Earl of Sin
Lords of Scandal Book 6
Tammy Andresen
Copyright © 2020 by Tammy Andresen
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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Contents
Untitled
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Epilogue
Lord of Scandal
Tammy Andresen
When Only an Indecent Duke Will Do
Prologue
Chapter 1
About the Author
Other Titles by Tammy
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Untitled
Earl of Sin
Lords of Scandal Book 6
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Tammy Andresen
Chapter One
Miss Mary Chase stood at the front gate of the stately mansion situated in the heart of London and stared up at the imposing brick façade. It wasn’t too late to turn around, go back to her aunt and uncle’s, resume her life.
Lord and Lady Winthrop had taken her in after the loss of her parents seven years ago, even financed a season for her. But she could not, in good conscience, continue to leech off them with no prospect of marriage.
Her aunt insisted she could still find a husband but Mary knew how these things worked. In all likelihood, she’d get passed by. She was four and twenty, after all. No man would want her now. A season would be the exclamation point on the sentence of her life. You weren’t meant for a happily ever after, Mary! Haven’t you learned that yet?
And so instead of another season, she’d accepted an interview for the position of tutor within the home of the Earl of Sinclair.
Her family was mildly appalled. Unlike many girls who’d become orphans, she’d been treated with love and kindness and she’d happily acted as companion to several of her cousins. But she was of age now, and, in her mind, that meant that she ceased to be a burden to them and learned how to care for herself. Besides, she liked being useful. In a life that had been filled with loss, she found real joy in work.
She straightened her shoulders as she approached the front steps. She’d not lose her resolve now. After fixing the ribbons on her bonnet, she raised her hand and lifted the knocker, giving two decisive smacks to the brass plate on the door.
The sound echoed through the house and her insides quivered along with the noise. But she’d gone too far now to back down, so she held her breath as she waited for the door to open.
When her lungs were near bursting, the door swung in, and a tall butler with an amazingly erect back, stared down at her. “Yes?”
Mary swallowed, pressing her hands together. “I’m here for the position of tutor.” The earl’s daughter, as she understood it, had lost her mother some time ago and the earl wished for a woman of society to teach his daughter how to properly behave. As a spinster who had grown up in the house of an earl, she was perfect for such a task.
The butler’s mouth turned down. “I thought you would enter by the kitchen door.” He gave her a long look up and down.
Drat. Her chest tightened. She was no longer a member of the family but a servant. How could she have forgotten that? The look on the butler’s face assured her he was wondering the same. She dropped into a quick courtesy. Here, the butler was above her in station. “Of course. My apologies.”
He gave her a single nod, his expression unchanged. “His lord is expecting you. Follow me.”
Her stomach twisted into an uncomfortable knot and she drew in a deep breath to calm it. Mary would not allow her nerves to get the better of her. She had a multitude of family to rely on should this position fall through. She needn’t be worried.
Today felt like the beginning of her new life. One where she was independent and able to care for herself. If she failed, she’d be proving she couldn’t even complete the simple task of providing for her own future. If she couldn’t do that, what could she do exactly? Of what use was she to this world?
The butler started up the stairs and she followed. She’d expected some sort of introduction. When none came, in her usual fashion, she began it herself. “My name is Mary Chase,” she murmured, unsure of what else to say. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“I know,” he answered, not looking back. “Should you succeed in this interview, I shall introduce you to the staff.”
She pressed her lips together. Apparently, the man wasn’t going to perform the basic nicety of giving his name without first making certain she would stay. She had the distinct impression he didn’t like her, but why? He didn’t even know her.
They reached the top of the stairs and Mary followed him down a lovely hallway, lined with beautifully polished oak panels and covered in thick carpet that dulled their footsteps until they reached an open door.
The butler stepped inside while she remained in the hall. “Miss Chase is here to see you.”
“Send her in,” a deep male voice replied.
The sound reverberated through her in the most pleasant way. Both strong and capable, she wanted to sigh just hearing those three short words.
The butler turned back to her and waved her forward, with a flick of his hand.
Straightening her back again, she stepped into the room as the butler moved to the side. But she didn’t bother to look at him, instead studying the earl. The first thing she noted was the dark crown of his hair as he bent at the desk, finishing some task with his quill. His hair was a touch overlong, which suited him nicely. Rich brown waves swept back from his forehead and down his neck, nearly brushing the nape of his neck. But his hair was forgotten as she noted the breadth of his shoulders, strength of his arms, and the large capable hands that held the tiny quill.
