Regency Rakes 02 - Rescued By A Viscount (22 page)

“You’ll know.”

“If someone sees us or hears of the time we spent alone, I will be ruined and your name will be blackened, Simon. Please, dear lord, let my niece or nephew be waiting for me so I may confirm, if only to us, that what I have done is the right thing.” Her face was pinched and her eyes shadowed as she spoke.

“Don’t lose your courage now, Claire–not when it has carried you so far. I admired your strength before this journey, and my admiration has increased tenfold since.”

She offered him a tremulous smile and then fell silent again. He looked at his watch and caught his coachman’s eye. “Merlin, now you’ve finished eating every crumb on the plates, I would like you to bring the carriage as close to the ship named The Bonny Rose as you possibly can.”

“At once, my lord.”

“It is time for us to leave now, Claire.”

Simon watched as she opened her reticule and handed him a purse. “This is for payment, Simon. It is not quite enough, as I had to use some–”

“To flee from me in the middle of the night,” Simon said.

She gave one abrupt nod before continuing. “So if you could see your way to paying the rest, I will repay you when I return to London.”

Simon took the bag and counted the money, adding some of his own before closing it. He then stood and held out his hand. She clutched it, and together they walked down towards the boat. He was getting used to the feel of her hand in his.

They heard gulls, and the tang of the sea air surrounded them as they strolled down to the ship. Other people passed, and Simon doffed his hat while Claire forced a smile onto her stiff face, and then the ship was before them, tall masts rolling gently from side to side.

“Do you see him, Claire?”

She followed his gaze and then came to a sudden halt as her eyes fell on the small child standing beside the man they had met in the Anchor.

“Oh lord, he has Anthony’s hair, Simon, almost the same color as mine.” She started walking again. However, now she was dragging him. Her strides were long and hurried as she closed the distance in seconds. The man saw them coming and bent to whisper something in the boy’s ear. The child, in turn, moved away to stand with two men at the foot of the gangway leading up to the Bonny Rose.

“You have seen the child. Now hand over the money.”

“I want the letter, too,” Simon said, holding out the pouch. The man pulled the letter out of his pocket and passed it to him. He counted the money and then signaled for the boy to be brought forward.

“This is your aunt and uncle, Louis. You will be going with them now.”

Another man placed a small bag at the boy’s feet, and then they all left without another word, climbing the gangway. There was no hug or brief word or pat on the head from the boy’s real uncle. The man had left his nephew alone with two strangers without a backward glance.

The breath caught in Claire’s throat as Louis looked up at her. It was her brother’s face and brown eyes that stared back at her. Fighting tears, she dropped to her knees before him and smiled. Dear lord, if she had not come, what would have become of this child? Her heart ached for him as he waited silently to find out would happen to him next. Claire did not know many children, yet the ones she did know were continually moving, talking, or crying. This one, however, was solemn and still. Tentatively, she took one of his small hands in hers. He didn’t flinch, which she hoped was a sign that he had not been mistreated.

“I understand you are scared, Louis.”

“He will only speak French, Claire.”

She gave Simon a grateful smile before continuing this time in French. “I understand you don’t know me or this man beside me whose name is Simon, yet I want you to know we will never hurt you. I am your aunt, Louis, and I want to care for you, if you will let me.”

He didn’t move, just studied her with that emotionless expression. He had not been starved, as he was healthy enough to the eye, nor were his clothes ragged. However he needed both a wash and a comb, as he smelt of fish and his hair was matted. She wondered who, besides his mother, had hugged him and kissed his soft little cheeks. Had anyone wiped his tears when he cried or sat him on their laps?

“Will you come with us, Louis, for a ride in a carriage?”

Simon lowered himself to his haunches beside her. “Hello, Louis. Are you hungry?”

Claire smiled as the little boy nodded. Simon knew the exact thing to say to make the boy feel more comfortable. It was a trait of his, the ability to weigh a tricky situation and then take the measures necessary to resolve it.

