Madcap Miss (6 page)

He was astonished both at her vehemence and the thoughts behind her words. He smiled indulgently. When he had been her age, he had been idealistic. He too had thought that ‘love’ was the all-important ingredient to any successful union. She was an innocent in a woman’s body. A lethal combination, and he had better keep his distance.

Love
? There had been a time when he believed he would never marry for anything but love. That particular dream had turned into a nightmare when he had fancied himself in love. He had been only a year older than Felicia was now. The girl of his heart had told him she loved him, but in the end she had other plans for her future. He had only been a baron then with a modest fortune and, with two cousins before him at the time, no hope of ever being the Duke of Somerset as he was now.

He knew better now
. Love was just a word, easily discarded for more tangible things, and love didn’t always last.

“Ah,” he said, inclining his head. “Love … for you and young Scott, then, eh?” He was baiting her. He would get at the truth about the two of them, perhaps through the back door. Something had preceded her intense need to run. That was the question uppermost in his mind. Why had she suddenly decided to run?

She made a face at him, and that surprised him as she wagged a finger and vehemently declared, “That is a very silly notion. I would have expected it from another, but not from you. Anyone should be able to see that I adore Scott but only as a sister adores a brother. We have been brought up in one another’s way, you see, and it was only natural that Scott should want to rescue me before my guardian arrived to take me off.”

He was intrigued in spite of the nagging and cautious man in his head telling him not to get involved. Right then, that part of this very odd tale rang true. Right, so her very real guardian had for some unknown reason decided to descend upon her. Now he needed to know why she felt it necessary to run.

He asked, “Ah,
so this night
 … Scott was saving you? How exactly was he going to do that? By running off without even a change of clothing?”

She shuffled in place and uncurled her legs from under her before sitting forward. “We had word that my guardian was spending the night at a nearby inn and would arrive to take me off in the morning. I have friends in town, and my staff … well they are more family than servants.” She sighed sadly. “We had a plan, Scott and I, but it all went wrong, you see. We suddenly had no time, and then I was late getting out of the house … and then the blasted highwaymen, and what must Scott do but go running off to rescue whoever … and get himself shot!”

Ashton swallowed his laugh and attempted to look serious. “Indeed, but what was this plan that went awry?”

“We thought to make the trip to London. We were supposed to get off early enough that only the last hour or so would be in darkness.” She stopped, appeared to think this over, and looked doubtful as she sighed and added, “I suppose that was our first mistake. The other was not anticipating that there might be highwaymen running amok on the king’s roads.” She shook her head. “I should have brought my gun and hurried after Scott … perhaps I could have shot one of them dead.”

“Er … or gotten shot yourself. Seems to me your guardian might have had a good notion to bring you under his eye.” At this point he could not help the chuckle that escaped him, for she gave him a darkling look. He waved this last off and said, “
Sorry
 … but tell me, do you own a gun?”

“Well, of course I own a gun, and I know how to use it, but one cannot predict everything, can one?”

“No, that is the trouble even with plans that have been thought out well in advance and examined. Apparently, yours was thrown together at the last minute.”

She eyed him gratefully. “Yes, thank you, you do understand.”

He repressed his amusement, for she looked so damned serious, and said, “Well, as to that, I may, but I do feel that some more thought should now be put into the matter. Don’t you agree?”

“Oh, yes, but we are in a bit of a muddle, and I am not sure just what is to be done,” she answered, looking as though she might cry.

He reached over and touched her fingers. “There, there. You aren’t alone, you and your young gallant. We shall come about.”

“How?” she almost wailed.

“Scott shall recover from his wound, and by then we shall have it all managed right and tight,” he answered, attempting to bolster her spirits.

“Yes,” she said, brightening at once. “You are too kind, but, yes, Scott will recover, and we will push on, but still … we have a few obstacles.” She chewed her lip as she obviously tried to think this out.

“So the two of you decided to head for London. What exactly did you have in mind?”

“Scott has an aunt. She is
not always
disagreeable and might in fact, Scott says, take to the notion of showing us about town and perhaps even presenting me. Scott was sure she would fund the project and I could pay her back when I get control of my trust fund. It isn’t so far off that I will come of age and be in charge of my inheritance, you see, and my guardian will not be able to tell me what I can or cannot do.”

She spoke with such vehemence combined with yearning that he did not have the heart to point out all the problems she and Scott might yet have to face. Instead, he chuckled, leaned forward once again, and tweaked her chin.

“Well, for now, my lovely, let us attend to our dinner,” he said, wanting her not to think about the matter. She needed time to recover from the night’s events. He looked towards the serving girl who had just appeared in the doorway laden with a tray of food and smiled to add, “It smells delicious, does it not?”

“Oh, yes,” Felicia agreed, popping yet another piece of her roll into her mouth.

~ Seven ~

FELICIA PUSHED AWAY her dish of apple pie and groaned. “I can’t eat another bite.” She eyed Ashton comically and added, “Even though I want to. Because it ’tis absolutely delicious.” She got up and walked towards the wide window.

