The Earl of Morrey

by Lauren Smith

  “The rectory there is very lovely. Quite romantic, I think. If you let me go on ahead tomorrow, I could have it all arranged and the castle ready to host guests.”

  “Thank you, Caro.” Adam meant it. His sister was a true gem. It filled him with a deep sorrow that she had not yet found another man to give her heart to after losing John.

  They stood and embraced each other. Adam gave her an extra squeeze as he murmured his thanks again.

  “Now, off to bed with you. I’ll send some cutlets and wine upstairs,” Caroline said.

  Adam exited the drawing room and climbed the stairs, his steps now heavy with weariness.

  So, they would open Chilgrave Castle for the wedding. It did sound rather lovely. Part of his staff stayed there, and he had enough money to keep them employed, but they had little work to do. Hopefully, it would cheer them to open the house and shake off the dust and let the masterfully gilded rooms gleam again and be filled with the sounds of life. He could perhaps pretend to have a normal life for a while.

  Dudley Helms, his valet, was waiting in Adam’s bedchamber when Adam entered. Sturges followed behind and set a tray of cutlets on the table before bowing and leaving. Adam began to unbutton his waistcoat, while his valet prepared his nightclothes

  “And how was your evening, my lord?” Helms asked as he removed the waistcoat and helped Adam with his sleeves.

  “Filled with the unexpected, Helms. You’ll be hearing from Sturges tomorrow officially, but I am to be wed in two days.”

  “Wed? I assume congratulations and not condolences are in order?” Helms teased.

  Adam laughed. “Yes, congratulations, certainly.”

  Helms removed the cuff links and Adam’s pocket watch before placing them in their boxes for safekeeping. “And who is the bride-to-be?”

  “Lady Leticia Fordyce.”

  “Ah, Lord Pembroke’s sister. What a wonderful choice,” Helms replied with warm honesty. “The staff will be quite happy, my lord, if you don’t mind the boldness of my saying that.”

  “Not at all. You think they will be happy?”

  “They will,” Helms said with a twinkle in his eye. “Mrs. Hadaway has been wanting babes in the nursery for years.”

  Mrs. Hadaway, the Chilgrave housekeeper, would indeed be glad. She was a cheery woman and had a genuine smile never far from her face.

  Adam bid his valet good night and had a bit of the meat, chasing it down with some wine. Then he forced himself to bed. Tomorrow would be a challenge. His entire life was about to change. Sweet Letty would soon be his wife.

  3

  Letty was as nervous as a cat during a thunderstorm. Every time a carriage rolled past the townhouse, she flew to the window, expecting to see Lord Morrey heading up the steps toward her door.

  “Letty,” Gillian laughed. “Do try to sit down.”

  “But it’s nearly ten o’clock,” Letty said. “Half the morning is gone, and he did say he would call in the morning, did he not?”

  Gillian rolled her eyes. She sat on a settee, reading a book with one hand and holding her baby, Gabriel, in the crook of her other arm. Like his parents, their baby was utterly perfect and completely well behaved. He slept on, unaware of the two women talking.

  “He has to procure the special license first. Give the poor man a bit more time.”

  “Time, yes,” Letty murmured, still peeping out the curtains. A coach with the Morrey crest had just stopped in front of the steps.

  “He’s here!” She sprang toward the door. “I have to go. I should—”

  “Letty,” Gillian said firmly. “Go out into the gardens for a bit, and remember to breathe. We shall come find you once the men have talked all the business of money and other matters.”

  “You don’t think I should be involved in that?” Letty challenged.

  “You know I do, but I think you’re a bit frantic this morning. Breathing the cool, crisp air of the gardens might calm you.”

  Gillian was right. Everything about Lord Morrey had Letty feeling edgy and out of sorts. Quite frankly, she didn’t know what to do with herself. She collected her shawl and hastened from the drawing room just as the butler answered the door. She had no time to go outside unseen, so she ducked into the nearest doorway to wait.

