The Cinder Earl's Christmas Deception

by Em Taylor

Kathleen frowned at her aunt. She was taking this all too calmly. That would just make her worry all the more. Though she suspected that until this entire farce was over, she would not stop worrying.

  Chapter 17

  Christina burst into the kitchen the next morning, her face red and her eyes bright with concern and curiosity.

  “Gabriel, Mrs Matilda Newham, the great-aunt of Miss Kathleen and Miss Teresa Roberts, is demanding that you visit her at home at eleven o’clock. She asks that you be dressed as a gentleman and that you attend her in the drawing room using your correct title.”

  “Do I have a title. My title is merely courtesy and my sire has never said whether I have the right to use it. We have all only ever assumed I am Cindermaine because that was how school addressed me.”

  “Then Cindermaine you are.”

  “I have no gilt-edged card to hand to the butler when I arrive.”

  “I had some made for you a couple of years ago. I always thought the day might come when you might need them, They are in my room. Come with me and I shall give you a book to return to Lord Stalwood for me.”

  “Another book?”

  “I did not read this one. I just asked for one in case I needed to send you on an errand. I think ahead, brother dear.”

  “Ah, the wisdom of age, older sister.”

  “Shut up, Gabriel.” Gabriel chuckled and tugged one of her curls free from her coiffure. “Oi, you beast.”

  “You adore me.”

  “I adore you so much I fought out of our mother’s womb first to be rid of you.”

  “Ha! You were hoping they had changed the law and you could be Duke.”

  “Not if I’m anything like the current one, no.”

  “Well, feel free to stab me in the heart if I am anything like that brute.”

  “Worry not, brother. I intend to.”

  He grinned and followed her upstairs to her room. She produced some cards which already had his name and title neatly written on them. She also handed him a book.

  “I thought you had read Mansfield Park.”

  “I have. I have my own copy. That is why I took Myles’s copy. So that I would have no compunctions about giving it to you to return to him. I should hate to return a book I had started to read and was enjoying.”

  Gabriel chuckled. “You are a real bookworm.”

  “What else is there to do stuck in this mausoleum with Cedric and father.”

  “And Godfrey.”

  “Godfrey is fine when the other two are not around. I quite like him at times. He worships you. I think because, while you have been above stairs, you have been kind to him. Cedric is nasty to him and father ignores him.”

  “Poor Godfrey. I suspect he is not a bad fellow, but he is stuck with horrendous people for relatives and would really like to just be accepted by someone.”

  “Perhaps when this is all over, when Father is gone, we could accept him into our family as one of us.”

  “You mean, offer him what he never offered me?”

  “Gabriel, you know it is difficult to stand up to Father.”

  “I did.”

  “You are a strong person. Godfrey did not have the education you did. He did not have the friends you did—people like Myles and Lord Beattie. He had Father and Cedric brow-beating him. Perhaps you got your strength from Mother.”

  “Mama was hardly strong, Chrissie. She killed herself.”

  “We cannot know what went on in that marriage, Gabe. They were married two years before we came along. One illegitimate child to his mistress either side of us being born. He beat us, so he must have beaten her.”

  “He did beat her. I saw him do it.”

  “So you can’t know she was not strong. She may have been very strong and had to survive who knows how many beatings and injuries.”

  Gabriel ran his hand through his hair.

  “Aye, you are right of course. I judge her harshly because I… well it matters not.”

  “You are still hurt by what you see as her defection. I know, Gabe. I still feel it too. She left us with that monster. And now our life is unfolding and it scares me. But we have survived thus far. We shall continue to survive. We have each other and Myles and Kathleen. And perhaps even Godfrey.”

  Gabriel chuckled. “Aye. Perhaps even Godfrey. I must get going or I shall miss the time for my summons.”

  “Yes. Do not be late.”

