“I think you would have lasted as long as necessary.” She stroked a calming hand down his back. “But you’ve been tested enough for one day.”
Peter followed them in, closing the door behind him. “People obviously prefer you to inherit rather than me,” he said cheerfully. He sobered when he saw his brother’s strained face. “That really was hard on you! I thought Cassie was exaggerating.”
“She’s very good at keeping me from falling apart,” Grey said wryly, not letting Cassie go. “All those people just showed up? I was afraid it meant that Father had died.”
Peter winced. “That would look similar, wouldn’t it? When Mother saw tenants arriving, she sent me out to play host while she arranged for refreshments. I think half the reason people came was because this is the first real spring day we’ve had, and everyone wanted an excuse to celebrate.”
“So my return was the excuse.” Grey relaxed enough to end the embrace, though he kept an arm around Cassie. “And by coming here, they had a good shot at Summerhill cider and ale and probably Summerhill hams and cheeses as well.”
“An opportunity they took full advantage of,” Lady Costain said from above. She glided down the stairs, one hand on the railing and looking every inch a countess. “I was about to send out grooms to find you, Grey. But when you did return, you handled it all well. Your father was watching from his room.”
“He must be much stronger,” Grey said. “Which probably means he’ll be down for dinner tonight.”
His mother laughed. “Indeed he will. Since we have so much reason to be grateful, I decided that tonight we’ll have a special celebration feast just for the family. Elizabeth and her husband will join us. Catherine, do you have a favorite dish I should ask the cook to prepare?”
Cassie blinked. Apparently she was no longer a fortune-hunting slut. After a moment’s thought, she said, “There’s a sweet I loved when I was a child, an apple tart made with a handful of currants that have been soaked in brandy. It was served warm with custard or cream on special occasions.”
“Apple with currants soaked in brandy?” The countess looked intrigued. “That sounds excellent, and well within my kitchen’s capacity. Grey, I imagine you would still enjoy Mrs. Bradford’s special roast lamb?”
“Oh, yes,” he said fervently. “With mint sauce.”
“I shall see you at dinner then.” With a gracious nod to her sons and Cassie, Lady Costain sailed off for the kitchen.
“My mother now thinks of you as part of the family,” Grey observed.
“She could hardly forbid me the table when I’m your guest,” Cassie pointed out. “I need to examine my wardrobe to see what will suit a family celebration in the country when half the guests have titles.”
“You could wear that habit and look beautiful,” Grey assured her.
“But not appropriate! I’ll see you later.” She caught up her skirts and climbed the stairs. When she reached her room, she rang for Hazel, who appeared promptly. “You’re the perfect maid,” Cassie observed. “Good at all the maidly skills, but since you’re one of Kirkland’s people, we can gossip as equals.”
Hazel bobbed a very proper curtsy. “I’ve much experience as a maid. It’s a good way to gather information without being noticed.”
Cassie nodded. Maids, like old peddlers, were usually invisible. “I need something very nice but not too flamboyant to wear for dinner tonight. The earl will come down for the first time since his accident, and they want to celebrate Lord Wyndham’s return as well. Two escapes from death.” Cassie grinned. “Lady Kiri threw this wardrobe together for me so quickly I’m not sure what I have.”
“There’s a green satin gown that will look a treat with your red hair,” Hazel said. “It’s not as full or long as a ball gown and the neckline isn’t as deep, but it’s handsome enough for a special dinner. It might need a bit of altering, so you’d best try it on after you’re out of the riding habit.”
“I’m really fortunate that Lady Kiri’s sister is so close to me in size and has such a generous nature.” Cassie turned so Hazel could unfasten the back of her habit. “Are you bored here with no spies or indiscreet government ministers to watch?”
Hazel laughed as she undid one of the ties. “It’s been very restful. This is the rarest of places, a happy household.”
“Unusual indeed. What do the servants think of Lord Wyndham’s return?”
