A Charming Lady for the Intriguing Baronet: A Historical Regency Romance Book

by Bridget Barton

  Selina was grateful that her sister filled in her stutters. Selina continued to stare at Alex, taking in his clothing and the authoritative air about him.

  “How? Why?”

  Alex seemed to get what she was trying to say.

  “Allow me to introduce myself. I am formally known as Sir Alexander Russell, 6th Baronet of Chesterfield, but those close to me refer to me as Alex.”

  Selina needed some air, and she needed it fast.

  “If you will just excuse me for a moment, Sir Russell.”

  Selina fled the ballroom in a hurry, desperate to get some time alone and take in all that had just taken place. Alex is no stable groom, but a wealthy baronet! He owns all of this! Oh, I have been such a fool! How had she made a mistake?

  “He certainly didn’t carry himself like someone with a title. It wasn’t hard to mistake him for a worker given the clothes he had been wearing that day. He had said that he was walking the horses, but never once had he mentioned that they were his horses.”

  Selina found her way to the garden and walked to the fountain, dipping her hand in the water and dabbing her face with her wet hand. Footsteps approached her, and thinking that it was Ophelia, she asked for some time alone.

  “Just give me a moment, Phee. I shall be quite alright in a moment.”

  “I apologise for shocking you, Selina.”

  Her head flew up. “What are you doing here? Oh, foolish question–you own this land. Let me give you space.”

  Alex held out his palm. “Stop, please, Selina. I mean you no harm. I understand that you are shocked. If you would just let me explain–”

  “There is no need to explain anything, Sir Russell. I am your guest here. I must say that you have a beautiful garden.”

  Alex’s face took on a pained expression. “I am still–”

  “Selina! This is where you ran off to!”

  Ophelia came running toward them, her cheeks pink with exertion. She stopped and sat on the side of the fountain, getting her breath back.

  “Why were you running?”

  “Aunt Dorothy wishes to formally introduce us to Sir Russell. She saw you approach us, sir. My aunt believes it proper for her to formally introduce us to you, as she is most familiar with you.”

  Selina didn’t want to have to go anywhere with Alex, but she couldn’t ignore her aunt’s request either.

  “Very well. Let us return to the ball and allow Aunt Dorothy to make the formal introductions. We are, after all, living beneath her house. It is only respectful that we do so.”

  Selina was trying to make it known that she was returning to the ball for her aunt. If it were up to her, she would not step foot in the house again and instead choose to wait for her family outside.

  “Would you do me the honour of escorting you ladies inside?” he asked.

  Alex held out his arms to both of them. Ophelia immediately took his arm, thanking him as she did so. It was Selina that hesitated. She had no desire to take the arm of a man that deceived her in such a manner. Imagine! I had honestly thought him to be an honourable stable groom, but he is merely a deceiving baronet. Yet another example of how a man of wealth has no scruples whatsoever.

  “Selina?” he prompted.

  No, he does not get to use my name in such a familiar way. He is merely a stranger to me. And to think that I had romantic thoughts about him?! How foolish have I been?

  “My name is Miss Seymour, Sir Russell.”

  Ophelia raised her eyes at her. “Excuse my sister, Sir Russell. The heat must have got to her head.”

  Selina glared at her sister, narrowing her eyes until they were slits.

  Alex’s smile was sad. “No excuses necessary, Miss Ophelia. May I escort you inside, Miss Seymour?”

  Selina begrudgingly took his arm. “Yes, of course. Best not to keep my aunt waiting–she is not a patient woman.”

  They went back to the ball together, the tension so thick that one could cut it with a knife. The sooner we make the introductions, the sooner we can leave. I have no wish to remain here any longer. Selina was angry, but more than anything, she was hurt and disappointed.

  Chapter 5

  Selina had the distinct feeling of being led to the gallows. Perhaps the imagery is too strong, but I have no desire to be introduced to this man by anyone, especially Aunt Dorothy. Alex held her firmly by the arm, not giving her much of an opportunity to slip away. He likely knew that she wished to run away and wanted to make sure that he prevented her from doing so. What a ghastly man!

  Selina tried to tilt her head to get a look at him, but he was simply too tall for her. She hardly reached his shoulders, making her feel like a dwarf next to him. I find it odd as I do not recall feeling this way on that fateful afternoon. I gather that it was due to my initial belief of his status, but now he is a baronet. Or rather, he has always been the baronet although I foolishly believed him to be a stable groom. Alex was firmly out of reach in more ways than one. His height was merely a physical symbol of how unattainable a relationship with him would be.

