“For dealing with my sister, of course. Our mother has been forever scolding her for doing what you seem to be able curtail with ease.”
Mr. Vallentyn burst out laughing. “Why am I unsurprised by this revelation?”
Trina just looked up at Mr. Vallentyn. “You seem to have gotten to know my sister very well very quickly, sir.”
Tatiana could feel a little heat beginning to rise in her cheeks.
“Indeed,” Mr. Vallentyn said, smiling over at her, “I feel as if I know her quite well. Why do you think that is?”
Was he asking her? Tatiana wished for all the world she knew, but all that she did know was that she felt the same way. There was a connection between the two of them—as if they’d known each other forever. She’d never felt so comfortable with a man who wasn’t one of her own brothers. “I wish I knew,” Tatiana admitted. “But it’s true, we’ve only known each other for a week, and yet it seems like…”
“Yes,” the word was little more than a whisper on his lips—and the world paused.
“Here now, Vallentyn, you’ve had enough time with Miss Ashurst. Time you shared her with the rest of us,” one of the pushier dandies called out, breaking the spell under which Tatiana had fallen. With a rush, the room and all of the noise surrounding her exploded onto her senses.
When had the room gotten so loud and the men so boisterous? Tatiana blinked, looking around. There must have been thirty men in the room—all chatting, laughing, and every now and then attempting to catch hold of Trina’s attention.
“I think now would be the time, Tatiana,” Trina said, her eyes darting around the room.
Tatiana nodded. She couldn’t agree more. Focusing herself inward for a moment, she reached out with her mind to Thomas, her grandmother’s footman, who had been warned to be prepared for her call.
Now.
Within a minute, he was at the door a letter in his hand. “Miss Ashurst, Miss Tatiana?” he asked, looking desperately around for the two sisters. He was a talented actor, Tatiana noted; she really must tell her grandmother—the man deserved a raise.
Trina looked over in mock surprise. “What is it, Thomas? Can’t you see that we’re busy?”
“I apologize, Miss, but a most urgent message has just come from your father,” he answered her from across the room, to be sure that everyone heard him.
“I’ll see to it, Trina. You go on with what you’re doing,” Tatiana said, making her way over to the door. She took the missive from Thomas with a tiny wink of thanks.
She opened the letter, skimmed it for what she knew would be inside and then let out a shriek of shock and dismay, feigned well enough to fool the idiots in the room.
“Oh, no! Oh! Excuse me,” she added more quietly, looking around her as if she’d just remembered that she was surrounded by company.
“What is it, Tatiana?” Trina asked from across the room.
“The ship carrying the goods Papa had invested in to fund your marriage portion has sunk! It’s gone, Trina!” Tatiana dropped her face into her hands and pretended to cry. She chomped down hard on the inside of her mouth, hard enough to truly bring tears to her eyes.
“No! It can’t be so!” Trina nearly screamed.
Tatiana could hear scrambling as her sister attempted to make her way over toward the door where Tatiana was standing. The letter was snatched from her fingers.
Tatiana looked up to see Trina give a squeal of shock and then ‘faint’ right into the arms of one of the better-looking men.
Another man, completely ignoring the collapsed girl, took the letter from her limp fingers and read it himself. Tatiana almost shrieked with true anger at his gall at reading a personal letter. But she had deliberately had her grandmother’s man of business write it to ensure that it both looked and sounded authentic. She was glad now that she’d been overly cautious.
“My, God, it’s true!” He turned to Trina, but she was still ‘unconscious’—probably enjoying being handled by the man into who’s arms she had fallen. So he turned instead to Tatiana. “I am most deeply sorry.” And with that he shoved the letter back at her, bowed, and left the room.
Within minutes, the room was nearly empty. Trina had ‘recovered’, but she’d clearly chosen her savior well, as he was one of the few men who hadn’t left. Instead, he had softly lain her down on a sofa and was sitting on the floor gently waving a fan in front of her face, working to ensure her speedy recovery.
“You are too good, Mr. Havelock,” Trina said, her voice sounding weak and frail. Tatiana thought she was overdoing it just a bit, but naturally couldn’t say so.
