Edward smiled at him. “I’m very happy to hear that.”
Allan didn’t know if his cousin believed him, or not. What he did know is that he wanted to change the conversation.
“How many will be at the wedding breakfast?” he asked Edward.
“I expect around twenty people. Large enough to have a lively celebration, but small enough so that Mary and I can spend time seeing everyone,” replied Edward.
“That is a perfect number,” Allan responded. He could see Harry out of the corner of his eye speaking to the older couple. He looked happy.
“Who is the couple speaking with Harry?” Allan asked quietly, as to not draw attention to the fact that he was looking at them.
“Oh! Those are Mary’s parents,” said Edward. “I will introduce you. Follow me.”
Edward motioned for Allan to follow him, and Allan took another sip of wine and fell into step right behind his cousin. The pair approached the older couple and Harry, and the three turned to smile at them.
“Duke,” Edward said, speaking to his future father-in-law, “I would like you to meet my cousin, the Earl of Wiltshire.” He then turned to Allan, “Cousin, please meet Mary’s parents, the Duke and Duchess of Aishling.”
The Duke of Aishling nodded at him and said, “Any family of Edward, here, is our family, too.” The Duke was broad and had bright white hair, which Allan assumed at one point had been blond like his youngest daughter. His blue eyes were deeply set into his head, which made them look small, and his face was aged.
Allan smiled at him, and the Duchess of Aishling said, “Please excuse me. I must go speak with my daughters.” He watched as she walked over to Mary and the younger lady. He could see where Mary got her hair color from, as her mother had the same chocolate tone, though it was greying. Her mother was also shorter than her daughter, almost the same height as the youngest.
Allan brought his attention back to Edward, Harry, and the Duke. “Allan is our only family, in fact,” said Harry. “We don’t see him nearly often enough.”
“Yes,” said Allan with a smile, “I do need to make more of an effort to see both of you.”
Edward turned to address the Duke once again. “Allan fought at the Battle of Waterloo. He is certainly the most heroic member of our family and has brought valor to our family name.”
Allan could feel his face redden. He didn’t like when people, even his family, brought attention to the fact that he was known as a war hero. He also noticed that the Duke’s face was filled with awe.
“Well, well,” the Duke of Aishling said, “That is a very impressive resume. You must be proud of the service you gave to our great country.”
“Thank you,” said Allan, taking a large sip of the remaining wine in his glass. “I always thought of my service as my duty, and I never did it for valor.”
“I certainly understand,” said the Duke. “You should still be proud. If my Mary wasn’t going to marry Edward, I would have been very happy to marry her to a man in the British Army.”
“I, for one, am happy that she has chosen me,” interjected Edward with a chuckle. Allan laughed, too, and so did the Duke. Harry, however, had a sullen look on his face. What is going on with him?
Allan glanced at the clock and there was still about thirty minutes before dinner was set to begin, so when the footman brought another tray of wine around, he helped himself and took another long sip.
“I must say, that I never expected Mary to find such a perfect match for her, Edward, and I say that with sincerity,” said the Duke. “I love all three of my girls very much, and it is my hope that the other two find matches who are just as suitable.”
Allan turned around and noted that there were still only two young ladies talking to the Duchess. “Your Grace, did you say you had three daughters?” he asked the Duke, in an attempt to keep the conversation away from the war.
“Oh yes,” said the Duke with pride in his voice. “Mary is actually my middle daughter. I also have Ruth, there speaking with my wife and Mary. She is my youngest.” He motioned to the young lady that Allan noticed when he walked in the drawing room.
“She is lovely, your Grace,” said Allan.
“Yes, she is,” responded the Duke. “All of my girls are very beautiful,” he said with a smile. “But I suppose all fathers believe that.”
“Is your oldest daughter here?” asked Allan, still trying to keep the conversation safely on family life.
“Oh yes,” said the Duke. “I really don’t know where she is, though. You know how ladies are, right gentlemen?” He laughed heartedly.
“Lady Esther is very beautiful,” said Harry out of nowhere. “She is not only beautiful, but also charitable and kind.”
Allan was a bit surprised at this interjection but allowed his cousin to continue speaking without interruption.
“I am greatly looking forward to speaking to her tonight,” Harry continued. “Is she still doing her charity work?” he asked, directed towards the Duke.
“Oh yes,” replied the Duke. “Lady Esther is very focused on her work, and though I wish she would find a husband, I know this is where her heart lies. I will give her a little more time before I insist.” He laughed again, and Allan could smell the whiskey coming off of him.
“I think if a lady wants to focus on charity, she should,” said Harry, again, it seemed, completely out of nowhere, to Allan.
