The Untamed Earl (16 page)

“Oh no, rest assured. If he was taken with me, it was solely for the purpose of asking about you.”

Lavinia seemed pleased with that answer. “Tell me, have you had any luck finding a suitable suitor for me?”

Alex froze. She hadn't expected Lavinia to ask so soon. “No. Not yet. But I haven't given up.”

Lavinia frowned at that answer, but fortunately, Alex was spared additional discussion on the matter when their mother strode into the room. She was wearing an overly formal taffeta confection of an olive hue with a matching turban. Mother loved to overdress. “Oh, there you are, Alexandra. I've been looking for you.”

“Me?” Alex blinked. Her mother was rarely looking for her. To be sought after by not one but
both
of the other ladies in the household today—why, it was unprecedented. Alex glanced at Lavinia. Lavinia looked surprised, too. She shrugged again.

“Yes, you,” Mother continued, bracing her hands on the top of the chair next to Alex.

“Whatever for?” Alex took another tentative bite of eggs. This couldn't be good. Mother hadn't said a word about her suitors last night in the coach on the ride home from the Rutherfords'. Though that might well have had something to do with the fact that Alex pretended to promptly fall asleep as soon as they'd all settled into Father's coach. Of course, Thomas hadn't believed it for a moment and took great pleasure in elbowing her in the ribs each time the coach jostled. Something told Alex that Mother was about to make up for it.

Her mother raised her eyebrows imperiously. “I saw Lord Owen Monroe dance with you last night.”

“Yes,” Alex replied hesitantly.

“She said he was asking her all about
me,
” Lavinia added, her nose pointed in the air and a smug smile on her thin lips.

Her mother's face bloomed with relief. “Oh, that's good to hear.”

Alex clenched her fist. “Would it be so odd for Lord Owen to be interested in me?” As soon as the words were past her lips, she regretted them. And not just because both Lavinia and Mother instantly laughed, but also because she didn't want to even hint about her relationship with Owen. Not now, not yet.

But the laughter hadn't helped. Now Alex was becoming angry. Her cheeks heated. “Who am I? Cinderella?”

“No, of course not, Alexandra, but you're hardly the sort an experienced gentleman like Lord Owen would look at twice,” her mother said in a tone that was meant to be sympathetic, but came out irritatingly condescending.

Alex braced both elbows on the table. “What sort
am
I, Mother?”

Lavinia waved a hand in the air. “You know … short, plump, too talkative, too starry-eyed.”

Plump!
Alex sucked in a lungful of air through her nostrils. “There's nothing wrong with being starry-eyed.” She folded her hands together on the table to keep from slapping her sister.

Her mother shook her head. “Of course not, dear. Don't be so sensitive. I only meant you two don't suit. That's hardly news.”

“But you think Lord Owen and Lavinia suit?” Alex replied.

Her mother snapped her mouth shut and glared at her. Obviously, Alex had gotten too close to her secret.

“Don't be ridiculous,” Lavinia interjected, taking a sip of the juice a servant had promptly delivered to her. “I wouldn't look twice at a scoundrel like him if he were the last titled lord in London.”

Mother swallowed and turned to Lavinia with a pleading look on her face. “Oh, now, dear, don't be too hasty. Your father says Lord Owen has quite a future ahead of him in Parliament.”

Lavinia's eyes nearly bugged from her skull. “You cannot be serious, Mother. Why, you yourself said not a month ago that he was nothing more than a drunken lout. The man actually offered me champagne and seemed put out when I refused it last night.”

Mother wrung her hands. “Yes, well, your father thinks well of him, and it's made me reconsider.” She didn't meet Lavinia's gaze.

Lavinia's face turned bright red. “Father's wrong! Owen Monroe would never make a proper husband!”

Oh no. Lavinia was shouting. It was certain to get worse. It always got worse. Mother glanced around frantically, as if searching about the dining table for something else to say.

“Well, he is handsome,” Alex provided.

“Yes!” Mother nodded so hard, her turban nearly flew off her head. “Don't you think he's handsome, Lavinia?”

Lavinia scowled. “Who cares what he looks like? His behavior is atrocious. Do you know he actually told me last night that he doesn't care for horses? Can you imagine?”

