How the Earl Fell for His Countess (Matchmaking Madness Book 2)

by Laura A. Barnes

  Graham shoved Reese into the middle of the bed so the fool didn’t fall off. His brother would be sore enough come morning. He looked at the bruises around Reese’s eyes and smiled smugly. He deserved worse, but at least Graham received some satisfaction from putting his brother in his place. Graham turned and left, not even bothering to cover Reese. His brother didn’t deserve any comfort. Reese only deserved a miserable existence.

  Graham paused at the room next door to Reese, trying to decide if he should knock. What would he say? He refused to apologize for Reese’s behavior. No, his brother would have to do his own groveling. His heart went out to Evelyn and the trials her marriage had brought to her. Still, he admired her determination to make Reese appreciate the love they shared. He only hoped his brother realized it before it was too late.

  Graham continued to his room. Evelyn had dealt with enough Worthington gentlemen today. He didn’t need to keep reminding her of the bloke lying oblivious to his foolishness next door.

  EVELYN WAITED FOR THE house to grow quiet before she opened the door that led into her husband’s bedroom. The servants had carried in her luggage, and Rogers had introduced Evelyn to Sally, a maid who would see to her care during her stay in London.

  At first, the servants had refused to meet her eyes, but when Evelyn asked them questions on the routine of the house and hid her own embarrassment, they soon talked openly, offering her kindness. Aunt Susanna had been very informative when she prepared the girls for marriage. She told them there would be instances when their husbands would make complete arses out of themselves in front of the servants and how they were to behave. They should never allow the servants to see how the outburst affected them. They were to remain indifferent, even though they seethed with rage or wept on the inside.

  So Evelyn took the advice and put everyone at ease. When Graham knocked on her door, he didn’t bring up the scene from when they arrived, but saw to her care. She declined to eat dinner with him, pleading exhaustion. Instead, she ate dinner in her room, placed her belongings into their proper places, and waited for darkness to settle. Evelyn heard Graham return to his room and retire for the evening.

  When her own lids started drifting shut, she shook herself awake and pressed her ear against the door. She hadn’t heard a sound from her husband since he’d offered her so willingly to Graham. Sinclair had told her how Graham had knocked Reese unconscious. Fool that Evelyn was, she only wanted to offer comfort to her husband and to see to his wounds, but she knew she couldn’t show her weakness to Graham, Charlie, Sinclair, or to the servants. Everyone must see her strength to believe in her ability to bring Reese to his knees. She knew her husband had felt remorse as soon as the words left his mouth. While they had shocked her, she also noticed he regretted them deeply.

  Evelyn cracked the door open slowly, waiting for it to creak. When there was no sound, she opened it wide enough to slip through. The servants had lit a fire for Reese but had left him sleeping in his clothes. His light snores echoed in the quiet room. Evelyn stood over him, gazing down at her bedraggled husband sleeping peacefully like a child. Innocent. In which he was everything but that one word. There were many words she could think of in her vocabulary to describe her husband, and none of them were as kind as innocent.

  Evelyn slid off Reese’s footwear and undid the buttons on the placket of his trousers. When Reese shifted on the bed, muttering in his sleep, she pulled back, afraid she had woken him. Once he settled back down, she breathed a sigh of relief. She wouldn’t take the chance to pull his pants off. Instead, she covered him with a light blanket. Then she lit a candle near his bedside and sat on the edge of the bed.

  She noted the bruises covering his eyes and tenderly reached out to caress them away. Reese sighed in his sleep at her touch. When he didn’t awaken, Evelyn kept tracing her fingers across his face, easing his pain. The soft bristles covering his cheeks scraped against her soft palm.

  Evelyn’s heart ached. Not for herself, but for Reese. Their marriage had been a whirlwind in which he had never found his footing. While she understood his misery, she hadn’t forgiven him for his cruelty. No, even she had her pride. She had come to London to pursue her husband and seduce him into admitting his love for her.

  Instead, she would now make her husband pursue her if he wanted their marriage. If Reese didn’t make amends for his actions, then Evelyn would make Reese realize what he had lost. After all, she was a Holbrooke, and Holbrookes were not quitters.

