Finding Hope (Mail Order Bride: Brides And Promises Book 1)

by Ruby Hill

  As Jane stepped farther into the room, Agnes immediately wished that she had dragged Alice all the way back up to her chambers before continuing the conversation about Robert. How foolish could she have been to believe that they would not be disturbed or overheard where they were?

  Jane looked between Agnes and Alice and crossed her arms across her chest.

  “Do my ears deceive me?” Jane asked, her tone cold and yet, quite placid. “Or did I just hear that your maid is in love with my brother?”

  To hear it so starkly put, Agnes wondered why she had not been more afraid for Alice from the beginning.

  The color that had returned to Alice’s face was gone once more; she looked as if all the life had drained from her, and there was nothing between her and death’s door.

  “And not just in love, but making advances toward him?”

  Agnes stood to her feet. She was taller than Jane, but she did not feel it as she glared at the other woman.

  “Listen, dear sister,” she attempted as honeyed words as possible, “It is nothing like that. She and Robert have simply–”

  “What?” Jane cut in, her gaze steady and unwavering, her voice even. “Be very careful how you finish that sentence, dear sister, for it could very well mean her demise,” she said, pointing her chin in the direction of Alice.

  Agnes felt her blood turn cold.

  She could see Alice was trembling from her seat. Her back was erect, and she gazed into some far distant place. Perhaps she wished that the earth would simply swallow her where she sat.

  Agnes certainly wished it would, for her sake.

  “Jane,” Agnes began, and she forced as genuine of a smile as she could muster. “I understand your concerns, but truly, Thompson has not done anything wrong. If you feel differently, I encourage you to speak to Robert.”

  “If she has done nothing wrong, what did I overhear?” She snapped her attention to Alice, who still would not look up. “’There is something there. And I know he feels it too. I can see it in his eyes when he looks into mine…’ What was all that, except declarations of love for a man she can never have?”

  Agnes swallowed, unable to answer. So she did hear us speaking…

  Up until that moment, Agnes hoped with every fiber of her being that Jane had simply assumed what conversation had taken place. However, Jane knew heard every word; Alice had very little ground to stand upon.

  “Well, I will not hear of it!” Jane said. Her pretty face had contorted into a look of contempt and almost rage. Her eyes blazed, and she looked down on Alice as if she were nothing more than a pig ready for slaughter. “You will not step into his life and ruin it!”

  “Jane, I–” Agnes began, feeling the words dig into her as if they were directed at her. She could not imagine what Alice must have been feeling.

  “No!” Jane protested. She took a step back toward the door. “No. My brother is a good man, an honorable man. He would never get mixed up with such…squalor!”

  Agnes gaped at her sister-in-law.

  Jane continued. “This sort of behavior could ruin him forever, and it would be entirely her fault!”

  She pointed a pretty finger at Alice, who Agnes saw would have crumbled to pieces if a stiff wind had blown through.

  “No, this will not be!” Jane continued. She grasped the door handle and turned to look at Agnes. “I am going to my father about this. He will see to it that all of this madness comes to an end!”

  “Wait!” Both Agnes and Alice cried out at once.

  Alice was again on her feet, and she, like Agnes, had her hand stretched out toward Jane. The three women looked at one another in surprise, but quickly Jane’s glare returned.

  “So the little whelp speaks,” she said, her eyes becoming like the narrow slits of a serpent.

  Alice was breathing heavy and looked as if she might bolt, like a deer caught in a trap.

  “Jane, this is all just a misunderstanding,” Agnes began quickly. “Surely you cannot mean to take something as small as an admiration for your brother to your father? It is such an innocent thing.”

  “Innocent?” Jane sneered. “This is downright wickedness! My brother would never love a woman such as she. He has far too much sense, too much pride in his family. He would never dare to dishonor his family in such a way.”

  “Now see here,” Agnes said, standing taller. She felt her brows furrow. “I will not have you speak about my servant in such a manner in my own home.”

  She had said the wrong thing; it was evident at once.

  Jane grinned, and she took another step out the door. “Oh, never fear, sister of mine. I shall not linger here another moment. I will return to my own home, where my father will be hearing all about this atrocity!”

  And without another word, Jane left the room.

  Alice and Agnes stood alone in the room, staring at the empty door where Jane had just been standing.

  The quiet was oppressive in her absence, and the only thing that she had left behind was a lingering sense of doubt and fear.

  “You do not think…” Alice began, her voice coming out in a croak.

  Agnes swallowed hard once more, attempting to rid herself of the horrible lump in her throat.

  “I would not put such rash behavior past her,” Agnes replied. “Stay here, dear friend. I shall sort this out. Don’t you worry.”

  And before she had the chance to see Alice’s face, she fled from the room herself. It was a cowardly thing to do, leaving her friend in her time of need, but if there was anything to be done, anything to be said to protect Alice, then she was going to do it.

  No matter if a pretty, blonde woman who had been given the world on a silver platter argued against it.

  5

  The afternoon had turned a dusky shade of blue, and Robert assumed that some storms were blowing in from the east. The wind picked up, and it rattled against the windows of the manor.

