Trapped with the Earl of Sin

Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

“ C ome on everyone, we must get a move on!”

The voice of Henry Creasey, the Marquess of Ryleigh, ricocheted through the house, making Susanna block her ears against all the chaos. The panic in Ryleigh House was overwhelming as her family prepared to depart for her sister’s much-anticipated wedding.

“Come on,” Henry continued. “We need to get to Standen Abbey now!”

“Wait, I do not think I have packed everything,” Mary yelled as the staff carried her trunks through the house to the carriage. “What about my hairbrush? Luke likes it when I have my hair long and wavy, which means I will need to brush it a lot.”

Susanna could not help but laugh at her sister’s insistence on being pretty for her fiancé, the Earl of Standen. “I am sure I have a hairbrush packed for you if you need to. You can always borrow mine.”

But she could quickly see that she could not get through to Mary. Her eyes had glazed over as the panic damn near consumed her whole. This shut up Susanna’s laughter. There was no way she was going to tease Mary in the midst of all of this. Her sister had to be really worried about getting wed after what happened before…

Susanna parted her lips, about to give Mary some words of wisdom—not that she had any words of wisdom to give—but nothing came out.

What could she say? How could she help Mary relax in the midst of all of this?

Mary passed by her “Mother, I am worried that I do not have everything that I need. Especially since the weather has been unpredictable recently. How can I be sure that I look absolutely perfect for my big day? I cannot risk anything going wrong.”

Susanna’s heart sank as she watched Mary exit the room. They could all get caught up in the excitement of going to stay at Standen Abbey, but there was always going to be a worry clinging to the air. A wedding for the Creasey family was always going to be problematic.

“Come on, Susanna,” her mother cried out. “It is time to leave. We must get going if we do not wish to be late.”

Susanna sucked in a sharp breath before she started walking. She knew that this visit was going to change her life forever, the lives of the whole family once Mary married, so she wanted just one more moment of everything being the same. But she could not wait here for too long. Standen Abbey awaited her.

The moment Susanna climbed into the carriage, and she spotted the nervous anticipation in her sister’s eyes, she reached out and held her hands to let Mary know that she was there for her, no matter what.

She might not be able to say the words out loud, not in front of their parents, but she wanted Mary to know that she would be her support. Whatever she needed, Susanna would do it.

Mary squeezed her hand to thank her, using the sort of silent communication that only sisters who had grown up close would be able to understand. Then the carriage started to rumble along the cobblestone drive, and they both knew that it was time. Time for all these changes to happen.

“The Abbey is beautiful,” Susanna declared excitedly as she ran her eyes all over the building in front of her. The red bricks seemed to jut royally into the sky, and the sides of the building seemed to stretch on forever. “Look at the gardens, they are beautiful, and I love the flowers.”

“It is beautiful,” Mary agreed. “I cannot wait to get inside and to see all of Standen Abbey. Luke has told me so much about it, I feel a little like I know it already. Oh, look, Luke and his family are waiting to greet us.”

“That is lovely,” Patricia agreed. “The Allen family must have very good manners. I am sure we will have a wonderful time staying with them.”

The carriage rolled to a stop in front of Standen Abbey, and the Creasey family began to disembark, greeted by a welcoming party from the Allen family.

“Welcome to Standen Abbey,” Luke said, his voice filled with genuine warmth. “We are so delighted to have you all here. This is my mother, Tabitha, Lady Standen.”

Henry smiled. “Well, my name is Henry, Lord Ryleigh, and this is my wife, Patricia. My daughters, Susanna and, of course, Mary.”

But Susanna held back a little, focusing on Luke to see how he reacted to Mary. His warm smile lit up his face. Susanna could see that he honestly did seem to have a deep care for her sister.

That was good.

That was a good start.

“We must show you to your rooms,” Tabitha said, “so you have time to refresh yourselves before dinner. We want you to get settled before you meet the other people we already have staying here. My wonderful friend, Abigail Rayment, the Dowager Countess of St. Clair, and her son, Martin Rayment. I am sure you will love them.”

Susanna would be polite, but she had no interest in meeting other people. Her eyes would be on Luke the entire time. Did he know that? Was her sister’s betrothed aware that he was going to be under scrutiny the entire time?

It was nothing personal. Susanna was not adamantly against him as a person because she did not know enough about him.

No, this was all for Mary’s protection. For her sister’s heart.

For now, though, she was looking forward to seeing her bedchambers while she was here. This estate was massive, there would be plenty of rooms for everyone to stay in, and she hoped that she would have a comfortable place to stay while she was here for the wedding.

