Fortune's Bride

by VICTORIA MALVEY

  "While I appreciate the offer, I can't possibly accept it," she replied firmly.

  Crossing his arms, Ian tried to wear down her stubborn refusal. "Pride can't place clothes upon your back."

  To his surprise, a smile played upon her lips. "Your grandfather said something similar to me this evening."

  Her comparison left him cold. Straightening away from the desk, he allowed his arms to drop to his sides. "The hour is too late for agreeing upon a solution. I shall call upon you tomorrow to see if we can reach an agreement."

  "What you mean is you are hoping I will accept your help in the morning," Alyssa remarked with a laugh.

  "Precisely." Clasping her elbow in his hand, Ian propelled her toward the door. "Now I shall have the carriage brought around and escort you to your town-house."

  "But I..."

  Pressing a finger to her lips, he reminded her of the last time they'd had this same argument. "I allowed you to walk home the last time, so I believe it makes it my turn to win this disagreement. Why don't you simply allow me to call the carriage?"

  Alyssa pulled his finger away from her mouth. "Very well," she conceded, "because you're quite right It is your turn to win this disagreement."

  Laughing, Ian headed off to have the carriage brought around.

  * * *

  "Alyssa, darling, if you'd wanted your egg scrambled, why didn't you order it that way instead of mashing your hard-boiled ones?"

  Glancing down at her plate, Alyssa was surprised to find a mess of yellow and white bits of egg spread across her plate. "I'm sorry, Lady Eleanor," she murmured, retrieving her napkin to swipe at the tablecloth. "I'm afraid I was woolgathering."

  "Quite all right," Lady Eleanor said with a reassuring smile. "Everyone needs to lose themselves in their thoughts every once in a while." Leaning back as a servant took away her breakfast plate, Lady Eleanor began to leaf through the stack of letters set off to her right. "Calla and I plan to tour Kew Gardens today. Would you care to join us?"

  "Actually, I was planning on attending Lady Wirth's tea," Alyssa replied, keeping her response vague. After all, Lady Eleanor's loyalties undoubtedly lay with her brother, Lord Hammond.

  "That sounds delightful." Holding out more than half the missives, Lady Eleanor explained, "These are all addressed to you, Alyssa."

  "Me?" she squeaked as she accepted the letters. Opening them, Alyssa was stunned to find invitations to the finest parties. These are all invitations."

  "I imagined so," Lady Eleanor replied offhandedly.

  "But... but... why?" Helplessly, Alyssa shook her head, "I know that last night helped rebuild my reputation, but I certainly wasn't expecting this."

  "Whyever not?" Lady Eleanor set down the letter she was reading to give Alyssa her undivided attention. "Even as Madam Zora, you commanded interest, but now that you are both a Gypsy fortuneteller and a well-bred lady, you've become the darling of society."

  Too stunned to speak, Alyssa listened to Lady Eleanor.

  "I'm quite certain that everyone who is anyone will vie for your favor." Lady Eleanor leveled a serious look at Alyssa. "But I must warn you, with great popularity comes great responsibility."

  "I don't understand," Alyssa replied as she continued to open the invitations.

  "What I mean, Alyssa, is that one ill word from you and a person could find themselves ostracized." Rising to her feet, Lady Eleanor smiled gently down at Alyssa. "A favorite of the ton wields great power over the reputations of others." She patted Alyssa on the shoulder. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'd best see if your sister ever plans on rising today."

  Murmuring a farewell, Alyssa remained seated as shock rippled through her. Of course, she thought, a method for securing her future had been right in front of her the whole time... but she hadn't seen it. Now that she did, she wouldn't waste a moment to act upon it.

  Eagerly, Alyssa rose from the table, retrieved her bonnet, and hurried from the house.

  * * *

  "Are you threatening me?"

  Alyssa smiled over her cousin's incredulous question. "That is such an unattractive word," she said politely. "I prefer to think of it as incentive to provide Calla and me with a few basic necessities."

  "The amount you are demanding will certainly purchase more than just basic necessities," the earl exclaimed as he gathered his robe about him. "First you call upon me before I've had a chance to dress, then you proceed to threaten me." Pressing a hand to his chest, he sank into a chair. "Surely this can't be good for a person."

