Artful Deceptions (19 page)

All but Lucinda erupted in laughter when Gordon located a toad and carried it back in his closed fist for Lucinda’s approval, only to have the creature leap for her new straw hat. Her shrieks and the wild scramble to locate the terrified toad kept everyone laughing well into the village at the base of the mountain that was Rhys’s home.

They were not yet in Wales, but the backdrop of the mountains in the distance provided as Welsh a setting as the ladies could desire. Arianne stayed seated, staring up into the distant hills with enchantment until Galen came to take her down.

“Should I be jealous of your fascination with Llewellyn’s home?” he murmured as he indecorously lifted her from the landau by the simple expedient of wrapping his large hands around her waist.

Arianne rested her palms on his shoulders as he swung her to the ground. Slightly breathless from the encounter, she stood like that a moment longer once her feet touched ground, the mountains forgotten as she gazed into Galen’s silvered eyes. Then, remembering his question, she tried to extricate herself gracefully as she sought some sensible answer.

“I cannot envision you as a jealous man, my lord, but if you are often jealous of landscapes, then you have much to fear, for I have a passion for nature.”

Galen allowed his hands to linger a moment longer on her slim waist, liking the way her head came up above his shoulder, liking the way she met his eyes. Actually, he liked the hint of a smile playing at her lips as she spoke, the sound of her voice as the words wrapped around him, and the tinge of humor hiding behind her perfectly correct phrases.

Anyone not listening closely might miss the slight challenge in her voice, but Galen was learning that behind Miss Arianne Richards’ serene exterior lurked a rich and exciting mind. He was beginning to wonder just how much more was hidden behind her dowdy plumage as he watched the color rise to her cheeks.

“A passion for nature, you say?” Reluctantly he removed his hands from their dangerous position, but his gaze never left her face. “We might have more than a few interests in common, then, Miss Richards. Shall we explore them together?”

From the low timbre of his voice, Arianne surmised he was not precisely talking about flowers and trees. Birds and bees were much more likely, and she flushed an even deeper rose at the thought. Taking his arm and stepping in the direction of the others, she attempted to steer the conversation into more neutral waters. “It seems we will have some weeks in which to entertain ourselves. I’m certain we will discover all manner of interests in common. But then, the same can be said for Melanie and Lucinda.”

“Melanie and Lucinda may discover all the common interests they like; it is your interests that interest me. I would explore your passion for nature more fully. Shall we let the others take tea while we walk toward the mountains?”

Arianne understood that Galen was playing the part of London rake for her benefit. His voice had just the right seductive tenor to send shivers down her spine, making her entirely too aware of his masculine size and strength. Her gaze dipped to the leather of his high riding boots and attempted to stay there rather than wander back to the disturbing gold of his hair or the dancing silver of his eyes. But it was impossible to keep looking down when his very nearness demanded that she face him. With a sigh of exasperation at her inability to meet this man on the simplest of terms, she looked up again.

“I would suggest it would be better to let the others walk to the mountains while we take tea.” She nodded toward Lucinda and Melanie, who were unabashedly darting from sight to sight, exclaiming over a rose-trellised wall, chattering over the age of an old stone church with its Gothic steeple, and debating the relative merits of the various tea-shop signs seen up the steep hill into town.

“Gordon has them well in hand; they may do as they like. I would rather spend these few minutes with you. Courting is deuced awkward when constantly surrounded by friends and family.”

“Is that what we are doing? Courting? I had fancied that was what you and Melanie were doing when you were going about to the park and meeting each other at dinners and dances. Have you decided that routine was not highly successful?”

“I have decided that I will most likely have to wring your neck before I can make you forget that damnable proposal.” Galen looked up in time to note that Gordon had stopped at a shop window with Lucinda, leaving Melanie momentarily free to interrogate one of the villagers coming down the street. He grimaced and walked quickly in that direction, thankful that he did not need to adjust his stride greatly to Arianne’s as she hurried to keep up with him.

Melanie saw them coming. Waving a farewell to the woman, she turned to greet them excitedly. “Lord Llewellyn is in residence. Did you not say you know the man, Galen? Should we not call and give our respects before we leave?”

