A Matchmaking Miss (19 page)

"But that's dreadful!" Lady Sarah exclaimed with a horrified laugh, her head tilted to one side as she smiled up at him. "And that is how you came to be called ’Tiger Dunstable'?"

"Not a particularly flattering reason, I grant you," Joss said with a smile, "but I console myself with the knowledge that it could have been worse."

"Yes, you might have been eaten!"

"Or I could have been become known as 'Crocodile Dunstable' — a far more ignominious fate, as I am sure you will agree!"

Matty felt an odd sense of betrayal as they strolled out of sight. She'd twice asked Joss how he'd come to bear the odd nickname, only to be told it was none of her concern. Evidently he considered it Lady Sarah's concern, she thought waspishly — and then she slowly clapped a hand over her mouth in horror. She stood like that for several seconds, trying desperately to deny the truth she'd been ignoring for the past several weeks. But it would not be denied. She had fallen in love with Joss.

Chapter Eleven

Her first instinct was to run, to hide — but where could one hide from oneself? Her next impulse was to close her mind to her own emotions and pray the madness would somehow pass. When that also failed, she knew there was nothing left to do but accept the painful reality of her own imprudence. Blinking back scalding tears, she turned and began making her way back toward the house.

Asking herself how she could have been so patently stupid as to fall for a man so far above her station was superfluous, and rather than wasting few precious seconds berating herself for her foolish behavior, she concentrated instead on what she was going to do about it. There was only one thing of which she was certain, and that was if Joss did marry Lady Sarah, then she would leave Kirkswood.

The realization made her wince. She loved the beautiful old estate, and in the most secret recesses of her heart she acknowledged that she had begun to regard it as her home. Leaving it would tear her soul from her, but she didn't see that there was a choice. There was no way she could stay and witness Joss's happiness without becoming as bitter and hateful as Juliana.

Perhaps she could convince Lady Louisa to retire to one of the other properties, she thought hopefully as she entered the house. Or there was always London. Lady Louisa was young yet, and still very beautiful. Why shouldn't she want to reenter the social whirl? She'd long since come out of mourning for Lord Frederick, and —

"
Lady Louisa!
" The shocked exclamation burst from her lips at the sight of her mistress locked in a passionate embrace with Mr. Fitzsimmons.

At the sound of her voice the two lovers looked up, but they didn't seem in the least perturbed at having been caught in what could only be termed a compromising position. In fact, they were smiling. "You may be the first to offer us your congratulations, Miss Stone," Raj said calmly, his arms locked about Louisa's waist. "Lady Louisa has just done me the very great honor of accepting my pro
posal."

Matty took grim pride that she didn't succumb to the vapors as shock piled upon shock. "I see," she said calmly, forcing her bemused brain to function. "In that case, allow me to be the first to wish you all happiness."

Louisa's smile faded at the odd note in Matty's voice. "Are . . . are you certain you don't object?" she asked uncertainly. "I know this is rather sudden, but — "

"Of course I don't object!" Matty exclaimed, angry with herself for casting a pall on what was surely the happiest moment of Louisa's life. "I am just . . . surprised, that is all."

"I love her, Miss Stone," Raj confessed, still dazed to learn that his passion and his love were more than returned by Louisa. "And I give you my most solemn vow that I will do all that is within my power to keep her safe and happy."

Gazing into those stunning blue eyes Matty realized he was speaking the truth, and her heart overflowed with joy for the couple. "See that you do, sir," she scolded in a mock-ferocious voice, making no effort to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "Else you shall have
me
to contend with!"

"A threat guaranteed to keep me on the straight and narrow." Raj deposited another
kiss on his fiancée's cheek before stepping back. "Now, if you will pardon me, my dearest, it is time I was bearding Joss in his study and asking his permission for your hand. A mere formality . . . I hope."

"Joss — Lord Kirkswood isn't in his study," Matty stammered, her voice almost betraying her. "You'll find him and Lady Sarah in the garden."

"Will I?" Raj's teeth flashed in a wicked grin. "Well, then, that is where I shall look. Who knows, perhaps if I am lucky he is also making a proposal, and will be more receptive to me."

