The Earl That Overruled My Destiny

by Hanna Hamilton

  While she waited on her friend, Gwendoline twisted her fingers in the peach silk of her gown. Her eyes darted to the window, as if she expected some assailant to leap from the grounds and strike her.

  When Florence entered and took the vacant seat across from her, Gwendoline sighed in relief. Despite Lord Caspian’s warning that she trust no one but him, Gwendoline knew she could trust Florence, and her friend was clever. If Gwendoline had missed anything obvious, she trusted that Florence would know what it was.

  “Good afternoon,” Florence said, smiling. “How are you?”

  Gwendoline let out an uneasy, little laugh and unfolded the letter, which she kept in her purse. “What I am about to tell you must remain between us, Florrie.”

  Florence’s face immediately pinched in worry. “Of course. What is it?”

  Gwendoline shakily passed the letter to her friend, who took it with a curious expression. After a few moments, Florence’s eyes widened, and a shocked gasp escaped her lips. “Oh, Gwendoline! I’d heard that someone threw a rock between your window, but now, a threatening letter?”

  Gwendoline shook her head. “The letter was wrapped around the rock,” she replied grimly. “Quite clearly, I was meant to discover the two together. Someone does not wish for Lord Caspian and me to discover anything further about our families.”

  The door to the parlor opened, and the parlor maid entered, a tea tray held between her hands. As she prepared their tea, the ladies fell silent. Once the maid left again, Florence looked over the letter once more and traced her finger over the black ink.

  “And neither of you have the faintest idea who might be responsible?”

  “We don’t,” Gwendoline admitted. “The only person who I have told is you, and I know you’d tell no one. Lord Caspian has not confessed to our continued alliance with anyone.”

  “But it must be someone close to you,” Florence said slowly. “If you have told no one, that means someone has seen you. Or else has been watching you. You would surely notice if there was someone strange about.”

  “Perhaps,” Gwendoline conceded. “But I can’t think of who would betray us in this way.”

  Florence shook her head and returned the letter. “What do you intend to do?”

  “I don’t know if there is anything I can do. I can’t tell my father about this, or he’ll know what Lord Caspian and I are involved in. But if I must remain silent, that means Lord Caspian and I have no help in determining our letter’s sender.”

  “But who would care?” Florence asked. “The Lockwood and Farraday business interests are not involved with one another. And it is not as if anyone could possibly benefit from having the two of you continue to quarrel with one another.”

  “I know. But there must be something we’re missing.”

  Florence, looking baffled, returned the letter, and Gwendoline returned it to her purse once more.

  “You must have been terribly frightened,” she said.

  “I was. When it burst through my window, I was fast asleep. I woke when I heard the glass break, and at first, I thought it might have been Lord Caspian. I started awake, you know. But then, I realized there was glass everywhere.”

  “Everywhere?”

  “Even in my bed.”

  Florence breathed in sharply and placed a hand over her chest. “Were you hurt?”

  “No. Fortunately. I went to the window and tried to see who threw the rock, and I did see a figure. But whoever it was, he or she was too far away for me to get a good look. And then, Lord Caspian—”

  “Lord Caspian was there?” Florence’s eyes shined.

  Warmth rushed to Gwendoline’s face. She’d only just remembered that the letter revealed the secret of her moonlit meetings with Lord Caspian.

  “He arrived shortly thereafter. Lord Caspian received a threatening letter shortly before I did.”

  “And he saw no one either?”

  “I don’t know if he saw someone or not. I have not spoken with him since it happened, and I can’t. If someone is watching us…” Gwendoline trailed off.

  “You dare not let him meet you for fear that this letter writer reveals you both.”

  “Or harms us,” Gwendoline pointed out. “It’s possible that it’s an idle threat, but without knowing who sent these letters, Lord Caspian and I can’t possibly know that for certain.”

  “And if your father doesn’t know everything you’re doing, he won’t be able to protect you as well. What if something happens to you?” Florence asked, her eyes wide.

  Gwendoline sighed and tried to smother the feeling of terror that bubbled through her. Since that letter, she’d thought constantly about all the terrible fates that might befall her. She’d always thought that she would be brave if she was ever faced with danger, but now, she wondered if she’d just imagined having courage over the years.

  Maybe in reality, she was nothing but a foolish lady who’d gotten in over her head.

  “Nothing will happen to me,” she said, gathering the scraps of her courage. “Everything will be fine. I have no doubt of that, Florrie.”

  “How can you be so confident?” Florence asked. “This might be dreadfully dangerous.”

  “I know,” Gwendoline replied, “But now, I know that I might have someone watching me. Or have someone who wants to hurt me. At least, I’m aware of the danger now.”

