On one hand, she knew he had done it for her. In a way, it was him showing her that he could act on impulse. However, she knew Henry wouldn’t see her unusual relationship with the earl as anything good. Part of her wanted to ride to Avange Manor right now and make sure he understood how her brother reacted to his presence.
“I don’t believe it for one second.” Raymond’s voice held anger. “You may not be aware of his intentions, but you are the reason why Starsen came here.”
Swallowing, she worked to keep ignorance on her face. “Why do you say that?”
“You know I didn’t tell your brother about your little dress mishap, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. The earl had lust in his eyes when he looked at you.”
Fire raced through her veins at the thought. Had Lord Starsen truly been thinking about the act that happened between a man and a woman when he’d looked upon her? She had to admit, the idea didn’t trouble her. Feeling his body pressed against hers had been quite pleasant.
“I can hardly fault him for that. He’s a man and I wasn’t dressed properly.”
“But, how can you be sure that he doesn’t recall that moment every time he looks at you? Doing so will only make him crave you more.”
She snorted. “If we were speaking of any other gentleman, I would agree, but this is the Earl of Starsen. He’s bland and probably wouldn’t know what to do with a woman in any case.”
The lie felt awkward on her tongue. The persona he presented to the world, and to her in his letters, was nothing like the true man. His kiss may have been controlled and sedate, but it was certainly not boring.
“Say what you will, but I have my eye on that man.”
Isabella shrugged as if she didn’t care, but her mind had already begun to come up with new ways to evade Raymond and see the earl. After all, she refused to allow him to be impulsive without her.
~ ~ ~
Marcus shifted uncomfortably as the weight of eyes fell upon him again. The guests had only been arriving for the last half hour, but the disquieting feeling had already begun. Strangely enough, the sensation wasn’t like that of a matchmaking mother. This seemed more sinister.
“My lord, has the girl you wished for me to befriend arrived,” Miss Ashford asked as she appeared at his side.
“Not yet, but I’ve had an assurance from her brother that she will be in attendance.”
The girl nodded her head. “Can you explain to me what makes her friendship more valuable than the rest? I have met a number of friendly women thus far.”
Trying not to appear eager, he shrugged. It wouldn’t do for her to realize how important it was to him that Lady Isabella have another reason to be frequently seen at Avange Manor. When he visited Midcliffe, he had hoped to assuage the man’s fear of any interest on his part.
Marcus took a deep breath as he scanned the crowd for the lady. Having her around him to witness his impulsive acts was important. He held onto the hope that after she had seen enough, she would end her requirement and they could return to only communicating by letters.
“Lady Isabella is a close neighbor. The proximity of her brother’s estate makes her a perfect companion for you. After all, neither of you would have to travel far to visit one another.”
Miss Ashford’s eyes searched his face. “I can’t decide on your true purpose. It is unnerving.”
“My true purpose?” He knitted his brow. “What do you mean?”
“Well, you could be offering me a close companion in the hope that I will find favor with my place here and be content to stay. Or, your intention could be to scare me away.”
“How is that?”
“Your mother indicated that Lady Isabella is a wild sort. Multiple times, she attempted to dissuade me from establishing a rapport with the lady.”
Marcus ground his teeth together in irritation. Of course, his mother would have maligned Lady Isabella. He clenched his fists in hot anger. He couldn’t stand for unkind words to be spread about that particular lady. Not any longer.
Over their correspondence, he had come to realize Lady Isabella suffered from the same wild spirit that had plagued him for years. She simply needed help learning how to reign herself in. Then, she would be able to live a comfortable life without being harassed by her impulses.
“My mother exaggerates. Lady Isabella and my sister used to be quite close. Somehow during the course of their relationship, my mother’s opinion of the girl must have soured.”
“Well, seeing as you endorse the lady, I shall do my best to offer my friendship to her. I do thank you for having a care over my comfort.”
Pleased that she would agree to his request, he couldn’t hold back his wide smile. To his surprise, Miss Ashford blushed. The sight of such a response puzzled him.
“Starsen.” The Earl of Midcliffe’s booming voice captured his attention. “It appears to be a pleasant day for your picnic. We appreciated your personal invitation.”
“I’m very pleased you could come. Please allow me to introduce Miss Carolyn Ashford. Miss Ashford, this is Henry Rossland, Earl of Midcliffe, and Lady Isabella Rossland.”
He only allowed his eyes to fall upon Lady Isabella for a second before moving on. Not gazing upon her when she stood so close felt like torture, however, he didn’t like the way the earl mentioned his personal delivery of the invitation. Marcus refused to allow the lady to encounter any more trouble from his actions.
Once the pleasantries had been exchanged, Marcus stood with Midcliffe as the two ladies moved on to get acquainted. It made him feel proud to see both women making an attempt at friendship.
“Well, I suppose I can see the appeal.”
Glancing at Midcliffe, Marcus couldn’t read the meaning in the man’s closed expression. “I beg your pardon?”
“Miss Ashford.” Midcliffe nodded his head in the direction of the girls. “She appears to be a lovely young woman. Young, but I’ve always been partial to women closer to my age.”
