Protecting Lady Esther: Regency Romance (The King's League Book 1)

by Lucy Adams

  “And even your mother’s locket has been kept safe from harm,” Lady Ware commented, as Esther, surprised that Lady Ware had noticed, reached up and touched the locket. She had worn it unceasingly, ever since the day her father had given it to her, and she had quite forgotten about it until now.

  “I am glad,” Esther whispered, looking down at her father as she brushed her fingers over the locket. “I do hope that he wakens soon so that I can show him that all is well – and that I have worn my mother’s locket, just as he asked.” She glanced up at her aunt. “Mayhap that will bring him a little comfort.”

  “I am certain it will,” Lady Ware murmured, leaving that side of the bed and coming around to Esther. “Come now, my dear. You must rest. Lord Westbrook will return soon, once he has dealt with Lord Hogarth and the other man – I forget his name – and you must bathe, change, and eat before then.” She smiled as Esther rose. “And see, it is already morning!” She gestured towards a chink in the drapes before tugging them back a little more, revealing the beautiful sunrise. Esther took in the scene for a long moment, feeling as though this was the new beginning that she had been searching for ever since the day her father had disappeared. Taking in a long breath, she let it out slowly and nodded to her aunt.

  “Beautiful indeed,” she murmured, letting go of her father’s hand with regret and walking towards the door before the urge to stay by his side grew even more. “We will be informed if there is any change, will we not?”

  Lady Ware nodded, opening the door and revealing two maids ready to come in and take their places by Lord Leighton’s side.

  “We shall hear of it the moment anything occurs,” she promised, leading Esther out of the bedchamber. “But come now, you must rest and eat. Otherwise you will be no good to anyone, and I do not want the doctor to have another to attend to!” She smiled warmly at Esther, who nodded in understanding. After another brief word with the doctor and a good deal of thanks, Esther slowly made her way to her own bedchamber where a bath was waiting for her. She would bathe, change, and rest, she decided, aware of just how tired she was. The desire to eat would come later, once she had been given the opportunity to lie down and close her eyes for a short time, knowing that she would sleep peacefully and without the fear of any nightmares displaying her fears to her as they had done before. Her father would recover, the doctor had said, and it was to this hope that Esther clung. Everything would return to as it had once been, with her father safe and secure once more. There was nothing left for her to fear any longer.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Westbrook.”

  Charles exhaled loudly before shaking Lord Brandley’s hand, seeing how the man’s eyes were heavy with exhaustion. “Lord Brandley,” he said gruffly. “You have returned.” He gestured to his drawing room, where Lord Watt and Lord Riggerton already sat. “Please, do come in.”

  “I thank you,” Lord Brandley muttered, running one hand through his hair before slowly making his way towards the other gentlemen, who all rose to greet him. Charles, grateful that he had managed to have a few hours of rest before rising again, gestured to the footman who held a tray in his hands, which held glasses of whisky and very fine brandy. The footman approached Lord Brandley and then Lord Watt and Lord Riggerton again. Each man took a glass, and Charles himself grasped one also before telling the footman he could go. There was no need for any of this to be overheard.

  “Leadsom,” he began, sitting down in an overstuffed chair and leaning his head back. “What happened?”

  Lord Brandley shrugged. “He has been taken to the Bow Street Runners so that they might keep him under lock and key, although I have left one of our men there also, to ensure that he does not escape or try anything foolish.” He frowned, glancing from Charles to Lord Watt. “He also stated, over and over again, that Lord Watt was to speak to the Prince Regent on his behalf.”

  “That is just so,” Lord Watt agreed quickly, “but it will come to naught. I will tell the prince everything that has occurred, but I do not think that he will consider anything but hanging for a crime such as treason.”

  “We said as much to Leadsom in order to encourage him to tell us what he knew,” Charles explained, as Lord Riggerton began to nod slowly. “Knowing full well that nothing but his life would be demanded for the crimes that he has done.”

  A small silence fell over the group, leaving Charles to think back on what had happened and to feel, again, the same overwhelming sense of fright that had come when he had first heard that Lord Hogarth was no longer serving The King’s League.

