The Husband Hunt (8 page)

“R
ight, so I’ll get some men on this right away. Have them question everyone they can find at the docks here in London and then move further out to the coastal towns. We’ll figure out where she sailed from and where the ship was headed to and then go after her.”

“Good, good,” Robert muttered, nodding at Mr. Smithe, the Bow Street runner he’d arranged to meet with today. He was supposed to be the best in the business and his price reflected that, but Robert felt it was worth it if it meant sorting this mess out and letting him get back to his own townhouse and his nice peaceful life. A life where Lisa Madison wasn’t prancing around in low-cut gowns while flirting with every man who walked through the damned door of Radnor.

His eyes shifted to the office door as a burst of laughter came muffled from the hall. Another suitor arriving, he supposed with irritation. Five had already gotten here before Mr. Smithe arrived for his appointment. But they just kept coming . . . and none of them appeared to want to leave despite the arrival of the next.

“Keep me posted,” Robert growled, forcing his attention back to Smithe. “And try to track Mrs. Morgan down as quickly as you can.”

“Of course.” Mr. Smithe nodded his graying brown head and then tilted his head and asked, “Do you need a couple of men stationed here to help keep an eye on the gel until we sort this out?”

Robert sighed at the suggestion. It was what he would have liked, but with Christiana with child . . . “No,” he said finally. “That’s taken care of. Just find Morgan and sort out who the suitor is.”

“Right.” Smithe nodded and stood. “It’s a bad business this. Keep an eye on the gel.”

“I plan to,” Robert assured him, moving around Richard’s desk to walk the man to the door. “She will not be left on her own until this business is sorted.”

“Good. I’ll set things in motion then,” Smithe said as they walked out into the hall.

Robert merely nodded, his gaze seeking the parlor door where Lisa and her callers were all having tea. It had gone quiet after that earlier burst of laughter, and he wondered with a frown what they were doing in there, but he turned his attention back to Smithe, murmuring a few more instructions as he led him to the door and saw him out.

He closed the door behind the man a moment later with a little sigh and took a minute to rub his face wearily. He didn’t really want to go back into the parlor. Watching the other men compliment and court Lisa while she beamed smiles and fawned over them all was just . . . well, it was annoying as hell. Nauseating even. However, he was here to keep an eye on her and keep her safe, so he had no choice.

Straightening his shoulders, Robert forced a pleasant expression to his face and headed for the parlor. The expression froze, however, when he pushed the door open and found the room empty. For one moment, he simply stood there, and then he turned from the door with a bellow for Handers.

The butler appeared at once, pushing out of the kitchen door and heading up the hall toward him at the highest speed a good butler ever dared use, a dignified walk. Growling impatiently, Robert strode to meet him, asking, “Where are they?”

“If you are referring to Miss Lisa and her guests, I believe they have gone to the park so that Lord Findlay and Lord Pembroke could prove who had the faster phaeton,” the man answered calmly.

Robert stared at him silently for a moment with disbelief, and then whirled on his heel and headed for the front door. His mind wasn’t silent however. It was having a good old rant. Here he was giving up his bed for a guest room in the Radnor townhouse to look after her, and what did she do? She rushed off to the park with a gaggle of lords, any one of whom could be the mysterious suitor who had planned to kidnap and have his way with her.

Had she gone mad? Because the Lisa Madison he knew and had grown up being chased about by would never be this stupid and reckless. Did she want to be kidnapped and ravished? Was she so devastated by his seeing her as only a little sister that she would risk herself this way? He would wring her beautiful little neck when he found her.

“B
ravo!” Lisa yelled, jumping up and clapping her hands as the phaeton she rode in left the open path and was first to the agreed-upon finishing line. They had won the race. Well, Charles had, she acknowledged with a laugh. She had just been lucky enough to ride along for the race, Lisa supposed, and turned to grin down at the man at the reins.

Findlay chuckled at her enthusiasm, but switched the reins to one hand and raised his other to catch her arm and steady her. “While I am happy you are happy, Miss Madison, you should really sit down. I would not want you to catapult out of the carriage when we slow down.”