Marcus nodded, the earl had around thirteen years on him. “She is lovely.”
Turning his attention to the women, Marcus used this as an opportunity to gaze upon Lady Isabella. She looked brilliant in her light blue gown. The style was modest, much like the rest of her wardrobe, but he too easily recalled the feel of her curves beneath the clothing. He disregarded the thought the second it entered his mind. She deserved better than to have him think of her in such a fashion.
“Should I be on the lookout for the banns to be announced?”
Snapping his gaze back to the earl’s, Marcus couldn’t hide his confusion. “The banns?”
“That is why you wanted the girl to establish a relationship with my sister, isn’t it? Without having a season, you are correct in assuming that Isabella may spend the remainder of her days at Midcliffe.”
The thought of Lady Isabella being reduced to a spinster for the rest of her life didn’t sit well. She deserved so much more. And, it was likely she wanted more for her life as well.
“That is a shame. The lady should have an opportunity to experience London. If you need a female sponsor, my mother could—”
“No.” The earl’s voice came out harsh. “My sister is much too innocent to be tainted by London. You should know the dangers better than most.”
His teeth clenched at the reference to Annalise. Her ruination had been brought out by one man, and hadn’t been by her own fault. “Many ladies spend their seasons in London, and don’t suffer consequences. I’m sure Lady Isabella would be one of the fortunate ladies.”
“Why are you so concerned over my sister’s unwed state? I take offense at the implication that I have failed in my duties as her brother and chaperone.”
Taking a deep breath, Marcus reigned in his reaction. Midcliffe was right. He had no business worrying after the girl.
Forcing a shrug, Marcus turned a bored expression toward the ladies. “My only thought was to offer you aid in marrying off your sister. From my experience, girls are never ha
ppy until they have a husband to take charge of them.”
Midcliffe laughed. “True words. Well, rest assured, I have done my best to take charge of Isabella. I keep her reasonably happy and will continue to do so until the right man comes to take her off my hands.”
After a few more shared words, the earl wandered off to converse with the other guests. Marcus found his gaze again trained on Lady Isabella. He wondered if she knew what her brother had planned for her. Although Marcus admired the man for wanting his sister to find a good husband, he couldn’t figure out what he had done to not be considered an option for her. Not that it truly mattered, as he had no intention of marrying Lady Isabella.
After luncheon was concluded, the object of his thoughts carefully made her way over to him. Her movements were deliberate, as if she wanted her progress to be overlooked. Casting a glance at Midcliffe, Marcus was relieved to see the man deep in conversation with a few other gentlemen.
“My lord,” Lady Isabella greeted. “I wanted to take this time to thank you for your invitation. Although the personal delivery of it was quite unexpected and very unnecessary, we are pleased you wished for us to attend.”
Guilt swamped him as he read into her words. So, her brother wasn’t entirely happy by his appearance that day. He had known it was a gamble, but part of him wanted to show Lady Isabella he was acting on impulse as she had requested.
“I’m glad to hear it. We are delighted you could attend. Be assured, in the future I will make sure to assign a member of my staff to see to the invitations.”
“Again, thank you, my lord.” She glanced away as if bored with the conversation. “While at Midcliffe, did you happen to see the maze?”
He drew his brows together, before catching himself and settling for a neutral expression. “I don’t believe I did.”
“Such a shame. It happens to be one of my favorite places. More often than not, I can be found in the center.”
“I’d imagine locating that very spot could prove difficult.”
A secret smile curled the corners of her lips. “For some. My brother, for instance, has never acquired the patience it takes.”
Excitement ran through him. Their conversation was dangerous and daring. And, he loved it. Planning to secretly meet her while in the presence of so many others reached a forgotten side of him. The reckless part of him wanted more. To take her arm and lead her into the garden. Alone.
His gaze fell to her lips, and he couldn’t tear his focus away. For too long he’d been out of practice for this sort of thing. He wasn’t good at it. The realization provided him with what he needed to draw his attention away from her. Perhaps it was time he gave up his recklessness and the chance to continue corresponding with her. Otherwise he could inadvertently ruin her reputation.
“Lord Starsen.” Her light voice pulled him from his thoughts. “I believe I lost you for a few seconds there.”
He cleared his throat. “I am sorry, my lady. You were saying about the maze?”
“I simply mentioned that a person with a certain amount of determination could find the center. It would just have to be something he truly wanted.”
“What about you? Is it your determination that leads you to the center every time? Or, is there something there you desire?” The question fell from his lips before he had a chance to truly think about his words. Another side effect of allowing himself to be impulsive. It made him worry that he would never return to his old self once his time with her was over.
She laughed. “At this point, I would say it’s my memory, but at first, it was probably a little of both. However, tomorrow after luncheon, I suspect it will be the latter that draws me there.”
Before he could respond, Miss Ashford arrived at his side and took his arm. “Lord Starsen, do you intend to monopolize all of the lady’s time? I imagine there are number of other guests hoping to have a word with her.”
“You are very right. Lady Isabella, please excuse me.”
