Regency Romance: The Marquess’ Curse (The Fairbanks Series - Love & Hearts) (CLEAN Historical Regency Romance)

by Jessie Bennett

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  CHAPTER TWO

  LUNCH WITH NIGEL AND ABE

  Will scanned the crowd, his eyes narrowed to focus on each face until he found the ones he was seeking. The restaurant was elegant, clean and quiet. Just how he liked it. He hadn’t seen Abraham in many months. They were not always happy with each other’s presence, so they spent time together only when it was needed.

  When that time came, they enjoyed being around each other. Abe’s face was not happy today, but William knew why. Liza had had very few friends and didn’t know Abe, her parents-in-law or their sister Meg well. But she’d been a member of the family nonetheless and Abe was feeling the loss. William inhaled deeply. His brother was a kind-hearted man, a widower and father to 15-year-old Carter. In some ways, William felt like Carter was more mature at 15 than he was at 35.

  He reached the table and extended his hand to Abe. “Abraham Montgomery, my brother. How are you on this fine afternoon?”

  “I’m well, brother. I’m well. It is good to see you. Please sit. Nigel and I were just talking about the tragedy, the loss of your dear Liza. How are you taking it?”

  The men sat down after William shook Nigel’s hand and bowed slightly to him. “Duke Huntington,” he greeted the man before answering his brother. “I’m doing as well as can be expected, Abe. You know me better than anyone and you know all of what I’ve done and been through as well.” He turned his eyes to Nigel for a moment, who nodded. “And you as well, Nigel. You are privy to my private information, are you not? Therefore, I am sure you know that I am very saddened by Liza’s sudden passing, but it has freed me of a burden I thought would never end.”

  Abe’s face flushed, highlighting his cheeks with a deep red color.

  Nigel looked down at his plate, where the rind of a hunk of bread he’d been eating sat invitingly. He stared at it for a moment before picking it up and putting it into his mouth. He was aware of the awkward situation his friend faced and for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out how it affected him in any way. He shook his head.

  “You need not worry about me, William,” he said and lifted his eyebrows. “I know what you are thinking and how you must be feeling. I know you very well. And if you were expressing great pangs of sorrow and tears, I would suspect you were not yourself anymore, and that we had been invaded by an imposter somehow.”

  “I loved her,” William retorted almost instinctively. He sounded defensive and he knew it.

  “You certainly did,” Abe said. “You would not have tried to change after…the incident and tried to be faithful and good to her if you didn’t love her.”

  “I must agree…I did not love her properly though. I’m afraid she probably died a very unhappy woman.”

  “I don’t know about that.” Nigel swallowed his bread. “She was always smiling when I saw her. She may have been in pain and keeping it hidden, of course. But it didn’t look that way to me. She was so proud of you, Will. She always had that look of complete adoration on her face. She loved you more than anything. So any attention you did give her, I must say, she soaked it up like a sponge.”

  “It sustained her,” Abe agreed. A server brought three fresh glasses of wine and took William’s order. When the young girl was gone from the table, Abe continued. “I agree with Nigel. She probably was very upset in her mind, maybe even daily. But the fact that you did not throw her to the wayside must have meant everything to Liza.”

  “May I ask…” Nigel sat forward. “What exactly caused her death?”

  William shook his head. “It appears she slipped away in the night. Her heart stopped beating. She stopped breathing. She died for no obvious reason.”

  “Was she suffering from any diseases?”

  “None that I knew of.”

  “Do you think she may have been hiding something from you?”

  “I…I don’t know. I don’t think so.”

  “The doctor would surely have told him if there was something medically wrong with Liza,” Abe said to Nigel, who looked thoughtful.

  “That is true.”

  William nodded. “I don’t think any doctor would have kept such information from me. What call would they have not to warn me that something was wrong with my wife since I would need to prepare myself?”

  “Do you think she ingested anything poisonous that could have contributed to this?” Nigel asked.

  William raised his eyebrows. “You have quite the imagination, friend.”

  “I don’t think it’s that far-fetched,” Abe interjected. “She was a frail creature. Not very sound of mind or body. Perhaps the poison was administered by her own hand.”

  William felt a chill run through his body. “You believe she took her own life?” he asked, his voice incredulous.

  “I’m saying it is a possibility. You must admit, it is.”

  William looked down at the table. He picked up his glass and took a swallow before answering. “Yes, damn you. You are right.”

  “I am sorry to bring up such a terrible thought.”

  William shook his head. “Do not fret. I am willing to consider it as an option, but Liza was a religious woman and believed that to harm oneself or kill oneself was a mortal sin against God. I don’t think she would risk being wrong about that.”

  Abe lifted his eyebrows. “I did not know she was religious.”

  William nodded. “She was.”

  “That changes what I’ve said then. I must doubt that if she was religious, she would have taken her own life.”

  “I believe her heart just gave out. She was weak. Her condition was getting worse during the last few months. I did notice and I did inquire with her. She simply said that her sleeping was not restful and that she was tired. I can do nothing to help if I am not asked.”

  “Did you require that she see the doctor?”

