Cupid's Choice: She's a shy beauty in distress. He's a chivalric gentleman.

by Buck, Gayle

  “I fear that I am not a-a good conversationalist,” confessed Guin worriedly. She was still bemused by Miss Beasely’s friendliness and apparent desire to further their acquaintance.

  Miss Beasely chuckled. “How droll you are! But that is why we shall get along so amazingly for the next fifty or so years.”

  Guin was surprised into unthinking comment. “What a queer thing to say!”

  “No, why? It is quite true, you know! For I shall be your friend and your sister-in-law,” said Miss Beasely matter-of-factly. She spooned up some of her lemon ice as though she had not just uttered something fantastic.

  Guin regarded Miss Beasely with fascination. “Shall you? I mean, I would be delighted to have your friendship, of course.”

  Miss Beasely looked shrewdly at her. There was an unsettling gleam in her green eyes. “But you have reservations about me becoming your sister-in-law? How horridly rude, Miss Holland!”

  “I—I didn’t mean that! It’s only that Percy—”

  Flustered, Guin bit her lip. She couldn’t very well inform the young lady, who was gazing at her with such a calm, interested expression on her pretty face, that Lord Holybrooke had already discerned that Miss Beasely looked upon him as an eligible parti, nor how he had reacted to it. She was embarrassed and annoyed all at the same time. How dare Miss Beasely place her in such an uncomfortable spot.

  Miss Beasely must have read something of her consternation in her face. She laid a slim gloved hand on Guin’s arm. “Forgive me! I was only funning with you a little. I don’t think you are rude at all. On the contrary, it is I who has been rude. I shouldn’t have sprung it all at once on you like that. However, I do mean what I have said, about becoming your friend and sister-in-law!”

  “But how can you? You know nothing at all about me or Percy,” said Guin, completely at sea. She knew that she was bungling it badly, but really there wasn’t any polite, roundabout way to ask.

  A smile hovered over Miss Beasely’s face. She did not seem to mind Guin’s blunt question. “I knew all I needed to know about Lord Holybrooke the very instant I looked up and saw him enter Mama’s drawing room. In short, Miss Holland, I fell quite madly and completely in love with your brother at first glance! And since it must be an object with me to make myself agreeable to my future husband’s family, I am determined that we are to become friends.”

  “Oh, my!” exclaimed Guin faintly. She wondered what her brother would make of Miss Beasely’s unblushing declaration if he ever heard it. She certainly had no intention of telling him about it, however. “I mean, how interesting to be sure!”

  Miss Beasely went into a peal of laughter. Her cousin glanced over at her thoughtfully, and she hastily rearranged her expression. She leaned closer to Guin and murmured, “Pray don’t look so amazed, Guineveve! I may call you that, mayn’t I? I know it sounds like rubbish and absolutely fantastical, but it is true. And so I have set my cap at Lord Holybrooke. But you are not to tell him so! It—it would greatly embarrass me if you did. You see, I am already laying open my heart to you, my new friend.”

  “No, I shan’t tell Percy,” said Guin, reflecting that since her brother had already realized that the Beaselys had their eyes on him, it would scarcely come as a surprise to the earl that Miss Beasely was encouraging him. As for the rest of what Miss Beasely had shared with her, she rather thought that would be better left between the two of them. However, she could not think of any reason why she could not wholeheartedly accept Miss Beasely’s offer of friendship. She had never had a friend before, with the exception of her brother, and she rather liked the possibility. “And you may call me Guin, if I may call you Margaret?”

  “Of course you may!” exclaimed Miss Beasely warmly. “And now I see that our tête-à-tête is quite at an end, for Clara is saying good-bye to your uncle. Shall I see you at our soiree on Friday?”

  “I am certain of it,” said Guin positively. “Mama has already sent an acceptance to Lady Beasely.”

  “Good! I hope Lord Holybrooke will accompany you,” said Miss Beasely with a twinkle as Mrs. Roman and Colonel Caldar came up. She turned to hold out her hand to the colonel. “It was a pleasure, sir. I have been assuring myself that Guin will be attending our soiree on Friday. I trust that you will come, too? I am persuaded Mama must have included you in the invitation.”

  Colonel Caldar glanced at Mrs. Roman. There was a smiling expression in his gray eyes. “Perhaps I shall come.”

