The Earl and His Lady_A Regency Romance

by Sally Britton

  Would he come to fill the empty places of her heart? Was it disloyal to think he might? He was not Charles, but his good qualities reminded her of her late husband. He was honest, generous, cared genuinely for those under his responsibility, treated her sons like they were his own, and appreciated the good things in his life.

  And he looked at her, sometimes, like he could not have wished for another companion in her place.

  As he did then, his gray eyes meeting hers, his smile growing.

  “What are your thoughts at the moment, my lady? You are studying me closely enough, ought I to be concerned you’ve seen a fault to correct?” He was teasing her, but Virginia blushed to be caught staring.

  She was worse than a girl fresh from the schoolroom. She couldn’t remember feeling this disconcerted around a man. Not since her courtship days.

  “I was actually thinking quite the opposite,” she said, deciding on honesty. “I was thinking how fortunate I am to have been rescued by you. I think back on that day you proposed and I still cannot quite understand your motivations. You’ve accepted a great deal of responsibility with very little given in return.”

  Eventually, she knew he would expect more from her. That was clear from the time he had solicited her for her hand. But he could’ve married nearly anyone and had an heir sooner. His position in society, his wealth, were enough in themselves to attract a throng of women eager to wed him. Why choose a widow with two sons? Why take upon himself a woman who came with her own burdens and griefs?

  Lucas didn’t turn from her, nor did he tease this time, though his smile gentled.

  “It might seem that way, I suppose. But in the time you’ve been part of my life, my world has changed for the better.”

  Virginia had to raise her eyebrows at that, not quite believing him. She took her hand from his arm and started to walk down the path again, clasping her hands behind her. A tightness in her chest loosened as she created distance between them, a tension she hadn’t examined ebbed away.

  “You don’t believe me?” he asked, a step behind her, matching her pace.

  “It is difficult to do so, my lord. In what way can a widow and her two sons have made your life easier?”

  He spoke from behind her and she resisted the desire to look back, to study his expression and match it to his words. “For a long time now, my life has been rather hollow. I’ve seen to my duties, for the most part, but the responsibilities of my position cannot keep me company. With you, Phillip, and Edward, the days are less empty.”

  Here she stopped, the empty place in her heart echoing his words. Virginia knelt and picked a wildflower at her feet, more for something to do than a real desire to possess it. His words sounded much as she felt. After she saw to the boys at the end of each day, she had to avoid examining her feelings too closely. At first it had been her defense against the pain of Charles’s lost, but of late it had more to do with avoiding what she might find in place of that pain.

  Lucas bent and began to gather flowers as well, and he continued speaking. “My life has changed. I prepare myself for the day knowing I will see you at breakfast, that I will be presented a new drawing from Edward, that Phillip might seek me out to ask questions about being a landowner.”

  “Phillip? Really?” Virginia’s surprise couldn’t be concealed.

  “You didn’t know?” Lucas asked.

  “No. I thought he only saw you in passing, or during rides. He seeks you out?”

  Lucas looked up at her, his gloved hands full of brightly colored flowers. “I thought you might’ve suggested it to him.” He stood slowly, his height emphasized by the tall black hat upon his head. “He knows my schedule better than I do. It always seems to be an accident when we meet, usually in a hallway. Phillip bows and I ask about his day. Then he asks after mine. If I tell him I was looking at accounts, he asks how to know when the accounts are right. He always has a question or two. I’ve been wondering, actually, if I might begin some instruction with him. He’s young, but he shows a real interest.”

  Phillip was young. But he would be seven years old before the summer was out. Perhaps it was time for more lessons than a nurse could provide.

  “I think that would be good for him. If it isn’t too much trouble.”

  Lucas arranged the flowers into a smaller bouquet, picking off leaves and shortening a stem. “Phillip and Edward are never any trouble. Neither is their mother. I am completely at their disposal, and under your command.” The words were spoken softly, but with a feeling behind them Virginia could not name. Would not name. She told herself he was only being gallant. It was in his nature to be kind and even self-sacrificing.

  He held the bouquet out to her, met her gaze again, and Virginia’s heart rose into her throat.

  No. No, it is too soon.

  She accepted the flowers and added her own to the mix, their bright colors contrasting against the black gloves she wore today. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  “We had better return to the carriage.” He turned on the path and offered his arm to her again. She took it, grasping the flowers in her free hand. In the distance, she heard a rumble of thunder.

  The day’s journey might be more difficult than she had anticipated.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The remainder of the trip to Heatherton Hall passed quietly. Lucas tried not to mind, allowing his thoughts to wander freely while he stared out the window. Virginia didn’t speak often, but he watched from the corner of his eye as she began to weave the stems of the flowers he’d given her, turning them into a small braided loop. Once that had been completed, she rested her hands in her lap and stared out the opposite window.

  The silence wasn’t uncomfortable. He was grateful for that. He knew either of them might break it at any time, without anxiety for what might be said, but it had felt right to let it lie between them.

  He’d said more than he intended on their walk that morning. But she’d been lovely, and sweet, and he’d wanted to reassure her of the place she held in his life.