  “I’m glad that you are back,” Robert heard from the door.

  He turned to look and found his father standing in the doorway, an easy grin on his face.

  “Well, good afternoon, Father,” Robert said, and the two men shook hands. “I am pleased to be home. Although, I greatly enjoyed the company of my brother and his new bride.”

  “I understand as much,” he said, and he nodded his head. “They have settled in well since we last saw two weeks ago?”

  “Indeed they have. I believe she is making great use of the new riding saddle that you brought when you visited.”

  “Excellent,” his father replied. “Well, now you have a day or so to rest before you are off to London.”

  Robert nodded his head. “I am to meet Lord Garrison on Saturday for tea.”

  His father smiled. “I must say, when you were younger, I did not believe that you would be so interested in history. Of course, these professors are most pleased to be able to help you learn, but–”

  His words were interrupted by the sound of cries from the hallway. The two men exchanged curious glances, and then the sound of quick footsteps on the wooden floor reached them. They sounded insistent, determined. They soon heard a second set of footsteps.

  Robert’s sister, Jane, appeared in the doorway a short moment later, her cheeks bright with exertion, her blonde hair not as perfect as when he had seen her that morning at John’s estate. Her hands clung to the sides of her dress, keeping it up above her feet so she would not stomp on it as she walked.

  Something on her face told him that something was terribly, terribly wrong.

  In the next moment, Agnes appeared over Jane’s shoulder, looking utterly terrified.

  “Well, what is it, dear?” the duke asked.

  Robert spoke at the same time. “Is everything all right?”

  “No, father, it isn’t!” Jane said. She strode farther into the room, and her nostrils flared.

  “Please, Jane, this is not necessary,” Agnes said, looking desperate.

  Both women were obviously out of
breath, for their chests rose and fell rapidly. They both must have rushed over from the manor house.

  “I haven’t even been gone half a day,” Robert said. “What could have happened since I left?”

  Jane’s gaze turned to Robert, and he recoiled. He had never seen that look on his sister’s face, a twisted sort of satisfaction, mingled with fury and fear. A sneer crawled up her face, and if Robert had not known her character, he might have thought she had utterly lost her mind.

  She pointed a finger at him, and he immediately took a step backwards.

  “Father, your son has been fraternizing with a maid!”

  Chaos ensued. The first thing that Robert was aware of was the gripping fear that spread through his body like a wildfire. Every inch of him went numb, and he wondered if his knees might give way from beneath him.

  In that same second, the duke turned to look at him slowly, his eyes wide, his brows arched high. The duke’s mouth hung open slightly, as if this was the absolute last thing that he had ever expected to hear. If Robert was honest with himself, it was the last thing that he had himself ever expected to hear.

  Jane’s eyes burned with anger and fright, and she stood perfectly still, her gaze fixed on Robert, her finger pointed squarely at his chest.

  Agnes stood behind Jane, and as soon as the words had left Jane’s mouth, she sighed, and her shoulders slumped ever so slightly. She looked down at the ground. Her posture told him that she had been too late. And with another start, he realized that she had been trying to stop Jane.

  Does she know too, then?

  “What on earth are you talking about?” the duke asked, not looking away from Robert, though his question was directed at Jane.

  Robert looked back and forth between each of them.

  “Just as I said! He and Agnes’s maid have a relationship! I heard her talking to Agnes all about it!”

  The duke remained silent, but his brow furrowed.

  Robert felt as if the entire room was spinning. Alice was talking about our relationship? What did she say? How could she have said anything, for we have done nothing more than converse!

  He felt sickened. Robert was too invested in this young woman, knowing far well that it would never work. He allowed himself to become too blinded, and now here he was, watching as everything was crashing apart around him.

  And poor Alice…what in the world had he done to her?

  “Is this true?” the duke asked, an edge to his voice that was not there a moment before.

  “No, Father, nothing of the like has happened,” Robert replied, perhaps a bit too hastily. “Jane is mistaken, father, I only ever–”

  “He is lying!” Jane shrieked. “I heard the maid say it herself! She said, ‘There is something there. And I know he feels it too. I can see it in his eyes when he looks into mine.’ What is that, if not a relationship, brother?”

  Robert could only stare at his sister. How could she be so cruel? Did she think so little of him that she meant to sabotage him so greatly? And what was the problem that she had with Alice? She seemed furious about the entire thing. Was her honor so important that she feared her brother’s actions would reflect poorly on herself?

  As he looked into her face, he knew that to be true. She was so afraid of her brother’s actions damaging her chances of a good match that she would cause so much strife internally in order to protect herself.

  It disgusted him.

  “What is the meaning of all of this?” the duke demanded.

  His sister’s rage was reflected in his father’s face, and Robert turned to him.

  “Father, it is nothing. Truly.”

  “Then what was all of this that your sister overheard?”

  Jane took another step toward them. Agnes hung back next to the door.

