A Prude Maiden for the Earl (Regency Romance) (Regency Tales Book 8)

by Regina Darcy

  “That’s called hunting,” Adrianna said, tiredly. “Plenty of people do it. It’s nothing worth gossiping about.”

  “His lordship has a reputation for all sorts of mischief,” the young maid continued. “Already, his lordship’s dogs were out barking in the orchards before dawn.” She pursed her lips. “And his lordship went and left flowers at the doorstep.”

  “Flowers?” At that, Adrianna swung open the front door and discovered a bright bouquet on the steps.

  The floral arrangement came with a note:

  For my dearest heart — J.D.

  The flowers were clearly not from the Earl. She resisted the urge to throw the token of seduction back out the front door. Instead she had a groom slip the flowers into a vase and hid the note amidst her bookshelf. Once the small crisis was handled, she dismissed her staff with a wave.

  When she was certain she was alone, Adrianna peeked out the window herself, gazing towards Billingham Hall. The new Earl had a terrible reputation, but this might turn out to be an auspicious turn of events.

  Adrianna knew for a fact that Jason Danvers was the second cousin of the Earl. She could ask her newly returned neighbour to rein in his grasping relation. After all, he owed her a favour. She had single-handedly kept his estate alive all these years. If in fact Danvers was already skulking around and leaving flowers, she could use an ally.

  Adrianna threw on a deep green cloak and ventured out into the misty morning. She thought about taking a carriage or bringing an entourage of groomsmen, but decided against it. This wasn’t meant to be a formal visit, or a show of force. It was a very quick walk across a few fields. She did not feel that this was improper, seeing that they were already acquainted for many years. Additionally, she was an old maid and the head of her own household, no less! In her judgment, a quick jaunt over some dewy pastures for a brief consultation with her noble neighbour was not bending propriety too far.

  She felt dwarfed as she neared Billingham Hall. The massive, turreted estate loomed large against the cloudy sky. Adrianna hesitated for a moment, before ascending the stone steps and knocking on the heavy wooden door. The foreboding place looked ready to withstand a hundred year siege, but its gloominess appealed to her. She supposed she was just used to it — she had grown up in its shadow, after all.

  The door swung open, and an ancient groomsman peeked out at her. She introduced herself and said that she had business with the Earl. The old man’s eyes widened upon hearing her name.

  “Miss Carson,” he said, opening the door wider. “Please follow me.”

  He ushered her into the parlour where she sat down on a faded blue ottoman. Then, he bowed deeply to her. “Words cannot express our gratitude for everything you have done for us here on the Billingham estate.”

  Adrianna felt her heart swell. She had been the one to provide financial support for Billingham’s staff after the old Earl passed away. Without those funds, all of the servants in the manor would have lost their livelihoods. “It was the least I could do,” she managed, before the old groomsman hurried off to find his master.

  The parlour was dusty. Clearly, the house had not been fully inhabited for some time. The old Earl had truly been a recluse. Adrianna wondered what his son would be like, after so many years abroad. Had his adventures in the East continue to whet his old appetite for wine, women, and song? Or would he become more like his father now, a bitter man crushed under the weight of too much debt and too many responsibilities?

  Adrianna folded her hands in her lap. She shouldn’t have such evil thoughts about the man. After all, he had always treated her with kindness in the past. She recalled the last time she had seen him, at the party he had hosted just before he vanished.

  It had been a sparkling evening. Lord Billingham, the scandalous host himself, had even paid attention to her that night — probably just to please her father. At one point, the son of some local lord and his friends had lured her away in one of the dim halls and began surrounding her and making untoward comments. She had been frightened, but Lord Billingham was there to swoop in and fend them off. He had even shoved the noble ringleader himself into a spare table overflowing with trifles.

  After that, he had asked her to dance a few reels and cotillions — just to make her feel better. It had been a cold December evening, but she had felt warm all over during the carriage ride home. She had only been sixteen. That was the time where she still might have been married, had she found the right person.

  Now that was all water under the bridge. It was foolish to think about anything other than Colette’s situation with Danvers. Adrianna needed to keep her thoughts focused on that.

