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

by Buck, Gayle

  Since the breaking of the ice between them before dinner, she and Lord Tucker had made excellent inroads into understanding one another, and his lordship danced with her twice. There were Lord Holybrooke’s other cronies, Lord Holybrooke himself, and, of course, her dear uncle Colonel Caldar. Mr. Lloyd was not behind in his attentions, either, also standing up with Guin twice.

  Guin did not know where to look when the creaking of Mr. Lloyd’s corset made itself heard every time he bowed, and everyone around them turned to stare. However, since Mr. Lloyd seemed completely unconscious of the figure he was cutting, Guin pretended that she did not notice.

  Seeing that Miss Holland was being steadily escorted onto the dance floor, a few other gentlemen also approached her. Guin was bewildered by the sudden wave of popularity.

  “You’ve become quite the belle,” commented Lord Holybrooke in passing.

  Guin blushed and gave a quick smile to her brother. “It—it is all very strange to me, Percy.”

  He squeezed her fingers. “Didn’t I tell you that all you needed was a little time? The fellows are all saying how pretty you are. You’re going along famously, Guin!”

  “I hope Mama will think so,” said Guin. As always, her mother’s approval was never far from her thoughts. “Where is she, Percy? I haven’t seen her hardly at all, and she hasn’t spoken to me above three or four times all evening.”

  “Lady Beasely set up a card room. Mama discovered an old rival, and they are playing loo for penny points,” said Lord Holybrooke.

  Guin looked at him, wide-eyed. “Mama is playing cards? At a party?”

  Lord Holybrooke laughed, mischief dancing in his eyes. “It is a desperate contest, Guin. I wish you might see it. Mama and the other lady are determined to squash each other. I doubt we will be able to drag her away from the table until she has won.”

  “I am glad Mama is being entertained. I feared it was not just the sort of gathering she preferred,” said Guin.

  Lord Holybrooke grinned. “You’re right, Guin. It may not be in Mama’s style, but I am enjoying myself. I’m glad I came.”

  “Are you, Percy? Even if Lady Beasely thinks you are a marital prize?” asked Guin with a quizzing look.

  Lord Holybrooke shrugged and said philosophically, “Oh, well, I suppose one can’t escape that sort of thing. At least I was wrong about Miss Beasely. She hasn’t dogged me at all when I half expected her to.”

  “Yes, Margaret has been very busy,” said Guin, nodding. She looked across the room toward her friend, who was standing amid a small group of guests and laughing. “She has been very good to me, even making certain that I had a partner for dinner. Lord Tucker and I got along famously.”

  Lord Holybrooke’s eyes followed his sister’s gaze. There was a warm look of approval on his face as he watched Miss Beasely. “Yes, I must thank her for that. She is quite nice, really. I am glad you have become friends with her, Guin.”

  Guin glanced swiftly at her brother in surprise, then thoughtfully returned her attention to Miss Beasely as Lord Holybrooke sauntered away from her and toward the group that surrounded the vivacious lady.

  Throughout the evening Guin had watched how Miss Beasely helped Lady Beasely by acting the hostess, pairing couples for dinner, finding partners for those who were not dancing, and mingling with the guests. Guin did not see that Miss Beasely had spent an inordinate amount of time with her brother. In fact, Miss Beasely seemed to treat Lord Holybrooke with the same impartial friendliness as she did the rest of the guests.

  Guin had wondered whether Miss Beasely had changed her mind about Lord Holybrooke. However, now observing how her brother was making himself attentive toward Miss Beasely, Guin began to perceive that Miss Beasely was going about her business in a very subtle way. She was not chasing Lord Holybrooke, but was causing the earl to chase her. Guin could not help chuckling over her brother’s naiveté and, indeed, her own.

  When they left the Beasely town house, it was well on midnight. Lord Holybrooke pronounced it to have been a jolly party. Guin agreed. “I have never spent a more pleasant evening,” she added on a happy sigh. Not once had she disgraced herself, and she had been able to hold sensible conversations with scarcely a stammer with all manner of persons.

  “For my part, I thought it insipid,” said Mrs. Holland flatly. “I was forced to spend the entire evening with Maria Clyborne playing at loo for penny points. I have scarcely spent a more boring time in all my life.”

