Catching the Baron

by Jenn Langston

  “I suppose I should take pity on you. He is back in London. I saw him over a week ago.”

  Her heart squeezed inside her chest, knowing exactly who Monsieur Gerard referred to. Kenneth. Concentrating on each breath, she tried to control her excitement. She wanted to see him, but she couldn’t handle being close to him and not being able to have him. Why couldn’t he have stayed away?

  “Then I’m relieved he has respected my wish and not approached me.” She infused her voice with as much strength as she could muster.

  Monsieur Gerard shook his head slowly. “You love him, so why hold back? To toy with him?”

  The disgust in his voice couldn’t be mistaken. Irritation surged through her. How dare he accuse her of such? He knew nothing of how it tormented her to reject Kenneth when she wanted him so badly.

  “I’m not. I clearly told him I have no interest in furthering a relationship with him.”

  “Your mouth may claim that, but your eyes say otherwise.”

  “It doesn’t matter. I can’t change the facts.”

  When his gaze sharpened, she realized she’d said too much. Her anger had loosened her tongue. Clamping her mouth closed, she turned from him. Men brought frustration and pain. She needed to discover a way to live without the lot of them.

  “Lady Samantha,” Lord Froste greeted as he stepped in front of her.

  “Lord Froste,” she acknowledged, as her palms grow moist.

  She’d been avoiding him. Not only did she worry he would recognize her, but she couldn’t trust him due to his connection to Baroness Berwick. Had the woman sent him to make sure Samantha left Kenneth alone?

  “Will you honor me with a dance?”

  Undecided, she glanced back at Monsieur Gerard. The open curiosity from her comment hadn’t left his face and encouraged her to accept Lord Froste. Anything would be better than suffering an interrogation.

  “Thank you, my lord. I’d be delighted.”

  His answering smile lit the room as he swept her onto the dance floor. He flawlessly executed the steps and managed to make her laugh with his quick wit. Overall, she was pleased she’d accepted the dance.

  “Forgive me for my boldness, but you are exquisite.”

  Heat crept up her neck. “Thank you.”

  “Had I known, I would have whisked you away from Kenneth and off to my estate.”

  Samantha sucked in her breath as fear pricked her skin. He knew. Would he use the knowledge against her? Or had he been sent?

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Don’t worry.” He lowered his voice. “Your secret is safe with me.”

  Her enjoyment of the dance evaporated. Would her past mistake haunt her forever? Part of her wished she’d not hidden herself. The thought made her cringe. She would have been forced to marry Mr. Lamange. No. She couldn’t regret the decision which saved her from that fate.

  “Would you care for a walk out on the terrace?” he asked when the dance drew to a close.

  She stiffened her shoulders. Would he ask for his payment now despite his assurance of his silence? Or would he reinforce the baroness’s request? Regardless, she didn’t want to hear it.

  “An escort back to my grandmother would be better appreciated.”

  His wounded smile made her question her decision.

  “I hope one day we can be friends.” He took her arm and led her to her grandmother before she could respond.

  As she stood beside the group of women, she followed Lord Froste’s progress across the room. What could he possibly want with her friendship? Had he discovered the nature of her relationship with Kenneth and hoped to set up a similar one? She shuddered at the possibility. Although he was attractive, she couldn’t imagine giving herself to another man.

  On the other side of the ballroom, he stopped in front of another gentleman. She couldn’t see much of the man from her vantage point, but his height and build reminded her of Kenneth.

  Her breath caught when he intertwined his hands behind his back, a movement Kenneth normally did when he was thinking. Could it be him?

  Trailing her eyes down his form, she stopped when she noticed the intricacy of stitches along the back. She had spent enough time in Paris and around the elite of Society to be aware of wealth when she saw it.

  With a sinking heart, she tore her gaze away. It couldn’t be him. Kenneth never could afford the level of quality in the coat alone. Her imagination clearly got away from her, most likely brought on by Monsieur Gerard’s comment on Kenneth’s whereabouts.

  Later that evening, she realized the apparition of him would not leave her. She caught sight of his face more than once, only to discover he hadn’t been there. His voice, too, reached her ears occasionally, only to disappear with the voices of the numerous guests in the next second.

  When she could bear the torment no longer, she saw the man from earlier exit the doors to the terrace. Determined to put an end to her curiosity, she followed him. Outside, her eyes scanned though luscious gardens lit by numerous lanterns until she saw his coattails as he disappeared into the garden.

  She shouldn’t be traipsing around the garden alone, but she couldn’t stand the uncertainty any longer. Rounding the next corner, her breath whooshed out of her as she made contact with something solid.

  Firm, warm hands pulled her back. She opened her mouth to apologize, then froze. Her throat closed as warmth scurried over her flesh.

  Kenneth.

  “Where are you headed alone? Off to meet a lover?” Kenneth whispered, hoping to get a reaction out of her.

  Although she didn’t look like a woman rushing off to a clandestine meeting in the moonlight garden, Kenneth couldn’t stop the anger from pumping through him at the very thought. He refused to think of her belonging to anyone besides him.

  He raised his eyebrow at her lack of response.