After he'd gone there was an awkward silence, and then Louisa said, "I hope you truly wish me happy, Matty, for I do love Rajana so very much."

Discarding the relationship of employer to mistress, Matty rushed forward to embrace the marchioness. "I am ecstatic for you," she said, laughing and crying at the same time. "You have had so much unhappiness in your life, how could I help but be delighted for you now? You are a wonderful person, and I can think of no one more deserving of happiness."

Tears filled Louisa's eyes as she returned Matty's hug. "The same might be said of you, you know," she said, drawing back to smile at
her companion. "And I want you to know that you shall always have a home with me. We probably won't remain in England, but you will be more than welcome to accompany us wherever we go."

The thought of being a witness to Lady Louisa and Mr. Fitzsimmon's happiness was almost as unbearable as remaining to watch Joss and Lady Sarah, and in that moment Matty knew she couldn't do it. "I'll think about it," she promised, not wishing to dampen the marchioness's joy. "Meanwhile, what about the ceremony? Will you be marrying here or in London?"

"Dearest Matty, I knew I could count upon you!" Lady Louisa's laugh was that of a delighted child. "You are the most sensible creature I have ever met in my life!"

Matty dredged up a shaky smile. "Yes, that is me," she said, fighting back the pain, "sensible to the core. Now, let us begin planning. You'll be wanting an engagement ball, of course . . ."

The news of Louisa and Raj's engagement both stunned and delighted the guests. After much excited talk it was decided to extend the house party another week, and to invite several other guests as well. Both Louisa's parents
were dead, but her elder brother was alive, and a rider was sent to Surrey with a note inviting him and his wife to the festivities. Preparations for the engagement ball began at once, and in between arranging that and finalizing the originally planned ball, which was to be held in two days' time, Matty had little time to brood over the state of her own heart.

She welcomed the distraction, driving herself into a numbing stage of exhaustion. Instead of delegating the work to others she insisted upon doing everything herself, refusing help from everyone except Lady Louisa. She knew she was being foolish, but it was only when she was lost in the details of planning the balls that she was able to forget her own pain. It was a poor panacea at best, but it was the only one available, and she clung to it with desperate determination.

In addition to planning the balls she also had the work of the estate to keep her occupied. It was late May, and the farms about the manor house were already showing promise of a rich harvest. On the day of the first ball Matty was busy arranging rooms for the new guests who would be arriving within a few days, when the maid appeared with a message for her.

"From the Delvaynes', miss," the young maid said, handing her the note. "Her babe
has come."

"How wonderful!" Matty exclaimed, tearing open the note and scanning the crudely written message the midwife had sent. One word in particular puzzled her, but she was finally able to decipher it. "Oh my heavens!" she cried, leaping to her feet. "She has had twins!"

"Twins!" The maid's homely face lit with glee. "Saints save us!"

"More like the saints save Mrs. Delvayne," Matty replied with a laugh, tucking the note in her pocket. "I shall have to ride out at once to visit her. Have Cook prepare a basket, and ask Mrs. Lawford for some blankets and the like. They will be needing a great deal of cloth, I'm thinking."

While the maid rushed off to do as she was asked, Matty went directly to Joss's study. He'd mentioned only yesterday that he was worried about Mrs. Delvayne, otherwise she would never have bothered him. She'd been doing her best to avoid him since realizing her love, and she felt a guilty pang of relief when there was no answer to her knock. The footman told her he and some of the other guests had ridden off for a picnic, and after asking him to inform the marquess of the blessed event she dashed up to change into her riding habit.

The food basket was waiting for her when she reached the stable, but when she asked for her Hippolyta she was shocked to learn that Juliana had ridden off with her. "She took
my
horse?" she demanded of the stablehand. "Good heavens, why? There must be at least five other horses available to her!"

"Not today, Miss Stone," the ostler said with an apologetic shrug. "What with that picnic 'n' all, ain't a beast with four hooves to be had. Except for the sheep, miss, an' I don't think ye'd be requiring them."

