Redeeming the Earl

by Jenn Langston

Was this what fate intended for her? Her future could have always been intended to become intertwined with his. She let out a breath. And now she could be too late. After all, she wasn’t sure he still wanted to marry her.

  At dinner the other night, Grace had told her all about the women throwing their daughters and nieces at him. Hearing of his effect on the female population made her wonder if she should have printed the sheet after accepting his offer, for after his confession, there was no doubt in her mind what she wanted.

  Although the idea of losing the Unscandal Sheet had bothered her a short time ago, it now seemed to be a small sacrifice compared to what she would gain with him.

  “What are you thinking?” he inquired.

  Her cheeks heated. She suspected her thoughts were clearly displayed on her face. “Why do you ask?”

  “Because you are looking at me like . . . Actually, I’m not sure. No one has ever looked at me like that before.”

  “Oh. Well, I was just thinking about the future.”

  “Go on.” He brought one hand up and brushed an errant lock from her shoulder, his touch making her shiver.

  “You asked me a question some time ago, and I . . . I wanted to know if you still require an answer.”

  His eyebrows rose, as his gaze dropped her lips. She got the feeling he wanted to kiss her, but held himself back. Why? He had claimed her lack of experience wasn’t the problem, so why didn’t he want to kiss her?

  “Why would you believe I no longer desired an answer?”

  “Everyone sees you differently now. You don’t have to settle anymore.”

  “Is that what you think I’m doing?” His warm hand cupped her cheek. “No. I was lucky you noticed me that night at the ball.”

  He brought his lips to hers and lightly touched her mouth. Then he did so again, and again, until he caught her bottom lip between his teeth. She trembled as she clutched onto his lapels to hold herself up. The teasing continued as he caressed her mouth without giving her all of him.

  By the time he deepened the kiss, she was far beyond help. She attacked him, sliding her tongue between his teeth before he could. In response, all of the tenderness left him. He roughly pulled her body to his and ran his hands down her back. The feeling of pure Heaven scalded her as his fingers bit into her flesh.

  When she wound her hands around his neck, he tugged on her, breaking their connection. Although she had needed the interruption, she still mourned the loss. What would it be like to be married to him and not have to stop?

  “What have you done to me? I’ve never gone back on my word—until today.” His voice came out in gasps as his chest rose and fell rapidly.

  She smiled, glad she held some sort of power over him. “Would it help if we were betrothed?”

  The hope mixed with disbelief in his eyes made her want to cry. Was it so hard for him to believe she wanted to be with him?

  “You will marry me?” he breathed.

  “Yes.”

  His smile beamed brilliantly, but he didn’t pull her back into his arms as she would have preferred. Clearly he intended to stick with his ridiculous plan to withhold his kisses until after the wedding. She hoped he didn’t plan on a long engagement.

  “This is very fitting,” Francis told Charles as they sat at a table in the back of Ravenhurst. “It is our last lesson after all.”

  Charles’s head popped up from his glass. “Last lesson? Why would you believe that?”

  “You are getting married. You no longer have a use for me.”

  “Your mother has assured me you would remain with me until I have an heir. Marriage doesn’t mean anything in that respect. Until I hold a crying child in my arms, I won’t release you back to your mother.”

  An extended sigh rocked Francis’s chest. “That could be a long while. When do you intend to marry Miss Doutree?”

  “In two months. I don’t see any reason to prolong it further.” Surveying his nephew, Charles wondered about him. “You’ve made it no secret to me how you have no wish to be my heir. Which leads me to wonder why.”

  “Do you want me to be honest with you?” At Charles’s nod, he continued. “I see no reason to spend my time grooming for a position I’ll never have.”

  “You never know. Wouldn’t you rather be prepared for every eventuality?”

  “I don’t know. Besides, the age gap between my mother and you is so vast, you and I are separated by less than a decade. I don’t want to be the one going through what you are facing. I’m not ready to marry and have my own heir. I don’t know if I will ever be.”

  Nodding, Charles turned his attention to the club. He wondered how many of these gentlemen shared his nephew’s opinion. Or had Charles’s own experiences with women soured Francis on marriage altogether?

  “Enough about me.” Francis raised his glass. “Let’s offer a toast to the Unscandal Sheet. Without such a brave author, your search for a wife wouldn’t be over.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Isn’t that why Miss Doutree agreed to marry you? With you being cleared of any wrongdoings, she certainly will have no reason to fear for her safety.”

  Unable to respond, Charles stared at his nephew. Was he right? Rebecca had only accepted him after she’d read the sheet. Did it matter?

  Anger pulsed through him. Of course it mattered. How could she not trust him before that? He had told her exactly what happened. That made him wonder what her motivations for marrying him were. He’d made it clear what his were.

  There was no doubt she wanted something, but what? Her father certainly wanted to be rid of her, but considering her age, he hadn’t been as forceful as he could have been. So, she couldn’t simply be desperate to leave her father’s house.

  “Dunmore,” Andrew Doutree called, appearing in front of him. “Do you mind if I join you?”

