“I’ll call for tea,” the duchess said, moving to the bellpull that was hidden behind the curtains. “You must be famished.”
Ellen inclined her head in thanks and turned back to Jane. “Where is everyone?”
She wouldn’t come out and ask about Castlefield directly, but she was beginning to wonder if he’d changed his mind and remained in London. She ignored the disappointment caused by the thought, telling herself she’d miss the challenge of matching wits with the man. She certainly didn’t want him attempting to court her, as he’d stated was his intention.
“Charles and my husband are hidden away in my brother’s study. I’ll send a footman to let them know you’ve arrived. I know my brother in particular will be happy to see you again.”
Ellen didn’t miss the gleam in Jane’s eyes, and she wanted to groan. It seemed their conversation the week before had done little to dissuade Jane from believing she and Castlefield would make a match. She cast a quick glance at Jane’s mother, whose expression was carefully neutral. Ellen didn’t even want to imagine what thoughts were going through the older woman’s mind.
The sound of voices coming from the hallway heralded the arrival of the two men and saved Ellen from having to address the subject.
When the men crossed the threshold, Jane moved to her husband’s side and greeted him with a quick peck on the cheek.
“You’re just in time,” she said. “Ellen has arrived and we’ve rung for tea.” She turned to face Ellen. “I know it’s been a few years, but you remember my husband, Lord Eddings.”
“Of course, my lord,” she said, dipping into a small curtsy. “I was sorry that you couldn’t join us on our visit to the royal menagerie.”
Lord Eddings returned her greeting with a slight bow. “As was I. I heard a good time was had by all.”
“Castlefield,” Ellen said, not bothering to curtsy. His family was already familiar with their rivalry and wouldn’t take it as an insult.
“It is so good to have you here, Ellen. It’s been far too long.”
Before she realized his intent, he’d taken hold of her hand and raised it. He looked down at her bare hand in his own gloveless one before looking up again to meet her gaze. He lifted a brow in silent question.
It took a great deal of effort to not snatch her hand away but instead wait for him to kiss the air above her wrist.
The duchess gave her head a shake. “Stop tormenting the girl, Charles. She’s had a long journey with no stops, I’d imagine, to arrive so early. She’s in no mood for your antics.”
“Of course, Mother,” he said. But Ellen could tell by the slight twinkle in his eyes that he was far from sorry.
A footman entered then, saving her from having to respond to Castlefield’s teasing. But as Ellen took a seat and watched Her Grace pour the tea, she couldn’t help glancing at where Castlefield sat opposite her, sprawled in an armchair.
For the first time in their acquaintance, she found herself remarking on just how attractive he was. Not just acknowledging the fact but noticing his looks in a way a woman would a man to whom she was attracted. She blamed that fact on their conversations leading up to this visit. It was almost impossible not to see him as a very desirable man. One who, if he was to be believed, wanted to pay court to her.
He could try, of course, but he wouldn’t be the first man to attempt to take advantage of her widowed status.
She found her spirits lifting and told herself it was because she was looking forward to capturing another frog and placing it in his bed at his first misstep. It was a childish impulse, but it brought a smile to her face.
Chapter 7
She’d only just arrived, but Ellen could already feel her concerns starting to fade away. As she took in all the animated faces around the dining room table that evening, the conversation washing over her, she realized she was happy. She’d missed this, being with her second family. It had been far too many years since they’d spent the summer together, and nostalgia had her firmly in its grip.
She hadn’t forgotten her concern with regard to her brother and his new bride and the current line of inquiry they were pursuing. But it wasn’t as though Brantford hadn’t been in some difficult situations before. She knew he could handle himself and that he would protect Rose with his life. Not that it would come to that, of course. It was impossible to imagine a situation in which her brother wouldn’t triumph.
After the meal was over, the dowager duchess approached her and gave her a quick embrace. “I’m so glad you decided to visit. Alas, I am no longer a young woman, so I will be retiring for the night. In case I need to say it, please treat this as your home while you are here. You are free to go anywhere.”
Ellen smiled at the older woman, remembering just how fond she’d always been of Castlefield’s mother. “I wanted to visit the gardens before turning in. I find I’m more than a little fatigued myself. I barely slept at all last night in anticipation of being here again.”
She watched as the duchess swept from the room, Jane and her husband following. Jane had already told her they liked to look in on their children in the evening and spend a little time with them before they went to sleep.
As she headed out to the gardens, Ellen couldn’t help but wonder where Castlefield had gone. She’d turned to take her leave of him after bidding his mother good night and realized he’d already left the dining room.
The sun had set, and moonlight cast an otherworldly glow on the lush green of the manicured shrubs. She made her way down the main path, her thoughts drifting to past summers when she and Castlefield used to chase each other, playing hide-and-seek among the benches and plants. Of course, that was before Brantford had grown into someone Castlefield had deemed interesting. It was the three of them for some time, then four when Jane, who was four years her and Castlefield’s junior, was old enough to join them. Ellen still remembered the day Castlefield had told her he was too old to play with girls. That had brought about the beginning of their rivalry.
