“Then I shall dine upstairs with Meg and Marjie.” Cori spun to leave and threw a parting shot. “I hope you’ve at least warned cook about the extra bellies she is to fill.”
She imagined the look of chagrin which should have crossed Basil’s face, but knowing her brother as she did, she rather assumed he shrugged off her disdain and went into dinner without a care in the world. It would be improper for her to dine with single men, regardless of Basil’s presence. But of course, he would not think of that, for she was ineligible. To be eligible, one had to be considered in the first place. The only thing Cori was considered for was how she could be of service to those around her.
Suppressing her irritation, she enjoyed dinner beside her younger sisters. Meg was quiet and thoughtful, sprinkling her carefully thought out opinions amidst the chaos which embodied Marjie. At nine years old, Marjie was still quite the handful. She had an overabundance of energy and enthusiasm for life that balanced Meg’s quiet restfulness.
“Tomorrow will you take us to the creek? I should like to take my new puppy to splash in the water. Dogs like water. I heard it from Billy.”
“The stable hand?” Meg inquired.
“Of course. There’s no other Billy,” Marjie scoffed.
“If you complete your lessons, I would be happy to walk to the creek with you,” Cori said “But you must understand, Basil has brought friends from London and they intend to hunt. We must make sure the way is clear and safe before we venture out.”
Marjie grinned and jumped onto Cori’s lap. “At nine, my dear, I believe you are past the age of sitting in my lap,” Cori said with a laugh.
Marjie gave her a look which could only be described as impish, throwing her arms around her sister’s neck and squeezing. “I just love you so, Cori.” She finished off the brown nosing with a kiss on the cheek and jumped to her feet before skipping to the playroom next door.
“She knows precisely how adorable she is,” Meg said without lifting her nose from her book.
“And you don’t?” Cori countered, thinking of how easily Meg could twist their father around her little finger. Meg only smiled, her eyes never leaving her page.
Chapter 3
The following morning dawned beautiful, promising a clear, sunny day. Cori woke Basil to inform him of her creek plans, assuring their safety from hunters, at least for the morning.
The sisters retrieved Marjie’s new puppy from the kitchen where she was currently being house trained and fashioned a leash around her neck before making their way outside. The crisp, cool air lifted her spirits and etched a smile onto Cori’s face she felt sure would remain there the rest of the day.
The spaniel, Annabelle, proved Billy’s decree and played joyously in the shallow water, bringing delight to Marjie as well as her more refined sisters. They took turns throwing a stick and directing Annabelle to retrieve it.
“I think I should like to bring my watercolors to this very spot,” Cori said reflectively. The light was shining on the water, sparkling against the wet rocks. The bank rose gradually, blanketed with grass and dotted with crisp leaves. The opposite side of the creek was a deep wood underneath a clear, cloudless sky. She would most likely add a few puffy white clouds for effect, but otherwise, the scene was perfect.
Cori had just imagined the perfect color combination to get the sky just the right shade of blue when she was suddenly ambushed. Annabelle jumped on her, knocking the air from her lungs as paws planted her down by her shoulders. Decidedly foul breath washed over her face while a rough tongue licked up the side of her neck, causing her to shriek with giggles. The dog must have taken the laughter as a good sign, for she did not cease her ministrations. Meg and Marjie ran to Cori’s aid but fell over themselves with unrestrained laughter.
Cori managed one loud shriek of, “Help me!” before succumbing to another bout of hysterical laughter, but her younger sisters made no move to call Annabelle off.
A thunderous sound rumbled beneath her body and Annabelle jumped off of Cori, taking a protective stance over her torso instead. She tilted her head back to watch the approaching rider and her heart sped when she caught the shock of red hair beneath the gentleman’s hat. But no, it could not be Lord Arnett. Surely it was only his brother. Struggling to catch her breath, she turned back to Meg. “Call her off!”