Ashton chuckled and asked, “What are you doing now?”

She looked over her shoulder and told him, “I was just thinking, I should take a stroll outdoors.”

“At this hour? No,
no you should not
,” he said. He was in a quandary as to what he should do to manage his own affairs while attending to this sprite of a woman in breeches. Obviously his plans to attend his sister at Easton had been shot to smithereens. Now here he was with the most enticing chit, who captivated him with her bewitching smile and her saucy manners. But it was more than that. He couldn’t leave the two, Scott and Felicia, to fend for themselves. It was unthinkable. Daffy would do just fine until he could manage to attend her. He was sure his sister would not easily forgive him for this, his latest what she was sure to call ‘wickedness’ in leaving her to take care of his ward. He did know her, though, and once she heard about the plight of the young man abovestairs and this wayward young woman, she was sure to relent. What else could he do? He simply had to help them.

There was nothing for it, because that lad abovestairs would surely have bled to death had he not happened along. Daffy would, in the end, understand, and while she was in charge of his ward he was confident that all would go along beautifully well in that matter.

As he looked at Felicia’s provocative figure in her tightly fitted breeches, with her high boots all dusty, as was her linen blouse, he realized he was more than a little attracted to the minx. He shouldn’t be, but there it was. His better judgment bade him look away. She was too young … too untried … too!

He shifted in his seat, damned uncomfortable because his manhood didn’t care about his better judgment and made him aware of this fact.

Now, the question was what to do with the little vixen tootling about the room? They were a plucky pair, Felicia and Scott, and he found that he liked them both. He could not just desert them as they had made a mull of the entire adventure they had undertaken.

“What
are
you thinking?” Felicia eyed him doubtfully and brought his attention back to her lovely face.

He looked her over and realized that, on the morrow, he would have to do something about clothing for the two of them. She could not continue to strut about in breeches, and Scott’s clothing was just as bad, torn and bloodied now.

He sighed before answering her. “I was just wondering what I am going to do with you and Scott.”

“Do?” Felicia put up her chin. “We aren’t bushels of potatoes, you know, and are quite capable of taking care of ourselves.”

“Indeed, as you have so adequately demonstrated?” he snapped back at her.

He saw the blush rise to her cheeks, and all he could think was,
You beauty—you.

She bit her lip and looked away before returning her gaze to him. “I am sorry. I must have sounded very ungrateful.”

“I don’t want your gratitude,” he answered, sounding irritated even to himself.

“No, you aren’t the sort that would, are you?” She shrugged and then regarded him defiantly. “Accidents do happen. It wasn’t all our fault, you know.”

“Fewer accidents happen when you don’t rush headstrong, willy-nilly, into things, you know,” he answered with an arched look at her.

She gave him her back and walked to the fireplace. She put out her hands to the flame before picking up the poker and shuffling the small logs about.

He watched her and said finally, “The fire burns well enough.” He then grinned widely, for she ignored him and continued to jab at the embers.

“Come, Felicia, sit with me so that we may talk,” he coaxed.

She turned and looked at him doubtfully. “I won’t converse with you if you become disagreeable again.”

He smiled. “Right then, you tell me the moment I become so.”

She beamed and then laughed. “Right then,” she said and came back to the table to sit.

He had poured himself another snifter of brandy and sipped it for a long while before he offered, “You know, I had not meant to offend you, Felicia. I am aware of the awkwardness of your situation, and thought, as I am older—”

“Older?” she said, looking at him sharply. “Oh, but you aren’t that much older than I.”

“I am nine and twenty and therefore in a position to use my life’s experiences to advantage,” he said softly.

“Nine and twenty is nothing … just eight years older. There is nothing to say in that,” she countered.

He did not reply to this but said instead, “Have you considered the fact that Scott will not be able to travel for at least a week?”

Felicia’s eyes darted to his, and he was nearly struck dumb. Such depths of emotion glittered in those green jewels. She was stunning.

She said, “No … oh no. As much as that?”

Such desperation lined her voice. He could see the wheels turning in her mind. She was looking to him for an answer, and he knew in that moment only a need to assuage and calm her. He didn’t know how it was that he reached out and took her fingers and why the touch should send shivers through his body. He was a man of the world—not a schoolboy—and yet her touch excited him beyond understanding.

“As it happens,” he offered her gently, “I am in no rush to get to where I am going. I will wait out the week with you, advance you the ready for your shot here at the inn … and for the clothes you most desperately will need.”

She blushed. “Oh, no, sir … I couldn’t let you do that. It may be some weeks before I can repay you.”

“Your credit, Felicia, is good with me. I have an instinct about people, and I am not worried about a few pieces of coin where you and Scott are concerned. Besides that, you have said you are a lady of means, and I believe you.” He gave her a warm smile.

“This is deuced uncomfortable …” she said, not looking at him.

“It would be more so if you had to sleep on the open road and arrive in London at Scott’s aunt, the two of you in bloody and ragged clothes.”

