by Rose Gordon
“I believe so,” Andrew answered. “She has agreed to go riding with me tomorrow.”
Alex sat bolt upright and opened his mouth to object, but Andrew cut him off with a wave of his hand. “You’re not required to join us. I believe we shall stay close enough that a chaperone is not necessary. If we do wander off, I’ll secure a groom.”
Alex relaxed. He liked them both, but he did not condone Andrew compromising her, even if he had suggested that very thing to Brooke the night before. What had he been thinking to suggest such a thing? “As long as I don’t have to be trapped with Lady Olivia I don’t care how you conduct your courtship. Within reason,” he added with a glare. His eyes were piercing into Andrew, trying to communicate a nonverbal message saying: do not push this too far.
“Of course,” Andrew confirmed. “Thank you for keeping Lady Olivia out of our hair. She can be such a nuisance at times.”
“At times?” Alex scoffed. “Try all the time. I was about ready to tear my own heart out of my chest just to put myself out of misery during that hour I was trapped with her.”
“It’s good you did not take such drastic measures,” Andrew said dryly. “It would be a waste to throw your whole life away because of something that would be over soon.”
“That’s what you think. You didn’t have to suffer her annoying habits for an hour,” Alex said, screwing his face up in distaste.
“It couldn’t have been that unbearable.”
“It was. Not only did she jabber on and on about you, but the only time she talked of anything else, she threw my past sins in my face.”
Andrew smiled. “Your past sins? What could those be?”
“I had her and her cousin, Lady Caroline, thrown out of the Society of Biological Matters back in London. I did it at Lord Sinclair’s request, but it had to be done in a way they wouldn’t suspect he was behind it. Therefore, I became the scapegrace and she will forever blame me for it.”
“You lied to her about why she couldn’t belong to the Society of Biological Matters?” Andrew asked dubiously, his eyes narrowing.
“Yes. I know it sounds bad.” Alex thought about it a minute. “All right, it not only sounds bad, it is bad. I should not have done it. But I had good reason to do it.”
Andrew’s face took on a look of deep contemplation. “Are you saying you agree with lying if the outcome is for the greater good?” Andrew asked.
“I suppose that’s what my actions would suggest,” Alex admitted. He never had liked to admit his mistakes, and this was the closest he’d ever come to doing so.
“I’m glad you think that way,” Andrew informed him. “Well, I must be going then. I need to make a quick visit before dinner is served.”
Alex watched his friend leave. That was the most bizarre conversation, he thought to himself. Andrew’s reaction to his lie and his question meant he was up to something. He just couldn’t figure out what it was.
***
Brooke was on her way to go speak with Papa when Mr. Grimes intercepted her.
“Mr. Grimes,” Brooke said, startled. She hadn't expected to see him. She knew he was now a houseguest at the party and they would run into each other at some point, but not so soon.
“Miss Banks,” he said cordially. “If you’re looking for your father, he’s downstairs.”
“Thank you,” Brooke returned. “I shall not keep you then.”
Brooke had barely walked past him, when he spoke to her. “Miss Banks, if you’re going to speak to him about the events of this morning I would like to beg your silence”
Brooke turned around and was face to face with Mr. Grimes. “Beg my silence? But why? I love my sister, but what she said was inappropriate.”
“I agree with your ascertainment, but I must ask that you not say anything. I responded to her words in an equally inappropriate manner. I have asked her forgiveness. She has refused to give it, of course. However, we have come to an agreement that we will not speak of the event again, nor mention it to your father.”
“But…are you…” Brooke stammered. She couldn’t help but wonder why would he allow Liberty to say such harsh remarks and not want vindication for it.
“Yes,” Mr. Grimes answered for her. “I am certain that I do not wish to involve your father in this. Not that I have anything to hide. I would admit to any of the things I said if need be, but I do not wish to cause any trouble for Miss Liberty.”
Brooke nodded. She wasn’t sure why he wanted to spare Liberty the tongue lashing she deserved, but who was she to dissuade him?
Chapter 18
Brooke was relieved to find dinner that evening was a lot more enjoyable than it had been the night before. She would have preferred to sit next to Andrew, but he wasn’t present, so she sat with Mr. Thomas, Madison’s gossipy dinner companion from the night before.
Brooke and her sisters sat closer together this time, with Mr. Grimes and Lady Olivia seated as far away as possible.
When the men rejoined the ladies after their gentlemen pursuits Brooke noticed Andrew was still missing.
Brooke was not the only one to notice. “Where’s Townson?” asked Mr. Cook, taking a seat in a chair close to where Brooke and her sisters were sharing a settee.
Alex shrugged before taking an empty chair on the other side of girls. “I haven’t seen him for several hours. The last time I saw him he mentioned something about a meeting or some such. I don’t recall exactly.”
“You don’t seem to recall much unless it has to do with science,” his father gently teased him.
Alex gave a lopsided grin. “What can I say, science is fascinating, whereas Townson’s whereabouts are not.”
“Hear, hear,” the Duke of Gateway said, holding his glass up in a mock toast. Some of the ladies who had tittered at Alex’s remark burst into full giggles at the duke’s.
