Testing Miss Toogood

by Stella Cameron

  “Many of us talk too much when we’re flustered,” Dominic told her. He could not allow himself to think about the outlandish combination of the sturdy black boots beneath yards of white lace.

  “I am not flustered.” Fleur got up and bent to collect her buttons, and popped another. “Oh, really, this is dreadful. Help me with the tapes, please.”

  She turned her back to him and he got up, feeling as if he were in a trance and bound to wake up at any second. He undid the tapes, and a sash at the waist. “I should think loosening the thing would save the rest of the buttons,” he said.

  “No such thing.” This miss had a temper. “The fates have conspired to make an idiot of me. The dress comes off. What I’m wearing underneath is unsuitable but covers every inch of me well. Please, please, try not to laugh again.”

  In seconds Fleur stood in a robe and nightrail which were, as she’d said, made of so much material. Tiny tucks decorated yards of virginal white lawn and satin roses dotted lace at the hem.

  Dominic smiled, remembered himself and held up a hand. “I’m not laughing, absolutely not. I’m thinking how much Mother must be enjoying buying things for a girl about to make her Season. I believe she truly is doing what she might have done for a daughter. The gown and robe are very fetching.”

  Fleur frowned one of the amazingly hostile frowns she occasionally produced. “You brought me here because you want to chastise me for something. Chastise away and I’ll be off.”

  He would far rather gather her in his arms and sit with her before the fire. Your mind has softened, Elliott. Since when did he think of such tame sport when he was in the company of a woman ripe for far more?

  “Where did you go this evening?” he said, regarding her sternly. “And don’t tell me you only went for a walk. I believe you went out to rendezvous with someone.”

  “You…you cad. Who would I go to meet in the middle of the night?”

  “You tell me,” Dominic said. He just wanted her to confess her destination and the reason she went there so he could warn her to hold her tongue. “Did it have anything to do with the things you said you didn’t overhear this afternoon?”

  Once more she turned pink, charmingly pink.

  “Fleur?”

  “Oh, very well. I did overhear you and Lord Nathan discuss a meeting in the chapel between a Brother Juste and Jane Weller who lives at the Dower House.”

  “And you felt it was your business to go and do some more eavesdropping?”

  “You’re mean.” She got up and stood with her hands on her hips—looking down at him. “You manage to make things sound so—sordid. I heard Lord Nathan speak of Jane not really being needed here and I felt sorry for her. I know how it is to be tolerated when you are not valued. It was my hope that if I went to the chapel early I might be able to talk to Jane, and help her.”

  Firelight turned Fleur’s body into a titillating shadow inside the filmy lawn night clothes. He looked away.

  “I don’t suppose you would understand my feelings,” she said. “I’m only supposed to care about all these silly events and the pretty clothes and standing around like an ugly duckling waiting for someone to take pity and ask me to dance, or to get me some lemonade. Well, I have to tell you, it all sounds exceedingly boring to me.”

  “It is,” he said, looking at her shadowy body again. “But it’s tradition. It’s the way things are done and you did agree to come.”

  “Not…Yes I did and I shall do my best to help my family. So far I’m not doing very well. All I do is get myself in trouble even though I’ve had no intention of being bad.”

  Telling her she was not bad but good would be too easy. “Don’t say you’re an ugly duckling again. It’s silly. Now, Lord Nathan will come to me in the morning to discuss what transpired between Brother Juste and Jane Weller. I’d prefer not to have to mention your escapades tonight.”

  She actually smiled and his heart turned. “Don’t then,” she said. “I have already promised myself that I’ll avoid a single other effort to interfere where I don’t belong. That’s what I did and I realize I couldn’t have helped Jane but I put myself at risk just going to the chapel.”

  “You meant well,” he heard himself say. She had cast a spell on him. “But you’re right to avoid such things in the future. Fleur, Nathan and I believe there are serious problems going on and we intend to do what we can to help Brother Juste stop them.”

