Goodrich/ Sordid Secrets/ Chapter 47/ Page 1
Chapter Forty Seven
The next morning, Asher was still asleep upstairs. He had been out all night and came home just before dawn three sheets to the wind. She had never seen him that drunk and wondered if her exchange with him had caused his binge. Nicolette put him straight to bed, with the help of Asher’s personal valet, Vaseem. Vaseem had arrived with Asher upon his most recent return, though he seemed to disappear quite frequently. She had noticed him only twice at her townhouse in London, but she was never given the chance to speak with the foreigner before he vanished. Since they moved to St. Claire, he had pretty much moved into their home as a supposed servant. Nicolette knew nothing of the Vaseem, other than her bother held in great esteem. She had given much thought to his descent, and ended up assuming him as Egyptian or some sort of Arab, though spoke English with perfect melody. When he was present, he seemed to move as Asher’s shadow. Nicolette continually noticed how Vaseem also kept close watch on everything inside and outside the house. It was as if he were protecting them at all times. She wondered if he did this when Asher and her lived in London—which would explain how Ash knew about Colin. Nonetheless, Nicolette felt safe with Vaseem.
Dressed in what Nic guessed was his traditional garb, he stood out. He preferred to wear his long shirt called a gallibaya in the cottage – which he rarely left. He occasionally wore a long belted jacket over it, which he called a kaftan. However, as winter set on, he tended to don trousers under his ethnic garb. On occasion,Asher forced him to wear the western culture’s shirt and trousers when he ventured in the village—though this seemed to cause an argument between them every time. Vaseem also held onto his foreign faith, praying three times daily with such a flawless melody to his prayer that Nicolette felt it were songs instead. How could a man of such a different world have come to serve her brother so faithfully? Did they meet in the wars or as Ash was enslaved? Vaseem didn’t seem to care much for anything, except serving Asher and now his sister. Nicolette often wondered what Vaseem thought of this unlikely household.
Obviously, Nicolette and Asher cared not for money and could afford to live within society’s affluent vicinity, though they choose not to. These two members of the household were not usual for the country life. The man of the house was intelligent and kind though came home every night stumbling drunk. His younger sister was well along with child, but there was no father to speak of. They never received guests or asked for much. It was a quiet household. She knew that Vaseem’s values must not allow for a woman to give birth without marriage – being stricter than British society. But Vaseem never seemed to want for explanations from Nicolette, nor had he ever given her a questioning glance. She wondered what her brother had told Vaseem in private, for she had caught them a couple of times speaking privately in a language she knew not. Nevertheless, he was always helpful with Nicolette’s pregnant state or with Asher’s constantly drunk disposition, though he never drifted into their business. Nicolette constantly tried to joke with her brother of what Vaseem must think about his employers, though Asher simply assured her of his man’s loyalty.
As Nicolette walked up the lane, Vaseem was waiting at the gate to the cottage, ready to help Nicolette into the house. At first, he had objected to her walking to the market unescorted while Asher slept and the housemaid, Joy, was finishing up her morning chores; though Vaseem didn’t argue with her when she requested to be alone. Helping Nicolette remove her heavy winter jacket, Vaseem smiled upon seeing her large, round belly revealed. Nicolette wondered if it would ever stop expanding. Catching his traditionally downcast eyes, she returned his smile. “Thank you, Vaseem.”
“I shall have Joy bring some tea into the front room, for the fire is warm there. Are you hungry madam?”
“What a silly question, Vaseem. Aren’t I always hungry these days?”
He didn’t answer, but instead hung her coat and left towards the kitchen to find Joy. An older woman from the village, Joy was a cheery woman who was also a practiced midwife. Asher had not only hired her to keep an eye on Nicolette, but to also act as the household’s cook. Asher had purchased the woman’s discretion about their precarious household – whether it be Nicolette’s pregnancy, Asher’s impropriety or the foreign servant. Nicolette did see Joy constantly frown whenever Vaseem entered the room, knowing he made the older woman nervous. Nic enjoyed having another woman around the house, even though the years between them were many.
Nicolette retired into the front room of the cottage, which was a provisional sitting room. Before leaving for the market, she was in the middle of writing Alex her daily letter. She had wanted to write to her dear school companion, Carolina Costeneda, but was unsure if Carro was at her home in Spain or off adventuring again. Could she still be in Lisbon near Fernando? Oh, it seemed to be a lifetime ago, though it was only a little over a year.
Moving as a shadow, Vaseem silently entered and began to warm the fire.
Nicolette watched him for a moment before speaking. “Is Asher still resting?”
“Yes, madam.”
“He’s always recovering, isn’t he?”
