“Keep an eye on Miss Wharton. I’m afraid she’s going to try to compromise me.”
Ellie laughed. “Oh, Jack, you must be experienced at dodging matrimonial-minded misses. You spend almost all your time in London.”
Jack grimaced. “Yes, but Miss Wharton is unusually persistent. She’s been after me for months and knows all my stratagems.” His face took on a hunted look. “And now to be stuck in the castle with her for days, with Mama in matchmaking mode ... Ellie, I may be reduced to running off into the snowdrifts.”
“No one can make you marry Miss Wharton, even if she does compromise you.”
He hunched a shoulder. “Yes, but I’d prefer not to be ostracized by the ton. Everyone knows Miss Wharton is pursuing me like a hound after a fox, but if her reputation is damaged, society will still lay the blame at my doorstep. It’s always the man’s fault, you know.”
“But your father is the Duke of Greycliffe. Surely that will count for something.”
Jack looked appalled. “Good God, Ellie, I’m not going to hide behind Father’s title. What do you take me for?” He frowned at her. “I don’t want to damage Miss Wharton’s reputation or even wound her sensibilities. She’s not a bad sort. She only wants what most women do. If I weren’t her quarry, I’d admire her determination.” He raised an eyebrow. “Frankly, you might do well to take a page from her book. You really would make Ned an excellent wife, and I’d much rather have you in the family than Lady Juliet.”
This was definitely not a topic she wished to pursue. “Yes, well, we are discussing your marital issues, not mine at the moment. I suppose the first thing to do is help you find the hidden hearts; Miss Wharton seems to be winning this game so far.”
Jack nodded. “She does appear to have quite the knack for ferreting them out, doesn’t she? Rather like a pig hunting truffles.” He pulled a crumpled red scrap of paper out of his pocket. “I’ve only got one, and Ned gave me that.”
So Ned wasn’t scrambling to amass a winning pile of hearts. It wasn’t much, but it made her feel happier.
“Perhaps we can add another heart to your collection.” She shook the china dog she’d been holding and then lifted off its head. Just as she’d hoped, there was a red heart inside.
“Capital!” Jack plucked the paper out and started to put it in his pocket.
“Wait! I think there’s something written on one side.”
Jack examined the heart. “So there is.” His brows furrowed. “Dashed if I know what it means, though.”
“What does it say?”
“Find what once was here and you’ll find another heart.” Jack shook his head. “I certainly don’t remember Mama putting biscuits or other treats in this thing—I only remember it ever being in the dungeon.”
Ellie flushed. The duchess couldn’t know about the toad, could she? And that poor creature was long gone. So what could ...
“There!” She pointed to a large, green porcelain frog sitting on the shelf above the pots Lady Juliet had been rooting through earlier.
Jack looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. “Ellie, that hideous object could never have fit inside this equally ugly dog.”
“Look at it anyway.” Perhaps she’d misunderstood.
Jack reached up to get the frog and let out a long, low whistle. He turned and showed her the bottom of the figurine. Stuck into a hole in its base was a red heart.
Chapter 8
... but don’t confuse him too much.
—Venus’s Love Notes
Ned glared at the flower-bedecked shepherdess perched on top of the tall cabinet. There was a thin line around her neck as if she’d had an unfortunate meeting with Madam Guillotine; in actuality, she’d taken a glancing blow from a cricket bat when he and Jack and Ash had been playing in the entry foyer one winter’s day many years ago. It was amazing the poor girl hadn’t shattered into a thousand pieces. Dalton had glued her back together, but she’d never been the same. She’d found her way down here instead of the trash-heap only because she’d been a gift from one of Mama’s cousins.
He transferred his glare to Cox, who was currently poking his finger into the coils of a serpent-shaped candelabrum. He’d like to see a nice thin line around that slimy bastard’s neck. Zeus, the London snake had been hanging all over Ellie when Ned had come upon them.
What the hell had Ellie been thinking to let the fellow take such liberties? She clearly had no more sense than a flea, and no interest in being guided by his superior understanding, damn it. Well, if Ellie wouldn’t listen to him, Cox would. A fist planted squarely in the middle of one’s face generally got a person’s attention.
