A Proper Charade

by Esther Hatch

  “If you will excuse me, gentlemen.” He gave Lord Nortfield a look that conveyed how little he believed the title fit. “I have the honor of dancing with Lady Patience for the first set.” He put his arm out, and Patience slid her arm around his like it belonged there. Lord Nortfield put his hands on his hips, and his otherwise handsome face screwed up in a scowl.

  Anthony led Patience to the open floor. They were the first couple to arrive, and he took them to the very center of the ballroom. There was no reason to hide anymore. Anthony was the son of General Woodsworth, and even if no one here knew his name, they knew his father’s. He had every right to dance with the woman who had crawled through his bushes and into his heart.

  As long as she cared for him as well, nothing else mattered. Their positions in life could be different, but Anthony would no longer believe they belonged to different worlds. How could they? She was his world.

  The music started, and it was a slow waltz. Perfect. This was his chance to prove that he could dance as well as Stewart. Better even, since he was dancing with Patience.

  He placed his hand on her back, and she placed hers on Anthony’s shoulder. When their other hands joined together, it was as if all the pieces of his life had suddenly clicked into place. That delicate hand held fast in his own had been scratched, stained, and rubbed raw in his home. Now it was gloved and serene. But underneath all of her composure was a woman full of life. This was where he belonged.

  With Patience.

  Just as he was about to lead her out in the first step, he felt a soft flurry of movement at his neck just under his collar. Anthony narrowed his eyes at Patience, but she just shrugged and then, with a more determined smile, the fluttering movement at his neck returned. What was Patience doing with her fingers under his cravat?

  He twisted his neck to one side, trying to discourage her touch, and she dug her fingers in deeper.

  “Patience,” Anthony hissed under his breath. “What are you doing?”

  “I was just wondering.” Her face was pure innocence.

  “Wondering what exactly?” Her fingers were still there. She held him captive with them.

  “If you were ticklish. Harry and Augusta asked me to tickle you nearly every day, and I didn’t dare.” She pursed her lips for a moment. “I find that I dare now.”

  “In a crowded ballroom?” He shook his head, which made her fingertips slide across his skin. It was quite distracting. “Your sense of danger is completely off.”

  Couples were dancing around them, and so distracted or no, he led her through the first steps of the waltz. Her fingers found their way deeper down his neck until they reached the hollow of his collar bone. The shock made him jump slightly.

  “So you are ticklish.”

  He concentrated on the next step. “No, I am not.”

  Another determined look. Anthony stepped slightly away from her. “Patience, could we please leave the tickling for later? I was hoping to show you my skill at the waltz.”

  “You will allow me to tickle you later?”

  “All you want.”

  “In front of Harry and Augusta?”

  “In front of Mrs. Bates, if you would like, but not in front of all of London in this ballroom.”

  “Surely not all of London is here.”

  “They may as well be.”

  “Are you worried someone will force us to marry if I am caught?”

  Anthony missed a step as her broad mouth widened. “No,” he replied. “I am not worried about that in the least. It would save me a lot of trouble.”

  Patience laughed then, her bell-like peal of mirth echoing throughout the ballroom. She removed her fingers from inside his cravat and placed her hand firmly on his shoulder once again. “Please demonstrate your skilled waltz.”

  “It won’t be the same now; it was going to be quite impressive.”

  “I’m sure it was.” She tipped her head so that it was only a breath away from his. “But you don’t need to impress me, Anthony.” Her voice was low as she called him by name. “I’ve seen you light a fire, make beautiful lists, and propose to a woman you thought was a maid. Nothing you could do now could raise my opinion of you. Please don’t try to impress me. Let’s simply be together. I have missed you.”

  The room quieted, and he pulled her closer to him. In his life full of order and lists, he needed Patience’s unpredictability. Anthony tightened his hand about her and executed an excellent turn. Not because he thought it would make her proud or show off his skill, but because he couldn’t help it. This was a moment worth waiting twenty-six years for.

