“I think you might have to take him with you when you leave, or he will be heartbroken,” Lord Kenworth commented.
Isa smiled. “Given my circumstances, that isn’t possible, but I imagine he will settle back into his former routine as soon as I leave.”
“Don’t count on it,” he said softly. For a moment, his features softened, as if he had dropped his defenses. “You have changed his outlook on life, and it is likely too late to change it back.”
Louisa stared at her brother. “Are we still talking about Biscuit?”
“Yes, of course. Who else would we be discussing?”
Lord Kenworth watched while the others broke into smaller groups and settled themselves to enjoy the picnic. Louisa found a spot and waved to Isa, and she and Biscuit joined her, along with Lady Sarah and Lady Helen. He kept watch until all of his guests had found a place to dine, then he sat down between Isa and Lady Sarah.
“What a pleasure to have your company, my lord,” Lady Sarah said.
Though she was almost painfully polite, Isa still enjoyed her companionship, and she imagined Lord Kenworth did as well. She decided to sit back and hold her tongue so Lady Sarah and Lady Helen could engage in conversation with Lord Kenworth. They were definitely his best options of those who had been invited to the house party.
Isa noted Lord Kenworth’s gaze focused across the path at Lady Phoebe and Lord Thornbrook, who were sitting scandalously close together. And alone. Isa wondered for a moment if he had changed his mind about Lady Phoebe. She was gorgeous, but after her performance last night, was definitely lacking in essentials. Like integrity. She leaned forward over Lord Thornbrook, who was reclining on his back. Considering the cut of her gown, Isa feared he could see all the way to her navel. She drew in a surprised breath, and Lord Kenworth turned to meet her eyes. His raised brow dispelled any doubt she had about his intentions toward Lady Phoebe. Relief flowed through Isa. Of course he would not be fooled by her. With her antics the previous night, she had proven that she wasn’t worthy of him.
He leaned close and whispered in her ear, “I bet that was a bit of a shock, even for Thornbrook.”
She bit her lip to keep from laughing, and he turned to speak with Lady Sarah. If Isa’s life had been different, she could have been one of these ladies enjoying the house party and hoping to find love with one of the many gentlemen present. Though there was no point in dreaming about things that could never happen, she was unable to quell the ache in her heart.
The conversation continued around her, but her mind wandered as she glanced around the property and through the tree line into the woods. She had known that there was a chapel and several other outbuildings usually found on large estates like Walsley, but there were also several large statues sprinkled about as well as what looked like an enclosed pavilion and something that resembled a mausoleum. Though the background of the painting didn’t resemble any of these buildings, at least on the outside, there were many excellent hiding places for the tiara at Walsley. Perhaps even an infinite number.
“Miss Winthrop?” Lord Kenworth waved a hand in front of her face.
“Apologies, my lord. I’m afraid I was woolgathering.”
“Yes, we can see that. But there is an important matter at hand. We need you to settle a dispute.”
She raised her eyebrows and waited for him to continue.
“Lady Sarah has correctly deduced that the color of the pavilion is ochre, and I agree, but Louisa and Lady Helen insist that it is amber.”
Isa thought this was quite possibly the most ridiculous argument ever, but she figured it would be impolite to say so. “Actually, I would call it saffron.”
Louisa tilted her head and studied the pavilion. “I’m not sure I agree with you. I don’t see much of an orange overtone.”
“Wait.” Lord Kenworth tilted precariously. “When the clouds move in front of the sun, there is more of an orange tone to the color.”
“I think you are all ridiculous. The three colors are pretty much the same. Our time would be better served chasing the clouds.” Isa stood up and tilted her head back to view the clouds, then spun around like a little girl until she became dizzy and fell on her bottom. She giggled and lay back to watch the sky twirl around her until the dizziness dissipated.
Louisa and Lady Sarah stood and clasped their hands, then whirled around until they fell to the ground like Isa had.
Lord Kenworth raised a questioning brow, but did not join them.
At some point during their silliness, Lady Helen had slipped away. Isa couldn’t blame her. They were acting like children, but she didn’t regret her behavior. It didn’t hurt anyone to have a bit of fun. In a short time she would leave and never see any of them again. She would miss the duchess and Louisa, and even Lord Kenworth. He would always be fixed in her mind with the excitement of searching for the tiara.
Chapter Nine
Edward was surprised to see this playful side of Miss Winthrop when she twirled and dropped to the grass. Her joy was contagious, and she soon had Louisa and Lady Sarah following her. Lady Helen quickly scuttled away. She was a very proper girl, which was to be admired, but she didn’t seem to know how to enjoy herself. Perhaps that was why he couldn’t drum up any interest in her.
