The Earl's Mission: Defiant Brides Book 4

by Jennifer Monroe

  His reaction was not what she expected. What she had expected was for him to once again scream at her, demand she follow his direction, but instead, he laughed as he walked over to a liquor cart that sat in a corner of the room.

  “Is that so?” he asked with amusement. “Tell me, daughter of a shipping merchant, where is to you will go? Back to your parents’ flailing pub? Or perhaps you will stay with your friends on that ship you mentioned to Mother?” He chuckled at his words and Rachel could feel the fire in her face, so hot she would have thought the fireplace had been lit. “I know, perhaps you have a friend who has a place for you?” Her face must have read like an open book, for he gave her a wide grin. “Yes, I thought not.”

  She knew he was right; she had no other alternatives, and it rankled her more than she wished to admit. However, she refused to allow him to hold the reins of this mockery, at least not completely. “It’s none of your concern where I go,” she said loftily. “But I’ll offer you this. Treat me with respect, and I’ll remain here and do what you ask. Once this sham is completed, I’ll go my way and you may go yours.”

  He took a sip of a brandy he had poured, but he continued to look at her, even over the rim of the glass. He said nothing for several moments, and Rachel felt the steal in her back weaken. She wished he would decide before she completely fell apart.

  “I agree with your terms,” he replied finally. “You will remain here, as my fiancée until the property is divided per Richard’s instructions. Once you receive whatever he has left you, you will leave that same day, never to show yourself around here again.” He swallowed the remainder of his drink, set the now empty glass on the cart, and walked over to Rachel. She clenched her fist tightly, ready to defend herself if he was to attack her. Or attempt another kiss. Either would be as horrid as the other.

  He stood directly in front of her, staring down at her from his great height. “Continue the pretense of our engagement, even to my mother. Failure to do so will result in the loss of your inheritance.”

  Everything within her told her to leave now and leave the possibility of any fortune behind. However, besides the ring on her finger, she had nothing of value, and opportunities such as these were a rarity, if not otherwise impossible. What other woman of her class had the chance to pretend to be a lady, to live the life of a woman of the ton, and having no other expectations of her than to enjoy living in a grand house? He had mentioned becoming his wife, but he had also stated that she could refuse him. If they did not marry, she could leave with her reputation intact. In all honesty, it was the perfect opportunity.

  “Very well,” she said. “I will complete my part in this.” She took a step forward and gave him a sweet smile. “However, if you ever lay a hand on me, or attempt to kiss me again, I will see to it that you will receive such a kick that you will limp for weeks afterward.” Her sweet smile never faltered, but his arrogant smiled did. But only for a moment.

  “It is a shame how you turned out,” he said, that quiet voice underlining his words. “A woman of your beauty could have been so well received. However, the loss will be yours, not mine.” He walked toward the door but stopped halfway. “Dinner will be at seven,” he stated without turning to look at her. “See that you are dressed, and do not be late.” With that, he walked out of the room.

  Rachel glared after him. She did not know how long before she was to receive her inheritance from her birth father, but one thing was certain. As soon as she did, she would leave these halls of her father and find a new place to call home.

  Chapter Eleven

  Joseph strode down the hall attempting to keep his anger in check. The woman was proving to be much more incorrigible than he had first anticipated, and her blatant disrespect for his mother had been unacceptable. She had almost ruined all of his plans with her careless words, and it had taken the entire hour with his mother afterward to convince her that what Miss Cooper had said was not truth.

  It was not that he had any compunction against lying; it came easily to him. How often had he had to speak untruths to see a business deal completed or to get himself out of trouble when his mother had caught him climbing the outside wall to return to his room after a night of carousing when he was younger? No, lying had not been the problem. What he had struggled with was how to clean up the mess Miss Cooper had made with her ill-fated confession.

