A Lord Rotheby's Holiday Bundle (52 page)

Lord Rotheby continued, “Laurence, my
lady, I am sure you both remember Alex. Although I would wager he
was hardly more than a boy the last time you saw him. He is still
as much of a rascal as ever, I can assure you.” He chuckled,
despite the fact that it caused him to cough again. “I am so sorry.
My health is not quite the thing today.”

The butler returned with the tea and
poured a cup to ease Lord Rotheby’s cough before excusing
himself.

Alex smiled and greeted the
Kensingtons warmly. “My lord, my lady, it is certainly a pleasure
to see you again. Gil tells me you keep him company while he wastes
away here in the country.” He passed a facetious grin in the earl’s
direction, and Grace tried to cover a laugh by taking a sip from
her cup. “It is good to know he has some friends nearby who can put
up with him in his old age.”

Then he turned his gaze on her, and
her cheeks heated again. “And Lady Grace, it is a privilege to make
your acquaintance.”

Lord Alexander took a seat in an
armchair next to Lord Rotheby and across from Grace, and she tried
not to stare at him. She sat on the couch, nodding and making her
“Mm’s” and “Ah’s” in the appropriate places, but paying more
attention to her own thoughts and the man she had encountered the
previous afternoon than she did to the discussion. She peeked at
him over her teacup a few times, hoping not to be caught in such a
bold act.

Why had he twice stared at her so
forthrightly? She hoped she could to find the reason in his eyes or
his deportment. He was not being intentionally churlish in his
assessment of her, but he more than put her nerves on
edge.

Why was his curiosity about
her so strong? Could he be aware of her identity? Maybe he had
followed her—possibly at Father’s command. Or perhaps he had been
one of the men at White’s the night Barrow had told his tale of her
so-called
indiscretions
with him.

She hoped not. Grace had
hoped Somerton could provide her with some privacy, with a place to
hide. The last thing she needed was for someone other than her aunt
and uncle to know why she was there. If they were to spend much
time in his presence, and he
knew
—she did not think she could hide
her shame. On top of it all, her aunt and uncle did not yet know
the true reasons for her visit.

Oh gracious heavens. What would she do
if he informed them before she could? They would turn her out in an
instant.

After yet another long gaze at Lord
Alexander over her teacup, Grace caught sight of Aunt Dorothea’s
knowing stare focused her. Drat it all. She looked away quickly.
She had no idea if her aunt was the matchmaking sort, but since
Grace was not matchmaking material, she saw no reason to encourage
such behavior one way or the other.

One thing was certain—Grace
needed to spend as much time
away
from Lord Alexander as possible, which did not
seem a terribly easy prospect at this juncture. She would likely be
thrust into his path at many turns, since the earl and the
Kensingtons were dear friends. The last thing she needed was Aunt
Dorothea trying to increase the amount of time she would be
required to be in the blasted man’s presence.

Grace tried to return her
focus to the conversation at hand, while attempting to avoid the
gazes of both her Aunt
and
Lord Alexander. Neither of which turned out to be
easy. Lord Alexander brazenly watched her, and Aunt Dorothea
cheerily eyed them both.

This could turn out to be a very long
tea, indeed.

~ * ~

When Alex turned to greet Gil’s
guests, he pasted a smile on his face. He remembered the
Kensingtons from his years growing up in Somerton, though not well,
and he mentally braced himself to play the gallant gentleman for
their young niece.

He expected Lady Grace to be a young
chit, not yet out in society. After all, if she was already out in
society and still unmarried, why wouldn’t she stay in Town for the
season? What young girl would choose to remain in the country when
she could enjoy the grandeur of London in spring? Instead, he was
shocked to find the very young woman whose eyes had haunted his
dreams last night.

Alex studied her eyes, searching to
see what was real and what had been only a dream. A hint of sadness
rested in their depths, and also the shadow of fear. He stared far
longer than was polite, but couldn’t seem to turn away from the
cold, blue eyes that had frozen holes into his mind, nor from the
face of their owner.

She had porcelain skin and hair as
black as midnight. Like yesterday, it was pulled into a tight
chignon at the back of her head, with not a single strand out of
place. A pale, rose bonnet sat atop her lap and matched the cambric
of her simple dress—one with none of the lace and bobs his sisters
seemed so inclined to adorn their own with. An unpretentious ribbon
tied her hair in place.

She needed no adornments. Lady Grace
was as close to perfection as Alex imagined he’d ever see in his
lifetime. An unwanted vision passed through her mind—this
revelation of a lady with her hair flowing free around her
shoulders in some sheer, gauzy confection. The image turned his
thoughts in a much different direction, and he forced himself to
think of something else—anything else—lest he embarrass himself
before Gil’s guests.

He greeted them with a lighthearted
joke to ease his way into the conversation. Then he settled in an
armchair next to Rotheby as they smiled and nodded in his
direction. His friend’s coughing was certainly a concern, but
focusing on anything at all soon proved virtually
impossible.

Anything, that is, other than Lady
Grace Abernathy.

The young woman had the
English rose complexion currently in favor, but her dark hair gave
it an entirely different effect than was
de rigueur
. She was hardly what most
of the
beau monde
would fawn over at all. For that matter, she wasn’t even
cheerful. He had no idea why she ought to consume his thoughts in
such a way. Alex had never heard her utter a word. Christ, she
could be mute or dumb, for all he knew.

On top of it all, he had come to
Somerton to get away from Mama’s matchmaking schemes and determine
how he was to spend his time to for the remainder of his life.
Matters had not yet been settled for Priscilla and Harry. He had no
business thinking of Lady Grace; he needed to determine his own
course before he could worry about becoming responsible for anyone
else.

