Earl Lessons: The Footmen’s Club Series

by Bowman, Valerie

  “You’re not a fool, Beau.” Her voice cracked. “You were a boy who endured things he never should have had to endure.”

  “I didn’t let that stop me from finding love, however,” Beau pointed out. “I was afraid of opening up too, believe me. I was married to my work until I met Marianne. But the right person only comes along once, Annabelle, and I’d hate to see you lose him because of your fear of the past.”

  Annabelle sucked in her breath. Her brother, her wise, thoughtful, older brother, was telling her precisely what she needed to hear at precisely the moment she needed to hear it. Just like he always did with all his friends and loved ones. All she could do was nod.

  “Have you ever wondered why all these years I haven’t insisted you marry?” Beau asked next.

  Annabelle dabbed at her eyes again. “I…I thought it was because I told you I hadn’t yet picked a suitor I wished to marry.”

  Beau nodded. “Partially, but I was under no delusion that you intended to pick anyone anytime soon.”

  She laughed, though the tears continued to drip from her eyes. “I should have known I wasn’t fooling you.”

  “Or Mother, either,” Beau continued. “The truth is we knew you weren’t ready to marry, and we didn’t want to force you.”

  “You’ve always been the best older brother, Beau.” She reached over and placed her small hand atop his large one. “I hardly deserve you.”

  The side of Beau’s mouth quirked up in a grin. “I don’t know about that. But more than anything, I want you to be happy, Annabelle. Whether that’s with or without a husband. I’ve always felt that way.”

  She nodded, pressing the handkerchief to her eyes to dry what she hoped would be the last of the tears. “Thank you, Beau.”

  “I won’t force you to marry now, either, but I have to ask. Do you think you could love Elmwood, if you weren’t so afraid of the past?”

  Annabelle took a deep breath. She wrapped her arms around her middle. “I’m frightened, Beau. I’ve never been as strong or as brave as you are.” She hung her head. “I’m a coward.”

  “I beg your pardon,” Beau sat up straight, a completely affronted look on his face. “You’re a Bellham, sister dear. You’re no coward, and you never have been.”

  She shook her head dejectedly and let her hands drop into her lap again. “I never stood up to Father. I never fought him like you did.”

  Beau reached over and squeezed her hands. “Think what you’re saying, Annabelle. You were a child. A little girl. Much younger than me. You were never a match for an adult man. And you never would be. Just like Mother was unable to win against him. It was never a fair fight. And as for you being cowardly, that’s nonsense. You had to run—with blood on your clothing—through the house at all hours of the night to find your governess and ask for help. How many little girls are brave enough to do that? You were frightened of the dark, Annabelle. Yet you still went. Think if you had a little daughter. Would you want her to stand up to a grown man who was swinging a weapon, as Father often was?”

  Annabelle felt as if the air had been knocked from her chest. Beau was right. She would never expect a child to fight a grown man. Why hadn’t she been able to think of it that way all these years? She had been brave. She’d gone to fetch Mary time and again in the terrifying darkness.

  She took a deep breath, met her brother’s gaze, and nodded. “You’re right, Beau. You’re always right, of course.” She managed a smile.

  “Now, I’m going to ask you again. Do you think you could love Elmwood?”

  Considering her brother’s words for a few moments, Annabelle took a shaky breath and then blew it out. When she spoke, her voice shook too. “I think I already do.”

  Beau knocked his shoulder against hers. “Good, because I mentioned to Elmwood that our father was an abusive drunk and I think he loves you more now than he did before.”

  Annabelle smiled through her tears. “I don’t know that he loves me, but I intend to find out.”

  Beau regarded her from the sides of his eyes. “It takes courage to lead a full and happy life, you know.”

  She nodded, taking another shaky breath. “Yes.”

  “And you’ve never been a coward, Annabelle.”

  She nodded again before standing and lifting her chin. “I certainly don’t intend to be one now.” Raising her skirts, she rushed away.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  David was sitting on a long leather sofa in Worthington’s library. He’d come into the room to look for a copy of Debrett’s again. He needed to do better, to be better at all the things pertaining to Society. If he were going to be married to Annabelle, he would die before embarrassing her and her family any more than he already had.

