Regency Romance: Loving The Reluctant Viscount (The Fairbanks Series - Love & Hearts) (Historical Regency Romance & Mystery)

by Jessie Bennett

  “I will. In the meantime, I intend to have a good time with the two of you and your many, many friends.”

  Shawn chuckled. “Yes, there are quite a lot of them, aren’t there?”

  “I think someone we don’t know has just arrived, Shawn.” Elizabeth leaned close to whisper to him. Her eyes were on the entrance, where the arrival of a single man was just announced. The man was carrying a large basket with a blanket covering the contents. Shawn looked toward the tall, handsome man and nodded.

  “I believe you are right, my dear.”

  “Someone for the ladies to fawn over, I suppose.” Elizabeth sounded dreamy. Shawn gave her a close look before turning his questioning eyes to Abe. Abe just shrugged, looking toward the new arrival with a big grin on his face.

  “Must I keep an eye on my wife around this one?” Shawn asked, looking amused.

  “Oh yes, of course.” Elizabeth replied sarcastically, returning his grin.

  “Somehow I do not think you have anything to be concerned about.” Abe blinked rapidly, pretending to be a fawning woman. “Everyone knows this woman is madly in love with you. Darn it all.” He winked at Elizabeth, who covered her mouth with one hand and giggled.

  “So now I must be concerned about one of my oldest friends, must I?” Shawn was enjoying the banter between them. Abe was unlike most of their other friends, in that he was completely trustworthy and above reproach. As far as Shawn knew, he had never done anything to create problems. He was one of the most honest and above board people Shawn had ever met.

  And Shawn knew a lot of people.

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHATTING WITH A NEW FRIEND

  CHATTING WITH A NEW FRIEND

  The Worthington butler, Joshua, walked with the new arrival to where the three were waiting.

  “Your Grace, allow me to introduce Viscount Steven Miner, cousin to Stephen Windingham, adopted brother of Mary Jane Windingham Erinson.”

  “Gregory’s wife.”

  “Yes, my lord.”

  “Thank you, Joshua. Greetings, Viscount Miner. How are you today?”

  Steven bowed deep at the waist, keeping his head up and his eyes on the distinguished couple.

  “Greetings to you both, Duke and Duchess Worthington. I am feeling well this evening. And you?”

  “I am well, thank you, as is my wife. Would you care to join us and chat for a bit?”

  “I would like that, yes, Your Grace, thank you.” When Steven sat, he seemed to plop down in the chair as if he could no longer hold himself up. Truth be told, Elizabeth could see in his face that he was worn out and tired. His eyes were deep and dark blue, set back into his eye sockets further than Elizabeth was used to. He had a crooked grin that matched his crooked nose. Elizabeth had time to wonder what had caused his nose to be crooked. It was either a punch to the face or genetics. She had no indication it was more one than the other.

  “I have brought a gift basket of fruits, grains and nuts that I put together from my own backyard. I do hope you enjoy it.”

  Elizabeth took the basket from him, standing up to set it on the table near her. She peeked under the cover and squeaked with delight. “Oh my, look, Shawn. Dates. I absolutely love dates!” She turned to Steven. “Do you know how long it has been since I’ve had a date?”

  “Hopefully she will leave some for us.” Shawn shook his head, ignoring her question and tossing the barb toward the other two men, who laughed.

  “I would be glad to ship in more of them, if you truly do like them.”

  “Please do!” Elizabeth took a bite and closed her eyes in pleasure. “Delicious. thank you again, Lord Miner!”

  “Please, it would give me great pleasure if you would call me Steven.”

  “As you wish, Steven.” Elizabeth took another date from the basket and bit into it, giving Steven a once over from head to toe.

  Steven didn’t put off any vibes of being a scoundrel. After a short time, Elizabeth became comfortable with him and enjoyed listening to him, Shawn and Abe discussing the necessary changes that would need to be made to allow for better transportation between countries. She didn’t get involved. It wasn’t the kind of topic she felt she could discuss with some knowledge. She tended to avoid topics that she knew nothing about, lest she embarrass her husband and herself by uttering false statements. It would not look good for her to put her nose where it did not belong.

