“Yes, do not be shy because of us,” Lady Tempest said practically pushing the poor girl onto the seat next to me.
I had to admit the Knox Family carriage was one of the most opulent I had ever ridden in and the seats easily accommodated three people, but when Lady Tempest put Amy next to me, she positioned herself on the other side of her so my ‘betrothed’ and I were forced together. I could feel her thigh through the fabric of her dress as it pressed the length of my own thigh. She had changed into a rather pretty yellow gown and now that she was right next to me, I could smell the flowery scent she wore.
Lady Tempest and Lady Calliope exchanged a satisfied glance. These ladies combined into a chaotic force which was difficult to avoid. I would be glad once they were out of my hair.
I heaved a loud sigh of relief once we arrived at Cherry Grove Manor.
There was a noisy reunion between the ladies and Dr. Spencer’s wife, as well as introductions between Amy and her host and hostess.
“Of course we are thrilled to have all of you stay here with us. Cherry Grove Manor may not be so grand as Jade River Hall but friends are always welcome.”
As soon as the women had gone upstairs to get settled in, Dr. Spencer and I went to his study where he poured me a hefty glass of brandy. He raised his glass to me. “Congratulations. I had no idea Lady Ambrosia would be able to procure a woman to fit your... expectations... so quickly.”
“Nor did I. I ought to be grateful that the task is completed and all should be smooth from here on out, but the last two hours in the carriage was nearly more than my nerves could take.”
Dr. Spencer chuckled. “Yes, those two brought Seraphina to the chapel and attended our marriage. It was quite an introduction to their little circle of friends and now, at least for the time being, you are a part of it.”
“A distant part, I hope.”
“For what it is worth, I have met their husbands, Lord Knox and Colonel St. Clair, and they are exceptional gentlemen.”
“They would have to be to tolerate those two.” I finished my drink and Lucas gave me a refill.
“Just be grateful Lady Calliope did not bring her dogs along.”
“I will be sure to add that thank you in my nightly prayers,” I replied, trying to imagine the carriage ride with one dog, let alone multiples. A small shudder went through me.
“I stopped to visit your uncle this afternoon,” Dr. Spencer said, his tone solemn. “I fear you will not need to be engaged for long.”
“I am in a conundrum. I hope for this whole facade to be over as soon as possible, but its end will also mean that my uncle is of this world no more.”
Chapter 5
Amy
“I am so pleased to have you here in Briar Glen. How wonderful that you are a friend of Lady Ambrosia. Though I only spent a few minutes with her, she matched me with Lucas and for that, I shall be eternally grateful.” Seraphina, my hostess and new friend, hovered over me as I finished arranging my now shoulder length hair.
I do not know why I cared overly much about my appearance. My time in Briar Glen would be short, I had no desire to pique Lord Stowe’s interest and from all reports, Lord Stowe’s uncle, whom I was preparing to meet, was only vaguely conscious and his vision had dimmed dramatically.
A tingle of heat in my nether region disputed my thoughts. Though I might not have wished to pique his interest, I had to acknowledge that Lord Stowe had stirred mine. It had been months since I had been in the company of a gentleman who had awakened those yearnings. I had actually begun to believe that I had mastered the issue and it had not even entered my mind that it would be a concern during this short-term charade. And I had been correct, until Lady Calliope and Lady Tempest forced me to sit next to Lord Stowe. Our thighs had pressed together and a thrum of excitement had coursed through my body, reminding me of the sensations which my now deceased husband had shamed me for.
I had squirmed in my seat in an effort to quell the yearning building inside me. It had been like sitting on a heated hearthstone the entire way. My thoughts were consumed with carnal imaginings. If his thigh was firm, what must the rest of him, in particular his manhood, be like?
I was grateful for the distracting chatter of Lady Tempest and Lady Calliope. Even with their distractions, I was in a state of near climax by the time we arrived in Briar Glen. I can only imagine what sordid things I might have done if my full attention had been focused on my naughty musings and yearnings.
