Love by Deception (Age of Innocence)

by Debra Elizabeth

  “At the last dance, Colby confided in Isabel that he was falling in love with her.”

  “I hardly think that’s a reason to be unhappy,” Iris exclaimed.

  “No, Isabel was thrilled, but when she went to follow him out on the balcony, she found him kissing Miss Larkinson. She didn’t wait for him to explain, but there must be some reasonable explanation. Mr. Tisbury does not strike me as an unkind gentleman who would do such a thing.”

  “Oh dear, that is a problem.”

  “Mrs. Quinn, there must be an explanation for it, don’t you think?”

  “Well, I’m not sure, but I can tell you that Kathryn Larkinson has been sweet on Colby Tisbury for the past two Seasons. I don’t want to think ill of the young woman, but it hardly seems likely that Colby would profess his love for Isabel and then go and kiss Kathryn.”

  “Yes, that’s what I tried to tell Isabel, but she wouldn’t listen. She said it was all ruined and that’s why she wouldn’t come to the dance tonight. She doesn’t want to face him.”

  “Has Isabel told anyone else of their encounter?”

  “No, I don’t believe she has.”

  “Well, that’s good, because otherwise Colby would be forced to marry Katherine. He would be seen as compromising her honor.”

  “Oh, dear. That is most distressing. It would surely break Isabel’s heart.”

  Iris patted Georgette’s hand. “Let me think on this a bit and see what I can do to help.”

  Georgette hugged the older woman. “Thank you, Mrs. Quinn.”

  “You’re welcome. And look, we’re home. Now go and share your happy news with your cousin.”

  The driver jumped down and opened the carriage door, helping the ladies descend the two steps to the ground. Georgette tried to contain her excitement, but once inside the door, she flew up the stairs and down the hall to their bedchamber.

  “Welcome home, Mrs. Quinn,” Mrs. Smithfield said. “Is everything well with Miss Condiff?”

  “Yes, she’s fine, just a little excited. Dalton Hunt proposed this evening.”

  “How lovely for her. Would you care for some tea before retiring?”

  “No, thank you, Mrs. Smithfield. I’m rather tired myself this evening and will retire promptly.”

  “Very well. Good evening, Mrs. Quinn.”

  Isabel was sitting up in bed reading when Georgette entered their room.

  “Hello. Did you have a good time?” Isabel asked.

  Georgette rushed to the bed and grasped her sister’s hands. “Isabel, you will never believe what happened this evening?”

  “What?”

  “Mr. Hunt proposed! I met his parents, too.”

  “He did? Isn’t that rather soon?”

  “It is, but I’m more sure than ever.” Georgette relayed the conversation she had with Lord Hunt and how she realized in that moment that she was in love with Dalton.

  “You said that? Look who’s being bold now?”

  “I could hardly believe the words that came out of my mouth. Lord Hunt had insulted our father and I couldn’t bear it.”

  Isabel hugged her. “Good for you. Engaged. I’m so happy for you.”

  “It hasn’t been announced yet. I asked Mr. Hunt if I could share the happy news with you first. Lady Hunt has said she will invite me to tea soon.”

  “It is wonderful news.”

  “Thank you, dearest. There’s something else. I wanted to tell you that Mr. Tisbury was asking after you this evening.”

  “He was?”

  “Yes, he met us at the entrance and seemed very disappointed when you were not there.”

  “Well, I’m sure Kathryn kept him entertained for the evening.”

  Georgette shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. He brushed past me when Mrs. Quinn told him you were at home and I’m pretty sure he left once he found out you were not in attendance.”

  “He did? I don’t know what to say about that.”

  “Perhaps there is an explanation after all,” Georgette said.

  “Perhaps.”

  “Would you think on this carefully?”

  “I will, Georgette. I will.”

  Chapter 13

  The next afternoon Isabel wandered into the parlor. Mrs. Quinn and Georgette were on the sofa discussing a book of poetry Iris had recently acquired. She could not muster any enthusiasm to join their conversation, even if she had wanted to engage with them. She had slept poorly and couldn’t stop thinking about what Georgette had told her, but she couldn’t get the image of Mr. Tisbury kissing Kathryn out of her mind.

