The Unaffected Earl Read online

  Rose couldn’t bring herself to return the smile. Instead, she crossed the room and lowered herself onto the settee across from her friend. It took almost everything in her to hold on to her composure after the frustrating visit she’d had with her father.

  Catherine closed her book and placed it on her lap, her fingers clutching the spine. That small action warned Rose that her friend was about to break her silence about what had taken place.

  “I don’t know what to say to you,” Catherine said, her voice uncharacteristically soft. “I want to ask how your father is doing—how you are feeling after your visit—but I don’t wish to intrude if you’re not yet ready to talk.”

  Coming from anyone else, Rose would have hated the sympathy she saw in her friend’s eyes, but this was Catherine. They hadn’t known each other long, but Catherine had been the only friend to stand by her after her family’s fall from grace. More than that, she’d marshaled her whole family to lend their support when no one else would even acknowledge her.

  She released a sigh. “You needn’t tread so carefully around me.”

  “I don’t want you to think that I’m looking for gossip.”

  That statement, more than anything else Catherine could have said, brought a smile to Rose’s face. “If I believed that was all you wanted from me, I never would have accepted your invitation to stay here.”

  The slight crease of concern on her friend’s forehead cleared. “If you need someone in whom to confide, you know I am here for you.”

  Rose lifted her shoulder in a slight shrug, the careful movement relaying only a hint of the confusion roiling through her. “Papa seemed concerned about me of course. He hadn’t expected to see me. Apparently when Mama visited him, she told him we’d both be returning to the country to stay with her sister.”

  “That had been her intention. He wouldn’t have heard that you were remaining in London before your visit this morning.”

  “I thought he would be happy that I hadn’t abandoned him, but the opposite was true. He insisted that I leave London.”

  Catherine rose from the armchair, deposited her book on the seat, and moved to sit next to her on the settee. “Your father’s concern for you is normal. He doesn’t want you to be touched by what is happening to him. You can’t fault him for wanting you to be far away from here.”

  “I won’t leave him, and I can’t understand why Mama would. How could she desert him when he needs the support of his family?” Her fists had clenched in her lap, and she took the time to force herself to regulate her breathing and relax her hands before continuing. “You would never abandon anyone in your family if the circumstances were similar… not if you knew them to be innocent.”

  In reply, Catherine took hold of one of her hands and gave it a slight squeeze before releasing it again.

  Rose had to look away. Several seconds passed before she could force down the emotion that threatened to overwhelm her every time she thought of her father and how lost he had appeared in his cold cell. It had been one short week since he was taken away, but he’d aged in that time, and she’d hated to see him so defeated.

  When she finally had her emotions in check, she met Catherine’s patient gaze. “I wanted to discuss another matter with you. What can you tell me about your soon-to-be husband’s friendship with Lord Brantford?”

  If Rose hadn’t been watching her friend so closely, she might have missed the flicker of unease in Catherine’s eyes before she looked away.

  “I imagine that Kerrick’s circle of acquaintances is quite large.”

  Catherine’s reply wasn’t implausible, but the careful manner in which she weighed each word spoke volumes. Her friend was hiding something.

  “That is all you can tell me?”

  Catherine shrugged. “I know they are on friendly terms. Kerrick respects Lord Brantford a great deal, but I’m not sure I would call the two of them friends.”

  “Then how would you characterize their acquaintance?”

  Catherine shook her head, and Rose didn’t miss the way she fidgeted with her hands, twining them together before catching herself and forcing them to lie flat on her lap.

  Rose narrowed her eyes, convinced now more than ever that her friend was deliberately trying to evade her question. “What are you keeping from me?”

  Catherine sighed and met her gaze. “Why the sudden interest in Lord Brantford?”

  Rose recognized the stalling tactic for what it was. When she didn’t want to answer a question, Catherine often turned the subject around so the other person was on the receiving end of the questioning. She contemplated whether to tell her friend the truth.

  In the end, she didn’t need to. Catherine must have seen it written plainly on her face. It was a small miracle Rose had been able to hide it from her friend for so long.

  “It’s Brantford,” Catherine said with a small gasp of surprise. “He’s the man you wouldn’t tell me about.”

  Rose could only nod in reply, the futility of her current situation striking her once again.

  “They call him the Unaffected Earl for very good reason. He’s not likely to return your affection.”

  Rose couldn’t hold back a small burst of laughter. “I know. It is beyond ridiculous. Of all the men to capture my interest—and heaven knows, many have tried—I have to fixate on the one who has ice water instead of blood running through his veins.”

  “It has nothing to do with you. He’s that way with everyone. When he was at Overlea Manor last year—”

  Now it was Rose’s turn to gasp and reach for Catherine’s hand. She stared at her friend for several moments before finding her voice. “He stayed with you? You never told me that.”

  “I didn’t know it would mean anything to you.”

  “It does. More than I’d care to admit. Does this mean he is friends with your sister’s husband?”

  Catherine shook her head. “I don’t believe so, no.”

  Rose released her friend’s hand and crossed her arms over her chest, aiming for a levity she was far from feeling as she said, “Don’t make me drag the details out of you. I will if I have to.”