“Call me Lisa,” she said on a laugh, dropping back to sit beside him. She then hugged him excitedly. “You showed Pembroke, Lord Findlay. Beat him by at least three carriage lengths. Well done, my lord!”

“Call me Charles,” he murmured by her ear, his arm slipping around her waist to prolong what she’d intended to be a quick congratulatory hug.

Lisa hesitated, very aware that they were now on a much more secluded path leading through the woods. She eased back and smiled up at him crookedly. “Charles, then. But we should turn back. The others will wonder where we have got to.”

She glanced over his shoulder then, wondering where Pembroke’s carriage was. He had been three lengths behind them when Charles had raced the phaeton into the trees, the end point for this race. But his phaeton was nowhere to be seen now. Actually, there was no one on the path. They were quite alone, she realized as he began to slow the phaeton.

“I will turn around at the first opportunity,” Charles assured her, removing his arm as she eased from his embrace to sit beside him more properly. “There is a small turnaround ahead on the right that we can use.”

Lisa nodded, trying not to look nervous. Surely Findlay wasn’t the suitor. He was far too handsome and refined to need to kidnap young women. Besides, even if he was, he wouldn’t be foolish enough to simply ride off with her now. Everyone would know he had taken her. Bet, Lord Pembroke, Lord Tibald and two other gentlemen all knew where she was, or at least who she was with.

“Here we are,” Charles murmured, distracting her from her thoughts and she glanced around to see that he was turning them into a small roundabout in a clearing.

“Oh, it’s lovely,” Lisa cried, her gaze sliding over the small field of purple flowers bordering the roundabout.

“Yes, it is,” he agreed, slowing to a halt halfway around.

“What kind of flowers do you think they are?” she asked leaning to the side to get a better look.

“I have no idea. I’m afraid I have little to no knowledge of flowers,” he said apologetically shifting behind her to look as well. He was close enough his breath brushed her cheek as he added, “But they are lovely. They match your gown. Would you like some?”

Lisa glanced down to the lavender gown she’d changed into after her bath and smiled as she said with surprise, “They are the same color, aren’t they?”

“Yes, they are,” he said simply, and then asked, “Shall I pick some for you as a remembrance of our win?”

She grinned at the suggestion and nodded. “Yes, please. That would be lovely. I shall put them in a vase in my room and think of you every time I look at them.”

“Then you must have them,” Charles said firmly, and set aside the reins to disembark. When Lisa stood up to follow, he waved her back. “You wait there. It’s a bit muddy and you’ll ruin your shoes. I won’t be a minute.”

Lisa sank back in the phaeton with a little sigh of pleasure. Really, this was very nice. It was a rare sunny day and she had enjoyed the race. She’d also enjoyed having men vying for her attention all afternoon, and watching Robert’s irritation with it all until his appointment with the runner had intervened. At least she suspected that’s who the man had been. She’d caught a glimpse of Handers leading a tall man with salt-and-pepper hair to the office and then Robert had disappeared in there with him. It wasn’t long after that the men had begun to argue good-naturedly about who had the fastest phaeton and horse, and . . . well, some little devil in her had made her suggest a race to settle the matter. Everyone had been eager to agree and off they’d gone.

Of course, Lisa knew Robert would be furious, but then that was half the fun. She’d decided that his anger with her last night had been mostly jealousy. The man might claim that he had only big brotherly feelings for her, but he had never in his life said anything unkind to her before last night. Even as a child. So, she had some hope that his anger at the ball had been because of jealousy. If it was and there was a chance for them still, fine. If not . . . well . . . there were half a dozen handsome, seemingly nice men paying her a great deal of attention right now. She felt good. She felt like she had choices for a change. And it was nice.

“Here you are.”

Lisa turned to see Findlay approaching with a bouquet of the beautiful purple flowers in hand. Smiling, she leaned over the side to accept them and then paused to glance at him with surprise when he didn’t release them at once. His expression was solemn, his eyes on her mouth, and she wasn’t terribly surprised when he moved closer and raised his face toward hers. He was going to kiss her.

