Chapter 18

“Iwill call on you tomorrow.” Frederick offered Miss Fairley a small smile, relieved when she managed to return it despite the whiteness of her face. “I do hope that you feel better quickly.”

“It was very good of you to take her back to Gunters and sit there with her, Lord Yeatman.” Lady Follet glanced at her daughter as they sat in the carriage, with Frederick and Lord and Lady Pleasance standing together beside it. “I am only sorry that I was too distracted to notice!”

Thinking that this did speak of genuine concern for her daughter, which meant that Miss Fairley would be well looked after, Frederick gave Lady Follet another small nod.

“But of course. I would like to call tomorrow if I can.”

“I look forward to it,” Miss Fairley replied, despite her mother’s concerned look. “Thank you again, Lord Yeatman. For everything.”

He smiled and then stepped back, the carriage door closing and, thereafter, driving away. Closing his eyes, Frederick blew out a long, slow breath and tried to calm the twisting anger that was whirling around his very soul.

“I am so very glad that you found her.” Lady Pleasance put one hand on his arm. “What happened?”

“I do not know,” Frederick replied, opening his eyes again to see the look of concern on Lady Pleasance’s face. “But whatever it was, it was greatly upsetting for Miss Fairley. Thank goodness that the carriage came to a stop when it did! I practically leaped from my carriage and ran towards it and when I pulled the door open, I saw Lord Wellbridge with his hand around Miss Fairley’s arm, pulling her back from the door. No doubt she was attempting to climb out and he was determined to stop it.”

Lady Pleasance shook her head.

“How dreadful.”

“I presume that we are going to go and speak with Lord Wellbridge?” Lord Pleasance lifted an eyebrow as the anger in Frederick’s heart continued to burn. “He cannot be permitted to continue in this way.”

Frederick nodded, his jaw tight.

“Certainly, that is true. If you are willing, then I am more than contented to go with you to his townhouse to see if we can… speak to Lord Wellbridge about what he attempted to do this afternoon.”

“Husband.” Lady Pleasance turned to Lord Pleasance, no doubt ready to tell him that he was not to do anything too harsh. “When you find Lord Wellbridge, please make certain to make my thoughts on his actions very clear indeed.”

Frederick’s eyebrows lifted, a slightly grim smile spreading across his face at her fervor.

“We shall make certain to do so,” Lord Pleasance promised. “Shall we go at this very moment, Yeatman?”

Frederick nodded.

“If you please. Thank you, Lady Pleasance, for all that you did in entertaining Lady Follet. I do not think I would have been able to salvage Miss Fairley’s reputation without your efforts.”

“I was glad to do it,” Lady Pleasance replied, quietly. “I do hope that she will be all right.”

“As do I.”

“We would speak with Lord Wellbridge.”Frederick lifted his chin as the butler glanced from Frederick to Lord Pleasance. “Now.”

“I am afraid that Lord Wellbridge is not able to take callers at the present moment.” The butler bowed. “I am sorry. Can I-?”

“We are going to speak with him whether he wishes it or not,” Frederic interrupted. “Now, either you tell us where the gentleman is, or we will go and find him ourselves.”

The butler’s mouth opened and then closed again, his eyes still looking from Frederick to Lord Pleasance and back again, as though, somehow, he would be able to ascertain whether or not they were being honest. Frederick snorted and stepped forward, only for the butler to speak.

“If you were to search the house, you might find him in the study,” he murmured, before melting back into the shadows.

Frederick lifted an eyebrow in Lord Pleasance’s direction. When a gentleman’s servants were so willing to set aside their loyalty to their master, it did not speak too highly of the gentleman himself!

“The study, then. Come, I know where it is. I was at a soiree here last Season.” Leading the way, Lord Pleasance made his way down the hallway as Frederick followed him, attempting to control the anger that had not left him since he had first flung open the door of Lord Wellbridge’s carriage. He could still see the fright on Miss Fairley’s face, and that only added to his fury. “Here we are.”

Without hesitating, Lord Pleasance opened the door and stepped inside and Frederick, following suit, saw Lord Wellbridge half rise from his chair, only to sit back down again, his face going rather pale.

“Wellbridge.” Frederick stormed across the room and, leaning across the table, grabbed Lord Wellbridge by the collar and hauled him to his feet. “Would you care to explain what it is that you were doing with Miss Fairley, Lord Wellbridge?”

“Steady, old chap.” Lord Pleasance put a hand on Frederick’s arm and he released Lord Wellbridge, albeit a little unwillingly. Lord Pleasance fixed Wellbridge with a stern glare and spoke, his voice full of barely repressed anger. “So, Wellbridge. I hear that you are in the business of capturing young ladies in your carriage?”

