An Agreeable Arrangement (9 page)

This afternoon Mrs. Green wheeled the clattering
tea cart into the library. Julian redirected her to the
front parlor, thinking the brightly lit room conducive
to a more enjoyable afternoon tea.

He pulled on his jacket before venturing out of the
house to call the ladies in. The squire imagined that
Lady Cassandra had lost all sense of time. He knew he could find her with Romeo, with or without Lorna
depending on his sister’s social schedule, far beyond
in the rear gardens.

During the precious few minutes it took Julian to
walk the path from the manor to the lawn, he shortened his stride and slowed his pace to delay his arrival.
Although Romeo would always be the first to notice
his unannounced approach, his presence would soon
be detected by the ladies as well.

The squire allowed himself to witness the expression of delight on their faces when they first spotted
him. He found himself envying Edward. With all the
talents and advantages his younger brother had, it was
the first and only time Julian ever remembered feeling this way.

However, his life would not be at all bad. He and
Lady Cassandra would be in-laws and that would ensure their continual contact through the years. He
could share in her pleasant company and he felt that
would be sufficient.

Julian took his time walking to the clearing beyond
the topiary, feeling the soft crunch of gravel beneath
his feet. The sound itself was soothing and strangely
satisfying. Once he was spotted, Romeo would wag
his tail and the ladies would wave to greet him.

Romeo barked, sounding the alarm at his approach.
Julian waved, only … Loma was not there. Lady Cassandra returned his wave. She and Romeo headed in
the squire’s direction.

“This is becoming quite a habit.” A smile graced
his normally staid face.

“I suppose it is, isn’t it?” Lady Cassandra’s beaming face made him wish he could prolong this moment together. “Shall we have tea in the library?”

“No, I thought it too nice to pass up this delightful
afternoon. The view of the front gardens is quite
breathtaking from the front parlor.”

With a nod, she turned to start for the house.

“I shall ask your indulgence before we go in for
tea, if I may”

She turned back to face the squire.

“There is plenty of room out here” He gestured
holding his arms open wide. “Shall we take a moment
and continue my waltz instruction?”

Cassie looked around. “This is a most unorthodox
place to dance.” She looked back at him and narrowed her eyes. “I suppose it will suffice”

“Lorna’s first waltz at Almack’s is only a few days
away. I do not want to disappoint her.”

Cassie believed that. She had seen both brothers
display devotion for their sister. And there was probably nothing he would not do to please her.

“Here Romeo!” Lady Cassandra called. The terrier bounded to her. “Sit right there. Stay!” Romeo
promptly obeyed.

The squire stepped closer and took his position in
front of Cassie. She looked into his lean, handsome
face.

Handsome? Exactly when did she think of his
face as being handsome?

“Lady Cassandra? Are you ready to begin?”

Cassie could feel the warmth of his hand on her
back. Her hand in his, held motionless. Now acutely
aware that only inches separated his body from hers,
she thought it best to start instead of dwelling on him.

“The music will begin.” Cassie begun to hum a nondescript tune in three-quarters time. Her head dipped
in deliberate motion with every passing beat.

The squire’s mouth formed the count of the
beat. One, two, three … one, two, three … one, two,
three … Growing accustomed to her tune, he began
to step side to side with the music.

“You are not supposed to move your mouth,” she
reminded him, and what a nice-looking mouth it was.
It could form the kindest, most tender smile.

Cassie had to admit, he was very handsome. His
high cheekbones led to the gentle arch of his dark
brow. Following the line of his face, his jaw squared
off at his chin. There she detected a slight dimple.
She hadn’t noticed that before nor had she ever been
this close to him for such an extended period of time.

Romeo stayed where he was told. His head, however, dipped and turned, following the couple as he
continued to watch their dance progress.

The squire took a step, Cassie followed his lead.
He turned her slowly in time to the a cappella music,
then another turn and another. Each turn became tighter and faster than the one before, spinning round
and round until the squire’s toe caught a tuft of unevenly growing grass. He stumbled, plunging toward
the ground, bringing Cassie down with him.

Cassie let out a cry, then grunted when she hit the
ground.

