by Ella Edon
Irish people were more dismissive of their nobility than the English, seeing them as another member of the community, but with finer clothes. David liked being on a more level footing with his workers. Everyone was human, and he found work was so much easier to get done when he wasn’t lording it over them. Peter was not of the same mind, turning his nose up at the villagers whenever they came near.
Whoever thought a sailor would be such a snob?
David followed Peter’s line of sight and saw a girl at the well, turning the handle. What he saw made him stare. She was close to their age, maybe a little younger, with light brown hair loosely tied back, but with most of it falling over her shoulders. She was tall and curvy in all the right places. Shen wore a simple cloth dress in pale brown with the sleeves rolled up as she turning the handle on the winch.
She was beautiful. Even with sweat beading her forehead under the hot sun and wearing servant’s clothes, she was beautiful. David couldn’t take his eyes off her. He could see why Peter had picked her out, but then he remembered where they were.
“Are you mad?” he hissed. “She’s one of the villagers, Peter!”
“And? Nothing wrong in a bit of fun.”
Peter was smirking, his eyes still on the girl. David groaned. His brother liked women. Even at nineteen, he had started making flirtatious comments at several of the ladies in Irish Society, even the older ladies. Being at sea seemed to have given him some confidence when it came to talking to the opposite sex, something Peter hadn’t possessed when he was younger. Or maybe he was that desperate for female company after being at sea with dozens of men for months on end.
David was aiming for the latter.
“I don’t think seducing a village girl would be classed as fun,” David pointed out. “I bet you she’s not even old enough.”
“Then let’s go and ask her.” Peter kicked his horse into motion, setting off on a quick walk. “Come on, you can see how it’s done.”
David hurried after him. “Can’t you keep your mind out of the gutter for more than a few minutes?” he hissed.
“You go to sea for months on end and you’ll see how hard it is to cope without a woman.”
“You were sent to sea to keep you out of trouble.”
“Well, it’s clearly not worked.” Peter laughed. Then he turned away, his smiling fading as he sat up in his saddle. “Whoa, look at that.”
The girl had unhooked the bucket, full of water, and was now dragging it off the lip of the well. She had also been approached by three young men. They had surrounded her, effectively pinning her against the wall. One of the lads was saying something to the girl, his hand touching her face even as she shied away.
David felt a knot hardening in his stomach. Then he shook himself. What was wrong with him? Why was he getting so worked up over another man touching her?
He had been in Peter’s company too long.
Then he stared as the girl promptly dropped the heavy bucket onto the lad’s foot, the bucket tipping over and water cascading over the already soggy ground. The first lad howled and staggered away, hopping on one foot as he grabbed onto his toes. The girl then picked up the now-empty bucket and swung it, hitting the second lad in the face. She was grabbed by the third lad, but David saw her jerk her knee up, catching him between his legs. The lad groaned and stiffened up before falling over.
Peter burst into laughter. David couldn’t help but smile. The girl had guts.
“Well, I think we both know what her reaction would have been if you did that to her.”
“She wouldn’t. I’m not that brazen.”
“Excuse me?”
Peter flushed and shifted in his saddle. “All right, maybe I am. But, I can move faster.”
“I highly doubt it.” David laughed.
Then he saw the scene before them had changed. The three young men had disappeared momentarily while they had been talking, and the girl had gone back to drawing water from the well. Mud was clinging to the hem of her skirts, and she was struggling, but didn’t back down as she lowered the bucket. While she was working, her back was to the rest of the square, and she didn’t see the three lads come back out with a few more young men. All of them were focused on her, and they began to spread out as they approached her.
David kicked his horse into gear. “Come on.”
“What?”
“You’re going on about how gentlemanly you are,” David shouted over his shoulder as he galloped away, “prove it.”
The girl was now aware of the trouble she was in. She pressed herself against the well, her body tensed ready for fight. David urged his horse to move faster. In any other circumstances, he would have intervened, but he wouldn’t have felt the same way as this. He had never felt the panic in his chest. He must have been dropped on his head at some point. That could be the only reason for reacting like this.
He reached the girl first, leaning well out of the saddle and grabbing her around the waist. The girl screamed as he lifted her off her feet, and she tried to fight back, but David clung on even as she scratched at his neck. He took them to the far side of the square and pulled his horse to a stop, letting go of the girl as she slid out of his grasp. Then David dismounted.
Back by the well, Peter had arrived. He had jumped off his horse and was sauntering towards the gang, swinging his cane.
“Would you like to try that again with me?” he declared. He pointed the head of his cane at the lad who had touched the girl. “You first, sir?”