  "Come now, dear cousin. There is no need for dramatics." Alyssa tugged on her gloves. "If you'd given Calla and me what we deserved from the very start, there would have been no need for this unpleasantness. It is unfortunate that I was forced into this situation, but that doesn't mean we can't overcome our circumstances." Strolling over to the large desk that had once been her father's, Alyssa trailed her fingers along the wooden edge.

  A sly look sharpened the earl's features. "What if I only give you half the sum you're requesting?"

  "Then I shall only be forced to speak ill of you half the time," Alyssa replied with a laugh. Moving around the desk, she settled into the leather chair behind it. "This morning I received numerous invitations to many different affairs. I find myself one of the darlings of the ton," she informed her cousin blithely. "And that's when I realized how everyone was listening to my every word last night."

  "So if you chose, you could destroy a person's reputation in the matter of one afternoon," the earl concluded glumly.

  "Precisely," Alyssa replied with a bright smile. "And as luck would have it, I'm attending Lady Wirth's tea this very afternoon." Leaning forward, she placed her elbows on the desk and stared at her cousin. "Which is why you shall have the papers un-conditionally awarding me the monthly stipend I requested brought around to Lady Eleanor's home this afternoon before I leave for Lady Wirth's affair."

  "But... but I don't know if Meiser will be able to draw the papers up that quickly," protested the earl.

  "Then you'd best give him added incentive," Alyssa said with utter disregard for her cousin's distress. After all, he'd left them up in Northumberland to rot without a sou to their names. Pushing to her feet, Alyssa stared down at the round man. "As long as you continue to support Calla and me, no one will ever know that you once refused to honor your duties as our guardian."

  "That's ... that's blackmail," shouted the earl.

  Smiling lightly, Alyssa headed toward the door. "Another unpleasant word. As I said, I prefer to think of it as incentive."

  Struggling to his feet, the earl clutched his robe about him. "If I can't add a clause stating that you must retrain from speaking about me, how do I know you'll keep your end of this arrangement after I give you the money?"

  "You don't," Alyssa informed him calmly. Pausing by the door, she glanced back at her red-faced cousin. "You shall have to accept my word... and hope I honor it."

  * * *

  The moment Ian walked into his great-aunt's drawing room, Alyssa flew at him with a huge smile brightening her expression. "I've done it!" she exclaimed, clasping his hands between hers.

  "Done what?" he asked, smiling over her exuberance.

  "Found a way to ensure Calla and I never have financial worries again."

  Stunned, Ian looked down at Alyssa. "How did you accomplish that?"

  "It was quite simple, really; and the solution had been in front of me all the while." She squeezed his hands. "After I received a stack of invitations this morning, I realized I could now force my cousin to honor his duty toward me and Calla."

  "How?" Ian asked again, aware he was repeating himself.

  "I threatened to destroy his reputation by telling everyone that he wouldn't honor his responsibilities toward us and that he'd tossed us, two poor innocent females, into a cottage in the wilds of Northumberland to fend for ourselves."

  He couldn't help but admire her spirit. "Well done, Alyssa."

  Laughing, she release
d her hold on his hands and, flinging her arms wide, she spun around once. "I feel so free... for the first time in so very long."

  His breath caught in his throat as he watched her joyful abandon. It was as if the Alyssa he'd come to know had evolved into this exotic, sparkling, enticing creature before him. Clearing his throat, Ian forced himself to stop staring. "I'm pleased for you."

  "As well you should be," she replied with a laugh. "All that is left to do is to announce that we never had a proxy agreement and then you shall be free as well." Wrapping her arms around her waist, she looked at him. "Then we will both be able to marry for love instead of convenience."

  "Indeed," Ian murmured, wondering at the odd sensation inside of him.

  "This evening I shall attend the Allerbys' ball. Will you be there as well?"

  Ian shook his head in confusion. "I'm afraid I don't understand, Alyssa. If you're going to announce that there is no proxy this afternoon, why would you want me to attend a ball with you this evening?"

  "Not with me, Ian," she replied, smiling at him. "That's the whole point. If you attend as well and ig-nore my presence, tt will only strengthen my denial of the proxy."