  For the rest of the dance, they were silent. It wasn’t until the music slowed and softened that he finally leaned his lips toward her ear. “I have missed you dreadfully. The house has been much too quiet, and my sealing wax has been left most dreadfully intact.”

  She tilted her head just enough so that it rested against his cheek. “Who wouldn’t miss those things?”

  A short laugh escaped his chest. She never said what he thought she would.

  The music ended despite his desire to hold onto her still. Anthony held his arm out to escort her back to her mother. They were nearly across the room when Harrington called for everyone’s attention.

  “Everyone, thank you for coming.” The Duke of Harrington’s voice carried well throughout the crowded room. Everyone quieted. Patience came closer to Anthony. She leaned in toward his ear, but her eyes were on her brother. “He looks like a duke, doesn’t he?”

  It was a strange thing to say. Her brother was a duke, and frankly, Anthony was having a hard time concentrating on what His Grace was saying at all. If he could just take her hand and pull her away from prying eyes, he would show her exactly how much he had missed her.

  “I have some exciting news to announce,” Harrington spoke loudly. “Many of you know that I served under General Woodsworth for a period of two years. In many ways, those were the best two years of my life. In many more ways, they were probably the worst.” There was a murmur of laughter, and the men who had arrived in uniform nodded. “What some of you may not know is that for the past twenty-five years, first my father and then I have been presenting General Woodsworth’s name in Parliament in hopes that he would join the House of Lords and accept a peerage. If you have ever wondered how long it takes for Parliament to make a decision and buy sufficient land, well, now you know: twenty-five years. General Woodsworth, I am proud to announce that at the next assembly, your name will be put forth as a peer. If you would kindly show your face that day, my father’s and my work will not have been in vain.”

  Anthony turned to Patience. Had he heard right?

  Her hand reached for his. “Did you know this would happen tonight?” Patience asked.

  “No.”

  “General Woodsworth, will you please come here?” the Duke of Harrington asked. The crowd opened up, and Father marched to where Harrington was standing.

  Harrington clapped Father on the back and turned him out toward the crush of people working their way toward them. “May I present to you, Thomas Woodsworth, soon to be Marquess of Woodbury, Earl of Ottersby, Viscount Harborough, and Baron Ottersby. Thank you for your service.”

  Father was to be a marquess. In a matter of moments, everything had become a lot easier.

  He turned to Patience. “Do you still have that list?”

  “The one you made for me?” Patience asked. “Of course I still have it.”

  “I would like to add one more name. He is only a mister, but in a few short weeks, he will be the son of a marquess. I happen to know he is quite serious, kind, and has no debt.”

  She put a finger to the edge of her mouth and cocked her head to one side. “A marquess is all right, I suppose. Last week I did have the son of a duke show some interest in me, and I am used to living extravagantly.”

  He
could tell by the tip of her head that she was teasing him. Teasing. Who would have thought being made fun of was exactly what had been lacking in his life? “Which duke? And which son? I don’t believe I had anyone like that on your list. He must not be acceptable.”

  “He did seem quite serious.”

  “No one is as serious as I. Next I see you, which had better be much sooner than three months, I want you to bring that list with you, and I will make adjustments.”

  “No one on that list is acceptable. I met them all. They were missing one key element you didn’t even bother to put on the list.”

  “What was that?”

  “They weren’t you.”

  How had he ever thought he could live without her? “So I may add a future Lord Ottersby onto that list?”

  “Ottersby.” Patience shook her head. “That was Nicholas’s doing.”

  “Do you dislike the name?”

  “The name doesn’t matter. Your position in life doesn’t matter.” Patience dropped his fingers and ran her hand up his forearm until it reached the crook of his elbow. She leaned in conspiratorially. “However, this does mean we can skip through steps six through eighteen of most of your plans.”

