To Catch A Spinster (The Reluctant Bride Collection) (2 page)

“Olivia, really!”

“Could you find your husband, Mary?”

“You are being quite forward.”

Olivia sipped her punch. Yes, indeed she was. The season was nearly half over and this was her last one— no matter what her mother said. “Time is running out.”

“Oh, well, yes. I see what you mean. I’ll go find him.”

Olivia smiled slightly. “Thank you. That would be most helpful.”

Olivia watched as Mary wound her way to Rufus. He smiled at his wife and for once in her life Olivia envied one of her sisters. With his quick charm, ready laughter, and silly pranks, Rufus was her favorite brother-in-law. He was rarely serious and had been in love with Mary for longer than anyone could remember. They were a good match, but then they’d lived next door to each other since birth. They’d been married at eighteen.

If Olivia could have chosen her fate, that would have been it. Best friend and lover, rolled into one.

Rufus looked in surprise at Olivia, then winked.

She sighed and shook her head. Of course, she much preferred Rufus as a brother-in-law than as a husband. She’d be much too tempted to smack him if he was her husband.

Nathaniel nodded as Rufus Eliot hailed him. Though Eliot was part of the younger set, they were acquainted through their club. A likable enough fellow, if one wasn’t too concerned about being the butt of a good joke. Nathaniel wondered briefly if he was the entertainment or if he should warn the unfortunate woman accompanying Eliot.

Eliot gestured to the woman. “Mr. Jenkins. May I introduce my sister-in-law, Miss Blakesley.”

“Miss Blakesley.” Nathaniel could not help but stare at poor Miss Blakesley. If ever the word spinster applied more he’d not met the woman. Here was a paragon of womanly failure. Her hair was pinned back in a widow’s knot and she was dressed in hideous brown bombazine with buttons clear to her neck. She looked quite capable of taking a swatch to his backside for any impropriety.

She caught his eye and he couldn’t help but feel that she was laughing at his perusal of her dress.

She said, “I prefer orange myself but it is so hard to find nowadays.”

Nathaniel glanced to his right and saw no fewer than four orange dresses.

“Oh, yes. Fashion.”

A small smile lifted the corners of her mouth. Her eyes flicked down, taking in his conventional evening wear. Not out of date, but definitely not in fashion. Nathaniel preferred clothing that would be in style for more than a season, preferably a decade.

Miss Blakesley seemed to prefer clothing that would never be in style. One would save money, at least.

Rufus Eliot said, “Do you by any chance study the stars, Jenkins? It is Miss Blakesley’s passion.”

Knowing his duty, Nathaniel turned to her. “I am sorry to say I do not. What is it about the stars you enjoy, Miss Blakesley?”

“I can study them in peace and they always wear the same thing. Do you have a passion, Mr. Jenkins?”

“I have not had the luxury of late but I do enjoy fishing.”

Rufus Eliot smiled. “A country man.”

Nathaniel nodded. “I prefer it. There are more fish there.”

Miss Blakesley nodded. “And better smelling rivers.”

“It does increase the pleasure somewhat.”

She laughed. “Indeed. I find London terrible for star-gazing. It must be even less suited for fishing.”

“I will admit that the thought of spending the day near the edge of the Thames leaves me quite cold.” He looked into her sparkling eyes and was interested despite himself. “Do you continue your star-gazing while in town, Miss Blakesley?”

She nodded. “It is a dismal business here but I keep up the habit. I have sketch after sketch of fog.”

He smiled. “Do you find fog just as fascinating?”

“Not in the least. It is too transitory for my liking.” She cocked her head. “Somewhat like fashion, actually.”

A laugh escaped him. She smiled back at him, then flicked her eyes behind him and sighed. “It was nice to meet you, Mr. Jenkins. But my mother has spotted me and I fear neither one of us is safe. Once one reaches a certain age, one becomes a mother’s pet project.”

“I’ve noticed the phenomenon myself.”

“Have you? Then I feel for you, Mr. Jenkins. If you’ll excuse me.”

“Certainly, Miss Blakesley. Eliot.”

He watched her walk quickly towards the other end of the room and thought he had never met a more curious woman.

Mary fluttered her fan. “Well?”

“I only spoke two sentences to him before Mama noticed and started making her way towards us.”

“So? What did he say in those two sentences?”

“He likes the country and fishing. But does not care much for the stars.”

“Who does, besides you? If that is what you are waiting for in a husband then you
will
die a spinster.”

Olivia shook her head. “He does not need to share my passions. I simply wanted to take a measure of his character.”

