The Complicated Earl

by Audrey Harrison

  Isabelle had always thought she would marry. She had no personal experience of her parents’ marriage, but she knew she was the result of a loving union and marriage was always spoken of in such a positive way, that she could not but hope to achieve a similar alliance when she entered society. Unfortunately the closeted upbringing she had had made Isabelle slightly naive with regards to the politics of marriage and her first beau had seemed to be everything she had hoped for. An intelligent girl though, she was quick to pick up on inconsistencies from her suitor and had raised her concerns with her brother. He had made enquiries that had shown her to be the victim of a fortune hunter and the suitor was told to leave his sister alone in terms that left no doubt of the consequences if he were ever to approach her again.

  Although her heart had been bruised, it was reassuring for her and those around her to realise that it was not broken, but she was more cautious after her first encounter. She did not know whether it was her increased cynicism after her first brush with romance, or that her suitors were particularly transparent, but she had been faced with one fortune hunter after another and had to face the possibility that she would not have the happy ever after that she had expected and hoped for.

  The realisation of the shallowness of society had been a blow, but Isabelle was determined to make the best out of her situation, she was not one to be down for long. She had assessed her options and come to the conclusion that life in London was not for her. She could not trust most of the people she met and she knew that this was not a healthy way to live. Her options included setting up with her brother in the family home in Hampshire, but he could marry at any point and she was sensible enough to know she would not want to step down from being mistress of her own home once used to it. She also did not want to spend her life in the country, visits to her home were a pleasure, she loved the place, but living there with James would result in her spending a lot of time alone, as he spent the season in London and a lot of time in Brighton. Frank would have happily had his sister live with him; he only lived twenty miles from their Hampshire home. But Isabelle could not go and live with them to be seen as the maiden aunt and made use of when it was convenient. She may have wanted change in her life, but she was not giving up on it.

  She had grown up visiting Bath regularly and enjoyed its location, facilities and possibilities. Once the decision was made to move out of London she knew almost instantly that Bath was the place she wanted to be. Frank had been horrified and had tried his best to persuade, argue or bully in order to change her mind, but she had been firm. When James had realised her determination, the only stipulation he had made was that she have some sort of companion with her.

  Isabelle had accepted James’s reasoning and had approached an older unmarried cousin. She was pleasant and Isabelle had always been fond of her, she had spent much time with them at their home, so she was more like a sister in many ways. Mary would enhance rather than hinder Isabelle’s enjoyment of her freedom.

  So, it was when Mary had left Isabelle alone after the morning visits that she took the time to open the letter from James. She had not heard from her brother for a while, which usually meant that he was being completely outrageous and trying to avoid his sister finding out what he was doing. That he eventually told her himself of his exploits never seemed to bother him, he just did not want her to hear what he was doing until the latest exploit was over. Isabelle braced herself for the latest mad scheme.

  Dearest Izzy,

  Hope you are well as always and still surviving in that Godforsaken place. I never understood why you chose Bath over Brighton, but nevertheless I hope you are finding some things to amuse you.

  As much as I dislike Bath I intend to make a visit for a little while. I could try and fool you into believing that I need to take the waters, but once you set eyes on me, I know you would no longer believe that I was ill, I am positively glowing with good health, but it is for this I need to be in Bath.

  Well Izzy, I have finally done it, I have met the woman I want to call my wife! Can you believe it? I still cannot, but once you see her you will understand why, she is everything I would want and more. There is one issue in that she is a little younger than me, only twenty, but that does not matter to either of us. Another issue, yes, I realise I said there was only one issue, but I did not wish to concern you unduly. The other issue is her brother. She, like us, has no living parents and her guardian is her brother. I know him, went to Oxford at the same time, he is a little older than me, but he has been listening to stories of my reputation and although is not totally against the match, he wants us all to spend some time together away from London and suggested a trip to Bath.

