Already His (The Caversham Chronicles - Book Two) (21 page)

And where he questioned her sanity back then, he now questioned his own. What brought him to this point? The point where he now returned her feelings?

How ironic it was that now
he
had to pursue
her
.

He spied Elise as she made her way through the crowd to hide behind the skirts of her grandmother. He’d let her have her fun. From his years of observing the fairer sex, he’d deduced that all ladies needed to experience the power of bringing a man in. So he’d play her game.

For the time being.

He watched her from the shadows as she danced and chatted with her friends. The lovely Lady Beverly Hepplewhite’s debut was turning into quite a successful event. When Elise disappeared through the doors onto the terrace on the arm of some young gentleman, a jealous streak raced through him. He maneuvered toward the open doorway through which they’d exited. If she cried out for help, he’d only be a matter of several steps away.

Or so he’d thought. He followed the laughing sound of her voice and that of the young man, as they strolled down to the darkened corner of the terrace. He watched as she took the young man in question by the hand and led him toward the duchess’ private garden.
The impertinent minx
.

His mind screamed to protect her, but how could he when she was going beyond the lighted terrace? Taking the stairs down onto the lawn, he traced their footsteps into the garden, careful to remain a short distance away.

When he arrived within hearing distance of their conversation, he heard her describing the virtues of the species of tiny roses climbing the trellises, and then do the same with the larger blooms. It all appeared innocent enough, until the young man’s voice turned serious.

“My lady, it is my most sincere wish that you have developed an—” Michael could swear he heard the boy’s voice squeak. “—an affection for me. And, if such is the case, I would like to ask your brother for permission to court you. We needn’t marry anytime soon unless, of course, you desire a hasty union. Which would be very welcome on my part, I assure you.”

“Lord Edgcumbe,” Elise began, and Michael knew from the tone of her voice, she was about to let the boy down. He smiled. “As flattered as I am by your declaration of affection, I feel I must be honest with you and tell you that I regard you as a friend, and nothing more. Besides you really don’t wish to tie yourself to me. Everyone will agree that I’m too shrewish and independent-minded for my own good.”

“Well, I had hoped that those qualities would be tempered by marriage to a man strong enough to tame you.”

“Ooh, ouch.” Michael winced, then fought an eruption of laughter, knowing what was to come. “Not smart Edgecumbe,” he whispered.

“Tame me?” Elise’s voice rose to the fine quality of a subtle shriek. Michael was losing the fight to remain silent. “Oh, sir! That was a poor choice of words! I’m no animal to be tamed, and you’ve barely witnessed my shrewish tongue! That said, to preserve my dignity and your addle-brained arse, I believe I’ll take my
untempered
self and return to the house.”

Michael ducked behind a statue, standing in its shadow, waiting for her to make her exit from the garden. She trod off in a huff, her beautiful gown and jewels disguising the hoyden hiding beneath. As she passed she muttered something about all men being alike.

How untrue
, he thought. Just then Edgcumbe stepped forward and noticed his presence. He appeared mortified at having his rejected declaration of affection witnessed by anyone.

“Don’t worry, Edgcumbe,” Michael said to the lad, who looked to be barely twenty-one summers. “She’s been giving me fits now for years. And she’s right, you know. As a frequent recipient of the dark side of that lady’s shrewish tongue, I can confirm she’s not for you.” He stared at her back, smiling as she entered the doors to the ballroom. “No. She’s the queen of shrews and as such, needs a match with the king of fools.”

He left the young Edgcumbe behind to lick his wounds and followed in Elise’s wake.

U
pon reentering the ballroom, Elise accepted the first dance she was invited to join. Perhaps she had been a tad naive, now that she thought about it. Edgcumbe’s interest wasn’t really in the roses her grandmother grew, he’d wanted to get her alone so he could profess feelings for her. The whelp barely knew her. Never had she given him reason to think she felt anything other than amity for him.

She smiled and thanked her partner and returned to the relative safety of her sister-in-law’s side. Ren and Michael, she was sure, were in the card room, likely raking in as much coin as their opponents cared to risk.

A familiar voice came from behind her, so low it almost whispered, and so close she felt the warmth of his breath on her neck. Her body trembled and her heart stopped as she recognized his scent, his presence behind her. “Dance with me, Elise.” At one time this was her fantasy. This would have been her dream come true. But tonight it took everything in her to try to ignore him. She had to remember this was the same man who had kissed her just last week, then cavalierly said there could be no future for them because he would honor a promise to her brother over a chance at love. She straightened, glanced to Lia to make sure she was still conversing with the matron to her left, then turned her head and shot him a glare. “You know you want to,” he said with a devilish grin.

“You’re in mourning, remember. Besides, you have no idea what I want Michael. If I had my way, I’d strangle you myself then hang you from the highest tower.”

“You wound me, my lady. May I ask why you wish me so... dead?”

“Your actions will surely get me banished from town by my brother. Now go away!”

“He can’t send you anywhere I can’t retrieve you.” He leaned in close and took her hand, the simple act causing her insides to tremble. “Come with me Elise. Now.”

“Why are you doing this?” she hissed.

“I’m not quite sure why,” he said honestly.

“Well, until you know, leave me be.” She took two steps away from him.

Instead of doing what she’d asked, he caught her elbow and led her behind the orchestra’s screened backdrop, and through a hidden door which opened into the servants workstation. He continued through the connecting narrow hallway, until they emerged in the library. The door closing behind them just in time, as Elise heard two footmen pass by chatting as they carried trays of beverages.

“Michael,” she protested. He ignored her, still pulling her along behind him. His actions tonight were truly going to cause her banishment. He knew Elise wouldn’t put up a fight. Not because of any fear of what her brother might do, but because this was Beverly’s night, and Beverly didn’t deserve such behavior from her.