She considered this, and said with her head lowered, “Indeed, sir, you are too kind, but if I may point out something, sir?”

“You may.” He absolutely was drawn to this impish woman.

“It will not be seemly, you … being here with us. Won’t it attract undue attention?”

“No. I shall announce myself as a relative, your uncle, in fact, traveling with brother and sister. Quite above board,” he said, grinning broadly.

“You don’t look old enough to be our uncle,” she pointed out and then shyly regarded her toes.

He felt absurdly flattered. “Don’t I? Well, you needn’t worry, vixen, for no one will question who I am.”

* * *

Felicia’s mind was nearly made up. She had observed Ashton’s behavior quite thoroughly and had decided he was not a foe. In fact, not only did she think he meant them no harm, she also knew in her heart that he meant to aid them.

She took it further in her thoughts and decided that she was certain he could and would see them to a happy conclusion.

More than that, she liked him; in fact, she liked him a great deal. He was a bit overbearing—or rather, commanding—but it was very pleasant to put matters into his hands and allow him to handle them. She had been ‘handling’ so much since she lost first her father and then her stepmama, which had made life one endless and daily decision-making ordeal.

His presence exuded an aura of authority, and he seemed to know just what to do without even putting much effort into it.

Besides all that, when she looked at him she felt drawn, physically drawn to him. Everything about him was sensual. His eyes, his lips, his voice—everything made her want to sink into his arms and beg for the safety those arms were sure to give. She also realized that, more than once, she had wondered what it would be like to kiss such a giant of a man … such a handsome and sophisticated and wondrous man.

She was absurd.

Just look, Felicia, how he manages you.
Well, yes, and although no one had ever done so before, she found she liked it—a great deal. Indeed, where would she be now, if he hadn’t come along and taken charge?

He broke into her thoughts. “Felicia, Felicia … did you hear me?”

“What? Oh, I am sorry … what did you say?”

“I said that you needn’t worry. I shall handle it all, and you know, any explanation I give will be accepted. Brother and sister will be accepted, and as far as your luggage is concerned, I shall manage that in the morning.”

Luggage? Oh my, but he was right. She sighed. “You are, of course, quite correct.” She thought about this and worriedly asked, “What if someone
who knows us
, or
you
, stops by?”

“How far from home are you?”

She could not be so easily taken in. If she answered honestly, he might figure out who she really was. He had Scott’s name already, and he knew they had grown up in each other’s way. If she gave him their direction, he would know everything. She wasn’t ready to trust him that much yet, not yet. She answered carefully, “That doesn’t matter. Someone might come searching for us, you see.
I won’t be taken.
”

“I won’t let you be taken. Do not doubt me, child.”

“I am not a—”

“Child,” he filled in and chuckled. “So you tell me, but even so, do let this matter rest with me.”

She got up again and paced. He also got to his feet, and she found his hands, oh, his strong hands, on her shoulders and brought up her gaze to his silver-bright eyes. She heard his intake of breath and wondered at it, and then he said, “I promise you, Felicia, no one shall make you marry anyone without your leave. Will you trust me in that?”

“Yes, I think I will,” she answered, feeling as though he had sucked the breath from her lungs as she trembled in his hold. She was a wretch. How could she keep secrets from such a wonderfully kind gentleman? He must have been on his way somewhere, and he simply abandoned his plans to help her and Scott, but what had she done? She had lied to him, for a half truth was a lie.

A tear formed in her eye as she suddenly felt the weight of the world descend upon her. He took her chin and said, “What? What is this? No tears, beauty. There is no need.”

“You are too, too good,” she said on a sniff.

“Come along,” he answered as he put her at arm’s length. “Time to go up, wash, and get some rest.”

She shook her head and sighed softly. “No. I think not.”

“You think not?” He was astounded.

“I mean to sit up and watch Scott … just in case …”

He took her hand and firmly led her to the stairs. “You, my girl, will do exactly as I bid you, and that is, for now, to get some rest.”

“Yes, but—”

“If anyone is going to sit up with Scott, for the sake of propriety it will be I.” He cut off all further buts.

She gasped. “Oh … no. I could not allow you to do that. You have done so much for us already, I simply cannot allow you to do more.”

“My little beauty, I am quite used to getting my own way and am not about to allow that to change now,” he said, obviously trying to make light of it.

He was a knight who had ridden up out of the dark and saved them. Without realizing what she was doing, she took his hand to her cheek. This sent a bolt of electric energy through her body, and their eyes met.

What was this? What was happening? She got on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “I shall never forget how much we owe you for this night’s work.”

He saw her to her room, watched her go in, and bid her good night as she closed the door. She rested her back against it for a long moment. Life had suddenly taken on a new flavor, and that flavor was Glen Ashton.

He had said he was used to getting his own way.
So was she
. Her parents had spoiled her with love and indulged her high spirits. She often wielded her friends with her easy manners and her own brand of stubbornness. To be led about by anyone was something she had never allowed, and yet here she was, meekly handing over the reins.

This was all so new and so very unsettling.