“Yes, madam.” Vaseem’s accent seemed to change upon his second answer, as if he forgot to concentrate his attention to his proper regional speech and slipped into a native familiarity upon his new thoughts. Nicolette again wondered where he could be from and how he came to know her brother.
A knock at the front door broke into her questioning thoughts. Vaseem quickly rose and left her with a respectful nod. Nic wasn’t accustomed to receiving visitors of any sort. She impatiently waited with her curiosity running her thoughts in circles.
Her head lifted as Vaseem returned.
“Madam, a Sir Avenry requests your audience.”
Not able to speak, her heart skipped a beat.
“May I show him in?”
Her dark head shook slightly in acceptance. How could this be? Part of her had pinned hope that he would find her eventually. Looking down to her deep gold colored frock, she bit her lower lip. Nicolette’s appearance had changed drastically over the past months. This was one of her few dresses that still fit, and it had been let out in the back and stomach numerous times by Joy. Looking for a mirror, Nic’s eyes darted around the room. She knew that she must look a frightful mess.
Hearing the parlor door open, she anxiously turned to her guest. “Elliot?”
Dressed in a traditionally fashionable brown suit from London, Sir Elliot Avenry mockingly looked about the meager cottage. He seemed calm in his call upon her, actually cocky. “Your butler thought that I had called upon the wrong house, for I asked for a Miss Noble. He was weary to let me in when I assured him that you were the same as this Nicolette Elbon.”
She didn’t quite know how to answer him. Nicolette knew she was unprepared for Colin to call upon her, but for Elliot to be standing in her home was a complete bolt from the blue. Hiding her shaking hands behind her back, she flatly stated. “Yes, Sir Avenry, we’re using a false sir name, though it seems I still can be found.”
“Not easily.” His chestnut eyebrows raised in arrogant self-satisfaction. “I’ve searched many months for you.”
“I wanted privacy for obvious reasons.” Nicolette ran her hands over her large stomach indicating her implication.
“Ah, yes.”
Breaking their thick tension, Joy entered the room with a tray of tea and cakes for Nicolette. The stout, ruddy woman halted upon seeing a guest in the house.
“Joy, will you please bring another cup for my guest and perhaps some more cake.” Nicolette politely asked as she gestured for Elliot to sit in front of the fire.
“Only tea for me, for I cannot stay too long.”
Lowering herself in the seat across from him, Nicolette couldn’t take her eyes from the brother who so resembled the father of her growing baby. They both had the same chestnut wavy hair, the same cobalt eyes, though Elliot lacked the honesty in his appearance that Colin so warmly held. Elliot’s eyes continually to grate callously over her, as she sat meekly before him. “I must be honest, Sir Avenry, that I am shocked by your presence in my home.”
His smug smile crept back over his lips as he replied, “I could see by your initial reaction that I was not the Sir Avenry you were expecting.”
Her hands immediately began to shake again with his cold words and she began to wring her brass colored gown through her fingers. Nicolette’s breath was shallow as she quickly replied, “I was not expecting any Avenry to visit.”
“Not even Colin?”
Her long dark lashes covered her eyes as her gaze fell to the floor. She immediately responded by wrapping her arm around her large torso, as if to hold herself together.
“Ah, my brother’s name stirs something within you.”
Bringing her face up, she tried to hold any composure that she could to prove he couldn’t shake her, even though every part of her deceived the intent. Why would he come here to torture her? Nicolette could hardly collect her thoughts to address him. “Sir Avenry, please state your business here.”
His proud demeanor continued as he straightened himself in his chair. He was ready to battle her for control. “Miss Noble, I am eager, as well as the remainder of my family, to know what your intent is on announcing this child as an Avenry.”
“Does that make you nervous?” She tartly suggested without thought.
“We just want to be aware of your plans.”
“So you can prepare for a scandal?”
Elliot’s eyes shot with anger, though he fought to not display his emotions. He was talented at keeping his demeanor the same throughout his confrontation. “Miss Noble, if you had any sense of your station, you would not cross my family once again –”
“Does Colin know you’re here?” Interrupting, her question seemed to pour from her mouth without much consideration, for she couldn’t retrain the incessant suspicions in her head.
His hands ran over the arms of the chair in agitation. “To be honest, Colin is unaware of where you are hiding yourself.”
“Though you found me.”
“Not easily.” Elliot proudly admitted. “I persuaded an employee of an acquaintance of yours to let me know from where your letters were posted.”
“You bribed them?” Nicolette exclaimed with her mouth ajar. The nerve of the Avenry family came to no end. Her mind spinning, she quickly spat, “typical Avenry tactics.”
Before Elliot could crudely reply, Joy interrupted their concentrated exchange. She kindly set the second tray of tea between the two of them. Elliot didn’t remove his intense glare from Nicolette as Joy moved in between them.
