In the Garden of Temptation (33 page)

“
Lady Ashworth visited
Catherine. Your mother spoke of your career and progeny and the
terrible toll flight would have on your reputation and future. The
countess can be intimidating when she wants to be as I’m sure you
know. Catherine was made to see that she would be destroying your
life.”

“
So that is why Bourgeault
visited Mother,” Adam said, another memory assaulting him. “Did she
know about the child?”

Again, a silence as the viscount waited
before replying. “She said she would not play grandmother to a
bastard.” He uttered the words, his sadness for his friend
palpable.

Adam came to his feet in a blistering rage.
He was consumed by an anger so savage and malevolent, it frightened
even himself.

“
Are you all right, Adam?”
The viscount also stood, and he awkwardly patted his companion on
the shoulder.

“
What?” The earl was
startled that Daniel was still there, for he was grappling with the
anguish of betrayal.

“
All will be well. I feel it
in my bones,” Daniel said.

Adam smiled grimly. “Perhaps there is hope
for saving what I feared was lost to me forever. Wish me luck, my
friend, for I think I’m going to need it.”

*****

Adam slept for a few hours and, upon rising,
bathed and dressed before packing a small leather valise. The
aching in his head from overindulgence the previous evening had
begun to abate, and with the easing of the pain came clearer
reason.

He had swallowed a late breakfast, more from
necessity than desire, and he now sat sipping a strong cup of tea
as he pondered the future and lamented the past. He had only one
more order of business to complete in preparation for the most
important journey of his life.

He wanted to forgive her, he really did, but
every time he thought of his mother’s perfidy he was infuriated
anew. How could she have done it? How could she have interfered
when he had gone to such pains to make her understand the
importance of his relationship with Catherine? He cringed when he
thought of his mother using her rapier tongue on the baroness.

His thoughts drifted to Lady Bourgeault where
they lingered, a divergent mixture of elation and guilt. On the one
hand, faith had been revived. Catherine had not deceived him. Her
protective instincts, however misguided, had been aroused, and she
had made the ultimate sacrifice. The notion sent a warm glow of
pleasure to his bruised heart.

Being a man he had not believed himself
vulnerable to such poignant yearnings, but these last months had
taught him much about being in love. It was not an emotion that
could be willed away when it became too arduous to bear. It clung
tight with the tenacity of a stubborn clam, forcing its victim to
face the pain.

Naturally, that brought him to his own
failings. Daniel was right—Adam had been very quick to believe the
lies. He remembered that terrible scene when he had last seen
Catherine. He might as well have called her whore, for that was
surely what he had meant. She had taken the tongue-lashing all the
while aware of what her silence would cost her. He felt more
ashamed than he thought possible.

And he had become a father—what an amazing
revelation. Yet he could not quite comprehend it. How much he had
missed, was missing still. He felt as though he had been robbed of
these last months—robbed by his mother’s deception and his own
stupidity. Adam knew he didn’t deserve Catherine’s forgiveness, but
he hoped fervently that Daniel had not misjudged the situation. And
if the viscount had been too optimistic, Adam would press his suit
until she relented. Catherine would be his, of that he was
determined.

*****

“
Good morning, dear. Lovely
day, isn’t it?” Lady Ashworth greeted as she entered the sunny
dining room and approached the sideboard. Not receiving an answer,
she turned and looked at her son where he sat at the dining
table.

Adam was staring at her, an unfathomable
expression on his face. She could see he was displeased about
something.

“
Are you recovering from a
heavy head?” she ventured.

“
Why do you ask?”

“
Seems to be your normal
condition this time of day.”

“
Then you’ll be pleased to
know I’ve decided to begin a new regimen. I’ll not be imbibing as
much anymore.”

“
I’m glad to hear it,” she
said severely. “In fact, you’ve been doing entirely too much
drinking of late.”

“
Really? Why do you think
that is?”

He watched her through narrowed eyes, and
something in his manner made her uneasy.

“
I have no idea, I’m
sure.”

“
Come, Mother, it can’t have
escaped your notice that I’ve been unhappy recently.”

“
You’ve not been yourself, I
admit.” She took a seat at the table, carefully arranging her
skirts.

“
Do you also admit that you
are in large part the reason why this is so?”

She stiffened. “I have no idea to what you
are referring. And I resent being made the excuse for your
dissatisfaction.”

Adam leaned his arms on the table from elbow
to wrist and leveled a penetrating glare on his parent.

“
I will ask you this once
only and, for your sake, I hope you can be honest with me. Did you
go to Catherine Bourgeault and convince her to put an end to her
relationship with me?”

The dowager countess blanched. Suddenly
nervous, she set down her teacup in its saucer, and the china
pieces rattled precariously, one against the other.

“
I don’t deny it,” she
admitted finally.

“
Why would you do something
that would so badly hurt me?” His voice rose barely above a
gravelly whisper, for he plainly strove to keep in check a temper
spiraling dangerously out of control. “If you were a man, I would
horsewhip you for your wicked meddling. Have you no idea what
you’ve cost me?” He brought his fist down on the table with a loud
bang.

“
I did plead with her for
your interests, but nothing more. What of the baron? Do you deem
him innocent in all this?”

“
I want his wife!” he
yelled. “He has provocation for wishing me ill. What is your
excuse?”

The dowager, too stricken to speak, took her
napkin and dabbed at the corners of her mouth as she fought for
command of her emotions. A proud woman, she was unused to having to
defend herself in so humiliating a fashion.

“
I love you,” she said,
feeling as if it were a confession. “I wish only what is best for
you, can’t you see?”

“
You want me to fill a
prescribed mold, one to your exact specifications. Not once have
you asked me what I want.”

