The Scandal of Lady Eleanor (35 page)

Ella reached for the swaddling cloth and began to wipe the baby clean, clearing her mouth and nose. “Come on, Sweetheart.” Ella rubbed the child's back and chest trying to convince it to breathe on its own.

“Tap it hard,” Lady Linworth ordered, taking the child from Ella's hands. “Cut the cord,” she hissed, holding the baby away from Georgina's body. “Hurry! The cord is wrapped around its neck.”

“Mama!” Georgina pleaded, but Lady Linworth ignored her daughter.

Ella grabbed the razor she had taken from James's room and made two cuts after tying off the cord with strings.

As Ella tended to Georgina's safety, Lady Linworth worked the cord free of the baby's neck and pushed hard on its back. A moment's silence followed, and then a weak twitter of air, much like the chirp of a bird, echoed through the room.

Georgina's sobs, no longer stifled, filled the space, symbolic of what they all felt.

Lady Linworth continued to massage the baby's back, but her shoulders no longer held the tension of a moment ago, and Ella began to relax. A whimper and a cry reassured them all that they had done the impossible. “It is a girl.” Camelia Kerrington wrapped the child in a soft blanket. “Eleanor is correct; Lord Amsteadt shall never be able to deny his daughter. Look at her hair.”True joy radiated from her words.

“Let me see,” Georgina begged as Lady Linworth placed the child in her daughter's arms.

Ella moved on wobbly legs toward the nearest chair. “I think I need to sit down.” She gulped for air and bent over at the waist, fighting away the blackness creeping into her head.

Lady Linworth touched her back lightly, gently massaging her shoulders. “Now, you become frightened?” Amusement in the situation hit both of them.

“I did not have time before,” Ella whispered loudly, slowly raising her head to look at her future mother. All about them, the room had changed with the baby's first breath.

“Look at my daughter, Eleanor.” Georgina moved the blanket away from the child's face. “Is she not beautiful?”

Ella took a deep breath and stood, testing her legs before moving to where she could see the child. “I never thought myself capable of delivering a child.” She touched the baby's cheek gently. “Welcome to the world, Little One.”

“Give me my granddaughter,” Lady Linworth demanded. “Eleanor, can you and Mrs. Mooreton see to Georgina's state? I will
introduce this child to her grandfather; I am sure Martin is beside himself with worry.”

Ella stepped to the door to summon Georgina's maid and the housekeeper to aid in the cleanup. Before she could stop her laughter, she turned gleefully to her future mother. “Please tell His Lordship I sincerely apologize for my earlier outburst.”

“Was Martin his usual demanding self? He fancies he is in charge of this house; men are such weaklings, are they not, Ladies? Could you see any of them doing what we just did?” The relief of the past few minutes allowed them all freedom to speak openly. The three of them bonded in a way no one else could have understood.

“The Earl accused me of taking lessons from you,Your Ladyship.”

“Good for you,” Camelia declared before returning her attention to Georgina. “Do we have a name for this child? Martin will want to know.”

“I planned to seek Lord Amsteadt's counsel, but
Eleanor s
eems most appropriate to me. Thomas will agree. If not for Lady Eleanor, tragic circumstances might be our fate instead of the joy we all feel.”

Tears misted Ella's eyes. “I am honored, Georgina.”

“It is the least homage I can offer. I owe you—we all owe you so much more. God placed you here because this family needed you…James and Daniel and Papa and Mama and me. We all need you, Eleanor.”

Ella swallowed hard, unable to control her emotions. “A family—I never thought it possible,” she whispered.

At noon, Kerrington's carriage rolled into the Linton Park driveway. A feeling of dread had followed him across the Peak District, and he was glad to experience the normalcy of his footmen welcoming him home. Alighting from the carriage, he bounded up the stairs to the entrance, needing to see for himself that his family was safe. He handed his hat and cane to Mr. Lucas and had just turned to the stairs when Daniel flew down the steps at full blast.

“Papa!” the boy called as he jumped over the landing and kept coming. “I am so glad you are home.” He rushed to his father with open arms.

James could not remember the last time his son had called him
Papa
instead of
Father
nor how long it was since Daniel had willingly given him a hug. James dropped to a knee and held the boy close to him, a chasm of loneliness narrowing with the embrace. Breathing deeply, James closed his eyes with contentment.

However, Daniel squirmed for release, and Kerrington reluctantly loosened his hold. “Papa, you will never believe what has happened.”

James smiled at the boy as he stood and looked again to the stairs expecting the others, especially Eleanor, to greet him. “Will you tell me, or shall I guess?” he said distractedly.

“You will never guess,” Daniel declared. “Not in a million years. Lady Eleanor called Grandpapa
Old Man
to his face!”

James sputtered, but he managed to catch Daniel by the arm to lead his child to some privacy. This was, obviously, not a conversation to have before the household staff. Leading Daniel to the nearest room, James closed the door for confidentiality and then demanded an explanation. “Start at the beginning, and tell me all.”

“Lady Eleanor and I went riding yesterday, and she told me you planned to marry her.” James wanted to interrupt to weigh his son's reaction, but he simply gestured for Daniel to continue with the story. “We returned early because Grandmama was feeling poorly. Lady Eleanor sat with His Lordship so Grandmama could rest. Later in the day, when I finished my lessons, I was going to see if someone would play chess, but when I went looking for Aunt Georgina, she was lying on the floor and bleeding.”

“Bleeding?” James's fear became apparent. “How badly?”

“Badly, Papa. I was really afraid so I went to find Lady Eleanor.”

Impatient to know, James pressed. “Tell me quickly, Daniel.”

“It is a big story, Papa, but I will try. Lady Eleanor and Grandmama helped Aunt Georgina with the baby.”

