The Danger in Tempting an Earl (24 page)

“She is a widow, Grandmamma, not a debutante,” Lucien said, vexed by the whole situation.

His grandmother stared at him. “And what? You think the gossip will be less harmful to her reputation than if she’d been a naïve young girl?”

“Of course not,” he said. “I am well aware that it would be devastating to her and her daughter if anyone should say that she is my mistress.”

“Good. Then you will see to your duty. Immediately.” She opened the door to leave, then halted, turned back toward them and said, “I’ll await you both in the parlor. We can celebrate the news of your upcoming marriage there.” The door closed behind her.

“Well, she doesn’t mince words, does she?” Katherine said. Lucien turned to look at her. She seemed tense. Who could blame her? “In fact, it is a trait I’ve always greatly admired.”

“Kate . . . ,” he began. “I’m so sorry.”

Her gaze flickered. “Me too. Had I known it would turn out this way, I never would have come with you, but everything happened so quickly and I didn’t think things through. I didn’t consider the consequences, and in doing so, I have trapped you.”

“I am equally to blame, though I would prefer it if you would use another word than
trapped
. It sounds so calculating and disagreeable.”

“Well, I suppose I ought to ease your mind at least. I will marry you, if that is what you wish,” she said, her voice so strained it seemed quite ready to snap.

“It is not what you want?” Apprehension flared to life inside him.

“I’ve told you before that it isn’t.” She paused, her eyes intense upon his. “However, I must admit that I did consider it after we . . . well, you know. In fact, I rather expected you to ask me again—hoped for it even. But you did not, and I decided that you’d probably changed your mind.”

Feeling weak and completely undeserving, Lucien crossed to where she stood. She’d wanted him to ask her again, but he had not—at least not so she’d heard him. “I did ask you, Kate, but you’d fallen asleep by then and you didn’t hear me.”

“Then why . . . why wouldn’t you ask me again the following morning, Lucien? You’ve had plenty of opportunity.” Her eyes brimmed with hope.

“Honestly, upon further reflection, I wasn’t sure it was something you wanted, given your previous resistance. I dreaded receiving yet another ‘no’ from you.” Taking her hand in his, he wove his fingers through hers. “Please, Kate . . . I’ve loved you forever. Save me from this madness, I beg you, and make me the happiest man alive by agreeing to be my wife.”

Tears welled in her eyes, and Lucien kissed them away. “Yes,” he heard her say, her voice filled with wonder. His heart soared as he swept her into his arms and held her against him, kissing her while she laughed and squealed. The tension that had wound itself around her these past few days had finally come undone. He’d made her happy, not only by proposing but also by assuring her that she was everything he’d ever wanted. Tomorrow they would celebrate with friends.

Chapter 16

“I
told you he’d returned for you,” Louise said as she seated herself next to Katherine on a pretty ice blue sofa the following evening. They had removed themselves to the parlor after a most delicious meal of roast duck with orange sauce and prunes, while the gentlemen took their drinks in the library. “And people say not to trust rumors.”

“Well I, for one, am relieved that he finally plucked up the courage to ask,” Patricia said. She was sitting to Katherine’s right.

Katherine chuckled. “It was coercion, really.” She looked at Lady Roxberry, who was happily sipping her tea.

“Bah!” Lady Roxberry waved her bejeweled hand dismissively. “I’ve always suspected that boy of having an eye for you, so I’m sure he would have gotten around to it eventually. Still, I can’t say I was displeased with the opportunity to nudge things along a little—at the speed he was moving, I would have been long in my grave before anything came of it, and that really would have been a shame. I’m quite enjoying the idea of having
two
great-grandbabies soon.”

“Oh!” Louise gasped as she clasped her hands together. “Is there something we ought to know? Come now, Katherine, you can tell us if there is.” She and Patricia both nodded with eager encouragement.

Katherine grinned. “Honestly, I can’t believe how forward you’re both being. Why, I do believe you must have fallen under Lady Roxberry’s influence.”

“It’s about time,” Lady Roxberry said. “Naturally, I’ve been trying to school Patricia since she was a little girl, but she was always a bit too timid. It’s a pleasure to see her opening up. But Lady Huntley . . . well, she does show promise, and how surprising that is when your dear mama, the duchess, has always been so very diplomatic.”