“Do you mind if I make an attempt at arranging your hair?” Seraphina’s words startled me and brought me back from my musings. “Years ago I learned some techniques for styling hair that might come in handy. Is short hair the fashion now? I have not been to London in ages. Not that I am complaining. I love life here in Briar Glen and now that you are here, we shall be bosom chums. It is like a dream come true. I have met some of the young ladies here and they are nice, though there are a couple you ought to be wary of, particularly Mrs. Fisk and her daughter Caroline, though I am indebted to Mrs. Fisk for her kind assistance in a particular situation I faced months ago. But, I digress.”
As she chattered, Seraphina brushed, combed and pinned my hair and in a matter of just a few moments, I had a coiffure worthy of the finest hairdressers in London, or Paris for that matter.
Holding a mirror in my hand, I admired the back of my head. “Where did you learn to style hair like this?”
Seraphina paused for a moment as though debating whether or not to reveal more. I felt bad for intruding. “Please,” I said, “it is none of my business. I am simply grateful for your skills. And hospitality. You and Dr. Spencer are much too kind.”
“It is my pleasure to have you here, as well as Lady Tempest and Lady Calliope. They both did so much for me in the months before my marriage, I could never repay their kindness in full, so I am glad to have a chance to do what I can.”
She smiled at me. “Since we are to be lifelong friends here in Briar Glen I shall tell you, though it is not really such a secret, but it is not something I care to discuss often. My mother was a woman of low repute and I was raised in a brothel. That is where I learned my hairdressing skills.”
Gobsmacked, I sat back in my seat and studied her. This sweet young woman with the golden hair and angelic smile was the product of a whorehouse?
“I-I am not certain what to say about that. It must have been difficult, but how fortunate you are to be where you are today.”
“It is nothing short of a miracle. And,” she leaned closer to me, “I have another miracle to tell you about,” she whispered, her hand resting on her belly.
I paused. “A baby?” I asked, incredulous.
“Yes,” she said, “but it is still very early and Lucas does not wish me to broadcast the news for a few more weeks.”
“Thank you,” I said, “for sharing this secret with me. I hope we will be great friends.” I looked into her kind face and felt a complete louse for deceiving her into thinking I would be in Briar Glen, or even in England, for much more than a few days.
Seraphina was just the type of friend I had always hoped to have. Kind, generous, and with a spark of mischief.
Well, I told myself, I will enjoy her company for the limited time I am her guest.
This simple charade was getting much too complicated.
“Have you set a wedding date?” Lady Calliope asked over breakfast the next morning. “Usually Lady Ambrosia’s matches get married right away. Heaven knows William was in such a rush, he woke the bishop from his bed.” Lady Calliope laughed at the memory and her eyes sparkled with happiness. “Have you heard the story of how William and I were reunited by Lady Ambrosia? Well, it is simply a wonderful story—”
“Yes,” Lady Tempest interrupted her mother-in-law, “all of Lady Ambrosia’s matches are wonderful stories and I am sure Amy’s story will be just as romantic and surprising as all of ours.”
Lady Calliope looked a bit deflated at not being able to share her tale. “I will be lea
ving soon to go to Jade River Hall, but I look forward to hearing all about it upon my return. You ladies will be here when I get back, will you not?”
“We have decided to stay for your wedding,” Lady Tempest announced and I thought I might faint.
“B-but we have not set a date. And will not Lord Knox and the lovely daughters you told me about be anxious for you to return? As I am sure you will miss them too.” Oh heavens. How could I be discouraging without being downright rude?
“We had such a delightful time attending Seraphina’s wedding, we have decided to invite ourselves to yours, that is, if you have no objections. We know you have no family to attend and surely Lord Stowe will have a large number of guests. We would hate for you to feel all alone on such a special day.”
They were two of the flightiest women I had ever met, but in just a few hours I had become rather fond of these ladies. Underneath the chaos they seemed to bring with them, were two loving, kind women.
And I was shamming them.
