The Reluctant Suitor (10 page)

Who among her cynical peers in London would’ve ever believed she’d be associating with landed gentry so soon after moving to a quaint little town the likes of Bradford on Avon, or, for that matter, conversing with a marquess whose refined good looks could put to shame many of his gender? Here, indeed, was a man who, by his own aristocracy, could open for her a variety of doors into the world of the nobility.

Percy glanced at his brother, wondering how he was reacting to the winsome blonde’s obvious fascination with their host. A stranger to Felicity before they had ridden over to the Suttons’ to collect the younger two women (and, not surprisingly, the apprentice), Stuart had made his annoyance known soon after learning of the invitation the ladies had extended to the miller’s granddaughter. He had definitely balked at the idea that he’d be required to serve as escort to a total stranger for the entire day when he had actually been looking forward to spending some time with Adriana. Although Stuart had grudgingly acquiesced, he had promised dire repercussions on his sibling if the lady didn’t live up to his expectations.

As it turned out, after meeting Felicity, he had given himself over with enthusiasm to his commission. In a private moment, he had even expressed gratitude for being allowed the pleasure of meeting such a divine creature.

At the moment, however, Stuart didn’t seem to mind that Felicity was plying Colton with coy looks and subtle smiles, since his own attention had strayed to the lady he had hoped to escort through their outing.

Any man would have considered Adriana a desirable young woman, and from all indications, Stuart had also become one of her admirers.

The swiftly evolving situation gave Percy cause to mentally scratch his head. He knew Samantha would be shocked once he told her, perhaps even a bit worried by the turnabout, for there was only one man his wife considered suitable for her best friend . . . none other than her own brother.

Colton Wyndham had also given himself over to pondering matters. He was a man who had experienced the rigors of war much too often of late. If he set aside his suspicions as to Felicity’s ambitions, then there was much to admire, for she had an overflowing coffer of physical assets: pale gold hair, liquid blue eyes, and a mouth that at first seemed a bit too full and soft, yet on further consideration proved quite appealing. Wispy curls framed her youthful face to good advantage beneath a wide-brimmed bonnet fetchingly tied with a wide ribbon as blue as her eyes. The coy glances she cast his way were provocative, assuring him that were he of such a mind, she’d be willing to accept his attentions, to what degree he could not determine. Yet he was rather amazed to find himself comparing the pulchritude of

one young lady to that of another, the latter being the raven-haired perfection he had rejected long ago and been surreptitiously admiring since her entrance into Randwulf Manor.

“Please allow me to express my condolences over the loss of your sire, my lord,” Felicity murmured, managing an appropriately sympathetic expression as she strove to divert his attention from the earl’s daughter. As far as she was concerned, Lady Adriana had already received far too much of his consideration. But then, in view of the lofty title, wealth, and fine looks of her host, Felicity didn’t doubt that she’d have cast any woman with tolerable good looks a rival. This was precisely the kind of opportunity her father had predicted would come to pass if she kept her dignity and didn’t yield her innocence to some lowborn rogue. “I know you were deeply saddened by news of your father’s death.

Yet, for the sake of your fine family and all your friends, I’m heartened by the knowledge that you’ll be assuming the duties of the marquessate.”

“ ‘Tis truly good to be home again. I’ve been away much too long,” Colton admitted, glancing about the interior that for so long had seemed like nothing more than a pleasant memory from his youth. When his hired livery had left the stand of trees buttressing the lane in front of Randwulf Manor earlier in the day and he had caught sight of the Jacobean structure, his heart had swelled with exhilarating joy at the realization he was finally home after spending half his lifetime in other parts of England and the world. The manor had seemed like a pale-stoned jewel amid the verdant lushness of a gently rolling countryside liberally adorned with evergreens and deciduous trees. The mansion was a three-storied edifice adorned with countless, closely spaced mullioned windows, four symmetrical bays, and a flat roof edged with lacy stone fretwork. It had been built on a small rise, which bore neatly trimmed hedges and colorful floral beds. Familiar gargoyles, lions, and urns, made of similar stone as the parapets upon which they sat, had greeted him as he made his halting ascent toward the gracefully arched portico, behind which the massive front door had loomed. Although absent for ten and six years, he had been amazed by the fact that everything was just as he had remembered it.

