Once Upon an Earl_Heirs of High Society_A Regency Romance Book

by Eleanor Meyers

  Samantha looked back at him and from the side, he saw her touch her heart again.

  He touched his own and continued to do so, until she vanished.

  “Have you captured the heart of yet another woman?”

  Nash turned to look at Manas McKay, Lord Iverstone’s youngest son. His dark eyes were watchful as they stared at him.

  “No, it’s my heart that’s been captured,” Nash confessed as they walked out the door. He ignored the shouts of his name. He didn’t wish to speak to anyone. There was so much to think about, especially where Samantha was concerned.

  “You’ve fallen for Lady Coburn?” Manas chuckled. “Why am I not surprised that you didn’t choose a more conventional woman?”

  Nash turned to him. “The rumors are false.”

  Manas lifted his hands in surrender. “I didn’t mean to imply they were true, and many of us are inclined to believe them false. There’s been a betting pool to see which lord could get her in bed first.”

  Nash stepped toward him, his fist tightened.

  “All have lost,” Manas went on. “Nearly a hundred lords, and it seems no man has been able to capture her for over six months. All but unheard of, even if she wasn’t ruined. A lady with that much attention should have fallen for someone by now.”

  Nash understood what his friend was saying. “End the pool.”

  “You know the only one that can stop this sort of game to be Lord Coburn. She must either choose a man to live with, or find one willing to marry her.”

  And she’d have a far better chance at happiness than with him. How many women would wish to be married to a man that society looked down upon? All the lords had witnessed Nash’s arrest and whether it had been justified didn’t matter. He’d been chained, and Society would remember.

  He looked up when a carriage came into view, the crest memorized by heart, because he’d helped create it.

  He turned to Manas. “Thank your father and brothers for me and thank you for your support.”

  “Always,” Manas said. The carriage barely stopped before the door opened, and Nash climbed in.

  It was Reuben’s carriage, but his brother wasn’t the only one inside. It seemed the entire family was present. Chris on one side with Alexandra. Rose and Reuben on the other. They squeezed together, used to doing so since they were children.

  “I heard you were arrested!” Rose said with wide blue eyes. “Are you all right?”

  “You’ll stay with me,” Reuben said. “Now that Lord Brandell knows you’re after him, he will become aggressive in seeing to your end.”

  Nash looked around and when neither Alex or Rose seemed surprised by the words, he turned to Reuben. “They know?”

  “I can’t believe they hadn’t told us before,” Rose’s entire body tightened, her blond curls shaking with the motion. “You’re the Earl of Brandell?”

  “I’m not!” Nash shouted. “Lord Brandell will never be fool enough to make that information known, and with Mr. Reed’s arrest pending, he’s no one else to speak to about it in private. There’s no way to catch him.” And at the moment, he was almost thankful for that. He wanted to do away with everything connected with Society. He wanted to run from the silk, crystal, diamonds, the finer and extravagant trappings that defined the Beau Monde. He wanted to leave and never look back.

  And he wanted to take Samantha with him.

  But she didn’t want to leave this world behind. She wanted her father’s approval. She wanted to be recognized as a lady, her reputation restored, and that would never happen with him.

  He leaned forward and hung his head in his hands, wondering what he’d been thinking to attempt courting a woman who was so far out of his reach. His family fought around him. There was shouting. Disagreement. Some laughter from those who tried to make the day’s tragedy seem less significant than it had been.

  He smiled for a moment, more than glad to have these people in his life, surrounding him with their noise and love. The smile faded when Christmas spoke.

  “We could tell your mother the truth. She can confront Lord Brandell herself.”

  Nash straightened. “Absolutely not. I don’t want her anywhere near that man again.”

  Chris’s blank expression didn’t change. “You may not have a choice in that, if we can’t find a way to put Lord Brandell away. He’s an earl. Who will stop him from seeing his brother’s wife?”

  No one.

  Christmas went on. “Who will stop him from hurting her in private for her involvement in all of this?”

  Nash slammed his fist against the carriage wall. “Enough! I’m returning to my original plan.”

  There was silence.

  Alex said, “Since most of your plans in the past have included violence I would think this plan not a very good one.”

  Rose gasped and grabbed Nash’s shoulders. “You can’t. Do you want to go back to Newgate?”

  “He won’t go to Newgate if he kills an earl,” Reuben said in a hard tone. “And not even Lord Iverstone has enough power to unravel the hangman’s noose.”

  Nash turned away and said nothing.

  “We’ll find a way,” Christmas said. “Trust us and don’t do anything you’ll regret.”

