The Earl of Arundel

by Johnson, Angela

  “I have no intention of becoming a mistress.” She spat the words at Olivia as she took a step away from her.

  Olivia grabbed her arm so she couldn’t leave without causing a scene. “Get him to elope with you, or I’ll make certain everyone in society questions your virtue.”

  “Let go of me,” Emma said as she tried to pull her arm from Olivia’s grip.

  “Olivia? Emma?” Phillip rushed out on the balcony, surprising Emma with his appearance. “What is going on?” He wasn’t dressed for the party, as he hadn’t planned to attend, but his appearance made Emma’s heart race and ache.

  Olivia laughed. “Arundel, you won’t make an appearance for your mother, but you will for Miss Emma Parker?” Before she turned to leave, Olivia whispered, “Gretna Green!”

  “What was she on about?” Phillip asked as Olivia pranced away from them.

  “She wants me to convince you to elope.”

  Phillip nodded. “Did you tell her we don’t live in Verona?”

  Emma stood nervously next to him. A part of her wanted him to whisk her away to Gretna Green where elopements were legal, but it was selfish.

  Phillip looked at her as they walked back into the ballroom. “Are you hurt?”

  She wanted to speak the words only my heart, but instead she shook her head and swallowed the lump in her throat. “I’m well enough.”

  He escorted her back to her parents. She noticed the looks Phillip received as he walked through the room. Everyone had been told he was not well and would not attend the evening. His sudden appearance sent whispers through the room. His wardrobe at the party was also surprising, as he was not dressed for the evening.

  “Lord Arundel,” her father said as they approached, “it is wonderful to see you this evening.”

  “Thank you, Lord Anthony. Had I known your family was in attendance, I wouldn’t have stayed away. I owe you a debt of gratitude.”

  “We heard you were unwell.”

  Phillip smiled as though he were schooling his words. “It’s the blasted amnesia and some minor headaches. Nothing to be concerned over.”

  “What brought you to the party?” Emma asked.

  “Marianne told me Olivia dragged you out to the patio. She is a vicious viper, and you shouldn’t have to deal with her. Edward was supposed to keep her away.”

  “Arundel!”

  Emma turned to see a man rushing up to their group. She’d seen him earlier but didn’t know who he was. He was the same height as Phillip with auburn hair and freckles.

  “Lord Folly,” Phillip responded.

  “I’m glad you remember me,” Folly said. He put his hand on Phillip’s arm. “Do you have a moment to talk?”

  “Yes.”

  Folly looked around to see who was by them. Phillip turned. “Lord Folly, allow me to introduce you to Lord Anthony and his family.”

  Emma listened as he introduced everyone. She curtsied at the correct time, but she took notice of the panic in Lord Folly’s mannerisms.

  “Arundel,” he said in a rush, “please tell me you have found a way to get out of this engagement.”

  Someone else hopes to end the union. Who is he and what is his interest? Emma questioned as she listened.

  “I’ve tried. Both Ashby and Norland are greedy, and neither will allow us to end the farce.”

  Lord Folly looked as though he were trying to choose between crying or hitting someone. Instead he calmed himself. “Do you remember what I told you at Wentworth Hall?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then you have to end the engagement.”

  “How do you suggest I do this?”

  “Olivia suggested you take Miss Emma to Gretna Green.”

  Emma didn’t feel the shock of the statement as she’d already processed the information. But her parents’ reaction told her Gretna Green was not an option.

  “Lord Folly,” her father said in anger, “if you don’t mind ruining a woman’s reputation, then take Lady Olivia and elope. Don’t expect my daughter to bring scandal to our family.”

  Emma didn’t wait for anyone else to speak. She glared at Lord Folly. “My family means everything to me. I wouldn’t ruin my sister’s chances at a match. Lady Olivia doesn’t have any sisters. Take her to Gretna Green.”

  Lord Folly looked distressed. “She won’t go. She wants Arundel to make the move.”

