Page 16 of Two Ruins Make a Right

Christa’s gaze flew to hers. She started twisting the serviette in her lap, a tell that she was anxious about the conversation. It hadn’t escaped Nell’s notice that James had quit eating to devote all his attention to the conversation.

“Cornwall is certainly beautiful, but I was wondering about your prospects around the area, particularly near Whitton Priory.”

James took a large swig of wine, then refilled it from the bottle at his feet.

Unobtrusively, he handed it to her. “If you’re about to host an inquisition, perhaps it would be best to quench our thirst before we begin,” he said in a low voice that only she could hear.

After Nell took the proffered glass, he turned a blazing smile toward Christa.

“Did you know that my cousin is also being considered for a position as an under-steward at the ancestral estate of the Duke of Muir Glenn?”

Christa delivered a glowing smile to James as if he were her knight errant.

“Muir Glenn?” Nell asked, not hiding how aghast she was. “Isn’t that in the northern part of Scotland? Do they even have summer there?” Without thinking, she shook her head. “Absolutely—” She stopped when she saw the murderous look on her sister’s face.

“You are correct. It’s absolutely lovely in the summer,” James finished for her. “I wouldn’t mind traveling there myself later this year. It’s a beautiful and wild country.”

“Oh, I’d like to see it too,” Christa added, then scooted a little closer to Harry, obviously trying to protect him from Nell’s questions. “I’m sure I’d find it every bit as beautiful as you say, Mr. Richardson.”

“It’s quite the opportunity, ma’am,” Harry added, while holding Nell’s gaze.

“You consider it a good prospect?” Nell asked, setting her plate aside as all her attention was devoted to Harry.

“Indeed, my lady.”

“How good, if I may ask?” It was time to get to the heart of the matter—money. Nell wasn’t hesitant or shy about asking such an inappropriate question amongst the four of them. If she were discussing Harry’s offer in private, she had every right to know what wages he could expect to bring in.

“The duke’s estate boasts over ten thousand acres.” Harry turned to Christa. “The various shades of green will take your breath away.”

“Scotland sounds wonderful,” she said softly, then glanced at Nell. “Though it would be far from my sister, I’m sure we could visit.”

“A visit could only be arranged when there weren’t daily duties to attend.

That would mean in the heart of winter, a most unsuitable time to travel.

Imagine the snow and the cold,” Nell added for good measure.

She blew a piece of wayward hair out of her eyes in frustration.

“I wasn’t asking about acreage, Mr. Knollwood. I’m asking about your wages.”

“Nell,” Christa hissed.

“For God’s sake, Nellwyn,” James growled simultaneously as Christa.

Harry’s cheeks turned the color of ripened cherries. “Well, I...”

“Don’t answer that,” Christa huffed. “She’s simply trying to turn this into a one-sided conversation.”

Harry covered Christa’s hand in assurance. “I don’t know all the specifics of the duke’s offer. However, I can confidently say that I would earn enough to support Christa and help you and the rest of the family. Family helps family.”

There lay the crux of the problem. She needed Christa’s husband to be strong and sever all financial ties with their parents.

She studied Harry. He had kind eyes, ones that made her doubt he could refuse her parents anything.

Perhaps Harry had a weakness similar to James when he dealt with his daughter. The inability to say no.

Nell forced her gaze to the pasture, feigning indifference, while inside, her stomach churned. She hated having to do this, but she’d never forgive herself if she didn’t protect her sister.

If only she could make Christa understand that she wasn’t doing this to embarrass Harry, but to judge whether Christa would have to worry about financial security. Money begot such a haven.

“What are you doing?” Christa challenged.

“Protecting your best interests,” Nell countered, then turned to Harry.

“I apologize if I’m making you uncomfortable.

I assure you that I’m not trying to humiliate you.

But she’s the daughter of a viscount.” For the love of God, she hated to sound like one of those people.

But this situation required that she use all the weapons at her disposal.

“Christa’s future husband will be expected to care and protect her and that includes financial protection.

” Nell smiled politely. “I’m sure you understand. ”

“Nell,” James said softly. The warning in his voice meant he thought she should stop this line of questioning.

Christa threw her hands up in the air. “You make me sound like a spoiled brat.” She stood. “I’m not hungry anymore.” She turned on the ball of her foot and headed toward the cart.

Harry stood in answer. “I’ll bring her back.”

He nodded toward James but didn’t even glance at Nell. A slight she perhaps deserved for her behavior. If only they knew why she felt the need to protect Christa. But to say more would embarrass them all.

