Chapter 3
Three
Jaclyn made her way down the path toward Easton Abbey.
They had taken the path through the woods and around the pond—a short cut that only those that resided at Havenwood knew about.
Her heart beat a little faster, not only from the excitement of the impending visit but also from the knowledge that Mrs. Havenwood’s insistence on a chaperone had turned what should have been a pleasant call into a more complicated affair.
Jaclyn glanced at Miss Spencer, her designated chaperone, as she adjusted her bonnet and gave the surrounding countryside a distracted glance.
Miss Spencer was a woman of refined manners and poised demeanor, though there was an undeniable air of discomfort as she looked up at Easton Abbey.
With her fair blonde hair and pale blue eyes, Miss Spencer carried an air of unflappable elegance, particularly when it came to matters of deportment and dancing, a role she filled as a teacher at Mrs. Havenwood’s academy.
She had a lot of experience in both as the daughter of a diplomat.
Miss Spencer had traveled a bit of the world with her father and had strict expectations on how she must behave.
These were some of the lessons she imparted to the students at the school.
“Shall we, Miss Spencer?” Jaclyn asked, her voice betraying none of the nerves that had suddenly sprung up in her chest. They were nearing Easton Abbey and would soon arrive at the front entrance.
Miss Spencer gave a quick nod, smoothing the front of her dress. “Of course, Jaclyn. I do believe this will be quite an interesting visit.”
Jaclyn narrowed her gaze on Miss Spencer.
What had she meant by that? Was Miss Spencer aware of something that she had not been privy to?
Surely not… She frowned and let that drift from her mind.
She had other worries, and she could not allow her overactive imagination to get the best of her.
As they approached the grand entrance, Jaclyn’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of Charlotte standing at the top of the stone steps, her welcoming smile as warm as ever.
Yet, it wasn’t just Charlotte who was waiting for them.
Standing slightly to the side, with an air of effortless command, was a man Jaclyn instantly recognized.
The Marquess of Finley, Charlotte’s older brother.
His striking presence made Jaclyn pause for a moment.
His smile faltered a little when his gaze landed on her.
He had once been nothing more than her older brother’s closest friend.
Now, as his hazel eyes met hers, Jaclyn found herself unexpectedly flustered.
How had she not made the connection sooner?
As she glanced between Charlotte and Finley, it was obvious now they were brother and sister.
“Ah, Lady Jaclyn,” Lord Finley said in his smooth, baritone voice. “It’s been a while. How are you?”
Jaclyn quickly masked her anxiety with a polite smile, offering him a curtsy. “Lord Finley. I’m well, thank you for asking. And you?”
“Quite well, thank you,” he replied, though his gaze lingered for just a moment longer than necessary, his attention sharp. Jaclyn noticed that Miss Spencer, standing beside her, seemed suddenly uneasy under the marquess’s gaze, though she said nothing.
“You two are acquainted?” Charlotte frowned and glanced between the two. “I do not understand.”
Lord Finley gave her a wry smile. “It is not something you would necessarily have been aware of,” he replied in a nonchalant tone. “Lady Jaclyn here is the sister of my oldest friend. You might recall him—the Earl of Oakley.”
Jaclyn caught a flicker of something in Lord Finley’s gaze as it returned to Miss Spencer, and for the briefest moment, she wondered if there was more between the two of them.
Miss Spencer, for her part, was being her usual composed self, but Jaclyn could see her hands subtly tightening as the marquess spoke.
He seemed to have ready explanations for his sister as well.
As if there was nothing more she should know or concern herself with.
In that regard, the marquess was wrong. With both the Duke of Amberwood and the Marquess of Finley in residence there was sure to be strife.
Surely, Lord Easton must be aware of this and should have warned his wife.
“Ah,” Charlotte said, then tilted her head to the side.
“I suppose that explains it.” She met Jaclyn’s gaze, and she must have understood what Jaclyn wished without her saying a word.
She turned her attention to Jaclyn’s chaperone.
“Miss Spencer,” Charlotte began, “I trust you’re familiar with the grounds here, after the house party this past summer?
Perhaps you would care to join my brother for a tour while Jaclyn and I have a moment to catch up inside? ”
Miss Spencer hesitated, her blue eyes flicking between Charlotte and the marquess.
There was an almost imperceptible shift in her posture, as if she were reluctant to accept.