  The door to the grand room opened and David glanced up to see Annabelle step inside, a tentative smile on her face. Had she spoken to Bell? How had that gone?

  “What are you doing?” she asked, coming to stand next to him.

  “Reading Debrett’s,” he offered, watching her carefully. Was she still angry? She didn’t look angry. She didn’t sound angry. But he couldn’t be certain.

  “Are you serious?” she asked, a smile on her face.

  All right. He was fairly certain she wasn’t angry. But why? What had Bell said to change her mood? “Yes, I’m serious,” he replied. “I need to learn everyone’s titles and family histories.”

  “No, you don’t.” She laughed.

  He narrowed his eyes on her. “Why not?”

  She lowered herself to the sofa beside him. “May I tell you a secret?”

  “Please do.”

  “I don’t know everyone’s titles and family histories.”

  David gave her a skeptical glance. “I don’t believe you.”

  She laughed again. “It’s true. I paid some attention in finishing school, but I don’t have it all memorized.”

  He lifted both brows. “You don’t?”

  “No. In fact, I’ve learned you can usually tell a person’s title based on how the person closest to them is behaving. And if that doesn’t work, just smile and nod until someone mentions it.”

  He blinked at her. “You must be jesting.”

  “Not at all. It works. Try it.”

  “So, there are people who meet me and have no idea I’m an earl?” he said with a laugh.

  “Of course. Like when I met you.”

  David nodded. “That’s true. I had nearly forgotten about that.”

  She leaned over and whispered in a conspiratorial tone, “May I tell you something else?”

  He leaned toward her too. Their lips were inches apart. “Of course.”

  “I haven’t prayed since I was a little girl, but I came here directly from the conservatory and I prayed the entire way.”

  He furrowed his brow. He had no idea how this conversation was about to unfold, but he was profoundly curious. She seemed almost playful, completely different from the last time he’d seen her only a few hours earlier. “Why were you praying?” he ventured.

  “I was praying it wasn’t too late.” Tears sparkled in her eyes.

  “Too late for what?”

  “To apologize.”

  He sucked in his breath.

  “David, I’m sorry.” Her voice was low. Contrition was written across her features.

  “Sorry? For what?” He searched her face.

  “For taking this long to tell you that I do want to marry you. If you’ll still have me, of course.”

  “Annabelle, are you certain? I don’t want to force you into it.”

  “No. I’m here of my own free will, and I would have come to the realization that I love you much sooner if—”

  “What was that?” He felt the blood drain from his face.

  She bit her lip and peered at him. “I love you. There. I can say that now. I think I’ve loved you since the moment you were rude to me in the Harrisons’ gardens.”

  He chuckled. “Why would you love me for that?”

&n
bsp; She shrugged. “I’d never met anyone like you before. I was used to the gentlemen of the ton falling at my feet. I’d never met a man who didn’t give a fig who I was.”

  “I didn’t know who you were.”

  “Precisely. I suppose I found it irresistible when you told me I was the last lady in London you’d ever court.”

  He laughed. “I forgot I said that. I was a fool.”

  “No, you weren’t. It was no more than I deserved.” She cleared her throat. “Now, are you going to tell me you love me, too, or must I wait even longer?” Her face was so pretty, so pretty and so vulnerable.

  David scrambled off the sofa so quickly he nearly fell off. He got down on one knee in front of her and grabbed both of her hands. “I love you, Annabelle. I didn’t want you to think I only thought I loved you because you were a prize to be won. That’s not it. I love it when your mouth quirks up in that adorable way of yours. I have a funny feeling in my middle whenever you’re here and I miss it when you’re gone.”

  “What?” She furrowed her brows.

  “It doesn’t matter. What matters is that I do a proper job of asking you to marry me.” David took a deep breath and met her eyes. He squeezed her hands in his. “Annabelle Bellham, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

  More tears pooled in her ice-blue eyes. “Yes, David Ellsworth. I will.”

  He leaned up to kiss her and pulled her into his arms. “I’m going to learn how to be the best earl in the country. Believe me. I’ll make you proud.”

