Intentions of the Earl (Scandalous Sisters, Book 1)

by Rose Gordon

  “Yes,” she exclaimed. “If it were known I was found in the woods on a man’s lap with my hair all affright and my gown in disarray, it would be dreadful. My reputation would be ruined, my family would have to bear the shame, it would cause my sisters’ marriage prospects to dwindle, and I cannot imagine what would happen to Papa if people thought his daughter was a trollop!” Her tone was laced in real horror.

  He decided not to press her any further and his fingers went back to work on the back of her gown. He was too busy working up the buttons; he didn’t hear anyone approach until he heard Lady Algen’s voice say, “Good evening, Townson. To whom are you playing lady’s maid?”

  Andrew spun around as quickly as he could and realized Lady Algen’s position allowed her to see his face and hands, but blocked Brooke’s turned face. He gave Brooke a light push and turned to step in between Brooke’s back and Lady Algen’s view, doing his best to position himself so she couldn't see Brooke’s face.

  “Yes, it is a good evening, Lady Algen. What brings you out?”

  “I was told that there were some sights to see up in the sky. I didn’t know there would also be some sights to be seen on the path as well. Who is the young lady?” she inquired again.

  They had just made a narrow escape by getting Gateway to agree not to say anything. But if Lady Algen knew Brooke was with him, there would be no chance to save her reputation. Which is what he wanted, wasn’t it? To ruin her reputation? He glanced over his shoulder. She was dressed for the most part. Only a button or two remained undone on her gown, though her hair was still down with a few twigs in it. It would be easy to move aside and let Lady Algen see her and get the gossip going. At least he had saved Brooke the embarrassment of actually being caught in the act.

  No, he was not going to shame her that way. He’d have to think of something else. Lady Algen was a gossip-hungry harpy, and she’d be all too happy to spread this tale and probably spice it up a little. There was no way he’d let Brooke suffer that.

  Just then Andrew reached forward to grab Lady Algen’s arm and escort her somewhere else, Alex walked up. “Andrew, have you seen Brooke? We’ve been looking for her for over an hour, and nobody has been able to find her.” His voice was filled with serious concern.

  Lady Algen’s eyes lit right up. “I think the lost has been found,” she said smugly.

  Alex looked around owlishly, but when he looked past Andrew, his eyes almost popped out of their sockets before he stepped forward and grabbed Brooke’s arm. “What is going on?” he demanded.

  Brooke slowly turned to face Alex. Her face was whiter than a cloud, she was panicking. His heart dropped to his stomach. How could he have ever thought he could go through with this?

  “Nothing is going on,” Andrew answered curtly.

  Lady Algen snorted. “It doesn’t look like nothing to me.”

  “Madam, your opinion does not concern me,” Alex snapped at Lady Algen. Turning back to face Andrew and Brooke, Alex said, “I will have the meaning of this. Now!” His last word came out as almost a roar.

  Andrew didn’t know what to say. Nothing he could say would resolve the situation. It would likely only make it worse. He just stared back at Alex and adopted a defensive stance.

  “Brooke, I'll ask you once and only once—did he force you into this?” Alex’s eyes shifted between Andrew and Brooke as he waited for her answer.

  Brooke looked like she was about to crumble, and all Andrew could think was that he wanted to wrap his arms around her and protect her the way he should have from the beginning. Now it was too late, and it was entirely his fault.

  “You’re hurting me, Alex,” was all Brooke said.

  Alex let go of her arm and stepped away. “All right, now that I’m not hurting you, please answer my question. Did he force himself on you?”

  Andrew thought she was going to say yes. Considering what he'd put her through, he wouldn’t have blamed her for doing so, but she just shook her head, and quietly said, “No.”

  “Alex, I think we should take this conversation somewhere a bit more private,” Andrew said with a glance at Lady Algen.

  For the first time, Alex looked at exactly who was outside with them. With a sharp inhalation of breath, he nodded tersely in agreement with Andrew. “Let’s go inside.”