Meg obliged and Annabelle was soon distracted with another throwing stick. Cori shook her head at the short attention span of the puppy only to see ratty strands of her dark hair falling forward on her face. She groaned slightly, hearing the rider jump down from his horse. Shaking the last few pins out of her hair, she scraped it back behind her head and out of her face before turning back to Lord Travis.
“My lord, you must forgive my appearance—”
Cori sucked in a breath as she came face to face with a redheaded man who was quite clearly changed—and most certainly not Lord Travis. The sun had warmed his skin, adding a mass amount of freckles; somehow they made his hair look all the brighter. His hard, green eyes looked questioningly into hers and she realized he must have wondered who she was, and how she knew him.
“Yes?” he inquired.
She curtseyed. “I am Miss Cori Featherbottom. I apologize, I almost mistook you for your brother.”
A smile played at his lips. “Alas, I could never mistake you for your sister.”
She felt umbrage at that remark. Was he implying a competition between the sisters? If it was, she failed. And it was ungentlemanly of him, to say the least.
“No, do not set up your back at me,” he continued. “Believe it or not, I intended that as a compliment.”
He had to be teasing, surely. “Is there any way I can be of service?” Cori asked stiffly. She found her previous hero worship of the enticingly dashing gentleman quickly dissipating. Nothing quite set her off like a reminder of how very far she fell below Rosemary in every regard.
“I had rather thought I was going to be offering the service.” He gave her a slow perusal which naturally straightened her spine. “From a distance, it looked as though you were being devoured by wild beasts.”
She gave a pointed look at Annabelle laying beside Marjie, her pink tongue lolling on the grass as she caught her breath.
“Well, your screams were frightening,” Lord Arnett defended, taking note of the large puppy, an auburn eyebrow raised.
“I apologize for the confusion. I was being...tickled.” Heat rushed up her neck at the remark.
“Ah. Noted. I’ll be sure to avoid the practice in future.” he said under his breath.
The heat pulsing in her cheeks flared into a fiery hot flame. “Come along, girls. We must be heading back.” Cori turned away without formally taking her leave. She had not known Lord Arnett very well before he left for Italy; she’d simply admired him from afar. It would appear that looks could be deceiving. Either that or Italy had changed the man thoroughly. He was rude and inappropriate. Earl or not, she would not allow anyone speak to her in such a way.
“No, no, not like this.” Lord Arnett stopped her with a hand on her elbow. She looked pointedly at it until he released her and she turned to face him.
“Let me try again,” he said. “You owe me, really. I truly thought you were being ruthlessly attacked.”
In retrospect, she could see that possibility. She stared into Lord Arnett’s clear green eyes a beat too long—it was truly easy to become lost in them—then shook herself back into the moment. “Thank you for trying to rescue me,” she conceded.
Lord Arnett delivered a magnetic smile. Rosemary was quite lucky, indeed.
“We really should be getting home,” Cori repeated. She turned and gave her sisters meaningful looks and they hurried to her side.
“Then allow me to escort you,” Lord Arnett said.
Giving him a curious eye, Cori nodded and they all started toward the Featherbottom estate.
“Are you recently returned home, my lord?” Cori asked by way of making conversation. What she trul
y wanted to know was if he had already proposed to Rosemary. If the man was going to become her brother, she ought to try and see him in that light.
“Only last night, actually. I have been in London for some time and traveling the continent before that.”
Cori nodded. It would not do to admit that she had followed his travels closely. He might look at her little tendre as something of a nuisance.
“My parents are in Town at present,” Cori ventured carefully. “They took my sister for the Season.”
Lord Arnett nodded but said nothing. He walked beside her, his hands clasped behind his back while he led his magnificent chestnut horse. Marjie and Meg walked ahead of them with Annabelle reattached to her leash.
“You do not join them in Town?” he asked at length.
“No,” she responded some moments later, offering no further explanation.
“Do you visit with Eleanor at all? She attended the season just this past year, I believe.” He must have been searching for a topic.
