The Earl, the Lady and the Song of Love by Fanny Finch

Chapter 6

Imogen heaved a happy sigh as she took a good look at the handkerchief in her hand.

 

She had been at it all morning, making a beautiful embroidery design. She hoped to give it to Lord Exeter.

 

She smiled shyly as his face appeared in her mind’s eye. He was smiling back at her in that charmingly roguish way only he could.

 

She only used to embroider kerchiefs and cravats for her father and brother. She was happy to have another man to do that for. The man who would become her husband.

 

She hoped he would love his gift. It was going to be the first of many.

 

A few more stitches and it is done.

 

As she stuck her needle in to continue her labor of love, the door to the drawing room opened and Lewis strode in. She spared him a glance before returning to the work at hand.

 

“There you are! I have looked all over for you.”

 

“Really? Where exactly did you look?” she asked, embroidering away.

 

“Well, your chamber, the garden, the library, the atrium, I even checked the music room, you were nowhere to be found!”

 

Imogen lips tilted in a smirk. “Seeing as you went through so much trouble, it really must be about something important. Pray, tell me what it is. Lady problems, perhaps?”

 

She put aside the piece in her hands to look at him then. It was just in time to see him scoff as he chuckled.

 

“You really think you are amusing, do you not?”

 

Her smirk turned into a full smile. “Well, you laughed, did you not?”

 

“Lady problems,” he muttered, scoffing again. “I wish.”

 

“Yes. So, do I,” Imogen answered sweetly. “Tell me, what is it that you searched all over the manor looking for me?”

 

For a moment, he said nothing. He simply stared at her. She reckoned he was trying to catch his breath. A part of her felt sad that he had gone through all that trouble to find her.

 

“You could have just asked Elena, you know. I told her I was going to be in the drawing room, embroidering.”

 

“I thought of that, but I heard from the other servants she was running an errand for Daria. She will not be back until later.”

 

“Oh . . .”

 

“I wanted us to go to the park, for a walk. It is such lovely weather for one and it has been a while since we did anything together, just us two. You always seem to be out with the baron these days, you hardly have any time for the brother who has been by all your side, all these years.”

 

Imogen smiled even harder. “Is that grumbling I hear?”

 

“Perhaps, it is jealousy. He has yet to marry you and already, you have forgotten me. How am I supposed to believe you would keep in touch when you are all the way across the country from me?”

 

Imogen was touched, truly so. There was truth in what her brother said. She had been so consumed with Lord Exeter lately, she had barely had the time for anything else.

 

“Let us go then” she replied.

 

His brow raised in question.

 

“Let us go for a walk. You are right,” she looked out the window. The skies were blue, bright and the clouds, as white as snow. It was all beautiful. From where she sat, she could feel the warm spring breeze blow against her face like a soft caress.

 

“It is just the perfect weather for some time in the park,” she finished.

 

Lewis flashed her a brilliant smile then, causing her heart to warm and she knew she had made the right decision. She was sorry to have neglected her dearest brother all these days, not giving a thought to how much he would miss her.

 

Now that she thought of it, she had missed him too. When she was not visiting with Alicia, they used to spend a lot of time together. In a way, he too was her best friend. It was unfair to simply push him aside now that she had the baron.

 

She rose to her feet then. “Give me a moment, will you? I shall go freshen up. I will be down before you know it, never worry!”

 

With those words, she walked out of the drawing room.

 

Keeping to her promise, she returned in half an hour, properly dressed for an outing and after letting their father know of their plans, they set out for the park.

 

They arrived soon enough. As Imogen dropped from the carriage, she knew she had made the right decision to come.

 

The park was bubbly. A lot of people seemed to be out. There were friends in their twos and threes and lovers, basking in the beauty of spring.

 

Imogen waited to feel the need to have come with Lord Exeter, but it never came. Instead, she realized that she was more than happy to be there with Lewis.

 

Grinning, she wrapped her hand around his arm, and tugged.

 

“Shall we? A lovely afternoon awaits us!”

 

It was a lovely afternoon indeed. They walked and talked and laughed, reminiscing memories and engaging in idle gossip.

 

“Oh, how about that one?” Lewis asked, pointing out a lady who was a few yards away from them.

 

She was tall, red-haired, and she gesticulated freely with her hands as she spoke words Lewis and Imogen were too far away to hear.

 

“Ah . . . her? Let me see. An heiress, definitely an heiress. She appears to be married as well. I bet she loves her husband, but he married her for her inheritance . . . initially. He grew to love her with time. She is a bit of an eccentric, that much I can tell.”

 

She paused to look at her brother, “How did I do?”

 

Lewis appeared to be very impressed. “That is, in fact, correct! The Lady Caroline De Winter. Her father was a Duke, and she was his only child. You were quite spot on, dear sister. I am proud of you.”