“Finally!” Lady Juliet snatched a scrap of red from a potpourri vase that looked like a pyramid of elephant trunks. She shot a rather triumphant glance at Cox for some reason, and then waved the heart in Ned’s face. “I found one.”
He took a step back to avoid being poked in the nose. “I see.”
She stuffed the heart in her pocket and threw open a clothes press, diving in to rummage through the items Mama or some earlier duchess had consigned to that dark oblivion. A square of orange fabric flew out and fluttered to the floor. Lady Juliet was as bad as a terrier pursuing a rat.
She pulled her head out of the wardrobe when they heard a familiar squeal.
“Blast, Miss Wharton’s found another heart.” She frowned at Ned. “And you look like one of the statues your family has dumped down here, Lord Edward. Hurry up and start searching through things, if you please. We can’t let Miss Wharton win.”
The meek, gentle, quiet Lady Juliet of the drawing room who’d so resembled Cicely had vanished; this new woman was a bit of a shrew.
“Why can’t we? I assume she’ll choose Jack as her sleigh partner; you aren’t interested in my brother, are you?”
Her frown deepened to a scowl. “Of course not—don’t be such a chub.”
Ned hoped his jaw hadn’t noticeably dropped, but he was very much afraid it had.
“Lady Juliet is somewhat, ah, competitive, Lord Edward,” Cox said. His mouth curled into a faint sneer. “She must win the prize even when she doesn’t want it.”
Lady Juliet’s expression froze for an instant; then she tossed her head before sticking it back in the wardrobe. Her subsequent exhortation emerged slightly muffled. “Don’t you be a chub either, Mr. Cox.”
“I don’t seem to be able to help myself,” Cox muttered. He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked back the way they’d come. “Where do you suppose Miss Bowman has got to?”
“I’m sure she’ll be along shortly,” Ned said. If Ellie won the contest and chose Cox as her partner, he’d have to intervene even though he wasn’t really her brother. He couldn’t in good conscience let his childhood friend be alone with such a scoundrel, even in public in a sleigh outdoors. A thick fur rug could hide countless liberties.
Cox raised his brows. “I wonder if Miss Wharton knows Miss Bowman is alone with Lord Jack.”
Ned’s brows dropped. He did not like Cox’s tone.
“Why would Miss Wharton care?” Ash looked up from the cabinet he’d been inspecting.
“Yes, what are you getting at, Cox?” Ned would really, really like to punch the man. Perhaps he could manage to knock something heavy over on him. “You act as if there’s some impropriety going on.”
Cox looked blandly back at Ned. “Lord Jack is unwed—as is Miss Bowman.”
Ned snorted. “Don’t be ridiculous. Jack thinks of Miss Bowman as a sister.”
“Perhaps he does.” Cox smiled in an exceedingly slimy way. “But how does Miss Bowman view Lord Jack?”
“As a brother, of course.” Ned looked to Ash for confirmation, but Ash was fiddling with the cabinet’s drawers.
Cox shrugged. “If you say so. It just seems odd to me that a female who is regarded by the Duchess of Love as a sort of daughter would still be on the shelf at Miss Bowman’s somewhat advanced age. In my experience doting mamas are very adept at getti
ng their chicks out of their nest and into some man’s home.”
Ned tried to loosen his jaw enough to sound civil. “My mother has tried to find a suitable match for Miss Bowman, but Miss Bowman has yet to find a gentlemen to her liking.”
Cox raised one of his evil eyebrows. “Or perhaps Miss Bowman has already lost her heart and so no longer has it to offer.”
“Oh, for God’s sake, Cox, Miss Bowman is not such a die-away miss that she would pine in silence for some fellow, and certainly not for Jack. She’s far too practical, isn’t she, Ash?” He was going to pummel Cox right here and—no. Mama would be extremely annoyed if he injured any of her guests. Still, she should expect it if she was going to invite so many cod’s-heads. “Ash?”
Confound it, why hadn’t Ash spoken up? He looked at his brother—Ash’s expression was inscrutable, damn it. He couldn’t really think Ellie longed for Jack, could he? The notion was revolting.
Ned picked up whatever was closest at hand—a large ceramic bowl as it turned out—and pretended to look for a heart.
