A Viscount's Heart for Christmas (Book 5, Age of Innocence)

by Debra Elizabeth

  She wanted Lord Edgerton. Would he try to find a quiet moment at the Tisbury dinner to continue their conversation? She hoped so. She’d need a plan to steal away from her mother for a few precious moments. Perhaps she could enlist Hannah’s help to engage her mother. Trying to reconcile what her mother wanted and what she wanted was exhausting, but sleep eluded her as she grappled with the issues. She tossed and turned, with no answers forthcoming, and it was long into the night before sleep finally claimed her.

  The next day, Courtney rose early after a fitful night. She didn’t call for Nell and dressed in a simple day dress that fastened in the front, then brushed her hair and twisted it into a low chignon. When she entered the dining room, she was surprised to find Camden and Hannah enjoying their breakfast. “Good morning.” She sat next to Hannah, and Thomas poured her a cup of tea. “I’m surprised to see you two downstairs so early.”

  Hannah looked at Camden and gave him a secret smile before turning back to her. “Good morning, Courtney. We were both quite famished this morning, so here we are.”

  Courtney longed to understand the secret language of married couples. She sipped her tea, then rose and walked to the sideboard to make a plate. “Hannah, I would like your opinion on which dress to wear to Lady Tisbury’s dinner this evening. Would you have a few moments today?”

  “Of course. I’m sure whatever you choose to wear will look lovely on you, though.”

  Camden stood. “If you ladies will excuse me, I have some correspondence to attend to,” he said, leaning down to kiss Hannah.

  “Good day, my love,” Hannah said. She turned to the footman. “Thank you, Thomas. That will be all.”

  “Very good, Your Grace.” Thomas bowed and left the room.

  “Courtney, dear, please feel free to speak. I believe you want to talk about more than dresses. Is something troubling you?”

  Courtney put her fork down. “Oh, Hannah, I’m so confused.”

  Hannah grasped her hand. “Gather your thoughts and tell me what troubles you so.”

  Courtney took a deep breath. “Mother has instructed me to encourage Lord Carlisle’s suit. She says it’s my duty to the family to marry well.”

  “I see. Do you wish to encourage Lord Carlisle?”

  Courtney shook her head. “Not really, although he’s always been the perfect gentleman in my company. I’m afraid being his countess would be a terribly dull affair, especially since he talks so highly of his time at his country seat. I find I don’t want to spend my life mostly in the country now that I’ve been able to enjoy all that London offers.”

  “I see. Should I guess that you’re still enamored of Lord Edgerton?”

  A smile lit up Courtney’s pretty face. “I am indeed. Whenever I see him, I have the most delightful fluttering in my belly. Mother interrupted his visit yesterday, and I believe he wanted to discuss something important, but I don’t know what it was. I know Mother favors Lord Carlisle and I certainly don’t wish to disappoint her, but how can I marry him when all I dream of is being with Lord Edgerton?”

  “Courtney, your choice of a husband must not be solely based on whether or not Katherine will be disappointed. I understand your duty to your family, but this family doesn’t need you to secure an advantageous marriage. You’re the daughter and sister of a duke, and that allows you the freedom to marry for love if you so choose. Camden would most heartily agree with me on this. The most important thing to remember is that you—not your mother—will have to live with your decision for the rest of your life, so choose wisely to ensure your future happiness.”

  Courtney nodded. “May I ask your assistance tonight?”

  “Of course. What assistance?”

  “I would like a few moments alone with Lord Edgerton. I’m most anxious to know what he wanted to discuss with me yesterday.”

  “Leave it to me. I’ll enlist Camden’s help as well to keep Katherine well occupied.”

  Courtney got out of her chair and hugged Hannah. “Thank you ever so much.”

  Hannah stood. “Enjoy your breakfast. I’m off to see Finley.”

  A sense of relief flooded Courtney. She picked up her fork and began to eat in earnest. She hadn’t eaten much at dinner last evening, and now that there was a plan in place to allow her a few moments alone with Lord Edgerton that evening, she found she was famished.

