Secrets of a Runaway Bride (8 page)

She and Lily were so different. Lily had always followed predictable rules and had had no fun. Lily had had no intention of marrying again until Lord Colton came back into her life—and thank goodness he had—but Annie had always wanted to marry. Marriage and family, children and a husband to truly love, those had been her dreams for as long as she could remember. And she’d known the moment she’d laid eyes on Arthur Eggleston the afternoon they’d met that he was her future husband.

If the last six months had taught her anything, it was that husband hunting was quite a tricky business. What had Arthur been thinking saying it didn’t matter when they got married? Of course it mattered. It mattered a great deal. She’d handle Devon and Lily. She’d made that clear to him. So why wasn’t Arthur coming up to scratch? Was his blasted sister really to blame?

The only sound in the coach was Aunt Clarissa’s intermittent snores. Annie shook her head. Poor Aunt Clarissa really was the
worst
chaperone in existence. Which had suited Annie just fine, until she’d realized Lord Ashbourne was her second,
unofficial
chaperone.

She dared a glance into the shadows at Lord Ashbourne. She cleared her throat, wanting to die of embarrassment. “You won’t tell Arthur that we—” she whispered. Oh, she simply could
not
bring herself to say it.

“Kissed? No, don’t worry. He might actually send his father to fight me. And while I’m quite sure I would trounce the old buzzard, I don’t relish spilling the blood of a man so much older than myself.”

Annie regarded him coolly. “You don’t have to be so sarcastic, you know? A simple no would have sufficed.”

She could
hear
his smile in the darkness. “Just tell me one thing,” Lord Ashbourne replied. “What is it exactly that you see in Eggleston?”

Annie crossed her arms over her middle and glared into the shadows. “As if you really care.”

“I do, actually. I’m fascinated. Why a woman with your obvious good looks and connections is so set on marrying that fool—”

Annie let out a short laugh. “A woman with my obvious good looks and connections? Why, now I know where you got your reputation for being charming.” She shook her head. “But I’ll tell you, on one condition.”

“What condition?”

“If you promise to stop insulting him.”

He snorted. “I cannot make that promise.”

“Why not?”

“It’s hardly my fault. The man is named after something that drops from a chicken’s arse.”

Annie pressed her lips together. “Oh, how exceedingly mature of you.”

Lord Ashbourne’s crack of laughter bounced off the coach’s interior and Aunt Clarissa stirred. He glanced at her and lowered his voice. “It’s true. It’s too easy not to mention it. What if I promise to
do my best
not to insult him? Then will you tell me?”

Annie leaned forward a bit and so did Lord Ashbourne. A shaft of moonlight illuminated his chiseled cheekbones and fell across his firm lips, highlighting just one of his bright gray eyes. She sucked in her breath, then glanced down at her hands folded in her lap. Very well, Frances was entirely right. She would not quibble. The man was swoon-over handsome.

She shook her head to clear it of such thoughts and concentrated on his question. Why was she interested in Arthur?

“Let’s see. He’s kind and generous. He’s handsome and intelligent. He’s clever and he’s an excellent brother and son.”

Jordan rolled his eyes. “The man sounds like a positive saint. How dull.”

“But most importantly, he loves me.” She nodded.

His eyes narrowed on her. “Love? Is that it?” He sounded incredulous.

“Yes.” She nodded again but with a bit less confidence this time.

“Seems to me, when a man is in love he doesn’t make excuses for postponing a wedding.”

Annie gritted her teeth. She refused to allow him to mock her. “What would you know about it? Aren’t you famous for not wanting to marry?”

He shrugged. “Yes, but that doesn’t mean I’ve never been in love.”

Annie snapped her mouth shut. She sat back against the seat, silently contemplating his words for a moment She could not be more astonished. “You have? Been in love, I mean?”

“I once
thought
I was in love.” His voice was solemn, quiet.

“What happened?” She eyed him carefully. She couldn’t fathom, couldn’t imagine the arrogant and dashing Lord Debonair in love.

“Suffice it to say things didn’t work out. It turns out love is a silly notion invented by poets and fools.”

He seemed ready to change the subject and Annie dared a glance at him. “May I ask you another question?”

He nodded.

“Why do you insist upon insulting Arthur? I do not flatter myself and think it has anything to do with me.”

