An Unexpected Gentleman Part 7

Connor waved her inside with a flourish. aWelcome to Ashbury Hall, Miss Ward.a She stepped over the threshold and caught her breath. aOh, heavens.a Her voice was a mere whisper, and yet it all but echoed in the cavernous room. She walked across the great hall, awed by the dual staircases, with their wide, graceful steps and marble bal.u.s.trades. She marveled at the towering domed roof. The sheer vastness of the s.p.a.ce was overwhelming. Her entire home could fit into Ashbury Hallas entry.

That was, perhaps, a slight exaggeration, but the room was remarkable in size. And in its quietness. Where were the footsteps and voices, the everyday sounds one a.s.sociated with a home?

Connor wasnat the sort of man who insisted his staff never be seen or heard, was he?

She turned around and found him leaning against the door frame with his arms folded at his chest and his legs crossed at the ankles. He was watching her, not as he had on the drive, but with an intensity she nonetheless found unnerving.

aIs there no one here?a she asked, her eyes darting away. aNo staff?a aA few of the village women come to clean during the day. I believe theyare in the attic at present. And I have men about after dark, but Iave not obtained much in the way of permanent staff as yet. I thought to wait until youad made a choice of homes. You may select something I own at present, or we can search for something new. A great deal will depend on where youad like to settle. Or if youad like to settle. We could spend the seasons in London and the rest of the year touring.a He was leaving it up to her. She didnat want to be pleased by the gesture or moved by his thoughtfulness. But she was. She couldnat help it. Even knowing that he likely made the offer for selfish reasons, she couldnat help but hope that some part of the man she had met in the garden remained in the man she would marry.

aIave always lived in Banfries,a she said quietly. aIave never wanted to live anywhere else.a aNever?a She shook her head without looking at him.

aThen Banfries it will be.a aI should like to travel,a she said and discovered the dream was becoming easier to admit aloud. aI should like to visit the places we spoke of before. But I want a home, as well. Iall always want to come back here.a He tapped the wall. aHere, specifically?a aWe shall see,a she replied primly. aAshbury Hall certainly is . . . substantial.a aThereas more to it than size. Have a look about. Explore a bit.a Why not? It was likely to be her home soon enough. aI believe I shall.a She took her time, wandering from hall to hall, room to room. There were an inordinate number of halls and rooms. Tidy stacks of tools lined the walls, and here and there she saw a project still in progressa"the piece of molding waiting to be refinished, a door off its hinges, and those boarded windowsa"but the vast majority of the worked appeared to have been completed.

It was, she had to admit, a sizable feat for Connor to not only have purchased the estate but have effected such a remarkable change in so short a time.

Some of the rooms were already furnished, and most of those furnishings appeared to be new. Everything appeared expensive.

Adelaide trailed her fingers along wainscoting as she walked down an upstairs hall. The wood was a rich, glossy brown and smooth to the touch.

Shead had such fantasies of Ashbury Hall as a child. It had been an enchanted castle or the haunted lair of a murderous ogre, depending on her mood. But seeing it now, from the inside, with its wood and crystal polished to a gleam, it no longer seemed a castle from a magical tale, just a large and opulent home.

Her fingers met air at the entrance of a lavishly appointed billiards room containing, not one, but three tables. Good Lord, she never aspired to this sort of opulence. Shead never expected a home of such vast proportions.

But, heaven forgive her, the mere thought of having it now made her almost giddy. It took very little imagination to picture herself in the library, reading a book by a roaring fire while George played on the plush carpet and Isobelas bubbling laughter filled the air. It took a little more effort to envision Wolfgang in his chambers, a snifter of brandy . . . No, a cup of tea in his hand and a contented smile on his face. But envision it she did. It was lovely.

aYouare smiling.a Adelaide jumped and whirled at the sound of Connoras voice. He was standing not six feet away.

aYou do sneak up on a person. I thought you were waiting downstairs.a aI was. Then I wasnat. Donat try to turn the subject. You were smiling.a aPerhaps.a aBecause you like the house.a She did. Oh, she did. It occurred to her suddenly that Isobel had been quite wrong. She wasnat a martyr at all.

She was an adventuress.

aYouare a breath away from laughter.a He moved forward. aAdmit it, you want this.a She bit her lip to make certain that breath didnat slip away. aPossibly.a He came closer. aSay the word and itas yours. Say yes and Iall give you anything you want. Everything your family needs. A permanent home. Fine gowns for Isobel and a proper education for your nephew.a He moved nearer still. aYou could see your brother walk free.a Anything you want. Everything your family needs.

