Tenacious Trents 01 - A Misguided Lord

by Jane Charles

  “Or their favorite treat.” Her face blushed. “I know it wasn’t in your instructions, and I took this upon myself, I hope you don’t mind.”

  He grinned at her. “I think it is an excellent idea. Everyone should have a celebration on their special day.”

  The woman visibly relaxed. “Thank you, Lord Bentley.”

  “But, there will be other changes here too.”

  She stiffened. “Is something wrong that needs fixed?”

  “No,” he laughed. Why did Mrs. Nevil and Peter assume the worst? Was he that poor of an owner, employer? Or, did they still fear because of what Thomason had done? “I want to make improvements, which I plan on discussing with you and Peter at the picnic.”

  Her shoulders drooped, as if relieved.

  “Prepare the picnic lunches and then you and the girls bring it to the lake with blankets to sit upon.”

  “What of the laundry and cleaning?”

  “Do the children have clean clothes to wear?”

  “Yes, at least one set.”

  He looked around the room. “This place is clean enough.”

  “But, Lord Bentley, the upstairs has not been swept.”

  “It can be done tomorrow. The children are going to have some fun.” With that he turned on his heel and marched out of the house and into a shed at the back of the property. There had to be something inside they could use for fishing.

  There wasn’t anything except string and some hooks. This would not do, unless he had the boys fashion one from sticks. He grabbed the items, along with a few buckets and followed the path to the lake. The boys were milling around talking. A few were tossing pebbles into the water. Two more were climbing a tree. They were behaving the way boys ought to behave. “Peter, I need you to ride over to Lord Acker’s property. I’ll send a note with you. I am hoping he will let us borrow his fishing equipment.”

  “I’ll leave right away, Lord Bentley.”

  The two returned to the house and Clay wrote a quick note to Acker. The man had several fishing poles and the necessary equipment stored away from his house party. Hopefully he would let the children use them. Once Peter was sent on his way, Clay returned to the lake. The boys watched him expectantly. He anchored his fists on his hips. “I need you to take the buckets, put dirt in them and then find as many worms as you can. The rest of you, try to find some long sticks we can use as poles.”

  None of them moved and looked at him with confusion. “Have none of you been fishing before?”

  Slowly they shook their heads.

  “Well, it is time you learned.”

  They scampered off into the woods, laughing. Clay settled onto the log of a long dead tree and stared out over the water. If anything, this little outing would keep him occupied so he wasn’t thinking about Eleanor.

  He picked up a flat pebble and skipped it across the water. Who was he trying to fool? No matter how much he tried to keep his mind occupied, she was continually at the back of his thoughts. Only two more days, and then he would call on her again, and he wouldn’t leave until she heard him out.

  *

  Elle stared at the meal before her unable to eat a bite due to the tightness in her belly. Regardless, she was resigned to her marriage and the future of the children. This was for the best. All night she had tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Lord Wilkes was practically a stranger and he would be taking her so far away from her family and home. If only she could discuss this with Drake, but neither her grandfather nor Lord Wilkes had allowed her a moment’s peace yesterday with discussions of the future and she couldn’t even get a note sent to him. Hopefully she would get the opportunity today, or maybe even have a chance to sneak away to visit her friend.

  “You should spend the day packing.” Grandfather interrupted her thoughts. “We should leave tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow?” Elle questioned.

  “I need to return home and your grandfather does as well.” Lord Wilkes smiled at her. “We will travel to Wales and be married. Your grandfather will take the children.”

  Her heart constricted. It was too soon.

  Lord Wilkes reached over and grasped his cold hand around hers. “The longer you put this off the harder it will be.”

  He was right. No matter how much time he allowed her, leaving them would break her heart.

  “We won’t be married here?” She had hoped to have family and friends around, and it would put off the inevitable.”

  “We will wed at my home, as soon as I obtain a special license.”

  “But the children won’t be present.” Panic lodged in her throat. She did not want to be married without anyone she knew with her.

  “It is not practical, Eleanor,” he insisted.

  “I can’t travel alone with you without the benefit of marriage.” How many more arguments could she think of?

  “No one will know, and if they learn, we will marry as soon as we arrive. It is not so different than many of the young couples who run off to Gretna Green every year.”

  He was right. Though scandalous at the moment, few suffered in the long term. And, it wasn’t like she was going to be moving in society anyway.

  “I would like to leave at first light.”

  Elle laid her fork beside her plate, any appetite long gone. “Very well. We will be ready.”

  The entire day was spent packing the boy’s things and then items and clothing she and Leigh would need. Lord Wilkes even went into town to purchase more trunks because the four stored were not enough. Though Elle thought their possessions sparse, there was more clothing than she realized and several personal items of her parents that she wanted to keep with her. The house would be locked up and she didn’t know when they would return. Hopefully, when she and Wilkes were married a bit longer, she could prevail upon him, or her grandfather, to make repairs to the house so that it was in good condition for when Tobias was old enough to inherit.

  On second thought, she would ask Adam to live here. He was their uncle and currently lived in a shabby room in town. Adam would see that the place was taken care of for Tobias. As soon as she had a moment to spare, she would send word to him and ask him to move in.

