“And Bertram?” her aunt asked with anguish, as if she already knew, and with that, Isabella burst into tears, crying on her aunt’s shoulder. Sobbing in a way she’d not allowed herself to do until now as they both hugged and dropped to the ground, absorbed in their own grief.
Chapter 14
April 8, 1817, London
“I will have a word with the three of you,” Nate’s mother announced as she breached the sanctity of the library where Nate, Samuel, and Benjamin were holed up, enjoying brandy before they left for Felding’s ball. The first of many balls he would be forced to endure this season. Or, at least until he left again.
He snuck a glance at Sam. Maybe he should travel to Barbados with his brother.
She closed the door behind her. “I must have your word that you will keep an eye on the girls.”
The brothers looked at each other. By girls, she meant their three younger sisters who had accompanied them to London: Hannah, Tabitha, and Deborah.
“Of course,” Ben answered. “They’re our sisters.”
“I don’t mean just keeping an eye out to make sure no unsavory creatures bother them.”
“It’s a ball, Mother, not Seven Dials,” Nate reminded her dryly.
“That’s not what I mean.” She puffed up her chest and frowned. “I would have the names of every gentleman who shows an interest. I will not have them being courted by someone who is unfavorable.”
“I doubt you need worry about such an occurrence at Felding’s ball.” Sam poured more brandy into his glass.
“By unsavory and unfavorable, mother means someone who does not own an estate in Northumberland or possibly Durham or North Yorkshire,” Ben clarified.
“I will not have my daughters living so far away that I cannot be there to guide them.”
“There aren’t so many bachelors who are titled,” Nate reminded her. “Perhaps you should broaden the boundaries.” Was the woman really going to decide who best suited her daughters based on location?
“A title isn’t necessary. Not even landed. They can take up residence at the estate if needed. It’s certainly large enough.”
Ben choked on his drink. “Don’t forget who owns Kenley Manor, Mother. I will say who lives there and who does not.”
“I’m counting on each of you to see to it that those who live in an undesirable location be discouraged.” With that their mother turned and started for the entrance. “I’ll see if your sisters are ready to leave.”
Mary, ducked into the library after Mother left and closed the door behind her, an impish grin on her face. “Ye’ve got yer orders,” Mary giggled.
Nate still had a hard time reckoning that Ben had indeed married Mary Soares, finally.
After Waterloo, Nate had sold his commission and then traveled. He had tried to put the memory of Isabella from his mind, and Mary as well, since he could not think of her without thinking of Isabella. It wasn’t until last winter, at Christmas, when his great-uncle, the Duke of Danby, arranged for Mary to deliver whiskey to the castle, and forced Nate there as well that he had spoken to her. It had been the first time he’d seen her since Brussels. Danby had thought to match Nate to Mary, but as Nate had always suspected, as soon as Ben and Mary met, it was clear they were meant for each other.
A full year and a half had passed since Isabella had rejected him, and just seeing Mary standing in the castle, brought the pain and rejection back to him in full force as if it had happened the day before. Further, he was reminded that Dr. Valentine had spoken the truth. Isabella was not who he’d believed she was. In fact, everything about her had been a lie. He didn’t know the truth, and probably never would, but that didn’t change the fact that he had fallen in love with her. Nate could not bring himself to hate her. However, he did want the truth. It ate at him.
Why had she lied? And, was that the reason for her rejection? Who was she protecting? Her or him?
Nate already knew the answer. She was protecting herself and her family. They were a fabrication, of that he was certain. However, her passion for him the night of Lady Richmond’s ball was not a lie, so why the hell hadn’t she trusted him with the truth? What was their dark secret? There was no possible way Isabella thought of him only as a friend, and as soon as this blasted season was behind them, Nate fully intended to find her in Hampshire, demand his answers, and then sail for Barbados. Then, hopefully, he’d be able to put her from his mind and heart permanently.
