The Scandal of Lady Eleanor (9 page)

For the next couple of minutes, her cousin dutifully pulled the laces tighter on Ella's corset and dress. “Lord Worthing is quite handsome,” Velvet spoke the words as if they were an afterthought, but Ella immediately wondered at her cousin's interest in the viscount.

“Do you really think so?” Ella faced the mirror and tried to use it to see Velvet's true expression. Of course, she thought Worthing
the most handsome of men, but she worried now whether her cousin might have set her sights on him. If so, Ella knew she would not stand a chance;Velvet outshone her in looks.

“My Heavens, yes, and he does admire you, Ella.” Velvet tied the strings.

Forgetting her desire to appear uninvolved, as well as the worry of only a few seconds ago, Ella spun toward her. “What makes you say so?” She had hoped for such a possibility.

“One just has to look at the man; he can barely keep his eyes from you.”Velvet pulled Ella to the bed to sit together. “I wish your brother looked at me that way.”

Ella fought to control her breathing. “Do you speak the truth, Velvet, or is this one of your fairy tales?”

Her cousin caught Ella's hand. “Tell me you affect him also.”

Ella looked away shyly. “Is it not absurd? I have always planned a life of independence, but I do admit I think often of Lord Worthing.”

Conspiratorially, Velvet mused, “It is a shame to waste our time and energy with a Season when the only men we might consider sit together downstairs in the drawing room.”

“Bran believes we would lose something by not having a Season,” Ella defended her brother, although she did not agree with his assessment.

Surprisingly, Velvet chuckled. “I know he means well. Men always mean well, but they are so oblivious when it comes to women. You will not believe what I told Bran the other day. I told him I was anxious for the Season to begin so I could meet other men. I said I was determined to find a mate so he might be rid of me.”

Ella gasped, “You did not? What did Bran say?”

“Well, nothing. That is when you and His Lordship rode in on one horse.” After a brief moment of silence,Velvet blurted out, “Worthing kissed you, did he not?”

Ella burst into laughter, trying to hide her initial embarrassment, but finally she told the truth. Velvet remained as close as a sister, and
Ella knew she could trust her cousin. “How did you know?”

Velvet shrugged her shoulders. “I am not sure exactly. You looked different after that ride—more satisfied.” She again caught Ella's hand in hers. “Would you help me win Bran? I will do everything in my power to aid you with Lord Worthing.”

“Dare we?” Ella asked, nearly as excited as her cousin.

“The way I see it, Bran wants us both to find suitable matches this Season. We are simply following his wishes.”

Ella smiled fully, the first time in a long time. “You are evil, Cousin.”

“So, is it a deal?”

“Absolutely.”

CHAPTER 3

TEN MINUTES LATER, they descended the main staircase, arm in arm. Ella leaned close. “May I offer a word of advice regarding Brantley?”

Velvet said nothing—just nodded her agreement.

“Bran is not likely to seriously look at any woman who could not accept Sonali.You barely speak to the child. Can you not, if you truly love him, begin to let his daughter into your heart? Sonali is part of Bran. Learn to love that part.”

Velvet made no response, but she squeezed Ella's hand in understanding. “Let us do the Royal Academy,” she whispered. “I will get lost, and you may spend time alone with His Lordship.”

“Sir Joshua Reynolds.” James pointed to the man's portrait. “He was the first President of the Academy. Benjamin West serves in that position at this time.”

They walked along together, Ella's hand resting lightly on James's arm. “Did you address your estate business when you came to London, Lord Worthing?”

“I did, Lady Eleanor.”

Silence. “I was sorry to hear you speak of your father's illness, and a bit ashamed I had not asked of your family before. It sounded as if you and the Earl are close.”

“We are.” Longer silence. “I…I avoided speaking of my father's
illness knowing you just lost your own parent. I felt it might be too raw a memory, and I would do nothing to hurt you.”

A still longer silence. “Lord Worthing, I am sure my brother shared some of our family's misery with you.You must understand my feelings for my father are not those one normally finds associated with grief.”

James thought of Ella's tormented soul and of her “sleeplessly” begging her father to love her. “I would understand when you are ready to speak of it, Lady Eleanor.”

“I am sure you would try, Your Lordship, but I am not sure I understand, and I lived through it.”

The long silence returned. “A Gainsborough.” He pointed to a large portrait surrounded by many smaller ones.

Ella did not respond; she simply walked by his side. “James,” she said unexpectedly, “would you tell me why, if you love your family so much, you left home to spend years fighting for causes most would deem useless? You are your father's heir; I am surprised he allowed it.”

He reveled in the knowledge that she used his given name, but he did not welcome the idea of telling Ella about Elizabeth. “Might we sit?” He gestured to a nearby bench.

