“So much for parental affection and concern,” she muttered, before she turned to David. “What next?”
He grinned. She mistrusted the wicked glint in his eyes as he bowed, took her hand and audaciously kissed her inner wrist. Josephine gasped and James coughed theatrically.
“Don’t mind me,” James said in a humorous tone. “I’ll go and inspect the rhododendrons if you like.” He bowed, almost, but not quite, she decided, as elegantly as the man who still held her hand. “James Dempster at your service, my dear. Although, as I value my body in the shape God gave me, not too much at your service.”
The remark, accompanied with a wink, made Josephine splutter and David growl. “James, go and walk in the lake.”
Josephine ignored David, turned to James—not an easy task, while David still held her in a firm grasp—curtsied and smiled. “I will remember,” she said gravely. “So who else is part of this alleged party?”
“Allegedly, a select few,” James said solemnly. “As in, you, me and this reprobate here. Lydia Frewitt, for my sins, the Hanson couple who are dry as a desert and as boring as well…take your pick, your parents and Lord Aitken. And Lady F., of course.”
It seemed a strange blend of persons. “That is all?” Surely a house party should have more guests to ensure a good mix? “It seems so few people.”
“The house is nigh on full,” David said. “It only has ten bedchambers. And as I will freely admit, in front of a witness, so there is no mistake about my intentions, this was arranged purely so I can get to know you better. And you me.”
She gaped, she knew she did. How on earth could he say something so outrageous with a straight face? “I…you…er…” Get a grip. “Do not be ridiculous.”
The thought gave her a curious sense of satisfaction, even though she wished it were not true. The last thing she needed was his attention, or indeed that of her parents.
Her parents definitely not, but the rest? That sense of satisfaction turned into more of an inquisitive need for discovery. Just what was in his mind? Why and how did he intend to do whatever it was? Oh, how complicated this appears. Why me? Why here? Why now? In fact, just…why? As she had spent so many years ignoring men and turning their interest away from her, Josephine discovered she hadn’t the first idea how to find out. “You are being ridiculous,” she reiterated.
David smiled. “I’m not. Though once Godmama agreed, I rather think she added some machinations of her own. Hence James and Lyddie and the Hansons.”
James choked. “Do not add me into all this. Lady F. would not try to throw me and Lyddie together.”
“You think not?” David said quizzically. “You poor, deluded soul. The elders here can never be said to be the sternest chaperones in the world, unlike Lyddie’s parents, who luckily were promised elsewhere.” He sounded relieved. “They put the fear of God into my soul merely by looking at me and showing they find me lacking. I have no idea why.”
“Grass snakes and teacups, I expect,” Jamie said. “Their summer fair?”
David patted Josephine’s hand. “Ignore him. It was a worm, and I was only giving it a drink. I was eight,” he explained. “I thought I was helping it.”
Josephine laughed even as her mind whirled. Lydia Frewitt and James Dempster? That might take some of the attention away from her and David. Josephine was under no illusion that David meant every word he spoke. That, she was certain, plus his charm when he decided to use it, made it very hard to dissuade him from any direction he had chosen.
“Sometimes, my lord, you infuriate me to the edge of reason.”
“Only sometimes?” James, whom she had forgotten was listening avidly, said in a dry tone designed to amuse. “He must be slipping.”
“Enough,” David said. “I will begin to feel maligned otherwise. Josephine…no, don’t pucker up, we surely have got to the first name stage by now, and if we haven’t, it is time we changed that status quo. Let me show you to your room. Within the boundary of politeness, of course. Then perhaps we can take a walk in the rose garden until tea.”
“Won’t you need to be here to greet the others?” Josephine said doubtfully.
David shook his head. “No, James and Lady F. can do that. My job is to keep you entertained until the gong goes to dress for dinner. Which I have on good authority is to be informal. As in no tiara and pearls. And we can discuss our strategy.”