  I agreed to it readily, even though I can’t stand the place, excepting it holding you my dear, but what else could I do? He wants me to prove to him that I am worthy of his sister and I can understand that, he could be a little more pleasant though, his manner is abrupt and abrasive, more so than I remember it being at Oxford, although Sophie says that he is like this with everyone and it is not just because of any disapproval of me.

  I shall be arriving the day of the tenth and hope to be with you for the fortnight. Hopefully that will be long enough to convince Tom Fulwood that I am worthy of his sister. I did think of inviting Frank along to show Fulwood that at least one member of our family is respectable, but thought it best not to inflict the whole family on him at once. I can avoid Frank’s monologues until I receive Tom’s consent.

  I look forward to seeing you and hopefully will soon have the pleasure of introducing you to a new sister.

  Yours affectionately,

  James

  Isabelle had undergone a number of emotions while reading the letter, including laughter. She could not help but be amused at her brother, finally succumbing to the charms of someone. The fact that it was not a standard romance was also no surprise. James never did anything straightforward, which did add to his appeal. She was curious to meet the girl that had finally touched his heart; she must be special and was intrigued by the ogre of the older brother. Having two such brothers as Isabelle had, she wondered at someone who was considered to be an abrupt and abrasive brother.

  She tried to remember if the name Fulwood meant anything to her as she knew some of James’s friends. The name did not seem familiar, but she was not surprised, from the description that James had given. Tom Fulwood sounded like an acquaintance rather than friend. Her musings were brought to an end when Mary joined her in the drawing room and Isabelle gave her cousin an update of the unexpected visit.

  “It would be wonderful to see James happy. He is a special person,” Mary said quietly, “did he say anything of the young lady?”

  “Only what one would expect of someone in love, I am looking forward to making her acquaintance and finding out more myself. He did not say anything about her family, apart from mentioning the older brother,” Isabelle answered.

  “Tom Fulwood, I do know that name,” Mary pondered. Being closer to James in age it was more likely that Mary knew the gentleman, having spent much of her time with James over the years. “I remember! If it is the person I am thinking of, she comes from a very good family, Tom Fulwood, if it is the same, is the Earl of Standish. A very noble family indeed.”

  “Well at least she can’t be accused of being a fortune hunter,” Isabelle said reassured.

  “True, but her brother has no need to criticise the behaviour of James, he is well known as a rake. No respectable mother would allow her daughter anywhere near the Earl of Standish,” Mary said shaking her head, defending her cousin.

  Isabelle laughed, “Well perhaps that is the problem. He knows now what it is like when a rake approaches a sister you care about. He will be experiencing all the alarm that he will have inflicted on other families.”

  “Isabelle, you should not refer to your brother as a rake! He is high spirited that is all.”

  “At thirty-two he is too old to be high spirited. We both know what he is. Let’s hop
e he can prove himself of his love and good character to gain the approval of her brother or he may come to regret his former lifestyle.”

  Chapter 2

  James had only given Isabelle two days’ notice of his visit, so hastily rearranged instructions were given to her Housekeeper to accommodate the extra addition to the household. She would also expect that James would want to be entertained while he visited, so advised that there could be more gatherings held over the coming weeks, to enable the housekeeper to make preparations with the cook. Isabelle did entertain at home regularly, but she took pride in her household and wanted to be prepared to entertain well.

  The visitor arrived without mishap and entered the Drawing Room late in the morning. “Hello Izzy, Mary, I see the fine weather does not extend to Bath!” James crossed the room shaking out his cuffs that had caught a few drops of rain from underneath his driving coat. He ran his hands over his dark hair, checking that it was still set in the latest fashion that his valet had worked so hard to achieve. He was an attractive man, tall and slender, with a full mouth and dark eyes like his sister. A family resemblance could be seen, although James’s features resembled his father, whereas Isabelle had more of her mother’s striking beauty.

  “Now don’t you start by complaining about my home,” Isabelle teased. “This is the first rain we have had in days and it is very welcome. It gives us relief from the constant rounds of visiting. No self-respecting lady would venture out on a day like this to arrive at her friends’ homes with muddied hems. How are you James?”