  She straightened her shoulders while her face relaxed as the joy and shock melted away. “Perhaps. But I see no reason to tell you.”

  “I see.” He nodded slowly. “You haven’t taken on a lover after me. I’m flattered.”

  Without waiting for her reaction, he slid his arm under hers and led her away from the public path and deeper into the lush foliage. His body thrilled at the slight contact. It felt so good to have her near him again. However, the ease which she accepted his touch combined with her previous pleasure at seeing him was bittersweet in his already confused mind. Should he believe her actions or her words?

  In addition, he didn’t know how he should handle Froste’s earlier comment. His friend claimed Samantha winced at the mention of his name. Why she would act in such a manner, Kenneth didn’t know. She’d been the one to push him away.

  “Where are you taking me?” she asked.

  He smiled. Her tone held no concern, so he pitched his voice low, ensuring his too long denied desire shone through. “Anywhere you wish.”

  She shivered. “Back to the ballroom.”

  Stopping down a deserted path, he stared into her wide eyes and then cupped her cheek. “Is that really what you want?”

  Her lips parted as her gaze dropped to his mouth. Knowing she wouldn’t put up any resistance, he leaned forward and brushed his mouth over hers. She moaned and slid her arms around his neck, pinning him against her. His heart pounded. Although he hadn’t planned on taking things this far, he pulled her closer and allowed her to deepen the kiss.

  Desire clouded his mind and increased his breathing as Samantha pushed her breasts further against him and thrust her hands under his coat. He always loved her impatience, but tonight his resolve remained intact.

  Reluctantly, he moved back. Disappointment flashed through her eyes before she trained them on the ground. Was she ashamed? He couldn’t allow that. The proof she still wanted him made his chest almost burst with happiness. He closed his eyes to ward against the longing within him.

  Pulling her back into his embrace, he rested his cheek on the top of her head. As if on in
stinct, her arms wound around him. He sighed, enjoying the contact.

  “God. I’ve missed you,” he admitted.

  Her back stiffened, and she drew back but didn’t drop her hands from him. “This is wrong.”

  “Why? Clearly you want me as much as I want you.”

  “Yes, but . . .” She stared at her fingers with a crease in her brow as they stroked the fabric of his waistcoat. “Is this outfit new?”

  He smiled, surprised she hadn’t noticed sooner. “I decided it was beyond time I updated my wardrobe.”

  “Why?” She snatched her hand back as if disgusted by the knowledge.

  “If I’m to wed, I think it only fair to show my future wife what she’s getting with me.”

  Samantha crossed her arms. “Don’t you mean to see how you intend to spend her dowry? Honestly Kenneth, with the state of Berwick’s-”

  “Haven’t you heard? I have no need for a dowry, and my estate will not be suffering for long.”

  “How?”

  Laughing, he took her hand and guided her back toward the ballroom. How could he explain she’d been living over a treasure the entire time she worked at Berwick? So far, he and Jonathan managed to keep the secret. He had no desire for all of Society to learn of the particulars.

  “I’ve heard it said a rich relative set me up as his heir. Or I’ve gone into trade. Then my personal favorite is I sold my soul to the devil. What do you think?”

  “Your manners clearly mark you as a spawn of the devil.” She pushed against him in a playful manner. “But I don’t believe any of them.”

  “I’d love to hear your theory.”

  She stopped and faced him. Her lips moved to the side as she lowered her eyes at him. The level of concentration on him brought discomfort, so he shifted from foot to foot. Could she see right through him? Would she be pleased at what she saw? Or disappointed?

  “I would say you have married a sickly woman who left you with a dowry, but you don’t have the look of a man who has discovered the joys of marriage.”

  Kenneth bit back the retort that he’d only find joy in a marriage to her. She didn’t want to marry him, and until he knew with absolute certainty she’d changed her mind, he refused to propose again.

  “An interesting theory,” he acknowledged as he led her back into the ballroom. “If you would like to give it another guess, you know how to find me.”

  After a bow, he left her to return home. With this one night, he’d already accomplished his first goal for returning to London. Samantha still felt something for him. Now, he needed to work on making her realize how happy she could be with him, and for her to admit to her feelings. Only then would he obtain his final goal of marrying her.

  The next day as he sat behind the desk in the study of his new London townhouse, he couldn’t get the image of Samantha walking down the aisle to marry him from his mind. The correspondence in front of him could no longer hold his interest. His new wealth meant almost every noble family still residing in London wanted a claim on his time. The response overwhelmed him.

  Commotion on the other side of the door drew his attention. Someone was arguing. Irritated, he stood. He’d become accustomed to the peace and quiet awarded in the country, and he refused to keep any staff who would make his stay here any less serene.

  Before he could round his desk, his door popped open, revealing his frazzled butler and his mother. Kenneth groaned. Why wouldn’t the woman leave him alone? After he trusted her theory enough to discover the treasure, their relationship had improved, but he still cherished his time away from her.

  “Kenneth, tell this oaf I don’t need to be formally escorted to you. As your mother, I have a right to be here.”

  With a wave of his hand, Kenneth dismissed the butler. His mother pinched her lips, but didn’t comment further. She could act as though she held the power, but he had no intention of bending to her will.

