Liz Carlyle - [Lorimer Family & Clan Cameron 02] (52 page)

“I want her every move watched with utmost care. I want her every indiscretion, her every temper tantrum, and indeed, her every movement documented.” James pounded his fist upon the desk for emphasis. “And I want those boys properly educated, until such time as I can get them out of that house, and into this one. Or at minimum, enrolled in a decent school.”

Cole felt a moment of concern on behalf of Lady Mercer, for Lord James’s ruthless determination was apparent. And had his uncle’s concern been less personally motivated, Cole might have agreed with his assessment. From what little Cole knew of her ladyship, it was quite possible that she was not fit to parent her sons. Even he, a man who had no interest in the
beau monde,
had heard the whispered rumors of her lovers, and of her husband’s apparent murder.

Indeed, the tale about Lord Mercer’s death was rather more than a rumor, for poison had been found in his room. And her ladyship’s rather obvious affection for David Branthwaite, Lord Delacourt, was the talk of the ton. Their relationship had begun long before Mercer’s death, and had continued unabated.

Fleetingly, Cole felt sorry for the children, then just as quickly squashed that notion, too.
None of it was his concern.
No one had felt sorry for him when he had been left in similar straits—nor had he wished them to, he inwardly insisted.

Cole looked up at his uncle and spread open his hands in a gesture of helplessness. “I see your predicament, my lord. I wish I could be of some service, but this is clearly no matter for a military man.”

“You misunderstand me, Cole. What I want is a tutor.”

“A tutor?” Cole lifted his brows enquiringly.

“Good God, Cole!” James laid his palms flat upon the glossy desktop and leaned halfway across it. “How plain must I make my meaning? I want
you
to answer Lady Mercer’s posting. I want
you
to apply to her in Brook Street. And who could be more qualified? You are a brilliant scholar.”

Cole drew back in his chair. “Absolutely not.”

“Cole, please understand. If you cannot do this for me, think of young Lord Mercer. He is left at the mercy of that—that
harridan.
The child is your cousin, for pity’s sake.”

“I am sorry to disabuse you, my lord—but neither of those children is any kin of mine.”

Lord James’s breath seized, as if he had been stabbed in the back. His dark eyes narrowed. “After all this family has done for you, Cole, you cannot know how those words wound me. These boys are mere babes. How can you be so selfish when you have had the advantage of the best schools? Eton, Cambridge, King’s College, for God’s sake! Your academic achievements are nothing less than stellar. Moreover, you have a vast deal of experience in educating young men of good families.”

“I am now a cavalry officer, sir. A return to teaching is utterly out of the question. I am no longer fit to be a companion to young men of good families. And more to the point, Lady Mercer would never agree.”

“Cole, sometimes I despair of you, my boy! I truly do! You must not
tell
Lady Mercer who you are! It has been ten years or better since you met her—and in any case, I cannot magine she would have troubled herself to remember
you.
Besides, war has aged and hardened you a bit.”

Oblivious to the insults he had just leveled, James held out his hands as if the matter were settled, and now required only that the details be ironed out. “We shall dissemble your credentials just enough to explain away your years in the army,” he continued. “And of course, I shall make certain that your references can be verified—”

“It is out of the question, my lord.” Cole interjected. He rose abruptly to his feet, pulling out his father’s gold watch as he did so. “I regret that I must take leave of you, sir. I am engaged to dine at my club with Captain Madlow at half-past.”

James jerked his impressive girth from the chair and circled around the desk. “Cole, you owe me this. Far be it from me to remind you of all that I have done for you, but look at the facts—”

Cole threw up a hand to forestall his uncle. “The only fact that matters to me is that you propose to do something deceptive, and under no circumstance shall I be a party to it. I must assume that your usual good judgment has been exhausted by . . . by your concern for the children. Were it otherwise, I am persuaded you would never propose such a thing.”

“Cole, Cole!” Lord James let his face fall forward into his long, thick fingers. “Have you no gratitude?”

“Yes, my lord. I am exceedingly grateful. And yes, I do care about the innocence of children. God knows I lost my own innocence rather too soon. I am sorry that my—my
cousins
have lost their father under such unfortunate circumstances. But I do not choose to teach again, and I shan’t be wheedled into misrepresenting who and what I am.”

Suddenly, the door to his uncle’s study drew open with such force that the candles upon the desk very nearly guttered out.

