The Rough Lord

by Emma Brady

  “I asked the servants to bring us some tea,” Henry said as he entered the room finally. The tone of his voice was back to normal, and Rory let out a sigh of relief. “I know how that can often help your nerves.”

  “You are the only person who doesn’t tell me what a bad habit that is.”

  “That’s because I know you better than anyone else.” His tone had turned emotional, and Rory was finding it hard not to tear up. She preferred it when he was angry because seeing him hurt wrenched her insides.

  “Why didn’t you tell me something was wrong?” Henry asked.

  “How do you know something was wrong?”

  Rory turned away and glanced at him over her shoulder, hoping he wouldn’t be able to tell how nervous she was. Her hands were clenched in front of her to keep from fidgeting, but her expression might still give it away.

  “You wouldn’t have left London in the middle of the season if there wasn’t.”

  “Perhaps I felt like some country air.”

  “You hate the country and you hate fresh air.’

  “Nobody hates fresh air.”

  He didn’t say anything, just raised one eyebrow at her. Once again she was unable to lie to him and it made her let out a frustrated sigh.

  “Fine. I had to leave to leave the city for a short time to get a little money together.”

  Now his expression tightened, and she could see his eyebrows pull together.

  “What would you need money for? I know I left you plenty in your allowance.”

  Rory winced, remembering that she had already spent that money on clothes before the season even started. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath before telling him the entire story as quickly as possible. She just let the words flow from her lips while refusing to look at him. There was a long silence after she finished, and she was afraid of what his reaction might be.

  “That bastard!” he yelled. “The nerve Bittleby has to threaten my sister while I’m not there to protect her. No decent man would behave in such a way.”

  “He’s hardly considered decent.”

  “I expect him to be a gentleman, and this is not the behavior of a gentleman.”

  “Then you expect too much.”

  Henry sat on the arm of one of the chairs, running his hands through his hair and muttering to himself. “You should have sent me word about this. I could have returned to handle it.”

  “I didn’t want to ruin your wedding trip. Besides, it was my debt, not yours. I should be the one to resolve it.”

  “Not by marrying that snake.”

  “No, I had planned sell some of the items here in the house, but there wasn’t much left behind in good condition. So, I decided to sell the house itself.”

  “That explains the workmen I saw.”

  “I was very fortunate to share a carriage with Mr. Murdoch. He’s very well known in certain parts as an esteemed contractor.”

  “I have never heard of him.”

  “You haven’t been to those certain parts.”

  Henry looked skeptical of Clayton’s credentials.

  “He’s been working here for almost two weeks, and you can see what a wonderful job he’s done.”

  Henry grumbled.

  “The storm knocked out part of the garden roof, and he said you could have it fixed before the ball.”

  “Ball?” He must not have known about that part of the story, and it was too late to take the words back.

  “The dowager duchess is a neighbor and used to be a friend of Aunt Molly, so she suggested I host a ball to let people get a look at the place after it’s fixed up.”

  Now Henry was shaking his head like a wet dog. “When is this ball going to be held?”

  “Day after tomorrow.” Her voice was so soft she thought he might not be able to hear her but then he erupted.

  “The Duke of Ashford and his family are going to be here in two days? With the best of society, no doubt.”

  “I didn’t really look that closely at the guest list,” she squeaked.

  “You were going to tell me none of this?”

  Rory shrugged. She had no good defense for her behavior.

  “Those workmen better get it finished on time, or I’m going to make sure they never find work again,” Henry said. “They took advantage of a woman who was alone and desperate.”

  “They did no such thing.” Now it was Rory who was getting angry. “Mr. Murdoch and Mr. Holland have been very kind. They went out of their way to help me with this project, and you should be grateful. Without them, I would have tried to do the work on my own.”

  “You would have been up on the house fixing the roof?” Henry couldn’t help the half smile he had.

  “I would have tried, and it would have been a disaster.”

  “Miss Capshaw would have stopped you.’

  “She is my companion, not my warden. She can only do so much to stop me.”

  “Clearly, since she wasn’t able to stop you from this insane plan to begin with. Perhaps I should find a more formidable individual to watch over you.”

  “Please don’t,” Rory begged, knowing that she would feel terrible if Darla lost her position over this. “She has done everything she can to reason with me. No one is to blame but me for the situation I’m in.”

  “I would feel better if I had someone to blame.”

  “I would too, as long as it wasn’t me.”

  That got Henry to laugh, and Rory could feel the tension in the room disappearing. Finally, her brother moved closer and hugged her, making her feel as though everything was going to be fine now. Rory admitted to herself that she missed having him around more than she’d expected.

  “I’m going to go get Kitty, and we are going to explore the house a bit. I will see you at dinner.”

  She felt like she needed to speak to Clayton straightaway. She needed him to understand the urgency in getting that damage fixed, not just for the ball, but for her brother. Rex told her that he had gone out to the gardener’s cottage to see if there were any materials they could use. She found him there, going through the meager belongings and stomping around.

