Too stunned by the notion, Richard couldn't hold back his exclamation. “John, taken with Lady Elizabeth?”
A delicate frown curved upon Lady Catherine's features. “I don't know why you sound so astounded, my lord. It would be an advantageous match.” Leaning forward, she confided, “My sister is most concerned with conducting herself in a manner befitting a lady.”
“Naturally. Why wouldn't she be?” he asked, puzzled by Lady Catherine's remark.
Flustered, Lady Catherine hurried to explain. “I only meant that, despite her fascination with . . . with machines and the like, she truly is a proper lady.”
“Fascinated with machines?” The notion intrigued Richard more than he cared to admit, but he could tell from Lady Catherine's blush that she'd not meant to reveal that particular truth.
Lady Catherine dismissed the question with a wave of her hands. “While my sister does tinker with machines occasionally, I assure you it is merely a hobby.”
Even still, he knew of no other lady in society with such a wonderful hobby. “Does she design her own machines then, or does she . . .”
“Please, sir,” Lady Catherine said, glancing around quickly. “I prefer that my confidence not be bandied about the ton, utterly ruining my sister's chances of a suitable match. It is, after all, her greatest wish to be accepted unconditionally by society.”
Which made him completely wrong for Elizabeth.
That stray thought startled Richard. It wasn't as if he'd had any true interest in Elizabeth. No, he assured himself, he was merely intrigued by the notion that she might share his passion for machines.
“Bearing that in mind, you can understand that my sister-would never disgrace your brother's good name in any manner.”
The hopeful note in Lady Catherine's odd comment baffled Richard. “Since your sister and my brother aren't connected at all, I fail to see where this might be relevant.”
“I'm merely commenting upon any future developments.” Lady Catherine leaned even closer to whisper, “I feel most certain that our siblings would make a fine match.”
The workings of this woman's brain confounded Richard. “How can you make a statement like that when they've only met twice?”
Lady Catherine's eyes sparkled. “Because I can sense these things, my lord.”
Richard laughed at the idea. “If that's true, then you'd make a bloody fortune as a matchmaker.”
“That's highly unlikely, as I'd never ruin my reputation by going into trade,” Lady Catherine replied with a smile.
It was all Richard could do to keep his smile in place. “Certainly not,” he agreed, feeling rather ill. “You'd never lower yourself in that manner.”
“Indeed. However that doesn't prevent me from aiding my sister with my ability to sense the perfect match.”
The perfect match? Elizabeth and John? Somehow the very idea set off a jarring note inside Richard. Perhaps Lady Catherine overestimated her ability, for the two seemed illsuited. While he might find Elizabeth's hobby intriguing, he knew his brother would not. Besides, he thought with a nod, the two seemed far too similar to ever suit.
Though he didn't know Elizabeth well enough to judge, Richard did know his brother, and someone interested in following the dictates of society was not what John needed. No, John needed to marry someone who would help him bend a little, make him a bit crazy, entice him to toss aside society's rules and do something for the sheer pleasure of it.
Hell, even Lady Catherine would better suit John.
Startled by the thought, Richard gazed down at Lady Catherine. Why not? After all, this woman had approached him, a virtual stranger, and proposed a matchmaking scheme between their siblings, so she obviously didn't concern herself overly much with abiding by the way these things were usually done.
“So, will you help me to arrange for our siblings to spend time together?” she asked, her expression hopeful.
Turning the question over in his head, Richard examined it from every angle. If he agreed, it would naturally bring Lady Catherine into close proximity with John, as she would undoubtedly escort her sister. Then, John could discover for himself that Lady Catherine was the perfect lady for him.
Of course, if John failed to take notice, Richard could always nudge him in the right direction. The four of them could begin to attend the same functions, and he could engineer it so John ended up with Lady Catherine and he ended up with Elizabeth. Not a bad trade at all.
