A Dangerous Debut: A Sweet Regency Romance (Ladies of Mayfair Book 5)

by Wendy May Andrews

  ~~~

  Daisy grinned again, and Jasper’s eyes darkened as they lingered on her sweetly upturned lips. He had never before met a person like her and was unsure how to proceed. He watched with appreciation as she enjoyed her ice before he broached his unorthodox proposal.

  Licking the last of the treat from her spoon, Daisy sighed her enjoyment. “That was delicious, my lord. Thank you ever so much. Now, if you would be so kind as to get on with whatever discussion you were hoping to have, I would appreciate it, as I have my own affairs to figure out.”

  Jasper blinked at her straightforward prompting. The chit was unique, he would give her that. He felt a niggle of doubt over his outrageous idea. He was quite certain she would make waves in his circles. But, a grin broke over his face as he was again convinced it was a brilliant idea.

  “I would like you to accompany me to a party at my parents’ estate,” he stated, his voice calm and sure. He enjoyed watching Daisy’s eyes widen as her lips parted on her gasp of shock.

  She glanced around hoping no one was overhearing their conversation. She leaned forward, keeping her voice low. “I was so sure you were no longer inebriated, my lord, but surely you must still be foxed if you are making such a daft suggestion. There are so many things that make your suggestion impossible, not the least of which is that your mother is unacquainted with me and would no doubt not be delighted to receive a stranger at her party. An untitled stranger at that,” she concluded, as if it were an afterthought, but he heard the bitterness in her voice. He wondered about the strange tone but forged ahead anyway.

  “Well, that is where you are wrong, my dear. If I were to tell my mother that I was bringing a female guest with me, I can assure you she would be beside herself with delight.”

  Daisy eyed the viscount with suspicion. After a moment of hesitation she asked, “Why is that the case, my lord? I find it highly doubtful.”

  “I am the firstborn son. My parents, well, my mother anyway, would like nothing better than for me to settle down, get married, and produce the next Abernathy heir. If I told them I had a particular friend I wanted invited to their party, you would receive an invitation delivered to your door before the ink had even dried on it.”

  “Even if your parents are desperate, surely they cannot be so despairing of you that I would be considered acceptable, my lord. You do recall that you met me outside an employment office, do you not?”

  “That is what makes it so deliciously perfect,” the viscount grinned, which made Daisy all the more determined not to give in to the temptation she was feeling as the butterflies in her midsection took flight.

  “And you cannot be seriously trying to convince me that you are hard up for options. You are handsome and a viscount and not near your dotage. Surely you have your choice of debutantes who would be delighted to accompany you to a party at your family’s estate.”

  “Well, of course, but they would all be expecting an actual proposal,” Jasper explained, weary patience dripping from his tones.

  It began to dawn on Daisy as to what he was proposing. “So you want me to accompany you on the pretense of a courtship that shall never culminate in an actual proposal, is that what you mean, my lord?”

  Jasper could tell from her tone that Daisy was not completely pleased with his idea but he plowed on, ignoring the warning bell clanging in his head. “It is absolutely perfect, Miss Daisy. You will have somewhere to go for a week, and maybe you can even make contacts with people who are looking to hire someone.”

  “My lord, surely you must realize it cannot work both ways. Either I am a servant looking for employment, who would not be welcome in your mother’s sitting room, or I am a fellow guest. We cannot combine our two situations.”

  The viscount grinned over Daisy’s precise words and voice. She sounded as though she was wondering if he was always daft or if he was still suffering the effects of excessive drink. It was obvious to him that she was losing patience with him, as though she were his governess. His grin widened over the image that called to his mind. His governesses had always been aged, pinch-faced women, nothing like the lovely creature that sat in front of him. He foresaw a challenge before her for finding employment. From what he knew of society matrons, none of them would welcome her into their home.