“I don’t completely agree with you, there,” said the Duke to Harry. “Her duty is to find someone to marry, and then, if her husband allows it, she can continue her charity work.”
“If she were my wife, I would certainly allow it,” responded Harry.
Allan and Edward looked at each other with raised eyebrows. Allan could tell that his cousin must be smitten with the oldest daughter of the Duke. Now, Allan was certainly curious to meet this daughter.
Almost as if on cue, the door opened and Bolt announced, “Lady Esther Nott.”
Allan lost his breath as one of the most gorgeous creatures he had ever seen walked through the door. She had hair the color of the most delicious chocolate, and exquisite eyes the color of amber. Her body was full-figured, yet she was certainly not overweight. Her face was beautiful, too, from her high cheekbones to her bright red lips.
Allan felt frozen in place when he felt a gentle shove on his right side. He turned just in time to see his cousin, Harry, pushing him aside, and then walking quickly to greet Lady Esther.
He watched as the pair exchanged greetings, and then he saw Lady Esther smile at Harry politely. Based on her body language, Allan could tell that she didn’t feel the same way about his cousin as he felt about her.
Allan was fixated on her body for a moment. Her backside was so perfectly cradled in the gown she was wearing that it made his throat go dry. Her breasts were large and shapely, too, and with every breath, he could see them moving up and down. He felt very attracted to her, and even felt a slight stirring in his trousers.
His view was suddenly blocked by the Duke, who had gone to greet his daughter. Allan took a deep breath, and a long sip of wine. Edward, who was standing near him, caught his eye and smiled at him. Does he know I just had those thoughts?
Edward began to walk over to him, and Allan felt a sense of anxiety wondering what his cousin was going to say.
“She’s a beauty, isn’t she?” Edward said quietly to Allan with a smile.
Allan chuckled. “Yes, all three of them are beautiful ladies.” He continued to watch Lady Esther, who came in and out of his sight thanks to the Duke and Harry blocking his view.
“Harry certainly agrees with you,” said Edward. “At least in the case of Lady Esther.”
“Yes,” said Allan. “He seems to be smitten.”
Edward chuckled again. “My brother is going to be sorely disappointed, I’m afraid. My Mary says that Lady Esther isn’t interested.”
“Oh, that’s too bad,” said Allan.
“Not for the man she eventually choose
s,” said Edward with a wink.
Allan once again felt his face burn. “What are you implying, Cousin?”
“Nothing,” said Edward, grinning widely. “But perhaps the next wedding will be your own?”
Now it was Allan’s turn to laugh. “Don’t start putting those thoughts into your head, now.”
“And why not?” asked Edward. “I think the two of you would be well suited, and her father has always dreamed that one of his daughters would be matched with a man from the British Army.”
“Firstly,” said Allan, “I have never met her.”
“You can meet her right now,” Edward quickly responded.
Allan shook his head. “I would love to meet her, of course, but you must know that I may have eyes on someone else.”
“Oh?” asked Edward with surprise in his voice. “Who?”
“Well, I have been thinking of looking up the woman who nursed me back to health after my injury, Miss Bridget Crampton,” said Allan.
“You can’t be serious,” Edward responded.
“Serious about what?” Suddenly, Harry was standing next to Allan. “Well?” he said.
Edward looked from his cousin to his brother. “Allan, here, says that he has eyes for Miss Bridget Crampton, the woman who nursed him back to health,” he said.
“A nurse?” said Harry with shock in his voice.
“Not that type of nurse. She is the daughter of the surgeon who saved my life,” said Allan with conviction. “She is a lovely woman, actually.”
“I’m sure she is,” said Edward, “But you are an Earl, not a commoner.”
“Commoners and Earls have certainly married in the past and will certainly marry in the future,” Allan responded.
“Yes, of course,” said Edward, “But you have to realize that it’s not traditional.”
“Of course I do,” said Allan. “Listen, you are aware of what happened to me. Oliver got me off of the battlefield, and Bridget nursed me back to health. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for both of them. All I am saying is I have been thinking of her and would like to reunite at some point.”
“I think your injuries might have gone to your head,” said Harry.
Allan turned quickly towards his cousin. Harry never had much of a sense of how to be tactful, and it seemed as if some things never changed.
“I’m sorry,” said Harry. “I shouldn’t have said that, Cousin.”
Allan took a breath and finished the wine that was left in his glass. “No, you shouldn’t have,” he said. “But it’s all right. I know emotions are high right now.”
Harry nodded, and Allan saw Edward shoot a look at his younger brother.
At that moment, Bolt walked into the room. “Dinner is served.”
