‘Justin looks quite bemused, Rachel!’ His grandmother gave a chuckle.
Humour at his expense, obviously, although he failed to see the reason why. ‘Mother?’ he queried cautiously as he saw the becoming blush that now coloured her cheeks.
‘My dear boy, it has been such a time of revelations for you!’ His grandmother looked amused as she continued, ‘My dear, if Rachel and Robert had not met and instantly fallen in love with each other, then Richmond might now be your father in his stead...’ she explained gently.
Although not a part of this conversation, Ellie had nevertheless been following it with great interest. An interest which now turned to concern for Justin as he looked suitably stunned by the dowager’s comment.
Ellie reacted purely on instinct as she rose quickly to her feet to move to Justin’s side—surely this latest disclosure would prove too much, even for him, on top of all he had been told about his father the previous day? Indeed, the hand he placed briefly in front of his eyes, as he shook his head, would seem to indicate as much.
Until he lowered that hand to reveal a teasing grin. ‘Perhaps it is not too late, Mama? After all, you are now both widowed.’
‘Justin!’ his mother gasped, the blush deepening in her cheeks.
His grin widened. ‘You could do far worse than Richmond, Mama. Did you meet him at the Royston Ball, Eleanor? And if so, what is your opinion of the man?’ He turned to her, that mischief gleaming in the warm blue depths of his eyes.
Ellie returned Justin’s smile as she gratefully responded to the warmth in his eyes. ‘I danced a quadrille with him, I believe, and found him to be a very charming and handsome gentleman.’
Justin quirked a mocking brow. ‘Not too charming or handsome, it is to be hoped?’
Now it was Ellie’s turn to blush. ‘In a fatherly sort of way,’ she finished quickly.
Justin continued to study her admiringly for several long seconds. They had not had the chance to talk alone together as yet today and he had felt slightly wary about trying to do so, uncertain of his welcome after his reprehensible behaviour the night before in such an inebriated state. But he had felt slightly reassured a few moments ago when she had come to stand beside him as he learnt of the friendship that had once existed between his mother and Richmond. Almost as if Eleanor felt a need to protect him...
An irony in itself, when Justin knew that he was the one who needed to protect her, even from himself on occasion!
‘There you have it then, Mama.’ He turned back to his mother. ‘You have both Eleanor’s and my own blessing if you should decide to—’
‘Really, Justin, this is not at all a suitable conversation, let alone an amusing one, when the earl is due to arrive here at any moment.’ His mother gave him an admonishing glance.
He smiled unapologetically. ‘I was merely assuring you that you have my wholehearted approval if you should decide to...renew your acquaintance with Richmond.’
His mother looked more flustered than ever. ‘And I am telling you that I have no need of such approval, when I have no intention of being anything more to the Earl of Richmond than the middle-aged mother of his friend!’
‘You are still a very beautiful woman, Rachel,’ the dowager put in.
Her daughter-in-law threw up her hands in exasperation. ‘You are all gone mad!’
‘Ah, but what a wonderful madness it is, Mama.’ Justin was no longer able to resist the desire he felt to touch Eleanor in some way, so he placed his hand lightly beneath her elbow.
She looked uncertain. ‘I believe that must be the earl I hear arriving now,’ she murmured.
Justin was not so sure as he heard the sound of a raised voice outside in the hallway, followed by Stanhope’s quieter, more reasoning tone, and then another shout.
‘Justin, can you see what that is all about?’ The dowager looked concerned.
He nodded, releasing Eleanor’s elbow. ‘Stay here,’ he advised the women before crossing the room in long determined strides. He had barely reached the door before it was flung open to reveal an obviously furious Dryden Litchfield standing on the other side of it and an uncharacteristically ruffled Stanhope just behind him.
Litchfield’s face was mottled with temper as he glared at Justin contemptuously. ‘Just who the hell do you think you are, Royston?’ he snarled.
‘There are ladies present, Litchfield,’ Justin reminded with cold menace.
