Vexing the Viscount

by Christie Kelley

  “You are right, Mia. I do deserve love. And I won’t settle for anything less.” Which meant in a few days, her time with Braden would be over.

  “Are you certain he doesn’t love you?”

  Tia blinked and then stared at her sister. “How can you ask such a thing? You were the one who wanted me to come straight home.”

  Mia played with the folds of her dress. “I know that. But seeing how much you love him, it softens my feeling toward him. If you feel so strongly about him, he can’t be as terrible as I thought.”

  “He’s not. He actually was for a long time, but when he became the viscount, he made a decision to reform.”

  Mia smiled. “That speaks highly of him.” She frowned for a moment. “I thought you were in love with Jonathon? And where is he in all of this?”

  Tia explained what had happened with Jonathon over the past few weeks. And Braden’s decision to return to the estate at week’s end. The only thing she left out was how Emily fit in to this dreadful mess.

  “So if you weren’t in love with Jonathon, why did you run after him?” Mia asked.

  “He’s eating opium, Mia. When he was at the estate, he admitted to me what he’d been doing and that he hadn’t touched it in over three months. After he returned to London, I assumed it was because the craving for it had come back. I wanted to help him.”

  Mia covered her mouth. “That is part of why we are here.”

  “Because of Jonathon?”

  “No, Hart’s brother, Charlie, is having the same issue. We brought him to Dr. Simmons for treatment.”

  “That is what I had hoped to do for Jonathon. But we cannot seem to find him.” Tia sighed. “Was Charlie receptive to the idea of treatment?”

  “Not at first,” Mia replied, explaining all that had happened at Hart’s estate. “Once he saw what had happened to me, he was repentant.”

  “I do hope the physician can help him.”

  “I hope you can find Jonathon. Poor Charlie had become almost mad with the addiction.”

  Tia worried her lower lip. Jonathon’s actions of the past few weeks were definitely showing the signs of a man with an opium issue. If only she could have seen him last night. She could have questioned him about his symptoms. Perhaps once she’d pointed out all that she noticed, Jonathon would see reason.

  Tia shook her head. Anyone who had gone down such a horrible path rarely saw their opium use as an issue. They always had control of the problem, or so they said. She highly doubted Jonathon would be any different.

  And if he didn’t want to be found, he would hide out until Braden returned to the Midlands.

  Chapter 21

  “Glad to see everything worked out so well for you, Hart,” Braden said, leaning back against a chair in the library.

  “Well, it took long enough,” Hart replied with a laugh. He sobered quickly. “Seriously, I want to help you out any way I can.”

  “There is a lot I didn’t say in the salon.” Braden wished it was a little later in the day. A little brandy might make telling Hart this easier. “Emily is with child.”

  “Yours?”

  “No, things never progressed to that point with us. She’s not sure if it’s Jonathon’s or Eldridge’s child. But I know she was with Jonathon last night at the Edmondsons’ party. I saw her leaving a bedchamber. She admitted afterward that Jonathon had been upstairs.”

  “And I take it by the time you went upstairs, he was gone.”

  “Exactly,” Braden said. “He took a risk to see her there, knowing I might be in attendance. It makes no sense.”

  Hart laughed. “Of course it does. The boy is in love with her. You should be able to understand that. You barely took your eyes off Miss Featherstone while we were in the salon.”

  “Perhaps, but Miss Featherstone is not married to an earl.”

  “The former Miss Featherstone is,” Hart said with a chuckle. “I apologize. I’m still a little thrilled that she is finally my wife.” Hart looked over at him. “If Eldridge discovers what happened, he may call out Jonathon.”

  Braden tilted his head back. He hadn’t even thought of that possibility. “You are right about that. Mistress or not, Eldridge will not want anyone to know he was being cuckolded.”

  “Have you confronted Lady Eldridge on where Jonathon is staying?”

  “No.”

  “I believe the both of us should pay a call on her today,” Hart said.

  Nelson knocked and then entered the library. “We have set out a lovely breakfast for you and your callers, my lord.”

