Twice the Temptation (44 page)

T
he following day, James, Missy, their three children, Nicholas and Jillian arrived
en masse
at Laurel House. Her nephew was to spend two weeks with his cousins. Their arrival brought the place to life, sending the servants scurrying about unlike her lone presence had done the past week.

After the misery of the prior day and a sleepless night, Catherine was more than happy to see them again. She tried not to dwell on how Lucas had left things between them—she refused to believe he had
ended
it—and spent the afternoon catching up with her sister-in-law. 

Missy spoke about their visit with her brother’s family and how Amelia, Thomas and their two little ones were faring with Amelia’s pregnancy. While their youngest, Daniel demanded his mother give him a baby brother, their daughter Annabelle was most insistent the baby be a girl. Amelia only wanted a healthy child and for the pregnancy to come to an end. 

To her sister-in-law’s inquiry about Lucas, Catherine smiled and replied,
We are currently experiencing some problems but be assured, it is nothing to worry yourself about
. 

And that was not a lie nor was it pure optimism for Catherine planned on doing whatever it took to make things right between them. She’d already sent two messages express to his residence since the morning. If she did not receive a response by late that afternoon, she would deliver the next one personally when she went to pay his brother a call. 

When one was in the wrong—as she had been in the matter concerning his brother—it was incumbent upon them to tender an apology to the injured party. 

The remainder of the day progressed normally. The only fly in the ointment was that the salver remained stubbornly empty of messages from Lucas. But Catherine would not be discouraged. Eight o’clock that evening she, Jillian and the second footman boarded the brougham to call upon Mr. Patrick Templeton, her message to Lucas stored in her reticule. 

Initially, Catherine was going to have Esther accompany her when she remembered that Jillian was already acquainted with Lucas and his brother. Jillian had eagerly accepted her request to join her. 

At Lucas’s townhouse, she had barely gained entry, when the butler saw Jillian and instructed her that the servant’s entrance was on the ground floor. Piqued, Catherine grasped her arm and pulled her close to her. Lucas had said that her aunt would be as welcome in their home as her mother would have. Well Jillian was practically family. 

“She is also an acquaintance of your master. He won’t be happy if he hears she has not been treated as such.” 

For a moment, Catherine thought the man was going to become indignant about it but he eventually stepped aside and permitted them to enter. 

“Do you think Mr. Templeton will remember me?” Jillian asked, examining the small foyer, her gaze lingering on a gilt-framed portrait of a lake and a pond hanging on the wall opposite the staircase to the third floor. 

“When is the last time you saw him?” Catherine asked. 

“Two or three years ago, I think,” she answered. 

Catherine could tell Jillian was taking pains not to make any mistakes with her speech. After a year in England, she’d even picked up a bit of an accent, the Queen’s English, as opposed to the cockney brogue many of the servants had. 

“You were just a girl back then,” Catherine commented. 

Jillian gave a sad smile. “I don’t think I ever considered myself a girl.” 

Catherine supposed she had not. Charlotte had told her some of the things the poor girl had had to endure when she fled the south with her mother and made their way to New York. Her mother had died three quarter way through the journey, leaving Jillian alone to fend for herself until her sister had found her. 

“He appears to be a nice man.” She couldn’t imagine he could be anything else given he was a relation to Lucas. 

“Yes he was. He was kind to me, I remember that much.” 

“Miss Rutherford, to what do I owe the pleasure?” 

Catherine jerked her head with a start, turning in the direction of the voice as its owner strode toward them from down the narrow hallway. Knowing he was Lucas’s brother, she viewed him through different eyes. Not that he was any less handsome than she’d first thought him. In that respect, he and Lucas were the same, although they were antithesis in looks. Where Lucas possessed dark hair and a darker complexion, his brother was blond and fairer—his skin a light gold in color, which set off his cerulean blue eyes. He more resembled their sister Caroline than his other siblings. More than likely, the two took after their mother. 

His gaze swung to Jillian. His stride faltered and his eyes widened. 

“Good God, this cannot be the same girl I met years ago?” 

Catherine wasn’t sure who looked more astonished, Mr. Templeton at seeing Jillian or Jillian that he remembered her. 

Jillian smiled shyly, taking her beauty from stunning to staggering. “Yes, it is Jillian, Mr. Templeton,” she said and bobbed a hasty curtsy as he came to a halt in front of them. Since he’d set eyes on her sister’s protégée, his gaze had yet to venture from her face. 

“My God you’ve grown—er, up,” he said, stumbling as if that was not what he’d intended to say. “How old are you? Sixteen? Seventeen?” 

“Eighteen on my last birthday,” she replied, her cheeks flushed a dull rose. 

Mr. Templeton nodded slowly, continuing to stare at her, his admiration evident. Jillian seemed equally transfixed by the attention of the handsome, young man. Catherine could not help feeling an overwhelming sense of impotency and sadness. She wished for a better life for Jillian; wished that such a match would be not denigrated and certain to bring alienation for a man like Patrick Templeton. 

Then as if suddenly remembering her presence, he directed his attention back to Catherine. “Miss Rutherford, this is an unexpected pleasure. Edwards said you were here to see me but I was certain you were looking for my brother.” 

“I was hoping to have a private word with you.” 

He glanced over at Jillian, his eyebrow raised in question. 

“Would it be alright if Jillian waited in the servants’ quarters?” Catherine asked, only now willing to adhere to protocol. 

“I believe it would be fine if Jillian waited in the study. My brother is not in at the moment,” Patrick stated. 

Catherine should not have been surprised. Jillian too often elicited such reactions from men from all walks of life be he the land surveyor, the footman, the butcher or the handsome young lord. 

