The Wedding Game

by Christine Merrill

  Templeton nodded. ‘Men have known better since Eve tempted Adam and the results are always the same.’

  ‘Miss Amelia is not tempting me,’ he insisted. At least, she was not trying to. As far as he could tell, his response to her presence was his own fault. ‘And she is not fascinated by me as you suggested at first. She loathes me.’ If she hadn’t before, she most certainly did after he called her a frustrated spinster.

  ‘That is a shame,’ Templeton said, with a sympathetic nod. ‘The pair of you seem to be very well suited.’

  Ben laughed. ‘She is proud, obstinate, domineering and far too clever for her own good.’

  The silence in response implied that he had proved his friend’s point.

  ‘It does not matter what you think,’ Ben said, ignoring the insult. ‘My plans have not changed, nor has my opinion of Amy Summoner. She is a curse upon humanity.’ Though she’d shown every sign of wanting to dally with him in private, she did not think him good enough for anything more than that. He’d had a lifetime’s bitter experience with women who adored in the dark what they would not acknowledge in daylight. He did not need more of it from her.

  More importantly, he did not need to tell her any more secrets. He could not even blame the hypnotic effect of her eyes. She had goaded him to revelation with a few choice words. ‘No,’ he said firmly. ‘I want no part of Amy. But Belle Summoner is a different matter entirely.’

  ‘She is, indeed, very different,’ Templeton agreed. ‘And yet, the pair of them are inseparable. Have you decided where Miss Amelia will sleep when she moves into your home after the marriage? As I recall, there is a blue bedroom at the end of the hall with a lovely view of the garden.’

  And there was a cupboard for linens just around the corner from it. At the thought, Ben could feel the tips of his ears flushing pink with embarrassment. ‘She will be in her own home, with her own husband by then.’ Even if he did not succumb to another mad impulse and kiss her, the brief interlude they’d already shared would make his life hell.

  ‘You have plans for her future?’ Templeton leaned forward, surprised.

  Unbidden, his mind returned to the brief encounter in the cupboard and the feel of her hand against his mouth. How would her lips have tasted? Would she have even wanted him had they been discovered and scandal forced their hand? And what would happen between them if another opportunity for privacy presented itself?

  And none of that had been what Templeton had meant by plans. ‘She will be married before her sister,’ Ben said, vowing that it would be true. ‘I do not know to whom. But I will find the man and make the match if I have to drive them to Gretna myself.’

  Then, perhaps, he could have some peace. Amy Summoner was, by turns, irritating, intriguing and enchanting. It was unnatural that such a woman should be alone. For her sake, and the preservation of his sanity, a match must be made.

  * * *

  Now they were home and getting ready for bed, it should be possible to relax. Although Amy had seen very little of it, tonight had been a success. Belle had spent the whole evening with Mr Templeton. Ben Lovell had been thwarted yet again in his desire to meet with her.

  But she must be more careful in the future. After the few minutes spent with Mr Lovell, her nerves had been frayed to the point where she had been ready to forfeit her own reputation. It was fortunate that he had taken her dismissal of his suit so personally. Because they had begun talking about Belle, he had left angry and far sooner than he might have.

  But when it had been just the two of them, alone in the dark and talking of nothing, things had been moving quickly towards a point where they would not have been talking at all. The feel of his kiss on her hand and his touch on her body would be her companions in bed for many nights to come.

  Perhaps, when Belle was properly married to Mr Templeton, Ben Lovell might notice that there were other women worthy of his attention. There might even be one in the family he sought to join.

  And if pigs flew it would not make them birds. Delightful as it was to be alone with him, she would never be anything more than his second choice. If she decided to marry at all, it should be to a man who loved her above all others. But feelings might change, with time. And it was not as if Ben Lovell had ever really loved Belle.

  Then the familiar feelings of guilt rushed in to settle the matter for her. She should not even consider the possibility of her own marriage until she was sure that Belle’s future was assured. There were some things more important than personal happiness. Married or unmarried, her sister was unable to manage without help and it was Amy’s responsibility to care for her.

