Never Turn Away (Kellington Book Six)

by Driscoll, Maureen

Evelyn went through the motions of preparing for a trip to London, but due to the efficiency of her staff, she had very little actual work to do. That was just as well since she was still thinking of what had occurred the night before. And, brazen creature that she was, she was already planning for when they could repeat those activities.

  The coach ride itself would offer no privacy, since she was taking her maid with her. And once they arrived in London, she would stay at her cousin’s and Joseph would return to his home. A house she would dearly like to see. She wanted to know everything about the man she’d been intimate with. And she wanted to find a way to ensure she would one day be mistress of his home.

  He returned from Jasmine Manor in time for them to set out for London at the appointed hour. Hopefully, she would soon obtain the answers she was seeking about the legitimacy of the will. But she was no closer to finding a groom.

  Though she knew who she wanted it to be.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  They arrived in London late that afternoon, just as the sun was setting. It had been a frustrating journey for Joseph, being that close to Evelyn after their night of passion, but being unable to really speak to her – or do anything else – due to the presence of her maid. But he had made progress on one front. He’d convinced her she could not stay at her cousin’s.

  “But I always stay at the earl’s house,” she’d said. “I have no place of my own in town.”

  “Is that one of the reasons you come to London so infrequently?”

  “I suppose it is, though I am so busy on the estate that I can rarely get away for any amount of time.”

  “I believe you should stay at Lynwood’s home. He and the duchess are on their wedding trip, but his brothers and their wives are in residence. I know they would be pleased to serve as your hosts.”

  “But it has been such a long time since I have seen them. I would not feel right imposing on the Kellingtons’ kindness.”

  “Yet I assure you they will be more than happy to have you as their guest. It is preferable to staying at the earl’s. If he has voided your father’s original will, he is not an honorable man. I cannot entrust your safety to him.”

  “Even if he hasn’t done anything to the will, he is not an honorable man.”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “Nothing of import. He has simply made improper suggestions in the past.”

  “All the more reason to have you at Lynwood’s. I know you will be safe with the Kellingtons.”

  “I could go to a hotel.”

  “Perhaps, but have a care for my peace of mind. I know you will be safe with the Kellingtons and can only hope you are so at a hotel.” What he wanted to add was there was another alternative. She would be perfectly safe in his home. Well, perhaps not entirely safe. Certainly not safe from seduction. He wasn’t sure he could keep his hands off her. He wasn’t sure he’d even try.

  Finally, after Joseph pressed the point for most of the journey, Evelyn had agreed to stay at Lynwood’s house. It was a relief to Joseph, who had serious misgivings about her scoundrel of a cousin.

  The carriage drew to a halt in front of the Duke of Lynwood’s town house. They had no sooner stepped out of the carriage than the underbutler, Rak, opened the door and ushered them in. “Welcome to Lynwood House, Inspector. With Heskiss gone to the country with the Duke and Duchess, I will assist you and your friend in any way possible.”

  “Thank you, Rak. This is Lady Evelyn Williams, a neighbor of his grace’s in Oxfordshire.”

  “Welcome, my lady,” said Rak, bowing before he began taking their things. They were interrupted by a sprite running across the floor, evidently on an important mission to the library. But she stopped when she saw them and her face lit up.

  “Mr. Joseph!” she said. “I didn’t know you would be here.” Young Violet Kellington was almost seven years old and the daughter of Edward and Jane. Her parents had met some seven years earlier at the Battle of Waterloo. She was the delightful result.

  “Lady Evelyn,” said Joseph. “May I present a dear friend of mine, Miss Violet Kellington?”

  Violet did a creditable curtsy, but then turned to Joseph and whispered none too quietly. “Is she a nice lady? She’s very pretty.”

  “She is a very nice lady and very pretty,” said Joseph, also in a whisper. “I think you two will be fine friends.”

