by Amelia Grey
“Fine. He will be your husband. You may do so. Now I have things to do.”
“Wait.” She reached up and kissed his cheek and hugged him tightly. “I am happy with Mr. Quick, Hawk.” She turned him loose and smiled again. “I think he’ll make a wonderful husband and Miss Quick a true sister. You did hear him say he would feel the same way if you made me cry, didn’t you?”
“I heard every word he said, Adele,” he said indulgently.
She gave him a satisfied sigh. “Thank you for choosing him for me.”
Hawk’s thoughts strayed to Loretta and how she’d stood up to her uncle and had refused to marry Viscount Denningcourt. What she’d endured because of her uncle’s unforgiving nature. Hawk shook his head. “I didn’t choose him. I introduced you to him. It was always your choice. Even if contracts are signed, and you are standing at the altar in the church, you can change your mind about him and I will accept your decision.”
“I know that,” she answered innocently. “You have always wanted me to be happy.”
“And you are free to attend the Season even if you are betrothed. If someone else catches your fancy, I will understand. I’ll cancel the contracts and pay the forfeiture.”
“Thank you, Hawk. See, you are the most wonderful brother in the world. And I’ve decided I will attend the Season and dance at every ball as Miss Quick suggested. I will look the gentlemen over as carefully as they will study me.” She paused for a moment. “I think I have already given my heart to Mr. Quick.”
Chapter 21
A gentleman should always know when to offer a lady his handkerchief.
A PROPER GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO WOOING THE PERFECT LADY
SIR VINCENT TYBALT VALENTINE
As was so often the case in early spring, light-gray thunderclouds blended and swirled with darker ones as the winds swept them along. Loretta was sure there would be a shower before dark. Yet for now, she stood on the front lawn of Mammoth House watching Arnold give Farley lessons in handling two horses and a wagon. It was their second day of working together, and Farley was doing a little better today. She was pleased he’d asked her if Arnold could show him the proper care of horses. The animals didn’t seem to be as agitated with the new driver today as they clopped up and down the winding lane that led from the main road to the house.
She hadn’t yet written to her uncle to ask if Farley could stay. She hadn’t even asked Farley if he wanted to. Since the incident with the puppy, he’d been trying hard to be nice and have a more accommodating and thankful attitude toward everyone. After they returned to Mammoth House she’d explained why trying to take the puppy was wrong no matter his reasons for wanting to do it. She believed he understood. She didn’t expect anything like that to happen again.
While she watched for the wagon to come back into view, two riders appeared on the lane. Loretta smiled. Paxton was back. She was always so much happier when he was around. She wrapped her woolen shawl tighter about her arms and waited, eager to hear what he had to say about his meeting with the duke and the earl.
Paxton dismounted and handed the reins to his valet, who walked away leading the two horses to the barn. In his usual style Paxton grabbed both Loretta’s upper arms and kissed each cheek, greeting her with a joyous smile that seemed to reach from ear to ear.
“I’m glad you’re back,” she said, smiling up at him.
“Me, too. I have good news. It’s settled. Lady Adele and I are going to be married. The duke is drawing up the contracts, and Uncle and I will return to London in two weeks to go over them.”
Now she knew why Paxton’s smile was so big. “Did you see Lady Adele while you were in London?” Loretta asked.
“No, just the duke. I told you we had a matter of great importance to discuss. After it was resolved to both our satisfaction, he told me that he’d talked with Lady Adele after we left Hawksthorn and she wanted to proceed with the betrothal.”
Paxton seemed happy, but as she looked at him, she thought about the duke and how she longed to look at him just one more time. Without hesitation she asked, “Did it make you sad when you didn’t see her? Did you have an ache in your heart when you left her at Hawksthorn?”
“What?” he asked, looking confused by her words.
“When you looked at Lady Adele for the last time before you left, did you have a burning desire to take her in your arms and sweep her away somewhere privately where you could kiss her until you were both breathless?”
