Lured Into Sin By The Wicked Earl (Steamy Historical Regency Romance)

by Olivia Bennet

  Adam nodded. He knew why they liked their semi-retirement out in the countryside. They found the constant strain of life in the city to be tiring. The only thing that could cause them to stir was concern over their only remaining son, something which made Adam feel guilty.

  “Will I like her?” His mother was positively glowing. Adam found that he was relieved to have an ally, particularly one who was excited to know more about Susannah.

  “Yes, I daresay you will. Susannah is very kind.” In terms of personality, Susannah was very much like his mother. He suspected that they would get along famously.

  When he glanced over at her, she was smiling. He breathed a sigh of relief. With his mother, firmly in his court, he would be able to stand up to his father.

  “I’m glad that you’re happy,” she commented. “Leave your father to me. I will convince him that this is the best thing for all of us.” She sighed, her gaze slipping sideways. “I will have so much to teach her.”

  “What do you mean?” Adam frowned.

  “If Susannah is to be the next Countess and then the next Marchioness, then she has to learn how to run such a large household. Wiltshire Manor is a very large house.” She looked at him. “She and I will have tea. When it’s all announced.” She nodded, decisively.

  “Thank you, Mother.” Adam was pleased that Susannah would have her help.

  Reaching out to him, she pressed his hands in her own. “Does she have any idea of what she’s getting into?”

  He sighed. “I suppose not. She’s marrying me for me.” As he said it, he knew that it was the truth. It was far better than he had ever hoped for. Susannah didn’t care about his money. She certainly thought nothing of his title. She loved him, and that was all.

  His mother smiled. “I can’t wait to meet her. Does she like Madeira cake? I can have one made.”

  “I’ll ask her,” he said. “Is there anything else that I’ll need to ask her? Preference in puddings? Ices, perhaps?” He smiled, though his mother was nodding seriously. She was making lists in her head, taking everything into consideration, as she always did.

  “Yes. And she and I will have to have the seamstress in,” she was saying.

  “Why?”

  She stared at him for a moment. “For the wedding dress of course!”

  At the mention of that, a warmth suffused Adam. He beamed at his mother. In his mind, he suddenly had the picture of Susannah, dressed in all white, walking toward him.

  Chapter 25

  Susannah was heartsore. After she’d cried for a while, she’d washed her face, then went up to do the rest of her chores. Lucy’s continued silence seemed like another check against her. She had never thought that she would lose Lucy’s friendship over this. Surely, it could be repaired once everything was settled.

  She trusted Adam. She saw the way that he looked at her. She could tell by the way that he held her. He loved her, as much as she loved him. She believed it when he said that he was going to marry her.

  When Adam returned, Susannah was sweeping the foyer. Their eyes met. He frowned, noting her sad look, her face, she knew was still a bit red from crying.

  Mr. Howard cleared his throat. She looked away, quickly, for she knew that her love for him was evident in her look. She blushed as she swept furiously, attempting to clean the dirt that had settled into the cracks between the tiles.

  “Welcome home, My Lord.” Mr. Howard’s tone suggested that nothing was amiss. She wondered if it was because he was always like that, or if he suspected something. She glanced up with that horrifying realization.

  “Good afternoon, Mr. Howard,” Adam said, though he was still looking at her. She turned away from him.

  “How was your visit?” Mr. Howard’s voice echoed in the foyer.

  “It went well, Mr. Howard,” he replied. Susannah relaxed, knowing that that comment was meant for her ears, as well. She continued her work, her eyes on the tile floor. She angled the broom.

  “Can I get anything for you, My Lord?”

  “No, thank you. I think I’ll go and sit in the library.” That, too, was for her ears. She caught the little switch in his tone, which meant that she was supposed to hear it.

  “Very good, My Lord.”

  “Can you, perhaps, ask Mrs. Larson to have my dinner ready early?” he asked.

  “Of course, My Lord.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Howard.”

  Susannah listened to the sound of Mr. Howard’s footsteps going down the stairs, as well as Adam’s, which were on their way up the stairs. She finished her sweeping, setting the broom against the wall. She crept to the library, where she found him waiting for her.

  “All is well?” she asked, walking into his arms.

  “With my mother,” he said. “My father doesn’t want to speak to me, it seems.”

  “Over me?”

  “He doesn’t know about you, yet.” He held her to him, wrapping his arms around her. Susannah closed her eyes, leaning her head against his chest. His heart beat strongly.

  “Your mother is fine with it?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  She pulled away from him, even though it was like tearing herself in two. “I have to go, before I’m missed.” There was the possibility that anyone could come along and find them there. Then what? The gossip would have been proven true.

  “Stay,” he begged.

  “The house is already talking,” she told him. “We don’t need to give them any more reason for rumors.”

  “Let them talk,” he said, drawing her close, and kissing her. She closed her eyes, enjoying the closeness. When they were apart, she ached for him.