“Poor, poor, Trina,” Tatiana said, taking her sister’s hand and patting it gently.
“I have to disagree with you, Miss Tatiana,” Mr. Havelock said. “In fact, I think that both your performance and Miss Ashurst’s was brilliant.”
Trina was so startled she bolted upright. “What?”
Mr. Havelock laughed as he folded away the fan. “There is only the five of us here now, Miss Ashurst. I’m sure Lord Bruntly and Mr. Vallentyn agree with me?” he asked, looking over at the other two remaining gentlemen. Lord Bruntly was calmly sitting on the opposite sofa drinking his tea, and Mr. Vallentyn was still standing where Tatiana had left him—only now his hand was covering his mouth. Tatiana was pretty sure there were tears of mirth glittering in his eyes.
“Absolutely. Brilliant,” Lord Bruntly confirmed. Mr. Vallentyn could only nod, as his shoulders were shaking with suppressed laughter.
“And, I imagine, it got exactly the response you hoped it would. Only the gentlemen who are truly interested in pursuing Miss Ashurst for herself, and not her money, are still here,” Mr. Havelock continued. “Bruntly is as rich as the king, I’m not too badly off myself, and well, Vallentyn, I have to admit I am rather surprised to see you still here.”
Mr. Vallentyn pulled himself together and lowered his hand. “Oh, I’m not interested in marriage with Miss Ashurst. I do beg your pardon,” he added, giving her a small bow.
“Not at all,” Trina giggled.
“I must say, I’m intrigued by a lady who has had the temerity to attempt to have meaningful conversations during polite visiting hours.” Mr. Havelock continued giving Trina a warm smile.
Both Trina and Tatiana couldn’t help but laugh at that.
“Was it ridiculous of me?” Trina asked, completely ‘recovered’.
The man nodded, “Ridiculous and absolutely adorable, if I may be so bold.”
“Oh!” Trina took the fan from his hands and vigorously began applying it to herself to cool down the blush that was creeping up her face. The smile she sent Tatiana from behind the fan was all a sister could ever wish for. Never had Trina looked so happy.
“Lord Bruntly, Mr. Vallentyn, would you care to take a turn about the room with me, now that it is empty of all those imbeciles?” Tatiana asked, heading over to the gentlemen in question. Lord Bruntly raised his eyebrows, but acquiesced, standing up and taking Tatiana’s proffered arm, while Mr. Vallentyn happily took her other.
It was clear that Trina and Mr. Havelock needed a few minutes of ‘privacy’, while Tatiana suddenly found that she had a good deal of excited energy she needed to work off.
I presume the letter was ruse,” Kit began, as soon as he had finished completely cursing his luck that he was once again in the position where he should, if he only had the temerity, ask Tatiana about her prospects. Her lack of a definitive response in the park the other day was still gnawing at him—that, and his father’s threats, which were still ringing in his ears. If he could discover that Tatiana would, in fact, have a dowry, perhaps his father would allow him to marry her despite her family’s lack of political connections.
Tatiana shrugged. “It seemed like the only way to find out who was truly interested in Trina and not just her marriage portion.” The smile she turned on him would have had even the strongest of men drop to their knees. “It worked amazingly well, don’t you think?”
“Indeed.”
His conscience pricked at the mention of men who were only interested in marrying for money. But it wasn’t he who demanded it—it was his father. He was attracted to Tatiana with or without money. Very attracted.
He’d held Tatiana’s gaze for perhaps a little too long, he realized, when Lord Bruntly coughed politely. “Seems to me to have worked primarily in Havelock’s favor,” Bruntly said, not sounding as disgruntled as one might expect.
“I do apologize, my lord,” Tatiana said quickly. “If you would prefer to sit with my sister, I would not be offended in the least.”
The fellow looked over at Miss Ashurst and Mr. Havelock. They were sharing the sofa and sitting rather closer than was strictly proper. “Ah, no, I believe I know when to bow out gracefully.”
“Oh, sir…” Tatiana began, clearly a little upset.
