Miss Hastings' Excellent London Adventure (Brazen Brides Book 4)

by Cheryl Bolen

  He laughed. "You, my dear lady, were the loveliest woman at the assembly."

  "It's very kind of you to say that, my lord, but I strenuously disagree. Your opinion is influenced by my novelty—and the lovely dresses and jewels my husband's fortune has procured."

  "Not true."

  Footsteps sounded on the stairs, and seconds later Lady Sophia, swathed in soft rose, swept into the room. Her gaze riveted to Emma's visitor. "Lord Drummond, I see your reputation is intact for ingratiating yourself with . . . fresh beauty."

  Before he could respond, she moved to Emma and kissed her cheek. "How lovely you look today, my dear sister."

  When she sat next to Emma, Emma could have curtseyed before her in gratitude.

  "I was pleasantly surprised to find you home today. Adam's been devoting every moment since you married to showing you London." Lady Sophia eyed the earl. "Her husband is besotted."

  Lord Drummond met Lady Sophia's gaze with amusement. "What's not to besot?"

  Lady Sophia turned to Emma. "It forcefully struck me this morning that you must be presented to the queen."

  Emma could have swooned. Was meeting the queen an honor accorded to a non-aristocrat? "Are you sure that is something I could be permitted to do?"

  "I would be happy to sponsor you," Lord Drummond said.

  Lady Sophia glared at him. "No need, my lord. My brother has already done so. I just left him."

  The very idea of getting to meet the queen lifted Emma's gloom. "I could wear the lavender dress I wore last night!"

  "No." Lady Sophia shook her head. "As beautiful as that dress is, it will not do for court. Court dresses are . . . well, more old fashioned. The skirts are quite full. You should see mine. There's enough fabric in it to drape every window in our house."

  "Surely you exaggerate."

  Lady Sophia laughed. "A little, but I believe I made my point."

  Lord Drummond rose. "I must take my leave, ladies. It's been a pleasure." He bowed over their gloved hands for a mock kiss then left.

  Once he was gone, Emma whispered her thanks to her sister. "I cannot tell you how much I prayed that someone else would call on me. Adam did not want me to be alone with that horrid man, but I didn't know what to do."

  "Adam has every right to be angered at him. Drummond is probably the most dishonorable man in all of London. But you did nothing wrong. Was he trying to get you away from here?"

  "He told me he wanted to show me his city, but I told him we were preparing for our journey to Yorkshire."

  "You did well. Were you able to think of a way to discourage him?"

  Emma shrugged. "I thickly laid on the praise of my husband."

  "Good girl." Lady Sophia sighed. "Those other men from Almack's last night will be sure to call on you today, too. Will that bother you?"

  "It will. There's only one man I want to be with."

  "It's the same with me and William," Lady Sophia said in a soft voice. "Why don't you and I go see about getting your court dress made? You use Madame De Guerney, do you not?"

  "Yes. Do you?"

  "No."

  An awkward silence followed. Of course Lady Sophia would know Adam had taken her to Madame De Guerney because that's who Maria had used.

  For the first time in her life, Emma was consumed with jealousy—toward a woman she had never met.

  She ought to be grateful to the Italian opera singer. Her rejection brought about Emma's happiness.

  * * *

  Lady Sophia's sage counsel at Madame De Guerney's was greatly appreciated. They spent an hour there selecting the silk and all the adornments for the presentation dress. "I never would have known what to do without you," Emma told her as they returned to Sophia's carriage.

  "It was my pleasure. I love anything to do with fashion."

  The coachman cleared his throat. "I thought, my lady, you might want know that ever since we left Mr. Adam's house, we've been followed by a man on a horse."

  "How singular," Lady Sophia said. "Watch carefully as we return and let us know if you see him again."

  "Do you have any reason to believe anyone would be following you?" Lady Sophia asked Emma once they were facing each other in the coach.

  Emma shrugged. "I don't, but I should probably tell you—in the strictest confidence—that we believe my uncle was murdered."

  "Dear Lord, that's terrible! Do you know who the murderer is?"