  “Not at all,” Francis said, standing up. “I was just leaving. Uncle, I suppose I’ll see you tomorrow. Same time as usual?”

  After nodding to Francis, Charles fixed his attention on the elder Doutree twin. In all the time Charles had been pursuing Rebecca, he had very little interaction with the viscount’s heir.

  “Brandy?” Charles offered, then signaled for another glass to be served. “So, what brings you here today?”

  “That should be obvious. We only have one thing in common, after all.”

  “Yes, and how is my betrothed this evening?”

  The tightening of Doutree’s jaw made Charles smile. He didn’t care for the man’s superior attitude. Charles outranked him in both title and age. He was owed respect and refused to accept any less. It was clear why Rebecca remained in the company of her youngest brother. Alexander Doutree’s personality matched hers very nicely.

  “As good as can be expected considering she’s been deceived.”

  “By whom?” Charles forced out through his teeth, although he suspected he already knew the answer.

  “By you, of course. You enter her life with promises of marriage, then you bring everything to a halt. Why?”

  “I’m not sure I understand. In the event you have been uninformed, I shall tell you. Miss Doutree and I are betrothed.”

  “Yes, and you make her wait for two months. What kind of man are you to do that to a woman? Perhaps she has misjudged your character.”

  “And what makes you such a better judge of character?” Clenching his fists around his glass, Charles held himself back from speaking his mind.

  “I’m a man.” Doutree shrugged as if the answer had been obvious. “Your character being in question isn’t why I’m here. I have spoken to my sister, and we don’t believe it is necessary to wait so long before the blessed event. Special licenses can easily be arranged. You must simply—”

  “No. I’ll not supply fodder for
the rumors. Never again.”

  “Please, just hear me out. My sister, she . . .” Doutree closed his eyes and rubbed his for head. “Look, I’m not saying you had anything to do with those women’s deaths, but something happened to them. Speculation might return. Wouldn’t that be easier to rebuke if you have a living wife at your side?”

  “I appreciate your concern, but it’s unnecessary. Regardless of whether the rumors resurface, I shall marry your sister. I will have a ‘living wife’ at my side before long.”

  “But will she be happy to wait? I don’t get the impression she’s happy now.”

  Leaning back in his chair, Charles studied the younger man. He could care less about the two month wait. However, since the man was pushing, Charles wouldn’t budge.

  What confounded him was the idea of Rebecca’s happiness. He never spent much time with his previous wives, so he couldn’t comment on their state during the marriage.

  Ever since he’d met Rebecca, he had to answer hard questions and contemplate issues he’d never considered before. Would Rebecca be happy? He honestly didn’t know. If truth be told, he wasn’t even sure how to make her happy.

  He had been a complete failure as a husband four times. Would the fifth be any different?

  “Why do I want to marry you?” Rebecca repeated Charles’s question to confirm he actually asked. How did she even answer such a thing?

  “Yes. I’d like to know why.”

  She stood and paced the drawing room, unconcerned as he got to his feet and watched her. Why would he ask something like that? Did he not want to marry her? Their relationship was far from a love match, but she thought he felt some sort of friendliness for her.

  “Why do you want to know? You are the one who asked me to marry you, so why should my reason for accepting you matter?”

  “I would think it is a simple question.”

  His calm, dispassionate demeanor bothered her. He should be as frazzled as she. Facing him, she glared at him. At this moment, she couldn’t think of one reason why she wanted to marry him. And it was all his fault.

  Then her eyes fell to his lips. Yes. That was one reason she wanted to marry him, but she couldn’t tell him that. Scanning the rest of him, she found another reason she couldn’t voice as well. But, it was more than that. She’d grown to like him. When they were together, she found herself genuinely happy.

  “Why do you want to marry me?” she retorted.

  “You know why I wish to marry. I’ve made no secret for my need of an heir,” he responded as if she were daft.

  She put her hands on her hips. “That’s not what I’m asking. Just as you asked, why do you want to marry me specifically?”

  He drew his head back as he directed his gaze behind her. Resisting the urge to smile came with difficulty. He deserved it.

  Nerves suddenly engulfed her at the thought that he would answer the question. She couldn’t bear to hear him say his desire to marry her came because she’d been his only option.

  “I see your point now. We are at an impasse.”

  Letting out a sigh of relief, Rebecca slid down onto the nearest chair. To her surprise, Charles sat next to her. As usual, his proximity overwhelmed her and made her want to kiss him. Would these feelings diminish once they were married? She hoped not.

  “There is no reason to rush such things. After all, we have a lifetime ahead of us to get to know one another.”

  He nodded, but a strange look passed through his eyes. Was the idea of spending a lifetime with her so distasteful? Or perhaps he imagined her life would not last that long. She shook her head. Those kinds of thoughts didn’t reflect well on him or her. Nothing bad would befall her.

  “I spoke to your brother the other day, and I think we should wed before the end of the Season. Will that make you . . . happy?”

  “Of course.” Smoothing her hands along her skirt, she tried not to let her nerves show. Everything would be different after that.

