“A lovely young woman with a mind of her own and a desire for marriage is a distinct threat to any gentleman wishing to hang onto his unwedded state, my lady, I am sure you realize that.” Lord Grey’s reasonable tone made Anne grit her teeth.
“I thought the viscount had been clear that I was not setting my cap at any of you. He had proposed that the three of you paying attention to me will draw the notice of other gentlemen who are of a mind to marry.”
“But you clearly do not understand the male mind, my dear. And that is where your threat lies. There are two things about men that worry me about you. Men are competitive creatures, so one or more of us may not take well to the attentions of the other gentlemen after we have been spending time with you. As well, our dear friend Wrentham has beaten it into our heads that we must at all times act the gentleman around gently bred females such as you, and that could lead us astray in too many ways to number.”
Anne blinked owlishly at her dance partner and was certain she must look like a simpleton, but she did not understand a word of what he had just said. She told him as much. “I am aware you were speaking the English language, my lord, but I fear your meaning was not at all clear to me.”
“That is just as well, my dear. Pay me no mind. I have decided that it does not matter if you are a threat. Dunbar is correct, Wrentham would expect us to help you, so we shall. And we shall no doubt quite enjoy ourselves in the process.” With that pronouncement, Lord Grey put an end to their discussion by increasing the vigour of their steps and swirling her around the floor with a flourish, drawing more attentive eyes toward them.
Knowing it was all part of the plan, Anne admonished herself not to allow the attention to go to her head. Wouldn’t that just seal my fall into ignominy if I were to fall for one of the trio, she thought with horror.
Instead of escorting her back to her aunt, Lord Grey kept her hand and tucked it into his elbow. “Come along, my lady. You surely must need a drink after all this dancing.” He didn’t wait for her to reply as he headed to the refreshment room.
They sipped the surprisingly tasty punch and exchanged pleasantries for a moment while the crowds around them shifted and jostled. Anne felt the speculative gazes upon her and fought against the regret that she had agreed to this plan.
Lord Grey must have read her mind. “Do not turn lily livered on us now, my lady, we are just getting to the good part. Give it a couple more minutes and you shall see.”
True to his words, less than five minutes later, a gentleman that Anne was sure she had been introduced to but could not for the life of her remember his name approached to request her hand for the quadrille that was about to form in the ballroom. With a curtsy to Grey, Anne left on the other gentleman’s arm.
Anne spent the rest of the night on the dance floor. It was the first time in her life that she did not spend a single minute as a wallflower. It sent a satisfied thrill to the very centre of her feminine soul, despite the fact it had been orchestrated by the viscount. Even other ladies were appearing to be friendlier towards her, no doubt in an effort to snag some of the gentlemen for themselves, but Anne didn’t care what the reasons were, she was enjoying nearly every moment of the evening.
The only fly in the ointment was the anxious feeling she got whenever she felt the viscount’s watchful gaze following her. She doubted he meant to do so, but she felt as though he were waiting to see if she would fail. She decided to call him out on his behaviour. Instead of ignoring his eyes upon her, she met his gaze and offered him as dazzling a smile as she could muster. She wanted to grin when he blinked and turned away.
Her grin died a quick death, however, when the gentleman she was dancing with led her to the side of the dance floor and she discovered the viscount was there waiting for her.
“I do believe this is to be our turn, my lady,” he said as he bowed over her hand.
Anne didn’t have the nerve to contradict his words, so there was nothing she could do except put her hand in his and follow him back onto the dance floor. She couldn’t gage his mood, so she kept silent as they were swept into the rhythm of the music. They circled the room once, twice, before he finally broke the silence.
“You seem to be enjoying yourself,” he offered conversationally.
“I am,” she agreed without going into detail. She kept a pleasant smile on her face and avoided his eyes.
“And our plan seems to be working out rather well,” he continued, as though she had said nothing.
“That’s true,” she acknowledged as well, a small smile finally dawning on her lips.
She allowed her eyes to rise to meet his, and it was as though he had been waiting for that moment. His gaze ensnared hers and held it. It felt to her as though he could read her soul while he stared into her eyes.
“What is going on inside that head of yours?” he asked softly.
She tried to blank her thoughts so he couldn’t read her mind, but she couldn’t hide it. Instead of excluding him, she tried to seem unconcerned. She lifted her shoulder in a small shrug despite the steps of the dance. She finally admitted to him what was making her uncomfortable.
“I’m not enjoying you watching my every step as though you think I’m a villain, my lord. While it is true that I agreed to try to entrap the duke into marriage, I had no intention of hurting him. Now that I have been made aware of the fact that I had been thoughtless to the point of foolishness, I am making every effort to be a more thoughtful person. You do not need to fear for the gentlemen of the ton.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, my lady. I realize when I first confronted you that is exactly what I thought, but now that I have gotten to know you better I am quite convinced that you won’t be hurting anyone.”
“Then why do you keep watching me at every opportunity?” Anne was frustrated with his lack of sense.
“Because I fear that someone else is going to hurt you.”
Anne could only blink at him in silence. It had never occurred to her that he could have such a concern. She actually giggled at the thought.
“It is hardly a matter for laughter, my lady,” he objected.
