*** The End ***
Rescuing the Earl
Regency Romance
Grace Fletcher
Chapter 1
The New Arrivals
“Henriette!”
Henriette turned and saw the tall, lanky figure of the young curate coming towards her. She felt her heart sinking. She had hoped that they could get through Sunday service without the man finding her and virtually sticking to her side until they had to leave. But her parents were taking too long visiting with neighbors they haven’t conversed with in a long time, and Henriette held her tongue even though she was anxious to go home. Nevertheless, she stuck a polite smile on her face and curtsied slightly at the curate.
“Mister Read.”
Marcus Read joined her, brushing his tousled locks from his face. He gave her a smile.
“I trust you enjoyed the service.”
“I did.”
Henriette kept her answer to the minimum. She didn’t want another discussion about God and his ‘mysterious ways’; not right now anyway. While she believed in God, she didn’t really want to discuss theology at every opportunity. But, understandably, that was Marcus’ main topic of conversation.
Towering over her, his blond hair constantly seemed to be in a mess but seemed to fit with his Romanesque nose, rugged features, and emerald-green eyes. With his broad shoulders, wide smile and charming demeanor, it was no wonder many of the women, particularly the mothers flocked around him. But Marcus didn’t appear to notice them, having eyes only for Henriette.
Henriette wished he didn’t. She liked him, but she was very much aware that his intentions towards her were more than platonic. In the past, Henriette had tried to summon feelings that would go past friendship but hadn’t been able to find anything. It was sad, but she knew it wasn’t meant to be.
Thankfully nobody had pushed them to marry just yet . Otherwise, Henriette would be stuck in a quandary.
But this time Marcus didn’t seem in a rush to discuss God. It was then Henriette realized that he had been followed by three people she didn’t recognize. Immediately she knew they were of a higher class. Their clothes, jewelry, and manners clearly bespoke their affluent station in life. Henriette didn’t need to question them about this; it emanated from them like a strong perfume.
Marcus turned to Henriette’s father, who had come to join them with his wife.
“Mr. and Mrs. Smith, it’s delightful to see you again. I trust both of you are doing well now?”
“We’re doing better, Mr. Read.” Mary Smith answered. Her voice was still raspy, and she did sound somewhat congested. “It’s not as painful to breathe now.”
“Same here.” Robert sounded better, even better than he had done when they left that morning. He smiled fondly at Henriette. “Our daughter was correct in her suggestion that we get out into the fresh air. It’s doing us good.”
Henriette was aware of Marcus giving her a warm look. She didn’t look at him. No point in encouraging him.
Then Marcus’ attention was diverted elsewhere. Henriette observed the curate ushering the newcomers over.
“I’d like to introduce you to some new friends, if I may?” He went on before anyone answered in the affirmative. “This is John Myrtle, his wife, Margaret and their daughter Susan. They’ve only just moved into the village. This is Robert Smith, his wife, Mary and their daughter Henriette.”
Looking closer, Henriette took in their appearances. John Myrtle was taller than Marcus and looked a little on the thin side. His pale brown hair was cut short, and he looked pale as if he had been ill recently. Margaret was also tall and on the plump side but with rosy cheeks and a beaming smile. She had that warm and friendly look.
Susan was nearly as tall as her mother, slender with perfect poise. Her black hair was piled up on her head like her mother’s, her skin looking like porcelain and her dark eyes were big. But there wasn’t a wide-eyed innocence in them. She couldn’t have been any older than twenty, but she didn’t have that youthful freshness about her. She had an impudent look of disrespect about her.
Henriette silently scolded herself for judging too quickly. That was not how she was brought up as she remembered the verse, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” Robert gave Myrtle a smile and held out his hand.
“How do you do, Mr. Myrtle?”
“Very well, thank you.”
Mr. Myrtle’s voice was hoarse, but he shook Robert’s hand firmly. Marcus seemed to be hovering close to him, almost as if he was trying to be ingratiating, as he looked at Henriette.
“I was just telling Mrs. Myrtle and Susan about your knowledge of the village, Henriette. To say the truth, you know all the ins and outs of the place, don’t you?”
“As well as anyone else here does, most certainly.”
Henriette wondered what he was up to. Had she just been strong-armed into something without her foreknowledge? It wasn’t unusual, she was often too meek to stand up to anyone, but it did upset her. She could give sound advice when needed, but when it came to saying no and stopping people from taking advantage of her good nature, Henriette was hopeless.
“Mr. Read was suggesting that you could show Susan round the village,” Margaret said brightly. Her smile beamed. “We’ve got many things to sort out in our house, and we know she’s going to be bored. You could make sure she knows her way around.”
One glance at Susan told Henriette that the girl wasn’t pleased about the idea. If anything, she didn’t like the sound of traipsing around the village while her parents moved furniture. Henriette floundered. She didn’t want to do it, but she knew no one would listen to her.
“I…”
“That would be lovely.” Mary chimed in brightly. “Henriette was mentioning to me the other day she was missing a friend.”
“Perfect.”
