Taming The Viscountess

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  She chuckled. “You’ve got an air of conceit about you as well, but that only makes you that much more appealing. It is what enables you to barge right into White’s without being invited there. I can’t think of a single gentleman in London who could have managed such a feat without having his name written in disgrace all across the Tittletattle.”

  Done with her bath, she got up from the tub and gestured for him to get in. “Also, being a captain who hunted whales, you undoubtedly had to be courageous.”

  He used the edge of the small table to get up. She had just finished tucking the towel around her body when he removed his robe.

  “I’ll help you into the tub,” she offered, holding her hand out to him.

  For a moment, he thought she did that because she didn’t think he could get into the tub by himself, but then he realized such wasn’t the case. She hadn’t treated him like an invalid at any other time, so she wouldn’t be doing it now. She saw him as her equal. She was only trying to be nice.

  “Thank you,” he said and took her hand.

  Once he was settled into the soapy water, she picked up the bar of soap and a clean washcloth. “I believe it’s my turn to wash you, and since you started with my back, I shall do the same.”

  He hadn’t expected her to make the offer. He had figured as soon as she was done bathing, she would go to her bedchamber to dress. It was nice that she had opted to stay and spend more time with him. She was a completely different person when she wanted to be around someone.

  Since yesterday morning when he’d visited her in her bedchamber, her opposition had quieted significantly. He suspected it helped that he let her see her friend without having the butler watch over her. Also, as she had pointed out, she would have done the same thing he did by accepting her brother’s money and marrying her.

  And more than all of that, marriage was final. There was no getting out of it. She was an intelligent lady. She understood when it was pointless to keep fighting something that couldn’t be changed. There was no going back and marrying Corin instead. She was stuck with him. She probably figured she might as well make the best of it. She didn’t strike him as the kind of person who wallowed in self-pity. She was a person of action, and people of action looked for ways to find contentment with the lot handed to them.

  “You’ll have to lean forward so I can wash your back,” she told him, breaking him out of his thoughts.

  He did as she requested, and she ran the soapy cloth down his back. He chuckled. “I can’t think of a time in my life when anyone bathed me.”

  “I’m sure someone did when you were a baby,” she said. “Babies can’t wash themselves.” After a moment, she added, “You have a nice back. It’s strong. You also have broad shoulders.” She stopped washing him and whispered in his ear, “Broader than most gentlemen. I like that.”

  He was surprised that such a simple compliment should be so arousing, but there was a husky quality in her voice that excited him. And it wasn’t just physically arousing. It also aroused something else within him. Had he any experience with this kind of exchange with a lady, he might have known how to categorize it, but since he had none, he was at a loss on knowing what to think.

  He was in uncharted territory around Celia. Ever since last night, he felt as if he was in a raft adrift on the sea with no compass and no map. He had to proceed by instinct. The realization was both thrilling and frightening at the same time. He used to think setting out on a voyage, with no knowledge of whether it would be a successful venture or not, was the most uncertain thing he’d ever face. Now he knew there was something far more ambiguous in this world.

  Celia returned her attention to washing his back and said, “I heard that whaling can be a dangerous job.”

  “Yes, it can be. Plenty of men have lost their lives or limbs in the process. It’s not for the weak.”

  “You lost half your leg in a storm, though, correct?”

  “Yes. The storm was the worst I’d ever seen. The waves nearly turned the ship upside down. I’m not sure how we survived it.”

  “How did you lose part of your leg?”

  He almost didn’t answer her. He didn’t like to think of it, but there was something comforting in the tone of her voice and the way she gently washed his back that prompted him to tell her.

  “During the course of the storm, one of the masts fell down, and it pinned my leg in place so that I couldn’t get out from under it. One of my crewmen had to cut my leg to free me from it. Had he not done it, the wave coming up over the ship would probably have drowned me.” He shook his head. “Everything during that storm happened so fast that there wasn’t time to think. We all acted in the moment. Looking back, I think I could have gotten out from under the mast if I had tried moving to the left instead of the right.”

  “I’m sorry you lost part of your leg, but you can’t blame yourself for not acting faster. There’s no point in regretting something you can’t change.”

  “I loved the sea,” he spoke, his voice soft. “My family thought I was daft for choosing to spend time whaling, but there was a sense of freedom in being out at sea. There were many adventures out there.”

  “Tell me about one of them. What is your favorite memory of being out at sea?”

  He thought over her question, and after a moment, he settled on one of his most dangerous exploits. It wasn’t necessarily his favorite, but he wanted to share it because he thought she’d enjoy hearing about it.

  “There was a day while we were hunting,” he began, “and we came across a magnificent whale. We got out in our rowboats with our harpoons.” He paused, then thinking she might not know what a harpoon was, he continued, “A harpoon is a spear with a sharp iron tip. A rope is attached to it, and when the harpoon goes into the whale, the rope will make sure we don’t lose the whale. Or at least, most of the time, you don’t lose the whale. The better your aim with the harpoon, the more likely you are to hold onto the whale.”

  “It doesn’t kill it?” she asked.

