The Notorious Bridegroom (24 page)

With great green eyes, she stared him down until he absolutely had to reclaim her mouth again.

The lovers reluctantly dragged themselves apart upon reaching his lordship’s town house. Stone met their carriage with an urgent message for Bryce from the PM demanding his presence immediately. Patience assured him she would be fine while climbing down from the carriage and thanked him very prettily for the flowers in the hallway.

With a gleam in his eye, Bryce told her, “Their beauty fades in comparison to your own, my dear.”

Martha hurried to inform Patience that Lady Elverston was waiting. Although Patience would have preferred time for a more thorough washing, a quick towel bath would have to suffice.

Patience changed into her lemon day gown after ruefully explaining to Martha how her riding habit had been torn. Her chaperone was horrified to hear what had happened, but relieved that no harm had come to the young lady, and assured Patience not to concern herself about the clothes.

Afterward, one of the maids, handy with comb and pins, artfully fashioned her hair in a lovely style of tendril curls around her face with the rest pulled back to the side with a silver comb. Patience patted her cheeks, pleased to see her natural color had returned.

Lady Elverston waited in the first-floor drawing room visiting with Martha. A large bow window offered a panoramic view of the street. Stone followed Patience with a tea tray while she greeted her guest. While Martha relaxed on the window seat, Patience poured tea.

Accepting a cup from her hostess, Lady Elverston mentioned, “I was extremely concerned over the earl’s and your disappearance last night at the Gardens. A slip of a note from a footman in apology certainly did not set my mind at rest. However, you appear to have suffered no ill affects. Might I inquire what exactly happened to the two of you?” her tone friendly but inquisitive.

Patience quickly decided to tell Lady Elverston almost the whole truth, leaving a few insignificant details—like the Frenchman—out of her story.

With eyes shining bright, her face slightly warm, she explained lightly, “I must confess to a lack of sensibility on my part. When my partner left to procure a refreshment, I thought I saw someone I knew outside. I followed him and got caught in the rain, destroying my gown. I fear I looked a sight. Lord Londringham found me in the Gardens and thought he should take me home, lest I catch a cold. There was nothing to it more than that.”

She leaned warily back in her chair, tensed to see how Lady Elverston would accept this abridged version of last night’s events.

The marchioness nodded thoughtfully but did not immediately reply. Speaking in a low voice so as not to alert Martha, engrossed in her book, Lady Elverston pinned a direct stare at Patience and asked, “You do have affection for Londringham, do you not?”

Patience stifled a startled gasp, unprepared for this direct assault. “I…I…yes, I do have affection for his lordship, who has been very kind to myself and others. I sense in him deep depths where no one really knows him.” She looked puzzled, wondering what more Lady Elverston wanted.

The older woman leaned forward and prompted, “And?”

“I respect his intelligence and wit. I marvel at his generosity and depth of understanding, and I wish I could take the sadness away that I see sometimes in his eyes when he thinks no one else has noticed.

“Without him, it is almost like I am missing a piece of my soul and that my life has stopped and cannot continue until he is with me again. My heart loses a beat when I see his tall form and his warm blue eyes that notice everything and everyone.

“He has the ability to make my heart smile with a touch of his hand or a soft word in my ear. He can also wound my spirit with the melancholy I sense in him. Then I only want to share his pain, but he won’t allow me close to him. Something tells me he has lived in darkness for a long time. I only wish to brighten his world.” She let her impassioned words fall softly around her. Her soliloquy convinced Lady Elverston and enraptured romantic Martha.

“That, my dear girl, is not affection,” Lady Elverston told Patience quite adamantly.

Patience raised her troubled eyes in shock at this suggestion. “It isn’t?”

“No, Patience that which you have just described is love, the very lasting kind.” She added thoughtfully, “I wonder how his lordship feels about you?”

Stone entered the room, intruding on their quiet conversation, carrying a silver tray with a calling card. “A gentleman to see you, Miss Patience.” He stared directly ahead.

Patience picked up the card. “Lord Ralingford. From the Gardens? Whatever do you suppose he could want?”

