My Brown-Eyed Earl

by Anna Bennett

  He reached for her hand and laced his fingers through hers. “What if I asked you to attend the dinner party on Thursday … for me?”

  A small, vertical line appeared between her brows, and she swallowed hard. “Why is it so important to you?”

  Why, indeed? Because now, more than ever, he wanted a future with her. And if there was to be any chance of that, he needed to know she could mingle with his family and friends and host parties and be comfortable moving about in his world. “I care about you. My mother is the only close family I have left, and for all her faults, I care about her, too. I would like the two of you to get along—or at least be on civil terms.”

  She stared at him for the space of several heartbeats, then exhaled. “How many guests?”

  He smiled. “No more than eight.”

  “Very well. I cannot believe I’m agreeing to this, but I shall attend, as a favor to you—on one condition.”

  “And what is that?” He planted a kiss on the inside of her wrist.

  “You must invite my friend Charlotte, so that I’ll have an ally there—and so that I won’t be the only governess at the table.”

  “Done. I’ll invite her and Torrington. You see? That was shockingly easy.” And yet she still frowned as though troubled. “What else concerns you?”

  “The risk we could be discovered. It’s very important,” she said slowly, “that no one knows about … us. I won’t bring shame upon my sisters and uncle.”

  “Of course you won’t.”

  “I’m quite serious. A mere whisper of scandal could spoil Beth’s and Julie’s chances to marry well.”

  “I understand.” He pressed his lips to hers, pouring everything he couldn’t say into the kiss. I’m not going to hurt you. I want you for mine, always. Prove to me that this can work.

  When he pulled away, she looked up at him, her eyes dazed and lips swollen. “You are a very shrewd negotiator, Lord Castleton, to convince me to attend a dinner party.”

  “And you are a fine negotiator yourself, Miss Lacey.”

  When she leaned in for another kiss, her blanket fell away, and their bodies came together. His hands found her breasts, then cupped the sweet curves of her bottom. Damn if he wasn’t hard and ready to bury himself in her again.

  “Oh,” she said, breaking off the kiss. “I almost forgot. I wanted to tell you something, too.”

  “Can it wait?” God, she smelled good. He lowered his head, intent on kissing a trail down her belly, all the way to—

  “No.” She raised his head by the chin. “It cannot.”

  Damn. “You sounded very much like a governess, just then,” he said sullenly.

  “I’ve been practicing.” As if she realized she did not have his full attention, she pulled the blanket up to cover herself once more.

  Reluctantly, he resigned himself to more conversation. But the sooner they finished, the sooner he could lay her back, spread her legs, and—

  “It actually concerns the twins,” she said, effectively dousing him with cold water.

  “The twins? They seemed well enough this evening. Diana’s apology was charming.”

  “She was very contrite about the tantrum. Afterward, I inquired whether there was any other reason for the outburst, beyond hunger.”

  “Was there?” He scratched his head. “Let me guess. She and Valerie had a quarrel.”

  “No.” Meg sighed. “I wish it were that simple. Diana confessed that she misses her mother. Valerie does, too.”

  Will dragged his hands down his face. Of course six-year-old girls would miss their mother. “I should have known. In the space of a fortnight, their little lives have been turned upside down.”

  “Don’t blame yourself. The girls are fortunate to have a guardian like you,” she said. “But new dresses, trips to the park, and even ice cream can’t heal the wounds of being abandoned by a parent.”

  “No.” He knew the feeling. Not that his father had ever left him on a relative’s doorstep, but there was more than one way to abandon a child.

  “Two nights ago, when we couldn’t find Diana, she wasn’t only looking for rocks.”

  His heart sank. “She was trying to find her way home?”

  Meg nodded. “When she left the house, she meant to collect some pebbles, but once she began walking, she thought she would see if she could navigate her way back to her mother’s.”

  Will’s chest squeezed. “The poor mite. Lila, my cousin’s mistress, lives at least five miles away—in Hackney. Diana never would have made it.”

