Love by Deception (Age of Innocence) (11 page)

“Of
course, whatever you wish,” Dalton said.

“Thank
you, Mr. Hunt.”

“I
dare say that you’ll have to learn to call me Dalton now that we’re engaged.”

“I
think I’ll have no trouble with that, Dalton,” Georgette said with a shy smile.

On
the carriage ride home, Georgette could hardly contain her excitement. “Mrs.
Quinn, I have the most wonderful news.”

“Yes,
my dear? Does it have anything to do with handsome Dalton Hunt?”

“Indeed.
He has asked for my hand in marriage.”

Iris
pulled Georgette into her arms and hugged her tightly. “Didn’t I tell you that
the young men of London would be clamoring over each other to court you? I’m
very happy for you.”

“Thank
you, Mrs. Quinn.”

“Did
you meet his parents?”

“I
did.” Georgette shared her encounter with Lord Hunt.

Iris
chuckled. “Gilbert Hunt is a blustering fool. You are a wonderful match for
Dalton.”

“I
can’t wait to share my news with Isabel.”

“Speaking
of Isabel, she’s been moping around the house for more than a week now. I can
hardly imagine what Mr. Tisbury could have done to make her so unhappy. I hate
to see her that way. Is there something I can do?”

Georgette
sighed. “I should not break her confidence, but you have been like a mother to
us. Perhaps you can shed some light on the situation.”

“Of
course, if I can. What happened?”

“At
the last dance, Colby confided in Isabel that he was falling in love with her.”

“I
hardly think that’s a reason to be unhappy,” Iris exclaimed.

“No,
Isabel was thrilled, but when she went to follow him out on the balcony, she
found him kissing Miss Larkinson. She didn’t wait for him to explain, but there
must be some reasonable explanation. Mr. Tisbury does not strike me as an unkind
gentleman who would do such a thing.”

“Oh
dear, that is a problem.”

“Mrs.
Quinn, there must be an explanation for it, don’t you think?”

“Well,
I’m not sure, but I can tell you that Kathryn Larkinson has been sweet on Colby
Tisbury for the past two Seasons. I don’t want to think ill of the young woman,
but it hardly seems likely that Colby would profess his love for Isabel and
then go and kiss Kathryn.”

“Yes,
that’s what I tried to tell Isabel, but she wouldn’t listen. She said it was
all ruined and that’s why she wouldn’t come to the dance tonight. She doesn’t
want to face him.”

“Has
Isabel told anyone else of their encounter?”

“No,
I don’t believe she has.”

“Well,
that’s good, because otherwise Colby would be forced to marry Katherine. He
would be seen as compromising her honor.”

“Oh,
dear. That is most distressing. It would surely break Isabel’s heart.”

Iris
patted Georgette’s hand. “Let me think on this a bit and see what I can do to
help.”

Georgette
hugged the older woman. “Thank you, Mrs. Quinn.”

“You’re
welcome. And look, we’re home. Now go and share your happy news with your
cousin.”

The
driver jumped down and opened the carriage door, helping the ladies descend the
two steps to the ground. Georgette tried to contain her excitement, but once
inside the door, she flew up the stairs and down the hall to their bedchamber.

“Welcome
home, Mrs. Quinn,” Mrs. Smithfield said. “Is everything well with Miss
Condiff
?”

“Yes,
she’s fine, just a little excited. Dalton Hunt proposed this evening.”

“How
lovely for her. Would you care for some tea before retiring?”

“No,
thank you, Mrs. Smithfield. I’m rather tired myself this evening and will
retire promptly.”

“Very
well. Good evening, Mrs. Quinn.”

Isabel
was sitting up in bed reading when Georgette entered their room.

“Hello.
Did you have a good time?” Isabel asked.

Georgette
rushed to the bed and grasped her sister’s hands. “Isabel, you will never
believe what happened this evening?”

“What?”

“Mr.
Hunt proposed! I met his parents, too.”

“He
did? Isn’t that rather soon?”

“It
is, but I’m more sure than ever.” Georgette relayed the conversation she had
with Lord Hunt and how she realized in that moment that she was in love with
Dalton.

“You
said that? Look who’s being bold now?”