Once Jillian was taken off to await them in the study, Patrick escorted her to the drawing room. Her gaze went immediately to the sofa where she and Lucas had made love. She prayed she was not blushing but her face did feel hot. She hastily cleared the memory from her mind. She had not come here for that. 

Neither had a chance to sit before Catherine threw herself headfirst into her apology. “Mr. Templeton, I want to apologize personally for what took place at Lady Summerville’s ball. Lucas explained about the wager and I just wanted to…” 

He was regarding her as if she wasn’t making an iota of sense. “What have you to apologize for? It certainly was not your fault. If anyone is to blame, it is I.” 

That’s when it dawned on her. Lucas must not have told him about her involvement. Or Miss Shipley’s. Oh dear, what was she to say? The last thing she wanted to do was make the situation worse. 

“No, you see, we knew you were going to be there. Miss Shipley was not escorted out to the terrace by happenstance but by design.” 

Slowly, comprehension dawned in his eyes. “You? You were in it with Landry?” 

“Lord Landry knew nothing about it.” 

He shook as head as if trying to clear his muddled mind. “Are you saying that you, Lady Meghan and Lady Olivia…?” 

“I’ve come to take responsibility and apologize for my part in it.” She pressed her reticule tight against the front of her dress. 

Her confession seemed to set him back on his heels. He folded his arms across his chest. “May I inquire as to why I was targeted?” 

Catherine looked down and said nothing. How could she without exposing Miss Shipley?  

After quietly observing her for a bit, he asked, “Then may I inquire into Miss Shipley’s role in this?” 

At her continued silence, he laughed softly. “You needn’t try and protect her. Things between us are not salvageable. I’ve pled my case twice already and she refuses to believe a word of it. I’ve concluded I am probably better off without her. If I truly loved her, I’d be more put out by the ease at which she’s willing to cast me aside, which is how I know she didn’t truly love me either.” 

“I shall go and speak with her,” Catherine offered, desperate to do something, anything to help fix things. 

“Please, Miss Rutherford, save your breath. At this point I do not want her back should she agree to have me. What happened was for the best.” 

Catherine had to concede that he didn’t appear like a man mourning over the loss of the love of his life. And the way he had stared at Jillian… Yes, perhaps things had worked out for the best in this instance. But things between her and Lucas were still not right. 

“My brother, however, is more than a little put out over the whole affair. I’ve never seen him more miserable in my life. It is almost as if
he
lost the love of his life.” 

Catherine’s face was instantly suffused with heat, her gaze snapping to his. She saw the knowledge in his eyes. 

“He refuses to talk to me. I have sent several messages but haven’t received a reply to any of them,” she whispered hoarsely. “I do not know what else to do.” 

Mr. Templeton tipped his chin down, his eyes sympathetic. “Would you like me to talk to him? As you’ve probably already discovered, my brother can be particularly stubborn and a bit of tyrant,” he said, his tone teasing. 

“A tyrant?” Catherine thought the characterization too harsh. 

Patrick Templeton laughed. “You have no idea.” 

“I would rather you not. I know I must fix this but at present I’m simply at a loss at how exactly I should go about it.” Apologizing to his brother had been the first big step. But if Lucas refused to see her or reply to any of her messages, she felt as if she was pushing a boulder uphill with her hands tied behind her back. 

“My brother can only stay mad for so long. He will come around. I’ve known him my whole life. I know he will,” Mr. Templeton soothingly assured her. 

Yes, but he was his brother. Lucas loved his siblings and would forgive them anything. She was a different matter altogether. She didn’t even know where his affections lay anymore. If she were to go by yesterday’s encounter, while he still physically desired her, he no longer trusted her. And as he’d said, without trust there was no love. 

“Miss Rutherford, if I can relieve the worry that has caused that crease in your brow. Over the years, I’ve seen my brother go through stages from infatuation to lust. Not until this past year have I seen him behave like a man hopelessly in love.” 

Catherine so wanted to believe him. 

“I hope you will not give up on him,” he said gently. “My brother is slow to anger but unfortunately that means he is sometimes too slow to forgive. But he always does, take my word on it.” 

“I fear this time I’ve tested him once too often,” she sniffed, peering up at him, her gloved finger absently running over the metal clasp of her reticule. 

“If he truly loves you as I believe he does, he will forgive you. Believe it or not, Miss Rutherford, you and he are more alike than either of you know.” 

Catherine had never expected her apology to be met with such kindness and encouragement. Patrick Templeton was indeed a good man. 

“Thank you, Mr. Templeton, you have been kinder to me than I deserved.” 

He smiled faintly and replied ruefully, “I’m sure it wasn’t you who sought Miss Shipley out.” 

“Well I have trespassed on your time enough this evening. I would appreciate it if you didn’t tell your brother I was by. I think it best if I gave him a few more days to calm down.” 

“Have faith, Miss Rutherford.”

Catherine smiled wanly. She needed that—and a little divine intervention would not hurt a bit. 

C
HAPTER
T
HIRTY-
O
NE
 

W
hen Edwards informed Lucas that his mother and
her guest
had called, Lucas instructed him to put them in the drawing room to wait for him. He hadn’t bothered to ask the identity of his mother’s guest as he knew the man would be some variation of the ones he’d met with in the past.

Therefore, when he entered the drawing room not a quarter hour later, he was surprised to see a woman sitting beside his mother on the sofa. Recognition of the woman did not come instantly. It took several seconds before her face registered in his mind and then the past came flooding back in a rush of memories he would rather forget.