“Everyone is delighted, particularly the older folks who knew him better. They say he’s very like his father, and that’s good for Summerhill.” Hazel tugged the gown over Cassie’s head. “The more thoughtful folk recognize that ten years in prison change a man. They hope he hasn’t changed too much.”
“He’s remarkably resilient, so I think they have no reason to worry about their future here.” Cassie raised her arms so Hazel could drop the green satin gown over her. “What do they think of Peter? For years he’s been considered the heir.”
Hazel smoothed the fabric over Cassie’s figure. “He’s well liked and people thought he’d have done a decent job if he’d inherited, but they think his elder brother will do the job best.”
“I’m sure they’re right. Grey truly loves this estate and all the responsibilities that go with it.” As Hazel pinned the gown in several places, Cassie tried not to think about the perfect lady needed to match Grey’s perfect lord.
Chapter 38
Grey’s eyes widened as Cassie descended the staircase in a shimmer of green satin. “You look splendid. The gown is perfect for tonight.”
Though she laughed, she was pleased by his warm admiration. “Since you were happy with my riding habit, I don’t know how much I should trust your judgment.”
He offered his arm. “I assure you that I’ve always had impeccable taste when it comes to dressing women.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “And I’m equally good at undressing them.”
“Shhhh!” she said with a blush as they entered the small salon where the family was gathering for pre-dinner drinks. Lord Costain was seated on a sofa rather than standing, but he looked very well. His wife was beside him, and they held hands like besotted newlyweds.
Cassie made a deep curtsy in front of them. “I am glad to see you so well, my lord. I thank you both for your courtesy to an unexpected guest.”
Lord Costain smiled benevolently. “Very prettily said. My wife and I could not be happier to meet our son’s future bride, and to find her so suitable.” A glint in Lady Costain’s eyes suggested that she wasn’t entirely in agreement with her husband’s statement, but her smile was gracious.
Peter entered the salon followed by his sister and her husband. John Langtry was pleasant looking rather than strikingly handsome like the Sommers men, but he had an appealing smile and he and Elizabeth clearly doted on each other.
Cassie was pleased to see how relaxed Grey was with his family now that the initial hurdles had been cleared. He talked easily, shared reminiscences with his brother-in-law, and was attentive to Cassie so she didn’t feel like the odd woman out.
After half an hour of relaxed conversation, Lady Costain got to her feet. “Shall we adjourn to the dining room?”
“An excellent plan,” Grey said. “I hear a roast lamb calling my name.”
Cassie smiled, looking forward to Grey’s lamb and the St. Ives apple currant tart. As she stood, the butler appeared in the door. “There are two gentlemen here to see Miss St. Ives.”
Hard on his heels were two well-dressed young men around Cassie’s age. They were of similar height and build, though one was a bit taller and broader. The men were clearly related by blood—and they had auburn hair the exact shade of Cassie’s.
“Look at the hair! It has to be her!” the leaner one hissed to the other. Raising his voice, he asked eagerly, “Catherine? Are you our Cat?”
Cassie’s wineglass dropped from nerveless fingers and smashed on the floor as she stared at the newcom
ers. When she had known her cousins, they’d all been children with faces not yet fully formed, but in the features of these grown men she saw echoes of her dark-haired, long-dead brother, Paul.
Rushing memories tightened her throat so she could barely speak. Gazing at the leaner man, she breathed, “Richard?” Her gaze shifted to the other. “Neil?”
She swayed until Grey put a steadying hand on her shoulder. “You are Cassie St. Ives’s cousins?” he asked.
“We certainly are!” Richard drew Cassie into an exuberant hug. “Cat, dear God, it’s a miracle! We thought you were dead.” He pulled back without letting go of her and asked hesitantly, “Did … did anyone else survive?”
She shook her head, tears running down her face. “Only me.”
The other young man moved his brother aside. “Being the heir doesn’t mean you get all the hugs, Richard.” His embrace was rib bruising. “You’d better remember me also, Cat, or I’m going to put frogs in your bed!”
