An Accidental Affair (17 page)

Could she overlook his debauched past, accept the secrets he could not turn aside from, and consider another marriage? From what he had learned of her first, she had not liked being married. There was the possibility he would fail and be disappointed, but there was also an equal chance that he might succeed.

He deposited Lady Mary at her door and cheerily waved good-bye, fully intending to never see her again as a would-be bride. He would return home and dine with Arabella and see if she might be interested in more than simple friendship.

The instant he stepped inside the door, he knew something was terribly wrong. Holland wore the expression he adopted when faced with being the bearer of bad news. Merrick braced himself. “What?”

“Lady Penelope Ford is waiting to see you.”

Merrick glanced left and right and then finally up to the ceiling. “Blast.”

“She hasn’t said anything,” Holland whispered. “I placed her in the parlor while she waited your return.”

“Thank you, Holland.” Merrick handed off his hat and gloves and strode into the room. He decided not to mince words today. Aunt Pen rarely made surprise visits to his home, and this was the worst possible time for one. “What do you want?”

His aunt paused with her teacup to her lips. “You’re in a mood, so I will come straight to the point. I’ve come to question you about Lady Farnsworth and her niece, Lady Cecily.”

As he’d suspected, his aunt’s arrival signaled trouble. “What about them?”

Aunt Pen leaned forward, her brow furrowing with deep lines of concern. “Lady Farnsworth and Lady Cecily have not been seen for some time. Lord Farnsworth tells quite a tale, that she ran away in terror of a horde of brigands.”

Merrick frowned at the growth of Farnsworth’s lie. Fairly soon it would be apparent to even a fool that nothing of the sort had happened. He had to tread carefully. It seemed possible that Aunt Pen knew nothing of Cecily’s elopement with Laurence, but the woman was a master at intrigue and could lie better than anyone he knew to serve her own purpose. “Something about midnight abductions and thievery.” He shrugged. “I saw Farnsworth at Mr. Milne’s just yesterday. I’m sure it’s all nonsense.”

“Milne, you say.” Her lips lifted in approval. “His daughter is lovely.”

Blast. Aunt Pen approved of Miss Milne. That had not been part of his plans but her support didn’t matter as his interest was with Arabella now. He shrugged and didn’t comment.

Aunt Pen smiled again, but Merrick still did not trust her one bit. She studied him carefully, then said, “So, you think they have not been abducted and likely ravished in some den of inequity?”

 
“I am sure Lady Farnsworth is snugly settled with friends somewhere.” He pretended to think about where she might be for a moment and moved into the room. He stopped behind a chair, a little barrier between them for his peace of mind. “What has Grayling to say? I’m sure if she’s anywhere, she would be there.”

His aunt peered at him. “Because you purchased her home from beneath her feet and she cannot possibly return to it?”

He smiled tightly, hating that his every word and deed eventually fell into his aunt’s lap. “Word travels fast. Actually, when I see Lady Farnsworth, I thought to enquire if she wished to continue on there under lease. Grayling has suggested before that she is inordinately fond of Winslette and manages it well.”

Aunt Pen set her cup aside and folded her hands in her lap, a sure sign she was just now warming to her inquisition. “When I heard of the new purchase, I assumed you might want to live there with your new wife.”

Since there was no chance of avoiding the subject, he chose to tackle it head on. “I’ve not married yet, and Grandfather sending me a special license will not spur me to propose.” He shook his head. “I own many properties, both in England and abroad, though I have not seen many in some time. An inspection is overdue at many. I really must attend to that soon.”

It was a risk mentioning any future plans to travel. He hoped offering up a bit of his life would distract her from asking further questions of Arabella and Cecily and any likely bride.

Her eyes narrowed. “Very well. Since you claim to know nothing of her disappearance, I will leave you in peace. When you do see Lady Farnsworth, be sure to give her my regards. Lovely girl, but so terribly tall.”

Aunt Pen stood and made her way to the door. Merrick watched her the whole way just to be sure she’d gone.

When the door closed, he strode to Holland. “She knows.”

His half brother stared at the closed door his aunt had passed through moments before. “About your pursuit of a bride? That was always in the cards the minute you took Lady Mary driving in the park.”

“No, she knows Lady Farnsworth is here.”

Holland shook his head. “Surely not or she would have said something. She would have demanded to see her.”

Merrick checked the time on his pocket watch. An hour until dinner with Arabella. Would he get to dine with her without his aunt coming back with Farnsworth in tow? “She uttered not one word about Laurence being missing from Town, and mention of having called on Mr. Milne yesterday barely stirred a ripple of interest. She left the house too quickly. She came for confirmation and somehow she got it.” He stared hard at Holland, wondering what had been said in his absence.

The other man shook his head, but his expression grew worried. “I swear I did nothing to give Lady Farnsworth away. How could she possibly know?”

He tucked his watch away and straightened his waistcoat. “I’ve no idea, but unless we want a scene that will be talked of for a decade should Farnsworth come to my door, Arabella must leave my house.”

Even now, well before his aunt could reach her home, he could imagine the flurry of letters she would write. If not tonight, then by morning they would be besieged. Farnsworth would come and upset Arabella. His own family might just come too, all very ready to remind him that the surest way to avoid scandal for the family was to marry Arabella immediately. He had the special license. It could be done tomorrow.

Being married in such circumstances was not part of his plan. He had wanted to avoid his family’s interference in his choice of bride. He growled his annoyance and stalked past Holland, taking the stairs two at a time on his way upstairs. When he reached Arabella’s door, he knocked, immediately hoping the loud sound would not startle her unduly.

