Chapter Two

“It is a pleasant situation, certainly.”

Samuel looked up at the manor house, taking in the large windows, the stonework and the pillars that seemed to support the front of the house as it leaned towards them in what he felt to be a welcoming manner. Ivy had made its home on one side of the manor house wall, climbing upwards as though it wished to reach the sky, and the green leaves were a welcome contrast to the otherwise grey and brown colours of the house. The sun shone through the clouds for a moment, reflecting off the windows and making them gleam, sending a broad smile across his face.

“I think I have done marvelously well,” he continued, speaking to his companion who now looked up at the house in much the same manner Samuel had done.

“I do not think this is wise, my friend,” came the reply. “You are already the Duke of Dartmoor and have a great deal of wealth! Why then should you seek to take this away from Lord Haddington?”

Samuel sniffed, ignoring his friend’s concern. “It is hardly my fault that Lord Haddington would not heed advice and cease his gambling,” he replied, shrugging. “He was much too in his cups, I admit, but why should I let his poor decisions affect my potential happiness?” He laughed aloud but his companion, the Marquess of Crawley, did not join in. Instead, only a wry smile tugged at his lips. It was clear to Samuel that Lord Crawley had conflicting emotions as regarded the situation at present but Samuel did not care. He was the one who had won the manor house from a very drunk Lord Haddington and, given that he cared very little for the thoughts and feelings of others, he did not even consider what Lord Haddington might now feel.

“He has his title still, that is good enough.” Sending a sly grin towards his friend, he lifted his shoulders. “The staff may not yet know of the change in circumstances, and I am unsure what to say or do if they haven't been informed! Let us hope we shall be welcomed.”

His friend did not smile. “It is not likely that they will simply accept your word,” he agreed, as they both began to make their way towards the house, still astride their horses. “Mayhap you ought merely to state that you are here at the behest of Lord Haddington and that he will shortly be returning to the estate as well.”

At this, Samuel nodded. “A wise consideration,” he agreed, “but mayhap I shall just tell them quite frankly that I now own this particular manor house and that they are required to obey me just as they did Lord Haddington.” He grinned back at Lord Crawley, betraying once more the lack of willingness to even consider what anyone else might offer by way of advice. “Lord Haddington is only two days behind us so it will not be long before he is able to state outright that all I have said is quite true.”

Lord Crawley said nothing, but gently pulling on the reins, brought his horse to a stop. Jumping down, he looked up at the large wooden door that was the front entrance, finding it a little imposing but still very pleasing. Samuel did the same, letting a small smile touch his lips as he took in the house. It was very large and very pleasing, he concurred. He had to hope that there would be just the same pleasure within the house, that there would be no parts of the manor house requiring repair or the like. That would be a frustration in its own way.

“My lord?”

A small, slightly wizened man appeared, having moved soundlessly across the gravel path and, given his quiet approach, startling Samuel a little.

“Might I take your horse, my lord?” the man asked again, keeping his eyes downcast. “And yours also?”

Clearing his throat, Samuel relinquished the reins easily enough, practically throwing them at the older man who caught them with more deftness than he had expected. Lord Crawley, on the other hand, offered his to the fellow with a good deal more care, glancing up at the front door again before returning his attention to the stable hand.

“What staff does Lord Haddington keep?” he asked, as the fellow inclined his head in deference. “Is it a full complement?”

“To be sure, my lord,” came the reply.

This brought a frown to Samuel’s face, glancing to his friend. “Even when he has been away from his estate for a good many months?” he asked, as the old man dared a glance up towards him and then to Lord Crawley. “Surely there is no need for so many staff when the master is away?” He frowned and then rolled his eyes in Lord Crawley’s direction. “They will have grown complacent, I fear!”

A slight frown crossed the older man’s face as he glanced from Lord Crawley to Samuel and then back again, before tilting his head just a little, seeming now to be filled with a little more confidence. “I do not mean to contradict you, my lord, but the staff are working just as diligently as ever,” he replied, his frown increasing all the more. “There is simply not as much to be done as there once was, with only her ladyship and her daughters still at home.”

