Where Have All the Scoundrels Gone?

by Donna Cummings

  Her father gave a quick glance at the long-healed injury. "I was happy to do so." He seated himself in his usual chair, sighing with contentment. "Just as I was happy to see to your aunt, in part to learn what your latest tricks were."

  Richard sat down again, and Constance handed her father a cup of tea. "Mr. Hayward was corrupting young Thomas earlier by detailing one of those tricks he had played on the Dowager."

  "I merely meant to distract the lad while you took care of his knee. I had no idea he might find it inspirational. Hopefully I turned it quickly enough into a cautionary tale."

  Constance laughed. "He is most likely regaling his friends, enlisting them to wreak havoc amongst the unwary in the village."

  Mr. Hayward gave her a look of mock dismay. "It is easy to see why I should not serve as a physician's assistant. I have inadvertently drummed up a host of future patients for you. I should probably warn the Dowager to expect their enraged parents to commence rioting on her doorstep."

  Dr. Lockhart chuckled. "More likely a horde of eager young acolytes, hoping to glean more information from you."

  "I should pack my bags now, before anyone can capture me."

  Constance could not resist saying, "But think how disappointed the poor debutantes would be."

  He laughed. "They are bound to be disappointed regardless."

  The casual remark made her heart respond a bit more joyously than it should have. Why should she revel in their disappointment? It did not mean he had any noble intentions where she was concerned. In truth, it was a good reminder that Mr. Hayward's company was indeed dangerous, for he made troublemaking seem much too appealing.

  Constance pursed her lips. Perhaps it was time to send him on his way, with a clear indication that she would not welcome his return. She would have to don her most serious mien, the one she utilized when telling a patient news they were unwilling to hear.

  Before she could attempt it, Mr. Hayward was rising, apologizing for overstaying his welcome. "Dr. Lockhart, thank you for the opportunity to remember the glory days of my misspent youth." He turned towards her, and gave her the most irreverent grin, almost as if he knew what was racing through her mind. "Miss Lockhart, I am grateful you permitted me to assist you today. I am in even more awe of your medical talents."

  She felt herself blushing, something that had not happened in years. Even more reason to send him on his way for good. "You are too kind, Mr. Hayward." She stood so she could see him out, leading him to the doorway. "I hope the rest of your visit with the Dowager is uneventful."

  "I would be surprised if it is," he replied, his eyes twinkling.

  By this time they were alone at the front door. She could hear the soft snores from her father in the next room, and they made her smile. This was the life she had chosen, the one that provided comfort and stability, and a future that could be counted as certain. As tempting as it was to contemplate something more...No, she had done so once and doubted that life would offer such opportunities twice.

  She opened her mouth to utter a final farewell, but the words seemed to stick in her throat. Would it be so horrible to seek out another encounter with him? All she had to do was tease him about investigating a further ailment of his, and he would agree with alacrity, giving her yet another opportunity to enjoy the attentions of a witty and handsome young man.

  He lifted her hand to his lips, and pressed a surprisingly tender kiss to her skin. "Miss Lockhart, I hope you will agree to walk with me tomorrow. I would like to see more of the countryside."

  "I am confident you know the countryside well from your many visits here."

  "Then I would like to see how it has changed."

  "And I could assist you with that?"

  "A great deal. Why, what if I were to traipse about the countryside alone, and injure myself? It could be days before I was discovered missing."

  Her lips twitched. "A wild boar would probably find you before too long. Though I doubt it would be inclined to carry you safely home."

  "It might, but to its own home, not mine, and in multiple pieces." He pretended to shudder. "Surely you would not wish such grievous harm to befall me?"

  "No, I would not." She sighed. "Not anymore."

  His laughter buoyed the hopefulness she had tried to keep from rising in her heart. She could not seem to resist this charming scoundrel, and she was not too proud to admit she enjoyed how he desired her company over the numerous debutantes the Dowager had hand-picked to lure him into matrimony.

  "Thank you, Miss Lockhart. I shall come round tomorrow morning." He turned her hand over and pressed a kiss into her palm. It was scandalous, bordering on indecent, and it made her blood race with excitement. His gaze pinned hers, not that she had any hope of looking away. He was promising her more, if she was bold enough to take that chance, and she was tempted—especially when she saw the unmistakable flare of passion in his eyes. "If that is agreeable with you."

  "Most agreeable," she managed, meaning his plan to visit her in the morning.

  But they both knew there was more to her words. A great deal more.

  Chapter 11

  That afternoon, Richard convinced William to join him in a game of billiards. It gave them a chance to escape the most avid of the debutantes, at least for an hour or two.

  It was also the perfect opportunity for Richard to set aside his thoughts about Miss Lockhart for a short while. The kiss he'd placed in her palm had been intended to assure her he was not trifling with her, that he truly wanted her. His body had responded instantly to the bold way she had gazed at him, and now he could think of nothing else but the passion her eyes had displayed.

  Was it any wonder he needed a distraction? And what better one than a competitive game with William while grumbling about Miles being unavailable to spend time with them.

  "I am not surprised he was the first to succumb," Richard commented. "Although it is amusing at just how thoroughly besotted he is."