  Drat the woman! However, she was right; he could not place all the blame on her. He hated to admit it, but he was afraid of his mother. He always had been. Not that she ever struck him; that he could have endured. It was the way she spoke to him, her need to degrade him at every turn. She had always somehow blamed him for their financial difficulties, never once admitting that it had been the former Earl of Brunsford, Joseph’s father, who had mishandled the family fortune.

  The Dowager Countess could see nothing but admiration and esteem for the previous Lord Linfield, and the only attempt Joseph made to rectify this misconception had ended with her refusal to speak to him for more than a week, and when she did, it was to issue a severe tongue-lashing about debasing his father’s name. After that, he kept what he knew to himself, allowed Richard to train him in the ways of business so he could rebuild what his father had lost.

  But this woman, Miss Cooper, she would give him even more grief than his mother had all those years ago, and still did. He had thought her more intelligent, more resourceful, than she had shown, and yet, what could he have expected? She might have had rudimentary training at a very young age, but her more formidable years had been spent in the company of ruffians and miscreants. Of course, she would be crass and lacking in understanding as to how to hold herself as a person of nobility, who had training from birth; it was inevitable.

  Despite his anger at all she had said and done, what aggravated him the most was how he had taken her into his arms and kissed her. What had he been thinking? Apparently, he had not been thinking. However, the fire in her eyes had stirred something in him that he had not felt with any other woman in his life. His body had moved of its own accord, without his mind commanding it, and he could not have stopped himself if he had tried. A promise of heat had radiated in the look she gave him, and he had not been disappointed. At least not in her. His disappointment lay within himself.

  What they had was a business arrangement. Their ‘engagement’ was not real, and yet, his body had taken it as such. Well, he would put forth a better effort from this moment forward to keep his physical attraction to the woman at bay. He did not need a repeat of what had transpired in the drawing room, neither from Miss Cooper nor himself. His focus needed to be completing this loathsome errand on which Richard had sent him, and once that was finished, he was free to resume his former life.

  “Did you speak with her?” his mother asked as she passed her bedroom door.

  “Yes, Mother, and she has promised to apologize for her outburst and the lies she told.” He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. “You see, it is as I have said. She is a shipping merchant’s daughter who is in deep mourning for a father who doted on her all too much. We have seen what the death of a loved one can do to a person. One example was the Widow Charmaine.”

  The Dowager Countess sighed. “Yes, I do remember what she went through upon the death of her husband. It took her several years to even admit to his death.” She gave him a half-smile. “If this woman does give me an adequate apology, I will accept it. However, she really must keep her sanity intact if she is to marry you. You do not want mad children, do you?”

  Joseph forced a laugh. “No, of course not. However, her issues do not come from madness, now do they? Grief can be a difficult passage.”

  “This is true,” she replied. “When will dinner be served?”

  “Seven, as usual.”

  She seemed pleased that he maintained the schedule she had taught him. “Then I will rest for a while longer and then have that despicable Judith help me dress.”

  “Why do you not replace her?” Joseph asked,
trying to hide his amusement.

  “What?” she asked with a gasp. “And be made to train another? Judith might be inept in most things she does, but at least she has enough understanding of how to meet my needs to keep her on.” She leaned in and lowered her voice. “Do not tell her I have said so, but she is the only woman who has been able to do anything with my hair.”

  Joseph laughed. “Enjoy your rest, Mother. I will see you at dinner at precisely seven.” And with that, he went to the room he used when he came to visit Elford Estates. He had a lot to consider before dinner time came around, and there was no time to waste.

  ***

  Rachel had remained silent during their dinner, not out of respect for Lord Linfield or his mother, but rather because the two had ignored her throughout the entire meal. Of course, Rachel had given her perfunctory apology, and the Dowager Countess had stated she accepted it, though her disapproving looks throughout the meal had said that she had not truly done so. However, Rachel knew she had done what was necessary to rectify a problem that was not caused by her, so she had no reason to make concern herself any longer on the issue.

