But when it came to this annoying, maddening, infuriating woman, he had no idea what he wanted. Which in and of itself was odd. He always knew what he wanted. Always had a goal in mind, a destination at the end of a road. Abruptly, the thought struck him that while tonight was delightful, it was not enough.
Nor did he want it to be enough. Which was a much more startling revelation. One would assume that after having thought and dreamed about her for these many months, he would now be satisfied. The question, as it were, of her should now be settled. Instead, there were more questions in his head than before.
It was damned difficult to reconcile that he obviously felt something for this woman who was not at all the kind of woman he wanted. He couldn’t have chosen a woman more exactly the type he intended to avoid. She saw marriage as little more than a . . . a business transaction. It might not be entirely accurate to call her a fortune hunter but she was raised to see marriage as a way to improve her lot in life and nothing beyond that.
He wanted more than a good bargain or a beneficial arrangement. When he decided upon a woman to spend the rest of his days with, he wanted someone who didn’t care if he had money or power. Who wanted him for who he was not what he had. He wanted a partner. And he wanted love.
No, Delilah Hargate was entirely wrong for him. There wasn’t the least doubt in his mind about that.
He wasn’t sure he could say the same about his heart.
Chapter Eleven
Fifteen days before the wedding . . .
“Good morning, Clement.�� Delilah sailed into the breakfast room.
“Good morning, Lady Hargate,” the butler said. “Coffee?”
“You know me so well.” She grinned at the older man. Clement had been with their family since she was a child. She suspected it wouldn’t be long now before he handed in his notice and gave up the life of loyal family retainer to spend the rest of his days living with a relative, a niece if she was correct, in Wales or somewhere thereabouts. And while last night the acknowledgment that she was back where she had begun had been disheartening, this morning it was wonderful to be home at Millworth where she had always belonged.
“Good morning, Teddy.”
Her friend sat at the table, perusing papers spread out before her, the pen in her hand hovering over her notebook. She glanced up briefly then returned her attention to her work. “Good morning.”
“Beautiful day, don’t you think?”
“Very nice,” Teddy said absently.
It was a brilliant autumn day. The sun was shining. Sam had agreed to absent himself from the manor. Delilah was going into London to see her solicitor, who might actually have good news for her, and possibly contact an investigator Camille had insisted she hire at Camille’s expense. To borrow from Mr. Browning, God was in His heaven and all was right with the world. Although, admittedly, God might look askance at her much-improved demeanor given its source was sin.
Teddy glanced up. “You are certainly in a better mood today.”
“I couldn’t be out of sorts forever.” Delilah cast her friend her brightest smile and moved to the sideboard. Mrs. Dooley had outdone herself this morning and laid out a virtual feast. But then didn’t the dear woman outdo herself nearly every day? And never was it appreciated as much as today.
“One could only hope,” Teddy murmured and returned her attention to the work in front of her.
Delilah laughed. It was nothing short of amazing what a good night’s sleep would do for one’s appetite. Delilah was famished. She’d slept shockingly well after leaving Sam’s room. Indeed, she’d slept better than she had since Sam had arrived at Millworth. No, upon reflection she’d slept better than she had since she’d returned from New York months ago. Why, this was the best sleep she’d had in longer than she could remember.
She selected sausage, a coddled egg, kippers, and debated over a slice of a tasty looking pheasant pie. Possibly later.
Astonishing how indulging in a bit of unanticipated sin brightened one’s outlook on life. She felt like a completely new woman. Perhaps when one threw caution to the winds once, one couldn’t rest until one did so again. As if, only in doing so, would the adventure truly be put in the past. Now, it need never happen again.
It was as though she had had been reborn. Fresh and new and unsullied. New York no longer hung over her head like a dark cloud. No, that wasn’t it exactly. She put a slice of bacon on her plate then took a second. Her ebullient mood was more akin to how, when one has been allowed to sample something delightful, like chocolate, but hasn’t been completely satisfied, the desire for more chocolate will grow and grow until one simply has to have chocolate. It’s inevitable really. Once one has had one’s fill, why, one can then easily ignore chocolate.
