by Joyce Alec
“Might I do the honor of introducing my friend, Baron Parke,” Lord Burroughs began, with a deep bow. “He has been in London for some time but has not yet made your acquaintance.”
“Lord Parke,” Elizabeth said at once, with a graceful curtsy. “How very good to make your acquaintance now. Pray, where do you hail from?”
Baron Parke cleared his throat as he rose from his bow, his dark eyes coming to rest on her, and Elizabeth felt a slight discomfort in the pit of her belly. He was a little unsettling for whatever reason, regarding her as though he had seen her somewhere before. It was as if she were familiar to him, yet Elizabeth was sure she had never laid eyes on him in her life.
“I have a modest estate,” Lord Parke replied, his eyes still drifting over her. “I am Lord Mallon’s cousin.”
“Lord Mallon?” Elizabeth repeated, her hand on her heart as she stared at the Baron, wide-eyed. Was he here to tell her something terrible about him? Did he know where the man was?”
“Yes, Lord Mallon,” Lord Parke continued, with a slight sniff. “Has he never spoken of me to you?”
Elizabeth shook her head, wondering if Lord Mallon had ever spoken to Baron Parke about her. “I am sorry, but no.”
He shrugged, his expression a little dark. “He has a very good number of things on his mind, and so, I will forgive him for the oversight,” he said without even a hint of a smile.
“I do not mean to be impertinent nor rude,” Elizabeth continued hastily, “But I must ask if you know where Lord Mallon might be? He was due to call upon me two days ago, but he did not appear.”
“Goodness,” Lord Parke murmured, his eyes wide in apparent surprise. “That was rather rude of him. Not that I am surprised, of course. I have been staying with him this last week.”
Elizabeth stared at him, a slow dread beginning to fill her heart. What did he mean? If he truly was Lord Mallon’s cousin, then would he not know the man very well? Especially if he was staying in his home—that spoke of an intimacy between them both.
“Not that he is in London at present,” Lord Parke continued, as though she already was aware of that fact. “Although why he would wish to miss such an evening as this, I cannot understand.” He gave her a small bow and a bright smile. “I cannot help but hope that you have a space remaining on your dance card?”
Struggling to comprehend what had been said, Elizabeth took a moment before lifting her wrist towards him. Baron Parke, whilst tall and rather wiry, was handsome in his own way, although nothing could compare with Lord Mallon. She struggled to think of anything other than Lord Mallon as Baron Parke wrote his name in two of her remaining three spaces, appearing quite delighted with himself.
“I am already looking forward to dancing with you, Lady Elizabeth,” he said, with a warm smile that brought no happiness to Elizabeth’s heart. “Thank you.”
Elizabeth tried to smile, aware that their conversation had come to an end, but finding that she was not quite ready to let Baron Parke go. She had so many questions to ask. There was so much more to try and discover about where Lord Mallon had gone. Confused, she caught a hold of his sleeve as he made to step away, and he came back to her at once, looking both surprised and intrigued.
“I do apologize, Lord Parke, but I must ask where Lord Mallon has gone?”
“Oh,” he said slowly, the smile on his face fading away. “Of that, I am not quite sure. His father returned to his country estate some days before him, and then quite unexpectedly, Mallon informed me that he was to leave London also. I am not sure what his reasons were or where it was he intended to go. It was all rather vague.” He shrugged, as though this were something he expected from Lord Mallon, as though he were the kind of gentleman to go off to wherever he wished to see whomever he wished at any given moment.
Elizabeth was struck with the thought that she really did not know Lord Mallon all that well. All she had to go on was the fact that she had been drawn to him and believed him drawn to her. She had found him polite, amiable, and with good conversation, as well as with a clear respect and dedication to his father. But did she really have a measure of his character? Was the man she saw truly the man he was?
“You appear to be quite disappointed,” Lord Parke murmured with a slight glimmer of interest in his eye. “I am sorry for his disrespect, Lady Elizabeth. It is most disdainful, and I am sure, quite hurtful. How terrible that he should treat you in such a rude manner. Although, again, I am not surprised to hear such a thing. He is not a man I look up to in any way, I assure you. I do hope that you will get over your disappointment very soon.”