  “I’m well now I’ve seen that Sophie has been safely installed in the White Hart. I told Standish he should put off the journey in such weather, but he ridiculed my concerns. He’s supposed to care about his sister, not drag her half way across the country when the weather is appalling!”

  Isabelle raised her eyebrows slightly. James must be in love if a morning of rain put him in such worry about travelling. “Yes, you failed to mention that the Tom Fulwood you spoke of was the Earl of Standish! I’m sure the Earl owns a carriage that is more than adequate to convey Lady Sophie to Bath.” She gently teased the over protective characteristic that she had previously not seen in her brother.

  “Well they are settled into the warm now at least,” James mumbled a little contrite at his obvious over-reaction.

  “Are they to stay at the White Hart?” Mary interjected before Isabelle had time to respond therefore preventing her from any further opportunity of teasing her brother.

  “Yes, although they hope to take lodgings in a day or two. I had told Standish that Isabelle was perfectly capable of sorting lodgings out for them before they arrived, but he insisted on arranging things himself.”

  Isabelle was no longer surprised at James’s description of Lady Sophie’s brother, if she had her brother fussing around as James seemed to be doing around both Lady Sophie and the Earl, she would have great difficulty in keeping her temper. She might need to speak to James about his over-fastidiousness, but she remained silent for the moment. Perhaps it was the strain of the journey in such bad weather that was causing his mood, although she had never known him to be so affected previously.

  Mary suggested that James have some refreshments and she busied herself providing for her cousin’s comfort, pouring him tea, while encouraging him to sit in front of the fire. She sympathised with him about the damp air and assured him that he would begin to enjoy Bath more when the weather improved. Her calm, unaffected manner was appreciated by James and he was soon his usual cheerful self after being indulged by Mary for a while.

  He informed the ladies that they had all been invited to join Sophie and the Earl of Standish at the White Hart for an evening meal. “Actually it was more like a summons. I did not have the option of refusal,” he said with a rueful smile.

  Isabelle felt slight stirrings of resentment towards the Earl’s presumption that she would drop any plans she may already have had, but she battled against her feelings for her brother’s sake. “Do not trouble yourself, Mary and I are free tonight, we did not accept any other invitations on the expectation that we would be meeting Lady Sophie.” This was true, but Isabelle still felt annoyed at the presumption that the Earl had made, it would have been polite to arrange something for the following day. She consoled herself with the thought that she would very shortly be meeting her future sister and able to satisfy the curiosity that had been bubbling since the arrival of James’s letter.

  *

  Both Isabelle and Mary took extra care in preparing for the evening, each wanting to make the best impression for James’s sake on both Lady Sophie and the Earl of Standish. Isabelle chose a deep blue silk dress, with gold trim. She wore white gloves and a white silk cloak, with lining that matched the blue of the dress. Her dark hair she had swept up, allowing a few of its natural curls to fall, framing her face. The only colour she added to her face was to her lips, which enhanced their fullness. She was not one to wear other potions and creams as some ladies did. She hoped they would present the picture of respectability for James.

  As she descended the stairs James was waiting at the bottom with Mary, who had chosen to wear a gold gown for the evening. He moved to the bottom of the stairs, raising his hand to help Isabelle down the last few steps. “As beautiful as ever Izzy,” he smiled fondly at his sister.

  “Thank you, you are an excellent brother, pandering to my vanity,” Isabelle smiled without truly believing James’s words were anything other than family affection. “Look at us, the height of respectability and fashion! What more could the Earl of Standish wish for in a match for his sister? He will take one look at the three of us and agree to the marriage immediately.”

  “Let’s hope this is all that it takes, although I doubt Standish would make it so easy,” James mumbled.

  “Come James, you are not usually so melancholy,” Isabelle chided. “You will make this visit very long indeed if you do not return to your usual self. How can Lady Sophie see you to your full advantage if you are so forlorn all the time?”

