Engaging the Earl

by Diana Quincy

  “I have behaved regrettably in some instances. However, I am quite clear on the path going forward. We should marry.”

  “Stay away from me. I’m marrying Laurie in one month and no one and nothing will stop me.” She crossed over into the hall, toward the front door, calling Fanny’s name, with Rand following at a distance.

  Her maid rushed forward with Burgess close behind. “My lady?”

  “We are leaving.” Kat planted herself before the front door to allow Burgess to open it for her. “Thank you,” she said to the valet, before shooting a disdainful glare at Rand. “I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last person in England, you arrogant, insufferable man.”

  She flounced out the door without another glance at him, her maid scurrying after her. Closing the door behind them with a gentle click, Burgess turned to face Rand.

  “I think she’s the perfect woman for you,” he said.

  …

  Fanny held up a gown in each hand. “The white or the pink?”

  “You choose.” Kat stood at the window with her arms crossed, looking down at the gardeners trimming the hedgerows beneath her window.

  “The white then.” Fanny laid it carefully on the bed before disappearing into the dressing room to put the other away.

  “Can you believe the temerity of that man?” Kat said when Fanny reappeared and began smoothing out the white gown. “He has reconsidered. As though I am going to jump at the chance to jilt Laurie to marry him.”

  “Perhaps you should think on it.”

  “What?” She spun around to face her maid. “How can you say such a thing? All of these years, you couldn’t keep me far enough away from Rand. Now you think I should marry him?”

  Fanny eased Kat’s robe off. “It is clear you two cannot stay away from each other.”

  “That doesn’t mean he is good for me,” she snapped. “If I were an opium eater, would you encourage me to take up residence in an opium den?”

  “Your addiction is an earl.” Fanny helped her into the gown and fastened it. “You must marry someone. And you have always loved him.”

  She plopped into the chair at her dressing table to allow Fanny to put the finishing touches on her hair. “Rand has toyed with me ever since he returned. Raising my hopes and then dashing them. Even if I could be so cruel to Laurie, I would likely be miserable with Rand and his army of females.”

  “The earl did tell you he would be faithful.” Fanny adjusted one last pin. “Do you not take him at his word?”

  She stood, steeling herself to go down and greet the guests. “He is the most exasperating person. I no longer know what to credit, but that man has toyed with me for the last time.”

  She made her way down the stairs. Her parents had arranged an informal affair with twenty guests or so. Her usual group of friends would be attending, including Laurie. She looked forward to his warm, calming presence after the tumultuous day she’d had.

  Her mother met her at the bottom of the stairs. “You look beautiful as always, my dear.”

  “Thank you, Mama,” she said, kissing her cheek.

  Her mother moved an approving glance over her. “Lord Sinclair is certain to take notice. Oh, I did tell you I invited the earl, did I not?”

  She shot her mother a sharp look. “The earl? Which earl?”

  “The Earl of Randolph, of course.”

  “Edward?” Disbelief knocked the breath out of her. “Why would you invite him here? You and father hate him.”

  Her mother fussed with Kat’s bodice. “Nonsense. Why would you say that?”

  “Why would I say that?” The insides of her hands began to itch. “You couldn’t throw him out of here fast enough when he asked to marry me.”

  “That was an age ago, dear.” Her mother adjusted Kat’s sleeves. “He is an earl and a war hero now. Everyone accepts him, even the regent himself.”

  “I see.” She brushed her mother’s hands away. For once, she didn’t care how she looked. “Now he’s not beneath our notice, so you deign to invite him here.”

  Surprise filled her mother’s face. “Your father and I are not like that. I presumed including the earl would please you.”

  “Why ever would that please me?”

  “To show that we harbor no ill feelings against him, of course. What is all this about, Katherine? I thought he was your friend.” Her mother gave her a curious look. “You seemed more than happy to walk with Lord Randolph and Vera a few weeks ago.”

  The heat of irritation bled across her chest. “And what of Laurie?”

