One Less Lonely Earl (A Duke of Danby Novella: Halliday Sisters Book 2)

by Samantha Grace

  When she arrived at Blackwood Castle an hour later, she was proven wrong.

  Meredith gaped at the chaotic scene just inside the front door. “Wh-what h-happened?”

  James MacBride beamed at her from the first step of the stairwell while all five of her students giggled from their places at the gallery overlooking the foyer. Mrs. Browning, the nanny, held a hand to her forehead as if trying to ward off a headache. A couple of upstairs maids peered over the railing with wide-eyed horror.

  “These are sheep.” Mr. MacBride fanned his arms over the flocks’ wooly heads.

  “Yes, I—I can s-see that well enough.”

  The black and white faced creatures were everywhere, and a musty odor hung over the room. She knew very little about sheep, but they seemed like docile creatures. That a herd might storm a castle was too outrageous to consider. Yet, she couldn’t imagine they were meant to be inside.

  One of the sheep accidentally bumped her with its curled horn and knocked her into the entry table. She braced her weight against it to keep from falling. “How did they g-get inside?”

  “I herded them through the door, of course.” Their uncle’s incredulous tone set off another round of giggles from the girls. “Sheep are the MacBrides’ livelihood. They are part of my nieces’ heritage. I’ve brought them inside for your lesson.”

  Good heavens. The man must be mad. That could certainly account for the trouble with maintaining a governess. Mrs. Browning had mentioned yesterday that Meredith was the third one to be hired in the last four months, and she hoped Meredith planned to stay. Meredith didn’t see that she had much choice. She had only gotten the position because the duke had secured it for her. If she resigned, she would likely be giving up her only chance to teach, and she would be back on the marriage mart next year.

  “I see,” she said, injecting as much diplomacy into her voice as she could muster.

  She understood his position to some degree. Learning about one’s heritage was important. It could help form the girls’ sense of belonging to something solid and unchanging. Even as members of the MacBride clan were buried or marriages brought new ones into the fold, it would forever be a family—their family.

  Despite the importance of studying one’s heritage, however, crowding sheep into a foyer was the mark of insanity. “P-perhaps we should move the lesson outside. W-where there is more room.”

  The front door opened behind her. “What is going on here?”

  Lord Blackwood’s baritone voice rumbled through her, filling her with pleasant tingles. His steel blue gaze narrowed on his brother as he pulled off his riding gloves. The color was high in the earl’s cheeks as if the cooler morning air had kissed them. She couldn’t look away from the picture of vitality he presented.

  “James, I asked you a question.”

  She decided to come to Mr. MacBride’s rescue. “Good morning, my lord.” She curtsied to the earl to remind herself of her position as much as to show her respect. “Mr. MacBride has rightfully pointed out that I should be teaching my students about their heritage. We were just discussing how to move the lesson outdoors.”

  The earl’s eyes flared. “You can tell us apart.”

  Heat flooded her face. She hadn’t given it any thought when she’d walked through the door and identified the earl’s brother at a glance, but they were different in ways she couldn’t miss. Lord Blackwood was more refined in his dress, and it was reflected in the way he wore his cravat. A simple cascade with a cravat pin. By comparison, his brother was showy with his elaborate knot and colorful waistcoats, although James MacBride would hardly be called a dandy.

  There were subtle differences in their voices and eyes, too. Mr. MacBride’s sparkled with mirth—or perhaps madness. She wouldn’t rule out the possibility. Lord Blackwood’s eyes, however, vacillated between intense interest when she spoke and kind acceptance. His response to her had a tendency to knock her off kilter, as did the smile he aimed at her now.

  “I suppose I can tell you apart, my lord.”

  “Amazing,” Lord Blackwood murmured. “Well, it appears James and I should move the flock outside, so you can begin your lesson.”

  He opened both doors and urged her to step aside. Meredith shuffled further into the foyer and pressed her back against the wall. He yelled for someone in the castle yard to gather a couple of men to help drive the sheep back to the paddock.

