Love With a Scandalous Lord Read online

  “How is he? her stepfather asked quickly.

  The Marquess halted, seeming to hesitate, apparently unsure of how he should respond. “Not well at all, Im afraid. He shant be with us much longer. I think hes only been holding on because he wished so desperately to see you.

  “Id hoped for a more optimistic outlook.

  “Perhaps Im mistaken, and your arrival will turn the tide for him. By the way, on the off chance that no one explained to you before Mother flew into her tirade, you are welcome to use any of the rooms in this hallway, while you are here. Ive assigned my personal servants to this wing and given them specific instructions to tend to all your needs. They will be most honored to do so.

  “Thats very generous, her stepfather said solemnly, as though hed suddenly realized they were all in a play and expected to perform certain roles. “May I present my family?

  “Certainly.

  While her stepfather introduced her mother and the two children shed had by him, everyone was formal, stiff, and somber.

  Awaiting her introduction, Lydia heard a roaring as though she held seashells to her ears. She was in desperate need of air, but her chest was constricted so tightly, she could scarcely draw in a breath. An eternity seemed to pass before she heard her stepfather finally say, “Allow me to introduce Lydia, our other daughter.

  “ Your daughter? the Marquess questioned.

  Somethingshe couldnt quite determine if it was admiration or disgustflashed in his eyes. She sensed that his earlier impression of her taken on the stairs had suddenly shifted and tilted for him. Now he was taking a new measure of her.

  “My stepdaughter, Lydia Westland , to be precise, her stepfather said.

  “There is much to be said for precision, the Marquess murmured.

  Shed feared he would find her lacking in some regard, but with his attention riveted on her, she felt confident in her desire to fit into this society. She lifted her hand.

  He looked momentarily startled. Then he took her hand with fingers that contained no calluses, abrasions, or scars from years of picking cotton. Fingers that despite a lifetime of leisure managed to reveal strength.

  He bowed slightly, and his warm breath wafted over her wrist. Her knees weakened, while he did nothing more than leave the shadow of a kiss against her skin.

  “A pleasure, Miss Westland, he said solemnly.

  “The pleasure is mine, Your Grace, she rushed to assure him, her voice almost as unsteady as her legs.

  He released her hand and straightened. “ My lord . You should not address me as Your Grace until after my father has drawn his last breath.

  “Oh, yes, of course, I knew that. Really I did. I apologize for the blunder.

  “No need to apologize. We learn more from our mistakes than we do from our successes, do we not?

  She blinked back the sudden sting of tears threatening to mortify her further. Shed expected so much of her first encounter with an English lord. As much as shed wanted to impress him, shed wanted him to seewanted them all to seehow very well her stepfather had done for himself. That his family was equal to theirs.

  The Marquess turned to her stepfather, his dismissal hurting far more than she wanted to admit.

  “Ill be in the library, the Marquess said. “When youve finished visiting with Father, youre welcome to join me there. Do you remember how to find it?

  “I have forgotten very little about this place, her stepfather said.

  “Hell does have a way of leaving an indelible mark on our souls, doesnt it?

  With a curt bow, the Marquess left them to the purpose of their visit.

  “Lydia, her mother said, “will you please see to our things while your father and I visit with the Duke alone?

  Lydia tore her gaze from the stairs down which the Marquess had disappeared. She nodded, trying not to be disappointed that her first encounter with the aristocracy had not gone at all well.

  Chapter 2

  R hys abhorred weeping women. He stood within his mothers bedchamber, his hands clasped behind his back, waiting patiently while she drenched one handkerchief after another.

  “Stabbed me in the back, she muttered. “You might as well have stabbed me in the back.

  “You would be wise not to fill my head with tempting notions, Mother, he murmured.

  She snapped up her head, her flow of tears abruptly stopped as though shed quite quickly and efficiently erected a dam. With her lips compressed into a tight line, she rose gracefullyalways gracefullyfrom the sofa before the fireplace and paced. “I cant possibly stay here.

