Capturing the Earl’s Love Part Three ~ A Historical Romance Story

A #free short story… I’ll be telling it here, and it can also now be preordered on Amazon.

@Copyright Jane Lark; Publishing rights owned by Harper Impulse; Harper Collins UK

Capturing the Earl’s Love

A Historical Romance story

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

“My Lord, you have a caller.”

Rupert turned to face his butler. “Who, Owens?”

Rupert was not yet dressed. His valet was in the process of knotting his cravat.

“The Earl of Kendrick, sir.”

Owens held out a card. Rupert did not take it.

A frown formed while he tried to keep his chin up. Kendrick? “Did he say what his call is about?”

“No, sir.”

They were not introduced. Kendrick should not be here. He’d been introduced to Rowena, not Rupert, and people should not speak unless they’d had an introduction.

Rupert sighed; he hadn’t even eaten yet. What on earth was the man calling at this hour for?

“I have asked him to wait in the library, sir.”

“I would rather you’d told him I was not to be disturbed.”

“He said he would not be put off, my Lord. If you are busy, he shall wait.”

Bloody hell. What on earth did Kendrick want? Perhaps he had merely been sidling up to Rowena last night to win Rupert’s vote for some bill in Parliament? Well, if that was Kendrick’s game, Rupert would swiftly put him right.

“Then tell him I will be down in a while.”

Half an hour later, Rupert turned the handle of the library door, then entered. He’d eaten breakfast, holding Kendrick to his word, and making him wait.

Kendrick was sitting in a comfortable chair near the hearth at the far end of the room, scanning a book he must have taken from the shelves, looking thoroughly at ease.

Annoyance itched beneath Rupert’s skin. He’d hoped to make Kendrick feel unwelcome by delaying their meeting.

The man glanced up, set the book on a small satinwood table beside him, and stood.

The impression Rupert had acquired last night was not improved. This man was ageing, and he might be confident in his own skin, and bear a title, but as Rupert had never heard of Kendrick until last night, he could not be anyone of any importance.

“You wished to speak to me…” Rupert opened, bowing slightly and stiffly.

Kendrick also gave the merest bow. “I realise it is unusually early,” he began, “however, I wished to ensure you, and Lady Rowena, would be at home.”

And Lady Rowena?

“Lord Morton, I wish to make an offer for your sister.”

Kendrick could have punched Rupert in the stomach; he would have felt equally winded. “No.” The answer left his lips with an adamant force, without any thought; of course the answer was no.

“Hear me out, Lord Morton. Lady Rowena would be a countess, and I have a considerable fortune.”

“No.” Robert wished for more for her than this old man. He wanted her to be happy, more than happy, loved. Rupert had endured his parents’ cold, bitter home. He would not allow his adored sister to suffer that.

“Do not be so hasty, Morton. You cannot be making the decision with any sense. At least think about this before you answer me.”

“I have no need to think. You were only introduced to her last night. You can have no affection for her, and I do not even know you. I have no intention, therefore, of trusting you to care for my sister, no matter how big your fortune, Kendrick. There is no decision to be made, the answer is no.”

“I saw your sister last night, Morton, and I simply knew she was the right one—”

“The right one? And what was your deceased wife, who I’m advised you have mourned very thoroughly?”

Kendrick stiffened, growing an inch in height as his hands fisted at his sides. “I loved my first wife. It does not mean I cannot love a second time. I have children who need a mother. Some of them are still very young. When I saw your sister across the room last night, I felt what I felt on the occasion I met my first wife. I—”

“I do not care.”

“My Lord Morton, be reasonable. At least give me a chance.”

“There is no chance my sister will have you, and the final say will always be hers. Why waste your time? You may go now.”

“Then let me speak with her, Lord Morton. Let us ask Lady Rowena, and let her have her say…”

Rupert stared at Kendrick. He did not wish Rowena dragged into this, but he was unsure what to do. He could throw the man out, but Kendrick would probably still believe he had a chance, or he could call Rowena down and perhaps her refusal might finally convince Kendrick to forget this ridiculous notion?

“Very well, I will fetch her and she may tell you herself. She has no interest in you.”

“May I speak with her alone?”

“No. You may do so in my company.”

Kendrick stared.

Rupert turned away. He was definitely making a hash of this chaperoning lark. He could not wait to call at Edward’s today. He had not only set aside his uncertainty about Ellen taking on the task, he would plead with his cousin’s wife to do it.

