Regency passion that defies all rules...

 

Chapter 1

Elesmere Estate, England, 1813

“What do you mean it’s all gone, Father?”

“I mean, my dear, all of the money, the un-entailed lands, the horses, the carriage, the servants, it is all gone.” Emma watched in horror as her father, the Earl of Elesmere, a man she had always revered as a giant among men, hung his head in shame.

She looked around his study where they now sat, a room that as a child she had always felt was magical. She had spent hours contemplating if the fox escaped the hunters in the painting of the English countryside that hung on the wall behind her father’s desk, or how it was the fire always seemed to be stoked in the hearth when she had never seen a servant in the room.

She had sat under his large mahogany desk and listened as he conducted business with his man of affairs or tenants on their land. When the men left, she would pop out and ask her father what it meant that the wheat crop was weak one year. Or how many bales of hay were needed to keep the horses in the stables fed. The Earl would smile and answer each of her questions no matter how complicated, or how busy he was. Yet, that was a long time ago, Emma thought. That was before mother…

“How could it all be gone father? What happened?” She sank into the oversized leather chair that sat opposite the hearth and faced her father at his desk. Papers that were usually piled high waiting for her father’s review or signature, were scattered along the top, some dropping carelessly to the floor.

“Oh Emma, my sweet girl. I have been so reckless,” he said still unable to look her in the eye. “I’ve made a horrible mess of things, and I’m afraid you will be made to suffer for my mistakes.”

“What do you mean, father?” She asked. “How will I be made to suffer? You are speaking in riddles.”

“I fell into a deep despair, when your mother died,” he said.

“I know, Father,” Emma replied with condolence.

“I made foolish decisions, gave up so much. I gambled with our funds, not for any true love of sport, but rather thinking I would make our little corner of England so grand. I would make your mother proud.”

“But Father, everything in our little corner of England is fine just the way it is.”

“Yes, it was indeed,” he said, rising and walking over to Emma, taking her hands in his own. He looked at her as if she were a ghost, and not the flesh and blood daughter that sat right before him. “And it will be again soon,” he said. “Were your mother alive, she would have not allowed me to do what I have done. I know, however, that she would be pleased with how I have been able to fix it. You too should be very pleased, though knowing you as I do daughter, it will take you some time to see how good this is for you, as well as for our family.”

“Father, please tell me what is going on,” she replied. It was unlike him to be so affectionate with her. It was far more common for her father to treat her with a cool aloof air. Emma thought hard for the last time her father had comforted her. It was certainly not often in the five years since her mother’s death.

“It would have been so much worse were I forced into a debtor’s prison. Our name and status lost with no one to care for you. But I have fixed it. I hope you will see it was my only option.” He was speaking rapidly and in riddles, repeating himself over and over with no true explanation. If Emma did not know it was her father in front of her, she would have thought she was speaking to a crazed man, daft, and perhaps under the influence of some unknown substance.

“Now you truly are terrifying me.” Emma searched her father’s face for some clue as to what he was talking about. It was hard enough to accept that he had gambled away the family money and properties. Although Emma was sure there was a bad investment or two in his ledger as well. Since losing her mother she knew her father’s despair had been great, and Emma had long feared that he kept company with an unsavory gentleman or two from time to time. Yet, until this moment she never thought her father foolish enough to squander their living.

Even though her father was an Earl, they did not have much in way of funds that were not entailed as part of the Earldom. Emma did not know the exact amount. As a lady it never occurred to her to ask. They lived comfortably enough, if simply.

Of course, Emma had new gowns from time to time, in order to stay fashionable, but only for their country entertaining. Since she rarely went to town, and never had a Season, clothing wasn’t her highest priority. She had even forgone spending her pin money on ribbons and other adornments, opting instead to use her time and resources to help those in need in the neighboring farms and villages.

They had lands to keep up and a few tenants, but nothing as grand as her father’s closest friend, the Duke of Drysdale who had more land, tenants, and investment than Emma thought decent for one family.

“Emma, darling, there is no need to be terrified,” he said. “All will be well. We will have the funds we need to keep the creditors at bay, and you will be positioned to be one of the most influential women in all of England. Wasn’t that always your dream, Emma, to enrapture the ton with your charms, marry well, and be a woman of means and substance?”

“Father, I was a child. Certainly, you don’t think I still crave those childish dreams.” Emma knew where the conversation was headed, and dread filled her, realizing her father had done the unthinkable.

“Those dreams are not childish at all. It’s what all women should want for themselves, what all fathers want for their daughters, and the match I have made for you will be the success to rival all other successes.”

“The match?”

“The Duke of Drysdale and I have spoken in great length about the matter. His son is in need of a wife. A wife who is accomplished and able to move in the right political circles.”

No, he could not possibly mean…

“Father, you wouldn’t—”

“Darling, you and Blackmoor were friends in childhood, there is a reasonable expectation that you will make a superb match. The Duke is prepared to pay off all of the debt. Of course, some of the property will not be able to be reclaimed, but the estate can go on. It really is what is best for everyone involved.”

Emma’s head began to spin. She got up and moved to the sideboard where she knew her father kept the good French brandy. She needed some kind of fortification.

