Page 1 of Empowered By the Earl (Second Sons of London 3)

Chapter One

Danbury, Kent—June 1814

Owen opened hiseyes. For a moment, he was confused as to where he was. Then he remembered that Strunk had moved his things into the earl’s suite yesterday.

He was officially the Earl of Danbury.

Actually, he had been Lord Danbury for a week now. Ever since Lawford’s death. His brother had never awakened from the coma he had been in ever since he and Mervyn had been attacked by footpads in London. No witnesses to the crime had ever stepped forward. The only reason he even knew there were two assailants is because when the two injured lords were found, it was the last thing Mervyn said before he died.

Owen had sat by Lawford’s bedside every night once he returned from the Continent, hoping his brother would awaken and be himself again, removing the heavy burden of responsibility that came with being a future peer of the realm from Owen. He hadn’t been raised to inherit the earldom and didn’t know the first thing about it. He certainly didn’t want to be in charge of the vast estate and holdings. More than anything, he longed to return to the army. It was all Owen had known his entire adult life.

Instead, he would remain in England and handle all the duties and obligations that came with being an earl. At least he wasn’t a duke as Ev had become. That would have been even more shocking.

He had kept his presence in England a secret from Ev and Spence, not writing to either of them during the time Lawford lived. Neither had he written to Percy or Win, knowing they had been far too busy to write him with the recent events ending the long war.

As he had predicted to Colonel Dixon, the allied coalition marched into Paris at the end of March. Bonaparte abdicated a week later and one final battle had occurred at Toulouse. The Bourbons had been restored to the French throne and Bonaparte exiled to Elba, his wife and son fleeing to Vienna. Europe would be in chaos until the upcoming Congress of Vienna met and ironed out solutions to the many problems the Little Corporal had caused.

Owen had no idea where Win and Percy would be stationed. They had his address in Kent and he would wait to hear from them before he shared the news of Lawford’s death. In the meantime, he had written to Ev and Spence in London once Lawford passed. Owen had brought his brother back to Kent because after his meeting with the family solicitor, he learned his brother had neglected the estate for some time. If Owen were to right things, it would begin at Danfield and he needed to be there in order to supervise the necessary changes.

He sent a footman to Cliffside once he arrived there to inquire if Ev was home and had received a message from Arthur, Ev’s butler. It informed Owen that the Duke of Camden was in London for the Season. He couldn’t imagine his shy friend gallivanting about in Polite Society but determined that Ev, always conscious of duty to a fault, would have gone to look for a wife. Ev would want to provide a ducal heir, knowing it was his duty, and the Season would be full of young women eager to take on the title of duchess. He only hoped his friend wouldn’t be overwhelmed with all the attention he would receive.

Spence had already wed upon his return to England but Owen believed his friend and new wife would also be in town for the Season, partially to socialize and also to support Ev in his endeavors. Owen had dashed off quick notes to both his friends and sent them to London, along with the obituary to be placed in the newspapers announcing Lawford’s death. It was what Lawford would have wanted, the last way Owen could honor a brother he didn’t know and now never would. Nothing truly happened in thetonunless it was made public in the newspapers. That included births, marriages, and deaths.

Rising, Owen padded naked into the enormous dressing room, looking about to see the few clothes he possessed folded and sitting on the shelves. He had made do with purchasing a handful of items before he left London since he had no civilian clothes, only his military uniforms. There had been no need for them since he had left England years ago and spent his time on the march. Now, however, he was the Earl of Danbury and would be expected to dress as befit his station. He would wait until Ev returned next door after the Season and ask who his tailor was. Owen had no idea exactly what he would need to wear in Polite Society. At least here in the country, he could get away with a much smaller wardrobe.

Strunk suddenly appeared. “My lord, I have asked for you to ring for me when you rise each morning.”

The valet had made that request but Owen had forgotten. Strunk had been the one who cared for Lawford during the past year. With his master’s death, the servant had assumed he would become Owen’s valet. Like the title and the estate, Strunk was inherited. At least the man gave a good shave.

“I apologize, Strunk. It is taking me a while to get used to everything.”

“I understand, my lord. Life at Danfield must seem rather tame after what you have been through since your university days.”

“It is quite different. And not exactly a life I am yet comfortable in,” he admitted.

The valet placed the steaming bowl of water down. “Shall we shave you first and then dress you?”

“Yes.”

Owen took a seat and closed his eyes, letting his thoughts drift as Strunk handled the shave. The quiet life of the country was getting on his nerves. At least his days were filled, making himself useful about the estate and then spending evenings trying to make sense of all the numbers in the ledgers. If he had a steward, the entire process would be much easier, but Danfield’s steward had retired shortly before Lawford was attacked in London. No replacement had been hired, much to Owen’s dismay. Sellers, the solicitor, seemed too timid to make even the slightest decision for the estate.

Because of that, Danfield was in disarray. He had taken it upon himself to act as the estate’s steward but he would still need to hire a good one in the near future. In the meantime, he was out and about every day on the land, meeting tenants, monitoring the fields, making notes of what he thought should be done. He dearly wished Ev would find a bride and return to Cliffside. Surely, in the time since his closest friend had been home, Ev had gleaned some ideas about how to run an estate. As the Duke of Camden, he must have a good half-dozen or more of them.

Once dressed, Owen proceeded to the breakfast room, one of his favorite places at Danfield. It was sunny and the perfect way for him to begin his morning. He entered and footmen immediately jumped into action, fetching his coffee and bringing his plate. He dug into the meat and eggs, dipping his toast into the yolk rather than smearing it with butter or jam.

A third footman entered and whispered something to Croft. The butler nodded and the footman stepped back.

Croft approached and said, “You have a visitor, my lord. The Duke of Camden has come to call.”

“He is here? Now?”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Show him in at once.”

The footman left, apparently to retrieve Ev. Excitement filled Owen. It had been the previous summer since he had seen his friend and he looked forward to their reunion.

Ev strode through the dining room and Owen rose to meet him. They threw their arms about one another, heartily clapping backs.

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