  From her hiding place, she was able to see Lord Morrey step inside and remove his hat and greatcoat. He wore a dark-blue coat and biscuit-colored trousers, which molded to the masculine perfection of his long, lean legs. She had seen many men wear pantaloons that were skintight, but only the best well-built men were able to carryoff such a fashion. Morrey looked even better than the statues in a museum, not that she had ever officially seen many of the nudes, which were considered highly improper for a young, unmarried lady to look upon.

  Her mind quickly strayed to other thoughts: how he’d gripped her so tightly last night, yet without hurting her; how he’d held that blade to her throat with such skill that she’d been unharmed; how he’d continued to grip her even after he’d put the knife down. She remembered his eyes. Those twin silvery pools had locked on her eyes, holding her captive as easily as his hands had. Her body flashed with a sudden heat, and her heart pounded hard at the memory. This dark and dangerous man was to be her husband in but a handful of days.

  It made her wonder if Lord Morrey’s body would be like the statues she’d seen. The male body was both fascinating and confusing at the same time. But as she watched Morrey linger in the hall, his dark hair falling in his eyes, she wondered,How would he look without his clothes?

  “Adam, thank you for coming.” Gillian joined Morrey in the entryway, carefully embracing him in a hug while still holding Gabriel in one arm. She then showed him into the drawing room. Letty breathed a sigh of relief as she sank deeper into the room she’d escaped into, the library. It was a better distraction than the garden. She collected a few volumes on economics and tucked herself into a nook at the back of the room. Surprisingly,she managed to lose herself in the texts for a little while. But the sound of voices soon drew her attention.

  She recognized the voices of James and Morrey as they entered the library. She started to rise, but then halted as she realized she couldn’t slip past the two men unseen. She remained hidden, unable to avoid hearing their discussion.

  “I thought it would be a bit nicer to discuss things in here. My office is cluttered at the moment. We’ll sign the documents in there when we need to. Do you have the special license?” James asked.The sound of the men settling in chairs accompanied this question.

  “Yes,” Morrey replied.

  “Excellent. Now let us talk finances first. Letty has a dowry of five thousand a year.”

  “If you recall when you married Gillian, I offered you the same for her.” Morrey sounded amused. Letty wished she could see his face.

  “I remember, and I only grudgingly accepted, which means you will too.”

  Morrey chuckled. “Well played, Pembroke. I will accept, but those funds will be entirely within Letty’s control, for her use and pleasure.”

  Letty’s heart gave a leap at hearing that. She hadn’t been sure before what sort of man Morrey was, and if he would allow her any independence, especially financial.

  “Very good,” James replied. “Now about the wedding . . .”

  “I think I’d like it to be in the small church by Chilgrave Castle.”

  “Not St. George’s?” Her brother sounded surprised.

  “No. Too open, too dangerous. Chilgrave is off the beaten path. It’s safer. Besides, I have a personal connection to the place.”

  “So now we come to the heart of this matter. What the devil happened last night, Morrey? I know you cannot tell me about the mission itself, but you must explain how Letty became entangled in this mess.”

  There was a heavy silence, then a long, weary sigh.

  “I was to protect Lady Edwards last night while she waited to deliver a message. I had been warned that French agents might try to silence her. The messag
e was only in her head, not upon paper. Had she been killed, she would’ve died with that precious intelligence trapped inside her.” Morrey paused, and Letty realized she had stopped breathing as he spoke. “The French are clever. They use female spies to their advantage, far better than we do, at least until Russell took over from Waverly. I saw a woman walking with Lady Edwards away from the crowd and feared the worst. I realized too late it was your sister. As Lady Edwards and I sorted out the mess, the real French agent fired upon us. Lady Edwards was able to escape out the window, where she eventually met her contact, but while she escaped I needed to maintain my cover. I did the only thing I could think of.”

  “By kissing my sister . . .”

  There was an uncomfortable pause. Letty could only imagine the looks being exchanged.

  “I admit, my judgment was . . . clouded. But in the moment, it seemed the wisest course.”

