Redemption of the Icy Earl (Book 5, Unlikely Lords)

Chapter 1

1801, Castle Point, Essex County

The skies were gray with the promise of rain, but it mattered little to eleven-year-old Everett Simmons as he gulped down his breakfast and practically flew through the house to go outside.

Today was an extra special day. Everett’s older brother, Grayson, was home on break from boarding school. He didn’t come home often, and Everett didn’t want to miss a single minute with him. He threw on his coat and ran out the back of the house, where he came face to face with his mother, who was walking in from the garden.

“Everett,” Grace, the Countess of Robertson, said, grabbing his collar as he ran past her.

He came to an abrupt halt and turned to face his stern mother. “Yes, ma’am.”

Everett had learned at a young age that Grace wasn’t one for motherly shows of emotion—at least not towards him. She rarely smiled at him but saved those special moments for her eldest son, whom she doted on. Everett didn’t mind that Grayson got all the attention. Everyone who met his brother was smitten with him. He was the fun brother, the witty brother, and the athletic brother, while Everett preferred more intellectual activities like reading, expanding his horizons through the written word. He learned very early to accept that he couldn’t compete with his brother’s physical prowess. It was just the way things were. He didn’t mind because Grayson was his hero, and Everett would do anything for him.

“Don’t be too clingy with your brother today,” she said with a frown. “He needs to be able to relax and enjoy his time at home without you constantly annoying and badgering him.”

“Of course, ma’am,” he replied, nodding. He wanted to explain to her that it had been Grayson’s idea to spend the morning together, but he knew that would just result in a prolonged chastisement. She’d always been quick to scold him for things Grayson did, and he never quite understood why she was like that but had reluctantly accepted long ago.

She scowled at him for a few more minutes, trying to decide if he was being disrespectful in any way. “Tell your brother the storm is fast approaching and I don’t him sailing in rough weather.”

“I will, Mama.”

After a moment of reflection, she said, “I don’t want either of you in the ocean today.”

Everett was taken aback by the rare show of concern but nonetheless rushed away when she finally nodded, indicating that it was okay for him to go.

He ran as fast as he could, but soon, the familiar tightness in his chest slowed him down to a fast walk. It always happened when he exerted himself. When he reached the beach, he found his older brother pulling one of the family sailboats toward the water.

“About time you showed up,” Grayson said, smiling at his younger brother. “I was about to head out without you. Help me with the boat.”

“Mama said we couldn’t go sailing today,” Everett explained. “The storm is too close.”

Grayson smirked and waved away Everett’s concerns as he looked at the sky. “Pfft. That storm is hours away. We can still go out for a little while and have fun. Come on.”

“No, Gray, we can’t. Please stop.” Everett fretted, wringing his hands. There was no way he’d dare disobey his mother, and he hoped Grayson would listen to him for once. He should have known better. Grayson did what he wanted when he wanted and never thought about the consequences. That was the way things were, and there’d never been any severe consequences for his actions.

Consequences were all Everett thought about.

“If you’re scared of a little storm or Mother’s wrath, then stay here on the beach and watch me enjoy the water.” With that pronouncement, Grayson pushed the sailboat into the water and jumped aboard. He looked expectantly at his younger brother, his hand outstretched, but Everett didn’t move. Grayson smiled sadly, shook his head, and raised the sail.

“You know, one of these days, you’re going to have to learn to stand up for yourself and not let everyone push you around,” Grayson yelled over his shoulder as the boat started to move into deeper water.

Everett hung his head, on the verge of tears as he watched his brother sail away. A shiver ran down his spine.

He had a bad feeling about this.

The boat became smaller and smaller the farther away it rode the waves, and Everett hoped that Grayson would turn back soon. Should he run for his mother? He thought that would cause more harm than good, so he stood on the beach watching his brother sail farther and farther away.

When the boat was a mere speck, the storm came in fast and harsh. The wind churned up the ocean, and giant waves tossed the small boat to and fro. Everett jumped up and down, waving his arms, trying to get Grayson’s attention. As he stood helplessly watching his beloved brother trying to control the boat amid the giant waves, he heard his mother running up behind him.

“Where’s your brother?” she barked at him.

Everett pointed toward the speck on the water. “Mama, I tried to warn him, but he wouldn’t listen to me. I told him not to take the boat.”

“Did you tell him that I explicitly said not to take the boat out?” she screamed.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, nodding. “I did.”

“Worthless,” she mumbled under her breath. She gave him a scathing look and continued to berate him, “I asked you to do one thing, and you failed miserably.”

“I’m sorry, Mama. I tried.” Everett stood next to his mother on the shore and watched as the thunder boomed and the rain pelted down. Lightning struck randomly across the water, and Everett saw his mother clench her jaw tightly.

“Please, please, not my precious boy,” she whispered. “Let him make it back to me.”

As if fate itself had heard her, lightning came streaking down and struck the main mast of the small sailboat. Everett looked on in abject terror as the boat burst into flames and quickly disintegrated, taking the life of the person in the whole world that he loved the most.

The scream was an unearthly wail that shook Everett to his bones. He looked over and saw his mother fall to her knees, staring out at the water, screaming incoherently. After a moment, she looked at him with murder in her eyes.

“You,” she said, pointing accusingly at him. “This is your fault. Your brother is dead because of your incompetence. You murdered him. Get out of my sight, you worthless piece of rubbish!”

Everett backed away, dumbfounded at his mother’s vitriol, unable to fully fathom what had happened. His beloved brother was dead, and his mother had laid Grayson’s death squarely at his feet.

He looked away from her, back to the burning boat, and did the only thing he could do to ease the pain.

Encased his heart in ice to seal out the hurt forever.

Love brought nothing but pain, and he wanted no part of it.