by Merry Farmer
“So you’re not Church of England approved or anything?” Lord Malcolm seemed even more surprised.
“God’s love knows no boundaries of creed, my lord,” Linus’s father explained while Linus fought not to wince at what he knew would come next. “I have never had a parish in the traditional sense, but I have shepherded my own community, built my own society, attempted to create a heaven on earth, as it were.” He slapped a hand on Linus’s back. “My astounding son here is a product of such a community.”
There it was. Linus grimaced as his father so glibly divulged the secret he’d fought so hard for so long to keep quiet.
Lord Malcolm’s incredulity had grown to such a degree that Linus didn’t even bother to tell himself he still had a chance to win Natalia’s hand. “You are a product of a religious community?” he asked, his eyebrows nearly disappearing into his hairline.
“He is, my lord,” Linus’s father answered for him once again. “My dear Linus is a shining example of what God’s love can create when it is left unfettered.”
Love was the furthest thing from Linus’s mind in that moment. There was no recovering from a revelation like that. He could already see the avalanche of questions in Lord Malcolm’s eyes.
Sure enough, Lord Malcolm shifted his weight, staring from Linus to his father. “Do you mean to tell me that you were born into one of these bizarre religious cults that have been sprouting up like weeds all across England?”
Linus’s shoulders sagged and he let out a breath in defeat. “In a manner of speaking, yes.”
“My community was not a cult,” his father instantly protested. “We were a society of likeminded individuals, dedicated to God and to each other. We were not afraid to express our love for God and creation, as so many who follow what they think is a righteous path are.”
Linus hadn’t thought Lord Malcolm could look any more surprised or put out. He stared at Linus with a completely flabbergasted look. All he managed to say was, “Well.”
Linus stared back at him, hopelessness descending on him. He loved Natalia with his whole heart, but the possibility of marrying her and settling into the sort of normal life that he’d never had felt more distant by the second.
“And you still intend to press your suit after this?” Lord Malcolm asked him.
Linus hesitated. Damn his father for waltzing back into his life at the exact wrong time. But behind that frustration lay the single, solid truth that he loved Natalia. He would do anything for her, risk anything for her. Even impossible odds.
“Yes,” he said at last. “I love Natalia, and I will marry her.”
“Love is the most powerful force in the world,” his father said, making the awkward confrontation even stranger.
Lord Malcolm glanced to Linus’s father with one eyebrow raised, then turned back to Linus. “You’re either exceptionally brave or unforgivably stupid,” he told Linus. “And I think you know my answer.”
“I do, my lord.” Linus hesitated. “But I’m not certain I can accept it. I don’t believe Natalia will accept it either.”
“Oh, she’ll have to,” Lord Malcolm said before turning and marching on his way.
Linus huffed out a breath and rubbed a hand over his face as he watched Lord Malcolm go. So much for standing up and making Natalia an honest woman.
“You did not tell me you were in love when we met the other day, son,” his father said, resting a hand on his shoulder.
Linus shrugged his hand off. “I believe I did.”
“You did not make a point of it,” his father continued. “Love is indeed a powerful force.” He paused, then went on with, “I take it your beloved comes from a respectable family?”
Linus turned to stare at his father. He knew exactly what the question actually meant. He was asking if Natalia had money. “Leave Natalia out of this, Father,” he said. “She’s too intelligent to be dragged into your games the way you dragged in so many.”
His father reacted with false affront. “I don’t know what you mean, son. Every one of the ladies that joined our community, even your dear mother, all of my wives, joined us of their own free will. We were merely blessed that they brought their inheritances into the fold with them.”
Disgust rippled through Linus. “I figured out your game when I was fourteen-years-old, Father, and I wanted no part of it. I still want no part of it.”
“But, son—”
“Leave me alone,” he said starting quickly away. “I have more important things to do with my life now.”
Like trying to figure out how he could possibly salvage himself and convince Lord Malcolm to let him marry Natalia after all.
