by Marie Force
Aubrey leaned his head back against the cast-iron tub. So much had changed since his father’s company had begun working for the railroad. He barely recognized his life anymore and knew his siblings felt the same way. They’d gone from the relative anonymity of the upper class to the expectations that accompanied enormous wealth. So many demands, customs and rules—and the socializing! Dear God, the balls, soirees, house parties, lawn parties, parlor games, clubs. It never ended. The best part had been the new friends he’d made, particularly those in London. He was eager to see Derek, Catherine, Simon, Madeleine and Justin again and looked forward to their arrival.
As long as he thought about his friends and his social obligations, he could avoid stewing over his unprecedented reaction to Miss Maeve Brown.
His mother would have an apoplexy if she had the first inkling of his attraction to the housekeeper. She’d go out of her way to make sure he never saw the delightful Miss Brown again, so he could never, ever, ever let on that he fancied her. His mother would ship her off to Siberia so fast his head—and Maeve’s—would spin.
No, he would have to be very careful indeed. He’d disappointed his parents by not making an aristocratic match in London. Aubrey was fully aware that they’d begun to despair of what would become of him and the Nelson family legacy with none of their three sons inclined to marry and ensure the continuation of the Nelson name. His older brothers seemed to have no interest whatsoever in marrying, so all his parents’ focus had turned to Aubrey. Despite that enormous pressure, he had made it clear that he would only marry for love—nothing less. His father had accused him of being a fool. “Marriage isn’t about love,” he’d said disdainfully. “It’s about power.”
Aubrey had no interest in acquiring power or a wife he didn’t love or even like. He had held out hope for all this time that he might meet someone who would make him feel . . . something. He’d seen Derek and his cousin Simon fall madly in love with Catherine and Madeleine McCabe. His own sisters were happily married to men they seemed to truly like and love. Surely it wasn’t too much to hope for such a match for himself. However, in thirty-two years, he’d only ever felt “something” for two women, including the one he’d met earlier that day, and she was completely and totally off-limits to him for more reasons than he had time to list.
For starters, the scandal would be epic.
Men of his ilk didn’t take up with the Irish housekeeper, no matter how delectable her neck might be. It would be better to chalk this odd morning up to travel weariness and the shock of finding the household in such disarray. That had to be it. He got out of the tub, ran a towel over his body and dressed in clothing more befitting his stature—gray twill trousers, a matching vest, a crisp white shirt that had been ironed by his valet in New York, a necktie and a gray pinstripe frock coat that would make him roast in the heat. No matter. He needed to look the part when he went searching for the help they desperately needed.
Since the day had become cloudy and overcast, Aubrey decided to walk the short distance into town where his first stop would be at the Newport Casino, an exclusive club founded by James Gordon Bennett Jr., the notorious publisher of the New York Herald. As the story went, after Bennett’s friend Captain Henry Augustus “Sugar” Candy rode a horse into the rarified confines of the Newport Reading Room—on a dare from Bennett—Candy was thrown out and Bennett, in his outrage, had founded the Casino as an alternative club. This was the same man who’d once, while drunk, urinated into a fireplace during a party at the Fifth Avenue home of his fiancée’s parents, thereby ending his engagement along with his welcome in high society.
The stories about Bennett were the thing of legend, and Aubrey hoped to get the chance to meet the man one of these summers. Aubrey related to Bennett, who’d refused to be constrained by the expectations laid out by society, choosing instead to follow his own path no matter where it might lead. While Aubrey couldn’t imagine himself urinating into a fireplace at one of the massive society homes he frequented, he wished he had a fraction of Bennett’s legendary moxie.
He also wished he was the kind of man who could finally meet a woman who interested him and act on the attraction without a care as to the scandal that would ensue. Perhaps if he spent some time with men like Bennett, their bravado might rub off on him and give him the courage to once and for all stand up to his family’s rigid expectations for him. How many times had he wanted to remind his mother that he needed to lead his own life, not the life she envisioned for him?
Here he was now at thirty-two years of age and still worried about what his mother might say or do. Well, things were going to be different after the nightmare the former staff had perpetrated, due to his mother’s mistreatment of them. It was time to put a stop to her iron rule over everything and everyone around her, including him.
Fueled by outrage and determination, Aubrey removed his hat and entered the club inside the shingle-styled building that had begun a trend of other such buildings. Since he hadn’t been there in a while, he fully expected to have to produce his membership card. However, that proved unnecessary when an attendant greeted him by name.
“Welcome back, Mr. Nelson. It’s wonderful to see you again.”
Aubrey handed over his hat. “Thank you, Frederick. It’s great to be back in Newport.”
“May I offer you some refreshments?”
“I’d love a bourbon and water with a twist of lemon.”
“I’ll have that brought to you immediately. I believe you’ll find friends in the billiard room.”
“Thank you very much.”
Aubrey made his way through the space that had been designed by preeminent architect Stanford White to offer secluded areas for private conversation as well as open space for larger gatherings. During the Season, the Casino hosted a wide variety of events, including daily tennis matches on the grass courts, and served as a social hub for the Bellevue Avenue set.
