“I have had enough of your stubbornness! You are such an ingrate! If not for me, you would be out on the street, with no shelter or food. I shall send you to London where you will be taught the moral etiquettes of the ton!”
Juliana looked up at her father. Did he really mean what he said?
“Yes,” said her father as if reading her mind. “You shall be sent to London where all this savage and stubborn behavior shall be put to rest and then hopefully you will find a proper gentleman who will marry you!”
“If all men are like you, then I’d much rather die than to have to marry any of them!”
For some time, neither of them spoke and Juliana stood up angrily and left the chamber. She ran to her chamber, her pretty red curls bouncing as she slammed the door after her and jumped on the bed. She cried.
**
Lord Jeremiah Browning, the Count of Hawkshire
He watched as his daughter left the chamber and he sighed. She was no doubt his daughter, the stubbornness was recognizable.
He rubbed a hand through his white hair before grabbing a seat. He was exhausted from having to shout at her. Even the shouting had not worked.
“My Lord,” said the voice of his most loyal servant, Adams. He was his butler aged between three scores and ten which was five years more than his own age. Adams had been his father’s butler before finally serving him as well. He was also his closest friend.
Adams came in with a cup of tea which he handed to him with a slight bow.
“Thank you, Adams. I believe you must have heard that,” Jeremiah said, taking the cup from him and setting it down on the table before him.
“Indeed, I have, my Lord. Just as I have for several days,” Adams replied with a half-smile.
“She hates me,” Jeremiah declared, now raising the cup to his lips.
“Of course she does, my Lord. You sent her mother away, got married to another and now her mother is dead. She definitely blames you.”
“I didn’t mean to seduce her mother, Adams,” Jeremiah said, sipping his tea and then setting it down.
“I was there, remember?”
The count scoffed, of course, Adams was there all the time he had tried to seduce the young maid with the most beautiful red hair he has ever seen. He knew he had been a bit of rake while growing up.
What came as a surprise to him was when Elizabeth had to tell him several months later that she was pregnant with his child. That had driven him mad. His father must not hear of it.
How could he, with his reputation marry his own maid, someone with a lower value? The only think he could do then was to get rid of her before his father would find out. He ended up firing her just in time when he father declared his engagement to another woman, Dianne.
It was several years later of being childless that he realized that he was being punished for his crime. Dianne grew sick and later died, without giving him a single child.
Knowing he was getting older every day without any child to inherit his properties, he decided to look for Elizabeth but ended up finding her daughter.
“What do you suggest I do, Adams? The girl would not even listen to me? She despises me and I know I deserve it. She blames me for the death of her mother and I know that I deserve that too.”
Adams smiled. “I overheard you telling her that you would like to send her to the London society.”
The count nodded. “Indeed, Adams. How else would she get to act like a lady if she is not taught to be one?”
Adams was about to interfere but the count continued.
“She always wear her hair loosely, her gown, hideous, her gloves, always stained and the manner at which she carries herself around the house is just quite embarrassing. If I do not do something about it, she may end up not finding a reputable gentleman to marry.”
Adams smiled.
“First of all, she has just recently found out that you are her father and that you could have taken care of her mother, now you brought her home against her will and now planning to ship her off to the London society?”
Jeremiah thought for a while. He could see more reasons why his daughter would despise him still but he was only trying to help her.
“Adams, if we had not found her the time we did, she would have been thrown out into the street. She would have no place to go, no food, no shelter. If I wish to send her to London, then that is what I am doing. She ought to be grateful that I am doing this for her.”
“So, which lady, may I ask, will you be sending her to?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” replied the count. “But I daresay Lady Georgette Rowland will be the best tutor. Could you get me my writing materials? I’d love to begin the process immediately.”
“Certainly, my Lord,” Adams replied, taking the empty cup on the table and then gave a slight bow before leaving the chamber.
**
Miss Juliana Gaverton
Juliana opened her sleepy eyes as she heard a movement in her chamber. She turned to her side and spotted Mary, her maid, the one her father had assigned to her on getting to the manor.
If there was any one she loved most in the house, it would be Mary. She was just like a little sister to her. While Juliana was nineteen, Mary was just fifteen.
She would mostly advise her and even though she was younger than Juliana, Mary knew how best to calm her down. She was just pouring some hot water into the tub for her when she turned around to see her awake.
“My lady,” said Mary with a curtesy. “I do apologize for disturbing your sleep.”
Juliana smiled. “It is alright, Mary for you did no such thing. How long was I asleep for?” she asked, straightening up.
