Marrying the Wrong Earl (Lords & Ladies in Love)

by Callie Hutton

  “So your mother told me last night. I assume that is why she was quite anxious for you to marry.” Ostensibly, their shaky circumstances had been part of the conversation between Nash and Mother.

  “Yes. We have been at sixes and sevens over it for some time now. I don’t understand Mother’s concerns. The new earl has offered to allow us to stay on once he arrives. Father left money for Mother’s benefit, as well as my dowry, so her scheming to marry me off to Lord Pembroke confuses me. Although she had mentioned a few times recently that our circumstances were approaching precarious.”

  She drew in a deep breath and studied Nash’s hands as he guided the horses around the pathway. “Another reason I feel we will never suit is I am quite fond of animals.” She glanced at him sideways, but he did not react.

  “What I mean is I take care of injured animals.”

  “I have heard rumors.” He continued to stare straight ahead.

  “Yes, well, I’m afraid what you have heard is probably true. They mean a great deal to me, and since I do not wish to discontinue my ‘hobby’ as my mother calls it, a marriage between us would never work.”

  Finally, he turned to look at her. “I am not fond of animals. Horses, yes, they have their place—which is not in my house. Cats, I am obviously allergic to, something I never knew until recently. However, as my countess, you will have enough to keep you busy without seeking out injured animals.”

  She fisted her hands in her lap. “My lord, your lack of hearing concerns me. May I suggest you summon your doctor to assess your deficiency? I do not intend to marry you.”

  His raised eyebrow had her squirming, like a child in trouble. “Indeed?” He steered the carriage around a deep hole in the ground and continued, “I will apply for a special license, which is expected in our circumstances.”

  Arabella’s anger rose once again. “I do not wish to discuss this here, so please refrain from making sweeping statements that will only raise my ire and cause unpleasantness.”

  Nash’s lips tightened. “I believe we have already settled the matter. If you cry off, your reputation will not recover. All my life, I have ensured that I always behave as a gentleman. I would not be able to continue in that vein if I allowed your reputation to be destroyed when I had the ability to save it.” He turned in her direction. “I agree we have had our differences, but is marriage to me so contemptible that you prefer a spinster’s life under a cloud of scandal?”

  A spinster’s life under a cloud of scandal.

  A horrid situation, to be sure. Whatever funds Father had left for her and Mother’s care might be enough to buy a small house somewhere in the country and sustain them for a few years. She could always take a post as a companion or governess. Not a wonderful life, to be sure, and certainly not one she would have embraced, given the choice.

  Then again, if her reputation were ruined, even a companion or governess position might not be available to her. And, she would be without her animals, for sure. She shuddered to think she might be forced to approach one of the older gentlemen she’d already rejected to announce she had reconsidered his offer. Who was to say they would agree after this? And truthfully, why would she prefer to be stuck with one of them instead of the man sitting beside her?

  She studied him while he waited for her answer. She could accept what fate had placed in her pathway and marry the Earl of Clarendon. Her mother would be taken care of, Arabella would be accepted in Society as his respected countess, and all these worries would vanish.

  Along with her freedom.

  Given his comments on her animals, worries about her and Mother’s future would be replaced by others, no doubt. Additionally, there was the problem of her much-valued independence, combined with Nash’s overbearing, arrogant manner. “No. Marriage to you is not contemptible,” she answered. “I just do not believe we are compatible. I appreciate your offer—sincerely, I do—but I cannot see us married to each other.”

  He patted her hand. “Do not concern yourself. I have reconciled myself to our predicament, as you must, as well. There is no reason we cannot have a pleasant marriage.”

  Botheration. Just what she’d always wanted to be—someone’s reconciliation.

  …

  Nash dwelt on their conversation as they moved forward through the park, nodding at passing acquaintances and ignoring the smirks and sly looks from some. Based on Arabella’s comments, she was blessedly unaware of how dire the circumstances were in which the late earl had left his family. Between Nash’s conversation the prior evening with Lady Melrose when she had provided the solicitor’s name, and his own conversation with the man this morning, Arabella crying off would not only ruin her reputation, but her entire life.

