Unrivalled Regency: A Gallant Gamble Part 5

"Good heavens! You can be a tad blunt on occasions, Mr. Talbot. I'm sure that I don't need to advise you not to bring up any conversations like that when at the ball this evening." The man reappeared with a pale cream coloured offering, accentuated with tiny golden threads woven about the b.u.t.tonholes.

Geoffrey narrowed his eyes as he considered the garment. It was more decorative than he personally favoured, but the fabric appeared subtle enough for him to overlook his taste for the less flamboyant. Seeing victory within his grasp, Coalport immediately helped Geoffrey into the waistcoat before turning him towards the mirror.

Geoffrey frowned as he stood there and huffed out a breath. The waistcoat was perfect, just as every other item of clothing had been throughout the whole week. Annoyed with himself for enjoying the beautiful clothes, he grabbed up his evening coat and stalked from the room as he spoke over his shoulder.

"Don't wait up for me tonight, Coalport. I doubt that we will return early and you've been up earlier and later than me all week. I'll take care of myself this evening."

Coalport smiled widely as he waved Geoffrey off.

"Thank you, Sir. I appreciate your consideration. Don't forget to hang your clothes when you return. I don't want to find them all flung over the floor tomorrow morning."

Geoffrey laughed as Coalport shooed him out of the door. He and the valet had become friends over the last few days. It felt good to be able to talk to the man without any pretence of grandeur.

"Good grief! Anyone would think I was some sort of commoner the way you go on." He laughed again as he heard Coalport's own friendly chortle.

As usual, he arrived in the drawing room before the ladies. Bottomley was already pouring him a brandy but he had yet to sip it when Charlotte arrived looking more breathtaking than ever before. Her oyster pink gown shimmered over her body, accentuating her loveliness while driving nails into Geoffrey's heart all over again.

He bowed over her gloved hand and she accepted his salutation with a smile that tore at his very being. His gaze shifted to her ivory throat and he suddenly noticed her pulse beating hard under her delicate skin. He breathed as slowly as his body allowed while he fought the enticement to press his lips to that very point and tasting the heat of her blood. G.o.d help him, it was more than enticement! He clenched his jaws together and resisted the temptation to haul her into his arms, throw her over his shoulder and cart her off to the nearest bedroom. He wouldn't let her up from the bed until he had stripped them both naked and loved over and over until she cried out his name and swore that she was his forever more.

"You look lovely again, Charlotte," he managed to stammer before he let her hand go and pa.s.sed her a gla.s.s of sherry.

"As do you, Geoff." She sipped the sweet wine and hid behind her gla.s.s as she looked Geoffrey up and down. It was becoming harder to not notice him each day. His new wardrobe set off his splendid figure to perfection and she wondered if he could tell the effect he was having on her. Her blood almost sang as it flew around her body, a slight flush rising into her cheeks as she breathed in the scent of clean man.

It was probably just as well that the door opened behind her and Olivia walked slowly into the room with her hand pressed against her temple. Charlotte gasped at the paleness of the woman's skin and rushed towards her.

"Olivia, is something wrong?"

The older lady staggered and Geoffrey leapt forwards, catching her gently and helping her into a chair.

"Madam, I will call a doctor immediately." He made for the door but the d.u.c.h.ess called him back.

"No, no, it's just the megrims. I will be better in a moment, but I doubt I will be able to remain long at the ball tonight. I will come with you as Charlotte's chaperone, of course but then will have to leave her under your care, Geoffrey. There will be many ladies there qualified to act on my behalf. I will ask one of them to sit with you. I know that I can rely on you to see that she comes to no harm during the ride home."

Charlotte shook her head.

"No, Olivia. I refuse to leave you if you are unwell. I don't want to go to the ball anyway. We have attended enough this week to last me a lifetime. I will stay here with you and make sure that you are well this evening."

Geoffrey nearly sagged in relief as he thought of the far more pleasant prospect of a quiet evening at home. A game of cards, or a good book from Alexander's well stocked library would suit him perfectly, but before he could agree with Charlotte and insist on remaining at home, Olivia waved her handkerchief and shook her head.