  “She fears her father’s retribution. She won’t be responsible for her father losing his lands, titles, and wealth,” Phillip said as he put his hand on Lord Folly’s arm. “If I pull out of the engagement, I would cause my father the same loss. The consequences are higher than a ruined reputation.”

  Lord Folly looked ill and frustrated. He turned and left without another word.

  Emma hadn’t realized the serious nature of the situation. She put her hand on his arm as Edward approached. She wanted to tell him she understood, but she didn’t understand. When she said those words in the library, she was lying.

  Edward grabbed hold of Phillip’s arm. “Lady Turnley saw you enter the room. She’s asked Ashby to have you perform.”

  Phillip looked back at her family. “It was nice seeing you all again.”

  The ballroom seemed empty as she watched Phillip leave. Ashby entered, searching for Phillip as Lady Turnley pointed over to where he’d stood talking to her family.

  “Edward, was Arundel in here?” Ashby asked.

  “Yes. He took care of a situation regarding Lady Olivia and then left.”

  Ashby nodded. “The girl is a thorn in my side. He’s going to have to teach her some manners once they are married.”

  Emma knew she shouldn’t be surprised by Ashby’s words. She knew Phillip’s father was abusive, but she was certain Phillip wouldn’t behave in such a manner. Emma danced with a few other men during the evening but was thankful when her family left Lancaster House. She decided if they received another invitation, she wouldn’t attend.

  Twenty-three

  The morning after the party at Lancaster House, Edward sat across from his brother and watched him pick at his breakfast. Phillip was agitated and upset.

  Edward had a small amount of guilt for his attraction to Anne. He wanted to spend time with her and get to know her. He just didn’t know how to do it without parading it in Phillip’s face.

  “I danced with the Earl of Glendale,” Charlotte said as she and Marianne spoke about the evening. “He is dreamy,” she finished as she buttered her toast.

  “You spent enough time flirting with him at the garden party last week,” Marianne said before she took a drink. “If he didn’t ask you to dance it would’ve been in vain.”

  They giggled and their father looked up from his newspaper. “Will you girls discuss dresses, dances, and men in lower tones?”

  “Yes, Father.” Both girls looked rebuked and quieted their conversation.

  “I don’t know why everyone in this house has to hold discussions in quiet tones around you, Your Grace,” Olivia announced as she took a seat at the table.

  Edward saw Phillip’s head come up with Olivia’s words. He looked over to his father to see the anger burning in his eyes.

  “If you are going to eat in this room, you will behave yourself,” the Duke of Norland announced from his spot at the table.

  “Father, I will express myself however I feel,” she said as she slammed her plate on the table.

  Phillip stood and the footman rushed forward to grab his chair and pull it backward. Edward looked at his brother’s plate as it was taken away. He’d picked at his food but hadn’t eaten any of it. As he left the room Olivia started yelling his name, but Phillip didn’t turn back. Edward finished his breakfast listening to Olivia as she argued with her father regarding her behavior.

  Edward left the dining room annoyed with their house guests. He didn’
t understand why Norland and his family were staying at Lancaster House. They had their own home in London. They could stay there and come for visits when invited.

  He walked toward the music in the parlor, knowing by the sound it was Phillip at the piano. He stood in the doorway until the song was over. The music expressed sadness and left Edward wanting at the end.

  “The song was beautiful,” he commented, walking into the room. “It’s nice to hear you play, although the song didn’t feel right.”

  “I’m sorry I’m not the person I used to be,” Phillip quipped as he slammed his hand on the piano.

  “Tell me what’s going on.”

  Phillip looked over to his brother. “I have amnesia. Otherwise, I’m fine.”

  “Amnesia is a small part of it.”

  Phillip stood and walked to the door. He closed it so they wouldn’t be overheard. “Last night I didn’t want to attend the party because I don’t know anyone. I don’t know if I can do this.”

  “Do what?”