“Thank you very much, Joy. What a delightful display,”he charmingly exclaimed without raising his eyes. The woman seemed to glow with the praise. Nonetheless, as soon as Joy left the room, his smile quickly faded into a cold scowl across his lips. This callous exchange was well rehearsed and Elliot seemed accustomed to switching between flattery and disdain. Without movement, he declared tensely, “let us be honest.”
“Please do, Sir Avenry,” she replied firmly, though her stomach was knotting up beneath her bodice. Nicolette was terrified with what he had come to demand of her. As far as she was concerned, Elliot brought nothing but trouble into her house.
“What claims on my brother and our family will you make?”
“Who says I shall make any claims at all?” Her heart had dropped upon hearing his words and fell even further upon her own reply. “If I do make any claim, then it shall be between Colin and me, unless you are speaking for him at present.”
“Oh, you thoughtless, thoughtless girl. I would never presume to speak for him, but I know Colin well.” Elliot took a slow pause, pressing Nicolette’s unease further. He gradually moved his hand to the tray of tea, taking his time as he poured his own cup. After bringing the cup to his lips, he took a long breath and then finally replied. “You see, my foolish younger brother will never take you as a wife, nor would my family allow him.”
“It’s Colin’s choice—”
“I understand that there’s some Earl in this region who’s willing to marry you. Personally, I can’t imagine anyone of title taking ruined goods as yourself, but he must have different interests. For perhaps he enjoys a woman who is of experience, which you obviously now are. Miss Noble, I feel that you should take the Earl’s proposal, for it is the only reason to save your spoiled reputation, your family’s future and this bastard.”
Feeling ill, Nicolette was appalled at his candor in ridiculing her so forwardly. She had never been spoken to in such a cruel manner. Keeping herself from attacking him, she firmly replied. “Accepting the Earl would not be as much in my favor, than as to prevent tarnishing the Avenry name, am I correct?”
Opening his mouth to answer, Elliot’s eyes ultimately moved from her to the doorway behind her. He bitterly announced, “ah, my old acquaintance, Asher.”
Ash looked fearsome, for his eyes were shot red. Not from his late night of drinking, but from the company he found in his house upon waking. His fists were balled at his sides, prepared to strike. Asher’s long black hair fell madly about his shoulders, adding to his formidableness. Nicolette had never seen him so overwhelmed by his emotions, though she reminded herself that this was probably the first occasion that Asher had seen Elliot in nearly two decades. His thick low voice shook like a growl as he asked, “Nicky, explain to me why you have allowed such rubbish in our home.”
“Sir Avenry was just leaving, Ash.” She tried to quickly bound to her feet to resolve this matter before Asher took his emotions out physically on Elliot.
Elliot rose as well, though his smug smile returned as he addressed Asher. “I am here to protect my family, Asher. You should understand that.”
Straight away, Asher took a mighty step towards his opponent as if to attack, but Nicolette stepped between the old rivals. Her brother was nearly five inches taller than Elliot and more than twice his shoulder width. With her palms to Ash’s chest, she pushed her brother back into the doorway. Turning her head, she gave Elliot a chance to flee. “Your visit has ended Sir Avenry.”
Without taking his opportune window, Elliot remained before the Nobles without fear. “I’m still awaiting your reply, Miss Noble.”
“It’s not you to whom I need give my reply.” Nicolette exclaimed proudly, placing her hands firmly on her hips— knowing her brother stood fully behind her. With her own smug smirk, she turned her head over her shoulder towards her brother and declared, “Sir Avenry should leave now.”
Elliot waved his hand before her, to prevent his removal. “Just one more thought for your consideration, Miss Noble. If you insist on announcing this child as Colin’s, then you shall lose this child. For you know my family will legally triumph in any court on issues of custody. My family will never allow one of our own to publicly grow under the blackened Noble name.”
“No more!” Asher roared as he couldn’t remain pacified any longer. He brushed Nic aside with his large frame and headed straight for his longtime opponent. Snatching Elliot by the arm, Ash lifted him a few inches off the ground and towards the door. Vaseem was prepared for Asher’s reaction by holding the door open for Elliot’s ejection. Asher practically threw Elliot to the snowy path before their cottage. Elliot fell to his side on the path with his suit stained by the coarse dirt under the snow. Hovering over him, Asher pleasurably yelled. “If you return again, you won’t be alive when I throw your body back out to the street.”
The deep growl underlining his voice gave Nicolette chills, as if he were accustomed to following through with his threats. He seemed to draw much pleasure from throwing Elliot Avenry into the dirt. Nicolette knew that Asher had been waiting to physically handle the snide Avenry, though she was surprised that Asher controlled himself before her.