Love's Justice (Entangled Scandalous) (8 page)

Chapter Fifteen

“I’m sorry, your lordship, I didn’t know you were here. I wouldn’t have come had I known.” Victoria wasn’t prepared to see Lord Montgomery.

“No, don’t bother yourself about it. I was just enjoying the warmer temperatures.”

The earl looked a bit uncomfortable as well. Whether it was her presence alone or simply her unexpected arrival, she wasn’t sure. “I can leave, if you’d like.” She turned to go.

“No, not at all. Please…” He indicated a small bench placed in a position where the afternoon sun would fall full upon it.

Victoria had doubts about her previous outbursts and certainly didn’t want to aggravate the man further with additional ill-conceived words or actions. She chose her words carefully. “You seem disturbed. Is there anything I can do? I hope my presence here hasn’t caused you to reassess your own attendance at the party.”

“No, not at all. It is not unusual for me to socialize with those who are, for one reason or another, before my courts. We judges are all expected to be above personal bias.”

“I couldn’t be that sangfroid. I’m afraid my passions run far and deep.” She laughed.

“There is no need to be ashamed of one’s passions. It is only in showing them that we sometimes err,” he said.

“How is that a fault? To be honest and open about one’s feelings? I would think it would be a great advantage to know another’s true feelings about an issue. For example, it would be to my benefit to know your opinion on the rights of women as they currently stand in England.”

Lord Montgomery smiled. “Indeed, it might be to your advantage, which means my sharing them would show a preference for one side over the other.”

“And that would be unacceptable.” Victoria smiled as well, pleased they could banter easily. It was progress in the right direction.

Still, she had to drive away any memory of the feel of his embrace and the softness of his kiss. Certainly that night had to be an anomaly. And this morning at archery. It had to be merely her imagination. What else could she think? The earl had been described to her as emotionally reticent, a man of words rather than actions.

Whatever had possessed him in the past, they were clearly on a better footing. And she would not want to jeopardize her chances by alienating him further.

“Would it be inappropriate for me to ask about your family? I’m finding things so different here in England.”

“My family?”

Victoria leaned her head against the tree behind the bench. “Yes. For example, are your parents alive? Do you have any siblings? Nothing too personal, I assure you.” She added teasingly.

“My parents are both dead. I have two brothers. One is in the American West, the other on the island of Grenada in the West Indies.”

“I envy you your siblings, and yet they are so far away. Do you miss them?”

“They have been away so long, I cannot honestly say I miss them.”

“Why did they leave England?”

Something in his face tightened. Victoria had ventured into an area the earl evidently did not like to discuss. She herself had become all the more intrigued.

He ran a hand through his thick hair. For a moment she didn’t think he would answer her. There was a long pause before he spoke.

“My father drove them away.”

She could hear pain in his voice. It gave her an overriding urge to comfort him. She folded her hands tightly in her lap to prevent her from rising and going to him.

“How sad.”

“Yes, it was sad. My father was hard and unforgiving. He could be brutal at times. My brothers could only take so much before they fled.”

“But you stayed?”

A bitter smile and a shake of the head preceded his answer. “Yes, I stayed.”

“Do you regret that?”

He paused as if to consider his own actions once again. “No, I don’t regret it,” he finally answered.

She watched him closely. “It had to have taken a grave toll on you, on your spirit, to be abused so?”

“I had a reason to stay.” He seemed lost in thought. “A reason more powerful than my father’s hate.”

“And that was…” Victoria realized she had overstepped her bounds and regretted asking immediately. It was none of her business, but she wanted to know. It would help her understand the man who held her fate in his hands. Perhaps he would just ignore her question, or worse, rebuff her.

“There is only one thing more powerful than hate.”

“You loved someone here in England?” She rose from her seat and took two steps to close the distance between them. She needed to be closer to see his face and take his measure.

He didn’t speak, but she had her answer. His face had softened, making him unbearably attractive.

“What happened?”

Pain washed across his face and disappeared once again.

“She died.”

Unthinkingly, she reached out and placed her hand on arm of his tweed jacket. “I’m sorry.”

He looked down at her hand and then back to her face. His eyes were searching for something.

“There is no need to be sorry. I have survived.”

“But at what cost?”

He turned away from her, and her hand fell from his arm. She couldn’t leave it alone. Not now.

“Is surviving enough?” Her voice was barely above a whisper. But he heard. She knew he heard.

“It has been.” There was something in his voice that carried doubt and hope at the same time.

“You have to desire more.” It was an order as much to herself as to him.

He faced her again. “What more is there?”

She didn’t think, didn’t reason, she just acted. She closed the gap between them and, cupping his face in her hands, she kissed him. His response was hesitant at first and then strong. She pulled away and looked at him.

“There is much more. Much, much more.” Lifting her skirts, she slowly made her way back across the damp lawn toward the house. He didn’t follow her. Didn’t call out.

He remained where she had left him.

Chapter Sixteen

The house was quiet. No doubt everyone was dressing for dinner. Victoria walked slowly through the beautiful rooms. What had she been thinking? What had possessed her to kiss him? He had just seemed so open and vulnerable.

