by C. J. Archer
"I didn't think he would stoop this low," Samuel said with a shake of his head. "I should have kept a closer eye on him. I allowed myself to be distracted last night, and left you alone with him, Syl. I'm sorry."
"Don't, Samuel," she said. "None of this is your fault. You have enough to worry about with your mother and brother being here, not to mention Ebony. Be careful she doesn't do something similar to you! It would be easy for her to orchestrate a late night rendezvous and pretend you ravaged her. Then you would be forced to propose." She watched a bee flitting between the spikes of larkspur flowers. "Do you suppose that's what people will think of me? That I trapped him?"
"Only if you marry him," I said. "But you won't." To Samuel, I added, "She's right and you shouldn't blame yourself. Malborough is the only one at fault here. I'm glad you can see him for what he is, Sylvia, and why he proposed to you."
"I might be silly at times, but I'm not completely blind. I know he only wants the house and he thinks marrying me will enable him to get his hands on it. He doesn't seem to understand that Jack will inherit, even though we told him as much."
"He suspects Jack isn't really your cousin and so he thinks he can convince Langley to disinherit him in favor of you," Samuel said.
"He doesn't know my uncle very well then."
"Precisely."
"We ought to call him on it," I said. "If he's made aware that we know why he's doing this, he might back down."
"I think you underestimate how much he wants Frakingham," Samuel said. "He believes this place should be his by right."
"It doesn't matter, anyway." Sylvia's voice trembled. "Even if he retracts his offer of marriage, the rumors will still circulate. I will still be ruined."
"I might be able to convince Mother to keep quiet, but not Ebony."
Sylvia paused and looked over her shoulder at the house. It was strange thinking all this turmoil had erupted over such a macabre looking place. "I should speak to Uncle before he hears about it from someone else."
We retreated back the way we'd come and entered the house once more. Sylvia headed bravely up the stairs and I told Samuel I was going to look for Cara.
"I'll come with you," he said, following me toward the drawing room.
"Are you going to dog my steps all day?"
"If I have to."
The drawing room was empty, so I told him I'd knock on her bedroom door. I wasn't surprised or disappointed when he came along. I liked having him there. I felt safer. Bert wouldn't dare confront me with his brother around.
"We should talk about what happened last night," I said as we walked up the stairs slowly, in deference to his injuries.
"Very well, but you're not going to pretend it was all your doing again, are you?"
"Don't be too hard on Bert."
"Why not?"
"Because he's your brother, for one thing."
"I don't care—"
I rounded on him. "You should! You should care deeply. Families are precious, Samuel. Did you two speak after I retreated to my room? Did you clear the air?"
He blew out an exasperated breath. "He apologized. I told him that an apology to me wasn't enough."
"Does that mean I can expect one?" I hedged.
"Perhaps he'll write you a letter. I ordered him not to go near you again, unless a dozen others are present."
"I'm not sure we can scrape together a dozen from the entire household, including the staff."
"This isn't funny."
"I'm not laughing." But I was smiling. I softened it and rested my hand on his arm. His muscles rippled beneath my fingers and his eyes focused on me. It was a most intoxicating experience. I felt quite drunk with the intensity of his gaze. "Thank you, Samuel. You've been through so much and yet you still look out for me."
"I've been through so much? Christ, Charity, can you not put yourself ahead of others for once?"
"What do you mean?"
"You're worried about my health and state of mind. You're worried about my relationship with Bert. You worried about my mother after my father died, despite the cruel way she treated you, and you're worried about Sylvia, now. I wish, for once, you'd be selfish and consider yourself."
I blinked at him and dropped my hand to my side. "That's absurd. I have considered myself all along. If I hadn't, I would have agreed to marry you."
His nostrils flared and he quickly looked away. I instantly felt horrible for bringing up my rejection of his suit. I was about to apologize when voices echoed above us. Quiet, hushed voices that seemed to be heading away, up the stairs. I recognized them as belonging to Lords Frakingham and Malborough.
