In the back of his mind, the thought that she was his cousin remained prominent. He’d not allowed it to interfere with their conversation, however, and felt he’d done so skillfully. He doubted she knew anything was amiss at all.
He wanted to tell her about their relationship. It was best if he talked to Shawn first though. It was always better to get advice from a trusted source before making any types of important decisions.
There was another carriage sitting in front of the porch steps when Carter’s carriage arrived. He stepped out quickly to catch the Duke as he was getting in.
“Shawn. Shawn!” He waved and called out to the Duke.
Shawn pulled himself back out of the carriage and waited for Carter with one foot up on the step and one on the ground. He nodded. “Carter, my friend! What do you need? You look panicked.”
Carter smiled. “Not exactly panicked, your grace, just in need of advice and I can see that you are leaving. Do you have time to speak with me?”
Shawn gestured toward the carriage with his head. “You may join me. I am heading to the inner city to meet with a gentleman about a business matter.”
“Is it something I need to know about?”
Shawn shook his head. “This meeting has nothing to do with Fairfield, Carter. I would not want to burden you with information that is not relevant to your personal task. You have enough on your mind without further burdens piled on top of it all.”
“You have no idea.” Carter’s voice dropped.
Shawn raised his eyebrows. “This sounds serious. Join me in my carriage. We will talk.”
“Thank you, Shawn.”
He turned and gestured for his driver to follow them and climbed in after Shawn. “Tell me what is going on, Carter.” Shawn settled into the seat and folded his arms in front of his chest.
“I have recently found some old documents among my uncle’s possessions. They are shocking to say the least.”
“Tell me what you found.”
“It appears that our families have a past together, Shawn, and it involves the Huntingtons as well. My Uncle William was apparently not the man I thought he was, at least not when he was young.”
“What do you mean?”
“Over twenty years ago, when my aunt was still alive, Uncle William took a maid to his bed and impregnated her.”
“Oh dear.”
“She was the maid for your family, Shawn. Her name was Abigail O’Reilly. You were about ten when all of this went down. Maybe a little older? I don’t know. Anyway, Uncle William refused to do anything about the pregnancy. He would not own up to it and my father made all the negotiations dealing with Abigail and your family.”
“My father did not mention any of this to me.”
“No, and my father didn’t either.”
“You are not the spawn of this encounter, are you?”
“Oh no. Not me. But it is someone we know. It is Anne Marie, the governess for Duke Huntington.”
“Oh my.” Shawn shook his head. “This is not a good thing.”
“My father must have made some kind of deal with your family to conceal the girl until something could be done to avoid embarrassment for all. The papers said that Duke Huntington, the father of the current Duke, was willing to help pay for the expenses of Anne Marie’s upbringing. Your family promised to keep quiet about what happened, with the provision that Abigail and the baby would be well-supported over the years. They apparently had a strong connection and a great concern for Abigail.”
“Abigail must have been the best maid of all time.”
Carter couldn’t help a small smile. “Yes, it appears so. They kept her employed until she died giving birth to Anne Marie. It was your family who named the girl and sent her to live in a boarding school and temporary home until she became of age to be employed by the Huntingtons.”
“Why were the Huntingtons involved in the first place? It sounds like a dilemma between your uncle and my family.”
“That I don’t know. But what I can tell you is that my father and the deceased Duke were at one time the best of friends. Perhaps he just felt sorry for my father, who could not control the antics of my apparently wayward, lusty uncle. The way I saw it while reading the papers, he did all the negotiating while my uncle drank in the pub and often made a fool of himself. And it wasn’t just that one time. For all we know, he could have many illegitimate children and we just don’t know it.”
“That’s not good.”
“I agree.”
“I knew your father and your uncle before they died, as you know.”
“Yes.”
“Your uncle never seemed like the type to do the things you describe. He must have changed his ways. He seemed to be well-respected by the elite society and the poor workingman as well.”
“Yes, even the beggars and thieves had respect for my uncle. And my father, too, despite his lack of talent when running a county with very little money to its name.”
“Is Fairfield having trouble with finances?
“Not really. I am referring to the condition of my estate. It is strange that there would be so little money to pass on to me that my uncle decided to bequeath me his fortune.”
“Could it be that he was making up for his youth by being the most respected adult of the era?”
Carter was amused by the way Shawn put that statement. “Do you think I should tell Anne Marie? My concern is that she will be resentful and angry.”
“Which would be a justifiable reaction.”
“Yes, but if I don’t tell her and marry her despite our cousin-relation, she would retain the title she deserves as Lady and would have access to the money that is, in part, owed to her?”
“That is a quandary.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Shawn thought about it for a moment before leaning forward to look directly at his friend. “Let me tell you something, Carter. I had the opportunity to speak with her and I know where her heart is and what to expect from her. She will be angry when you tell her and I’m not quite sure how she will react, but you should tell her. Do not marry her and live a life feeling as if you are paying reparations for something you had no decision in. You will resent her and if she ever found out about it, she would resent you and perhaps be very upset with you.”
