Capturing The Earl’s Love Part Six ~ 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 Three

Part Six

Rupert watched Miss Divine walk away. She’d been busy ingratiating herself into Ellen’s family he saw, while Rowena had been accosted by Kendrick again. Anger raced through Rupert’s blood. “Is that wise?” he asked Ellen, looking back at her.

He saw she realised he was speaking about Kendrick, and her expression changed as she ceased smiling and gave him an understanding look.

“I know you expressed your concerns to Edward, Rupert, and I fully understand, but Rowena is a grown woman. She is intelligent and sensible. She will not be fooled by any man. Kendrick will do her no harm. He is well respected about his estates. I do not think him a bad man. His offer was simply ill-judged.”

“Ill-judged—” Rupert was about to declare just how ill when Edward appeared, with a glass in either hand.

“Rupert.”

“They are dancing, I’m afraid.” Ellen spoke.

“Ah, and I am left bearing the orgeat.”

“I will take one. I’m thirsty, and I shall find a thirsty person for the other, and leave you two to talk.” Edward and his wife shared a smile and a certain look. A look which implied Ellen was giving Rupert a little of Edward’s precious time and company, from the bounds of their perfect life. The look made Rupert feel pitied, and as if he was being given charity…

Rupert’s hands slid into his pockets. He did not like feeling needy, but he had longed for his cousin’s company. He felt as if he was seeking charity, or was like a child looking for attention.

He’d enjoyed his time with Edward this morning, though. They had laughed, breathless and energised after they’d sparred, and Rupert had felt better than he had in an age. Then, as they walked back to Edward’s, Rupert had shared the tale of Kendrick’s earlier visit.

It had been good to have someone to speak to. He’d not had anyone who he trusted with personal concerns since Edward had married Ellen over a year ago. He shared nothing with his mother; she was too ill to bear his burdens too, and Edward’s brother, Robert, who was more often in town, was not the sort of man who cared for another’s troubles. Robert was a fast-living rake. He’d have no interest in Rupert’s concerns about Rowena or his mother.

It had therefore been a great relief to pass his responsibility for Rowena on to Ellen. Now at least he might focus a little more time on himself.

“I think Rowena’s young friend has a fancy for you, Rupert.”

Bitterness surged through Rupert, as he looked at the dancers. He did not see Miss Divine. He did see Rowena.

Kendrick was walking a circle with her in the midst of a country dance and he was speaking hurriedly, while she obviously listened warily.

“Ellen said Miss Divine seemed extremely disappointed this afternoon when Ellen arrived with Rowena in your barouche.”

Rupert gave his cousin a sidelong glance.

“Miss Divine has seemed equally low in spirits tonight. She’s been glancing about the room every other moment since we arrived, and I’ve heard her mention your name to Rowena at least twice.” Edward laughed.

Rupert did not. He sighed. Lord, it was the last thing he needed; Miss Divine dropping her handkerchief in his direction, in the hope he would, metaphorically, pick it up and begin courting her. She obviously had mistaken his offer to waltz with her.

“She is looking at you now,” Edward teased.

Rupert looked back at the dancers and caught the gleam of auburn curls. She was indeed looking at him. He met the vivid blue gaze he’d only noticed for the first time last night. There was some thought going on behind her eyes. She looked as if, had she stood in front of him, she would speak.

Sensation stirred low in his stomach. He might not find her stunningly pretty, but he did find her physically attractive. An unwanted image slipped through his mind, of that hair spread across a white sheet. He turned away.

Edward laughed again.

Rupert narrowed his eyes. “What she’s probably interested in is my title. The girl’s a schemer. I want nothing to do with her. I’ve tried putting Rowena off her, to no avail. So I endure her presence, but I certainly am not going to encourage it, Ed.”

“Well, that I can see. You bristle about poor Miss Divine, like a hedgehog…” Edward laughed again. “Even last night, when you were waltzing, I could see you loathing it. Yet perhaps a bright, young girl, like that, is exactly what you need, Rupert—”

“Miss Divine? Are you mad?”

“Not at all. You’ve seemed low in spirits every time we’ve seen you lately. Someone, of such a sunny nature, might cheer you up.”

