One Whisper Away (27 page)

The sun peeked out from behind the clouds again, sending gilded light down onto the path and illuminating the droplets of rain like tiny crystals in the clipped grass. He asked, “What is it you want, Lily? Tell me.”

“Someone,” she said on an audible exhale, “with no secrets.”

He laughed, but it was with sympathy. “A male who has no indiscretions he doesn’t care to disclose? I’m afraid that is probably close to impossible, but there are secrets and then there are secrets like Lord Sebring’s. Considering his position and title, I can see why he strives to make sure no one knows. He’s hardly alone in his inclinations, as you put it, but let me assure you most men are interested only in women. I am not judging him, simply stating the truth. Obviously you still value him as a friend, and he must also think of you in the same way or he wouldn’t have come to see you last evening.”

She nodded, but her blue eyes, so like their father’s, were haunted. “His wife might be barren.”

“Ah, I see. The English nobility and their everlasting quest for a direct line of succession.” He couldn’t help the slight sardonic tone of his voice. “I am going to guess his enthusiasm for the task of impregnating his wife was low to begin with, so continued failure brought along with it considerable personal unhappiness.”

“Can you see,” Lillian said with perfect pragmatic emphasis, “why I am glad I am not her?”

He could. His past with Caroline had also been less than perfect. What had started out as a lighthearted evening of seduction with no plans for any future had resulted in a child. Once she’d delivered Adela, his former lover had also never once asked about their daughter’s well-being nor had she contacted him. She hadn’t even inquired as to what he would name her.

For himself he didn’t care so much. For Addie, who would one day have questions, he wasn’t quite sure what he felt, but he did know at least one of the emotions was outrage on her behalf. At least he’d had loving parents. Both of them.

“I had an unsatisfactory experience when it came to Addie’s mother,” he admitted.

“As awful as mine?” Lillian sent him a wry sidelong glance.

“The story is not the same, but I would say it certainly could compare when you consider the ramifications.”

 

It had been a relief to tell the truth.

Lillian wasn’t even sure what had prompted her to confide in her brother except maybe that though it startled her, she was coming to like him. After a lifetime of resenting his very existence, it was oddly comforting to come to the realization that he was not just the foreign heir, the beloved son from the beloved marriage, but maybe also a person she could both like and trust.

She needed to talk to someone and she’d chosen Jonathan. That of itself was enough to give her pause and reassess some parts of her life, but he’d also not been horrified or disgusted. Instead he simply rode next to her, so comfortable on his big horse that he looked a part of the animal, his dark hair loose on his shoulders this damp morning, his face thoughtful.

“I do now understand your choice,” he said slowly, his long-fingered hands unmoving on the pommel of his saddle, since his well-trained horse never visibly needed direction. “Thank you for telling me.”

Four years ago she’d decided she did not need another male besides her father to direct her life—not when the one she’d chosen had bungled it so badly, but there was a measure of relief in shifting a little of the burden to her brother’s broad shoulders. Lillian merely watched the slight movement of the wet leaves in the breeze as they rode past a copse of trees. “I am not certain why I just did it, but perhaps I needed to tell someone.”

“You do not need to be so rigidly independent.”

“Don’t I?’ she countered. “Were you betrayed by your fiancée and then left orphaned?”

“I lost my mother at a very early age,” he replied in an offhand voice, “and have experienced my entire life the stigma of belonging only halfway to two very different cultures, not entirely accepted by either. I can say with fair certainty that I understand being ostracized.”

It was a valid enough argument she had no retort, witty and flippant or otherwise.

Jonathan said nothing as they approached the river path. Then, as if all he wished to do was confound her this dreary morning, he said quietly, “I wish we’d known each other earlier in our lives. It’s entirely my fault, I’m afraid. I refused to come to England to visit more than once or twice. Father requested it often, but I was obstinate in the face of his patience, and to his credit, he didn’t ever chastise me for my opposition. I hope it is not too late to admit to you I regret it now.”