After tapping lightly on the door of Rowena’s bedchamber, he entered at her call.

“Hello, Rupert.” She was sitting at her writing desk. She stood, smiling at him, that blessedly open, happy smile of hers. Her smile had been his joy for as long as he could remember. The sunlight in an otherwise cloudy world.

She was several years younger than him and he’d adored her from the minute she was born.

“You have a caller,” he said gently.

“Who?”

“A suitor, but one I do not think you’ll welcome. Kendrick, who danced with you last night. He’s called to make you an offer.”

Her mouth had fallen open. It closed. Then she said quietly, “Oh.”

“He wishes to speak to you.”

Her eyes opened wider and her skin slightly paled. She looked just as shocked as he’d felt.

“I only met him last evening.”

“I know.”

“He is fifty-eight. He told me.”

Rupert smiled, with closed lips, a gesture intended to comfort her. “Come along, we’ll go down and put him right, and then today I will ask Ellen to become your chaperone. She will make a far better job of it than I, I’m sure. She and her sisters can find you more suitable suitors, Rowena. I’m sorry. I have not helped you at all.”

She moved forward swiftly, and then hugged him fiercely, her arms about his neck, a gesture which caused a sharp pain in his chest. Rowena was the most precious thing he had in his life.

He held her too.

“You have been wonderful, Rupert. You are the best brother.” She did not say he was a good chaperone though.

“Come along,” he reiterated when she drew away.

A Lord’s Desperate Love is the story of two of the secondary characters from the 1st book in

the Marlow Intrigues Series

‘The Illicit Love of a Courtesan’

NOTE – THIS – AND ALL MY BOOKS – ARE CURRENTLY ON SALE IN THE UK!

For

the story of the real courtesan who inspired The Illicit Love of a Courtesan,
another free short story, about characters from book #2, A Lord’s Scandalous Love,
the prequel excerpts for book #3 The Scandalous Love of a Duke

Go to the index

Jane Lark is a writer of authentic, passionate and emotional Historical and New Adult Romance stories, and the author of a No.1 bestselling Historical Romance novel in America, ‘The Illicit Love of a Courtesan’.

Click here to find out more about Jane’s books, and see Jane’s website www.janelark.co.uk to learn more about Jane. Or click ‘like’ on Jane’s Facebook page to see photo’s and learn historical facts from the Georgian, Regency and Victorian eras, which Jane publishes there. You can also follow Jane on twitter at @janelark

Capturing the Earl’s Love Part One ~ A Historical Romance Story

A new #free short story… I’ll be telling it here, and it can also now be preordered on Amazon.

@Copyright Jane Lark; Publishing rights owned by Harper Impulse; Harper Collins UK

Capturing the Earl’s Love

A Historical Romance story

Part One

Lord Rupert Stanforth, Earl of Morton, watched his sister, Rowena, approach.

She was smiling, and her friend, Meredith Divine, clung to her arm.

His gaze briefly passed over the other girl. He was increasingly convinced Miss Divine only kept Rowena as a friend because Rowena was the perfect foil to show off Miss Divine’s more striking looks. Her auburn curls glowed in the candlelight beside Rowena’s lacklustre, light-brown locks.

Miss Divine was also slightly taller, and a little fuller in the bust.

While they crossed the room, she appeared to press as close as she could to Rowena’s side, letting Rowena’s less impressionable looks make Miss Divine’s stand out among the white-clad debutantes in the ballroom.

“Rupert…”

His eyes focused on his sister once more. She was out of breath, having just completed a country dance, and her cheeks were flushed, while her eyes glowed, expressing the fun she was having.

“I want to introduce Meredith to Ellen. Will you escort us and do the honours? Meredith is dying to meet her.”

Mmm, now what is this little game? He glanced at Miss Divine only to receive a very bright but subtly restrained smile.

She was trying to win his approval.

He was not interested. He wished nothing to do with the little schemer. Her father was in some sort of trade. Rupert had not even wished Rowena to befriend Miss Divine, let alone become so thick with her. The two of them were inseparable; or rather, Miss Divine hung about Rowena like a moth around a flame. Except Miss Divine was no moth. Her beauty was far too vibrant.

Rupert was Rowena’s guardian. Their father had passed on long ago, so Rupert was responsible for keeping his sister safe. It fell to him to help her choose her friends wisely. Yet the more he disparaged Miss Divine, the more Rowena favoured the girl. He’d ceased his complaints. Their friendship had still blossomed. He’d hoped it would wither and die back. It had not—yet.

