The Reclusive Earl Read online

  Warren put his hand over his stomach and sat by her vanity. “I’m not ready for this. I wish I’d realized how difficult this was going to be when I agreed to let you have a Season.”

  Iris went over to him and rubbed his shoulder. “Opal is right, Warren. She deserves to have a good gentleman in her life.”

  “That’s the problem. Making sure she ends up with a good gentleman. There are so many rakes out there, and some are bound to slip into the ball tonight.”

  “You made that list,” Iris said. “Why don’t you go over it again?”

  Though Opal had memorized the names he’d given her many times over the past two weeks, she joined Iris in encouraging him to read his list, thinking it might make him feel better.

  “All right,” he said as he pulled the neatly folded parchment from his pocket. “Lord Whitney would make a good choice. No scandal has touched him, and he loves to read. In fact, he spends most of his days with his nose in a book. I’ve seen some of the books he’s read, and most have to do with ancient cultures.”

  Iris winced. “My father says he’s boring.”

  Opal had to admit he did sound boring by the way her brother described him. She should have asked him earlier what the gentlemen were like instead of being concerned with how they looked. Even if Warren had assured her that Lord Whitney was handsome, she didn’t know if she wanted to spend the rest of her life discussing cultures that were no longer around.

  “Better to be with a boring husband than one who engages in scandalous behavior,” Warren said.

  “Even better than that is a husband who is exciting and doesn’t engage in scandals,” Iris countered.

  He let out a long, audible sigh. “Fine. We’ll put him at the bottom of the list. What about Lord Bridgeton?” His gaze went to Iris. “Do you like him?”

  “I don’t know anything about him,” Iris replied. “Is he new to London?”

  “No. He’s been at White’s for three years, and he is actively engaged in the social scene.”

  “What social scene?”

  “The typical scene an honorable gentleman would be caught in.”

  “Which would be?”

  Amused by the way Iris was pressing him, Opal bit her lower lip so she wouldn’t interrupt.

  Warren shrugged. “The same kinds of things I did before I married. He goes to the museum, White’s, dinner parties, balls.” When Iris stared at him expectantly, he asked, “What more could a lady ask for?”

  “If he’s been all around London for three years, my father should have mentioned him,” Iris said.

  “He’s terribly shy. People probably overlook him.”

  “You mean in the same way people had a tendency to overlook me?”

  His face grew pink. “That wasn’t intentional. I honestly didn’t remember your name before we married. I wasn’t trying to be cruel.”

  “I know, and I don’t hold any of that against you. I was being sincere in asking if Lord Bridgeton has the same situation I did.”

  “Well, actually, it’s worse than that. Lord Bridgeton has a tendency to,” he hesitated then forced out, “hide.”

  “Hide?”

  “He’s extremely shy.”

  The grandfather clock chimed in the hallway, and Opal decided this whole thing was pointless. This discussion could go on all night if she let it.

  “Why don’t we go to the ball, and you can introduce me to the gentlemen as you see them,” Opal suggested.

  “She’s right,” Iris said. “She needs to meet them for herself to make a decision about them.”

  Though reluctant, Warren folded the parchment, slipped it back into his pocket, and stood up. “All right. But,” he glanced at Opal, “I hope you won’t base your decision only on how good looking they are.”

  “I won’t,” Opal promised. “I’ll carefully weigh how attractive they are with how nice they are.”

  “That’s a good balance,” Iris told Warren.

  “Yes,” he began, “but I really hope she doesn’t put too much emphasis on how they look.”

  “She’s a very pretty lady,” Iris replied. “She has a right to have someone equally attractive. Also,” she added just as he opened his mouth to protest, “she’s intelligent. She can figure out which gentleman is nice, especially since she has you as an example.”

  “Iris is right. I will compare all of them to you,” Opal added.

  Looking somewhat relieved, he consented and led them out of the room.

