The Earl's Stolen Bride (Marriage by Deceit Book 4)

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  What a grim thing to envy, Chloe thought.

  “Let me handle all the details. I’ll let you know when your father and I will come by to pick you up.”

  “Mother, I’m sure I can go to the family tomb without a chaperone.”

  “You can, but why? This is a time when you need your family.”

  “All right.”

  “Good.” Her mother stood up. “It’ll all be arranged.”

  Chloe watched as her mother left. Her mother meant well, she supposed. She stared at the untouched tea and tarts in front of her. Then her gaze went to her neatly folded hands in her lap. Exhaling, she rose to her feet and went to the window. Her mother laughed as she talked to the coachman.

  After Chloe married Lord Hawkins, her family was able to afford things like coachmen, new carriages, and other luxuries. No doubt, her mother felt money was the answer to all problems. Her younger brothers and sisters most likely felt that way, too. And it had come in handy for poor Alexander. He was doing much better now.

  So Chloe had to admit her marriage hadn’t been for nothing. Some good had come from it. She turned away from the window and glanced at her black dress. A year. She couldn’t do much of anything for a year. She’d miss the balls. It had been fun to dance and talk to others. But she could still visit Helena, Melissa, and Regina. She wasn’t completely alone.

  She scanned the drawing room. Except for a servant’s footsteps in the hall, the place was quiet. That was nothing new. It was always quiet. But for some reason, it seemed much more quiet than before. And she wished she could figure out why.

  ***

  A week later, Orlando groaned as he watched Lady Hawkins’ mother step out of the carriage, followed by Lady Hawkins, then her father. Irritated, he slapped the edge of the seat in his carriage.

  “Having second thoughts?” Toby asked.

  “No. I still want to be with her,” Orlando replied, turning his gaze back to the window as the rest of Lady Hawkins’ family arrived at the family tomb.

  He couldn’t believe how many people came to attend the funeral for Lord Hawkins. For a gentleman who barely stayed in London, a lot of people respected him.

  “I thought she’d be coming in her own carriage, that’s all,” Orlando continued.

  “It’s not a good idea to do this with so many people around.”

  Unfortunately, his friend was right. Orlando shook his head. When was a good time? When it came to Lady Hawkins, there never seemed to be a good time to do anything. First, she was whisked away by another gentleman before he could pay her a visit. And now this? There had to be a way to get to her. But how?

  “You could kidnap her while she’s asleep,” Toby said.

  Orlando glanced at his friend, not sure if he was joking or being serious. The matter had seemed so easy when he came up with this plan. All Toby had to do was damage the wheel on his carriage, which was parked at the other end of the cemetery. Then he’d claim his coachman and footman had abandoned him. Once Lady Hawkins’ coachman and footman went to assist him, Orlando would ask her to talk to him in his carriage and ask her to marry him. It was a simple matter. He just needed to get her alone. But he was quickly learning that nothing was turning out to be simple about this, just as it hadn’t been the first time he’d wanted to marry her.

  “I can’t let her slip away,” Orlando whispered. “Not like I did before.”

  “All I can come up with is kidnapping her while she’s asleep,” Toby replied.

  “I don’t want to frighten her. I just need to get her alone so I can talk to her. I thought today, since she’s going to be out anyway, would be perfect.” He rested his head on the back of his seat and sighed. If only she’d come alone in that blasted carriage!

  “What you need is a lady to lure her out. People will question a gentleman asking to speak to her in private, but no one will question a lady doing it.”

  He straightened up in excitement. “Excellent! We’ll get Regina!”

  “I didn’t mean my wife.”

  “But she’s the perfect choice. She knows how long I’ve loved Lady Hawkins. Oh, and she knows I can be trusted to treat Lady Hawkins well. Even better, she’s talked to Lady Hawkins on occasion. Regina won’t be a stranger to her. I know, have Regina take her for a carriage ride outside of London where I’ll be waiting.”

