“Sadly, no.” Lady Brookshire released a heavy sigh, as though personally affected by the marital status of the Baron’s daughters. “The youngest is but fifteen, so still too young. Her older sisters are well into marriageable age, however. Miss Unity, the second born, I believe is eighteen, and the eldest Miss Walters is one-and-twenty.”
“Have there been no prospects for the young lady?”
Edwin could not understand his friend’s sudden fascination with the Walters sisters. What did it matter to them if the ladies were married or not? He had not come to the country to find a wife. He had come to the country to escape such topics, not pursue an innocent country girl who had no experience with London high society.
“Oh, there have been plenty.” Lady Brookshire appeared to be warming up to the topic. Edwin guessed she was among the most prolific of the county’s gossipers. “The eldest Miss Walters appears to have no interest in marriage whatsoever. Truly, she seems uninterested in much of what we of the fairer sex hold dear. She has turned down every offer for her hand that has come along.”
Edwin felt a grin tug at his lips. He was not sure why, but he found Miss Walters’s apparent aversion to marriage amusing. It was very unusual for a young lady to actively avoid the institution, especially one who seemed to have no difficulty securing a husband if only she gave one poor bloke a chance. She sounded like a very interesting individual indeed.
“My Lords, I almost forgot! Have you yet heard about the soiree Lord and Lady McKenzie are hosting this Saturday?”
Of course we have not. We have only just arrived in the area, after all.
Edwin did not continue to listen to the lady’s incessant chatter, leaving the responsibilities of polite socializing to Habtage. As he sipped his tea, his mind wandered back to the Walters sisters. Particularly the eldest Miss Walters. Something about what the Countess had said about the lady held his interest. Most ladies he knew could think of little else but marriage and frivolous things, like fashion and pretty ornaments.
To meet a lady whose mind was not consumed by the pursuit of a wealthy husband could be a very refreshing change of pace.
* * *
“Lady Brookshire was a rather pleasant hostess, do you not think?” Habtage asked later as he and Edwin rode back to Cantham from Brookshire estate.
Edwin scoffed. “I think she enjoys the sound of her own voice a great deal.”
“Do not be so unkind. She was merely excited to have two new neighbors to entertain. I am sure most everyone else she knows already has heard all the gossip she possesses.” Habtage could not stop the chuckle that burst from his lips.
“I am sure she was very excited to get to know the two wealthy bachelors taking up residence next door. Mark my word, Habtage, now we shall be bombarded by ambitious mothers and their daughters seeking introductions. We will have no peace whatsoever.”
“I suppose we will have to reinforce the gate,” Habtage said drily, casting a grin toward his friend. “Prepare the servants for the imminent invasion of perfume and silk.”
“You jest, but I saw how the Countess was looking at you. She was already sizing you up for wedding clothes and planning your future with her granddaughter.”
Habtage’s eyes went wide in mock horror. “Then my fate is surely sealed. Do not try to free me from my shackles, my friend! I am a lost soul. You must save yourself!”
Edwin shook his head but could not help smiling at his friend’s teasing.
“Habtage, if you are not careful, you will one day find yourself married to a lady who nags you until your ears bleed.”
“Would that truly be so terrible?” his friend asked, his curiosity genuine. “Are you that opposed to marriage, Morrington, that the very idea of it seems like a prison sentence?”
Edwin sighed and shook his head. “No, in truth I am not. I would actually like to marry one day, I believe. The steadfast companionship is very appealing, and I understand my responsibilities in producing an heir for my family’s line. I simply do not like being pressured into marriage. Should I enter the institution, I want to do so of my own free will with a lady of my own choosing, one whom I can care for.”
“I had not known you were such a romantic.”
Edwin rolled his eyes. “Romance is hardly the issue. Compatibility is the key in a lasting marriage, as well as mutual respect and admiration.”
“You are right. That does not sound romantic in the least.”
Shooting a glare toward his friend, Edwin replied, “And what of you? Are you so eager to love your spouse that you rush headfirst into any match presented to you? Are you not the least bit discerning?”
“Of course I am,” Habtage answered with a shrug. “I just do not see the benefit of dismissing every option that comes my way.”
“I have noticed that most of your options tend to be young widows,” Edwin pointed out. “You do not appear to engage with many young, innocent ladies.”
Habtage shot Edwin a cocky grin. “I suppose I find the heartiness of widows a more appealing characteristic than the shyness of the innocent.”
Edwin knew his friend all too well and knew his interest in young widows had much more to do with the ease in which he could sneak into their beds. Habtage was a good man and a loyal and true friend, but he readily indulged in his desires in a way that even Edwin sometimes found gluttonous.
Though his words gave the impression that he eagerly sought a wife, Edwin knew deep down his friend was as tired of the matchmaking schemes of the ton as he was. No lady pursued them because they cared for the gentlemen themselves. All they saw were titles and fortunes. It was enough to make even the most romantically inclined jaded.