  “What brings you to London, Mother? When I left Berwick you seemed content.”

  She clicked her tongue. “You are a sly one to leave me like that. Notifying the staff your study wasn’t to be disturbed was effective. It took almost a fortnight for me to discover you were gone.”

  He shrugged. Not telling her of his whereabouts had been intentional. The study, however, stemmed from the fact he didn’t trust her. She had guiltlessly searched his father’s and Jonathan’s houses, so what would stop her from doing the same to him?

  “You don’t care for London. Therefore, I had no reason to inform you of my trip.”

  She lifted a heavily jeweled hand to rest it under her chin. “I’m not here for London. I came to be with you.”

  “Well, you are with me now. Are you satisfied? As I will not bring you with me everywhere I go, you should content yourself with our visit.”

  “One would think you would be freer with your time for the woman who made you rich.”

  “And by default, made herself rich.” Kenneth pointed at the latest fashion she wore as well as the numerous stones glittering around her neck. “Don’t pretend your search was done for me.”

  She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. “Regardless, you benefited and therefore owe me.” She stood and glared down at him. “That being the case, I plan to remain close by your side. You can’t rid yourself of me.”

  Before he could respond, she turned and sauntered from the room. He seethed. She had it wrong. He owed her nothing. She had already been repaid for her part in the search for the treasure. And if she didn’t learn her place soon, he would be forced to teach her.

  He had no intention of bending to her will like a defenseless child. The money awarded him with the rare opportunity to live his life as he chose. His mother would not take that from him.

  Chapter 16

  Samantha squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. She could feel Kenneth’s eyes upon her. His gaze acted like a caress on her sensitive flesh. The room full of people only intensified the forbidden feelings coursing through her body.

  Her grandmother smiled at her from across the room, apparently unaware of the tension tightening her. When they had accepted the invitation to a dinner party at Lord and Lady Linwood’s townhouse, she hadn’t thought of the certainty of Kenneth’s presence. The meal made it simple to ignore him, but here in the drawing room, surrounded by the people sharing intimate conversations and romantic music in the background, she couldn’t concentrate on anything but him.

  “I have always found Lady Grace to be quite accomplished with the pianoforte,” Lord Froste said as he sat on the chair beside her.

  Samantha’s eyes fell to her friend who skillfully coaxed beautiful music from the instrument. Samantha had never learned, but Grace played with ease, making it appear a simple task.

  “Quite. I have no doubt her parents are very proud.”

  “They should be. Every eye is trained upon their daughter, anxious to take in every note.” He scanned the room. “Well, almost every eye. I know of a pair which has only taken in one sight.”

  She sighed, knowing it would be pointless to deny Kenneth’s fixation with the proof right before them.

  “I can’t imagine why. There are a number of other interests to enjoy in this room alone.”

  Froste turned his head to the side. “I suppose he’s lucky. Lady Grace took the other guests’ attention for him. However, when she stops, everyone is bound to notice the baron’s preoccupation.”

  “Why are you telling me this? I have no control over his actions.”

  “You’re wrong. You have the power to put him out of his misery.”

  Alarm jabbed at her skin as her heart raced. How could she? The entire dinner Lady Berwick seemed particularly interested in her son’s interactions. The baroness’s eyes also strayed to Samantha from time to time.

  Froste cleared his throat, reclaiming her attention. “Meet him in Hyde Park tomorrow.”

  Her mouth dropped open. “Did he send you here to speak on his behalf?”

  “Not exactl
y. Hyde Park was his idea, but the rest was mine.”

  She cocked her head. Froste puzzled her. His past and current actions contradicted one another. Could she trust him?

  “What do you stand to gain from your involvement?”

  “To atone for my prior sins. And I want to see my friend happy.” His voice lowered as did his gaze. “I miss the old Kenneth. The one who was quick to offer a smile and raise your spirits. I saw him again when he was with you.”

  Heat singed her cheeks. Did she really have such an effect on him? Joy bubbled inside her, but she tamped it down. It didn’t matter.

  Sticking her nose in the air, she turned from him. “If you speak the truth, why didn’t he come to request a meeting? Why send a messenger?”

  “I’m sure you are familiar with his mother. She has become somewhat overbearing as of late.” He shrugged. “I simply thought my service would be appreciated.”

  Hope resurfaced. Could she see Kenneth without his mother discovering? If so, could she keep a small portion of him? Would it be fair to him? Indecision raked her.

  Knowing she was powerless to refuse, she hesitantly accepted, then spent the rest of the evening debating if she’d made the right decision. On one hand, she couldn’t wait to be with him, but on the other, she knew she shouldn’t encourage him. Her stomach rolled. What should she do?

  The next day, she still couldn’t decide what to do. Furthering a relationship with him while knowing they had no future would be the most selfish thing she could do. But, she was weak. She wanted to see him. To be with him.

  Wondering if she would ever cease making bad decisions, she grabbed her shawl and exited the house. The day proved bright and lovely. Many other people were about enjoying the weather as well. Samantha only hoped Kenneth’s mother didn’t have the same idea.