He shouldn’t be repelled by the thought of Ellie marrying Jack, though his stomach still twisted at the notion. But that was just from surprise. Now that he considered it, the match had many things in its favor. Sensible Ellie would settle Jack down, reining in his more outrageous, irresponsible starts. She might lure him out of Town with all its vices and back to the country where Ned would see him more often. And he’d see Ellie more often, too. He’d like that. In contrast to the elegant high-strung London ladies— Lady Juliet being a case in point—Ellie was a relief, as direct and uncomplicated as mutton and ale.
He frowned at the bowl. He’d see considerably more of Lady Juliet than Ellie if Lady Juliet was his wife. And perhaps Ellie wasn’t as direct and uncomplicated as he’d thought. There were those red drawers ...
Another squeal erupted ahead of them. Zeus, Miss Wharton should hire herself out as a finder of lost objects. Her skill—or luck—was incredible.
“Lord Edward!” Lady Juliet, having finally finished exploring the farthest corners of the wardrobe, hauled her upper body out of its musty depths to scowl at him. She had a smut on her nose, and wisps of hair floated before her eyes. She batted them away. “Stop chatting and start looking. Time is running out.” She moved on to peer inside a teapot.
His stomach tightened. He’d decided to woo Lady Juliet. He wanted a family; he needed a wife ... but did he need to be nagged incessantly?
He shook the thought away. She’d been delightful in the drawing room. She’d just got too caught up in the game, that was all. Some people were like that—perfectly pleasant, calm, and amiable until they became involved in a competitive situation. Cox had said as much.
And exactly how well did Cox know Lady Juliet? There was definitely some connection between them. A romantic one? But then why would Mama have invited Lady Juliet as a possible match for him? He’d ask Jack; Jack likely had heard something in London.
Jack and Ellie ...
Bloody hell, now his head was pounding. He’d need to take more of Breen’s powders after this ridiculous heart hunt was over.
“Lord Edward, please! I think you’ve examined that bowl long enough.” Lady Juliet cast him an annoyed glance; she’d moved on to a soup tureen.
He didn’t want to look for silly bits of paper. Mama had outdone herself with irritating activities this year, and the party had just begun.
He bent over to pick up the scrap of fabric that had fallen during Lady Juliet’s investigation of the wardrobe. He would just—
Aha. The cloth had come to rest by a pair of andirons that depicted the battle between Saint George and the dragon in gruesome detail. Right by the place Saint George’s lance pierced the beast’s chest he saw a bit of red. A paper heart.
Should he give it to Lady Juliet? She would certainly expect him to do so.
But Jack needed his help to avoid Miss Wharton and perhaps further his relationship with Ellie.
He cringed. He still couldn’t imagine Jack and Ellie together, but perhaps he just needed some time to become accustomed to the idea.
“Have you found a heart?” Lady Juliet asked. “Give it to me straightaway.”
He palmed the red paper and stood, holding out the cloth instead.
Lady Juliet’s delicate features twisted in disgust. “That’s not even red. What were you thinking?”
“It looks a little red,” Ash said from across the room.
“It’s orange,” Lady Juliet snapped.
“I don’t know.” Now that Ned looked at the cloth in the light, it did look somewhat red—probably not when put side by side with the heart that he’d managed to slip into his pocket, but definitely when viewed by itself.
“Well, I know.” Lady Juliet stamped her small, slippered foot.
“Temper, temper,” Cox said.
Lady Juliet turned on him. “Don’t you—” She stopped, pressing her lips together.
The man chuckled, though he didn’t sound particularly amused. “I think I see steam coming out of your ears, Lady Juliet. Keeping all that anger inside can’t be good for you.”
Lady Juliet’s eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared. For a moment, Ned thought she’d launch herself at Cox and wrap her hands around his neck.
Then she drew in a deep breath and turned. “I think there must be no more hearts to find here, Lord Edward,” she said, as if none of the previous conversation had occurred. “Shall we continue to the next room?”
“Er, of course.” Ned offered her his arm somewhat gingerly. She took it and smiled up at him just as sweetly as Cicely would have. He heard Cox snort.
