Dread of The Earl (The Valiant Love Regency Romance) (A Historical Romance Book)

by Deborah Wilson

  George leaned heavily into her side. Her boy never fought the comfort she offered, likely because he’d lacked it so much while she’d been away. She loved that about him. She loved that he accepted what she had to give him even while managing to take what she needed as well.

  She loved George so much. Her sister’s final gift to her. She kissed his head and then looked over at Ganden, who was watching them with a frightening intensity.

  Then the carriage stopped and Ganden got out. “Stay here.”

  Lucy didn’t move, but she and George watched as he bound up the stairs to the townhouse.

  A housekeeper opened the door. She seemed surprised by the sight of Ganden. Ganden strolled in without permission, and Lucy could hear the shouting from the street. Then something broke, and there was a scream.

  George jumped and pressed closer to Lucy.

  There was a stretch of long silence.

  “Is Lord Ganden all right?” George asked after some time.

  “I’m sure he is.” But she sent up a prayer for Mr. Adler.

  The door opened again some time later and Mr. Adler came out.

  He’d clearly been roughed up quite a bit. His clothes were rumpled, his hair and eyes wild. There was a bruise forming on his cheek. Another on his opposite eye. By the end of the day, it would likely be a deep color.

  She also noticed that Mr. Adler walked with a slight limp, though he held his chin up with as much dignity as possible.

  Had Ganden done all of this?

  Seeing him and recalling what George had said about the man, Lucy felt little sympathy. How dare he tell her boy to keep secrets from her?

  Mr. Adler made it to the carriage and looked at Lucy before turning his gaze to George. “George. I am terribly sorry for what I have done.” His voice shook. “Please, please forgive me. Everything I said to you was wrong. You should…” He swallowed. “feel free to share anything with your aunt, even your tears.” He cleared his throat. “Do I have your forgiveness?”

  George nodded, clearly too stunned for words.

  “Now, you’ll apologize to my wife.” Ganden seemed to have come out of nowhere. He climbed into the carriage from the other side and kept a steady eye on Mr. Adler.

  Mr. Adler turned to Lucy and made a choking noise, holding back tears. “Forgive me, my lady. Please.” he begged.

  “You’re forgiven,” she whispered while she continued to hold George with a vice grip “but please, don’t hit any more children.”

  “We discussed that.” Ganden said. “He’ll never hit another child again, will you, Mr. Adler?”

  “No. Never.” Mr. Adler’s lips quivered as he turned to Ganden. He said nothing, just waited.

  Ganden turned to George. “Is there anything you would like to say to Mr. Adler?”

  George shook his head and shrunk away.

  Ganden turned to Mr. Adler. “You may go.”

  “Thank you, my lord.” Adler bowed and then ran back into his house as though the devil were on his heels.

  Ganden got the carriage back underway and then turned to George. “Do you fear Mr. Adler anymore?”

  George shook his head.

  “Are you sure?” Ganden asked. “Because if you do, I can always call him back.”

  “I’m…not afraid of him,” George whispered. Though, it was completely possible that he feared Ganden now. Tears were forming in his eyes.

  “Ganden…” Lucy murmured.

  The earl cut her off and continued to speak to George. “If you feel the need to cry, whether or not you do so, it is up to you. Don’t ever allow someone to tell you how to feel again. Do you understand?”

  George’s tears began to fall as he continued to nod.

  Lucy’s own eyes began to leak as well. “That’s enough.” she whispered.

  Ganden didn’t listen. He moved closer to George. “If anyone ever threatens you, you tell me. If I am not there, you tell your aunt. Your aunt will tell me and then I will deal with the threat. Do you understand?”

  George nodded again and sniffed before wiping his tears away.

  “I want to hear you say it, George.” Ganden demanded.

  “Yes,” George whispered “I u-understand.” He sniffed again and then straightened. “I understand, Lord Ganden.”

  “Good.” Ganden leaned away. The tension left his shoulders as he looked out the window.

