Page 44 of The Beastly Earl

“I came to inform you that Bryce is coming for dinner.” The startling announcement made Ewan stare at the dowager countess in amazement. It had been a long time since he’d seen his mother's nephew, and while he liked Bryce, he had no desire to entertain anyone, now or in the future.

“When?”

“Tonight.” The dowager smiled with pernicious glee the moment he jerked in surprise. “I saw him in the village today. He said you’ve been a hermit, and I agreed with him. Naturally, I’d be remiss in my duty as your mother not to remedy the situation.”

“If only you’d conducted yourself so diligently over the years,” he bit out between clenched teeth. “And I’d hardly call myself a hermit, I’ve been busy with estate business for the past year."

"And here I was thinking McCallum was the one attending to your affairs. You never were very good at running the estate.”

The cold, disparaging remark made Ewan wonder why he’d ever come home in the first place. When he’d returned from the Sudan, he’d chosen to avoid the dowager’s company as much as possible. As a child his mother’s antipathy for him had been painfully obvious.

Although his aunt had attempted to shield him whenever she could, she’d failed on almost every occasion. For whatever reason, Wallis had never been capable of defying her sister. He’d never understood his aunt’s submissive behavior or why his mother disliked him so vehemently. Now he no longer cared.

“Since you were the one who decided to invite Bryce for dinner, you will have the honor of hosting him alone this evening. I’ll not be present.”

“As you wish, but I’ll not be alone in welcoming Bryce,” she murmured as a smug smile tilted her lips. “I saw Mrs. Morehouse in the hallway a moment ago, and although startled by my invitation, she graciously agreed to join us for dinner.”

“Whatever game you’re playing, Mother, I’m warning you not to use Lou—Mrs. Morehouse as one of your pawns,” he said with suppressed fury.

“You’re now on a first name basis with the woman?” The dowager arched her eyebrows at him in mock surprise.

At that moment, Louisa walked into the main hall, her arms overflowing with a basket filled with paper, ribbon, and an assortment of nuts and berries. The moment she came into view, the dowager glanced at Louisa then back to him.

“You’re blind to what’s happening in this household, Ewan. Mrs. Morehouse has done nothing but cause upheaval in Argaty Keep since she arrived.” She narrowed her gaze at him and lowered her voice. “You know how difficult Gilbert can be when there’s too much commotion in the house, and her children have a terrible habit of nosing about where they shouldn’t.”

“My brother is always difficult, my lady.”

Ewan kept his voice low as he glanced in Louisa’s direction, hoping she couldn’t hear their conversation. When he focused his gaze on his mother, the dowager countess narrowed her eyes at him, and a venomous smile curved her mouth.

“You think I don’t see the way you look at her?” She raised her voice slightly, and Ewan stiffened. “You’re a fool, boy. There’s a reason you had all the mirrors in the house removed or covered. You know what everyone thinks when they look at you.”

“I don’t care what others think.”

“Others perhaps, but you care what she thinks.” His mother directed a condescending nod toward Louisa, and he clenched his jaw with anger.

“I see Gilbert isn’t the only one in the household whose faculties are failing, my lady,” he snarled.

“I agree. Your delusion as to Mrs. Morehouse seeing you as anything other than a beast would be laughable it if it weren’t so pitiful.”

“Your taste for trying to draw blood with that sharp tongue of yours hasn’t softened with age, mother.” Ewan eyed her with contempt as her words drew more blood than he was willing to admit. “I can only imagine what a hellish existence my father led being married to you.”

“Don’t you ever mention your father to me again,” she snapped as a mask of hatred and loathing settled on her features. “Ever.”

Despite his anger, her vicious reaction startled him. Only once or twice over the years had she mentioned his father to him. Those instances had illustrated her loathing for the previous Earl of Argaty. But it was the flash of humiliation Ewan saw on her face that confused him. It was the first time he could ever remember seeing such a look on his mother's face when his father was mentioned. Before he had a chance to respond, she pinned her cold gaze on him.

“Dinner will be at eight if you choose to join us. Although I’m certain Mrs. Morehouse’s presence will ease any disappointment Bryce might experience at your absence.”

Without waiting for a response, the dowager countess turned and crossed the floor to ascend the stairs. Ewan stared after her with intense bitterness. In the past, he’d always been able to cast his mother’s aspersions aside. Today was different. Today she’d dragged Louisa into their vitriolic relationship.

Ewan turned around to see Louisa and the children sitting on the floor in front of the fire where she was helping them create decorations for the tree. It made for a happy scene. Never in his life had he ever thought to see such a pleasant sight in the Keep’s main hall. As if aware he was watching them, Louisa looked up and smiled at him. If she’d overheard anything of his argument with his mother, there was nothing in her expression to reveal it. Ewan crossed the floor and went down on one knee beside her. As she met his gaze, he arched his eyebrow in amusement.

“I believe there’s a table in the dining hall,” he said with more than a touch of irony.

“Yes, but it wouldn’t be as much fun. Besides the tree smells so wonderful.”

Her laughter stirred an unexpected sensation inside Ewan as she leaned forward to help Wills who was struggling with a paper chain. Ross was busy threading a second strand of holly berries with a needle. The first strand the boy had threaded had been used to make a small circular ornament. Ross stopped what he was doing and grinned at him.

“Here Father, sit beside me. I have another needle you can use to thread these currants and gooseberries.”