His chuckle, low and hearty, followed Brianna into the room.
~~~
The backs of her legs cramping from sitting on her heels for too long, Brianna slid backward, her bottom hitting the rocks lining the edge of the stream. She gingerly stretched her legs out in front of her, letting the blood flow back to her toes.
Lungs still on fire after the brutally exhausting ride she had just jumped from, she leaned forward to sink her handkerchief into the stream. The fabric sopping, she slapped it onto her forehead, trying to cool the throbbing skin.
Her jacket had come off hours ago, and she was still boiling. Thank goodness she had given up on wearing a stifling hat long ago—she had lost far too many of them over the years with her swift rides.
After escaping the castle just as the sunlight had broken through the sky, she had made it to and from the closest town, Pepperton, fast enough to afford herself a moment of quiet—a moment purely for herself.
But it was hotter than blazes—hotter today than Brianna had ever remembered it being. Maybe that was why the toads were loud this morning, croaking out loud grumbles every few seconds.
Still, it wasn’t enough to break her concentration on what she had learned earlier.
Meeting her hired bow street runner by Pepperton had been her only option—she couldn’t very well invite Mr. Flemming up to Notlund. The man had needed to deliver pressing news on one of the things she had him investigating, namely the discreet debts Lord Newdale had racked up at three gaming halls in London.
Brianna watched gurgling bubbles of water swirl behind a fat rock in the middle of the stream, her mind churning. By itself, the total sum of the debts reported by Mr. Flemming wasn’t enough to remove Lord Newdale as a possibility for her sister. But Mr. Flemming also had several leads he was to follow next, the most interesting being Lord Newdale’s ongoing visits to four separate brothels.
A mistress that was disposed of at marriage was one thing, but a man with a history of visiting random women at various brothels was an entirely different matter.
This exact information was why she particularly liked Mr. Flemming. Gruff and straightforward, he told her exactly what he discovered without trying to shield her female sensibilities. And if that meant reporting about brothels and mistresses to her, he did so in a matter-of-fact manner.
Unfortunately for Lily, if the leads were founded, Brianna was going to have to remove Lord Newdale as a marriage possibility. Brianna could already see that Lily favored Lord Newdale the most, but if she had to break Lily’s heart over the matter, she would. She’d done it before.
Brianna picked up a rock, whipping it into the water.
Lily would forgive her. She always did.
Her hand holding the handkerchief to her forehead dropped. The wet cloth was now just as hot as her forehead.
She eyed the water, pondering the option of stripping down and plunking herself into it. She was filthy from the ride. And until Lord Newdale was truly eliminated as a suitor, she had to maintain the veneer of utmost propriety. That meant composing herself before she got back to the castle—not showing up drenched in sweat and trail dirt.
Plus—she had to admit—the water would be delicious.
She looked over at Moonlight nibbling on juicy grass a few paces downstream. The horse was content, and Brianna knew Moonlight wouldn’t wander too far.
Without another thought, she removed her boots and stood, quickly unbuttoning her deep blue skirt and stripping off her white shirt and short stays, then tossing them away from the splash of the water. For a second, she thought to remove her shift as well, but then thought the better of it.
Wading into the stream, she was mid-thigh in the warm water before she found a spot where it cooled by her toes. She sank, going to her knees as the water rolled past her.
Heaven. Absolute heaven.
Her arms swung back and forth beneath the surface, letting the water reach all the nooks and crannies that she could feel still holding fast to heat. Pulling the pins from her knot, she tousled out her hair before taking a deep breath and sinking her head.
Breaking the surface, she leaned back to keep everything but her face submerged. She stared at the hazy blue sky for some time, only the sound of rushing water in her ears.
Her thoughts quieted for a moment, so she stayed in the position, lost in the blankness of her mind for as long as she dared—too long, and she knew it.
