by Fanny Finch
“I have an objection,” a ragged yet familiar voice answered.
Shrieks came from some of the women standing closer to him. Evelyn remained speechless. It was a ghost. It had to be. It could not be him.
He is dead. What game is my mind playing on me?
Evelyn’s head began to spin. Her heart galloped like a horse on derby day, and suddenly, her knees felt weak.
It cannot be. It cannot be.
“Jonathan,” she breathed in realization as the world fell into darkness around her.
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Chapter 1
The cold was finally starting to leave, but a sudden burst of wind made Alice shiver. Tightening the shawl around her shoulders, she unconsciously sank further into the bench from where she looked over the small garden behind the townhouse.
“What are we going to do now?” Josephine asked, the worry trickling in her voice.
“I’m not sure,” Alice confessed.
It had been her duty for eight years to have answers to Josephine’s questions. For eight years, she had tried to calm her sister’s worries.
After their mother had died, it had fallen to Alice, a child of merely twelve years then, to care for Josephine. With five years between them, the Earl of Drakemyre had expected his eldest to do her part.
“I never imagined this would happen,” Josephine said, her eyes bloodshot and wet, her nose cold and red.
“Nor did I. But father is gone now. Despite everything that has happened, we needed him. And now I am not sure what to do. But I promise you this, I shall make every effort to take care of you,” Alice promised, although it felt hollow. Making a promise that she likely could not keep was done only for the sake of cold comfort.
“Are we expected to pay his debts?” Josephine asked.
The question hung in the air. For three days, neither woman dared to ask it. It seemed insensitive somehow. Was a young lady in mourning allowed to worry about such things?
Alice had been trying not to think about it. She didn’t want to acknowledge the debts. If she pretended they did not exist, she would not have to take responsibility for tracking down those owed by their father. She would not have to find out just how much he had borrowed.
Ambition was a blessing for many, but to their family, it had been a curse. The Earl of Drakemyre had fallen time and time again for his quests for fortune. But wealth had continued to allude him in that he had only his inheritance and position to show for it.
Every conquest he attempted seemed to fail. And now his daughters were left to clean up after each of them.
“I think it is possible. They have not come back to me yet to discuss it, but it will likely impact our inheritance,” Alice answered.
“I thought as much,” Josephine sighed, her shoulders slacking beneath her loose, black hair.
Alice looked at her sister, a mirror of herself. The same black hair, the same hazel eyes, the feminine form of their father’s chin. They had so little of their mother in their appearances, but they had all of her heart.
“Don’t worry, Josephine. We’re going to be alright,” Alice said, trying to encourage her sister.
She placed a hand of comfort on Josephine’s shoulder and gave a brave smile. Trying to convince herself that they really would be alright, Alice made every effort to turn cheerful.
“Will Charles help us?” Josephine asked.
“I’m certain that he will,” Alice answered, too quickly.
In truth, she had no knowledge as to their cousin’s intentions. Now that he was to inherit the estate and their father’s title, Charles could do whatever he wanted.
He had been helping their father, which gave her a bit of comfort. At least he had shown respect for the Earl. In addition to being overly courageous as their father had been, Charles had been trying to help him through the debts.
Bearing all of this in mind, Josephine hoped that they would be shown a similar grace.
“You don’t think that he’s going to kick us out, do you? Now that he has the estate?” Josephine asked.
“I honestly don’t know. He may do as he pleases. But we shall not end up homeless. I promise you that. You know that I am going to ensure that you are looked after, Josephine. Please, do not worry yourself on that matter. There are many other things in this world to be concerned about and this is the last of them,” Alice said.
“But how can it be the last of them? If we are forced into the street, of course I ought to be worried,” Josephine said. “So should you.”
Alice glanced away again. So much for all of her attempts to bring encouragement to her sister. Josephine was willing to admit what even Alice wasn’t.
“Yes, I suppose that’s true. But I don’t like to think of it. Our cousin will take care of us, he has to. As the new Earl of Drakemyre, he will want to have a good reputation. He will look after us,” Alice said, more to herself than to her sister.