Paxton folded his arms across his chest and said, “I think I might need to take a look at what kind of romantic poetry books you’re reading.”
Perhaps she’d said too much, but she had started this conversation and had to finish it. “It’s not poetry that has me asking you that.”
His eyes and expression gentled. “I didn’t think that it was, but I had hope.”
With that Loretta knew she hadn’t been able to hide her feelings about the duke from her brother. “Never mind about that. I’ve told you before that I want you to love and adore whomever you marry. I want you to have that excited, I-don’t-know-how-I-can-live-without-this-person feeling.”
Paxton looked around at the sprawling countryside before them and then settled his gaze on the wagon and horses heading up the lane at a jaunty clop. He then said, “Not everyone needs that turbulent wind-in-your-hair-during-a-storm feeling for the one they marry. I guess I’m one of them.”
“No, Paxton. Don’t cheat yourself. I want you to know what it’s like to feel so desperate for someone, you know your life won’t ever be complete without them.”
He turned to her again and leaned forward. “I’m sure it’s thrilling, but I have to want it, too, Loretta. It’s not enough that you want it for me.”
His words took her by surprise. How could Paxton not want to experience all the passionate sensations for the person he married? The kind of tempestuous yearnings that the duke had stirred within her?
“What about Miss Pritchard?” she asked. “You were excited about her when you came back from being with her. You wanted to see her again. There must have been some desirous feelings for her.”
Paxton remained calm. “For a time. She was a pretty miss who smiled at me, and I danced with her.”
Was that all it was for him, or was it just all he was willing to admit to Loretta?
“Don’t you think you’ll regret it someday if you don’t go back and see her at least once again? To see if what you felt for her when you left is still there.”
“No,” he said earnestly. “I think I’ll regret it if I let this chance with Lady Adele slip through my hands.”
Was it the clouds in the sky that darkened or Loretta’s spirit? “You know why the duke wants you to marry her, don’t you?”
“Yes. He made it clear he doesn’t want her to be subjected to any kind of payback against him for the secret admirer prank he pulled on some young ladies years ago. If she’s betrothed, there will be no reason for anyone to pursue her.”
“And you’re all right with that?”
Paxton’s smile returned. “Why wouldn’t I be? He wants to protect his sister. I don’t blame him. I agree with him. I understand a man wanting to protect his sister from someone who wants to hurt her.”
“Is that why you’re going to say you’ll marry her? You think it will be good for me?”
“Yes. That’s part of it. I should be the one taking care of you, not Uncle. But you know I can’t because our father had nothing to leave us. We are both totally dependent on the earl. I’ve no doubt he would cut off my allowance if I tried to take you away from Mammoth House.”
Loretta stiffened indignantly. “I don’t need you to support me. I’m fine at Mammoth House. I don’t even think about the fact that I live here anymore.” She fibbed without guilt.
“I’m not fine with you being trapped here like a nun in a cloister. You’re strong, and you are coping, but you deserve better. I thought, with time, Uncle would soften and let you go back to Switch
ingham or give you a place in London, but he hasn’t forgiven you for embarrassing him. If I had more income, I would no longer be under Uncle’s thumb and could take care of you myself. And yes, Lady Adele’s dowry will do that.”
“This isn’t about me,” she argued earnestly. “And shouldn’t be about me.”
“It’s about both of us, Loretta.”
“You know that living here now doesn’t bother me. I have never lied to you. You know it took me a long time to adjust to Mammoth House, to forgive Uncle for being so hard and unforgiving himself, but I have learned how to be at peace with myself.”
“No. You simply hide it well. I saw how happy you were to get away and go to Hawksthorn even for such a short time. So yes, I told the duke I want to marry Lady Adele. This is best for you, for me, and for Lady Adele. Loretta, it’s not that difficult. Surely you see that she’s lovely. She’s kind. We get along together so easily.”
“You could be describing me.”