She then recalled the last time she had seen him, Lord Blackmoor. So long ago now, and then she remembered that he had annoyed her.

She shuddered as the memory came rushing back to her. No. Not him.

“I won’t do it,” she said pouring herself what she thought might be just enough brandy to make their conversation more palatable. “You can’t mean to sell me off to the highest bidder as if I were chattel. And to Lord Henry Blackmoor of all people. I refuse.”

“I’m afraid you cannot refuse my dear. The paperwork is signed, and the money has changed hands. As we speak the Duke is in London to secure a special license.”

“A special license? Why must this rush if it has to happen at all?”

“The Duke is eager to see his only son secured and married—”

“And you needed the funds,” she finished. Her father moved toward her and took the brandy from her hand finishing the drink in one swallow.

Emma opened her mouth, willing an argument that would sway her father to come out, but there was nothing. He was in dire straits and she was the solution. She would have to marry the one man in England she swore she would never. If she were not so upset, she was sure she would find a divine humor in their situation.

“So that’s it then,” she said. “It has been decided and I have no say?”

“You and Blackmoor will be married at the end of the week. It is your duty, daughter, and I’m sure you will make the best of it.”

Chapter 2

Blackmoor Townhouse, Mayfair, England 1813

 If there was anything that Lord Henry Blackmoor, the Marquess of Dunberry, despised above all else, it was a lack of discipline and order. He kept his life and his home in town in perfect functioning order, with his servants chosen specifically based on their reputation and ability to keep his home in the exact order and position he preferred. His valet, Cecil, while a little more outspoken and jolly than Henry would like, understood that Henry wanted his dress to be impeccable, and for him to execute his position flawlessly. Henry often thought that Cecil Agar may be the single best valet in all of England.

His cook, Mrs. Treacher, understood dinner was always to be served precisely at eight, it was to be five courses, and pudding was only for holiday occasions. His butler, Charleston, understood that guests were only to be admitted during fashionable hours, with the proper card and announcement. Everything in his life was planned, ordered, and that was exactly how he liked it.

Shaking off the rain as he came in from a meeting with his solicitor to go over an investment that his good friend Westfield recommended, Henry pulled off his Beaver hat and his long blue great coat.

“Charleston, how goes the afternoon?” He looked at his watch, as Charleston took the offered items. Three p.m., exactly one hour until tea. Henry was peckish, but not so much that he could not wait until the proper tea time.

“Very good, sir,” Charleston replied. “Except your father is here, My Lord, waiting for you in the study.”

He gave his butler a quizzical look.

In the study? Charleston knew that Henry always received guests in the main parlor.

“Yes, sir, I tried to move him into the parlor, but His Grace insisted he would be more comfortable in your study.”

Henry nodded, as much as it perturbed him, he understood there was no way the butler could argue with the Duke. He made his way toward the study, wondering what in the world could draw his father away from his country estate to Mayfair. Surely, he was not on his way to London already. Parliament was not scheduled to begin for another two weeks, therefore the Season was not yet in full swing. Knowing his father’s desire to see and be seen, he would have expected him at the beginning of April – and not a moment earlier.

“And to what, pray tell, do I owe this honor, Father?” Seeing his father sitting at his desk, going through his ledgers, without any notice of him, was unsettling to say the least.

“Ahh, Blackmoor, I thought you would be back just before tea. Shall we have that man of yours bring us refreshments?” His father made no move to stand, and Henry knew he would be sitting in one of the fine leather chairs that faced his desk rather than behind the mahogany himself. He ran a hand through his jet-black hair in frustration.

“Tea is served at four, father. Charleston will bring it then and not a moment earlier.”

“Always so punctual,” his father replied, shaking his head.

Henry had to bite his tongue to hold back sharp words for the man. Instead, he simply nodded. There was no room for spontaneity in his life, and that was how he preferred it.

His parents were the exact opposite. Growing up at the country manse was a nightmare of never-ending excess for Henry. There were hunting parties, soirees, country balls, with endless guests and talks over drinks. His mother loved sherry, claret, and brandy and was never one to stop at overindulgence. His father enjoyed his port, cigars, and political maneuvering with other peers of the realm. There was never a quiet space or moment for Henry to pursue his own interests or passions. He was frequently paraded out on display, as the heir to the Dukedom.

He had had enough of that life as a child. Now, at nearly thirty, he was in charge of how he lived his life and there was no way he would allow chaos to rule. Except as the heir, and without a legitimate younger brother to act as the spare, his father was still very much in control of Henry. He was able to forget most of time as he stayed in town. But, seeing his father sitting at his desk, confident in his own authority, served as a sobering reminder.

“Why are you here, Father? Parliament does not sit for another two weeks. Surely you don’t have business in town before Season. Most of the ton is still quite ensconced in the country.”

“Actually, I’m not here for Parliament,” Drysdale replied. “I am here for you.” His father smiled in a way that made Henry scowl.

“For me? Whatever for?” There was something in his father’s eyes, an emotion Henry could not name, and he did not trust it, not one bit.

