The Irish Heiress

by Kaitlin O’Riley

  Nothing made sense to her anymore.

  But suddenly Mara knew what she needed to do and where she needed to go to get the answers to figure out just what was happening to her. Her mother’s family would know. Her aunt Deirdre and aunt Ellen. Her mother’s sisters would know about the madness in the family. Perhaps talking to them would shed some light on what would happen to Mara in the years to come.

  When Brighton came in to wake her, Mara was already up and packing her things.

  “My lady, can I help you?” Brighton asked, rather perplexed at the clothes scattered around the room.

  “Yes, Brighton,” Mara answered hurriedly. “Can you please finish packing while I go speak to my uncle Lucien about making arrangements so we can leave as soon as possible? You’ll need to pack your things as well.”

  The young maid’s freckled face appeared confused. “Of course, my lady. May I ask where we’re going?”

  “We’re going back home,” Mara declared. “To Ireland and Cashelmore.”

  19

  Complications

  Foster Sheridan could not wait any longer. He missed Mara too much and he was afraid if he didn’t do something soon, he would lose her forever.

  Steeling his resolve, he rang the bell to the front door of Devon House. He’d made up his mind that he had to go to her, and at this point he didn’t care if her family wondered why he was standing on their doorstep. In fact, he hoped they would ask. It was time to have everything out in the open.

  Quite simply, he was determined to marry Mara one way or another.

  “Good day,” the Devon House butler asked. “How may I help you?”

  “I’m the Earl of Sterling and I was hoping to speak to Lady Mara Reeves, although she is not expecting me.”

  The butler raised an eyebrow very slightly. “I’m afraid Lady Mara is not at home today.”

  Disappointment surged through him. On an impulse, Foster asked, “Is Lord Waverly in, by any chance? Might I speak with him?”

  With a nod, the butler showed him to a drawing room to wait. Too anxious to sit, Foster paced the length of the room. He idly wondered where Mara was. Thinking she might be working at the bookshop, he chided himself for not visiting there first. He also wondered how she would react to his calling upon her this way.

  “Lord Sterling?” Phillip Sinclair, the Earl of Waverly, entered the drawing room, a perplexed expression on his face. “Good afternoon.”

  Foster and Phillip Sinclair were not complete strangers. They’d met on numerous occasions and frequented the same clubs and social functions. However, they were not friends and he knew Phillip thought it was a bit strange to have Foster call upon him at home. “Good afternoon, Waverly. I apologize for coming by unexpectedly and I thank you for taking the time to see me.”

  “It’s no trouble at all.” Phillip smiled agreeably, although Foster could tell that he was still confused by Foster’s presence.

  “I hope not to take up too much of your time,” Foster said. “But I’d like to discuss something rather important with you.”

  “Yes, of course. Can I offer you a drink first?” Phillip asked with a winning grin. “Something stronger than tea?”

  “That would be wonderful.” Foster could definitely use a drink. This was not going to be easy.

  “Scotch?”

  “Perfect.”

  Phillip went to the sideboard and poured two glasses of scotch from a crystal decanter. He handed one to Foster and motioned to the sofa. “Have a seat, please.”

  “Thank you.” Foster sat down and Phillip took a chair across from him. They raised their glasses to each other.

  “So,” Phillip began after he took a sip of his scotch, “what can I do for you, Sterling?”

  “Well, it’s a bit of a delicate matter, which I think you are already aware of . . . but I actually came here today to see your cousin, Lady Mara.” Foster paused, waiting for the meaning of his words to sink in.

  Phillip’s eyes widened. “You?” He sounded incredulous. “You’re the one?”

  Foster nodded wordlessly. Their secret was most definitely out now.

  Phillip downed his drink in a swift motion. Then he stared at Foster. “You’ve got a nerve, Sterling, coming here like this, because you know I may have to kill you.”

  “I wouldn’t blame you if you did. In fact I would be surprised if you didn’t,” Foster said, “but please hear me out first. There are things you should be aware of.”