Colton glanced aside, noticing that Roger had removed himself from their present company.
Good
riddance
, he thought, but then had to wonder just where the apprentice had taken himself, since he was nowhere in sight. It was too much to hope that the lad had left. Wherever he was, one could almost lay odds that he was sulking and devising a plan to claim Adriana for himself.

Relenting to a chuckle, Colton confessed, “I’m afraid I would never have known my own sister had she not recognized me. When I left, she was no more than a child, Lady Adriana a couple years younger.

Now I understand from Mother that the eldest of the Suttons’ offspring has children of her own and the second-born will soon be getting married. Considering the length of time I’ve been away, I’m surprised that Lady Adriana is still unattached.”

In spite of the fact that she had been staring at him intently, Colton realized Adriana had likely missed his comments, for she seemed to awaken to the realization that he was smiling at her. Beneath his lingering

stare, a blush crept upward into her cheeks, but she quickly averted her gaze. Even so, he found himself astounded once again by the transformation that had taken place in his absence. How could a young chit, whom he had once likened to a scrawny little scarecrow, have grown up to be such an exquisite,
indeed
nigh flawless, example of pulchritude?

Sensing her stilted aloofness, he managed a wry grin as he cast a brief glance toward the other occupants of the room. “I’m afraid Lady Adriana has never quite forgiven me for being that obstinately brash, headstrong young whelp who, against his father’s wishes, left home to seek his own way in life.”

Though his comment readily drew amused giggles from Felicity and, more reluctantly, a subdued chuckle or two from the other men, Colton hadn’t meant to be humorous. He had merely been trying to express his regret for hurting an innocent little girl so many years ago. The betrothal idea hadn’t been her fault, but when he had stalked out of the drawing room after angrily refusing to consider an agreement involving a betrothal to a thin, lackluster sprig and had found himself facing the wide-eyed stares of the girl and her parents, his cruel words had come back to haunt him. Though the elder two Suttons had been taken aback by his outrage, it had been Adriana’s stricken look that had haunted him throughout the years, for she had seemed completely devastated by his adamant refusal to consider their future union. Well before that event, he had become cognizant of the fact that she idolized him as much as his own sister. She had never had a brother, and perhaps for that reason she had mentally set him upon a pedestal as her champion, for there had been more than a few instances wherein he had rushed to the girls’ defense after they had gotten into trouble trying to save some injured younglings and found themselves facing a formidable stag or some other furious parent instead. A deep regret for his cruel comments had swept over him after seeing the crushed look on her thin face; he hadn’t meant to wound her so severely. In deepening chagrin, he had stammered through a difficult apology, and then had hurriedly taken his leave, unable to bear her obvious misery.

Stepping beside her friend in the protective manner of an older sister, Samantha decided her brother needed to be enlightened for his own good before he became the recipient of the news that awaited him.

Perhaps with such a warning, he’d think twice this time before rejecting his options out of hand. “ ‘Tis highly unlikely that Adriana has given much thought to you over the years, Colton. She hasn’t had time with all the handsome suitors vying for her attention.” Ignoring the insistent prodding of her elbow, which no doubt was intended to warn her to veer away from the subject, Samantha pressed on puposefully to give her brother something to think about. She was almost sorry Roger wasn’t in the room; for the apprentice needed to be reminded that he was only one small fish in the stream and, even if he had the nerve to intimidate his aristocratic rivals pell-mell, he’d soon find himself gobbled up for a morsel, for there was always a larger grayling swimming somewhere in the same waters. “Her admirers flock to the Suttons’ stoop with all the eagerness of smitten swains, each vying for the honor of being the one Adriana will eventually choose, but, as yet, their pleas have been for naught.” This time Samantha became the recipient of a menacing glower, but she casually shrugged away her friend’s intimidation, deeming herself totally innocent of any wrongdoing. “Well, it’s the truth, and you know it.”

