Emily Hendrickson (20 page)

This must be what Aunt Elinor had found so entrancing. Chloe had to admit she would have been captivated as well, had she not known the true circumstances of the betrothal.

“Sir,” she pleaded when she could find her breath, “we will find a way out, I promise. I doubt it is necessary to convince them all.”

He appeared to be hurt by her words. She felt guilty. When he whirled her about in a spin that again deprived her of her breath she tried to make amends by beaming a worshipful smile at him.

“Never say so. We will deal famously together,” he declared in a husky voice that did the strangest things to her nerves. Her power of speech flew out the window.

His effective method of persuasion and the intoxicating nearness of his highly masculine figure combined to erase her doubts for the moment. She smiled up at him, fluttering her lashes and in general using every one of the little tricks he had taught her in the art of flirting.

“Oh ho,” he whispered, pulling her against him for one wicked moment, “two can play at
that
game.”

She glanced off to see Aunt Elinor batting her eyelashes at one of the older gentlemen, then back to St. Aubyn. “I thought you
were
playing a game.”

“Not with you.”

He spoke with such sincerity she could almost believe him. Except he was a scoundrel and who believed a scoundrel?

When they left the ballroom dance floor, Chloe could see heads bent in gossip, with Mrs. Robynhod holding forth behind the protection of her fan. The group of ladies clustered about her appeared most enthralled with her tale.

“It has begun,” Chloe observed striving for composure after the assault on her senses by that wicked waltz. “But as I said before,” she added once sanity returned, “I will find you a way out of this.”

St. Aubyn gave her a puzzled look before being caught up in conversation with several of his friends who pounced on them, Theo joining along. St. Aubyn puzzled Chloe by keeping her firmly close to his side. It was quite as though he felt a genuine regard for her. But, she thought with an inward sigh, he was a consummate actor.

She was not sorry when it came time to depart.

Before she left the ballroom, she had time to press Laura’s hand and insist, “Come see me tomorrow—late in the morning. I must talk with you.” It was important to warn Laura. Lord Twisdale had a decidedly predatory gleam in his eyes when he looked at her.

Clearly intrigued, Laura said, “I will come if at all possible. Mama has been in one of her moods again.”

Suspecting that those moods were the sort that came on while in the midst of the Season, Chloe nodded, then followed the dowager out of the room and down the grand staircase to the entrance.

“I made your farewells and planted the information with Maria.” The dowager gave her coachman an impatient look for being slow, then accepted the groom’s assistance into the carriage. Chloe climbed in behind her, sitting facing the imposing figure in cream satin and plumes.

She did not have to ask what information had been given to Lady Sefton. When the scoundrel married, it was news.

“At least this has given Lord Twisdale a disgust of me,” Chloe offered hesitantly.

“I noticed that he was casting looks at Laura Spayne.”

“I did as well. I must warn her about him,” Chloe murmured.

“There is nothing irregular in his behavior. He is a peer of the realm, wealthy, with splendid properties. In fact, one of them is not far from St. Aubyn’s home—or one of them,” the dowager amended when she seemed to recall that the St. Aubyn family owned a number of stately homes and manor houses scattered about England.

“I should think that the St. Aubyn family would have a peerage, what with their wealth and properties,” Chloe challenged, quite fed up with her grandmother’s obsession in that direction.

“His grandfather was offered one many years ago. Turned it down. Told me that it came at too high a price. I suspect the king wanted more than St. Aubyn was willing to pay,” Lady Dancy mused.

“You make it sound as though a peerage can be bought,” Chloe exclaimed in dismay.

“And so they can,” the dowager replied, leaning back against the squabs and offering no more on the subject, much to Chloe’s disgust.

* * * *

In the morning Chloe crawled from her bed at first light, unable to attempt sleep any longer. She had mulled over her dilemma for hours and was no closer to finding a workable solution. She chanced to glance at yesterday’s newspaper. An article had caught her eye yesterday and she had wanted to study it more, so she’d whisked it up to her room when she was sure her grandmother had finished with it.

