The Earl's Desire (13 page)

“
Don’t listen to him. Mr. Sam, I think it’s about time you leave us to our work, and you get back to your gardening,” Mrs. Ross ordered, standing.

“
What he means is, Master Chris, to seek revenge,” Betty explained, nodding her head.

“
Oh!” Christine was dumbfounded.

“
Mr. Sam, did you hear what I said?” Mrs. Ross asked.

Mr. Sam got up from his seat and nodded his head in the affirmative.

“
Well, then, hope my advice helps,” he said and turned toward the door. “Oh wait, I was here for something. Master Chris, can you help us tomorrow? I’m rounding up some people to help clean the pond in the east garden. It hasn’t been attended to for a long time, now that I think of it. His lordship wants it cleaned up for the guests and the house party, you know. I was wondering if you could supervise us. You’re good with designing and all. And Mr. Ross told me the earl liked what you did to the Hall.”

“
You want me to help?” Christine asked.

“
Aye, Master Chris, err, tomorrow, all right?” When he saw Christine nod, Mr. Sam turned and left the kitchen.

Christine was following Mr. Sam out the door when Betty called to her. “Master Chris, where are you going? Wait, I need your help, too.”

Christine stopped in her tracks, waiting for Betty to catch up to her. Betty caught up and led Christine outside to some bushes where no one could see them.

“
What’s this about, Betty? Is it that bet thing again?” Christine asked, wondering what she could do to help.

“
Oh yes, Master Chris, it’s about the bet. See, I want your help.”

“
But I don’t know what I could do to help,” Christine interjected.

“
Please, would you help me? I really want to win that bet,” Betty pleaded.

Christine nodded her head in understanding. But then there was no way Betty was going to win since she, as well as everyone else, knew that Merrick was in love with Lady Anne and would soon ask her to marry him. There was simply nothing Betty could do to win.

Betty took a deep breath and said, “I want you to help me get rid of Lady Anne.”

Christine’s eyes widened. “
What?
You can’t do that, Betty. ’Tis truly out of the question. You just can’t kill someone, especially if that person is Lady Anne.” Christine shrieked, thinking that Betty was truly mad. However, Lady Anne truly deserved some punishment for hurting Merrick.

“
Wait, Master Chris, that’s not what I mean. What I mean is play tricks on her. Show his lordship what she truly is like. Do you get what I mean now?”

“
What do you mean, play tricks on her?” Christine asked, still confused but relieved at the same time for it was not murder Betty was thinking about.

“
What I mean is we make the earl see that Lady Anne is a spoiled brat. If we play tricks on her, she would probably show her spoiled behavior, and then perhaps the earl wouldn’t love her anymore. Do you see what I mean now? Please, Master Chris, you have got to help me,” Betty begged.

Christine stared at Betty. Then she smiled and nodded her head, her eyes glinting.

Betty breathed a sight of relief. “Thank you, Master Chris, you are a lifesaver. Now that we are agreed, our plan must start immediately.”

* * *

“Merrick, you are back,” his cousin called out.

Mr. McNaught jumped up from his seat and advanced toward Merrick.

“
Ah, my lord, been to see your tenants, have you? How good of you. I hardly ever go to see mine. I suppose that’s why they don’t like me,” he chuckled.

“
Paying attention to your tenants’ problems and solving them creates a kind of trust, Mr. McNaught. How was your journey, by the way?” Merrick asked.

“
Hot and very uncomfortable,” the older man grumbled.

“
Traveling is always uncomfortable for you, dear, when you don’t have your damn brandy with you,” Mrs. McNaught snapped. “I assure you, my lord, this man is going to die early, and I won’t pity him one bit.” She laughed, her croaky voice rumbling along as her large bosoms bounced up and down.

“
How are you, Mrs. McNaught?” Merrick greeted, extending his hand. She slowed her laugh and placed her plump hand on his palm. He bowed his head and brought her hand to his lips.

“
Your Hall, if I may compliment, is very fetching, my lord. I must say, your way of fashioning the Hall is completely different from your father in style, though, such beautiful taste, very modern indeed,” she said, nodding her head.

Merrick smiled. “It was not me who fashioned the Hall, Mrs. McNaught. ’Twas my ward, Chris Smith.”

“
Really?” The woman raised her brows. “Well, I must tell him of his good taste when I see him.”

Merrick saw Mrs. Vander and her daughter heading toward them. He bowed and extended his hands toward her. “Welcome, Mrs. Vander.”

The woman curtsied to him and placed her hand into his palm. He lifted it to his lips, kissed it, and turned to Amelia. “Ah, Amelia, how are you, my dear?”

The girl gazed up at him shyly. She placed her hand into his, and he kissed it. “I’m very well, my lord,” she said.

“
Very good. I do hope you will enjoy staying in my home.”

“
I am sure I will,” she commented. He nodded in agreement and advanced toward Alex and Mr. Vander sitting on the sofa near the window.

“
My lord, it has been a long time,” Mr. Vander said, standing up and slapping the younger man on the back.

“
Yes, it has,” Merrick replied.

“
My lord.” Alex stood up and nodded his head in acknowledgement.

“
Alex, how are you? Oxford going all right?” Merrick asked.

“
Yes, my lord, it is going very well,” Alex replied, smiling at the man he so admired in both intelligence and looks.

