Once Only

Genre: Romance novel

Chapter One

Lady Clayton was reclining lazily upon the couch; a book was held open in her hand while she was listening to her daughter playing the piano at her music lesson.

‘That’s too harsh Melissa!’ she muttered impatiently when a shrill note was struck, and closed her eyes; a pretty frown creased her fair brow.

Her mind was far away from the novel she had been attempting to read; even the music lesson faded into the background while her mind dwelt on her twin brother, who she suspected would call upon her any moment and she was sure he would be in a vile mood. Word had already reached her of what had transpired at Austell House that morning. She could hardly blame her grandparent for the step he had taken, harsh though it was, it was perhaps the only way to bring his unruly heir to heel. But she also knew very well that if at all there was a way out of the trap, he would easily find it because her wicked brother knew all the vile mischief on this earth.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a door shutting with a loud bang downstairs, followed immediately by the thud of hasty footsteps. She recognized these footsteps only too well as their echo resounded through the hallway. She raised herself seeing that the door to her morning room was rudely thrown open and her brother strode in with a monstrous and dark frown on his dark and very handsome brow.

‘By God this is too much!’ he snapped throwing his gloves and whip upon the highly polished table, and they landed on their destination with a loud clutter, ‘the devil take him! He goes too far this once Esmeralda!’

            Lady Clayton’s brow had snapped into a frown at such an uncontrolled outburst and she spoke rather curtly to her daughter’s governess. ‘Mrs Hastings, please take Melissa upstairs it is enough music for today.’

Once the young lady was out of earshot she began, ‘really Nigel I am shocked at your behaviour and manner of speech! I would rather that you watched how you behaved before young ladies and may I remind you sir that your language is outrageous – it has a shocking effect upon my male and female offspring!’ she said tartly.

In as much as her brother was outrageously wild, both of her children and her cousin’s children were strongly attracted to him and when he was in the mood, which however was seldom, he indulged the male children of the family – mostly in the matter of sports he was partial to such as riding, shooting, and fencing.

            Lord Aldrich raised a haughty brow amusedly at the idea of his eight-year-old nephew and seven-year-old niece using his sort of language.

‘Must be interesting to hear,’ he mused whimsically.

Lady Clayton closed her eyes and sighed; it was useless to remonstrate with her brother to curb his wildness.

‘So, what prompts this rude entrée into my morning room Nigel?’ she asked curtly.

‘C’mon Esmeralda you cannot feign ignorance – you know very well why grandfather called me today and it is too much I say –,’ he told her irritably.

‘Well Nigel you cannot deny that you goaded him this time – and he is right you know! The lifestyle you keep is shocking,’ she shuddered delicately, ‘it is extremely unbecoming and scandalous! It is high time you settled and did what is right – you are his chosen heir after all!’ she said roundly.

‘Spare me the homily!’ his lordship said haughtily.

‘But it’s true,’ she pointed out frowning at him.

‘Damn it Esmeralda you are doing it too brown!’ he snapped, and walking up to the wine trolley he poured himself a glass of sherry and tossed it down.

Lady Clayton was regarding his profile thoughtfully.

She knew very well that her grandfather who was a stiff martinet had given her brother an ultimatum six months ago – he had had enough of Lord Nigel Aldrich’s scandalous affairs – and his last gaming debts which were astronomical his grace had settled with a grim warning to suspend his grandson’s income, and he had indeed carried out the threat when neither of them expected it. His grace, the Duke of Austell had announced that he would not bestow upon his unruly grandson a farthing from his fortune unless he married and settled within the year otherwise, he made it plain that he would disinherit him.

Simple as it sounded, it really was not – there was a catch. His grace intended his grandson to marry only the girl of his and his lordship’s late father’s choosing – the daughter of his dearest and departed friend the Fourth Earl of Cardigan, Lord Lawrence McIntyre.

It was to this girl that his grandson was betrothed. He had been betrothed to her by his father at the age of fourteen, some thirteen years ago, and at that time the girl had been barely nine years old. The mere idea of such a betrothal disgusted him just as much it had revolted Lady Clayton’s sensibilities. His grace had lost contact with Lord Cardigan several years ago after the demise of his son and subsequently the earl had withdrawn from society almost bankrupted. Not only that, his grace had also almost forgotten the promise he made his son (on his deathbed) to honour his promise to Lord Cardigan, and to wed his grandson Lord Aldrich (who had always been his heir since his son’s death) and Lady McIntyre. Some four years ago, the event of Lord Cardigan’s demise had brought forcibly to his mind this grim promise which he now imposed upon his grandson. Indeed, his grandson’s recent excesses had strengthened his resolve to see his grandson married and settled, and he had thus warned Lord Aldrich six months ago while settling his debts that he expected him to honour the promise his lordship’s father had made Lord Cardigan, within a period of twelve months.