Then he looked up, smiling at her. Chocolate colored eyes and classically handsome nose and cheeks gave way to a strong jaw and lips…dear lord, his lips were the most kissable she’d ever encountered. Even more so than her former fiancé Steven’s had been. The thought shocked her and parched her throat. Then air rushed from her lungs as his voice echoed through her again.
“Miss Chase, I presume? It’s a pleasure to meet you. The Duke of Darlington has spoken very highly of your abilities. My daughter is in desperate need of aid.”
Dear lord, she was in trouble. So very much.
Lord Colbert Sinclair, or Sin as his friends called him, assessed the woman in front of him, noting that she was far prettier than he’d prefer. In fact, she was stunning. Daring hadn’t mentioned that fact when he’d suggested Mary as a potential tutor.
He’d expected a woman who was older, matronly. She’d have greying hair, with a few wrinkles about the eyes that gave her a kind look. Perhaps she’d be a bit thick in the middle, which would make her excellent for the sort of hugs small girls needed.
The woman before him now embodied none of these attributes. A petite blonde, she had eyes the color of the sky on a clear, bright summer day and the sort of small features that gave her an air of delicate beauty. The last thing he wished for
was a woman of beauty in the house.
His first wife had been beautiful. Petite like Mary, she’d brought out every protective instinct Sin possessed. In fact, Mary’s resemblance to Clara was rather alarming. Not in the details, of course, but the build, the hair.
He’d loved his wife dearly and had tried to shield her from this harsh world. That was until he couldn’t protect her. His insides clenched as he mentally pushed the feeling aside. He didn’t need another woman to keep safe. He’d already failed at that task once with his wife and now he had a daughter who worried him constantly. More so of late.
Besides, she was here for a teaching position, not as a candidate for his hand. And to that end, he’d wanted an elderly matron to love Anne, not a woman who was young enough to be her mother. That was essential. Mary, connected in society and beautiful as she was, would likely only be a temporary figure in their lives. He needed someone stable and constant in Anne’s life.
And certainly not a woman so lovely.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, my lord,” she murmured, dropping into a curtsey. “Thank you for granting me this interview.”
He grimaced. Daring had left out some key facts. Likely on purpose. But Mary was here now, he might as well conduct the interview. Anne had been a precocious child up to a few months ago. A mad woman had stolen her from his home and since then, his lovely daughter had grown fearful and had retreated into a shell. Or perhaps, he had grown overprotective and pushed her into one. “It is my pleasure.” He gestured toward the chair. “Please. Have a seat.” Either way, he needed the right person to draw her out again. There was a kindness in Mary’s eyes that suited the position and he was tempted to hire her, but something else held him back. What if Anne grew attached to the woman? Just like him, his daughter had suffered loss. He didn’t want to put either of them through that again.
She did as he instructed, her back straight as she stared at a spot on his desk. “Thank you.”
“Tell me. Have you ever tutored a young girl before?”
She nodded. “I’ve lived with my aunt and uncle since I was sixteen. Grace was only nine.” Her hands tightened into a knot on her lap. “Not quite as young as your daughter but I can assure you, Grace was a handful.”
Sin smiled. “I’ve met her. I have to agree.” He cleared his throat. “And your education?”
Her gaze was still fixed somewhere below his. “I was a student as Lady Kitteridge’s School of Comportment. My marks were excellent.”
He drew in a long breath. That was excellent news. While he wished for his daughter to regain her confidence, he did not want to sacrifice her future as a lady. Much as he hated to admit it, Mary suited the position well in that regard. “Did you attend a season?”
“One,” she answered, her features tightening.
He cocked his head to the side, assessing her. “Why just one?” With her uncle being an earl, surely she could have had several. Could still decide to rejoin society and find a fitting husband.
“I was engaged to the second son of the Earl of Everly, but he was lost in the Napoleonic Wars four years ago.”
He gripped his quill harder. Bloody hell that was rough. Almost as terrible as his own story. “I’m sorry for your loss. You didn’t see fit to reenter society?”
She shook her head. “No, my lord.”
“And you’re leaving your aunt and uncle’s house because?”
Her eyes rose to his then. They crinkled at the corners in a bit of sadness. He understood it completely. His stomach tightened in understanding and, if he were honest, attraction. Not a feeling he welcomed. “My cousins have all married and no longer need a companion. I can’t justify being a dependent in my uncle’s house if I am not serving a purpose there.”
He straightened, appreciation making his chin tuck back. “Surely, he would continue to support you.”
Her delicate shoulders rose then fell. The curve of them was lovely and his fingers itched to trace their slender shape. “I’m sure he would. But I will not be a burden to my family any more than I’ve already been. I’m perfectly capable of working.”
He blinked. He had to confess, for her small stature she was decidedly determined. He liked that. Honestly, he liked her.