  The faintest color tinged Mrs. Roman’s cheeks, and a smile flickered across her attractive countenance. The lady did not say a word, however.

  “Splendid! And now we must be off. Mama will be waiting for us at the end of the street with the carriage and all our packages,” said Miss Beasely, waving gaily as she and her companion took their leave.

  Colonel Caldar gave a hand up to Guin into their carriage. He gave a guinea to the urchin who had watched his horses and the boy ran off clutching the coin tightly. “Miss Beasely is quite a friendly young miss,” commented Colonel Caldar as he climbed up into the carriage and gathered the reins.

  Guin nodded with a smile on her face. “Yes, and I have come to like her very much. I didn’t think I would when I first met her. But she told me today that we are to be the best of friends for the next fifty years!” She did not reveal what else Miss Beasely had said, believing that it would be a singular betrayal of her new friend’s confidence.

  Colonel Caldar laughed. “I perceive that Miss Beasely is a young lady of decided force of character. It seems you have very little to say in the matter, Guin! You must like her!”

  Guin laughed, too, more lightheartedly than she had in some weeks. “Yes, I think I must, indeed! Did you like Mrs. Roman? What did you find to talk about for so long?”

  “It is a strange world. I served in several campaigns with Major Roman, though I did not know the gentleman well. Roman wrote home often, and so Mrs. Roman and I were able to converse on any number of things. As it turns out, her husband was killed a year before the Peace of Amiens,” said Colonel Caldar somberly.

  “How terrible! So many have been killed in the war with France, have they not?” said Guin with quick sympathy.

  “Quite. War is a bloody, terrible thing. I am glad it is over. Now I am able to forget soldering and set myself to learn to be a retired gentleman,” said Colonel Caldar. He was silent for a moment, a faint frown between his brows. “I’ll tell you something, Guin, women such as Mrs. Roman are a credit to us all. She is a very brave, admirable lady.”

  “I am certain she is, sir,” said Guin warmly. She glanced sideways at her uncle’s profile and said, quite casually, “I suppose Mrs. Roman will be at Lady Beasely’s soiree, as well.”

  “Aye, perhaps you are right,” said Colonel Caldar with a thoughtful expression.

  They drove back to the town house, amiably conversing. Colonel Caldar pulled up the horses and brought the carriage to a stop at the curb. A gentleman, who was about to climb up to the town house door, paused with one foot on the first step and looked around.

  Guin recognized him with a flutter of pleased surprise. “Why, it is Sir Frederick Hawkesworth!”

  “Why, so it is,” said Colonel Caldar affably.

  Sir Frederick had by this time recognized those in the carriage, and he came over to it. “Miss Holland! Sir, your servant. I was just on the point of sending up my card. I hope it is a convenient hour to call?”

  “Oh! Of course, Sir Frederick! You would be welcome at any time,” said Guin quickly, blushing.

  Colonel Caldar paused in the act of stepping down from the carriage, surprised alike by his niece’s animation and the bloom of rose in her cheeks. All of a sudden, a suspicion shot into his mind. He narrowed his eyes, studying Sir Frederick more closely. He liked what he saw in the baronet’s eyes. As Sir Frederick’s gaze rested on Guin’s face, there was warmth and kindness in his expression, Colonel Caldar thought. At once he made a swift decision.

  “Sir Frederick, if you wi
ll be so kind to hand down my niece, I shall be able to take this carriage round to the stable,” said Colonel Caldar .

  “Of course. I am delighted to be of service,” said Sir Frederick promptly. He put up a hand and aided Guin to descend to the walkway.

  Smiling, Colonel Caldar thanked Sir Frederick and drove the carriage away.

  Sir Frederick offered his arm to Guin. “Allow me to accompany you up the steps, Miss Holland. I was hoping to find you, and Mrs. Holland of course, at home.”

  “Thank you, Sir Frederick,” said Guin. She happily if a bit shyly laid her fingers on his elbow. Gathering her skirt with her free hand so that she would not trip on it, she went up the steps and entered the town house with Sir Frederick.

  An inquiry of the butler elicited the information that Mrs. Holland had gone out. Guin was disconcerted and disappointed. “Oh, dear!” She looked up at Sir Frederick uncertainly.

