Loving Lord Egleton: A Regency Romance (Regency Matchmakers Book 3)

by Laura Beers

  “I’m not surprised,” Hannah replied, “but this is my life.”

  Marianne reached forward and placed her cup on the tray. “Have you recruited your sister to help?”

  “I have, and Kate has already selected potential suitors for me.”

  “I don’t like this,” Marianne said. “You can’t just line up suitors and hope to fall in love with one of them.”

  “We are matchmakers,” Hannah stated. “It is a tried-and-true formula.”

  “But your heart is already engaged—”

  Hannah spoke over her. “I must press forward, Marianne. I can’t continue to pine after someone who has no interest in me.”

  “I just worry about you.”

  “I assure you that I know what I am doing.”

  Marianne didn’t appear convinced by her words. “May I ask which gentlemen you are considering?”

  “Lord Blakely, Lord Charles Brooksbank, and Lord Groff,” Hannah listed off. “But I don’t think Lord Blakely and I would suit.”

  “Why?”

  “Because he is rather dull.”

  “The other two are interesting choices, as well,” Marianne muttered.

  “There is nothing wrong with them,” Hannah replied. “They are honorable gentlemen.”

  Marianne bobbed her head in agreement. “I would agree, and either one of them would make a good choice for you.”

  “But?”

  “They are too safe.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Falling in love should be a risk, and I don’t see it being so with those gentlemen.”

  Hannah took a sip of her tea in an attempt to delay her response. She wasn’t quite sure what to say on the matter. She had no desire to put her heart at risk, and she wanted something predictable. Something safe. But how could she make her friend understand that?

  Before she could speak up, Marianne asked, “I am being a terrible friend, am I not?”

  “No, you aren’t,” Hannah rushed to assure her.

  Marianne smiled at her. “I just want you to be happy, and I will support you in your decision to find a suitor.”

  “Thank you, Marianne.”

  “Besides, if your marriage fails, you could always run off to the circus with me,” Marianne joked.

  Hannah laughed. “But I don’t know any horse tricks.”

  “I am sure they could find a use for you somewhere.”

  “Perhaps. I am rather accomplished on the pianoforte.”

  Marianne leaned back in her seat. “I don’t think that is a skill they are looking for in the circus.”

  “That’s a shame.”

  Martin walked into Lady Bowers’ ballroom and eyed the crowded room. Men and women were lined up against the gold-papered walls, leaving the middle of the floor open for dancing, and musicians were playing in the corner.

  He was supposed to meet Kate and Hannah here so he could be introduced to Lady Emma Brooksbank, but he wasn’t having any luck finding them. He had no doubt they’d already arrived, but he couldn’t seem to locate them. As his eyes scanned the dance floor, he saw Hannah dancing with Lord Groff.

  She was dressed in a lovely pale pink gown with her hair piled on top of her head. She was truly a vision of perfection. He watched as she smiled at Lord Groff when they came together, her whole face lighting up. Martin found himself growing increasingly tense at her blatant display of affection. Did she not know what affect her smile had on men?

  A familiar voice came from next to him. “May I ask which lady you are eyeing with interest?” Lord Charles Brooksbank asked.

  “None of them,” he said.

  “Is that so?”

  Martin turned to face his friend. “If you must know, I was watching Miss Blackmore dancing with Lord Groff.”

  “May I ask why?” Lord Charles asked curiously.

  “She is like family,” he replied, “and I wanted to ensure that Lord Groff is behaving himself.”

  Lord Charles bobbed his head. “I have heard a rumor that she is interested in being courted this Season.”

  “Is that so?” Martin said, feigning disinterest.

  “I am hoping she will consider me,” Lord Charles said.

  “Why is that?”

  Lord Charles gave him a blank stare. “Because Miss Blackmore is the most beautiful young woman in the room.”

  “She is so much more than just beautiful.”

  “I have no doubt of that,” Lord Charles agreed. “I have been admiring her since last Season, when she made her debut.”

