by Rose Pearson
“Lord Northfell? Is that you?”
Sighing to himself, Arthur turned to see his good friend, Lord Ravenhall, sitting in a small alcove, apparently doing much the same as Arthur intended.
“Ravenhall!” he exclaimed, reaching out to shake the man’s hand. “I did not know you were back in town.”
“The wife wanted to visit her family,” Lord Ravenhall replied, with a wry smile. “And, of course, we could not miss a few of society’s events, what with having very few balls and the like for the rest of the year!”
Arthur chuckled and sat next to his friend, thinking that this was the first time he had felt even a modicum of happiness since Lady Amelia had left his company. “Well, I am glad to see you,” he said, truthfully. “I did not want to come tonight particularly but Lord Worthing managed to persuade me.”
“Lord Worthing?” Ravenhall repeated, with a look of disdain. “He is not still about, is he?”
“Unfortunately, he is,” Arthur replied, shaking his head. “I do not know how he gets away with the things he does, although I suppose I should not be one to talk.”
Ravenhall chuckled. “You always were something of a rogue, Northfell, although I have heard of late that you have been more than sensible recently.” Lifting one eyebrow enquiringly, he studied Arthur. “Is there any particular reason?”
The urge to tell Ravenhall all that had occurred since Elouise had arrived on his doorstep took Arthur with such strength that the words almost tumbled from his mouth without any intention of allowing them to do so. Arthur found that once he had started his story, he simply could not stop. Everything came pouring out of him all at once, his voice growing hoarse as he reached the end of his tale. He recounted what Ridlington had told Lady Amelia and how she had turned her back on him, severing their connection. it was not because of Elouise, he made sure to add, but rather because of what he had not told her. That was what had caused her pain.
“I see,” Ravenhall murmured, once he had finished. “Goodness, Northfell, I had no idea you were in such a bind.”
“Elouise is not a bind,” Arthur replied, miserably. “Rather, she is a beautiful gift that I have been given, but I do not know what to do in order to introduce her presence to society. I find that I no longer care about myself – for if I cannot have Lady Amelia as my bride then I wish for no other – but rather all I want is for Elouise to have a happy and bright future, one filled with prospects, filled with hope. How can I do that when she is illegitimate?”
Lord Ravenhall did not reply for a few minutes. He stared out across the ballroom floor, his fingers running over the dark brown beard he sported. It was clear that he was thinking deeply about Arthur’s position and what he might do about it but Arthur worried that there would simply be no solution.
“Why not just call her your ward?”
“Because she is not my ward,” Arthur replied, heavily. “I do not want Elouise to believe that I am ashamed of her.”
“You are doing more for her than many other gentlemen would,” Ravenhall reminded him, with a sad smile. “Most would have turned their backs and stepped away entirely, maybe put the child to the poorhouse.”
Arthur remembered the baby on his doorstep, remembered how, acting on instinct alone, he had gathered up the baby in his arms and had hurried towards his study, knowing the child needed to be warmed. Her tiny fingers had grasped his, the coolness of her skin worrying him – and he had not been able to get her from his mind since.
“Just to look at her you would know she was mine,” he said, quietly. “I could not turn my back on a baby.”
“Then I think you have two choices before you.” Ravenhall lifted his hand and ticked off his fingers one after the other. “You can claim she is a distant relation and call her your ward – which would account for the family resemblance.”
“And the other option?”
Ravenhall smiled. “Or you can call her your daughter and hope that society will, one day, welcome her into their fold, although that is a dangerous course of action, I think.”
Arthur grimaced. “Yes, it would be for there is no guarantee that the ton would accept her given that she was borne out of wedlock.” He sighed and settled his shoulders, looking out across the swarming guests. “I think it shall have to be the first option, Ravenhall,” he muttered, passing a hand over his eyes. “A distant relation and ward she shall be. I just hope that, one day, I can explain to her why it must be so.”