  "I had not expected him to spend every waking minute with her," William groused. "It has been months since we have all been together. I had hoped—"

  "That we could torment our aunt with some new pranks?"

  William grinned, and walked around the table to plot out his next shot. "She is likely anticipating us doing something. Though I cannot imagine what she can utilize as punishment, now that we are no longer young lads."

  "Besides threatening to withhold our allowances?" Richard laughed. "I do not have need of it at present, though I will confess it would come in handy should I wish to prolong my leave of absence."

  William nodded. "I am surprised she used it for me, as well, since I am nearly done raising the funds for my new studio. Once I sell a few more paintings..."

  Richard knew that might be a long ways off, since his cousin had experienced some sort of artistic slump, one that had lasted longer than William had anticipated. Clearly it grated on him, since he would not admit it, or speak of it. He decided to distract William from his distress in the same way he had done with young Thomas earlier that day.

  "I inadvertently inspired a young lad this afternoon with tales of our derring-do."

  "When was that?"

  Richard was not fooled by his cousin's air of disinterest. It was a trick Richard himself utilized, and often, so he knew to be on his guard. "I had stopped in at the doctor's cottage, and a young troublemaker named Thomas came in with a scraped knee. I thought to keep him from wailing by telling him about the larks of our youth."

  "The doctor must have been grateful for your assistance." William made the comment without glancing away from the shot he had lined up. He sank the ball without effort, and then moved on to the next one.

  "Um, yes, quite." Richard pretended to study the tip of his cue. "I think Thomas is likely to carry on the tradition now that we are grown and gone."

  "Someone has to, until we have children of our own to bedevil our beloved aunt."

  They laughed, both at the notion of them having children, and
how much fun it would be to give the Dowager a new generation of scoundrels to thwart.

  William continued to make every shot, until Richard muttered, "I may as well sit down, since it is clear I will not be participating any time soon."

  He sat in one of the numerous chairs lining the wall, gazing at the gardens displayed through the French doors. In the next instant, he saw Miles and Mrs. Seton strolling arm in arm, chattering and laughing, the very picture of happiness.

  "I must confess to being a bit envious," William said. He too was gazing at the happy couple, the billiards game completely forgotten.

  "He cannot be blamed for wanting to spend every spare minute with the object of his affections."

  William's grin was a rueful one. "No, I am envious that he has the liberty to seek her out, and spend his time with her publicly."

  Richard studied his cousin, not realizing at first what he meant. Before he could puzzle it out, Mrs. Beaumont entered the room, cautiously, as if concerned she might be intruding on such a male bastion.

  To Richard's immense surprise, William stood straighter, and his expression visibly brightened. He strode to where Mrs. Beaumont stood and gave her a courtly bow. His aunt's companion was usually rather reserved but she returned a surprisingly flirtatious curtsey. There was no mistaking the gleam of interest in William's eyes.

  "Are you a devotee of the game of billiards, Mrs. Beaumont?"

  "Not at present." She delivered a smile brimming with secrets only William was meant to unlock. "Though who knows for certain what the future holds?"

  William's laugh was warm, unlike the ones Richard usually heard, often at the expense of his cousin's pride. So Mrs. Beaumont was the one he wished to spend his time with? It seemed both of his cousins were filled with surprises. Of course, they would certainly make hay if they ever discovered how much Miss Lockhart was in his thoughts.

  Richard bit back a smile and stood, apologizing profusely. "I forgot that I had promised a stroll about the gardens with Miss, er, Miss..."

  He tried to recall the name of one of the debutantes to whom he had been introduced. He needn't have bothered, however, for neither of them were aware of his presence. William was happily engrossed in answering Mrs. Beaumont's questions about sketching, while she was equally absorbed in every word the man uttered.

  Richard tiptoed out of the room, intent on having Miss Lockhart gaze upon him the same way tomorrow, during the first of what he hoped would be many more encounters.

  He closed the door quietly behind him, doing his best to play matchmaker for his cousin. If only he could do the same for himself.

  Chapter 12

  Richard was once more walking towards Miss Lockhart's cottage, only this time he was striding rather briskly, impatient to see the woman who had filled the majority of his dream-filled sleep the previous evening.

  He could not remember when he had been this filled with anticipation. Yet he was not sure why he should be. He knew she was not a woman to trifle with, yet he was not bound to remain in the countryside for much longer. The Crown was always sending him off on another excursion, desperate for the information he so easily extracted from the unwary. It continually amazed him how easily people gave up their secrets when he exerted only the slightest amount of charm.

  Everyone but Miss Lockhart.

  He grinned. The previous day he had found that aspect of her to be a challenge he could not resist. Today he was inspired by a different motive: the genuine desire to know more about her.

  A myriad of questions floated through his mind. Why would she devote herself to a profession that did not allow her to practice? Why was she content to remain in this tiny village? Did she wish to have a family of her own one day?

  Most importantly, when had she given up on happiness for herself?

  There were no assurances he would ever have answers to these queries, but he was determined to unravel the puzzle of this woman.

