The Unexpected Heiress

by Kaitlin O’Riley

  “I don’t know how to thank you for what you’re giving to me,” Meredith murmured softly, overcome by this woman’s generosity.

  Colette responded with a beaming smile. “You can thank me by finishing your book and having it published, Meredith. Then I will display it proudly in a place of honor in all of our bookshops.”

  7

  In So Many Words

  Phillip Sinclair scanned the ballroom of Lord and Lady Gatwick’s townhouse. There was a large crowd in attendance, and the buzz continued to be about the beautiful oil heiress, Miss Remington, but he had yet to see her.

  “What’re you doing out here with the debutantes? I figured you’d be playing cards in the back room.”

  Phillip turned to see his younger brother standing beside him. “I don’t have to spend all of my evenings gambling, you know.”

  “No, I didn’t know,” Simon said in mock surprise. Then he asked, “Looking for someone in particular?”

  “Actually, I am.” Where was that pretty American girl? He wouldn’t mind dancing with her again and sparring with her a little.

  “Lady Katherine Vickers is in the card room.” Simon raised an eyebrow. “Just in case you were wondering.”

  Phillip gave him a sideways glance. “I’m quite aware of Lady Katherine’s whereabouts, and I shall join her at some point. I like to keep her on her toes now and then.”

  “Oh, yes, of course.” Simon laughed a little before asking, “But then the mystery remains, whom are you looking for at the moment?”

  “I danced with a lovely young lady at the Braithwaites’ ball. I was simply wondering if I would see her again this evening.”

  Simon nodded. “Ah, I see. I gather that Lady Katherine does not know about her competition?”

  “There is no competition, and there’s nothing for Lady Katherine to know about. Enough about me,” said Phillip, changing the subject. “What are you doing here? This isn’t your usual scene either.”

  “Perhaps I have someone I am looking to meet with here as well.”

  Phillip idly wondered whom his brother was interested in, when suddenly he saw her enter the ballroom.

  There she was, Miss Meredith Remington, looking incredibly lovely in a gown of lilac silk. As she stood with her two aunts on either side of her, gentlemen began to flock around her. It was astounding. His friend Lord Ainsworth was there. So was that rotter, George Hampton. And good heavens, was that the Duke of Havenfield sniffing around her?

  Without another word to his brother, Phillip strode purposefully across the ballroom until he was nearer to Miss Remington than the others. When he was momentarily able to catch her eye, the infuriating woman merely looked away. Well, if she thought she could dismiss him that easily, she was sadly mistaken! He knew how to get her attention.

  He waited patiently while she danced a polka with George Hampton, a notorious rogue and not half good enough for her. But Phillip smiled smugly. He managed to snare the next dance with her, by chatting up her plump aunt, Lady Eastwood, who held Miss Remington’s dance card like a prized orchid in a flower show.

  Just as that scoundrel Hampton escorted her back to her family, and before she could turn away from him, Phillip blocked her.

  “I believe this dance is mine, Miss Remington,” he said with a note of triumph in his voice.

  He saw the resignation on her face, and she nodded to accord him the victory. With a wry smile, she permitted Phillip to escort her to the dance floor. Luckily for him it was another waltz. He preferred waltzing because he could hold her close and talk to her. Both were equally thrilling.

  “You don’t like that I won, do you?” he asked, grinning at her. He placed his hand on her waist and positioned their other hands together.

  “I don’t believe that you have won anything.” She avoided his eyes again.

  The orchestra began to play and the two of them stepped in perfect time to the music. It was very dismissive the way she wouldn’t look at him. It annoyed him.

  “Of course, I have won. You clearly didn’t wish to dance with me, yet here we are, Miss Remington.” He flashed his most dashing smile.

  She looked up at him then. She truly had the prettiest blue eyes. He had a difficult time reading her, though. Inscrutable. That’s what she was. He wasn’t used to women that didn’t cater to him, aside from Lady Katherine Vickers.

