Already His (The Caversham Chronicles - Book Two) (14 page)

His friend gave him a wan smile, then exhaled the smoke he held. “Thankfully, she seems more interested in the abundance of young bucks making the rounds this year than hounding you. I gave her a very stern lecture about comporting herself in a ladylike manner, as befits her station, else she’d get sent back to Haldenwood, or worse, I’ll send her to The Box, and there would be no other seasons for her.” As Michael hooted with laughter, Ren continued, “I think I got my point across.”

“About tonight,” Michael said, “are we going to the Holderman’s? It’s expected to be a crush, as usual.”

“I believe so, though I’m not sure yet. Marcus hasn’t been feeling well, so Lia and I may not attend. But Elise and Beverly have been looking forward to it since the invitation arrived. If we do attend, I will have to avoid the card and billiard rooms. I will play the courteous, attentive spouse and entertain my wife and her friends—all the while watching over my sister.”

“Nothing serious with my godson, is there?”

“According to Prescott, he’s teething. But you know me, old man. When it comes to those I love, I’m ever cautious.” Ren chuckled. “Lia thought my bringing the doctor around was premature, but damn it, Marcus is my son and if I want reassurance from a physician, then I shall have it.”

Michael tapped the ash of his cheroot into the ashtray, and resumed his relaxed posture. “Though I fully acknowledge the fact that I have a responsibility to provide an heir, I don’t know that I’m ready for the ups and downs being a husband and father entails.” He flicked at an invisible speck on his coat sleeve. “I rather liked my nice, orderly existence without the added emotional complications. When the time comes to marry, I shall find someone who doesn’t disturb my composure or try to rearrange my orderly routine.”

“That person doesn’t exist, I tell you,” Ren replied. “Find someone who will challenge you and upset the routine, man. I highly recommend it.”

Michael coughed, thinking there was a young lady upstairs who did just that, but taking her to bride was out of the question. “I don’t disagree, Your Grace. What is most important is finding the balance of biddable wife and divine temptress,” he said as he rose to take his leave.

“That is the challenge my friend,” Ren said, following him to the door.

“Until tonight then,” Michael said, immediately wondering if he should take the evening off and work on the stack of contracts that needed review.

“Until tonight.” Ren confirmed.

T
hat evening, as Elise prepared for the night out, she mulled over in her head how she would explain to Sinclair her absence when he’d called earlier. She decided that, instead of fabricating a tale of some minor crisis, she would simply tell him the truth. Doing so was easier on the head, not to mention the heart.

She was disappointed that he didn’t show up, and that he didn’t send a note explaining his absence. It would have been the gentlemanly thing to do. But she didn’t have long to think further on it as Beverly entered the room with a radiant smile and twirled around to reveal the gown she’d selected to wear.

Ice blue silk with dark blue flowers embroidered in a scalloped ring around the hem, the color highlighted her fair complexion magnificently. “Beverly, you’re absolutely beautiful. Have I ever told you how much I envy you your blond curls and blue eyes? Not to mention your abundance of cleavage,” she added while looking down at her own imperfection.

“Here we go again...” her friend began. “I’m beginning to think you’re fishing for compliments.”

“Not so! Have you ever noticed that when we are out together, it’s your looks that attract men to come chat with us? Of course, I hold my own during the conversations, but I have no illusions as it concerns my average looks. My eyes are set too far apart, my nose is too wide, and my mouth far too big.”

“You’re also too skinny, and your hair is too straight.” said her grandmother as she entered Elise’s room.

“Yes, I know, Grandmother, but I can do nothing about any of it.”

Both girls laughed at the truth in her statement.

“All those features you described fit beautifully on
you,
darling girl.” Her grandmother waved her cane impatiently, saying, “Come, it’s time to be off. We have only one gentleman with us tonight as your brother has decided to stay in after all.”

Elise exchanged a look with Beverly before linking arms with her dearest friend, and stepping out of her room and into the waiting night.