  “Grayson and his family will reside in Fathers wing of the house while they are here. You should seldom see them.

  “I shall go to the seaside

  “I should think that would be entirely inappropriate in light of the fact that your husband of almost forty years lies upon his deathbed.

  “My husband, she spat. “My husband, who never let a day pass without reminding me that his true love was some scandalous actress. You cannot imagine the agony of knowing you can never hold a favored spot within the heart of someone you love.

  Oh, he could well imagine it, but he was attempting to ease her pain, not his own.

  “If you love Father as you claim, then you must know in his final hours he would desperately want to see Grayson. Nearly fifteen years have come and gone since Father sent him away, Mother, sent him away in an effort to appease you.

  Tears spilled over onto her cheeks, while she dropped back onto the sofa. “Quentin wouldnt have allowed the bastard to step foot in this house.

  He decided his best course of action was to hold his tongue regarding the brother he had despised and stand his ground for the brother he had loved.

  “Father pleaded with me to send for Grayson. I could not deny him so compelling a request.

  Although even if he had been uncaring enough to ignore his fathers appeal, he wouldnt have. Hed wanted to see for himself how Grayson had fared in Texas.

  By all appearances, hed done rather nicely for himself. His wife had looked on the verge of rushing into battle to defend her husband when Rhys had first ascended the stairs.

  But it was Graysons older daughterhis step-daughterwhod initially captured his attention and nearly distracted Rhys from his purpose in flying up the stairs to begin with.

  That hed terrified her had been evident in the widening of her violet eyes, eyes that held far more innocence than hed seen in any womans in a good long while. Hed wanted to untie the ribbon holding her hair in place and comb his fingers through her long, blond tresses simply to determine if they felt as silky as they looked.

  That shed sensed a need to pull her brother and sister aside had taken him momentarily aback. Hed not meant to be frightening, but hed berated himself as he strode through the manor and up the stairs, while his mothers shrieking pierced his ears. Hed scolded himself for not warning her that hed sent for Grayson, chided himself for not handling the matter in a more satisfactory manner.

  Hed put off what hed known would be an unpleasant confrontation and, in so doing, had merely exacerbated the uncomfortable situation. His father would no doubt be seriously disappointed in his handling of the matter.

  As a result, hed ascended the stairs with his anger threatening to escape the boundaries hed placed on it. It had ignited his fury further to see Miss Westlands reaction to his appearance and to know shed accurately read the rage hed tried unsuccessfully to conceal.

  He remembered reading a letter Grayson had written to his father years ago describing his new family. How old would the girl be now? Twenty? Twenty-one?

  A child really. Rhys would be wise to remember that and to forget the slight trembling in her fingers as hed held her hand, the scent of her warm skin at her wrist, and the completely inappropriate flaring of desire in his own body at her nearness.

  “Please send them away, Rhys, his mother begged once more, bringing him back to his current dilemma. “Please.

  “The best I can offer is
to ensure they are not in the west wing of the manor when you visit with Father. Ill speak with Grayson and make arrangements for him and his family to take an outing each afternoon between the hours of two and five. You may visit with Father during that time, knowing you will not cross their paths.

  She sniffed. “I shant dine with them.

  “I hardly expected that you would. I shall have your meals delivered to your chambers as always.

  She stared at the empty hearth, suddenly appearing defeated and vulnerable. “Why couldnt he have loved me?

  “Once again, I must apologize for Mothers rather unpleasant behavior earlier this afternoon, Rhys said as he poured port into two glasses.

  Only moments before, Grayson had joined him in the library, appearing more haggard and weary than he had upon his arrival. It could not be easy for him to see the deteriorating condition of the father whod adored him.

  “I should have expected her outburst, Grayson murmured. “I had assumed the respect Ive earned in Texas would be evident in my bearing.

  “It is, Rhys assured him as he handed him a glass.

