When she finally made her way downstairs, she discovered that some of the Sethe’s houseguests had already departed, while others were just sitting down to brunch. Much to her chagrin, Ashleigh noticed that Lady Taryton was one of the guests who had failed to depart earlier that morning. It annoyed her even further to note that she was seated near the head of the table, on Nicholas’ immediate right. Gritting her teeth, she watched as the woman deliberately let her breasts brush against Nicholas’ arm, as she leaned over to whisper something in his ear.
Forcibly dragging her gaze from the loathsome sight, Ashleigh glanced about the room. She spotted Madeline, seated at the foot of the table, but all of the chairs in her vicinity were already occupied. Noticing a few empty chairs near the middle of the long, fully laden table, Ashleigh made her way toward them and sat down. Settling a white linen napkin across her lap, she looked up to see none other than the Earl of Chesterfield slide nonchalantly into the vacant seat beside her.
Casting a furtive glance toward the head of the table, Ashleigh saw that Nicholas was still engaged in conversation with the voluptuous Lady Taryton. Annoyed, she turned her attention to the earl, smiling brightly.
“Good morning, Lady St. John,” he greeted with a gregarious smile. “I was hoping that I would have the opportunity to spend some more time with you, after being so abruptly deprived of my waltz.”
“I am certain a man of your obvious charm didn’t lack for partners, My Lord. In fact, I really don’t see how any woman could have refused one of your courteous invitations.” she teased.
Alex chuckled at her not so subtle reminder of his rather highhanded dance request. “A young woman of your entrancing beauty and delightful wit is a rare find, Lady St. John. I had almost decided the combination did not exist,” he replied with complete sincerity. “I am thoroughly pleased to be proven wrong.”
“Thank you, My Lord,” Ashleigh replied softly, a little embarrassed by the unexpected compliment.
“I would be honored if you would call me Alex,” he offered with a friendly smile.
“I would be delighted, Alex, but only if you will call me Ashleigh. In the past two days I have been very nearly Lady St. John'd to death.”
“Ashleigh it is then.”
As nearby attendants hurried to fill their plates, Ashleigh and Alex chatted amiably for the next several minutes.
Hearing the distinctive sound of Ashleigh's compelling laugh, natural and unconstrained, so unlike Isabelle's girlish giggle, Nicholas cast his glance about the table and settled it upon the two individuals seated near its center. He frowned when he saw that she sat next to Alex, obviously amused by something he had just said. Apparently, she wasn't heeding his advice regarding the Earl of Chesterfield.
Glancing back at Isabelle, he studied her animated features as she regaled him with yet another boring narrative regarding the last garden party she had hosted in London. He tried to feign interest, but it was difficult. Hmm he mused as his attention faltered, were her eyes set just a bit too close together, her chin slightly too pointed? They were not the kinds of flaws one would ordinarily notice, in fact, he had never noticed them before. So why then was he noticing them now, he wondered? Perhaps, he thought somewhat ruefully, because he had never before compared her to perfection. Once again, his eyes drifted down the length of the table to rest upon Ashleigh and Alex. A moment later he shoved his plate away, his appetite lost.
“Nicholas, I asked whether or not you would be attending the Matherton's ball next month. Are you not listening to me?” Isabelle asked, her tone reproving.
“Forgive me, Isabelle,” Nicholas replied automatically, returning his attention once again to the woman at his side. “The Matherton's ball, hmm,” he paused as if mentally going over his social calendar. “I am sorry, Isabelle, but I do believe that I am already engaged that evening,” he lied without remorse.
As the meal progressed, Ashleigh was distracted from her conversation with Alex more than once by the sound of Lady Taryton's loud giggle. Each time she heard the grating sound, her nose wrinkled in distaste.
“I guarantee you that she is no match for your beauty and charm Ashleigh. In fact, she has been throwing herself at Nick for years and he has never before shown her the slightest interest.”
