“I’m afraid not. Isn’t that the German book that was supposed to have been based on a manuscript written by a minister from the sixteen hundreds?”
Her brows shot up. “Why yes, my lord. How clever of you to know. You should consider reading it. I believe it will soon gain popularity.” She turned to her companion. “Don’t you think so, Lady Helen?”
“Yes, of course. It is an excellent story, regardless of its provenance.”
How remarkable. She did not blush when she kept her focus on Miss Winthrop. It would be interesting to know if the reaction was only for him, or if it was just men in general.
Thankfully, the dinner bell rang and they all moved to take their places at the two long tables that flanked the walls of the room. Half of the young ladies and their mothers had been assigned to his table, and half to the table with his parents. He imagined the seating would be rotated each evening. He noted that Miss Winthrop and Lady Helen were seated together at his parents’ table and surmised that his mother had deliberately arranged it that way since, of course, Miss Winthrop was not a candidate for marriage.
By the time the fourth course had arrived, Edward had begun to wonder whether his parents had deliberately rounded up the most hideous group of girls they could find to punish him for every misdeed he had ever committed and more. Lady Lydia was the opposite of her twin sister, and so appallingly boring he considered stabbing himself with a knife just so he had an excuse to leave the table.
“What do you think about the talk of changing crop rotation cycles, my lord?”
Clearly, someone had told her that men would be attracted to women who could help manage their estates. He had to admire her for attempting to resuscitate the conversation. “I admit I haven’t thought much about the subject, though I’m certain my father has many opinions.” Lady Helen proceeded to debate both sides of the issue, primarily with herself, as most of the rest of the occupants of his table appeared to be sleeping with their eyes open.
Several millennia later, the dessert course was served, and he was finally free. For about a minute and a half. Then the dancing began.
As the daughter of a duke, Lady Phoebe was the highest ranking unmarried woman, so he approached her first. “Lady Phoebe.” He bowed over her hand. “Would you care to join me for the first dance?”
“Of course, my lord.”
They took their place at the end of the room and waited for the musicians. She was extraordinarily beautiful. Her face was perfectly proportioned, and her golden brown eyes shimmered below her smooth blond hair. Yet she failed to stir any sort of response from him. She was like a china doll. Beautiful on the outside but empty on the inside, where it mattered. Miss Winthrop, on the other hand, had turned out to have much more substance to her than he had anticipated.
“My lord, Her Grace has informed me that you have made progress in locating a lost family heirloom. I imagine that must be very exciting for you.”
What an odd subject for Mother to speak about over dinner. Perhaps the conversation at her table had been as lacking as that at his. However, since he did not wish to discuss the tiara with her, he changed the topic. “Yes, it is. And I have heard that you have purchased a new mare that is the talk of London.”
“Indeed, my lord. She is a bonny ride, with a trot that is simply divine to sit.” She winked at him, and his skin grew hot. Could she be hinting at what he assumed she was hinting at? He thought his chums had been engaging in wishful thinking when they said that women could experience intense pleasure while riding. It certainly wasn’t the case for men; if anything, they were likely to injure themselves.
She really was quite perfect, aside from the fact that, as the daughter of a solvent duke, she knew she could get away with just about anything, and she had. Rumor had it among his friends from Oxford that she would not be entering the marriage bed with her virginity intact. After growing up with the example of a mother and father who had made a love match, he wasn’t about to marry a woman who would never remain faithful to him.
He watched as his father led Mother around the dance floor. She laughed at something he whispered in her ear, and he pulled her closer. That was the sort of relationship he wanted, and if he wasn’t able to find the right woman, he would not marry. It couldn’t be forced, and he refused to choose one as if he were selecting a horse from an auction, which is what this party really was.
Lady Phoebe continued to extoll the virtues of her horse, but his attention was caught by the sound of Miss Winthrop’s laughter joined by a laugh he knew all too well. Thornbrook. He should have known better than to invite him. He was a loyal friend and great fun in most situations, but he had a knack for seeking out the ladies who were the most vulnerable. Though he usually went for those who were both wealthy and beautiful, but lacked proper supervision, that did not mean he would pass up the opportunity to take advantage of a lady who was on her own. In any case, Edward would warn her off from him after the dancing ended, and then make sure that Thornbrook had been properly introduced to Lady Phoebe. They ought to get along swimmingly.
Thankfully, the music finally ended and he murmured something polite before turning to look for Miss Winthrop. Instead, he caught the eye of his mother, who tilted her head toward Lady Sarah. He sighed and walked over to her.
“Lady Sarah, I was afraid I might not have the opportunity to dance with you tonight. Will do you do me the honor of saving the next dance for me?”
“Of course, my lord.”
Of all his mother’s carefully chosen candidates, she was the most perfect. She was pretty, but not beautiful enough to use it as a weapon, very agreeable, and from a family with no dark secrets. If only he could drum up some sort of attraction to her.
“Are you enjoying yourself?”
“Very much so, my lord. I’m fascinated by Walsley. There are so many architectural styles, yet somehow they blend together into a most enchanting home.”
He shot her a genuine smile. “I could not agree with you more.”
