Truce (Neighbor from Hell) Page 2

  He was, in a word, marvelous.

  At twenty-four years old, he was beyond perfect. He was handsome, educated, wealthy, smart, funny, and lovely. Everyone thought so. Men wanted to be him and women wanted to marry him. That last thought made her face squish up. No, Mama said that he was too young to marry. She said that most men of his station wouldn’t marry until they were older and more established, whatever that meant. All she knew was that he was here and perfect. With that thought in mind, she released another dreamy sigh.

  “Boo!” someone suddenly yelled just as she was shoved forward, making her jump and scream in terror. Heart pounding in her little chest, she turned around to see what monster had descended from the tree to attack her.

  “You!” she mouthed the word perfectly, giving the little tyrant in front of her the coldest, haughtiest glare that she could muster. Thankfully, she had two older sisters who'd taught her well.

  The boy was momentarily dazed speechless by her reaction before he bent over with uncontrollable laughter. “Oh…..you….should…..see…..your….face!” he said through loud, rather annoying bouts of laughter.

  Elizabeth ran her small hands over her pink gown and looked down her nose at him. Well, she tried to at least. It was rather difficult to look down on someone taller than her.

  “You, Robert Bradford, are a beastly boy!” she said loudly, perhaps a little too loudly if the laughter erupting around them was any indication.

  Robert’s face turned an interesting shade of red as Elizabeth narrowed her eyes on her nemesis and studied his face, hoping to find some proof that this boy was an imposter. It was simply impossible that such a crude, distasteful little boy could be related to her James. This boy had darker, almost black, hair, green eyes instead of James’ brown eyes and wasn’t in the least bit good looking. The boy was rather homely looking. Even her mother said so, so it had to be true.

  “And you smell like the backside of a mule!” Robert shot back loud enough for everyone walking past them to hear.

  Elizabeth felt her face flush hotly. She looked back in time to catch her sisters trying to hide their smiles from their overbearing mother. Their mother threw them one look of warning before turning her attention back to Elizabeth. The glare that she sent Elizabeth’s way was a clear warning to behave and not to make a scene.

  The other children around them stopped playing to watch as they giggled and pointed at Elizabeth and Robert. Lady Bradford looked horrified at her son’s behavior or Elizabeth’s, she wasn’t exactly sure and she didn’t care, because at this very moment James was laughing.

  At her!

  She turned away before he could see the tears streaming down her face.

  “Are you crying?” Robert demanded, sounding horrified.

  “Leave me alone.”

  She tried to push past him, but being only seven years old it was rather difficult to push past a towering twelve-year-old boy who’d planted himself firmly in her path.

  “I know you fancy my brother. He laughs about it, you know. We all do,” Robert said proudly.

  She gasped loudly.

  He knew?

  He laughed?

  Oh no, this was bad. This was very bad. Had she been that obvious? Her own family never said anything. They smiled at her when they knew they were going to see the Bradfords, but that was only because they liked the Bradfords, wasn’t it?

  Oh no, everyone knew, she realized with something close to panic. She had to get out of here, fast. She made another attempt to step around Robert only to have him move quickly to block her. “What’s the rush? Running off to plan the wedding?” he asked mockingly.

  Slowly, Elizabeth turned around to see her parents, sisters, Lord and Lady Bradford, and James walking towards them. She wanted to cry all over again when she saw that her sister Heather was hanging on James’ arm. She was eighteen and this was her first season. She was plain, boring and annoying, but at least she got to touch him. Elizabeth felt her little heart break.

  “You know that you’re the ugliest sister, don’t you? And you’re fat, too!” Robert added. He looked around, beaming at the chuckles the other boys were sending his way and clearly enjoying himself at her expense.

  Elizabeth had baby fat, but she would grow out of it. Her governess and father had promised her that is was just a phase. She caught one of the boys making rude gestures with his hands, indicating a fat stomach before he pointed at her for his friends.

  “Stop it!” she cried.

  That only made them laugh louder and Robert grin hugely. She looked back, hoping Mary would come to her aide. Her sister was no longer smiling. She cared about Elizabeth, she truly did. Unfortunately, Mary was still a good ten yards away. Elizabeth could tell that her sister was upset, but she knew that Mary couldn’t rush over and help her. Married woman or not, their mother would be devastated if any of them did anything improper that would bring the family embarrassment, especially since it was Heather’s first season.

  They didn’t seem to be coming to her aide quickly at all. In fact, they appeared as though they were taking a relaxing stroll through the park. They actually stopped to talk to Lady Newman. Lady Newman! She was the biggest gossip of the ton! Her annoying daughter Penelope was with her. She was just as mean as her mother. She was also glaring down her too thin nose at Elizabeth.

  “Come on, Beth, what’s the matter? Don’t you want to go over and give your betrothed a big fat kiss?”

  “Enough, Robert,” James said, chuckling.

  Elizabeth couldn’t look back. No, she wouldn’t do it. He was laughing at her, again. Her sweet, understanding James, who’d kissed her scraped elbow when she was five, was laughing at her.