  “What about Lord Sinclair? This has nothing to do with your betrothed. Your father and I are pleased that all is well and truly settled.”

  “Not exactly,” said her father, coming from the direction of his study, dressed in his formal clothes. “I don’t trust Randolph around Kat, I never have.”

  At least her father remained consistent. “Then why is he coming?” she asked.

  “Your mother was determined to invite him.”

  “All that silliness is in the past, Albert.” She took her husband’s arm. “Even Laurie seems to have taken a liking to the earl.”

  He brushed a kiss on his wife’s cheek. “And I still say you shouldn’t have invited that Spanish woman either. She’s barely respectable.”

  Kat resisted the urge to throw up her hands. “The Spanish woman?” she echoed in disbelief.

  “Don’t be silly, Albert,” her mother chided. “The Maid of Malagon is accepted in the highest circles. Why, they say she’s been to Carlton House more than once.”

  “On account of Prinny being a horse’s ass,” her father mumbled under his breath.

  “Albert!” Warning filled her mother’s voice. “Someone might hear you.” Noise sounded at the front door, distracting her mother, who rushed off to greet the guests.

  “They might agree with me, too,” her father mumbled, following after his wife.

  Scratching the insides of her hands through her white kid leather gloves, Kat trailed her parents. She just had to endure this one last evening with Rand. Tomorrow they would leave for her father’s country estate to celebrate the bringing in of the harvest. They’d return to Town a week before the wedding. After tonight, she could easily avoid Rand until the nuptials.

  The parlor began to fill and Kat assumed her cheerful public demeanor, chatting with both her friends and those of her parents, wondering where Laurie was. He usually arrived first at these gatherings, often to steal a private kiss before the crowds descended. She suppressed a groan when Rand appeared before her betrothed.

  “Where is Laurie, Kat?”

  She turned toward Lexie’s voice, forcing her most pleasant smile. “I’m certain he is on his way.”

  “Are you?”

  She and Lexie had not spoken since the incident with Rand in Richmond. In fact, Lexie was so busy being courted by Rand she’d barely seemed to notice Kat. Little did Lexie know her fickle beau had already moved on. She breathed a sigh of relief when Laurie entered the parlor and came toward them.

  “Are you well?” she asked eyeing his flushed face.

  “Yes, supremely,” he answered in a clipped, somewhat harried manner, quite at odds with his usual easygoing warmth.

  “I was beginning to worry. You are never late.”

  Looking chagrined, he brought her hand to his lips. “I am sorry, Kat, truly.”

  The seriousness of his tone took her aback. “It is of no matter. You are here now.” Taking his arm, she smiled in a manner that usually brought an admiring—and vaguely lustful—look into Laurie’s eyes. Only this time, he didn’t even appear to notice. Instead, his attention fixed on the arrival of a new guest. She followed his gaze to see the Maid of Malagon standing on the threshold. “Don’t be angry,” she said. “My mother insisted on inviting her.”

  “What?”

  She lowered her voice so no one could overhear. “Elena. Mother says she is respectable because the regent invites her to Carlton House.”<
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  He seemed to snap out of his strange daze. “No matter,” he said crisply. “She has nothing whatever to do with us.”

  “I wonder why she is so late. She came in just after you.”

  The butler announced the meal, bringing their conversation about Elena to an end. Supper was an informal affair, with small tables set up for people to sit at. Laurie went to fill a plate for Kat while she took a seat at one of the round tables.

  “Surely your viscount hasn’t deserted you already.”

  She stiffened at the sound of Rand’s voice. “My betrothed has gone to fill a plate for me.”

  “How obliging of him.”

  “Yes, isn’t it?” She watched with rising alarm as he took a seat next to her. “You don’t mean to sit here?”

  “I don’t?”

  She turned her gaze back to where Laurie stood filling a plate for her. “Oh, do go away and stop pestering me.”

  “I’m surprised you would treat a guest so rudely.” He settled his plate before him. “And here I thought you were beginning to look more favorably upon my offer.”

