The Wagered Heart: Signet Regency Romance (InterMix)

by Rhonda Woodward

  “That explains it,” he said, then turned back to his friend. “I am surprised to find you here, Matt.” The duke’s delusory tone did not convey pleasure in his old friend’s company.

  “If Muhammad won’t come to the mountain…Besides, Town is dashed dull right now. All anyone can speak of is the upcoming royal wedding. Since you suddenly find Bath all the crack, I thought I would toddle over and see what you are about. Maybe we can bring Bath back into fashion, eh, Kel?” Lord Mattonly’s eyes shifted to Julia again. “‘Tis frustrating not to be able to place you, Miss Allard, for your face is extremely familiar to me—oh, well, no doubt it shall come to me.”

  The duke turned to the other young lady with the intent of changing the subject. “Lady Davinia, how are your parents? Are they in Bath as well?”

  “No, Your Grace, I am visiting my Aunt Harwich and am finding this quaint town a delight. And my parents are quite well, thank you.”

  The duchess stepped forward then, waving her hands in a gesture that encompassed them all. “Well, are we not a merry party? But I must say, I am disappointed that there are no orange trees here. Why in the world call this place the Orange Grove? Silliest thing I have ever encountered.”

  At this, Julia’s gaze inadvertently met Lady Davinia’s, and the look they exchanged conveyed to Julia that she was not the only one trying to stifle a giggle.

  “This place is named after William of Orange, Maman. There is a plaque on that obelisk over there indicating so.” With great patience, he gestured to the circular garden in the center of the grove.

  “Oh, well, that explains it. Still rather confusing. Now, what shall we all do?” Her smile took in the whole group.

  “Actually, Miss Allard and I…” the duke began.

  “We shall all promenade with the other Fashionables while I wrack my brainbox trying to recall where Miss Allard and I have met,” Lord Mattonly interrupted with an engaging grin to Julia.

  Setting his jaw with frustration, Kel shot Julian an apologetic look.

  “Lovely.” Lady Davinia’s smile showed her pleasure at this plan as she gazed up at the duke. “We have not seen each other since New Year’s. We must catch up on all the friends we have in common.”

  Lord Mattonly vigorously nodded his agreement to this suggestion. “Fine! While you old friends catch up on gossip, Her Grace and I shall quiz Miss Allard. I never forget a Beauty, and this is vexing me no end that I cannot place her.”

  In spite of the razor-sharp look Kel sent his friend, Mattonly adroitly insinuated himself between Julia and the duke.

  The duchess and Lady Davinia moved forward, but stopped quickly and looked back in surprise when they realized the duke and Miss Allard were still behind.

  “Come along, now that we have found each other we must all walk together. I do so love to have young folks around me,” the duchess pressed.

  In the face of the duchess’s urging, Julia knew there was nothing else for it but to go along, anything else would be rude. With an inward sigh of resignation, Julia continued next to the duke as his mother moved to his other side. Lady Davinia took her place next to the duchess. Lord Mattonly stayed near Julia.

  In silent accord, the five of them began to stroll along the gravel pathway between the precisely spaced trees.

  Breathing deeply, Julia tried to stem the flow of her rising panic. Oh, why had she been so foolish as to go out with the duke, she chided herself.

  “Perhaps I am acquainted with your family?” Lord Mattonly asked after a moment.

  “I have lived near Chippenham all my life, sir.”

  “Hmmm, have only had the pleasure of passing through that village. And I own I am not acquainted with anyone by the name of Allard. Perhaps there is another connection?”

  “I am visiting my cousins, Lord and Lady Farren. Perhaps you know them?”

  Pulling a gold quizzing glass from his vibrantly striped waistcoat, he began to tap it absentmindedly against his palm. “Farren? I believe my mama is acquainted with Lady Farren. Does not Lady Farren wear very interesting bonnets?”

  “I am sure you must be referring to the dowager Lady Farren. I am related to her daughter-in-law.”

