The Most to Lose (18 page)

“That may have been his initial intent, but that changed after your first meeting. It’s obvious to everyone that Haywood is head over ears in love with you. Everyone except your brother.”

Celie smiled. She’d smiled a lot since Jonah had returned home. She suddenly wanted her best friend to experience that same happiness. “Is there anyone special in your life, Amanda?”

“Oh, no you don’t! Don’t you dare try to play matchmaker with me.” Amanda stepped back a foot and let her gaze roam the ballroom. “You and I pledged to remain old maids and replace the Chipworth sisters when they retired. We decided to be the next terrors of London Society. My plans haven’t changed. I still intend to follow that course, even though you’ve abandoned me.”

Celie laughed. “Isn’t there someone?” Celie encouraged a second time. “And don’t attempt to lie. I always know when you’re not telling me the truth.”

Amanda gave Celie a wrinkle-faced look and turned her attention back to the ballroom floor. “Very well. Perhaps there is someone I consider special.”

“Who?”

“Oh, no,” Amanda said, “I’m not telling you.”

“Why ever not? I’ve always shared everything with you.”

“This is not something to share.” Amanda brushed away a speck of imaginary lint from her gown.

“But maybe I can—”

“There’s nothing you can do, Celie. There’s nothing anyone can do.”

Celie saw a glimpse of something she rarely saw on Amanda’s face—defeat mixed with a hint of despair. What was even more heart wrenching was that Amanda’s voice contained a hopelessness she rarely heard from her friend.

Celie clutched her hands to her middle. “Oh, Amanda. You’ve fallen in love with someone who’s already married.”

Amanda didn’t deny her assumption, and Celie ached for her friend. Now that she knew what it was like to love someone, she couldn’t imagine what it must be like to give your love to someone who could never love you in return.

“Is there something I can do?” Celie asked, knowing the futility of her question even as she asked it.

“Yes, you can erase that maudlin expression from your face so we can enjoy ourselves tonight.”

Celie caught sight of Jonah walking toward her, and she couldn’t stop the smile from lighting her face. She would always feel Amanda’s loss, but nothing could stop the elation she experienced every time she saw Jonah.

Love did that. And her heart overflowed with love for the man walking toward her.

The waltz ended and Celie took Jonah’s arm and walked with him out onto the terrace. A full moon shone above and a gentle breeze blew softly as they made their way down one of the cobbled paths in the garden.

“I haven’t told you how beautiful you are tonight,” he said, keeping her close to him as they slowly walked through Lady Windemere’s garden.

“And you, my lord, are undoubtedly the most handsome man here,” she answered in return.

“Then perhaps you will be content with that thought until I return.”

“Return?”

“Yes, I have to be gone for a few weeks,” he said when they were seated on a small iron bench overlooking a small pond. “I have some estate business to attend to.”

“You’re going to Haywood Abbey?”

“Yes. The manor house is in desperate need of repairs, and I want to start before winter.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“I don’t know. Several weeks, I’m sure. Perhaps longer.”

Jonah’s words affected her in a way she wasn’t prepared for. She realized she didn’t want to be separated from him for even a few days, let alone several weeks. She turned to face him. “I wouldn’t mind spending some time in the country. Would you mind if I accompanied you? I’ll take Amanda with me, of course.”

A smile brightened his face. “I can think of nothing I’d enjoy more. But do you think your brother will allow it?”

“I’m sure he’ll send an army of chaperones along to guard my every move, but Amanda can be a most impressive diversion. I’m sure we’ll find at least a little time to spend together.”

Jonah laughed. “The thought of having you there to help make some of the decisions is perfect. And no one is more capable of creating a diversion than Lady Amanda.”

The sound of his laughter surged through her like molten lava rushing down a hillside. Its blazing warmth filled in every crease and crevice and covered her with an inescapable heat. That’s how Jonah affected her. His nearness created an intense sense of need and desire.

“When will you leave?”

“In two days. There are several items the carpenters need that can’t be obtained in the village. I’ll leave as soon as I get the supplies the workmen need. Will you be able to be ready by then?”

She smiled. “That will give me plenty of time.”

Celie lifted her head and her gaze locked with Jonah’s. He reached for her hands and held them in his.

“Did your brother tell you I visited him this morning?”

“Yes. He said you requested permission to marry me—which he granted, with the stipulation that includes a six-month waiting period. He thinks I’ll come to my senses before the time is over and realize what a bad choice you are.”

“Perhaps he’s right,” Jonah said.

The tone of his voice sounded so serious she was suddenly frightened. “Do you think he is?”

“I pray to God not, but you could do much better. I have nothing to commend me.”

“You have more to your credit than you realize. You possess the qualities I most admire in a man. I want nothing more than what you can provide.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave herself to him. Even though he’d never said the words, she knew he loved her. Just as she knew her brother loved her, even though he’d never said the words, either.

Jonah deepened his kiss, touching her, possessing her until Celie could barely breathe. She wanted him.

She wasn’t sure she could have described that thought; she wasn’t even sure she knew where it had come from, but every fiber in her body said she wanted Jonah. And only Jonah.

He kissed her again, then lifted his mouth and pulled her close to him when they heard a noise from somewhere nearby.

