The Marchioness’ Buried Secret (Historical Regency Romance)

by Ella Edon

  Alexander watched him go, Lady Crawley following quickly after him. He could understand the Earl’s anger over his daughter’s behavior, but it felt like Lord Crawley was cracking down a little too hard. Jane had understood the error of her ways before she did anything and was trying to come to terms with it on her own. Still, everyone around her seemed intent on telling her what she did wrong. It was just going to make her feel even worse than she already did.

  Alexander could understand her plight. He had been there before. Even now, his parents and his older brother kept telling him what he was doing wrong. It just made him want to push back.

  “Father’s a little intense, isn’t he?”

  Alexander spun around. A tall, slim gentleman in his forties was crossing the foyer from an open door to his right. With his complexion and blond hair, there was no doubt that he was related to Jane. An uncle, perhaps? Alexander adjusted his coat.

  “You could say that. I’m surprised he’s still going.”

  “He’s seventy years old and still going strong.”

  “Impressive for this day and age.”

  “Fifty years ago, it would have been a miracle for anyone to reach seventy without becoming infirm.” The newcomer shrugged. “Not everyone is like him, I’m afraid.”

  “You mean not everyone is a cantankerous old gentleman who treats his children like they’re still ten years old?” Alexander snapped. Then he winced. That was not something he should have said out loud. “Forgive me, I do tend to talk out of turn. Force of habit.”

  “But what you said was true.” The other gentleman stuck out a hand. “I’m Robert Malcolm, Lord Crawley’s second son and spare.”

  A strange way to announce himself. Alexander shook his head.

  “Alexander Harrison…” Then he realized what the other gentleman had said.

  Chapter Five

  “Lord Crawley’s son? Lady Jane’s brother?”

  “Yes.” Robert raised his eyebrows. “Why is that a surprise? Am I not attractive enough to be related to Jane?”

  “That’s not…” Alexander had to backtrack quickly. That had not come out as he wanted. “Aunt Elizabeth would be in her late forties by now. I’m guessing you’re near the same age.”

  “She was my twin sister.”

  “But...Jane is my age.” Alexander made a mental calculation. At least twenty years difference, if not more. “That’s a bit of an age-gap between siblings.”

  “We’re a surprising family.” Robert spread his hands. “Jane was not planned. Mother was eight-and-forty years when she gave birth. It was not something we were expecting at all. Mother’s doctor thought she had a growth of some sort.”

  She had had a growth, all right, but of a different kind. Alexander had heard of women giving birth in their fifties, so it wasn’t that unusual. However, something was niggling at him. Something wasn’t quite right about this, and Alexander couldn’t put his finger on it. He decided to let it go. For now.

  “It looks like she’s still treated as a little girl.”

  “That’s what comes with being the youngest by a long way, I suppose. Jane tended to get away with quite a few things when she was a child.” Robert paused. “But not everything. And certainly not when she came of age.”

  “Did your parents know about your sister’s infatuation with her brother-in-law?”

  “Viscount Harrison?” Robert nodded with a sigh. “They knew. Jane’s not exactly subtle about it. She may not have said anything, but you can tell by her actions. It was uncomfortable to watch, to say the least. Mother told her that she couldn’t even contemplate anything with the viscount, but Jane just wouldn’t listen.”

  Alexander smiled. “She’s a very headstrong woman when she wants to be.”

  “Much like all the women in this family. When her mind is set, it’s very difficult to get her out of it. It’s just one of those things.”

  Stubborn to the last. Alexander liked that. Most ladies in Society, especially the younger ones looking for a husband, were supposed to be docile and quiet, do exactly what they were told. They were the easiest ones to corrupt because they were drawn to the forbidden. Alexander liked to corrupt, but he knew when to take a step back. He could judge a lady enough to know which ones would regret their actions and those who were willing to have a bit of fun.

  At least, he thought he was a good judge of women. Marissa Preston had proven that he could be a little off. But Alexander knew one thing about Jane Malcolm; she was not someone he should be around. She could knock his resolve completely off-balance if he wasn’t careful.

  “Jane’s not a bad person, Mr. Harrison,” Robert said. “Just misguided. She’s still young and doesn’t quite understand different kinds of love.”

  “You believe my uncle may had led her on?”

  “No, I don’t. I’ve met Ian Harrison, and he’s a good gentleman. He loved Jane, but like a little sister, while he was devoted to Elizabeth.” Robert rubbed a hand over his head. Already, his hair was starting to thin out at the hairline. “Jane just didn’t understand it. She’s still very naive. She saw Viscount Harrison as something she wanted but didn’t understand that she could never have him.”

  Well, from what Alexander had seen in the few hours since officially meeting the woman apparently obsessed over his uncle, he had a feeling that Jane’s mind would be changing on that shortly. He looked up at the next floor, wondering how Jane was. She had looked like she was close to breaking. That had pained him deeply, and Alexander found himself wanting to be there for her to cry on his shoulder.

