by Dawn Brower
There was probably some distant cousin somewhere down the line that could inherit. Garrick didn’t give a damn one way or the other. He never expected to be the Earl of Manchester.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” his mother said. “You’ll marry and have a son to carry on the line.”
He burst out into laughter. “Are you ordering me to marry someone and get them with child mother? What if I have a daughter like Nathanial did?” He lifted a brow. “What then?”
“There is no need to be so crass.” The dowager countess scoffed and held her hand to her chest. “You’re Amelia’s guardian now. If you won’t find a wife for your own sake and for the duty to the family line the very least you could do is find a mother for that poor girl.”
Garrick ignored his mother and headed toward the brandy decanter. If there was ever a time for a stiff drink this was it. She was doing her best to guilt him into what she believed would be wedded bliss. Amelia might need a motherly figure but that didn’t mean he needed to marry someone for it. They could hire a companion—no a governess for that task.
He poured two fingers of brandy into a glass and then lifted it to his mouth and swallowed the contents in one gulp. It burned as it traveled down his throat and heat spread through his belly as it settled inside of him. The drink helped to ease his anger enough to face her again. He poured more brandy into his glass and then turned toward his mother.
“Marriage is not for me mother,” he said insistently. “Find someone else to focus your attention on. I’m not going to let you browbeat me into something I’m wholeheartedly against.”
“You’re an unnatural child,” his mother said woefully. “Why do you act this way?”
He closed his eyes and prayed for patience. His mother was driving him stark raving mad. They might have to lock him up in Bedlam and then where would her aspirations of marrying him off go? “I’ve always lived my life as I pleased. What made you think that would have changed? I’m not Nathanial and I damn well am not going to do something because you order it.”
She tangled her hands together. “But...”
“No, mother.”
How many times did he have to say it for her to understand it? If he were to marry there was only one girl that he’d consider. Sadly his mother would probably approve of her too. She’d even go so far as to take credit for the match. Garrick wasn’t going to marry anyone though. His mother had to accept that fact and the sooner the better.
“This discussion isn’t over,” she said defiantly. “I refuse to believe that you’ll never marry.”
“That is your choice,” he replied dismissively. “But one way or another you’ll come to realize that I’m more stubborn than you could ever imagine. I’m quite set in my ways. I may be stuck with the bloody title but I refuse to become the man you want me to be.”
She lifted her chin boldly. “And where do you think you got that obstinate streak from? I’ve lived longer than you and I promise you I have more staying power than you do. I even have the perfect lady in mind to be your wife.”
He opened his mouth to ask her who and thought better of it. Did he really want to go down that road? It would give his mother more opportunities to harass him about finding a wife. He didn’t want to consider for even a second that she might have found someone suitable for him.
“You’re not going to ask?” She lifted a brow. “I’m willing to discuss it.”
Garrick just bet she was. He sipped some more brandy and toyed with how to respond. If he showed too much curiosity then he would be giving in to her plans. He hated doing that. His mother was quite relentless in that regard.
“I don’t care,” he said absentmindedly. “Because whoever the unlucky choice is means nothing to me.”
“Even if it is one of my goddaughters.”
He had to admit his interest had peaked at her words. She had three goddaughters and had convinced Nathanial to marry one of them. Lenora had died in childbirth so that left two of them still alive. One of them was still unconscious in an upstairs bedchamber. The other one was on her way to the castle as they spoke. Which one did she hope that Garrick would marry?
“What is it with you and marrying your sons away to your friends children?” He lifted a brow. “How many times do I have to remind you I’m not my brother?”
She shook her head. “Trust me I’m quite aware of that tragedy. He at least would have been willing to listen to me.” His mother waved her hand. “You on the other hand would make breathing difficult if you could manage it.”
“What fun is breathing,” he deadpanned.
It was akin to asking who likes living, but he couldn’t help himself. If his mother was going to compare his actions to something so absurd he’d pay her back in kind.
“Oh...” She stomped her foot on the ground. “I insist you at least consider her. She’d make a good mother for Amelia.”
He sighed and drained his brandy then set the glass down. “Mother I’m not making you any promises. I will end up breaking them.”
“I don’t need a promise,” she said. “Amelia does.”
Garrick would give his mother some credit. She didn’t pull her punches. He would have to make some plans for Amelia, but he wasn’t exactly sure what.
“I’ll see to Amelia’s care,” he agreed. “What I won’t do is marry a woman you pick for me to do it.”
“So you’ll pick one yourself,” she said hopefully.
Oh hell... “I didn’t say that either.”
His mother paced around the room. She played with her hands as she walked. Her skirts rustling with each movement until she finally stopped and glanced at him. “Lady Corinne loves Amelia. She would put her needs above her own. If you don’t marry her she won’t be able to remain at the castle. So while she is here talk to her. Consider courting her and I implore you do what is best for that little girl.” She walked over to his side and grasped his hand. “Don’t be selfish and only think of what you want. Sometimes in life you have to do the unthinkable. Grow up and take care of your family. The time for playing at being a soldier is over.”