In the billiard room, Aubrey recognized several familiar faces, including Matthew “Mutt” Jarvis, who’d been in his class at Yale, earning the name Mutt after a stray dog on campus took a liking to him. The dog had gazed at him with blatant adoration and followed him around until “Mutt” finally adopted the mutt.
Aubrey shook hands with his old friend.
“Look at what the cat dragged in.” Mutt had put on twenty pounds since their college days and had the red, ruddy face of a man who overindulged in spirits on the regular.
“Good to see you, Mutt.”
His brows furrowed. “I go by Matthew here.”
“Of course. My apologies. How’s the other mutt?”
Matthew’s expression immediately turned tender. “She passed a year ago, rest her soul. The old girl had to be close to twenty years old. Broke my heart to lose her.”
“I imagine so. I’m sorry for the loss.”
“Thank you. Heard you invited some lofty guests to join you for the Season.”
“That’s right, but the only thing lofty about them is their titles. They are just like you and me. You’ll like them.”
“Hopefully, they’re more like you than me.”
Aubrey laughed. “Are you keeping busy then?”
“Eh, as busy as one can be as the son of a local solicitor father who expects me to take over the business one day whether that’s what I want or not. I hadn’t expected to spend my whole life in Newport, which is nowhere near as exciting in the off season as it is in the summer. It’s downright boring, in fact.”
“Ah, Matty,” one of the other men said, “don’t we keep you entertained?”
Matthew scowled at the man. “You’re not the kind of entertainment I’m looking for.” To Aubrey he added, “Any single sisters left in the Nelson stable?”
“Not a one. They’re all married and producing nieces and nephews at an alarming rate.”
“Pity. As I recall, the twins were quite the lookers.”
Aubrey wanted to smack the lusty look off his friend’s face but chose instead t
o redirect the conversation. “May I buy you a drink?”
Matthew handed his pool cue to another man and asked him to finish his game. “I never say no to a drink.”
Frederick came into the room with a tray bearing Aubrey’s drink.
“I’ll have the same,” Matthew said as they went into an adjoining room in search of a place to sit.
They found an unoccupied space and settled into the plush leather easy chairs.
Matthew stretched his legs out and helped himself to Aubrey’s drink, downing half of it before Aubrey could protest.
Frederick returned a minute later with the second drink, which he handed to Aubrey when he saw Matthew drinking the other one.
“Thank you, Frederick,” Aubrey said.
“My pleasure.”
When they were alone, Aubrey fixed his gaze on Matthew, wishing he had the right to express concern about Matthew’s obvious drinking problem, but people didn’t discuss such things in polite society, and the Newport Casino was most definitely polite society. “I need a favor.”
“What can I do for you?”
“I need to immediately hire some help to get Paradis Trouvé ready for the arrival of the duke and duchess.”
“So it’s true then that the staff quit at the end of last Season?”
“It’s true,” Aubrey said with a sigh, “and they didn’t go quietly.” He described the disaster he’d walked into earlier.
Matthew stared at him, agog. “They left the windows open? All winter?”
“That they did, and the mess is . . . well, it defies description. My father is ill, so my mother sent me to make sure the house is ready, and I find myself with a catastrophe on my hands and no chance of being ready for guests unless we can bring in some more help posthaste. And let me add—anyone who comes to work at the house will answer only to me. My mother will no longer have any responsibility for the staff.”
Matthew’s brows lifted. “And you’ve informed your mother of this?”
“Hell no.”
His friend laughed so hard he had tears in his eyes. “Good for you. I’ll put out the word that you’re in need of help. I’ll have them report to the servants’ entrance if they’re interested. Will that do?”
“That’d be excellent. Thank you.”
“I’m happy to help in exchange for hearing how your dear mother reacts to learning you’ve relieved her of her duties.”
“You, my friend, have got yourself a deal.”
Chapter Four
After dinner and with Mr. Plumber’s help, Aubrey dragged the items he and Maeve had tossed out the windows far enough from the house that there would be no risk of stray sparks causing an even bigger disaster than the one they had to contend with inside. The 1892 fire that had destroyed the Vanderbilts’ original Breakers mansion remained fresh in the minds of everyone who spent time in Newport.
Mr. Plumber was horrified by the condition of the bedding and furniture. “The former staff should be prosecuted for allowing this to happen.”
“Perhaps,” Aubrey said, “but that would require a public airing of the grievances that led to their actions.”
“If you don’t mind my asking, sir, what could’ve led to them doing such a thing?”
“My mother has a volatile personality. She is easily riled, and often doesn’t think before she speaks. I’m ashamed to confess that I hadn’t noticed any difficulties with the staff last summer, but then again, I was only here on the weekends and didn’t pay close attention.”
“Ah, I see.” Plumber paused. “If I may be blunt, sir.”
“By all means. Please speak freely.”
“Under the current circumstances, I fear there’s no chance we’ll be ready to entertain a duke and duchess.”
“They’re my close friends, and I can assure you, they don’t stand on pretense. They’ll be satisfied with a clean bed and three meals a day.”