“What if he tries to marry me off to one of his friends?” Josephine asked, worry peppering her voice.
That truly made Alice smile and she looked at her sister with a hint of amusement.
“Don’t worry about that. I have to marry before you do and you know that I should never allow him to trade you like that. You haven’t even entered society. I promise, you will be kept safe from having to marry any of his friends for now,” she promised.
Josephine did not appear convinced. Her hazel eyes shone with the same fear and anxiety that they had for days. It was almost enough to make Alice wonder if her cousin would really do that.
As two unmarried young women, they were certainly at risk for someone trying to use their desperate situation for their own gain. More than likely, the offers would begin soon, coming from men who knew that the young ladies had so few other choices.
But Alice tried to maintain her confidence. She could avoid all of that. She could make certain that Josephine wanted for nothing. She simply hadn’t yet determined how.
With nothing else but worry between them, Alice wrapped an arm around Josephine’s shoulder and pulled her close. Her sister leaned in, accepting the bit of comfort.
“I just don’t know how it all came to this,” Josephine said, her voice betraying the tears that threatened.
“Me either. But we are going to figure it all out. We have to. And we will. I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Have I ever let you down?” Alice asked.
“Never,” Josephine sniffed.
“And I never will. We may not have Father anymore, but we have each other. You are not going to live a life that wants for anything. I will make sure that you are provided for,” she declared again.
Josephine nodded against her, accepting the consoling comments. Even if Alice didn’t know how she would live up to her promises, she knew that she would find a way.
She would always find a way to take care of Josephine.
The door from the townhouse opened behind them and the two young women turned.
“Lady Addington? Your cousin is arriving. I thought I ought to let you know,” Miss Stafford said, softly.
The housekeeper had been immensely caring in the midst of their tragedy. Alice was always grateful for her, but these days it had been a step above and beyond. A bit of kindness when they needed it the most.
“Thank you, Miss Stafford. We are coming,” she said, releasing Josephine from her grasp.
They stood and followed Miss Stafford inside, where the warmth hit them in the loveliest of ways.
“Right, let us greet him when he reaches the door,” Alice instructed, wanting to continue instilling proper etiquette in her sister.
When they reached the door, Charles was just entering.
“Ah, my cousins,” he greeted, kicking the crusted dirt from his boots.
Alice tried not to cringe. The dirt must have bee
n there for at least two days since the last rain. It would have been nice if he had cleaned them prior to entering the home he was inheriting.
The home that had been theirs all their lives.
“My lord,” the young women greeted in unison, curtseying before the new Earl.
Charles held his head up high in a display of pride that he now had such a tremendous position. Indeed, he had known for some time that he would inherit the title from his uncle, but now that it was his, Alice saw that he wore it well.
“I am glad to come and see you both. Are you well? I know this is a most grievous time for you,” he said.
It was a polite thing to say and it gave Alice some comfort that he might be good to them. In truth, she had not known him all that well and few people had ever spoken of his reputation.
When they had been young, there were times that they played together as children, but as they aged, he had far more important matters as a young man. Since then, Alice knew him only for the work he did with their father.
“Yes,” she sighed. “It has been extremely difficult. We know that there are better days ahead, but our father was a good man. We miss him very much,” she confessed.
“I imagine you do. I always enjoyed working alongside him. To know that he is now gone is extremely disappointing. I can only hope to do his name and title honor by bringing further respect to the position,” he said.
“Thank you for that. I am certain you shall do a tremendous job in his stead,” Alice said.
“Well, as it happens, I do have a few matters to discuss with you. May we sit in the parlor?” he asked, gesturing in that direction.
“Certainly,” Alice nodded, giving way for him to lead.
She looked at Josephine who trailed behind, keeping quiet to allow Alice all of the decisions and speaking. Josephine had been livelier in times past, but these days, Alice was concerned for her. There had been too much tragedy.
