by Kelly Boyce
Lady Franklyn’s hesitation trumpeted her disapproval of the association. However, given the duchess’s own scandalous interactions with Spencer, she was hardly in a place to cast stones. Not that it would stop her.
“Lord Blackbourne, Lady Blackbourne. How lovely to see you. I believe you know my daughter, Lady Susan.”
Abigail inclined her head toward them both in a regal pose they had often practiced in the mirror as girls while pretending to be the Queen of England nodding to her subjects. Caelie had to suppress a smile seeing it now leveled the two other women. “Of course. How are you enjoying your first season, Lady Susan?”
Lady Susan took a seat on the sofa next to her mother, her sharp chin tilted upward to better allow her to look down her broad nose at the others. “Quite well. I have many suitors, as one might expect.”
Lady Susan may not have inherited her mother’s delicate beauty, but she did appear to share her acidic pomposity. Not that either would prevent her from making a good match. As the daughter of a wealthy duke, one expected any number of gentlemen would be willing to overlook the less than complimentary aspects of her personality and countenance for the sake of enhancing their coffers.
Lady Franklyn turned her attention back to Caelie. “You say you were traveling to Italy by ship? On one of Lord Ellesmere’s ships?”
Caelie hesitated. The woman was fishing. “Yes.”
“Hm. And, if I’m not mistaken, Lord Huntsleigh had plans to head in that same direction?”
Lady Ellesmere smiled. “Thankfully, yes. I would hate to think what would have happened to Lady Caelie had he not been.”
“It was Lord Huntsleigh who ensured my safety and conveyed me back to London.”
The duchess forced a smile. “A rather scandalous trip, was it not? I would think given your family’s past troubles, Lady Caelie, you would be more judicious in your decisions.”
“I don’t believe one gets to decide when illness befalls them, do they.” Abigail directed a cold smile in Lady Franklyn’s direction. Her cousin still bristled at mention of the scandal, ready to fight for Father’s honor whenever someone thought to disparage it. “And how is it that you were aware Lord Huntsleigh would be traveling?”
“Oh. Well, I…he must have mentioned it. Perhaps at Lady Benchley’s soiree.”
“He did not attend the soiree,” Lady Ellesmere said.
Caelie pursed her lips to hide her grin as Lady Franklyn floundered. To admit how she had come to the information would be to admit to a rather scandalous association of her own.
“Well, either way,” Lady Franklyn stood and the others followed suit. “We simply wanted to pay a call and wish Mr. Bowen our best wishes on his continued recovery.”
“Did I hear—oh.” Spencer came to a sudden halt inside the door of the receiving room, his gaze bouncing between Nick and Lady Franklyn, then to her. “Ah. Felton informed me Lord and Lady Blackbourne had arrived but he failed to mention our other guests.”
“Good help is so hard to find these days, is it not.” Lady Franklyn smiled at Spencer as if they were the only two in the room. Caelie fisted her hand at her side against the sudden urge to wipe it off the duchess’s smug face.
What on earth did Spencer see in that woman? Her beauty could not be denied, but nor could her pettiness. Hardly the type one would like to sit down and have a conversation with. Then again, it was not likely conversation he’d had in mind. Her shoulders sagged at the thought.
Spencer ignored Lady Franklyn’s comment as he sidled into the room, skirting around where the duchess stood to take Abigail’s hands and give her cheek a quick kiss. “My dear, you look lovely and you will be happy to hear Bowen is swiftly on the mend. Lazing about seems to agree with him.”
Abigail laughed. “Sad that it takes such an act to get the man to slow down.”
“I think he did it all for show.”
“What an awful thing to say, Lord Huntsleigh.” Lady Franklyn took a step closer and Spencer took a step back until he stood next to Caelie. “Why, imagine what would have happened to me if he had not been there. I could have died.”
If this scenario bothered Spencer he gave no indication. “And what is it exactly you were doing at the docks, Lady Franklyn? It seems an odd place to find a duchess.”