  “Thank you, Nelson.” Braden rose and turned to Hart. “Shall we go discover if the sisters have killed each other yet?”

  “I haven’t even heard any shouting.” Hart stood. “Which, as I think about it, is probably not a good sign. They may be planning some way to get into trouble.”

  “Mia too?”

  “I will tell you all about that over drinks one night. I have a feeling we can commiserate with each other.”

  Braden shook his head. “If she is anything like her sister, I do feel sorry for you already. I had to literally drag her out of Whitechapel.”

  Hart laughed as they headed out of the library to the breakfast room. “We are both in for a wild marriage.”

  “Assuming I can even get Tia to the altar,” Braden added.

  Hart laughed. “I told Mia it was for her own safety.”

  Braden stopped walking and scowled. “Tia might be safer alone than with me right now.”

  “You seriously think that maid tried to poison you?”

  “Do you have any other ideas on how that belladonna got in my brandy? Tia told me it had come from her bag. Then Mary disappears.”

  Hart shrugged. “Poisoning is a woman’s method of killing. But you didn’t know her, so who hired her to do it? I doubt she just decided to join your household staff and murder you.”

  “That’s what I want to know, but no one has seen her. I spoke with Alistair and he seemed genuinely upset by everything. I just don’t think it was him.” Or maybe Braden was losing his touch at knowing when a person was lying to him.

  “Well, he should be upset if it wasn’t him. After you and Jonathon, he’s next in line.”

  “True, indeed.”

  “What is so important about this title that has people killing over it?” Hart asked. “It makes no sense to me. Was it well-off?”

  “The estate is slightly profitable, but scarcely worth killing over. But we can finish this discussion later.” He nodded to the ladies walking out of the salon.

  Tia had a large smile on her face that warmed him. He was glad her reunion with her sister went better than she’d expected. But he did wonder what they had been plotting.

  Once they were all seated, the footmen served them a fine breakfast of ham, eggs, sausage, bacon, kippers, rolls, coffee, and tea. Braden’s stomach rumbled as he smelled the aromas in the room. “Thank Mrs. Abbott and Cook for arranging this on such short notice.”

  Mr. Nelson nodded.

  “So I am assuming you two would like to spend the day together,” Braden said to Tia and her sister.

  “You don’t mind, do you?” Tia said with a smile. “It has been weeks since we’ve had any time together.”

  “Of course not.” Braden felt a rush of relief through his body. Now, she wouldn’t insist on going with him to Emily’s. “Hart and I are going to search an area of town for Jonathon. It is not a good area, so I would prefer you stayed with the countess.”

  “The countess?” Mia said with a laugh. “You are going to be my brother-in-law. Please call me Mia.”

  “Thank you, Mia,” Braden said before staring at Tia. “But am I to be your brother-in-law? I have not heard anything to be certain.”

  “Give her time, Middleton,” Mia replied with a smile.

  As breakfast finished, Braden ordered a coach, allowing the women to use Hart’s if they wanted to go out. Before leaving, he did ask them to take an armed footman shou
ld they decide to go anywhere.

  Hart and Braden arrived at Emily’s home just past eleven. It was early for morning calls, but Braden didn’t care. He would prefer no one discovered he and Hart were here. By now, hopefully Eldridge would be at the club or riding through Hyde Park.

  Hart gave his card to the butler at the door and they were welcomed into a small salon. It took Emily twenty minutes before she finally arrived at the threshold of the salon and then she stopped.

  “Middleton, I was not told you were here,” she muttered.

  “You know why I am here,” he replied.

  “Yes, but not why the earl is with you. And congratulations on your marriage, my lord. I would love to meet your wife.”

  “Thank you. You have already met her sister. In fact, you know her quite well,” Hart said with a slight grin.

  “I have?” She entered the room hesitantly, choosing the chair closest to the door.

  “Yes. Miss Featherstone is my wife’s twin sister. Though, they look nothing alike,” Hart added.

  Emily’s face went pale. “Tia is your wife’s sister?”