As hard as it had been to confess her past, it was much easier to accept his apology. She’d not been exactly gracious upon his arrival either, and he’d overlooked the animosity. Dryly, Lillian said, “I understand being obstinate. We do not look alike, but we are obviously related.”

“Obviously.” His laugh was soft.

“Betsy told me there are whispers that you are going to be betrothed to the Duke of Eddington’s youngest daughter.” She sent him a swift sidelong glance to try to gauge his expression.

“It’s true.”

“That’s unexpected.”

“I agree.” His handsome face was impassive. “My plans were quite different.”

“What changed them?”

“I can’t say anything with confidence that would be the right answer. She caught my attention—how’s that?”

Lillian hadn’t met the beautiful Lady Cecily, but even if she no longer went about in society, she still read the gossip columns. “I understand she is very blond and very lovely.”

“I agree with both descriptions.”

“Are you going to tell me
anything
?”

“No.” A faint smile graced his mouth. “Except that this will not be a long engagement.”

Which actually told her quite a lot. It made her slightly ashamed she’d never considered his happiness at all. It seemed an abstract concept—she’d just assumed that being the Earl of Augustine, inheriting a fortune, and having every male privilege, would make anyone happy.

Except that title and wealth had certainly not made Arthur happy. Nor, when he’d arrived in England, had it made her brother happy either judging from his initial demeanor and impatience. It had taken a woman to achieve that change.

So money and status were not everything. . . . She already had learned that lesson as the disgraced daughter of an earl. One could be rich and miserable. One could be beautiful and shunned. It hadn’t been the easiest journey, but she had reconciled the reality. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

Had it not been for her own harsh experience she would have berated him for his silence on this courtship, but she could hardly fault him.

Instead she could be quietly happy for him . . . and she was. She nudged her horse closer and reached into her pocket. “I think this belongs to you. Addie found it and was anxious you should have it back.”

He looked at the stone in her gloved palm. “I had wondered what had happened to it.”

“Addie says it is magic.” She sent him a mischievous smile.

“I can attest it is.” In contrast, his response seemed quite sincere.

“Then how did you lose it?”

“I’m not sure how I dropped it. Perhaps the spirits felt their work was done with me. They must have wanted you to have it. Please keep it, Lily.”

Her fingers curled back around the small polished stone even as she reminded herself she didn’t believe in whatever spirits he was referring too.

Jonathan said quietly, “I’m serious. Keep it with you and fate may surprise you.”

It was an interesting idea, certainly, and even though she hardly credited a bit of stone with the same power he did, it was thoughtful of him. “Thank you.” With a sudden mischievous smile, she said, “I hadn’t quite imagined Earl Savage marrying a proper English lady.”

Jonathan grinned back, his dark eyes gleaming. “She might not be as proper as you think.”

“Haven’t you colonials heard? Many of us English ladies are not,” she replied with a laugh and a lofty lift of her brows. “I’ll race you to the river.” And then she kicked her mare into a gallop regardless of the wet path, swerving in front of his horse, intent on winning this impromptu challenge.

For the sake of English ladies everywhere, if for nothing else. And perhaps the absurd gift worked, for regardless of his horse’s superior size, she made it to the Serpentine a nose ahead.

“F
or a man who just discovered that an entire portion of his mining operation has been shut down due to deliberate sabotage, not to mention who is about to have what I suspect will be a difficult interview with the father of the woman he hopes will be his intended bride, you are remarkably cheerful.”

Jonathan gave his cousin an ironic look. “On the opposite side of the equation, may I point out that Cecily has accepted my proposal of marriage, and as far as the mining problem goes, like most minor disasters, it can be repaired and remarkably no one was hurt. It is not a significant amount of my wealth anyway.”

“Browne threatened me when I dismissed him. I admit I was a bit surprised. He’s a quiet and self-effacing man upon first impression and I’d been dealing with him for nearly a year.”

It did seem logical enough that the former business manager might be responsible for the fire and the damaged equipment, but they had no proof. “Would he go so far?”

