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as brutally, she would crumble and then the children would have no one to protect them.
The sound of the stable clock striking the half-hour told her she must leave. There was barely time enough to get back to her room and arrange for her trunk to be taken down to the carriage. “You must be strong. Ned, I am relying on you to take care of your brothers and sister. Once I am established and secure in my position, I shall invite you and your mother to come and stay with me.”
Mary was obliged to prise Peter and Amanda from her legs; Ned and Jonathan stood silently, holding back their tears with difficulty. What had she done? In order to save herself, she had broken the hearts of these dear children. It was too late to repine, they were no longer her responsibility. She must trust Jane and Betty to take care of them now.
Lord Thorrington stared at his wife incredulously. “You did what? You moved Eleanor downstairs where she could be seen by other guests? How many times do I have to explain to you, you stupid woman, that however appalling she looks she is still a wealthy heiress and a member of the aristocracy? People have forgotten about her. If she is recognized, some fortune hunter might well persuade her to marry him.”
“I beg your pardon, my lord. Lord Haverstock insisted she was moved downstairs after she returned covered in blood and so distraught she could not answer a question coherently.”
“That’s as may be. At least have you had the sense to move her back.” He turned away, smiling to himself.
This assault on his sister was the best thing that could have happened. She was damaged goods now and no one would want to marry her however enticing her fortune. The lawyers he had been closeted with assured him that as long as she did not marry before her next birthday he could continue to control her trust fund.
Not being able to dip into the capital more often was a damnable nuisance, but the interest was sufficient to keep his family in relative comfort. He had been on a repairing lease these past few months. In October his dividends would be paid, the quarterly rents from his various estates also. Then he would be solvent again.
He scowled. What a pity Bentley had not finished Eleanor off; as her next of kin he would have inherited all her money. Sometimes when she defied him and he was forced to beat her into submission, he had difficulty containing his rage. Her death from natural causes would suit him very well, but he was not a monster. He would not deliberately dispose of her however tempted he was to do so.
“My lord, are you not going to call Lord Bentley out for his temerity? That is what everyone expects.”
Edward spun and his open hand cracked against his wife’s cheek, sending her reeling backwards. “How dare you tell me what to do? I have no interest in what people think or expect. I shall speak to the man and demand an apology. If one is not forthcoming then society will ostracise him. I have no need to put myself outside the law.”
The sound of his wife’s muffled sobbing drove him from the room. One thing he would say of his sister— she was not so feeble a single slap would reduce her to tears. Eleanor had, it seemed, cracked her attacker on the head. This meant Bentley, according to his snivelling wife, was still incommunicado. The longer the better. He would write him a note, demand an apology, and that could be the end of the matter.
The sound of carriage wheels attracted his attention and he sauntered to the window that overlooked the turning circle at the rear of the house. He did not recognize the carriage. There wasn’t an emblem emblazoned on the side, but the equipage was extravagant and must belong to a wealthy man.
He was about to turn away as the vehicle completed its circle and for a moment was parallel to the house. To his astonishment he saw his sister sitting inside, and what looked like Bentley lounging opposite her.
Chapter Seven
As the carriage swung
The sound of the stable clock striking the half-hour told her she must leave. There was barely time enough to get back to her room and arrange for her trunk to be taken down to the carriage. “You must be strong. Ned, I am relying on you to take care of your brothers and sister. Once I am established and secure in my position, I shall invite you and your mother to come and stay with me.”
Mary was obliged to prise Peter and Amanda from her legs; Ned and Jonathan stood silently, holding back their tears with difficulty. What had she done? In order to save herself, she had broken the hearts of these dear children. It was too late to repine, they were no longer her responsibility. She must trust Jane and Betty to take care of them now.
Lord Thorrington stared at his wife incredulously. “You did what? You moved Eleanor downstairs where she could be seen by other guests? How many times do I have to explain to you, you stupid woman, that however appalling she looks she is still a wealthy heiress and a member of the aristocracy? People have forgotten about her. If she is recognized, some fortune hunter might well persuade her to marry him.”
“I beg your pardon, my lord. Lord Haverstock insisted she was moved downstairs after she returned covered in blood and so distraught she could not answer a question coherently.”
“That’s as may be. At least have you had the sense to move her back.” He turned away, smiling to himself.
This assault on his sister was the best thing that could have happened. She was damaged goods now and no one would want to marry her however enticing her fortune. The lawyers he had been closeted with assured him that as long as she did not marry before her next birthday he could continue to control her trust fund.
Not being able to dip into the capital more often was a damnable nuisance, but the interest was sufficient to keep his family in relative comfort. He had been on a repairing lease these past few months. In October his dividends would be paid, the quarterly rents from his various estates also. Then he would be solvent again.
He scowled. What a pity Bentley had not finished Eleanor off; as her next of kin he would have inherited all her money. Sometimes when she defied him and he was forced to beat her into submission, he had difficulty containing his rage. Her death from natural causes would suit him very well, but he was not a monster. He would not deliberately dispose of her however tempted he was to do so.
“My lord, are you not going to call Lord Bentley out for his temerity? That is what everyone expects.”
Edward spun and his open hand cracked against his wife’s cheek, sending her reeling backwards. “How dare you tell me what to do? I have no interest in what people think or expect. I shall speak to the man and demand an apology. If one is not forthcoming then society will ostracise him. I have no need to put myself outside the law.”
The sound of his wife’s muffled sobbing drove him from the room. One thing he would say of his sister— she was not so feeble a single slap would reduce her to tears. Eleanor had, it seemed, cracked her attacker on the head. This meant Bentley, according to his snivelling wife, was still incommunicado. The longer the better. He would write him a note, demand an apology, and that could be the end of the matter.
The sound of carriage wheels attracted his attention and he sauntered to the window that overlooked the turning circle at the rear of the house. He did not recognize the carriage. There wasn’t an emblem emblazoned on the side, but the equipage was extravagant and must belong to a wealthy man.
He was about to turn away as the vehicle completed its circle and for a moment was parallel to the house. To his astonishment he saw his sister sitting inside, and what looked like Bentley lounging opposite her.
Chapter Seven
As the carriage swung
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