Enchanted by the Mysterious Marquess: A Clean & Sweet Regency Historical Romance

by Fanny Finch

  Jasper had not said anything to him about this plan. What could it mean? What was he planning?

  Myles shook his head. There was simply no way Jasper would be capable of taking another person’s life. Not unless he felt threatened or he did so in defense. Otherwise he would never hurt another man.

  “We do not have to play croquet,” Myles said, pushing himself out of the lounge chair. “Though I was quite comfortable.”

  Jasper snorted. “Because you were winning.”

  Myles smiled. “Good point. Would you like to play some cards? After a long day of hunting, I find cards and a glass of wine to be the perfect relaxation.”

  Jasper looked thoughtful. “That is a good idea. A glass of wine to help relax.”

  “You have not had a lot of success hunting lately, have you?”

  Jasper shook his head as they walked up to the house. “No. It is unfortunate. But I do not rely on it for my food source, so I will be all right.”

  Myles wondered how his friend could so easily dismiss a pastime he had always loved more than anything else. “It is a shame, though.”

  Jasper shrugged. “Yes, it is.”

  He said nothing more as the two men went up the steps and into the house. Myles followed Jasper to the game room. On the way, Jasper stopped a maid and requested the wine be brought to them.

  Myles knew there was one thing about the two men that made them get along so well. Neither of them were fond of talking. Even when it was the two of them alone, they were comfortable with some amount of silence.

  Myles thought with some amusement that it probably made his visits even better for Jasper. They both knew they were not required to speak, not obligated to tell long stories or give explanations for why something was the way it was.

  They were content to be quiet.

  “I have something to show you, Arlington,” Jasper said, gesturing with his hand. “I do not think I ever told you about this.”

  Myles lifted his eyebrows, making them disappear under his wavy brown hair. “I am excited to see it, Federline.”

  Jasper gave him a half-grin. “I have been working on this project for some time now. I do not know if I will ever be able to use it but I am quite excited about it.”

  Myles covered his confusion quickly. Jasper would explain himself if he was patient. He walked across the room with Jasper to a closed door. Jasper stopped in front of it.

  He tapped on it with one finger.

  “Do you know where this goes?”

  Myles gave him another confused look. “I do not know how I would,” he responded.

  Jasper smiled. “This is a doorway to Heaven.”

  Myles blinked. He had thought on his last visit that perhaps his friend was losing his mind. He wondered if he should revisit that thought.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I say it is a doorway to heaven. Let me show you.”

  Jasper opened the door, swinging it all the way. He reached in and pulled a lantern from a hook. He lit it and handed it to Myles. “Go on up.”

  Myles stepped up to the door and looked in. A staircase was in front of him. He could not go to the left or the right. Only up. He glanced over his shoulder at his friend.

  “You want me to go up there?”

  Jasper nodded, his eyes wide and excited. Myles felt uneasy but trusted his friend. He turned around and began up the steps.

  There was another door at the top.

  “Just open it up. It is not locked,” Jasper said from behind him.

  Myles pushed open the door. He held the lantern in the room and was surprised by what he saw.

  It was a room filled with art supplies, canvases, and paintings that leaned up against the side walls. There were three large windows, one on each side of the room, casting in the bright light from outside.

  Myles lowered the lantern and took a step in to let Jasper come up next to him.

  “I am quite impressed, Federline. It looks like you have resumed your painting.”

  Jasper looked around the room. Myles could not help thinking his friend’s face was sad, instead of the joy he would have expected to see. Jasper looked excited but there was a distinct look of sorrow on his narrow face.

  “It was my intention to make this my art room. I was going to do a lot of painting. I do not think I will be doing that, though.”

  Myles furrowed his brows. “Federline, you are a mysterious man. You start this project, it is completed and now you will not use what you have created? You have so much here. DaVinci would be upset.”

  “I am nowhere near the talent of such a man but thank you for the comparison.”

  Myles moved across the room and flipped through the large canvases leaning against one wall. Each painting had a different topic. There were several that depicted the landscape from the room where he stood through the various windows, there were some of the night sky, and still others of birds and animals skittering through the forest.

  Myles was impressed with what he saw, raising his eyebrows and smiling. “It is a shame to waste your talent, Federline,” he said in a low voice.

  Jasper nodded, coming up next to him. “I painted those a few months ago.”

  “Have you thought of selling them? I know they would bring you some good profit.”

  Jasper shook his head. “I had not thought of selling them. Perhaps I will someday. Right now, though, I have much more pressing things on my mind.”

  Myles thought of the threats he was receiving from Sir Franklin. He intended to ask his friend about them later on, when they were more relaxed. He stood up straight and looked around the room again. It was truly a place of peace and serenity.