  The small group made their way to the library. Alex positioned himself to walk between Andrew and Brooke, and Lady Algen followed with a bright and devious smile, probably thinking of what she'd say when she went back inside and how she'd write her article for her weekly newspaper column, Tattle and Prattle.

  When the library doors opened, Brooke marched in and took a seat upon the closest settee. Alex went to a chair and Andrew spun around to face Lady Algen. “Your presence here is not needed,” he declared loudly.

  “I think the young lady is in need of a chaperone,” she retorted as she tried to hedge herself through the library doorway.

  “I don’t think that’s necessary,” Andrew said in a steely tone. “Her cousin is here and he is able to act as her chaperon.” Before letting her have another second to argue, he slammed the door as hard as he could right in front of her squinty face. Knowing Lady Algen wouldn’t let that deter her; he locked the door and tossed the key on the floor across the room for good measure.

  “Nice display there,” Alex said with a sneer. “Are you upset you’ve been caught by the biggest gossip, or are you genuinely concerned about how this will affect Brooke?”

  Andrew swallowed. “I’m genuinely concerned for Brooke’s welfare,” he conceded.

  “Very well, you shall marry,” Alex stated matter-of-factly.

  “What?” Brooke cried.

  “No,” Andrew said sternly.

  “No?” Alex echoed. “How dare you say no? You know as well as I do that in the next fifteen minutes the whole house will have heard this tale, and her reputation will be completely destroyed. If you're any type of a gentleman, you’ll do right by her and marry her.”

  “I cannot,” Andrew replied solemnly.

  “And why not?” Alex burst out.

  Andrew scanned Alex’s face. In all the years they had known each other, the only time he had seen Alex angry was the other night, but that didn't hold a candle to how angry he was now.

  “I just cannot,” Andrew replied baldly, wishing against all odds he actually could marry her.

  Alex sprang out of his chair and stalked over to where Andrew was, pulled his fist back and punched Andrew in the right eye. Andrew briefly lost balance, but quickly regained it. “I’m going to ask you again.” Alex’s voice was a low, angry hiss. “Why are you refusing to do right by Brooke?”

  “I’m in no position to take a wife,” he answered calmly, belying the storm raging in his eyes.

  “If you refer to your lack of funds, that’s of no account,” Alex replied with his normal, nonchalant tone, coupled with a dismissive wave of his hand. “I’m certain Brooke comes with a sizable dowry.”

  “I do not,” Brooke countered stiffly, as she came up off her settee and joined the men in their argument. “Nor do I appreciate you two fighting about him having to marry me. He clearly has no desire to do so.” She shot an accusing look to Andrew then shifted her gaze to Alex. “Furthermore, I'm not a possession to be bartered or traded. You have no business trying to marry me off. I’m not your daughter. You have no authority over me,” she snapped.

  Andrew had to admire her nerve. She had every right to be angry with both of them. They were essentially planning her life for her without considering her feelings.

  “You’re correct,” Alex allowed. “I'm in no position to tell you what to do. Perhaps we should wait for your parents.”

  Brooke’s face went pale as she resumed her seat on the settee. It must have just occurred to her that Lady Algen was running the rumor mill in the drawing room and her parents would shortly join their small party in the library. She sat back and stared straight ahead with a blank look on her face.

>   Andrew felt lower than he ever remembered feeling. How could he have let this go on so long? How was he ever going to be able to finish it? The look of hurt on Brooke’s face was enough to almost make him crack. But suddenly he remembered how she reacted when they were found by Gateway outside and her relief when he said he wouldn’t tell anyone, thus eliminating Brooke’s ruined reputation and hasty marriage to him.

  Lost in his own thoughts, Andrew didn’t register the shaking of the door handles, but was broken from his thoughts when Alex said, “I believe that should be Brooke’s parents.”

  No one spoke as Alex grabbed the key from the floor and unlocked the door.

  In stormed Brooke’s parents, Lady Algen right on their heels. Nothing on earth would make Andrew allow that woman in the library, and without preamble, he slammed the door in her face again.

  “You’re nothing but a no-good scoundrel!” Mr. Banks blustered as soon as the library door was shut.