Samuel suddenly went very still, feeling a coldness wash all through him. He blinked rapidly in an attempt to disperse it, clearing his throat gruffly as he did so. Looking at his friend, he saw Lord Crawley staring back at the old man, his face a little pale. There was no smile emblazoned on his face nor even a hint of mirth flickering in his eyes.

It seemed Lord Haddington had forgotten to mention that he had dependents.

Trying to take a hold of himself, Samuel closed his eyes briefly and then opened them, looking directly at the old man. “Do you mean to say,” he began, his voice a little hoarse, “that Lady Haddington, wife to the late Lord Haddington, still resides here?”

The old man nodded, shrugging his shoulders as he did so. “But of course,” he replied, as though this was something that Lord Crawley ought to have known. “Where else would she be?”

“The Dower house?” Samuel retorted, explosively. He threw up his hands, shaking his head furiously, sweat now breaking out across his forehead. “I would have thought the dowager might have retired there, now that her son is the new Earl!”

It was not the old man who contradicted Samuel this time, however. Lord Crawley, his brow furrowed, gestured to him. “Come now, Dartmoor,” he said, slowly. “You know that a lady of the ton would not consider retiring to a Dower house until her son is wed and a new mistress arrives to take over the house. Before then, she has every right to remain in her home, particularly if there are daughters or other sons still present also.” Wincing at the furious glare Samuel sent in his direction, Lord Crawley spread out his hands wide. “I speak only what I know, Dartmoor,” he finished, clearly trying to speak as calmly as possible and not fuel Samuel’s obvious upset and anger. “Lord Haddington was not as transparent with you as he ought to have been.”

Samuel squeezed his eyes closed; his face screwed up tight as he groaned. Opening them, he saw how the man holding the horses now looked at him curiously, no trace of the deference that had been in his expression only a few minutes ago. Trying to find the words to berate the fellow, Samuel let his gaze travel up towards the front door of the house once more, his chest tight and all hint of pleasure and happiness gone. There was, it seemed, company already waiting for them. Did they know of what Lord Haddington had done? Samuel’s stomach tightened.

“Surely you will not seek to force Lady Haddington from the home she has lived in for decades alongside her husband?”

A dart of anger pierced Samuel’s heart as he looked at his friend. “What else would you have me do? I have ownership of this manor house!”

“And yet, you do not need it,” his friend said, much too gently and considerately for Samuel’s liking. “You have an estate all of your own already, with a vast fortune and far too many horses. Why should you want more?”

Samuel did not answer. His friend already knew the reason. Samuel’s late father had enjoyed a disgraceful reputation and, in his latter years, spending far too much of the family fortune—and Samuel had been mortified by the shame brought to the family name. Now that he bore the title, his only enjoyment in life was to garner as much as he could for himself and thereby make it quite clear to the ton that he had brought himself back up to a higher standing than his father had ever claimed.

The ton did not appear to care for this determination, however, for they called him various things under their breath. He had already heard the whispers and the rumours about him. He had been called selfish, arrogant, prideful… various words which had burned hard in his chest but which he had refused to permit enter his heart. Society considered him grasping and even deceitful, for he had acquired what he wanted through various means, not all of them proper or correct. But Samuel did not care. All he desired was to make himself the richest, most admired gentleman in all of London—and, if possible, all of England—while salvaging his family’s reputation. Gaining this manor house was but one way to achieve that.

Though not if there are those still living in it.

Grimacing and, at the same time, ignoring his friend’s question, Samuel gestured to the old man. “How many daughters does Lady Haddington have?” He heard his voice was tight and strained, his eyes narrowed as he glared at the older man, as though he were personally responsible for this situation.