“I fear I have no patience for diplomacy,” Louise said as she picked up her teacup, drummed her fingertips against the rim and finally took a sip. “Or at least not very much. Now tell us honestly, Katherine. Are you increasing?”

“Don’t be absurd,” Katherine said, her insides quivering with nerves. “How could I be when we’re not even married?”

There was a beat, and then a peal of laughter from each of Katherine’s guests—including Lady Roxberry herself, who was looking most amused. Katherine stared at them all in shock.

“How, indeed?” Louise said, her voice ringing with mirth. She placed her hand on Katherine’s. “My dear, surely you must know that much, having already mothered a child.”

The room was getting unbearably hot. Katherine looked longingly at the window. “Yes, of course,” she said. “But Roxberry is a gentleman, and while he has certainly kissed me, he has never attempted to do more.” Pleased by the steadiness in her voice, she smiled serenely at Lucien’s grandmother and prayed she wouldn’t call her bluff. Somehow, she had to find a way to change the subject.

“Liar!” Unfortunately, the word came from Lady Roxberry herself.

“I beg your pardon?” Katherine asked, a little affronted by the accusation even though it was entirely true.

“My dear, you needn’t keep up appearances for my sake.”

“But—”

“Yes, yes, I know what I said.” She settled herself against a plump cushion and waved her hand about again. “Surely you understand that I
had
to say that. We all have our duty, after all. But if you think I can’t see what’s beyond my own nose, then you must be daft. Besides, I didn’t insist you switch bedrooms, did I? If that’s not a carte blanche, then I really can’t imagine what is.”

“And why is that?” Patricia asked.

Katherine’s shoulders slumped. If only someone would come to her rescue.

Lady Roxberry didn’t answer, but she did deliver a very pointed look—one that took precisely two seconds for the other ladies to decipher. “Ohhh . . . ,” they breathed, eyes round with interest.

“He wanted to keep me close so he could protect me should the need arise,” Katherine said.

“Riiight . . .” Louise dragged out the word. Her reluctance to believe anything Katherine said was plain.

“Oh, you’re impossible,” Katherine said, knowing full well how unlikely her explanation sounded, given the circumstances. It was especially difficult to convince others of its verity when she didn’t believe it herself. It was a half-truth at best. Knowing what she now did, there was no doubt in her mind that Lucien had taken the opportunity to play hero to her damsel in distress with the express purpose of seducing her into his bed and persuading her to marry him.

The door to the parlor opened and Lucien appeared. “Mind if we join you?” he asked, his eyes going straight to Katherine, a smile of appreciation lighting his features as he took her in.

“Not in the least,” she replied, trying desperately to avoid the knowing look that Lady Roxberry was giving her. She couldn’t see Louise’s face or Patricia’s, since they were both sitting next to her, but she could sense them smiling with unabashed amusement.

Rotten friends!

“Goodness me, my dear,” Huntley said as he followed Lucien into the parlor and looked at his wife, “you look as though you’ve just been made privy to a state secret. What on earth have you been discussing?” He took a seat in a vacant armchair while Lucien and Gray both went to the sideboard.

“Would anyone care for a drink?” Lucien asked as he reached for a couple of tumblers.

“Sherry, please,” Lady Roxberry said. This was seconded by Louise.

Lucien looked at Katherine and raised an eyebrow—a silent question as the mouth of the sherry carafe hovered over another glass.

“Would it shock you if I asked for a brandy instead?” Katherine asked. She needed something stronger than sherry if she was going to recover from her recent interrogation. Her nerves were in a complete tangle.

The corner of Lucien’s mouth dimpled. Handing the sherry glasses to Gray so he could distribute them, Lucien took another tumbler and poured a measure. “Not in the least,” he murmured.

“Will you answer my question?” Huntley asked. He was watching Louise very closely.

“It was nothing significant. I was just curious . . . or rather,
we
were . . .” Louise looked at the other ladies, while Katherine stiffened.

“ . . . about motherhood, my dear,” Louise continued. “You see, Lady Gray and I were asking Lady Roxberry and Lady Crossby for advice, since Lady Gray is presently expecting and you and I have been quite—”

“Yes, I think I get the idea,” Huntley said. He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, looking mildly uncomfortable.