She took a piece of the pie and joined Teddy at the table.
“I see your appetite has returned.” Teddy jotted something in the notebook.
“My appetite never left.” Delilah accepted her coffee from Clement, topped it with cream, and dropped a few cubes of sugar in her cup. Phillip had drunk coffee and she’d picked up the habit from him.
“You weren’t hungry last night,” Teddy said mildly.
“I was very tired last night.” Delilah selected a piece of toast from the rack on the table and slathered on marmalade. “But today I am ravenous.” She took a bite and savored the sweet tart orange flavor of the spread. “Where is everyone?”
“I’m not sure where Camille is. Clement said Grayson and Sam are at the carriage house with Mr. Moore.”
Delilah started on her egg. “Ah, little boys and their toys.”
Teddy glanced up and frowned. “You’re being surprisingly pleasant today.”
“Nonsense,” she said between bites. “I am pleasant every day.”
“You haven’t been the least bit pleasant since Sam arrived.”
“I’ve been preoccupied.” She dabbed at her mouth with a serviette and took a sip of coffee. “With my dire financial future.”
Teddy’s eyes narrowed.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” She glanced down. “Have I spilled something?”
“No.”
“Then—”
“Because I don’t believe you.”
“I don’t know why not.” Delilah picked up her bacon. “The threat of my dire financial future occupies very nearly my every waking thought.” She took a bite. “Excellent bacon, by the way.”
“Nonetheless, there’s something decidedly different about you today.”
“Beyond the fact that I am being pleasant?” Delilah took another large bite of toast. Really, she couldn’t remember the last time she had been quite this hungry. “Goodness, I would think you would be grateful.”
“I am but . . .” Teddy studied her closely. “You’re hiding something, aren’t you?”
“What on earth would I be hiding?”
“I don’t know. But you are.”
“Nonsense.” Delilah sampled the sausage and resisted the urge to moan with pleasure. “Have you tried the sausage? It’s very good. Perhaps the best I’ve ever tasted.”
“I had some earlier.”
“I wish you would stop looking at me as if I were an insect under glass.”
“And I wish you would tell me what’s going on in that head of yours.”
“I am simply optimistic, that’s all.” Which really was more or less true. “It’s a perfect day and I am confident all will turn out . . . perfectly.” She smiled and sipped her coffee.
“That in itself is suspect.”
“What?”
“Your optimism,” Teddy said and returned to her work.
Delilah laughed and dipped into her egg.
Sam strode into the room, said something to Clement, then took a seat across from Delilah.
“Good morning,” he said in a clipped tone.
“Good morning.” Something odd fluttered in her chest. She ignored it and cast him a smile that was no more than polite.
“How ar
e you this morning, Sam?” Teddy glanced up from her papers and favored him with a smile.
“Fine.” He drummed his fingers on the table. Clement set a cup before him and he nodded his thanks.
Delilah traded glances with Teddy.
“Forgive me for saying so but . . .” Delilah chose her words with care. “You sound anything but fine.”
“Admittedly, things aren’t quite as fine as I would like.” Sam blew a long breath. “The motorwagon isn’t working.”
“Oh, dear,” Teddy murmured.
Before last night, Delilah might have pointed out that she knew it all along, that she was not the least bit surprised. Today, however, she was not inclined to do so. She might even feel a bit sorry for the man. Remarkable how a refreshing night’s sleep could improve one’s demeanor. “Can’t your Mr. Moore fix it?”
“I hope so.” Sam nodded. “He is working on it. He thinks it’s just a part that has shaken loose in transit. Unfortunately there are any number of parts it could be.” He looked at Teddy. “I’m afraid your ride is going to have to wait.”
“Ah well.” Teddy smiled, as gracious and charming as ever. “I will simply continue to enjoy the anticipation then.”
He glanced at Delilah. “Have you changed your mind? About riding in my motorwagon.”