“My boy, it’s high time you married—” He held up a hand to stop Henry before he had an opportunity to object. “Before you say a single word, you need to understand we are in a politically precarious position. Loringham is in position to oppose every bill I put before the House of Lords this session, and with that fresh new young wife of his, he is sure to be the most sought after invitation of Season. And, with your mother gone, God rest her soul, and no one to host, you have a duty to secure a match not only for the success of our family line, but for the success of your future position as the Duke of Drysdale.”

“So, what is it you propose, Your Grace? That I spend the Season sorting through the new, young debutantes to select a proper bride?” Henry let out a long breath. He hated when his father spoke of honor and duty.

“No, no, no, my boy,” his father laughed. “We don’t have time for you to make the rounds among the young beauties and wallflowers. You need to be wed before the Season begins.”

Before the Season? That was less than two weeks. What on earth was his father thinking? He knew he would have to marry eventually. Still he was shocked by the urgency of his father’s pronouncement.

“Father there is no way. Why the devil are you in such a sudden rush?”

“Rush? It is well past time. I have let you dally in town long enough, not that you have used it to your advantage. You spend all of your time with that boring and overly studious Baron Westfield, the two of you playing with your trains. It’s a waste.”

“It’s not a waste father. And we don’t play. If Westfield’s inventor friend from America is right, the development of his new, more efficient steam engine will change travel as we know it throughout England. There can be much money to be made by getting in on the investment early.”

“Yes, yes, but you are rarely at White’s and I have it on good authority that you have not visited the theater, or the actresses of Covent Garden, not once the whole of this year? You are not living for enjoyment at all. So, it is indeed a waste. The ton is not interested in steam engines. There is no influence in that. You need a wife, and a life, one that makes our friends and rivals envious.”

Henry rolled his eyes. Of course, his father’s idea of success would be based in gambling, and pleasure palaces. It wasn’t that Henry didn’t enjoy the finer pleasures, it was just that he saw securing the future of his legacy, as well as the benefits to England as a whole, as a much more important priority. He had no need of his father’s club, or the theater.

“Father, clearly we see things differently. If you don’t want me to meet a potential bride during the season, what is it exactly that you have in mind?”

“I have already secured a match,” his father said, smiling broadly in a manner Henry thought would be best suited on a cat that had caught a mouse – and was thrilled with the idea of toying with it before he made it his dinner. “A completely charming girl, you are lucky you have a father like me who knows what is best for you, at least in a wife. She is lovely, blond and fair, a true English rose. She has not been out in society, and so a marriage would certainly set the ton’s tongues wagging, thus securing an invite to any event. The two of you would be the talk of London.”

“And who is this paragon of a bride, Father?”

Henry searched his brain but could not fathom where his father would have found such a girl. He feared that any woman his father thought of as a perfect match would be the worst kind of match for him.

“Why, who else, but our dear Lady Emma Thornton, the Earl of Elesmere’s beautiful, unwed, and accomplished daughter.”

Henry thought he must have misheard.

“Lady Emma Thornton? Surely you jest—” Henry tried to keep his tone even as he got up and paced the room. It would do no good for him to lose his temper with his father, but surely the old man was daft. “You mean to have me marry someone who I’ve known my whole life to be nothing but a flighty, vapid, girl? How is that anything close to a good match?”. An image of Lady Emma the last time he saw her flashed through his mind. A gangly sort of girl, who did not like to take direction and who had no respect at all for order. They would not suit at all. Clearly his father could see that. Besides he had not even been in the same room as Lady Emma in almost ten years. They had never spoken as adults, not danced, nor taken walks in the gardens. He would be marrying a complete stranger.

“I do not jest! And you will marry the Thornton chit. She is perfect for our purposes, and there is no need to discuss this further!”

Henry flinched. His father’s forceful tone put him on edge. He rarely heard his father issue an edict, but this was different. He had to come up with a way not to marry the Thornton girl. Yet, Henry was not accustomed to shirking his responsibilities.

Perhaps she will refuse me? Yes, surely the girl had not desired to be forced into a marriage, even if it was to a Marquess who was heir to a Dukedom?

“And what if Lady Emma says no?”

“She will not say no,” the Earl said, clasping his hands in front of himself and gently clapping them together, reminding Henry very much of one of the villains in the horribly dramatic gothic novels Cecil was forever reading and laying about. Not that Henry read the dreadful things, much anyway. “It was the Earl who came to me. It seems my good friend had lost a great deal of money, all of it in fact, and needed some assistance. That was when I caught a glimpse of Lady Emma and my plan…er… idea, yes, my idea began to take shape. You are in want of an accomplished wife, and she is an accomplished lady in need of a husband.”

“So, you bought her? Bloody hell, father.” This time Henry did not even try to keep the shock from his tone. His father had bought him a bride, unbelievable.

“Henry, really, such language. I did not buy her. I merely helped a friend out of an untenable situation, and he offered to make an advantageous match by way of thanking me.”

“This is really the edge of reason, father. I cannot be party to…to whatever it is you are planning.”

“I have already secured a special license,” the Duke replied. “Think of Lady Emma, should you refuse to do your duty and marry her, the scandal sheets would find out about the license and she will be ruined. You know our society is much harsher on women, and it will be thought that she did something to earn your disfavor. You will marry her. You must marry her. We will ride to the manse first thing in the morning.”