  What was he even doing with this girl in the first place? He should be in the card room with Katherine and his friends, betting and winning their money. But dancing with Miss Remington was quite effortless. She was an excellent dance partner and moved with an exceptional grace and rhythm.

  “Yes, here we are, Lord Waverly. You seem very proud of yourself.”

  “Why shouldn’t I be?”

  “Because you managed to snare a dance with a woman who clearly had no wish to dance with you? Bravo! Well done, you!” She then cast him a scathing look that made him feel about two feet tall.

  He had to laugh. She was absolutely right about him. It was astounding really. She saw right through him.

  A look of confusion crossed her expression. “Why in heaven’s name are you laughing?”

  “Because I think you like me more than you let on.”

  They twirled gracefully to the music. It felt good to hold her this way. It was even better than the first time they had danced together.

  “I never said I didn’t like you,” she retorted. “I merely pointed out that you were rude to stare at me in the manner in which you did. I know nothing about you, so how can I dislike you?”

  “So you do like me then?”

  She looked away, a bit flustered. “In spite of what you presume, I do not think about you one way or another, Lord Waverly.”

  “You’re bluffing. Just admit it, you like me. You think about me, and you find me irresistibly handsome and charming.”

  She faced him squarely. “I find you quite vain and more than a little pompous.”

  “But you like me.” He gave her his most charming smile.

  “I don’t dislike you.” She sighed in resignation. “Besides, aren’t there other women you would rather annoy this evening? Or have you worn them all out and I’m simply the new girl in town who hasn’t seen all of your tricks yet?”

  Again he laughed aloud at her words. Perhaps she was right. The lady made an excellent point. That’s probably all this was. She was a new face and a challenge to him. He wasn’t interested in her, really. He didn’t need her oil millions. He wasn’t looking to marry just yet, and she quite clearly was in the market for a husband. He should back off and let her pursue whomever she wanted to wed, for it certainly was not going to be him.

  Phillip ignored the slight pain in his chest at the thought of this smart, witty, beautiful woman marrying some ignorant, penniless clod.

  “It was not my intention to annoy you, Miss Remington, but perhaps I could be of some help to you.”

  “I wasn’t aware that I was in need of any help,” she responded, sounding a bit incredulous.

  “Oh, you are most definitely in need of my assistance. As you mentioned, you are the new girl in town, and I know just about everyone in London. If you have any questions about any of your suitors, and my goodness, but you’ve at least a dozen from what I can tell, I’m the man who can assist you.” He grinned at her, quite pleased with himself for coming up with the idea. “I offer you my services.”

  This time she was the one who laughed. “Your services? Your services as what?”

  She looked so pretty when she laughed that he couldn’t help but whisper, “As whatever you want me to be.”

  Her blue eyes widened at his bold remark and she stumbled.

  Immediately, he held her closer to his chest to steady her from falling. It amazed him how good she felt in his arms. Almost as if she belonged there. They barely missed a step of the dance as she looked up at him in bewilderment.

  “Go ahead,” he encouraged her. “Ask me about any of the men you’ve danced wit
h this evening. I’ll tell you anything you want to know about them.”

  “What about Lord Hampton?” she murmured with a bit of hesitation.

  “Run as far away from him as you possibly can,” he said rather strongly. “He will ruin your life.”

  Her eyes widened. “My goodness, that sounds rather dire.”

  “Trust me on this one, Miss Remington, for I know things you do not.”

  She gave him a skeptical glance but tossed out another name. “Lord Edward Ainsworth.”

  “Oh he’s harmless enough. He’s an old friend of mine, but a good sort. He comes from a nice family with lovely property, but there are money troubles there, so he’s terribly interested in yours.”

  “And what about Lord Waverly?” She arched a delicate eyebrow, daring him to answer about himself.

  “He’s from an exceptionally fine family, and definitely a catch. Financially well off. He’s a solid chap with good intentions. But he is a charming and handsome rogue with no interest in marrying anytime soon. Even to beautiful American girls.” He flashed a smile at her.

