Briana was acutely conscious of the man's nearness. His hand was firm and strong about her waist, while the scent of bayberry drifted her way, sending a tingling to the pit of her stomach.
A hot ache grew in her throat when she thought about her mother's plan for her to marry a Clearbrook. With a sinking heart, she realized nothing would ever come of it.
She had heard Lord Clayton was in love with Lady Serena Brently from London. A diamond of the first water. A lady with lustrous yellow hair and large chestnut eyes. A lady, not a mere girl of sixteen.
And to make matters worse, just last week she had overheard him talking about buying a commission in the army. All the Clearbrook brothers would be going to war soon. Napoleon was causing too much havoc for them to watch sedately from the English countryside.
Her stomach clenched at the thought of Clayton hurt on the battlefield—or worse, even dead. Too embarrassed to look anywhere else, she dropped her gaze to the floor.
"Miss Garland, if you look down at your feet, you will decidedly trip over them. Look up at me."
Briana stumbled and felt Clayton's large hand tighten about her waist. She slowly lifted her gaze. Dark brown hair hung over his right temple, framing eyes that sparkled with a mixture of amusement and compassion. This was the Clayton she liked best.
"That's it, Miss Garland. Now, just follow me. Relax."
Briana felt herself floating on air. She circled the room like a princess in the arms of her prince.
"How long are you staying at Elbourne, Miss Garland?"
Briana blinked and accidentally stepped on his foot.
He smiled, sending her heart somersaulting.
"Um, the entire summer, I believe."
He nodded, his lips parting in a heavenly display of even white teeth. "Now, it is your turn to ask me a question."
Her blood froze. "I—"
Emily's twittering laughter broke into Briana's thoughts. Her friend had stepped on Marcus's toe, and he was groaning.
Clayton turned Briana toward the window, while Stephen's fingers ran up and down the pianoforte in a sweet melody of notes.
"Perhaps something about the weather," Clayton suggested.
Briana cleared her throat. "The weather?"
"Yes, the weather." He chuckled. "Or perhaps how fine I look today."
Briana colored and was saved when Marcus laughed. "Spare us the self-adoration, Clay. You're embarrassing the poor girl."
Briana noticed the arms about her stiffen. "He was only trying to help me," she said, surprising herself.
Clayton's lips spread into a wide grin. "There, you see, the lady defends me. Now, tell me about the weather, Miss Garland."
Briana blinked. "I don't... um, the weather?"
"Yes. Is it raining out? Or is it pleasant?"
Emily chuckled. "Clayton, you are supposed to teach us to waltz, not talk about the weather."
"Did you hear about Miss Winters?" Stephen asked. The music softened to a whisper as the two couples kept dancing.
Emily gave Briana a wink. Briana tried not to stumble.
"What about the lady?" Marcus asked his younger brother.
"Ran off with Mr. Summers, the dancing master."
Briana laughed.
Clayton looked down at her and grinned. "You know, Miss Garland, when you smile, you are the prettiest girl in the county. Your eyes sparkle like a sea of emeralds."
Briana faltered a step. His brows lifted in mirth as he swung her toward Emily and the dance ended. They practiced a few more times until the girls were decent enough at the dance, and then the brothers left for a ride into the village.
Standing in the ballroom, Briana stared in shocked amazement at her friend.
"Well, what did I tell you?" Emily asked, smiling as she leaned against a towering pillar on the edge of the dance floor.
Briana clapped both hands to her cheeks. "It was the most thrilling day of my life. I will never forget it, ever!" You know. Miss Garland, when you smile, you are the prettiest girl in the county. Your eyes sparkle like a sea of emeralds.
Emily's face glowed. "My brothers are pudding in my hands. Mama will never know. We handled it perfectly, did we not?"
"I heard that."
Briana's head snapped up to see Clayton's hovering form blocking the entrance to the ballroom. He was no longer pudding in his sister's hands here. His arms were crossed over his chest and dark sapphire eyes stared back at them. Briana gulped.
Emily snatched Briana's hand and carefully hastened past her brother. "Well, what's a girl to do after all, Clay? I mean, if not you or Monsieur Buckette, then who? Sir William?"