  Guin and Lord Holybrooke looked at one another. Guin’s expression was questioning, and Lord Holybrooke mouthed silently that their mother had lost. Guin gave a small understanding nod. That would go far in explaining her mother’s petulant mood.

  “I must disagree with you, Aurelia. It was just the sort of entertainment I like best, being somewhat informal and intimate,” said Colonel Caldar. He covered a contented yawn with a large square hand. “In any event, I for one would not think twice about accepting another invitation from Lady Beasely.”

  “Nor I,” said Lord Holybrooke quickly. A reminiscent smile touched his face.

  “Well! It seems I am outvoted,” said Mrs. Holland with a pettish shrug. She turned her face to the window, where the passing lights cast her discontented expression into relief.

  “I noticed that Mr. Lloyd seemed rather taken with you, Guin,” remarked Colonel Caldar casually. “He certainly monopolized you for some little time.”

  “Indeed, Uncle,” said Guin with a small grimace and shake of her head. “I was glad when Lord Tucker claimed me for dinner.”

  Mrs. Holland turned back, her interest instantly engaged. “What is this? Mr. Lloyd, did you say? I knew that I should not have remained in the card room! Tell me everything, Guin.”

  “Why, Mr. Lloyd is very pleasant, Mama,” said Guin hesitantly. “But I found him to be rather—rather—”

  “The gentleman is a dead bore, Mama,” said Lord Holybrooke roundly. “When I met him, he began giving me his opinion of some theory in which I had not a particle of interest. Is that what he did with you, Guin?”

  Guin smiled gratefully at her brother. “Well, yes, he did. I assure you, I know more now than I have ever wanted to about all sorts of scientific questions.”

  “A poor figure of a man, too. He’ll run completely to fat before many more years, and he can’t be a day above forty,” said Colonel Caldar. He shook his head. “One can only pity the gentleman.”

  “Nonsense! I am certain that he is a very sensible gentleman. I met him very briefly, and I was instantly struck by his stable demeanor,” said Mrs. Holland. “Lady Beasely told me something of his circumstances. Mr. Lloyd possesses a handsome fortune, and he is the Marquis of Ford’s heir! Mr. Lloyd is quite a feather in your cap, Guin.”

  Mrs. Holland’s congratulatory tone was obvious. Guin and her brother exchanged quick, dismayed glances.

  “That sobersides on cat-stick legs? All he could find to talk about to a pretty girl was scientific theory! Percy is right. He is a dead bore, poor fellow,” said Colonel Caldar.

  Lord Holybrooke cracked a laugh, while Guin giggled. “He was rather tedious,” she agreed. “And he wears a corset, besides.”

  “No!” exclaimed Lord Holybrooke, revolted.

  “Nonetheless, Guin, you must be certain to encourage Mr. Lloyd. He is just the sort of gentleman to suit you,” said Mrs. Holland.

  Guin’s mouth dropped open, and she regarded her mother in complete consternation. Surely her mother could not be serious. Why, Mr. Lloyd was nothing near her embodiment of the perfect gentleman. He was far too old and he creaked, besides. “But, Mama—!”

  Lord Holybrooke at once took up the cudgels on her behalf. “Mama, Guin would be bored to tears within a week of Mr. Lloyd’s company,” he said with a touch of impatience.

  “I have yet to observe any marked degree of liveliness in your sister, Percy,” said Mrs. Holland with a reproving glance at her son. “When Guin becomes better acquainted with Mr. Lloyd, I am persuaded th
at she will come to appreciate all of his excellent qualities. They shall deal excessively well together.”

  Lord Holybrooke looked ready to argue the point, when Colonel Caldar intervened, saying hurriedly, “We needn’t decide the future tonight.” He greeted with relief the stopping of the carriage. He thrust open the door. “Here we are! Aurelia, allow me to give you an arm. Have I told you how vastly becoming that gown is to you?”

  “Why, Arnold!” exclaimed Mrs. Holland in accents of surprise. “What a pretty thing to say!” She was never impervious to flattery, and her attention was diverted as she allowed her brother to help her out of the carriage.

  “I assure you,” said Colonel Caldar. “It is grown quite chilly. You must not stand about in the night air, Aurelia. Let us go inside directly.” With a backward glance for his niece and nephew, who were just descending from the carriage, he hurried his sister up the town house steps.