  He needed to stop this thinking, or he was going to get into trouble.

  “I think Jane’s learned her lesson now, Mr. Malcolm,” he said.

  “We don’t know that yet, but I’m glad someone has some faith in her.” Robert beckoned Alexander to follow him. Thunder rolled as Alexander put his foot on the first step. “I heard Mother saying you could stay. Come with me. I’ll take you up to your room. It won’t be ready yet, but I can give you a quick tour.”

  “Thank you.”

  At least, Alexander had brought his trunk along. He had planned to take Lady Jane home before taking a room at a local tavern. He hadn’t wanted to intrude, but the storm hadn’t given him much choice. If only he could leave now, maybe he could find a tavern before the storm broke. Then again, maybe he wouldn’t. Alexander didn’t want to risk it. Storms were dangerous things, and he wasn’t callous enough to risk his life or anyone else’s because he wanted to put distance between him and Jane Malcolm.

  This was supposed to be a simple task. He wasn’t meant to find himself wanting to be in close quarters with the lady who had her heart set on his uncle. That was not part of the plan.

  These next several hours were going to be incredibly hard.

  * * *

  Jane was furious. She knew she had done wrong, and she expected punishment, but to be treated like she was still a little girl? That just wasn’t fair! Her parents were getting to the point where they seemed to forget that Jane turned eighteen a long time ago. They had to realize that their youngest daughter wasn’t meant to be subjected to punishments as she had as a child.

  Then again, she had to admit that her behavior had been a little childish. It wasn’t right, and Jane knew it. How could she have become this bitter woman who had blinders on like one of her horses? Jane cringed as she remembered her actions.

  She needed to take a few days to herself, sleep on it, and rethink her approach to everything. She may not like the situation, but Anna Day was now Viscountess Harrison, a title Jane had hoped to have. But Ian had chosen Anna to be his wife, and Jane knew he wasn’t about to change his mind. She still wasn’t happy about this whole thing, but she cared about Ian too much to ruin his happiness.

  Much as she wished it was different, Jane would have to back away from his marriage. Ian had finally found someone to share his life with, and it wasn’t her. She needed to accept that.

  Rachel followed her up to he
r room. She kept trying to talk to Jane, but Jane was not in the mood. She wanted to be left alone while she got over her anger. Rachel was going to take the brunt of it, and that wasn’t fair to her.

  It took a while for Rachel to get the message; it took Jane slamming the door for her friend to understand that she wasn’t needed right then.

  After slamming the door shut, Jane didn’t wait to see if her friend had left her alone. She stormed over to her bed, tugging off her cloak and throwing it on the floor with a frustrated shout.

  This was just not fair at all. If only her parents would just listen to her. Chastising her over something Jane had already scolded herself about was not making things better.

  Jane loved her parents, but they drove her mad at times. Much like now.

  The fire was already lit, burning away nicely. Jane went over and slumped in one of the chairs by the flames. She could feel the heat curling around her legs. Her body had been shivering since waking, and Alexander’s closeness hadn’t made her feel any better. He just made her shiver with something different than the chill in the air.

  Jane had not expected him to stand up for her. From everything she had heard about him, Alexander Harrison was not the type to take your side. He preferred to be the source of the argument. Instead, he chose to defend her. Jane felt as though she didn’t deserve it, and she certainly didn’t need a rake’s sympathy.

  He had to be doing it with an ulterior motive in mind. Maybe to try and seduce her by looking after her interests. That had to be it. People like Alexander didn’t defend those he barely knew.

  Then again, maybe Jane had read too much into the rumors. They didn’t seem to compare with the gentleman who had travelled with her. He could have left her and Rachel to come home alone, and yet he joined them. That had to say something about his character.

  Did it? Jane wasn’t sure anymore. She wasn’t sure about anything. She was getting a headache from trying to think about it. None of it was truly making sense.

  There was a knock at the door and it opened before Jane could snap at whoever was coming in. She stopped when she saw a raven-haired woman put her head around the door, raising her eyebrows at Jane.

  “Am I allowed to come in or are you going to bite my head off?”

  “Claire!” Jane slumped. Thank God it was her. “Come in. I’m not going to snap at you.”

  “Yet.” Jane’s lady’s maid entered the room, closing the door behind her. “But I think I’m prepared for it.”

  Jane rolled her eyes at the comment. Claire Thornton had been with Jane for the last five years and she was very outspoken for a woman of her position. Jane didn’t mind. Claire was a good companion and she could confide in her about anything. Claire never divulged a single secret. Whenever Jane had something she wanted to talk about, Claire was the person she went to. She had to be fed up with discussing Ian, though, and was more than likely relieved that Jane had come to her senses.

  Claire crossed the room to her and knelt as Jane’s feet, taking her hands.

