A Lady's Taste For Temptation (Historical Regency Romance)

by Emily Honeyfield

  What if Myles didn’t feel the same way? She couldn’t be sure whether he had overheard the conversation with Catherine or whether he had just gone off of her. She couldn’t be sure of anything at this point.

  Lady Emily had never felt so tired in her whole life. Why did her heart have to be so complicated? Most girls she knew just found a man at the local ball and then they managed to dance the night away, get betrothed and that would be the end of it. Lady Emily had always known she was different, but this felt very complicated. Most days, she enjoyed being different. Today, though, she wished she was like everyone else.

  She had been sitting out in the garden for about an hour when she heard a familiar voice.

  “Emmie!”

  She looked up, and to her surprise, saw Catherine coming into the garden. She didn’t know how to feel about Catherine being here. She knew her friend had gone to London with the baroness, and she knew she had gone after Myles.

  Catherine had been such a dear friend, and Lady Emily had never thought that their friendship could be shattered by a man.

  “Emmie, it’s so good to see you,” Catherine said, as Lady Emily stood up. She gave her friend a hug and tried to smile. “I have so much to tell you. How are you?”

  “I am well,” Lady Emily said. “Although the journey up was long.”

  “Yes, I remember,” Catherine said. “I hope I am not distributing you. I heard that you were arriving today, and I could not spend another moment without talking to my dearest friend.”

  “Of course you aren’t disturbing me,” Lady Emily replied. “What is it that you need to tell me?”

  “Well,” Catherine said, as they both sat on the bench. “I have found Myles, and we have had quite a few suppers together. He is quite an issue, you know.”

  “An issue?” she asked. “Whatever has happened? Is it something to do with the inheritance?”

  “Why, yes,” she replied. “As a matter a fact, it is.”

  “Oh my,” Lady Emily said. “Has something gone wrong?”

  “No, no,” Catherine said. “In fact, that inheritance is much larger than he thought it was...it’s the talk of the town. Everyone is jealous.”

  “Oh,” Lady Emily said. “Well, how wonderful for Myles.”

  “And there’s the title too, of course,” Catherine said.

  “So, what’s the issue?” Lady Emily asked, confused.

  “Well, the issue…” Catherine said. “Is that he cannot take it home to America and help his community, like he wanted. At least, not for a long period of time. It appears that his uncle put a stipulation into the contract that he stays in England, and marry an English bride, in order to inherit everything.”

  Lady Emily’s eyes widened

  “He did?” she said, in shock. “Well, that's unusual."

  “It’s unusual, but it’s not the first time I’ve heard of something like that,” Catherine said.

  “No, me neither,” Lady Emily replied. “So, what is he going to do?”

  “Well, that’s the wonderful part,” Catherine said, and lowered her voice. “These past few days in London...Myles and I have...taken an interest in each other.”

  “Taken an interest in each other?” Lady Emily felt like she was repeating everything that Catherine said, but she was in shock. “Really?”

  “Yes,” Catherine said. “And I know that you disapprove… But Emmie, I really feel like he is the one for me.”

  “You do?” Lady Emily managed. “I had no idea those feelings were developing, Catherine.”

  “But if you had known...would that have changed your opinion?” Catherine asked. She was looking at Lady Emily with such hope that Lady Emily couldn’t help but force a smile.

  “Well, perhaps,” she said, and Catherine shrieked and gave her a hug.

  “Oh, I knew you would come around,” she said. “And I hope you don’t feel I am stealing Myles out from under you.”

  “Oh no,” Lady Emily lied. “I don’t feel like that at all.”

  “But I know that you had feelings for Myles at some point,” she said. “And I don’t want there to be any hurt feelings between us.”

  “Catherine,” Lady Emily said. “You know how he left Cornwall. It was so cold and so sudden. Even if he didn’t have feelings for you, I don’t think I could bring myself to forgive him.”

  “Yes,” Catherine said. “I did try to talk to him about that”

  “What did he say?” she asked, with her heartbeat rising. “Did he say that he...overheard me saying anything?”

  “Uh...he just said that he had a lot of his mind,” Catherine said. “I suspect that he already knew about the stipulations of his inheritance. Perhaps someone told him, in America and he remembered it. His mind was very twisted, and he needed some time.”

  “I see,” Lady Emily said. “Well...still, you know that my father had some concerns over him.”