  The rest of the day crawled by, but it was finally time to head to the Tisbury townhome. Nell was dressing her hair when there was a knock on her bedchamber door and her mother came in without waiting for Courtney to respond.

  “Courtney, I wanted to talk to you before the dinner this evening.”

  “Yes, Mama?”

  “I have on it good authority that Lord Carlisle will be attending, and I want you to encourage his suit. He’s a well-regarded gentleman with an impeccable reputation and you couldn’t ask for a better match.”

  “But I don’t love Lord Carlisle,” Courtney pleaded.

  Her mother dismissed that with a flick of her hand. “Not that nonsense again. You will do as you’re told. You do not understand how society works. One wrong step and your reputation would be in taters. You’d be hard-pressed to garner the attention of any other gentlemen if that happens. I’m trying to steer you clear of making such a mistake. Do I make myself clear?”

  Courtney blinked back tears at her mother’s rebuke. “Yes, Mama.”

  Satisfied she’d made her point, Katherine swept out of the room.

  Nell finished putting the last of the pins in her hair. “There you go. You look beautiful.”

  “Thank you, Nell.”

  “Dry your tears now. Your lady mother only wants the best future for you.”

  “But what if my future isn’t with Lord Carlisle?” Courtney said.

  Nell said no more and handed Courtney her evening gloves before exiting the room.

  She pulled on her gloves before making her way downstairs. Everyone had gathered in the foyer, and Hester helped the women into their cloaks while Camden donned his greatcoat.

  “The coach is waiting, Your Grace.”

  Camden held out his arm for Hannah, who slipped her hand into the crook of his arm. “I’m excited to see Aunt Mary again,” she said. “It feels wonderful to be out again.”

  Katherine and Courtney followed them out the door and down the stairs. Camden handed the women up into the coach before climbing in after them, taking the seat next to his wife. “I don’t want you to overdo it this evening. If you’re feeling tired, you must tell me straight away and we will leave.”

  “Of course, my darling, but I’m feeling quite well.”

  Courtney clasped her hands together in her lap to hide her anxiousness. She’d wished a moment to talk to Hannah about her mother’s lastest edict, but Katherine had been in the foyer when she descended the stairs. Without knowing what Lord Edgerton wanted to discuss with her, she couldn’t strenuously object to her mother’s preference for Lord Carlisle. It was two days before Christmas, and she dared to hope her Christmas wish could be that Lord Edgerton would declare he was falling in love with her.

  By the time they arrived, there were a number of carriages lined up at the Tisbury townhome, and it took another ten minutes before they were greeting their hosts.

  “Good evening, Your Graces,” Lady Tisbury said with a curtsey.

  Her husband, Lord Tisbury, nodded his greeting. “Wetherby.”

  Hannah hugged her aunt and smiled at her uncle. “It’s so wonderful to see you. You must come by and see Finley soon,” she whispered in her ear.

  Mary nodded. “Absolutely, Your Grace.”

  “Lady Tisbury, it’s been too long since we last saw each other,” Katherine said, bussing her cheek. “And this is my daughter, Lady Courtney.”

  Lady Tisbury turned her attention to Courtney. “Welcome, Lady Courtney.”

/>   Courtney curtsied. “Thank you, Lady Tisbury, Lord Tisbury.”

  After greeting their hosts, the group moved into the parlor. There were quite a few people already there, and Courtney soon spotted Violet standing next to her brother and mother.

  “Mama, I see Violet is here. May I go to her?”

  “Yes, of course. I’ll join you in a moment.”

  When Courtney reached the group, Edgerton reached for her hand and brought it to his lips. “Lady Courtney, a pleasure to see you again. I understand there will be dancing after dinner and hope you’ll save a dance for me.”

  “It will be my pleasure, my lord.” She curtsied to him and Lady Edgerton before turning to Violet. “Violet, I’m so glad you’re here. Have you been here long?”