Lord Ashbourne arched a brow. “It does, actually. Are you surprised to know it? I didn’t give two whits about Eggleston before I met you. I barely knew he existed, really. I mean, he is the second son of a baron, not exactly someone I rub elbows with, but when Devon pointed out to me that the cad refused to dance with you at your come-out, and then he did so wrong by you, carting you off to Gretna Green—I’ve had it in for the bloke ever since. I just don’t particularly like the fellow.”

Annie tried to ignore the little shudder of happiness that passed through her body at his words. “Ah, so you’re chivalrous now, are you?”

Lord Ashbourne flashed her a charming smile. “Of course not,” he scoffed. “I wouldn’t want to ruin my black reputation.”

Annie bit her lip to keep from smiling. It was nice of him, actually, to be so concerned about her. And the way he said it in that smooth steady voice made her believe he really meant it. But the fact was it was her life to do with what she would. She didn’t need Lily or Devon and certainly not Lord Ashbourne telling her what to do. They didn’t know how she felt.

“I’ll admit it was bad of Arthur not to dance with me at my come-out, but he had a very good reason.”

Jordan gave her a skeptical look. “Really? What’s that?”

“He had just been informed by his father that he shouldn’t be allowed to dance with me. You see, I had no dowry at the time.”

Jordan shook his head. “That brings me to my next quarrel with the lad.”

“He’s not a lad, he’s—”

“He’s a lad to me, and you should let me finish. If there was a young lady with whom I wanted to dance, you can bet a blasted fortune I wouldn’t let my
father
keep me from it.” His voice held a savage note.

A bell went off in Annie’s brain. Those words he’d just uttered held more pain than he probably meant them to. Despite herself, she was intrigued. First a secret past love and now this? Perhaps Lord Ashbourne wasn’t just a devil-may-care rogue after all. Fascinating, really. But she forced herself to remain focused on the matter at hand. “That’s easy for you to say; your father is no longer living.”

He arched a brow. “Believe me. I didn’t listen to my father even when he was alive.”

She played with the strings to her reticule. “Be that as it may, Arthur and I”—she stopped at his raised brow—“Mr. Eggleston and I have put that little incident behind us. It’s all in the past.”

“And the elopement?”

Annie’s cheeks burned. She glanced at Aunt Clarissa. Still asleep, thank heavens. Annie was also thankful for the darkness in the coach, for she was certain her face was bright pink. “It was entirely my idea. Arthur was just doing as I asked,” she whispered.

“He shouldn’t have,” Lord Ashbourne said with surprising vehemence in his voice. “That’s the problem. He should have known your reputation would have been shattered had you two succeeded. He should have talked you out of it.”

Annie expelled her breath harshly. “There’s no winning with you.”

Lord Ashbourne shrugged. “I’m not trying to win.”

Annie took a deep breath and attempted to start again. “Arthur and I both want the same things. Children, marriage, a family.”

“Are you
sure
that’s what he wants?”

“Doesn’t everyone?”

Lord Ashbourne snorted. “No, they don’t. I am one, actually, who wants no part of such societal trappings. And I’d venture to guess your precious Mr. Eggleston doesn’t either or he would have married you by now.”

Annie jerked her head to the side as if he’d slapped her. She sucked in her breath. His words stung. More than they should have. But she quickly shook it off. Regardless of the other nice things he’d said,
this
was exactly why she was not about to let her guard down and befriend Lord Ashbourne. And she wasn’t about to let him get the upper hand either.

“You don’t know anything about Arthur and me. Besides, you are an earl, are you not? If you don’t marry and have heirs, your title will pass out of your direct line.”

His perfect white smile flashed in the darkness and he settled back against his seat so Annie could no longer see his face. Good. It was much easier to fight with him when she wasn’t aware of how handsome he was.

“Ah, I have the perfect plan,” he answered.

There was that smugness in his tone again. “Which is?” She crossed her arms over her chest.

“I happen to have three younger brothers, all of whom are perfectly healthy and strapping. My first nephew shall be my heir.”

“Lily told me your brothers aren’t married either.”

“Not yet. But they don’t have an aversion to the institution the way I do. They’ll come up to scratch eventually, and I’ll have an heir without the tediousness of it all.”