  Standing on the walkway, in the pool of light cast from a flambeau, Guin and Lord Holybrooke looked at each other. They shared a rueful smile. “Thank God for our uncle,” said Lord Holybrooke, offering his arm to his sister. “I very nearly said something quite sharp to Mama.”

  “I could see that you were, and I was in dread of it,” said Guin. “I am glad our uncle stepped in to such good purpose. I would not like you to quarrel with Mama, Percy, especially on my behalf.”

  Lord Holybrooke ushered her through the door that the porter was holding open for them. “There’s nothing in that, Guin. I am coming to the point where I can scarce keep my tongue between my teeth. Some of the things Mama says and does!”

  Guin pinched him warningly. “Sh, Percy! The servants shall hear you.”

  “I don’t care whether they do or not,” said Lord Holybrooke, though he did lower his voice as they went up the stairs to the upper landing. “I tell you, Guin, Mama and I shall have it out one day.”

  “I hope not, Percy. I truly do,” said Guin, a pucker of anxiety forming between her brows.

  Lord Holybrooke chuckled. “Now, don’t worry about it, Guin! You know that I shall always come about with Mama.”

  Her expression cleared. “Of course, how silly I am being.”

  “Well, you are.” Lord Holybrooke yawned. “In any event, it was a jolly party. Miss Beasely is an unaffected girl, isn’t she? I like her better than I thought I did.”

  “Do you, Percy? I like her, too. She surprises me into laughing,” said Guin eagerly.

  Pausing with her outside her bedroom door, Lord Holybrooke tweaked one of her dusky curls. “Capital, for you don’t laugh enough, Guin. I’m off to bed.” He walked off down the hallway, humming tunelessly.

  Guin murmured good night and went into her own bedroom. Her maid, Morgan, was waiting up for her and helped her to change for bed. Before Guin fell asleep, she reviewed everything that had happened that evening. With a smile, she snuggled beneath her covers. Even her mother’s disturbing approval of Mr. Lloyd could not dim her contentment.

  Chapter Twenty

  After the Beasely soiree, there was a spate of visits from several young gentlemen. Mrs. Holland was surprised that they were not all calling for Lord Holybrooke, but rather to further their acquaintance with Guin. Among their lively number was to be counted Mr. Lloyd’s more sober figure.

  It became quickly apparent that Mr. Lloyd had entered his suit in earnest. Mrs. Holland was delighted, especially since Mr. Lloyd met all of her criteria of birth and fortune and had firm expectations of a title. She began to weave plans for a brilliant society wedding, and only the groom’s face was in doubt, for Mrs. Holland could not decide whether it would be Lord Holloway or Mr. Lloyd. However, one afternoon the odds became shortened in Mr. Lloyd’s favor.

  “Well! It seems that you are finally beginning to come into your own, Guin,” said Mrs. Holland with a rare note of approval as she came into the back sitting room and found her daughter. “I have just come from talking with Percy. He wishes to see you in the library, Guin.”

  “Does he, Mama? Whatever for?” asked Guin, surprised, looking up from her embroidery.

  Mrs. Holland laughed, her eyes sparkling. “Run along, child. I shall allow Percy to give you the good news.”

  Guin obeyed, wondering what news could have persuaded her mother to be so kind toward her. She knocked and entered the library. “Percy?”

  Lord Holybrooke turned from contemplating the fire on the hearth. He wore a slight frown. “Guin, please sit down. I thought it best to break the news to you myself.”

  Guin sank down into a wing chair, her gaze fixed on her twin brother’s face. She eyed him with foreboding. “Why, what is it, Percy?”

  Lord Holybrooke said baldly, “Mr. Lloyd left me less than an hour ago. He has applied to me, as head of the family, to make a formal request for permission to address his suit to you.”

  “Oh, my!” exclaimed Guin faintly. “Mr. Lloyd! How— how odd, to be sure!”

  “That is a rare understatement, my dear,” said Lord Holybrooke with a lopsided grin. “My feelings were rather stronger, though I managed to maintain a polite front. Guin, do you wish to wed Mr. Lloyd?”

  “Of course I don’t! Why should you think that?” asked Guin, astonished.

  “Mr. Lloyd assured me that he already knows he has Mama’s support and only applied to me out of courtesy. He told me that Mama has implied you would not look with disfavor upon him,” said Lord Holybrooke.

