They renewed their walk, and Adeline feared he would not continue with their game, but finally, he nodded to an elderly man, making his way down a rutted path, careful to use his cane for stability.
“That man there. He is hurrying to the house of his mother, who is wedding her fourth husband.”
“His mother?” Adeline barked with laughter. “The man is dreadfully old himself, his mother would be ancient!”
“Giving her ample time to outlive three husbands and take a fourth.”
Adeline scanned the growing crowd for another lady or gentleman who might have an interesting story. Instead of spotting yet another stranger, her gaze settled on the Duchess of Balfour, Georgie’s stepmother. The woman, while awfully unkind to Georgie during her childhood, had never cast a stone in Adeline’s direction.
She waved to the woman, escorted by a pair of ladies Adeline was not acquainted with, and she and Jasper moved in their direction.
“That is Georgie’s evil stepmother,” Adeline whispered before they were close enough for the women to overhear. “She produced an heir last year and has been in most agreeable spirits since.”
Jasper made no comment as they arrived to greet the trio of women, each dressed in their finest walking gowns with hats to match. Adeline did not favor grandiose headwear perched atop her head that could tumble to the ground with the slightest movement.
“Good day, Duchess,” Adeline greeted with a curtsey. “Lovely to see you. I fear you only missed Georgie by a few minutes.”
The woman sniffed, her chin rising several inches until she stared down her nose at Adeline. “I see Felton still allows Georgina to run about London like a hoyden. Pity.”
The pair of ladies flanking the duchess nodded in agreement, their heads bobbing up and down like a couple of chickens scratching for their next meal.
The duchess glanced in Jasper’s direction, her glare returning to Adeline quickly as if the sight of the earl at Adeline’s side had burned her eyes. “We must be off. Good day, Miss Adeline.”
“Before you go, allow me to intro—“
The women pivoted in unison and hurried off in the direction they’d come, cutting Adeline’s introduction short.
“You would think a duchess would be in possession of better manners,” Adeline huffed.
Jasper did not respond, only placed her gloved hand in the crook of his elbow and started off once more, following the trio of women at a far more sedate pace.
“Wait until Georgie hears how impolite her stepmother was.” Certainly, the woman had never been overly cordial with Adeline but never had she given her the cut direct.
Glancing sideways, Adeline tried to determine if Jasper noticed, but his gaze was trained straight ahead, his usual smile in place. If his back were a bit rigid or his steps stiffer than normal, Adeline suspected it was due to this being his first time encountering the lords and ladies of the ton in their natural habitat—London.
“Miss Adeline! Miss Adeline!” a young woman called, rushing toward Adeline and Jasper, leaving her chaperone hurrying in her wake. “What a wonderful surprise. I received an invitation—“
The woman stopped short, her sable stole falling over her shoulder.
Adeline searched her memory, but could only vaguely remember the girl she’d met on one other occasion.
“My apologies, I must be going…” The woman turned and fled.
“Good heavens, I have no notion what has gotten into everyone today.” Adeline turned to Jasper as he pulled his collar higher, attempting to cover his scars. “I have never met so many—“
“Do not allow them to bring you to anger.”
“I am not angry…” However, that was a lie, evident from the flush of her skin and the speed of her heart as it raced. “It is only that I do not understand.”
“I have had over a decade of such encounters—the jeers, the stares, and the obvious avoidance by people I once saw as friends.” He cleared his throat when his voice cracked on the last word. “It is not you they wish to avoid, but me. I can assure you, I am quite used to this.”
“Well, I most certainly am not,” she retorted. “I will speak with Georgie and her father about the duchess’s impolite behavior, and I will make certain the dark-haired woman is not allowed through our door this evening.”
Jasper chuckled, raising the hairs on the back of Adeline’s neck. “No matter what you do, you cannot change their actions, only how you respond to them.”
“It is not fair—“
“Life is never fair, Miss Adeline,” he said, pulling her close once more. Certainly too close for their walk in the park. “Besides, it rarely matters what you do or say, people will view you through their own distorted eyes.”
Adeline settled into their slow pace once more, careful to keep her gaze focused straight ahead and not making eye contact with anyone.
“You are wise, Lord Ailesbury.”
“There were many life lessons learned before I was taught to disregard the unpleasantness of others.”
“Who taught you?”
“My aunt and uncle.” He sighed. “After my parents passed, they came to Faversham to care for me, as I said. And their task was made no easier by the villagers.”
It was exactly what she’d been waiting for him to say, something to give her some insight into his past. She remained quiet, silently begging him to continue. She longed to know what had transpired between him and the villagers, and how he’d kept from falling into a pattern of cruel behavior.
“My aunt sheltered me from the hurt, the judgment, and the prying eyes of everyone who sought to harm the parentless boy who survived the Faversham fire. She hired tutors to see to my education at Faversham, my uncle instructed me on the proper running of an estate, and most of all, the pair gave me the love I desperately needed to recover from the devastation of losing my family.” He paused. When she glanced over at him, he swiped at his eyes with his free hand. “They created a safe haven for me at Faversham Abbey, though the cruel world lay only a short walk away in the village.”