  That seemed to be good enough for Vi. “I am hiding from Papa, but not because I have done anything wrong.” The child’s innate sense of honor made her add, “Well, I haven’t done anything wrong that he knows about and it was only having another biscuit that Cook said I could have, though she said not to mention it to anyone. I’m hiding because Papa is to find me. Papa thinks he thought of playing the game to let Mama rest. But it was really Mama because she wanted to give Papa something to do instead of worrying all the time. Mama is going to have a baby!”

  She announced that last portion to Lady Evelyn.

  “How splendid!” said Evelyn. “I do believe you will be an excellent big sister.”

  “So do I!” said Vi.

  “Vi truly will be an excellent big sister,” said her proud papa, as he walked down the stairs, prompting his daughter to let out a squeak and run into the library. “Lady Evelyn, how good to see you again. And welcome back to town, Joseph.”

  “Your daughter is lovely,” said Evelyn.

  “She is at that. But I must confess that I only suggested a game of hide and seek so that she might give her mama a rest. She is tiring as her confinement nears its conclusion. I prefer staying by her side in case she needs me.”

  “Perhaps what she needs the most is time away from you,” said another Kellington as he also came down the stairs. This time it was Arthur, the family’s middle sibling. “And do not worry, Ned. Both Vanessa and Mel are looking in on Jane to ensure she wants for nothing.”

  “But I should still be there,” said Ned, as he began to retreat toward the stairs.

  “Good God, man,” said their youngest brother, Hal, as he descended the stairs with a swagger imitated but never equaled by young bucks in the ton. “Give your wife a blessed break.”

  Ned stiffened. “Jane wants me by her side.”

  “Yes,” said Hal. “Though why she does shall forever remain a mystery. But mayhap you can spend even a quarter of an hour out of her presence, sparing her from your constant pacing. After all, there are still weeks until the blessed events.”

  “Events?” asked Arthur. “I know of only one.”

  Hal enumerated them for his audience. “The birth of the child and Ned’s return to Marston Vale, though I will miss his family.”

  “I’m hiding!” called a voice from the library.

  “We’ll be there soon!” replied Ned.

  Then Arthur and Hal remembered their manners and welcomed Lady Evelyn to their home.

  “Perhaps tea would be in order?” suggested Arthur.

  “You sound like a female,” said Hal.

  “Yet I’m still strong enough to lay you out flat.”

  “May I have tea?” called the voice from the library.

  “We shall all have tea,” said Arthur. Then before his brother could insult him again, he quickly added, “Stubble it, Hal.”

  A quarter of an hour later, they were all – including Violet – settled into the sitting room off Ned and Jane’s bedchamber as Vanessa poured tea. It would have been Jane’s honor to do so, but her husband had almost suffered apoplexy at the thought of his wife engaging in such an activity so soon after getting up from her nap. But Jane, Vanessa and Melanie had all wanted to meet Evelyn and once she told her story, they were all curious as to what would happen next.

  “It is most unfair!” said Jane. “Forcing you to marry earlier than you expected or you’ll lose your land and fortune.”

  “My love, pray do not upset yourself,” said Ned, as he brought his wife’s hand to his lips. “Though I agree that it is an outrage for Evelyn’s cousin to treat her this
way. For I have no doubt it is he who has orchestrated it. From what I recall of the old earl, he never would have made such a capricious change to the will, especially without telling her.”

  “Thank you Ned,” said Evelyn. “It is good to know Papa is remembered as the fair man he was.”

  Vanessa put down her teacup. “Evelyn, can you think of anyone else who would have reason to make you marry early? You have expressed your opposition to the mining company taking possession of your land. But what of your neighbors?”

  “Since your family and mine are the primary landholders, the others in the county would have little sway with the company if we do not sell. And I cannot imagine his grace would sell Jasmine Manor.”

  Arthur snorted. “He would sooner sell all his other holdings and become a privateer than abandon Jasmine Manor. It simply meant too much to our parents.”

  “I think I would like to see Liam as a privateer,” said Jane laughing.

  “Do not overset yourself, dearling,” said Ned.

