Chapter Two #3
“A good match? I think that is lovely. If I were inclined to marry, this is what I would want. A love match.” Florence was sincerely pleased for his sister and told him so.
“However, do not trouble your mother. She’s just suffered the loss of your father and deserves the right to grieve him without distraction. ”
“I don’t know. Getting her out of London and away from all those memories of him…”
“No, they might bring her comfort. It is her choice to make. She’ll know when she is ready.”
He raked a hand through his hair. “Yes, you are probably right. I’m not good at this sort of thing. Persephone is far better at offering comfort, and will probably have my mother stay with her and Rathburne for the next few months.”
“That is a good idea. Besides, I won’t be here more than a few days. I cannot imagine it taking longer to complete my mission.”
She bumped into him when he came to a sudden stop and turned to her with a growl. “Put that notion out of your head at once, Florence. Are you purposely trying to rile me? I am not having you and your chaperone move in with me so you can more easily snoop on Frampton.”
“I know your purpose in moving me here. You want me where you can keep a closer eye on me.”
“Bloody hell, yes. You obviously need to be reined in and kept under constant guard. I’ll be doing just that until such time as I can return you to London, and that will be as soon as possible. Unfortunately, I require about a week here to settle some Weymouth affairs.”
“But—”
He growled again. “As soon as we arrive in London, you are to give your friend back her retainer. She can get herself out of her own mess. Can you keep out of trouble these next few days? I really need you to behave.”
She opened her mouth once more to protest, but he laid a finger upon her lips. “There is a dungeon in that monstrosity of a manor house, and I will keep you locked in it if you dare step onto Lord Frampton’s property or spy on him through the shelter of my woods again.”
“But—”
“No, Florence. End of discussion.”
Fine, if he wanted her and her dotty maiden aunt to reside with him in his monument to aristocratic excess, who was she to argue?
Besides, it would be much easier to sneak out of his residence to spy on the Framptons than to make these clandestine trips daily from their lodgings at the Weymouth Inn. The thought had barely popped into her mind when he said, “I shall be watching you day and night while you are here. Got that?”
Annoying man.
“Or it shall be the dungeons for me?” she grumbled. “You never would confine me. You are not that cruel. Besides, only castles have dungeons, not fine houses like Gull Hall.”
“I’ll have one built just for you.”
She sighed. “Surely there is a compromise to be reached here.”
“I am not compromising with your safety. Do not test the extent to which I will go to protect you, even if it is from your own misguided self. However, I do trust your honor. I will consider allowing you to roam freely if you give me your oath to stay away from Frampton’s property and forget searching for those letters. ”
“And if I agree?”
“First, I shall insist on having that oath in writing, and you must sign it.”
“A written oath? Gad, you are insufferable. What next? Are you going to tie me to your bed and hold me at your mercy?”
He grinned. “Do you want me to?”
Her eyes widened and the breath caught in her lungs. “Ugh, you are a devil’s spawn. Why can you not leave me alone to do my job?”
“Because it is not a job but a death wish. Let your friend retrieve those letters herself, if they are so important. Is she the one who wrote them? Secret notes to herself as a sort of diary? Or was it a careless lover who put his thoughts in writing and she was foolish enough to hold on to them?”
His manor loomed quite large, looking enormous as they approached it.
“You know, two can play at this game,” she muttered.
He arched an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“Lord Frampton heard you declare we were betrothed. Seems I have done quite well for myself, assuming I hold you to your vow of marriage.”
He shrugged. “Do you think marrying you scares me?”
“Shouldn’t it?”
He chuckled. “Yes, I suppose it should. Surprisingly, it doesn’t.”
“Are you jesting? You would take me as your wife? With all the ton diamonds and other rich, beautiful, well-connected ladies to choose from throughout the whole of England, you would be content to settle with me?”
“Why not? Life with you would never be dull.”
“That is an understatement.” Her own family had little tolerance for her independent nature. Her father, whom she loved dearly, would give Trajan an earful about all the ways she had disappointed him, were he ever to ask.
Her mother had not hugged her in years. In truth, she could not recall ever being embraced by this woman who had given birth to her.