“I heard them call you the Beast of Faversham.” She hadn’t meant to speak the words, hadn’t wanted to so much as think them, yet they pushed past her lips on a breathless sigh. “Even after you saved Grovedale.”
“Yes, well, there were others lost in the fire, servants who came from the village,” he said. “Eight people died that night, including my parents. Eight people I was too weak to save. And a handful of families lost someone they loved.”
“And they still take their anger out on you.” It wasn’t a question for Adeline had witnessed the villagers’ disdain for Jasper firsthand.
“Yes, and they have every right to.”
“But you were just a boy.”
“That does not matter,” he retorted, his tone deepening to one of harshness. “They were my family’s people. Their families had served my family for generations. And they lost people they loved, just as I did.”
“That should have brought you all closer in your grief.”
“No, they needed someone to blame, someone to cast in the shadows to help them through their grief.”
“And that was you.” Another statement without a hint of a question.
“It was easier to cast aspersion on a marred, damaged boy than live a lifetime never understanding the hows and whys of the situation. If my accepting the fault gave them a measure of comfort and the ability to move forward, it has all been worth it.”
“But you continue to allow them to blame you.” How had their conversation taken such a dark turn? “Clearly, no one has moved forward.”
“That is not true,” he countered, pulling to a stop to face her. “My close servants have forgiven me.”
She should argue that no forgiveness should have been needed.
“And your scars…do they pain you still?” Adeline kept her focus away from Jasper. If her questions made him uncomfortable, she did not seek to make it worse. “I mean, I do not know their exte
nt, but I can only assume your recovery was a long, arduous time.”
He chuckled lightly, but she was uncertain if it was to distract her from her line of questioning or if he found a jest in her words. “They have not hurt in many years and cover only my cheek, neck, arm, and part of my side to my hip. Yes, it was painful, but nothing as grave as that which my servants suffered at the loss of their loved ones.”
How could he think to compare the two? And how had his people been so blinded as not to see the man beneath the scars? Adeline had no doubt that Jasper had hurt just as fervently—if not more—than those who called Faversham home.
“When I purchased the gunpowder plant after the government abandoned the factory when the war ended, I promised paying positions to any man, woman, or growing boy who sought employment. I’ve worked hard to make amends and bring the people of Faversham back together through prosperous growth in our small town.” His voice cracked once more. “And I nearly lost everything I gained when that wall collapsed on Grovedale. If he—or anyone else—had been seriously injured, my connection to Faversham would have been permanently severed.”
“But that did not happen.”
He began to walk once more. “No, it did not.”
“However, they still call you the Beast of Faversham.”
“It is a title I am used to, Miss Adeline.” He patted her hand where it sat nestled at his elbow. “My aunt preached kindness and compassion in all manner of situations, even when it is necessary to look past unfair treatment of myself.”
“You are superior to me, my lord,” Adeline commented.
“I have had over ten years of practice, Miss Adeline,” he said with a chuckle—not the deep, lighthearted laughter from earlier, but a dark, gravelly sound that had Adeline wondering what other pain he suppressed. “But now, it is time I return you to your brother and ready myself for my first London ball.”
Adeline was shocked to realize they’d arrived at his waiting coach. George, the Ailesbury driver, held the door wide and waited for them to enter. She didn’t want to move, didn’t want to break the private moment they currently shared. There were so many questions still unanswered.
However, when Jasper turned his strained smile on her and held his hand out to assist her up into the waiting conveyance, Adeline knew, rather than suspected, that their conversation was over and Jasper would not be sharing any more about his past…at least for the time being.
Chapter 20
Adeline stared into the looking glass as Poppy slipped the final button through its intended hole and dipped her head to her mistress before departing the room. The door had not so much as latched closed before her friends leapt from their various seats around her bedchambers to stand beside her.
Each woman had selected a gown befitting their individual style. Georgie’s was a low-cut, daring dark red with a glittering jeweled waistband. Josie wore a peach concoction better suited to a girl fresh from the schoolroom than a woman of her age. And, Theo, as always, had chosen a conservative, high-necked, full-skirted, light green dress that enhanced the sheen of her dark hair.
Adeline’s gown was a shimmering blue with a moss green overskirt and cream lace embellishments, and she had a tight pearl choker around her throat. Against her mother’s wishes, Adeline had had her hair curled and left it to hang free over her shoulders and down her back. She cared not a whit women her age preferred their hair arranged high atop their crowns and beaded through with lengths of ribbon or pearls.
Her entire ensemble would not have been something she’d chosen only a month before. Not even a week before.
“You are stunning, Adeline,” Theo gushed.
“The coloring matches your complexion superbly,” Josie sighed, clutching her hands to her chest as she looked ready to swoon.
“And quite reserved for you,” Georgie added.