His tone intimated that he hoped they didn’t do that. Presumably because he was certain it would not meet her approval.
Josephine chuckled as she thought he had intended. Any strategy would be hers. “Just as well. I forgot my tiara and I do not suit pearls.”
“No,” David said thoughtfully. “Sapphires and Blue John.”
“Blue John?” She had never heard of him. “Who is that?”
“Not who, but what. A lovely local semiprecious stone. Godmama has a vase made of it in the aptly named blue room, I’ll show you later. It is a beautiful piece. You can get necklaces and brooches and such made from the stone. If we plan our days well, we might find time to ride to one of the caverns where it is mined. I think you would be interested. There is only one hill in the world where you find this exact stone, and fortuitously it is within riding distance.”
An outing like that would fill in some time nicely. “I’d like that.”
“Then we’ll let James work his wiles on Lydia and make up a party.”
“Why work his wiles?” she asked, interested to hear more about his friends. It struck home how little she really knew about him or indeed most members of the ton. Perhaps she should have paid more attention, then she might not be in the present situation. “What do I not know?”
“Do you ride?”
“What?” What a strange question to ask a young lady such as she. “Of course I do. Stop changing the subject.”
David chuckled. “No flies on you, my dear. Let’s say James is interested in Lydia and she will not indicate if that interest is reciprocated. Now, enough about them, they are old enough to sort their own lives out. So you would be up for riding to the caves?”
“Is it possible on horseback without upsetting any arrangements made for us?”
“Godmama will be happy to accommodate our plans. It is easy if we are all accomplished riders. We will start early and have lunch in an inn nearby.”
“Then I think that sounds perfect,” she replied and smiled to herself at his self-satisfied smirk.
“Then that is settled. Now, we go this way.”
Josephine didn’t demur as David led her around the side of the house and along a graveled path that meandered through shrubs and bushes. “I thought you were going to show me to my room?” she said as he seemed to direct them nowhere nearer the house.
“After.” He turned off the main path into a narrow grassy trail, which was only just wide enough for them to walk side by side.
“After what?” she asked as they reached a tiny circular clearing, surrounded by rhododendrons. In the middle was a curved stone bench, with its flat seat of polished local stone and its stumpy legs ornately carved. David towed her to it. “Please rest for a moment.” He put gentle pressure on her shoulders until she sat down with a thump and carefully arranged the skirts of her traveling dress over her knees and legs so it covered her ankles. She bit back the oath hovering on her tongue and waited with less composure than she hoped she conveyed.
David looked down at her and frowned. “Where do I start?”
“By not towering over me, perhaps? Sit down, do. As my old governess would say, you are making the place look untidy.” Josephine shuffled along a good foot to enable him to be seated without crowding her. “For goodness’ sake, tell me what on earth your intentions are.”
David sat down and twitched his buckskins into place. “To woo you. To make you mine?”
Before or after the wedding? Good grief, I hope I didn’t say that out loud. She sneaked a glance at his face. As no glee or amusement showed, she was hopeful that stray, and erroneou
s, thought had not been uttered. “But why? You keep saying that, but not why.”
How on earth could he put his emotions, his needs and his wants into words without scaring her? How could he explain his situation without showing what his parents were like? Would she even believe him? David understood anyone would have a hard time accepting that parents would behave in such a manner. In fact, he had found it difficult to comprehend. Now, with the wisdom of distance, David would admit that it had taken him a long while to understand that his father was a thoroughly unpleasant person who took a delight in subjugating people. Who enjoyed inflicting pain on innocents, had no vision and no way to see anyone’s opinion except his own. In the man’s mind, there was his way or the wrong way and nothing in between.
David took a deep breath. He had no option but to be open and honest. “It is a long story, and probably not one we have time for at the moment. Once I start, I will really need to carry on until I get to the end. The rest of the guests should be here within the hour and then it will be a cup of tea, a snack and get ready for dinner. What I will need to share shows certain people in a bad light, and, well, it is not an edifying thing to hear.” How difficult it was to be so open and say those things he had kept inside himself for so long. “I would be doing both of us a disservice if I do not tell you everything. Perhaps this evening? We are housed close to each other. Your sitting room once everyone has retired?”