“About thirty minutes, my lady,” replied Mary, putting down the bowl and walking towards the curtain.
“Oh, alright,” she said, sighing.
“Is everything alright?” Mary asked, pulling the curtains up.
“My father, I despise him so much, Mary. And now, he deems it fit to ship me away to London. What did he take me for? An object that can be tossed to and fro? I find it rather condescending.”
“He wants to take you to London? Might be for a good cause, my lady,” said Mary, now walking to the bed while Juliana climbed out of it.
“I think it not,” replied Juliana. “He ventures to make me into a proper lady of the ton. He wants me to be dressing and eating like them!” she scoffed. “How ill I feel about it all!”
“Certainly it cannot be so horrible, my lady. You might probably like it,” Mary went on, now laying the bed.
“Certainly not! I shall particularly dislike it! I am not made to wear such elaborate gowns, how uncomfortable they must be.
If I have my way, I do not mind working on the count’s tenant’s farms, climbing trees. Not, going to some silly tea gatherings and gossiping all the time away.”
“Might I ask if you are given a choice?” Mary asked.
This time Juliana gave no reply. She remembered the way she had spoken to her father, she was certain that her father would never give her a choice.
“He desires that I be married to a gentleman. He approves not of my way of life and I do not care about his approval. If only he could leave me be!”
“I’m afraid your father would rather have his way than leaving you be, my lady. I believe he thinks that controlling your life makes him your father. Dare I say, that is what most fathers do these days.”
“I do not want him to be my father! I’d rather not have any father at all! He left my mother all alone! Does he know about how we struggled? How she died from yellow fever?
He was the cause of it all. Mother told me everything about him. After seducing her, he sent her away with a child in the womb. What kind of a man does that?” she shook her head angrily and sorrowfully as she remembered the agony her mother had to go through on the night she had died.
The physician needed a large amount of money which they were unable to provide and her mother had died the following night.
Five days later, the landowner had come, demanding for their rent which she promised to get the next day.
She knew there was no way she could get the money, she tried to sell part of her hair but it wasn’t even enough. Then she had gone to the market to steal a gold cup which she was sure would be sufficient to pay the balance if sold.
However , she was caught and could have been beaten to death except for a strange man who showed up with his servants. They rescued her and paid the men off.
Then the man had introduced himself as her father and she had recognized him. Her mother had made sure of that when she was still alive. She knew her father’s name-Count Jeremiah Browning.
So when he showed up, she was certain he was the one. Even though she was grateful that he had saved her that day, she hated having to be in his mercy.
“So, what will you do if he does not give you a choice, my lady?” asked Mary.
“Then I will run away,” Juliana said without thinking twice. She realized Mary said nothing and then she looked back at her, she could see the pain in the girl’s eyes.
Juliana regretted saying that. She was certain that if anyone would be punished for running away, it would be no one but Mary.
She walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder.
“I will hate to leave you, Mary but I pray it does not come to that.”
The girl nodded. “I understand, my lady.”
Juliana smiled before pulling the girl for a warm embrace. She had no desire to leave Mary behind, but if it would infuriate her father more, she would be more than willing to do such.
Chapter 2
London,Harlenshire Estates
Lord Gilbert Rowland, the Earl of Harlenshire
Lord Gilbert Rowland, the Earl of Halenshire heard a knock on his door which jerked him from his deep slumber. He opened his eyes and groaned at the state of his statechamber which was as if a ship had just sailed through.
Furniture was toppled away, a reminder of the party that had taken place the previous night. The chamber was a wreck and he groaned loudly, Georgette would murder him for sure.
The knock sounded again, hurting his head, he really hoped the person knocking would stop that.
A mumbling sounded over his shoulder that was when he remembered Evangeline or was her name Bertha? He couldn’t remember the name of the lady that had spent the night.
With all his willpower, he turned towards her. She was topless, and could have been completely naked if not for the blanket that managed to cover the lower part of her body. Her upper part of her which included her breasts was in full view.
“Hey,” Gilbert said, tapping her softly by the shoulder.
She mumbled some words in her sleepy state before finally opening her eyes.
“Hey, you,” she said, smiling and raising her hand towards his face in a loving manner.
He caught the hand and was about to talk but stopped as a voice said, “Brother, open this door right now!”
Immediately, he froze and then ordered the lady. “You need to get dressed and leave right away.”
The lady frowned. “What do you mean?” she said in a confused state, rubbing her sleepy eyes.
