Tenacious Trents 01 - A Misguided Lord
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What else could he ask her? They had already discussed the weather, her favorite flavor of ice at Gunter’s, and what books she read, which turned out to be none since she left the schoolroom. “Are you enjoying this Season?”
“Yes, thank you.” She tilted her head and looked up at him. “And are you, Lord Bentley?”
“I find it tiring,” Clay admitted. “I much prefer the country, but Parliament requires me to be here.”
Lady Anne nodded and fixed her gaze forward.
He should be pleased. This is the type of woman his father repeatedly told him to look for in a wife. But surely he hadn’t meant the lady should lack all personality. His step-mother, Rose, had all the qualities a gentleman could want but she could also carry on a conversation. What would life in the country be like with Lady Anne? Clayton inwardly groaned. Probably As quiet as it is now.
But, he didn’t want a wife for entertainment. He wanted Lady Anne because she would cause no problems and knew her duty. Maybe when they knew each other well enough she would converse more. He could only hope.
“Run, run! Yes, that is it! The wind has it!”
Clayton turned toward the sound of a woman’s voice. It was the lady who had bumped into him two nights ago at the Pranth’s ball. He still hadn’t learned her name. She was with a younger boy. A lad of about ten held the string of a kite and was running toward him. The boy was so fixated on watching the sky he didn’t pay attention to where he was going.
“Toby, watch out,” the young woman cried and took off running toward them.
It was too late. Clayton barely had time to move Lady Anne out of the way before the lad barreled into him and almost knocking them both over. Clay steadied him with a hand on his shoulders.
Large eyes, filled with fear looked up at Clay. “I am very sorry, sir.”
The young woman rushed over and stopped before them, her breasts rising and falling with each heavy breath she took. “I am so very sorry, my lord.”
She glanced up and recognition dawned on her face. Her brown eyes grew wide and all color left her face with the exception of two bright spots remaining on her cheeks, probably from the exertion of her sprint to catch the lad. Ladies should not be running in the park, especially Hyde Park during the fashionable hour, regardless of the reason.
The boy looked up at her. They must be brother and sister. There were too many similarities from the same eyes to the color of hair and apologetic tilt of their lips. “I didn’t mean to run into him.”
The young woman put an arm around the lad’s shoulders and bent to look him in the eye. “I know you didn’t, but I did warn you to watch where you were going.” While her tone was firm and chastising, it also held a warmth, love for the boy.
The boy looked back up at him and the young woman straightened. “I didn’t hurt you, did I, my lord?”
As if the lad could. “No, but you could have someone else, such as Lady Anne, had I not seen you.”
His face turned scarlet and he glanced to Clay’s companion. “I am very sorry, my lady. Please forgive me.”
“I am unharmed.” She sniffed and looked away.
“You look lovely today, Lady Anne. I hope we haven’t ruined your stroll.” The woman greeted cheerfully.
“Thank you, Miss Westin,” Lady Anne responded in a cool tone.
Ah, so now he had a name at least. Miss Hoyden would be more appropriate, however.
Lady Anne glanced past Miss Westin and frowned. “Do you not have a nanny or nursemaid to see to the children?”
Clay followed her line of vision. Another boy, perhaps a year or two younger than the one with the kite, stood not far away under a tree, watching them with a wide-eyed expression. The coloring was the same so he must be another relation.
Miss Westins cheeks turned a deeper pink, but she smiled sweetly. “Not today.” She looked back at the boy. “Besides, I enjoy spending time with my brothers.”
Lady Anne pursed her lips and didn’t comment further.
The scene of Miss Westin encouraging her brother reminded him of the days Adele played with him and his brothers on the lawn. Clayton missed those parts of his youth. Life was full of laughter and fun. Then she was gone.
The boy ran to retrieve the kite that now lay on the ground.
“Might I suggest a place further into the park where there are not so many pedestrians? I would hate if someone was hurt.”
Miss Westin stiffened at his tone. He hadn’t meant to sound harsh and why was it only she who brought out this side of him?
“I am sorry to have disturbed you. I will make sure the children are more careful.” She looked away from him and nodded to Lady Anne. “Good day.” With that Miss Westin turned and marched back to her siblings. A pang of jealousy shot through Clay. It was good for the children to run and have fun, just not amongst society. The last time he behaved like that was the day before Adele walked out of his life. From that day forward, as soon as he could sit in a chair again, his father had kept him in the study, training him for his future, until Clay was sent away to Eton for his formal education.
Clay placed Lady Anne’s hand back on his arm and they continued on his stroll. The laughter from Miss Westin and the children followed them until they were out of earshot. He wanted to go join them. Forget about responsibility for just a short time.
The thought froze him for a moment. Women like that made gentlemen forget their duty. “What do you know of Miss Westin? She is new to London, is she not?”
Lady Anne stiffened for a moment. Why such a reaction? Was it disapproval?
“I understand that she is Lord Stanhope’s granddaughter. She preferred to remain with her family until her grandfather finally forced her to London so that he could find her a husband.”