Which was dangerous. She’d be his employee, which meant he needed to remain detached from her. Besides, she looked strikingly like his first wife and that was the type of woman he’d never touch again.
Chapter Two
Mary pressed her hands together in her lap, hoping the desk covered her gesture. She wanted to appear confident despite the fact she was anything but.
She’d like to blame her nerves over embarking on a new chapter in her life but even she knew her fluttering stomach was caused in part by his warmly handsome façade. She looked down into her lap. “Perhaps I should introduce you to my daughter. See how the two of you get on.”
She nodded, still not looking up. Part of her wished to rise from the chair, thank him for the interview, and leave. She could return home but her pride demanded she stay. She’d never intended to be a spinster but this was her life now and she’d make the best of it she could. “That’s an excellent idea.”
“Reeves,” Lord Sinclair called. “Would you fetch Anne? She’s waiting in the nursery.”
“Of course, my lord,” the butler answered, his voice rising as though quite happy to complete the task. He sounded like a completely different man then the one who’d greeted her at the door.
She snapped her teeth together to keep from sighing. Mr. Reeves was going to be terrible to work with if the Earl hired her.
“I’m glad you’re here.” Sinclair pulled her from her thoughts. “We’ve had a difficult few months and I’ll be glad for the help.”
“Difficult?” she asked, her chin snapping up. Which was a mistake. Those eyes drew her in the moment their gazes met.
Sinclair frowned as he rubbed his forehead. “Are you aware of the special circumstances that Lady Abernath created?”
Mary’s lips pursed. The Countess of Abernath had died but before she did, she’d made the Chase lives a living hell. Mary herself had been knocked out when the other woman had stolen her cousin, Cordelia. “Yes, of course. I too suffered at her hand.”
The quill in Sinclair’s hand snapped. “She stole my daughter from our back alley in her plot to try and get to your cousin, Diana. My daughter hasn’t been the same since the kidnapping.”
Mary drew in a gasp. “Poor child.”
He rubbed his neck. “It was my intention to marry but with everything in such turmoil, I just don’t know if that’s wise. Anne, however, she needs help now. She’s terrified after what happened.” He raked his hand through his hair. “She mostly appears fine during the day but at night…”
Mary’s heart jumped in her throat. She remembered her own sense of helplessness when she’d been knocked out and Ada had been taken. No wonder the child was afraid. “Of course she does,” she murmured. “Truly, if that’s what you’re hoping for, I’m sure I can help you. I understand the threat and I helped my own family cope. I—” She stopped, sure she was saying too much.
His eyebrows had lifted and he stared at her for a few moments before he finally spoke. “With all due respect, you dealt with this as a grown woman. She is a child. One who already lost her mother.”
A flush filled her cheeks, heating her skin. He had every right to protect his daughter by choosing the best woman for this position. “As I said, I’ve worked with children and have intimate knowledge of the situation with Lady Abernath. I think I could help you.”
“My lord,” Reeves called from the door. “Lady Anne.”
Mary stood, as did Lord Sinclair, and she turned toward the door to see a darling girl assessing her. Large brown eyes exactly like her father’s blinked back at Mary.
“Anne,” her father called. “This is Miss Chase. She’s applying for the position of your tutor.”
The little girl gave a curtsey. “Pleased
to meet you.”
“And you as well.” Mary gave the girl what she hoped was a warm smile. She noted the girl was perfectly dressed, her hair impeccably groomed into symmetrical ringlets and her shoes nicely polished. “Don’t you look lovely.”
The girl grimaced, her hands lifting out her skirt. “My nanny helps me ready for the day.”
Inwardly, Mary cringed. She wondered if the butler had hired the nanny. The girl looked as stuffy as Reeves acted. Granted, Anne was the daughter of an earl but a child should be exploring and having fun, she wasn’t just a doll to dress up. And she’d gain confidence by playing outdoors. “I see. And what do you do with your day?”
The girl looked to her father, nibbling on her lip. “I have lessons, I read, and practice the pianoforte.”
Outwardly, Mary gave the girl a glowing smile, inwardly she grimaced. The child was too young for such a busy schedule. “And I bet you are excellent at all your lessons.”
The child shook her head. “I’m not very good at music.”
Lord Sinclair cleared his throat. “You just need practice.”
Mary didn’t look at him. It was dangerous considering the heat that filled her every time she glanced his way. But, standing here with Anne, she was glad she hadn’t run. This child needed help and she’d thought of a few ways to give it. “And perhaps some inspiration.”
The little girl looked at Mary, her eyes growing wider and brighter. “Inspiration?”
Earl of Sin: Lords of Scandal Book 6 Page 1