Lord Langford spoke in a brittle tone, as he finally looked up at her.
His icy blue eyes weren't as chilly as usual, but they were aloof and regarded her with measures of annoyance.
Lucy hastily took the seat closest to her and held herself upright on the chair, tightly strung and assaulted with nerves.
"How long have you been working here, Miss Middleton?" The earl asked out of the blue.
Lucy was surprised, but hid it with a small smile. Maybe she'd been worrying and needling herself too much about the summons.
"Three days from now will make it a full year, Lord Langford." It is a year already. How time flies.
"Good. And I'm sure you're aware that I wouldn't have kept or retained you so long if it hadn't been at the insistence of Lady Agnes?"
How could I ever forget?
Lucy met the earl's level stare and tried hard to keep the bite out of her voice. "I believe so."
"Well, then, young lady. There have been some happenings that have suddenly come to light. Namely, your involvement with my solicitor, Edmund Swinton."
You mean, your son?
Lucy's initial conclusion as to the reason she'd been summoned was confirmed. It was a surprise that it had taken so long for the earl to learn of her relationship with Edmund. A man like the earl had eyes and ears everywhere, and she was almost certain his observation had something to do with his latest travels.
"It's a good thing to see you pursuing and securing your future. A man like Edmund is greatly coveted for his numerous good qualities, and I'm sure that, had he been titled, he'd have been snatched up by an eager chit before now." Lord Langford smiled fleetingly, which did nothing to ease the hanging cloud of trepidation that Lucy felt.
"But you see, Miss Middleton, your involvement is costing me a great deal. My solicitor is the best of the bunch, but he seems to be performing subpar, and that isn't making me a very happy man right now. "
Lucy felt her heart sinking to the floor of her stomach. She'd been so worried about this happening, and here it was.
The earl wanted her to call off her friendship with Edmund due to his hesitancy in executing the plan. Just when everything had finally begun to fall into place, Edmund's unwillingness to proceed past his moral code of ethics was going to be the thing that stood as a hurdle between them.
"I'd like you to think about your position in this house, and just how important it is to you." Lord Langford's face had lost all traces of a smile, appearing more menacing and calculating.
It took less than a few seconds for the implications of his words to sink in.
He is threatening me, albeit subtly. If I don't refrain from associating with Edmund, I could very well lose my job.
"Do you understand anything I've said so far, Miss Middleton?"
Lucy struggled to keep her ire from showing, but it was hard and rendered her temporary mute.
"I asked if you understand everything I've just said to you, Miss Middleton, or would you like me to reiterate?" Lord Langford asked frostily as his frown deepened into a scowl.
"Yes... yes, I do. It's crystal clear, Lord Langford," she forced herself to reply, feeling tears stinging her eyes.
"Well, I'm glad we are on the same page then. That will be all. You can see yourself out." The earl's smile was oily and sleek; the smile of a man who'd once more gotten exactly what he wanted.
Lucy left the office woodenly, her thoughts racing so hard she feared for her sanity.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Lucy hurried into Lady Agnes's bedchamber that afternoon holding a sealed envelope and wearing a broad smile as she hastened to the frail woman's bedside.
"My Lady, finally, a letter has come from Lady Fairfax!"
Lady Agnes's eyes lit up instantly, and she struggled to sit up in bed.
Lucy hastily dropped the ribbon-wrapped letter on the bedside cushion and reached out to help the dear woman into a comfortable sitting position.
She barely weighed anything, and Lucy hid the sadness she felt as Lady Agnes giggled in the most childlike manner.
"Ursula is a gypsy medium, I'm absolutely certain now. Just this morning I was reminiscing about her fainting antic at the Carlisle's ball."
Lucy remembered that day and couldn't hold back a laugh as she settled on the cushion beside her employer and began to untie the bound letter.
Lady Fairfax had sworn that she'd get the devilishly handsome Lord Rex Ackerford to aid and lift her up in his arms even if it would only last for a couple of minutes.