  When dinner had ended, Lady Linfield insisted that she and her son return home, ascribing to a stack of letters that needed to be answered. Rachel knew the woman was outright lying; no woman of her station would allow letters to go unanswered so long that they would become a ‘stack’. However, regardless of her excuses, Rachel would be glad to be rid of the woman.

  The trio headed to the front door where Sherman stood with coat and wrap.

  “It has been a pleasure meeting you, My Lady,” Rachel lied.

  Her words did not seem to matter to the Dowager Countess. “I realize that, with the death of your father, that you see your life as turned upside down,” she said. “However, let us hope that the next time we meet, you will be able to present yourself more appropriately.”

  Rachel bit back the retort that threatened to explode from her lips and instead gave the woman a feeble smile. “Once again, I apologize for my rude and barbaric behavior earlier. In time, I will return to be the lady I truly am.” The words felt sour on her tongue.

  The older woman lifted a single brow. “Well, at least she recognizes what she has done wrong and is willing to rectify it. However, it will be for me to decide if she truly is a lady.”

  “Of course, Mother,” Lord Linfield said. “I know Miss Cooper wants nothing more than to prove herself, is that not right, my love?” He did not wait for Rachel to reply, not that she wished to. He helped his mother into the carriage and then pulled Rachel a few steps away, out of earshot of his mother. “As I said before, the dressmaker will be here in two days’ time, and the tutors will arrive after. Explore the house if you wish or sulk in the library. I care not. However, I believe there are books on etiquette in the library that might be of use to you. I would highly recommend you read them.”

  “How kind of you to take such consideration in my learning,” Rachel said dryly. “I will be certain that my sulking not get in the way of my training.”

  “See that you do not.”

  “We are running late, Joseph,” the Dowager Countess called from the carriage. The man indeed learned to maintain a strict schedule from his mother.

  Without another word, the Earl got into the carriage, slamming the door closed behind him. Soon the two were heading away from Elford Estates, and Rachel felt a sense of relief wash over her. Lord Linfield was a difficult man to understand. He was clearly a very wealthy man; from what she had seen, he had more money than any one man could want. With his new inheritance of her father’s property, he should have been content. What Rachel found interesting, however, was how the man allowed his mother to treat him like a child and his fiancée like a leper. It was all very much unfathomable. Parents were meant to be loving to their children, were they not?

  However, had her own mother left her when she was a young child? Perhaps it was expected behavior for people in higher society to treat their children so horribly. She let out a heavy sigh. It was not her problem, at least for the time being. All she needed to do was survive the next few weeks. At least she had Leah to help her through it all.

  Chapter Twelve

  Rachel attempted to not giggle as the woman tightened the measuring tape around Rachel’s bosom. Unfortunately, she failed miserably, her laugh echoing through the room. Leah gave her an encouraging smile as the dressmaker, a Miss Jane Colborne raised her eyebrows at her.

  “I am so sorry,” Rachel said as she gulped down another giggle. What was it about laughter that, once it began, it was that much more difficult to stop? “I have never had a dress made before.” Her teeth almost clicked as she snapped her mouth shut when she realized what she had said.

  “Beg your pardon?” Miss Colborne said, her brows scrunched together.

  “What I mean is, I have not had a dress made in this area before. The whole idea of someone besides Miss Sally Pagette making my dresses is new to me, and I find it all somehow funny.” She gave a shrug, and Miss Colborne smiled back at her and resumed her measurements, more than likely used to the eccentricity of those of the upper class. Or so Rachel hoped. This masquerading as a member of the gentry was not an easy task, and Rachel hoped that the lessons that were scheduled to begin later in the week would help her acclimate herself to what was to be her new station. At least for the time being.

  It had taken over an hour for Rachel to select a variety of dresses from the large books Miss Colborne had brought with her with plates depicting the latest styles. In Rachel’s opinion, Leah had been a spectacular help, though the seamstress made the greatest of attempts to hide her astonishment at how much emphasis a woman in Rachel’s position would rely on the opinion of a maid. As far as Rachel was concerned, it was none of the woman’s concern whose opinion she accepted.

