by Gayle Callen
“You never met the right woman.”
“I never tried. Before you, it was rare that I attended balls, and only when my cousin insisted I look over the latest crop of debutantes. My current mistress took care of any other needs.” He grinned and allowed his gaze to roam down her body.
She gritted her teeth, ignored his indecent reference, and said, “Your cousin, the duke?”
“He long ago adopted the function of caretaker for the family. He thinks marriage will settle me down and make me happy.”
“But not for himself?”
“A duke has to be absolutely certain he’s found the correct, presentable woman who’s prepared for the position.”
“Is that how the Cabots have always approached marriage?”
“The opposite, in fact. My grandfather, God rest his soul, believed that he married my grandmother for all the wrong reasons, wealth and beauty.”
“You can’t tell me that His Grace believes you should marry a poor, plain woman.”
He laughed. “I am to marry a woman who suits me, one I can talk to. Madingley reminds me that our grandfather made so many mistakes losing his inheritance as a young man that he ruined his marriage by spending too much time away, rebuilding his fortune. So my grandfather was a firm believer in the proper marriage for his descendants.”
“Did he believe his own children lived up to his expectations?”
“I don’t know. But I don’t have to bow to his memory like Madingley does. When you’re a duke, your marriage affects so many people.”
“Didn’t the duke’s father marry a Spaniard?”
He glanced at her with amusement. “So you already know.”
“People like to talk about your family.”
“His father married for love, and though Madingley loves his mother, I think sometimes he dwells too much on the scandal. When his father died nine years ago, he died after a happy, contented life.”
“And what do you see when you think of marriage?”
He gave her a curious glance.
“Surely you have an opinion,” she continued. “Your own parents seemed to love each other, although altogether, I hear that your aunts and uncle can be quite volatile.”
“I think that one had better be deeply in love to make the commitment worth it.”
She stared at him in surprise. “You believe in love? Not simply marrying for the betterment of your family or your fortune?”
He lifted a hand. “I didn’t say I believed in it for me. Such a risk might be too great even for a gambler like myself.”
“Because marriage is a gamble,” she said slowly, realizing that she agreed with him, at least about that. Being with a man in any way was a gamble, and she’d lost the first time she’d entered the game.
As the carriage left the city, Daniel found himself watching Grace rather than looking out the window or reading the newspaper he’d brought. He didn’t want to drop the subject of marriage, which surprised him. And her maid had obligingly drifted off to sleep, her head at an awkward angle near her shoulder.
“What about you?” he asked.
He thought Grace looked uneasy.
“Me?”
“Marriage.”
She cocked her head, visibly startled.
“Why haven’t you married? And don’t relate it to gambling.”
She gave a crooked smile, and her fingers plucked at a stray thread on her reticule. She was actually nervous, he thought in surprise, and his curiosity strengthened.
“You have a dowry,” he reminded her.
“I do.” She put on a cheerful smile. “But that doesn’t make it easy to find the right husband. If I had a fortune, I could have my pick of any man, but I don’t, so I have to be particular. And living in a small village has its limits.”
“But surely there have been suitors.”
“There have,” she agreed. But her gaze slid away.
He found every bit of her fascinating, and he leaned forward, forearms resting on his knees. “Well?”
With a loud sigh, she said, “Because you yourself fear intimacy, must you pry into mine?”
“I don’t need to tell you that I don’t fear intimacy,” he said in a soft, low voice, giving her a meaningful look.
She glanced quickly at her maid, who still slumbered.
Daniel eased his boot beneath Grace’s hem.
She held her skirts down and glared at him. “Stop it!” she hissed.
A damp curl fell over her forehead, and to his surprise, it took everything in him not to slide his finger along it, easing it back into place.
He grinned. “Then answer my question.”
“Yes!” she whispered. “Yes, I’ve had suitors, and yes, one became close to me. Yes, I thought we would marry, but he had other ideas and broke my heart. But it has mended. Are you happy now?”
