The Dark Side of the Earl: Historical Regency Romance

by Ella Edon

  Leyton’s face reddened. Nathan wondered what he thought would happen. He had wondered why men would fight over a woman, thinking it ridiculous. Now he could see why; a woman meant something.

  Did that mean Eleanor meant something to him? Or was he just defending his territory?

  You don’t need to answer that. You knew the moment you saw her.

  Leyton’s eyes narrowed, and he snarled. For a moment, Nathan thought he was going to take a swing and braced himself for a fight. It would mean they would be banned from the club, but he wasn’t about to let himself get caught on the back foot again.

  “You’ll regret this.” Leyton growled, jabbing a finger at Nathan’s face. Then he turned and stormed out. Moments later, there was the sound of a door banging and a shout from the doorman.

  Nathan turned to Simon, who looked equally bewildered.

  “What was all that about?” asked Simon.

  “I have absolutely no idea.” Nathan eased himself slowly back into his chair. His head was starting to hurt again. “But I’m going to ask Lady Eleanor about that shortly.”

  “You think she’s going to tell you about him?”

  Nathan knew she would. He was going to make her.

  Nathan hadn’t planned on going to see Eleanor for a few days - he needed to get his head on straight with what his priorities were - but shortly after Leyton left the club, Nathan found himself leaving and heading over to Eleanor’s house. Leyton’s sudden declaration had unnerved him, and now Nathan wanted answers. Often marriages could bring people out of the woodwork, that much he did know, and Nathan wanted to know that there wasn’t going to be any trouble from Leyton. That he had to hear from Eleanor herself. If Leyton was going to be a problem, he needed to act soon.

  It did have him pausing a few times on the way over to Eleanor’s home. Why was he even concerned about this? Nathan should’ve just shrugged his shoulders, put it aside and moved on. But instead he found himself wanting to hear from Eleanor’s lips that Leyton was nothing.

  Admit it. You’re jealous.

  It should be a crime to become emotionally invested in someone within days.

  Nathan arrived at Eleanor’s house and alighted from Simon’s carriage. It looked better in the daylight. The front had low shrubs lining the railings and there was a small rose garden by the front door. It looked pretty and well-tended to. Nathan hadn’t noticed it in the dark. The house appeared to be kept in good condition. Eleanor’s family may have been in financial straits, but they didn’t let that stop them keeping up with everything else.

  They had pride, that much was clear.

  Nathan used the door knocker, hearing it reverberate around the house inside. After a few moments, the door opened and a good-looking middle-aged man wearing a smart black suit that screamed ‘butler’ looked out at him. Nathan held up his calling card.

  “Captain Reynolds to see Lady Eleanor. I’m afraid I haven’t got an appointment.”

  The man’s eyes widened. Then his surprise disappeared, and he looked vaguely blank. Typical butler move. They learned early on to keep themselves looking like they had no mind of their own. Nathan had always marvelled at their poker faces. If only he could learn that trick.

  “Of course, Captain.” The butler hesitated. “Normally, I would let you in, but…”

  “But what? Is she unwell?”

  “She’s not unwell. But she’s not…” The butler winced. “She’s not comfortable with receiving anyone for a few days.”

  “What are you talking about? What’s going on?”

  “Let him in, Parsons.”

  Eleanor. She was there. Parsons again hesitated, but then he moved aside and allowed Nathan to step into the foyer. Nathan nodded his thanks and headed into the house only to stop short when he saw Eleanor.

  She was coming down the stairs, wearing a dress that had a high neckline. Not quite the attire that people would wear nowadays, but Nathan could see why. Even with the neckline almost covering her neck, there was no hiding the bruises that surrounded her neck. And no amount of powder would be able to cover the bruise that was coming up under her left eye.

  Nathan knew he was staring, but he couldn’t help himself. Anger stirred in his chest. No man should ever hit a woman. Someone had gone after Eleanor.

  He knew he should have been more forceful to keep her away from the children.

  “This is why I’m not taking visitors right now.” Eleanor gave him a half-smile and gestured at her face. “It’s a little difficult to explain this away.”

  Nathan found himself moving. He approached her, reaching up with a shaking hand. Touching Eleanor’s jaw, he gently turned her head to inspect the bruise. It was certainly an impressive one, and it would have knocked her senseless. Then he lifted her chin and looked at her neck. If he found the man who thought it was a good idea to put his hands on his woman…

  Your woman? Since when has she been your woman?

  Since the moment she walked into my life. I’m not going to ignore that anymore.

  “My God.” Nathan drew his hand back.

  Eleanor shrugged. “Someone broke in by the side door, snuck up to my room and tried to strangle me. Then the servants came running and he disappeared again.” Eleanor rubbed at her neck and winced. “It’s fine, but I’m going to be having problems swallowing for a couple of days. The physician said it would be alright, but that I would need to rest. The bruises will be gone by the end of next week.”