  Violet grasped her hands. “We’ve only just arrived ourselves.”

  Courtney made a conscious effort not to let her gaze linger overlong on Lord Edgerton. Her heart soared upon seeing him. He would put an angel to shame with his masculine beauty. His black superfine jacket fit his broad shoulders to perfection, and his silver waistcoat sparkled in the candlelight. He was decidedly the most handsome man in attendance.

  She said a silent prayer that tonight they could be alone together, if only for a few moments. She longed to know what he had wanted to say to her before her mother interrupted them.

  Chapter 17

  EDGERTON TORE HIS GAZE AWAY from Courtney as Red Knight entered the parlor and walked to his side. He had the utmost respect for the spy’s abilities and hoped he could shed more light on the situation in the north.

  Brooks Atkinson, the Viscount of Alesbury, greeted Edgerton with a nod. “Edgerton.”

  “Alesbury, good to see you.” He turned to the ladies. “May I present Lord Alesbury? Alesbury—my mother, Lady Edgerton; my sister, Miss Violet; and Wetherby’s sister, Lady Courtney.”

  Alesbury bowed to the ladies. “It is a pleasure to meet you all.” His gaze lingered a fraction longer on Violet before he turned back to Edgerton. “Might I have a word?”

  Edgerton nodded. “If you ladies will excuse us?” The two men walked to a more secluded corner of the parlor. “What news?”

  “I heard something interesting you should know about.”

  “Oh?”

  “According to my informant, Lord Carlisle has had his hand in events. It was his men who incited the riot and then faded from the scene before the arrests. His plan was for the magistrate to impose harsher sentences on the rioters so Carlisle could swoop in and buy any farms that failed while the rioters were in jail.

  “Bloody hell. Can this get any worse?”

  Alesbury nodded. “The magistrate was also funneling a portion of the fees collected into Carlisle’s coffers in exchange for his support.”

  “That doesn’t make sense. Carlisle’s country seat is more than a hundred miles away. Why would he care what happened in the village?”

  “He’s been quietly buying up nearby farms and directed his men to create the chaos to convince a few local noblemen to also sell their estates to him and relocate elsewhere. It seems he’s now run out of ready cash and wasn’t able to buy the any properties or the mill, so he’s looking to wed a young woman with a large dowry to facilitate his plan to expand his holdings. I’ve not yet uncovered the reason he wants such a presence in the area.”

  Edgerton nodded. “I see. You should know the mill is no longer for sale.”

  “Is that so? How do you know?”

  “Because Wetherby and I bought it to give me a presence in the north. I’ve also bought the Blakely estate to solidify my standing in the area.”

  Alesbury nodded. “Do you want me to continue with the investigation?”

  “Yes, but it can wait until after Christmas.”

  With his report given, Alesbury began to circulate through the room.

  “Lord Edgerton, you must be parched,” Lady Tisbury said, walking up to him with two glasses in her hand.

  He reached for one. “Lady Tisbury, you’re too kind.”

  Lady Tisbury stood next to Edgerton and whispered behind her fan. “I heard the most interesting tidbit. There’s talk that Carlisle isn’t as financially secure as once believed. Rumor has it his finances are floundering and he’s hunting for a large dowry to shore up his title.”

  Edgerton nodded as two other guests passed nearby. “I so agree, Lady Tisbury. The weather has turned unseasonably cold.”

  They walked along the perimeter of the room until they reached Wetherby and Hannah. Lady Tisbury linked her arm with Hannah’s. “Your Grace, you must tell me the latest about Finley,” she said, leading her away.

  Edgerton stood next to Wetherby. “Carlisle’s involved in the unrest in the north. He’s up to something.” Before he could say anything more, the Tisbury butler announced dinner. As the ranking couple, Wetherby and Hannah led everyone into the dining room.

  Edgerton was pleased to find he was seated next to Courtney. Unfortunately, Carlisle was seated on the other side of her and Lady Arabella was on Edgerton’s opposite side.

