And that kiss! He massaged his temples to alleviate the pain the humiliation had caused him. He should have recognized how different she was, but as was typical for him, he did not. He barreled into it like a wolf chasing what it assumed was the weakest of the flock. Yet, Rose was not weak, not by any definition of the word.
He sighed. Something good had finally come into his life and he had pushed her away without even trying.
Then an idea occurred to him. He would not beg her to remain in the courtship, but he could make the request. Perhaps he could prove to her that he was a worthy gentleman, one she may be able to guide in the right direction. Not only would that please him, but it would please his father, as well. Everyone would win.
“Is that Parkinson I see counting butterflies outside his window?”
Holden turned to find David in the doorway, a churlish grin on his face. “Do not be silly. A man is allowed to look out his window whenever he chooses.”
David joined him, peered out the window, and then looked back at Holden. “I suppose,” he replied as he leaned a shoulder against the wall. “Just think. In just a few days, I will be hosting the biggest and grandest party that Rumsbury has ever seen. I will be offering the finest foods, wines, and music for my guests to enjoy. I will be touted the best host of all times.”
“I look forward to it,” Holden lied. “I am sure it will be a grand spectacle.”
David pushed off the wall and walked over to the liquor cart. “Caroline Thrup and her mother joined Father and me for dinner last night.”
Holden raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Was it a pleasant evening?”
David snorted. “The women were more than happy if their incessant talking was any indication. Of course, I took great interest in anything Caroline said, which proved that the woman is as enamored with me as I had suspected.” He handed Holden a glass of brandy.
“That is good,” Holden replied. “She has been Rose’s companion since the woman’s arrival to Rumsbury, and I have found her to be pleasant company. She is a kind and thoughtful woman, much different than I remembered. She and Rose have grown quite close.” He glanced at David and was surprised to see the man staring at him as if he had grown a third eye.
“Kind?” David said with a laugh. “What do I care if the woman is kind? What I care about is that she has a very firm backside beneath those skirts and a pair of breasts that simply call out to me to use as a pillow. No, I want nothing more than to take her to my bed.”
In the past, such talk would have sent Holden writhing on the floor with laughter. Now, however, he felt nothing but discomfort. Was he ill? Had he contracted some sort of horrible disease that affected his mind? Yet, he did not feel flush or weak as he should have if that were the case.
“I would be careful,” Holden said in an attempt to navigate the man away from Caroline. It was his fault David had set his sights on the woman after all. “Her mother may be in attendance and therefore will make it impossible to sneak her away. Perhaps another woman would be more…”
“Lady Thrup will not be in attendance,” David interrupted with a wide grin. “And even if she were, I have ways to see that certain guests are distracted for long periods of time.”
“Be that as it may,” Holden said, making one more attempt to change the man’s mind, “others may notice a woman as outspoken as Caroline disappearing. Plus, if you were caught, it would do you irreparable damage, not to mention what it would do to her reputation.”
David eyed him curiously as he took a sip of his drink. “It appears you do not agree with my plan. Has that Skylark woman befuddled your mind? Shall I request the musicians leave early so you may recite poetry instead?”
“Do not be a half-wit,” Holden growled. “Rose has done nothing to me.” As he said this, he knew it to be a lie.
It appeared David did as well. “You have allowed that woman to set up shop in your head. You have become enamored with her; I can see it in your eyes.”
“Enamored is a strong word,” Holden replied coldly. “I admit that I do enjoy her company, but there is nothing wrong with that, is there?”
David glared at him. “Not at all, but do not presume that you are now better than I simply because you have begun to enjoy a woman’s company.”
Holden shook his head. “I think no such thing.”
“Then perhaps you can explain why this great concern over Caroline Thrup. We have both heckled about women in the past. Did you not purposefully invite your Miss Skylark to my party because I wished to invite Miss Thrup?”
“I was the one who mentioned the party to Miss Thrup, not you.”
David waved a dismissive hand and walked over to sit on one of the green and gold chairs. “Who did the actual inviting is of no consequence, but you knew I would be inviting her regardless.”
Holden sighed. “Let us not argue. We have been friends for a very long time, and I do not wish to destroy what we have built. And yes, I have shown little respect to women such as Caroline. However, as I have spent more time with the woman, I find that she is not as insipid as I once thought.”
“You mean since you have spent time with Miss Skylark. You could not care less for Caroline and what becomes of her.” He chuckled. “Or perhaps you are having romantic notions for both women.”
This made Holden laugh. “Not at all. It is just that I have spent enough time with Caroline to think of her as a friend.”
Granted, he had not spent an exorbitant amount of time with the woman, but he did not lie that his view of her was changing, even if it was not to the degree he proclaimed. Plus, he knew that any impudence this man showed to Caroline would undermine anything Holden wished to do with Rose.
“I simply believe that what you are planning will devastate her,” Holden continued. “Do you not see? There is no need to become rogues to get what we want. Let us be admired for our sense of decency for once.”
Holden waited for David’s rebuttal, for the man enjoyed a good debate. They had spent countless hours arguing about one subject or another until one of them relented. Therefore, the response David gave was a great surprise.