Reality drew her back, and she sighed, the air popping her ears under the water. Now she would have to contend with her wet hair when she returned to the castle. So much for primness. Maybe if luck—for once—was on her side, she wouldn’t encounter Lord Newdale or his mother or sisters along the way.
Brianna pulled her head out of the water, finding her feet and standing.
An instant scream yelped from her mouth.
Luck was not on her side.
Sitting streamside, forearms relaxed on his bent knees, Lord Luhaunt watched her with curious interest. His peculiar devil smirk sat obvious on his face.
Her eyes darted past his shoulder as she sank into the water, her arms covering the top part of her body the best she could. Her clothes lay five steps behind him.
In control before the second scream in her throat escaped, she forged the haughtiest face she could manage while being nearly naked and trapped in the middle of a stream. “This is grossly rude, Lord Luhaunt. How long have you been sitting there?”
“Long enough to make sure I am the only one stumbling upon you.” He pointed to her horse downstream. “Where have you been all morning, Miss Silverton?”
“It is none of your business, Lord Luhaunt.”
“No?”
“If you think to blackmail me to get close to my sister, you are sorely mistaken in your intentions, Lord Luhaunt. I have no regard for my reputation, and I believe the duke will look more unfavorably upon your grossly inappropriate ogling, than he will upon my taking an innocent swim on a hot day.”
“That does not answer my question, Miss Silverton.”
She shook her head, eyes to the sky. “Why do I imagine it is too much to ask you to remove yourself? That you clearly have no honor as a gentleman.”
“Where have you been?”
Her look dropped to him, eyes narrowing. “I was on a long ride.”
“You left before the break of dawn, and have been gone for five hours. Both you and your horse look like you have travelled hell-bent for days. So where did you go? I only caught your trail an hour past on the eastern border of the forest.”
Jaw dropping, her eyes went wide. “You have been following me?” This earl was far, far too much.
“Yes. So where were you, Miss Silverton?”
“It is absolutely none of your business, you arse.” She looked down at her chest. Even through the water, she could see her white—now transparent—shift did nothing to hide her skin. Blast it. She looked back to him, venom pouring from her eyes. “Remove yourself from my sight this instant.”
His smile only widened. “You are a prickly one, Miss Silverton.” His limbs languid, he stretched himself into standing. “But I am not about to leave you here alone, prey to any unscrupulous passerby.”
“You are the only unscrupulous passerby, Lord Luhaunt, and you know full well you are purposely blocking my path to my clothes.”
He glanced over his shoulder to her pile of clothes. “It would seem I am.”
“You need to leave, Lord Luhaunt. Please, on all that is holy, leave.”
Slowly, he turned from her, stepping away. Brianna sighed in relief. But then he stopped, picking up her clothes and spinning back to her.
Shaking her head in disbelief, Brianna set loose a vicious low growl.
“I do promise not to look.” Arm outstretched, he held up her skirt, stays and shirt as a barrier between them, turning his head to the side.
“You are impossible, Lord Luhaunt. Cruelly impossible.” She gave one last futile glance about the stream bank,
praying for a boulder to appear and roll over him—or lightning to strike him—or his horse to trample him.
None of that seemed likely.
She was stuck.
Chest pounding, she angled one arm across her breasts, used her other hand to cover her pelvis, and Brianna moved out of the water, stepping up onto the slippery rocks.
“Why? Why do you insist on harassing me so, Lord Luhaunt? It gets you no closer to my sister.”
“I do not want your sister, Miss Silverton.” His head stayed turned to the side with nary a blink in her direction.
“No?” Her eyes squinted at him as she stumbled across the rocks. She shook her head. “No, I do not believe you.”
Just as she reached out to grab her skirt, his head swung toward her, his brown eyes intense on her face.
Brianna froze, her fingers in mid-air.
“Quite simply, Miss Silverton, I want you. Only you.”
She shook her head, forehead scrunched. “What?”
“I want you, Brianna.”
~~~
Sebastian watched with amusement as it took several seconds for his words to sink into Brianna’s brain. And then several more seconds before she managed to reach out and grab her skirt.
