The Most to Lose (21 page)

The expression on Hadleigh’s face was so filled with disbelief that Jonah wanted to laugh. He looked at Celie and saw that she had her hand over her mouth, no doubt to stifle a giggle that wanted to escape.

Unfortunately, they were the only two who found humor in the situation.

“Sit down, Hadleigh,” Jonah ordered. “Bundy, bring the ladies some tea and something to eat.”

Jonah waited until everyone sat, then gathered Hadleigh’s glass as well as his own and refilled them. He handed Hadleigh’s glass back to him, then sat in the unoccupied chair next to Celie. The four of them comprised what would have, under normal circumstances, been an intimate setting.

Considering the anger and hostility still emitting from Hadleigh, Jonah thought such close proximity might be dangerous. Especially for Hadleigh and Lady Amanda Radburn.

It didn’t take long before the servants brought in a tea tray as well as a variety of small pastries and cakes. Lady Amanda poured, and they ate in relative silence.

When Jonah couldn’t take the tension any longer, he set his plate down with a determined thud. “For as much as I hate to admit this, you make an excellent point, Hadleigh. The shot that was fired was more than likely intended for me.”

“We don’t know that,” Celie stared to argue, but Jonah held up his hand to stop her.

“Yes, we do, Celie. There is no reason for anyone to want to harm any of you. If there were, they wouldn’t have needed to come here to find you. I’m the only one they could be certain would be here.”

No one could argue with him.

“So what do you suggest?” Hadleigh set his glass on the table next to Jonah’s. “We can hardly sit around and wait for whoever it was to try again.”

“My guess is that there won’t be another attempt. Not here, anyway.”

“How can you say that?”

Jonah released a heavy sigh. “The only reason the shooter got so close was because they had the element of surprise on their side. If we’d been watching for them, they’d never have risked coming so near the house. They know we’re watching now.

“In case I’m wrong, though, I’ll have Bundy post guards to keep watch. Someone will make rounds from now on to make sure nothing looks suspicious.”

He was relieved that Hadleigh, at least outwardly, seemed satisfied with his reasoning. “In the meantime, I think it would be best if you took the ladies to Hadleigh Manor as soon as possible.”

“I’m sure we’re perfectly safe here, Jonah,” Celie started to argue.

He stopped her again. “I’m not. Even though I have no idea why someone would want to shoot at me, I can’t pretend it was a mistake. And I can’t take the chance that they won’t try again. Until I know what this is about, I won’t risk either your safety or Lady Amanda’s.”

He studied the determined look in her eyes and knew she thought his precautions were unnecessary, but he didn’t care. He wouldn’t risk anything happening to her. He’d come to care for her entirely too much to risk losing her. If something happened to her, he’d lose someone who’d become very important to him. He didn’t want to have to find out if he could live the rest of his life with such a loss.

“Don’t worry, my lady. I won’t make any major decisions on the house without first consulting you. Hadleigh can bring you over every day to check the workmen’s progress and make sure everything is proceeding as you think it should.”

Before Celie had time to argue, Hadleigh intervened. “I think Haywood’s plan is excellent. I won’t take any risks with your safety, either. You’ve already given me enough of a scare. I refuse to relive this afternoon’s events.”

“Very well. But you will not eat your evening meals here, Jonah. It is only a ten-minute ride to Hadleigh Manor. Dinner will be served at eight each evening. We will set a place for you.”

Jonah smiled. “How kind of you, my lady. It will be my pleasure to dine with you and your gracious company.”

They visited a little while longer; then Hadleigh indicated it was time to go. “Are you sure you’re well enough to travel?” her brother asked.

“Would you allow me to stay if I said I weren’t?”

“Absolutely not. And don’t even mention that Lady Amanda would stay with you. Your friend hardly qualifies as a chaperone.”

Lady Amanda’s eyes narrowed before she answered. “I appreciate your confidence, Your Grace. It’s ever so reassuring to realize you hold me in such high regard.”

