Broken Legacy (Secret Lives Series) (5 page)

Much
more was behind the tale than what most had been led to believe. In that, he held little doubt. Not that he cared at the moment. It meant little. He had use of Lady Eloise whether she was legitimate or not.

Lenister
gave little credence to the story Rotheward wove. Despite Rotheward’s assurances that Lady Eloise was without doubt the legitimate daughter of his father, Lenister questioned the claim, as did most of the 
ton.
 What man in the position of the fifth Duke of Rotheward would have left his daughter to be raised in the most deplorable conditions?

The relevant facts that concerned
Lenister gave little weight to whether the lovely Eloise was legitimate or not, given more likely to the latter. He needed her, not her last name, but the life she led before she crossed the Channel. He needed her to plead to her friend his case. And he comprehended well that General Marc Pierre Bernard had been a close friend. Perhaps more on the line of brother, he thought, given she had been raised in his household.

Marguerite
D’Arcy lost her life giving birth to Eloise. Marguerite had long been believed to be the mistress to the duke since he had seen her on stage in Paris. An actress by profession, she soon left the stage to become a kept woman. Refusing to leave France hadn’t been an issue, not with the duke’s estate in Dover and her family in Calais. That had never been in question. The question laid with the exact relationship of Marguerite to the late Duke of Rotheward upon her death.

Lenister
thought all strange. Instead of taking the child back to England, the duke chose to ignore his daughter and let her family hold to the custom in France where Eloise had been taken to a wet nurse just outside Calais. Mame Adele Castel, twice widowed—first to a French officer who lost his life in the American Revolution and second to a baker—served the purpose. She had lost a stillborn daughter at the time. Her sole attention could be given to Eloise, having only two older sons from her first marriage. Mame Adele Castel served as Eloise’s nurse until at some point Eloise had been placed in a convent, along with other schoolgirls, which in itself would be questionable. She had been allowed to be raised Catholic?

From all accounts, Eloise had not been raised in accordance
with the status her birth should have been afforded if it held she was indeed the legitimate daughter to the duke. She left the convent before the age of most girls. He had not found the reason. In some circumstance, she had been linked to the family of the Marquis Darius de Mortiere.

From his understanding
, Lady Eloise lived with her nurse once more after leaving the convent. Questions abounded in this action. Her family had risen to prominence in Calais. Yet she chose to live in poverty…until a scandal erupted, which led to the death of Vicomte de Calognac, the marquis’ oldest son.

Then and only then did the
duke make a move. Sweeping in to protect his daughter, he crossed the ocean and brought her back across the Channel. A short time later, the duke acknowledged her legacy as his own. Yet across the Channel in France, her name became legend with whispers she had been instrumental in the death of the hated vicomte.

After learning the latter, the high esteem held to her for her stance against the despised aristocrat, he needed the lady…after their meeting, he wanted her.

* * * *

Eloise watched from her bedroom window
, ignoring the beautiful cream-colored silk gown Jemma had hung out on her wardrobe for the ceremony tomorrow. The high-waist dress flared out with a delicate lace inset. The lace decorated the sleeves and the low neckline. Jemma, with her quick needle, had adjusted the dress, one of Her Grace’s. Eloise was certain Julia wouldn’t mind the dress, only that she wasn’t in attendance. But Eloise’s thoughts were far from which gown she would wear to her wedding. Her eyes fixated on the garden below.

She had watched a multitude of men parade in and out of Height Point for the better part of the day. She had not been allowed access to their purpose. No, her attention wasn’t required. Her presence here had only one function
—to exchange vows with a man she had no knowledge of less than the week before.

Each of the men who had condemned her to this fate seemed convinced she had graciously accepted her future, a future each envisioned served her better than the one she would have otherwise. She said little in the two days that had passed since her return, but they didn’t know her well if they thought she would meekly accept this façade of a marriage. Yet, even after her rants with Jemma, she was no closer to an escape, held prisoner by Lord Lenister’s veil
ed threat, a threat she could not take the chance whether he would follow through or not.

She sighed heavily
, holding back the drawn curtain. She had prided herself with her cunning, managing over the years to maneuver around the tightest of situations. The earl’s words echoed in her mind. She grimaced, pressing her lips together. Worst of all, she doubted seriously if Lord Lenister understood the extent of his threat. If she allowed even a semblance of doubt to emerge, the whole of the operation would be in danger, all of them… 

Eloise
had lived in a world of disillusionment after Luc’s death, although the vehement bitterness had dissipated. Only the thought of Rosabel.... Suddenly, a slight tap at her door startled her from her thoughts. She hadn’t even answered when the door opened.

“My
lady.” Jemma eased in quietly, shutting the door firmly. Her hand rested on the frame only a moment before she broke for her mistress.

“Did you find what they are plotting?”

“No, Lady Eloise,” she said hesitantly. “Lord Lenister’s man, Orlando, is quite closed-mouthed, even with all my persuasion.”

“Jemma, I did not ask you…”

“No, my lady, but I did not mind the attempt. Quite a handsome sort. And not all in vain.
Non
, not if I have my way.”

“Jemma!” Eloise exclaimed with a wave of misgiving. She released the curtain
, letting it fall back into place.

Jemma giggled. “I said only that I couldn’t find out what they have plotted…yet. On the other hand, I did discover that your Lord Lenister received a package today from his estate. One of his friends has appeared. His name is Seamus McMann. His
lordship seemed extremely pleased with the package and there were letters.”

“Letters?” Eloise uttered
under her breath. Letters were wonderful means of collecting information. “You know this how?”

