Tallie's Knight Part 8

"And why should our children not be sent to school? Do you wish them to grow up ignorant and uneducated?"

"Of course not," she flashed indignantly.

"They shall be taught at home, of course, by the very best and kindest governesses and tutors.

I am not saying they shall never go to school, only not when they are still babies. When they are eleven or twelve, perhaps, but no younger than that. "

Magnus opened his mouth to agree to this extraordinary request, but was cut off.

"No, you need not argue--I am absolutely adamant on this point. I won't have my children sent off to be reared by st rang- J ers. Not until they are old enough. And / will decide when that is." She clenched her fists and glared at him defiantly, a mulish j set to her jaw, and continued, "Oh, you need not think I wish ) to tie them to my ap.r.o.n strings--I value strength and independence and will nourish these qualities in my children-but you can have no idea the damage it does to very young children to be away from all that is familiar and those who love them, and I will not have my children feeling unloved and unwanted." Her voice quavered with emotion and she stopped to catch her breath.

Magnus stared. He recalled the devastating loneliness he had first felt when sent off to school himself at the age of six. A lump in his chest made it difficult to breathe.

"I accept," he said coldly.

Tallie blinked in surprise and relaxed slightly. The first hurdle had been unexpectedly easy. No argument at all. She supposed he didn't particularly care what happened to the children, as long as he had an heir. The next would be a little more difficult, for she could not let on she had overheard his infamous plan to immure her at d'Arenville Hall for ten years.

"You said I would be living at d'Arenville Hall for the rest of my life..."

He nodded curtly.

"Well, I wish to come up to London for a short visit once a year--no more than two or three weeks," she added hurriedly. The black frown was back again.

"I realise you'd prefer me to stay at d'Arenville Hall, and for the most part I will, but I have never been to London and would very much like to visit it. "

He said nothing. He was going to refuse; Tallie could sense it. She hurried on, "Your children's mother should not be totally ignorant of the world they will move in."

Magnus was puzzled. On the contrary, he expected his children's mother to learn the ways of the polite world as soon as possible. Why would he wish her ignorant? He didn't see her point. It had something to do with visiting London. For a few weeks only. Was she trying to tell him she didn't wish to go out in society? The chit made no sense. Well, he would not take no for an answer on this one--he had every intention of taking her to London immediately, to order her new clothing, introduce her to society and teach her how his Countess should conduct herself.

And the sooner Miss Thalia Robinson accepted that, the better. He did not want society to think the mother of his children was an obscure, ignorant rag-bag. He knew full well the gossip that had already arisen about his bride as a result of the house party.

"If you lock me away; people will gossip, and I would not want my children to discover that people think their mother is strange or odd or even mad," concluded Tallie desperately.

Lock her away? Did the silly chit think he had a dungeon at d'Arenville Hall? Her eyes were fixed anxiously on his face. She looked rather appealing. Magnus frowned.

"I have every intention of taking you to London. I have no desire to have my wife thought an eccentric social recluse, madam, and the sooner you realise that the better."

Tallie was amazed. Somewhere along the line he must have changed his mind about keeping her at d'Arenville Hall for ten years--or perhaps he planned to change his mind back again after the wedding.

"Do I have your word on it, sir?"

Magnus stiffened. He was not accustomed to having his word questioned.

By anyone. And certainly not by an ill- dressed poor relation attempting to blackmail him.

"You do, madam," he grated.

"Good." Tallie smiled triumphantly. His anger at her question had confirmed her suspicions. He had planned to change; his mind, but she'd been too clever for him. She'd gained his agreement to the most important things now there was just the matter of the bride trip. It would be the most difficult, she knew.

"Now, my next request you may find a little unusual...! and possibly a trifle expensive," she said. J Magnus mentally braced himself. The last two 'requests'! had, as he'd expected, been mere bagatelles, intended to soften! him up. This one would be the cruncher. I "I have always wished to travel," Tallie began, 'and I was hoping that you would agree that on the honey. on my bride trip we could visit some of the places I have always dreamed of seeing. " She clasped her hands in unconscious supplication. I " On the Continent. " Magnus relaxed. So that was it. The girl wished to go to Paris. Not surprising. Every woman he'd ever known preferred French gowns, French hats and French perfumes. And the war was over... He shrugged mentally. It would be no hards.h.i.+p to take her to Paris and purchase her new wardrobe there. It might even be a good thing allow her to acquire a touch of town bronze in Parisian society before she made her entrance in London.

He shrugged indifferently.

"All right. If you wish to brave the Channel crossing, we shall."Tallie was incredulous."You do not mind?"Magnus shrugged again."Not at all." He wondered what her final request would be. He s.h.i.+fted, and felt the b.u.mp of the jewel case in his pocket.

"The trip will take some time," said Tallie.

"You may not care for the inconvenience. You are sure?"

The chit was questioning his word again, d.a.m.n her!

"You have my word on it, Miss Robinson," he snapped.

Tallie beamed.

"Then may I prepare an itinerary?"

Magnus inclined his head.

"I can speak several languages, you know," she said confidingly.

"French, of course, and Italian, but also German and a little Dutch,

for there was a girl from the Low Countries at school, and she taught

me some Dutch and some Flemish, too."

