The Accidental Countess

by Melissa Schroeder

  She stirred and opened her eyes slowly. As always, the impact of those clear grey eyes staring straight at him left him slightly uncomfortable. It was as if she could see straight into his soul. Then she squinted.

  “Where are my spectacles?” she asked. No “thank you” for dragging her up the stairs and taking care of her.

  He reached into his breast pocket to retrieve them.

  “Here.” He handed them to her. She donned them but kept silent, blinking owlishly as her gaze focused. “You are welcome.”

  She struggled to sit up, and he grabbed a pillow and slid it behind her back. “There’s no reason to get testy with me, my lord. I’m tired and actually hungry and not at all happy about my situation.”

  Irritation crawled down his spine. Would the woman never let go of it?

  “Listen, I’ve had enough to handle the past few days without having to listen to you complaining about your situation.”

  “And I’m supposed to be happy with being uprooted from everything I know, everything I love, to live in a house of strangers?”

  Her bottom lip quivered and he softened. With the pressures of his new title, he had forgotten everything she’d been through. “Colleen, we need to come to some kind of understanding.”

  She crossed her arms beneath her breasts. “The only thing I understand is that you lied. And if you think I am ever going to have any kind of marital relations with you…well, think again.”

  All those warm, soft feelings evaporated. He would never force a woman, but the fact that his wife acted as if she would rather die than consummate their union angered him. He’d survived one marriage like that. He would not endure another. He stepped closer and leaned over her, placing a fisted hand on each side of her on the bed. It was best that she faced facts. “Let us get one thing straight, my lady. You have exactly a week, one week, to prepare yourself for those so-called marital relations.”

  With that, he straightened and strode out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

  Chapter Eight

  Colleen raised a shaky hand and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. She glanced around, studying her surroundings. The bed was the biggest she’d ever seen, complete with a canopy and frilly bedclothes. The rest of the room was almost as big as her cottage. A warm fire crackled in the fireplace, and the furniture situated throughout the room was of a quality much better than she had ever seen, with various rugs covering the floor.

  Instantly, she was ashamed for snapping at Sebastian. She’d never seen him in a temper before. She’d seen him irritated, drunk, childish and kind. Oh so very kind. His gentle ministrations during her illness had been a surprise. It had left her agitated and confused.

  People were supposed to stay the way they were. Their personalities didn’t change. Sebastian, her husband, was a rake of the worst kind. Women every night of the week, a flirt and a drunk and most assuredly a gambler. She sighed. She was blowing things out of proportion. Sebastian may be a rake, but he said he wasn’t a drunk, and she noted he hadn’t had a sip of liquor on their trip. And the gambling, well, if he did, he knew when to stop. But the flirting…

  She was now married to a man who could have any woman in London, and he was not particularly attracted to her. But there had been a tenderness when he cared for her that left her with a flutter in her stomach.

  But of course, they arrived in London, and he was back to acting the boor.

  She sighed again. Her stomach grumbled and she decided to clean up. For the first time in three long days, she was actually hungry.

  She stood. Her head spun and her stomach pitched. When her knees began to shake, she sank down on the bed again. Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply.

  “My lady? Are you feeling all right?”

  Colleen opened her eyes to find a young woman, dressed in a maid’s outfit, standing at the threshold of her room.

  “Just a little dizzy.”

  “My name’s Sally. Lord Penwyth sent me to help you change and refresh yourself.”

  “Oh, but…” Colleen was unaccustomed to having someone help her dress. All of her dresses were made to be easily removed like most women of her station.

  Most women of her station.

  But she wasn’t of that class anymore. Something in her stomach twisted and pitched. Lord, how had she gotten into such a mess?

  “Lord Penwyth is sending some water up so you can bathe.” Sally gently took Colleen’s arm and helped her to her feet. Her face heated when her stomach grumbled.

  “I’d planned on joining the others to eat.”

