I care little for what others think of me. I only care what she thinks.
“Very well,” he nodded. “You are right, I suppose. It would be best to instill a good first impression upon the county before the rumor mill begins to turn.”
“Excellent,” Habtage replied with a wide grin. “I will send the invitations immediately.”
Edwin furrowed his brow. “To whom, exactly?”
Habtage stared at him as though he had said something outlandish. “Why, everybody, of course.”
Edwin nearly groaned. “Of course.”
“Cheer up, old friend,” Habtage smirked. “It is only one evening, and you know that if the entirety of Laurelborough is invited to attend, a certain Miss Walters will feel an obligation to be present as well.”
His heart sped up at the thought. “You think so? Her intense desire to avoid me may override any social obligation she may feel.”
He had not told Habtage about his stolen kiss with Miss Walters, but the gentleman was well aware of her aversion to Edwin. She had made little effort to hide it, after all.
Habtage waved his concerns away as though they smoke in the air. “Fear not, Morrington. Miss Unity will most certainly attend. She will convince her sister to come, no matter her reservations. You simply need to not muck it up again.”
“That is far easier said than done,” Edwin grumbled.
“Ah, well, yes, I suppose it is,” Habtage agreed. “Still, you have little choice in the matter, yes?”
Sighing, Edwin nodded, “Yes, very little choice.”
“Then worry not. The ball will help, and I will take on the majority of the planning so that you have fewer worries to keep you up at night.”
Though he appreciated the gesture, it did little to improve Edwin’s mood about the event. While it would ultimately help with his reputation, he did not relish the idea of inviting every wealthy and noble family in the county into his home, temporary as it was. He knew some would already be whispering about his relationship with the Countess of Pimperton, and he dreaded the scrutiny he would be under.
He would not be able to afford to step out of line even a little bit, which was unfortunate, as he was not sure he could see Miss Walters again without trying to steal her away for another kiss.
Protect your reputation first, then secure the lady’s affections.
Edwin was not sure which goal was the more impossible one to achieve.
* * *
“Unity! Tabitha! You will never believe what has come in the post!”
Tabitha glanced up from her book as Sophia dashed into the parlor waving a piece of mail above her head. Unity, who sat nearby focusing on her needlework, also turned her gaze to their youngest sister with a curious smile.
“What is it, darling?” she asked.
“It is an invitation to a ball!” Sophia squealed in delight.
Tabitha grinned at her sister’s exuberance, but furrowed her brow in confusion.
“Why are you so particularly excited about this invitation?” Tabitha questioned. They had attended many balls over the years, and while they could prove entertaining, they were hardly worth such unbridled excitement.
“Because it is a ball at Cantham Manor!”
Tabitha’s entire body went rigid with tension.
“Cantham Manor?” she murmured. “Then, that means that…”
“Lords Habtage and Morrington have invited us to attend,” Unity finished her thought, setting her needlework aside so she could push to her feet. Hurrying toward Sophia, she took the letter from her sister’s hand and opened it. As she read, her cheeks brightened with a pretty pink color and a small grin tugged at her lips.
Turning to Tabitha, she gushed, “Oh, is this not thrilling?”
Thrilling was not the word that Tabitha would have chosen. Awkward. Horrifying. A nightmare.
Exciting.
She silenced the scandalous voice within her head. The ball was not exciting, and she would not look forward to attending it, though she knew she would have little choice in the matter.
Papa and my sisters will insist, and I cannot risk insulting Lord Habtage.
Yet the idea of seeing Lord Morrington again had her stomach twisting with something she thought could be dread. It had been over a week since his visit, and she was still reeling from all that had happened during it. She tried very hard not to think about their heated exchange or their…well, what followed after, but he persistently intruded into her mind, distracting and infuriating her nearly every waking hour of her day.
She had briefly wondered if perhaps she was going mad? What other explanation could there be for her apparent obsession with the gentleman? It was not one she wanted, but it had only intensified since that day in the field together.
The memory of his kiss broke through her defensive walls, and she was momentarily blinded to the rest of the world as she grew lost in his kiss all over again. It had shocked her when his lips had pressed against hers, but it had shaken her to her core when her body melted for him without resistance. She could not understand what had been happening to her at the time, and she had little understanding of it now.
She had felt on fire from the inside out. Her skin had prickled with gooseflesh, and her stomach had tightened as that yearning sensation she had been feeling now and again intensified in an instant. That womanly place between her legs had throbbed as though it had its own heartbeat and moisture had slicked the inside of her thighs where they pressed together. It had been overwhelming, her body’s response to him.
