Tenacious Trents 01 - A Misguided Lord (20 page)

She glanced at the purse Clayton had
tossed on the table. She had stared at it after he left, wondering
how much it held and if she wanted it after all. To take the money
branded her a whore, but hadn’t she already decided to become one
when she made the bargain with Bentley? Why was the thought of
taking the money this way so distasteful now?

As much as she wanted and needed the
money, she couldn’t make herself take the purse. She was certain to
regret it in the days to come, but she couldn’t bring herself to
take the payment. Doing so would make what happened with Bentley
all the worst somehow.

Shoving the sheets into the satchel
Eleanor left the summer house without a backward glance.

Birds were chirping and going about
the morning as she opened the back door of her home. The sounds
were once cheery, but not today. Nobody had risen and she quietly
made her way up the stairs, careful to avoid places on the steps
that creaked. Entering her room she closed the door silently behind
her and dropped the satchel. Exhaustion pulled at every part of her
being but doubted she would be able to sleep. All she needed to do
was keep busy and try to find a way to raise the rest of the money.
There had to be something she hadn’t thought of. Perhaps she could
appeal to her grandfather for a loan, but pride stood in the
way.

That blasted pride again. Look what it
had gotten her so far. If she thought it would do any good she
would write her grandfather, but she already knew the answer. He
would not give her a farthing if it would go to helping her family
so she must think of something else. As much as she hated to,
perhaps it was time to appeal to Drake.

After hiding the bag in the armoire
and hanging her cape on a hook, Elle settled at her small desk and
penned a letter to Drake and to meet with him after his guests left
to discuss the possibility of a loan. Just penning the words made
her nauseous but what else was she to do? She couldn’t lose her
home. All she could do was pray she could pay him back as quickly
as possible so that the loan didn’t stand between their friendship.
Her step-father taking loans had gotten them into this mess in the
first place and she was not about to repeat his habits.

She read over the letter
one last time, hoping he would understand why she could not return
to the party. Bentley’s handsome face came to mind and as much as
she wanted to hate him, she could not. He had expected a woman of
experience and she had done nothing to disabuse him of that
fact.
What if he felt responsible for or
thought himself the person who ruined her?
Bentley was honorable. What if he got some fool notion in his
head?

No, he wouldn’t. They’d made a
bargain. It was a bargain that he had terminated almost
immediately, but not before the irreparable damage was done. But,
it had been her choice, her proposition, and she had nobody to
blame but herself. It just hurt how cruelly she’d been
discarded.

Elle picked up the sand to dust the
letter, but stopped.

But, what if he decided he owed her an
obligation?

Elle dipped the pin into
the inkwell and added
Please inform Lord
Bentley that I do not wish for him to call on me or seek me out
ever again. I have no wish to see him
.

Drake may wonder, but he could ask
Bentley about it if he felt so inclined. Whatever excuse he gave
she would go along with because Bentley would certainly not tell
Drake the truth, unless he wished to face a pistol at
dawn.

*

Clay dressed carefully the following
morning. He had slept little, if at all. His mind was still reeling
from the revelation that Eleanor was, or had been, a virgin until
last night. He had handled the entire situation badly. Very badly
indeed. He could still see the stricken look on her face after he
had thrown the money on the table and informed her that the
previously agreed arrangement was no longer possible. Even she must
understand that he was now obligated to do right by her. He had no
choice but to marry her. A gentleman does not ruin a respectable
woman without consequence.

He stared at his face in the mirror
and pushed his fingers through his hair, trying to make some order
out of ends sticking out in all directions. How he managed to get
into this mess he would never understand. So like his father,
judging, condemning and now tied to her for life. It didn’t matter
that he desired her in his life and should be pleased that his
growing attachment for her could continue without the taint of an
illicit affair. But he couldn’t get past the fact that she had lied
to him. At any point in their relationship she could have told him
that Jamie was not her natural son, but not once had she said a
word and had allowed him to believe the worst of her. What kind of
woman would do that? Anyone else would have been quick to deny such
condemning assumptions, but she had held her tongue and now look at
where it had gotten both of them.

As soon as he had started kissing and
caressing her he knew that one night would not be enough. Now it
appeared he would have her for a lifetime. Yet, there was so much
he didn’t know about her. Of course now he knew why her grandfather
had finally provided a season. She was as pure as any other young
woman being presented. Or, had been, until he’d ruined her, in the
most incredible moment of his entire life.

He could still feel her tremble with
what he’d thought had been desire. How much had been fear? Eleanor
had taken a huge chance last night with her virtue. No, she had
known what she was doing and had been the one to suggest the union.
Why? She hadn’t wanted a house in London, nor jewels. In fact, she
had almost decided against the entire suggestion until he assured
her there were other ways she would be rewarded. Surely the money
he had given her in London had paid any debts. How could the earl
allow his granddaughter to live in the run down house with no
servants? The entire situation baffled him and he would find out
the truth. Today. He had a right to know everything he was getting
in the bargain, which apparently included Jamie, two other
brothers, and an unsupportive grandfather. In fact, Clay had half a
mind to confront the man, but decided to wait until he had all
facts.

Clay turned away from the mirror once
he’d brushed everything into place. What was Eleanor thinking this
morning? He should not have stomped out on her as he had. It had
been childish but he was so shocked at discovering that she was a
virgin, he hadn’t known how to act. Had it been on their wedding
night, he would have been prepared and expectant. But she had just
agreed to be his mistress and one did not expect a mistress to be a
virgin.