  Seeing the logic in her idea, Ian nodded in agreement. "I shall be most pleased to attend the Allerbys' ball this evening ... and pretend you don't exist."

  She beamed at him. "Splendid."

  * * *

  As the music stopped, Alyssa glanced toward where Ian stood against the far wall of the Allerbys' ballroom. Ever since he'd arrived an hour before, she'd been aware of him, yet every time she'd looked at him, he'd been conversing with someone. It was as if Ian didn't even realize she was at the ball.

  "Thank you for the dance," murmured her companion.

  Forcing her attention back to her dance partner, Alyssa returned, "It was my pleasure, Lord Wil-lowby."

  The gentleman bowed and stepped away. "I do believe you've made another conquest, Alyssa," murmured Lady Eleanor.

  "Hmmm." Tipping her head to the side, Alyssa tried to catch another glimpse of Ian through the crowd.

  "But then, you're truly not interested in anyone other than my grand-nephew, are you?"

  "No, I..." she began, still distracted. Suddenly, Lady Eleanor's remark sunk in. "What did you say?"

  Laughing gaily, Lady Eleanor snapped open her fen. "You heard me perfectly well."

  "I know, but what I don't understand is why you'd make a remark like that." Alyssa prayed her cheeks weren't reddening. "Why, Ian hasn't even asked me to dance."

  "Yes, but his very absence makes me wonder if perhaps he isn't working a bit too hard to avoid you," Lady Eleanor remarked, fanning herself slowly. "His actions are very telling, my dear Alyssa."

  "You're imagining things, my lady," Alyssa returned, yet part of her hoped Lady Eleanor was correct in her assessment. Using the pretext of fixing one of the ribbons on the sleeve of her gown, Alyssa peered through the milling crowd to glance at Ian.

  It surprised her how difficult it was to avoid him. She longed to approach him, to let him know she'd made her announcement about the proxy at Lady Wirth's party this afternoon, to share all her news with him. Worst of all was wondering if he missed her company as well.

  But this wouldn't do at all, Alyssa decided firmly, gathering her emotions in hand. She had so much to rejoice in. Why was she acting so dreary? All she'd dreamed of was now a reality. Calla would have her Season, their financial troubles were over, and she was free from worry. By all rights, she should be celebrating, not moping over a man who'd made it perfectly obvious that he had no wish to marry her.

  Taking a deep breath, Alyssa turned toward the gentleman next to her with a broad smile. "Lord Weatherstone, how delightful to see you here."

  Immediately, the handsome gentleman faced her with an answering smile. "My lady," he murmured, lifting her hand to press a kiss upon the back of it. "Might I have the honor of this dance?"

  Feeling her mood lighten, Alyssa nodded firmly. "I would be delighted."

  * * *

  He couldn't take his eyes off her.

  Watching Alyssa waltz around the room, Ian felt his chest tighten with an odd emotion ... an emotion alarmingly like jealousy. Immediately, he dismissed the notion as utterly ridiculous.

  Undoubtedly, it was simply surprise at seeing Alyssa reveling in the attention being heaped upon her. It was as if someone had lit a candle inside of her, for she glowed.

  "Why don't you ask her to dance instead of standing here watching her?" Peter asked bluntly as he moved next to Ian.

  Shaking his head, Ian forced himself to look away from the fascinating sight. "I don't know what you're talking about, Peter. I'm merely enjoying my punch and watching the dancers."

  "One dancer in particular."

  How could he deny the truth? Instead, Ian simply changed the subject. "Is that Jennings over there?" he asked, nodding toward a group of men off to their left.

  Narrowing his gaze, Peter peered at the men. "I do believe it is."

  "I wonder what he's doing here," Ian said, not really caring one way or the other. All he'd wanted to do was distract Peter from his pointed questions about Alyssa, Ignoring the urge to look at her again, Ian kept his gaze locked upon the men. "I see he's speaking with Allerby."

  "Allerby? I thought you'd convinced him that the Electrolytic Marine Mining Company was a fraud."

  "As did I." Now Ian's curiosity was piqued. "Why don't we stroll over and join the discussion?"