Ashleigh blushed scarlet, not realizing that her feelings regarding the duke were so obvious. Alex’s knowing smile reflected only friendly support however, and despite her embarrassment, she realized that she had gained an ally.
Watching as Alex leaned over to whisper something in Ashleigh's ear, followed by the immediate blush that colored her cheeks, was more than Nicholas could stand. Pushing his chair back from the table, he rose and abruptly excused himself, striding from the room with a scowl upon his face, unmindful of Isabelle’s annoyed pout or the curious glances he received from his remaining guests.
Both Alex and Ashleigh noted Nicholas’ hasty departure from the room, as well as his disgruntled expression. Turning their attention toward the head of the table, they noted Lady Taryton’s irate expression, and then looked at each other in silent amusement.
Later that afternoon, after most of the remaining guests had taken their leave; Ashleigh sat quietly in the Sethe’s large library, reading a copy of Homer's Iliad. She was seated comfortably in a large wingback chair, her legs tucked beneath her, the toes of her satin slippers peeking out from beneath the hem of her skirt, absently twirling one of her long, fiery curls around her finger as she read. She was so absorbed in the epic that she didn’t hear the door open and was surprised when she suddenly sensed another presence in the room. She looked up from the book to see Alex standing behind her, casually reading over her shoulder.
“You read Latin,” he noted, admiration evident in his voice.
She nodded, wondering if the handsome lord would now think her a bit of a bluestocking.
“Intelligent women have always held an added appeal for me,” he admitted with a rakish grin.
“Are you always so delightfully charming, My Lord?”
“Always,” Alex asserted without hesitation, his grin widening.
Ashleigh grinned back, enchanted by his warm, charismatic personality.
“As Nick is presently occupied with his estate manager, I wonder if you might be willing to keep me company?” Alex asked. “If I can tear you away from your book, that is.”
“I would be more than happy to keep you company,” Ashleigh replied, quickly setting the book aside and uncurling her legs. “What did you have in mind?”
“Hmm,” he thought for a moment, eyeing her inquisitively. “Do you play cards?”
“Indeed I do.”
“Excellent. Let me see if I can find a deck.”
As Ashleigh looked on, Alex walked over to the small writing desk set in the corner of the room and swiftly rummaged through the drawers, his face lighting up with a triumphant smile when he found what he was looking for.
“What shall we play?” he asked, grabbing a chair and pulling it up next to the small side table that sat beside her chair.
“Well,” Ashleigh began, her smile deceptively innocent, “I have recently learned the game of poker. We could play that if you like.”
Alex looked at her with mock reproach in his laughing grey eyes. “I'm shocked,” he declared with feigned dismay. “How did a young lady such as you acquire knowledge of such a nefarious game?”
“Well, it's really quite scandalous actually,” Ashleigh began, her voice hushed. “You see, Henry, one of our footmen, has a dreadful gambling affliction, and I dare say he taught me the game in an attempt to alleviate me of my monthly allowance.” She shook her head ruefully. “I only go along with the poor man because he is really a dear fellow, and in truth I don’t mind providing him with some extra pocket money now and then,” she said, lying shamelessly through her pretty white teeth. Well not exactly lying she amended, Henry was one of their footmen and he had taught her how to play poker, but it had been at her insistence, not
his, and he certainly wasn’t addicted to gaming, although he did very much enjoy it.
Alex regarded her speculatively, as if he were trying to decide whether or not he believed her story.
“Shall I deal,” Ashleigh inquired, with an artless lift of her delicate brows.
At Alex's nod, she deftly shuffled the deck, and then dealt each of them a five-card hand. Ashleigh was so aptly skilled that Alex didn't seem to have the slightest clue that she had adeptly stacked the cards, and then dealt from the top, as well as the bottom of the deck.
Staring intently at the incredible hand he had been dealt, he failed to notice the sly grin that pulled at the corners of her lips as she pretended to study her own cards. When Alex looked up a moment later, his expression was blasé, revealing not a hint that the hand he held was close to unbeatable.