  “Yes. I understand the logic. You countered one outrageous act with another. No one there would have imagined that the two events were connected. I must say, however, that I’m still displeased.”

  “I quite understand, James. Your sister deserves to be wooed by a gentleman who is mad about her. I could not woo her, but the truth is I am quite mad for her.”

  Letty covered her mouth to keep the sound of her gasp from escaping. He was mad for her? That forbidden flutter of excitement filled her lower belly again.

  “Oh? Are you?” James sounded surprised. “I had no idea you had a tendre for Letty.”

  Morrey gave a soft chuckle, and Letty desperately wished she could see his face again. She clutched a book to her chest as she strained to hear his response.

  “From the moment I first saw her, I was captivated, but in my line of work it is unwise to marry. It is simply too dangerous. Either her life is threatened, or she faces a future where her husband does not come home and she may have to live forever with a lie about the circumstances of my death. I couldn’t do that to a woman. So I closed off that part of my life and buried any affections I felt for any woman I was interested in.”

  “Until last night,” James asserted.

  “Yes. Last night forced my hand, but I won’t deny that it does give me joy. But now Letty faces a danger that never should have been placed upon her shoulders.”

  “What can be done to keep her safe?” James’s voice grew slightly louder, and Letty knew he was moving closer to the bookshelf she hid behind.

  “She should remain at Chilgrave for the foreseeable future. My staff, both in London and Chilgrave,were hired for their abilities to deal with the risks my employment creates.”

  “Will you stay with her?” James’s tone held a hint of worry and a bit of warning that endeared him to her even more.

  “I will be with her as often as I can, but there will be times I must be called away. She will have the utmost protection in those circumstances,” Morrey promised.

  Her brother let out a sigh. “I cannot help wishing that I could protect her. After losing our mother, we were both adrift. Gillian has helped me navigate the rivers of my grief, but I worry over Letty being alone.”

  “I understand, Pembroke. Believe me, I do. I’m still very much a stranger to Letty, but I will be present for her and give her anything she needs, within my power.”

  “Give her love, Morrey. Give her love. It is perhaps the most crucial thing of all.”

  Yes, Lord Morrey, give me love, she thought.

  Letty bit her lip as unexpected tears burned her eyes. Now was not the time to turn into a silly watering pot, but James was right. The death of their mother, the cruel fate of watching her memories fade at so young an age, had been awful. It had left scars upon Letty’s heart that would never fully heal.

  “Let’s draw up the paperwork, and then you may have a moment with Letty.”

  “Thank you.”

  She waited a full thirty seconds for them to leave before emerging from her hiding spot. She screeched as a hand suddenly clamped over her mouth and pulled her back.

  An instant later, the person holding her cursed. “Not again.”

  “Lord Morrey?” Letty mumbled through his fingers.

  “Lady Leticia,” Morrey sighed, then uncovered her mouth and turned her around to face him. “What on earth are you doing hiding in here?”

  Letty, stunned by the sudden thrill she felt being manhandled by Lord Morrey, could only blink up at him.

  “I . . . ,” she stammered as she lost herself in his storm-cloud-gray eyes.

  “You mustn’t do that around me—never spy upon me. I can feel it, like a tingling at the back of my neck. I feared you were someone else.”

  Finally, Letty found her tongue. “Someone like a French spy?”

  Morrey’s gaze turned stormier. “Yes, exactly like a French spy. What did you hear from your little hiding place?”

  Letty pursed her lips together, refusing to tell him that she’d heard, among many things, his confession that he was mad for her.

  A worry line creased his brow, and then he seemed to relax a bit. “Understand me, Letty—my instincts must never be tested. You understand? I usually act automatically. I could have hurt you.”

  Morrey still held her waist, their lower bodies pressed together. The contact of his legs against hers through the thin barrier of her skirts left her dizzy and excited.

  “Your eyes,” he said softly.

  “What about them?” Letty dared to ask.