  “I believe you have created a masterful place for peace, Federline. Excellent job.”

  Jasper smiled at him. “Thank you. Shall we go back down? I believe our wine is possibly waiting for us.”

  Myles chuckled. “Yes, I believe it is. You must take the lantern. You are going down first.”

  Jasper took the lantern from him and started down the stairs. Myles was just behind him.

  They had only taken a few steps down when Jasper’s foot slipped out from under him and he pivoted forward, losing his balance. Myles reached out and grasped him firmly by his arm.

  Jasper grabbed at his friend’s arm and pulled himself steady. He had a humiliated look plastered to his face. Myles tried not to show too much sympathy, as Jasper would resent being pitied, but he was greatly concerned, nonetheless.

  Jasper pushed both hands out against the walls on either side of him and tried to catch his breath.

  “You would have broken your neck falling down these steps,” Myles said, concern etched in his voice. “What happened?”

  “I… I guess I just slipped.”

  Myles did not say anything else. There was definitely something the matter with Jasper and he fervently wished that Jasper would let him in on it. The man was not dangerous. He was not trying to kill off Lavinia’s rivals.

  He helped Jasper to the comfortable chair he enjoyed and served them both from the wine that had already been delivered.

  He noticed when he handed the glass to his friend, there was a certain sadness about him that Myles did not understand. He was energetic and seemed in fine health, other than his odd behavior.

  Finally, he could stand it no longer.

  “Federline, I want to ask you a question.” He kept his voice gentle. He did not wish to offend Jasper, but his friend was not being forthcoming and the mystery that surrounded him was concerning to Myles.

  Jasper looked up at him in surprise. “Oh?”

  Myles tried not to frown. He did not want his friend to think he was prying. He felt their friendship was close enough to warrant some concern when there was something wrong.

  “You have not been yourself these past few visitsMyles used a casual tone but allowed some concern to be heard.

  Jasper frowned. “I am aware of that, Arlington.”

  “Tell me this is
not because of Sir Franklin and his threats. You have never backed down from a duel.”

  “He has not yet challenged me to one.” Jasper lifted his glass and sipped his wine. “I cannot and will not duel with him over the hand of a woman I am not courting.”

  “He has still been threatening? Even in the last few days?”

  “He is always threatening. He sends messengers and if I am unfortunate enough to see him around town, I must bear the brunt of his displeasure in public. As long as no one sees him in the process.”

  “What do you do?”

  “I leave. I do not wish to be anywhere Sir Franklin is at.”

  “He might challenge you to a duel. Would it then not be over and done with?”

  Jasper snorted, casting a narrow look toward Myles. “Yes. It would most definitely be over and done with.”

  Myles shook his head, feeling downhearted for his friend. Perhaps he was not asking the right questions. “Then I do not understand the problem. You have never backed down from a fight before. I am surprised to see you doing it now.”

  Jasper rested one arm on his armrest, letting his hand dangle over the edge. He dumped half of the wine in his glass down his throat before speaking. “I am not who I used to be. I am not young anymore.”

  Myles had his chance to snort. He shook his head at his friend. “No, Federline. You cannot use that excuse. You are still young.”

  Jasper sighed heavily. “I may still be young but that does not mean I have no flaws.”

  “You are speaking in riddles.” Myles took his wine glass and drank the remainder, tipping the glass back to get the last drop. He set it down on the table in front of him. “I cannot understand when someone speaks in riddles.”

  “Ah, rhyme and rhythm, the songs we sing,” Jasper said in a musical tone. “It is not for you to understand but for me to understand. What can you understand other than what is in your mind? What do I understand other than what is in my mind?”

  Myles recognized the slur of a drunken man. He had never seen Jasper consume too much drink. He leaned forward, looking into his friend’s eyes.

  “Federline. You have had a lot to drink. Perhaps I should take my leave so that you can get some sleep? I am sure you need it. We have had a long day.”

  Jasper surprised Myles by shaking his head back and forth. “You do not need to leave just yet, Arlington. I want to tell you something before you go.”

  Jasper began to fidget in his seat, scratching the back of his neck and running his hand through his hair. He looked almost distraught.

  “Federline, you do not need to tell me anything. I am not entitled to know your business.” Myles said the words with honesty. He had to hope, though, that Jasper would in fact, tell him what was going on to make him seem so odd.

  “I have to tell you…” Jasper mumbled again. “It is time people knew.”

  Myles waited for his friend to continue. Prompting him would only prolong the announcement he had to make.

  Finally, Jasper lifted his eyes and looked at Myles. “I am losing my eyesight, Arlington.”

