Good Earls Don't Lie (14 page)

Her face paled, and she seemed to blink away her reverie. “No, not today. But I feel them there, circling around me. Without James, I don’t know what I can do.”

Lady Penford appeared dismayed, but Iain reassured her, “I will be here for at least the next fortnight. And I promise, I’ll allow no one to harm you.”

The desperate hope in the matron’s eyes was heartbreaking, but she managed to nod. “I do hope so.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Calvert bringing Lady Rose into the dining room at last. He placed the young woman as far from Iain as possible. Then Calvert began assisting the other footman in serving the first course. He gave Iain a bowl of soup, but there was no spoon. No doubt the footman had sought petty vengeance on purpose.

“Rose, you are looking as lovely as ever,” Lady Castledon pronounced. “I do believe the Yorkshire weather agrees with you.”

Lady Rose sent the woman an amused look. “Because it rains so often?”

The countess laughed. “I beg your pardon. I meant the fresh air, not the damp. There are moments when it doesn’t rain.”

“Sometimes the rain is welcome,” Iain offered. He sent a knowing look toward Rose before he took a sip of the wine. With Hattie as a neglectful chaperone, it had given them a moment alone. He would never forget Rose’s triumph in standing for a brief moment. Her face had lit up with such joy, he’d been struck by the hope in her beautiful eyes.

Lady Castledon’s gaze shifted from Rose to him, and he realized belatedly that the countess was already determining whether a match could be made between them.

“What sort of wife are you searching for?” Lady Wolcroft asked. “Amelia and I can put our heads together to think of something.”

“He wants a bride with a dowry large enough to rival the crown jewels,” Rose teased. She raised her own glass in a silent toast, her eyes sparkling with merriment.

“My dear, don’t be vulgar,” Lady Wolcroft chided. To Iain, she said, “Although, I do understand that a certain . . . pecuniary stability would be welcome. Especially given the famine in Ireland.”

Lady Castledon leaned in, steepling her fingers. “Do you want a wallflower or a woman who speaks her mind?”

“Either is fine.” He truly didn’t care one way or the other. So long as the woman was kind and would understand the challenges ahead—that was all that mattered to him.

Lady Rose sent him a knowing smile. “I think you should be more selective, Lord Ashton. There are very desperate women among the ton.”

He set down his spoon. “I am not in a position to be more selective, Lady Rose. There are hundreds of my tenants starving, and I cannot feed them. I would wed any woman willing to help me.”

He couldn’t afford the luxury of choice. Although he believed he could eventually improve their situation with careful investments, all that took time. The quickest way to bring back prosperity was to marry an heiress. And if it would silence the voices of the dead who haunted his dreams, he would indeed marry anyone.

Her expression shifted into sympathy. “I am sorry. I did not mean to make light of your situation.”

Lady Penford reached over and absently patted Iain’s hand. “I have a solution. You should wed one of my daughters. I like you, and I would give you my blessing.”

Both Rose and Lily’s expressions were aghast, and he suppressed a laugh. They were horrified at the idea, which should have been insulting, except that he knew their reasons.

“If either of your daughters would consent to being my wife, I would not refuse. I like your eldest, in particular.” He winked at Rose, who shook her head with exasperation.

“Excellent.” Lady Penford smiled brightly. “That’s settled then. The wedding can be held within a few weeks.”

Rose coughed, nearly spewing her wine over the table. “Really, Mother. Why are you so eager to be rid of me?”

Iain leaned back in his chair, rather enjoying the entertainment of Lady Penford’s conversation. It was quite possible that she’d taken a tonic before supper and was quite pickled.

Lady Penford’s expression turned wistful. “I like weddings. Weddings lead to babies, and I should quite like grandchildren.”

Rose glanced at Lily and said, “I am beginning to think I should take a tray in my room. This is not a conversation I wish to pursue any further.”

