Undressed by the Earl (5 page)

“No one will replace you in my life,” he promised her ghost. “I swear it.”

When Amelia and Margaret arrived at their aunt Charlotte’s town house later that morning, Amelia was troubled by what she’d learned of Lady Sarah. Though Margaret had insisted that Amelia should not worry about their enemy’s sister, she didn’t like the thought of a young woman being blamed for her brother’s actions. Lord Strathland had indeed caused their family nightmares, but Lady Sarah had nothing to do with that.

The footman took their pelisses, and the butler greeted them. To Amelia, he said, “Miss Andrews, these arrived for you.” He held out two sealed notes and a small posy of lilies.

“Thank you,” she said, accepting the notes and flowers. The bundle of lilies held a heady aroma, and she opened the first note, feeling a rush of excitement when she saw that the flowers were from Lord Lisford. She was careful to keep the name hidden from her sister, and then she unfolded the second note. When she saw it was a list of appropriate and inappropriate men, she bit back a laugh. So the earl
did
have a sense of humor, in spite of his melancholy nature.

“Who are the flowers from?” Margaret asked as they continued walking up the stairs.

Amelia waved the note at her. “I’ll show you when we’re alone.” She wanted to avoid any discussion regarding the earl until they reached their shared bedroom.

Once they were inside, she handed Lord Castledon’s note to Margaret. “See for yourself.” While her sister was busy reading through the names of appropriate and inappropriate men, Amelia saw that Viscount Lisford had also invited her to accompany him driving through the park in the morning.

She hid her smile, resisting the urge to spin around like a giddy adolescent. If she told Margaret about the second invitation, her sister would undoubtedly forbid it.

“Why would the Earl of Castledon recommend the names of gentlemen to you?” Margaret queried.

“Because I’ve agreed to help him find a suitable wife. He thought it would be amusing to send me a list of names in return.”

Margaret handed back the note and shrugged. “I suppose. But what was the other note?”

Amelia felt the color rise into her cheeks as she tried to act as if it were nothing. “Oh, it was an invitation to go out for a morning drive.”

Really, she had to learn how to hide her feelings. For she suspected Margaret could read the anticipation on her face, though she had only spoken the truth.

“From
whom
?” Her sister’s gaze narrowed, as if she already suspected the answer.

Amelia didn’t want to lie, but she didn’t want to tell the truth, either. Her stomach tightened. Why did this have to be so difficult? If only Margaret hadn’t been engaged to Lord Lisford, she could share her excitement without fear of hurting her sister’s feelings. Instead, she had to choose her words carefully, as if stepping around shards of glass.

She stared at the note and offered, “The earl wants to discuss the ladies I’ve chosen for him.”

Which might be true, though it had nothing to do with the morning drive. It was the best she could manage.

“If the earl wrote both notes, then he would have written his invitation inside the same letter.” The narrowed gaze suggested that Margaret was well aware of the lie.

It was at times like these that Amelia wished she were better at hiding the truth. Instead, she shrugged and pretended as if it didn’t matter. “How should I know why there were two notes?”

“I think I should come along as your chaperone,” Margaret suggested.
Because you’re lying to me
, her gaze seemed to say.

There was only one way to avoid her sister’s interference, and Amelia seized it. “You
could
. Except, we’re probably going to discuss
you
, since I put your name down on the list for him. And that might be awkward.”

Her sister was aghast at the idea. “You had no right to put my name on any sort of list, Amelia. It’s humiliating, and I don’t need you to play matchmaker.”

And now Margaret would have little desire to chaperone. Although it was exactly what she wanted, Amelia couldn’t hold back the guilt at lying to her sister. She much preferred a straightforward approach. But if she admitted that she wanted to get better acquainted with the viscount, Margaret wouldn’t hesitate to tell their parents.

It made her feel sixteen years old, all over again.

She took a deep breath, wanting to soothe her sister’s wounded feelings. “You’re unhappy,” Amelia said, softening her voice. “I know you want to be married and have a family of your own. Why not the earl?”

Margaret shook her head. “Lord Castledon is a kind man, but he’s not interested in me.”

“He could be, if you’d only try.” Amelia guided her to sit down. She studied Margaret’s severe updo and reached out to loosen several strands around her sister’s face. “You may be older, but so is he. He doesn’t want a young girl out of the schoolroom. He wants a woman.”

“I don’t know about that.” Her sister stared at the opposite wall. “He never looked at me before.”

“Only because you never gave him a chance. He’s a kind man, even if he is a bit too boring for my tastes.”

Liar
, her conscience chided.
You didn’t find him at all boring on the night when you danced with him.

She could never have imagined the strange response that his simple touch had awakened. If she could feel that way with a man who didn’t interest her, what would it be like to kiss a man she was in love with?

Heaven, she was certain. It would be Heaven with a capital
H
and angels singing.

“The earl would suit you perfectly,” Amelia said. “I believe that. And I’ll find out everything I can about him.”

Or, at least, she would when she spoke with him next. The less Margaret knew about this drive, the better.

“Take your maid along as a chaperone, and that will suffice,” her sister suggested.

Amelia nodded, inwardly relieved that the secret meeting could go on as planned. This was her best chance to see Lord Lisford without him paying a call upon her here. The broken engagement made that impossible, and she didn’t want to cause a rift between herself and Margaret.

