A Scoundrel's Surrender (9 page)

Chapter 9

M
arah fidgeted in the comfortable carriage seat as the vehicle made another smooth turn and brought them ever closer to their final destination for the night. Across from her, Victoria and Justin both stared at her, their expressions twin ones of concern.

“You look as though you are being taken to the gallows,” Justin said with a chuckle that broke some of the tension in the carriage. “I promise you my mother hasn't executed anyone in months.”

Marah smiled and relaxed a fraction at her friend's teasing, but in her chest a tightness remained.

“I'm sorry to be anxious,” she said. “I only worry about intruding, especially at such a difficult time. I wouldn't want you mother to wish I hadn't come.”

“Nonsense,” Victoria said as she leaned across the carriage and placed a gloved hand on Marah's. “The marchioness and I exchanged missives this morning and she was very much looking forward to having a guest.”

Justin nodded. “She told me as much herself this afternoon during my visit. They haven't had much company since my father took ill, I think this has given her something to look forward to. A moment of normalcy.”

Marah nodded. “Yes, that is what Caleb said, as well.” She frowned as her gaze slipped to the empty seat beside her. “But he isn't even here.”

Victoria tilted her head, and from her pitying expression it was clear Marah had revealed a bit more of her heart than she intended.

“He plans to meet us at his parents' home,” Victoria explained. “I believe he wished to take a bit of extra time with the marquis before our arrival.”

Marah made a noncommittal sound, but inside her heart fluttered. She hated to admit it, but she had been disappointed at the idea that Caleb wouldn't be in attendance tonight. Since their kiss a few days before, she had seen so little of him. That she might observe him in this setting had been an interesting idea to her.

The carriage pulled to a stop and there was hustle and bustle as servants assisted and orders were called. Marah found herself looking toward the open door of the large and stately city estate. She couldn't see inside from this distance and she wondered if anyone was watching them as they moved up the drive toward the home.

Justin and Victoria entered first and Marah stepped in behind them. In the foyer were two ladies and immediately they began to hug and welcome Victoria and Justin, but standing off to the side, watching
her
, was Caleb. Marah smiled as he approached her and took her hand gently.

“Good evening,” he said softly.

She blushed as she nodded. “Good evening.”

Before they could say anything else, the group turned to them and Marah withdrew her hand from Caleb's to greet her hosts.

The two ladies were beautiful indeed. Lady Stratfield, Caleb's mother, had dark hair with a bit of gray touching it and lovely green eyes that did not match either Justin's dark brown ones or Caleb's bright blue. But there was a deep grief around her, a cloud that darkened her face.

His sister, Tessa, had the look of their mother about her, married to a sharp intelligence that made her eyes sparkle as they moved over Marah with a quick pass.

“And this must be Miss Marah Farnsworth,” Lady Stratfield said as she extended a hand in welcome. “Victoria has told us so much about you, my dear. We are very happy to finally have you in our home.”

Marah managed to find her manners and her voice as she nodded. “I thank you for having me, my lady,” she said softly.

“This is my daughter, Lady Tessa.” The marchioness motioned to the other woman, who stepped forward with a wide and welcoming smile.

“Good evening, Miss Farnsworth. What a beautiful gown!”

Marah smiled as she glanced down at the dress she wore. She had agonized over the choice for hours and changed at least three times before settling on the deep blue that seemed somber enough for a house in grief but pretty enough that she didn't feel like someone's poor relation.

For a moment the group chatted in the foyer, but soon enough Lady Stratfield ushered them to a parlor for a quick drink before their supper. As they settled into their seats, Lady Stratfield smiled at Marah once more.

“You are a dear friend of Victoria's, are you not?” she asked with a brief smile at her daughter-in-law that was immediately returned.

Marah could see that their relationship was on the best terms. She was happy for her friend in that regard, for she knew Victoria had once wondered if that would be true.