They were one and the same for her. And well Connor knew it. It was then that Adelaide realized his purpose in bringing her to Ashbury Hall. It hadnat been to boast or impress her.

aItas bait,a she muttered and stepped away from him.

aBeg your pardon?a aThis house. Youare using it like a lure, a symbol of what I might have.a aIf you like,a he replied after a momentas thought. aAll you have to do is reach out and take.a aAnd the moment I do, youall swoop down on me like a hawk.a His smile brought fine creases to the corners of his eyes. aHawks donat need lures. I believe youare mixing metaphors.a Nevertheless, a hawk is what he was. And in her mended gown and worn slippers, she felt very much the disheveled wren head called her the night of the masquerade.

A plain songbird in a raptoras nest. It was a fitting image. It was also unacceptable. She would not be s.n.a.t.c.hed up like prey . . . Unless, of course, the bait was very alluring indeed.

aYouave such an expressive face,a Connor murmured. aWhat are you thinking, love?a Her pulse surged at his easy use of the endearment. She tipped her chin up. aIam wondering how much youare willing to sacrifice to have your revenge.a aWhat is it you want? Name your price.a Adelaide chewed on the inside of her lip, considering. Under the circ.u.mstances, aname your pricea was a distasteful and debasing phrase. Only she didnat feel debased, particularly. Whichever suitor she might have chosen, her reasons for marriage remained unchanged. But it was only with Connor that shead been able to speak of those reasons aloud. She didnat have to pretend an affection. She didnat feel obligated to bite her tongue when she wanted to argue, or swallow her reservations and hope for the best.

However objectionable the current conversation, the honesty of it afforded her a certain measure of relief and no small amount of empowerment. If she was going to allow herself to be lured into a snare, or bought like a side of beef at market, she d.a.m.n well would have something to say about the price . . . or the bait. d.a.m.n it, she was mixing metaphors.

aI want the terms of marriage agreed upon in advance,a she announced.

Connor inclined his head in agreement but said nothing.

aWell,a she prompted after a momentas silence, amake an offer.a aAs I said, name your price.a She bit her lip again and shifted her feet. aI canat.a aWhy not?a She tossed her hands up. aI donat know what you have.a aYouave your brotheras head for business, I see,a he drawled before taking pity on her. aVery well. Ten thousand pounds per annum. How does that sound?a aYou have ten thousand pounds a year?a Good heavens, it was twice Sir Robertas income.

aYou will have ten thousand pounds a year.a She smiled a little at the invitation to consider what was his as her own. Sir Robert had never made such a gesture, but then, he only had half the income. Ten thousand pounds, however, though a highly respectable sum, seemed far less than what would be needed to own several properties like the one they were in now. Head need . . .

Suddenly, Connoras emphasis of ayoua took on another meaning. But it seemed so fantastical to her, so unlikely, she couldnat quite wrap her mind around even the possibility.

aWhen you say I shall have ten thousand pounds,a she began slowly, ayou do mean we. You are referring to a sort of . . . joint accessibilitya"a aI am referring to an allowance. Your pin money, as it were.a aGood heavens.a Ten thousand pounds was . . . It was . . . Well, it certainly wasnat pin money.

Her heart began to race as visions of what she could do with such a fortune danced through her head. Isobel could have the finest gowns. George would never know a dayas want. Her home would be repaired and refurbished. Wolfgang would be freed of his debts. She could purchase a pianoforte for herself, or even travel. The bulk of the funds would be put away for safekeeping, of course, but a few indulgences here and there . . .

aAdelaide?a aYou could withdraw those funds,a she said quickly, surprised she was able to s.n.a.t.c.h the concern from her whirlwind of thoughts. aAs my husband, you could cut me offa"a aWeall draw up a legal contract.a aContracts can be broken.a aThey can, but itas more a.s.surance than Sir Robert will offer you.a She couldnat argue with that. Or perhaps she could have, had her mind not still been occupied with the idea of having ten thousand pounds.

It was far more than she had ever hoped for, more than most people saw in a lifetime, and she blamed the shock of such a windfall for what next came out of her mouth.

aI want twenty.a She nearly swallowed her tongue. There was naming a price, and then there was asking for more than what could reasonably be expected to materialize. She had most certainly crossed the line.

Connor grinned. aEleven.a aNineteen,a she shot back and rather wished she had swallowed her tongue in truth.

aShall we save time and agree on fifteen?a She couldnat believe what she was hearing. She couldnat believe what she was saying.

aFifteen is acceptable, but initial payment will be rendered in full the day of marriage.a Shead put it in her sisteras name, or her nephewas. Whatever happened after, even if she never received another promised penny, her family would still have that fifteen thousand pounds.

aAgreed. Anything else?a There were likely an infinite number of demands it would be wise for her to make, and an equal number of points on which an understanding should be reached in advance. Unfortunately, she had only the foggiest notion of what those might be. Shead never negotiated a marriage contract before.