“She has three, my lord,” came the reply, as the man turned to now pull the horses away. “I will make sure your horses are—”

“Are any of them out?” Lord Crawley interrupted, holding out one hand to prevent the fellow from walking away. “Are any of them due to be wed?”

The old man glanced back and then shook his head. “None, my lord,” he replied, gesturing to the manor house. “They are all still here.”

Samuel, his eyes still narrowed and his shoulders lifting like hackles, threw out both hands as though the small, old man could help him. “This is deeply upsetting. Whatever am I meant to do?”

The man did not so much as pause in his steps. Instead, he continued on, leading the horses away until, finally, Samuel and Lord Crawley stood in silence, staring after him.

“How dare he do such a thing?” The words were sharp and staccato, hurled towards the house as though it itself were the enemy. “This is mine now.”

“That may be so but you must be… ”

“Do not tell me what I must do!” Hearing the anger in his voice, Samuel threw a look to his friend who, after a moment, shrugged and looked away. Closing his eyes again for a moment, Samuel let out a slow breath, trying to calm himself just a little. He ought not to have grown angry with his friend, ought not to have spoken over him. Shaking his head, he gestured with one hand towards Lord Crawley. “Forgive me. What were you about to say?”

His friend gestured to the house. “I was going to say that you must be gentle and considerate with those who still reside in the house,” he said, letting his hand fall back to his side. “To my mind, this entire situation is a difficult one and I would encourage you to step back from it.”

That suggestion made Samuel rebel instantly. “It is not I who has been unwise but Lord Haddington who has been foolish! He was the one who lost this house, knowing full well that his mother and sisters still reside here.” Determination and anger mingled as he looked again to the house. “They shall simply have to remove elsewhere.”

“Would that you might be more generous and considerate.”

Samuel did not so much as glance at his friend.

“However, it may be that they have nowhere else to go,” Lord Crawley continued, his voice a little louder now, perhaps angry that Samuel had ignored him. “Might I suggest that insisting on taking possession of the house immediately could make the ton all the more disinclined towards you? Might have society reject you?”

Samuel frowned.

“You must be cautious,” Lord Crawley continued, quickly. “If there are three daughters as has just been stated—as well as Lord Haddington’s own mother, then you are about to enter a house where four ladies shall all be greatly perturbed at your arrival. Their own reputations will already be damaged because of what Lord Haddington has done, and I suspect they will feel a great deal of distress.”

At this, Samuel closed his eyes and let out a furious harrumph. “This is not at all what I expected,” he complained, his hands going to his waist. “I wanted to come here, walk through my house and marvel in its glory, for despite the fact I have a very grand estate, this one is also quite superb.”

“You are the Duke of Dartmoor,” his friend reminded him, signing a little as though Samuel was irritating him in some way. “You have an excellent situation already. Truth be told, I do not know why you cannot simply be generous and state that Lord Haddington can keep his manor house and instead, pay you back in coin when he is able.”

Samuel threw up his hands. “Because he might never be able!” he exclaimed, as though his friend were being quite foolish on purpose. “And I am a gentleman of determination, I will take what is mine. That is the way of things.” He nodded firmly but inwardly felt himself concerned. I know I cannot simply walk into this house and declare it my own, not when Lady Haddington and her daughters are still living here. Shaking his head to himself, Samuel cleared his throat, put his hands behind his back, and waited for his friend to look at him. “I can see that you are a little frustrated with me.”

“I am concerned.”

“I see that and I appreciate it.”

“For them. ” Lord Crawley rolled his eyes. “Not for you.”

“Ah.” Samuel cleared his throat, a little abashed. “It matters not for I know what I shall do.” His head lifted as a spark flashed in his chest, determined now. “I shall show generosity. I shall declare that this manor house is still my own, but that I have every intention of allowing Lady Haddington and her daughters to remain here for a short while until further arrangements can be made. Some of them must be old enough to wed, surely?” A small smile nudged his lips, feeling himself proud now of the decision he had made. “Another three months perhaps, and I shall be able to reside here. The eldest daughters will marry and Lady Headington can remove to the Dower House, whether her son has married or not.”