  Once Ganden was calm, it seemed the thick tension that had been in the air dissipated.

  Lucy continued to stroke her boy’s head for the remainder of the ride and wondered how she truly felt about everything that had taken place.

  She knew she’d married a man with a great amount of anger and had wondered if she were putting George in danger by doing so. It was odd to see that anger used on their behalf.

  It wouldn’t have surprised her if Ganden had found a way to blow fire. He was like a dragon. Mighty and virile. He was the most potent creature she’d ever encountered. Power in a way that defined nature.

  He was a lord, but even if he’d not been born an earl, Lucy was certain he’d have found a way to make men bow to him. Even during the instances when it seemed he’d given up on living in his captivity, he’d never once bowed to Mr. Goody. He’d decided to go out fighting, willing to die like the vibrant man he was.

  Suddenly, his eyes cut to her. His body was relaxed, but those eyes were full of tamed energy.

  She let out a breath as…yes, it was arousal she felt. Her cheeks colored, and she lowered her head. What was wrong with her?

  ∫ ∫ ∫

  1 8

  * * *

  Ganden’s home was not what Lucy had expected.

  George stopped at her side and took in the destruction with awe.

  There were gaping holes in the walls. Some parts of the room seemed to have been dismantled by hand. There was a deep cavern in one of the columns as though some great animal had taken a bite out of it.

  There were pits in the marble floor and places that looked to have been ruptured during a great earth shaking. A great number of servants ran back and forth, stepping over the pits as they pushed and carried things between rooms, many of those precious art pieces broken.

  There was no furniture in the foyer and not an inch of dirt or debris littered the floor.

  Yet, she feared to see the rest of the house.

  “What happened?” Lucy asked.

  “I happened.” Ganden brushed past her. “Don’t worry. The rooms upstairs were not touched. My people have cleared away most of the destruction, but it will take some time to set the house in order.”

  What did he mean that ‘He’d happened’ to his home? Had his anger made all this happen?

  She looked at his hands and noticed he wasn’t wearing gloves. He’d been wearing them during the ceremony though. He must have taken them off when he’d dealt with Mr. Adler. His knuckles were raw and red.

  Lucy itched to soothe them and remembered wiping blood from them years ago. What would it take for this man to find peace?

  “Mrs. Barton will show you to your rooms.” He looked at Lucy. “I’ll speak with you later.” She could not decipher his mood from his gaze and lost the chance when he left the room.

  Mrs. Barton was the housekeeper, and she looked quite flustered. She had kind dark eyes and black curls peppered with gray stuck out from her cap and framed her rounded face nicely. “You’ll have to forgive me, my lady. Lord Ganden only told us about the wedding last night, and we’ve all been up for hours trying to put the house back to rights. But have no fear. I know this house very well. It is where Lord Ganden has always lived. I’ve been with the family since before he was born. So, don’t you worry, the home will be ready for guests before the Season has ended.”

  Would Ganden allow guests into the house? Lucy wasn’t completely sure what he expected from her as his wife. She understood what she was gaining, a protector for George and so far, he’d already proven he would keep his word.

  She greatly feare
d Ganden’s request. A kiss had been one thing, but would he require more from her body? She thought it strange that she, at one time, had offered herself to him. Completely and willingly. She’d had no reservations then.

  She’d been certain…

  She shook the rest of the thought from her mind.

  “Let me know if you need any help,” Lucy said to Mrs. Barton. “I can clean—”

  “No, my lady.” Mrs. Barton looked offended at the very thought. She shook her head as they climbed the stairs. “Mind the rail. It’s more burden than support these days. Dirtying your hands with housework will never be necessary. We’ve simply…not had to do it for some time. The master…” She smiled as if catching herself. “It was not necessary until your arrival.”

  Lucy was still confused but had no time to ask a question.

