by Wendy Vella
“Of course.” Claire forced a laugh. “Have I not witnessed your behavior almost nightly for the past few years?”
More laughter, but not from him. He just gave her a gentle smile. “I hope there is a bit more substance to me than that.”
“Of course there is, Simon,” Eva soothed. “You are the most wonderful man I know besides my husband. Some woman will be extremely lucky to have you as her husband one day.”
“Thank you, darling, and I assure you that you are first equal in my affections, also,” he drawled.
“And who is the other lucky recipient of your adoration, Lord Kelkirk?” Claire held her breath as she waited for his answer. It wouldn’t be her, obviously, but the thought of another woman holding his affections did not sit well, for some foolish reason.
“My aunt,” he said with a knowing smile, almost as if he had guessed her thoughts.
“It is time you married, my lord. Perhaps I may offer a few suggestions to you?”
“Mother, I don’t think–”
Simon held up one hand towards her. “I would love to hear your mother’s suggestions, Claire. After all, I am not getting any younger, and she is a woman of great sense and discerning tastes…unlike her daughter.”
The last was said so softly that only Claire heard it. “I have great sense!”
“Pardon, dear?”
Claire waved her hand about and then gave Simon a foul look, which he returned with a smug smile.
“Miss Tarlton,” Lady Belmont said. “Her family is highly regarded, and she has pleasing manners, Lord Kelkirk.”
“Too tame for me, I’m afraid. I cannot have a wife who will trot about obeying my every command, Lady Belmont. As your daughter will tell you, I am already conceited.”
There was silence after this. Even Georgia appeared to be pondering the situation.
“Miss Stamford. She is beautiful and sweet-natured, yet has a strength to her personality that I am sure you will find pleasing, Lord Kelkirk.”
He replaced his cup carefully before answering, and Claire found herself leaning forward, eager to hear what he would say. Of course, she didn’t care whom he married or when.
“I could not sit across the breakfast table and bask in such unblemished beauty day after day, my lady. Miss Stamford has no flaws. Even the tone of her voice is melodious. Alas, I am a severely blemished man and could not hope to compete.”
“Now you’re just toying with me, my lord.” Claire watched her mother titter.
“Indeed, I am not, as my years are progressing, and matrimony is most definitely a consideration soon.” He looked at Claire again, his eyes running over her face before returning to her mother. “I will marry, Lady Belmont, but the woman I marry will be the partner of my choice, as I plan to spend the remainder of my days in her company.”
“Men always say such things, Lord Kelkirk,” her mother scoffed. “But inevitably, they find their clubs and other arenas of pleasure.”
Claire shot her mother a surprised look. She rarely spoke so candidly and never in company. Lady Belmont was jiggling Georgia but looking at Simon, her eyes deadly serious.
“Mother–”
“It’s all right, Claire. Your mother and I are well acquainted, and she can speak freely with me. In fact, I appreciate a woman who speaks her mind,” Simon said, nodding to Lady Belmont. “And I will add that my wife will never have cause to question my fealty to her. She will be the only woman with whom I share my home and heart.”
Claire heard her mother say something, yet she did not know what, as her head was filled with Simon’s words. She will be the only woman with whom I share my home and heart. He had sounded sincere, each word spoken carefully, and she had believed him, even though she had often labeled him a carefree rake. Why had she never seen this side to him? Because you did not want to.
“Yes, what is it, Plimley?” Claire questioned the butler as he appeared at her side.
“Lord Belmont has received urgent correspondence, which he would like to share with you at once, Miss Belmont.”
Claire wasn’t sure why, but her heart suddenly started to thump rapidly in her chest.
“And we must leave, as it is time for Georgia’s nap.” Eva rose and took the baby from Lady Belmont.
“Tell my brother I will be with him shortly, Plimley,” Claire said, regaining her feet, too. Why was she suddenly so tense? Yes, Mathew had never asked her opinion on any notes he had received before, but that did not mean he couldn’t now.
“I shall claim a dance tonight, Claire,” Simon said, taking her hand and bowing deeply before he escorted Eva and the baby out to the waiting carriage. It was as she closed the door behind them that she realized she had not answered him.
Slowly, she made her way to where her brother awaited her in his study. Was this just his way of getting her back into his office so he could question her further?
“You wished to see me, Mathew?”
“Yes. Come in and close the door, Claire.”
She did as he asked and then took the seat across from his desk.
“Read this.” He thrust a note across the desktop towards her, his fingers Claire noticed, were trembling. His face was pale and drawn, and she almost snatched her hand back as she reached for the paper. Something inside her dreaded reading the words written upon it. Taking a deep breath, she lifted the missive and began to read. Seconds later, the paper fluttered from her fingers as she slumped backwards into the chair.
CHAPTER FIVE
“Was that Belmont striding past us looking fierce?” Simon watched as the man stalked across the street ahead of him.
“Where?”
“Having trouble focusing, your grace?” Simon said, pointing at the rapidly disappearing figure of Claire’s brother. Well, he thought it was Claire’s brother. “I believe there is an ocular specialist further up the street. If you’ll take my arm, I’ll escort you there.”