S
hortly after Michael arrived at Caversham House to pick up the ladies, he and Ren stood in the drawing room discussing the security measures surrounding the ladies. “There will be three guards at the Holderman residence, one in front, one in back, and one inside. I’ve added another groom to the coach. They are all armed.”

“How did you get a man inside at Holderman’s?” Michael asked. “Is he a footman?”

“No. Cartland has a gentleman working for him. The man is a former spy for the crown and the second son of a lower-ranking noble. His name is Mr. Stephen Carroll. My secretary is now securing an invitation to all events we will be attending for the rest of the season. The man will come and introduce himself to you. Introduce him to the ladies as your friend. Do the same for him as you would for any other peer we come in contact with.

“The ladies know nothing of the increased security. I’d hate for them to worry, and as I told Cartland, this is likely for just a few weeks, to make certain Sinclair is respecting the boundaries I set him.” The men heard the chatter of the women as they came down the stairs. Ren added, “I cannot ask you to refrain from the gaming, but I would be forever indebted to you if you’d keep an eye on them for me.”

“There’s no fun in stripping those dilettantes of their fortunes.” Michael pulled at his cuffs, and straightened his coat. “I’d rather have the challenge of besting you out of a few shillings, than taking vowels from amateurs.”

“Same for me,” Ren laughed, then took a sip of his brandy.

The ladies’ voices drew closer as they came down the stairs, and Michael noted his friend’s concerned expression. “Don’t worry,” he said, “I shall keep her in my sight at all times.”

“Right. Well, that’s about all I can ask, isn’t it?”

Both men watched as Lady Sewell, Elise and Beverly entered the room. Michael’s breath caught in his chest when he saw her, an airy vision in pale green silk with ivory lace accents. The scoop neckline revealed a modest amount of cleavage. A large pear shaped diamond fell from the center of a perfectly matched set of pearls to settle invitingly into the hollow just above her breasts. Diamond and pearl drops graced her delicate earlobes and a tiara of pearls and diamonds rested on her short brown hair. The image she presented was one of true sophistication and elegance. As always, her amber eyes sparkled full of life as they met his gaze.

The only thing he could think was
how could this have happened
? The hoyden who dangled from a trellis, who’d swung from tree limbs over head as she spied on him endlessly as young man, had morphed from her cocoon and emerged a magnificent butterfly. A beautiful butterfly. His heart hammered in his chest and he felt rooted to the spot as Ren stepped forward.

How was he going to explain this... this...
change
in his feelings to Ren?

His friend cleared his throat and Michael’s gaze snapped to Ren’s. “Ah, yes,” Michael muttered as he came forward to greet Lady Sewell.

Ren did the same and after kissing her cheek, she said, “I spoke to Lia in the hallway just before knocking on Elise’s door. She said to tell you that Marcus is sleeping for now. I told her she should nap as well because the babe will be up again soon enough.”

They placed the ladies’ pelisses over their shoulders. Catching a faint whiff of Elise’s delicate lavender perfume, Michael wished he could linger near her, wished he could touch her. He fought the urge because of the presence of her brother.

There couldn’t be a repeat of last night’s folly. He had to avoid putting both of them in such a situation again—at least until he could work out what these emotions were he was experiencing. It wasn’t fair to Elise, nor Ren, and it was putting a strain on his self control.

Michael assisted the ladies into the carriage bearing the Caversham crest and the driver cued the team into traffic. Soon the conversation continued from the foyer. “Sometimes I think my brother worries excessively about us. It feels smothering at times.”

Lady Sewell came to her grandson’s defense. “Be thankful he cares, dear. There are many who do not. We all know men who have left the raising of children to staff, dictating rules from a distance.”

Michael nodded. Turning to Elise he said, “We are taught as boys that honor, keeping our word, and protecting what is ours, whether that is our family or our possessions, is everything to a man. Your brother is just doing what his father did before him, and what he will teach his sons to do as well.”