“Her parents are not with her?”
“They are dead, I believe.”
Clayton glanced back. Was Miss Westin responsible for her siblings? Surely not. Stanhope probably took care of the lot and it was about time Miss Westin did marry. She had been left alone for far too long. If she had been trained to be a proper lady, she wouldn’t be acting like such a hoyden now.
*
Of all the people to run into, why did it have to be that lord of all people? She didn’t even know his name, but certainly knew his face and disposition. Goodness, did the man even know how to smile? Did he not know how to have fun? Of course Toby should have watched where he was going and should not have run into the gentleman. But really, what harm was done? Nobody was hurt.
How dare he tell her to take them off somewhere else. Both he and Lady Anne looked at them as if they carried the plague. It was truly a shame because she had actually liked the young women when introduced to her the evening before. Quiet and shy, but Eleanor hadn’t realized how rigid. Those two were perfect for each other. Their frowns even matched. Maybe one day they would marry and produce many frowning children.
No they wouldn’t, because Lady Anne wouldn’t be around her children. She would have nursemaids and nannies.
Why was she so angry about something so unimportant?
“Boys, we need to return to the house.”
Together, the group turned and made the long trek back to Cheapside. It was quite a distance, but she couldn’t afford to pay for a hackney today and the boys didn’t seem to mind.
Oh, why did she let that gentleman get under her skin? She didn’t even know him so why should it matter if he approved of her or not? Though unhappy with the encounter, at least he hadn’t yelled at Toby, which would have been his right, she supposed. Toby had practically run him over.
Eleanor shook the thoughts from her mind when they arrived at the house. Why was she thinking about him anyway? With any luck, they wouldn’t encounter each other again.
Mrs. Hartley was just arriving when Eleanor opened the door. The woman was a Godsend. .
Eleanor was so grateful to have met the widow shortly after they arrived. Each evening Mrs. Hartley came and stayed with the chil
dren until the morning. It served both of their purposes. It allowed Mrs. Hartley to be away from her brother-in-law, a detestable man who drank too much, and gave Eleanor peace that the children were not alone.
Eleanor hugged each child individually before moving onto the next. Their time together was always so short. Today she had only been allowed three hours because her grandmother had made further demands on her time. Oh, why couldn’t she find a husband? All she wanted to do was take the children and go home.
“When will you be back?” Toby asked, his sad brown eyes looked up at her.
She caressed his cheek. “Tomorrow. And we will find something fun to do.”
Ethan, the second brother, wrapped his arms around her legs and squeezed. “I love you.”
Tears sprang to her eyes. “I love you too.” She pulled away and squatted to look him in the eye. “Now you be good for Leigh and Mrs. Hartley.
Ethan sniffed. “I will.”
Eleanor ruffled his hair. “Help Leigh take care of Jamie, too.”
He smiled proudly and nodded his head. Jamie was only two, the youngest, and even though Ethan was only eight, he liked the idea that he was able to help and protect his younger brother.”
With a heavy heart Eleanor walked to the door. She hated leaving them. It was so unfair. While she dressed in expensive gowns and attended balls and danced, her siblings were shut up in this modest dwelling in Cheapside. Eleanor was fairly certain she would not forgive her grandfather once she was free of him. But, for the moment, and only until September, he was her guardian, leaving her little choice. If they weren’t so broke, near penniless, she would have never agreed to come to London. But they could not go on as they had. She needed a rich husband and she didn’t care who he was as long as her family could remain with her.
*
Clayton’s attention was drawn to the door at the announcement of Lord and Lady Stanhope, and Miss Westin. She looked radiant this evening with her mahogany tresses curled gently around her head and a face that glowed with happiness in the candlelight. She had more color than most debutants. Perhaps it was because she played in the sun today without shading herself with a parasol or hat. The light blue gown complimented her complexion and hair, as well as her figure.
The next family to arrive was Lady Anne and her parents. The young woman, while pretty in pink, paled in comparison to Miss Westin. Why couldn’t Miss Westin possess the demeanor of Lady Anne?
Clayton placed an empty glass on the tray and made his way to Lady Anne’s side. If he did not claim a dance now, they would all be taken. Gentleman always clamored to her side the moment she stepped into the room, and for good reason. Not only was she lovely, but her dowry would please any man. Not that Clay needed funds. He was settled enough for this life and the next generation. By the time he reached her side, the only remaining dance was a quadrille toward the end of the evening. He penciled his name in, bowed and turned away.
At that very moment, Miss Westin took a step back, right onto his left booted foot. With a squeak she moved away and turned.
“Do you ever watch where you are going, Miss Westin?”
Color rose to her cheeks. “I am very sorry, my lord.”
“You’ve met my granddaughter?” Lord Stanhope inquired.
Clayton forced a pleasant smile. “No, actually. We bumped into each other at a ball the other evening.” Collided was a more apt description.