  That was it. She didn’t care if all the children of the ton laughed at her and made fun of her. She didn’t care if she was the fattest, ugliest girl in the world. She would not be forced to stand here and listen as James laughed at her.

  This was all Robert’s fault.

  At that moment, she decided to do something that her parents had specifically forbade her ever to do. In fact, after it was done she knew that her father would spank her soundly, but it would be worth it. Somehow she forced herself to stop crying and smiled sweetly up at Robert as she prepared herself for a month without pudding and a sore bottom.

  *-*-*-*

  His smile faltered as he looked down at her. Her pudgy little cheeks were pushed up by a smile that was rather unsettling. She looked….dangerous. He licked his lips nervously, wondering what was she up to.

  “Robert, I don’t understand why you’re being so silly right now. You know how dangerous that can be,” she said, a little too loudly for his liking. All the children watching them stepped closer, eager to see how this was going to end. Some of the adults also seemed quite amused with the afternoon’s entertainment, but not him. He suddenly felt the overpowering need to get away from the little brat.

  Robert tried to take a step back and get away from her, but Elizabeth took a step closer, refusing to grant his escape. She suddenly looked oddly dangerous in that light pink dress. Looking thoughtful, she tapped a finger to her chin. “If I recall correctly you’ve been told to be careful when you laugh, get too excited, nervous…” she started to explain.

  Robert knew where she was going with this. The little witch was about to break the promise her parents had made to his. “Shut up!” he screamed as desperation and fear coiled in the pit of his stomach.

  She continued as if she hadn't heard him. “When you’re anxious or upset, because,” this is where she leaned in conspiratorially, but she didn’t whisper, oh no, she didn’t whisper it, she yelled it, “you will wet your pants, again! You know we still can’t get the smell out of the parlor rug, but then again it was only last week that you wet your pants when my puppy jumped on you! In fact, I don’t know what was worse, your crying or the smell!”

  Loud hoots of laughter seemed to fill the park as he stood there, momentarily frozen in shock as the realization that hi
s deepest, darkest secret was out hit him.

  “Robert Lemonade!” she said in a singsong voice, further taunting him and making him hate her more than even he thought possible.

  The boys were all pointing and laughing at him. Robert felt his lower lip tremble. These boys attended school with him. This wasn’t happening, couldn’t be happening. This was bad, very bad and even as he hoped beyond hope that this was a dream he knew that it wasn’t. He also knew that his life was going to become intolerable now. Suddenly every boy around them pointed towards his pants and laughed louder. Many of them stumbled and fell to the ground, unable to curb their amusement.

  Robert wasn’t aware of the hot liquid running down his legs until that moment. He looked down, praying that it was just his imagination, but it wasn’t. His brown trousers were soaked thoroughly around his crotch.

  “Robert Lemonade!” the children chorused. “Robert Lemonade!”

  He turned to glare at Elizabeth, who wore a pleased little smile on her face. This was her fault! He shoved her soundly. She stumbled back, but didn’t fall. Her eyebrows came together and she stepped up to him, looking determined. Robert was prepared to shove her again or pull her hair when he saw her small fist sail through the air towards him.

  He stumbled backwards, tripped over a root and landed on his backside. New laughter erupted around them. Not only was he crying and wet his pants, but now a seven-year-old chubby girl had knocked him down in front of everyone!

  “Better make sure to bring your nanny with you next semester, Robert Lemonade!” a boy yelled.

  “Yeah, don’t want any unseemly yellow stains on the mattress!”

  “I’d hate to be his roommate. Can you imagine smelling vinegar all year?” the boys yelled, taunted and teased.

  Robert dragged himself to his feet and glared at Elizabeth Stanton. One day….one day he would get back at her. He would have his revenge.

  In front of everyone she turned her back on him just in time for her father to discreetly grab her and haul her off.

  Robert stood there, his hands curled up into fists, ignoring his family’s concerns, the laughter and jeers and focused on the receding image of Elizabeth as she left the park. One day soon…..

  Chapter 2

  1824

  “This is for your own good, Elizabeth!”

  “You said that last year,” she pointed out, not bothering to raise her voice or even look up from her book as she turned the page and settled back more comfortably in her chair.

  “And it would have been if you’d accepted a proposal!” her father stubbornly argued. He continued trying to pry the library door open so that he could drag her off to London where she’d be forced to attend balls and dinners night after night all while her parents shoved every single man with a title to his name in her direction.

  She didn’t wish to marry for a title, but they refused to listen to her so now she was forced to take matters into her own hands and barricade herself in the library. It wouldn’t stop them from dragging her off to London, nothing would, but at least it might buy her a little more time to relax before she was forced to endure the hustle and bustle of London. It would also probably get her father to-

  “Okay,” he said, sounding out of breath, “let’s discuss the matter.”

  Biting back a triumphant smile, she placed her book down, smoothed down her skirts and walked over to the door, but she didn’t open it. She wasn’t foolish after all. There was no doubt in her mind that her father now had at least two footmen standing with him on the other side of that door waiting to grab her and drag her off.