  “Yes,” Catherine said. “And I understand why. You are a titled lady, and you cannot marry someone without a title.”

  “Yes,” Lady Emily said. “But he would have a title, if he accepts.”

  “Yes…” Catherine said, and Lady Emily patted her on the hand.

  “Don’t worry,” she said. “I am happy for you. Even if Myles didn’t come with the title and money...it wouldn’t matter. He has displeased me. But that does not mean that I do not think he is a good person inside. If you are happy with him, then I am happy with him for you.”

  “Thank you,” Catherine said. “Thank you so much. I was going to tell you, Emmie, that you are invited to a supper with him and the baroness, tonight. If you would like. If you are not too tired, of course.”

  “Tonight?” Lady Emily felt her mouth go dry. All this time, she wanted to see Myles, and now that the possibility was right in front of her, she wasn’t sure she could bring herself to do it.

  “Please say that you will come,” Catherine said. “Please, you are my dearest friend and I don’t think I could be without you.”

  “Of course I’ll come,” Lady Emily replied. “I will be happy too.”

  “Wonderful,” Catherine said. “I assume you have brought your finest dress from Cornwall?”

  “I have,” Lady Emily replied. “And it would be an honour to wear it at supper. Do you have something lovely to wear?”

  “I do,” Catherine said. “This is going to be such a special night.”

  Lady Emily felt her heart sink. She didn’t want to ask Catherine why it would be a special night, because she didn’t think she could bear it. She didn’t think she could hear Catherine saying that they were betrothed

  She would go, because she had to know. She couldn’t live the rest of her life knowing that Myles and Catherine were betrothed, and she didn’t at least speak to him.

  “Of course,” Lady Emily replied. “That would be delightful.’

  “I should get back,” Catherine stood up. “The baroness is waiting for me.”

  “Of course,” Lady Emily said. “Thank you for inviting me, Catherine.”

  “I never asked,” Catherine asked. “How was the trip with Lord Reginald?”

  “Oh it was...all right,” Lady Emily replied.

  “Did he officially propose?” Catherine asked and Lady Emily shook her head.

  “No,” she said. “No, of course not. We were in the carriage with my father.”

  “Well…what better time?” Catherine asked. “I think that would be perfect. He knew you would not want a big public ceremony, and he knew you would be happier if he asked your father’s permission first.”

  “Regardless, he did not propose,” Lady Emily said. “So I think we do not have to worry about that.”

  “I see,” Catherine replied. “Well...I am sure that it will happen soon.”

  “Perhaps,” Lady Emily said. “I will see you tonight.”

  Once Catherine was gone, Lady Emily sank down in the garden with a sigh.

  She knew this might happen, especially if Catherine had
gone ahead of her. She did not, however, think it would happen so soon.

  Had Myles really never had any feelings for her? Were all their conversations and moments together nothing?

  Or had he just decided that Catherine would be easier to get along with?

  Lady Emily knew she was different, and she knew she might make many men run away. But Myles was different too, and she thought that they had meshed together quite well.

  In any case, she decided that this was for the best. He thought badly of her, and she didn’t feel like she had the energy to fight her father over it anymore. She may not be marrying Myles Whitehall, but she wasn’t going to marry Lord Reginald either. At this moment, Lady Emily was convinced that she would be destined to be alone forever.

  She wearily got up from the bench and headed into the house. If she had any presence of mind, she would have seen that Lord Reginald's house was actually quite nice.

  “Hello,’ her father said. “Do you know that Catherine has invited us to supper?”

  “Yes,” she said, and Sir Preston gave her a closer look.

  “Are you feeling quite well, Emmie?” he asked. “Lord Reginald said that you were unwell.”

  “I am well enough to go to supper,” Lady Emily replied. “I will see you soon, Father. I believe after a quick lie down, I will be fine.”

  “Let me know if there is anything I can do,” he said, as she walked past him.

  She didn’t want to tell him that he had already missed his chance to do something.

  That evening, Lady Emily put half the effort she normally put into getting ready to go to supper. She wanted to look presentable, but since she was no longer trying to attract Myles Whitehall, she didn’t think putting her best foot forward was worth it anymore. Lord Reginald, once again, did not seem to notice a difference in her appearance, and she barely said a word to him in the carriage ride.

