Family Scandals

by Denise Patrick

  Corinna turned toward him then. For a moment, she’d forgotten about his parents’ difficulties.

  “I’m sorry,” she said slowly. “I didn’t mean to dredge up unpleasant memories.” She moved closer to him and slipped her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest. Marcus put his arms around her, holding her gently against him. They stood that way for a while before she raised her head to look up at him and ventured an opinion. “It’s time, Marcus, time to let it go.”

  “Time to let what go?”

  “The pain, the horror, the guilt,” she replied. “It’s time to let go of the past. Your parents are gone and no one, save for Brand and Felicia, knows what happened. And even they don’t know the whole story.”

  She felt him take another deep breath. “You may be right,” he concurred, “but that doesn’t make it any easier. I suppose I shall always look back on my childhood with that knowledge as a filter. It makes me question everything I thought I knew about my parents.”

  “I wish it wouldn’t.” Her voice was soft as she continued. “Eliza knows nothing about what happened, and because of it she remembers a wonderful, happy childhood with two parents who loved her and each other. It couldn’t have been any different for you.”

  “Perhaps I would have been better off never knowing as well. Forgetfulness will be a long time coming, if ever.”

  “I know you cannot forget, but could you try not to remember your mother in such a terrible light? It will only continue to hurt you and I couldn’t bear to watch you suffer for it.”

  He slanted a glance down at her. “And why is that?”

  Corinna tilted her head to one side and studied him for a few moments. Did he truly not know how she felt? Should she tell him? Once she discovered her feelings at St. Ayers, she’d resolved not to tell him. But how long could she keep it to herself?

  “Because I cannot bear to see you hurting,” she said simply, removing her arms from around his waist to slide them up around his neck. Pulling his head down as she lifted herself up on her toes and kissed him.

  Marcus’s arms tightened around her as he responded to her invitation, sinking into her softness, and reining in his natural inclination to take control. She did not take the initiative very often, but he found that he enjoyed it immensely when she did. His body stirred as she rubbed her lips against his, and when he felt the tip of her tongue slide along his bottom lip, he parted his lips, allowing their breath to mingle.

  It was a gentle, yet exquisite moment for the two of them. The slide of her tongue against his was subtle yet intoxicating to his senses. He was aware of every inch of her—breasts, stomach, thighs—all intimately pressed against him, warm, soft and inviting. He nearly groaned as he raised his head and looked down into her expressive eyes.

  He knew what she wanted to hear. But he couldn’t voice it. It wasn’t because he didn’t want to, but he truly didn’t know himself. How did a person know they loved someone else? He had loved his parents, but the love of a child for a parent was different from the love Corinna expected. There was no question in his mind that he would love his children. But between the two of them, it seemed there should be more, even if he couldn’t put a name to it.

  “Lady Barber to see you, my lady,” Wharton announced, standing aside to allow Julianna to enter the drawing room of Waring House the next morning.

  Corinna rose from the sofa to greet her. “How nice to see you,” she greeted the young woman. Fashionably dressed in a fuschia morning gown trimmed with white lace around the neckline, her dark hair braided and wound into a simple coronet, Julianna looked lovely.

  “I hope I’m not intruding,” Julianna demurred as Wharton was sent for tea.

  “Of course not.” Corinna smiled.

  Corinna was glad of Julianna’s friendship. Although Corinna hadn’t remembered her very well, they had known each other at Miss Ridley’s and Julianna had admitted that since she was a year younger, they had truthfully only known each other in passing. The acquaintance, however, had been enough for Julianna to strike up a conversation with Corinna at the Gillendale’s ball a few days ago.

  “And how is little Joseph doing today?” Corinna asked after Julianna’s son.

  Beaming proudly, Julianna launched into a recital of her three-month-old’s latest accomplishments. Corinna noticed Julianna talked excitedly about her son and parents, but rarely mentioned her husband, Lord Barber, who, it turned out, was a distant cousin and her father’s heir.