“You think I should tell her?”
“I do. I will have a small dinner party for us and invite just a few friends so that you will have an opportunity in a comfortable setting, but somewhere that is neutral ground.”
“I appreciate that, my lord. I appreciate your advice and all that you do for me.”
“You are a good man, Carter. I would like to see you succeed.”
39
.
.
.
“I didn’t expect you to talk to me, my lord.”
.
.
.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
MAKING HARD DECISIONS
Shawn warned Carter ahead of time that both Anne Marie and Jillian would be attending the dinner party. It didn’t make a difference to Carter. He knew that the two women were somewhat friendly, but he didn’t know to what degree. He was also unsure if they were aware that he was considering both of them as his bride. He didn’t have time to wait. He may have another four months to find a woman and marry, but he was the type of man who wanted to get problems out of the way as soon as possible. He would receive the inheritance sooner rather than later if he chose a bride quickly. Either way, he was anxious and wanted it finished.
He stood on the front porch, leaning against one of the side pillars, watching the road for the guests to arrive. Shawn was inside dealing with the cook, who had apparently had a crisis in the kitchen. He wasn’t interested in it. He was pondering how he would approach Anne Marie and how she was going to feel about the news that they were cousins and his uncle was her father.
A cloud of dust in the distance let him know that a carriage was approaching. He squinted,
but could see no better as a result. He lifted the pipe to his lips and carefully lit it with a matchstick. He took a few puffs and watched to see who it was.
Carter was surprised that he was feeling nervous. There was no real reason to feel thus. Anne Marie could not take his inheritance, though she could raise a stink about it and cause trouble for a lot of families. However, as Shawn had pointed out, she was not that type of woman. She was more reserved than that. She was classy and had an air of dignity surrounding her that was unmistakable.
Still, he was somewhat relieved when he recognized the carriage of the Dowlings. Jillian, Janelle, Katherine and the Lady Dowling were approaching quickly. He stood up straight when the carriage came to a halt and took the few steps down to help the ladies out of their carriage.
“Good afternoon, ladies. How are we all doing today?”
“Very well, thank you for asking.” Lady Dowling took his offered hand and stepped out of the carriage. Her daughters followed. Carter gave Jillian a smile that covered his whole face.
“You are looking stunning, Lady Jillian,” he said in a soft voice.
“Thank you, my lord. You are looking fine as well.”
The Lady Dowling and her other daughters did not stop to wait for the couple. They moved to go up the steps just as the tall doors opened and Lady Elizabeth emerged. She shrieked like a young girl and held her arms out wide for her sisters and mother.
“Mother! Janelle! Katherine! How lovely to see you! Jillian! You must all come in, come in!”
The ladies hugged each other in greeting before going into the mansion. Jillian was last to go in and turned to look back at Carter. “Are you coming in, my lord?”
Carter shook his head. “No, my lady. I am waiting for the other guests. It is proper for someone to greet them first thing when they get here.”
“I agree. Would you like for me to wait with you?”
“Please catch up with your sister and the Duke. I will be in shortly when the rest of the group arrives.”
Jillian gave him a sweet smile and nodded. She went in without saying another word.
Carter turned back and saw that another carriage was approaching. In fact, there were two coming down the dirt path. One was a couple Carter knew only in passing. They were friends with Shawn and Elizabeth. The other carriage belonged to the Huntington family. Anne Marie would be in that carriage. He felt anxious nervousness slide through him. He took a couple quick puffs from his pipe and set it down on a small white iron table. He went down to the carriages.
* * *
The party was in full swing when Carter finally decided that it was time to speak to Anne Marie. He had avoided it all night, wanting to have a good time and to allow the lady to enjoy the evening before he opened up to her about it. When he approached her after dinner, when dessert was over and all had gathered in the smaller of the two ballrooms to listen to music and dance, she looked a bit surprised.
“I didn’t expect you to talk to me, my lord.”
“Oh? And why is that?”
“I thought you were avoiding me. It seems you have had something on your mind all evening, but have been unwilling to speak to me about it.”
“I am sorry that I have made it so obvious. I did not want to ruin your evening.”
“May I please ask you to speak plainly, my lord, as I am not fond of riddles?”
“I will not riddle you, Miss Anne.”
“Thank you. Please tell me…what has been on your mind tonight?” Anne Marie was a bit apprehensive that the Earl was about to ask for her hand in marriage. Their carriage ride and lunch on the lawn had gone quite well. She didn’t expect him to wait long to receive an answer for a marriage proposal. She was aware that he was working with limited time.
“I stumbled across some information having to do with you whilst working on my uncle’s paperwork. It has to do with the inheritance and the family line.”
Anne Marie tilted her head to the side. “I do not understand.”
Carter sat next to her and leaned in close so that he could speak in a low voice and still be heard.