As soon as the door opened, he stepped inside. “My aunt knows you are here. You have to leave before she can either come back or return with Farnsworth. The man has been looking for you everywhere.”

Arabella’s face leeched of color. “You never mentioned that before.”

“I didn’t want to upset you.” He moved closer to her. “What do you want to do? By morning my aunt will have told those she deems worthy of the news that you are in my power. We could tell the truth about Farnsworth striking you and attempting to force you into a match you didn’t want, but one is as bad as the other. Your reputation will never survive.”

She shivered and hugged her arms about her. “From my point of view the two are widely different. I’d choose being in your power over Farnsworth’s any day. But where can I go?”

“There is always Wiltshire.”

She nodded slowly. “Grayling would take me in surely. I had not wanted to impose on him and Rosemary. They are only just married. I suppose I could be of help with the children.”

He frowned at that. There was no way he could imagine she’d be content looking after someone else’s children. “Winslette is there for you to return to if you wish.”

“If Farnsworth hasn’t sold it already.”

Merrick hadn’t found the words or the opportunity to mention her estate. In truth, he had never wanted to add to her disappointments by mentioning the transition of ownership. Given the circumstances, Merrick hoped she would not take his purchase of the property badly. “You can return. This may have been presumptuous on my part, but I purchased the property from Farnsworth the day you came to me. I didn’t know how you’d take the news and kept silent. Forgive me.”

She closed her eyes. “Then I truly am dependent only on him.”

“Not if you don’t want to be.” He caught her hands in his and brought them to his chest. “Farnsworth seemed very keen to be rid of it and now it seems clear as to why.”

“He wanted me in his power. He wanted to make sure I had nowhere to go but where he told me.” She freed her hand from his grip and pressed her hands to her face, hiding behind them momentarily. When she emerged, her expression was bitter. She rubbed her throat, caressing the place that Farnsworth had held her and caused such injury. “Cecily tried to warn me, but I dismissed it. I never imagined the scenario reaching this conclusion.”

“I doubt few would have foreseen this occurring.” He caressed the back of her clutching fingers. “Farnsworth cannot come to Winslette now that I own it. He has no right.”

“Why did you buy my home?”

Merrick moved Arabella to the setting by the window as he tried to put his decision into some form of order that would make sense to her. “The property is a beauty and is well situated. At first I considered whether it might do for Grayling, an expansion of his property, but with no time to get word to him, I purchased it first. I own nothing in Wiltshire but am often there as Grayling’s guest. It is a good investment. If later he’s keen to add the acres to his own, it’s a matter that will always be open for discussion. But you must believe I never had any intention of throwing you from the estate.”

“But you intend to live there?”

“No. When you told me it was on the market, I couldn’t imagine you not living there. Having Grayling as a confidant means I knew much more about the property than most interested buyers would. By all accounts, you managed it well without assistance. I have no qualms at all for you to remain as long as you wish.”

“You would let a woman manage one of your properties?” Her eyes widened and then she shook her head. “Before Farnsworth would come every few months and make me feel my decisions were foolish. I guess now I must concede he only left me in peace and limited freedom because I mourned his brother. Coming to London changed that.”

The color in her cheeks drained away. Merrick quickly touched her arm in an attempt to send her insecurities into the far distance. “Enough of Farnsworth for tonight. He is no longer important.”

“No. No, he certainly is not.”

“That’s my girl.” Merrick swallowed against a suddenly dry mouth. “I should mention from the outset that I should only need visit once or twice a year to assure myself that all is well with you. I doubt I would ever reverse any decision you made. Grayling has indicated you take a very sensible and farseeing approach to land management.”

She nodded slowly. “I had ample time to read about many things most married women do not. My husband had his own life and was rarely underfoot.”

Curiosity got the better of him. “Did you like being married?”

Her face changed to one of bitterness. “Not really. But after my husband died, I came to enjoy the freedom to come and go at will without explaining my every movement or expense. Then Farnsworth summoned me to be his daughter’s chaperone and I was once more forced to account for my every action and shilling spent. I miss Wiltshire and my friends. Farnsworth insisted I do things his way, far too often.”

“I see.” Merrick bit his lip. Arabella hadn’t been treated very fairly. While he could understand her frustration, he wouldn’t ever treat his wife that way. He hoped they would share a life. Given her wish for freedom, he decided then and there that he wouldn’t impose on her by staying at Winslette. He’d ride across from Grayling’s estate and keep his visits as short as possible. “Arabella, are you ready to go home? I fear if you remain much longer under my roof then my aunt will do her worst to ruin you or force the alternative.”

She looked up at him, confusion clear in her expression. “What alternative could there be?”

He eased back from her disappointed that a marriage between them had to be discussed under such circumstances. “My aunt would do everything in her power to avoid family scandal. She would insist I marry you.”

Arabella drew back a little. “I don’t want to be married. Not simply to avoid a scandal. I was naïve in marrying the first time, and I like what little freedom I have gained since. I abandoned my life to avoid a marriage I didn’t want. I doubt your aunt could persuade me to anything right now.”

“I assumed as much.” He smiled, though his disappointment was acute. He did not blame her. Marriage required sacrifice. “Can you be ready to leave early tomorrow? If so, I’ll take you home.”

She stared at him a long moment, her teeth worrying her lower lip. “Are you not busy with the season’s amusements? You go out so often that I would not mind if you’d rather remain here. I can easily make the journey alone.”

His heart clattered against his ribs frantically at the speculation on her face. Was she curious about whether he’d found a bride? “I wouldn’t dream of it. I assure you there is nothing of importance to keep me in London at present.”

“Oh.” Her eyes held his for a long moment, her expression clearing as she smiled shyly. “I will not mind going home with you.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN