Her Devilish Marquess

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  “No. He sounds like a humble gentleman who doesn’t mince words but is considerate of others. What a shame. I don’t think he’s Lord Steinbeck’s type.”

  Amused, Danette smirked. “I thought the marquess was to marry me, not Lord Steinbeck.”

  “You know what I mean. I was hoping Lord Steinbeck would like him enough to invite him to dinner parties so you and I could spend the evening together.”

  “You see me often enough as it is. You don’t need me going to dinner parties with you.” She glanced at the hallway. “Where is Malcolm?” She knew Leonard napped this time of day, but she thought Malcolm should be up and about.

  “Oh, he has another investment plan, so he ran off to White’s to tell Lord Steinbeck, Lord Dunnaby, and Sir Willoby all about it.” She rolled her eyes. “Those four are like children with candy when they discuss money. I hope your husband will be able to restrain himself every time he sees a pound.”

  “I suppose I’ll find out soon enough.”

  “When will you tell him to meet you?”

  “I suppose any time before the wedding will work.” Ideally, it would be right before the wedding, but from the missive, it was apparent the marquess had his heart set on meeting her sooner. She exhaled. “I think I’ll tell him to pick a day and time, and I’ll be ready to meet him.”

  “That might be best. Who knows if he’s busy?” As an afterthought, Regan asked, “Did the duchess tell you what he did before he became a marquess?”

  “No. I don’t know anything about him except he’s the best match of all the gentlemen she’s met with.”

  “Well, she probably figures it’ll give you two something to talk about if he has to tell you what he’s been doing up to now.”

  “Probably.”

  “Besides,” Regan added, “it doesn’t hurt to have a little mystery. If you know everything ahead of time, where’s the adventure? Isn’t this exciting? You get to meet the perfect gentleman for you, and you have so many wonderful things to learn about him.”

  Danette couldn’t share her friend’s excitement for embracing the unknown. She’d rather jump ahead to next year and find out what was going to happen. Then she’d be adequately prepared for what was to come.

  “Will you let me know how things go after you meet him?” Regan asked, breaking her out of her thoughts.

  Danette nodded. “Yes. Of course, I’m going to come right over here after I meet him. You have to make sure you’re not doing anything the day I meet him.”

  “I promise to wait patiently for you right here.”

  “Good. And make sure Malcolm and Leonard aren’t around. I’d rather it be just the two of us, in case I do something to embarrass myself and need a shoulder to cry on.”

  Regan shook her head. “Danette, how many times do I have to tell you it doesn’t matter if you’re not perfect? No one is perfect. We all do things to embarrass ourselves at one time or another.”

  “That’s easy for you to say. You see the humor in everything. If you tripped in front of an entire room full of people, you’d laugh it off.” Danette wished she could be more like her friend, but she didn’t know how to be carefree and easygoing about things.

  “At least you’ll be meeting the marquess in the safety of your own home. No one else will see you trip, and if you trip just right, you can end up in his arms.”

  Unable to resist the urge to chuckle at her friend’s joke, Danette did so, and she felt much better. Was it any wonder why she came right over here to see Regan when she got the marquess’ request to meet with her? There was no one else who could make her feel better, no matter the situation.

  “What would I ever do without you?” Danette asked.

  Regan smiled and gave her a hug. “I often think the same when it comes to you. We’ve been through a lot together, and we’ll always be there for each other. I have a feeling things with the marquess will work out.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “Of course, I am. I have a keen sense about these things. The duchess and her friends know what they’re doing. They wouldn’t match you up with him if you weren’t an ideal match. Just promise me you’ll give him a chance.”

  “I will. I promise.” And in a very short period of time, she’d be meeting him face to face. With a glance at the missive, she couldn’t help but wonder what kind of gentleman was her ideal match.

  Chapter Four

  Two days later, Derek released his breath and knocked on the door of Miss Everson’s residence. Here went nothing. At least she’d get a chance to meet him and decide whether or not she could tolerate a life with him. Either way, it was her choice. He’d do whatever she wanted. If it didn’t work with her, then perhaps Helena, Chloe, and Melissa could find someone else.

  The butler answered the door, and Derek smiled. “Greetings, my good man. I’m here to see Miss Everson. I was told she’d be expecting me today.”

  “Yes.” The butler waved him into the entryway. “She’s in the drawing room.”

  “Thank you.”

  Derek gave him a nod then stepped past him so he could enter the house. He glanced down the hallway to the door on the left that the butler gestured to. Without further prompting, he went into the room, ready to meet the possible future Marchioness of Dodsworth.

  He glanced around expectantly. Though there was a tray with tea and scones on it, he didn’t see a single breathing person in the room. Surprised, he went back out into the hallway as the butler closed the front door.

  “Which room did you say Miss Everson’s in?” Derek asked.

  “The one you just entered.”

  Derek peered back into the room, and still, he saw no one. “Are you sure she didn’t say she was going to be somewhere else?”

  “I brought the tea and scones in here, and she was on the settee.”

  The butler stepped into the room, and Derek followed. The butler gave a good look around the room then turned to Derek and chuckled under his breath. He pointed to the drapes at one of the large windows. The drapes were made of a nice thick material, and they were long enough to hide someone, if she chose to go behind them. Upon closer inspection, Derek saw a pair of slippers peeking out from under them.

  Thank you, Derek mouthed.

  The butler nodded and hurried out of the room, probably so Miss Everson wouldn’t hear him laughing.

  Derek clasped his hands behind his back as he debated the best way to proceed with a lady, who was so shy she ran and hid when her betrothed came to the door. After a moment, he went over to the drapes and asked, “Miss Everson?”

  She stiffened from behind the drapes, and he had to resist the urge to chuckle.

  He cleared his throat. “Miss Everson, you are the most peculiar looking lady I’ve ever met. You resemble drapes more than an actual person. I’m afraid this will make dancing with you awkward when we go to a ball.”

  From behind the drapes, he heard her giggle. His lips curled up into a smile. Well, at least she had a sense of humor. That was good.

  He took a step forward and poked his head around the drapes so he could see behind it. He wasn’t surprised when she looked away from him, but he was surprised her hair should be so dark. Pulling aside the drapes to get a better look at it, he couldn’t help but think she had the most attractive hair color of any lady he’d seen. It was the most beautiful shade of black, and it fell around her shoulders in gentle waves. Indeed, it was a nice contrast to her creamy white skin.

  Now, if he could just get a look at her face…

  He gently placed his finger under her chin and turned her face so he could see it. Her cheeks grew pink, but she looked at him, showing him the greenest eyes he’d ever seen. They seemed to sparkle like the emeralds Lady Cadwalader liked to weigh herself down with. His gaze went to her flawless skin, the gentle slope of her nose, and her rosy lips, which almost formed a heart when they were closed.

  He then turned his attention to the rest of her. She wore a pink dress that flattered her
hourglass figure. In fact, her breasts were so ample he got a nice view of her cleavage simply by looking down at her. It certainly wouldn’t be difficult to slip into her bed and work on an heir. He guessed he’d even want to linger there and try several times. Ideally, on multiple nights. Just the thought was arousing him, but they weren’t married yet. He shouldn’t give into such fantasies. It wouldn’t do to get an erection right at this moment.

  He cleared his throat and forced his attention back to her face. “It would be easier to talk if we sat down. I could sit here behind the drapes, but I don’t think either of us would be comfortable.”

  “Well…no, we wouldn’t,” she said, a slight hesitation in her voice.

  “I hear the settee is nice to sit on. If you’d rather, I can sit in a chair, though I’d rather sit next to you.”

  To his amusement, she peeked around the drapes and glanced over at the settee as if she’d forgotten that piece of furniture was even in the room. She was adorable. Really, she was. He’d never come across anyone so terribly shy before, but it only spoke of a sweet innocence he wasn’t accustomed to in London. This wasn’t a lady who’d flatter someone to get her way. She was much too timid for that. No, with her, what he saw was what he’d get. And so far, he was enjoying her very much.

  After a few seconds, she stepped around the drapes and went over to the settee. He waited to see if she’d invite him to sit next to her or ask him to sit in a chair. She left room for him on the settee and turned expectantly to him. Deciding that was an invitation, he hurried to sit next to her.

  “Mind if I pour the tea?” he asked, thinking it best to relieve her of that duty since he saw that her hands were trembling.

  She shook her head, and he picked up the teapot. Once they started talking, perhaps she’d feel more at ease.

  As he poured their tea, he glanced over at her, still unable to believe she was so beautiful. He hadn’t expected to be attracted to the lady the duchess had picked for him. He’d thought someone who needed the duchess’ help securing a husband would be unattractive.

  “Pardon me for asking such a silly question, but why would someone as lovely as yourself need help finding a husband?” he asked.

  “What?”

  Noting the shock in her voice, he said, “I honestly didn’t think you’d be beautiful. Don’t misunderstand me. I would’ve been willing to marry you if you weren’t beautiful. I’m not the type of gentleman who bases a lady’s worth on how she looks. But really, you are,” for lack of a better word, he said, “stunning. Why aren’t you married yet?”

  She accepted the cup of tea he offered her but set it on her lap. “Well, I almost married. Twice.”

  “You did?”

  She nodded. “Neither worked out. Each gentleman decided he’d rather marry someone else.”

  “Why?” For the life of him, he couldn’t imagine anyone choosing someone over her. Unless….? “Is it because you’re shy?” But then, if she was shy, how did she manage two engagements to begin with? Were all the marriages arranged? Maybe the other gentlemen didn’t think to look behind the drapes to find her.

  After a moment of silence, she said, “I hate to tell you since you’re my last hope of acquiring a husband, but both gentlemen found me dull.”

  “Dull?”

  “I have a hard time knowing what to say. Other ladies are far more exciting than I am. I tend to sit and listen rather than talk.”

  “Well, I’ve been around enough ladies to know it’s better if most of them learn to practice some silence.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Because they can get their husbands in trouble. Believe me, it’s far better to have a wife who can manage some restraint.”

  He noted the way her eyebrows furrowed. Either she was tempted to ask him for an example or she didn’t believe him. Instead of asking, she sipped her tea.

  “I wager,” he began, turning toward her, “that though you are shy, you aren’t dull. I further wager that once you open up, you have a lot to say. Tell me, what are your interests? What kind of things do you do for fun?”

  She took another sip of tea then set the cup back on her lap. She also licked her bottom lip in apprehension. How he envied that lip. He could think of many things her tongue could do, and all of them excited him way too much. Here, he’d thought the process of getting a wife would be a chore, but this was turning into something he could thoroughly embrace.

  “You’ll think this is silly,” she began with a hint of a smile, “but I like to watch people.”

  “You do?”

  “Yes. I go to balls and sit while they talk and dance.”

  “I’m surprised you get a chance to do that between all the dancing you do.”

  “Oh, I don’t dance. I just watch.”

  He laughed. “Now I know you’re teasing me. You must have a long line of gentlemen waiting to dance with you. I bet that line goes from the ballroom to the sidewalk outside.”

  “I think you’re the one who’s teasing me, my lord. No lady has ever had that many gentlemen waiting to dance with her, no matter how pretty or entertaining she is.”

  “Surely, you’ve had gentlemen who’ve asked you to dance.”

  “Yes, but I think it was because my father had a hand in it.” She hesitated for a moment, but since he suspected she wanted to say more, he kept quiet and waited for her to continue. “My father passed away a year ago. My mother’s still alive, and I live with her.”

  “Will I be meeting your mother today?”

