by Emma Evans
Nodding, Stephen set his books on the counter, ensuring he had the one that Miss Grace had been reading earlier. His mother was correct in saying that all he could think of was her.
“I need time to think,” he murmured aloud, as the bookshop keeper came towards them, ready to deal with the purchase of his books. “But you are right, Mother. I do not regret anything thus far when it comes to Miss Grace. She has set my world alight and I do not want to let her go.”
Chapter Thirteen
The next two weeks were filled with such delight that Grace felt as though she had been transported to a completely different world where she was free to live the life she had always dreamed of. Lord Larchmont was her almost constant companion, taking her out almost every afternoon and often being asked to stay for dinner, or asking her to go to his home to dine with himself and his mother. It was being remarked upon by almost everyone within society just how devoted Lord Larchmont was to her.
And she was completely lost in it all.
Her own heart had been singing every time they had been together, finally free of the worries and the doubts that had plagued her for so long. She had begun to see an openness to Lord Larchmont that had not been there before and his gentle vulnerability had sparked something in her. She had begun to talk to him in depth about what her life had been like up until this moment, what her hopes and dreams had always been and what she looked forward to in the future. There was not the desire to tell him just how terrible Sarah had been towards her, for there was no longer the urgency to show him the truth about her sister’s character in the hope that he might forget about her entirely and turn to her instead. That was already gone. Lord Larchmont did not so much as glance at Sarah whenever he came into a room where they were both sitting. He greeted her amiably, of course, but there was nothing more than that. He would sit as close to Grace as he could and would engage her in spirited conversation, which Sarah never made any effort to attempt to join in with.
That thought gave her pause, as Grace set her book of poetry down and looked into the small fire that burned in the grate of the library. Her sister had not said very much at all this last fortnight nor had she set any wedding date despite the urging of her parents. Just as the Viscountess had stated, Sarah had not been permitted to attend social functions until a date was set but it now seemed that her sister was more stubborn than Grace had ever believed.
Either that, or there was something quite wrong. She did not know what it could be.
“Ah, there you are!”
The door flew back on its hinges so hard that Grace jumped visibly, seeing her sister storming into the room. Her eyes were hard, her jaw jutting out as she strode towards Grace.
“What is it, Sarah?” Grace asked, fighting the urge to quail before her sister’s angry figure. “Is something wrong? Is it Lord Wilson?” Lord Wilson had not been seen in a fortnight and, although Sarah dismissed it as a simple jaunt with his friends, Grace knew that her parents, at least, had been worried.
Apparently, however, this was not to do with Lord Wilson.
“You are persisting with this association with Lord Larchmont, Grace, and I will not stand for it!” Sarah exclaimed, coming to a stop only a few inches away from Grace’s knees. “It is time for it to come to an end.”
Grace shook her head. “No, Sarah. It is not.” She could not understand where this had come from, why her sister now seemed so determined to put an end to Grace’s ongoing association with Lord Larchmont, but now it seemed that it had come to a head once again.
“You will,” Sarah shouted, her face bright red with anger. “You will have to, for I have discovered something about that family that will force you to do so.”
Something like a heavy stone dropped into Grace’s stomach. “What are you talking about, Sarah?”
Her sister grinned, her eyes dark and expression malevolent. “I have discovered that Lord Larchmont has already fathered a child.”
A gasp escaped from Grace’s lips as she stared at her sister, her whole world beginning to crumble around her.
“He has managed to pass that child—and the lady in question—onto his brother, the second son, with a promise of a large fortune.” She threw her head back and laughed aloud, pointing one finger at Grace. “And you have been taken in by him!”
Grace drew in a shaking breath, her fingers pressed lightly against her temples. She drowned out her sister’s laughter by sheer force of will, thinking only of Lord Larchmont and trying her best to sort out all that she knew about him.
“That does not make any sense,” she said aloud, her voice a little louder than a whisper. “Lord Larchmont would have told me.”
“But he did not!” her sister exclaimed triumphantly. “He kept this from you in the hope that you would never discover the truth. He needs to marry well and he knows that I would not go near him, since I am already betrothed and since I ensure to know every little thing about any gentlemen I consider. And so, he turned to you, my poor, plain little sister. You have lost your heart to him, have you not? And now look at what he has done with it.”
Grace shot to her feet, her eyes blazing with a sudden, furious fire. “I do not believe a word of it.”
Her sister stepped back, the laughter leaving her expression as she stared back at Grace, having clearly expected her to take in everything without question.
“I do not believe what you say, Sarah,” Grace continued, a fierce determination to remain loyal to Lord Larchmont burning deep in her heart. “I know Lord Larchmont and I know that he would not keep something like this from me.”
Sarah rolled her eyes, her lip curling disdainfully. “You mean to say that you have never asked him about his family? That you do not know that he has a brother and that the lady is with child?”
“And I will not believe that Lord Larchmont is the one to father that child,” Grace replied firmly. “You have been nothing but cruel and vindictive towards me since the very moment we both came of age. Why should I believe you now, when you have already tried to separate myself and Lord Larchmont before?” The more she spoke, the more determined she became that what she was saying was true, that what she was choosing to believe was the right course. “I will not trust your words, Sarah. I will stand by Lord Larchmont and choose to trust that he is not that kind of gentleman.”