  After all, who knew how much he might have changed over the course of seven years…

  Adrianna heard the click of boots on the stone floors before she saw him. Then, there he was, standing in the entrance of the parlour. She bit her lip. He looked just like she remembered. Lord Billingham was tall, cutting a powerful figure in his onyx coat and breeches. His hair was dark and slightly unrulier than when she had last seen him. His black eyes glittered at her with a sort of rare mirth. Perhaps he was slightly tanner now, from the bright Indian sun.

  “Miss Carson.” His voice was a deep rumble. The new Earl of Billingham made a deep bow.

  “My lord,” she replied, rising and curtseying.

  “It is good to see you,” he said, striding over and sitting down on a comfortable chair.

  “I am sorry for your loss,” she said, noticing his mourning dress.

  “Thank you. I echo the sentiments — I was very sad to hear of your father’s passing.” Adrianna felt as if the Earl was scrutinising her, carefully. “I must ask — did you walk over here by yourself?” He looked somewhat alarmed.

  Adrianna worried she had misjudged him — perhaps he had become more of a stickler for convention in the East. Still, she held firm. “Yes. I find the air quite bracing this morning.”

  “Indeed. Well, then. How may I help you, on this bracing morning?” His eyebrows pricked up. “Actually, I think I might already know.” He grimaced. “I apologise that some of my dogs got in one of your orchards this morning. They were on the scent of a rabbit, I’m afraid.”

  Adrianna felt a prickle of anger. Lord Billingham had clearly already fallen back into his old ways.

  “Hunting hounds?”

  “Yes, quite! I love the sport of it.”

  “Quite expensive though, I imagine,” she said. “Buying all those hounds at once.”

  He shrugged at the thought. “An excellent investment, though.” Lord Billingham broke into a brilliant grin. “One can’t have enough dogs, as I always say.”

  “Lord Billingham… I don’t know… I’m not sure how to put this delicately.” She sighed. “I’m sure you did not realize this, since you were out of the country, but I have been supporting your farmers and staff for quite some time.”

  The Earl started a bit. “You—” He leaned forward, looking at her even closer. “You did what?”

  “Please do not consider me impertinent for telling you this,” she said. “Your father, the late Earl, was struggling.” She pressed her mouth into a firm line. “I could not sit back and watch so many men and women come to ruin around me.”

  The Earl stood up and marched over to one of the room’s tall, narrow windows. He stared out across the barren fields for a moment, and then turned back to Adrianna. “I don’t know how to thank you.”

  It was her turn to smile. “That’s actually just what I came to see you about.”

  FOUR

  The Earl lit up a pipe and began puffing it as he paced around the room. The parlour had icy stone floors, white uneven walls, high-end old furniture, and a dearth of ornaments. It was a drab, somewhat cold room, but his current, witty guest seemed to be lighting the place up.

  “Miss Carson,” he said, affecting a scandalised tone. “Is that a threat?”

  “My lord, I have merely pointed out a set of facts,” Adrianna said, s
miling up at him from his mother’s favourite ottoman.

  “Through my own goodwill and sense of Christian duty, I sustained your tenants for some time, now.” She shrugged.

  “Now you have a wonderful opportunity to return the favour. I don’t ask of much, just a quick intervention with your second cousin.”

  The Earl began to pace around the parlour. He had been verbally fencing with his fearsome, beautiful neighbour for the better part of an hour.

  Here was the crux of their sparring: she believed that his cousin, Jason Danvers, had wicked designs on her younger sister. She wanted him to somehow call off his rampaging bloodhound of a relation.

  The Earl found his head reeling at the whole thing — the idea that 26-year-old Danvers had really settled on one girl, the notion that he could somehow put a damper on this new romance, and the fact that Adrianna Carson had singlehandedly saved his farmers and servants. She was only 23 years old, with dark hair, a wry pretty smile, and a willowy figure. She still had the bloom of youth, but she had the mind and manner of someone much older.