  Another hour later, after scouring as many fabric samples as were available, she chose several varieties of colors and prints, mostly muslin but a few silks, as well. As if dresses had not been difficult enough, Rachel found the decisions around gowns to be twice as challenging. She had never owned a gown in her life and found the idea of doing so simply by looking at a book and choosing a combination of fabrics to be more than a bit overwhelming. Yet, despite the challenge, she also found the idea of having such beautiful clothing made especially for her to be more than satisfying. Then the chore of ordering small clothes added on another layer of worry.

  Rain pelted the window and the wind bent the branches of the tree by the time the seamstress had finished. “There we are now,” Miss Colborne said as she put away the last of her supplies. She tsked and added, “May bad fortune fall upon those who stole your luggage.”

  Rachel forced a smile. Yet another lie told to conceal the truth. She had explained to the woman that she had been robbed on her journey to Elford Estates, taking possession of all of her belongings. As luck would have it, she had had the sense to hide her ring inside her shoe, so they had not taken it from her. Apparently, the tale had a ring of truth to it, for the woman had been most sympathetic to Rachel’s plight.

  “And how long before the dresses are finished?” Rachel asked. Lord Linfield had made a point of having her ask. It would have seemed suspicious otherwise.

  “I should be able to have them delivered in a week’s time,” Miss Colborne replied. “I realize how important it is to have your wardrobe replaced. We cannot have you being made to wear what you have now if you are to receive callers, now can we?” She laughed as if she had made a grand joke, and Rachel laughed as well, although she found what she currently wore more than adequate, which was one of the dresses Leah had adjusted to fit Rachel.

  “Thank you so much,” Rachel said, and she truly meant it. The woman had been more than accommodating. Leah had explained that, to get a seamstress out on such short notice was almost unheard of. Rachel assumed that the Earl’s hefty money clip had something to do with the woman’s availability than anything else. Then she felt guilty for think
ing so poorly of the woman; she had been quite pleasant. Leah, however, had to remind Rachel that Miss Colborne was not a friend whenever Rachel tried to strike up a conversation with the woman. If it had not been for Leah’s help, Rachel would have certainly exposed herself for the fraud she was.

  “I will see you out,” Leah said before Rachel could offer. Of course. That would be more fitting when dealing with someone of Miss Colborne’s caliber. Rachel was having trouble keeping all of the rules straight, but she did not doubt she would learn soon enough.

  She selected the blue dress she had worn upon her arrival after the seamstress left. Though it would never be appropriate for a Countess, or even a woman of the gentry, she still found it quite beautiful.

  “Let me help you with that,” Leah said when she returned. Rachel had already donned it, but she allowed Leah to fasten all the many tiny buttons that lined the back. No wonder lady’s maids were so important to women of the ton.

  Rain pelted against the window and lightning flashed in the sky. Rachel hoped Miss Colborne would make it home safely. The woman might be someone she should consider below her, but Rachel would not allow herself to become self-possessed. Too many people who were in a position to help others thought that way, and then they did not do anything to aid those in need. Rachel swore she would be different.

  Thunder rattled the glass in the windows, and Rachel was reminded of the pub and the times when she and her mother would watch the passing storms through the large front windows that looked out onto the cobblestone street. In the past, they would be called away by patrons who frequented the pub, but as time went on, fewer patrons came in, and Rachel found herself staring out through those windows for hours at a time, hoping anyone would stop in for a drink. The memories made her sad, so she decided to do something about it.

  “It is far too dreary out there to do nothing,” she said when Leah returned from seeing the seamstress to the door. “Come. Follow me.” She led Leah down the stairs, the only sound their slippers shuffling along the long carpet. They went to the drawing room and Rachel motioned Leah over to the settee.