The Story of a Baron (The Sisters of the Aristocracy) (27 page)

He would ask to court her before they left the park, and then he would ask for her hand when he was depositing her on the steps of Rosemount House with the promise of a ring the following day.

Instead, he had managed to accomplish an entire afternoon of courting in just a few moments. Well, he considered that most of the courting had happened the week before. All the time they had spent together reading his book had given him time to realize Evangeline was nothing like Geraldine and everything he wanted in a wife.

And an even greater miracle was that, despite the fact that the butler hovered just outside the parlor door, the man never once interrupted Lady Evangeline’s nap to take issue with him over the impropriety of how he held her or how she was positioned rather suggestively against most of his body. He was just deciding he was going to enjoy being leg-shackled when the sound of a carriage turning into the drive caused Evangeline to give a start and suddenly open her eyes.

“Good afternoon, my beautiful,” Jeffrey whispered with a teasing grin.

There was a moment when Evangeline thought she had simply moved from one dream to the next, for to wake up in the arms of a man as handsome as Jeffrey Althorpe wasn’t something she thought to do again – especially after the one night in the parlor. But the light press of his lips against her forehead brought her back to reality and she smiled. “Are you quite sure you can abide a wife who would fall asleep in the arms of her intended?” she whispered, her furrowed brows suggesting she was quite serious.

Jeffrey blinked. “Absolutely,” he replied with a nod. He kissed her then, most thoroughly, just as the sound of the front door closing reached his ears.

Evangeline was quite sure she had never moved so quickly in her life, especially when it wasn’t of her own doing. For one moment she was nestled against the front of her betrothed, and the next she was sitting quite primly on the settee and Jeffrey was back in the wing chair with a cup of tea covering the bulge in his crotch, regarding her as if none of the previous thirty minutes had happened.

Her brother’s entrance into the parlor might have been a bit on the violent side, he no doubt having been briefed by Jones regarding the presence of Jeffrey. But when Harry found his sister regarding him with an arched eyebrow and Jeffrey quite properly seated across from her, he relaxed. “Is it ...is it done then?” he asked, his attention going back and forth between the two.

Jeffrey Althorpe stood and gave Evangeline’s brother a nod, wondering if Grandby had just spoken to the man. “I have asked for your sister’s hand, and she has accepted,” he replied with another nod. “And, as Lady Evangeline would prefer a small ceremony, I will see to a special license so that we might marry ...”

“Did you ruin her?” the earl interrupted suddenly, his attention darting from Evangeline to the baron. “It seems my sister is the current
on-dit
and not for her propensity to read too much.”

“Harry!” Evangeline cried out in surprise, her fists suddenly clenching at her sides. “How dare you?”

Jeffrey held his hand out in front of Evangeline, as if he meant to protect her from her brother. “And if I did?” he countered, his chin raised in defiance.

Evangeline gasped. “You did no such thing!”

Jeffrey gave her a passing glance and turned his attention back to Lord Everly. “I kissed her. Several times,” he stated proudly. “And I’ll kiss her whenever I want to, I’ll have you know.”

“But,
I’m
the one that asked to be kissed!” Evangeline argued, turning to her brother to poke a finger into his chest. “And I am
not
ruined,” she added before turning to Jeffrey to poke the same finger into his chest. “And you’ll kiss me whenever I allow it. And whenever I want you to,” her voice lowering a bit with the last demand.

Jeffrey blinked, not quite sure how to interpret her demand. “My lady, I really wish you could be a bit more agreeable,” he commented, his brows furrowing in concern.

“I’ll have you know I am usually very agreeable,” Evangeline countered as she crossed her arms over her bosom, suggesting she wasn’t about to agree on the matter. “Especially on the subject of kisses.”

Harry Tennison regarded the two people who stood before him, crossing his own arms in a move that made him look very much like his sister. “So, when’s the wedding?” he asked with a sigh that suggested he was quite bored with their childish behavior.

“Next week,” the two replied simultaneously. They both blinked and turned to regard one another in surprise. “That would be lovely,” Evangeline whispered, giving her husband-to-be a tentative smile and a nod.

“Ah, something we can all agree on, I see,” Lord Everly said with a much larger smile. “If you are in need of her services, Lady Torrington has offered her help in arranging the nuptials.” The earl shrugged and gave the two each a nod. “What a relief. I was in fear I might have to arrange for Evangeline to move to a nunnery.”

Evangeline gasped, her eyes wide with surprise. “You wouldn’t dare!” she cried, her protest drowning out Jeffrey’s sound of disbelief.

Her brother shrugged and then grinned. “That was my favorite part of the book,” he whispered in Jeffrey’s direction, his comment eliciting a pair of dropped jaws and expressions of disbelief. “Instead, I can get on with arranging my next trip. I was beginning to think I’d be stuck in England for the rest of my life.”