 

Imogen was proud of herself. They had been playing the game for the past half hour. Lewis would point out someone in the crowd whom he knew, and Imogen would make guesses about the person.

 

Lady De Winter was the second guess she had made right, out of five.

 

“Shall I do a happy dance, dear brother?” she teased.

 

Lewis chuckled, shaking his head. “No, dear heavens! Please, do not embarrass me.”

 

It was her turn to chuckle. “Alright. I promise I will behave.” She sighed then, resting her head on his shoulder.

 

“Ah . . . it has been so much fun, has it not? We should do this more often. I cannot believe how long it has been since we were out together like this. I am sorry that I have had very little time for you, Lewis. I did not realize I was neglecting you so.”

 

He lifted his free hand to place atop hers, ever so affectionately.

 

“There is naught to be sorry for. You have found love, so I understand. I just missed you, is all.”

 

Imogen would have replied but just then, her eyes caught something.

 

She frowned as she narrowed them, wanting to be certain she was seeing rightly.

 

No, it cannot be.

 

“What cannot be?” Lewis asked.

 

That was when she realized she had spoken the thought aloud. She broke away from Lewis, looking even closer.

 

Lewis must have followed her gaze for he immediately froze beside her.

 

“Is that? Do not tell me . . .”

 

“You see him too, do you not?” Imogen asked, her voice breaking.

 

It was a mirror of her heart.

 

“I do. That scoundrel!” Lewis exclaimed as he thawed. “I knew it! I’m going to give him a good beating!”

 

He started to charge towards the person in question, but Imogen put out her hand, stopping him.

 

“Lewis, no! It could be a misunderstanding for all we know! There must be some explanation!”

 

There had to be. It could not be what she was thinking.

 

The baron and Alicia were in the park, walking hand in hand, smiling at each other like lovers . . .

 

It certainly could not be what it seemed. She had to be wrong.

 

“Imogen, you would make excuses for him still after seeing it with your own eyes! When are you going to accept that that man is no good for you?”

 

“Let us confront them. We must at the very least, give them the benefit of doubt. Perhaps, they ran into each other . . .”

 

She stopped as Lewis began to shake his head slowly, swallowing the rest of her words.

 

She knew, deep down in her heart, that she was refusing to accept the truth right in front of her. Her words sounded foolish, even to her own ears.

 

Everything hurt. It would not hurt so much if she truly believed they were innocent.

 

Her eyes filled with tears, and she blinked hard, holding them back.

 

Lewis must have seen for he was immediately consumed with rage. He hated to see her cry.

 

Holding her hand, he started to take her towards Lord Exeter and Alicia.

 

The couple saw them just before brother and sister reached them.

 

As Lewis pulled to a stop causing Imogen to do the same, he spoke, voice calm, with anger seething beneath.

 

“Fancy running into you here, Lord Exeter, and no less with our lovely Miss Alicia.”

 

They broke apart, Alicia and Exeter. The shock on their faces betrayed their true intention.

 

It was clear as day for Imogen to see. Indeed, neither of them was innocent.

 

“I knew that you were not a gentleman,” Lewis continued. “I just did not think you would stoop so low. Did you truly believe you could get away with this? Courting two ladies at once? No less, ladies who are best of friends?”

 

“Were,” Imogen said, finding her voice. She held Alicia’s gaze captive as her friend finally dared to look her in the eyes. “Were best of friends,” she spoke again, secretly glad that her voice remained firm.

 

Lewis looked at her for a brief moment and she felt his gaze soften before he turned to Lord Exeter again.

 

Lord Exeter swallowed hard as Lewis pinned him down with a hard stare, breaking into sweats.

 

“It is not what you . . .” he started, finally responding. “I can explain!”

 

“Do not dare!” Imogen warned, facing him. “Do not even think about lying, Baron Exeter. You have insulted me and my family enough. No more.”

 

“Imogen . . . I . . .”

 

“Shall I challenge you to a duel?” Lewis interrupted. “It seems the right thing to do. You shall have to pay somehow for causing my sister pain and attempting to bring my family shame. I simply do not want to cause a scene. That is why I am barely restraining myself from restructuring your face with my fist.”

 

Imogen’s eyes widened. She had never seen Lewis so furious, but she knew her brother was not one to throw words about so carelessly. He meant each one he said.

 

“Lewis, no. He is not worth it. No duels, no fights. We shall simply leave him be. Please.”

 

It was getting harder to hold back the tears, but she did not want to cry. Not in front of them. She would not suffer any more humiliation. Now that the truth was clear, she only wanted to leave.

 

Lewis appeared to be contemplating her plea seriously. Eventually, he spoke,

 

“Even now, after knowing the kind of man you are, she still cares for you. I always knew, Exeter. I always knew you were never worthy of her. You never will be.”