Damn, he yanked on his boots, he
shouldn’t have just left her sitting there, horrified by her
actions and horrified by his response. He would have to make it up
to her, and he would. But, not until he had his own answers first.
With those thoughts in mind he strode from his room. Following
breakfast, he would find a way to get her alone. They had much to
discuss.

Eleanor wasn’t at breakfast, but Clay
wasn’t surprised. She normally didn’t make an appearance until
early afternoon. He had a few hours to wait and he needed this time
to prepare for their conversation. As the meal was ending a footman
handed a note to Acker that he read with a frown. He sat it aside
before he spoke. “Miss Westin will not be joining us again. There
are some pressing matters which she must attend to.” Clay met
Acker’s eyes, but the man said nothing more, though Clay could
swear he saw accusation. Perhaps it was his guilty conscious. As
soon as the others began to leave for morning activities he would
ride to her home and demand an explanation.

It was not to be. As soon as he exited
the dining room Acker was at his side. “Join me in the library.” It
wasn’t a request but more of a demand.

“
I hope you don’t intend on
paying a call to Eleanor,” Acker stated once the door was closed
behind them.

“
That had been my
intention.” What had she put in her note? “Why?”

“
Because she specifically
stated that she did not wish to see you.” Acker crossed his arms
over his chest and glared at Clay. “Why?”

“
It is none of your
concern.”

“
I beg to differ. This is
not like Elle. If she were tired, or did have other matters to
attend to, she would have simply left her note as that. Instead she
added that she never wants to see you again. Why would that
be?”

“
It is a private matter
between Miss Westin and myself.” Clay would not tell his friend the
truth. He at least owed that to Eleanor.

“
Then I cannot allow you to
see her.”

Short of having a brawl with Acker to
get out of the house, Clay decided that perhaps it was in
everyone’s best interest to wait, for now. “Very well, then perhaps
you could answer a few questions for me.”

Acker sank into the chair. “I’ll
answer what I can.”

“
Who is Jamie?”

Acker tilted his head to the side and
studied him. “You no longer believe Jamie is her son?”

“
No, and why didn’t you
tell me in the first place? I thought we were friends.”

Acker shrugged. “It wasn’t my place to
tell. Elle said that because you had made your judgment of her that
you didn’t deserve to know the truth. She was very angry at the
time.”

“
For good
reason.”

“
That I never doubted for a
moment,” Acker agreed. “Why do you ask now?”

“
Because nothing adds up.
Her grandfather is bloody rich, yet look at where she lives, with
three boys. It was easy to assume that Jamie was her son due to
circumstances.”

“
Circumstantial evidence
often leads to trouble, does it not,” Acker stated with a hint of a
sarcastic smile.

Clay ignored the statement. “Tell me
who Jamie is and why he lives with Miss Westin. He can’t be over
two years of age and I was told her parents died three years ago.
And, why does she live in such a rundown home with no servants?”
Clay sank into a chair across from Acker.

Acker rose and poured a brandy for
each of them before he returned to his seat. “Elle’s mother married
Stanhope’s youngest son. None in the family were pleased with the
match.”

“
Why is that?” Clay had
accepted the brandy, though he had yet to drink. Instead he held
onto it for security, afraid he would need it in the
end.

“
They met during a summer
gathering at this house. Elle’s mother was the daughter of our
local magistrate. Though a gentleman, he was far beneath the earl
and his family.”

Clay nodded.

“
Elle’s father died when
she was five-years-old. The family treated Elle’s mother coolly and
came close to cutting her direct in polite society. Of course,
Eleanor was loved and adored. When her mother tired of the
treatment, she and Elle retired to her former home. Her father
passed away a short time later so for a few years it was only the
two of them.”

Clayton nodded, wishing Acker would
hurry up with the story. “When Elle was eight her mother remarried
and he moved into the home Elle still resides in. Once this action
was taken, the Earl cut off any support with the exception of a few
pounds a month for Elle.”

“
That is hardly fair. At
least he could have seen his granddaughter was better cared for,”
Clay argued.

“
He would have seen her
educated and dressed in the finest clothing had Elle’s mother let
her go to live with her grandparents, but she didn’t want to lose
her daughter.”

“
No woman would.” The night
he last saw Adele holding onto Julia’s hand flashed through his
mind. She refused to be parted from her daughter as well. Yet,
there was no reason she had to leave, abandoning Clay and his
brothers.

“
In truth, the only reason
her mother took the funds in the first place was for Eleanor alone.
Now that she was married, she wanted nothing from her former
in-laws. In fact, everyone was quite happy in the house until
Elle’s step-father died three years ago. Her mother died six months
later, shortly after giving birth to Jamie.”

“
Jamie is a
step-brother.”

“
Elle is the only mother he
has ever known, which is why he calls her by that name. She has
tried to discourage him but he is too young to understand. All the
other small children have a mama so Elle must be his.”

Clay clearly recalled the day he had
first seen the child with his arms open and up calling to Eleanor.
He had judged her immediately for abandoning her son. How many
other matters had he been wrong about? And, Jordan was the one who
told me her parents had been dead for four years. Why hadn’t he
confirmed this bit of information? Why had he blindly assumed the
worst?

“
Besides Jamie, Elle has
had the responsibility of her other four siblings.”

“
Four? I thought there were
only three boys?”

Acker grinned and shook his head. “You
really need to learn to ask questions and confirm facts before you
start assuming.”

Clay’s face heated. It galled him that
he was more like his father than he realized. How much harm had he
done because of his assumptions and judgments? “Tell me about
them.”