by Jane Charles
Clay pushed his fingers through his hair. She had far too many responsibilities to shoulder alone at her age. The house looked as if it could collapse at any moment, and boys that age grew out of their clothing fast and would soon be eating her out of house and home. No wonder she took his money quickly enough. How had they survived until now?
He straightened. And what prompted her to suddenly accept this offer to become his mistress?
His stomach clenched. She needed more money. Something else must have happened for Elle to believe she had no other choice but to give up her virtue. If he’d learned anything, Elle would do anything to take care of her family, even if it meant selling her body. But how to ask Acker without letting on about what had occurred between he and Elle.
“Elle seemed upset yesterday,” he began and picked his words carefully. “She even mentioned that blasted proposal I made in London.” His face heated, ashamed he had treated her so poorly and assumed the worst of her.
Acker hitched a brow. “Is that why she doesn’t wish to ever see you again?”
“We argued.” Clay wouldn’t tell Acker anything further. First, he wouldn’t shame Elle in such a way and second, he had no desire to face his friend at a dawn appointment. “Has something occurred where she needs more funds?”
Acker relaxed back in his seat. “Her step-father had a number of debts. None of them from the usual sort our London friends face from things such as gambling, woman and drink. No, they are honest debts from family, home, poor economy in this area. Elle’s biggest fear is that she won’t be able to take care of her family and the boys will be sent to workhouses. Her grandfather has suggested that option on more than one occasion. Elle refuses to abandon her family and is determined to keep everyone together.”
No wonder she was so adamant about the conditions in the mills. Had she feared the children would actually end up there one day? Good Lord, what pressure she must have been under.
“I don’t mean to be crass, but I gave her a substantial sum in London. Has it not been enough to help?”
Acker stood to refill his glass. “Oh it was enough at the time.”
“At the time, were the debts so large she could not meet them all?”
“Yes and no.” Acker sighed, settling back in the chair. “Elle paid all the debts she was aware of and put the rest aside for emergencies and continued to live in the same style as before, using other means to bring funds into the home from teaching piano, taking in mending, and that sort of thing.”
“What debt did she not know of?” Clay stood and also helped himself to more brandy.
“Apparently a gentleman holds the deed to the house. Her step-father used it as collateral for a loan. That debt is due at the end of the month or Elle and the children lose their home.”
Clay took a gulp of the burning liquid and sat. His conversation with her yesterday became so clear. Of course she wouldn’t want to be pampered with servants, a nice house and jewels around her neck. She’d simply taken the only option left available to her. Elle had sold her body for the sake of her family, to keep a roof over their head.
He had judged her so, so wrongly. Elle was nothing like Adele. Elle sacrificed her virtue so her family would not suffer. If only she would have told him. Everything would be so different, if only she had told him the truth.
Would he have listened? Perhaps not in the beginning, but certainly he would have later, especially after he had seen her home. He should have known things didn’t add up but his own pride and arrogance had gotten in the way. He needed to fix matters. He had to do right by her.
Despite what she had done for financial security and that she had lied to him about her circumstances, Clay couldn’t think of any other woman, or person he respected more at this moment. How could he have been so blind?
Chapter 17
Elle began to relax as the day grew long. Thank goodness Clayton had not come to call. She could not face him or the humiliation now, so soon, if ever. The house party would be over in a few days and she would meet with Drake to draw up some form of contract. As the house would be hers once she reached her majority, she would use it as collateral. At least she knew Drake would not evict her and the children and in time she would be able to pay him back. Resolved that everything would work out, Elle had put her thoughts to the afternoon meal with she heard a carriage outside. Please, don’t let it be Bentley.
Tobias rushed into the kitchen. “Lady Acker has come to call.”
Elle took a deep breath and blew it out. She wasn’t expecting Drake’s mother to return until after the house party had concluded, and she really didn’t want to face the all too perceptive woman right now.
“Could you please inform Lady Acker that I need to finish preparing dinner and that I will call on her tomorrow.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
Elle turned to find Lady Acker standing in the door of her kitchen. Good gracious.
“Lady Acker. Did you enjoy London?”
The woman waved a hand, “It was the same as always, though you disappeared rather quickly.” She pulled a chair out and sat.
“Shall we go into the parlor?” She could not have the countess sitting in her kitchen, of all places.”
Lady Acker dismissed her with another wave of her hand and looked around. “I like your kitchen. It reminds me of the home I grew up in. Many hours were spent cooking and chatting in our kitchen.”
Elle gaped at her.
Lady Acker chuckled. “I have a confession.” She grinned. “I wasn’t always a lady, but a poor vicar’s oldest daughter. There were eight of us.”
Eleanor had always assumed Lady Acker came from society and made a match within the ton. She turned away and filled the tea kettle and set it on the stove.
“I didn’t know you would be returning so soon.” Elle wiped her hands on a towel and gathered cups, saucers and tea.
