How to Bewitch an Earl
Page 1
He never expected the clues to lead to her…
Edward Adair, heir to the Duke of Boulstridge, is more interested in finding a missing family heirloom than a wife. But when his parents issue an ultimatum – marry or lose your allowance – he reluctantly agrees to attend a house party to find a bride. Instead, he discovers attractive but infuriating Miss Isabella Winthrop in his library, reading the private family journal that holds clues to the location of the heirloom.
Though Isabella finds Edward haughty and arrogant, she offers to take him to the next clue mentioned in the journal if he will pay her, which will enable her to help her brother restore his estate. Edward counters with an offer of an even larger payment…if she agrees to masquerade as his betrothed to deter the other ladies until the house party ends.
As they work together to solve the mystery their mutual attraction grows, but just when they begin to think they should make their engagement real, a secret is revealed that could destroy everything.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2015 by Ally Broadfield. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the Publisher.
Entangled Publishing, LLC
2614 South Timberline Road
Suite 109
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Visit our website at www.entangledpublishing.com.
Scandalous is an imprint of Entangled Publishing, LLC.
Edited by Robin Haseltine
Cover Design by Heather Howland
Cover Art by Period Images
ISBN 978-1-63375-523-9
Manufactured in the United States of America
First Edition November 2015
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Discover more from Ally Broadfield How to Beguile a Duke
Say You’ll Love Me
Just a Kiss
Don’t miss out on more Scandalous romance… Undercover with the Earl
His Pirate Seductress
The Highlander’s Accidental Marriage
Taming Her Forbidden Earl
To my dad, who convinced me that I could do anything if I was willing to put enough effort into it. Thank you for being my biggest fan despite the fact that you have no intention of ever reading a romance.
Prologue
Derbyshire, England
1826
The rain beat a steady tempo against the glass panes of the window as Catherine rushed up the cold, damp staircase to Edward’s bedchamber. She pulled her shawl more tightly about her shoulders and increased her pace. She was running late. As usual.
“I’m sorry I’m late, darling.”
“I don’t mind, Mama. It means I get to stay awake longer. And I’m used to you being late.”
She squeezed onto the bed next to him and kissed his forehead. “Which story would you like me to tell tonight?”
He pretended to think about it, then blurted out, “The one about the tiara.”
Of course. He requested that story every night, regardless of whether it was her or Nick putting him to bed.
Leaning close, she whispered, “Hidden somewhere in this house is a diamond tiara once owned by Empress Elizabeth of Russia.”
He bounced up and down on the bed. “You forgot to say ‘Empress of all the Russias.’”
She tweaked his nose. “My apologies for leaving off that very important detail.” His eyelids drooped. She pulled him tight against her side and leaned back against the pillows.
“Now where was I? Oh yes, the tiara is located somewhere in this house, but because an evil cousin sold all of the furniture and didn’t take good care of Walsley Manor, we weren’t able to locate it.”
“And it has never been found.”
She nodded. “That is correct. The tiara is still here in this house, waiting for someone to find it.”
He waved both hands. “Me!”
“When you are older we will give you the journal so you can solve the clues.”
He nodded. “And find the tiara.”
She touched the tip of her finger to his nose. “Perhaps, but first you will need to investigate to discover where it is.”
“I will use Great-Grandmother’s journal to find it.”
“Right now the journal is safe in your father’s library, but when you are grown, we will let you read the journal and find the clues to the location of the tiara.”
“I will find the tiara.” She smiled at his confidence as he snuggled down under the covers and closed his eyes.
She kissed him and pulled up the coverlet. “Pleasant dreams, darling.” As she moved into the corridor, she spotted a star outside the window and wished for Edward to have happy dreams about discovering lost family treasures.
Chapter One
London, England
June 1846
Edward Adair, the Earl of Kenworth and heir to the Duke of Boulstridge, briefly considered entering the house through a window. After all, using a knife to open locks was one of the more practical skills his mother had taught him, though perhaps it wasn’t the best idea when he was at least two sheets to the wind. What he really needed to do was secure lodgings of his own so he could come and go as he pleased without censure.
In any case, Phillips had waited up for him, so attempting to sneak in was out of the question.
“Good morning, my lord.” Phillips bowed. “The duke and duchess await your presence in the library.”
Of course they did. Because a good, stern lecture would surely fix all that ailed him. He wandered down the corridor and entered the library. Though a fire burned merrily in the hearth, there was a decided lack of warmth in the room.
His father stood and shot him a deep scowl before opening his mouth to speak, but Mother cut him off, bless her.
