by Emma Brady
“No, simply a possibility.”
They were in the more crowded part of the park, with people crowding around on the walkways and on the horse paths. They only had to continue being civil long enough to get to the other side before they could go home.
“Is there anything you believe in keeping to yourself?” he asked her.
“My father always told me to speak my mind.”
“He should have taught you discretion.”
“My mother tried, but she always said I had too much spirit.”
She smiled brightly at him as she said this and he knew she was proud of it. Spirit would be a nice way to describe the shocking behavior.
“Perhaps it would be easier for you if you sold the business and made a substantial profit.”
“Sell it? To whom?”
This wasn’t how he had intended to bring up the subject, but this was why he wanted to talk to her. “You could sell it to me. Then you would know it was in good hands.”
At first her eyes widened then her lips trembled. Soon she held her hands over her mouth to keep from laughing out loud.
“Are you mad? Why would I trust you with my father’s company?” She lifted he glasses to wipe the tears from her eyes. “You and I have just met, but so far you haven’t made a positive impression.”
“It would be a fair offer from an honest gentleman. The longer you wait, the harder that will be to find.”
“How do you know I don’t already have another offer? One that allows me to still keep a portion of the company.”
“A partner? Someone wants to be partners with a woman?” Now it was his turn to laugh. “Another American, I assume.”
“Yes, and he’s not intimidated by an intelligent woman.”
“Who is he?” Lucas knew almost every man in the business who might have the money to buy such a large company, even in America.
“Mr. Gates is an old friend of the family.” She looked away from him, hiding her expression. “Someone my father trusted completely.”
“Now you trust him.”
Lucas watched the way her hair bobbed as she nodded. Most women would be wearing a hat now that the sun was out, but Sinclair didn’t bother. Her delicate white skin would turn pink quickly if she didn’t start wearing one more often. He could add that to the list of things she needed to learn.
While he thought about her he felt the phaeton lurch and stop. The horses were trying to pull it forward but it only rocked back and forth. A glance over the side showed Lucas that one of the wheels was stuck in a rut in the muddy pathway. Muttering under his breath, he knew he had no choice but to get out and push the vehicle loose.
It wasn’t as easy as he had hoped. The expensive dark wood of the vehicle was heavy and the wide wheels on each side wobbled but didn’t want to budge. Sinclair stared down at him from her high seat, making him more frustrated. Pushing it himself wasn’t going to work and he would need some assistance.
“Have you ever handled horses on a carriage before?” Lucas asked her, wishing he had anything other choice.
“Yes, my father used to let me drive.”
Of course he did. “Then would you mind leading them forward? Just a little bit.”
The way her smile lit up meant trouble, but he needed the horse help to move the heavy vehicle. He leaned against it with one shoulder and the full weight of his body. As he felt the horse begin to pull, Lucas pushed with as much force as he could. It strained and he could feel it was close to coming loose but just not close enough. Then he heard the snap of the reigns and the carriage lurched forward. The force splattered mud up the full length of his suit. It would never be the same cream color again.
“I think that suit has suffered, but you were a success.” Sinclair beamed at him as he came around to get back into his seat. “Perhaps you should relax and let me drive the rest of the way.”
With a shake of his head, Lucas tried to brush off some of the thicker clumps of mud. He didn’t want his new leather seats to get dirty. He was so focused on his own body that he didn’t see what she was doing until it was too late. Lucas snapped his head up when the carriage moved forward.
At first he wondered if he suffered a moment of madness, but as he shook his head the vision was still the same. Sinclair rode away in his carriage, leaving him stranded in the park. With a loud curse, Lucas ran after the carriage thief.
It was difficult to ignore the strange looks he got from the other ladies and gentlemen in the park. They probably didn’t see a grown man running like that regularly. Lucas couldn’t remember the last time he had done this but he wasn’t having any difficulty. It didn’t take long to catch up to Sinclair.
“Stop, you mad woman.” Lucas yelled up to her. “Horse thieves are hanged in this country.”
She laughed, tilting her head back in the most alluring way. “I will not surrender.”
Another snap and the horses started moving faster. He watched Sinclair’s expression go from joy to surprise and then to fear. She wanted to best Lucas but had clearly pushed it too far. He could see the reins were no longer in her hands, but dangling down between the horses. Lucas cursed because she had lost control of the horses and he would have to save her.
Running wasn’t going to be enough to catch up with them. Lucas saw that they were swerving toward a curve in the path that would loop them around a hill. If they didn’t topple over he might be able to catch them on the other side. As he went up and over the hill his breath caught until he saw the carriage whip around the turn. He leapt into the seat as it raced past him. That would give him a bruise.
“Do something.” She pointed to the running horses.
“I am trying to do something.” He bent over the edge in an attempt to reach the lost reins.
“I meant something that might actually help.”
When his head snapped back to look at her, Lucas knew he looked frightening. It made her mouth snap shut. Then her eyes looked past him and got wider. He looked back and he saw they were headed toward a pond with no signs of slowing down.