  “I don’t know what you could say that would make what I believe is going on between you and Mara any better, but you can go ahead and try.” Phillip glared at him through narrowed eyes.

  Foster had to give Phillip Sinclair credit for controlling his anger. Foster didn’t know if he would have been so calm and forgiving in the face of a man who had seduced his innocent cousin.

  “First of all, I apologize. I know there is no excuse for any of it. None whatsoever and I take full responsibility for it. I am a married man and Mara is an unmarried young lady.”

  “Don’t remind me,” Phillip growled.

  “I am quite aware that this is a dreadful situation,” Foster began. “But I need your help, Waverly. I love your cousin. And I know she loves me too. My marriage will be annulled soon and I wish to marry Mara. But she’s got some ridiculous idea in her head that she doesn’t want to get married. Ever. To anyone. I need someone to help me talk some sense into her.”

  Completely baffled, Phillip stared at him for a long moment. “I need another drink.” He stood abruptly, went to the sideboard and refilled his glass. He took a swig and came back to his seat. “Do you want to explain that to me again, Sterling? Because that made no sense whatsoever. Did you say that my cousin refuses to marry you when you’re a free man?”

  “That’s what she said, and quite adamantly too, I might add.” Foster finally took a sip of his own drink. He needed it.

  “I don’t understand any of this,” Phillip grumbled, rubbing his hand against his forehead. “First of all, I’m still going to have to deck you for not being a gentleman with my cousin. But that can wait until later. Secondly, you are getting an annulment? Truly? Mara didn’t mention that bit to me at all.”

  Foster nodded. “Yes, proceedings have already begun to have the marriage annulled. You should know that my marriage was arranged by my parents, when I was younger than you are now. It was forced upon the both of us. I was not even given a chance to meet my bride until the morning of our wedding. If you can imagine such a thing. It was a miserable union from the start, and to be quite blunt, it was never consummated. Since the start we have lived separate lives for the entire ten years of our marriage. Rose lives in Yorkshire and I live in London. We’ve no children because there was never the possibility of conceiving any.”

  “My God,” Phillip muttered in disbelief.

  “Meeting Mara that night you introduced us—”

  “I’d forgotten all about that night!” Phillip interrupted. “That was when all this mess began?”

  “Yes, and I can assure you that neither Mara nor I have forgotten it. That night has changed both our lives for the better. Yes, in spite of the dreadful circumstances. I know it sounds ridiculous,” Foster confessed, “but I fell in love with Mara the first time I saw her that night.”

  Phillip ran his hand through his hair in astonishment. “What a tangled predicament.”

  “That’s an understatement,” Foster continued, wishing it was all settled. “As I was saying, meeting Mara inspired me to finally end my charade of a marriage to Rose. The process has already started and I shall be free to marry her in the new year. Mara is the one I want to spend my life with. I want her to be my wife. Not my mistress. But for some inexplicable reason, Mara says that she would prefer to keep things as they are . . . She’d rather be my mistress than my wife.”

  “That can’t be!” Phillip rose from his seat, his expression befuddled. “If you are both in love and . . . and, well . . . you’ve already done the d
eed, so to speak, and you’re more than willing to marry her, why won’t she agree to it? She really has no choice but to marry you now. I don’t understand her reticence. She already told me that she loves you. Because of that fact and because I believe you really do love her, I’m going to cut you some slack, Sterling, and I’m not going to beat you to a bloody pulp here in my mother’s drawing room.”

  “Thank you, Waverly. I appreciate your trust in me, given the awful circumstances.” He was beginning to like Mara’s cousin and hoped they could be friends one day. Phillip Sinclair was a good man.

  After taking another swig of scotch, Foster continued his explanation. “So I’m in a quandary. I told Mara that I couldn’t see her again unless she agreed to marry me . . . and so we haven’t seen each other since. You can see why I need your help.”

  Phillip flopped back down onto the chair. “I shall never claim to understand women.”

