A True Gentleman (Regency Love Book 2)

by M. A. Nichols

  Tabby burst into the solicitor's office, her eyes scanning for her husband.

  “Cousin Tabitha,” said Cousin Maurice, striding towards her with a massive tome in his hands.

  “I need to see—”

  “I appreciate your plight,” he said. “I truly do, but it is extremely inappropriate for you to come here in such a fashion. I gave you to the end of the month, which is more than generous, considering the circumstances—” But then he stopped when he looked her in the face. “Good heavens, what has happened to you?”

  His tone and posture changed in an instant. Ushering her over to a chair, he gave orders to his clerk, though Tabby could not concentrate on those unimportant details as she pulled Phillip onto her lap.

  “Where is Joshua?” she asked, pushing aside his proffered handkerchief. She hadn’t even noticed the drops of blood splattering her bodice. Touching her forehead, she felt a trickle seeping from a gash; the skin around it was already swollen and warm to the touch.

  “What do you mean?” asked Maurice, ignoring her protestations to press the cloth to the wound. “I sacked him last month. He may be my cousin, but it was a mistake to ever take him on.”

  “Sacked?” Tabby knew she was parroting the gentleman, but she could not believe her ears.

  “I know this a blow to you and Phillip,” he said, dabbing at her face, studiously avoiding her startled gaze, “and I am truly sorry for any heartache it will cause you two, but I feel I was more than generous to let you stay in my rooms until the end of the month. You are family, and I can overlook his utter uselessness as an employee, but I cannot overlook embezzling.”

  Tabby grabbed Maurice's hands, pulling him away from his ministrations and seizing his full attention. “He stole from you? And you sacked him?”

  Maurice stood up, staring at her. “You don’t know any of this, do you?” He did not bother to wait for her answer for it was clear enough. “Did he do this to you?”

  “No,” said Tabby.

  Not directly, at any rate.

  Ignoring Maurice’s protestations, Tabby nudged Phillip from her lap and led him out of the office. Shrugging the gentleman off, Tabby hurried out the door and into the street. She had to find her husband.

  ***

  Tabby sat in the armchair as Phillip played quietly on the floor. He hardly made a sound as he moved his toys across their parlor floor, no doubt sensing Tabby’s dark mood. She hated that it was leaching into him, but there was too much in her heart for her to pretend all was well. Her foot tapped against the ground as she watched the front door, awaiting Joshua’s return.

  With all of London as his hiding ground, it hadn’t taken long for her to abandon the search. There was no getting around it. Tabby had to wait until Joshua deigned to return home. The sun inched across the sky, making the shadows crawl across the floor as she waited.

  All those foul words that Joshua insisted on using came to her thoughts, polluting her mind in the flood of her anger. Forcing herself to calm, Tabby gathered herself, though she could not shield herself from the humiliation. How could she be so blind? How had she fallen into this trap again?

  Debts in Bristow. Crauford had said there were debts there, too. Even as he had made all his golden promises, Joshua had been lying to her. What a fool she’d been! Tabby berated herself for ever believing him. Believing his blatant lies and manipulation. Believing he had changed. Believing he was a man and not a weasel.

  Her jaw tightened, her toes rapping a rapid beat against the floor. Tabby’s heart hardened, blackening towards the man who had brought her so much anguish. She could imagine what his response would be. More lies. More promises. More begging for forgiveness. Just the thought of it brought tears to her eyes. Tabby could not do this again. Not again. The verbal parry. The dancing around the truth of the matter.

  Joshua loved them. On some level, Tabby knew it. When things were perfect in the world and the stars aligned, Joshua was as loving and attentive as any wife and mother could wish for. But life rarely had such moments. There were always bumps in the road, and when it came down to it, Joshua loved himself and his own pleasures more.

  Phillip froze at the sound of Joshua’s footsteps on the stairs. His usual excitement dimmed as he clutched his soldiers to his chest. The door opened, and Joshua came in, acting as though all was right in the world. Until he saw Tabby’s face.

  She flinched at the curse that flew from his lips when he hurried over to her.

