“Mm,” Lola grinned. “Maybe she wants to grow up to be an actor. If I could get you or Annabelle on stage, I could make millions from being your talent agent.”
“Weren't you the one that told me performing is more than just looks?”
“Well, it helps,” Lola grinned, and Aaron rolled his eyes as he began to hear people coming down the stairs.
“Your fiancé has a word or two to say about her profession,” he said to Wesley as he sat down beside him.
“Whatever Lola has to say, I'll happily listen,” Wesley replied, and Lola snuggled against him. Aaron tried not to think too hard about the fact that there was no one to hold his hand as they eventually made it to the park in the harbor, where the exercise was to take place.
Aaron was surprised at how much was set up. The ships were already in the bay, and many vendors were starting to set up on the outskirts of the park. People were milling about, and it seemed everyone had a place to be.
“What do we do?” Aaron asked Lola, who shrugged.
“This is your headquarters. I'm just hired help.”
“Lord Bamber!” came a voice. “Earl Rippon.”
“Mr. Taners,” Wesley recognized the head administrator at the headquarters, approaching them with a clipboard. “It's good to see you.”
“Good to see you as well,” the man shook his hand. “Lt. Harper.”
Matheson and Corrigan lurked behind Lola, as they wouldn't be recognized by head office staff. Lola fell back to speak to them as the men exchanged words.
“Have you ever participated in anything like this?”
“Once,” Matheson replied. “The Navy did it about 10 years ago. It was a grand old time then.”
“And I'm sure it will be a grand time this time,” Lola said. “It's been awhile since I've been a princess.”
Corrigan smirked at that phase and Lola smiled.
As Aaron was listening to Taners, his eyes were darting around the camp. He loved the chaos; the excitement. Having been off the ship for months, his days had been spent mostly in the garden or in the library; bored out of his mind. He knew that this was what he was supposed to do as a Lord. Many Lords didn't work; they simply ran their estates. Which, he had to admit, was a fair amount of work in itself. Most people thought that Lords simply stood and looked regal on their balconies, but Aaron had always known it was more work than that.
However, he knew that would be the rest of his life, and he wanted to work as long as he could. One day, the sea wouldn't be his great mistress, either by choice or by design, so he wanted to be at the front of the ship as long as he could.
It was while he was soul searching rather than listening that he saw the child again. She was running across the grass, six or seven years old, with blond hair and blue eyes. She was laughing, running toward the woman he had seen the day before. His heart stopped beating.
“Excuse me,” he put a hand on Taner's arm, squeezing past him.
“Aaron, are you alright?” Harold asked, but Aaron didn't even hear him. He was transfixed by the woman ahead of him. “Aaron..?”
“Carry on,” Aaron managed as he moved across the field.
It couldn't be, he thought as he walked. He didn't dare call out; because he wasn't sure he wanted to be right. She's not here.
The woman turned around to pick up the child and his heart stopped. Shauna was looking him right in the face.
She looked just as stunned as he did as she hugged the little girl closer to her.
“Hello, Shauna,” Aaron said, trying to stand up straighter. “You're looking well.”
She didn't say a word, speechless at his presence.
“Are you living in London these days?” He couldn't tear his eyes away from the little girl.
Eventually, Shauna found the courage to speak.
“I'm working here,” she said, and her voice was just as melodious as he remembered it. “Are you?” The girl smiled at Aaron, but buried her face in her mother's shoulder.
“Is she yours?” Aaron asked, taking a step forward. It was as if they were strangers, which felt odd. They had once known every inch of each others’ bodies. He remembered long nights in bed, exploring each others’ skin; reveling in each others’ touch. He remembered her face in the dawn light; her head on his chest. Things were simpler then, when they didn't have to worry about tomorrow. “What's her name?”
“Her name is Gwendolyn,” Shauna replied. Gwendolyn turned her head toward Aaron and smiled again. Now that he was standing a bit closer, he could see the pale blue circle around her darker eyes. Just like he and his sister had; constantly remarked on when they were children. “And yes, she's my daughter.”