  He spread his hands out to indicate everything around him. “This life. I’m not the same person anymore, and I don’t know if I can be the Earl of Arundel.” He said his title with disgust.

  Edward crossed the room and put his hands on Phillip’s shoulders. “You have been in London for three weeks. No one expects you to be yourself right now. But this isn’t the only problem.”

  “I love Emma,” Phillip said, giving up the fight.

  Edward kept his hands on his shoulders. “Let her move past you. Otherwise it will hurt more if you continue to try and see her.”

  “Olivia suggested Emma and I elope. Leave for Gretna Green and bring scandal to both our families. And the worst part about it is, I asked Emma the same an hour before.”

  Edward tried to hide his surprise. Again, he noticed the difference in his brother of how he behaved toward Emma. “You are in love with her.”

  “I am not myself. It is like I am losing my mind.”

  Edward smiled in agreement. He understood the statement. Since he’d met Anne, he’d noticed the same passion in himself. But he didn’t have the restrictions Phillip had. He could court Anne and make his intentions known. “Does Emma want to elope?”

  “No. She wants a reputable marriage. And she has every right to expect one.”

  Phillip walked back to the piano and played another song. The anger and hurt flowed through the piece. Edward stayed to listen for a few more minutes before he could no longer handle listening to his brother pound on the piano. His playing was less smooth than in the past, and he missed keys as he played. The songs were rough and angry.

  Edward left the house to take a walk and send flowers to Anne Parker. The night before, he asked her to dance as many times as he could without causing the gossips to wag their tongues. He enjoyed getting to know her, and he wanted to continue the relationship. He purchased a dozen red roses and wrote a card to Anne, trying not to sound ridiculous but hoping he conveyed his desire to court her. He was advancing the relationship much faster than he ever had before.

  As he exited the flower shop, he saw Phillip on the opposite side of the street. Walking behind his brother, he noticed the limp. It wasn’t as pronounced as it had been while he was healing, but it was still there. He thought about calling out but decided he would follow and see where Phillip was going. He realized Phillip was walking without a destination. They passed parks, shops, and houses, but Phillip never stopped.

  As they entered the bridge, Edward wondered if Phillip was a little lost. The amnesia hadn’t taken his general knowledge, so Edward wasn’t certain if it made him forget directions. He decided to catch up to his brother when he saw an arm collide with Phillip’s shoulder and pushed him into the street.

  Edward ran as he saw Phillip try to catch his footing, but his arms flew backward. Right before a carriage hit, Edward pulled Phillip out of the way. He looked to find the person who pushed his brother. “Stop! He’s running away!” Edward yelled, pointing.

  “Are you injured?” Edward asked as he dragged Phillip back onto the walkway.

  “No,” he responded, trying to catch his breath. “I’m well.”

  “Did you see who pushed you?” Edward asked as he pulled Phillip into an embrace.

  “No, I didn’t see anyone.” Moving back from his brother’s embrace, Phillip said, “Tell me the truth about myself. What have I done to make someone want to kill me?”

  “Stay here,” Edward yelled as he ran after the man. He didn’t know if anyone else was in pursuit, and he wanted to find the person responsible. He ran across the rest of the bridge, anxious as he looked around trying to locate the assailant. A sense of foreboding came over him as he searched the streets to find nothing. Just as he was ready to give up and go back, he saw a man peer around a corner.

  Edward raced after him. By the time he rounded the corner, the man was gone. Edward slammed his fist against the building. He regretted it as he pulled his hand toward him to see he split the skin on his knuckles. He walked back to the bridge, giving up the search.

  Phillip stood with a group of people gathered around him. People were chatting about the incident and the man they saw. Edward sighed as a constable stood to the side taking notes and questioning witnesses.

  “Were you able to find him?” Phillip asked as Edward approached.

  “No. I saw him peeking around a corner, but he escaped.”

  “What happened to your hand?” Phillip took Edward’s hand in his to see the cuts.