  Unwittingly, he’d nearly revealed to them both the place she, and the boys, now held in his heart.

  “We are a mile from Heatherton Hall,” Virginia said, just before noon. She sat up straighter and looked out the window with eagerness.

  He watched her, thinking of what it meant to return to her home. “How long has it been, Virginia?” he asked.

  “I’ve not been here since last autumn. October.” She gave him a bittersweet smile, her eyes sad in the way they often were when she spoke of Charles Macon.

  Lucas took himself in hand, putting off the examination of his feelings for another time. For now, he only reached out to her, offering his gloved hand. She put hers inside it, after a brief hesitation. He clasped it gently, giving her his support.

  “It will be a good visit for you, to see everything still in place as you remember it.” Then he released her and reached across the carriage for his hat, which he had discarded again as soon as the carriage door had shut that morning. He settled it firmly on his head and looked through the window.

  The trees lining their path were younger, perhaps only twenty or thirty years old, with bright green leaves and ash-colored bark. The land was green and damp. The clouds seemed to have followed them from the inn. When they turned down a lane, iron gates standing open on either side, Lucas leaned forward to catch a glimpse of the house.

  The driveway was not long, and Heatherton Hall sat nestled among tall hedges and little else. It was constructed entirely of gray stone, with a multitude of small, white-pane windows. It reminded him of castles he’d seen, ruins really, built when English land was forever being conquered by invaders and neighbors alike. But it was handsome, for all that it was imposing.

  “It’s impressive,” Lucas said.

  “It’s an old pile of stone.” He looked to see her smiling, though her face had lost some of its color. “But there have been improvements made to it in the last few decades. It is comfortable and will
make Phillip a fine home someday.”

  The carriage slowed to a stop and a footman appeared to open the door.

  Lucas stepped out first, nodding his thanks to the servant, then reached up to help Virginia down. He turned with her hand in his, facing a small row of servants. The expressions on their faces ranged from indifferent to curious. Randal and Virginia’s maid were part of their ranks and neither of them looked particularly pleased either.

  This will be interesting. Lucas barely kept the frown off his face. He would follow Virginia’s lead. This was her home and Phillip’s inheritance. He would help where asked and remain silent on the rest.

  Virginia greeted the head servants, introducing him.

  “My lord, I have a few things to discuss with the housekeeper, if you would prefer to go freshen up?” Virginia met his eyes, her smile gone and her lips thin.

  “Of course, my lady.” He gestured for Randal to lead him into the house, paying no mind to the other servants. In a matter of minutes, they had crossed the dark stone floors of the entryway, gone up the floating staircase, and down a hall carpeted in red. Very little light entered the hall, with only a window at the very end of it. Randal opened a door leading into a bedroom decorated in blues and greens.

  The moment the door shut behind him, Lucas took his hat off and tossed it into a chair near a small hearth. “Out with it, Randal,” he said, already stripping off his gloves. “Something has upset you and I want to hear what it is.”

  Randal cleared his throat and retrieved the hat. “It isn’t my place to say anything, my lord.”

  “Hang your place. That was the most unpleasant looking line of servants I’ve ever seen and you look like you’ve swallowed salt water.” Lucas thrust his gloves out to his valet, fixing the servant with his narrow-eyed glare. “What ails the household?”

  Randal took the gloves and walked to a tall bureau in the corner, carefully laying the hat on top and placing the gloves in a drawer. His movements were stiffer than normal.

  “You are in the guest wing, my lord.”

  Lucas thought that over a moment. “And the countess?”

  “Her old room, in the family wing.” The valet’s cool tone conveyed little emotion but plenty of disapproval. “And I am uncertain as to who determined the arrangements, whether it was my lady the countess or the housekeeper, Mrs. Thackery.”

  He was a guest. His wife still the mistress. Interesting. If it was the housekeeper’s doing, she showed a distinct lack of respect for him and her mistress. If it was Virginia’s—

  “It is best not to take offense, Randal. One room is very much like another, and we are here only a matter of days. Now, help me clean up for luncheon.”

  Randal nodded and said no more on the subject, but the valet’s expression said he thought plenty.

  By the time Lucas left his chambers in search of the dining room, tension had entered his body and shoulders. He descended to the first floor and found a footman standing as sentry in the hall. The stone-faced young man led him to the dining room.

  A cold lunch was spread upon the table, but Virginia was nowhere to be seen yet. Lucas looked at the food with some longing, his stomach reminding him he hadn’t eaten since he’d woken that morning. He walked to one of the windows, facing out into a gravel path disappearing between two tall hedges. The gray stone contrasted against the greenery.

  Did any colors besides green and gray exist at Heatherton?

  The door to the dining room opened. Lucas dropped his hands to his side and turned to face his wife. Her eyes snapped in a manner he’d only seen once before, when he’d upset her with the boys in the rain, and her posture vibrated with agitation.

  “Virginia?” He stepped nearer her without hesitation, almost reaching out but resisting that impulse. Instead he met her at the head of the table, only needing to take a few strides to reach it.