  He sucked in a rapid breath of air. She’d read those? Anthony placed his head in his free hand. “They weren’t meant for you. They were sent to your brother.”

  “And he kept them secret from me until I told him I was bound and determined to marry you. I suppose he thought they would reassure me since I wasn’t sure you could love someone who had deceived you at every turn.”

  “You may have practiced deception, but I’m sorry I reacted the way I did. It took me a month to realize you were right. You had never lied to me about who you were. Who you are isn’t your name or your title. It is just who you are, and you never hid your true self from me.”

  “Other than that one time behind the curtain?”

  “Well, yes.” He smiled. “Other than that.” Was that only four months ago? His life had changed so drastically since then. “You know we could have saved a lot of time if you had just accepted my proposal then.”

  Patience pulled him closer to her with her hand still at his elbow. “Another joke, Mr. Woodsworth? At this rate, you will turn into a court jester.”

  A few ringlets had escaped her carefully crafted hair. He longed to brush them aside and place a kiss on her slender neck. “At this rate, I will turn into a scoundrel if I don’t get the chance to speak with you alone soon.”

  “Ah, there you are, Lord Ottersby,” a slick female voice said behind them. Anthony turned.

  Miss Morgan.

  Why had she been invited?

  Miss Morgan pushed her way to them and wrapped her hand around Anthony’s other elbow. He pulled away, but she clenched her arm around him tighter. “It is a lovely sounding title, Ottersby. Quite regal. Not quite as impressive as your father’s—Woodbury does have a nice ring to it. Of course, that will be your title soon enough. A general’s life is a hard one, isn’t it?”

  Anthony gave up pretenses and slid her hand off his arm. “I don’t believe we are well enough acquainted for you to speculate about my father’s health. And his titles aren’t official as of yet, so I am still Mr. Woodsworth to you.”

  “Oh, Anthony.” She laughed and reached for him again. Anthony pinched the bridge of his nose. His charts and data had been completely off on Miss Morgan. Anthony stepped closer to Patience, but Miss Morgan followed. “Everyone in this room knows we are linked together. It was the whole reason my family was invited tonight. To ignore me now would create quite the scandal.” She slid a finger up his sleeve. “You wouldn’t want a scandal to mar your father’s evening, would you?”

  “Enough, Miss Morgan,” Patience interrupted. “My brother is the host of this ball, and he could rescind your invitation at any moment.”

  Miss Morgan’s eyes narrowed. She looked up at Patience’s hair, then back to her face, where her beauty spot had been placed when she’d masqueraded as Miss Smith. “Miss Smith?”

  “She is not Miss Smith.” Anthony motioned to Patience to leave. He needed to deal with Miss Morgan alone in a way that wouldn’t involve Lady Patience Kendrick.

  “I’m not leaving you with her,” Patience said under her breath. “And I’m done with half-truths. I was ridiculous, and as long as I have you, my reputation hardly matters. London will get over the scandal soon enough.”

  Patience dropped his hand and stepped around him so she could face Miss Morgan. “I’m not Miss Smith, but we did meet when I was introduced as her. Quite a silly thing, actually. You see, a very peculiar woman convinced Mr. Woodsworth to show interest in another woman. He asked me to be that other woman, and I said yes.”

  “Anthony,” Miss Morgan pouted with those thin lips of hers. “Are you going to allow her to call me peculiar when we will become engaged any day now?”

  Curious onlookers were starting to gather around them. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan marched to their side. Now they wanted to speak to him? After two years of barely acknowledging his existence? He needed to stop Miss Morgan before she said another word. One more claim like she had just made, and Mr. Morgan could force Anthony to marry her. His one-time dream had become his worst nightmare.

  “Miss Morgan, we have not sought each other’s company for over three months. You, yourself, released me from any obligations to you.”

  “Is that true, my dear?” Mr. Morgan asked, his ever-present frown more pronounced than usual. “My understanding was that the two of you still had an agreement.”

  “I don’t know what Mr. Woodsworth is talking about.”

