To Heal an Earl

by Aston, Alexa

  He rose, placing his napkin on the table. He wasn’t about to let some bossy little no one tell him how to manage his own life. He knew what his brother’s will stipulated. He would see his nephew and nieces had the proper care. That Gray Manor and Seymour’s other estates were managed properly. Then he would leave and visit once a year. Miss Nott could send him a monthly report regarding the children’s progress.

  “Love them,” he murmured and snorted. Gray didn’t love anyone. Well, perhaps Reid and Burke. They were more family to him than his own brother had been. He’d foolishly loved his men once, at the beginning of the war, and then discovered it too painful as more and more of them died in action. He came undone every time he had to write a letter home to the family of a fallen soldier. For his own sanity, he’d divorced himself from feeling anything for anyone other than duty and responsibility to the soldiers placed in his care. Even then, his disappointments and poor decisions which got too many of them killed haunted him. He’d resolved to care for no one, least of all three brats with whom he felt no connection.

  Gray left the breakfast room, determined to meet his unruly nieces and speak to the new Lord Crampton before Mr. Bonham arrived. Once he got this over with, he doubted he would need to see them again before he left for town.

  He assumed the girls and the tyrannical Miss Nott breakfasted in the schoolroom. He always had at a young age. Gray made his way up the flights of stairs, nodding at a few passing maids who looked at him nervously. Perhaps he should gather the servants and guarantee them they all would maintain their positions. Unless some of them were as careless in their work as the former housekeeper and estate manager had been. Drat, he’d probably need to speak to Miss Nott about the work ethic of the servants in the house and those who worked in the stables and on the estate. The thought of that conversation rankled him, having to depend upon the woman, but knowing her knowledge would streamline matters.

  He reached the schoolroom and paused outside the open door. Though he believed eavesdropping beneath him, for a moment, he wanted to see the lay of the land before he stormed inside.

  “Do you think our uncle will like us?” a soft voice asked, uncertainty obvious.

  “Of course Major Grayson will like you,” Miss Nott reassured her charge. “Both of you are exceptional young ladies, intelligent and kind. What’s not to like about you?”

  “Jane’s kind. I’m usually not,” another girl said, her tone harsh and full of stubbornness.

  “You are kind when you wish to be, Lady Harriet,” Miss Nott said. “You should choose to be so more often. It’s important to make a good first impression on your uncle. First impressions can be lasting ones.”

  “What will we call him?” Jane said.

  “I suppose Uncle. I don’t know his Christian name. I’m sure when you meet him later today, he’ll tell you how you should refer to him.”

  “He came from the war. I’ll bet he’s killed all kinds of people,” Harriet said gleefully. “I’ll ask him about it.”

  “You’ll do no such thing,” Miss Nott admonished. “War is an ugly thing, Lady Harriet. Major Grayson will not want to be reminded of it. Yes, he most likely has killed in the name of king and country, but it would be impolite to discuss it with him.”

  “I don’t think he’ll like me,” Harriet proclaimed. “No one does.”

  “That’s because you make a point of deliberately misbehaving. And since I’ve come, I believe you’ve conducted yourself in a much better manner. After all, you were sorry for Mr. Masters’ injury. That counts for something.”

  Her words took Gray aback. Harriet had something to do with Masters’ broken arm? No wonder the butler had brushed the matter aside.

  “He’ll like Jane. She’s sweet. Unless she’s doing what I tell her to do.”

  He heard sniffling and Miss Nott said, “No need to cry, Lady Jane. We’ve talked about this.”

  “What if Uncle doesn’t like me?”

  “Well, he’s never met you. He’ll have no opinion formed of you beforehand. Both of you must do your best to be your best. It’s something you should always strive for,” Miss Nott said. “You can start, Lady Jane, by being responsible for your own actions. You are old enough now to know right from wrong. The next time your sister wants you to do something you’re uncomfortable with—something you know is wrong—simply tell her no.”

  “I can do that?” Jane said, wonder in her voice.