  As unfair as the matter was, a gently reared lady ruined, with no resources of her own, was generally only able to follow one path in life—a nobleman’s mistress. Lady Arabella had the body and face to survive quite nicely in that life. He tightened his grip on the ribbons at the thought of Arabella forced to earn a living at the mercy of some of the gentlemen he knew. Even if she were fortunate enough to secure employment as a companion or governess, she would be fair game to most men of the nobility. More than one gently reared woman had fallen into a disreputable life after having been taken advantage of in a lord’s home.

  On the other hand, young Lady Grace was well liked in Society, pretty, and came with a generous dowry. No doubt her handkerchief would be barely dry before offers for her hand started to arrive. He doubted if the chit had held a genuine fancy for him—most likely his title had been the appeal.

  Arabella, on the other hand, would have been cast to the lions if he hadn’t offered for her. And considering their financial situation, the lions were close to her door. Not that his funds were much better, but since he was not taken with gambling and supporting expensive mistresses, at least he had no worries about losing the roof over his head.

  “If I get the special license tomorrow, I would like to move ahead with the wedding as quickly as possible.”

  Arabella drew in a breath and lowered her voice to barely a whisper. “If you do not wish to hear me scream and bash you over your arrogant head with my parasol, I suggest you let off with this conversation. Now.”

  He was as stubborn as his bride. Even if he had decided not to be the gentleman he’d always thought himself to be and marry her, he had reached the point where it had become a contest of wills.

  And he never lost.

  Aside from that, all that passion and fire in his betrothed would prove quite interesting in the bedchamber. No shy miss was Lady Arabella. He would have a grand time taming her and teaching her. He shifted in his seat at the thought.

  They had almost made a complete circle around the park when the one person he did not wish to see appeared in front of them, going in the opposite direction in a well-sprung carriage, along with her mother.

  “Lady Spencer, Lady Grace.” Nash bowed to the two ladies. He couldn’t help but think Lady Spencer had dragged her daughter out to be seen in Hyde Park to assure the Quality that she had not a care in the world, even if the man all of the ton assumed would be offering for her was now betrothed to another.

  “My lord.” If Lady Spencer’s tone was any chillier, the flowers alongside the path would be frozen solid. Apparently not as well-mannered as her mother, Lady Grace turned the other direction and waved to someone who did not wave back. Mostly because the only thing facing the young girl was an elm tree.

  Lady Spencer raised her chin and shot daggers at Arabella. “Lady Arabella. I must say I am quite surprised to see you here today. I thought after last evening’s humiliation you would have enough good breeding to stay out of sight.”

  Arabella sucked in a breath, and Nash’s hands fisted on the ribbons. He did not mind taking a few stabs for himself, but Arabella was to be his wife and countess, and he would not allow her to be insulted. Several people strolling along stopped and pretended to view the flowers. Carriages that should have bee
n passing by slowed to a crawl as all of Society watched the play between the main characters in the latest ton drama.

  Lady Spencer continued. “But then, one assumes if you indeed had proper breeding you would not have disgraced yourself so last evening.”

  Arabella’s whole body shook alongside him, and her face turned a bright red as she stared at her lap. Unsure how his betrothed would respond to such malice, given her threat before to smack him over the head with her parasol, he gritted his teeth and rested his hand on her clenched one. “Lady Spencer, any further slights cast on my future countess will be dealt with in an appropriate manner that I guarantee will not be pleasant.” He snapped the ribbons and moved forward. “I wish you good day.”

  They had barely cleared the exit from the park when Arabella groaned and dropped her parasol, then covered her face with her hands. Her shoulders shook, and he was certain he heard muffled sobs. Bloody hell that woman had been vicious. Even though he hated a weeping female more than anything, the thought of Lady Spencer weeping would not affect him so. In fact, the notion brought warmth to his heart.