A twinge of guilt plucked at Richard as he realized he'd be duping Lady Catherine. Still, when she was happily in love with his brother, she'd forgive his duplicity . . . especially if he helped find a suitable match for Elizabeth.
It was, Richard thought, the perfect solution.
“Well, my lord?” Catherine prodded. “Will you help me?”
Richard smiled politely. “It shall be my pleasure.”
A happy smile brightened her features. “Splendid. When shall we begin?”
Holding out his arm, he said, “No time like the present.”
She placed her hand upon his forearm. “Indeed not. What shall we do first?”
“Since we know that they are seated together, I believe we should find seats nearby, and make sure that they become properly acquainted.”
“Perfect.”
* * *
Thanking God that the first movement was finished, John shifted in his seat, praying that the next piece Miss Swanson chose would be blessedly shorter.
“That was lovely,” Lady Elizabeth whispered to him as she leaned closer.
Lovely? If one enjoyed the caterwauling of a dying animal perhaps. Still, John nodded politely in agreement. “A most interesting interpretation of Mozart's work.”
Lady Elizabeth gave him a smile before returning her attention to Miss Swanson again. The perfect, refined lady, John thought as he watched her.
Just the lady to help his brother battle his demons.
Warming to the idea, John examined the pairing in his mind. Lord knew, she seemed to interest his brother. Just this evening, he'd had to stop Richard from pursuing the idea that Lady Elizabeth might share his interest in machinery. If she was truly interested in Richard's odd tinkerings, that was an added bonus in John's mind.
She also might convince Richard to sell that ridiculous pretzel factory and invest in a more acceptable venture, one that didn't coat his jackets in flour. Still, he first needed to discover her attitude toward trade, to see if she could accept Richard.
The more John considered the idea of finding a bride for Richard, the more he liked it. While getting married might not be right for him, it seemed the perfect solution for Richard. Settling back in his chair, John reaffirmed his vow to see his family settled, then he could travel, see the world, take a tour of the continent . . . experience freedom for the first time in his life. The very thought intoxicated him.
As Miss Swanson pounded at the ivory keys, John began to devise a way to nudge his brother toward the elegant Lady Elizabeth.
It was all Elizabeth could do to keep from clapping her hands over her ears to drown out the sound of Miss Swanson's playing. The bothersome noise made it hard for her to sort through her thoughts. Straightening in her chair, Elizabeth tried to ignore the singing and focus on the brilliant idea that had struck her when Lord Wykham had escorted her into the music room.
He was the solution to her problem.
If she simply spent time in Lord Wykham's company, then perhaps her father would be convinced that she was interested in marrying the marquess. While she was busy maintaining her deception, Elizabeth could use that time to help Catherine find a husband.
Elizabeth snuck a glance at Lord Wykham . . . and tried to push away that niggling feeling of guilt building inside of her. It wasn't very nice of her to be thinking of using Lord Wykham for her own means, but she didn't feel as if she had any choice in the matter.
After Catherine found her true love, Elizabeth would convince her papa to allow Catherine to marry first
. Surely he couldn't refuse if he saw Catherine was in love with her future husband and that Elizabeth had developed what appeared to be serious intentions toward Lord Wykham.
Of course, once Catherine was safely wed, Elizabeth could bid Lord Wykham a fond farewell and retire to the country in peace and happiness. All in all, it was the perfect plan.
But she still didn't like the idea of deceiving Lord Wykham. Biting her lower lip, she turned other possibilities over in her head, only to come around to the same place. The problem was she couldn't justify using Lord Wykham for her own means. Sighing, she glanced at him again. He'd been a true gentleman and she couldn't repay his kindness with deception.
That left her with only one choice. She could speak with him privately, tell him of her plight, and pray he would agree to assist her in solving the vexing problem she and Catherine were having with their father. But why would he agree to help her? She couldn't help wonder.
Perhaps he would help her because he was, to his very core, a gentleman who was raised to believe in aiding a lady in need.
The trick would be to convince him of her need.
