Chapter Thirteen

 

Rose had found herself in the oddest of predicaments. Earlier that day, her aunt had informed her that Holden and Lord Bradshaw would be calling the following day. Apparently her aunt had known for several days, much to Rose’s angst. She had forced a smile and asked the reason, but her aunt replied that she was uncertain and refused to speculate.

For the remainder of the day, Rose had fretted over what the two men could possible want, and once the hour grew late enough, and she was certain her aunt would be abed, she asked Caroline to come to her room in order to share in some of Juliet’s brandy. Perhaps it was some magical mixture the woman had procured, but whenever they drank from it, it seemed as if her mind cleared and her thoughts flowed much more freely than they did without it. Well, perhaps her mind was not necessarily clear, but she had fewer inhibitions whenever she drank from that bottle. Did all alcohol have that effect? She did not have the experience to know for sure and she was not about to admit as much to the likes of Caroline Thrup.

That woman sat beside her on the bed as Rose spoke her thoughts aloud.

“The only thing that comes to mind,” she said as she passed the bottle to Caroline without looking at the woman, “is that Holden was upset at my refusal and his father has taken it upon himself to bully my aunt into making me agree. If the man has even half the arrogance his son possess, then that could very likely be the reason for their desire to call.”

“Surely your aunt will allow you to make that decision yourself,” Caroline said, passing the bottle back to Rose.

Rose sighed. She was uncertain what to think. She pulled herself off the bed and walked over to the window and peered outside. For a brief moment, she thought she saw a figure near several trees, but then it was gone. No, that had to be her imagination. “It is my decision,” she replied. “And I do not want to argue with my aunt if she decides that the decision is hers. However, if Lord Bradshaw pleads with me to allow his son to court me, I shall still refuse.” She turned from the window and threw herself onto the bed with a sigh.

“First, we must drink and calm our nerves,” the woman said before taking a drink and offering Rose the bottle once more.

Rose eyed the bottle once more. How had she come to falling into the temptation of drinking brandy? And straight from the bottle of all things! She had never acted in such an unladylike fashion in all her life, but at the moment she did not care. She sat up and took the bottle from Caroline. No, the temptation was too much to resist, and she took a hefty gulp before placing the bottle on the side table.

“What do you suggest, then?” she asked Caroline. “Do I sit in silence while Holden and his father call? I doubt Aunt Eleanor will approve.”

“No,” Caroline said. “I believe you should…”

A tapping on the window made them both jump. Rose covered her mouth to hold back the urge to scream, but when a pair of eyes peered through the window, she nearly fainted with fear.

“It is the same highwayman returning for Juliet,” Caroline said in a horse whisper before she buried herself into the blankets and covered her head.

With a racing heart, Rose picked up the candle and took a step toward the window. “If the man means to take me away,” she said, peeking over her shoulder, “you must help me fight him.”

“I am much too afraid,” Caroline whimpered from beneath the covers.

Rose clicked her tongue I vexation, but it did little to ease her fears. Taking another step closer to the window, she narrowed her eyes and then gasped. It was no highwayman clinging to the sill but rather Holden!

Hurrying to the window, she let the candle on the inner sill and drew up the sash. “Holden?” she said in astonishment.

“My apologies for my sudden appearance,” he said.

“Is that really Holden?” Caroline asked from the bed.

Rose nodded. “It is.”

“What is he doing here?”

“I do not know,” Rose replied. She leaned closer to the window. “What are you doing here?”

“It is of the utmost importance that I speak to you,” came his reply.

“Do you not realize that, if my aunt catches me speaking to you like this, it would draw her ire? My name would be ruined, and I would be returned to London in shame!”

Holden pulled himself further onto the sill. “I doubt your aunt will worry that I have seen you in your nightgown.”

With a gasp, Rose hurried to the foot of the bed where her dressing gown lay strew across the chest. She drew it about herself, tied the belt tight and then crossed her arms over her breasts. “I am not speaking of her being angry at my state of undress but in the fact that you are at my window! It is you who is out of place in the situation, not I. What could possible be so important that you felt the need to come to my bedroom?” She narrowed her eyes at him. “How did you get up here?”

He glanced behind him and grimaced. “It seems the trellis is quite sturdy,” he said with a nervous chuckle.

She gave an exasperated sigh. “Why are you here?”

With a final grunt, Holden pulled himself over the sill and spilled into the room. “I must have you accept my offer of courtship,” he said when he had righted himself. “It is imperative that you do so.”

“And why would I do that?” she asked with a huff.

“My father believes you already accepted.”

Anger filled Rose. “You told your father that we are courting?” she gasped. “Surely you are madder than I thought!”