James frowned, sprawled on the opposite seat of the carriage. “I wouldn’t have thought so, but we know for certain he was embezzling and your father had left in his notes that he was beginning to suspect him as well. He was certainly the first person the foreman for the mine named in the missive he sent me.”

It was irritating to imagine deliberate malice, but at that moment they pulled up to the ducal mansion and Jonathan’s attention was diverted to what might be one of the most important interviews of his life. “Send a note,” he said as a footman opened the door of the carriage, “and post several guards at the mine to make sure the repairs aren’t sabotaged.” Then he grinned. “And wish me luck.”

Moments later he was being shown once more into the Duke of Eddington’s study and offered a drink and a chair with polite chilliness.

“Our solicitors will contact each other then.” The Duke of Eddington said the words without any audible emotion and regarded him with heavy-lidded eyes, his face revealing neither satisfaction nor disapproval. “Once the details of the marriage agreement are settled, we can discuss a date for the wedding.”

This time Jonathan had accepted a brandy and he swirled the gold liquid in an idle movement, choosing his words carefully. “There’s no need to wait. I have no intention of bargaining over something as personal as my marriage. I don’t need your money, and whatever Cecily wants she can have. I’m a rich man. The contract can be done this afternoon in the time it takes for your solicitors to draw it up and us to sign it.”

“You don’t even know the amount of her dowry, Augustine. Keep in mind a man can never be too rich,” his future father-in-law said with cool intonation.

Having Cecily as his wife would be more than enough compensation for giving up his life as an unattached male. Moreover, now that he’d bedded her, he knew he would be scaling the wall of the ducal mansion on a constant basis if forced to wait months for a formal wedding ceremony. And who was to say she couldn’t be pregnant already? One night was more than enough to conceive a child. Adela’s existence was proof enough of that.

“Perhaps not, but nothing about my wanting to marry your daughter is about wealth or position.”

“Very diplomatically said.”

“The honest truth.” Jonathan met his gaze squarely. “With your permission granted, we were hoping for a quiet wedding within the next few weeks. I’ll obtain a special license.” With a possible pregnancy looming, he felt his future wife would agree. He smiled to ease the moment. “I have already admitted to Cecily I am not a very patient man.”

Behind his desk, the duke sighed and rubbed his temple. “And according to my son, my normally levelheaded daughter is inclined to less than prudent behavior when it comes to you. As in leaving a social event alone with a young man without a chaperone and being gone a conspicuous length of time. I am informed that from the moment the two of you met there has been a flirtation with scandal.”

Had Jonathan been able to deny it, he might have, but the man was perfectly right. “I would never purposely damage her reputation, Your Grace.”

“Is that a warning or an observation, Lord Augustine?” The duke lifted a hand, palm out. “You do not have to answer the question. Her grandmother will not approve if I agree to this, but I think I should. I would like to state here and now that I firmly believe arranged marriages are much simpler than the kind where feelings are involved.”

“Your position on the matter is duly noted.” Jonathan did his best not to look triumphant, for truly he’d thought he would have a much harder time persuading Cecily’s father to agree to a swift wedding.

He finished his brandy and rose. “I won’t take up any more of your time, Your Grace. When the papers are ready, send them over.”

“It will be taken care of. Oh, yes—” The duke picked up a thick cream-colored envelope. “I am instructed to give this to you. It is from my mother. An invitation to a country party, I believe, for your entire family. Poetic justice, if you ask me, for if the dowager duchess is displeased with you over your haste to wed her granddaughter, she can express it to you in person. And if I know my mother, she will.”

For his entire family? That sounded promising. While Carole and Betsy seemed to be doing well enough as far as attentive young gentlemen, he was most concerned about Lily. Jonathan said, “We accept, of course, with pleasure.”

“Tell me if you still feel that way after the experience. I myself will not be going.” The duke paused, lifting his brandy glass. “And by the way, Augustine, my bedroom faces the gardens and I rise very early. I thank you for not landing on my prize rosebushes upon your departure this morning. The gardener tells me there were no footprints either. Someday you must tell me how you accomplished it.”