  At least that was one concern put to rest. Now all she had to worry about was how she was going to live without her family.

  Elle had just closed the lid to the last trunk and stood in the center of the room, looking at every corner and at each table. There was nothing left she wished to take with her. A glance at the window showed it would soon be nighttime. The sun had dipped low on the horizon and she still had dinner to prepare. She would not be able to see Drake before she left, nor could she send word now. She would simply have to write him once she had a chance and hope he visited her one day. One promise she had hoped to gain from him was that he would check on her siblings whenever he had the chance. She didn’t totally trust her grandfather to see to their best interests, but what choice did she have? To reject the offer from Lord Wilkes would keep them destitute and they deserved a much better life than she could give them.

  The door to her room closed and Elle whipped around to find Lord Wilkes standing a few feet away.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I wish to be alone with my bride without interruption?” He smiled wickedly at her. His gaze was filled with lust and his eyes swept her body. The gleam of desire was similar to the one she had seen in Bentley’s not that long ago. His had left her warm and jittery; Lord Wilkes stare left her cold and panicked.

  “We are not married yet, Lord Wilkes.”

  “We soon will be.” He slowly stalked toward her.

  “It is daylight and the children are about.”

  He smiled and placed his hands on her waist, pulling Eleanor towards him.

  “Such maidenly modesty. Was your grandfather wrong? Perhaps you are a virgin after all.”

  Elle lowered her eyes. “My grandfather told you I was not?” How did he know? Was there something about her that others could tell she h
ad lain with a man?

  “He suspected there was more to your relationship with Bentley than a simple kiss in the garden.” Lord Wilkes leaned in to take her lips. Elle turned and offered her cheek. There was no point in denying her ruined state and at least it was not something he required in a wife or he would have never offered.

  He placed his lips to her neck and then licked. Waves of revulsion flooded Elle. “Despite my poor judgment in the past…” Elle pulled away. “Leigh is but fourteen and I don’t wish to set a poor example.”

  He smiled indulgently. “Though I appreciate the air of innocence about you, Miss Westin, I am equally grateful you are not a virgin.” He pulled her to him once again. “My desire for you increases by the moment and I don’t have the patience for virginal fears.”

  Elle placed her hands on his chest. “Still we must wait. The children are in the house.”

  Lord Wilkes chuckled. “I will leave you as you wish. However, the trip to Wales is a long one with many overnight stays. It will be impossible to be alone with you for so long and not have you.”

  Elle swallowed the bile rising in her throat and forced a relieved smile. “Until we travel, Lord Wilkes.”

  “Until we travel.” He smiled wickedly again before leaving.

  As soon as the door closed Elle sank to her bed and put her face into shaking hands. “Oh, God. What have I done?”

  Chapter 21

  Peter called to the boys to come in from the lake. The girls had gone to the house to bathe and it was Clay who suggested the boys swim for the same reasons. When the girls were out of sight, they boys had stripped and dove into the water. He watched carefully, but none of them had trouble swimming. He had no idea where any of them learned but suspected this was not their first time in the lake. Someone had discreetly left clean clothing and towels, and Peter set to making sure the boys were dried and dressed before herding them like sheep up to the house. Clay stood to follow, wanting a bath himself.

  The children were exhausted by the time they were finished fishing and eating the picnic dinner. Clay was equally as tired but positive of the future. Both Peter and Mrs. Nevil were in agreement and tomorrow he would work at putting the plans in motion. First he would hire men from town to build a school house. He would then see about hiring older boys to work in the mill and older girls as maids to help with the kitchen and cleaning. The younger children would be relieved of their duties, though given chores, and get an education.

  Why shouldn’t they be given the opportunity for a better life? Eleanor would be pleased when he told her. Maybe she would have further suggestions?

  If she would talk to him. Maybe he should ride over again tomorrow, before he went into town. After he told her of the plans, maybe she would suggest things he hadn’t thought of. Of course she would. He really shouldn’t put the plan into full motion without speaking with her first. After all, in a way, it was her idea that children should be educated and she should have a voice in the planning.

  Clay stood and stretched. I know I was going to give her a few more days. But this is important. And, it was a way to bring her back in his life where he could convince her to marry him. A future without Eleanor was as bleak as his past and Clay hadn’t ever considered how uninspired his life had been. Not until Eleanor brought laughter and light to it. He could not lose her.

  If only to taste those lips once again. To hold her next to him. To feel her body quicken with desire at his touch. To show her everything they could be together.

  His body tightened at the thought of making love to her again. Now that he had made love to Eleanor he didn’t even want to kiss another woman, let alone touch one. If he didn’t convince her to marry him, Clay could very well live the rest of his life celibate. Hopefully one of his brothers would produce the necessary heir, though it didn’t look like Jordan would soon succumb to marriage and Matt was too busy starting at a new parish as a vicar to take a wife, though he probably would eventually. That left John, but if he and Elizabeth were traipsing all over the world on behalf of the Home Office, it might be years before they produced a son or daughter.

  No, it was Clay’s duty to father a son but he didn’t want to, nor would he attempt it, without Eleanor as the child’s mother.

