Nobody's Fool (Marriage by Design Book 2)

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  Lilly giggled but managed to compose herself before they reached the gentlemen.

  “Good morning,” Lord Steinbeck called out as they approached. “The Duke of Marrow and Mr. Square, isn’t it?”

  “Squire,” Lilly corrected in a masculine voice.

  “My apologies,” Lord Steinbeck said. “I didn’t mean to get your name wrong.” He gestured to his companion. “Do you remember Lord Northton? He’s a member of White’s.”

  “Yes, I remember him,” Lilly replied.

  Emilia noted the undertone in her voice that told her Lilly didn’t care all that much for him, though she doubted the two noticed.

  Lord Northton gave Lilly a careful study. “You seem familiar.”

  “He was at White’s,” Lord Steinbeck said.

  “I don’t think I only saw him there. I think I’ve seen him somewhere else, too,” Lord Northton replied.

  Given that he was Roger’s friend, Emilia knew exactly where he’d seen her. If they weren’t careful, he might figure things out. Emilia cleared her throat and, as the Duke of Marrow, said, “We had an enjoyable time at White’s. Thank you for letting us spend the afternoon there. It made our time in London memorable.” She gestured to her travel bag. “We are on our way to Greece.”

  “Well, I thank you both for being on your best behavior while at White’s and while in London,” Lord Steinbeck said. “When it comes to Lord Edon, one never knows if he’s bringing in a cad or not. It’s nice that this was a time when he showed good sense.”

  “Yes, I suppose he does that from time to time,” Emilia replied. Since she didn’t know what else to say, she offered a hearty chuckle.

  “May you have safe and fast travels,” Lord Steinbeck said.

  Though Lord Northton gave Lilly another careful look, he also wished them a good trip then resumed his conversation with Lord Steinbeck.

  Lilly let out a sigh of relief, but she waited until they were walking again before she said, “For a moment, I thought he knew who I was.”

  “He probably would have figured it out if we had talked with them much longer,” Emilia replied. “You really don’t like him.”

  “I know he’s Roger’s friend, but it’s hard to like someone who thinks I ruined Roger’s life.”

  “Did he come out and say that?”

  “No. And to be fair to him, he is polite around me. He just doesn’t think very highly of ladies. Roger said it’s because his mother had children by gentlemen she wasn’t married to. It tainted his view of marriage. He’s convinced all ladies are like his mother.”

  “Is his mother still alive?”

  Lilly shrugged. “Lord Northton told Roger she left London with the other children she had years ago, and he hasn’t seen her since. It’s hard to say if she’s still alive or not.”

  Emilia grimaced. “While I can understand how difficult it would be for him, he shouldn’t assume all ladies are like her. How would it be if we picked out some trait in one gentleman and assumed the rest of them were like that?”

  “You’re speaking reason, but I don’t think reason applies to someone who’s been hurt as deeply as he’s been. Some wounds are so deep that it hinders a person’s ability to see the truth.”

  “At least Roger doesn’t agree with him.”

  “No, he doesn’t. Thank goodness. I feel sorry for the lady who marries him.”

  Emilia glanced at her in surprise. “You really think a gentleman who distrusts ladies as much as he does will get married?”

  “He needs an heir. There’s only one way he’ll get one.”

  Lilly made a good point. Emilia winced. “Heaven help the lady who ends up with him.”

  “Heaven help her, indeed.” Lilly gestured for Emilia to take a right at the upcoming street, so she did. “Next time you think Benjamin is a terrible husband, you ought to think of Lord Northton. It could be worse.”

  “I don’t think Benjamin is terrible.”

  “Are you ready to admit you love him?”

  Emilia’s eyebrows furrowed. “How did you assume I love him from me admitting he’s not terrible?”

  “I assume you love him because of the strange fluttering in your chest and the way your face turns bright red when you talk about him. It’s red even now.”

  “It is not,” Emilia insisted even as heat rose up to her cheeks.

  “You might have a beard, but I can see that your face is getting red.”