Marcus looked pleased that his suggestion had gone down well. Susan’s frown got deeper, but only Henriette seemed to notice. She excused herself quietly and walked away, not looking back when Marcus called for her. Henriette was too annoyed to say anything. It was clear Susan didn’t want someone to take care of her like a little girl and Henriette didn’t want to do it.
Footsteps fell in beside her, and Robert touched her arm.
“Are you sure you’re all right with this, Henriette?”
Henriette snorted.
“I didn’t get the chance to object.”
Robert sighed. He squeezed her arm.
“You can always say no.”
“But that would be rude.” Henriette shrugged. “It’s only one person. What could go wrong?”
Chapter 2
The Unappreciative Newcomer
As Henriette found out the next day, much could go wrong.
It was primarily Susan’s arrogance. She acted like an entitled snob, and it grated on Henriette’s nerves. She knew a lot of the younger girls and boys that came from money acted as though they deserved whatever came in their direction, including getting their own way. While Henriette’s family didn’t have as much money, they made an adequate amount that they were very comfortable, but Henriette never took it for granted.
Evidently, Susan didn’t seem to appreciate her station in life. And she didn’t approve of people walking away from her when she wanted to order them about. When Henriette had arrived at her house, which was on the outskirts of the village, Susan had been attempting to order the footmen about. The moment her mother saw Henriette at the gate, she had virtually pushed Susan out the door and told her to go for a walk.
So Henriette was stuck with a sulky companion, showing her around the main attraction areas that were suitable for people of their age. All she received in return were a series of grunts.
It wasn’t until they were walking through a field to the stream Susan spoke, stepping through the grass carefully as if she expected it to attack her.
“Is there genuinely nothing to do here?” She whined.
Henriette sighed and bit back the urge to
argue. So she kept walking.
“There’s plenty to do here.” She said as brightly as she could. Her fake enthusiasm had been fading very slowly, and she wasn’t in the mood for moans about the place she loved.
“Yes, there is. If you like walking in the fields for hours on end.” Susan hopped over a fallen tree branch, clutching her bonnet as she ducked under the extended twigs. “I mean for socializing, entertainment. Isn’t there anything?”
“We have regular fairs here. And there’s a tea shop around the corner from your house.” Which Henriette had showed her first. “Plus we have the usual balls and events with those in the society circle.”
“So no theater, or walks in the park with the high society?”
Susan sounded shocked at this. Henriette stopped as she reached the stream and turned back to see Susan had stopped, staring at her in amazement and horror. Henriette wasn’t sure whether to laugh or roll her eyes at her expression.
“It’s not London or Bath, but we do well here.” She said, trying not to sound defensive. “Nobody complains and after spending so much time doing all that in London, it’s agreeable to come here and get away for a while.”
“That may suffice for a couple of weeks.” Susan made her way to the stream, wrinkling her nose at the bubbling brook. “Not several months!”
Henriette sighed. This was going to be a long morning. They had barely gone a mile and Susan was already overheated. Henriette was used to walking, so she wasn’t out of breath in the least; but her patience was beginning to thin.
She was going to have serious words with Marcus about his suggesting she could be a good companion to this girl.
“Why are you in Penmanshire, Susan?”
“Didn’t your friend the curate tell you?”
Henriette flushed.
“We’re acquaintances, not friends.” She pointed out. “And no, he didn’t.”
“Father’s health hasn’t been good lately.” Susan bent down and picked up a pebble, which she tossed into the stream. “The doctor suggested that he move to the country for the fresh air. The London air wasn’t doing him any good.”
“And does it seem to be working?”
Susan shrugged.
“Father smokes his pipe all the time regardless, so it’s difficult to tell. If he and Mother wanted to come here, fine, but they didn’t need to drag me here as well.” She sniffed rudely. “They uprooted me and gave me no choice but to accompany them here.”
Henriette wasn’t in the same social status as Susan’s family, but she was well aware of the haughty demeanor of many children of the dukes, duchesses, and other high-ranking nobility. She made it clear when they tried that attitude with her that it wouldn’t be accepted. Some of them had run to their parents complaining about her actions, but her father had come to her defense. Since he was the best solicitor in London, his opinion carried some respectability.
Henriette disliked Susan’s disregard for her own parents. No child should be that harsh.
“Maybe a break from the bustle of London will be helpful.”
“But I like the pace of the city. My brother and I thrive on it.” Susan smirked. “He’s coming down in the next few days after visiting our uncle. He’s in line for an earldom since Uncle never had children. So my brother has to bow down to him, so he doesn’t lose the title he’s due.”
Henriette didn’t answer. It wasn’t something she hadn’t heard of before, but she didn’t like the way Susan flaunted it. She didn’t care about it, but Susan didn’t appear to have noticed. Susan huffed and looked across the landscape, which was glowing in the mid-morning sun.
“He’s not going to fancy this place, either. It’s adequate for a holiday but not for somewhere to live permanently. It’s so unappealing.”
Henriette gritted her teeth and focused on not losing her temper.
“It is what you perceive it to be. And you shouldn’t turn your nose up at something that could possibly benefit your father and do him a world of good.”
If she was hoping Susan would be the little bit chastised, she was wrong. Susan only shrugged.
