He wasn’t dressed to receive, no jacket, his lawn shirt half-open. She was struck again by how handsome he was and so glad of it because it was the only thing about him that could account for why she might want to marry him when her family could match his in wealth and prestige. She couldn’t care less if he thought her that superficial, as long as he didn’t think she had an ulterior motive.
She was seated demurely on the sofa and didn’t stand up to offer her hand for a greeting when it would just give him another opportunity to snub her. Besides, she doubted there would be anything cordial about this meeting.
When she didn’t get up to run out of the room crying as he’d probably hoped she would, he added, “If you’re here to see my mother—”
She cut in. “You and I met last night.”
“Did we? I don’t recall, but my mother is receiving in her suite upstairs.”
“I know. My mother is with her now.”
“Then why aren’t you?”
“I decided not to be bored by motherly chatter—besides, I came to see you.”
“Whatever for?”
“As it happens, the young bachelors last night didn’t impress me a’tall, but then they wouldn’t—when I like older men.”
“Then wait for my father. He’s gone round to his club but should be back soon.”
Was he being deliberately obtuse, or was that meant to be funny? In either case, she bluntly clarified, “Older handsome men.”
Those amber eyes suddenly narrowed on her. She was reminded of a snake about to strike.
And yet she realized his anger wasn’t actually directed at her when he snarled, “D’you know how bloody many of you he’s trotted before me?”
It appeared he’d drawn some conclusions of his own, the very one she’d been warned to deny. She wondered if the animosity between father and son went so deep that Daniel would even spite himself just to thwart his father. Or if he’d rejected all the potential brides his father had brought him simply because he refused to be controlled. But did it even matter why he was so lacking in a sense of familial duty? It did if he actually liked her but would still refuse her if he knew Albert had arranged their meeting.
So she mustered a little indignation to say, “He? No one trots me.”
“Don’t lie,” he retorted. “You’re my father’s idea, aren’t you?”
“Actually, my own mother recommended you to me because she thinks so highly of your family. But Mother can only recommend, she can’t control me. To be honest, I’m rather fascinated by you or I wouldn’t be here.”
“Fascinated why? Because I don’t want you? Are you really that vain?”
“Are you really beyond redemption?” she countered.
“I bloody well don’t need redeeming, and you’re barking up the wrong tree if you want conformity,” he retorted.
“Not a’tall. But I do so love a challenge.”
He snorted. “You might be pretty, chit, but I’m already bored with you. Go away.”
She stood up, close to tears. Daniel’s stance, his expression, his every word, told her just how much he disdained her. She made one last attempt, but only because he was still standing there.
She smiled, though it was truly hard to do at that moment, and said wryly, “Benefit of the doubt, etcetera, that you might have been having a bad night—and possibly a bad day? I merely thought we might become better acquainted today—and so we have. You are still here talking to me, after all.”
He glared. “You thought wrong. Get out.”
He walked out of the parlor and disappeared into other regions of the mansion. Trying hard to hold back tears, Vanessa asked the butler to tell her mother she was ready to leave. Daniel was impossible. There was no getting around his complete lack of attraction to her, which left her with absolutely nothing to work with.
Kathleen arrived with Lady Margaret, who was wearing that old-fashioned wig again. But they both looked so concerned she started crying.
“He was rude again?” Kathleen guessed as she put an arm around Vanessa’s shoulders.
“Not so much rude as not cordial, but the exact moment he suspected his father had arranged my visit, he got very angry.”
“I was afraid of that,” Margaret said with a frown.
“You were supposed to deny it,” Kathleen reminded her.
“I did. I said it was your idea. But the maggot had still got in his head, so there was no reasoning with him after that and he left.”
Lady Margaret sighed. “I will try to salvage the situation and confirm that your mother dropped the hint to me today that she wouldn’t be opposed to a possible match between our families. It should defuse Daniel’s anger at least.”
Kathleen continued to console her on the ride back to the town house. “If you can get beyond his rudeness and if anger doesn’t get in the way again, there still might be a chance, darling.”
When he simply wasn’t attracted to her? There was no getting around that. Kathleen merely dropped her back at the town house because she had an appointment to meet her friends. But at least the tears had dried by then and her eyes might have stayed dry if Monty weren’t leaving the parlor when she walked in.
He saw her defeated expression and demanded, “What did he do?”
In answer she burst into tears again. He immediately pulled her into the parlor and closed the door before leading her to the sofa. Sitting down next to her, he drew her close to offer his chest to cry on. She took immediate advantage. Just being this close to him was soothing.
“Tell me what that cur said to you and I’ll go throttle him.”
He said it so calmly, gently, as if he were trying to console her or even make her laugh, but it alarmed her instead, and she leaned back from him. “No! I want to marry him.” She railed at herself for being such a disastrous debutante. The one thing she wanted to accomplish this Season she’d failed at—attracting Daniel Rathban. “I don’t know what to do!”
“Nessi, do you really want to settle for a loveless marriage?”
