hire a tutor and a companion for you, and you will remain with me and Lindale.”
“Of course, you would choose to remain with Lord Lindale. You always choose him over us and our father!” Lady Annabelle accused.
It was then that Lady Lindale slapped the girl. “I am your mother, and I will make decisions for you until you are of age. As much as I adored him, your father did not secure our futures in a proper manner. We had no choice but to leave Babbington Hall. Your Uncle Philip wished to displace Vincent, declaring your brother to be little more than a mute. I required a strong ally to protect Vincent so he might one day be the earl, but also to protect you and Victoria and see that you had a proper education and a Season and all such entails when the time was right. I found allies in Lord Lindale and the Fitzwilliam family. Without them, Philip Jennings would have driven us from the estate and taken everything your father left for us. Without their care and manipulations, there would be nothing left of the earldom and we would have been cast off. You acted irresponsibly and without knowledge, and I shan’t have it again.”
The Darcys had argued that the earldom would suffer if Vincent departed Babbington Hall again. “I have viewed the estate books,” Darcy explained. “The situation is not ideal, but the estate is not in as much distress as we first feared. Philip Jennings apparently only overrode the Babbington staff and the land steward, starting some six weeks back. About the same time as Mr. Marksham made contact with Lady Annabelle. Jennings stole jewels and money from the estate, as well as several documented antiques, which he meant to sell for personal profit. The colonel prevented much of this loss, though it will be several months before all will be returned to the estate.”
Vincent said, “Thank you for saving us all, Colonel. For saving me, as well as my father’s land. And, of course, Miss Lam . . . Miss Romfield.”
Edward’s heart and his hand reached out for the boy. As he embraced the child, he could not help but to wonder on the look of his own children. “We both did what was necessary to save Miss Romfield,” he told the child. “Your oversight of her recovery saved her, and my betrothed has spoken privately of the first night when you snuck back into her room. Of how her soul was plummeting into a dark and breath-stealing cold, but your hand, and, later, your head resting upon her kept her with us.” Tears were in Edward’s eyes when he cleared his throat to address Lady Lindale. Decision made, he said, “Lady Lindale, Miss Romfield and I place our names for your consideration to serve as Lord Babcock’s guardians and to reside with him at Babbington Hall. Naturally, as Lindale’s brother, I will serve as a guardian to all your children, but soon Vincent will be required to attend school. The Jennings family cannot leave this estate unattended during the boy’s long absences. Babcock must be part of the community for the estate to survive. For the village and the people and all about it to survive. Otherwise, your son will inherit an empty shell.”
“I am thankful for what you, Colonel, and you, Miss Romfield, did to save Vincent’s life and his legacy. I am also most appreciative of your influence, Mr. Darcy. You all have proven to be those my son can trust and those to whom he may present his honor and receive honor in return. Yet, what occurs, Colonel, when you must be away from Babbington? In her own estimation, Miss Romfield knows little of maintaining an estate.”
Before Edward could respond, Darcy interjected, “It is my opinion Miss Romfield knows more than she gives herself credit. She knows how to oversee a household, though she has not taken on those responsibilities alone; yet, she has assisted Lady Romfield, who along with his lordship have represented our great country as an ambassador and his wife on foreign shores. As their daughter, Miss Romfield has dined with rulers of multiple nations, as well as their executors. Surely, if the lady can hold her own with those in such exalted positions, speaking with authority to villagers and estate staff will come naturally. What better training could we ask? As to her ability to tend to Vincent’s needs, she has proven herself over and over again. She has taught the young lord to stretch his knowledge, while teaching him responsibility by privately demanding his best in all situations.
“All that being said,” Darcy continued, “I have a suggestion. Actually, my valet, Mr. Sheffield offered a suggestion that might benefit Lord Vincent. As many at this table know, my revered mother employed Alfred Sheffield to be my tutor when I was a bit younger than is Lord Babcock now. Later, when I left for Harrow and then Cambridge, Sheffield traveled with me to school. It was he to whom I turned when I was summoned home after my mother’s passing. He guided me through my most awkward years. Later, when I left university, I employed him as my valet.” Darcy smiled. “Sheffield is quite the reader, and he always claimed he has yet to read all the books in Pemberley’s library. However, I digress. Sheffield has a nephew who just finished at university and is seeking employment. What think you of hiring Mr. Marcus Sheffield to fill a similar role with Lord Babcock? Tutor for particular subjects required for school when he enters and a valet and, I suppose, sometimes counselor, to aid Lord Vincent’s transition to academic life.”
“Could I speak to Mr. Sheffield about his nephew before I make such a decision? Allow Lord Vincent to ask his questions, if necessary?” Lady Lindale asked.
“Absolutely,” Darcy declared. “Sheffield’s nephew lives in Yorkshire on the Derbyshire border in where else, but the town of Sheffield. If you approve of what youhear from my valet, we could send a message to the young man so you and Vincent might speak to the man personally.”
