Page 26 of A Beguiled Gentleman (The Bradley Brothers #1)

Chapter 26

A sound stirred Noah from his deep sleep. Thinking it was only a dream, he rolled onto his stomach, stretching his arms beneath his pillow as he relaxed into his mattress. But then the knock came again, and he could not rationally explain it away this time.

He groaned as he rolled over and sat up, putting his feet to the floor while scrubbing his hands over his face.

“Sir.” Egerton’s voice, sharp with urgency, came through the door. “I need you to come out please.”

Noah tossed back the covers, forcing himself toward the door even though his feet protested the cool floor searing his warm feet. He flung the door open. “What is wrong?”

Egerton huffed a breath. “A servant from your father’s home has come and said you need to get to the main house immediately.”

“Is someone hurt?” Noah asked as he hurried to his wardrobe, pulling out the first shirt and pair of breeches his hands touched.

Egerton followed and began helping Noah dress, pulling the shirt over Noah’s head. “There were no details. Only that you were needed with utmost haste.”

Noah shook his head as he slipped into his breeches. He had told his father he would be over to talk about things in the morning. Surely Noah hadn’t slept in that late. “What time is it?”

“It is nearly nine o’clock.” Egerton held a boot out for him, and Noah leaned his hand on the older man’s shoulder as he slipped his foot in.

Goodness, that wasn’t even late. So why the urgency? Nerves soured Noah’s stomach, and he sent a quick prayer above that everyone in his family was well. After his clothing was in order, Noah tried combing his hair out with his fingers. He faced his man of all trades. “How do I look?”

Egerton raised his brow and slowly blinked. “It is good enough for the circumstances.”

Noah quickened to the front door. To his surprise, the servant from his father’s stood by a horse, waiting for him. “Here,” he said, handing Noah the reins. “You are requested in the morning room.”

What on earth was going on? Noah mounted the gray mare and kicked it into a gallop, his thoughts turning from bad to worse, imagining Anthony having an accident during his travels or something tragic happening to Archibald or his family. But surely, if someone in his family was injured, that would have been relayed to Noah. Unless this had to do with the events of last night? Several things had happened.

Luckily, the ride was short, and he dismounted and handed his mount off to a servant before running up the front steps of Willowcrest. As soon as he entered the front hall, loud voices carried to him. He followed them to the morning room and walked in without an announcement.

All heads snapped to him simultaneously. His father, mother, Donald, Peter—as well as Mr. and Mrs. Lewiston. Noah panicked, glancing about the room, but Margaret was nowhere to be seen.

“What is going on?” Noah asked as he stepped further into the room. He stood behind a chair, gripping the back of it as he scanned everyone’s faces. His parents looked tired and worn, but the Lewistons were practically seething.

“We are here about your actions toward our daughter, Noah,” Mr. Lewiston said. His tone was almost that of a scolding father, making Noah’s nerves fray. “You have behaved most poorly.”

“May I ask what you are speaking of?” To be honest, it could be any number of things, and Noah had neither patience nor presence of mind at the moment to guess at the cause. The direct approach seemed easiest.

Mrs. Lewiston scoffed as she shook her head, but Mr. Lewiston put a hand on her shoulder. “As if you do not know. Margaret has informed us that you offered for her.”

“And as I already told you,” Noah’s father said, standing from his seat. His cheeks flushed red, and his voice raised. “Noah said she declined him.”

“No,” Mr. Lewiston pressed on. “She said she wished for time to think over his offer while she was in London, and that she would give him her answer when she returned.”

His father seemed to think over Mr. Lewiston’s claim, looking at Noah with worry in his eyes.

“It’s not true,” Noah said, his hands gripping the chairback tighter. “She refused me.”

Mrs. Lewiston’s head was shaking in an adamant ‘no,’ and apparently she could hold her tongue no longer. “We have heard all about how you and Miss Gibbons behaved while we were gone. You only changed your mind. But a true gentleman would honor his offer. Margaret is crushed.” She put a hand to her chest. “I had not expected such cruelty on your part, Lord Noah. Our families have been friends for years, and for you to—”

“Enough,” Noah’s father snapped. “You will let my son speak.”

Noah’s eyes darted between his father and mother. How much was he to say? Relaying the last two months with a crowd of witnesses was not how he had planned to break the news to his family. “I already told you. I offered for Miss Lewiston, and she refused me. That is all there is to it.”

“If Noah offered and Miss Lewiston refused,” Donald interjected, always the voice of reason, “then he has no obligation to her.”