  When they’d both settled back into their seats, still holding hands, Annabelle said to him, “Don’t you understand, David? You don’t need to be the best earl in the country. You’re already the best Earl of Elmwood and that’s all you need to be.”

  “How am I the best Earl of Elmwood? I know nothing about the title.”

  “You don’t have to know anything. That’s just it. It was clearly in the Elmwood bloodline for your father to abandon the title and it’s in you to take it back up. For all you know, our son will want to escape to Brighton and marry a commoner.”

  David’s jaw dropped. “Our son? But I thought you said—?”

  “I know what I said.” She shook her head. “And I was wrong. I’ve been afraid of the demons in my past for far too long. I know you’d never raise a hand to me, or our children, David.”

  David met her gaze with a tentative stare. “Bell told me…”

  “I know. He’s a good brother, Beau Bellham. I love him very much. It was shortsighted of me to think that you weren’t as good a man as Beau is. I know for certain Beau would never hurt me, or Marianne, or anyone, for that matter.”

  “That’s true,” David said with a nod. “I promise I will never raise a hand to you, Annabelle. And if you’d like me to give up drinking, I will.”

  Annabelle shook her head. “No. You don’t have to do that. Beau has made the choice to do that, but I don’t want to be a prisoner to my father’s poor decisions. I want to be free, David. Free from the monsters in my memory. I told you once that a great deal of the correct behavior in the ton involves pretending. The truth is, I’ve been pretending for years. Pretending I was aloof, instead of admitting I was frightened. Pretending I didn’t care, when I really just wanted someone to love me for myself. I didn’t think that was possible until I met you. I don’t want to pretend anymore, David.”

  “Neither do I. And you’re right. I may not be like the other noblemen. But I’m the only Earl of Elmwood there is. I’ll be the most unconventional earl in London if I must. I refuse to be anyone other than who I truly am. And if I bungle a title or use the wrong fork at dinner, so be it.”

  “That’s the spirit, Lord Elmwood!” she said, clapping a hand on his knee.

  David pulled her into his arms and kissed her again. “I cannot wait to take you to Brighton and show you the cottage where Marianne and I grew up. It’s the only thing I own that wasn’t my grandfather’s. It’s mine. It’s my home, and I want to share it with you.”

  “It sounds like the perfect place for a honeymoon,” Annabelle replied with a laugh. “We can smoke cigars and do as we please.”

  “I like how you think.” He kissed her deeply again.

  A few moments later, a knock at the library door interrupted them. They broke off their kiss just before the door swung wide and Bell and Marianne, Worthington and Julianna, Kendall and Frances, and Lady Angelina all came traipsing into the room one after the other.

  Worthington took in the sight of David and Annabelle smiling and holding hands and said, “So, does this mean there will be a fourth happy wedding here tomorrow morning?”

  Annabelle nodded. “It does, indeed, Your Grace. I cannot wait to be Lady Elmwood.”

  “I’m just glad you didn’t accept Lord Murdock’s suit,” said Julianna with a sigh. “I was quite worried for you.”

  “Oh, that reminds me,” Frances said. “I went poking around this morning before all the guests left, and you’ll never believe what I learned from one of my friends.”

  “What?” Annabelle asked.

  “It turns out Elspeth planned the entire episode. She wanted Lord Murdock for herself,” Frances replied.

  “You must be jesting,” Marianne interjected.

  “No. I have it on good authority that Lady Elspeth told anyone who would listen that she was behind the entire affair,” Frances replied. “She spied on Lord Elmwood last night and followed him to Annabelle’s bedchamber. Then she went to fetch her mother to have a witness when he left.”

  “Good God,” Worthington said. “A young lady with a mission in the marriage mart is a formidable foe, indeed.”

  “Apparently, she’d set her sights on Lord Murdock before the Season began, and she refused to be thwarted,” Frances added. “She was convinced that Lord Murdock was about to ask Annabelle to marry him.”

  David shook his head and chuckled. “And here I thought Lady Elspeth was after me.”