  “Lady Courtney, you’re looking especially lovely tonight,” Carlisle said.

  “Thank you, my lord.”

  “Do you enjoy the theatre?”

  Courtney nodded. Her mother smiled at her from across the table, and she felt compelled to answer. “I do indeed. I especially enjoy comedies.”

  “Perhaps you and your mother would do me the honor of accompanying me and my sister soon.”

  There was no way he was letting Courtney go anywhere with Carlisle, knowing why he was pursuing her. She deserved to be loved and cherished by her future husband, not wanted merely for her sizeable dowry. He jumped into the conversation before she could commit to an evening with Carlisle. “Lady Courtney, my sister tells me you had a lovely visit to the foundling home.”

  Courtney turned to him and smiled, a smile that reminded him of a glorious sunrise and filled him with warmth. “It was a delightful visit. The children were so excited and grateful for the gifts we brought them.”

  He turned to Lady Arabella. “Lady Arabella, are you involved in charity work as well? It’s such a worthwhile endeavor for ladies to show such kindness to those less fortunate than us, don’t you agree?”

  Arabella choked on her food and grabbed her wine glass. When she could talk again, she said, “I’ve not yet decided on a charity, my lord. I hope to choose one soon.”

  He heard Carlisle snort. He’d obviously heard his sister’s declaration, and it would seem even her brother found her desire to do charity work ridiculous.

  Edgerton kept Courtney talking about the children and her charity work for most of the dinner, denying Carlisle much access to her.

  When the dinner ended, Lady Tisbury stood. “Ladies, shall we adjoin to the parlor and leave the men to their brandy?” The women stood and followed their hostess out of the room. The men stayed behind to enjoy their brandy, although Lord Tisbury didn’t keep them long before he stood to rejoin the ladies and the men filed out of the room after him.

  Carlisle was the first into the parlor and walked straight to Courtney. “Lady Courtney, will you take a turn around the room with me?”

  Courtney couldn’t refuse without insulting him. “Of course, my lord.”

  He tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and paraded with her around the room.

  When Edgerton walked into the parlor, he wasn’t pleased to see that Carlisle had already claimed Courtney’s attention. He chatted with the other attendees while trying not to watch Courtney too closely. Alesbury was talking with Violet, and his mother was happily chatting with Lady Tisbury and Katherine. When he looked up once again, neither Carlisle nor Courtney was in the room. Where could they have gone? He looked around and noticed the French doors open slightly to the terrace beyond. He excused himself from his conversation and headed
toward the doors.

  “My lord, it’s quite chilly out here. I wish to return to the parlor,” Courtney said, very unsettled at being alone with him out on the terrace.

  “Of course, my dear. But first, I wish one kiss.”

  Courtney put her hand out to stop him from coming closer as cold terror unfurled in her chest. “I don’t think that’s appropriate, my lord. I want to go back inside. Please allow me to pass.”

  Carlisle snaked his hand around her waist and pulled her to him. “Oh, it’s entirely appropriate for my future wife,” he said as his mouth came crashing down.

  Edgerton saw red as Carlisle tried to kiss Courtney. He yanked him off before he had a chance to kiss her. “You bounder, get your hands off her.”

  Carlisle stood back and held his hands up in mock surrender before staring at her with a smug look on his face. “Oh my dear, it seems we’ve been caught in a compromising situation. I shall announce our betrothal immediately.”

  “No!” Courtney said, tears burning in her eyes. “I’ll never marry you.”

  Edgerton blocked Carlisle from getting near Courtney again. “You’re mistaken. I’ve seen nothing of the sort. It’s only been you and I out here on the terrace.” He turned to Courtney. “Go back inside through the library doors and make your way back to the parlor. All will be well.”

  Courtney nodded and hurried away.

  Carlisle tried to push past Edgerton. “Get out of my way. That’s my future wife.”

  “Take another step or mention this incident to anyone, and you’ll regret it. Courtney will never be yours. You’re lucky I don’t flatten you right now.”