Intentions of the Earl (31 page)

“Demand? Apologize? You?” John said with a
harsh laugh.

“Your words were unwarranted. I understand
your anger toward me. You can say those things to me alone; you do
not need to be so crude in her presence.”

“Indeed? Are you telling me my daughter has
not been exposed to anything crude this evening?” John snapped.

“No. She has not.”

“No?” he echoed. “I don’t believe that. I
don’t believe you even care what is said or done in front of her.
She was nothing but a dalliance for you.”

“Enough!” Brooke screamed, jumping to her
feet. Determination changed her features, making them stronger, as
if she were her composed self again and ready to conquer the world.
“I don’t appreciate being so lightly referred to as nothing more
than a dalliance. I would appreciate it if you two would stop
arguing and accept there will be no match between us.”

“Yes, there will be, young lady,” John
countered. “If you think you will just go to sleep tonight and wake
up in the morning with this all behind you, you are mistaken. As we
speak, the whole house is talking about you as if you are a common
light skirt.” John turned his eyes back to Andrew. “I will not ask
you again, when is the wedding?”

“There's not going to be a wedding,” Andrew
replied firmly.

As soon as the words had left his lips, there
was a shout. “I challenge you to a duel. Tomorrow. Dawn. Name your
weapon and second.”

Everyone’s head snapped around to where Alex
was standing by a bookcase and a rolling ladder. Andrew wasn’t sure
about anyone else, but he'd been so caught up in the conversation
he'd completely forgotten Alex’s presence until he issued the
challenge.

Andrew’s head spun. A duel? Was he serious?
Andrew knew it was a possibility this might happen, but he didn’t
figure Alex would be the one to challenge him. Besides their long
friendship, which he knew this whole situation was about to
demolish, Alex was an abominable shot. If he picked pistols, there
was no telling how it would all end. He could aim high and miss
Alex. But whether Alex meant to or not, there was a very real
possibility of Andrew actually being injured, although it would
likely be an accident. He wasn’t concerned so much about being
killed, but who knows where Alex would unintentionally hit him with
that bullet.

That left swords. But once again, Alex was
not skilled in that department, either; probably less so than with
pistols. Why did he make a challenge he didn’t have a chance with?
Was he trying to get himself killed or was his mouth working
without consulting his brain first? There was only one way to find
out. “Swords, and I don’t need a second, you won’t require one
either.”

Alex paled, but nodded.

“Stop it you two,” Brooke said impatiently.
“There will be no duel. First, it’s illegal. Isn’t it?” She stopped
and waited for her father’s nod of confirmation. “Second, Alex,
let’s be honest you have no sword skills.” She raised her hand to
stop him from interrupting. “I know you have your pride and honor
and all that, but I saw you fighting with the gamekeeper’s son with
wooden swords yesterday and you lost. Badly. Oh, and do not tell me
you let him win. You were trying harder than he was, and you still
lost.”

Alex’s mouth snapped shut, and his face went
a bright shade of red.

“There's still one other option left, I can
return to New York,” she said, her voice went high and cracked
midsentence.

“No.” Andrew said. Now it was his turn for
his mouth to run independent of his brain’s influence. He didn’t
know why he spoke, this was exactly what he’d wanted. What he
needed. If they packed their bags and left for New York everything
would work out according to plan. She’d be gone and able to start
over in America without this tainting her reputation, and he’d get
his estate back and be free of Gateway.

“No?” Brooke questioned. She looked to Andrew
to explain what he meant, but he said nothing. “It’s the only
course left open to our family. Nobody over there would know what
happened here. My sisters will not be marred by my mistakes,” she
said with a sob. “You win, too. You will not have the death of my
cousin on your hands.”

Everyone looked back at Alex, who looked mad
and relieved at the same time.

“We all know he could never survive a duel.
Sorry, Alex, but it’s true.” Then she turned back to face Andrew.
“Men don't bear the same shame with a scandal such as this. In a
few weeks time you’ll be accepted in places I would not be if I
were to stay.”

Andrew watched her face as she said her
speech; it changed from composed to sad to angry and then to
resigned.

