Jake’s forehead wrinkled in puzzlement. “Lana, are you in distress?”
She didn’t trust her voice not to betray her, so she nodded.
He turned his whole body to face her, his demeanor growing more anxious. “Are you ill? Should we return to Hillary House?”
“Could we?” Her voice came out as a pitiful squeak.
He struggled to his feet, and she handed him the crutch. This time he didn’t complain when she grasped his arm to help him descend the stairs. She searched the area once they reached the lobby, nearly running into a column from lack of attention to where she walked.
In the carriage, Jake broke his silence. “Your behavior is rather odd. Are you ill?”
“It’s nothing, Jake.”
“Nothing? You dragged me from the performance for no reason?” Anger laced his voice and raised her hackles. “Tell me what troubles you, Lana. I’m not an imbecile.”
“Everyone says the same, yet it is obvious some are mistaken given the number of imbeciles overpopulating the world.”
“Lana.” His voice held a subtle warning.
“I said it’s nothing. Please, cease your badgering.”
Jake glared, probably regretting his solicitous behavior a few moments ago. Lana should feel more remorse for her words. But blast it. If her brother were less stubborn, she wouldn’t have to keep her love for Drew a secret. Lady Audley wouldn’t have discovered them together. And Lana wouldn’t have sent Drew away with another woman.
After a while, the tense silence began to grate on her. Jake might continue his silent treatment for days unless she gave in and supplied an answer. She crossed her arms and huffed. She hated when he punished her in such a way. His reticence often spoke louder than words.
It would take no time for her father to notice Jake’s silence and begin to question them both. She loved that their father was sensitive to his surroundings, unlike their mother, but she didn’t wish to undergo an interrogation.
“If you must know, I’m having female issues,” she lied.
“Oh.” She knew Jake’s face burned red-hot under the mask of darkness, and she turned away with a smirk. Her brother had developed an arsenal of weapons over the years to get at what he wanted, but she had developed her own counterstrategies. And they proved effective at shifting his attention.
Thirty
Lana woke early the next morning and wandered to the breakfast room.
Her father lowered his newssheet. “Bonjour, ma petite bébé.”
“I’m not a baby anymore, Papa.” Lana’s reprimand was playful as she kissed his cheek.
He set the newssheet aside. “You are awake early after a night at the theatre.”
Lana slipped into a chair to her father’s right. A footman stepped forward to place a napkin on her lap. “I’ll take eggs and toast with marmalade,” she said then returned her attention to her father. “We didn’t wait for the performance to end.”
“I wondered if it was too soon for your brother to venture out.” Lana didn’t correct his assumption. “What are your plans today?”
The footman returned with a plate and placed it before her. “I’m considering a ride in the park, if a footman can be spared to accompany me.”
“A ride sounds delightful, but no need to call for a servant. I’ll join you.”
Outside, the air had grown cooler over the last three days, but it felt good against Lana’s cheeks. Exercising her horse warmed her and eased her anxiety a little.
“I love a morning ride,” she spoke aloud before flushing from her toes to the top of her head. She had echoed Drew’s words from the last time they had been together. How mortifying to have such memories in her father’s presence.
“Nothing beats an autumn morning,” Papa agreed, unaware of her discomfort.
The last of summer’s bountiful leaves had fallen from the towering trees. Several other riders also took advantage of the last bits of good weather before winter.
Her father nodded toward another rider. “Isn’t that Foxhaven’s son?”
As they came closer, Lana spotted Drew on the black stallion he had brought from Irvine Castle. “It is Lord Andrew, the duke’s youngest.”
Drew nudged his horse in their direction. She had never encountered him in the park any other morning and hadn’t expected to see him today. Her heart fluttered as she smoothed the back of her hair and wet her lips. My, he looked dashing in his buckskin breeches, navy coat, and top hat. Why couldn’t she be immune to him? It would make her life a lot simpler.
“Lord Andrew,” her father called out.