  Nash’s list of regrets was already rather long. Perhaps his brothers were right. He shook his head. “What shall I do while I wait for another grand plan?”

  The carriage came to a stop.

  Christmas turned to the door, but his eyes were on Nash. “I want you do the hardest thing you’ve ever done in your life. Absolutely nothing.”

  * * *

  27

  CHAPTER

  TWENTY-SEVEN

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  Samantha looked out over Lord Selby’s garden, and then returned her eyes to her drawing. She’s made few changes since its original design, but it seemed she’d spent hours staring out beyond the back terrace into the quiet hues of the simple garden. It was evening. The sun was setting, and she’d been outside since sunrise.

  Three days had passed since Lord Selby had been found, and Nash had yet to visit. She’d waited anxiously that first day and even more so on the second. Now, she was more worried than ever, believing him to be hurt, or perhaps the courts had found other reasons to arrest him.

  But with those thoughts came another, not as terrible as the first, but no less destructive to her heart.

  He’d changed his mind. She wasn’t sure what had taken place before she arrived at the government building, but there had been so much anger in Nash that she now thought she shouldn’t have left him alone. No woman in love with a man would have left, and she was very much in love. She’d touched her heart and he’d returned the gesture, but what if he’d meant something else?

  A part of her had started to hope he’d been arrested. How dare he not write her a letter! Or send word that he was all right. He had all those men. He could have sent one with a simple message. There was no need to make the missive long, just long enough to tell her what was important.

  Was she important to him? Did he make it a habit of proposing to women? What did she truly know about him anyway? He’d been arrested. What if he was married?

  She sat down at the table and ran her fingers through the front of her hair and then shook her head. “No, he’d not have lied about that,” she whispered to herself. What she was sure of was Nash’s goodness. He was a kind giant of a man, and she desperately wanted to be with him.

  The only other person who seemed to worry was Lady Brandell. She’d tried to slip out of the house a few times, but Lord Selby had always been there to stop her.

  Mr. Reed had yet to be found, and since he was responsible for both her husband and her sister-in-law’s death, it was unwise for any of the women to leave.

  And Lord Selby didn’t leave, either. He sent a few footmen to inquire to things on his behalf, but little more. A few of his friends
came to visit. The Duke of Brayton had been among them. When he’d leered at her, she’d been surprised that Lord Selby had given him a disapproving look. He’d never defended her before. She decided his change came from what the papers had printed.

  Samantha, along with Lady Brandell, Lady Selby, and Nash had all been praised for their heroics at working to find Lord Selby. The story had been on the front page for the last three mornings, and had been the only bright spot in Sam’s life.

  He was a hero, but without stepping outside, she had no idea how it affected her standing in society.

  She had, however, received word from her father. He was set to arrive today. His letter hadn’t including how he felt about what he’d read in the papers, and that worried her. Karl had also visited. He’d made her laugh, and acted as though the last few weeks of their life had never happened. He’d asked after Nash once, but at her cold response, he’d left the matter alone. She’d been saddened when he’d left, but Karl’s social calendar was endless.

  The blackest moments of Samantha’s day came when Lord Brandell tried to visit. Selby was there to turn him away at the door, but still the man persisted. He’d spoken to Lady Brandell once and even Samantha through the door.

  “I didn’t know you enjoyed designing gardens.”

  She turned around to find Lord Selby standing by the door, casually leaning against the wall. His presence and stance surprised her. He was so different from before. Before his kidnapping he never sought her presence. He never stared at her as he did now. He never cared for the things she did.

  Now, none of that was the case.

  She smiled brightly at him. “I was very close to my family’s gardener and spent much of my time with him.”

  Something flickered in his eyes. “You spent time with your gardener alone?”

  She stilled and prayed he was not insinuating what she believed him to be. “He was a very kind man and I was a child who’d just lost her mother, and whose father was away most of the year. I was alone. Is that how you would have me to be?”

  His eyes widened. He was likely not used to being spoken to this way, especially by her. She supposed they’d both have to get used to one another. “I apologize.”

  She turned away. “Your mother said the gardeners would be arriving with the supplies in a week or so. I’m very anxious to begin this project and enjoy the quiet to get it done.” And with that, she pretended to make more adjustments to her paper, hoping her words were dismissive without seeming so.

  He came and sat in the same chair that Nash had occupied, only a week ago. It seemed like a lifetime had passed since that day on the terrace when they’d broken their fast together.

  And then he’d kissed her. It was the best kiss she’d ever had in her life. Even now, his hard scent and the feel of his lips and hands flowed from her mind to her senses.

  “I’ve offended you,” Selby said, breaking into one of the happiest thoughts she’d had all morning.