  “I have to tell you something,” he said, suddenly serious.

  “What is it?”

  “My mother wants to have you over for tea,” he explained.

  “What for?” She had nothing to wear for tea with a fine lady. Even her nicest muslin wasn’t nice enough for that.

  He sighed, running his fingers through his hair. “Well, first of all, she wants to meet you. Secondly, as my wife, you’ll need to know how to manage a large household. She wants to help guide you through the transition.”

  “As your wife?”

  “Yes,” he replied. “You realize that you will become the Countess of Malmore, and eventually, Marchioness of Wiltshire?”

  Her stomach did a nervous flip as she realized that she was going to have to become the Countess of Malmore. She hadn’t thought about it at all. The name sounded like it belonged to someone else entirely. Susannah was a house maid. If she was the Countess, would Lucy ever forgive her for it? Lucy would still be the maid. Susannah would never have to clean again. Suddenly, Lucy’s anger made a little more sense.

  Susannah was horrified at her own lack of awareness.

  She was right. I am a stupid country girl. Anyone else would have thought of it, first.

  She had been so caught up in Adam, that she hadn’t even thought of the title.

  “My mother has assured me that she’ll help you to learn,” he told her. “And this household will be good practice.”

  She could see that he was worried that she would be frightened or nervous about it. Susannah knew she wanted to be with him. No matter what that meant. If that meant that she had to become a Countess, then she supposed that she could learn how to be.

  So, she raised her chin, steeling herself. “I can handle it,” she said. “If I have her help, then there should be nothing to it.” She sounded far more confident than she felt. But it was a start, she knew.

  He smiled at her, placing his fingers under her chin, then raising her lips to his. She closed her eyes, allowing her world to be inhabited by only the two of them. She knew that soon there would be others that they would have to let in.

  “Now I really have to go,” she said. “Or someone will miss me. I still have the dining room floor to clean.” Susannah went up on her toes, kissing him one last time. She turned and walked quickly, before he could try to convince h
er otherwise. She glanced back as she left the library. He was standing there, smiling at her. Her heart rose. She loved him more than she could say.

  Chapter 26

  “My Lord?” Mr. Howard called out from the doorway. Mr. Fort was just finishing helping Adam dress for the morning. He was running the brush over his shoulders to get rid of any stray hairs.

  “Yes?” Adam replied, his eyes on his own reflection. He pushed a strand of his hair back. He was anxious that his father was still angry. He knew that his mother would speak to him, but he had no idea how long it would take. His father had never been angry with him for long, but all of the other times, Adam had relented and capitulated.

  “Mr. Hunt and Mr. Blanville are here to see you,” Mr. Howard announced. Excitement filled him at the thought of hearing the news about his invention. With his parents’ arrival, he had forgotten all about Mr. Hunt and Mr. Blanville’s pending report.

  “Oh good! I’ve been waiting to hear from them,” he said, adjusting his cravat. “Send them to the parlor, Mr. Howard. Then have a tray of tea sent up.” He wanted to ask for Susannah, but stopped himself. He didn’t want to make things worse for her.

  “Very good, My Lord.” Mr. Howard left.

  Adam followed not long after. When he arrived in the parlor, both businessmen were seated. They both stood up as he entered.

  “Oh, please, sit.” Adam sat down in an armchair across from the settee where they both sat. He grinned, looking between both of them. They had brought the box, with the device in it. They looked worried.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked, guessing that the device had had a flaw of some sort. He leaned toward it, curious to know.

  “There’s a bit of a problem with the device, My Lord,” Mr. Blanville said, tugging on his cravat.

  Adam frowned thoughtfully, opening the box, and taking it out. He frowned as he looked at it. It was covered in a light dust. It smelled like his factory—of fresh tobacco leaves. There was a piece which had broken by the lever.

  “It catches,” Mr. Hunt explained. “So, eventually, it stops working as needed.”

  “Yes, I see,” Adam mused. He set it back into the box. “Not to worry. I will have that adjusted in no time.” He smiled, confident that it would be an easy thing to fix. “I would have been worried if there wasn’t something that went a little awry.”

  “We didn’t want you to be disappointed, My Lord,” Mr. Hunt replied.

  “I’m not at all disappointed,” Adam assured them both.

  They both relaxed visibly. Adam was touched by their concern. He truly had found the perfect people to entrust the running of his company with. Unlike the gentlemen of the ton, they were concerned with how other people felt and were treated. Money was a concern, but not the one which blocked out all other concerns.

  “Has it been a help?” he asked, curiously.

  “It is indeed, My Lord. Production increased, ultimately, by sixty percent,” Mr. Blanville said. “When we implement them across the board Windham Tobacco is going to surpass all of our biggest competitors. Particularly Mr. Sullyard’s, My Lord.”