  “I obviously don’t expect repayment for my charitable assistance,” she said, pointedly. “However, I will completely forget about the money entirely if you help me save my sister — and your cousin, I’m sure — from making such an unhappy mistake. It’s for both of their sakes, really.”

  The Earl smiled. If only she knew. Danvers was sleeping soundly in the room above both of their heads. He had arrived at Billingham Hall immediately upon hearing his favourite cousin had returned from abroad. This morning, Jason was tired because he had been up all night attempting to secure flowers to drop off at the younger Miss Carson’s doorstep before dawn.

  “I see your point,” he said. “Permit me some time to think this over. I don’t want to agree to your plan without having some idea about how I might go about calling my dear cousin away from his hunt.”

  “Of course,” Adrianna said, standing up and smoothing out her white dress. “I certainly understand. And I appreciate your consideration very much.”

  “Absolutely, my dear Miss Carson,” Lord Billingham said, escorting her out. “May I offer you my carriage to take you back home?”

  “I would appreciate that very much, actually,” she said, smiling. Lord Billingham felt a bit of a chill go through him when she took his arm and allowed him to lead her outside. He slowly handed her into the carriage.

  “I just had a thought,” he said. Adrianna looked at him, her dark eyes wide. “What if I threw a ball?”

  “A ball?” She did not sound too impressed. “Is now… Is this the best time, though? With all of the troubles and the banks—”

  “Any time is a good time for a ball!” He clapped his hands together. “I will invite every eligible bachelor around. That will take Colette’s mind away from my well-meaning but confused cousin.”

  Adrianna’s stony expression softened a bit. “Actually, that sounds like quite a good idea. That could be just the thing to get her thinking about other suitors.”

  “Exactly! And you, of course, will be on hand to supervise her, to ensure nothing goes wrong.”

  “Indeed!” Adrianna was practically beaming now. “That is an ingenious solution. Thank you, my lord.”

  “Of course. I am indebted to you, Miss Carson. It was very nice to see you again. I look forward to your company again soon.”

  “The pleasure was all mine,” she told him. “Welcome back to England, my lord.”

  With that, the carriage clattered off towards the Carson estate.

  The Earl of Billingham watched it disappear into the gloomy day. He could still almost feel Miss Carson’s small hand on his arm.

  He thought about what she had said. He considered it strongly, actually. She had a strange, quietly persuasive way about her. Everything about her was a bit subtle, in fact. Her low voice. Her furtive smiles. Her muted sense of humour. Colette Carson was an obvious beauty, but this Adrianna was surely her equal.

  However, he couldn’t do a thing like that to good old Danvers. To meddle in matters of the heart. Not after disappearing from his life altogether seven years ago.

  Even if he had wanted to reach out to his family, friends, and his estranged father from India, communication would have been impossible due to the raging war.

  Several months ago, however, Alexander had received word of a détente and resolved to write a letter to his father. He never received a response from the Earl. Instead, he received word from his father’s lawyer, explaining that the old man had passed away.

  The reconciliation Alexander had secretly wished for was never to be. He was left with the title he had once thought he craved and a largely crumbling estate.

  Days later, a letter arrived from Danvers, his second cousin on his mother’s side. He had always been close with Jason growing up — he was like the brother he had never had. This was despite the fact the Danvers were only a gentry family (Alexander’s father had never approved of their friendship).

  Jason’s letter cast a light on the particularly dire situation back at Billingham Hall. Apparently, his father’s finances were worse than anyone realised. Additionally, the county’s economy had tanked in the wake of the ceasefire — there were no banks to fall back on anymore. If Alexander did not return home immediately and take charge of the situation, the local people that relied on his estate for their livelihoods might fall into ruin as well.

  And so, Alexander had left the life he had built for himself in India, and chartered a ship back to the small, rainy isle he had once called home.

  Danvers had been there for him, upon his return home. He was helping him settle back into English life.

  The Earl grinned devilishly. Now, he could finally return the favour. He would do everything in his power to connect Danvers with his beloved Colette. He did not see any harm in helping two lovebirds come together. Playing Cupid could prove quite fun.

  What’s more, this new scheme would allow him to interact more with his intriguing, passionate neighbour, Miss Adrianna Carson.

