The Genuine Article (8 page)

He had nothing in particular against women, except that most of them seemed to be empty-headed and frivolous. Mostly, he valued his independence. He did not wish to report to a wife every day, or to be accountable to her for every penny he spent. He thought better of himself than that. He thought far too highly of himself, in his father's opinion. The earl had cut off Reginald's allowance after the argument over the heiress.

That had forced him to identify his predicament. If he wished to be independent, he had to be independent of his family. He could not accept his father's money without accepting the strings attached. So he had taken what remained of his quarterly allowance, the funds he had invested in the market, and his gambling winnings, and set out to make his own way in London.

After all these years, he was finally on the way to being comfortable. He had run up excessive debts those first few years in his attempt to continue living as he had, but those debts were now paid. He had learned the difference between frugality and miserliness. It was not being tight-fisted to keep only one horse and carriage in town, but sensible, particularly at the high cost of upkeep in London.

With the money saved, he could afford to buy manuscripts like the one presented by Lady Marian. Larger profits could be made on larger purchases, and the amounts grew from there, turning a penny saved into a fortune earned. He rather enjoyed the game of using his brains instead of luck.

But he could not afford to let society know he was a shopkeeper. Only Darley knew, and that was because Reginald had had to borrow the funds from him to buy his first inventory. Darley had been repaid with interest since and kept the secret well. For a friend like that, Reginald would move mountains. He would also do his utmost to save that friend from a disastrous marriage.

Arriving at the rout where he had been assured he would find Lady Marian and her family, Reginald gave up his hat and stick to a servant, greeted his gratified hostess, and began the hunt.

This was not a
haut ton
affair. The assemblage was small and less than glittering, but everyone present was extremely respectable. Reginald mentally stifled a yawn. He had long ago lost interest in the malicious gossip, the required flirting, and the lavish entertainments for which the bulk of society existed. But it was necessary to attend these occasions to keep his ear to the ground for valuable acquisitions and to drum up new customers. That was the challenge that kept him attending.

Unfortunately, an entertainment such as this did not have the kind of recklessly wealthy guest that made his expensive inventory so profitable.

Reginald was here merely for Darley's sake. He smiled gallantly as the shy Jessica noticed his approach first. He was a cynical two and thirty, and she was a naive seventeen, but ambitious mamas did not object to age differences. He had no real intention of fixing the chit's interest though. He didn't think she was capable of fixing any interest at all at this age. He merely needed to dance attendance on her occasionally so he had some excuse to be close enough to rile her sister's temper in Darley's presence. The task shouldn't take as long as it would to light a candle, much less become romantically attached.

He bowed over Lady Grace's hand, nodded to a suspicious Lady Marian, and paused in front of the lovely Jessica. "Miss Oglethorp, might I say you look ravishing this evening? Have you been introduced to my cousin, Lady Mary? She is right over there." He turned to her anxious mama. "Might I borrow your daughter for just a bit? Mary has been quite eager to meet your daughter. I believe they are of an age."

Lady Grace gave her permission without a qualm. Everyone knew Reginald Montague. Although he was merely an "honorable," he was considered a catch. He came from a wealthy family and dressed with the arrogance of wealth, so it was assumed he was well to grass. There wasn't a hint of anything untoward to his reputation.

He had been introduced by Lord Darley, who was the epitome of everything respectable himself. How could she possibly refuse Jessica this opportunity?

Knowing full well what was going through her mother's mind, Marian fumed. She knew the cad a shade better than her mother. She suspected the devious devil had something up his sleeve, for a man like that had little interest in a green girl. Marian looked up with relief as Darley returned with a cup of punch.

"Your friend Mr. Montague has graciously offered to introduce Jessica to his cousin," she mentioned with a small smile and a look of concern. "I do so hope she remembers her manners. She is very young yet."

Darley looked in the direction of her gaze with some surprise. This was not the kind of affair Montague generally attended, and his friend seldom bothered even speaking to his relatives. To go out of his way to make an introduction was a curiosity indeed.

"Let us go keep an eye on her if that is what you wish," he suggested, offering his arm. Not being entirely a fool, Darley knew his friend's sterling character was thoroughly corroded by cynicism, and he felt a certain sense of responsibility, since he had made the introduction.

Marian accepted his arm and they were soon part of the circle to which Montague had introduced Jessica. Marian's shy sister was listening with eyes alight at the quick badinage exchanged by these young people who had known each other all their lives, but Jessica was scarce offering a word herself.

Reginald made room for them, giving Lady Marian a nod of acknowledgment. "You have joined us just in time to extol the merits of the Season's leading beauties and to lay your wager on which one will win Devonshire. I am sure Lady Marian has an opinion on the subject."

"Since I do not know the gentleman, I cannot judge what he prefers in a female, sir. Besides, I am not objective. I believe my sister is all that is perfection in a lady."

Jessica turned red as all gazes turned to her. She had no witty reply, and Darley gallantly hastened to assist her. "Miss Oglethorp is indeed a rare orchid in a hothouse full of beautiful flowers. Like many rare flowers, it would take a wise man to recognize her worth."

Someone else laughed. "That leaves out Devonshire, then. Unless she is an expensive and gaudy wall hanging, he will not notice that she exists."