  Emilia groaned but decided to let the matter go. Lilly enjoyed teasing her. The last thing she should do was encourage Lilly to keep going.

  Fortunately, they reached the coachman who was going to take them to Lord Browning’s estate. Now that they were officially on their way, Emilia could focus on asking Lilly all about foxhunting so others didn’t think she was a complete novice. The last thing she wanted to do was embarrass herself out there. Not only did she want to make sure no one discovered her true identity, but she also didn’t want to do something to make herself look like a fool.

  Thankfully, Lilly forgot all about teasing her about Benjamin and turned her attention to telling Emilia about the sport.

  ***

  Benjamin tried to wait in the bedchamber he’d been assigned to until the time he was due to meet Roger downstairs, but once he put on his foxhunting outfit, he grew restless. He missed Emilia. He’d known that it was going to be difficult to be without her, but he didn’t realize the longing to be with her was so potent.

  Unable to remain still, he put on his hat and left his room. When he reached the drawing room, there wasn’t anyone in it. They were probably still getting ready to participate in the sport.

  He poured himself a cup of black tea then strolled around the room as he sipped his drink. The entire place was as nice as Roger had said it was. It seemed that Lord Browning spared no expense in making sure his patrons had a comfortable stay while at his estate.

  He thought back to Emilia’s comments right after they married. He was certain she’d been unhappy with the furnishings in his drawing room, but then when he offered to buy new furniture, she’d told him she wanted to keep everything as it was. It was funny that he should recall the incidents now when she wasn’t nearby to distract him. Was it possible she really was unhappy with the furnishings in their townhouse but had felt guilty for voicing her opinion on the matter? Would she prefer something like the things Lord Browning had? There was no doubt this room was far more exquisite than his drawing room.

  He heard voices from the entryway. Excited to see who else would be going to foxhunting with him and Roger, he set his empty cup on the tray and left the room.

  Two gentlemen were speaking with the person in charge of marking down the patrons’ information in a ledger. Right away, Benjamin recognized them. One was Mr. Squire and the other was the Duke of Marrow. Roger had told him they’d be coming. He also recalled meeting them at White’s the day they’d been allowed to attend as Lord Edon’s guests.

  He walked over to them but waited until they noticed him before saying, “It’s a pleasure to see you two again. I met you at White’s. I’m Lord Valentine.”

  “Yes, we remember you,” Mr. Squire said. “It’s a pleasure to see you again. Is Mr. Morris with you?”

  “Yes, but he’s still getting ready,” Benjamin replied. “How has your stay in London been so far?”

  “Good, very good,” Mr. Squire said. “We’ve been all over London and visiting all the interesting places. I, for one, enjoyed the menagerie.” His gaze went to His Grace. “What was your favorite place?”

  The Duke of Marrow’s eyes grew wide as if he wished Mr. Squire hadn’t asked him the question. Benjamin recalled how shy the gentleman had been when at White’s. While Mr. Squire was talking to others and playing chess, His Grace had been huddled in a corner as if he wished no one would notice him.

  “You’re among friends here,” Benjamin assured the gentleman. “No one will gossip about you. It’s not like White’s where you have to be careful of what yo
u say.”

  “You have to be careful about what you say at White’s?” Mr. Squire asked in surprise. “Lord Edon doesn’t seem to mind what he says.”

  “That’s true, but he faces constant disapproval with the Ton. The prominent members refuse to talk to him. While Lord Edon doesn’t mind what the Ton thinks, there are some who do. It seems to me that your friend,” he glanced at the duke, “does mind. I noticed how he kept to himself while at White’s. I want him to feel safe to be himself here.” He turned his gaze back to the duke. “I don’t like gossip. I think too many reputations have been ruined because of it.”

  Mr. Squire nudged His Grace in the side, and His Grace rolled his eyes in response. Benjamin wondered what the exchange meant but didn’t feel it was his place to ask.

  Finally, His Grace muttered out, “Theatre. I like the theatre.” Then he looked away from him and fiddled with the edge of his sleeve.

