Heirs and Graces

by Wendy Soliman

  Lost in the past, Jake didn’t realise he had fallen into silence again, until the soft touch of Olivia’s fingers on his forearm brought him back to the present.

  ‘Edward and some of his well-heeled friends had formed a club,’ he said in a listless tone. ‘A version of the Hell-Fire Club, if you like. But it was more than a simple case of young men behaving wildly. Unimaginably cruel things happened at those meetings, according to Parker, who had spied on one that took place in this house. Innocent girls were beaten and defiled—’

  Olivia gasped. ‘No wonder you were so sympathetic to poor Mabel’s plight. She was innocent but I don’t think Henry Armitage beat her, even if he did take her virginity and then desert her.’

  ‘I spoke to Edward about his activities, or tried to, but he just laughed in my face. He told me that if I didn’t have the stomach for such things then I should keep out of his way.’

  ‘Poor Jake.’ This time her delicate fingers softly caressed his cheek. He resisted the urge to grasp them and kiss each one in turn. ‘For a man with your sense of honour, that must have been a torment. What did you do?’

  ‘I was not in the business of righting all the world’s wrongs at that point, but I couldn’t remain in any of my parent’s properties either. It was high time I looked out for myself. I decided I would speak to some of my contacts in government circles, people I had met during my university years when I visited the families of friends during the holidays. Anything was preferable to returning to Torbay, where I knew my presence was viewed as at best an inconvenience.’

  ‘Is that how you made the acquaintance of Thorndike?’

  ‘Not then, but soon after. I had spent the day being interviewed by a Home Office mandarin for a position within that department. The interview had been exhaustive and I was tired when I returned to this house, wanting only a good meal and an early night. But I could tell from the look on Parker’s face that something was amiss.’

  ‘A meeting of your brother’s friends?’

  ‘Yes, going on in the main bedchamber. I wanted to pretend I didn’t know but my conscience would not permit me to ignore it. Parker and I joined forces and entered the room; something which was expressively forbidden. Edward’s servants were under instructions, on pain of dismissal, never to disturb their activities, no matter what they heard going on. But I was not one of his servants and could not live with myself if I permitted such horrible activities to go ahead in my father’s house.’

  ‘What did you find in that room?’

  Jake inhaled a shuddering breath, lost in his version of hell. ‘They had a young woman tied to the bed, naked. Her eyes were bulging and she was obviously not there willingly. Edward just laughed when he saw how affronted I was and asked why I cared about a nameless orphan from the workhouse. She was being paid the equivalent of a year’s wages to entertain them. But I could tell the girl had not known what she was letting herself in for and wasn’t willing to have all four, or indeed any of the men in the room, using her.’

  ‘Oh, Jake!’ Olivia shook her head in dismay and then rested it on his shoulder. ‘It must have taken courage to confront your brother and his friends. You could not have known how they would react. You truly are a good man.’

  Jake enjoyed having her head on his shoulder and, even though he knew it was a mistake to encourage her expectations, he couldn’t help sliding his arm around her shoulders and holding her against him. ‘I told my brother to release the girl, or I would do it for him. He laughed in my face and told me to get out, but matters had progressed beyond that point. What sort of a man would I be if I left the poor girl to their not-so-tender mercies? Besides, by then I was as out of control as Edward was, albeit for different reasons. All the resentment I felt at the manner in which he was squandering his inheritance and tarnishing our family name with his outlandish behaviour came to the fore and I saw red. I told Parker to cut the girl free. Edward’s friends looked as though they wanted to stop him but Edward called them off. He told them it was his fight and that it would not last long. I was an ungrateful snivelling excuse for a brother who would soon be put in his place. I did not disagree when he said the dispute between him and I was long overdue for settlement.’

  Jake removed his arm from around Olivia’s shoulders and stood up; too caught up in memories that he had buried deep to remain passively seated.

  ‘Don’t stop now,’ she said softly. ‘Tell me what happened? Did you save the girl?’