  “She said she’d be coming down to meet you, but she’s taking longer than I expected.”

  Ah, so maybe part of why she was hiding was because her mother hadn’t shown up yet. Maybe the only reason she’d had the courage to agree to meet him was because her mother had promised to be with her. However, her mother had decided to take her time in coming to the drawing room, something he was sure was done on purpose.

  With what he hoped was an assuring smile, he said, “I think she wanted to give us a chance to get acquainted without any interruptions.”

  “Yes, I think so, too.”

  “That’s a good thing, isn’t it?” he asked when he noticed the way her eyebrows furrowed. “I’m enjoying this opportunity to talk to you alone.”

  Her gaze went to the cup in her lap.

  Curious about her reaction, he ventured, “I understand you’re shy, but you have a sweetness about you that’s refreshing.”

  She looked at him then, and he caught the hope in her eyes. That hope made him wonder just how deeply hurt she must have been when those two gentlemen ended their engagements with her.

  “Mind if I ask who they were?” he softly asked.

  “Who?”

  “The gentlemen you were engaged to.”

  She broke eye contact with him again and paused, as if debating whether or not she really wanted to tell him. But then, she said, “Lord Simpleton and Lord Garrett.”

  He thought over all the gentlemen he’d heard about, but those two weren’t familiar to him. It’d be easier to know what’d been wrong with them if he could place a title with some reputation. His mind, however, drew a blank, and he didn’t know what to do about it. Usually, he had an idea of who most people were, especially given his association with so many patients who needed his care.

  “You want to know more about them?” she asked.

  Was his expression that obvious? He thought he’d been doing a better job of masking his emotions. In the past, others, particularly his brother, had warned him it was in bad form to be so transparent with his thoughts. “A gentleman,” he’d said, “maintains a pleasant disposition at all times, regardless of how he feels.” Being a gentleman, however, had never been Derek’s strong point. But that was going to change. He’d inherited a title, and he had a responsibility to not do or say anything to embarrass Danette or their future children.

  After thinking over a good response, he finally settled on saying, “It’s not my business what
Lord Simpleton or Lord Garrett are like. Forget about it.”

  “Oh, I don’t mind telling you. I just didn’t think you’d want to know about them. I wouldn’t want to know about any ladies you’ve been engaged to, if there are any.”

  “There aren’t. You’re the first. I’m just wondering what was wrong with them.” Then, to lighten the mood, he added, “You don’t strike me as the type of lady who’d scare potential husbands away.”

  As he hoped, she chuckled at his joke. “They were my father’s choice. My father was a likeable gentleman, and they got along with him. I think they agreed to the arrangement because of him. They were good gentlemen. Very honorable with pristine reputations. Maybe you haven’t heard of them because there’s nothing remotely scandalous about them. Lord Simpleton married Lady Cadwalader’s niece last year, and Lord Garrett went to India to pursue adventure.”

  “So it’d be safe to say Lord Garrett ended your engagement because you would have stayed in London?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. He didn’t say.”

  “Well, regardless of the reasons your past engagements didn’t work, their loss is my gain. I’m very happy to be engaged to you, and I hope you’ll be able to say the same about me.”

  Before she had a chance to respond, he heard footsteps and looked over in time to see a middle-aged lady entering the room. The resemblance between the two was much too obvious to mistake this lady for anyone except Danette’s mother.

  He rose to his feet and bowed. “Mrs. Everson, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m the Marquess of Dodsworth, the gentleman the Duchess of Ashbourne arranged to marry your lovely daughter.” He glanced between the two. “You both may refer to me as Derek.”

  “I’m glad you came by,” her mother said with a smile. “We were excited about making your acquaintance. Thank you for sending the missive asking to visit.”

  He waited for her mother to sit before settling back on the settee. “I thought it only fair to let you know what I look like.” He glanced at Danette and winked. “That way you don’t marry the wrong gentleman by mistake.”