Harlequin Historical July 2021--Box Set 1 of 2

by Virginia Heath

  Her eyes dancing, Miss Cranmore gave Crispin a wink, to which he returned a weak smile, beyond relieved that she seemed amused rather than offended by his sister’s unvarnished remarks. ‘I understand perfectly. It is annoying to be assessed like goods in the marketplace. If it weren’t for the promise I made my dear father, I would have abandoned society after the first event.’

  His sister stared, her eyes widening in surprise. ‘Your father is a dear? Truly?’ She shook her head. ‘I can’t imagine. Mine is an ogre.’

  ‘Maggie,’ Crispin warned again.

  ‘You know you think so too, Crispin, though you might be too polite to say it,’ Lady Margaret retorted. ‘My elder brother has more reason than any of us to think that. My older sister married as soon as possible and our younger brother escaped to India, but since Dellamont must one day take over from Papa, he receives the brunt of his abuse. Especially since he tries to intercede for Mama. And Heaven forbid he should express any ideas of his own! I’m going to escape when I wed next Season, but as the heir, he’s trapped. I intend to marry a rich man and have a handsome allowance, so I may buy whatever I like. Papa is such a miser!’

  ‘You might want to look for a gentleman who is kind, too. Marriage lasts a long time. Too long to wed someone who’s disagreeable.’

  ‘Well, if I beguile a rich older man, I might not have to tolerate him for too long. Then I can be a wealthy widow and do what I like.’

  Crispin shook his head, resigned. ‘My sister is incorrigible, as you see.’

  ‘I am sorry to hear your family is so...contentious. I’ve been very lucky. There are only three of us now since my brother died and we get along so harmoniously. Mama and Papa have very different interests, but they have always had a great tenderness and care for each other. And my grandfather, too.’

  Lady Margaret shook her head wonderingly. ‘I can’t imagine what that would be like. I’ve known only Papa shouting, Mama crying, everyone upset and servants scattering out of the way. Did your grandfather really work in a coal mine?’

  ‘He did.’

  ‘He was a clever lad, though,’ Crispin said, ‘who invented machinery that made moving coal easier. His talent got him promoted to foreman, then manager. He developed and patented other machinery, earning enough to become independent. He then applied the mechanical principles he’d perfected in mining to other industries, improving their efficiency and profitability. Making a fortune and getting himself knighted in the process.’ At Miss Cranmore’s look of surprise, he added, ‘I knew of your father’s reputation, but little about your grandfather. So I made some enquiries. He’s quite an impressive individual. Beginning from nothing, he used his wit, ingenuity and drive to become a towering figure in his field.’

  Looking gratified, she said, ‘As you’ve become knowledgeable in your field of investments?’

  ‘You mean railways?’ Lady Margaret asked. ‘Papa is always criticising his investments, but I think it’s wonderful that he’s found a way to become independent. At least, as independent as he can be, shackled to the estate as he is. At least he has an income that allows him to escape the house. Whereas I cannot get away until I marry. But I’ll not allow myself to be bullied by my husband, like Papa bullies Mama. I shall stand up for myself!’

  ‘I sincerely hope you marry a man who will treasure your uniqueness and seek to make you happy,’ Miss Cranmore said with feeling.

  ‘She’s going to lead that hapless husband a merry dance, that’s for sure,’ Crispin said wryly.

  Whipping her gaze back to Marcella, Lady Margaret said, ‘Well I think you’re perfect for Crispin.’

  Once again, Crispin felt his face heat. ‘Do you never tire of saying things you shouldn’t, brat?’

  ‘I like you, Miss Cranmore. The other young ladies I’ve met paying calls with Mama seem so spineless and simpering, trying to ingratiate themselves with the dragons no matter how unpleasantly they are treated by them. And the girls who are already out, especially the beauties, are so condescending. I’d much rather have Crispin marry someone who’s kind and honest, like you, instead of a younger version of the dowagers who love to lord it over everyone. You know he can be quite nice once you get to know him.’

  Miss Cranmore chuckled. ‘We’ve only just become acquainted, so it’s too early to tell. But I do hope we will be good friends.’