  "We think it's the man named heir in my uncle's last will—which we believe was forged."

  "How frightening, yet fascinating! Does he know you suspect him?"

  "I'm not sure. He does know I have challenged the will, so he probably knows I suspect the will was forged. Since he's not possessed of a high degree of intelligence, it's unlikely he realizes that I have strong suspicions my uncle was murdered."

  "What a vile man. Will you permit me to share this intelligence with William?"

  "Of course. It's just not something we want widely known at this time."

  "It's the sort of thing that excites William frightfully. He adores living dangerously."

  "Which must terrify you."

  "Indeed it does, but since we want to have children, he knows he had to stop risking his neck."

  "How long have you been married?"

  "Six months. I have hopes you and I will be breeding at the same time. How much fun it will be for the cousins!"

  Nothing would make Emma happier, but the very mention of it plunged her into gloom. If only she and Adam had a normal marriage. "It would be lovely."

  "Has Adam bought you your own carriage yet?"

  "No. There's been no need. I've been blessed to spend every day with him since we've married."

  Lady Sophia sighed. "Adam must be deeply in love."

  "I wish I could say it was my presence that's kept us together so much, but to be honest he's obsessed over bringing my uncle's murderer to justice."

  "It's a wonder Adam went to the bank today."

  "Since we'll leave for Yorkshire tomorrow, he had many duties that couldn't be put off ."

  "Still, you have been blessed to have him with you so much. I would rather spend my days with William than buy jewels at Rundell and Bridge."

  "I feel the same about Adam," Emma said, her voice barely above a whisper.

  When they arrived at Curzon Street, she stopped and spoke to Lady Sophia's coachman. "Did you see that man on the horse again?"

  "No, madam."

  How curious. She wondered if she should tell Adam about it, but decided against it. He might think she was being stalked by Lord Drummond. The less said on such a topic, the better. She was flattered that Adam seemed jealous, but she did not want to do anything that would arouse his anger.

  Chapter 15

  It was impossible to suppress the smile on her face. Emma's journey up north was a thousand times more joyful than her recent journey from the north—and that one had heretofore been the most exciting thing she had ever done. Not that her first journey had actually been exciting, given that the post chaise was uncomfortably crowded. She was forced to share her seat with a very large man who obviously shunned bathing and whose gargantuan belly rested upon his thighs. Her eager anticipation of London and all its attractions, though, easily compensated for any of the trip's discomforts.

  But today's journey in William's luxurious coach was so pleasurable she not only was oblivious to the cold, she also found herself wishing they would never reach Yorkshire. Riding in a carriage with Adam always pleased her. She thought perhaps her deep satisfaction had more to do with her husband's close proximity than with the comfort of the conveyance, though she must own she had never ridden upon seats as comfortable as the plush velvet ones in the Birmingham carriages. As had become his custom, Adam sat next to her, just as William sat next to Lady Sophia across from them.

  It was comforting, too, that she and Adam would be together every minute for the next several days. She fleetingly wondered if there was anything she could do to mak
e him forget Maria, if there was anything she could do to capture his heart. Inexperienced in the ways of courtship, she came to the conclusion she was incapable of manipulating his heart. The only things she could control were her own actions. She could be agreeable, act intelligently, and try not to be an embarrassment to him.

  It was also exciting to share their ride with Will and the lovely Lady Sophia. As an only child, Emma had always longed for siblings. And now she had them. She treasured having sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law and rejoiced in how openly they had welcomed her into their family.

  She was especially grateful to Lady Sophia for the many ways she had helped her. How honored she was to have one of Lady's Sophia's social stature, unerring taste, and extraordinary beauty as her . . . friend. Adam had told her that before she wed Will, half the peers in the kingdom had begged for her hand in marriage.

  Whenever Emma was with her, she studied every accessory, every cut of every dress, every nuance of the lady's silky voice. Emma could barely remove her gaze from William's beautiful wife. Today Lady Sophia wore a red velvet cloak over an ivory traveling dress. With her dark tresses, she stunned in red.