Deciding there was no time like the present, Elizabeth took a bracing breath. “Pardon my forwardness, my lord, but I wonder if I might have a private conversation with you.”
Surprise registered in his eyes. “Of course,” he replied after a moment. Pausing to clap as Miss Swanson came to the end of the second movement, Lord Wykham stood and escorted her from the music room.
On her way out the door, Elizabeth saw her sister sitting beside Lord Vernon and Lord Conover. Catherine glowed as she exchanged conversation with the two gentlemen. Elizabeth found it troubling to see Lord Vernon with her sister. After all, the man was a known lothario who preyed upon young fanciful girls like Catherine . . . like herself. As soon as they arrived home, Elizabeth promised herself she would tell Catherine about Lord Vernon's sordid past. . . .
Dismissing Lord Vernon forcibly from her thoughts, Elizabeth focused upon Catherine. Just the sight of her sister's smile strengthened Elizabeth's purpose as she followed Lord Wykham out the door.
Their father had been right about one thing. She would do anything for her sister.
Glancing down the hallway to be certain no one was around, John shut the door to the Swanson's study and turned to face Lady Elizabeth. He was all too aware that their departure must have raised more than a few eyebrows. He had no desire to have anyone interrupting this private meeting. With this in mind, he turned the lock and, striding over to the windows, closed the curtains, shielding them from prying eyes.
When he faced Lady Elizabeth once more, he noticed the alarm in her gaze. Flushing slightly, he gestured toward the curtains. “I didn't wish for us to be observed; lord knows what kind of gossip that would generate.”
“Very clever,” she acknowledged softly.
He could tell she was nervous from the way she was fiddling with the ribbons on her gown. “You wished to speak with me,” he said, giving her an opening.
Nodding, she cleared her throat. “I know I've only met you twice and this will seem extremely forward, but I have a problem, of a rather delicate nature, so . . .”
“Why don't you just tell me what the problem is? I promise not to think ill of you,” he said, cutting off her fumbling attempt at explanation.
“Very well.” She took a deep breath. “You met my sister, Catherine, earlier this evening. Well, I adore her naturally, so when my father said that she couldn't marry before I did, I felt it called for drastic measures.”
Lord, was the woman proposing? Now it was his turn to be nervous. “I don't know if . . .”
“Please let me finish. If I don't get this out, I don't know if I'll still have the nerve to say it,” she said. “You see, I have no desire to marry for anything less than love.”
Her simple statement settled the unease churning in his gut, for after two meetings, it was safe to assume the lady wasn't in love with him.
“The problem is that, despite my best efforts, I seem unable to find a gentleman who suits me. My sister, on the other hand, has no shortage of suitors, and I believe she will easily find someone she wishes to marry, so I thought, I wondered, if perhaps you might aid me in a slight . . . deception.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Pardon?”
A brilliant flush spread across her features. “I know it's a great deal to ask this of you, but as I said before, I'm desperate. If my father believes I have . . . feelings for you, he might allow my sister to wed before me as long as he assumes that I will marry soon afterward.”
“Then when your sister is safely married, you and I will appear to have a parting of the ways,” John finished for her.
“Exactly.” She gave him a tremulous smile. “You do understand.”
“Understanding and agreeing are two different things, my lady,” he said stiffly. “I have little liking for devious schemes.”
“So do I, but what choice has my father left me?” She held out her hands. “Don't you think it unfair that he punish my sister because of my wish to avoid a hasty marriage? I certainly do.”
While John agreed with her on some level, he also understood that a man would take drastic measures if it would benefit those he loved. “Perhaps you could speak with your father, explain how you feel, and he would change his mind.”
She dropped her arms to her sides. “I've pleaded with him, reminded him that he promised he would never arrange an unwanted marriage for us and that I've never found someone who interests me, but he refuses to listen. He is set in his course.” She gazed up at him. “Will you help me?”