‘I don’t give a damn if there is royalty present!’ The other man’s voice rose angrily. ‘You have a bloody nerve, poking and prying about in my private affairs—’
‘I remind you once again that there are ladies present!’ Justin held on to his own temper with difficulty, inwardly wishing to do nothing more than to punch Litchfield on his pugnacious jaw, an action as unacceptable, in front of the ladies, as was the other man’s swearing.
Litchfield snorted. ‘I am sure they are all well aware of what an interfering bastard you are—’
‘You, sir, will remove yourself, and your foul tongue, from my hallway immediately!’ The dowager duchess, obviously having heard more than enough, now stood up to glare imperiously at their uninvited visitor.
Litchfield gave her a sneer. ‘You all think yourselves so damned superior—’
‘Perhaps that is because they are superior?’ Eleanor interjected. ‘Certainly to you. In every way.’
Justin turned slowly to look at her, his chest swelling with pride as she stared at Litchfield down the length of her tiny freckle-covered nose.
Her chin was tilted at a determined angle as she stepped forwards. ‘It is entirely unacceptable for you to burst in here, uninvited, and then insult the dowager and her family.’
‘Don’t get hoity-toity with me, missy, when I know your own mother to have been no better than a who—’
‘That is quite enough, Litchfield!’ a third male voice thundered across the entrance hall.
Ellie’s startled glance moved past Lord Litchfield to see the Earl of Richmond moving swiftly across the hallway, his evening cloak billowing out behind him, his handsome face dark with anger.
‘You will excuse my interruption, ladies.’ He gave them an abrupt bow before turning his attention back to Dryden Litchfield. ‘We will take this conversation elsewhere,’ he ground out.
‘And why would I do that?’ the other man challenged insolently.
The earl narrowed hazel-coloured eyes. ‘Because if you do not do as I suggest, then I will have no choice but to have you arrested forthwith.’
‘Arrested?’ Litchfield scorned. ‘For what, pray?’
‘I believe there are any number of charges which might be brought against you.’
‘By whom? You?’ he sneered.
‘If necessary, yes,’ the earl bit out grimly.
Litchfield gave a contemptuous shake of his head. ‘I believe all your years of being married to a madwoman must have addled your own brain, Richmond—’ His words came to an abrupt halt as the earl’s fist landed squarely on his jaw, his eyes rolling back in his head even as he toppled backwards.
Stanhope, in a position to catch him as he fell, instead stepped aside and allowed the other man to drop to the marble floor of the grand entrance hall, his top lip turned back contemptuously. ‘Shall I have one of the footmen assist me in ridding us of this...person, your Grace?’ He looked enquiringly at a grim-faced Justin.
‘Yes—’
‘No,’ Richmond put in firmly before turning to bow to all the St Just family. ‘I apologise for my impertinence.’ He looked at the duke, his expression stern. ‘But information has come into my keeping this evening which I believe dictates we must settle this matter with Litchfield once and for all right now, Royston.’
Ellie was still bewildered by Lord Litchfield’s insulting remark about her mother. Shocked
that this obnoxious man should have even known the sweet and gentle Muriel! Nor did she completely understand his comment concerning the Earl of Richmond’s deceased countess, although there was no mistaking his intended insult—and the earl’s swift retribution for it!
The duke scowled at the unconscious man. ‘Have him carried to the library, Stanhope.’
‘Justin, would it not be better if we were to all hear what the earl has to say?’ the dowager asked, quite pointedly, it seemed to Ellie.
The duke met his grandmother’s gaze, a silent message seeming to pass between the two of them before he turned back to the earl. ‘Richmond?’ he said finally. ‘My grandmother, at least, is already conversant with...some of the events of the past.’
The earl winced. ‘The truth of that is...not as we thought it might be, Royston.’ He glanced uncomfortably at Ellie as he spoke.
Which only served to further increase her alarm, following so quickly on the heels of Lord Litchfield’s earlier remark about her mother. ‘Justin, what’s going on?’
* * *
Justin could tell Eleanor was deeply disturbed by recent events.