  Sir Frederick pressed her hand in quick understanding. “I must not stay, then. Pray give my regards to Mrs. Holland when she comes in.”

  “Of course, Sir Frederick,” said Guin politely. She knew well that she couldn’t entertain Sir Frederick without proper chaperonage, and it would be some minutes before her uncle returned. For the first time in her life, Guin questioned the wisdom of the proprieties that hedged and protected every young lady.

  The library door opened and Lord Holybrooke stepped into the entry hall. When he saw his sister and her companion, he exclaimed, “I thought I heard voices! Sir Frederick!”

  With a welcoming smile, Lord Holybrooke walked forward with an outstretched hand. The two gentlemen exchanged friendly greetings. “Come into the front parlor, Sir Frederick. It is by far the most pleasant room. I only use the library when I am attending to accounts. Barlow will bring refreshments. I don’t know what Guin is thinking of to keep you standing in the entry hall.” He realized that Sir Frederick still had on his hat and his gaze narrowed in surprise. “You are not leaving, surely?”

  “I came hoping to find both Mrs. Holland and your sister at home,” explained Sir Frederick.

  Lord Holybrooke looked a question at his sister. “Guin?”

  “I have just come in from driving with our uncle and have been told that Mama is not at home, Percy,” said Guin. “Our uncle is not yet back from returning the carriage to the stables.”

  “Oh!” Lord Holybrooke grinned, understanding at once the problem. “Well, there can surely be no objection about whom I entertain, can there? You’ll stay, Sir Frederick?”

  Sir Frederick laughed. “If you insist, my lord.” He handed his hat to a waiting footman.

  Chapter Fifteen

  While Lord Holybrooke invited Sir Frederick again into the front parlor and the butler went off in search of refreshments, Guin excused herself so that she could go upstairs to put off her hat. Once she had reached the first landing and turned the corner where she knew she could not be seen by those below, she flew to her room. With her maid’s help, she changed quickly out of her carriage dress into a fresh day gown and dragged a brush quickly through her crushed curls.

  When she returned downstairs, she found not only her brother and Sir Frederick in the front parlor, but Colonel Caldar as well. They each held a glass of fine brandy and were conversing in a companionable fashion. There was a burst of laughter at some witticism made by Sir Frederick.

  Upon seeing Guin enter, Lord Holybrooke said, “Guin! You’re just in time. Sir Frederick has proposed a treat. There are to be fireworks at Vauxhall. He has asked us to make up the numbers of his party for supper.”

  “It does indeed sound delightful, Sir Frederick,” said Guin, flashing the smile that was so like her brother’s. Her eyes glowed with anticipation as she looked at Sir Frederick. She sat down on the settee and her brother seated himself carelessly beside her. Sir Frederick took the chair opposite, but Colonel Caldar remained standing near the hearth.

  “Then it is something you would enjoy, Miss Holland?” asked Sir Frederick, an answering gleam in his own eyes. There was appreciation in his gaze as he looked at the attractive picture made by the twin brother and sister. However, his eyes rested mostly on Miss Holland. He thought he had rarely seen her look more lovely than she did in the cerulean-blue gown that she had put on. The color deepened the shade of her eyes and was a striking contrast to her dark ringlets.

  “Oh, yes!” exclaimed Guin. “There can be no question. I have not been to Vauxhall yet, and I have heard so much about how beautiful and entertaining it is.”

  Colonel Caldar claimed her attention. “My dear, even though it is rather early in the day, Barlow brought in tea. Would you like some?”

  Guin shook her head and smiled across at her uncle. “No, thank you, dear sir. After the splendid ice you treated me to at Gunther’s, I don’t wish for anything.”

  “Then it is settled. We shall certainly join your party, Sir Frederick,” said Lord Holybrooke, never having lost sight of the main topic.

  “And pray allow us to return your hospitality in advance, Sir Frederick,” said Colonel Caldar. “We go to the theater this evening. I am certain we shall all be delighted to have you join us in our box.”

  “What a capital notion!” said Lord Holybrooke with enthusiasm. He looked over at Sir Frederick, somewhat diffidently. “I hope you have no prior commitments, Sir Frederick?”

  “None which I cannot easily break, my lord. I shall be honored to join your party,” said Sir Frederick easily. He glanced toward the earl’s sister as though to gauge her reaction.

