The Scarlet Bride

by Cheryl Ann Smith

  “Quite handsomely,” she repeated in awe. The drive was made of stone, wide enough for two coaches to pass comfortably. They passed by gardens breathtakingly beautiful and well tended as Simon led the horses to a trail that circled right of the castle. “Will the marquess mind us trespassing on his property?”

  Simon winked. “He is a close friend of my father.”

  Laura settled back to enjoy the day. They tied up the horses for a brief sojourn from riding to play in the castle’s maze. Laura got terribly lost and Simon rescued her with laughter, kisses, and a nuzzle of that perfect spot on her neck.

  “Kisses are always required when a damsel is rescued from a maze,” he said when they finally found their way out. He lowered his head and Laura eagerly kissed him back.

  They reclaimed the horses and raced through the endless ribbons of interconnecting trails that covered what must have been hundreds of acres of open land and forests.

  Laura’s carefree laughter filled the quiet forest as they frightened a quail and startled a pair of deer.

  When the horses were lathered and in need of rest, they slowed to a sedate pace and turned back toward the road.

  “I don’t know when I’ve last enjoyed myself this much,” she said, smiling at her handsome companion. “Truthfully, I have never had this much fun.”

  Beneath his hat, Simon’s eyes were full of mischief. Her heart swelled as they approached the gate. She did love him so!

  Simon stopped Horse and locked on to her eyes. “I never tire of hearing your full and unguarded laughter. Today, you have succeeded my expectations splendidly.”

  Flushed under his attention, she realized he was right. She’d laughed more today than she had in years. He was fully responsible for this happiness. “I’ve grown weary of frowning. I know that we have much to do before I am completely free, but from this day forward, I promise to laugh at all your jests and smile politely even when I do not find you amusing.”

  Simon looked put out. “I am always amusing.”

  Laura made a face. “Only you find yourself so.”

  He struggled to remain serious, then grinned. “The only person required to amuse me is me. As long as I amuse myself, nothing else should matter.”

  “Truer words have never been uttered.”

  He leaned to brace his hand on her knee. “I think you should give me one last kiss before we return to town.”

  There, beneath a brick and steel arch, Laura pushed herself up from the saddle and met him halfway with a most loving kiss.

  Simon hated to return to the town house. The afternoon was more than he’d imagined. Hearing her laughter and seeing the open happiness in her eyes had pleased him immensely.

  It was sometime during those hours that he realized he cared for her as more than a casual friend. Was it love? He wasn’t entirely convinced it was. But his affection for her was deepening. Suddenly, he no longer wanted to marry for position. He wanted Laura in whatever form that would take.

  He’d skip past Lady Jeanette and get Chester under heel without sacrificing himself. There had to be a way to drag the man before a parson. It was the matter of discovering the man’s weakness. Hopefully, by the time his uncle’s title came to Simon, Brenna would be married off and no longer his worry.

  Mother never liked the idea of him marrying Lady Jeanette. Both his parents wanted their children happy. And Laura wasn’t a courtesan, not really, and she loved him. If he did marry her someday, it wouldn’t be the worst of the Harrington misdeeds. There was no certainty that her history would ever get out. Besides, the Harrington family could survive another scandal.

  Years from now, when he was earl, they’d be long past whispered speculation about how their relationship had come to be.

  Looking over at Laura, he felt something that he hadn’t felt in a long time. Hope for his future.

  First, he needed her free of the murder. He’d not start their life together on a bleak note.

  “You’ve become quiet,” she said, drawing her horse to a stop before the stable behind the town house. “Should I worry?”

  The groom and a stable boy rushed over to take the reins. Simon dismounted and walked over to swing her down. She brushed against him and he felt her warmth. He wanted to steal a kiss but lack of privacy prevented it. So he took her hand and walked her out of the mews and into the town house garden.

  “I’ve been thinking about you.”

  She looked at him askance. “Now I am worried,” she teased.