  “You appear tortured, Selina.”

  Alex’s quiet comment halted her steps for a moment, slightly jerking her companions.

  “Selina?” Ophelia spoke. “Are you quite all right?”

  Selina could not tell her sister what had happened. Doing so would give Alex far too much satisfaction. He unsettled her, to say the least. Best to tell her in privacy.

  “Yes, yes, Phee. I am all right. I merely caught my shoe on the corner of a stone. We should move along–Aunt Dorothy is not the most patient of people.”

  She could almost feel Alex’s laugh, though he made not a sound.

  “I agree! It did take me some time to find you. She must be wondering where I have got to and if I have managed to locate you. Yes, do let us hasten our footsteps for I do not wish to suffer my aunt’s ire.”

  Alex obliged by walking faster, but his pace proved to be too much for her, and Selina stumbled, nearly falling to the ground if not for Alex pulling her back. I have half a mind to rip these shoes off and go barefoot. They stopped again, their brows furrowed as they looked at her.

  “Selina? You seem to be having trouble with your feet today.”

  Not quite, Phee. I am having trouble with the man currently holding onto my arm.

  “I shall walk unassisted from here if you do not mind.”

  Alex looked as though he would argue, but he saw the glare in her eyes.

  “Of course, if you believe that it will aid you in keeping your balance.”

  Was he inwardly laughing at her? That only increased both her embarrassment and anger. She did not answer him; instead, she started walking.

  “If you would excuse me, sir,” she heard her sister say.

  She heard the swish of her sister’s dress as she hurried to her, falling in step with her.

  “Selina!” she whispered. “What is the meaning of your actions? You were most rude to the baronet.”

  “I was rude? I do not believe so.”

  “Well, you most definitely were! What would Mama say if she were to find out about this?”

  Selina glanced at her sister. “And who would tell her? You?”

  Ophelia’s mouth dropped open, her eyes widening. When her hand was raised to her chest, Selina knew that she had offended her.

  “Of course not! How could you say such a thing? How could you think such a thing?”

  Selina sighed. “No, I did not mean it, Phee. You know that I do not think that of you. Listen, I shall speak on this matter later, all right? I cannot speak of it at this moment.”

  She made a slight movement with her head, hoping that her sister would understand. Ophelia nodded. Of course, she would understand, she is my sister after all. Alex appeared to be discretely hanging back, which was just as well as she did not wish to speak with him or look at him. But Aunt Dorothy will be introducing him to us. I will have to be polite until I can remove myself from the situation.

  “Very w
ell, but you must put on a smile before Aunt Dorothy sees you. As you should remember: a frown is unbecoming on a lady, but a smile is welcoming.”

  Ophelia spoke in her best impersonation of their aunt, bringing forth a giggle from them both.

  “Do not let our aunt catch you saying that, or she may just box your ears.”

  Ophelia grabbed her ears. “I do not think that my ears could take that–they are still smarting from three years ago!”

  Selina remembered the incident clearly and started laughing.

  “I did tell you not to poke your finger in the Christmas pudding, but did you listen?”

  Ophelia stopped walking. “You could have told me that she was approaching!”

  “I did! You were so entranced with the Christmas pudding that you didn’t see me wave my arms about. Serves you right for trying to get to the pudding before everyone else.”

  Ophelia huffed, flicking a blonde tendril of hair from her face. She started to point a gloved finger at Selina, but a clearing of a throat behind them stopped her. They both turned around to see who had so rudely interrupted their little sibling argument. Alex’s eyebrows were raised, and a small smile played about his mouth. I had, but for a brief moment, forgotten that such a man as he existed. If only the moment had gone on for some time.

  “We should get going, or they may send out a search party,” he said.

  He was right, but that did not mean that she was happy about it.

  “Very well. Come Phee, we have an ordeal to overcome.”

  Selina linked her arm with her sister, ignoring the widened eyes her sister gave her. There is ample time for questions later. I wish to get this matter over and done with.

  Alex kept a respectable distance behind the young women, not wishing to further intrude upon their solidarity. He had been effectively shut out, and he had no probable reason why. Surely it is not due to my title? Just the thought sounded ludicrous to him. Selina had not seemed like a woman who would hold one’s title against them. Could I be wrong about her? They approached the double doors leading into Chesterfield Hall, the ladies entering without so much as a backward glance at him.