“What’s wrong with adoring my wife as much as I adore my sister? Dash it all, Loretta, I could do a lot worse, but I don’t think I could do any better than Lady Adele.”
“Did you kiss her?” Loretta asked as soon as the words popped into her head.
“That’s rather personal.”
“Did you?”
“Yes,” he said folding his arms across his chest in a relaxed manner. “Not that I should admit that to you or anyone else, but since I have, I’ll add that it was really quite a nice experience for both of us.”
Nice?
When the duke had kissed Loretta, nice hadn’t even entered her mind. It was thrilling, exalting, beyond reasonable or comprehensible explanation. Hawk’s kiss had completely changed her.
“This burning desire and yearning ache for breathless kisses you talk about is really rather rare anyway, don’t you think?” Paxton asked.
“Is it?” Loretta asked, coming to terms with the fact she’d lost the battle. Paxton didn’t want to help her fight it, and neither did Lady Adele. Maybe Paxton was right. He—they had to want that all-consuming desire to be with the other person and it didn’t appear either of them did. “I didn’t think it was, but I guess I really don’t know.”
She just knew that’s how she felt about the Duke of Hawksthorn.
“It doesn’t matter. I know I will be good to Lady Adele. I don’t know about other men. It would be easy for someone to take advantage of her and I know I never will. She has a sweet nature, and she’s innocent and trusting in a lot of ways.”
“Her brother knows that, too,” Loretta admitted.
“That’s why I told the duke I will marry her. I meant it when I said I’d be perfect for her. Uncle and I will go to London in two weeks, finalize the contracts, and I’ll be prepared to marry as soon as the duke and Lady Adele want it to happen.” His eyes brightened. “And there’s something I’m going to tell Uncle. Do you want to know what it is?”
“Yes, of course,” she answered without any real enthusiasm. “You know I want to know everything.”
“I’m going to tell him that you are coming to London with us when we go.”
Loretta’s stomach jumped at the thought she might see the duke again so soon. That wonderful feeling of butterflies fluttering in her chest started again. “I don’t know that the earl will be as generous with you as he was with the duke about my traveling. The duke could offer him a favor in return. You cannot.”
“Oh, but I can and he knows what it is. As soon as Lady Adele and I are married, I am accepting responsibility for you. The dowry from Lady Adele will ensure you will no longer be under his guardianship or a resident of Mammoth House. You will be with me.”
Just the thought of not being under her uncle’s command filled her with such relief. “I never dared to hope that might be possible for either of us.”
The wagon stopped at the top of the lane. Though it was a fair distance away, Loretta could hear Farley coughing. She turned to Paxton. “I will go to London with you on one condition.”
He quirked his head and laughed. “You amaze me, Loretta. You haven’t been to London in almost three years and you’re going to put conditions on going with me?”
“Yes. I want to take Farley with me. I want to find the best physician, apothecary, or whomever. I just want him to see the best London has. I want to know if Farley has a lingering cough from being so ill, or if he has developed consumption.”
“Dear sister.” Paxton shook his head slightly. “I believe I can talk the earl into allowing you to go to London for the reasons I just stated, but you have to know getting the boy there will not be as easy. There is simply no reason for him to go. The town house is small. I’m not sure there would room for him. As much as I’d like to do this for you, I don’t think I can help you with this.”
“You must do it for me,” she argued. Hawk was already lost to her. She was losing Paxton to Lady Adele. If she lost Farley, too, she’d have no one to offer her love, her help. “He can stay with your valet and you can say that he is being trained.”
“He’s so young, I really don’t see Uncle agreeing to that.”
Loretta reached over and placed her hand on Paxton’s cheek. “You know I’ve seldom asked anything of you.” She didn’t like pleading but in this she had no choice. “Please try to do this for me. I need to know if there’s a reasonable chance Farley can completely recover, or if it’s too late for that.”
Paxton gave her a sympathetic smile. “I’ll see that it’s done.”
Chapter 22
A gentleman who wants to woo a lady should never call on her without a bouquet of flowers in his hand.