"If I had known Mother would not allow this—"
"Well, you didn't know!"
Clayton's eyes were almost black.
Emily took a hesitant step back and Briana began to worry. She decided it was time to take over. Emily was always manipulating a plan; now it was Briana's turn. She felt her lips quivering in mirth when the absurd thought came to her.
"Yes, truly, my lord," Briana blurted out. "You don't want us dancing with Mr. Summers, do you?"
Emily turned to her friend and burst out laughing. "Oh, Bree. That's hilarious!"
Shocked, Clayton dropped his hands to his sides. He stared at Briana as if she had never spoken before. Not giving him a chance to make the next move, the girls took off down the hall.
"Emily, you are going to pay for this!" his voice boomed.
Emily laughed, waving her hand in the air, as if he were nothing but a stranger on the road.
Briana giggled. It was the most perfect day of her life. She was definitely in love.
Chapter Two
Six Years Later
"And to my godson, Lord Clayton Peter Cathaven Clearbrook, I leave my castle and all its holdings, including any monetary sums remaining after all debts are paid. There is one stipulation and that being—"
Lord Clayton Clearbrook glanced up at his uncle's solicitor and let out a boisterous laugh. "Oh ho, tell me this is a jest. By Jove, the castle is more of a dungeon than a home."
Clayton's brother Roderick, Duke of Elbourne since their father had died a few years earlier, looked up from his chair in the library of the Elbourne townhouse, trying to suppress a grin. "Now, now, hear him out, Clay. Who knows, there may be something for the rest of us."
Both Marcus and Stephen let out snorts of amusement. A small chuckle even passed Emily's lips.
"This is just what you need," Stephen said. "Taking refuge in that castle up north may save you from all the matchmaking mamas. Don't you see?"
Marcus sat back against his chair, his eyes dancing. "A hideout for all the bachelors like you and me, Clay. Why, you don't have to marry at all. It's just what you wanted."
Mr. Banes, the solicitor, cleared his throat. "Forgive me for interrupting, but there is a bit more to the will."
Clayton raised his hand in apology. "Banes, I think this calls for a drink. Anybody else?"
Clayton's siblings were barely able to control their mirth as they declined his offer. Banes, however, sat as stiff and proper as a starched neckcloth.
Clayton shook his head as he strode toward the rosewood sideboard. He had invested almost everything he had in a tobacco shipment that had been lost last month, and the blasted castle was the last thing he needed.
"I say, I will take a bit of brandy, my lord."
Clayton glanced over his shoulder at Banes's request. The solicitor pushed his slipping spectacles back up his rounded nose and swept his bald head with a handkerchief.
Clayton regarded the man as he handed over the glass of amber liquid. Why, the man actually looked quite nervous. But Clayton was determined. He was not going to take that castle.
He grimaced as he took his seat. It was a deuced good thing his mother had an appointment and wasn't here. The lady had a soft spot for old Cathaven, and she would insist that Clayton take the dilapidated old hellhole and everything that went with it
Dash it al
l! It didn't matter. She would eventually learn the details of the will and then he would be sunk.
"I fail to see why none of you inherited the castle," Clayton snapped, glowering at his family.
"You are his godson," Marcus put in, smiling. "Ah, a poor failing on our parents' part, to be sure, but there you have it. Roderick here was left the dukedom, and you, dear Clayton, have been left Uncle Cathaven's delightful castle."
Emily coughed into her hand, but it was definitely a laugh.
Clayton peered over the rim of his glass. "You all realize there's probably a mountain of back taxes to be paid. I could be inheriting a debtor's prison. I won't take it. Besides, the man was a hermit. Heard he took a bath once a year and never paid a penny for anything but the bare essentials. Even Emily hated visiting there with Mother."
Roderick shook his head. "Em has no taste. Love her dearly, but look at the man she chose for a husband."
Clayton let the brandy slide down his throat. His sister had married the Earl of Stonebridge, a man every bit as stubborn as Roderick and the love of her life. They were the perfect couple.