  “Of course, you can,” Miss Nott insisted. “We are all responsible for our own actions. Just because Lady Harriet tells you to do something doesn’t mean you must blindly follow her and do her bidding.”

  “But I’m older than Jane,” Harriet insisted. “She should follow my example.”

  “Only if it’s a good one, my lady. Besides, I have a feeling your days of unruly behavior are coming to an end. You are a strong little girl, Lady Harriet. I don’t just mean your physical strength. You need to act as a leader and as an older sister should by being a good example to Lady Jane. I’m sure your uncle will be pleased and proud of you, once he gets to know you.”

  “You won’t tell him how awful I’ve been?” Worry echoed in Harriet’s words, touching Gray.

  “Why should I? Major Grayson should get to know you himself. From this moment on, Lady Harriet, you and Lady Jane will conduct yourself as members of the Grayson family should. Be kind and courteous to all.”

  “Even to servants?” Harriet asked, clearly perplexed by that notion.

  “Especially servants, for they wait on you and do things for you that you don’t even think about.”

  “Like what?” Jane asked.

  “First, you’re wearing clean clothes today. Not only did someone make those clothes for you, but they washed and ironed them. Washing is a long, dreary business. Clothes don’t magically appear in a wardrobe. The same with your clean linens and towels. And your baths. Think of how long it takes for the servants to heat the water and haul it upstairs.”

  “That’s a lot of work,” Jane pointed out and Gray found himself smiling.

  “It is. That’s why you should be nice to your servants. They devote their lives to caring for you. And you should be kind to everyone around you, not just your friends and family.”

  Jane started sniffling again and Miss Nott asked, “What’s wrong, love?”

  “I like Rodger. I do. But Mama and Papa weren’t nice to us at all.” She began crying and Gray sensed movement in the room. He supposed Miss Nott moved to comfort the girl.

  “Jane’s right,” Harriet said. “Neither Mama nor Papa were nice to us. They didn’t care about us at all. I heard Papa say girls were useless things and he’d wished we’d never been born.”

  Gray winced hearing the vile words, knowing it was exactly the kind of thing Seymour would voice. The fact Harriet had overheard it cut him deeply.

  “Papa didn’t really like Rodger much either because he’s sick all the time,” Harriet continued.

  “Not everyone has loving parents,” the governess said softly.

  “Did you, Miss Nott? Did your parents love you?”

  “I suppose Mama did. She died when I was very young. I have an impression of sitting in her lap as she rocked me and sang to me.”

  “Oh, that’s why you sing so well, Miss,” Harriet said. “You got it from your mama. Are we going to keep singing?”

  “Yes, my lady. Now that your uncle is here, he will assume the bulk of responsibilities and hire the appropriate people. It will give us more time for all of our lessons, including singing and music ones.”

  “And riding?” Jane piped in. “You promised we could learn how to ride.”

  “Definitely riding. It’s an important accomplishment for a lady.”

  “I don’t know if I’ll ever learn to sing or play the pianoforte well,” Harriet complained.

  “A lot of practice is involved. You’ll need to exercise patience. The same with riding. You won’t become an expert immediately but after time spent i
n the saddle, you’ll feel more comfortable.”

  “What about your papa, Miss Nott?” Jane asked. “Did he love you?”

  Gray leaned closer, curious as to the governess’ answer.

  “Oh, Papa loved me a great deal. I believe he tried to make up for me having only one parent. We spent a great deal of time together and he taught me many things. He is the best man I will ever know. I miss him every single day.”

  “Do you miss being away from him—or did he die like Mama and Papa?” Harriet asked.

  “He passed away some eight years ago, when I was barely eighteen.”

  “What about your brothers and sisters?” Jane demanded. “Did he love them, too?”

  “I only have a half-brother.”

  “Half?” Harriet cried. “How can a person be a half-person?”

  Miss Nott laughed, a throaty laugh that caused Gray to want to see her but he remained just out of view so he could learn more of her past.