With as much dignity as a young lady could
have in her situation, she swept out of the library, leaving them
all in her wake.

“Wait! Brooke, come back,” Andrew said,
trying to grab her arm and pull her back toward him.

Brooke shook off his grasp and met his eyes.
“You don’t want to marry me, and quite frankly, I don’t want to
marry someone who does not want me. I will return home in the
morning and put this all behind me.”

Andrew let go of her and watched her walk
down the hall, taking his heart along with her. Andrew started at
the thought. Did she have his heart? She must or else he wouldn’t
have this empty ache in his chest where his heart used to
reside.

He looked back and saw Alex, John and
Carolina all standing in a line with identical looks of contempt on
their faces.

Not wanting to speak to any of them at the
moment, he turned and walked away.

There was someone he did need to see at the
moment, and now it was time to go find him.

Chapter 25

Brooke would always wonder how she made it
back to her room. Her eyes were filled with tears that threatened
to spill, but somehow didn’t flow until she reached her bedchamber
and closed the door tightly behind her.

She wearily made her way to her bed and threw
herself down on top of the counterpane. How had her life come to
this? One minute she was being held and caressed by a gentle and
loving Andrew, then not ten minutes later, he was rejecting her as
his wife. All the while, everyone in the house thought she was a
fallen woman.

Going back home seemed the only option she
had left. She could start over without this hanging over her head.
It was clear that if she stayed, Andrew had no intention to marry
her and nobody else would want to marry her if they knew about
this. Which, of course, they would. Oh, why did that dreadful woman
have to show up? Why could she not have come five minutes later,
when her gown was buttoned and hair was up? And why on earth did
Lady Algen of all people have an interest in Astronomy?

How would she explain this to her sisters?
How would she face Papa and Mama tomorrow bearing the shame of them
thinking of her as a shameless wanton? Would they ever forgive her
this or would they hold it over her head?

Way too many thoughts and questions flooded
her head before she fell into a dreamless slumber.

Brooke awoke the following morning to loud
voice outside her door.

“Move out of my way,” a voice that sounded
like Andrew’s boomed.

“No.” That voice she recognized as
Mama’s.

“You’ve done enough. If you think I’m going
let you in there for one final romp, you are greatly mistaken,
young man,” Papa yelled.

“Have a care for your daughter and keep your
voice down,” Andrew said tightly.

“Why all the sudden do you have such interest
in our daughter?” Papa demanded.

“Because she is to be my countess and I will
not allow any gossip spread about her,” Andrew stated as if he were
reciting a well known fact.

She heard Mama squeal with delight and Papa
mumble something inaudible; knowing Papa it probably was a watered
down curse he was known to say in times of great frustration.

“Now that you know my intentions, please step
aside,” Andrew said.

Brooke froze. Was he going to come in her
room now? She was still wearing her gown from last night. Her hair
was a rat’s nest; she wouldn’t be surprised in the least if there
really was a rodent in it at this point. She was sure without
having to look in a mirror that her face was not a picture of
beauty with her skin all red and eyes puffy from crying. She was
not presentable, especially for her potential groom.

Her heart skipped a beat. Her potential
groom. Just last night he didn’t want to marry her and now he did.
Why? What changed?

That thought brought her back from her
daydream. Why was he really here?

Heedless to her scary appearance, she walked
to the door and swung it open. “What’s the meaning of this?” she
demanded.

Four sets of eyes locked on her haphazard
form. Mama gasped when she saw her and quickly tried to cover it up
with a cough. Papa’s mouth dropped open, then he closed it with the
audible snap as his teeth met. Her eyes met with Andrew’s. His eyes
held a hint of humor, but he merely raised an eyebrow at her. Then
she heard a slight cough and jerked her gaze over to the right, and
was greeted by the sight of Mr. Grimes. “Perhaps this conversation
should wait? Will you be….er…presentable within a half hour?” he
asked quietly, not meeting her eyes.

“Yes,” Brooke answered shyly, then closed her
door.