Ben poured Mary a glass of whiskey. This wasn’t the first time Nate had seen his brother do so. Usually it was after an encounter with their mother.
At least he knew Isabella still lived in Hampshire. Mary had confirmed that fact but admitted that they’d stopped exchanging letters after a year. When he pressed, demanding to know if they were truly cousins, Mary had simply blinked at him, as if she couldn’t imagine why he’d think such thoughts and then, once again, told him how Isabella and her family had been the children of missionaries in India.
Perhaps Mary didn’t know the truth either but believed the lie that had been told. She’d been duped like him, but until he knew the truth, Nate had decided not to say anything to his sister-in-law.
“Thank ye.” Mary settled on to the settee. “Tell me ye arena really goin’ to do as yer mother asks.”
“Of course not,” Sam insisted.
“Good, because no marriage is better than a bad one.” She took a sip and then blew out a sigh and relaxed.
Mary knew all about bad marriages, and though she hadn’t confronted Mother on anything as of yet, Nate had no doubt she would if it came down to his sisters being forced to marry someone they didn’t care for.
“If they find love, make sure you do everything in your power to see that a match is made. Even if the gentleman lives at the most southern part of England or the most northerly part of Scotland.”
“Perhaps we can see them settled in all parts of the world.” Ben grinned. “Then Mother would spend all of her time traveling between their homes and rarely darkening our door.”
Mary said nothing, but her cheeks turned crimson. Something told Nate that the two of them had probably had this discussion on more than one occasion.
Ben drained his brandy, as did Nate, and stood.
“Shall we?” Ben asked.
“Might as well get this over with,” Sam grumbled. “The sooner Roxburg is announced, the sooner I can plan my return to Barbados.” The Duke of Roxburg had recently come into his title. Before that, he’d simply been Mark Easton, Sam’s closest friend, who owned a neighboring plantation in Barbados. The death of his uncle was what brought him back to England, and the title.
“I might be joining you in the Caribbean,” Nate said.
“Oh, no.” Ben stepped in front of them. “The two of you will remain until the season is over or our sisters are married, whichever comes first. I will not be left alone to deal with that woman. I’ve been doing it for years and it’s time you helped for a change.”
Nate took a step back. Ben was right. His brother had inherited seventeen years ago, when Ben was only thirteen and Sam and Nate were only twelve. Despite Ben’s title, Mother fought for control. Their father had failed to name a guardian for the family, and Danby had to step in and take over. He instilled a man of business in the house and received daily reports. When Mother became too obstinate, Danby paid her a visit. The only years their older brother had been free of their mother was when he was away at school. Poor Ben didn’t have the privilege of enjoying any freedom when he was younger, not like Nate and Sam, because he was required to return to the estate and take over control once he reached his majority.
It didn’t help that Nate joined the foot guards ten years ago, and Sam moved to Barbados five years before. It was time for them to stick around and help with their sisters and support Ben when necessary.
“Where is Peter?” Nate asked. Though their younger brother resided at the estate, he was rarely there.
“Absent as always,” Ben
grumbled. “Once this evening is behind us, I’ll be tracking him down. If we have any hope that our sisters are happy, it’s going to take all of us to keep Mother in place.”
* * *
Isabella stood with her sisters, Bianca and Perdita, on the far side of the room. This wasn’t the first ball she’d ever attended. It was the second.
Lady Richmond’s ball in Brussels seemed like a lifetime ago. A magical evening indeed. She’d danced with Nate, and then he’d kissed her and held her close. It wasn’t the news that Napoleon was on the move that ruined the night for her. It was Nate’s declaration of love.
Not a day had gone by that she hadn’t thought about Nate Storm and wondered what became of him. Surely he had married by now and realized his folly in loving her. It was such a different place and time. It was war, and who was to say they would have continued to feel the same about each other once they returned to normalcy.
It was better this way, or so she’d told herself for nearly two years, but that didn’t mean she ever stopped loving him. She never would.