  “What happened to you?” he said, tugging her to her feet and lifting her chin to examine both sides of her face. His eyes darkened as he saw it. “Who did this? So help me, I shall kill them.”

  Tabby pulled free of him, crossing her arms. “Mr. Crauford paid a visit and asked me to give you a message.”

  In a flash, everything in Joshua shifted. The fury in his eyes evaporated into pure terror, the flush of his cheeks paling until he was grey.

  She relaxed her jaw, loosening the tight muscles before continuing. “As you have taken out loans from every moneylender he knows, he is calling in your debt and demands it in full by the end of the month.”

  With each word, Joshua’s eyes widened, his complexion growing more ashen.

  “He threatened us, Joshua,” she said. “His thug grabbed Phillip and me off the street and hit me. Do you have any idea how terrified we were? And then Cousin Maurice told us you were sacked for stealing, Joshua. Stealing!”

  Despite her protests, Joshua pulled her into his arms. Tabby squirmed and shoved at him, forcing him away.

  “I trusted you,” she spat as she wrenched free.

  “I know,” he said, reaching for her hands. “And I failed you, but I promise it shall be fine. I shall get the money to pay him off. My luck has been a bit faulty as of late, but it is about to change. I feel it.”

  “Mama?” called Phillip.

  “All is well, dearest,” she said with a fragile calm that was as false as her husband. “Why don’t you take your toys into the other room?”

  The couple stared at each other as Phillip gathered his soldiers and shut himself in their bedchamber, his eyes never leaving his parents as the door was closed behind him.

  “Your luck?” Tabby forced herself not to scream at him. “You had a good position. A good future. What were you thinking?”

  “A gentleman can make more at the tables in one evening than I can make in a year!” he said. “Would you rather I languish in some dingy office for the rest of my life?”

  “I would rather have a steady income and a life where I do not have to be afraid of being assaulted by ruffians because my husband is so far in debt that we cannot ever hope to be clear of it!”

  “But Tabby, all will be fine,” he said, placing placating hands on her arms, but she shrugged him off. “The last few weeks have not been kind to me, but we can start anew somewhere else. New names, if need be. The moneylenders will never find us. We could go to the North Country. Yorkshire, perhaps.” His eyes and grin grew wider. “Or the continent! You have always wanted to see Italy. We could buy a little villa in the countryside.”

  Tabby gaped at him. “Are you listening to yourself, Joshua? Are you truly listening? What are you thinking?”

  Joshua raised his hands. “All will be well. I promise.” He inched toward the door. “I shall scrounge up some funds, and when I return we can decide where to go.”

  Wide-eyed, Tabby watched him scurry out the door. It was as though he were blind to the utter nonsense he was spewing. A villa in Italy?

  Tabby’s hands flew to her mouth, and she slumped onto a chair, her body trembling and heart thumping as though she were in that alleyway once again. Joshua was going to get them all hurt. Thoughts of Mr. Gibbons’ hands on her sent a shudder through her, knotting her stomach. Or worse. Much worse.

  This was no longer a matter of simple comfort. This was her son’s life on the line. Again. The realization startled her. Twice, her husband had put her son in danger. Neither was intentional, but
in some ways that was all the more terrifying. Joshua’s misguided intentions were going to ruin them all, and Tabby would not let that happen.

  Getting to her feet, she rushed to the bedroom. Phillip sat crossed-legged on the bed and watched as she burst in.

  She grabbed their only working piece of luggage. The portmanteau was dinged and barely holding together, but it would do. Speeding around the bedroom, she gathered their clothing, scooping up everything the two of them would need.

  “What are you doing?” asked Phillip

  “Packing,” she said with a brittle smile. “You and I are going to go on a trip.”

  “Where?”

  Dropping to her knees, Tabby pried up a loose floorboard, snatching out the dusty envelope hidden inside it.

  “Herefordshire,” she said, brushing off the paper and shoving Mina’s letter and banknote into her bodice.

  Chapter 32

  “Darling, please stop,” said Tabby, as Phillip tugged on her arm. Her joints felt like they had been rattled right out of their sockets, and her muscles were cramped, but at last, they had arrived at Farrow. The rocks on the road dug into Tabby’s boots, and the portmanteau weighed down her left side, but there was something so invigorating about being in the country again.