  “You mean the kidnapping? Isn’t that an evil thing?”

  He took a deep breath. “Yes, it is. And my request of you is that you don’t say a word about any of this, anything you heard, to a soul. You may be questioned. At the moment I don’t know by whom but the situation is a confounding one. If you were to say something to the wrong person, another woman might suffer terribly.” Or she herself might become a victim.

  She fell silent and threaded her fingers together.

  “I don’t mean to frighten you,” he said.

  “I’m not frightened, I’m worried. I shall not say a word but I’m still concerned that this monster will do something terrible. A man who is without conscience, and who prays on helpless women, and forces a lad into a life of crime should not be left at large and in a position to terrify people.”

  “You’re absolutely right.”

  “Fear nothing from me, and if I can help in some way you have only to ask.”

  “Thank you,” he said, hoping he appeared sincere. “You will help me most by allowing me to get on with my own business and by not causing me to worry that you may be getting into mischief.”

  He saw how she longed to tell him what she thought of his assessment of her character. She said, “Don’t give it another thought,” and bent over to gather her clothes.

  Dominic got to his feet at once. “Don’t go yet,” he said.

  “I’ve already kept you long enough from your engagement. You must be anxious to leave. I expect someone is waiting for you.”

  He searched her face. Fleur’s eyelids were lowered and the corners of her mouth jerked down. What was all that about?

  “I’ve decided not to go out now. It’s too late and I’m comfortable here.” He lied about his own comfort. He had responded to the girl and the evidence felt heavy and demanding.

  “Sometimes it’s the best thing to be at home,” she said. “I am a homebody, or so my mother tells me.”

  Could it possibly be that she had a slight interest in him? Regardless, it would not do. He would always pursue danger and anyway, he wasn’t ready to settle down. He probably never would be. On the other hand, Nathan needed a sober woman to clip his wings and this might just be the one to do it. Nathan had never shown any interest in marrying to ally the family with more power. Nathan had never shown any interest in marriage at all. But, dash it all, if Nathan could come to see Fleur’s considerable charms as irresistible, the whole matter of finding the girl a husband would be solved with minimum effort.

  Dominic took the cloak and swung it around her. “Carry the dress underneath, you’ll be more comfortable.”

  “Thank you.” Her eyes were serious and clouded with deep shadows.

  In the act of fastening the neck of the cloak, Dominic stopped and watched her face. “You aren’t happy here, are you?”

  She tried to look away but he held her face in his hands and gave her no choice but to return his gaze. “Heatherly is a lovely place,” she said.

  “But?”

  “But I’m nervous, I should think. I’m not used to great houses and wealth and routs and balls and musicales—and all the things I’m to do. Oh, and assemblies. I would like to know much more about this Almack’s place, too. Mrs. Neville makes such a fuss about how important it is.

  “I’m interested in everything. I must settle down and make the most of this wonderful opportunity. I owe it to the Dowager to show how grateful I am to her for all she’s doing. And I want to do my best for my family because I may be able to improve their lives.”

  “If you mar
ry well?”

  “Yes! Only that won’t happen so I’m wasting everyone’s time.”

  Dominic liked the feel of her smooth hair and soft skin and continued to keep his hands on her face and the sides of her head. “Now why couldn’t that happen? I think there is every chance you will be engaged by the end of the Season.”

  “I won’t find the right man.”

  “How do you know?” Her conviction sounded sincere and he didn’t like to hear it.

  “Because I…because there are things about a man that are important to me and I shouldn’t like to spend the rest of my life with someone who made me unhappy.”

  He had never, ever, had a conversation like this one. “Very wise of you, but are you so hard to please?”

  “Yes.” What looked suspiciously like tears gathered on her bottom lashes.

  Very lightly, Dominic touched his lips to her brow. A reassuring thing to do, the kind of thing expected from a thoughtful friend. Certainly not inappropriate…or was it?

