Tenacious Trents 02 - A Perfect Gentleman (31 page)

“I don’t know what he hopes to gain,” Lord
Crew announced. “Even if my friend is found in need of confinement,
guardianship of Grace would not go to him.”

Brachton leaned forward. “What do you
mean?”

“Of course, I am only assuming. But in his
will, Cooper named me Grace’s guardian if anything to happen to
him. If I could not see to the task, Vicar Merker was named. He was
very clear, at least vocally, that his brother was to have no
control over Grace or the estate.”

“When did he write this will?”

“Five years before his accident.”

A slow smile came to Brachton’s lips. “I now
know what to do.”

“You do,” Grace asked anxiously.

“I will agree that guardianship is
necessary.”

“But it isn’t,” Grace interrupted.

Brachton held up his hand to silence her.
“Stillwaite is insisting on a guardianship, and I will agree.
However, I will name Lord Crew as that guardian.” He paused and
looked around. “Who might have a copy of the will?”

“Mr. Larkin,” Crew answered. “He is the
solicitor and took over when Cooper was injured.”

“I will read it myself and I assume that what
your father wanted for you goes for himself as well.”

Lord Crew chuckled.

“It is up to Lord Crew to decide what to do
with you and Mr. Cooper, and I can wash my hands of this mess.”

“He won’t have a chance in the courts,” Mr.
Jordan Trent offered.

Grace wheeled on him. He worked for her uncle
and they had just talked openly about this in front of him. “Are
you going to help him fight Lord Crew?”

“No,” he insisted. “As Matt, I suspect
Stillwaite was behind the attack on you. The moment he started
harming someone he ceased being my client. Besides, I was only to
help him purchase land, not commit a man to Bedlam or murder his
daughter.”

“Thank you.”

“This entire situation has gotten out of
control, Grace,” Lord Crew stated, his light hazel eyes boring into
hers.

“What do you mean?”

“I was in town before I came here. There are
some unflattering rumors floating around with regard to you and
Vicar Trent.”

Her face began to heat. She could only
imagine what Mrs. Montgomery was telling everyone. Someone had to
speak the truth before Vicar Trent was ruined in the eyes of the
community.

“Audrey will dispel the rumors. She was here
with her mother.”

“I am not sure even Miss Montgomery can stop
the innuendos and what people are beginning to believe.”

There was no hope for it. She needed to
distance herself from Vicar Trent before the entire town turned on
him, though they should know better than to listen to anything Mrs.
Montgomery said. “I am afraid I must ask you to leave, Vicar
Trent.”

“Pardon?” He stood and turned toward her.

“You heard me.” She pointed to the door. “I
thank you for the assistance you have been the past few days, but I
want you to leave now. It is for the best.”

He stepped toward her. “We did nothing
wrong.”

Grace moved back. “It doesn’t matter. It is
best that you distance yourself from me. I will not have your name
sullied further. Please go.”

Vicar Trent glanced around the room as if
looking for help from someone, but even his brothers nodded their
head in agreement with Grace.

“Very well.” He turned and stomped from the
room. The sound of the front door shutting reverberated through the
house. She felt the loss of his presence immediately.

Matthew settled behind his desk to work on
his sermon and stopped. What he had already written and his books
were at the Cooper household. Was that a good enough excuse to
return? He had missed Grace last evening. After he returned home he
bathed and had a light meal, but had nothing to do until bedtime.
For most of his adult life he had lived alone and never was without
something to occupy his mind, but he was at a loss and it took
everything in him not to ride to her home and check that she was
safe. Despite how tired he was, it had taken hours for him to fall
asleep. He tossed and turned; worrying that someone would get into
her house and do her harm. It didn’t matter that John and Elizabeth
were there to protect her, he should be the one.

This morning hadn’t been much better because
he found a note on his table that the young woman he had hired to
clean, cook and do laundry resigned her position. Her parents
thought it best that she not spend time in his home, despite him
being a vicar.

It didn’t really matter because soon he would
be living with Grace in her home, as her husband. Perhaps the
marriage would repair any damage Mrs. Montgomery caused. He could
only pray that was the case.

“I thought you might need these.”

Matthew glanced up to find Jordan standing in
the door with the items he had left at the Coopers. “How is Miss
Cooper and her father this morning?”

“They are doing well. Mr. Cooper is awake
more and has even eaten food.”

“Miss Cooper must be relieved.” Matthew took
the books and foolscap from Jordan. “Nobody tried to break in?”

“John and Elizabeth said it was a quiet
night.”

As much as Matthew was pleased that Grace was
safe, it galled him that she didn’t need him.

Jordan settled into the chair before his
desk. “What are your plans?”

“What do you mean?”

“The people in the town have nothing better
to talk about but the fact that you remained in the household two
nights.”

“Did you explain?”

“I tried, but they want to believe the
worst.”

Matthew sighed and pinched the bridge of his
nose. “I will speak with Lord Crew. I already decided, after Mrs.
Montgomery came to the house, that I would need to marry
Grace.”

“I am glad to hear it.”

