“Your compliments quite take my breath away, dear cousin.”
He smiled sheepishly. “Well, I am more accustomed to seeing you astride a horse, with your face smudged and your hair hanging in your eyes. It is difficult to see you as a fine lady.”
“Do not worry. I shall soon enough be back to my hoydenish ways,” she reassured him, the light in her eyes dulled. “At least I hope so. So far my journey has been nothing more than a shocking waste of time.”
Instantly sympathetic, Claude reached out a hand to lightly pat her forearm. “You must be patient, Roma. You can not hope—”
“Ah … Welford, isn’t it? So good to meet up with you again.”
Completely absorbed in their conversation, Claude and Roma gave a small start of surprise at the drawling voice interrupting their privacy. Strangely Roma felt a trickle of alarm inch down her spine as she reluctantly turned to regard the two men who were standing directly behind her.
A sharp stab of dismay held her spellbound as she abruptly realized her instinctive recognition of the smoky voice. It was a voice she had heard far too often in her dreams. A voice that she had fiercely prayed she would never hear again. Now it was only with the most considerable effort that she forced herself to meet the mocking blue gaze of her rescuer.
Beside her, she felt Claude stiffen as well, but his next words proved that he failed to recognize the men who had shared their desperate flight for survival.
“Ah, Lord Carlton, this is a surprise. I thought you gave this sort of affair a wide berth.”
Lord Carlton? Roma lifted her brows in silent surprise, recovering her shaken composure enough to notice the elegant knee breeches, the shimmering pale blue waistcoat and exquisitely molded coat. Every inch the refined gentleman, she acknowledged, remembering him in the muddy farmer’s garments he had chosen for their first encounter. Of course, even when he was unshaven and in rough clothing, she had never taken him for anything but a gentleman. His completely natural air of command and the hint of arrogance etched in his handsome features had easily given him away. But … Lord Carlton? Rake, Corinthian, darling of society? It seemed preposterous.
As if he sensed her disbelief, a raven brow slowly rose, his finely molded lips quirking into a disturbing smile.
“I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of making the young lady’s acquaintance, Welford.”
Completely rattled at being treated in such an intimate manner by the esteemed lord, Claude gave a nervous laugh.
“So sorry … My cousin, Miss Roma Allendyle. She is staying with my mother for the Season. Roma, may I present Lord Carlton and Mr. Howe?”
During the introduction, Roma took the opportunity to swiftly glance at the man standing next to Lord Carlton, instinctively sensing that the young, pleasant-faced fellow with the thatch of brown hair had also been on the beach that fateful night. She was certain, however, that he had no notion she had been involved. His glance was openly admiring, rather than filled with suspicion of a woman who would behave in such a reprehensible manner.
“Miss Allendyle, may I have the pleasure of the next dance?”
Unwillingly she returned her attention to the ravenhaired man who seemed to tower unnervingly over her slight frame.
“Unfortunately I am recovering from a chill, Lord Carlton,” she reeled off her well-practiced excuse. “My constitution is limited to merely watching the dancers.”
Normally she added a charming smile to take any sting from her refusal, but battling her acute embarrassment and the unexplainable antagonism she had felt the moment she had met his cynical gaze, Roma found herself unable to do more than send him a stubborn glare.
The wicked amusement in the startlingly blue eyes only deepened. “How distressing, Miss Allendyle. We must ensure that you do not overly tire yourself and chance a relapse. Perhaps, Jack, you should go with Welford to procure some lemonade while I find a comfortable seat.”
Caught off guard by his smooth manipulations, Roma could only blink in surprise. But clearly accustomed to his cousin’s swift commands, Mr. Howe instantly rushed to assist.
“What? Oh, certainly, lemonade is most refreshing.”
Grasping Claude’s arm, he easily led the bemused man away, and Roma found herself abandoned to Lord Carlton’s unwelcome company. Frowning, she turned to meet his narrowed gaze.