Before either his sister or his future brother-in-law could respond, he added, “If you need me for anything, sister, I shall be at the Royal Society.” He turned his attention to Jeffrey. “And I shall see you later at White’s. Good day to you both,” he said, giving Jeffrey and Evangeline a bow and then turning to leave the house.

Evangeline barely had a chance to curtsy and Jeffrey didn’t even bother to try, his mouth still open in shock.

When had the earl had time to read the book?

He turned slowly toward Evangeline, his look of astonishment slowly changing to a simple grin. “That went well,” he said, reaching out to wrap his arms around her shoulders. He pulled her against the front of his body and kissed her on the forehead. “You were positively brilliant.”

Her body suddenly stiff, Evangeline raised her head to regard her fiancé. “I wasn’t acting,” she murmured, her manner suggesting she was still rather miffed with him.

Jeffrey was about to say he wasn’t either, but thought it safer that he simply hold her a moment. “Please, don’t be angry with me, Eva,” he whispered. “It’s all worked out to everyone’s satisfaction. The kissing, at least.”

Evangeline relaxed and wrapped her arms around his waist, her head finally falling against his shoulder. “I’m not angry, truly,” she replied. “Offended just a bit, but not angry,” she added with a sigh.

Jeffrey sighed. “I wish I’d had some way to learn more about you
before
I wrote the book,” he whispered into her hair. “But given the circumstances, I am not sure how I could have managed it.”

Sighing in reply, Evangeline found herself allowing a wan smile. “You could have asked me to read a book with you,” she suggested with a hint of mischief.

Jeffrey smiled as he realized he would never have thought to use that tactic. “As opposed to asking you to join me on a ride in the park?” he countered.

Evangeline’s eyes widened. “I think not. My skirts would be covered in grass stains,” she accused, one eyebrow dancing.

“You minx!” he cried out in mock horror. “If only I’d known, I could have simply ruined you, and we could have avoided this entire book!”

Evangeline started to giggle, but the sound of a throat clearing brought them both back to standing on their own accord, their attention on the door to the parlor.

Jones stood in the hall, his dour face suggesting he was none too pleased to pay witness to their hug.

“I must take my leave of you,” Jeffrey announced loudly enough for the butler to hear. “But I shall return to take you for a ride in the park as promised. Good day, my lovely fiancée.” He bowed over her hand and planted a rather indecorous kiss on her knuckles as Evangeline gave him a curtsy.

“And to you, my love.”

Jeffrey took his leave of Rosemount House, a rather happy man. And Evangeline watched him go, thinking if there was to be a wedding the following week, she had best get started with some planning.

Chapter 53

Post Proposal

As promised, Jeffrey returned later that afternoon to take Evangeline for a ride in the park. When he saw his way to the parlor, he found his betrothed regarding the settee, one of her hands skimming over the top of the carved wood frame whilst her face took on a look of sadness. When she realized he stood on the threshold, however, a brilliant smile appeared. “Jeffrey!” she said as she hurried to him.

The baron met her halfway, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her head. “You act as if you didn’t expect me to return,” he accused with a grin. When he pulled away, he noted a hint of melancholy in Evangeline. “What is wrong?”

Evangeline angled her head, giving it a shake as she considered how to respond. “I was just saying good-bye, I suppose,” she murmured, one hand waving at the furnishings.

Jeffrey remembered Evangeline’s comments about her mother’s things, about what the next Countess of Everly might do with them once she  was mistress of the house. “I would be most obliged if you would bring along any household items your brother will allow to Sommers Place,” he said in a soft voice.

Evangeline’s eyes widened in surprise. “You would ... you really want me to?” she asked, remembering just then her comments about the worn furnishings whilst they read in the parlor.

Jeffrey allowed a grin. “I do believe Sommers Place could do with a bit of charm, my lady. And I want you to be surrounded by all the things that are important to you.”

Even before he finished speaking, Evangeline wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered, about to give up her hold on him but finding his arms suddenly locked around her waist. She left her arms where they were, angling her head as she regarded him.

Holding her pressed against the front of his body, Jeffrey closed his eyes when he saw hers were bright with unshed tears. “You really are satisfied with the simplest things, aren’t you?” he whispered on a sigh. When he finally opened his eyes, he found Evangeline’s cheek resting on his shoulder.

“Would you have me any other way?” Evangeline replied as she smiled, a blush of pink coloring her face.

Jeffrey took a deep breath and lifted a hand to cup her cheek. “As a matter of fact, yes, I would,” he said with a firm nod. When Evangeline’s eyebrows arched up, he added, “But I admit to a special fondness for this one.”