  “Yes, she is.” Braden said no more as a footman brought in tea. Once he left, Braden continued, “But we are not here about the women. I want to know where Jonathon is, Emily.”

  Emily stared at her hands as color blotched her cheeks. “He doesn’t want to see you yet.”

  “What do you mean by yet?” Braden demanded.

  “He said he can’t see you until he figures something out.” She looked up at him. “I swear I am telling you the truth. He wouldn’t tell me why.”

  “Emily, my brother has a problem. He needs help. That is the only reason I am trying to find him.”

  Emily pressed her lips together as if mulling that over. Finally, she said, “He told me about the opium. He also told me he hasn’t had any in months. But he believes you are trying to lock him in Bedlam.”

  “No. I want to speak with him. If he needs help we will get it for him, but I would never lock him in Bedlam.”

  “I will let him know that,” Emily said.

  “How are you meeting him?” Braden asked softly so no servants would hear.

  “He writes coded letters to me, claiming to be my ill aunt. Eldridge has even read them and believes they are from a woman.”

  Braden sighed. If she were telling the truth, then once more they had clues to follow. “You are taking quite a risk to see him. If Eldridge discovers you are cuckolding him, you put my brother’s life in jeopardy.”

  Emily stared at him with cold blue eyes. “My husband is not about to discover anything. Most of the time he is too busy with his latest mistress to care what I am about. And you will not tell him because if you do, Tia will find out about us. I’m assuming you haven’t told her, have you?”

  Heat scorched his cheeks. “No, I have not.”

  Hart shook his head. “What a mess you two have made.”

  Braden still didn’t understand one thing. “Before we go, I have one question, Emily. Why did you send me the note regarding Lady Whitfield’s ball? You could only have meant for me to find Miss Featherstone.”

  A slow smile lifted her lips. “Because I knew that while I was not the right woman for a man like you, Middleton, Tia certainly is that woman. I just never expected you to scandalize her by kissing her on the dance floor.”

  “You did what?” Hart asked

  “He ruined her,” Emily asserted. “He truly should marry the girl.”

  “I have asked her!” Braden said with another shot of frustration. “She is the one who hasn’t agreed to marry me yet.”

  “Perhaps she doesn’t believe that you love her,” Emily said with a tilt of her head.

  Braden looked away from her prying gaze. The two women to whom he’d spoken words of love had rejected him. It was foolish to think Tia was any different, but a part of him wanted that more than anything in the world. Tia had told him that she loved him, but he had put that off to their lovemaking. Women always wanted to be in love when they let a man have them.

  “My lady, Lady Bunworth and Miss Tavers are here,” the butler announced. “Shall I escort them in?”

  “We should take our leave now,” Hart said as he stood. “Good day, Lady Eldridge.”

  “Good day, my lord.”

  Braden rose just as his cousins entered the room. Lady Bunworth released a slight gasp while Miss Tavers smiled at them both. “Good day, Lady Eldridge.” He gave a quick bow. “Good day, cousins.”

  Constance glanced between them both with a puzzled look upon her face. “Good day, my lords.” She turned her attention on Hart. “Lord Hartsfield, how fortunate to see you here. I was . . . was hoping I could speak to you about an urgent matter in private. Middleton, I shall see that Hart is returned to his home.”

  How odd that Constance would need to speak with Hart when he so rarely went to town and had only arrived yesterday.

  “That is fine, Lady Bunworth.” Hart turned to him. “I shall just walk home once we are finished here. Can you make sure Mia returns home safely?”

  “Of course,” Braden said with a bow to the ladies. “Good day, ladies.”

  Braden left the house, still bewildered by what Constance would need to talk with Hart about. He walked to the carriage, only to find his driver gone.

  “Sorry, milord, I’m coming,” a voice called from behind him.

  “Where have you been?”

  “I saw a man I knew from my last position. We were catching each other up on things.”

  “Very good,” Braden said with a smile. “I would like to return home now.”

  “Will the earl be joining you?”

