An Improper Proposal (The Distinguished Rogues Book 6) (13 page)

“True.” Esme frowned. “Still, I fear he must be told outright before he gets swept up in it all.”

“Foolish man.” Lady Ames sighed heavily and caught Iris’s arm. “I’ve never met a Hill who knew what was good for them.”

“Oh,” Iris whispered, finally catching on. Lady Bartlett was hatching some scheme to fool Lord Windermere out of something important, most likely in a bid to become his wife.

Esme met her gaze sadly. “I wish he was as clever as you.”

Iris allowed Lady Ames to move her away from Esme and withheld her questions for later. Lady Ames led her to a group of young women closer to her own age. “Ladies,” she began. “Are you acquainted with my dear friend, Miss Hedley?”

Several nodded and introductions procured with the rest. A few looked upon her with a slight frown but she ignored their hesitant welcome. Very soon the chatter turned to the robberies. “I simply cannot believe I’ve attended every ball where a robbery has occurred,” Miss Beasley said with widened eyes. She pressed her gloved hand over the necklace she wore. “It’s almost certain I must have passed the thief.”

“As has everyone else,” Lady Ames reminded them all with a smile. “Try not to worry. The culprits are only after gems kept under lock and key, not gems openly worn.”

“But how do they find out where the gems are kept, is what I want to know?” Miss Beasley exclaimed loudly. “They must walk among us.”

“Or employ spies,” Calliope Quartermane, a shy young woman, added quietly. Her gaze landed on Iris. “What do you think, Miss Hedley?”

Although afraid of giving herself away, Iris nodded. “That is a possibility.”

All eyes turned to stare at the other guests. “We shall have to watch everyone,” Miss Beasley decided, her eyes narrowing on a passing gentleman. “Tomorrow, we shall gather at my home and compare notes. You will come too of course, Miss Hedley.”

Iris couldn’t attend no matter how much she wished to. She couldn’t sit among these young women while they suspected others of her own misdeeds. Besides, mistresses were not good
ton.
No matter how kindly invited, she would do them all a disservice by socializing with them. But how to get out of it gracefully?

“Oh my, he’s here,” Miss Beasley stammered and hid herself behind Miss Quartermane.

Iris turned in time to see Lord Louth striding toward her party. Instant warmth flooded her face as he smiled and took her hand to squeeze it. “Forgive me for being late. Is this our dance?”

Her card was so bare she’d put it away long ago. A low murmur began at her back and she hated the sound of speculation. “Indeed, my lord.”

“Do excuse us, ladies.” Louth placed her hand on his arm and led her to the edge of the dance floor. “You look beautiful tonight. Good enough to eat, actually.”

She glanced up at him as her body trembled. “Am I expected to say thank you to that or should I suggest we skip the dancing for a more private location?”

“Privacy can come later. I want to dance with you first.”

His arms slipped around her as the strains of a slow waltz began. Iris bit her lip as she reacted strongly to his presence. He had been intimately acquainted with her body, his mouth and hands teasing her to ecstasy, and she craved his attention even worse than she’d ever imagined. However, she was being watched. Miss Beasley stared at her and Lord Louth, mouth agape. In the other direction, Mr. Talbot was regarding them with barely concealed hostility.

She forced her feet to follow Lord Louth’s lead, but stumbled as her mind drifted to what would happen when her part in the robberies was discovered. Humiliation was too mild a word for what Lord Louth would say. She was very glad when the dance ended and they rejoined her friends and the safety of conversation.

~ * ~

From his slightly higher vantage point in the Windermere ballroom, Martin reached the conclusion that Iris was not at ease with him anymore. It was several days since he’d last seen her and he’d hoped she might have missed him while they’d been apart. However, her right foot beat a constant cadence beneath her gown and she’d barely made eye contact with him since their dance. It was as if she couldn’t wait for him to leave her side.