  Guin was aware of Sir Frederick’s gaze, but it did not make her feel at all ill-at-ease. She smiled at him. She was truly glad for her uncle’s spontaneous invitation. She could not think of anything she would rather do than spend an evening in Sir Frederick’s company. Now she would have the opportunity to do so both that evening and again when they joined him for supper in Vauxhall Gardens.

  The door opened and Mrs. Holland entered the front parlor. Guin tensed, anxiously scanning her mother’s face as she recalled how they had parted. But it seemed that Mrs. Holland had put off her anger for she wore one of her lovely smiles.

  “Sir Frederick! What a pleasant surprise. I am sorry to have missed your arrival. I trust that Percival has made you suitably welcome?”

  Sir Frederick had risen at Mrs. Holland’s entrance. With his habitual grace, he bowed over her outstretched fingers. Civilly, he said, “Quite welcome, ma’am. I find you well, I trust.”

  “Oh, I am well enough for one of my sensitive constitution,” said Mrs. Holland, taking a chair and adjusting the folds of her skirts. “I shall do even better now that Lady Smythe has offered to bear some of the burden of launching my daughter into society. You cannot conceive what a comforting thought it is that her ladyship is willing to oblige me in this! I have just come from telling my particular friends about it.”

  Colonel Caldar spluttered on a mouthful of brandy and began coughing. “Pardon!” he gasped, turning red. He turned away to the hearth, presenting his broad shoulders to the company as he got himself under control.

  “Mama, you didn’t,” exclaimed Guin, dismay and embarrassment rising up in her breast. It was bad enough that her mother had aired her shortcomings to Lady Smythe in the privacy of their own parlor. Now she learned that Mrs. Holland had confided the particulars to all of London.

  “Why shouldn’t I, my dear? I am sure it is no great thing, and I can conceive of no reason to keep secret her ladyship’s kindness,” said Mrs. Holland in a reasonable voice, pulling off her gloves.

  “What are you talking about, Mama?” asked Lord Holybrooke in puzzlement. He glanced from his sister’s coloring face to his mother’s complacent expression. “What’s this about Lady Smythe and Guin?”

  Guin’s embarrassment escalated. She avoided Sir Frederick’s eyes as she hastened to say, “Mama, I doubt that Sir Frederick would be much interested in her ladyship’s expression of kindness. May we not discuss it at another time?”

  “On
the contrary, Miss Holland! I am most interested, especially since Lady Smythe is quite one of my oldest friends,” said Sir Frederick, his brows quirking upward. He swirled the brandy in the bottom of his glass.

  “Oldest! How droll of you, Sir Frederick!” said Mrs. Holland on a laugh. She flashed a roguish look at him. “I shall not betray you to Lady Smythe, on my honor.”

  “Thank you, ma’am,” said Sir Frederick civilly. There was nothing in his demeanor to hint that he had borne the least anxiety over the possibility.

  Guin jumped up. Hoping to divert her mother’s thoughts, she asked, “Would you like some tea, Mama? Shall I get it for you?”

  Lord Holybrooke looked up at her with a gathering frown.

  “Why, thank you, Guin,” said Mrs. Holland, accepting her daughter’s offer to serve her without surprise. She turned to Sir Frederick. “I don’t care to boast, you must understand, Sir Frederick. However, it is really too good of Lady Smythe, and I cannot express my gratitude enough.”

  “I quite understand, Mrs. Holland,” said Sir Frederick with his charming smile.

  Seeing that there would be nothing to save her, Guin fled with reddened cheeks to the occasional table.

  Mrs. Holland needed little encouragement to trumpet abroad anything she perceived as a social boost. In short order, she laid out for Sir Frederick the particulars of Lady Smythe’s visit earlier that day. Against her will, Guin glanced back often and saw that Sir Frederick was listening with every appearance of interest. He put in a suitable comment or question now and again, which only served to spur Mrs. Holland to further disclosure and boastful speculation.

  Guin had rushed to the occasional table, but now she dawdled over the tea tray. She was embarrassed by her mother’s aggrandizement and wished that she was courageous enough to either interrupt or flee entirely from the parlor.

  Lord Holybrooke walked over to her and asked in a low voice, “What the deuce is Mama talking about, Guin?”