  “No. We use lances to kill it. Anyway, one particular day when we spotted a whale, we took the rowboats out. You have to get close to the whale in order to strike it so that the harpoon stays in the whale’s back. After I got the harpoon in, I fell out of the boat. I managed to grab onto the rope, so I stayed with my boat. But there was this moment while I was in the water that I got a good look at the whale’s eye.”

  She stopped washing his back and came around to the side of the tub so she could look at him. “Weren’t you terrified?”

  “At the moment, I wasn’t. I was focused on getting back into the boat.”

  “You really are brave! My brother said you were one of the best in the whaling industry, and now I can see why.”

  His skin warmed. It was one thing for his crewmen to talk about how fortunate he’d been to look a whale straight in the eye and live to tell the tale. It was something completely different to see how impressed she was. It was also nice to know her brother had such a high opinion of his abilities to hunt whales. Or rather, the abilities he used to have.

  “What other things did you do?” she asked.

  “Are you sure you want to know about whaling?” His own family hadn’t been interested, which was why he learned not to go into detail about it when he was in London.

  “I do,” she said. “You lived such an exciting life. You’ve been through terrible storms and got close to a whale. I can’t think of any other gentleman who braved so much. No wonder you can go into White’s and not get thrown out.” She rested her arms on the tub and smiled at him in a way that made him feel like he was larger than life. “Tell me more about your adventures. What else did you do while you were at sea?”

  Returning her smile, he satisfied her curiosity.

  Chapter Eleven

  Later that day, Celia decided to walk to Loretta’s townhouse. The day seemed like it was a nice one for a stroll. The sun was out. The air was pleasantly warm. But more than that, she was in a go
od mood. Ever since the failed scandal, she hadn’t been all that happy, but today, she felt her enthusiasm for life returning. She liked Sebastian. She’d never come across anyone like him before. He’d had so many adventures, and he wasn’t afraid to go out and get what he wanted. He was his own person. He didn’t let others tell him what to do. She couldn’t help but admire a gentleman like that.

  Her brother wasn’t anything like him, and, as loathe as she was to think it, Corin wasn’t, either. Maybe it was best that she hadn’t married Corin. Maybe being with Sebastian really would prove to be better. She hated to think that. It almost felt like a betrayal to Corin to think such a thing. But she hadn’t been able to marry him anyway, so really, it probably didn’t matter if she thought it or not.

  She was mulling over these things when she reached the front door of Loretta’s townhouse. She took a deep breath and turned her attention to the matter of establishing her own social group. She could dwell on her newfound feelings about Sebastian later.

  After taking a moment to focus on the reason she came here today, she knocked on the door. As she hoped, Loretta was there. Loretta didn’t often go out. She much preferred to stay home and read. Celia was usually the one who suggested they go out and do something. Most of the time, they went shopping, though Celia was the one who often bought something. Loretta had always been mindful of how much she spent, which was why Celia never could understand why Loretta’s older brother complained every time she got something. She hoped Tad was letting her buy more clothes than Loretta’s brother ever did.

  The footman led Celia to the drawing room, and sure enough, Loretta was reading a book. Loretta glanced up and smiled as Celia hurried over to her.

  “You have something interesting to tell me,” Loretta said. “From the looks of it, you’ve come up with a plan.” She shut the book and set it on the table next to her chair. “Judging by the expression on your face, I can tell it’s good.”

  Celia hadn’t thought anyone could tell she had something planned just by looking at her.

  As if she could read her mind, Loretta added, “I know you better than anyone else.” Then she turned and asked the footman to bring them some refreshments.

  Celia grinned and sat in the chair next to her as he left. “You’re right. I do have something in mind, and I think it’s my best idea yet. This is something that will benefit both of us. I am going to start my own prestigious group for ladies.”

  Loretta’s eyes grew wide, and she leaned toward her. “You are?”

  She nodded. “There’s not much to it. We both took lessons on etiquette by the very best teacher. That’s the hard part. We also know how to dress in order to impress the Ton. And we have husbands who have proven themselves to be exceptional. Now all we need to do is ask ladies of influence to join. Once word gets out who is in our elite group, we’ll rival Lady Eloise. I was thinking—”

  “Wait. You mentioned husbands. I know everyone thinks Tad is an excellent catch because of his notorious past, but am I to glean from your comment that you consider your husband desirable?”

  Despite herself, Celia felt her cheeks go warm. “Well, you have to admit captains are famous for their conquests at sea. They are brave and strong. Oh! You won’t believe this. Sebastian actually went into White’s without an invitation. Can you imagine any other gentleman doing that? I think it’s because he’s a captain. He doesn’t let anything intimidate him.”

  “Hmm…”

  “Hmm, what? Do you disagree?”

  Loretta chuckled. “No, I don’t disagree. It’s just that when you talk about him, you have a certain,” she paused as she considered the right word, “elation in your voice. You never sounded that way when you talked about Corin.”

  “That’s because Corin never did any of the heroic exploits Sebastian has.”

  “No, it’s more than that. You like Sebastian.”

  “He is turning out to be a fun gentleman to spend time with.”

