Jasper glanced back at Leah, his eyes mournful. “Farewell, Miss Green,” he said, rising to bow. “And to you—Countess, Lady Adelaide.”
“Good evening to you, Lord Gillet, Lord Richmond,” Adelaide and her mother chorused, whilst Leah savored her goodbye for Jasper.
“It has been the greatest pleasure to spend the evening in your company, Jasper…Lord Richmond,” she added hastily. “You must give my fondest wishes to your mother, Lady Richmond.”
“Of course,” Jasper replied. “She shall be delighted to hear it.”
Adelaide struggled not to roll her eyes. He was more naturally charming than his puppy-like behavior suggested. Truly, she would not have wished herself to be on the receiving end of his saccharine actions. Weary of the lengthening goodbyes, she gave a small curtsey and swept out of the room. Her mother followed close behind, whilst Leah brought up the rear. Adelaide stared straight ahead as they made the short journey to the next-door townhouse.
Stepping into the entrance hall, Adelaide drank in the familiar sights and smells. The scent of freshly baked cakes drifted up from the kitchens, which were tucked away in the basement. They would undoubtedly appear at luncheon tomorrow. She smiled at the thought.
The Belgravia townhouse was far smaller than the family estate in Yorkshire, but Adelaide preferred the intimacy of it. It felt more comfortable, somehow. The sprawling manor always seemed to echo with loneliness, but this house never did. With its three floors of stylishly decorated hallways and chambers, and a neat garden stretching out at the back, it never felt like too much. She did not believe a person could need anything more.
“Well, goodnight, my darling,” Lady Leeds said, dipping in to kiss her daughter on the cheek. “See to it that Miss Green finds her way home, won’t you?”
“Of course, Mama,” Adelaide replied, inhaling the scent of her mother’s perfume. Her family meant the world to her. Indeed, they were just about the only people she was certain she liked. They did not judge her as others did, nor did she worry about her behavior in their company.
With that, Lady Leeds swept up the curved staircase, passing the first floor and heading even further up to the second-floor, where she disappeared from sight. Adelaide crossed the cavernous entrance hall, speckled light from the crystal chandelier dancing against her skin. She reached for the silver tray by the door, where the letters from the evening post had been piled up for delivery over breakfast. There was one for her. The handwriting was unmistakable.
“Who is that from?” Leah asked impertinently, watching over Adelaide’s shoulder.
“It is nothing,” she replied, pressing the letter to her chest.
“A secret admirer?”
“No…a friend.”
Leah arched a suspicious eyebrow. “A friend? As far as I am aware, you only count myself and Jasper amongst your acquaintances.”
“That is untrue. Lady Francesca is also a dear friend,” she insisted, wishing her cheeks wouldn’t give away her mortification. “And there are others whom you know nothing of—they do not reside in London, nor do they stay the season here.”
Leah shrugged, “I suppose that is believable.” She pushed a few of the other letters across the tray. “I must say, I have always found your friendship with Jasper rather strange. Is it not unseemly for a young gentleman and a young lady to be so acquainted?”
“Whatever do you mean?”
“Why, take this very evening for example. You did not have to monopolize Jasper’s attentions in such a manner.”
Adelaide gaped at Leah. “He is a dear friend, Leah. There is nothing untoward about our association—you must not worry yourself.”
“Make no mistake, I am not envious of the friendship between you, but does our own friendship not matter? Surely, it would have been kinder of you to step aside, so he and I might have conversed more deeply?” A cold look glinted in her blue eyes. “You might have provided the perfect chaperone and yet you chose to steal his attentions for yourself.”
Adelaide groaned. “I did no such thing.”
“I watched you.”
“He spoke with me. I cannot help it if he chooses to talk to me, Leah. As you say, we are friends.”
“Perhaps, it would be prudent for you to set your unusual friendship aside for a while, so that—”
“I will do no such thing, Leah.” She dropped her gaze, wishing she had not cut her friend off so curtly. “As you have stated so candidly, I am not exactly blessed with a multitude of amities. I cannot stand to lose a single one. Now, I believe it is time you went home. The carriage is ready to depart whenever you are.”
Leah pouted sourly, “You are forcing me away?”
“Not at all. I am weary and I wish to retire to bed.”
“Very well, but do not think you have heard the end of this.”
“I pray that I may have. There is nothing to fear from me, and I am sorry if—”
“You are a jealous creature, Lady Adelaide. You have always been so.”
Adelaide recoiled from the slur. She had been about to apologize for her previous behavior, but the words died on her lips. Her heart no longer felt redemptive. Pushing away any indication of visible hurt, she ushered Leah towards the front door. She did not stop until Leah was safely on her way down the cobbled road, the carriage wheels jolting away from sight. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief. Friendship appeared to be nothing but hard work.