“And the father?” he asked, afraid to ask.
“The father,” Shauna said, and her voice was shaking. “You can't guess?”
Aaron was rarely stunned speechless. He always had something to say; and it was usually funny. However, upon looking into this little girl's eyes, he couldn't think of a single thing to say.
“She's 6,” Shauna said. “And every day, she says something that reminds me of you.”
“Why didn't you tell me?” he finally managed. “We have seen each other since then, why did you...”
“Gwendolyn, can you go and play?” Shauna put her down. “Don't go far, alright?”
The young girl was obedient and went a few feet away, occupied by the flowers. Aaron watched her with a fascination that he had never known within himself.
Once Shauna was sure that she was out of earshot, she spoke. “Tell you that you left me with a child that you could not accept?” Shauna said. “A child who could never be a Lady, never live in your big house? Why would I expose her to that? Show her what she should have by birth, and then take it away. That's cruel.”
“Shauna...” Aaron said softly. He wanted to take her in his arms and pull her close. He had so many questions for her, but at the moment, all he wanted to do was hug her. She was angry, she was hurt, and she had a right to be. The day they had separated, it was because he’d made it clear that it would never work. He’d had an amazing time, and he would always love her, but the pressure of the worlds between them was too great. He told himself that it was because it wasn't fair to her to be saddled with a potential husband that wasn't healthy. No one deserved a husband who couldn't provide for them. “Are you sure?”
“Of course I'm sure,” she snapped at him. “What exactly do you take me for? Do you think there was anyone else?”
“I...” he bit his lip, saying nothing. His head was spinning, and he couldn't make the words sound right. What was he supposed to say in this situation?
A gunshot rang through the camp then, and then another. There was suddenly a scream. Aaron reacted by grabbing Shauna, pulling her down to the ground.
There was suddenly chaos within the camp. Everyone was running in various directions. There were so many civilians that it was hard for the military men to keep order.
“Gwendolyn!” Shauna screamed, and Aaron's eyes whipped around. He couldn't see the little girl anywhere. An hour ago, that would have been cause for alarm. Now, considering she was his flesh and blood, the bells in his head were screaming. “Gwendolyn!”
“Aaron!” Harold was at his side suddenly, placing a hand on his back. When the two of them were in battle, they were always paired together. They moved well together, and could often anticipate each others’ moves. Harold, however, couldn't anticipate the next words that came out of Aaron's mouth. “Are you alright?”
“We have to find ....Shauna's daughter,” Aaron blurted out.
Harold was a calm and logical man who took things in stride. His face reflected shock for only a moment, but then he nodded.
“Are you alright?” he repeated, recognizing Shauna at Aaron's side.
“Yes,” Aaron said, although he felt shaky. “She's wearing a blue dress, blond hair, blue eyes. 6 years old.”
There was a rush and a scream, and then a commotion on the left side
of the field. There were some men in uniform strong-arming a civilian, and from the way he was struggling, Aaron assumed that he was the one who had been shooting.
He pushed himself up from the ground, helping Shauna up next. She was frantic, and she grasped his hand, reminding him of when they used to be together.
“There,” Harold's eyes were keener than his, and he pointed to a tree, where Gwendolyn was hugging the trunk. “Is that her?”
Shauna rushed forward, sweeping her up with a sigh of relief. Gwendolyn didn't look frightened so much as confused by the chaos around her. Her wide eyes seemed to be taking everything in, even as her mother smothered her in kisses.
“Thank you,” Aaron said to Harold, who simply raised an eyebrow.
“Did you know?”
“No,” Aaron said. “She told me just now, and from the look on her face, she didn't want to tell me.”
“But you've seen Shauna since ...the child has been born.”
“Yes,” he said. “But it's always been by chance...and she didn't say anything. I...this is a mess.”
“Well,” Harold clapped a hand on his shoulder “You have your friends around to deal with it.”
