Page 25 of Almost a Countess

A good plan, save for twocomplications. First, the storm had turned the roads to muck,making it more dangerous, nay treacherous, for a man to ride atnight with no moon to light the way on unfamiliar roads. Andsecond, the two mile walk home, mostly in slippery wet boots, hadaggravated his ankle. It had swollen when James had taken the bootsoff. Finn was now wearing someone’s slippers that were too big butat least comfortable. Still, Finn doubted he’d be able to put theboots on again for a day or two at the least.

A third reason hovered in Finn’s mind.He didn’t want to leave Miss Harper here all alone. She hadservants, of course, though precious few of them, but they would beno match for a determined intruder bent on mischief. After thechilling comment Scarlet had made, Finn knew the lady should not bealone on the estate. His presence here might deter anyone whoattempted an attack. Unfortunately, to be effective as a deterrent,his presence must be known. And such a revelation would havedisastrous effects for them both. He’d be recaptured immediately,and her reputation would be in shambles. When her parents heard ofit, he’d probably be forced to marry her, and while he wasn’tactually averse to the idea, he doubted Miss Harper would beparticularly sanguine about it. Neither would her father, mostlikely. Oh, he had a title to be sure, and the earldom’s propertieswere doing well enough, but to have his daughter forced intomarriage with a Scotsman accused of treason would not be anyEnglishman’s ideal.

“First, I need tae askwhen yer parents can be expected tae return. While that wouldprecipitate my leaving, it would help ye in the event the soldiersprove unruly.”

“I doubt I will be in anydanger from them, my lord.” Miss Harper’s face reddened.

“I think ye dinna ken thedanger ye’ll be in.” She might not wish to discuss such unsavoryideas, but she had to understand how vulnerable she actually was.“When will yer parents return?”

Miss Harper sighed. “I believe I mayhave exaggerated a bit about my parents, my lord.” She took herwineglass and drank until it was dry. “They are currently residingin Wiltshire, at my father’s primary residence. To my knowledge,they have no plans either to come here or send for me.”

All Finn could do was stare at her andattempt to quell the anger that licked through him. Why wouldanyone abandon their daughter in an obviously vulnerable anddangerous position on a remote estate in the Yorkshire countryside?It was unheard of in good social circles. A young woman’sreputation was paramount if she were to marry well. To be sent tothe country without benefit of chaperone or protector or even afull complement of servants was reprehensible. “May I ask why theyhave taken such an exception tae yer company, MissHarper?”

The lady examined her empty wine glasswith intensity, careful to keep her gaze on the glassware and nothim. “I think I had told you something of that earlier. Last year,I was betrothed to Lord Trevor. I had been promised to him since Iwas seven years old.” She paused and looked at him, as if awaitinga reaction she’d seen before.

Finn merely nodded. He’d heard oflasses as young as twelve marrying in Scotland, so to be betrothedat seven seemed no great stretch for the law to allow. “Did yedislike the gentleman?”

Shooting him a curious glance, sheshook her head. “I never even met him until early last year, justbefore my eighteenth birthday. My father had insisted the weddingcould not take place until I reached an acceptable age.”

“Sae ye could see if thegentleman would suit?”

A sharp bark of laughter met hisquestion. Miss Harper then signaled James for more wine. “To keepthis property—Bromley—as long as he possibly could for his ownpurposes. I was the bargaining chip, you see. Lord Trevor’s familyhad wanted it for generations. They bided their time until a son oftheir house was of a suitable age to be married to a daughter ofours. My father had married off my older sisters for otherconsiderations before I was born. When I came along, the Trevorssaw their chance. The current Lord Trevor was only ten years oldwhen I arrived, so he was made to wait for me until I was oldenough to marry him. We neither of us had any choice in thematter.”

“And this Lord Trevor wasagreeable tae this scheme?” Finn’s hackles rose. The gentlemanshould have spoken up about such a business deal disguised asmarriage to a child.