Noah nodded his appreciation, but the Lewistons seemed unfazed.

Mrs. Lewiston shook her head as she took something from beside her on her seat. A small, folded piece of paper. “I have this letter,” she said with triumph, holding it in the air. “I think after you read it, you will agree with us that Lord Noah has an obligation toward our daughter.”

Noah’s eyes fixated on the letter, his stomach filling with dread. He slipped around the chair and sunk into it, his exhaustion taking hold. Could this be real? Could this family force him to marry their daughter? What had once been Noah’s every desire was now being held over his head as a threat. And all Noah wished to do was take Hannah into his arms and assure her everything would be all right. But until this was settled, he couldn’t give her such assurances. And if he wasn’t able to offer for Hannah, she would be whisked off yet again. She would have to start all over . . .

Noah watched with growing apprehension while Mrs. Lewiston unfolded the paper, then filled her lungs with a breath as she prepared to read it aloud. All Noah could do was sit there as the miserable morning played before him. But then, before a single word was uttered from Mrs. Lewiston’s mouth, the letter was snatched from her grasp.

Noah’s mother stared daggers at her friend as she pulled the letter closer to her. “You will not read this aloud. How dare you be so bold. You could use a reminder of who my husband is and your own place.”

“Excuse me,” Mrs. Lewiston said, her eyes wide and teeth bared. “After all our years as friends—”

“A true friend would be more subtle than to bring a letter as blackmail over my son and try to read it aloud for all his family to hear.”

Mr. Lewiston pointed toward Noah’s mother’s hand. “But that is our proof of your son’s misconduct. Read it and you shall see.”

His mother’s eyes slid over to Noah, and he could see her deliberation. Noah nodded to her, giving her permission to read it. What other choice did they have? This nightmare needed to be resolved, and the sooner the better.

With clear hesitation, his mother lifted the paper and began to read with Noah’s father leaning over her shoulder and following along.

Donald sent Noah a weary smile and gently nodded his head. Only this time, while feeling comforted by his family’s support, Noah did not feel the same hope he usually did with his brother’s assurances. This time, there was too much on the line to only hope. He needed to make sure this did not spiral out of control.

Finally, his mother brought the letter to her lap, but her eyes did not leave it as she heaved a breath. “While this letter shows our son’s loyalty to Miss Lewiston, it in no way proves he owes her anything.”

“How can you say that?” Mr. Lewiston asked, his words heated. “He clearly said he would wait for her.”

“But Noah was hurting,” Donald said, leaning forward in his seat. “He was holding on to the hope that Miss Lewiston would realize she had made a mistake. And when he heard no word to the contrary, he moved on. That seems very rational to me.”

“If anything,” Noah’s mother said, “it shows that Miss Lewiston refused our son, and he therefore has no further obligation. I thank you for lending us this.” She handed the letter to Noah’s father, and he slipped it into his jacket.

Mrs. Lewiston's mouth fell open. “I cannot believe you do not see the duty he has to our daughter.”

If only you knew the duty I had to Miss Gibbons , Noah thought to himself.

All heads snapped to him, and he glanced about at their faces. “What?”

“Noah,” Peter whispered from beside him. “What duty do you have to Miss Gibbons?”

Noah’s eyes widened, and he swallowed, but Mrs. Lewiston’s pinched mouth spoke volumes. It seemed Noah had not thought the words, but rather said them aloud for all to hear. His eyes darted about their faces, but he was unclear of what he should say.

“I’m certain you can understand that we need to speak with our son,” Noah’s father said in his authoritative marquess tone. “But you may rest assured that he has behaved nobly toward your daughter and has no duty to her. If you will see yourself out, please.” He held his hand up in the direction of the door.

“This will not be the last you hear from us,” Mrs. Lewiston huffed as she stood. Mr. Lewiston put his hand to her back as they began their walk to the door.

“You would be good to remember my place, and yours,” Noah’s father said. The only indication the Lewistons heard him was their slight pause. But soon they had exited the room, and Noah was left to deal with the barrage of questions his family would surely assault him with. When he looked up to Donald, Noah was surprised to find him smiling.

“Noah,” his father said, drawing Noah’s attention away from his brother. “What is all this about an obligation toward Miss Gibbons. And for the love of all that is good in the world, please explain what has happened with Miss Lewiston.”

Noah sighed. “I already told you. I proposed to Margaret the night of the Elkins’ ball. And she said no. Apparently, Mr. Lewiston’s investments took a turn and Margaret thought she could find a better suitor while in London.”