  “No, silly. My papa was married to a lady who gave birth to my brother. She died several years later and Papa remarried. That lady was my mama. That is why we are half-siblings because we come from different mothers.”

  “Do you miss your half-brother?” Jane asked.

  Silence filled the room and Gray waited for her reply.

  “No. He never liked me, much less loved me.”

  “Why not, Miss Nott?” Harriet demanded. “Everyone at Gray Manor loves you.”

  “Not everyone. My half-brother . . . well, he was unhappy when Papa married again. And he grew even more unhappy when I came along.”

  “Was he mean to you, Miss Nott?” Harriet asked fiercely. “If so, I shall find him and box his ears.”

  The governess laughed merrily. “And I would pay a ha’penny to see that. Yes, he was a bit mean. It doesn’t matter, girls. I doubt I’ll ever see him again.”

  Gray would like to do more than box the man’s ears. He heard in Miss Nott’s voice more than she was revealing to his nieces. The hurt was obvious. She had no one in the world, other than her charges—and it was obvious she cared about them a great deal.

  “Come, we’ve spent far too long on breakfast. Let’s set the dishes aside and begin our work.”

  “And then go see our new uncle?” Jane asked hopefully.

  With that, Gray stepped into the room. He hadn’t tried to picture the girls as they spoke but it was clear from the moment he saw them that they were Graysons. Both had the startling blue eyes and chestnut hair that were a family trait.

  “Good morning,” he said genially. “I thought I would come to the nursery and meet my nieces.”

  “Schoolroom,” Harriet corrected. “We are beyond the nursery.”

  Miss Nott shot her a warning glance and Harriet smiled prettily. “What are we to call you? Miss Nott has said you are Major Grayson.”

  “I’m no longer a military officer. I am plain Mr. Grayson.” He smiled at the girl, who gazed at him inquisitively. “You shall call me Uncle Gray.”

  “Is your name Gray Grayson?” Jane asked timidly.

  Gray pulled out a chair and sat, most of him spilling out of it since it was built for children. He lifted Jane into his lap. “My given name is Danforth Grayson but my friends have always called me Gray.”

  Jane smiled up at him shyly. He could see the girl had a sweet disposition and wouldn’t be half the challenge her sister was.

  “I like it,” she said. “Uncle Gray.”

  He turned to Harriet. “Will Uncle Gray do for you, as well, Harriet?”

  “You know my name?”

  “I do. Rodger told me.”

  “You’ve already been to see Rodger—before us?” Harriet asked, a bit put out.

  “No, meeting the two of you was my first priority. Rodger told me he had two sisters when I last visited Gray Manor. I was off to the war and came home to say goodbye after university. Rodger was quite proud of being a big brother and told me you, Harriet, were three and that Jane had just had her first birthday.”

  “Why have you been gone so long?” Harriet demanded. “Didn’t you want to see us?”

  “Because I’ve been fighting for England, Niece. Bonaparte doesn’t take time off from battle and neither could I.”

  “Have you seen Bonaparte?” Harriet asked, her eyes round with wonder. “Is he the monster everyone says he is?”

  “I have not seen him in person and, yes, I believe anyone who wants to take over all of Europe and have us bend our knee to him is a monster.”

  “Will he win?” Jane asked, her voice small.

  “No,” he reassured the girl. “It will take time because France has thousands of soldiers and a good stockpile of weapons, but I do believe that Bonaparte will be defeated someday.”

  “Do you miss the war?” Harriet asked, her eyes cutting to her governess and back to him as she skated along the edge of polite conversation.

  “I miss the friends I left behind,” he admitted. “My closest friends, who are like brothers to me, are still in Spain. We’ve been friends since we were all seven years old and met at school that first day.”

  “That’s a long time to be friends,” Harriet pointed out. “You must be old.” She caught herself and said, “But not as old as Papa. He had gray hair and was very fat and old.”

  “I am sixteen years your father’s junior. That makes me twenty-seven.”

  “That’s more than twenty years older than me,” Jane said. Then she looked at Miss Nott. “How old are you, Miss Nott?”

