A Most Unsuitable Earl (Regency Collection Book 3) Page 3

  “Mother!” He pushed her away, wondering what she was doing.

  “I’m sorry, Ethan, but I was so overcome with joy, I couldn’t help myself.” Then raising her voice so everyone in the immediate vicinity could hear, she continued, “I can’t believe you and Lady Catherine—the Duke of Rumsey’s daughter—have been secretly engaged this entire time!”

  Her words stopped conversations all around them, and Ethan could swear he heard a pin drop somewhere in the room. Refusing to look to the right or left, he focused on his mother and swallowed the lump in his throat. “If you’ll join me outside, I’ll explain everything.”

  “What’s there to explain?” she asked, again using a high pitch voice that would wake the dead. “You just told Mrs. and Miss Duffy that Lady Catherine’s your intended.” She clasped her hands together and sighed. “It’s so romantic. Just like Romeo and Juliet, except your mother heartily approves of the match. It’s time to tell her father, so you and Lady Catherine can finally be together. Even he can’t deny true love.”

  “I wouldn’t call it true love, Mother,” he protested, heat rising up in his face. Everyone—and that meant every single person in that room—was watching them! Didn’t they have anything better to do?

  His mother giggled and slipped her arm around his. “Let’s talk to her father. Perhaps he and I can work something out. After all, your little secret is out. Everyone knows.” She motioned to the stunned expressions on the onlookers’ faces.

  He felt sick to his stomach. He prayed for the floor to open up and swallow him, but no such relief was going to come. She led him forward. Halfway to the Duke of Rumsey, he dug his heels into the floor and shook his head. “I’m sorry, Mother, but I can’t do it. It would break her dear father’s heart. The gentleman is insistent she find someone who deserves her.”

  “You will deserve her. From this moment forward, you will stop doing the dastardly things mentioned in the Tittletattle. You will be a respectable gentleman.”

  She pushed him forward, so now they were within a few feet of the duke. Panicked, he whispered, “I was lying to Mrs. and Miss Duffy to get away from them. Lady Catherine and I hardly know each other.”

  “Well, we’ll resolve that soon enough.”

  She shoved him again, and he was so stunned that she was still insistent on talking to the duke that he lunged forward and ended up tripping. The world went spinning around him as he toppled to the floor. He was barely aware of the giggles and snickers around him as his mother hovered over him.

  “Oh, my poor son,” she said in a loud voice, glancing at everyone who turned to look at them. “I keep telling him the Duke of Rumsey is a reasonable gentleman. He’ll understand that true love must flourish. His daughter and my son are in love. What could be nobler than that?”

  To Ethan’s horror, the duke stopped talking to Lord Roderick and looked at Ethan’s mother.

  “Mother, please,” Ethan hissed through his teeth. “You’re embarrassing yourself.”

  She raised an eyebrow in a silent challenge, and with a wide smile, she swirled around to face the duke and curtsied. “Your Grace, I hate to bother you in a middle of such an exquisite ball—one of your finest, might I add—but I just learned of a secret engagement between my son and your daughter.” Glancing at Ethan, she motioned for him to stand up.

  He shook his head. No way was he going to face the wrath of the Duke of Rumsey!

  With an exaggerated sigh, she returned her attention to the duke. “It’s a simple thing, Your Grace. Everyone knows about the engagement, so it seems proper to allow the two to finally marry.”

  The duke’s face paled. “Uh…” He scanned the large room where most of the people had stopped talking and dancing to watch them. “Where’s my daughter?”

  From among the crowd, someone pushed Lady Catherine toward Ethan. She looked horrified. Absolutely and completely horrified. Ethan couldn’t blame her. He felt the exact same way. And worse, he was the reason this was happening. Who was to know one simple lie could result in such a catastrophe?

  “What’s going on here?” her father demanded, looking from Ethan to her.

  Lady Catherine gulped. “Nothing.”