I put my finger to my lips, but Samuel had heard them too. He beckoned me to follow him and we both crept higher up the stairs, searching the landing above. The voices drew closer and finally they came into view. Samuel and I shrank back against the wall so that we couldn't be seen from where they stood.
"End this foolishness immediately," Lord Frakingham said in a heated whisper. "She's a good girl."
"Foolishness?" Malborough sneered. "You're calling me a fool? I'm not the one who couldn't manage the estate. I'm not the one who'll go down in the history books as the last Earl of Frakingham to live at Frakingham House. I'm not the one who's now rummaging through the attic like a pathetic vagrant!"
"Shhh. Keep your voice down."
"This is my chance to win back what's mine," Malborough declared, his voice a shade lower, calmer. "Don't ruin it for me."
"If you genuinely cared for the girl, I would gladly give my approval. But I know you don't, and she has no interest in you, either. What you did to her was despicable. I'm ashamed to call you my son."
"And I'm ashamed to call you my father. At least I'm trying to keep the Frakingham title linked to the estate."
"You're better off without this cursed place."
I had to strain to hear Lord Frakingham's words, they were spoken so quietly. Samuel glanced at me and mouthed, "Cursed?"
"It's my home, portal or not," Malborough said.
"Not anymore."
"I want it back."
"Then make your fortune and buy it. Don't drag the Langley girl into your schemes. I cannot sit idly by and allow you to do this."
"Why not? You sat idly by while someone bought my birthright."
There was a long pause before Frakingham said, "I'll let Langley know that his niece is not obligated to marry you. We'll pretend nothing happened."
"You can't. There were witnesses." The note of triumph in Malborough's voice rang clear as a bell. "Mrs. Gladstone and Miss Carstairs, no less."
"Blast."
"So you see, it's too late to release her now. She either marries me or she's ruined."
Again, there was a long pause, at the end of which Frakingham sighed. "This is low, Douglas, even for you. I ought to thrash you for what you've done and said."
"You never thrashed me, even as a child. Perhaps that's where you went wrong." He snorted. "By the way, I wanted to ask you about Myer. Why don't you like him?"
"He can't be trusted, although you'd probably like him."
Malborough chuckled. "We are similar, I'll give you that. I want to talk to him again. I find him interesting. He knows more about this place than the upstart who lives here."
"If I order you to stay away from him, will you obey?"
"What do you think?"
Another sigh and then the sounds of two sets of footsteps signaled the retreat of both men. Their exchange had left me with a hot face and boiling blood. If I'd been Lord Frakingham, I would have smashed Malborough's nose.
"I think we should change plans and go see Langley instead," Samuel whispered, breaking into my bloodthirsty thoughts. "He should know about that exchange. Perhaps he and Frakingham can speak about it."
We made our way up the stairs to the laboratory without seeing anyone else. I knocked and a tearful Sylvia let us in.
"Thank goodness you're both here," she whispered. "I've just told him and
he's furious."
August Langley sat in his wheelchair in the middle of the sitting room end of his laboratory where he took his meals, read books and met visitors. The laboratory benches and equipment occupied most of the rest of the room. He did indeed look furious. His cheeks were flushed pink, his eyes were narrowed to slits, and his nostrils flared like a raging bull's.
"Don't try to convince me that I ought to overlook this mess," he told us.
"We weren't going to," Samuel said.
"Then why are you here?" Sylvia cried.
"To tell you what we overheard on the landing just now. Lord Frakingham is furious with his son for trapping you. He knows why Malborough did it, and thinks it's a low act to take advantage of Sylvia like that."
"It is a low act," Langley growled. "But she is as much to blame."
"She wasn't in full control of herself," I protested. "He took advantage of her."
"He's no gentleman, I'll grant you that. But if she hadn't imbibed an entire bottle of my best wine she would have been in control and not allowed this to happen!" He pushed hard on the wheels of his chair and spun it around.