  Meg bit her lip, hesitant. “I haven’t mentioned anything to the girls, but I thought that perhaps … perhaps we could arrange for them to have a visit with their mother.” Meg nestled her hand in the crook of his arm. “What do you think?”

  “A mother who can’t be bothered to care for her children and who threatens to leave them in an orphanage doesn’t deserve to see them. I doubt Lila has a single maternal bone in her body.”

  Meg tilted her head, thoughtful. “That is possible, but it’s more likely she simply isn’t herself. She could still be grieving for Thomas.”

  At the mention of Thomas, Will felt the familiar hollow ache in his chest. He let it fill with anger. “It’s been six months since he died. And I don’t think Lila ever grieved for him. He left her a generous yearly allowance—more than enough to care for her and the girls—but she didn’t think she should be required to spend any part of that sum on her daughters.”

  And that was not the whole of the story. On the day that Lila arrived on his doorstep with the girls, she’d demanded an exorbitant amount from him, saying that it was the least he could do for the girls, who were Thomas’s own flesh and blood. Will had refused, for two reasons. First, he would wager his last shilling that she had no intention of using the money to care for the girls. Second, he assumed she was bluffing—that she would never actually leave behind her young twin daughters.

  She had not been bluffing.

  “That’s awful.”

  “Agreed.” As far as Will was concerned, she should be in prison. “Trust me—she doesn’t deserve to see them.”

  “I’m sure you’re correct,” Meg said softly. “But maybe Valerie and Diana deserve to see her.”

  Will stroked his jaw as he considered this—and the anger drained out of him. Meg was right.

  Still, the idea didn’t sit well. “A visit could be quite distressing for the twins. If they were to spend an afternoon with their mother, they’d be reminded of all the things they’re missing. They’d want to go home.”

  “I imagine they would. The question is, would Lila let them?”

  He snorted. “She would, if it served her own selfish purposes.”

  But Will did not feel nearly as cavalier as he sounded. The girls should be with their mother, but what if she wasn’t fit to raise them? In the space of a few short weeks, he’d come to care for the girls—more than he’d ever admit.

  “I know you want to protect the girls,” Meg said, smiling. “You might even like them a little bit.”

  “Heathens.”

  “Yes, well. They’re adorable nonetheless. And they happen to like you, too. Diana was terrified that you’d never forgive her for her outburst.”

  Will winced. “I don’t want the girls to ever be terrified of me.” Like he’d been terrified of his father.

  Meg squeezed his arm. “I only meant that your opinion matters greatly to her. You can be rather intimidating, but I think both she and Valerie know that your bark is worse than your bite.”

  Attempting a scowl, he said, “Do I intimidate you, vixen?”

  “Not at all,” she said, tossing her hair over her smooth, bare shoulder.

  He grinned. “Damn.”

  “Will you write to Lila, then? And invite her to visit?”

  Something in his gut told him that a visit was ill-advised. But Meg’s hazel eyes looked so eager and hopeful that it was impossible to deny her.

  “I will contact
her and extend an invitation,” he said. “But I don’t think we should say anything to the girls about it just yet. If she declines, it could well devastate them.”

  “Thank you.” She slipped her arms about his neck and nuzzled his cheek.

  “You know, if Lila does deign to make an appearance, it will complicate everything. The girls could have some difficult decisions to make.”

  “That is true. But at least the decision will be theirs. They are strong.”

  “I confess I never really stopped to think how much they’ve been through in the past several months. They lost their father, were abandoned by their mother, and were uprooted from their home.” He kissed the top of Meg’s head. “I guess you can empathize with them better than anyone.”

  Meg nodded. “I was fortunate to have my sisters, and Diana and Valerie are lucky to have each other. They’re going to be fine. We all are,” she said with a yawn.

  As long as Meg’s sweetly curved body was pressed against his side, sleep was the furthest thing from his mind. But he supposed he could let her rest a little while before they enjoyed each other again.

