Because he couldn’t think of any excuse to account for his disappearance, he told her the truth—or the parts he could reveal without endangering her.
“The dimwitted British thought I was a spy.”
Nine
Regina hid a yawn behind her fan and hoped the Countess of Norwick didn’t notice and take offense. Alas, her hostess for the evening was a keen observer.
Lady Norwick’s chocolate brown eyes sparkled with amusement. “Tired so soon, Miss Darlington?”
Regina dropped her gaze to the intricate block pattern set in the wood floor as heat washed over her face. If ballrooms incorporated a trap door like theatre stages, she would gladly disappear through it. “My apologies, Lady Norwick. I’m afraid my sleep has been poor lately.”
After Mr. Vistoire’s departure from Wedmore House two nights ago, she’d paced the length of her bedchamber, stopping to look out the window more times than she would ever admit. It wasn’t like her to fret over a gentleman, especially one she barely knew and would never see again.
Still, she’d worried for him. London could be a dangerous place where footpads and murderers prowled for victims, and pedestrians stumbled into the river to drown. Neither fate was one she wished on Mr. Vistoire. Last night, she hadn’t slept much better for thinking about him.
“Hmm,” the countess murmured. “And here I thought fending off advances from that wretched Lord Geoffrey might account for your fatigue.”
Regina’s heart jumped into her throat. Every sidelong glance she’d received that evening took on new meaning.
“I thought the scoundrel might swoon when the footman announced your arrival,” the countess added in a stage whisper.
Regina wet her lips. Perhaps she and her family should leave before the evening turned nasty. “What are the gossips saying?”
“Not a word.” Lady Norwick’s smile vanished; her nostrils flared slightly. “Lord Norwick and I do not abide gossips, and everyone is aware of our position. Unless one wants to be tossed from Norwick Place and excluded from future gatherings, one does not discuss others’ affairs.”
With all of Society clamoring for invitations to the Norwicks’ unorthodox parties, the lady’s threat likely caused many to tremble in fear, which afforded Regina some measure of relief.
“Thank you,” she said with genuine gratitude.
“No thanks are necessary, Miss Darlington. I had my fill of gossips a few years ago, and swore they would never control my life again.” Lady Norwick patted her arm comfortingly. “Only Lord Norwick and I are aware of your run-in, so please don’t fret. Lord Geoffrey pulled my husband aside to request he keep you far away this evening, and the blackguard looked none too pleased when Norwick demanded an explanation. I cannot fathom Lord Geoffrey wants anyone else knowing what transpired. He will keep quiet.”
The mischievous smile the countess was known for played upon her lips. “Did you truly have Lord Geoffrey groveling at your feet? I do hope he wasn’t exaggerating.”
“Is that what he said?”
Lady Norwick nodded.
“Well, I hate to disappoint you, but he was not groveling. Expanding my knowledge of vulgar language, yes, but no pleading was involved.”
The countess tossed back her head and laughed with abandon. Her laughter was the richest, most genuine, infectious sound Regina had ever heard, and she couldn’t hold in her own soft chuckle.
“Oh, I do like you, Regina Darlington. I think we could become fast friends.”
Regina had no lady companions outside of her sisters and aunt. She’d always seen herself as too different from other ladies to fathom they would want her friendship, so she’d kept to herself. But the countess had something in common with Regina—Lady Norwick was different, too.
“Oh, for pity’s sake, Bianca,” a voice called from behind Regina. “That braying laugh of yours carries everywhere.”
Lady Norwick offered a blinding smile for her detractor. “Fiona! How lovely to see you.”
Regina spun around to find three fashionable ladies making their way through the crowd gathered around the ballroom floor chatting while the dancers enjoyed the set. Lady Norwick had designated a set for partnering with widows, matrons, and spinsters only, and the gentlemen were highly encouraged to comply. This was simply more evidence of Lady Norwick’s uniqueness.
The countess took the older woman’s hands in hers and placed kisses on each of her prominent cheeks. “Fiona, I wasn’t certain you would feel up to socializing so soon after arriving home. Did you have a pleasant stay in Vienna?”
