Enticing An Earl

Part 14

Every servant refused to serve Brandon on principle. Everyone could see him hauling water to his room for a bath or feeding his own horse. Twice he bathed in the river to avoid the extra work. He started taking his meals in the village inn because the cook refused to make his meals. His torture did not end for a week as William stayed unconscious for that amount of time. 

Everyone took turns to sit beside William but the Ducal servants rebelled every time Brandon tried to do the same. No matter what Lady Hamilton or Emma said, they refused to listen. The butler kept on insisting that it was harmless to indulge the servants for the time being as they were worried about their masters safety. George understood that the servants were concerned for their master and that Brandon was a stranger to them all but still she was hurt by such callous behavior. She knew that Peers treated her friend like some animal because he was a bastard but to be ostracized by servants in a friend's home was outrageous.  

The doctor was called immediately when William woke up on the seventh day, the good man was leaving after giving his final instructions when Brandon entered the room. 

“About bloody time! I was starting to think that maybe you would die on us.” The footman was who carried the doctor's case gasped and ran to stand beside his master. Brandon looked at the servant derisively as he continued, “See what I had to go through? It was utter madness. Your servants think that I tried to kill you and they kept on stopping me from coming near you or the ladies. I was about to lose my mind.” 

“Stop it Thomas. I'm perfectly safe with Mr Steele, you can attend to the doctor and ask the blasted butler to come see me. I pay you all very well and I hear that you have mistreated my friend? Someone has to pay for this.” William tried to sit up on his own but he was weak and kept on falling back. Brandon helped his friend sit up and placed a few pillows behind him as support. 

“It is good to see you up. The womenfolk kept on crying and I didn't know what to do. Bedding a woman is easy but looking after an emotional woman is beyond me I'm afraid. Without you or Max, I was completely lost. Your servants made everything harder by making them inaccessible to me.” Brandon shot a baleful look at the door as if it was somehow responsible for his predicament. He was waiting for the despicable butler to show up so that William could remind him of his place. 

“Would you mind telling me why my staff thinks that you tried to kill me? Or that you might try again?” William's curiosity finally won and he asked the question that had been on his mind since he woke up. Brandon took a deep breath and told his friend all the he missed while he was sleeping. By the time he concluded his tale, William had a faint smile on his face. 

“The servants were just worried for their master, dear friend. They don't know you like I do. Try not to dwell on what happened, on what they said and try to forgive them." William tried to calm Brandon because he knew that even though he rarely got riled up, his anger was ugly and he had every reason to be angry. 

"You want me to forgive them? All my life I have felt like a freak on show for nobility and for your servants to treat me like scum was a low blow. Ask me to bring you stars and moon but don't ask me to forgive them. They would have never treated me like this if I was legitimate son of my father." Brandon said with bitterness. William was surprised as he friend never acted as if anything ever bothered him. To know that he saw, understood and was bothered by the way he was treated was a humbling fact for William. Appearing unperturbed in such adversity must require herculean effort on Brandon’s behalf. 

It was funny how society decides to punish a child for their parent's sins. It was not Brandon's mistake, anyone of them could have been a bastard but William had seen Brandon being punished for it all his life. In school, he was called bastard Brandon, as an adult, nobody in London wanted him to work for them.

When Brandon made his fortune through trading and through his ships, everyone had to deal with him. After all, they needed to invest their money in a lucrative business. Despite the fact that Brandon single handedly was responsible for most of their annual income, they treated him like dirt, like he and his feelings don't matter.

"I'm sorry Brandon, I didn't think of it like that." William offered a genuine smile. Brandon's smile was brittle and fake, it didn't reach his eyes, they were still bitter.

"It doesn't matter. Do you want to hear Max's report?" Brandon changed the subject abruptly,  hoping that William would forget about it. 

"Nothing from him unfortunately. He said that a hackney was waiting outside the ball and a gentleman and an older lady were the only ones to get in. The hackney is still unidentified but he's asking around, we will know soon enough." George explained as she placed the soup before William. She had heard what Brandon said as she entered. 

"I hope he finds something sooner rather than later. No ransom note has been delivered, I'm afraid that the kidnappers want something other than money. Especially since all the witnesses are adamant that the man was a gentleman." George continued miserably.

"If only I had the energy to stand on my legs, I could have helped him search. I hate being useless." William scowled at his food. George looked from one man to the other. 