At least she had Kirkland House. The soldiers’ home gave her a purpose, something she’d been without since she returned home from Waterloo. And even though her family was unaware of her plans, Isabella had no intention of returning to Hampshire. She would remain in London and continue her work. Hopefully Felding would allow her the use of the townhouse to live in, especially since her brother-in-law and sister only made use of it during the spring and fall or when Felding needed to be present for Parliament. It’s not as though it even needed to be staffed while she was in residence, though a housekeeper and butler lived there year round. She didn’t even need them and could fully take care of herself, but she also knew Felding would never allow her to live there alone. She just prayed he allowed her to remain with only those two, as she wouldn’t ask him to incur the expense of additional servants.
“So, this is Society?” asked Bianca, her younger sister by one year. Neither she, nor their youngest sister, Perdita, had ever attended a ball.
“It is grand,” Perdita mused and sipped from her glass of punch.
A sea of colors filled the ballroom, not unlike the ball gowns at Lady Richmond’s. “The ladies’ dresses are lovely.” It was so odd being in her sister’s ballroom. None of them really belonged here, but Rosalind insisted they attend.
And, it wasn’t just the ball. She’d brought her sisters to London this year, with the intention of them joining her at functions. So far, Isabella and her sisters had been able to avoid accompanying Rosalind everywhere. Had she forgotten where they’d come from? Just because a marquess had married her, didn’t mean the rest of them should rise above their station. And, if Isabella had any say, this would be her last ball. She was only here because Felding was the host.
“I’d like to know where our brothers are,” Perdita complained.
“They’ll be fashionably late, or each will have an excuse that kept them from attending,” Isabella responded, not expecting any of them to make an appearance.
A group of guests appeared at the top of the stairs, but Isabella only saw one face. Her heart stopped before it started pounding against her breast.
She had her answer. Nate was alive and well. And as devastatingly handsome as he had been two years ago. “I don’t believe I’m feeling well,” Isabella announced. She wasn’t ready to face him yet. She couldn’t and wasn’t sure if she’d ever be able to look him in the eyes.
As wrong as it was, her heart still beat for him.
Bianca grasped her arm. “What is it?”
“My stomach.” Though Isabella answered, her eyes were fixed at the top of the stairs. “I need to leave.” Isabella pulled her arm from Bianca’s and practically ran from the room. She couldn’t be here. Not now. Not with him.
After gaining her room, Isabella fell onto her bed, shaking and near tears.
Why hadn’t she considered Nate might be in London?
Oh drat, why hadn’t she paid attention to who he was with? Was there a wife? If so, she wasn’t on his arm, but that didn’t mean she didn’t exist, and there had been a number of women in his party.
Oh why hadn’t she listened as they were announced? Not that she could have heard anything. She was so focused on watching him and the shock of Nate at the top of the stairs that everything else faded away.
That was the one and only time she would ever be a part of London society, Isabella vowed as the tears finally let loose and coursed down her cheeks. As much as her sister, Rosalind, may insist on her being present for events, Isabella could not take the chance of running into Nate again. Never. Her heart couldn’t take it.
A moment later her door burst open and Bianca entered. Her eyes bright and face pale.
“I cannot go back down there. Please don’t make me.”
“I have no intention of doing so.”
With that, Bianca burst into tears and climbed onto the bed, settling beside Isabella.”
“Do you wish to tell me why you can’t go back down?” Bianca sniffed.
“I can’t,” Isabella answered. “Do you want to tell me?”
More tears streamed down Bianca’s cheeks. “I can’t.”
In agreement, they both grew silent and cried. Tomorrow they would discuss what happened, but for right now, Isabella suspected her sister was just as heartbroken as she was.