  The baroness was staying at her London home, and despite the fact that it was in a cramped city, it seemed much quite grand inside. Lady Emily was sure that on a different day she would have admired it greatly. Today, she simply tried to smile as the baroness greeted her in the hallway.

  “So lovely of all of you to come, after your long journey,” the baroness said. “Thank you.”

  “It’s our pleasure,” Lady Emily replied, as the baroness escorted her into the parlour.

  Lady Emily didn’t know what she expected to feel when she saw Myles. He was sitting by the fire with a glass of wine, talking to the baron, with a wide smile.

  She had forgotten how handsome he was. She had forgotten how wonderful it was to meet his eyes.

  When he turned around and saw her, she felt her legs go weak. She didn’t expect to have any feelings at all for him. Normally, her anger seemed to overtake everything. However, Myles’s smile erased anything but the love that she had in her heart.

  She couldn’t have love in her heart. She told herself it needed to disappear like a leaf on the wind. Myles was a bad match for her, she would have to fight her father, and besides, he was as good as betrothed to Catherine now.

  She couldn’t do this; she couldn’t feel anything for him.

  But as he stood up to greet her, she felt all logic disappear from her head.

  “Lady Emily,” he said to her. “Hello.”

  “Hello,” she said, trying to keep the emotion out of her voice. “Mr. Whitehall. Or is it Baron now?”

  “I have not, uh…” he kept his smile tight “I have not made up my mind about that yet.”

  “How funny,” Lady Emily said. “That you have spent all this time and made this journey, and now you waiver. It is as though you don’t know what you want, Mr. Whitehall.”

  “Aren’t we all a little confused about what we want in life?” Myles asked.

  Catherine interrupted the conversation before it got too tense. She swept over with a smile on her face and took Myles’s arm.

  “Tell me, Myles,” she said. “What is your favourite part about London, compared to Cornwall?”

  “Oh,” he said, still looking at Lady Emily. “I don’t think I have a favourite part of London.”

  “You must,” Catherine said. “Does Regent Park appeal to you?”

  “It’s, uh...I think a lot about a place depends on the people,” he said. “A place can absolutely be beautiful and have everything you need, but if it does not have the right people, then I am not sure it is worth anything.”

  Catherine chuckled.

  “What a wonderful philosophy,” she said. “Emmie and I like to walk in the smaller parks, don’t we Emmie? Where it isn’t quite so crowded.”

  “Mm,” Lady Emily replied. “Regent Park is generally for when you are looking for a spouse, or escorting someone who is doing that.”

  “Well, how funny,” Catherine giggled. “Because Myles and I re-met in the park.”

  “How funny indeed,” Lady Emily said, and looked at Myles. He gazed back and it seemed like both fire and ice passed between them.

  Luckily for both of them the butler rang the bell for dinner. Lady Emily was never one to rush to the dining room; she thought it was rude to show hunger. Today, however, she turned her head.

  “I’ll see you both at the table,” she said and headed into the dining room. She didn’t even give Lord Reginald a chance to escort her in, which he was shocked by.

  Lady Emily had hoped that with the arrival of the meal, the conversation would be less stilted. However, the tension between her and Myles was still thick through all the courses.

  He still made her feel as if she was the only girl in the world, and yet she was angry at him. She didn’t think she could see him with Catherine after today. It would be too heartbreaking to bear, knowing that he could have been hers.

  “Father,” she whispered to Sir Preston, as the meal wrapped up. “I think I would like to go home. I’m not feeling well.”

  “Of course,” he said and put a light hand on her back. “I’ll get the carriage.”

  Lady Emily stood in the hallway, hoping that her father hurried back soon. She was sure that Lord Reginald would find his own way back.

  She was cold, and she crossed her arms, shivering in the hallway. Catherine would be angry at her for leaving without saying goodbye, but she couldn’t bring herself to do so. She leaned forward, peeking out the window for her father and the carriage, and sighed.

  This was not the way this trip to London was supposed to be.

  “Lady Emily?”

  She spun around as she heard Myles’s voice.

  “Mr. Whitehall,” she said, coldly. “I was just leaving.”

  “Without saying goodbye?” he asked, with a gentle smile.

  “Well, I suppose you did say goodbye to me when you left,” she replied. “Barely.”

  Myles sighed.

  “Lady Emily, I can tell you are angry at me,” he said. “And I want to apologize”