  “Why didn’t you attempt to court her then?”

  Lord Charles shifted his gaze towards the dance floor. “I’m not entirely sure why, but something was holding me back.” He paused. “However, I can’t help but notice that she seems different now.”

  “Meaning?”

  “She doesn’t appear as guarded,” he replied.

  Martin turned his attention back towards Hannah and watched as she ended the dance with a curtsy to her partner. “I’m afraid I don’t see it,” he said as she accepted Lord Groff’s arm.

  “Perhaps I am just imagining it,” Lord Charles remarked.

  “Shall we go speak to Miss Blackmore?”

  A broad smile came to Lord Charles’s face. “I think that is a grand idea.”

  They navigated through the crowd as Lord Groff led Hannah off the dance floor and escorted her to Kate and Edward, who stood in the rear of the room.

  Martin turned towards Lord Charles. “I should warn you that Miss Blackmore is rather reserved until she gets to know you.”

  “Is that so?”

  “It is, so please be patient with her.”

  Martin came to a stop next to Edward and greeted Hannah. “You are looking especially lovely this evening, Miss Blackmore.”

  Rather than offer him her usual shy smile, she met his gaze unflinchingly and replied, “Thank you, Lord Egleton.”

  He gestured towards Lord Charles. “Have you been introduced to Lord Charles Brooksbank?”

  “I have,” she replied, “but it was so long ago.”

  Lord Charles cleared his throat. “It was,” he replied in a hoarse tone. “I must echo Lord Egleton’s sentiments. You are looking positively enchanting this evening.”

  A small blush came to Hannah’s cheeks. “That is kind of you to say, milord.”

  What in the blazes? Why did it irk him that she responded to Lord Charles in such a fashion?

  “Do you have a dance partner for this next set?” Martin asked.

  “I do not,” Hannah replied.

  He opened his mouth to ask her to dance when Lord Charles spoke first. “If that is the case, may I have this dance?” he asked, holding out his gloved hand.

  Hannah gave Martin a curious look before she slipped her hand into Lord Charles’s. “I would be honored.”

  Martin frowned as he watched Lord Charles escort Hannah towards the dance floor. For some reason, he had been looking forward to dancing with Hannah, and now he would have to wait until the next set.

  Kate’s voice broke through his musings. “Are you interested in meeting Lady Emma Brooksbank now?” she asked.

  “I suppose I am.”

  “You aren’t sure?” Kate asked.

  Martin shook his head. “No, I am ready,” he said.

  “I am relieved to hear that, because you only have a month to secure a match.”

  “I am well aware.”

  Kate gave him an encouraging smile. “Follow me, then,” she said, walking a short distance towards a young, blonde woman with a thin face, which enhanced her wide eyes. A matronly woman draped in pearls with grey hair stood beside her.

  As he came to stand next to Kate, he heard her greet them politely before saying, “May I introduce Lady Bideford and her daughter, Lady Emma?”

  He bowed. “It is a pleasure to meet both of you.”

  Lady Bideford spoke up. “I understand that you are friends with my son, Charles.”

  “I am indeed,�
� he replied. “We studied at Oxford together.”

  “I was saddened to hear about the passing of your grandfather,” Lady Bideford said solemnly. “He was a good man.”

  “He will be dearly missed.”

  Lady Bideford nodded, then turned towards her daughter. “I should note that my daughter is an excellent dancer,” she remarked.

  Lady Emma’s eyes grew wide at her mother’s blatant words before she lowered her gaze to the floor.

  Deciding to take pity on her, Martin extended his hand. “If that is the case, I would be a fool not to ask you to dance.”

  She brought her gaze up, looking relieved. “Thank you, Lord Egleton.”

  As he led her to the dance floor, he teased, “I must admit that I have high expectations for this dance.”

  “I’m afraid my mother may have overexaggerated my dancing abilities,” Lady Emma remarked.

  “Is that so?”

  Lady Emma nodded. “My dancing master considered me to be completely incompetent at best.”