It was the truth, but Michael would never reveal to the ladies that there had been times of very real threat to their family in the past. Ren had successfully hidden the facts of their father and stepmother’s deaths because he didn’t want Elise to think of her cousin as a murderer. And now there was this threat of Sinclair looming over them. Michael knew his friend very well, and he knew that he would worry for Elise until she was safely wed and settled in the home of a new protector, her husband.

By the time they arrived at the Holderman’s mansion, their mood had lightened and all were in good humor. This served them well for the line to disembark and enter the stately home was horrendously long.

Michael dread the night ahead. He hated the thought of having to watch over Elise as she danced and courted her many suitors, and considered this his due penance for stealing that kiss the night before. The kiss he couldn’t forget. The one that both of them had avoided discussing. He really did have to clear that up with her soon. Michael didn’t want her to believe that kiss meant as much to him as it did. If Elise knew the power she held over him.... He was afraid to speculate where such knowledge would lead. She was the type of girl who take the knowledge and use it to her best advantage, twining his heart around her long, delicate fingers.

The ballroom was filled to capacity by the time they entered and a waltz was underway. It seemed to Michael that all eyes turned to stare at their party when they were announced. Once he ascertained that Sinclair was not in attendance, he left the ladies to seek out their acquaintances and have their fun. He stood on the far side of the ballroom, near the open terrace doors, and did as he’d promised his friend—stood sentinel over Elise.

A tall and lean well dressed young man, no more than twenty-five, came to him in the corner of the ballroom. His dark hair and eyes were likely considered good-looking by the ladies. Michael wondered who the un-jaded fresh-faced lad was, and what he wanted. Probably an introduction to someone he knew. He gave the man a slight smile, acknowledging him.

“Lord Camden,” the young man said, “I am Mr. Stephen Carroll, I work for Mr. Cartland.”

Michael lifted a curious brow. “Are you certain you have the experience necessary, Mr. Carroll?”

A hardened glint flashed in the younger man’s eyes, but his expression remained poised, collected. Michael was impressed. “I assure you my lord, I am more than qualified.” Lifting a flute from the tray as a footman passed, he continued. “Now, as I am only just arrived, may I ask who is the young lady I am to keep watch on?”

Michael kept his skepticism to himself, knowing he would also be with Elise as she attending functions in the evening, pointed her out in the crowd. “She’s the tall one in mint green with ivory lace, short brown hair.” He didn’t want to say he thought she was the most beautiful young woman in the room that night, but he certainly thought it.

“Thank you sir. I shall make myself known to her. Would you care to make the introductions, or should someone else. According to His Grace, he believes she might balk at having a guard, so she’ll not learn of my position from me, nor my partners outside.”

“I thank you, Mr. Carroll,” Michael said. “It is perhaps best to find someone else. Lady Elise is rather miffed with me at the moment, and might suspect something if I were to make the introductions. Do you know anyone here from among your set, that could make them?” At the man’s nod, Michael gave a relieved sigh. “Good. Then let’s hope the evening is quiet, sir.”

Soon after Mr. Carroll began to weave his way into the crowd, several of Michael’s peers came to join him and they discussed the mundane trivialities they usually did at events of the sort. Several times he was asked why he didn’t make for the gaming rooms and he replied with the banal excuse of either enjoying the view from where he stood, or not being in a mood for games. It wasn’t until after he’d said them that he realized they weren’t excuses at all.

“I say Camden, is the rumor true?” Lord Randolph, a paunchy man some years his senior, held a respected position in Parliament.

“Depends on the rumor, I suppose,” he replied. “What have you heard?”

“That you’re on a bride hunt,” the older man said, and quickly added, “I realize you’re in mourning, but....” The man seemed uneasy with the topic. “if the rumor were true, I have a daughter with the face and voice of an angel.”

The gentleman on his right coughed a fit and his poppycock of a friend slapped him on the back, as though to revive a dying man.