Elizabeth swallowed the lump in her throat, struggling against sudden, fierce tears.
“I know we have not yet danced,” he continued, a little quieter. “But might I be granted permission to call upon you tomorrow? Say, in the afternoon? We could walk in the park.” His smile was warm, his eyes filled with sympathy for her. “I can assure you that I will, of course, keep my engagement with you. I do not take after my cousin.”
“Of course,” Elizabeth heard herself saying, hearing her voice thin and wispy. “Thank you, Lord Parke.”
“Of course,” he said, inclining his head. “I am already looking forward to furthering our acquaintance.”
This time, Elizabeth was relieved when Baron Parke left her side, immediately walking away from the rest of the guests towards a quieter part of the ballroom. Her mind struggled to comprehend what she had heard, her heart tearing as she struggled to maintain her composure. She could not allow herself to cry in front of the rest of the beau monde. She could not allow anyone else to notice her angst. Where had Lord Mallon gone? Why had he not so much as called on her before he had left London?
Her heart sank as she began to wonder whether or not Lord Mallon had truly been as delighted as he had appeared on finding that she was, in fact, his betrothed. Had he kissed her, held her, to make her believe that he truly cared for her, only to run away to some unknown situation the following day? Did he want to marry her, as he had said, or was this now an attempt to avoid their matrimony until such a time as he chose to give up his other, more roguish ways?
Sniffing as delicately as she could, Elizabeth held her shoulders back, lifted her chin, and tried her best to remain calm and collected. There would be time later for her tears. For the moment, she simply had to dance.
11
Elizabeth had spent a rather restless night tossing and turning and trying her best to get some sleep, but her mind had refused to stop thinking of Lord Mallon and all that Lord Parke had said about him.
Since she had been unable to sleep, she had risen in the early hours of the morning, dressed, and made her way to the gardens behind their townhouse, walking in the cool breeze of the early morning.
Her tears had been cold on her cheeks.
The fact that Lord Mallon had not called upon her, had not even written a note to beg for her forgiveness for missing their appointment, had torn a wound so deep in her heart that she was not quite sure she would ever recover. To know now that he was gone from London, although even his cousin knew not where, had only made that pain all the more fierce. It ripped through her, forcing her to take shuddering breaths, as she tried her best to keep herself calm.
Now, however, Elizabeth found herself waiting for Lord Parke to call, pacing up and down the small room in the hope that he would soon come and tell her the truth about his cousin. She was not quite sure whether or not he had been rather coy with her last evening, not sure who she was or why she was so concerned with Lord Mallon. Elizabeth was determined to tell him the truth about her situation. Lord Parke would have to tell her if he knew that she was betrothed to Lord Mallon.
“My goodness, Elizabeth!”
Turning, Elizabeth saw her mother enter the drawing room, resplendent in her silk gown.
“Will you sit down and stop pacing,” her mother directed, frowning. “You are being ridiculous. I do not know what has come over you.”
“Mama,”
Elizabeth replied firmly. “I am not going to sit. I need to move about for the time being, and I assure you that once Lord Parke arrives, I will sit as gracefully as I can.”
Her mother’s frown deepened. “Elizabeth! Sit down this moment.”
Ignoring her mother entirely, wrapped up in her pain and sorrow, Elizabeth continued to walk about the room, her heart beginning to pound, as she waited for Lord Parke to arrive. What would he have to say?
“Elizabeth,” her mother said again, this time loudly, “do as I say.”
“No,” Elizabeth muttered, not caring in the least that she was being rude.
Her mother stared at her for a long moment, her mouth slightly ajar. She was not used to Elizabeth being so defiant, having brought her up to be the perfect daughter who would one day be the perfect wife.
“Is something the matter?” the countess asked softly. “Elizabeth, I am struggling to understand what has come over you these last few days, and you simply will not tell me.”