The delight Samuel felt at such consideration quickly faded as an obvious heaviness settled on his friend’s shoulders. He frowned but Lord Crawley merely sighed and shrugged.

“I do not think you can be certain that Lady Haddington and her daughters will see this as a generous gesture at all, old chap.”

Gritting his teeth, Samuel threw up his hands. “Then what am I to do?” Seeing his friend open his mouth, he leaned closer. “ Aside from stating that I will not claim the house, which is what I know you wish to say.”

Lord Crawley’s shoulders rounded all the more. “My friend, there is no doubt in my mind that the house at present will be in uproar. For you not only to enter but also to give them only a few months residence, as well as to state that the eldest daughters must marry within that time, will only cause more trouble. Yes, Lord Haddington is the one at fault, but I do not think that you will be looked upon favourably either.”

“I do not care.” Frustrated now to the point of anger, Samuel began to climb the steps. “As you have said, Lord Haddington is at fault, not I. I had not expected Lady Haddington and her daughters still to reside in the house, which I shall explain to them.”

“Why ever did I agree to come here?

Ignoring his friend’s muttered utterance, Samuel took in a long breath and then stepped through the now-open front door, handing his hat and gloves to the waiting butler.

“The hallway is excellent.” Samuel cast a quick glance around, taking in the grand staircases on either side, the marble bust in the centre. “Bright, certainly, though I shall not claim it to be as fine as my own. How fine a house it is for me to tell others that I now possess! Will they not think all the better of me now because I own two beautiful, magnificent manor houses? Yes, I shall not go as far as to say that it is just as fine as my own but it is certainly an excellent house.”

“I think you—”

“What is it that you think you are doing here?”

Samuel’s attention was suddenly caught by the presence of a young lady who was quickly descending the stairs, her skirts lifted slightly with both hands, so that she should hurry down towards them without difficulty. He took her in though he did not bow as his friend did, a slight narrowing of his eyes seeking to ascertain who this was who now spoke to them.

“I presume, my lady, that you are one of Lord Haddington’s sisters?” he asked, as Lord Crawley lifted his head from his bow, murmuring a brief introduction as he did so.

“I am.” The young lady clasped her hands in front of her, her shoulders rising slightly. Dark brown hair was pulled back from her face into a simple chignon and her piercing green eyes were narrowed solely in Samuel’s direction. She made no attempts to introduce herself.

I must do what I can to soften the blow. Else, as Lord Crawley states, I will make things a little more difficult.

He cleared his throat, taking a small step closer before dropping into a short bow. “This is most untoward, I know, but might you be willing to introduce yourself to me?”

“Given that you are a stranger who has just entered my mother’s house, I hardly think it appropriate that I should do so,” came the swift reply. “My mother has not the strength at present to come and greet you. Today is, after all, the anniversary of my late father’s passing.”

At this, Samuel closed his eyes, a sweeping heat coming to the very top of his head. Not only was it that Lady Haddington and her daughters were residing in the very house that he sought to claim ownership of, it was also now clear that they had chosen the very worst of days to arrive. “I see. I must offer you my sympathies.” He coughed slightly, searching for words. “Alas, this is a difficult circumstance.”

Lord Crawley shot a glance towards Samuel as he spoke but Samuel ignored it, keeping his attention to the young lady.

“I was unaware of the day and its significance,” he continued, keeping his voice as quiet and as steady as he could. “It may be that your brother has not informed you of the situation which, in itself will be—”

“We have only just received his letter.” The young lady lifted her chin. “My mother is in a great deal of distress and I have come to beg of you to reconsider.”

Samuel blinked in surprise, rather taken aback by the lady’s forthrightness. Despite her hopes, he was not a man inclined towards changing his mind, no matter the circumstances. The young lady might beg, but he would not be moved. Her attempt to regain her family home and her brother’s honour would ultimately be futile for this house was now in his possession, whether she wished to accept that truth or not. “It cannot be so, for I am afraid, young lady, that your brother is solely responsible for the loss of this house.”

