Once Upon an Earl_Heirs of High Society_A Regency Romance Book

by Eleanor Meyers

  She slowly released her hold on his jaw, the rough strands of his beard scraping her fingers.

  He pulled his arms away from her as well, and just as slowly. His hard gaze set in confusion. “I must appear different to you.”

  “Yes.” That was true, though it wasn’t the reason she was stunned. Her actions had been inappropriate. What must he think of her?

  He lifted a brow. “I hadn’t known you cared so much for me, my lady.”

  She took a step back and swallowed as she wiped away a tear. Her enthusiasm hadn’t been for him, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t happy he was all right. “I’m… so very glad you’re… you look well...”

  He continued to watch her, until his mother shouted, “Mark!”

  His expression changed to relief, and Samantha watched as his face split into a smile. It transformed him, and she wondered why he hadn’t smiled more often. He grew less himself as he wrapped his mother in his arms and spun her in the air.

  Lady Selby laughed and then wept as she clung to her only child. “Mark. My son. I thought. I...” Her weeping became great, and Mark settled her onto her feet as he tried to comfort her.

  “It’s all right, Mother. I’m here. I’m right here. I’m alive.” He was still holding her, the pride he’d worn like a breastplate, denting with her every tear.

  Lady Selby gave a great many nods, but it was clear she had no plans of letting go of Lord Selby anytime soon.

  Sam went over to Lady Brandell, who’d stopped on the stairs at the sight of Lord Selby’s reunion with his mother.

  “Where’s Mr. Smith?” Lady Brandell asked.

  Sam took her arm, needing a source of comfort herself, as Lord Selby lifted his head.

  “He’s gone to London. He’s taking my cousin to a magistrate. I must meet him there.”

  Samantha let go of the breath she’d been holding, and of Lady Brandell’s hand.

  “I’ll come with you,” Lady Selby said.

  “We’ll all go.” Lady Brandell started for her rooms, but then turned back around and said, “I’m very glad you’re alive, Mark. You’ll never know how much.”

  Lord Selby smiled and nodded at her. “Thank you, my lady.”

  Mrs. Weston came out and directed Lord Selby and his mother to the drawing room so that they could talk, and Sam went to her own rooms to prepare for the journey back to London.

  She was slightly irritated that Nash hadn’t returned to her, though she knew he had a job to complete, a promise to keep to Lady Brandell. Hopefully, he found enough evidence to have Lord Brandell and Mr. Reed put away, as well. She let those thoughts consume her as she readied herself.

  An hour later they were in the carriage. Lord Selby sat by his mother. Lady Brandell was at Sam’s side.

  Lord Selby looked Lady Brandell and said, “My mother told me what you did for her, finding Mr. Smith, believing her worries. I can never repay you for what you’ve done.” His gray eyes were as warm as his smile.

  Lady Brandell couldn’t help but return it. “You know your mother and I have been friends for years. You’re like family to me, Mark. I’ll always do what I can to protect you.”

  His smile brightened and then it turned to Samantha. “My lady…” The smile fell away. “My mother told me that you gained the address to the inn from Lord Brandell. I…”

  “Let’s not make much ado about nothing, my lord.” She put on a smile. “Anyone would have helped if they could.”

  “No.” He was holding her eyes fiercely. “They wouldn’t have. If there is anything I could ever do for you—”

  “There’s nothing,” she said quickly. “I’m only glad that Lady Selby is happy.” She looked at Lady Selby, no longer able to meet Lord Selby’s eyes. He was different than before, and it was… unsettling.

  Lady Selby smiled at her. “You’re a gem, Samantha. The truest lady there ever was. I wish you were my daughter. It would warm my heart to have you as part of my family.”

  Samantha’s heart squeezed, and tears glittered in her eyes. She missed her own mother so much. Love had stopped for her, once she’d died. Now she was surrounded by so much of it. “A friend once told me that those who care for you are your family, so it would seem we’ve a bond already.”

  The two women stretched out and held hands for a long moment before pulling away.

  Samantha sighed and turned to look out the window, but her eyes drifted to Lord Selby and found him to be watching her again, and this time with an intensity that was unnerving. She never should have touched him. She all but threw herself at him. Surely, he thought her worse than a light skirt after this morning. Her reputation couldn’t get any worse.

  His eyes moved over her, and Samantha blinked in surprise. He hadn’t looked at her since their first meeting, so having his eyes now made her feel odd. More than ever she wished to disappear.

  She looked out the window then and closed her eyes, intending to ignore the tension that was growing between them.

  They arrived in London before dark, and Lord Selby didn’t stop at his home to change. Instead, the entire group went to the government offices, and found a large group of men crowding the door. There were shouts ringing and the soldiers were working to create peace.

  Lord Selby ushered the women in, and at the sight of him the men quieted and took in his rough appearance.

