A Matchmaking Miss

by Joan Overfield

  Matty had the good grace to flush. "I am sorry," she began in a penitent voice. "I never meant to cause such consternation."

  Louisa believed her at once, although for her own purposes she clung to her facade of anger. "Well, be that as it may, you are still hurt, and I don't want you moving a spot from that bed without Dr. Hagood's permission. Is that understood?"

  She looked so forbidding that Matty raised the crisp sheets up to her chin. "Yes, my lady," she said, the meekness in her voice not wholly faked. "As you say."

  Louisa wasn't so big a fool as to believe her, but having done all that she could, she decided it was time to go and work her wiles on Joss. There was just one more thing that needed doing. "By the way," she said slowly, her eyes not quite meeting Matty's. "I meant to congratulate you on your foresight."

  "My foresight?"

  "Certainly." Louisa gave her a vague smile. "You must know that Lady Sarah and Joss are as thick as two inkleweavers, and I must say I am pleased. She will make him the perfect wife."

  The spinning sickness, which had just faded, returned tenfold. "Joss . . . Joss has already offered for her?" she asked, hating the weak sound in her voice.

  "Not yet." Louisa mentally crossed her fingers. "But I see no reason why he should wait, do you? Raj and I are marrying within the month, and he will have need of a hostess."

  "Yes, there is that." Matty's shoulders drooped. "If you will pardon me, my lady, I believe I should like to lie down now. My head is beginning to ache quite dreadfully."

  "Of course, Stone." Having achieved her goal, Louisa was anxious to be gone. "Have a good night's sleep, and if you begin feeling worse you have only to call out for Polly."

  After closing the door quietly behind her, she hurried over to where Joss was waiting with visible impatience. "How is she?" he demanded anxiously, his eyes scouring her face for some sign. "Is she all right?"

  "She's resting now." Louisa wasn't so cavalier that she could ignore his suffering. "She was worried the guests weren't being attended to properly, so you must know she can't be hurt too badly."

  That brought a reluctant smile to Joss's lips. "She could be lying on her deathbed and still barking out commands like Nelson," he said, the emotion in his voice revealing more than he realized. "Did she say anything else?"

  "Only to ask if Mr. Stallings was here," Louisa said, all wide-eyed innocence. "I think she may be reconsidering his offer, and one cannot blame her. She will make an excellent vicar's wife, don't you agree?"

  "Stallings has proposed?" The words forced themselves out of Joss's throat with painful effort.

  "That is for Matty to tell you." Louisa would only endanger her immortal soul so far. "Now, I'm going to go and check on our guests, although I don't doubt that Lady Sarah is keeping them in line. That reminds me, did you know Sir Valen is in love with her?"

  "What?" Joss tore his thoughts from Matty to give his sister-in-law an incredulous look. "Are you sure?"

  "Of course I'm sure." Louisa paused to press a kiss to his cheek. "Why else do you think he has been glowering at you as if he'd like nothing better than to put a knife in your back? Don't look so shocked. You must realize she is better suited to him than she is to you." And with that remark, she left him alone with his troubling thoughts.

  He stared at the closed door leading to Matty's rooms, feeling as lost and alone as he did during the long voyage to India. He remembered railing against his parents for not loving him; remembered thinking that perhaps he wasn't worthy of their love. He'd spent ten long years trying to earn that love, and even though they were dead, he realized that was still what he was trying to do. Wasn't that why he'd returned to Kirkswood, despite his reluctance? Why he was courting a woman he admired but did not love? The realization left him reeling, along with another, even more dazzling revelation. He stood there for several seconds, quietly absorbing the truth that had been there all along. Then he was moving toward the door, his jaw set purposefully.

  Matty had just gotten comfortable when the sound of the door hitting the wall brought her sitting up with a startled cry. The sight of Joss advancing toward her with his fists clenched and his eyes blazing did little to reassure her.

  "My lord, what is it?" she asked, too shocked to wonder at the impropriety of his presence in her bedchamber. "Is something wrong?"

  "Wrong?" He struggled with his temper, mastering his emotions as he decided it was time this managing miss was taught a lesson. "What makes you think something is wrong?" he asked, striving for a light tone. "I have only come to see if you are all right."