And, oh, but it was difficult to concentrate when there was fifteen thousand pounds sitting on the table, figuratively speaking.

She walked a few feet away and back again. Difficult or not, she had to consider things carefully and thoroughly. No one else was going to take care of matters for her. She couldnat very well ask Lord Engsly and Lord Gideon to engage in this sort of bartering. Her knowledge of marital contracts might be limited, but she was fairly sure that, generally, a bride did not demand a lump sum of money be delivered on her wedding day.

And she was quite certain that the next concern that occurred to her was not one she wished Lord Engsly and his brother to address on her behalf.

She looked at Connor and found him waiting with an air of amused patience. She cleared her throat. aWhat of . . . er . . .a He lifted his brows and bent forward a bit, waiting.

aWill you expect . . . ?a Lord, this was awkward. And ridiculous. If she could demand a price for herself without batting an eyelash, then she ought be able to reference the marriage bed without tripping over her own tongue.

She blew out a short breath and tried again. aA marriage is not a marriage, not a lawful one, until . . . That is, will you require . . .a She made a prompting gesture with her hand.

aTo . . . go somewhere?a aNo, to . . .a Feeling increasingly foolish, she made an even more emphatica"and no doubt even less decipherablea"prompting motion. a. . . To have a lawful marriage . . . ?a aAh.a Understanding dawned on his face. aYes.a Right. Well, that was to be expected, wasnat it? aI understand the marriage must be consummated, and I am willing to . . . do what must be done.a aYou sound like a martyr.a aI donat. I merely wish to make clear the details of our contract.a A hint of annoyance crossed his face. She ignored it. aI will agree to share a bed with you once a year.a aNo.a Now she was growing annoyed. a aNoa is not a counteroffer, Mr. Brice.a aConnor. And anoa means the offer was too insulting to dignify with any other response.a Was it? Well, how the blazes was she to know? She sniffed, because it seemed the only thing to do. aWell, it stands until you come up with one of your own.a aFine. Ten times a day.a She gaped at him, shocked beyond measure. aSurely not. There is only one night in a day.a aI know.a Adelaide felt a momentas panic. She was at a terrible disadvantage in this negotiation, utterly in the dark in the private ways of husbands and wives. With her mother gone, and her friendship with Lilly and Winnefred not yet the sort that allowed for the discussion of such delicate matters, there was no one to whom she might turn to for guidance . . . No one but Connor.

aIs . . . ten times . . .a The heat of embarra.s.sment and frustration filled her cheeks. Without realizing it, she leaned in a little and spoke in a lowered voice. aIs that normal?a Connor blinked. For several long seconds, that was his only reaction. He stood mute and still as a statue. There wasnat a trace of humor on his features, nor anger, come to that. There wasnat a trace of anything that she could see. His face was a blank mask.

Good Lord, shead shocked him stupid.

Adelaide straightened and twisted her lips. aThe question hardly warrants thata"a aWeall discuss it later,a he said suddenly, coming to himself.

His peculiar behavior deserved pondering, but his suggestion they revisit the conversation another time took precedence.

She shook her head in adamant refusal. aNo. Not later. Now.a She sounded like George asking after a biscuit. She didnat care. Under no circ.u.mstances was she going to repeat this experience.

Connor stepped forward, took her by the elbow, and began to lead her down the hall. aNot everything needs to be decided today.a This from the man whoad proposed after a dayas acquaintance? aButa"a aIave business to see to in Edinburgh this week. Take the time to think on matters.a He stopped, turned, and pulled her into his arms. aAnd while youare thinking, keep this in mind.a His lips brushed across hers, soft and warm as the sun of spring. There was no hurry to his kiss, no demand, only patient invitation delivered with devastating skill. She accepted without thought, caught off guard by the sweetness of it, and before she knew it, her mouth was moving steadily under his. She leaned forward, gripping handfuls of his coat.