  “No.” Braden climbed up into the carriage. As they drove down the street, he resolved to have Emily Eldridge followed by a runner. If she met Jonathon again, the runner would intervene and bring his brother home. That settled in his mind, he sat slight forward, eager to return to the house. It was time to court the woman living under his roof.

  But as the carriage hit a rut, Braden heard a loud crack and braced himself for the accident. The wheel broke loose from the coach, tipping the coach to the right before crashing to the ground. He felt his head hit the side and then everything went black.

  “Mia! Get down here this instant!” Hart’s voice boomed through the hall as he held Middleton’s limp body in his arms.

  “What is going on?” Tia said, jumping to her feet. She ran out of the salon and stopped in disbelief. “No!”

  Mia pushed passed her sister. “What is wrong—Simon, bring him up to his lordship’s room. Nelson, get the housekeeper to boil water. Tia, where is your bag?”

  Tia barely heard her sister. She could only stare at Braden’s body. He looked limp and blood dripped from his head.

  “Tia!” Mia shouted.

  She blinked and looked at her sister. “Not again. I can’t go through this again.”

  “Where is your bag?”

  “In my room,” she answered.

  “Where is your room?” Mia yelled.

  “Upstairs, of course.”

  “God help me.” Mia grabbed her arm and yanked her toward the staircase. “I don’t know this house—show me.”

  Tia followed her sister in a daze. She couldn’t lose him. She couldn’t.

  “Which room?” Mia asked as they reached the top step.

  “Here.” Tia opened the door to her bedchamber.

  Mia seized the satchel and raced out of the room. “Where is Middleton’s room?”

  “In here, Mia,” Hart’s voice shouted from Middleton’s room.

  “I was going to show you,” Tia said softly. She followed her sister into Braden’s bedchamber. The love of her life lay lifeless on the bed. She couldn’t comprehend what was happening.

  “What is wrong with your sister?”

  “Shock,” Mia replied.

  “What can I do to help?” Hart asked.

  “Get her a brandy and a seat before I have a second patient to att
end to and this one is enough.”

  Hart poured a brandy and forced Tia to sit on the chair. “Sit, Miss Featherstone. Middleton will be all right.”

  She wanted to believe that, but couldn’t. Hart pressed a brandy into her hands. Without a thought, she drank it. Nelson and Mrs. Abbott raced into the room.

  “What is going on?” Mrs. Abbott demanded.

  “Take care of Miss Featherstone,” Hart replied. “My wife is helping his lordship.”

  “But Miss Featherstone should be helping him. She is the wise woman,” Mrs. Abbott said with her arms on her hips. “She saved him twice since she’s been here.”

  “It is my turn now, Mrs. Abbott,” Mia said in a stern tone. “I am Tia’s sister and also a wise woman. My sister is in shock. Please get her a blanket or shawl and cover her. Make her drink that brandy.”

  Tia watched Mrs. Abbott’s head nod up and down. She felt as if she was in a dream, watching the scene unfold before her from a great distance. The housekeeper sat next to her, then forced the glass of brandy to Tia’s lips. She sipped a little down, savoring the warmth it created in her belly. Mrs. Abbott then removed the glass from Tia’s hand and slapped her across the cheek.

  Tia’s head hit the back of the chair. “What the bloody hell are you doing?”

  “Forcing you out of your daze,” Mrs. Abbott said. “I trust you with his lordship. I don’t know if your sister is a good wise woman, but I know you are. Now get over there and take care of him.”

  Feeling like she’d been scolded by her mother, Tia hung her head as she walked to the bed.

  Mia smiled over at her. “I actually didn’t suggest that, but I am quite happy she did it.”

  “Do be quiet.” Tia examined his head, putting aside her feelings for him as she scrutinized his injury.

  “The cut isn’t terrible, but could probably use two stitches. Do you want me to do sew him up?” Mia asked.

  “No,” Tia replied. “If he’s going to have a scar on his head, it will be from me.”

  Hart chuckled in the background. “Other than the cut to his hard head, how is he?”

  “He will be all right,” Mia said to her husband. “If he survived boxing with you, he has to have a hard head.”