  Rather than resist him or even, perish the thought, cry out, Fleur rested her forehead on his mouth and said, “You are a kind man. In fact I think you probably have many more fine qualities, most of which I shall never discover. Whatever happens here—while I’m here—I will remember you fondly, perhaps as a sort of kindly uncle.”

  Bloody hell. Kindly uncle? What sort of uncle would feel fire in his loins and a possessive, aroused urge that threatened to ruin any chance of his playing the benevolent escort to this lovely woman?

  Dominic used his thumbs to raise her face and looked deep into her eyes. He knew she would see a hunger in him—even if she didn’t recognize what his emotions meant. And he didn’t care. However she thought of him, it ruddy well wouldn’t be as a kindly uncle!

  He bent his face to hers, pressed his lips to her temple, her cheek, and leaned away a little to look into her eyes again. Excitement—good. Confusion—good. Anticipation—perfect.

  Firelight turned the tips of her lashes gold and cast the shadow of her jaw across her neck. The image of how she would look naked before the fire heated his mind. He kissed an ear and blew into it softly.

  “Um, my lord—”

  His mouth silenced Fleur. He kissed her carefully, firmly, but made sure he remained in control of himself. More or less. The one liberty he allowed himself—yes, yes, he was already taking others—his one extra liberty was to part his lips a little and press the tip of his tongue into one corner of her irresistible mouth, to follow the smooth place where bottom lip met upper lip, and finish at the other corner.

  Fleur shuddered. She put one hand on his chest, slipped it just beneath his waistcoat and dug in her fingers. She didn’t make a sound.

  His blood raced. What he had just done was unforgivable—and unforgettable. This girl was meant only for marriage and if he coaxed her into lying with him, he was as low as the lowest of men. Still his mouth rested on her cheek and swept across the soft skin.

  Dominic straightened and held her shoulders. He wasn’t sure what to say or how to proceed but he’d better be sure very quickly.

  “That felt wonderful,” she said. “But I have to be honest.”

  He raised one brow and waited to be insulted.

  “I want to kiss you again, probably lots of times. And I have feelings I must think about.”

  “What sort of feelings?” He allowed himself to smile at her.

  “I can’t say without examining myself, my reactions. There may be a whole new side to me, one I could never have imagined. If so, I shall need your help dealing with it. If you could spare a little time, that is.”

  What had he created? “How would you expect me to deal with this…this whatever it is?”

  Fleur smiled back at him and stepped away. “I’ve intended to share my requirements in a husband with you. To help you eliminate men who just wouldn’t do. But with this new development, this obviously passionate side of my nature that has shown itself, I must have the help of an experienced person to teach me how to keep my impulses in check. I know you can be my guide in these matters.”

  This was all his own fault but who could have expected such a reaction? “I’m sure your feelings are muddled because you are far from home and lonely. I have shown how willing I am to be a friend—” so willing “—and what you really feel is gratitude to me for that. There’s no need, Fleur, because you are a dear girl and it gives me pleasure to make you feel welcome here.”

  “You don’t understand at all,” she told him. “In your generosity you reached out to me this evening, but I took advantage of you. I now know what carnal urges are and I apologize for using you to further my education.”

  11

  The Marquis of Granville’s dark green traveling coach rolled up the mile-long drive to Heatherly House at a smart clip. The sun grew lower and shadows of great oaks rippled across the handsome vehicle.

  With a smile on her face and apprehension eating her stomach, Fleur waited with the Elliot family to greet the Marchioness of Granville and her daughter, Chloe. Two lines of servants flanked the steps leading to the front door.

  Never, in her entire life, had Fleur felt more out of place. Earlier Lord Nathan had caught her with a grim expression on her face and he hadn’t stopped prying until she explained her misgivings about being part of the family reunion. He had actually taken her in a bear hug that lifted her feet from the ground, set her down when she started to laugh, and said, “There, that’s better. I knew I could shake you out of yourself. Just remember that the only reason Lady Granville is coming at this time, and bringing her little entourage, is to help you. And she’s doing it because she wants to. Of course you’re not out of place being included with the family.”