  “I did. She was given a diagnosis of fatigue. But Liza never did anything to tire herself. So she could not do less than she was already doing without being bedridden, which would have been just as bad, in my opinion.”

  “I agree.” Nigel nodded. “She needed sunshine and fresh air outside the mansion walls.”

  “Yes. And that she got. I made sure the gardens were filled with her favorite flowers and trees and that she had a place to rest on a comfortable bench near a pond. It has beautiful scenery all around it. She often took her sketchpad and would draw what she saw, the little animals and the pretty flowers and such. I’m telling you, she was content, whether she was ill or not. I knew her well. I didn’t see a hint of deception.”

  “If anyone would know, Will, it would be you.” Abe was satisfied. “And she had no enemies, so there is no chance this was done by another.”

  “She barely had any friends. I am certain she could not have angered anyone enough to cause her death.”

  “I agree.”

  “Do you have a plan?” Abe asked. “Now that you are free of your marital bonds?”

  “I am going to travel.”

  Neither man looked surprised. William had done a fair amount of traveling even when he was married.

  “Where will you go that you haven’t been?” Abe asked.

  “America. I’m going on a ship to New Bedford, in the state of Massachusetts.”

  Nigel raised his eyebrows. “I have been there. I will give you the names of a few business associates so you will immediately be in good company.”

  William smiled. “Thank you, Nigel, I very much appreciate that.”

  “I must admit, I didn’t expect you to say America, Will. I wonder what it will be like there this time of year?”

  “I will be finding out in a few weeks. I have chartered the ship already and bought my ticket across the ocean.”

  “That was fast. Are you sure you did not already have this planned?”

  William raised his eyebrows. “You imply that somehow I knew Liza would die? Are you accusing me of something?” The lighthearted tone he used indicate
d he believed no such thing.

  Abe smiled. “Well, one can never really know another person, can one?”

  William feigned looking shocked. “I am just beginning to know you, brother. You reveal your true colors.”

  Both men laughed.

  “In all honesty, I have been planning the trip for some time now, but never chartered the ship until this happened. When I had a moment of time yesterday, I sent James to make the arrangements, giving him a detailed list to help him.”

  “When do you leave on this adventure?”

  “In ten days, barring any unforeseen circumstances. I am looking forward to it.”

  “Will there be other passengers on this trip or are you traveling on a Navy boat?”

  William and Abe both laughed, but Abe answered. “Somehow I do not see him on a Navy ship crossing the ocean. They are targets to our enemies and William is not going to die just to travel.”

  “You are right, my brother, though I did enjoy my time in the King’s Army when I was there.”

  “You were right to leave that life behind, Will. It’s not for you.”

  “Neither was the life I was leading. I feel a tremendous pressure has been lifted from my shoulders. I am ready to start a new chapter in my life.”

  “Your book is long from over,” Abe agreed. “I liked Liza, loved her as my sister-in-law. But it was not good for you to be married to her. It’s only too bad she died before she could find true happiness.”

  Nigel sat back as the server brought out plates of food and set them on the table in front of the men. “I must say though, she seemed perfectly happy just being William’s wife. What seemed bland and lifeless to us may have been bliss to her.”

  “Are you saying life with me is bland?” William asked.

  Nigel laughed. “For me, it would be, my friend. I promise you that.”

  William nodded, picking up a fork to stab into the large roast that was sitting before him. “I will give you that, Nigel. You are right. When it comes to Liza, you are probably right about that as well. She did seem content, as I had mentioned. It was the life she wanted.” He shrugged. “It just wasn’t the life I wanted.”

  “We could tell that just from observing, Will. I hope that you will be safe on your journey. What will you do once you get there?”

  “I plan to relax and see what America is all about first,” Will answered. “Then I will contact these businessmen that Nigel will supply me with and see what deals can be made.”

  “That is a sound and logical plan, Will. I am impressed.” Nigel looked impressed. It made William smile.

  “If you will excuse me, I must leave you for a moment. I will return.” William stood and moved through the people milling about the club, leaving his brother and Nigel to watch as he left.

  “Abraham, your brother seems someone completely different than himself, though he is taking Liza’s death as expected.”

  “I agree. I wonder, will he return to being a scoundrel or will he grow into a man once and for all?”

  “He has a wayward, adventurous spirit. I do hope and pray, however, that he is able to keep his head on his shoulders and not cause any further threats to your family name.”

  “I agree, Nigel.” Abe nodded. “I agree.”

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  He was taken in by her soft voice. She’d had an excellent tutor to speak English so well. He could barely detect a Dutch accent. He smiled at her. “I am. And you?”

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  CHAPTER THREE

  ALL ABOARD

  William looked up at the enormous ship tethered to the dock. He walked to the ramp slowly, feeling the wooden panels swaying under his feet. It was a bit unnerving, but he was resilient. He would have to get used to the boat swaying in a similar manner. He immediately resolved to get over the feeling of uneasiness.

  He looked back to his attendant, Aaron, who was carrying his travel bags. He wasn’t in need of too many things on his journey. Anything he required, he would purchase when he arrived in New Bedford. His clothes and some necessities were with him, but other than the two bags, he had nothing he did not need. “You can set the bags down here, Aaron and take the carriage back. Thank you for coming out here with me. I suppose I could have come by myself, but you were good company.”