Daniel muttered something foul before following the direction of Simon’s hand. “My vision is superb, as you very well know, Kelkirk,” he snapped.
“I’m sure that was Belmont,” Simon said again. “He was certainly in a hurry.”
“And why do you care if it was?” Daniel said as they started walking towards the tavern they often frequented. “To the best of my knowledge, you’ve only ever conversed with the man in social situations. Therefore you can hardly know if he scowls daily or not.”
“If you’ll step to the left, your grace, you’ll avoid landing in that pile of steaming horse excrement.”
“I can see it!” Daniel snapped. “My vision is near perfect, for god’s sake!”
“Of course it is.” Simon always enjoyed taunting his friend.
“I’m going to carve you up after we’ve eaten, Kelkirk. I have a new foil that needs a workout, and you will not be quite so ready with your insults after that.”
“I have spoken more than two words to Belmont,” Simon said, knowing Daniel would follow his conversational leaps. After all, they had been friends for years. “When I visited Claire with your beautiful wife and daughter, he was there. In fact, we talked for some time.”
“Still, I don’t believe I’ve heard you show any interest in the man before today.”
Simon opened the tavern door and motioned for Daniel to enter before following. They walked into the dark interior and headed to the booth they usually occupied. Creatures of habit, Eva often called him and Daniel.
“Did you notice that the Belmont family have not attended any social engagements for two nights?” Simon added.
“And I repeat, why the interest in Belmont?” the duke demanded.
“Hello, my lovely lords.”
The blonde waitress had a smile as big as her ample breasts and had served them for as long as they’d been coming to her establishment. They’d never corrected her, or added that Simon was the lord and Daniel was a duke. If she wanted to call them her lovely lords, then who were they to dissuade her? Besides, the only word
that really went well with duke, Simon often pointed out, was dirty.
“Still the most beautiful woman in the United Kingdom, Lottie,” Simon said.
“Tis not only you that notices, my lord,” she pushed out her breasts.
“Just the usual, please, Lottie,” Daniel said, rolling his eyes at Simon and sending the waitress on her way.
“Before you were committed to wedded bliss, Stratton, you enjoyed flirting, too, so please do not spoil it for those of us still in the unmarried state.”
Daniel leant back in the booth and looked at Simon. “As Eva called us creatures of habit, I have ordered beef and vegetable instead of rabbit.”
“Well, that’s telling her,” Simon said, looking around the dim interior. They’d been coming here since they’d first come to London over ten years ago. Not much had changed. In fact, he was sure the man slumped over the bar was a permanent fixture.
“Eva said Claire sent a note around saying she was sick, and that’s why you’ve not seen her the past two evenings.”
“Sick? What kind of sick?” Simon demanded, suddenly feeling cold all over. “A headache, I believe.”
Lottie placed their food before them with two large ales, and Simon could not dredge up his usual leer as she gave him an eyeful of her splendid breasts.
How the hell was Simon supposed to eat with a big lump in his throat?
“Something’s not right there,” he blurted out before he could stop himself. They were best friends, and Simon had never had secrets from Daniel. Besides, he needed to talk to someone.
“What’s not right where?” The duke picked up his ale and downed half of it.
“Claire. Something’s off with her. I’m sure of it.”
“You’re showing a great deal of interest in the Belmont family, and most especially a woman you cannot be within two feet off without a verbal debate erupting.”
“That’s of her making, not mine.” Simon felt moved to defend himself.
Snorting, Daniel picked up his fork and then pointed it at Simon. “Do you know, I think you could be right about Claire. I told Eva she looked out of sorts just the other day.”
Simon was sure he could eat around the lump. After all, someone had gone to the trouble of baking the pie; the least he could do was eat it. Sinking his teeth into the soft pastry, he let out a few humming noises of appreciation. “I want to tell you something, but you have to keep it to yourself,” he said after he’d swallowed.
“I don’t have secrets from my wife, Simon. You know that.”
“All right, you can tell, Eva, but not Georgia. She’s a terrible gossip.”
The duke grunted.
Simon ate more pie and drank more ale while he thought about what to say, and Daniel did the same, watching Simon’s every mouthful.
“I’ll give you two more minutes, and then I’m pummelling it out of you,” Daniel said, once again pointing his fork at Simon.
“Didn’t your father spend a considerable amount of money teaching you not to wave your cutlery around whilst eating, your grace?”
“One minute.”
“I was just getting the words right in my head.”
“The annoying habit you have of thinking everything through before you speak has long since lost its charm for me, Kelkirk. Therefore I beseech you in this instance to speak the first words that come into your head.” Daniel once again slouched back in his seat, ale in hand.
“Tsk tsk. Slouching, too, your grace.”
“Remember that I have a new rapier, Kelkirk. It would not pay you to antagonize me.”
“When I was late for our lunch meeting at the club the other day, it was because I bumped into Claire…literally.” Simon went on to tell Daniel about his meeting with Claire and subsequent sore jaw.
“Good god!” The duke looked stunned. “And you have no idea why she was there?”
“None, and when I questioned her, she looked scared, Daniel, and that was more worrying, as, to the best of my knowledge, nothing scares Claire Belmont. In fact, she is always just so.”