“My aunt knows how to clear a room with a perfect lift of her eyebrow or even a sharply worded sentence.” He shook his head and stood.

“But you have a superlative talent. You know how to clear a pasture with two words. ‘ How much? ’” He gathered the remains of their luncheon and threw them in a basket.

“Unbelievable, Nell. You embarrassed not only Harry, but your sister.”

“Did I embarrass you?” she asked, not hiding the challenge in her tone.

He stopped the task of cleaning up and swung the full force of his hardened gaze to hers. The heat in his eyes raked her over a proverbial pile of white-hot coals.

But she didn’t flinch.

“You could only embarrass someone if they care. That’s why you decimated your sister and my cousin with your uncouth and heartless questions.

” James closed the distance between them to stand over her.

He was so tall that she felt as if she were looking straight up into the sky.

“I don’t care about you or your behavior.

That’s why you didn’t embarrass me. Nor did I suffer the slightest discomfort.

” He pointed toward the cart and lowered his voice.

“But you hurt Christa and Harry because they care about one another. They both want your blessing. You tried to humiliate him in front of the woman he loves and wants to spend the rest of his life with.” He shook his head and exhaled, clearly disgruntled.

“What’s happened to you, Nell? You never used to be this way. Is that what Whitton did to you?”

For a moment, it felt as if all the air around her had been sucked away, leaving her gasping for something to say. She forced herself to take three calming breaths before she answered him. “I didn’t mean to hurt either of them. I ask these questions because, believe it or not, I do care. ”

James didn’t even look at her. He corked the wine and practically threw the bottle into the basket.

Nell stood slowly. “Whitton was a good husband.” Though she never loved him, he’d treated her kindly and with a loving touch.

She’d never given him an heir, but he was always respectful of her when he was alive.

Even though he didn’t provide her any extra wealth outside of the modest sum he’d provided her when he passed, Nell was satisfied with her situation.

In fact, it wasn’t too farfetched to say she was happy with the arrangement.

James slowly lifted his gaze to hers. The stark regard he gave her would have made others tremble in their shoes.

But not Nell. No one knew the mortification she’d endured when she’d come home that blissfully happy day after James had asked for her hand in marriage.

Her happiness had dulled like a tarnished brass bowl when she’d discovered their household in an uproar and all their furnishings loaded into a cart to pay for their mother’s monstrous gambling debts and modiste’s bills.

“Honestly? I don’t care anymore whether he was a good husband,” James growled. His voice was so low that it sounded like an animal warning others away before it attacked.

If he didn’t care anymore, then he had cared at some point in the past. The stark truth was that she still cared for James. Frankly, it hurt that she had lost his regard. But at that moment, she could only feel the shame that threatened to drown her.

“Do you see what you’re doing? You’re trying to drive Christa away from Harry.

You’re like a puppet master pulling their strings, just like you did to us.

” His lips thinned into a hardened line.

“You said you’d keep an open mind.” He shook his head in disgust. “Mistakes have a way of being repeated if people don’t put forth the effort to change. I see now that you haven’t.”

She didn’t want to fight, nor did she want to lose their newfound accord. Yet, she couldn’t help but quarrel with him. “You are no different from me. You said you would marry for love, but you’re allowing Valentina to pick her mother. What about love for you?”

“As I had mentioned before, there are many types of love,” he murmured without glancing at her. “I’m not worried about myself.”

“Please don’t be angry with me,” she said softly.

“I’m not angry.” James propped his hands on his trim hips and regarded her. “Disappointed? Yes. Frustrated? Most definitely.”

“I feel the same.” Nell nodded. “If I’ve overstepped, I apologize. What I meant about marrying for love is that sometimes you must think of others besides yourself.” It was close enough to the truth regarding her actions on her parents’ behalf without revealing the whole sordid tale.

“I wholeheartedly agree.” He shook his head. “Love,” he hmphed. He winged a single eyebrow and regarded her. “It’s the most important thing in this world. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Without waiting for her answer, he walked away and loaded his cart. He talked with Harry and Christa about something, then waited by the cart for her. It was unfathomable that only a few hours earlier, they’d shared a sweet kiss as if he’d forgiven her for her choices in life.

Nell straightened and stole another glance at the beautiful fields surrounding the park.

She should follow James’s titillating advice. She shouldn’t care either.

She didn’t care that where her heart used to reside was now an empty hole.

She didn’t want to care about anything.

She tilted her face to the sky, closed her eyes, and inhaled deeply.

The unfortunate truth was that she cared too deeply.