Prologue

PROLOGUE

“H e’s here!” Grace Parr, Amber’s mother exclaimed from where she stood in her black mourning gown, peeking out from behind the white gauzy curtains of the sitting room.

Amber didn’t look up from the embroidery she was working on. It wasn’t anything too fancy this time. Just a new handkerchief with a chain of branches going around the edge. Every few inches, there was a small brightly colored bird perching on them. On one of the corners, there was a small gap in the branches where a larger bird was flying away. It was far more interesting than anything her mother might have to say about the still unknown cousin. “I still don’t see why he needs to come at all,” she grumbled, stabbing the needle through with more force than necessary. “I still think we should be able to handle things on our own. You’ve handled most of Father’s affairs for years now. I don’t see why that has to change now.”

Grace sighed, coming to sit beside her. “My sweet child, we’ve been over this. You know why.”

She pouted. “It isn’t fair!”

“I know, my dear. It’s my fault.”

“No!” Amber cut her off. “It isn’t your fault, and I would never blame you.”

“But it is. Your father and I were supposed to protect you, but we weren’t able to give you any siblings, much less the brother you needed to look after you.”

“And you shouldn’t have had to.”

“But the reality is, we did. You can disagree with the law all you want, but it doesn’t change the situation.” She sighed. “We didn’t give you the brother we needed to, and now, the estate has to go to your cousin. I am sorry.”

“I’ve already told you, you have nothing to apologize for. You didn’t make the law.”

“I know, I just wish there was something we could have done.” She sat back with a sigh. “But perhaps it will be for the best.”

Amber scowled. “How could it possibly be for the best? What can he bring to the table that we don’t already have?”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, Amber, but you’ve always been a bit of a home body and a wall flower.”

“You say that like it’s a problem.”

“I didn’t mean to it that way,” Grace laughed. “I was simply suggesting he might be able to help you with that.”

“How?” Amber scoffed. “Not that I want his help.”

“Of course not.” Her mother rolled her eyes. “But if you did want his help, then you must admit, he’s close in age to you. Not only that, but he’s known to be a rather social person. He’s constantly going places and was frequently invited to parties even before he got his title.”

“You mean before he got Father’s title.”

“My point is that simply that he can help introduce you to people and make connections when you come out in a few years. That’s more than I can offer you.”

Amber glared. “I don’t need his help.”

“I wasn’t saying you need help. Only that he can offer you something I can’t.”

“I don’t think he can. You can introduce me to people just fine on your own.”

“Except I can’t. The reality is, since your father got sick, I haven’t gone out much. Truth be told, I lost most of my social connections.”

“Then we can make more.”

“Amber,” she sighed. “We can talk about this later. We need to go great him.”

Amber shook her head. “Go on without me. I’m quite content to remain here and continue my work.”

Grace sighed, looking at her daughter with a strange look on her face. “Come now; don’t be like that. You should at least try and make a good impression on him.”

“Why shouldn’t he try to make a good impression on me?”

“Amber, you’re going to have to live in close quarters with him until you get married. You should try and be cordial at least.”

“Or I could simply stay in my room. If anything, he should be the one coming to me, introducing himself to me, trying to make a good impression on me! Father only passed away a few days ago, and I just want to be alone.”

“I know, and in so many ways, I feel the same way. Sadly, however, it isn’t that simple. Can you please try? If not for your own sake, at least for mine.”

Amber’s large green eyes shot to look at her. “Mother,” she sighed. “Please, you know how I feel about this.”

“I do, and I understand where you’re coming from. You’ve been through so much. I only wish you could have been married before this happened.”

“Please, this isn’t fair.”

“Amber, I need you to listen to me on this one.”

Before Amber could reply, the sitting room door opened, and a footman stepped in. “The new Earl of Heathfield has arrived. He will be coming in shortly.”

“Thank you,” Grace got to her feet. “We will be right down to greet him. Won’t we, Amber?” She shot her daughter an imploring look.

She sighed, tossing her embroidery to the side. “Very well. If I must.”

“You must.”

She got to her feet and trailed after her mother.

As they walked, Amber tried to force herself to look on the bright side. She had been rather lonely, and her cousin was close in age to her. Maybe they could be friends.

“Do you know anything about him?” she asked.

“So now you want to know about him? Ever since I told you he was coming, you said you didn’t want to hear about him. Why the change in tune?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Amber crossed her arms.

Grace gave a half-hearted smile, sadness still tinging the edges. “To tell the truth, no, I don’t know much about him. Only that he’s around your age, and he’s new to London. He grew up in a small town out in the country and was originally training to be a lawyer before he got the letter letting him know what happened.”

“Did he send any reply?”

“Yes, but all it said was the day we could expect him to arrive. Then we got another one letting us know he was less than a day out.” She huffed out a breath. “I must say, I thought he’d be in by now. The footman said he’d be in any minute now.”

“Perhaps he got distracted taking in the view. If he’s never been to London, you can hardly blame him.”

“Still, you think he’d at least want to come inside and freshen up from his travels first.” She frowned, looking around the empty foyer. “I do hope he doesn’t find the place too old-fashioned.”

“If he has any taste, then I’m sure he’ll love it. You worry too much.”

Before they could say another word, the door swung open, and he stepped inside. Amber immediately couldn’t help but think her mother’s worries might be more founded than she wanted to admit. She had to resist the urge to grimace at the sight of him. He looked worse than anything she could have dreamed up.