  “I’m glad you got back before the storm started. People in the servants’ quarters have said it looks like it’s going to be pretty bad.”

  “I’ve noticed.” Jane nodded at the window. “I can see it from here.”

  Her side of the house faced east, which made a beautiful picture in the morning when the sun was rising. Now she could see the storm building in the distance. Considering how close the thunder sounded and how close together the sounds were, it wouldn’t be long before it was upon them.

  “I heard your father just now in his study,” Claire paused. “I don’t think angry could cover what he’s feeling right now.”

  “I suppose not.” Jane grunted. “How has he been since I left yesterday?”

  “Storming around the house shouting at everyone. We all kept out of his way.” Claire shook her head. “He and Lady Crawley argued a lot yesterday. Both of them were very upset.”

  “I didn’t realize I caused so much distress for them.”

  Claire sighed. “Often we don’t realize how much everyone around us are affected by our actions.”

  Jane couldn’t agree more with that. A family’s reputation was tainted when just one person made a wrong move. Her parents were old, with only a handful of years left. They shouldn’t be going through all this stress because of her.

  Jane never wanted to hurt her parents, but she had. That made Jane feel even worse. She pulled her hands away and rubbed them over her face.

  “I’ve been a fool, Claire. What I was feeling...I shouldn’t have. Ian Harrison was not mine to have in the first place. He was kind to me, treated me like family even after Elizabeth died, and I saw that as something else. I misinterpreted his kindness.”

  “We’ve told you that for years.”

  “But I thought I knew it all, that I knew what my feelings were.”

  Claire smiled. Unlike her parents, her maid didn’t seem as upset about Jane’s admission. She was certainly more understanding.

  “We’re all like that when we’re young.” She patted Jane’s knee and stood, heading over to the bed. “It’s first love, and we believe it’s all-consuming. The be-all and end-all. Sometimes it can be.” She picked up Jane’s cloak where it had been thrown and laid it on the bed. “When it becomes clear that it’s nothing to do with us, that it’s out of our control, we refuse to let go. We’re under the illusion that we’re going to be with that person forever. Unfortunately, we won’t believe that it’s passing us by and we have to move on.”

  Jane stared at her. There was a tinge of sadness in Claire’s voice. It sounded like the maid was speaking from personal experience. Jane wouldn’t be surprised. There was a part of Claire’s life that she kept completely closed off. They would talk about everything and Claire had shared most parts of her life except those few personal moments close to the heart. Jane had probed her about it before, but Claire always backed away.

  Jane had to respect that, although it did make her curious about what could have happened to make Claire so elusive. She trusted her maid with everything. Why wouldn’t the trust be returned completely?

  “I wish you had been the one to talk to me instead of Mother or Rachel. And, especially Father.” She grumbled as she stared into the fire. She was starting to feel much warmer now. “None of them could talk me down. Not even Robert, and he’s always been able to make me see reason.”

  “That’s what happens when you’re in love and it’s strong. You won’t listen. Besides,” Claire went on as she came back across from the bed, “do you often listen to your mother? I certainly didn’t. And while they rescued me when I needed it, I do wish that I had had a knight in shining armor to rescue me.”

  “Hmm?”

  Jane blinked up at her. Claire grinned.

  “Mr. Alexander Harrison. I saw him being shown his room by Mr. Malcolm just now.” Her maid fanned her face. “He’s very handsome for someone so young.”

  “He’s my age!”

  “He’s still young.” Claire giggled. “I noticed you didn’t comment on his looks.”

  Jane faltered. She was aware that Alexander was handsome. More than aware. Her pulses had only just started to calm down. Now the mere mention of him had her feeling lightheaded again. That gentleman was someone she shouldn’t be having anything to do with, but Jane just kept finding herself thinking about him. That was not good.

  “I’ve heard a lot about him,” Claire went on. She moved to the dresser and began to remove various items, including one of Jane’s evening dresses. “He’s a well-known rake. That young gentleman’s built up a reputation since he arrived in Society three years before. He doesn’t seem to care about it, either. He spends so much time in bed that I’m surprised to see him out of it.”

  Jane could feel her face getting warm. “You don’t need to tell me, Claire. I do know about his reputation. It certainly precedes him.”

  “I’m sure it does. Which is why I was surprised that he was the one esc
orting you home.” Claire glanced over, her eyes twinkling mischievously. “If your friend hadn’t been in the carriage with you…”

  “Claire!” Jane sat up. She was actually suggesting...surely not. “I would never do that with him!”

  “Really?”

  That was when Jane had a flash of an image in her mind. She was back in the carriage with Alexander, and they were alone. He was pulling her onto his lap and kissing her, his hands touching every part of her body. Then his hands went under her skirts and Jane pushed the image away. She would not go there. She tried to stop thinking of what Alexander’s hands would feel like touching her in an embrace.

  No. It was not going to happen.

  “I’m not like that,” she murmured.