She flounced back in the seat, arms crossed below her breasts.
What other ideas had this suitor had? Perhaps he, too, had only wanted a mistress. Daniel’s conscience gave a slight stir.
“I’m sorry to resurrect the memories,” he found himself saying.
She shot him a curious glance, and he wondered what he’d accidentally revealed.
Ruby awoke before they could say anything else, and he let his eyes almost drift shut. Grace let down the windows, pointing out the scenery to her maid as if neither of them had ever been on a farm.
Daniel guessed it was all to keep from having to pay attention to him.
It was far too easy to talk with Grace, who was more interesting than other women. At least she wouldn’t be able to complain, as his last mistress had, that he didn’t talk to her.
If he subscribed to his cousin’s worries, he’d think that Grace was trying to lure him into marriage. And she had just asked about it, of course. But he thought her motives were more to keep him distracted in conversation. They would be sleeping in the same house, rather sooner than she thought. He’d warned her he was going to show her his “charitable endeavors.” And that meant a stop at Enfield Manor, where Viscount Wade was visiting his grandmother, just outside London. Though Simon Wade was engaged to be married, Daniel thought it must be rather easy to sneak about Simon’s family home—after all, he was about to marry his grandmother’s companion, and must have done some sneaking of his own.
If Daniel remembered correctly, there was a balcony that ran the length of the house, with a door for each bedroom.
Chapter 13
Before midday, Grace noticed that the carriage was turning off the Great North Road. She sat up straighter, then with her elbow nudged Ruby, who’d been dozing. Both of them looked with suspicion at Daniel.
He smiled.
“Are we stopping for luncheon?” Grace asked.
“No.”
She frowned. “Then where are we going?”
“You look as if I’m about to abduct the both of you to the Orient and sell you to the highest bidder.”
“No, because that would only bring you money, something you don’t need more of.”
“And how do you know that?”
“One hears things.”
“But a gambler always needs money.”
She narrowed her eyes.
He gave a great sigh. “Very well. Allow me to remind you that I did promise to show you my charitable contribution to Society. Unlike most people, I give more than money. I give of my time.”
Grace thought she heard Ruby cover a snort of laughter, but when she glanced at her, the maid was staring serenely out the window.
“You said you read to the blind,” Grace said with skepticism.
Ruby was now silently quivering, covering her mouth.
“I do,” he said solemnly.
Shaking her head, Grace sighed and looked out the window. It wasn’t long before they turned off the road onto a narrow lane that led up to a pretty country mansion three floors high.
“Where are we?” she asked.
“Enfield Manor,” he
said, “home of the Dowager Viscountess Wade.”
Then he waited, as if for her reaction. But the name wasn’t familiar.
After directing Ruby to the kitchens for refreshment, the butler showed them inside to a sunny drawing room where sheer draperies billowed with the breeze coming in tall windows. A woman rose to her feet.
“Miss Shelby,” said the butler, “may I present Mr. Throckmorten and Miss Banbury.”
Both women curtsied while Daniel gave a brief bow. Miss Shelby was an attractive young lady, tall, with the reddest hair Grace had ever seen.
Miss Shelby gave a glad smile and came forward, letting Daniel take her hand. “Daniel, it is so good to see you. I’m certain that the butler went off to tell Simon of your arrival. He’ll be here momentarily. Do sit down.”
Grace followed the two and took a seat in a comfortable wingback chair. Miss Shelby turned to her.
“Miss Banbury, how nice to meet you,” the other woman said. “I admit my surprise that Daniel is visiting accompanied by a lady.”
“Thank you for the gracious welcome, Miss Shelby,” Grace said. “Mr. Throckmorten and I are on our way to inspect property of mine that he has recently acquired.”
“Inspecting property?” said a deep voice from the doorway.