Elizabeth shook her head, afraid that if she said anything, her tears would start falling again.
“I know you were disappointed that Lord Mallon did not call when he said he would,” the countess continued softly, “but that does not mean you should hold it against him.”
Growing irritated with her mother’s prying, Elizabeth planted her hands on her hips and glared at her mother. “Then why did he not write to me to inform me that he would not be attending after all?”
Her mother frowned. “That was a little rude, I grant you but—”
“And he has not been seen since,” Elizabeth continued, talking over her mother. “Lord Parke, being his cousin, has told me that the man has quit London and even he does not know where he has gone!”
Elizabeth watched as the color drained from her mother’s face, feeling a sense of both triumph and abject failure.
“Oh, my dear.”
Much to Elizabeth’s surprise, her mother hurried over to her, and being only a few inches taller than Elizabeth, still managed to enfold her tightly in her arms.
“Why did you not tell me?” she asked. “You should have told me your pain, Elizabeth. I am here to help you.”
Elizabeth, overwhelmed by her mother’s love and concern for her—so often hidden by demands towards propriety—struggled not to burst into tears. The knock at the door was the only thing that forced them to step apart, the countess briefly framing Elizabeth’s face with her hands.
“Then talk to Lord Parke and find out what he knows,” she said gently. “And report to me at once. I shall do all I can to find him.”
“Thank you, Mama,” Elizabeth replied.
“Do not hide such things from me again,” her mother said before turning to call for the butler to enter.
“I am very glad that you were willing to come out walking with me,” Lord Parke said grandly. “I am honored that you have chosen to accompany me.”
Elizabeth’s maid trailed behind them, as they entered the park, and for a moment, Elizabeth was struck with the memory of how she had encountered Lord Mallon within the very same park only a few weeks ago. Her throat ached as she swallowed her unshed tears.
“What a beautiful day it is,” Lord Parke continued, a trifle quieter. “And yet you appear to have something on your mind, Lady Elizabeth.”
Surprised that he had discerned as much, Elizabeth turned to face him. “Indeed, I do. You are most perceptive, Lord Parke.”
“Might I enquire as to its nature?”
Elizabeth bit back a sigh, keeping herself as calm as she could manage. “It may come as a surprise to you, for I am not sure if Lord Mallon has ever mentioned this, but he and I are betrothed.”
Lord Parke stopped dead, his eyes widening.
“I can see that he did not speak to you of it,” Elizabeth murmured, her head dropping.
“No, he did not,” Lord Parke replied, astonished. “When did this occur? How does the ton not know of it?”
“It was arranged when we were children,” Elizabeth explained. “We are due to be wed by this Season’s end.”
Lord Parke shook his head, his expression sorrowful. “And now he has turned his back on you. My goodness, Lady Elizabeth, if I knew where he was, I might now go and strike him, if not call him out for his behavior toward you.”
“I realize that I do not know him particularly well,” Elizabeth said, as they resumed walking together. “What you said to me yesterday about him surprised me greatly.”
Lord Parke nodded. “Of course, I quite understand.”
“Do you truly not know where he has gone?” Elizabeth asked, aware that she sounded rather desperate. “I am at such a loss as to what to do.”
“My dear Lady Elizabeth, if you would like my advice, then I will give it freely.” Dark eyes met hers, and after only a moment’s hesitation, Elizabeth nodded.
“Then I will tell you now that you need to break off your engagement to Lord Mallon,” Lord Parke declared firmly. “He is not a man worthy of your affection and dedication, not when he will not return it in kind. He is a man who likes to keep his true nature very well hidden, but I have discovered it nonetheless.” He looked over at her and held out his arm and Elizabeth found herself taking it without hesitation, as if aware she might need the support.
“Lord Mallon has a penchant for beautiful ladies, you understand,” Lord Parke continued gently. “He is a rake, but hides it well.”
“A rake?” Elizabeth whispered, feeling as though a heavy weight had settled in her stomach.