  The family had been devastated at the death of her brother four years before, leaving her father, Viscount Northrup, without an heir. The ensuing search for the nearest male relative had meant tracing the family tree through a number of generations. Julianna and her husband shared a great-great-grandfather, but that was all, as the fifth Viscount had been married twice, and Julianna’s husband had descended from the son born to his second wife. In her father’s eyes, it had been fortuitous, and he had insisted that the two of them marry.

  “Did you not have a Season, then?” Corinna had asked.

  “Actually, I did, but I found none of the young men to my liking. Then when I met Vin, Papa gave me a choice. He seemed quite nice, so I said yes.”

  Yet, Corinna felt a reticence in Julianna when it came to talking about her husband and she wondered if perhaps they did not get on very well. It would not be the first ton marriage based on connections rather than mutual affection between the participants, but Corinna could not help but feel sorry for her. Perhaps he had been quite nice in the beginning, but once he had his heir had already gone astray. Corinna could not put her finger on what she sensed, but it did not seem to be a very satisfying situation for Julianna. At least she had Joseph.

  At the same time, having a friend her own age helped her tread the sometimes dangerous waters of the ton with a little more confidence, and meant she did not have to lean on her family as much for company.

  “Do you remember Annabelle Malton?” Julianna suddenly asked her.

  Corinna looked up, startled. Julianna had not been at Miss Ridley’s when she had pulled the prank on Annabelle, but she had heard of it. It had apparently become the stuff of legends, because Cassie had informed her the story was still told to new girls who came to the school.

  “I do, of course,” she responded. “I’m not sure I will ever forget her.”

  Julianna giggled. “I suppose that she’s not likely to forget you either, but I saw her the other day. She’s Lady Pannerton now. She said she was only in town for a few days to do some shopping. She’s increasing and Lord Pannerton is insisting she retire to his estate in the Lake District. I’m not sure she wants to go, but her mother is going along with her.”

  “It’s probably for the best, although I don’t know that she was ever enamored of the country. I remember how much she disliked being at Miss Ridley’s. Of course, I didn’t help when I pulled that prank on her, but at least she left me alone after that.”

  “I heard she was really horrid to you before that,” Julianna said.

  Corinna shrugged. “In retrospect, she wasn’t really, but she had no way of knowing what I was used to at home.”

  Julianna was silent for a few moments, regarding Corinna through soft brown eyes. She seemed to be weighing something. Finally, she sighed and appeared to make a decision.

  “You do know the ton thinks you have treated your family shabbily,” she stated.

  “How so?” Corinna poured herself another cup of tea.

  “I’m sure you know there’s been nothing overt, but there is speculation about why they weren’t invited to dinner before your ball at the beginning of the season. And people have noticed you never speak to each other.”

  “Oh.” Corinna sipped her tea.

  Julianna regarded her with wide-eyed surprise. “Do you not care at all?”

  “No.”

  Corinna knew better than to tell Julianna her life history. Despite being a friend, she knew Julianna would repeat anything she said. A
fter all, the ton thrived on gossip.

  After Julianna left, Corinna reflected on the progress of the season and the tangled threads of her life.

  She had never expected to move in the same circles as the rest of her family, so she had never speculated on what she would do if she encountered one or more of them. Unfortunately, fate had worked against her, and now she was forced to consider the possibility. For that reason, she found herself recently thinking more and more about what she might say or do should it happen.

  Luck had been on her side so far. Although she was aware of Diana, Ellen, and even Phillip, at a few of the balls she attended, she had managed not to come face-to-face with any of them. She was not vindictive and did not want revenge. She merely wanted to leave the past behind and move forward with her life. Remembering her run-in with Ellen over her mother’s rubies, she had been relieved to hand them over to Eliza. It would be just her luck, she mused, that had she worn them, that would have been the night she encountered Ellen face-to-face. Eliza, on the other hand, had no such misgivings and had worn them to the theatre only two nights ago when Ellen had been present.