  “Not finding what you are looking for?” She entered the cottage cautiously while watching his prowling.

  “No, the opposite. I found exactly what I’m looking for, and it’s a problem.”

  “Why?”

  “She doesn’t feel the same way.” He stopped and focused those blue eyes on her, making her breath catch for a moment.

  “You mean because of last night?”

  “Of course that’s what I mean. We shared something intimate and romantic, and now you want to act like we are still simply business partners.”

  She didn’t want to mention that they technically still were. Stating the obvious wasn’t going to help them.

  “You didn’t even speak to me this morning.”

  “There was so much to do...” She knew it was a weak excuse, but she didn’t want to delve into the other possible reasons.

  “It could have waited.” He was holding himself back, gripping the small table he was leaning against. “Then your brother shows up and you don’t even introduce me to him. Am I not important enough to get that courtesy?”

  She didn’t know how to answer that. Everything had happened so quickly, she didn’t have time to wonder what it meant. “My brother wouldn’t understand. He wants me to marry.”

  “You could marry me.”

  That thought had never even crossed her mind, and when she heard him say those words, her heart stopped for a beat. Her expression must have revealed her shock because he grew angrier.

  “Is that such a detestable thought?” Clayton spat out at her. “You are willing to share my bed but not my name? Is it because it’s a ‘mister’ and not a ‘lord?’ Do titles mean more to you than love?”

  “I don’t believe in love,” she said, trying to reason with him.

  “Then what was last night?”

  “Lust. An entirely differe
nt beast altogether.”

  “You don’t know the difference?” Clayton began pacing the room, and Rory felt and fought the urge to reach out to him. Touching would only make things more confusing.

  “You went to bed with me knowing that you would be giving up your chance at a good marriage, but you claim you didn’t do it for love?” He sounded genuinely perplexed by that idea.

  “I might still be able to make a match. No one knows what happened but us.”

  “You would lie to your husband?”

  “No, but certain indiscretions could be forgiven under the right circumstances.”

  “You aren’t rich or influential enough to believe that.”

  “Fine, but even being unmarried is better than—” She stopped before she finished her thought, but it was already too late. Rory could see the hurt reflected in his eyes, and she almost wept for him.

  “Than being married to commoner? Is that what you were going to say?”

  That was exactly what she was going to say, and he knew it. It was the same choice her aunt had faced once, and she chose to seclude herself to be with the man she loved. She didn’t marry him legally, but she pledged her life to him. Rory just couldn’t make the same choice now.

  “I will finish the work tomorrow. Send me my half of the sale once it’s been completed.”

  Clayton stormed past her in anger. As she reached for him, her fingers brushed his shirt, but she pulled away. The full force of her decision hit her, and she started to cry.

  Chapter 17

  ANGER WAS A GREAT MOTIVATOR, and it helped Clayton finish the work on the garden and house much more quickly than he had expected. The glass arrived from London, and he got it up with Rex’s help. He wondered if Lord Chadwick was going to offer to help since he spent the entire day hovering over them, but he never did. Instead, the man just watched them as they worked with a sour expression on his face. When they were finished, he insisted on a full walkthrough inspection of the house. Clayton wasn’t surprised when it met his high standards.

  “Perhaps I will contact you after my wife and I have returned to London,” Lord Chadwick said. “You do great work, and our townhome could use a little of it.”

  “If I make it to London, I will be sure to call you then.”

  Clayton wouldn’t be setting foot in London until it was time to board the ship that would take him home again to Cape Town. When the house was finished and approved, Clayton and Rex took their leave. He never said goodbye to Rory, and she never came looking for one.

  At the inn, the two men took care of their business quickly. Clayton would have preferred to stay one more night, but Rex had grown tired of the rough beds and loud noises. He was ready to find comfort in a real home, and Clayton owed him that. Rex deserved to find a little peace, even if Clayton knew going home would bring him none.

  The house was exactly as Clayton remembered it from his boyhood, down to the smallest details. Just stepping into the foyer, he could capture the same scents from his memory. The butler who opened the door was the same and hadn’t aged a bit. He had been old even when Clayton was a boy. Rex was looking at everything with intense curiosity, but Clayton already knew every inch.

  Both his brother and his mother descended the stairs, along with a woman he had never met. She was glowing with the anticipation of motherhood and moving slowly. Catherine started calmly down the stairs, but she moved faster as she got closer, then ran into her long-lost son’s arms.

  “My boy, my sweet boy!” she said over and over as she cried against him.

  He couldn’t speak, choking on his own emotion. He just let her hold him as long as she wanted and listened to her. Her voice was exactly the same as when she used to read to him before bed. The scent of her, wild roses, was just as he remembered. When she pulled back to look at him, he saw a few wrinkles around her eyes and mouth, but it was otherwise the same beauty she always had.

  “Let him up for air, Mother,” said Thomas from the stairs. “He’s just had a very long journey and probably wants to rest.”

  Clayton was grateful that Thomas had decided to continue his lie. He was happy to be introduced to his new sister-in-law, and he introduced Rex to the group.