“Mr. Hillary.” Drew’s gaze landed on Lana and he offered a slight smile.
“Have you been introduced to my daughter, Lana?”
“I have had the pleasure, sir. It’s nice to see you again, Miss Hillary. I hope all has been well with you since your return to Town.”
She acknowledged his greeting with a nod and polite smile.
“Would you like to join us, my lord?” her father asked.
He seemed uncharacteristically oblivious to her discomfort. She breathed in deeply and tried slowing her racing pulse.
Drew walked his horse next to hers, so that both men flanked her.
“I hear your parents will return with my wife sometime today or tomorrow. Mrs. Hillary sent word last week.”
Drew raised his eyebrows. “Indeed? I would have thought my parents would travel directly to Belle Lora rather than return to Town this time of year.”
“Mrs. Hillary’s letter indicated your parents are performing a service for her. I suppose she preferred having companions for the remainder of the trip.”
Lana attempted to hide a yawn behind her hand. Waking early after a tumultuous night was taking its toll.
Her father grinned. “I dare say this conversation is boring my daughter. I’m afraid she is difficult to entertain as of late. Apparently she found the theatre boring last evening too.”
Lana’s eyes widened. “Papa.”
“Is that true, Miss Hillary? I found the performance quite enjoyable. In fact, I would venture to say it ended too soon.”
She scowled. How enjoyable and which part?
“Lord Hollister,” her father called out to the gentleman standing under a tree chatting with two other men. “If you will excuse me, I have a matter to discuss with him.”
Lana halted her horse to wait for her father.
Instead of moving on as she expected, Drew stayed with her. “Were you bored at the theatre, peach? I must work on my technique.”
She skewered him with a fierce glare. “Papa is correct. I don’t find you entertaining in the least.”
Drew rewarded her huffiness with a dimpled smile that made her melt. “What have I done to earn your disapproval today, my sweet?”
She nudged her mare forward, and Drew’s horse fell into step. Simply looking at Drew could lead to her downfall, and she must be strong. Otherwise, he would have her back in his bed and too addled to remember he had left the theatre with another woman.
She lifted her nose. “How was Lady Audley when you left her this morning? Quite sated, I hope.”
He laughed.
Lana gripped the reins as heat flashed through her body. “Do not laugh at my expense, sir.”
The cocky smile slid from his face. “Are you serious? You think I stayed the night with Lady Audley?” He grasped her reins and halted both horses. “I returned to the theatre, but you had departed before intermission.”
She wanted to slap his hand away but didn’t dare draw added attention to them. “Kindly release my horse.”
“Not until you tell me you don’t believe I dallied with Lady Audley.”
Dallied. That word tore through her, leaving her trembling. “Just because you didn’t stay the night doesn’t mean anything.”
“Lana, you urged me to go after her. I only did as you bid and comforted her.”
“B-but, I didn’t want you to… to comfort her overmuch.”
He chuckled again, his face brightening. “I should be angry with you for casting doubt on my honor, but you are adorable when you’re jealous.”
“I’m not jealous.”
“Of course you are, peach. Just like that night at the inn.”
Fury erupted in Lana. “You are a rakehell,” she whispered furiously, “and I have been a fool to love you.”
She tried to jerk the reins, but his grip was too tight. “But you still love me.”
She grimaced and tugged sharp on the reins again, releasing them. “I… I feel all shaky and frightened when I’m with you… and giddy… as if I could sprout wings and fly over a rainbow.” She sighed and shook her head. “Good heavens. I sound like a madwoman.”
His eyes sparkled. “I love you too, Lana.”
“Oh, Drew.” She loved him to her own detriment. “Why couldn’t you have left me alone from the beginning? This cannot end well.”
“I’ll make you happy if you will allow me.”
He seemed sincere, but how could he change what he was? Lust flowed through Drew’s veins. She had witnessed it firsthand, and she grappled with believing in his innocence with Lady Audley. How could she live with the worry he might be with another woman at any given moment?