  Deciding to make conversation to find out a little more about his new friend, in order to figure out how to convince her, he asked a few more questions. “How well do you know Miss Holstein? And what went wrong with your previous post? And what kind of a name is Miss Holstein, anyway? It cannot be real. It puts me in mind of a good bovine.”

  Daisy giggled over Jasper’s words, but put her hand up to stem the flow of his questions. “Wait, wait, my lord,” she gasped through her laughter. “I can only answer one question at a time.” She paused for a moment to allow her giggles to abate.

  “Miss Holstein is a lovely, kind soul who works hard to find appropriate positions for her clients. Surely her name must be real because no one would make up such a dreadful name. I cannot say that I know her well, it is more that she is a friend of the friend I am currently staying with.”

  “Ah, so the good woman has a vested interest in finding you somewhere so that you will no longer be taking up space in Bloombsbury?” Jasper inquired.

  “Do not be beastly, my lord,” Daisy admonished. “Charlotte is my dearest friend in the entire world. She has offered that I could live with her indefinitely. It is my own sense of independence which is insisting I need to make my own arrangements. Neither she nor Miss Holstein could have known that things were going to turn out the way they did with my previous position. And I would prefer not to tell you what went wrong with my first post.”

  “Well, if you do not think you could try to arrange another employment while at my mother’s house party, perhaps we could look about for a suitable husband for you while we are there,” Jasper stated with a reasonable tone, unsure why that seemed so distasteful to him all of a sudden.

  Jasper felt twitchy under Daisy’s assessing gaze, but he managed not to fidget. He saw her trying to figure out what he was thinking and implying. He waited to see what she would say next. He didn’t have to wait long. To his surprise the young woman burst into laughter, which she kept as quiet as possible so as to not draw undue attention to their conversation.

  “Oh, my lord, you are a complete hand. That was a delightfully ridiculous suggestion. If I were to arrive on the arm of a viscount, and the son of the hostess at that, do you really believe any of the other gentlemen would even consider trying to fix my interest?”

  Blinking at the logic of her question, Jasper refused to back down. “I understand what you are saying, Miss Daisy, but you are a very taking young woman, and I am quite certain the gentlemen will feel moved to pay you their addresses, whether I am present or not.”

  She shot him a shrewd glance. “Would you ever consider doing such a thing to a friend of yours?”

  He only shrugged. She grinned.

  “You are a rake, aren’t you, my lord? I ought to be scandalized to be in your presence. But I find you much too amusing to dredge up any sort of reprimand.”

  Daisy was still grinning, unable to put away her amusement so quickly, but she still offered a dismissive shrug. “It really matters very little if there are to be eligible gentlemen present, my lord. I cannot accompany you to your house party. It really is important that I get on with making my own arrangements for my future.”

  Jasper gazed at his companion, nonplussed. “I cannot understand why you are being so stubborn about this. I promise you, if you do this for me, I will make sure you are taken care of when it is over.”

  Daisy stiffened her already perfectly straight posture and gazed at the viscount with dignity as her cheeks warmed with embarrassment. “You really are a rake, aren’t you? I do not wish to be taken care of by any gentleman, my lord. I am a proper sort of female and have not yet sunk to such a level, nor will I ever.”

  Jasper grinned
at her discomfort. “Is that your confounded independence talking or have you perhaps misunderstood what I meant?”

  “I guess that would depend on what you meant,” Daisy’s reply was guarded.

  Jasper realized that she distrusted him. He wondered absently if he ought to take it personally or if she just distrusted all men. Or perhaps it was aristocratic men she had an issue with. He tried to placate her as he replied.

  “I merely meant that I will ensure you are protected and have a suitable position when our charade is complete.”

  Jasper was quite certain the chit didn’t believe him and struggled to keep the amusement from his face as she gazed at him with skepticism shining from the eyes she now had slightly squinted at him. He waited to see what she would say. It was clear from her expressive face that she was trying to decide how best to handle him.

  “It has been a pleasure to meet you, my lord, but I really must be going.”