  He walked to the window and gazed out on the garden where Graysons wife and daughters were taking afternoon tea. If the rapid movement of her mouth was any indication, the younger one was talking excitedly, while the elder one gazed dreamily at something. The petals of a rose, perhaps, or the garden as a whole. Maybe in Texas they didnt have gardens with no purpose other than to bring pleasure.

  Miss Westlands delicate profile should be immortalized in marble. Her hair, the soft shade of a full moon on a winters night, was still held in place with a ribbon fashioned into a bow. Such a simple arrangement. Yet he found it incredibly enticing. The lure of innocence.

  He sipped his port before commenting. “Youve a lovely family.

  Coming to stand beside him, Grayson leaned against the wall and also gazed out. “Indeed, Ive been most fortunate. Fate seems to have smiled upon you as well.

  “It is a grim smile, if it is there at all.

  “You may not believe this, but I was sorry to hear about Quentins death. Drowning cannot be an easy way to go.

  “He was so far into his cups, he obviously didnt notice. Apparently he had a nasty habit of drinking himself into oblivion. Had he fallen but two steps sooner, he would have missed the pond completely. Mother, of course, was devastated. Shortly afterward, Father became ill. As I mentioned earlier, its been a trying few months.

  “I cant imagine it has been easy for you, either. The responsibilities involved in the managing of Harrington and Blackhurst are many. Although I have the utmost confidence in your ability to handle them.

  “Speaking of responsibilities, I would ask that you take your family on an outing each afternoon from two until five. Ill have a carriage readied for your convenience. Mother will visit with Father during that time. The less often your paths cross, the better.

  “You didnt tell her that youd sent for me.

  It was a statement, not a question. Rhys shrugged. Hed informed various servants that guests would be arriving because rooms needed to readied and the coach sent for them. “I had planned to inform her this evening. I misjudged how soon you would arrive.

  “Im grateful you sent for me.

  “It was Fathers wish.

  “But not yours, Grayson said.

  “Im pleased to see youve done remarkably well for yourself. He stepped away from the window. “Now, if youll excuse me, I have pressing matters to which I must attend. I will dine with you and your family this evening.

  He sat at the desk and began arranging papers as though they were of great importance, hoping Grayson would understand without being told that he was being summarily dismissed.

  “He forbade me to take you with me, Grayson said quietly.

  Rhys lifted his gaze, allowing his resentment to surface. “Remarkably convenienthow you chose to disobey him in all matters save that one.

  “You are his son.

  “As are you.

  “Your place was here.

  “My place has been in hell.

  Chapter 3

  “I should have taken him with me.

  With his wifes arm wound around his, Grayson walked through the elaborate gardens that had calmed him as a child. He found little comfort in the bright blossoms or the perfectly pruned hedges now. How was he ever to have known how much he would miss never-ending fields of cotton?

  Or how much he would come to rely on the inner strength of the woman strolling beside him. Through the years, theyd become adept at judging each others moods, reading each others thoughts, so that even now she did not prod him to continue but waited patiently for him to unravel his misgivings at his own pace.

  “He begged me. He was only fifteen, pleading for me to allow him to travel to Texas with me. Knowing Father was opposed to the notion, I refused to even consider taking Rhys.

  “You cant feel guilty. You were traveling across an ocean and had no idea what might be waiting for you in Texas. As I recall when you were told that Fortune awaited you, you thought they were referring to money, not a town.

  He chuckled low. “Indeed, I quickly learned more than one kind of fortune existed.

  His wife represented the best type of fortune that could be bestowed on a man.

  “Unfortunately, Abbie, I can feel guilty about not taking him, and by God, I do. Rhys has changed.

  “I should hope so. Weve all changed. Its been fifteen years, she reminded him.

  He glanced over at her, this woman who had seen beyond the accident of his birth, the first and only woman to give him unconditional love.

