27. Chapter 27

"Isaw your man leave." Lady Agnes's scratchy voice grated into her ears. "He tore across the front lane like the devil himself was on his back."

Closing her eyes, Nemity stopped in the foyer as Lady Agnes came out of the front drawing room.

Of course she saw. Lady Agnes saw every damn thing there was to see.

Without responding, Nemity moved past her, not even looking at the woman.

She had to go hide. Be in silence with herself and get her mind straight before she set herself in front of the children. For she refused to let them see any worry in her eyes. Not now. Not ever.

Lady Agnes's sharp voice cut into her retreat. "I assume the wedding has been canceled."

Nemity spun around to her, a forced smile on her face. "On the contrary, he will be back soon enough. He is making the arrangements—he has to talk to Thomas."

A lie.

She had no doubt Lady Agnes saw straight through her deceit.

Lady Agnes harrumphed. "About your fortune, no doubt."

Nemity kept walking away, even though the words were a blow straight to her gut, making her slightly double over.

It was always the source of her worth in the ton. Her fortune. Her status. Her burden.

Yet this was where she was.

If she had to buy a husband in order for her to keep Georgette and Jacob, she would do it.

She would offer up to Callum everything she had. Give him everything so he would trade away the rest of his life being shackled to her.

It was the only way, really. Her last chance.

No matter her pride. No matter that Callum didn't want her.

The one good man she'd truly wanted to marry, and he didn't want her.

Even if he didn't want her, he would be honor bound to be the best father he could to Georgette and Jacob. She knew that without a doubt of him.

So she would grovel, give up anything for him to marry her. If that was what it took, then those would be the first words out of her mouth when he returned.

Her feet trudging up the stairs, she looked out the window high above the front door of Springwell. Heavy clouds were rolling in, a blanket of rain nearly to the manor. Perfect for her mood. As if her emotions controlled the weather.

At least the skies could cry, even if she could not.

It rained the entire night and into the next day.

Such a heavy downpour that she would at least have an excuse for Callum not showing up in the next day, as the roads would be soup at this point.

She'd spent the day entertaining the children in the library. She'd had her old doll house brought down from storage, and Georgette had delighted is setting everything into its proper place. Jacob had taken to the miniature wooden horses that had been stored with the doll house, and spent an inordinate amount of time setting up a siege on the doll house.

Throughout all the play, she'd started teaching them some of the songs she remembered from her childhood. She was an awful singer, but lucky for her, children were rarely judgmental about her voice. In the middle of singing "Oranges and Lemons"with the children, she hadn't heard the knock on the front door and jumped when Charley's voice cut into the air behind her. "What is all this caterwauling I hear in here?"

Both of the children looked up, smiles lighting up their faces when they spied Charley at the door of the library.

"Charley," Georgette squealed and ran toward him, wrapping her arms around his leg.

"Hello, Cherub." He tousled her hair and bent down to sweep Jacob into his arms as Jacob's little legs nearly lost balance they were running so hard. "And hello to you, little sir. I heard you both travelled here with Auntie Nemmy."

Both of the children knew and loved Charley, for he would sometimes join Nemity when she brought the children to Hyde Park every other day earlier in the year. He always had time for them and would pick flowers with Georgette, letting her tuck them into his hair.

Nemity stood from the carpet where they were playing and moved toward him.

"Charley, what on earth are you doing here? You are soaking wet—oh, no—and now you're soaking the children." Laughing, Nemity rushed forward, pulling Jacob from his arms, only to realize the transfer of moisture had already happened onto Jacob's clothes, and she immediately set him down.

She shook her head as she peeled Georgette away from Charley's wet trousers. "Georgette, you as well? Ugh."

Grabbing both of the children's hands, she walked them to the door of the library and out into the hallway. "Mrs. Jorge? Are you nearby?" she called out.

She heard the footsteps walking from the connecting hallway before Mrs. Jorge appeared. "Yes, ma'am?"

"Would you please take Georgette and Jacob up for a change of clothes? They are soaked."