  The viscount was surprised at the level of disappointment he felt over her obvious dismissal. His hand shot out to grab her arm, almost of its own volition.

  “Please do not leave yet, Miss Daisy. I implore you. What will it take to convince you to accompany me? I can assure you that no harm will come to you.” Jasper cringed inwardly at the sound of his begging, but he really was near to desperation.

  Feeling Daisy’s scrutiny sharpen further, Jasper kept his features as impassive as possible.

  “It would appear my perspective needs broadening, my lord,” Daisy commented, her nonchalant tone belying her shrewd focus upon his face. “What could you possibly have to gain from having me accompany you to visit your family’s estate? Why do you want your parents to think you are pursuing a courtship?”

  Jasper cursed his drink-addled brain as he worked to come up with something believable that did not include telling her the truth. Although he liked people to think he was an open book, the thought of actually allowing someone into his personal space was almost enough to give him hives. He needed to think fast because the girl was coming to all sorts of conclusions on her own.

  “Why would a viscount need to bring a sham eligible parti to his parents’ house party? Why not just court some young lady for real? What would he hope to gain?” Daisy studied Jasper with widening eyes. “You are under the hatches, and your parents are plump in the pocket. Is that it, my lord? You do not wish to actually become leg shackled, which is why you do not wish to invite someone of your acquaintance to accompany you. But you are hoping that if your parents think you have finally stopped sowing your wild oats, they might be more willing to frank you than if you turn up on your own and make your request.”

  Feeling the heat rising in his cheeks, Jasper willed the hot colour to recede. He refused to blush like a schoolgirl. “You think you have it all figured out, don’t you, Miss Pembroke?” he tried but failed to keep the bitter sarcasm from his voice. “You don’t know anything about my family, or me, so I pray you stay out of my head.”

  “I will gladly stay out of your head, my lord. I have no interest in entering this charade with you. You need not fly up in the boughs. I will bid you a good day.”

  Once again Jasper grasped her arm and held her in her place as gently as he could. “I apologize, Miss Daisy. I am acting the cad. You do have every right to depart, but I beg that you do not do so. You are quite correct. I have run into difficulty with my finances, but my parents have been tight fisted up until now. As you say, I have been sowing my oats. But I am making an attempt to turn things around. Unfortunately, my father does not believe I can change my ways. I wish to turn them up sweet by bringing a suitable young lady to meet them, one who will not actually have expectations.

  Chapter Two

  Jasper stared at Daisy, wondering how else to respond. How could the chit have been so accurate in her assessment? he asked himself blankly as he struggled once more to control his fidgets as Daisy’s perceptive gaze raked over him.

  The viscount had never met anybody like her. Her independence baffled him. Why would she not take him up on his offer? He couldn't imagine any other woman of his acquaintance refusing such an opportunity. Did the chit not realize how important he was and what he could do for her? He tried not to be overly high in the instep, but he was the Viscount of Hawthorn after all.

  Daisy gazed at Jasper, seeing more than he would like. She knew it was important to him that she accompany him, but she didn't know how she possibly could. There was no way his mother would consider a governess to be a good potential wife for her son.

  "I will pay you,” Jasper said in desperation.

  Daisy’s jaw dropped open in shock.

  “I beg your pardon,” she demanded, her tone indignant, while her mind began to churn with curiosity.

  Jasper knew he had caught her attention so he pressed home his advantage. “Really, we could be of benefit to one another,” he pleaded. “I know you need money, and if my plan works, I will have plenty. Don't you see?” he asked with a curious tilt of his head.

  Daisy blinked rapidly, nonplussed by his argument. "But, my lord, I abhor lying. How can you ask me to participate in this dishonest bargain?”

  Jasper's head remained tilted, and he studied her with caution. “You could regard it as a paid job, just like an actress. But the stage would be my parents’ estate rather than a theater. Actresses are not lying — they are merely pretending.” He saw her indignation rising, and he hastened to add, “I can assure you, I am not calling your morality into question. I am merely offering you a post. Did you not assure me that you need a paid position?”