As if on cue, the clock in the corner of Henry’s study chimed the four o’clock hour and Charleston entered the room carrying a tray laden with afternoon tea. Henry could not move, nor could he muster the strength to say another word.

His father was right, it was too late. If he refused to marry Lady Emma he did not doubt the Duke would release the information about the special license to the scandal sheets himself, as a means of punishment for Henry’s defiance. He could not allow the girl to be ruined. He would do his duty and ride out for the country after tea as his father commanded.

He looked over at his loyal butler and nodded his thanks for the tea.

“Charleston, please tell Cecil to prepare a valise. We are leaving for the country at first light.”

Henry could have sworn he saw the old butler’s eyebrows raise in question, but as quick as the look arrived it was gone, and Charleston was once again the very face of propriety.

“Yes, My Lord,” he said as he nodded and left the room. Henry turned to his father. Wishing there were any way he could avoid the trap the old man had set.

“I will marry the girl, but mark my words, it will be under duress,” he said.

“My boy, by the end of the Season you will be thanking me for making such a fortuitous match,” his father replied. “Now, I’m famished, let’s eat.”

Henry found that despite the hour, his appetite had left him completely.

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Chapter 1

Jane could see the church spire out of the window. The public house was on the same road as the quaint little church in Swadlincote, and the church bells were practically ringing in Jane’s ears. It was such a beautiful day, but the sounds of the bells through the open window made Jane furious.

This shouldn’t be happening. Three months after the proposal, and she had hoped that Ian would see sense and break things off with Anna Day. Jane had been hoping for her brother-in-law to realize what he was doing was ridiculous. He couldn’t marry her, surely?

But he was. In just a couple of hours, Ian would be marrying the twice-widowed, mother-in-law of the Earl of Derby. Jane felt nauseous at the thought.

She growled at the sound of the bells and spun away, resuming her pacing across her bedroom. Seated on the bed, Rachel groaned and put her hands to her head.

“For goodness sake, Jane, would you stop pacing around? This room is small enough and you’re making me queasy.”

“Then don’t look at me, Rachel,” Jane snapped.

“How can I not when you’re right in front of me?”

“Then turn and look at the wall or leave the room.”

Jane carried on pacing. She couldn’t bring herself to sit down. Every time she tried, her body just kept trembling, so Jane had to keep moving. Her night had been sleepless, as she tossed and turned. It had driven Rachel mad and she had ended up prodding Jane very hard in the side before she managed to settle down. Now, being confined in her room so she didn’t run into any of the Harrison family didn’t help matters. Jane wanted to confront Ian and Anna at the wedding. She did not want to be steered away beforehand.

Selfish? Yes. But Jane felt justified. This anger had been building for a while.

Rachel sighed and lowered her hands. “Come on, Jane, please? You need to stop, take a deep breath and calm down.”

Jane swung around and glared at her friend. Rachel had insisted on coming with her, and Jane had reluctantly agreed. She couldn’t go gallivanting around the country without a chaperone, and Jane would prefer her closest friend than her elderly mother or one of the servants. Her mother would certainly not let her go, and the servants would follow so close to the point of stepping on her dress. At least Rachel would be able to go along with her.

Then again, from the way Rachel had been talking during their journey to Derbyshire and through most of the previous evening, and again this morning, she was certainly not going along with Jane’s plan. If anything, she was in staunch opposition to it.

“You’re fussing over something really silly,” Rachel protested. “Besides, the wedding has nothing to do with you.”

Jane stared at her. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Nothing to do with me?” she repeated. “Did you really just say that?”

“Well, it doesn’t.”

“My brother-in-law is getting married this afternoon to a woman who has had two husbands die on her already! How can I let that go on good conscience? How do we know Ian’s not going to become dead husband number three?”

Even as she said it, Jane could feel herself cringing inwardly. The more she complained to Rachel, the more Jane was beginning to think that Rachel might be right. She was being a stupid little fool over something that really had nothing to do with her.

Maybe that’s what Rachel was trying to do, turn her around and make her realize what she was doing. Well, it wasn’t going to work. Jane had to stiffen her spine. She had to save Ian.

Rachel sighed and rose to her feet. “Jane, we’ve been over this several times. Anna Day divorced her first husband, which I consider a miracle nowadays…”

“There’s nothing miraculous about her!”

Rachel held up a hand. “That first husband, an odious man, was murdered by her second husband, who was hanged for the murders he committed on the Earl of Derby’s estate. They didn’t die because of her, and she certainly didn’t have a hand in it.”

Jane knew that. She had gone into Society to find out whatever she could about Anna Day. There were quite a few rumors going around, but the general consensus was that Anna Day was simply unfortunate with choosing the right man. Several of the older generation wanted to find a bit more drama, make it more than it was, but the more level-headed people believed that Anna was finally finding love. Ian Harrison was a well-respected gentleman considering his title of Viscount, and a widower who was finally remarrying. Not even his son’s previous discretions could change that.

It felt like no matter what Anna Day did, she always landed on her feet. And now she had captured a Viscount. Well, Jane was not about to let that happen.

“It doesn’t matter if they died because of her. It doesn’t set a good tone for anyone.” Jane kicked at the bed, the hard wood jarring her foot, and then stormed back to the window. “She’s bad luck. I don’t know what Ian sees in her.”