  It was unfortunate that her past seemed to be converging on her all at once. She had been particularly disturbed the other night and next morning when she had seen Vincent, and not just because she had seen him. It was because she was sure the woman she had noticed on his arm had been Diana. She wasn’t positive because she had only seen the woman from the back, but a sixth sense told her that her initial hunch had been right.

  She knew that if she had to create a list of people who were likely to truly hate her and want to do her harm, Vincent and Diana would top it. Seeing them together had set off warning bells in her head. Bells that would not stop ringing, no matter how safe she felt with Marcus and her new family.

  Marcus stood in the doorway of the Barrington House drawing room watching the five women clustered around the tea tray. Eliza, Felicia, Amanda, Charity and Corinna were all laughing uproariously. He was joined by Trent, Brand, Jonathan and Angus.

  “What’s so funny?” Jonathan asked him.

  “I wish I knew,” he answered.

  “As long as whatever they’re laughing at doesn’t include us, I don’t need to know.” This last came from Brand.

  “That’s unfortunate,” Trent added, “because I find that when a group of women find something amusing, it usually means some unfortunate male is the subject.”

  “Perhaps we should ask?”

  That question, coming from Angus, drew amused looks from the other four. It was Trent who responded, “Spoken like a true babe.” Clapping the young man on the shoulder, he said, “Don’t ask unless you’re ready for the possibility that the answer is ‘you’.”

  Marcus winced. He was sure that not much more than a year separated he and Angus, but he understood Trent’s meaning.

  “So, do we join them or stand here and enjoy the view?” Jonathan inquired mildly.

  Trent chuckled. “I don’t know about the rest of you youngsters, but I rather enjoy my wife’s company.” And with that, he strolled toward the group of women.

  Watching the other three do the same, Marcus realized he, too, enjoyed his wife’s company, and moved to join them. He wasn’t sure when he realized it, but his feelings for Corinna were changing. He did not doubt his initial feelings had been of protectiveness and desire. The desire was still there, but the protectiveness had evolved into caring. Idly, he wondered when the caring had taken root and become need, for he had admitted to himself that he needed her. She had become an indispensable part of his life in a short period of time and he wondered if this new dependence was, indeed, love.

  He would not be surprised if it was. She had become the healing balm on his open wound. The nightmares featuring Douglas and Lord Mayo no longer plagued him. He no longer awakened with a feeling of dread when it came to facing the day. There was a new purpose to his life and he knew she was the reason. Her very existence had given him a new lease on life and he intended to enjoy it to the fullest.

  As the men joined them, Corinna turned to watch him approach. He didn’t have to guess at the expression in her eyes. He didn’t know if she knew how easily he could read her expression, but she didn’t try to hide her growing feelings.

  Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.

  For the last three days Corinna sensed that all was not right with Julianna. She seemed withdrawn and worried. When Corinna asked if there was something she could do, Julianna had responded there was nothing wrong.

  If Corinna hadn’t perceived there was something wrong initially, Julianna’s response, delivered in an artificially bright manner, would have confirmed it. Her husband had returned to Brookside, the family’s estate near Oxford, to consult with her father on some purchases for improvements, and Julianna had no idea when he would be back. Corinna wondered if her initial impression that all was not well in the Barber household was right. Julianna seemed to genuinely miss her husband.

  “Why didn’t you just go with him?” Corinna asked now. Seated in the conservatory of Julianna’s home on Park Court, they were enjoying the uncharacteristically bright afternoon sun.

  Julianna looked up from the cup of tea she had just poured. She had a haunted look about her that seemed at odds with her behavior.

  “He did not want me to miss out on the season,” she replied. “He will only be gone for a few days.”

  A sudden loud noise out in the hall had Corinna turning and looking behind her as the door to the room opened to admit the butler.

  “Beggin’ your pardon, my ladies. It was just one of the footmen moving some items. One of them dropped something. No need to worry.”