Lord Stanhope looked between the two. “Might I present my granddaughter, Miss Eleanor Westin. Eleanor, this is Lord Bentley.”
She dropped to a quick curtsey and Clay bowed. Eleanor? The name didn’t quite suit her. It was so staid for someone with such energy.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Bentley.”
“And you, Miss Westin,” he returned.
He should excuse himself, but could not make his feet move. What was it about this woman? He couldn’t keep his eyes off her at the Pranth’s ball, nor last night. Then today, after their encounter in the park, he spent far too much time wondering about her and her younger brothers. Nothing good could come from his interest, so why didn’t he just move on.
“Might I see your dance card?” Why was he asking her to dance? They were not suited so this was simply a waste of time.
A curious frown marred her brow but she held it out to him anyway. The first dance was not claimed and he penciled in his name. Perhaps once he danced with Miss Westin he could put her from his mind.
The strings began to tune in preparation. Clay offered Miss Westin his arm and led her to the dance floor. The perplexed look never left her face. Not that he could blame her. He was perplexed as well. If any couple was ill suited it was they.
They continued through the motions of the quadrille not uttering a sound. Other couples were engaged in animated conversation, Clay was thinking about what to do next. How long should he court Lady Anne before asking for her hand? Were there rules he was unaware of? It was a shame she wasn’t as lovely as Miss Westin. But that glint in Miss Westin’s eyes, as if she knew secrets no lady should know, made it impossible to consider her for the position as his countess. He would not repeat his father’s mistake with his second wife. The pain had been too hard as a child and he refused to experience it as an adult.
“Are you always so somber, Lord Bentley?” Miss Westin asked with a hint of humor in her voice.
Startled, Westin looked down at her. Such a tiny young woman and he wanted to pull her into the curve of his arm and protect her from the world. “I prefer to think of myself as serious.”
*
Eleanor was bemused. Never had she met anyone so stiff and foreboding in her life. Why she agreed to dance with him she would never know, nor could she begin to guess why he asked. The man clearly didn’t approve of her.
No, she did know why she agreed. He was wealthy and titled, just the type of man she was looking for to wed. But he would never do. He would never take to children as rambunctious as her siblings. Just look at how he responded today in the park.
Eleanor had watched Bentley since their encounter that first night. He was a tall and imposing figure amongst the crowd. It was impossible not to notice him. He was also aloof and Eleanor saw him rarely dance, barely smile and never laugh. It was a shame too. He was handsome enough when he frowned, dark brows drawn over clear green brooding eyes. How much more handsome would he be if he smiled? Instead, he preferred to stand on balconies and look down on the crowd, lording over them as if they were his minions. Why did Bentley even bother to ask her to dance?
“Are you always so seriously somber?” Eleanor couldn’t help but tease the man. Really, what did he have to worry about? He was an Earl! A wealthy one at that.
“I am always serious,” Lord Westin replied. “It is a requirement necessitated by my responsibilities to society.”
Eleanor fought the giggle bubbling up her throat. He was so serious about being serious, as well as full of his own self-importance. Really, the man was asking to be brought down a peg or two.
“I understand where you might find humor, Miss Westin. As a young woman, you do not have the worries on your shoulders as one of my station.”
She almost laughed out loud. If only he knew. “You know nothing of my circumstance, Lord Bentley. There are a number of matters I take seriously. However, one must take what joys life provides and embrace them.”
He arched an eyebrow and looked down at her. “When you are older, you will hopefully realize that there are more serious matters to consider than which ball gown one will wear for the evening, which gentleman one will flirt with, or how to find the wind for flying a kite.”
The smile fell from her face. He was rude and arrogant. Add condescending as well. “I assure you, Lord Bentley, I give little thought to my wardrobe and even less to who I will encounter. Though you obviously have a very low opinion of me, or perhaps it is all ladies in general, but there are matters that I take very seriously and some weigh on my shoulders constantly.”
“Laughter is necessary in the world we live in, Lord Westin. Without it, we would surely all be reduced to tears,” Eleanor murmured just before they joined her grandmother.
Lord Bentley bowed and took his leave and Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief. What was he about? Did he have no enjoyment in his life? It was rather sad, actually.
So far this Season, her first and probably only Season, was not going well. She had yet to meet a candidate who would be a good husband, and also be willing to take in her entire family. Of course, she hadn’t actually mentioned her predicament to anyone, but a dance and a few moments of conversation were usually enough. Bentley was the last person she would ever consider, though she doubted he would even ask her to dance again, or grace her with his presence.
If only Drake, Viscount Acker, were here. He could instruct her on how to go about and could also introduce her to the right candidates. He was her dearest friend and would know how to help her.
But Drake wasn’t here. He was traveling abroad, and Eleanor was unsure of his return. His mother, Lady Acker, had introduced her to a few gentlemen, but they would not do. Drake was the one who knew her and what she required. Lady Acker would not even consider the practical, she was set on making a love match and Eleanor didn’t have time for such nonsense.