My Elusive Countess

by Carolynn Carey

  Amanda looked into his face and her frown faded. “Mrs. Baker said she could have almost everything done by Thursday of next week.”

  “Isn’t that unusually prompt?”

  “Not really. As I told you, she is accustomed to sewing for me. I doubt more than one fitting will be required.”

  “In that case, you can expect my aunt to call upon you soon after. She will want you to accompany her on morning calls.”

  Blackbourne watched as a frown returned to Amanda’s face and her grip tightened on her reticule ribbons. “Perhaps Lady Cordelia’s health will not permit her to sponsor me this season.”

  Blackbourne’s fury at his aunt intensified but he understood the importance of hiding his feelings from Amanda. He forced a smile. “You need not worry about my aunt’s health. I assure you that she will soon be much improved. In fact, I’m on my way now to order an enormous bouquet to help speed her recovery.”

  “That’s exceptionally thoughtful of you,” Amanda said, her smile warm.

  “Not at all.” Blackbourne hoped his smile was equally warm. “Aunt Cordelia is more than deserving of the flowers and note of concern I intend to send her.”

  In less than an hour’s time, he’d made arrangements for a large bouquet to be delivered to his aunt, along with the note he’d scribbled to her.

  “Your illness was unfortunately timed,” he had written. “Let us hope these flowers help speed your recovery. However, if you find yourself unable to take Lady Willowvale with you on your calls in the future, please notify me immediately. The dower house on the estate’s remote property near Scotland is in fair condition, but I would need to instruct my bailiff to give additional attention to the rodent problem in anticipation of your taking up residence there. Your dutiful nephew, B.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Blackbourne awoke the next morning feeling unusually irritable and his mood didn’t improve even after he’d sat down in the breakfast parlor to an excellent meal. Usually a nice sirloin would brighten his outlook, but not today and he didn’t understand why his spirits were so low.

  Of course events had taken an unexpected turn with Amanda. His plans to initiate a flirtation with her had been foiled thus far and he was no longer quite sure what his next step should be. Obviously, extra care must be taken since the dragon lady was in residence in Amanda’s house. If he wasn’t positive that Amanda felt an answering attraction to him, he’d be discouraged, but he trusted his instincts too much to harbor doubts about her feelings.

  He gave the matter more thought while finishing his breakfast and had decided to visit Amanda as soon as the morning was advanced enough. He’d have to think of an excellent excuse for calling. After all, he wanted to make a favorable impression, not convince Amanda he was a lovesick boy too inept to interact with a female intelligently.

  Unfortunately, ten minutes of deep thought failed to produce an acceptable reason, which caused his spirits to take a dive toward rock bottom.

  Growing more irritated with himself by the minute, he slammed his fork onto his plate just as Dulaney stepped into the breakfast parlor. The butler’s eyebrows shot up, then he sighed and intoned with his usual formality, “You have a caller, my lord. Mr. Anthony Clemmons requests an audience with you.”

  Blackbourne’s spirits rose. A visit from his old friend was just what he needed. “Ask him to join me, Dulaney. Knowing Anthony, he’ll be hungry. He usually is.”

  “Yes, my lord.”

  A couple of minutes later, Anthony stepped into the breakfast parlor and grinned. “Glad to see you’re up and about this early in the day, Garath.” He glanced toward the covered dishes still sitting on the buffet. “Must say, I could stand a bite to eat if you’ve any food left.”

  Garath waved a hand toward the sideboard. “I believe there may be a few morsels left. Help yourself.”

  He watched with an amused smile while Anthony inspected each covered dish and, upon finding generous portions untouched, loaded a plate for himself. Then Blackbourne turned to a hovering footman. “Bring a fresh pot of tea and a tankard of ale, please, James.”

  Anthony heaved a happy sigh. “Wonderful. I’m half starved this morning. Didn’t have time to eat at home. Judith and my mother keep me running from morning until midnight or later. I’ll be glad when my sister finds herself a husband who will take her off my hands.”

  Blackbourne straightened in his chair. “What does Judith have you doing?”