  “She was spending time with you, Elmwood, to make Annabelle jealous so she’d leave off with Murdock,” Frances explained.

  “What? That’s madness,” Annabelle said, shaking her head. “Elspeth is a scheming liar. She told me at the Talbots’ ball that she meant to have David because she was the most sought-after debutante and he was the most sought-after bachelor. She was lying the entire time.”

  “If she was after Lord Murdock all along, she can have him. If you ask me, those two deserve each other,” Marianne said, shaking her head.

  “I couldn’t agree with you more,” Julianna replied, nodding.

  “Yes, well. I suppose I could have been a marchioness, but I heard Lord Murdock is a dog kicker,” Annabelle said with a sigh, winking at David.

  David squeezed her hand and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “You’ll just have to make do with a husband who is a lowly earl, and become a lowly countess.”

  “I take offense to that,” Lord Kendall said, his grin belying his words.

  “As do I,” Frances said, also smiling.

  “Well, we cannot all be dukes and duchesses like Worthington and Julianna here,” Bell replied with a grin.

  “Or marquesses and marchionesses,” Marianne added with a laugh, before her face turned serious. “Oh, Annabelle. I just realized. When you marry David, you will be my sister twice over. I cannot wait.”

  She leaned down and hugged Annabelle, who returned both her hug and her smile.

  “I, for one, couldn’t be happier,” Lady Angelina declared. “You were about to turn the last of my hairs gray, Annabelle. Especially when we weren’t entirely certain our matchmaking efforts were working.”

  Annabelle narrowed her eyes on her mother. “Matchmaking efforts?”

  “Yes,” Lady Angelina replied. “The lot of us. We were all in on it, attempting to get you and Lord Elmwood together from the start. Why else do you think we suggested he take lessons from you?”

  “Mama!” Annabelle’s mouth fell open and she braced both fists on her hi
ps.

  “And you’ve no idea how difficult it was coming up with excuses day after day to leave you two alone together,” Lady Angelina continued, waggling her eyebrows.

  “Mama!” Annabelle repeated. “I cannot believe you.”

  “Believe it,” Beau declared. “It was all of us. The earl lessons bit was Marianne’s idea.”

  Marianne had a sly smile on her face. “Ingenious, if you ask me.”

  “What?” David blinked incredulously at his sister. “I thought you were trying to pair me with Lady Elspeth this whole time.”

  “Oh, David, that’s far too obvious. I was only trying to make you think I was trying to pair you with Elspeth so you wouldn’t know I was actually trying to pair you with Annabelle.”

  “That’s what I get for spending time with spies, I suppose,” David replied, shaking his head at his sister, but his smile belied the content of his words.

  “Oh, and the disgust I had to swallow to allow that hideous Lord Murdock near you, Annabelle. It certainly seemed to make David jealous, but it wasn’t my first choice,” Lady Angelina added.

  “Yes, well, what none of you know is that Lord Murdock had blackmailed me.” Annabelle announced.

  “What?” half of the room asked in unison.

  Annabelle nodded, but directed her words to David, who looked as though he might sprint from the room immediately to find Murdock and beat him soundly. “At the Talbots’ ball, he found me on the balcony and threatened to tell everyone in the ballroom he’d seen me kissing you if I didn’t dance with him again and allow him to court me.”

  “That piece of rubbish!” Julianna declared, scowling.

  “I had a much worse word for him,” Annabelle replied, with a smile, “but I’ll keep that to myself.”

  “I’ll kill him,” David intoned, a pulse ticking in his jaw.

  “No, darling,” Annabelle said, rubbing David’s shoulder. “Let him go. He has a much worse fate ahead of him, marrying Lady Elspeth. And apparently, he’s about to lose a fortune on his bet.”

  David relaxed and cracked a grin. “I suppose he does deserve to listen to her prattling the rest of his days. And he deserves to lose a fortune, too.” David turned to the room at large. “Now, if you’re all quite through with your confessions, I’d like to say that regardless of your reasons or your methods, I’m quite happy with the outcome, so I forgive you. And, now, if you’ll excuse us, I’d like to have a few more moments alone with my future wife.”