When all were seated, Miss Stafford brought the tea and they drank it while continuing polite discussion about the weather and the horses at the country estate. Charles commented on the gardens and Alice responded about the gardenias.
In all, it was the sort of conversation that she knew was leading up to something far more difficult.
“Now, I suppose we must attend to the real business at hand,” he finally said.
“Yes, I think that would be good,” she replied, relieved that her waiting was coming to a close.
“Your father and I had been working on a new business endeavor. I am sure he never mentioned it, but the first shipment has just been sent to us from the West Indies,” he told them, only glancing their way now and then.
Alice had not heard any detail of this, but had known that their father had begun a new investment. It seemed as though everyone was trying to get things from the West Indies these days. If it had been promising for so many others, Alice hoped that it would be for them as well.
“What sort of shipment?” she asked.
“Tobacco. The finest tobacco. The region we are working with is magnificent and you cannot imagine what a fortune this will be, should all go well,” he said, reassuringly.
“What is it that you plan to do with it?” Alice asked.
An amused smile played on her cousins lips and she felt the small hint of condescension.
“Why, sell it, of course,” he replied.
That had not been the answer she was looking for, but realized it was not something to bother him for further detail on. Alice knew that he would be selling it, she simply wondered to whom and where and when.
But those were details for the men to work through and she remained confident that Charles knew what he was doing. He had always been bright, from what she remembered. And if there had ever been any sort of reputation she ought to have known for him, it was that.
“What of the money from the sales?” she pressed, realizing that this was the question she truly needed answered.
“Well, there will certainly be plenty of it. You know that your father had a great many debts,” he said, looking as though he felt bad bringing it to their attention.
“Yes, we know,” she said stoically, not looking at Josephine.
“With the sale of this tobacco, those will all be paid off. There is going to be enough that we can still keep the two of you above scandal, the debt collectors will be paid, and there should be enough to have more shipped. That, of course, will allow us to continue going,” he said.
“Continue going?” she asked, needing clarification.
“In the future. Pay all of the bills that will come next. Your food, your clothing, everything. This endeavor shall keep us all afloat. You needn’t worry about anything else,” he guaranteed.
It was quiet when he stopped talking and Alice suddenly noticed the little sounds around the room. The crackle of the fireplace, the ticking of the clock, the creaks in the floor outside the room where Miss Stafford was busy arranging things.
It was maddening to hear those little things when her thoughts were otherwise busy.
“So…” Josephine began to say. Alice saw her sister second guess her words.
“Yes, Cousin?” Charles asked, prompting her to speak the thoughts.
“I only wondered, you will make sure that some of the money helps us?” she asked.
Charles looked at her in surprise and…hurt? As if he could not believe she would even ask the question.
“That is the most important thing of all. I will not leave the two of you to suffer in poverty,” he promised.
Alice felt her sister release the breath she had been holding in. And then she felt her own escaped.
They were going to be alright. Without their cousin, without the tobacco, without his help, they would stand to lose everything.
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About Fanny Finch
Fanny Finch was born in United Kingdom but moved to Denver, Colorado when she was very young. She attended Washington University where she studied for several years and she now lives with her husband and their bulldog.
Upon leaving university, Fanny found a job as a proof reader for a small press. There, she honed her skills and also met and worked with author Abby Ayles, who helped her polish her books to perfection.
But she is also an author in her own right and is working hard to become recognized as such as she starts to publish her own novels through her website. Her genre is in the Historical Regency Romance category and if you like your reading material to be emotionally clean then you will be undoubtedly thrilled by the characters and scenarios Fanny develops.
When she has time to relax, Fanny enjoys listening to opera music and taking long walks in the outdoors. She writes almost every day as well and hopes to produce many more great books in the future. You can contact Fanny Finch through her website, or download a free copy of her books at: fannyfinch.com
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● Last Chance for the Charming Ladies
● A Second Chance for the Broken Duke
● A Fiery love for the Reluctant Duchess