  ‘Did you enjoy the music tonight?’ Amy set aside the handful of pins she’d removed from Belle’s hair and reached for the comb, dragging it through her blonde curls.

  ‘It was pretty,’ Belle said, smiling at her in the mirror.

  Amy smiled back and uttered a silent prayer that the risk she had taken was not in vain. ‘Did you enjoy the company?’

  Her sister’s face went blank.

  ‘Did you like sitting next to Mr Templeton?’ Amy said.

  ‘He said I should call him Guy.’

  This was progress. ‘What did you say to him?’

  ‘I told him he had a funny name.’

  Amy winced. ‘And what did he say to that?’

  ‘He said it was a funny name. And he said my name meant pretty.’

  This was much more encouraging. ‘He is calling you Belle, now?’

  ‘That’s my name,’ her sister agreed, unaware that such familiarity had meaning.

  ‘Did he say anything else?’ Amy held her breath.

  ‘We were listening to the singer.’ Belle gave her an impatient look to remind her that a concert was no place for conversation.

  ‘Of course.’ It was probably too soon to hope for a proposal, but Amy could not help it. She did not know how many more meetings with Mr Lovell she could stand. The man was both unbearable and irresistible.

  ‘Did you have a nice time with Ben?’

  Amy fumbled the comb, nearly dropping it. ‘What makes you think I was with Mr Lovell?’

  ‘You were not with him,’ Belle said, smiling in surprise that her sister could not understand a simple question. ‘Guy said I was not to worry about you because you were with Ben.’

  ‘Of course.’ Mr Templeton had seen them in the hall. She must hope that no one else had.

  ‘Who is Ben?’ Belle fixed her with a bright-eyed stare.

  ‘He is not who I thought he was,’ Amy said absently. He might seem cold, but he was not without passion. He was ambitious, but if he meant to better the world, it was a virtue, not a vice. And he was not illegitimate. Had he ever claimed to be a duke’s bastard, or did the world jump to a conclusion that he did not correct?

  But if he was not Cottsmoor’s son, then who was he?

  Chapter Nine

  To say that Ben did not like the hubbub of Vauxhall Gardens did not do justice to his feelings on the place. More accurately, he did not want to like it. It was enjoyable, in a plebeian sort of way. If he wished to be seen as the sensible sort of politician who could lead a nation, he suspected a pleasure garden should be beneath notice.

  But somewhere beneath the polished façade he’d cultivated, the simple youth he had been before meeting Cassandra was near to fainting with excitement at the prospect of a visit. There was music and dancing. Madame Saqui walked on a wire far overhead as balloons rose and fireworks lit the night sky. Try as he might to be aloof and sophisticated, how could he resist?

  It was also a place where pretty, young girls wandered about, loosely chaperoned and eager to test boundaries that could not be breached under the watchful eye of Almack’s patronesses. It was a perfect place to separate Arabella Summoner from her overprotective sister and persuade he
r that, despite what she might have heard about him, he was the answer to a maiden’s prayers.

  But, as usual, the younger of the two Summoner girls was eluding him and the elder was all too easy to find. As he moved through the crowd and conversed with friends and acquaintances, he asked discreet questions about Belle’s location. It seemed everyone had seen her just a moment ago. He remained perpetually one step behind.

  And each time he stopped to reconnoitre Amelia was there, smiling in triumph. He would not be surprised to find that she was herding her sister around the grounds specifically to keep them apart. Amy Summoner had far too much time to meddle in the business of others. She needed some occupation other than arranging her sister’s life.

  And after the interlude at the Middletons’ house, he had an excellent suggestion for her. He closed his eyes for a moment, reminding himself that she was the last person in the world he dare dally with. She could ruin his future with a single word to her father. But closed eyes only reminded him of discovering her secrets by touch when they had been shut up together in the dark.