"The carriage horses are out, too?" she asked, frowning as her alternative plan collapsed about her.

"Yes, Miss Stone."

Matty reached a swift decision. "Well, there's no help for it, then, I shall simply have to walk," she said, bending down to pick up the basket. "I'll take the food out first, and the minute the carriage is back I want the rest sent to the Delvaynes."

The ostler pleaded with her to take a footman to carry the heavy basket, but Matty firmly refused. Not only could they not spare one from the house, but she preferred being alone. The long walk to the farm cottage would give her time to sort out her emotions, she decided, placing the basket over her arm as she struck out on foot.

The afternoon sun shone brightly in the sky, and all about her she could hear the sounds of nature drifting on the flower-scented breeze. Bees buzzed among the blossoming clover, the birds sang and chattered as they fed their young, and in the distance she could hear the baying of a dog as it chased a rabbit. How she would miss these sounds when she was gone, she thought, shifting the basket from one arm to another. They had grown as dear to her as the sweetest symphony, and she knew that no matter where she went, she would always remember Kirkswood when she heard a lark's song. As she would remember Joss, she added silently, her heart breaking quietly inside her.

News of the double birth was just now making the rounds, and Matty wasn't surprised to find the cottage full of excitedly chattering women when she arrived. She paused long enough to ooh and ah over the babies — both boys, the grandmother proudly informed her — and then she handed the basket to one of the other ladies to be put away. She also enjoined the midwife to make sure the exhausted mother wasn't exerting herself, and then quietly took her leave. With the ball being held that night there was still a great deal left to be done, and she was anxious to get started.

But because it was such a beautiful afternoon, she decided to strike out across the sheep pasture rather than taking the most direct route through the fields. She was enjoying the feel of the sun on her face and the wind tugging playfully at her hair, and wasn't paying particular attention to where she was going. But even if she had been, it was likely she still wouldn't have seen the badger hole in time.

"Oh!" She gave a startled cry as the ground gave way beneath her feet. She tried catching her step, only to groan as a sharp pain tore through her leg. Her hand flew out to protect her as she fell, but it was too late. Her head struck the ground with a resounding smack, and even as she cried out again, the world went abruptly black.

"Please, my lord, will you kindly hold still!" the valet wailed, perspiration dotting his forehead as he struggled to tie the cravat about Joss's throat. "I cannot tie this properly if you persist in hopping about the room."

"Then hurry, blast it," Joss grumbled, hating the necessity of having a valet. He could hear the sounds of preparation drifting in from the hall, and his stomach clenched in nervous anticipation. Not in fear, he assured
himself sternly. He was on edge, certainly, but he refused to admit that hosting his first ball at Kirkswood was enough to terrify him.

Thoughts of Kirkswood led automatically to Matty, and he wondered if she meant to attend the ball. She'd done an amazing job of avoiding him over the past several days, and he'd gone half-mad wondering what he might have said to upset her. He tried discussing the matter with Raj, but his usually sensible friend had descended into idiocy upon becoming engaged, and it was pointless attempting to have an intelligent conversation with him. He'd also sought out Valen, only to be frozen to the marrow for his pains. His old friend seemed to detest him these days, and Joss was beginning to grow frustrated. Had the entire world gone mad around him? he brooded with indignation.

"There! Perfection, my lord, sheer perfection," Linton sighed, stepping back to admire his handiwork. "No! For heaven's sake, do not bend your head! You will wrinkle the cloth!"

"Oh, bloody hell, what good is a neckcloth if you can't move your neck?" Joss complained, although he was careful not to do so. He wasn't about to endure another hour standing in an awkward position while Linton fluttered about him muttering about lace and points.

When his jacket had been smoothed on to Linton's exacting requirements he went down to the drawing room, where he found Raj and Louisa waiting for him. "Don't tell me you two have been billing and cooing again," he grumbled, albeit with a twinkle in his eye. "You're worse than a pair of lovestruck adolescents."

"And you're worse than a gouty old uncle," Louisa replied, having long since lost her fear of her formidable brother-in-law. "No wonder Matty has been so irritated with you; you have been impossible these past few days."