A Matter of Honor (3 page)

“Yes, milord.” She hated meeting his eyes, but it was improper to look at his bare chest and to look at the floor seemed too abject.

“Why did you not inform me of this creature?”

Aggie frowned. This was getting to be too much. She did not intend to spend the next weeks being bullied. “I thought, milord, that you already knew. I sent Cecilie’s guardian several reports during the winter. Among them was a report on the purchase of Dillydums
.”

The Earl looked slightly discomfited by this and Aggie could not forbear driving the knife a little deeper. “Had I know that your lordship was uninformed on this point, I would have been most certain to tell you.”

His lordship did not take kindly to this. His face clouded over again and his frown was terrible to see. “Do not pick words with me
,
Miss Trimble
.
I read all your reports. I simply did not expect that such an animal would be brought to the city. Therefore I was not prepared, or amused, to find it swinging from my bed curtains and waving my razor around as though it had gone mad.”

“If Dillydums was bad, it was your fault,” said a shrill young voice.

Aggie turned in dismay to see Cecilie
standing there. Evidently the commotion in the hall had wakened her, and
,
without robe or slippers, she had come to f
i
nd out what it was about. She stood in her long white nightdress, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and glaring at his lordship. “I think you are a mean, nasty man,” said Cecilie with the blunt honesty of the young. “And you’re not too smart either.”

A gasp from Bates was not stifled quite in time and Aggie shuddered. It did little good to reflect that his lordship had brought this on himself. And, she supposed, he would discover soon enough that this was the wrong way to approach Cecilie
.

“Anyone with any sense at all,” continued the girl, “would know better than to yell at Aggie. It’s not her fault if Dillydums got out. Nor that
you
don’t like monkeys.” She gazed reproachfully at the Earl. “Besides, if you’d come home at a decent hour, I wouldn’t have sat up half the night waiting and slept so late this morning. And then he wouldn’t have gotten out at all.”

The Earl’s look of dire wrath did not seem to bother Cecilie one bit. “It’s no use your glaring at me like that. I only said what’s true. Dillydums is a little dear. He wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

She took a step closer and gazed at his lordship with wide curious eyes, as though she had just then become aware of his state of undress. “How very curious. Do all men look like that?” she asked, her gaze held by the mat of dark curly hair that covered his chest.

“No!” said his lordship sharply. “Bates, we will finish dressing now.” His eyes met Aggie’s and for a moment she thought she saw a hint of merriment there. But surely that was impossible. And anyway, the Earl’s eyes were deceptive. A woman should never trust what she saw there. Never.

“I suggest,” said the Earl in an even tone, “that you ladies also dress and meet me in the breakfast room. We shall continue our discussion of monkeys there.”

“Very well, milord.” Aggie shepherded an unwilling Cecilie back to the room where she carefully shut the door before releasing the monkey. They were certainly not off to the best of starts.

“I don’t like him,” said Cecilie. “He’s all puffed up with his own importance. And he doesn’t like animals.”

Aggie forced herself to smile. “His lordship was startled,” she explained. “He did not expect to f
i
nd a monkey in his rooms - and armed with a razor. It was really rather natural for him to be upset.”

“He does it very well,” observed Cecilie. “Being upset, I mean. Papa was never very good at it.” Her eyes widened. “Imagine him having a chest like that. Still, he’s a mean man and I shan’t like him.”

Aggie judged it better not to discuss his lordship’s chest, which for some odd reason seemed to have impressed itself firmly in her mind. “It doesn’t matter what you think of him. You must be careful not to aggravate him. You were lucky today. Remember, Cecilie
,
he is able to deal with you quite severely. And what he says in a temper he may well stick by, even though he later regrets it.”

“He doesn’t scare
me,
”
said Cecilie, combing at her tangled blond curls while the monkey perched cheerfully on top of the mirror, his ordeal quite forgotten.