  If it been anyone else in the world, he’d have allowed himself to explore the depths of this fascination. Like the boy who longed to see fireworks, there was a part of him that could not seem to resist her. And though she might be too ladylike to admit to it, she was as eager as he was to see where another meeting might lead them.

  All the more reason that he should find her a husband. He opened his eyes again, keen to dispel the fantasy with cold, hard truth. She was far too volatile for his tastes. She took far too much pleasure in tormenting him. And judging by her comments about his insufficiency, she would destroy him as a matter of principal, should she find out the truth about his past.

  But a woman so warm and vibrant should not remain single. It was not just a nuisance, it was a waste. He could not abide wastefulness. How hard could it be to change her future? Her wits were quick enough and she was not unattractive. In fact, it was her exotic beauty that had first attracted his attention. If others did not see it, then her family name should have been enough to attract suitors like flies to a honey pot.

  And yet, she had none. If he applied masculine logic to the situation, she would be married in no time. He would likely win the favour of Lord Summoner for taking the girl off his hands. And once she belonged to another, maybe he could stop thinking about her and return his focus to the more agreeable of the two sisters.

  It was simply a matter of finding the right candidate to partner her. He glanced around the crowd, searching for a match, and found one almost immediately. Stanton Haines was walking towards him, balancing a stack of paper-wrapped ham sandwiches in his folded arms.

  Ben calculated silently. Haines had a new phaeton and matched bays and a coat cut by the finest Bond street tailors. His apartments in Jermyn Street were decorated in the height of fashion. His winters were spent at his family estate, which was at least equal to the Summoner home. Ben suspected he must have close to ten thousand a year and more to come upon the death of his father.

  Best of all, he was still single and claimed to be looking for a wife. In Ben’s opinion, if the search had gone on for several years, Haines was not looking hard enough. The man was clearly in need of help. He put on a welcoming smile and raised a hand in greeting. ‘Haines, old fellow.’

  ‘Lovell,’ his friend responded with a smile. ‘Care for a sandwich?’

  ‘They are all yours?’

  ‘There is hardly enough meat in them to make a decent meal. I thought to combine it and throw the bread to the ducks. But I could spare one.’ He eyed Ben suspiciously. ‘You always have a hungry look about you.’

  If this was meant as a jibe at his ambition, Ben would let it pass. ‘Why not share with a young lady instead? Surely there is one here who would be better company than a duck.’

  At this, Haines laughed and Ben put a guiding hand on his shoulder, pushing gently in the direction of the prey. ‘You are already acquainted with Miss Summoner, I suppose.’

  The other man’s eyes took on the glazed expression that Ben often saw when conversation was turning to Miss Arabella. ‘I have not. She is dashed hard to meet, you know. Her family guards her like a princess in a tower.’

  ‘Surely not,’ Ben answered, deliberately misunderstanding. ‘I was riding with her myself, just the other day.’ He paused, waiting for the good-natured ribbing that would follow had Haines been aware of his very public fall in the mud, but it did not come.

  Instead, he said, ‘You rode with her?’ There was a proper amount of awe in his companion’s voice at the achievement.

  ‘I will introduce you, if you like.’ He added a generous smile. ‘Perhaps she would like a sandwich.’

  ‘Yes. By all means, let us see if she is peckish.’ Now Haines was not so much being led as pulling in his harness, eager to go forward.

  Ben shepherded him towards the pavilion where he had last seen Amelia. ‘There she is now. Miss Summoner,’ he called out, and the girl turned slowly to face him.

  ‘Damn.’ The legs of the man next to him locked and he dug in his heels like a stubborn mule. ‘I thought you meant... Damn.’

  But it was too late for him to change direction without being unspeakably rude. Ben pressed on, forcing the man the last few feet. ‘Miss Summoner, how nice to see you again. Are you enjoying your evening?’

  ‘Mr Lovell,’ she said. The knowing smile she directed to him suddenly disappeared. ‘I had been enjoying it.’ The words left the clear implication that her pleasure had come to a sudden end upon seeing his companion.