"Absolutely not. I insist on you going. I have it on excellent authority that the Prince Regent is going to make an appearance. You must be there. I refuse to let you pa.s.s up this chance of royal acknowledgement. As Dowager d.u.c.h.ess I am already known to the Prince and am able to introduce you on behalf of Alexander. I will stay for the presentation and then ask young Callum to bring me home. He can return with the carriage for the pair of you later in the evening." She held up her hand as Charlotte looked about to protest. "I won't hear another word on the subject. Now if you could just pour me a small sherry, Geoffrey, I am sure that I will make a temporary recovery soon enough."

Geoffrey's heart sank as he poured a goodly measure of the fortified wine into a crystal gla.s.s and handed it to the wincing woman.

"If you are sure, but if we have to go, I think that we should all leave together. It wouldn't look right for me to be left alone with Lady Charlotte." He forbore mentioning that it would also mean that they could leave another of the dreadful routs a few hours early.

Olivia shook her head and then moaned as the apparent pain lanced her temple.

"No, I forbid you to leave until after the Prince dances with Charlotte, a thing he is sure to do as he loves nothing better than a stunningly beautiful woman. He won't be able to resist her charms and her chances of an even better match will be increased exponentially. All the most eligible bachelors will be there. We cannot let this opportunity pa.s.s."

Geoffrey felt a headache of his own coming on until Charlotte spoke with a hint of annoyance in her tone.

"Olivia, as much as you may feel that finding a husband for me is the best future I can hope for, I am disinclined to agree with you. I do not want to marry. I certainly do not want to marry any of the less than adequate fools who pa.s.s for gentlemen, that I have met so far this week. None would suit me at all so it hardly matters if I dance with the Prince or not. I agree with Geoffrey that we should all leave together."

Geoffrey didn't know if Charlotte had made him feel any better with her choice of words, but at least he was sure that she was not attracted to any other man in particular. He only hoped that she remained of the opinion that she could manage her life on her own, for though he knew that he could not have her, he didn't think he could bear to see her become the wife of another either.

The very thought of her with another man made his knees turn weak. It had been bad enough watching her being danced off her feet by all and sundry this last week. Fortunately she hadn't been granted leave to waltz yet. He wasn't sure how he would be able to cope when she was. He'd had no idea that the dance was so intimate. He'd yet to try it himself but it appeared to be easy enough. One, two three and sweep the lady around, one hand tightly on her waist and the other gripping her fingers. Of the one or two couples he saw dancing it well, he had noticed that the gentleman appeared to guide with his thighs too, pressing them into his partners skirts as they whirled about the room.

Heat suffused the whole of his body. No man was going to dance with her like that unless it was himself. He'd kill any who tried. Charlotte suddenly looked up at him and for a moment he wasn't sure why until he heard the growl that seemed to emanate from his own throat. He gave a belated cough and topped up her sherry to cover his indiscretion.

The Latham's dinner had been a lively affair. Charlotte had been placed near the head of the table due to her a.s.sociation with the d.u.c.h.ess. Geoffrey sat just a few seats down on the opposite side of the table. His raven haired dinner companion had monopolised his conversation and Charlotte had barely exchanged a glance with him.

She rolled her eyes as the man at her side placed his hand just above her knee for what felt like the fiftieth time. Apart from worrying over grease marks on her gown, she was completely fed up with his less than gentlemanly antics. She slipped her dessert fork into her right hand and sparkled up at Lord Latham at the head of the table as she stabbed the man at her side hard in his left thigh.

He let out a high pitched yelp and his hand quickly disappeared from her leg as Charlotte offered her sincere apologies for dropping her cutlery.

"I am so sorry! My fingers must be greasy from the duck. I do beg your pardon, Lord Ainsworth. I hope I have not injured you grievously." She fluttered her eyelashes at the man as he gulped back the pain of the spearing.

