For a moment, he considered asking the man for his advice as he would have done in the past, but where he had once trusted Forbes, he could not bring himself to do so now.
“No, I need nothing more,” he replied.
“May I say something, my lord?”
Nathaniel raised his glass of brandy in response.
“Your mother told me of her conversation with you concerning the two of us. Are there any questions I can answer for you?”
Shame coursed through Nathaniel, and he set his glass on the table. “Questions?” he demanded. “Do you mean questions such as why you took it upon yourself to seduce a married woman? A woman who was the wife of your employer, who in a moment of weakness gave in to her desires?” He marched toward Forbes and stopped to stand in front of him. “Or perhaps you can explain how I grew up in this home believing you were my friend!”
“I am your friend,” Forbes replied. “That is not in question.”
“Oh, but it is! A friend would not do what you did to my mother. And to think that Charles trusted you!”
“My son…”
“No!” Nathaniel shouted as the room began to spin around him. His head felt as if it were filled with cotton wool. “You may not refer to me in that way again. I am Nathaniel Lambert, son and heir of Charles Lambert, not the son of a butler!”
Pain flitted across the butler’s eyes, but soon it was replaced by the old stoicism. “Very well, my lord. I shall never address you as such again.”
“See you do not,” Nathaniel said. He reached for his empty glass and went to the decanters to refill it.
“You are hurt,” Forbes said. “Not only because of me but also because of the manner in which you returned home. What you did was necessary, and I do not hold you in judgment.”
Nathaniel spun about. What did this man know about what had occurred at Eastwood Estate? He nearly threw his glass across the room. His mother!
“You may not like me,” the butler continued, “but I have been, and will always be, here with a ready ear if you so need.”
Nathaniel downed the brandy in one gulp, but it did little to quell the pain he bore. “If it were not for my mother’s wishes, I would have sent you packing as soon as I learned the truth, but Mother has asked me not to. You will address me as ‘my lord’ and when you leave with her, I never want you in my home again.”
Anger guided his words, so much so that he could not look the butler in the eye. Yet, he was a baron! What did it matter to a butler?
“As you wish, my lord,” Forbes replied. “I will honor your request.”
A moment later, the door opened and closed behind him.
Nathaniel groaned. He had been so consumed with worry that perhaps he had treated the man harsher than necessary. Yet, the fact his true father was a butler and he was the product of an affair twisted his insides into knots. If anyone learned the truth, he would be stripped of his title and ostracized by his peers. He had worked too hard to have that happen.
After downing one last drink, he made his way to his bedroom. At the top of the stairs, he stopped before the portrait of Charles Lambert.
“I once believed you were a noble man,” he whispered, “but now I know better. You were nothing of the sort. Instead, you were a man who drove his wife into the arms of another!” He shook his head. “Bloodline or not, I do not care. I will never be like you.”
And with those words and a heavy heart, Nathaniel went to his room, where he doubted he would get a wink of sleep.
Chapter Thirty-Six
A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the boughs above Harmony as she stood beside Nathaniel in the gardens of Scarlett Hall. Nathaniel had told her countless stories about his family and that tree, which was why they had chosen this place to complete their wedding vows beneath it. If he and his sisters could find happiness there, what better place to begin a new life together?
Harmony gazed into the eyes of the man she loved. What had been a chance meeting as they walked past one another had blossomed into something beautiful, something she would cherish for always. Words could never describe what she felt for Nathaniel, and she knew they never would. He was willing to do whatever it took to make her happy, yet all she required was being with him.
Reverend Creassey spoke from the Book of Common Prayer, and when the moment came for Harmony to say her part, she did so with earnest and with love in her heart. How could she not agree to obey, serve, love, honor, and keep this man? If she had been asked this same question before today, she would have agreed without hesitation.
Although her parents had not attended the wedding — they had stood firm in the decision to disown her — she was comforted by the fact that Nathaniel’s mother was there. Harmony had come to adore the strong and kind woman, and she could not have asked for a better mother-in-law. She had learned more about life as a married woman from Eleanor Lambert in the short time since her arrival at Scarlett Hall than she had learned growing up with her mother.
That thought saddened her but only for a short time, for soon, she was given permission to kiss her husband.
“You are now Lady Harmony Lambert,” Nathaniel said as he gazed down at her. “My wife, a baroness, and the most beautiful woman to ever grace these halls.”
“I am your wife,” she replied, her heart full to bursting, “and I hold that title in higher esteem than the title of baroness.” She turned to smile at Eleanor, who stood beside a weeping Lydia. “I can only hope to be as gracious and giving as my predecessor.”
“I have no doubt that you will,” Nathaniel said, his smile wide.
When he kissed her again, everything around her disappeared, and she wondered if she would ever touch the ground again.
***
The carriage pulled away from Scarlett Hall carrying the 8th Baron Lambert and his new baroness a week after they had exchanged their vows. Harmony watched her new home dwindle from sight, already anxious to return despite the wonderful honeymoon Nathaniel had planned for them.