  ‘Have you met my friend, Mr Haines?’

  ‘Yes.’ If her greeting to him had been chilly, her acknowledgement of the other man was positively glacial.

  ‘Miss Summoner,’ Haines answered, with a shallow bow, never taking his eyes from hers, like a man facing down a wild animal.

  ‘Mr Haines was wondering if you would care for refreshment.’ He jabbed a sharp elbow in the other man’s ribs, causing him to drop the top sandwich from the stack.

  She looked down at it as if it was poison, then back up to stare at the two of them. ‘No, thank you.’

  ‘Well, then,’ Haines said, with a sudden, relieved smile. ‘I must go and ask someone else.’ He shook Ben’s hand from his shoulder, turned and left the two of them to an awkward silence.

  She was staring at him now, and Ben wondered if it was her basilisk gaze that had put Haines off his game. Guy Templeton had claimed to be disturbed by it as well. Though it was threatening, he could not see what they found so troubling in it. Perhaps they felt the same desire he did, to stare back and study her as closely as she seemed to be studying him.

  It was rude to stare, he reminded himself. And after their last meeting, showing this woman any interest at all sent a message he did not want to give. He did his best to change the stare into a surprised blink. ‘Well, that did not go as well as I’d hoped.’

  She responded with a raised eyebrow. ‘What, precisely, were you hoping for, Mr Lovell?’

  ‘Merely to broaden your acquaintance. I think it is a shame that such a pretty girl should have so few male friends.’

  ‘Suitors, you mean,’ she said, still not smiling. ‘Perhaps no one wants to spend time with a frustrated spinster.’

  There was no point in pretending their last meeting had not happened, if she meant to throw his hasty words back in his face. ‘I apologise. I should not have said such a thing.’

  ‘Even if it is true?’ she said, finishing his thought. ‘As I told you before, it is not.’

  ‘But it surprises me that your sister receives so much attention, while you receive none at all.’

  Instead of drawing her into a wistful admission of disappointment, she laughed. ‘Do you talk this way to all the girls, Mr Lovell? You truly are new to the marriage mart, to say such thing
s.’ She added a coquettish flutter of her fan, as if to cement her disguise as just another silly girl.

  He knew her too well for it to work. Her actions were as calculated as his were. ‘I was merely matching my statement to your behaviour, Miss Summoner. You are a surprisingly blunt young woman.’

  She nodded. ‘Then let me use that candour to enlighten you. First of all, I am not moved by your obvious flattery. I will not apply false modesty and deny that I am passably pretty. But neither will I pretend that Belle is not my superior. I might be pretty, Mr Lovell, but my younger sister is a goddess.’

  It was true. And said without a trace of the envy he expected to hear in such a statement. ‘But some men do not want to worship at the feet of perfection. A goddess can be haughty and distant, not the warm flesh-and-blood woman who makes for a good...helpmeet.’ What was he saying? He had been about to suggest something totally inappropriate for a conversation with a lady. Even worse, he had forgotten his purpose in talking to her was to gain the hand of that same goddess he was now denying.

  If she had noticed the pause, she did not acknowledge it. ‘If you knew Belle, you would discover that she is not the least bit distant. She is as human as the rest of us and as sweet tempered a creature as God ever put on this earth.’ She gave him another arch look. ‘That is why we are so careful in her company. I would not see her taken advantage of.’

  ‘Of course not,’ he agreed hurriedly. ‘But though concern for your sister is admirable, it is a shame that she overshadows you.’

  ‘I do not find it so,’ she said. ‘Because it is not true. Last night you assumed my Season was a failure. But you were not in London for my come out, Mr Lovell. I assure you, I received more than enough attention. In fact, I entertained the suit of your Mr Haines for several weeks.’

  ‘You knew him?’ By Haines’s shocked reaction, it had been obvious that he knew of her. But Ben had assumed that it had been the same mock-shuddering response Templeton had given him and not based on actual familiarity.