His Christmas Match (A Gentleman's Guide to Once Upon a Time) (32 page)

Twenty-Six

Rosalind
tried to concentrate on the conversation occurring around her, but her mind
couldn’t remain on task when Felding was walking with Lady Jillian.
 
The two seemed to be in deep discussion, and
she wanted to know what they were talking about. Were she and Penelope so wrong
about Felding’s plans? If Felding wish to call on her, and it wasn’t simple
friendship, why was he walking with Lady Jillian?

Lady
Jillian left Felding’s side and began walking back toward the manor while
Felding turned on his heel and strode into the woods.
 
Rosalind picked up the needlework that she
had tried to use to keep her hands occupied and turned from the window. She
didn’t wish Lady Jillian to know she had been spying on her and Felding.

Rosalind
didn’t glance up until the door opened, and Lady Jillian stepped inside.
 
She contemplated Rosalind before her eyes
narrowed as a slow, self-satisfied smile spread on her lips.
 
Rosalind’s stomach clenched, and she went
back to stitching.
 

Penelope
leaned over. “What was that about?” she whispered.

Rosalind
shrugged, “I haven’t any idea.”

A
footman took her pelisse, and Lady Jillian approached her friends or at least
the misses who were always with Lady Jillian when she wasn’t with Felding.
 
Her smile grew wider, and she flounced down
in the middle of them.

The
girls were inquiring about her walk with Felding and asked why she was so
happy.

“I
really shouldn’t say,” she grinned and looked away.

There
were more cries that she must tell them.
 
Rosalind strained to listen, and she suspected Penelope was as
well.
 
Rosalind peeked up once and found
Lady Jillian looking at her before she glanced away. Whatever it was, she
wanted to make certain Rosalind heard as well.

“Well,
it isn’t official, but Felding hinted that we are to be betrothed.”

There
were squeals and giggles from the misses. Penelope gasped, and Rosalind feared
she was going to be ill.

“He
must speak with my father, of course,” Lady Jillian continued. “But I can’t
imagine my father would reject his offer.”

Questions
came from the females of when they expected the announcement, when would they
be married, and so forth.
 
It was all
Rosalind could do to stay in her seat and pretend as if this didn’t matter to
her.
 

“He
still hasn’t spoken to my father,” Lady Jillian said once more and glanced up
as the door opened. “And you must promise not to breathe a word of this.”

She
straightened as Felding walked through the door followed by Demetrius.
 
Rosalind glimpsed up at them. Both of their
faces were grim, jaws tight, and eyes hard.
 
It was completely the opposite of the joy exuding from Lady Jillian.

As
soon as the gentlemen exited the room, the misses dissolved into a burst of
giggles.
 
Rosalind no longer pretended to
sew. Something was not right. What had Lady Jillian and Felding discussed that
led to a potential betrothal?
 

She
looked past Lady Jillian and her friends to Lady Meadows, who was sitting with
Mrs. Parker.
 
Their faces were set with
concern.
 
They both rose.
 
“Lady Penelope,” Lady Meadows called. “I just
remembered I wanted to send something to Lady Sandlin. Would you mind
accompanying me?”

Penelope
practically jumped to her feet. “Of course, Lady Meadows.”

Rosalind
wanted to go with them, but as she had not been invited, and remained in her
seat.
 
Why had Penelope left her alone
with these girls?

The
hairs stood up on the back of her neck, and Rosalind looked once again to Lady
Jillian who watched her with what could only be described as hatred. “You do
understand Felding is mine.”

“Of
course.” Rosalind smiled and stood. “I wish you both well.”
 
With that she turned and calmly left the room
willing herself to go slow when all she wanted to do was run up the stairs and
bury her head in the pillow.

Rosalind
was able to keep her composure until she was alone in the chamber she shared
with Penelope and the door clicked shut.
 
Covering her mouth with her hand she tried not to let her sobs be heard.
Tears rolled down her face at the betrayal.
 
Felding knew all along he was going to marry Lady Jillian. If that was
the case, why had he wished to call on her? Why had she been foolish enough to
become hopeful?

No!
She whirled away from the door.
 
He had
kissed and held her but never voiced any words that would make her think he
cared.

She
fell onto the bed staring up at the ceiling.
 

Felding
knew he was to marry Lady Jillian but wanted Rosalind for a less respectable
position, and it made her ill.
 
Memories
of her mother bringing men to the house and disappearing into her room and
hearing the grunts and groans before the men left a little bit later flooded
her mind.
 
Though as a child she wasn’t
so certain what it was about, and had accidentally walked in the room once. As
an adult she knew.
 
Her mother had been a
whore because her family had turned their back on them, and she would be damned
if she became a whore herself.

She
had a better life, a good position in the Sandlin household, and if Felding
wanted a mistress, he could just find someone else.