  “Surely you can’t be that bad?”

  “Those were his words, not mine,” Lady Emma replied with a playful smile.

  Martin found himself returning her smile. “Well, you are in luck, because I happen to be a proficient dancer.”

  “I do hope I don’t step on your toes.”

  “If you do, it won’t be the first time it has happened, and I doubt it will be the last.”

  “It might be best if you save your judgement until after our dance has concluded,” Lady Emma bantered back.

  Martin led her to where she was to line up and dropped his arm. As he went to line up with the other gentlemen, he saw Hannah further down the line. She offered him a private smile before she turned her attention back towards Lord Charles.

  The music started up and they began the quadrille. Every time he came together with Lady Emma, she had a look of deep concentration on her face and he noticed her lips moving. He worked hard to keep from grinning, since he didn’t want to draw any unwanted attention towards his dance partner.

  As the music came to a close, Lady Emma looked at him, relief etched on her face. He approached her and offered his arm.

  “Well done,” he praised as he led her off the dance floor.

  Lady Emma let out a small laugh. “I’m relieved that I didn’t step on your toes.”

  “I saw your lips moving during the dance,” he said. “May I ask what you were doing?”

  “I was counting my steps.”

  “You were?”

  She offered him a sheepish smile. “You must think me terribly silly to do so.”

  “Not at all,” he replied. “I found that I greatly enjoyed the dance.”

  “I must admit that I am pleased my mother forced this dance upon you,” Lady Emma said.

  “She did not force me to dance with you.”

  Lady Emma arched an eyebrow. “There is no need to lie, my lord, especially since subtlety is not one of her virtues.”

  “No, it is not,” he agreed.

  He approached Lady Bideford and tipped his head. “Thank you for allowing me to dance with your lovely daughter.”

  Lady Bideford smiled approvingly at him. “You are most welcome.”

  He shifted his gaze back to Lady Emma. “If you are not opposed, I would like to call upon you tomorrow.”

  A smile came to Lady Emma’s face. “I would greatly enjoy that.”

  “Wonderful,” he said as he dropped his arm.

  Martin bowed and offered his goodbyes. He turned around and walked back towards Kate and Edward.

  Kate looked expectant, albeit slightly smug. “I take it the dance went well,” she prodded.

  “It wasn’t terrible,” he replied.

  Edward chuckled. “Shall we call off the search for a bride and post the banns?”

  “Not yet,” he replied. “Although, I did ask to call upon her tomorrow.”

  Kate clasped her hands together. “I knew you and Lady Emma would suit brilliantly.”

  Martin glanced curiously at them. “Has Lord Charles not returned Hannah yet?”

  “I gave them leave to step out onto the veranda together,” Edward informed him.

  Martin’s brows shot up. “You allowed them to go outside, unescorted?” he asked in disbelief.

  Edward looked amused as he pointed towards the open doors. Just on the other side, stood Hannah and Lord Charles, in clear view and a proper distance apart. Other couples were milling about, not giving them any heed.

  “There is no reason to worry,” Kate assured him. “Hannah wouldn’t dare put her reputation at risk by being alone with a gentleman.”

  “It is not Hannah I am worried about.”

  Edward smirked. “It is evident that Lord Charles is smitten with Hannah,” he said. “He has had the same obnoxious grin on his face since they stepped outside.”

  “Lovely,” Martin muttered.

  “If you are so concerned about Hannah, you are more than welcome to go chaperone them,” Kate suggested.

  He nodded. “I believe I shall.”

  6

  Hannah found Lord Charles to be quite agreeable. She had enjoyed her dance with him and was pleased when he asked her to step out onto the veranda with him. He was just the type of person she had considered fitting as a suitor. Not only was he courteous, but he had a reputation for being an honorable gentleman.

  A boyish grin had been on his lips since they’d stepped outside, and she found it oddly charming. He was a handsome man with his straight-edged nose and wide jaw. His blond hair was slightly longer than fashionable, but she found that she preferred it on him.

