The Convenient Bride (5 page)

Briana
stared at Lord Clayton, as if she had never seen the man before. He looked,
well, he looked like Lord Rockham when the man wanted to take her for a ride in
the park.

This
towering lord was certainly not the twenty-year-old she remembered from her summers
at Elbourne Hall. He was leaner, tougher, more rugged, if one could say such a
thing about such a beautiful man. The war had done that to him, she thought.
There was a certain hardness about him now.

"I
beg your pardon," she said, a little harsher than she had intended.

He stood
there, too devilishly handsome for any man, making her feel like some
bird-witted female. Still, she couldn't forget the way he had pulled her into
his strong embrace, trying to keep her quiet. He didn't have to place his hand
over her mouth to do that.

"I
beg your pardon, Miss Garland. I came in for some papers off my brother's desk
and heard a snore."

She
glared at him. "I do not snore."

The man
had the audacity to laugh, but was stopped short when the clatter of feet
sounded down the hall.

"They
heard the scream," he said, glancing at the door.

"What
the devil is going on in there?" It was the duke's voice, and the man
didn't sound amused.

Trying
to calm her erratic pulse, Briana picked her book off the floor just as the
duke and his wife came rushing into the room. "What on earth—"

The
duchess stopped and turned, a look of astonishment crossing her face as she
stared at Clayton, then Briana.

His
Grace lifted his right brow. "Clayton?" There were more questions in
that one word than in an entire speech.

Before
Lord Clayton could answer, Briana crossed the rug and took the duchess's hands
in hers. "Oh, Jane, while I was waiting for you, I fell asleep in the
chair. And you will never guess what happened. It was so silly. When I awoke, I
found—"

"A
mouse," Clayton put in as he stepped forward.

Jane
looked horrified. "A mouse? Here? In my house?"

Briana
swallowed in admiration at Lord Clayton's quick comeback. "Yes, it was a
gray little thing with big whiskers."

Clayton's
smiling eyes froze on her face.

"There
are no mice in this house," the duke said firmly.

"Are
you calling Miss Garland a liar?" Clayton asked.

The
duke's lips thinned. "I didn't say that."

Jane
glanced at the two men, then tucked Briana's arm in hers. "Come into the
drawing room, Bree. I am so sorry we were late. Roderick had an impulse to make
another stop along the way."

Roderick
cleared his throat.

Jane
blushed. "Well, you did. But if you care anything about me sleeping here
tonight, you'd best clear it of any mice."

Roderick
glared at his brother. "I will clean all the beasts from this room, never
fear."

"The
entire house, Roderick," the duchess said. "I mean it."

"Of
course, dear, the entire house."

As
Briana turned from the room, she heard the duke mention something about his
favorite wine. Clayton seemed to find the duke's comment terribly funny.

"I
believe it was a mouse by the name of Marcus,” Clayton put in, “and then there
was his brother, too, Your Grace. Thirsty little devils, don’t you know."

The
library door slammed behind the ladies and Briana jumped.

The
duchess laughed. "Don't worry. Roderick and his brothers always act like
that."

"Yes,
I saw them go at it many times when I stayed at Elbourne."

"They
adore each other."

Briana
smiled. "If that's adoration, I wonder what love is."

The
duchess's blue eyes sparkled. "Love is wonderful, Bree. Simply wonderful.
Now, let's go over what kind of home you need for that women's shelter. I have
a few ideas that may help you. If you would only let me run things, it would
simplify matters."

Briana
shook her head, knowing that Jane was trying to shield her from the
ton's
gossip. "I need to do this. Not for me, but for Clarice."

Jane's
blue eyes softened. "It will be a difficult venture for an unmarried
female, but I will do all I can to support you."

Briana
heard the shouting in the library and wondered what the duke would say about
that.

Chapter
Four

B
riana sat in the Earl of
Stonebridge's drawing room, watching with increasing trepidation as the frown
on her godmother's face deepened.

The
previous evening Agatha had been so upset during the carriage ride home from
the duke's, she had almost broken her parasol by gripping it so tightly. She
had stared into Briana's eyes, looked away, and compressed her lips into a
harsh line of disapproval. A minute later she spoke in a brusque tone, announcing
she would speak with Briana the following morning.

At the
time Briana had been grateful for the silence because her encounter with Lord
Clayton had confused her. But now, she wondered if giving her godmother time to
think about the situation had been the wrong thing to do.

As to
Lord Clayton, the harder she tried to forget about yesterday's incident, the
more it raced about in her brain. The handsome lord had rekindled feelings she
had thought long gone. He was a dangerous sort, always playing with her heart.

Even
though Alistair had returned to the army, he had been safe. Their relationship
certainly wasn't as intense as what Jane and Emily had with their spouses, even
before they had married.

She
wondered if it had ever been love between her and Alistair. She just wasn't
sure about anything anymore.

"It's
not as if I am going off to fight Napoleon, Agatha."