“I
could hardly believe the words that came out of my mouth. Lord Hunt had
insulted our father and I couldn’t bear it.”

Isabel
hugged her. “Good for you. Engaged. I’m so happy for you.”

“It
hasn’t been announced yet. I asked Mr. Hunt if I could share the happy news
with you first. Lady Hunt has said she will invite me to tea soon.”

“It
is wonderful news.”

“Thank
you, dearest. There’s something else. I wanted to tell you that Mr. Tisbury was
asking after you this evening.”

“He
was?”

“Yes,
he met us at the entrance and seemed very disappointed when you were not
there.”

“Well,
I’m sure Kathryn kept him entertained for the evening.”

Georgette
shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. He brushed past me when Mrs. Quinn told
him you were at home and I’m pretty sure he left once he found out you were not
in attendance.”

“He
did? I don’t know what to say about that.”

“Perhaps
there is an explanation after all,” Georgette said.

“Perhaps.”

“Would
you think on this carefully?”

“I
will, Georgette. I will.”

The
next afternoon Isabel wandered into the parlor. Mrs. Quinn and Georgette were
on the sofa discussing a book of poetry Iris had recently acquired. She could
not muster any enthusiasm to join their conversation, even if she had wanted to
engage with them. She had slept poorly and couldn’t stop thinking about what
Georgette had told her, but she couldn’t get the image of Mr. Tisbury kissing
Kathryn out of her mind.

Today
she felt listless, her heart broken. How could she have let this happen?
Falling in love with Colby Tisbury was the worst mistake she’d made since
coming to London, and she could see only one solution to end her misery. She
would have to leave London and go back to Essex, but even that would have to
wait until after Georgette’s wedding. She would not want to miss her sister’s
special day.

It
was pure agony to think that she’d misjudged Colby’s intentions. The last thing
she wanted was to be thought of as a foolish young woman, but she feared it was
too late for that now. There was no mistaking that she loved Colby with all her
heart. She thought he had returned her affections, and he had said that he did,
but that was before she caught him kissing Kathryn. When compared to a beauty
such as Kathryn, it was no wonder that he was sweet on her. How could she
expect him to love her? How could all her dreams come true if the man she loved
didn’t love her? She had lost faith that a happy ending to the Season was
possible for her now.

Georgette
had warned her over and over again not to be too bold when they had first come
to London, but she didn’t listen. Now she would pay the price for her boldness.
Unrequited love was not romantic in the way books portrayed it. It was pure
agony. She was filled with an ache in her heart that would not go away and only
became more intense as time went by.

She
slumped into the chair.

“Isabel,
is there something wrong?” Iris asked.

She
shook her head. “No, I’m fine.”

“You
don’t look fine to me, dear. Perhaps if you unburdened yourself, we could find
a solution for you.”

Before
Isabel could answer, Mrs. Smithfield came into the room and announced their
visitor. “Mr. Tisbury, ma’am.”

Isabel’s
mouth fell open. What was he doing here?

***

Colby
strode into the room behind the housekeeper. He saw Mrs. Quinn and Georgette
seated on the sofa with Isabel in a nearby chair. The women stood and each gave
him a curtsy.

“Good
day, Mr. Tisbury. What a delightful surprise,” Iris said.

Colby
bowed. “Good day, Mrs. Quinn, Miss Condiff, Miss Knott.”

His
gaze lingered on Isabel, but she would not meet his eyes. His heart lurched at
the sight of her. She was like a wild bird that he longed to hold in his hand.
Not to tame, but to relish. No other woman had ever stirred such passion in him
and he had to have her. He had hoped he would have an opportunity to talk with
her at the dance last evening. He’d gone only to see her and was sorely
disappointed when she did not attend.

He’d
been surprised when a letter arrived earlier this morning for him. Mrs. Quinn
had invited him for tea, but he couldn’t help but wonder if she knew his coming
here was the best opportunity for him to speak to Isabel in private. He had to
explain to Isabel that what she saw out on the Larkinson balcony wasn’t what it
appeared. It was all a misunderstanding.

He
glanced at Mrs. Quinn and she winked at him before she placed her hand on
Georgette’s arm. “My dear, would you care to see the new volume that came in
the post yesterday?”