In spite of the indignant little snort that came from Adriana, which seemed to suggest the contrary, Colton realized his sister had done her best to put him in his place. Even to him, his smile seemed lame. “I can see why bachelors are anxious to win the lady for themselves. She’s truly a beauty, the finest I’ve ever seen.”

Felicity took exception to his declaration. When her own hair glistened like pale gold in the sun and her eyes took their color from the very skies, why would a man of great renown and evidently extensive experience prefer the dark-eyed, dark-haired looks of a peevish young woman?

Adriana didn’t necessarily appreciate the fact that she was being discussed as if she were some unusual

artifact a continent away. She faced Colton, managing a trace of a smile. “I’m afraid your sister has been inclined to exaggerate over the number of callers vying for my attention, my lord. You’ll learn after a time that Samantha can go on a bit long over nothing in particular whenever she wants to make a point.”

Percy’s muted chortle affirmed in Adriana’s mind that he had already discovered that truth about his wife.

In immediate response, Samantha settled her arms akimbo and gave them both an exasperated look, evoking more chuckles, this time from the pair.

Allowing Percy the privilege of dealing with his wife’s challenging questions, Adriana returned to the business at hand and served swift death to the notion that she hadn’t heard Colton’s earlier comments. “

You made some reference to my sisters a few moments ago, my lord, and I’d like to take this opportunity to verify that Jaclyn is living in London now and has two children, a boy and a girl. Melora’s wedding is swiftly approaching, at the end of this month, in fact, and although invitations have ceased to be necessary between our two families, I shall see that you receive one. Melora would certainly be disappointed if she didn’t get to see you before she and Sir Harold leave on their honeymoon. They’ll be making their home at his estate in Cornwall and won’t be returning to Wakefield until the latter part of October, at which time my parents will be giving a ball to celebrate the advent of the hunting season. I’m sure you recall how our fathers always enjoyed getting together with close acquaintances after the adjournment of Parliament to plan their hunts and talk of old times. Naturally their wives and daughters will be attending as well, and of course there’ll be lots of food and dancing, perhaps even a witty game or two for those who enjoy such things. It probably has been some time since you’ve indulged in similar diversions.”

Colton grinned down at her. “I’ve been away so long I’m afraid you’ll have to introduce me to your parents.”

A smile curved Adriana’s lips as she elevated a brow. “You
have
been gone a long time, my lord.
I
certainly didn’t know you.”

“For a moment there, I thought you were merely going to slap me for past offenses,” he quipped, his lips twitching with ill-suppressed humor. “In the future, I shall be more wary of the way you take your revenge.”

The intense heat infusing her cheeks made Adriana immediately thankful the miller’s granddaughter stepped forward to reclaim the marquess’s attention. One could almost imagine the blonde had become infatuated with the man . . . or perhaps his title.

Curious about his availability, Felicity Fairchild did indeed desire a moment of his time to appease her curiosity. “Will we have the honor of meeting your marchioness fairly soon, my lord?”

Colton would’ve been convinced of the woman’s diffidence if not for the nervous little smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. It was as delightful as some witty tale, assuring him that he had awakened the lady’

s interest. “Except for my own mother, Miss Felicity, no other lady presently claims that distinction in the family.”

Struggling valiantly to curb her elation, Felicity managed a demure response. “I must have been mistaken about such matches being made in one’s youth.”

Unnerved not so much by the woman’s speculation but by the threat of the truth slipping out, Adriana held her breath for fear that it would. Though the woman’s conjecture was an accurate assessment of the state of affairs, in this case Colton Wyndham was the last to know just what had taken place in his absence.