  ***

  A half hour later, Landon didn’t know if going to Lord Steinbeck’s ball to pay off his brother’s debt was a good idea or not. However, since Lord Asheley had insisted on it, he walked up the steps to the townhouse with Guy right beside him.

  “You don’t have to say a lot,” Guy whispered. “I’ll do most of the talking.”

  Landon wasn’t so sure that was a wise plan. His brother got into this trouble partly because he had talked to Lord Asheley to begin with. But, for the moment, he was willing to go along with Guy’s idea. If Guy started getting into trouble, Landon would speak up then.

  The two entered the ballroom, and at once, Landon was overwhelmed by the number of people in the room. Gentlemen and ladies were dressed in their best, and from the looks of it, they were enjoying themselves. How he envied their ability to relax and have fun. They didn’t have to worry if the way they talked would make others laugh at them. It would be nice if that could be the case for him.

  His gaze settled on a young lady who was absolutely beautiful. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a flattering hairstyle, and her pink dress accentuated the color in her cheeks. Maybe it was because he’d been stuck in the country most of his life, but he couldn’t help but think ladies were far lovelier than he remembered, especially this one. At the moment, she stood next to an older gentleman who looked so much like her that they had to be related. The two were walking around the room until he stopped and pointed to one of the gentlemen in the room.

  “I see Lord Asheley,” Guy said.

  As reluctant as he was to stop looking at the lady who’d bewitched him, Landon followed his brother over to Lord Asheley, who was talking to two gentlemen Landon didn’t recognize. It didn’t matter, he supposed, since he’d never had anything to do with them.

  Guy bowed as soon as the gentlemen stopped talking. “Lord Asheley. Lord Rossington. Mr. Ritter.”

  “Did you come with the money?” Asheley asked.

  “Yes.” Guy glanced at Landon. “My brother has it.”

  Asheley turned those cold eyes in Landon’s direction. “Do you?”

  Landon nodded.

  Asheley turned his gaze back to Guy. “Considering how much you lost, I don’t blame you for wanting to be discreet. It’s rather embarrassing.” He glanced at the two gentlemen. “I’ll return shortly. This won’t take long.”

  Since Asheley started walking away from them, Landon and Guy followed. Just moments ago, Landon had been thinking London wasn’t all that bad with someone as lovely as that young lady in the town. But all of that pleasantness had faded upon meeting Asheley.

  He glanced at Guy, wondering what his brother had been thinking when he willingly entered into a game with this person. Asheley was rude in so many ways. Not only did he not give them a polite greeting, but he had a sneer on his face that made Landon want to wipe it right off.

  Landon bumped into someone who gave out a slight yelp. Pausing, he turned to the lady. “I’m thorry,” he blurted out before he could think better of it.

  The lady blinked as if she wasn’t sure she heard him correctly. “What did you say?”

  Cheeks growing warm, he said, “Forgive me.”

  “He said he was ‘thorry’,” said the lady who was next to her.

  The lady he’d bumped into started laughing, and another soon joined in.

  Sure that his face was bright red, he hurried to catch up to Guy and Asheley. He’d been doing well in London up to this point, smiling and nodding when ap
propriate. He’d only allowed himself to talk around his brother and sister-in-law, but even then, he’d weighed his words before he spoke. But even after all that, one little slip of the tongue had been enough to start a wildfire of laughter around him.

  “It’s all right,” Guy whispered. “They’re snobs.”

  Yes, Landon had gathered that, but it didn’t make him feel any better. The fact that the ladies were snobs only worsened things because snobs had a tendency to gossip.

  Once he was done giving Asheley the money, he was going to make a direct beeline out of this townhouse, and tomorrow morning, he’d be on his way back to the country where he could get back to his peaceful life.

  Chapter Three

  Opal tried not to yawn as Lord Whitney rambled on about the book he’d just read on the Media-Persian Empire. She couldn’t care less which men ruled it, but he seemed so excited about it that she let him continue talking. As Iris’ father had warned, this particular gentleman was boring. It wouldn’t be so bad if he weren’t so attractive.

