Anne Barbour (29 page)

For a long moment, the old gentleman stared at them, his face working. He rose unsteadily and faced them, and in the next instant he opened his arms to engulf them in a shaking embrace.

“Welcome to Stonefield Court. Welcome to you both. I cannot tell you how it gladdens my heart to know that you have been found.”

He stood back to inspect Marcus more fully. The young man had long since discarded the peruke with which he had started out the day, and his waving, cropped hair glinted pale in the shaft of sunlight that slanted through the room’s long windows. He stood, tall and slender, a wide smile lighting his hazel eyes.

The marquess put a shaking hand to his eyes.

“You are very like him,” he whispered. “I could almost believe I was a boy again, with Charlie standing before me, ready for any devilment.”

He turned to Diana.

“And you, my dear—not Miss Bavister from Dhu-Rydd, Wales, but Diana Crowne. And I must tell you, this old man has fallen captive to both of you.” He raised a thin hand to touch her hair. “I knew I recognized that crown of old gold. I should have thought of the nation myself. And to tell a sick man such an outrageous taradiddle! But,” he said, swinging to fix Jared with a fierce glare, “I know well that the fault for that lies elsewhere. Abducting innocent females! Telling bald-faced lies to me!”

Jared lifted his hand in placation.

“Grandfather, you have every reason to comb my hair with a joint stool. All I can say is that it seemed like a good idea at the time. I truly meant it for the best.”

“Aye, lad. I know that—and it’s all that’s saving you from the rarest trimming I’ve ever given anyone in this family.’’

Diana smiled mistily at the two. She had been greatly concerned at what Lord Chamford would say when he learned of the deception that had been perpetrated on him. She might have known that the bond between the old gentleman and his grandchildren could not be broken even by such a trick, engendered as it had been by love.

Aunt Amabelle was no less astonished at the tale that fell from Jared’s lips. She hurried now to draw Diana to her bosom.

“I knew it!” she cried, her jewelry chiming merrily. “I knew there was
something
about you! And now you will be close to us always.’’

She turned and held out a plump hand to Marcus.

“And welcome to you, dear boy.” She sighed, bringing her handkerchief to her eyes. “Oh, what a happy day this has turned out to be.”

Talk of the astonishing sequence of events that had taken place continued throughout the remainder of the day. It was not long before the entire household had been put in possession of the facts, and Mallow allowed himself a few appropriate words of welcome and congratulations, as did Fishperk, Mrs. Ingersoll the housekeeper, and several other selected denizens of the stewards’ hall.

Well into dinner, the ramifications of the news that would soon spread among the
haut ton
were exhaustively discussed.

“Wait until Simon and Charlotte hear of this!” crowed Lissa.

“How soon will you be moving into Silverwell?” asked Aunt Amabelle. “Not,” she added hastily, “that you both are not welcome to stay for as long as you like.”

Jared spoke quietly.

“I took the liberty of sending a message to the estate attorneys shortly after our arrival home this afternoon. I requested a meeting with them at Silverwell tomorrow afternoon. At that time, I should think, the business will be cleared up, and if I am not much mistaken, Marcus and Diana will be able to move into their home at their convenience.”

Marcus grinned in satisfaction, and in the flutter of conversation that followed, Jared sank back in his chair and gave himself up to thought. The marquess sat ensconced in his chair at the head of the board, beaming his happiness at the entire table. Lord, it was good to see him back in place. But why, Jared wondered, had the old gentleman nothing to say about the very crux of the deception? He had not once commented on the fact that his grandson was not now, and never had been, betrothed.

At the other end of the table, Lord Chamford kept his own counsel. If this aspect of the day’s revelations had occurred to him, he gave no sign. No one noticed his shrewd old eyes glance first at Jared and then Diana, and back again. No one perceived the small smile that curved his lips.

After dinner a fatigued Lord Chamford retired to his chambers. During the conversation that followed in the music room, Diana, her senses intensely heightened as far as Jared was concerned, became aware that he was observing her surreptitiously from across the room. One by one the family members bade good night to those remaining, until Jared and Diana were the only two persons left by the flickering fire.

Abruptly becoming aware of this fact, Diana rose and addressed the earl.

“It is indeed growing late, my lord—and, and this has been—that is, it is time for me to seek my bed as well.”

Mentally castigating herself for her inability to form the most commonplace civilities, she moved toward the door, but was intercepted by the earl.

For a long moment he just gazed at her. Dark eyes reached into gray ones, as though he were searching into the very center of her heart.

She stepped away from him and put her hands behind her back, desperately casting about in her mind for something to say. Anything to interrupt that penetrating gaze!

“My lord, before I retire, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you.”

Jarred stiffened, and Diana continued in some haste.

“You have done so much for my brother and me, and we are well aware of what we owe you.”

Jared’s brows snapped together, but Diana ploughed ahead, undeterred.

“Not only did you save my life today, but it was through your efforts that the Runners were put on to Ninian, and—and contacting the magistrate—and the attorneys, and—and all that. ...”

Her mind simply dried up at that point, and her voice trailed off in a strangled gasp. Jared, the spark of devil’s fire once more showing itself in his eyes, moved close to her again and placed his hands gently on her shoulders.

“Very prettily said, Miss Crowne, but I think we have something else to discuss.”

Despite herself, Diana trembled slightly.

“By the by,” continued the earl, “I very much enjoyed hearing my first name on your lips today. As a reward for all those wonderful things I have accomplished on your behalf, may I ask that you drop that infernal ‘my lord’ for good? Please?”

“But it would not be proper, my—sir,’’ she murmured shakily.

The very improper feelings that his touch sent surging through her made the words seem ludicrous.