She thought she heard him whisper something about the next six months and the longest of his life, but she wasn’t sure. “Did you say something?” she asked, listening to his heart pound beneath her ear.

“I was reminding myself that I am the luckiest man on the face of the earth.”

“You must have read my mind,” Celie said, smiling up at him, “for I was just telling myself that I’m the most fortunate woman alive.”

Jonah lowered his head to give her one last, brief kiss, then separated himself from her before someone saw them.

Chapter 12

C
elie stood at the top of the stairs and watched several footmen carry one heavy trunk after another out the door and to the waiting carts. From the amount of luggage waiting to be loaded, it was obvious her brother hadn’t changed his mind about accompanying her.

She said a silent prayer that they would survive the trip to the country without a fatality. The journey would only take a couple of hours, but that was more than enough time for the atmosphere to become explosive. She was courting danger by confining her brother and Amanda in the same carriage for that length of time, let alone the volatile tension that was always there when he was anywhere near Jonah.

She didn’t know how they would arrive at Hadleigh Manor unscathed.

She reached the bottom of the stairs as Amanda walked through the front door. Amanda stopped and surveyed the mound of trunks and baggage.

“I thought we were only going to the country for a few weeks. You didn’t tell me it could be years.”

“We will only be there a few weeks.”

Amanda rolled her eyes. “Celie, please tell me all these trunks are yours and they’re not your brother’s.”

“I…uh…”

Amanda’s fists tightened at her sides. “You promised you’d be able to talk him out of going.”

“Well, I couldn’t. You know how he can be. With Haywood residing at the neighboring estate, he insisted on coming. Then, when he realized that you would be there, too, well…”

“I can imagine. He was thrilled.”

Celie stifled a giggle. “Come with me. I’ve had tea and a tray sent to the morning room. I hoped sending us all off on a full stomach would help our dispositions.”

“I don’t think there’s any help for your brother’s disposition once he’s locked inside a carriage with his archenemy.”

“That’s where you will help.”

“Oh, no. Not me. I’m not playing buffer between Haywood and your brother. That’s like entertaining a death wish.”

Celie laughed. “Silly. Come with me. Tea will help.”

“Nothing will help,” Celie heard her friend mumble behind her. She hoped she wasn’t right.

Celie led the way down the hall. “I really thought he might remain in London because he’s at the head of so many committees in the House. He’s always at one meeting or another. He’s the chairman of almost every committee he’s on and takes his responsibilities so seriously I was certain he’d stay here to attend the meetings.”

Amanda shook her head. “The only reason he’s the chairman is because the other committee members find it much easier to put him in charge and let him control the outcome than to try to fight him.”

Celie handed Amanda a cup of tea. “Unfortunately, I think you’re right. But I was so sure he’d be too busy to leave right now.”

Amanda took a sip of tea, then set her cup down. “I think it’s time someone stood up to your brother and made his life a little more difficult.”

“Oh, no you don’t, Amanda. Don’t even think of causing trouble. His life has been difficult enough since Haywood’s return. Haywood’s appearance resurrected the scandal involving Melisande.”

“We both know he hasn’t allowed himself to
have
a life since the scandal. At least not a life outside his work in the House. I think he needs someone to make his life more of a challenge than the wasted existence he’s allowed it to become.”

Celie couldn’t stop the laughter from escaping. “Well, when you decide how you intend to accomplish that feat, let me know. I want to be there. I just don’t want you to implement your schemes just now. For the next few weeks, we
have
to reside with each other.”

“Very well. But it would be interesting to see—”

Amanda was about to add something Celie was sure she’d find amusing when the door opened and Hadleigh entered.

“Your Grace,” Amanda said in a sweet tone. “What a surprise.”

“Surprise? I can’t imagine why, Lady Amanda. This is, after all,
my
house.”

“Of course,” Amanda added with a sweet smile on her face. “I mistakenly assumed you would be out supervising the loading of the luggage.”

“I have employees perfectly capable of overseeing that detail. I was more concerned with supervising the loading of the passengers. But since you are both sitting here enjoying tea, it is impossible to assist you into the waiting carriage.” He shifted his impatient glare in Celie’s direction. “You are blatantly tardy, Cecelia.”

“Oh, please, forgive me, Your Grace,” Amanda interjected. “The fault is entirely mine.”

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Her brother rolled his eyes. “In what calamity have you involved yourself this time?”

“Not a calamity, exactly. More a concern I had that—”

“Concern?” Hadleigh interrupted in his most arrogant tone. “A concern that had to be handled now?”

“Yes, Your Grace. It is a
personal
matter.”

“That only my sister could help you solve.”

Celie noticed the sly grin on Amanda’s face and knew it was time to change the subject. Unfortunately, she didn’t interrupt quite soon enough.

“Of course, Your Grace. Surely you realize how close Celie and I are?”

“How could I forget?” her brother retorted. “I was usually the one who had to rescue the two of you from the schemes in which you involved my sister.”

Celie started to object, but Amanda held up her hand to stop her.

“Oh, Your Grace, you give me far too much credit. I would be remiss to take credit for all of our misdeeds. After all, Celie does possess some of the same traits that are so prevalent in
your
personality.”