The men were beginning to back away. David turned to the girl, who was watching the scene in stunned disbelief. Up close like this, she was even more beautiful. Soft skin turned a golden brown under the sun, and the most stunning blue eyes David had ever seen. He found himself staring, unable to look away.
“Excuse me?” The girl was looking at him strangely. Then David realized he had been staring at her with his mouth open.
He cleared his throat. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.” The girl flushed and brushed her hands on her skirts. “It’s nothing I couldn’t handle.”
“I’m sure you couldn’t handle half a dozen men or more on your own.”
“Are you mocking me because I’m a woman?”
“I would never do that.” Combative. David was surprised to find that he liked that. “But there is a point when you need to admit you need some help. And be gracious when accepting it.”
The girl snorted. “Is that how you were raised? To charge in swords waving around?”
“No sword out for me.” David nodded at Peter, who was still having a stand-off with some of the young men. A few of them had already retreated. “My brother is a bit more wayward than I am and we don’t treat women the way they were treating you.”
They stared at each other. David couldn’t help but stare. Those eyes were captivating. He just couldn’t look away. And she stared back unblinkingly. Finally, she backed down first, licking her lips before looking away.
“Thank you,” she mumbled.
“I beg your pardon?” David bit back a smile. “What did you say?”
“You heard me. Don’t make me repeat it.”
Even as she snapped at him, David saw the ghost of a smile. He felt something punch him in the gut. Whoa. If that was how he reacted after a small smile, he couldn’t imagine how his response would be to a full one.
Footsteps had David spinning around. Peter was strutting towards them, twirling his cane and whistling. He gave David a smug look.
“They’ve gone now,” he declared. “They shouldn’t be bothering you anytime, miss.”
The girl sighed. Was she a little flushed in the face? She wouldn’t look directly at David, her hands fidgeting.
“I’m sure they’ll be back later,” she said. “They have a habit of bothering me. Especially when Father’s working and not around to keep an eye on me.”
“Where does he work?” David asked.
“The Harrison estate. He’s one of
the groundskeepers.”
David and Peter exchanged glances. That David hadn’t been expecting, and Peter looked equally surprised. Normally, those who worked on their father’s estate lived a little closer, mostly for convenience. They wouldn’t be living in Compass Quay. Peter turned his charming smile to the girl.
“I’m sure if we told Pa about this, he might be able to sort something out. Maybe move you closer to our home.”
“Your father?” Her eyes were getting large, her mouth falling open.
David had a sudden urge to kiss her. He needed to take a step back.
Peter laughed. He didn’t seem to have noticed his brother’s discomfort.“I think we forgot to introduce ourselves.” He took off his hat and bowed. “Lieutenant Peter Harrison, at your service. And this is my twin brother, the Honorable Mr. David Harrison.”
David cleared his throat. Now he was feeling inadequate next to his brother. At least Peter had a title. “Just simple Mister, I’m afraid,” he added.
But she was looking at him. It wasn’t Peter she was staring at, but at him. Then she gave him a sweet smile that David felt deep in his gut and held out a hand.
“Miss Arabella Powell.”
David took the hand, and bowed over it. He kissed her knuckles and glanced up as she gasped. He saw her startled expression, but also how her eyes had darkened. God, she was beautiful.
David cleared his throat and straightened up. He couldn’t stay bowed over her hand forever.
“Would you like us to escort you home, Miss Powell?”
“No, I…” Arabella licked her lips. David was captivated by the movement. “I can manage.”
“Would you like help gathering more water?”
“I said I can manage.” Flushing, Arabella lowered her head and hurried past them, brushing against David’s arm. “Good day, sirs.”
Both brothers watched her hurry back to the well and begin to turn the handle again. Peter made an approving sound in his throat.
“My, she’s beautiful.”
“She certainly is.” David murmured.
“Back off, David.” Peter slapped his cane across David’s chest. “She’s mine. I saw her first.”
“I was simply making an observation, Peter. I wasn’t making this into a competition.”
“But I am.” Peter’s eyes narrowed at him. “Keep away from Arabella Powell. She belongs to me.”
David raised his hands and stepped back. “Steady! You’ve got her. I’m not interested.”
But, even as he said it, David realized that was a lie. He was interested. There had been something in the air between them, and it was intense. David would normally take a step back if Peter had made a claim on a woman, but not this time.
This time, David knew Arabella was his.
Chapter Two
London, England
Nine Years Later
David fished out a gold coin from his purse and pressed it into the steward’s hand as he walked past.