Lady Franklyn’s fair skin burned bright red. “It was my foolish driver. He thought to take a shortcut. As I said, good help is hard to find. I have since fired the man without reference. Well, we really shouldn’t tarry long. We have other calls to make and then Lady Susan and I will be attending Almack’s this evening. I don’t expect we will see you there, Lady Caelie, so may I wish you a good day.”
“You are mistaken,” Spencer said, shifting closer until she breathed in the scent of sandalwood. “Lady Caelie and my mother will be attending Almack’s this evening as well, and I will be escorting them.”
Nicholas turned to look at his close friend as if he did not recognize him. “You will?”
Spencer cleared his throat and avoided Nicholas’s gaze. “I will.”
“I see.” Lady Franklyn clipped the words out as if chipping them from ice. “Then I bid you good day until we meet this evening.”
Lady Franklyn swept from the room, her daughter in tow.
“What a vile woman,” Abigail said, re-taking her seat. “Both of them.”
“And a dangerous enemy.” Nicholas delivered Spencer a hard look. “Step carefully.”
Chapter Sixteen
“I do not want to think at what break-neck speed you travelled to make it here with such haste,” Bowen said as Spence handed Nick a glass of brandy. They had left the women downstairs to catch up and plan for the evening ahead, while the men escaped upstairs to visit with Bowen who insisted on working, his papers spread out around him like large pieces of confetti. The man did not know how to relax.
“In truth, we made plans to leave the day news arrived of your injuries. We passed Spence’s man on our way with news of his return with Caelie and your return to the land of the living.” Nick took a long draw on his brandy, his silvery eyes leveled at Spence. “Perhaps now you would like to explain to me just how it was you happened to be escorting my wife’s cousin back to London and the circumstances under which this occurred? You have evaded the question long enough.”
“Yes, why don’t you tell him, Spence?”
Spence scowled. Nick, once his comrade in arms for all things scandalous, had now taken on the new role of husband and soon to be father. In doing so, any lady with the last name Laytham fell under his protection. A job he took on with great seriousness. It was sometimes hard to marry the once scandalous lord to the man who sat next to him.
“When did you become such a stickler for propriety?”
“Since I married a woman who has described in detail what misery she will rain down upon me if my dearest friend has done anything untoward with respect to her beloved cousin. Now answer my question?”
Spence sank a little further in his chair and stretched his legs out. “You need not look at me as if you plan to march me to the altar at the tip of a sword. All propriety was observed and if you ask Lady Caelie she will tell you the same thing.”
“Caelie will cover your ass because she will consider what you did for her a good turn that deserves a measure of loyalty on her part. Whether it is the truth or not is another matter. That is just her way.”
Spence could not fault Nick’s thinking. Caelie did have a strong sense of loyalty and for some reason, she had extended it to him, though he wasn’t sure he deserved it.
“Huntsleigh.” The warning tone in Nick’s voice cut through the room.
Bowen grinned. “Oh dear, he’s used your title. That cannot bode well.”
“You needn’t take such joy in this, Bowen.” Spence straightened in his chair and looked Nick square in the eye. He did not care to lie to his friend, but nor did he want to give him the wrong impression with respect to Caelie’s behavior. The loyalty she extended him wa
s more than reciprocated. “We hired a lady’s maid upon arriving at the inn, a journey which took less than half a day. During this time, Lady Caelie was far too ill to be in any danger from me. But thank you for thinking otherwise. It’s good to know what you think of my character.”
Nick let out a long breath and had the good decency to look somewhat chagrined. “You know I have no worries with respect to your character. It’s your lack of will power around beautiful women that is my only concern. And Caelie is more beautiful than most. Abigail is extremely protective over her cousin and this most recent turn of events involving her mother’s abandonment has made her even more so.” He shook his head. “I cannot believe that woman!”