Georgette
looked at Mr. Tisbury and then at Isabel before nodding. “Yes, that would be
delightful.”

Colby
saw Isabel look at Georgette. Was she silently pleading with her not to leave
her alone with him? Did she disdain him so much? How had everything gone so wrong
so quickly? He had to fix this. He could not endure Isabel’s avoidance of him
any longer.

“Mr.
Tisbury, I do hope you’ll stay long enough to have tea with us,” Iris said on
her way out of the room. “We will return shortly.”

“Thank
you, Mrs. Quinn. I would be delighted to stay,” he said before he walked toward
Isabel.

“What
are you doing here?” Isabel asked.

“I
came to see you, of course. You seem to have missed a few engagements lately.”

“I
have, but I don’t know why that should concern you,” she said, taking a step
away from him.

Colby
longed to tell her how much he loved her, but she seemed so cold toward him. He
had no choice but to try a bold approach. “Miss Hunt, you are a thief.”

Her
eyes flashed at him. “I beg your pardon, sir. How dare you say such a thing to
me? I’ve never stolen anything in my life.”

Colby
reached for her hand and brought it to his lips for a gentle kiss. “That’s
where you’re wrong, my darling Isabel. You’ve stolen my heart and to which I
heartily fall victim.”

Isabel
snatched her hand back. “Doesn’t seem like it to me.”

“Whatever
do you mean? I thought my intentions were clear. You mean the world to me.
There is no one else I desire as much as you and the wonderful thought of
holding you in my arms again.”

Isabel
crossed her arms across her chest, her indignation clear in her stance. “The
same way you held Kathryn Larkinson?”

Colby
saw the hurt cross her face and instantly regretted letting Kathryn get
anywhere near him this Season. “She means nothing to me.”

“That’s
a lie. I saw you kissing her.”

Colby
shook his head. “Isabel, please let me explain. It’s not what you think.”

A
silent tear rolled down Isabel’s face and she swiped at it in frustration. “I
don’t want to hear any of your explanations. Your actions are enough for me to
know that you have been false with me. Your intentions seem to wander depending
on which young lady is in your company. That’s not the kind of man I care to be
with.”

Colby
could not bear to see Isabel so unhappy. “My darling, I beg you to listen. I
did not kiss Kathryn. She has been hounding me for two Seasons now and is
relentless in her pursuit of me. I have spurned her, but she doesn’t stop. That
night out on the balcony, I was so happy because I thought there was a
possibility that you cared for me as much as I care for you. I heard footsteps
behind me and thinking it was you, I turned with open arms. Kathryn slid into
my embrace and pressed her lips against mine. I did not kiss her.”

“You
didn’t?” Isabel asked.

“No,
you must believe me. I pushed her from me immediately and went after you, but
you left so quickly I did not have a chance to explain. I only have eyes for
you. You are in my thoughts morning, noon, and night. You haunt my dreams and I
count the hours until I can see you next. I am totally devoted to you and only
you.”

“You
are?” Isabel smiled for the first time in days.

Colby’s
grin split his face. “Indeed, it is true. You must know how I feel about you.”

Isabel
softened her stance. “Well, I guess I believe you, but what is to become of this
infatuation of yours?” she asked with a mischievous look.

There
was the Isabel he loved, that wild bird begging to be held. Colby leaned closer
and lightly brushed her lips with a sweet kiss. “That will depend on you, Miss
Knott.” He felt her shiver.

 
“Me?”

“Yes,
you,” Colby whispered as he pulled Isabel into his arms. He kissed her cheek
and ran a trail of kisses down her neck.

“Oh
my. Mr. Tisbury, if you wish me to answer you…”

He
took possession of her mouth and kissed her long and deep, hoping to convey his
intense passion for her. She was everything to him, and a spark of hope
blossomed in her chest when he felt her return the kiss.

When
they finally broke apart, Isabel nearly sagged in his arms. He guided her to
the sofa. “Here, sit and regain your strength.” He took the seat next to her
and brought her hand to his lips. “My dearest Isabel, I have never been in love
before you came into my life. Now that you are here, I never want to lose you.
Please say you’ll consent to becoming my wife.”