  ‘Oh yes. She confirmed that she had not volunteered to sacrifice herself. The overseer at the workhouse had sold her to Edward’s people. Suffice it to say, he is no longer in a position to do anything like it again; I made sure of that personally. Anyway, the girl now works on the estate in Torbay as a maid and is married to one of my keepers. I would have given her a position in this house but—’

  ‘But the memories would have haunted her.’

  ‘Quite.’ He sighed. ‘As to Edward and I, we fought it out with our fists, brawling like dockers in my father’s sumptuous bedchamber. Edward was bigger and heavier than me, but he was also intoxicated and far too sure of himself. The fight was hard and seemed to go on for a long time as Edward was cheered on by his partners in debauchery. I think Edward expected…well, I don’t know what I expected but he became tired, I caught him with a right hook and it knocked him out cold. He hit his head on the marble mantel as he fell.’ Jake’s entire body vibrated at the memory. ‘We think that is what killed him.’

  ‘Oh, Jake!’ Olivia stood and wrapped her arms around him. ‘All these years, you think you were responsible for killing your own brother.’

  ‘He is no great loss.’ Jake briefly closed his hands over her bottom and then released her before desire overwhelmed him. ‘But even so…’

  ‘He instigated the fight. There were witnesses to confirm the fact. Although, I suppose, they would have taken your brother’s part.’

  ‘Not when they saw how the fight ended. They knew there would be consequences and their thoughts then turned to their own situations. I had Parker to attest to the fact that they were about to rape the girl. All of them were titled, or set to inherit titles, and could not afford the scandal. They became very keen to cooperate after that. One of them knew Thorndike, who was influential even then, and I agreed that he should be called in to help cover the situation up which, as we now know, is what he excels at. My parents would never have believed Edward was capable of doing what he did, and would have ostracised me for killing the favoured son. I didn’t care about being estranged from them, but I did care about the family name and the future of the estate. It needed a firm hand at the helm if it was to flourish again. My father had lost interest and left it all to Edward, you see, so I had no alternative but to seek Thorndike’s help.’

  ‘How did Thorndike fix matters?’

  Jake shrugged. ‘Edward’s body was found outside a gaming club frequented by gentlemen in St. James’s Street. He had been robbed of his possessions and it was generally believed that he had been set upon in the early hours by ruffians, had fought back and died in the attempt to protect himself.’

  ‘And since then Thorndike has played upon your guilt and sense of honour to have you clear up unpalatable situations for him.’ Olivia wrinkled her pert little nose. ‘I knew there had to be a particular reason why I disliked the man.’

  ‘He didn’t coerce me into working for him, if that’s what you think.’

  ‘But you knew he could damage your reputation, have your father discover the truth, simply by whispering a word or two in the right ears. We both know he is a master of manipulation.’

  ‘I was filled with the desire to right more of the world’s wrongs at the time,’ Jake said with a self-deprecating shrug. ‘I suppose I still am, and I am glad of it. Otherwise I might never have made your acquaintance.’

  ‘I am doubly glad you did,’ she replied, shuddering. ‘Otherwise, I would most likely have been hanged as a murderess.’

  ‘Now you know
the truth,’ he said softly. ‘You are the only person who does, apart from Parker, so I’m sure you can understand why I feel obligated to Thorndike.’

  ‘You have more than paid your dues. Besides, your parents are both dead now. No one will take any notice of rumours spread by Thorndike and no one will be hurt by them if he tries it. Besides, you have been of great service to Thorndike. Why would he repay you with spiteful actions that cannot benefit him? He never does anything without a reason.’

  ‘I can decline to help him and have done so on several occasions. I was not that interested in this particular assignment either, but I didn’t like the idea of political anarchy, which is why I agreed to make investigations. Now, all that interests me is finding Mabel’s father.’

  ‘Which is typical of your compassion.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Jake sent her a teasing smile. ‘I don’t know how to respond to you when you make yourself agreeable.’