  “And what of Lord Hogarth?” Lord Brandley asked, sagging back into his chair and looking towards Charles with troubled eyes. “I know he has been taken to Lord Dallier’s residence, but what will happen to him now?”

  Charles’s heart grew heavy with the weight of responsibility that sat on it. Taking a sip of his whisky, he spread out his hands and looked directly at Lord Brandley. “Lord Dallier is taking responsibility for Lord Hogarth until the time comes for him to appear before the Prince Regent,” he explained, not wanting to go into the confusion and the doubt that had troubled his mind as he had wondered whether or not Lord Dallier was involved with the French and would, therefore, help Lord Hogarth to escape. “It is safest for Lord Hogarth to remain there.”

  “Lord Dallier was very closely acquainted with Sir Taylor,” Lord Watt added quietly, his voice seeming to carry across the room, each word distinct and weighted with importance. “He himself is retired from The King’s League, as Lord Leighton was meant to be, but he could be relied upon to ensure that Lord Hogarth is kept securely.” He glanced at Charles, then shook his head. “I confess that I feared that Lord Dallier might be working against us also, which is a ridiculous fear to have but one that came from the knowledge that Lord Hogarth gave every appearance of being loyal to the Crown but was, it seemed, not so.”

  “That is a burden I think we must continue to carry,” Charles said softly, as every gentleman turned to him. “We have joined The King’s League with the promise that we will serve the Crown and remain loyal to it. Now, for the first time, we have someone who only feigned their loyalty and used their knowledge of us to work against us. They very nearly succeeded as well, had it not been for the strength and courage of Lady Esther.”

  Lord Brandley threw back the rest of his whisky and set his glass down hard. “Then the bonds of trust between us are significantly frayed,” he stated, with a touch of anger in his voice. “If it now appears that we could not trust Lord Hogarth and that he was working with our enemies, what hope do we now have?” He looked from Charles, to Lord Riggerton, to Lord Watt and then back again. “How can we be certain that there will not be another ‘Lord Hogarth’ amongst us?”

  Charles could not answer. The weight of the question rolled onto his shoulders and would not remove itself, for it spoke of the very same fears that he himself had felt lingering on his mind. He thought of Lady Esther, thought of how she trusted him implicitly, and how he himself had come to trust her with his heart. She was loyal to him; he had no doubt about that. He would never even think to question what she felt for him, for it was apparent in almost everything she said and did.

  “I think,” he found himself saying, as a vision of Lady Esther came to the forefront of his mind, “that our trust remains, Lord Brandley. It may be strained, it may be tested, but our past actions prove to each other the sort of gentlemen we are.” He looked around the group, his fears slowly being pulled apart and thrown away. “Lord Hogarth was the first gentleman to ever show such disloyalty,” he continued, seeing Lord Watt nodding in agreement. “This is 1815 and The King’s League has been working together for nearly a decade. Only once has such a dreadful thing occurred, and we must not allow it to shatter what strength we still have. Yes, I will confess that I have struggled to know what to do or where to go from here, but if I think of Lord Hogarth, then I must believe that he is only one dark spot in our history. We must strengthen our bonds of t
rust, gentlemen. The days to come will be difficult, and we may have to have men working together, going out in pairs rather than alone, to ensure that trust is recovered, but we will find a way to do so and we will succeed.” His voice grew stronger now, his resolve hardening. “Lord Hogarth’s actions will not bring down The King’s League. We will fight against the fears that his behavior has brought us; we will refuse to allow a sickness to take hold of our hearts. Instead, we will acknowledge his wrongdoing, his treachery, but we will not let it rip The King’s League apart.” He saw Lord Watt smile in agreement, with Lord Brandley’s expression no longer deeply troubled. “Together, gentlemen, we will rise above this and continue on to fight for our King, for our Prince, and for the good of all of England.”

  “Here, here!” Lord Riggerton exclaimed, clearly emboldened by Charles’s speech. “And may we also find the cipher and prove to the Prince that we are able to achieve what we intend.”