  “I’m listening,” she said, leaning back against the wall as she waited to see what he was willing to offer in compensation if she willingly went through with another season.

  There was a slight pause before he asked, “Aren’t you going to open the door?”

  And make the same mistake that her two older sisters had made when they’d been forced to take the same action? No, she really didn’t think that would be wise. Besides, unlike her sisters she couldn’t be bought and he knew it. She didn’t care about dresses, silks, shoes, ribbons, jewelry, shopping or any number of things that the other females in her family loved and her father used against them when the need arose.

  Not that she didn’t appreciate pretty things, she did. She just didn’t care enough about them to cave to her father’s demands or justify spending a small fortune on them. Most people considered her to be odd and perhaps she was, but she truly didn’t care.

  “I’ll get this door opened eventually,” he said, sounding hopeful that it would be enough to scare her into unlocking the door and going to her doom quietly.

  It wasn’t.

  “And then I’ll just find another way to avoid going,” she said, smiling when he let out the annoyed growl that usually worked on her sisters.

  “What do you want?” he asked warily, no doubt expecting her to ask for something outrageous.

  He knew her so well, she thought with a smile.

  “I want my independence,” she said, not terribly surprised when he let out another one of those vicious growls.

  “This again? Really?” he demanded in exasperation.

  “It’s what I want,” she said, wondering just how early she’d be able to talk him into letting her go to her north estate.

  Technically, she was supposed to wait until her twenty-fourth birthday to accept control of her inheritance, but since her money and property was supposed to be under his care, he could allow her to go whenever he wanted. Unfortunately, he wasn’t anxious to allow his youngest daughter to move away and live unsupervised, which was why he was dragging her off to London.

  He was desperate to see her married and her inheritance in the hands of a capable man. Actually, at this point he would probably be happy to see her inheritance in the hands of any man that would have her. Right now he controlled her life and, in his mind, kept her safe, but that would all change in just a few short months and she couldn’t wait.

  “I want you to have one last season before you do something foolish,” he bit out.

  “And I don’t want to have to stay for the entire season.”

  A long suffering sigh reached her ears and she knew that she’d just won……sort of.

  “I expect your full cooperation. You will attend every single ball, dinner and musical that your mother can garner an invitation for. You will allow men to court you, but you will favor the men that we approve of with your time. You will not sabotage this in any way and in return, I will accompany you to your north estate two months early,” he said and she knew that it was probably the best offer that she was going to get, but still……

  “Three months early,” she said, hoping that he’d accept her counteroffer.

  “I’m not that much of a pushover, my dear,” he said with a snort of amusement.

  He really was, but she decided that right now was not the time to point that out to him. It probably also wasn’t the time to point out that he’d just agreed to let her leave when the season officially started, she decided as she unlocked the door and prepared herself for two months of pre-season hell.

  *-*-*-*

  2 Weeks Later…..

  London, England

  “Really, Elizabeth!”

  Elizabeth ignored her mother as she smiled down at the young man shifting nervously in front of her. Young man might not be a fitting description for a ten-year-old boy, but he was certainly acting like one.

  “I c-can carry your bags, m’lady.” the little boy said as he pushed his too-long hair back with dirty fingers.

  Elizabeth leaned down to look the little boy in the eye. “That’s a very important job. Do you think you’re up to it?”

  The boy nodded enthusiastically as he tried his best to bite back a smile.

  “Hmm, I have a very busy day today. I’m going to need someone to wait outside the shops for me and bring my bags to my coach. That’s a hard job and it may take a few hours. Do
you think that you can handle such a big job?” she asked in a serious tone, biting back her own smile.

  “I can do it! Honest, I can!”

  “What’s your name?” she asked.

  “Really, Elizabeth! This is beyond the pale!” her mother said in a huff. “Do hurry up with this nonsense. We have too much to do today to waste time on the likes of him.”

  She waited until her mother left, noting the little boy’s crestfallen expression. “Your name?” Elizabeth asked softly.

  “Toby, m’lady,” he said, looking down at the ground and sounding miserable.

  “Well, if you still want the job I need a good man to help me today. Now, as you can see my first stop is here at this shop to make sure my gown fits just right. If you could be available in an hour I would truly appreciate that, Toby.”

  Looking confused, he nodded slowly. “What do I do 'til then, m’lady?”

  She pulled out five shillings and handed them to the boy. His face lit up. “M'lady, that's too much for carrying bags!”

  “Hush, I want you to take that and go get yourself something to eat and stay warm.” She gestured to the two small boys trying to hide behind a carriage. “I suspect your brothers could use something to eat as well.”

  Toby looked back at the boys. His face flushed with embarrassment. “They’re not my brothers, m’lady. They belong to the family I am staying with.”

  “Just be back in an hour and make sure you eat something healthy. Save the sweets for later,” she said, shoeing him away with a smile.

  Toby nodded and took off running. Elizabeth watched as Toby gathered the boys who couldn’t be older than four and five years old. It broke her heart to see children on the street.