What a Reckless Rogue Needs (16 page)

“I was impressed with your ideas. They are unique. You should not feel badly about your enthusiasm.”

“It is so impractical,” she said. “I can’t very well make over the drawing room at Deerfield every year.”
Please do not think I meant to urge you to propose.

He set his glass aside. “If you enjoy it, your designs need not be practical or have a specific purpose.”

She released a relieved breath and changed the subject. “Are the blinds outside in bad shape?”

He nodded. “They all need to be replaced. John said it shouldn’t cost a fortune and advised me to be wary of anyone trying to charge me more because I’m a ‘nob.’”

She laughed a little and started putting the food away. “I haven’t even checked on Agnes.”

“It probably isn’t necessary. She’s not the type who needs constant instruction.”

Angeline nodded. “She sees what needs to be done and makes recommendations. I’ll go check on her progress just in case.”

“If she is finished, we can return to Deerfield,” he said.

“Yes, of course,” she said. “Excuse me.”

Colin rubbed his temples. She’d taken him by surprise. Clearly she’d been inspired and thrilled with her ideas. She was very talented, but when she’d mentioned writing to the architect, he’d been shocked. It was as if she’d completely forgotten he didn’t own Sommerall.

Perhaps she’d expected him to propose today, but she’d said that she wanted to use the time left to them to learn more about each other before making a final decision. It occurred to him that he ought to make the offer regardless, but if he did it today, she would think he felt obliged, and then everything would get bloody complicated. He didn’t want that to happen.

He rose and walked to the kitchen. When he pushed the door open, Agnes gasped, immediately lowered her eyes, and bobbed a curtsy. “Beggin’ your pardon, my lord.”

“It’s not necessary, Agnes, and I’m sorry for startling you. Angeline, if you are finished here, would you please accompany me to the drawing room?”

She lifted her chin. “Yes, of course.”

He noted her resolute expression and figured she was embarrassed. While he’d known her all of his life, he’d not
really
known her until they had begun work at Sommerall. He’d discovered she was proud and very sensitive, something she hid beneath a haughty mien.

Angeline said nothing as he led her up the stairs to the drawing room. When she started to sit in a chair, he shook his head. “Please, sit with me.”

“Very well.”

He took her hand in his. “I feel awful for dampening your enthusiasm.”

She did not look at him. “There is no reason for you to feel awful.”

“It’s embarrassing. I’ve asked you for a trial engagement, and yet all I have to offer is a house in need of repair that isn’t in my possession and may never be.”

She was silent for a long space of time. “I’ve wanted to be positive for your sake all this time, but I became so enthused and sure that you would inherit.” She looked at him. “I beg your pardon for making matters uncomfortable, but I think we are making a mistake.”

“What do you mean?”

“We’re doing this for all the wrong reasons.”

“It wasn’t so very long ago that you defended my father’s and stepmother’s marriage of convenience. Will you abandon our agreement to a trial engagement before it barely starts?”

“How can a marriage based on a property and restoring my reputation work?”

“Angeline, most marriages are based on convenience. You know it to be true, but you are looking for reasons to halt it. Perhaps I’m wrong, but I think you’re afraid. After what you’ve been through, it is perfectly understandable.

“I don’t want to rush into this, even though we are clearly compatible in at least one respect,” he said, smiling a little. “We’ve known each other all of our lives, but there is much we don’t know. I want you to be honest with me, and I’ll be honest with you. If at any point you decide that you do not want to move forward, you must tell me. This should not be about obligation, because it is a lifetime decision. Do you agree?”

“Yes,” she said.

“If Agnes has completed her chores and you are ready, we should probably return to Deerfield.”

Her silence on the drive back exasperated him. “Angeline, I would much rather you tell me what is troubling you than have you refuse to speak to me. It is frustrating. If I have offended you, then tell me.”

“You haven’t offended me.”

“Then tell me what troubles you,” he said.

“I know the reality of my situation, and still I find myself wishing I could change what happened.”

He gathered her in his arms. She tried to push him away, but he hushed her. “Angeline, I won’t deny that your circumstances were difficult, but the worst is over. All will be well.”

“How can you say that to me? You asked for honesty, well, so do I. Don’t tell me things will be fine when they clearly are not. My mother is deluded enough to think a party will restore my poor reputation, my father won’t speak to me, and my little sister may not have a come-out ball because of me. Do not tell me that all will be well when you know what I face. At least respect me enough to do that.”