  “Thank you, my lord.” Aaron sounded surprised by the compliment. “You will be gone for the summer, is that correct?”

  “Yes.” William nodded, moving his eyes to take in the action going on around the deck of the boat. Men were moving in all directions. Another ramp was set up at the other end of the boat. William’s eyes widened when he saw a woman stepping up onto it. She held an umbrella over her head, as a light drizzle had started as soon as William reached the dock. She was dressed in a fine gown made of a material that seemed to shine and look soft at the same time. It covered her slender frame nicely, bringing out the curves in her body. She glanced at him, but he couldn’t tell if she registered him because there was too much distance between them. He wanted to close that distance. He wanted to be right by her side. Something about her intrigued him.

  He'd only felt like that once before. The maid Abigail, the mother of his child, out there somewhere doing menial tasks for the Worthingtons, most likely. He pulled his mind away from Abigail and focused on the beautiful woman boarding the boat. He wanted to know who she was. He wanted to know now.

  “I will take the bags from here, Aaron. Thank you for your help.” He spoke the words absent-mindedly, as if his brain was in a fog.

  “Farewell and safe journey, my lord,” Aaron said.

  William looked at him, nodding. “Thank you. I will see you in the fall.”

  “Yes, my lord.” Aaron bowed slightly, backing away.

  William turned and hurried up the ramp. He wanted to get over to the other side and be introduced to the beautiful woman.

  Aaron watched him bound up the stairs, ran his eyes down the deck to where the woman was and smiled slightly. As he walked away, he shook his head. William would always be William.

  William inhaled, steadying his breath as the captain approached, his hand extended.

  “Lord William Montgomery! It’s been a few years now, hasn’t it?”

  “Yes, Captain Cernovich. It’s good to see you again.” William smiled, shaking the older man’s hand. The captain was an old friend of his father and regularly worked for the royal family, transporting goods and passengers from one place to another. William felt like the captain had probably been all over the world, as far as his boat would take him.

  William couldn’t help letting his eyes trail over the captain’s shoulder to settle on the beautiful woman behind him. She was looking out over the water as if transfixed, her green eyes narrow, her long hair tumbling down over her shoulders. He was immediately intrigued by the fact that her hair was a deep golden color, hints of red spread throughout. It was similar to Abigail’s hair. He resisted the urge to suck in a sharp breath.

  He moved his eyes back to the captain. “And who might this be?”

  The captain stepped to the side and held out one hand in the woman’s direction. “This is Belle Van den Berg, princess of Netherlands. Princess Van den Berg, this is Lord William David Montgomery of Fairfield, England. This is her attendant, Naomi, and her guard, Maximillian.”

  William hadn’t even noticed the other two people standing near Belle. The woman, Naomi, was short and heavy, her round cheeks sporting deep permanent red patches, as if she was blushing all the time. She wore a heavy black dress and apron that William thought looked incredibly uncomfortable. Her face was not only round, but also heavy with irritation. He only took a moment to wonder why before taking in the very large man to Belle’s right. He was at least a foot taller than her. His face was squared, his jaw set. His muscular arms were folded in front of his chest and he was not giving William a look of friendliness.

  William himself was
not a small man. He stood nearly 6 feet tall and had broad shoulders, making him take up quite a bit of space. The guard did not tower over him as he did others, which was why, William suspected, he was not giving him a friendly look. He nodded at the man and then dropped his eyes to Belle.

  “Princess Belle.” He bowed at the waist and took her hand to kiss the top of her soft white glove. “It is lovely to meet you.”

  “Lord Montgomery,” she said. He knew he could see the hint of a smile on her lips. He let his eyes linger on them. They looked perfectly kissable. She was looking at him with the intense eyes of interest and he was soaking it in. “You are also going to New Bedford?”

  He was taken in by her soft voice. She’d had an excellent tutor to speak English so well. He could barely detect a Dutch accent. He smiled at her. “I am. And you?”

  “Yes, that is my destination.”

  “We must get to know each other better.”

  “Yes, most assuredly.”

  “Your highness, if you will follow me, I will show you to your quarters. It is only somewhat cramped, compared to what you are used to, I’m sure. But it is the best that we have.” One of the crew stood next to the captain, gesturing that Belle should follow him.

  Belle shook her head. “I am not worried. I am sure you have done your best for me.”

  The three moved past the captain and William, nodding. The men watched the form of the beautiful princess gliding over the wooden panels of the deck.

  “I am surprised to see a princess on board,” William said. “How’d this come to be, John?”

  The captain shrugged, not taking his eyes from the woman until she began down the steps to the lower deck. “They have to travel somehow too, you know.”

  “Ah, that does make sense.” William was amused. “Something should be done to make boats and ships more accessible and…well…I would have thought the Princess would have her own boat, perhaps a fleet of them.”

  “Fancier for the elite, you might say. Well, she asked for a cabin on my boat and I am glad to have her.” John looked up at him. “You are a member of that society, William. Is my ship not good enough for you? Do you not have a boat of your own?” He sounded amused. William could see by the twinkle in his eye that he was teasing him.