“Come, then, and we shall fill that little belly of yours.”

She held her breath as Simon reached for the boy, his hands lifting him high to settle Louis against his shoulder. Standing, he turned to her.

“Come on, Aunty Claire. Louis and I are hungry.”

Hurrying to her feet, she took the hand Simon held out to her. She had never really liked to be touched, and yet now she found that she liked it very much. Well, what she actually liked was Simon’s touch. Picking up Louis’s bag, she let him and Simon lead her back up the hill to the carriage. As they arrived, she turned for one last look at the ship that had brought her nephew to her, and it was then her eyes fell on the couple walking towards them. “No!” she cried out softly.

Simon turned to see what had disturbed her and then cursed softly. She watched him quickly place Louis in the carriage. “Louis, please wait in the carriage while your aunt and I purchase you some food.”

Relieved, Claire watched as the boy climbed onto a seat, eyes wide as he looked around the elegant interior. Simon then closed the door before turning to face the couple heading their way. “Smile, Claire, and walk with me away from the carriage. Slowly,” he cautioned her as she began to hurry.

“Lord Kelkirk, Miss Belmont, this is a surprise.”

Claire tried to look pleased to see the couple now before her when she was anything but. The Countess of Tinley was a gossip, and by the look in her eye, she knew she was about to get a juicy tidbit.

“What has happened to your face, my lord?”

“An altercation with a pickpocket, I’m afraid. However, no lasting damage has been done.”

“You must tell me what has you both here…alone?” the countess cooed.

“Good morning, Lord Tinley,” Simon said, ignoring the countess’s question to acknowledge her husband.

“Kelkirk.”

“My lord, I must insist you tell me what has you both here in Liverpool alone?”

“We are not alone, Countess. Miss Belmont’s maid is accompanying my aunt while she looks in some of the shops,” he said waving a hand to the left where the shops were. “Miss Belmont and I are taking a walk before collecting her and continuing on our journey.”

“Your, aunt!” The countess declared clapping her hands together. “It has been so long since I saw her.”

“I’m sorry but we are in a hurry, Countess, therefore we must be on our way. However she and my uncle will be visiting me in London soon. Perhaps you could call on her then.”

Anyone listening to Simon would think he was discussing the weather, he sounded unruffled and composed. However it would take more than he to deter the countess when she believed there was a titillating story to be had, Claire thought with a sinking feeling. He was lying to a woman who cut her eye teeth on gossip. The countess liked to know everything about everyone and she would question them until she had the answers she desired, and if they were not forthcoming, she would simply make them up.

“But to leave so early in the season, Lord Kelkirk… Where is it you and Miss Belmont travel with your aunt?”

“And you, Countess? What has you here in Liverpool?”

Claire watched the woman’s eyes narrow as Simon deflected the question. “We are visiting with Captain Withers as we do every year at this time, my lord.”

The silence that followed made Claire’s toes curl inside her shoes.

“I’m sure I overheard your mother saying you were visiting with the Duke and Duchess of Stratton at their estate, Miss Belmont.”

“We had a change of plans,” Simon said calmly.

“We?” The countess cooed. “I had not realized you were such friends, my lord.”

This was bad, bad, bad. Claire felt the water close over her head as she struggled to come up with any excuse for why she was here with Simon.

“It seems our secret is out, darling.”

Shocked, Claire looked up at Simon, who, in turn, was smiling down at her. However the gesture did not reach his eyes.

“Simon, no–”

“Secret, Lord Kelkirk?”

“Miss Belmont has consented to be my wife, and we are on our way back to London after visiting with my aunt and uncle, Countess. I would ask that you keep our little surprise for a few days, if you could.”
Claire couldn’t speak. Her tongue seemed to have swollen, and her limbs felt suddenly heavy. Dear god, what was Simon thinking? She had to put a stop to it before the countess had a chance to tell anyone. “No, really, Lady Tinley–”

“It’s all right, darling. We can rely on the earl and countess to keep our secret.” His tone was light, yet there was nothing gentle about the fingers that dug into her waist.