“We most certainly should not. I barely know the man, and I certainly wouldn’t saddle him with a widgeon like you. Come along, then, and I will show you the tea shop. Perhaps, if there is time, we can go further up the mountain to those ruins I spoke of.”

“Galen, you are in danger of becoming toplofty. I never would have thought it of you.” Huffily Melanie disengaged her hand from his arm and sauntered toward her brother.

Gordon sent Galen a sympathetic grin and captured his sister’s arm. “After an insult like that, I should call her out myself. Shall I arrange seconds?”

“Oh, do be sensible.” Lifting her skirts from the dust of the street, Melanie hurried up the step of the shop Galen had indicated, ungallantly leaving the others behind.

Melanie’s shriek of joy once inside brought Arianne’s suspicious gaze back to her escort and her cousin. The exchange of glances between the two men confirmed her suspicions, and giving them both a fulminating look, she lifted her own skirts and ran after Melanie.

Chapter Fifteen

“Rhys! Rhys, it is you! I cannot believe it.” Melanie would have thrown herself into his arms, but the man coming to his feet in the small tearoom caught her by the shoulders and held her, looking to the others entering through the door.

Arianne thought he looked somewhat dazed by his reception. He sent a nervous glance toward Gordon, nodded a greeting at Galen, and gently released Melanie into her brother’s care as he turned to acknowledge Arianne. Lucinda immediately stepped to her sister’s side, and the introduction momentarily eased the awkwardness.

“You knew where he was all along, didn’t you?” Melanie turned accusing eyes from her brother to Galen, both of whom made little attempt to deny her. “You should be ashamed of yourselves, letting me fret and worry like that.”

Rhys’s dark gaze returned to Melanie’s soft, blond, and very irate figure. Shorter and stockier than the other men, he still stood a head taller than Melanie, and his look was stern as he pulled out a chair and pushed her into it. “Behave yourself.” He spoke softly, but his words were curt and decisive.

Melanie instantly obeyed, though she sent Rhys a flashing look that warned him explanations had better be forthcoming.

“It is good to see you again, Mr. Llewellyn,” Arianne murmured as he pulled out a chair for her. The last night they had seen each other came between them, and she quickly looked away from his questioning gaze. She felt rather than saw Galen’s brief frown as he noted this interchange, but he merely drew out the chair beside her and claimed his place.

“I do not know whether to be honored or peeved with this reception.” Rhys cautiously took a chair beside Lucinda while Gordon ordered tea and sandwiches. “I had not expected so much interest in my activities.”

“That is because you are a fool, Rhys Llewellyn,” Melanie glared at her brother as Gordon lowered himself to the seat she had left vacant beside her, venting her ill humor on him as well as on Rhys.

This was not at all like Melanie, and Arianne raised her eyebrows slightly, turning to see how Rhys took this slander. Rhys had a thunderous expression upon his face as he glared back at Melanie, and Arianne had the astonishing feeling that these two scarcely knew the rest of them were present. She glanced at Galen for confirmation of these feelings, but he had a thoughtful frown upon his brow and did not notice. She didn’t know why she had turned to him in the first place. It struck her as an odd thing to do when she had both Melanie and Lucinda near. They were both much closer to her than Lord Locke.

“The ladies had some foolish fear for your safety, Llewellyn. They could not believe any man capable of looking after himself without their help. Perhaps they will rest easier now that they see you have survived their absence these past weeks.” Gordon’s mockery held a hint of challenge, but Rhys avoided his gaze.

“Your concern overwhelms me, ladies.” Rhys nodded to Melanie and Arianne, then winked at Lucinda, sending her into a fit of giggles. “You are quite right. You see a man before you starved for the company of loveliness and broken by the trials and tribulations of fending for himself. Give a poor starving man a smile and a cup of tea, will you?”

“You’ll not have a smile, and the tea shall be over your head if you don’t be sensible. Where have you been? What have you found out? Do you know where Arianne’s painting is?”

Arianne could have kicked her cousin, but Rhys seemed more than adequately prepared to do it. She felt Lucinda perk up her ears beside her, but blessedly, her sister knew when to stay silent. Leaving the stage to Rhys, Arianne found herself again turning to Galen.

