Page 6 of Loving an Earl
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Edmund, hating theconfinement of a carriage, rode his gelding, Bear, in front of the matching four hauling his trunks. Accompanying him were his driver and two outriders. He spent so much time in close quarters on his fleet of ships that he craved the vast open space whenever the chance arose. At six feet tall, no carriage or ship’s cabin catered to his height. Even his captain’s quarters on his ships had low ceilings, causing him to crouch. Such was life at sea.
They were almost to Langford Manor, and Edmund had no idea what sort of welcome was waiting for him. As a grown man, he shouldn’t have an anxious knot in his belly, but he did. Would his aunt resent him? She’d lost her husband, and her life was changed forever. But he had no plans to live in the country and wouldn’t interrupt her daily life. His ships sailed in and out of London. His warehouse was there, so that was where he needed to be. He would juggle his business and the responsibilities of the earldom from there. And if he couldn’t, his partner, Mr. James Caldwell, who was unmarried and untitled, could take on more responsibility in the business.
Several servants hurried out the door and down the manor’s steps to greet him. They took the reins to Bear as he dismounted. Ignoring the need to stretch his limbs, he turned toward the people who he supposed were his household now.
“My lord, welcome to Langford Manor.” The small, middle-aged man Edmund recognized as the butler bowed. “I am Mr. Wilson, your butler. Please accept all the household’s condolences on the loss of your uncle.”
“Thank you,” Edmund said.
Wilson proceeded to introduce the remaining servants to him. As well as remembering the butler, he remembered the valet and housekeeper from when he was a child.
His uncle’s valet, Mullens—now his, he supposed—came forward and bowed. “I will have your things brought to the earl’s chambers and unpacked immediately.”
Upon entering the manor, Edmund relaxed and looked around the sizeable, marbled entry. If this were any indication, the house wouldn’t need any repairs or redecorating. He’d forgotten his uncle had impeccable taste. Most likely, nothing would need to be changed, as with the London townhome. Until one day in the future, of course, when he took a bride and she wanted to make modifications.
“I would like to freshen up and then meet my uncle’s widow. Could you ask her to meet me in the drawing room in half an hour? And please bring a tea tray.”
Edmund hurried up the stairs to the master chambers. He remembered where they were and found the large bedchamber clean and tastefully decorated in dark blue and beige. He opened the door to the dressing room and found nothing of his uncle’s left inside. A quick peek into the adjoining sitting room found it clean and smelling faintly of roses. He wrinkled his nose and shut the door.
Mullens brought a basin of warm water for him to freshen up with. While splashing the soothing water on his face, several servants brought in his trunks, and Mullens oversaw the unpacking of his things. “Leave the small brown trunk. I will take care of that myself,” Edmund said. Inside the smaller trunk held Edmunds’s personal papers and things he preferred nobody to handle but him.
Half an hour later, Edmund went down the hall to the family’s private drawing room to find a small woman standing, gazing out the sunny window with her back to him. He studied the woman in a plain, black mourning dress, her light hair done up in a neat chignon. One delicate hand leaned against the molding around the window. He frowned as his heart thumped hard inside his chest. Something appeared off. Suddenly, he didn’t know whether to address her as aunt, countess, or Lady Langford. He chose the latter.
“Lady Langford.”
When she turned to face him with a gentle smile and spoke the words, “Please call me Lilly,” with a sweet melody of a voice, he stumbled forward as though he’d been punched in the gut. Was his mind playing tricks on him? Because standing before him was but a girl. If she were a day over twenty, he’d eat his gloves. This was his uncle’s widow? This beautiful young woman? He’d expected someone closer to his uncle’s age. His suspicious nature had chills climbing up his spine. He ignored the feeling for now.
“Lilly, let me express my deepest condolences on the loss of Lord Langford. I admired my uncle greatly and will miss him.”
“Thank you. I miss him very much.”
“I must admit I was shocked to find out my uncle finally married. And to marry someone such as yourself...”
She looked at him with confusion. “Such as myself? What does that mean?”
What does that mean?Had she never thought it would seem odd that a man of his uncle’s advanced years would be married to someone her age? Surely, this girl and her family had somehow taken advantage of his uncle in his old, lonely years, hoping to swindle him out of his fortune. Why else would someone so young tie herself to an aging gentleman?
His words came out sharp as his suspicions grew. “Where did you come from, and how on earth did you convince my Uncle Henry to marry you? Has your family stolen all the Langford jewels? Was he supporting all your relatives? Because if he was, the money is no more. I will not be taken advantage of as he was. You and yours will not see a farthing from me.”
As he ranted on, Lilly rose to her full height. Her arms crossed in front of her chest, and her facial expression, once warm and welcome, had turned frigid. Her bright-blue eyes were now dark and stormy.
For one brief moment, he felt contrite for his angry and harsh words. Perhaps he had spoken too quickly. Perhaps he should have given her a chance to tell the story of their marriage and how it came about. But his confusion and shock at the situation had made him forget his manners completely, and the hurtful diatribe had poured from his mouth without thinking.
Putting a wedge between himself and Uncle Henry’s widow would no doubt be something he regretted later.
Chapter Three
Lilly could notbelieve her ears. What right did he have to speak to her in such a way? When she’d first turned around and faced Henry’s tall and handsome nephew, she’d smiled in welcome. And for a moment, he’d appeared genuinely happy to make her acquaintance. That was until his dark eyes narrowed, and he’d rudely looked her up and down from head to toe. Right before her eyes, his features changed from friend to foe, making her wonder what she’d done to cause such a drastic change in him. And then he’d said such horrible things to her.
Well, two could play at this. She shut down her feelings and faced the man,Edmund, with ice flowing in her veins. He’d insulted her and poor, deceased Henry. He’d insulted her, because he thought she’d married him only for his fortune, and Henry, because he thought he was so old and feeble that such a person could swindle him. He hadn’t known his uncle at all. And it was too bad this man would take over Henry’s titles and lands that he appreciated, honored, and loved so very much.
With her chin up, she mustered her haughtiest voice—she didn’t know if she even had one, but she would try. “How dare you come in here and speak to me so? Iamthe Countess of Langford and deserve your respect. Henry and I loved each other and had a wonderful marriage. I never took anything from him but the basic necessities. When you are ready to atone for your behavior, ask Mrs. Pemberton where you may find me.”
Quitting the room and out of that man’s view, she gathered up her skirts and ran down the hall. Behind her closed door, she slithered to the floor against the door and sobbed into her hands. If it were possible, her heart cracked right down the middle all over again, causing pain to radiate throughout her entire being.
“That... that... bloody arse,” she cursed, her voice vibrating with both heartache and seething anger, “cannot be the Earl of Langford!”