  “Ned! Your wife isn’t a piece of fine china,” said Hal. “She’s a strong healthy female who is more used to riding from farm to farm tending to the ill than being cosseted in her confinement. What’s more, she has done this before. And if Vi is any indication of the type of children she turns out, we shall all be blessed with another wonderful niece or a rapscallion of a nephew. That is, if Jane – or one of us – doesn’t kill you first.”

  “Well, at least I’m not making an utter fool of myself like our brother-in-law Marcus,” retorted Ned. “Lizzie cannot even walk from one floor to another without Marcus insisting on carrying her up the steps. He is a man besotted with his wife and unborn child. Arthur, will you please not set your teacup down so loudly? It might hurt the babe’s ears.”

  Arthur turned his crooked smile on his brother. “Yes, Marcus is the Bedlamite.”

  Mel put her cup down extremely quietly. “Well, I do believe Lizzie has something to do with Marcus’s behavior. Once he carried her the first time, she liked the feeling of being in his arms so much that she didn’t have the heart to tell him she runs up and down the stairs whenever he isn’t home.”

  “You would never trick me like that would you, love?” asked Hal, as he stole a kiss from his wife.

  “Of course not,” she said, smiling. “Though I think the question is whether you’d find me out. And you wouldn’t.”

  Joseph studied the couples around him. All were in love. All defied the customary expectations for a ton marriage. These were not passionless business arrangements. None of them would ever stray. And while Liam had married a viscount’s daughter and Hal had wed the American niece of an earl, the other two unions were most unusual. Ned’s wife was the granddaughter of an earl, but considering she bore Violet out of wedlock because she and Ned had lost touch after Waterloo, it had been somewhat of a scandal. Vanessa was illegitimate born and had been working as a spy in the Home Office. To make matters even more unusual, she and Arthur still worked there.

  But it was one thing for a man in society to elevate a woman socially; it would not happen the other way around. If by some miracle Evelyn agreed to marry him, she would be cut by just about everyone in the ton, save the people in this room. She would have to turn her back on her rightful place in society. It would be incredibly selfish of him to expect her to do that.

  “You will not be staying with your cousin while in town,” Jane asked Evelyn, though it was much more of a statement than a question.

  “No, I would like to stay at a hotel.”

  “And I will not allow it,” said Joseph, also as if stating a fact. “It is not safe.”

  “I am sure I will be fine.”

  “No,” he said slowly. “I cannot take that risk. I will keep you safe.”

  Then he was aware of silence in the room. No teacups placed on tables. No reaching for biscuits. Complete silence, accompanied by inquisitive, yet knowing looks.

  Then a sweet voice said, “Lady Evelyn can stay with us.” Violet leaned forward to add, “I know where the extra biscuits are kept. And you haven’t even met Titania, yet. Do you like cats? Because she’s an especially good one.”

  Evelyn, well aware of the attention of those around her, smiled and squeezed the girl’s hand. “Miss Violet that is a kind offer, indeed, but I must decline.”

  “You don’t like cats?” Vi was extremely disappointed to discover this flaw in her new good friend.

  “I love cats. I have several on my estate in Oxfordshire and I would very much like to introduce you to them the next time you and your papa and mama and baby brother or sister visit Jasmine Manor. But I cannot impose, especially at such a delicate time.”

  “But it would be no imposition at all,” said Jane. “I am only disappointed I did not think of the invitation sooner. I do believe the babe is fogging up my thoughts at times. We have plenty of room and I shall be grateful for the company.”

  “Because you’re tired of Ned’s?” asked Hal.

  “No, Hal, I shall never tire of my husband’s company.”

  “Not even a little?”

  Jane hesitated just a moment too long before answering.

  “I knew it!” said Hal.

  “Hal, stop torturing Ned,” said Mel.

  “But it’s so much fun.”

  “Pray excuse my sapskull brother, Evelyn,” said Ned. “And do be so good as to accept my wife’s invitation. I would take it as a personal favor since her happiness is my greatest priority.”