“Yes, if it means my father can come back.”
“What did you just say?”
“I— Nothing.” She quickly wiped away her tears.
“That wasn’t nothing, that was bloody well quite pertinent. What’s keeping him away?”
She hadn’t meant to mention her father again but she was so upset and Monty was looking at her with such concern, she admitted, “Albert Rathban is. Father went into exile six years ago at Rathban’s insistence—or else our family name would have been dragged through the mud.”
“That’s blackmail. He doesn’t have the power to exile anyone.”
“When he holds all the cards he does—and did. It was my father’s choice, ruination or leave England for good.”
“Care to say how that came about?”
“No, I’ve said too much already.”
“So this is why you’ve agreed to this match?” At her nod, he added, “And it’s what you really want?”
“No, it’s detestable!” she burst out. “But I came back to England to find a way to free my father from his exile in Scotland, and this marriage will do that. And that’s what I really want.”
Monty stared at her thoughtfully before he said, “I can show you how to bring Rathban to the altar—with your permission, of course.”
“Permission for what?”
“To teach you the sort of sophistication that appeals to Daniel. He takes his pleasures where he finds them, but he has to be tempted first, and not much does that anymore. So now he thrives on shocking others with his proclivities. So you may need to shock him to get his attention.”
“What do you mean?”
“You will need to appeal to his prurient interests, and to top it off, he needs to think he can’t have you, that you are utterly interested in another and that there are others determined to have you. We’ll give him both barrels, so to speak, the lure first, then competition. Are you game?”
“You woul
d do that for me?”
“With the utmost reluctance, when I want you for m’self. But if this means so much to you, Nessi, of course I’ll help you. We are friends, after all.”
She was amazed by what he was suggesting right up until he said he wanted her, then she could think about nothing else. She knew he was just teasing, but she wished he weren’t!
He was waiting for her answer. However, it was clear to her that the last thing he wanted to do was help her into the arms of Daniel Rathban. And she didn’t know if she could bring herself to take advantage of him, so she said, “I—need time to think. . . .”
“Certainly.”
Chapter Thirty-four
VANESSA WISHED SHE HAD jumped at the excuse Monty had offered her to spend more private time with him. She still might, especially since it had sounded like it would be fun, but then again, it might be too much fun, and that wouldn’t do. Did she really want her feelings for him to grow even stronger while he advised her on how to win the interest of another man? More to the point, was it already too late?
He wanted her for himself! She couldn’t get that out of her mind even though she knew, rake that he was, that he didn’t mean for marriage. She was still thrilled by that knowledge, so she was disappointed when he didn’t join them for the dinner they attended that night. But imagining everyone seated at a long table, she guessed why—he couldn’t avoid being noticed in such a small group.
Yet it wasn’t actually a small group, and a buffet was offered because of the numerous guests. At least thirty people of assorted ages were in attendance that night, and at least half of them asked Vanessa if her father would be returning to England for her Season. And why wouldn’t they wonder about it when it was where a father should be? She was afraid she might burst into tears if she was asked that question one more time, so she tried to avoid further conversation by staying by her mother’s side and letting Kathleen fend off that question.
But Lady Roberts joined them on the way to the dining room, though not to ask after William. The elder lady was a little loud, a little rotund, and had a very annoying, high-pitched tittering laugh. Vanessa guessed as soon as the lady started sharing the current on-dits that she was one of the grand dames Monty had mentioned.
She found out who was in love with someone they could never have, who was nearing financial ruin, who had caused a sordid scandal by getting caught sneaking into a servant’s bedroom—not in his own house! The lady described these people so well, without actually mentioning names other than using the occasional initial, like Lady C or Lord G, that Vanessa guessed Lady Roberts assumed that she and her mother must know who she was talking about. She didn’t, of course, at least not until Lady Roberts ended her tittle-tattle with a mention of a lord who had been seen escaping an angry mob armed with axes. It was the mention of axes, after she’d seen one embedded in the door to their room at the inn, that made her think of Monty and wonder if this was what he might be hiding from?
“How do they get away with spreading rumors that might not be true?” Vanessa asked Kathleen after Lady Roberts moved on to another couple in the buffet line to impart her rumors to fresh ears.
“It’s a pastime. For some, their only pastime.”
“Unconscionable.”
“Yes, scandal—and attempts to avoid it—can certainly alter people’s lives.” Kathleen gave her a meaningful look as they entered the dining room.
“Did you know who Lady Roberts was talking about?”
“Mostly. My London friends do keep me apprised by writing to me. But by the end of the Season, you’ll likely know as well. Not all the gossips are as discreet as Lady Roberts. Most don’t bother to conceal actual names.”
She ate with her family, standing up, which was fine, since this was one of those times when they were supposed to only pick at their plates. Even Kathleen only picked. But it was easily done after they had shared a hearty meal before getting ready for—a dinner!