  Simon narrowed his eyes. “I suspect that no matter how old you become, you’ll always be a troublesome wench.”

  Her eyes flashed. “That is my intention.”

  Chuckling, he led her around the house. “I have come to a decision. It involves my future.”

  “Oh?”

  He nodded. “I have decided not to marry Lady Jeanette.” He stopped on the path. Shadows from the town house blocked the late afternoon sun and hid them from view of the windows.

  Laura stared at him, clearly puzzled. “When exactly did you make this decision? I thought you were firmly settled on the girl.”

  He thought of all the reasons why he should keep quiet, marry Jeanette, and forget Laura. And not one of them made sense. “I cannot marry her when I care for someone else.”

  Her face clouded. “Simon, no.” She pulled her hand free and walked over to a nearby bench. She sat. “You have to marry her, or someone like her; if not for your sister, then for yourself. You need a woman of impeccable breeding to bear your children and host your parties and run your massive manor home. You cannot allow your feelings of responsibility for me to distract you from what’s important. You will be an earl someday. You need a proper countess.”

  Simon sat beside her. “You think my feelings for you are due to some misguided sense of responsibility?”

  She said nothing.

  Exasperation welled. “Isn’t it possible that my affection for you has grown not because I saved your life but because I find you fascinating and intelligent and beautiful?”

  He watched her stiffen and press a hand to her forehead. “This cannot be happening.” She stood, removed her hat, and looked into his eyes. “My presence has upended your careful plans. Please tell me you haven’t considered marrying me.” He paused long enough to give her answer. “I will not do it.”

  She turned and lifted her hem. Simon caught her before she could take a step. He spun her around and pulled her into his arms. He didn’t care if the entire household was watching. He kissed her. Hard.

  Laura struggled against him for a moment, then went slack. She opened her mouth to deepen the kiss. Simon splayed his hand on her lower back and pulled her closer.

  She fit perfectly in his arms. No other woman would ever take her place. Laura was his destiny.

  Slowly, he lifted his head. Her eyes were warm as they met his. “I won’t marry you, Simon,” she whispered.

  “Have I asked?” he countered.

  Slowly, she lost some starch. “Then we are in agreement. We will speak no more about the matter.”

  She pulled away and continued down the path and around the house, Simon on her heels.

  “I have not agreed to anything,” he said. “I will take all the time needed to convince you that a future together is a possibility.” He followed her up the steps and moved around her to block the door. “And when I have convinced you that you will make an excellent countess, then I will ask.”

  Sighing, she shook her head. “You are a stubborn man.”

  “And yet you love me.”

  Laura frowned. “It is my deepest regret.”

  He laughed as he opened the door and they stepped inside the foyer. The once quiet house had been taken over by a bustle of activity. Chaos had erupted during the few hours they were away. Maids rushed about, and from somewhere in the house, he heard weeping. His father stepped out of the parlor and spotted Simon. He walked to him, his face bleak.

  Father glanced briefly at Laura and
dismissed her. Whatever had sent the house into upheaval was more important than any curiosity Father might have about Laura.

  “You’ve returned early,” Simon observed. His stomach twisted. Something was terribly wrong. This kind of upset could not come from his parents’ discovery of a stranger, Laura, living under their roof. There had to be more. “What has happened? Is it Mother? Brenna?”

  Father shook his head. “We have received terrible news. Your Uncle Arthur is dead.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  We aren’t sure exactly what happened,” Simon’s mother, Kathleen, said and dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief as the family gathered in the library. “All we know is that he was attacked by a local man he’d hired as a guide. Apparently there was some dispute over his fee. Arthur was pushed into a river and drowned.”

  “Uncle Arthur was killed over money?” Simon couldn’t believe this was happening. “Arthur was known for being tightfisted. But to be killed over such a thing is a tragedy….” He let his voice trail off. How do you put into words the absurdity of the situation without sounding callous?