With those words she stormed out of the room. Garrick stilled at her words. Playing? What the hell did that woman think he’d done while he was at war? The injury in his thigh began to ache and he rubbed it absentmindedly. Selfish? Perhaps she should look in a mirror before she threw that word at him. Lady Corinne was never going to be his wife.
The other woman in his house though—she needed him. He should go check on Hannah and see if she’d woken up yet. Garrick wanted to see her pretty brown eyes and hear the softness in her voice. He missed his sprite and it was time for her to wake up.
***
Hannah rolled over and groaned. Every one of her limbs ached, but her head was the worst offender of all. Tiny drummers each banged against her skull to a beat of their own making. It was an unbearable agony and she’d have done just about anything to make it stop.
What the blazes had happened to her?
She took a deep breath and slowly opened her eyes to take note of her surroundings. The blanket covering her was a deep blue that matched the curtains blowing by the window. The bed she laid upon was soft and probably the only good thing she could account for in that moment. Well that wasn’t entirely true... She was alive and even if she was in pain. The furnishings around her even appeared familiar. They must have made it to the castle after all. Grimly had been determined to deliver her to Manchester safely.
“Sleeping beauty awakes,” a man’s deep rich baritone filled her ears. She turned to see who spoke and gasped.
“Lord Garrick,” she said surprised. “I didn’t expect to see you here.
“You didn’t hear the news?” He lifted a brow. “I’d have thought mother would have written you.”
What news? She scrunched her nose. Oh, that was a mistake—she groaned and covered her head in her hands. It hurt so much. Hannah took several deep breaths and willed the agony away. Garrick was at the castle and she
refused to let a malady keep her from speaking with him.
“Easy,” he said. “You were in an accident. Don’t exert yourself too much.”
She lifted her head and met his gaze. “Is the war over?” she asked. Was that the news he expected her to know? The dowager countess hadn’t written her in a while. She had no idea what information he expected her to already have.
“No, sprite,” he said. “Napoleon is determined to rule the world. I’m afraid it might go on for many more months, maybe even years.”
“Then why are you home?” She was even more confused. Was her head injury making it hard for her to comprehend what he was saying? “Perhaps you should also explain to me why my head feels the way it does.”
He frowned and said apologetically, “That’s my fault I’m afraid. I was riding at a breakneck speed and didn’t see your coach until it was too late. The driver tried to avoid me and in the process it overturned.”
Her memories were starting to come back slowly. Yes. The carriage had tipped over and she had hit her head on the side. The rest was rather fuzzy in her head.
“Why were you in a hurry to return home?”
“Honestly,” he replied. “I wasn’t.”
She shook her head and groaned. Hannah really had to stop doing that. It would end up getting her in trouble and possibly delay her recovery. “Explain,” she told him.
“You really don’t know?” he asked.
Hannah sighed. “I haven’t exactly been out in society much in the past year. First I was in mourning and then I didn’t have the funds to socialize. My cousin said my upkeep was too expensive and feeding me was all my solicitor’s quarterly allowance provided.”
“He’s being ridiculous and stingy.”
“He might be right,” she said with a small shrug. “I don’t know either way. No one seems to think I’m bright enough to be told how much money the quarterly allowance actually is.”
Garrick drew his brows together. “I’ll send a missive to the solicitor. You’re going to need support and it sounds as if the new Viscount Redding is unwilling to give it. Your driver explained it all to me.”
That was good. She was happy to hear Grimly was all right too. She hadn’t thought to ask after him. Her brain was still a little muddled and thinking was borderline difficult.
“Grimly’s not a driver. I hope he mentioned that to you too.” Hannah smiled. “He was the butler and without his aide I may not have made it here in once piece.”
Garrick’s gaze turned stormy as he looked at her. His blue eyes became darker and the muscle’s in his cheek twitched. “You almost didn’t, but I don’t fault him for that. I’ll see he has a position here—I already have a butler but perhaps he can work in the London townhouse.”
“That’s nice...” Wait did he said he already had a butler? Not his brother? She tilted her head and studied him. “What happened?”
“I already told you. I was riding too fast—”
She held up her hand and stopped him. “No not with my accident. What happened to your brother?”
“I thought you said you didn’t know.”
“If I did I wouldn’t be asking,” she said mulishly. “You are referring to the castle as yours. That implies it is no longer your brothers. It’s a simple deduction.”
“I see,” he replied. “I don’t know exactly what happened to Nathanial. From what I understand his grief finally won and he is with his love once again.”
That was so—tragic. “His daughter wasn’t enough to keep him here,” she asked softly. Poor Amelia...
“Apparently not,” he said.
She sat in silence and mourned for the little girl who would never really know either one of her parents. Hannah understood that loss better than anyone. Her mother and father were both dead and she had never felt more alone in the world. Perhaps she could spend some time with the girl and give her someone to depend on. Even if it was for a little while...
“So you’re the earl now,” she said absentmindedly. “I addressed you wrong when I saw you.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he replied. “For a moment it let me forget about all my newfound responsibilities.” He stared out the window and then shook his head. “I’m glad to see you’re awake. If you’re in a lot of pain the doctor left some laudanum.”
“No,” Hannah shook her head. “I don’t want it.”
