The Diabolical Baron (11 page)

“Well, you can start by convincing Linda her kitten
has no talent for the pianoforte. Sometimes it is more
than even a loving mother can take.”

“Consider it done. Indeed, I will even teach Wellesley
to play creditably on the instrument if that is what you
wish.”

“I will settle for silence, love. And your best efforts
with the Diabolical Baron.”

“Perhaps he is not so very diabolical.
Should we start to call him the Dashing Baron?”

“Much better!” Jessica said. “Now it’s time we started
working on making you fit to be seen tomorrow.”

“Yes, Mrs. Major Sterling, ma’am.” Caroline’s
patented demure look was not up to her usual standard,
but Jessica decided it was a good step in the right direc
tion.

One could only hope the baron would cooperate
by not being diabolical. He might be stern and insensi
tive to the fears of a shy young lady, but there was no
reason to suppose he was a monster. She must meet him
soon and draw her own conclusions about his suitability as a husband.

* * * *

Jason was immaculately attired as he entered the
Hanscombe town house, Hessians gleaming like obsid
ian and the discreet glint of a ruby in his neckcloth.
After all, a man didn’t make an offer every day, and he
intended to do justice to the occasion.

His only other
offer had been made under a beech tree with both par
ties smelling of horse, and that had been a singularly profitless venture.

Though his confidence had grown
enormously in the last dozen years, he was not ab
solutely sure Caroline would accept him; she was the
most unaccountable girl. He knew little more about her
now than when his courtship had begun weeks earlier.
The workings of her mind were a complete mystery.
She showed very little interest in either his polished ad
dress or his equally polished person. It would be a seri
ous blow to his pride if she refused him, quite apart
from the fact that he would lose his wager. But uncertainty lent spice to the venture.

He got a prim, knowing smile as he handed the butler
his hat and asked for Miss Hanscombe. Everyone in the
household must know why he was here. As he entered the sitting room to wait, his mind returned to his inter
view with Sir Alfred the day before. His lip curled
slightly at the memory; really a most unattractive man,
effusive in his delight at Lord Radford’s so-flattering
offer for his daughter.

For all his effusions, he’d bar
gained like a Billingsgate fish peddler over the settle
ments. For the amount of money he was asking, he
should have thrown in Lady Hanscombe and all the
younger daughters. But an agreement was reached.
Jason could afford to be generous, and by this time too
much time and pride were invested in the business to
cry off.

His musings were interrupted by Caroline’s arrival,
just in time to catch the unpleasant expression left on his
face by thoughts of Sir Alfred. He straightened his fea
tures immediately, but she had obviously seen the look
and perhaps thought it intended for her.

She was pale but greeted him with composure.
“Good morning, Lord Radford. Please be seated. I trust you are well today.”

“Very well, thank you,” he said with some brusqueness as he sat down. Now the moment was at hand, he
felt unexpectedly nervous. “There is something I partic
ularly wish to discuss with you.”

“Indeed? Pray continue.” Her neutral voice gave no
hint of her thoughts, though she must know why he
was here.

“You cannot have failed to notice my great regard for
you. Your charm, your ladylike demeanor, have con
vinced me you are the woman I have sought for many
years.” Jason paused, finding it difficult to face those
unfathomably deep blue eyes. “I would be greatly hon
ored if you would consent to become my wife.”

“Is this what you truly wish?” she asked in a low
voice.

“Of course,” he said, puzzled by her lack of response.
Perhaps she was hoping for a more passionate declara
tion. He opened his mouth to make the necessary state
ment but found that the words wouldn’t come. To save
his life, he could not have spoken lies of love.

While he
sat in silence, Caroline gave a slight sigh and answered
him. “In that case, I will of course be pleased and honored to accept your most flattering offer, Lord Radford.”

“Perhaps you could see your way to calling me Jason
now we are betrothed?”

From the look on her face, it seemed clear she had
never thought he might have a personal name. Swal
lowing hard, she replied, “I shall try
...
Jason. Please
forgive me if I take time to acquire the habit.”

“Of course. I wish you to take a good deal more than
that. For a betrothal gift, I would like to send you to Madame Arlette’s for a whole new wardrobe to cele
brate your new life.”

This called forth a violent blush. So he had noticed
her dreadful clothes! He must have thought that was
how she preferred to dress. Not only had her protective
coloring failed, he must think she had wretched taste. I
t was time to start working for his good opinion.

“That sounds a delightful prospect, Lor... Jason. It
will be a great pleasure, and is most generous of you.”

“In addition,” Jason continued, “I wish to take you to
my home, Wildehaven, at the end of next week. It will
give us a chance to become better acquainted before the
wedding. You must of course bring your family. I’m
sure you would wish for your mother’s support, and
perhaps your sister Gina as well.”

Caroline hesitated for a moment. “My sister is just en
gaged to Gideon Fallsworthy, and she and my step
mother will be going to visit his family in Lincolnshire.
Would ... would it be possible to invite my aunt, Mrs.
Sterling? She is a widow and free to come and go as she
chooses. She would probably wish to bring her young
daughter, but Linda is a pretty-behaved child and
would be no trouble.”