He was also troubled by Richmond’s implication that Litchfield was not Eleanor’s father, after all.
For if not Litchfield, then who...?
Surely not someone Muriel Rosewood had met after returning from India; the timing of Eleanor’s birth was all wrong for that to be the case.
Then perhaps some other gentleman Muriel had been close to in India?
Chapter Seventeen
‘You will ask chef to delay dinner for half an hour,’ Rachel St Just instructed Stanhope once the butler and a footman had deposited Litchfield on the rug in front of the unlit fireplace, the dowager having refused to allow him to soil any of the Georgian furniture with his less-than-clean appearance. ‘After which, you may come back and remove him from our presence,’ she added with a disdainful curl of her top lip.
Justin had never admired his mother more than he did at that moment, the truths she had told him yesterday at last allowing him to see her for the redoubtable woman that she was, rather than the mother he had believed to have abandoned him for so many years.
Richmond, he noted abstractly, was also regarding her with similar admiration.
‘Justin...?’
He drew his breath in sharply, knowing he had been avoiding looking at Eleanor for the past few minutes as he saw to the removal of Litchfield, knowing he could delay no longer. A lump formed in his throat as he turned to see that she looked more lost and vulnerable than ever.
He stepped forwards with the intention of taking her in his arms.
‘Lord Anderson,’ the dowager made what was undoubtedly a timely interruption at the same time as she shot Justin a warning glance, ‘would you care to tell us what you meant when you threatened to have this obnoxious creature arrested?’
‘I fear the reasons for that are not for the delicate ears of ladies.’ The earl’s voice contained an edge of restrained anger. ‘Suffice it to say, the man is completely beyond redemption.’
‘What did he mean by his remark about my mother?’ Eleanor asked.
‘Royston!’ the dowager protested as Justin moved determinedly to Eleanor’s side.
He chose to ignore that second warning and instead placed an arm protectively about her waist. ‘I believe it would be beneficial if you were to sit down,’ he suggested kindly.
Ellie was stunned by the compassion and gentleness of his expression as he guided her to an armchair, both of them emotions she was unaccustomed to seeing on the face of the man she loved. There had been concern for his grandmother’s health, yes. Also that inborn arrogance that was so much a part of him. Passion and desire, most certainly. But she had never seen the endearing combination of more tender emotions in him before now.
‘You are keeping something from me,’ she spoke with certainty as she refused to sit down.
He straightened tensely, a shutter falling over those deep-blue eyes. ‘Eleanor—’
‘Royston is not the one responsible for keeping something from you,’ the Earl of Richmond interrupted firmly.
‘Then who is?’ she wanted to know.
‘I am.’ The earl looked uncharacteristically nervous as he crossed the room to take one of Ellie’s hands in his both of his. ‘And it is my sincerest wish—’
‘What the hell are you doing, Richmond?’ Justin exploded, immediately filled with a possessive fury that the handsome man was touching her so familiarly. He still wasn’t sure Richmond didn’t have a tendre for her.
‘Justin, please...!’ His mother sounded distraught at his aggression.
His glittering blue gaze remained fixed on Bryan Anderson, his jaw clenched. ‘Take your hands off her!’
Ellie blanched. ‘I do not believe Lord Anderson means to give offence, Justin,’ she murmured.
‘He is offending me by touching you!’ Justin continued to glower at the older man. ‘I told you to let her go!’
‘Really, Justin, do try to remember the earl is a guest in our home,’ his mother reproved. ‘Your own invited guest, in fact.’
Lord Anderson gave Ellie’s fingers a reassuring squeeze before releasing her to turn and bow to the two St Just ladies. ‘Do not be alarmed, ladies. As Eleanor’s guardian, Royston’s objection to what he thinks is my familiarity with Miss Rosewood is perfectly in order.’
‘I don’t just think anything—you were damned familiar!’ the duke bit out tautly.
Ellie reached out to place a hand lightly on his tense forearm, unsure why he was reacting so strongly. ‘Please allow Lord Anderson to continue.’