They went through the library doors onto the family’s private terrace, around the corner from where she’d just been minutes ago with young Edgecumbe, well beyond the flaming torches lighting the main terrace outside the ballroom. There he pulled her into his embrace and led her in the remainder of a waltz Elise recognized. It was one of the shorter waltzes, but that didn’t matter. If her presence was missed in the ballroom, it would bring gossip down onto her. Damn him.

“Do you
want
to ruin me?” she demanded.

He gave her a wicked smile, one barely visible in the minimal light spilling out from the house. “Not in the way you think.” He twirled her around and brought her back into hold. “Will you come to my mother’s birthday celebration?” he asked as he moved them gracefully around the table and chairs.

“I haven’t decided,” she replied, curious to see if he really wanted her at his home, or if he was playing the gracious host. Not that she didn’t believe her sister-in-law and grandmother, but Michael did have a recent history of uncertainty when it came to his desires. “I am exhausted because of this hectic schedule we’ve kept, and I thought to perhaps go home for the week to rest.” She scrunched up her nose as they danced. “I have a lingering sniffle still.” She hoped God would forgive her the tiny lie.

“You can rest at Woodhenge. I assure you it’s large enough to find solitude wherever you wish.”

“No,” she repeated, refusing to look at him.

“Then who will give mother her kittens?”

“You can, they are your gift to her.”

“No. The kittens are your gift. My gift to my mother is something else altogether.”

“Oh?” She lifted a brow, curious as to what he’d found to purchase for his mother. “What did you get her?”

“I remembered something you said the other day, about the most perfect gifts not necessarily being something you buy, but one that comes from the heart.” He whirled her around. “And that is all I will say on the subject. If you wish to know what I’m giving my mother, you’ll have to attend her party.”

Elise pretended to struggle with indecision. She was going, even though she knew time with him in such a close confine would make her fall even more helplessly under this spell he was weaving. The entire week her brother would be watching her closely, and if he so much as thought she was annoying Michael, he’d make good his threat to send her to Scotland.

Elise turned a smile up to him and said, “I’ll come. But only if I have your word that you’ll do nothing that will get me banished.”

“You have my word,” he said with all sincerity.

“For some reason I’m having difficulty believing you,” she muttered as she looked up at him, never missing a step.

He chuckled, and the deep sound resonated within her. “I see I must prove myself to you.”

He turned her with a great flourish as the last faint strains from the orchestra were coming to a close. “We’ll see about that,” she snipped. Stepping away from his hold she said, “Tomorrow I must ride in Regent’s Park at three o’clock to meet with the children, as it has been one week. Would you care to come to see that I am right about them not showing up?”

“I believe I shall.”

Michael bowed to her in the solitude of the private terrace, then took her hand and led her back to her grandmother and Lia’s side.

“Your Grace,” Elise said, when she saw a lapse in her conversation with the matron, “Would you happen to know where my brother is?”

Lia leaned forward to say for Elise and Michael’s benefit alone, “In his office. I believe he said he needed to find something at the bottom of a bottle of whiskey.”

Her grandmother hooted with laughter, and behind her Michael coughed, catching Ren’s humor. People around them began to turn their heads and look toward their party. “Perhaps I’ll go help him find what he’s looking for.” He bowed to both ladies and nodded to her before leaving to find her brother.

E
arly the next morning, Elise went to Beverly’s room to talk with her before she left for her father’s home. Hearing voices and movement within, Elise knocked once, the door opened from within and she ran straight into her friend.

“I was just coming to look for you,” Beverly said, retreating back into her bedroom. “I thought you might still be asleep.”

“How can I sleep knowing you’re moving out today?”

“As I’ve said before, I’ll only be a short drive away.”

“Right. Well, did you have a good debut, my lady?”

Beverly hugged her tight. “Yes! It was an amazing night. And before I forget, Caroline Randolph has more than fluff between her ears. She’s amazing with numbers, statistics, probability, and such. And that’s what she and the Captain have in common. Did you know she’s the reason her family is solvent today. She took over her father’s investments when he proved unable to turn a coin. She met Wilson when she needed a man to make her trades on the ’change. It’s really quite a romantic story. I think you would like her.”

“Well, then I misjudged her,” Elise said truthfully, “and for that I’m sorry.” She plopped in a rather unladylike manner onto the chaise before the hearth. “I saw Lord Huddleston paying particular attention to you.” Elise looked at Beverly with hopeful anticipation for her friend, for Huddleston was considered to be an excellent catch. “Was it welcomed attention on your part? Did your father like him? Do you have plans to see him again?”

“Yes, yes, and yes! He really is a dear, and is sincere in his affection for me.” Beverly took Elise’s hands in hers. “He’s asked my father if he might court me, with the inevitable outcome being marriage, of course. Father said yes, but only after discussing Huddleston with your brother.”

A smiling Elise wrapped her arms around her friend and nearly began to cry. “I’m so happy for you Beverly. Really I am. My brother said Huddleston loves the hunt as much as we do. That and the fact that he’s horribly rich, very handsome, and titled makes him a perfect match.”

“I hear the household is preparing to away for Woodhenge. Are you going as well?” Beverly asked as she carried a stack of kerchiefs to her trunk.

“Yes, though it is only because I’ve been bested. Michael will not tell me what his gift is to his mother. He says the kittens are my gift to her, and that he’s gotten his mother something else, and he chose this gift by taking my advice. Now he has me extremely curious.”

“May I confide
my
observations of last night?” Beverly asked.

“Of course! When have you ever had to ask permission?”

“Well, you’ve got him on your hook, Elise. He couldn’t take his eyes off you the entire night. He’s smitten I say. Now all you have to do is be yourself and you’ll have him eating oats from your hand.”