“That was completely unnecessary, my lord. I have no wish for lemonade, nor do I wish to sit down.”
Her frosty tone had no effect on the man gazing at her with unnerving intensity, except perhaps to widen his sardonic smile.
“You must think of your health, Miss Allendyle. I remember how swiftly you can be overcome with fainting spells.”
His tone was taunting, and Roma blushed as she realized he was referring to her behavior in the barn. Clearly it had rankled his pride to be outmaneuvered by a mere woman.
“I feel perfectly well, thank you.”
“And I think you look a bit pale. Come along, like a good girl. You wouldn’t want to create scene.”
She opened her mouth to inform him that she couldn’t care less, only to snap her lips closed when she noted the devilish glint in his eyes. No doubt his exalted position in Society would allow him to step well beyond the line of propriety with no more than a few raised brows, while she would be held up to condemning disgrace. A prospect that held little weight with her personal feelings, but at the moment she knew that she must think of her aunt and cousin. She couldn’t deliberately harm them even if it meant succumbing to this odious man’s manipulations.
“Very well, Lord Carlton,” she gritted out lowly. “Since you are so insistent, I have little choice but to accept your kind offer.”
He gave a low chuckle, reaching out to clasp her arm and draw her toward a small alcove that sported a loveseat and enough potted plants to ensure a discreet amount of privacy.
“Must you be so formal, Miss Allendyle?” he murmured, carefully placing her on the sofa before lowering his own disturbingly solid frame next to hers. “It is not as if we are complete strangers. In fact, I feel we are the most … intimate of acquaintances.”
Thoroughly flustered, not only by Lord Carlton’s deliberate taunts, but by the proximity of his very masculine form, Roma was hard pressed to meet his probing gaze with a steady composure.
“I had sincerely hoped you would be gentlemanly enough not to mention that unfortunate encounter, Lord Carlton.”
“Oh? Is it a secret then?”
“Of course it is. No one but Claude knows I was there that evening.”
“And me, of course,” he reminded in a low tone.
“I assume that you are deliberately attempting to embarrass me?”
“Not at all,” he retorted smoothly, quite unaffected by her icy demeanor. “I am simply delighted at the opportunity to become better acquainted. After you so rudely disappeared from the barn, I had resigned myself to the idea that I might never see you again.”
“I am sure you must have been devastated,” she retorted dryly. “As I recall, you considered me scandalously out of control and in need of more rigid supervision.”
“Ah yes.” His low laugh sent an odd flutter down the length of her spine. “At the time I was horrified at the thought you had placed yourself in such a dangerous position.” The vivid blue gaze abruptly lowered to her unfashionably high neckline. “How is your shoulder?”
The gold flecks in her eyes were dangerously pronounced. “Healing.”
“Good. Such delicate skin should not be so mistreated. You can not imagine how I longed to kiss it better.”
She gave a small gasp. “Lord Carlton …”
“Giles.”
“Lord Carlton,” she repeated firmly, ignoring the way he managed to make her feel that he had actually stroked her shivering skin. “I refuse to proceed with this ridiculous conversation. If you have nothing more interesting to discuss, then I suggest we sit here in silence.”
“Indeed? And what conversation woul
d be more to your taste, dear Miss Allendyle? Lord Byron’s latest poem? Turner’s exhibition at the Royal Academy? Perhaps you prefer the more tantalizing rumors of Prinny’s disfavor of Brummell?”
“I prefer the latest trend in tilling land, my lord, but I possess little hope you could supply such practical information. Like most London gentlemen, you are no doubt more intrigued with the cut of your coat and the sheen of your Hessians.”
The prim words were specifically designed to strike at the arrogant man’s pride, but rather than the anger she had expected, Lord Carlton merely tipped back his dark head to laugh with rich enjoyment.