“Not really.” She shrugged apologetically. “Although I do hope you manage to get it running.”
“Why?” Suspicion rang in his voice.
“Goodness, Sam.” Delilah stared at him. “As much as I might think it’s utter foolishness, I am not an idiot. You did not make a success of your life by taking exceptionally stupid risks. If you think horseless carriages are the way of the future, it seems to me, I would indeed be an idiot in not acknowledging that I know nothing whatsoever about business and that you probably know what you are doing. And that there is the possibility that you might be right and I might be wrong.” She popped the last bite of toast into her mouth and smiled. “Slim but it exists.”
Teddy’s mouth dropped open in shock.
“Thank you.” Sam’s tone was cautious.
“You’re quite welcome.” She waved at the toast rack. “Toast?”
“I’ve eaten but again thank you.”
“Did you try the sausage?” She lowered her voice in a confidential manner. “It was exceptional.”
Teddy choked.
“I did.” He nodded, a smile in his eyes. “It was very good.”
“I thought so.” She wiped a tiny bit of marmalade from the corner of her mouth with her finger. His gaze flicked to her mouth then to her eyes. She hesitated then deliberately licked the jam from her finger. Oh, dear. Hadn’t she just said she wasn’t an idiot? Apparently she was wrong about that, too. “Possibly the best sausage I’ve ever had.”
He swallowed hard. “It was very good.”
She’d never had a man mesmerized before. “Are you sure you don’t want a bit more?”
“No, thank you.” His voice had the tiniest strangled quality to it.
“Did you try the marmalade as well?”
“Yes, um, very good . . .” he said weakly.
Delilah met his gaze, took a bite of toast, and chewed it slowly. The man couldn’t take his eyes off of her. Perhaps Delilah had more in common with Beryl than she had imagined. This was great fun. She swallowed and sighed with pleasure. “Mmmm. There is something about orange marmalade, especially in cooler weather, that brings to mind the heat of the summer sun and—”
“I’ll have some,” Teddy said abruptly, grabbing a piece of toast and smearing it with marmalade.
Delilah choked back a laugh. Sam cleared his throat and his amused gaze met hers.
“Teddy.” Delilah turned to her friend, still busy savoring her toast and whatever else might have been brought to mind. “I’ve decided to go into London today and pay a call on my solicitors. I’ve not received any word from them and I fear I’m dreadfully impatient.”
“There are a few matters I need to attend to in London as well. Would you mind if I accompanied you?” Sam said with just the right touch of offhandedness followed by the merest hint of hesitation as if he had only now thought of it and wasn’t entirely sure how she’d take the idea. It was very good. The man must be brilliant in matters of business.
“Well.” Delilah drew her brows together thoughtfully. “I suppose I wouldn’t mind company on the train. London is only an hour away but one never knows what one might encounter on the way.” She nodded. “I shall quite appreciate having you along for . . .”
“Safety?” Teddy’s gaze shifted from Delilah to Sam and back. “Protection?”
“Yes, safety.” Sam nodded with perhaps a shade too much enthusiasm.
“Exactly what I was thinking,” Delilah said at the same time.
“Yes, that’s what I thought,” Teddy said.
“I need to have a few words with Gray before we go,” Sam said. “It should take me no more than a quarter of an hour.”
“Excellent.” Delilah nodded. “We should be able to take the next train.”
“In a few minutes then.” He smiled at Teddy, nodded at Delilah, and left the room.
Delilah tasted the pie, decided it was every bit as good as it looked, and took another bite. She glanced at Teddy and paused. “You’re staring at me again. Why?”
“Oh, I don’t know. No reason really.”
“And yet you continue to stare.”
“Imagine that. Perhaps it was the marmalade? Tasty but not extraordinarily so.”
“Really?” Delilah widened her eyes. “And I thought it was indeed extraordinary.”
“Possibly the country air has sharpened your senses.”