This only made her giggle harder. “I apologize, my lord, but you really are not making much sense. But never mind. Our dance is about to end. You needn’t worry about me. I have my aunt and uncle to look after me, my lord. Have no fear.”
Chapter Five
Lord Manfred Austen had never felt so vile in all his life. He was lying in a puddle on the side of the road somewhere. He wasn’t even completely sure where he was. The ruffians who had beaten him and left him had driven him some distance out of Town, he was fairly sure. They no doubt thought he was dead. He almost wished that he were. It probably wouldn’t hurt to breathe if he were dead.
He shook his head ever so slightly to rid himself of the useless thought. He needed to pull himself together. Before those cretins had jumped him, he had been promising himself to get some gumption and be the man his daughter needed him to be. He needed to reject the negative thoughts and attempt to survive long enough to tell her how proud he was of her and hopefully see her set up in a better life than he had been able to provide for her up until now.
The sound of a horse plodding along the road approached. Austen wondered if he should be hopeful or fearful. He decided to stay still and wait to see what happened. He held his breath.
That might not have been the best idea as he may have lost consciousness. The next thing he was aware of there was a soft feminine voice calling to him. He couldn’t make much sense of the words as he felt himself being hoisted up and placed almost gently somewhere. He knew nothing else.
Sometime later, he awoke as strong hands were turning him onto a soft bed. He heard the soft voice uttering commands. Austen told himself he ought to speak, whether to protest or express appreciation, but he was still too weak.
The next thing he knew, bright sunshine was streaming into the room and he felt decidedly better. With effort, Austen
cracked his eyes open to survey his environment.
“Oh, my dear man, praise be, you’ve returned to the land of the living. Lawks, the Miss will have my head for waking you, but I say it’s time and enough that you need to be waking up. It’s not right for a body to sleep that long. Especially if you was hit in the head. Were you hit in the head, sir?”
“I do believe I was, yes.” Austen winced over the scratchy sound of his voice.
“Oh, lawks, sir, let me get you something to drink.”
Austen peered at the portly woman as she lifted his shoulders comfortably and helped him tilt the cup to drizzle some broth down his throat. The liquid felt heavenly as it eased along his parched lips and throat. He couldn’t help sighing with relief.
“Now, I’d best be getting the Miss. She’ll want to see to you for herself. You just stay put, mister, and I’ll be right back.”
Before he could object, she bustled from the room.
Within moments, she returned with the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He thought he was perhaps still unconscious, she was that pretty. But then he remembered he was not an imaginative man. His mind would not have been able to conjure so much beauty on its own. Austen would have grinned at her like a simpleton if it would not hurt so much.
The angelic vision approached the bed, staring at him intently for a moment. She smiled at him, and he thought for a moment he was going to lose consciousness again. He wondered then how hard he had been hit by those clods. He was not at all the type to wax poetic about a woman, no matter how lovely her appearance. He shifted his eyes away to avoid the glare of her attraction.
And then she opened her mouth. It felt to Austen as though warm honey flowed over him as she spoke, and he knew he had lost his mind when he was beaten.
“You don’t look so well, mister. You really shouldn’t be sitting up,” the vision was saying to him as he closed his eyes and nodded. “Is there anyone we should contact for you? Will your family be worried when you didn’t come home last night?”
Austen kept his eyes closed and felt misery swamp him as he thought of his dear Anne. She probably was wondering where he was, but hopefully she was having such a good time with her aunt that she wasn’t paying him much mind. Her aunt and uncle certainly wouldn’t be too worried about him, since it was their suggestion that made him leave in the first place.
He realized he hadn’t answered the woman’s question and opened his eyes for a moment only to shut them again when they encountered her warm grey gaze. “No, I don’t think anyone will be overly anxious about my absence.” He paused for a moment before realizing he was no doubt being a burden. “Although, I really ought to be removing myself, as I have no wish to overstay my welcome.”
“Not at all, mister. It’s no bother at all. But you really ought to tell us your name. It’s a little awkward for us to keep calling you mister.” Her low chuckle actually sent a tremble through his belly. He was acting like a debutante!
He needed to stop this imbecilic behaviour and get a grip back on his life, not only for his daughter but also for himself. This mess with Broderick had shown him that he had truly hit bottom. The look on his daughter’s face when she had fully realized what he had tried to get her to do was something he never wanted to see again for the rest of his days. He opened his eyes and did his best to ignore the feelings the woman before him generated.
“My name is Lord Manfred Austen, Viscount of Rowanwood.” He saw her eyes widen, and he was able to utter a self-deprecating laugh. “That sounds so much more important than it is. Rowanwood is falling down around our ears, and I am currently waiting while my only daughter enjoys her first Season and hopefully manages to catch the eye of a wealthy gentleman willing to settle funds on her family.” He felt the heat of embarrassment climbing his cheeks at what he had admitted to this stranger.
Her low chuckle sounded again. “I do believe you are still feeling the effects of your beating, my lord. My name is Mrs. Kate Appleton, and you are welcome to stay here as long as you need to recover. My housekeeper, Mrs. Peabody, has been looking after you since you got here last night and assures me that she would be delighted to continue to do so. We shall leave you now to let you rest a little more and will return to check on you in an hour or so.”