This time he caught her hand beneath the table, giving it a gentle squeeze. Embarrassment flared in her cheeks, but she controlled it. He was merely being perverse, insisting on playing the part he had assigned himself. Rather than fight the reassuring clasp of his broad hand, she returned her attention to the battle raging between Melanie and Rhys.

“I have been visiting relatives, Lady Melanie,” Rhys said. “I have discovered I have a great many of them. And if you insist on asking personal questions, then you are not the well-brought-up lady your brother thought you were.”

“Then you have discovered something!” Not to be conquered by Rhys’s reminder, Melanie triumphantly engaged him on other grounds. “Then we are here to help you. You must admit, Gordon and Galen have excellent connections.”

Arianne couldn’t hide a smile at Melanie’s irrepressible advance. She had truly cornered the unfortunate man now, and since no one else seemed inclined to come to his rescue, she stepped into the breach. “Then, Melanie, I suggest you leave Gordon and Galen to deal with the matter, which is undoubtedly not a public one. I would suggest you try the watercress sandwiches. They are quite delicious.”

The hand covering hers squeezed a little tighter, then reluctantly departed as Galen reached to pass the tray. Arianne rather missed the warmth once it was gone, but she felt a little relief at the release also. She wasn’t ready to admit that Galen’s courtship was beginning to affect her.

The tea went on more normally from there, with Lucinda unconsciously monopolizing the conversation with her description of all the sights and wonders she had encountered since leaving London. The adults seemed content to let her have the floor rather than return to their earlier disputes.

Galen had a fit of coughing when the fifteen-year-old went into raptures over the elegance of his stables, totally ignoring the historical and architectural attributes of his home. Rhys grinned and encouraged a description of the occupants of the stable, until Gordon pointed out the necessity of supplying his young cousin with a riding habit upon their immediate return.

From that moment on, Lucinda was walking on clouds, and she gazed upon her noble cousin with eyes of worship as they completed their meal and returned to the street. Resting uneasily under such open adoration, Gordon turned to Arianne for rescue. “You don’t think your father will mind, do you? I know we’re not always on the best of terms, but the chit ought to ride, and I don’t mind the cost. We could call it an early birthday present, perhaps.”

“You may call it what you like, but even my father would be hard pressed to refuse her after this. Do not let her cozen you into more than that, though. You will have her quite spoiled.”

“I doubt that either of you could ever be spoiled,” Galen intruded into the familial argument, “but there will be time enough to find out. You do realize that my mother has been busily enjoying herself choosing a large quantity of cloth with which to enhance your wardrobe? She has it in mind to show you off to the neighbors and has thus convinced herself that it is her civic duty to see you suitably dressed for the occasion.”

Arianne stared at Galen in alarm. “You are jesting, surely? It will not do at all.”

“Why should it not?” Gordon intervened. “If Locke wishes to make a settlement on you before your marriage, I cannot see why it shouldn’t be in the form of clothes. You know perfectly well that I would have seen you gowned and brought out with Melanie had Uncle Ross let me. He cannot keep you in aprons forever.”

With Melanie on his arm, Rhys stopped in time to hear Gordon’s declaration, and his gaze swiftly lifted to meet Arianne’s. She felt the question there and knew that whatever his communication was with Gordon and Galen, neither man had informed him of the impending betrothal. She wished to sink beneath the cobblestones, but there was naught to do but follow the party back to the carriage as if nothing had happened.

Melanie’s insistence that Rhys must accompany them back to Deward was joined by invitations from Galen and approval by Gordon, until he was given no other choice but to agree. Joining the women in the landau and giving directions, he guided them down the steep hill and around a cottage lane to a small stone house, where he leapt down and promised to return shortly.

When Rhys returned with his satchel of belongings, he was followed by an elderly lady of diminutive height but eyes as dark and flashing as his own, who came to wave him off. He introduced the woman as his grandmother, and she nodded approvingly at the young ladies in the carriage, offering greetings and admonitions in a heavily accented voice as they prepared to leave.