Fiona, Lady Banner, returned her sister-in-law’s greeting with affectionate kisses on her cheeks as well, discrediting rumors the two ladies had been enemies at one time.
“Vienna was tolerable,” Lady Banner said. “How is my darling niece? Has she missed her auntie?”
“Not a day has passed without little Fi asking after you. You must call tomorrow. We all missed you.”
The countess welcomed the other two ladies with the same enthusiasm before all four began talking at once. The friends shared a gift for communication that didn’t seem to require anyone to complete a full sentence to be understood. Regina held back, not venturing to join their conversation. She knew the ladies by reputation only, and she didn’t want to appear forward by speaking out of turn.
Lady Norwick glanced in her direction and waved her forward. “Fiona, Amelia, Serafine. Allow me to present Miss Regina Darlington, Lord Wedmore’s eldest niece.”
The ladies regarded her with expectant smiles as the countess completed the introductions. Regina curtsied to Lady Banner then returned Amelia Hillary’s and Serafine Tucker’s smiles with a shy one of her own.
“It is an honor to meet you,” she said.
The ladies reassured her the pleasure was theirs then began asking polite questions about her and her family. Their show of interest made her feel oddly at ease when she typically did not like to talk about herself. Invariably, when she had opened up in the past, ladies would comment on her unique family, and they had a way of making the word sound insulting.
Eventually Lady Norwick directed the conversation toward a different topic. “Serafine, I thought your brother was accompanying you this evening. I’ve been anxious to lay eyes on him ever since your message arrived yesterday.”
The willowy young woman with the dewy skin smiled. “He is here, but he received an invitation to partner for the waltz.” Serafine Tucker had a pleasing airy sound to her voice, like a gentle breeze.
“Brava for the lady in question,” Lady Norwick said. “I admire a woman who pursues what she wants. It sounds like your brother could be in trouble, unless he doesn’t mind being led around by the nose.”
Mrs. Tucker’s striking green gaze briefly met Regina’s before the other woman looked away.
Lady Banner snorted. “Do you have a twin, Bianca?”
“What do you mean?”
“If I remember correctly, not long ago you were the lady pursuing what she wanted. Poor Tubs didn’t know what hit him.”
The countess laughed good-naturedly. “I’ll have you know your brother is perfectly happy being at my beck and call.”
“That he is,” Lady Banner conceded with a satisfied nod.
Mrs. Tucker swept a hand toward the dance floor. “My brother is headed this way” —she nailed the countess with a pointed glance— “and his partner is simply charming.”
Curious, Regina craned her neck for a glimpse of Mrs. Tucker’s brother and his charming partner. Her eyes locked onto a plume of red and black feathers, much like the ones Aunt Beatrice had been wearing in her headdress when they’d left Wedmore House that evening.
Oh, dear.
Regina’s mouth grew dry. Aunt Beatrice sometimes ignored the fact she was no longer a young lady. Most gentlemen overlooked her harmless flirtations, but the insufferable members of the ton made a joke of her when they thought Regina and her sisters wouldn’t overhear. She felt slightly queasy as it
occurred to her the countess might be having fun at hers and Aunt Beatrice’s expenses.
Lady Norwick’s face lit with a bright smile as she linked arms with Regina. “Isn’t that your great-aunt, Miss Darlington?”
Regina braced herself for the snide remark she knew was forthcoming.
“Miss Allred is glowing,” the countess said. “This is exactly what I’d hoped for this evening, a lovely time for all of our guests.”
The lack of guile in Lady Norwick’s manner chipped away Regina’s defenses, and she allowed herself to take in the scene. All she could see of Aunt Beatrice’s dance partner was a pair of broad shoulders, but she wasn’t really looking at him anyway. With blue eyes twinkling, Aunt Beatrice turned a slow circle under her partner’s arm and giggled like a debutante.
Regina covered her heart and sighed. She already liked Mrs. Tucker’s brother, for he was allowing Aunt Beatrice to re-experience the joy of her youth. Gratitude welled up inside of Regina.
“Auntie is having the time of her life,” she said.
“Oui.” Serafine smiled fondly in the couple’s direction. “Xavier is enjoying himself as well.”