He was a tall man with slicked back black hair and duplicitous green eyes glinting out from behind narrow, wire framed glasses. He wore an ill-fitting suit made of a fabric his previous means would have made unaffordable. Amber could feel herself shutting down before he’d even introduced himself.

After a few moments of him not saying anything, Grace stepped forward, a tight smile on her face. “Lord Heathfield,” she curtsied, motioning Amber to do the same.

She gritted her teeth and complied. She may not like the man, but she hardly wanted her mother to look bad in front of him.

“Dowager Lady Heathfield,” he offered only the barest minimum of a bow that decorum required. “And that must be your daughter, Lady Amber.”

“Indeed it is. It’s wonderful to meet you. I only wish it was under happier circumstances.”

“I’m sure you do,” he said, eyes still staring past them as he scanned over the house, occasionally muttering to himself.

“Is there something I can help you find?” she asked, her smile growing more strained.

“Oh no. It’s nothing you need to concern yourself with. I’m just looking things over, trying to decide what I’m going to do with it.”

“Do with it? I had assumed you’d be living in it.” She let out a nervous laugh.

“I will be, but it’s going to need a lot of work to get up to my standards.”

“I see. Well, if there’s anything I can do-”

“I’m sure the people I’ve hired will manage. Don’t worry. I doubt I’ll need much from either of you.”

“I see,” she hesitated. “May I ask if you intend to have us remain in the house or if you’ll be putting us up somewhere else?”

He frowned. “Yes, the will did specify that I am to ensure you are both looked after until Amber marries.”

Her smile relaxed a touch.

“I don’t see the point in putting you up someplace else, so if that was a concern for you, rest assured I have no intention of having you go anywhere.”

“Well, now that that’s settled,” Amber cut in, “I think I will retire to my embroidery.” She turned to leave the room.

“Yes,” Grace agreed. “This has all been rather hard on her, the poor girl. We even had to push back her coming out, given the circumstances.”

Amber clenched her hands into fists. She could understand why her mother wanted to keep the peace, but she wanted nothing more than to scream.

“I can understand that,” he said, voice filled with mock sympathy. “There’s no reason to push her to come out before she’s ready, and Amber deserves plenty of time to mourn. We can talk about that in a little while. Give time for things to settle first.”

“Thank you. I don’t want to rush her. It was very important to her father, and is still very important to me, that she finds a good match.”

“I can understand that. You don’t need to worry. I will look after her from here out.”

Amber squeezed her hands into fists, eyes locked on the floor. “May I return to the parlor now?”

“In a moment. Let me get a good look at you first.”

She forced herself to stand perfectly still as his eyes scanned over her, evaluating her. Finally, he stepped back with a sigh.

“Not bad,” he said.

“Excuse me!” Grace exclaimed.

“I only meant that she is bound to make a good match when the time comes, but there’s no need to rush that.”

“Right, of course.”

Amber cleared her throat, glancing towards the door.

He sighed. “Very well. You may go.” He turned away. “I’m going to go have a look around. I might see you all at dinner, or I might not. We’ll see.”

Then he walked off, leaving them alone.

Amber turned back to her mother. “He’s awful!”

“He certainly isn’t what I expected, but perhaps first impressions can be deceiving. Maybe if we just give him another chance, things will improve with time.”

“Perhaps,” Amber frowned. “But I am finding it rather hard to hold on to hope.”

“Then you had better start looking for a husband. As unfortunate as it is, you are at his mercy until you wed.”

Amber clenched her hands into fists and stomped off. She found herself back in the sitting room, picking back up her embroidery.

She was working on a fish. It was an uncommon motif to be sure, but that was a huge part of the appeal for Amber. She loved seeing what she could make. It was almost like painting, an art that despite her best efforts she never developed any talent for.

But with her thread, she was able to make art in her own way. It also had the added benefit of being usable.

To her annoyance, the door swung open, and Simon stepped in. He studied her from the doorway for the moment.

“I hear you’re something of a little businesswoman,” he said.

She shrugged, keeping her eyes locked on her work. “Something like that. It isn’t much, just a way for me to earn some spending money of my own.”

He stepped deeper into the room. “Well, that stops now.”

“What? You can’t be serious!”

“I’m completely serious. There’s no reason for a woman of your stature to be engaged in such an endeavor.”

“I’m not ‘engaged’ in anything! It’s just something to do with all of the things I embroider. I make a lot of things, and I don’t have a need for all of them.”

“Then you can gift them to friends, but there’s no reason for you to sell them. You aren’t a businessman. You are a lady. What would the men of the ton think of you if they knew what you were doing?”

“Any man who would have a problem with it is not someone I would want to marry.”

“Then it’s a good thing you have me now to guide you.”

“Oh really? And why is that?”

“Because if that’s how you feel, then you have no idea what you should look for.”

“I know what I want!”

“Too bad that what you want isn’t necessarily what’s smart. As I said, it’s a good thing you have me now to help you know what’s best for you.”

Amber gritted her hands into fists. “At the end of the day, it’s my choice. You can do what you want, but once I’m out?—”

He cut her off with a laugh. “Perhaps, but you have to be out first.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but he had already turned and walked from the room, leaving her alone.

Amber threw her hoop down, eyes burning. She needed to get out of here.