  Beside her, Phillip jabbered on about the birds in the trees beside the road, the passengers they had traveled with, the place they were going, the bug that had landed on his arm, the cow in the pasture, and every other thought that popped into his mind. He rarely needed anything more than a nod and an occasional affirmation, leaving Tabby’s mind free to wander.

  Coming to Rosewood Cottage had been the clear option when they had set out from London, but as their destination drew closer, worry nibbled at Tabby. Perhaps she was overstepping her bounds. Mina may have offered help, but that had been months ago. Tabby supposed it did no good to fret about it now. Of all the concerns in her life, imposing on someone’s hospitality was a trivial issue that would not stop her from doing what needed to be done. Now that the necessary step had been taken and Joshua was behind her, social niceties would not keep her from providing for Phillip. With a few pounds left over from Mina’s banknote, they would have funds enough for food but needed a haven while Tabby decided what was to be done with their future.

  Following the bend in the road, Tabby caught sight of Mina’s cottage. Or at least, she hoped it was the place. After such a distance, she was desperate for a proper rest.

  Sitting on a little hill, Rosewood Cottage was surrounded by rolling grasslands. Tabby wondered why such a place had been so inappropriately named, but she was instantly taken with the simple beauty of the building. It was as though it glowed, a shining beacon calling to her, and Tabby understood why Mina was fond of the place. It had an aura that promised a warm hearth and cozy chairs. Seeing it was such a blessed relief that Tabby felt the beginning of tears come to her eyes.

  Phillip broke free of her grasp and ran ahead, exploding through the gate to rap on the front door, and Tabby had to scurry to catch him. The door opened as she arrived on the doorstep, and a middle-aged woman grinned out at them.

  “Good afternoon, ma’am,” said the lady, wiping her hands off on her apron.

  “Good afternoon, Mrs. Engle,” said Tabby. “I’m a friend of Mrs. Kingsley, and she told me to stop by if I should have need of a place to stay.”

  Mrs. Engle blinked at her for a moment before her eyebrows rose. “You must be Mrs. Russell,” she said, quickly gathering her inside. Upon getting a closer look at Tabby’s face, Mrs. Engle gasped, grabbing her chin to turn Tabby’s face to the left and right. The woman’s brow drew tight together.

  “Oh, you poor thing!” she said.

  Tabby had not glimpsed her face since her encounter with Mr. Gibbons but seeing the expressions on her traveling companions had painted a clear picture, and the tears in Mrs. Engle’s eyes only confirmed what the stiffness and painful throbs in her body were telling her.

  “Mrs. Kingsley mentioned you might arrive,” she said, bustling Tabby into the parlor and divesting her of her cloak and luggage in a trice. In equal efficiency, she had Phillip herded into the garden to explore, and Tabby wrapped in a quilt on the sofa with a spread of tea and cakes around her. The whole thing happened so quickly, and Tabby was so tired, that she simply watched as the woman fluttered about like a mother hen, making certain that the pair of them were both comfortable.

  Finally, the woman sat beside Tabby, extending a teacup to her. “Drink up, dear.”

  But the whirlwind of hospitality ravaged Tabby’s last bit of reserve, leaving her heart unguarded and unchecked. A sob burst from her, and Tabby covered her mouth to hold it in, but Mrs. Engle set aside the teacup and drew her into her arms.

  “There, there. Let it out,” she crooned, holding Tabby as she wept. “You are safe now.”

  ***

  There had been a time when Graham had thought the crash of the waves hitting the side of his ship was the greatest sound to be heard, but it was nothing compared to an infant’s laugh. A full-bodied squeal of joy rung through the Park’s hallways, and Graham picked up his pace as he hurried to the sitting room. Pushing through the door, he caught sight of Simon and Mina sitting side-by-side on the sofa.

  Mina leaned into her husband, beaming at her son who lay across her lap as Simon tickled the little belly. Oliver let loose another peel, his limbs flailing and back arching.