Connor pulled back. aWant more?a She nodded. Shook her head. aI donat know. I donat like you.a aI know.a Connor lifted a hand and trailed the backs of his fingers across her jaw. His face was so close, she could make out every shade of green in his eyes. aI want you,a he said thickly. aI wanted you the first time I saw you. Even before I knew who you were.a Before he knew of her connection to Sir Robert? She pulled away and looked at him, the warmth of the kiss draining away. aDo you really expect me to believe that?a aNo.a His mouth quirked with humor, but she wasnat sure if he was laughing at himself or her. aWhich is why Iad never planned to tell you.a aAnd yet you just did.a She shook her head. aYouare very much like your brother, you know.a He winced. aHave I angered you again, or are you being unkind in retaliation for past slights?a aI believe youall say whatever you must to get what you want. Both of you.a All of you, she amended, thinking of her brother.

aYou were wearing a blue coat,a he said quietly. aIt was torn at the hem, and too thin for the weather. I could see the red in your cheeks and nose from the cold, and this . . .a He lifted a hand and toyed with a lock of her hair. aI could see it peeking out from under your bonnet. You bent to kiss your nephewas brow as you crossed the yard.a aYou couldnat have known he was my nephew.a aI didnat. I a.s.sumed he was your son and you were bringing him to see his father, your husbanda"didnat stop me from looking for you every Sat.u.r.day for almost six months. The hem was mended next I saw you.a aThat proves nothing. You could have . . .a She trailed off as something he had said suddenly took on new meaning. aSix months? This past winter?a He nodded. aAnd an ocean of grief I received from the other inmates for it.a A sick weight settled in her stomach. aYour interest was known.a aThereas no privacy to be had in prison.a His brow furrowed as he studied her face. aHave I offended you? Are you angry that I watched you?a aNo. Some. I . . .a She pressed her lips together and shook her head. Her anger didnat stem from that, directly. It stemmed from every lie, secret, and trap shead fallen victim toa"Connoras, Wolfgangas, Sir Robertas. She was naught but a marionette in their show, and every time she thought to have gained her freedom, discovered where all their nasty little strings were attached, she turned about and found another.

Anger boiled and swirled. It was too solid to see past, too thick to speak through. She decided not to bother trying to do either. If Connor wanted to wait for his answer, then wait he would. And Wolfgang, she decided, could wait for his freedom.

Sir Robert could wait in h.e.l.l.

aI wish to go home.a

Chapter 13.

Connor knew that there were times when it was best to press, and times it was best to let things settle. He let Adelaide settle, making no attempt to fill the silence that accompanied their return carriage ride.

It cost him to do so. He wasnat blind to the fact that something was bothering Adelaide, nor that the change in her demeanor had immediately followed his confession. Head like to think shead been struck senseless by the sudden realization of her good fortune, but even he could not lay claim to that level of arrogance.

He wanted to demand an explanation for her sudden change of mood or provoke her until the line between her brows disappeared. But he didnat. He kept his peace as they came to a stop in her drive and issued only a few formal words of farewell after a.s.sisting her from her seat.

She mumbled something vaguely like, aSafe journey,a and headed for the house.

Suppressing an oath, Connor climbed back onto the phaeton and started the horses off at a trot. Adelaide wasnat the only one in need of settling.

I want you. I wanted you the first time I saw you. Even before I knew who you were.

For the life of him, he could not say why head admitted to that, why head handed Adelaide what essentially amounted to a weapon.

He only knew that one moment he was enjoying the exchange, amused by the bartering, charmed by her incongruent mix of determined purpose and stumbling innocence. And the next moment, head felt like a jaded brute. Not exactly a novel sensation for him, but this time had been different.

He could still see the way the color had all but drained from her cheeks, then rushed back to leave her skin flushed.

aIs that normal?a shead asked.

b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l.

Shead unmanned him with that one question. Suddenly, she hadnat looked sweet and brave and charming. Shead looked afraid, and cornered, and very, very alone. Like a babe in the woods.

It p.r.i.c.ked at him now that head bargained with her that head been amused at all. It irritated him that theyad spoken of contracts and the bedchamber in the same conversation.

He wasnat buying her like cattle. He wasnat purchasing the favors of a light skirt.

And he wasnat the sort of man who found pleasure in watching a woman struggling to find her way out of an untenable situation. He didnat kick at innocents. Certainly, when that innocence could be used to benefit, he took advantage. But he didnat kick.

He didnat want to be the sort of man who kicked.

Somewhere in that jumble of doubt and worry and guilt was his reason for spouting off at the mouth. Head wanted to apologize. Or give her something. Or give her something back.

Which was patently ridiculous, he decided. He was giving her something. Fifteen thousand somethings, to be exact. There was no reason for him to feel as if he were gaining the better part of a bargain. And there was no reason he couldnat remember to hold his peace in the future.

Reasonably, if not wholly, satisfied with this line of logic, he set the matter aside. There were more immediate concerns that demanded his attention.

