by Amelia Grey
“An hour, Your Grace?” her companion questioned.
“Yes. He will understand that it’s the same amount of time he kept me waiting when I was at his house and in far less generous surroundings. If he’s going to play my game, he is going to find out that he must use my rules.”
Four
My Dearest Grandson Alexander,
After having met and known many men during my long life, I can attest to what Lord Chesterfield says here: “A man of pleasure, though not always so scrupulous as he should be, and as one day he will wish he had been, refines at least his pleasures by taste, accompanies them with decency, and enjoys them with dignity. Few can be men of pleasure, every man may be a rake.”
Your loving Grandmother,
Lady Elder
As soon as Susannah’s companion was gone, she took a deep breath and plopped onto the chair at her desk. She was annoyed yet relieved. She was pleased Lord Raceworth had finally come but rather frustrated that she must bow to his wishes for a ride in the park.
Susannah had to do something other than be anxious while she waited until time to meet the marquis, so she changed into a pale pink dress with a sensible bodice, trimmed with delicate white lace at the neckline and high waist. She fastened a delicately styled ruby necklace around her throat and added matching earrings. She reworked the chignon at her nape and rubbed lavender-scented lotion on her hands and face.
When the hour was up, she squared her shoulders, lifted her chin, and took in a deep breath before entering the small, sparsely decorated sitting room. The marquis rose from his chair and bowed. Her breath caught in her throat and she went still.
He was too handsome for words with his rakish long hair and impeccable dress. If possible, the over-the-knee Hessian boots he wore made him look all the more powerful, more roguish, and more handsome than when she’d first seen him in more formal attire. She couldn’t keep the dizzying beat of her heart from pounding.
She quietly cleared her throat and said, “My lord, this is a surprise.”
His eyebrows drew together while a half grin lifted one corner of his mouth. Cautiously, he said, “Is it really? I thought you issued an invitation for me to stop by for a visit.”
She willed herself to relax and be natural, even though his charming manner didn’t make that easy. All of her senses were on high alert.
Calmly clasping her hands in front of her, she said, “I issued an invitation for you to stop by and view the documents I have, showing my family’s ownership of the Talbot pearls, not to invite me for a ride in the park.”
He faked a frown as his generous lips curved into another slight grin. “Ah, I must have misunderstood. I didn’t remember there was a qualifier attached to your invitation. But it is a beautiful afternoon, and my carriage is outside, complete with a basket filled with wine, cheese, and curried apples. What do you say?”
Her resistance melted like spring snowflakes in the April sun. “I say what lady can resist curried apples? I’ll get my cape and parasol, and of course the very important documents in case you decide you would like to review them while we are out.”
“Fair enough.”
The marquis followed her to the vestibule where Mrs. Princeton was waiting with Susannah’s outdoor things, including a pink velvet drawstring reticule with several sheets of rolled papers sticking out of the top. At the carriage, Lord Raceworth took hold of her gloved hand and helped her step up and into the curricle. His grip was firm, masculine, and a tingle of something wonderful radiated throughout her body.
She made herself comfortable on the far side of the seat and neatly arranged the skirts of her dress while he climbed up beside her.
She popped open her dainty parasol, which was trimmed with pale pink flowers and ribbons to match her dress. Years ago, she learned that the parasol was good not only for keeping the sun off her face, but she could easily lower it from one side to the other so that it would be impossible for anyone to see her face when she passed by. She had no plans to do that today. She had no idea if anyone would remember her fall from grace twelve years ago. She had been gone so long that it was probably foolish of her to think anyone would recognize her at all, or that they would point a finger of shame at her if they did.
Susannah had told herself for years that she could no longer be hurt by Polite Society, and that was still the case. She had paid her debt to the unforgiving upper class by marrying the duke.
The marquis was right. It was a beautiful day, and she was delighted to be out of the house and in his company. Spring had been long in coming to England this year, but it had finally arrived. The wide expanse of blue sky didn’t have a cloud in sight. The air had lost its chill, and there was a clean and fragrant scent to the breeze. The trees and shrubs had fresh green leaves covering their branches. Signs of spring were everywhere, and all indications were that winter had disappeared.
Lord Raceworth picked up the ribbons and released the brake handle. He clicked the ribbons on the horses’ rumps, and the two bays took off with a jerk, jingle, and a clank of harness. Rather than guiding the horses along at a brisk pace, he had them walking along the streets of Mayfair as if they had all day to dally rather than only half an afternoon.
As they rode along, Susannah remembered the last time she traversed the streets of London in an open carriage. She was with the man she loved, and at the time thought he loved her. Suddenly she shivered.
“Are you all right?” Lord Raceworth asked.
Susannah looked over at the marquis, and somehow she knew he was nothing like Lord Martin Downings. She smiled at Lord Raceworth and confidently said, “Yes, I’m fine.”