 

He spared Alicia a glance before putting his arm around Imogen to draw her into him.

 

He whispered in her ear. “Let us go home now. We have seen enough.”

 

Imogen nodded, heaving a sigh of relief. “Yes. Let’s.”

 

With her permission, Lewis turned them around. Just as they started to walk away, she heard Alicia call out to her.

 

“Imogen, wait, please!”

 

“Keep walking,” Lewis whispered and that they did. They kept walking, never looking back until they got to their carriage.

 

As soon as they settled in, Imogen covered her face with her hands and broke into a sob, finally letting the tears flow.

 

By the time they arrived home, she had managed to stop crying. Nonetheless, the tears she had shed was evident in her swollen face, red skin, and puffy eyes.

 

“Shall we tell Father?” Lewis asked as he held the door open for her to enter.

 

She dragged in a deep breath. “We should. He gave Exeter permission, after all.”

 

Lewis’ response was a curt nod. His arms still around her back, he led the way to their father’s study.

 

Crying had helped a little, but Imogen was still in so much pain. She could not believe it, yet the more she thought about it, the more it made perfect sense.

 

In a way, she had seen it coming, had she not? That was why she had been afraid the very first day she had introduced Lord Exeter to Alicia.

 

It was why she had continued to look for ways to make certain they never met again.

 

Apparently, she had gone through all of that trouble in vain.

 

She wondered when it started. If it went as far back as the carriage ride that very first day, if they had been meeting in secret since then.

 

Oh, it would mean I have been played a fool. An utter fool.

 

All that time she had been filled with joy, floating in the clouds, daydreaming of forever with the baron, he had been courting Alicia.

 

What did he hope to gain, deceiving her so? How long did he think he could have kept at it before being found out?

 

Would he have eventually left one of them for the other? Would it have been her? Not that it mattered anymore.

 

And Alicia . . .

 

Imogen shook her head as the tears threatened to return.

 

She did not know which betrayal hurt her more. If Lord Exeter had been disloyal with another woman, perhaps, it would not upset her as much as it did.

 

It was the fact that Alicia was her best friend that made it unbearable! Imogen never would have thought such a thing possible; Alicia betraying her.

 

Alicia knew how much Imogen cared for the baron. While her dearest friend had her share of male attention even before entering society, Imogen had never had any.

 

Lord Exeter was the first man she had ever fancied, and Alicia had deemed it fit to take him away. Such cruelty!

 

She had never thought Alicia capable of such.

 

Yet here we are.

 

“Are you ready?” Lewis asked as they reached the study.

 

She nodded, releasing a ragged breath she had not realized she was holding.

 

Squeezing her shoulder, Lewis opened the door then and let her in.

 

“Ah! You are back!” their father chimed as they walked into the study. “I was wondering when you would return. Lewis, a letter came for you. It is regarding the shipment to Europe. Come, come, there is much we must discuss.”

 

Mr. Hartford rose to his feet then, the letter in his hand. It was as he began to walk towards them that he realized something was wrong.

 

He stopped in his tracks as he did, his demeanor growing instantly worried.

 

“Oh dear . . . What is the matter? What happened? Tell me.”

 

And they did.

 

Imogen stood there, sobbing silently as Lewis told their father all that had happened. When he finished, their father appeared to be just as angry as Lewis and as broken as Imogen.

 

“Ah . . . I would challenge him to a duel myself if it would not be giving a pathetic soul like him a sense of importance. The ungrateful cad! I did my research concerning him. He might be titled, but he is neck deep in debts, debts left behind by his father from gambling all too much and foolishly. I worried he might be after you for your inheritance, but I chose to give him the benefit of doubt, for your sake. I could tell how much you cared for him.”

 

Mr. Hartford sighed as he paused. “I was willing to clear his debts if it came to the point of marriage, willing to take him into this family and the business as my son, and this is how he repays us? And Miss Alicia . . . she has always been a part of this family. To think that she would do such an awful thing to you!”

 

He sighed again.

 

There was a moment’s silence as he recovered. Then, he came to Imogen and drew her into a warm embrace.

 

“I suppose you have learned such a hard lesson too early in life. People are scarcely to be trusted. I am sorry, dear. I am so sorry that it had to be this way. Take comfort in the knowledge that you are not alone. Your brother and I, we will help you get through this. Rest assured.”

 

Imogen’s heart broke again as Lewis joined the embrace. She knew without a doubt that she was loved by these two. It was indeed comforting, the fact that they were there with her.

 

Still, it hurt. It hurt so much she feared she just might never recover.

 

A shame it was, for she had truly thought it love. Well, now she knew better. Never again, she vowed.

 

Never again.