  “Your pupils—they’re quite large.” He cupped her face, his thumb brushing over her lips. “That only happens when one is very frightened or very . . .” He didn’t finish.

  “Very what?” she pressed, fascinated by the way his own pupils seemed larger as he leaned close to her.

  “Very aroused.” The sensual and completely scandalous word set fresh fire to her blood.

  “You mustn’t speak of such things,” Letty whispered, but she actually did want him to continue saying such wonderfully exciting things.

  Morrey continued to study her. “Well, now. You aren’t what I expected.”

  “What did you expect?” she asked, her breath coming a little shallow.

  His eyes grew stormy again, but rather than frighten her, it excited her. “I expected you to be unable to understand me. That your fear would be too much to cope with. But a bit of fear arouses you, doesn’t it?”

  Shame flooded her face with heat. He was right. She had never been in a position before where she’d been truly afraid like she had been last night. It was as though she was waking from a very dull dream, and she was starting to understand who she truly was.

  “Lord Morrey . . . ,” she began, but she failed to say much more.

  His eyes focused on her lips, and his gaze stoked the growing fire within her.

  “I must be a gentleman,” he said to himself. “At least until we are married.”He gave her waist a small squeeze. “And then, if you wish it, I can teach you all the things I know about pleasure, about the wildness of it, the rough excitement, the games of cat and mouse we might play. I can give you what your eyes tell me you need. Do you understand?”

  She could only stare at him blankly. His words didn’t fully sink in.

  “You don’t understand, not yet, but I’ll teach you, my wild one.” Morrey leaned down that last breathless inch, his warm breath fanning over her face. She could see each of his long dark lashes, and she desperately wished he would seize her for a kiss.

  He cupped the back of her head, his fingers twisting in the strands, and her knees buckled at his easy control of her body. She felt helpless, yet she craved it with a hunger she’d never experienced before. Morrey’s heavy-lidded eyes gazed down her body. He made her feel excited and erratic,like a summer storm. How was it possible to want him and yet fear that same wanting?

  “Your brother will be waiting for me, wondering where I am, what I’m doing—or more importantly, what I’m wanting to do.” His lips barely caressed hers as he spoke, not quite a kiss.

  Stra
ngely emboldened by all that he’d said, she breathed in the scent of this beautiful man and tilted her head back. “Then let him wonder.” She hoped he would give her a kiss that satisfied all the teasing he’d done in the last few moments.

  He shook his head, his lips brushing over hers again, enough to taunt her, but not satisfy, then stepped back. A breath of cool air swamped her heated body, and she leaned back against the bookcase to regain some of her balance. Morrey leveled her with a dark, intense look. Then, without another word, he left.

  Suddenly, she could breathe again. She leaned heavily against the bookshelf, trying to make sense of all that had happened in the last few minutes. Of three things, she was sure:

  Lord Morrey was a dangerous man.

  He frightened her.

  And she desired him.

  Adam carefully read over the marriage agreement while he tried to ignore James’s gaze upon him. He finally lifted his eyes to James and arched a brow. “Done.”

  “You took your time,” James replied. He was doing his best not to look worried.

  “I met with Letty in the library after you left. I had a word with her before coming to you.” There, he’d let James worry about what that meant.

  James crossed his arms over his chest. His frown deepened.“Did you?”

  Picking up the pen nearest him, Adam scrawled his name in the appropriate spot on the marriage settlement, then passed the paper to James, who signed beneath him.

  “So,it is done.” James blotted the paper, then folded it up. “I will have my solicitor prepare a copy for your records. Then I’ll have my banker begin the transfer of funds, to give to Letty at your discretion.”

  “Thank you. Now, if you have no need of me, I shall leave for Chilgrave so I may have time to prepare for the wedding tomorrow.”

  “That suits me. I will have Gillian help Letty pack her trousseau. We shall arrive at Chilgrave this evening, if that suits you.”

  “It does.” Adam shook James’s hand, then paused in the doorway. “Since I’ve already had a brief discussion with Lady Leticia, I will not need to speak to her again until this evening.”