  James laughed, “I’m sorry, I’ve never felt so helpless before. I promise to improve. Now come on ladies, let me accompany you into the lion’s den!” He offered his arms to his sister and cousin and the left the house to step into the carriage.

  At the White Hart the party were led into one of the private parlours that the Earl had hired. A table was set out in the middle of the room, with additional seating to the right of the table, arranged around a welcoming fire. The Earl and his sister were seated near the fire but rose as the visitors entered. Isabelle’s eyes were drawn to Lady Sophie. She immediately could see why James had lost his heart. Sophie was slim, with milky white skin, not as tall as Isabelle, with more petite features. Her eyes were baby blue and her delicate features were framed by soft golden curls. This was a girl that could never be described as handsome, she was stunningly beautiful. Isabelle smiled warmly as James took her hand to introduce her.

  “Lady Sophie, Standish, may I present my sister Miss Isabelle Crawford and my cousin Miss Mary Leicester.” Isabelle curtsied and received a curtsey and bow in return.

  “Welcome Miss Crawford, Miss Leicester. I have been looking forward to meeting you so much. James speaks so very highly of you both,” Lady Sophie smiled.

  “And we have looked forward to meeting you,” Isabelle smiled in return. “I hope the journey down was not too tiring?”

  “Oh no, Tom provides every comfort when he is travelling. He does not like to be inconvenienced in any way,” Lady Sophie replied, innocently smiling at her brother.

  Isabelle took the opportunity at Lady Sophie’s words to look at the Earl. He was as different to his sister as he could be, except for the eyes. His hair was jet black and his skin dark, almost swarthy, but he had the same baby blue eyes as Lady Sophie. However there was a difference in their expression; his eyes looked at the party with coldness and boredom, whereas his sister’s were filled with warmth. Isabelle could see plainly that he was regard
ing the party with a bored cynicism that he did not try to hide. When he turned to her she met his gaze with a look of challenge; she was not going to be intimidated by his high-handed attitude. She had the pleasure of seeing something flicker in his eyes, but then he turned away, the bored look returning as he greeted her brother.

  Tom had been surprised by Isabelle’s expression. He was accustomed to being looked at either with wariness because of his reputation, or with anticipation as a potential marriage candidate, the anticipation only easing when his attitude alienated him from new acquaintances. In Isabelle though he had seen neither, in fact he had seen a look which had seemed to suggest he would need to work hard before she showed any sign of being impressed.

  Before he had arrived in Bath when James had told him about his sister, he had put her down as an eccentric. When she had walked into the room he was surprised how beautiful she was which had made him think she was more than just an eccentric to have hidden herself away. While the introductions had been made he had wondered if perhaps madness ran in the family and had resolved to find out more before Sophie aligned herself to James. The look from Isabelle had given him pause for thought though. It was the expression of an intelligent woman. Although his interest had been aroused, it was soon conquered by his over-riding feeling of boredom and he had turned away.

  “Crawford,” Tom bowed slightly in greeting.

  “Standish,” James replied in clipped terms.

  “Oh you two stop being silly,” Lady Sophie intervened impatiently. “Anyone would think you were about to start fighting the way you circle one another every time you meet. I am sure Miss Crawford and Miss Leicester did not accept our invitation expecting anything but an entertaining night, particularly not a common brawl. Please let us be seated, I hope you are all ready to eat, we ordered the food to arrive promptly at seven.”

  Isabelle had to admire the way Lady Sophie had intervened in the stand-off between the two men. Even though she appeared doll-like, she was obviously a more confident person than her image suggested. Isabelle had the sinking feeling that the Earl was not going to be easily convinced to allow the match between James and his sister. If his opinion of James was shown by the barely concealed hostility in his greeting, she wondered why he would bring his sister to Bath to spend time with James if he had no intention of agreeing to a marriage. Hopefully the situation would become clearer as the evening progressed.