Lady Heathcote, too, stared across the room with a constant frown and that worried him. The countess had initially been very happy to arrange to meet at tonight’s ball but her attention was clearly elsewhere. His intentions were honorable. As soon as he ran Alexander Hedley to ground, asked permission to marry his daughter, he was planning the largest celebration London had seen in many years.

He glanced at Iris, only to find her gaze darting away again.

Had he shocked her so greatly the other day when he’d pleasured her on the dining table of her chaperone’s home, and again on his lap? Had she changed her mind about him? Martin had no idea what had possessed him to get so carried away by lust that he’d almost taken her on top of Lady Heathcote’s dining table, but he hadn’t regretted it until now. It was clear she found no joy in his attention or presence.

Whitney joined him, having finished a set with young Mr. Easton. For the first time ever, she’d raised little fuss about attending Lord Windermere’s ball. She waved a fan before her face. “Such a lively party, cousin.”

Martin signaled a footman carrying a tray of punch and procured enough for her and everyone else. “I’m glad to see you’re having fun at last,” he told her.

“I enjoyed seeing you with a pretty woman on your arm and causing her to blush.” Whitney sighed. “I do approve.”

“Of what?”

“The imminent addition to the family.” She tapped his arm sagely. “I know what you’re up to.”

He caught Whitney’s gaze. The only addition might be the child he couldn’t bear to name. But that was not to what Whitney referred. She expected him to marry Iris and set up his nursery. “Don’t set the cart before the horse.”

“Of course not.” She winked. “I like her too much to ruin your chances.”

“Well that’s a relief.” And it was. Whitney frequently detested women so easily for a lack of intelligence and self-possession.

But he might have ruined his own chances. Acting on his baser instincts without proper thought to the likely awkwardness later had never occurred to him, but then again, he’d only ever dabbled with experienced women before. He should have waited until he had her father’s permission and the banns had been read at least, before continuing with lessons. It had seemed in her best interests to prove his intent that day.

He glanced away from his cousin. Iris met his gaze at last as she sipped her punch, but her expression was troubled. He craved the sweet sound of her passion and her easy smiles. It was also very hard to forget that look in her eyes as her desire peaked, and his hope to see her come apart again and again in his arms. He excused himself from Whitney and moved around the group to her side. “Are you not enjoying the evening?”

 
“A slight headache. Nothing to worry about.”

“Would you care to sit? We could find somewhere quiet to rest awhile.”

She looked up at him. “I would like that very much, but then tongues would really wag if we linger too long in each other’s company.”

“True, unfortunately.” He’d like nothing better than to get her alone, but having her draped across his knee at a ball wasn’t likely to preserve her reputation.

Iris sighed. “They will talk anyway about you singling me out, given my situation. You should ask Miss Quartermane or Miss Beasley to dance so the gossips have nothing to consider.”

Martin shook his head as irritation gripped him. Propriety be damned. After making a few discreet inquiries, he’d learned a little more of Iris’s life. Her so-called closest friends had dropped her acquaintance as fast as they possibly could after her father’s indebtedness had been revealed. Once her engagement to Lord Grindlewood had ended too, she had been rudely snubbed. It was no wonder she’d believed herself a poor candidate for marriage. He wasn’t leaving her side tonight to dance with someone who didn’t interest him in the slightest. “I need only dance with you.”

Desire to kiss her into a happier frame of mind grew and he eased closer to her side until her arm touched his. It was a comfort to stand beside a woman and know that tomorrow, or the next day, or the next, she might always be there.

Across the room, an older woman with silver hair waved her fingers in his direction. Martin didn’t recognize her and looked to Iris for information.

“Lady Catherine Berry,” Iris supplied. “She’s great fun and not at all high in the instep.”

“Ah,” Martin said, nodding to Lady Berry. “She has a daughter, if I recall.”

“Angela. She was a good friend of mine once.”

“Was?”