Justin drew in a deep controlling breath, before nodding in reluctant acquiescence. ‘Just keep your hands to yourself,’ he warned the earl.
At any other time it would have been thrilling for Ellie to imagine that Justin’s behaviour might mean that he truly cared for her, that he actually disliked seeing another man’s hands upon her. Except she already knew that he did not, that he had stated quite clearly, on several occasions, that he would never fall in love with any woman. His protectiveness towards her now was, as Lord Anderson had already stated, merely part of his role as her guardian. ‘Lord Anderson?’ she asked.
‘It is my sincere wish that you will try to understand and forgive what I am about to tell you, El—Miss Rosewood,’ he swiftly amended as Justin gave a low, warning growl. ‘To believe me when I say that if I had known at the time, I would have behaved otherwise—’ He broke off, obviously finding this difficult. ‘There is no easy way to say this. No way that I can soften the blow for you—’
‘Then why say it at all?’ Justin said darkly. ‘Surely there is no need, when you have already stated that Litchfield was not the one responsible?’
‘He is not.’ Richmond’s face appeared very pale against his white shock of hair and black evening clothes. His gaze returned to Eleanor. ‘May I first say how like your mother you are, my dear.’
She blinked. ‘You knew my mother?’
He nodded. ‘Many years ago, in India.’
Her throat moved as she swallowed before speaking. ‘Then you must have known my father, too?’
‘I was Henry Rosewood’s commanding officer.’ Richmond told her. ‘He was a well-liked and heroic officer.’
A tinge of pleased colour warmed Eleanor’s cheeks. ‘I never knew him, and—my mother talked of him so rarely.’
‘Perhaps because it was too painful for her to do so,’ the earl suggested gruffly.
‘Perhaps.’ Eleanor smiled sadly.
‘The likeness between you and your mother is—startling. I had no difficulty in instantly recognising you as Muriel’s daughter when I first saw you the evening of the Royston Ball,’ Richmond continued emotionally. ‘A fact I noted to the duke
shortly afterwards.’
‘He did not mention you had done so.’ Eleanor gave Justin a brief puzzled glance.
‘Perhaps because I did not see it as being of particular importance at the time.’ He shrugged.
‘But it is now?’
Justin had admired Eleanor for her intelligence more than once, but at this moment he might have wished her a trifle less perceptive.
‘Justin, is it possible this business has something to do with that private matter I requested you look into?’ his grandmother asked sharply.
God save him, he was surrounded by intelligent women! ‘Yes,’ he sighed.
The dowager looked down in horror at the man still prostrate upon her Aubusson rug. ‘Surely not...?’
‘Richmond seems to think not, no,’ Justin confirmed drily.
‘That is something, at least!’ His grandmother raised a relieved hand to her ample bosom.
Justin agreed wholeheartedly with that sentiment. Although he could not help questioning Richmond’s certainty on the matter.
Ellie looked dazed, having no idea what the dowager was referring to. But then, most of this past few minutes’ conversation was a complete mystery to her. ‘I still fail to see why Lord Litchfield forced his way in here uninvited this evening. What on earth was the matter?’
Justin’s mouth twisted contemptuously. ‘He obviously took severe exception to learning I had employed someone to investigate into his private affairs.’
She blinked. ‘Why would you do such a thing?’
The dowager stood up. ‘I am afraid I am partly to blame for this, Ellie.’ She ignored her grandson’s glower at her use of the shortened name. ‘I asked Justin to...to look into a certain matter for me and it would seem that this is the unfortunate result.’
Ellie was none the wiser for this explanation. ‘But surely this can have nothing to do with me?’
‘I am afraid it has everything to do with you, my dear.’ The dowager raised her hands in apology. ‘But I had no idea, when I made my request to Justin, that the matter would become so complicated.’
Again, Ellie was no nearer to understanding this conversation than she had been a few minutes ago. ‘And what request did you make of Just—the duke?’
NOT JUST A WALLFLOWER Page 20