  “No one can,” Foster quipped lightly. He certainly didn’t understand Mara. As much as he loved her, their last conversation left him completely at a loss. “I actually came here today to speak to her, to try to talk some sense into her. When I discovered that she isn’t home, I thought I’d try talking to you. I know I am taking a risk in coming here in the first place, and speaking to you in the second. But I’m desperate. Maybe together we can get her to see reason. Perhaps this afternoon.”

  “But Mara’s not here.” Phillip sat up.

  “Is she working at one of the bookshops?”

  “No.” Phillip shook his head. “I assumed you knew already. Mara has left London.”

  Suddenly Foster’s heart began to beat faster, and there was a tightening in the pit of his stomach. “What do you mean Mara has left London?”

  “I mean,” Phillip explained, “that my cousin Mara left for Ireland two days ago.”

  Foster rose to his feet. “What?”

  “Yes, to everyone’s surprise, Mara suddenly said she wished to be with her parents. My father made arrangements for her and she left for Ireland the day before yesterday.”

  Foster was speechless. Mara had gone. She had left England without a word to him. He didn’t know what to think. Was her intention to never see him again? What was he to do now? He hated how they had left things between them and now he regretted telling her that they could not see each other anymore.

  “I take it she didn’t tell you she was going?” Phillip asked not unkindly, rising to his feet as well.

  “No,” Foster ground out, feeling rather put out. “She did not.”

  “Had you an argument?”

  “Yes,” Foster shot back. “I wanted her to marry me and she said no.”

  “Women.” Phillip gave him a rueful smile and shook his head. “What will you do now?”

  Foster sighed heavily. “It looks like I’m headed to Ireland to convince your beautiful but stubborn little cousin to marry me.”

  “It seems the only logical course, Sterling.” Phillip reached out his hand. “I’d put in a good word for you if she were here, if that helps.”

  “It does, thank you very much,” Foster replied, shaking Phillip’s hand. “I know my marriage creates the worst sort of circumstances and I’d like to avoid as much scandal as possible, for Mara’s sake. So I would appreciate any way that you and your family could support us. We may need it.”

  “I’ll do what I can, but I can’t vouch for her parents and the rest of the family. I don’t know how they’ll react to your situation, but I do believe your intentions are as honorable as they can be, given all the facts. I’m impressed by your character, Sterling. Coming here and explaining your situation to me took courage. And I’ve been thinking about your circumstances, trapped in a marriage like that. I don’t know what I would do if I were in your position, so I’ll reserve judgment. I’ve issues about Mara getting involved, but again . . . if your marriage is being dissolved and you both love each other . . . it should work out.”

  “Thank you, and I know I don’t deserve it, but I am most grateful for your support.”

  Phillip nodded. “I wish you the best of luck with her in Ireland.”

  But Foster feared he would need more than luck to get through this ordeal.

  When he got home that afternoon, he was still upset that Mara had left town without telling him. What if he hadn’t stopped by Devon House? How would he have ever known that she had left? Maybe he was wrong to want to go after her. What if she truly never wanted to see him again?

  But in his heart he knew that was not the case.

  Mara loved him. They loved each other. There was no doubt in his mind on that score. Their connection to each other had been too strong, too deep, and too real to be anything else but love.

  No, what Foster needed to do was to get to the bottom of what was bothering Mara. What was it that was keeping her from him? He had no choice but to go to Ireland to talk to her. He loved her far too much to let her just walk away.

  “Excuse me, my lord.” Preston entered the study. His butler looked more than a little annoyed. “But one of the housemaids seems quite agitated and wishes to speak with you.”

  “Which one?” Foster asked distractedly. He’d been at his desk, already making travel arrangements to go to Ireland.

  “Nellie Smith.”

  Foster recalled her as an agreeable young girl who by all accounts performed her duties well. “What is the matter and why does she wish to see me?”

  “I’m not entirely certain, my lord.” Preston looked thoroughly disgruntled by the situation. “But she is very distraught and said it was a private matter and it was urgent that she speak to you.”

