The Earl's Love Match: A Sweet Regency Romance Page 4

  “I have had some business to attend to here, though I must confess that I have tarried longer than I should. I must now go and spend a few weeks in Wales attending to some family matters there. But I cannot tell you how glad I am to know that Miss Jane is so improved before I had to leave.” He handed Lady Faith the posy he had brought.

  “Oh,” Lady Faith said, looking a little disappointed. “We had so hoped you might be able to attend a small supper we hope to have, should Jane continue her recovery, perhaps next week.”

  “I should think that after all she has gone through that a week might be a little over-optimistic,” Elliot said trying to stop himself from frowning. He did not wish to be rude to this very lovely young woman, but he had suspicions that she might be reading more into his visits to the house than was there. She clearly knew nothing of his connection with Jane and seemed to hang on his every word.

  Now, she looked crestfallen at his snub. Elliot felt dreadful. “But I shall stop by once more,” he added hastily, “if I may, before I return home to Northumberland, to be sure that she is quite well. Perhaps you might invite me to supper then?”

  Lady Faith beamed and Elliot felt like the most dreadful cad. He only wished to return to see how well Jane was faring, but he had a strange feeling that Lady Faith would have translated his sudden change of heart as him wishing to please her.

  “That would be most kind of you,” she said happily. “I am sure that Winchester is most certainly not on your way home. We should be most delighted to invite you for supper if you truly have the time to spare?”

  Elliot bowed politely and made his way to the door. Anthwistle opened the door and Elliot made his way onto the street. He glanced back briefly, only to catch Lady Faith gazing at him, her big blue eyes wide, her expression dreamy – she was indeed mooning over him. He sighed heavily. The last thing he had intended was to give Lady Faith the impression that he might have feelings for her. His heart had been given away long ago, and the woman who possessed it lay in a bedchamber, somewhere upstairs in the Calders’ elegant townhouse. He doubted that he would ever consider another, nor did he want to.

  He wondered if Jane knew that he had come by every day as he walked along the street. He turned and looked upwards, just hoping he might catch a glimpse of her lovely face in the window, though he had no idea which was her room. There was nobody there, but Elliot knew every freckle on her nose, every contour of her face and so he happily imagined her there, waving down at him with a smile on her face – as she used to do when he would call upon her so they might go out and play in the woods as children, or to take her to the local dances when they were old enough.

  They had always known one another. Though Jane’s father’s lands were just crossed the border into Scotland, they had been close neighbors. Growing up together in the wild North they had ridden to hounds as part of the same Hunt, they had attended the same social events together – until Jane had been sent to London to school at fourteen. Her parents had hoped that she might learn a little polish, to wear away at the edges – to banish the hoyden they feared might never be seen as marriageable material by someone suitable.

  Until she had left, Elliot had thought of her as no more than a friend, yet when she had returned to the North – a young lady in every way, though still secretly wild at her very core – she had stolen his heart. Of course, they had been too young to consider marriage and Elliot had always thought that Jane would laugh at him if he had ever suggested anything so ridiculous. He was her dearest friend, and her worst enemy – Elliot was sure that she simply did not see him the way he saw her and so had never told her of how he truly felt.

  Just as she came home, he had been sent to Oxford to university and had then undertaken his Grand Tour, keeping them apart again. But he had written to her every week and had kept a miniature of her with him that he had painted and then had encased in golden filigree. He kept it in his jacket pocket, close to his heart, to this day. She always replied with friendly and amusing letters, keeping him informed of what was happening in a way that his mother had not.

  Mother’s letters had only ever discussed his future, his duty and what was required to run the family’s vast landholdings effectively. Jane told him of how people were, who on the estates had gotten wed to whom, what the names of the new babies in the villages were. Who of their friends had settled to marriage and who was resisting matrimony’s pull - Jane had been his window to his beloved home, his anchor and he had been determined to ask for her hand as soon as he returned home.