“I have read his letter and well understand that.”

“Good.” Samuel lifted his chin a notch. “Then he is the foolish one in all of this and it is upon him that you ought to lay your frustrations.”

“And I am certain that we shall, when we next find him,” came the quiet reply. “But it is also within your capabilities to do such a thing as this; to free us from this devastating circumstance. My mother, as I have just stated, is very distressed indeed. She did not know of this. None of us did.” Spreading her hands, she took a small step closer, her green eyes a little wider now as she searched Samuel’s face. “Might I beg of you to show us a little consideration? Imagine if this was your own mother and your own sisters. What should you do then?”

This had no impact upon Samuel whatsoever and he snorted lightly, shaking his head. “I do not think I should ever be so foolish as to behave as your brother has done,” he stated, studiously ignoring the way that Lord Crawley took a step closer to him, his eyes a little wide in clear disagreement with the path that Samuel had chosen to take.

“That is hardly the point.” The young lady took a step closer to Samuel and he caught a gentle scent of roses in the air. “My brother might well have made foolish decisions and behaved with great impropriety, lacking consideration for his own family. All of these things I will admit to you. However, I must beg you to forget his thoughtlessness in light of the situation you see here. Can you not understand that it is his family that will suffer? Perhaps you were unaware of our presence here when you accepted the bet from my brother, but you know of us now, then does your heart not trouble you as regards our predicament? Surely that in itself will be enough to bring about a change of heart. I am certain that you have your own estate, do you not?”

Samuel drew himself up. “Whether I do or not is besides the point. Your brother has lost a bet and—”

“And you are unwilling to give up your winnings, even though you can see the distress it will cause the great many of us?”

The young lady’s green eyes flashed and Samuel’s stomach twisted. That was the truth of it, he realised. Yes, he might continue on as he was at present, taking ownership and becoming both lord and master over this particular house, but in doing so, he would cause Lady Haddington and her daughters a great deal of distress—distress that might be so severe that it would last for many a year, or even bring Lady Haddington’s head down to the grave. Disliking the thoughts which now pervaded his mind, Samuel turned his gaze away from the lady’s sharp green eyes. “Does this not beg the question as to why the good Lord Haddington was gambling in the first place? Ought he not to have been at home with his mother and sisters? His mourning period will only just be coming to an end, will it not?”

The young lady blinked, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. “Those are questions that we all wish to ask him, sir. But it does not answer the question I have asked you. ”

I do not want to be guilted into doing what I have no desire to do. I won this house in a game of cards and though Lord Haddington could have left the game whenever he pleased, he did not, he reminded himself, staring fixedly at the young lady as though his severe gaze might affect her consideration of him and the questions she was directing towards him. The young lady, however, simply looked back without any hesitation. She did not say a single word, refusing to be drawn into submission by Samuel’s severe gaze.

Samuel rebelled against it all. “No. I shall not give it up.”

Immediately, the young lady sucked in a breath, swaying slightly where she stood with one hand pressed lightly to her stomach.

Ignoring this, Samuel pulled his shoulders back. “I shall, of course, be generous in giving you all some time to vacate the premises, but I shall keep this manor house as my own, simply because it is quite reasonable for me to take my winnings. I am afraid that I have every intention of removing myself here, regardless of your feelings on the matter.” This last part was quite untrue, for Samuel had never once thought about living in this manor house for a prolonged period of time but the lady’s attempts to coerce him appeared to have jolted some new determination into his heart. Now, he would not give up this house for any reason.

With a nod, Samuel folded his arms across his chest. “Now, I shall not take the master bedchamber, as I presume it still contains all of Lord Haddington’s effects, but might you show me to the finest guest bedchamber in the house? And thereafter, might you show my friend to another?”