When they were seated together, James impulsively caught her hand and brought the back of it to his mouth, letting his lips linger on her skin. “My dear, sweet Ella,” he murmured. He paused to look into her eyes. “I do not know where to start. I am going to ask you not to interrupt. I fear that once I begin—if I stop—I may not be able to finish.”

James turned his head slightly to the left, looking off at something not there. “Shortly before I reached my majority, I met a young woman, Elizabeth Morris, one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen, and I fell madly in love; but Elizabeth was not just beautiful on the outside; she had an adventurous heart as well. Anyway, I married her within six months of our meeting.” James felt Ella try to slip her hand from his, and, instinctively, he tightened
his hold. He refused to allow her withdrawal. “Elizabeth and I were ecstatically happy, and, for me, for two years, life was never so perfect. Then Elizabeth became with child, and I lost her. The boy did not turn, and the surgeon could not save my wife.” He went utterly still, except that his Adam's apple moved painfully up and down as he fought back the tears. “I could not understand how I could go on living. Each day I visited the grave, and I prayed for God to take me too, and as painful as it is to say this now, I could not hold my child without blaming him for his mother's death. I had no other choice: Within three months, I walked away from everything I knew, and I took on every nasty cause I could find—trying to punish myself for continuing to live when Elizabeth did not, thinking if I tempted Fate often enough, I would lose.” James turned back to Ella suddenly. “Then I found others who needed my help to survive, and I began to fight for them. Ironically, I saved myself as well.”

“Is that what Bran did also?” Ella's voice was so quiet James was not sure he heard her correctly.

“All the men in my unit found what they needed, although none of us shared the depths of our reasons for losing ourselves.”

Ella traced a circle on the inside of his palm with her fingertip. “And the boy?”

James smiled with the memory. “Daniel is nine, going on forty,” he chuckled. “He is a phenomenal child; I would like for you to meet him some time.”

“I would be pleased to do so.” Ella released her hand from his. She was not sure what she felt. Ella needed to know of James's grief, but to know he had loved another woman—a beautiful woman, at that, made her doubt whether she might win his heart. “We should find Velvet; she must wonder what became of us.”

James followed her to his feet. Impulsively, he cupped her cheek when he sensed the hint of panic in her stance. “Thank you, Ella.” He knew she considered what he said—observed her questioning her own worth. James would teach her to love.

Eleanor said nothing more. She simply placed her hand on Worthing's arm and let him lead her off to find her cousin. She would need to think on this. Of late, she considered the possibility of winning James Kerrington's affections, but when he spoke of the woman who had stolen his heart long ago, she realized she would never be able to replace Elizabeth Morris in his life. For some women, the affection he showed her might be enough—they might allow him to keep the woman he had loved in his heart while he showered them with the “here and now.” But, Ella was not so sure she could accept only a “liking” from Lord Worthing. All her life she had desired someone to love her—to place her above all others. Ella did not think Worthing could do that, and she was unsure whether she could settle for anything less.

After enjoying a cream ice from Gunter's, they arrived at Briar House to find an excited child dancing about the foyer.

“Aunt Ella.” Sonali was in her arms as soon as Ella entered the hall. “Papa says we can all see the animals at the Tower of London. And you must come too, Uncle James,” the child said in breathless excitement. James reached out to smooth Sonali's hair in a gesture of love.

“That sounds delightful.” Ella placed the girl on her feet before allowing James to help her off with her cloak. “Where is your father?” Ella asked as she took the girl's hand. “Excuse me for the moment, Lord Worthing.” Ella allowed Sonali to drag her toward Bran's study.

Before he could respond, Velvet quickly took James's arm and directed him toward the same drawing room as earlier. “Lord Worthing, I wish to speak to you,” the woman announced quite unexpectedly.

“Of course, Miss Aldridge.” He allowed her to lead him to the privacy of the empty room. To date, the woman had said very little to him beyond polite conversation. Evidently, she had an agenda,
and he was to be privy to it.

“You will think me quite forward, Sir, but desperation makes me so.”Velvet crossed to the window and motioned for him to follow her. “I have been in love with Brantley Fowler since I was eight years old,” she proclaimed before he even came to a standstill. “You will think that foolish, but I have no time to debate.You see, it is my belief, Sir, you know how Bran feels about me.”

James just smiled at the urgency in her voice. “Go on, Miss Aldridge.”

“Bran has it in his mind he must let me choose another in order to protect me or because he thinks that will make us even. I suspect you know the truth of his marriage, but I will not ask you to divulge Bran's secrets. I do not care about five years ago; I care about now.”The woman rushed through the words. “I want Brantley Fowler, and I will do anything to win him.”