“In any event—Miss Crowne—we have some unfinished business between us, you and I. Shall we return to the extremely interesting conversation we were having this morning when your tiresome brother so rudely interrupted us? I trust it has not slipped your mind in the turmoil of the day’s events that yesterday I offered for you?”

Diana tried to step back. She could not think clearly with the scent of him filling her senses, or his breath brushing warm against her face, but she remained imprisoned in a grip that was powerful yet achingly tender.

With all the dignity she could muster, she replied, “I have not forgotten, my lord. I hope that you also remember that you agreed not to bring up the subject again.”

“Mmm, yes.” His mouth widened in that heart-stopping grin. “But that was before you told me you love me.”

“Love you?” The words ended in a quavering squeak. Dear Lord, he had heard all she had babbled to him when she thought him dying!

“Yes, I heard you quite clearly,” Jared responded, as though reading her mind. His voice quivered suspiciously, and a devil of amusement danced in his eyes. “And I must say I will think myself hardly used indeed if you now play me false.”

“Sir!” She drew herself up in an effort to salvage the last rags of her pride. “It is ungentlemanly of you to throw in my face words that I spoke in the heat of—in— in the commotion of the moment.”

“But as you pointed out early in our acquaintance, I only call myself a gentleman. In reality, I am—what was it? I forget precisely what the particular term was that you used to denigrate my character.’’ He raised his hand to halt the reply he saw forming in her eyes. “Not that I did not deserve every word.”

He bent his head closer, and Diana found that her trembling seemed to increase proportionately to the narrowing of the gap between his mouth and hers. She searched inside herself for help from the Schoolmistress, but that bulwark of propriety had apparently been transformed into a simpering idiot, lost in a pink cloud of sensation.

Jared stepped back suddenly. His eyes were serious now, and his grip on her shoulders tightened. Haltingly, as though groping for the right words, he began to speak.

“Diana, listen to me. The things I said to you when we first met were unforgivable, and I can offer no excuse for them except that I hardened myself so many years ago to the pleadings and deceptions of grasping females that I had forgotten there was any other kind. I—I had a rather unfortunate experience a long time ago. Perhaps one day I’ll tell you about it, now that it doesn’t matter anymore.

“I knew long before I discovered your identity that you are a lady in every sense of the word, only my stupid pride—and . . .” He paused. “All I can say is that all the reasons I gave for wanting to marry you were pure face-saving drivel. I couldn’t admit to myself the real reason. It didn’t occur to me that you might return my— that is, like a clunch, I thought a title and property and wealth and all the nonsense that goes with it might sway you, but—”

The pent-up words tumbled from his lips, until at last he caught himself and stopped short.

“Oh, God, Diana, I’ve made such a mull of it. The reason I offered for you is simply that the prospect of living the rest of my life without you is more than I can bear. I want you, Diana, and I need you—and I love you with all my heart.”

Diana moved toward him slowly. She lifted a hand that now, oddly, did not tremble in the slightest. Gently she traced the beloved line of his jaw with one slender finger. At last she smiled, all the warmth of the sun at midday breaking from behind the clouds in her gray eyes.

“In that case, my I—Jared, I had better accept your proposal. I should not like to be the cause of a life of misery for you. And—and I think you’d better kiss me. I like it very much when you kiss me. I do love you, Jared,” she finished in a shaky gasp. “I love you with everything that’s in me!’’

His eyes alight, Jared drew her into an embrace that threatened to crack her ribs. He drew back for an instant, looking into her face as though he could not get his fill of her. Then his mouth came down on hers.

They were thus occupied some minutes later when Diana suddenly pushed herself gently from his embrace.

“Jared! What about all those people who were here yesterday? Your friends and neighbors. What in the world are we going to tell them?”

“Never fear, my angel,” responded her beloved. “I have a plan.”

“No, don’t tell me,” responded Diana mischievously. “You will tell them that Diana Bavister is, in reality, a scheming adventuress who bears a striking resemblance to Diana Crowne, Realizing this, she insinuated herself into your household, with the intention of—”

Here Jared interrupted in a tone of mock disapproval.

“But, my sweet life, that would be an untruth. I am dismayed by this penchant of yours for deception.”

He paused to close Diana’s lips with his own to forestall any reply she might be about to make. After some moments, he continued.

“No, what I had in mind was to tell the simple truth—more or less.”

Catching her expression, he assumed an air of reproachful innocence.

“We shall invite them all here to a dinner party, at which we will announce our betrothal. At some time during the proceedings, I shall announce that I am about to let them into a mystery. I shall give them an expurgated version of the Stedford usurpation, explaining that you and your brother, upon becoming aware of Ninian Crowne’s perfidy, came to me for  help.”

“In our hour of need, as it were,” murmured his betrothed.

“Precisely. With my usual quickness of mind, I instantly devised a plot to unmask the villain, which involved your coming to Stonefield under an assumed name—a temporary measure, of course.”

“Upon which,” continued Diana smoothly, “you seized upon the opportunity to arrange a marriage of convenience between the Talent and Crowne progeny.”

Jared drew her into an embrace that left her breathless.

“No one, my very dearest darling, knowing you, would believe such nonsense.”

Silence fell on the music room, until a moment later Diana again raised her head.

“Your grandfather!” she cried softly. “What will he say about this?’’

“He will say,” responded her beloved, before bending his head to hers again, “ ‘Hah! About time, don’tcher think?’ ”

Copyright © 1992 by Barbara Yirka

Originally published by Signet  (ISBN 0451174909)

Electronically published in 2010 by Belgrave House/Regency Reads

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This is a work of fiction. All names in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to any person living or dead is coincidental.