Mrs. Jorge's forehead furrowed. "Wet? How did that come to be?"

"Charley is here and Charley is soaked through. That didn't stop these two from hugging him." She bent down and tickled their ribcages.

They tried to wiggle away from her as squeals of laughter echoed down the corridor.

"Ah, I thought I saw someone coming up from the stables, but I assumed it was Mr. Lonstrick."

That sobered Nemity.

She shook her head. "Just Charley." She smiled. "You take them and I'll go see to Charley."

Mrs. Jorge nodded and took the children's hands.

Nemity returned to the library. Charley had moved toward the window, watching the rain pelting down against the pane. At least he hadn't taken a seat with his wet clothes.

"Is it as atrocious out there as it looks?" she asked, looking past him out the window.

"It is starting to ease." He leaned forward to look up out the window, searching the sky. "Or at least it was."

"Why were you even travelling in this weather?"

"I didn't really have a choice. I came up straight from London." Charley turned to her. "Is Callum here?"

"Callum?" Her brows drew together. "No. He went to Ravenstone."

He looked her over, puffing out a long breath. "You cannot do it—tell me you didn't already do it, Nemity."

Her eyebrows drew together. "Do what?"

"Marry Callum."

"Oh." Her face fell. "You know about that?"

Charley's voice pitched as he leaned closer to her, almost manic. "Did you marry him?"

"No, no."

He exhaled a relieved sigh, smiling and nodding as he stood straight. "Good."

He left her by the window and went to the sideboard, pouring himself a full drink of Scotch whisky. He took several sips that appeared to calm him and he looked to her.

"Why did you think I was about to marry Callum?"

"Because one of Lady Agnes's biddies that was at Vauxhall that night has spread it all over London that you two plan to marry—you know those women cannot keep their traps shut." He shook his head, taking another swallow. "But hell, Nemity, I talked to Vanessa after I heard the news and couldn't find you and she told me Callum is a bloody gardener. You were about to marry a gardener."

She rushed to the door of the library, closing the door for privacy. Walking across the library to him, she kept her voice low. "Lady Agnes is here, so we will need to speak quietly."

His eyebrows shot up. "The old bat is here?"

"Yes."

"Why? Because of Georgette and Jacob?" he asked.

Her head bobbed back and forth. "It takes some explanation."

He lifted his drink to her. "I'm all ears, as long as you're not marrying Callum."

Her look cut into him. "I don't understand your urgency, or why you would even care if I was marrying him—I thought Callum was your good friend."

Charley sobered, shaking his head. "He's not. The man is a user, just like you thought him to be. After the rumors of you marrying started, I cornered Vanessa and she told me who he really was years ago—a common workman, for pity's sake. He had me fooled." His eyes narrowed, irate. "The bastard used me to get to you. He must have had you marked for a very long time. And when he came upon me, he must have known our connection and jumped at the chance to get close to you."

"Charley, no. I don't want you to think that Callum is not your friend. I am sure he is." She knew she couldn't explain everything to him, but she also didn't want Charley to think he'd been duped.

"No, I won't hear it, Pip. Anyone who would dare to hurt you, to lie to you, isn't my friend. He lied to all of us about his past—to you, to me. A bloody gardener, of all things." He set his drink down and grabbed her shoulders. "Tell me you're not about to marry him. Tell me he hasn't convinced you he is innocent. He is rotten, Nemity, rotten."

She dropped her right shoulder, turning away from his hold on her. She took a step to the sideboard and poured herself a splash of brandy. "Except, what if he isn't?"

"Hell. No." His voice dipped in disbelief. "You are actually considering it, aren't you? No—you cannot. I cannot express this enough to you—you cannot think to go through with it. It would be a scandal beyond all others, marrying a low-class gardener—a ruthless scandal that would close all doors to you."

She swallowed the brandy, staring at the black marble counter of the sideboard. "I don't care about open doors."