The woman sighed. “I haven’t yet arrived home. I just learned my son was having a house party and thought to stop here for a refreshing cup of tea before facing whomever Drake has invited.”
Elle smiled and took a seat across from Lady Acker. “The guests are not that daunting.”
“If that is true then why aren’t you there instead of here?” The lady eyed her skeptically.
Elle looked down, unable to meet her eye. “I am tired that is all. I have spent the last four days at Drake’s gathering and couldn’t let things go here.”
Lady Acker eyed her closely, but didn’t ask what was so important that needed to be done now. Instead she asked further questions. “Who are my son’s guests?”
Elle rattled of all the names, ending with Lord Clayton Bentley.
“Ah yes, I should have expected him to be present. He and Drake have been such good friends since Eton.”
“Yes, that is what I have been told,” Elle murmured and stood to remove the kettle and poured the hot water into a teapot.
“You made his acquaintance in London, did you not, dear?” Lady Acker asked searchingly.
“Ah, yes I did.”
“He is such a handsome man. It is a shame he is so like his father.”
“How so?” Elle settled into her seat again and poured Lady Acker a cup of tea. She hoped her curiosity wasn’t obvious.
Lady Acker frowned. “The man was a judgmental, hypocritical prig.”
“That sounds accurate.” Elle immediately wished she could take back her words. The last thing she needed was Lady Acker becoming suspicious about her relationship with Clayton.
“Did he insult you dear? He will apologize if he has.”
“No,” Elle quickly answered, leaning forward. “I don’t want you to say a word to him. It was not so much as an insult but he was quick to assume Jamie was my son, without the benefit of marriage, without inquiring otherwise.”
Lady Acker’s eyes opened in shock before she narrowed them. “Did he make an improper proposition?”
The very last thing Elle wanted to do was
tell her the truth. “It doesn’t matter. I would rather just let matters rest and forget his existence if you do not mind.”
“What aren’t you telling me?” Lady Acker insisted.
“Nothing, please just let it go.”
The woman pursed her lips and after a moment nodded her head.
*
Within an hour of leaving his meeting with Acker, Clay sent a letter to his man of business with instructions to look into Eleanor’s financial situation and see that all debts were paid in full immediately. The mortgage had surprised her and he wanted to make sure she didn’t become aware of any further debts. When he came to her and offered marriage, he wanted it to be because she wished to marry him and not because it would solve her family’s financial burdens. If he had not been so blind and stupid they probably would have been married by now, without a serious care in the world. He had taken that from her in London and last night he had taken the option from her permanently. He refused to let his sins ruin her financially as well.
Who was he kidding? He would have to go a lot further in convincing Eleanor to become his wife than paying a few debts. No doubt she hated him at this very moment and he didn’t blame her. But how should he go about convincing her they belonged together and somehow make her like him? He hoped for love one day, but would settle for any fond emotion at this point.
If necessary, he would continue to help her financially as if she were his mistress without any of the benefits. It was the very least he could do. He wished he had seen the truth in the beginning. His admiration for her was unparalleled.
Unfortunately, that option was probably gone, though he would still try. She was everything he had ever sought in a wife and now he may have completely destroyed all hope in having her.
Just as he was standing to leave the room Lady Acker announced herself. Acker welcomed his mother warmly, as did Clay. Her greeting to him was as frosty as a January morning. She shut the door behind her and turned a glare on Clay.
“Sit down young man. You and I have a few things to discuss.” She turned toward her son. “Pour me a brandy. I have never been as angry as I am now.” She turned back to Clay. “If you were younger I would take you over my knee. If I were a man I would call you out. Since neither option is available I am going to tell you what I should have told you years ago.”
Stunned, Clay sank back into his chair. What did she know? He had never seen Lady Acker angry and he wasn’t about to cross her now. At this moment she was as frightening as some of his former schoolmasters.
“I had hoped you would have inherited some of the decency from your mother, or Adele.”
Clay sat forward. “I barely remember my mother and Adele died.”
“I remember them both vividly and I can’t blame Adele for running away.”
Clay’s heart ceased for a moment. What did Lady Acker know of the matter? The whole world had been told Adele’s carriage went over a bridge. Nobody had ever let on that they knew she’d left the family with Julia.
“Your father poisoned your mind against her and your heart against any decent, respectable lady.”
“Not the decent and respectable ones.” Clay argued.
The lady harrumphed and sat in a chair, brandy in hand. “I suppose your father blamed Adele for leaving and not himself.”
“My mother’s carriage went off a bridge killing both her and my sister, Julia,” Clayton said evenly. Lady Acker could not possibly know they were running away, could she?
She arched an eyebrow. “You didn’t know she was leaving your father at the time?”
How did the woman know that?
A small smile came to her face. “Ah, you did know. I can see it in your eyes.”
Damn and blast. The woman was far too perceptive.
Acker arched a brow at him in question, but said nothing.