The
older lady was walking about the room, her trusty parasol tapping the floor
with each agitated step. "Napoleon is resting comfortably at St. Helena,
so fighting him is not possible."

"But
it's only a house party."

Agatha
turned, her gray eyes narrowing considerably. "A house party? It is an
assignment from Whitehall to find a spy in the trenches, child. There is every
reason to worry. They should have never asked you. I don't care if there is a
chance in a million that the enemy will be there. I don't want you
involved."

Briana
glanced at the door to make certain it was closed. Living in the earl's London
townhouse had been wonderful, but sometimes privacy was at a minimum,
especially with three-year-old Gabrielle and a new baby in the house.

"If
it were anything high risk, Whitehall would have sent in the army," Briana
said calmly. "I am only helping you."

Agatha's
lips puckered. "I don't need help, and I don't see why Whitehall decided
to go over my head on this!"

Briana
wasn't going to touch that comment. It was better to play upon her assets.
"The invitations were sent out weeks ago. Everything about this mission
fits in perfectly."

"Yes,
and it seems the Director of Operations thought so, too. I am not happy about
Headquarters going behind my back like this. I was to be the only one
involved."

Agatha
pointed the parasol at Briana and lifted a gray brow. "I don't like it.
Your mother wouldn't approve."

Briana
smiled, not the least bit afraid of Agatha's trusty parasol. Some men avoided
the alleged weapon at all costs, but to Briana it was a loving reminder of her
godmother's eccentricities. "My mother knows nothing about this, and you
are not going to tell her."

"Your
mother entrusted me to find you a husband. And I intend to do just that."

Briana
picked up her tea and sipped the warm liquid, peering over the rim of her cup.
Finding a husband was the last thing on her mind. "I am two and twenty. I
believe I can make that decision by myself."

"I
know what you have decided, but as your godmother, I have a solemn duty to see
you married."

Briana
laughed. "Good grief, I am no child. I can take care of myself."

"I
should never have included you in my dealings with Whitehall, even if it was
just paperwork."

"Though
secret it may have been, I was only adding up columns of numbers and going over
some research for you. It's not as if I was in the front lines at
Waterloo."

"You
have a high intelligence, my girl, but don't think to use it on me. I needed
someone like you to help me, but this—this is outrageous! Since you had
clearance on my behalf, you now hold a position I never intended you to
have."

A bark
erupted from the comer of the room.

Agatha's
steely eyes glinted with triumph. "Nigel, you are of the same opinion, I
believe."

The
earl's massive dog barked again. The parasol swung wide. "Ha! See, he
doesn't like it one bit either. Paperwork is one thing, child, facing the enemy
quite another."

Briana
settled her cup on the rosewood table to her left. There was no stopping Agatha
when she started her little speeches, so all Briana could do was try to calm
her godmother down.

"I
understand your concern. However, we both know this is probably a wild-goose
chase. Nothing will come of it. Afterward, I will see to a few things in
London, then visit my mother. This is, in truth, the only excitement I have had
in years."

"Excitement?
Bah. You should be married to some nice gentleman instead of searching out
spies and whatnot. I am not too old to do my duty, young lady. Do not forget
who I am."

"But—"

The
parasol thwacked against the fireplace. "I will do everything in my power
to see you don't go. It's not as if I haven't done anything like this
before."

Briana
bit down on her anger. "This is too important to keep me behind and you
know it. Your people need someone like me who can fade into the crowd. I am
perfect. As you said yourself, there may have been a leak already. In fact, you
might be the one in danger. I don't think it a good idea for you to go along at
all."

"I
don't want you hurt." The lady's words flowed together while her bottom
lip trembled.

Briana's
heart clenched as she picked up Agatha's tea and handed it to her. "I
won't be hurt."

Agatha
took the cup and sank into a wing chair beside the hearth. "There has been
talk of Grimstoke being involved. This could be more than just a hunch. We are
talking about a possible link in a plot against the Regent's life."

"I
am aware of that. But could this be a decoy to throw Whitehall off course?
Grimstoke is Prinny's good friend. It all seems a little far-fetched if you ask
me."

Agatha's
eyes closed and she shook her head, as if remembering something she would
rather forget. "There have been greater men who have given away their best
friend, my dear. Never let your heart get in the way of your work."

Briana
brushed her hand against Nigel's soft fur as the dog moved beside her. Her
heart was never going to get in the way of anything ever again. "I can
fade away easily enough. If Lord Grimstoke is passing on information that can
hurt the Regent, he must be apprehended along with the enemy."

Lines of
worry creased Agatha's brow. "Whitehall should never have asked you. They
have other people who do these types of things. Trained specialists, for
heaven's sake."

Briana
took the elder lady's hand in hers. "It will probably come to nothing.
Lord Grimstoke said something to the prince in anger and now Whitehall thinks
the man is an enemy of the Crown. It's all so absurd. Look at it this way, maybe
I will be able to clear Violet's father of any wrongdoing."

"It
is more complicated than that, I am afraid. There are particulars you need to
know."