His mother’s gasp caused him to look in her direction. “The nerve,” she said through tight lips. “After all we have been through with them. And with us being so much above them socially—how their own image of themselves got to their head is beyond me.”

“Yes, well,” Noah continued, “I am a fourth son, mother.”

She scoffed, shaking her head. “And they were all too happy to have their daughter expected for you until they got a distorted idea of their own standing. I can hardly believe it. But my question,” she continued, looking at him, “is why you did not tell us and allowed us for weeks to believe things were unchanged.”

“Months really,” Noah said, his tone dry. “And it isn’t as if I didn’t tell anyone. Donald knew.”

All gazes swung toward his brother.

“What?” Donald asked, sitting up. “It wasn’t as if I could tell everyone. If Noah had wanted you to know, he would have told you.”

Their mother rubbed her forehead. “My next question is really the more important. Why do you feel you have an obligation to Miss Gibbons?”

Noah chewed his lip as his brow crinkled in thought. “Well, it may have something to do with the fact”—he lowered his voice—“that I kissed her.”

“What?” his mother asked.

“I said,” Noah continued, raising his voice, “that I kissed Miss Gibbons.” When he was met with only silence and stares, he began to stammer out an explanation. “To be fair, she really was the one to kiss me first,” he said, toying with the hair that fell over his brow. “And then I became very confused and began to reassess everything, until I realized that I did not in fact think of her as a friend but rather was actually in love with her.” He lifted his gaze. “Yes. I believe that about sums it up.”

His mother had a hand to her chest, but the three gentlemen in the room all had coy smiles playing about their mouths. Noah’s mother looked about before her eyes caught on her husband’s smirk. He lifted a hand to cover his smile.

“Can you believe this?” she asked. “Do you not have anything to say?”

Noah’s father took a moment until his smile had successfully vanished. “What is there to say? I think it’s quite clear our son has a proposal to make. And soon.” With that, his eyes took on a serious expression as his gaze swung to Noah.

His mother looked about at everyone’s faces, her lips puckering. “Goodness,” she said, shaking her head. “Five. I have five of you. Can not even one of you keep their lips to themselves?”

“To be fair, Mother,” Peter chimed in, “Noah said Miss Gibbons kissed him first.”

Their mother’s hand returned to its massaging motion, and the boys’ father put a placating hand to her shoulder.

“I believe I need to go lie down,” she said. Then she sighed. “But before I do, I need to make one thing clear.”

The men all sat and waited.

“This family will be united in its support of Noah. He did nothing wrong—with Miss Lewiston,” she added as her scolding gaze halted on Noah. “And he seems to have been courting Miss Gibbons for months. So he shall do the honorable thing and marry her.”

A smile split Noah’s face, and as it did, his mother’s stern demeanor thawed.

“Noah,” she said, “why did you not tell me about your feelings sooner? I had suspected, but when confronted, you assured me you had no intention toward Miss Gibbons. I assumed you were awaiting Margaret’s return. I would not have planned that silly ball if you had just been honest with me.”

Noah lifted one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug. “I was blind. I do not know how else to explain it. I’d been so beguiled by my affection for Margaret that I didn’t see what was right in front of me.” He gazed off, his mind forming a picture of Hannah smiling at him. “And the way I feel about Hannah differs from what I had felt for Margaret. It’s something deeper. Something I rely on so heavily that I had assumed it could only be friendship, for what I had known of love had been shallow.”

Peter made a gagging sound from beside him, and Noah smiled, playfully punching his shoulder. And then Noah snapped to attention, searching the room for a clock. “Wait, what time is it?”

Their father turned toward a clock on the bookshelf. “It is nearly ten.”

Noah let out a sigh of relief. He wasn’t late then. “Excuse me,” he said, standing from his chair. “I have a prior engagement to attend to.”

Donald walked over to Noah, gripping his shoulder. “Go get her, Noah. You deserve every happiness, and I for one am glad you found someone who makes you smile as you are now.”

Noah meant to tease his brother for his sentimentality, but before he could, Noah was engulfed in his brother’s tight grip as Donald’s arms wrapped around his back. For a moment, Noah only stood there, too stunned to move. But finally, he returned his brother’s embrace. Donald pulled away, keeping his grip on Noah’s shoulders. “Do not ever take for granted what you have, Noah. Cherish her.”

Noah smiled. “I promise I will.”

With that, he gave a parting nod to his family and strode outside into the late morning sunshine. After running to the stables, he took the gray mare he had ridden over, mounted it, and kicked it into a trot. He had somewhere important to be.