Tenacious Trents 02 - A Perfect Gentleman (9 page)

The silence in the carriage was overpowering
and she needed to speak or she would go back to worrying about her
father and uncle.

“Are you the only siblings or are there
others?”

“We have an older brother and a younger
brother,” Vicar Trent answered.

“I am the second born. The spare.” Mr. Trent
laughed.

Vicar Trent rolled his eyes. “We also have a
younger sister.”

“All fulfilling the role father required.”
The bitterness in Mr. Trent’s tone set her back. “Though our
younger brother seemed to have escaped his duties.”

“I don’t understand.”

Vicar Trent shot a warning glance at his
brother.

“Our father determined exactly what we would
be when we became adults and there was no choice for any of us.”
Apparently Mr. Trent was going to go against his brother’s wishes
and share what may be family information best not discussed.

“Miss Cooper does not need to know our family
history. I am sure it will bore her to tears,” Vicar Trent
warned.

“Nonsense,” Mr. Trent dismissed him.

“Our elder brother, Clayton, is the new Earl
Bentley, recently wed. And, our younger brother, John, avoided
buying a commission and traveled the world, recently returning with
his new bride.”

“He is the only one who didn’t do as told?”
Grace was having a difficult time understanding what the two had
done wrong.

“Yes, the bravest of us all.”

“And, what did your father require of you,
Mr. Trent?”

His smile was wide, but it never reached his
eyes. “Nothing. Nothing at all.”

“Pardon?” Surely as a second son he had to
find a way to support himself, even if his father was a lord. Her
own father was the second son of a poor baron, yet he became a
solicitor, settled his own land, farmed and raised chickens and
cows. They had been prosperous until her father’s accident. Since,
all but the valet had to be let go. The man only stayed on because
he was loyal to Papa and didn’t wish to find other employment.
Perkins was perfectly content to stay on helping father with his
payment being his simple room and meals. Grace didn’t know what she
would have done had Perkins left as her father couldn’t dress
himself and in that first year, needed help that a daughter
couldn’t offer.

“I am to simply enjoy life without a care in
the world.”

Yet, it was clear he wasn’t enjoying himself
now.

Instead of questioning Mr. Trent further,
Grace focused on Vicar Trent. “Am I to understand your father
decided on your profession and it wasn’t something you were called
to do?” She thought all ministers were called by God to fill this
role.

His eyes met hers across the carriage. There
was no humor in them and she was sorry she asked the question.
Clearly, she treaded where she ought not.

“I’ve known before I was out of short pants
that I would be a vicar. It was never open for discussion.”

Perhaps he did not wish to be a vicar at all.
How very disturbing. Shouldn’t a man whose job it was to lead
people to God have a fierce desire to do so? Her mind could not
comprehend the possibility. Neither brother fulfilled their own
desires, but those of the father. He must have been a very
formidable man to have such control over these two grown men.

The carriage stopped at her front door. Vicar
Trent jumped out and assisted her to the ground. His brother
followed. Grace let herself in the house and the brothers followed
her into the parlor where her father still sat before the fire. Mr.
Trent stopped in the doorway, muttered a low curse and retreated
into the foyer. She didn’t really care being much more concerned
with her father at the moment.

Uncle Henry paced and drank more of her
father’s brandy. She supposed someone should. Her father hadn’t had
a drink since the night before his injury. Her uncle glanced up
when she entered the room.

“It is about time you returned, young lady.
Don’t you know your father should never be left alone?”

Grace heaved a sigh and removed her hat.
“Father is perfectly capable of taking care of himself and being
left alone for a short time. Besides, Perkins, his valet is
here.”

“And, you come back with a gentleman I see.
This is further proof you need a guardian. Somebody needs to take
you in hand before your reputation is in shreds.”

“I beg your pardon.” Vicar Trent stepped
forward. “There is no cause to insult Miss Cooper.” He offered his
hand. “I am Vicar Trent.”

“This is my uncle, Baron Stillwaite,” Grace
hastened to make the introduction since her uncle apparently
insisted on being rude.

Her uncle scowled at the vicar and did not
offer to shake his hand. Instead, his eyes focused behind them.
“You have arrived sooner than I anticipated, Mr. Trent.
Unfortunately, there are more issues than I anticipated and we will
have to wait. It seems the magistrate will not be back for a few
days.”

Grace knew her jaw dropped and she turned to
look at the vicar’s brother.

“What is going on?” Vicar Trent demanded.

“I work for and am in the area at the request
of Lord Stillwaite,” Mr. Trent announced.

Matthew looked from his brother to Miss
Cooper’s uncle and back again. Since when did Jordan work for
anyone and how could he be of assistance to this man?

“I am glad you arrived early. Let’s go into
the library to discuss the situation. I never anticipated when I
brought you here that I would need your help getting my brother
committed and taking over guardianship of my wayward niece,” Lord
Stillwaite insisted.

Miss Cooper’s lips drew into a fine line,
color rose in her cheeks and Matthew suspected it was more from
anger than anything else. She turned on her uncle. “You are no
longer welcome in this house, Uncle Henry.”

The man looked down at her with narrowed
eyes. “It is not your place to tell me to leave. This is my
brother’s home.”

Miss Cooper drew herself up. “It is my home
as well and I want you to get out.” She jerked her arm up and
pointed to the door. Matthew never dreamed she could become so
angry as to order someone from her home. However, he did not know
her all that well.

Jordan stepped forward. “Lord Stillwaite, you
do not yet have control over your brother, the property or your
niece. It would be best if we took our leave.”