After she shut the door she began to take her
gown off as quickly as she could, and thought she should ring for a
bath, but quickly dismissed the idea because she had only a half
hour to be dressed and downstairs. That only gave her time to
change gowns, and try to pick out as many twigs from her hair as
she possibly could just to get it up in her coiffure again.

She had successfully removed her gown and was
looking for another when Mama let herself in.

“You’ll need to wear something very special
for your engagement,” she exclaimed.

Peeking around the corner of her wardrobe,
Brooke took in her Mama’s face. She looked so happy. “Why are you
so happy?” she asked.

“Because my daughter is going to be married,
without delay I expect, to a gentleman of rank, and you must admit,
he’s rather good looking.”

Brooke shrugged. Andrew wasn’t
that
good looking. By no means was he ugly, but she still stuck to her
original opinion. He was not the dashing knight that young girls
dreamed of, but to some women he would be considered handsome. She
fell firmly in that category.

“Who cares about his rank, he’s only marrying
me because he feels it’s his duty. He doesn't want to marry me,”
she said dully.

“That’s not true,” Mama protested. “I’ve seen
the way you two are together. Don’t think I haven’t noticed those
secret smiles and looks exchanged between the two of you.”

Brooke blushed. Was she so obvious? “All
right, I admit it, I have feelings for him. But I don’t think he
returns them.”

“They'll come,” Mama assured her. “Does it
matter so much if he doesn’t feel as strongly for you as you do for
him? He will, and in the meantime, think of the great life you will
live. You will have one of the top positions in society and will be
invited everywhere. The scandal surrounding your wedding will pass
in time. I know some harsh things were said and done last night,
but the truth is, returning home isn’t really an option just, you
know that. ”

“I suppose you’re right,” Brooke conceded,
taking out an ice blue gown from her wardrobe.

“That is truly beautiful,” Mama said, helping
her put it on. Mama quickly took charge of fastening the buttons on
the back. “Brooke, I don’t know how to approach this, but we may
not have any other time alone.”

“Yes?”

“Last night, did you…did the earl…umm…do you
need me to explain anything?” Mama stammered in an uneasy
voice.

“No, I don’t think so,” Brooke replied,
absolutely uncertain what on earth Mama was speaking of. Looking in
her mirror, she saw a strange look on Mama’s face, but she wasn’t
sure what it meant because it was gone in a second.

“In that case, I guess my job just got a
little easier.” She flashed a bright smile. “Now about this mess…”
she said, trying to bring a brush through Brooke’s tangled
hair.

It took a quarter of an hour longer than
anticipated for Brooke to be presentable. Walking down to where the
men were waiting in the library, Brooke was a bundle of nerves. She
wanted to marry Andrew. She’d decided several days ago that if he
were to propose she would accept. But under the circumstances, she
wanted to ask a few questions first. The first of which would be
why he wanted to marry her. Was it duty? Honor? Had he been guilted
into it? Or did he truly care for her?

Upon entering the library, Brooke noticed
Andrew’s state of disarray. He was wet. Soaked to be exact. And
where he was standing, a puddle had formed on the carpet. A quick
glance out the window behind him told her it was storming outside.
When had he gone outside, she wondered. Not only was he wet, his
hair looked like a windstorm had blown it about. His clothes were
dirty, and ironically the same ones he’d worn the night before. A
little giggle escaped her at the thought.

In response to her giggle, Andrew raised an
eyebrow.

“I’m sorry, it’s just that everyone was so
horrified over my splendid ensemble earlier but no one, myself
included, noticed yours,” she said, gesturing to his torn clothes,
messy hair, and wet body.

“Indeed, you are correct. They were so intent
to stop me from seeing you that they said naught about how I was
dressed. I would have changed when you did, but I find my
belongings have mysteriously disappeared from my room.”

Papa let out an uncomfortable cough and
patted his chest. “Excuse me.”

“Shall I translate that for you?” Brooke
asked Andrew. “That’s what Papa does when he gets uncomfortable,
typically because he’s just been caught after he did something
wrong. I would wager, if I were the kind of woman who wagers, that
your belongings have probably been burned.”