Spence nodded his agreement. “Lady Glenmor will have much to atone for when her time comes. It hurt Lady Caelie grievously to be abandoned with such callous disregard. I should have marched that dragon off the plank for what she’d done, but in all likelihood, Lady Caelie would have tried to jump in and save her. She has far too good a heart to be treated in such a manner.”
Nick flicked a confused glance at Bowen who smiled and gave a small shrug. The earl’s attention returned to Spence and stayed there. Too long. Spence squirmed beneath his friend’s unwavering perusal. “You’ve a soft spot for her.”
“I have no such thing!” His face burned. Bloody hell, when had he become so transparent? This was ridiculous. He could not deny Caelie was an exemplary human being and the soul of kindness. He’d also discovered she had a surprising wit and an intelligence that outshone most of the other ladies of his acquaintance. That she was beautiful went undisputed.
He could not claim to be unaffected by Caelie. In truth, he had grown fond of her. Very fond. Too fond.
“You have.” Nick’s eyes grew wide and he leaned forward.
“He has,” Bowen confirmed.
Spence glared at his friend. “Aren’t you tired? Don’t you need to sleep?”
“I feel perfectly fine, thank you, and I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
Nick shook his head in disbelief. “Dear Lord, have we finally seen the day that the very pillar of disreputable behavior, the bastion of all things improper, has been taken down by a lady of—”
“I have not been taken anywhere! I am the same man now as when you left. And might I add that Bowen here has suggested that he marry her.” He pointed an accusing finger and watched the smirk on Bowen’s face shrink.
“Given my brush with death, it doesn’t seem right to put things like marriage off any longer. I merely suggested Lady Caelie as having all the qualities a man could wish for in a wife. And seeing as Spence is determined to find her a husband—”
“You are what?” Nick bolted from his chair and threw his arms wide. “For the love of God! I have been gone for only a fortnight. Have you both lost your minds?”
Bowen folded his hands on his lap and took on that look Spence recognized as the one he used when he was about to be his most reasonable self. “I don’t think one needs to have lost one’s mind in order to see Lady Caelie’s virtues.”
“I’m not talking about seeing her virtues, I’m talking about finding her a husband. And exactly when did you decide to take this onto yourself? Without consulting me? Or Lord Glenmor, I might add?”
Spence cleared his throat and shot Bowen another glare. He made a mental note to ensure Mrs. Faraday put an extra dose of pepper in the man’s broth this evening. “Glenmor is away, and I have Lady Caelie’s full support on this. Given she is the one who will benefit from it, it seems hers is the only permission I need to go forward with our plan.”
“Your plan? And what, pray tell, is your plan?”
He took a quick hit of brandy and set about informing Nick about what he, Caelie and his grandmother had concocted—Spence playing the besotted suitor in the hope of luring the interest of their short list of potential husbands. He judiciously left out his fear with respect to Billingsworth. He did not feel it right to divulge this without Caelie’s permission. Besides, there was no telling what Nick would do if he considered Billingsworth a threat to Caelie’s well-being. They may end up fishing the man out of the Thames. Not that he didn’t deserve it for what he’d done.
“I put forth my own name,” Bowen said. “But I am hardly in a position to woo anyone at the present moment.”
Nick and Bowen exchanged a glance and an expression crossed Nick’s face though it traveled too swiftly for Spence to pin down what it meant.
Nick rubbed his chin. “I will not deny that finding Caelie a suitable husband has been a challenge, given past circumstances, and while your scheme—”
“Plan.”
“—has merit, I think Bowen is a far better choice than any of the others. Would it not make sense then to go forego this farce—”
“Plan,” Spence stressed.
“—and promote Bowen as a match to Caelie?”
“No.” The word shot out before he could stop it.
Nick folded his arms over his chest. “And why not? Bowen has a fortune. He never talks about it, but we both know it.”
“Why is everyone so interested in my bank accounts of late?”
Nick ignored Bowen’s question. “He could keep Caelie in fine style. Besides, he’s a good man, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Most days,” Spence muttered, slumping back in his chair.