  "Do you know what William saw in the Morning Chronicle today?" Lady Sophia asked.

  Adam met her amused gaze. "Are you referring to the announcement of Nick's candidacy?"

  Lady Sophia stomped her well-shod foot. "You, dear Adam, are stealing my thunder!"

  "Sorry. Allow me to start over. Do, Lady Sophia, tell us what William found in the Chronicle this morning."

  William chuckled.

  Lady Sophia directed her attention at Emma. "Not only did the article announce that Nick is standing for Parliament, but it enumerated all the Whig leaders who have endorsed him. All of London will be talking about our Nicholas Birmingham."

  "I think it's lovely that all the prominent Whigs have so enthusiastically praised him," Emma said.

  Adam nodded. "Yes, Mr. Lamb and Lord John Russell have both championed him."

  "They're not only powerful Whigs," William said, "they're smart. They are well aware of Nick's strengths—as they should be. He will be a huge asset to them."

  "Having very deep pockets is also very useful," Adam added.

  "It is a pity women are not allowed to vote," Lady Sophia said.

  Emma nodded, smiling. "Yes, a man that handsome would handily win." She

  then lifted the curtain to peer from her window. "How fortunate we are that the roads are good. No rain. No menacing clouds in the sky."

  Lady Sophia grimaced and scooted closer to her husband. "Just blustery winds and bitter cold."

  "We'll probably only have to spend one night at an inn," Adam said.

  Her heartbeat accelerated. Adam had told her that, like Nick and William with their wives, he and Emma would share a bedchamber. "I give you my word I will behave as a gentleman," he had vowed.

  She didn't want him to be a gentleman; she wanted him to be a lover. But she was far too shy to give voice to her deepest longings. Not only that, she feared that after lying with the no-doubt voluptuous Maria, he would never be attracted to a woman like her. Emma's new finery was all that kept her from looking like a girl barely old enough to leave the schoolroom. Nevertheless, the very idea of sleeping upon the same bed as him filled her with a sense of bliss.

  Several times that day William had addressed his wife as Isadore. After the fourth time, Emma summoned the courage to ask, "Pray, William, why do you refer to Lady Sophia as Isadore?"

  Lady Sophia's dark eyes met her husband's, and both laughed. "It is because when I met this vixen she did nothing but lie to me—particularly about her name."

  Emma's eyes rounded. "She told you her name was Isadore?"

  "I did," Lady Sophia said.

  "I had been told a beautiful woman named Isadore would be contacting me, and when this . . . " William's simmering gaze locked with his wife's, "this beautiful pseudo trollop strode up to me and said she'd been waiting for me, I quite naturally thought she had to be Isadore."

  "My husband was meeting this woman to conduct illegal business, so you can only guess what sort of woman the real Isadore was."

  Adam turned to Emma to explain further. "Before Lady Sophia tamed our brother, he was never happy unless he was breaking the law or endangering himself."

  "My greatest offense was smuggling gold bullion illegally into the country—a practice I have since abandoned."

  Emma didn't know what to say. She directed her attention to Lady Sophia. "How long did you pretend to be Isadore?"

  "A few weeks."

  "And," William added, "she instructed her maid to pretend to be her mute sister."

  Lady Sophia shrugged. "If she had spoken, he would have known she couldn't be my sister. That's why I forced her to portray a mute. It was really clever of me to keep my elder sister with me at all times to protect me from this unscrupulous man."

  William took his wife's hand. "Even believing she was my Shady Lady, I still fell in love with Isadore."

  "I think that's very romantic," Emma said. She recalled Adam telling her that two of his siblings had fallen in love with members of the aristocracy without knowing their true identities. "Adam told me that Verity, too, fell in love with Lord Agar without knowing his identity."

  Lady Sophia sighed. "And they are so much in love still. You will get the opportunity to see them for yourself."

  "I greatly look forward to it."

  "Have you told Adam about your presentation?" Lady Sophia asked.

  Emma turned to her husband. "Did you know Lord Devere has sponsored my presentation?"

  "That's wonderful."