Stillwaite huffed and shook his finger at
Miss Cooper. “You just wait. Once the magistrate hears my case you
won’t be so quick to go against me.” He stormed past them and out
the door. Jordan followed on his heels. Matthew stepped forward. He
wished he knew of some way to comfort her. Did she see him as a
betrayer as much as his brother?

“Are you going to be all right?”

She looked up at him and swallowed. Her once
vibrant green eyes were now dull with worry.

“I have no idea what my brother is up to. He
has never worked for anyone and I can’t imagine how he could be of
assistance in this matter.” Matthew pinched the bridge of his nose
and took a deep breath. “Despite my brother’s poor judgment, I will
be there to speak on your father’s behalf.”

The tension in her face softened. “Thank you.
I no longer know what to do. Uncle Henry cannot get control. I
don’t care about me, but I can’t allow him to have my father
committed.”

She walked to her father and knelt in front
of him. “Papa, I will fight him with everything I have. I
promise.”

Mr. Cooper offered a small smile, reached
over and squeezed her hand. His eyes met Matthew’s over her head.
They were pained and he glanced down at his daughter then quickly
back to Matthew. The message was clear, at least he thought so. Mr.
Cooper was more concerned with how his daughter would fare from
this more than himself. He gave a quick nod so Mr. Cooper
understood. He would protect the young woman the best he knew
how.

Miss Cooper swiped her cheek with the back of
her hand and stood. “I shall see about supper.”

Matthew bowed. “I shall take my leave of you
then.”

She paused in the door. “You are still
welcome to stay.”

He would like nothing more than to join this
family for the evening meal, but he had more urgent matters at the
moment. “Thank you, but I think I need to talk some sense into my
brother.”

A small smile pulled at her lips and he
wished he could do or say something to bring about the joyful smile
he witnessed on Sunday mornings in church and when she was with the
children teaching.

Jordan waited for him in the carriage. Miss
Cooper’s uncle had already left. Without a word, Matthew entered
the conveyance and sat down. There were several times over the
years he had been angry with one of his brothers but he could not
recall being this livid in his life. “What
are
you
thinking?” he demanded once the carriage reached the road.

Jordan slouched back against the squabs.
“What do you mean? Stillwaite is my client. I told you one of the
reasons I came here was because of business.”

“You should have said something earlier, when
Miss Cooper first mentioned the trouble with her uncle.”

“How was I to know she was speaking of
Stillwaite?”

“How could you not?” Matthew yelled.

“Easy.” Jordan threw out his hands in
defense. “I was introduced to a Miss Cooper. She only mentioned an
Uncle Henry.”

“Exactly!” Matthew pointed his index finger
at Jordan to emphasize his point.

Jordan shook his head. “So I am to be a mind
reader now. How many men do we know that go by the name of Henry
that are also uncles? Several,” he answered before Matthew could.
“I did not know Stillwaite had a niece, and the last name is not
exactly uncommon. I did not know he believed his brother to be
incapacitated. I only came here to discuss a business opportunity.”
Jordan was yelling and punctuating each sentence the more he
spoke.

Matthew took a deep breath and looked out the
window. Perhaps his brother was correct, but that didn’t help where
matters now stood. “Since when did you work for anyone?”

Jordan sat in the shadows and all Matthew
could see was the shrug of his shoulders.

“Do you have a profession the rest of us are
unaware of?”

A deep sigh came from the corner where Jordan
sat.

“Dammit, answer me.”

“Tsk, tsk, Matt. You are a vicar. Father’s
perfect son. The perfect gentleman. You shouldn’t swear.”

He shouldn’t hit anyone either, but Jordan
was testing every inch of his patience. “Tell me what you are
about?” Matthew asked in a calmer tone.

Jordan sighed again and shifted into the
light. “I secretly received an education father never learned
of.”

“How did you manage that?”

“I am bloody rich, remember.”

Father may have insisted Matthew be the
perfect vicar and son, but Jordan was his favorite, next to
Clayton. Sometimes it was hard to tell who father favored more. But
regardless, Father never wanted Jordan to want for anything in his
life and gave him an allowance more than the other three brothers
combined and then some. Jordan never had to work a day in his life
if he didn’t wish to. “So, you paid for an education, lining the
pockets of your instructors, so father never learned.”

Jordan grinned.

Admiration replaced some of Matthew’s anger.
If only he would have secretly gone against his father. But, what
else would he have done? He never even allowed himself to dream of
other possibilities, knowing they would be impossible, yet two of
his brothers had found a way to do something they wanted, despite
their father’s plans. “What is your profession? I am assuming you
have one.”

“I am a lawyer.”

“How did you ever manage to keep that from
father?”

Jordan chuckled. “I only worked for gentlemen
who did not know father or run in his circles. I am a silent
partner in a small firm. The clients are questioned before I meet
them. If they knew anything about my family, I did not assist.”

“And this is what you want to do?” Matthew
couldn’t imagine Jordan sitting in a stuffy room all day reviewing
documents. He was a man of action.

“No. I wanted to be a barrister.”

Matthew found himself grinning. Jordan would
make an excellent barrister. He could convince anyone of almost
anything, which was why the ladies loved him so.

“Why did Stillwaite hire you?”

Jordan stiffened. “I cannot discuss the
business of my clients.”

Matthew knew this, just as he could never
breathe a word of the confessions he heard from his parishioners.
Yet, he cared for Miss Cooper and her father and he would stop his
brother before any further damage could be done, if it were
possible.

“What are you going to do?” he asked without
taking his eyes from the scenery.

“What would you have me do, Matt?” Jordan’s
voice was quiet.