“Deal with what?” Wesley came over then, his jaw muscles tense. “The man was a protester.”
“A protester against what?” Aaron asked. “Vendors selling sweaters and fruit?”
“Against the war,” Wesley replied, and then took in the situation around him. “Is everything alright here? Mr. Bamber? You're alright?”
“I'm alright,” Aaron said as he cast his gaze back to Shauna. “But I have a feeling there's a lot to talk about over the next few days. Was the man working alone?”
“He'll be taken for processing,” Wesley answered, still confused by what exactly was going on. “It didn't look like he hit anyone, so hopefully it's an isolated incident. This place is chaos enough; it doesn't need any other unexpected news.”
“Of course not,” Aaron said, and he exchanged a look with Harold.
“That was exciting,” Lola came over, looking a little shaken but fine as she took Wesley's hand. “Hi Shauna,” she said before she looked properly. “Oh my goodness, is she yours?”
“So much for keeping things under wraps,” Aaron said softly. Life would never be the same again.
CHAPTER FOUR
THE CAMP
THE CAMP
“Alright, gentlemen and ladies,” Mr. Taners stood up, trying to gain control of the entire situation. Despite the fact that the man had been hauled off for questioning an hour ago, there was a lot of chaos and chatter within the fake work camp. Aaron was desperate to talk to Shauna in private, but he couldn't very well just run off. For now, he was standing beside her, unable to tear his eyes away from Gwendolyn. His friends were standing around him, trying to pay attention as Taners consulted his list. “Thank you all very much for coming. I know this is very different from all of your regular...positions in life, but it's absolutely necessary for the Navy to boost its recruitment numbers. Small projects in smaller markets have worked quite well, so we are all excited. For those of you within the military, your lives in the camp will not be that different. We are attempting to keep most of you within the rank and positions that you normally work. You will be re-enacting some of the more famous maneuvers, or simply existing within your task and rank, and asking questions. A select few of you may have a famous personality, but we'll discuss that. Those of you not within the military and non-vendors will be assigned roles according to your special skills. Some of them will be within the camp, on the stage, if you will, and some of you will be behind the scenes. Please bear with us. If this is executed and well organized, it will go well, so stand by for instructions. We'll attempt to do a walk through this afternoon, once everyone is assigned. We have a special guest today, so if you want to put your hands together, Miss Lola Montclair will be visiting Royalty in the camp, approving the line ups, inspecting the new ships, so proper uniforms and behavior will be expected. Miss Lola Montclair,” he waved his hand and everyone applauded.
She curtsied, a publicity smile on her face. Lola was used to being the center of attention, and she was happy to take the attention away from the whispers that were circling Aaron.
“What position are you working?” Lola asked Shauna, trying to keep things normal as the attention turned off them, and the groups began to disperse.
“A camp follower,” Shauna said, and no one missed the irony in it. “I saw the posting in the public house I was working in. The recruiter in town was looking specifically for women with children, to make the position more believable. And the pay was too much to turn down.”
“You were working in a public house?” Aaron said. “I thought you were teaching”
“I was teaching, until I fell pregnant,” she said, glancing to him. “But they frown upon that. In addition, the salary for a teacher isn't...substantial.”
“You should have told me,” he said. “I would...”
“I know what you would have done,” she said. “That's why I didn't.”
“Where are you staying?” Lola said, trying to keep the situation light.
“Here in the camp,” Shauna said. “They offered it, since the space is here.”
“No,” Aaron shook his head. “You can't do that. If there's anything that man proved this morning, it's that it's not quite safe out in the open. War protesters can't follow us on the ship, but we're not on the ship, are we? You can stay with me, in the Manor.”
“Aaron,” Shauna said, shooting him a look. He just shrugged.
“It's my house, Shauna. No one staying inside of it is going to say anything.”
“Aaron,” Harold called, indicating he should come over to the huddle of military men in the middle of the camp.