  “Now, now, my lady,” his mother began in a soothing tone, “there’s no need to worry. My son is one of the wealthiest earls around. He will provide very well for you.” Glancing at the Duke of Rumsey, she added, “He can even buy her a separate house if she desires. But—” she wrapped her arm around Lady Catherine’s shoulders and urged her over to Ethan—“I don’t think it’ll come to that. They are deeply in love. Can’t you tell just by looking at them?”

  Ethan grew dizzy and his vision blurred. A few people chuckled, and Lady Catherine mumbled something about not knowing what any of this was about. But everything was starting to grow dim around him, except for the grave disapproval on the duke’s face, which would be forever seared into his memory. He was trapped. His mother was going on and on about the beauty of love, going so far as to quote William Shakespeare. It was too much to take. The room whirled around him, and the next thing he knew, everything went black and he collapsed.

  ***

  As Lord Edon collapsed, Catherine gasped and moved away from him. Everyone stood silent for the longest moment. But no one was more stunned than she was! Just what was Lord Edon’s mother thinking in staging this horrific thing?

  “Tell me it’s not true,” her father demanded, looking at her.

  “It’s not,” she blurted out, but not before Lord Edon’s mother stepped in front of her, blocking her view of her father.

  “It is true. We heard it directly from my son, and I have witnesses. Mrs. and Miss Duffy can testify to it,” his mother insisted.

  Ignoring Lord Edon’s body, the two ladies stepped forward and nodded. “We can,” Mrs. Duffy said. “And when he told us Lady Catherine was his intended, Lady Catherine made no protest.”

  Her father tried to peer around Lord Edon’s mother, but she spread her fan out and blocked his view of her. “Your Grace, it is not my place to intrude, but the respectability of my son and your daughter is at stake. Think of how it would look to the Ton if you didn’t allow the two to marry.”

  “I’m sure this is a misunderstanding,” he stammered. “I’m sure we can discuss this further in private.”

  “I don’t see how my son’s declaration of a secret engagement to Mrs. and Miss Duffy could be a misunderstanding,” she replied. “And I happen to know for a fact that Mrs. and Miss Duffy wouldn’t lie about such a thing.”

  The crowd murmured their approval and waited for him to speak.

  A prolonged silence filled the room, and Catherine stopped trying to make eye contact with her father. The shame of it all! Who in their right mind would believe she’d be with someone like Lord Edon? A quick scan of the crowd revealed that they not only believed it, but they were enjoying every moment of her humiliation. Her gaze went back to Lord Edon who remained in an unconscious heap on the floor. She had a mind to pour a pitcher of water on him and demand he face this like a gentleman instead of taking the coward’s way out.

  Lord Edon’s mother faced Catherine, clasped her hands in hers, and softly said, “You have nothing to worry about, my lady. I’ll see to it my son takes good care of you.” Turning to the duke, she continued, “What do you say, Your Grace? Will you give them the opportunity to be together or not?”

  Catherine lowered her gaze. If she had to see the disappointment on her father’s face, she’d break down and cry. This was the worst thing that could have happened to her. Even a life of spinsterhood would have been more tolerable than the curse of marrying a notorious rake like Lord Edon.

  With a resigned sigh, her father muttered, “I give my consent.”

  From there, the people around them started speaking to one another, and while Catherine felt relief from not being watched anymore, she also became aware of the feeling of dread that grew in the pit of her stomach. She was about to be married to Lord Edon.
Her gaze went back to Lord Edon. Resisting the urge to slap him so he’d wake up and see what a mess his lie made, she let out a slight huff and stepped aside so a couple of gentlemen could carry his useless body to another room.

  ***

  The first thing Ethan noticed was the excitement in his mother’s voice as she rambled on about the wedding. “It’ll be lovely,” she gushed. “We’ll have it at St. George’s Church. I’ll put forth the money necessary to make your dress, Catherine. It’ll be made of white satin with a striped-gauze overdress and trimmed with Brussels lace. The pearl necklace you’re wearing now will be just the thing to go with it.”

  Ethan groaned and rubbed his forehead. “Mother, stop trying to control what she’s going to wear.”

  From across the room, his mother gasped. “I’m not controlling anything. I figure since this is my doing, I’ll pay for the dress and anything else your bride needs.”