  “If it is any comfort, the perpetrator was hanged by the British Army,” Father said. “They don’t take kindly to the death of a peer.”

  Simon leaned his head back against the chair. The implications of all this were unbelievable. His father was now Lord Seymour. Mother was a countess. Simon was now a titled viscount. Brenna was Lady Brenna. The wealth, the properties, everything held by Arthur was now Father’s.

  He looked over at his sister. Her red eyes stared back at him. They’d lost an uncle they never really knew, and their world had changed drastically because of one senseless act.

  “Has anyone informed Noelle?” Brenna asked.

  “She and her mother have been notified,” Father said and walked to the window. Of everyone in the room, he seemed the most disheartened by the news. He’d lost his only remaining brother—first Noelle’s father and now Arthur.

  “Perhaps you should give us a moment,” Mother whispered to her children. Her beautiful face was filled with sadness as she walked to her husband. She slipped her hand into his and leaned against his shoulder.

  Simon and Brenna left them. Once in the hallway, they faced each other. “I can’t believe Uncle Arthur is dead,” Brenna said softly. “He was always the missing earl. I was an infant when he left. Now he is gone forever.”

  “I should do something for Father.” Simon rubbed his jaw. The shock of the news still lingered. “I’ll contact Gabriel. He should be with us.”

  “Do you know where our brother is currently?” Brenna asked.

  “The last I heard, Spain.” Time was long past for their wayward brother to return. It had been four years since he left to find adventure.

  The weight of Simon’s new responsibility was staggering. He wasn’t certain of his new position, nor could he fathom what all this would mean, for himself or Laura. Becoming a viscount had always been a distant consideration. In a matter of minutes, his life had changed. “Has anyone made arrangements to get Arthur home?”

  “The army has taken care of it.” Brenna pressed her clasped hands to her mouth. “We will be notified when he arrives in London.” Weeping sounded from above. “I should go to Bernie. She has lost her brother.”

  Brenna went upstairs. Simon felt adrift. He looked up to the second floor and knew he should see to Laura. During the melee, she’d slipped away.

  Somehow, he couldn’t bring himself to seek her out. There were preparations to be made and he needed to make certain his father’s other sister, Aunt Clara, had been notified of the death. Arthur was her brother, too. His family needed him now, more than Laura did.

  With shoulders slumped, he headed toward the library. He really needed a drink.

  Laura packed her things and left the house with her valise clutched tightly against her chest. She hailed a hackney at the end of the street and gave him directions to the school.

  She pressed her face into her hands. Her heart ached for Simon’s family. They’d suffered a great loss. Aunt Bernie was devastated. Laura had sat with her until Simon’s sister arrived, then removed herself to pack. She had no place in the household. Not really. It was best she return to the school and leave the Harringtons to grieve privately.

  Miss Eva was sipping tea when she arrived. The few remaining courtesans were absent. The house was quiet.

  “Simon has sent you back?” Eva asked. She slid her skirts aside so Laura could join her on the settee.

  Laura shook her head. “I thought it best if I left. The household is in turmoil. His family is in mourning. He doesn’t need questions about me to add to his troubles.” Eva poured her tea. She accepted the cup and added some sugar. “I wish I could help him.”

  Miss Eva nodded. “It is an unusual situation. Arthur has been away so long, he was almost a phantom to his family. Now he’s gone. There are some big changes coming.”

  “There are,” Laura agreed sadly.

  The duchess glanced sidelong at her. “This changes things for you, too.” She refreshed her tea. “I know Simon cares for you, but he is a viscount now. With what little I know about Simon, I suspect he is already feeling torn between the title—and you. Has he made you any promises?”

  “No.” Laura swallowed deeply. She wondered how much she should share with Miss Eva. The burden proved too heavy and she explained their earlier conversation. “He left open the possibility of marriage, yet I knew it would never come to fruition. He spoke out of desire, not practicality. We are too far apart in circumstance—now more so than ever. Once he has a chance to see things clearly, he will see that I am right. We are not meant to be together.”