She didn’t really know the man. Perhaps he sought her favors, thinking she would gladly give him what he wanted to win her case. That’s what Lord Stanford would do. That kind of man took advantage of every opportunity. She was glad she hadn’t seen her ex-fiancé.

She stopped at the door to the state dining room. The huge table was being set for the numerous guests who would attend tonight’s dinner. There was ample room to avoid not only her ex-fiancé but the Earl of Montgomery as well at dinner. She was, nevertheless, regretting her attendance. Coming here had been a mistake. Despite the beauty of the place, she had stepped into an awkward position. She would have been wise to have avoided it. Lord Stanford would be here and she had chosen to ignore that fact. Why? What had been the attraction? The breathtaking house? She would have liked it to be that simple. But the real reason she had come was to run into the very man she had just encountered. She had intended to delve into his views and intellectually take his measure and then objectively consider her odds of winning.

Yet, what had just passed between them wasn’t that at all. She couldn’t remember the last time she had acted against good sense, against her best interests. Where had her sanity fled?

She climbed the steps to the second floor and headed down a dim corridor to her room. Halfway down the hallway, a door opened behind her. She was too distracted to give it much notice.

“I need a word with you, my dearest.”

A strong hand grabbed her upper arm and threw her against the wall. A large vase in an adjoining alcove wobbled precariously.

Lord Stanford was drunk and angry. He pressed his hands into her shoulders. His mouth was inches away from hers. He was breathing heavily and his breath smelled of Scotch whisky and cigars. His bloodshot eyes were half-closed as if he lacked the strength to open them, and yet the force he applied to her shoulders made it impossible to break away.

Surely he wouldn’t attempt anything here in the hallway? She could scream and a dozen people would appear within moments. But screaming was the last thing she wanted to do. She would handle Stanford herself and avoid any further embarrassment for herself.

“I see you have offered the favors you denied me elsewhere.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about.” She was forced to inhale, and she almost gagged from his breath.

“I just met the Earl of Montgomery. He seems to be your protector. Surely such loyalty comes at a price. One which you seem more than willing to supply to him rather than me.”

“Are you insane? What are you implying?” Victoria’s voice was a hoarse whisper.

“You’re nothing but a rich whore. If I can’t have you, I’ll have your money. You owe me that.”

“I owe you nothing.”

“I have friends. You think it’s only your good name that I can destroy? I swear if you win this case, I will destroy not only you but his mightiness the Lord Chancellor of the Exchequer as well. He will never set foot in a courtroom again. The law only forbids him to benefit financially from a case, but I doubt an intimate liaison with one of the parties in a trial will be received well. I suspect it won’t be forgiven. Do you understand me?”

“You are mistaken,” Victoria hissed. “We have not been together. I swear it.”

“Then the kiss I witnessed out in the copse was just a…?”

What had he seen? What could she say to stop this horrid man from assuming the worst?

“You cannot hurt him. There is nothing between us. Hurt me, if you will, but he has done nothing wrong to deserve you destroying his life.”

A slow smirk crossed his face. “You could always marry me, my dear Victoria. That would solve everyone’s problems.”

Victoria was more horrified by this than any other threat he could make. She couldn’t marry him. Not even to save Lord Montgomery from harm. She had to think of another way. There had to be another way.

“I will never marry you. You are a man with no honor, no shame. I will never, ever marry you!”

“It is your decision to make, but I warn you there will be consequences. Dire consequences and not just monetary ones.”

He forced his lips onto hers and pressed his soft body into her. He moved one of his hands from her shoulder and grasped her breast. She tried to scream but his mouth covered hers. He was forcing her hard against the wall. She tried to move her head to pull her mouth from his but he had her pinned so tightly she couldn’t free herself.

Then, as suddenly as it began, he released her. She gasped for air. He laughed, and it sent shivers down Victoria’s arms. He didn’t say another word but walked silently down the hallway. She watched until he turned the corner and left her sight.

She hadn’t moved. She couldn’t move.

Voices on the stairs forced her to pull herself together. It was Emily and her husband Edward.

“Victoria, there you are. We were looking for you earlier. Edward offered to take us on a short tour of the grounds before dinner.”

Emily’s bright smile suddenly disappeared.

“What is it? What’s happened? You look like you have just seen a ghost.”

Victoria dropped her head and shook it. She took a deep breath and looked up.

“Not a ghost, Emily. A very different nightmare, I’m afraid.”

Emily didn’t need any further information. “You’ve seen Lord Stanford?”

Victoria nodded.

“Did he threaten you?”

“What has he done?” This time it was Emily’s husband who spoke. “If he has acted in any way not befitting a gentleman, I will ask the duke to send him off.”

“No, please, it would only cause further embarrassment for me. Thank you, though.”

“I don’t see why it should all fall on your shoulders,” Edward went on. “He was vile enough earlier that if Montgomery hadn’t struck him, I would have done it myself.”

Emily let out a little gasp. The information was evidently as new to her as it was to Victoria.

“What are you talking about?” Emily asked the very question on Victoria’s lips.