“I haven't heard of anything awful he's done
lately,
” Alex added. “The horse comment notwithstanding.”

Lavinia narrowed her eyes and glared at Alex. Among many other things, her sister had never properly appreciated sarcasm.

“That's quite a good point,” Mother hastened to add, still nodding.

Lavinia's ears were practically purple. “You two have both lost your wits.”

Mother pointed a finger in the air and eyed her eldest daughter carefully. “He does seem to be enamored of you, dear. Alexandra said so. Doesn't that count for something?”

Lavinia slapped her palm against the table, making the glasses bounce. “No. No. It does not! I doubt that man knows so much as a line of poetry.”

Well, she couldn't argue with Lavinia there. Alex calmly smoothed the tablecloth as she met her sister's angry glare. Sometimes Providence handed you an unexpected gift. The proper reaction, of course, was to take it and use it promptly in thanksgiving. “So you're saying that no matter what he says or does, nor how much he might hope to woo you, you've absolutely
no
interest whatsoever in Lord Owen Monroe?”

Lavinia turned her head away and sniffed. “Certainly not. None!”

Next Alex turned toward her mother. “And
you're
saying that despite the fact that you haven't always been one of his most vocal supporters, you now actually believe him to be a suitable husband for your daughter?”

Mother swallowed and tugged at the throat of her gown. She turned her gaze to Lavinia. “Yes. If your father accepts him, so do I.”

Lavinia opened her mouth, no doubt to protest further, but Alex stood up and plunked her juice glass down on the table. “Then I don't see how either one of you could possibly object if I try my luck with him. Good day.”

And with that, Alex flounced out of the breakfast room with an enormous smile on her face.

 

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Alex ripped open the note written on expensive vellum, and her eyes scanned the message. She was sitting at the writing desk in her bedchamber. Hannah had brought her the missive that had been sent over via a footman.

Please call upon me at two o'clock this afternoon.

Yours, Lady Swifdon

Alex's belly remained full of knots all day, and she discarded at least three different gowns in favor of the demure lavender one she'd finally chosen. It had to be another message from Owen. He wouldn't risk sending her a missive directly. He must have asked his sister to write it for him. He wanted to see her again. Was it just that he had more questions about Lavinia?

Guilt tugged at her conscience when she remembered the way he'd thanked her so kindly at the Rutherfords'. “You've done nothing but try to help me,” he'd said, referring to his trouble with Lavinia. If only he knew how very little Alex had helped.

She'd wondered, too, at the seeming ease with which he'd launched her into Society. “Your dancing card appears to be much fuller,” he'd said. Yet he didn't appear to be jealous. At least not as jealous as Alex had hoped. Though he
had
asked if she'd been asked to dance by the man whom she was smitten by. The entire thing was becoming too complicated by half. She should write back and tell Lady Swifdon she had a megrim, was busy, couldn't get away. Yes. That would be best.

*   *   *

At precisely two o'clock, Alex's father's carriage, driven by the ever-bribed coachman, arrived at the front of Lord and Lady Swifdon's town house. Alex and Hannah alighted. Alex swallowed and straightened her shoulders before making her way up the front steps. She hadn't been able to resist after all. Her curiosity got the best of her and she'd loaded up herself and her maid and set off for Lady Swifdon's house.

The butler answered the door and showed her into the foyer. Alex glanced around anxiously. Owen was nowhere to be seen. The butler took her bonnet and then escorted her into a drawing room. The drawing room? She'd never been shown into the drawing room before. Her anxiety grew by the moment. Perhaps Owen would tell her they couldn't meet any longer. Perhaps he'd tell her he intended to stop courting Lavinia. Frankly, that notion frightened Alex more than it should, given the circumstances. Whatever he intended to tell her, she was slowly dying of curiosity, waiting.

Five entire minutes ticked by before the door opened, and in walked … Lady Swifdon. She wore a gown of soft yellow silk, and her matching honey blond hair was pulled up atop her head; a silver necklace and delicate yellow slippers completed her ensemble.