The newlyweds were on their way to Cornwall, where Nathaniel had insisted he would spoil her with a most wonderful surprise. They were to reside at Murkside Manor, a grand hotel along the southern coastal cliffs of The Lands End not far from the village of Senan. Harmony had never been to Cornwall, and to spend a fortnight in such a faraway place did have its appeal. Especially because she would be spending her time with the man she loved.
The journey took several days, with them stopping at inns along the way, and although the travel had been relatively pleasant, as had been the weather, once they reached the hotel, Harmony was ready to be free of the confines of the carriage to enjoy the salty open air of the ocean.
Murkside Manor was lovelier than she could have imagined. A three-storied brick house with lovely round towers on either end, it was well-maintained and quite lavish. Of course, it did not have the massive size or the regal bearing of Scarlett Hall, but it had a majesty all its own.
“What a wonderful place,” Harmony said as she stood outside the carriage after Nathaniel helped her alight.
He smiled. “I understand that it offers a ballroom, three parlors, and a dining hall that rivals the greatest homes of our time.”
“But not as grand as Scarlett Hall, I am sure,” she said teasingly.
This made him laugh. “I doubt any home — outside the King’s palace or most of the homes owned by the Royal Family, of course — are as grand as Scarlett Hall.”
“I believe you may be right,” Harmony said, drawing herself closer to him.
She waited for several minutes, and they had yet to enter the building. “Will we remain here for the entire two weeks, or do you have plans for us to go inside? Not to sound ungrateful, but surely this is not the surprise you mentioned.”
“Only a few more moments, I promise,” he said with a mischievous grin.
Seagulls cried above them, a secret language much like the love Harmony had for her husband. She could also hear the waves crashing a
gainst the nearby cliffs, but every time she attempted to look in that direction, Nathaniel would call attention to yet another point of interest on the hotel grounds.
Soon, the sun glinted off the windows as it descended behind them, and Harmony had to squint against the bright reflection of the rays.
“Now, my love, you may turn around.”
Doing as he asked, she turned. What she saw made her gape, for off in the distance was a ship, the last rays of the sun creating the most wonderful backdrop behind it.
“Is that…?” she whispered, unable to finish the thought.
“That is your ship,” he replied. “It is named after you. The captain said he has never seen a finer vessel, and those who gaze upon it are never the same. Although I know he speaks of the ship, I can assure you that I feel the same whenever I look upon you.”
Overcome, Harmony turned to her husband. “This, indeed, is a most wondrous gift!” she cried as she threw her arms around him. “You have given me so much, and I want you to know how happy you make me even if I had not received a ship.”
He raised his brows. “Are you saying you would be fine if I did not keep it?”
She gasped. “Absolutely not!” she said in mock indignation.
He turned to face her, gazing down at her as if nothing else existed in the world. “I wonder…no, I know that I will never be able to cease looking at you as I do. My wife, my love, my everything.”
“And to you, my husband, a baron whose heart is greater than he can ever know,” she whispered in reply. “Know that the love we share is what we will always need. It will serve us in the days and years ahead. And, for me, I need nothing more.”
As the sun sank below the horizon, their lips met in a kiss, urgent and hungry, and when it came to an end, she found herself in his embrace as they watched the light disappear behind the ship that had been named after her.
Yet, their love, unlike that ship, would always be in view. Whether it be daytime or night, it would continue to sail. Forever.
Epilogue
Lady Eleanor Lambert stood on the veranda that overlooked the gardens as she had many times before. This time, however, she was forced to do so with the aid of Forbes. Her health had declined over the last few weeks, making standing all the more difficult. Her breathing was oftentimes laborious, and what little elixir that remained did little to ease her cough or the pain that was a constant reminder that she was dying.
“I fear I will not have the strength to leave Scarlett Hall,” she whispered. “But I cannot remain here. Nathaniel and his wife do not need an elderly sick mother to care for so soon after they have wed.” The thought of not being able to leave frightened her, yet that fear subsided as a gentle arm gripped her around the waist.
“Do not give up hope,” Forbes said. “It will give you the strength you need.”
She sighed. “Of course, you are right, as you usually are.” She glanced toward the stables before closing her eyes as thoughts of Juliet, now living in France, came to mind. Then she thought of Isabel, Hannah, and Annabel. “I miss my children so very much.”
“As do I,” he said. “Once we arrive at our new home, you can send for them if you would like.”
Eleanor nodded. “Yes, I will send for them,” she replied as tears blurred her vision. “To say goodbye.” She let out a choked sob and found herself in the arms of the man she loved. “I do not want to go, Barnard.”
“I know,” he whispered as he held her close. “But there is time, so you must think only of that now.”
She wiped the tears from her cheeks, and although she was able to push aside the ache in her heart, the pain in her body remained.