  Toby grimaced. “I don’t think—”

  “It’ll be perfect. Ideal, even. If Lady Hawkins decides she doesn’t want to be with me, then Regina can take her home.”

  “Regina doesn’t like lying.”

  “She won’t be lying. She will take Lady Hawkins for a carriage ride, and I’ll happen to be there. Don’t tell Regina I’ll be waiting if you don’t want to.”

  Toby looked as if he wanted to protest. His lips moved, though no sound came out. Finally, he let out a long sigh. “All right. I can’t find anything morally wrong with it. You are giving Lady Hawkins a choice in the matter. She doesn’t have to go to Gretna Green with you if she doesn’t want to.”

  “Right. If she says no, I’ll go on with my life.” Sure, he’d be a sad and lonely gentleman, but he’d never force her to do something she didn’t want. That wouldn’t be fair to either one of them.

  “I’ll ask Regina to take the grieving widow outside of London for a pleasant carriage ride to meet you. It’s up to you to do the rest.”

  “I’ll pick a spot and let you know where to go.”

  “I can’t wait,” Toby dryly replied.

  Ignoring his friend’s sarcasm, Orlando instructed the coachman to take them back to Toby’s carriage. So today wasn’t going to be the day he’d finally have Lady Hawkins. That was fine. He could wait. He’d waited this long. Another day or two wouldn’t hurt.

  ***

  “Thank you for agreeing to see me,” Regina, the Lady of Davenport, said as Chloe stepped into her carriage.

  The coachman shut the door after Chloe settled into the seat next to Regina. Chloe was surprised to see Helena hadn’t joined them since Chloe had never been with Regina alone. Helena, however, was probably spending time with her husband. Chloe didn’t begrudge Helena the good fortune. She didn’t begrudge Regina her good fortune either. Both ladies had love matches, and they deserved it. But Chloe would be lying if she said she didn’t feel a twinge of envy. Still, it was nice to see a baby, and Regina had chosen to bring her two-month-old son along for the ride.

  “How is Samuel?” Chloe asked as the carriage moved forward.

  “Good. My mother has a tendency to put him to sleep. I think it’s funny that she’ll talk to him as if he’s old enough to understand what she’s saying. I’m not sure if it’s fair to say she bores him to sleep or not, but that’s what Toby says she does.”

  Chloe chuckled. “As long as your mother loves him, I suppose it doesn’t matter.”

  “Oh, she does, even if his name isn’t Reginal.” Regina smiled. “You want to hold him?”

  “Yes.” Chloe held her arms out and gingerly accepted the baby.

  “You have a heart for children, don’t you?”

  Surprised by Regina’s question, she looked up at her. “I don’t know. I suppose it comes naturally because I’m the oldest in my family.”

  “How many brothers and sisters do you have?”

  “Four.”

  “Oh my. Your poor mother must have been busy all the time.”

  Chloe chuckled. “She was. She used to say it was impossible to be fully rested at any one time. She also said boys played rougher than girls. You might have your hands full with this one,” she teased, nodding toward Samuel.

  “I have a reprieve I don’t think your mother did. I have a servant who can help if I need it, though my mother has a tendency to come by and dote on him so much I haven’t needed my servant’s help yet.”

  “You’re right. My mother didn’t have any servants. She had to do it all herself. My father only recently acquired some wealth, but it was nothing like what my husband brought to the marriag
e. They have a butler and maid now.”

  “That’s good. I’m glad to hear things have improved for them after the marriage.”

  Chloe nodded and turned her attention back to Samuel, who was cooing at her. She smiled and ran her finger along his cheek. It was funny how she hadn’t missed the chance to have a child until this moment. “He’s adorable, Regina. I’m sure he’s worth all the trouble he’ll put you through when he’s old enough to run around and climb things.”

  Regina laughed. “I hope that won’t be for a long time yet. I rather enjoy the moments where I can hold him, especially when he drifts off to sleep.”