Ravenhall slapped him on the back. “Take some time to consider things, Northfell. There is no particular rush, is there? After all it is not as though she is about to make her debut!”
Arthur chuckled. “No, there is not. You are quite right.” He made to say more, only for a loud cheer to go up from below.
“Goodness,” Ravenhall murmured, leaning forward just a little. “Whatever is that for?”
Arthur narrowed his eyes, searching the crowd for whomever it was that had started the cheer. Someone shouted for champagne and soon the guests were clamoring for a glass. Arthur and Ravenhall sat quietly, still trying to work out what was going on.
“An engagement, most likely,” Ravenhall muttered, sitting back with a sigh. “My wife will want to know who it is so I am going to have to find out.”
Seeing someone walk towards them, Arthur turned to see a footman carrying a tray with some glasses filled with champagne. “It looks like you will not have to ask around too much,” he murmured, taking one glass and handing it to Ravenhall before taking one of his own.
“Tell me,” Ravenhall began, addressing the footman. “To whose health are we to drink?”
“A Lady Amelia, I believe, my lord,” the footman said, with a slight bow. “She has recently become engaged to Lord Darnsley.”
Ravenhall nodded and dismissed the footman, before shaking his head. “I am sorry, Northfell.”
Arthur felt as though he had been turned into one of the marble statues that adorned the balcony walls. He could not take it in, could not believe that she had done such a thing.
“Why?” he breathed, looking at Ravenhall in confusion. “Why would she engage herself to him?”
Ravenhall shrugged. “Is he a good man?”
“I know very little about him,” Arthur replied, heavily. “He is a cousin of the family so I expect they know each other very well.” He stared out at the crowd, unseeingly. “I know she does not love him.”
“I would think that love has very little to do with it,” Ravenhall replied, quietly. “If she has been as badly hurt as you say, then I can imagine that a marriage of convenience is the best course of action for her. Not that it brings you any happiness, of course.”
“No,” Arthur whispered, “it does not.”
He could not raise his glass with the others, could not join in the cheers with the rest of the guests. His heart was broken into smithereens, shattering on the floor all around him. He had lost her. He had lost Amelia forever.
“I must go,” Arthur muttered, getting to his feet and setting the full glass of champagne down. “Do excuse me, Ravenhall.”
The man’s eyes grew sympathetic. “Of course, Northfell. Do come and see us soon. In fact, come and talk to me anytime you wish and do bring Elouise to meet us when you can.”
Arthur nodded, giving his friend a tight smile. It was just like Ravenhall to extend such kindnesses to a child such as Elouise. “You are very good, Ravenhall. I will bring her soon, of course. Please pass on my compliments to your wife.”
Ravenhall inclined his head and Arthur turned on his heel to leave, the cheers of the crowd below piercing his very soul. They were cheering for Lord Darnsley and Lady Amelia, not for Lord Northfell and Lady Amelia as he had so often hoped.
His life was empty, his world was shattered. There was nothing left for him here. Seeing Lady Amelia again would not help matters, it would only bring him more pain.
This is all my own doing, he berated himself as he walked out of the ballroom and towards the front
door of the house. If I had only told her the truth from the start, if I had not allowed Ridlington to have such a hold on me then maybe things would be vastly different now.
Regret filled both his mind and heart, his angst growing with almost every step. Even back in his carriage, heading towards home, he could hear the guests cheering for Lady Amelia, the sound tormenting him until he thought he could stand no more.
“There is nothing left for me,” he said to himself, as the carriage rumbled through the streets of London. “Everything is hopeless. Everything is gone.” Putting his head in his hands, Arthur felt tears pricking at his eyes and, for the first time in many years, allowed some of them to fall.
Chapter 20
Harmonia balanced carefully on the small step ladder whilst Amelia held the other end of the bunting, stretching it out carefully. It would be their father’s birthday in a few days’ time and both she and Harmonia had been busy sewing a few decorations to decorate their home with.