“I’m unsure you are capable of making me happy.”
Her heart caught in her throat when his face fell.
“I apologize for taking so long.” Her father’s voice startled her, and she wondered how much of their conversation he had overheard. “Thank you for keeping my daughter company, Lord Andrew.”
Drew smiled, but no spark of liveliness lit his features. “It was an honor, sir. I wish you both a good day.” He urged his horse forward without looking back.
Lana’s father lowered his brows and observed her before glancing in Drew’s direction. She held her breath as a knowing look crossed her father’s face.
“Lord Andrew, might I detain you one moment?” Her father caught up to Drew, but she couldn’t hear their conversation. Drew glanced in her direction, nodding several times as her father posed questions to him. Finally, he accepted her father’s handshake then rode off.
“Very good,” her father said when he reached her again, but he said no more.
After a few seconds of silence, curiosity was killing her. “Papa, what did you say to Lord Andrew?”
“I invited him to dine with us this evening.”
“Dinner? Why would you invite him to dinner?”
“Have you another engagement this evening, my dear?”
“N-no. I am simply surprised by your desire to extend an invitation to Lord Andrew.”
Lana’s father tipped his hat to Lady Banner and her companion, smiling politely. “I wasn’t thinking of my wishes. I believe Lord Andrew holds a tendre for you. If you do not return his affections, I shall send a message bowing out of the invitation.”
Lana swallowed hard. “Papa, I’m uncertain it is wise for me to welcome Lord Andrew’s attentions.”
“Perhaps you should give him a chance. It’s obvious he has a fondness for you.”
She forced a laugh. “Oh, Papa, you have a wild imagination. Lord Andrew is a—how can I put this delicately? He is fond of many women.”
“Listen to me, my dear.” Her father’s voice reverberated with tenderness. “Men often sow their oats when they are young, but that does not render them incapable of love when the right lady presents herself. Don’t hold Forest’s past against him.”
Drew’s present concerned her more, but she wouldn’t admit this to her father, who appeared sad all of a sudden.
“Papa, what troubles you?”
Her father started and forced a smile. “I was simply woolgathering.”
“You look sad.”
“Sometimes I feel sad,” he admitted, to Lana’s surprise, “and then I remember the blessings in my life—you and your brothers. That cheers me quick enough.”
He hadn’t mentioned her mother.
Lana lowered her head to hide the tears gathering in her eyes. How horrid to be a witness to her parents’ painful marriage. How could she be certain she wouldn’t be in their position in a few years if she married Drew? Yet, the thought of losing him sent her sliding into an abyss of misery. Whether she ended their association or waited for him to do the deed, Drew had ruined her heart forever.
Thirty-one
Drew grasped the bouquet of forget-me-nots and reached for the knocker with his free hand. He knew Lana loved wildflowers, but he had been at a loss as to what to choose. Phoebe had suggested forget-me-nots, which would adequately express his love, but he’d had no idea what the flower looked like.
Fortunately, his sister-in-law had pulled out her book of botanicals. Drew had pointed to a flower he thought were forget-me-nots, but apparently, he would have been sending the wrong message. The last thing he wanted to convey was that Lana should beware of him.
Drew rubbed his head. Why couldn’t a flower be nothing more than a flower?
The butler answered, his neutral glance taking in the bouquet and giving Drew no indication of how his offering compared to Lana’s other suitors. Drew would have appreciated some sign from the servant, but he proved uncooperative in this venture. The man would make a hell of an opponent at the gaming table.
Settled in the first-floor drawing room, Drew perused the chamber filled with opulent furnishings and priceless art. He shifted the bouquet from one arm to the other, unsure of what he should do with the flowers.
How would Lana react to his presence in her home? She had been adamant about handling her family, but Mr. Hillary’s invitation presented an opportunity he couldn’t easily dismiss. Drew had wrestled with accepting, given Lana’s doubts about him. He’d nearly fallen from his horse when Mr. Hillary, inferring that Drew held tender feelings for his daughter, extended the invitation. Despite his initial shock, he had recovered and assured Mr. Hillary nothing would keep him from dining with his family.