  As Sally helped her out of her dress, another wave of embarrassment engulfed Colleen. Other than her mother and sister, no other person, male or female, had seen her undressed. Sally either didn’t recognize or care about her embarrassment. She continued talking as if it were an everyday occurrence for her.

  “Lord Penwyth is having a tray readied and will join you. He says he wants you to rest.”

  Sally said it with such undisguised reverence and admiration, Colleen was immediately wary. The girl was in her early twenties, if Colleen guessed right, with a rounded figure and pretty blue eyes. Although she wouldn’t have suspected it of him…

  “Have you known Lord Penwyth very long?”

  Before Sally could answer there was a knock at the door.

  “That will be the water and tub.” She guided Colleen, dressed only in her threadbare shift, behind a dressing screen. The next few minutes were filled with the sounds of the footmen bringing in the tub and loading it with water. As soon as the door closed, Sally’s pretty face peeped around the side of the screen.

  “This way, my lady.”

  Within moments, Colleen was completely naked, much to her embarrassment, although she tried her best not to let Sally know.

  The maid helped Colleen into the tub. Her glasses fogged from the steamy water. Her skin warmed, and the tension drained from her muscles as did the ache in her head.

  She closed her eyes and rested against the edge. Her earlier conversation with Sally nudged at her memory.

  “Sally?”

  “Yes, my lady?”

  “Have you known Seb…er Lord Penwyth very long?” She winced at her attempt to sound casual.

  “Yes, my lady.” Without opening her eyes, Colleen knew the girl was smiling. She could hear it in her voice. “I grew up in his lordship’s house. My mum is the housekeeper there.”

  “Oh,” Colleen said, not knowing what else to say.

  “Are you ready to get out, my lady?”

  She nodded, still uncomfortable with the title and her nudity. Moments later, she was settled in a chair in front of the fireplace drying her hair and dressed in a borrowed wrapper. All the while, Sally continued a one-sided conversation.

  “Lord Penwyth always says that he knew me before I was born, he does.”

  “Knew you before you were born?”

  “Telling all my secrets, Sally?” Sebastian asked, his voice laced with amusement.

  Colleen turned, and that funny little butterfly was back again. Casually, full of masculine pride and splendor, he walked into the room, a tray of food in his hands.

  “Oh, no, Lord Penwyth. Just telling Lady Penwyth you’ve known me all me life.”

  His blue eyes sparkled as he smiled at the girl. “That I have. I think I can handle things from here, Sally.”

  She bobbed a curtsy and scurried out of the room. Sebastian set the tray on a table to Colleen’s right and stood back to study her.

  “You look a little better. Did the bath help?”

  His voice was solicitous, his manners impeccable and his smile full of warmth. She didn’t trust him. “Yes. Much better. I didn’t need a maid, though. I am quite accustomed to taking care of my own needs.”

  “Good. Now, I convinced the cook to make you a wondrous sample of her good food. She makes the most unbelievable sticky buns, but alas, she didn’t have any. I also brought some tea.”

  The aroma of th
e food reached her and she almost swooned. She was starving and thankful to finally have her appetite back. “That sounds wonderful, my lord.”

  He chuckled and fixed her a plate. “How very proper of you, my lady.”

  He handed her the plate and then fixed one for himself. As he sat in the chair opposite of hers, she tried to concentrate on her food and not the way the buckskin pants molded to his thighs. She took a sip of tea and almost choked. Good night, why did this man always make her behave and think like a hussy?

  “Are you okay, Colleen?” He rose as if to help, but she motioned him to sit.

  “I’m fine. Just went down the wrong way.”

  An uncomfortable silence settled between the two of them. Nothing but the crackle of the fire and the ticking of the clock on the mantle above it. She continued to eat and realized that maybe she was the only one discomforted by the lack of conversation. Sebastian was eating his food as if it were his last meal. Nothing bothered that man’s appetite.

  She had to think of something to break the silence. “How is the rest of the family?”

