Could she overlook his debauched past, accept the secrets he could not turn aside from, and consider another marriage? From what he had learned of her first, she had not liked being married. There was the possibility he would fail and be disappointed, but there was also an equal chance that he might succeed.
He deposited Lady Mary at her door and cheerily waved good-bye, fully intending to never see her again as a would-be bride. He would return home and dine with Arabella and see if she might be interested in more than simple friendship.
The instant he stepped inside the door, he knew something was terribly wrong. Holland wore the expression he adopted when faced with being the bearer of bad news. Merrick braced himself. “What?”
“Lady Penelope Ford is waiting to see you.”
Merrick glanced left and right and then finally up to the ceiling. “Blast.”
“She hasn’t said anything,” Holland whispered. “I placed her in the parlor while she waited your return.”
“Thank you, Holland.” Merrick handed off his hat and gloves and strode into the room. He decided not to mince words today. Aunt Pen rarely made surprise visits to his home, and this was the worst possible time for one. “What do you want?”
His aunt paused with her teacup to her lips. “You’re in a mood, so I will come straight to the point. I’ve come to question you about Lady Farnsworth and her niece, Lady Cecily.”
As he’d suspected, his aunt’s arrival signaled trouble. “What about them?”
Aunt Pen leaned forward, her brow furrowing with deep lines of concern. “Lady Farnsworth and Lady Cecily have not been seen for some time. Lord Farnsworth tells quite a tale, that she ran away in terror of a horde of brigands.”
Merrick frowned at the growth of Farnsworth’s lie. Fairly soon it would be apparent to even a fool that nothing of the sort had happened. He had to tread carefully. It seemed possible that Aunt Pen knew nothing of Cecily’s elopement with Laurence, but the woman was a master at intrigue and could lie better than anyone he knew to serve her own purpose. “Something about midnight abductions and thievery.” He shrugged. “I saw Farnsworth at Mr. Milne’s just yesterday. I’m sure it’s all nonsense.”
“Milne, you say.” Her lips lifted in approval. “His daughter is lovely.”
Blast. Aunt Pen approved of Miss Milne. That had not been part of his plans but her support didn’t matter as his interest was with Arabella now. He shrugged and didn’t comment.
Aunt Pen smiled again, but Merrick still did not trust her one bit. She studied him carefully, then said, “So, you think they have not been abducted and likely ravished in some den of inequity?”
“I am sure Lady Farnsworth is snugly settled with friends somewhere.” He pretended to think about where she might be for a moment and moved into the room. He stopped behind a chair, a little barrier between them for his peace of mind. “What has Grayling to say? I’m sure if she’s anywhere, she would be there.”
His aunt peered at him. “Because you purchased her home from beneath her feet and she cannot possibly return to it?”
He smiled tightly, hating that his every word and deed eventually fell into his aunt’s lap. “Word travels fast. Actually, when I see Lady Farnsworth, I thought to enquire if she wished to continue on there under lease. Grayling has suggested before that she is inordinately fond of Winslette and manages it well.”
Aunt Pen set her cup aside and folded her hands in her lap, a sure sign she was just now warming to her inquisition. “When I heard of the new purchase, I assumed you might want to live there with your new wife.”
Since there was no chance of avoiding the subject, he chose to tackle it head on. “I’ve not married yet, and Grandfather sending me a special license will not spur me to propose.” He shook his head. “I own many properties, both in England and abroad, though I have not seen many in some time. An inspection is overdue at many. I really must attend to that soon.”
It was a risk mentioning any future plans to travel. He hoped offering up a bit of his life would distract her from asking further questions of Arabella and Cecily and any likely bride.
Her eyes narrowed. “Very well. Since you claim to know nothing of her disappearance, I will leave you in peace. When you do see Lady Farnsworth, be sure to give her my regards. Lovely girl, but so terribly tall.”
Aunt Pen stood and made her way to the door. Merrick watched her the whole way just to be sure she’d gone.
When the door closed, he strode to Holland. “She knows.”
His half brother stared at the closed door his aunt had passed through moments before. “About your pursuit of a bride? That was always in the cards the minute you took Lady Mary driving in the park.”
“No, she knows Lady Farnsworth is here.”
Holland shook his head. “Surely not or she would have said something. She would have demanded to see her.”
Merrick checked the time on his pocket watch. An hour until dinner with Arabella. Would he get to dine with her without his aunt coming back with Farnsworth in tow? “She uttered not one word about Laurence being missing from Town, and mention of having called on Mr. Milne yesterday barely stirred a ripple of interest. She left the house too quickly. She came for confirmation and somehow she got it.” He stared hard at Holland, wondering what had been said in his absence.
The other man shook his head, but his expression grew worried. “I swear I did nothing to give Lady Farnsworth away. How could she possibly know?”
He tucked his watch away and straightened his waistcoat. “I’ve no idea, but unless we want a scene that will be talked of for a decade should Farnsworth come to my door, Arabella must leave my house.”
Even now, well before his aunt could reach her home, he could imagine the flurry of letters she would write. If not tonight, then by morning they would be besieged. Farnsworth would come and upset Arabella. His own family might just come too, all very ready to remind him that the surest way to avoid scandal for the family was to marry Arabella immediately. He had the special license. It could be done tomorrow.
Being married in such circumstances was not part of his plan. He had wanted to avoid his family’s interference in his choice of bride. He growled his annoyance and stalked past Holland, taking the stairs two at a time on his way upstairs. When he reached Arabella’s door, he knocked, immediately hoping the loud sound would not startle her unduly.
As soon as the door opened, he stepped inside. “My aunt knows you are here. You have to leave before she can either come back or return with Farnsworth. The man has been looking for you everywhere.”
Arabella’s face leeched of color. “You never mentioned that before.”
“I didn’t want to upset you.” He moved closer to her. “What do you want to do? By morning my aunt will have told those she deems worthy of the news that you are in my power. We could tell the truth about Farnsworth striking you and attempting to force you into a match you didn’t want, but one is as bad as the other. Your reputation will never survive.”
She shivered and hugged her arms about her. “From my point of view the two are widely different. I’d choose being in your power over Farnsworth’s any day. But where can I go?”
“There is always Wiltshire.”
She nodded slowly. “Grayling would take me in surely. I had not wanted to impose on him and Rosemary. They are only just married. I suppose I could be of help with the children.”
He frowned at that. There was no way he could imagine she’d be content looking after someone else’s children. “Winslette is there for you to return to if you wish.”
“If Farnsworth hasn’t sold it already.”
Merrick hadn’t found the words or the opportunity to mention her estate. In truth, he had never wanted to add to her disappointments by mentioning the transition of ownership. Given the circumstances, Merrick hoped she would not take his purchase of the property badly. “You can return. This may have been presumptuous on my part, but I purchased the property from Farnsworth the day you came to me. I didn’t know how you’d take the news and kept silent. Forgive me.”