Aggie shook her head. How could she persuade her young charge that Denby was a very different man from her father? Smiles and pouts, Cecilie’s chief weapons, would be lost on the Earl, Aggie feared. There was no doubt that Denby was a hard man, quite accustomed to having things his own way. How irritated he must have been to have the guardianship of a young girl thrust so summarily upon him. And a willful, stubborn girl, at that, she thought, as she slipped into a morning dress of rose-sprigged muslin, one of the few pretty gowns she still owned. Releasing her luxuriant hair from its night braid, she brushed it and swiftly confined it to its usual knot.

“Are you almost ready, Cecilie?” she asked
,
careful to keep any hint of anxiety from her voice. At times Cecilie could be fiercely partisan, and, although Aggie appreciated being defended, such blunt honesty was hardly politic when dealing with a man like the Earl. He seemed more accustomed to having women speak softly and look submissive.

“I suppose so,” pouted Cecilie
.
“But I really don’t see why we need to bother with him. You and I are perfectly capable of running my affairs.”

“We
may believe that,” said Aggie with a small smile. “But the law says differently and it has put your affairs into the hands of a guardian until you have a husband to take over.”

Cecilie tossed her blond curls and her eyes danced with mischief. “Men are such bores,” she said. “So stuffy and solemn.” Her chin jutted forward. “Well, one thing I know. I’m going to find a husband that will be fun. We’ll ride and dance and enjoy ourselves. We’re going to have
fun.”

Aggie swallowed a sigh. It was useless to try to tell Cecilie that there was more to marriage than dancing and fun. She could only hope and pray that they would f
i
nd the child a decent man who would not curb her high spirits so sharply as to break her completely.

Cecilie put the monkey on his leash and fastened it to the bedpost. “Now, Dillydums
,”
she told the little creature whose small black eyes watched her so closely, “you must be a good boy. We have to go see his nasty old lordship, but we’ll be back soon.”

Together they left the room, carefully shutting the door behind them. “I do hope Dillydums doesn’t get too lonesome. I don’t see why we couldn’t bring him along.”

“Perhaps on other mornings,” Aggie replied patiently. “But today the Earl is not in the best of moods. We don’t want him to remain angry.”

“I don’t care how mad he gets,” said Cecilie with an impish grin. “I’ve never seen anyone get so incensed. He’s very interesting in that condition.”

Aggie strove for patience, but her nerves were so on edge from her confrontation with the Earl that she found it diff
i
cult to be her usual calm self. “You
must
understand the situation. The Earl is a man of great power. He will not hesitate to use it. If you cross him, you may well f
i
nd yourself sitting at home, without a carriage, without new gowns, perhaps even without a come out!”

Cecilie stopped in her tracks, her mouth open in astonishment. “He wouldn’t
’!
He wouldn’t dare!”

Aggie shook her head. “Do not be too sure, Cecilie
.
There is no telling what he may do.”

As her charge walked on, seemingly sobered, Aggie smiled bitterly. That was certainly the truth. Once she would have staked everything she had on Denby’s
character, but now she knew better. How could one trust a man who spoke words of love in a woman’s ear, whose eyes promised heaven on earth
,
whose kisses transported her into ecstasy, and who then vanished, as it were overnight, not to reappear for f
i
ve long years?

Aggie brushed away the tears that had suddenly filled her eyes. Dear God, how she had loved him, loved him through a whole long year of waiting until common sense had f
i
nally convinced her that he was gone for good. She swallowed another sigh. She must get Cecilie married as soon as possible and get out of his house where every meal and every turn in the corridor might result in a meeting with
him.

She hated him
,
of course, she told herself as they descended the great staircase. And she certainly had just cause. He had ruined her life with his whispered words of longing, words that had led her to believe in his love. And then he had abandoned her. Surely that was cause enough to hate any man. And yet she knew, much to her dismay, that had he come back and offered an excuse for his behavior, had he whispered those words of promise again, she would have fallen into his arms. It was a rather disconcerting thought and one she did not care to pursue any further.

Cecilie preceded her into the breakfast room and Aggie could tell from the set of her back that this was not going to be a pleasant meal. The Earl was seated at the head of the table. A shirt, cravat, striped waistcoat, and coat of blue superfine had been added to his costume. He was still a fine figure of a man, thought Aggie, and then reminded herself of his nature. Good looks were one thing, character another. And a man who trifled with the heart of an innocent young woman
...

