“I…are you all right Emily? This can wait until morning if you’re not.”
She shook her head. “No, let’s get it over with. Go ahead.”
She heard him exhale loudly but daren’t raise her head to look at him.
“Emily, I wanted to just…tell you how relieved I am that you are well and that we were able to rescue you in time. I want to assure you that no one outside of the people who were there will hear of this.”
Her head shot up, eyes wide. “Th-thank you. That’s very kind.”
He walked around the desk and came to sit on the edge of it, in front of her. “No, no, it’s not kind. I am afraid I have an ulterior motive.”
“Oh?” she could not stop her voice from shaking.
He stared at her, opening his mouth and closing it. “I…think we should probably discuss that in the morning.”
Emily nodded slowly. “But…Mr. Blackmore will not just let this go. It’s probably best if I leave town right away.”
He shot to his feet. “No! You cannot leave.”
She also got to her feet with a shrug. “What else can I do?”
“You can stay here. I will protect you, Emily. With my life if I have to.”
Her eyes widened as she froze in shock. “Beg pardon?” she whispered.
“You heard me. I would protect you with my life, Emily. So please stay.”
“You…don’t want me to leave?”
“No. Why would I want that?”
“I-I lied to you!”
The Earl nodded. “You did. And we shall discuss that in detail once you are strong again. But that does not mean I want you to leave.”
“You pushed me away when I wore that gown. The one that belonged to your late wife.”
“I did. I was upset. But now that I think on it, you would not do something that malicious on purpose. It must have been a mistake.”
“I told you the truth about that. Someone sent it to me.”
He nodded. “I do believe you. I do. And we will get to the bottom of that. Just tell me that you’ll stay.”
Emily blinked a few times. “Of course I will. If you want me to, I would be happy to stay.”
“I do…want you.”
Their gazes caught and held. Emily felt as if she might drown in the ice blue of Duncan’s eyes.
What are you saying to me Duncan?
She was afraid to ask the question in case she was reading this wrong. She took in a deep breath. “Do you think that Blackmore will try something else?”
“We cannot pin our hopes on the possibility that he won’t.”
“So do you not think it would be safer if I left?”
“Safer for whom?”
“Well…the children for one.”
“Do you think the children would be happy to lose you?”
Emily gave him a wry smile. “Lady Nancy might.”
The Earl looked away. “Let us not open that Pandora’s box at this time. Just say you’ll stay. The rest we can take care of.”
Emily frowned, mystified by his words. “All right.”
“Good. Now go up to bed. You must be exhausted and the children will be looking for you first thing in the morning.”
Emily smiled. “I suppose so. I shall say goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Emily.”
Duncan was up with the sun, and dressed before his valet could rouse himself from bed. He called for his carriage and rode out to Bow Street where he met with the detective who had helped them out.
“Mr. Blackmore has not sought to involve any arm of law enforcement in the incident that happened last night. He was spitting mad however and I fear this is not the end of the saga. I would not be surprised if he tries to get to the girl again.”
Duncan nodded. “I came to the same conclusion this morning. That’s why I am here. Is there anything that he can be charged with that would get him out of the way?”
The detective shook his head with a sigh. “It is difficult. We could have him charged with kidnapping but we have no evidence and so it would be your governess’ word against his. Mr. Blackmore is quite influential and unless you want the whole sordid tale coming out, it would be best to seek another alternative.”
Duncan gritted his teeth in annoyance. “Indeed. I thought perhaps that giving you sufficient incentive might work.”
The detective straightened up. “And you have such inducements to offer?”
Duncan met his eyes. “I think so. I will require a witness however. Will you consent to come with me?”
The detective got to his feet. “Lead the way.”
Duncan spent the journey to Cheapside lost in thought. He had no idea if this would work or not but he had to try.
Anything to keep Emily safe.
Laurence could not believe he’d been thwarted once again. According to the serving girl, Emily Fletcher was taken by an aristocratic gentleman who had pointed a pistol at her!
Laurence could only conclude that it had been the Earl of Sulby who had done it. Unless the girl had more friends in the Beau Monde she had not mentioned.
This made things a bit more difficult, but not impossible. He was sure that if he went to the Earl and threatened to ruin his reputation, he would give the girl up with no problem. It was clear she was not his lover–after all, her purity had been intact.
Perhaps she is a particularly good governess.
Laurence sniggered at the thought, shaking his head. He had once again underestimated the girl. He would not do that again. His entire household was avoiding him this morning, after he’d practically destroyed the parlor in his rage the night before. They were wise to do so. His ire was still ready to lash out and snag anyone who came within its range.