  Catherine smiled, and Rose could almost see the tension leave her slight frame. “He was there at Kerrick’s invitation.”

  Rose scowled at her friend. “Now I know you are toying with me. Tell me everything.”

  Catherine sighed. “It was a difficult time for my family. Louisa and Nicholas… the marquess… had only been wed for a short time. We all thought he was suffering from the same illness that had taken the lives of his father and his older brother.”

  “I remember that. Not that he too was ill, but it was so tragic what happened to his family. But surely he’s better now?”

  “Oh yes,” Catherine said with a nod. She hesitated for several seconds before seeming to make up her mind about continuing. “It turned out that he wasn’t ill at all. In fact, no one in his family was. We discovered that what they’d all thought was illness was actually the result of someone poisoning them.”

  Catherine’s admission was the last thing Rose expected to hear. Poison? She had heard nothing about that. And to have lost his father and brother to it… She couldn’t even begin to fathom what that knowledge had cost the current Marquess of Overlea. From what she’d seen in the short time she’d been living under his roof, he was happily married to Catherine’s older sister—their love for one another was evident to everyone who saw them together. Still, it must have cost him dearly to learn his family had died at the hands of another.

  “What does this have to do with Brantford?” she asked.

  “Kerrick solicited Lord Brantford’s assistance in discovering the person responsible. I can’t tell you more than that, and I ask that you not share what I’ve told you. It was a frightening time for everyone, and Nicholas doesn’t want his family’s hardships turned into idle gossip.”

  Rose suspected that there was a lot more to the story that Catherine hadn’t told her, but she wo
uldn’t press for more details. She, of all people, could understand wanting to keep family matters private. Still, it took an effort of will to keep from insisting Catherine divulge more details. Not that she would, of course. Her friend’s sense of honor was one of the reasons Rose felt she could trust her with her own secrets.

  “Can you at least tell me why Kerrick called upon Lord Brantford? He’s not a magistrate. In what way could he lend assistance?”

  “I can’t say with any certainty.”

  The hesitation in Catherine’s voice spoke volumes. “Can’t or won’t? I have a feeling you have a theory.”

  Catherine shook her head. “Kerrick has tried to dissuade me, but I suspect that Brantford is very well connected in government.”

  “In what way?” Rose narrowed her eyes, trying to decipher the meaning behind her friend’s words.

  “Again, I can’t say.”

  Rose was about to insist, but Catherine continued without her needing to ask the question.

  “No, really, I have no concrete knowledge from which to form an opinion. As you say, it is only a theory. A sense that Lord Brantford…”

  Rose wanted to scream at her friend to stop circling around the subject and speak plainly, but she managed to hold her tongue.

  “I don’t know what I’m saying. I can’t tell you my suspicions because I promised Kerrick I wouldn’t spread my beliefs about.”

  “So you can’t tell me why Lord Brantford would be visiting the Tower today? He would have no reason to be there. I don’t believe he and Papa have anything more than a passing acquaintance.” Rose let out a heavy sigh before continuing. “I’ve examined the situation from every angle, trying to ascertain a reason for his visit, but can think of nothing. Lord Brantford’s presence there makes no sense. I thought that perhaps he might have been there to meet with Lord Kerrick, but surely they would arrange a more appropriate time and place to speak.”

  She was missing something important about the entire situation. It frustrated her to no end that she couldn’t figure out the reason for his presence outside her father’s cell that morning.

  “I can’t divulge my suspicions, but there is nothing stopping me from offering advice.”

  Rose leaned forward. After the disappointing visit with her father, she wanted to believe Catherine could help her. “I am willing to consider anything. Anything other than the advice to give up on my father and return to the country.”

  “I wouldn’t even attempt to tell you that. You are just as stubborn as I when it comes to trusting your own instincts. If you say that your father is hiding something that might clear him of guilt, I am inclined to believe you.”

  Emotion swelled in her throat, stealing her voice for several seconds, and she thanked the heavens that had given her such a good friend. “What is your advice?”

  Catherine hesitated, and for a moment Rose feared she had changed her mind. She needn’t have worried.

  “I’ve already mentioned that Lord Brantford is well connected. The only other thing I can add is that you should arrange to speak to him directly. I suspect there is no one better equipped than he to assist you in proving your father’s innocence.”

  Rose lay across her bed, staring up at the ceiling as she contemplated her conversation with Catherine.

  It was difficult to push aside her embarrassment whenever she thought about Brantford. Her interest in him had always been foolish, and now it was destined to come to nothing. The thought that she would have to appeal to him for assistance was a particularly cruel twist of fate.

  It had been a shock to see him at Kerrick’s town house when she’d visited him to break their ill-conceived betrothal. She’d tried to push that memory from her mind, especially the way she’d snapped at Brantford, taking out her frustration about her family’s current situation on him. But thinking about that day now, she couldn’t deny that Catherine might be correct. It was possible that Brantford might be able to help her prove her father’s innocence.