  Anthony stuffed half a slice of toast into his mouth and chewed for several seconds before responding. “Oh, the usual. This morning I had to escort her and Mother to Hatchard’s, of all places. I mean, who in his right mind wants to visit a bookstore?”

  “A bookstore,” Blackbourne murmured. “Yes, that might work.”

  Anthony reached for the ale that had been placed in front of him. “What do you mean? You ain’t interested in visiting a bookstore, are you?”

  Blackbourne didn’t bother to answer. “What else does your sister like to do?”

  Anthony, who had just taken a large swallow of ale, strangled and then coughed for a few minutes before regaining his breath enough to speak. “My god, Garath,” he finally sputtered. “You’ve not developed an interest in Judith, have you? Because if you have, I take leave to inform you that she’d make your life a pure misery, drive you to distraction and—”

  Blackbourne threw up a hand to silence him. “Judith is a lovely girl but much too lively for me. But I was wondering what sorts of activities she enjoys outside of the balls and parties and shopping.”

  Anthony shook his head. “What doesn’t she enjoy? She’s forever talking of Lady so-and-so’s rout and someone else’s assembly, not to mention Vauxhall and Drury Lane and riding in the park. I tell you, she’s about to wear me out. But if you aren’t interested in Judith yourself, why do you ask?”

  Blackbourne gave a slight shrug. “My ward’s mother, Lady Willowvale, is waiting on a seamstress to finish her new wardrobe before accompanying my aunt Cordelia on her calls. I’m wondering if there are any activities in which she can take part that don’t require the very latest fashions.”

  “Hate to disappoint you, but I can’t think of anything.”

  “Not even Hatchard’s?”

  “I’d say not. My mother wouldn’t let Judith stick her nose outside the front door except to shop until her entire wardrobe had been refurbished. I know your ward’s mother isn’t on the lookout for a husband, but if she wants to be accepted by the high sticklers, she’d best be sure she’s up to snuff in every way possible.”

  “No doubt you’re right,” Blackbourne said. In fact, he had suspected the answer to his question before he asked, but he’d hoped he was wrong. He resigned himself to delaying his plans to spend considerable time with the countess until he could escort her about London without jeopardizing her acceptance by the ton.

  In the meantime, he’d probably be wise to use the extra time to oversee the business aspects of his estates. Unfortunately, he felt absolutely no interest in adding up columns of figures today. He looked toward his guest with a hopeful glint in his eye. “I say, Anthony, did you have some particular reason for calling this morning?”

  Anthony pushed back his plate, belched loudly and nodded. “My assignment from my mother this morning is to find a nice mare for Judith to ride, so I’m off to Tattersall’s to inspect what’s available and was hoping you could join me. There’s no one’s judgment I trust more than yours where horseflesh is concerned.”

  A grin brightened Blackbourne’s countenance. “I’ll be glad to go to Tattersall’s with you.” He pushed back from the table, his mood much improved. There was nothing like the company of an old friend and a visit to Tattersall’s to make for a pleasant morning.

  And now, of course, he had a perfectly good reason for calling on Amanda. After all, David should soon be learning to ride, and Blackbourne had no idea what kind of horseflesh was kept at Willow Place. In fact, he decided he’d keep an eye open thi
s morning to see what was available in ponies at Tattersall’s and then pay a visit to Amanda this afternoon.

  He jumped to his feet and started toward the door, then turned back and motioned for Anthony to hurry. “We’d best be on our way if we don’t want all the prime bits of blood gone before we get there.”

  Anthony sighed as he pushed himself to his feet. “Just like my mother and sister, always in a hurry,” he muttered, then trailed Blackbourne from the breakfast parlor and down the corridor to the front entrance.

  * * * * *

  By late that afternoon, Blackbourne had attained his goal and was seated across from Amanda in one of the drawing rooms in her town house. Unfortunately, her dragon lady was also an occupant of the room and, to Blackbourne’s consternation, the conversation wasn’t going as he might have wished.

  “You bought David a what, my lord?” Amanda asked, staring at him with widened eyes that clearly reflected her doubts about his sanity or, at the very least, his sobriety.