After dinner she met one of those less discreet gossips. The Honorable Mavis Collicot could also be called blatantly nosy and had cornered Vanessa because she was searching for new gossip. “You were seen visiting the Rathbans this morning, and dare I guess, you were at their exclusive ball last night?”
There was umbrage in that question. Albert had apparently insulted a lot of people by not including them in his ball. “I was there with my family,” Vanessa said carefully.
Mavis waited avidly for Vanessa to say more, but when she didn’t, the woman began guessing. “Albert is no doubt trying once again to pressure his heir into marrying someone of his choice. Daniel will refuse, of course. He despises his father too much to do what Albert wants, understandable when the women Daniel was in love with were both rejected by his father.”
“Two women?”
“It might be more. I know only about two—are you next? Actually, Albert would find you more than acceptable, which means Daniel won’t like you a’tall. What a shame! That boy needs a wife to put an end to his libertine ways, but he has atrocious taste in women to keep picking unsuitable gels.”
Vanessa was wide-eyed, and before she could elicit any details from the lady, Mavis moved off, obviously more interested in picking up new gossip than in imparting old news. But what she’d just heard was rather far-fetched and unsubstantiated. Mavis Collicot seemed more interested in creating her own rumors than verifying others. But if she heard that story again . . .
Kathleen came to her and warned, “Don’t believe a word Mavis Collicot said. She’s a known liar.”
“Is Lady Roberts?”
“No, that grand dame usually has the right of it, which is why she delights in not being explicit. Did Mavis tell you something unpleasant?”
“Something I wish Daniel was here to deny.” And then she complained, “I would have thought you and your good friend would have arranged for his son to be here tonight.”
“You make us sound like partners in a conspiracy.”
“Aren’t you?”
“Aren’t you forgetting to include yourself in that number?” Kathleen rejoined.
She was, actually, so she sighed. “I just think it’s a waste of my time to go to any parties that he will not be attending.”
“Perhaps you can go just to have fun like your sisters?”
“My sisters are having a normal Season, I’m already engaged, so I’m not. But am I really engaged when my fiancé can’t know about it?”
“You will be, once he proposes. But you already know why it has to be his idea. Five jilted brides is a daunting number to overcome.”
“They weren’t jilted, he simply snubbed them just as he snubbed me.”
“I know you will wear down his resistance.”
Vanessa snorted. “You make it sound like a bloody military campaign.”
“Because it is.”
“Well, I can’t fight another skirmish if he doesn’t show up for the battle.”
“I didn’t expect him tonight. I did send Lord Albert a copy of our agenda for the next two weeks, but he would have received it too late today to arrange for an invitation for tonight. I expect he will do better with the ball tomorrow night.”
“I have to go into battle that soon?”
“Yes, and you have to win!”
“Mother, I’m beginning to think you want Father home as much as I do.”
“I’ve never stopped loving your father.”
“He won’t take you back.”
“I didn’t think he would,” Kathleen replied sadly. “But if he returns to England, I can at least see him occasionally when he visits you girls.”
“That would be enough?”
“Ask me that after you’ve fallen in love with someone you can’t have. Which, if you continue on this path I’ve opened for you, may be sooner than you think. Are you still sure you want to help your father this way?”
This way was a loveless marriage. But did it have to remain that way? Since it couldn’t happen unless Daniel did the
proposing, that alone would require his feelings about her to change. She might be able to work with that after the marriage was a fait accompli, maybe even find out what made him the way he was and help him back to a path of decency. Anything was possible. Wasn’t it?
“Win or fail, this is still the only way, isn’t it—for him to come back?” Vanessa said.
“Short of murdering Lord Albert and taking the chance that the rest of his family isn’t aware of his nasty vendetta and thus, will not continue it, yes.”
She actually laughed that that thought had even entered her mother’s head. “Then I’m sure.”
Chapter Thirty-five
“YE’VE HAD NINE OFFERS for yer beastie, lass.”
Vanessa was visiting Snow while she waited for a groom to saddle the gentle mare for her this morning. She turned to see Donnan peering into Snow’s stall and asked in surprise, “How did that come about?”
“I’ve been taking him for a turn in that big park near here. It’s become vera vexing. We canna get up tae a guid pace withoot being hailed by some laird tae stop and converse—aboot yer Snow.”
That was exciting news, but it made her impatient to get her breeding stable started. She certainly hadn’t expected members of the ton to be interested in Snow. Though why not? One of his offspring would look magnificent pulling a town carriage.
“I hope you asked for their cards so I can contact them later? I do intend to breed Snow eventually.”
“Nay, I just glowered at them for disturbing me.”
“Donnan!”
Yet he handed over a little stack of cards, making her grin.
“Thank you.”
“Have ye decided on a groom yet? While this town is interesting and has muir taverns than we can count, Calum and I were wondering aboot the sassenach process o’ getting yerself wed.”
“A minimum of three weeks for the banns to be posted—at the very least.”
“Or ye can hie yerself back tae Scotland where there’s no waiting. So who’s the lucky lad then?”
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