  He’d asked for leave to call on her mother, and Rose had assured him that she’d convince her mother to speak to him. Only that hadn’t happened. Her mother had turned him away, as she had all other callers—gawkers, really, circling around them in an attempt to glean a shred of gossip they could share with their friends. She hadn’t known why Brantford had even wanted to speak to her mother, but she’d hoped he could help somehow.

  Then her mother had left London, and Rose had forced herself to forget Brantford’s cryptic comments on that day. Only now it seemed that had been a mistake.

  She covered her face with her hands as she tried to picture how that conversation would unfold. How she’d have to beg him to help her family, all while he looked down at her with that cold impassivity for which he was famous.

  The very idea was humiliating. But it was evident she’d have to do it anyway since she had no notion how else to go about clearing her father’s name.

  She forced herself to sit up and take several deep breaths. Then, squaring her shoulders, she stood and went in search of Catherine. She found her in the garden, fussing with the roses.

  Her friend turned to face her when she realized she was no longer alone and smiled. “Did you have a nice rest?”

  Rose shook her head. “I couldn’t stop thinking about what you said. I’ve decided to heed your advice. I’m going to ask for Lord Brantford’s assistance in proving my father’s innocence.”

  Catherine nodded as though she’d expected her to come to that conclusion all along. “I’ve been thinking about how to go about this. I think we’re going to need to involve Louisa and Kerrick.”

  Rose had expected that they’d need to involve Kerrick, but she had to hold back a grimace at the thought of involving Lady Overlea.

  “All right. What exactly did you have in mind? I’ll admit, I considered marching up to his town house, but his butler would probably toss me out into the street.”

  “I doubt that,” Catherine said. “I’m sure he’s used to all manner of individuals turning up to see his employer.”

  Rose scrunched her nose at that, wondering if many women visited the earl. She forced herself to suppress that thought so she wouldn’t drive herself mad with jealousy.

  “We could invite him here.”

  Catherine shook her head. “We don’t want to involve Nicholas. He’s been like a lion protecting his pride when it comes to us, especially now that my sister is increasing.”

  “We’re talking about a dinner invitation. Surely there’s no harm in that.”

  “No, but given how much the two of them went through when they were first married, Nicholas wants to wrap her up and keep her safe from any harm, whether real or imagined. He’s more than happy to have you here, but he doesn’t want her involved with anything that might cause her any undue stress.”

  Rose made her way over to a bench that was situated just outside the garden doors and sat. “I shouldn’t be involving you in this.”

  Catherine sank down beside her. “Nonsense. All we’re going to do is pay Lord Brantford a call—you, Kerrick, and me, and Louisa will be there to act as chaperone. It’s a bit unorthodox, but it’s not like you’ll be visiting him alone.”

  Rose grimaced remembering how she’d marched into Kerrick’s town house the day she’d broken their engagement. If anyone had taken note of her arrival, however, they would have seen her depart only a few minutes later. “I’m not sure Lord Kerrick wants you involved in this any more than Lord Overlea wants your sister involved.”

  Catherine waved a hand in dismissal. “He doesn’t really have a choice. He can come with us or he can hear about it after the fact. I know which of those two options he’d prefer.”

  Rose felt the sting of tears at her friend’s unwavering support but tried to hold them back. From the expression on Catherine’s face, it was clear she hadn’t been entirely successful.

  “I’ll speak to Louisa now and then inform Kerrick about our decision when he visits later. I’m sur
e we’ll be able to call on Lord Brantford tomorrow since I know you won’t want to wait.”

  Rose shook her head in amazement. “You’re almost as tenacious as me. I’m not sure what I would have done without you.”

  Catherine gave her a hug, then pulled back with a fond smile. “After everything you did to make sure I got my happily-ever-after, it’s the very least I can do. I can’t help you clear your father’s name, but I will help you to speak to the only man who possibly can.”

  Chapter 3

  Brantford closed the last file and stopped just short of tossing it onto the alarmingly high stack of files that seemed to multiply on their own.

  He hated this part of his occupation the most—reading reports. He already had mountains of accounts and letters related to his estate and properties that he needed to oversee. Despite having a more-than-capable steward, he wasn’t foolish enough to trust the man completely. If his line of work had taught him anything, it was that any man could be corrupted with the right inducement.

  He’d always had a good head for numbers, and it never took him long to look over the estate accounts. But when it came to matters concerning England’s safety, it seemed the Home Office lived to bury him in minutiae. At least it had served to take his mind off the events at the Tower that morning.

  The brisk knock at the door had him leaning back in his chair and stretching his tense shoulders. “Enter.”

  His butler opened the door and produced a small silver tray upon which had been placed a calling card. Brantford bit back a curse. It seemed his work was not yet done.

  He released an annoyed breath when he saw Kerrick’s name on the card. So much for putting Rose Hardwick from his mind.

  “I’ll see him here.”

  He was curious about the reason for the man’s visit. When Kerrick entered and closed the door behind him, Brantford raised a brow. “This is a surprise.”

  Kerrick lowered himself into a chair Brantford kept to the side of his desk for the sole purpose of such meetings.