  Mrs. Banks took a seat next to Brooke on the settee and tried to comfort her, casting a scathing eye to Andrew. “Are you all right, darling?” she cooed in Brooke’s ear.

  “Yes, Mama,” Brooke said brokenly.

  Andrew’s heart twisted yet again. Her eyes were full of tears but she looked determined not to let them fall. She was being so brave in the face of ruination. All of which had come to her at his hands.

  “When is the wedding?” Mrs. Banks demanded of Andrew.

  All eyes turned to him. Mrs. Banks’ full of concern, Mr. Banks’ were angry, Alex’s taunting as if to say, “I told you so”; he could handle all those, but the ones that tormented him the most were Brooke’s. Her eyes that were normally full of laughter and amusement looked shuttered and sad.

  “There will not be a wedding,” Andrew declared in his most superior voice.

  There was a moment of silence before Brooke said, “You see, Lord Townson has no desire to marry me, and I share the feeling.” Her voice was steady and smooth. She lifted her chin a notch, no doubt attempting to show everyone she was satisfied with that conclusion.

  “I will not accept that,” Mr. Banks burst out. He marched right up to Andrew. “How dare you? Do you think she is not good enough for you, is that it? She’s only good enough to provide you with an evening’s entertainment in the bushes, but not to be your wife?”

  “Papa, please,” Brooke begged, her face flaming red.

  Mr. Banks whirled around. “Brooklyn, if you know what’s best for you, you will not interfere in this. This man,” he shouted, pointing an accusing finger toward Andrew, “has ruined your reputation and you're asking me to just let it all go. Think again, Brooklyn. I am not leaving this room until there is a wedding date.”

  “I cannot do that, sir,” Andrew said politely.

  “Why the blazes not?” Mr. Banks demanded.

  “Currently, I cannot afford to give Brooke the life she deserves,” Andrew admitted, though it killed his pride to do so. What else could he say? I’m sorry, sir, I cannot marry your daughter because I made an agreement with a duke that I’d ruin her and drive your family away in order to get my estate back. That answer would not go over well.

  “Poppycock,” Mrs. Banks said. Her face had taken on a more relaxed, almost excited look. “Brooke comes with a five thousand pound dowry.”

  Andrew ground his teeth. How could they dismiss his lack of money so easily? Was this just their way of keeping scandal at bay, or was it his title?

  “Just think, you will be a countess. My daughter, a countess,” Mrs. Banks exclaimed with a happy clap of her hands.

  Her words felt like another punch in the gut. Earlier, Brooke seemed reluctant to marry him at all and now her family was pressing her to do so for the title of countess. It always seemed amazing to him what his title could gain him, and in this case, an heiress was his prize for being born heir to an earldom.

  Fighting to keep the bile from rising up his throat, he said, “Madam, my title is not for sale. A title neither makes a man nor a husband.”

  “You’ve already demonstrated that this evening,” Mr. Banks growled. “You have no integrity or morals that a gentleman of your rank should possess. If you had, you would not resort to seducing innocent girls in the woodwork. Instead, you would ask for their hand in marriage and keep your pants buttoned up in the meantime.”

  “John!” Mrs. Banks exclaimed in horror. “That is a vulgar thing to say.”

  Shame washed over Andrew. It was nothing less than he deserved to be accused of being a blackguard and a cad, but to embarrass Brooke that way was unfair to her, and he wasn’t going to have it. “Sir, I demand you apologize to your daughter for that unkind and unfair statement.”

  “Demand? Apologize? You?” Mr. Banks said with a harsh laugh.

  “Your words were unwarranted. I understand your anger toward me. You can say those things to me alone. You do not need to be so crude in her presence.”

  “Indeed? Are you telling me my daughter has not been exposed to anything crude this evening?” Mr. Banks snapped.

  “No. She has not.”

  “No?” he echoed. “I don’t believe that. I don’t believe you even care what is said or done in front of her. She was nothing but a dalliance for you.”