  Mrs. Barton continued, “You may pick out new furnishings and wallpaper, if you wish. Lord knows we’ll need it for every room, but you mustn’t think to do any labor. The master will not allow it.”

  Was Mrs. Barton sure of that? Lucy had been living in constant servitude for six years, only getting her first break when Lord Maltsby was taken to prison.

  She had no clue what she was to do as Lady Ganden. She decided that after she saw George to his room, she would find her new husband and inquire.

  George’s room was different from the rest of the house. Nothing was out of place. The room was bigger than anything he’d ever slept in before, as was the bed. The room was blue, silver, and white. Natural light came through the windows that lined the east wall and made everything look fresh and new.

  It brought on a flood of tears for Lucy. She’d never seen a more wonderful space in her life.

  “Toys.” George whispered in wonder. He looked at Lucy. “May I play with them?”

  “Of course, you can.” Mrs. Barton answered. “They’re yours, after all.” She smiled and folded her hands on her stomach. “Wouldn’t want them to go to waste. No one else would play with them otherwise.”

  George ran for a collection of horses and carriages that sat on a rug in the middle of the room. Lucy’s heart raced as she watched the happiness that bloomed on George’s face.

  “Aunt Lucy, come look!”

  She moved farther into the room and sat on the floor by her nephew. While the toys were fascinating, nothing brightened her more than the joy on his face. It seemed he’d forgotten everything that had taken place in the carriage. He seemed content. Still, she was nervous about leaving him alone, especially after learning about what Mr. Adler had done.

  Had Ganden not asked, would Lucy have ever known the truth?

  “Are you hungry?” Mrs. Barton asked George. “I’ll have Cook make you something special.” She seemed to brighten even more as she nodded at her own idea.

  George lit up at the idea of food.

  Mrs. Barton left.

  Lucy touched George’s shoulder. “Are you all right to be here alone while I go speak to Lord Ganden?”

  George looked at her, nodded, and smiled before turning back to his new shiny objects.

  Lucy stood and left the room, closing the door behind her. Then she walked down the hall and went downstairs. She shrieked when the stair railing almost gave under her. She’d forgotten Mrs. Barton’s warning.

  Ganden shot out and came to a halt at the bottom of the stairs, sliding to a stop. “Are you all right?”

  She took her hand away from the banister and placed her hands on her stomach before nodding. Her pulse raced far too wildly for any words to come out her throat.

  Ganden walked up to her and held out his hand. “Come.”

  She took it and allowed him to help her down.

  * * *

  “I’m sorry I did not have the house ready to receive you, but I hope you find your room comfortable?” Kent asked.

  Lucy licked her lips and then glanced over at him as he led her down another hall. “I’ve not seen it yet, actually, but I did see George’s room. It’s beautiful. Thank you for the toys. Lord Maltsby never bought him any.”

  The mention of Maltsby’s name sent a dark and heavy amount of acrimony through his chest. “I’m glad he’s content.”

  “More than content…” Her words ran out when they entered the drawing room.

  It was in the same state as the front room. In ruins. A single wingback chair that he had somehow managed to spare rested in the corner by the fire. Was she uncomfortable with the state of the house?

  Good, because he’d not married her so that he could cater to her comfort. This was about revenge, though how he would extract it from her he wasn’t entirely sure.

  Though, he had come up with a few ideas while Lucy had gone upstairs to be with George.

  “What happened to your house?” she asked.

  He grabbed her arm and turned her to him. “That is none of your concern.”

  He watched that open concern vanish from her face and become replaced with indignation. “Very well. I’ve come to ask just what it is you’ll be expecting from me.”

  He thought for a moment. “You lived with Lord Maltsby for a while. What did he make you do?”

  Her body went rigid. “Clean mostly. Sometimes, I… handled his correspondence. Then there was George. Whenever he was let out, Lord Maltsby allowed me to attend him.”

  “The correspondence.” Kent said. “Did you see anything of importance? Anything that will make the man hang sooner rather than later?”