  He turned down the lamp and held her close, wishing he felt as optimistic as she. But he couldn’t stop worrying about Lila, the twins, and the man who’d interrogated Marina … and about how they might all be connected.

  Chapter TWENTY-TWO

  Meg sat on a blanket in the shade of a tree, across from Charlotte. They’d decided to meet at Hyde Park once more so that the twins could play with Abigail. Harry—the footman Will had designated as their bodyguard—played on the lawn with the three girls, showing them how to roll a hoop to each other. When Harry tossed the hoop into the air, spun on his boot heel, and caught the hoop in one hand, the girls squealed with delight.

  It was good to hear them laugh. And after the momentous night she’d spent with Will, Meg had simply had to escape the house. It wasn’t that she regretted her actions, but more that she required time and space to determine what it had all meant. She rather thought she knew what the night had meant to her, but what, precisely, had it meant to Will?

  And while Meg had no intention of discussing last night’s events with her friend, they had many other topics to cover—not the least of which was the impending dinner party.

  “I wondered if I might borrow one of your gowns.”

  Charlotte smiled at Meg’s question, not bothering to hide her surprise. “Of course you may borrow a dress—any time you wish.” She leaned forward, her blue eyes sparkling with curiosity. “May I ask what the occasion is?”

  “Will, er, Lord Castleton is hosting a dinner party on Thursday. He intends to invite you and Lord Torrington as well.”

  Charlotte pressed a hand to her chest. “Me? How very odd.”

  Meg shrugged innocently. “The earl and Lord Torrington are good friends, as you know. Perhaps Lord Torrington suggested it.”

  “That is possible.” Charlotte cast a sideways glance at her. “Were you surprised to receive an invitation?”

  “I was,” Meg said truthfully. “I suppose he needed me in order to even out the numbers,” she added, less truthfully.

  “Whatever the reason, I am delighted.” Charlotte tapped a slender finger to her cheek and let her assessing gaze rove over Meg, from head to toe. “I’m thinking the green silk for you. It will look lovely with your eyes.”

  Meg shook her head vigorously. “No. That’s too elegant. I don’t require anything so fancy—just something a bit more suitable than…” She looked down at her plain brown dress and let it finish her sentence for her.

  The sole reason she’d decided to borrow a gown at all was so that she wouldn’t embarrass Will. Of course, no one at the dinner party would know they were involved, but appearances mattered to him. Besides, facing Lady Castleton and Lady Rebecca would be slightly easier if she wore a pretty dress—a sort of armor against their cruel barbs and critical stares.

  “What about my blue muslin? It’s more of a day gown, but very flattering. And we could switch out the blue sash with white satin to dress it up a bit.”

  Meg wanted to hug Charlotte but settled for squeezing her hand. “That sounds perfect. I don’t know how to thank you.”

  “Don’t be silly. Seeing you in it will be thanks enough. I’ll ask a footman to deliver it to you tomorrow. Imagine—us, at a dinner party together. What great fun!”

  Charlotte’s enthusiasm could not quite overcome Meg’s dread, but she did feel better knowing that her friend would be there. The epitome of grace and beauty, Charlotte handled social situations with the ease of a duchess. Even Lady Castleton would be hard-pressed to find a flaw in Charlotte’s manners.

  They watched the girls chase the hoop across the lawn, cheering when they caught it before it slowed and toppled. Meg sighed, feeling lighter than she had in days. Maybe even years.

  Charlotte reached into her basket and offered Meg an apple.

  “Thank you.” She bit into it, laughing when juice trickled down her chin.

  “May I ask you something?” Charlotte spoke softly, sounding alarms in Meg’s head.

  She choked down the bite of apple. “Of course.”

  “Why did you inquire about the earl’s ex-mistress yesterday? Did she visit Castleton House? Or confront you somewhere else?”

  “No. We’ve not met.” Meg didn’t like being circumspect with her friend, but it was hard to discuss Marina without revealing her feelings for Will—feelings that she herself was still trying to sort out. “I happened to overhear the name and was curious. Thank you for answering me so quickly.”