  Evelyn slipped under the covers and snuggled against Reese. She was cold and only he could warm her. Once she laid her head on his chest, his arms circled around her, pulling her closer. She waited for him to speak, but instead, his snores grew louder. Evelyn risked too much by lying in his arms. If he awoke, it would appear that she had forgiven him.

  She tried to slip away, but Reese’s arms locked tighter. When he remained sleeping, Evelyn relaxed and promised herself a few moments more.

  “Evelyn,” Reese mumbled in his sleep. Evelyn’s heart clenched, hearing his yearning.

  She closed her eyes, drifting to sleep with the hope that her husband wanted her filling her heart.

  Chapter Fourteen

  A warm cocoon cushioned Reese as he wrapped Evelyn in his arms. Utter bliss of his wife’s soft body wrapped around him helped to ease a problem nagging at him.

  Evelyn’s soft sighs tempted him to forget his troubles... until she slipped from his arms and drifted away. Reese reached for her, but she kept avoiding his grasp. With each step he took closer to her, the heavy clouds disappeared, enveloping him into the darkness.

  “Evelyn!” he called.

  She glanced over her shoulder, beckoning him to follow her. However, he couldn’t reach her.

  When he lost sight of Evelyn and could no longer hear her, he screamed her name over and over, falling deeper and deeper into a pit of despair. He spun in circles, searching for any sign of her as the sky opened up and rained down upon him. He lifted his head as the drops soaked him, and then he heard Evelyn. She was crying her grief, her sobs floating to his ears, asking why over and over.

  He had to find Evelyn.

  He needed to hold her and beg for her to love him. Reese was suffocating, unable to breathe without Evelyn in his arms. He needed her.

  “Evelyn!” Reese screamed, his hoarse voice grating across his ears.

  Reese gasped, lurching off the bed. The bedroom door slung open, and Graham rushed inside, looking around. When he noticed Reese was still in bed, he shook his head in disgust before closing the door with a slam.

  Reese winced, grabbing his head in agony, which only made Graham chuckle with amusement. However, his brother’s torture wasn’t through. He threw the drapes open, and sunshine scorched Reese’s eyes. He lifted his arms to cover his face, but even that was painful. Reese flopped back on the bed, groaning in agony.

  “A right beautiful day. Such a shame you have missed the majority of it,” said Graham.

  “Wha ...” Reese cleared the scratchiness from his throat. “What time is it?”

  Graham pulled his timepiece from his pocket, noted the time, and returned the watch. “Three o’clock in the afternoon.”

  Reese sighed in disgust, keeping his eyes closed. The bright light and noise kept his head pounding. He lay there wondering what the hell had happened yesterday to leave him in this state. Had he fallen ill? His body ached like the devil, and his stomach felt like revolting.

  “When did you arrive?”

  “Yesterday afternoon. Do you not remember?” There was something in his brother’s voice he couldn’t quite name.

  He wracked his brain but came up with nothing. “I recall nothing since yesterday morning.”

  “Nothing? Not one conversation or humiliation?”

  Humiliation? Who would Reese humiliate? “No, should I?”

  “Humph.”

  Reese didn’t understand what his brother was angling toward. Nor did he care. He only wished for a hot bath and somet
hing to settle his stomach. However, he wondered why Graham had returned to the city. Especially since Reese had learned the reason for his brother’s departure a few weeks earlier. Another problem Reese would have to concern himself over. Why couldn’t Graham stay out of trouble? What possessed Graham to involve himself with the peers he did?

  “Why have you returned?”

  The bed dipped as Graham sat down on the edge. “I have business to take care of and far be it from me to decline a ride to town.”

  “Who did you travel with?”

  “Lord and Lady Sinclair.”

  “Did Evelyn join your traveling party?” Reese whispered.

