The Wedding Game(46)

But then she reminded herself of the perfectly reasonable request in the letter. They were doing this for Belle’s sake. She must learn to love her new husband and the man she was to marry. No amount of talking had put an end to her rebellion. But if this brief and painful trip was needed to convince her, then Amy would make the best of it. There was nothing she could not attempt, if it meant that Belle would be happy again.

*

The roads were dry and they had made fair time, pulling up the sweeping drive to the house less than an hour and a half after leaving the Summoner town house. She had not meant to be impressed by his home. But if Amy’s only concern had been to place her sister in the nicest house, it would have been impossible to deny Ben Lovell her hand.

The structure was new and had been designed by no less than the great John Nash, himself. The majestic symmetry of the white limestone walls was framed by terraced gardens and carefully trimmed boxwood hedges.

The well-ordered building was tended by an equally efficient staff. Footmen and butler greeted them with warmth and were spiriting their luggage above stairs before they had even come down from the carriage.

The tall front door opened on to a breathtaking hall with spotless marble floors and ivory walls rising to a vaulted ceiling trimmed with gilded rosettes and wreaths.

But while Amy viewed it with wide-eyed admiration, Belle reached out for Amy’s hand, clutching it in fear. ‘Mr Lovell lives here?’

Amy patted her hand to comfort her. ‘Yes, dear. And soon, you will live here too. Is it not beautiful?’

Belle shook her head. ‘I do not like it. It is too big. Too big and too white.’

‘That is not such a bad thing,’ Amy whispered. ‘But if you tell Mr Lovell it does not please you, he will let you repaint it, I am sure.’

‘It will still be white underneath,’ Belle said, not moving.

Amy took her hand, tugging her forward over the threshold. ‘It is bigger than our house, to be sure. But that does not mean that it is not a nice place. And I doubt you will live here all year.’

‘There will be more?’ Now Belle looked truly helpless, unable to comprehend how her small, secure world had become so large and strange.

‘He has rooms in the city and will likely get a town house once you are married. And if he means to stand for Parliament, perhaps he will have a house near our land in Dorset.’

While Amy felt a perfectly reasonable envy at the idea of three fine homes, Belle could manage to do nothing but shake her head in denial.

‘Welcome, ladies. Please come in.’ Ben was coming down the stairs towards them, his midnight-blue coat a perfect foil for the austere design of his home. As his eyes met hers, the flame of envy in Amy’s heart turned into a raging covetous fire. It did not matter that he was to marry Belle. He was hers and always would be. Without thinking, she stroked the chain of the locket and the scrap of love that it contained.

When he took the last steps down to their level and came towards them, his eyes were focused upon her sister. At her hesitant smile, he got the same stunned expression that all men wore when confronted with Belle’s full attention.

Then he bowed low and took her hand, kissing the knuckles. ‘Welcome, Arabella. Please, treat my home as your own, for thus it will be.’

For the first time in days, Belle’s foul mood improved and she smiled back.

‘Let me show you about the house, while your rooms are being prepared. Then, after you have refreshed yourselves, I will introduce you to my friends. They are all eager to meet you.’

Ben offered his arm to Belle and after a brief hesitation she took it and let him lead her out of the hall. Amy followed a pace or two behind, regretting each step. It had been a mistake to accompany Belle here. She should have forced Miss Watson out of bed and sent her instead. She might have stayed in London for the Season’s festivities.

Perhaps it would have looked odd when she did not attend her sister’s engagement ball. But society was used to thinking her odd. It did no harm to her reputation to reinforce that opinion with her actions.

Anything would be better than spending the next few days feigning approval as Ben escorted Belle about the grounds, rode with her, danced with her and fostered the intimacy necessary to make a happy union. Even the affection she felt for her sister was not without bounds. It was one thing to sacrifice the man she loved and quite another to pretend to be happy as she did it.

*

Ben escorted the Summoner sisters on a tour of what was to be the home of one of them. The wrong one, of course. It was too much to hope that it might be home to the pair of them, just as Amy had always planned.

He had told her it was impossible. He knew in his heart that it would be. But he could not help hoping that she would ignore him and come anyway. If she did, he would not be able to send her away.

Maybe this week they could find the restraint that had been lacking in their previous encounters. If they could aspire to a platonic relationship, he would be spared the terrible emptiness he’d felt as he’d written the letter. Even if he could not have her, he could still see her. It was something, at least.

At the moment, Belle was on his arm, following with less spirit than Mellie the dog. If she was impressed by the size and modernity of his home, he saw no sign of it. If anything, she looked frightened.

One step behind them, Amy kept up a running commentary on his tour, pointing out the smoothness with which the kitchen ran with no help from the master, the spacious bedrooms and the pleasant view of the gardens where Mellie could chase rabbits while his owner sat in the shade of the oaks.