“Perhaps she’s a decent person who makes him smile every day, something to look forward to in the day?” Rachel snorted. “You’re only sore about this because he’s marrying someone who isn’t you.”

Jane gritted her teeth. Rachel had to hit far too close to the mark. She was good at that. Rubbing her arms, Jane stared out of the window at the church on the other side of the trees.

“I love him, Rachel,” she said. “And yet he proposes to that woman?”

“Jane, you’re younger than his own children. How can he marry someone who’s been family since they were born?”

“I bet she put a spell on him.”

Rachel let out a frustrated growl that made Jane jump. Rachel placed her hands on her hips, and scowled at her friend.

“Why don’t you just grow up, Jane? Have you ever heard yourself? You’re the most level-headed person I know, but when it comes to Viscount Harrison, you’re all over the place. It’s like you’ve been put under a spell yourself.”

“Rachel…”

“What would you say to someone in your position?” Rachel demanded. “If someone was obsessed with a gentleman and were planning to disrupt his wedding in an attempt to make him see her for the first time and that he’d had love in front of him all this time, what would you say to her?”

“I would tell her that she can’t change a person’s mind like that and it’s best to let it go.” Jane shook her head. “This is different, Rachel.”

“It’s not different at all!” Rachel shouted. She stopped, took a deep breath and let it out slowly, lowering her voice to a more level tone. “You are not stopping this wedding to make yourself feel better, Jane. If anything, you’re going to make yourself look a complete fool.”

“I can make my objections about the wedding. What’s wrong with that?”

“What’s wrong with it is that people in Society are going to be there, and word will get around that you’re an unstable lady who needs to be locked away for your own good.” Rachel gestured at Jane. “What do you think your parents are going to think about this? Your mother is going to be distraught over your actions. You know that. She isn’t a strong woman.”

That did give Jane pause. Her mother was not in the best of health, being of old age, and Jane did worry that she was going to wake up one day and hear her mother had died in the night. Which was why she had never said a thing about her feelings after the initial frustrations over Ian’s engagement. Her mother had simply told her to stop being so silly over something she couldn’t control and move on.

Jane couldn’t move on. At least, she couldn’t yet.

Rachel folded her arms and snorted. “So, you’d happily embarrass your brother-in-law and his family by barging into a wedding you haven’t been invited to and declare that Viscount Harrison shouldn’t marry a twice-widowed woman because of what? You don’t like the fact that you’re not the bride?”

Jane bared her teeth at her friend. “You’re not helping, Rachel.”

“I didn’t come here to help you embarrass a big crowd of people, including yourself.”

“Then why did you come at all?”

Rachel’s jaw tightened. “Because I didn’t want to see my closest friend become a laughing stock. You needed someone to tell you what you’re doing is wrong, and you often talk to me. At least, you talk, and I listen. How about listening to me for once?”

Jane didn’t know what to say to that. The other lady was right. She needed to take a step back and take a look at the bigger picture. From the bigger picture Rachel had created, the general opinion was that it was a happy occasion for two people who needed some good luck into their lives. But Jane didn’t like that picture. She wanted to see something different.

“I’m going to see if we can have something to eat. I’m hungry.” Rachel headed towards the door. “Don’t you dare go anywhere.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Rachel snorted and left the room, closing the door sharply behind her.

#

Alexander headed down the aisle of the church and behind the altar into the private area where the vicar had his private office and the vestry. His uncle had arrived at the church earlier to get ready, along with his sons David and Geoffrey. Alexander had seen both of his cousins in the churchyard with their wives, their various children running around playing. The vicar stood with Geoffrey’s wife Sarah talking and didn’t appear to be concerned about the scene.

Alexander smiled at the sight. He liked children. He was the fun uncle who would do silly things with them and be a bit of a fool. They liked someone who didn’t stick to the restricted rules of Society and Alexander couldn’t remember the last time he followed the rules without slipping within the hour.

His parents had asked him about when he was going to finally settle down and have children, but Alexander always dodged the questions. He would like children at some point, but he wasn’t about to slip up and get a woman pregnant. No woman should have to be married to him with his reputation, and he wasn’t about to make his parents happy.

It was just easier to stay a bachelor and have fun, even if it meant being the bane of his family’s lives.

Waving to his cousins, Alexander headed into the church and towards the vestry. When he was getting ready that morning, he hadn’t expected to receive a note from his uncle asking him to meet him before the wedding as he had something important to discuss. It could have meant anything, and Alexander had no idea what Ian could be talking about. As far as he was aware, he and Ian had a good relationship. Ian was more tolerant of his rakish lifestyle, and kept his opinions to himself.

Still, Alexander wondered what he had done.

The vestry door was closed, so Alexander knocked.

“Come in.”

Alexander entered and found his uncle standing in front of a huge mirror that was on the inside of a wardrobe door. Ian Harrison had gone more silver-haired over the last few months, and it looked good. Alexander had always admired how Ian managed to look more dapper the older he got. Apart from a few lines around his mouth and eyes, his uncle could easily have been much younger. The jacket that his valet was adjusting fitted him well, and Ian seemed to look several inches taller. Alexander stood for a moment in the doorway to observe him.

