A Brother's Duty

by Kelly Anne Bruce

  “So, you would be fine with Henrietta being treated as you have treated Lady Elizabeth?”

  Philip's smile faltered. “That is completely different.”

  “Is it? Robert Crawford made some very loud and vile comments in the presence of Henrietta just now. His choice of words was more than indecent.”

  “That goat!”

  “And, he has been pushing his suit with Henrietta this Season.”

  Philip swore again. “He is not fit to stand in the same room with her.”

  James loosened his hold on Philip. “And yet you treated Elizabeth far worse. You caused the gossips to waggle their tongues. That damage can rarely be undone.”

  “And you are so perfect that you never make mistakes?”

  “No, but at least I accept responsibility and try to do better. I will be leaving Castborough soon.” James said. “Father will need you.”

  Philip let his head fall back onto the ground. “I do not want to be the Duke of Castborough.”

  “What?” James let him up. “You are the heir. Father has always...”

  “No! Father has always looked to you. I have done nothing but disappoint him. I am sick of trying to show him. I have given up.”

  “Surely, if you would talk to Father,” James said to him.

  Philip took a step back. “I am truly sorry about Lady Elizabeth. I was wrong and I know that.” Philip looked around the stable. “I cannot stay here.”

  James took a step forward but Philip turned and ran from the stables.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “Excuse me, Sir.”

  James looked up to see Thomas standing in the doorway of his room. “Yes, Thomas?”

  “Your father would like to see you in the library.”

  Turning back to the mirror to finish tying his cravat James let out a long sigh before finally saying, “Please let him know that I will be down in a few minutes.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  After Thomas had left, James sat down in the chair near the window. His father would certainly be angry with him for fighting with Philip instead of trying to mend the courtship between he and Lady Elizabeth. There was nothing for it, though, there was little chance that James would do anything to encourage that courtship, even if he could go back and do it again.

  He walked slowly down the stairs, admitting reluctantly to himself that he should not have resorted to fighting with his brother. With Philip’s arrogant attitude it would be difficult to say for sure if he could have avoided it, however.

  James took a deep breath and opened the door to the library. He was surprised to see Lord Southwick in the room, as well. James felt his heart drop to his stomach at the quelling look on Southwick's face.

  “Good morning.” James nodded to the two men and sat down.

  “Do you have any idea where your older brother might be?”

  James grimaced. “The last I saw him was late last night in the stables. Why? Is there something amiss?”

  His father and Southwick exchanged glances before he answered. “Philip, Lord Fallbrooke and several others seem to have left overnight.”

  “Left?” James asked perplexed.

  “Yes, it seems they gathered much of their belongings and departed sometime before dawn,” Father explained.

  “And you’ve no idea where they have hied off to?”

  “One of the young ladies left a letter to her parents. In the letter, she claimed they were going to Paris. We do not know if it is true, but we have no reason to doubt her, either.”

  “Paris?” James repeated. “Whatever for?”

  “We are not sure,” Father answered. “The note mentioned something about being true patrons of the theater.”

  “Philip did mention frequenting the theater in London.”

  This time Southwick spoke up. “So, I suppose it is true then.” He shook his head. “I do not know what I will say to Elizabeth.”

  James straightened in his chair. “If you would like, I could talk to her.”

  Southwick thought for a moment. “Yes, I think that might be agreeable. But please be easy with her, even though she must hear the truth.”

  He nodded, not sure what he would say to her. James stood up quickly, glad to be leaving this stuffy room.

  He left the library and went straight to the drawing room. At this hour of the morning, Elizabeth would either be in the drawing room or the garden.

  He had barely walked into the room when he saw her standing near the windows. It seemed the entire room was watching her and there was plenty whispering going on.

  Robert Crawford had approached and she had originally tried to step away but he had begun talking to her and she politely stopped moving away. James watched their exchange closely. He could not hear the conversation but even where he was across the room he saw Elizabeth’s eyes widened and her cheeks burn with embarrassment.

  James crossed the room quickly. “Mr Crawford, it is clear that our discussion last night did not have the effect I expected. Please make sure that you are completely packed and gone from Castborough before nightfall.

  “You want me to leave?” Crawford asked loudly. “Because of her?”

  James stepped closer until they were nearly chest to chest. His voice never rose but there was a steel edge to it. “You are speaking about Lady Elizabeth Comerford, the only daughter of the Earl of Southwick. You can do as I ask or you can deal with the earl, himself. He is in the library. Would you like me to fetch him for you?”

  Crawford shook his head vehemently. “No. No, I will do as you ask. Good day.” He nodded at James and then Elisabeth before rushing out of the room.

  Before James could turn to Elizabeth she, too, had hurried from the drawing room. James went after her and barely caught her at the bottom of the stairs.

  “Lady Elizabeth, may I speak with you for a moment?”

  “No, I am sorry. I need to go.” Elizabeth looked around frantically.

  “It will only be for a moment and we can talk privately in the library,” James gestured toward the open door nearby.