  ∞∞∞

  Gabriel made it to the front door of the Roberts’ townhouse with only a couple of minutes to spare. The butler led him directly up to the drawing room, eyeing him suspiciously. Gabriel could not fault the fellow. He was wearing the same clothes he had worn while pretending to be Cedric and now he was claiming to be… well… himself.

  He was shown into the drawing room and although it was not necessary because Kathleen’s great-aunt was of a lower rank than he, Gabriel bowed anyway. He was used to bowing and scraping and frankly, it would do no harm to butter the old lady up—whatever it was she wanted with him. She pointed to a chair on the other side of the fire to where she sat and he accepted it.

  “I shall get to the point. The last two evenings I have seen your assignations with my great-niece in the garden.”

  Gabriel raised an eyebrow. “I… well… that is to say…”

  “Save your excuses, young man. She has told me everything, my lord. She has told me you are now my great-nephew by marriage and that you plan to run off with her on Christmas night.”

  “We have no choice, Ma’am. When word gets out, there shall be a great scandal and I cannot predict how the Duke will react.”

  “Where will you take her?”

  “I plan to hide in plain sight. Therefore I shall not divulge that information.”

  “I see.”

  “And how will you support her?”

  “I have friends willing to help me but I plan to work. I have an education. We shall manage. For now, I must admit that my plans are a little… well, they are not fully formed, Ma’am, but it was a rather hasty decision. Your great-niece was in danger were she to have married Cedric. My father beat my mother. I have reason to believe that in Cedric’s case, the apple has not fallen far from the tree.”

  “And what about you? What assurances do I have that you will not beat Kathleen?”

  “I love her. I would never harm her.” Gabriel stopped after he said those words and drew in a deep breath. He had not even considered how he had really felt about the chit. He had called her my love. But that had just been an endearment. He had not supposed that he loved her. And yet the words had tripped off his tongue without thought as soon as he was grilled about how he felt for his wife. Did he love her?

  “Good. She also loves you. You shall make a good match. Now as to your funds. Most of my money is in a bank in America. I need to find out how to have it sent to you. Kathleen is to get half of my wealth on my demise. She may as well get it now since you are both in need. Here.” She waggled a sizeable bag of coin bag at him.

  “What is that?” he asked looking at it as if she were trying to hand him a live snake.

  “It is gold coins. You can cash them in as you need to. Keep them on your person at all times from now on. Here is a belt my William always used to secrete his coins under his clothing. It is terribly old fashioned but it shall do the job.”

  “I cannot accept this, Mrs Newham. It is my job to support my own wife.”

  “You are supporting her by accepting help. Good God, boy, it sounds as if you have had no help and no family.”

  “I have my twin sister. She is all the family I need.”

  The old lady’s face softened. “I’m sure she is, child, but a young girl has no say and no power to help you. You know that. Please let me help you. Society has let you down badly, and it is time for someone to step up. It is money I do not need, and it is money that Kathleen shall inherit anyway. Please take it now so that I know you are both safe. So that I know that she is safe.”

  Damn, she k
new how to tug at his conscience. He sighed and held out his hand for the belt and the bag of coins.

  “Thank you. I promise not to waste it.”

  “I have no doubt you are a frugal man after the way you have had to live. Do not be too frugal though. You deserve to live life. And my great-niece deserves happiness too.”

  “I promise to take great care of her.”

  “I know you will. Now, she is standing outside the door, desperate to know what is happening, would you be so kind as to open the door and invite her in and we shall have tea?”

  He did, and Mrs Newham called out to the servant behind the door that they were ready for tea. When the door was closed again, Gabriel pressed a soft kiss on Kathleen’s lips. Mrs Newham sighed and opened her fan and wafted it in front of her face.

  They chatted about the Christmas entertainments and members of the ton and about nothing in particular. The Roberts’ house was now decorated for Christmas with evergreens over the mantel and a kissing bough near the door. He had never been allowed to be part of the festivities in his own house and had obviously never participated in visiting other people’s homes over the Christmas Season, so this was quite a novelty for Gabriel.