  Instead of driving directly to the Melrose townhouse in Mayfair, he took Holyhead Road out of town. The further they proceeded on the road, the cleaner and sweeter smelling the air. They soon left prying eyes behind, to be replaced with disinterested Londoners returning to their homes for the dinner hour.

  He fumbled in his pocket and handed Arabella his handkerchief. She mumbled her thanks. Once her sobs had turned to slight hiccups, he spoke. “I assume you are crying because that woman could have been my mother-in-law?”

  Her head jerked up, her eyes wide. Once she saw his grin, she smiled, and then chuckled. “That would have been most unsettling, my lord.”

  He reached out and touched her lips with his finger. “No ‘my lord.’ Remember?”

  Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes red, and from the sound of her voice, her nose all stopped up. Instead of looking a fright, she looked adorable. Fragile, and somewhat broken, not at all as he’d begun to think of her. Something deep inside him stirred, and he quickly smothered it, replacing it with protectiveness and righteous anger on her behalf.

  “I am sure you won’t be troubled by her again.” He raised his hand as she began to speak. “Based on what you’ve just witnessed, I am sure you now understand there will be no crying off. You’ve done enough crying.

  “If we do not move forward with our marriage, you will not have the protection of my name. Incidents like that will happen on a regular basis, until you are driven completely away from Society. I know that is not fair, but that is the way of it.”

  Arabella twisted his handkerchief in her hands. “She is a horrid woman. I’ve heard her speak to others that way, but never have I been subjected to her tongue.”

  “Nor will you be ever again, I assure you. We will take a few more minutes to allow time to compose yourself, and then I will return you to your home. I will speak with your Mother, as I wish to settle the matter of the wedding date.”

  After about another fifteen minutes, he turned the carriage and headed back to Mayfair. In three days, he would be a married man. Not something worrisome, to be sure. He had no intention of his life changing in any way. Once she settled in, Arabella would be an acceptable wife. She had a definite stubborn streak, and was a bit more headstrong than he would have liked, but he was sure he could contain her and impress upon her that all major decisions would be his.

  From what he’d seen, once the matter of her animals was settled, she would not bring discredit to him or his title, and hopefully, in a short time, she would be increasing. Based on what he’d felt when he held her in his arms, getting her with child would be a most pleasurable task. Something he was certainly looking forward to.

  Once he got his finances in order, theirs could be a very satisfying life. After the display he’d seen from Lady Spencer, he was feeling a bit relieved that Lady Arabella’s name would be the one alongside him in the marriage book, and not Lady Grace.

  Feeling quite content with the way things were proceeding, he hummed to himself as he returned his future countess to her home to prepare for their wedding. Yes, with proper handling on his part, life with Arabella would be uneventful and peaceful.

  Chapter Six

  “You may not bring all these animals with you to my house!”

  Angered at his words and tone, Arabella fisted her hands on her hips. “I am sorry, my lord, but I thought now that we are married it was also my house.”

  Shortly after sunrise, Arabella had awakened with a sore throat and a stabbing pain behind her eyes. After drinking a posset Sophia brought her from Cook, she’d staggered out of bed, feeling as bad as she had the morning after she’d drunk too much champagne at Lord and Lady Devon’s wedding.

  She’d had little enthusiasm for dressing in the gown she’d selected for her wedding. The material had scratched her skin, and all she’d wanted to do was crawl back into bed.

  The wedding hadn’t gone much better when the minister had instructed Nash to place the ring on her finger. Panicking, she’d withdrawn her hand. He’d pulled it back. She’d yanked it back again. The tug-of-war continued until the ring had fallen to the floor and rolled under the lectern. Harsh whispers between the two of them had been interrupted by the minister’s well-placed cough.