  She reached out and grasped the top of the chair, her green eyes full of sparks. “I am sorry, Lucas. I’m not sure what happened. I instructed that we both have rooms prepared for us, but apparently I was misunderstood. I meant for two rooms in the family wing to be prepared. I specified that the baron’s room was to remain untouched, but somehow—”

  Lucas put his hand over hers, on the chair. Neither of them wore gloves and the contact sent a current into his arm and directly to his heart. Years of training, of subjecting himself to the scrutiny of the ton and Parliament, kept him from giving any hint at the sudden jolt.

  “It’s of no matter, Virginia. My room is pleasant and well-appointed. If it was a mistake, it isn’t a fatal one. We will not be here long.”

  Still, the fact that she hadn’t made the arrangements eased his mind.

  Virginia’s shoulders slumped and she dropped her eyes to look somewhere below his chin as she spoke. “I don’t think the staff quite approves of me at present. There have been other things that speak of resentment on their part.”

  Lucas removed his hand from hers and reached out to touch just beneath her chin, barely grazing her skin. His chest tightened when her eyes darted upward, meeting his with a measure of surprise.

  “Then you will get to the heart of the matter and correct things, I am certain of it. And I will be here, should you wish for my company or assistance.”

  Did Virginia know how much he meant those words? Could she ever understand the emotions behind them?

  “Thank you, Lucas.” His eyes fell to her lips as she spoke his name. He backed away, pulling the chair out for her. Imagining what it would be like to kiss her did nothing for his self-control.

  “You are most welcome, my lady. Would you care to partake of this excellent meal?”

  A humorless chuckle escaped her. “Since when is cold ham excellent?” She moved to take her seat.

  “Since I am absolutely famished,” he answered, forcing lightness in his tone.

  Lucas went to the opposite end of the table, grateful for the distance between them.

  ¤

  Being slighted by her own servants had never happened to Virginia before. She could hear her mother’s voice in her mind, repeating lessons of household management to her. But something such as this had never been discussed. Then again, Virginia couldn’t imagine anyone daring to show so much as a hint of insubordination to Lady Vinespar. The woman likely would’ve routed Napoleon on her first entry into battle by doing no more than casting a glare in his direction.

  At least Lucas hadn’t seemed insulted. His calm acceptance of the matter had eased her irritation enough for her to enjoy the meal.

  “Where would you like to begin our work here, Virginia?” Lucas asked when she put her fork aside.

  “The steward should arrive soon.” She dropped her hands to her lap and kept them still, though she felt more like rubbing them down her skirts. “I think the best place to conduct that meeting will be in the study.”

  “Excellent.” Lucas stood and dropped his napkin on the table. He came to her side before the footman could move to assist her from her chair. Lucas took the task upon himself, then gestured for her to lead the way from the room.

  Virginia showed him down the hall, pointing out closed doors to him, telling him what lay behind each. “That is the music room. There is the parlor. Here is the study.” She put her hand to the handle and hesitated, thinking of the last time she’d been inside that room.

  “You almost expect him to be there,” Lucas said softly, standing close enough for her to feel his strength at her back.

  She nodded, her eyes on the dark-stained wood, imagining the scene as it had been months and months before. Virginia had been summoned to the room by Charles, entered the door with a light step and a smile, and he’d been standing at the window behind the desk. He’d looked out over the courtyard at the rear of the house. The leaves had all changed color by then, beginning to fall.

  It was in that room where he had told her they must go to Bath, for his health. Did he realize, even then, that he would never return to Heatherton H
all again?

  Lucas’s steady presence at her back gave her the confidence she needed to push the door open and step inside.

  The curtains were open, the windows too, allowing a gentle breeze to freshen the room. Ledgers were stacked upon the desk, as she’d requested. The bookshelves lining one wall were in good order. The room felt and smelled clean, not abandoned and forlorn as she thought it might be.

  Virginia went to the desk, her hand coming to rest on a stack of account books.

  Lucas went to the shelves first, giving her a moment to gather her emotions. She took in a deep breath and moved to one of the chairs across from where Charles had always sat to conduct business.

  “I wouldn’t sit there.”

  Lucas’s soft voice made her pause. She turned, raising her eyebrows at him in question.

  “Your steward needs to understand who’s in charge here. Sit behind the desk.” He nodded to the tall-backed chair, bound in rich brown leather.

  Virginia looked from the chair to Lucas. “But where will you sit?”

  “I will stand behind you, my lady.” His lips tilted, his crooked smile gentle and teasing at the same time. “That is my place here. You are Phillip’s guardian, I am your husband. Together, we will see to it his inheritance is safe, but I am in an advisory role only.”

  She tilted her chin up and tried for some levity. “Unless someone needs to be punched in the nose?”

  Lucas’s smile grew, almost wickedly. “Of course, my lady. I will not hesitate should that become necessary.” He nodded to the chair again. “In the meantime, make yourself comfortable. Your steward must see you there, where you belong.”

  She walked around the desk and sat down, feeling strange in the seat that had always been the baron’s. But not for long. Taking in a deep breath, the familiar scents of the room settled her. She could smell the tobacco from Charles’s favorite pipe, caught in the curtains most likely. The leather of the chair, the scent of books and furniture polish, hung around her in a comforting embrace.