A tentative knock at the door had him glaring at it.
Who dares to disturb me so early?
“Mr. Blackmore? There’s a lord that’s here to see you.” The voice of Madam Bainbridge came through the door.
Laurence shot up in some surprise. “A lord you say? Show him in.”
His eyebrows were already raised and he was both shocked yet unsurprised to see the Earl of Sulby gracing his doorway. Behind him stood another man that Laurence assumed was his valet or something.
“Well…this is certainly a surprise.”
The Earl walked in, “Is it?”
“Perhaps not. What can I do for you so early in the morning?”
The Earl circled his table, coming to loom over him as the taller man. “I think it’s more of what I can do for you.”
“Oh? And what is that?”
The Earl reached into his coat and produced a piece of paper, offering it to Blackmore. Laurence took it but frowned. He did not know how to read but he recognized an official government document when he saw one. “What is this?”
“A title deed.”
“Excuse me?”
“I have a property in the Gascony countryside. A huge chateau. It is yours if you want it.”
Laurence was taken aback by the offer. Surely the Earl was not saying what he thought he was. “I assume that you are not giving it to me out of the goodness of your heart?”
“No. You have to give me something.”
“And what is that?”
“A confession. You confess to kidnapping my father-in-law to be and his daughter, in an effort to force them to perform nefarious acts on your premises. You sign it and I will keep it. If you ever come back to England, you will be arrested on sight.”
Laurence threw back his head and laughed. “And if I refuse this most generous offer?”
“Then my friend here will arrest you for assault.”
“And who pray tell, will I have assaulted?”
“Me.”
The Bow Street Runner reached out suddenly and punched the Earl in the face. He reeled, hitting the wall before straightening up and smiling at Laurence. “So, what will it be?”
Laurence’s jaw dropped. “You would frame me?”
The Earl laughed s
cornfully. “Don’t sound so shocked.”
“Surely this woman is not worth all this?” Laurence tried to protest.
“That is none of your business. Your mistake was in interfering in my business. Now, make your choice or I will make it for you.”
Laurence closed his eyes and sighed.
Emily woke up to loud knocking on her door.
“Miss Fletcher! Miss Fletcher! Are you in there?”
Emily smiled. “Yes, you may come in.”
The door opened and Lord Essex and Lady Anne stumbled into the room in a rush. Their faces lit up as they caught sight of her and the next thing she knew they were leaping onto her, both talking at once as she held them close.
“Where did you go–?”
“Why’d you stay away for so long–?”
“We missed you–”
“Are you going to stay now–?”
Emily hardly knew which question to answer first. It was as if there were at least five people in the room with her. She laughed, pulling them closer. “I promise I’m not going anywhere. I missed you too. I didn’t want to leave you at all and I won’t.”
Mrs. Cooke appeared in the doorway, clapping her hands. “All right, all right, enough socializing. Let us go down to breakfast. Can’t you see Miss Fletcher could use some feeding up?”
That made the twins look her over again. She blinked at them and smiled. “I am a little hungry. Perhaps we should go down for breakfast.”
They shuffled off her bed, waiting at the door for her to wear her robe. “Let’s go then.”
They took hold of her hands and did not let go for even a minute. Emily felt her heart melt with softness to see how much they had missed her. The desperate way they clung to her hands broke her heart. These children had suffered so much loss. It was not fair. If Emily could have done something to change it, she would have.
They got to the dining hall where they found Lady Nancy just sitting down to her meal. She looked up from her food, face slack with shock. “Oh…you’re back.”
“Yes, I am.” Emily smiled awkwardly. She hardly knew what to say to the girl.
“All right,” Lady Nancy said, “I’m glad.”
Emily wished she could believe her.
Chapter 29
They were just settling down to their meal when Emily’s father walked in. He looked thinner and haggard. This was the first time Emily had a chance to really get a good look at him. Life as a solitary bachelor had done him no favors it seemed or maybe it was facing the reality of what he’d done to Emily. His skin had a greyish tinge and he had huge bags under his eyes. His hands trembled slightly as he pushed his chair back and sat down.
He nodded to Emily and smiled awkwardly. “Good morning,” he murmured.
“Good morning, Father, how are you today?”
“This is your father?” Lord Essex’s piping voice was even higher with surprise.
“Yes. This is my father. Papa, these are my charges, Lord Essex, Lady Anne, and Lady Nancy.”
Arthur turned his smile on them, nodding to one after the other. The twins gaped at him with interest while Lady Nancy kept her eyes on her plate, barely acknowledging him. Emily frowned, feeling irritated at Lady Nancy’s rudeness. She could understand perhaps, the girl’s antipathy toward her, but her father had done nothing to Lady Nancy.
