Tyger

CHAPTER 3

“THOMAS! YOU’VE COME!” Cecilia squealed delightedly, running down the steps of Eskdale Hall to hug her brother.

“M’ lady,” Kydd said, with an exaggerated bow.

“How long can you stay-or is your ship lost without her brave captain?” she asked breathlessly.

“A sennight at the least, Cec.”

As his baggage was swung down Kydd looked up at the noble edifice. The coach had come along a driveway a full quarter-mile long, through spacious formal gardens and tree-studded green lawns. “A rattlin’ fine mansion you have, sis,” he murmured, impressed to the point of astonishment at its seemingly endless windows and imperious ornamentation.

“Why, thank you, Captain,” she answered demurely, then looked back and said happily, “And here’s Nicholas!”

Renzi emerged, accompanied by footmen, and hurried down to greet him. “My dear fellow,” he blurted, “welcome! Welcome, indeed!”

Inside, in a small, intimate drawing room, they caught up with Kydd’s news over tea.

“A stout thirty-eight, then,” Renzi enthused. “And eighteen-pounders all. Enough to give pause to the finest Boney possesses. English-built, too. Your first, then, as I’m obliged to remark.”

“True,” Kydd agreed. His initial command, Teazer, had been Maltese and L’Aurore was a French prize. “And at over a thousand tons, it’s spacious enough for the most dainty sybarite,” he reflected with satisfaction.

“It?” Renzi asked.

“Oh, doesn’t have a name yet,” Kydd replied defensively. His friend, it seemed, still had the blood of a mariner. “And you, old trout, dare I ask if you’re settled in at all?”

“Of course he is, silly billy!” Cecilia chided. “As this is his ancient family seat. But, Thomas, there’s always a welcome for you here, at any time-”

“I do thank you-”

“-recollecting that it’s customary among our station to send ahead before you arrive,” she teased.

“I’ll try to remember, sis.”

“Now, dinner is at five sharp. You’ll want to refresh after your journey and-”

“Thank you, but first I beg to ask Nicholas to give me a sight of his grand estate.”

“Farndon has a meeting with his tenants this afternoon,” Cecilia said, “as cannot be put off.”

Kydd shot a look at Renzi, who gave a saintly smile.

“Therefore it shall be myself who will take you around. Like you did for me over your Artemis, Thomas,” she added softly.

There was a warm rush of remembrance. “And so far have we come since then-the both of us.”

They sat down to dinner in the blue dining room, en famille, just the three of them. It was, nevertheless, at a substantial polished table with silver and adornments, Renzi taking his place at the head. Purvis the butler stood solemnly behind him, footmen nearby.

The candlelight was soft, its tawny gold barely reaching the richly decorated ceiling, with its goddesses and painted satyrs, but throwing the sculpted picture frames and bas-relief into high contrast.

“I think a hock?” Lord Farndon suggested. “The ’ninety-four Rheingau, if you would, Purvis.”

He’d brought to mind a time when they’d all been together at sea, long ago in a place far away, in the little cutter Seaflower-Renzi had served this same hock to an important passenger, Lord Stanhope, whom they were urgently transporting to Barbados to take ship for England on a matter of high diplomacy.

Cecilia picked up his meaningful glance and laughed delightedly, turning to her brother. “You were steering the boat, Thomas. You couldn’t have any!”

It set the tone, and by the time the venison arrived they were in a full spate of reminiscence.

“Oh, Thomas. It nearly broke my heart to tell you of Papa’s sight failing, that we needed you to leave the sea and return to Guildford …”

“And there and then, sis, on this heathen beach in Van Diemen’s Land, a thousand miles from anywhere, Nicholas wept to think he was letting you down …”

“All the time I thought he’d run away with a loose woman …”

“… then we threw out the euphroe and the driver took up, would you believe it? We had steerage way before the hurricanoe and … Why, what’s wrong, Cec?” Kydd asked, in sudden concern, seeing the glitter of tears in her eyes.

“It’s nothing, Thomas. I’m just so happy, that’s all. Do continue with your story.”

Kydd finished his tale and, in a warm glow, turned to Renzi. “I’m thinking you’re main pleased to be atop such a splendrous pile, Nicholas.”

“As it must be, dear chap. Like you-do you question your elevation to the great cabin at all, to rue the day that sees you as lordly seigneur over some hundreds of doughty souls-which is more than I can claim to, old fellow?”

“But you’ve got-”

“I may have land and tenants, but nary a one may I put to the lash, as I’ve seen my captain do on occasion.”

“Then-”

“Yes. I’m captain of the good barky Eskdale Hall and, like all captains, I have my duties and my paperwork and, as I must, I’m to concern myself with my stout crew and their liberties.”

They toasted their respective commands with all due ceremony.

Then Kydd asked, “And can it be said you’re restored after your … travels, Nicholas?”

Cecilia flashed Renzi a warning glance. “If you’d leave the brandy, Purvis …”

The footmen quietly retired as well.

“It was-” Renzi began, but Cecilia interrupted him, leaning forward, “Nicholas suffered dreadfully. Thomas, he told me everything-but now he’s home and we’re together again.”

She reached across to squeeze her husband’s hand, her piercing look both pleading and of the utmost love.

An unexpected wash of envy at the intimacy between them took Kydd off-guard. “Ahem. So you’ve no plans for another …”

“Dear fellow, allow that I’ve earned a measure of repose, which I fully intend shall be spent in my library,” Renzi said firmly.

Cecilia brightened. “Oh, I nearly forgot! Thomas, it’s the county ball next week-we’re host this year. Please say you’ll attend, dear brother?”

“Why, of course, Cec.”

“You’ll be the toast of the evening-a true hero who graces us with his presence on our little occasion.”

“You shall want me in uniform, then?”

“With star and sash both! And I have in mind just the lady you’ll squire,” she added. “The Honourable Arabella Fortescue, an accomplished beauty and most delightful woman …”