“Tediousness?” Annie scoffed. “That’s a horrible way to put it. We’re talking about love and marriage.”

“No, we’re talking about false emotions, an ungodly institution, and what amounts to a business arrangement between two people who couldn’t care less about one another.”

Annie’s mouth fell open and she stared at him, aghast. “So that’s it? You were in love once and never want to repeat the experience?”

“Something like that.”

“What if I told you I believe we all only have one true love in a lifetime?”

His voice was tight. “All the more reason for me to remain a bachelor if that’s the case.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “You are positively mad.”

His tone remained mocking, jovial. “No. I’m merely attempting to get you to think twice about chasing after Arthur Eggleston. The man isn’t worth it.”

She clenched her fist in her skirts. “I am
not
chasing after Mr. Eggleston.”

“Aren’t you?” She couldn’t see in the darkness, but she just knew that cocky brow was arched.

“Arthur loves me, and we plan to marry as soon as possible. That’s what we were discussing in the garden before you rudely interrupted.”

“And as you pointed out earlier, I shouldn’t have been eavesdropping, but I was and I happen to know you were trying to convince Eggleston to marry you.”

She clenched her teeth. “Then you also heard him say he would convince his father. Or weren’t you paying attention to that part?”

“Yes, I heard it and it’s most of what I’m basing my opinion upon. A real man doesn’t ask for permission from his father.”

“And I suppose you’re a real man?”

He leaned forward again and flashed that blasted knee-weakening smile again. “I’m sure of it.”

Despite the rush of heat his words brought to places she didn’t want to contemplate at the moment, Annie shook her head angrily. “I don’t care to discuss this topic with you any longer, Lord Ashbourne. In addition to your astounding arrogance, it’s clear you’re stuck in your ways and convinced you’re always right. Far be it from me to try to convince you otherwise. Your heart is obviously made of stone.”

He settled back into his seat. “I cannot blame you for wanting to change the subject, Miss Andrews. And I would be happy to do so, but I will not desist in my chaperonage. I don’t relish it any more than you do. But Arthur Eggleston is not the right man for you. I’m sorry to be the one to say this. But has it ever occurred to you that Eggleston just doesn’t seem that interested?”

Annie slapped her palm against the thick coach cushion. “Of
all
the nerve!”

Aunt Clarissa started awake. “Yes, dear. I’ll have another glass of wine. Don’t mind if I do. Thank you.” She settled back into the cushion and promptly resumed her snores.

Despite Aunt Clarissa’s outburst, Lord Ashbourne’s haughty expression did not change.

Annie was breathing so hard, her nostrils flared. She put a hand to her chest to still the staccato beating of her heart. She glared out the window. She had nothing, absolutely nothing, left to say to Lord Ashbourne.

Eggleston just doesn’t seem that interested.

What did Jordan Holloway know about it? He may have overheard one small conversation between herself and Arthur, but he had no idea why she loved him so.

Annie clenched her jaw. She knew two things for certain: first, she would marry Arthur Eggleston, and second, she would prove the cocky Lord Ashbourne wrong. If it was the very last thing she did.

CHAPTER 9

After seeing Annie and Aunt Clarissa safely inside Devon’s town house, Jordan returned to his coach and threw himself inside, slamming the blasted door behind him.

He’d handled the entire evening atrociously. Why did he allow that pixie of a girl to get under his skin?
When
had he allowed it? He had no idea. But she was there. Blast it. Firmly implanted like a pebble in a horse’s hoof. Jordan had always prided himself on being devil-may-care. But tonight, he’d cared. A lot. Enough to get into an argument with an innocent, of all people. Enough to show his temper. A temper many people didn’t even know he possessed. How could that woman spark his emotions so easily?

Frankly, Jordan also prided himself on not giving a damn. He’d not given a damn in a great many years, actually, and he’d enjoyed it. If only Devon hadn’t roped him into this confounded errand, chasing around a silly young miss who thought she was in love with the wrong person. And didn’t the young
always
think they were in love? Not that love existed. He’d leave love (or at least marriage) up to his dutiful brothers, thank you very much. Miss Andrews, that know-it-all, would see the folly of her ways, in time. It was unfortunate, really. She was setting herself up for failure … and pain.