“I do beg your pardon!” Squire Stewart landed on
his left hand, sparing his partner from taking his crushing weight. “Are you quite all right?”

Romeo bounded toward the collapsed bodies barking with concern.

“I do beg your pardon!” the squire repeated. “Have
you been injured?”

Romeo leaped at Cassie trying to lick her face, as
if it would help. The pet then leaped at the squire and
sniffed at him as well, checking his well-being.

Sitting up, Cassie found herself stunned but unharmed. Looking at the squire’s disheveled hair and
grass-stained cuff, not to mention his cravat which sat
askew, she broke into unrestrained laughter.

“Lady Cassandra?” the squire sounded concerned.
He must have thought she had bumped her head in
the fall or perhaps was having a hysterical reaction.

Her laughing continued.

“I’m afraid I’m quite the clumsy clod,” he uttered,
trying to take the entire blame. “I just hope that it’s
not contagious.”

“It serves us right for dancing in such an inappropriate place”

The squire took another look around and must have
noticed as she had that the footing was poor. They
were lucky that one of them did not twist an ankle or
break a leg.

“You are right of course” She certainly would not
have placed the blame on him.

He stood and finished brushing off his pantaloons
then reached out his hand to help her up off the
ground. “Are you sure you are not hurt?” He watched
her move, looking for a twinge of pain.

“You are a mother hen!” Cassie brushed herself off.
“Let’s go in for tea, shall we?” The squire watched her
head for the house, her grass-stained skirts swaying
side to side. “Come, Romeo!”

Lorna insisted that Lady Cassandra join them at
the Stoddards’ ball that night. Julian did not express
an opinion and left the decision entirely to the ladies.

The three of them rode in the coach. Julian dared
not look at Lady Cassandra to avoid any speculation
on his sister’s part that something other than civility
might be going on between them. It would be like her
to misinterpret and exaggerate the tentative association he and Lady Cassandra had managed.

Once they’d arrived at Lord and Lady Stoddard’s,
Lorna entered the room followed by Lady Cassandra.
Julian’s breath caught. Lovely Lady Cassandra in an
azure-blue gown. The drop shoulder sleeves gave the
gown a dramatic line. The low decolletage might have been too daring without an added sheer mull. The material was softly gathered at the neck by a ribbon that
enchantingly trailed down her back.

Julian ran his fingers over the folds in his not-sointricately tied cravat and tugged down on his burgundy waistcoat. All of a sudden he felt self-conscious
and wholly inadequate standing next to her. He noticed
the small fragrant rosebuds she wore in a headband,
lending a delicate scent to her hair.

Julian had the good fortune to meet up with his
friend and occasional business associate Sir Horace
Boyer. He managed to beg him for a dance-not for
himself, mind, but for a Lady Cassandra. Once setting his eyes upon the lady, Horace was not bothered
in the least to do his friend a favor. Julian made the
introductions and Horace led Lady Cassandra away.

During the dainty measures of the dance, the squire
noticed Lord Nathan Ellerby paying particular attention to the couple. Ellerby, the third son of an earl, was
a friend of Edward’s. Edward had frequently referred
to his friend as `Nefarious Nathan.’

Ellerby crossed the room and oiled his way to Sir
Horace after he had left the dance floor. “Good evening to you, sir,” Ellerby said, making his presence
known to Horace.

“Lord Ellerby . . ” Horace turned to face him.

“May I impose upon you for an introduction”Ellerby hadn’t waited for Horace to respond and continued-“to that lovely creature in blue you’ve
abandoned on the other side of the room”

Horace looked at his recent dance partner in her
azure gown. “Ah … that would be the Lady Cassandra Phillips.”

Even from where he stood, Julian caught a gleam
in Ellerby’s dark eyes suggesting he had an ulterior
motive.

“I suppose it couldn’t do any harm. . ” Sir Horace
flustered. Somehow the significance of an introduction
escaped him. Julian had wanted to stop him-shout
across the room if need be-but his good manners prevented him.

Ellerby’s well-known reputation as a ladies’ man
only exceeded Edward’s, and Julian wondered what
Nefarious Nathan could possibly want with Lady
Cassandra.

“Ah, Lady Cassandra … may I, may I present,
ah … Lord Nathan Ellerby.”

