Heaven help her.
After he returned to England, Matthew began immersing himself in the estate ledgers, seeking ways to occupy his time. There was a mountain of correspondence he’d neglected since his return from India, which gave him a purpose.
He noticed that they had received several letters from a woman named Sarah Carlisle. He had no notion of who she was, but there were at least six letters from her, all sent within the past year.
He slit open the first letter and was about to read it when his mother interrupted with a knock upon the open door. She strode into the room in a swirl of blue skirts. “Matthew, you really ought to venture out of this study,” Charlotte bade him. “Your cousin Juliette is hosting a supper party this evening.”
Matthew winced at the thought. “I hardly think it would be wise. I am not interested in anyone’s company just now.”
“You have a seat in Parliament,” his mother pointed out. “And you must try to take your place in society. It is your responsibility as the earl.”
Then she sent him a pointed look, adding, “It is also your duty to marry a young lady from a good family and sire an heir.”
Matthew could not imagine how his mother could come up with such a suggestion. “I am hardly fit to marry any woman.”
She moved closer and touched his arm. “But each day grows a little easier, does it not?”
He didn’t know how to answer that. “I need time, Mother. Just leave me be.”
Charlotte let out a quiet sigh. “Lily’s grandmother wants her to find a new suitor and marry. I understand your cousin Adrian intends to court her.”
The idea of Lily dancing with Adrian made him tense. Or any other man, for that matter. He struggled to force back the possessive thoughts he had no right to. “My cousin would not be an appropriate match for her.”
“Then you had best attend the gathering and stop him, hadn’t you?” With a smile, his mother departed the study.
She had known precisely how to aim her arrow, and it had struck true. He had given Lily time and space, but he found that he missed her company. Was it worse to remain here in this house or to see her with another man? He had no answers to that.
By way of a distraction, he picked up one of the letters from Sarah Carlisle and opened it. Then he blinked and read it again. Five hundred pounds? This woman expected him to pay her such a vast amount? And what was she talking about, protecting his secrets?
This was blackmail, pure and simple. His mood darkened when he opened the second letter, and then the third. All of them repeated her demand for five hundred pounds
But there was one portion of her note that stopped him cold.Your father and I had an arrangement. See that you keep it.
Had his father been paying this woman an ungodly sum over the years? For what purpose? His mood grew grim when he wondered if they had indulged in an affair. A rush of resentment filled him at the thought. He had always idolized his father, believing there was no better man.
He tossed the letters onto the stack, promising himself he would think no more upon it. There was nothing this Sarah Carlisle could do, now that his father was dead.
And he had no intention of discussing any of this with his mother.
For nearly half an hour, Matthew stood on the outskirts of the room, wishing he hadn’t come. Although his mother had demanded that he attend Cousin Juliette’s gathering, he preferred to remain apart from the others.
Yet, when Lily arrived with her mother and grandmother, she studied him with a strange expression before she crossed the room.
Her brown hair was braided in a soft updo with a few flowers tucked in the strands. She wore a light rose gown with two flounces, trimmed with lace. But as she drew closer, he saw that her attention was caught by something on the floor behind him. He turned and saw Beast crouched upon the floor.
“What on earth?” Matthew couldn’t imagine how the kitten had managed to stowaway and sneak into Lady Falsham’s ballroom. He crossed the room quickly, intending to rescue the animal.
“Did you bring a guest?” Lily asked, reaching down to pick up the kitten.
Beast purred, and Matthew ruffled the animal’s ears. Her expression held amusement, and he shrugged. “Honestly, I have no idea how he got here.”
She studied him, her hazel eyes softening. “Perhaps he crawled into your coat pocket and slipped out when the footman took it from you.”
“I think I would have noticed if there was something moving in my pocket.” He plucked the animal from Lily’s hands and set it upon his shoulder. The kitten began nudging his face, and she laughed.
It reminded Matthew of the first night he’d seen Lily, all grown up as a young lady. It had been years since then, but he was still fascinated by her, perhaps now even more so. And there had been a runaway cat, even then. He smiled at the memory.
“Well, however he got here, we’ll have to make sure your Beast gets home safely.” As if in answer to Lily’s suggestion, the animal began crawling down his frock coat.