And she was. She hadn’t intended for it to happen when she came to London, but just the same she was doing more than just trying to recover the pearls for her mother. She was exorcizing some old ghosts that had haunted her for years. It had taken time, but she had finally forgiven herself for being young and foolish. She was ready to forget the past, forget the last time she was in London. She was no longer a young miss with a tender heart.
“You’re very quiet,” he said after they had ridden in silence for a while.
She looked at him from underneath the parasol. “So are you.”
“Me?” He threw her a questioning glance. “I thought I was being considerate. I got the impression you wanted to be alone with your thoughts.”
“I was simply enjoying the afternoon ride.”
“You know, for a few moments back there at your house, I thought the dour Mrs. Princeton was going to come with us.”
A smile came easily to her lips. “Really?”
“It crossed my mind when I saw her waiting by the door like a Roman guard with your cape and gloves in her hands.”
Susannah laughed and felt herself completely relax. She said, “She is entirely harmless. Don’t let her intimidate you.”
A grunt that sounded very much like a swear word passed his tempting lips. “The day will not come that I let her discourage me,” he said.
Chuckling, Susannah said, “Would it have been so terrible if I had intended my companion to come with us?”
“No, but…” He paused and grinned. “I would have taken it to mean that you were afraid to be alone with me.”
She stared at him with an easy smile, enjoying their playful conversation. “I am not an innocent miss who has never been alone with a man before, my lord. Why would I be afraid to be with you in an open carriage?”
He shrugged lightly and said, “Because I can tell that you don’t want to be attracted to me, but you are.”
Susannah protested with a soft laugh. “Why am I not surprised to learn that you think so highly of yourself?”
“Because you knew my grandmother, and you’ve read Lord Chesterfield’s letters. But I spoke the truth, and you know it. And I know you can see that I am definitely attracted to you, too.
”
This engaging man beside her was entirely too perceptive, but she wasn’t willing to let him know that. “I don’t believe I know anything of the sort, my lord.”
“Be modest if it pleases you to do so,” he teased her. “It makes you even more beautiful. But know this, Duchess, before we leave the park this afternoon, I will make sure you have no doubts about just how attracted I am to you.”
Anticipation rippled through her, and she looked away from him. He had obviously seen way too much in her eyes already. By the saints, what was she going to do about the marquis?
Traffic was thick and slow as they approached the entrance to the park. The marquis queued with the other carriages waiting to enter the park through the west gate. Their curricle fell in line behind a fancy closed carriage that was driven by a handsome, liveried driver and drawn by a matching set of chestnut-colored horses.
The warm, sunny day had the park bustling with activity. The grassy areas were packed with distinctively dressed gentlemen and elegantly fashioned ladies. Some of the people wishing to see and be seen strolled the vast grounds with their children and dogs, while others were on horseback or rode in the open carriages.
Lord Raceworth stopped the curricle and threw the ribbons to a groom. When he reached back to help Susannah down from the carriage, she hesitated. She couldn’t help feeling odd. She swallowed her trepidation and took Race’s hand. As he held her firmly while she stepped down, she felt his warmth even through her gloves.
“Why the hesitation?” he asked as he let go of her and reached back into the carriage for the food basket. “You said you weren’t afraid to be alone with me.”
This time he wasn’t smiling. There was real curiosity in his features. Did she owe him an explanation?
Susannah inhaled a deep breath of the spring air and slowly released it. “I’m not. It’s just that it’s been a long time since I’ve been to Hyde Park, since I’ve strolled beside a man. I’m simply adjusting to this very different life than I’ve lived for the past few years.”
“Understood.”
They fell into a slow walk, she holding her parasol and her reticule with the documents sticking out of it, and Lord Raceworth carrying the food basket.
“You said your husband has been gone for years. Why haven’t you been back to London for a visit?”
“There has been no reason to return until now. My husband was very generous and left me a charming cottage called Chapel Gate, which is on the lands of Chapel Glade, and a more than adequate allowance to see to my needs. When my father died five years ago, my mother came to live with me, so my life has been full. I’ve been quite happy there, and I’ve not needed anything London has to offer.”
“Do you still attend the kind of grand house parties that my grandmother used to give?”
“No, not since my husband died, and we didn’t attend very many while he was living. Though he was a kind man, he was very careful about whom he socialized with, and your grandmother was one of the few. He thought highly of her.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. I’ve always known that many men adored Lady Elder, but not a one of them more than Gibby.”
“Gibby?”
“Sir Randolph Gibson is a good friend of mine, and he was my grandmother’s dearest friend for many years. He claims that she is the only woman he ever loved.”
“I remember my husband once told me that a lady who could outlive four husbands had his respect and his compassion.”
Lord Raceworth laughed, a gentle, genuine sound that sent shivers of awareness throughout Susannah’s body. Just looking at him made her feel warm and good inside. He was right. She was very attracted to him, but she didn’t intend to do anything about the way he made her feel. Her only goal must be to obtain the pearls for her mother.