Katherine breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that her friend had refrained from mentioning the real subject of their recent discussion. Gray coughed, apparently to mask what sounded suspiciously like laughter.

Lucien came toward the sofa where Katherine was sitting. He looked terribly handsome in his black evening attire—so similar to the night of the Kingsborough Ball. His hair was calmer than it had been then, however, his jaw smooth due to a late afternoon shave. As he leaned forward to set her brandy in front of her, she caught a faint whiff of his aroma—sandalwood blending with wine and the slightest hint of tobacco. Katherine’s insides curled with pleasure, and she suddenly wished she could think of a reason to send Lady Roxberry off to bed and their other guests home.

“I understand from Roxberry that finding the man who hired Lady Trapleigh is proving more difficult than expected,” Huntley said. He reached for his brandy and took a sip. “I am sorry to hear it. Nothing is worse than constantly looking over one’s shoulder. I’ve told him that if there’s any way in which I can be of assistance, you need only ask. My wife must return to Kingsborough Hall, of course, but there’s no reason why I can’t remain here if need be.”

“Thank you,” Katherine said. “I appreciate the kindness.”

“The same goes for me,” Gray said. “I’m happy to be of service so the two of you can put the unsavory business behind you and start planning your wedding instead.”

“Society will turn on its head when it finds out,” Patricia said.

Leaning against the mantel of the fireplace, Lucien absently poked at a log, pushing it further into the flames until it snapped and crackled. He grinned. “That’s precisely what we’re aiming for.”

It was another two hours before Patricia announced that while she’d had a lovely evening, she desperately longed for the rest sleep offered. “I’m constantly fatigued these days,” she said. “But the worst part of it is that sleep often evades me because I cannot seem to get comfortable with this enormous belly.”

“I think you look lovely,” Gray told her dutifully.

“And I think I look and feel as if I swallowed a cannonball.”

Katherine smiled at her friend. “It will soon be over,” she told her reassuringly.”

Lucien accompanied them all out while Katherine remained in the parlor with Lady Roxberry, who immediately yawned when Lucien returned. “Well, I’m feeling rather exhausted myself,” she said as she rose to her feet.

“You wouldn’t care for another sherry?” Lucien asked.

“Oh no. I’ll be more content with the tea that I asked one of your maids to send up so I’d have it before bed. You go ahead though, if you like. I’ll see you both in the morning.” And then she left without saying anything further.

Katherine stared after her, as did Lucien. “No word of warning?” he muttered. “How unlike her.” Turning to look at Katherine, his eyes narrowed a little before he finally said, “What were you really talking about earlier, before we gentlemen interrupted? You looked quite flushed, if I recall.”

“And so I shall again if we don’t change the subject of conversation, but if you must know, they were all quite eager to discover if you and I had . . . well . . . you know.”

“Including my grandmamma?” He sounded horrified at the notion, which she supposed was justified, even though he ought to have expected it. He, better than anyone else, knew how surprising the lady could be.

“No, it was mostly Lady Huntley, actually. Your grandmother was apparently quite certain that we’d already been intimate with each other, and she was not opposed to saying so.”

“Good God! I’m so sorry, Kate. That must have been terribly embarrassing for you.”

She couldn’t help but smile. “Yes, I suppose it was, but I survived it.” She tilted her head as she regarded him. He still hadn’t taken a seat and was instead standing a few paces away, watching her with great intensity. “Aren’t you curious to hear her opinion?”

He grunted. “I’ve little desire to know what she had to say on the matter. In fact, I’m surprised I’m in this room alone with you while she . . .” He frowned, and Katherine waited patiently for him to put it all together. “Are you telling me she approves?”

“She says she cannot because of propriety, and then she reminded me that she didn’t insist I switch rooms. She knows we share a door and that we may visit each other whenever we choose, yet she has done nothing to change that. I think we can safely assume that she has turned a blind eye.”

“Well, I daresay I ought to advise her on what’s required of a chaperone, but that would not be to my advantage,” Lucien murmured as he held his hand out toward her.

She accepted it and allowed him to pull her to her feet. “Nor would it be to mine,” she whispered. And then she kissed him.