“Would you care to place a friendly wager, My Lady?”
“What did you have in my, My Lord?” Ashleigh asked innocently, casually glancing at the four aces she held in her hand.
“If I win,” Alex began, with a wicked glint in his eye, “you must grant me a kiss, at the time and place of my choosing.”
“And if I win?” Ashleigh asked, delighting in their innocent flirtation.
“Anything,” he replied with a confident grin.
“Well then, if I win,” she began, and then hesitated for a moment, as if carefully pondering her options. “You must ask Lady Whitlunde to dance a waltz at the very next ball you attend,” Ashleigh declared, an equally wicked gleam lighting her own emerald eyes.
She had observed Lady Whitlunde's obvious interest in Alex during brunch that morning, and she had also noted Alex's politely disguised look of distaste whenever their eyes had inadvertently met across the table. The aging widow who undoubtedly outweighed Alex by at least thirty pounds, had a large, sagging double chin that swayed when she talked, pasty white skin crisscrossed with numerous wrinkles, and a large black mole on the tip of her beaklike nose. It had amused her to no end watching the woman practically salivating over Alex throughout the course of the meal. She wondered if he would accept the challenge, yet knowing he held four kings in his hand, she highly doubted that he would refuse.
She watched as Alex blinked in surprise at her unexpected proposition and then looked once again at the cards in his hand. Casting a suspicious glance at her perfectly composed expression, he hesitated for only a moment before replying in the affirmative.
“Agreed.”
Taking a deep breath, Alex fanned his cards out across the table. Noting Ashleigh's slight frown, his confidence appeared restored and his mouth widened into a sanguine grin.
Striving to keep her features completely blank, Ashleigh laid her own cards down in front of Alex, who stared at them in openmouthed astonishment.
Nicholas, standing unnoticed just inside the doorway, was tempted to laugh at his friend’s look of undisguised shock. Having wrapped up his meeting, he had exited his study a few minutes before, and searching for Alex had followed the sound of voices to the library. As neither of them had heard his approach, he had stood silently for a time, observing their playful interaction with growing annoyance. He’d then watched in surprise as Ashleigh had dealt the cards like a professional card cheat. If he’d blinked, he would have missed her lightening quick moves as she had expertly stacked the deck.
He had to admire her skill, for the actions had been almost impossible to detect. He imagined that most anyone seated directly across from her dazzling beauty wouldn’t have stood a chance against her crafty manipulations, as Alex clearly hadn’t. When Alex suggested a wager, Nicholas had almost chuckled out loud at his friend's unknowing blunder. However, his amusement had quickly turned to irritation as he’d listened to Alex's audacious terms. The only thing that prevented him from making his presence known, and throttling Alex right then and there, was the knowledge that Ashleigh had assuredly dealt herself the winning hand.
Interested to hear what she would demand of Alex when he lost, Nicholas had held back and listened. When she made her outrageous challenge, he’d once again struggled to keep from laughing aloud. A waltz with Lady Whitlunde! Even Alex didn’t deserve such a fate, he thought with sudden benevolence.
Pushing away from the door, he strolled up behind Ashleigh, just as she laid her cards down on the table.
“If I were you, I would request a new hand, Alex. This time, one dealt from the top of the deck,” Nicholas drawled sardonically.
Ashleigh tensed when she heard Nicholas’ voice coming from behind her. How long had he been standing there she wondered? Still miffed that he had paid so much attention to Lady Taryton during brunch, she deliberately ignored him. She gave Alex an impish grin, devoting all of her attention to the man seated across from her. “Did I forget to mention that another of our footmen taught me how to cheat?”
“Why you little minx,” Alex declared with mock affront. “You would have had me twirling Lady Whitlunde about the dance floor without the least bit of remorse wouldn't you?”
“My business has been concluded, Alex, I believe you wished to take a ride about the estate,” Nicholas cut in rudely, wishing to put an end to the cozy little scene in front of him.