  ‘I am always agreeable!’ she cried indignantly.

  ‘You are always challenging. There is a difference.’

  Jake re-seated himself and grasped Olivia’s wrist, pulling her down beside him. Except she did not land on the cushions, but upon his lap. Jake sucked in a sharp breath as her derriere made contact with his hard thighs…and higher.

  ‘I am not that heavy.’

  ‘This is not a good idea, Olivia.’

  ‘Oh, do stop making difficulties. It is long overdue.’

  ‘I cannot afford to please myself,’ he replied on a serrated sigh, caressing her back with large sweeps of his hands. ‘I wish it could be otherwise but it would be dangerous for you, for anyone, to become too attached to me. Even if I don’t do another day’s work for Thorndike, there are still those who would use people I care about to revenge themselves upon me. I simply cannot take that risk.’

  ‘Nor can you live your life always worrying about the welfare of others.’

  ‘I was unable to protect my sister against her bully of a husband,’ he said, feeling anew the anguish of failure.

  ‘That was not your job.’

  ‘I knew she was unhappy. My father and brother did nothing about it. I was her last hope but didn’t feel I could come between husband and wife when she asked it of me. I shall never forgive myself for that.’

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and sank her fingers into his hair. Her firm breasts pressed against his chest, testing his rapidly dwindling resolve. He closed his eyes in a futile effort to block out the almost overwhelming desire brought about by the physical alchemy that had always existed between them.

  ‘What I see is a gentleman so riddled with guilt that he cannot bear to snatch happiness because he doesn’t think he deserves it.’

  ‘I cannot make a commitment, Olivia.’ He gave way to temptation, pulled the ribbon from her hair and ran his fingers through its length. ‘Oh God!’ he buried his nose in its thickness, inhaling its sweet fragrance. ‘It is too much of a risk.’

  ‘Do you hear me ask for commitment? I have had my fill of it, thank you.’ She tilted her head and peered up at him through the thickness of her hair. ‘We are not children. We both know what we want from one another and we both know how to be discreet about it. Unless, of course, you find me repulsive.’

  Jake chuckled through his conflicting emotions. ‘Now who is being ridiculous? You know very well what I think of you. I have never been good at fighting it, hard as I try.’

  ‘Well then.’ She tilted her head to one side and sent him a sultry smile that heated the air between them. ‘It is very ungracious to keep a lady waiting, or to make her beg, for that matter. But I am perfectly willing to do both, if you force me to.’ She cupped his cheek and fixed him with an ardent look. ‘Stop being such a slave to duty and put yourself first for once. I can tell that you are punishing yourself for what happened to your brother, but you are not culpable. You saved that poor girl from a terrible ordeal and have been saving those who cannot fight back ever since.’ She softened her tone. ‘You saved me.’

  ‘How well you understand my conflict,’ he replied, grasping the hand that still caressed his cheek and kissing her fingers.

  ‘Oh, I am a wise woman, never doubt it, so you might as well listen to my advice.’

  The beautiful siren, thoughts of whom regularly intruded upon his repose, sat on Jake’s lap with her hair cascading around her shoulders, offering herself to him with a seductive smile and logical argument. He had been fighting the desire, pretending that sparks did not ignite between them the moment they occupied the same room, since first making her acquaintance. But still…could he take the risk? Once would never be enough and where would it lead?

  ‘Don’t imagine I am not tempted.’

  ‘Oh, I know that you are,’ she replied in a supremely confident tone, probably because she was seated on his knee and could not fail to…well, to notice the evidence of his desire.

  ‘But I have to put your safety first.’

  Olivia sighed. ‘Stop acting as though you have a choice!’

  It was at that point that his resistance crumbled. She was right. They would quell the raging inferno of their lust and worry about the consequences afterwards. Something that felt so intrinsically right, as though it was meant to be, couldn’t possibly be wrong.

  ‘Go up to your room,’ he said decisively, tipping her off his lap. ‘I will join you there directly.’