  “Yes, milord,” a gruff voice answered before muttering something she couldn’t decipher. She could only guess that the speaker thought the situation was as odd as she did.

  Lord Blackwood maneuvered behind one of the sheep and gave its rump a tap with his boot. “Go on. Outside with you.”

  At first, the animal didn’t budge, but with persistence and a harder shove to its hindquarters, it nearly jumped on its neighbor’s back. This set off a round of anxious bleating as they flailed about on the marble floor. Eventually, the sheep nearest the open doors tumbled outside. The others began to follow, calling out to each other.

  A few stragglers tried to break away, but there was nowhere for them to go when Lord Blackwood spread his arms wide, creating an imaginary barrier. Wisely, all other doors leading from the foyer had been closed, blocking alternate routes of escape. Mr. MacBride discouraged the ones that tried to dart up the stairs by clapping his hands and making a racket that would scare the devil himself.

  Meredith pressed her body further back against the wall, praying her toes wouldn’t be trampled. In the end, she suffered no ill harm. She couldn’t say the same for the foyer floor, which was smeared with muddy hoof prints. Lord Blackwood surveyed the damage and sent a scolding look in his brother’s direction. Mr. MacBride simply raised his eyebrows as if he was oblivious to what he’d done wrong.

  Meredith glanced up at the girls. The youngest had their faces pressed between the railing slats. “Are you wearing boots?” she asked.

  Rebecca shook her head while her sisters called out, “No.”

  “Then you should don them before we go outside.”

  The girls scrambled to do as she’d requested. Mrs. Browning followed, assuring Meredith that she would hurry them along. Their excited laughter could be heard from the corridor, fading as they moved further away.

  Mr. MacBride grinned. “It looks like you have everything well in hand, Colin. I am planning a trip into the village this morning, so I will excuse myself.”

  She and Lord Blackwood dumbly watched him as he picked his way across the foyer and walked out the front doors. They stood in silence a few moments until Meredith couldn’t bear it any longer. She cleared her throat.

  “I am afraid I know nothing about sheep,” she said. “Your nieces are unlikely to learn much from me today, but if you have books I could borrow, I could educate myself soon enough.”

  His full lips eased into a smile. “I thought perhaps you would tender your resignation after my brother’s antics. I don’t know what he was thinking.”

  His comment rang false. She had a strange feeling he knew exactly what Mr. MacBride had been thinking, and she didn’t find it reassuring.

  “Does your brother often engage in such...?” Madness? Unpredictability? “Um, capers?”

  “No.” Lord Blackwood’s dark brows veered toward each other. “On second thought, yes. All the time. Does his behavior worry you?”

  “Not at all.” Surely, she had imagined the hopeful inflection in his voice. “Now, about those books.”

  “I am happy to lend you a few from the library, but may I offer my assistance today? The girls are expecting a lesson.”

  Her smile was restrained, and somewhat stiff. Otherwise, she would be beaming, and the earl would realize how giddy his offer made her. “I think that would be wise. Thank you, my lord.”

  Nine

  Colin shook his head in wonder as the intrepid Miss Halliday marched his nieces past his study door to spend another afternoon in the company of sheep. They were two weeks into her employment, and she appeared no c
loser to resigning her post than she had been on her first day. Her unflappability was admirable, but it didn’t bode well for meeting Danby’s timeline, and Colin was failing miserably with the duke, too.

  Thrice, he had written to Danby suggesting a renegotiation of their terms, and three times, he’d been rejected. The duke’s latest reply, which had arrived moments earlier, left no doubt in Colin’s mind that his neighbor was a stubborn old goat.

  I expect Miss Halliday to tender her resignation before Lord Lovell arrives in Yorkshire. The sooner she realizes it is in her best interests to marry well, the better off everyone will be. I trust you will employ whatever means necessary to drive her from Blackwood Castle. Do not give me cause to regret placing my faith in you.

  Aside from tossing Miss Halliday over his shoulder and toting her back to Danby Castle, he hadn’t a clue as to how to return her to the duke, since no one at Blackwood had been able to discourage her yet. Colin took secret pleasure in her mettle, but the duke need not know it.