  Blackbourne looked into Amanda’s startled gaze and wished he had not stated so quickly the purpose behind his visit. After all, he’d taken special care with his appearance in anticipation of finding her at home. He’d even made Stephens order a bath for him after he returned from Tattersall’s so he wouldn’t visit Amanda with the smell of horse manure clinging to him.

  But he’d rushed his fences, so to speak, by announcing almost immediately that he’d purchased a pony for his ward and now he’d have to continue down the road he’d started traveling. He lifted his chin. “I bought David a pony. It’s time the boy started learning to ride. In fact, he probably should have started riding a couple of years ago.”

  Rebecca Thornton looked up from her embroidery. “What makes you think David has not already started learning to ride, my lord?”

  Blackbourne clenched his teeth. He had really hoped to catch Amanda alone this afternoon. After all, he’d made it a point to arrive at an unfashionable hour for visiting and had stated to her butler in no uncertain terms that he needed to see the countess on business. He supposed he should have expected that Amanda would be in the company of her companion.

  Still, he did not appreciate Miss Thornton’s questioning his assumption about David’s knowledge of riding. He flashed her a smile that was more predatory than friendly. “Perhaps I formed that opinion, Miss Thornton, when I first visited my ward and discovered him and his mother living deep in the forest in an old house that was considerably smaller than the stables at Willow Place.”

  “Ah, I see,” Miss Thornton said. A spot of color touched her cheeks and she quickly picked up her needle and resumed working on her embroidery.

  Blackbourne glanced toward Amanda, only to find her eyes flashing even more brightly than before. She turned to address her companion. “I wonder, Becky, if you would mind fetching me a shawl from my chamber? I’m suddenly feeling chilly.”

  As excuses went, Blackbourne reflected, it was a poor one because the room was actually too warm for comfort, but Miss Thornton immediately laid her embroidery to one side and got to her feet. Her lips formed a firm line above her chin. “As you wish, my lady.”

  Both Blackbourne and Amanda stood. Amanda flinched at the wounded hauteur reflected on Miss Thornton’s face but she did not back down. Instead, she watched in silence as her companion slowly, and with her back ramrod straight, exited the room and shut the door behind her.

  Amanda turned to Blackbourne. “I got the impression, my lord, that you were not best pleased to have Rebecca as a witness to our conversation. And sometimes, I must admit, she tends to intrude when she would be better served to remain silent. I apologize.”

  Blackbourne could not help but admire Amanda. She’d taken a situation in which he was in the right and had twisted it to make him feel like a blasted cad. Best to try to wrest the power back into his own hands if he could. He bowed deeply. “It is I who should be apologizing, my lady. I fear I am often ill suited for my role as guardian to a five-year-old heir to an earldom. Now I’ve purchased an unnecessary pony when David is probably already at ease on the back of his own mount.”

  To his amazement, Amanda threw back her head and laughed. “Well done, my lord. You’ve turned the tables and put me in my place quite adeptly. Now I must admit that you were quite right to believe that David does not own a pony, nor has he been on the back of any sort of steed yet. I had planned to wait until he is a little older to begin his riding instruction but obviously you would be more knowledgeable than I about the appropriate age for a boy to learn to ride. Thank you so much for taking steps to correct my oversight.”

  Blackbourne’s lips curved into a smile in response to Amanda’s laughter. There was something infectious about her good mood and he found himself longing to match her willingness to accept blame. “You give me too much credit, my lady. I was remiss in not checking with you prior to buying a pony, but it was a spur-of-the-moment decision.”

  “I can’t help but wonder, my lord, where you came upon this pony.”

  “Tattersall’s, of course. I went with Anthony Clemmons, who was on the lookout for an appropriate mare for Judith to ride while she’s residing in London.”

  “Ah, Tattersall’s.” Amanda nodded knowingly. “I should have guessed. Even my father waxed enthusiastically about their auctions from time to time. Not that he could tell a nag from a thoroughbred, but I believe he felt a great deal of respect for Richard Tattersall for having seen an opportunity and moved to fill a need.”

  Blackbourne inclined his head. “From what you’ve told me about your father, I can imagine that he would feel a great deal of respect for any man who had the foresight to create a business different from, or at least better than, any that had come before it.”

