Lucas also stood up then, with two spots of red on his cheeks showing how angry he was. "Owen, I am fully aware of my sister’s trust fund, given I am trustee of it, and this really is none of your concern. However, for your information, the majority of the funds were invested in such a way that they received a poor return and what remains is practically worthless."
Owen was clearly very angry when he heard this, also seeing how upset his sister now was, and he demanded an explanation for what he described as the misappropriation of the funds. Suspecting correctly that they had somehow been removed from the trust by Lucas, to find their way into his brother’s own pocket. He also mentioned the trust monies his father had wanted him to receive when he was twenty-five years of age, and said that he surmised they had been dealt with in the same way as his sister's.
Lucas had by this time a snide look on his face. Without raising his voice he said, coldly, "You must wait and see, dear brother. In the interim, let us not speak of it further for it does bore me. Pray, sit down and let us take our breakfast as a family.I have already spoken to Lord Dilley this morning. The matter is non-negotiable, and the arrangements are already in hand for your wedding, Sophia. He wishes shortly to travel abroad, taking his new wife with him."
Lucas smiled at her then. "I am sure you will also not have any objection to your husband handling the small amount of money which is left in your trust fund. He will be spending some of his time when you are abroad negotiating business deals with his connections, which will effectively result in both sides of our family becoming richer. The first meeting has been arranged, so you will need to board a ship crossing the Channel as soon as possible. With this in mind, Lord Dilley intends to obtain a common licence so that you can be married by the end of the week.
As soon as Sophia tried to object more strongly, and give an outright refusal to go along with this charade, Lucas reminded her that the situation was entirely of her own making. If she had been more reasonable and considered the other gentlemen properly, whom he knew were interested in her, she could have been happily married by now to the man of her choice.
Sophia began to cry in earnest and Owen intervened again, trying to protect her. "Lucas, that's hardly fair! Sophia didn't have any choice of who would be on your list of eligible suitors. I demand that you reconsider what you are doing. You must know full well that Papa would never have countenanced something ascruel as this, or used Sophia's trust fund to further his own aims. Especially since a lot of the money in it came from our grandfather," Owen said, sadly. Knowing before the words had left his lips that he was wasting his time.
Lucas laughed, as he looked from Owen to Sophia then back at his brother again, before the tone in his voice changed to one which was as cold as ice. "You dare to try and interfere, brother. Accusing me of going against my father's wishes for the family. Let me remind you that I am well within my rights to do this, as your sister’s guardian." He cleared his throat before he continued.
"Also to arrange for you to secure a small living in the country as a curate which shall be befitting for your status and, as you rightly mentioned, depleted trust funds which I am again entitled to do. I intend to look into that as soon as Sophia is married. Lord Dilley will be an excellent addition to our family. I am very much looking forward to having him as a brother-in-law. I will not have any more objections to it from either of you. Do you understand me?" He said, glaring at both of them.
"But Lucas..." was all Sophia managed to say before he had turned on his heel with a face like thunder, and strode from the room.
Owen hurried to Sophia’s side, and held her as she sobbed. Whispering how sorry he was, and that he would think of something to put a stop to this gross injustice, but without having the least idea what that might be. Also knowing that he would only have a very short time to do it and unconcerned whether or not Lucas would find his behaviour unseemly in comforting his sister like this. As far as he knew he was only doing what his father would have wished while Lucas didn't seem to have an ounce of compassion, let alone love in his body. Owen knew for certain then that he had been right to fear the worst after their father died.
Owen knew that Papa did have doubts about leaving everything in Lucas' control, and this was the reason he had told him about the trust funds. Sadly however, the knowledge was insufficient for Owen to stop Lucas from stealing the money fromthem. Their father hadn't disowned Lucas when he should have done, because Mama had by this time died and she would never have a word said against her first born son. Sophia had only been eight years old at the time, and Papa let the matter drift. So that even when Lucas began to behave badly, and he doubted him nothing was done about it.