Lord Wellbridge put one hand to his throat, gasping and coughing, though both Frederick and Lord Pleasance remained unmoved. Eventually – perhaps seeing that he was not about to be given any sort of sympathy – Lord Wellbridge sat up straight in his chair and smoothed his shirt, though his face still remained rather pale.

“I was merely desirous to express my feelings to Miss Fairley.”

Frederick’s eyebrows shot towards his hairline.

“Your feelings?”

Lord Wellbridge lifted his chin.

“Yes.”

Shock was like a knife through his chest.

“What are you talking about?”

“I have been interested in furthering my acquaintance with Miss Fairley for a long time,” Lord Wellbridge said, his chin lifting as he shot a narrowed look back toward him. “I was uncertain about my interest last Season, though I did find myself continually drawn back towards her. This Season, however, I was determined to pursue her, only for her then to suddenly disappear from society events! I did not understand it and sought out her sister to find out where she had gone – without making myself too obvious, of course. I did not want to damage my reputation if there was something of concern.”

“You… you were seeking to court Miss Emma Fairley since last Season?” Frederick could hardly believe his ears, for even though Lord Wellbridge had stolen Miss Fairley away, had pulled her away from her mother and even from him, he had never once suspected that Lord Wellbridge had held such a prolonged interest! The way that Lord Wellbridge had spoken when Frederick had asked Miss Fairley to court suddenly became clear. “Your interest appeared to be very firmly fixed upon Miss Martha Fairley.”

Lord Wellbridge snorted and rolled his eyes.

“No, no, you are mistaken. Miss Martha Fairley was always more interested in my company than her sister but that did not mean that I reciprocated that! In truth, I found her – Martha, that is - a little irritating. She was always ready with a smile, hanging on my arm, expecting me to dance with her. I did, of course, but it was not without reluctance. Besides which, as I have said, I was doing my utmost to make certain of my feelings first, though I appeared to have taken a little too long.” Scowling, his lip curled. “I wanted Miss Fairley to know that I was the better-suited gentleman for her. She did not know of my feelings and thus, I thought it only right to tell her.”

“By stealing her away?” Frederick exclaimed, throwing up his hands, his anger returning swiftly. “By pulling her into the carriage and then holding her fast so that she could not escape?”

“She was always meant to have been mine!” Lord Wellbridge protested, his eyes wide as though Frederick simply did not understand. “Had I taken hold of my affections and considered them with a good deal more gravity and seriousness than I did, then she would have known of my intentions, would have accepted me, no doubt, and would never once have considered you!”

“That does not make what you did the right thing,” Lord Pleasance growled, making Lord Wellbridge jerk in surprise, as though he had forgotten that Lord Pleasance was present. “How could you think to do such a dreadful act? You would have ruined Miss Fairley’s reputation, had she been discovered!”

“But that would not have mattered,” Lord Wellbridge protested, as though Frederick and Lord Pleasance did not understand. “Even if her reputation had been a little tarnished, I was already there, waiting for her to accept me. Nothing would have gone wrong! We would have stepped out into a happiness which would have lasted until the end of our days.” The light smile on his face dropped away as he threw a scalding look towards Frederick. “But you had to ruin the situation for me.”

“And I am glad that I did,” Frederick stated, coldly. “Listen to me, Wellbridge.” Leaning closer to the gentleman, Frederick stuck one finger into the man’s chest. “You are not to go near to Miss Fairley again. In fact, you are not to draw near to either Miss Emma Fairley or Miss Martha Fairley. Your acquaintance with them must come to an end.”

Lord Wellbridge shook his head no.

“I will not. I care about Miss Fairley. I will not let you–”

“Yes, you will.” Straightening, Frederick stood tall as Lord Pleasance moved to stand beside him, presenting a united front against Lord Wellbridge. “And if you do not, then there will be great and heavy consequences.”

“Such as?” Lord Wellbridge laughed aloud as though he was quite certain that, anything which Frederick and Lord Pleasance threatened, he would be more than easily able to brush off. “There is nothing that you can do. I–”

“I will call you out if you do not heed me.”

Frederick’s voice thundered around the room, making Lord Wellbridge’s eyes flare wide.

“And I will be his second,” Lord Pleasance said hastily, as Frederick kept his gaze steadily fixed on Lord Wellbridge. “No doubt many in the ton will wonder why such a duel is taking place.”

The shock ran from Lord Wellbridge’s face as he smiled darkly.

“Ah, but then you shall have to tell them all about Miss Fairley and think about what damage that will do to her!”

Frederick did not hesitate.

“I will,” he said, slowly, “and what will the ton think when they discover that you attempted to steal away my betrothed?” He kept his gaze fixed on Lord Wellbridge, though he caught, out of the corner of his eye, the way that Lord Pleasance looked at him. Yes, he had not had any real intention of pursuing betrothal to Miss Fairley so soon, but if this was the way to protect her from Lord Wellbridge, then he was more than willing to do that. In fact, the more he considered it, the happier his heart became, despite the present situation.