Merrick turned toward Mrs. Anderson and her niece, Miss Green, sitting on the sofa. “And how are you both?” he asked, extending his hand first to Mrs. Anderson. She placed her hand into his, and he kissed it. He then turned toward Miss Green. He stared into her pale blue eyes and smiled.

She smiled back at him, feeling breathless. It wasn’t everyday that a handsome earl smiled at her. This was once in a lifetime, and she took full advantage of it. Her smile was radiant. She slowly placed her hand into his, and he kissed it. “I hope you too will enjoy staying here,” he said.

“
Why, indeed we shall, my lord,” she told him, finding it difficult even to breathe, let alone think of what to say.

Anne, who was sitting on the other side of the room, didn’t like the way Merrick was paying too much attention to a mere Miss Green. She was jealous. She walked to them, intending to cut off their greetings, which in her mind were going on far too long already. Once she was beside Merrick, she hooked her arm under his.

Merrick turned from Miss Green to see Anne beside him. He raised a brow. “Did you have a good time picnicking today?”

“
Oh yes, very much.” She stared down at Miss Green, and her eye and expression clearly warned Miss Green to leave Merrick alone. Miss Green saw that look and understood as clear as crystal. Anne smiled. Victory was on her side.

“
But,” she continued sweetly, “it wasn’t that much fun. Nothing much was happening. It was rather boring, really. Oh, if only you had been there, my lord, it would’ve been much more fun,” she moaned.

“
Yes, Merrick, you’ve made the ladies quite disappointed,” Maximilian said.

“
I must say, my lord, your garden is very beautiful indeed,” Mrs. Anderson said, looking out the window from where she sat.

“
I do agree there,” Mrs. McNaught put in. “Perhaps we could have a picnic tomorrow in your garden. I’m sure that will satisfy everybody.” She looked pointedly at Anne.

“
Ah, a picnic tomorrow. That would be wonderful,” Allan commented, clapping his hands together.

“
Picnic tomorrow it is, then.” Merrick nodded in agreement, eyeing Maximilian, who raised his eyebrows at him. “Perhaps the ladies would like to freshen up before dinner?”

They all agreed, and once the room was quiet, Merrick took a seat opposite his friend. He was sipping his wine when Maximilian said, “Honestly, Merrick, are you testing your future bride’s love?”

Merrick nearly choked on his wine. He wiped his lips and said, “What are you on about?”

“
Why are there so many young misses in your house? Merrick, you’ll make your future bride jealous,” Maximilian warned.

“
That’s a load of nonsense. I haven’t proposed to Anne yet.”

“
Not nonsense, my friend. They’ll kill each other for your attention. Believe me, I’m the top rakehell in all England. I know how women behave when they are together and trying to win an earl—a very rich one at that. You are the grand prize, Merrick. Trust me. Why do you think Maria is here in the first place? I’m sure she is in the competition, too.”

“
How do you know of all this?” Merrick asked, eyeing his friend.

Maximilian stretched his back. “I know,” he said. “Just wait until tomorrow, Merrick. That’s when the real competition begins.”

“
What’s this about a competition? The race, was it?” Allan asked as he came to sit with them.

“
Yes, a mare competing for a stallion,” Maximilian said.

Allan chuckled. “You mean a horse-racing competition?”

“
And you, Allan,” Maximilian said, looking at Allan pouring himself a glass of whisky. “Which one of those girls is to be your bride?”

Allan shook his head. “No, Your Grace. None of them, I believe, is going to be my future bride.” He turned to Merrick. “Not until I get my fortune first with the new factory I’m planning to build.”

“
What factory is this?” Maximilian asked.

“
No factory just yet,” Merrick said, got up, and strolled out the door.

TEN

They were spending a very long time talking, Anne thought angrily. She chanced another look at them. Lord, they were standing outrageously close to each other for her taste. She didn’t like the way Maria was hovering around Merrick. She had better do something quickly before this went any further, or her chance of marriage to the earl would be in jeopardy. Purposefully, she got up and strolled toward them.

She said, “Oh dear, I do hope I’m not interrupting your very earnest discussion, my lord, Lady Ferguson?” She smiled innocently and stole Merrick’s arm from Maria.

“
No, indeed not,” Merrick replied. “Shall we, then?” he said and turned to Maria. “Later, Maria.”

She smiled and winked at him.

“
What was the topic of your discussion, my lord?” Anne asked as they made their way back toward the others.

“
Nothing important,” he replied, leading her to one of the empty seats.

“
Such a lovely day, is it not?” Anne said.

“
Yes, it is,” Merrick replied, reaching for the pie.

“
How very fascinating. What are they doing, do you suppose?” Miss Green said, looking at five men carrying dead branches and buckets of dirt out of the muddy pond.

Merrick turned his attention to Miss Green. He saw her looking toward the east side of the estate. He looked in that direction, and indeed he saw five men, or rather, four big men and a slender youth, working. Merrick frowned when he saw Christine jumping into the pond and dragging a branch out that was far too heavy and far too big for her to carry.

The guests were at first very interested in what the men were doing. Merrick explained to them that they were cleaning the pond. They all agreed that it was going to look splendid. After a while they lost their interest, though Merrick, on the other hand, found himself glancing in that direction searching for Christine just to see what she was doing next.