  “Th-thank you, Tindall,” Julianna replied in a shaky voice.

  Corinna turned back to her hostess. Julianna looked relieved, and handed Corinna a cup and saucer with trembling hands.

  “I should have asked,” Julianna said, “how you like your tea. I’m afraid I just assume everyone likes it like I do with plenty of sugar. Is it all right?”

  Corinna wasn’t certain how to assure Julianna it was fine other than to drink the tea, regardless of what it tasted like. It was a bit sweeter than she normally preferred, but she couldn’t bear to add to the troubles Julianna already seemed to have.

  “Do you expect your husband home today?”

  Julianna’s eyes darted toward the door. “I think he is due back by this evening,” was the reply. “Why?”

  Corinna found the question odd, but answered, “Just wondered.” Putting her cup down, she tried another topic of conversation. “And how is Joseph doing?”

  “He-he’s fine,” Julianna answered. “He is back at Brookside with my parents now. Vin th-thought the city was not a good pl-place for him.”

  Corinna picked up her teacup and finished the contents, then returned it to the small table before her. Julianna watched her closely, then took a sip of her own.

  Julianna’s behavior was beginning to worry Corinna. She seemed nervous and jumpy, glancing at the door every few minutes as if she expected someone to come through it. Corinna wondered if she should leave Julianna to solve whatever problem she seemed to have, but suddenly found she was too tired to move.

  “I think I should go,” Corinna said, but she couldn’t make herself rise from the sofa. Her eyelids felt heavy and, all of a sudden, she couldn’t think clearly.

  Julianna watched her intently, and Corinna watched the young woman’s eyes fill with tears.

  “I’m sorry,” Julianna said, her voice a tortured whisper as the tears began to fall. “I didn’t want to, but I had no choice.”

  Corinna’s brow furrowed as she tried to understand what Julianna was telling her. Why was she sorry? And why was she crying? The door opened behind her and Julianna jumped up from her seat. Corinna tried to turn to see who had come in, but her body wouldn’t obey her. Her limbs felt weighted, and her thoughts had turned sluggish. The last thing she remembered before oblivion ove
rtook her was Julianna looking down at her, the expression on her face a mixture of terror and regret.

  When Corinna slumped over on the sofa, Julianna looked up to watch her husband approach. Wringing her hands helplessly, she watched him check to see that Corinna was unconscious before pinning her with his dark, emotionless gaze.

  “Wh-what are you g-going to do with her?”

  Her husband smiled, but there was no warmth in the expression. “You do not need to know that,” he replied. “All you need to know is that the traveling coach is waiting for you out front. Now go.”

  She hesitated, glancing down at Corinna’s prone figure as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. It was a mistake, and she moved quickly to rectify her error, but it was too late. The backhanded slap knocked her back into the chair she had just vacated.

  “I said, go!” he snarled, and this time she did not hesitate.

  Getting to her feet, she flew out of the room, collected her cloak from Tindall, and hurried out to the traveling coach waiting by the curb. As she came down the stairs, she nearly bowled over a young woman passing by.

  Looking up, she was momentarily disconcerted by a pair of gray eyes that reminded her too much of Corinna. “Ex-excuse me,” she stammered, then entered the waiting coach. Seconds later, they were moving and, within moments, the square was left behind.

  “Did he hit you again?”

  Surprised, her head snapped up and she found, to her relief, her maid, Bonnie, sitting across from her. Wiping more tears from her cheeks, she bit her lip and did not respond. There was no need. Bonnie could probably see the bruise she suspected was already forming. Leaning her head back against the squabs, her face averted, she watched London roll by in silence.

  By the time they reached the outskirts of London, the sun was beginning to set, and she had regained some of her composure. Out of her husband’s orbit, she began to wonder why he would ask her to do what she did. He hadn’t told her why he wanted Corinna, but now, for the first time, she speculated as to what he might do with her. And that speculation caused her blood to run cold.