He patted her hand as it rested on his arm, however. “No, no, my dear. No need to fret. It is perfectly all right with me. I think she’s got the better man there with her.”
“Oh, sir,” Tatiana said again, this time as an apology.
“So, Vallentyn, you swimming in other waters?” Lord Bruntly said, dipping his eyes down meaningfully to Tatiana.
“Too soon to tell,” Kit answered honestly. “Well, I am happy to hear that all is not lost for your sister and her dowry—for Havelock’s sake, at least,” he said, changing the subject back to where he needed it.
Tatiana laughed. “Oh no, there is no ship, Mr. Vallentyn. Trina’s marriage portion is perfectly intact.”
“And will yours be as well?” he slipped in as gently as possible.
Tatiana looked over at her sister. “I have none,” she said quietly.
“None?” Lord Bruntly exclaimed. “Are you parents doing nothing for you, then?”
A very slight shake of her head was the entirety of her answer.
“Well! How odd. And how do they expect you to find a husband, Miss Tatiana?” Bruntly asked, with no subtlety at all.
Her gaze slipped to the floor so that Kit couldn’t see into her eyes. “They will be choosing my husband for me. Any arrangements deemed necessary will happen after they have chosen the appropriate gentleman.”
“So they haven’t chosen anyone as yet?” Kit asked, perhaps a little too quickly.
“No. Not as far as I know,” she said. Was that perhaps a spark of hope in her eyes, Kit wondered.
Why was he holding out for an impossible hope, he scolded himself. Was there really any chance for him? Yes, he had to have faith that there was.
He gave her what he hoped was an encouraging smile. If no one had been chosen, and her parents were perfectly capable of bestowing a generous portion on the elder twin, then there was the possibility that they would do the same with the younger. Yes, there most definitely was cause for hope, indeed!
Tatiana! He did it!” Trina burst into basement stillroom, sending the scents of the drying flowers hanging from the ceiling swirling around the room.
Tatiana nearly spilled the tincture of peppermint she was slowly adding to her potion. She put down the delicate glass vial on the scarred wooden table, then looked up at her sister. “Who did what?”
“Mr. Havelock. He proposed! And I said yes,” Trina squeaked. She gripped her hands in front of her chest, as if praying fervently. What was she praying for? Her approval?
If so, then she most certainly had it. Happiness exploded within Tatiana, although reason soon followed. “That is, well, it’s amazing!”
“I know!”
“Fast.”
“I know!”
“Unexpected.”
“Yes!” Trina exclaimed. Her eyes were shining with a happiness Tatiana had never seen before. Her cheeks were flushed and she looked… she looked beautiful. Yes, there was still some of the magical beauty Tatiana had given her just before that first ball. It had begun to fade, but now in its place was a true beauty. Could it be love, Tatiana wondered?
“I am so happy for you, Trina. Was that he who knocked just a little while ago?”
“Yes. He came and spoke with Grandmama for a little bit—Thomas told me he was here—and then I was summoned to the drawing room. Grandmama allowed us to be alone, so I knew that this was going to be something important.
“He was so romantic, he did everything just right,” her sister finished on a sigh.
“That’s wonderful!” Tatiana pulled her sister into a tight hug. “He seems to be a very good man.”
“And he appreciates that I think about things,” her sister gushed.
“Yes. He is Vallen isn’t he? Is he powerful? Or not so much?” Tatiana asked, not that it made any difference whatsoever.
“He is. He has a way with numbers that is quite astounding. It’s where he’s made his money.” Trina stopped and looked appalled. “I hope Papa doesn’t mind. His cousin is a marquess, but he, himself, has no title.”
Tatiana smiled at her sister’s silly worries. “If he’s member of society, then I think there can be no question that Papa will approve. And Grandmama has done so already, so it should be fine.”
Trina gave a laughing sigh of relief. “Yes. It’s going to be all right.”
And now her parents would be able to find a husband for her, Tatiana thought with a shiver.
Cecelia has outdone herself,” Lady Ashurst said, looking about Lady Southburn’s salon at the crush of people. “She has always been able to coax anyone into attending her parties, but this is just…” her words petered out in a wave of awe.