  “That’s certainly true. But I’m wandering from our topic. Please tell me about the pony. What does it look like? And how will you transport it to Willow Place?”

  Ten minutes later, Blackbourne had described in detail the pony’s markings and its history, assuring Amanda that it was a gentle beast that was not known to bite or toss its rider. “One of my grooms will see that the pony is transported to Willow Place. I will, of course, send strict orders to Thomas that David is not to ride the pony until I am there to oversee his instruction.”

  Color flared in Amanda’s cheeks and tears brightened her eyes. She quickly blinked them away. “You shame me, my lord. I think you are aware that I was not best pleased to see you when you appeared at the old dower house, but I begin to realize now that your guidance is just what David will need to help him learn what he must know as he grows to manhood.“

  With her eyes brightened by moisture and her face abloom with color, Amanda’s beauty left Blackbourne almost breathless, as did her strength of character. He grasped her hand and took a step forward, placing himself just inches from her body. She smelled of roses. No, perhaps it was violets. Whatever the fragrance, it was intoxicating, as was the slightly upward tilt of her lips.

  Those lips. He gazed at them longingly. If he were to lower his head just a few inches, their lips would be touching. Her tongue flicked out and over her lower lip, as though to moisten it. Or was her action designed to entice? He had to know. He leaned forward.

  The door behind them opened and Rebecca Thornton spoke. “I’ve brought your shawl, my lady.”

  Blackbourne straightened. His gaze dropped to Amanda’s throat just as she swallowed. Had she, too, been hoping to discover what a kiss between them would be like? Was she as disappointed as he? He stifled a sigh, dropped Amanda’s hand and turned.

  It was imperative, he realized, that he make his peace with Rebecca Thornton and not only because she had Amanda’s ear for most of every day. He respected Miss Thornton, and her loyalty toward Amanda and David could not be questioned.

  At the moment, she stood rigidly just inside the doorway, a soft blue shawl draped across her arm. Blackbourne strode across the few feet that separated them and bowed. “I wish to apologize, Miss Thornton, fo
r my behavior this afternoon. I realize that your intent was not to question my actions but rather to gently call my attention to the fact that I’d not taken the trouble to discover what David’s riding experiences might be. I hope you will take into account my own inexperience as a guardian and forgive me.”

  Her eyes widened but her posture remained stiff. Deciding that she needed a few more minutes to reflect on his apology, Blackbourne eased the shawl from her arm and carried it to Amanda. As he approached her, he looked into her eyes and found that they were twinkling. She clearly understood what his apology to Miss Thornton had been intended to accomplish. She took the shawl from his hands, then dropped it into the chair behind her.

  “Thank you, my lord.” She walked to her companion’s side and draped an arm around her shoulders. “I hope you will forgive me also, my dear Becky, because the fault lies more with me than with Lord Blackbourne. He, after all, is looking after David’s interests.”

  The rigidity slowly faded from Miss Thornton’s shoulders and she allowed a small smile to lift the corners of her lips. “If an apology is called for from anyone, it is I who is at fault. However, I think we can all agree that our first concern is David’s welfare and move on from there.”

  A smile lit Amanda’s face. “You are absolutely correct as usual, my dear.” She turned to Blackbourne. “Would you care for some refreshment, my lord?”

  Blackbourne knew he’d already pushed his luck with both ladies and decided a hasty retreat was in order. “Thank you, but no, my lady. I have some business to attend to. And please don’t worry about the pony. I’ll make sure Thomas understands that David’s only interaction with his new mount is to be a daily visit to the stables to feed it a carrot.”

  Amanda continued to smile. “That sounds wonderful. And thank you again for your thoughtfulness.”

  Ten minutes later as Blackbourne guided his team back toward his town house, he reflected that while his hopes for a flirtation had not been advanced this afternoon, all in all, he felt well pleased with the day’s activities. The thoughts of having purchased David’s first pony were somehow fulfilling and he found himself looking forward to teaching the lad to ride just as soon as he’d helped Amanda become established in London. In the meantime, he had a letter to write to Thomas and arrangements to make with his groom to transport a pony to Willow Place.