All three women drew to their feet when Lord Ralingford entered the room. Over one arm he carried Patience’s cape.

She fluttered a hand to her breast in amazement. “My lord, this is an unexpected pleasure,” her smile welcoming the immaculately-dressed older man.

He acknowledged Lady Elverston and Martha before accepting a cup of tea from Patience and resting on the brocade sofa. His dark brown eyes lingered on Patience’s warm face.

His baritone voice echoed in the room: “My apologies for interrupting your tête-à-tête. I was anxious over your sudden disappearance last night and needed to assure myself that no harm had come to you. Also, the return of your cape gave me reason to hope for admittance.”

Patience blushed slightly, wondering what Lady Elverston thought of this older man coming to call. “I’m certainly overwhelmed and grateful for your thoughtfulness and for returning my cape, Lord Ralingford. As I mentioned to Lady Elverston, I thought I saw someone I knew and ran outside to confirm my suspicions, however the person disappeared and I became caught in the downpour. Fortunately, Lord Londringham found me and we returned home. No more of an adventure than that,” Patience tossed off with a laugh.

Lord Ralingford acknowledged her story with a nod. “Please believe me, my lady, when I say that I am completely restored by the sight of your good health. May you continue to bloom as the flowers I saw in the hallway.”

Patience chewed indelicately on a nail, unsure how to prompt his retreat.

“I wish not to overstay my welcome since I have accomplished my mission. If I may be allowed to call on you, perhaps in the future?” Lord Ralingford bent over her hand and placed a soft kiss on it.

Biting her lip nervously, she wondered in dismay, was this man making love to her? And if so, how to refuse him gently? Although not engaged, she did belong to another man. And always would.

She stood up and walked him to the door. Taking a deep breath for confidence, Patience smiled brightly. “Thank you very kindly for the return of my cape. You will always be welcome here as a friend.”

Lord Ralingford smiled in understanding. “I am content with your offer, hope ever strong in my breast that we will one day know each other better.” He silently departed.

“Whew!”
Patience sighed, then returned to her chair upon Lord Ralingford’s departure. “Such a nice gentleman. Did you not think so, Martha?”

Martha didn’t respond—watching their visitor walking down the steps and into his carriage, she never heard the question.

Patience turned her attention once again to Lady Elverston. “My lady, knowing how I feel about his lordship, I wondered, I hope…that is, I would that you would tell me more about him.”

The older woman’s eyes grew distant, and Patience thought she had intruded too much on their friendship.

“Please believe me when I say that I want to make him happy. But I can’t, if I don’t know the cause of his pain. Can you help me? I know that you care a great deal about him.”

The marchioness nodded. “What little there is to tell has brought Londringham more pain than happiness for his years. His father died after Edward was born and Londringham was ten. His mother remarried a French nobleman, and soon they returned to France.

“Londringham and Edward were raised by tutors with a distant cousin as guardian until it was time for Eton. They had no real father figure for most of their lives, they really only had each other.”

Patience asked hesitantly, “And their mother and stepfather. Did they never return?”

Lady Elverston’s face hardened. “They never came back. You see, they were French loyalists and later were killed in the Revolution. Their perfidy caused a great scandal years ago and not many in Society would open their doors to the orphaned boys of French loyalists.”

Patience’s mouth dropped in shock. “How awful for the boys.”

Lady Elverston continued, “Bryce taught himself early how to take care of himself and his brother. All his life he had something to prove. He has served our country for a long time, while caring for his tenants and his estate.”

Lady Elverston sighed softly. “You see, he felt that because of his mother’s betrayal of her country, he must make amends. His service to England has more than compensated for his mother’s disloyal actions. However, not many people know of his contributions and service to his country because of his vocation. I don’t know all the details, other than his work is quite dangerous.”

“What about his brother, Edward?” Patience had to know.

Silence reigned in the room for several minutes. Wearily, the marchioness replied with her eyes closed, “He was killed several months ago somewhere along the coast of France. He served as a lieutenant on Captain Kilkennen’s ship. Bryce has not shared the story of his brother’s death with me. I only know that Londringham found his brother dead and brought him home. Folks whispered that Londringham was responsible for his brother’s death, because he locked himself up in Paddock Green and refused to see anyone.