  Gray leaned down and whispered, “Never ask a lady her age, Jane. It’s not done.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because most women like to keep certain things private,” Miss Nott responded. “However, I will tell you that I am six and twenty.” She looked at Gray. “Would you like to have the girls read to you, Mr. Grayson?”

  He noticed she now referred to him without his title. “Yes, Miss Nott, I would enjoy hearing them read and seeing how advanced they are.”

  “Miss Nott says we’re very smart,” Harriet confided to him. “We’re learning Latin, like Rodger. And geography and history.”

  “And Miss Nott is teaching us pianoforte,” Jane said eagerly. “And to sing.”

  “What about riding?” he asked, remembering they seemed eager to do so.

  “That, too,” Jane said, nodding her head. “Papa didn’t have time to teach us and none of our governesses wanted to try.” She whispered, “I don’t even think they knew how to ride.”

  “Oh, I’m sure they did,” Harriet said airily. “But Miss Nott is very patient. She will be able to teach us when no others could.”

  “So, you like Miss Nott as your governess?” he asked. “The reason is, I must decide what is best for the three of you since your father appointed me your guardian.”

  “Oh, we love Miss Nott,” Harriet assured him matter-of-factly. “You must keep her on. She already knows everything about Gray Manor.”

  “I see,” he said solemnly. “Well, let’s hear how well you read and what else your governess has been teaching you.”

  He spent another half-hour in the schoolroom as the girls showed off their knowledge. They were both bright and eager to please him. If he hadn’t known Harriet was a problem child, he never would have guessed it.

  “I think we’ve taken up enough of Mr. Grayson’s time. It’s only his first day here and he has to see to estate business, my ladies.”

  “Will you come back?” Jane asked, and he saw the hesitation in her eyes, knowing she believed he wouldn’t.

  Something pulled hard on his heartstrings and he found himself saying, “Yes, Jane. I will certainly want to see your progress. I must go visit with your brother for a while now. We don’t want to leave him out.”

  “Rodger’s very sick,” Jane said, her eyes misting over.

  “I’ll see he gets the very best care. Even if I must send to London for a physician, we’ll do our utmost to see him well.”

  “You’re nice, Unc
le Gray,” Jane said solemnly. She looked to her sister. “I think he likes us,” she whispered, as if Gray couldn’t hear what she said.

  He saw the smile tugging at Miss Nott’s lips as she turned away and busied herself with stacking books on the table.

  “Miss Nott, would you be able to give the girls an assignment and accompany me to see Lord Crampton? I’d like to hear about the progress he’s made with his studies.”

  She hesitated a moment and Harriet said, “It’s all right, Miss Nott. We will be perfect angels. We can work on our drawings.”

  “That’s a very good idea, Lady Harriet.” She looked to Gray. “Your niece is a very talented artist. At some point, she will require a drawing master. It won’t take long for me to teach her all I know regarding art.”

  “I’ll certainly consider it.” Gray rose, glad to stand after sitting in the cramped little chair for so long. “Girls, I will see you later.”

  “Maybe you can help us with our riding lesson,” Harriet prompted, shooting her governess a pleading look.

  “We’ll see,” he said and held a hand out toward the door. “After you, Miss Nott.”

  “Thank you.” She swept past him and into the corridor.

  Chapter Eight

  Charlotte wondered who the man was that accompanied her to young Lord Crampton’s room. Not an hour earlier, he’d expressed no interest in the children after she’d begged him to lavish love and attention upon them. Yet he turned up only minutes later and charmed both his nieces with a smile that tugged at her heart. After a rough start, Harriet had proven to be on her best behavior, while Jane had taken to her uncle from the start. Knowing he still had so much to read through and prepare before Mr. Bonham arrived, the man still insisted on going to see his nephew now.

  She hadn’t been around many men in her life but Charlotte decided she might never understand the ones she encountered. Especially Mr. Grayson.

  “Is Rodger in his room this time of day?” her new employer asked.