  "Why don't we," Peter replied with a grin. "I do so enjoy to hear you argue."

  "I don't argue." Glancing back at his friend, Ian corrected him. "I simply disagree in a firm, yet controlled manner," They joined the group. "Good evening, gentlemen."

  Ian watched with satisfaction as Jennings paled. "Mr. Fortune," the older man said, his voice tight. "I didn't expect to see you here this evening."

  "I can say the same," Ian returned before giving Allerby a pointed look. "I must say I am quite surprised to see you speaking with Jennings."

  "Don't worry, Ian," Allerby rushed to tell him. "I was just telling Jennings that I had no further interest in his company."

  "Indeed, he was," Jennings agreed with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "You must have quite the influence, for none of these men are interested in partaking of a fine investment in Electrolytic."

  Crossing his arms, Ian settled back on his heels. "Then I admire their business sense because your com-pany, Jennings, is a bad investment."

  "How can you say that when many gentlemen have already seen a great return on their investment?"

  Ian didn't recognize the smaller man standing beside Jennings. "Have we met, sir?"

  "No." Bowing in deference, the man made the appropriate introductions. "Forgive my rudeness for not introducing myself immediately. Mr. Arthur Ryan at your service."

  "Mr. Ryan is the president of Electrolytic Marine Mining Company," explained Jennings. "He runs the day-to-day operations."

  "While you solicit the investors," Ian said to Jennings. Nodding once, he complimented the pair. "You have quite a convincing scheme. I'm quite certain you've managed to swindle a number of gentlemen out of their money."

  Stiffening, Ryan glared at Ian. "How dare you, sir."

  "Quite easily," he returned smoothly. "And I shall advise anyone who asks about your company to seek a more solid investment."

  Before Jennings had a chance to respond, Ian nod' ded to the other gentlemen. "If you would excuse me, I believe I'll retire to the study for a cigar,"

  "Allow me to join you," Allerby said without hesitation.

  As he headed for the library, Ian glanced back to see Jennings and Ryan standing by themselves as the other enlightened gentlemen wandered away.

  "That was most enjoyable," Peter remarked as he accompanied Ian and Allerby to the study.

  "Indeed it was, but I'm certain that's not the last we've heard of the Electrolytic Marine Mining Com-pany," Ian said, unable to stop himself from taking one last g
lance at the dance floor. Alyssa was out there again... with yet another partner.

  Bloody hell, Ian thought with a scowl, did the blasted woman intend to dance with everyone in the room? Everyone, that is, but him.

  Maybe he'd have a drink along with that cigar.

  * * *

  Stepping into Lady Eleanor's foyer, Alyssa handed her shawl to the footman. Her feet ached from so much dancing, but her heart felt light... lighter, in fact, than it had in years.

  True, most of the gentlemen had asked her questions about their future. One had even tried to get her to read his palm while they danced. Still, it did little to lessen her enjoyment in the evening.

  "Lady Alyssa."

  Lord Hammond's call shook her from her reverie. "Your grace?" she asked in surprise as he stepped from the front parlor. "It is rather late for a visit."

  "This isn't a social call," he corrected. "It's business." Stepping into the foyer, he beckoned her toward the parlor. "I need to speak with you."

  Sighing, Alyssa preceded the duke into Lady Eleanor's parlor.

  "I've brought the proxy to be signed," he announced after he'd shut the door behind him. "This will only take a moment then you can be off to your chamber."

  "I've changed my mind."

  The duke froze. After a moment, he found his voice. "Don't tell me the rubbish I heard from the gossips is truer His features tightened into a fierce scowl. "I know you wouldn't have announced at Lady Wirth's that there wasn't—nor would there ever be— a proxy."

  "But that is precisely what I did, your grace," Alyssa replied in a voice far calmer than she felt inside.

  "I thought we had an understanding." Lord Hammond tossed the papers down onto the table.

  "As did I," she murmured as she tugged off her gloves. "But then I discovered that you'd lied to me."

  Leaning his hip against the table, the duke gave Alyssa a steady look. "I assume you've been speaking with Ian."

  "Very astute, your grace," she murmured.

  "What I fail to see is why you won't sign the proxy."

  Lord Hammond's statement left her speechless.