Austen didn’t think he would be able to sleep any more, but within minutes of the two women leaving the room he was fast asleep. It felt like only moments later, but from the quality of the light he could see through the window, it was now mid or late afternoon so he knew hours had passed. He felt remarkably better and thought about getting out of the bed. His thoughts must have conjured his caretakers because in that moment the door opened and Mrs. Peabody stepped into the room with Mrs. Appleton right behind her.
“Lawks, my lord, you sure look a sight better than you did when you were last awake. It seems to me that you’re going to survive the ordeal. Would you care for a meal now that you’re a wee bit better?”
Before he could even answer her, his stomach let out a loud growl that made the heat climb again into his cheeks but made them all chuckle as well. “That would be most appreciated, Mrs. Peabody, thank you,” he answered formally, ignoring his discomfort. He might have downgraded himself to a scoundrel, but he was still a gentleman at heart.
“Missy here will keep you company while I hurry down to the kitchen to fetch you something.”
Mrs. Appleton looked as though she wanted to protest, but then she smiled warmly and took a seat on the chair placed at the end of the bed. Austen smiled as he noted the housekeeper had left the door wide open in an attempt to lend respectability to the fact that Mrs. Appleton was in a man’s bedchamber. Of course, her being a Mrs. made it much less of an issue. He wondered absently where Mr. Appleton was.
“Do you remember what happened to you, Lord Austen? Would you like me to have the local magistrate call by so you can have an investigation launched?”
Austen shrugged. “I remember what happened, but I doubt the magistrate will have much to say about it. I got drunk and a couple of ruffians decided to relieve me of my purse. When they discovered that it was empty, they took their frustrations out on my person. While I might be able to provide a description, I doubt it would be specific enough not to be any one of a hundred labourers from anywhere around these parts.”
The beautiful woman nodded sagely. “You are probably right, more’s the pity. Well, I am sorry you have had to bear the brunt of their stupidity, but perhaps you have seen the error of your ways and can now return to your life and not look for solutions at the bottom of an ale glass.”
Her tone had not been censorious, so Austen took no offense. Besides, he had just been thinking the same thing. He had to laugh despite the fact that it hurt his face to do so. “You may be right, Mrs. Appleton. I do believe they have beaten some sense into me.”
Her rich warm chuckle joined his even as she blushed. “I did not mean to imply that you lacked for sense, my lord.”
“Perhaps you didn’t, but you should have because I surely did. I mean to change all that as soon as I can. But first, I do believe I shall have to take advantage of your hospitality for just a little longer or I don’t think I could make it back to Town.”
“We are happy to have you as long as you need,” she assured him.
“Are you certain Mr. Appleton won’t mind?” He hoped he sounded nonchalant as he asked.
Mrs. Appleton looked flustered as she answered. “There is no longer a Mr. Appleton, I’m afraid. But I’m fairly certain he would not have begrudged a helping hand to someone in need.”
Mrs. Peabody chose that moment to bustle back into the room bearing a tray with a steaming bowl of hearty-looking soup and a thick slice of bread with butter. “This should put some colour back into your skin, my lord, but shouldn’t be too hard for your innards to handle after the trouble they’ve been through. Now, eat up,” she scolded him as though he were a schoolboy, much to Austen’s delight. He hadn’t had anyone to care for him since
his wife died except his daughter, and she was not the hearty type.
The housekeeper bustled around the room while Austen ate, twitching his quilts straight and plumping his pillows. Mrs. Appleton watched with raised eyebrows until her laughter brought the housekeeper to a standstill. “Whatever are you doing, Mrs. Peabody?”
The housekeeper blushed fiery red but answered honestly. “I’m fidgeting, Missy, and well you know it. It’s not every day we get a gentleman to care for. I like it.”
The trio all laughed over her words while Austen felt his curiosity stir. Before he had a chance to voice any of his questions, the two women exchanged a speaking glance and Mrs. Appleton got to her feet.
“We ought to let you rest some more, my lord,” she said as the housekeeper gathered the tray from off his lap.
“Thank you both so much for your generous hospitality. I fear I would have shortly been dead if you had not come along and picked me up off the side of the road.”
“Oh, no, my lord, I am certain someone else would have been along soon after us and would have been just as happy to help you. Everyone in these parts is a very kind, generous soul.”
Austen was doubtful if anyone else would have gone to such an effort as she obviously had on his behalf, taking him into her home and nursing him back to health. He could have even wound up in jail if one of the villagers had contacted the magistrate instead of helping him to recover.
He couldn’t very well tell her that though, so he just offered a neutral smile and watched them silently as they left the room.
Even though he had already been sleeping almost nonstop for more than a day, within minutes of the women leaving him, he was fast asleep and did not awake again until the early morning light was filtering into his room.
He was just blinking himself awake when there was a slight movement at the door and Mrs. Peabody stuck her head into the room. When she saw that his eyes were open, her face lit up and she came in fully.
The Viscount Deception: A Sweet Regency Romance Adventure (Mayfair Mayhem Book 3) Page 6