  Nathan hoped so. He didn’t want to describe the intense anger that was swirling around inside him. He wanted to reach out and pull Eleanor into his arms, but he was acutely aware of where they were. Parsons was too close, and he was still watching them.

  “How... you were attacked in your own home?”

  “I don’t know how it happened or why, but it’s done. I’m just not going to be leaving the house until the bruises have faded...”

  Eleanor’s voice wavered and tapered off. Nathan’s chest tightened. This was the first time he was seeing Eleanor so vulnerable, and he didn’t like it. He wanted to make it all go away.

  Oh, yes. He knew how he felt about her now. The realization was sobering.

  “You don’t want what?” he pressed gently.

  Eleanor bit her lip and looked down at the floor. “I don’t want people to think my father did this to me. His...his reputation is already low due to his…”

  Her shoulders trembled. Nathan glanced over at Parsons.

  “Is there somewhere that I can take Lady Eleanor to calm down?”

  “The drawing room, Sir.” Parsons beckoned him to follow. “I’ll make sure you’re not disturbed.”

  “Thank you.”

  Nathan threw propriety out of the window for a few moments and wrapped an arm around Eleanor’s shoulders. Eleanor didn’t stiffen or pull away as he expected. Instead, she leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder. The immediate trust she put in him had Nathan’s anger dissipating a little. It felt good. It may not have been proper, but that moment of comfort Eleanor was taking made him feel useful.

  He just hoped that he could let her go when he should.

  Parsons opened a door off the foyer and Nathan led Eleanor into the room. He barely took stock of his surroundings as he urged Eleanor to sit on a couch by the empty fireplace. Eleanor leaned over and buried her face into her hands, rocking slowly as she took deep breaths. Nathan felt helpless watching her. If only he could do something more, but he couldn’t. Swallowing, he nodded at Parsons.

  “Thank you, Parsons. I’ll look after her.”

  “Very good, Captain.”

  Parsons simply bowed and left the room, closing the door behind him. God only knew what he was thinking right now. Nathan pushed that aside and knelt in front of Eleanor.

  “Eleanor? Eleanor, look at me.”

  Eleanor stopped rocking, but she didn’t lower her hands. Nathan reached up and took her hands, gently bringing them down. Even then, Eleanor wouldn’t look at him
, fixing her gaze on the buttons of his shirt. Nathan rubbed his thumbs across her knuckles.

  “Look at me, Eleanor. Talk to me. I’m not going to judge you. I’m sure you know that.”

  “You’ve judged me about my decisions before,” Eleanor said bitterly.

  Nathan winced. “We’re not here to discuss that. For now, just talk to me. I want to think it will help.”

  Eleanor bit her lip. Nathan felt the urge to kiss her. You didn’t come here for that. Focus on Eleanor, not on her mouth. Nathan shook himself.

  “Eleanor?”

  “Forgive me.” Eleanor took a deep breath and sat back, her hands still in his. “I don’t normally lose my composure like this. But...I felt like I could with you. Does that sound silly?”

  “It’s not silly at all.” Nathan smiled. “I’m flattered that you find me worthy enough to be yourself.”

  “And I shouldn’t be talking about my father like I did. He’s a good man, truly. It’s just…” Eleanor winced. “He has a couple of vices.”

  “Like what?”

  “Gambling. And drinking. Once he’s got both in his grasp, he takes it to excess. It’s how you and I ended up engaged.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Now Nathan was confused. He moved to sit beside her, taking care not to sit too close. But he didn’t let go of her hand, either.

  “I don’t follow.”

  “Someone at one of these gambling dens said he could wipe out his debts - and there are a lot of them - on the condition that Father agrees to marry me to an acquaintance.”

  “So, we were both set up?”

  It hadn’t been his mother’s plan after all? Now that made a little more sense. But she was involved in this somehow. Did she know how this match had started?

  “Pretty much.” Eleanor shook her head. “Don’t ask me who this friend is or how it was managed, because I don’t know. I can’t even get it out of my father who was dealing with this all. But he’s been desperate to have me married to a respectable gentleman for a while now, and my prospects had faded over the years. I didn’t want to marry.” She winced and glanced at him. “No offence.”

  “None taken.”

  Nathan could see things a little more clearly now. It didn’t matter who had arranged this match, he and Eleanor had set things in motion. They were stuck in this together.

  “I know we could break this off amicably, go our separate ways, but then Father’s debts wouldn’t be paid and we…” Eleanor swallowed. “We would be destitute. God only knows where we would go.”

  More than likely in the workhouse if it was that bad, or they would be exiled to a tiny plot of land elsewhere in the country. Nathan didn’t like the idea of that. Although he liked the idea of living in a small cottage in the countryside, away from the grime and stench of London, if Eleanor was with him. They could make that work.