With a veiled smile upon her lips, Ashleigh rose from her chair and straightened her skirts with a slight shake. “Thank you for the delightful game, Alex,” Ashleigh said sweetly, noting from the corner of her eye how Nicholas’ jaw tightened as she said Alex’s name with easy familiarity. “I certainly don’t want to keep you from your ride.” With that, she moved past the duke without so much as an acknowledgment, but even so, she made sure that he felt the light brush of her skirts as she passed.
Stepping out of the library, she walked toward the front hall where she was immediately halted by the Sethe's butler. “Excuse me, Lady St. John,” he said courteously. “This was just delivered for you.”
Ashleigh looked at his outstretched hand and saw that he was holding a thin white envelope. Eagerly she reached out and took it from his hand, thinking it might be a letter from her grandfather. However, as she looked down at the front of the envelope, she saw that it was addressed in her friend Tiffany Marlowe’s flowing script, rather than her grandfather's bold print. It must have been delivered to Glenbrooke, and then sent along to her here. With an excited smile, she thanked him and then rushed upstairs to her bedchamber.
Once she reached the privacy of her room, she sat down upon the window seat that overlooked the rear of the estate. Eagerly, she tore open the envelope and extracted two thin sheets of cream-colored parchment from within. After reading the first paragraph she grinned widely, realizing that Tiffany and her father, who had been vacationing in France for the past month, were due home within the next few days. She had missed Tiffany dreadfully, for they had been the closest of friends since childhood, and could hardly wait to see her. It would also be a relief to have someone to confide in regarding her feelings about Nicholas Leighton. With her spirits lifted, she leisurely read through the remainder of Tiffany’s letter. When she finished, she folded the paper and then walked over and tucked it into the top drawer of her dressing table. She couldn’t wait to tell Tiffany everything that had happened while she’d been away. Well, maybe not everything, she thought, feeling herself blush.
Chapter 7
When Alex prepared to take his leave later that afternoon, Ashleigh made sure she was there to say goodbye. Despite Nicholas’ presence, or perhaps because of it, Alex took her hand, holding it purposefully as they walked down the front steps to his waiting coach, with Nicholas following doggedly two steps behind. When they reached the gravel drive, Alex lifted her hand to his lips, brushing a feather light kiss across the tops of her fingers. A knowing look passed between them as Nicholas stepped forward, a sudden frown turning down the sides of his mouth.
“I shall be counting the days until we meet again,” Alex claimed, as he released her hand.
“I look forward to it.” Ashleigh smiled warmly. “Have a
pleasant journey, Alex.”
“Yes, have a pleasant journey, Alex,” Nicholas seconded, his tone decidedly brusque.
Alex merely grinned in response to his friend’s rather surly goodbye. “Farewell, Nick. I will see you in London,” Alex called over his shoulder as he turned and stepped up into the coach.
When the vehicle pulled away a moment later, Ashleigh raised her hand to wave goodbye, and then turned and deliberately brushed past Nicholas without a word as she made her way back to the house.
As Annie helped her dress for dinner that evening, Ashleigh learned that Nicholas would be leaving for London in a few days. According to Annie, Nicholas' valet had informed the butler that His Grace would be traveling to London for an extended stay and had requested that preparations be made accordingly. Ashleigh had a sinking suspicion that he was returning to London for two reasons, first, to distance himself from her, and second, to meet with the seductive Countess of Dragmore. Her spirits plummeted at the thought.
Nicholas was conspicuously absent when she made her entrance into the dining room a short time later and Ashleigh once again suspected that he was deliberately avoiding her. She did her best to disguise her disappointment as she and Madeline dined alone.
The thought of Nicholas’ upcoming departure weighed heavily on her mind throughout the evening however, and she desperately wished there was something she could do to forestall his leaving. How on earth was she supposed to further their relationship if he was determined to distance himself from her? Surely there must be something she could do. But what? Distracted, she struggled to maintain her focus as she conversed with Madeline during the meal, and later as they shared an after dinner drink in the parlor.
Until You Page 9