  Adam beamed. That was better than he had expected. “That’s what I like to hear,” he said, beaming. He whistled. “Sixty percent! We’ll be able to expand Windham Tobacco in no time!”

  “We will begin to look at gaining some more suppliers, My Lord,” Mr. Hunt offered.

  “Yes, do. We may even need a larger workspace,” Adam mused. “And more workers.” His mind was starting to consider other options. There was a larger warehouse for sale on Warrington Street. He would look at it as soon as the device had been implemented.

  “That’s wonderful. Wonderful news,” he said. Both of his men were smiling and nodding.

  Adam was pleased to see Susannah enter, the tray of tea in her hands. She beamed at him. She was a sight for sore eyes. He imagined the day when she would have already been in here, the Countess of Malmore, greeting and entertaining their guests.

  “Susannah!” he said. His joy knew no bounds. He was in love, and his newest invention was a success! He couldn’t believe all that had come to pass over just a few short weeks. Everything had changed.

  “Good day, My Lord,” she replied, setting the tray down. There was the good silver tea service, along with a plate of Mrs. Larson’s freshly baked cranberry scones.

  “Mr. Hunt and Mr. Blanville have just told me some good news,” he told her as he reached for a scone. He took a bite of it. Even the scones tasted better than they usually did.

  “Glad to hear it, My Lord,” she said, smiling warmly. “Can I serve you some tea?”

  “If you would, Susannah,” he murmured. He loved having her name on his lips. He watched as she poured them out some cups. Mr. Hunt and Mr. Blanville both accepted their cups of tea from Susannah.

  Adam thought to himself that the day couldn’t get much better. After all, the device needed only a minor fix. Susannah curtsied and then gave him a smile that was for him alone. She then left. He knew that his eyes followed her. Remembering himself, Adam smiled at the two businessmen across from him.

  Perhaps Father will come around today.

  Everything glittered with possibility. Adam felt like a better version of himself. He had known, all along, that he had the ability to become an inventor. Everyone had told him that he wouldn’t. Especially after the two long years of no progress. He had stuck with it, and now, he had done it.

  * * *

  Susannah entered the lab that night, her usual bucket and cleaning supplies in tow. She was not surprised to find Adam there, his device in front of him. On the worktable, there were a wide array of tools and things. He glanced up when she entered.

  “Is all well?” Susannah asked.

  He sat back in his seat, picking up the part that was broken. Already, he had it off, and was replacing it with another. He showed it to her. She peered at it, curiously.

  “Yes, my love,” he said, gesturing with his hand. “I’m just fixing this part here. It seems that it isn’t durable enough for sustained use.”

  “Will it be hard to fix?” she asked. He seemed so happy that she was relieved.

  “Not at all. It’ll be the work of a quarter of an hour.” Setting the part aside, he stood up, then took her in his arms. He kissed her, gently. She looked up into his handsome face, his almost-golden eyes. Here, alone with him, she felt safe and loved. She opened her mouth to tell him, but was interrupted by the door opening.

  Susannah and Adam both jumped, although he clutched her to him even tighter, before stepping in front of her protectively. Lord Wiltshire stood there. He was dressed somberly in black. His gray hair was combed back neatly from his face. He stared at both of them, a small amount of surprise on his face.

  “That will be all, Mr. Howard,” he said serenely, then he closed the door, gently. “He wanted to announce me, but I opened the door myself.” He stared at them both for a moment, squinting a little, as though attempting to figure something out. Susannah’s heart was pounding, and her cheeks were red. She didn’t know what to expect. His calm demeanor was throwing her off.

  “So,” he said, at last. He folded his hands behind his back. “This is the woman that you plan to marry? Your maid?” His voice was quiet, and he was speaking very gently. Susannah was frozen in fear, her heart pounding. This was not the way to meet one’s father-in-law. Her stomach felt like it was curdling.

  Adam’s fingers entwined with her own. When she looked over at him, he was smiling at her. She relaxed a little. His presence was reassuring, solid. “Yes. This is Susannah,” he explained, though his gaze was locked with hers. “And I love her very much.” The two lovers turned toward Lord Wiltshire, to see his reaction. Susannah’s heart was beating so hard, she worried that it would burst from her chest.

  Lord Wiltshire’s gaze moved back and forth between them. He tilted his head to the side. His eyes were leonine, like his son’s. As Susannah watched him, she noticed that most of his features were like Adam
’s, only older, a little worn from time.

  “Well, what have you to say for yourself?” he asked, his gaze settling on Susannah. “Are you seducing my son in order to get his money?”

  Susannah gasped, her heart flipping in her chest. She felt the comment like a slap.

  “Father!” Adam hissed. Lord Wiltshire waved him off.

  “Let her speak,” he said.

  “No. I would never.” Susannah clutched her apron in her hand, twisting it nervously. Her other tightened around Adam’s. He squeezed back. She felt reassured.