  “Enough!” Brooke screamed, jumping to her feet. Determination changed her features, making them stronger, as if she were her composed self again and ready to conquer the world. “I don’t appreciate being so lightly referred to as nothing more than a dalliance. I would appreciate it if you two would stop arguing and accept there will be no match between us.”

  “Yes, there will be, young lady,” her father countered. “If you think you will just go to sleep tonight and wake up in the morning with this all behind you, you are mistaken. As we speak, the whole house is talking about you as if you are a common lightskirt.” John turned his eyes back to Andrew. “I will not ask you again. When is the wedding?”

  “There's not going to be a wedding,” Andrew replied firmly.

  As soon as the words had left his lips, there was a shout. “I challenge you to a duel. Tomorrow. Dawn. Name your weapon and second.”

  Everyone’s head snapped around to where Alex was standing by a bookcase and a rolling ladder. Andrew wasn’t sure about anyone else, but he'd been so caught up in the conversation he'd completely forgotten Alex’s presence until he issued the challenge.

  Andrew’s head spun. A duel? Was he serious? Andrew knew it was a possibility this might happen, but he didn’t figure Alex would be the one to challenge him. Besides their long friendship, which he knew this whole situation was about to demolish, Alex was an abominable shot. If he picked pistols, there was no telling how it would all end. He could aim high and miss Alex. But whether Alex meant to or not, there was a very real possibility of Andrew actually being injured, although it would likely be an accident. He wasn’t concerned so much about being killed, but who knew where Alex would unintentionally hit him with that bullet.

  That left swords. But once again, Alex was not skilled in that department, either—probably less so than with pistols. Why did he make a challenge he didn’t have a chance with? Was he trying to get himself killed, or was his mouth working without consulting his brain first? There was only one way to find out. “Swords, and I don’t need a second. You won’t require one, either.”

  Alex paled, but nodded.

  “Stop it, you two,” Brooke said impatiently. “There will be no duel. First, it’s illegal. Isn’t it?” She stopped and waited for her father’s nod of confirmation. “Second, Alex, let’s be honest, you have no sword skills.” She raised her hand to stop him from interrupting. “I know you have your pride and honor and all that, but I saw you fighting with the gamekeeper’s son with wooden swords yesterday and you lost. Badly. Oh, and do not tell me you let him win. You were trying harder than he was, and you still lost.”

  Alex’s mouth snapped shut, and his face went a bright shade of red.

  “There's still one other option left.
I can return to New York,” she said, her voice went high and cracked midsentence.

  “No.” Andrew said. Now it was his turn for his mouth to run independent of his brain’s influence. He didn’t know why he spoke. This was exactly what he’d wanted. What he needed. If they packed their bags and left for New York, everything would work out according to plan. She’d be gone and able to start over in America without this tainting her reputation, and he’d get his estate back and be free of Gateway.

  “No?” Brooke questioned. She looked to Andrew to explain what he meant, but he said nothing. “It’s the only course left open to our family. Nobody over there would know what happened here. My sisters will not be marred by my mistakes,” she said with a sob. “You win, too. You will not have the death of my cousin on your hands.”

  Everyone looked back at Alex, who looked angry and relieved at the same time.

  “We all know he could never survive a duel. Sorry, Alex, but it’s true.” Then she turned back to face Andrew. “Men don't bear the same shame with a scandal such as this. In a few weeks’ time, you’ll be accepted in places I would not be if I were to stay.”

  Andrew watched her face as she said her speech; it changed from composed, to sad, to angry, and then to resigned.

  With as much dignity as a young lady could have in her situation, she swept out of the library, leaving them all in her wake.

  “Wait! Brooke, come back,” Andrew said, trying to grab her arm and pull her back toward him.

  Brooke shook off his grasp and met his eyes. “You don’t want to marry me, and quite frankly, I don’t want to marry someone who does not want me. I will return home in the morning and put this all behind me.”

  Andrew let go of her and watched her walk down the hall, taking his heart along with her. Andrew started at the thought. Did she have his heart? She must or else he wouldn’t have this empty ache in his chest where his heart used to reside.

  He looked back to see Alex, John, and Carolina all standing in a line with identical looks of contempt on their faces.