“Congratulations, Kelkirk!” the earl boomed.

“And the dear little child I saw with you, my lord? To whom does he belong?”

“He is my driver’s child, Countess.” Simon said, looking at Merlin who was seated on the carriage behind him. “I let him come along when his father is going on long journeys, as his mother passed a few months ago.”

More guilt piled onto Claire’s shoulders as Simon invented another lie on her behalf.

“That is very sweet of you, my lord,” the countess said believing his every word. “But now we must away. Come, husband, we will leave the lovebirds to their journey. Congratulations to you both,” the countess gushed, kissing Claire’s cheek. “Of course your secret is safe with us.”

Like hell it was.

She watched the elderly couple leave before turning to face the man at her side. “Dear god, Simon, what have you done?”

The hand on her back fell away. “And what would you have me say? That you are here to collect your dead brother’s illegitimate child and that you spent three nights in my arms, one of them doing things only a married woman should? Damn it, Claire, you have no maid or companion with you, had that woman decided to pursue the matter then she would have found that out. What else could I say?”

“I won’t let this happen!”

“Too late. Now get into the carriage before your nephew gets frightened over our absence.”

His voice was cold and emotionless and the fingers on her wrist hard.

“No, Simon, I won’t let this happen.” She tried to get his fingers off her wrist, but he just kept on walking and towing her with him.

“It’s done. Now be quiet and get in the carriage.”

“Don’t tell me to be quiet,” Claire snapped at him. She was horrified at what he had just done, especially as he had done it to save her. “I have every right to talk to you about this. You have no wish to marry me, just as I have no wish to marry you.”

He stopped suddenly, spinning her around to face him. “What would you have had me do, Miss Belmont? It was not only your reputation at stake.”

“You should have blamed me. I told you I would probably be retiring from society, anyway. Now it is going to be so much worse. My family will hear about this before I have a chance to clear things up.”

“I have told the earl and countess we are to marry, so we will.”

She had rarely seen that look on Simon’s face. It was closed and emotionless. There was none of the softness she had come to know so well. His eyes were cool grey pools as they looked down at her. He would do this because he was an honorable man, but Claire would not let him. “We could never marry. You would not be happy, nor would I.”

The hands on her arms tightened briefly, and then he released her. “It’s done and there is one area in which we are compatible. The rest will follow.”

“You’re being deliberately vulgar.”

“I’m being honest. Believe me, it is a lot more than many marriages start with. Now get in the carriage.” And that, it seemed, was his final word, because he opened the door and bundled her inside.

Louis was huddled in the corner when they entered. He looked at their hands and noticed they were empty and frowned.

“I promise to get your food soon, Louis–have patience,” Simon stated, patting the boy’s head. The child nodded and then watched Claire take the seat opposite him.

“I will fix this, Simon. I promise,” she said slowly.

“Let it be, Claire.” He sounded so tired suddenly, as if the last few minutes had aged him, and the effort of talking was beyond him. She had done this to him– stepped into his well-ordered life and disrupted it, and only she could change it back. She had to, or she would never be able to live with the consequences.

“I’m so sorry, Simon.”

One big hand rested briefly over hers, and then he knocked on the roof, and soon the carriage was on its way. After getting Louis his food, they traveled until it was dark. The boy slept for a while, his head resting in Claire’s lap, but woke when they stopped at another inn for the night. Simon explained to the proprietor that they were a family and needed lodgings. A supper was brought to their rooms, and after they washed their faces and hands, Simon told her he would see to Merlin and Ben and that she and Louis should sleep on the bed whilst he slept on the floor. Before she could reply, he left the room. With a heavy heart, Claire found Louis’s nightshirt and helped him into it. She then tucked him into bed and sat down beside him.