Gazing up at the blanket of stars that glittered in the clear autumn night, Adelaide drew in a deep lungful of cold air. A gentle, frosted breeze nipped at her cheeks. Wrapping her arms around herself, her eyes moved across the still landscape. A rolling fog drifted across the grass of the park beyond. Shadows shifted and darted, playing tricks on her.
Suddenly, the fog cleared. A solitary shadow remained on the park path. Tall and broad-shouldered, a long coat masked his shape. With his head dipped, the edge of his top-hat shrouded his face from sight. She could not make out a single familiar feature. A tremor of fear and confusion rippled up Adelaide’s spine. Whoever this man was, he did not move. She stood frozen to the spot, equally unable to move.
She was about to call out for assistance when the figure vanished. As quickly as he had appeared, he disappeared from sight, melting into the fog and the darkness. Adelaide was alone once more. Still holding the letter in her trembling hand, she stayed on the top step a moment longer and opened it out slowly.
Thinking of you, was all it said.
Chapter 2
The following day, Reuben Fletcher, the Duke of Bradford, stalked the young lady with the stealth of a skilled predator. In the bright light of the crisp autumn afternoon, he had followed her all the way from town, wanting to watch her from afar. There was something about the voyeuristic nature of observing that thrilled him to the core.
Not a moment ago, she had parted ways with an acquaintance and their escort and turned down a wide alleyway. He had not recognized the young lady and older woman that she had been walking with. They had tried to convince her to allow them to walk with her to her front door, but she had refused.
“The journey is so short. I do not require an escort to walk barely forty paces,” she had told them, assuring both women that she would be fine by herself. Now that she had parted from them, it appeared she wished to take a shortcut on her way home. Reuben had hoped she might. She was a strong-willed creature; he thought it one of her finest attributes.
He waited a split-second before hurrying after her, though he was careful not to attract her attention.
She paused at the end of the alley to search for something. He smiled. He could not have planned it better himself. Carefully, he crept up behind her and breathed softly against her ear. She whirled around in fright. With her mouth opening in a scream, his hand snapped towards her. Clamping his palm down, he silenced her.
“It is only me, my sweet,” he said.
Her body relaxed.
“Do you promise you will not scream?”
>
She nodded.
“You ought to be more watchful of your step. London can be a dangerous place, even here in Belgravia,” he chided playfully, releasing her. His skin felt hot where she had breathed against it in a panic. The lingering sensation made him wonder what it might be like to kiss her plump lips and feel her breath that much closer. He would not dare to do so, but it did not stop him thinking about it.
“And you ought to be more careful about trailing young ladies throughout the town,” she remarked curtly. Her breath heaved from her lungs. Despite the danger being diffused, Reuben could see she was still scared. “This is most unseemly, Your Grace.”
“Reuben, please…when it is only you and I, I implore you to call me by my name.”
“We should not be alone together,” she insisted in a panic. “If someone were to discover us, they would—”
“They would what, my dear? You and I are engaged. People may gossip as they please.”
At five-and-thirty, Reuben had thought it about time he ended his bachelor ways. He had sown his wild oats and played the role of eligible Lothario to the end of its enjoyment. Some six months previously, he had begun to think seriously about taking a wife. Alone at night, he had wondered how pleasant it might be to have a charming young lady at his side. Lady Adelaide had come along at just the right time. Plus, his mother and her parents had thought the match most fortuitous, indeed.
“If you insist on keeping our engagement secret, then there is much for me to worry about,” Adelaide countered. She looked wounded. “When may my mother and father make the news official? They are eager to do so, as am I. Your own mother has written several times to assure me that your affections have not altered.”
“My mother speaks the truth. They have not.” He smiled mischievously, “I desire you to be my wife, that is all there is to it.”
“So why must we continue in secret? Your mother knows and my parents have agreed. Why do you delay?”
He shrugged, “I do not see the need to herald it about town. What business is it of anyone else? You see, my love, I am not keeping it a secret. I am merely informing only those who need to know.”
“Well, I wish you would tell more people, so that I do not fear you jilting me.”
“I would never do such a thing,” he replied, taking her hand and pressing it to his lips. “You are the one I am going to wed, I assure you. I just do not appreciate playing into the hands of society’s chattering elite and obeying their every whim and custom. May we not have this simply for us? I should very much like to shock them with the news when we marry.”
“Mother wants everyone in attendance at the wedding.”
“Your mother may have to be disappointed.”
Adelaide laughed, her expression softening. “I would give my mother anything she desired, but I agree with you about the gossipers of London. Perhaps, you have won me over to your way of thinking. A quiet affair might be a marvelous thing.”
“You see, that is why you are the sweetheart for me,” he said softly. “Your mind does not quite work the same way as these other girls, with their foolish ideas and silly manners. You are far more challenging than they could ever be.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Challenging?”
