home.â
âI think not tonight, Trent,â Lynwood said softly.
âHave you asked Mrs Langleyâs permission?â Wallis persisted, still glowering.
âHave you?â countered the Earl.
âItâs understood that I escort the young ladies home from church, Lynwood,â Wallis drew himself up, his broad shoulders seeming massive.
âIâm sure Mama would not object â for once,â Emily put in coyly, aware that for once she could have Wallis to herself.
âOh, very well,â Wallis said with bad grace and marched away, almost dragging Emily along with him. Lynwood laughed aloud.
âShh,â Adelina tugged at his arm. âHeâll hear you.â
âSo?â
âWell â¦â then she began to smile too.
They wandered down the frosty lane and for a few moments they were alone in the dark night. He slipped his arm about her waist and drew her close to him. âAdelina!â he whispered.
âNo, my lord, no,â she said pushing him away, and yet her senses were reeling at his closeness, at his touch.
âWould you reject Wallis Trentâs advances, Adelina?â Lynwood asked harshly.
âI â of course.â Then anger made her forget caution. âThereâs only one thing in the world I want at this moment.â
âWhatâs that?â
âTo meet my grandfather.â
She heard Lynwood sigh, but he said nothing. How could he tell her that he had asked Lord Royston repeatedly to meet her, but the stubborn old man steadfastly refused. Lynwood took her hand once more and led her towards the front door of the Vicarage. There, beneath the light of the lamp, he turned to face her and looked down into her upturned, lovely face. He took her gently by the shoulders. âDonât put your hopes too high, but if you like, Iâll speak to him again.â
âNo â Wallis said â I mean â¦â The words were out before she could stop them.
Lynwood frowned. âTrent? What did he say?â
âHe â he sees Lord Royston once a month. He said he would speak to him on my behalf.â
âReally?â Lynwood drawled. âYouâre sure it was on your behalf and not his own?â
Abruptly he left her, his strides taking him down the path to his waiting carriage. She saw him climb into the vehicle and slam the door, making the horses shy in fright.
âDrive on!â he shouted irritably.
Chapter Five
During the early evening of the day after Christmas Day, the Trentsâ carriage drew up in front of the Vicarage. The two girls, warmly wrapped in their cloaks, were helped into the carriage by Wallis and, in only a few minutes, they arrived outside the barn at the Manor. Adelina gasped as she went in. The huge barn had been transformed. Holly and mistletoe wreaths decorated the walls and beams, and the light came from rushlights. At one end a makeshift stage had been erected and the floor was covered with rushes. As they entered the handbell ringers were playing a carol and from the onlookers â all the villagers, it seemed to Adelina â there came a soft humming.
At the opposite end of the barn to the stage a ladder led up to a hayloft and Adelinaâs eyes widened as she saw Evan Smithson and Lucy sitting at the edge of the open hayloft, their legs swinging over the side, watching the proceedings below them. When the bellringers had ended their carols, a motley selection of instruments was produced â drums, trumpets, pipes and fiddles â and suddenly a surprisingly tuneful, merry jig filled the barn. But amongst the rest of the villagers there was a strange reluctance to begin the dancing. They stood in small groups occasionally glancing with sullen eyes towards Wallis Trent.
They donât want us here, Adelina knew suddenly, intuitively. Wallis Trent â and those with him â were unwelcome intruders.
Wallis ignored their hostility. âWould