“I do respect you,” he said. “I respect you for refusing that bastard who tried to coerce you into intimacies. I respect you for holding your head up high at that ball where that bastard betrayed you, and I respect you for being a clever and caring woman. Every word is my honest opinion of you. If I think so highly of you, and I know Margaret does as well, then believe that you deserve happiness.”

“Be honest. Do you feel obliged to make our temporary engagement a real one?” she asked. “Please don’t lie to me.”

“No, I do not feel obliged, and I hope you do not, either,” he said. “To be honest, I think all of this is about your embarrassment, but there is no reason for it. We agreed to a three-week courtship, one that is known only to us,” he said. “It will be awkward if one or both of us decides at the end of three weeks that we don’t suit, but that is the chance we take. You are free at any time to end it, and so am I. If that isn’t acceptable, we should end it now. I am willing to go forward, but are you?”

“Yes, I am.” Even though it worried her. What would happen after they married? They would not even be considering marriage if not for his father’s decree and her need to restore her good reputation.

Angeline was afraid of what the future held in such a marriage, but she knew it would be the right thing to do for her family. She had only two choices: spinsterhood or a marriage of convenience. At least the latter afforded her a measure of respectability.

There were still three weeks for them to make this decision. She could not imagine that she would change her mind, because she owed it to her family and she wasn’t likely to get another chance.

But it wasn’t her decision alone. How would she feel if he told her that he had reconsidered and could not marry her? Dear God, what had they gotten themselves into?

W
ycoff was in better spirits after having bagged a bird. At dinner earlier, Colin had noted that Angeline had focused her attention on her father. When her father proposed a game of chess after his port, Angeline’s face lit up like a dozen candles. He was glad to see her happiness and hoped it would last.

When the ladies withdrew, Wycoff and the marquess talked endlessly about the shooting today. Colin said nothing, as his thoughts were elsewhere. He wondered why so many had believed Brentmoor’s ugly words about Angeline. Then he realized her mother’s friends had given her bad advice. When the duchess had taken her daughter to the Continent, she’d inadvertently signaled that her daughter had been guilty of Brentmoor’s coarse accusations. However, Colin realized that Brentmoor’s return could well be advantageous. If enough high-ranking friends spread the word that she’d been falsely accused of something that had never happened, her good name could be restored. He could not be sure that others would champion her, but it was worth the effort.

He would say nothing for now, but it was important. The first time they had spoken about a marriage of convenience, she’d said that she felt obliged to accept his offer for the sake of her family, but she ought to have a choice. If she declined his offer of marriage, however, he would probably lose Sommerall. He wanted the property badly, but he was in danger of losing it. He remembered her words:
We’re doing this for all the wrong reasons
. It was too easy to imagine the marriage souring, because it was based on his motivation to keep the property and her wish to help her family. But he could not let Sommerall fall into a stranger’s hands. Damn it all, he had to figure out a way to ensure he gained possession.

“You are uncharacteristically silent,” the marquess said to him.

“Just thinking.”

“How to outwit me for Sommerall?”

Wycoff laughed. “Doesn’t every bachelor have cold feet?”

“Right.” Colin finished his port.

“You are in the doldrums,” the marquess said. “By the by, how did you find things at Sommerall?”

Wycoff rose. “Finish your port, Chadwick. I promised Angeline a game of chess. She will no doubt trounce me.”

“Tell my wife we’ll be along shortly.”

After Wycoff departed, the marquess poured both of them another port. “He is a shell of the man he used to be.”

“Has he ever told you what happened?”

“He told me very little, but I suspect you know.”

“Angeline told me in confidence.” He sighed. “I figured she had no one to confide in, so I listened.”

“How bad is it?”

“Did Margaret ever speak to the duchess?” he asked.

“When it happened, she told Margaret how the vile man deceived them all, but the duchess was understandably vexed at the time. I think their journey to Paris was a mistake. It only made it appear that Angeline was guilty of something.”

“I agree.” Colin sipped his port and set it aside. “It was very bad. She told me in confidence, but I will say this much. She’s innocent of the disgusting claims that Brentmoor made.”

“Son, what did he claim? I only ask because I’ve been racking my brains how to help her, but I can’t if I don’t know what I’m up against.”

He told his father how Brentmoor had pressed her for intimacies and how they’d been seen kissing out of doors in a dark area. “He probably wanted to make sure she felt guilty enough to marry him. She admitted that she’d had doubts. After she cried off, he must have been bent on revenge. Her friend’s brother revealed that Brentmoor claimed he’d lain with her multiple times.”