Tabitha had never experienced anything like it before, but every time she remembered their embrace, she felt the same stirrings come back to life within her. It frightened her, and she had gone out of her way to avoid seeing him again as much as she could. She had even stopped going to her favorite spot to read, for fear he might be waiting for her out there.
“It is to be held on the seventeenth of June,” Unity declared. “Oh, that is perfect. It will be enough time for us each to have a new dress made.”
Tabitha frowned. “Why would we need to do such a thing? We have many perfectly fine dresses.”
Sophia released a deep sigh, as though frustrated by Tabitha’s words.
“This is not just any ball, sister, and we cannot wear just any old dress. They must be special!”
“What is so special about this ball?” She just did not understand. Yes, the fact that Lord Morrington was one of its hosts was rather nerve-wracking for her personally, but other than that, it seemed as though the evening would be like any other they frequented.
Sophia rolled her eyes and turned to her next eldest sister. “Can you please try to explain it to her, Unity? I am afraid I cannot get through her stubborn skull.”
Unity grinned and shook her head. “Sophia, you must be kinder to Tabitha. She does not get as excited for such things as we do. You know this.”
“Yes, but I would think she would be excited by this particular one because of...” Sophia trailed off and glanced toward Tabitha, suddenly hesitant to continue.
Tabitha arched a brow.
“Do not stop what you were saying, Sophia,” she snapped. “Why would I be excited for this particular ball?”
She knew the answer of course, but it annoyed her that her sisters continued to assume her feelings even after she had told them they were wrong several times.
“Well…because…” Sophia looked helplessly toward Unity, but she only shrugged and kept her peace. With a groan, Sophia finally admitted, “Because you like Lord Morrington so much.”
“I do not like him!” Tabitha insisted, though the words felt a little less true when she spoke them this time. Still, she persisted. “I have told you this time and time again, and you simply refuse to listen to me.”
“But, it is so obvious that you do…” Sophia exclaimed.
Tabitha rubbed her temples as her head began to throb. She did not want to have this argument again. She did not want to think about Lord Mor
rington, or his kisses, or his ball.
She just wanted things to go back to the way they had been before his arrival. Before she had lost all control of her body, and, it appeared, all reason.
“Well, I am not excited for this ball,” she hissed. “In fact, I would prefer to avoid the whole thing all together.”
Unity gave her a concerned frown. “Tabitha, you do not mean that.”
“Yes, I do!” Tabitha cried. “Why must you second-guess everything I say? Why can you simply not believe the words coming out of my mouth? When have I ever spoken false? When have I ever tried to be deceitful in my opinions of something?”
“Well…I suppose you are always rather honest…” Unity murmured.
“Then why would I not be honest in this instance!” Except she was not being honest. Not truly. Her feelings toward Lord Morrington were…complicated, at best, but she was so tired of defending herself that she refused to relinquish her argument.
“I…I cannot think of a reason,” Unity finally conceded.
“Then let us drop the matter entirely, yes?” Tabitha asked.
Unity sighed. “Very well, if that is what you wish.”
Tabitha turned her glare toward Sophia. It had not escaped her notice that her youngest sister had become uncharacteristically silent.
“Sophia?” Tabitha said in a warning tone. “Will you drop the matter?”
Sophia narrowed her eyes and set her jaw in a stubborn line.
“Just because you choose to lie to yourself does not mean I will start doing so.” Before Tabitha could bark her response, Sophia turned and fled the room, her skirts whipping around her feet.
“Do not be cross with her,” Unity begged softly. “She is young and such a romantic. She only wishes to see you happy.”
“She should learn to mind her own business.”
“Tabitha…”
Ignoring her sister’s pleading tone, Tabitha turned on her heel and stormed from the room as well.
Chapter 22
The next few weeks were a blur for Tabitha. She remained at odds with Sophia, though Unity tried with all her might to make peace between them. Sophia refused to apologize, however, and Tabitha refused to forgive her unless she did so.
Yet, not matter that they were in the middle of a fight, Unity still dragged them everywhere with her. The county was abuzz with the upcoming ball. All the wealthy and noble families of Laurelborough had received an invitation, and all the young ladies seemed to be going mad with their anticipation and excitement.
Every tea-party the sisters attended, the only topic of conversation seemed to be the ball. Particularly, what everyone planned to wear to it. Everywhere they went, the ladies spoke of patterns and tittered over what clothe and cut their gowns would be made of. Tabitha was more often than not nearly bored to tears with such chatter.
“My grandmother has become quite acquainted with the gentlemen,” Miss Jane Reynolds declared one Saturday afternoon, a little over two weeks out from the event. Tabitha and her sisters were visiting their neighbor, Miss Elizabeth Jacobson, who had invited them for afternoon tea. Several other ladies were in attendance with them, including none other than Miss Plain-Face Jane herself.