Both Lucy and Lady Agnes had been agog to see how the Lady would accomplish this.
They'd been circling the room, and making conversation, when finally they'd gotten around to where the poor gentleman stood in conversation with the arrogant Lady Mercer. In the twinkle of an eye, Lady Fairfax had succumbed to a faint, and had chosen the billowing folds of Lady Mercer's carefully designed French gown to fall onto.
Lucy and Lady Agnes had watched with barely contained laughter and disbelief as Lord Ackerford lifted Lady Fairfax in his arms and crossed the room to lay her on the fainting couch in the corner.
It might have been possible for Lady Agnes to hold her hilarity in, but the small obscure wink from Lady Fairfax mid-transportation to the fainting couch had undone them both, and they'd beaten a hasty escape to the terrace to laugh till their ribs hurt.
"I still can't believe she had the audacity to wink, child," Lady Agnes said. "It surely leads to the conclusion that she elaborately thinks of all her mischief ahead of time."
"It doesn't sound far-fetched, knowing Lady Fairfax. I really miss her."
"Go ahead and read what she thinks about our early trip to Bath. I'm so excited, my fingers are jittery."
Lucy knew the jittery fingers weren't as a result of excitement but arthritis which had worsened as the woman got sicker, but she gave her a fond smile instead and hastened to read her the tidings of happiness she needed most urgently.
Dearest Agnes,
I hope this letter meets you well, and in robust health as I've been wishing upon you since I got your last letter.
I quite agree we should make the Bath trip early enough and not because of your health, which I think will improve with the air and cleansing properties of the waters.
I know a change of scenery and environment would help greatly, because being around that nephew of yours is enough to make even the healthiest person succumb to a deep kind of malaise.
My children send you the warmest regards and positive spirits and frankly can't wait to see me gone.
I told you how short-lived their deep concerns would be, didn't I? Well, I myself am quite tired of their restrictive company and can't wait to be in London in a week's time.
Till then rest as much as you can, and do well to stay out of trouble
—although I'm quite certain about this, with Lucy watching you like a hawk now.
I love and miss you always, old woman.
Till we meet again, I remain your loyal troublemaker
Ursula Fairfax
"Ursula and her choice of words. I'm glad she'll be in London soon and regaling me with stories," Lady Agnes commented with a sated smile as Lucy began to rewrap the letter.
"I'm sure a good number of them would be based on of her children's slow realization of her unchanging ways."
Lady Agnes's tinkling laugh delighted Lucy beyond words, and while assisting the woman to lie back down on the bed, she gave her an affectionate kiss on the forehead.
"Go on and find something to do, dear. I need to take a nap."
Lucy nodded and swept some errant curls under her employer's bonnet before exiting the room with a promise to check back in a second.
Outside the door, she rested her back on the thick oak frame as fear and sadness played a tag in her heart. She couldn't bear the dear woman's passing, but every day the reality dawned heavy and chilling.
Swiping at the tears that had sprung to her eyes, Lucy headed down the stairs
to the library to fetch a book. Reading always helped with her thoughts. It had been helping for the past two days since the earl's warning about disassociating with Edmund.
She had been unable to get her emotions straight, angry at the entire situation, troubled on Lady Mary's behalf, concerned for Edmund's peace of mind, and worried about her own future as well. What a complicated muddle it all was!
Just as Lucy got to the library door, she heard footsteps coming down the hallway and was slightly surprised to see Viscount Hilgrove, looking dashing in a pristinely white shirt tucked into dark brown trousers, and highlighted by his fringed high boots.
She hadn't seen him since the evening dinner hosted at the house, and found herself growing shy at his intense scrutiny.
"Hello… Miss Middleton, I presume?"
"Yes, Lord Hilgrove." Lucy gave a small smile and let her hand fall away from the door handle.
"I haven't had the courtesy to speak more than a minute with you, and I believe it's such a shame, seeing just how delightfully beautiful you are."