  “Yes, but—”

  “And that will make it easier for me to combat it,” Gwendoline interrupted. “I promise I’ll be careful. Some scoundrel won’t get the best of me. I have promised Lord Caspian that, and I’ll promise you that.”

  Florence sighed. “It sounds so terribly frightening,” she murmured. “I don’t…I feel so useless for not knowing how to advise you on this matter.”

  Gwendoline reached across the space between them and clasped Florence’s hands between hers. “I promise I’ll be fine,” Gwendoline said. “I didn’t tell you this to worry you. I only wanted to know if you might be capable of seeing something that I couldn’t.”

  Florence sighed. “Nothing,” she murmured. “But I’m so worried for you. If you’d like to stay on our estate, I’m certain my parents would agree.”

  Gwendoline shook her head. “As far as everyone else knows, it was only a rock thrown through my window. It is upsetting but nothing to worry about.”

  “Well,” Florence said, straightening. “I will help you as always. If you need to speak to Lord Caspian, I’m more than happy to help ferry messages between the two of you.”

  “You can’t. I can’t ask you to do that.”

  “Of course, you can,” Florence said. “It’s quite clear that whoever is threatening you and Caspian does not realize that I’m involved. I’m the perfect person to exchange correspondence between the two of you, and in the meantime, we can work on learning who would do such an awful thing.”

  Gwendoline’s heart stirred, warmed by her friend’s loyalty. “But you know it will be terribly dangerous.”

  Florence nodded. “I’m willing to face any danger for you, Gwendoline. You’re my best friend and have been for as long as I remember.”

  “Thank you,” Gwendoline said.

  But the words didn’t feel like they were enough. No words would be sufficient to describe the depth of fondness and emotion in Gwendoline’s breast. No one could have a truer friend than Florence, and yet Gwendoline knew they were doing something very dangerous.

  Whoever sent those letters was clearly not someone to be meddled with, and all of them were likely in danger. Worse, they were in danger and because they had no idea the identity of the person threatening them, they had no way of avoiding the threat presented to them. The only solution would be not to investigate the history between Lord Charles and Lady Helena.

  But we can’t do that. We have already come too far and learned too much.

  Despite Gwendoline’s resolve, however, she couldn’t help but wonder if knowing the truth was worth its cost. Especially when that cost migh
t prove very high, indeed.

  Chapter 22

  Had the letter writer threatened only him, Caspian suspected that he would not have worried so strongly over the identity of the still unknown writer, but even after all the initial worry had faded, Caspian still found his thoughts returning to Lady Gwendoline.

  Somehow, he had to ensure that she was safe. That would prove difficult, though, when he dared not even speak to Lady Gwendoline for fear of putting her in greater danger.

  Caspian sat at his desk with his shoulders slumped forward and his face buried between his hands.

  What do I do?

  There was no answer, as far as he could see, unless he managed to discern the identity of their letter writer himself. Whoever it was must know both of them and be capable of accessing both of their estates. And whoever it was had known both where his and Lady Gwendoline’s room was.

  More than that, whoever it was had been in his room. That seemed to indicate someone close to his family. Slowly, Caspian rose to his feet and paced the floor.

  It would be difficult for anyone to enter his room without being caught or intercepted, which must mean that whoever had left the note was either a member of his family, the household, or a family friend who might have come by.

  It couldn’t have been my mother or father. My parents would never do something so terrible. Nor my brother.

  There were several servants in the household. Caspian furrowed his brow and stared at the desk drawer where he knew the letter was stowed away. He would be able to eliminate a few members of the household. The day the letter arrived, his brother had been away attending to business, and he’d taken a few men with him.

  But that still left so many.

  What do I do?

  Caspian knew there were men in London who might handle this sort of matter, who might be capable of investigating and learning who had done this. But Caspian had no idea how to find such men, and while someone in the household might know, Caspian would inevitably have to explain to someone what he and Lady Gwendoline were doing.

  He could not have help and keep his secret, too. Or so the old maid Betsy always said. Despite the seriousness of his thoughts, Caspian felt a smile twitch at his lips. Poor Betsy! He’d been such a terror to her as a child, always creating mischief and doing anything not to be punished for it.

  I can only imagine what she’d say about this.

  Caspian thought of rushing downstairs and finding the old maid. He imagined declaring everything, explaining all to her. If there was one person in the house who definitely would never threaten anyone, it was doubtlessly her.

  But she would also tell his mother.

  Caspian shook his head and turned away, sweeping from his room. He couldn’t stand the inactivity, the idleness of lingering in his family’s manor without any idea of how to help Lady Gwendoline.

  Perhaps, I ought to tell Noah.

  But if Caspian told his brother, that might put him at risk, too. No, it was probably for the best that this matter remained between Lady Gwendoline, himself, and perhaps, Lady Florence.