  “Then that must somehow be the connection! Still, it has not come to me in full. But I shall not give up,” he said with a grin as they all strolled beneath the trees.

  Tilting her head up, Julia looked at the handsome lord. With his twinkling pale blue eyes and sandy hair, he presented an engaging figure. Nevertheless, she had no desire to be quizzed about where they had met. What she really wanted to do was go home—she had not bargained for this uncomfortable encounter with the duke’s mother and his friends.

  As they continued to walk, the duchess and Lady Davinia monopolized most of the conversation, to Julia’s great relief. At least the friendly chatter prevented Lord Mattonly from asking any more questions.

  Leaning forward, the duchess looked past her son and smiled at Julia. “Miss Allard, I have just realized that my mother-in-law is a great good friend of your cousin’s mother-in-law. We have invited the Farrens to join us at Sydney Gardens Tuesday next. You must certainly honor us with your presence as well. The orchestra is very good, and if the weather stays fine, it promises to be a lovely evening.”

  “I thank you, Your Grace,” Julia said with an inclination of her head, for she could think of no way to decline the kind invitation with any politeness.

  “Very good!” Lord Mattonly exclaimed. “I must spend as much time as possible with Miss Allard, so that I may place our connection.”

  “Unfortunately, you will not be spending any more time with Miss Allard this afternoon. I promised to return her home shortly, in time for another engagement.” The duke’s tone conveyed that he would brook no argument.

  Julia could not help but throw him a grateful glance at this almost intuitive understanding of her desire to leave.

  “Never say so! I have not had the chance to talk with Miss Allard.” Lady Davinia gave Julia a tentative smile, which Julia returned easily.

  Despite the general protests at their departure, and promises to meet again, the duke lead her away after she offered a quick curtsy. Glancing back over her shoulder, she saw Lord Mattonly watching her with slightly narrowed eyes.

  Once back in the phaeton, she was keenly aware of the same deflated feeling she experienced when she had been sent home from London. It was a feeling she did not like.

  What a disaster the day had been. It started out with such promise and then fizzled to nothing. Again, her unvented resentment made her feel petulant. Even that caused her anger to simmer anew at the duke—this unpleasant emotion would not be plaguing her if not for him.

  They traveled some distance in silence before the duke came to a decision. He thought it would be best to address the situation forthrightly and set her mind at ease.

  At a turn in the road, he sent her a reassuring smile. “Miss Allard, I will explain to Lord Mattonly that he is not to refer to the incident on Bolton Street. I would be immensely distressed if you suffered any ill effects from that foolish lark.” Smiling slightly, he took another moment to glance at her features.

  The change in her expression took him aback. From beneath her bonnet, she was staring at him with such anger that her gray eyes flashed fire until he felt almost scorched.

  “How magnanimous of you, Your Grace,” was her cold response.

  To the Duke of Kelbourne’s surprise, Miss Allard said not a word, nor looked in his direction, the rest of the way home.

  Chapter Fourteen

  T he next day, at an hour too early to be considered fashionable, Lord Mattonly called on his old friend at the Royal Crescent. Upon finding the duke alone in the salon, attending to a stack of correspondence, Mattonly brought up the subject that had been on his mind since yesterday.

  “I say, Kel, Miss Allard is a deuced pretty gel. Leave it to you to find the only entrancing female in this damned dull place.”

  Pushing aside his
quill and paper, Kel looked at his friend with an impassive expression, and leaned back in his chair.

  “And good afternoon to you, Matt. How are you this fine day?”

  Flopping onto a nearby chair, Mattonly snorted before responding.

  “Cast your cold eye upon me all you like, you will not divert me from the subject of Miss Allard. I have the feeling you are being sly about her, but I shall winkle it out of you. I am determined to solve the mystery of Miss Allard’s familiar countenance.”

  “There is no mystery where Miss Allard is concerned. She is familiar to you because she is the young lady I kissed on the street in London last year. I would not like that ridiculous scene mentioned again; it would not do to have Miss Allard embarrassed. I have come to know that she and her family are fine people, and I would not like anything I have done to cause her pain.”