“What the devil are you doing here?”
Drew spun round to find Jake in the doorway. Lana’s brother glowered and hobbled forward, proving his leg had not completely healed.
“I asked you what the hell you’re doing here, Forest.”
A bolt of anger rushed through Drew. His muscles tensed. He would love nothing more than to jerk the crutch from under the jackass and beat him with it. Wanting to please Lana, he resisted his impulse and instead offered a friendly smile. “Your father invited me to dinner.”
“The hell he did.”
Had Jake disliked Drew when they had attended Oxford? The man hadn’t uttered a civil word to him for months.
“Shall we call a truce? For Lana’s sake?”
With a reddened face and bulging eyes, Jake staggered across the room and stood so close Drew wasn’t certain if he intended to draw his cork or kiss him.
“Stay away from my sister,” he hissed.
“Ah, Lord Andrew, you made it.”
Jake jumped, taking a wobbling step backwards. Drew reached out in the event he needed assistance, but he recovered and glowered, obviously taking offense.
Mr. Hillary senior strode into the room. “I see you have been greeted already. Jake, did you offer our guest a drink?”
Drew stepped around him. “Thank you for the kind invitation, sir.” Just to needle Lana’s brother, he added, “I’ll take a scotch, Jake.”
“Get your own damn scotch,” he mumbled in reply and maneuvered to sink down into a chair with a hiss of breath escaping through his clenched teeth.
Mr. Hillary frowned at his son, a touch of color flushing his cheeks, but he didn’t say anything. Moving to the sideboard, he poured the tawny liquid into three tumblers. Drew willed the churning in his gut to cease, but his body had its own thoughts.
Mr. Hillary passed a drink to Drew and his son. Jake gulped a fair bit of his before either man had a chance to lift the tumbler to their lips.
Drew sipped his drink before accepting a seat. “S
ir, before your daughter joins us, I have a matter I would like to discuss. I had the honor of furthering our acquaintance at Irvine Castle, and I have grown fond of her. I would like to request permission to court her.”
“Go to hell,” her brother said.
“Jake, that is enough. Lord Andrew is a guest in my home. If you cannot act civilized, you may leave.”
Jake banged his glass on the side table. He wore a murderous scowl. “But, Father, do you have any idea the type of scoundrel Forest is? Lana deserves better.”
She did deserve better, so Drew had changed his habits. He avoided his usual haunts. The gaming hells and bawdy houses no longer held appeal. Lana lived in his thoughts at all times, and he yearned to be with her, even if it meant living a respectable life.
Drew measured his words before he spoke. “Sir, your son has good reason for protesting. My behavior up to the point of meeting your daughter could only be described as decadent, but she inspires me to be a different man.”
Jake snorted before snatching his glass and draining it.
Mr. Hillary regarded Drew as if assessing his worthiness. His eyes dropped to the flowers still clutched in his hand. “What are your intentions with Lana?”
“I wish to wed her, sir.”
“Over my dead body.” Jake struggled to launch himself from the chair, but the slower reaction time gave Mr. Hillary a chance to speak.
“Have you gotten yourself into debt, young man? I am sure you’re aware my daughter possesses a hefty dowry.”
Drew’s grip tightened on the tumbler. “With all due respect, sir, you may keep your money. I’m capable of caring for your daughter once we have married. She needn’t bring anything to the marriage other than herself. If you wish it, the money may pass to our children.”
Her father studied Drew for a long time. “I’ve known your family for years, Lord Andrew, but I cannot be too careful. My daughter is dear to my heart, and fortune hunters have approached me many times. Not one has cared a whit for the woman she is or spoken of her happiness. You can understand my skepticism.”
“I would expect no less,” he admitted and let go of his ire. Lana’s father had every right to protect his daughter.
Miss Hillary Schools a Scoundrel Page 20