  Bride? He bolted up, but his head spun so he settled back onto the settee in the drawing room and closed his eyes. Goodness gracious, she was talking about his bride! For a moment there, he thought she was talking about someone else’s wedding, but he recalled the horrifying events and was assured that she was, indeed, talking about his wedding.

  “Just what I need for a son-in-law,” Catherine’s father muttered. “He’s nothing but a pansy.”

  At that, Ethan’s eyes flew open and he eased into an upright position. “I am not a pansy!”

  “Of course, you’re not, my dear,” his mother replied as she hurried over to him and wiped the sweat off his forehead with a handkerchief.

  “Mother!” He pushed her hand away. “I can take care of myself.” He caught sight of the duke smirking at him and snatched the handkerchief from her when she dabbed his forehead again. “I’m a grown gentleman. Leave me alone.”

  With a shrug, she returned to her seat, which happened to be next to Catherine’s, and sat down. Undaunted by her son’s bad mood, she smiled in contentment. “Did I mention how happy I am that Ethan has finally found a good lady to marry?”

  “Several times,” Catherine’s father muttered, rubbing his eyes.

  Ethan ventured a look at Catherine who stared at his mother with wide eyes, her face even more pale than usual and her hands clenched together in her lap.

  “Forgive me for repeating myself. It’s just that I was beginning to give up hope, and now I see that all my fretting has been for nothing. What a relief!” Catherine, her father, and Ethan grumbled, but she pressed on as if she hadn’t heard them. “I want this to be your special day, Catherine, so tell me what I can do to make your fairytale wedding come true.”

  Catherine glanced at her father who looked heavenward, sighed, and shook his head. “Uh…well…”

  Ethan knew exactly what they were thinking. They wanted out of the wedding just as badly as he did. “This is nonsense, Mother. You know very well I didn’t have a secret engagement with…with,” he motioned to Catherine, “her.”

  Catherine glared at him. “Her?”

  Her father, just as quick to respond, snapped, “Lady Catherine is how you will refer to her.”

  “Now, now… Let’s not be hasty,” his mother replied, still using the cheerful tone that was grating on his nerves. “This benefits everyone in this room. Catherine will live very well off my son’s assets. He’s amassed a surprising fortune over the years.”

  “Through gambling,” the duke muttered.

  “He won’t do that anymore.” She shot Ethan a pointed look. “Right, Ethan?”

  He sighed. “I’m a grown gentleman, Mother.” Why did he have to keep saying it? And seriously, it wasn’t like he enjoyed it. He only wanted to lose his fortune, but for the life of him, he couldn’t lose a hand. He came close once, but at the last minute, the other gentleman quit and left him with more money. How was he supposed to deal with that? Why was he gambling? Obviously, it was only getting him into more trouble because it made him more attractive to the ladies. “I will give it up.” Before his mother could take credit for his change of heart, he added, “And not because you said to do it, Mother. I’ve never lost a game. Something is wrong with me. I can’t lose to save my life.”

  “Because you cheat?” her father guessed.

  Ethan’s jaw dropped. “I’d never cheat. I have my honor to protect.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Such as it is.”

  “There you go, Catherine. My son is done with his gambling. All his money will be yours to enjoy. Considering he’s one of the wealthiest gentlemen at this ball tonight, you’ll do very well with this marriage. As for Ethan, he’ll do well to settle down with a nice, respectable lady, and few ladies are as nice and respectable as you. This is an excellent match. Even better, your son will have a title to his name when Ethan dies.”

  Catherine placed her hand over her stomach, looking as if she was going to lose her dinner. As a respectable lady, any thoughts to lovemaking would make her queasy to her stomach. The only thing he knew about the act was that the quicker it was done, the better. Wives were for the duty to a gentleman’s lineage. Mistresses were for pleasure. And quite frankly, Ethan had no desire for either. Why couldn’t his mother understand and appreciate the fact that he was meant to enjoy a life in the country removed from all this nonsense? He let out a weary sigh and put his head in his hands. All hopes for a peaceful life evaporated right before his eyes.