  “You like him more than you ever liked Corin,” Loretta pressed, shooting her a meaningful look.

  Realizing Loretta wasn’t going to let the matter go until she was honest with her, Celia said, “Now that I’ve been with Sebastian, Corin doesn’t seem as interesting. He was sweet in his own way. But there’s something about Sebastian that’s different. Sebastian seems like a much older gentleman. Even though he’s only two years older than Corin, there’s a worldly way about him that makes him more exciting.”

  Loretta’s lips curled up. “It sounds like you’re falling in love with him.”

  “It’s too soon for love. I hardly know him.”

  “I think you have fallen in love with him. You’re just afraid to admit it.” When Celia rolled her eyes, she added, “I’m right. You’re nothing like your brother. He fell in love with Damara the day he met her, and he had no trouble admitting it.”

  The mention of Damara brought Celia’s attention back to more important matters. “I’m glad you brought her up. I was wondering if you still feel uncomfortable with Damara. I was thinking of asking her to join the group. Before you answer,” she hurried to add, “I want you to know that I will accept it if you say no. You’re my dearest friend, and I don’t want to invite her into the group if it’s going to make you uncomfortable.”

  “I appreciate that, Celia, but you have no need to worry. I’m happy with Tad. I’m no longer sad over losing your brother. And to be fair to Damara, she is a very lovely person. I think she would be an asset to the group.”

  Celia was glad to hear that, but she wouldn’t have blamed Loretta if she’d said no. Her first duty would always be to Loretta. As much as Celia liked Damara, Loretta was closer to her in mind and spirit. They truly were sisters of the heart.

  “You know what would be nice?” Celia asked as the butler brought the tray full of tea and scones into the room.

  “What?” Loretta replied.

  “It would be nice if our children married. Our children couldn’t have done that if you had married my brother, but they can do it now. Then we’ll have the same grandchildren.”

  The butler left the room, and Loretta poured tea into their cups. “Celia, you were always one to plan far ahead into the future, but let’s see if we have children who will even like each other first.”

  “Our children must like each other. How could they not like each other since you and I get along so well?”

  Loretta handed her a cup of tea. “You can’t make our children like each other. It will have to be their decision.”

  “We can encourage them to spend time together so they get to like each other.”

  “I suppose that is all right, but I really want our children to marry the person they fall in love with. I want our children to be happy. Too many people marry and end up miserable.”

  “Do you think you would have been miserable if you had married my brother?”

  “I know it. We would have made a bad match.”

  There was no doubt Loretta was happy. Her face was glowing. There was a spark in her eyes that had never been there before, even when she had fancied Anthony.

  Celia smiled at her friend. “I’m glad you’re with Tad. I really do want you to be happy, and I can see that you’re much happier with him than you were with my brother.”

  “Your brother didn’t share my feelings. It was a hard lesson to learn, but I’m glad he married Damara instead of me.”

  “Well, there’s no doubt Damara’s happy with him, so I suppose everything worked out for the best.”

  “It did work out for the best. For all of us.”

  Loretta shot her a pointed look to indicate she was adding Celia’s marriage to Sebastian in that comment. Celia decided not to comment. Instead, she sipped her tea. She had no idea Loretta was such a romantic, but then she should have realized it when she saw Loretta crying over all the dinner party invites Celia made Anthony write to her. She had no idea Loretta would save something like an invite just because Anthony had written it.

/>   “What plans do you have for this group you’re creating?” Loretta asked. “Will it be like Lady Eloise’s?”

  “It has to be like hers in order to be respectable in the Ton, but I don’t want it to be exactly like hers. There’s no point in having our own group if there aren’t some differences. For instance, I won’t tell the members they can’t speak to certain people. Between the two of us, I think Lady Stacey and Lady Gareth resent that rule, though they have never voiced their opposition in public.”

  “What makes you think they don’t like that rule?”

  “Remember that social gathering I invited Damara to? Lady Stacey wanted Lady Steinbeck to become a member of the group because Lord Steinbeck has significant influence in London. Lady Gareth expressed an interest in getting to know Lady Steinbeck in hopes that Lord Steinbeck would associate with her husband.”

  “Yes, I remember that. But you don’t like Lady Steinbeck. Would you invite her to the group?”

  “Why not? My feelings about her aren’t important. A lot of people admire Lord Steinbeck. If I let her in, then Damara’s more likely to join us, and you know how much it bothers Lady Eloise that Damara won’t join her group. This would be a good way to get the advantage over her without doing any real work. And Lady Steinbeck stands to benefit, too. She will improve her social standing in London if she joins the group.”

  “She doesn’t care about things like that.”

  “She likes Damara. Surely, she’ll want to be in the group for Damara’s sake.”

  “No, she wouldn’t. She isn’t like us. We care about who we’re seen with, but she doesn’t. She only talks to people that she likes.”

  “That explains why so few people even know who she is. You have to get out and meet people in order to be remembered.”

  Loretta took a sip of her tea. After a moment, she lowered the cup to the tray and turned toward Celia in a way that let Celia know she was about to tell her something she thought Celia might not like.