“The first time I met him,he seemed rather indifferent to the whole affair.” She shook herhead. “I don’t think I even registered as a person to him. Hewasn’t mean or rude, just disinterested. Like he’d thought onlyabout acquiring the property and didn’t realize that the marriagewould also bring him a living, breathing wife as well.” She smiledand looked away, as if lost in thought.

“He sounds like a loun,Miss Harper.” Good thing the man wasn’t present. It would not haveended well for Trevor.

“He is actually a verygood and extremely kind man, my lord.” She continued to smile, andenthusiasm returned to her voice. “When we met again, last fall inLondon, he tried very hard to put me at my ease with him. It was asif he understood I was unsure of everything and tried to make thesituation easy for me.” Sadness crept over Miss Harper’s face. “Isuspect I’d have fallen madly in love with him, to my grief, hadFate not stepped in.”

“The current Lady Trevor?”Finn’s heart went out to the lovely woman across fromhim.

“Yes.” A pensive look cameinto her eyes. “I’m not certain where or when he met Violet, but Ibelieve it was in London that autumn. He’d changed then from whenI’d first met him. Much kinder and more attentive to me, moreinterested in seeing to my comfort when he came to Wiltshire inJanuary, to prepare for the wedding—it had been postponed from thefall when my sister-in-law Judith had an accident. We were mostdistraught at her condition and, in hopes of her recovery, put thewedding off until after the holiday.”

“Ye and she were goodfriends?” Fascinated, as Miss Harper poured her heart out to him,Finn couldn’t help but prompt her for even more information. Hewanted to know everything he could about this kind, caring womanwho was carving out a small niche in his heart.

“Yes, we were. She hassince recovered her faculties, I’m glad to say.” Her smilereturned, like a blaze of light on a dark day. “She is now happilyremarried to a childhood sweetheart. But please forgive me. I’m sosorry to have taken over the conversation with my sad little tale,my lord. I would not wish you to think me a bore.”

“Never would I deem yeboring, Miss Harper. Far from it.” He signaled James to bring thewine again. “Ye may leave the bottle.”

Miss Harper nodded to the footman.“That will be all for now, James, Hanson.”

“Very good, miss.” Theservants disappeared into the kitchen, and Finn filled both theirglasses, finishing the bottle.

“Noo, please continue,Miss Harper. I am all ears.” The wine was delicious and had likelyloosened his hostess’s tongue. What better way to discover her thanthis?

“Well,” Miss Harper sippedthe fresh wine and continued, “Violet came to our house inWiltshire as governess to my niece Anna. What we were unaware ofwas that ever since Judith’s injury, my brother had been molestingthe governesses. When he tried the same thing with Violet, Trissaved her quite spectacularly and challenged Simon to a duel forher honor. By then, I knew Tris was deeply in love with Violet.Anyone who saw the way he looked at her would have known. But hewas betrothed to me and, as you know, could not jilt me withoutbecoming a social pariah. So when he issued the challenge, I toldTris in front of my whole family, that under these circumstances, Imust release him from his promise to marry me.”

“Ye did that knowing yerown reputation would suffer?” That kind of sacrifice made himesteem her even more.

She turned a liquid gaze on him. “Iwould never have that look of love from him, my lord. Not if wewere married a hundred years. Would you wish to live the rest ofyour life waiting and hoping for something you know you will neverhave? I wanted my freedom so I could perhaps find a gentleman whowould feel for me what he feels for Violet.”

If anyone deserved that, this womandid.

“Of course, my father waslivid that I had thwarted his plans. After the duel…” She swallowedhard. “After my brother died of his wounds, my parents mourned himas though they only had the one child. My father sent Judith to herparents and me here as punishment for breaking the betrothal.” Witha sigh, she sat back, still holding her wineglass. “I suppose whenI turn twenty-one, I can take my grandmother’s inheritance and dowhat I wish.” She smiled brilliantly. “Buy my own property. Ortravel, perhaps. Everyone says Italy is a marvel. I would enjoyexperiencing their culture for a while.”

“I believe ye will, MissHarper.” Finn had explored the cities and countryside of Italy onhis Grand Tour four years ago. He wouldn’t mind at all seeing itonce more…with a new companion, perhaps.