  “Your Grace,” his mother began, “do I have your permission to tell your daughter about her duty in the bedroom?”

  Appalled by his mother’s brazen question, Ethan stood up. “You continually worry about what the Ton thinks of me, and yet you have the audacity to ask something so personal to a duke in his own home?”

  His mother shrugged. “I doubt His Grace knows how to handle this matter.” Glancing at Catherine, she added, “It’s a delicate thing, and gentlemen aren’t very good with those types of discussions.”

  “Why do you persist in embarrassing me?” he demanded.

  “Me embarrass you?” She rose to her feet and squared her shoulders back. “I have to find out about your indiscretions through the Tittletattle.”

  The duke rose to his feet. “We don’t need to hear anymore.” He hurried over to Catherine, took her by the elbow, and helped her stand up. “We agreed that the marriage will take place in a month. The Banns will be read over the next three Sundays, and after that,” he gulped, “the ceremony will take place.” Turning his attention to Ethan’s mother, he continued, “In the meantime, your son has no need to get near my daughter.”

  His mother nodded. When the duke opened the door and left with Catherine, his mother waited until they were out of earshot to clap her hands. “How exciting! That went better than I hoped.”

  “I don’t understand you, Mother. They’re miserable about this.”

  She waved her hand in a dismissive manner. “They’re in shock. It’s bound to happen considering everything they’ve been through. Look who she’s marrying.” She motioned to him. “But what other choice did she have? Spinsterhood? That’s a terrible fate for a duke’s daughter. Now he knows his daughter’s future is secure. Plus, his grandson will be an earl. It’ll be a good consolation when he’s on his deathbed.” She paused and studied him. “You will do everything you can to make sure he gets that grandson, won’t you?”

  “You really need to ask?” he replied, both appalled and irritated that she needed to pose such a question to a gentleman who had a reputation as a rake.

  “Oh, you’re right. You’ve been with lots of ladies…and not-so-ladylike ladies. If anyone can give Catherine a son, it’s you. I just hope you remember to do your duty to her instead of running off to seek pleasure elsewhere. Remember, you have an obligation to the crown.”

  He stared at her as she skipped out of the room and shook his head. His mother, who had the nerve to refer to herself as a lady, had the tendency to be as blunt as a gentleman at the gambling tables.

  “What kind of a travesty did I ge
t myself into?” he mumbled, and deciding he’d had enough excitement for one night, he slipped out the window.

  Chapter Four

  “You have a request from someone who wants to visit you,” Opal told Catherine who was softly crying into her handkerchief.

  Catherine didn’t stir from her daybed. She swallowed the lump in her throat. What if the request came from Lord Edon or his mother? Taking a deep breath, she ventured, “Who is it?”

  “Lady Roderick.”

  She wiped the tears from her eyes and sat up. “Lady Roderick?”

  “Yes. Would you like her to come for a visit?”

  After she nodded, Opal left her bedchamber. Catherine wondered what Lady Roderick wanted to talk about. She hadn’t visited her before. The only time she’d talked to Lady Roderick was whenever she saw her at balls, and their conversations were always brief.

  She recalled their conversation the previous evening when Lady Roderick wanted to introduce her to Lord Clement. Maybe that’s what she wanted to talk about. But didn’t she know about Catherine’s sudden betrothal? Catherine thought back to what transpired after her father had arranged the wedding with Lord Edon’s mother. Most of it was a blur. She didn’t remember seeing Lady Roderick after her father escorted her back to the ball. People expressed their congratulations on the upcoming wedding, but Lady Roderick hadn’t been one of them. So maybe she didn’t see the events that transpired and the resulting wedding announcement.

  Catherine grimaced. Why anyone would congratulate her on her upcoming wedding to Lord Edon was beyond her. They probably said it to be polite. She put her hand over her stomach. She was going to be sick if she kept thinking about it.

  Opal returned and offered her a smile. “I sent word for you, my lady. Lady Roderick should be here soon. What dress would you like to wear?”

  Relieved to occupy her thoughts with something other than her upcoming marriage, Catherine rose from her daybed and selected a green dress to wear.