“Lucas,” she said, tugging on the sleeve of his jacket, “I think maybe we should jump.”
“Are you mad? We would break our necks.”
The reins were too far for him to grab, but he reached for them again. They taunted him and danced just out of reach. The phaeton rocked side to side, making it impossible to grab them. When Sinclair continued to tug on his sleeve, Lucas looked up to see the pond looming in front of them.
“Bloody hell,” he cursed.
Grabbing Sinclair by the waist, he jumped off the back of the moving carriage. She was pulled against him, as he landed against the grass on his back. Once they felt the initial impact, Lucas rolled across the ground until he came to a slow stop with her lying on top of him. Lucas didn’t know if it was the fall or her weight that made it hard to breathe.
“You shouldn’t curse,” she whispered against his neck.
His body felt sore and he was pretty sure the mud on his suit was spread across her dress. It would be difficult to move without throwing her off. It was difficult for him to ignore the reaction he had to the movements of her body as she stood up on her own. If Lucas offered to help she might notice a visible change in his trousers and embarrass them both.
“Why do things never go as I planned with you?” he took a moment to gain control before standing, trying to brush off what he could from the expensive fabric of his suit.
“You should try to plan things less.”
“I couldn’t have planned that.” Lucas stood, staring at where the horses had tipped the brand new phaeton into the pond and stood on their own eating grass.
“I’m sorry.” The words were so soft he thought he might have heard them wrong, but when he looked at her, it was clear she meant them.
They day was disappointing, but Lucas was distracted by how close they were. She stood there, staring up at him with such a warm smile that Lucas couldn’t help but stare at the spot where
her lips touched her teeth. Before he realized what he did, Lucas leaned in and caught her gasp against his mouth.
It was brief, only a slight pressing of their mouths, but it felt longer than the few seconds it lasted. His body became aware of her down to the smallest detail. From the feeling of the embroidery on her gown under his hands to the piece of her hair tickling his cheek, his senses came alive to her. When he pulled away, Lucas was pleased by the dreamy look on Sinclair’s face. It was good to know that he wasn’t the only one who had enjoyed that moment.
“We better get you home,” he whispered in a husky voice. “I can deal with the mess better alone.”
Nodding absently, Sinclair walked beside him until they found a hack for hire at the edge of the park. Lucas was oddly filled with pride as he watched her stumbled movements getting into it. She was too stunned to speak and simply waved to him as it left. Reaching up to adjust his tattered necktie, Lucas laughed when he realized a blue wildflower was still stuck in the breast pocket of his jacket.
Chapter 7
The kiss Lucas had given her flustered Sinclair for most of that day and the ones after, but by the time she was ready to visit her friends for tea, it was all but dismissed from her mind. She convinced herself that it had been his way of teaching her a lesson and she resented it. It was not his place to teach her anything. The man was nothing but an overpowering tyrant and she wanted nothing to do with him.
The girls were gathered in their tiny chairs, sipping tea from their tiny cups when she entered. From the astounded looks on their faces, she knew they noticed her change in clothing. Today she wore a simple navy skirt and crisp white shirt with long sleeves and no jacket. It had none of the frills that a typical day gown should have when making a social call and she had picked it for its businesslike simplicity.
“Hello, girls.” she swept in with a bright smile. “Have I missed anything?”
“We were just talking about Marcus Applegate, the Earl of Chester’s youngest son.” Maria told her.
“Have I met him?”
“He attended the ball, but I doubt you would have noticed him.” said Maria.
“He spends most of his time getting foxed,” added Andrea.
“Then why are we discussing him?”
Three faces turned to look at Charlotte who was busy gazing up at the ceiling. Sinclair could see a deep blush across her face.
“Charlotte, do you have any special feelings for this young man?”
A slew of giggles followed, but Sinclair ignored them to sit next Charlotte. When the younger girl felt a hand on her arm, she turned to look at Sinclair with nervous eyes.
“Mr. Applegate is very nice,” she whispered. “He danced with me at your ball and seemed interesting.”
Sinclair knew the sound of excuses when she heard them. “Do you think he’s handsome?”
“I like his blond hair and his crooked front tooth,” she said, becoming bolder. “It makes him look charming.”
“Does he seem interested in you?”
“The only thing he seems to be interested in is a glass of port.” Maria laughed at her own joke, but no one else seemed to find it funny.
“Lucas said that Mr. Applegate has asked about me,” Charlotte said. “He thinks that man intends to ask for me.”
It was clear that Charlotte was unsure about the man but too polite to object. Sinclair tapped her foot as she thought. She could feel the girls staring at her, but she didn’t let it affect her. Slowly, her mind pieced together a plan.
“Isn’t there a masquerade ball tomorrow?”
“Yes, my mother is forcing me to dress as a canary.” Maria’s face bunched in distaste. “I look ill in yellow.”
“It is your complexion,” chimed Abigail. “You would look better in a green.”
“What could I go as dressed in green?”
Sinclair couldn’t believe how easily her comrades had gotten distracted. They should be more serious, not just wander off into chatter about costumes.