"What the devil are you talking about? You won't need all those languages in Paris."

Tallie laughed.

"Not in Paris--for Italy--and elsewhere, of course. I won't need an

interpreter in Paris. I told you--I speak French fluently. And Italian."

"Do you mean to tell me you wish to travel to Italy V Tallie nodded.

"Yes... and Germany, Switzerland, and perhaps we can visit the Low Countries on our way back to England." Anywhere, as long as we go to Italy, where poor Mama died. And then, perhaps, I will be able to find out--for certain-if.

"That is The Grand Tour," said Magnus, in a forbidding tone."Yes. I have wanted to take it for years.""Quite impossible! And too dangerous--Europe is still at sixes and sevens because of the war."

"Nonsense. It is perfectly safe since the Peace Treaty was signed at Amiens," retorted Tallie triumphantly.

"Several of my cousin's acquaintances departed for Paris even before it

was signed, and they are all surviving nicely."

Magnus glared at her. Ladies were supposed to know nothing ofpolitical matters. She ought not to question his judgement."And if it is so terribly dangerous, why did you agree to take me to Paris?" she added.

"Paris is one thing--The Grand Tour another. Ladies do not take TheGrand Tour," he stated coldly."They do," Tallie contradicted him."I know of several."Magnus stared down his nose at her."Perhaps you are speaking of females," he said."I was referring to ladies.""Well, so was I!" retorted Tallie."Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, Lady Fetherstonhaugh, and... and Mrs. Ann Radcliffe, who embarked on The Grand Tour with her husband, in the very year that Robespierre was guillotined--the same year her Mysteries of Udolfo was published, I believe."

Magnus was exasperated.

"That d.a.m.ned silly book--' " It is not a silly book! It is utterly thrilling, as anyone who did not have ice-water in his veins--' "We are

not speaking of Lady Mary Montagu or Lady Fetherstonhaugh or Mrs.Radcliffe. We are speaking of my wife.""I am not your wife yet!" Tallie interrupted him."And you gave your word!""I gave my word to take you to Paris, but no further.""I never mentioned Paris, and neither did you," argued Tallie."Not until after you gave your word."Magnus thought back. d.a.m.n it--the chit was right!"The rig ours and difficulties of The Grand Tour make it too exhausting and dangerous for females to attempt." His voice brooked no

argument.

"Nonsense. I have read Letters From Italy, and--' " Hah! " Magnus snorted.

"Anne Miller's book was written thirty years ago and more."

Tallie bridled.

"I know, for my mother read it on her Grand Tour, when she married my

father. And it was much more dangerous in those days.

Now that The Terror is over, all of England is nocking to the

continent. People of the utmost respectability. " Her eyes dared himto contradict her.There was a short silence."It will be extremely uncomfortable. You will be miserable with the appalling accommodation," stated Magnus.

"I.

know because I have travelled on the Continent. You cannot imagine the state of the roads--if roads they can be held to be. And as for the wretched inns--if inn you can find--on several occasions I had to sleep in a barn! With the animals! "

Tallie shrugged, unconcerned.

"It does not seem to have done you any harm. And if it is me you are concerned about, then let me remind you that I have spent most of my life in a seminary for young ladies--' Despite his anger, Magnus's lips twitched.

"Are you suggesting that a seminary for young ladies is worse than a barn full of animals?"

Tallie laughed.

"Well, there were a couple of absolute cow--' She blushed, and caught herself up.

"No, of course not but it was a very Spartan place, and I am tougher than I look." She fixed him with her most determined expression. A few weeks ago he'd called her st.u.r.dy. Now, to save himself inconvenience, he was pretending she was too delicate. Lord d'Arenville would find he could not have it both ways.

"And anyway, you promised."

Magnus swore under his breath. He was trapped and he knew it. The wretched girl was not going to give in on this-he could tell from her mulish expression. And he had promised, even if he hadn't meant what she said he'd meant. But he was d.a.m.ned if he was going to give in tamely. He cast around for a way out and had a sudden thought.

"Travel is very dangerous for ladies who are in a delicate state," he stated. Let her try to refute that one.

Tallie looked puzzled.

"But I just told you I was stronger than I look. I am not the slightest bit delicate."

He stared down into her innocent face and cursed silently.

"But you may be in a delicate state soon after your wedding," he said.

"And many ladies become quite ill."

"But why, when I am strong now? A little thing like a wedding isn't going to weaken me..." Suddenly Tallie paled, realising what he meant.

He was talking about it. And he expected her to be ill after she had endured it. It was worse, then, than she had thought. It was not just that she must not move or cry out while she endured it, she could be sick for some time afterwards. Gracious--it must be very dreadful.

"If I were in a delicate state, and I am ill, would it last long, do you think?" she whispered.

Magnus was torn between concern at her sudden extreme pallor and embarra.s.sment at discussing pregnancy with such an innocent. At least she was an innocent, he thought, and she should be discussing pregnancy with Laet.i.tia, not her prospective bridegroom. But he had clearly frightened her by raising the question and was obligated to respond.

"I am not sure but... I, er ... I believe many women feel ill for the first few months."

Months! It must be appalling, Tallie thought. No wonder people did not inform girls about such things--they would never agree to marry. But surely it got better, otherwise why would women wish their daughters to be married?