“She is my closest and most cherished friend,” Marah said with a smile. “We met during her time in Baybary.”

Lady Stratfield's face lit up. “Oh, Baybary. A delightful shire. When we were first married and Lord Stratfield was earl how I loved that place. We split our time between London and there until just after Caleb's birth when Asa took over as marquis.”

From the corner of her eye, Marah saw Caleb shift, his fingers tightening on his glass as he shot his mother a dark look that he hid as quickly as he had expressed it.

“I agree, I love living there,” Marah said slowly as she forced her stare from Caleb.

“And who is your family there?” Tessa asked as she sipped her brandy.

Marah swallowed. This was the question that always made her uncomfortable when it was asked of her by those of rank. Still, she lifted her chin and said, “I stayed with my grandmother, a woman of no standing. You wouldn't likely know her, she was but a healer and a midwife.”

She waited for Lady Stratfield or her daughter to react to that statement. She had no doubt they would be polite because of her relationship to Victoria, but many people of elevated status who didn't know of her family ties to the Viscount Farnsworth looked down upon her when they thought her common.

But neither lady made any indication that this news surprised or disappointed them in any way. Their smiles remained the same as ever, without even a quiver or twitch to reveal a deeper feeling on the matter.

“Marah's grandmother was the best of women,” Victoria said softly.

Marah smiled at her friend as Justin briefly caught her hand. It was when Victoria had lost a child that they had met. Though her grandmother hadn't been able to help Victoria, the three women had been bound by the experience. And though she doubted Lady Stratfield or her daughter knew that part of Victoria's past—she had once kept it secret even from Justin—they nodded in unison.

“My lady,” a servant said as he stepped into the room. “Supper is served.”

The family rose as Lady Stratfield nodded to the footman. She moved toward Caleb, but to Marah's surprise he frowned and turned to his brother. “Justin, why don't you escort Mother? I'll take Victoria.”

The marchioness only hesitated for a moment, but the sadness in her eyes was clear in that fraction of time. Still, she turned to Justin with a smile that hid her hurt and let her elder son take her from the room. Caleb and Victoria followed, which left Marah with Tessa.

The other woman, who had until that moment been so vivacious and light, now glared at her brother as he walked from the room.

“I don't understand how he can treat her so, especially when her heart is breaking over Father,” Tessa whispered.

Marah shifted with discomfort. The other woman was speaking to herself more than to Marah, but it was more than this glimpse into a stranger's heart that made her uneasy. Marah knew something that Tessa Talbot did not. Something that the girl would likely never know even though it involved
her
family.

She smiled. “Shall we follow, Lady Tessa?”

Tessa shook off her emotions and smiled at Marah, though she could see it was but a shadow of her previous joyful grin. “Of course, my apologies.”

Marah walked from the room with her, talking quietly as they made the short journey to the dining room. But as they did, she couldn't help but look ahead of her at Caleb.

Tessa was right that by his behavior he was hurting his family in the very depth of their pain. And even though Marah had some understanding of why, she was still left feeling as though Caleb's attempts to pretend the past didn't exist were only causing more trouble, more pain, and more heartbreak for everyone.

Including himself.

C
aleb fiddled with his wineglass as the servants drew away the last of the dessert plates. Although the food had been as fine as any meal he had eaten in this house, all of it had tasted like sawdust to him, and now it sat heavy in his belly. His emotions wouldn't allow him to enjoy this night. When he looked around the table, he was keenly aware that he was a disappointment to everyone he saw.

There was his mother whom he had hurt tonight and since his return with his dismissal. It didn't matter that he avoided her because he feared he might pose questions to her that could never be taken back and should be left unasked, she still shrank with anguish every time he rejected her.

There was Tessa, who glared daggers at him as often as she embraced him. She had no idea of what he knew or how it made him feel. All she could see or understand was that he was hurting people she loved, and her natural reaction was to fly at him and defend them with everything she had.