“Please,” Holden said. “You must accept. I need you to accept.”

Although his eyes pleaded, she could never accept such an offer, and certainly not under the duress in which he placed her at the moment. “I am sorry, but I cannot accept. Now, you must go! Perhaps we can speak of this more tomorrow, but I cannot discuss this while you stand in my bedroom.”

Holden sighed and looked down at the floor. “There will be no tomorrow,” he mumbled. “Father has told me that my courting you is the only way for me to remain at Ramada Estate. When I tell him the truth, he will send me to work in the mines he owns near Dover.”

Rose’s heart flooded with guilt. She had no interest in seeing this man,but she could not imagine him being forced into such a harsh life, not a man who had experienced such conditions. Granted, he could learn much from experiencing labor, but the mines? That was carrying it all too far.

He heaved a heavy exhale and turned back to the window. “I understand. I will still think of you as my friend while I am slaving away in the mines. Goodbye.”

Rose worried her bottom lip. No man should be forced to suffer when he did not have to. “Wait,” she said, although ever fiber of her being cried out to allow him to leave. “Perhaps there is something we can do.”

He turned and smiled at her. “So you accept?”

“Not outright,” she replied. “However, what if we were pretend to court. We could tell your father and my aunt that you asked and I accepted but no one else. In the interim, I will continue my search for a more…appropriate gentleman. Agreed?”

“You would do that for me?” He sounded astonished.

Rose nodded. “This one favor I will grant you. Now, go, before my aunt decides to check on me.”

He climbed back onto the trellis, but before he could say anything more, she closed the window and drapes. After several moments, she drew back the curtain just enough to see he had disappeared from view.

With a relieved sigh, she turned back toward Caroline, who sat staring at her, astonishment filling her features. “I have never witnessed anything so romantic!” she said, bubbling over with excitement. “A man climbed up the trellis to your window to convince you to accept his offer of courtship! Just today, David sent an invitation for mother and me to have dinner with him and his father, but that was not nearly as romantic.” She squealed with delight. “We must be the luckiest women alive! Do you not see? Our lives are changing for the better.” Then she threw her arms around Rose.

Rose, however, did not see her current predicament in such a wondrous light. She had no desire to have Holden court her. It had only been a moment of kindness that she had agreed, and now she wondered if she was much too giving. However, if she only had to playact for a short time, surely no harm would of from it.

***

Eleanor led Lord Bradshaw down the hall that led to the study wondering why he had asked to call. In his letter, he had mentioned business, and that could very well be true, but somehow she doubted it.

He had arrived with his son and, after only a few minutes in the drawing room, had requested to speak to Eleanor in private. The request was odd, but Eleanor had agreed—leaving the son in the capable hands of Rose and Caroline.

If speaking to the man alone meant seeing him on his way sooner, she would agree to just about anything. Something about Lord Bradshaw did not sit well with her, but she could not put a finger on what it was exactly.

“Although I have only been to your home once before,” Lord Bradshaw said as he glanced around the study, “I am still in awe of its majestic appearance. It is a fine home, my lady.”

Eleanor returned his smile. “Thank you for saying so. I am very fortunate.” She motioned to the pair of chairs in front of the fireplace. “Please, sit. There is no reason to wait for me. Would you like tea? Or perhaps a glass of wine or brandy? I also have a fine whiskey if you prefer something stronger.”

“Brandy will be fine, thank you,” he replied as he took the chair facing the door.

Eleanor poured him a measure of the amber liquid. She then poured herself wine before returning to hand him his glass. “I must admit, I was curious when I received your letter asking to call. It is not often I have someone wishing to speak to me directly about matters of business. My son-in-law handles most of my financial affairs.”

“And it appears he does a fine job,” Lord Bradshaw said. “I do admit, however, that it takes a strong hand and an intelligent mind to run such a large household. Unfortunately, that task oftentimes goes unnoticed by others.” He glanced around the room. “Your husband expressed to me often how much he enjoyed this room, and I can see why. I assume you chose the decor?”

The man’s attempts at flattery were grating. He was stalling and she was growing weary of the game. Would he not get to the point? “Indeed,” she replied. “Does the wife not typically see to a house’s décor?”

He laughed. “I suppose so,” he replied. Then he sighed. “I must sound a fool. I admit that I am a bit nervous.”

“Nervous?” Eleanor asked. “Why ever for?”

Lord Bradshaw placed his drink on the table. “I imagine that you are wondering why I called, and since I mentioned business, you perhaps believe I wish to invest with you?”

“That was my assumption,” Eleanor replied. This conversation was reaching a new level of silly. What else could she believe?

“Then your assumption was correct. However, it is not properties or business I wish to discuss, but rather my son and your niece.”