He continued to study Miss Winthrop after she returned to the blanket. She seemed to stay constantly occupied with one task or another. There were times she appeared to carry a heavy weight on her shoulders, and though he knew she was working so she could return to her family, there were certainly worse things than working as a companion to a kind, elderly lady. It made him wonder if there wasn’t something else troubling Miss Winthrop. Though her family situation was unfortunate, it wasn’t as if serving as a companion was a huge step down for a woman who was not from a noble family. Sometimes even daughters of the nobility were forced to assume a paid position like that of a companion or a governess. Though it reflected poorly on the girl’s father, and greatly limited the girl’s ability to marry, it wasn’t something the girl could control, and sensible people would realize that. Lady Sarah and Lady Helen seemed to accept Miss Winthrop, as did his family. It was only the pretentious among them, like Lady Phoebe and Lady Mary, who seemed put off by her.
Once the twirling ended, the ladies began searching in the grass, and he was puzzled until one of them triumphantly held up a stick. When all three of them had found a stick, Miss Winthrop led them over to the bridge and they tossed their sticks into the creek, then rushed to the other side to see which would appear first. It was a silly game he had played many times as a child, but the ladies were much more civilized than his family had been. There was no arguing or accusations of cheating among them.
The sun emerged from behind a cloud, and for a moment as it moved, it shined on Miss Winthrop only, as if it was trying to draw attention to her. It was a shame that she likely would never have the chance to marry. She might be a bit difficult to manage as a wife, but a man with a strong will who could take charge of her would greatly benefit by an alliance with her. Though she seemed to work hard not to be noticed, if he could determine a way to draw more positive attention to her, she might have a chance at making a good match.
A shadow fell over him, interrupting his thoughts. He shaded his eyes from the sun and looked up. “Thornbrook.”
He dropped down next to Edward.
“I see you managed to escape from Lady Phoebe.”
“Only just. Imagine what she would be like if her mother weren’t here.”
“Perish the thought.” He considered mentioning her ploy from the previous night, but decided that despite Lady Phoebe’s disgraceful behavior, it wouldn’t be the gentlemanly thing to do. “I trust you are enjoying yourself now that you no longer fear being devoured.”
Thornbrook lay back on the blanket. “I suppose so. I don’t mean to disparage your party, but I believe you could have improved upon the guest list.”
“Of course I could have, but it was out of my control.
My mother chose which ladies to invite.”
“That explains it. There are only two, maybe three, ladies of merit here, and at least two of them are off-limits to both of us.”
He had to be referring to Louisa and Miss Winthrop. “And if you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay away from the pair of them.”
“I’m not the one who has the problem here. You’re the one who has to choose a bride from among them.”
Edward lay back next to him. Thornbrook had the right of it. Edward did not want to spend the rest of his life with any of the ladies who attended the party, and he was not going to change his mind in another day, or even a fortnight, so there was no point in continuing this farce.
Unperturbed by Edward’s lack of response, Thornbrook continued. “Come on. I think it’s obvious to everyone, with the possible exception of you and Miss Winthrop, who has captured your interest.”
Edward popped up to a sitting position. “Nonsense. We are working together only because my mother involved her in the search for a family heirloom. Though I must admit she has proved quite useful in that regard.”
Thornbrook shot him an incredulous look. “All right, you’ve made it clear you don’t really want to discuss this. But if you have no interest in any of the ladies present, perhaps you should find an appropriate way to make that known, so the ladies can consider their other options.”
Once again, surprisingly, Thornbrook was correct. If there were some way to direct the attention of the ladies to the other men, it would take the pressure off him. The truth was, he wasn’t ready to marry anyone. Not until he sorted out his issues with his father and could prove that he was mature enough to be given control of his own estate.
An idea popped into his head that would benefit both he and Miss Winthrop. If Thornbrook was correct, then others must also have noticed Edward spending time with her, and it wouldn’t be a complete surprise if he made an offer for her. His mother seemed accepting of her, so she would likely approve, and it would buy him time to show his father that he could be responsible. They would simply have to set an agreed-upon time for her to cry off and, once their engagement ended, her short betrothal to the heir to the Duke of Boulstridge would surely create interest in her from other men. It was the perfect solution. All he had to do was convince Miss Winthrop.
When they returned to the house after the garden tour, the other ladies retired to their rooms to rest before dinner, but Isa went back to the library to take another look at the painting. As soon as she dropped onto the settee, Biscuit jumped into her lap and settled down for a nap. She was going to miss him when they left to return to Concord House.
Though the portrait was already fixed in her mind, she allowed herself to stare at it until her eyes relaxed, hoping she might pick up on a hidden clue or some other hint as to where the tiara was hidden.
She had just decided that it wasn’t working when the door swung open and Lord Kenworth came in.
“There you are. I’ve been looking for you.”
Her pulse quickened, and she sat up straight. “You have?”
“Yes.” He clasped his hands together, ran his fingers through his hair, then clasped them again. He appeared to be quite agitated.
“Is something amiss, my lord?”
He pushed the door so it was nearly closed, but not latched, then turned back to her. “Miss Winthrop.” He swallowed audibly. “Isabella.”
She stiffened at the sound of her given name coming from his lips. “Is something wrong? Is it Lady Concord? My brother?”
“No. No, nothing is wrong.” He dropped onto the settee next to her. “I’m sorry. I am making a muddle of this.”