“Be careful!” Amelia warned, as Harmonia began to tie the end of the bunting around one of the wall fastened candlesticks. “The last thing I want is for you to topple!”
Harmonia laughed and finished her task before carefully climbing down the ladder, bringing it over to where Amelia stood. Amelia then tied her end of the bunting onto another wall fastened candlestick and, descending carefully from the step ladder, stepped back to admire their handiwork.
“It looks beautiful,” Harmonia murmured, quietly. “I am sure papa will love it.”
“I hope so,” Amelia replied, with a slight heaviness in her voice. “He has been so delighted about my engagement that I am not sure anything else will compare to it!”
Harmonia slipped an arm around her waist, saying nothing. It had been a week since Amelia’s engagement had been announced and, thankfully for Amelia, Harmonia had come to terms with it rather quickly. She had declared herself thankful for Amelia’s intervention and confessed that she did not love Luke in the slightest. All in all, she seemed quite content about the whole thing, although Amelia knew Harmonia was still concerned over Amelia’s decision.
“And you have no regrets?”
“None,” Amelia declared, ignoring the twinge of guilt in her heart. “I have to say, Harmonia, I feel that this is quite the right choice for me. It means I have nothing to concern myself over any longer. I shall marry Luke and all shall be well.”
Her heart did not quite agree, growing somber with worry and confusion. At the time, she had thought she was making the right decision for her future, but later, in the cold light of day, Amelia had realized that tying herself to a man she did not even like was not going to ease the pain and grief in her heart. In fact, it almost worsened it.
Harmonia opened her mouth to say more, only for two loud voices to echo up the staircase towards them. Amelia stared at her sister as they listened, her stomach churning with a sudden worry. That sounded very much like Lord Northfell if she was not mistaken, but surely he could not be here! Not now, not when so much had passed between them!
“We should not eavesdrop, I know, but…” Harmonia began, trailing off and lifting one eyebrow.
Amelia hurried towards the door almost at once, glad they had left it ajar. Stepping out into the hallway, both she and Harmonia walked towards the staircase, looking down to where the front door was situated.
“Goodness!”
Harmonia’s whispered exclamation echoed the shock Amelia felt. There was Lord Northfell standing by Luke, both of whom were talking in hurried tones. From their viewpoint, it was almost impossible to see their faces, so she did not know what they were feeling or expressing to one another.
“Should we go down, do you think?” Harmonia whispered, as Amelia continued to watch them. “They are, after all, standing in our home!”
“I suppose we must,” Amelia replied, briskly. “After all, we have every right to see what they are doing here.”
Harmonia gave her a searching look. “I do hope they are not about to fight over you, Amelia. It might be best if –”
“Nonsense!” Amelia declared, firmly. “Neither of them would be so foolish. Come now.” She began to hurry down the staircase, ignoring the stab of worry in her heart. Moving closer to them, she could see that Lord Northfell’s hands were curled into fists and that he appeared quite agitated. Luke, on the other hand, was a little more relaxed, although his loud voice was bouncing off the walls.
“Gentlemen,” Amelia called, as she descended the last few steps. “Whatever is going on here?”
Both men stopped talking at once and Luke turned to face Amelia and Harmonia, surprise etched across his face as though he had not expected to see them in their own home.
“Can you kindly explain what you are both doing arguing in my father’s home?” Harmonia continued, moving to stand next to Amelia. “For shame, Luke, you should know that our father requires peace and quiet during the day!”
A flash of guilt ran over Luke’s face as he gave a slight bow. “I do beg your pardon, cousins.”
“If you are going to fight, might you do it elsewhere?” Amelia said, calmly, hardly able to look directly at Lord Northfell such was the tension she felt rising within her. “Our home is hardly the place for it.”
Lord Northfell said nothing, whilst Luke stared at her as though she had quite lost her head. “Fight?” he repeated, glancing back at Lord Northfell before returning his gaze to her. “Why would we do such a foolish thing?”