  “I’m sure I have no idea why you would think that,” she said coldly, still refusing to meet his gaze.

  “You did invite me this evening.”

  Her gaze snapped back to him. “I had nothing to do with that. My mother seems to think we are friends.”

  “Does she? How interesting. Although we both know we are far more than that.”

  “No, we most certainly are not any more than that,” she retorted. “We are barely even friends.”

  “Soon to be husband and wife.”

  “Is there something wrong with your ears?” she hissed, looking around to make sure no one had heard him. “I will not marry you.”

  “And lovers.” He continued as though she had not spoken. His voice turned low, intimate. “I’ve waited a very long time to hold you in my arms as my wife.”

  “Yes,” she said tartly, trying to ignore the tingle fluttering down her spine. “I am sure you thought of me every time you visited your mistresses.”

  “I have no mistress,” he answered with a slow upward curve of his mouth. “I’ve decided to save myself for my wife.”

  Her cheeks flamed. “How fortunate for her.”

  “Absolutely. On our wedding night, all of that pent-up energy will be completely at your disposal.”

  Her wayward heart almost somersaulted out of her chest at the image of the two of them together in that way. “Hush, you are disgusting. I will never marry you.”

  He picked up his wine glass and brought it to his lips. “We shall see.”

  “I warn you, you are wasting your time. I never will.”

  “Never will what?” Bea asked, taking a seat at the table. “I hope I am not interrupting.”

  Kat exhaled, happy to turn her focus away from Rand’s intense gaze. “Not at all.” She patted the seat next to her. “Come and sit.”

  Laurie appeared and set Kat’s plate in front of her, his wary gaze sliding to the earl. “Randolph.”

  “Sinclair.” Rand returned a measuring gaze.

  “Elena!” Bea gestured to the Amazon, who stood by the buffet table with a full plate, looking for a seat. “Come and join us.”

  Rand’s mistress smiled, but her face dimmed as she surveyed the people at the table. “Perhaps I’ll sit over with Miss Campbell.”

  “Do join us.” Rand sent a languid look in Laurie’s direction. “The more the merrier, wouldn’t you say, Sinclair?”

  A muscle danced in Laurie’s left cheek. “By all means.”

  Kat wondered at the guarded look Elena shot between the two men before relenting and joining their table. They were all quiet as they began to eat. A perplexing tension wrapped itself around their table. Having lost her appetite, Kat pushed her food around on her plate.

  Rand noticed. “You haven’t eaten your quail. As I recall, it is one of your favorites.”

  Laurie glared at Rand. “How would you know what Lady Katherine’s favorites are?”

  Kat resisted the urge to fling the quail carcass at Rand for the inappropriate intimacy. “Our families were neighbors in Town before my come-out,” she said as coolly as she could manage. “We had occasion to meet.”

  “Did you not know the earl and Lady Katherine are friends?” Elena asked him.

  “I may have heard some such thing.” Laurie dissembled in a most casual tone, yet his fingers were white against the glass he gripped. “It’s not the sort of matter I would remember.”

  Bea turned to Rand. “They say you are a brilliant strategist, my lord. Do regale us with some of your greatest victories.”

  “Yes, do tell, Randolph,” Laurie said stiffly. “Do you learn the enemy’s every move in order to best counter his attack?”

  “To the contrary, a sound strategist twists the battle to his own advantage.” Rand took a leisurely sip of his wine. “He does not allow his opponent to set the rules of the challenge.”

  Laurie set his fork down in a deliberate motion. “How exactly does he manage that?”

  “He ensures his opponent is drawn into playing his game. According to his rules.”

  Laurie placed his hands palm down on the table on either side of his plate. “And tell us, is this strategy always successful?”

  Rand’s smile held no warmth. “I suspect the Corsican would say so.” The competitive tension arcing between the two men befuddled Kat. When had these two become outright adversaries?

  Bea cut into the silent standoff. “I would imagine after the frogs, my lord, you can take on just about anyone.”

  Rand maintained eye contact with Laurie. “I do always play to win.”