Rufus nodded towards the door. “I guess he doesn’t like having his character measured. He’s leaving.”

Mary said, “Perhaps he is being a dutiful son and taking his mother home. That is Mrs. Jenkins he is escorting.”

Olivia glanced quickly at the departing Mr. Jenkins. “Well, my two sentences with him did not gain me much information. There must be a better way of learning about a gentleman.”

Mary smiled knowingly. “Perhaps Rufus can make some inquiries. Dear, can you find out if Mr. Jenkins would make a suitable brother-in-law?”

Olivia frowned. “Don’t say anything so foolish in front of Mama. I will never hear the end of it.” She looked at Rufus. “Could you? Discreetly.”

He winked theatrically. “Leave it to me, Sis.”

“I am doomed,” she said and began to lecture on the constellations as her mother swooped in with hope in her eyes.

Nathaniel helped his mother into the carriage wishing he could escape to his club. His mother would want to rehash the last hour, lady by lady. He wished, not for the first time, that he was not such a dutiful son.

“Who was the woman you were talking to right before we left?”

“Miss Blakesley. Her brother-in-law and I belong to the same club.”

“She’s a little older, isn’t she?”

“A bit, though I wouldn’t say thirty. Should I warn her that you are getting desperate to marry me off to anyone not in braids?”

“I should think if she was nearing thirty I would need to warn you. I doubt the desperation I feel can compare to hers.”

Nathaniel grunted and for an instant felt sympathy for the poor woman. If her mother was anything like his, she must indeed be feeling desperate. He at least did not live under the same roof and could retire in peace, far away from her anxious schemings.

In truth though, Miss Blakesley had not seemed desperate. Interested, certainly. But also curious. She was not indelicate about her scrutiny but he felt it nonetheless. As an eligible bachelor, he had been appraised before. And as much as he did not appreciate the experience, he understood it. What woman would want to give her life and love to someone she did not know?

However, Miss Blakesley’s scrutiny had been different. He, for once, had not felt like she was calculating his fortune but instead felt she was sincerely interested in knowing
him
. He had been slightly, and embarrassingly, aroused by her interest.

Though why he would be aroused by a woman wearing a dreary brown frock with a tight collar buttoned up to her neck, he did not know. She was definitely not your average young chit.

His mother smiled and gazed out the window. “She didn’t seem quite as talkative as the other girls. You at least had conversation with her.”

He nodded. “About fishing the Thames. And sketching the stars in London. “

His mother blinked. “Well, that is certainly a different kind of conversation then what you are used to.” She paused. “She’s not young, and certainly not frilly. Perhaps we’ve found a different species of fish, after all. Would you call her chatty?”

He groaned and leaned his head back. His mother smiled, and wondered about Miss Blakesley.

M
iss Olivia Blakesley had made up her mind. After a few sleepless nights and a little sip from her father’s brandy. Awful stuff.

Rufus had come back with an all clear on Mr. Jenkins. She wasn’t going to give a stranger the keys to her family’s downfall unless she was sure he wouldn’t use them. One could never be sure but it appeared as if he wouldn’t.

Mary, of course, had told everyone of her interest. They kept humming the wedding march under their breath whenever her mother was out of earshot.

Olivia had no interest in telling them her real plans for Mr. Nathaniel Jenkins.

She was going to seduce him. Or rather, have him seduce her. She wasn’t at all sure how to go about it, her education so far teaching her how not to be seduced. And, she might add, she had been led to believe it would be a difficult task. Men apparently not being able to control their baser instincts.

But Olivia had never been accosted. Not once.

No suitor had ever tried to dally in a darkened corner, offer her a stroll in a deserted garden, taken advantage of an accidental meeting.

She was starting to think the voracious appetites of the male species to be an exaggeration. Perhaps she should have chosen a rake after all.

If all else failed, she could always lower her standards.

She spotted Mr. Jenkins on the dance floor, twirling another entirely too young woman in a decadent waltz. The Donner’s Ball was quite the smash, despite a few disapproving looks for the choice of dance.

It was a bit crowded but Olivia hoped to take advantage of that. Sometime tonight she was going to corner Mr. Jenkins and proposition him.

She smoothed her skirt in a sudden nervous spurt of energy. If she was wrong about his character she would be a ruined old spinster by tomorrow morning.

On the bright side, it might be easier to catch a rake if she was ruined.

On the dark side, she might be the laughing-stock of the
ton
. Oh, wouldn’t that be wonderful.

Well, nothing for it. All she had to lose was her reputation. Self-respect. Trust of her family.

Dear God, I’m a hoyden, she thought and went to position herself for an accidental encounter.