Owen wasn't concerned for his own needs since they were few, but he was exceedingly worried about his sister being married and then under the control of a man like Lord Dilley. Lucas should have had the backbone to help her choose someone suitable. As he would have done, had it been his place to do so. He welcomed the thought of no longer being in his brother’s household, or anywhere near him. The stipend would be small, but if he was careful he could manage. Although he was well aware that his own hope of marrying for love and having children would be thwarted, if there was insufficient money to support them all.
"Have faith, Sophia! All will be well," Owen said, gently. Hoping in his heart that it would be so, or that they might have been able to turn back time if fate had been kinder to them. But their father wasn't to blame. Lucas had always been manipulative and difficult, as a child. So that he mostly got his own way, but he had waited until now when he was in a position of strength, to reveal the full extent of his bad character.
All Owen could do was carry on hoping that he would find a way to help Sophia get away from Lord Dilley, and him, before it really was too late.
Chapter3
Edward's heart sank, as he left the employment agency which he had been told was the best in London. Unfortunately, the agent had said that they didn't currently have anyone available who could replace Ruth. Even worse, it might take two weeks or more to find the right companion for the Duchess of Carlfield. He couldn’t stop frowning as he walked. Letting anyone down like this was inconceivable to him. His standards were very high, especially when it came to looking after his family.
Not wishing to return to his office immediately even though his guilty conscience insisted that he ought to be working, he decided to stop at his favourite club near St James' Place for a cup of coffee, and try to read the newspaper in peace. Hoping that this would take his mind off the problem, or possibly give him some fresh inspiration. There might also be someone there who would be able to recommend another agency he could approach.
Thankfully, the club was situated in a side street away from the main road, which had seemed to Edward to be even more noisy and chaotic than usual this morning. In the hustle and bustle of horse drawn carriages, people trying to cross the road, along with the pavement sellers and vagrants. It was a relief when the doorman opened the door to the club, and greeted him by name, stepping aside so that Edward could walk through it into the quiet interior.
He left his hat and cane at the desk, and made his way into one of the smaller rooms where he asked for a coffee to be brought to him. Five minutes later he was sitting in one of the comfortable chairs near the door, with his drink and an unopened newspaper on the table in front of him. His mind was still in a turmoil about what to do next, and whether he should cancel his trip to France, when he was interrupted by a gentleman taking the seat opposite. Edward glanced up at him realising that he vaguely recognised him, but couldn't recall his name.
The gentleman greeted him as the Duke of Carlfield. Placing Edward in an awkward predicament when he was obliged to ask where they had met before, as the man's identity had completely escaped him.
"My apologies for interrupting your reverie, your Lordship," Owen Barlow said politely. "I believe that you did some business with my father, a few years ago. I was with him at the time, albeit a lot younger. However, as we were introduced back then, I was hoping that you wouldn't object to me sharing your table." He glanced around the room which had by this time filled up, then down at the cup he was holding. "I am in desperate need of this coffee, and there doesn't seem to be another seat available. "
"By all means, please sit down, Mr Barlow," Edward replied, as he quickly moved the newspaper to the edge of the table and his cup closer to himself. "I must apologise if I was frowning. It was unintentional. My father used to say even when I was a child that I had a countenance that could terrify even the bravest soul if I frowned. Sadly I am still in the habit of doing it today. Although I do believe that he was only joking." Edward grinned at Owen, and added a further explanation that he did have a lot on his mind which had taken his thoughts miles away. Prompting Owen to nod, and admit that he completely understood. As he was equally preoccupied by a problem.