Not far from Adelaideas house, he slowed the horses and carefully maneuvered the phaeton off the road onto a flat, gra.s.sy area surrounded by a thick line of evergreens. Then he hopped down, leaned against the front wheel, and waited.

It wasnat long before the sound of old leaves cracking underfoot reached his ears, and a young man in peasantas attire emerged from the surrounding trees. Connor knew Graham Sefton to be four-and-twenty, a half inch shy of six feet, and currently the single most useful individual of his acquaintance. Head been Sir Robertas man of all trades for three months, and Connoras for six.

A man met the most interesting fellows in prison.

Connor nodded in greeting. aWhat will you tell your master?a Graham came to a stop before him and scratched a nose that looked to have been broken and reset more than once. For reasons that eluded Connor, women in the local village found the flaw, and the man, all but irresistible.

aDepends, donat it?a Graham remarked in a voice that held the hallmarks of a low birth softened by a late education. aYou want him flapping like a fish on a hook or squirming like bait?a aThereas a difference?a aThere is.a Graham grinned, dark eyes creasing in a faced tanned by both sun and heritage. aGive me the coin for a pint and Iall explain it to you.a Connor dug out payment and held it up, then away. aExplanation first, then weall see.a Graham considered, then shrugged. aBait knows heas done for when the hook goes through. The squirmingas just the death throes. But a fish donat always know itas caught for good. Thinks all that flopping about on the line will earn his freedom. Whatas a bit of metal through a lip, after all. So, which will it be?a The image of Sir Robert squirming was tempting, very tempting. But Connor knew he couldnat risk it. Sir Robert was unpredictable. The possibility of him directing his frustration at Adelaide was real.

aI want him confident. Tell him you witnessed an argument.a aAnd what was the nature of this argument?a aYou were too far away to hear. Tell him it looked as if I made an advance, and the lady rebuffed.a aSimple enough.a Graham held out his hand and wiggled his fingers. aDo I have me coin?a Connor tossed it to him. aYouare a cheap traitor.a aAye,a Graham agreed with a wink, abut a loyal one.a Adelaide didnat immediately go into the house. The moment Connor drove away, she turned her steps away from the front door and strode around to the relative privacy of a side garden. She followed a stone path that was rapidly disappearing beneath an onslaught of dirt and weeds.

A stunted but cheerfully blooming hydrangea caught her eye. She stopped to stare at it. Shead planted it before the death of her parents, and it survived and flowered, year after year, despite her neglect. Happy blooms, courageously thriving in the inhospitable world in which they had been so carelessly deposited.

She wanted to stomp on them. Just this once, she wanted to know the power of being the cause of havoc, instead of its victim. She turned away before the ridiculous temptation got the better of her.

If it was devastation she craved, shead be better served by paying a visit to Sir Robert.

What a d.a.m.n fool she was.

She remembered, perfectly, the day she had met the baron. It had been morning; shead been on her way to town for bread, and shead come across him on the road. His horse had gone lamea"thatas what head told her after head introduced himself and offered his company for the walk into town.

Shead known who he was. Her little corner of Scotland was not so rife with barons that she could overlook one living but a few miles away. But they moved in different circles, different worlds, and theyad never spoken until that day.

Later, he called the meeting a wondrous spot of fate, a delightful sprinkling of serendipity. Shead thought the sentiment rather sweet. Shead even felt guilty that shead not been able to summon a similar enthusiasm.

What good fortune, head said. What fine providence. What grand luck.

What a pile of rot. Sir Robert had sought her out.

Adelaide didnat fully believe Connoras story of wanting her. She wasnat inclined to believe much of anything that came out of the manas mouth. But head not have lied about showing an interest in her during his imprisonment or being teased because of that interest. That was too easy a claim to verify or refute.

Just a few inquiries at the prison, thatas all it would take. Sir Robert wouldnat have had to make the trip to the prison. His pocketed guards would have come to him with the information. And it wouldnat have taken months for them to do it.

Apparently, it had taken him a month or two to figure out how to use Connoras interest to his own advantage, but then, he was an idiot. A nasty, lying, cowardly idiot.

They all were. She was furious with all of them. Sir Robert for his lies. Her brother for his lies. Connor for his lies . . . And his truths.

Oh, yes, that anger was present as well. It was irrational, unfair, and quite simply wrong, but in that moment, she didnat care. She was happy to shoot the messenger. She was willing to do most anything that might ease the painful, humiliating truth . . . She had fallen prey to not one, but two false courtships.

Good Lord, had she no gauge of character? Was there not a single man of her acquaintance who shead not misjudged?

aIdiot,a she whispered, uncertain, at this point, to whom she was directing the insult. It hardly mattered. It fit the lot of them.