Eleanor fought to keep her features smooth. “I am afraid I do not understand.”

Lord Bradshaw sighed. “Since my Mary died, I have doubled my efforts in seeing that my son has everything he needs to be successful. I have spent my days solidifying my estate so that when the day comes, my son will have a strong foundation on which to build his life. One day I, too, will be gone, and he will take over my title as well as my wealth.”

“As would any rational man,” Eleanor said, finding her patience reaching its peak.

He chuckled. “I understand that your niece is in residence at Scarlett Hall in order to find a proper suitor.”

“That is correct,” Eleanor replied, seeing where the conversation was leading. “Although her happiness is my main concern above all else, even in marriage.”

This made him laugh outright. “You are a wise woman, Lady Lambert,” he said. “It is why I have always admired you.”

Eleanor shifted uncomfortably in her seat. His flowery words could only lead to something for which she would surely not care.

“Miss Skylark’s father was a military man, correct?”

“He was,” Eleanor said. “Michael sadly died many years ago, before Rose was born.”

“Holden mentioned as much.” He frowned. “And the man was in the British Army?”

Eleanor nodded. What was this man’s point?

He leaned forward in his chair. “You see, the truth of the matter is, he could not have died in a battle in Paris the year your niece was born, for there were no battles there at that time. In fact, it was not until several years later that France saw any signs of war, at least on their soil.”

Taking a sip of her wine to give her a moment to think, Eleanor forced a smile. “Lord Bradshaw, I do not pretend to know anything about matters of warfare. Rose’s mother was distraught upon learning of the death of her husband. I imagine that the facts could have been easily misunderstood. However, that does not change the fact that her husband died before Rose was born.”

“My apologies,” he said with a small nod. “It was not my intention to question the fact of his death but rather to mention that both children share in the loss of a parent. Your niece and my son have much in common, and to be honest, I have seen my son grow more responsible since meeting your Miss Skylark.”

“I appreciate you saying so. Her mother will be pleased to hear that.”

“I understand that my son has asked your niece to court.”

Eleanor had to hide her surprise and said nothing. Rose had not mentioned this fact.

The man leaned forward and placed his hands on his knees. “I would like to see these two married. I believe it will be of mutual benefit, and I am prepared to join in on any investments you deem worthy if you accept on her behalf if it helps the matter.”

So, her hunch had been correct, although she had not expected the offer of marriage. He wished to dip his hands into the coffers of Scarlett Hall, did he? He was not the first who wanted a portion of the presumed wealth and he certainly would not be the last.

“Your offer is both gracious and kind,” she said carefully. “And I am truly honored that you would make such a request. However, as I mentioned earlier, Rose’s happiness is my main concern. If she wishes to marry your son, I will gladly give my permission, but I will not agree to an arranged marriage without her agreement.”

Lord Bradshaw nodded and heaved a sigh. “In most matters of business, I would argue and do all I could to win you over. Yet, you, Lady Lambert, are not a woman to be trifled with. Therefore, I will not make the request again, but know that my offer remains.”

“I appreciate your understanding,” Eleanor replied, relief washing over her. She was unafraid of standing her ground in this matter, but if an argument was avoided, all the better. “I shall not forget your offer.”

“There is but one more thing I would like to ask.” He cleared his throat. “It is a personal matter, and I hope I am not talking out of turn.”

“Ask what you will,” Eleanor said. “I doubt you will offend me.”

“Since Mary’s passing, I find myself lonely. My house is much too large for just my son and me. Do you find yourself in need of companionship?”

She chose her words carefully. “I find my days quite busy meeting the needs of my children, and now my niece.”

“Our children have experienced great heartache,” he said with a nod, “Just as you have with the passing of your husband and I with Mary.” He smiled. “There is no reason for two adults to remain alone, is there?”

Bile rose in Eleanor’s throat. What this man insinuated made her stomach roll. He had to be mad to even consider marriage after all he had said about wishing his son and Rose to marry. The idea was appalling! She prayed his son had not been as galling with his request to Rose.

“I find comfort in caring for others,” she replied, forcing a small smile. “I do not have time to feel lonely.”

“Perhaps I should find myself more tasks, then,” he said before standing. “Thank you for your time. I will collect my son and we will see ourselves out.”

With a polite nod, Eleanor watched as the man left the room before heaving a heavy sigh. He actually believed she would agree to an arranged marriage? Or that she would even consider marriage for herself? She should not have been surprised, for how many others in the past had approached her for that very reason concerning her daughters as well as herself? Some might believe that such agreements were worthy of consideration, but she was no longer of that mind. And nothing that man, or any man, said would ever convince her otherwise.