Victoria and Justin were more subtle, but he could tell they didn't like that he was out every night, that he came to their home drunk, that he slept past noon and avoided their table whenever he could.

And then there was Marah. She had softened toward him, but there was no denying how much he had hurt her. He had taken her innocence, he had been dishonorable by abandoning her, and now the fact that he desired her even more than ever only underscored his dissolution. She kept telling him she wanted nothing from him but an acquaintance and he kept picturing her spread across his bed, naked and willing.

“Thank you again for allowing my intrusion,” Marah said with a broad smile for his mother. Her voice drew Caleb from his musings.

His mother returned Marah's expression instantly and without hesitation. “We loved having you, my dear. But I'm sorry you won't meet my husband. You probably know that he is quite ill, though he did try his best to join us. But it was too much for him.”

Caleb's expression fell at the same moment as his mother's. He had been in the room, telling the marquis more about Marah, when the old man had made the effort to rise and ready himself for a pretty guest. He hadn't even made it past sitting straight up in bed.

He looked at Marah briefly. “He did very much wish to meet you,” he mused.

His gaze slipped to his mother and the two looked at each other for a long moment. She seemed to read his thoughts, for there was no surprise on her face when he said, “What if we bring Marah to him?”

The surprise he hadn't seen in his mother was instantly recognizable in everyone else in the room. Justin, Victoria, and Tessa all drew back, almost at the same moment.

Tessa found her voice to respond first, “Are you entirely irresponsible, Caleb Talbot? Father is far too weak for visitors.”

Justin nodded slowly. “I tend to agree. And I can't picture him being comfortable with an intrusion into his private chambers.”

Marah shook her head. “As much as I would love to meet the man who raised Justin and Caleb, I would never want to be responsible for causing him upset or even making his illness worse.”

Caleb's mother turned toward her slowly. “You are a dear girl, but there is nothing in the world that could truly make him worse . . . or better now. And although I appreciate all the concern of everyone, I know your father. When he was denied the ability to meet with a guest, it underscored to him the finality of his condition.”

“He was always so proper when it came to guests,” Caleb said with a chuckle. “He always wanted to be the one to greet them and make them feel welcome in our home.”

His mother crossed the room, holding out a hand to Marah as she did so. “Come, Miss Farnsworth. We shall go up and I will go in to the marquis. If he is sleeping or tells me he isn't up for guests, we'll forget the entire plan. But if he expresses an interest in having this moment that will remind him of healthier days, you may come in.”

Marah swallowed and Caleb understood her discomfort. It wasn't often that an unmarried lady . . . or a married one, for that matter, was asked to enter the bedchamber of a powerful man of Society. To converse with him while he was in his nightshirt. But he could also see how intrigued she was by the notion of meeting the marquis, this man she had heard so much about over the years.

He tilted his head. “If you are too uncomfortable, no one will judge you if you say no.”

“Of course,” his mother instantly said, lifting her outstretched hand to her chest. “We would never have you do something that brought you distress.”

Marah arched an incredulous brow toward Caleb, which he ignored as he continued, “It is unorthodox, I know, but I do think it will give him a brief moment of happiness, a glimpse at the life he once led.”

“You are daft,” Tessa insisted as she tossed her napkin down and pushed her chair back from the table with a screech. “I'll have no part in this. It was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Farnsworth, but I shall say good night.”

With that she stomped from the room, her footfalls echoing up the stairs until a chamber door slammed far in the distance. Marah cringed at the sound as she turned toward Justin and Victoria.

“Do you feel as strongly against this idea as your sister seems to?” she asked.

Justin shifted. “It isn't standard or perhaps even proper, of course, and I still worry that so much excitement will cause my father grief . . . but I wasn't here earlier when Mother and Caleb discussed a guest's visit. If they say his reaction and desire to meet with you was so strong . . . it must be true. I defer to their judgment.”

Victoria nodded. “And your own comfort, my dear.”