"He cannot look at all eligible females as wall hangings," Montague protested. "He must choose some time. Perhaps we could present Lady Marian in a gilded halo and cloth of gold. What odds could we take then?"

Marian flashed him a look of irritation but responded sweetly, "The odds would be very good that I would trip and fall under the burden of a halo, I'm certain. I have no aspirations to be a duchess."

Darley sent her an appreciative glance, and Montague hid a grimace. Round one, score one to naught. He turned to his young cousin. "Mary, you have been introduced to the duke. Do you think he would prefer a bookish female to a beautiful one?"

The young lady gave a trill of laughter. "Wherever did you mean to find a bookish female, Reginald? Do not look in my direction. I cannot remember seeing the inside of a book since I left the schoolroom."

Jessica spoke hesitantly. "Marian reads. She is all the time in the library."

A young gentleman eager to impress her with his wit leapt into the debate, "But what does she actually do there? The dark corners of libraries offer more interesting delights than books."

This conversation was growing entirely too risqué for an innocent like Jessica. Marian sent Darley a glance, but Montague was the one to respond first.

"Harrington, there ought to be enough light in your pate from the holes in it that you never need a candle. Miss Oglethorp, would you care to accompany me to the buffet?"

Marian and Darley followed, leaving the more sophisticated young people to laugh and gossip behind their backs. Marian sent her escort a veiled look. How had Lord Darley taken the news of her literary bent?

He was frowning, but she could not tell if it had to do with her or with the foolish remark of the young gentleman. She was terrified of saying anything that would make him think less of her. Drat Montague for introducing the subject of books.

As they reached the table, Montague turned and offered Marian a plate. "A bluestocking, Lady Marian? I never would have guessed it."

He was deliberately provoking her. She could see it in the laughing challenge of his eyes. He wanted her to slap him or do something equally outrageous. Marian knew her temper and her sharp tongue were her worst weaknesses, and this man was aiming directly at them. She wasn't certain why, but she didn't intend to play into his hands.

"I daresay there are a great number of things that you will never guess, Mr. Montague. It takes an open mind to see all possibilities." She serenely took the plate offered and began to fill it with dainties from the table.

Darley chuckled and reached to help Jessica slice a piece of cake. "The lady is much too quick to bite at your bait, old boy. Leave off and let us enjoy the evening."

If he continued to pick at her, he would only make a fool of himself, Reginald realized. Darley was so smitten that he could not see what was right before his face. The lady had all but admitted to being a bluestocking. Her quick wit and quicker tongue should have made him wary.

But his friend simply couldn't see beyond a pleasant voice and a bosom too round for fashion. Admittedly, he was having some trouble looking beyond that enticing display himself. The lady's modiste had an eye for emphasizing the positive without disregarding propriety.

"I apologize for any offense you might have taken in my cousin's company. Miss Oglethorp," Reginald offered as a sop to his conscience, "Mary's friends tend to be a bit fast. I had forgotten that."

Jessica gave him a blank look before hastily returning her gaze to her plate. "I thought they seemed very nice, but I do not understand what they said about dark comers. It is very difficult to read in dark rooms. Marian always lights a lamp."

In another moment, Darley would be rolling on the floor with laughter, Reginald thought with disgust. Courting Jessica was going to make an ass out of him, proving Lady Marian's roundly stated opinion. He would do better to court the lady herself.

Even as he thought this, his thoughts began to hum with anticipation. Reginald glanced toward the lady as she bit into a piece of marzipan and licked delicately at her lips. Lady Marian wasn't beautiful, but she exuded the sensuality of an experienced courtesan. He could see why Darley was smitten.

It would give him a great deal more pleasure to seduce the lady than to smile at the very young Jessica.

With any luck at all, Darley would be forced to recognize the fickleness of his lady-love.

Chapter 7

"Mr. Montague seems to be quite a pleasant young man," Lady Grace said absently as she made a neat slice through the seal of the next letter on the stack. "I don't know what you hold against him, Marian."

Marian sipped at her morning tea and frowned at the hideous hunting picture on the wall opposite. "He is not at all what he seems, Mama. I cannot fathom why he showed such particular attention to Jessica the other night. And the flowers are completely out of character."

"The flowers were addressed to all of us, dear. You mustn't put much store in it. And what can you possibly know of the gentleman's character? You have barely spoken with him." She set one invitation aside in the acceptance pile, discarded several pieces of mail, and started on the next.

Marian couldn't admit that she had more than spoken to the man. It would serve nothing to tell her mother that they had exchanged insults on several occasions, for that would not reflect any better on her than on him. And she preferred not to discuss her means of obtaining funds. Her mother was inclined to be hysterical, and she would fret fiercely if she knew the kinds of places Marian had been visiting in order to sell the books. So she couldn't mention meeting the man at an antiquities emporium.

She crumbled her toast instead. "I suppose I must be pleasant to him for Darley's sake, but I cannot find it easy to like the man."

She also couldn't say she didn't like the way he made her feel when he looked at her. That didn't seem at all the thing to be discussing over the breakfast table. But she remembered very well how Montague's assessing gaze had rested on her, and how her skin had tingled. Despite his reputation, the man was no doubt a rake. No other gentleman looked at her like that.