“Then why not put him forth as the best candidate?”
“Because—” He had no argument to give. No explanation to defend his reticence. Why not Bowen? As Nick said, he was the best of men. Who better? They could marry and Caelie’s worries about being ruined would be over. She could have all the things she wanted—a good husband, children.
Then why did the idea of her marrying Bowen leave him cold inside? Why did he feel so opposed to—?
Spence sat up like a shot.
Nick and Bowen both looked at him askance. He reached for his glass and downed the rest of his brandy. It burned his throat but he didn’t care.
Nick shook his head. “What is it? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
A ghost, no, but something equally as frightening. “It is nothing.” It had to be.
Caelie was a friend. Yes, yes, he had an attraction to her, a very strong one, but what did they expect? He had a pronounced fondness for beautiful women. But his feelings did not go beyond that. It couldn’t be. They were friends. They had agreed to this fact and drew the line there. Despite Caelie’s rather naïve and romantic views on friends and lovers, Spence was not convinced the two could coincide together peaceably.
Ergo, the fact that he and Caelie did coincide together peaceably, and he did consider her a friend, meant only one thing. He could not love her.
Loving her would be sheer madness.
Folly.
The road to ruin.
He looked over at Nick and Bowen and found them staring back with curious expressions. “What?”
Nick towered over him, his hands fisted at his sides. “You do have an affection for her!”
“I—I—Fine.” Spence sunk into his chair once again and rubbed a hand over his face. “Yes, to some degree I do have an affection for her. How could one not? She is lovely. But it doesn’t matter for a host of reasons.”
“Such as?” Bowen asked the question and the smug grin on his friend’s face told Spence he had been played. Bowen had never had any intention of vying for Caelie, he’d only wanted Spence to admit he had feelings. There would definitely be extra pepper in his broth tonight.
Spence held up a hand and counted the reasons off on his fingers. “One—she wishes to marry and I do not. Two—I am fond of her and have no wish to see her miserable which is what would happen if she married me. And three—Grandfather has already made it clear she is not an acceptable choice.” He looked at Nick. “You know how he feels about scandal.”
Nick let out a slow breath. “I do. But Ellesmere has insisted you marry by the end of the Season or you’ll be cut off. Can you not convince
him to consider Caelie under these circumstances?”
“Even if I could, I wouldn’t. The Kingsley men have proven time and again we are not built for marriage, Nick. I have no faith in the institution to have a happy outcome and I will not drag Lady Caelie into an unhappy venture. She deserves better than that after all she has been through.”
Nick sat down in his vacated chair. “I cannot argue with you on that point. Then you are determined to find her another husband? Obviously we cannot consider Bowen. No offense.”
Bowen waved him off. “I would never have considered the match, truly. Spence’s feelings for her were obvious—”
“They were not!” If he hadn’t realized the depth of them until today, how could Bowen have known?
Bowen gave him a dubious look. “Regardless. I could not in good conscious marry a lady knowing it would cause you such grief. It’s a torturous thing to see someone you love, day in and day out, yet know you can never have them.”
Nick and Spence both stared at their injured friend.
“At least I would imagine it would be,” he added.
“Yes,” Nick said slowly before turning back to Spence. “So can I assume this husband hunt begins tonight?”
“Yes. Grandmother has procured vouchers from—” Spence shuddered. “Almack’s.”
Nick set his drink down and gave Spence a hard look. “I need your word of honor that you will protect Caelie at all cost. I do not wish to see her hurt beyond what she has already endured.”
“You have my word.”
Spence only hoped he could keep it. He could navigate Caelie through the shark infested waters of the ton, and he could advise her one way or the other where a particular gentleman was concerned, but he could not make her mind up for her. Nor could he guarantee his plan of pretending to be in love with her to make her a more attractive prospect to others would work if Billingsworth decided to begin his smear campaign against her.
This entire enterprise was a gamble with no guarantee of where the dice would fall come the end of the game.