Page 18 of Lady Controversial
‘Goodness!’ Isolda blinked. ‘Although I cannot think why I am so surprised. It would have been the ultimate form of revenge. But would he have married her, had you not come upon them when you did?’
‘Only if they’d eloped.’ The earl firmed his jaw. ‘I would not have permitted the engagement to go ahead otherwise, despite my mother having given her approval, and well Brooke knew it. As it happens, Jemima told me that he had spoken of elopement. He said he was too impatient to wait for a society wedding to be arranged, making him sound like a man who was desperately in love. It would have appeared hopelessly romantic to such a well-protected girl and she would have been easy to convince.’ He leaned back in his chair and waved a dismissive hand. ‘She is aware of the truth now and bitterly regrets her lapse in judgement.’
‘If the marriage had gone ahead then Brooke would have had a toehold in your family and you would never have been rid of him.’ Isolda felt for him. ‘You put the aggrieved mayor onto him and then scuppered his plans for a comfortable future, so now he is out for some sort of twisted revenge by acquiring the land that surrounds your estate.’ She frowned. ‘But would he really go that far simply to make you feel uncomfortable? Especially if he is aware that you wield more power than he ever will in this part of the world.’
‘Well, there’s the question.’ The earl stretched his arms above his head and flashed another of his lazy smiles. ‘But you must see why I am so worried—for my own family, whom he will torment relentlessly if he takes up residence hereabouts, but more particularly for you and your sister.’ He leaned forward and fixed Isolda with a look of concentrated concern. ‘Don’t make the mistake of underestimating him. His father has recently cut him off, so I hear, and rumours of his cheating at cards will only further sour that relationship, which will make him desperate.’
‘He is unlikely to pursue his interest in Jane if he is seeking a connection to a wealthy and influential family,’ Isolda remarked, satisfaction underlying her tone.
‘He very well might if it is proven that he has cheated at cards.’
The earl sat back, clearly waiting for Isolda to see his point. It didn’t take her long. ‘If he marries into my family, then my father’s estate will remain in his possession, regardless of the manner in which he first acquired it.’ Isolda bit her lower lip in some agitation. ‘I should have trusted my instincts and kept Jane well away from him. I knew there was something not quite right about the man.’
‘What makes you suppose that it’s Jane he has set his sights on? You said yourself that he looks at you in a way that makes you uncomfortable.’
Isolda blinked back her surprise. ‘You surely cannot imagine that he favours me?’ She threw back her head and laughed. ‘No one notices me if Jane and I are in the same room. He probably only looked at me in disapproval because I do not hang on his every word and agree with whatever he has to say for himself.’
‘I noticed you,’ he said softly, ‘and I am sure I’m not the only one. There is most definitely something about you.’
She glanced down at her torn and scruffy attire, reminded herself that she must look a fright with her tangled hair and grazed forehead, and smiled. ‘Thank you for the compliment, but it is quite unnecessary.’
‘On the contrary, I think it beyond time that you realised.’
‘Realised what? Oh, never mind.’ She waved the question aside. ‘I still fail to understand what Lord Brooke plans to do with the land he’s attempting to acquire, or how he hopes to inconvenience you by owning it. However, I shall give the matter some thought and perhaps find a way to pose casual questions to my aunt when we next meet. I think Brooke sometimes confides in her.’
‘I can ask no more of you.’ He stood, presumably with the intention of taking his leave, and Isolda was gripped by a ridiculous desire to detain him. She pushed the feeling away, aware that he had already stayed for far longer than she had expected him to and that his prolonged occupation of Mrs Compton’s kitchen would be causing their cook some inconvenience. ‘Send a message if you hear from him, please.’
‘Very well, if you think it necessary.’
The door opened and Jane sailed through it, dressed to the nines and far too flamboyantly for such an early hour, to say nothing of her surroundings. Her obvious desire to impress the earl made her look faintly ridiculous.
‘Ah, Lord Finchdean,’ she said disingenuously, ‘I had no idea that you would still be here.’
‘I am on the point of leaving,’ he replied. ‘Accompany me to Legacy, if you will, Miss Crawley.’
‘With pleasure,’ Jane said, stepping towards him.
Isolda almost smiled when Jane’s mouth dropped open and her expression darkened. Clearly, she had supposed she would be invited to walk with the earl, but it was Isolda to whom he proffered his arm. She placed her hand on it and they left the kitchen, leaving Jane pouting in their wake.
‘My poor sister thinks you have taken leave of your senses,’ Isolda told him on a gurgle of laughter.
‘Then you can have the pleasure of assuring her that my senses have never been in better working order,’ he replied, and she felt the muscles in his forearm tighten imperceptibly beneath her fingers.
‘Foolish man! I would be wasting my breath.’
He chuckled but made no response, instead focusing his attention upon Brutus, who had followed them outside and seemed equally committed to them both.
‘Are you sure you don’t want him back?’ Isolda asked, dreading that the earl would say he did.
‘Keep him with you. He’s actually quite a good guard dog. Don’t let appearances fool you. Your need is greater than mine.’
‘Thank you.’ She offered the earl an uncontrived smile. ‘I shall take the very best care of him.’
‘I have no doubt that you will.’
Isolda missed the support of his arm when he gently disengaged it from her own and strode across to the place where he had secured his stallion’s reins to a hitching post.
‘I hope I shall have the pleasure of seeing you again very soon, Miss Crawley, and that you suffer no long term effects from your accident.’