“That is lovely of you. I have had great upheaval in my life over the last day so it is hard for me to realize that I am soon to be a married woman. I am sure I will have more information for you after my time with Lord Stowe this morning.”
Lady Tempest grinned. “He is an exceptionally handsome man.”
“I would not kick him out of bed for eating biscuits,” Lady Calliope said, waggling her eyebrows.
I choked on my toast and suddenly a firm hand swatted me between the shoulder blades to dislodge the offending bit of bread. Looking across the table, I noted that Lady Calliope had gone crimson and Lady Tempest was nearly bursting with trying to hold back a fit of the giggles. I had a sneaking suspicion of why they were reacting that way and my suspicion was confirmed when a deep voice said, “If you are finished with your breakfast, Amaryllis, my uncle is most eager to make your acquaintance.”
I was in no rush to add more names to the list of innocent people we were duping with our fake betrothal, but given the heavy layer of awkwardness hanging over the room, I quickly rose from my chair. “Good morning, Lord Stowe. I shall be ready to leave in a moment.”
“I will wait for you in the foyer.”
We both left the room, but even with the door closed, peals of laughter rang throughout Cherry Grove Manor. I stifled a giggle myself as I hurried up the stairs. The sooner Lord Stowe was out of the house, the better.
Drake
Silly women. What a bunch of bird wits. I ought to have sent a footman to the door for Amaryllis and waited in the carriage, knowing that the chaotic duo of Lady Tempest and Lady Calliope remained in residence. No doubt they would be on their way by the time I returned Amaryllis to Cherry Grove Manor.
I could still hear their laughter and much to my own shock and dismay, my face reddened. I had overheard the last bit of conversation and a tiny, unfamiliar feeling pricked at my heart. Why had Amaryllis not agreed with the assessment of my attractiveness? Not only had she not agreed, but she had laughed to the point of choking.
I gave a stealthy glance to a mirror in the hallway where I waited. I did not consider myself vain, but it was fair to say I was an attractive, even handsome, gentleman. Though, I was a bit surprised to notice the hard line of my jaw and the stern bent of my brow.
Is that how I appeared to everyone?
Well, was it any wonder? I had the management of my uncle’s entire estate, as well as the duties as magistrate for all the tenants over their disputes and other offenses committed in the community. Not everyone has the luxury of going through life as though it were a constant lark the way Lady Tempest and Lady Calliope did. Besides, they were women. What else could one expect?
Turning from the mirror, I straightened my coat and glanced about for Amy. The clock struck ten. She had said she would only be a moment and yet there I was standing about like a fool. Were it not for my desperate decision to deceive my uncle, I would have walked out the door and never returned.
Unfortunately I had gotten myself into a corner and Amy was the only one who could help me out.
Oh, how I hated being reliant on anyone else, particularly a woman. In my life, women had shown themselves to be nothing but unreliable. Selfish, self-centered and greedy.
Much as I had tried to tamp down the emotions, pain panged at my heart and anger pulsed in my veins as I recalled the woman, Miss Marie Conway, who had stomped on my heart. We had been betrothed and I was the happiest I had ever been. For the first time in my life, I looked to the future eagerly. And then, two days before our wedding, she was gone. She left town in the dark of night, taking with her my dignity and a fair amount of family jewels which I had given her in anticipation of our marriage.
The last I had heard about her, she had sold off the jewelry and bought a dance hall in Paris.
So much for all her fine words about wanting a family. Wanting me.
At least with Amy, the financial aspects of our relationship were out in the open. A business arrangement to benefit each of us. Nothing more. No emotions—and that’s how I liked it.
From the corner of my eye I caught movement on the staircase and glanced up and found myself taken aback. Amy descended the staircase. Perhaps because our acquaintanceship had been very brief, but I had not noticed how gracefully she moved and when she smiled at me my heart beat a little faster.
She wore a pale pink dress and hat which brought out the creaminess of her skin and set off the shade of her hair.