“Edward, we are concerned about you. Your only pursuits seem to be drinking and carousing with your friends, and occasionally pouring over the clues in the journal.”
He crossed his arms. “Mother, you of all people should understand my dedication to solving the mystery.”
She approached him and placed her palm against his cheek. “Darling, you know I’m not asking you to give up the search altogether. No one wants to find the tiara more than I do, but you cannot allow the mystery to devour you. It should not be an all-consuming occupation for you.”
As if he had anything else to occupy his time, so long as his father refused to cede any responsibility to him.
“It’s not as if I’m off gambling away my inheritance or consorting with prostitutes.”
His father clenched his jaw but didn’t speak, likely assuming his steely expression would quell Edward.
“You must find a way to search while also maintaining other pursuits,” Mother said.
“Such as?”
His f
ather stepped forward. “Managing your estates.”
He held back a belch and wished he had taken advantage of the opportunity to sneak in through a window. “I wasn’t aware that my estates were in disarray.”
“Of course they are not, no thanks to you. Though we have excellent staff in place, it is still necessary for you to be involved, to learn how to handle these issues yourself, without me watching over your shoulder.”
Many possible responses flashed through his mind, but it would do no good to voice any of them. His father maintained iron control over everything within his dukedom, so anything Edward did was irrelevant, as his father had the final say.
He took a step toward his father and mirrored his unyielding stance. “Until you are willing to allow me to make decisions on my own without your approval, there is little point in my participation.”
His father’s eyes flashed, but Mother stepped between them and placed her hand on his arm before he could respond.
“Our point is, you need to engage in activities other than those that have been occupying all of your time of late. You could travel, explore antiquities,” Mother added. “You used to enjoy the study of other cultures.”
As if Mother hadn’t spoken at all, his father took another step toward him and said, “You could also behave like a responsible gentleman who deserves to inherit a dukedom and an enormous fortune.” He paused and met Edward’s eyes. “You have missed several parliamentary sessions. The purpose of getting you a seat in the House of Commons was to help prepare you to assume your position in the House of Lords when I am gone. You need to take your responsibilities seriously.”
Though his accusation was unfounded, as Edward had only missed a handful of meetings during the prior session, there was no point in arguing with him.
“It’s not enough to just attend sessions. You need to get involved, take the lead on an issue or introduce a new law. Your only accomplishment of late has been to have your name linked to an opera singer. I cannot disinherit you, but I can choose to remove all of the unentailed properties from your inheritance and, if your behavior doesn’t change immediately, I shall.”
So he intended to force Edward to bend to his will.
Mother shot him a stern look then turned back to Edward. “Darling, we simply feel that it is time for you to find some other worthy pursuit.” She turned and strode to the other side of the library. “I…we think that it is time for you to settle down. Toward that end, we are arranging a house party at Walsley Manor in a fortnight. I’ve already made a list of eligible ladies for you to consider, and of course you may invite some of your own friends.”
He narrowly refrained from rolling his eyes. “What are you hoping the end result of this party will be?”
Mother smiled. “For you to find a wife, of course. Once you find the right woman, settling down won’t seem like such a hardship.”
He highly doubted that.
Father narrowed his eyes at Edward. “And if you don’t choose someone, you will be cut off. You may find a way to support yourself until such a time as I die and you can take control of the entailed properties. But don’t forget, Walsley is not entailed, and as such, I do not have to leave it to you.” He turned and stormed from the room.
Edward rubbed his forehead. Though it was sometimes difficult to discern, after a lifetime of living with the man, he knew his father acted out of love. But he made it damned difficult to remember when his approach was always to bully and cajole to force his position. There was some merit to his father’s concerns, but until he gave Edward at least a modicum of responsibility for something, it was pointless for him to become more involved.
“Has he ever considered that it is his lack of confidence in me that prevents me from taking an active interest in managing our properties? I might be more proactive if he deemed me trustworthy.”
“Darling.” Mother clasped his hand. “He is simply concerned for your welfare. I will speak with him about allowing you to manage one of the smaller estates on your own. In the meantime, though we will not force you to marry, you do need to settle down and find some sort of worthwhile pursuit in addition to our quest for the tiara.”
“I think you are overly optimistic about the results of this house party.”
She smiled. “Your father is not an ogre. He simply wishes to see you settled, but even he does not wish for you to make a foolish match. We ask only that you carefully consider the merit of the ladies you meet at the party, and also put more thought into what you wish to make of your life.”
Even in his inebriated state, he could see that their perspective was valid, but he wasn’t in any condition to do something about it. The glow of the sun rising filtered around the curtains in the east-facing windows.
