“In a fortnight, Lord and Lady Windhelm have offered to host a party in honor of our courtship,” Henry said as he retook his seat. “Of course, because it is in our honor, we should arrive together. Plus, many of the ton will be in attendance.”
Harmony made no comment, but Henry cared nothing for her opinion — she was a woman, after all, and had no say in the matter. Instead, he directed his comments to her father.
Mr. Radcliffe took a large gulp of his wine, motioned to the footman to refill the glass, and finally set the glass on the table.
Henry forced back his annoyance. If he was to win over this man to get what he wanted, he was willing to endure his rudeness.
“Forgive my daughter,” he said as he glared at Harmony. “Her mother will see she learns how to properly converse. I thought she was well-trained, but it appears I was wrong.”
Henry chuckled. “No need to apologize,” he said. Then he gave Mrs. Radcliffe his best smile. “How you reared your daughter is a sign of great devotion to seeing her succeed. I am hopeful she will show her husband that same devotion one day.”
As the conversation turned to other topics, Henry glanced at Harmony. The girl offered no resistance to what was being thrust upon her, and he knew she would not. Mr. Radcliffe had not only apologized profusely for his dismissal of Henry, but he also assured him that Lambert’s request to call had been denied.
Although Henry listened with only half an ear, he pasted on a smile that said the Radcliffes had his full attention. At times, he found his mind drifting to his assured victory. He had won Harmony not by the aim of his arrow nor by wealth, but rather by his guile.
It was in that victory that one day he would flaunt his greatest acquisition before Lord Lambert — Harmony as his wife.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The carriage slowed and came to a stop in front of the cottage as Nathaniel clutched the letter in his hand. It had arrived three days earlier, a refusal to his request to speak to Mr. Radcliffe. In no uncertain terms, the man had insisted there was no reason to speak to him. He also made it quite clear that Nathaniel was forbidden from contacting Harmony in any way, be it in writing or in person.
The man’s words had infuriated Nathaniel while at the same time crushing him. This combined with what he had learned about who his father truly was had sent his mind into a flurry. He could not talk to his mother about any of it, for she had her own burdens to bear, which is what sent him to the only other man who had given him advice in the past. Reverend Creassey.
The door to the carriage opened and the driver bowed as he moved aside. Nathaniel stepped from the vehicle and studied the house before him. The residence was far larger than one would have expected of a man of the Church, but perhaps God had blessed him for the many good deeds he had done over the years. Nathaniel would certainly not deny a man his due.
When he rapped on the door, a young servant girl answered, her burlap dress straining against the swell of her stomach.
“My lord,” she said before dropping into a half-curtsy, which was all her burgeoning belly would allow. “The vicar’s waiting for you in the parlor.” She moved aside to allow Nathaniel to enter the foyer. “Follow me, my lord.”
In the opulent parlor, Reverend Creassey stood beside a set of crystal decanters. Nathaniel ignored the fact that it was odd a man of the Church would have spirits on hand, especially as many as the vicar possessed. Who was he to judge a man of God?
“Ah, Lord Lambert,” Reverend Creassey said with a welcoming smile. “What a pleasure it is to see the young man you have become. Brandy?”
Nathaniel nodded. “Please.”
“Sit,” the reverend said as he handed Nathaniel a glass. “Be at your ease.”
“Thank you for seeing me on such short notice,” Nathaniel said as he sat in one of the chairs covered in gold fabric.
“You are a member of my flock,” Reverend Creassey said, “and a member of the Lambert family. Never repeat this, but your family is my favorite.” He chuckled and then asked, “So, what has brought you here?”
“I know my parents have often sought your counsel,” Nathaniel replied. “Therefore, I know I can trust you to give me sage advice.”
“Indeed,” Reverend Creassey said. “I am pleased you feel you are able to follow their example. Your father was a remarkable man, I must say, and your mother, well, she is one of the most fascinating women I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.” He tilted his head. “She does not know you have come to see me, does she?”
Nathaniel sighed. “No. I felt it best not to worry her. Do you believe I made the right choice in keeping secret this call?”
“Oh, yes, you made the right choice,” the vicar replied. “And you may trust me to keep whatever you say in strict confidence. Are you well? You appear tired.”
“I admit I am, Father,” Nathaniel said. “It feels as if my life is muddled at the moment, as if everything I knew and understood was a lie. I am at a loss as to what to do.”
“I know we are not yet close, Nathaniel.” He paused. “May I call you Nathaniel?”
“Of course.”
The vicar smiled. “As I was saying, I know we do not know each other well as of yet, but I do hope you will see me as a person in whom you may confide.”
“As do I,” Nathaniel replied, although he would never choose to refer to the reverend by his Christian name. It simply did not sit well with him. Let the man call him Nathaniel, but Nathaniel would not do the same.
“Your letter mentioned an urgent matter concerning your fiancée. What has happened?”
Nathaniel took a moment to gather his thoughts. He would refrain from revealing exactly what had occurred with his mother, and the truth about his real father, for neither were his sins to confess – even if he was the result of one of those sins. Instead, he would explain only what concerned him directly.