They had what Clayton had once wanted for himself. A loving spouse, a family, a home. But after Lady Serena had run off with a colonel, Clayton vowed never to fall in love again. Freedom and security were his goals now. And devil take it, he would not be saddled with a dirty old castle.
"Em?" he asked. "Have you nothing to say?"
"You are correct," she said, raising her delicate black brows. "Indeed, the man took a bath once a year."
Another round of laughter filled the room. Clayton's hand tightened on his glass as he swung his gaze back toward the solicitor. "I am not taking that castle. Is that clear?"
The small man gazed over the top of his spectacles and pulled at his pointed neckcloth. "I would like you to hear me out, my lord. If you wish, I can simplify this process and merely state the facts."
"Fine," Clayton said in a clipped tone. "Just the facts."
Stephen gave an exaggerated clearing of his throat. "I believe Uncle had a damsel in distress imprisoned in the turret and now Clayton will inherit her, too."
"Let the man finish," Roderick announced, winking at Emily.
"I won't take the damsel either," Clayton said calmly, glancing toward the mantel clock. I have another damsel waiting for me in London. A very pretty one, in fact.
"Go on," Marcus said to Banes. "Just do it quickly. We don't need all those fancy words."
The solicitor snapped the papers in his hands. "Very well. As I said, I will try to simplify the process. Lord Clayton will inherit the castle and all its belongings."
Stephen snickered. "All its belongings? Well, well, Cathaven certainly wasn't the penny-pincher I thought he was."
Clayton shot him a cool stare.
"To His Grace," the solicitor went on, trying to ignore the interruption, "my client leaves a small cottage outside Brighton. To Lord Marcus, a townhouse in Bath."
Banes swallowed and peered up at Stephen. "I believe, for you, my lord, I should read the words as they are stated."
Clayton leaned back in his chair and smiled. Cathaven had never liked Stephen. "By all means. Mayhap my baby brother has inherited the moat with all its delightful artifacts."
Emily's lips twitched.
Stephen wasn't affected in the least. "Cathaven was a miser of words as well. This has to be more entertaining than Nigel fighting with Mother's cats."
Clayton couldn't help but laugh at the solicitor's confused expression. "Nigel is Lord Stonebridge's dog, my good man."
"I see. Well, may I continue?"
Roderick waved the man on.
Banes dropped his gaze to the papers. " 'To Lord Stephen, the youngest, I leave nothing, for at the present moment I believe he has behaved with the utmost disrespect, declaring me a penny-pinching miser. Therefore, let it be so.' "
Clayton wiped at his eyes, his sour demeanor lifting. "Oh, this is too much."
Stephen's lips thinned. "I have all I need with my Elizabeth. I don't need an old moat from a dead uncle, thank you kindly."
Clayton glanced at Emily, who was trying to contain her laughter. It wasn't working.
The solicitor reddened. "May I proceed?"
Roderick crossed his arms over his chest "Forgive us. Banes. Cathaven was ... uh... eccentric, to say the least"
Banes pinched his lips. "Yes, well, except for Lord Stephen, instead of reading the details, I will circumvent the obvious."
Clayton massaged the back of his neck. "Go on, Banes. We are on pins and needles."
Stephen snorted. "This should be interesting."
"Very well," the solicitor said, adjusting his spectacles. " 'To Lady Emily, I leave my portrait The one that hangs above the hearth in the big hall.'"
"His portrait?" Emily blurted out
Chuckling, Clayton accidentally tipped what was left of his drink onto the plush rug beneath him. Stephen's eyes twinkled. Roderick stood and walked to the other side of the room, his shoulders shaking, while tears came to Marcus's eyes.
"Em," Clayton said, rubbing a hand across his mouth, "we all know you had a soft spot for the old boy."
Emily groaned. "But his portrait?"
"At least you weren't left a dingy castle," Clayton said as he rose and glanced at the solicitor. "You can let the ruins go to the nearest vicarage for all I care. I don't want it."
"But I have not finished," Banes interrupted, shuffling the papers and quickly rising. "There is a bit more, my lord, and it has something to do with your inheritance. The stipulation I mentioned. Thought I would leave it for the end, you know."