  Now it was mere hours since they’d said their vows. After much grumbling and complaining about the lack of time, Mother had put together a lovely wedding breakfast. A small group, consisting of long-time friends of Nash, Lord and Lady Dowding, who acted as witnesses, along with Mother, Lady Clarendon—now the Dowager Lady Clarendon—and Nash’s aged great aunt, Lady Hyatt, had joined the newly wedded couple for the repast. Nash’s sister, Eugenia, and her husband, Lord Devon, had not had time to attend, since they had recently retired to the country until Eugenia’s confinement ended.

  Arabella had pushed the food around her plate until she’d finally asked a footman to take it away, since she thought she might toss up her accounts if she had to stare at it any longer. The few sips of champagne she’d had only made her feel worse.

  When Nash had looked at her with concern and asked after her health, she’d shrugged it off, hoping she was correct that it was merely bridal nerves.

  The guests had all departed among kisses and well wishes, and now Arabella was preparing to move her things—and her animals—to her new home.

  “Most certainly, it is also your home, my dear. But animals do not belong in houses. We can perhaps build some sort of structure for the dogs—that is a dog, is it not?” He pointed to the poor straggler to whom she had not yet given enough attention. The bath certainly had helped, but his coat was in sore need of a trim. All this wedding business had taken her attention away from the things that really mattered.

  “Yes. Of course, he is a dog.” She sniffed. “And he needs care.”

  “What he needs, Wife, is a pistol to end his miserable existence.”

  Arabella drew in a breath. What sort of monster had she married? Killing animals? Relegating them to cold, lonely places outside of the house?

  “I will not shoot my friends. And these animals,” she swept her hand to encompass her current menagerie, “are my friends.”

  Nash rubbed the back of his neck. “What of that pathetic bird?”

  Arabella studied the poor thing lying in the small box in her hand. As if she knew what Arabella’s thoughts were, the bird fluttered her wing. “She is mostly recovered from her accident. I assume I can release her soon.”

  “Today?”

  She raised her chin. “Tomorrow. Maybe.”

  This was not starting out well. What she hated more than anything was the gloating expression on her mother’s face. A perfect “I told you so” look that Arabella had been subjected to most of her childhood.

  However, this was important to settle here and now. She had no intention of discontinuing her rescue of all things broken and lost. She’d spent her childhood surroun
ded by animals who’d needed food, shelter, and most of all, love. Some creatures she’d been able to move into loving homes, others had remained under her care. The less civilized ones tended to eat well, sleep well, then take off for parts unknown.

  “What I don’t understand is why that cat hasn’t eaten the bird.” Nash eyed the ball of orange and white fluff licking her nether parts, totally oblivious to the humans’ chatter. Hopefully, he was far enough away from the animal that he would not begin a sneezing session.

  “I have managed to keep them apart. Besides, Cleopatra is a lovely cat. She wouldn’t harm anyone.”

  “Cleopatra is a dead queen, and that cat would gulp your bird for breakfast if you turned your eyes too quickly.” Nash stared at the ground while he walked in a circle, keeping his thoughts to himself. Arabella held her breath. This was one battle she did not intend to lose, but she grudgingly acknowledged the final word rested with her new husband.

  Nash finally stopped before Arabella grew dizzy just watching him. “This is not a situation I am happy with. Not at all. Wild animals do not belong in houses. Furthermore, you are a countess, and countesses do not collect broken animals and treat them.” He held up his hand as she began to speak. “I do not wish to have a lengthy discussion about this right now, since we need to leave. However, these are my conditions. The bird is released tomorrow. The dogs can stay in the house—the area behind the kitchen, that is—until I have a kennel built. Then they will live outside. The cat,” he eyed Cleopatra with disdain, “will reside in the mews behind the house, but never, never, ever inside. I do not intend to live my life by sneezing my way through my days. Is that clear?”

  “I am not pleased with these ultimatums, my lord, but I agree a lengthy discourse at present is not wise.” She would definitely fight harder for her animals, but right now she felt as though a very large, and very fast, carriage had run over her poor body.