  Benjamin sighed. Poor Duke. He really was shy. Well, perhaps he’d feel better once they were out hunting for foxes. “I’ll let you gentlemen get ready for the sport. I think it’s going to be a fun afternoon.”

  “I think so, too,” Mr. Squire said. “We’re looking forward to it.”

  Benjamin offered both a nod, again noticing that His Grace was looking at the floor. Well, that settled it. Benjamin would make it a point to talk to him during the hunt. Shy people needed someone there to talk to them in order to feel comfortable. It had worked for Emilia. She was shy when they first married, and now she had no trouble talking.

  His mission helped take away some of the loneliness he experienced because he wasn’t with Emilia. It was good to have something to focus on. With a contented sigh, Benjamin returned to the drawing room.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Benjamin knows I’m the Duke of Marrow,” Emilia told Lilly after she had changed into the foxhunting clothes and had gone to the room Lilly was staying in. “I’m going to feign an illness. I can’t go foxhunting.”

  Lilly turned from the mirror where she’d been working on her wig and set a hand on her hip. “I am not letting you stay here all afternoon while the rest of us have a good time. You’re coming along.”

  “I don’t mind not having a good time.”

  “Yes, you do. You loved being at White’s, even if Benjamin happened to be there. You’ll be glad I insisted you go out there today.”

  Emilia groaned. “I don’t know. This seemed like a good idea before Benjamin figured out I’m the Duke of Marrow.”

  “He did not figure it out. All he asked you was what your favorite place in London is.”

  “Then he said I can say whatever I want and that he wouldn’t run off to gossip about it. He meant that he wasn’t going to tell anyone he knows it’s me under this disguise.”

  Lilly laughed. “He meant no such thing. You’re afraid you’ll get caught. That’s why you took his words that way. He was telling you that you don’t have to be quiet. You can speak up. He’ll keep everything you say in confidence. He’s a very considerate person who makes a good husband for a certain person I know.”

  Yes, Emilia got the hint Lilly had given her when she’d nudged her in the arm.

  Lilly finished with her wig then put a hat on. “If he figured out it was you, he would have jumped up and down with excitement because he wants nothing more than to be with you.”

  “He could have been appalled.”

  “I don’t think so. I’ve gotten a chance to know him, and I think he’s not as stuffy as Lord Steinbeck is. All he wants is for you to love him. As long as you do that, he’ll let you do whatever you want.”

  Emilia couldn’t believe what her friend was saying. “Everyone has something they will not tolerate, Lilly. Roger was willing to live without you when you accepted another gentleman’s proposal.”

  “This is nothing like that. If you were to run off with another gentleman, then yes, Benjamin would be finished with you. But dressing up as the Duke of Marrow and going foxhunting isn’t the same thing. Roger said the only reason Benjamin hesitated to come out here today was because you wouldn’t be here. The poor man is lovesick. He probably misses you terribly right now.” After a moment, she said, “You ought to go to his room and let him know you’re here.”

  Emilia gasped. “I can’t do that!”

  “Why not? If he screams in shock, you can tell anyone who comes to his aid that he stubbed his toe on something. Really, these things are easy to sort out.”

  “You’re a terrible influence, Lilly.”

  “Maybe, but you have a lot of fun when I’m around.”

  Unfortunately, her friend was right. Emilia let out a sigh and went to the window as her friend put on her riding boots. The landscape was lovely. She was used to seeing townhouses all around her. It was rather nice to look out and see trees and plenty of ground to search for foxes. It would be fun to ride a horse along that vast stretch of land.

  “How fast do you go on a horse out here?” Emilia asked.

  “We go into a full run.”

  Her eyes grew wide. “You do?”

  “We need to keep up with the hounds.”

  That did sound exciting. Emilia would love to go that fast. She never could in London.

  Lilly laughed. “I can tell you’re interested. And yes, you will enjoy every moment out there on the horse. You’ll have to ride like a gentleman, though. That means spreading your legs.”

  “I figured as much. Is it uncomfortable riding that way?”

  “At first, it will be, but after a while, you’ll get used to it.”