It was an outrageous suggestion, but in one way it made sense. Not too far for him to navigate unseen, and once everyone was in bed, no one was likely to disturb her. However, would she see it like that?
Josephine looked at him suspiciously. “Be warned, if this is your idea of entrapment, and someone oh so conveniently finds you there, I will tell you straight, I will flatly refuse to have anything, and I mean anything to do with you, or any of your plans for my future.”
“You wound me.”
“Do I? If so, have my apologies.”
She sounded as if she didn’t care one way or the other if he accepted them or not, and it riled him.
“I wouldn’t inveigle you like that,” David said in a flat tone that, he decided, indicated he was holding on to his temper by a thread. “By wooing, by showing you what we could be, yes. By underhand means, no, never, I swear. I have had that done to me and it stings. This is above board.”
She stared at him for a long moment. Could she see how sincere he was and accept what he said was true?
“Very well, I am inclined to believe you, but woe betide you if you aren’t telling the truth.”
“I am.” He wasn’t used to having his integrity questioned—except by his parents. “My word as a Suddards and a gentleman.”
“You’re an aristocrat,” Josephine pointed out. Her tone indicated she held no truck with the word of such a person.
“Exactly. Therefore also a gentleman. You can trust my word. If you need to, feel free to ask my godmama. She has always called a spade a bloody shovel and would never lie to save her own skin, let alone anyone else’s.”
“Then, I will agree with you, and say when the house is put to bed,” Josephine said. Her demeanor was so composed she could have been saying she wished for a cake for tea, instead of agreeing to an assignation, which, although innocent, could have serious repercussions if it were discovered. “In my sitting room, which I have yet to see. Perhaps you should show me? I really must wash the grime of the journey away before tea.”
David inclined his head, relieved she’d agreed to his suggestion without too many protestations. “Follow me. Do you need any help?”
“Only in directions to the room.”
“Pity. Ah well.”
He was all innocence and she mistrusted him.
“Then let’s go in the back way,” he suggested, straight-faced. “After all, we better not let your mucky person be seen in the front hall, eh?”
His expression was so earnest, Josephine just stared at him. Then he winked. “That got you wondering, did it not?”
“Ohhh…” She tried to look angry and failed miserably. “You wretch. I will remember. Beware the next time we find ourselves next to a puddle. I will show you mucky. However, in all seriousness, I better tidy up a bit or questions will be asked. Ones I suspect neither of us would know how best to answer.”
“Then this way.” She followed him as they skirted the edge of the rose garden and took another grassy track toward the house. Once there, David opened a narrow door in the wall. “This leads to what my godmama calls the back passage. Not the most savory name but it serves its purpose.”
Josephine bit her lip to try to stifle the giggle that threatened to engulf her. “T-true,” she managed. “Where does it come out?”
“At the bottom of a staircase. Which in turn leads to the floor where our bedchambers are situated. Halfway along the corridor.”
That is convenient. “You know it well?”
“I did.” David stood to one side to let Josephine climb the stairs before him. “I’ll say it now, the chief reason to put you in front of me was to save you if you slip. A nice bonus is that I can watch how your body sways beneath your gown, and indulge in the most amazing fantasies.”
She almost missed the next stair tread. “You…you…wretch.”
“Careful, you do not want to fall.” The blighter sounded not one whit repentant. She would have to watch her step with him, and not just on the stairs.
“If I did, I would make sure my heel came into contact with a certain…delicate part of your anatomy,” she remarked before she realized what she had said and to whom she spoke. He deserves it, he is baiting me. “Now where is my room?”