Clutching the dark blue cloth to her chest, it covered the front part of her, but Sebastian could still see the lean outline of her body through the thin shift.
He had been a cad, waiting, watching her from afar after following her for an hour. But she had looked exhausted, and then so utterly peaceful when she sank into the water, that he was entranced and could nothing except sit down to watch her. She would be his soon enough as it was.
Her face suddenly snapped into control, and she snatched her shirt from his hand. Her short stays dropped to the ground, but she didn’t pick them up, instead stepping backward away from him. No matter that it sent her back into the stream, water rushing over her ankles.
“What madness are you talking about, Lord Luhaunt?” Still trying to shield herself with the skirt, she fumbled with her white silk shirt, trying to right it enough to get her head and arms into it. “Just because I am a spinster does not mean I am available for…for…” Her face turned red. “For your amusement.”
“I am talking about marrying you, Brianna.”
“Do not call me Brianna. You do not even know me, and whatever bedlam you have rolling around in your brain, I want no part of it.”
Her fingers frantic, the shirt dropped, landing in the water. “Blast it. No part of it. Do you hear me? None.”
She bent, snatching up her soaked shirt and half dropping her skirt with the motion. It slipped, dragging her shift down and exposing her very plump right breast to the open air.
Sebastian couldn’t help an appreciative smile.
She growled, trying to right herself, only to slip on the rocks and fall, flailing, toward Sebastian.
He happily caught her.
“Brianna. What in the blazes are you doing?” A woman’s voice cut into the air from above.
Holding Brianna in his arms, Sebastian looked up over his shoulder only to find the duchess standing at the crest of the bank.
Three more heads popped into view behind her. Lily, Lord Newdale, and his mother. The four of them spread out along the grassy bank, staring down at him and Brianna. Every mouth agape.
Fate.
Sebastian had a plan in mind when he came to Notlund, but plans could change. And fate had just granted him one entirely generous short-cut.
He was not one to pass upon what fate offered.
Sebastian quickly propped Brianna to her feet, hoping she was steady, and turned to the small crowd, shielding her from their view.
“Wynne. It seems as if you have stumbled upon a chance encounter.”
“It looks like a hell of a lot more than that, Seb, and you damn well know it.” Wynne’s ire at him was instant. She jabbed her head to the side, trying to see past him. “Brianna, are you all right? Are you hurt?”
Sebastian could feel Brianna trying to scramble into her wet clothes behind him.
“Brianna, answer me. Are you all right?” Wynne’s eyes darted to Sebastian. “So help me if you have laid a finger on her, Seb—”
“I am fine, Wynne.” Brianna stepped from behind Sebastian, still righting her shirt. “It was as Lord Luhaunt said. A chance encounter. I was out for a ride and he happened upon me.”
Wynne’s arms crossed over her chest, eyebrows high to the sky. “He happened upon you naked?”
“Bree…” Lily’s face was ashen, her eyes darting to Lord Newdale’s mother.
The woman did not look pleased. Lady Newdale looked not only shocked, but horrified. Horrified to her very marrow that the sister of her possible daughter-in-law was a trollop. Her judging eyes did not move from Brianna.
Brianna’s face burning red, her head went down and she shoved her feet into her boots and tied them as quickly as her shaking fingers allowed. She scampered down the streamside to her horse, and Sebastian wondered for a moment if she would just mount the mare and run.
She would have every right.
Instead, she fetched her jacket from where it was draped on the saddle. Jerking her arms into the sleeves, she walked back toward Sebastian, her eyes still hidden.
Her obvious humiliation did not sit well with him, especially when he knew full well he was the cause of it.
“What were you doing in the area, Wynne?” Sebastian asked, trying to draw the attention of the crowd above them away from Brianna.
“We were out for a ride,” Wynne said. “I was showing them the estate and I thought I heard Brianna’s voice. And do not try to change the subject, Seb.”