“Good morning
.
Miss Winthrop
,
Miss Trimble
.”
He rose and bowed gracefully, his expression gravely formal.

“Good morning, milord,” Cecilie’s reply was a trifle sullen, but Aggie’s was quite even.

“If you will be seated
,
Bates will serve you.”

“Yes, milord.” Aggie led Cecilie to a chair and then seated herself. She did not trust herself to look at Denby and so gazed down at her plate.

“I trust that Dillydums is a prisoner in your room,” said his lordship to Cecilie in what was obviously an attempt to regard the morning’s outbreak with humor.

Cecilie did not
,
however, respond in kind. “Yes, the poor thing is tied up like some terrible felon. It’s absolutely heartless.” And her eyes widened in innocent reproach.

The Earl seemed somewhat discomf
i
ted by this rather dramatic reply and his eyes sought Aggie. She, however, was steadily regarding her charge and did not meet his gaze.

“I hardly think it is
that
terrible,” said his lordship. “Surely he did not run free at the house in Dover.”

Aggie suppressed a smile. The Earl obviously knew very little about monkeys - or girls like Cecilie. But he would learn. Normally Aggie was of a very kindhearted
nature, but it would have taken a veritable saint not to enjoy Denby’s present discomfort as Cecilie fastened him with another wide-eyed gaze and declared, “Of course he did. We never tied the poor thing up.”

The Earl did not have to reply to this immediately, having taken a bite of muff
i
n. When his mouth was again empty, he said in a tone that did not quite achieve evenness, “This is London. Here we do not have animals running about loose.”

“That’s quite silly,” said Cecilie
,
tossing her golden curls. “Animals are nice to have around. Better than people a lot of the time.” And she gave the Earl a look which clearly indicated that in his case the truth was obvious.

“In London we have many callers,” said his lordship, striving for a calmness he did not quite achieve. “We cannot have animals all over the house.”

“Can’t see why not,” replied Cecilie through a mouthful of muff
i
n. “The Duchess of York has animals everywhere at
Oatlands.
No one complains. Except of course the Duke, when he can’t find a place to sit.”

If Denby was surprised by his ward’s familiarity with the royal family, he did not indicate so. “I’m afraid you are not yet a Duchess,” he said in a f
i
rm tone. “Therefore the monkey must not be let to run about loose.” He fastened a stern eye on Cecilie. “If he gets out again, I shall have to find him another home. Do you understand?”

For a long moment Cecilie stared at him in surprise. Then two big tears appeared in her eyes and rolled slowly and pathetically down her cheeks, to be followed by a steady stream of the same. The picture she presented was truly pitiful; and Aggie, if she had not experienced the same scene times innumerable, might well have been affected by it.

Denby was not. “I believe you should know that female tears will fail with me,” he said. “They may have gained you your point in the past,” he continued with a swift look at Aggie that seemed to hold her to blame, “but they will no longer serve for anything.”

“You - you
-”
sputtered Cecilie
.
“You are a terrible, terrible man. I cannot understand why my papa left me in
your
care.”

The Earl smiled dryly. “I assure you
,
Miss Winthrop
,
that the matter is no more to my liking than yours. However, that’s the way it is. And the sooner we learn to deal together the better. We have one task: to get you properly married. Then we’ll be rid of each other. I suggest that you cooperate with me. For your own good.”

Cecilie refused to reply to this, disdainfully stuff
i
ng her mouth with eggs and sausage.

Denby turned to Aggie and this time there was no escaping his gaze. His smoky eyes were dark and clouded as he regarded her. “I understand that you have had a free hand with Miss Winthrop.”

Aggie nodded. “Mostly her papa wished it that way.” There was no time to offer excuses.

The Earl frowned. “That was well enough in Dover. Here things are different. I expect frequent conferences so I may be acquainted with your plans for Cecilie
.
When you leave the house, you will inform Bates of your destination and your time of return. All purchases
,
of clothing, and so on, will depend upon my approval. Is that clear?”