Sylvia's lip began to wobble. The poor girl must feel so hopeless. I knew how it felt to have your life spiral out of control as others pulled the strings. My heart went out to her. I touched her hand. She wrapped her fingers around mine and pleaded silently with me to help her.
I exchanged glances with Samuel and he gave us both a grim yet encouraging smile. "Perhaps you and Lord Frakingham should discuss this further," he said to Langley. "If you both agree that Malborough's motives and methods were despicable, you could convince him to change his story."
"Or you could tell him that Jack is, and will always be, your heir," I said quietly. "Once Malborough realizes there is no question of Sylvia inheriting, he'll drop his pursuit."
"And then what?" Langley shot back over his shoulder. "He'll withdraw his offer of marriage and she'll be ruined anyway. I doubt Mrs. Gladstone or Miss Carstairs will agree to stay quiet on the matter."
Sylvia's tears slipped down her cheeks. "I cannot believe this is happening to me. My life is over."
I wanted to tell her it wasn't, that her life would be different but not unhappy if she chose not to marry him. But I didn't think she was ready to hear it. Perhaps in a day or two. She was fortunate in that Langley was rich enough to send her to the continent or America, or she could remain a pampered but closeted woman in Frakingham if she preferred. She just couldn't marry well or attend parties hosted by society's matrons. It sounded like a wonderful life to me. Perhaps, one day, she would see that too. But not yet.
"Bollard would know what to do," Langley said quietly.
I wasn't so sure that the big, silent man would do anything differently, but I didn't say so. Langley clearly missed him. Sylvia too and, to my surprise, so did I.
"At least Douglas is the heir to an earldom," Sylvia said between sniffs. "That's something, isn't it? I'll be a countess."
Langley wheeled himself to the other side of the nearest low bench and peered through a microscope. "I'll have Jack liquidate some assets and buy you a suitable house as a wedding gift."
"Jack and Hannah will be surprised to find me married upon their return." She gave me a wobbly smile. "Or perhaps we can wait for them. I do want them at my wedding."
"You don't have to go ahead with it," I said. "Wouldn't a life alone be better than a life with such a horrid man?"
"It's all right for you, Charity. You're used to being on your own, relying on nobody but yourself. I'm not. The thought of being alone for the rest of my life frightens me."
I could feel Samuel's gaze boring into me, but I refused to look directly at him. "You won't be alone," I told her. "You'll still have your family and friends. "
"What about children? If I marry Douglas then I will have a chance of becoming a mother. If I choose not to marry him, I may never get that chance."
"You will get other offers."
"Not from anyone suitable!"
"And that is the problem, in a nutshell," Langley snapped without looking up from his microscope. "She has been thoroughly trapped by a clever spider."
Samuel limped over to him. "You're not seriously suggesting she accept?"
"I see no other option. Besides, as she said, he is the heir to an earldom."
Samuel shook his head. "Absurd. If Jack were here—"
"He's not!" The glare he gave Samuel over his microscope was filled with simmering rage. It was time to retreat.
I tugged Sylvia along with me and Samuel followed behind as we left the laboratory and closed the door. Samuel pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. "I cannot believe he won't at least confront Malborough."
"He is hardly going to fight him," Sylvia said.
"He should bloody try."
She threw her arms around him, catching him by surprise. He gingerly patted her back. "You're marvelous for saying so, Samuel. Thank you."
"What about Tommy? Are you going to talk to him about it?"
She pulled away and tossed her head. "Why would I do that? This has nothing to do with Tommy."
"If you say so. But if you won't go to see him, I will."
"Go then. I don't care."
"Charity? Will you come with me?"
Sylvia grasped my arm. "She's coming with me."
"Where to?" I asked.
"The village. I have to get away for the rest of the day. Will you come? You and Cara? We'll shop and have lunch together. It might be the last chance I have before word spreads."
I couldn't say no.