  FIVE

  In her youth, Adrianna would have been thrilled to spend an evening crammed in a loud, dim room with a swarm of dancing strangers. Now, she just felt somewhat exasperated as she half-dragged both Colette and Aunt Lydia through the crowd. Finally, they found an empty seat on the outskirts of the packed ballroom. The Earl had kept his promise to invite every eligible bachelor around.

  There was just one problem: the younger Carson sister did not seem interested in any of them. Her face had been frozen in a sour expression for the entire evening. Anytime a young man came over to ask for a dance, she fiddled with the feathers in her hair and politely declined. She was ruining Adrianna’s perfectly good scheme.

  “Colette, please do try to at least look like you’re enjoying yourself,” Adrianna pleaded.

  “How can I?” her younger sister shot back. “Mr Danvers isn’t here.”

  “But there are so many potential suitors, dearest,” Adrianna said. “Try giving someone a chance.”

  Colette refused, so Adrianna took to pointing at different gentlemen that she felt might be worth talking to. Her sister shot each one of them down in the same dull tone.

  “Too old.”

  “He’s drunk.”

  “Too pudgy.”

  “I saw him drop an apple on the floor, pick it up, and eat it earlier this evening.”

  “Already married.”

  “That one’s also too old.”

  “That’s not a gentleman, that’s one of the Earl’s groomsmen.”

  “I think that’s the Count whose two previous wives died under mysterious circumstances.”

  By the end of that little exercise, Adrianna was gritting her teeth and struggling to keep her frustration in check. Colette would simply not cooperate and make any effort to meet new people.

  “I do wish they would play the songs a bit louder,” Aunt Lydia complained, smoothing out the skirt of her best dress.

  “One ca
n barely hear the music over all of this commotion.”

  “Colette?” A voice boomed through the din. “Colette!” The girl sat up straighter, her face lighting up.

  “No—” Adrianna began.

  “Mr Danvers!” Aunt Lydia exclaimed, leaping up. “We’re here, Mr Danvers! Come see Colette!”

  And just like that, the man in question materialised before them. Adrianna felt her sister tense beside her. She could understand Colette’s infatuation. He shared his cousin’s rugged good looks, although his hair with sandy and his build was stockier. He stood there confidently, one hand tucked into the breast pocket of his bright red coat.

  “Miss Spencer. Miss Carson. And this must be your lovely sister.” Danvers beamed at Adrianna as she stood up and curtsied. “I was wondering if I might have this next dance?”

  “Oh dear, such unfortunate timing!” Adrianna exclaimed. “Poor Colette’s been booked up for the entire evening.”

  “Nonsense,” Colette retorted, standing up. “You’re thinking of Aunt Lydia, dear Adrianna.” She winked. “She’s quite skilled at the cotillion. Very in demand as a partner.”

  Before Adrianna could object, Danvers led Colette away and towards the dancing.

  “Aunt Lydia,” Adrianna hissed. “He’s the person we’re trying to pry Colette away from.”

  “Oh no!” the older woman said. “I apologise, my dear. He’s just so handsome… I suppose I forgot! I will follow them and spy.” She wagged a bony finger at Adrianna. “I’ll make certain that no naughtiness takes place.”

  Adrianna did not trust her aunt to fulfil that task, so she followed Aunt Lydia as she trailed the happy young couple. She stationed herself near a table stacked high with all sorts of treats. There she surveyed the dancers and fumed to herself.

  The night was a disaster. Clearly, the Earl had set her up to fail. What was the point of hosting a ball to distract Colette if he was also going to invite the object of her ridiculous affections? Additionally, who did he think he was, shilling out so much money for a massive string ensemble, heaps of food, and decorations, to boot? His estate was crumbling. Farmers struggling to survive surrounded his whole opulent party. Adrianna scanned the scene. From the massive landscape paintings adorning the walls to the strong oak tables to the flickering silver candelabras lighting the place, she could pick out numerous items in the ballroom alone that could go toward helping the tenants and pulling the Billingham estate out of debt.