“What you say has merit,” he said with a sigh. “Perhaps we no longer need to act as we once had. From this moment on, I will do what is right and proper as dictated by society. After all, we are gentlemen, are we not?”
Holden eyed him skeptically. “Do you jest?”
David smiled. “Not at all. In fact, I find your wisdom quite sound. Caroline is a lady and shall be treated as such.”
Relieved that David would not ruin whatever chances Holden had with Rose, Holden lifted his glass as if to toast, David doing the same.
As they continued to talk, Holden felt a sense of pride he had not felt in many years. It was the pride of doing what was right after doing wrong for so long, and it felt good. Caroline was now safe from harm, and, if Rose recognized the changes in Holden, perhaps she would consider allowing him to court her in actuality.
Chapter Fifteen
The foyer of the Banner Estate was an impressive home meticulously decorated with wine-red walls and gold trim. Although the house was nowhere near the size of Scarlett Hall, it touted a decor that told the world the Banners had a vast fortune. The chandelier that hung above Rose was at least twice the size of most, illuminating the room with hundreds of candles.
What will the ballroom look like if this room is so elegant? she wondered.
Mr. David Banner spoke to nearly a hundred guests as he stood in the middle of a wide staircase, two hallways branching in either direction from the first landing. Caroline’s sighs of appreciation did not go unnoticed as he gave his welcome speech. Regardless of the woman’s denial, she was most certainly enamored with the young man.
Rose had not expected that so many people of means lived in and around Rumsbury, but it appeared every man and woman of the aristocracy had been invited and had accepted. This was not London, after all.
The guests ranged in age from that of Rose t
o those with hair that had turned silver many years before. A handful of men wore powdered wigs of the older fashion, more than likely to cover the baldness that lay beneath if Rose hazarded a guess.
“And now,” Mr. Banner said, bringing his speech to an end, “let us enjoy the evening.” He descended the staircase to a round of applause, and soon announcements were made as guests entered the ballroom by order of place in society.
“This is very proper for a country ball,” Rose whispered to her companion. “I certainly would have expected to go through announcements in London but not here.”
Caroline giggled. “Lord Banner is well-known for stringent etiquette. I heard this is the first party that his son has hosted without his parents, so I imagine that his father counseled him on the expectations. Many here will report back to the man whether or not Mr. Banner lived up to those expectations.”
Gentlemen surrounded them, their dark tailcoats a sheer contrast to the ball gowns of rich reds, greens, blues, and yellows of the ladies. The line of people shuffled forward, and Rose heard a loud “Their Graces the Duke and Duchess of Wiltingstone” followed by “The Most Honorable the Marquess and Marchioness of Tantly.”
“I do despise waiting so long,” the old woman in front of them mumbled, although Rose suspected everyone in the room heard her. Her back was bowed with age and she carried an ornate cane, which she tapped on the floor in irritation.
Rose hid her smile behind a gloved hand.
When it came their turn to enter, Rose stood in the doorway, her legs as if filled with jelly. She never expected the introduction to be so unnerving. “Miss Thrup, Miss Skylark,” the liveried man announced, “and the Right Honorable Lady Lambert.”
Rose had refrained from including reference to her mother, especially after what Caroline had told her, and her aunt had agreed. Most would have remembered how her mother had left so suddenly all those years ago, and she had no desire spending the evening answering any questions concerning the woman. Her mother’s tale was her own, not Rose’s.
The ballroom was as wondrous as she expected. Three chandeliers hung over the guests, and in a far corner sat a four-piece orchestra playing a sweet and calming melody. Tables sat along one wall with a variety of food and drink as footmen milled through the still-growing crowd, carrying trays laden with fluted glasses or tiny morsels of food.
Rose and Caroline moved to where several chairs lined one of the walls. Caroline’s eagerness to speak to Mr. Banner was evident by her mumblings as she raised herself on tiptoe to glance about the room.
“Oh, where is he?” she demanded in a low voice. “I do not see him anywhere.”
Rose understood her friend’s concern, for she, too, wanted to search out Holden. Too often she could not hear the names of the couples as they were announced because the murmurs around them as they waited drowned out the servant’s words. Had he even come?
“I do not see him either,” Rose said.
“I see Lady Gretham,” Caroline said in a huff. “It has been at least a year since I last spoke to her. I will return in a moment.”
To Rose’s surprise, the woman walked away leaving Rose to stare after her. Then she giggled, for the lady Caroline approached was none other than the ancient woman who had stood before them in the foyer.
“Would you like something to drink?” her aunt asked as Rose continued her search for Holden. “Or perhaps something to eat?”
“No, thank you,” Rose ask absently. “I would like to wait for Holden.”
Although she knew this would be the last night they would be considered a courting couple, as negligible as their courtship had been, she found herself hoping to see him. How could she not look upon that handsome smile at least once more—well, the smile he wore when he was not being argumentative. And in such a large crowd of strangers, a familiar face was most welcomed.
Then she saw him, speaking to an older man with black and silver hair. Holden wore an impeccable tailcoat of rich blue that suited him quite well. He had a perfectly tied white cravat and a matching ruffled shirt, and his smile lit his face.