  Besides, Noah would likely have no better idea about what had happened than any of the rest of them.

  Caspian hurried down the staircase and strode across the grounds of the estate. The bright sun warmed his skin, and the gentle spring winds seemed to sweep into his very mind and to bring some order to his thoughts.

  I just need some time and space to think.

  A longing for Lady Gwendoline swept over him. He needed to know that she hadn’t come to any further harm. Surely, there would be no harm in merely riding past her family’s estate. It was on the way to the lake, after all, which was his preferred place to think. Even if someone was watching him constantly, having a ride through London wasn’t in itself anything suspicious.

  I’ll just make it appear as if I’m obeying for some time, as if I have been sufficiently cowed.

  That was the safest course of action until he learned the identity of the letter writer. So Caspian waited, nearly bouncing with energy, as he waited to the stable hand to saddle his horse. He didn’t want to look as though he was anxious.

  Once the horse was ready, he mounted and steered her away. It took all his resolve to keep her at a trot rather than urging her into a gallop. His brother waved at him, and Caspian forced a smile.

  “Going out for a ride?” Noah asked. “If you’ll wait a minute, I’ll join you.”

  Join him. Caspian really just wanted to be alone with his thoughts, but perhaps, he could benefit from his brother going with him. It would certainly make the ride less conspicuous.

  And perhaps, I ought to just tell him. I don’t want to put my own brother in danger, but maybe it would not be so bad to have someone else who knows. That could be another person who could watch over Lady Gwendoline and keep her safe.

  “Sure. I’ll wait for you,” Caspian agreed.

  As his brother retreated to the stables, Caspian watched his retreating back. Should he say something, or should he not? On one hand, Caspian knew Noah was capable of taking care of himself. Noah was clever and brave. Dependable as they came.

  But. What if he was hurt?

  Because of me. What if he is hurt because of me?

  Logically, Caspian knew that none of this was his fault. He couldn’t have possibly known everything that would happen when he agreed to help Lady Gwendoline unfold the mystery of the long-standing feud between their families, but he still felt responsible for it. If he hadn’t agreed to help, none of this would ever have happened.

  Noah returned shortly atop his horse. Caspian smiled. Despite everything, it was nice to return to normalcy and to their daily rides. “Shall we?” Noah asked.

  “Certainly.”

  Caspian let his brother Noah determine the pace. They moved their horses into a slow, leisurely trot. The hooves clopping on the cobblestone of London’s streets might have been soothing if Caspian’s thoughts didn’t keep circling back to Lady Gwendoline.

  Lord Newhost would make all the efforts he could to keep her safe, but Caspian couldn’t help but worry. He had to assure she was safe somehow.

  “You seem as though your thoughts are elsewhere,” Noah said. “What is occupying your attention so much these days?”

  This was it, the perfect moment to reveal everything to his concerned brother. Caspian sighed. “No,” he murmured. “No, I suppose it’s just the Season occupying my attention. All the excitement of the Season. And of course, I’m considering potential engagements, too.”

  He couldn’t decide whether or not to tell Noah the truth, but he also was not entirely lying. The Season was occupying his attention, as were ladies. Caspian just hadn’t mentioned that it was one lady who was occupying his attention, and she was the one lady who he could never engage himself to either.

  “Oh! Who were you thinking of?” Noah asked.

  Caspian smiled enigmatically. “It’s far too soon for me to be thinking of any particular woman.”

  They were nearing the Newhost property, and Caspian’s chest ached. It would be so easy to simply coax his horse into a gallop and cross the grounds. He imagined himself sweeping to a halt beneath Lady Gwendoline’s window, but he could not do that.

  Not then. Not for a long time, perhaps.

  There it is. Finally.

  Caspian tried not to look too interested as they neared the familiar property. “It’s the Newhost property, isn’t it?” Caspian asked instead.

  As if he hadn’t already memorized everything about that piece of land separating the road from the fair Lady Gwendoline’s window. Despite his resolve to appear indifferent, Caspian felt his eyes wander across the few figures dotting the grounds, searching for Lady Gwendoline’s slender figure among them.

  But there was no sign of her thick, dark hair or of her curvaceous body. Her brilliant eyes.

  “I believe it is,” Noah replied. “It’s a nice enough estate, although I’m sure ours is bigger.”

  Caspian chuckle
d. “I thought you didn’t care for the feud between our families, but you’re going to compare our estates?”

  “I don’t see why not. It’s harmless.”

  Harmless. A shiver traced up Caspian’s back. He tried to think of any possible way to justify approaching the manor and calling upon Lady Gwendoline, but he knew that would be suspicious under normal circumstances. He’d be fortunate if Lord Newhost himself didn’t emerge and cast him away from their estate grounds.