“Just so what?”
“Composed, immaculately attired, well spoken–you name it.” Simon waved his hand around.
“She wasn’t always,” Daniel said quietly. “There was a time when she was wild and unruly, and then her brother died.”
“Anthony?”
The duke nodded, his face solemn. “He was everything to Claire. There were four years between them, and unlike Mathew, who had duties ahead of him, Anthony always had time for Claire, and she adored him. We were friends, all three of us, and we used to run wild through the pastures of our homes. Claire was younger, of course, and although we tried to leave her behind, she always found us, and because Anthony loved her so much, he let her stay.” Simon watched the emotions move across his friend’s face as he remembered. “And then he went away to war and got wounded and when he returned, like so many, he was a changed man.”
“He died five years ago, I believe?”
The duke nodded. “Six months after returning home, he was dead.”
“Yes, and it was Claire who nursed him to the end.” Simon could imagine her sitting at her brother’s bedside for hours doing all the things that he needed with endless patience. He’d seen her compassion with others and the tender way she was with Georgia. It was just him she was impatient with.
“Her mother told me, when I called to inquire after Anthony, that he did not sleep–couldn’t sleep–as the pain in his side was too much to bear. The bullet was lodged inside, and the doctors said if they removed it, he would die.”
“But he died, anyway,” Simon added softly. “And Claire lost the brother she loved most.”
Daniel looked into the depths of his drink before speaking. “I had drifted away from her by then. I had you and our friends,” he added, shooting Simon a look to make sure he understood. “I called to see her, but she didn’t want to see me, and I tried once more, but she was still deeply upset, so I left her alone. It was only after I married Eva that we became re-acquainted.”
They were silent for a while as they both thought about Claire, each in their own way, and what she had suffered.
“Daniel, Claire knows you are her friend and always have been, and now you have given her Eva, too. I would not feel too badly for what has been, my friend.”
“I hope you’re right, Simon, and now we need to think more on why she was in that street and how to go about getting the information from her.”
“You’re taking her to Stratton, so that would be as good a time as any to start questioning her, Daniel.”
The duke nodded. “Eva can get the information from her. She only has to smile and people usually tell her everything.”
“Besotted fool,” Simon said with no malice, and Daniel smiled.
Rising, the duke put some coins on the table. “Come, I need to think about his some more, and as I do my best thinking while I’m moving, it’s time to teach you a lesson in fencing.”
Snorting, Simon followed him out the door. The day had grown darker as rain clouds threatened, and he guessed by nightfall, there would be a deluge, which would turn the streets to sludge. Shuddering at the thought, he fell in beside Daniel as they made their way across the road.
He felt better for having told Daniel his concerns. Now his friend could help Simon to find out what was going on with Claire and why she had been in that lane. He just hoped that whatever it turned out to be, they could find a way to resolve it for her. Because he could not bear the thought of Claire Belmont suffering with either a broken heart or body.
CHAPTER SIX
Claire looked out her bedroom window at the grey skies over London. She had not left the house for two days and nights and the rain had steadily fallen, with no appearance of letting up. It wasn’t overly cold, yet she had a shawl over her shoulders, and a permanent chill seemed to have taken up residence in her body. Looking at her bed, she contemplated lying down–just closing her eyes to seek some relief
from the thoughts inside her head, if only for a while. Exhaustion had long since passed, and now Claire was beyond simple tiredness. Rubbing her eyes, she took a deep, steadying breath. Becoming weepy helped no one, least of all the child who now needed her.
“Who is it?” Claire said as a knock sounded at the door.
“Mathew.”
“Go away.” Claire’s voice had not risen. It was flat and raw, yet she knew her brother had heard her words, even though he’d chosen to ignore them. She hurried to the window seat and sat as the handle turned and he entered. “I believe I asked you to go away.” She wrapped her arms around her knees and hugged them close to her chest.
“What you did the other day was irresponsible and could easily have turned out badly, Claire. You should have come to me the instant you received that note, not gone to that lane alone. I want your word you will not contemplate anything as foolish again.”
Her brother looked like hell. His eyes were bloodshot, his hair stood on end, and his skin was pale, yet she felt no sympathy for him; what she felt was anger. “Don’t lecture me on responsibilities, brother, when you are failing in yours.”
“I am not failing in mine,” he ground out. “In fact, just the opposite. Why will you not see reason on this, Claire? Mother is on my side.”
“Reason!” Claire was amazed she could still find the strength to raise her voice. “Is it not reasonable to expect that we depart immediately for Liverpool to inquire if the child the note spoke of is our brother’s? The brother we both loved, Mathew? Furthermore, do not use Mother to strengthen your cause–she would never go against your wishes.”
His teeth snapped together briefly, and the anger between them seemed to fill every corner in her room. “The note that I intercepted was for you, Claire, and it stated you must come alone to collect Anthony’s illegitimate child. If there is, indeed, a child, why would it matter which one of us went to retrieve it? Surely you are not silly enough to believe this ruse?”
“What if it’s not, Mathew? What if Anthony’s child is left alone and helpless because you will do nothing?”