He looked in her direction, and her heart skipped a beat as he said something to his companion and then walked toward her. Without thought, Rose smoothed the skirts of her gown, glad she, too, had worn blue. Where his coat lacked any ornament outside of its gold buttons, her dress was trimmed in white and had tiny red flowers embroidered on the bodice.
“You look beautiful,” her aunt whispered. “Do not worry. I would not allow you to walk around with a wrinkle in your gown.”
Rose giggled. “Thank you,” she whispered back.
Holden stopped before them and bowed. “Lady Lambert. Miss Skylark.”
Rose and her aunt curtsied in response.
“Forgive my tardiness in greeting you,” he said formally. “I was speaking with an old friend who did not want to release me.” His smile reminded Rose of a young boy attempting to earn favor after being caught in mischief.
“Not at all,” Rose replied. She glanced around them. “The party seems to be going well thus far.”
“Indeed,” Holden replied. “David has spared no expense, but he has proven to be a spendthrift when it comes to entertaining.” Then, as if he had revealed some great secret, he opened his eyes wide. “That is…I believe it a good idea to spend money on such an event.”
“Excuse me,” Aunt Eleanor said as she looked past Holden. “It appears Caroline wishes to speak to me.” She gave Holden a polite nod, which he returned with a bow, and walked away.
An awkward silence fell between Rose and Holden, and she glanced up at him. Why did he have to be so handsome? Being in his presence like this was making their final night together that much more difficult.
Holden cleared his throat and said, “I wanted to thank you for allowing me to appease my father. I realize this will be our last night in our pretend relationship, but I wanted you to know that I will miss our time together, as limited as it was.”
Rose was uncertain how to respond. This man who stood before her was different from the arrogant man with whom she had become acquainted. Only, even when he had asked her to pose as if they were courting, he seemed different. What had come over him? Had he had some sort of change of heart? And was it worth the time to be in his company a while longer if it meant he was changing for the good?
“Rose?”
Holden saying her name brought her back to the matter at hand, but confusion still filled her. She needed time to think. “I am quite parched,” she said with a small smile. “Would you please get me a drink?”
“Yes, of course,” he said, a bit flustered. “Where are my manners?” He hurried away, leaving Rose to her thoughts. Her aunt was still in conversation with Caroline and Lady Gretham, which was for the best, for Rose could not have thought clearly while keeping up the appearance of listening to conversation.
Her heart battled with her mind. As much as she denied it, and although they contradicted one another in so many ways, she and Holden did make a handsome couple. It was not that she had an overly high opinion of herself, for she did not. In fact, she saw herself as a bit plain in comparison to the other women her age she saw in the room. Yet, beside Holden she felt beautiful.
“Miss Skylark.”
Rose started at hearing Mr. Banner, who had approached her without her noticing. She should know better than to allow her thoughts to run wild while in public. When would she ever learn?
“Mr. Banner.”
“Are you enjoying the party thus far?”
Rose nodded. “Indeed, I am,” she replied. “The music is very lively; the best I have heard since leaving London. Thank you for inviting me.”
“I am pleased you are enjoying yourself.” He glanced behind her and widened his eyes. Rose turned to see Holden speaking to another young woman perhaps his age. Mr. Banner shook his head in dismay. “I wished you to know that, although what Holden has done is wrong, I do believe he will change in time.”
; Confusion filled Rose. “Excuse me?”
“Has he not told you yet?” He cleared his throat. “He told me he confessed all to you last week, but perhaps I misheard. Forget I said anything.”
“Confessed?” Rose asked. “Confessed to what exactly?”
Mr. Banner glanced around and then lowered his voice conspiratorially. “About the fake courtship.”
Rose was surprised at the tightening of her stomach. The man only spoke the truth; why would she feel a sense of…what? Disappointment perhaps? “Ah, yes. Well, it is what we agreed to.” Why was she stammering?
“And his calling on you?” he asked. “You do not mind that he has used you this entire time?”
Rose frowned. “He has only called on me twice, and then only because he chose to.”
Mr. Banner sighed and looked at the floor. “You seem like a lovely young lady, and I feel the need to be truthful with you,” he said. “Holden is a very close friend, but he tends to treat women with little or no respect. I find such actions quite unbecoming, mind you, but he calls on gentlewomen such as yourself and tells them all sorts of lies about how he is a modern man and other such foolishness. This leads them to believe him some sort of great contemporary—a rebel one might say. Later he asks them to court and promises to change his ways before he drops them like a hot ember. So many women have been duped by him, and it breaks my heart to see someone as innocent as yourself taken in by his lies.”
Rose’s heart dropped. She knew him to be callous, but to this extent? “No, I do not believe it. Surely…”
“It is all in an attempt to woo them to his…” Mr. Banner shook his head. “No, it is not right to speak of such intimate things in the presence of a virtuous woman. My apologies if I have offended you.” He lowered his voice once more. “However, do heed my warning. He even fooled me when he said he was now leading a new life he refers to as his ‘new ways’.” He glanced toward Holden and the young woman. “He has fooled us both, and it appears that, once he has spurned you, he will move on to Miss Burnsworth.”
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