  The duchess sent her a knowing stare. “I would not be so sure about his intentions. Yes, he is currently in turmoil. However, the Harrington family is not like other members of the Ton. If he wants you, he will have you, in spite of his new title.”

  Laura frowned. “With time, he’ll see reason.”

  Miss Eva smiled. “Have you ever known a reasonable man when he thinks he is in love?”

  “Simon doesn’t love me,” Laura protested.

  “Give him time. He will.”

  This conversation wasn’t as comforting as she’d hoped. She’d thought perhaps the duchess would impart some wisdom about how to discourage Simon. Instead, she seemed to encourage the relationship.

  “You don’t understand,” Laura said firmly. “He is a viscount now. He needs his Lady Jeanette.”

  “And a duke needed a wife with a perfect pedigree,” Miss Eva said lightly. “Sometimes life doesn’t work out as planned.”

  An hour later, Laura went to her room, somewhat comforted by Miss Eva’s story of how a courtesan’s daughter found love with her duke. Yet Laura was still locked in the muddle that was her life.

  She grew weary of uncertainty. She was being stalked by a man who could be a killer. She was living in a courtesan school. She had very little money, two pistols, and an ugly elephant statue. And she was in love with a man who clearly had a knight-in-armor affection for his rescued damsel.

  All she could hope for now was that the death of his uncle would make him see her, and his own world, more clearly.

  Simon paced. The town house had become a prison. Harringtons were arriving daily from far afield and the staff was harried. While trying to ease the burden borne by his parents, the servants relied heavily on his guidance, and the pressure to prove his worth was intense. He bore the weight of his inadequacies with rising frustration. “Three days since Arthur’s death and I’m already feeling chains hanging around my neck.”

  Brenna sat in a chair, watching him. “Father has asked nothing of you. He knows you need time to adjust to your new role as earl-in-waiting.”

  The censure in her voice brought him upright. He turned to see her scowling at him. He replayed the last few days and realized she was right. Father had taken the full responsibility of everything on his own shoulders. Aside from sending
out a missive to the last known address for Gabriel and directing the staff, he’d done very little.

  “This is a shock for all of us and I’m only thinking about myself,” he grumbled unhappily. “I thought I had years before I became next in line. We all hoped that Arthur would return to reclaim his position and live a long life.”

  “Think of how Father feels,” Brenna said tightly. “He has lost his two brothers. He never suspected he’d ever lose them both.” She tapped her fingers on the chair arms. “Truthfully, I believe you are more worried about losing your mysterious woman than becoming viscount.”

  After a brief pause, she continued, “I do find her disappearance odd. She should be eager to lift herself from companion to viscountess.”

  Simon stopped pacing. He glared. “You know nothing of Laura. She asks nothing of me.”

  Brenna stood. “I know you placed her as Aunt Bernie’s companion and attended several parties with her in tow. You think we didn’t hear the rumors? Then we return home and she vanishes. If you expect us to understand what’s happening, you could explain yourself.”

  He raked his hands through his hair. “It is not the time or place for this. There may never be the right time.”

  Their last moments together played in his mind. Laura assured him marrying Lady Jeanette was his future. He’d refused to consider the notion. Sadly, with his uncle’s death, Laura may have been right. Choosing a viscountess was a task not to be entered into lightly.

  Without waiting for Brenna to press him further, he walked out of the library.

  Laura was gone, his aunt couldn’t stop crying, and his father had disappeared into his study with Noelle’s mother, estate managers, secretaries, and whoever else might help figure out the jumble of disorganization that was Uncle Arthur’s life. Brenna had been wandering London, likely in search of a pirate to father her child, and Mother felt responsible for them all.

  The only thing he did know was that Laura was safe for the moment. The school was well guarded. Still, he worried. The only way he’d be confident she was fully protected was if she was with him. Hell, as distracted as he was, not even that was certain. She was best left to the paid guards. For now.