  Today she felt listless, her heart broken. How could she have let this happen? Falling in love with Colby Tisbury was the worst mistake she’d made since coming to London, and she could see only one solution to end her misery. She would have to leave London and go back to Essex, but even that would have to wait until after Georgette’s wedding. She would not want to miss her sister’s special day.

  It was pure agony to think that she’d misjudged Colby’s intentions. The last thing she wanted was to be thought of as a foolish young woman, but she feared it was too late for that now. There was no mistaking that she loved Colby with all her heart. She thought he had returned her affections, and he had said that he did, but that was before she caught him kissing Kathryn. When compared to a beauty such as Kathryn, it was no wonder that he was sweet on her. How could she expect him to love her? How could all her dreams come true if the man she loved didn’t love her? She had lost faith that a happy ending to the Season was possible for her now.

  Georgette had warned her over and over again not to be too bold when they had first come to London, but she didn’t listen. Now she would pay the price for her boldness. Unrequited love was not romantic in the way books portrayed it. It was pure agony. She was filled with an ache in her heart that would not go away and only became more intense as time went by.

  She slumped into the chair.

  “Isabel, is there something wrong?” Iris asked.

  She shook her head. “No, I’m fine.”

  “You don’t look fine to me, dear. Perhaps if you unburdened yourself, we could find a solution for you.”

  Before Isabel could answer, Mrs. Smithfield came into the room and announced their visitor. “Mr. Tisbury, ma’am.”

  Isabel’s mouth fell open. What was he doing here?

  ***

  Colby strode into the room behind the housekeeper. He saw Mrs. Quinn and Georgette seated on the sofa with Isabel in a nearby chair. The women stood and each gave him a curtsy.

  “Good day, Mr. Tisbury. What a delightful surprise,” Iris said.

  Colby bowed. “Good day, Mrs. Quinn, Miss Condiff, Miss Knott.”

  His gaze lingered on Isabel, but she would not meet his eyes. His heart lurched at the sight of her. She was like a wild bird that he longed to hold in his hand. Not to tame, but to relish. No other woman had ever stirred such passion in him and he had to have her. He had hoped he would have an opportunity to talk with her at the dance last evening. He’d gone only to see her and was sorely disappointed when she did not attend.

  He’d been surprised when a letter arrived earlier this morning for him. Mrs. Quinn had invited him for tea, but he couldn’t help but wonder if she knew his coming here was the best opportunity for him to speak to Isabel in private. He had to explain to Isabel that what she saw out on the Larkinson balcony wasn’t what it appeared. It was all a misunderstanding.

  He glanced at Mrs. Quinn and she winked at him before she placed her hand on Georgette’s arm. “My dear, would you care to see the new volume that came in the post yesterday?”

  Georgette looked at Mr. Tisbury and then at Isabel before nodding. “Yes, that would be delightful.”

  Colby saw Isabel look at Georgette. Was she silently pleading with her not to leave her alone with him? Did she disdain him so much? How had everything gone so wrong so quickly? He had to fix this. He could not endure Isabel’s avoidance of him any longer.

&nbs
p; “Mr. Tisbury, I do hope you’ll stay long enough to have tea with us,” Iris said on her way out of the room. “We will return shortly.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Quinn. I would be delighted to stay,” he said before he walked toward Isabel.

  “What are you doing here?” Isabel asked.

  “I came to see you, of course. You seem to have missed a few engagements lately.”

  “I have, but I don’t know why that should concern you,” she said, taking a step away from him.

  Colby longed to tell her how much he loved her, but she seemed so cold toward him. He had no choice but to try a bold approach. “Miss Hunt, you are a thief.”

  Her eyes flashed at him. “I beg your pardon, sir. How dare you say such a thing to me? I’ve never stolen anything in my life.”

  Colby reached for her hand and brought it to his lips for a gentle kiss. “That’s where you’re wrong, my darling Isabel. You’ve stolen my heart and to which I heartily fall victim.”