  Chapter Sixteen

  Eva was with her daughter, Olivia and Jake were fencing and Amelia was nowhere to be seen. Fergus found himself with neither occupation nor company. He fell into contemplation, unable to decide if Armitage’s new political friends had involved Armitage in Smallbrooke’s murder, or even persuaded him to have it carried out. From what Fergus knew of the rogue’s ambitions, he would not put it past him to have Brody provide that service.

  The Radicals, aware that they were being watched by Thorndike, would hardly risk getting their own hands dirty. Better to call upon an unknown, keen to prove his loyalty and benefit from the advantages when they took political power. Fergus rolled his eyes at the thought of such misplaced idealism, then scowled when it occurred to him that if Brody had actually killed Smallbrooke, he wouldn’t balk at dispensing with Lloyd as well. Jake seemed convinced that Lloyd was still alive, but Fergus had his doubts.

  Amelia’s interests were Fergus’s prime concern, to say nothing of finding Mabel’s father, if he was still alive. Jake would have the police raid the factory as soon as possible but how would Amelia feel if Lloyd was found alive and her own father was arrested for imprisoning him? Overwhelmed by the need to ensure she understood the likely consequences, he went in search of her. He found her tucked into a chair that swamped her slight form in one of the smaller reception rooms in Jake’s house. There was a book open in her lap but it didn’t seem to be holding her attention. Instead she was staring into space, a faraway look on her face.

  ‘I hope I am not intruding,’ Fergus said from the doorway.

  ‘Oh, Lord Willard.’ Her body jerked at the sound of his voice and she closed her book. ‘I did not hear you approach.’

  ‘What are you doing hiding away in here?’

  She flashed a sheepish smile. ‘I find all this grandeur rather intimidating, if you want to know the truth. I find smaller rooms less overwhelming.’

  Fergus laughed. ‘Believe me, one gets used to all this opulence. I felt the same way at first but now I hardly notice it. Does that make me sound very blasé?’

  ‘Oh, but you have a large house yourself and must take places like this for granted.’

  ‘Not a bit of it. You could fit my entire house into one wing of this one.’

  She looked relieved. ‘I am glad to hear you say so.’

  ‘Shall we explore the gardens together?’ He proffered his arm. ‘It is a lovely afternoon; far too nice to stay inside, and the garden is especially worth seeing at this time of year.’

  ‘With pleasure.’ She rose to her feet and stumbled on the edge of
a rug. Fergus caught her before she fell. ‘Thank you.’ Her cheeks flamed. ‘You must already be tired of my clumsiness.’

  ‘I don’t believe you are clumsy; merely unsure of yourself, which is perfectly understandable.’ He fixed her with a penetrating look as he claimed her hand and placed it on his sleeve. ‘Besides, I was here to catch you, just as I promised I would be.’

  ‘So you did, but I did not take you seriously.’

  He patted the hand that rested on his sleeve. ‘I never say anything that I don’t mean.’

  They left the house by a side door, neither of them pausing to fetch headwear. Fergus sensed the tension drain out of Amelia now that she was exposed to the elements; a situation she clearly preferred. She turned her face up to the sun, closed her eyes and sighed.

  ‘This is better,’ she said. ‘Thank you for suggesting it.’

  ‘You are a country girl at heart, I think.’

  ‘Perhaps, but I have never lived anywhere except London so I cannot know for sure.’

  ‘Ah, but I can. I am never wrong about these things.’

  She slanted her eyes at him. ‘Perhaps, but why my preferences should matter to a man of your stature is unclear to me.’

  ‘Shall we sit here?’ He steered her towards a bench situated in front of a flowerbed bursting with spring flowers in full bloom. ‘The view is pretty.’

  ‘And the perfume delightful,’ she added, breathing in the heady aroma given off by multitudes of tulips, primroses and fragrant bluebells.

  ‘Have you decided what you will do now?’ he asked after a short pause.

  ‘After Lord Torbay has tried to find Mabel’s father?’