Jason shrugged indifferently. One chaperon was
much like another. In this case, the aunt would doubt
less be preferable to the dragon mother. Or rather,
dragon stepmother. “Of course they will both be wel
come. I want you to be as comfortable as possible. I was
thinking of an August wedding date.”

Caroline looked a bit dismayed. “So soon?”

“‘If it were done, ‘twere well it were done quickly,”
Jason said, then mentally condemned his choice of quo
tation.

Surprisingly, Caroline ventured a slight smile.
“Surely Macbeth is not entirely appropriate on this occa
sion? Although I recall he and his wife were well-
matched, so perhaps it is not so far afield. But I would be greatly miscast as Lady Macbeth.”

Jason chuckled at the improbable thought of Caroline
wielding even an imaginary dagger. “I expressed my
self poorly. Say rather that I see no virtue in a lengthy
engagement, and am anxious to see you installed as
Lady Radford.” And of course, the wager specified they
wed within six months.

He added, “I know my Aunt Honoria will be anxious
to do something in your honor, since I have no closer fe
male relatives. She is Lady Edgeware, you know.”

Caroline looked alarmed. “I did not know. I was in
troduced to her at a card party once. She is very. ..
memorable.”

“She’s a proper Tartar,” Jason cheerfully agreed.
“However, she will be so pleased at my choosing a
bride that she will be bound to like you.”

Caroline looked thoughtful. If Lord Radford’s rela
tions had been urging matrimony, it might help explain
why he had suddenly decided to marry at his age. He
didn’t appear to be a man easily browbeaten, so she
supposed marriage suited his own purposes.

Jason stood to take his leave. “I trust you will accept my escort to the Stanhopes’ ball tonight? I will call for
you at nine o’clock.”

He moved toward her, towering
above her small figure even when she was standing. He
hesitated a moment, then bent to give her a quick kiss to
seal the engagement. Had it not been for her slight but
unmistakable withdrawal, the sensation would have
been much like kissing a piece of Roman statuary.

With
so little response, the embrace was perfunctory in the
extreme. Bowing farewell to his intended, his lordship
beat a hasty retreat.

Jason felt an unexpected sense of depression as he left
Adam Street. When he had entered into this damnable wager, he had assumed he would find some cheerfully
avaricious wench who would be delighted to sell her
body and breeding for his wealth and title.

He might
even have found a damsel who would fancy herself in
love with him, although he hadn’t wished for that. A
lovelorn maiden would have been a great nuisance, sighing and demanding his attention.

He hadn’t bar
gained for a girl who was being coerced as he expected
Caroline was. Not even an optimistic lover would have
taken her attitude as anything higher than resignation.

But
there was no help for it now. She would
become more relaxed when she knew him better. And when
he was in the mood for passion, that could be pur
chased easily enough.

Chapter 6

Jessica swept across her parlor to give Caroline a hug
as the girl entered. “I presume you are officially en
gaged now. Was it as bad as you expected?”

Caroline hugged her aunt back, then took her bon
net off. “No, you were right—anticipation was worse
than reality. Lord Radford was most considerate, though very far from lover-like. From something he
said, I believe he just thought it was time to get mar
ried, and for some reason decided on me. Still, if he
doesn’t want much of me, no doubt we shall rub along
tolerably.”

She colored suddenly. If nothing else, his lordship was certain to want an heir. And the thought of how that would be done ...

She said hurriedly, “He wants
me to go to Madame Arlette’s for a new wardrobe. Ap
parently he was not impressed with my governess
clothes. Will you help me at the modiste’s? Then I shall
be rigged out in proper style.”

“How delightful. I have never set foot in that august salon. It will be the greatest fun to spend large quanti
ties of Lord Radford’s money to put you in the first
stare of fashion. I still think you must misjudge his
feelings. He chose you above every other eligible lady in London.”

“He probably drew my name out of a hat,” Caroline
said darkly. She paused, then said diffidently, “There is
something else. He wishes me to come to his estate,
Wildehaven, at the end of next week. Mama and Gina
will be going to Lincolnshire to meet the Fallsworthys.
Do you think ... could you possibly come as my chap
eron? Lord Radford has agreed, and says Linda can come, too. I’m sure the riding will be good, and you would have a pleasant time.” She finished in a rush,
with a hopeful look her aunt couldn’t have resisted if
she tried.

“Indeed, I would like nothing better than to meet
the Diabolical Baron on his own ground,” she said
with a smile. “But I think I will take Linda to her
grandparents’. It will be good for us to be apart for a time. I depend too much on her company. She is already halfway to being a young lady, and I had best
start learning to live without her. She will have her
cousins and her pony and shan’t miss me at all. Do
you think Radford could be persuaded to take us to
Gloucestershire by way of my in-laws’? It is not too far
out of the way.”

“Splendid!” cried her niece. “It will be so much eas
ier if you are there. I’m sure he won’t mind the de
tour-—he has been most obliging. He wishes to leave
next Friday, so the sooner we get to Madame Arlette’s,
the better.” She wrinkled her nose a bit. “He has asked
me to call him by his Christian name, but I don’t think
I am ready for that yet. It would be like calling God by
a nickname. I shall start by thinking of him as ‘Rad
ford’ without the ‘Lord.’ I daresay when I am more
comfortable with him, in five or ten years, I shall
achieve greater informality.”