  “I hit a brick wall. I’ve learned too much from Ashby.” Edward laughed a little. He added the last part for levity.

  “You didn’t answer me when I asked you if I am a terrible person.”

  Edward laughed. He was stressed from seeing his brother nearly run over by a carriage, but it was absurd to think Phillip would do something to cause another person to want to kill him. “You’re a straight arrow. We’ll figure out who’s trying to kill you.”

  Edward experienced a moment of fear as the constable walked up to him and started questioning him. He had a flashback to the jail cell he’d sat in after Phillip’s disappearance. He answered the questions with as much detail as possible. The assailant wore all black and had a hat. Edward didn’t see the man’s face. He was thankful when the constable offered them a ride in his carriage; he needed to get Phillip to Lancaster House.

  As soon as they entered the house, Edward listened to the constable’s retelling of the accident. Edward held onto Phillip as if letting go would cause his death.

  “Phillip, did you see who pushed you?” Charles asked, helping him to a chair.

  “No I didn’t,” Phillip said. Edward noticed he was shaken and looked to be in shock.

  Edward walked over to him and shook his shoulders. “Snap out of it.”

  Phillip’s eyes glazed as he tried to come to terms with nearly being killed. “I’m tired. I think I need to rest.” He stood and left for his bedchamber.

  Edward followed him from the room with his eyes. As soon as he was out of the room, confusion broke out.

  “Edward, start from the beginning. What happened?” their father demanded, slamming his hand against the wall. “Who’s behind this?”

  “I saw Phillip taking a walk, and I followed him.” He sat on the couch, exhausted from the day’s events, and cradled the injured hand. As he explained what he witnessed, Charlotte cleaned and bandaged his hand. Helpless and powerless, he said, “Phillip was pushed into the street as a hansom cab neared. I grabbed him right before—” He shook his head and waited until he could speak without his voice cracking. “If I hadn’t sped up, I would’ve watched my brother flattened by a carriage. I wouldn’t have been able to do anything about it.” Edward was certain his dreams would be tortured with replaying the scene. Overall their family was helpless when it came to protecting Phillip.

 
The constable spoke as Edward finished. “I would like to know how the assailant is able to tell the two of you apart. This is someone who knows your family. It’s someone who can see the difference between you from a distance. If I came across both of you on the street, it’d be impossible for me to choose between you to know who Lord Arundel is.”

  Edward hadn’t considered the detail until the constable said the words. He knew the person had to have access to the house at Wentworth Hall, because his ring ended up by the river. But he didn’t know of anyone outside of their family who had the ability to recognize them from a distance. Most of the serving staff had an issue with telling them apart unless they’d been with the family for years.

  “The assailant is intimate with your family.” The constable stopped speaking to let the words sink in.

  Edward needed to decompress. He took a walk through the garden, trying to pull anything from his memory of the arm or the person peeking around the corner. He now understood the frustration Phillip had with amnesia. Although Edward didn’t have the same issue, it was difficult not to be able to pull details from his mind.

  Edward occupied his time making a list of the people who were able to tell them apart. It was short, and he knew from those on it, it wasn’t complete because all of the people on the list were trustworthy. As he sat down to dinner, he watched Phillip again picking at his food. Edward understood he was shaken after the near miss earlier, but he hadn’t eaten breakfast or lunch and he still wasn’t eating. Just when he was going to kick Phillip under the table, Olivia interrupted the silence with another tantrum.

  She picked her plate up and threw it on the floor. Her glass flew across the room and shattered against the wall. “Father, why won’t you listen to me?”

  “Olivia, I’ve told you if you can’t behave yourself you will eat your meals in your room,” Norland responded.

  Edward looked to Phillip to see a reaction and saw he was still playing with his food and was either lost in thoughts or was ignoring Olivia’s outburst. He continued to focus on his plate until Olivia threw her spoon at Phillip’s head.