“Your… your betrothed?” Lord Wellbridge began to stammer, pushing himself up straight in his seat. “Your betrothed?”

“Yes.” Frederick lifted his chin. “My intention is now to propose to Miss Fairley and I have every expectation that she will agree and accept my offer. You see, Lord Wellbridge, what you have attempted to do has, in fact, only pushed Miss Fairley and I closer. It will not be that we are torn apart, not that we are set back from each other but instead, we are seeking to draw closer than ever before. My intention now is to propose to her so that she is secure, that she is safe, and that she is loved.”

Lord Wellbridge swallowed hard. He did not look in the least bit pleased any longer and did not appear to be delighted with his intentions and plans. His eyes were fixed on Frederick, his face going a shade of red before he finally closed his eyes and then shook his head.

“No. She is meant to be courting me, not you.”

“We are to be betrothed,” Frederick stated, firmly. “You will not be able to come near her any longer, Lord Wellbridge. And because I care about her, I must also care about her sister – which means that you are now to consider your acquaintance with that family at an end. Otherwise, I will call you out and the ton will know of what it is that you have done.”

Turning on his heel, Frederick made his way to the door, finding himself satisfied with all that he had said and all that he had done. Lord Wellbridge had not said a single word and, even as Frederick opened the door and stepped out, he still said nothing. Lord Pleasance followed Frederick, the door slamming closed behind them and Frederick let out a long, slow breath, pausing for a moment as he closed his eyes.

“That was done well.” Lord Pleasance set a hand on Frederick’s shoulder for a moment. “I think that Lord Wellbridge has been convinced.”

“Do you think so?”

Lord Pleasance nodded as they made their way to the door.

“Certainly. He may not have been at first, but after you spoke about your expected betrothal, I think that he understood the significance of your determination as regards calling him out should he go near Miss Fairley.”

“Good.”

As they stepped outside, Lord Pleasance turned again to Frederick, his eyes sharp.

“Did you mean what you said?”

Frederick frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“About proposing to Miss Fairley. After all,” he continued, still looking a little concerned, “you have only just begun courting, and now… now you are thinking about proposing?”

Considering this, Frederick took a few moments before he nodded, and then, as his heart filled all over again with a great and profound happiness, he smiled.

“Yes, I am entirely serious. It is as I have said to Lord Wellbridge; I want to propose so that she is protected, she is safe but also so that she is loved.” That sentence caused him to take a great deep breath, his chest expanding. “I am tired of seeing her being treated as though she is lesser, even though she has done nothing wrong. I am sorrowful at seeing her own family set her apart from her sister – again, because she has done nothing wrong. All these clumsy accidents, all these supposed awkward moments, have not come from her – and I will take her away from all of that and love her, care for her, and consider her in the ways she always ought to have been.”

Lord Pleasance continued to search his face for a moment and then, with a loud exclamation of delight, slapped Frederick’s back and grinned broadly at him.

“How wonderful! I am truly delighted for you. It may be a little sudden, yes, but I think that this is right. I see how happy you are in her company, and the fervency with which you pursued her when Lord Wellbridge had her speaks, I think, of the fervency of your feelings in your heart. You say that you wish to love her as she always ought to have been loved. Can I ask if that means that your own affections are strong?”

“I have not paused to consider them in depth but yes, I am certain that what I feel is very strong indeed,” Frederick stated, firmly. “My intention is now to return home, to rest for the evening, and to let myself consider all of this. I will think about what I want to say to Miss Fairley, what it is that I truly feel for her, and what words are best to use to express that desire. I am convinced, however, that my feelings and affections are truly very strong indeed. They are growing, they are fervent, and they will, I hope, bring us both a new sense of happiness and joy.”

“I am sure that shall be true,” Lord Pleasance smiled, though a slight, flickering frown took that smile from him almost at once. “Though all of this does not answer one particular question, does it?”

A little confused, Frederick looked back at him.

“What do you mean?”

“About Miss Fairley and all the clumsiness,” Lord Pleasance replied, with a scowl. “It does not answer anything in that regard, does it?”

Frederick bit his lip and then shook his head.

“No, it does not,” he agreed, quietly. “That is something which still requires an answer… though I think I may know exactly who it was, and why it is that they have done this to Miss Fairley.”

Lord Pleasance lifted an eyebrow in question, but Frederick shook his head.

“No, my friend. I will keep my own counsel until I have the opportunity to speak of it all with Miss Fairley,” he said, as his friend nodded in understanding. “But you may wish me luck for tomorrow afternoon, yes?”

Lord Pleasance chuckled as they climbed into the carriage again, their task now completed.

“I do not think that you will require even the smallest measure of luck, my dear friend,” he said, making Frederick smile. “I have every certainty that, by this time tomorrow, you will have Miss Fairley as your betrothed.”