“Harmony is the name of my fiancée,” he began.
“What a lovely name,” the reverend exclaimed.
“Yes, and it fits her quite well.” His cheeks heated at this and he hurried on. “From the moment I first met her, I knew she would one day become my wife…”
He explained all that had happened between him and Harmony, which was not an easy task when he could not reveal the reason her parents had rescinded their agreement to allow them to marry. However, he had rehearsed his story to account for that omission dozens of times before arriving at the vicar’s home.
By the time he finished, his glass was empty. “Now I am at a loss as to what to do. Her father refuses to hear any explanation and I am forbidden from seeing Harmony. The woman for whom I care will soon be given to another, and I cannot have that happen. Yet, my hands are tied! I do not know what to do.” By the time he reached the end of his story, he knew he sounded like a petulant child, but he was at his wits’ end!
The reverend heaved a heavy sigh as he set his glass on the table. “Your father and mother came to me seeking advice since before you were born, as did your grandparents before them.”
Nathaniel stared at the vicar. He had not realized the man was old enough to have advised his grandparents. He appeared only a few years older than his mother! “I did not know,” he said aloud, keeping to himself his musings about the man’s age. “I cannot imagine the number of people you have helped over the years.”
“I have no exact numbers, but indeed, it is many,” Reverend Creassey replied with a chuckle. “They come to me because I offer sage advice that serves them well. Your father understood the weight of the title he carried. As did your mother. It is why they came to me when their burdens became too much to bear. Just as you have now.”
This piqued Nathaniel’s curiosity. “May I inquire as to what burdens they came to ease?”
The reverend shook his head. “As a shepherd, it is my duty to protect my flock. That includes never revealing the confessions of anyone who seeks my counsel. And that is whether the person still lives or not.”
Na
thaniel’s cheeks heated with embarrassment. “Of course. Forgive me for my foolishness.”
The reverend’s thin lips curled into a smile. For a moment, Nathaniel thought it appeared evil, but that was silly. The man was a vicar, a man of the Church and morally upright. What right did he, Nathaniel, have in accusing a godly man of evil?
“I am afraid I am unable to help you in this matter,” Reverend Creassey said, much to Nathaniel’s surprise. “This is something you must do on your own.”
“Have I offended you in some way?” Nathaniel asked. “Are you concerned I may reveal that I came seeking your advice? Because I assure you I will not.”
Again, the man chuckled. “You are a Lambert and, therefore, I have no doubt you can be trusted.”
“Then why can you not lend me aid? Please, do not make me beg, but I am desperate. I will do anything to have Harmony at my side.”
Reverend Creassey gave him a thoughtful look as he took his empty glass in hand. “Do you truly mean ‘anything’?”
“Indeed,” Nathaniel replied without hesitation. His only concern was Harmony, for he was well aware of how unhappy her parents made her. They were cruel, and without his intervention, they would push her into the arms — and the bed — of Lord Miller. “I will do whatever needs to be done.”
“Then I will help you,” the reverend said with a slap of a hand on his knee. “However, you must understand, my advice is given freely as is instructed by the Church, but my aid will have conditions.”
Nathaniel sighed with relief. The man was merely testing him! “You only need to name your conditions, and I will honor them.”
The reverend stood and took Nathaniel’s empty glass. “All that we say today is in the strictest of confidence,” he said as he returned to the decanters once more. “I will promise to see Harmony returned to you, and when she does, you will send her to me.”
“To what purpose?”
“If I am to help you reclaim your fiancée, I must be certain the girl is honorable. How will I ever forgive myself if she is not?”
Nathaniel smiled. He could find no argument against this request, for the man’s logic was sound. “I can assure you that Harmony is pure and her soul is without blemish. But yes, I will send her to you.”
Retaking his seat, the reverend pursed his lips in thought. “Nathaniel, it is no secret the wealth you possess, not only from your inheritance as the Eighth Baron Lambert but also from what you gained through your mother. I am sure I do not have to tell you there are those who will seek to harm you, or who will make every attempt to steal from you what is yours, because of all you possess. They may even go after Harmony.”
Nathaniel nodded. “I am well aware of the risks I take in asking her to be my wife,” he replied. “Even her father used her hand in marriage by insisting I give him whatever he desired in exchange for his consent.” He shook his head, still unable to believe a father would act so brazenly. “Not to mention what Lord Miller did to keep Harmony and me apart.”
“Evil men will go to great lengths to get what they want,” the vicar said sadly. “And because they are willing to do what you are not, they will win.”
Nathaniel could not help but gape at the man.
“Do not look so shocked,” Reverend Creassey said, chuckling. “The girl’s father has determined she will go to this Lord Miller. That man will soon lay claim to the woman you love and will soon hold her in his arms and lie with her in his bed because of the lengths he is willing to go to get what he wants.”
Anger coursed through Nathaniel at the images the reverend’s words conjured. “What do you suggest I do?”
The vicar stood. “You have been blessed, Nathaniel, with wealth and power few can fathom. Come with me.” He walked over to a window. “Do you see my servants?”