Once he was gone, Lola turned her attention to Shauna. “He doesn't mean to be sharp,” she said. “He's just a bit in shock, I imagine. It's his first day back.”
“From the ship?” Shauna asked, and Lola shook her head.
“No. He hasn't been well,” Lola said, lowering her voice. “In the fall, he had a series of bad fits, and it took...quite a while to get over. I don't know if you've noticed, but he's lost about a stone in weight.”
“I did notice,” Shauna said, looking over at him. “To take a whole season off though...”
“It wasn't easy,” Lola said. “And there were a few times where I thought we'd lose him. If it wasn't for some fast thinking, he never would have known that...you had...”
“Gwendolyn,” Shauna watched her play. “And you, Lola? Your fairy tale life seems to get better each time we meet.”
The two women hadn't always gotten along so well. Lola knew that Aaron loved Shauna, so she did her best to be kind and courteous whenever they met. However, Shauna always seemed to resent Lola's success and her place in the world.
“Well, we're both working in the same situation right now,” Lola said. “And apparently staying in the same house, so we're equals for the moment.”
“No, we're not,” Shauna laughed, but there was nothing kind about her laugh. “You're going to be a Princess, Lola, and they applauded your very presence. And you are engaged, aren't you? No reason to hide your feelings for someone.”
“Oh,” Lola looked down at the signet ring on her finger. She had thought it best that she wear it. “Yes. To Wesley, the Earl of Rippon.”
“Of course,” Shauna said, but there was sadness in her voice. “The beautiful famous actress marries the Earl.”
“He's...” Lola made a face. “It's complicated. You know that these things are not as easy as they appear, Shauna.”
“I know that for some people, they are easier than others,” Shauna replied. “And a beautiful actress who has always had men fawning at her feet will have an easier time...”
“Why are you so angry?” Lola asked boldly. “What have I done to offend you?”
Shauna sighed, realizing her tone was harsh. “You've done nothing,” s
he apologized. “There are times when life seems too hard to get through alone.”
“Well, you don't have to be alone,” Lola replied. “At least, not tonight.”
“I suppose one night won't hurt,” Shauna said. “Gwendolyn and I had a long morning traveling here, and a shared carriage is not the most comfortable.”
“It will be a good time,” Lola said. “Did you know that Annabelle is engaged to Harold? Finally.”
“Oh my,” Shauna said. “That was long in the making.”
“Wasn't it?” Lola smiled, trying to remain positive. However, when it was time to return to Bamber Manor that night, it was clear that the day had taken its toll on everyone. Gwendolyn was asleep in her mother's arms, and Aaron's quick mental math told him that he needed to order another carriage.
“You go ahead,” he said to Harold as the official carriage pulled up. “Annabelle? You can order the start of dinner?”
“Of course I can,” his sister replied, rolling her eyes.
“Can you also set an extra room?” Aaron asked quietly, and Annabelle shrugged.
“Or just have yours ---”
“Oh God, woman,” Aaron practically shoved her into the carriage. It wasn't easy to make him blush, but Annabelle could achieve it every time.
As they waited to flag down a second carriage, Aaron took off his coat, putting it around Shauna's shoulders as the wind turned cold.
“I'm sure a roaring fire will be set by the time we get home,” he said as Gwendolyn burrowed against her mother's shoulder, practically asleep. “Are you hungry?”
“Yes,” she answered honestly “We've not had much to eat today, it's been busy.”
“Should be fun though,” he replied and she smiled.
“You always did want to be a performer,” she said, and they exchanged a look. It was a dream that he’d shared with her when they were little more than children, not long after they had met. It seemed a lifetime away, when they were different people. They had been so carefree then; so wrapped up in the moments of love. Reality had yet to sink in. When they were young, they’d thought that they could conquer the world; change the perspective surrounding a cross-status relationship. However, as life began to beat them down, they realized that it wasn't as easy as they’d thought.
The Lord’s Secret (The Regency Renegades - Beauty and Titles) (A Regency Romance Story) Page 3
