“I believe Lady Wiltshire will be able to make a solid and logical decision all on her own.”
The Earl snickered, a sound that made the ire rise in James. He stood up abruptly, enjoying the slight flinch from the Earl. He reached down and picked up the bread slices. “Mother, do you have a basket for this bread?”
“Yes, son, it’s over there.” His mother pointed. The basket was behind her and James turned his back to the Earl to take the bread to it. He allowed his face to turn sour the moment he turned away.
“Women do make logical decisions sometimes,” the Earl conceded. “But when it comes to the matter of love and marriage, that logic does not seem to be at its finest.” He looked at Judith. “This does not pertain to all women. I do not wish to include you in this. You are a fine woman and I am glad to know you.”
Judith had a hard time answering. She was still annoyed by his words to her son. “Th…thank you, my lord.”
“It is my pleasure, of course.” He sat back again and stretched his long legs out in front of him. “I recommend the companion, James.” He said, going back to a cordial voice that held no contempt for those he felt were obviously beneath him. “Clara Collingwood? She is a beautiful woman, curvy and domesticated. She would take good care of you and any children you might have.”
“You have us married with children already?” James turned to come back to the table, trying his best to keep the look on his face as neutral as possible. “I think you are putting the cart before the horse, my lord.”
“Not at all, not at all. She is the same age as you, I do believe. She was asking about you, as well.”
James blinked rapidly, thinking of his earlier conversation with Clara. She was friendly but he didn’t notice anything more. “When was she asking about me?”
“Yesterday, she was inquiring about your age. She also asked the ages of the Cornwall sons. Any of the three older boys would be suitable for Lady Wiltshire. If she were to capture the attention of the eldest son, she would put herself in a place where she would someday become the Duchess of Bellhouse.”
“I don’t think that’s what the Lady has in mind, my lord.” James sat down heavily, giving his mother a mournful look. Judith looked back with sympathy.
“It would be a mistake to assume that she does not want the wealth and power that comes along with a title such as that. It is more than I can give her, though she would become a Countess, rather than a Viscountess.”
“I don’t get the impression she cares much about titles, my lord,” Katrina chimed in.
“Oh?” The Earl looked at her. “I was not aware that you have talked to her. Have you ever talked to her?”
“Not directly but from what I see when we are eating and socializing, she seems to be a woman who uses her brain and her heart to make decisions.”
“You are very observant then.” The Earl’s tone had gone back to sneering.
“I would thank you not to be rude to my daughter, my lord.” Judith placed both hands on the table in front of her. “She is young and impressionable.”
“I apologize, my lady.” His words were correct but his tone did not sound apologetic in the least. He looked back at James. “Young master, would you like to go for a ride with me and Lady Wiltshire tomorrow with Clara Collingwood as your companion?”
James stared at him for a moment, his heart sinking. Anne Marie had already agreed to go on a ride with the Earl. He felt discouraged. It was like he had not taken the opportunity fast enough on two occasions. He had asked her to the ball, however, and that was a source of encouragement for him. However, what if Clara Collingwood thought the invitation was for her? It was, by extension, but it had been James’ intention to invite Anne Marie as his guest. Clara would come along because it was her job to do so. They would all have a good time, James was sure of that. Nevertheless if Anne Marie had already agreed to go on a carriage ride with the Earl, perhaps she was unaware that he was attracted to her? Or perhaps the Earl was correct and she was determined to marry into wealth and title?
He licked his lips. “It would be an honor to ride with you tomorrow, my lord.” He said carefully, doing his best to keep the disgust hidden in his voice. “Are the ladies expecting me to come along?”
“I believe Clara will be delighted that you are coming, young master. And I would suggest that you concentrate your focus on her since the Lady will be with me. I can certainly offer her more than a commoner.”
Judith stood up, no longer able to take the contempt in the Earl’s voice. “Earl Kipling, I do not like the ugly side of competition I am seeing in you. Please, if you must speak in such a manner, do not come in my kitchen while myself and my daughter are preparing dinner.” She looked at James. “If you would like to continue this conversation out in the drawing room or the lobby, I believe that would be best.”
“Yes, Mother.” James was instantly on his feet, ready for a reason to leave the room and the presence of the Earl. “I will be back down for dinner, Mother. I need a rest. I will be in my room.”
“I am going for a ride on my horse.” The Earl stood up at the same time as James and took long strides to get to the door first. With James behind him, he moved through the doorway without saying another word to the women.
James allowed the door to close behind the Earl. He looked back at his mother.
“That man is much more insufferable than I had immediately thought.” He said. “He has been staying here for several years now and I have never seen him behave this way.”
Judith shook her head. “Jealousy comes out in desperate times, my son. You must pass it off, as there is nothing you can do to change who the man is. And with his title, any retaliatory move would be pointless and futile.”
“Yes, I am aware.”