Cori tried not to stiffen her posture, but it was in vain. “Lady Eleanor and I are of very little acquaintance, sir. She is quite a few years younger than I am.” Cori did not mention she had yet to attend any season herself, despite her aging years.
Stilted silence resumed between them.
Something stirred within Cori. The silence wouldn’t do.
In a way, the walk was a dream come true. After so many days of watching and admiring Lord Arnett from a distance, Cori finally had the opportunity to converse with him. She could not allow the opportunity to go wasted, turning into some meaningless encounter Lord Arnett would surely forget. Soaking in the privilege he currently offered her, she threw caution to the wind.
“Did you enjoy the continent?”
“Very much, although…” he trailed off, looking away.
“Yes?”
He glanced at her, smiling slightly. “It was not home.”
What an odd thing to say. “No, I can imagine it was not.”
Silence overcame them once more. It was more comfortable, but also disappointing. Why could she not just speak?
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“Of course,” Cori said quickly. “Why do you ask?”
“You appear as if you have sucked on a lemon.”
“Thank you, sir,” she said dryly. “I shall keep that in mind.”
“Been thinking about something distasteful?” he pried.
“Perhaps.” She tried to sound mysterious. Though this older, experienced man could likely see right through her.
Lord Arnett let out a booming laugh. All right, perhaps she only sounded ridiculous.
It was with great relief that her home came into view. Basil and his friends were in front of the stables, retrieving guns from servants and climbing onto horses.
Lord Arnett stopped short and Cori was startled to find his face turned to stone. “My brother has brought friends home for a hunting party,” she supplied.
“And your family?”
“My sisters and I do not hunt, sir.”
He tore his gaze from the group of riders and settled on her face. She felt utterly stripped. “Your parents?”
“Remain in London,” she answered.
He nodded once before picking up her hand and kissing the back of it. Her breath caught at the romantic gesture and her heart sped. “I must be off,” he said, swinging onto his horse. “Good day, Miss Featherbottom.”
Cori watched him ride away, back in the direction of his own land. He did not even approach the house to greet Basil. What strange behavior.
She turned and followed her sisters upstairs to change out of her muddy, dog-stomped dress. Meg and Marjie returned to the schoolroom, and Cori ordered herself a bath. Not only did she look horrid, but she smelled like wet dog. What an absolutely perfect way to spend her time with Lord Arnett.
* * *
Adam Arnett rode hard. Logically, he realized she was not at home, but seeing Basil and his cronies had done something to his equilibrium and he found himself needing the exercise.
It wasn’t enough that Travis was avoiding him, but now Rosemary followed his family to London, showing up at his house with her doe eyes and false innocence. Could she not retract her claws and leave him to make his own choice?
Frustrated, Adam took the long way back to Windfall. The sight of the Featherbottom girl being mauled slipped into his thoughts. Her scream had set something off in his blood and he rushed to get to her. It wasn’t until he got closer that he had seen her laughter and that of her sisters—an immediate war of relief and irritation swarming within him. It was his intention to leave them be, but he found himself drawn to the girl. Her directness, perhaps?
Plainly, she was unlike Rosemary.
Jumping a hedge, Adam shook frustration from his shoulders. He was going to ride out the irritation all day if he had to, but one way or another he was going to find a way to get his mother and Rosemary to leave him be once and for all.
Chapter 4
Cori went for many walks after running into Lord Arnett, nearly every day the weather allowed, but did not run into him again. It was a pity, for she had taken great care in her dress and appearance before each lengthy ramble, and all for nothing. What was the point of looking her best if she wasn’t even going to see anyone worthwhile?
When the Dowager Lady Berwind arrived at Windfall’s dower house with a fine equipage loaded to the brim with souvenirs of her many travels, Cori promptly visited, as she promised she would. At least the dowager might appreciate her attempts to elevate her dress and appearance. The Dowager welcomed her graciously, and invited her back again to help with the sorting and arranging of her many decorative possessions.