“She is not sunny-natured. She puts her smiles on for effect. Do not tell me you are fooled?”

“I would say her smiles cover her anxiety, and the way she laughs seems to imply the same thing, as if she is hiding her discomfort. She is on the edge of welcome here, and you know it. It must be a hard tightrope to walk.”

Rupert’s eyebrows lifted. They’d had a conversation long ago, when Rupert had first discovered Edward’s affair with Ellen. This conversation reminded Rupert of that. “The girl fancies my title and fortune and that is all. If I ever take a wife, I can assure you it will not be a woman like Miss Divine.”

Edward laughed. “You have a habit of seeing black and white, Rupert, while I see the shades of grey in between one and the other. People have many facets. Not everything is so clear as to be black or white.”

Rupert glowered at his cousin.

“So, tell me what Robert, my disreputable brother, has been up to while I’ve been out of town.” Edward smiled, having obviously deliberately changed the subject. “What rumors are afoot? Who should I be wary of, and who must I avoid because he’s slept with their wife?”

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 REDUCED 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

Jane’s books can be ordered from most booksellers in paperback

Capturing the Earl’s Love Part Two ~ 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

A wave of relief suddenly swept in. Rupert had forgotten how good their camaraderie had felt. They’d been firm friends from their Eton days. Perhaps, if he cared to admit it, he was a bit jealous of Edward’s wife.

Miss Divine laughed, in her high-pitched, slightly forced, listen-to-me giggle.

Rupert glanced at her. Her gaze caught his, before it travelled on to Rowena. She said something which made Rowena laugh.

What was Miss Divine plotting? What did she hope to gain from an introduction to Ellen?

“Rupert? How are you?” Edward asked again.

Rupert was frowning as he faced his cousin. “Well enough.”

An odd questioning expression shifted in Edward’s gaze as his eyebrows lifted a little, before he smiled briefly, then said, “And my aunt?”

“No better. In fact, perhaps a little worse.”

“Then we shall call in a day or two, once we’ve settled in.”

Rupert nodded. Edward looked at him as if he was trying to read something in Rupert’s eyes.

“And you are well and happy, I see, Edward. I have no need to ask.”

“I am exceedingly happy….” A sudden smile parted Edward’s lips.

The conversation dried. Rupert thought of discussing Rowena’s suitors. He was never sure who to introduce her to, and he thought perhaps Ellen… But then again, perhaps not. Ellen’s history hardly made her the best person to seek suitable companions for his sister.

Good God, he had never not known what to say to Edward.

“Will you be going to Jackson’s tomorrow? We could spar as we used to?” Edward suggested.

They could, but nothing was as it used to be. The freedom of Rupert’s bachelorhood had gone. He’d donated that to his sister this year. Still, she would be at home in the morning, he could go out. But Edward’s life was not the same either… “Are you sure you’re up to it? Domesticity has not softened you?”

Edward laughed.

“Lady Eleanor, would you introduce me to these young ladies?”

Rupert’s gaze spun to the man who’d spoken. Then he glanced back at Edward, asking who? with a look.

Edward leant closer and whispered. “The Earl of Kendrick is an acquaintance of my brother-in-law, Richard. He lost his wife two years ago. He’s been in the country on his estates since. He lives near us, but I do not know him well.”

Rupert glanced back at the man.

Having bowed to Miss Divine, Kendrick then took Rowena’s hand and pressed a kiss on her fingers. “Would you dance with me, Lady Rowena?”

Discomfort ran up Rupert’s spine. He had never met the man, but Kendrick was no suitor for Rowena; he was in his later years, grey-haired and even balding. He may have a strong gaze and relatively slender figure, but Rupert wished Rowena happy, cherished. He wanted her to have what Edward had, even if it was a fragile, breakable thing. If there was a chance of happiness for her, he wanted her to have it.

She accepted Kendrick’s offer. She could do little else. Yet she did not appear comfortable.

Rupert wondered if he should have stepped in and refused the introduction. But that would have been churlish and domineering, wouldn’t it? He had no reason to do so.