“I think that whoever kidnapped my mother was also responsible for your accident. They injured you because you offered me your protection and they made sure that the carriage carrying me would meet a similar fate. Only the fates were on our side, at least my side.” George gave both men a guilty look. They had suffered because of her and who ever was after her family. They deserved her honesty, even if they decide to leave her on her own afterwards. 

“My dear, whatever happened was planned by men with nefarious intentions. Nobody here blames you for anything. Protecting you gives us a purpose.  You are my family George, I would gladly give my life for you but everyone's safe and we will find your mother. Don't you worry about anything.” Brandon gave George a hug as he prayed that he sounded more confident then he felt. 

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William was dying for a bath. His footman had been helping him stay clean by wiping his sweaty body down with a damp cloth but it was of no use. The summer was unusually warm and a cold bath is the only thing that would provide him relief. 

Grumbling at his bad luck, he started eating his breakfast in nothing but boxers. It was so hot and stuffy in his room. William was sure that nobody would enter his room before noon, they were all too busy to entertain an invalid. His sister was busy with Brandon, the two had formed an unlikely bond and were never far from each other. He would often hear them complete each other's sentences or say things that only they understood. 

George had fallen in love with Eleanor, a mare that William had been about to sell. She took her for a ride every morning and came back quite late. His mother kept on visiting her friend, the scandalous Duchess of Stanford, to keep her abreast of William's welfare and to recount her recent foray in society. 

After his father's death, Wiiliam's mother had lost all interest in balls and gowns. She decided to isolate herself from society and had retired to his country seat. When the Duchess came three years ago, she became the first friend his mother made after so many years of isolation. She also became the reason for Emma's first season, as she convinced his mother that Emma needs a husband and for that to happen, a season.

The ton hated the Duchess because they thought that she trapped one of the most eligible man in England. William knew that it was the other way around and that the duchess had been the real victim. Duke of Stanford was broke before he married Isabella Longoria, daughter of a successful businessman and also the beauty of first class with her half Spanish looks. They had been caught together in a gazebo that resulted in a quick wedding. William suspected that the whole charade was planned by Stanford himself.

William did not know the Duchess of Stanford personally but he agreed with her when she said that Emma needed a London season. His sister was a close friend of the younger Longoria, Gabrielle. She was a beautiful, even tempered girl but he knew that she suffered because of the scandal her sister was involved in. 

William wondered if they should return to London when he heals. The danger had followed them to the country, at least in London they had the Bow street runners. Emma and George will be able to continue their season, maybe young Gabrielle can join them. Three young woman had a better chance of surviving the wolves of London as they could look after each other. Gabrielle Longoria might even avoid scandal if her sister is absent.

William was so busy in weighing all the benefits and cons of his next move that he did not turn when the door to his room opened. He assumed that it was the butler or valet here to deliver some message. When nothing happened for sometime, he got irritated.

"Yes! What do........" William began furiously but as he turned, he lost his voice.

Lady Georgiana stood at the door of his room, looking wide eyed and flushed. She looked like a bird, poised to run away. Fear suddenly ran through him. Has something horrible happened?

"What happened George? Is everyone safe? Have you been followed or threatened?"

The urgency in William's voice and his questions confused George, who couldn't take her eyes off him.  He looked like a panther without his clothes, lean but muscular. His body looked like he did manual labor all the time. Her fingers itched to run over the hard perfection of his body, a body that was usually hidden by tailored clothes. All of a sudden, it seemed as if she could not take in enough air and George felt quite dizzy.

William stared as George turned pale and started swaying. Instead of answering his questions, she was scaring him further. Was his mother injured or his sister? He wanted to run out and find out for himself but he was still as weak as a newborn babe. His anxiety reached another level when he saw Max entering the room. George looked at Max before fainting. It was pure instinct that Max reached out for her before she hit the floor. 

"What is it man? Answer me! Is someone hurt? Is it my mother or sister? How bad is it? Is it Lady Malcolm?  Is that why she fainted?" William stared in disbelief as Max started laughing. His friend was had lost his mind. 

"My dear friend, this poor innocent just saw you without a stitch of proper clothing, of course she fainted." Max ended laughing. He placed George on the nearest sofa before he started helping William dress. 

William stared at the unconscious face of George in despair. The next few days would be awkward after this morning.