  Jane said, “I believe that the maid is jealous, Father. I think she hoped to seduce Robert in order to harm the family. She knows he isn’t to inherit as John did. Perhaps she thinks him to be weak and unlikely to find a match. If she were to bed him and give him a child, he would have to–”

  “Enough!” Robert cried. “I will not hear this. You will not speak of the girl in such a manner, Jane. It is unbecoming of a lady.”

  “If none of this is true, Robert, then why do you defend her?” asked Jane with a hint of sarcasm to her voice.

  Robert felt his voice catch in his throat. Ignoring Jane, he turned to his father. “She has done nothing wrong, Father. It was me who sought her out. She was always around, and I discovered that she enjoyed reading, so I simply spoke with her about it on occasion.”

  “So, there is a relationship?” his father asked, his cheeks growing red with anger. “Tell me Robert, are you lying about something? Or are you still standing by your statement that nothing is going on between the two of you? I am very confused about what transpired.”

  Robert licked his lips. How could he be openly honest about his feelings for the woman? There was nothing to be said, aside from the fact that he did care for her, despite the fact that he had tried to ignore the feelings. He was drawn to her, to her intelligence, to her beauty. She intrigued him, and he ignored what he knew was right in order to know her, even as little as he did. What he did know, he greatly admired, and he now feared that he had harmed her more than could ever be mended because of his selfishness.

  Somewhere, deep in the corners of his mind, Jane’s words came back to him, the things that Alice had said. There is something there. And I know he feels it too. I can see it in his eyes when he looks into mine…

  So she had felt it as well. The part of him that would never have believed it, but always hoped it was true, sparked into life at the thought of the words. There was something between them; he had known it from the moment they had met.

  But the world was against them, he knew, a sadness filling him like no other. They could never be together, and it was hard to accept. Robert never imaged that he would find a woman who he was naturally drawn to and relaxed in her presence.

  “Thompson shares many interests of mine,” Robert began. “I have found her to be amiable, intelligent, and thoughtful. I do not think that anyone can fault me for acknowledging a woman’s characteristics, now can you?”

  His father continued to glare at him, and Jane’s fiery rage had morphed into an icy stillness.

  “And yes, I find her quite easy on the eyes. I think anyone would be a fool if they did not think her handsome.”

  “I cannot believe this,” his father replied. “You are the son of a duke, and you’re having a romantic relationship with a servant? It is preposterous!” His father continued to stare at him. “Your mother and I raised you better. Why did you even put yourself in that situation? How could you have ever entertained the idea?”

  “Father, nothing happened,” Robert said once more, emphasizing each word. “She has done nothing wrong.”

  “Silence,” his father spat, rubbing his chin with his hand, his gaze on the floor. “You will not say another word about this. Do you hear me? You will not speak about this again to anyone else.” He looked at Jane and Agnes. “Both of you must remain quiet as well. We cannot allow this to leave this house, or the family will be the subject of much gossip.”

  The duke looked at Robert sternly. “How could you be so selfish? Your actions could have impact on all of us. Do you understand what an embarrassment this is to your mother and me? Not to mention all three of your sisters, none of whom are married.”

  Jane made a sniffing sound of agreement.

  “All because you could not keep your own thoughts and feelings to yourself? You shame us, Robert.”

  Robert’s insides burned with frustration. Was no one listening to him? It was as if he had been speaking to a wall.

  Another part of himself agreed with his father. Yes, shame on me for ever allowing myself to be in this situation.

  “She should be punished too, father,” Jane said. “I do not believe that Robert started it. He simply wishes to protect her.”<
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  “Of course I want to protect her!” Robert retorted. “It is because of me that any of this happened. If I had not been so foolish…”

  “That is a great understatement,” Jane replied, her eyes narrow slits.

  “What has disturbed you so greatly that you have resorted to childish tattling?” Robert said to her, taking a step toward her. They were very close now; he could feel her angry breath on his cheeks. “What have I done to wrong you so much that you choose to bring this sort of pain upon me?”

  “You brought it upon yourself, brother. I simply wanted you to see the error of your ways before someone else did. I have done you a great favor.”

  “You could have brought this to me privately and not dragged Father into it!”

  “On the contrary, she has done the right thing. Now we can prevent this sort of nonsense from leaving this house and filling the countryside! Hopefully the other servants at Bridgewater are not privy to your interactions.”

  “Thank you, Father,” Jane replied.

  If he had been a bear, he would have snarled at her. He turned from her and began to pace the room, anything to keep himself from looking at her.

  “I will not have a rumor circulating that my son is having a romantic relationship with a maid. I won’t! This ends now. Something must be done. Agnes, I am truly sorry that my son has disgraced your household as he has.”

  Robert grimaced as his father spoke.

  The duke continued with a stern expression on his face. “Something will have to be done to relocate your lady’s maid. I am disappointed that you would have brought such a woman with you to your home where she could cause such strife.”

  Agnes appeared startled that she was being addressed. Her face paled, and she bowed. “Yes, Duke. My deepest apologies. I will see to it right away.”

  “Good.” He turned his attention to Robert, who by now was clenching his fists to keep them from trembling.