The thought went through her head, chased by the sound of a rhythmic pounding she recognized as hoofbeats. Charles’s lips had just brushed against hers when the sound exploded into the clearing. Both of them immediately drew apart and turned to see who had arrived.

It was a very harried and irate-looking Robert on horseback and Lisa didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She was really becoming quite curious to enjoy her first kiss, but Robert did seem to keep interrupting Charles’s attempts to give it to her. On the other hand, she might just want that first kiss to be with Robert anyway. She just wasn’t sure yet.

“Lisa, you—I cannot believe—this is—” Apparently at a loss for words, Robert drew himself up short, and just glared at her.

Lisa bit her lip to keep from laughing at his sour look. Glancing to Charles, she said apologetically, “Perhaps it’s time we returned to the others.”

“Home,” Robert growled. “The townhouse.”

“Oh, but—”

“It’s growing late and you’ll want to prepare for the Hammonds’ ball,” he said firmly.

“Ah, yes, the Hammonds’ ball,” Charles murmured, drawing her gaze to him again. “Don’t forget you promised to save me a waltz, and a quadrille.”

Lisa relaxed and smiled. “Yes, of course.”

He smiled in return, pressed the flowers into her hand and then moved silently around the carriage to get back in. Lisa glanced over her shoulder as the phaeton moved forward again. Robert was directly behind them, his back straight, expression grim, and eyes burning.

“Langley appears to be quite concerned with your well-being.”

Lisa glanced to Charles at that comment and grimaced slightly. “He’s just protective. We grew up together and he thinks of me as a little sister.”

“Little sister?” Findlay asked, glancing her way and allowing his eyes to slide over her in her newly de-ruffled lavender gown. “I find that hard to believe.”

“Thank you,” she said on a laugh.

Charles smiled slightly, but added, “Still, he seems . . . his interest appears almost overdone for just a family friend,” he ended delicately.

Lisa glanced away. She would have to point out to Robert that he would give people ideas with his behavior were he not careful. Aloud she said, “Oh well, my brother-in-law, Lord Radnor, asked Robert to help keep an eye on me while I am in town. I fear they worry that having grown up in the country I may not be aware of all the dangers and pitfalls of the city.”

“Hmm,” Charles murmured, and then glanced to her, his eyes dropping to her décolletage and back. “Then I shall be happy to help keep an eye on you too.”

“My lord, I suspect you are one of the possible pitfalls,” Lisa said with a laugh, and he offered a sad moue.

“Oh, now you wound me, Miss Madison. I have been a complete gentleman.”

“So far,” she agreed with amusement.

“So far,” he allowed. “And I promise I shall remain so in your presence . . . for the most part at least,” he added wryly and then explained, “Eventually, I will manage that kiss I have been trying to claim.”

Lisa merely smiled faintly, wondering if it would be too forward to admit she was looking forward to it. Her first kiss. She had always planned and hoped that Robert would be her first kiss. However, it looked as if that wasn’t going to happen. That being the case, she supposed she would just have to suffer and accept a kiss from the very handsome Lord Findlay instead. It didn’t seem like much of a trial at that point. While her interest was primarily in Robert, he wasn’t behaving very nicely, while Lord Findlay was being an absolute dear. Complimenting her, dancing with her, picking her flowers . . . And at least he
wanted
to kiss her. Which made a nice change from Robert’s constant claims that he thought of her as nothing more than a sister.

Chapter Seven

“Y
ou were not supposed to leave the house.”

“No one said anything about not leaving the house,” Lisa said calmly, starting up the stairs with Bet on her heels. They had stopped to collect the maid on the way back to Christiana and Richard’s home, as well as to wish the other men good day, and then Lord Findlay had returned her and Bet to the townhouse with Robert at their back every minute of the journey like some disapproving parent.

“You are being deliberately obtuse, Lisa,” Robert said grimly, following them up the stairs. “I am here to watch over you. How can I do that if you are not even in the house?”

