The Unwanted Earl (28 page)

“
Oh?” Andrew tilted his head.

Cecilia tilted hers in exactly the same manner. “How lovely for you.”

Now comes the enjoyable part
. He clasped his hands together in his lap. “Actually, I’m hoping it will be lovely… for
you.
”

As the news sunk in, Andrew leaned against the back of his chair. Cecilia plopped down onto a stool at her father’s feet. For several seconds, they remained speechless.

A crease marred their father’s forehead. “No… no of course you must not think that we could—”

“
Please.”

“
But… I… we couldn’t possibly.”

Would they indeed refuse his good intentions? “I want to do this for you. It’s my strongest desire.”

Cecilia remained quiet, but Andrew still shook his head slowly from side to side. “I can’t allow you to spend your own money on us.”

“
Why ever not? You are my relatives.”

“
What would people think? There would be talk. Your reputation…”

“
I’ve already thought of that. If you would perhaps concede to being, say, my steward.” He held up a hand. “It wouldn’t require you to do any manual labor, of course, simply to oversee my workers and make sure they were doing their work in a timely fashion.”

“
I…” Andrew’s cheeks reddened.

Oh no… I’ve embarrassed him.
Conrad placed his hat on the arm of his chair and knelt in front of his father. He took Andrew’s uninjured hand in his own. He swallowed past a sudden lump in his throat. “F-father, I don’t mean to cause you alarm, or hurt your feelings in any way. This is something I can do and something I long to do… for you and yours.” He glanced at Cecilia and back. “If circumstances had been different, I would have had a much different life. But since my mother… since she decided…” He cleared his throat. “Since she made the decisions that she made, I was given no choice.”

“
But… son…” Andrew squeezed Conrad’s hand. “I do appreciate it. Truly… it just would be…”

“
I want to do this for you.
Please
. Allow me?” He blinked rapidly, trying to ward off the tears that threatened to tumble down his cheeks.

Andrew peered down at him. “It’s something you really desire? To have us live… on your property?”

A huge smile spread across Conrad’s face. “Oh yes, it is indeed.”

Andrew shrugged and looked at Cecilia.

Conrad released Andrew’s hand and returned to his chair. “So you’ll accept?”

Cecilia moved to her father’s side and put her arm around his shoulders but said not a word. Andrew reached up and patted her face. “Would you like that, daughter?”

“
Oh, Papa… It’s your decision.”

“
But would you
like
it?”

A whisper, so low that Conrad had to lean forward to hear, came from her lips. “Yes, Papa. Yes, I would. And I know Mama would, too.”

Conrad released the breath he’d not realized he’d held.

“
My wedding day
is tomorrow!” Nervous excitement rippled beneath Amelia’s skin. Her exclamation, however, seemed not to have much effect on her cat Sunny. He barely opened one eye before going back to sleep. At least he’d stopped trying to nap on her wedding dress. Mother would be livid if she found out.

She’d taken it upon herself, no surprise there, to have the arrangements made. At least Amelia was allowed some say in her gown.

She sat down and ran her fingers over the ivory fabric of her dress that was spread out on her bed. Tiny seed pearls lined the edge of the bodice and the cuffs of the long sleeves. Small ribbons of emerald green were tied in bows near the hem, giving the dress some added color. Amelia had wanted her gown to be solid emerald, but Mother wouldn’t hear of it.

She lifted her shoulders in a shrug. No matter.
I still get to marry my sweet
Conrad.
When he’d visited her and told her who Cecilia really was to him and his plan to help them financially, she’d loved him even more than she had before. Although she’d been quite angry and hurt when he’d first arrived.

The thought that he and Cecilia might have been involved… She swallowed and shook her head, ashamed at her words that day. Accusing him of the worst sort of behavior. Shame brought heat to her face. What he must have thought of her, running away from his house, refusing to see him when he called and then being cruel to him when he did gain entrance into her home.

But he had made it clear that he still wanted her. Longed to be with her. When he touched her face or kissed her, she harbored no doubt of his thoughts. She sighed. Tomorrow morning would be the ceremony, then a reception, and finally…

Amelia touched her fingers to her lips. She had kissed Conrad, more than once, and held his hand. Beyond that though…

Beyond that was a mystery. What would happen tomorrow night? Had Conrad had prior experience? Something told her that no, he hadn’t. He’d indicated that women usually did not care for his company, and since Cecilia had turned out to be his sister and not his…

Time to stop dwelling on her flawed past assumptions. The important thing was that she was to be his wife. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her middle, barely able to contain her joy.

A knock came from the door.

Probably Annie, who’d been even ruder to Amelia since finding out that she’d been replaced as a chaperone by Cecilia.

She smoothed her hands over the dress one last time and then hung it in her armoire. “Come in.”

The door opened. But it wasn’t Annie. “Mother?”

“
I need to speak with you, Amelia.” She slipped into the room and shut the door behind her.

Her mother never came to her room just to talk. “What about?”

Mother crossed the room and sat on the bed. She patted the coverlet. “Sit with me, won’t you?”

Suspicion slowed Amelia’s steps. What could she want? But when she reached the bed, she sat down.

“
Darling, since you are to be married tomorrow, I thought we should discuss… a few things.”

Oh heavens… she didn’t want to talk about… Heat coursed through her as embarrassment about discussing
that
brought to mind her mother drawing pictures of couples…
Oh dear.
 

Or worse yet, Mother making reference to her and Father when they—

She shuddered. No, surely not.

“
Amelia, you’ve a flush. Are you feeling ill?”

“
I’m fine.”
Just go away.
 

“
Tomorrow will change your life forever. You do realize that, don’t you?”

“
Of course.”