  ‘Enough questioning, brat. Let’s let Miss Cranmore continue her ride without further inquisition.’

  ‘Very well, no more talk of marriage. Do you ride often, Miss Cranmore?’

  ‘Every morning, unless the weather is bad.’ She smiled. ‘I have to gird myself to suffer the dragons, too. And I enjoy riding. My grandfather loves horses, and I often ride with my father when he goes to inspect works in progress.’

  ‘Your father takes you riding with him?’ Lady Margaret said. ‘I can’t imagine accompanying Papa anywhere, not that he’d ask for me. He thinks female children are an annoyance, a burden to be married off who take with them dowries that drain the assets of the estate. Sometimes I think if I walked by him on the street, he’d probably not even recognise me.’

  ‘Surely not!’ Miss Cranmore protested.

  ‘I’m just as happy to keep my distance. I won’t defer to him as Mama does, and he does hate to be crossed, so it’s probably best that I seldom encounter him.’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Miss Cranmore said softly, sadness in her eyes. ‘Family should be a safe harbour from the world, where one is sheltered and protected. Not a place of contention.’

  ‘Well, ours is the latter. If I see you again in the park, can we ride together? I know I’m an inquisitive brat, but I do like you.’

  ‘Only if your family approves. I... I wouldn’t wish to make trouble for you. I’m not sure either your father or your mother would consider me an acceptable acquaintance for an earl’s unmarried daughter.’

  Lady Margaret gave a peal of laughter. ‘How could they object, when Papa is pushing Dellamont to marry you?’

  ‘Society’s standards for gentlemen and ladies are quite different,’ Miss Cranmore said drily.

  ‘When I first heard what Papa intended, I thought Crispin ought to refuse to marry you just on principle. Now that I’ve met you, though, I think it would be a capital idea. Even though I’d hate for Papa to think he’d got his way.’

  ‘I’m afraid I must be getting home. I want to have some time with my mother before I must go to Lady Arlsley’s.’

  ‘Are you not staying with Lady Arlsley?’ Crispin asked in surprise.

  ‘She did offer, but she was really no more eager to have me as her house guest than I was to become one. By staying home, at least I have mornings with Mama and can sometimes sneak away to Papa’s office for a visit. I do sympathise about those society beldames, Lady Margaret. We are going to call on more of them today ourselves.’ She shook her head. ‘I can’t wait for this to be over!’

  ‘Do you mean—you didn’t want a Season?’ Lady Margaret asked.

  ‘Not a bit! I don’t want to marry yet, so it serves little purpose. I only agreed because my family was eager for me to give it a try. Mama thought it would be glamorous and exciting, attending glittering balls filled with fashionable, beautifully dressed people.’ She sighed. ‘I’d rather ride with Papa to inspect his projects.’

  ‘But what will you do if you don’t marry this Season?’

  ‘Continue to work with my father. He builds bridges and railways. It’s fascinating.’

  Lady Margaret shook her head wonderingly. ‘Bridges and railways? You really are unusual! I hope we can ride together again. Do say we can, Crispin!’

  ‘After all your shockingly inquisitive questions, scamp, I should think Miss Cranmore would rather gallop in the opposite direction if she sees you coming.’

  For once, his sister seemed abashed. Her face colouring, she said, ‘I do apologise if I�
�ve been too vulgarly intrusive. But I think it’s better to know more about the world than be ignorant. No one tells unmarried girls anything!’

  ‘Too true. And contrary to what your brother says, if we meet again, I’d be happy to ride together if it is deemed acceptable. But now I must go. It was good to see you, Lord Dellamont, and delightful to meet you, Lady Margaret.’

  ‘Delightful to meet you, too!’ his sister echoed.

  With a nod, Miss Cranmore gave her horse the office to start, the groom resuming his place behind her as she trotted towards the gates of the park.

  Crispin watched them ride off with a jumble of conflicting emotions, foremost among them annoyance at his sister. ‘I ought to take my whip to you, brat.’