  “That is quite obvious.”

  “So, my dear Miss Remington, you see, I can be quite a valuable asset in your search for a husband. I will speak the truth to you when no one else will.”

  As the music reached its end, they both simply stood there, looking at one another while he continued to hold her. He stared into her eyes, hoping to see something in there. He was not sure what. Or he dared not ask himself what.

  “You could be rather useful to me. I shall think about it,” Miss Remington said at last, breaking the quiet moment between them.

  “Don’t wait too long,” he said with a note of warning as he flashed her his winning smile.

  Together they headed back to where her two aunts stood waiting and watching them closely.

  Reluctantly, Phillip let her go, feeling an odd sense of loss in his chest as he walked away from her. The night was still quite young, and Lady Katherine Vickers was waiting for him in the card room. He should go to her and let her take his mind off this pretty American girl. Yet he longed to stay and spend more time talking with Miss Remington, oddly enough.

  He watched as she began to dance with the Duke of Havenfield. That old man was on the prowl for a new wife, was he? He must be, for he certainly had no need for Meredith Remington’s oil money.

  If she asked him, what would he tell Miss Remington about the duke? The man was probably old enough to be her father, but he was a solid gentleman. There was nothing to detract from his character. He would treat her well, and she would have all the power and prestige of being a duchess.

  Yet the thought of Miss Remington marrying the Duke of Havenfield left him feeling slightly sick to his stomach.

  Foolish. He was being completely foolish. That American girl could marry whomever she chose. Who was he to interfere? He was not interested in marrying her, so why should he care? It was none of his business in the first place.

  “She’s quite attractive, isn’t she?”

  Simon had found him again.

  Phillip glanced at his younger brother and wondered why he was watching him so closely this evening. Yet, he knew instinctively that Simon was referring to Miss Remington.

  “Yes, she is. Very attractive.”

  “The two of you danced well together.”

  “We did at that.” They had danced seamlessly. As it was the first time he had danced with her. They were incredibly well matched.

  “Everyone is talking about her this evening, but I haven’t met her yet,” Simon continued. “What’s she like?”

  “She’s quite perfect.”

  Phillip didn’t know how the words came out of his mouth or why he said such a thing to his brother. He knew next to nothing about Miss Meredith Remington, so how could he make such an assessment of her? He cringed at his embarrassing display of foolishness.

  Simon stared at him with wide eyes filled with astonishment.

  “I think I shall go find Katherine now,” Phillip announced with a forced sense of purpose.

  He couldn’t face his brother after that remark, although for some reason, seeing Lady Katherine Vickers didn’t appeal to him as much as one would have expected.

  8

  Turn the Page

  “I simply don’t know what to do with him anymore.”

  Colette Hamilton Sinclair walked with her younger sister Paulette toward Hamilton’s Book Shoppe the next afternoon. It was a lovely spring day, and the air had a slight warmth to it that was so welcomed after the frigid temperatures they’d endured earlier that month. Spring was finally in the air and summer not far behind.

  “He doesn’t even seem like the boy we raised,” Colette continued.

  “I’m sure he’ll come around eventually. Perhaps you and Lucien are worrying too much over nothing. Phillip has a good heart and a good head upon his shoulders. And if I may, I would like to play the devil’s advocate here for a moment . . .” Paulette Hamilton Reeves paused and glanced at her older sister. “Will you hear me out for a moment?”

  Colette sighed heavily as they continued walking.

  The heaviness she felt over her elder son’s thoughtless and reckless ways had left her feeling weary. As any caring mother would, she’d been worrying about her firstborn for his whole life, but during the last six months, her concern for him had been almost unbearable. The last straw was the rumor that Phillip was planning to marry that awful woman.

  “Yes, I’ll listen,” she answered.

  Confiding in her sister had been an unexpected occurrence. Colette, as the oldest of her four sisters, tended to keep her troubles to herself. She was usually the one doling out advice. She was not the one receiving it.