  She liked Lord Nathan. She had discovered his eyes were green and distracting, but not with the disturbing intensity of Lord Dominic’s. Truthfully, Lord Nathan was a cheerful man, handsome, almost too handsome for the good of many a female eye, she suspected, and he made her feel at ease.

  That very morning he had escorted her to the Dowager for breakfast and she had expected him to scold her for taking matters into her own hands the night before. He hadn’t even hinted at the subject which meant Lord Dominic had kept his word, and his silence.

  A tall, thin, bespectacled coachman put the perfectly matched black horses pulling the Granville coach through their paces. He looped them in an extravagant curve before coming to a halt with his elbows raised as if the only thing that stopped the horses from running was the brute strength in the coachman’s arms. A titter went up among the servants.

  “I see some things don’t change,” Lord Nathan muttered. “Albert Parker is still a showman.”

  “Better remember he’s also John’s man of letters and valet,” Dominic said. “Strangest combination I ever saw in a servant. But I’m surprised he isn’t in Vienna with John.”

  Nathan elbowed his brother. “No mystery there. John’s most prized possessions are Hattie and young Chloe. Albert’s here because he’s the only one John trusts to keep them safe if he can’t be with them himself.”

  Fleur listened to all this with fascination.

  The coachman climbed down from his box and placed steps in front of the carriage door. He flung it open and peered inside. A little girl holding a black cat jumped into view. She wore a peach-colored outfit, and auburn ringlets burst in all directions from beneath her bonnet. Albert picked her up and set her on the gravel where she hopped up and down, waving at everyone on the steps.

  “How well Chloe has done,” Lord Dominic said. “Don’t you think so, Mother?”

  “We can thank John and Hattie for that,” the Dowager said. “When a child loses both parents as Chloe did it wouldn’t be surprising if she took years to recover. It was John stepping into his cousin’s place so quickly afterward, and then Hattie accepting the child as her own that worked the miracle.”

  Fleur had assumed the Marquis and Marchioness were Chloe’s parents. She wished she could ask the Dow
ager what terrible thing had happened in Chloe’s life but didn’t dare.

  The coachman helped a lady to the ground. She called out, “Hello!” at once and caught up with Chloe. This must be the Marchioness of Granville, and Fleur doubted if the lady was much older than herself. Lady Granville glowed and when she came to be kissed by her mother-in-law and brothers-in-law Fleur could only stare.

  Lady Granville turned to her and held out both hands. Fleur extended her own and they were seized in a firm grip. She curtseyed and said, “I hope you had a pleasant journey, my lady.”

  “I did. We all did. You are perfect, a fresh flower and you’re going to become an originale!” She turned almond-shaped gray eyes on the Dowager. “She will, Mother. She just isn’t ordinary. Look at that hair. Oh, you make me jealous.”

  “Fibs,” Lord Dominic said. He held Chloe and her cat in his arms. “You’re impressed with Fleur’s hair. Who wouldn’t be? But you know very well you’re a beauty.”

  Lord Dominic’s compliment warmed Fleur much more than it should but she also agreed with what he said about Lady Granville. She wore turquoise and it showed off her honey-colored hair.

  Lady Granville took Fleur by the hand and she warmed to the other woman’s impulsiveness. Up the steps they went, side by side with the servants performing a wave of curtseys and bows when their mistress passed. The estate manager, Mr. Lawrence, stood apart with the head gardener, Mrs. Chambers who was housekeeper, Mrs. Skinner, the cook, and McGee.

  McGee and Mrs. Chambers hurried ahead to greet the party when they reached the doors. The family talked and laughed, their voices rising to speak over one another and echoing when they entered the hall.

  “Lawrence?” Still holding Fleur’s hand, Lady Granville turned back to talk to the estate manager. “My husband asked particularly that I inquire about the tenants.”