  Charles, knowing now that there was every chance that Lord Leighton would recover, lifted his glass in a toast. “That cipher shall be ours very soon,” he promised, seeing the other gentlemen glance at each other in evident surprise. “Have no doubt about that, gentlemen. Despite all that has occurred, we shall still triumph.”

  “The victory will be ours,” Lord Watt added quietly, lifting his glass in response. “We shall have the cipher, the book shall be understood, and many names will belong to us. And that, gentleman, will be a victory indeed. For the King!”

  “For the King,” Charles echoed, before throwing back the rest of his whisky with the other gentlemen of The King’s League. They had not been torn apart yet, and he would not allow it to occur now. No matter what Lord Hogarth had done, he would not destroy the League. They would rise higher than before, their trust would have to be strengthened, yes, but they would not be destroyed. The future of The King’s League was not in any doubt. They would not be spurned or trampled. They would, as Lord Watt said, have the victory – and what a victory it would be.

  “You have returned, Lord Westbrook.”

  Charles turned around upon hearing Lady Ware’s voice, clearing his throat and inclining his head as she came into the room.

  “I am, Lady Ware,” he answered, uncertain whether or not to inform her that this was, in fact, the second time he had come to call. “How does Lord Leighton do?”

  She smiled, although it did not quite rid the worry held in her eyes. “He appears to be recovering,” she said quietly, coming to sit down in a chair by the fire that burned in the hearth, filling the room with heat that, had it not been for Lady Ware’s tiredness, would have been quite superfluous. “The fever broke early this morning, and since then he has been sleeping peacefully.”

  Relief flooded Charles’s soul. “That is wonderful,” he said fervently “I am very glad to hear it.”

  “And Lady Esther has been doing the same,” Lady Ware added. “I believe she has slept for most of yesterday and again last evening.” One eyebrow rose. “You did call yesterday, I think?”

  “I did,” he confessed, with a quick smile. “But I was informed that both you and Lady Esther were resting, and I did not want to force you to rise and attend me. It was quite unnecessary, I assure you, and I was contented to return home to do much the same as Lady Esther!” He chuckled, as Lady Ware smiled. “But I am glad that both you and Lady Esther have had the opportunity to recover from what must have been a very difficult ordeal indeed.”

  A short silence met his words, with Lady Ware watching him closely. Charles shifted from one foot to the other, feeling a trifle awkward, only for Lady Ware to smile and glance away.

  “Your devotion to my niece is quite remarkable, Lord Westbrook,” she murmured, her expression a little dreamlike. “I cannot help but think that, despite the difficult circumstances and the strangeness of what you and she have faced together, Lady Esther has been blessed by your company.”

  “I thank you,” Charles murmured, a little surprised by Lady Ware’s compliment. “But I believe that it is she who has brought a good deal of blessing to me, Lady Ware.”

  She looked back at him, nodded, and then gestured to a seat. “If you would, Lord Westbrook,” she said, with a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. “There are many things I must ask you, many things I must understand, and I cannot allow another moment to go past without being permitted to ask them.” Waiting until he had seated himself, Lady Ware rose and then pulled the bell, before sitting back down. “Lady Esther will wish to see you, but there will be a short delay until she is ready to greet you. Perhaps we might take tea together, and if you are willing, you might explain all that has occurred? I confess that I do not understand why my brother was so poorly treated nor why Esther was used in such a dark fashion.”

  Seeing the worry in her eyes and the twisting of her hands as she held them in her lap, Charles leaned forward and smiled reassuringly.

  “I would be glad to,” he said warmly. “Although I must be assured of your discretion and your promise of absolute secrecy of what I am to tell you.” He smiled to himself as Lady Ware’s eyes widened, her astonishment evident already.

  “But of course,” she stammered, one hand pressed against her heart. “I shall say nothing to anyone.”