"You may not, but do you care about doors being open for Georgette and Jacob—do you think that will fly? Everyone knowing you married a fortune-hunting scoundrel? Those two innocent children will have no future—none." His look went to the ceiling. "I'm sure Vanessa has already told most of the ton that you were duped by the man."

She shook her head. "No, Vanessa wouldn't do that. She is discreet. She told me about Callum and that is the end of it."

"She already told Lady Agnes. Why else would the old bat be up here other than to rip those children away from you?"

"No. I am working out an arrangement with Lady Agnes. And Vanessa wouldn't do anything that would harm the children or me. The rumors will die away. I'm sure Vanessa will stay quiet about what she knows."

"No. You're miscalculating, Nemity. You don't know Vanessa now. She's changed. She couldn't wait to tell me what happened at Vauxhall. She's not your friend like you think she is."

Her head snapped back. "But she is?—"

"No, I am." He set his right hand on her shoulder, his fingers pressing in with vehemence. "I am the only one that is going to tell you the truth about what will happen if you marry Callum. And that is that you will ruin any future Susannah's children will have. The only other alternative is to leave them under the care of Lady Agnes."

Her left arm wrapped around her belly, her right elbow propping on it as she sent her clasped fingers to her lips. "That, I cannot allow."

"How about this—you and the children come back to Ravenstone with me. We'll figure all of this out. You'll at least be protected there."

"No. Not Ravenstone." Her head shook. "I don't want to see Thomas."

"Why not?"

"You don't know—don't know what he did to me?" She let out an exasperated sigh. "You don't know what he did to the children?"

Charley stilled, his look going dead serious for a change. "No. What did he do?"

She met his stare. "Thomas kicked me and the children out of the carriage on the road to Stenton. In the middle of nowhere."

"He what?" His eyes went wide, his lip snarling. "That bastard."

"Exactly."

"How did you get back here?"

"Callum found us."

Charley's knuckles tightened and he jammed his fist into the marble top of the sideboard. "So you think Callum is your damn savior now?"

"No. He found us and brought us back here, yes, but I would have gotten us here on my own even if he hadn't."

"You have a hell of a lot more explaining to do, it seems. But whatever Callum did for you, don't believe it, Nemity. Don't believe him. You cannot marry him. He's a liar. There is no doubt about that." He paused, giving an exasperated exhale. "What happened with him? You need to tell me."

Biting her tongue, Nemity turned and took a step away from him. "No—not now. I need…" She looked out the window. The rain had dropped to a mist. "I have—I have to think. I have to get out of here."

Charley glanced out the window. "I understand. But Thomas wouldn't want you out there on your own. We still don't know who abducted you, and without a guard here, you're vulnerable."

"Good thing Thomas isn't here, then, as I have to get out of this house. You don't need to worry on me—what happened was weeks ago, and there hasn't been the slightest indication of any other threat to me. I'm sure whoever was responsible is now on the other side of England. Everyone has overreacted." She moved toward the door. "Will you please stay in the house, watch Georgette and Jacob? I just need to get out of here for a few minutes. I need to think in silence."

"Fine." He nodded. "At least tell me where you'll be. The pool?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, maybe. Or maybe I'll just wander."

His lips pursed, scolding. "Again, Thomas would say you shouldn't be out wandering by yourself."

She looked back to him, smiling sweetly. "Yes, well, you're not Thomas, are you?"

He chuckled. "That I am not—I'm glad you realize it."

She hopped back across the room to him and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for being you. Tell Georgette and Jacob I'll be back in an hour. Earlier if the rain picks up again."

He nodded and she was out the door.

That was the thing about Charley. He always had her back. Thinking of long-term ramifications instead of what was in front of her.

He wasn't wrong about all the doors in society clamping shut to Georgette and Jacob if she married Callum and raised them.

Not that it would matter anyway, since it appeared that Callum had already left her. He said he'd be back, but she didn't hold out much hope for that.

One problem on top of another.

The most pressing one she needed to figure out was a way to convince Lady Agnes not to take the children away.

She had to salvage what little she could of the family she'd been so close to having.