“If you do, you’ll find one in yours, too!” she said with a catch of laughter. She leaned into her younger cousin’s embrace. He was tall and strong, a man now. The three of them had been close in age and they were a large part of the childhood she’d buried in the depths of unbearable memory. “You’ve grown, Neil. I used to be able to defeat you when we wrestled.”
“And didn’t our mothers hate when we did that!” he chuckled.
Richard turned toward the fascinated gazes of the Sommers family. Bowing to the earl and countess, he said, “Lord Costain, Lady Costain. Please accept my apologies for intruding on a family occasion. My only excuse is that once we learned that our cousin might be alive, we were desperate to learn the truth.”
“We above all can understand what it is like to experience this kind of miracle,” Lord Costain said. “Our prodigal son was missing for only ten years. Your prodigal cousin has been lost for nigh on twenty years.”
“Exactly, sir.” Richard’s smile lit up the room. “The lost has been found, and we couldn’t be happier.”
Lord Costain studied the newcomers. “I know your father, and your uncle was a good friend of mine. I’m glad to meet the next generation of St. Iveses.”
Lady Costain glanced at the butler. “Set two more places at the table and prepare rooms for our guests.”
“That isn’t necessary, Lady Costain,” Richard protested. “We’ll stay in the village inn. We should have waited until tomorrow to call, but … we couldn’t.” He swallowed hard. “Catherine’s brother and sister were dark haired like their mother and too old to be playmates for us, but Cat was our age and a true redheaded St. Ives. More like a sister than a cousin.”
“Of course you’ll stay here,” the countess said briskly. “Our families are soon to be connected, so you are very welcome under our roof. Tonight is a celebration of my husband’s recovery from a serious accident and my son’s return from France. What could be more fitting than for you to join us in celebrating your cousin’s survival?”
Neil said, “You are gracious, ma’am.”
“I am known for it,” the countess said with a sparkle of amusement. “Would you gentlemen like to have a drink before dining?”
The brothers exchanged a glance. “It appears that you were on the verge of going in to dinner,” Richard said. “Give us a moment to wash up, and we’ll be happy to dine now if you don’t mind our travel dust.”
That was agreed to. In the following flurry of activity, Grey murmured to Cassie, “You have no doubt of their identities?”
“None at all,” she replied. “Their father was vicar of the St. Ives parish church, so Richard and Neil and I grew up together.” She gazed after them as they left to wash up. “After my family was killed, I closed the door on my childhood. Now they’ve opened that door and I find so many bright, clear memories.”
“I’m glad,” he said simply.
He was, she realized, but there was another emotion in his eyes. One that she couldn’t read.
With twice as many males as females present, Cassie was able to sit next to Grey and opposite both her cousins. She asked them question after question about the family. Their parents were well, and George, the brother who’d been only a baby when Cassie last saw him, was now a student at Oxford and planning to follow his father into the church. The three of them ate and laughed and sighed happily over the apple currant tart.
When Lady Costain rose to signal the end of the meal, she said, “Rather than separating the males and females for port and tea, I suggest that perhaps Catherine and her cousins might like time together to talk since they have much to catch up on.”
Cassie, feeling awkward, glanced at Grey. After he gave her a slight nod, she said, “I’d like that very much if it’s agreeable to Richard and Neil.”
They said they’d like nothing better, so the St. Iveses were escorted to the library, where both port and tea were available. Feeling reckless, Cassie poured three glasses of port and settled down in front of the fire with hers.
Her cousins sprawled opposite, visibly fatigued from their long journey, but deeply content. Richard remarked, “I noticed Lord Wyndham called you Cassie. Do you prefer that to Cat?”
“Either will do. I haven’t been Cat in almost twenty years. I rather like hearing it again.” Cat had been a happy, mischievous child. Very different from serious, haunted Cassie, but both of them were real. “Do your parents know about me, or are they in Norfolk?”