“Oh, Luke,” Mary declared as they headed inside. “It is wonderful to be here. Your home is even more beautiful than you described.”

Luke took her hands in his and kissed them gently. “I am glad you think so, Mary. I cannot wait to show you around.”

The hallway was adorned with elegant chandeliers, rich tapestries, and polished marble floors that echoed with their footsteps. It truly was the sort of home anyone would want to show off. But the Dowager Countess seemed surprisingly modest and sweet.

“This way, please,” Tabitha said, leading them up a sweeping staircase. “We have prepared our finest rooms for your stay.”

As they ascended the staircase, Susanna noticed the intricate woodwork on the banisters and the impressive portraits of ancestors that lined the walls.

This was a glimpse into Luke’s life and the future of Mary as well.

When they reached the second floor, Tabitha stopped in front of a pair of double doors. “Mary, this will be your room. We hope you find it to your liking.”

Mary stepped forward, her eyes wide with awe as she took in the spacious chamber. The room was beautifully furnished with a four-poster bed draped in rich fabrics, a vanity table, and large windows that offered a breathtaking view of the gardens below.

“It is perfect,” Mary said, her voice filled with genuine delight. “Thank you so much.”

Tabitha smiled warmly. “We’re glad you like it. And Susanna, your room is just next door.”

Susanna’s room was equally luxurious, with a similar view of the gardens and a cozy sitting area. The Allen family were very gracious hosts.

“Let us get ready for dinner,” Mary hissed to her excitedly as she slipped into her own room. “Then I will come for you.”

Susanna unpacked her belongings and hung them up before she picked a gown to wear to dinner. She decided on a royal blue gown that she had always been told brought out the color of her eyes, and she ran a brush through her long dark hair in preparation for what was to come.

Susanna took a deep breath as she admired her reflection in the mirror. Not that she was massively concerned with how she looked. She knew that she just needed strength to care for Mary.

Seeing her smile again was magnificent. Something that seemed impossible not so long ago, and Susanna desperately hoped that she stayed that happy.

A gentle knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. “Susanna, are you ready?” Mary’s voice called softly from the other side.

“Yes, coming!” Susanna replied, giving herself one last glance before opening the door.

Mary stood there, looking radiant in a soft pink gown that complemented her complexion perfectly. Her hair was styled in loose waves, and a sense of calm had settled over her. She smiled warmly at Susanna. “You look beautiful.”

“As do you,” Susanna said, taking her sister’s hand. “Shall we go?”

Mary linked her arm with Susanna’s as they made their way to the grand staircase.

“Are you nervous about our first dinner here?” Susanna asked.

“Oh no.” Mary chuckled and shook her head. “The family has been so kind to me so far. I think it is going to be a lot of fun staying here.”

“And planning your wedding too.”

Mary let out a little squeal of excitement. “Lady Standen is very excited about the wedding. As long as the weather stays nice, we can pick a day for it and start planning.”

Susanna’s pulse pounded.

So far, everything seemed utterly wonderful, but she could not shake off the worry that things might go wrong. Just as they had done last time Mary was engaged.

But of course, she did not say that aloud. “I am sure it will be beautiful.”

Once they reached the dining table, it seemed like everyone was already waiting for them. Nerves started to zig-zag through Susanna as she spotted the other guests staying at Standen Abbey in preparation for the wedding.

“How lovely to have you,” Tabitha declared with a warm smile. “As you can see, we have some other guests here. Allow me to introduce you to Martin Rayment, the Earl of St. Clair, and his mother Abigail Rayment, the Dowager Countess of St. Clair.”

“Nice to meet you,” Mary said giddily. “I am Lady Mary Creasey, and this is my sister Susanna.”

Susanna forced a smile on her face and tried to greet these people with the same enthusiasm as her sister, but it was as if her breath had caught in her throat and she could not utter a single word.

“Good evening, Lady Mary, Lady Susanna,” Abigail replied with a warm and inviting smile. “How lovely it is to meet you at last.”

Luckily, as they took their seats, Mary continued to talk, keeping the conversation flowing with Abigail, because Susanna needed a little while longer to take all of this in.

Although, strangely, she mostly found herself looking at the man she was sitting across from at the table. Martin Rayment.

He was taller, with a cheeky smile that made his dimples pop. She was also intrigued by his hazel eyes. Susanna had never seen eyes that color before, nor had she ever been in the presence of this man, despite all the Society events that she was forced to attend.

How had she never met him before?

Who on earth was he?

“Nice to meet you,” Martin declared smilingly. “I am sure you are thoroughly excited to see your sister get married. It will be a lot of fun.”