“I pray you find your match, Habtage, if only to keep you from running afoul of an angered brother, father, or son.”
Habtage threw his head back and laughed.
“And I pray you find yours, Morrington, if only to erase those scowl lines between your eyes.”
The two continued on, talking and laughing, until they reached Cantham. Leaving their horses in the care of waiting grooms, they entered the manor and were immediately greeted by Corbin.
“Welcome back, My Lords,” the old butler said with a bow. “I hope your outing was an enjoyable one?”
Edwin nodded. “Indeed, we both found it exceedingly entertaining.”
He exchanged a look with Habtage, who grinned mischievously in return.
“Lord Morrington, a letter arrived for you while you were out, delivered by private messenger.” Corbin held out a sealed envelope. Edwin took it, a bit surprised to be receiving messages so soon upon his arrival.
“Thank you, Corbin. That will be all.”
“Very good, My Lord.” The butler bowed again and turned to leave Edwin and Habtage alone.
Once the butler was out of sight, Habtage asked, “Who is it from, Morrington?”
The seal was a plain lump of wax with no distinguishing markings. Turning the letter over, he saw only his name written on the front, though the hand was familiar. Breaking the seal, he opened the letter. Glancing at the signature at the bottom, he frowned.
“Morrington? What is it? Who sent you this letter?”
Edwin did not answer immediately, as he tried to make sense of it all.
At length, he finally said, “It…it is from the Countess of Pimperton.”
Habtage stared at him in disbelief. “Merciful Lord, what has happened now?”
Edwin was afraid to find out.
Chapter 4
“Have you heard the news, sisters? Cantham estate is occupied again!”
Tabitha glanced up from her book at Sophia, who had burst into the family parlor in a flurry of ribbons and fabric. Her face was flushed with her excitement. Glancing toward Unity, she found her other sister calmly resting her sewing in her lap to give Sophia her undivided attention.
“Oh, has the Duchess returned already?” Unity asked, her tone holding a note of mild interest.
Sophia hurried
closer to them, shaking her head. “No, that is the thrilling part! Apparently, it is being occupied by two gentlemen. The word is they are both Lords with great fortune, and each is single!”
Unity’s lips parted as her interest clearly rose. “Indeed?”
“Are either a relation to the Duchess?” Tabitha asked, though she truly cared very little about the news. It was really no concern of theirs who resided in Cantham at any given moment. They were acquainted with the Duchess but had never met any of her relatives. Tabitha only asked to indulge Sophia’s clear exhilaration over the development.
“I am not sure,” Sophia replied. “Miss Rebecca thought one of the gentlemen, Lord Morrington, might be the Duchess’s godson.”
“That would explain their occupation of the estate,” Unity nodded. “When did they arrive?”
“Two days ago. Apparently, Lady Brookshire invited them to tea yesterday, but I do not think they have made any other introductions yet.” Sophia was grinning from ear-to-ear, as if the arrival of the two gentlemen was a personal gift to her.
“Lady Brookshire certainly moves quickly,” Tabitha snorted. “No doubt she was trying to push Miss Plain-Face Jane onto one of them.”
“Do not be unkind, Tabitha,” Unity scolded. “Miss Jane is not plain-faced.”
“She is just mean and haughty,” Sophia said, rolling her eyes. “Better to be plain-faced than sour-faced.”
Tabitha giggled. “I agree, Sophia.”
Unity released an exasperated sigh. “You both should be kinder when you speak of the other ladies of the county. They are our longtime friends and companions.”
Miss Jane Reynolds was neither their friend, nor their companion, as she only frequented the area in the summertime to visit her grandmother. She was a nasty and spiteful young lady who was clearly jealous of the Walters sisters. However, sweet Unity had a heart bigger than anyone Tabitha had ever met, and she endeavored to see the good in all people.
Even those the likes of Miss Sour-Face Jane.
“Most of the young ladies of this county have their noses stuck so far into the air, it is a wonder they do not trip when they walk,” Sophia sniped.
It had become clear to Tabitha when she was a young girl that many of the other ladies of Laurelborough bore a strong resentment to her and her sisters. After all, their papa, a mere Baron, was the wealthiest man in the area. Many thought that odd, given his low status among the nobility. That, joined with their rather humble estate and his apparent aversion to town, made their family an oddity.
The ton did not bear oddities among its ranks well.
It was fortunate that Tabitha cared very little about what the ton thought of her or her family. She and her sisters had plenty of good friends to socialize with, and the majority of Laurelborough treated them with decency and respect. Tabitha saw no point in wasting her time worrying about the few individuals who did not like them. They were of little consequence to her.
“Sophia!” Unity gasped.
Their youngest sister shrugged. “It is the truth, and you know it well enough.”
“Be that as it may, you should not say such things out loud,” Unity insisted.