  Myles blinked at Jasper, feeling a chill rush through him. “Oh my,” he said. “Are you positive?”

  Jasper snorted. He pushed away from the table, looking across the room toward the window. “I am. I have been losing it for a few months. It is rapidly declining. I do not know how much longer I will be able to see.”

  Myles did not know what to say. His compassion for his friend was overwhelming. His first instinct was to tell his friend to find a wife and soon, someone who would dote on him hand and foot, with or without his eyesight. He would need such a person by his side if he was going to survive this ordeal with his dignity intact.

  But it seemed a little too late to be suggesting such things. He knew Jasper was devastated to know he would soon not be able to keep himself safe from thieves and bandits, he would not see the children he would have in the future, he would not see the wife he hoped to love and marry.

  There was no one to go through the journey with him.

  Myles knew he could not show too much sympathy or Jasper would be offended. He was a man and expected to be treated as such.

  But the Marquess felt a great amount of sorrow for his friend and promised himself he would do anything within his power to help Jasper when the time for help came.

  He stood next to him and lay a hand on his shoulder. “Fear not, Federline,” he stated with as much firmness as he could muster. “Just another war. Just another battle. And soldiers do not abandon each other.”

  Chapter 19

  Lavinia sat in the chair by Anna’s bed, leaning over and touching her friend on the forehead. “Oh, Anna, are you not feeling well?”

  She had come in to find Anna still in bed, her face as pale as the white bedsheets. Anna turned her head weakly and looked at Lavinia.

  “I am not well, Lavinia. I believe I have come down with a malady. I do not want to even move. I am so very tired and my head is hurting badly.” As if to prove her point, Anna lifted one hand and pressed it against her temple. “I am so sorry, Lavinia. I do not wish to ruin the last day of our holiday.”

  Lavinia shook her head. “You must not worry about that at all, Anna. You must rest. I am sure…”

  There was a light knock on the open door and both women looked to see Sir Henry standing there, looking concerned. He stepped into the room and came up behind Lavinia.

  “Anna? What is wrong with you?”

  “I have come down with an illness, Henry,” Anna replied weakly. “I must rest today. I did not mean to make this a bad day. You must take Lavinia and do something fun. I cannot bear the thought of ruining this last day.”

  Lavinia heard the weakness in her voice turning to depression and sorrow. She leaned forward again. “Now, Anna, you must not get upset. That will make your symptoms worse. You rest. I am sure Sir Henry and I can find something productive to do with ourselves.” She looked over her shoulder at Sir Henry, who looked taken aback.

  “Is that not right, Sir Henry?”

  Sir Henry nodded emphatically, moving his eyes between the two ladies. “Yes, we can find something to do. You rest, Anna. We will leave this evening if you are not feeling better.”

  “I will likely be all right by dinner,” Anna responded, pulling the thick quilt up around her chin. “I will sleep now. You two be safe and have fun.”

  She turned over on her side, putting her back to Lavinia and Sir Henry. Lavinia stood up, turning to face him.

  She moved her eyes to the door without speaking and after a hesitation, Sir Henry turned and walked out. Lavinia was close behind him and pulled the door along with her when she went out.

  “What would you like to do today, Miss Bronson?” Sir Henry asked in an amiable voice.

  Lavinia looked up at the ceiling, pondering what she wanted to do on her last day of holiday. “I am not quite sure. It has been so long since I have been here, I do not know what is new and different. Do you?”

  Sir Henry’s face turned mischievous. “I believe I know something that might interest you.”

  Lavinia could not help but grin. “Oh? I am anxious to know what that might be.”

  It should have surprised Lavinia when Sir Henry took her to a horse track but it failed to. She did not mind the event, or the crowd, or the bets that were placed. It was a place filled with action and excitement, two things she was fond of. She liked to hear the cheers of those who had won their bets.

  She did not feel too bad for the ones who lost. If they were foolish enough to spend their last dollar on a gamble, their loss was their own to bear.

  Sir Henry was a gentleman throughout the day. He treated her to a nice lunch in yet another tea parlor, where the tea was delicious and the pastries were baked to perfection. They chatted, mostly about Anna and her shenanigans, throughout lunch and after, when they took a walk around the small market of town.

  Lavinia did not ask to buy anything she saw in the shop windows but Henry in
sisted on purchasing a new hat for her and gloves for his sister. She had to admit, he knew Anna’s taste. She was sure her friend would love the gift.

  They walked down the street, remembering things they had all done together and how much fun they had when they were young. Lavinia did not even remember many of it until he recalled it for her. It was as though memories she had blocked out came rushing to the forefront. Suddenly, she remembered spending much more time with Sir Henry and Anna than she had thought.