Chapter 5
Esther followed her mother and sister into the dining room and as they were seated, she finally noticed the man sitting across the table near Edward. That must be his cousin, Lord Wiltshire.
The family sat, and Esther realized that she had a very good view of Lord Wiltshire. He had bright ginger hair and green eyes. He also was broad shouldered and tall, much taller than his cousin, Lord Harry, and slightly taller than Edward.
Since there were only eight people at the table, it was easy to hear the conversations going on around her. Her mother and Mary were discussing last minute adjustments to her simple wedding gown, and on the other side of the table, she could hear the booming voice of her father talking about the British Army. She was never one to simply burst into a conversation, and greatly enjoyed simply listening to what was going on around her.
“What do you think, Esther?” Mary asked her.
Esther was caught off-guard. “What do I think about what?” she asked.
“The flowers, of course,” Mary replied.
“Flowers?” Ester asked.
“Have you not been paying attention to our conversation?” Mary asked.
“I’m sorry,” said Esther. “I was lost in thought. What about flowers?”
“Mother wants me to carry two different types of flowers during the ceremony, but I want to only carry one,” explained Mary.
“I say that it is your wedding, so you should do what you want,” said Esther. “If you only want to carry one type of flower, you should.”
“See, Mother?” said Mary. “Even Esther agrees with me.”
Esther looked as her mother shook her head. She didn’t see what the concern was about the flowers, but then again, she had never been one to pay much attention to tradition. At least that was her opinion of herself.
She could also hear Ruth telling Lord Harry about her beau, David, the son of the Earl of Highloche. Esther had only met him a couple of times, and though he was pleasant enough, she couldn’t help but think he wasn’t as serious about Ruth as she was about him. Though they were not officially promised to each other, it was the expectation of the family that he would ask for her hand, soon. Esther would continue to be the spinster sister of the family.
“Esther, are you alright?” Her mother’s voice brought her back to the table. She looked down and saw a bowl of soup in front of her, but she didn’t even realize that the footman had placed it on the table.
“Oh, yes, Mother,” she replied, and then picked up her spoon. “I’m sorry, I was simply lost in thought.”
“What is on your mind?” asked Mary. “The orphanage?”
“What do you know about the orphanage?” asked Esther.
“I just know that you went there the other day, and since, you have been a bit distant,” Mary said. “At least according to Ruth and Mother.”
Esther had been a bit distant, that was true. She was quite saddened by the announcement that the orphanage would be closed, and she was heartbroken that her favorite child, Julia, would be sent elsewhere.
“The orphanage is closing,” said Esther, as she stirred her soup in the bowl. “The nurserymaids and staff will be transferred to new districts, and the children…I don’t know what will happen to the children.”
“That’s terrible!” said Mary. “I’m so sorry to hear that.”
“It’s all right,” said Esther. “This is not something that you should be thinking about on the night before your wedding.
“Esther,” said her mother. “What will happen to little Julia?”
Esther knew that her mother would ask her about Julia. Esther had been talking about the little girl for years.
“I don’t know, Mother,” admitted Esther. “That was not revealed to me. All I was told was that they would be moved.”
“It’s a shame that the little girl doesn’t have any family to take her in,” said Esther’s mother.
“Yes,” Esther agreed. “I hope she is placed somewhere safe.”
“Will you get to see her again?” asked Ruth, who had been listening to the conversation as she ate her first course.
“I don’t know,” acknowledged Esther. “I hope to, of course, when I get home after the wedding.”
“I hope you do,” said Ruth quietly. Generally, Ruth was lively and fun, and sometimes a bit mischievous. So seeing her reserved like this made Esther think that her youngest sister was very sincere.
“Let’s change the subject,” said Esther’s father, who had also heard parts of the story as his family discussed the fate of the orphanage. “Harry, Edward, how are the horses?”
Esther’s entire family knew that the success of Edward and Lord Harry was due to their horses. They sold horses across the country, and even exported them to the continent.
“Things are going very well,” said Edward. “We have been looking to expand our breeding operations, in fact. Even moving into the future, we still expect that people will need horses for their homes and businesses.”
“I very much agree,” said Esther’s father. “We have been considering adding to our team.”
“You will have to take a look at our stable inventory and see if any horses catch your eye,” said Edward.
“
Yes, I would be happy to take you to the stable tomorrow,” said Lord Harry, piping into the conversation. “You too, My Lady,” he said as he turned to her.
“That sounds wonderful,” said Esther’s father.
“Thank you for inviting me,” said Esther, in an attempt to be polite. She didn’t feel the same way as she suspected he did, but she didn’t want to do anything to harm the relationship between their two families.
Lusting For The Broken Earl (Steamy Historical Regency) Page 4