Tabitha chuckled into the pages of her book. How she loved her sisters. No two ladies could be more different from each other, and that made their interactions all the more entertaining. It was only when they joined forces against Tabitha herself that she ever grew aggravated by their antics.
“What else have you discovered about the new residents of Laurelborough?” she asked. It was probably best to change the subject and spare poor Unity further frustration.
“There is talk that they will be invited to Lord and Lady McKenzie’s soiree this weekend,” Sophia said, latching back onto the topic with ease. Her eyes were gleaming with excitement.
Tabitha arched a brow in amusement. “Sophia, darling, are you forgetting that we declined our invitation to that event? We are traveling north to visit Aunt Bess this weekend and staying with her for the week.”
Sophia’s face fell with instant disappointment. “Oh, no…I had forgotten.”
Unity also released a small sigh. “That is unfortunate. Both gentlemen will likely be snapped up before we return home.”
Tabitha felt a pang of sympathy for Unity, as well as a stab of guilt. She knew her sister’s interest in the newcomers had nothing to do with their titles and wealth. Unlike Tabitha, Unity was very excited by the prospect of matrimony, and greatly wanted to find a husband for herself. Her prospects were not so great in Laurelborough as one might have believed, however, and it was entirely Tabitha’s fault.
Her constant rejection of the gentlemen of the area had apparently spooked them and they did not pursue her younger sister. It did not help matters that Unity, though beautiful and usually so charming, became quiet and shy in the presence of others, especially gentlemen. No matter how much she longed for it, she had not had great luck in finding a match. Tabitha shouldered much of the blame for her predicament.
No matter how badly she felt, however, she could not bring herself to compromise her own desires and principles. Even the love and happiness of her sister could not bring her to settle for someone she did not truly want.
I am sorry, Unity. I wish there was more I could do for you. You deserve to marry the finest, most loyal gentleman alive.
As though a pall had passed over her, Tabitha’s good humor suddenly vanished. She did not want to hear any more about the new residents of Cantham. She did not want to think any more about marriage, or how she had possibly ruined her sister’s chances at happiness with her own stubbornness. She did not want to feel as though she were being selfish in her desires for her own life.
Pushing to her feet, she murmured, “I am feeling a sudden need for air. I believe I will take a walk.”
Both her sisters looked at her with expressions of concern.
“Are you feeling unwell, Tabitha?” Unity asked, ever the worrier. “Do you need to rest upstairs? Should I have someone fetch the physician?”
Tabitha waved her sister’s question away with a flick of her hand.
“It is nothing so serious as that. I just need a bit of exercise to clear my head. That is all.”
Unity shared a look with Sophia.
“Do you want one of us to accompany you?” her youngest sister questioned.
Tabitha shook her head. “No, that will not be necessary. One of the maids can go with me.”
“If you are sure…” Unity murmured.
“Yes, I am very sure. You two continue your chat. I want to hear all about how you intend to snare the two gentlemen when I return.” She forced a reassuring smile for them before turning and walking out of the room before either could try to stop her.
* * *
Nothing gave Edwin a greater sense of freedom than riding. He loved feeling the wind whip past his face when he let his horse have its head. He loved the feel of total escape as he hurtled over hills and through fields at a speed unnatural to human beings. He relished the wild thrill that came with having a massive beast beneath him, its muscles tightening and loosening as his own worked to remain in-sync.
Edwin did not have the same ability to ride as daringly in town as he did out here. He thought his daily rides would come to be his favorite part of his stay in Laurelborough. This was when he would be able to find true peace of mind. True escape from all the things that currently plagued his life.
He did not even invited Habtage out with him. Edwin wanted total and complete solitude as, for just a short time, he outran all his problems. Today, though, he could not seem to outrun all of them. The Countess’s letter would not leave his mind. He had read through it so many times since receiving it the day before, he had it memorized.
My Dearest Lord Morrington,
I hope this correspondence finds you well. You have not been away for long, but I must confess, I do miss you already. I hope you are able to shed the stink of scandal out in the country. You have no idea how
grateful I am to you for all you have done for me, and for your silence on the matter. I know this is a trying time, and that I am selfish for putting you through such trials. You are a good and true friend, and I will never be able to repay you.
I admit to feeing a modicum of jealousy at your escape from London. It would be a lie to say that the situation has grown any easier. We are all but pariahs among society, Pimperton and I. I, of course, for my condition. Pimperton for his loyalty to me. That is what breaks my heart the most. I told him, as you advised me to, and once I talked him from his thirst for blood, he swore to remain by my side. He suggested we go to Paris or Rome until the worst of the gossip wears away, but I fear what such travel may do to me in my condition. We would go to the country along with you, but Pimperton cannot be away from Parliament at present, and I refuse to be away from him.
Improperly Enticed By The Rascal Earl (Steamy Historical Regency Romance) Page 3