He raked his fingers through his hair again, leaving it standing up in places. “Since I know you are in need of funds, I have a proposition for you.”
Goose pimples instantly formed along her arms, but she did not speak. She cursed the impulse that had motivated her to demand payment for showing them where the painting was. She had hoped he would forget about it when she declined to press him to pay. But George did need the money, and she supposed it was worth misrepresenting herself to help him.
She lifted her eyes and raised her brows, attempting to ignore how warm he was next to her, how a thrill shot through her every time she was alone with him.
“I’m not interested in any of the ladies my parents have invited to the house party, not to mention that I also have no intention of marrying at this point in my life. So, I’d like to pay you to pose as my fiancée.”
She leaped off the settee. “No. I could never deceive your parents, and Lady Concord has been so good to me. She would hire a new companion, and then I would be without a job, without a home…”
He stood and clasped her hands. “Calm down, Isabella.” He pulled her back onto the settee and massaged the top of her hands in what she was sure would have been a soothing manner had she not been so appalled by his suggestion.
“I’m talking about maintaining our engagement for a few weeks, not months or years. It also has the added bonus of giving us more leeway to be together while we continue our investigation of the tiara. The more time we can devote to it without arousing the undue suspicion of our guests could make the difference between success and failure.”
More time to solve the mystery without reproach was welcome, but it still didn’t seem right to deceive everyone.
Perhaps sensing her hesitation, he said, “Since I cannot cry off without permanently damaging my reputation, you will have the control to do that whenever you want. I ask only that you wait until after the house party ends.”
The warmth from his hands spread through her body, soothing her.
“If you agree, you’ll be able to help your brother, and it might even improve your marriage prospects. An engagement to a duke’s son will certainly not hurt your chance of making a good match.”
Her mind began to work again. There were several benefits to his offer. Not just more time to complete their quest for the tiara but, if he paid her enough, she might be able to move back home. She could help George choose a bride with a nice dowry and get things back on track for both of them. As much as she liked Lady Concord, she yearned to return to her former life, a life where she was once again the daughter of an earl. She might even be able to marry, for he was correct that having been engaged to the heir to a dukedom would give her an entrée back into society.
“What sort of sum are you offering?”
Surprise crossed his face briefly, but she didn’t mind, as it suited her purposes for him to think that her only motivation was money.
“What amount are you requesting?”
“One thousand pounds.”
His eyes widened. “That amount is larger than many ladies’ dowries.”
“Don’t forget that you still owe me for helping you find the portrait as well.”
“Of course. How could I forget that?” He glared at her. “You are a mercenary little thing, aren’t you? I’ll give you a thousand, but that includes the payment for your help finding the portrait.”
It wasn’t as much as she had hoped, but it might be enough to finally get George out of debt. It would have to suffice. “Agreed.” She grinned. “Thank you, my lord.”
“Since we are now betrothed, you’ll have to start calling me Edward. My parents will never believe this engagement is real otherwise.”
“Then you should call me Isa. It is how I am known by my family.”
“Isa.”
It was strange to hear someone use her name after all this time.
“It suits you.”
She held out her hand to him, and he rose and clasped it in his warm grip. Her heart flitted around her chest, and she had to catch her breath before speaking. “Are you sure this is what you want? Once you make the announcement, there’s no changing your mind.”
“I’m certain. Are you?”
She nodded.
“I hope you’re as good an actress as you seem to be.”
He walked toward the door, then placed his hand on the latch, but turned back to her before opening it. “Remember, from here on out, you are my betrothed. Considering the exorbitant amount I’m paying you, I expect you to act like it.” His stern look was eclipsed by the grin that spread across his face. Perhaps he was also remembering the last time he had said something similar to her. It definitely hadn’t turned out as planned.
“Yes, my…Edward.” His name felt exciting and even a bit dangerous as it crossed her lips. It would take some time before she would be comfortable using his given name.
When she could no longer hear his footsteps in the corridor, she swept Biscuit off the settee and hugged him to her. “Maybe I’ll be able to take you with me after all.” And maybe, just maybe, she would finally be able to go home, where she belonged, and help George restore the reputation of their family. Though she hated the need to deceive everyone, surely it was worth a small lie to get back everything she wanted.
Chapter Ten
Once she was dressed for dinner, Isa went to Lady Concord’s chamber. She deserved to be the first to know about her engagement to Edward. It pained Isa greatly to have to lie to her, especially since she had been her advocate and the keeper of her true identity for many years. She pressed her hands against her roiling stomach. It could not be helped. Edward had given her an opportunity to help George that she could not refuse. With her resolve firm once again, she knocked on the door.
“Lady Concord?”
“Come in, my dear.” She pushed the latch and opened the door. Lady Concord sat in a chair near the fireplace.
“I’ve barely seen you today. Did you enjoy your tour of the gardens?”
Isa sat in the chair across from her and clenched her hands. “Yes, very much so. The gardens are gorgeous, but I’m sorry I haven’t been spending more time with you. I haven’t been fulfilling my duties.”
How to Bewitch an Earl Page 8