Brooke didn’t think it was so funny. “Should we send someone to go look for him?” she asked with a pointed glance to Alex.
“No,” the duke answered in a dismissive tone. “He’s probably out visiting his mother.”
“His mother lives ‘round here?” Mr. Cook asked curiously.
“Yes,” the duke answered again.
“I always thought she was a recluse,” Mr. Cook said without thinking.
“She is,” the duke confirmed.
“Hmm…I wonder why that is?” Mr. Cook ventured.
Lady Algen and Mr. Thomas both looked as if they were about to burst at the seams. However, Lady Algen started to speak first, and because Mr. Thomas was a gentleman, he didn’t interrupt her. “She was always a recluse. Her family, whoever they may be, had kept her hidden and away from society until she was of marrying age. Her parents bought her a husband while she was still hidden away in the countryside. Townson brought her to town only on their wedding day. But shortly after they were married, he packed her off to the country where she’s remained ever since.”
“Why?” Lady Olivia asked, her voice full of wonder.
This time Mr. Thomas was quicker to speak than Lady Algen. “When the old earl agreed to take her as a bride, he was lied to by the gel’s family. The details have always been real hushed up, but I believe that it is not necessarily about her, but about her real family. Either way, the earl was displeased and stowed her off in the countryside and began to seek an annulment. Before the marriage could be annulled, it was discovered the countess was with child. Therefore, the annulment was called off. Townson began to file for a parliament divorce, but couldn’t prove adultery, nor could his reputation handle such a blow. So he did what any man would do in his situation: confined her to an old dilapidated estate in the middle of nowhere.”
Brooke started to feel uneasy. The man she’d come to care deeply about, and even would consider marrying, had such a terrible past. Not that any of it was his fault, but still it was clear that nearly everyone in the room was listening very intently to the gossip about his family.
Brooke sat with her hands in her lap and
idly chewed on her bottom lip. She just heard snatches of what was being said around her “…Townson’s a bastard, then?” “…no other children…” “…seen her in London once…” her head was swimming with all the accusations and questions. How could people be so cruel about someone who wasn’t even there to defend himself?
Brooke’s head started to throb and she looked around to see if she could find strength in her family’s presence.
Liberty surprised Brooke when she reached over and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze just as Madison leaned over and whispered, “Don’t take all of this to heart. People will gossip about anything, you know that.”
Brooke tried to respond, but her brain couldn’t think of what to say, so she just squeezed Liberty’s hand back in a way to let her know she appreciated her support.
After a few minutes, and several more unsavory comments, Brooke decided it was time to leave. She slipped away virtually unnoticed, everyone was too absorbed in the skeletons in Andrew’s closet to care that she was leaving. She could have sworn on the way out the door she head some reference to his having an unusual attachment to his mother even when he was a boy at school.
She had almost made her way down the hall to the staircase when Alex called after her, “Brooke, wait.”
Brooke didn’t stop or turn to face him, but she did slow her steps.
“Brooke, Andrew and I have been chums for a long time. He’s really a good fellow. You cannot let his past shade what you think about him now,” Alex said
Brooke knew he believed he was helping the situation, but he wasn’t. “But don’t our pasts make us who we become?” she asked flatly.
“Well, yes, but you cannot hold his mother’s past against him,” Alex said in defense of his closest friend.
“I’m not.”
“Then what part are you holding against him? The part where he had was termed a mama’s boy at school? That’s of no consequence now. It was fifteen years ago, nobody cares about it anymore,” Alex said, his voice full of conviction.
“No, I am not holding against him that he loved his mother when he went to school. It’s only natural that a child loves his mother. But to say that nobody cares about it is false. I can show you a whole room full of people who still care about it. They’re in there right now laughing at his expense over it.” Brooke saw Alex’s eyes change, for some reason there was a light shining in them now; it caused Brooke to pause for a second. “That’s not important, nor is it the reason I left. The reason I left doesn't have to do with him entirely. I just didn’t wish to listen to malicious gossip any longer that’s all.”
Alex gazed at her skeptically. He looked like he was going to say something more, but didn’t. Instead he just smiled, turned and whistled while he walked back to the drawing room.
Brooke walked into her room and closed the door. Numbly, she went to the bed and laid face-down across it, burying her face in the pillows. Then before she knew it, she started to sob.
Brooke was rarely one to sob, but today was an exception. She couldn’t understand why people would say such cutting remarks about another. She remembered the speculation that Andrew was born on the wrong side of the blanket. Or the accusations that Andrew’s mother was nothing more than a common whore who had been lucky enough not to have any more children.
She pounded her pillow, asking herself over and over again how people could be so unfeeling.
***
Andrew left the meeting with Willis, his estate manager, with high hopes.
Since he’d come into the title and land eight years ago, he’d failed to earn any kind of profit from any of his estates. All the money that was made went to the upkeep of the earldom and to pay down the debts left by his father. Now all the other estates were long gone, sold to pay off debt, and all that he could hope to make money with was Rockhurst, which was entailed.
Willis delivered some excellent news in regards to the account books. “Last month we paid off the entire balances due to Stimple, Crate, and Greer. If the tenants continue to pay their rents, you watch your spending, and the harvest is abundant, then in two years from now you shall be completely without debt.”