“Oh, my dear, that is an eminently positive attribute. In previous flirtations, I have grown bored so easily,” he explained. “With you, I shall never be bored.”
Adelaide smiled, and he felt a small tug of affection for the young lady. She stood taller than most other females of her age. He could understand how it might dissuade weaker men, but at six-foot-three, he did not mind her height. He still dwarfed her. Besides, with her being closer to his watchful eyes, he could observe her better. She was a rare beauty, but not in a traditional sense. There was something otherworldly about her pale skin and raven-black hair, and the deep brown eyes that looked up into his with a flickering warmth. She would do very nicely.
In truth, her dowry was the most enticing thing about her. He thought her charming enough and there was a subtly irreverent streak that bubbled beneath the surface. Still, all of that paled in comparison to the fortune that she would bring to him. It was enough to persuade any man to become a husband. Plus, his mother had insisted he make a good match. Gazing at Adelaide, he felt he’d done a decent job of securing one of the most eligible women in London.
“I am glad to hear it, Reuben,” she said, her cheeks flushing pink.
“Although, I must say, you are slow to appreciate some of my games,” he purred. “Truly, I am most disappointed you did not offer a gesture or a kind word last night. You did not acknowledge me at all, and now I fear you are no longer serious in your affections. I went to the trouble of waiting for you, and all for naught.”
Adelaide gasped, “That was you in the park? What were you doing out there? You might have caught your death of cold. And what if someone had seen you, or called for the Bow Street Runners?” She shook her head. “That might have ended very badly, indeed.”
“I was careful to ensure that they did not.” He smiled, “Did my letter please you?”
“It did.”
“Good, then I shall send more until the day we are wed.”
Her eyes smoldered. “I pray that you do. Indeed, I would have written a reply, but I thought our paths were due to cross tonight at the Assembly Rooms. That seemed soon enough to me, though your presence here, now, would suggest otherwise.” She paused uncertainly. “Did Lady Francesca not send word to you?”
“She did, but I could not wait so long. I had to see you before tonight, somewhere without the crowds buzzing around us like flies.” He smiled, “Are you not pleased to see me?”
“I am, Your Grace.”
“Reuben,” he insisted.
“I am, Reuben, it is merely the location of our meeting that concerns me.”
He ignored her nerves. “Might I kiss your hand, Lady Adelaide?” he asked, his voice thick with emotion. He reached out for her.
She stumbled backwards. The action amused him.
“You do not wish to allow your soon-to-be husband to kiss your hand?”
“I… I do not know if I ought to. Not here, where you and I should not be conversing. If someone were to come around the corner, there would be a scandal.” Her gaze darted over her shoulder. She looked like a frightened little mouse. Reuben could not deny it intrigued him to see her so panicked. It almost brought out the protective streak within him. Almost.
“You want to be like everyone else, always toeing the line? You care so much about the opinions of others?”
She frowned at him. “I must care, Your Grace. Until you and I are wed, I must allow myself to be led by the judgements of my peers. It is the only way I may keep myself safe. Surely, you must understand that?”
“Perhaps.” She grew more and more intriguing with every interaction they shared. There was an aura about her that drew him in, despite himself. Every word seemed to flow like honey from her lips. Every spark of her dark eyes made him wonder what secrets lay within. She had him enraptured. A truth Reuben did not care to admit to anyone, least of all himself.
“Besides, I must gauge the honesty in your affections, as well as fend off the gossip of others,” she replied. He could tell she was toying with him.
Emboldened, Reuben took a step towards her. “And if I were to steal a kiss of your hand? If I were to take one without permission?”
He was about to reach out to take her hand, when a shadow darkened the entrance to the alleyway. A cry went up, the shout shivering through the still autumn air. Both Adelaide and Reuben whirled around to see the startled face of Jasper, Lord Gillett.
“Lady Adelaide, are you well? Should I rouse the alarm?” he bellowed, his body half-twisted to leave.
She broke away from Reuben and hurried towards him. “You must not, Jasper. You must be quiet,” she urged, lifting her finger to her lips. “This is not as it seems.”
Jasper glowered in the direction of Reuben.
“It would appear that some rogue has attempted to apprehend you.”
“As the lady says, the situation is not as it seems,” Reuben replied coolly. He had encountered Jasper a few times during his discreet courtship of Adelaide. Every time his carriage arrived outside the townhouse belonging to Adelaide and her family, he found Jasper lingering somewhere nearby. Truth be told, he did not care for the young man. Adelaide had often assured him that Jasper was no more than a childhood friend, but Reuben did not appreciate competition of any kind. Not from other suitors, at any rate.
“You must go,” Adelaide urged.
Jasper shook his head. “I will not.”
“This gentleman is no threat to me.”
Dangerous Games of a Broken Lady: A Historical Regency Romance Novel Page 2