  A couple minutes passed, but Chloe didn’t mind the silence. It gave her a chance to focus on the baby in her arms and imagine—foolish as it was—what might have been had her husband consummated their marriage. Had she not had the lady’s time of month upon her, he would have done it, and she might have conceived. And by now, she would have been a mother. Even if it would have been awkward to go to bed with someone she’d only spoken to a couple of times, it would have been worth it.

  “There’s something I need to tell you,” Regina spoke up.

  Surprised by the serious tone in her voice, Chloe glanced at her. “What is it?”

  “I didn’t ask you to join me today just to take you on a carriage ride.”

  “You didn’t?”

  “No. You see, I…” Regina cleared her throat. “I’ve never done anything like this before, so you’ll have to bear with me as I explain.”

  Eyebrows furrowed, Chloe focused all of her attention on her. “What is it?”

  “Do you know Lord Reddington?”

  “He sounds familiar,” she slowly replied, trying to pick out who he was out of all the gentlemen she’d met in London.

  “He’s my husband’s friend. The two have known each other since childhood. Anyway,” Regina shifted and cleared her throat again, “he’s a good gentleman. Honorable and kind. He has a good sense of humor, too.”

  Sensing there was more to what Regina was trying to force out, Chloe encouraged, “Go on.”

  “This is going to sound strange, but he’s been in love with you for a little over a year.”

  It was then that Chloe recalled something the Duke of Ashbourne had told her shortly before he married Helena. She couldn’t recall his exact words, but he’d said something about a gentleman who had hoped to marry her.

  Then she recalled the day she and Helena had gone to visit Regina after Samuel was born. On their way out, Lord Reddington had arrived. He’d had dark hair, pretty blue eyes, and a nice, solid build. The only reason she took note of his appearance was because of what the duke had told her a couple weeks before that day. But she’d pushed the remembrance of Lord Reddington out of her mind since then because she was married.

  “Yes, I remember him,” Chloe finally told Regina, deciding it best if she not disclose more about it.

  “Well, he asked me to take you to see him.”

  “He what?”

  “We’re on our way to a remote area outside of London. All he wants to do is talk to you. He’s been in love with you for a long time, but since you’re still in mourning, it’s best if you two talk in private to prevent a scandal.”

  “Oh.” It made sense. But still… “Why is he speaking to me now?”

  “Because your husband is no longer alive, and he’s afraid if he doesn’t get a chance to talk to you now, he might miss out on a second chance.”

  Before Chloe could ask anything else, the carriage came to a stop, and Regina glanced out the window.

  “After you talk to him,” Regina began, “I will take you back if you wish.”

  I will take you back if you wish? What did that mean?

  Regina took Samuel from her. “I’ll be in this carriage while you talk to him. He’s right out there.”

  Chloe followed Regina’s gaze and saw the carriage a few feet from them.

  “If at any time, you wish to end the conversation, you may do so,” Regina said.

  “All right.”

  The coachman opened the door, and since Regina was looking expectantly at her, Chloe stepped down from the carriage. After thanking him, she took a deep breath and turned her attention to the other carriage. She’d never done anything so bold as approach a gentleman before. All along, the gentlemen had approached her. And more than that, except for her husband, she’d only been alone with her father and brothers.

  Swallowing the lump in her throat, she glanced back at Regina, who offered her an encouraging smile. She faced the carriage once more. The door opened, and Lord Reddington emerged from it.

  Chapter Three

  Lord Reddington’s gaze met Chloe’s, and she smiled. Kind eyes. They were a brilliant shade of blue. So light, in fact, they made her think of the sky at noon. And on top of that, there was a tenderness in the way he looked at her.

  She walked toward him, her steps slow. Just what did two people meeting out here, far from the watchful eyes of the Ton, have to talk about? Well, she’d find out soon enough, she supposed.

  He met her halfway between the carriages and bowed. “My lady, please forgive me for asking Regina to bring you here. I’ve tried to think of other ways I could talk to you, but it seemed this was the safest choice. The last thing I want to do is expose you to a scandal.”

  “Regina explained why she brought me here, and it’s all right.”