There was an item about an annulment that had been granted. The circumstances did not apply to her situation, but it stirred up memories. The Pouget case returned to mind. The details were fuzzy, but she seemed to recall reading that young William Pouget had married a highly unsuitable female and the marriage was nullified because of some discrepancy in calling of the banns. His name…that was it! His name had been incomplete, and even Chloe knew that all names were given at the reading of the banns.

When Ellen entered the room bearing the customary tray with hot chocolate and scones, Chloe was partly dressed. At least she had donned her chemise, hose, and riding skirt.

“I think I have the solution,” she cried to Ellen, a jubilant expression on her face. “I shan’t compel St. Aubyn to remain married to me. I have found a way out.”

“A way out of what, miss?” the puzzled abigail said.

“My marriage,” Chloe replied between sips of chocolate.

“And I did not know you were wed!” Ellen said with sparkling eyes, obviously thinking her mistress was joking.

“I will be, but then I will not be,” Chloe said with impatience, for she had no wish to explain the situation numerous times and she wanted to mull it over some more before presenting it to St. Aubyn this morning.

“I see,” Ellen said dubiously, making it clear that she did not see in the least.

Once Chloe was dressed in her pretty new green habit trimmed in black braid, the jaunty hat with the clutch of black feathers tucked in the brim perched atop her head, she grabbed her crop and gloves and ran lightly down the stairs and around to the mews.

Her groom saluted her with a grin, then followed closely behind her as she anxiously rode off toward the park. When they reached the Stanhope Gate, Chloe turned to the groom.

“You may fall back a trifle. I am meeting my betrothed and we have many things to discuss.”

Looking surprised at this news, for Ellen had said nothing to him, the groom gave a skeptical nod and fell back, though not very far.

“St. Aubyn, you came,” Chloe softly declared, glad to see him again when he moved forward out of the shadows.

“Julian, please,” he said with a wry grin. “I think we are safely into that state where first names may be permitted. After last evening it is generally held that I have paid you particular attentions.”

“Julian, then, and I must say it seems odd to use your first name, even if I heard my aunt do so,” Chloe said frankly. Ignoring his look of annoyance, she plunged on, “I have a famous scheme for us.”

“Why do I not like the sound of that?” he queried, studying her eager face while they rose beneath the gentle dappled light of the trees.

“Listen,” she said with a touch of her grandmother’s imperious manner. “Do you recall the Pouget case sometime past? Well, remember that young William Pouget married a brazen woman of no account? His father sued to have the marriage nullified on the grounds that the banns had not been correctly read—William failed to use one of his names.”

“That was a part of the case, true,” Julian agreed. He also knew there was more to it than the omission of a name.

“Do you not see? I have a scandalous number of names. I shall simply omit one of them when it comes time to call the banns and we are saved. When my dearest mama returns home she can sue to have the marriage nullified on the grounds that the banns were not read properly.”

“Your name?” Julian asked before he decided what to say in reply.

“Chloe Elizabeth Mary Susan Harriet Maitland,” she cried with triumph. “Grandmama is Harriet, the rest are for all the rich old ladies in the family—those who lived at the time I was born. It was my papa’s notion,” she explained. “And it was frightfully effective, for most of them left me enormous sums of money in their wills.”

Julian could not suppress the laugh that burst out at this revelation. Who would have thought Chloe could be so delightfully absurd.

“My dear Chloe,” he began patiently at last, “there is little likelihood that an annulment might be granted.”

Julian did not tell his betrothed that he, like many other young men of his position, had studied law. Not that he ever intended to assume the capacity of a lawyer or solicitor. The Inns of Court were much like a gentlemen’s club and he enjoyed the company of intelligent friends while there. He had even bothered to write his exam, which most of those he knew had not.

It had been something to do to occupy his hours, and it had amused him as well as helped him to understand what was and was not permissible. He highly doubted this was permissible. Even Judge Sir William Scott was not likely to look favorably on this case, should it become one.

But, Julian considered with a thoughtful look at his charming bride-to-be, if Chloe continued to believe that it was possible she would also perpetuate the myth of their marriage, which he had decided would be a permanent one.