He wouldn’t give the man the satisfaction of seeing he’d irked him. Clearly Lady Juliet’s less than delightful behavior just now could be laid at Cox’s door. In fact, it showed she had good judgment. He and she were in complete agreement that Cox was vermin.
The next room was the last, thank God. Father stood by the door as they entered; Mama was at the other end sitting in a chair with startlingly well-endowed harpies supporting its arms.
Lady Juliet went immediately to examine a cabinet.
“Keeping us from going back to look for more hearts, Father?” Ned murmured.
“Not exactly, but I do think it’s time this game was over, don’t you?” Father nodded to Cox as the man passed by on his way to join Percy, Lady Heldon, and Ophelia.
“Definitely.”
“It was somewhat illuminating, however,” Ash said, stopping next to them.
Ned frowned. “What do you mean?”
“For one, I find I’m not an admirer of Mr. Cox.”
“Nor am I.”
Ash smiled. “Somehow I didn’t think you were.”
“Oh, Lady Juliet,” Miss Wharton said. “You can stop looking for hearts now. Miss Mosely discovered the only one in this room, isn’t that right, your grace?”
Mama nodded. “We are just tallying up what everyone found. Miss Wharton has four, by far the most.”
“Her talent is quite astounding,” Lady Heldon said, making Miss Wharton’s skill sound vaguely inappropriate.
Miss Wharton didn’t hear the criticism. She blushed rather charmingly. “I do like a good treasure hunt.”
“And you truly are very good at hunting,” Miss Mosely said.
“Indeed, Miss Wharton,” Humphrey added, “as I was just remarking to Miss Mosely—who made a very good effort, I must say, though not with as notable results as you, of course, but still she has nothing to be ashamed of—well, no one need be ashamed of his or her efforts—but as I was saying to Miss Mosely, you are to be commended for your truly amazing ability to find hidden pieces of paper.”
Mama smiled. “I will have to work much harder if we are to play this game again.” She looked expectantly at Lady Juliet. “Miss Mosely and Lady Heldon each found one heart. Do you have some, Lady Juliet?”
“Only one, your grace,” Lady Juliet said, shoulders slumping slightly. “And Lord Edward i
s quite empty handed.”
Far be it from him to contradict a lady. He would slip Jack the heart when his brother finally made his appearance.
“Ash?” Mama asked.
“Nary a one,” Ash said.
“So that leaves five unaccounted for. Ah, and here are our stragglers.”
Ned turned, his eyes going immediately to Ellie’s face. She didn’t look as if she were in love with Jack, though he couldn’t really imagine what Ellie in love would look like. At least there were no blushes or glowing smiles. She looked exactly as she always looked—calm and practical. Why the hell was he even considering something that bounder Cox had said?
Because Ash hadn’t discounted the theory, that’s why—but then Ash hadn’t concurred, either. Chances were good he’d been thinking about building something and hadn’t even heard the conversation.
In any event, he needed to give Jack the damned paper heart unobtrusively—Lady Juliet would not be at all pleased if she saw him slip it to him—but Father was blocking his way. “Ellie,” he whispered as she started past him, “wait a moment if you will.” He could use her as a screen. Ah, there, Jack was now free of Father.
“What?” Ellie asked, pausing.
Perfect. He smiled at her as he bumped Jack and handed over the scrap of red paper. Fortunately, Jack took it as if he was expecting it. “Mama was just wondering if you have any hearts.”
“Yes, Ellie,” Mama said. “Did you find anything?”
Ellie looked a bit uncomfortable, but then she’d always preferred not to be the center of attention. She glanced back at Jack and cleared her throat. “I’m afraid I don’t have any hearts, but Jack does.”
“You do?” Mama grinned. “How many do you have?”
Jack produced a wad of red and separated them out. “I’ve got five.”
“Oh.” Miss Wharton couldn’t hide her disappointment. “You have won.” She smiled hopefully. “Whom do you choose to share your sleigh?”
Jack opened his mouth as if to reply and then paused. “I think I should wait to make that choice, don’t you?”
“Excellent!” Mama clapped her hands and sprung out of her chair. “Keep your options open, and everyone else on tenterhooks.” She laughed. “Well, our female guests on tenterhooks, that is, though I suppose the men may care if you steal away their choice.”
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