“Not many knew that he had been injured in retrieving his brother. Only time could heal his spirit and his leg.” She paused and opened her eyes. “You, my dear, have saved him. He only needs more time to come around.”

All of this was simply too much for Patience to absorb. She didn’t hear Lady Elverston’s last words. Gazing at her friend in anguish, she asked simply, “What can I do?”

The marchioness answered in her gentle manner. “Love him. It is as simple and as difficult as that. There is no stronger healing medicine than love.”

Patience smiled wryly. “That’s true, I suppose. However, what happens when the patient is not even aware that he needs ‘medicine’?”

Lady Elverston poured herself another cup of tea before replying. “He will know soon enough if you are no longer here. You should know that he has vowed to find his brother’s murderer. I am afraid you will be unable to find happiness together until this happens.”

The unflappable Stone knocked and entered, once again interrupting. “Miss Patience, at the present count, three gentlemen who saw you riding in the park this morning have left their cards inquiring after your health. There are also five gentlemen in the vestibule that insist this is where the adventurous lady maid lives, and they demand an audience. Oh, and the gentleman from yesterday is paying you a return call. Shall I send them in?”

Patience blinked in chagrin, aghast at all of her would-be suitors, but common sense prevailed. “Stone, would you please inform these gentlemen that I am under the weather and will be for an undetermined amount of time?” She hated another lie, but she felt a bit exhausted after the morning’s events and Lady Elverston’s story.

Martha and Patience waited dinner for Bryce until it was quite late, and Melenroy had assured them that the goose was overcooked and the potatoes dry enough to serve as kindling for a fire. Alone in the dining room, Martha tried to have a conversation with Patience, but the young woman seemed quite preoccupied.

She had dressed in her loveliest gown which had just arrived from the matisse-maker’s. Her simple, white silk gown accented her dark brown hair, a simple silver chain with an angel charm that her mother had given her hung around her neck.

“Please, Miss Patience, could you stop that tapping? It is making me nervous,” Martha asked Patience not unpleasantly.

“I’m sorry. I have such on my mind that I don’t what I’m doing. I think I shall retire to bed. It has been a very long day.” Patience smiled at Martha absentmindedly and quietly left the dining room, whereupon she bumped into Bryce.

He swiftly claimed her with a kiss, then unromantically mentioned his need for food.

Patience rushed to the kitchen to see what they could salvage of dinner for Bryce. She watched him tenderly as he ate, concerned over the weariness she read in his eyes. He surprised her by mentioning he had to go out again.

He shrugged. “Unfinished business.” With that firm statement, Patience knew not to ask for details. “But first,” he said, grinning at her, “I have an appointment with a lady.”

Her ire rose just slightly. What was he up to? Trying to sound indifferent, she smiled and asked, “May I know the name of the lady?”

“Yes, Lady Sally. I believe she is waiting impatiently for a story which I promised her last night.” With a kiss to the top of Patience’s sheepish head, Bryce headed for the little girl’s room.

Patience remained behind to read in the drawing room in order to bid Bryce a good night. The candle had sunk to half its height before she heard the door quietly open.

She turned to beam at Bryce, but the light slowly left her face when she saw his angered expression.

“Is something the matter, my lord? Is it Sally?” She rose to stand next to her chair.

“No, nothing is wrong with Sally. Although I went to tell her a story, she told me a quite interesting one of her own. It appears that this house has been extremely busy today welcoming your myriad admirers. Since I know Sally tends to exaggerate, I presume the number of hundreds of suitors is slightly high?” He leaned back against the door with arms folded across his chest.

Patience wet her lips nervously, fingering her angel charm for comfort. Clearing her throat, she told him succinctly, “I was entertaining Lady Elverston and Martha when a few gentlemen came to call. They stopped only to leave their cards and inquire after my health.”

“I see, a few. That number is certainly more reasonable. And do you also have the habit of leaving articles of clothing behind in order for gentlemen to have an excuse to call on you?”