Lucy couldn't believe her ears or the heated look of interest in the viscount's eyes. She had once hoped to catch the viscount's attention, but now that she knew more about him, his attention was most unwelcome.
"Your words are so kind, My Lord," she said with rigid politeness.
"Compared to your natural beauty, I'm only a candle to a roaring fire," Viscount Hilgrove said. "Permit me to tell you this, but the sight of you has me in several knots and I can't deny how attracted I am to you, dear Lucy."
She looked up into the viscount's eyes, scrutinizing their eyes, and knowing fully well how questionable it was.
This was all she'd ever wanted; for the viscount to finally notice her and give her attention. But that had been before she'd found out the truth, and listened to Edmund's confession.
She felt strange, but couldn't deny the thrill that raced through her to finally be the recipient of the viscount's admiration and interest.
But I'm aware of this man's philandering ways, which holds no water to Edmund's devotion and genuine care.
Still I'm no more immune to him than the next fumbling debutante.
It felt doubly hard to resist the viscount's advances and compliments right then because she'd spent so much time thinking and devising means to have him, and here he was; available to her.
"Excuse me, Miss Middleton, Lord Hilgrove?"
Lucy was broken out of the consuming reverie to see none other than Edmund standing there. The anger and disapproval she found in his eyes filled her with guilt.
"Mr. Swinton, it's always good to see you," Viscount Hilgrove said with small smirk. "I believe you've forgotten the business we need to conclude, seeing that I'm yet to receive anything."
Edmund's expression remained frosty. "All in due time, Lord Hilgrove; all in due time."
"Alright then, don't tarry too long." The viscount turned to Lucy with a warm, seductive smile. "I hope you'll consider my words, my dear Lucy. Till we meet again, take care,"
Lucy gave him a smile and lowered her gaze from Edmund's furious glare.
Immediately the viscount left, she pushed open the library door and went in, followed closely by Edmund.
"What was that about?" he demanded, following her to the roundabout shelf where she busied herself selecting a book.
"I have no idea what you mean, Edmund," she said, as her heart pounded nervously; knowing fully well what he meant, but unable to explain the strange situation to him.
"Don't deny it, Lucy, I overheard you and the viscount before you saw me. Don't tell me you're letting that despicable man's words turn your head." Edmund spoke harshly, his eyes burning with emerald fire.
"Don't raise your voice at me, Edmund. He was simply being nice, and with his position, you don't expect I'd be rude to him."
Edmund's countenance registered disbelief. "From what I saw and overheard, you were rather enjoying his attention, which is simply unbelievable."
Lucy was at her limit right then, and everything that had been happening for the past few days came hurtling back in shockwaves.
"Oh blast it, Edmund! Why are you being hard on me, when our lives are all muddled up and there is no way forward without someone being hurt? Yet we must go forward!"
There were a few seconds of silence, but they yawned like years. Lucy watched as a myriad of emotions played across Edmund's features; from shock, awareness, to heavy disappointment.
She felt remorseful immediately. "I'm sorry, Edmund, I just—"
"I think we should keep a distance between us for now, Lucy. Perhaps I never really did know you," he said in a quiet voice, which exploded inside Lucy, imbedding her heart with a thousand splinters.
"I bid you enjoy the rest of your day, Miss Middleton." And with that he stalked out the door, leaving her cold and bereft.
Lucy sat down woodenly on a blue plush cushion, hugging her middle. She felt horrible and struggled against hot tears burning her eyes. It was hard not to resent Edmund for not doing what he needed to do, to keep his inheritance.He could never understand the deep gnawing fear of poverty that dwelled inside her.
He could never relate to the chill of rainy nights without any warmth on the cold floor of the workhouse with her mother, neither could he understand the hunger that had clawed her belly as she curled up in deep pain.