“Not everything can remain as we would hope it will. Only her mother acknowledges me now.” Iris fluttered her fan before her face. “Those pesky consequences I spoke of to Whitney have a way of ending friendships.”

Martin glanced across the room again, frowning. When he married Iris, he would ensure a great many wrongs done to her would be corrected.

As they stood together, Iris kept up her stream of information. She seemed to know everyone he did not and that pleased him. Their marriage would gain them much if only he could hide the existence of his daughter. He was worried about how she might take the news and he still had no idea what should be done with the child. He’d always believed total honesty had its places but perhaps not before they wed. He acquired two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter for Iris and himself.

Iris refused hers. “It is not wise for you to single me out like this, my lord.”

“Possibly so but I hate to deny you the pleasure. Do take it.”

She accepted but it was grudgingly done. “Are you going to be a bossy protector too?”

“What?” He stared at her in shock. Surely she realized he’d offered her marriage rather than the disrespect of a scandalous liaison?

“There you are at last,” a woman exclaimed from his left, and Martin turned quickly to see who had interrupted.

“Mrs. Ward?” It was a relief to see Helena Ward and not someone else. He took her offered hand in his and squeezed her fingers. “What an astonishing surprise to see you returned to London.”

“It’s been far too long since I’ve laid eyes on you too.” She drew close and licked her lips in a way that had once tortured him when they’d been lovers. Now, however, only a pleasant memory stirred. “I arrived in Town only last week. The house has been at sixes and sevens. But I would always open my doors for you.”

Her eyes flickered past his shoulder. “Do we know each other, madam?”

Martin turned to find Iris watching his conversation with Helena through narrowed eyes. “No. I am a friend of Lady Heathcote’s.”

“And mine,” Whitney piped up, slipping her arm through Iris’s affectionately. “Do excuse us. I see some friends I wish to introduce Iris to.”

Martin was grateful, even if Whitney scowled at him severely.

Embarrassment filled Martin. If he had found Alexander Hedley already she would have described herself as his betrothed. He couldn’t fathom how no one had news of him. “Miss Hedley is a very good friend of mine.”

 
“Well, you do have many friends. So that is your cousin, I take it,” Helena remarked, overlooking Iris’s importance to him. “I recognize her by the red hair and hostile gaze you described so well when we were together, but she is much prettier than you led me to believe,” Helena said with an amused shake of her head.

“That’s the one.” Martin grimaced. “What brings you back to London?”

“You.” She laughed a touch nervously before linking arms with his and forcing him to walk with her. “I have a proposition for you.”

“Oh?” He couldn’t fathom what she could suggest. It had been a long time since they’d had anything to do with each other. Helena had married well, moved to the seaside and gotten on with her life. He hadn’t pined for her company.

She smiled up at him warmly. “I find myself in need of a protector.”

Martin stepped back from her in surprise. “I am flattered, madam, but I cannot oblige you.”

She looked crestfallen. “Wardie left me next to nothing to live on. As soon as I came back to London there were strange men calling on me, demanding payment. I cannot afford these debts.”

Alarmed, he caught her arm and began walking the room with her again. “Mr. Ward must have died three years ago. What sort of fellows are coming around?”

“Shopkeepers for the most part. They just don’t have any patience to listen to reason.”

Martin sighed. “The debts have nothing to do with expenses incurred while Mr. Ward lived, do they?”

She had the wisdom to appear shamefaced. “If he’d provided better for me, I would not have this concern.

“Living beyond your means is no excuse.” However, he couldn’t abandon a friend. “I’ll send my man of business to you to assess the problem and intercede with these men on your behalf.”

She clutched his hand tight. “Oh, I knew you would still love me after all this time.”

Martin quickly retrieved his hand. Helena was an exuberant creature but he certainly did not love her. He would not like her to misunderstand his intent. “Mr. Barker will be the one to help you sort through this mess this time but you must promise to curb your impulsive habits.”