  “Aunt Millicent is…still overcoming what has happened. It has all been a terrible experience for her.”

  “I can imagine. Were there any daughters?”

  “Yes, four. Jocelyn, who has been married for several years, and Adele, who is twenty, married just under a year. Violet and Samantha are still in the schoolroom.”

  Five children. “Large family.”

  He smiled. “Yes, we do tend to have large families. I probably would have had more siblings, but Mother and Father were never blessed after Anna. And truthfully, after her, I’m sure they didn’t have the energy.”

  They shared a smile. His eyes flashed with humor as they always did when he talked of his sister.

  Her stomach flip-flopped again and a burst of warmth flashed through her. She shifted in her chair, mortified that the heat pooled in her belly had dipped down lower.

  “Now the title is yours.”

  The humor faded from his eyes, and she almost regretted the comment. But without that warm look, she was safe. It was better to have distance. Only now, she wanted to rise from her chair and rush to his side to comfort him.

  “Yes. I never thought I would…I was sure I would never hold the responsibility. Thankfully, my uncle taught me a lot about estate management as I had one of my own. My father left me with a massive estate in Hampshire.”

  Two estates.

  She must have shown her dismay. “Don’t worry, Colleen, we’ll rub together well enough.”

  She nodded, and he filled their teacups again. Soon her eyes grew heavy and she lost the energy to eat.

  “Are you ready for bed?”

  “Yes.”

  He took her plate, setting it on the tray. When she tried to stand her legs wobbled and her head spun again.

  “Slow down. I’ll help you.”

  He lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed. He laid her down gently and removed her spectacles. She whispered a thank you before drifting off to sleep.

  * * *

  Sebastian studied his wife’s face noting the dark smudges beneath her eyes had grown darker, but there was a flush to her cheeks he hadn’t seen in three days. He brushed her cheek with the back of his fingers.

  So soft.

  A sliver of guilt wormed into his stomach. Rubbing his hand over the spot, he thought about his ultimatum earlier. He should have never threatened her like that. Granted, she had a way of slipping under his skin and scratching that sensitive surface. A part of him understood that the situation they were in was causing some of his annoyance—not to mention the added worry of his new role. But another part, a huge part, was due to his aggravation with her, wanting her the way he did. It was confusing, irritating and downright frustrating. The fact that she seemed to dismiss him so easily spurred his temper.

  From the time he turned fourteen, Sebastian had women at his mercy. Even as a son of a second son, he had money and a position in society which attracted many. They came to him; he did not pursue. Even his duplicitous wife had originally been the aggressor. But—this woman—this wife not only didn’t want him, he was positive she would be happier back in her dismal little cottage in York.

  She sighed and shifted her weight until she rested on her side. Her wrapper fell open, revealing her satiny ivory skin. His blood heated and his groin tightened. Waiting to consummate their marriage was probably going to do him in. But the desire to have her, to be the first to touch her, almost overwhelmed him. The wave of possessiveness left him stunned. Even with his first wife, he’d never felt the need to protect, to own. This spinster with her spectacles and her ugly clothes caused feelings to rise he had no intention of dealing with.

  He curled his fingers and stepped back from the bed, from temptation. They would consummate this marriage, they would have heirs, but he refused to lose himself in a woman. He’d made that mistake once and would not involve his heart again.

  * * *

  Refreshed from a warm bath and some good brandy, Sebastian headed downstairs after checking on Colleen once more. He’d found her sound asleep, a little snore escaping every few seconds. His lips kicked up a notch. Wouldn’t Colleen be upset to hear that?

  When he reached the bottom of the stairs, Fitzgerald approached him.

  “Sir, there is a visitor who insisted on seeing you. I explained you just arrived, but he would not leave. I’ve placed him in the library.”

  “Visitor? Anyone I know?”

  “No, I would say not, my lord. But he knew the last Lord Penwyth.”