***

Isabel
couldn’t catch her breath. Butterflies roiled around her insides and she felt
light-headed. Here was the man she adored pledging his love to her. Could it
really be so? The most handsome bachelor in London was truly in love with her.
She felt weak in the knees and was glad they were sitting on the sofa. The feel
of his lips on hers lingered and a thrill shot through her. This was everything
she could have ever hoped for. Did these kinds of dreams come true for an
orphaned country girl like her? She wanted to pinch herself to make sure it was
real.

“I
hardly know what to say?”

His
finger traced her cheek. “Do you love me?”

Isabel
gazed into his beautiful blue eyes and knew that she would never love another
man as much as she loved Colby. Why was she holding back? She should be jumping
for joy and accepting his proposal with all due haste, but she found herself
hesitating. She had a secret that she could not share with him and although she
wanted to share it, it wouldn’t be right to dishonor her father’s last wishes.
“I do. You know I do.”

“Then
why do you hesitate?”

“Because
I’m a nobody from a small village in Essex. Why would you want to marry me?”

Colby
brushed her lips with his own sending another thrill through her. “You are not
a nobody. You are the woman I love. Say yes and make me the happiest man in all
of England.”

“Are
you sure?”

Colby
lifted a stray curl from her face. “My darling Isabel, I’ve never been more
sure of anything in my life.”

Isabel
couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. “Yes, of course I’ll marry
you, but only on one condition.”

“What
condition? I promise I’ll give you anything you could possibly desire. You will
lack for nothing. You only need to name it and it will be yours.”

Isabel
chuckled. “Well, then you must promise to keep on kissing me, for I must say I
think I’m getting quite used to it.”

It
was Colby’s turn to chuckle. He pulled Isabel into his arms, hugging her
tightly. “That’s a promise I will have no problem keeping, although you may
tire of being kissed morning, noon, and night. Most especially at night.”

A
crimson blush spread across Isabel’s cheeks. It was that moment Mrs. Quinn and
Georgette came back into the parlor. “Are we interrupting anything? We could
come back in a bit,” Iris said with a wolfish grin.

Isabel
jumped up from the sofa and rushed to the older woman, hugging her fiercely.
“Mrs. Quinn, Mr. Tisbury and I are engaged!”

“Well,
now that’s a reason to celebrate. I’m so very happy for you both,” Iris said.

Colby
stood and smiled. “Indeed. It is a most happy day.”

Isabel
turned and hugged her sister. “Can you believe it? Is it not the most wonderful
thing?”

“Yes,
dearest. Truly wonderful.”

Mrs.
Smithfield entered the parlor carrying a tray of tea and refreshments and set
it down on the table.

“Come
now, let’s have a cup of tea,” Iris said. “Cook has sent in some delicious
sweets and we mustn’t disappoint her by not sampling them all.”

Colby
pulled out the chair for Iris. “Thank you, Mrs. Quinn,” he whispered in her
ear.

Iris
reached up and patted his hand. “My pleasure. So, when will you inform your
parents of your news?”

Georgette
sat next to Iris and Colby and Isabel took a seat on the opposite side of the
table. “Their annual ball is Saturday next,” he said. “I think it would be the
perfect time to announce our engagement, don’t you think, Isabel?”

Isabel
nodded. “I guess that would be lovely. I don’t have any experience in these
matters.”

Colby
patted her hand. “Do not worry. I will take care of everything.”

Isabel
looked across the table at her sister. “Georgette, I don’t think Mr. Tisbury is
aware of your happy news.”

Colby
glanced at Georgette and could tell by her smile that shy Dalton had proposed.
He would not spoil her pleasure in telling her he knew, though. “Oh, what news,
Miss Condiff?”

“I
am engaged as well. Mr. Hunt proposed to me last evening.”

“He
did? That is marvelous news. I like Dalton a great deal. He’s a fine young man
who I’m sure will make you very happy.”

Georgette
nodded. “Yes, I couldn’t agree with you more.”

“Looks
like there will be a double wedding this Season,” Iris said. She glanced
between Georgette and Isabel. “Oh, I haven’t had this much fun in years. There
will be much to do, starting with Mrs. Phillips. You both will need new dresses
for the wedding. We cannot have you getting married in a dress you’ve worn
already.”