  Pushing himself forward, Mattonly stared, his mouth opening and closing before he collected himself enough to speak. “I am all astonishment, Kel! For weeks Rayburn, Hammond, and the rest of us scoured London for that girl. The sums wagered on finding her are a ransom! And there is no time limit on when the wager could be concluded. I am sure if I had not been foxed that day in London, I would have recognized her straight off yesterday. Are you now saying I am to pass on the winnings because some unexpected streak of scruples has gripped you? Too mean of you, old man.”

  “This is not another lark, Matt. I would prefer that the incident not be mentioned again.”

  Lord Mattonly could not mistake the serious edge in his old friend’s voice.

  “Of course, Kel, the matter is forgotten.”

  “Thank you.”

  Clearing his throat, Mattonly settled back in his chair. “So, how long do you plan on staying in Bath?”

  Kel crossed his legs at the ankles and shrugged. “I have not decided. As long as I am amused, I shall linger. By the by, what has caused you to descend upon me?”

  “You, of course,” Mattonly said with a shrug. “It pains me to say so, but without you there to kick up my heels with, I find London dashed dull. Come, Kel, what say you? Let’s quit this dreary hamlet and find something to stir up the blood.”

  Kel shifted again and appeared to think while Mattonly waited hopefully.

  “I think not.”

  To this, Matt gave a disgusted snort. “The more important question is why you are here. The vision of you standing in line at the Pump Room with cits and dowagers does not sit well.”

  Kel gave a light shrug of amusement. “I’m indulging my sister’s desire to have me here. Bath reminds Maman and Grandmère of their younger days, when Bath was all the crack. We have not spent much time together of late. Several weeks in their company is a pleasant enough way to spend the spring.”

  “I commend you on being such an attentive son and good brother,” Mattonly said with a sly grin. “I shall keep myself here also. Though it ain’t London, there may be some amusement to be had here after all. No matter what you say, I suspect the lovely Miss Allard may be one of your reasons for staying.”

  Kel gave a dismissive bark of laughter. “There may be a grain of truth in what you say. For all her beauty—and I admit she is exceedingly beautiful—Miss Allard is a peculiar minx. One moment batting her lashes and hanging on my every word, and the next looking as if she would take great delight in skewering me.”

  “You don’t say.”

  “Indeed. I usually have little time for changeable misses, but I do find Miss Allard’s fits and starts diverting for the moment—if only to see what she will do next. You are correct in saying Bath is not London, but it amuses.”

  At that moment, Julia was in the salon of her cousin’s townhouse, conveying yesterday’s events to Caro and Mariah Thorncroft, who sat in rapt attention, watching Julia pace back and forth.

  “And then to cap it off, he says to me, ‘I will tell Mattonly that he is not to mention the incident on Bolton Street. I would be immensely distressed if you suffered any ill effects from that foolish lark.’” She deepened her voice to a gravely pitch, mimicking the duke.

  Mariah snorted, and Caro bit her lip and said, “Oh my.”

  Julia continued to pace the room, throwing her hands up in disgust.

  “Could anyone be more odious or insufferable? I am almost as angry with myself. Oh, Mariah, when I think of all the clever things you helped me think of—I could cry, for they all flew from my head. I must be the most inept flirt there ever was. But I am more determined than ever to get my revenge. I must regroup and determine where I went wrong.”

  “Do not you think it would be best to abandon this dangerous plan before it goes further?” Caro asked, a deep frown creasing her forehead.

  “No,” Julia stated flatly, continuing to pace.

  Caro and Mariah exchanged glances.

  “She has always been stubborn,” Mariah said with a light shrug.

  “‘Tis true,” Caro sighed with a nod. “And because she came to my aunt and uncle rather late in their lives—in essence she is an only child—they rather spoiled her. So I daresay part of her vexation is because she has not gotten her way with the duke.”

  Mariah considered this statement while Julia glared fiercely at her cousin and continued to pace.