“We are hoping Lord Morton will take us driving in the park tomorrow…” Miss Divine’s bright voice broke into his thoughts.

It was meant to, of course. Her pitch had been lifted so he would hear. He knew it.

What was she after? He hoped it was not him. She had no hope if it was.

“Ellen, shall we dance?” As Edward made the invitation to his wife, Rupert realised the tune lifting over the hubbub of conversation was a waltz.

He glanced towards the dancers to see Kendrick leaning forward to listen to Rowena speak.

When Rupert looked back, Edward and Ellen were walking away and Miss Divine had moved closer, and now looked up at him, with wide eyes. He’d never really looked at them before, but now he noticed they were a vivid blue, or perhaps they were grey. Whichever, they went well with her auburn hair, and, of course, she wished him to notice that.

She smiled. The smile, he would swear, she’d developed before a mirror, to impress and cajole. He said nothing. Nor did she. He did not smile.

The woman was a witch, and trying to weave spells about him. Her smile twisted his innards somehow.

The sound of the orchestra rose and couples began moving near Rupert and Miss Divine as they stood at the edge of the dancing.

Awkwardness hovered in the air. No one else was likely to approach Miss Divine now. It left him no option but to offer… “Would you care to dance, Miss Divine?”

Her face lit up. “Thank you, Lord Morton.”

He hoped this would not give the girl expectations. He rarely bothered with dancing. His evenings were spent watching his sister do so. It left his offer, now, open to misinterpretation. What if people thought he was favouring Miss Divine?

He lifted his arm, stiffly, and she laid her fingers on it as they stepped away from the edge, joining the dancers.

He knew women adored this dance. Rowena had crowed for days once she’d been given permission to participate.

He formed a frame for Miss Divine, lifting one hand and setting his other at her back.

Miss Divine had won agreement to dance the waltz the same night as his sister. He’d heard them speaking then, whispering about how romantic it was. It was not romantic for a man. It was an opportunity to seduce a woman.

Rupert glanced across the room to watch Rowena as he began dancing, leading Miss Divine, whose fingers were a very gentle weight on his arm, and a slender presence in his hand.

Rowena seemed to be conversing quite happily with Kendrick, yet her body expressed wariness. She looked as though she was being polite, rather than enjoying herself. She looked as though she felt uncomfortable. Rupert should have said no to the introduction.

“Will you? Well… I mean…” Miss Divine’s voice pulled his attention back to her.

He faced those eyes. He could not avoid looking at her when she was in his arms, with less than a foot of space separating them. There was a slight tilt to the tip of her nose, and her lips were as red as the roses which suddenly bloomed in her cheeks. When his gaze lifted to her eyes again, they seemed as deep as the sea.

“Rowena said you might…” she began again. His gaze dropped to her lips as she spoke, then returned to her eyes when she stopped.

“Might what, Miss Divine?”

“Take us driving in Hyde Park tomorrow,” she said hurriedly.

Ah, so she could show herself off to a world who would not wish to know her at all if she was not with his sister. Even her middling dowry did not recommend her. The fortune hunters, who trailed after Rowena, overlooked Miss Divine. The girl was bartering with her looks, yet her looks were also middling in comparison to some, no matter her vivid hair and striking eyes. Which was, no doubt, her reason for hovering so close to Rowena, and using his sister as a foil.

“I cannot take you both, I’m afraid. My phaeton will only seat myself and my sister.”

“But Rowena implied we might use the barouche.”

Did she? Or had Miss Divine asked if they might go out in his barouche?

Tomorrow, after his sparring match with Edward, Rupert would raise the subject of Ellen chaperoning Rowena, no matter Ellen’s past. He was intensely tired of this charade, regardless of how much he cared for his sister. He’d had enough of Miss Divine’s manoeuvring, especially the riotous disturbance she instilled in his blood, and he was tired of trying to judge what was best for Rowena, who to help her meet and who to avoid…

“May we, Lord Morton?” Miss Divine asked, following her words with a very bright smile, which, he supposed, was also passably pretty.

“Yes.” He looked past her, rather than at her, as he answered, to discourage further conversation, feeling thoroughly manipulated.

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