He admitted that he needed a wife—his father had been after him for some time and Julian had just learned that his parent was not in the best of health. That bothered him.

Also, Chloe was a delightful, rather special baggage, far from the plain child he had first thought her to be. Indeed, since he had been teaching her to flirt—something she did all too well now, considering her behavior last evening—she had blossomed into a truly charming and lovely young woman. She would most likely never have the raving beauty her aunt possessed. But she had integrity and a caring heart, both of which mattered far more to Julian.

“Well,” he said in a considering way, “it is something to think about, certainly.” He would have to find some way to allow Chloe to proceed with her scheme, yet make sure that their marriage was legal. It would not do to have problems later on—how the gossips would enjoy that! “Come, enjoy the morning and do not ruin our ride with such serious and depressing ideas.”

“Oh, that reminds me,” Chloe burst forth. “Speaking about depressing topics, I will be seeing Laura later this morning. I am most concerned with the way Lord Twisdale looks at her. He used to look at me just like that. Did you perchance notice?”

“Indeed,” Julian said with a frown. “I cannot like the thought that Twisdale would pursue the lively Laura. No young woman should be subject to that threat,” he added at the curious glance from Chloe that he did not miss. Could there be a spark of proprietary feeling there? He hoped so.

“We must do something,” she declared firmly.

“I cannot see what,” he replied with a grimace. “Lord Twisdale is not well liked, but one can hardly convict him of a crime when there has been no witness.”

‘That is it,” Chloe cried, looking at Julian with great admiration. “How clever you are.”

“I am?” Julian was thoroughly confused.

“Of course you are,” she confirmed with a nod. The jaunty feathers in her little green hat quivered with about the same alarm that Julian felt.

“And that means?”

“We shall embark on a course of detection. If we can prove that Lord Twisdale
did
murder his wife, Laura and all other girls will be free of his threat. I could never stand idly by and see my dearest friend consigned to a brief life with him before a possible early demise.”

“How do you propose to accomplish this?” Julian inquired, beginning to think that marriage with this delightful girl would not be dull at any rate.

“Well, we will have to think about that, naturally, but you are so clever, I have faith you will find a way,” she concluded, beaming a trusting smile at him that made Julian feel quite ten feet tall.

“First you must warn Laura to be on her guard.”

“Oh, she cannot abide the man, so there is little chance of his success as long as her mother does not take a notion that Lord Twisdale is an acceptable suitor.” Chloe grimaced, feeling oddly in charity with the man she vowed to free of an unwanted marriage, even if it was to her.

“There is every likelihood of that, I fear,” Julian said as they drew up alongside the Stanhope gate. He glanced to where the groom waited at a respectful distance. “I shall ride home with you, then perhaps seek an audience with your grandmother.”

Chloe glanced at his riding clothes, then shook her head. “Later, perhaps after noontime. And dressed to impress her, please. There are all the other conditions of the marriage that she wishes to discuss with you.”

“My solicitor will handle all those details,” Julian said with a dismissive air.

“You do not know my grandmother very well, do you? She will also have her man of business there, so you had best be prepared.” There was a note of warning in her voice that Julian did not miss.

“And where will you be, pray tell?” Julian knew it was not customary for the bride-to-be to have anything to do with the settlements. Indeed, even most grooms left it to their fathers and the solicitors to handle. He had been in charge of his own affairs too long to seek his father’s help, but he wondered how Chloe viewed the matter.

“Between Grandmama and her lawyer, you will not find it easy going. I intend to do a bit of shopping, as is proper for a newly betrothed girl. Perhaps I may take Laura with me.” Chloe flashed a gleam of sympathy at Julian as they drew to a halt before Dancy House.

“Remember that Grandmama is a dragon, and act accordingly.” With that gentle hint, Chloe dismounted, then handed her mount to the groom.

“Oh,” Julian said, bending down from his saddle to add one important bit of information, “I will instruct the jeweler to clean up the family engagement and wedding rings. I think they ought to fit your finger, for you are of a size with my late mother. I shall present the engagement ring to you at the first appropriate moment.” He enjoyed the blush that bloomed across her face, adding a needed touch of color in the pale morning light.