A PROPER GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO WOOING THE PERFECT LADY
SIR VINCENT TYBALT VALENTINE
Loretta had gotten up early after little sleep. She’d forgotten how busy and noisy London streets were even in the middle of quiet Mayfair where her uncle’s town house was located. Throughout the night she’d heard the sounds of carriage wheels squeaking, horses’ hooves on packed ground, shouts from the drivers, and even the baying of hounds. None of those things were ever heard during the night at Mammoth House, and seldom were any of them heard during the day, either.
Thankfully she wouldn’t have many more days to spend in the old hunting lodge. To her surprise, the earl had welcomed the idea of Paxton taking over responsibility for her welfare. A young lady’s guardianship usually fell the closest male in the family anyway. Paxton had been far too young for that when their mother died, and then when he came of age the problem was that his allowance came from the earl. He didn’t give Paxton enough money to care for the both of them. And besides, Loretta was supposed to marry and have a husband to care for her. Now, after Paxton married Lady Adele, there would be more than enough for her to leave her uncle’s care.
There were other reasons she hadn’t slept well, she thought, as she looked out the drawing room window at the rainy street before her. She saw her reflection in the pane. Her brow was furrowed, and her lips firmly set. She appeared and felt anxious. Loretta wondered if there would be an opportunity for her to see Hawk. Would he bring the contracts to her uncle’s house? Would the earl and Paxton go to the duke’s home? They might even go to the solicitor’s office to handle them. She hadn’t wanted to ask. She’d rather have hope than disappointment.
She wanted to see Hawk, of course, even though she knew it would be best if she didn’t. Nothing could change between them, but seeing him always made her feel good. It warmed her, and though just seeing him would never satisfy her longing to be in his arms again, it might ease a little of the heartbreak and longing.
But now she had Farley to contend with and help fill her time. She was relieved his cough had improved and that Paxton had convinced her uncle he could come with them to assist his valet. In fact, ever since the earl had heard that the duke wanted Paxton to marry Lady Adele, her uncle had been amiable to everything Paxton had asked. No doubt, he was eager to have them both be someone else’s respo
nsibility, but mostly Loretta knew it was because of the clout having a duke in the family would give him with other peers.
Paxton had gone out some time ago to see if he could find the name of a person in town that she could take Farley to. She’d brought all of her pin money with her, which wasn’t much, but she hoped would be enough to pay for the man’s services. Paxton had added what he could to help her with the expense, too.
Loretta leaned in a little closer to the window when a carriage stopped in front of her uncle’s house. Her stomach quickened. She wiped the foggy pane with her hand. Was that the duke’s crest on the shiny black door? Her breath caught in her throat and held until she saw him alight from the coach and head for the house.
“He’s come to see me,” she whispered aloud to herself. But immediately she shook her head. What was she thinking? He’d come to see Paxton and her uncle. She had rebuffed him and he’d accepted that.
Paxton had said he was going to send a message to Hawk that they’d arrived in London. But her brother had gone out and hadn’t returned. Her uncle was still in his chambers. Hawk would be sent away. She rushed from the drawing room to the front of the house, where the maid was standing in the open doorway.
She saw Hawk across the threshold. He saw her, too. Her heart started pounding so hard she heard it in her ears.
“I’ll just come in and wait for him,” Hawk said, not waiting for the maid to respond. He took off his hat, cloak, and gloves and handed them to the woman.
“Good morning, Miss Quick.”
“Your Grace,” she said and curtsied.
“You don’t think the earl will mind if I wait for him in the drawing room, do you?” he asked.
“Knowing how much my uncle wants Paxton to marry Lady Adele, I’d say he’d be upset if you didn’t.”
“I’ll show you,” the maid said. “And then let his lordship know you are here.”
“Let me do that for you while you alert the earl,” Loretta offered. “I’m sure my uncle wouldn’t want to be delayed in knowing the duke is here to see him.”