John looked at Lady Elizabeth, weighing her plea. While he disliked the thought of deceiving her father, he had to admit that Lord Shipham seemed to be asking quite a lot of his daughters. Besides, John thought, if he spent time with Lady Elizabeth, then he would be able to arrange for Richard to spend time with them as well.
Turning away from her to keep his whirling thoughts from reflecting in his expression, John continued to tie together his thoughts. Perhaps if she spent time with Richard, she would discover a kinship with him that would lead to love. Lord knew their peculiar interest in experiments alone made them seem well-matched, for he didn't know of anyone else who shared that particular hobby.
If he agreed to her plan, there might be additional benefits for all parties involved. Lady Elizabeth might find love, Richard might finally find the acceptance he'd been lacking, and he might gain freedom from his worry over his younger brother.
Lifting his chin, he turned back to face Lady Elizabeth. “Very well, my lady. I will help your cause.”
“Thank you,” she said in a rush. “This means so much to me. You are truly a gentleman, my lord.”
“It is my pleasure to come to your aid,” he murmured in return. Especially if everything worked out as he hoped.
5
“I noticed you spent quite a bit of time with Lord Wykham,” Papa commented as he spread cream upon his scone.
Pausing to sip at her tea, Elizabeth tried to project a nervous excitement. “Indeed,” she murmured, interjecting just the right amount of gushing into the word.
Father's eyes lit up. “Splendid. It does my heart good to see you finally show interest in a gentleman.”
“She didn't say she was interested, Papa,” said Catherine, setting down her teacup with a clink. “Allowing a gentleman to escort her into a musicale and being interested in him are two completely separate things.”
“Actually, I did find him most charming.” Elizabeth dabbed at her mouth with her linen napkin. “He was quite entertaining.”
“Entertaining?” exclaimed Catherine, obviously stunned. “I found him to be somewhat . . . staid.”
Elizabeth laughed at her sister's remark. “If you compare him to the dandies and rakes you prefer, then perhaps you might find him staid. However, I assure you his conversation was quite stimulating.”
“I knew I was right to urge you to seek out a s
uitable husband, Elizabeth.”
“Urge, Papa?” she countered dryly. “I believe the word is blackmail.”
He waved his hand. “Such an ugly word, Elizabeth.”
“But most appropriate.”
Rising to his feet, Papa leaned down to press a kiss onto her forehead, then one onto Catherine's as well. “Perhaps,” he conceded as he straightened, “but what's a little blackmail among family, if it's done for the finest of reasons?” Chuckling, he tugged down his cuffs. “Thank you for sharing tea with me, girls. Please excuse me, as I promised Lord Esterville I would meet him this afternoon.”
Elizabeth gave her father a pointed look. “You are simply trying to slip out because you find the conversation uncomfortable.” She lifted a shoulder. “Guilt is never a comfortable emotion, Papa.”
Reaching out, he tapped Elizabeth on the nose. “Mind that sharp tongue of yours, girl, or you might scare off the marquess.”
Since he wasn't really interested in her, there was little chance of that. Still, to her father, she smiled and nodded. “I shall try.”
At the pliable answer, Catherine stared at her suspiciously, but Papa failed to notice anything amiss. Bidding Papa farewell, Elizabeth took another sip of her tea as she returned Catherine's gaze.
“What are you up to, Elizabeth?”
Elizabeth grinned at her sister's perception. “Do you remember when I said that we needed to find a way around Papa's edict?” At Cat's nod, she continued, “Well, I've figured out a way to do it. The Marquess of Wykham.”
“Lord Wykham?” Catherine exclaimed. “How on earth can he be the solution to our problem?”
“Because he has agreed to pose as my suitor.” Taking a sip of her tea, Elizabeth waited for her sister's incredulous response. It wasn't long in coming.
“He's what?” Catherine shook her head as if unable to comprehend the new development. “Are you saying that the stuffy marquess agreed to this plan?”
“Yes.”
Confusion darkened Catherine's gaze. “But that's so unlike him.”
Wedding of the Year Page 6