“Well said, Miss Allendyle. I am relieved to discover your current transformation hasn’t dulled your spirit.” The blue eyes narrowed. “You know, I have thought of you quite often since our last encounter. You are a most fascinating young woman.”
Roma had always taken great pride in her lack of feminine silliness. Unlike many of her contemporaries, she had never found pleasure in meaningless flattery or light flirtations. She had, in fact, found most men she encountered tedious, with their rigid expectations of how a young woman should conduct herself and of what mundane matters should occupy her mind.
In time she had considered herself thoroughly immune to masculine charm, but suddenly confronted by Lord Carlton’s persistent attention, she discovered herself succumbing to an unfamiliar sense of flustered unease.
“I can not imagine why,” she muttered, furiously wondering why it was taking Claude so long to return. Anyone would think he’d had to make the lemonade himself.
Lord Carlton studied her tense expression with languid ease. “Because I am curious about you, Miss Allendyle. You must admit that you are a most unusual young lady.”
“Not at all,” she instantly argued. “I am simply a mundane addition to this year’s selection of debutantes. If you were to circulate you would discover far more interesting women ready to entertain you with their superior wit and charm.”
“Ah, but I do not wish to be entertained by a bevy of insipid young debutantes,” he countered smoothly. “You will soon learn, Miss Allendyle, that I have little patience for these types of affairs. Debutantes, managing mamas, and dowagers breathing fire in the corner are not my idea of a delightful evening.”
She gave a sudden, triumphant smile as she rose swiftly to her feet.
“Why, Lord Carlton, you should have spoken sooner,” she cried, her tone dangerously innocent. “I would never dream of keeping you here when it is so obvious you wish to take your leave.”
“Not so quickly, Miss Allendyle.” He rose to join her, his eyes sparkling with appreciation at her swift attack.
“But why? I should think you would wish to move on to the type of affair you find more to your taste.”
“I was about to add that while I might find this gathering sadly flat, I am deeply relieved that Jack insisted we attend. Who knows how long you might have been in London without my being aware of your presence.”
“Yes … What a stroke of luck.” Her tone was singularly unenthusiastic.
He chuckled. “I fear you do not share my pleasure.”
“I have little interest in Society, my lord, and unfortunately I make a tedious companion. You would be far better served to seek a more amiable partner.”
“I am most qualified to determine which partner I prefer to seek, Miss Allendyle.” He stepped closer, his gaze narrowing as he caught sight of Claude determinedly making his way through the crowd despite Mr. Howe’s best attempt to distract his attention.
“We cannot converse here. I will call for you tomorrow afternoon, and we will go for a ride.”
Her eyes widened at his authoritative tone. “I am quite sure I will be far too busy, Lord Carlton.”
“I suggest you make time, Miss Allendyle.” His indulgent humor remained intact, but there was no mistaking the edge of warning in his voice. “I fully intend to discover your reasons for being at that cove. I can do so in the relative privacy of my curricle, or in the presence of your family. Whichever you prefer.”
“Is that a threat, my lord?”
“Most assuredly, Miss Allendyle.”
Roma frowned in disbelief. She had attributed Lord Carlton’s momentary interest in her to a means of enlivening a dull evening. Clearly he found her discomfort amusing. But she had never expected him to carry the joke to such extremes.
“Really, Lord Carlton, I think it is best if—”
“Ah, your escort has returned,” Lord Carlton interrupted her as Claude and Mr. Howe joined them. Then, before Roma could guess his intention, he reached out to capture her hand and draw it to his mouth for a brief, but utterly unnerving kiss. For a moment her startled gaze was held by the mesmerizing blue of his eyes; then before she could even begin to protest, he was stepping back to nod distantly at the puzzled Claude. “Welford, a pleasure to see you. Shall we move on, Jack?”
With exquisite grace, Lord Carlton moved away, the crowd melting aside as he made his unhurried exit. Roma watched his departure in a haze of confusing emotions, not the least of which was the odd tingling across the back of her hand.