  “I am not referring to the way he looks or the fact he is no longer a callow lad. Rather I fear he may have suffered because of my leaving. I was only a little older than Colton is now when Rhys was born. I should have had little interest in him. Yet as he grew, he seemed as lonely as I. A bond developed between us. Perhaps because we had a common enemy. Quentin. We avoided him at all costs. But there were times when he was not to be avoided. Quentin took his wrath out on me, and with me no longer here, I believe he may have turned his ugly temperament on Rhys.

  “Thats not your fault.

  He shook his head, unable to explain fully the horrors that had surrounded him here. The heir apparent had possessed an evil nature unlike any Grayson had ever encountered since.

  “Rhys was within his rights to admonish me. I stood firm in my disobedience on every matter save this one. I did as Father asked and would not entertain the thought of taking Rhys with me.

  “Again, Grayson, he was not your child, not your responsibility.

  He gave her a wry grin, and she sighed before saying, “Lydia, Johnny, and Micah are another matter.

  The children John Westland, her first husband, had given her. Theyd long ago won his heart.

  “I would protect them from all the unpleasantness in the world, Abbie. I should have extended the same consideration to Rhys.

  “We could argue about this matter all day, but if youre feeling guilty, then Im not going to be able to convince you to let it go.

  He stopped walking and pulled her into his arms. “Is that what were doing? Arguing?

  Reaching up, she brushed her fingersscarred from years of plucking bolls of cotton from the stalkinto his hair. “You cant change what happened fifteen years ago, or what might have happened here after you left. Quentin is dead. Let him rest in peace.

  “Its not his peace that concerns me, but Rhyss.

  “Youre here to say good-bye to your father, she reminded him.

  But his father had not awakened. Grayson had gazed on his shrunken features, held his withered hand, and spoken to him. To no avail.

  “I shouldnt have waited so long to return.

  “Considering the welcome you received, Im surprised you returned at all. I shudder when I contemplate what your life must have been like while you lived here.

  He smiled warmly, trailing his fingers lovingly over her face. “If not for m
y life here, I might never have had my life with you.

  “Maybe the same will hold true for Rhys. In time hell come to appreciate what he gained by your leaving instead of wondering what he might have lost.

  Grayson could only hope, but he thought it highly unlikely.

  “Why cant you eat dinner with us , Lyd? Sabrina asked in the singsong voice she used when she was disappointed.

  Lydia didnt bother to look up from the books and papers shed spread across the bed, where she sat with her legs folded beneath herquite unladylikeand pillows mounded behind her back. Shed had to use a small stepstool to climb onto the canopied bed.

  “Because Im no longer a child, Lydia responded distractedly. “Ive been invited to dine with the Marquess. And please, dont call me Lyd while were here. It makes me sound as though I belong in the kitchen.

  “But Ive always called you Lyd.

  At the hint of sadness in Sabrinas voice, Lydia glanced over at her sister. She was sprawled on the floor, her sketch pad in front of her. She took such delight in drawing that Lydia always encouraged her.

  “I know you have, she said kindly, “but were visiting an enchanted world. Lady Lydia sounds so much better than Lady Lyd. Dont you think?

  Sabrina scrunched up her pixie-like face. “But youre not Lady Lydia.

  “Not yet. But if I finish studying my books, then maybe I can be. Dining with the Marquess will be my first test.

  She didnt want to consider the debacle during the introductions as a test since shed failed miserably. Not only had she addressed the Marquess incorrectly, but shed offered her hand. They should have merely bowed at each other.

  Staring into the Marquess of Blackhursts stormy gray eyes had somehow muddled her mind. This evening during dinner, shed look at his nose. Although it was a very handsome nose, she didnt think it would distract her as much as his eyes seemed to.

  She considered looking at his mouth, but she grew warm whenever she thought about how close it had come to kissing her hand. Of course, his nose had released the breath that had skimmed along her wrist like the first balmy breeze of summer. Maybe shed be better off looking at his ears when they spoke. They had yet to turn her knees into jelly.