  Emilia nodded. That was to be expected since it wasn’t something she’d ever done before.

  A knock came from the door, followed by an, “It’s Roger.”

  Lilly’s smile widened. “I just love it when he slips into my room.”

  Emilia’s eyebrows furrowed as she watched Lilly open the door. Did that mean what she thought it did? Did Roger do this during the night while they were supposed to be asleep? Her face flushed, and she decided she didn’t want to know.

  Roger came into the room and shut the door. “Did you have any trouble getting here?”

  “No, everything went just fine,” Lilly replied. “We saw Benjamin before we came up here.”

  “I just talked to him when I went downstairs to ask if you two had arrived yet,” Roger said. “We’re due to head out in a half-hour. We’ll sit and talk for a while in the drawing room in the meantime.”

  “How many gentlemen will be in our party?” Lilly asked.

  “Ten.” He opened the door.

  “That many?” Lilly asked, not hiding her surprise.

  “Well, you two are joining us, so it increases the number. Lord Browning is happy about it. This means he has more money coming in.”

  Emilia hardly listened to them as they left the room and headed down the stairs. She had to remember to keep up this charade of being a gentleman. Even if Benjamin had figured it out, she had to keep up the pretense in case the other gentlemen believed she was a gentleman.

  When they reached the drawing room, the other six gentlemen who’d be foxhunting were already there. Benjamin was talking to a couple of them. There was one thing Emilia could say about Benjamin; he had no trouble going up to people he didn’t know and talking to them.

  Come to think of it, he’d had no trouble doing that with ladies, either. It was why she’d been obligated to dance so many times with him before they married. He would go up to her and ask for a dance. Being shy wasn’t one of his traits. It must be nice to feel comfortable enough in one’s own skin to do that. Maybe it was even something to envy. It took courage to go up to strangers and talk to them. She knew he worried about saying the wrong thing, and yet, he pushed past that fear to get to know people anyway.

  “We’ll sit over here,” Lilly whispered to her as she gestured to two chairs in the corner of the room. “There’s no sense in drawing attention to ourselves.”

  Emilia chuckled and whispered back, �
��I have a feeling if this was a place for ladies to assemble, you’d sit in the middle of the room.”

  Lilly smiled. “I would, but I’m not here to socialize. I come here to hunt for foxes and spend the day with Roger.”

  As soon as they sat down, a butler came over to offer them some brandy and water. Having already had experience with brandy, Emilia selected the water. She didn’t care for the taste. It wasn’t as pleasant as sherry.

  She had just taken her first sip of water when Benjamin noticed her and Lilly. To her surprise, he excused himself from the other gentlemen and headed in their direction. Emilia tensed. She gave an uneasy glance in Lilly’s direction, but Lilly was adjusting the buttons on her hunting coat.

  “I heard this is your first time here,” Benjamin told Emilia as he pulled up a chair next to her and sat down.

  He had to know. She hadn’t fooled him at all. She probably hadn’t fooled anyone. At any moment, someone was going to point to her and expose her. Then she’d bring shame to Lilly and Roger, and perhaps even Benjamin. Benjamin was only being quiet because he didn’t want to bring her any embarrassment.

  “It’s my first time, too,” Benjamin continued. “I’ve never been here before. I have hunted for foxes, although I haven’t done much of it. I can say, though, that there is no place as extravagant as this. Mr. Morris was right when he said it’s the best place for foxhunting.” He paused then asked, “Have you done this sport before?”

  Since he knew who she was, did she keep up the pretense of her masculine voice or use her real one? After a moment, she settled for making the safest decision she could. She shook her head.

  “How much do you know about the sport? I can tell you more about it,” he offered.

  She glanced at Lilly, surprised that Lilly hadn’t stepped in to say anything even though she was paying attention to what Benjamin was saying. What did Lilly want her to do? She gave Lilly a look she hoped Lilly would understand was a plea for help.

  Thankfully, Lilly said, “My very shy friend doesn’t know anything about it. He is, however, skilled on a horse, so he can manage to chase the hounds with ease.”