He never thought Ian would marry again and yet here he was, the happiest Alexander had seen in a while.

Ian caught sight of him in the mirror and turned, smiling at his nephew. “Alexander. Come on in. Close the door behind you.”

“Yes, Uncle.”

Alexander did as he was told and approached the older man. Ian turned back to the mirror and the valet brushed his shoulders down.

“Think this will do?”

Alexander chuckled. “Very fetching. You’ll certainly make the ladies envious of Anna.”

“There’s only one lady I want to impress today, and that is the future Viscountess Harrison.”

“I’m sure,” Alexander drawled.

Ian elbowed him in the stomach, which caught Alexander off-guard. Ian chuckled and went to a dresser under the window leaving Alexander rubbing his stomach.

“I wish you would stop doing that. I’m not a child anymore.”

“Then behave yourself.” Ian glanced over his shoulder. “Nice to see you’ve brushed up as well.”

“Hey!” Alexander looked down at his dark jacket and cream-colored breeches. “I always make sure I scrub up for weddings.”

“I know you do, seeing as you’ve been to several in the last three years.” Ian paused. “If only you could do that with your life in Society.”

Alexander sighed. He was not doing this now.

“If you brought me in here to chastise me about how I conduct myself…”

“I didn’t. Not on my wedding day. And I’m not your father.” Ian turned and leaned against the dresser. “I’ve actually got a task for you. It might mean you miss the wedding, but I feel this is something I can entrust to you.”

Now Alexander was confused and intrigued. He was being entrusted with something? His own parents never did that, saying that he was irresponsible with his lifestyle, so he had to be irresponsible with everything else. He was curious.

“Go on, Uncle.”

“You know about my sister-in-law, Jane Malcolm? I think you might have met her in the past at my home in Ireland.”

Alexander did remember Jane. A petite, blonde little thing with eyes that could entrance a gentleman if he looked long enough. Alexander had felt like that for a moment, until he realized what he was doing and backed away quickly. Jane Malcolm had been far too dangerous to get involved with, as far as he was concerned. Besides, she had been more interested in fawning over Ian. She certainly did seem to adore her brother-in-law.

“She’s the sister-in-law who’s about my age, isn’t she?”

“She is. The surprise baby.” Ian sighed running his hand through his hair. “She would visit us regularly in Ireland until a little after Elizabeth died. At that point, I realized that she was showing me adoration that was a little more than comfortable. She was fifteen. A child. I was old enough to be her father, and she looked at me like I was her knight.”

“I remember that part. I thought it was a little odd.” Alexander spread his hands. “I thought it was simply because she had lost her sister and you had lost your wife. The three of you were close and she wanted someone to hang onto.”

“She had her parents for that, not me. So, I told her it was best she didn’t visit for a while.”

“I bet that went well.”

Ian snorted. “It certainly didn’t. I allowed her to come to our place in London over Christmas as my sons liked her company and they were the same age, but I kept myself at arm’s length.”

“Now you’re getting married and Jane’s objecting to it.”

“From what my family has been telling me and what I’ve gleaned from people of the ton, she’s been going around asking questions and trying to get someone to speak badly of me. She gets what she wants from the old bats, but that’s about it.” Ian sighed and folded his arms. “I don’t know where she thought our relationship was going to go, but I could never see her as a wife. She’s a little sister to me. That isn’t going to change because she wants it to. I’ve received several letters from her over the last few months since I proposed to Anna, and they’re not exactly kind letters.”

“Sounds like she’s lost her mind.” Alexander murmured, but he could see where this was going. “And you want me to steer her away if I see her anywhere around.”

Ian nodded. “I know it’s not exactly something you do, but my sons are in my wedding party, and I can’t have them distracted. Not when my daughters-in-laws are both expecting.”

“So instead, you make your nephew the sacrificial lamb.” Alexander grunted. “Charming.”

“Alexander.”

Alexander looked up. Ian was looking at him intently. It made Alexander want to step back. His uncle was an easygoing man, but he was hard when he wanted to be. After having to accept that one of his sons was a killer who was thus shipped off to the other side of the world last year, it was a wonder he could smile again.

“Your father is constantly telling me that you don’t accept responsibility, that you think everything’s a game.” Ian’s eyes never left Alexander’s face. “I want to prove him wrong. I want you to show him, and me, that you can be responsible. Prove to him that you can do what we ask of you.”

“By steering your former sister-in-law away from disrupting your wedding.”

“I know you don’t really like weddings. So, you can be my personal bodyguard.” Ian pointed at him. “I’m entrusting you with this.”

Chapter 2

That did make Alexander feel a little better. He loved most of his family, and he liked to see them as much as he could, but his grandparents and his parents were driving him mad. They would constantly pester him about settling down like everyone else, and that frustrated Alexander. Weddings were the worst because Alexander felt cornered, especially when the younger children made a beeline for him.

At least this got out of him standing beside his mother with her and his grandmother poking him in the sides and telling him it should be him next. This was the sixth wedding in three years, and it was getting worse.