With a lift of her chin, Amanda rose to her feet and walked to the door. “I’ll wait for you in the foyer, Celie.”

Without taking time for anyone to come to open the door, she exited the room with a lift of her chin and a swish of her skirts.

Hadleigh made a sound Jonah couldn’t quite distinguish. If he were asked to describe it, though, he’d have to say it sounded strangely like a growl.

“Your brother is right to be concerned,” he said as he helped Celie to her feet. “Are you sure you’re well enough to travel?”

“Of course. You know what I received is hardly worth even being called a scratch.” She lifted her arm to prove she wasn’t minimizing her injury, then smiled at him. “Thank you for your concern, though. Your attention is very flattering.”

Jonah presented her with a slight bow. “You’re very welcome, my lady. The pleasure is mine.”

He held out his arm, and she took it. When they reached the front door, Lady Amanda was waiting with her cloak on.

Jonah draped Celie’s cloak over her shoulders, then clasped the loop beneath her chin. He couldn’t bring himself to release her for a moment or two but looked into her eyes and held her gaze.

“If I were you, Lord Haywood, I wouldn’t make your feelings so obvious. Celie’s likely to become used to such fawning and will expect it forever.”

“Then it will be my pleasure to provide it. I can think of nothing I’d rather do.”

Hadleigh cleared his throat. “Enough, Haywood. You’ve made your point.”

Lady Amanda clasped her hand over her heart and looked at Hadleigh in feigned disillusionment. “How disappointing, Your Grace. Instead of taking lessons for future use, you seem intent on crushing any display of affection. How coldhearted of you.”

Hadleigh glared at Lady Amanda with unmerciful disdain, but Jonah wasn’t sure the lady noticed. She’d already turned her back on them and walked out the front door unescorted.

Jonah and Celie followed, and Hadleigh walked close behind them.

When they reached the carriage, Jonah handed the ladies inside, then watched as the conveyance drove down the lane. The minute they were out of sight, he called for Bundy.

“Show me what you found, Sergeant.”

Chapter 15

F
or more than a week, Jonah labored alongside the workers as they made repairs to Haywood Abbey. Other than concerns over the astronomical debt mounting from the cost of labor and supplies, every day’s improvements were amazing. Hadleigh had been most insistent concerning the progress he wanted to see before they returned to London, and Jonah was confident that he would find no complaints when they took a final tour through the Abbey.

He placed his hands on his hips and stretched the muscles of his shoulders and back, then took a final look around the room. This was the last room of the suite that would be Celie’s if she agreed to become his wife. This would be her sitting room. The room where she would entertain close friends. Her special sanctuary.

Only moments ago, the workmen had finished reattaching the molding around the ceiling, then replaced the furniture—a beautiful writing desk and a burgundy, black, and gray floral sofa with two chairs of complementary upholstery. Two small tables flanked either side of the chairs, and a low table that had been in the Haywood family for generations stood before the sofa. Celie could discard or add whatever she wanted in order to make her room more comfortable, but he didn’t want her to see it barren the first time she entered. Furniture gave the room a warmth he knew she’d appreciate.

He took one more look around the room and smiled in satisfaction. He couldn’t wait to see the expression on her face when she walked through the door the first time.

He turned to the door and stopped short when he saw her. The warmth of the glow on her face contained everything he’d hoped to see.

“It’s beautiful, Jonah. I love it.”

A gentle warmth wrapped around his heart. “I’m glad, my lady, since hopefully this room will someday be yours.”

“Then I will be perfectly content here. It’s lovely.”

He looked at the sincerity in her eyes and knew she meant every word. His blood heated as it rushed through his veins. “Would you like to see the rest of the house—at least the rooms that are finished?”

“That’s why I’ve come.”

“Good. Is Hadleigh with you?” He looked toward the doorway. “I can’t imagine him dawdling behind if Lady Amanda is within a stone’s throw.”