  “Lord Selby?” an older gentleman asked as he moved out of the way to make room. At the end of a hall was a man who wore a gray wig. The local magistrate, and Nash was standing beside him, his face etched with anger. But at the quieting of the hallway they both turned and looked at Lord Selby.

  The women gasped as it was only then they realized Nash was chained. A soldier stood behind him holding him.

  Samantha struggled to breathe, and Lady Brandell grabbed her before she could go to him. This was all wrong.

  Nash stared at Samantha and though his anger didn’t completely vanish, she saw some of it drain from him. More than anything, she wanted to run to him and throw her arms around him, as she’d mistakenly done to Lord Selby that morning.

  The viscount’s hand suddenly settled on her lower back, making Samantha jump as he pushed the group of women forward.

  “My lord,” the magistrate said once they were close. “This man, Mr. Smith, claims your cousin kidnapped you, and while the Duke of Iverstone has already come forward as a character witness, Mr. Ogden brings up the point that he’s a criminal, and was previously imprisoned for the crime of murder.”

  There were whispers amongst the crowd.

  A storm gathered in Nash’s gaze once more. His muscles tightened with aggression.

  “Preposterous accusation,” Lady Brandell said.

  “’Tis not an accusation, my lady,” the magistrate said gravely. “Mr. Smith lived in Newgate for a period of six months.”

  Brandell’s eyes widened and she turned to Nash. “Is this true?”

  Some of Nash’s anger fled again. He opened his mouth to speak, but the soldier behind him shook him. “Don’t address the lady.” His words were hissed in an ugly tone.

  Voices rang out again. They were asking for Nash’s arrest. His hanging. Everyone, but four men she noticed to be standing not far from Nash.

  “You’ll be paying for the any mistreatment of Mr. Smith,” a large Scotsman said. He was older and distinguished, and Sam thought him to be Lord Iverstone, and likely the only reason Nash hadn’t already been imprisoned. The other three men behind him favored him, and Sam thought them to be his sons.

  The soldier who held Nash gave the duke a look that said he held all the authority at the moment.

  Sam placed her hands on her cheeks in horror. How could they do this to him? Why wouldn’t they believe him? She stepped forward, but Lord Selby placed a hand to her stomach that kept her from moving forward. Then he took a step himself. “Sir, where is my cousin?”

  The magistrate frowned. “We let him go, of course. His grandfather was a viscount and your cousin. So, you
understand there to be no way that he—”

  “He did,” Lord Selby said. “My cousin kidnapped me in an effort to take my title and if it wasn’t for Mr. Smith, I’d likely be dead.”

  There was a collective gasp.

  The magistrate, who looked rather young underneath the gray wig, if one looked hard enough, frowned. “Are you certain, my lord? Perhaps, if you rest and…” He looked Lord Selby over. “Saw to your personal grooming, you’d recall differently—”

  “I think I would know the man who chained me in a room for three weeks,” Lord Selby said with heat. “You let the wrong man go. Mr. Smith is innocent, and should have been treated like the hero he is, when he came here today.”

  There were murmurs.

  The magistrate shook his head in disbelief and then turned to Mr. Smith before looking at Lord Selby again. “But, my lord. You didn’t hear the things he said. He not only accused Mr. Ogden of crimes, but also Lord Brandell and a Mr. Jeb Reed, who’d I’ve been given many a character report from the men who stand about you.”

  Lord Selby looked around the room and said, “I know nothing about Lord Brandell’s involvement, only that any man connected to Mr. Jeb Reed is likely taking part in their own crimes.”

  That made the entire room fall into silence as the gentlemen began to look from one to the other. Some kept their eyes low. Samantha turned around to see Nash staring at her.

  There was so much she wanted to say to him, but couldn’t, but she lifted her hand and touched her heart.

  His eyes followed the movement, and stayed where her fingers rested for long moments until his name was said.

  “Let’s go into my office,” the magistrate said, and then turned to the soldier. “Unchain Mr. Smith and all the men who came with him, then have the soldiers search for Mr. Ogden and Lord Brandell.” He looked at Lord Selby. “If you would like to go home, and see yourself to rights.”

  “I’d like to finish this now.” The viscount glared at the soldier who unchained Nash and then turned to his mother. “Wait here. I don’t want you far, since Oscar could be anywhere.” Then he turned to Lady Brandell and Samantha. “I would like you both to stay as well, and you’ll move into my residence until the two men can be found.”

  “Your residence?” Samantha asked.

  He stared solely at her. “If Lord Brandell is guilty, I am duty bound to give you shelter until this is over. Promise me you’ll not leave.”

  She had no intentions to leave. Nash was here. “I won’t.”

  His look softened and then he turned and stepped into the room with Nash and the magistrate.

  * * *

  26

  CHAPTER

  TWENTY-SIX

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  “Once again,” the magistrate asked. “Explain to us Lord Brandell’s part in all of this.”