"Think nothing of it, my dear." He hissed and shook his head while he gritted his teeth and pretended that he was well able to ignore such a painful stabbing, but Charlotte wasn't done with the odious man. She pouted a pretty smile at him.

"It is fortunate that you are not so well endowed or it might have been more than a little p.r.i.c.k that you received." She arched her eyebrows virtuously and whispered loudly enough so that several in the vicinity could overhear.

Geoffrey almost spat out his peach pudding, such was the guffaw that nearly broke past his lips. The dark haired lady who had talked his ear off all evening attempted to gain his attention yet again, but Geoffrey shrugged off her questing fingers that reached for his thigh and listened to Charlotte again. This time she placed her hand on Lord Ainsworth's arm and spoke earnestly. "Or perhaps you dress to the right, in which case it is just as well that I am seated above you at the table. Being lower down the pecking order may have saved your family jewels." Her hand flew to her mouth as Lord Ainsworth let out a strangled harrumph and turned a bright shade of pink.

Charlotte took out her fan and wafted it vigorously, catching the attention of over half the table before she spoke from behind it.

"I do apologise most profusely. Clearly you dress to the left and I have skewered more than meets the eye. Never fear, your secret is safe with me, your Lordship. If your wife or any of your mistresses ask why you are not dancing later this evening I will let them know that it was all my fault and that you met with a tiny accident that has left you incommoded for the foreseeable future." Ainsworth now turned purple and Charlotte immediately gasped out, "Oh heavens! Just think what a lucky escape you have had. Imagine if the fork had punctured your hand where it lay on my knee. You might have been unable to ride or draw forth your sword with any prowess." She blinked in youthful innocence at the man who now sat squirming in his seat.

Several of the ladies t.i.ttered behind their gloved hands and many of the men shifted uncomfortably in their chairs, clearly removing straying fingers from numerous knees. Geoffrey glanced down at his dark haired companion, picked up his pudding fork and twirled it in his fingers. The lady's eyes widened and she inched back as her hand suddenly appeared above the table cloth. Geoffrey raised his gla.s.s fractionally in Charlotte's direction and smiled at her for the first time that evening.

Lady Latham looked along the table. Most of the company had stopped eating. She narrowed her eyes fractionally at Charlotte before standing up and leading the ladies from the room. Charlotte completely ignored her host's directive and lingered long enough for Geoffrey's dinner companion to leave before her. When the lady turned back to give Geoffrey a languorous smile Charlotte was right behind her, glowering at the flirtatious woman.

The ball began in earnest as the men rejoined the ladies. Other guests began arriving and the noise and general excitement increased dramatically as the music began and the ladies filled their dance cards.

Geoffrey stood behind Olivia and Charlotte as they sat together at the edge of the ballroom. Being the most beautiful woman in the room, Charlotte's card had been filled quickly and Geoffrey ground his teeth at the thought of how many men would touch her hands that night. She had only two s.p.a.ces left and both of them were waltzes. Olivia pressed her lips together and stood up.

"This is just not good enough. Lady Latham promised me that she would make sure that you were allowed, my dear. Stay here while I find the woman and gain your permission. We can't have the Prince asking you to dance and you being ruined when you have to refuse him. Geoffrey, put your name in both those s.p.a.ces so that no other men think that they may take advantage of them." She s.n.a.t.c.hed up Charlotte's dance card and handed him the pencil.

Geoffrey felt his cheeks heat as he stared down at Charlotte's list of partners. There were two Dukes, a Marquis, three Earls and more Lords than he cared to count. He added a Mister, twice, and handed the filled card back to Charlotte.

"Your feet are going to be aching." He grumbled as Olivia hurried off towards a group of gossiping women.

Charlotte sighed and fanned her flushed cheeks.

"I can feel the pain already. I'd give anything for a night off. Olivia has been an absolute darling, but I've not had a moment to myself since we arrived."

Geoffrey glared ferociously at a young man who had been about to approach, and didn't speak again until the interloper had scuttled back, red faced, to his laughing companions.