“I suppose that’s it.” Delilah took another forkful of her pie but it was impossible to enjoy with Teddy staring at her. “You know, if you have something you wish to say, it might be best if you simply said it.”
“I’m just trying to sort something out.”
“Oh?” Delilah set down her fork, pushed her plate away, and folded her hands on the table in front of her. “Go on then.”
“What was that about?” Teddy gestured at the pot of orange preserves. “With the marmalade and the sausage.”
“They were very good and I thought it would be a shame if Sam failed to taste them.” She stifled a grin. “I considered it, oh, my duty as a loyal subject of Her Majesty to make certain our American visitor had the opportunity to partake of our fine English sausages and excellent Scottish marmalade.”
“How very gracious of you.”
“I thought so.”
Teddy aimed an accusing finger. “You were flirting with him.”
“Was I?” Delilah widened her eyes innocently. “I thought I was just being pleasant.”
“Well you were, flirting that is. And you were more than pleasant.” Suspicion shaded Teddy’s face. “You’re being exceptionally nice to him.”
“I wouldn’t say exceptionally nice.” Delilah searched for the right word. “I would say cordial is more accurate.”
“Yesterday you weren’t even cordial.”
“That’s not entirely true. We did play tennis together.”
“Yes, I know but—”
“And won.”
“I know that too.”
“I doubt that we could have won if we hadn’t been cordial to one another.”
“I suppose but—”
“So I really have no idea why you are so suspicious.” Delilah cast her friend a pleasant smile. “First you chastise me for not being nice to the man and now you think I’m being too nice.”
“I don’t think you’re being too nice. I think you’re being . . .” Teddy shook her head. “I don’t know. There’s something I can’t quite put my finger on. . . .”
“I would certainly like to hear it, whatever that something might be.”
“It’s obvious to me—” Teddy sucked in a sharp breath. “You called him Sam!”
“So did you.”
“Yes, but you refused to do so as you once had a dog named Sam. A faithful and loyal companion you said.”
“And indeed he was.”
“Have you decided Sam—Mr. Russell—is faithful and loyal as well?”
“He does play a fine game of tennis.”
Teddy stared. “What has come over you?”
“Nothing really. I simply decided I needed to stop being so . . . unpleasant.” Delilah heaved a heartfelt sigh. “It’s not at all like me and frankly I was tired of it.”
“Perhaps but, I know you, Dee, and . . .” Teddy blew a frustrated breath. “You’ve been odd in recent months. Decidedly odd.”
“Threat of financial disaster, remember?” Delilah shook her head mournfully. “It’s like the sword of Damocles hanging over my head.”
“You said this threat appeared six weeks ago.”
“Give or take a few days.”
“Ah-ha!” Triumph sounded in Teddy’s voice. “I first noticed a change in you when you returned from New York. I thought perhaps travel did not agree with you.”
Delilah rested the back of her hand against her forehead. “Travel is so dreadfully—”
“Stop it, Dee. Stop it at once.” Teddy’s brow furrowed and she glared at her friend. “You’re keeping something from me and I want to know what it is.”
“May I point out, until we arrived here, you and I had barely seen one another at all since my return from New York.”
“Even so—”
“Don’t you think if something truly significant had happened in my life I would tell you?”
“I have always thought so until I discovered you were hiding this threat of a new heir from me.”
“I wasn’t hiding.” Delilah shrugged. “I suppose as long as I didn’t have to admit it, it wasn’t real. I could ignore it completely. Surely you understand that?”
“Of course I do but—”
“There’s really nothing more to it than that.” She cast her friend her brightest smile, rose to her feet, and started toward the door. “Now then I must gather my things if we are to make our train.”
“I still think there’s something you’re hiding.”
“My dear sweet friend.” Delilah paused in the doorway. “You’ve become entirely too suspicious. Looking for things that don’t exist.” Delilah shook her head in a sympathetic manner. “It’s not at all becoming.” She smiled and took her leave.
The Scandalous Adventures of the Sister of the Bride Page 16