  He hoped so. It would give Reese a chance to apologize to his wife and make amends. What better location to cater to his wife’s wishes than London? She could spend time with her family. Reese knew how much Evelyn missed them. He could escort her to all the finest parties and balls. It would cut into his budget, but he would spoil her with new dresses and bonnets. Perhaps even treat her to the opera or a play. Anything she wanted, as long as she forgave him for his deception. He wanted to earn her love.

  No. He needed to earn her love.

  “Yes, she did.”

  Reese released the breath he was holding in anticipation. Soon, he sprung out of bed, his illness overshadowed by the desire to hold his wife and plead for her forgiveness. He yelled for Kemp to prepare a bath and bring him something to eat. He started discarding his clothing, wondering why he still wore yesterday’s attire. He never slept in his clothes.

  His distraction didn’t last long when he faced the mirror and took in his haggard appearance. Reese’s hair stood on end, both of his eyes were a horrible shade of purple, and he was only half-dressed. His feet were bare, and the placket of his trousers and his shirt were unbuttoned.

  Reese swung his gaze to his brother and met Graham’s glower. “What in the hell happened to my face?”

  “You do not recall a single thing from our arrival?”

  Reese grimaced. “Should I?”

  Graham looked at him with...was that pity in his eyes? “Oh, dear brother, you are in worst shape than I thought.”

  “How so?”

  Graham only shook his head before settling on a chair near the window. He gazed out with his lips pinched. Graham must inform Reese how he pushed himself off the ledge, and the only way for him to climb back to victory would be to grovel at his wife’s feet. He wondered how Reese would react to this bit of news.

  “Well,” Reese growled, losing patience.

  “Well—”

  “Wait,” Reese interrupted. “Before you explain the state I am supposedly in, please tell me, how is Evelyn?”

  Graham scowled. “There is no supposedly. You are in a disreputable state. As for how is Evelyn, that is a troublesome question to answer. On our journey, I saw a different side to Evelyn.”

  “How so?”

  “While your wife is a charming companion to converse with, she is an utter delight when surrounded by her family. I have never seen her so carefree or silly.”

  Reese frowned, hardly believing it. “Evelyn, silly?”

  Graham smiled, remembering the prank Evelyn and Charlotte played on him. “Yes, silly.”

  “All right. So Evelyn is in good spirits.” Reese crossed his arms. “Do you think she will find it in her heart to forgive me for the outburst I had before I left?”

  “I think she already had.”

  “Excellent.” Reese glanced to the adjoining door. “Is she in her room?”

  Graham shook his head. “No, she is not at home. Charlotte arrived a few hours ago and they are paying a visit with their family.”

  “Then I have time to freshen before her return.”

  Reese strode to the door and yelled for Kemp again, impatient that they were taking so long with his bath. Then he went to his wardrobe and threw out his attire for the day, the bruises on his face forgotten. The only thought consuming Reese was his wife. He had another chance. Only this time, he would set out not to ruin his chances at winning Evelyn’s love.

  “However...”

  Reese turned at Graham’s sound of doom. “However?”

  “However, I do not think Evelyn will forgive you for the way you slandered her good name yesterday. Not only did you accuse your wife and me of an extramarital affair, though not of an affair per se, but you gave your permission to partake in one in front of the Sinclairs and the servants.”

  Reese dropped a handful of cravats he held in his hand at Graham’s declaration. Flashes of yesterday afternoon played a scene before him. A scene where he’d degraded his wife and her character. When he closed his eyes, he only saw the pain in hers. It all came flooding back, every nasty accusation, every slap, every punch. He deserved all of it.

  “No,” Reese whispered.

  “Yes.”

  “Has Evelyn left me?”

  “At this time, no. However, Sinclair declared his intentions on informing the Duke of Colebourne of your deplorable treatment of his niece. If you thought to present your marriage of a loving companionship to the duke, then your time has passed. Any settlement you may have anticipated receiving, the duke will now deny.”

  Reese slumped in the chair next to his brother, leaning his head back. In his drunken state, he had declared his wife a strumpet, gave room for the servants to gossip about her and never earn their respect, and ruined any chance she ever had to hold her head high among the ton. Their impromptu marriage already held one strike against her. Now his talk of allowing her to spread her thighs for his brother would never grant her an invitation. No matter what power her uncle held, his slander would force Evelyn to spend her remaining life in the country. Exactly like his mother.