"I know exactly how you feel. I am looking forward to Giles arriving more than I can say."

Charlotte sighed deeply.

"At least you can go home then. I fear that I will be trapped here for several weeks longer, though that may make it possible for me to find a buyer for the diamond. All of Alexander's recommendations have failed. I will have to ask privately now."

Surprised that she mentioned the fabulous stone in public, Geoffrey leaned a little closer to her ear.

"I think that you should be careful who you approach about it. These people are loose lipped when in their cups. We don't know who they consort with or who might discover that you have a priceless stone. We wouldn't want you or Alexander's house to become a target for thieves."

Charlotte looked up at him and noticed the genuine concern reflected there. She smiled gratefully and pressed her hand to his for a second.

"Many appear to know of its existence already, Geoff. Even Lady Bowers has asked to see it. I fear that my dear departed brother was far more open with his friends than he perhaps should have been. He told many of the fabled diamond hidden at Caithwell to stave off his creditors. Several people have asked me about the rumours of its discovery."

Geoffrey stood up straight and glanced suspiciously about the room. The eyes of three men were upon them. He stared them down before muttering again.

"Good G.o.d! Was the man daft? We'll have half the felons in London at our windows."

She shook her head and blinked back the tears that suddenly filled her eyes. While her brother had fallen into disgrace, he was still her brother.

"I think that John was more desperate than daft, but you have no reason to fear. The stone is hidden safely where no one will find it." She blinked the water from her eyes and smiled brightly up at Geoffrey.

Geoffrey gripped the back of the chair as he hands began to shake. Her naivety scared him. She had no idea of the position she had put herself in.

"It's not the safety of the d.a.m.ned diamond that I am worried about. If anyone thinks that you have it upon you, even if you don't, you could become a target. There are many ways to force someone to confess where they have hidden something. I cannot protect you in this kind of crush. I don't even have a weapon on me to defend you," he hissed out his words as he scanned the ballroom again, suddenly alarmed at how out-numbered he felt. He didn't even have a weapon to defend her with. "We should find Olivia and leave immediately."

A young man suddenly appeared in front of them. He glanced at Geoffrey's fearsome expression a little nervously before bowing to Charlotte.

"I believe I have this dance." He held out his hand and Charlotte was about to reach out and take it when Olivia bustled through, brushing the gent from her path as she rushed excitedly up to Charlotte.

"I have it! Your permission to waltz has been granted, and just in time too...The Prince has arrived and demanded that the order of the evening be changed. He will be leading you out for the first waltz. Quickly, stand up, my dear. You are to be presented immediately. Come Mr. Talbot. I have gained you an audience too."

Geoffrey blanched.

"Me? Why on earth does the Prince want to meet me?" He asked in confusion while being suddenly very glad that Coalport had persuaded him into the understated but fabulously opulent gold threaded waistcoat.

Olivia took hold of his arm and squeezed it gently.

"You are the best groomsman in the land, of course. Rumour has spread like wildfire since our first dinner party, just as I planned. Everyone is agog at your expertise and knowledge of horseflesh. The Prince has asked that you ride one from his own stable in Lord Davenport's annual compet.i.tion. It is a great honour. You'll be feted about the land should you win."

Geoffrey wiped his handkerchief across his rapidly dampening brow.

"And I'll probably be put to the gallows if his horse breaks a leg. I'm good but I never professed to be the best at anything, and I never took part in a race in my life before. Lord Davenport's course is reported to be the most difficult in England. Dear G.o.d alive! I don't want to do this."

Olivia stuck him lightly on his arm with her fan and held his gaze with a firm one of her own.

"Oh, believe me, you do. The prize is worth far more than a thousand guineas now. The whole ballroom is abuzz with the news. Bets are being laid at Whites as we speak. Come along. We must not keep His Highness waiting." She turned, took Charlotte's hand and fairly dragged her across the room. Geoffrey trailed miserably behind them while he gathered his wits and prepared to disappoint the Prince.