Matthew and Jordan turned to the door. The
man was entering the room. What was it about this town that nobody
knocked on doors and seemed to appear when they were being spoken
about? It was happening far too much and Matthew vowed to keep
every door locked even in the middle of the day.

Jordan stood. “I will leave the two of you to
work out the details. Do let me know when the marriage is to take
place.” He grinned and left the room.

Matthew stood. “Can I get you anything, Lord
Crew?”

“No, I am fine.” He settled into the seat
Jordan had vacated. “Are you marrying Grace because of rumors and
her reputation?”

“Yes,” Matthew answered without pause.

The man leaned forward. “Do you care for
her?”

Matthew thought for a moment. “Yes, I
do.”

“Do you love her?”

Love? It was such a strong word. He liked her
well enough. Desired her like no woman before. Thought of her
constantly and worried that she was safe, or how she would get on
if something happened to her father. He wanted to take her burdens
away so she could have comfort and be cared for. He wanted her to
have servants so she didn’t need to worry about the cows and
chickens, or how she would have enough money to get by. Was that
love?

“I don’t know,” he answered honestly. “I do
care for her deeply, however. I am not sure I’ve known her long
enough to love her.”

Lord Crew smiled. “I think you do. You have
my blessing.”

“Aren’t you worried that I can provide for
her and her father?”

The man chuckled. “I knew your father,
disagreeable fellow, and how financially set you are. That is the
least of my concerns.”

“Then perhaps I should ride to the next town
to engage the vicar in performing the ceremony.”

“Lad, I suggest you ride to Gretna Green
posthaste and not give this town any more time to add gossip to the
already growing inferno.”

“Miss Cooper will not wish to leave her
father. Even if we do not stop along the way, it will take at least
two days to get to Scotland and even longer to Gretna.”

“You don’t have to be married in Gretna
Green. Anywhere over the border will do.”

“I don’t think Grace will wish to be away for
the better part of a week, which it will take even if we only stop
long enough to be married and return.”

“I will convince her it is for the best.” The
man stood to take his leave.

“Please, let me speak with her first, and at
least ask for her hand.” The least he could do was to actually ask
her to marry him since nobody else had bothered to do so.

Grace wandered the house on Saturday, trying
to find something to keep her busy. Her father was on his way to
recovery and Mr. and Mrs. Trent had taken up residence and doing
all manner of repairs, when Mrs. Trent wasn’t in the kitchen.

She corrected their names in her mind. They
were John and Elizabeth, which they insisted she call them. It
seemed odd that these two practical strangers had taken control of
her home, but she could not find it in her to discourage them. It
was a relief to not have to worry at the moment.

The back door had been repaired by Mr. Thomas
before she retired last night and John had put new locks on almost
every window and door. She didn’t understand the necessity, but she
did feel safer for them being there.

It was strange milking the cows this morning
on her own as well. She had done this for the past two years
without anyone else about, yet in just two days Grace had become
used to Vicar Trent’s presence in the barn. What was he doing
today? He hadn’t returned since she asked him to leave yesterday.
It was unkind given he had done nothing except take care of her and
help these last days. He could have left that first night, but he
stayed to help watch over her father and on the second night to
protect her.

A shiver ran down her spine. Had he not been
there the assailant might very well have succeeded in murdering
her. She shook the thoughts from her mind. She didn’t want to think
about that now. In the cold dark of the night it had been bad
enough. Thankfully she had suffered only one nightmare. Elizabeth
had come to check on her. Grace had felt silly after that. Grace
would have much preferred it to have been Vicar Trent who came to
her room, but that would never be again.

It was best if she distance herself from him.
Enough damage had been done. He was a pillar of the community and
had other parishioners to see to. They had gone without his counsel
for over two days and it was unfair of her to demand more of his
time and attention. Besides, if he remained in her company his
reputation might never recover, though she doubted it would suffer
as much as hers. Not that Grace cared. The people in this community
had known her since she was born and if they chose to believe Mrs.
Montgomery over her than they had never been her friends.

Of course that was easy to say now, but what
if they shunned her when she went into town?

No, they wouldn’t.

“Excuse me, Miss Cooper there is a delivery
for you.”

Grace accepted the letter from Mrs. Thomas
and walked to the window where she tore the seal and unfolded the
parchment.

Miss Cooper,

We regret to inform you that you are being
relieved of your position as Sunday school teacher. Word of your
recent activities, questionable company and behavior has been
brought to our attention and we no longer feel you are a proper
role model of high moral character for the children.

Mr. Thaddeus Thatcher, Mayor

She sank into the chair and stared at the
letter. Grace wasn’t sure if she was more upset about losing the
position and the few funds it provided, or the fact that the
counsel actually believed the harmful gossip. Not one of them
bothered to even ask her version of the events and simply believed
a disagreeable woman.

Tears sprang to her eyes and she swiped them
away before anyone could see.

If they sacked her from this position, had
they done the same to Vicar Trent? She bit her bottom lip to keep
from crying out in anger. What would he do if he were let go. It
was his only income? What if his superiors learned, would they
assign him another church or would he not be given a parish again?
He has known his entire life that he was to be a vicar, where would
that leave him now.