“
It’s not me. I’m sorry you
were born with obligations you detest, but they are yours,
nonetheless. You head a large family that looks to you for
direction. What of them?”

“
Mother, I cannot think of a
single individual who could not survive without me leading the way.
But Catherine needs me and, I might add, so does my daughter.” His
eyes glinted menacingly. “Did you call my child
bastard?”

She believed it a testament to her courage
that she did not crumple on the spot. Squaring her shoulders, she
looked her son directly in the face and boldly met the
question.

“
She is the offspring of
parents who are not married to one another. The term is
correct.”

“
Indeed?” he asked in an
awful voice. “It also indicates a careless attitude. What do you
think? I litter the countryside with my illegitimate children just
for the pleasure of it? My child was made in love, and I want her
as I want her mother.”

“
But Adam…” The countess
fairly wrung her hands. “How can it be?”

“
I’m going to convince the
baron to divorce his wife.”

She gasped aloud. “She will never be received
anywhere, and your lot will not be much better than hers.”

“
Be that as it may, I intend
to marry Catherine and legitimize my daughter if it is the last
thing I do. And be forewarned, Mother, I will brook no more
interference. If I so much as catch a breath of your scheming, I’ll
send you to the dower house at Ashworth Hall, and you’ll never see
another sunrise in your beloved London. Do I make myself
clear?”

“
Yes, Adam,” she returned
stoically, “I understand that you are hell-bent on destroying
yourself, and there is little I can do to stop you. So be
it.”

Adam pushed back his chair and rose from the
table. “Remember, Mother, love cannot stifle nor can it dictate.
Either of those circumstances will turn a tender feeling into
something ugly. We have much to overcome, you and I. It is an
altogether good thing we have a lifetime to work on it.”

Lady Ashworth waited until the brisk
footsteps of her only son died away into the depths of the quiet
mansion before continuing to sip her tea. If her bottom lip
trembled ever so slightly as she lifted the cup to her mouth, who
was to see?

*****

Adam brought his mount to a halt on a small
rise as he took a moment to appreciate the beauty of the panoramic
scene before him. He had been on Lord Eddington’s estate for the
better part of an hour, and only now had the main house come into
view. Trimmed hedges and a neatly clipped lawn surrounded a lovely
Georgian manor home dating from early in the previous century.

The structure appeared to be undergoing an
extensive renovation, for there was a flurry of activity on the
grounds as busy workmen bustled to and fro. Scaffolding clung to
the outer wall of the east wing to expedite repairs on the brick of
the second and third stories, and liberal doses of paint were being
applied to all the external woodwork.

The earl kicked his horse and descended the
slope, entering the front yard by way of the drive. Dismounting, he
handed the reins of his horse to a young boy who appeared,
seemingly from nowhere. Adam approached the entrance.

An ancient butler, bent nearly double with
age, opened the door. “Now then, whom do we have here?” he fairly
shouted as he gawked blindly at the caller.

Adam hid a smile as he handed the man his
card. “I would like to speak with your master.”

The servant squinted at the card, moving it
up and down in a clear effort to find that one precise place where
his cloudy vision still focused. He must have succeeded for he gave
a satisfied grunt and allowed the visitor to enter.

“
Wait here,” he said
cordially though continuing to speak in a very loud
voice.

Adam stepped into the hall, and the smell of
paint filled his nostrils. Obviously, the repair work was not
restricted to outside the structure. He glanced around the entry
and was surprised by the lack of furnishings. No pictures graced
the walls, and a hole gaped in the ceiling over his head where once
a chandelier had hung. Odd for an established household to discard
everything when starting anew.

Adam had only a brief wait. The butler
returned, ushering him into the study. As in the entry, everywhere
Adam looked the house had been stripped bare. The study did contain
a few pieces of shabby furniture, including a much-abused desk, but
aside from that there was nothing, nothing at all.

A muffled footstep brought the earl’s head
around, and he looked into a face so like Catherine’s, he gawked in
amazement.

“
Good Lord, you do resemble
your sister.” The words were blurted before he could stop
himself.

A tall, blonde man approached the earl, his
handsome features alight with interest. He offered a firm
handshake.

“
You must be referring to
Catherine. I’m delighted to make your acquaintance, Ashworth. I’m
Jeffery Traynor, Catherine’s brother. Please, have a seat.” He
indicated a chair facing the desk. “Would you care for some
refreshment?”

“
No, that won’t be
necessary. I apologize for dropping in without warning, but a
problem arose rather suddenly and it necessitated immediate
action.”

Jeffery nodded agreeably as he settled his
slim frame into the chair behind the desk. “I hope it is nothing
serious?”

“
I’ll let you be the judge
of that,” Adam hedged. “To be frank, it’s a delicate matter and you
may wish to put a gun to my head after I’ve told you
everything.”

“
Your words are not
reassuring, sir,” Jeffery said, looking doubtful. “Perhaps you had
best explain.”

Adam, now in the position of having to do
that, felt awkward. This young man might feel honor bound to avenge
the corruption of his sister. Of course, that was not how Adam
perceived the situation, but then he was not looking from the
perspective of an outraged brother.

“
I’m here because of
Catherine.”

“
Yes?” was all Jeffery said,
but his attitude became discernibly cooler.

“
This is harder than I
thought it would be.” Adam shifted in his seat then leaned forward,
hoping his expression conveyed his sincerity. “I’m in love with
Catherine,” he blurted.

“
Are you, by
God!”

Now that he had gone this far, the earl
continued before his courage failed him. “I believe she leads an
unhappy life with an unstable husband and would be better served if
I took her away from that wretched existence.” When Jeffery did not
answer, Adam rushed on. “I’m not asking, mind. I’m going to do this
thing with or without your consent. But I thought I ought to let
Catherine’s family know what my plans are.”