Judith came closer and looked up at her son, placing one hand on his broad chest. “I know you want to find a woman to love, my dear, and that there are no women here in Bainbridge for you. You must be careful who you choose because the only available women are visitors. You may want to consider the words of the Earl, even if they are distasteful. Lady Wiltshire has status and a title. She may not be willing or able to give her love to you freely. Clara is a beautiful woman, too. Perhaps…”
She let her words trail off. James said nothing. He nodded and left the kitchen. Judith and Katrina watched him leave before sharing a sorrowful look.
CHAPTER EIGHT
A RIDE
A RIDE
Anne Marie noticed immediately how quiet James was at dinner that evening.
“This is a delicious roast ham, Mrs Ellingham. Thank you kindly.”
“You are most welcome. I do want you to have a good impression of my hotel.”
“I will recommend it to all when I continue traveling.”
“So you will be leaving Bainbridge?” The Earl was much perkier than he had previously been.
Anne Marie looked from one man to the other, wondering what had happened to change each of their demeanor in such a way.
“I do not know when, but I must assume that eventually I will need to continue on my journey.” Anne Marie shared a quizzical look with Clara. They had not told anyone of her need to be married to inherit her money nor that she had to get her uncles approval for the choice she made.
“Before you do, I would like to take you on a coach ride. Say tomorrow afternoon? Perhaps Clara and James would also like to come along?”
Anne Marie reacted with surprise and looked across the table to Clara, who had let her jaw hang slack for a few seconds before realizing it and closing her mouth.
“Would you like to take a coach ride tomorrow, Clara?” she asked. Clara responded by slowly nodding her head. Anne Marie turned her eyes back to the Earl. “We would be glad to accompany you, my lord. I assume you have already mentioned this to…” she turned her head and looked at James. His face looked strange. His eyebrows were drawn together and his jaw was clenched shut. He was staring daggers at the Earl and did not look ple
ased in any way. When his eyes moved to her, they softened and he answered without looking away from her.
“Yes, I was aware of the coach ride invitation.” He didn’t realize that the Earl had not already asked her. The way he asked made it seem that he had agreed to go on the ride with Clara, so that the Earl and Anne Marie would have time together. He didn’t want to give Anne Marie the wrong impression. He also did not want Clara thinking that he intended to court her. He also knew that was exactly how it looked to both women.
Anne Marie nodded. “All right. I have no objections, I suppose. Clara?”
Clara shook her head, delight crossing her face. “It sounds like fun. I would be glad to go.” She looked at James and gave him a pretty smile. He lifted the corners of his lips but there was no joy in his grin. He wanted to clarify the miscommunication the Earl had used to manipulate the situation.
Instead, he kept his mouth shut during the rest of the dinner and retired early, the first one to leave the table. Anne Marie was confused by the whole thing, and ended up staying awake late in her bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering if she had ever had a chance with the handsome James Ellingham.
The coach rolled along gracefully, but Anne Marie was not comfortable. She was beginning to wonder why she agreed to come on the ride, knowing she was paired with the Earl and James would be spending most of his time with Clara. No matter where they went or what they did, he would be paired with her. It wasn’t something Anne Marie particularly wanted to see.
So, she had spent a great deal of the ride staring out the window and only looking back to acknowledge the Earl when he spoke to her. She tried not to be rude and smiled as often as she could. However, her heart was not in it and she was sure he could tell. She tried not to let her eyes fall on James at all. He was sitting across from her next to Clara. They didn’t speak often but when they did, they looked directly at each other and held a conversation. Clara was more than willing to have the gentleman’s attention. Anne Marie was sure that her companion probably felt it best to give James the sort of attention he might be seeking, since she herself would not be able to pursue any kind of relationship with him.
Anne Marie couldn’t help but question that fact, however. She had yet to write to her uncle and tell him her desire. There was always a chance, no matter how minuscule, that he would let her marry for love, regardless of James’ lack of title and wealth.
She thought about this as the coach took them in circles around the beautiful park. She couldn’t help enjoying the scenery and listened closely when the Earl told her some of the history of the park they were in. He was filled with facts, sounding as though he had been living in Bainbridge all his life.
“When did you come to Bainbridge originally, Lord Kipling?” Clara asked.
“I have been in this village for almost six years,” the Earl replied. “And I have enjoyed nearly every day. One thing I have noticed is the weather does not seem to comply with much of the surrounding area. It seems that rain will pass us by, while dropping a torrent on a nearby county. The sun seems to shine more on Bainbridge than on any other place in England I have resided. It is quite amazing and a pleasure to know. It has certainly kept me here much longer than I originally intended to stay.”
“You did not intend to stay in Bainbridge to begin with?” Clara asked. Anne Marie wondered why she was drawing the Earl out instead of talking to James. She glanced at the young man sitting next to Clara and instantly understood why.
James looked like he would have given everything he owned not to be in the coach with them. It wasn’t that he looked furious or angry. He didn’t look disgusted or perturbed. He merely looked like he wanted to escape, to perhaps jump through the coach window and run away.
He moved his eyes from the window and their eyes locked. She wondered what he was thinking when he looked at her. She was grateful to see the look on his face soften somewhat and he gave her the smallest smile she had ever seen. She returned it in kind.
“I did not intend to, no. I, much like you ladies, was traveling all over England. I even visited America.”