“Fun?” Susanna furrowed her brow, confused by this statement.

“Oh yes. Weddings are always glorious events.”

Susanna did not know what to say to that. She had never been to a wedding before. She did not like being made to look like a fool, which seemed what Martin wanted to do to her for reasons she could not understand.

They did not know one another, so why would he want to make her blush so brightly?

“Well, I am sure it will be lovely,” she replied with a one-shouldered shrug, trying to end this conversation before she felt even more foolish.

Martin narrowed his eyes on Susanna, which made her very uncomfortable, but in a strange way. In a way she oddly did not mind. The way that his eyes studied her while the rest of the table continued to talk happily, all having fun and getting along well, was unusually exciting.

“You do not seem like you are the most thrilled. Are you one of those women who do not like marriage?”

Susanna clutched her hand to her chest in shock and horror. “I am not against marriage. I am not saying anything like that…”

“But you are saying something,” he teased. “And I am interested to know what.”

A heat burned in Susanna’s cheeks, and it made it even more humiliating that she knew Martin could see it. He was not the sort of distraction that she needed while staying at Standen Abbey. Not when she had to examine Luke, to check that he was right for her sister. She did not have time for teasing and banter, she did not have time for a man like Martin, she had a very important job to do.

“I am saying nothing,” she shot back. “You do not know what you are talking about.”

But that only made Martin laugh. He seemed to see right through her in ways she was not ready for. As he leaned back in his seat, still looking at her, Susanna realized that he was going to be an issue that she had not planned for. Especially if he kept challenging everything that she said.

What on earth was she going to do?

“I see. And do you always say nothing?” he demanded. “Because I have met plenty of well-bred ladies who like to say nothing…”

He was trying to get a reaction out of her, Susanna was certain of that. It was almost as if he needed her to be his entertainment.

She did not wish to entertain any man, much less one she did not know. Yet, she could not stop herself from biting back.

It was as if had affected her in ways that she had not expected, and on their first meeting at that.

“Well, perhaps you have not met the right well-bred ladies, then,” Susanna retorted, lifting her chin defiantly. “I assure you, some of us have quite a lot to say.”

Martin’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Ah, a lady with spirit. How refreshing.”

Susanna’s cheeks burned even hotter, but she refused to back down. “I am here to support my sister, Lord St. Clair. This is a significant event for her, and I intend to ensure everything goes smoothly. The wedding might be fun to you, but I am here to ensure she is alright at all times.”

He did not need to know the details of what had happened to Mary before, Susanna did not care if he simply assumed that she was overprotective.

Right now, she just needed him to back off.

“I’m sure you will,” Martin declared with a smile that reached his eyes. “I cannot imagine anything going wrong under your watchful gaze. I shall have to warn my best friend that you are on the case.”

Susanna glanced over at Luke, who of course was staring at Mary with the right amount of adoration. But Susanna was not willing to let him off the hook just yet.

“I simply want to be sure that he is going to treat my sister well.”

Martin leaned in a little closer, still looking like he wanted to tease Susanna. “And I need to ensure that your sister treats my friend well.”

She was not sure how she did it, but Susanna just about managed to resist the urge to roll her eyes.

“My sister is just lovely, thank you very much.”

“I could say the same about Luke.”

For a moment, Susanna almost burst out laughing as they stared at one another. It seemed like they had come to a strange impasse.

This was not what she was expecting when she sat down to dinner tonight. She thought it would be a lovely, gracious affair with Lady Standen and her guests.

Little did she know that this man was going to be one of the guests.

Susanna smirked and jutted her chin confidently. “Well, I have to admit, my lord, that I am not too sure if you have a judgment that I can trust. I will have to keep an eye on Lord Standen myself.”

As Martin cocked an eyebrow, Susanna found her pulse racing, and she was not too sure why. It was something about the way that he looked at her. It was as if he could see the parts of her that she did not want anyone to see.

“Well then, I will have to keep a similar eye on your sister,” he shot back, knowingly antagonizing her. “Because I might not be able to trust you.”

Could anyone sense the burning tension between the two of them? It seemed to be radiating from Susanna, so it was a surprise that no one else seemed to be glaring at them.

Even Mary was not shooting her a worried look, thinking that she was about to ruin everything for her.

It seemed to be a strange, invisible thing that only they could see.

As Susanna met Martin’s eyes once more, she found herself staring at her nemesis. She was not sure why he had become this, but he had.

He made the first move to wind her up, and now he would have to face the consequences of that. Susanna was not an opponent to be messed with, and he would soon see that he should not have started this.

Whatever this was.