“As I get older, I find that the more I learn about my grandmother the more respect I have for who she was and all that she accomplished. She was an exceptional lady in many ways, but there were numerous times in my life that I wished she had never met Lord Chesterfield.”
“Why is that? He was a brilliant man.”
Lord Raceworth let out a half laugh, half grunt. “You think so?”
“Yes. I told you I read his letters to his son. I considered him a very wise and humorous man. He had the most wonderful way with words.”
The marquis shrugged and then tipped his hat to a couple they passed. “Maybe one of the reasons I and my cousins detest the man is because from the time we were seventeen, at which time my grandmother considered us men, until her death not much more than a year ago my cousins and I received a letter from her at the beginning of every month without fail.”
“Truly? How wonderful that she took the time to stay in touch with you. And every month? I’m impressed.”
“Don’t be. The only thing her letters ever contained was, as she would call it, more wise words from Lord Chesterfield, and then she would quote something from the irritatingly pompous man like: ‘Always look people in the face when you speak to them; not doing it is thought to imply conscious guilt; besides that you lose the advantage of observing by their countenances what impression your discourse makes upon them. In order to know people’s real sentiments, I trust much more to my eyes than to my ears, for they can say whatever they have a mind I should hear, but they can seldom help looking what they have no intention that I should know.’”
Susannah’s gaze settled on his as they walked. “I believe that to be true, and it sounds like very good advice to me. You are being unkind to your grandmother and Lord Chesterfield. Many gentlemen today still heed his advice.”
He countered, “You and my grandmother must have gotten along very well together.”
Susannah tried not to laugh but couldn’t help herself. “We did. But, truly, were Lord Chesterfield’s quotes the only thing she ever wrote to you?”
“Month after month after month.” He tipped his hat again and said “Good afternoon” to another couple they passed. “There was never anything about how she was doing, what she was doing, what or how we were doing, only quotes from that ingratiating old man that we should heed lest we fail to become the gentlemen she wanted us to be.”
“Still, she must have loved you very much to write to you every month without fail.”
“I suppose she did, in her own way. So, tell me, what is your given name, or should I continue to call you Duchess and Your Grace?” he asked as they continued their stroll through the park.
Surprise lighted in her eyes. “You mean you didn’t ask anyone my name or look at old copies of newsprint to find out anything about me?”
“There was no need. I’m a patient man. I can wait until you are ready to tell me.”
“Hmm. I assumed you would try to find out everything you could about me since I was last in London.”
“I hope you aren’t too disappointed.”
“No, not disappointed, but I am astonished. Perhaps I should realize I’m not as intriguing as I thought I was.”
He lightly touched her upper arm to stop her, and she turned to face him. “Not so, Duchess. You are the most intriguing lady I have ever met. But I want to hear about you from you. Not from anyone else.”
His gaze fluttered sensually down her face. His words elated her. He was a patient man.
“Why is that?”
“Only you know the real story. Anyone else would just tell me what they have heard that someone else heard from someone else. I don’t care anything about hearing gossip.”
Susannah looked away, suddenly feeling shy, suddenly wishing he didn’t have to know the truth.
“Your Grace,” he said softly.
She exhaled heavily and looked back into his lovely brownish-green eyes. “Mine is not a pretty story, my lord, so I think it is best kept where it is. I had forgotten that a man’s curiosity is not as great as a woman’s.�
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“All right,” he said, and they started walking again.
Susannah didn’t know if she was grateful or disappointed he didn’t press her to say more. She remained silent for a few moments and collected her thoughts before saying, “When I heard you had the Talbot pearls, I wanted to learn all that I could about you, and in doing so I learned a lot about your cousins as well. It seems that one of you makes Lord Truefitt’s Society’s Daily Column almost every day.”
“It’s not something we strive for, I assure you. But at least now I’ve found out a little something about you.”
“What’s that?”
“You admit to reading the gossip pages. I’m told they are habit-forming.”
“Only recently have I read them, my lord. My mother read about the pearls in Lord Truefitt’s Society’s Daily Column and discovered you had them. She asked me to come to London and get them for her. The attic at Chapel Glade is full of old newsprint. I asked the Duke of Blooming if I might spend time going through the copies, reading about you and your cousins as well as many other people.”
“See, that is the reason I will not read gossip of the past about you or ask others about you. Not much of what you read in the scandal sheets is true.”
“So you don’t believe in the old adage that ‘where there is smoke there is fire’?”
“Of course not. It sounds like something Lord Chesterfield would have said, and I’ve already told you what I think about him.”
When she saw sincerity in his eyes, his smile, suddenly her past indiscretion that had all the gossipmongers chattering for weeks didn’t seem so bad.
“I believe you.”
“Good. Besides, how could I read about you? I don’t even know your name.”
Susannah lowered her parasol to her shoulder and lifted her face to the warm sunshine and said, “Sometimes I forget I have a name other than Duchess or Your Grace.”
“But you do have one.”
She darted a curious glance his way. “Of course.”