"I knew it," Stephen put in. "A lady imprisoned."
Clayton knew the castle would push his finances beyond repair. Shaking his head, he crossed the room and grabbed the door handle. "I have an appointment in Town. Roderick can inform me of the details later. Better yet, send it off to my man-of-affairs, and he can inform you of my refusal."
"Wait," Emily said, rising from her chair. "If I have to take old Cathaven's portrait and stick it in my attic, you can at least hear the man out."
The mantel clock ticked in Clayton's ear. "I have an appointment."
"Is it that pretty blonde you are accidentally meeting in Hyde Park again?" Marcus asked, all laughter gone from his expression.
Emily's eyes widened. "Oh! You are meeting Miss Hookston?"
Clayton stiffened. Miss Hookston might be a bit soft in the head, but she was the prettiest thing in England. "Have a bit of decency, Em." He peered at Banes, who was turning crimson, whether from embarrassment or anger he knew not. "It's not as if I am going to marry the lady. Carry on, Banes. I have a minute or two."
Banes let out a deep breath of relief. "Very well, my lord. You are to inherit all your uncle's money."
Clayton gave a dry chuckle. "The man had next to nothing. Even an idiot could guess that when you rode past the place. It would take a king's ransom to fix the ruins."
Banes peered over his spectacles. "But my lord, it seems your godfather stored all his coin in the dungeon."
Clayton leaned against the door, crossing one Hessian boot over the other. "Oh, this is getting quite good. Sounds like one of the fairy tales I read to Emily's stepdaughter, Gabrielle. She would adore this."
Stephen stood, his brown gaze flashing with humor. "Banes, now let me get this straight Are you saying my brother is to seek out that dungeon and clear out all the skeletons?"
The men tried to hide their snickers, but it was almost impossible. Even Emily could not help laughing. Banes was turning a deeper crimson, if that was possible.
"You must forgive us, Banes," Clayton said, feeling sorry for the older gentleman. "It's not every day a man inherits a castle with a dungeon full of money from his hermit of an uncle. Had my brother informed me of this little meeting ahead of time, I could have planned my day better."
He looked at the clock again and set his jaw. "I do have an engagement and must not be late. But rest
assured, I'm not going to take that blasted castle. Good day."
Clayton opened the door and barely took another step before Banes hurried toward him. "My lord! Please! Hear me out!"
Clayton released a tired sigh. "Don't think this is out of disrespect for our dear uncle. Quite the contrary. He was an angry old man, set in his ways, but we did cater to his whims every now and then, and we, or at least I, had a liking for the old fellow. The man was in good mental health until his wife died." He threw up his hands and turned to leave. "It was a devilish shame, but the poor man lost touch with the world, especially when he wrote that blasted will."
"My lord!" Banes clamped his hand upon Clayton's arm, stopping him. "There's more than skeletons in that dungeon."
Clayton lifted a sarcastic brow. "Indeed? Well, my good man, I will not be the one who will be cleaning it out."
"B-but I must inform you of the stipulation if you wish to inherit the castle."
Clayton shot a sharp glance toward his siblings, who were doing nothing to help him. "Thank you for the information, Banes. But as I have said, I will have my man call upon you to make certain that does not happen." He started down the hall, his heels clicking upon the marble floor.
"My lord! Have you no wish to know the quantity of funds?"
Clayton kept walking. "How much, Banes?" he drawled.
His siblings filed out of the library to listen just as Banes quoted a sinful amount of money.
Clayton spun on his heels. "What did you say?"
Stephen's head snapped up. "Why, that sneaky little devil."
Clayton hastened back down the hall and grabbed the solicitor's shoulder. "Forget my earlier words. I will take that castle and all its belongings."
"Clay, oh favorite brother, can you put me in your will?" Stephen said mockingly.
Clayton waved him off. "Now, what about this stipulation? Do I have to live there for a year or something insane like that?"
"Not precisely. You must wed within three weeks of the reading of the will. If you do not have a bride by that time, the entire sum and the castle will go to your cousin Sir Gerald."
"Sir Gerald?" Emily announced in horror.
The Convenient Bride (The Clearbrooks) Page 2