Out of habit, she turned right and made her way to the rose garden, which had always been her favorite place to visit whenever she stayed there. She took in a deep breath of the perfumed air as she walked under the arbor to the secluded haven, halting for a moment when she realized Castlefield was standing amid the red blooms. He looked up at her and smiled as though they’d arranged this meeting.
“I thought you’d escaped for the evening,” she said, ignoring the anticipation that surged through her in that moment. She certainly wasn’t happy to be alone with the man.
“I thought I’d intercept your attempt at mischief. I haven’t forgotten your love of frogs, and I know all too well just how prevalent they are in the pond here.”
Ellen couldn’t help it, she laughed aloud at being caught. She’d been of two minds as to whether to wait until he annoyed her first before leaving a surprise for him in his bed or going ahead and having her fun now. She’d decided to leave the decision to fate, planning to stroll past the pond that resided just beyond the rose garden. If a frog happened to be in sight without her looking for one, she’d have taken it as a sign to proceed. She’d never admit to him, however, that he knew her so well.
“Should we be alone out here? I wouldn’t want you to accuse me of trying to trap you into marriage.”
“My family would like nothing better than to see that happen. But you needn’t worry that they’d force the issue.”
His casual admission that his mother and sister were hoping for a match didn’t sit well with her. In fact, she felt slightly uncomfortable. As one, they turned in the direction of the pond and walked in silence.
It was Castlefield who broke the silence. “I received word from your brother this afternoon.”
Ellen tried to appear nonchalant when she replied. “What did he say? Are he and Rose well?”
He stopped and waited for her to turn and look at him. “You’re worried about them.”
She lifted one shoulder in a casual shrug.
“I’m always worried about my brother. It’s my job as his older sister.”
“You’re only two years older than him, and stop trying to avoid the subject. They’d led me to believe they were on their wedding trip to his estate, but his letter seems to indicate otherwise.”
Ellen debated lying, but in the end decided to tell him as much as she could. He wouldn’t betray any information about Brantford’s movements, and since her brother wasn’t on a mission that had anything to do with the Crown or the war with France, she imagined he’d tell Castlefield about it once the matter was settled. Otherwise Brantford wouldn’t have told his friend anything that would lead Castlefield to suspect he and Rose weren’t at his estate.
“You’ve no doubt heard about the scandal surrounding his new wife.”
Castlefield nodded. “Her father confessed to treason.”
“Yes, well Rose is convinced her father is innocent. And Brantford believes Lord Worthington might have confessed to the crime to prevent any harm from coming to his wife and daughter.”
“I see,” Castlefield said, his tone neutral.
To his credit, he didn’t ask for any further information about Rose’s father, which served to improve her opinion of him. Not that she’d thought him one to engage in idle gossip, and certainly not about the wife of his closest friend, but he was human. It was only natural to wonder about the details even if that curiosity didn’t spring from maliciousness.
They started again along the path, neither speaking for almost a full minute. Ellen waited for him to say something, but it became clear he wasn’t going to volunteer any further information about her brother’s letter.
She wanted to demand he hand over the correspondence he’d received. There might be a message hidden between the lines that Castlefield wouldn’t pick up on. Instead, keeping her tone even, she asked, “Can you share what the letter said?”
“I can do better than that. You can read it for yourself.” With a smile, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a folded sheet of paper.
She couldn’t hold back a small huff of annoyance as she took the page. His fingers were bare, as were hers, so she took great care to avoid touching him.
“You could have just handed me the letter at the start of this conversation if you were going to allow me to read it.”
“I find that I quite like making you beg.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I never beg.”
“Not yet, perhaps, but one day soon you will.”
Shrugging off the thrill that went through her at the intimate tone of his voice—telling herself she was merely looking forward to proving him wrong—she unfolded the paper. The moon provided enough light that she was able to read it without too much difficulty.
Castlefield,
* * *
I was surprised to receive Ellen’s note informing me she’d decided to renew our family tradition and spend the rest of the summer in Sussex. I feel it prudent to warn you that she carries a dagger for her personal protection and knows well how to use it, so watch your back.
Ellen couldn’t hold back her smile of amusement as she imagined how Castlefield would have received that bit of news. She wondered how long it would take him to ask her about it. But it was more likely he thought Lucien was joking.
I am writing to you because she didn’t say when she was planning to arrive and I didn’t want to chance my missive going astray. I know she’s concerned, so please convey to her the news that Rose and I have met with a measure of success. We are on our way to London now to see to matters there.
* * *
If it’s not too forward, my wife has been through a great deal of stress throughout this whole ordeal. Originally I’d planned to return to our estate and spend the rest of the summer there in solitude. But I believe it would do her good to be in the company of family and friends. She and Ellen have grown close despite the shortness of their acquaintance.