  “Do you truly think it might work, my lord?” It was Daisy's turn to study her companion with dubious question. “I am not convinced I could play the part.”

  Now Jasper warmed to his subject without hesitation. "No one would know any different, Miss Daisy, I can assure you.”

  Daisy blushed over the audacity of considering his proposition. “I will have to think about it, my lord.”

  Jasper grinned, sensing his victory was near.

  “Do not look so smug, my lord, I have not yet accepted your ridiculous offer.”

  The viscount wiped the grin off his face with effort. Daisy couldn’t help the rise of her own amusement. Lord Jasper Seaton was such a gamester. It was obvious to Daisy that the viscount had never grown accustomed to being denied. She wished fervently she was not so tempted to accept his offer. It would be a good experience for him to learn to hear the word no.

  With a small sigh, she realized that lesson would not be coming from her. The viscount was right, there was potential for her to find an alternate solution to her problems. And she was willing to admit, at least to herself, that she didn’t mind putting off returning to the servants’ quarters for a fortnight. She was about to concede to his request, but then her mind began scanning through all the complications.

  Jasper heard another soft sigh escape her lips as she parted them to speak. Thinking she was going to once more deny his request, he began to protest. Her raised hand stemmed the flow of his words. He realized he might not be able to get his way in this matter. Resigned, he waited to hear what she had to say.

  “My lord, I will admit to you that I would actually like to accept your offer or invitation or whatever you might like to call it. But there are too many problems to overcome, especially with both of our pockets to let. The gown I am currently wearing is the best I own. It will not do for a week at a country estate. And I certainly do not have the time to make enough clothes to be able to pull this off in a couple of days, besides needing to buy the cloth and such. There is also the matter of my maid. I could not possibly turn up without a lady’s maid to lend me countenance.”

  Daisy’s earnest expression changed to one of amusement as she observed the viscount’s impassive face. “My lord, that is a remarkable skill.” Her smile widened as his face broke into a grin.

  Jasper cleared his throat before he replied. He was beginning to enjoy the young woman’s company and was eage
r to get on with his plans.

  “Miss Daisy, have no fear. We shall find solutions to all these dilemmas. The matter of gowns is easy enough to solve. My sister left behind entire rooms full of gowns you could help yourself to, and I am quite certain you could open an account at any dress maker. We need not worry about the bill until after I have secured my funds.”

  A flush climbed up her neck, but she was unable to stop the hot colour from flooding her cheeks. “My lord, I cannot take your sister’s clothes,” she began, her embarrassment preventing her from objecting even more forcefully to the thought of the viscount buying her gowns.

  “Actresses require a wardrobe, Miss Daisy, would you not agree?” Jasper brushed the matter aside, moving on to the other issue she had raised. “Do you not know anyone who could possibly play the role of your maid? I had thought to say you could get away without one and just use a maid of my mother’s, but if we are to travel there together, you will, of course, require a maid.”

  Daisy brightened at his words, happy to see he had at least a semblance of a sense of propriety. “Thank you, my lord, I do believe I know of someone who might do the trick quite nicely.”

  “How quickly do you think you would be able to get everything ready?” the viscount asked, his intelligent gaze making Daisy inexplicably uncomfortable.

  “How soon do you wish to depart?” Daisy countered with a question of her own, holding back her hysteria with decided effort.

  Jasper reached out and took his companion’s cold, trembling hand into his own. He tried not to be moved by how tiny hers was when compared with his own. He had never considered himself to be a large man, but the young woman before him was little more than a waif. He found that so surprising. The force of her personality gave one the impression of a larger individual. Shaking his head to rid it of distraction, he hoped his smile was reassuring.

  “Are you nervous?” he asked as he chafed her hand in an effort to warm her. “You are not going to back out on me, are you?” he asked, feeling like a cad for forcing his scheme upon her and uncomfortable with the first pang of conscience he had felt in ages.