  Guin bounced up from her chair. In greatest agitation she exclaimed, “That is not true! Oh, Percy, she is determined to thrust me willy-nilly into marriage. If it is not Mr. Lloyd, it will be Lord Holloway! What am I going to do?”

  Lord Holybrooke took hold of her shoulders and looked down at her with a grim set about his mouth that Guin had never seen before. “Listen to me! You cannot let it just happen, Guin. You must have the fortitude to refuse Mr. Lloyd when he offers, if you don’t want him.”

  “Yes, of course I must,” said Guin doubtfully. “But it would have made it so much easier if you had simply refused him, Percy!”

  “I couldn’t very well do so when I know nothing disreputable about Mr. Lloyd,” retorted Lord Holybrooke. “Be reasonable, Guin! You must stand up for yourself sometime, you know.”

  Guin pulled herself free. She stared at her brother with open hurt. “You promised, Percy. You promised to help me!”

  “And so I shall! Stay here, Guin. I wish you to be here when I talk to Mama,” said Lord Holybrooke. He yanked open the door of the library and exited, to return a bare minute later with Mrs. Holland.

  “Really, Percy, I don’t know what all the heat is about,” said Mrs. Holland. She glanced toward her daughter. “Pray do not tell me that Guin is being difficult!”

  “No, Mama, she is not,” said Lord Holybrooke evenly. He shut the door with a snap. “However, I felt it timely to bring to your attention a certain matter since we have been speaking of eligible partis. Pray be seated, Mama. And you, Guin.”

  When the ladies were seated, Lord Holybrooke leaned against the front of the mahogany desk. “Mama, you agreed that I should inquire into the circumstances of any gentleman who seemed interested in my sister. Some time ago, I did so with Lord Holloway.”

  “Lord Holloway! Why, Percy, I am certain that was not at all necessary. His lordship is quite an eligible parti, as we already know,” said Mrs. Holland with a little laugh.

  “On the contrary, Mama.” Lord Holybrooke told his mother and sister that from everything he could discover, Lord Holloway’s estates were mortgaged to the hilt, while his personal fortune was rumored to be in danger of evaporation through his gaming excesses.

  “I am told that Lord Holloway faces immediate foreclosures on all of the mortgages. It appears certain his lordship will lose those fine northern estates of his,” said Lord Holybrooke. He glanced toward his sister. “There is more that does not rebound to the gentleman’s credit, but I shan’t sully your ears with it.”

  Guin knew instantly what sort of th
ing her brother was referring to and flushed. Fortunately, her mother was too concerned with what Lord Holybrooke had imparted to wonder at her daughter’s obvious discomfiture.

  “But, Percy, are you certain?” asked Mrs. Holland in acute dismay. “How came you by this information? Surely it is mere conjecture!”

  “It is indeed true, Mama. Sir Frederick brought the information to me. You know how well connected he is. There can be no question,” said Lord Holybrooke firmly.

  Guin’s eyes flew to her brother’s face. “Sir Frederick! But why—” She stopped, warned by the quick frown that her brother threw her. She gave a tiny shrug. The why was not so important, she supposed. Warmth coursed through her. A quiet smile lit her face. It was enough to know that once more Sir Frederick had come to her rescue.

  However, Mrs. Holland was quick to grasp her daughter’s point. “Yes, why would Sir Frederick come to you with this, Percy?”

  “Sir Frederick considers himself to be a friend of our family, Mama. He took steps—that is, Sir Frederick knew something about the mortgages held on Lord Holloway’s estates. I am more than satisfied,” said Lord Holybrooke. He spoke quietly, with a peculiar smile, and there was hardness in his eyes. Once more he glanced at his sister.

  Of a sudden, Guin recalled what her brother had said about there being a better way to settle accounts with Lord Holloway. She had it in her to feel an instant compassion for his lordship.

  “I suppose the news of Lord Holloway’s ruin will be all over London before the week is out,” said Mrs. Holland thoughtfully.

  The earl gravely nodded. “I don’t know how you may feel about it, Mama, but it is my opinion that our stature would not be enhanced if my sister were to form an alliance with Lord Holloway.”

  “No, indeed! I am profoundly shocked, Percy,” exclaimed Mrs. Holland. She shook her head, her lips firming to a straight line of determination. “We shall no longer receive his lordship here. Guin, you will be guided by me in this. On no account are you to encourage Lord Holloway, though you may accord him a civil bow in company. Do you understand me, Guin?”