That was good news. It wasn’t a windfall of money, but the idea of being debt free made him feel like a millionaire. “That is most excellent news,” Andrew said approvingly.
“But,” Willis said as Andrew got up from the table, “if we were to make some modifications to Rockhurst, you could be turning a profit within three months.”
Andrew dropped back in his seat so fast he wouldn’t be surprised if he found a bruise on his backside later. “What modifications? How much profit?” he asked with keen interest.
“Before I tell you the modifications, I’ll tell you that you will be one of the richest in the land within a year.” Willis saw Andrew’s arched brow and started to spill his information. “It will cost you one thousand pounds to set up, but in one month you'll be able to pay that back. In less than three, all your father’s creditors will be paid. Your yearly income will be approximately fifty thousand pounds.”
Andrew let out a low whistle. That was more money than he’d ever dreamed of. He knew some men made excellent incomes of twenty or thirty thousand pounds from a combination of their estates, but he had never heard of fifty thousand from just one before. But he still didn’t know what modifications this would require. Most importantly, he didn’t have a thousand pounds to start with. Not giving that too much thought, he asked Willis, “What modifications?”
“Nothing really,” Willis said, brushing imaginary crumbs from the table.
Andrew felt his excitement deflate. “What are they?” he asked in a low tone.
“Mines,” Willis said with a gulp. “There is a record that indicates a silver is located on your property. If you were to allow mines to dig up the metal, you will be very rich.”
“No,” Andrew said flatly, getting up from the table.
Willis had been in Andrew’s employ too long to know not to argue; so with a nod of understanding, he packed up his papers.
After his meeting with Willis, Andrew met with a few of the tenants to hear their problems and look at anything that wasn’t in working order on their homes. Even if he disagreed with the mines, he still felt it had been a productive day and was satisfied with the results.
On his ride back to the Watson estate he thought more about the mines. He’d told Willis no, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t reconsider later if need be, the silver wasn’t going anywhere. He didn’t like the idea of the noise and danger the mines would provide though. The land itself he didn’t care about, but he didn’t want anyone getting hurt.
Nor did he have the funds to build the mine, he reminded himself. That was the bigger issue. He would have to borrow the money to start with. Not to mention, if they drilled in the wrong place, then he’d have to pay to have it moved. It could become a rather costly experiment. And that was not something he was willing to take a risk on just now.
Entering the drive, he checked his watch and frowned. It was past dinner time. With any luck, Cook would still have something to eat. If not, he was hungrier than bear that just woke up from hibernation and would gladly ride the hour back to Rockhurst to eat if need be.
All thoughts of eating were gone as soon as he opened the door. “I’ve been waiting for you,” came Gateway’s deep voice from the shadows.
“And you will continue to wait. I am off to scrounge for some food,” Andrew said without a care for making Gateway wait.
Gateway stood from the chair he had been occupying and strolled to the stairs. Once he was on the first one, he turned his head over his shoulder. “I think this is something you'd want to hear, but if you think it’s more important to eat than to know what happened with Miss Banks tonight, that’s for you to decide.” He gave a shrug and walked up two more stairs.
“Tell me,” Andrew breathed agitatedly. Did he really need to hear this now? He knew he probably did because it undoubtedly invol
ved Gateway, which could only spell trouble.
“It would seem she heard a bit more about your past than is good for your relationship,” Gateway said with a smirk.
“What do you mean?” Andrew asked, wishing that Gateway would just say it and stop playing games.
“It seems that you and your family became the main topic of conversation after dinner tonight. Naturally, Miss Banks was there and heard all about your mother’s exile, shame, and your unusually strong affection toward her,” Gateway said with a cackle.
Andrew was too stunned to respond. Did any of that really matter? He wasn’t intending to marry her so why should she care about his mother? Then it hit him, she had to believe he cared about her enough to marry her, which meant that his and his mother’s pasts would matter.
His appetite was no longer such a pressing matter. “Why was I made the topic of the evening?” he asked through clenched teeth.
“Because you weren’t there,” Gateway said with a shrug if nonchalance. “Perhaps you should have thought of this before you went running off to your mummy.”
Andrew speared him with a look.
Gateway just stared back at him. “It’s not my fault Mr. Thomas and Lady Algen decided to pour out your family’s dirt.”
“No,” Andrew agreed softly. “But you were there and you could have said something to stop it. Do you not realize this hurts you, too?”
“How so?” Gateway asked indifferently.
“Because if she will no longer have anything to do with me, which is likely the case, then you won’t get what you want, either.”
“Not necessarily,” Gateway told him. “I can always find someone else who is willing. You were just easy to cast into the role, but I can find another, more capable man.”
“Not now,” Andrew hissed. “Either I do this, or you let the whole thing go.” It was bad enough Brooke was going to get hurt in the end. But any other man would hurt her far more than necessary, and likely do so in a way that would take away any chance for dignity or self-respect she could ever attempt to gain in the future. Quite simply, anyone else would damage her beyond repair. The thought alone made Andrew's blood ran cold.