Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17

" N ot at all, I am her guardian until her brother returns—that is our only connection," Aaron explained to the group of gentlemen who had gathered around him.

It was crucial to make it clear that he and Judith shared no romantic attachment whatsoever. Any hint of such a connection would be detrimental to her chances of finding a suitable match.

Fortunately, he knew most of the people who had congregated at Green Park that morning, and word would soon spread.

"Indeed, if you would like me to make an introduction…" he added, but just then, a fast-moving figure caught his attention, and he saw Lady Worcester rushing past him.

"Judith, Judith!" she called, waving her fan.

Aaron's head whipped around just in time to see Judith dropping the satchel of bird food he had given her and running toward her stepmother.

He noted with surprise that she had been talking to a gentleman, and he squinted to see who it was, but the sun glared down, making it difficult to discern the figure. However, the man looked familiar…

Was it… No, it couldn't be. The man turned away then and walked in the opposite direction, disappearing into the crowd. Aaron dismissed the thought, his attention instead taken up by the increasingly hysterical Lady Worcester.

"Excuse me," he said, leaving his friends behind and joining stepmother and daughter. "What's happened?" he asked, his concerned eyes darting from Lady Worcester to Judith and back again.

Instinctively, he placed a hand on Judith's back, hoping the gesture might soothe her.

"A messenger has come. Your brother had an accident at Eton."

"An accident?" Judith repeated, all color draining from her face.

Aaron felt her stagger and pressed his hand more firmly against her back to support her.

"Is he badly hurt?"

"Apparently, he fell during a riding lesson and broke his leg. There are scraps and scratches. He is in a lot of pain," Lady Worcester explained, her words tumbling out one over the other.

"We must go to him!" Judith exclaimed, her voice a mix of determination and anxiety.

"That is what I said as well. The letter said not to worry, that they only meant to inform us, but I cannot bear the thought of the dear boy alone at Eton, in pain, without anyone from his family there to comfort him. Indeed, I would prefer that he came home until he is recovered," Lady Worcester said.

"I would like that too," Judith agreed. "We must collect him."

Aaron had been watching the two of them quietly until now, but he knew he had to speak up.

"I am uncertain that you will be able to accomplish this. Lady Worcester, you are not his mother, and you, Lady Judith, are merely his sister. It is Oliver who is his guardian. If the school thinks that he should stay, it may be difficult to bring him home."

"This is ludicrous," Judith snapped, clenching her hands into fists. "We are his family. We should be able to take him out of school if we wish."

Aaron felt uncomfortable being confronted with the harsh realities of their patriarchal society, but the fact was that the man of the house, be it the father or the brother, was the one who had legal custody over the child. Unless…

"It is true. I am in full agreement with you. But I am familiar with Eton's headmaster. He is… shall we say, of the old sort. He will stick by the rules, which state only Oliver can remove the child or his appointed stand-in. I would like to accompany you to Eton if you will let me."

Lady Worcester nodded at once. "Of course. Do you believe you being familiar with him will help?"

Judith looked at him expectantly, and Aaron took a deep breath, bracing himself.

"I must return to my manor and retrieve the necessary papers," he said, earning curious glances from the two women.

"Papers?" Lady Worcester echoed, her eyebrows raised.

Judith tilted her head to the side. "What do you mean?"

He cleared his throat to explain. "Oliver left a letter that gives me control over his affairs, signed by a barrister."

Lady Worcester gasped sharply, and Judith's eyes went wide.

"You are in charge of the estate? Officially?" Judith gasped. "You are not just doing him a favor by looking out for me?"

"You are guardian over John, then. And… everything else," Lady Worcester said, though she sounded more surprised than upset. Judith, on the other hand, wasn't pleased.

Aaron hadn't wanted to tell them that he had any authority over them at all. But Oliver was nothing if not careful. He might have been free-spirited, but he knew that responsibility rested on his shoulders. Should anything happen to him, his sister, brother, and stepmother would be in legal limbo. Thus, he had ensured that—should something happen to him on the road or during his trip—someone was in charge until the situation could be rectified.

And that someone was Aaron.

He hadn't wanted to tell Judith because he did not like how it would skew their relationship. He didn't want to be seen as having power over her in any way, but the situation was urgent.