Mother took his arm and towed him toward the door. “Come, we must get some rest. Make a list of your friends, and especially any ladies who’ve caught your eye, so I can include them in the invitations.”
He nodded. Though his parents were both astute at avoiding those families who were only interested in the advantage they would gain by marrying their daughter off to a future duke, they seemed desperate enough to see him married that they might relax their normal standards. Inviting a dozen or so of his chums would help deflect some of the attention he was sure to receive, especially from the meddling mamas of the girls who would attend.
“We only want what’s best for you.” She kissed him on the cheek and rushed up the staircase.
If only he could be certain what was best for himself.
Chapter Two
Derbyshire, England
July 1846
Isabella Winthrop glanced around her bedchamber one last time, but there was nothing else for her to do. Everything was clean, folded, and where it belonged. Lady Concord had retired earlier, leaving Isa, her paid companion, with nothing to do. Going to bed before the sun went down would never do, as she had enough difficulty falling asleep when it was dark outside.
The house party did not begin for another week, so they were currently the only guests at Walsley Manor. In fact, Lord Kenworth, in whose honor the party was being held, wasn’t even in residence. Lady Concord had been a close friend of Her Grace’s mother, and as such, was welcome to arrive a bit early. However, it left Isa with nothing to occupy her time in the evenings. Perhaps she could ask to visit the library and borrow a book. It wasn’t an unusual request and required no special effort on behalf of anyone in the household.
Isa exited into the corridor and descended the staircase. Ever since she had accepted her position as a companion, she had worked hard to be as unnoticeable as possible. Plain clothing and simple hairstyles rendered her nearly invisible within the homes of the nobility, who were well practiced at ignoring the servants.
She glanced at the family portraits as she went down the staircase. The Duke of Boulstridge was a handsome man, as was his son.
Turning her head at the last possible second before she reached the final stair, she narrowly avoided a collision with the duchess.
“Miss Winthrop.” She placed a hand on Isa’s shoulder. “My apologies for nearly running you off the stair. You and Lady Concord have been such self-sufficient guests that I had almost forgotten you were here.”
“Thank you, Your Grace, but I’m afraid the fault is mine. I was focused on the portraits and wasn’t paying attention to where I was going.”
The duchess raised a brow. “Yes, His Grace is a handsome man, but I imagine you would be more interested in my son.”
Her stomach clenched. “Oh no, Your Grace. I would never aspire to…that is…assume that—”
“Miss Winthrop, would you care to join me for a cup of tea?”
Surprised by her abrupt invitation, she blurted out, “I would be delighted, Your Grace.”
“Excellent. Follow me.” She turned and strode back down the corridor she had come from and into a cozy sitting room that Isa hadn’t realized existed. Not that she had been randomly exploring the house on
her own. Not when her position hung on her ability to remain unnoticed. Though Isa had never met him, Lord Kenworth had attended Eton with her brother, and it would ruin everything if he were to discover her true identity.
The duchess waved toward a chair and rang the bell. “Please, make yourself comfortable.” Isa sat, and one of Her Grace’s small dogs that followed her everywhere jumped up to join her. Her heart tightened. She scratched behind his ears and laughed as he rolled over onto his back so Isa could scratch his stomach. The little mixed breed reminded her of her own dog, which she had had to leave with George when she left to take up her position as Lady Concord’s companion.
Isa glanced around the room as the duchess spoke to a maid. This had to be her private sitting room, because it was rather disorganized. Fabric swatches were piled on one side table, and books with various items sticking out of them, that she supposed were used to mark pages, littered nearly every available surface.
Once the maid left, the duchess sat across from her on a well-cushioned chaise longue. “My apologies for the clutter in here, but it is my private chamber, and I do not allow anyone else to clean it. I cannot find anything if someone else organizes it.” She shot her a smile and continued. “His Grace has long since stopped entering the room, as the disarray drives him to distraction. I suspect that is why in this excessively large house, I am only allowed this one chamber for my own. His Grace would surely have an apoplexy if he had to view multiple rooms in such disorder.”
Isa bit back a smile. By all accounts, theirs was a love match. Because Lady Concord had been a close friend of Her Grace’s mother, Isa had not received any of the usual gossip from her. “I understand completely. Before Lady Concord hired me, I was infamous for accumulating all manner of items. My bedchamber back home was always a wreck, and I refused to allow the maids to enter my room. My brother called me a little piglet when we were younger.”
Her Grace tilted her head to the side for a moment and hesitated before returning Isa’s smile. A lightning bolt seared her stomach. She had revealed too much. Unless the family had recently fallen on hard times, paid companions didn’t generally grow up in a situation that included a family with several servants.