As much as he looked forward to seeing the best, and perhaps only, friend he’d had before leaving England, this visit was so much more than a simple reunion. It was the beginning of his reintroduction into the society he’d forsaken. The first steps into life as an earl. A life he wanted not one whit.
And likely Spencer’s mother, the Dowager Marchioness, had also precipitated her son’s escapade, determined as she was to see Liam joined to her daughter. Had he not been so disgusted by her obvious husband-hunting, he might have admired her for it. He’d been in the country for a little over three months, had avoided any social gathering or locale which might indicate he was in want of a wife, and yet here she was, sending her son as a harbinger of the future he wanted nothing to do with.
Had Spencer given him any more than two days’ warning, he would have found a way to deny him. He would have made it clear this was the very last thing he wanted. But with not only Spencer, but another gentleman arriving overmorrow, he would be forced to welcome them.
He could only pray it would be a short visit, only hope they would be off on their merry way before Spencer could even think to do his mother’s bidding, and set the stage for Liam’s reintroduction to his sister as well as society. Even if hehadbeen in search of a wife, he would certainly not have looked to the chits society bred for that purpose. He would want someone to match him. A partner. Someone with whom he could share everything, be everything he was.
Someone like Rebecca.
No.That way lay only anguish, disappointment, destruction for them both. Stories like theirs did not have happy endings. No matter how much he may wish it were possible.
If I were free... When I am free—Focus, man! She’ll be here soon. What am I to say?
They were expecting guests. A friend of his. She would know what that meant, and...hate him. But she would hate him just as much if he presumed too much, and tried to explain. Tried to tell her that he wanted none of it, wanted only what they’d had, if only for a little longer. That he wanted more.
His plan...
She will hate you for that, too.
And presuming to say any of that would break their unspoken pact, the fragile balance. Presuming that she did not know her place—nor his—would be an insult. He knew her well enough now to understand that.
It did not stop the fact that he wanted to yell and scream his displeasure. To promise her that he wanted no part of this. To beg her to believe that he would never cause her pain—if indeed the news could hurt her as much as it had him. He liked to think it would, that what they had, meant as much to her as it did him.
And then he would tell her that all he wanted was time with her. It always came back to that.
‘Come in,’ he said, his heart sinking at the sound of the knock.
He heard her confident steps approaching, then stop by his desk, and he found he could not face her.
‘We are expecting guests, Mrs Hardwicke.’
Rebecca. My—
‘Yes, my lord. Mr Brown has already seen fit to advise me,’ she said simply.
Liam turned, not bothering to hide his surprise.
‘Two gentlemen arriving overmorrow.’
Liam nodded slowly, stunned by her coolness. He had expected any reaction but this—wantedany reaction but this.
‘Excellent,’ she continued. ‘We’ve already begun preparations. I thought to give the gentlemen the Blue and Yellow Rooms in the West Wing. Mr Brown will be going to the village to see if he can convince some extra hands to come, though I suspect we will have to make do as we are. He will also be putting in Mrs Murray’s orders, so if you could advise how long the guests will be staying?’
‘I...I don’t know. I hope to see to it that it isn’t long,’ Liam managed, after realising a question had been asked of him, his mind still reeling.
‘We shall plan for a week, then, and proceed from there,’ Rebecca said. ‘The Marquess is presumably coming with a valet, so I do not believe we will be stretched too thinly. It isn’t ideal, and I apologise, for I know it will look quite unseemly for us to be so few. Nonetheless, I hope this suits, my lord. Do advise if I’ve missed anything, or if there are any further arrangements to be made.’
‘Nothing shakes you, does it, Rebecca?’ Liam asked bitterly after a moment. He thought he saw her wince slightly, but a moment later she was as collected as before.
‘How imperturbable you are.’
‘Do you know what makes an excellent servant, my lord?’ she asked.
‘No. Do enlighten me.’
‘An excellent servant anticipates their master’s needs. Knows what to do, how to fulfil their desires even before they themselves are aware of them. I am an excellent servant, my lord.’
‘Be that as it may. You don’t have to...’ Liam groaned, his frustration growing. ‘None of this bothers you? You feel nothing?’ he demanded finally, unable to rein in his own emotions any longer. ‘Nothing at all?’