  Isabel snatched her hand back. “Doesn’t seem like it to me.”

  “Whatever do you mean? I thought my intentions were clear. You mean the world to me. There is no one else I desire as much as you and the wonderful thought of holding you in my arms again.”

  Isabel crossed her arms across her chest, her indignation clear in her stance. “The same way you held Kathryn Larkinson?”

  Colby saw the hurt cross her face and instantly regretted letting Kathryn get anywhere near him this Season. “She means nothing to me.”

  “That’s a lie. I saw you kissing her.”

  Colby shook his head. “Isabel, please let me explain. It’s not what you think.”

  A silent tear rolled down Isabel’s face and she swiped at it in frustration. “I don’t want to hear any of your explanations. Your actions are enough for me to know that you have been false with me. Your intentions seem to wander depending on which young lady is in your company. That’s not the kind of man I care to be with.”

  Colby could not bear to see Isabel so unhappy. “My darling, I beg you to listen. I did not kiss Kathryn. She has been hounding me for two Seasons now and is relentless in her pursuit of me. I have spurned her, but she doesn’t stop. That night out on the balcony, I was so happy because I thought there was a possibility that you cared for me as much as I care for you. I heard footsteps behind me and thinking it was you, I turned with open arms. Kathryn slid into my embrace and pressed her lips against mine. I did not kiss her.”

  “You didn’t?” Isabel asked.

  “No, you must believe me. I pushed her from me immediately and went after you, but you left so quickly I did not have a chance to explain. I only have eyes for you. You are in my thoughts morning, noon, and night. You haunt my dreams and I count the hours until I can see you next. I am totally devoted to you and only you.”

  “You are?” Isabel smiled for the first time in days.

  Colby’s grin split his face. “Indeed, it is true. You must know how I feel about you.”

  Isabel softened her stance. “Well, I guess I believe you, but what is to become of this infatuation of yours?” she asked with a mischievous look.

  There was the Isabel he loved, that wild bird begging to be held. Colby leaned closer and lightly brushed her lips with a sweet kiss. “That will depend on you, Miss Knott.” He felt her shiver.

  “Me?”

  “Yes, you,” Colby whispered as he pulled Isabel into his arms. He kissed her cheek and ran a trail of kisses down her neck.

  “Oh my. Mr. Tisbury, if you wish me to answer you…”

  He took possession of her mouth and kissed her long and deep, hoping to convey his intense passion for her. She was everything to him, and a spark of hope blossomed in her chest when he felt her return the kiss.

  When they finally broke apart, Isabel nearly sagged in his arms. He guided her to the sofa. “Here, sit and regain your strength.” He took the seat next to her and brought her hand to his lips. “My dearest Isabel, I have never been in love before you came into my life. Now that you are here, I never want to lose you. Please say you’ll consent to becoming my wife.”

  ***

  Isabel couldn’t catch her breath. Butterflies roiled around her insides and she felt light-headed. Here was the man she adored pledging his love to her. Could it really be so? The most handsome bachelor in London was truly in love with her. She felt weak in the knees and was glad they were sitting on the sofa. The feel of his lips on hers lingered and a thrill shot through her. This was everything she could have ever hoped for. Did these kinds of dreams come true for an orphaned country girl like her? She wanted to pinch herself to make sure it was real.

  “I hardly know what to say?”

  His finger traced her cheek. “Do you love me?”

  Isabel gazed into his beautiful blue eyes and knew that she would never love another man as much as she loved Colby. Why was she holding back? She should be jumping for joy and accepting his proposal with all due haste, but she found herself hesitating. She had a secret that she could not share with him and although she wanted to share it, it wouldn’t be right to dishonor her father’s last wishes. “I do. You know I do.”

  “Then why do you hesitate?”

  “Because I’m a nobody from a small village in Essex. Why would you want to marry me?”

  Colby brushed her lips with his own sending another thrill through her. “You are not a nobody. You are the woman I love. Say yes and make me the happiest man in all of England.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Colby lifted a stray curl from her face. “My darling Isabel, I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

  Isabel couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. “Yes, of course I’ll marry you, but only on one condition.”

