“Please, do call me Elias. After all, we are family now.” Eli bent over Priscilla’s hand and kissed it, oozing his fake charm. His eye was caught by something when he looked back up, and Ethan turned to follow his gaze, landing upon Alice—Miss Pembroke, rather—who was descending the stairs.
“Ahhh . . . and who do we have here?” Eli drawled. “Another completely enchanting creature gracing the halls of Hampton House?” Ethan’s skin crawled knowing how insincere the compliment was, and how fake his smile.
His stepbrother had always been cynical toward the world, and though not without good reason, Ethan found it difficult to remain on good terms with him. Elias became an earl at only five years old when his father passed, and soon after, his father’s family tried to separate him from his mother, Margaret, due to her common upbringing. When Ethan’s father had married Margaret a few years later and Eli had joined Ethan’s family, he was excited to have a brother so close to him in age, imagining they would become great friends. But even at the age of nine, Eli had already become bitter towards the world and resentful of how the aristocracy had treated his mother. He was a boy determined to go his own way and didn’t want anything from anyone, including Ethan.
Over the years, Ethan had tried again and again to connect with Elias; however, being a Beaumont and the grandson of a marquess tainted him in Eli’s eyes. Elias wanted nothing to dowith anyone in Ethan’s family from day one. The only members of the family he cared for at all were those directly related to him—his mother and Nathalie, who had been born the year after their parents married. He doted upon his sister, and she was the only one who could reason with him.
Ethan understood what had made Eli the way he was, he truly did—and he was even a bit sympathetic, agreeing that the British class system was untenable—but the way he wandered through the world as if he didn’t have a care for anyone or anything always caused friction between them.
And watching Eli turn his deceitful charm on Miss Pembroke made his blood boil. Elias didn’t care a whit for her, only seeing a pretty face he could admire. And if Eli were to discover she represented all that he despised, fully leaning into the life she’d been taught was of more value than others, he would use her up and throw her away out of spite, treating her in the same manner he felt his mother had been treated.
No, Ethan could not allow that to happen. Although Alice hadn’t endeared herself to him, she was young and naive and didn’t deserve to be treated that way. He needed to put a stop to this now.
“Miss Pembroke,” he said, stepping forward and taking her hand as she landed at the bottom of the staircase. A spark shot up his arm at the contact, and she turned her deep brown eyes to him in surprise at his bold move. Ignoring whatever it was he felt, he led her forward to Eli while directing a look of caution at his stepbrother, implying that Alice was special to Ethan and he would do well to keep far away. “I don’t believe you’ve met my brother, the Earl of Cumberland.”
Eli responded with a lifted eyebrow before turning toward Miss Pembroke. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Pembroke. And how are you connected to these fine folk here at Hampton House?” he said, appearing to heed Ethan’s warning.
Alice did not seem to be immune to Eli’s charms, even though he had considerably dampened his usual approach. She blushed prettily at his words before stammering out a reply.
“Oh—I’m . . . I’m Lady Hampton’s cousin. Here to st-stay until the season.”
“Hmmm . . .,” Elias practically purred. “I’ll have to seek you out once festivities commence.”
A profound irritation settled upon Ethan watching the exchange. Why was every woman so charmed by someone so demonstrably false? It was one thing to see Priscilla respond to him, as Ethan knew she was aware of his ways and only playing along. But how was a young girl like Alice to know he was not sincere? It was disheartening, if predictable, to see Miss Pembroke respond to his flattery.
“Do you require refreshment before your return journey?” Priscilla queried politely, subtly hinting that the rogue should soon be making his departure. Maybe she, too, had not liked Eli’s effect on her cousin. “It was so good of you to bring Nathalie to us.”
“Oh, no—but thank you, my dear. I don’t think I’m necessary to complete your party. I’ll be on my way. But it was simplydelightfulto meet you.” The last was drawled as he leaned down to kiss Alice’s hand. Ethan had to restrain himself from lurching forward and snatching her hand away.
For her part, Nathalie simply observed it all in quiet amusement.
“What was that all about?” Nathalie asked, popping her head into his office not much later.
“Are you all settled?” Ethan studiously ignored her question and gestured to the seat in front of his desk.
“Yes, Priscilla showed me to my room and sent a maid to help me unpack. Now, don’t ignore my question.”
As Nathalie sank into the chair, Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose. “It was nothing,” he sighed. “You know how Eli can get under my skin.”
“I do, yes, but on the whole, he was rather well behaved I thought.”
“Well behaved for him, perhaps, but not in terms of generally acceptable behavior.”
Nathalie sent him a pointed look. “He plays the rake, but I don’t think he’s nearly as terrible as he portrays himself to be. And you know that, so give him a little grace and understanding as I try to do.”
Ethan let out a snort. “And therein lies the problem. Why do you always hold him to a different standard and let him get away with such things?”
“Because he’s my brother and has always treated me well, just as you do. Now tell me more about Miss Pembroke, since it seems I’ve been summoned here to be a companion of sorts for her. And I’mmostintrigued seeing how protective you were of her just now.” Natalie sent him a sly look and waggled her eyebrows.
“Oh, please. It’s absolutely nothing like that.” The nerve of his sister to imply any kind of fondness toward Miss Pembroke was simply a step too far. “Honestly, she’s a bit much to handle. Priscilla has placed her in charge of garden renovations, and she’s put a wrench in all my plans.” A frown caused his chin to dimple as he thought of how irritated he’d been when she commandeered his men a few days prior.
“Oh, dear,” Nathalie said with a peal of laughter, “not your plans!”
Ethan shot her a glare. “Stop it, you know I operate better when everything is in order.”
“I know,” she said, sober once again. “It’s why I’ll never understand why you left the law. Your disposition is so suited to it. Here there is only so much you can control.”
Ethan knew this only too well and flinched at the reminder. England was just beginning to emerge from the detrimental effects of the Year Without a Summer. This was largely part of why he had chosen to take the position in the first place and why he wished to move on from the garden entirely and give his full focus to earning the trust of the tenants. Their confidence would be needed as he proposed different types of crops to aid in restoring the soil.