“
Don’t be scared, darling.”

“
I’m not.”

Her mother stroked a finger down Amelia’s cheek. “My poor brave daughter. You have no idea what will happen to you.”

“
Mother, why are you talking like this?”

“
I’m afraid that it’s a woman’s plight to have to put up with certain… things once she’s wed.”

Amelia stood and walked to the window. Anything was better than looking at her mother as she described what Amelia was fairly certain would be coming next.

Steps sounded behind her and Amelia’s shoulder warmed as her mother touched her. “It’s all right to be afraid.”

Amelia turned. “But I’m not afraid.”

“
You don’t need to put on an act for me.”

“
I’m happy I’m going to marry Conrad tomorrow.”

“
Of
course
you’re excited for the ceremony. It’s what happens
after
…”

“
I’m looking forward to
that
, too.”

“
Amelia! How gauche.”

“
Why wouldn’t I want to experience that with my new husband?”

“
It’s unseemly.”

“
Perhaps some would think so, but I don’t.”

Her mother grabbed her by the shoulders. “That’s because you have no idea what’s in store for you.” She turned away. “I was so naïve. I didn’t realize that when you’re alone with your husband—”

Something must have happened on her parents’ wedding night to upset her mother, but Amelia had no desire to hear of it.
Please don’t tell me…
 

“
There are certain
attributes
that a man possesses that a woman does not.”

Amelia covered her eyes with her hand.
She’s actually going to say it.
 

“
You see, a man has a… well it’s sort of a…”

No… no…

“
I guess you could compare it to a smaller version of an elephant’s—”

“
Mother!”

“
You need to hear it before it’s
thrust
upon you at—”

“
Mother, really!”

“
I’m only trying to help, darling.”

“
You’re not helping. Not in the least.”

“
But when your father and I first…”

Stop talking.

“
He took off his trousers and…”

Please stop talking!

“
This
thing
appeared.”

Oh!

“
I nearly had an apoplectic fit right there on the bed.”

Just go away now.

“
And when I realized that he intended to place that, that thing in my—”

“
Mother!”

“
You need to know what’s going to happen to you.”

“
No. I don’t.” She placed her hands on her mother’s shoulders, turned her toward the door, opened it and unceremoniously shoved her out into the hall.

“
Amelia! How dare you—”

As she slammed the door on her mother’s words, she grimaced. While it was true that she had yet to experience physical love, hearing about it from her mother’s point of view was
not
the way to find out about it.

The wedding ceremony
had been brief, thankfully. With the two mothers glaring at each other from across the short aisle, a longer ceremony might have resulted in bloodshed. Amelia couldn’t believe she was married. Married!
Lady Lofton. Lady Amelia. Lady Amelia Lofton.
Would she ever tire of the title? A one-sided smiled crossed her lips. No. Definitely not.

A warm hand wrapped around her waist. “Ready for the reception, darling?”

Amelia sighed and leaned into her husband’s arm. Her dream had come true. She was married, but that was only part of it. Conrad, as amazing as it seemed, did truly love her, in spite of their nefarious beginning. “Quite ready.”

They were helped down from the carriage by the footman. They’d ridden in the carriage alone. A first, since they’d always required a chaperone. Amelia took her husband’s arm. “I know we don’t need Cecilia anymore. But I’m going to miss her company.”

“
We can see her as often as you like. I also enjoy her company, you know.” He patted her hand on his arm.

“
True. Now she’ll visit us as a friend and a
sister
.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“
Not that I’ll tell anyone.”

“
I know you won’t. I trust you completely.”

Amelia let out a sigh. “Thank you.”

“
And perhaps we won’t be able to acknowledge her as a sister, but I plan to tell everyone that she is our relation.”

“
A cousin?”

“
Distant, yes. It may be acceptable if we use that title for her, instead.”

“
I wish you could say who she really is. Acknowledge your relationship.”

“
As do I. Nevertheless, she, her mother and Andrew will always be family.”

“
I’m glad.”

“
The interesting part of that will be
my
mother’s
reaction.”

“
I think interesting may be putting it mildly, Conrad.”

He laughed. Such a hearty sound. When she’d first met him, he rarely even smiled.

They entered through the gate to the Bird Sanctuary and walked along the same path they’d taken before. Conrad, though still not liking birds in any form, had made great strides in his willingness to participate in more frequent outdoor activities. And Amelia had told him that she would reciprocate. Whenever he was content to stay indoors, she would stay with him.

Small price to pay for marrying her true love.

Perhaps, if he sat next to her, she’d even find enjoyment in needlework.

Dappled sunlight through swaying tree branches caused Amelia to squint. Surely Conrad had issues as well, as he seemed especially sensitive to the sun’s brightness. Whereas some might be impatient with him for his reactions to things and his sensitivities, Amelia felt a fierce protectiveness, wanting him to be comfortable and content.

A light breeze lifted small wisps of hair nearest her face. The day was absolutely breathtaking. Blue skies. Twittering birds. The pungent scent of pine trees.

And the perfect man at her side.

As they continued on, passing several trees and benches, they neared the spot that Amelia had chosen for the reception. Voices could be heard. Also
quacks
and
proop-proops
of the ducks in the nearby pond. She glanced at Conrad to gage his reaction. Would he be alarmed? Anxious?

With his pleasant expression, he appeared calm. Content. Happy. All the things she wanted for him.

They crossed a grassy field and passed beneath a natural canopy of tree branches that opened onto a lush valley of wildflowers and chirping birds. Their guests came into view, standing as a small group. Conrad’s mother had her arms crossed over her chest. Amelia’s mother simply frowned. Oliver and Lucy stood side by side, and Amelia’s father gazed off into the distance.