  “I do not know if I agree with your assessment, Caro,” Mariah said with a troubled frown. “I have always known her to be a most generous and thoughtful creature. I would say she is more willful than truly spoiled.”

  “Indeed, you may be correct,” Caro conceded. “But I fear being stubborn and willful may get her into trouble in this matter.”

  “Would the two of you like me to leave the room so you may continue to malign my character in private? I believe that is how it is usually done.” Julia’s tone oozed sarcasm.

  “Do not bestir yourself, m’dear, we shall not let your presence stop us.” Mariah gave her old friend a mischievous grin.

  “Well, neither of you are any help. How am I to regain my footing where the duke is concerned?”

  “I know you are used to being very popular in Chippenham, but His Grace is used to much more sophisticated ladies. If only you had developed a little more Town polish, you might not have been so easily thrown by a man of the duke’s consequence,” Caro offered.

  Julia stopped her pacing to look askance at her cousin. “My dear Caro, are you off your head? If I do not have any Town polish, as you put it, you can put the blame for it at the duke’s door.”

  “That is true,” Mariah put in. “You cannot know what it was like for Julia this past year. There has been so much gossip about her in the village. She has had no real way of defending herself. If she assuaged the curiosity by telling everyone what happened, there would be those who would still twist it around to make it appear as if Julia goes around kissing men on the street. Besides, who would take Julia’s side against a duke of the realm? No, I do not blame Julia for wanting to exact a bit of revenge.”

  “Thank you, Mariah, though I hardly feel any better.”

  “Well, I may not have said it very delicately, but you know what I mean.”

  “Did you say that Lady Davinia Harwich was part of the party yesterday?” Caro asked of Julia.

  “Yes, she seemed a very amiable and pretty young lady,” Julia responded as she finally lowered herself into a chair facing the two other ladies.

  “Well, if you are determined to continue with this ill-conceived plan to capture the duke’s regard, you may have a problem there,” Caro said.

  “How so?”

  “It has been a common rumor for several years now, that once Kel is done sowing his oats, he will marry Lady Davinia. The families are well acquainted, and I believe part of the duke’s estate marches with the Harwichs’.”

  Julia frowned at this information as she tried to recall how the duke and Lady Davinia behaved together.

  “My impression of their relationship is that of childhood friends. I allow that would not preclude an understanding between them. Often in
great families, alliances are created on less than such a connection. But as there is no engagement, I do not think I shall worry about it.”

  Caro shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “Let us call a turnip a turnip. What you are planning to do is tease the duke into desiring you and then laugh in his face. That is a very dangerous game, Julia.”

  “Yes, I know it is.” Julia felt the blush rising to her cheeks at her cousin’s bald assessment of her intentions.

  “Although I am a year younger than you are, I am married and therefore have a superior understanding of how men and women behave together in private. I have learned that a woman, by using her powers of femininity, dare I say, powers of seduction, can cause a man to lose his head. I have found it to be a very heady feeling indeed.”

  Startled, Julia looked from Caro to a wide-eyed Mariah, then back to her cousin. “I have no intention of allowing the situation to get out of hand.”

  A mysterious smile came to Caro’s lips. “I caution you to have a care—while you are trying to make the duke lose his head, you may well lose yours.”

  “I shall take great care.” Julia’s tone was very serious in response to Caro’s unexpected disclosures.

  “I know there has been talk about you, yet nothing can be stated as fact. But Bath exists on gossip. You may well lose the regard of some worthy gentleman in the future if your unguarded behavior with the duke becomes known.”

  “I do not care.”

  “But what of your future?”

  Julia sighed. “Caro, I am four and twenty, not a little girl pinning my hopes on the dream of a knight arriving on my doorstep. I have a very happy and useful life in Chippenham. If I never marry, so be it. I shall continue with my aunt and uncle. I shall sew clothes for the poor, sing in church, and continue to teach some of the village children to read and write. And when you have children, you may leave them with me on occasion so that you and Clive may go to Town and pretend you are newlyweds again. Rest assured, I intend to be perfectly content with my life.”