  That was ridiculous. She had written him a blasted letter to make certain he knew she was done with him. What had happened to it? All he remembered about the rest of that evening was Patience kissing him. She had most certainly left her mark.

  “Miss Morgan, you and I both know there is nothing between us. And I have proof.”

  “What proof?”

  Blast, if only he knew where he had put the letter. He remembered wanting to burn it, but he hadn’t. He didn’t remember throwing it away or filing it. He rubbed his face. They couldn’t have this conversation here. “Even if I don’t have proof, you have made your move too early. My father hasn’t actually gained his title yet. He can still decline.”

  “You would make him do that?” Mr. Morgan asked. “He has worked his whole life for that title.”

  “He has worked his whole life to give his children a better chance than he had.” By this point, enough people were close by that he had to hiss the words under his breath to the Morgans. He extracted his arm from Miss Morgan’s. “And if you speak one more word of this in front of anyone here tonight, I will personally guarantee that whether my father takes his title or not, I will never take mine.”

  Miss Morgan’s face scrunched up and went red. How had he ever found her attractive? Her jaw tightened, and she put both her hands on her hips. She opened her mouth to speak, but Mr. Morgan reached for her elbow and stopped her. “Of course, we won’t speak of it tonight. This is your father’s evening. But you may expect us tomorrow at four. We can arrange the engagement then.”

  “There will be no engagement,” Patience burst out. Anthony coughed loudly to cover her words from the onlookers who were edging ever closer. “These two have no agreement.”

  “We will see about that tomorrow,” Mr. Morgan said. Then he leaned forward and placed his mouth near Anthony’s ear. “My daughter’s honor is my honor. If you do not agree to an engagement tomorrow, I will have no choice but to call you out.”

  The Morgans swept away from them.

  All the elation of the previous hour had fled. Of all the complications Anthony had foreseen, this wasn’t one of them. Had Mr. Morgan threatened a duel? There was no way he could let this escalate to such proportions. He needed to prove to Mr. Mo
rgan that his daughter was the one to cry off. If he would have known this would be such a danger, he would have begged Harrington to wait to announce anything about his father’s ascension into the peerage until he and Patience were safely wed.

  Patience’s hand went back around his arm. “I’m not afraid of a scandal.” Patience didn’t seem the slightest perturbed by what had just happened. “The fact that I have made it this far without one is miraculous.”

  “I did pursue her for two years.”

  “But you never had an understanding.”

  “No, but all of London was waiting for one. I wish I would have seen earlier what she was.” Anthony was careful to keep his voice calm. Who knew what Patience would do if she heard about Mr. Morgan’s not-so-subtle threat? “But at a minimum, I need to meet with her family tomorrow.”

  Patience narrowed her eyes at him. “Don’t you dare agree to marry her.”

  “Don’t worry.”

  “Promise me. Promise me you won’t agree to marry her.”

  “Trust me.”

  “That isn’t a promise. I know how half-truths work, Anthony.”

  “I’m very good at getting what I want, Patience.” Anthony pulled her deeper into the shadows and slid a ringlet between his finger and thumb. It was all he dared to do, but he wanted to do so much more. “There is a time and place for your bravery and recklessness. I love it. I need it in my life like I need air. I don’t think I was truly living before you barged your way through my hedges and into my world. But right now, calm calculations are what we need. Please trust me on this.” Anthony was almost certain Mr. Morgan was bluffing about a duel, but he would much rather not have to call that bluff.

  “I will, but if I find out she or her parents have pressured you into a marriage, I will tell all of London I lived under your roof for the better part of a month, and you will be forced to marry me instead.”

  He smiled. Patience wasn’t lying. She never lied, and the recklessness and impropriety of her plan was part of the reason he loved her. But he couldn’t allow her to do such a thing. Not to save him from his own stupidity. He would marry Patience, but not under a cloud of scandal. He had to find that letter.