The Earl's Keeper

Three - Seduce the Chit

The day passed without event.

William spent the remainder locked within the confines of his study, sorting through the affairs of the estate. The family lawyer was to arrive later tonight to do the final reading of his fathers will and testament. The missives had gone out to the rest of his brood, and he expected his siblings' arrivals within the night. That, would make for an interesting experience. He was sure.

He stacked the final pile of documents for this calendar month away on his desk before slouching over once more. The work wasn't hard as it was mentally draining. The sheer monotony of it drove his active mind to near sanity. His legs ached for a good stretch and his lungs for the fresh air of the outdoors.

He had neither seen nor heard sight or whisper of his newest house guest. The permanent kind.

The Wife.

He groaned inwardly at the title. Having a stranger under his own bloody roof. What on god's green earth had his father been thinking? He knew the hired help better than he knew her. Marriage had never come across his mind seriously as he was only twenty six summers old, but if it ever did, he'd assumed it would be one of those chits from the ton. The kind he'd met almost every season since he became legible and of marital age. The kind that blended with his family and forefathers. His kind.

There was a polite knock at the door.

'Enter.'

Colin, the butler, came in and bowed his head. 'Supper is ready to be served, my lord,' he said.

William waved him away with a careless gesture, indicating he was aware and would be coming. He mentally prepped himself for seeing the Wife for the first time since the tryst earlier in the morn. He grimaced wryly at the irony. Of that little event, he was still unsure what to make of. A small part of him felt something akin to pride spark up. He suppressed it with as much fervour as he could. It was completely misplaced, and he should focus his emotions on feeling aghast that she had struck one of the ladies of the ton. An infamous wench, but a member of the upper gentry nonetheless. Nought would come out of that, but gossip and grief, he was sure.

The new lady of the house was awaiting him in the main dining room when he entered. He went straight for his preferred seat, opposite her at the other end of the long oaken table, and acknowledged her with a curt nod of his head. She dipped her chin ever so slightly in response. One would think he had come to be schooled by the stern head mistress of a prep school; if the knot in his stomach was anything to by. But he was no chit in a finishing school, as she was no head mistress.

You are not intimidated. He reminded himself sternly as the uncomfortable sensation in his stomach blossomed to sheer awkwardness and agitation. You are the man of the house.

***

Supper was a dreary affair. Neither side was prepared to make a contribution towards conversation. Not that it bothered him, William reminded himself. Oh but it did.

Just as he had finished and placed his cutlery down upon his plate, Colin the butler re-emerged to announce the arrival of his siblings.

He watched his spouse absorb the information without as much as a bat of her eyelids. Something new churned in his stomach, other than his food. It was dread. He knew what was to come. The stark difference in their breeding compared to hers, was prominent upon her outward appearance. They would pick up on it like hounds to the scent when chasing a rabbit.

They would feast on her flesh and rip her to shreds in their disbelief and insanity.

Good lord, father, he raised his eyes heavenwards once more. If you cared for the chit, why burden her like this? He wondered curiously. His own biases against her were non-existent. It was beneath him to single her out over something as trivial as her origins. Though not many thought his way. Especially not his mother's brood. Staying with his kind-hearted father had seen to his open mind. He groaned inwardly. They would definitely be feasting on her tonight.