Natalia felt as though she had gotten away with murder. Not only had no one questioned why she chose to stay the night at Campbell House instead of going home with her mother and Lord Malcolm after the ball, Cece had been delighted to lend her a nightgown and robe and to send a maid to Marlowe House in the morning for a change of clothes. No one questioned whether Natalia had slept alone or if anyone else had been in her bed. She supposed one of the benefits of being considered a sweet and innocent soul was that no one suspected a thing when she behaved badly.
Of course, her penance for being naughty arrived the next morning along with her change of clothes. She washed and dressed and made her way downstairs, expecting a lovely bit of tea and a quiet corner to read in before making her way home. What she found was her mother and Cece in one of the formal parlors, entertaining the odious Lady Darlington and her odd daughter, Lady Phoebe.
“Natalia, there you are.” Her mother spotted her in the hall and waved her in before Natalia could do anything to get out of the call. “Do come and say hello to Lady Darlington and Lady Phoebe.”
Trying not to wince, Natalia made her way into the room. “Good morning, Lady Darlington, Lady Phoebe,” she said with as polite a curtsy as she could muster.
“This is your youngest?” Lady Darlington asked Natalia’s mother in a somber tone.
“Yes,” Natalia’s mother answered with a false smile.
Lady Darlington raised a lorgnette to her eyes and stared at Natalia with a “Hmph.” The woman was dressed in widow’s weeds, which did nothing to soften her sallow complexion. She had a mean face and narrow eyes, and even though everyone in London knew that her recently-deceased husband had left her little more than a mountain of gambling and other illicit debts at his passing—not to mention a heaping amount of scandal and shame about how those debts had been accrued—Lady Darlington always presented herself as though she were the Empress of India and China combined. That, Natalia supposed, was why nobody liked the woman.
And by association, as far as Natalia knew, nobody liked Lady Phoebe either. Though Natalia wasn’t sure why. Lady Phoebe might have been pretty, if she’d been allowed to be. She sat on a sofa all by herself, hands clasped in front of her, glancing down at the floor, completely silent. She, too, wore black mourning, and it suited her even less than it suited her mother. Natalia couldn’t remember if there was anything specifically wrong with Lady Phoebe, she just knew that her friends disliked the young woman and refused to let her be a part of their circle.
All the same, Natalia crossed the room and sat by Lady Phoebe’s side with a slightly less formal, “Hello.”
Lady Phoebe peeked up at her, as though surprised anyone had noticed her there at all, let alone spoke to her. “Good morning.”
“As I was saying,” Lady Darlington said in too loud a voice. “The Conservative victory is a blessing for this country, and you would do well, Lady Campbell, to embrace it.”
“Oh, dear Lord,” Natalia sighed under her breath before she could stop herself.
Lady Phoebe sent her a look as if to say she had no idea.
“Lady Darlington,” Natalia’s mother said with the barest minimum of patience. “You are aware that my husband and I are staunch supporters of the Liberal Party.”
“I can’t imagine why,” Lady Darlington said, as though personal
ly offended. “A party that threatens the very order of things.” She sniffed and tilted her chin up. “It is immoral. Why, if I were you—”
“I enjoyed the ball last night,” Natalia blurted, hoping she could spare her family the fight that was brewing. “Didn’t you enjoy it, Lady Phoebe?”
Lady Phoebe’s cheeks burned bright pink and she looked down at her clenched hands.
“What ball?” Lady Darlington asked.
Natalia winced. Cece—who was most definitely trying to pretend she wasn’t actually there for the dreaded visit—shook her head at Natalia, eyes wide. Lady Darlington and Lady Phoebe clearly hadn’t been invited to the ball.
“This has been a delightful call, Lady Darlington,” Natalia’s mother said, standing. “But we have quite a bit to get done today.”
“I’m sorry you weren’t invited to the ball,” Natalia whispered to Lady Phoebe.
“It’s all right. I’m never invited,” Lady Phoebe whispered back.
Lady Darlington remained seated. “It was a Liberal Party conspiracy, no doubt,” she said.