“I am very glad to hear you say that, my dear.”
A gasp of astonishment came from Grace’s lips, followed by one of horror from Sarah.
“Lord Larchmont,” Grace murmured, hurrying over to him as he entered the library. “How good to see you.”
“Thank you for what you have said of me, my dear,” he murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to the back of her hand. “That has taken some courage.”
Grace looked back at him steadily, taking in his serious yet loving expression. It was as if he was proud of her for what she had said, proud of her for believing and trusting him when he had been unable to refute what Sarah had been saying simply by his absence.
“I thought to call a little earlier this afternoon than I had intended,” Lord Larchmont continued, making his way back to where Grace had been sitting and, waiting until she’d sat down quietly, chose to sit next to her in the large overstuffed chair—although he perched on the edge of it, clearly rather tense. “And it is just as well I did, Miss Sarah, for I was surprised to hear you lay such accusations against me.”
To Grace’s surprise and embarrassment, Sarah did not back down. Instead, she lifted her chin and glared at them both, her eyes dark. “I speak of what I know, Lord Larchmont.”
“No,” he countered at once, his expression grave. “You speak of what you know will hurt Grace the most. I have no doubt that you have gone to great lengths to discover this about my brother and his wife, only to then twist the truth to try and harm Grace’s chance of happiness. Now, why would you do such a thing, Miss Sarah?” He tilted his head just a little and Grace’s gaze was drawn to her sister, finding Sarah’s cheeks to be
a crimson red, her eyes darting from place to place.
“It is not true,” Grace whispered, her hand reaching for Lord Larchmont’s. “I knew it was not true.”
“It is partly true,” Lord Larchmont replied, making her heart sink again. “However, it was my brother’s doing, not mine. I did not know of it until they were married, since my mother had a hand in it all.” He turned his gaze back to Sarah, his fingers intertwining with Grace’s. “I should say, Miss Sarah, I am certain that my mother, the Dowager Larchmont, would be greatly interested to hear the rumors you are trying to spread about me. I think you would find her rather interesting to talk to as regards this matter.”
Sarah opened and closed her mouth like a goldfish, her face slowly paling, and yet Grace did not feel even a modicum of sympathy for her. For whatever reason, her sister had done all she could to stop Grace from finding any kind of happiness with Lord Larchmont and trying to do so by spreading untruths was a serious matter indeed. How glad Grace was that her heart had chosen to linger on Lord Larchmont, had chosen to believe him over anything her sister had said. Whilst she had not known about Lord Larchmont’s brother, aside from him being wed, she did not mind that there was more to their tale than she knew. That kind of thing was always carefully managed and it was quite right that Lord Larchmont did not speak of it, for there was no need to do so.
Looking back at her sister, Grace let out a long, heavy sigh. How she despised the animosity between them! It had not always been there and yet almost the very moment Grace had come of age, Sarah had put up a wall between them. She could not understand it.
“Why have you done this, Sarah?” she asked softly, praying that her sister would find a way to give her an honest answer. “I do not understand why you continue to try and ensure my unhappiness.”
“I am the one who deserves the attention,” Sarah snarled, her fingers digging into her gown as she clenched them in her lap. “Not you. You are to come second.”
“But you did have all the attention, Sarah,” Grace replied quietly, her heart aching for all the times that she’d felt so far away from her sister. “I don’t understand why you would continue to do such a thing simply because I have a suitor.”
Her sister twisted her head away, her anger and fury still apparent.
“Is it perhaps because you did not wish to let your sister find the happiness you could not?”
Lord Larchmont’s voice broke the sudden, strained silence and, surprised, Grace looked at him, a slight frown on her face.
“I know about Lord Wilson, Miss Sarah,” Lord Larchmont continued, glancing down at Grace with a small, sad smile. “It is all over Whites although I believe you are to be given the opportunity to cry off first. No one will blame you. In fact, I believe society will only sympathize with you. In time, you will have all the attention you crave, all over again.”
As Grace turned to her sister, not understanding what Lord Larchmont was saying, she saw a single tear fall from Sarah’s eye and track down her cheek. Her heart lurched.
“What is it about Lord Wilson, Sarah?” she asked softly, looking from her sister to Lord Larchmont and back again. “Is this why you have refused to set a wedding date? Is this why Lord Wilson has been absent of late?”
Lord Larchmont nodded, although he did not say anything, looking towards Sarah instead.
There was a long, pronounced silence.
“Lord Wilson has chosen to try and elope with a young lady,” Sarah muttered eventually, her face still turned away. “That is all.”
Grace gasped, her heart suddenly wrenching with sympathy for Sarah, even though she had been the cause of a great deal of pain of late.
“That is not all, Miss Sarah,” Lord Larchmont replied firmly. “Lord Wilson did not try to elope, he tried to seduce and capture a young lady who he thought was eager for his attentions, only for the young lady to scream and alert the household. He is in disgrace, for the lady in question was quite shaken and, under the circumstances, her father is refusing to allow him to wed her in order to save her reputation. The young lady’s name is being kept as quiet as possible for her sake, but every gentleman in London appears to know what Lord Wilson has done.”