* * *
Our families have never stood on ceremony, and I know your mother always welcomed us with open arms. Unless I hear otherwise, you should expect a visit in a week or two.
* * *
—Brantford
Ellen’s relief was so profound she didn’t care that she was grinning like a fool. Without coming out and saying so directly, her brother was telling her they’d found the proof they were searching for. If they were on their way back to London, that meant he was hoping to present that proof and see to the release of Rose’s father. Brantford’s wife must be beyond relieved that this dark chapter of her family’s lives would soon be over.
And Lucien and Rose would be joining them here within the fortnight.
“One day I’ll get the full story out of Brantford, but I’m glad things appear to have worked out for my friend and his new countess.”
“As am I. I was concerned about how Rose was handling this situation.”
For a moment Castlefield seemed to weigh his words before asking, “Did she wed him solely to gain his assistance in proving her father’s innocence?”
Ellen gave her head a firm shake. “Absolutely not. She cares for him a great deal. In fact, I believe she loves him. And he cares about her as well or he never would have married her. Heaven knows, he’s more than capable of handling situations like the one in which her family found themselves. The fact that he married her to keep her safe speaks volumes about the depth of his feelings for her.”
Her words seemed to have set his mind at ease. “I thought as much, but Brantford would hardly be the first man in existence to care for his wife more than she does for him. I’m glad to hear that isn’t the case here.”
“No, it isn’t. There’s nothing worse than unrequited love, especially when one discovers that the object of that love is undeserving of it.”
Somehow she kept from wincing when she realized what she’d just admitted. She glanced up at Castlefield and was relieved to see he wasn’t looking at her with pity. In fact, he wasn’t looking at her at all but at the path ahead. She didn’t miss the way his jaw had tensed.
For one horror-filled moment, she wondered if Brantford had shared with this man the details of her marriage. But no, surely her brother wouldn’t have betrayed her confidence. He was used to keeping all manner of secrets in the work he did for the government. He’d never share what she’d revealed to him.
She shook off the thought. For all she knew, Castlefield had received his own disappointments in the field of love, perhaps even as a direct result of the rumors she’d spread about him. Rumors that had seemed innocent at the time. Yes, they’d served to give him the reputation of the unsuitable duke, but she knew there were more than a few women who would be drawn to his dangerous reputation.
Her new line of thought was almost more distressing than the previous one, and she realized the last thing she wanted to do was think about Castlefield’s love affairs.
He was no longer walking, and she didn’t notice until he touched her elbow. She stopped and turned to face him, surprised to see his brow wrinkled with concern.
“What is it?” she asked when he didn’t speak right away.
“I’d like to ask you a favor.”
A younger version of herself would have replied with a simple “anything.” But she was older and wiser now. “What is it?”
“I’d like to call for a truce in the hostilities between us.”
Ellen almost laughed at the ridiculousness of that request. “I would hardly call our current interaction hostile.”
“No,” he said with a slight frown. “Of course not. It was a turn of phrase. I meant that I want us to be friends again.”
Her traitorous heart felt odd sitting in her chest, and she couldn’t say why. She told herself it was because being here—even though it had been less than a day—had brought up so many happy memories and she was finding that she missed her friendship with Castlefield.
Aiming for a levity she was far from feeling, she said, “Surely you’re not so frightened of a litt
le frog. You must have spotted a snake and are worried I’ll see it as well.”
One corner of his mouth lifted in amusement. “I’ve missed you, Ellen. I’m glad you decided to accept my sister’s invitation.”
“As am I,” she said, ignoring the shimmer of moonlight in Castlefield’s dark hair and the way shadows accented the planes of his face. He was an attractive man, and in that moment she was aware of him in a way that made her feel more than a little uncomfortable. It was a good thing she was no longer a maiden given to flights of romantic fantasy, or she’d be in danger of conjuring all manner of nonsense surrounding this moonlit stroll. “But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check your bed before going to sleep tonight.”
Chapter 8
It took Ellen one week to realize she was behaving irrationally.
For the most part she spent that time with Jane and, on occasion, the children. She went for long walks, and she even managed to find a quiet room in which to perform the skills her brother had taught her so that they remained sharp. She clung to that activity now more than ever to remind herself she was still in control.
Her awareness of her childhood nemesis made her wonder if she was attracted to him and led her to avoid him whenever possible. She told herself she wasn’t hiding from him but acting in a logical fashion. No good could come from moonlit strolls through a fragrant garden when one was feeling sentimental about the past. She had no reason to believe Castlefield would be waiting for her again in the rose garden, but it wasn’t a chance she wanted to take.
When she woke up that morning, however, she realized she’d been acting the coward.
She hadn’t been able to avoid him entirely, of course, since they were both at his estate. And thus far he hadn’t done anything to warrant her leaving any surprises for him in his bed. She was of two minds about that. On the one hand, it would be nice to get through this visit without any negativity. But if he was sincere about wanting to woo her, she was uncomfortable with the idea of a cessation of hostilities between them.
The Unsuitable Duke Page 5