“It is a pleasant afternoon,” Forbes said with a smile. “Why do I not bring you a glass of sherry for you to enjoy?”
“Thank you,” she said, allowing him to guide her to the wrought iron chair beside a matching table.
When Forbes returned, he was not alone. “This young man would like to speak to you, my lady,” he said, indicating a boy of perhaps fourteen.
“What may I do for you?” Eleanor asked with a smile.
The boy gave her an awkward bow. “I’ve a letter for you, my lady,” he said, remaining bent as he handed it to her. “I was told to give it to you directly.” He shot Forbes a dark look, which told Eleanor he had been forced to argue with the butler about how the letter was to be delivered.
“See the boy receives a coin for his troubles,” she said as she waved them away.
“Yes, my lady,” Forbes replied before corralling the boy around the side of the house.
After running her finger under the wax, she glanced at the closing at the bottom. What little breath she could muster caught in her throat. What did a London solicitor want with her? Did it have something to do with business?
With trepidation, she read the letter silently, and two words jumped out at her.
Scotland.
Charles.
“So, there never was a stable that had burned down,” she whispered.
When she had questioned Charles years earlier about payments made to an account in Scotland, he had brushed away her concerns, saying they were to pay for a drunken accident where he had burned down a family’s livelihood. Although it had been suspect at the time, she had taken his word for it. As always, she should have pursued the matter further.
“Such a simple lie,” she said. “But once again, you fooled me.”
All was truly lost. After more than a century and a half, Scarlett Hall would fall.
“Forbes.” She clutched at her chest as she pulled herself from the chair. “Forbes!”
Then darkness enveloped Lady Eleanor Lambert.
***
The horses drawing the carriage ambled along at a leisurely pace before stopping at the crest of a hill. Two men, both solicitors, exited the vehicle, followed by a man of seven and twenty. Although he had a name, it no longer sat well on his tongue, for a new name would soon be granted to him, one he had desired for so long.
Shading his eyes against the bright autumn sun, he scanned the land before him, his eyes falling on the house standing upon a hill in the distance. Even from this distance it was a magnificent sight to behold.
“Is that Scarlett Hall?” he asked. “Surely it is a castle and not merely a home.”
“Indeed it is,” one of the men, a stout man with a balding head, replied. “That is Scarlett Hall, a home unlike any other in all of England. Tomorrow, Mr. Tompkins and I will go there to announce your arrival.” His younger, and much thinner, companion nodded his agreement.
For a moment, he thought about the man’s words. They would be paid a handsome fee for their services — once he took control of the Lambert estate. He always knew his life was destined for greatness, but what he had learned two months earlier surpassed anything he would have thought possible.
Clasping the heavier man on the shoulder, he replied, “Soon, I will be recognized as a baron, but I must be treated as such now.” He turned to face the two men. “This Lady Lambert, Eleanor, tomorrow you will speak with her?”
“We will,” Mr. Reynolds replied.
“Then I shall accompany you.”
“I would advise against doing so,” Mr. Tompkins replied. “This will be a difficult transition for them. Might I suggest…”
“I do not care what difficulties may arise,” he snapped. “I will join you tomorrow. You sent word ahead, did you not?” Mr. Reynolds nodded that he had. “Then this will not come as a surprise. Yes, I will join you…”
His mind drifted away for a moment as images of the shock the woman would be forced to endure came to mind. Of course, his image of her had no face, for he had never seen her before, but he did not care. He was no stranger to the deep, hurtful pain the woman would encounter.
“I will enjoy seeing the destruction of what she thought was true. What her children thought was pure. Yes, I will see them all suffer!”
Author's Note
I hope y
ou have enjoyed the Secrets of Scarlett Hall thus far, beginning with Isabel’s Story in Whispers of Light, followed by that of Hannah, Echoes of the Heart. Then we learn more about Juliet in Voices of Shadows Past and Annabel in Silent Dreams. A new character, Miss Rose Skylark is introduced in Songs of Yesterday. We then learn more about Amelia Parker, daughter of Eleanor’s sister, in Vows of Honor. Next, Juliet returns to Scarlett Hall in Ballad of the Innocents. We then meet Nathanial’s bride-to-be, Harmony, in Harmony of the Soul.
More secrets are revealed in the next installment of the Secrets of Scarlett Hall Series, Cry of the Baroness, which continues the tale of Nathaniel and Harmony.
And don’t forget the prelude, A Lady’s Promise, which is Eleanor’s story. You can download it for free from my website: www.jennifermonroeromance.com
Jennifer Monroe lives part time in the state of New York and part time in Colorado and dedicates her time to her writing and her husband and two daughters.
She writes Regency romances with heart! With stories of first love, second chances, dashing dukes, and ladies in distress, each turn of the page promises an adventure in love.
Not sure where to begin? Download her free ebook, A Lady’s Promise, from her website and have it delivered to your inbox today!
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