  ‘I don’t see why. You should know by now that I say what I think—when I can get away with it. Besides, I don’t think Miss Cranmore minded.’ Lady Margaret laughed. ‘How differently one of those insufferable society misses would have acted, had she been the one you’d introduced me to! Probably would have ignored me completely while she made eyes at the future Earl.’

  ‘Probably,’ he admitted, his opinion of unmarried society girls mirroring his sister’s.

  ‘I do like Miss Cranmore. And I hope you convince her to marry you. She seems to really care that one is...happy, not just established.’

  Married...and happy? He’d never considered the two could go together, at least not for very long.

  ‘Well, as she said, we’ve only recently met. Now, if you really want to gallop rather than just chat, we should do so immediately.’ Pointing towards the saddle path, on which several riders appeared in the distance, he continued, ‘The trail is already becoming more crowded.’

  ‘Let’s gallop. Race you to the far turn?’

  ‘Off you go!’

  As Crispin gave his horse its head and set off after his sister, he had to marvel at the exceptional conversation she had provoked.

  He was relieved Lady Margaret hadn’t offended Miss Cranmore. Had the positions been reversed, and a girl from the merchant class so freely expressed her opinions to anyone save a rebel like his sister, disapproval would have been instantaneous and severe. Miss Cranmore had borne his sister’s sometimes embarrassing enquiries with good-humoured equanimity.

  A recurring embarrassment heated his face when he recalled how his sister had baldly implied they should marry. And he’d felt a mix of surprise and scepticism at the view of family and marriage Miss Cranmore had expressed.

  Home as a safe refuge from the world?

  Urging his sister to consider marriage only to a man who would treasure her uniqueness and want to make her happy?

  Was that what she expected for her own marriage, once she decided she could put it off no longer? Or had she only expressed that rosy view to encourage Maggie? Perhaps she hoped marrying her childhood hero engineer would guarantee her happiness. He only hoped she didn’t end up being disappointed.

  His sister’s frankness reminded him of his unusually candid conversation with Miss Cranmore in Bristol. In fact, it reminded him of all their conversations. She hadn’t always been that candid, but she was unfailingly honest. And she’d never attempted, as his sister agreed most unmarried females would, to cast out lures or ingratiate herself in his eyes.

  Though she was highly alluring. Desire returned in a rush as he remembered halting beside her in Lady Arlsley’s garden as she gazed up at him admiringly.

  He’d been oh-so-tempted to kiss her. He’d been certain she would have welcomed his kiss. Would she have responded as well, urging him to tighten their embrace?

  Feeling the wash of heat that prospect evoked, he warned himself that he would need to stay more on guard against the response she so easily aroused in him. Keep his distance and keep their interactions merely friendly. She might not be a lady born, but were he to let lust lead him into doing something compromising, his honour would demand he repair the lapse with the same remedy he would offer if she were in fact a Lady of Quality.

  And though the view of marriage put forth by Marcella Cranmore might be more appealing than anything he’d ever envisaged, he had no desire to be forced into testing that unlikely vision for himself.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Towards the end of following evening, Crispin entered the ballroom where one of his mother’s friends, Lady Richardson, was holding a rout. A note received earlier that day from Miss Cranmore had informed him that Lady Arlsley intended for them to attend this, the most prestigious society entertainment the evening had to offer.

  He paused just inside the entrance, scanning the guests for the heiress. Then spied her at the far end of the dance floor, squired by Lord Charles.

  Before she became aware of his presence, he allowed himself a moment to openly inspect her. A familiar heat built within as his gaze roved over the curvaceous body well displayed by the gown’s bared shoulders, rounded bust, tight waist and voluminous skirts, admiring, as well, the graceful elegance with which she glided across the dance floor.

  Though he’d need to keep tight hold over his physical response, he still looked forward to claiming his two dances. Being able to hold that tempting body as close as propriety permitted while he looked down into her animated face, his gaze claimed by those sparkling green eyes and beguiling lips. How fortuitous that neither of them was interested in marriage, for if he were in search of a countess, her unique loveliness might have him pursuing her in earnest.