  “What condition? I promise I’ll give you anything you could possibly desire. You will lack for nothing. You only need to name it and it will be yours.”

  Isabel chuckled. “Well, then you must promise to keep on kissing me, for I must say I think I’m getting quite used to it.”

  It was Colby’s turn to chuckle. He pulled Isabel into his arms, hugging her tightly. “That’s a promise I will have no problem keeping, although you may tire of being kissed morning, noon, and night. Most especially at night.”

  A crimson blush spread across Isabel’s cheeks. It was that moment Mrs. Quinn and Georgette came back into the parlor. “Are we interrupting anything? We could come back in a bit,” Iris said with a wolfish grin.

  Isabel jumped up from the sofa and rushed to the older woman, hugging her fiercely. “Mrs. Quinn, Mr. Tisbury and I are engaged!”

  “Well, now that’s a reason to celebrate. I’m so very happy for you both,” Iris said.

  Colby stood and smiled. “Indeed. It is a most happy day.”

  Isabel turned and hugged her sister. “Can you believe it? Is it not the most wonderful thing?”

  “Yes, dearest. Truly wonderful.”

  Mrs. Smithfield entered the parlor carrying a tray of tea and refreshments and set it down on the table.

  “Come now, let’s have a cup of tea,” Iris said. “Cook has sent in some delicious sweets and we mustn’t disappoint her by not sampling them all.”

  Colby pulled out the chair for Iris. “Thank you, Mrs. Quinn,” he whispered in her ear.

  Iris reached up and patted his hand. “My pleasure. So, when will you inform your parents of your news?”

  Georgette sat next to Iris and Colby and Isabel took a seat on the opposite side of the table. “Their annual ball is Saturday next,” he said. “I think it would be the perfect time to announce our engagement, don’t you think, Isabel?”

  Isabel nodded. “I guess that would be lovely. I don’t have any experience in these matters.”

  Colby patted her hand. “Do not worry. I will take care of everything.”

  Isabel looked across the table at her sister. “Georgette, I don’t think Mr. Tisbury is aware of your happy news.”

 
Colby glanced at Georgette and could tell by her smile that shy Dalton had proposed. He would not spoil her pleasure in telling her he knew, though. “Oh, what news, Miss Condiff?”

  “I am engaged as well. Mr. Hunt proposed to me last evening.”

  “He did? That is marvelous news. I like Dalton a great deal. He’s a fine young man who I’m sure will make you very happy.”

  Georgette nodded. “Yes, I couldn’t agree with you more.”

  “Looks like there will be a double wedding this Season,” Iris said. She glanced between Georgette and Isabel. “Oh, I haven’t had this much fun in years. There will be much to do, starting with Mrs. Phillips. You both will need new dresses for the wedding. We cannot have you getting married in a dress you’ve worn already.”

  “Mrs. Quinn, do you think that prudent,” Georgette asked. “We both have so many lovely dresses already.”

  “Of course, it is necessary. You two will be the most beautiful brides London has seen in quite a long time.”

  “Perhaps we should at least wait until the engagements are made public.”

  Iris nodded. “If that is what you wish, my dear, but I will send a note to Mrs. Phillips to be ready.”

  Chapter 14

  News of Georgette’s engagement spread quickly through the ton. It didn’t take long for invitations to arrive.

  Mrs. Smithfield handed Georgette a stack of letters. “These came for you in the afternoon post, Miss Condiff.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Smithfield.”

  Isabel put her embroidery down and sat next to her sister on the sofa. “How exciting. Who are they from?”

  Georgette opened the first letter. “This one is from Emily Richardson, inviting us for tea tomorrow afternoon. She has been so kind to us during our stay in London. Shall I accept for us?”

  Isabel nodded. “Yes, I would very much enjoy seeing Emily again.”

  Georgette read through the rest of the letters. Most were well-wishes on her engagement.

  “Is there one from Lady Hunt?”

  “No, not in this stack. I’m sure she’s very busy.”