Cori left the dower house completely baffled by Lady Berwind’s outward disdain for her mother-in-law. How anyone could dislike such a clever woman was beyond her.
Meanwhile, Basil and his friends hunted to their heart’s content until finally, they made mention of heading back to London. Cori figured that Basil had proven his independence sufficiently for his taste and was ready again for the entertainment which could only be had in Town.
It was on the very day Basil announced his intent to depart that Cori saw Lord Arnett once again. He came to call, and Cori pulled Basil into the drawing room to add propriety. The men discussed the successes and pitfalls of the hunt at great length, forcing Cori to stifle not one, but two large yawns before the topic was changed to something of interest.
“I came to take my leave,” Lord Arnett inserted after hearing that Basil and his party would soon be departing. “It appears I needn’t have bothered, however, if we are all to travel to London.”
“Not all. My sisters shall stay here.” Basil’s voice rang with such indifference, Cori felt like fading into the soft cushion behind her.
She had not been addressed once beyond the proper greeting since Lord Arnett’s arrival in her drawing room. His eyes had remained fixed on Basil through the duration of their visit.
“My grandmother will appreciate that,” Lord Arnett supplied.
Cori looked up and found him watching her. She would like to think it was with interest, but she had once seen the way he looked at Rose, and this was nothing like that. No, this was something entirely different. Pity, perhaps?
“I have found myself becoming quite fond of your grandmother,” Cori said,with all the dignity she possessed.
“The feeling is mutual.” Lord Arnett smiled, holding her gaze. “I shan’t be gone long, Miss Cori, for a fortnight at most. There is too much to accomplish here to spend all of my time gallivanting across the world. Perhaps I may call when I return?”
Taken by surprise, she stammered, “W-why yes, of course.”
She remained in a daze until the man left, and for the remainder of the day following. Whatever his sudden interest was, it had to be related to Rosemary somehow; there was no other explanation. Perhaps Lord Arnett wanted to get to know his future family? Yes, t
hat must be it.
Cori fell asleep that night willing herself to see Lord Arnett the same way she saw Basil—as a brother, and nothing more. If only her heart would pay attention.
Chapter 5
The carriage plodded along slowly as the London traffic moved at a snail’s pace. Adam leaned back against the squabs and shut his eyes, hoping to ward off frustration. Every bit they moved forward was another moment closer to his reckoning.
“I do not know how I let you talk me into this,” he said to his brother seated across from him.
“I do,” Travis responded with levity. Adam did not need to open his eyes to know his brother was laughing. At his expense.
“Father wants an heir.”
That opened his eyes. He was surprised to find Travis looking at him with a serious note in his usually mirthful expression. Adam swallowed the sawdust lump that formed in his throat. Travis was right; Father was the reason he was back in this horrid town on his way to a dreadful ball. On his way to see her.
“That is an easy enough task to accomplish,” he said with a feigned lightness he did not feel. “I shall propose to the first miss I come across, procure a special license and be married by sunrise.
“While I commend your eagerness to do Father’s bidding, I suggest you at least find a woman who can fill Mama’s shoes.”
“And we’ve come to the sticking point.” Adam leaned back in his seat again and resumed the bored air which came to him so easily. He could not pick just any woman. As a future Marquess and a current Earl, he had to choose a wife who could fill the responsibilities that came with those roles. While his title at present was a mere formality, the title of Marquess was all too real. And it would be his entirely too soon.
The carriage rumbled to a stop and Travis hopped out, not waiting for the footman to open the door and let down the step. Adam followed his brother at a more sedate pace, securing the bored elegance which would shield him for the evening. It was an easy persona to play, for it was how he felt most of the time. In fact, he could not quite remember the last time he felt anything other than the strain and weight of his responsibilities.
To Be Loved By The Earl: A Regency Novella Page 2