No. She was a witch, and the embodiment of evil.
They rode in complete silence all the way to Myercroft, where Ulric greeted them with a broad smile.
“Cousin Tess!” he yelled, as soon as they clattered into the yard. Then, at the top of his voice, he went on, “Will you marry me?”
Edward swore under his breath. The girl gave an‘Oh’of pretended surprise, and slid from her horse in ungainly fashion.
“Ulric! I should be honoured… much obliged… yes, I should be delighted to marry you.”
And she turned to Edward with an expression of pure triumph on her face.
8: Letters From Corland
Tess was astonished to have achieved her goal so easily. Her words to the suggestible Ulric had planted the idea of Myercroft and a wife in his head, and Mrs Jack had done the rest, simply telling him what to say to Tess when he next saw her. And he had done it!
Even if nothing came of this and she failed to recover her fortune, it was entirely worth the effort just to see the blind fury on Lord Tarvin’s face. He had wheeled his horse about, and taken off at speed, not to be seen again. Tess spent the rest of the morning riding with Ulric, visiting every inn within a ten mile radius, so it seemed, while Ulric shouted to everyone he saw that he was getting married.
When they returned to the Myercroft stables, there was a girl waiting there, a plump person of perhaps twenty-five, who greeted them unsmilingly.
“Is it true, Ulric? You are to be married?”
“Yes. A wife. Cousin Tess. Live at Myercroft.”
“Then… we shall have to leave?” She spoke too quietly for Ulric to hear, for he was already leading his horse into the stable building.
Tess slid from her horse. “You are one of the Petersons?”
“Fanny Peterson, yes. We’ve lived here for sixteen years, and will be very sad to leave Myercroft.”
“Then I am very sorry to turn you out, but Ulric is of age now. It is time he took back his own home.”
“Oh, yes, but we never thought he would! Lord Tarvin always assured us— But that cannot hold, naturally, if he is to marry. You will… take good care of Ulric?”
“Of course,” Tess said. “You may be easy on that head. I mean no harm to him.”
“No, but that’s not quite the same thing,” she said, looking Tess straight in the eye. “I don’t know what your reason is to wish to marry Ulric, but I don’t think his well-being is foremost in your thoughts. Forgive my bluntness, but I don’t know you, and have no reason to suspect that you have any great affection for Ulric.”
“I mean him no harm,” Tess said again, but Miss Peterson’s clear-eyed gaze was unnerving all the same. It was true that she was using Ulric for her own purposes, and even if he benefited in the end, that was not her principal concern, and she could not but be uncomfortable about that. She would not surrender her purpose, but her conscience prodded her rather.
That evening was difficult. Even the servants were jumpy, for the butler knocked over a glass of wine and a footman dropped a dish of vegetables. Amongst the diners, there was no conversation, and the older ladies retired early to bed. Tess would have gone, too, but Lord Tarvin peremptorily asked her to stay.
“We should talk about Ulric, Miss Nicholson.”
“What is there to say?”
“You should be aware that the Petersons have Myercroft on a repeating lease, renewable every Lady Day. They cannot be removed before next Lady Day, therefore.”
“That is no difficulty. I do not imagine that Ulric and I could be married before I come of age in the spring. My mother is very likely to take your side in the matter and refuse her permission.”
“You do not feel that your mother’s opinion should carry some weight in your mind? Your uncle, too, will no doubt disapprove of such a—” He stopped, slightly flushed.
“No, do speak your mind. You have already abused me soundly, so nothing you say could give me a worse opinion of you.”
“I beg your pardon. I should not have spoken so intemperately.”
He was breathing heavily, as he attempted to rein in his temper, then he rose and crossed the drawing room in quick steps. Pouring himself a brandy, he returned to the sofa where Tess sat, and pulled up a chair to sit a little closer to her.
“Miss Nicholson, I must speak openly with you, although I hope without insult. I can see that Ulric is a tempting prize, but you do not know him as I do. He may seem meekly biddable now, but as a boy he was not so calm. He was prone to outbursts of rage which could be violent at times. He was for a while somewhat difficult to control, until we realised his affinity for horses, and kept him occupied that way. For some years now he has been quite content, and such behaviour is a thing of the past. However, if he marries, the change in his circumstances… there is no predicting quite how it will take him, and if you, as a relative stranger, have inserted yourself into his life, living in close proximity to him… you can see how things might take a nasty turn. I should not wish you to be exposed to any danger of that sort.”