“Ladies,” she said in an attempt to gain their attention.
It seemed to do no good as the women continued to talk amongst themselves. Frustrated, Sinclair decided to raise her voice.
“Ladies!”
Finally they stopped talking to look at her. She blushed at the shocked looks they were giving her but she refused to apologize. It was important that they get serious about this.
“The masquerade is a perfect setting for subtle snooping,” she told them. “No one will know who we are.”
“People always guess who I am,” Maria lamented.
“That might be true, but the rest of us could go around asking questions undetected.”
Charlotte’s tiny blonde eyebrows knitted together. “What kinds of questions?”
“Simple things about who he is. Then we can decide if he’s suitable for you.”
“I would not want him to get angry. Lucas says his business is important.”
“The man won’t even know what we are about.” Sinclair knew it would be better for them to find out the truth before the man made any official offers.
“You will not mention my name, will you?” Charlotte’s face looked horrified, her green eyes wide in fear. Her shy temperament couldn’t stand the thought of being caught doing something so devious.
“We will all be models of discretion,” Sinclair assured the young girl, “Don’t you worry.”
“Worry about what?”
The sound of Lucas’s voice startled Sinclair and she jumped in her seat. He stood in the doorway with a newspaper in one hand and a cup in the other. She could smell the aroma of coffee drifting across the small room. It made her mouth water a little.
“My costume for tomorrow night’s ball,” she said, recovering her wits quickly.
“What will you be?”
“If I told you, it would be pointless to call it a disguise.”
“I doubt you could be mistaken for anyone else,” he said with a laugh. “Not many girls wear glasses in public.”
Reaching up, Sinclair had forgotten about her glasses. If she planned on being successful in her mission, she would have to leave them behind.
“You might be surprised,” she mumbled.
“You constantly surprise me,” he said, stepping closer to the group. “Much to my dismay.”
“Lucas, if you insist on being rude, you had better leave,” Charlotte said, her voice calm but firm.
“Actually, I had hoped to join you this afternoon. I am curious to see what keeps you girls so occupied.”
She watched as her friends looked taken back by his suggestion. His presence here would ruin things entirely. One by one, the girls each turned to look at Sinclair with anticipation in their eyes.
“Won’t you be bored but such meaningless conversation?” she spoke sweetly. “I highly doubt fashion is an exciting subject for you.”
“I would be willing to suffer through it for the sake of your company.”
He addressed, the entire group but his eyes stayed focused on Sinclair’s face. She blushed intensely under his gaze.
“Perhaps we don’t want your company.” said Sinclair.
It was far from a warm welcome, and Lucas appeared angry. He also looked suspicious, making Sinclair nervous. Turning to look at her, he seemed to know that she hid something. She would have to come up with something quick or he would be bothering them all afternoon.
“Do you have any objections?”
“I don’t think you’ll be able to stay,” she replied with a slight smile. “ I need you to accompany me home.”
He grit his teeth but bowed to the remaining ladies and followed her out. She could sense his reluctance to go but ignored it. This was the only way to get him away from her friends and discovering the scheme they had.
“Where is your trusty butler?” Lucas asked as they approached the vehicle she had arrived in.
“Frederick stayed home. He was feeling ill.” she lied, hoping her voice was lo
ud enough for Frederick to hear from where he sat on the other side of the driver. Peeking up she saw the slick head of hair disappear from view.
“Your grandparents allowed you out alone?”
“I told them you were escorting me. I couldn’t stand the thought of missing tea with Charlotte and her friends.”
The both climbed into the carriage, although he took up more than just his half of it. No wonder he preferred to ride in open vehicles.
“What were you girls talking about today?”
She knew he hadn’t meant anything by such a harmless question, but she felt her body stiffen. Licking her dry lips, she wished she had learned to lie better.
“I already told you we were discussing our costumes for the ball.”
Lucas stretched his legs out a little and they brushed against her skirts. She couldn’t stop from jerking away.
“Yes, the mysterious costume.” His voice had gotten deeper and Sinclair felt warm on the inside.
“Have you picked out your costume already?” she asked, trying to continue the conversation.
“Yes.”
She had expected him to elaborate, but he sat there silently staring at her. His intense green gaze made her shift uncomfortably, which only made her leg press closer against his. She tried not to notice the warmth soaking through both layers of clothing, but it was impossible to escape in such tight confines.
“Are you going to tell me what your costume is?”
“Then it would not be a disguise.”
It irritated her that he used her words against her but she couldn’t fault him for it. The problem was how warm it got inside the tiny carriage. It was difficult for her to concentrate when she could barely breathe.
“Are you feeling okay?” Lucas asked, his dark eyebrows coming together.
“I’m fine,” she stuttered. “I’m just a little warm.”
One large hand reached across the small space to touch her forehead. The heat of his skin on hers caused her to jerk back, bumping her head against the carriage wall. She hardly felt the bump, though. Her mind was so focused on the man sitting across from her.
“Your head feels fine,” he said with a chuckle. “But you do appear flushed.”