  "I was doing fine until you came through my door like the Mongolian horde," she retorted, her eyes narrowing as she studied his face. When he'd first come into her room he looked fit to murder, but now he looked . . . she wasn't precisely sure how he looked, and knew only that she didn't trust him for a single second.

  He saw her suspicion and repressed a grin. "Actually, Stone, there is a reason for my presence in your room," he said, advancing toward her bed. "I am about to take myself a bride. Does that make you happy?"

  "Happy?" She wondered how she could talk when her heart was shattering. "That's . . . that is wonderful, my lord. I know the two of you will be very happy."

  "I am glad you approve." His lips twitched slightly. "She is a rather difficult female, but I shall prove master of her."

  Matty found it difficult to think Lady Sarah would ever be difficult, but still, she supposed he knew his prospective bride better than she could. "I am sure you will, my lord," she said miserably, wondering why God had spared her only to expose her to this wrenching pain. It hardly seemed fair.

  "You don't sound all that certain, Miss Stone." He inched closer until he was actually standing beside her bed, the mischief in his eyes obvious as he bent over her. "Perhaps I should do something to convince you." And without warning he bent and pressed a passionate kiss to her lips.

  At first Matty was too stunned to fight, then she was too lost in delight. She returned his kiss with all the hunger and longing that burned in her, giving and taking all that she could in that one glorious moment. In the next second she was pushing him away, her face pale with loathing and hurt.

  "You . . . you . . . how could you?" she stormed, tears filling her eyes. "You come into my room telling me you intend to marry another woman, and then you have the presumption to kiss me? I should kill you!"

  Joss laughed at her threat, her kiss having given him the answer he so desperately sought. "I don't intend to marry my lady; I will marry her," he said, his voice certain. "As soon as a special license can be arranged, in fact."

  "Well, I wish the poor creature joy of you, for she is certainly getting the worse of the bargain shackling herself to an overbearing, pompous philanderer like you!" Matty cried, using her anger as a shield. "You don't deserve a sweet lady like Lady Sarah, and if I didn't think it would hurt her so much I'd tell her what you — "

  "I'm not marrying Sarah," he calmly interrupted her tirade. "I'm marrying you."

  " — did, and if you think for one minute she would countenance such behavior — what?"

  Her incredulous expression was so comical he couldn't stop himself from laughing. The laughter only increased when she flung herself at him, hurling curses as she did her best to box his ears. He easily overpowered her, taking care not to hurt her as he pressed her down amongst the pillows. Ignoring her cries he pressed another kiss to her lips, drinking life and love from them before raising his head. He gazed down into her flushed face, his heart in his eyes as he said, "I love you, Matty. Say you will marry me."

  "Joss, oh my darling, are you certain?" she asked, her voice trembling as she cupped his face in her hands. "I love you so much, I couldn't bear it if you were to change your mind."

  "There is no chance of that, my love," he assured her, giving her another kiss. "I think I loved you from the moment you kidnapped me. You are a managing, difficult, obstinate shrew, and you will make me the perfect marchioness."
r />   Gazing up into his eyes Matty decided he was right, and her arms stole about his neck. "If you say so, sir," she said, her eyes sparkling with love. "Only be warned that I mean to keep you under the cat's paw."

  Joss gave a rich laugh, knowing he had finally found his home. "That is quite all right, my love, for I can think of no place I would rather be." And he proved it with another burning kiss.

  About the Author

  A winner of The Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart Award for Best Regency for her very first novel, Joan Overfield has written 23 Regency Historical Romances. In addition, she has also written two time travel romances: the ground-breaking THE DOOR AJAR and its sequel, TIME'S TAPESTRY. In 2000 Romantic Times Magazine voted THE DOOR AJAR one of the top 100 Romances of all time. Joan has made several bestsellers lists and won numerous awards for her work, including A Career Achievement Award in Regency Romance from Romantic Times magazine.

  A life-long Anglophile, Joan uses her degrees in History and English to conduct research in the fascinating and colorful Regency period and has compiled an impressive library. She has also taught numerous workshops on the period and the craft of writing, is a member of the Beau Monde writers group.

  "Ms. Overfield's sense of romance is deliciously unerring." -- -- Romantic Times