He frowned when Miss Winthrop once again lined up with Thornbrook.
“Is something amiss, my lord?”
“No.” He shot her a smile. “Would you be interested in touring the grounds with me tomorrow? They are even more interesting than the house.”
“That I find difficult to believe, but yes, I would love to.”
There. Now his parents could not accuse him of not making an effort to choose a bride from among the ladies they invited. It would not be his fault if she left engaged to someone else. She was perfect for Gorham, and he would make sure to invite him on their tour.
It was a country dance that was played next, and he had to pay careful attention just to keep up. He had mostly avoided balls when they were in London, so he was out of practice. At one point, he turned the wrong way and nearly caused an accident. Thankfully, Lady Sarah was tolerant of his mistakes. In fact, he caught her laughing at him more than once, which was refreshing, as most ladies gave him absolute deference. He could respect a lady who didn’t attempt to fawn over him and say what she thought he wanted to hear.
When the dance finally, blessedly, ended, he took her hand and led her to the side of the room. “My lady, I must apologize for my atrocious dancing tonight. I have no excuse other than lack of practice, but I hope you will still join me for that tour of the gardens tomorrow.”
“Of course, my lord. Think nothing of it.”
Gorham happened to be walking by at that moment and appeared to be en route to Miss Winthrop. With no subtlety whatsoever, Edward snagged his sleeve. “Lady Sarah, have you had the pleasure of meeting Lord Gorham? We were at Oxford together.”
“Yes, of course. We met earlier. How do you do, my lord?”
“I am well, thank you. Her Grace just announced that this will be the last dance of the evening, a waltz. Would you care to join me?”
“It would be my pleasure.”
Edward smiled, satisfied with his matchmaking efforts, then rushed over to Mi
ss Winthrop. “Can I interest you in joining me for the last dance of the evening?”
She smiled one of her genuine smiles. Though they had only known each other for a few days, he already knew the difference between her authentic smile and her placating smile. It occurred to him that should be a warning of some sort, but he chose to ignore it.
“I suppose it would be churlish to refuse the guest of honor.”
“It most certainly would.” As he exhaled, he relaxed for the first time that night. Now he could drop the act and simply be himself. From the moment the first note sounded, they were in perfect harmony with each other. Miss Winthrop was an accomplished dancer and a pleasure to partner. Of course, he didn’t have to concentrate to remember the steps of the waltz.
“You seemed to enjoy dancing with Lord Thornbrook.” He raised a brow.
“Is that a question, my lord?”
“More of an observation, I guess.”
She turned to meet his eyes. “He is a proficient dancer and an excellent conversationalist.”
“Is he now?”
“I would think you of all people would know that. He claims to be one of your closest acquaintances.” This time she raised her brows.
“Yes, he is an excellent friend to me, but not the sort of man I would want to date one of my sisters.”
Her face flooded with color. “I am not one of your sisters, my lord.”
“Believe me, I am quite aware of that, but I still feel the need to warn you against him as I would any lady for whom I have regard.”
“I cannot believe that you…wait. You have regard for me?”
Ahem. Perhaps he should have chosen his words more carefully. “Of course I have regard for the lady who helped us find the missing puzzle piece in our quest to locate the tiara.”
“Oh.” Her face fell for a moment, then she plastered on a fake smile. “You needn’t worry about me. The circumstances of my life have caused me to become an excellent judge of character. I recognize your friend for what he is.”
“My apologies. I did not mean to offend you.” He pulled her a little closer and focused on his steps, unsure how to fix whatever he had done to upset her. He had no idea why his attempt to protect her was offensive. It seemed prudent to remain quiet.
A few moments later, she said, “It is I who should apologize, my lord. I appreciate you taking an interest in my welfare.”
He nodded. Her words seemed sincere, but her dejected tone threw him off. She was as complicated as any of his sisters, but he had learned his lesson about comparing her to one of them. Silence was preferable to offending her again.
Finally, the dance came to an end. He took her hand to lead her back to Lady Concord, but he wasn’t able to locate her. “Where is Lady Concord?”
“Oh, she headed back to her bedchamber at least an hour ago. You probably didn’t notice since you were busy dancing.”
Was that a note of censure in her voice? Surely not. He shook his head to clear it. “Either wait for me, or walk back to your room with my parents or Louisa.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You don’t need to worry about me. I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time.”
He glanced back over his shoulder and gave her a warning look. He had to say good night to his guests, but it wouldn’t take long.
“Very well, my lord.”
Or had she said, my liege? He bit back a grin. Either way, he had coaxed a smile out of her and a promise not to walk through the house alone. It was probably an unnecessary precaution, but all of the other unmarried ladies had a chaperone with them, so she was the most vulnerable with only an elderly lady for protection, and sometimes, like now, not even that. It wasn’t as if he thought any of their guests might attack her, but he had no idea how vulnerable she was to persuasion, and it was his job as the host to ensure her safety.
Edward knocked on the door to his mother’s sitting room, then opened it without waiting for a response.
She glanced up at him and smiled. “Come in, darling. Did you enjoy the evening?”
“Not particularly, though there were a few memorable moments.”