  There was much to admire in Miss Halliday. She arrived each day brimming with enthusiasm, and it was contagious. Joining her and his nieces for their daily excursions to the pasture reminded him of how much he loved his ancestral land. His determination to see the estate recover and flourish was renewed each time he looked over the moors.

  Of equal importance, he wanted the residents of Blackwood Castle to thrive, which required more than food and shelter. Often these days, his nieces’ laughter filled the castle. Even he and Audrey had reached a tenuous truce, and Miss Halliday was responsible. She was helping to mend what had become broken at Blackwood. The prospect of letting her go was no longer an option, but neither did it feel right to consider her an employee. She was so much more to him.

  This evening he would be dining with his banker to discuss financing options to feed the flock through the winter. Perhaps he could find an investor or sell a pair of his father’s cuff links. If the duke wouldn’t cooperate, Colin would find another way to improve his lot and offer Miss Halliday something more permanent. Her wishes would dictate exactly what that might be.

  “Do you still wish to join us, my lord?” The governess’s inquiry jolted his attention away from the duke’s letter. “I don’t know how much longer I can convince your nieces to wait. They are eager to see the pups.”

  Her smile was a scintillating ray of sunshine that heated him through. She stood in the doorway, twisting slightly side-to-side. Her powder blue skirts flared to reveal the tips of her sensible boots. She always seemed on the verge of dancing away.

  Colin crumpled the missive, grabbed his hat, and followed her before she left him, tossing the duke’s letter in the bin on the way. “What are we learning about today?”

  Miss Halliday arched an eyebrow; a teasing smile played about her lips. “I thought you were in charge when it came to the sheep.”

  “Quite right,” he said with a chuckle. “I was simply testing you.”

  Colin had a tendency to get carried away and take control whenever the lessons involved the flock, but it wasn’t due to Miss Halliday failing to do her reading. She had acquired an impressive amount of knowledge on sheep farming over the last couple of weeks. Sometimes he forgot all of this was new to her.

  When they joined his nieces in the castle yard, Colin’s brother was there with the lamb he’d taken to carrying around the castle in a bid to frighten Miss Halliday into quitting. It was proving to be a futile endeavor.

  James doffed his hat, offering everyone a view of his untidy hair, and greeted Colin and Miss Halliday. “I am sure you remember my dearest friend, Lady Harriet Lambkins,” he said. “We are on our way to take refreshment this afternoon.”

  The girls giggled and looked expectantly toward their teacher, awaiting her reaction. Miss Halliday dropped into a perfect curtsey. “Good afternoon, your ladyship. It is lovely to see you again.”

  Colin’s nieces burst into laughter with Iris holding her belly and doubling over as if the entire affair was unbearably funny. James met Colin’s gaze and shrugged while struggling to suppress a grin.

  Colin canted his head. “I trust you will enjoy the rest of your afternoon, my lady.”

  This set off another round of laughter. James hugged Lady Lambkins and made a show of reassuring her that no one was laughing at her as he pretended to stomp away in a huff.

  Miss Halliday turned to watch him go. “Your brother is very fond of that lamb.”

  “It is but a passing fancy, I think.”

  She chuckled and linked arms when Colin offered his escort to the barn. He appreciated that she tolerated his brother’s antics with good humor, although Colin was almost certain she thought he might be an escaped Bedlamite. If he didn’t know James was putting on a show, he might believe it, too. In addition to toting the lamb around the castle every day, Colin’s brother had been known to burst into the classroom several times over the last couple of weeks with his hair tousled and clothing askew to ask which little girl had eaten the carrots he kept in his pocket. Colin was sure it was quite disruptive, but Miss Halliday never complained.

  She had even politely choked down a biscuit from the plate James delivered to the drawing room the other day when she was teaching the older girls how to pour tea. Emily and Iris had been less tactful, and very dramatic when they had dashed outside to spit the offending biscuit in the dirt. Their longtime cook had been furious with James when she realized he’d ruined her recipe by switching the sugar and salt. And Cook wasn’t inclined to forgive Colin any time soon either.