***
"Brother Francis must have crossed," Cara said without taking her gaze from the scenery passing by the coach window. "That is a relief."
"If you say so," Sylvia huffed. Shopping and lunch hadn't lifted her spirits at all. If anything, she was more morose than ever. At least her tears had ceased.
Cara sat back against the leather seat and gave Sylvia, sitting opposite her and beside me, a sympathetic look. "Would you like to return and purchase that blue parasol after all?"
"No." Sylvia pouted. "It was the wrong shade, and anyway, I bought the coral one."
"It will go nicely with your coral and black walking dress," I said in an attempt to lighten her mood. Shopping had always had an uplifting effect on Sylvia, but not today. She'd bought several things, not just for herself, but for me too. I now owned two new day gowns and one for the evening, none of which were in any shade of brown, black or gray. They wouldn't be ready for a week, but at least the new hats and parasol were packaged up and currently strapped to the Langley coach. As Cara had cheerfully noted, it was a start.
Yes, I decided. A new start. Once the master's spirit was gone, I would be owner of new outfits and a new outlook. I was determined not to be under the control of any man again, and that included being afraid. I was tired of fearing men and not being myself. I could conquer my fear.
Sylvia sighed again. "Thank you both for coming with me. I needed your good company today."
"What have you decided?" I asked. We hadn't discussed her situation except to inform Cara of the latest developments. Fortunately word hadn't seemed to reach anyone in the village and we were able to shop and eat luncheon at Miss Marble's coffee house without patronizing gazes following us.
"I cannot answer him today." She pressed her fingers against the sides of her temple and rubbed. "I have such a headache. I think I'll retire for the afternoon. He cannot expect me to make a decision when my skull feels like it's cracking in two."
"I think that's wise," I said. "We'll be sure Lord Malborough understands that you mustn't be disturbed."
Care wrinkled her nose. "Have I told you how much I detest that man?"
"Only three times in the last half hour."
"That is potentially my future husband you're disparaging," Sylvia said with a nervous giggle that ended with a sob. "Oh lord. If only I could go back in time and change everything."
"You'
re not the first girl to wish that," I muttered. "And you certainly won't be the last."
She rested her head on my shoulder and yawned. "You're so wise, Charity."
We didn't speak for the remainder of the journey back to the house. It came as no surprise that Tommy opened the coach door for us. He wasn't the blank-faced footman of usual, but more a tower of simmering anger. We hadn't seen him all day and I'd been wondering about his state of mind. It seemed I had my answer.
"Miss Langley," he said, clasping her elbow as he assisted her down the coach steps. "May I see you for a moment? Alone."
CHAPTER 10
Sylvia extricated herself from Tommy's grip and squared her shoulders. "Whatever you have to say to me can be said in front of Cara and Charity."
"It can't," he said with quiet determination.
"Then I won't be going anywhere alone with you. Excuse me, Dawson, I have a headache." She walked off and he went to follow her.
"Let her go," I said.
"Don't lecture me, Charity." He stormed off, leaving me feeling drained and overwhelmingly sad. I should have been relieved that something had come between Sylvia and Tommy, something that would make them see they were wrong for one another. But I wasn't. My friends were both miserable and I couldn't be relieved about that.
Cara accompanied the stable lad inside as he carried our purchases. The boxes reached well over his head and she caught the topmost one as it slid off. Their laughter drifted back to me. I was about to follow when I caught sight of Bert and Malborough on the small paved patio close to the house. Bert lounged on a bench seat and Malborough leaned against one of the large urns that guarded the exit to the lawn. Both watched me. Malborough lifted a hand and waved. Bert rose.
I hurried on. They were the last two people I wanted to speak to.
"Charity!" Bert called out. "Wait a moment!"
He said something to Malborough, who slapped him on the shoulder before going inside through the door that led directly into the sitting room. I hoped he didn't chase after Sylvia and insist upon an answer.
Bert made his way to me. I quickly walked toward the house. He extended his strides.
"Charity, wait, please."