The gown was nothing like she would have longed for in the past. Normally, she would have selected a dress far more similar to Georgie’s with its daring neckline and bold hue, perhaps in a deep blue with sapphires at her neck, ears, and wrist.
“The dress is perfect.” Josie glanced down at her own gown, her pale complexion matching the peach colored material that was likely altered from a morning gown design to fit the night’s festivities. It was no secret that the woman’s family barely had the funds to even remain in London; however, Georgie—with Adeline’s help—made certain their friend never went without. “I envy your talent for commissioning gowns, Adeline.”
Adeline smiled at her friend in the looking glass. “This night would not be possible if it weren’t for all of you.”
It was hard to believe the trio had gone to such lengths to make sure Adeline’s birthday celebration was a success. Even now, the strings of the small orchestra carried up the stairs from the ballroom below and echoed through the halls to be heard in Adeline’s chambers.
Guests were likely arriving in droves.
All for her…
But she only thought of one man—longed to see one lord, and desired only his eyes on her.
“Do you think Lord Ailesbury will come tonight?” Adeline hadn’t meant to put voice to her concerns. Hadn’t intended to bring up the man’s name at all, especially before three women who knew her as keenly as she knew herself.
“Did he not say he was coming when he delivered you home this afternoon?” Theo asked, reaching forward to adjust the shoulder of Adeline’s gown.
“Yes, but—“
“Then he will be here,” Georgie replied, matter-of-factly.
“How can you be so certain?” She’d had to stop herself from sending a missive around to his townhouse earlier, verifying his attendance at the ball.
“While I have only just met the man, my deductive reasoning says he is a lord of his word: polite, well-mannered, and gentlemanly at every turn.” Theo nodded as if her deductive reasoning were all the proof Adeline needed to gain confidence in her words. “Lord Ailesbury accepted Alistair’s invitation and also spoke to you about attending. He will be here, I am certain of it.”
Adeline wished she held even a fraction of Theo’s confidence, but after their turn in the park, she was not at all certain Jasper relished an entire evening on display before the ton.
“He is a fierce lord,” Josie said. “I barely found my tongue when around him.”
“…the man is dashingly handsome, despite his, errr, damage,” Georgie added.
It was the first time her friends had mentioned Jasper’s scars, and Adeline fought back the need to bite out a harsh retort. She must remember that these women were her friends and would never say anything to disparage Jasper.
“What do you think of the man?” Theo’s intense stare met Adeline’s in the mirror, and she looked away quickly, forcing her interest to the lace at her waist. “Come now, you must have some fondness for the man if you accepted his offer to escort you back to London and invited him to our practice this morning.”
If she made eye contact with any of the woman in the room, they would see the true fondness that had grown between her and Jasper—or at least the attraction she had for him.
“You are likely hesitant to speak of him or have him attend you in public.” Georgie shrugged and turned to collect her dance card from the table next to Adeline’s bed.
“Whatever do you mean by that?” Adeline snapped.
“Only that his physical scars are not what most women find themselves drawn to.”
“I do not notice his scars.” Her voice held a force she hadn’t intended, belying everything she’d said. Taking a calming breath, she faced Georgie. “Jasper, Lord Ailesbury, is far more than his scars. I have gotten to know the man behind them—very well.”
Georgie only huffed and focused her attention on tying the ribbons of her dance card around her narrow wrist.
“I have witnessed his kind heart firsthand,” Adeline stumbled over her words in her rush to defend Jasper—to the only group of people she’d never thought she’d need
defend him to. “He saved a man from certain death at his plant in Faversham. And he was humble about it. A child thanked him and he…he…” Adeline hadn’t known the exact words that passed between the pair before her mother collected her, but he’d been kind to the child. She was certain of that.
“Do you know his intention with you?” Theo asked, still at her side.
“Yes, Adeline, do you think he will offer a proper courtship? Mayhap speak with your brother about offering for your hand?” Josie lowered herself to sit on Adeline’s neatly arranged bed. “Imagine being betrothed to Lord Ailesbury!”
“Nothing has been promised nor mentioned beyond him escorting me back to London and accepting my brother’s invitation.” Adeline sighed, surprised to discover she wanted his intentions to reach farther—last longer—than the mere few days they’d had together. “He has been a gentleman since the moment we met. He is kind to his servants and is an admirable listener. He has much dedication to his people and the land surrounding his family home in Kent.”
“No mention of handsomeness, title, wealth, or landholdings…”
“A man is more than the title and wealth he possesses,” Adeline threw back at Georgie.
The woman held up her arms, palms out, a smirk settling on her lips. “Oh, we understand that, evident by my marriage to Felton and Theo’s marriage to Alistair; however, you’ve never taken an interest in any lord beyond what could be yours in the marriage contract.”
“That is vulgarly offensive.” Indignation flared, and her pulse thrashed in her head, distorting any conversation happening around her. “Besides, I have not shown attention to any man since coming out in society.”
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