Chapter Twenty-Nine
Not wish to wed! All Leo had been doing this Season was trying to work out a way to marry Theo.
Any brief thought he’d had that this would make taking Theo as his wife easier died a swift death.
Bloody hellhounds. He’d been certain, more than certain, convinced that Theo loved him.
He was going to ring Lady Giselle’s neck.
First, she tries to compromise him, now this.
What he didn’t understand was why trip Theo?
Didn’t the stupid chit know he would save her from falling?
Or hadn’t she seen him? “We can discuss this later. Let’s go back inside. ”
“I want to go home.” Her tone was suddenly shaky, as if she was close to crying.
Something was wrong, but what? “We must wait. Let’s go find Worthington and your sister.”
Theo nodded. He led her back to the ballroom. As soon as he joined her family, he told them what had happened. “Naturally, several ladies came upon us just after I caught Theo. I declared that we were engaged to be married.”
“She tripped Theo near the fountain?” There was a sense of urgency in Worthington’s tone.
“Yes. If I hadn’t been there, she could have been badly hurt.” Leo swore to himself.
“This is not the way I wished for this to happen.” Worthington’s countenance was a mask of politeness.
“You’re not the only one.” He glanced at Theo, who was with Charlotte and Alice. “She told me that she would think of a way for me not to have to marry her.” Leo had to find a way to change her mind.
“Of course she did. She doesn’t think you want to wed,” Kenilworth said.
“It was that stupid remark I made about not wanting to meet young ladies.” Leo had been berating himself for saying that ever since he’d done it. “I think she had been crying. But I don’t know why or actually when, except that it was before she was tripped.”
“We’re going to have to find out what, if anything, is wrong,” Worthington said. “Theo rarely cries.”
“She wants to go home.” Leo wanted to accompany her, but she did not want to have anything to do with him.
“I doubt she’s going to be able to do that now.” Worthington raised a brow. “We’re about to have company.”
Leo glanced in the direction in which Worthington was looking to see Lady Howe bearing down on them. “Damn. She’ll want an announcement.”
“She will,” Worthington agreed.
“I’ll get her.” Kenilworth turned and walked to where Theo was with her sisters.
“My lady”—Sarah Pettigrew, who had been standing nearby, drew Lady Worthington aside—“there is something I must tell you.”
“Come over here and we can speak,” her ladyship said as she and Sarah started to walk away. “In the ladies’ room there were two …”
Sarah’s tone dropped and Leo couldn’t hear anything else. He would have to discover what she’d said to Lady Worthington. It might have something to do with Theo’s reaction to him just now.
Kenilworth returned with his wife, Alice, and Theo.
“My lady.” Lady Howe smiled broadly at Theo. “And your grace. I understand there is an announcement to be made.”
Theo assumed a polite mask. Yet, Leo could see the tension in her shoulders.
“There is.” Worthington smiled easily.
The rest of her family gathered around them. Lady Worthington finished speaking with Sarah and joined the group. She also wore a polite mask.
Leo stood next to Theo. He tried to hold her hand, but she pushed it away. Something was definitely wrong. But what? And who would tell him?
Lady Howe made the announcement that he and Theo would wed. And then they had to stand there acting as if they were happy while people congratulated them. Several of the ladies opined that they knew this was coming. He had been so devoted to her all Season.
When they were ready to leave, St. Albans came up to Leo. “I’ll give you a ride home.”
“I need to know what happened. Something did. Before she was tripped.” He wanted to follow Theo and ask her. But St. Albans was right. This was neither the time or the place.
St. Albans nodded. “I’ll try to discover what it is.”
Leo passed a fitful night trying to work out why Theo didn’t want to be around him.
He went to Worthington House the next morning only to be told that Theo wasn’t riding that day.
Leo was grateful when two days later a missive from Worthington came during breakfast demanding Leo’s immediate presence.
He sent up a prayer that this would finally be resolved.
When he arrived, he was taken to the large drawing room.
All her brothers and sisters were present, and not one of them was smiling.
The ladies had their brows raised, and the gentlemen looked ready to run him through.
He wasn’t even offered a seat. It was like being an accused in the dock. What the devil had occurred?