The name hadn’t quite penetrated Regina’s awareness when Aunt Beatrice and her partner turned the corner, allowing Regina her first glimpse of his handsome face.
“Oh, my,” she uttered with a rush of breath.
Aunt Beatrice’s partner was Mr. Vistoire. And he looked positively dashing. Black breeches hugged his slim hips as if they had been tailored for him, and the red and black damask waistcoat was simply exquisite topped with a black jacket.
Blood thrummed through her veins. How was he here? He’d told her that he was sailing to New Orleans without delay to reunite with his sister, and as long as Regina had been out in Society, Serafine Tucker had resided in London.
“How many siblings do you have, Mrs. Tucker? Do you have a sister in New Orleans?”
The woman’s soft smile fell away. “I am surprised you remember where I’m from.”
A prickly heat invaded Regina’s body. “I’ve always had a good memory for details. You arrived in London with your American cousins and your cousin’s husband, Captain Hillary.”
“You do have an excellent memory.” Mrs. Tucker’s smile reappeared. “We have no more family in New Orleans. Xavier and I were our parents’ only children. What about you, Miss Darlington? Is it just you and your two sisters?”
“Yes, three girls.” Regina narrowed her eyes as she watched Mr. Vistoire guide Aunt Beatrice around the floor. What game was he playing?
“He is enthralling, is he not?” Lady Norwick murmured in her ear. “I can barely look away.”
Regina reluctantly forced her gaze from Mr. Vistoire only to discover the countess wasn’t watching him at all. She was regarding Regina with a slight curve to her ruby lips.
Regina cleared her throat. “I have never seen my aunt on the dance floor. It is a pleasant surprise.”
“Yes, I can see the pleasantness and surprise written all over your face.”
Regina warmed under the countess’s scrutiny, and she flicked her fan to create a breeze as the last of the string quartet’s notes faded on the air.
“Serafine, you must make introductions,” Lady Norwick said. “Would you collect your brother?”
“Of course. I’ll only be a moment.” Mrs. Tucker slipped into the crowd.
Regina would have taken her leave as well, if not for Lady Norwick attached to her side.
“I have already had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Vistoire,” Amelia Hillary said, “and I see my husband coming this way to claim the next dance. We will catch up later, dearest.” The petite blond kissed the countess’s cheek before waving to Regina and Lady Banner. “Good evening, ladies.”
Lady Banner came up on Regina’s other side as if she and the countess were colluding to keep her from running away. “It’s a wonder Mr. Hillary allowed his wife from his sight as long as he did,” Lady Banner said.
“Oh?” Regina’s curiosity was piqued despite her wish to escape before Mrs. Tucker returned with Mr. Vistoire. “Is her husband the overbearing type?”
“Jake Hillary is the smitten type,” the countess said. “I’ve never seen a man more in love with his wife, aside from my own.”
Lady Banner pursed her lips. “I believe we’ve already established you have my brother wrapped around your finger, Bianca, and quite happy to be there. Does he deny you anything?”
“Never.” The countess winked at Regina. “Jasper realized early on it was an exercise in futility to try to talk me out of something when I’ve already set my mind to it.”
Regina didn’t know why, but she felt like Lady Norwick might have set her mind to something involving Regina, and she wanted nothing to do with being the lady’s plaything. “I really should see to my aunt. She has a tendency to over-exert herself at times.”
The ladies released her with reassurances that she should do what was best for her family.
“Thank you,” Regina said, bemused by how amendable they were. Perhaps she’d misjudged them. Before she could bid them a good evening, she spied Aunt Beatrice strolling in their direction on Mr. Vistoire’s arm. Regina shifted her weight to her toes, poised to dash into the crowd before Aunt Beatrice found her. She refused to receive Mr. Vistoire politely while everyone observed.
He had taken her in completely. He’d invaded Wedmore House. And the worst of it was, she had forgiven the reprobate. She had believed his apology was sincere and trusted he was leaving London. Therefore, he would never have had the chance to utter a word about surprising her at home alone.
“There is my lovely niece.” Aunt Beatrice’s voice rang out in the ballroom. “She has not yet chosen a suitor, so you are in luck, sir.”
Good Lord. Where was that trap door when Regina needed it?