Tears
ran from the corners of her eyes burning a path to her hair.
 
Rosalind bit her lip to keep form making a
sound before she finally rolled over, buried her face in the covers, and sobbed
until she fell asleep.

* * *

Noah
strode into Meadow’s library and slammed the door behind him. “Bloody hell!” he
marched across the room and grabbed the decanter of brandy and poured until the
glass was over half-full. He was tempted to drink straight from a bottle but
refrained.
 
The only thing he wanted to
do was get bloody drunk.
 
It didn’t
matter that the Valentines were prepared that the truth may be known one day.
He refused to be the cause.

How
the hell was he going to get out of this mess and by ten-thirty tomorrow?

The
door of the library flew open and Penelope marched in followed by Lord and Lady
Meadows, Marius Parker and his wife, Lavins and his wife, and lastly, Chambers
and his wife.
 
“News must travel fast,”
he grumbled and tipped back the glass, taking a long drink. The liquid burned
down his throat but offered nothing in a way to calm him.

“What
are you thinking?” Penelope demanded.

“To
what do you refer?” he countered though he suspected Lady Jillian couldn’t wait
to tell her friends even though nothing was for certain yet. She was that
confident that she had him.

Penelope
narrowed her eyes at him. “Your betrothal?”

“I
prefer to call it blackmail.”

The
wives of his friends gasped.

“What
could she possibly blackmail you with?” Meadows asked. He walked to the
sideboard and began pouring a glass of brandy for each person in the room.

Noah
took a deep breath. “I cannot tell you because it isn’t about me but someone
else.”

Penelope
stepped forward tilting her head. “The Valentines?” she asked quietly.

Noah
stared into her eyes and offered a quick nod.

Penelope
whirled around. “Lady Jillian is such a bitch.”

“Goodness!”
Lady Lavins exclaimed.

“Penelope,”
Noah warned.

“I
don’t care,” she yelled.
 
“I’ve had to
listen to her prattle on about nonsense and pretend to be nice and sweet while
I have also overheard conversations that showed her true colors.”

“What
did you hear?” Lady Meadows settled into a chair.

“Enough
that she is threatened by Rosalind,” Penelope answered. “Lady Jillian went out
of her way to insult Rosalind when she didn’t think anyone could hear.”
 
Penelope turned back to Noah. “When you
showed too much interest in Rosalind and not enough in Lady Jillian, she convinced
her brother to entertain Rosalind, woo her, and if he were lucky, would enjoy
the same benefits as Thorn,” Penelope bit out venomously.

Rage
rolled through Noah wishing he had called the man out.

“My
question, dear brother, is what do you plan to do about it?”

He
took a sip looking at those in the room who watched him with interest. “If I do
not agree to marry her, she has the knowledge and proof to ruin an entire
family.”
 

Some
of his friends groaned as others found their seats. If anyone could help him
out of this predicament, it was the people in this very room . . . his closest
friends save Sandlin who remained home with Phoebe.

“I
have until ten-thirty tomorrow morning to give her an answer.”

“She
is confident what it will be or she wouldn’t have shared her news with the
other young ladies,” Lady Lavin said.

Parker
wandered to the shelves and removed a book. “Perhaps this may be of assistance.
It always has in the past,” he grinned. In his hand he held
The Complete Fairy Tales
of Charles
Perrault.

“Fairytales?”
Penelope question in disbelief.

Noah
groaned. “I don’t think it will help in this instance.”

Parker
settled into the chair behind Meadows desk and thumbed through the pages.
 
Everyone else simply watched and even though
Noah knew it was unlikely an answer would be found, he still hoped.

“Ah,
at least I have your moral.” Parker grinned.

“What
is it?” Chambers asked.

“There
are two actually.” Parker straightened and cleared his throat before he read. “
Diamonds and gold, Get us all stirred: But
there’s more true worth,
In
a kindly word.

Penelope
looked at him in confusion.

“The
second?” Noah asked?

“Though it takes
care to show respect,
And
kindness of your own accord,
More often than you might expect, Kindness brings its own reward.”

Noah
slumped back against the wall. “Those are no help.”

“Which
story is it from?” Mrs. Chambers asked.

“The
Fairies,” Lady Meadows answered with interest.
 
“It is about two sisters. One is kind and when she helps an older woman,
is gifted such that each time she speaks jewels come from her mouth.”

“The
other sister was mean, and didn’t have a kind word to say,” Lady Lavins added.
“After seeing what happened to one daughter, the mother sent the unkind sister
out, hoping the same thing would occur. But she was unkind to a fairy because
she didn’t appear as the mean daughter expected. She was cursed so that
serpents and frogs came from her mouth when she spoke.”

Penelope
slid into a chair. “I don’t see how this helps.”

“It
doesn’t.” Noah sighed.
 