Leo wanted to rail at them, but at least a semblance of civility was needed. “Will someone tell me what is going on? Why won’t Theo see me?”
Stanwood speared Leo with a hard look. “You said that if you were allowed to court Theo you would not have a mistress.”
“Yes.” What the hell had happened? “I do not have a mistress.”
“Then why did Theo overhear two ladies talking about your new ladybird?” St. Albans asked.
Leo gave himself an inner shake. He couldn’t believe this was actually happening. “I have no idea why anyone would think I have engaged a courtesan.”
“Really?” Charlotte asked in a deceptively sweet voice.
“Yes, really.” He was starting to become angry himself.
“You mean to say that you did not have a contest to choose a mistress by having them perform acts upon your body?” Lady Montagu’s tone was just as saccharine, but barely concealed anger could be heard beneath the sweetness.
Leo didn’t mind being accused of what he’d done, but he’d be damned if he’d be blamed for something he did not do or even thought of.
“One, I do not have a ladybird and have not had for a year. Two, even at my most depraved, I would not have had women demean themselves by trying to cap one another in public.” He felt like he was about to explode.
Leo took a breath. “I have no idea who those ladies are. Nor do I have any idea where they came up with such a debauched description of how I would select a mistress. I have done nothing but to do my best to remain by Theo’s side.
” He paced, wishing he had a brandy. “If I knew who these ladies were, I’d wring their necks.
Or, better yet, make them publicly admit they were lying. ”
Suddenly, the tension in the room had broken, and everyone let out their breath.
“I told you so,” St. Albans said. “It was pure gossip. Probably based on his past behavior.”
“Although,” Alice mused, “it might be an excellent idea for unmarried ladies to test out prospective suitors to see if they do indeed want to marry them?”
Every gentleman in the room dropped his jaw. Only St. Albans spoke. “Sweetheart, is there something we need to discuss?”
“About us? Goodness no. However, after listening to so many ladies complain about their husbands, I have come to the conclusion that some sort of assurance should be given. As you know, proof of prowess can be done without taking a lady’s maidenhead.”
“Hmm.” Eleanor had a thoughtful look on her face. “That is an excellent idea.”
Then the rest of Theo’s sisters joined in the conversation, which quickly devolved.
St. Albans handed Leo a glass of brandy. “Sorry to have put you through that, but we had to know. Theo was devastated.”
“Wait.” No! It couldn’t be possible. “Do you mean to tell me that she was the one who heard the ladies?”
St. Albans nodded. “In the ladies’ room at a ball.”
Bloody, bloody hellhounds. “That’s the reason she’s keeping her distance from me. She wouldn’t even ride in the mornings. Or see me. I need to talk to her.”
Alice joined them. “She will not speak with you. I suggest you find a way to do it at the ball this evening. She cannot lock herself in her room there.”
That was an excellent idea. “And she won’t make a scene at the ball.”
“She will not,” Alice confirmed. “You will have to find a way to make her listen to you.”
“At least she can’t put her fingers in her ears and sing la-la-la.” That’s what his youngest sister used to do.
Alice chucked. “Not at the ball.”
The rest of the day seemed to crawl by. Finally, it was time to leave for the ball, but this time, he would not be accompanying Theo and her family.
Even though it was early, a good many guests had already arrived.
Leo just had to find a way to get her alone so that they could talk. Or he could talk and make her listen.
Leo scanned the ballroom and couldn’t see his betrothed. Where the devil had she got to? He grabbed Stanwood’s arm. “Theo, do you know where she is?”
He glanced around the room. “No. The last time I saw her she was with Milford. I don’t see him either.”
“I’ll find her.” Before Worthington could answer, Leo headed for the terrace.
Milford had been interested in her before she’d been compromised into marrying Leo.
It wouldn’t surprise him at all if the man hadn’t given up.
After searching the terrace, he went to the ornamental green house.
She was there, sitting on a bench staring straight ahead.
Milford stood before her. Theo must be more upset than Leo realized to have gone somewhere alone with a gentleman. He opened the door and stepped in.
“I say, Lady Theodora, surely you don’t mean to wed him,” Milford said with certainty. “What kind of husband would he make? Everyone knows his reputation. When you finally throw him over, I want you to know I will be waiting for you.”