Gentlemen Prefer Spinsters (Spinsters Club #1)(21)

“Merry!” Bella prompted. “Come.”

Merry stood. “What’s happened?”

“Oh, it’s too hard to explain. But Arabella needs you. She needs all of us. But you especially.”

“Why do I not leave you to it?” Harry suggested. “I shall see you tomorrow, Merry.” He set down the lemonade and stood.

Merry opened her mouth to protest but his smile made any words die on her lips. Why did he have to make her stomach tumble and tumble with the merest smile? “See you tomorrow,” she murmured instead as he dipped his head to them both and left the room.

Pressing a hand to her stomach, Bella drew in a breath. “That man...the one who broke Arabella’s heart...”

Merry’s eyes widened. “Do not tell me he is returned?”

Bella shook her head vigorously. “No, worse in a way. His brother is coming home.”

Merry could not recall Mr. Russel’s brother. Both had lived in Lulworth until he had ventured off to America, leaving Arabella behind with promises to return to her. That had been years ago, and she’d been a mere sixteen. None of them had known the men that well and none of them wished to. The brother had vanished off their social scene after his brother left.

“How is that worse?” Merry asked.

“Well, if Russel returned, there might be a chance he would still marry her...at least in Arabella’s mind the returning of the brother, though, that shall just be salt in the wounds.”

Merry pressed two fingers to either side of her head. “Yes, either way, it will not be pleasant for her.”

Bella held out a hand for Merry. “Come on, Merry. We need to go and comfort her.”

Merry took Bella’s hand and let her lead her outside before hooking her arm through hers.

“I rarely seem to see you without Easton these days,” Bella mused.

“Nonsense.” The word came out more defensive than she intended.

Bella shrugged. “It is true. I know you are friends, but I am certain you two never spent quite so much time together before. He has taken quite an interest in the house.”

“Well, as my brother’s closest friend, he feels some sort of obligation to me.” Merry kept her gaze pointedly forward as they made their way along the path from the house. “He probably thinks I shall do myself some damage if I do it alone.”

A snicker escaped Bella. “Given the damage we created the other day, he might be right. But you two did seem cozy. Are you certain, he does not—”

“He is like a brother to me really,” Merry declared before Bella could go any further.

“A handsome brother,” Bella put in. “A handsome, tall, rich, charming brother.”

“Is he?” Merry said lightly. “I never really noticed.”





Chapter Nine





Harcourt took the early ejection from the house as an opportunity to look around the perimeter of Merry’s soon-to-be house. He could not get that man’s suspicious behavior from his mind. Perhaps his time in busy London had made him paranoid—after all rarely anything of interest happened in Lulworth. It was too small, and everyone knew everyone. It would not hurt to make sure things were well, however.

He paced around the back of the building and paused at some marks in the ground. On a wetter day, someone had been standing by the window and footprints were now cast into the dried mud. The overgrown grass and foliage showed signs of being pushed down.

Harcourt strode over to the window that the path led to and frowned at the window frame. There were patches of paint missing on the bottom of the frame, as though someone had been using a tool to pry it open. He rubbed a hand across his face. It was obvious there were no riches in the house—even with the clutter that was in there, little of it had value. No thief in their right mind would want to rob such a rundown house, and it had stood empty for years. Why would someone decide to steal from it now? His gut itched, much like before he was about to lose a card game. Something was not right.

He’d always intended to come back the next day. And the next after that. And many more. If he had not been interrupted by Bella, he’d have laid things out straight for Merry. He was not here to seduce...though he did wish to sway her a little. He was here because he loved her. But there were other things to worry about now too. He needed to keep a close eye on her if there was some danger to her person. How would he live with himself if something happened to her? He’d have to remain even closer than he’d originally intended.

By the time he’d finished his lap of the house, Merry and Bella were long gone. He began the journey home toward Lulworth Castle. The name of his ancestral seat was deceptive—it had not been a castle for over one hundred years when the original building had been knocked down to make way for its current incarnation. He made good time, walking from the Whitely estate, along the road and onto his estate. The large park surrounding the castle was always filled with deer and he could see them scattered over the hills that reached past Lulworth Cove and beyond.

The two towers of the building dominated the landscape, capping off a squared mock castle. Harcourt picked up his pace once he neared the building, entering via the servant’s entrance.

“Is Lord Thornford still abed?” he asked one of the maids.

“Yes, my lord. I think May just took him a morning meal.”