“They’re in London, but we didn’t tell them,” Richard said. “I know Kirkland slightly and he gave me the information about you so I could choose how to handle it.”
“Kirkland,” she said wryly. “I should have known. Why didn’t he tell your father since they were both in London? I’m sure they know each other.”
Neil grimaced. “About ten years ago an imposter showed up. It was very painful for the family, especially my parents.”
“Someone was impersonating me?” she asked, startled. “Why?”
“Not you. Paul, since he was the heir to St. Ives,” Richard explained. “Like Paul, the imposter had your mother’s dark hair, and he looked quite a bit like Paul. Like a St. Ives. And he’d gathered enough information about the family to be moderately convincing, too.”
“If only it had been Paul,” Cassie said sorrowfully. “But I’m sure I was the only survivor.” Tersely she described the fire and how she’d been saved by her nurse, Josette. The story hadn’t seemed suitable to tell during a celebratory dinner.
“At least it was quick, not months of misery in a dungeon waiting for execution,” Neil said, repressed savagery in his voice. “Your family’s deaths changed everything and not just because Father inherited the title.”
“Though going from the vicarage to St. Ives Hall was a considerable change, and not always as amusing as one might think,” Richard observed.
Neil gave a nod of agreement. “If your family had died of fever or smallpox, it would have been tragic but could be considered God’s will. Being murdered because you were English in the wrong place at the wrong time was utterly, infuriatingly wrong.”
“We both wanted to go into the army and kill Frenchmen,” Richard said bluntly. “But since I’m the heir, I accepted that my responsibilities lay in England.”
“So I got to be the dashing hero,” Neil said with a grin. “I’m a captain in the Life Guards.”
“To be fair, he’s probably better at mayhem than I.”
“I look better in the uniform, too,” Neil said smugly.
Cassie laughed at the brotherly teasing. “Tell me more about the imposter. How did you find he wasn’t Paul?”
“My mother had always doted on Paul, and she embraced him wholeheartedly. She wanted him to be Paul. My father wasn’t so sure,” Richard explained. “He’d never expected to become Lord St. Ives and he was shattered when your family was killed. But he’d had ten years of being a lord by the time the imposter
showed up. He found that he liked it. So when he had doubts about the imposter, he wasn’t sure if they were genuine, or if he didn’t want to believe for selfish reasons.”
“My father said his brother was the most honorable man he knew,” Cassie said softly. “No wonder he was torn. How was the imposter exposed?”
“I could see that Richard had some of the same conflicts as Father,” Neil said. “It was easier for me since I wasn’t the heir and didn’t have as much to lose. Faux Paul was fairly convincing, but I didn’t have the sense I’d ever known him before. He felt like a stranger. After I talked it over with Richard, we started setting traps. Pretending we remembered doing things with him that never happened and the like. He was good at being evasive, but eventually we had enough evidence to support our belief that he was a fraud and we presented it to our parents.”
“Mother didn’t want to believe us,” Richard said, continuing the story. “Father frowned and called Faux Paul in and demanded he take off his shirt.”
Cassie blinked. “Why?”
“Apparently when Paul was very small, before you were born, he fell against a piece of jagged wood and was badly injured. He almost died and was left with a huge scar on one shoulder. Few people knew about that, but of course my parents did.”
Fascinated by the story, Cassie asked, “Did Faux Paul try to escape?”
“Very briefly, but Richard and I were both there,” Neil said grimly. “I pinned him down and cut off his shirt. No scar. That was enough to convince even my mother.”
“What happened to him?”
“We conducted a family court right there,” Richard said. “His name was Barton Black and he’s actually a first cousin of ours. His mother was a bastard daughter of our grandfather, who seems to have been a lusty old goat. When Barton learned of the deaths in France, he began studying the family. When enough time had passed to blur memories, he showed up and claimed to be Paul.”
“I think this is one cousin I’m glad I haven’t met,” Cassie said, bemused. “What did the family court decide?”