“How are you feeling this morning, Father?” she asked, making a deliberate effort to lighten her mood.
“I am well, my dear. Thank you for asking,” He hesitated, studying her warily, “I thought that perhaps we might speak, later on.”
Emily nodded, swallowing. She really did not want to have that conversation with her father but she knew that she could not avoid it forever. “All right.”
Arthur nodded gratefully, “Thank you.”
A footman stepped into the room, a tray in hand and Emily turned to him. “Will His Lordship be joining us for breakfast?”
He shook his head, “Lord Sulby already left, ma’am.”
“Oh.” Emily swallowed her disappointment and turned her attention to answering the twins’ myriad questions. She wondered if she should carry on with her lessons as usual or wait for the Earl to let her know what would happen next.
“Miss Fletcher, will we have lessons today?” Lady Anne asked with hopeful wide eyes. Emily could not resist them.
She smiled. “Why not? We shall collect marigolds and daisies and weave them into pretty shapes and fill all the vases we have so that every corner of the house is cheerful.”
The twins proclaimed their enthusiasm for this idea with exclamations and suggestions of different shapes to weave the flowers into. Emily let their chatter wash over her, soothing her bruised soul and beginning the healing of it.
She said goodbye to her father as she followed the children outside, promising to find him later so that they could talk. She was surprised when Lady Nancy came along on the excursion, but said nothing out loud. If she was deliberately engaging with the activities that Emily came up with–for whatever reason–that had to be progress.
Emily relished the brisk fresh air and the scent of mint, lavender, and sandalwood in the garden as they drifted about, collecting flowers for their bouquets. She stiffened slightly when Lady Nancy came up to her, a bunch of flowers in hand, and began to walk with her.
They meandered in silence for a while, following the twins’ faster moving figures as they darted about from rose bush to Jacaranda tree.
“I owe you an apology,” Lady Nancy began and Emily turned to her in surprise.
“You do?”
The younger girl nodded, her head dropping in shame. “You recall the pink gown you found on your bed with a note.”
Emily gasped, widening her eyes at Lady Nancy, “You…It was you.”
Lady Nancy nodded, sniffing as she avoided Emily’s eyes, “Yes. I’m sorry I…” she wiped a tear away, “I just wanted him to suffer the way she suffered you know. And you, you were so capable, so efficient, so…kind. I knew that if I did not do something, Father would fall in love with you.”
Emily blinked at her, “Oh Lady Nancy…”
“I know. I know it’s pathetic. But…I’ve gone so long thinking that he killed her. That she died of a broken heart. But…” she shook her head and swallowed.
Emily took her hand and led her gently toward the gazebo. “Sit down,” she pushed Lady Nancy down on the bench before sitting beside her. “Now tell me everything, from the beginning.”
Lady Nancy sniffed again before turning to her. “When my Mother died, there was so much talk. People speculated about how she died, that she took her own life…” Emily reached out and squeezed her hand, “I would sit sometimes in the drawing room and listen to them talk. They hardly noticed me, I was so quiet. So they…said things.”
She looked up at Emily as if to see if she understood what things they said. Emily shook her head. “Things like what?”
“They…they said that my father was unfaithful and that my mother died of a broken heart. It…I was so angry with him. I resented him for taking my mother away from me.”
There was a pregnant pause. Emily let Lady Nancy gather herself and continue as she could.
Lady Nancy sighed. “I…recently…came across a diary. My mother’s diary. She wrote in it, her thoughts…”
Emily rubbed at her hands, trying to give as much comfort as she could. She knew this could not be easy for Lady Nancy. She could absolutely sympathize with the feeling of finding out one’s parents had feet of clay. “She’s the one…she…she had a lover, not my father.” Lady Nancy gave her a look filled with incomprehension, “She took the opium to escape her feelings of guilt. My father tried to help her but he couldn’t.”
Emily nodded in understanding. It explained a lot about Duncan as well. How he reacted to any perception of falsehood.
“It was me who sabotaged the governesses. I made sure none of them stayed long. I wanted Anne and Harry gone to boarding school. I thought that i
f we had a governess, he would continue his philandering ways. He would betray my Mother again.”
“So the gown was your attempt to get rid of me?” Emily asked.
Lady Nancy nodded, avoiding her eyes.
Emily blinked, and looked away. It was hurtful, but when she put herself in Lady Nancy’s shoes, she could see how the girl might have brought herself to do it. “And then what? You took the note after and destroyed it?”
A Wicked Earl she can't Resist: A Steamy Historical Regency Romance Novel Page 24