  Jane was not fashionably pretty, not as Lady Faith was. Jane’s features were stronger, more defined. She had a tall, strong body, that she used to her advantage as a neck or nothing rider and a fierce competitor. She would be described by many as a handsome woman, but Elliot thought she was the most beautiful creature alive. She had a fierce will and an indomitable spirit. She spoke up for herself and refused to acknowledge that a man was more clever or more knowledgeable than her, simply because a he was a man. Elliot had always loved that independent spirit, the fierce way she argued her point. If she had been permitted to attend university, as young men were, Elliot had no doubt that she would have outshone every one of her classmates. Her intellect was razor sharp and she was interested in everything.

  Yet, she was also an accomplished young lady. She could speak French, Italian and Spanish, she played the piano beautifully, could compose a more than passable watercolor and had posture and poise that any mama would be proud of in their daughter – though such pastimes so often bored her to tears. Jane was everything a woman should be, in Elliot’s mind – though he knew many men seemed to prefer their women to be simpering and sweet. Elliot liked Jane’s spiky pride – and especially admired her desire to live her life in her own way.

  Elliot had even approached her father, against his own mother’s wishes, hoping that he might agree to a match between them. But Lord Lachlan Cullaigh, Laird of Lochlinny had not given his consent. Elliot had believed it was because his mother had already spoken with Lord Lachlan and convinced him of the unsuitability of the match. Elliot had been furious at her for interfering, though until her dying day she had insisted that she had done no such thing.

  It was not until after his mother’s passing that he had learned that Lord Lachlan had long agreed to a match for Jane, with Lord Henry Wulfstan, a man double Jane’s age to whom Lord Lachlan owed a great deal of money. Elliot had secretly cheered Jane on when it had become clear that she had harbored other intentions. Jane had become the talk of the Ton when she had upped and left in the middle of the night and had not been seen since.

  Despite the uproar, and the outrage that her actions had caused, nobody had been less surprised than Elliot when Jane had taken it upon herself to refuse to become her father’s payment for those debts. He had inwardly cheered for her when had been informed of Jane’s flight on the night of her formal betrothal, though it had left him saddened, too, to think he might never see her again.

  Also, nobody had been more surprised than him to find her hiding in plain sight as the companion of her old school friend, Lady Faith Judd. Then, having found her, to see her so unwell had almost broken Elliot’s heart. He could not bear the thought of losing her again. Elliot was heartily reassured to know that she was in the kindly care of the Duke and Duchess of Calder, and their sweet daughter Lady Faith. But he wished it were him sat at her side, mopping her brow, fretting day and night until she recovered. He still felt so helpless, only being able to visit to ask for news.

  Now, as he made his way back to the Whykeham Arms, where he was still staying despite Andrew’s insistence that Elliot join him and his new bride at the Viscount’s townhouse, Elliot had begun to wonder if there was something that could be done to help Jane further. Jane’s flight from Scotland had shown Elliot, if nobody else, that Lord Wulfstan was not actually interested in Jane at all. He had done nothing to assist Lord Lachlan in finding her and seemed entirely unconcerned about her whereabouts.


  However, it had shown how anxious Lord Lachlan was about what might happen to him, now it was so clear that his daughter had no intention of marrying a drunken old sot to save her father’s hide. Lord Wulfstan needed to be repaid – and Lord Lachlan needed to be put in a position where he need never be beholden to the man again.

  Elliot knew that he could do the former. He had full control of his estate now, having reached his majority, and had also gained access to his mother’s own fortune, too, now that she had passed. Mama could no longer try and tell him what to do – or, worse, ask Andrew to browbeat him into agreeing with what she felt was right. He could throw his money away in whatever pursuits he wished – and he could think of nothing that would give him more pleasure than setting dear Jane free of a marriage she so dreaded.