“Who is here?” Trina asked, eagerly looking from face to face as if she were expecting to recognize anyone.
“Who is here?” her astounded fianc� asked. “Who isn’t here?”
“I take it, Trina, that all of the most influential members of society here,” Tatiana said, attempting to answer her sister despite her own ignorance.
“Not only members of society,” Mr. Havelock said, “but members of Parliament and I heard the prince was even going to attend.”
“The prince?” Trina squeaked. “Attend our engagement party? But why?”
“Because Lady Southburn asked him,” Tatiana shrugged.
“And she did this in three days,” their grandmother said, still in awe.
“It is truly amazing,” Tatiana agreed. She was not only amazed at the speed at which her grandmother’s close friend had put together this “little get together” (as Lady Southburn had called it), but that she’d managed to arrange it so that Tatiana could attend before she was forced to return home.
It was quite a way to end her much too brief stay in London. Spots of pain momentarily danced before her eyes.
“I wonder what the surprise is going be,” Trina said.
“Surprise?” Tatiana asked, turning to her sister, who still hadn’t stopped looking about the room. Tatiana was grateful to Trina for changing the direction of her thoughts.
“Yes, she said there would be a surprise a little later on. I wonder what it could be.”
Tatiana looked to her grandmother. She knew what it was going to be. The smile on her face told Tatiana so. “What is it, Grandmama?”
Lady Ashurst opened her eyes wide. “Why do you ask me?” she said, feigning ignorance very badly.
“Do you know?” Trina finally turned to look directly at their grandmother.
Lady Ashurst just shrugged.
“Of course she knows. But she’s not going to tell us,” Tatiana said, a little annoyed. She wasn’t sure she liked surprises. The last one she’d had was when her parents had announced that Trina was going to go to London to make her curtsey to society—and that Tatiana wasn’t.
And just at that disturbing thought, another appeared at her elbow.
“Good afternoon, ladies,” Mr. Vallentyn said, bowing to them. “Haveland,” he nodded to the gentleman.
“Vallentyn, good to see you,” Mr. Ha
veland reached out his hand.
Mr. Vallentyn may have clasped hands with him, but his eyes remained firmly on Tatiana. She could feel his gaze burning into her even though she was deliberately not looking at him. It wasn’t easy.
“My congratulations, Haveland. You’re a very lucky man,” Mr. Vallentyn said, finally turning away from Tatiana. She snuck a peek. As handsome as ever in a dark blue coat with a stunning waistcoat of blue with blue and silver embroidery, he was smiling at her sister.
“Thank you. I am well aware of it.”
“I think I’ll get some lemonade,” Tatiana said, and moved away from the group.
She needed to get away from Mr. Vallentyn. She’d sworn to get him out of her mind, and she knew that that wasn’t going to happen until she stopped seeing him every time she turned around. For that reason alone, she was almost looking forward to going home.
She couldn’t have him, so she didn’t want to think about him.
“Let me.” Mr. Vallentyn’s hand reached in front of her, gently making a path for her between two people who were standing back-to-back, each engaged in conversations with other people. “Pardon us,” he said to one, as the lady turned to see who was trying to get by.
The woman moved and Tatiana slipped by. She was feeling so hot and hemmed in that she wanted nothing more than to sprint through the room to get to the refreshments. But there was no possible way to move any faster than a crawl in the packed room. Mr. Vallentyn was easing the way for her—but that didn’t help, since it was from him she was trying to escape.
A wide open space miraculously opened up in front of her. She took advantage of it and dashed forward.
“The refreshments are this way,” Mr. Vallentyn said, indicating for her to go to the right. But there was light and air coming from the left, so she went in that direction instead.
“Miss Tatiana?” he called, coming after her.
In front of her, the doors to the garden appeared. They had been thrown open to allow fresh air into the overcrowded room. She paused before going outside. She wasn’t sure she should without an escort.
Storm On The Horizon, a paranormal Regency romance novella (Vallen) Page 5