  Fortunately, neither of them had any desire to proceed in that direction. He’d simply enjoy the novelty of her conversation and unusual interests for the duration of their bargain, after which they would go their separate ways.

  An unexpected wave of sadness chilled him.

  They’d go their separate ways...unless he could figure out a means for them to remain friends after they both quit society. He wasn’t sure how he’d manage it, ‘friendship’ between a young man and an unrelated single female from different social classes being virtually unheard of, but it was certainly a prospect worth exploring further. The reward for persistence and innovation would be the prospect of enjoying her company not just for a month, but for the foreseeable future.

  His sadness dissipating at the possibility, he headed in her direction. It appeared she had successfully engaged Lord Charles in conversation, for the young man’s eyes were bright and a smile of sheer enjoyment lit his face, making Crispin smile as well. Though Miss Cranmore had more wit half-asleep than her partner fully awake, she was evidently kind and forbearing enough not to let Lord Charles know that.

  Just as she’d been kind and forbearing to his sister. Though it didn’t particularly reveal excellence of character to be kind to someone with whom one intended to have few dealings, he knew how annoying it could be to spend time with a lackwit who did little to sustain the conversation. Having suffered through a number of conversations with Lord Charles, he wasn’t sure he could be so tolerant.

  She must possess patience as well.

  As the last measures of the dance were played, he made his way over to the side of the ballroom where Lady Arlsley awaited her charge. ‘Lord Dellamont,’ the Baron’s wife said, curtsying as she spotted him. ‘How pleased I am to see you in attendance tonight.’

  ‘Lady Richardson is one of my mother’s oldest friends,’ he replied as he bowed. ‘She would be disappointed if I were not to make an appearance.’

  ‘Miss Cranmore will be pleased as well,’ she said as, the dance completed, the couples began leaving the floor.

  ‘I was gratified to learn all about the bay colt,’ he heard Miss Cranmore say as she and the Marquess’s son approached. ‘I do hope that you will be able to purchase him.’

  Smiling at her, a slightly besotted look on his face, Lord Charles bowed—only to stop short, frowning, when he spied Crispin. ‘Dellamont,’ he said, his tone aggrieved. ‘I suppose I might as well take my leave, Mi
ss Cranmore.’

  ‘Thank you again for the dance, my lord,’ she said, giving the young man a curtsy. ‘Lord Dellamont. What a delightful surprise to encounter you tonight.’

  Crispin bit back a smile at the irony in her tone. ‘A happy chance,’ he agreed drily.

  ‘It’s also a happy chance that the dance about to begin is a waltz,’ Lady Arlsley said. ‘I’m sure you’ll want to allow Dellamont the pleasure.’

  ‘If he invites me,’ she replied pointedly to her chaperon, giving Crispin an eye-roll that once again had him chuckling.

  ‘It would be my honour, Miss Cranmore.’

  ‘Then it will also be mine,’ she replied, offering her hand.

  As he led her out on to the dance floor, she sighed. ‘Could Lady Arlsley be any more blatantly encouraging? If we hadn’t already made our bargain, I’d be horribly embarrassed.’

  ‘You can rest easy. I find her directness amusing.’

  ‘What an interminable evening! Thank heaven you arrived at last! I’d about given up hope.’

  ‘Sorry, I should have warned you that was my plan,’ he told her as he moved her into the rhythm of the dance—forcing himself to concentrate on her conversation and ignore the warmth of the tempting body under his gloved fingers and the distracting scent of her rose perfume. ‘Even if I seem to be dangling after you, we’re only allowed to share two dances—any more, and society will expect us to be calling the banns. So I decided it would be better to arrive later in the evening, when I thought your patience with all this would be wearing thin.’

  ‘It certainly is. Honestly, what do people see in events like this? Granted, despite my extravagant dowry, I’m an outsider and can’t expect to be treated like one born into this select group. Still, I can’t imagine spending four or five months in London every year enduring nights like this. Based on my admittedly limited observation, they consist of the same dances punctuated by the same conversations with the same inane topics—fashion, whose entertainments are the most superior and gossip about the latest scandal. How is everyone not bored to flinders?’