Three women were hanging the washing on long lines strung between the trees. “Yes. What about them?”
“They are innocent in their work and lives,” Reverend Creassey said, “because they hold no power. Unlike them, this Lord Miller will seek to destroy you. I fear he may already have.”
Nathaniel frowned. “I am far from destroyed,” he snapped. “But what is it you believe I should do?”
Reverend Creassey turned toward him. “You must use your power to get what you want. Do not ask the father permission to marry his daughter, but rather make a declaration that you will marry her with or without his blessing.”
“But her father has the right…”
The other man threw his head back and laughed. “He only has the rights you give him,” he said. “We will purchase a special license. If her father refuses, bring your fiancée here and I shall marry you. By the time the man realizes what has happened, it will be too late.”
For a moment, Nathaniel stood staring at the vicar, stunned. Could he possibly defy the wishes of Harmony’s father and bring her back to Scarlett Hall? Such actions went against everything inside him that was honorable, which left him in a state of uncertainty. Was this even legal?
Yet, if he could trust anyone, it had to be a man of the Church. Vicars did not perform ungodly acts, and they certainly did not go against what the law dictated.
“The choice is yours,” Reverend Creassey said. “You may spend time thinking on this matter and lose the woman you love, or you may act now.”
“I am unsure what to do,” Nathaniel said. “I feel so lost.” It was the loss of Harmony as his fiancée. The revelation of who his real father was. The realization that he was not truly a Lambert. Never had he felt so alone.
As the vicar placed a caring hand on his shoulder, however, Nathaniel understood he was not alone, and that brought him peace for the first time since his world fell apart.
“All of my sheep become lost at one time or another,” Reverend Creassey said kindly. “That is why I am here; to serve them.”
“Thank you,” Nathaniel whispered in a choked voice. His father, or rather the man he had known as his father, would have been appalled at witnessing such weakness.
“But I must warn you. If you do not act now, you will only delay the inevitable. Lord Miller, who is by your account an evil man, will take Harmony as his bride.”
Nathaniel drew in a deep breath. “I will first speak to Mr. Radcliffe, and no matter his response, we will order the special license. As to Lord Miller, he will not best me! He will not take the woman I love away from me!”
Reverend Creassey narrowed his eyes. “Use your influence. Such a cruel man should suffer for what he has done.”
“Is that not a sin?” Nathaniel asked in shock.
“Not when you are doing it to protect the ones you love.”
Nathaniel considered the man’s advice. Lord Miller had a superior title, but Nathaniel had a vast wealth the earl could only hope to possess. That combined with the barony held a great deal of power. What good was all he possessed if he was unable to use it to protect what was his?
“I am glad I came to see you today,” he said finally. “Thank you for your wise counsel. And I will send money to pay for the special license as soon as I return to Scarlett Hall.”
The vicar cleared his throat. “Donations to the Church are never required, but they are customary in matters such as these.”
“Of course,” Nathaniel replied. “I will include a most generous donation with the payment.”
Reverend Creassey walked him to the carriage, and as Nathaniel placed his hand on the edge of the carriage door, the vicar said, “Do not forget that when Harmony becomes your bride, she must come to me.”
Nathaniel turned to the man. “I will see she does,” he said. “After all you have done for me, and after I have explained it all to her, she will be happy to come.”
“That pleases me more than you can know,” the vicar said. “I shall say a special prayer this day to ensure your victory.” Nathaniel nodded and turned to enter the carriage, but Reverend Creassey caught him by the arm. “Do not forget. You hold the power and should not be afraid to
wield it.”
“I will not,” Nathaniel replied.
Once in the carriage, he settled into the cushion and closed his eyes, thoughts of the events of the day swimming in his mind. He had not received the advice he thought he would, but it was wise all the same. Using his power against another to get what he wanted was not his usual way, but if that was what it took to be with Harmony, he would have to make an exception.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
It had been nearly three weeks since Harmony last spoke to Nathaniel and she feared she would never see him again. Her father was still refusing to allow him into their home, and if he sent any letters, she had not yet seen them.
Her heart grew more desperate with each passing day. Would Nathaniel make any further attempts to convince her father they belonged together or had he simply given up? She prayed not, for she still held on hope everything would work out for the better.
Lydia, who sat beside her, gave her hand a gentle squeeze. Harmony returned her smile. If it were not for Lydia’s counsel, she doubted she would endure the evening ahead.
They were in the carriage with Lord Miller as it trundled toward the Windhelm estate. Harmony had made every attempt to convince her mother she should not attend this party, but the woman would not concede. As far as she was concerned, Harmony had no say in the matter whatsoever and therefore was to keep her opinions to herself and speak only when an inquiry was made of her.
“Is your dress new?”
Harmony smoothed her features and nodded. “It is. I purchased it just before my parents and I visited Nathaniel’s home.”
Lord Miller narrowed his eyes. “You will not speak that boy’s name in my presence again,” he said. “He is a part of your past. I am your future.” He grinned as he said the last, sending Harmony’s stomach roiling.
She knew quite well his intention to marry her, and unless some good fortune came her way, she would be forced to do just that.
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