But focus on her he did.
Blast it, why was he thinking about how she’d look in something
sheer? He didn’t even
like
the girl, for God’s sake.

As the small party talked, he
occasionally caught a glimpse of Lady Grace looking slyly over her
teacup to watch him. He’d be damned if she didn’t remember him from
the inn as well, though she gave no outward indication to anyone
else. Why was she so curious about him that she would sneak covert
peeks at him?

Lady Grace never interjected anything
into the conversation other than a hum of assent or the like, yet
Alex couldn’t seem to remove his eyes from her, catching a knowing
glimmer here and a bashful retreat there. For some unknown reason,
he yearned to discover what was going on inside her head and why
she felt compelled to keep it all to herself. It was almost like an
illness.

He looked away from her for a moment,
just in time to catch Lady Kensington eyeing the two of them
equally with a mischievous glint in her eye.

Damnation, could he not escape
meddling women even in Somerton? He might as well have brought his
mother with him. Better the devil he knew very well, than one he
knew not at all.

At precisely that moment, Lady
Kensington chimed in. “Goodness me, Laurence, we have been boring
these youngsters to tears. Have you noticed that neither of them
has spoken a word other than to mumble something incoherent in a
good long while? How awful we’ve been! A group of old friends
rambling on and on about the crops and hunting and such, while
these young people would obviously prefer to discuss more
fashionable things, I am sure.”

“
Oh, no ma’am, I am
delighted to discuss—”

“
Aunt Dorothea, I assure
you I am not bored by—”

But Lady Kensington interrupted them
both.

“
Lord Alexander, I believe
our Gracie was admiring the earl’s rose garden when we arrived.
Would you be so kind as to escort her for a walk through
them?”

The younger woman’s eyes widened in
protest, but her aunt pushed on.

“
I do not believe Lord
Rotheby would miss your company for a short bit, and the air would
do you both good, I am certain.”

Well. Alex supposed that settled that.
There could be no harm in walking with Lady Grace through the
gardens…could there? Perhaps she would prove more talkative than
she had during tea, but if not he would still manage.

“
Of course, ma’am. I would
be honored.” He held out his arm to assist the younger woman from
her seat. “May I?”

Lady Grace placed a tentative hand on
his arm and rose awkwardly from the sofa, using her free hand to
straighten her gown, pat at her impeccably coiffed hair, and
resituate the bonnet atop her head. She glanced to her uncle,
seemingly looking for a reprieve from the horror of spending a few
minutes alone with a strange gentleman, to Alex’s view.

Was he really so dreadful? Maybe he
hadn’t scrubbed his teeth well enough this morning. He couldn’t
understand Lady Grace’s hesitation. Still, after a moment, she
walked beside him outside into the rose gardens of Roundstone
Park.

This ought to prove
interesting.

Chapter Six

Grace couldn’t believe her aunt had
the audacity to thrust her into company with Lord Alexander
completely alone. Not even a chaperone! What on earth was she
supposed to say to this man?

Hello, Lord Alexander.
Despite my aunt’s machinations, you should endeavor to stay clear
of me. I am damaged goods and unfit company for a gentleman. For
the sake of your reputation, kindly avoid me.
Such a line of conversation could only be awkward, and
anything less would be a far cry short of the truth.

With her aunt, uncle, and Lord Rotheby
for company, she had not been forced to take part in the
conversation. But alone with a gentleman? She could hardly avoid
having to converse.

Living with her father, Grace had long
since learned it was usually best to keep her thoughts to herself.
Father only occasionally struck her, but his words and actions left
scars on her heart far more permanent than any bruise. Due to his
edicts, she had had little interaction with those of Quality,
living as a virtual hermit. Grace typically spent her days alone,
working with her paints, reading, or mending her clothes. The less
notice she attracted—and particularly that of her Father—the
better.

And now, she’d be lucky, indeed if she
managed not to trip over her words while attempting to speak to
this man. A man far too handsome for her comfort.

He was dangerous.

If her uncertainty with regard to her
aunt and uncle were not enough, now she was expected to be good
company for a handsome, eligible gentleman to whom she felt an
atrocious and exceedingly irksome attraction. Grace tried to school
her features so he wouldn’t see her panic.

Lord Alexander led her through French
doors onto a veranda, which then led out to the main path through
the gardens.

Blast, why could she not stay in the
drawing room with her aunt and uncle? There, she would not be
nearly so tempted to let her mind drift and think of all the
what-ifs of her life. What if she had not been ruined? What if she
were not with child? What if she had stayed in London and her
father would allow her to marry a gentleman other than
Barrow?

Still, it would not behoove
Grace to allow her mind to wander to those places, but this jaunt
through the gardens with Lord Alexander made it difficult not to
play such games. He was entirely too…too…too
something
. She shook her head as if
to clear it. His proximity was leaving her
muddle-headed.

Gauche girl that she was, she took his
arm and almost tripped from the shock of contact. Goodness, his
skin was hot. The heat pulled her closer when she ought to have
pulled away. It radiated across her entire side, mustering an
onslaught of unwanted reactions in her body. She tried to remember
to breathe, but her lungs and nostrils were quite non-compliant all
of a sudden.

Much to her relief, he initiated their
conversation. Drawing a full breath was difficult enough on its own
at the moment, without the added discomfort of finding something
agreeable to discuss. “We are experiencing excellent weather of
late in Somerton, Lady Grace, wouldn’t you agree?”

The heady scent of the roses in full
spring bloom wafted over them as they strolled in the early evening
sun.