I gave myself a mental shake. What had I just told myself about the benefits of business and not emotion?
“I am sorry to keep you waiting,” she said, shyly, a slight flush on her cheeks.
“You look very pretty today,” I said, taking her hand and tucking it in my arm where it fit perfectly and felt so right.
I had driven the curricle instead of having a driver and footmen along. It was a fine morning and I wished for Amy to have an unobstructed view of the village and Jade River Hall from the open conveyance.
As I helped her into the carriage, her foot slipped and as she tumbled forward, I wrapped my arms around her, she rested her hands on my shoulders to steady herself. Our faces were inches away from each other, I could see the multiple shades of blue in her eyes and the softness of her lips. She seemed entranced by the moment as well. Something came over me and I moved to touch my lips to hers, determined to taste them. Her heart fluttered against my chest and she moved a fraction of an inch toward me, encouraging my kiss. My lips hovered over hers and she closed her eyes.
“Yooo hooo. Amy, have a nice time.” We both jumped away from each other, and turned to the source. Lady Calliope hung out a second story window waving at us.
The moment was lost.
No doubt it was for the best.
Chapter 6
Drake
“Please, wait here,” I told Amy outside the door to Uncle Jarvis’ bedchamber. “I shall make sure he is ready to receive visitors.”
She nodded. Since that lost moment of intimacy as we entered the curricle, she had been rather subdued, holding herself stiffly and moving as far away from me as the seat allowed.
I ought to have been grateful for I knew she was capable of being more than a little obstreperous, yet I had hoped for more enthusiasm as I had showed her the town of Briar Glen.
“Please,” she had finally said, her voice strained, “the town is charming and under any other circumstances, I would enjoy this very much, but,” she lowered her voice as though she feared being overheard, “it is difficult enough to keep up this charade when others are present, let us not fool ourselves into thinking we are anything other than business associates.”
We had spoken not another word until we arrived at Jade River Hall.
When I approached Uncle Jarvis he appeared to be sleeping and I wondered if I ought to wake him, but as soon as he heard my footsteps his eyes opened and he gave me a weak smile. “Is she here?”
I took his hand and gazed down into the face of my beloved uncle.
Everything I was, I owed to him. And how did I repay him? With a sham.
“Yes,” I replied and his smile broadened. “I have come to make sure you are decent and to remind you to behave yourself.” It did my heart good to see him smile.
“Oh, pish!” he said. “You have no fear. I will not try to steal her away from you.” The twinkle which had long been absent from his gaze flickered back to life.
He insisted on at least donning his dressing gown and greeting her from a chair in the sitting area of his bedchamber rather than from the bed. Certainly that was a good sign as he had not been out of his bed for several days.
However, as I assisted him, the weakened state of his body was evident and by the time the task was completed and he sat in his favorite wing chair, the fatigue weighed heavily on him. How it pained me to see this once vital man diminished to such a degree.
I retrieved Amy and escorted her into the room. Her hand was cold in mine. “Just be yourself,” I said, giving her hand a squeeze.
“That is difficult to do when you are playing a role,” she replied with a whispered hiss.
I could not disagree with the irony of my words. It seemed I was making a mess of everything this morning, which was completely out of character for me. I was a planner. Organized and disciplined, yet life had gone completely haywire in the last twenty-four hours.
“Hello, my dear.” Uncle Jarvis stretched his hand out to her and she clasped it, taking a seat on the stool where his feet were propped up.
“May I present Miss Amaryllis Montlake, my f-fiancée.” It was the first time I had made such a statement and I stumbled over the word. Some great actor I was. But, once he set eyes on Amy, he had no thought or concern for me.
Uncle Jasper clasped her hand in both of his, his eyes scanning her from top to toe, as though he could hardly believe what he was seeing.
“I must admit, my dear, that when Drake announced he had a fiancée, I wondered if he was having a joke at my expense. But you are no joke, of that I am certain.”
His Bargained for Bride (Regency Matchmakers Book 4) Page 4