  She was happy to see her sisters, Jillian and Janelle, crossing the floor to them. She stood up with a smile. The men stopped their conversation and greeted the sisters.

  “Janelle, Jillian, this is Viscount Steven Miner.” Shawn introduced their guest. Steven stood up and bowed to the two ladies, placing a kiss on their extended hands. “Viscount, this is the sisters of the Duchess, Lady Jillian and Miss Janelle.”

  “How lovely to meet such beautiful ladies.” He glanced over his shoulder to Shawn. “You are a lucky man, Your Grace. You are surrounded by lovely women on all sides.”

  “Elizabeth has a third sister, Katherine, who is not in attendance tonight. She will be having a child soon and is not in the festive mood, shall we say.”

  “You are so polite, Shawn.” Elizabeth giggled. She looked back to her sisters. “How is mother?”

  “She is doing well, Liz.” Janelle replied. “She regrets she could not be in attendance but promises to come to the next event. Will you have anything before the holidays?”

  “It is always likely.” Elizabeth responded, sitting down and gesturing to two chairs near her. “Please join us, girls. Have you been feeling well yourselves? It has been several weeks since I’ve had the chance to chat with you.”

  Janelle and Jillian nodded to Abe, who had stood up along with the other men when the women approached. He bowed to them before being seated.

  “I wanted to say hello before I go, Liz.” Jillian said. She and Janelle were dressed very similar, their long gowns only different in color. Their long blond curls were the same length and seemed to settle on their shoulders softly in exactly the same way. Jillian leaned to kiss her sister on the cheek. “I have had too much wine and now I’m sleepy.”

  Elizabeth giggled. “All right, dear. I hope to see you again soon.”

  After she left, Elizabeth turned to Janelle. “It is so early. How could she have already had too much wine?”

  Janelle’s eyes flashed with amusement. “I do believe our sister is going to have another child, Liz. She has been showing signs of it for weeks.”

  “Oh my!” Elizabeth turned her smile to Shawn. “You’re going to be an uncle again, dear.”

  Shawn gave Abe and Steven a furtive look. “The Christmas gift list just keeps growing.”

  The men laughed.

  “Do you have any children, Jan?” Steven asked.

  Janelle shook her head. “No, I am unmarried.”

  Steven looked surprised and smiled. “I find it difficult to believe that a beautiful woman such as yourself has not found a proper suitor.”

  “Believe it or not, sir, it is a fact.”

  Steven tilted his head to the side. “Would you care to dance with me?”

  Janelle giggled. “I would be honored.”

  The two stood up at the same time and moved onto the dance floor, leaving the group feeling somewhat stunned.

  “I believe that was the most obvious proposal I have ever heard.” Shawn said.

  Abe nodded. “I agree with you, Shawn.”

  “They certainly have the right to dance, Shawn.” Elizabeth said.

  “Yes, they do. I am just surprised by the abruptness of it.”

  “Perhaps Steven has only a little time to find himself a bride. How much do you know about him, Shawn, other than the information we’ve gathered in the past half hour?”

  Shawn looked at Abe and shook his head. “I do not know the man.”

  Abe nodded. “I suggest keeping an eye on him. If you do not remember, it is his cousin who caused the trouble for Lady
Erinson before she married several years ago.”

  Shawn nodded. “I do remember, Abe. But I must not, I cannot judge someone by the actions of another, whether they are from the same family or not.”

  “I remember his cousin’s misdeeds.” Elizabeth spoke up. “And I was watching Steven closely while you chatted with him. I didn’t see an indication that he is unfair or manipulative, as his cousin was.”

  Abe looked out to where Janelle and Steven were dancing. They looked good together and both were smiling. Janelle laughed at something Steven said.

  “How is Carter doing, Abe?” Shawn changed the subject. Elizabeth looked at him gratefully. Abe’s brother, William, had spent many years being a less-than-stellar individual. A gentleman, he was not, until he went through a transformation after the death of his wife, Liza. Abe knew what a scoundrel looked like. Mentioning Abe’s son was a good way to distract from the current negativity in their conversation.