“I… suppose it would be agreeable,” she said, but Jaclyn could tell that she wasn’t entirely at ease with the idea.
“As long as Jaclyn promises to remain with you inside until I return.”
“I promise,” Jaclyn told her. She needed some time alone with Charlotte. Thank heavens her friend knew her so well.
“Then I shall be happy to show Lord Finley the grounds,” Miss Spencer told Charlotte. “I will return when we are done. Then Jaclyn and I will return to Havenwood.”
“Thank you, sister dear, for the suggestion. I believe a walk would do me good,” Lord Finley added smoothly, his eyes not leaving Miss Spencer. “Shall we, Miss Spencer?”
After a small, stiff nod, Miss Spencer took a step toward him, though she clearly was not as enthusiastic about the suggestion as he was. Still, the two made their way toward the door to the gardens, leaving Jaclyn and Charlotte behind in the quiet drawing room.
As soon as they were alone, Jaclyn felt a knot form in her stomach. She was unsure of what had just transpired between Miss Spencer and Lord Finley, but something had shifted in the air. It was as if the ground had changed beneath them, and there was an unspoken tension between the two of them.
Charlotte turned toward Jaclyn, her smile fading slightly.
“You seem troubled, Jaclyn. Come inside and you can tell me everything.” They went inside and Charlotte led her to a drawing room.
There she rang a bell and ordered tea. They both took a seat on the settee and Charlotte turned her attention to Jaclyn. “Now, what is it?”
Jaclyn took a steadying breath, then looked directly at her friend. “It’s... it’s just that I’ve had something weighing heavily on my mind, and it’s been hard to let go of it.” She nibbled on her lip. “It has to do with the scandal that led to my attendance at Havenwood.”
Charlotte’s brows furrowed in concern. “What is it, Jaclyn? You can tell me.” She reached out and patted her hand gently. “I know we agreed to never discuss the scandal that caused our exile, but if you wish to tell me now, you must know you can trust me with that secret.”
“I do…” Jaclyn’s throat tightened, but she knew it was time. There was no more hiding the truth. “Charlotte... it’s about my brother,” she began, her voice trembling slightly. “And the Duke of Amberwood...”
Charlotte’s face immediately became pale. “I had suspected he had something to do with the scandal… But your brother? I think you need to explain more,” she said in a hushed tone, her eyes widening.
Jaclyn nodded, her heart heavy with the confession. “Barrett—he challenged the Duke of Amberwood to a duel.” She closed her eyes and sighed. “You see there was an incident at Vauxhall. One that my brother, the impulsive fool, misunderstood.”
She really hated that she had to remember that night and all that transpired.
Jaclyn closed her eyes, and she could almost see how everything looked that night.
The music that floated around her from the rotunda and all the people.
The revelry and excitement… She could even recall the fireworks as they exploded in the sky as Barrett challenged the duke to that duel.
“So, they dueled… I trust they both survived,” Charlotte said.
“They did,” Jaclyn said. “But you should know… your brother, Lord Finley, was my brother’s second. If I had known that your brother was involved I—”
“Stop,” Charlotte interrupted, her voice shaking. “You—you don’t mean to say that my brother…” She frowned. “But Jaclyn, I—”
“I should have told you sooner,” Jaclyn explained, her heart racing. “It was all a terrible mistake and all I wanted to do was forget it had ever happened. That duel ruined my life... I-I couldn’t bear the thought of you finding out what happened. I did not want anyone to know.”
Charlotte, her face now ashen, stepped back. “I do not blame you.” She shook her head and sighed. “We both agreed not to speak about our scandalous pasts. Perhaps we should have sooner and none of this would have been such a surprise.”
“Perhaps,” Jaclyn replied, her voice cracking. “It is why this past summer has been so difficult for me. Every time I crossed paths with the duke...”
“It all came back at the sight of him.” Charlotte stood still, her eyes locked on Jaclyn’s with shock, then confusion, before a darker emotion flashed behind them.
“I... I must tell you something too, Jaclyn,” Charlotte said, her voice trembling.
“I was the one who retrieved the pistols for my brother,” she admitted.
“And that is what led to me being sent to Havenwood...”
Jaclyn’s mouth fell open in shock… Their worlds were entangled in many ways, and neither of them were aware of it. “Now that you know,” she began. “You should prepare yourself for some tension in your household.”