  You should keep the rogue on a shorter lead. Your father wouldn’t have abided your brother’s foolishness.

  Colin knew Cook was right, and since it would no longer be necessary to scare away Miss Halliday if the meeting with his banker was successful, he would order James to stop said foolishness.

  The sun was hot at their backs as he and Miss Halliday strolled along the dirt path arm in arm. They had formed an easy camaraderie over the last couple of weeks that he didn’t share with many, aside from his brothers. Colin wasn’t bashful, per se. He simply didn’t enjoy idle chitchat, which seemed to be the only conversation many members of the upper class were capable of having. While he could be playful with Miss Halliday, he could also discuss his concerns for his nieces’ wellbeing without feeling like he was talking to a potted plant.

  Her unique perspective on family, teaching, and life in general resonated with him and encouraged him to take stock of what he wanted for his future. For the first time, he was entertaining thoughts of marriage and filling his own nursery. It was a heady notion.

  “Where is Mrs. Browning today?” he asked as his youngest nieces skipped ahead.

  “She is cleaning the nursery. I told her that I could manage alone.”

  He angled a glance in Miss Halliday’s direction. “Would you prefer I stay behind, too? Do you really not want assistance?”

  “I was being nice. They outnumber me five to one. Of course I want your help.” She laughed. The sound of it was rich and pulled a smile from him. “I would be lost without you. I feel quite out of my element sometimes.”

  “You have handled country life very well. It is hard to believe you never ventured from the city until your sister married Beckford.”

  “It is a nice life,” she said. “I expect many years of happiness at Blackwood Castle.”

  His heart burgeoned with hope before it realized she meant that she would be staying on as the governess, and it was in that moment he realized his heart had known his desire for days now. He drew her closer to his side and smiled when she leaned into him.

  Rebecca hung back with them, walking only a few paces ahead. “Mama said Dr. Campion and his bride returned yesterday.”

  “Yes, and just in time,” Miss Halliday said. “My sister expects she will have her baby any day now.”

  Rebecca spun around, walking backward while she addressed her governess. “May I visit Danby Castle after the baby is born? Would your sister
allow me to see the baby?”

  “I am sure Felicity would love to show you her newest son or daughter. She might even allow you to hold him or her.”

  Colin’s oldest niece giggled and twirled back around to see where she was going. Rebecca had begun talking more over the last week, shedding her shyness around her governess. It was a splendid development, and even more evidence that Miss Halliday belonged at Blackwood Castle.

  As their group neared the barn, one of the collie pups ventured outside, spotted the girls, and clumsily bounded toward them. His brothers and sisters, hearing delighted squeals, waddled outside to investigate. Their full bellies nearly dragged the ground as they trotted across the packed dirt to greet them. Each of Colin’s nieces chose a favorite pup to lavish with hugs and kisses. Miss Halliday dropped his arm and hurried forward to kneel beside the youngest girl.

  “We have to be gentle,” she said to Nora when the girl tried to lift the puppy by his neck. “He is only a baby. Do you remember how I taught you to hold a baby?”

  “Yes, Miss Halliday.” Nora created a cradle with her arms, and Miss Halliday carefully gave her the pup. His pink tongue swiped Nora’s chin, and she grinned, her dimples appearing. “He licked me!”

  Her teacher laughed. “Just don’t lick him back.”

  “Ew!” Nora wrinkled her nose. “That would taste bad.”

  “About as bad as the biscuits around here, I imagine,” Miss Halliday mumbled to herself, but Colin caught every word and chuckled.

  Caroline’s pup slowly began to slip through her arms, its hind legs dangling several inches off the ground.

  “May I hold him?” Colin asked and held out his hands.

  Caroline furrowed her brow as if considering his request.

  “Please,” he said, drawing out the word and flashing what he hoped was a winsome smile.

  Eventually, she inclined her head with an exaggerated huff and surrendered the puppy. “She is not a boy. Her name is... Lady Harriet, uh...”