  The silence between them threatened to grow awkward, so she asked, “Will you tell me about yourself, Lord Charles?”

  “I am the younger brother of the Marquess of Bideford, and I inherited an estate from my grandmother,” he said. “It produces an adequate income to provide for me,” he hesitated, “and, one day, for my wife, as well.”

  “I see.”

  Lord Charles put up his hand. “Not that I have selected a bride for myself,” he rushed to add. “It will be a decision that I take most seriously, but when I do, I can provide nicely for her. I assure you of that.”

  “I am pleased to hear that.”

  “Not that a woman would only be interested in marrying me because of my income or familial connections,” he rattled on.

  “No?” she asked, amused.

  “I have many qualities that ladies find enticing.”

  “Such as?” Hannah attempted to keep the smile off her face. His ramblings were quite charming.

  “I can box,” he declared, “and I am quite knowledgeable about a wide range of topics, including antiquities.”

  “Antiquities?”

  “I own a percentage of a company that buys and sells antiquities from all over the world,” he revealed.

  “That sounds fascinating.”

  “It is,” he said with a bob of his head. “We recently acquired a Gutenberg Bible. It dates back to the 1450s when it was first printed by Johannes Gutenberg. The historical significance of this book is just profound.”

  “I have no doubt that it would be a prize in anyone’s collection.”

  “I am also a member of the Society of Antiquaries,” he shared. “It is for gentlemen who have a passion for relics of the past, and I assure you that the interest is vast.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Yes, in fact, I have written articles for many publications, including the morning newspapers.”

  “That is an impressive feat.”

  “It is a shame that you haven’t read them, since you are a woman and probably don’t read the morning newspapers.” He frowned. “Do you?”

  “I do not.”

  Lord Charles glanced at the open door, then said, “I would prefer it if we could start over and just pretend that this conversation never happened.”

  Hannah gave him a reassuring smile. “There is no need,” she
replied. “I find your frankness refreshing.”

  “You do?”

  “I do.”

  He gave her a timid smile. “I must admit that I find myself rather nervous around you, and I can’t help but ramble on.”

  “Why is that?”

  “You are generally surrounded by admirers,” he said, then admitted, “I haven’t had the courage to approach you since our introduction.”

  “I wish you would have,” she replied. “You were an impressive dance partner.”

  He chuckled. “I wish my sister, Emma, could hear you say that.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “My mother insists that I dance with her at home, because she is a terrible dancer,” he said, lowering his voice.

  “Surely you jest.”

  He shook his head. “I do not exaggerate,” he replied. “Are you acquainted with Emma?”

  “I am,” she responded. “I have met her on a few occasions, and I have found her to be quite pleasant.”

  “I’m afraid she is rather eager to marry this Season.” As soon as the words left his mouth, Lord Charles’s eyes grew wide. “I should have never said anything to you.”

  “Why is that?”

  “Because you are a matchmaker,” he said.

  “I am, but I assure you that your secret is safe with me.”

  He let out a sigh of relief. “Can we start over?”

  She laughed and brought her hand up to her mouth. “Again?”

  “Perhaps I should ask about you,” he said. “It would be much simpler.”

  “What do you wish to know?”

  “Let’s start off with an easy question.” He paused. “What is your favorite dessert?”

  She pressed her lips together as she pondered his question thoughtfully. “That is a tough one, because I have yet to find a dessert that I don’t like.”

  “I see that you and I are similar in that regard.”

  “I am happy to hear that.”

  “Perhaps, if you have no objections, I could call upon you tomorrow,” he said. She wasn’t quite sure, but it almost appeared as if he was holding his breath in anticipation of her response.

  She smiled. “I would like that.”

  “Truly?” he asked, taking a small step closer to her.

  Almost immediately, the sound of someone loudly clearing his throat could be heard over the noise in the ballroom. Hannah shifted her gaze and saw Martin leaning against the door frame, a stern look on his face.