“This particular subject is not one to be discussed right here, right now, Wynne.” Sebastian looked pointedly around them. “No. This extremely serious subject is one to be discussed back at the castle, when we all have level heads about us.”
“Duchess, this will not do,” Lady Newdale said, finding her outraged voice. “This will not do at all.”
With one last death glare at Sebastian, Wynne turned, stepping in front of Lady Newdale. “I agree entirely, Lady Newdale. But it is far too warm out here with nary a breeze. Let us move back to the castle, where we can discuss this at length. I am sure there is a reasonable explanation for all of this.”
Lady Newdale harrumphed. “A reasonable explanation would be quite welcome at this very moment, Duchess.”
Wynne lightly grabbed Lady Newdale’s arm, gently turning her from the stream. “I am sure an explanation is forthcoming. I have never known another to hold propriety in such high regard as does Miss Silverton. But I am dreadfully hot out here, as I am sure you are as well, and this will be best discussed in the privacy of the castle confines. It will be much cooler there.”
With one more judging glance at Brianna, Lady Newdale allowed Wynne to steer her away to her horse. Lord Newdale trailed them, an amused smirk on his face.
Lily remained rooted to her spot, staring at her sister.
When Brianna finally ventured a look upward, Lily shook her head at her, savage disappointment crinkling her eyes.
Brianna’s mouth opened, but Lily spun, stomping away before Brianna could get a word out.
Sebastian watched Brianna’s face crumple, watched the terror flash through her eyes at her sister’s reaction.
For a moment, he regretted the pain it obviously caused her.
But the pain would be short-lived.
He would see to that.
{ Chapter 4 • Earl of Destiny }
Shaking his head, the duke turned from the sideboard in his study, a glass of brandy in each hand—one with a polite amount of liquid, one filled nearly to the brim. He watched his wife exit the room, waiting until she closed the door to exhale a low whistle.
He looked at Sebastian, eyebrow arched. “Was Wynne’s accounting of the scene accurate?”
Leaning against Rowen’s desk, Sebastian shrugged. He had been silent through
most of Wynne’s tirade. “Yes. For the most part.”
“All parts?”
“All the important parts.”
Rowen walked across the study, handing Sebastian the nearly full glass of brandy. Good friend. Sebastian drained the top third of the glass.
“I have never seen Wynne that mad—at anyone aside from me, that is,” Rowen said.
“It was extreme.”
“She is worried about the sisters. She adores them and wants them to be happy. As do I.”
“As do I, Rowe.”
“Do you?” Rowen raised his glass, taking a sip and eyeing Sebastian over the rim. “You do know how this will go, Seb?”
“Yes.”
“We can devise an alternate way out of this.” Rowen traced the motif cut into the glass in his hands. “It will not be pretty, but it can be done. Your honor will take a beating.”
“I accept what is coming.”
“Truly?” Rowen’s head cocked to the side. “Of all the idiotic moves, my friend. This tops them all. Naked ladies in streams are always to be avoided. Ride on past, Seb. Not that hard to do.”
“It was in this instance.”
“Why?” Rowen took another sip of the brandy.
“I planned this.”
Rowen sputtered, brandy catching in his throat. “You what?”
Sebastian tipped his glass, taking a healthy swallow of the amber liquid. Best to just confess all at this point. “I planned this. Since you pointed out the Silverton sisters at the Thorton ball, I have been planning this. Planning to marry Brianna.”
“What? And you did not think to tell me? Outside of last night, I have never even seen you talk to Brianna. And you think you want to marry her?”
“I do.” Sebastian fingered the rim of his glass patiently. He could see Rowen was having difficulty coming to terms with Sebastian’s words.
“That was why you stayed in London?” Rowen rubbed his forehead. “That is why you are here? But Brianna? Lily, I would understand, she is beautiful—”
“Brianna is beautiful.”
Lord of Fates: A Complete Historical Regency Romance Series (3-Book Box Set) Page 32