The young lady did not move. Her gaze remained steady and, after a few moments of silence, she finally found her voice. “I am not a servant here, sir,” she stated, her lips trembling and her cheeks unnaturally pale. “I am Lady Florentina, sister to Lord Haddington and I shall not be showing you anything within this house. Should you require a bedchamber for yourself and your friend, then might I suggest you ring the bell and ask a maid to do such a thing? You have already caused enough injury by your refusal to even consider my request. Pray do not insult me further by expecting me to behave in a manner below my station.”

She did not wait for our response but turned on her heel and marched back up the staircase. Mightily offended, Samuel immediately began to stutter and stammer but Lord Crawley merely looked after her, a look of growing admiration in his expression; and that frustrated Samuel all the more.

“What an ill-mannered creature!” he declared, caring nothing for the fact that his voice rang down the hallway, no doubt reaching the lady’s ears. “One might think that a Duke would be given all manner of consideration but it appears it is not so!”

“I think you were the one who was inconsiderate,” Lord Crawley said, mildly. “Despite all that she faced, her demeanor did not change for even a moment. She remained strong in her stance but quite proper throughout your conversation.”

“You sound as though you admire her.”

Lord Crawley chuckled and Samuel’s heart burned. “In your heart of hearts, you must know that everything she said was quite fair. You must also know that I agree that you ought to be considering matters with a good deal more seriousness, now that you know there are so many ladies residing within these walls.”

Samuel shook his head. “I saw none of that. I think she was naught but impertinent!” His lip curled. “I asked her to do me the smallest favour and she responded to me in that manner? Most impolite!”

Lord Crawley looked away, evidently choosing to stay silent and Samuel’s anger grew stronger. “You think I ought not to have asked her such a thing, do you not?” he stated, his eyes narrowing a little.

“I am not one to lecture others on how they ought to conduct themselves, Dartmoor.” Lord Crawley shrugged his shoulders and began to wander away, perhaps going in search of a maid. “You have done as you see fit. I am not here to judge.”

“But you judge me silently,” Samuel snapped, his anger boiling over towards Lord Crawley himself. “Bear in mind that I have done nothing to encourage this situation. On the evening in question, I made quite certain Lord Haddington truly wished to make such a bet. What else was I to do? Should I have thrown down my cards and refused to accept such an offering?”

“Recall that I was not present that evening,” his friend answered calmly, the quietness of his voice attempting to steal some of the anger away from his Samuel. “This is your situation. I shall attempt to support you in whichever course of action you decide to take though I will make it clear when I do not agree with you. Ah, you there!” Lord Crawley put out one hand, startling a maid who had clearly been attempting to make her way to whichever room she had duties in next without being seen. “Send the butler to us at once.”

The maid stared at him for a moment, then seemed to realise what she was doing, dropped her head and scurried away without making a single sound.

“A great many changes shall have to be made, mark my words,” Samuel exclaimed, shaking one finger in Lord Crawley’s direction as though he were somehow responsible for the problems that were now foisted upon him. “I had thought this house would have been emptied of everything pertaining to Lord Haddington’s family by now—his mother and sisters included! Now, it seems, I am faced with large and unwelcome burden, which Lord Haddington is solely responsible for. His mother and his sisters are not my responsibility and he shall have to make arrangements for them just as soon as he can. This house shall be emptied of all that the Haddington family possess and I shall lay claim to it, as is my right. I shall not be swayed with words nor emotion. Lord Haddington is the one at fault here, not I.”

Samuel, his emotions rattling through him, set his jaw and stood as tall as he could. This was his house now, a house that he had won in a game and was not about to give up simply because it was asked of him. He wanted to be seen in the very best light in all of society, wanted to be known as the richest gentleman in all of England and this was one way to go about it. To have more property meant to earn more respect and consideration from the ton after the disgraceful way his father had behaved in his later years. That admiration and respect was all Samuel required.

The Haddington house was his.