“Upon my word, it is Cousin Cole!” said a deep, overly polished voice from the doorway. “What a delight.” His cousin Edmund Rowland strolled casually toward the desk, his hand extended limply in greeting. “Father failed to mention your coming, dear boy. Are you to dine with us?”

Cole stared down his nose at his uncle’s dandified son. “No, Edmund. I thank you, but I am otherwise engaged.”

“Yes, well!” Edmund gave a neat little tug on his shirt cuffs. “I am sure you must be exceedingly busy, what with your . . . well, with whatever it is you military fellows do when there are no infidels in want of killing!” He laughed uproariously.

“Oh, shut up, Edmund,” said James with a resigned sigh. “And sit down if you plan to stay. Cole and I are discussing what is to be done about Lady Mercer.”

Edmund’s thin, black brows flew up at that. “Oh, dear Cousin Jonet! Why, I know perfectly well what I should like to do with such a lively wench as she.” He beamed insinuatingly, showing his perfect white teeth, then slid into the chair next to Cole.

James hissed aloud. “The children, you dolt! What is to be done about her children!”

“Why, I hardly think I care, Father.” Edmund turned a sarcastically inquiring glance upon his sire. “Indeed, I find the lot of them damned inconvenient. Do not you? Two small boys standing in the way of all that wealth and power?
Tsk, tsk!
Bloody inconvenient—that is what my lady wife says.” He looked at Cole, flicking his gaze up and down, then settled on Cole’s red and gold regimentals. “Though what business it is of yours, cousin, I cannot begin to imagine.”

“Precisely my point,” said Cole, trying to keep the muscle in his jaw from twitching. He stood, still half turned toward the door, and yet suddenly hesitant to leave. He wanted to leave, did he not? Setting aside his uncle’s insulting request, Cole avoided being in the same room with Edmund whenever possible. Still, something in his cousin’s snide tone held Cole’s boots fast to the carpet. Just what it was, he could not say. Edmund was always malicious.

“I have asked Cole to go to Brook Street as tutor to Robert and Stephen,” said James impatiently. “We are discussing the particulars.”

Edmund barked with laughter. “Half-pay caught you a bit short, old boy? I would be better pleased to go to the devil myself. I can hardly envision your return to academia, but then, one must earn one’s crust, and the war does indeed seem to have ended.”

“I shall go to Brook Street tomorrow,” said Cole abruptly, turning to hold his uncle’s stunned gaze. It seemed as if the words were spoken by someone else, and yet they tumbled forth with perfect clarity. “I shall wait upon Lady Mercer at three, if that is convenient to her schedule. You will send word of my purpose in coming, and ask her permission for me to do so. You will explain to her my credentials—including my military service.”

“I—yes,I suppose . . .”answered James with uncharacteristic docility.

Cole crossed his arms over his chest. “Moreover, uncle, it shall be your duty to persuade her to accept me, for I shall not bully her. Nor shall I lie. Nor shall I spy for you. Is that understood?”

“I—well, I do not know.” James slid a beefy hand down his face. “I am gravely concerned . . . about the children.”

Suddenly, Edmund leapt from his chair. “Why, what nonsense! Cole has no business in this! None whatsoever.”

Cole ignored his cousin, focusing his full attention on his uncle’s increasingly florid visage. “I shall see to the children, my lord. Rest assured that I shall have only their best interests at heart. That is your concern, is it not?” He waited for his uncle’s vague nod before continuing. “Should I observe anything which is inappropriate, unsafe, or unseemly, I will discuss it with both you and Lady Mercer at once.”

“Discuss it with
her?”

Cole would not be swayed. “That is only fair, do not you agree, since you hold joint guardianship?”

James scratched his jaw hesitantly. “Cole, I am not perfectly sure that will serve . . .”

Cole went to the door and laid his hand upon the brass handle. “I realize, my lord, that this is not quite what you wanted, and I am sorry for it. This is all I have to offer. Consider it until tomorrow morning, and if you can think of someone who can better do the job, I shall be all gratitude.”

Cole was halfway down the steps in the pouring rain when he realized he had walked right past Findley, who had been holding his coat and hat. As if to remind him of his folly, a cold drop of water trickled off his hair and slithered behind the facing of his collar, sending a shiver down his spine.

Now, what the devil had he just done? And why? Cole turned around to run back up the steps, wondering if perhaps he had taken grapeshot to the head instead of the leg.