  “Graham!” Mina’s face lit at the sight of him, and Graham faltered at the vision she made. There was no doubt that his sister did not hold true to the conventional standard of beauty, but there was something within her that shone with far more power than mere beauty. It was the look of a lady so utterly content and pleased with her world that there was no hiding the brightness of her soul.

  Coming over, he bent to kiss her cheek. “You look radiant, Mina.”

  A flush filled her cheeks, and Mina ducked her face, but Simon nudged her chin upwards and whispered, “You do.”

  “Oh, you two,” she said, her face reddening further as she gave a tiny roll of her eyes and a shake of her head. “It’s good of you to visit, Graham,” she said, motioning for him to sit. “It’s always a wonderful surprise.”

  “Ah, but I must be honest,” said Graham, scooping the babe off his mama’s lap, “I came to visit young Master Oliver.” The child swung his little fist, smacking Graham in the face. And then giggled.

  “You think that funny?” asked Graham, but Oliver’s fingers reached for his mouth, grabbing Graham’s lip. Tiny fingernails dug in, and Graham tried to pull away, but Oliver gripped tighter, a low chuckle building into a hoot of laughter.

  “Darling, be gentle,” said Mina, standing to extricate Graham’s mouth from the onslaught.

  Once his lips were free, Graham handed Oliver back to his mama, who was better at dodging the clenching fingers. However, a stray lock of her hair made its way into his grasp, and it was Graham’s turn to assist her.

  “Actually, I did come with news,” said Graham as they took their seats on the sofas. “It may come as a shock, but I have decided to move to Portsmouth.”

  Simon’s eyebrows raised. “And what is in Portsmouth?” he asked as Mina gaped and asked, “When?”

  Graham smiled. “I have already begun to pack my things, and I plan on going straight there after my trip to London next week. The Royal Naval Academy has invited me to lecture there while I am working on my next book.”

  Mina’s face was a comical mix of pleasure and pain. “How wonderful for you. That is a great opportunity, though I wish it were not so far away.”

  “It is not permanent,” he said. “I shall likely settle in Bristow at some point, but for now, I feel in need of a change.”

  Glancing at Oliver in his mama’s arms, Graham already felt homesick for his life at Avebury Park. It may not be his proper home, but he had passed the last two years here, which was greater than the entirety of his time spent at his ancestral home since he had left i
t to join the navy.

  “I am going to miss your little man,” said Graham, the endearment coming out without a second thought. His heart twisted at the memory of Tabby’s endearment, but Graham shoved it aside as he did every time life brought such things to mind.

  “He does love his Uncle Graham,” said Mina, kissing his little cheeks.

  “I shall visit as often as I can,” he promised.

  “You don’t have to leave, you know,” said Mina, but Simon gave a disapproving grunt.

  “Leave him be,” said Simon.

  “I am simply giving him options.”

  “He knows the options and has made his choice.”

  “And he shan’t be gone forever,” added Graham. “And he shan’t miss being discussed as though he weren’t sitting in front of you.”

  “And what of Miss Amy?” she asked, making Graham sigh. He had known she would, but Graham hadn’t wanted to discuss this aspect of his life.

  “She is a sweet enough girl, but I have no interest in courting her,” said Graham, squirming beneath Mina’s examination. “I am not ready for thoughts of marriage, and it would be cruel to raise the lady’s hopes.”

  Mina nodded, though she could not hide her disappointment. “I understand, but I had hoped that as some months have passed since…” Her words faltered, but she was saved from having to complete that thought when the door opened and Jennings entered with a bow.

  “Urgent message from Mrs. Engle, madam,” he said, offering up the missive before bowing out of the room.

  “Urgent?” Mina mused. “What could possibly be urgent at Rosewood Cottage?”

  Graham’s eyebrows rose. “You still have that little property?”

  “Of course,” said Mina. “I could not bear to part with it.”

  “We both love it,” said Simon, giving his wife a warm smile. “We have very fond memories of the place.”

  Laying Oliver on her lap, Mina turned the letter over and broke the seal. Her eyes darted across the page as Simon read the words over her shoulder.