Briana's
curiosity rose. "Particulars?" What had Whitehall not told her?

Her
godmother rested her parasol against her gown and sighed. "The source is
thought to be a servant or a family member of Grimstoke. Possibly even a guest
at his party."

Briana
leaned forward, her senses humming. "And this unidentified informant has
led Whitehall to believe some exchange will be taking place?"

Agatha
nodded. "Whoever the source is, they gave us quite specific information.
How they passed on the communication, I don't know. It is not being shared with
me."

Briana
glanced at the door, then shifted her wary gaze back to Agatha. "Servants
have been known to make the best spies."

A wry
smile flashed across the older lady's face. "Anyone can be a spy, my dear.
Don't let one's outward appearance fool you. But in this case the source has
led us to believe there may be a missive exchanged in Grimstoke's library
somewhere in the vicinity of his desk."

A bubble
of laughter escaped Briana's lips. "In the vicinity of his desk? That is
the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. You must be jesting!"

Gray
eyes sparkled back at her. "I admit, it does sound rather absurd and could
mean nothing, so why don't you stay here with Emily and the children while I go
on that wild-goose chase?"

Briana's
green eyes tapered into suspicious slits. "You are not getting rid of me
that fast"

Agatha
blinked, looking close to tears. "I lost my true love more than ten years
ago, child. You are as close to me as Emily and her family. I don't want you
hurt"

Briana
put her hand in Agatha's. "I won't be hurt. I promise."

"Promises
cannot be kept as we wish them. I know that from my own experience."

Briana
felt for her godmother, but she wasn't ready to step aside. "For all we
know, it's just as you said, and this entire mission will lead to nothing at
all."

The door
swung open and both ladies turned their heads. Lord Clayton stepped into the
room and Briana's heart gave a sudden kick. Was it only yesterday that he had
held her?

Even
though he was only the third son of a duke, he had a certain air about him that
demanded instant attention. And it didn't hurt that he looked magnificent in
his navy blue coat and tan breeches.

A slow
smile spread across his lips. It was a smile that had given hope to many women
in the
ton
that this man would choose them for his bride. "Ah,
forgive me, ladies. I had no idea you were here. I was to meet with my
sister."

Violet-blue
eyes twinkled at Briana. Though it wasn't unusual for Emily's brothers to walk
into the room unannounced in the middle of the day, she found it unsettling
that this man, who had caught her sleeping in the duke's library, was standing
before her now.

The
memory of the way he had held her flashed in her mind. The scent of bayberry.
The gentle force of his hand against her mouth. The softness of his eyes. The
quickness of his mind. And he remembered it all. The insufferable man!

"Good
afternoon, my lord," Briana said, growing hot with embarrassment.
Uncomfortable under his scrutiny, she pulled her hand from Agatha's, accidentally
knocking the creamer onto the rug. Nigel jumped and barked, tipping over the
teapot. Agatha tried to calm the dog, but to no avail. The dog kept yapping.

Agatha
looked up. The parasol swept through the air as the lady tried to keep Nigel
away from the steaming tea and cream. "You took us by surprise, my lord.
Nigel! Stop that!"

The
scene seemed to amuse Lord Clayton. "It looks as if poor Nigel was taken
by surprise as well."

Briana
leaned over to dab at the rug with her handkerchief. Nigel barked louder,
thinking it was a game. A shrill whistle pierced the air. All heads snapped in
the direction of Lord Clayton, including Nigel's. Briana stared at the towering
man in stunned amazement.

"Forgive
me," he said smoothly. "It was my unannounced visit that caused this
mess. Let me call for help."

In three
long strides he was across the room and pulling the bell cord. "From
previous encounters, I have found that Nigel can turn the calmest settings into
a production fit for the stage." His wry grin shot straight through
Briana's heart.

"Well,"
Agatha sighed, walking toward the door, parasol in hand, "you are quite
right about that, my lord."

Briana
stood and peered anxiously at her godmother. Why was she leaving her with this
man? "Agatha?"

Agatha
glanced Briana's way, a definite gleam in her intelligent gray eyes. Without a
word to her godchild, she switched her gaze back to Lord Clayton. "If you
are to meet Emily, I am certain she will be here in a few minutes. Probably
checking on the babe. So, if you would be so kind as to keep my goddaughter
company while I see to a few things. I don't think a chaperone is necessary
with the door open, now, is it, my lord?"

Lord
Clayton's eyes flickered with mischief. "Certainly not, madam. You can
trust me."

Agatha
looked him up and down. "Indeed."

Lord
Clayton made a quick bow and held the door open for Agatha to depart

Briana
was so mad she could spit.
Agatha! Don't you dare leave me!

But
before Briana could open her mouth, the point of that trusty parasol sailed
past the door and disappeared.

Dropping
back into her seat, Briana gaped at the mess on the floor. What could she say
to this man? What should she say to this man after yesterday? She stared at
Nigel's big brown eyes. The dog seemed to understand her situation better than
anyone else did.