“Thank you, Frank. I’ll see you again soon.”
“Good evening, Mister Harrison.”
David collected his cloak and hat from the footman by the door and put them on. He was worn out, and all he had done was sit by the fire and read all evening. Everyone left David alone, knowing that he could get engrossed in a book for hours. It wasn’t until Frank the steward told him what time it was that David remembered he had to go back to his father’s London home and get an early night. It was going to be a long journey down to Cornwall so, David could catch the boat that travelled straight to Kinsale.
He had to get back to Kinsale and check on the land. Hopefully, it was as prosperous as it had been the previous month. The weather was perfect for a solid season and David was looking forward to seeing the books showing profits. They needed it. The profits he would be using for himself. And then, the slate would be wiped clean.
David hated being in debt to anyone, but there had been no way around it. He had built up the reputation of being reliable, of being able to take care of his workers. His father had entrusted the farming land to David’s care a few years before, and David had promised to make it flourish. And it had until recent months. Even with things picking up, it was going to take a while to return to how it had been. David didn’t want to go back to his father and say he had let things get out of hand by not paying close attention to the accounts. Even visiting his son’s extended family in England, Ian Harrison knew everything. He kept his ear to the ground. If he knew what David had done to make sure things kept on track, he was going to be furious. Peter had already seen that side of their father, and David didn’t want to have it directed at him.
It was pitch black as David went outside. He could barely see anything beyond the railings lining the park across the street. The air was significantly colder, and David could see his breath in front of his face. Considering this was the middle of October, that was odd. David was used to it being warmer well into November. Even with the air coming off the Atlantic Ocean, Kinsale managed to stay warmer for far longer.
Then again, this was England. In England, anything could happen, including terrible weather.
Turning up the collar on his cloak, David stepped onto the cobbles and headed in the direction of his father’s house. Whenever he was in town, Ian always let David make use of the lodgings he had bought a few years back shortly after his wife died. David and Geoffrey had used it on frequent visits to London. It was now to be gifted to Geoffrey and his new wife once they came back from honeymoon in the north of Ireland.
For now, David was making the most of it.
“Harrison.”
David stopped and turned. He hadn’t realized there was someone in the shadows. Even as he squinted into the dark, David could barely make the outline of the person lurking there. Until the man stepped out, giving David a smirk. David groaned. Not now. He wasn’t in the mood.
“What do you want, Simpson?”
“Is that all I’m going to get from you?” Stephen Simpson spread his hands. “No polite greeting? No asking after my health?”
“Seeing as you’re as healthy as a horse, I think asking after it would be rather pointless.”
Simpson chuckled. “Point taken.”
David’s skin crawled whenever the man was around. He liked fine clothes, and he swanned around as if he owned half of London. Barely coming up to David’s chin, Stephen Simpson was a middle-aged man with a slightly portly figure, dark hair cut close to his head to disguise the obvious receding hairline, and a slight dusting of a beard across his square jaw. There wasn’t anything remarkable about him, apart from the fact he looked out of place wearing clothes almost as expensive as David’s garments.
But, David had figured out pretty quickly that appearances were deceptive. This man was not one you would ask after his health. He was something else. David tapped his cane on the cobbles.
“What are you doing here? This isn’t your part of town.”
Simpson snickered. “Come on, Harrison, you don’t need to ask. You know why I’m here.”
“And I told you the last time you approached me, you’ll get paid when you get paid. I gave you a specific date.”
He hadn’t missed the date, had he? David was sure he had said at the end of October. He had at least two weeks left. Didn’t he?
“Maybe you did, but the interest goes up from the day you took out a loan with me.” Simpson folded his arms. “And it’s the interest that I’m concerned about.”
“You never said anything about interest.”
“I thought you knew from your brother how I operated. As soon as the loan is taken out, interest immediately starts to build.”
David didn’t know that. He had heard about Simpson when he heard Peter ranting about owing Simpson money for one of his own debts. It was a stupid move to go to the same man who had a book solely for Peter’s debts, but David didn’t know who else to go to. He wasn’t about to ask any of his friends if they knew someone who could let him
borrow some money short-term; it would always end up going back to Ian. David didn’t want to feel like a failure when he had that conversation with his father.
“That’s illegal, surely?”
“Any more illegal than you coming to me begging for help?” Simpson shot back.
He had a point. David swallowed. He knew he wasn’t going to like this. “How much is the loan now?”
“Twelve hundred pounds.”
“What?” David thought he had misheard, but Simpson’s smirk said he certainly hadn’t. “That...that’s extortion!”