“Well, if you had been there watching me then I wouldn’t have gone without you, would I?” she asked mildly. “Besides, I was perfectly safe.”

“I was meeting with a Bow Street runner to arrange for the capture of Mrs. Morgan,” he hissed, moving up beside her to avoid the possibility of one of the servants hearing. “It was necessary. And I was just up the bloody hall. As for being safe, you don’t know that. Findlay could have been planning to run off with you at any moment.”

“I don’t think running off with me was the plan,” Lisa said calmly as she reached the landing and started up the hall.

“No. He was too busy kissing you,” he muttered.

“
Trying
to kiss me,” Lisa corrected mildly. “However, you do keep interrupting his attempts. I wish you would stop that, Robert.”

“You wish . . . You want him to kiss you?” he asked with outrage.

Lisa stopped at her bedroom door and turned to face him as Bet opened it and entered. “Of course I want him to kiss me. Why wouldn’t I? He’s handsome, eligible and I’ve never been kissed. I should like to see what it’s like. After all, I wouldn’t want to marry him do I not enjoy his kisses.”

“Marry him!” he squawked with amazement.

“Well, that is what I am in town for, Robert. To find a husband, and Lord Findlay is the handsomest of the options so far. So, I should like him to kiss me so I can see if I like it, or if I should turn my attentions to one of the other men instead, one whose kisses I might like better.”

“Are you telling me you intend to just let him kiss you? Then if you don’t like it, allow someone else to kiss you, and then someone else?” he asked with slow disbelief.

Lisa nodded. “That seems the most sensible plan to me. If I find them physically attractive, then I talk with them to see if I like their personality, and if so, well then I should see if I like their kisses.”

“What?” he asked with horror.

She rolled her eyes with exasperation at his expression. “There is more to marriage than sitting across the table every morning talking,” she pointed out. “It does seem to me I should see if the man I plan to marry can stir some passion in me. I should like a marriage as wonderful and heated as Christiana and Suzette were lucky enough to find.”

“Dear God,” Robert muttered and then shook his head. “Lisa, you cannot simply run about allowing every man in London to kiss you until you find the one who—”

“Why not?” she interrupted. “It is just a kiss, but according to Sophie, a kiss can tell you a lot about what kind of lover a man is. Surely I’m not expected to go into marriage just hoping I will enjoy my marriage bed?”

Robert’s mouth moved briefly with nothing coming out and then he asked with irritation, “Who the devil is Sophie?”

“She is a . . . er . . . Bird-of-Paradise,” she whispered, glancing up the hall to be sure there were no servants about to hear.

“A Bird-of-Paradise?” Robert bellowed. “For God’s sake, Lisa. You are friends with a brothel owner
and
a Bird-of-Paradise?”

She scowled at him for shouting, but said, “Of course not, Robert. I read Sophie’s memoirs. And I didn’t know Mrs. Morgan was a brothel owner.”

“The memoirs of a Bird-of-Paradise,” he muttered, running his hand wearily through his hair. “Dear God, you read the most horrid . . . Does your father know about these books of yours?”

Lisa rolled her eyes and turned toward her door, only to be swung back by Robert’s hand on her arm.

“Lisa Madison, I forbid you to allow anyone to kiss you,” he said firmly. “It is—”

“My choice,” she interrupted firmly, and then said more gently, “Really Robert, while I love you like a big brother, you aren’t one, and have no right to forbid me anything.” Tugging her arm free, she shook her head and turned to enter her room, adding, “I fully intend to kiss whomever I wish. I don’t know why you care anyway. It is not like you’re jealous.”

The door closed behind Lisa, leaving Robert standing there staring at it blankly with her words echoing in his head. She loved him like a big brother? When had that happened? She used to adore him. Good Lord, had a couple of days of having men like Findlay, Pembroke and Tibald fawning over her made that much difference? Impossible.

