“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.
Matthew turned to look at him. “End your association with Stillwaite and help Miss Cooper.”
“As much as I would like to do that, it is impossible, as well as unethical.”
“Then at least leave the uncle’s employ.”
Jordan shook his head. “I cannot.”
Matthew stared hard at his brother. “Then I suppose we have nothing further to discuss.”
The carriage arrived in front of the vicarage and Matthew exited. His brother did not follow. “Aren’t you coming in?”