Lord Nathan performed a grand sweeping bow.

“How do you do,” Cassie replied.

In rising, he stepped toward her, taking her hand.
“Lady Cassandra, the pleasure is all mine, I assure
you. “

Not wasting another moment, he ushered her to one
side, away from Sir Horace. A string of exorbitant
compliments sprang superfluously from the newly introduced gentleman.

“You waste your words on me, sir.” Quick to put
him in his place, she added, “I am engaged to Mr.
Edward Stewart.”

“Tender to beauty is never wasted.” Lord Nathan
placed a light kiss on the back of her hand. “I can appreciate your company as well as Mr. Stewart”

She could feel her cheek warm at the thought that
he might appreciate her company.

“Would you care to share the next set?” Lord
Ellerby seemed to sense her trepidation and continued. “I loathe to allow such loveliness to sit by the
wayside. It would be such a shame for you not to enjoy yourself because of your betrothed’s absence” His
well-practiced smile showed a row of perfectly shaped
white teeth, much like that of a shark.

Cassie looked for the squire. Perhaps he would
come to her aid. But she could not see him in the
crowd. Finding it impossible to refuse Lord Nathan’s
request, she agreed. A minute later he took her to the
floor for a waltz.

Julian managed to make it across the room to Horace but not before he’d made the introductions and
far too late to stop Ellerby from escorting Lady Cassandra to the dance floor.

Julian watched the villain gather Lady Cassandra
into his arms. A protective feeling began to grow. He
felt certain Edward would never allow such an event
to take place. However, she was not the squire’s intended therefore he felt it was not his place to object.

“Horace?” The squire, feeling both displeasure and
a need for an expeditious explanation, clapped his
friend on the shoulder, preventing him from moving
forward. “Whatever possessed you to introduce that
devil to Lady Cassandra?”

“I didn’t think there was any harm, really” Horace
shrugged. “He was rather insistent, you know, Julian.”

“As I can well imagine.” How well he knew
Ellerby’s persuasive nature. The squire didn’t like associating with him in business and certainly didn’t
want to deal with him on a personal level. “Do me a
favor, will you?”

“Another? All you need do is ask. You know that”

“Escort Lady Cassandra away as soon as she returns. I don’t want her to be exposed to Ellerby any
longer than need be”

“Don’t blame you at all. I shall be more than
happy to oblige.”

Lady Cassandra and Ellerby twirled amongst the
crowd. Horace’s gaze stayed fixed upon them. After
the dance ended, Julian watched her and nodded to
his friend to make his move. After this next set the
squire would see that he and Lady Cassandra made
their exit, leaving Nefarious Nathan behind.

The next morning, Maxwell stared out the front
window, watching a transport race down the road toward Stewart Hall. Moments after the hansom rolled
to a stop, the door flew open. Sir Horace Boyer took a passing glance at his surroundings before disembarking and stepping toward the front door.

Maxwell pulled the door open directly. Sir Horace
stepped inside handing over his hat, cane, and gloves.

“Where’s Julian? I must speak to him at once!” Sir
Horace’s voice held an unmistakable sense of urgency.

“The squire is in the library, sir.” Maxwell draped
the guest’s coat over his arm and took hold of the hat
and cane.

“I’ll announce myself.” Sir Horace walked toward
the library with weighted purpose. Boldly stepping
through the open door, he came to an abrupt halt when
he spotted Squire Stewart.

Julian sat comfortably with his fingers steepled, next
to the large paned window that overlooked the side garden. His eyes stared aimlessly out into the box-hedged
garden. He heard a light knock on the door.

“Horace, how good it is to see you! Come in!
Come in!” Even though his friend had caused some
trouble by introducing Lady Cassandra to Ellerby, he
had also allowed them to escape without alarm.

Horace stepped into the library and moved toward
the window as if he wanted to see what Julian was
watching.

“What, may I ask, is the reason for this unexpected pleasure?” Julian shook Horace’s hand and
motioned for his guest to take the seat opposite his desk. “Another potential profitable business opportunity, perhaps?” Julian noticed Horace’s grim response.
If he were here on business, the news would not be
pleasant.