  He stilled. What if she was with child? He had done nothing to prevent the possibility the one time they had made love. Would it be that simple? If she found herself expecting, surely she would tell him and then she would have no choice but to become his bride.

  Clay grinned, but it faded quickly enough. He didn’t want her to marry him because she had no other choice. He wanted Eleanor to become his wife because she wanted to and needed him as badly as he needed her.

  An owl hooted in the distance, taking Clay from his thoughts. He ought to retire, but he was as filthy as the boys had been. Though a hot bath would be soothing, he didn’t relish hauling buckets of hot water to his chamber nor asking anyone else to do it. No doubt most of the household had found their beds by now.

  Besides, he wouldn’t be able to sleep in this aroused state. He should put Eleanor from his mind but wanting her as badly as he did, on her back, arms and legs around him was driving him to a state he didn’t often encounter. The cool lake was the best answer as he did not have her to turn to.

  He pulled off his clothing and tossed them aside before he dove, allowing the cold water to envelope his body. It took some time but his body finally relaxed enough that he would hopefully find sleep tonight without Eleanor hovering in his dreams.

  *

  That evening was to be the last with her family and Elle broke one of her many rules. Tonight they dined on the floor of her chamber and talked long past their normal bedtime. She wanted to make each and every moment last and memorized their faces and voices, fearing how much the boys would change before she saw them next. Jamie was her greatest worry but she had to admit that his brothers were more resilient, and they would be together. At least that is what she tried to convince herself as she held the small, sleeping boy to her chest.

  She was sitting on the seat by her window, which had been opened for the night breeze. The boys had fallen asleep, as had Leigh an hour earlier. All of them were squeezed onto her bed. There wasn’t room for her even if she wanted to sleep. She wished to watch them instead. All of the candles had been extinguished but the moon gave enough light for her to continue to memorize the faces she loved above all else.

  Slowly voices from below intruded into her thoughts, along with acrid smell of a cheroot. Elle glanced to the yard below to see her grandfather and Lord Wilkes standing outside smoking. Each held a glass in their hands.

  “This entire business has gone much easier than I had imagined,” her grandfather said. “You have Eleanor and her inheritance of twenty thousand pounds. My debt to you is paid in full.”

  Twenty thousand pounds? I have an inheritance? Why hadn’t anyone told me? I don’t have to marry anyone.

  “As long as I have her wedded before her birthday. And bedded.” Lord Wilkes chuckled. “Besides, how could she say no to my generous offer when her beloved siblings will benefit so well?”

  “You must keep her in Wales as long as possible,” Lord Stanhope insisted.

  The man laughed again. “Never fear. I have many plans for Miss Westin and I doubt I’ll tire of her for a very long time.”

  His words made Elle’s skin crawl. She could only imagine what his plans entailed.

  “Yes, I’ve heard about your so-called desires which is why you could find no other bride in London.”

  Elle straightened.

  “Only rumors,” Lord Wilkes stated simply, not really arguing for the dignity of his honor.

  “I don’t particularly care myself what you do with her, as long as you keep her from London and my estate, forever.”

  “Don’t worry. As promised, I will not let her leave Wales so you’ll never have to acknowledge the shame of your family again.” Lord Wilkes puffed on his cigar. “Besides in case she d
oesn’t share my appetites, and those of my friends, I doubt she’ll wish to meet those in society after her introduction to one of my parties.”

  “Your friends visit you,” her grandfather reminded.

  “True. But they have no wish for the world to know how we prefer to enjoy our pleasures. All the more reason Miss Westin will remain in my home. When I have tired of her, my friends will wish to enjoy her as well.” He stopped and looked at Stanhope. “But, not until I have my heir. I must know the child is mine. I may have to keep her locked away until that time, but I will make it work. Then, she will be free to partake in anything she wishes with me or my friends, or a couple at once if she so chooses.” He looked up into the sky. Thank goodness he wasn’t facing the house.

  Panic rose in Elle and she bit her lip. What had she agreed to? If she backed out now, where would that leave her family? No, she couldn’t back out. No matter how horrifying Lord Wilkes plans were, at least she would know that her sister and brothers would have a better life, but she would be damned if she allowed any man to touch her who was not her husband. That would be bad enough and hopefully any mating was over and done quickly. Bile rose to her throat and Elle swallowed. Was it too much to pray for a short marriage? Maybe he would tire of her and leave her alone.

  Leigh stirred from the bed and came over to Elle. Before the girl could speak, Elle signaled her to be quiet. Quickly and quietly Elle laid Jamie on the bed. His innocent face sank into the pillow and his thumb found its way to his mouth. Silently she slipped back into her seat beside Leigh so she could continue listening.

  “Why did you wait so long to bring her to London?”

  “I never intended to but then my man of business reminded me of her inheritance. I couldn’t let her gain control of that much money. She is a female and would have spent it foolishly.”

  “When do you take the children to London?”

  “The day after you leave. I can’t risk Acker nosing around. It was difficult enough to keep Eleanor from visiting him. That man would never allow the marriage even though he has no grounds to stand in my way as her guardian.”