“Yes, unfortunately,” Lord Parke continued. “Before he left, he paid some of his debts but left many more. He is a poor cheat and his creditors are already seeking him so that they might take what little he has left.”
Elizabeth felt tears sting at her eyes. “But his father…”
“His father knows nothing of this,” Lord Parke said softly. “Mallon has done a remarkable job in keeping it all from him, whilst I have been forced to lend him money simply to keep his creditors at bay until next quarter, when more of his income comes to him.”
“I do not understand,” Elizabeth whispered, one hand over her heart as though she might soothe it somehow. “This is not the man I thought he was.”
Lord Parke patted her hand sympathetically. “And yet you told me that you did not know him very well at all.”
That was the truth, and Elizabeth could not hide from it. “I thought I knew him a little,” she admitted, her head dropping. “We were to court, just as any other lady and gentleman might, so that we could know one another better.” She did not know why she was telling Lord Parke all this, as though he had somehow become her confidante and friend after such a short acquaintance. The words came tumbling from her mouth, the pain in her heart pushing them out into the open. Lord Parke patted her hand again and walked in silence for some time, allowing her to catch her breath.
“I am residing at his home for a time,” Lord Parke said softly, after they had turned back to return Elizabeth to her parents’ house. “Should you like to join me for a dinner next week?”
Elizabeth looked up at him, seeing the sympathy and compassion in his eyes, and felt her heart lift a little from the despair it was resting in. “You are very kind, Lord Parke. I am sure if you write to my mother she would be more than glad to accept.”
“And might I call on you again before then?” he asked, stopping in his walk so that he might look at her. “I can see your pain and confusion, and I wish to do all I can to aid you in that.”
Elizabeth hesitated, wondering if there was any more behind his question. She was still betrothed to Lord Mallon, despite his terrible behavior, and she did not think that being courted by his cousin was a particularly wise idea.
“Mayhap Lord Mallon is not the right husband for you,” Lord Parke said, his gaze filling with intensity. “I will not pretend that I do not have a great deal of sympathy for you, Lady Elizabeth, nor will I pretend that your beauty does not take my breath away. It is fo
r both of these reasons that I wish to call on you again.”
His honesty was a breath of fresh air, and despite her sorrow, Elizabeth managed to smile. “You may call upon me, Lord Parke. However, I must be clear that I intend to keep my engagement to Lord Mallon, despite his behavior. There will be only a friendship between us, one I am sure I will relish when I marry into the family. My loyalty still remains with Lord Mallon.”
“But of course,” he murmured, with a slight bow.
“That does not mean that I do not appreciate your consideration of me, Lord Parke. I am sure we shall become good friends. I look forward to your next visit.”
The smile on his face grew so quickly that Elizabeth worried he had not quite taken in what she had said. “Wonderful!” he exclaimed at once, his eyes bright.
“And perhaps Lord Mallon will return to London so that he might join us.”
The smile on his face did not disappear, only faded a little. “I am afraid to say that I doubt that will occur. However, perhaps in time, you might find yourself no longer engaged,” he replied with a slight lift of his eyebrow. “Mayhap in time you will find yourself free, with your own ability to choose a suitor for yourself. What a wonderful day that would be.”
Aware of what he was saying and not quite sure how to respond, Elizabeth simply smiled and turned back to walk along the path, quickly joined by Lord Parke. The rest of the way home, they talked of things other than Lord Mallon, with Lord Parke declaring that he would take her to whichever bookshop she wished when he discovered her love of prose.
The afternoon had been a difficult one in terms of what she had learned about Lord Parke, but yet, there had been a small spark of enjoyment. Lord Parke had good conversation, was kind and compassionate, and brought some joy to what was a very trying situation. Elizabeth had to acknowledge that she appreciated that.
When Lord Parke took his leave, Elizabeth’s smile was a genuine one. When he asked to take her to the bookshop the following afternoon, she hesitated for only a moment before agreeing. There could be no harm in such a thing. Also, she decided she might be able to discover more about the Lord Mallon’s character, the man she was still engaged to marry.