Natalia’s mother was forced to sit again. “I can assure you, it was no such thing,” she said in a weary voice.
“Come this next session of Parliament,” Lady Darlington went on, “this country will see many vital changes. Life should be restored to the order it was ordained to follow.”
Natalia inched back in her seat, ready to hunker down and wait out the storm. She was surprised into not only sitting up, but standing entirely as Mr. Stewart appeared in the doorway with none other than Linus right behind him.
“Dr. Townsend wishes to have a word with Lady Natalia, my lady,” Mr. Stewart said, glancing between Cece, the mistress of the house, and Natalia’s mother, the higher-ranking lady.
Natalia ignored all of it and broke away from lady Phoebe and the sofa to rush to Linus, hope brimming within her. Her blood raced in her veins as she reached him, clasped his arm with both hands, and asked, “Well?”
She searched his face and knew his answer before he said, “We should speak in private.”
Her heart sank.
It sank further when Lady Darlington exclaimed, “Good heavens, Lady Campbell. You would allow your youngest daughter to speak so familiarly with a mere doctor?”
Natalia’s mother stood. “No, in fact, I would not,” she said. She started across the room to join Natalia and Linus.
“Mama, Dr. Townsend has something important to tell me,” Natalia huffed. “Please allow him to do that, at least.”
Natalia’s mother came to a stop, staring hard at Linus. “What do you have to say, Dr. Townsend?”
A chill went down Natalia’s spine at the look Linus gave her mother. He glanced past her, though, noticing Lady Darlington and Lady Phoebe. He cleared his throat and said, “Perhaps this should wait until another time.”
“Just say whatever it is you have to say,” Natalia begged him.
“This is highly improper,” Lady Darlington protested.
“For once, I agree with you, Lady Darlington,” Natalia’s mother said. “Though I will venture a guess and say a certain question was asked, perhaps of my husband, and a certain answer was given?”
Natalia didn’t need to hear Linus say anything to know that was exactly what had happened. “It’s not fair,” she said, stomping her foot in frustration.
“There’s slightly more to it than that,” Linus said in a low voice. The look he sent her said he desperately needed to speak to her alone.
The look Natalia’s mother gave both of them shouted that there was no way that was going to happen. “I trust you will leave the matter as it is now?” she asked.
Natalia answered with a quick, “Certainly not. I refuse to allow you and Lord Malcolm to control my destiny when I know full well what I wish it to be.”
Natalia had just enough of a view of Lady Phoebe to see the young woman’s expression of shock at the drama unfolding in front of her. Natalia’s mother seemed to be highly aware of their company as well.
But it was Cece who stood at last and said, “Perhaps we should finish our call first and discuss family matters afterwards.”
“Yes,” Natalia’s mother agreed. “Natalia?” She stepped back toward the cluster of chairs and sofas, gesturing for Natalia to come with her.
Natalia looked desperately to Linus for help.
“They’re right,” Linus said, letting out a breath. “We’ll talk about this later.”
“It’s not fair,” Natalia told him, though what she really wanted to say was that she would not let the decision stand as it had been made. “We will meet later to find a way around this,” she whispered before putting on the mantle of a dutiful daughter and returning to the sofa where Lady Phoebe sat.
She glanced over her shoulder at Linus in time to see him nod awkwardly to Lady Darlington and Lady Phoebe. He then met Natalia’s eyes. Something in his expression filled her with dread. She’d always known it would be an uphill battle to marry him, but she’d had no idea how much of a challenge that battle would be.
Chapter 6
Natalia was up to something. Linus knew that as certainly as he knew he loved her. She hadn’t taken the news of Lord Malcolm’s refusal to let them wed as hard as he thought she would, which meant that she hadn’t accepted no as an answer. Knowing that, he spent the next few days walking on eggshells. He knew her well enough to know she would attempt some grand gesture to convince the world they were meant to be together.
“Don’t you believe we are meant to be together?” she asked him outright when he challenged her as they strolled through Hyde Park a few days later.