  “Darius the Great made Persepolis his capital city,” Lord Whitney said. “Oh, and you might like this! He even conquered India. I don’t know if you ever considered that other empires have been in India. The British wasn’t the first one.”

  “To be honest, I never gave it a thought.”

  “I’m not surprised. Sometimes I think it’s unfortunate ladies aren’t taught more rigorous topics in your education. I have two younger sisters, and our parents encouraged them to learn to paint or play music. That’s a shame, if you ask me.”

  All right, so Lord Whitney did have a commendable quality about him. He believed ladies were just as intelligent as gentlemen. Which explained why he went on at length about the Medes and the Persians in her presence. She could appreciate Warren’s excitement about him, even if he was almost thirty, but there was no spark between them. Plus, she didn’t share his love of history. No. He definitely wasn’t the one for her.

  Fortunately, the dance came to an end, relinquishing her from having to engage in this conversation anymore. She offered him a polite good-bye, and he did likewise. Then she went over to the side of the room and accepted the drink Warren offered her.

  “What did you think?” Warren asked.

  “I hate to say it because he is good looking, but he’s boring.”

  Warren frowned in disappointment.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “If it helps, I think he’s a wonderful gentleman. He obviously holds ladies in high esteem, and he does make an effort to be nice.”

  “Then why don’t you give him more of a chance?” Warren asked.

  “Because I have no interest in delving as far into history as he does.” When he sighed, she added, “I can’t help it. I find that topic boring, and I want to have a marriage where I can share long and fascinating conversations with my husband just as you do with Iris.”

  “Fine,” he said as she sipped her punch. “Thankfully, we have more gentlemen to choose from.”

  He searched his pocket for the list, so she said, “Iris took it from you right before I danced with Lord Whitney because she wanted to show it to her father to get his opinion on who I should dance with next.”

  “That’s right! Let’s find her.”

  Opal caught sight of her friend. “I’d like to take a moment to speak with Ava while you look for her.”

  “Very well, but tonight is about finding you some suitors so don’t spend too much time talking to her.”

  “I’ll only be ten minutes.”

  With a nod, he led her over to Ava and then left to find Iris. Ava’s older brother excused himself and went to dance with a lady.

  Miss Ava Baynes offered her a sympathetic smile. “Is it as demanding to go through your brother’s list as you thought it’d be?”

  As much as Opal would like to say no, she couldn’t lie to her friend. “Yes. To Warren’s credit, so far the gentlemen I’ve danced with have been agreeable. Lord Claremont and Lord Whitney are both wonderful. They’re even pleasant to look at.”

  “Which is the thing you most want in a husband,” Ava pointed out.

  “It’s not wrong for a lady to want to look at her husband each and every single day, is it?”

  Ava chuckled. “Of course not. But sometimes you have to compromise. Maybe you’ll have to give up someone who’s attractive if he shares a lot of your interests.”

  “Yes, I have considered that. I want to go through each gentleman on the list first, though, so I can make sure there’s not someone on there who meets all of my expectations.” Noting the amused shake of Ava’s head, she added, “I should also meet all of his expectations. I don’t want to end up with someone who isn’t thrilled to be with me.”

  “What you want, my dear friend, is a fairytale.”

  “A fairytale wouldn’t be so bad.”

  Especially after everything Opal had been through with her mother and other brother, but she hadn’t told Ava anything about that. It was a part of her past that she desperately wanted to forget.

  Ava frowned and tapped her arm. “What do you make of that?”

  Opal followed her gaze and saw a group of three ladies giggling and whispering to each other. Then one of them led the other two out of the ballroom. “Whatever it is, it’s not good.” She nodded toward the doorway. “Let’s see what they’re doing.”