  “You know you can count on me, no matter what you need.” As though Charlotte sensed that Meg wished to change the subject, she added, “Which reminds me … how are the plans for Uncle Alistair’s ball progressing?”

  Dear God. At the mere mention of the word ball, panic surged through Meg. “It’s not a ball so much as … a soiree.”

  Charlotte arched a skeptical brow. “I see.”

  “In any event, I cannot think of that looming debacle right now. First, I must survive the dinner party.” And the next few weeks of governessing. With a little luck, perhaps the twins would have their wish and be reunited with their mother … and then she could return home in time to rein in Uncle Alistair’s plans.

  Maybe once she’d dealt with all those problems she could figure out where she stood with Will and whether they had any sort of a future together.

  “I feel obliged to point out,” Charlotte said teasingly, “that most young ladies look forward to dinner parties. And in our case, we happen to know that at least two handsome men will be in attendance.”

  Meg rolled her eyes. “Catching the eye of a handsome man is far too lofty a goal for me. I am merely trying to survive the evening without embarrassing myself.”

  Charlotte tossed her pretty dark curls and grinned. “How positively boring.”

  “Oh, I doubt it will be that.”

  * * *

  Will laid the newspaper on the dining-room table, too preoccupied to care about either the latest maneuverings of Parliament or the latest episodes of scandal. He picked at his dinner, wondering how to best convince his stubborn governess that she wanted to be his countess.

  He had been doing a hell of a lot of thinking since he sneaked out of Meg’s room in the pre-dawn hours that morning. And what he thought was that he had to tread very, very carefully. No one in the household seemed to suspect that he’d spent the night with her, but it would only take one slip-up—an overheard whisper or an indiscreet glance—to jeopardize her reputation.

  He would not take unnecessary risks where she was concerned, even if he did wish to take her to his bed and keep her there for a week.

  Having her so close throughout the day but being unable to touch her was driving him mad. And while he meant to make her his, he knew better than to demand it or treat it as a foregone conclusion. That strategy had not served him well the first time he’d proposed to her.

  No
, Meg had to think it was her idea. Even if it was not.

  Hell, he’d had to pull out every stop just to convince her to attend a dinner party. Persuading her to marry him was bound to be considerably more difficult.

  The problem was that she had far too many distractions right now—ones he intended to eliminate. First, he needed to find a way to help her Uncle and sisters out of their dire financial straits without offending their pride—which the entire family apparently had in spades.

  Second, he needed to settle the twins in the best possible situation for them—whether that was there with him or in Hackney with their mother. Either way, it was essential that they were well cared for. He’d made a vow to Thomas. But this was not solely about fulfilling the promise to his friend. It was about Valerie and Diana.

  He’d just set aside his plate when he heard Meg and the twins chatting outside the dining room. Unable to resist the chance to see Meg, he met them near the staircase.

  “Good evening, Miss Lacey.” She spun around and the girls followed suit.

  “My lord,” she said, blushing prettily as she dipped a curtsey. The twins watched her and tried to mimic the motion; both nearly toppled over before Meg caught them by their hands. “We shall have to practice that,” she murmured, as though adding it to a mental list.

  He examined the twins’ faces, grateful for Diana’s distinguishing dimple, and greeted each of them by name. Meg raised her brows, clearly impressed.

  “We were just going upstairs so the girls could prepare for their baths,” she said a little breathlessly.

  Will frowned. He didn’t think most governesses oversaw bath time as well as lessons and shopping and trips to the park. Meg hardly had a moment to herself—which meant she hardly had a moment to spare for him.

  “I won’t keep you,” he said. “However I had hoped to schedule a meeting with you. I have plans at my club this evening, but perhaps tomorrow afternoon?”

  “Certainly, my lord.” The soft look in her eyes made his heart beat faster.

  Valerie tugged on her arm, pulling her close enough to speak in her ear. “Are you in trouble with Lord Castleton?” she asked in a stage whisper that could easily have been heard across a theater.