Grace turned and held her breath in surprise. A tall, handsome blond man stood alone, and although he wore a genial smile, the amusement did not carry to his eyes. And then Grace saw the cane he held in front of him, and she realized that the viscount was blind. She felt sorrow move through her, but from his winning smile, she imagined he would not want her to feel that way.
Unaccompanied, he walked farther into the room, and to her amazement, he neatly avoided a chair and a table. They all stood up.
Daniel said, “Lord Wade, may I present my traveling companion, Miss Banbury.”
“My lord, it is good to meet you,” Grace said, sweeping into a curtsy. She felt awkward when it seemed that the viscount was looking right at her, but of course, he could tell where her voice was coming from.
Viscount Wade reached out a hand, and Miss Shelby took it, drawing him smoothly forward. To Grace’s surprise, Miss Shelby leaned against him briefly, and he placed a kiss on the top of her head. Then he sat down at her side, and tilted his head toward Daniel.
“So, now you have ladies inspecting property with you?”
The two men smiled, and Grace felt uncomfortable, as if those words implied a different meaning.
Miss Shelby eyed her with sympathy. “You two gentlemen are always giving a woman reason to ignore you, are they not, Miss Banbury?”
Grace nodded, feeling relieved at Miss Shelby’s open geniality. “I guess they cannot help themselves—at least Mr. Throckmorten cannot.”
“I will let you in on a secret,” Miss Shelby said, leaning toward her but not lowering her voice. “Lord Wade has a terrible habit of saying one thing and meaning another. It is amazing I agreed to marry him, with all the flaws he has.”
Grace smiled. “Congratulations on your engagement.”
“Thank you,” she said, glancing her fiancé, who could not see her.
But Lord Wade was smiling with such fondness that it was obvious who was the focus of his attention.
“I wish my employer could be here to meet you,” Miss Shelby continued.
Grace frowned with confusion. The lady was a servant?
Lord Wade said, “My grandmother, who is in London for several days with my sister, dotes on Daniel. Thinks he’s a good influence on me.”
If Grace had been sipping tea, she’d have spit it out. As it was, she took a breath and risked a frank question. “Miss Shelby, you work for the viscountess?”
“I am her companion.”
“Was,” Lord Wade added. “Now she’s a future granddaughter-in-law.”
Grace looked on Miss Shelby with a new light. Obviously working for her living had not ruined the lady. She had made a good match. “Miss Shelby, did you enjoy your employment?” she said, hoping the question sounded like innocent conversation.
But she saw Daniel’s quick frown.
“Lady Wade was an excellent employer,” Miss Shelby said. “So kind and gracious.”
“She has to say that now,” Lord Wade said, one corner of his mouth quirked up in a smile. “But her first situation was not as favorable.”
“You mean because I didn’t spend it with you,” Miss Shelby answered.
Though her tone was light, Grace sensed that the lady masked her real feelings. There was always a risk that an employer could treat an impoverished woman with little respect. Grace glanced at Lord Wade. But then again, these two were engaged, and had met under such an unusual situation. She decided to talk to Miss Shelby in private when she had the chance.
Grace turned to the viscount. “Lord Wade, I hope you can clear up a misunderstanding for me. Mr. Throckmorten made you seem like a man who needed his attention. To make himself more impressive in my eyes—”
Daniel coughed.
“—he claimed that you needed him to read to you.”
Miss Shelby grinned as she looked askance at Daniel, and Lord Wade turned the focus of his gaze on him as well.
“Did he?” Lord Wade said. “It seems to me that he visits in an attempt to best me, which is destined to fail.”
“To best you?” Grace said with curiosity.
“At rowing,” Daniel offered. “He’s a master at it, rest of us are just pretenders.”
Rowing? she thought with surprise.
“I think it’s time to give you a demonstration,” the viscount said, getting to his feet.
Miss Shelby rose as well and slid her arm through his. “I think it’s time for luncheon first. After that, you boys may show off to us admiring females.”