He barely had the words out before Evangeline’s lips were pressed against his. He had to suppress the sudden urge to chuckle at her response to his words, and then his manner sobered as he opened his mouth and allowed her to deepen the kiss, allowed her tongue to explore his mouth and tangle with his own tongue, allowed a moan to escape when he thought for a moment she was about to end the kiss. Pulling her harder against the front of his body and turning her so her back was to the door, he was the one who finally had to end the kiss, if for no other reason than he was suddenly aware they weren’t alone.

The sound of a throat being cleared had Evangeline’s eyes opening wide. With her back to the door, she had no idea who was witnessing her tête-á-tête with the baron. She was about to jerk away from Jeffrey to find out, but his hold on her had tightened, his hand moving from her cheek to around her shoulder in a protective hold.

“I admit to a great deal of relief in learning first-hand you’re marrying my sister because you feel affection for her and not because you’re in need of her dowry,” Harry Tennison stated as he leaned a shoulder against the parlor door jamb. He held the bowl of a pipe in one hand as the other rested on his hip. “Or because Grandby told you to.”

Jeffrey considered the earl’s words before finally giving the man a nod. “Had you been in London these past two weeks or allowed me the opportunity to ask permission, I could have assured you first-hand, and Grandby wouldn’t have felt it necessary to be involved at all,” he countered, his manner most serious.

The Earl of Everly nodded. “Touché,” he replied. He took a puff from the pipe and straightened, his manner suggesting he was bored. “As for household items, Eva ...” At the mention of her name, Evangeline finally looked over her shoulder at her brother. “You’re free to take anything you wish. Except for the fish and books, of course,” he said. “I expect whoever has the unenviable task of being my wife will want to replace most everything anyway.” This last was said with a hint of sadness, as if the earl didn’t expect to marry someone who felt affection for him – or have an appreciation for Rosemount’s older furnishings and accessories.

“Oh, but she won’t,” Evangeline said with a shake of her head. Still in her fiancé’s arms, she turned her body to better face her brother. “She’ll be delighted to live here when she’s not gallivanting all around the earth with you,” she added, thinking Lady Samantha would welcome the opportunity to travel, even if it meant living out-of-doors or without the comforts found in a typical house.

One of Harry’s eyebrows arched in surprise at his sister’s claim. “From your words, it’s apparent you already know who she is,” he said in bewilderment.

Evangeline allowed a smile. “Of course, I do,” she replied with a coy smile. She turned her attention to Jeffrey, who sported a look of confusion. “She’ll make a delightful sister,” she added, as if that would clear up any confusion.

At the sound of her brother’s sputtering, either because the pipe had grown too hot to hold or because he was surprised to hear there was a willing candidate to be his wife, Evangeline winked at her husband-to-be. “He is a smart man. I should think he will figure it out in due time.” With that, she took hold of Jeffrey’s hands and led him out of the parlor.

“Where are we off to?” Jeffrey wondered, giving the earl a shrug as he passed him.

Evangeline smiled. “You asked me for a ride in the park. It’s nearly the fashionable hour,” she replied happily.

Jeffrey chuckled as he checked his chronometer. “Indeed, my lady.” With that, they took their leave of Rosemount House for a ride in the park.

Later that night at White’s, when he sat at a card table with Lord Barrings, Sir Richard, and his future brother-in-law, Jeffrey Althorpe couldn’t help but notice the Earl of Torrington sitting in a wingback chair nearby. In a voice he intended Grandby to overhear, he mentioned having had a rather memorable thirtieth birthday. “I have asked for the hand of a woman I have wanted to marry for some time, and she has agreed to be my wife,” he said proudly.

Two of the other gentlemen regarded him with looks of surprise. “You?
Married?
” Lord Barrings replied, his astonishment apparent in the way his eyebrows lifted.

“You make it sound as if you
want
to be leg-shackled,” Sir Richard stated, his own bushy eyebrows raised in surprise.

“Indeed? It’s too bad. I’d rather hoped you would consider my sister, Lady Evangeline,” Lord Everly stated sadly, his one eye winking in the baron’s direction. He picked up his cards and studied them, unaware of Sommers’ glare and the eyes he sent skyward.

“Who’s the unlucky chit?” Lord Barrings asked as he raised a cheroot to his lips.

“Pray tell,” Sir Richard encouraged.

Sommers sighed and shook his head. “Her identity, gentlemen, is known only to myself and to Grandby, who will be informing the
brother
involved,” he waved a hand toward the older earl, who acknowledged his comment with a nod. “Hopefully, tonight,” he added, wondering at Lord Everly’s claim to ignorance. “Oh, and the lady herself.”

He threw in his cards. “I’m reminded I need to purchase a bauble in Ludgate Hill,” he said to the surprised men at the table. With that, he left to pay a visit to Stedman and Vardon.

Still seated in the wingback chair nearby, the Earl of Torrington smiled.