He sat in the chair across from her and rubbed his forehead. “Why are we continuing this farce? What do you hope the outcome of this party to be, because I don’t believe you expect me to marry any of these ladies.”
“What is wrong with Lady Phoebe or Lady Sarah?”
“There is nothing at all wrong with Lady Sarah, except that I don’t have the slightest attraction to her. As for Lady Phoebe, let’s just say that some of my chums are a bit more familiar with her than they ought to be.”
Her mouth opened, but no sound emerged.
For once, he had managed to shock his mother, but he was too worn out to savor his victory.
“Surely not.”
“I’m afraid so. As the daughter of a duke, she knows she can get away with almost anything and will still receive offers of marriage.”
“Is this the sort of behavior you would condone in your sisters?”
He straightened in his seat. “I would hope you know me better than that.”
She placed her elbow on the arm of the chair and rested her head in her hand. “Yes, of course I do, darling. I’m sorry. It’s been such a long day.”
“And I’m sorry to extend it further, but I wanted to speak with you.”
She watched him, waiting for him to continue.
“What is this house party really about? You and Father married for love, and I know you want the same for me. Why are you forcing the matter? Why now?”
“Because we are concerned for your welfare.” She sighed. “I chose the guest list carefully. Of course we don’t want to force you to marry a woman you don’t love, but we do want to see you settled in your own household. Soon.”
“I will marry if and when I find the right woman, and if I never do, then Henry or Oliver can assume the title upon my death.”
“You needn’t be so dramatic. But I do ask that you seriously consider the ladies who are here. I chose each of them for a reason, and aside from Lady Phoebe, any of them would be a wonderful match for you.”
He smiled at her exclusion of Lady Phoebe.
“Have you made any progress with the Cardano Grille?”
“Not yet, but I haven’t had much time to test it.”
She yawned and rose from her chair. “Don’t stay up all night working with the grille. It can wait. You will need your wits about you tomorrow to manage our guests.”
A truer statement had never been spoken. His head ached at the thought of another two weeks with all these people underfoot, slowing his progress in finally locating the tiara.
Rather than going to his bedchamber, where he would undoubtedly fall asleep quickly, he went to the library so he could work on deciphering the journal. Thankfully, no one else was there, so he settled himself in front of the fireplace with the journal and a glass of port.
He hadn’t made much progress when the door creaked open.
“My lord, how delightful to find you here. I couldn’t sleep, so I thought I’d look for something to read.” Lady Phoebe closed the door firmly behind her then sauntered into the library. In her dressing gown.
He leaped to his feet. Anger coursed through him with each beat of his heart. How dare she try to trap him. “Lady Phoebe, in case you have forgotten, you are not dressed appropriately to be wandering around the house. I must insist that you return to your chamber at once.”
She licked her lips and pouted. “Fine, I will leave. But only if you walk me back to my bedchamber.” She approached him, and he stood frozen, like a mouse being stalked by a cat.
Finally, he found his voice. “I will do no such thing. Leave. Now.” When she didn’t comply, he pushed past her and threw the door open. Miss Winthrop jumped back to avoid being hit by the door. He took a step into the corridor and held up his hand to indicate she should stay where she was, partially hidden behind the door.
“Lady Phoebe, the co
rridor is clear, you may now leave.”
“Must I?” She rubbed her hand over his chest.
“Yes.” He removed her hand and pulled her into the corridor, then pushed firmly against her back to get her headed in the right direction. After a few steps, she glanced back over her shoulder and said, “Don’t leave me waiting too long, my lord.”
He took a deep breath and turned to Miss Winthrop, whose expression had turned from bewilderment to disgust.
“My apologies, my lord. If I had known you scheduled your assignations in the library, I most certainly would have stayed away.” She turned and attempted to rush back down the corridor.
Edward caught her arm and turned her to him. “You must allow me to explain.”
“There is no need. I saw enough to discern the situation.”
“You are mistaken. Please come into the library.”
“No, thank you.”
At his wits’ end, he lifted her into his arms and strode into the library, slamming the door behind him and unceremoniously dropping her onto the settee.
“How dare you touch me after you—”
“After I what? I did not have an assignation, or anything else, with Lady Phoebe.”
She crossed her arms and continued to glare at him. “You could have fooled me.”
“I appreciate your faith in my character. Nevertheless, I was in here working on the journal when she came in. I forced her to leave immediately.”
“Then why did you make me hide behind the door?”
“Because if she had known you were there, she would have accomplished her goal of forcing me to make an offer for her.” He yanked off his cravat and dropped into a chair.
“Oh.”
She chewed on her bottom lip, drawing his attention to her mouth. His stomach tightened. How had he not noticed before how full her lips were?
“Why would she do that?”
“You mean besides to marry someone who will one day be a duke? Or do you find me so repellant that you can’t imagine anyone ever wanting to marry me?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re not repellant.” She stood up and moved in front of the fireplace and turned to face him. “You’re certainly overbearing and self-important, but in any case, I don’t understand why the daughter of a duke would need to resort to trickery. It’s not as if there aren’t plenty of men who would be willing to marry her.”
How to Bewitch an Earl Page 6