Chapter 15
A flash of lavender drew Nate’s attention and he watched a lady run for the door on the other side of the ballroom and disappear through a door. “Isabella?” Heaven knew he imagined Isabella in many places. After selling his commission, he’d been unable to remain in one place for long and traveled extensively, never able to escape the nightmares of the battles, the ground littered with maimed men, or the image of Isabella. If he wasn’t seeing her in a crowd, she invaded his dreams.
“What?” Ben asked as they made their way down the stairs.
“I could have sworn I just saw Isabella Valentine.”
“The woman from Lady Richmond’s ball?”
“Yes,” Nate answered as he watched and waited for the woman to return, then searched the sea of faces for Dr. Valentine. If the doctor was in attendance, perhaps he hadn’t imagined Isabella.
“I hadn’t considered Isabella might be in London,” Mary said with excitement as they reached the bottom of the stairs.
“Is there a reason she should be?” Nate demanded.
“Lady Felding is her sister.” Mary glanced around the ballroom. “Oh, I do hope she’s here. It’s been so long, and I dearly wish to see her.”
Not only did Nate want to see Isabella, but he needed to purge her from his heart and mind. Whenever he thought of others, only one emotion was associated with them. But with Isabella, it was a combination of longing and bitterness. Of anger and love. It was time for all of that to end, so when he thought of Isabella in the future, he felt absolutely nothing at all. Now he wouldn’t have to wait until the end of the season and travel to Hampshire to do so.
The night dragged on but Isabella never returned. Apparently her younger sister had disappeared as well, and there were whispers throughout the room of Roxburg masquerading as a dancing master and that Miss Bianca had been his accompanist. Were the two hiding from society, afraid the truth about them was about to be revealed?
Except, Nate didn’t know what the truth was. He only knew for certain they were not who they claimed to be. None of the Valentines were.
His eyes found Felding in the crowd, his wife by his side. The oldest sister of the Valentines. Did the marquess have any clue that his wife was not who she claimed to be? Was it up to him to reveal the truth?
No, of course not. He wouldn’t ruin another gentleman’s life. Yet, that wouldn’t stop him from tracking Isabella down at the very first opportunity.
Mary tugged on his arm. “Come meet the rest of my cousins, Nate.”
The frauds? He almost asked, but instead he followed behind his sister-in-law and was introduc
ed to Perdita, the youngest of the children. Beside her stood Dr. Valentine. Their eyes locked and held. As much as he wanted his answers, he would get them from Isabella.
Dr. Valentine’s eyes went wide with either shock or recognition, before his features relaxed and he smiled.
“Captain Storm, how are you?”
“Well, and you?”
“Splendid, indeed.”
It was a forced replay. Was the man worried about Nate pursuing Isabella again? He nearly snorted. The good doctor had no idea of his plans for her. “I believe I saw your sister earlier, but haven’t seen her again.”
“Which one. I do have four.”
Dr. Valentine knew very well which sister Nate meant, as he only knew one of them. Was he going to play games?
“Isabella, of course.” He forced a smile.
“I assumed she’d be here. We were all required to be, of course.”
The man was hedging. “She ran from the room shortly after my arrival,” Nate finally said. “I’m concerned she’s become ill.”
The forced smile slipped from Dr. Valentine’s lips. “Perhaps I should check on her.”
“Please do,” Nate requested. “And tell her that I wish to speak with her if she is feeling up to a visit.”
The doctor straightened, becoming serious. “She made her wishes known after Waterloo.”
“That was nearly two years ago,” Nate reminded him. “I think enough time has passed that we can speak to one another again.”
“I’ll speak with her,” the doctor finally said after a moment. “Go into supper. I’ll find you.”
Supper was the last thing Nate wanted at the moment, and he fully intended to be waiting in this very room for Dr. Valentine, and hopefully Isabella, to return.
* * *
Isabella pulled pack against the pillows as Rosalind, Demetrius, and Benedick stormed into the chamber that she and Bianca had been hiding in since almost the beginning of the ball
Weathering Captain Storm Page 7