  At last he spied her home, and his heart gave a little leap. He should have brought her a gift of some sort. How woeful his wooing skills were of late. He advanced into the yard and saw a rather bedraggled rosebush, its leaves wilted, but displaying a magnificent yellow bloom. If it had possessed more, he would have plucked one and presented it to Miss Lockhart. But it would have been cruel to rob the poor plant of its one crowning glory.

  "It is glorious, isn't it?" Miss Lockhart was beaming at the flower, and then she turned her gaze on him. Richard realized at once this had been what had caused his envy the day before, when he had seen her smiling so joyously at something.

  "Stunning," he replied, never taking his eyes off her.

  She laughed, a little self-consciously. "It is odd how I can easily heal people, but I have such a dreadful time with plants."

  "I do not find it odd at all. There are a multitude of plants, with a variety of unknown needs."

  "People are the same," she said. "But I still am inordinately proud of this one bloom. I never thought it would produce anything, after a few years of waiting impatiently for it to do so. I nearly dug it up in frustration last year."

  "I am grateful you did not."

  She smiled. "As am I."

  Richard held his arm out. "Are you ready for our tour of the countryside?"

  "I must fetch my bonnet." She raced into the house and Richard took the chance to remove a petal from the flower she adored so much. He lifted it to his nose, inhaling its fragrance, and then tucked it into his pocket before she could see his little bit of larceny.

  When she returned, she was wearing a surprisingly frothy confection of a bonnet, not the serviceable one he had expected. He had almost missed at first how she was wearing a dress made of a summery fabric rather than the stolid doctor's clothing from their first meeting.

  He grinned. "The parasol is an excellent choice." It was so at odds with the feisty woman who had first caught his attention, but definitely in keeping with the one who was slowly revealing herself to him.

  "I will be happy to share it with you." She gave him a brazen looking-over, her lips twitching with amusement. "I am guessing you are the sort who blisters at the slightest bit of sun hitting his skin."

  "I am not! I am quite accustomed to spending time out of doors, though you persist in believing me the most useless of fripperies. I do not know how to persuade you otherwise."

  "Attempt to convince me now," she teased, taking the arm he proffered. "Tell me how you spend your days when you are not here lolling about the countryside, evading the scores of misses determined to end your bachelorhood."

  He chuckled. "I am engaged in very important work for Whitehall."

  "Of course you would say that." She clucked her tongue. "It is the perfect ruse for a frippery such as yourself."

  "At least you removed the word 'useless'. I am making some slight progress."

  She laughed, and he could swear she had squeezed his arm lightly at the same time, but perhaps he was only imagining it, since he desired it so much. He relished her closeness, even though they were both covered in layers of clothing. He would do well to steer his thoughts from peeling away every stitch of their clothing one day.

  "Will you be returning to your duties once you leave here?"

  Her voice was less teasing all of a sudden. Richard stopped them in the midst of the deserted country lane, but Miss Lockhart did not turn her gaze in his direction. He stepped closer until she looked up at him, and he was struck by the unexpected concern in her eyes.

  "I will most likely be returning to them, yes, but nothing filled with danger. At present."

  "You have encountered a great deal of danger previously?"

  "On occasion. But if there is one thing a frippery such as myself can be counted upon, it is wriggling himself out of dangerous situations."

  "Unless it involves a wild boar."

  "Well, one can never be too careful where wild animals are concerned."

  She gave him a brief smile, but it was clear she was not entirely relieved b
y his teasing responses. Surely she was not overly concerned for his well-being, not this quickly.

  In the next instant he nearly cursed his stupidity. Of course. It explained so much—her reticence, keeping her distance. The country had been at war for so long...

  "Have you lost someone dear to you?"

  "Yes, a few years ago." Her expression was closed off once more. "But it is of no consequence now."

  Richard allowed her the pretense, since he did not want their excursion overshadowed by her grief. But he understood a little more now why she kept him at arm's length. Her heart was still tender from losing someone she cared about. She was not a widow, so it had not been a husband. Had it been a sweetheart, a man she had hoped to wed one day?

  He needed to know more, but it would be impertinent to press her for details. Perhaps Mrs. Seton could be enlisted to his cause—if she could be pried away from Miles for even a brief moment.

  Until then, he would return to his useless frippery persona, to ensure that Miss Lockhart enjoyed her outing with him this day.

  "When my cousins and I were younger—"

  "Terrorizing the Dowager."

  He laughed. "Yes, it was our raison d'etre at the time. But once in a while, we would give her a respite. Such as when we were told a tale about fairy sprites inhabiting these very woods."

  "Surely you did not terrorize them too."

  "Only because we never could find any." When she turned a disapproving look his direction, he hastened to add, "We did not mean to harm them. We merely wanted to borrow one, since we had been told it could grant us a wish."

  "What wish did you want granted?"

  "I cannot even remember now. We were so intent on finding the elusive creatures, we forgot our original reason for doing so. And then we grew older, and found other distractions."

  "You sound wistful."

  "I suppose I am, since I realize how much I enjoy my cousins, and how little time I have spent with them the past couple of years."

  "I always felt as though I knew you from the tales the Dowager told about the three of you. She is rather fond of you, despite what you may think."