  "And Lady Sophia was kind enough to take me to Madame De Guerney's for her to create my gown. I hope that's all right with you."

  He chuckled as he placed his arm around her, drawing her even closer to him. "You know I will refuse you nothing, dear one."

  Lady Sophia rolled her eyes. "I declare, Adam, you're every bit as besotted as Lord Agar is over Verity."

  "He and I are most fortunate," Adam said.

  If only he meant it.

  "Selecting Emma's dress rescued your dear wife from having to entertain those odious callers like Lord Drummond."

  Adam stiffened. His brows lowered. "Did Drummond call?" he asked Emma, his voice icy.

  She solemnly nodded.

  "You have no fears," Lady Sophia said, "that just because Emma's inexperienced in ways of the ton that she would preen under Drummond's attentions. She could barely tolerate the horrid man and was only barely civil to him. We couldn't get out of there too soon. The last thing your wife wanted was to sit there with lecherous men of that sort."

  "Then you were there?" he asked Lady Sophia.

  "Yes. And I stressed how much you two love each other."

  Emma could feel her cheeks burning.

  He took Emma's hand and spoke softly. "I'm happy you and Lady Sophia found a way to extricate you from having to be with that man."

  She smiled. "I get very vexed with that bank of yours. I would rather have you with me day and night."

  "You shall learn—as Lady Fiona has—that you must share your husband with a mistress. A mistress that's a brick building," Will said.

  "I cannot wait to commiserate with Lady Fiona." Emma wondered if Adam would know she spoke the truth, or would he think she was playacting to convince others theirs was a normal marriage.

  "As grateful as I am to Lady Sophia for taking you to Madame De Guerney's, I can see that it's time you got your own carriage, my dear one."

  She pouted. "I much prefer having you take me everywhere I need to go." She was almost certain her husband would think she was portraying a devoted wife. Little did he know she really was a devoted wife.

  He squeezed her hand, and she thought her heart would explode. "As much as I wish it, you know that our daytime contact will soon be coming to an end." Adam must be mimicking her supposed playacting.

  As soon as the situation with her uncle
's death was resolved, Adam would never again spend his days with her. Was the most exciting part of her life to be over when she reached one-and-twenty? It was a bitter thought.

  * * *

  As much as he enjoyed sharing the coach with Lady Sophia and William, he was happy when they ran out of topics to discuss, and a peaceful lull settled over them. Lady Sophia finally succumbed to the involuntary closing of her lids, put her head on William's shoulder, and went to sleep with her husband's arm around her.

  Adam felt strangely compelled to place his arm around Emma again. How could such a small female overpower a big fellow like him with such a surge of emotions? Since the moment of their meeting, he'd felt the need to take care of her. But now those feelings of serving as her protector dominated him like he'd once been dominated by Maria's sensuousness.

  Yet when he held Emma's slim body close, he had come to desire her in the same way he'd desired Maria—yet it was entirely different.

  Whatever he'd felt for Maria had been purely physical. What he felt for Emma was pure. One's wife was a completely different creature than one's mistress.

  But, of course, he would love Maria for as long as he drew breath. These feelings Emma elicited were merely a response to his craving for Maria.

  He tenderly watched as Emma's lids grew heavy. That was all it took. He drew her close and found himself placing soft kisses on top of her head. Soon she was asleep.

  Holding her felt so good.

  He was the only one in the coach still awake. Afternoon darkened to night, and the wheels of the carriage kept rattling over the North Road, chilled air filling the carriage. He wondered how much longer they would ride. They'd been in the carriage for fourteen hours with only short breaks.

  His question was soon answered when their coach pulled alongside of Nick's, and the coachmen exchanged the information that they would stop for the night in the next village which had a suitable inn.

  Everyone came awake and sat up straight. He was disappointed to forfeit the feel of his youthful wife in his arms.

  In less than ten minutes, their carriage pulled into the innyard. The winds battered the swinging sign for the Golden Fleece. He'd worried that because it was so late, there would be no rooms available but was pleasantly surprised that only two other coaches had arrived before them.