  Unbidden thoughts of the Unscandal Sheet entered her mind. A lump formed in her throat to think of how it would come to an end. She’d already begun her next story. Would someone take up the cause after she turned in her last article?

  Perhaps if she could convince Charles to bring her to London each Season she could continue championing the unfortunate. Surely that would be enough. But how many people would be unfairly accused without her to help them? The thought made her uncomfortable.

  That next day, as she sat in Lady Elise’s bedchamber and comforted her through the tears, Rebecca further felt the weight of her decision. This was the reason why she began the Unscandal Sheet in the first place. For people like Elise. After all, it wasn’t the girl’s fault she’d been tricked into disappearing into a private room with Lord Meadows. Nor was it her fault he decided not to marry her once they were discovered.

  “Are all the gentlemen out there so horrible?” Elise wailed. “Is that why you never married?”

  “They are not all bad.” Rebecca thought of Charles as she uttered those words. “But there are a few of them who are. Don’t worry, you will one day find a good man to marry.”

  “Did you? I mean, we all read the Unscandal Sheet, but how are you so sure you won’t suffer the same fate as those other women?” Elise shook her head. “I’m sorry. Forget I said that. It’s not like you have a choice.”

  “What do you mean? Of course I have a choice.”

  Sympathy passed through the girl’s eyes. How had their positions been reversed? At any rate, Rebecca had no need for anyone to feel sorry for her. Her decision to marry Charles was a good thing.

  “I heard your father endorses the match. We can do nothing once a decision has been made.”

  Shock rocked through Rebecca. “Where did you hear that?”

  Elise rolled her eyes. “You know how quickly news travels in London. Besides, your brother makes it no secret. I’ve even heard it from his own mouth as I walked through a ballroom.”

  Breathing became difficult as Rebecca stood there. Could people really be saying this about her? What happened to those women throwing their daughters at the earl? Since he was no longer available for their social aspirations, did they consider him a murderer again? And she his next unsuspecting victim, forced into his trap.

  The hypocrisy made her begin to form the story she’d write for herself. She could use the Unscandal Sheet to make everyone see reason. Taking a deep breath, she tamped down the thought. There was no scandal. The small rumors couldn’t harm her. And perhaps her marriage would dispel any remainder that lurked over the next months.

  “I don’t want people to think—”

  “I understand, but everyone will think what they want to, regardless of who says otherwise. Just be happy you will marry. After what Lord Meadows did to me, I don’t think I shall have the opportunity.”

  Guilt swamped Rebecca. How dare she worry about a few rumors when Elise suffered from so much more? She opened her mouth to say as much when the maid appeared announcing tea.

  Unable to sit through the ordeal with Elise’s mother, Rebecca excused herself. She’d already obtained what she needed to know for her sheet. And if Alex had returned with what he learned about Lord Meadows, she could have her article finished and turned in by tonight.

  Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to make it further than through the doorway of her father’s townhouse when she was informed of a visitor. Her heart skipped at the possibility of seeing Charles.

  Crossing into the drawing room, she saw an elegant woman she’d never previously seen sitting in a chair beside her mother. The woman surveyed Rebecca at her entrance. The look of superiority made Rebecca uncomfortable. Who was this woman who had the gall to find her lacking in her own home?

  “There you are, Rebecca. Lady Shalley has been waiting for you for some time
now,” her mother said.

  Lifting an eyebrow, Rebecca faced her mother. “The lady hadn’t indicated to me of her intention to visit. Otherwise, I would have been here.”

  Lady Shalley laughed. “You’re right, of course. Now, Miss Doutree, your mother was telling me the gardens here are peaceful. Would you do me the honor of showing them to me?”

  Curious about the lady’s purpose, Rebecca nodded and led the way. Once outside, she took in a large breath of fresh air. She’d always enjoyed the scent of the gardens, especially after a rain. Today they helped ease her tension.

  “What did you wish to see me about, my lady?”

  “Please, call me Gloria. I’ve come to do you a favor. I understand you are to marry the Earl of Dunmore.”

  At the second mention of Charles today, Rebecca put her shoulders back. She wouldn’t stand here and allow his name to be maligned.

  “Yes.”

  “His first countess, Miranda, was my sister. Through the hardship of losing her, the earl and I have become close. He loved her a great deal.”

  “I’m sorry for the loss the two of you shared,” Rebecca intoned, not quite sure why Gloria would be telling her this. Regardless of how Charles felt about Miranda, no one could bring her back.

  “Thank you. What happened to my sister was tragic, but for the women following, it was much worse. I’m not saying the earl brought any harm upon them, but something strange is going on in that house.”

  The sincerity in the woman’s eyes made Rebecca’s blood race. Could death by pregnancy complications be falsified? Surely if Charles suspected anything, he would have gotten to the bottom of it.

  “Why are you telling me this?”

  “If you are intent on marrying him, even with compromising your own safety, I urge you to be cautious.”

  Rebecca swallowed. Was this woman telling the truth? There could be something nefarious going on with Charles’s staff. But why?