  “Uncle Albert?”

  “No, my lord. Your cousin—”

  “Gilbert.”

  Remorse filled him again. He still couldn’t fathom losing both of them without knowing, never getting to say goodbye. He swallowed, trying to compose himself.

  “Thank you, Fitzgerald. Don’t disturb us unless it is absolutely necessary.”

  “Yes, my lord.”

  Sebastian walked down the hall, past the parlor that was now empty, his mother and sister probably resting in their rooms. As he approached the door to the library, his palms began to sweat. This was his first time acting as Earl Penwyth.

  Without hesitating, he opened the door to find a rather tall, muscular fellow studying a row of books. His hair was short and combed. His dress was clean but not of the best material. He turned as soon as Sebastian stepped into the room, and he was pinned with a pair of dark brown eyes.

  “You must be Lord Penwyth. The new Lord Penwyth,” he said, his gravelly voice filled with suspicion.

  Irritation and indignation filled Sebastian’s gut. He may not have expected the position, but by damn this man would show a little more respect.

  “Who may I ask are you?”

  The man chuckled and walked forward. “You remind me a lot of the last Lord Penwyth. He talked of you often. My name is Michael Jenkins.”

  There was a hint of Scot in his voice. It reminded Sebastian of Colleen. “And Mr. Jenkins, what was the nature of your relationship with my cousin?”

  “I’m a Bow Street Runner, my lord.”

  “A runner?” A myriad of scenarios flashed through his mind. But he couldn’t think of a reason Gilbert, a studious man who could be trusted with a secret but would cheat you at cards with a smile and a quick hand, would need a runner.

  “Why?”

  “Why would someone like him need a runner?” Jenkins asked with a self-depreciating smile. “According to him, someone was trying to kill him.”

  Chapter Nine

  The ticking of the clock was the only sound in the library as Sebastian studied his guest, Mr. Jenkins.

  “Gilbert thought someone was trying to kill him?” he asked as he rounded the corner of his desk. He had to sit. His knees were threatening to give way, and he didn’t want to embarrass himself.

  “Yes, sir. In fact, he was positive his father had been murdered also.”

  “Any suspects?�
��

  “You were number one on my list.”

  Irritation lanced through Sebastian. “I had no reason to kill my uncle or my cousin.”

  “Other than the title,” Jenkins said with a sarcastic smirk on his face.

  “I didn’t want the title.”

  “Yes, he said as much. In addition, there is your trip to the continent, and then your injury in York that convinced me otherwise.”

  “Really?” Sebastian couldn’t keep the lethal tone from his voice. He had been accused of many things in his life, a rake, a drunk, but never…

  “Yes. You could have easily hired someone to do the job, but I have a feeling your situation up north was an attack on you. One by one, the heirs of Penwyth have been meeting with unfortunate accidents.”

  “You think both of them were murdered?”

  “I have no proof. But I do have an uncle in peak physical condition who suddenly drops dead, a cousin who is deathly afraid of heights who falls to his death, and you’re hit on the head and left for dead in the snow.”

  Gilbert’s fear of heights was well known within the family. As boys, they had teased him constantly about it. He avoided anything past the second floor, and if he did need to be on the higher floors, he never approached the windows.

  “And you suspected me?”

  “You were my first suspect. Lord Penwyth was convinced you didn’t want the title. In fact, he remembered you saying you were happy when he married.”

  “And that convinced you?”

  Jenkins smiled without a trace of humor. “No. See, most murders are not done by strangers. Oftentimes, it is a member of the family, especially with an earldom at stake.”

  “What changed your mind?”

  “You were injured, if my sources are correct.”

  No one but family knew about his accident. And other than Colleen, no one really knew just how close he came to dying.

  “Ah, trying to sort it out? Well, you sent word of your return, where you were at the time, and all that. Servants gossip, my lord. Not viciously in this case, but this house is on edge with everything that has happened.”