Iain was rather intrigued. The women were speaking freely, as if he weren’t there at all. He reached for his wineglass, only to find that Calvert hadn’t filled it. When he lifted it and motioned for the footman, he received a furious glare for his trouble.

“Grandbabies
are
marvelous,” Lady Castledon agreed. “My stepdaughter, Christine, just gave birth to a new son last Christmas. He is the most perfect child I’ve ever seen.”

“Rubbish,” Lady Wolcroft pronounced. “You say that about every grandchild.”

Lady Castledon only smiled. “There is no such thing as an imperfect grandchild. You already know this.” She glanced over at Lily and Rose, nodding to each of them. Then she turned back to Iain and said, “My husband and I will be returning to London within a fortnight. I will ask my sister, the duchess, to host a gathering at her home and select only the women who would suit you, Lord Ashton.”

“He does not require a harem, Amelia,” Lady Wolcroft said.

The countess ignored the jibe and added, “And your own perfect granddaughters simply must attend.” To Rose, she added, “It isn’t necessary to have dancing, so you needn’t feel out of place.”

Iain thought it was a considerate offer, but Rose was already shaking her head. “Mother has been ill, and I don’t think we should—”

“I am much better,” Lady Penford insisted. “And I do
so
miss the parties in London. They are truly lovely.”

The longing in her voice was not lost on her daughters. “We will go back someday, Mother,” Lily assured her. “But not for a little while longer.”

Rose met Iain’s gaze across the table and sent him a slight nod. He fully intended to keep his part of the bargain and hoped she would do the same.

One week later

“Are you ready?”

Rose looked up from the stone bench and saw Lord Ashton waiting. Every day for the past week, he’d met with her for a few hours so she could practice standing up. Though she still could not balance herself for long periods of time, it was getting easier. He held out his hand, but she had no idea what he wanted from her. “Ready for what?”

“Why, the next step, of course.”

Her face furrowed with confusion. “And what exactly is the next step?”

“You’ll see.” He held out both hands, and she saw that he had again forgotten to wear gloves. His dark hair needed to be trimmed, but she rather liked it. It made him different from all the polished gentlemen she had met.

She reached out for his hands and kept her knees bent, carefully shifting her weight as she attempted to stand. He steadied her, helping her find her balance. It took a moment, but she managed to stand for nearly twenty seconds before he eased her back to the bench.

“You
are
getting stronger,
a chara,
” he said. “But there is something else that would help you progress. If you’re feeling daring, that is.”

She had no idea what he meant by that. “What do you think would help me?”

“Swimming.”

The very idea made her blush. The last time she’d gone swimming was when she was a little girl. She and Lily had taken off their gowns, and had gone swimming in their unmentionables until they were caught by their furious governess.

She could never go swimming with a man watching her. Or worse, swimming with her maid or sister. It was an impossible idea—completely outrageous. And yet . . . she could see his reasoning. It would give her a means of strengthening her useless legs in a way that might hasten her progress. She knew how to float, and kicking her legs would help rebuild her lost muscles.

She couldn’t believe she was even considering such an idea, even as warm as it was outside. No. It simply wasn’t done.

“I couldn’t possibly do such a thing.” She shook her head. “My grandmother and mother would never condone it.”

“If they learned about it, aye. They wouldn’t allow it at all.” He shrugged. “But if we went out riding, there’s no reason why they would need to know.”

“Everyone would know. I would come back completely wet,” she pointed out. “My hair would be soaked.” She couldn’t even imagine a way to conceal that.

“You needn’t go with
me
,” he said quietly. “You could take Hattie and your sister. Tell them what it is you’re wanting to do.”

In his voice, she heard the calm tone of a man who had no intention of impropriety or bringing harm to her good name. She shielded her eyes against the sun and studied him closely. Over the past week and a half, Lord Ashton had become a friend, and someone who was genuinely interested in helping her walk again.

“They don’t really believe I’ll walk again,” she admitted. “If I told them of your idea, they would accuse me of trying to drown myself.”