“Good afternoon, Lady Alexandra.” Lady Swifdon swept across the room with a bright smile on her pretty face. “We've met, but it's been a while.”

Alex jumped to her feet. “Of course I remember you, Lady Swifdon.”

“Please call me Cass,” Lady Swifdon continued with a conspiratorial grin on her lovely face.

Well, that was exceedingly kind of her. “Very well, Cass.”

Lady Swifdon must have read Alex's mind because the next thing Cass said was, “Owen's not here today.”

Alex shook her head. “He's not? I don't understand.”

Cass glided over to the door and opened it. Two other beautiful women came sailing through. One was diminutive and wearing deep emerald and had curly black hair. The other was a bit more plump, with dark hair and eyes, and wore a sky blue gown and silver spectacles.

“Please meet my friends,” Cass continued, gesturing to the ladies. “The Duchess of Claringdon and Mrs. Upton.”

Alex watched them both with awe, especially the duchess, whom she'd heard about but never met. The diminutive curly-haired woman's husband was a famous war hero who had been made a duke by the Prince Regent after his bravery at Waterloo. The duchess approached her with a wide, easy smile. When she got close enough, Alex realized that one of her eyes was blue while the other was green. Intriguing, to be sure.

“It's a pleasure to meet you,” the duchess said with an ever-expanding smile. “I've heard so much about you.”

“You've heard so much … about
me
?” Alex pointed at herself.

“Yes, from Cass, dear.”

“This is Mrs. Upton,” Cass said, presenting the dark-haired, spectacle-wearing lady.

“A pleasure,” Mrs. Upton said, sliding a book she'd been carrying into her reticule.

Alex searched her memory. She believed that Mrs. Upton had recently married Garrett Upton, the earl presumptive of Upbridge.

“Mrs. Upton is married to my cousin,” the duchess clarified.

Alex nodded. She'd heard rumors that these three ladies of the
ton
were thick as thieves. They certainly were all quite beautiful and seemed intelligent as well.

“Please sit,” Cass offered, and all four of them took seats on the settee and surrounding chairs. Alex watched Cass with growing interest. She was ethereal and had the same coloring as her gorgeous brother, honey blond hair and cornflower blue eyes. Only Lady Swifdon had no dimple in her cheek. A pity, that.

“I asked you to come today to meet with us, not Owen.” Cass gestured to the duchess and Mrs. Upton.

Alex frowned. “I'm afraid I still don't understand.”

“I'll explain,” Cass replied. “First, allow me to ring for tea.”

A quarter of an hour later, the four ladies were quietly sipping their tea when the duchess blurted out, “For goodness' sake, Cass, tell the poor girl why she's here. She looks half frightened out of her wits.”

“Yes, Cass, do tell,” Mrs. Upton added while enthusiastically consuming a tea cake.

“Very well.” Cass set her teacup aside and turned to face Alex, smoothing her skirts.

Alex tried to keep her hand that held the teacup from shaking. “Yes … my lady? I mean, Cass.”

“I asked you here today, Alex—do you mind if I call you Alex?” Cass began.

“Not at all,” Alex said with a relieved smile. “I much prefer it, actually.”

The duchess clapped her hands. “Famous. You will call me Lucy and call Jane, Jane as well.”

“Very well,” Alex agreed after receiving a friendly nod of approval from Mrs. Upton. She turned back to Cass. “What did you want to ask me?”

Cass straightened her shoulders and met Alex's eyes. “My brother tells me you two are in business of a sort together.”

Alex's hands shook so badly, a bit of tea splashed over the side of the cup and plopped on the delicate white china saucer. “Something like that,” she answered. How much did the countess know? How much would Owen want her to know?

“He said you are both working toward the same goal, to ensure the match between him and your sister, Lavinia.”

Alex breathed a sigh of relief. Apparently, Owen had already shared details with his sister. Alex had nothing to worry about. “That's right,” she replied happily, picking up her teacup again and taking a sip.

“He said you're interested in helping to marry off your sister because you want to become betrothed yourself.”

“That's correct.” Alex nodded again and took another sip.

“He said you are in love with someone.”

Alex's hand froze halfway to her lips for the third sip. “Ye-yes. That's true.”