Tabitha had been spiraling into a daze of boredom as the other ladies spoke of their dresses, but now she snapped back to attention as the talk turned to the gentlemen themselves.
“Oh, truly?” Miss Jacobson gasped. “Have you met them?”
“Not as of yet,” Miss Jane admitted, though her tone remained haughty. “Unfortunately, they have not attended many formal gatherings, and remain rather elusive.”
That surprised Tabitha. She had assumed that Lords Morrington and Habtage were regulars among the social elite of Laurelborough. She thought they would be eager to display their personal wealth and privilege. It would not have occurred to her to believe they would keep to themselves.
They frequented our home twice within two weeks. Were they attending no other social engagements?
Why did that thought fill her with a strange sense of satisfaction?
“Well, they must be terribly important gentlemen,” another lady, Miss Hannah Baker, commented. “I would imagine they have little time for us country bumpkins.”
“Oh, you are too unkind to yourself, and Lords Habtage and Morrington, Miss Baker,” Unity replied. “The gentlemen are very happy to be here in the country. They enjoy the slower place and quiet.”
The ladies all turned to stare at Unity in shock.
“Miss Unity, have you…have you met Lords Habtage and Morrington?” Miss Jacobson asked with big eyes and a breathless voice.
Unity blinked around the room. Was she as surprised as Tabitha was to find the gentleman had not frequented the other homes in the neighborhood as they had theirs?
“Why…yes, we all have. My sisters and I, that is.”
“What?” Miss Baker cried. Tabitha flinched at her high-pitched tone. “How did you become acquainted? When?”
“Only a few weeks after their arrival,” Sophia answered, her tone now as haughty as Miss Jane’s had been. “They have been by for tea already, and have also come over to hunt with our father. He is rather found of the two of them.”
The other ladies gaped at the sisters in wonder. All, that is, except Miss Plain-Face Jane, whose expression was pinched with displeasure.
“Liar,” she snapped.
Unity frowned. “Why would we lie about such a thing, Miss Jane?”
Miss Jane’s plain-face was turning rather red with indignation. “Why would they visit your home before anyone else’s? Just because the Baron is the wealthiest gentleman in the county, does not mean he is the noblest. My family is of a higher rank than yours. Lords Habtage and Morrington should be calling seeking our favor!”
Tabitha took a long swallow of her tea so that she did not chuck it at Miss Jane. Though she was used to the scorn her family often received from the more noble houses of Laurelborough, it did not make it less enraging to hear.
Her papa’s wealth had not been inherited, like so many of the wealthy gentlemen of the county, but earned. He was, in truth, a man with new money, and the old money families considered him an upstart who did not know his proper place.
It was especially grating when the likes of Miss Jane Reynolds was the one spewing such ignorant piddle.
Why does Unity insist on coming to these gatherings, knowing what most of these ladies truly think of us?
“You are just jealous,” Sophia, never one to mind her tongue, snapped. “Our father is a successful gentleman in his own right, and my sisters have won the attention of the newest bachelors to the county.”
“Sophia!” Tabitha and Unity exclaimed in near unison.
Their youngest sister merely shrugged, looking not at all sorry for her speech.
Wide eyes bounced between Tabitha and Unity all around them.
“What does she mean, Miss Unity?” Miss Jacobson asked. Her tone was not full of scorn, but wonder. “Have you two truly caught the attention of the gentlemen?”
“Well, I…” Unity gazed around at all their faces, her cheeks turning a bright pink as she struggled to respond.
“Of course we have not,” Tabitha quickly said. It was a lie, of course. Lord Habtage was clearly interested in Unity, and Lord Morrington…well, he had made his interest in her rather clear. She did not want them to throw themselves to the wolves, however. “They are acquaintances of our father’s. I think they would like to go into business with him, or something of the sort.”
Miss Plain-Face Jane released an audible breath of relief. “Ah, that makes much more sense. Of course that would be their interest in your family.”
Tabitha took a deep breath to calm her growing anger.
Plain on the outside, and ugly on the inside. A lady such as Miss Jane can only be happy when she is making others miserable.
Reminding herself of that fact did little to appease her temper, however. She glanced toward Sophia, and he
r youngest sister’s face was red with rage.
“Any gentlemen would be lucky to court my sisters,” Sophia snapped. “They are both beautiful, kind, and intelligent. It is more than can be said for some of the people in this room.”
Tabitha’s brows shot up toward her hairline. She bit her lip to hold back a shocked laugh, and she was both mortified and incredibly proud of Sophia for sticking up for her. Such a statement would only cause them trouble, however.
Improperly Enticed By The Rascal Earl (Steamy Historical Regency Romance) Page 17