“I have found out some information about your background. I wanted to tell you when I found out, but was anxious about it, so I first consulted Duke Worthington. Shawn advised that I open up to you about this and it is one of the reasons for this party.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. To make a long story short, my lady, you are the illegitimate daughter of my late Uncle William Montgomery.”
40
.
.
.
“Miss Anne, are you all right? I didn’t mean to upset you. I felt it was something you should know.”
.
.
.
CHAPTER FORTY
ANNE MARIE’S REACTION
Anne Marie shocked Carter by standing up as soon as he had said the words. She looked down at him, all the blood having drained from her face. He stood so that others in the room would not notice. He moved slightly so that he was blocking her from the others, who were behind him, gathered around the piano as their host played a melodious tune by Mozart.
Anne Marie’s eyes had widened and she seemed completely speechless. When the blood rushed back to her face, it made her cheeks, nose and forehead pink.
“My lady, are you all right?”
Anne Marie turned on her heel and marched out of the room. Carter turned to see if anyone had noticed. Duke Huntington and Shawn had both noticed. Shawn turned his eyes to Carter and widened them. Carter could practically hear the Duke thinking that he should go after the young lady.
Carter hurried to catch up with Anne Marie. She was through the door and headed down the foyer to go outside. He came up behind her and took her arm gently.
“Miss Anne, are you all right? I didn’t mean to upset you. I felt it was something you should know.”
He didn’t force Anne Marie to stop walking. She continued through the front doors and out onto the porch. She stopped at the edge of the steps and stared out over the path. He came up next to her and stood in silence. Her reaction worried him, while at the same time not letting him truly know how she was feeling. It was justifiable for her to be upset. However, he couldn’t read exactly what it was that was making her upset. He waited patiently, knowing that eventually she would say something.
“I…I didn’t know that,” she began in a soft, trembling voice. “I never knew who my father was. That means…that means we are cousins, are we not?”
“Yes. Do you know anything about your past? About your mother?”
“Only that she died when I was born, which was why I was raised by a couple on the outskirts of Fairfield.”
“Did they have any relation to you that they spoke of?”
Anne Marie swallowed. “No. They never mentioned how they were related to me. I called them by their surnames and was never given a reason for my presence there. When I was sixteen, I was sent to work for the Huntingtons, becoming first a scullery maid and then becoming the governess when the Lady Huntington died.”
She turned to him. Her eyes had filled with misty tears. She blinked several times and they slid down her cheeks. He immediately pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. “Wipe your tears, my lady. This is the past we speak of and we must deal with the present and the future. May I ask how you feel about this news?”
“This is why you were asking me about my past on our carriage ride, is it not?”
“Yes, it is.”
“I…I don’t know how to feel right now. I…wish I had known my father. I wish he had come forth to claim me. I don’t understand why he didn’t.”
“Surely you do, Miss Anne. After all, you were born out of wedlock and while my uncle was still married to his wife. This would have created quite the scandal.” Carter kept his voice low, afraid that his words would travel and bring shame to both of them.
She nodded, realizing the truth of his words. “Yes. But after she died, I�
�I suppose he still would not have been able to keep it from becoming quite the scandalous news…if only he had told me in private. You must set aside some time to talk to me about him. Tell me what he was like.”
Carter thought maybe that wasn’t such a good idea. His uncle was not the man Carter had thought. All those years of doing good marred by an incident that happened when William was in his twenties. He would never have been able to live it down and he knew it. The reputation and the scandal would have followed him wherever he went. “I hope you do understand that we must keep this information to ourselves.”
“Do you still plan to marry me, my lord?”
Carter blinked in confusion. He had not asked her to marry him yet. “I…I have a decision to make. It would be prudent for us not to discuss it at this time.”
He almost jumped out of his skin when Lord Huntington’s voice sounded loudly behind him. “Are you all right, Anne Marie?”
Carter spun around. Anne Marie looked shocked to see the Duke standing behind Carter and nodded quickly.
“Oh yes, my lord, I am fine.”
“What have you said to upset this young woman, Carter Montgomery? Perhaps an apology is in order?”
Carter grinned and slapped a hand on the Duke’s shoulder. “It is not an apology from me that she needs, my lord. Nor from you. The apology she deserves will never be forthcoming.”
Duke Thomas looked completely confused, moving his eyes from Carter to Anne Marie and back again. “I do not understand.”
“It’s all right, my man. You don’t need to understand. However, it would be best if you stayed and spoke with Miss Anne, as I don’t believe I have the words of comfort that she seeks. Perhaps you could give it a try?”
“I do not know what is troubling her.” He spoke of her as if she wasn’t standing right there. His eyes were on her, his look of affection on display for all to see.
Carter patted his shoulder again. “If she chooses to tell you, it will be her business. But I’m sure she could use a shoulder to cry on. And yours are nice and broad, aren’t they?” He stepped out of the way, allowing the Duke to get closer to Anne Marie. “I’ll just be going back inside. I hear a song I like to dance to.”
Regency Romance: More For A Duke (The Fairbanks Series - The Familial Adventures) (CLEAN Historical Romance) Page 18