“I was going to tell you, my dear. I just hadn’t gotten to it yet. While we were out hunting, Stanford made some offensive remarks. No doubt he was drunk, but still the man had no right to besmirch a woman’s name.

“He referred to Miss Westwood in the most despicable terms. I actually thought Montgomery showed considerable restraint before he hit the man. Stanford was left floundering in the brush. And it was well deserved. He had no right, no right at all, to suggest what he did. It was totally deplorable.”

“Lord Montgomery hit Lord Stanford?” Emily clarified.

“Yes. With a strong fist and stronger heart. There wasn’t a man there who believed Stanford undeserving.”

“Then what happened?” Victoria asked.

“The duke spoke up and that was the end of it. I believe His Grace would have sent Stanford packing were he not obligated to do the same to Montgomery, whom he likes and respects.”

Likes and respects. The two words haunted Victoria.

What had Lord Stanford just said to her? That he would ruin not just her, but the earl as well.

She couldn’t let that happen.

She just had to figure out how to stop it.

Chapter Seventeen

The dancing had begun. Dinner was hours long and included guests who had arrived from London just for the evening of dinner and dancing. The white-and-gold formal dining room at Syon had been a refreshing change from some of the more colorful rooms. Very French in design, its walls were finished in stucco and decorated with marble statues of mythological gods and goddesses of food and wine. The long rectangular table had been set in the finest damask and gold-rimmed crystal. The place settings were stacked with beautiful gold-trimmed English bone china. To this was added sterling silver flatware and serving pieces. Enormous centerpieces of exotic white lilies were dusted with something closely resembling snow, acknowledging the holiday season.

The table was large, and Victoria had been seated next to Edward, with Emily across the table. Neither the Earl of Montgomery nor Lord Stanford was in sight. Victoria found herself enjoying Edward’s lecture on the finer points of Syon House. She longed to see the conservatory before she left and made a mental note to do so.

After dinner, the party moved on to the great hall. It resembled a Roman Basilica, with a beautiful dome and fine Roman columns. It was austere and breathtaking.

A quartet began to play, and she sought out a small alcove to survey the room and get her bearings. She wanted no more surprises.

Lord Montgomery was talking to Mr. Gladstone, whom everyone expected would replace Mr. Disraeli as Prime Minister of England in the new year. Lord Stanford had yet to make an appearance, for which she was grateful.

She had chosen to wear an Emile Pingat gown again. This one was a wonderful dusty yellow with jet-black trim. The designer had created beautiful black panels down either side of the front that suggested Roman or Greek decorative work. Her waist was circled in black as well, and a small black flower marked the front. She seemed to meld into the room’s decor and she was pleased with that.

“Why is such a beautiful woman hiding in the corner?” A dark-haired man with a bushy mustache surprised her. She had not seen him approach.

“Not hiding, sir. Just admiring.”

“You are American?”

“Yes, sir. As are you.”

“Ah, I cannot entice you by being exotic then?”

Victoria laughed lightly, pleased to be in conversation with such a well-renowned man. “No, Mr. Clemens. I recognized you from pictures I’ve seen in the newspapers. You can, however, impress me with your wisdom.”

“Ah, if I only could. If I only could.” The bushy-haired man, more popularly known as Mark Twain, stood beside her.

“If I were only twenty years younger, I would take you for a spin on the dance floor.”

“Sir, you are not yet old. And I hope you live many more years. Your writing is a gift to us all. “

“How kind of you, Miss—”

“Westwood. Victoria Westwood.”

Recognition crossed his face. “My dear wife Olivia should only be here. She would trumpet your cause far and wide, until not a man standing would be ignorant of the injustices you face.”

“That is most kind of you. I take it you, yourself, find sympathy with my possible fate?”

“Miss Westwood, my dear Olivia has introduced me to socialists, abolitionists, and activists for women’s rights and social equality. In all of them I have found merit and enlightenment.”

“I am pleased to hear that.”

He nodded before adding, “Miss Harriet Beecher Stowe is now my neighbor and I admire her efforts immensely. My contributions, I’m afraid, are more entertaining than informative. She, on the other hand, is a remarkably capable and influential woman. I would never underestimate the power of women to change the world for the good.”

“I must say that is a truly enlightened position, Mr. Clemens.” She smiled. “How long have you been in England?”

“I’ve only just arrived here. I have been on the Continent writing essays along the way and sending them home to be published.”

“I hope you have enjoyed your time in Europe.”

“I am just an innocent abroad, with no expectations and no prejudices. Finding a little good and bad in most places.”

“I believe that to be true. Well, I wish you a safe journey.”

“And I wish you only the best, my dear woman. Only the best.” He raised the glass in his hand as a toast. “But I’m afraid I must leave you. There are far too many people here that I must see before I return to our homeland.”

He sighed before leaning in to speak to her more quietly. “We all must do what we must do. It should matter little to us what others think. Don’t you agree, Miss Westwood?” He smiled and gave a courteous bow, then headed off toward the duke.

Victoria watched him walk away. She was beyond flattered to speak with such an open-minded man. The small praise and encouragement she received from her celebrated countryman gave her courage. She stepped out into the room and smiled. It was beneath her to hide.