“Suit yourself. I’d rather be back in London.”
Henriette sincerely wished she was back in London as well.
Henriette came away from that walk hoping that she wouldn’t be asked to accompany Susan again. But after that, the older generation decided that Susan needed a friend of her own age and were continually throwing them together. Henriette didn’t care for it, but she didn’t raise an objection: her father knew and told her to acquiesce for now as it would only be a temporary arrangement.
That had been three weeks ago.
Now Henriette’s family were going on a picnic. Mary was hosting and invited the Myrtle family. Also invited were Henriette’s aunt and her husband, and her Uncle Alexander, who was a former soldier recently discharged from the army. Her younger cousins children were in school so Henriette couldn’t sit with and talk to them. Henriette was stuck with Susan, who made her thoughts of the afternoon quite obvious and kept herself out of the conversations.
So it was natural Mary thought Susan might be lonely and asked Henriette to walk with her as they went up the hill to their favorite picnic spot. Everyone in Henriette’s family walked every day and everywhere, so they were quite brisk when it came to walking. Even Alexander, who had had to have his leg amputated above the knee and was hobbling about on crutches, managed to keep up with the rest of the family. Mr. Myrtle complained a little about the walk, but Margaret told him it was a good for his well-being, so they kept close to the group.
Only Susan flagrantly complained and lagged behind. Henriette would rather have kept up with everyone else, but she didn’t want to seem rude and walked slowly at Susan’s pace. She was getting fed up with Susan’s entitled attitude, which had grown steadily worse over the course of their acquaintance.
Susan sighed loudly and plucked a flower from the grass, picking it apart.
“This is uninteresting.”
“It’s not displeasing.” Henriette tilted her bonnet back and lifted her head to the sun. “It’s a lovely day.”
“Do you always look for the good in everything?”
Henriette shrugged. She could tell Susan was spoiling for a confrontation. But it took a lot to get Henriette annoyed and even more for her to become vocal.
“I don’t think I’m an optimist.” She stepped over a fallen log, which Susan bounded over. “But I prefer to be agreeable even if I don’t like something.”
“So you prefer to be quiet and docile instead of open about your feelings?” Susan snorted. “That’s hypocritical.”
“No, it’s called common sense. That says if you treat someone as you want to be treated, chances are they’ll be respectful towards you.”
Susan looked unmoved at that.
“That never works.”
“Every tried it?”
“No, never.”
Chapter 3
The Ungrateful
One’s Brother
Henriette had a feeling Susan had rarely been respectful to anyone in her entire life. Her parents seemed nice enough, but they certainly hadn’t given their daughter proper boundaries and instruction on how to treat people. It seemed like they had just left her to her own devices despite the attention they lavished on her whenever people were around.
Henriette almost felt sympathy towards her.
The rest of the group were approaching the bottom of the hill and were making their way up. The two girls were still lagging behind, and Henriette was keen to get up the hill and sit down so she could enjoy the scenery. But Susan was intent on being slow.
Then Henriette heard a rumbling sound. It was rapid and seemed to be getting louder. She turned round and scanned the trees behind them.
“What’s that?”
“It’s just someone out riding.” Susan glanced at Henriette. “Nothing objectionable with that, is there?”
“It sounds like it’s coming very f
ast.”
Henriette was fine around horses, but she didn’t like being near them when they were galloping. She had almost been run over as a child and kept clear of them when she was on foot.
Suddenly a large white horse burst through the trees and barrelled straight towards them. Henriette screamed and dived out the way as it came at her, barely missing her. She rolled to a stop in the grass, her bonnet having fallen off and lying bedraggled on the ground. Looking up, she saw the rider pull the horse to a stop and dismount almost gracefully. Tall, dark haired and with a complexion that indicated he spent time in the sun. A handsome man, if you liked lean and gruff-looking. There was something about him that caused the hairs on the back of Henriette’s neck stand on end.
The rider began stalking towards Henriette and the look on his face indicated he wasn’t pleased with her.
“What do you think you’re doing?” He demanded. “You would’ve been killed standing in the way.”
“And you should have more control of your animal.” Henriette snatched up her bonnet and stood. Her hair was caught in the wind, and she brushed it out her face. Her bonnet could wait. “This is a public pathway. Riders are supposed to respect people on foot.”
“First I’ve heard of that.”
He was towering over her, and Henriette had to tilt her head back to look at him. His dark eyes flashed when she made eye contact. Henriette shivered but didn’t look away. She wasn’t about to be intimidated by this man. She didn’t step back and cow back in submission.
Susan laughed and reached the newcomer’s side, slipping her arm through his.
“Now, now, Arthur.” She teased. “Don’t upset the genteel lady of the countryside. It’s not proper manners.”
Arthur laughed. It didn’t sound friendly. Henriette stared at the pair.
“You know him?”
“This is my brother, Arthur.” Susan patted Arthur’s arm. “This is Henriette Smith, Arthur.”
Arthur nodded his head once in greeting, but he didn’t go through the proper etiquette. This made Henriette angry. She may not like him, but manners were everything. If he was going to expect her to curtsy back after that, he was going to be waiting for a long time.
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