Gilbert jumped up from his bed, fastening his breeches. Georgette was at the front door and he knew exactly what his sister would say. She stared at the lady who was still stretching lazily on the bed.
“Hey, hey!” he said tapping her. “You really need to leave, Bertha.”
“It is Evangeline, not Bertha and who is Bertha?” the lady demanded, now getting into her gown which she picked up on the floor.
“It matters not,” replied Gilbert, rushing towards the toppled furniture while cursing under his breath. He really wished he hadn’t given the servants the day off.
“I thought you said Bertha meant nothing to you, you bastard!” the lady shouted, throwing pillows at him.
“Do stop that, please! I am still trying to arrange this whole place,” Gilbert said but now, the lady was advancing towards him.
“Did you even plan to marry me like you said last night?”
Gilbert stared at her as if she had just said something terrible. “Did I really tell you that?”
The lady gasped, hurried and picked up the pillows, hit him several times while raining all sorts of abuses on him. Then she walked angrily to the door and opened it but stopped upon seeing his older sister.
Gilbert shut his eyes and opened them again. This was exactly what he had been trying to avoid.
He sighed and opened his eyes to observe the two ladies.
Georgette gave Evangeline a condescending look while the later quickly brushed past her. Finally, his sister walked in, shutting the door slowly behind her. Gilbert knew he had no choice but to face his sister.
Georgette observed the chamber for a while, her lips twisted in horror as she saw the state of the chamber.
“What dreadful thing happened in here?”
Gilbert brushed his hand through his brown hair which was almost reaching down his shoulder like a girls. It was one of his better features.
“Nothing dreadful, sister. Just a party. Had some friends over and a good morning to you too.”
Georgette sighed. “It’s noon, brother.
A dark brow arched its way up Gilbert’s face. “Noon?” He looked up at the clock over one of his many fireplaces before chuckling. He grinned as he turned back to his sister. “So it is.”
“So might I ask where all the servants have gone or do we not have anymore?”
“I must have given them a day off,” Gilbert quickly said, he was ready for anything.
“You did what?” Georgette shouted. “I have only left Harlenshire for a few days, and you have already successfully turned these whole estates upside down with your whoring, drinking and gambling nature.”
“Oh! Sister, enough of that please,” he finally said, straightening up and walking to the mirror. “The servants had a day off yesterday; they should be back in few minutes time. I beg of you, it is rather too early for you to start complaining. My head hurts terribly as it is already.”
Georgette shook her head. She was his only living family member apart from Uncle Thomas, their late father’s younger brother. Gilbert had gotten the title of the Earl of Harlenshire when he was just eight years old after the tragic death of their parents.
Being too young to run the estates, Uncle Thomas managed the affairs of the estates for him until he would become a responsible man to handle things by himself.
Now, he was just two scores and four years old while Georgette was two years older, yet he knew he wasn’t ready for anything called responsibility. To him, it was just a burden to him.
The only thing that would give Gilbert joy would be to make merry every day of his life, breaking silly girl’s hearts, drinking absinthe and gambling his life away without having to worry about a single thing. But no, no matter how much he tried, his older sister would always try to stand in his way.
“Are you looking forward to the season?” asked Georgette after a while.
“I wouldn’t dream of missing it,” Gilbert replied, looking at her way with his most charming smile.
**
Lady Georgette Rowland
Georgette recognized when those beautiful green eyes were accompanied by that smile. It had worked for many ladies whom he had lured to bed but it only meant one thing for her, the lying lie.
“You are not coming to the season, are you?” she asked again.
“But I just told you I wouldn’t miss it,” replied Gilbert with that glassy smile on his lips. “
“So you are looking forward to meeting the one?” she asked on purpose.
“The one, the second, the second, the third?” Gilbert chuckled, making Georgette sigh aloud.
He was looking forward to the season for all the wrong reasons…
Georgette’s ears were filled with all kinds of whispers apart from those she had seen with her very eyes. Her brother neve
r asked to court a lady of the ton; instead the young lord was known to ruin them!
She had tried to raise him in a better way but somehow, he had managed to come up wild. He was perhaps the most sought-after bachelor in all of London as well as the most famous rake and a gambler.
Like a good and loving sister would do, she had tried several times berating him to settle down like a proper gentleman but he had always been a rake and Georgette was only happy that he at least he was careful enough to spare the family from any scandal.
The Sinful Secret 0f A Broken Earl (Historical Regency Romance) Page 29