  When tea was finished Mrs Newham stood with her two canes.

  “It is time for my nap. Now, Lord Cindermaine, I am sure you will find your way out in a timely manner. I appreciate you two are wed, but I would appreciate if you would not frighten the servants with your carnal activities in broad daylight. If you are determined to wait until Christmas Day to leave, you shall just have to keep your legs closed and your skirts down, Kathleen.”

  Kathleen groaned and hid her face in her hands as her great-aunt made for the door.

  “Thank you, Mrs Newham.”

  “Thank you, my lord, for saving my great-niece. I suppose you could make use of the Kissing Bough. As long as kissing is all you do. And do not get caught.”

  When the door closed Gabriel pulled Kathleen so that her still covered face was against his chest.

  “My poor darling, are you terribly mortified?”

  “Completely. She saw everything last evening and the evening before. My skirts up, you thrusting into me.”

  “You wanted to do it in the garden, my love. She does not seem too distressed. She did not pull smelling salts out of her bag once.”

  “You are making light of this.”

  “What would you have me do? What is done, is done. We can worry about something your great-aunt does not give a whit about or we can kiss under that kissing bough since tonight during our waltz, I shall have to dance with you the requisite distance apart so as not to start the tongues wagging of the gossip mongers among the ton. Which shall it be?”

  “I heard you say something about kissing. I heard nothing after that.”

  Gabriel laughed and stood, drawing her to her feet and walked to the kissing bough where he took her face in his hands and then pressed his lips to hers. Kathleen wrapped her arms around his neck and his arms moved around her waist and they kissed slowly, gently and passionately. When he started to harden in his breeches, he pulled away, lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it.

  “Until tonight, my love.”

  “Gabriel?”

  “Yes.”

  “Be careful.”

  He smiled at her. “You too.”

  Chapter 18

  The Hammond’s ball was a grand squeeze. It seemed as if everyone was in town for Christmas rather than on their country estates as they usually were. Perhaps the terrible weather over the summer had driven more people to seek solace in the town this winter. Things had not yet settled down yet.

  Kathleen had arrived with her mother and her sister and she had soon sought out Christina to talk to.

  “Gabriel is in the card room with Myles.”

  “They’re betting?”

  “Not proper money. There are a few high stakes tables but Gabriel and Myles are not stupid enough to gamble fortunes on games of chance. Credit them with some sense, Kathleen.”

  Godfrey came over at that point smiling at them. Kathleen was pleased to note he was wearing silk evening breeches and not inexpressibles.

  “Ladies, I wondered if I might trouble you each for a dance.”

  “The next set. It is a set of country dances?” suggested Kathleen.

  “That sounds fine. Thank you.”

  “You can put your name down on my card for the set after that then, brother dearest.”

  “Thank you, Christina. I am much obliged.”

  Christina smiled at him as he scrawled his name on her card. As he sauntered off the ladies moved closer together.

  “He’s not a bad old stick really, is he?” said Christina.

  “No. Do you think he will tell anyone that Gabriel was here? He is bound to notice.”

  “I doubt it. When Cedric was not bullying Gabriel, he was bullying Godfrey. Perhaps we can find him a nice wallflower with a handsome dowry who does not mind that his family are all fit for Bedlam.”

  Kathleen chuckled. “That would be nice.”

  At that moment she felt a hand on the small of her back and looked up into sparkling brown eyes.

  “What would be nice?”

  “To dance with you,” Kathleen said quickly.

  “Since when did ladies ask gentlemen to dance?”

  “It is an American tradition,” she lied.

  “Balderdash. However, it would be my pleasure to dance the waltz with you.” He took her card and raised an eyebrow. “Mr G Onslow.”

  “He is harmless.”

  Gabriel smiled. “I am not disputing it.” He wrote a C on her card next to the waltz.

  “What does C stand for?”