  “It is,” said Violet solemnly.

  “You must stay Evelyn,” said Vanessa. “I share Joseph’s concerns about the hotel, not just for your safety but also for your privacy. If your cousin is behind the changing of the will, who knows to what lengths he will go to interfere with your life? It can be incredibly easy to bribe hotel employees to spy on guests.”

  “She should know,” said Arthur. “We have done it on more than one occasion.”

  “Joseph, you should stay as well,” said Melanie. “That way you will be close at hand as we discuss how to solve Evelyn’s dilemma.”

  “And I have not seen how your shoulder is healing,” said Jane. “I should examine it.”

  “I’m sure it’s fine,” grumbled Ned, who was never all that anxious to have his wife peer at the undressed torsos of men who were in the shape that Joseph was in.

  “Please stay, Mr. Joseph,” said Vi. “You already like Titania, so we can all play together.”

  “Thank you, Miss Violet, but I should return to my home and check in at Bow Street.”

  “Of course,” said Evelyn, looking chagrinned. “I have already taken too much of your time.”

  “Not at all. I just need to make a few inquiries, as well as check in with the solicitor to whom I sent your query. And we should also meet with your cousin the earl.”

  “I should like to be there when you do,” said Arthur.

  “As would I,” said Ned.

  “And I,” offered Hal.

  Joseph considered the men in front of him. They were as close to brothers as he would ever know. Their support in this and other matters meant a great deal to him. “Thank you, gentlemen. For now, I believe we should not let the earl know we suspect him. I will make myself known to him, but if I were to walk in there with a contingent of Kellingtons, I’m sure the man would know he’s been found out. If he is behind all of this. We do not know for certain.”

  “Now can we play hide and seek?” asked Violet.

  “Yes, my love,” said her papa. “We will play with you.”

  Violet jumped up, delighted. “Don’t look in the library first!”

  As the Kellingtons filed out to search anywhere but the library, Evelyn walked Joseph to the door.

  “You will wait for me to escort you to your cousin’s home tomorrow?” he asked.

  “Yes, I will feel much better with you at my side.”

  “As will I.”

  Given the curious absence of servants – Joseph was beginning t
o think another Kellington matchmaking scheme might be afoot – he took Evelyn’s hand to kiss it. But somewhere on the journey, he took a detour to her lips, instead. She rose up to meet him and he savored the sweet joining.

  After a moment he reluctantly pulled back, his voice but a rasp. “Until tomorrow?”

  “Yes,” she said, smiling. “Until tomorrow.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  The next day, the ride to the Earl of Larsen’s Upper Brook Street mansion was slow. And Evelyn could not stop fidgeting.

  “Tell me more about your cousin,” said Joseph, from the seat opposite her.

  “I am not close to Reginald or his brother Robert, though Pip – Reginald’s wife – makes every effort to make me feel at home when I visit.”

  “Is Reginald the one who offered you his ‘services?’” asked Joseph.

  “Yes,” she said grimly. “And Robert has proposed marriage.”

  She wasn’t sure if she was imagining it, but it seemed that Joseph clenched his jaw. “Will you accept Robert’s proposal?”

  “Heavens no. Even if I didn’t feel that cousins have no business marrying, he never expressed any type of interest in me until he learned the contents of my father’s original will. He and his brother were both surprised to discover the bulk of the money would stay with me. It left Reginald with the London house and the title, but little else, though I believe Pip enjoys being a countess.”

  “Where does Robert get his money?”

  “I believe their father left them each a small sum, though I would not think it was enough to support the lifestyle to which they are both accustomed. I am used to spending only what the estate earns, regardless of my inheritance. I have little sympathy for those who outspend their resources on items they do not need. Reginald likes to buy horses, Robert is a gamester and even Pip spends more in the shops than is necessary. It is, of course, none of my affair except I believe it is why the will was so mysteriously altered.”

  “The world can be unkind to an unmarried lady without means. What will you do if you lose your fortune?”