  “He is doing well, thank you for asking.”

  “Will you be dancing with any of the ladies here this evening, Abe?” Elizabeth asked.

  “I may well do that. I have just arrived. I’m a little old for most of the ladies of the ton.”

  Elizabeth chuckled. “I hardly think so, Abe. You are a very attractive man.”

  Abe grinned. “Thank you, my lady.”

  “How are things in Fairfield?” Shawn asked. Elizabeth turned her eyes to the dance floor, watching her sister move lightly on her feet around the floor with her partner. She had to admit the two did look comfortable together. They were talking while they danced. He seemed charming. It was obvious Janelle thought so, too.

  She waited until there was a pause in her husband and Abe’s conversation before speaking.

  “Shawn, I’m going to walk around.”

  “Do you want to dance, my love?” He reached out with one hand and she took it. He squeezed lightly. The small act made her heart beat harder. She was glad that their love was still strong after several years together. She was looking forward to a long and happy future with her husband. She was proud of him. He was one of the most beloved Dukes in all of England. She felt blessed to have him by her side.

  “Not right now but perhaps later.”

  “I will find you then.”

  “All right.” She stood up. “It was a delight to see you again, Abe. I’m sure we will have a chance to chat again before you leave.”

  “I am certain of it, my lady.”

  They smiled at each other. Elizabeth leaned to give her husband a kiss on the cheek. As she moved off into the crowd, she scanned the people, thinking about her earlier conversation with Shawn. Every face in the ballroom was familiar to her. They were all smiling, talking and laughing, enjoying the fruits, the wine and the music. It made her feel comfortable. She was pleased that she could provide happy times for her friends.

  She caught sight of her sister laughing and smiled. And her family.

  “Good evening, Your Grace.” She heard behind her. She turned to see Mary Jane Erinson smiling at her.

  “Mary Jane! How are you this evening? I did not know you were here.”

  “I am well. Thank you. And you? You look stunning in that dress.”

  “Thank you so much. You look lovely, as well.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Shawn and I were just talking about your step-brother, Stephen. Did you know his cousin is here?”

  Mary Jane lifted her eyebrows and looked through the crowd for him. “I did not. Do you mean Steven Miner?”

  “Yes. He is…over there, dancing with Janelle. Do you see them?” Elizabeth pointed to the dance floor, spotting the couple twirling around the rest.

  “Ah yes. I do not know him well. He visited only during the holidays as we were growing up.”

  “So he is about the same age as you?”

  Mary Jane lifted her glass and took a sip before replying. “I believe he is about five years younger than I.”

  “So you do not know a great deal about him?”

  “Unfortunately no. Are you concerned?”

  Elizabeth wasn’t sure how to respond. She didn’t want to bring up old grievances, most of which had nothing to do with her personally. Stephen’s attempted betrayal to receive the estate money he felt he deserved had not affected her the way it had affected Mary Jane. Mary Jane was a strong woman, however, and had come through that hard time with grace and dignity, finding her good husband in the process.

  “I’m not sure. I have never met him before. I dare not stand in the way of my sister finding a man. She is the last of the four of us to be unmarried. I know she desires a husband. I am afraid she will not be choosy and will end up with a cad for a husband.”

  Mary Jane nodded. “Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to protect her heart. That is something she must do. It won’t stop us from trying to keep our loved ones from making mistakes, however.”

  “This is true.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER TWO

  THE VISCOUNT FROM AUSTRALIA

  THE VISCOUNT FROM AUSTRALIA

  The ball was in full swing when Elizabeth was surprised to hear a new arrival being announced.

  His name was Viscount Allan Gray from Melbourne, Australia. He was with his sister, Emiline Gray. Elizabeth headed back toward the main table, where her husband was still seated, talking with Abe and Steven, who had returned to the table after his dance with Janelle.