After offering her a bow, he moved away with Miss Ashford. He shouldn’t have spent so much time with Lady Isabella, but something about her made him reluctant to leave her side. Even now, he fought the urge to turn around and look for her.
“I’m sorry to put an end to your discussion, my lord.”
He offered her a smile. “Don’t apologize. You are correct. The lady certainly has better prospects than to converse with me.”
She looked up at him, a hint of nervousness in her eyes. “That isn’t it at all, my lord. You see, I have found that I have an amazing ability to blend in and become unnoticed.”
Wondering how the girl could ever think that of herself, he chuckled. “That is something I don’t believe is possible.”
“Believe what you will.” She waved away his concern. “But, I managed to overhear a few whispered words regarding your interactions with the lady.”
Marcus ground his teeth together. “The Earl of Midcliffe.”
“And, the man hidden in the shadows. I couldn’t hear most of their conversation, but they seem to think you have developed an interest in Lady Isabella. Is that true?”
Shifting uncomfortably, he measured his words. “The lady and Annalise were very close. As such, she and I have developed a companionable acquaintanceship.”
“If that is all, you have no reason to concern yourself over their discussion. However, if matters were to change, I would say you will not receive an easy blessing from the earl.”
He tilted his head to study the girl. It was strange that she had no concern for herself. After all, if he chose Lady Isabella, he certainly would not be offering for her at the end of the month.
Although her stance on marriage mirrored his own, he couldn’t help but feel sorry for her at this moment. As a young woman, she should be as frivolous and free as Annalise was at the age of eighteen, well perhaps not that far. Still, he wondered what had happened to this girl to remove the stars from her eyes.
As his attention traveled to Lady Isabella, he realized the stars had been removed from her eyes as well. Too many times he’d seen boredom on her face at an event she should have been pleased with. Even now, she looked upon the lady she conversed with as if the exchange brought her pain.
Purpose filled him. He had a little less than a month to show Miss Ashford she deserved more than a household out of life. And, he had an indeterminable amount of time to see passion on Lady Isabella’s face. Perhaps if he could achieve both, he would be able to quiet the restless soul within himself.
Then, he could contentedly return to the mundane existence he had established before now. He couldn’t wait to begin.
Chapter 6
Isabella meandered around the center of the maze. Normally, the peaceful atmosphere and relaxing pond soothed her restlessness. Not today.
It had been over an hour since luncheon, and Lord Starsen hadn’t shown up. Had he not understood her invitation? At the time, she hadn’t been at liberty to outright ask him to join her, but she truly thought he had read into her meaning.
She stopped her pacing. What if his leg made the path too difficult? Upon occasion, Henry expressed the exact complication when he had tried to locate her in the center. Concern made Isabella even more on edge. What should she do? Try to locate him? Moving through the rows while calling his name would only be asking to be caught.
Deciding she couldn’t wait any longer, she marched toward the exit and as soon as she turned the corner, she slammed into something solid. A masculine grunt sounded as warm hands gripped her shoulders.
“Not exactly the welcome I was expecting.” Amusement colored Lord Starsen’s voice.
She moved back quickly, not wanting to increase the discomfort she knew he must be feeling. “I’m so sorry, my lord.”
“Considering the circumstances, I think you should call me Marcus.”
Her cheeks burned. “The circumstances?”
He glanced away from her. “I apologize if I overstepped. I simply thought since we were meeting
in private like this . . .”
Although the idea of calling him by his Christian name brought flutters to her stomach, she couldn’t deny him. “Very well, Marcus. You may call me Isabella.”
His grin was back and only made the fluttering worse. “All right, Isabella. So, am I allowed to enter?”
“Of course.” She hurried out of his way. “Please. You managed to make it all the way, so you may survey your prize.”
Instead of moving in and examining the surroundings as she expected, his eyes remained fastened on her. Again, the burning moved up her cheeks. This was the man she knew nothing about. The exciting and impulsive one. She repressed a shiver of awareness. It had never occurred to her that she could come to any danger in his presence. Until now.
In an attempt to put some distance between them, Isabella moved toward the bench and sat down. Marcus walked inside her sanctuary, leaning heavily on his cane. Guilt swamped her. She shouldn’t have made him come all the way here. Nor should she ever think he would harm her. She knew him better than that.
“This is a peaceful place. I can see you spending time here.” He sat down on her favorite rock by the pond, and immediately she felt better.
“How did you find your way here? I admit, it wasn’t fair of me to challenge you like that. Annalise was never able to find the center.”
He laughed. “I’ve never been one to shy away from a challenge. Honestly, I admire you for inviting one. Now, I must ask, did I pass the test?”
“That depends.” She enjoyed seeing the playful light in his eyes. “How did you manage to navigate your way?”
“Why should I give away my secret? Shouldn’t it be enough that I arrived?”
A smile spread her lips. “Then, you cheated. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to being a little disappointed.”
“Cheated? Unless there was a paper explaining where to turn, I don’t think it’s possible to cheat at a maze.”
Ensnaring Lord Starsen Page 7