He glanced to
Parker. “There is no help from the story, is there?” he asked with hope already
knowing there was none.

Parker
shook his head sadly.
 

“I
wish I had more time, but I am afraid tomorrow morning is too soon.”

His
friends and sister sat in silence. By the serious looks on the faces, Noah knew
they were trying to think of some way to get him out of this situation, but he
could think of nothing and doubted they would have the answer.

Penelope
slowly straightened, a small smile coming to her lips.
 
“There are still three weeks until
Christmas.”

Noah
nodded.

“Why
don’t you invite Lady Jillian and her brother to our house for a few days?
 
They practically pass by the estate on the
way to their own.”

Noah
didn’t want Lady Jillian anywhere near his home or family. “To what purpose?”

“To
buy us time to find you a way out of this predicament,” she declared.
 
“Even though this doesn’t really offer you
more time to make a decision, it does delay Lady Jillian’s return home where
she will report everything to His Grace.”

Penelope
rose. Her eyes gleamed with anticipation or planning. “I’ll write to Phoebe and
have her and Sandlin come to the manor. They were going to come for Christmas,
so they can join us earlier.” She grinned. “Let your sisters take care of you
for a change.”

Noah
wasn’t certain they could do anything either, and he didn’t want to see his
sisters hurt.
 
“What if she is unkind to
your mother or Phillipa?”
 
Lady Jillian
was the type of lady who would look down on those who were not perfect.

Penelope’s
eyes twinkled. “All the better if she is.
 
Mother and Phillipa can take care of themselves and will not let the
likes of Lady Jillian offend or hurt them.”
 

The
idea had merit, and it did offer him more time to find a way out of this
unpleasant situation without harming Rosalind or her family.
 
Besides, if Phoebe was at the manor, Rosalind
would be there tending the twins. And even if she wasn’t, her home was close
enough to visit as much as she wished. “It is a good plan,” he said after a
moment before turning to his friends. “However, if any of you think of anything
to get me out of this mess, write immediately.”

“I’ll
deliver the message myself,” Meadows laughed.

Twenty-Seven

Rosalind
stood in the center of the chamber she had shared with Penelope making sure
everything that she had brought with her was packed for her return to the
Sandlin household.
 
In truth, she was
putting off leaving the room. She had not gone down to dinner the night before.
It hadn’t been intentional, but after crying herself to sleep, she didn’t wake
until the early hours of the morning.
 
Penelope was already in bed, and Rosalind had spent the pre-dawn hours
pacing the chamber.

She
really didn’t care what anyone thought of her absence or if they would
speculate on her behavior. It wasn’t as if she would ever see them again.
 
It did matter what Penelope thought, however,
and she hoped she could explain adequately even if she had to circumvent the
truth.
 
Felding probably wouldn’t have
noticed her absence as Rosalind was almost certain he spent most of the evening
with his soon-to-be betrothed.

Rosalind
groaned and wandered to the window to look down upon the back, snow-covered
lawn.
  

Felding’s
intention when coming here was to court Lady Jillian and securing her
hand.
 
The betrothal should not be a
surprise, yet it had been.
 
Why had he
kissed her? Not once but twice?
 
Did he
truly wish Rosalind to become his lover?
 
Did he think so little of her?
 
There was no other explanation for his behavior.

Tears
sprang to her eyes again, and Rosalind quickly swiped them away. She refused to
let anyone see her cry or allow her face to reveal evidence of such.

Rosalind
startled when the door opened, and Penelope stepped inside with a footman
following behind.
 
“Are you ready to
leave?” she asked brightly.

Rosalind
couldn’t wait to be gone from this house. She just dreaded leaving the room not
knowing which guests she might encounter along the way.
 
“Yes,” she finally muttered and drew on her
pelisse.

“Demetrius
is traveling with us,” Penelope grinned.

Rosalind
blinked in surprise. “I thought he would wish to return to London.”

“No.”
Penelope shook her head. “He intends to remain with your family until after
Christmas.”

A
smile formed on Rosalind’s face. Her aunt and uncle would be glad to have him
home.
 
“I wonder if the others will be
there as well.”

A
sly smile came to Penelope’s lips.
 
“From
what Demetrius said last evening, I suspect each and every sibling will be in attendance.”

Sadness
enveloped Rosalind. “I wish I could be there as well,” she sighed.
 
Her duties were to the Sandlins, and that is
where she would spend the holiday. She would not be with her family who she
missed desperately and needed to be with, especially now.

“Of
course you will be with your family.”
 
Penelope linked her arm with Rosalind’s and drew her form the room.
 
“Phoebe and Taylor will be traveling to our
home for Christmas, so you will be close to your family. I can’t imagine my
sister not wishing you to spend time with your family on Christmas Eve and
Christmas Day.”