Twenty minutes later, a shocked Geoffrey stood against the wall while he watched the rotund, painted Prince whirl Charlotte about the room on surprisingly light feet. Men whom he had never seen in his life before gathered around and were presented to him for introductions. Ladies curtseyed as they hid behind their fans and fluttered their eyelashes at him. The raven haired woman, who had pawed his thigh throughout dinner and whose name he had already forgotten, now appeared again and attempted to drag him behind some tall, potted plants.

He managed to shake the enthusiastic lady off before she tried anything more daring and made his way back towards the dance floor. Olivia sat among the dowagers, nodding and smiling and generally appearing to be enjoying her triumph while Charlotte had just made her curtsey to the Prince and the more formal dances began. Charlotte disappeared in a mlee of coloured silks as the general crowd began forming up and Geoffrey took up his place behind the women once again.

His mind was in turmoil at the sudden turn of events. He wouldn't be escaping London and heading back to Ormond for at least another two weeks and that was only if the Prince allowed him to go then.

Geoffrey had attempted to explain away Olivia's enthusiastic exaggeration of his abilities, but it appeared that the Prince was not a good listener and he now found himself about to ride one of the man's finest stallions in Lord Davenport's steeplechase. The five mile course would test the best of men and the Prince had insisted that if Prince Louis of Denmark relied on Geoffrey for his bloodstock, then that was a good enough reference for him. Refusal was impossible.

He ground his teeth together in frustration. He'd hoped that he would be rendered surplus to requirements after Giles and Anne arrived but it seemed that the Prince wanted him to go over his stables too. He would send his man to advise Geoffrey of the time and would collect him in his own carriage. Geoffrey's mind boggled at the very thought of sitting in a carriage made for a king. That Olivia and Charlotte would be accompanying him for the tour hardly registered.

He didn't know how many minutes had pa.s.sed while the events of the evening tumbled over and over in his head. A man came to stand at his side and it was a few seconds before Geoffrey realized that Lord Charles Latham was speaking to him.

"You're a lucky man to have received such an invitation. I wonder how Olivia managed it? You'll have to look out that you're not sabotaged while on the Prince's prize stallion. The race is notorious for cheating and subterfuge."

Geoffrey looked down at the man who had once attempted to ruin Charlotte. It appeared that he had grown in the eighteen months since he had been shown off Ormond land. The youth had aged into a broad shouldered if somewhat short man. There were wrinkles about his eyes and a haunted look that hadn't been present on their previous meeting.

Geoffrey wanted to ignore the disgusting fellow, but Latham spoke up before he could turn his back.

"I know that you don't want to speak to me, but I have something to say to you and I am hoping that you will hear me out." The man waited until Geoffrey gave a short nod. There was something in Latham's tone that made Geoffrey look down at him again. Latham cleared his throat and stared out over the dance floor. "She's a beauty alright, always was." He held up his hand as Geoffrey took a short step towards him. "Never fear, I mean her no harm. I shudder at the thought of what I attempted to do to her that night, but I was a different man back then. Nearly killing an innocent man opened my eyes to a lot of my misdeeds. Going along with Ellesworth's vile plan was only one of them. It took me a few weeks and Lord Caithwell's hanging, something I will never forgive myself for, to realize that I was on the road to utter ruin. I only hope is that I still have time to redeem myself. I will be apologising to Lady Charlotte for my disgusting behaviour and to Lord Caithwell for believing him capable of murder. I should have had the b.a.l.l.s to speak out. Dear G.o.d! The man could have died and I would have been partly responsible."

Geoffrey snorted in derision even though the man's words had caught his interest. Latham sounded genuinely contrite and somewhat lost, but for all his fine words Geoffrey wasn't about to forgive him too easily.

"I'm not so sure that I can believe your change of heart. I hear that you ruined another young lady recently. She has gone to stay with her aunt in the country, I believe."

Latham shook his head while Geoffrey noticed him ball his hands into fists. His knuckles whitened before he replied angrily.