  He offered a smile. “Then you aren’t upset?”

  She shook her head.

  “Good.” He gestured to the field to her left. “Want to go for a walk?” When she glanced over at the coachman and Regina, he added, “I won’t take you far. Just a little further away so no one will hear us. We’ll stay in their sight at all times.”

  With a nod, she followed him to a private area.

  “I know how this must seem,” he began, turning to face her. “I don’t think you remember me. We only danced twice, and you had gentlemen lining up to be with you. I went to the market to see you the next day, but we had such a short time to talk before your father told you to come with him. I’ve thought of little else but you since then.” He chuckled and glanced at the ground. “I wanted to have a better chance to talk to you. It was my intention to visit you, but by the time I gathered my nerve, you were already arranged to be married.”

  “I had no idea you wished to visit me,” she said.

  In fact, it never once occurred to her that any of the gentlemen she’d talked to a year ago wanted to get to know her better. Yes, she’d played her part and did everything she could to attract gentlemen, but she didn’t honestly think it yielded any results, which was why she was relieved when her father said he found someone for her.

  “I’m sorry,” she added.

  “You have nothing to be sorry for. I didn’t act fast enough. I was afraid if I seemed too eager, I would scare you away.” Letting out another uneasy chuckle, he continued, “I hope I didn’t frighten you by asking you to meet me out here. I worried if I didn’t act now, I’d miss the only chance I’d ever have to be with you.”

  She returned his smile. “No, you aren’t scaring me. I didn’t expect it, that’s all. I didn’t marry for love. It was an arrangement.” She debated how much to tell him. She didn’t really know him, and even if he remembered her, he didn’t know her very well either. Finally, she decided to explain her past as simply as possible. “The truth is, my husband and I didn’t speak more than a few words before he left for India. Everything happened so fast. My parents needed money for a physician, so we didn’t have time to wait. Otherwise, I would have had more time to get to know people.”

  “I understand. You don’t need to explain anything to me.” He glanced at the carriages and took a deep breath.

  It was then that she realized how much difficultly he was having. He cared for her. Really cared for her. She didn’t know how or when it happened, but during one of the balls last year, he’d developed an affection for her. And for some reason, he
continued to do so.

  She wasn’t sure what to say. Did she offer to let him pay her a visit? But then, how could she when she was in mourning? Someone would catch on that theirs was more than a polite acquaintance, and before long, a scandal would ensue. Even if they continued meeting out here like this, someone was bound to find them sooner or later.

  “A year from now I won’t be in mourning,” she finally said. “We can see each other from time to time until then, but I don’t think it’s safe to receive you as a suitor until my time of mourning has passed.”

  He didn’t answer right away, and that worried her. Here was a gentleman who was sincere in his feelings for her, and it seemed she might not be able to have him because a year was a long time to expect anyone to wait. It wasn’t fair for her to ask him to wait that long.

  “I’m sorry, Lord Reddington. It’s not right for me to expect you to wait another year.”

  “Actually, I was wondering if you’d go with me to Gretna Green. We don’t have to let anyone know about it. We could go to my estate and stay there until next Season. Then I could pretend to call on you at that time.”

  Even as her heartbeat picked up in excitement at the idea, she shook her head. “Someone will find out. If not anyone in London, the servants will talk. Or my family will somehow find out. I don’t know how to avoid the scandal.”

  His face fell. “I suppose you’re right.” After a moment, he asked, “If I come to you at the beginning of next Season, would you be willing to let me visit you? I know it won’t be a full year after your husband’s death. I’ll wait until the full year to ask you to marry me.”

  He’d wait for her? He’d really wait?

  “That is, of course,” he quickly added, “if you’ll want to marry me at that time. You might find I’m boring and change your mind.”

  She chuckled. “I can’t imagine you’d be boring. Coming up with a secret rendezvous to meet with someone you hardly know isn’t something a boring person would do.” In fact, it was the most romantic thing she could think any gentleman could do. “If you’re serious about being with me, I’ll wait for you, too.”