“Orlando thought it better that I hide than for us to be found in an embarrassing situation to himself,” she said with a saucy grin. “And the men have set a meeting for this evening down at the Red Wind Tavern in Dover. I believe you will soon receive notice that you will be dining alone this night.”

Eloise nodded. Pressing her finger against her temple, she thought for a moment. “Let me know immediately when all is clear.”

“What? You aren’t planning
to attempt to find the letters?”

“Why not? If all are gone and you can keep his valet entertained.”

“It is not what an English lady would attempt.”

“But exactly what a French woman would do,” Eloise replied, her desolate mood dissipating quickly.

“What are you trying to find out? To be honest, my lady, I like the gentleman.”

“Jemma!” Eloise cried. “How can you contemplate it is for the best
? How far have I come to obtain my goal? For you…my family?”

“Yes, my lady,” Jemma tentatively said. “But if you marry the
earl, could you not accomplish what you want?”

“I can’t believe my ears. The man has threatened my family to obtain his wants. My brother has thrown his hands up in despair over my situation
, giving me to a man I’ve only just met! There is more here than meets the eye. I have to know whether he is using me for more than he proclaims. You know well what is at stake.”

Jemma slowly nodded. “You are right, my lady. I will be back after the men depart.” She curtsied to Eloise and exited as quietly as she entered.

Eloise pressed her hand against the board by her mirror. A door opened wide into a secret corridor. Eloise smiled
, thankful she had played hide and seek with her youngest sister, Lucy, and nephews. Height Point was an interesting old manor with an assortment of secret winding corridors leading from one room to another.

The children had told her a wide variety of wild tales of lords and ladies,
and mistresses; Eloise was certain secrecy entailed in their meetings. Lord Lenister rested in one of the guest rooms attached to her corridor. In fact, it was not by accident but rather by her design. She edged down to his door. Listening carefully for any noise, she pulled the lever to his door after hearing nothing suspicious.

Slowly
, she edged into the room. She waited only minutes after Jemma returned with the news that the men had departed. Eloise reasoned they would not be returning until late night, but she wasted no time.

She walked comfortably within the large room. She had been in the room many times before but it had never been occupied and especially
not with Lord Lenister. She glanced around the room quickly. Where would he keep what she was looking for?

She bit her bottom lip. What had she expected? For him to leave it out on his bed
? Drawers! She looked over at the desk by the front window. She began her quest. What seemed an eternity but in truth only a few minutes, she came across what she sought. Quite literally out in front of her eyes, sitting upon the night table! Not the middle of his bed, but not far from it.

A beautifully carved wooden box sat upon the table
, unsuspecting what it contained inside. She opened it tentatively. Pearls, beautiful glistering pearls. Her hands reached in. The strands fell over her hand. They were gorgeous, comparable to Julia’s. Eloise rubbed them between her fingers. She hadn’t any jewelry. She wore only what Julia let her borrow and the occasions weren’t often.

She closed the box. She hadn’t time to speculate to why Lord Lenister had received pearls. Beneath the box lay the letters. Suddenly, a rustling noise disturbed her concentration. She froze, but all she could hear was the pounding of her own heart, not knowing
whether she imagined the noise or Orlando hadn’t found Jemma’s diversion to his liking.

Swiftly
, she grabbed the letters. She would read them in the privacy of her room and return them before the men arrived back home. Abruptly, she turned and exited, closing the secret door to his room behind her.

Hurriedly, she leaped upon her bed, not even bothering to close the secret door to her room. Examining the letters, they hadn’t been sealed. Her heart sank. She doubted untold secrets were held within unsealed letters, but she opened the first one. It was from Lord Lenister’s cousin’s wife.

Her eyes rapidly began reading.

Dear Gerard,

I received your letter and have complied
with your wishes. I gave your mother’s pearls to Seamus and the ring. To marry! Oh, Gerard! So quick! Why, I’m disappointed that neither Bridget nor I can attend. I realized that you would marry but the Granville girl and so swiftly! I know you said not to pay attention to unfounded rumors, but I know your heart when it comes to women in distress. I have heard of her beauty, but I hope that history isn’t repeating itself. I urge caution only because Bridget and I hold you so dear. I don’t know what we would have done if not for you after Thomas’ death. Please take only what I say with the knowledge I say it only because I care. I distinctly remember teasing you so at Christmas about the need to marry. But that was before the news about the children. And with all that you are dealing with at this time with trying to save the children, are you certain it is the right time to marry? Colonel Ralston said that…

Eloise sat and read the letter. Tears welled in her eyes and ran down her face. She read the ending, over and over again. So engrossed was she in the letter she didn’t hear the footsteps enter her bedroom. She noticed no one until someone said her name.

“
Lady Eloise?” he repeated.

She looked up
, surprised to find Lenister standing before her. He had walked in from the secret corridor. For an instant, she couldn’t take her eyes off him. Dressed casually, his white shirt hung loose around his waist. His hair fell down to his shoulders. His face had relaxed. The intensity that had encompassed his eyes, at least for a brief moment, softened.

“That letter was not meant for your eyes,” he said forcibly, but not harshly. He held the box in his hand, but laid it down on her table stand.

She shook her head, wiping back her tears. “I’m sorry. It was only…only…” She choked back her words.

“
Anne said to me the words as she would have a brother. She is as a sister I never had. The other letter is to you. If you had waited…”

“Why?” she uttered, fluttering her hand in front of her for him to be silent. “Why, my lord, did you not tell me the children you seek are your own?”