It wasn’t exactly a cheering thought.He wasn’t much of a ladies’ man, not much of a conversationalist, could never produce a string of charming compliments and had no taking ways.And he preferred a quiet life in the country—none of which he understood would appeal to the eligible young ladies currently on the marriage mart.But he’d always believed his fortune and title would smooth the way.
Ironic to reflect that they’d made no difference at all to Tessa Blaxland, widely regarded to be a blatant fortune-hunter.
She clearly thought she could resist her brother’s determination to marry her off again, but Marcus wasn’t so sure.Her vagueness about the circumstances of her second wedding disturbed him.
How had her brother managed to force her when she’d been unwilling?
He didn’t like the sound of that at all.Since first seeing Tessa at that ball, Marcus had given the question of Edgar Blaxland a lot of thought and now, after talking to Tessa again, he was feeling very uneasy about the whole situation.
His aunt might think him a countrified ignoramus, but though he might not have a lot of friends, Marcus did have excellent contacts, including one very useful fellow at the Horse Guards, Gil Radcliffe.He headed there now.
#
ASHORT TIME AFTERLord Alverleigh had left, the front doorbell sounded loudly.Tessa was halfway down the stairs to answer it when it jangled again impatiently.
“What the devil are you answering the door for?”Edgar snapped, brushing past her.“Where the hell is Hodges?”
“I don’t know.”
He swung around.“What do you mean, you don’t know?Didn’t you ask one of the others, you ninny?”
“There are no others to ask,” she said calmly.“All the servants have gone.”
He glanced around as if the servants might be hiding somewhere.He scowled and swore.“That blasted Thracknell woman!”
Her chaperone?“I don’t understand.”
“I found her lurking outside the door when you and I were discussing your imminent marriage this morning.Listening in.”
“There is no imminent marriage,” Tessa said.
“There damn well is, but the stupid bitch must have believed your nonsense.”He pulled off his coat and hat and tossed them at her, as if she had suddenly turned into a butler.“Hodge came to see me a short time later, asking for his wages—demanding them!—damn his eyes.”
“We owe all the servants, don’t we?”
He made a careless gesture.“A paltry few months, curse them.I told Hodge the dibs would be in tune again once you were married, but he obviously didn’t believe me.”
“Because I won’t be married.”
He turned on her savagely, his hand raised.“Contradict me one more time Theodosia, and I’ll hit you!”
Tessa believed him.Edgar had a nasty temper, and he was clearly on the edge of losing it.She turned away to hang up his coat and hat and said in as calm a voice as she could manage, “Whatever the reason, it seems that all the servants have left.I even checked their sleeping quarters in the attic.They’ve taken all their belongings.”She didn’t tell him about the other items they’d absconded with.Edgar had a habit of taking out his temper on the nearest person.
He swore again and stormed off.Knowing he’d be soothing his temper, —but actually exacerbating it—with brandy, assuming he could find some, Tessa hurried to her room to keep herself and Billy out of his way.The little dog greeted herecstatically.She ruffled his ears.It was so lovely to be greeted with such joy.But how would Lord Alverleigh or a prospective employer react to Billy?
She pushed the thought aside.She had enough to worry about at the moment.
First she needed to pack a bag, so she’d be ready the minute a position came up.
Or she had to flee.
She gave considerable thought to the kind of clothing she’d take with her.She’d learned her lesson when she’d been asking about jobs in shops—no fancy, fashionable clothing.An employer wouldn’t wish to be sartorially outshone by a lowly hired companion.
The house was very still and silent as she sorted clothing into ‘keep’ and ‘leave’ piles.Edgar was no doubt drinking.Or he might have already gone out.Most days he slept through the daylight hours, the better to be fresh for his night-time gambling.He only ever went out in the daylight when it was a matter of business, such as his current matter of business: arranging her marriage.
As the ‘leave’ pile grew higher, it occurred to her that she could probably sell these clothes.One of the maids she’d had in the past routinely sold the clothing Tessa cast off and gave her.It would be a handy source of cash.
But where did one go to sell second-hand clothing?She had no idea, and there was nobody to ask.Besides, time was running out: Edgar was determined to marry her off as soon as humanly possible, and from his complacency it seemed that he and Sir Henry might have come to an agreement.