  “I hope you brought a set of evening clothes in that bag,” said Eloisa. “Your mother has been planning your welcome home all week.”

  His mother waved her hand in the air. “It’s just a little get-together that one of our neighbors is hosting. Nothing too big, I promise. We are just so glad you’re home.”

  At the watery tears in his mother’s eyes, Clayton felt his stomach clench. “Of course, I always travel well prepared.”

  “Good. This neighbor is a very sweet young lady.” His mother wiped her eyes. “Very attractive as well.”

  “I’m only home five minutes, and you are already matchmaking?” Perhaps a joke might lighten the mood.

  “A woman likes to have grandchildren.”

  “It looks like Thomas is already working on that.”

  “One can never have too many.”

  Clayton still knew he had to tell his mother the truth, but it didn’t need to be today. He could allow her to enjoy his coming home for at least that long.

  “Come into the parlor and we can catch up.” His mother dragged him in that direction without waiting for his consent. It reminded him of his childhood, and he allowed it to happen. Inside the parlor, she insisted he sit beside her on the sofa while Thomas gave the other chair to his wife. Eloisa was smiling at him and rubbing her belly. She looked exactly as a wife should.

  “Tell me about your trip.” His mother started with an easy question.

  “It was good. Rex and I traveled comfortably.”

  “You should have let Thomas wait and go with you.”

  “I knew he was eager to get home, and I had some business things I needed to wrap up.”

  “What kind of business?”

  Clayton wasn’t sure how his mother was going to respond to his new lifestyle. “I’m a contractor that specializes in building homes.”

  She was silent for a moment, with an expression he couldn’t recognize. Then a smile broke across her face. “You always were talented at making things. It’s a blessingthat you were able to put that to use.”

  Her acceptance made him feel relieved. There were so many things she could reject him for, and it was a relief to know that wasn’t one of them.

  “What was your life there like?” his mother asked.

  “Good. I made myself a good life there.”

  “But difficult? I know that there were losses.”

  Now the questions were going to get more difficult. He wasn’t ready to answer all of them.

  “There are always losses,” he said, not sure how to begin or if he was ready. “I’m afraid I’m going to need to rest before I share them all.”

  “Yes, you must rest. We are attending a ball in your honor, so you must be rested.”

  While Clayton was unpacking his things, including his suit for the ball, a servant brought him a note. It had been delivered to the inn, and they sent it on ahead. The person delivering it said it was marked as urgent. The only person who thought he was at the inn was Rory, and for a moment his heart skipped a beat.

  Inside the envelope he found one of the invitations for the ball along with a handwritten note. Even before he read the words, he knew it was written by her. The contents surprised him. She was inviting him, as Mr. Murdoch, to the ball as her guest. Considering how horrified she had been at the thought of doing such a thing, it was unexpected. In the note she apologized for her behavior, both the night of the storm and after. She told him that she greatly admired him and wanted to be friends. Not the declaration of love he had hoped for, but at least he might be able to leave on good terms with her.

  The note also requested that she meet him in advance at the cottage. She said it was to go over the terms of their agreement in relation to the sale of the house. He had left in such a fit, he realized the
y hadn’t sorted that part out. She wanted to meet him before the party, and without a second thought, he knew he would go.

  The cottage was quiet as he approached it. Clayton stopped outside and watched Rory through the window for a moment. She looked beautiful in her gown, ready for her ball. She had chosen a dark burgundy color that played with the red in her hair. The trim was white, though, and edged the low-cut neckline enough to attract the eye.

  She didn’t see him as he approached, too busy pacing the floor to notice he was there. Her cheeks were flushed, and her brows were furrowed. Her fingers twirled in the fabric of her skirt, and he knew she was wishing for something to nibble on. Remembering how much she enjoyed a good snack made him smile. He knew it was terrible of him to let her continue to worry, but there was something endearing about knowing she was feeling that way about him.

  “You wanted to see me?”

  When he entered, she stopped and froze like an animal in the wild. Her hazel eyes looked greener tonight, as he remembered them from their passion-filled night together, and they were wide as he closed the door behind him. She stood there with her mouth open, not saying anything.

  “Rory?” he asked, speaking gently in case she was upset with him.

  “I needed to see you,” she blurted out. “Before the ball. I needed to see you to tell you something.”

  “I’m here now, so go ahead.”

  She was biting on her bottom lip and her fingers were twirling again. “I find that I’m nervous.”

  “That’s what you wanted to tell me?”

  “No, but I’m nervous about telling you what I wanted to say.”

  “You have no reason to be nervous. It’s just the two of us here.”

  “That makes it more difficult.” She looked like she might want to run as she tried to get to the point. “When I’m alone with you, I find it difficult to think straight. My mind is too distracted.”

  “Distracted by what?”

  “You.”

  A feeling swelled inside him, and he thought it might be pride.

  “The ball will be starting soon. Your companion and brother will notice you missing and come looking for you.” Clayton didn’t really care but knew she would. “We don’t want to be caught alone out here, so you should tell me quickly.”