Claude, however, was unaffected by the strange spell that held Roma motionless, and he abruptly turned to eye her with baffled expectation.
“What the devil was that about?”
With a tiny shake, Roma forced herself to thrust aside her ridiculous sense of unreality. At the moment she didn’t want to consider the disturbing encounter. Instead, she reached for the lemonade Claude still held in his hands.
“Do not inquire, Claude. Please, just do not inquire.”
Three
Lord Carlton soon discovered that Claude Welford was not the only one who had noted his unusual interest in a young woman clearly in London for the Marriage Mart.
Only moments before he was preparing to leave for his appointment with Miss Allendyle, Jack Howe was shown into the long library, his face set into lines of open curiosity.
“Well, Giles, I hope you are aware you have the entire town chattering,” he said, his gaze swiftly running over his cousin’s elegant attire. As always Giles’s tall, muscular frame managed to fill his superfine coat to perfection, and the black Hessians gleamed with a superior gloss. Even at his most casual he managed to cast others in the shade. “There are some saying that Lady Welford has somehow conduced you into making her niece the Toast of the Season.”
With a lazy smile, Giles leaned against his massive walnut desk. “Considering that I have barely spoken a dozen words to Lady Welford, I would think that a remarkable task.”
“My thoughts precisely,” Jack retorted, moving to make himself comfortable in a wide leather chair. “So why don’t you tell me the real reason you secluded yourself with Miss Allendyle for nearly a quarter of an hour?”
At two and thirty, Giles was five years older than his cousin, but that hadn’t prevented them from forming a close friendship. Jack Howe was in fact one of the very few people who knew the man behind the elusive social charm, and the only one who was aware of Giles’s secret connection to the government. But, for once, Giles felt no urge to confide his inner thoughts. The surprised delight he had felt upon seeing Roma Allendyle was something he planned to keep well hidden.
“My dear Jack, if you recall I was firmly against attending the affair in the first place,” he drawled. “Who can blame me for attempting to relieve the boredom by chatting with a beautiful young lady?”
Jack frowned, clearly dissatisfied with the flippant response. “Certainly the Allendyle chit is attractive, but hardly your style, Giles.”
Giles arched his brows in a lofty motion. “And what would you know of my … style?”
“I know enough to realize you normally give ambitious young debutantes a cold shoulder indeed,” Jack retorted, his tone suspicious. “So why did you want me to drag poor Welford away so that you could be alone with the girl?”
“That is a question no gentleman should ask.”
Jack
gave an inelegant snort at his cousin’s haughty tone. “Do not attempt to gammon me, Giles. You are up to something, and I think it is excessively unsporting of you not to include me.”
Giles couldn’t prevent a wry smile. It was obvious that Jack did not believe for a moment he could be interested in an innocent young woman, no matter how attractive she might be. And he couldn’t honestly blame him for his disbelief. He had long shown a preference for the more experienced courtesans. Their beauty and pleasure could be easily acquired and just as easily dismissed, leaving his life uncomplicated. Besides, the price of a few jewels or even of maintaining a separate establishment was much easier to bear than the price young debutantes demanded.
And yet, for all his worldly sophistication, Giles couldn’t dismiss the knowledge that he had spent an inordinate amount of time wondering about the red-haired, hazeleyed woman who had so annoyingly vanished into thin air. With great reluctance he had forced himself to concede he might never know her reasons for being at the cove, or why she had so rudely disappeared. That didn’t, however, keep him from recalling her slender frame and bewitching eyes.
With an inward grin he recalled his surprise at sighting her vivid hair across the crowded room last evening. There had been no doubt it was his mystery woman, despite her transformation from grubby schoolboy to elegant woman of fashion. A completely unexpected flare of excitement had burned away his normal sense of ennui, and perhaps even more surprising was the realization that the brief, highly entertaining encounter had only served to increase his interest in the spirited chit.
Lord Carlton’s Courtship Page 3