  Elliot had more than sufficient funds to pay Lord Lachlan’s debts, no matter how great they might be. What he did not know was whether there was something more entailed within those debts between the two older men than was at first obvious. If there was, it might be much more difficult to find a way to extricate Lord Lachlan out from under Lord Wulfstan’s influence. But Elliot would try.

  And then, there was the reason Lord Lachlan had found himself in such a pickle in the first place. The man’s drinking and gambling was the talk of the borderlands. Elliot did not know how he would ever find a way to encourage Lord Lachlan to seek help to overcome such habits.

  The Whykeham Arms sat on the corners of Kingsgate Street and Canon Street. He felt a sense of excitement and apprehension building inside him as it loomed up ahead of him, its redbrick façade making a grand statement amongst the other buildings on the cobbled road. His newly rented carriage was waiting for him in the yard, his things packed onto the roof.

  “My lord, everything is ready,” Walter said as he approached. Elliot had employed the young lad just yesterday to act as his driver and manservant on his travels to Wales. He proudly stood by the coach, in his brand-new livery, awaiting orders.

  “I must send word to my cousin in Dyfedd, Walter,” Elliot told him. “We have a change of plans. We do not go to Wales, but to Scotland.”

  “Very good, my lord,” the lad said, his eyes shining. It had been clear to Elliot when he met the boy, a nephew of the innkeeper, that the two of them would suit. Walter Keene was eager and adventurous, more than living up to his name.

  Elliot ducked inside the inn, and quickly penned two letters. He pressed a few coins into the hand of the innkeeper. “Be sure that these are sent immediately,” he charged the man. “It is most important that you do so.” And with that, he hurried back outside and got into the carriage. He had the beginnings of a plan, but it would take some work. He was grateful for the long journey ahead so he could be sure of what he could do. He knew that setting Jane free did not mean that she would agree to wed him instead, but it was the very least he could do for her.

  Chapter Five

  The days passed slowly as Jane convalesced from her unexpected attack of the ague. Her body was still very weak and she could concentrate on even her favorite books for no more than a few minutes at a time, which made the time pass slowly. Jane had never been one for sitting indoors, doing nothing. She had always much preferred being out in the fresh air, riding her horses or even assisting the gardeners to tend the rose garden in front of the house near Hawick where she had grown up – as long as she made sure than no members of the carriage classes ever caught her doing so.

  Now, she tired far too easily to even sit upright in the drawing room so she might be amongst company for even an hour a day, and it frustrated her to have to watch the world pass by her window rather than being out amongst the people of Winchester experiencing it all for herself. Yet, despite her frustrations, each day she grew a little stronger and managed a little more. Dr Shadburne was delighted with her progress. Dear Faith had barely left her bedside, and Jane felt her sense of gratitude and her debt to her friend grow greater every moment. How would she ever be able to repay her?

  “I think we should go for a walk in the gardens today,” Faith announced as she entered Jane’s room, smiling. “I have one of Father’s canes for you to lean upon, or you may rely upon me to make sure you do not fall. Which do you prefer?”

  Jane laughed out loud. The very idea that her diminutive friend would be able to support her unwomanly height and weight was preposterous. “I shall take the cane, though I should be glad of an arm to steady me, too,” she said giving Faith a teasing wink.

  “I am stronger than I look,” Faith said, pouting just a little. “You have so little faith in me.”

  “No, I have all the faith in the world in you,” Jane assured her. “I just know that I have a long way to go before I can be accused of being steady on my own legs. Are you truly sure that this is a good idea? I had to be carried back to bed after taking tea with you and your mother yesterday, remember?”

  “You will manage, because I know you long to get outside.”

  Jane pushed herself up out of her chair and took the cane that Faith offered her. She leant on it and felt a little more steady. She took a few cautious steps around the room. “I think that will do the trick perfectly,” she said. “I cannot tell you how much I want to get out of this house” Jane said fervently. “To see something other than the street outside. It makes me so frustrated seeing everyone else going about their lives as normal.”