Or was it? he wondered. Other than servants, he had been the only male around while the Madison sisters were growing up. Perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising that she would have a crush on him. But now she was surrounded by men. They were flocking to her like bees to honey. It seemed that was enough to cool the longstanding ardor she’d had for him and turn her adoration to filial affection.

He should be relieved, Robert supposed. But, oddly enough, he wasn’t. He felt . . . betrayed. Abandoned. And even . . . Dear God, he
was
jealous. The very idea of her kissing any man, let alone several, had him wanting to gnash his teeth. The problem was, he didn’t know if he was jealous because he was just used to her being in love with him, or because he actually wanted her for himself.

Robert really had thought of Lisa as something of a little sister for years, finding her adoration of him amusing and annoying by turn. But finding her in that brothel, dressed in that damned see-through gown . . . the one she planned to wear on her wedding night to another man.

It wasn’t just that though. Lisa was changing and quickly. The attentions of all these men were building her confidence. She laughed more gaily, a full, infectious laugh rather than the shy twitter he was used to hearing. She walked taller, her chin up, and her eyes positively twinkled with life and enjoyment. She was blossoming like a rose in bloom. And it made a pretty, quiet girl into an irresistibly beautiful and charming woman. The kind of woman a man could fall in love with and that many men would want and pursue.

“Damn,” Robert muttered and turned wearily from the door. He had no idea what to do with these realizations. He had no desire to be having these feelings for Lisa. And he definitely had no desire to marry and suffer the humiliation and heartache of an adulterous wife. The hell of it was that prior to this trip he would have been hard-pressed to believe that Lisa even could be unfaithful. But now, with her wanting to kiss every man in London . . . well, it did seem more likely. And adulterous wives were something of a curse in his family. So much so that, despite her behavior, it probably wouldn’t even be her fault in the end.

It just seemed better all the way around for Robert to ignore his changing feelings and keep the girl at arm’s length. He would sort out this business of the suitor, but then he would get the hell away from her and let her live her life. It was her best chance of happiness and his best chance of avoiding getting hurt.

“O
kay. So what is going on between you and Robert?”

Lisa glanced to Suzette with surprise. “Whatever do you mean? Nothing is going on.”

“Right,” Suzette said dryly. “He has been standing in that exact same spot across the ballroom, his eyes locked on you all night.”

“And you have studiously avoided looking at him all night as well,” Christiana added with amusement.

“I have no reason to look at him. As for his watching me . . . I cannot control what he does,” Lisa said with a shrug, but wished she could. Robert’s eyes had been following her since they’d arrived, and she hadn’t glanced in his direction because she didn’t have to. She could feel his eyes burning holes into her. She wished he’d stop that.

Lisa supposed she wouldn’t mind if his look was admiring or something, but it wasn’t. Robert had taken an emotional step back. She could feel it. He was watching her with a purely professional disinterest, as if he were a hired bodyguard. She didn’t know what had done it, but something had made him erect a wall between them.

There was nothing she could do about that of course, so Lisa just accepted it and smiled and danced with the men on her card, vetting out those who she liked and those she didn’t. She was not going to sit around waiting on any man, not even Robert.

“Miss Madison.”

Lisa glanced to the man before her and smiled cheerfully. “Lord Pembroke. Is it your dance now?”

“I believe so,” he murmured with a smile she suspected would have made the hearts of most girls flutter. Lisa’s heart didn’t twitch, but he was a nice man and she did appreciate how attractive he was and allowed her smile to widen as she placed her hand on his arm to let him lead her onto the dance floor.

“I hope you do not think less of me for losing the race this afternoon,” Pembroke murmured as he took her in his arms.

Lisa glanced up with surprise and shook her head at once. “Of course not, my lord. It was just a bit of fun. In fact, I thought you had let Findlay win so that I could enjoy it more,” she added lightly, not surprised to see him puff up a bit.

“Well, you did seem to be enjoying it,” he said with a smile, suggesting that might be the case when she was quite sure it wasn’t. She didn’t mind though. He was now standing tall and smiling again where he hadn’t been moments ago.