  Before Ava could argue, Opal grabbed her hand and urged her out of the room. The three ladies were still giggling as they headed down the hallway that was in the direction of Warren’s den. She frowned. Why would they be going there?

  Careful not to give away the fact that they were following the three ladies, Opal and Ava tiptoed after them. Recalling the drink in her hand, Opal set it on one of the small tables lining the hall and continued after them.

  Their steps slowed a couple feet away from the closed door of the den. The three ladies gathered together around the door, pressing their ears to it. Since they were distracted, Opal and Ava crept up behind them.

  “Does he really have a lisp?” one of the ladies whispered to her friend.

  “I think so,” another said.

  “He does,” the third replied. “I heard him say ‘thorry’ when he bumped into someone.”

  The three giggled and pressed their ears to the door.

  Opal glanced at Ava, and by the expression on Ava’s face, it was apparent that Ava was just as disgusted as Opal was. Opal’s face warmed. What right did these ladies have to make fun of someone who had a speech problem?

  Just as Opal was ready to confront them, one of the ladies whispered, “I can’t hear anything.”

  “I can’t, either,” the second said.

  The lady closest to the doorknob turned it and gently pushed it open. From inside the room, Opal heard two gentlemen talking, and if she was right, they were discussing money.

  The three ladies bent down and snuck into the room. Opal glanced at Ava, wondering if they should follow or if she should get Warren. Ava waved her toward the door. With a nod, Opal made her decision and went up to the door, which the ladies had left slightly open, probably so they could leave the room without risking anyone hearing the doorknob turn.

  Opal peered through the crack and saw the ladies huddled behind a chair. Lifting her gaze, she saw three gentlemen, two of which seemed to be dominating the conversation.

  “What Guy failed to tell you is that the bet we had accrued interest,” the older gentleman told the younger one standing next to Guy. “He owes me more than the amount you brought.”

  Guy opened his mouth to speak, but the one next to him held his hand up to stop him. “You are in error.” He spoke slowly, taking a pause between each word. “You gambled a certain amount of money. The deal…” He cleared his throat. “It will not change.”

  The older gentleman took a step toward the one who’d just spoken, his hand clenched at his side.

  “Don’t get violent,” the gentleman said, his words now coming out fast. “Tha
t wath the deal, and you need to abide by it.”

  The ladies hiding behind the furniture giggled, and the three gentlemen turned toward them.

  Opal took this as her cue and opened the door all the way. “What is everyone doing in my brother’s den?”

  “We’re handling business,” the older gentleman snapped at her.

  “Well, you’re in my brother’s den,” Opal insisted. “He happens to own this townhouse, and if you’re in here without his permission, he’ll be greatly displeased.” She glanced at Ava, who had remained out in the hallway, close to the door, her eyes wide in shock. “Get my brother and bring him here.”

  As Ava hurried off, the older gentleman grunted. “Your brother,” he told her, “is one of the most annoying gentlemen in all of London.”

  “I’ll be sure to let him know that when he gets here,” Opal replied.

  In some ways, this overbearing gentleman reminded her of her mother, and there was no way she was ever going to let anyone intimidate her again.

  The three ladies scampered out of the room, and since they put their hands over their faces to cover their identities, Opal called out, “Your gowns are so garish we’ll recognize you as soon as we see you in the ballroom. My advice is that you go home.”

  One let out a gasp and stopped, but the other two ushered her down the hall. God willing, they would take her seriously and leave the townhouse. Opal had no desire to be hospitable to those types of people.

  The older gentleman gritted his teeth but turned to the table, grabbed the neatly wrapped package, and slipped it into his pocket. “Next time, you’ll owe interest,” he told Guy. As he brushed past her, he said, “You’re fortunate you’re Lord Steinbeck’s sister.”

  Though he stared down at her, she held his gaze. The very moment he knew he could intimidate her, he’d have power over her, and she refused to give that to him.

  “I’ll be happy to tell my brother you were trying to get more money than owed to you if you don’t leave,” she replied.