“The card game?” Amelia replied, arching one eyebrow. “You told us you had been cheated by…” She managed to look at Lord Northfell, who was looking back at her with a deep confusion in his eyes. “Well, Ridlington.”
“Yes, but this is not the man,” Luke exclaimed, his eyes widening. “Did you really think it was Lord Northfell who had cheated me out of so much money?”
Heat hit Amelia’s cheeks almost at once, embarrassment filling her.
“You did say Ridlington,” she repeated, hopelessly. “And so I thought – ”
“That is not important at this moment,” Harmonia said, quickly, interrupting Amelia. “Shall we, perhaps, go to the drawing room to discuss this further, gentlemen? This is not a conversation we need to be having in the hallway now, is it?”
She did not wait for them to agree but began to make her way towards the drawing room, with Amelia immediately following behind, pausing only to speak to the butler to send some light refreshments for them all. She was glad that her two younger sisters were out shopping whilst their father was resting, for it meant that whatever needed to be discussed could be talked about in private. Holding her head high, Amelia tried not to allow the embarrassment and shame she felt to send color into her cheeks. She was more than a little embarrassed over what she had said in front of Lord Northfell, believing very firmly that he was responsible for her cousin’s financial loss – only to be told, whilst he was standing directly in front of her – that this was not the case at all! She had been so determined to believe that Lord Northfell had been the one in the wrong that she had never once considered that it might be, in fact, Mr. Ridlington who had cheated her cousin. How poorly she had behaved! How misjudged had her thoughts been towards a man who had, it seemed, told her the truth about his finances.
“Did you say that you saw Mr. Ridlington?” Lord Northfell asked, the moment they were all seated in the drawing room. “Where? When?”
Amelia frowned as Luke nodded, seeing the anxiety and worry on Lord Northfell’s face and, being quite unable to place it, grew concerned for him.
“Is something the matter?” she asked, softly.
“Indeed,” Lord Northfell continued, gravely. “My dear Elouise has gone missing.”
Amelia gasped in shock, just as Harmonia asked, “Elouise? Your daughter?”
“Yes, my daughter,” Lord Northfell answered, candidly. “I have no shame in admitting to you that she is mine, albeit from an ill thought out liaison in my younger years, but she is very precious
to me. And now she is gone from my house, with no explanation. The nurse was locked in her room and the governess had been hit across the back of the head although thankfully she will be quite all right.”
Harmonia drew in a sharp breath but did not say anything. Amelia, horrified at what Lord Northfell had revealed, sat back in silence as the tea trays were set before them, her eyes never leaving Northfell’s.
The man looked utterly distraught, his eyes meetings hers with a clear indication of the pain and suffering he was going through.
“I met Northfell on the street, just as I was coming to call upon you, Amelia,” Luke began, as soon as the maids had left. “I think we ought to do something to help, I’m just not quite sure what!”
Amelia’s mind began working quickly. “Do you think Ridlington has anything to do with this?” she asked directly, looking straight at Lord Northfell. “I know that you have stopped being as willing to support him of late.” She saw the flash of understanding in his eyes as a grateful smile turned up the corner of his lips.
“Yes, indeed,” he murmured, glancing at Luke. “My cousin – the one you had met previously at the card table, Lord Darnsley – has spent a great many years doing whatever he can to get funds from me. I told him only recently that I would not be giving him any more money.”
“And he may have taken Elouise in order to get you to pay,” Luke murmured. “He is back in town, isn’t he? And does it seem quite likely that he would do such a thing?”
“I can think of no-one else,” Lord Northfell admitted, rubbing his forehead with the back of his hand. “The only problem that faces us now is that I have very little idea of where he might be. He has an estate in the country and a townhouse here but I cannot think that he would venture to either of those places, since I could find him very easily.”
Amelia cleared her throat, her desperation to find Elouise growing by the minute. “Then we must organize a search,” she declared, getting to her feet. “I shall organize the servants, shall I? I can take Harmonia and start scouring the streets. We may find something that might help?”