"So the rumour mill is still in full swing; it has to be if even you have heard the news." He cleared his throat and looked Geoffrey in the eye. His gaze didn't waver and Geoffrey could do nothing but stare back at him and wait for the story to be told. "I had nothing to do with it, I swear to you. Annabel and I had danced only twice before, and I had never been with her alone, but the charges against me were corroborated by her own brother!" The young Lord took a few breaths to calm himself before continuing his story.

"Miles Bellingham swore that he had come upon us together in the library when in actuality I was taking a few moments alone in the garden. It had been a very warm day in early spring and the oysters served at dinner had not agreed with me. After a lively reel with Miss Bellingham and feeling the need for some fresh air, rather than vomit on Mrs. Bellingham's feted Persian carpets, I retreated to the flowerbeds beyond the terrace. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on which point of view you would rather take, I had no witness to the incidence of me spewing up my guts and when I attempted to rediscover the offending oysters to prove that I had been in the garden, they had mysteriously disappeared.

I discovered later that her entire family were in on the plan to fleece my family of a fortune. The oysters served to me at dinner had been deliberately left in the heat to spoil. When I was taken ill so suddenly they took their chance and bundled Annabel into the library. The room has a convenient door out into the gardens and Miles Bellingham told his father that he had seen me retreating from the room just before he discovered Annabel sitting rather dazed on the library floor with her dress torn at the shoulder. They used the poor girl as much as they did me. Annabel will suffer a stain on her character for the rest of her life, though she doesn't deserve it. I never touched her and, knowing her as I do, I would swear that she is still as pure as the driven snow. Unfortunately there is always the risk of entrapment when your family has t.i.tles and money."

Geoffrey stared out over the dancers and considered young Lord Latham's tale. It didn't sound like the sort of thing anyone would make up and Latham certainly appeared to be telling the truth. Another facet of the story niggled at him. The Latham's were known to be fabulously important and wealthy. The Bellinghams would certainly have found a marriage into the family a most attractive arrangement. Geoffrey swallowed and prayed that Alexander never considered him more than a fawning money grabber. Latham's words punched a hole in his gut at the thought and he took a few moments before he answered the man at his side.

"If what you say is true, why have you not used your influence to ensure the lady's reputation is restored? There must be some way that it is possible. Is there no one who could confirm that you had no part in her ruin."

Latham let out a cold laugh.

"It's clear that you have no idea what London's rumour mill can do in just a few hours. She could be carried through the streets with her legs spread for all to see with the Prince's own doctor proclaiming her virginity intact and the wagging tongues would still find her at fault. It is a truth that I am ashamed to admit, but women have a hard time of it once their reputation is lost. I doubt that she will ever return to polite society. It's a pity, for though unt.i.tled, she is a lovely woman who had great expectations. I cannot believe that the money my father paid to stop her family's demands for a wedding was enough to keep the Bellinghams in their chosen lifestyle for long."

Geoffrey took two gla.s.ses of wine from a pa.s.sing servant and handed one to Latham.

"If you liked her you should have married her anyway. Being the wife of a Lord must count for something, especially one so rich."

Latham drank his wine down in one swallow.

"Do you think that I didn't ask her? It was what the Bellinghams wanted in the first place and would have been the easiest option, but the dear girl refused me. I certainly would never have left her in that terrible situation but Annabel was stalwart in her protestations of innocence and simply refused to have anything to do with perpetrating a lie. She also said that she could never marry me as we did not love one another. She said that we would have been unhappy together and I confess that she would have been right. I didn't love her, but at least if she had taken my name she could still hold her head up with some pride and given time I am sure that we would have become closer."

Geoffrey narrowed his eyes and wondered if he were being played for a fool. Could the contrite and sad young man beside him be the same arrogant pig who had attacked Charlotte and been unceremoniously escorted from Ormond only eighteen months previously.

"So do you intend doing anything else for this lady, who if nothing else has suffered for being a.s.sociated with your former bad name?"

Latham nodded firmly.