“Oh, I did enjoy it,” she assured him with a laugh. “It was quite exhilarating.”

“Then I am happy to have lost and given you such joy,” he assured her.

Lisa chuckled. “I appreciate it, my lord. It’s very kind of you.”

“What else do you like to do, Miss Madison?” he asked, spinning her around the floor. “Perhaps we can endeavor to do it tomorrow afternoon. ‘We’ being myself and all your other admirers,” he added with a teasing grin.

Lisa chuckled with appreciation at his teasing and then considered the question, “I enjoy riding, or did in the country, and long walks. And there is a river by our country home where I enjoy paddling a boat.” She paused and shrugged. “I do not know, my lord.”

“What of plays and such?” he asked.

“Oh my, yes. I have only seen one or two, but quite enjoyed them,” she said easily.

“And do you like flowers?”

“Always, my lord. They are quite lovely and cheering.”

“And your favorite sweet?”

“My favorite sweet?” Lisa grinned and teased. “Will you cook it for me?”

He laughed at the suggestion. “Not I. But my cook is known to make the best pastries in London and I would be pleased to have her make whatever you like. I could then bring it to you tomorrow if you would allow it.”

Lisa considered it briefly, but finally said, “Of course I will allow it. I’d be happy to see you again tomorrow. As for what to have your cook make, surprise me, my lord. Have your cook make whatever she makes best. Something you like.”

“I know just the thing,” he assured her. “You shall love it.”

“I shall look forward to it, my lord,” she said with a laugh.

“As shall I,” Pembroke assured her and then glanced around with a frown as the music came to an end. Grimacing, he murmured, “I guess this is the end of our dance.”

“Oh,” she said with surprise and glanced around. It had seemed to go by quickly as they talked. Smiling faintly, she turned her gaze back to him and said, “Well, thank you for the dance, my lord.”

“Thank you, Miss Madison. It is always a pleasure,” he assured her.

“Yes it is.”

Lisa glanced to the side at that comment to see Lord Findlay had approached.

“My waltz, I believe,” he said with a grin, and then nodded to the other man. “Pembroke.”

“Findlay,” Lord Pembroke murmured, giving Lisa up to him. Before he left, however, he smiled at Lisa and said, “Till tomorrow.”

“Yes.” She smiled and then turned her attention to Charles as the waltz began.

“Tomorrow?” Findlay asked mildly as he swept her into the dance. “I take it Pembroke plans to call on you again?”

“It would seem so,” Lisa said with a grin. “He is bringing me sweets from his cook who he claims is the best in London.”

“I have heard that,” Findlay allowed. “I suppose this means I shall have to come as well, bearing something to top his offering.”

Lisa chuckled at the suggestion. “Surely it would have to be something special to top the best sweets in London, my lord.”

“Yes, I suppose it shall,” he acknowledged and then smiled wryly. “I shall have to consider carefully on what to bring.”

“Hmm,” she said with amusement, finding it heady that two of the most eligible, not to mention the handsomest, bachelors in town were vying for her attention thusly.

“In the meantime,” Charles murmured, steering her about the floor. “I believe there is the question of that kiss I have been trying to claim.”

“Ah yes, the kiss,” she said, lips twitching. “Well, surely you will not try to claim it here on the dance floor, my lord? That would cause quite the scandal.”

“Oh, I would never do that and risk damaging your reputation,” he assured her.

“I am glad to hear it.”

“And of course, if I wait for the quadrille and try to escort you outside for fresh air, your watchdog, Lord Langley, would be on us and no doubt drag you away again before I could do more than take you in my arms.”

“No doubt,” Lisa agreed dryly.

“Fortunately, I thought of that and made my plans accordingly.”

“Did you?” she asked with interest. “And what plans are those?”

“Well, at this very moment a couple of my friends are talking with him, and blocking his view of us. Unintentionally, of course.”

“Oh, of course,” she said on a laugh and turned to glance toward where Robert had been standing all night. Sure enough, a group of three men were surrounding him.

“And, I have danced us to the terrace doors,” Findlay added.