Ten
Xavier wasn’t one to question good fortune or allow an opportunity to slip through his grasp. Yet, he broke into a light sweat as Miss Beatrice Allred lead him across the ballroom to present him to her niece. Partnering with Miss Darlington’s aunt for the waltz had not been by design, but that didn’t stop the annoying twinges of a guilty conscience from bedeviling him. It seemed he wasn’t above using her aunt to further his cause.
He had hoped to cross paths with Regina Darlington this evening. Only five days remained until he was supposed to deliver the map. When he’d stepped outside of his sister’s house this morning to revel in his reclaimed freedom, he’d realized his cell had simply expanded. Two of the men who’d interrogated Xavier during his incarceration had been waiting at the corner. Neither spoke or made threatening gestures, but the warning was clear. As long as Farrin and the man financing him were alive, Xavier’s family was in danger, and so were the ladies of Wedmore House.
But he had a plan.
To gain access to Lord Wedmore’s town house, he would court Miss Darlington. To protect her, he must convince her to marry him. Unfortunately, he’d falsely confessed to being a rake set on seducing her. The odds of winning her hand were not in his favor.
“Where did that girl disappear to? I know she was just there.” Aunt Beatrice, as she insisted he call her, dug her fingers into his forearm as if she was worried he might try to escape and tugged him in another direction. She was as marriage-minded as any mother trying to arrange a match for her daughter, and she was determined to catch a husband for her niece. “I expect you will fall head over heels for her in no time.”
He chuckled, despite the nearly cannonball-sized knot settling in his gut. He’d already fallen for Miss Darlington. And cracked his skull in the process. The true challenge would be making her fall for him.
Aunt Beatrice drew to a sharp halt. Her face scrunched as she looked up at him. Her nose twitched every time she blinked. “You are a delightful dancer, Mr. Vistoire, but do the ladies find you handsome?”
“Now, Aunt Beatrice. How am I to answer honestly without appearing vain?”
She hoot
ed with scandalized laughter and squeezed his arm. “Charming and clever. There she is. Wait here while I retrieve her.”
The lady released her grip on him and disappeared into the crowd. She waved at a young woman who didn’t seem to know her. The lady’s forehead puckered in confusion as Aunt Beatrice elbowed a path through the bodies standing in her way and called out to her.
Xavier shook his head in amused disbelief. While he waited for Aunt Beatrice to discover her mistake, he allowed himself the pleasure of watching the real Miss Darlington gracefully weave toward a set of French doors on the far side of the room. Her gown shimmered under a waterfall of diffuse light from a massive brass chandelier. The rosy hue lingered somewhere between pink and crimson and lent her cheeks a healthy glow while the silk hugged the gentle curve of her bosom.
When she reached the open doors, she paused and locked eyes with him. He couldn’t tear his gaze from her. His breath churned thickly in his lungs. “Enchanteresse,” he murmured.
Her pink tongue darted over her plump bottom lip, leaving her mouth shiny and as tempting as sin. Slowly, she turned away and slipped outside.
Xavier tensed. Where the devil was she going? The gardens at night were no place for a lady, with or without an escort. He started toward the doors to talk some sense into her and see her safely back inside, but another man reached the exit before him and shot into the dark in quick pursuit.
Damnation.
Xavier shoved through the maze of bodies, earning several disparaging words, but he didn’t allow their censorship to slow him. Miss Darlington’s pursuer outweighed her by several stones. She’d not be able to defend herself for long against him if he caught her.
When Xavier stepped outside, a humid breeze washed over him. Pierced tin lanterns lined the stone railing around the empty terrace, casting splattered dots of light across the surface. He sprinted down the stairs and halfway into the gardens before he stopped to listen for signs of where Miss Darlington had gone.
The hypnotic trill of crickets was broken by a sharp crack of a stick deeper in the garden. Xavier hurried toward the sound, moving as quietly along the gravel path as possible. A white dome nestled among the trees in a corner of the garden shone like a beacon in the darkness. As he continued along the gently curving path, the entire structure and its occupants came into view.
Secrets to a Gentleman's Heart (Uncle Charlie's Angels Book 1) Page 8