She only wanted better for herself, and never to return to that life. It was the reason she'd lost her composure and lashed out at him. She was regretful and filled with remorse for allowing such ugliness to emerge. It had all been because of the horrors of the past, and the situation itself had been too complicated. For a moment, she had lost sight of her own moral code. Now she regretted this deeply, for surely the lives of other people were equally important as her life; their needs as important as hers. Yes, they are, she thought. I truly do not wish to cause harm to anyone.
If there was anything Lucy had full knowledge of in the entire world, it was the best way to utilize every opportunity that came her way. Yet she had no wish to do so at the expense of another person's happiness.
Now she was so confused, so hurt and unhappy, that nothing felt like it would ever get better again.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Edmund swirled the cheap whisky in the glass he held, watching as the amber liquid was caught by the lamp light in the corner.
Plagued by the heavy, sad thoughts in his heart, he'd decided to join his best friend and housemate, Shelbroke, who'd been having an early afternoon drink in their moderately-sized sitting room.
He didn't feel a lessening in his heartaches, but his entire mood was gradually improving from the liquor's burn in his system.
"You look like you could use a cussing match right now, Swinton. Is the situation that complicated?" Shelbroke asked with a sympathetic smile as he poured himself another shot.
"You look like you should drop the entire glass. You are getting quite foxed, don't you think?" Edmund responded sarcastically, draining his own shot in one fell swoop.
"Edmund, Edmund, ever ready with a sword to smite, when your heart is as tainted as mine."
Edmund's response was another shot which he took more cautiously than the previous, with small, slow sips.
He couldn't believe he'd been so wrong about Lucy's character, and despite how he tried to make himself appear blameless, the truth was that he blamed himself. All the signs had been there for him to see. Her interest in, and love for, the lifestyles of the gentries, and the painstaking ways she went about making sure she looked, acted, and sounded like high society. And there was the matter of that moment at his aunt's home.
He was downright sure the look on her face had been from fear of his scrutiny.
He had known this, but had decided to keep it to himself, believing she'd let him into whatever secret she was hiding when the time was right.
But after her reaction to the confession of his true parentage, there was no denying the fact that Lucy Middleton was
exactly like Kate Charrington and a few other women he knew; hungry for wealth and status, and never satisfied till they had it all.
Somewhere deep in his heart there was a contrary opinion. He'd found a yearning in Lucy's eyes on many occasions; a strong need that didn't seem superficial or materialistic.
Perhaps there were reasons behind her desire for wealth. It was too heartbreaking to believe she was that shallow and calculating.
"It's almost three o'clock and I have a game scheduled," Shelbroke said, getting up, slightly unsteady on his feet. He gave Edmund a grin at his cocked eyebrow. "I'm not so foxed that I've lost sense of bearing, Swinton. Remember, we both shared the bottle of whiskey, so hold off on your judgments."
Edmund didn't say a word. He hadn't planned to. His only worry was Shelbroke emptying out all of his pockets because, in his current state, there wouldn't be any deciphering between the cards or the whist table.
Shortly after his friend left, Edmund cleaned himself up and got rid of the bottles and glasses. Just as he completed his toiletries, he heard a loud pounding at the door.
Had Shelbroke changed his mind about visiting the gambling hall? And why was he knocking on the damned door?
Edmund strode impatiently to the door, prepared to give his friend a good talking to, but opened to see Viscount Hilgrove standing with a glower on his face.
"I demand to know why I haven't gotten the letter, Swinton. A week has passed now and you've yet to do your job!"
Getting over his surprise, Edmund remembered the last time he'd seen the man wooing Lucy at the Langford's residence and irritation took over.
"I have the letter written, Lord Hilgrove, but I'm hoping you'll change your mind soon. This is a decision regarding another human being. I pray you to reconsider. "
Viscount Hilgrove looked downright angry now. "I don't believe you have the letter drafted. Show me the proof! "he demanded.
Edmund led him into the modest accommodation and to his desk, where he retrieved the letter from underneath a stack of papers and handed it over.
To Catch the Candid Earl: Regency Historical Romance Page 22