  “Well people will assume it stands for Cedric, but you shall know it stands for Cindermaine,” he said in a low tone that only she could hear. “We need to talk, however. We are approaching Christmas rapidly and I wish to make sure we have a plan prepared for Christmas night.”

  “I agree.”

  “There is a small parlour on the first floor. The second room on the right. Meet me there after you have danced with Godfrey. It gives us half an hour before your dance with me.”

  “I shall.”

  Kathleen enjoyed the Hammond’s ball. Christina was good company and when it came time to dance with Godfrey, he was solicitous and charming. He discussed topics which were banal but acceptable when the figures of the dance allowed them to converse. Kathleen liked it that way. Given the situation they were in, it was better to err on the side of caution.

  When Godfrey returned her to Christina then bowed to his half-sister, Christina offered that they walk her back to her mother.

  “I am fine. I shall go and find the ladies retiring room. I feel rather flushed.”

  “Are you sure? You should not be unaccompanied.”

  “I doubt I can come to any harm in the squeeze,” she pointed out. Christina pursed her lips and looked unconvinced. “Go. The music is starting for the next set.”

  Kathleen turned her back on her friend and hurried out of the ballroom and towards the stairs and her rendezvous with Gabriel.

  She arrived at the top of the stairs, slightly breathless and feeling terribly scandalous. Meeting a gentleman in a parlour at a ball. Indeed. Even though she knew he was her husband, no one else did. She opened the door of the parlour a crack to check that no couples were having a secret tryst in there. The last thing she wanted to do was interrupt young lovers having carnal relations on a love seat. But the room was quiet and apart from a fire burning in the grate, there was no light or sound. She slipped inside and stood next to the fire.

  When the door opened a moment later, she smiled.

  “I saw you slip in here, you naughty wench,” he said in Cedric’s voice.

  She laughed. “Please. Do not pretend when we are alone.”

  “Pretend what? God, I cannot wait to marry you on St Stephen’s Day. Perhaps it would be wise to pre-empt our vows now, you saucy
little minx. Is that not why you came in here. You saw me arrive at the ball and you wanted me to follow.”

  Kathleen felt like casting up her accounts. How on earth had she thought this was Gabriel? He did not even smell like Gabriel. His hands covered her breasts and squeezed. Not the gentle kneading she was used to from her husband but a rough bruising grab which she instinctively tried to wriggle out from.

  “No Cedric. Please.”

  “Come, Kathy. We can get the pain of breaching your maidenhead out of the way now and then you shall enjoy your wedding night so much more. I know I shall because I can pump you so many more times.”

  “Cedric, let me go. I shall not marry you. Get your hands off me.”

  She was angry now, much more than she was frightened. How dare he manhandle her? She was still wriggling in his hold when a shaft of light fell over them and a roar that sounded vaguely like Cedric’s name being shouted.

  “Let her go or I shall kill you.”

  She recognised Gabriel’s voice and then she was stumbling backwards as Cedric let her go. She landed in a heap on her bottom but did not take time to assess if she was injured. She jumped to her feet to see Gabriel land a punch on Cedric’s jaw. When Gabriel lifted his fist for the next blow, however, Cedric blocked it.

  “I shall tell Father about this,” whined Cedric.

  “Tell who you damned well please,” growled Gabriel. “Kathleen is my wife and we’re leaving.”

  Well, that had certainly been one way to announce their nuptials, she supposed, especially when she looked at the door and saw a few people crowding around to see what the melee was about.

  “Married? Since when?”

  “Three days ago. The day Kirkbourne caught you trying to assault her at Lady Arbuthnott’s.”

  “I was trying to take what is mine.”

  “She is mine.” Gabriel spat out the words individually

  “She is affianced to me. I shall have your marriage annulled.”

  “Not possible. She married me willingly.”

  “You are an imposter.”

  “She knows I am Gabriel Marchby, Earl of Cindermaine and that is what I signed on the marriage licence. I am no fool.”