“They what? Where was Mrs. Matthews?”

“Mrs. Matthews tended a woman with twins in the village. Lady Eleanor did it all, Papa, but Grandmama helped too! Aunt Georgina named the baby Eleanor, and she has bright red hair just like Lord Amsteadt.”

“What about your grandfather?”

“Grandpapa tried to get out of bed. He and Lady Eleanor yelled at each other. She called him an
Old Man
and said he was stubborn. He said she was just like Grandmama, and he would have to teach you how to handle your new wife.”

James laughed lightly. He could imagine the confrontation if the Earl placed himself in Eleanor's way. “He did, did he?” Sarcasm snuck into his tone.

“I do not think Grandpapa really knows how to handle Grandmama. He does what she says, especially when she puts her hands on her waist like Lady Eleanor did.”

James enjoyed his son's evaluation of his grandfather's claim of dominance over his wife. “I suspect you are correct, Son, but do not tell your grandfather your opinion. The Earl prefers to think he rules his own house.”

“Will you listen to Lady Eleanor when you marry her?” Daniel seemed fascinated by the possibility.

“As Lady Eleanor is one of the most intelligent women I have ever known, it is likely I will seek her opinion regularly.”

“Lady Eleanor is very knowledgeable,” Daniel observed.

“Then you shall not object to my bringing Ella into our lives?”

Daniel looked up suddenly surprised that his father sought his approval. “I really like Lady Eleanor.” Daniel fidgeted before adding, “She says we shall be friends.”

James nodded in understanding. “Will that be acceptable to you?”

The boy paused, an elastic silence stretching between them. “I do not wish to forget my own mother, but do you think Lady Eleanor might let me call her
Mama
some time?”

James breathed easier, realizing his instincts regarding Ella correct. “Lady Eleanor has a large loving heart, and she will welcome
you as her own. I imagine she would prefer to give you time to accept all the changes in your life that her presence as my wife will bring. It might be best to call her
Ella,
with her permission, of course, at first. But I believe you will both know when the time is right for you to switch to
Mama
.”

This idea seemed to please Daniel. “Everyone is asleep right now,” he announced. “It took a long time for the baby to be born.”

“Is my new niece in the nursery?”

“Yes, Baby Eleanor is in a crib. Mr. Lucas sent for a wet nurse, but one of the maids tends to her at present. Could we go up and see her? I only peeked at her once.”

James ruffled his son's hair. “I cannot wait any longer. Let us go together.”

Following a few steps behind Daniel, they moved quickly through the passageways leading to the nursery. James nodded to the maid, who scrambled to her feet when they came in. “The babe sleeps,” she told him before dropping a curtsy.

“We just want a quick look.” He caught Daniel's arm, and they inched forward in unison to peer at the sleeping child. “Lord Amsteadt will love the hair, will he not?” James bent to whisper close to Daniel's ear.

“Aunt Georgina says Baby Eleanor is small but beautiful.” Daniel's response was not as secretive.

James peeled away the blanket with the tip of his finger, getting a better look at his niece. “God has a way of making all his children beautiful. Of course, I thought you the most remarkable child I had ever seen.” James rested his hand on his son's shoulder, and he felt Daniel swell with pride.

“Truly, Papa?” Daniel searched James's face for honesty. James saw in his child what Ella had described only two days prior. Daniel sought his approval and his unconditional love. Everything in James's life had changed with the introduction of Eleanor Fowler.

James tilted Daniel's chin higher, looking deeply into the boy's face. “You have a lot of your mother in your looks, and she was
the most handsome of women.” Baby Eleanor began to fuss, so James motioned his son from the room. “You should return to the schoolroom; Mr. Weston will be looking for you.”

“Yes, Papa.”

“You will dine with us this evening?” James wanted to keep the closeness flowing between them.

Daniel smiled broadly. “Thank you, Papa.”

James laughed at Daniel's retreating form. The boy seemed happier, and Worthing attributed it all to Eleanor's influence.

 

Making sure the hall was clear, James slipped into Ella's room, locking the door behind him. Walking quietly, he came to stand beside the bed and eased the drapery aside to look at her. Eleanor's golden locks spread out across the pillow, and her innocence sent a shot of pure lust straight to his groin. James reached out to touch the strands with his fingertips.

Engrossed in looking at her face, he did not notice the slight shift of Ella's hand by her side, so when her hand shot out and caught his finger, James's reaction was one of pure surprise. “It is about time, Lord Worthing.” Ella's seductive tease warmed him clear through.

He placed a knee on the bed's edge and leaned over her to kiss the side of Ella's face. Her eyes remained closed, but a smile turned up the corners of her mouth. “You missed me, Lady Eleanor?”

“I was too busy to miss even you, my Lord.” She rolled to her back and opened her arms to him.

No other words were necessary. James jerked off his jacket and sent it sailing toward a nearby chair. He lay on top of her, enjoying the closeness and how freely Ella kissed him. “Was it awful?” he asked between intimacies.

Ella eased her eyes open. “I thought we might lose both Georgina and the child. I was so frightened, James.” She clutched at him for comfort. “The baby had not turned all the way.”

He held his breath, imagining her trials. “What did you do?” he asked softly.

“I had no choice; I pushed the baby's arm into Georgina and then maneuvered the child's head toward the opening.” James knew he stiffened in her embrace, but he could not control his reaction.
His Amazon
—his Ella—had saved Georgina's life and the life of his niece. She had kept Georgina from meeting Elizabeth's fate.

“Thank you for Georgina's life.” The words nearly stuck in his throat; his mouth was so dry he could not swallow. “You are an incomparable woman, Eleanor Fowler, and I am so blessed you love me.” Caught in the moment, James began to smother her with kisses, and Ella responded by arching to his touch.