“Of course, I do, my love,” he said, his whole heart aching for her. “I wouldn’t risk your mother and Lord Malcolm’s wrath by escorting you on a walk through this very public park if I didn’t think our stories would inevitably end up as the same story.”
“Then why that doubting look?” She sent him a disapproving, sideways look before glancing the other way to smile proudly at some society matron.
Linus sighed and rubbed his free hand over his face. “It’s not that I think we are doomed to be star-crossed lovers, forever separated from each other by class and family. I firmly believe that class is a thing of the past and love trumps birth.”
“How very modern and progressive of you,” Natalia beamed. She turned that victorious smile on a pair of young ladies of her own class. They all exchanged nods, proving to Linus that they knew each other and Natalia was showing him off.
“I do consider myself modern and progressive,” he continued. “But I am also a practical man of science. That practical part of me says that it will take time to persuade your family that this is the right match for you. Especially after….”
When he didn’t go on, Natalia turned a curious frown on him. “After what?”
Linus sent her a guilty look. “Let’s just say that a complication has arisen. But I’m handling it,” he rushed to add before she could comment.
He was trying to handle the embarrassment of his father, though that was difficult to do when he didn’t even know where the man was staying in London. As far as he’d been able to discover, his father had been spotted several times in various parks and notable locations throughout the city, preaching about love and community. Linus had also been able to glean that his father was using the same techniques he’d always used to gather followers. He was preying on impressionable women of wealth and status—women who had experienced emotional neglect by their families and who were receptive to a message that they were entitled to experience the fullness of love as part of a community.
In the past, his father’s personal charm and magnetism had lured countless heiresses to his community and to his bed. Linus’s own mother was one of them. His father was older now, but he still had his old charm. What worried Linus after his encounter with his father the other day was that the old man needed new, younger blood, needed him, to play the role of seducer for his cause. The ver
y idea was abhorrent to him.
He shook himself and dragged his thoughts back to Natalia. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a physician, it’s that the old saying ‘time heals all wounds’ is perfectly accurate. Time will heal this problem as well.”
“What if I don’t have time?” Natalia asked, her back straight and her expression bold as they approached a small crowd that was gathered to listen to a woman in fine clothes addressing them. “I want to be your wife now,” she said with a saucy tilt of her chin. “I want to be by your side in your rise to greatness.”
Linus laughed, his heart warming. “Your faith in me is astounding, my dear.”
“My faith in you is only natural,” she said, her smile growing as she hugged his arm. “And I intend to prove that the rest of the world should have faith in you as well.”
She let go of his arm only to grab his hand and tug him forward toward the woman speaking to the crowd. As they drew closer, Linus recognized the woman as the American heiress, Miss Lenore Garrett, who had become part of Fergus and Henrietta’s friend group. The group were all his friends by extension, in spite of being above him. Sure enough, several of them, including Fergus and Henrietta, were there watching the speech. Not only them, but Lord Malcolm, Lady Katya, and some of their friends as well, including Mr. Mercer.
Linus’s heart dropped to his gut. This was it. This was what Natalia had planned to advance the cause of their marriage. He’d walked into something without knowing what it was.
“I’m not sure this is the best idea,” he whispered to Natalia as she blissfully drew him on.
“It’s the perfect scheme,” she replied over her shoulder, her eyes shining with mischief. “My mother and Lord Malcolm are a captive audience.”
“Captive audience for what?” Linus’s sense of impending doom deepened as they ducked and dodged their way through the curious crowd, heading for the dais.
“Why, for you to make a marvelous speech about your medical innovations,” Natalia told him, as though it were the most obvious thing ever. “And if you’re clever, which I know you are, you can appeal for donations to help develop your advances. I’m certain everyone here will give abundantly. Once they do, you will have proved to Mama and Lord Malcolm that your financial future is as secure as your future reputation. They won’t be able to help but agree to our marriage. And that awful Mr. Mercer will give me up as a lost cause and go bother some other unfortunate woman.”