He expected Miss Divine to make a wrong step soon though, one which would open his sister’s eyes, and end this arm-in-arm behavior.

“They are over there,” Rowena prodded.

Their cousin, Edward, had come up to town yesterday with his wife, who was with child again, although her condition was still barely visible.

Rupert ought to be glad they’d come. His mother rarely rose from her bed, due to her rheumatism, which she eased by drowning herself in laudanum. It left the burden of chaperoning Rowena on his shoulders. Ellen could help. Yet he felt uncomfortable about the notion. His cousin’s wife had a disreputable past.

Complying with Rowena’s request, he offered his right arm.

Miss Divine let go of Rowena and swept about to claim his left, without an offer.

While the girls chattered excitedly, he walked about the hall in the direction of his cousin, not listening to a word they said.

Edward was standing in conversation with his wife and his in-laws.

The Pembroke sisters, of whom Edward’s wife was one, stood out like dark-haired sirens. It was difficult not to stare when they were all together.

Edward’s wife, Ellen, was the eldest, but unfortunately, as Rupert looked at her, an unwanted image of her in her former life slipped into his mind.

She’d been a courtesan when he and Edward first saw her, and he’d seen her in one particularly compromising situation. It still made his spine tingle, like hackles rising, to let Rowena mix with Ellen. Yet Ellen’s family, along with the whole of the ton, society’s elite, had disregarded her past, if they were aware of it. It had simply been swept away.

Rupert could not forget.

Miss Divine gripped his arm too tightly. God, he found the girl irritating. Her voice was shrill, as though the excited pitch was forced.

He’d thought Edward’s wife a schemer, too, in the beginning, angling after his cousin for some reason. Rupert had been wrong. The moment they’d come back to town after their elopement, he’d seen that. A mutual affection lingered in the air between them.

Rupert could not fathom it. His parents had hated one another. Even his cousin’s parents had only displayed comfort with one another. Yet Edward had changed character in many ways since meeting Ellen. She’d become the pivotal focus of his life, when for weeks Rupert and Edward had been as inseparable as Rowena and Miss Divine. So there must be something in the word love. Edward certainly seemed to have a deep intimacy with his wife.

Rupert missed his cousin’s company, and he wanted nothing to do with love. He’d seen his cousin travel through hell to be with Ellen; he did not fancy that for himself. And it was a farce, as far as he was concerned; Rupert half-expected Edward’s haven of happiness to collapse at any moment. Solid relationships were built on mutual respect and nothing else.

Miss Divine’s grip shifted a little on his arm, as if she sought to gain his attention. He ignored her.

When Rupert took a wife, which would not be for a few years yet, he wished for someone who would bring him contentment. A woman he would not argue with, someone quiet, who would be willing to make his home, and perhaps his bed, comfortable, and manage all else without needing to refer to him.

“Ellen,” Rowena exclaimed as they neared the couple.

“Edward,” Rupert acknowledged. His cousin’s eyes were shining with both humour and happiness when he turned.

“My friend wishes an introduction—” Rowena began.

“So I have been asked to do the honours,” Rupert completed. “Lord Edward Marlow, this is Miss Meredith Divine, Lady Eleanor, Miss Divine.” He bowed slightly to Ellen, who bobbed a shallow curtsy as both girls on his arms did the same, but dipped a little lower.

“Miss Divine…” Ellen acknowledged, then began asking the girls questions, finding out from Rowena what she had been up to in town.

Rupert could answer that — shopping mostly, spending a small fortune, as well as visiting constantly.

Lord, he prayed she would hurry up and find a suitor he might accept.

Rowena’s fingers slipped from Rupert’s arm, while Miss Divine’s clung a moment longer. Awareness prickled across his skin when she finally let go.

Edward set an arm about Rupert’s shoulders, drawing him aside from the women.

“How are you?” Edward asked.

A Lord’s Desperate Love is the story of two of the secondary characters from the 1st book in

the Marlow Intrigues Series

‘The Illicit Love of a Courtesan’

For

the story of the real courtesan who inspired The Illicit Love of a Courtesan,
another free short story, about characters from book #2, A Lord’s Scandalous Love,
the prequel excerpts for book #3 The Scandalous Love of a Duke

Go to the index