  Alex noted that Selina smiled at the servants, nodding her head at them. He found that interesting as members of their class were not inclined to do so. As far as they were concerned, servants were invisible hands that did their bidding at the drop of a hat, no questions asked. It took many servants to keep Chesterfield Hall functioning in top condition, a fact that Alex never forgot. He treated his servants like family, for in some ways, they were his family. Alex noted that he must have slowed his pace even further as the women were no longer in sight, having turned the corner into the hall where he was hosting his event.

  “I have never encountered a woman who tried to run from me. More often than not, I would be running away from them.”

  He hurried his footsteps, wishing to get to the bottom of Selina’s cold attitude towards him. As he entered the hall, he was almost immediately met by a woman wearing a cloyingly sweet perfume and a dress that could have done with a bit of letting out. Mrs Dorothy Crauford was undoubtedly a woman to be reckoned with. Alex had had the opportunity to be in her presence several times before, and each meeting had left him exhausted.

  After those tiring occasions, he would become a hermit and go into his shell, only emerging once he was fully charged and able to endure another tiresome event. He saw Selina and her sister standing a few feet from her, talking to an older woman who greatly resembled them. Or rather, they resembled her. This must be their mother. He watched as the woman grabbed Selina’s hands, pointing at her gloves. Alex could tell from his standpoint that they were soiled. Selina pulled her hands from her mother, linking them behind her back. She resembled a petulant child, and he half expected her to stick her tongue out.

  “Sir Alexander !” Mrs Crauford called out. “How wonderful it is to see you again!”

  Alex pasted on a smile and turned his full attention on the woman, stepping forward to take her outstretched hand.

  “And you, Mrs Crauford. If I may say so, you are looking particularly lovely this evening.”

  “Oh, pshaw!” she countered. “You great flatterer! But come, you must meet my lovely nieces.”

  She took his arm, whisking him away from the doorway. Mrs Crauford must have been waiting for him, not wishing to miss her opportunity with him. He did not blame her as there were many people demanding his attention. When Selina saw him approaching them, she took a step back, keeping herself nestled between her mother and sister. She was looking down, refusing to meet his eyes.

  “Sir Alexander Russell, meet my sister, Mrs Charlotte Seymour, and her two beautiful daughters, Selina and Ophelia.”

  They all curtsied, smiling at him, except for Selina, who firmly kept her eyes down.

  “I can vouch for my daughters when I say that it is lovely to meet you, Sir Russell,” Mrs Seymour gushed. “You have a lovely home. Thank you for extending an invitation to my family.”

  Alex made a slight dip of his head, his eyes travelling to Selina as he straightened up.

  “The pleasure is all mine, Mrs Seymour. It is an honour to have my ball graced with such beautiful women as yourselves.”

  Selina looked up, rolled her eyes, and returned to her focus on the floor. I will make you speak with me, Selina, one way or another.

  “The chalk artwork is beautiful, is it not? My housekeeper insisted that I chalk the floor before our guests arrived. I was against the idea, as it would quickly be marred once people began to walk over it, but you appear to have found a section that is still relatively in one piece. She will be glad to know that it was not truly a waste as you have been admiring it for quite some time.”

  Selina reluctantly looked up, her cheeks colouring. The blush was becoming on her porcelain skin, accentuating the contrast of her vivid red hair and fair skin.

  “Y-yes, Sir Russell. The artwork is stunning. I pity the person that did this, only to have it be ruined by dancing feet.”

  There was a bite to her words, matching the ice in her emerald green eyes. What could I have done to have incurred such hostility? This is not the woman I met at the river. Perhaps she has a twin sister tucked away somewhere.

  “Selina is somewhat of an artist herself,” Mrs Crauford put in. “Of course, it is nothing but a hobby. Selina is staying with me for some weeks; I do not believe that you have m–”

  The manner in which the woman disregarded Selina’s sketching abilities made him protective of her. He interrupted Mrs Crauford.

  “I have had the pleasure of meeting Miss Seymour on a different occasion, and I must admit that she is greatly talented. I have seldom come across an artist who puts so much passion into her craft.”

  Mrs Crauford’s mouth gaped open, her eyes going back and forth between them. She finally pulled herself together, her eyes narrowing just a bit.

  “Oh? And may I ask where this meeting took place?”

  Selina had a stricken look upon her face, but Alex felt the need to continue.

  “By the river. I do not think that Miss Seymour realised that she had ventured onto my land, but I was not particularly bothered by that. I welcome people onto my land. The more, the merrier.”

  “Selina,” Mrs Seymour said. “You did not tell us that you had met Sir Russell.”