  Seriously? You’re thinking about that right now? Focus, you fool.

  Nathan cleared his throat and shifted on the couch.

  “I’m not going to break it off, Eleanor. While I’m not happy about it, I do understand. Besides,” he added with a sly smile, “I would like someone interesting to talk to when I’m home on leave. You would keep me on my toes.”

  “You make that sound like a bad thing.”

  Nathan winced. “My apologies. But I would rather have a wife with a light in her eyes. A fire lit beneath her who isn’t prepared to sit there looking pretty. She wants to go out and do something. Not that you’re not pretty,” he added hurriedly, his cheeks burning, “but I’m sure you know…”

  “I know what you mean.” Eleanor looked at him and smiled. This one made her eyes flicker, and Nathan felt it slam into him. She really was a beautiful woman. “I’m not offended. Not many men would want a woman with a mind of her own.”

  “That’s not me. If I must be married, I would want a wife who was interesting.”

  “And you think I’m interesting?”

  Nathan nodded. “Absolutely.”

  “Even with my steadfast opinions?”

  “I’m sure I can wear those down.”

  Eleanor stared at him. Then she threw her head back and laughed. That had a shiver going down Nathan’s spine. Whoa, Eleanor Heavenly was more dangerous to him emotionally than he expected. How no one had snapped her up as a wife years ago still eluded him? Men would have been queuing up for her attention, surely?

  “Not a chance,” Eleanor declared. “I’m not getting worn down. Compromise, maybe, in the smallest of things. But I’m not going to be worn down.”

  “I’m stubborn as well. I can push back.”

  “And you’ve been in the army too long, Captain Reynolds. I’m not one of your soldiers who’s going to bend to what you want.”

  “I’ve noticed. They’re not as pretty as you.”

  Nathan looked away with a groan. He was not good at talking to women. He thought he was, but Eleanor was just throwing all of that out of the window. She could make him relaxed about her one moment, and then nervous the next. Nathan felt like he was eighteen years old again.

  Maybe he did need a break from the army. It hadn’t done much for his social interactions.

  He swallowed and squared his shoulders, looking back at Eleanor. She was staring at him with a curious expression. It was like she was studying him. Then Nathan realized that he was still holding her hand. He hadn’t noticed, but holding her hand felt almost natural. He liked it. And Eleanor wasn’t complaining. She had made no effort to pull away.

  Clearing his throat, Nathan eased his hand away and rose to his feet. He needed to give himself some distance or he was going to forget himself.

  “Can I ask you a question, Lady Eleanor?”

  “You can.” Eleanor sat up, resting her hands in her lap as she straightened up. Her expression switched to cool, almost blank. Nathan wanted her fire back again. “Whether I’ll answer it is another matter.”

  “How is it that you’ve never married? I mean, you’re a very attractive woman.” Nathan could feel his face getting warm again. “I’m sure you had men clambering over each other for your attention when you had your first season.”

  Eleanor winced. “I initially did, but then there was one man who chased everyone else away. He wanted me for himself, and he didn’t like the attention I got from others. All the potential suitors I might have had were threatened and then they gave me a wide berth. My first season simply ended in disaster.”

  “You didn’t care for him, then?”

  “No. He made me uncomfortable.” Eleanor grimaced. “I don’t know what it was exactly that made me nervous, but I wanted to get away from him whenever he came close. I told him several times that I would not court him. Even my father refused to let him into the house after seeing how oddly behaved this man was in public.”

  Nathan had thought that something was going on, but that Eleanor had a possessive man who wouldn’t leave her alone after being told several times? That was something else? Was this Leyton? It would certainly explain a lot of things.

  “What about his parents? Did they think something wasn’t right?”

  “I spoke to them, and they were concerned. They had never seen their son pursue anyone like this, and they were ashamed that he wasn’t listening.” Eleanor swallowed and looked away. “It came to a head one night when he cornered me. I had gone to get some air during a ball, and he cornered me in the garden. He declared his love for me again and asked me to marry him. That he could make me the happiest woman alive. I said no and tried to go back inside. Then he...he grabbed me…”

  Her voice trailed off. Nathan went cold. Eleanor had been molested? Having been grown up giving women the utmost respect, hearing this made him feel nauseous.

  “Did he…” He gulped. “Did he do anything?”

  “No, he didn’t get the chance. I got him where it hurts, and I ran.” Eleanor lifted her head and took a deep breath. “Father chased him off, threatening to castrate him if he did that again.”
She rose to her feet and paced away, wandering towards the window. “I felt sympathy for Matthew’s parents, it wasn’t their fault that there was something wrong with their son.”

  Matthew. That told Nathan everything.

  “Was his family name Leyton, by any chance?”

  “It is, actually.” Eleanor turned to him and frowned. “Why?”