  “I know. And the colors on the trees are starting to turn, too. I know how you love the autumn leaves.”

  “I do,” Jane agreed. She had always enjoyed fall. It was a time when many hunts took place, a pastime she had always enjoyed – not for the hunt, but for the chance to ride fast and take hurdles as she galloped across the county. It was the closest she had ever felt to being free, and it was a sensation she would not get to enjoy for some time, if at all this year.

  Jane tried to banish the thoughts of everything she was missing out on from her mind and forced a smile for her friend. “I cannot ever thank you enough for everything you have done for me,” she said. “You have been beyond kind.”

  “You are my dearest friend, Jane. I would do anything for you. You know that.”

  “And I am glad of it,” Jane said as Faith tucked Jane’s arm through her own and the pair made their way slowly out into the corridor and then down the stairs to the large hallway where one of the maids was waiting for them with an armful of outer clothing.

  Knowing that Jane had nothing warmer than a thin coat with her, given that they had only been meant to remain in Winchester for a couple of days, and had now been here for almost a month, Faith insisted that Jane wrap up in her father’s winter coat and scarf - even though it was a bright and sunny day, particularly warm for the time of year. It dwarfed even Jane’s tall frame, but it was warm and cozy and Jane was glad of it when Faith opened the French doors and they made their way out of the Duke of Calder’s library out onto the stone terrace.

  “Oh, it is so lovely,” Jane sighed as she felt the breeze on her skin. She turned her face up towards the sky, enjoying the sensation of feeling the sun on her cheeks.

  “Do you think you can manage the stairs?” Faith asked her, nodding to the six broad stone steps that led down onto the perfectly manicured lawns and the pretty knot garden. “I know we have already done more than we have attempted before, getting you this far.”

  “We shall not know until I try,” Jane said, trying to sound positive, but the walk from her room, down into the garden had already sapped much of her strength. Part of her wished to just sit on one of the cast-iron chairs on the terrace and have one of the maids bring her some hot chocolate, but the braver part of her urged her onwards.

  Cautiously Jane took the first step. Faith held her tightly and she leaned upon the cane heavily. It took them some time, but soon enough Jane was on the gravel path of the knot garden. She smiled wanly at Faith. “I may need some help getting back,” she admitted a little breathlessly.

  “We can call for Frederick,”
Faith assured her. “He is quite strong enough to carry you back up to your room if we need him to do so. But would you like to sit for a while?” She nodded to the bench a few yards away that would give them an excellent view of the formal garden.

  “I think I would,” Jane said. They walked slowly to the bench. Faith sat down as elegantly as she always did, Jane rather collapsed onto the welcome wooden slats and leant back for a few moments as she caught her breath.

  After a few moments of companionable silence Faith turned to Jane and took her hand. She squeezed it reassuringly. “You really are doing so much better,” she said.

  “I know,” Jane said. “But you know that my progress will never be quick enough. I so hate to be a burden to you and your family.”

  “A letter came from the Earl of Maudsley this morning,” Faith said. “He asked after you. He was so kind. He came every day until he had to leave for Wales. He put off his business for some weeks to be sure you were recovering, and your fever had broken.”

  Jane had not known that. Her eyes widened. Elliot had been worried enough to attend her every day, and had only left once he had known her fever had broken? He had always been a good friend, but such attention was not necessary. Jane wondered what might have made him so attentive. He was certainly a very busy man and had little time to spare to sit by an old friend’s bedside – especially now he was in sole control of all his family’s lands.

  “I wonder how long it will be before the Lord Grey returns from his business in Wales,” Faith mused, her voice a little wistful. The tone was unexpected, and Jane turned to look at her friend quizzically.

  “Lord Grey? Why ever would he be coming back to Winchester?”

  “He was so sweet and considerate, bringing you home from the wedding, fetching Dr Shadburne – and he brought flowers every single day. I know Mama was most touched by his constancy.”