David stretched past her to twist the knob of the door that led into the corridor. Without a word, he put his hand to the small of her back and turned her slightly to the right. Even through her traveling dress, she could swear she felt his handprint on her skin. It was a strange sensation.
“Here.” David opened the large, wood-paneled door and took a step back to let her precede him into the delicately furnished room. He waited in the doorway and watched while she swiftly scanned her surroundings. Elegant, expensive but not overwhelming. The delicate perfume of freesias assailed her nostrils and she took a deep, appreciative breath. She loved them and the chamber.
“Your sitting room,” he said. An unnecessary comment—it was obvious. “The door on that adjoining wall along the corridor is my sitting room, the next my bedchamber. And in case you are interested, our sitting rooms do have an internal adjoining door as well. You may have the key if you do not trust me, although that door will be useful later on, when we have our discussion. Very convenient.”
She gawped. It was a lot to take in at once.
David grinned and tapped her nose. “Once again, I offer you my apologies, my dear. You are far too easy to tease. Everything I said is true, but the way I said it could have been less annoying, I agree. But, in my justification, I did offer you the key to our mutual door.”
“Hmmm.” She drummed her foot on the parquet floor and stared at him until he ran his fingers under the edge of his cravat. “But not proffer it. Will you knock when it is time to go down for tea? Hopefully by then the key will be in your hands for you to give to me.” She shut the door in his face and smiled as she heard a guffaw through the wood panels. She needed to keep her wits about her when he was around. Josephine suspected it would not be easy. However, if nothing else, it meant life would never be dull.
Was he really serious about this marriage silliness? She washed her face and hands and let Mary help her into a pretty afternoon gown.
“I hope this will do for dinner as well,” she said, as once more Mary anchored her fine hair with an excess of pins to hold the simple plaited knot in place. “All this changing is so irritating. Why is it necessary? Do not shake your head like that, Mary. You know what I am like. What have you heard?”
“That not dressing doesn’t mean a simple country tea gown but a town tea gown, if you
get my meaning.”
“Tarnation. Semi-formal then.”
“It seems so. Which gown?”
Josephine considered the wardrobe she had with her. “The gold, I imagine. With the sandals to match and the shot silk shawl.”
“Yes, that will do perfectly,” Mary said with the gravitas of someone twice her age. “I’ll help you into your gold when you come up at the gong. I’ll get those pretty sapphire clips out to go with it.”
“Perfect. Ah.” There was a double rat-a-tat-tat on the door. “That must be his lordship. Will I do?”
Mary gave Josephine one swift but comprehensive glance. “You’ll do, my lady. You will indeed. I’ll have everything ready for you, when you come up.”
Josephine flashed her a grin as Mary moved to the door and opened it. “My lady is ready,” she said portentously, then spoiled it with a hastily smothered giggle.
David eyed Josephine with an appreciative twinkle in his eyes that Josephine mistrusted. All rakish innocence.
“I agree,” he said suavely. “Perfection.”
Josephine firmed her lips, took one look at David and swiftly turned her scowl into a cough. There was no need to upset him unnecessarily. Better to save any annoyance for when it was really warranted. “That is a label never before applied to me,” she said as she joined him. “Perfection. And I do not believe it is applicable now, either. Adequate will do. I am no diamond of the first water and I know it. Pretty, maybe, but the adjectives most often used by gentleman are ‘insipid’ and ‘uninspiring’. ‘Ornery’ and ‘imperfect’ are more usual from others. Ask my parents.”
“I prefer to make my own decisions.” David tucked her arm in his. “And I say perfection.” His tone dared her to argue.
Did he not know how their stance would look when they made their appearance in front of the others? Josephine did her best to tug her arm away and he tightened his grip.
“Stop it, you will hurt yourself.”
“Then let me go. This will look much too intimate.”
“Really?” He shrugged. “I would say get used to it, but as I don’t want you to start railing at me, I’ll say they will soon get used to it.”
The Viscount Meets his Match: A Regency Romance Page 9