  “It’s just as well that there is nothing here to be won,” Kat said pointedly.

  “Not for me at least.” Laurie took her hand and pressed a gallant kiss upon it. “I have already won the moon.”

  “Some would say the moon is unattainable,” Rand said.

  “Tell us about your country,” Bea said quickly to Elena, in an obvious attempt to divert the conversation. “Is Spain as beautiful as I have heard?”

  “Oh yes. I think you would find my home very inviting,” Elena said. “Perhaps you will come and visit me there.”

  “What about you, Sinclair?” Rand said in an easy tone. “How do you find Spain?”

  “I’m afraid I have never had the pleasure of visiting Miss Márquez-Navarro’s home,” Laurie said stiffly.

  “Do tell.” One of Rand’s brows lifted. “I was given to understand you are enamored of all things Spanish.”

  Elena stood abruptly. “I think I shall get more food.”

  Rand rose. “Allow me to fetch it for you.”

  “No. Thank you, my lord.” Her dark eyes snapped at him. “You have done quite enough.”

  To Kat’s relief, the remainder of the supper conversation turned to more neutral subjects, and when her mother signaled for the ladies to leave the men to their after-dinner port, she breathed a sigh of thanks. However, the reprieve was short-lived because the men joined them soon thereafter.

  Laurie spied her and started in her direction, but paused for a moment to exchange a few words with the Amazon, who stood alone by the window. Elena’s brows rose at something Laurie said. When she responded, the lines of Laurie’s body went very still. He spun away from her, making a direct line for Kat, his expression tense.

  She smiled in welcome, but his countenance only tightened. “What is Randolph to you?”

  Her heart dropped into her stomach with a heavy thump. “Whatever do you mean?”

  “First the bit about the quail and now Elena informs me the two of you once harbored a deep affection for one another.”

  Elena? “You call her by her Christian name? How could you discuss my personal business with…with a woman of questionable reputation?”

  His gaze drilled into her. “Randolph is personal business to you?”

  “It’s not what you think.” No, it was far wor
se than he could imagine, but as her betrothed, he deserved the truth. At least as much as she could bear to share with him. “When we were very young, before my come-out, we had an infatuation. That is all.”

  He paled. “What happened? Why didn’t he ask for you?”

  “He…did,” she stammered. “My father refused because he felt Edward didn’t have any prospects. He was a second son with no fortune.”

  “Edward.” His tone flattened. “You use his Christian name.”

  “It means nothing.” Guilt pecked away at her as she took in his rigid demeanor.

  “He wants you back,” he said curtly. “That show at supper was all about letting me know it.”

  “It doesn’t matter.” She placed a hand on his arm, noting the hard tension in it. “I don’t want him. I’ll be your wife in a few weeks.”

  Laurie’s attention locked in on Rand standing across the room chatting with Kat’s mother, who appeared unexpectedly flushed and delighted. As if he sensed hostile eyes upon him, Rand turned in their direction. He met Laurie’s gaze and raised his glass in silent salute.

  Clenching his jaw, Laurie inclined his head as though silently accepting Rand’s unspoken challenge. “He’ll try to separate us. He’s made his intentions quite clear.”

  “There is nothing he can say or do to come between us,” she said in a firm voice.

  Laurie exhaled, looking visibly shaken. “Would that were true.”

  “In all likelihood we won’t see him again before we are wed.” Kat desperately hoped that was true. “We leave for the Harvest Home on the morrow. After that, the Earl of Randolph will be out of our lives forever.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Kat spurred her horse through the fields where her father’s tenants—men and women—used scythes to cut the last of the corn. Many paused to call out a greeting of welcome before resuming their task. The day was fair and it appeared they’d finish their work before rain set in and threatened to mold the crop.

  She searched for her father, whose custom it was to take to the fields with his tenants on the final days of the harvest. She loved this part of the season. Soon the workers would fill the wagon with one last load of corn and crown it with flowers. They would parade it through the village before bearing the laden cart to the barn.