  She looked at him and thought she liked him better with the beard. He’d almost seemed dangerous with it, like a sea captain or a pirate. She wondered what he would think if she told him that. He was likely to think she was trying to charm him, so she kept it to herself. Though she’d enjoyed Selby’s company these last few days, she’d worked very hard at trying to make him forget the embarrassing moment when she’d wrapped herself around him at Mrs. Weston’s house. His comment about her family gardener made it clear he still believed in the rumors about her reputation, and she’d all but proven herself a wanton, when she’d touched his face.

  “Thank you, Lord Selby, for giving us shelter until this situation with Mr. Reed and Lord Brandell is put to rest. I am grateful for your kindness as is the dowager, I’m sure.”

  His gray eyes didn’t change from their intentness. “Just because I’m kind in one area, doesn’t give me the right to be discourteous in another. I offended you and I’m sorry.”

  She put her pen down and turned to him. “I forgive you.” She held his eyes, hoping he would see that she meant her words and then leave.

  She stilled when his hand reached out and touched the arm of her chair. It was so close to her.

  “Lady Samantha.” He looked away and sighed. Then the turned to her and said, “I’ve been trying to think of a way to show my gratitude for your sacrifice in getting the address to the inn that led to me being found.”

  Sam straightened her shoulders. “It was no sacrifice. Lord Brandell gave it to me in the hopes that I would keep him informed on what was taking place in London. Nothing more.” Though there was a world of more.

  “And he gave you this in exchange for what, if I might ask?”

  Samantha closed her eyes and sighed. “He promised to marry me and restore my reputation if I did as he asked.” When she opened her eyes, she found Selby to be staring at her in confusion.

  “He promised to make you a countess?”

  She nodded.

  “Is that what you want?” he asked.

  She frowned. “If I wanted to be a countess, I wouldn’t be here, Lord Selby. The only time Brandell had seen her on his visits, he said he’d come to keep his promise to her. She’d ignored him.

  “He’s a very wealthy man,” Selby said.

  “Well, there is more to life than wealth.”

  Their gazes kept.

  And then Selby shook his head slowly. “You’re not the woman I imagined you to be.”

  “I’m glad.” Though she truly doubted it. He’d yet to ask her about the rumors as though he didn’t wish to know the truth, when they obviously mattered. He continued to jump from one conclusion to another, and Samantha was at the point when she felt inclined to shout the truth loud enough for his ears to bleed.

  She stood. “I believe I’ll stroll around the gardens.”

  He stood and cleared his throat. “My lady, I…”

  She turned and stared at him, then narrowed her eyes. There was something strange about the way he was looking at her. She no longer thought him unattractive. He no longer walked around with a brooding look. Instead, he seemed years younger, just as a young viscount should.

  Selby straightened. “My lady, I would be honored if you accept my suit.”

  “Your suit?” She tilted her head.

  He frowned. “I wish to court you.”

  She kept her eyes on his face as her mind raced through every conversation they’d had since the day he’d been returned to Society. In all that time, had he begun to have any affection for her? He’d been attentive, but she’d thought nothing of it, and she’d been kind to him as well, because of what he’d been through. Then she recalled what he truly wished to do, find a way to repay her kindness to him.

  This was too much.

  But how did one turn down a proposal?

  He waited as she thought.

  “I…” She swallowed. “Thank you, Lord Selby, but this isn’t necessary. I understand you wish to reward me for my good deed, but I assure you that I am in need of nothing more than your friendship.” She smiled up at him, believing she’d done wonderfully.

  Selby gave her a shocked look once more. “You don’t wish to marry me?”

  That was a harder question to answer, but before she could, he went on, “My mother told me about the circumstances with your father. If you marry a lord, he’ll approve of the match and that is something that is important to you, his approval.” He lifted a brow in question.

  Samantha was stunned that he’d spoken to his mother about her. “Did your mother suggest we wed?”

  He shook her head. “No, I thought to propose on my own.” He seemed slightly embarrassed when he said, “Since the moment I saw you, I thought you the most beautiful woman in the world.”

  “Oh.” Her lips parted, and her heart began to beat as though a wild butterfly had taken charge. She pressed her hands to her chest to stay and get some control over it.

  “And then that morning I arrived at Mrs. Weston’s home. When you touched me…�
�� He looked down, but then his eyes found hers again. “I tried to stay away from you before that. I avoided you. I thought you unworthy of me.”

  “Oh.” The butterflies stopped immediately.

  “But now.” He took her hands and pressed them to his own chest as she seemed to struggle for words. “But now I know that there might not be a man worthy of you in all of London.”