  Paulette smiled and said in her softest voice, “Why don’t you just let him be?”

  “What in heaven’s name do you mean?” Colette asked in disbelief.

  How could she possibly let Phillip carry on as he had been? His behavior had to change! She had to make him change! She simply had to.

  Paulette gave a slight shrug. “Perhaps you’re making too much of it all. With you and Lucien scolding him at every turn, Phillip will likely act out even more. I know I would. It’s human nature.... Phillip is still young, and he’ll come around.”

  “Young? When I was his age, I managed a bookstore, was married, and had given birth to him already! It’s past time for him to act responsibly. How would you feel if it were Thomas behaving this way?”

  Paulette paused, her step slowing as they neared Hamilton’s Book Shoppe. “I think I would allow him some time to grow into himself.”

  “You would not!” Colette shook her head. “If you knew that Thomas had taken up with the likes of Lady Katherine Vickers and was planning to marry her, you would—”

  Paulette came to a sudden halt, placing her hand on Colette’s arm to stop her. “He’s planning to marry her?” she cried in disbelief. The expression on her face was one of horror.

  “It’s not so easy to let it go now, is it?” Colette pulled away from her sister and continued walking until she opened the door of the bookshop.

  The bells above the door jingled as she walked in, and she took a deep breath. She never failed to feel a sense of unbridled love and pride as she stepped through that door. This shop was her home, and she had loved it for as long as she could remember.

  Over the years, Colette had taken the dusty, cluttered little shop that her father had almost run into the ground, and transformed it into a thriving, successful, and beautiful store. She had made Hamilton’s her own.

  But in the process had she sacrificed her own family? Her two sons? Had it all been for nothing? What if her pursuing her own interests and doing what she loved all these years had harmed the ones she loved the most? Doubts had plagued her constantly the last few months.

  “Good afternoon, Lady Stancliff,” Hattie said with a smile as she greeted both sisters. “Lady Cashelmore.”

  “Good afternoon,
Hattie.” Colette continued walking through the store as Paulette followed her.

  “Colette, wait,” begged Paulette in an urgent whisper, her expression still horrified. She placed her gloved hand upon Colette’s arm as they stopped at the staircase at the back of the store. “Did you say Phillip is planning to marry that vile woman? He can’t possibly be serious!”

  Colette leaned her head in closer, suddenly feeling the swell of tears. “Well, apparently, he is. And I simply don’t know what to do about it.”

  “We shall just have to think of something to prevent such a calamity. Phillip cannot marry her.” Paulette looked resolute, in the way she always had since she was little. When Paulette made up her mind about something, there was no stopping her.

  Colette felt oddly comforted by her sister’s words.

  “Let’s have Jeffrey talk to him, man to man,” Paulette suggested. “Maybe Phillip will listen to him. You know how persuasive Jeffrey can be.”

  Colette’s heart sparked a little hope.

  Jeffrey Eddington, the Duke of Rathmore . . .

  Why hadn’t she thought of her dear brother-in-law and friend before? Perhaps Phillip would accept advice and guidance from his favorite uncle more easily than his own parents. And Jeffrey had such a persuasive way about him. If anyone could talk Phillip out of tying himself to Lady Katherine Vickers, then it was Jeffrey Eddington.

  “Yes . . .” Colette nodded with slow determination. “That could work. I shall stop by Yvette’s on my way home and speak to Jeffrey this afternoon. I have to try everything I can. Lucien and I are at our wits’ end with Phillip.”

  As they ascended the stairs to their converted office in the living quarters above the shop, Colette’s mind was still on her son, her worry mounting with each step she took. Her other worries concerning her younger son, Simon, would have to wait a while longer. She couldn’t face those particular troubles just yet.

  Colette knocked lightly upon the door to the entrance, for she didn’t wish to startle Meredith Remington if she were in there writing. But she very much wanted to introduce her new protégé to Paulette.

  There was no answer, so they entered. It was quiet and empty, the afternoon sun casting the lovely rooms in a warm, golden glow.