“If you change your mind...”
“I won’t,” she said emphatically. Laudanum had been her mother’s escape too. She’d not fall into that trap. “I think I will rest though.”
She laid down on the bed effectively ending the conversation. His footsteps echoed as he walked out of the room. Garrick was the earl now and he seemed even more out of her reach than before. How was she supposed to ask them for help? She hadn’t thought she’d be dealing with him. Nathanial was easier because she didn’t have any romantic feelings for him. Garrick though...he would forever be in her heart.
CHAPTER THREE
Lying in bed had never been Hannah’s strong suit. Especially not for days on end—a week was pure torture. She would much rather be active or at the very least reading. Her mother had thought her to be an unnatural child—when she’d bothered to take an interest in her. Her decline hadn’t come until much later. The viscountess had suffered from some sort of female malady that kept her in constant agony. That was when she’d started to take the laudanum. Not long afterwards she couldn’t make it through the day without several doses. Hannah has lost her mother far sooner than the moment she actually died. Laudanum was a poison that controlled every one of her actions as much as they muddled them. Now though none of that mattered. Her mother was gone and Hannah had to forge her own path.
Today she was going to do something about that.
There had already been too much time wasted. Over a sennight abed? Granted she’d been unconscious for three days of it. The other seven though—Garrick had left orders for her to remain there. None of the servants dared to disobey him. He hadn’t bothered to come back and check on her either. The new earl had declared it improper. Hadn’t stopped him the first time though... So he refused to visit her. Hannah had every intention of remedying that as soon as she left the infernal bedchamber.
She finished dressing with the help of one of the housemaids. She’d protested Hannah getting out of bed but in the end she’d given in and offered her assistance. The girl must have hated watching Hannah struggle to tie her own stays. It still hurt a little bit to breathe, but over all she was starting to feel well. Her head didn’t pain her nearly as much as the first day she’d awoken.
She sat down at the vanity and slowly brushed her hair. The pain had lessened not gone away—this was the worst part about preparing for the day.
“Let me, miss,” the maid said. “I promise to be gentle.”
Hannah reluctantly handed it over to the maid. Her hands were light and the brush slid easily through Hannah’s long dark locks. It actually felt—nice. She closed her eyes and enjoyed it for a few moments.
“I don’t have a talent for hair,” the maid said. “But I can do a simple plait if that’s acceptable.”
Hanna nodded. “Anything you can do is fine.” She certainly wouldn’t be able to do much better. She had been doing simple plaits in her hair for over a year. Her cousin had dismissed her personal maid the new ones were ordered to not help her in anyway. If they did they’d be sacked. None of them dared to step out of line. The only one that did was Grimly. At least there was one servant who remained loyal to her.
The maid quickly plaited her hair and twisted it up into a bun pinning it in place. “There miss,” she said. “You’re all set.”
Hannah smiled. “Thank you...” She frowned. “I’m sorry I didn’t catch your name.”
“It’s Bessy, miss,” she said with a curtsey. “And it’s my pleasure.”
“Don’t worry I won’t mention to Lord Manchester you helped me,” Hannah said. “I wouldn’t want you to lo
se your position.”
“Don’t worry none about that,” she replied. “He’s more bark than bite that one.”
Hannah couldn’t disagree with her. Garrick had always been kind to her. She’d rather not have the maid’s dismissal on her conscience though. Garrick could still sack her for disobeying his orders. “All the same I’ll keep this between us.”
“Thank ye, miss,” she said. “I best be returning to my duties.”
Bessy left the room leaving Hannah to consider her next move. She could go down to eat breakfast. No one had brought her a tray as yet and if she had the timing figured right they wouldn’t come up for another hour. Breakfast had been an informal affair at the castle whenever she stayed there. There might not be anyone in the dining room when she went down. Decision made, she exited her chamber and headed down the stair. Nothing had changed in the castle and she had not been there in several years. She wondered if Lenora had put her stamp on the place in some way.
She walked into the dining room and halted immediately. It wasn’t empty as she had hoped. Sitting at the head of the table was Garrick. He was so gorgeous. The scar on his forehead only added to his appeal. It gave him a dangerous air and drew her gaze to him. She wasn’t afraid of him and never had been. She rather looked forward to their discussion on why she was out of bed and disobeying the doctor’s orders. She had no doubt she’d come out the victor. No, Garrick wasn’t the one that had given him pause. On his right was Lady Corinne and she never looked more beautiful than that moment. Corinne was younger than Hannah, but still she’d have thought the lady would have married by now. Perhaps she had and her husband hadn’t come down to break his fast.
“Good morning,” Lady Corinne said. “It’s lovely to see you out of bed.”
The muscles in Garrick’s cheek twitched. His lips were a firm line of disapproval. “You’re supposed to still be there,” he ground the words out.
What had the maid said? More bark than bite? Yes, she could definitely see that comparison. It suited him well. “I’m rather bored with inactivity,” she replied and went to the breakfast bar. Grabbing a plate she filled it with several different items and then joined them—sitting on Garrick’s left. She didn’t give a damn about propriety. Breakfast was informal after all.