  He nodded. “Then allow me to begin.” He spoke for a long time, aware of Lady Ware’s quickened breath, of her quiet gasps and the shock that ran through her when he revealed the truth about Lord Leighton and The King’s League. He saw her eyes fill with tears as he described how he had found Lord Leighton, only for her chin to lift with pride as he explained that Lord Leighton had remained steadfast and true to the king and had not revealed anything to Lord Hogarth. He then told her all about Lady Esther, although he chose not to speak of how she had gone to The Shrew in search of her father, but simply stated that they had been thrown together one evening and that he had, since that moment, been determined to help her.

  “She knew all that you were doing then,” Lady Ware asked, her voice hardly any louder than a whisper. “She knew that you were in The King’s League?”

  “I did.”

  Charles’s head spun around upon hearing Lady Esther’s voice, rising quickly to his feet as she came into the room. She was more beautiful than he had ever seen her before, for her expression was now entirely free of anxiety and fear. Her eyes were warm as they lingered on him, and he could do nothing but hold his hands out to her, walking towards her and wishing he could hug her tight against him. Were it not for Lady Ware’s presence then he would do precisely that, but for the present, he could not.

  “My dear,” he murmured, taking her hands and pressing one and then the other to his mouth. “You have quite recovered, I think?”

  “I have,” she replied, her voice a gentle touch to his heart. “I have rested for a long time, and I confess now that I feel a good deal better than before.” Laughing, she lifted her shoulders in a half shrug. “I did not mean to sleep for so long however.” A slight blush touched her cheeks, and he smiled, not wanting her to feel any sort of guilt.

  “You needed to rest after all that you had to endure,” he said softly. “There is nothing to concern yourself with, Lady Esther.”

  “Just ‘Esther’ will do, I think,” she said—so that only he could hear. “I believe we are to be permitted such an intimacy after what we have worked through together.”

  His smile spread, and he squeezed her hands gently. “I believe you are right,” he murmured, as a touch of pink spread across her cheeks. “Thank you, Esther. I am very glad to see you so recovered. I have thought of nothing but you ever since I was forced to depart from this house. You have constantly been on my mind.”

  “And I am quite well, as you can see,” she said, reassuring him. “Although I did fear for you.” Her smile dimmed. “Lord Hogarth is…?”

  “He will face the gallows,” Charles said bluntly. “There is nothing that will keep him from it.”

  “I see.” Esther let out a long breath, her shoulders tig
htening for a moment. “I will not say that I am sorry for him, for what he did was more than treacherous.”

  Charles nodded. “He did nothing of worth,” he said, as Lady Ware rose to her feet. “He will face the consequences of what he has chosen to do, and we need not think of him again.”

  Lady Esther nodded, her expression clearing once more. “And now all that remains is to find the location of the cipher,” she said, as Lady Ware touched Esther’s elbow and gestured for her to sit down. “Once my father has recovered enough to speak to us of it, I am certain that he—”

  Her sentence was cut off by a hurried knock at the door. Before Lady Ware or Lady Esther could speak, the door opened and a footman came in, bowing quickly with an apologetic look on his face.

  “Forgive me, Lady Ware, Lady Esther,” he said, quickly, stumbling over his words. “But it could not wait. The master is awake.”

  Charles caught his breath, feeling Lady Esther’s hand tighten on his.

  “He wishes to speak to you, Lady Esther,” the footman continued, with a quick smile in Lady Esther’s direction. “The doctor is present but will be finished with his examination very soon.”

  “I will come at once,” Esther said, already beginning to walk towards the door. “This is wonderful news indeed.” She looked up at Charles, her face lit with a joyous smile that he felt light his very soul. Lord Leighton was recovered, it seemed, and very soon this entire matter would be brought to a satisfactory conclusion. And perhaps, soon, he might be able to speak to Lord Leighton about his daughter, Charles considered, as he followed Lady Esther from the room. For the only thing he desired was to ensure that Lady Esther would be promised to him for the rest of his days so that he might care for her and bring her such happiness that it would fill their every day together. That was the only wish of his heart, Charles realized, his spirits lifting with every step he took, and very soon, his wish might be fulfilled – and what a joy that would be.