She wanted to believe that the viscount hadn’t been right for her sister and that, in time, Margaret would come to accept it, if Amelia married him.

But then her sister’s warnings came rushing back. That the viscount had only been using Margaret as part of a wager. That he’d said everything she’d wanted to hear.

Amelia walked toward the window, wondering if she was betraying Margaret by allowing Viscount Lisford to take her out driving. But then, what if this man was meant to be the love of her life? Should she turn her back on that, for Margaret’s sake?

She didn’t know what to think. It bothered her to be torn between her own desires and loyalty to her sister.
I adored Lord Lisford first
, her heart reminded her.
Before Margaret even noticed him.
Surely that meant something.

A knock sounded on their door, and when Margaret called for the visitor to enter, Aunt Charlotte came inside. “I have news to share with the both of you,” she said. “Your parents have returned to London. You’ll be moving back in with them tomorrow.”

“But—so soon?” Amelia blurted out. Although her father, Lord Lanfordshire, had returned from fighting in Spain several years ago, she had never expected this. The baron loathed society, and he’d seemed perfectly content to dwell in Scotland, aside from his visits to assume his duties in the House of Lords. She and Margaret had resided with their aunt and uncle, more often than not.

“I received a note from Beatrice today. Your mother is eager to see both of you and has asked you to join her tomorrow at breakfast.”

“Why not this evening?” Amelia asked. “We could all dine together as a family.” But when she cast a glance at Margaret, her sister shook her head discreetly. Best to tread carefully then.

“I invited her, but after the long journey from Ballaloch, she wanted to rest.” Aunt Charlotte’s face grew strained. “I think that she and your father need some time to—” Her words broke off, as if she’d suddenly changed her mind about what she’d been about to say. “Never mind. Tomorrow, I’ll have the servants help you pack and move back to your family’s town house.”

Though Amelia kept her expression neutral, it was as if Fate were dashing her plans into pieces. Her suspicions were aroused by Charlotte’s insinuation that something wasn’t right between her parents. And why wouldn’t they want to see their daughters immediately?

Amelia murmured her agreement, but she had already decided to send a note to Lord Lisford, asking him if they could meet earlier. As long as she returned before breakfast, surely that would not interfere with their family’s plans.

The voice inside her head warned that it wasn’t right to meet with a gentleman so early. If anyone saw them together, there would be gossip.

But then, she
wanted
to wed this man. If they were seen together—even if nothing had happened—surely it would only lead to what she wanted most.

Sarah’s heart was pounding when she entered the house. The butler’s face revealed nothing as a maid took her bonnet and pelisse. It was clear that he believed she had no reason to be here. Even so, he would not disobey Amelia’s wishes.

“Follow me,” he said.

She did, and with each step, her guilt increased. Miss Andrews had been kind enough to invite her here. Likely she would offer her assistance, though Sarah knew she deserved nothing.

The bitter secret was like a venom that she wanted to be rid of. She knew the power it held, and yet, she was afraid to voice it.

When she reached the drawing room, Amelia Andrews was waiting. The young woman was seated upon a creamy settee trimmed with a crimson stripe. As soon as she saw Sarah, she stood and greeted her. “I’m so glad you came to tea. Sit down, and we can talk about what’s happened.”

Inwardly, Sarah steeled herself, trying not to break into tears. Kindness was nearly impossible to bear. She’d had to be strong over these years, and she could not let down her guard now.

“Thank you,” she murmured. Amelia poured her a cup of tea and smiled warmly, waiting for her to speak.

There were a thousand ways to begin, and not one of them seemed right. “I need help,” she admitted. She poured out the horrors of the past four years, of Brandon’s misdeeds and her struggle to find a husband.

“I know I am not the most attractive of women,” she admitted, feeling the rise of heat to her cheeks. Horse-faced, Brandon had called her. And perhaps that was so, but face powder could not cover up the features she’d been born with. She swallowed hard, mustering up the courage she needed. “But I still want to marry. I
need
to marry, for it’s the only way I can escape the scandal of my family. I thought you might know of a gentleman who would not be particular about the woman he marries.”

Amelia had grown quiet for a time, as if thinking to herself. The longer her silence continued, the more Sarah longed to fill it. “I—I hoped you could get me an invitation to a ball where I—where I could meet someone.”

This had to be the most humiliating moment of her life, but she took a sip of the hot tea to hide her embarrassment.

“I’m not sure I can,” Amelia admitted. “After all that your brother did, most of the families want no connection with Lord Strathland.”

“It’s not my fault,” Sarah blurted out. A rise of frustration took hold, of all the years of being a spinster. She didn’t deserve this life, and she wanted a way out. The longer she remained in this trap, the more likely it was that her cousin, Lewis Barnabas, would find a way to hurt her.

A shudder came over her at the thought. No, she would never let herself be with a man like him.

“I know it’s not your fault,” Amelia agreed. “But it’s a delicate situation. Perhaps it would be better if you attended an outing instead of an assembly or a ball. A smaller group might be best.” She sipped at her own tea and offered Sarah a plate of sandwiches.

She took one, but her pulse quickened. Amelia Andrews needed to fully understand the necessity of her finding a husband.