  While their circumstances were different, they would hold the same isolation. Even though, at one time, that had been his intention for Evelyn after she deceived him and caused him to lose the investment to further his breeding program. Now, because of his drunkenness, his family would remain destitute. There would be no settlement from the Duke of Colebourne. He would have to sell his livestock to keep the family afloat.

  The door opened wider, and the servants carried in hot water for his bath. His valet hustled to the wardrobe to straighten the mess Reese had made. A maid carried in a platter of sandwiches and tea. Rogers followed the maid with a smaller tray holding a bottle of whiskey and two tumblers.

  “Leave this room now!” Reese ordered the servants.

  Graham rose. “Thank you. I apologize for my brother. I am afraid he is still a bit indisposed.”

  However, before each servant left, they regarded him with distaste. They no longer held a look of respect in their eyes.

  “Our poor mistress.” Reese heard the maid mutter under her breath when she walked by.

  He stared after them, his fury building. How dare these lowly beings treat him with disrespect. He gave them employment, paid their wages, and offered them free room and board. It was on the tip of his tongue to fire the lot of them and start from scratch again. Then it dawned on him. They paid their loyalty to Evelyn now, not him.

  Graham stared at Reese with clear disgust. “Yes. Quite an amazing staff Rogers has hired. Each one of them holds sympathy for Evelyn. All throughout the day I have listened to their pledges and answered their questions concerning your behavior. Even though I wished to portray you as the arse you are, I declined. Instead, I blamed your excessive amount of drinking you partook in as the reason for your insanity. I reassured them it was not normal behavior and that you only drank because of the sincere depth of feelings you held for your wife and because you missed her tremendously after being apart from her for so long. It was the first time you spent apart since you wed and you felt like you were going mad with longing, considering Evelyn was the other half of your soul.”

  Was this what Reese had been reduced to?

  Graham rolled his eyes. “It seemed to fool them for the time being. How long before they know the truth, I cannot tell.
That, my brother, is in your hands.” He stood. “Now if you will excuse me, I need to visit the club before my dinner plans.”

  “Evelyn and I can have time alone this evening.”

  “I am afraid not. The Duke of Colebourne has issued me an invitation to dine with his family this evening. I am eager to meet the rest of Evelyn’s family. If they are half as delightful as her, it shall be a grand evening.”

  “Excellent, I shall meet you at the club and we can take my carriage to dinner.” Reese started undressing.

  Graham winced. “Colebourne did not extend the invitation toward you.”

  “What?” Reese growled.

  “The invitation specifically excluded your presence. The duke sent another letter along, explaining that if you were to show your face, you would be escorted off the premises.”

  “That is outlandish.”

  Graham crossed his arms. “Is it, Reese? Are you even aware of how you have torn Evelyn’s reputation to shreds? It is by her good grace and actions that your servants have not spread yesterday’s ordeal around to the other households. So far, no rumors are spreading. But for how long? All it will take is for any servant in this house to have a slip of the tongue and your wife will be a pariah. While you strut around London, unblemished. I can hear the whispers now. Can you?”

  Reese closed his eyes in defeat. “Yes.”

  “Do you promise to stay away?”

  “Will you bring Evelyn home after dinner?” Reese pleaded.

  “If she wishes to return. If not, then you must respect her wishes. She deserves so much more than what you have offered her. Evelyn does not deserve the treatment you have displayed, nor has she ever.”

  Reese could only nod in agreement. His throat grew thick with regret. The words he wanted to utter stuck, refusing to come out. Everything his brother spoke was God’s honest truth. He was a selfish bastard, using Evelyn like he had. All for what, revenge? He couldn’t even remember any more. Graham spoke with honesty on his explanation to the servants. It was the exact reason he drank himself to oblivion. He had finally realized the depth of his love for Evelyn, and it scared him. Now Reese feared he had ruined any chance to live happily ever after with her. All because of jealousy.