“Hell,” the marquess said.

“Others believed it because she’d been spotted in a compromising embrace with him in the unlit area of a garden. I might add he pressed her constantly. Of course she was seen, something he probably planned, to ensure she would feel too guilty not to marry him. She’s innocent of everything.”

“When the house party ends, I will contact friends,” the marquess said. “We need supporters.”

“I’ll write to Harry. His mother is famous for her at-homes.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I’ve heard it’s nothing but tittle-tattle,” the marquess said.

“Harry would do anything for me,” he said. “As I recall, his mother is fond of Angeline. I’ll see if I can pull in Bellingham. He’s got more influence than anyone, except for you.”

“Hah. But I agree. Bellingham is a brilliant politician. Ruthless son of a bitch, but he’s loyal to those he respects. I’ve half a mind to start straightaway, but that would only raise questions.”

“Agreed,” Colin said. “After the house party, we can get support from friends. By the time the season begins, we will hopefully clear her name. Then we’ll see the bastard drummed out of every club and blacken his name.”

The marquess narrowed his eyes. “No offense, but why are you so hell bent on this mission? The two of you have never been on the best of terms.”

“It’s a point of honor,” he said. “And Brentmoor has none.”

Colin and his father returned to the drawing room. When Colin saw Angeline putting away the chess pieces, he poured himself a brandy and waited for her to finish before approaching her. He needed to speak to her about Sommerall and ensure she knew what to expect. It had become a daily journey for them, but he had to be realistic about the time they were spending there. As much as he enjoyed her company and the privacy Sommerall afforded them, he had to think about her first and foremost. She’d been through hell, and the last thing they both needed was for their families to discover that they were spending time at Sommerall when there was nothing more they could do until and unless the marquess granted the property to Colin.

After she put the game away, he made himself wait for a moment so that he wouldn’t appear so anxious. That was a very real issue for them. They had to be careful and make sure that they were not inadvertently creating expectations with their families.

He caught her eye, and then he walked over to the window seat that the twins and Penny had recently vacated. He swirled his brandy and stretched out his legs. A few minutes later, Angeline stopped to look at Margaret’s needlework. Obviously she was commenting about it. He took a slow drink of brandy and waited. Not long after, she joined him on the window seat. “I assume you wish to speak to me,” she said.

“Clever of you, but I’m not surprised.”

“Do you wish to play backgammon?”

“No, I wish to talk without distractions.”

She frowned. “This sounds ominous.”

“It isn’t, but we have no more business at Sommerall.”

“What do you mean? There is much work to be done. It needs new carpets, new shutters, updated furnishings, painting, paper hangings, and a new runner for the stairs.”

“I’ve no doubt that all you’ve mentioned needs attention,” he said, “but I cannot spend a farthing on a property that I do not own and may never own. We have reached the limits of what can be done.”

She looked at her clasped hands in her lap. “Well, I am disappointed, but I ought to have seen this coming. I’ve known all along about your father’s decree. I still think he ought to cede the property to you, but I know it is none of my affair.”

“I appreciate all that you’ve done so far, Angeline. I enjoyed your company there, but we will simply have to find other ways to talk about our engagement.”

“We will have almost no privacy,” she said. “If we go for a walk, the others will join us. If we decide to ride, everyone else will decide to come along. If we play a game indoors, others will stop to watch and comment. Even now we must speak under our breath so that no one hears us.”

“We are fortunate to have had time alone. Now we must become inventive without appearing furtive.”

“How are we to do that?”

“We have to rise very early. I’m no lark, but we will arrange to meet at six o’clock in the morning. It is the only time we can ensure privacy.”

“It is better than nothing,” she said. “I am disappointed about Sommerall. There is so much I wanted to accomplish there.”

“Do you want to meet tomorrow?” he asked.

“Yes, but where?” she said. “Never mind. I forgot Penny asked to stay with me tonight.”

“Why does she want to sleep with you?”

“She likes to be near me. It started after we returned from Paris. She has begun to relax, now that she knows we will not leave England again, but when she grows anxious, she wants to sleep near me.”

“Day after tomorrow, then, at six o’clock. No one will stir at that hour. I’ll meet you at the back door. Then we’ll walk out together.”

“It feels as if we’re sneaking off,” she said.

“Don’t think of it that way,” he said. “We are just seeking privacy to talk.”

After breakfast the next morning, the marquess turned to Colin. “You are not planning to journey to Sommerall today, are you?”