  Nash closed his eyes and rubbed his temples with his fingers. It was either that or he’d wrap them around the magistrate’s thin neck. “As I’ve already said, Lord Brandell told Mr. Ogden that Mr. Reed was the man to arrange the kidnapping of Lord Selby, because Mr. Reed has a past of doing misdeeds.” He opened his eyes just as the magistrate turned to Lord Selby.

  “And you believe this to be true?”

  The office was done in dark hues, but was well lit, leaving every man’s expression clear.

  Selby sighed and placed his hands on his knees. Leaning back in his chair, he said, “Mr. Reed was definitely involved.”

  “But as for Lord Brandell’s connection?” the magistrate asked.

  Selby looked at Nash and said, “My cousin never mentioned Lord Brandell, but I do believe Mr. Reed is guilty of numerous crimes.”

  Nash closed his eyes again. “Why not arrest Lord Brandell and ask him yourself?”

  “Because, Lord Brandell is one of the most dignified members of Society,” the magistrate said with a scowl. “I will not drag a man here as though he is guilty on the word of one man.”

  What he meant was the word of a commoner or even a former criminal. It frustrated Nash to no end, and made him wonder why he ever tried to do the right thing, when no one seemed to care. He’d saved a man’s life and had been arrested for it. If he was such a killer, why hadn’t he murdered Mr. Ogden? That question didn’t seem to matter to the law. Nash had been guilty at birth. Would there ever be any justice in the world? His uncle had killed both his brother and his wife, but Nash didn’t mention these events, since no one wished to believe Lord Brandell capable of anything.

  They’d been talking in circles for the last hour. Selby had spoken of his time in the country. Nash had shared how he’d found him, leaving out Samantha’s note that contained the inn’s address. He didn’t want her involved any more than she already was.

  Nash pulled in a breath. “Mr. Reed has been Lord Brandell’s assistant for over twenty years.”

  “That doesn’t make Lord Brandell guilty,” the magistrate said.

  “It doesn’t make him innocent, either,” Lord Selby said.

  Nash gave him a look of thanks.

  There was a knock on the door and then a soldier came in. Nash was surprised to find him holding a chained and enraged Mr. Ogden.

  “We found him at Lord Brandell’s house, seeking shelter,” the soldier said.

  Nash stood, as did the rest of the men. Then he pointed to Mr. Ogden. “You see? He seeks asylum at the Earl of Brandell’s home. They’re both guilty.”

  “No,” the soldier said, gaining everyone’s attention again. “Mr. Ogden was denied entrance into Brandell’s home.”

  The magistrate gave Nash a withering look. “It would seem the two are not the friends you thought them to be.”

  Nash shook his head and then narrowed his gaze at Ogden. “You told me Lord Brandell helped you.”

  “No, I didn’t.” Mr. Ogden straightened. “I told you I did it all on my own.”

  “Then how did you find Mr. Reed to assist you?” Nash asked.

  Mr. Ogden shrugged. “I asked around. It’s easy enough to find what you’re looking for.”

  “Did you find Mr. Reed?” the magistrate asked.

  The soldier shook his head. “We’re still looking for him.”

  “Did you speak to Lord Brandell at all?” Nash asked.

  The soldier looked down at Nash from his place at the door. “Only to inquire about Mr. Reed.”

  Nash held himself still, for fear he’d throw something across the room. “Are we done here?”

  “Only if you don’t do anything that will have you in my chambers again,” the magistrate said. “You may leave.”

  Nash didn’t bother to remind the man that the only reason he was there, had been to do good. That wouldn’t matter. He slipped past a grinning Mr. Ogden, and started for the doors ahead.

  Samantha stepped into his vision and he stopped. “Nash.” She touched his arm. “I’m so sorry about what they did to you.” She moved closer.

  He stepped out of her reach. “Stay back,” he whispered. Her reputation was already bad. This was not the place. Lords and papermen still stood around, waiting to know what would happen.

  Sam seemed struck by his words and frowned. When she opened her mouth to speak, she was cut off by Lord Selby.

  “Let us get all of you home.” His mother and Lady Brandell were with him.

  Nash turned to his mother. “Where will you be staying?”

  “With Agnes.” Lady Brandell touched him then, grabbing his shoulders tightly. “You shall overcome this.” The touch and the words took a weight off his chest. She’d not given up on him, not turned her back, when she should have.

  Lady Selby looked shy, but she also touched him as well. “Do come over tomorrow. I’d like to have the chance to properly thank you.”

  Nash nodded.

  Lord Selby was called by the group of men by the door, friends, and those who would print the story in the newspaper. Eve
ryone wished to know what was taking place. “Let’s leave.” He placed a hand on Samantha’s back and Nash stepped forward to stop him, but then gained ahold of himself. He was only helping her. Selby had another arm around his mother as he started for the door.