“She was on her way to see me, with Julia. She could not live with your father any longer. Not after what happened.”
Acker slipped into a chair beside his mother. This was a family secret and he wasn’t sure how he felt about his friend knowing this truth. Yet, he couldn’t very well ask Acker to leave. Instead, Clay said nothing. Perhaps the woman didn’t know as much as she thought.
She sighed and took a drink. “Adele adored and loved you and your brothers.”
Clay snorted. Sometimes the pain of her leaving was as fresh as it was the night she left.
“Did you notice that the beatings from your father were less after he married her?”
He’d never told anyone of his father’s punishments. It was rarely even mentioned when it was just he and his brothers. But upon reflection, his father had hit him less, until she was gone. Then it happened more often than ever before. Until he married Rose.
“She used to argue fiercely with your father over the discipline and often, suffered physically for it. She once told me that she could handle being struck if it kept him from taking the switch to one of you.”
Her words chilled him to the bone. “Father had struck Adele?” It never occurred to him that father would strike his wife. Had he hit his mother or Rose?
“That isn’t what drove her away though.” She leveled her eyes on Clayton. “He took the switch to Julia.”
Anger surged through his veins. Julia was only two when they left. What reason could he have had for striking her? He wanted to deny the fact his father would do such a thing, but his brothers had been hit that young, and father thought even less of females.
“Good God,” Acker mumbled. Clay had forgotten he was even in the room for a moment.
“How do you know this?” Clay asked slowly. “How well did you know Adele?”
“Adele and I made our coming out together and became fast friends. I married at the end of my first season, which was a complete surprise since I didn’t believe I should have even been in London.” She laughed. “I was the daughter of a poor vicar but my uncle, the Marquess Shelton, made sure each of us had as many seasons as it took to be married.”
“I still miss uncle. His son is not half the Marquess his father was,” Acker mused.
“Go on,” Clay prompted. He didn’t really care about the family history right now. He wanted to know what else Lady Acker knew of Adele.
“Adele was in her seventh season, and had already put herself on the shelf, not really wishing to marry anyone because everyone she had met was so stifling. At the age of five and twenty she had given up meeting anyone she wished to spend the rest of her life with.” A wistful look came to Lady Acker’s face and she looked past Clay, as if she was revisiting another time. “I remember the first time she encountered you boys.” She looked at Clay. “You were in the park. It was early, not at all a fashionable time, but Adele and I wished to visit and stroll. It struck us odd because you weren’t playing, but watching other children who were allowed to run, yell, and fly kites.”
They hadn’t been allowed to play. Not until Adele.
“Adele learned what she could of you boys and when she learned your father was a widower, set out to gain an introduction to him.”
A smile pulled at Clay’s lips. He remembered the first time his father met Adele. They were in the park again and she was trying to teach them a game. Even then the two had argued, but his father had also fallen in love. Or, at least lust. His father didn’t believe in love. The days that Adele was with them were the happiest for Clay and his brothers.
“All was well at first until the following spring when he informed her that attending the Season was no longer necessary and there was no need for her to even leave the estate. Her duty was to his sons and any future heirs.”
“I recall their arguments.”
“She was also appalled that he struck you with a switch, and for minor infractions.”
He had hit them for everything from failing to get good marks at school to leaving crumbs on the table.
Lady Acker took another drink. “Adele tried to shield you boys, and often took the punishment, as I
said.”
Just the thought of his father striking a woman made him ill.
“Then he struck Julia.”
Clay tensed. “I didn’t know.”
Lady Acker smiled gently. “She didn’t want you to know for fear of what you would do.”
Clay would have gone to his father, as he had when John, the youngest was struck. They had horrible fights when he was young, until he began to fear the punishments too much, and learned to be just what father expected so they didn’t have to suffer more than necessary.
“So she left?”
Lady Acker shook her head. “Not the first time.”
“How many times?” Clay asked quietly, afraid to hear the answer.
“The second time was because Julia was crying too much.” Tears came to Lady Acker’s eyes. “Adele wrote me that morning and said she was leaving that night because she could not live in that house and stand by while her husband took a switch to a two-year-old child. She was coming to me and then would make plans to disappear.”
Clay still wished Adele would not have left them, but how can he fault her now?
“She was afraid you would find out too,” Lady Acker added. “She knew how protective you were of Julia and was afraid of what you would do.”
Clay nodded. “Why are you telling me this now?”
The woman straightened and glared at him. “Because, I just came from visiting with Miss Westin. I know all about your proposition to her in London and what you believe.”
“I was wrong, and I apologized.”
“It doesn’t matter. What matters is you have viewed women in the same manner as your father. You are quick to judge, quick to punish.”
Clay stood. “I have never punished anyone.”
“Not with a switch, but easily with words and behavior.”
He sank back into his seat. She was right. He was a bloody, judgmental bastard. Much more like his father than he ever wanted to be.