  People had begun to gather in the hallway and Elizabeth finally relented to keep from making even more of a scene. “Yes, of course. I can speak to you for a moment.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Elizabeth followed Lord James into the library. She wanted nothing more than to leave this horrible house party and return home to Kent. She felt that she owed Lord James these few minutes considering his continued defense of her honour especially following Mr Crawford's coarse mockery.

  Just thinking about him and his horrible words made her shudder. She had to steady herself to keep from turning around to run up the stairs and lock herself in her room.

  As the daughter of the Earl of Southwick, she had known for a long time that her marriage would be much more complicated than simply finding someone who was like minded. Over the years it had become quite clear that status and family history would take precedence over Elizabeth's affinity for the gentleman in question.

  Considering what had transpired at this house party Elizabeth was starting to think that she would rather be a spinster than be married to a spoiled gentleman that is most likely shockingly loose in the haft.

  Lord James gestured to the chair but Elizabeth was feeling defiant. “No, thank you. I will stand, after all you said this would not take long.”

  She spoke sharply, and then immediately regretted her words as a disappointed look came across Lord James' face. He nodded and took a chair looking somewhat defeated.

  “Yes, I understand. I shall be leaving Castborough soon, as well, I am going to Cambridge to finish my law studies.”

  Elizabeth frowned. She was saddened to hear that James would be leaving although she supposed it did not matter as she would be leaving Castborough as well. Perhaps he was as ready for a change as she was. She could easily see him as a barrister addressing the court.

  “Lady Elizabeth, I give you my deepest apologies for the troubles you have endu
red at our house party.”

  “You do not need to apologize, Lord James. I do not hold the entire Repington family responsible for a few unfortunate moments.”

  “That is very gracious of you,” Lord James said quietly. “I am truly appreciative of your kind nature.”

  He sat silent for a moment and she wondered if she should go. She suddenly realized that the prospect of leaving Lord James made her sad and anxious. She always felt safe and calm when she was with him. It was a revealing moment for her—wonderful and terrible at the same time.

  Somehow as she had been courting Lord Holgrave, she had fallen in love with his brother. The abrupt insight took her completely by surprise.

  Her thoughts were interrupted when Lord James let out a long sigh. “I do feel some of the weight falls on me, as I did play a part in what has happened here.”

  Elizabeth froze. What did he mean? Did he and Lord Holgrave plan this whole ordeal together? Before she could think about it Lord James began to talk again.

  “I went in search of Philip last night after I heard the group of idiots gossiping in the refreshment room.”

  Elizabeth flushed at the memory but urged him to go on. “Yes, I remember you leaving after assuring that Lord Charles would stay with me.”

  Lord James looked up at her. “I trust he tended to you accordingly?”

  “Yes, of course. He was a true gentleman and quite conversational.”

  “Yes, I can imagine.” Lord James smiled for a moment then got serious again. He dropped his head to stare at his hands as he spoke. “After I left the house I found Philip in the stables. I confronted him about his behaviour and I am ashamed to admit that our conversation came to blows.”

  Elizabeth turned around and moved to sit in the chair across from him. “Are you well? Were you hurt?”

  Lord James looked up in surprise. Their eyes met and Elizabeth knew she should look away but she could not.

  “I am uninjured. It was Philip that took the brunt of our quarrel. I believe, though, that it was our argument that caused him to leave the house party. I am quite sorry for the gossip his departure may have caused.”

  Elizabeth shook her head. “It is of no matter. The gossips would be twittering either way. They would say that Lord Holgrave had broken off our courtship in favor of someone else or that he has run off with one of the ladies that left overnight. I have already heard several versions of the story that involves Lord Holgrave racing across Britain to make it to Gretna Green before his new lady love's father can catch them.”

  Lord James looked confused. “According to your father, the group has gone to Paris.”

  Elizabeth smiled and nodded. “That very well may be the case but the gossips do not care about truth or fact.”

  “This is true,” he agreed. “I still feel responsible.”

  Elizabeth was surprised and touched that he would go to such lengths to defend her honour. “I do not know if this is proper and I apologize if this offends you but I am grateful that you confronted your brother. I did not get the opportunity to do so and I am reluctant to admit that I find great pleasure that you did so on my behalf, if only because you felt duty bound.”

  “I could not stop myself. Philip was acting like a vain and arrogant fool. How he could not see how beautiful and admirable you are, is a mystery to me.”

  “Lord James, I must confess that your words are the most wondrous that I have ever heard.”

  Suddenly, Lord James slipped off the chair going to one knee in front of her chair. “Lady Elizabeth, marry me. I will treat you as you deserve and make up for my brother's vile behaviour.”

  Her next words were the hardest she ever had to utter. “No, Lord James, thank you but I will not force you into a marriage that you are only undertaking out of duty to your family.”

  He began to speak and she shook her head. “No, it breaks my heart to refuse you because I now know that you are everything that I wanted Philip to be.”

  Lord James' face fell. “Except I will never be the Duke of Castborough.” He began to get up and she reached for his hand.