Grace found herself relaxing the longer she was with Lord Wade and Miss Shelby. They were obviously very much in love and very happy. It made Grace sigh with a pleasant sort of envy. She studied Daniel as surreptitiously as she could, because she didn’t think she’d ever seen him so relaxed and full of amusement. It made her realize that he kept a reserve about him in London, as if he didn’t want people to get too close. She had seen that armor lower briefly around his cousin the duke, but now she was getting a better view.
And…she finally admitted to herself that she liked him like this. And she liked his choice in friends.
But did they know about his gambling habits? Did they know that he not only won large properties but people, too? She would not be the one to disappoint them with such news. They didn’t need to know the depths her family had sunk to.
After luncheon, all four of them went out onto the terrace, where they were joined by two menservants. Grace could see where the ground sloped down away from the house with a sprawling garden. Beyond that was a small lake, gleaming every time the sun peeked out from behind the clouds.
Grace watched as Lord Wade used his cane to help himself down the stairs. Then to her surprise, she saw a raised wooden banister leading the way down a path. Lord Wade put his hand on it and began to walk, not stopping his conversation with Daniel.
“Do you like my little addition to the garden?” Miss Shelby asked, as they followed the men.
Grace turned to smile at her. “So the banister was your idea? I’m impressed.”
“Simon maneuvers the house so well that I always thought it a shame he had to rely on other people to walk about his grandmother’s estate. I had these installed at his home in Derbyshire, too. We’re going there after the wedding in a few months.”
At the lake, Miss Shelby guided Grace to a bench, where they watched the four men get into two boats tied up to the pier.
“Simon can row by himself,” Miss Shelby said, “but of course he needs someone to navigate. Daniel also has a servant, to make the weight even between the boats.”
“Ah.” Grace sat back to enjoy the race, and found herself pleasantly surprised when Lord Wade moved out almost immediately into the lead.
<
br /> Miss Shelby sighed. “He never lets anybody else win.”
“And he shouldn’t.”
They were quiet for several minutes, and Grace received the impression that Miss Shelby was trying to think how to broach a delicate topic. Grace found herself feeling more and more tense. Would she have to explain how she and Daniel had met? She hadn’t even thought about a story for that.
“Miss Banbury,” Miss Shelby began slowly, “you seemed very interested in my former occupation.”
Grace relaxed. “I am, for I am considering the same thing.”
“Though I do not know your situation, please accept my sympathy. You were obviously raised a lady, and resorting to employment is a difficult—and brave—thing to do.”
“Thank you, but as I’m sure you already know, we do what we must. I do have a small dowry, but due to legalities decided by my late father, I cannot touch it until marriage.”
“And you find yourself in…dire straits?”
There was so much compassion in her blue eyes that Grace had to look away. “Yes, our family circumstances have changed. Though I can find employment, my brother is now left landless.” Her voice trailed off, and the tears she’d thought she put behind her almost surfaced again. She would never get over this feeling of betrayal, this anger toward her mother.
“I understand. He is yet unmarried?”
Grace only nodded. She was so caught up in her thoughts that it took her a moment to realize that the boats were now headed back to the near shore, and Lord Wade would easily win. But Daniel was pushing hard, almost lifting himself off the seat as he tried to row with more and more speed. Then quite suddenly one oar entered the water on an unusual angle, the boat tipped, and Daniel and his servant fell in.
Grace and Miss Shelby surged to their feet, running down the gravel path and onto the pier.
Lord Wade was already tying up his boat, but he gave them a bright smile. “I hear there’s a mishap. I do hope he can swim,” he added with a chuckle.
Daniel and the servant were both swimming well. Thank goodness they had already shed their coats. They trudged out of the water onto shore, dripping wet. Grace didn’t bother to turn her gaze away from Daniel’s nearly transparent shirt. Whenever he tried to seduce her, he never removed any of his own clothing first. She hoped he didn’t realize that might help his efforts because she was far too fascinated with his body.