“They are royalty, Mr. Nelson.”
“I’m aware of their standing, but I’m not concerned about trying to impress them. If need be, I’ll tell them what transpired and explain that we made every effort to ensure the house was ready for their arrival, but if we missed something, I’ll ask them not to look.”
Mr. Plumber seemed more horrified by that notion than he was by the fouled bedding. “They are a duke and duchess.”
“They are regular people. In fact, Derek puts his pants on one leg at a time, just as you and I do.”
“Be that as it may, he’s still a duke, and as such he’ll expect certain amenities.”
Aubrey realized there would be no convincing Mr. Plumber that Derek didn’t stand on formality or expect to be fawned over simply because of his title. He’d have to meet Derek and see with his own eyes what kind of man he was. “I think we’re ready to light.”
He’d found some kerosene in the basement that he sprinkled liberally over the more flammable items. As he looked around to make sure Mr. Plumber was far enough back, he noticed Miss Brown had come outside to watch. She stood on the stone patio, arms wrapped around her body as if protecting herself from impending doom.
Aubrey had no idea why he reached that deduction, but that was the thought he had when he saw her. “Here we go.” He struck a match and tossed it on the pile, stepping back when it immediately caught. As the flames billowed high into the air, he watched Miss Brown, captivated by the wistful expression on her face, which was lit by the rosy glow of the fire. What was she thinking as she watched the fire burn through the items they’d removed from his parents’ rooms?
He could only wonder.
“I believe I’m going to call it a night,” Mr. Plumber said when the fire had burned down somewhat.
“Please do. I’ll stay to make sure the flames are fully extinguished.”
“Good night, Mr. Nelson.”
“Good night.”
Aubrey heard Mr. Plumber say good night to Miss Brown as he went by her. When Aubrey was sure they were alone, he gestured for Miss Brown to join him. To his surprise, she came over to him when he’d expected her to decline.
“It was a good idea you had to burn everything.”
“It was the only option. None of it was salvageable.”
“True.”
“You seem pensive tonight. Are you all right?”
“We used to have bonfires at home. My father would spend months adding to the pile and then invite extended family and friends over to enjoy the fire.”
“You must miss them very much.”
“I do.” All at once she seemed to realize she had shared something with him that she hadn’t intended to reveal. “It’s late. I must get to bed. The sun will rise early on another busy day.”
“Before you go, I just want to say thank you again for your hard work since you’ve been here.”
“I haven’t done nearly enough.”
“You’ve done much more than most would have, and it’s appreciated.”
She offered a small smile and a nod. “Good night then.”
“Good night, Miss Brown. I’ll see you in the morning.” As he watched her walk away, Aubrey wished—for the first time ever—to have been born to a lower-class family, one that would support and understand his affection for a woman like Miss Brown. He wished he had the right to ask her to stay a while and talk to him.
But because he didn’t have the right, he let her go and was left to watch the waning embers, feeling lonelier than he’d been in a very long time.
* * *
Late the next morning, Aubrey went looking for Miss Brown and was horrified to find her at the top of a very tall ladder, teetering precariously as she attempted to remove spiderwebs from the massive chandelier in the ballroom.
“Miss Brown!”
His shout startled her, and she faltered, grasping the ladder to try and stop her inevitable fall.
Aubrey didn’t think. He acted, running toward her at full speed, arriving in the middle of the vast room in time to neatly catch her and stop what
would’ve been a terrible fall.
She landed in his arms with an oomph.
He took two steps backward to try and keep himself from falling but couldn’t stop the momentum that landed them in a heap of tangled limbs on the floor. She ended up sprawled on top of him, breasts pressed against his chest, his legs tangled in her full skirt. It took her a second to recover her wits, and then she began to thrash, catching him square in the groin with a well-placed knee.
Aubrey gasped from the pain.
“Oh dear, Mr. Nelson. Are you all right?”
Aubrey couldn’t speak or breathe or do anything other than try not to cast up his accounts all over the parquet floor.
She crawled off him and sat on the floor next to him as he writhed in agony. “Whatever were you thinking startling me that way?”
Through gritted teeth, he said, “I was thinking to save you from a bad fall.”
“Instead you caused one!”
He hoped he would still be able to father children someday. A surge of bile burned his throat. He swallowed hard, hoping he wouldn’t be sick in front of her. The last thing either of them needed was another mess to clean up. “Pardon me for trying to save you from serious injury. What were you thinking climbing that ladder?”
“I was thinking to remove the cobwebs from the chandelier.”
“You shouldn’t have done that alone.”
“You shouldn’t have startled me. I was doing fine until you showed up.”
He had never met anyone quite like her—f iery and passionate and outspoken. She was nothing like the simpering, demure women he’d grown up with in New York or those he’d met in the ballrooms of London. Those women sought only to please him, hoping he might be interested in marrying them. This one vexed him, and he found that he far preferred vexing to simpering.
Aubrey forced himself to sit up, to breathe through the pain and to take control of this out-of-control situation. “I apologize for startling you, but I stand by my belief that you had no business being atop that ladder without someone to catch you if you fell.”