Now, Lord Aldrich had never set his eyes upon this dame, indeed, he was beginning to loathe her very existence. He had taken the grim warning for granted – his stern though doting grandparent had never before been this strict or unreasonable, however his grace had left no doubt about his intent this time and promptly stopped his income. He had equally unexpectedly announced to him that morning that six months had elapsed and he had only another six months or else he would forgo any claims to the immense wealth of the House of Austell and remain only a duke – indeed he had prepared a new will in his grandson’s presence and had instructed his lawyers on how to act, if in the case of his demise his grandson failed to fulfil this promise. A terrible argument had ensued, leaving the duke more resolved than ever upon his decision and Lord Aldrich fuming at the outrage against him.

‘Nigel, you crossed the line this time! I can hardly blame him!’ she began carefully.

He raised a haughty brow and regarding his sister coldly, asked dangerously, ‘do you dare, my dearest sister to tell me that what that stiff martinet is doing to me is fair!’

Lady Clayton smiled indulgently and shook her head straightening the pleats in her skirts. ‘No, my love I do not say that – it is unfair to both of you – indeed you have all my sympathies. But it is not as entirely unfair as you portray it to be!’ she raised a hand when he began to rudely object. ‘My goodness but how can you go on living like that Nigel – a life of such dissipation? It is preposterous and scandalous – not to mention that that is precisely what drove papa to his untimely end!’ she said roundly.

‘Doing it too brown again Esmeralda – Father died in an unhandsome accident – everyone knows that!’

‘Well, he wouldn’t have if he had not made that silly wager to win the curricle race!’ she stated bluntly.

‘I cannot understand what distempered freaks led him to give Lord Cardigan that demented promise – the girl was barely a toddler – never even clapped my eyes on her!’ Aldrich said distastefully and with feeling, once again outraged at his parent and grandparent, and was even more enraged by what his sister further had to say about his affairs.

‘It is high time you mended your ways and settled down – and marriage is the only solution!’ she told him severely.

‘And what makes you think that I will give up my ways for the wife you all are so anxious to foist upon me?’ he asked angrily.

Lady Clayton considered this thoughtfully for a while.

‘Well Nigel I do not think that any respectable lady will wed you after your scandalous – er – well forget it –,’ she stopped encountering a quelling glare from him but pausing only an instant she continued, ‘in all likelihood Lord Cardigan’s daughter will call off the engagement – poor dear – I doubt she can even recollect it – she must have been nine years old at the time.’

She was revolted anew by the shocking outrage against the poor girl who she had never set eyes upon either. Lord Aldrich helped himself to another glass of sherry and sat down opposite his sister.

‘No – what you say is not so likely Esme,’ he said gloomily, ‘I have not been idle these past few months either; this chit is the daughter of an impoverished noble, well that is what became of Lord Cardigan before he withdrew from society long ago, and he died ruined and almost bankrupt four years ago. No, she will very likely agree – indeed she must marry me – she hasn’t a choice in the matter and I will make sure of that,’ he said brazenly and then continued rather bitterly, ‘only I haven’t a clue about where she has disappeared to. Ever since the death of her father she appears to have vanished off the face of this earth.’ He looked briefly at his sister, ‘God knows; if I don’t get leg-shackled to this chit I will be utterly undone; it’s damned low water with me!’

 Her ladyship’s heart sank at his tone and perceiving the determined look in his eyes she became even more fearful of the fate that awaited the innocent damsel who was being so mercilessly thrown at her depraved brother. She said a silent prayer, which had he heard at that moment would have vexed him immensely.

 ‘Hmm,’ she mused, ‘and I suppose grandfather has seen her?’ she said wondering if fate would indeed deliver the innocent from her brother’s evil intent, because he was surely going to break her heart; he would woo her relentlessly and then after marriage ignore her equally shamelessly. Surely no one deserved such a fate!

‘Yes, it appears he did see her four years ago at Lord Cardigan’s funeral. So, it effectively rules out the possibility of using a replacement – he will definitely recognize the dupe,’ he said dryly.

‘You are incorrigible Nigel! How do you even think of such malevolence?’  Lady Clayton asked outraged. ‘Not that I do not wish that you had this easy way out, indeed my sympathies are entirely with this girl you are set out to ruin!’ she added caustically regarding him grimly.

She got up sighing and shaking her head sadly. Lord Aldrich saw the sincere sympathy that was reflected in her eyes for this girl he had been reluctant to seek until now and hoped to make his wife only to get to his fortune and felt irked.

‘I will pray Nigel that you fall in love with her instead!’ she knew from the determined look in his eyes that he meant to find her.

His lordship laughed sardonically at her heartfelt prayer. ‘Really Esme you are still such a romantic! My dear, I don’t believe there is in existence anything like the love which you romanticise about,’ he regarded her cynically, ‘and if indeed there is then it will be entirely wasted upon me because it will be so damnably difficult to love only one woman!’ he announced with a devilish gleam in his eyes.

Lady Clayton flushed and shook her head sadly; ‘you are abominable Nigel and one day you will surely come by your just deserts!’ she turned and left feeling hopelessly sad for him as his evil laughter rang out behind her.