“I… I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything.” Ian pushed off the dresser and approached him. “I’ll allow your lack of attendance to slide because I need you to do this. I want you to promise me that you won’t let Jane Malcolm into the church. I’ll make sure you get rewarded handsomely for this.”

“I don’t want a money for this, Uncle.” Alexander grinned. “How about a summer at your home instead? You know I love it there.”

Ian chuckled. “I know you do. Still, I do have a reward that has nothing to do with money. I have an empty cottage on my estate, close to the beach. Needs a bit of fixing up, but it’s a good enough dwelling. You do this for me, and that can be your wedding present.”

Not him as well. Alexander scoffed. “As if I’m going to get married.”

“Well, the only lady who’s crossing the threshold will be your wife. It won’t be turned into a love nest for you. You do that, and I take it from you.”

“So, it comes with a stipulation as well.”

Ian sighed, then he reached out and hugged Alexander.

“Show that you can be a man and not a little boy for once in your life, Alexander. I know you can easily do that. There are rewards at the end.” Leaning back, he asked, “Will you do this for me or not?”

Alexander was tempted to tell his uncle to shove it. After he heard the stipulations to the cottage, he should have said no and that he wouldn’t be forced into marriage. But Ian was giving him a chance to show that he could be relied upon, something his parents lamented about. They thought he amounted to nothing and were trying to force him into the right direction, and it wasn’t working. He didn’t want his uncle to do the same thing.

Still, this was a favor for Ian Harrison, a gentleman who had more faith in him than anyone else. Alexander was willing to do anything for his favorite uncle, no matter what he asked. Even making sure a jilted woman didn’t come bursting in while the bride and groom were making their vows.

#

Jane stood under the overhanging branches of a tree and watched the church doors. She had been watching the guests go inside, chattering away happily. Children were running around screaming with laughter. Jane even saw Ian’s sons, David and Geoffrey, greeting the guests. Everyone was smiling and looked so happy.

The more she watched, the more Jane realized that she was being a fool. This was getting ridiculous. As Jane played everything over in her mind, everything she had heard over the last few months, Jane was beginning to notice how obsessed she had become and how pathetic she was being. Over a gentleman she had known practically all her life.

As a young girl, Jane had imagined what it would be like to be Elizabeth. To marry a man like Ian Harrison. But that had all blown up in her face. She was longing for something that would never happen, and Jane had refused to see it.

Now she stood watching the guests go into the church, and she saw Anna Day coming up the path with her daughter and David Harrison’s wife as her attendants. They all looked gorgeous in their beautiful dresses. Anna looked absolutely radiant with such a beaming smile. She really was a handsome lady.

She didn’t deserve any of this. Anna had lost two husbands through no fault of her own. Jane had thought it would be enough for Ian to run away, but he knew everything, and he was still there. The gentleman was loyal. Jane couldn’t fault him for that.

She was a stupid little girl who couldn’t let go of the past and now here she was, about to make a complete fool of herself. Was that really what she wanted?

No. It wasn’t. She shouldn’t have come here.

“I figured you might be out here.”

Jane gasped and spun around. A tall, slim gentleman with dark hair was standing by the church wall. Or rather, he was leaning against the wall with his hands behind him, watching her with a slightly lazy smile. He was wearing the wedding colors of the groom, his coloring was very similar to Ian’s. He even had flecks of silver at his temples despite his young age. This wasn’t one of Ian’s sons.

Then Jane remembered.

“You’re Ian’s nephew, aren’t you? Alexander?”

“That’s my name.” Alexander Harrison pushed off the wall and stepped towards her, ducking his head beneath the boughs. “Ready to disrupt the celebration, are we?”

Jane was about to give him a sharp retort when she saw his eyes. They were sapphire blue, piercing. They had Jane rooted to the spot and she couldn’t look away.

A slight tremble went through her body, her heart skipping a beat. Jane pushed it aside. She knew of Alexander’s reputation. He was a rake, a man not to be trusted and certainly not a man she should find attractive.

Attractive? She really had gone mad.

“I must warn you, Miss Malcom,” Alexander said as he looked down from his great height, “I’ve been advised to stop you from going inside, and I don’t want to have to manhandle you away from the church. That wouldn’t look good for either of us.”

“It’s Lady Jane, Mr. Harrison,” Jane said stiffly. “I am the daughter of an Earl.”

“My apologies.” Alexander gave her a slight bow. “My Lady.”

Jane glanced over her shoulder. The sound of the organ was coming out through the open doors, filling the churchyard with gay music. It left her with a slightly heavy heart as she turned back to Alexander.

“Don’t worry. I’m not going to do anything. I…” She licked her lips and looked at the ground. “I was just standing here, watching everyone going in. It’s made me think a little more about things.”

Alexander was silent. Jane glanced up and found him watching her closely. She swallowed and resisted the urge to shuffle from foot to foot. Then Alexander said something that completely threw her.

“Would you like to talk?”

Talk? From what Jane remembered of Alexander Harrison, he wasn’t one to talk. He had fun with the children, who seemed to adore him, and he flirted a lot, but he wasn’t a person who talked. Nevertheless, he was holding a hand out to her with a slight smile. Even that smile made Jane go weak at the knees.