“No, I believe we have gone as far as we can at this point.”

“I have a business issue I wish to discuss with you. Meet me in my study in a quarter of an hour,” the marquess said.

“I will,” Colin said. He wasn’t sure what his father wanted, but he’d find out soon enough.

“We have yet to see your sketches, Angeline,” Margaret said. “You must show us your plans.”

“They are not really plans. The sketches are rather whimsical and impractical.” She bit her lip.

Colin remembered her excitement and felt a bit badly about it.

Everyone rose and started filing out, but Colin held back with Angeline. “I wish we could spend time alone, but I have a duty.”

“I’ll take the girls and Hercules for a walk. We might as well enjoy the sunshine while it lasts,” Angeline said.

Colin briefly touched her hand. “Perhaps we can ride this afternoon if you wish.”

“I would be delighted,” she said.

He hoped that they would not be shadowed by everyone else, but he resigned himself to the fact that their ride would likely be a group activity. They couldn’t even go off by themselves without raising suspicion about their relationship. He wanted to keep it as private as possible, but it was far more difficult now that they no longer had Sommerall as their refuge.

Fifteen minutes later, Colin walked into his father’s study and closed the door.

“Be seated,” the marquess said.

“I expect you wish to discuss who we should contact to gain support for Angeline.”

“Not at this time,” he said. “Faraday wishes to see Sommerall again. He has another prospect in mind, but he wants to look over Sommerall once more. I plan to meet him there in one hour, and I want you to attend.”

Colin gripped the arms of the chair. “I don’t see the point in my presence. I have nothing to add. My wishes haven’t changed, and I know yours have not changed, either.”

“I want you to see it from his perspective.”

“Why?”

“I have my reasons. I requested Ames to have the carriage ready. We will depart now.”

He almost refused, but his father had something up his sleeve. Colin nodded and followed his father to the carriage.

The marquess walked about the ground floor and headed into the anteroom. “It’s immaculate, but the carpet is faded badly.”

“The shutters were left open,” Colin said. “The ones in the breakfast parlor are also faded.”

“Otherwise, the room is immaculate.”

“Angeline directed Agnes to clean all the rooms.”

“I mentioned to Margaret that the scullery maid ought to be promoted.” He tramped into the breakfast parlor. “I see what you mean about the rugs.”

“I imagine the tenants might want them,” Colin said. “There are also crates of items that are of no use to us. They are stored properly in the attic. I imagine the servants and the tenants might make use of them.”

“I’m surprised you thought of it,” the marquess said.

“It was Angeline’s suggestion.”

The marquess wandered into the study. “Another faded rug.” He walked to the desk. “I forgot all about this inkstand. Clever design.”

“You should take it,” Colin said.

The marquess shook his head. “I think not.”

Colin supposed his father associated it with his first marriage.

“Do you want to survey the kitchen? It’s in good working order according to the maid, Agnes.”

“God, no. Why would I care about it?”

“Faraday might.”

“Hopefully he won’t think of it. Let’s have a look upstairs.”

Colin took him into the drawing room. “Angeline said it needs something. I think she called it paperings or some such.”

“Don’t look to me for help,” the marquess said. “The ceiling is in good order. The carpet is in decent shape here.”

“That’s because the shutters were closed in here,” Colin said.

“Let’s see the bedchambers,” the marquess said.

He walked into the second one. “My old shaving mirror. I used to put a dab of soap on your cheek when you watched the valet shave me. You would use your finger like a razor.”

Colin huffed. “I remember.”

The marquess sighed. “It was long ago.” He gazed about the room and walked to the connecting door. Then he paused. “Is it in good order?”

“Yes.” His father evidently did not want to walk into his mother’s room. “There is nothing of a personal nature in there—or in any of the other chambers.”

The marquess walked out into the corridor, and then he paused at the closed door of the nursery. He started to reach for the door and dropped his hand. “Did you go inside?”

He clenched his jaw. “Yes, but I do not advise it.”

The marquess inhaled. Then he opened the door, strode inside, and halted abruptly.

Colin swallowed hard. They’d forgotten to cover the cradle.

“Ah, hell.” His father took out a handkerchief and blotted his eyes.

Colin set his hand on his father’s shoulder. He could feel his father shaking.

The marquess blew his nose and exhaled. “After all these years, I didn’t expect it would still have the power to wound me.”

“I understand,” Colin said.

“I’ve seen enough. Faraday can explore on his own when he arrives.”

They went downstairs and waited more than an hour in the study.