  “No.” She didn’t blink.

  “Do you remember who he was in communication with?” Kent asked.

  She shook her head and looked away. “He spoke to hundreds of people a week. Half of London knew who he was or had a few pounds invested with him.”

  So, there would be no help in that area. “For your duties, I expect you to do as I say without delay and without cheek.”

  She sighed as though dealing with someone inferior but said nothing.

  He narrowed his gaze. “We’ll start now.”

  She stiffened, and her eyes flashed with uncertainty. “Wait. I…” She swallowed and looked down. Then she looked up again. “Will you…force yourself upon me?”

  “Absolutely not.” His entire body protested at the very thought, so much so that he let her go and crossed the room. He took the only available chair in the room and studied her. “I only go to beds where I have been invited.”

  She crossed her arms, and he noticed the way her chest puffed out as she took in a breath. “I suppose there is no point in asking whether you will be faithful to me?”

  “That is correct.” There was no point in asking, because he had no need for other women. He’d gone long stretches without sex, even before being taken by Mr. Goody.

  But he wouldn’t be telling her that. He’d allow her to believe what she wished.

  He didn’t trust women. He wouldn’t trust her either. She’d already proven she didn’t care whether he lived or died.

  He recalled the way his head had throbbed after she’d hit him. This was not a love match. This was necessity. He needed to make her suffer, for what she’d done to him. Nothing more.

  “In a few days, I’m going to take George riding.” he said.

  Her arms dropped immediately. “Am I not allowed to join you?”

  “No. You’re not.”

  ∫ ∫ ∫

  1 9

  * * *

  Emotions flashed across Lucy’s face with such speed that it got Kent’s own heart pumping faster.

  “How long will you be gone?” she asked.

  “As long as I wish.” he said.

  “So, that is how you plan to torture me?” she asked. “You will keep me from my boy?” Her voice cracked at the end, and it took everything within him to not turn away, to not break at the intensity of her stare.

  “Actually, I was planning to set up some interviews for a new tutor and a governess. I thought you’d enjoy the opportunity to choose the right person for the task.”

  Her an
ger dissipated. “You’d allow me to choose again? Even though I chose Mr. Adler?”

  “You see the error you made the last time. You’ll likely not make the same mistake again. I see no reason why not.” If there was one thing he was certain of, it was her love for George. The rest of the world could likely perish for all she cared.

  He’d not take that from her…or rather George. He greatly envied the boy.

  Love may exist for some, but never for him, he knew.

  She tilted her head. “I don’t understand you.”

  He didn’t understand himself.

  “But I must thank you for everything you done.” she continued. “George…he’s never had such a grand room before. I didn’t expect that. I thought you’d treat him like…”

  “Like what?” Kent said.

  She flattened her lips for a moment. “My sister and Lord Maltsby were never married when she gave birth to him. Jessica…she believed that one day they would. Lord Maltsby’s wife had died some years before they became acquainted. I tried to warn her against the man.” Her face became pinched. She was getting herself worked up.

  “Your parents didn’t step in to see to the match?” Kent asked.

  She shook her head. “My mother was gone. My father had been weakened by illness.”

  “So, they are gone.” Kent said.

  “Yes, but I tried to warn Jessica against the man. There was something about Lord Maltsby that I…Anyway, George slept in a closet in his home, a small room without windows. The space was far worse than anywhere the servants slept.” Her mouth trembled. “He only ever recognized George as his son whenever I wished to take him. Now, George has windows.”

  Windows were only a small thing to the extremely wealthy, like Kent. There was a tax on windows, but he didn’t care. He’d pay anything for the comfort of the sun.

  Lucy took a deep breath and placed a hand on her hips. “It’s all more than I expected.”

  “Come here.”

  She came to him willingly and stopped a foot away.

  “Sit on my lap.” he instructed.

  This time, she did hesitate. But then slowly, his bride’s light weight rested on him.

  She placed her hands on her lap and then looked at him.