Edward had taken an instant liking to the young man sitting opposite him, and remembered also that he had later seen his father’s obituary in the newspaper. It had saddened him, as in Edward's opinion, he had been an honest and trustworthy man whose integrity was beyond question. Owen too had the same look about him, an open face which invited trust, and a kind manner. Although he did seem to be a little troubled. It wasn't long however before Edward found himself saying that he urgently needed to find a lady’s companion for his mother. As he would shortly be travelling abroad on business, and didn't wish to leave her alone on his Yorkshire estate. Despite still being a very capable woman, age and infirmity meant that she could no longer do everything she wished to unless she had some help. Without the benefit of a daughter or daughter-in-law, she was also in dire needof female company at home. He gave a bittersweet smile to Owen, expressing the thought that if Mr Barlow had a sister he was certain he would understand the Duchess of Carlfield's need for female conversation, and someone with whom she could follow more gentle pursuits.
Owen couldn't believe his ears, and thought at first that he must be mistaken. As soon as he realised that he wasn't, he decided to seize the opportunity without further ado. Preceding it with another apology about not wishing to appear bold, he told Edward that he completely understood his mother's need for a companion. Also that he did by chance have a sister whom he believed would be a suitable candidate. Adding that Sophia was well educated, had attended a finishing establishment to prepare her for the season, and was passionate about helping others. Carefully omitting any explanation of her need to escape from the horrendous situation Lucas had put her in.
As it turned out the solution was even better than Owen could have dared hope for. He realised this when Edward told him that the Duchess would shortly be returning to the family's country seat in Yorkshire. This meant that Sophia would have the opportunity to leave London very soon, if of course the Duke decided to employ her. Owen couldn't help thinking that Edward did genuinely seem interested in giving her the job. Especially when he went on to say that if Sophia would be happy to accompany his mother on her journey north, could she come for an interview the following day? It was much to the relief and satisfaction of both of them when Owen agreed on Sophia’s behalf that he would accompany her to Edward's town house in Belgravia, at eleven o'clock the following morning, and the arrangement was made.
Edward left the club, with a much lighter heart than when he first went in. Believing that if Miss Sophia Barlow was anything like her brother, and he had no reason to doubt she wouldn't be, he had unexpectedly found the solution to his problem. Owen hastily consumed his coffee, eager to make his way back to his abode and impart the news to Sophia.
He wasn't in any doubt whatsoever that she would much prefer to join Lord Carlfield's household, albeit as a ladies' companion, than become the wife of Lord Dilley who was a truly vile man.
Even though it wasn't in Owen's nature or character to be unkind, or unjust to anyone, he couldn't bring himself to call either Lucas or him a gentleman. Given Sophia’s refusal of Lord Dilley's earlier proposal and the cold manner in which she treated him at dinner last night, it must be perfectly clear to his Lordship by now that he was about to marry a beautiful young woman against her wishes. Whilst as far as Lucas Barlow was concerned he might bear the title of gentleman, but that didn't mean he was anything like it at heart. Sophia deserved so much better than to be connected to either of them!
Owen's thoughts turned then to Edward Carlisle. The kindness in his eyes, and voice had impressed him very much. In particular when he spoke of his mother, it was clearly from a place of love and respect as he was fully prepared to lose a valuable business contract, if he couldn't replace her companion with someone suitable before he was due to leave for Europe, rather than let her down. The contract was clearly of no consequence to him when it came to a choice between his mother's welfare and it. He was exactly the sort of husband Lucas should have been looking for on behalf of Sophia. The Duke of Carlfield was obviously very rich. However Owen also surmised that the fact he was a true gentleman meant he wouldn't be prepared to associate himself with Lucas, and his dubious dealings. So the two were unlikely to have met.
Nevertheless, that could easily pose another problem for his sister in the future. If Sophia could be rescued from having to marry Lord Dilley, and subsequently found a suitor who was a gentleman who might even have a title, would he be prepared to marry into a family which had a man like Lucas at its head? Something which could result in disgrace by association at a later date. However Owen looked at it, only a very courageous and honourable man might be prepared to take the risk of marrying Sophia because of Lucas. Whilst for her Owen knew it would needto be a love match. Since she thought love was the most precious thing in the whole world.