She laughed. “No, Hadleigh didn’t come. Neither did Amanda.”

His eyebrows shot upward. “Hadleigh let you come alone?”

“He left early this morning. He had important business with his steward he said would take most of the day. He promised to join us for dinner.”

“And Lady Amanda?”

“She had a headache.”

He crossed his arms over his chest and looked down his nose at her. “Why do I have a feeling Lady Amanda’s headache improved the minute you left the house?”

Her face lit with feigned innocence. “Because you realize how quickly Amanda recovers from any malady?”

He rolled his eyes heavenward. “And why do I have a feeling Hadleigh has no idea you’re here?”

“Because you’re a very mistrusting person?”

“No, my lady. The reason is because I know your brother better than most and know he would never give you permission to come here without coming himself as your chaper-one. He would, at the least, consider it dangerous. As do I.”

Her lips formed a pert little pout. He couldn’t stop from reaching out to wrap his arm around her shoulder and pull her toward him. “What excuse did you give him? That you intended to stay with Lady Amanda until she felt better?”

She tipped her chin upward. He knew she wanted to look him in the eyes, but couldn’t. She knew he’d see through the lie she was about to tell. She attempted her bluff anyway.

“Do you honestly think Hadleigh would believe I’d stay with Amanda for such a minor malady as a headache?”

“Yes, my lady. He’d believe anything you said because he considers you incapable of telling him one thing and doing another.”

“And you?”

He pulled her closer to him and hugged her. “I realize you’re as creative as Lady Amanda in your schemes, and equally as capable of getting into trouble.”

“I see.” She worried her lower lip in a disconcerting manner. “That could eventually be a problem.”

“I have no doubt it will be. You’ll find I’m not nearly as trusting as your brother.”

“That’s most distressing, my lord.”

“It’s meant to be. Your brother assumes Lady Amanda is the mastermind behind all your mischief. If I were to hazard a guess, I’d wager a large portion of the money I don’t have that you share equal blame.”

She pulled back from his grasp. “I’m shocked, my lord. That you believe I’m capable of such deceit surprises me.”

“I’m certain in the next several years I’ll find many more things to be shocked over. And I’ll learn to be impressed with your creativity.”

She tipped her chin upward and smiled. “I certainly hope so.”

He pulled her back into his arms and met her smile with one of his own. He felt himself sink into the depth of the magnificent blueness of her eyes and knew without a doubt there was no escape from the love he felt for her.

“I wish Hadleigh hadn’t made you promise to wait be-fore formally asking me to marry you.”

“He only wanted you to have time to be sure you wanted to marry me. And he wanted to make sure I intended to make the extensive repairs needed for Haywood Abbey to be a fit home for his sister.”

“To which you agreed?”

“Of course.”

“Weren’t you afraid I might be swept off my feet by another suitor during that six months and you would lose me?”

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “No. I considered it a wise request. I want you to be certain, too. I don’t want you to feel I rushed you into a marriage you aren’t sure you want.”

“Weren’t you afraid I might not love Haywood Abbey and refuse to make it my home?”

He chuckled. “No. That thought didn’t enter my mind. If you didn’t like the Abbey when you saw it, I’d simply build you another home. One of your own choosing.”

“You’d do that?”

“Of course.” He pressed another kiss to the top of her head. “I’d do anything for you, Celie. All you need do is ask.”

“Oh, Jonah.” She lifted her chin and looked at him. “Then I would like to ask a favor.”

“How can I refuse you anything when you’re so enticing?” He lowered his face until his lips were only inches above hers. “What favor would you ask?”

“Would you please kiss me?”

“Kissing you isn’t wise.”

“I know. But since you already assume my scheming abilities rival Amanda’s, I think I’ll prove you right. Please, kiss me.”

Kissing her was one favor she wouldn’t have to ask twice. He lowered his head until his lips touched hers.