She shouldn’t touch him. If she did, Jane was going to make a fool of herself. Again. Even just being alone with him, like this could ruin her reputation. She looked around.

She finally reached for his hand. “Somewhere that’s not the churchyard? I don’t fancy being here when they come out.”

If they saw her, Jane knew there was going to be a scene. She had already made enough of a fuss; she didn’t want to do anything further.

“Of course.” Alexander grasped her hand. “Come on. I know a place where we can talk in private.”

Jane wasn’t sure about being alone with him. Someone could come along and find her alone with a rake. Then again, she had managed to sneak out of the public house’s back door without Rachel noticing, so proprieties had already gone out the window.

Jane followed Alexander out of a side gate and across a path. They headed through the trees and into a field. Jane didn’t even know this place was here. Just on the other side of the field was a stone bridge with the river running through. She could hear the sounds of the water from where she stood. With the blue sky and a deer prancing around on the other bank, it looked idyllic. Perfect even for the end of September.

Alexander went to where there were two large stones sticking out of the ground. One was low enough for Jane to sit on, which she did once Alexander settled against the other. Hands twisting in her lap, Jane looked around. Anywhere but at the gentleman in front of her.

“I love Ian.” She felt embarrassed saying that now. “I still do. But I think I’ve been fooling myself. I believed what I felt was a romantic kind of love, one that is between us. I thought if I kept coming back and showing how I felt to Ian that he would see me as the one he needed, someone who could mend his broken heart after my sister died.”

“And it didn’t happen,” Alexander said. “Because my uncle didn’t see you the same way.”

It was a mere statement, but his tone was not judgmental at all. But it still made Jane cringe.

“No, he didn’t. I’m only just beginning to realize that.” She ran her hands over her face. She wanted to cry over her own stupidity. “I’m such a fool. If I had gone in there and made a show of myself, I would have looked like I was completely insane. Word would have gotten around, and then I would have been a laughing stock. Mother and Father would have fits over it.”

Alexander stayed silent for a moment. When Jane looked up, he was watching her pensively. There was nothing in his expression that said he thought she was unstable. It made Jane want to cry even more. He was the first person in her life who had listened to her and not made any judgements.

“What made you change your mind?” Alexander asked.

“I…” Jane stood and began to pace. She couldn’t bring herself to sit still for long. “I’ve watched Ian with Anna Day over the last couple of months. He proposed to her just moments before I found him. And I’ve seen the way the two of them are together. It’s genuine affection, love for each other that you couldn’t hide. And I…” She swallowed. “I began to think that maybe I was wrong about her.”

“And yet, you still turned up.”

Jane flinched. “I was trying to keep myself angry. At Anna. At Ian. At anyone. Keep on with what I planned to do. And yet, I just couldn’t.” She briefly closed her eyes. “I couldn’t.”

“Maybe it’s for the best.” Alexander said quietly. “You wouldn’t have been able to recover from it had you gone in there.”

He was right, and Jane was just beginning to realize that herself. She opened her eyes and looked at him. His expression hadn’t changed.

“Have you ever made yourself a fool over a woman?”

“Never. I don’t believe in love.”

“You don’t?”

Alexander snorted. “Never have, never will. It may exist with some people, but I don’t believe it for myself.”

Jane was surprised when she heard his declaration. She had heard many things about those who were jaded by love, didn’t think it was something magical to keep hold of or even go looking for, but she had never heard about someone who didn’t believe in it for themselves.

Then again, she shouldn’t have been surprised. Alexander’s reputation preceded him. Jane didn’t need to meet him to know exactly what he was like.

“I’ve heard of your reputation,” she murmured. “You’re quite well-known with the ladies of the ton. Most of the whispers I’ve heard about you certainly made me sit up.”

Alexander’s mouth twitched in a wry smile. “A lot of talk about me would make anyone sit up. I’m not exactly discreet.”

“I’m sure you’re not.”

They stared at each other. Behind them, Jane heard the church bells chiming. The ceremony must have finished, and they would be coming out soon. Jane was glad Alexander had taken her away now. She didn’t want anyone to see her.

Such a stupid little fool she was.

“Look, Lady Jane Malcolm,” Alexander sighed and pushed off the stone, towering over her, but with no animosity. “A part of my uncle still cares for you. He still considers you family. But he’s not about to let you ruin things for him. Give him some time and let him get used to his new life with Anna. Then ask if you can talk to him.”

“If he wants to talk to me at all,” Jane grunted.

Alexander smiled. His expression softened. “I’m sure he will. Ian is a very forgiving person.”

The way he said it had Jane smiling.

“You sound like that’s a curse.”

“It can be with a lot of people. With me, forgiveness doesn’t happen often. My parents have seen to that. No matter what I do, they don’t give anything away.”

There was a bit of pain in his voice when he said that. Jane peered up at him, but then the pain disappeared. Alexander cleared his throat and stepped away, looking anywhere but at her.

“But we’re not here to talk about me, Lady Jane. We’re here to make sure the wedding happens for my uncle.” He paused and glanced at her. “And to get you home.”

Home. Jane couldn’t think of any place better to be right now.

Then they heard voices. Familiar voices. The bride and groom had come out of the church. They were laughing, sounded so happy.

And Jane just froze.

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