"It means nothing. Not for either of you, only that I can protect you legally if I have to. However, it is different for John. It means that I have the authority to remove him from school," he explained, looking earnestly at Judith.

"Well, I suppose it is as Oliver planned," Lady Worcester said.

Judith nodded, although he caught a flash of displeasure in her eyes.

"We will go home," Lady Worcester continued. "We will ready our carriage and depart promptly once you join us. Then we will travel to Eton together, retrieve John, and bring him home."

She sounded very much like the boy's mother rather than his stepmother.

"Thank you," Judith murmured quietly.

The three parted ways, each with a sense of urgency and purpose. Aaron watched as Judith and her stepmother rushed to their carriage. His mind raced with the urgency of their situation, and a part of him longed to be beside Judith, offering comfort. But just as he was about to turn away, he heard a familiar voice calling to him.

"Aaron!"

It was Graham.

Aaron's heart sank as he realized it was indeed Graham he had seen with Judith earlier. How had they met? Why was Graham talking to her? Jealousy gripped him, which he knew to be entirely irrational.

Graham approached, his expression bright. "Aaron, there you are!" he said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Do you know the young lady I was just talking to? Judith something?"

Aaron hesitated, his mind racing. "I… I'm not sure who you were talking to."

Graham's face fell. "Really? You were standing so close by that I thought you must have seen us. We were feeding geese and ducks over yonder."

"I was chatting with some of my friends," Aaron said. "I thought I saw you walking in the other direction earlier, but I did not see you chatting with anyone."

"After she was called away, I had half a mind to leave, but then I remembered seeing you and thought you might have seen us talking over there." Graham nodded his chin toward the lake. "I didn't catch her full name before she rushed away with another woman. I'd hoped to find out who she is and perhaps ask her to go to the opera with me."

Aaron shrugged, trying to appear indifferent. "I beg your pardon, I don't know."

Graham sighed. "That's a shame. She seemed quite charming. A diamond of the first water, indeed."

Aaron's insides twisted with guilt and a touch of something else he didn't want to name. He should tell Graham that it was Judith he'd spoken to, and that Judith was in need of a decent match—but he didn't. He didn't want to introduce Graham to Judith. He knew in his heart why, but admitting it was another matter entirely.

"So, Aaron," Graham continued, seemingly dismissing the topic, "I'm going to a private ball at the Lord Chancellor's house next week. Lots of influential people will be there. Are you going?"

Aaron's vexation deepened. He had planned to take Judith to that ball, knowing it would be a perfect opportunity for her to meet eligible gentlemen. Yet, the thought of her there with Graham gnawed at him. He'd have to introduce them whether he wanted to or not. Graham would recognize Judith, and he'd know that Aaron had been keeping their connection from him.

What was he doing? With every passing second, he was digging a deeper hole for himself…

"I have other plans," he said curtly.

"Ah, that's too bad," Graham replied, looking a bit disappointed. "Well, we should have dinner together soon."

"Of course," Aaron agreed, though his mind was already elsewhere. "But I must be off now. Urgent matters to attend to."

Graham nodded. "I understand. Let's catch up soon."

As Aaron hurried away, he couldn't shake the feeling of doom building within him. The crisp February wind bit at his face, and the barren branches of the trees swayed ominously overhead. The park, usually a place of tranquillity, felt oppressive. He strode quickly, his thoughts in turmoil.

Why had it bothered him so much to see Graham with Judith? Why had he felt a pang of something akin to jealousy? He knew he couldn't let himself get attached, couldn't let his feelings cloud his judgment. He was supposed to be helping her find a match, not hoping she wouldn't.

Aaron quickened his pace, the gravel crunching under his boots. He had to focus on the task at hand—retrieving John from Eton. But even as he tried to concentrate on the immediate problem, his thoughts kept drifting back to Judith, to the way her eyes had widened with worry, to the feel of her hand in his.

He reached his carriage and climbed in, signaling to the driver to go. As the carriage rumbled away, he looked out the window, the bleak winter landscape mirroring his mood.

The feeling of dread clung to him, a shadow that refused to be cast aside. He knew he had to keep his distance, but the more time he spent with Judith, the harder that seemed to become.