“No,” Grace breathed, staggered by what she had heard. “No, that cannot be true.”
“But it is,” Sarah snarled, rounding on her. “And here you are, having been in the shadows for so long, finally managing to find what I could not.”
Grace, barely able to find anything to say, swallowed the hard lump in her throat as hot tears came to her eyes. “And this is why you have been so cruel to me of late, is it? You have always tried to push me down and push me away but when Lord Larchmont began to pay me close attention, you became jealous.”
“Lord Larchmont was always meant to have eyes only for me,” Sarah replied furiously. “And you took him away. Perhaps now, with Lord Wilson gone, I might have had the opportunity to catch Lord Larchmont again for myself.”
They were speaking of Lord Larchmont as though he were not right there, sitting by Grace’s side with his hand in hers. Grace did not know what to say, struggling to find a way to make her thoughts and feelings clear.
“Miss Sarah, I’m afraid that it was never love that I felt for you,” Lord Larchmont said quietly, as Grace closed her eyes to stop her tears from falling. “I realize now that it was nothing more than an infatuation with your beauty, for I knew nothing of your character. What I see in Grace is a beauty that is both inward and outward, and it is that which has captured my heart. Even with Lord Wilson gone, I feel not the slightest urge to go to you again. I care for no one but Grace.”
With a scream of frustration, Sarah threw herself to her feet and stormed from the room, angry tears falling like rain down her face. The door was slammed shut, hard, and even though it was closed tight, Grace could still hear her sister’s weeping as she ran down the hallway.
“I cannot help but feel compassion for her,” Grace said slowly, her eyes lifting to Lord Larchmont’s. “Despite everything she has done, the way Lord Wilson has disrespected her and their engagement must be more than a little difficult to accept.”
Lord Larchmont sighed heavily and patted her hand. “That is just like you, Grace. Your heart is soft and open, caring for those who have done you ill. I swear there is not another lady like you in all of England.”
Grace looked over at him and saw the care lining his face, seeing that he was sorry for what Sarah now had to face, even though she had tried her utmost to speak ill of his family.
“I think you have the same compassion within you, Lord Larchmont,” she replied quietly. “Goodness me, what a muddle this has all been.”
He smiled at her and took her hand tightly in his, so that he could lead her towards the window.
“And yet one thing is perfectly clear,” he replied, looking out of the window down into the gardens. “Through it all, through the haze and the confusion, one thing has shone with such a bright intensity that I cannot help but see it.”
Her heart quickened. “And what is that, Lord Larchmont?”
His eyes were warm as he looked down at her. “There is you, my dear Grace,” he said softly, letting one finger curl under her chin so that she could look deeply into his eyes. “And there is what I feel for you.”
Warmth pooled in her core as his other hand settled on her waist, his breath tickling her cheek.
“I believe myself to have fallen in love with you, Grace,” he said honestly. “It is not a feeling I am used to but I have been assured that this is what love feels like.”
She could hardly breathe, her hands resting gently against his chest. “What does it feel like, Larchmont?” she managed to say, her voice barely louder than a whisper. “Tell me what you feel.”
He sighed and rested his forehead gently against hers, sending a shiver down her spine. “I feel everything, all at once. I feel as though I cannot be without you. Whenever we are apart, my mind is caught up with you, forgetting about eve
ry other. I have become forgetful, lost in daydreams of you and me. My every thought is of you. I find myself scouring the bookshelves, wondering what you might like. I lie in bed and reflect on our conversations, a smile on my face as I do so. When I see you approach, my breath is gone, captured by your beauty. My heart longs for no other as it does for you, Grace. My mind thinks of no one but you, imagining our life and our future, if you would have me.”
Grace caught her breath, her mind whirling, not quite sure what he was asking.
“I would have you as my wife, if you would think to accept,” he whispered, his arms now fully around her as he pulled her close. “I think you care for me also, Grace, but my heart is in such torment until l hear those words from your lips.”
“Of course I care for you!” Grace exclaimed softly, her hands sliding up around his neck as he looked into her eyes, her heartbeat so loud and so quick that she was certain he could hear it. “I did not know how to express it but it seems as though I have fallen in love with you also. I feel all that you feel, I think all that you think. I believe you when you say you do not care for my sister any longer. I trust your words. I can think of nothing but you, hoping and praying that we might have a future together. A future without you by my side is not one that I can even contemplate, Larchmont.”
He smiled at her then, his fingers trailing down her cheek. “Does that mean that you will marry me then, Grace?”
Her lips were inches from his. “Yes, Larchmont,” she whispered as their lips drew ever closer. “Yes, I will.”
THE END
The Viscount’s Conquest (Preview)
Lords of London
By: Emma Evans
Chapter One
“And so it is that I fully intend to propose!”
Viscount William Morton stretched his arms wide and gave a broad smile. His green eyes practically blazed with delight as he waited for his friend, Viscount Stephen Radcliffe, to offer his congratulations.