He extended his forearms, and helped her to stand again. “If you want my help, that I will give. I swear that I’ll do nothing that would bring shame to you. I could help you into the water until you can swim on your own.”

She didn’t know what to say, except to shake her head. Everything she’d ever been raised to believe told her this was wrong. She had to remain covered from throat to ankle, buried under layers of petticoats and corsets.

Yet, the thought of spending an afternoon floating on the lake, hidden within a grove of trees, was a delicious temptation.

Lord Ashton helped her back to the bench once more. “I would hope, by now, you would realize that I’ve no intention of accosting you, Lady Rose. I made a bargain to help you walk again, and our time is running short. By the end of this month, I will need to go to London to find my bride.”

She knew that. And it was likely that all his efforts would be for naught. How could she possibly think walking again in a month would be feasible? She’d been trapped for so long.

“I will think about it,” she agreed. “But I cannot go with you to London. I am not at all ready to walk.”

He bowed in understanding, and then eyed her again. “There is something else you could try.”

She listened, waiting for him to speak. He reached down for her hands again, and she stood. Each time, it got a little easier. But this time, he commanded, “Step on my feet.”

“What? Why?” It would bring her closer to him, and she was uncertain about it.

“Trust me,
a chara
. Now trample my toes, if you don’t mind.”

A smile twitched at her mouth, but she hid it. Gently, she used all her effort to step on his right foot. Then his left. It was awkward, and she could feel her balance tipping. He sensed it, too, for he caught her waist and held her there. “Walk with me,” he said, and began to tread backward.

She kept her feet upon his, and he moved them both toward the garden wall. Rose couldn’t help but laugh at the incongruity of him trying to move her across the garden. “
What
are you doing, Lord Ashton?”

“There, now. You’ve walked.” He sent her a roguish grin, and added, “Shall we go to London, Saturday next?”

His green eyes held mischief, and she shook her head in exasperation. “You are a foolish man. I didn’t walk at all.”

“Aye, but you did. I may have moved you there, but you most definitely walked.”

“Not on my own.” She eyed him in the manner of a scolding governess. “I only managed it because you had your arm locked around my waist.”

She kept her voice chiding but didn’t tell him how his embrace had unnerved her. Though it meant nothing and they were only friends, she was fully conscious of his strong arms and the planes of his body. Every time his palms were upon her, her skin prickled with awareness. Even now, she detected a hint of the soap he had used for washing.

“Hold on to my shoulders,” Lord Ashton advised her. He moved her sideways, spinning lightly, in a mock dance. He held out one of her hands while the other rested at her waist. “Here you are,
cailín
. You’ve even danced. I believe I’ve fulfilled my end of the bargain.”

“No, you have not, Lord Ashton.” Yet she couldn’t help but smile at his teasing.

He helped her back to the stone bench and regarded her. “Have you chosen possible brides for me? I should like to hear about them.”

He spoke as if he were selecting a bottle of wine, and she wanted him to be more serious about the matter. “Marriage is quite a decision to make. You will need to meet the ladies to determine whether one will suit.”

“It doesn’t matter at all what I’m wanting,
a chara
. Only what the lady wants.”

She expected his words to be lighthearted, but this time, there was only seriousness in his eyes. “Exactly how bad is it in Ireland?”

He sobered and rested his hands on his knees. “If you’ll forgive my language, it’s hell on earth, Lady Rose. Imagine an estate the size of Penford with no crops, no animals, and no servants. If you want food, the price is very dear, and most cannot afford it. Many of our tenants have gone to America, for they cannot survive here. I’ve received no rents from the people, and with no income, I cannot pay our staff. I’ve stripped our expenses down to almost nothing, and the rest of my family is gone.” His green eyes held a bleakness that troubled her. “Marriage
was
a last resort, Lady Rose. Believe me, I tried to bring in income through investments and selling off whatever I could. But I am out of time.”