  “All right then,” Foster said with a resigned sigh. “Send her in, Preston.” As if he didn’t have enough to contend with, he had to add troubled housemaids to his list.

  A few moments later, Preston ushered in a young woman, who stood nervously in front of Foster’s desk. Her young face was blotchy and streaked with tears.

  “Thank you, Preston,” Foster said. “You can leave us now.” Then he turned his attention to the anxious housemaid. “Good afternoon, Nellie. How can I help you?”

  The girl burst into a fresh round of tears. So much so that Foster rose from his seat to give her one of his handkerchiefs. What on earth could the girl want to discuss with him that couldn’t be handled by Mrs. McCafferty or Preston? His housekeeper and butler usually dealt with the servants’ issues. He guided the girl to a chair and patted her shoulder.

  “There, there, Nellie. I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what the matter is, and you need to stop crying in order to tell me.” Foster gave her an encouraging smile and returned to his seat behind the desk.

  Nellie wiped her eyes and sniffled. “I didn’t mean to do it, and I came to tell you how very sorry I am, my lord.”

  His brows drew together. “Sorry for what?”

  “I know that I’ll be sent packing for what I’ve done.” Nellie’s voice trembled and caught on a sob now and then. “Your lordship has been a good employer, fair and kind, and I like working here, so I thought you should know what happened. Because I have a bad feeling about it now, and I’m awfully sorry for doing it.”

  Foster was trying not to lose his patience. “Doing what, Nellie?”

  “I told the man about us having the nights off and I shouldn’t have. I didn’t know he was spying on you until yesterday.”

  He looked sharply at her. Spying on him? What on earth did the girl mean? This wasn’t some trivial household problem she was upset about. “You say someone was spying on me? Who?”

  “I thought Bailey was my fellow, flirting with me the way he was. We were stepping out together now and then. He would buy me a drink at the pub and we’d dance and talk together. He asked a lot of questions about the house and your lordship. I thought he was just curious about me and my work. But then yesterday . . .” Nellie burst into a fresh round of tears.

  “What happened yesterday?” he asked when she had taken a few breaths to
calm down. Foster was starting to get a very bad feeling about this situation.

  She wiped at her eyes with the soaked handkerchief. “He told me that he was working for your wife. For Lady Sterling. That it was his job to tell her everything you were doing, especially on the nights you sent us away.”

  Rose had hired someone to spy on him! Of course she had, which is how she knew so much about his past mistresses. Under normal circumstances Foster would not have cared that Rose knew what he was doing. But these were not normal circumstances. Not with Mara involved. He hadn’t wanted Rose to know about Mara.

  Nellie’s speech was punctuated by sniffles. “I thought I was his girl and when I said so, he laughed at me. He said it was over between us and he wouldn’t be seeing me anymore. He was leaving for Ireland with Lady Sterling—”

  “Did you say Ireland?” Foster interrupted her. That could only mean one thing, and it alarmed him.

  “Yes. He left with her yesterday for Dublin. But he called me a foolish girl and said I had betrayed your lordship and that he could never trust me . . .” The crying started all over again.

  So Rose had had him followed and discovered that he’d been seeing Lady Mara Reeves. Foster was more than a little surprised by her gumption. He didn’t think Rose had it in her to travel all the way to Ireland. But he was also worried now. It was one thing for Rose to know about Mara, it was something else entirely that she was following Mara to Ireland. Why? What was Rose planning? That uneasy feeling within him grew stronger.

  “I’m ever so sorry, my lord. I didn’t think I’d done anything wrong. I’d only tell him when I had my nights free so I could see him, that’s all.”

  And that was enough, Foster realized. If the man knew which nights Foster dismissed his staff, then he knew what nights to watch the townhouse to see who came and went. And that must have led the chap to follow Foster’s carriage when he took Mara home. It was simple enough to discover her identity after that. And that was apparently just what Rose’s spy had done.