  “I care not if you are the duke or the footman. I only care that the man I marry will love me as I love him.” She watched his face hoping he would understand.

  He brought her hand to his lips leaving a soft kiss on the back of her hand. “Lady Elizabeth, I have loved you since I saw your family arrive for the house party.”

  Elizabeth gasped in surprise.

  “You were first to alight from the carriage and you were laughing at something someone had said and I thought you were the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.”

  Elizabeth could not believe what he was saying. “I thought at our first meeting that you did not like me.”

  “No, I did not like that you had been introduced to Philip and that my father and your father were pushing a courtship between the two of you. To be perfectly honest, I was nearly devastated.” He looked away and chuckled.

  She looked at him with wide eyes, unable to speak.

  He took both of her hands in his. “Please say that you will marry me. I promise that I will love you forever.”

  Tears sprang to Elizabeth's eyes and she nodded several times. “Yes, I would be so very happy to marry you!”

  Lord James stood up and Elizabeth did the same not wanting to let go of his hands. “I would have preferred to court you longer but I think we should announce our engagement as soon as possible to quiet the gossips. If you like, we could have a more lengthy engagement to allow us to court a while longer.”

  “Lord James...”

  “Please, call me James,” he said quietly.

  She smiled shyly and said, “James, I think that would be agreeable, although, I do not need more time to know that I want to marry you. I think it would be good though for me to spend some time getting acquainted with Cambridge.”

  He seemed surprised that she remembered. Elizabeth laughed. “If I am to be a barrister's wife, I suppose I should start preparing now.”

  “Have I mentioned how wonderful you are?” James asked looking down at her.

  She tipped her head to the side slightly. “No, but I think I will love hearing it.”

  Did you enjoy James’ story - A Brother’s Duty, Book One in the Repington Chronicles Series? Want to find out what happens next in the family saga?

  Following is a preview of Philip’s story – The Wayward Heir, Book Two.

  So, keep reading!

  Preview of The Wayward Heir

  Book Two in the Repington Chronicles - Philip’s Story

  “I did not think I would ever say this but I am quite sad to say farewell to France.”

  Philip grimaced. “I was only too glad to leave Calais far behind.”

  “That does not surprise me.” His friend Christopher Boswell, better known as Lord Fallbrooke, narrowed his eyes at him from across the coach. “You have been in a foul mood for the past week. I cannot think that you have missed England that much.”

  There had been a moment when Philip had first seen the white cliffs of Dover that he had felt a sudden and deep pang of homesickness. He had not expected it and had immediately pushed the feelings aside as he had so many times before.

  He shifted in his seat in an attempt to shake off the heaviness that seemed to settle around him.

  “Of course, not. Although I have missed our usual table at White's.”

  “Quite understandable. The gambling clubs in Paris are just not the same,” Fallbrooke lamented. “Although their theater is much more enjoyable, not quite so stiff and compromising.”

  “I agree wholeheartedly. However, I feel I must point out that I doubt theater patrons in England would consider the performances we viewed in Paris as theater.”

  Fallbrooke let out a bawdy laugh. “You are quite right, but it does explain why it was so enjoyable for us.”

  Philip smiled back at his friend, it was more out of habit than any sense of happiness. Fallbrooke had not been exaggerating
, Philip had been in a foul mood as of late.

  Their visit to France was to be a carefree adventure for them. As they had passed through London, Fallbrooke had had the foresight to stop so that Philip could procure more funds from the Duke of Castborough’s solicitor. They were more than a day ahead of Philip's father and they knew there would be no way for him to have notified the solicitor that Philip had been cut off financially.

  They had lived extravagantly eating well during the day, drinking and gambling through the night. Often those nights would start out at the theater. That first fortnight in Paris the nights had ended with them getting back as the sun rose over the houses on the banks of the Seine.

  Philip had grown tired of it quickly though he had gone along with Fallbrooke's ideas simply because he always had. It was disconcerting enough that he was not enjoying the same activities and lifestyle that he had fought so hard to protect only months before.

  His brother's words to him ringing in his ears. “You are a disgrace to the Castborough title! I hate who you have become.”

  Philip had done his best to forget the argument. James had confronted him in the stable before he and the others had fled his father's house party to run off to Paris. He had not even told Fallbrooke about the argument.

  “And really anything was better than that sedate house party with your father and Southwick setting the ever high in the instep, Lady Elizabeth in front of you at every moment.”

  “Yes, that was most annoying,” Philip said dryly and then turned toward the window.

  Lady Elizabeth Comerford, the only daughter of the Earl of Southwick. She was a beautiful young lady and quite well-versed in the social graces.

  Philip had known that marrying her would not have been so horrible. He had resigned himself to the fate. That was until he had found her talking to his brother. The way she had looked up at James was not something Philip would soon forget. Her green eyes had widened and her smile was as sincere as he had seen since his return to Surrey. Lady Elizabeth had clearly fallen in love with his brother, although Philip had wondered if the girl even realized it.