“Oh, what is it like in America? Did you go to New York?” Clara sounded excited. Anne Marie glanced at her in surprise and when she moved her eyes back to James, he was looking through the window again. She tried not to let her disappointment show on her face.
“I did, in fact. It was very exciting but not a place I would like to live my life. I enjoy the peaceful England countryside. When I discovered Bainbridge, I knew I had found my home.” He looked at Anne Marie, who gave him a quick glance. “Do you enjoy the city life or the country life, my lady?”
“I prefer smaller towns and villages. I enjoy being around a certain set of people and not worrying too much about people I don’t know. Plus, there is less chance harm will come to myself or Clara. We do like to remain safe.”
“You never have to worry about being in harm’s way here in Bainbridge.” James said in a gruff voice, as if they had challenged him. Both women looked at him with wide eyes.
“Yes, we are certain of that.” Anne Marie said in a soft voice. James looked uncomfortable and moved his eyes back out the window.
A heavy silence fell over the group for a few moments before the Earl broke it.
“Shall we stop and take a walk? We can enjoy the beautiful sunshine whilst getting a bit of exercise.”
“That sounds lovely.” Clara nodded.
The Earl indicated to the coachman that they wanted to stop and get out. Once they had done so, Anne Marie realized just how uncomfortable the whole thing was destined to be. James walked next to Clara, who wrapped one hand around his elbow. The Earl walked next to Anne Marie. She did not touch him, though she was sure he wished she would. He held one arm out so that if she wanted to hold on to him, she could. Instead, she spent a great deal of time fidgeting with her bonnet strap and the sash around her waist. Her other hand was preoccupied clutching a small bag she had brought along, even though there were only a few items inside and she didn’t need any of them.
The Earl kept them occupied, talking about his time in New York, the people he’d met, and the things he did. Anne Marie couldn’t tell if he was excited about his memories or so uncomfortable with silence that he had to fill it with something.
James was thinking the same thing. He didn’t mind the Earl on a regular basis. However, when it came to winning the heart of a woman, he found himself unwilling to give the Earl any benefit of the doubt. It was painfully obvious that George was vying for Anne Marie’s hand. The more he thought about it, the more James realized that perhaps it wasn’t the best thing in the world for him to do. Attempting to win the hand of a woman above his station would prove to be nearly impossible, he was sure, especially when there was a perfectly viable candidate as a rival.
He didn’t want to admit it but he was probably fighting a losing battle. He didn’t really know if the lovely Lady was interested in him. He felt it, but wasn’t sure he could rely on his instincts. He didn’t know her well enough to decide what she might be thinking about him.
Asking Clara about it was out of the question. He could see the young woman was interested in him. Being the same age, they were a good match. She was a curvy, good-looking woman with long dark blond hair and tempestuous blue eyes, a darker color of blue than his own. He imagined she would easily bear children, judging from her stature. She was also not a woman of nobility, so that would not stand in between them. Nevertheless, it wasn’t about nobility or child-bearing ease. It was about love. That fact frustrated James more than anything else. He chided himself for thinking that he and Anne Marie could be in love, when the woman had only been in Bainbridge a few days. That wasn’t nearly enough time to judge whether love was true or even present in both hearts.
He caught himself glancing at her as they walked by the flowing water of the stream next to them. She was looking straight ahead, apparently listening to the Earl’s traveling stories. He wished he had some interesting stori
es to tell, but he had none.
Anne Marie saw him glance in her direction and look away. She kept herself from looking back at him. It felt nearly pointless and it was very frustrating. The Earl would continue talking non-stop and the three of them would be subjected to listening to it for another half hour as they walked around the park.
They stopped at a fruit stand and purchased some of the ripest, most beautiful red apples Anne Marie had ever seen. She bit into it happily and smiled at the sweet taste in her mouth.
“There are so many things here in Bainbridge to draw people in,” the Earl was saying. “It is surprising the population is not much higher.”
“I am so glad that it isn’t. I feel that the more people who discover the beauty of this place, the higher the chance it will become too popular. People will flock to Bainbridge and it will lose its small, sleepy appeal. I would much prefer it stay the way it is.” Anne Marie said.
“I have to agree.” James spoke up. This time when he looked at her, she looked back. The longing and desire on his face was obvious to her. She wanted to take a chance with him.However, would it ultimately be worth it?
CHAPTER NINE
THE HISTORY OF BELLHOUSE
THE HISTORY OF BELLHOUSE
The ride to the Bellhouse Estate was more exciting to Anne Marie than the coach ride had been. Judith filled them in on the background of the Duke and Duchess, how they had bought up all the land in Bainbridge except for a few small parcels, which were owned by the people who lived on them. They rented out all the land to the citizens of the town and sat back, watching the prosperity of the people. They were generous, and gave to those who needed help getting through a tough spot, but it was not a common occasion for anyone to ask for help. The people of Bainbridge knew how to run businesses and were successful on their own.
The Trouble With These Gentlemen (The BainBridge - Love & Challenges) (The Regency Romance Story) Page 6