  Her sister was nowhere to be seen. In fact, both the twins had apparently disappeared. The Viscount Gray and his sister were directed toward the table to meet the Duke and Duchess of Fairbanks. Elizabeth reached the table at the same time as the Viscount. She stopped and waited for Shawn to introduce her, scanning the two new arrivals.

  The Viscount was tall with wavy brown hair and deep blue eyes. He was dressed in fine clothes that fit him as though they were made specifically for him. She suspected they might be. It was easy to see the resemblance between the two siblings. Emiline also had wavy brown hair, that fell in soft ringlets over her shoulders, covered on top with a yellow and white bonnet that matched the gown she was wearing. The gown was gorgeous, showing off the woman’s slender figure, laced with gold at the bodice, throughout the skirt and along the hemlines. Her blue eyes were not as dark as her brother’s. Their facial features were very similar, with high cheek bones and smooth, slightly tanned skin.

  Shawn stood up, as did Abe and Steven. The three of them bowed to the lady and gentleman.

  The Viscount bowed deeply. “Your Grace, my lord. Thank you for allowing us in your lovely home. You have quite a beautiful estate, what I could see of it.”

  “I hope that you will stay the night and have breakfast with us in the morning. It is quite late. We would be glad to have you as our guests.”

  “How generous of you, thank you, my lord.”

  Elizabeth smiled. His accent was unique. Her ears enjoyed the sound of it. His voice was deep and throaty. She mused that many young ladies would swoon at this newcomer. Shawn held his hand out to her and she took it.

  “This is the Duchess Elizabeth Worthington.”

  Viscount Gray bowed at the waist, keeping his eyes on her and took the hand Shawn was not holding to kiss it gently. “My lady.”

  “Viscount.” She dropped in a shallow curtsy, which she turned to the Lady Gray. “Lady Gray.”

  “Your Grace.” The woman curtsied back and turned to Shawn, similarly. “Your Grace. Thank you for this lovely ball. I am most impressed with your home.”

  “Thank you so much. Please do sit and talk with us.” Elizabeth held out her hand to the table, where two open chairs sat opposite Elizabeth’s and Shawn’s. She circled around the table and lowered herself into her chair gracefully.

  “Allow me to introduce Lord Steven Miner and Duke Abraham Montgomery of Fairfield.”

  The greetings continued until all knew each other.

  “What brings you to Fairbanks, Lord Gray?”

  “Pl
ease. Call me Allan. It is much less formal and easier on the tongue.” Allan pulled the chair away from the table for his sister before taking the one next to it. The first thing Emiline did was pick up the full glass of wine that sat in front of her place. As Allan answered the question, Elizabeth watched Emiline nervously lift the glass to her mouth and take a long swallow. Elizabeth was taken aback and continued to watch the woman, who finished off the glass in too short of a time, leaving Elizabeth to wonder why the woman was so nervous.

  “My sister and I are moving to England from our home in Melbourne. I will be honest that we are not giving up our home there and will visit often. We have many relatives there that would be quite upset with us were we to just leave without so much as a by your leave. We are, however, searching for property and an estate to purchase. Fairfield is our third stop. We are unsure whether we want to purchase land in London. We would rather have a home that is away from the city, though the city does have its benefits.”

  Shawn smiled at Allan, appearing not to notice that Emiline had not only finished off the glass of wine but had reached for the one sitting in front of her brother. Elizabeth was watching closely, however, and struggled not to visibly react when Allan moved his hand slightly to block her from taking the glass in front of him. He never looked at his sister. He continued to speak to Shawn as though he had merely been waving a fly from his vicinity. Emiline moved her eyes to his face and then dropped them to her lap, where she bundled up her hands.

  Elizabeth wondered why the woman was so nervous. It made her suspicious. She wondered if she should mention something to Shawn. Perhaps they should check their valuables and have the two watched while they stayed at Worthington Manor. She chided herself silently for jumping to the negative so quickly. Perhaps Emiline was not used to the atmosphere of the British. Perhaps she was having trouble adjusting or had simply not wanted to leave Australia. She vowed to make friends with the woman and find out about her past.