Perhaps she had been a little difficult as a child, but she could not recall ever doing anything that warranted her mother completely cutting her off from all affection.
Her brother disliked her, too. Her father, who ought to have defended her, remained completely indifferent and never raised a finger to help her.
And yet whenever she and her father were alone, he was kind and sometimes complimentary.
The only one who had ever shown her consistent kindness and warmth was Hermia, her dear aunt.
What had she ever done to her parents or brother to make them dislike her so much? She had often asked, but no one would tell her.
Was there even a reason? Or was it something deep and primal that offended them?
If only they would give her a hint. She would move heaven and earth to repair the damage.
And now, her father had cut off her allowance. He had done it upon her mother’s orders, for her mother had wanted to bring her to heel and accept a marriage proposal from the odious son of a family friend. The son was an utter toad with absolutely no prospects, but no one seemed to care.
Florence had refused. She did not need her father’s money, for she was quite resourceful and managed to make a decent living handling investigations for her friends.
They trusted her and knew she would never reveal their secrets.
Of course, this frustrated her family to no end, since they hoped she would come crawling back to them and agree to marry that simpleton they had chosen for her. True to form, her father, who loved her, buckled to his wife’s demands and insisted she marry the toad.
Perhaps he thought they might grow to love each other. More likely, he did not consider love a necessary factor at all. His idea of a good marriage did not comport with hers.
“I think we would get along well if we married,” Trajan remarked, regaining her attention as they reached the courtyard of his manor. “Even our nighttime engagements would be quite pleasant. That kiss we shared was nice, wasn’t it?”
What?
Their earlier kiss that still had her body thrumming and her lips tingling…not to mention the hidden places that were still vibrating because his touch was unforgettable. “Oh, did we share a kiss? It must have slipped my mind.”
He burst out laughing. “Florence, you are an utter fraud. I might believe you if your cheeks were not on fire.”
“Because I am hot,” she said as they entered the house and he marched her through the exquisite entry hall. She noted the beautiful Italian marble flooring and magnificent crystal chandelier that emitted prisms of light, as the sun happened to strike it at this late morning hour.
He led her through an equally elegant parlor with massive glass doors that opened onto the terrace, and then paused once they were on the terrace to cast her an irritatingly smug grin. “You like me. Your cheeks are still a deep shade of pink.”
She looked up at him and frowned. “Because I am temperature hot. Summer-heat hot. Sun-beating-down-on-me hot. Weather hot and nothing more.”
He led her to a shaded arbor and settled her in one of the cushioned chairs positioned around a delicately patterned wrought iron table. “Admit it, I am the one who brought the heat and scorched you.”
“I think the heat has scorched your brain.” She frowned again. “But I am thirsty and would love a tall glass of lemonade.”
“Yes, I’ll order refreshments for us while we sit out here and enjoy the view. However, the fact remains that you are thirsty for me, too.”
“Hah! You are deluded.”
“See, you are blushing again. You are not a good liar, are you? The drink may cool you down, but I heat you up.” He cast her another smug grin. “Good to know.”
“You are so full of yourself, Your Grace. Stop smirking at me. You will never control me with kisses, even if I happened to like them.”
“Ah, an admission from your lovely lips.”
They said no more as his head butler, no doubt anticipating his master’s orders, brought out a pitcher of lemonade and two crystal glasses.
“Timmons, you are a wonder. I was about to summon you, but you have anticipated my very wish. This is exactly what we need.”
The man cast Florence a kindly glance and nodded. “I thought you and your guest might be in want of a libation.”
“As for my guest, this is Lady Florence Newton. Isn’t she lovely? You may hear rumors abound that we are betrothed.”
The staid butler’s eyes widened, and he smiled. “Are you, Your Grace?”
“Yes.” He then properly introduced Florence to his ever-reliable servant.
“May I offer my congratulations to you and the young lady, Your Grace?”
“No, you may not…well, not yet. I need to write to my mother and sister to tell them the news. So please keep the matter quiet until they receive word.”
“As you wish,” Timmons said with a flicker of disappointment.
Florence suspected the secret would not be kept for much longer even if Timmons uttered not a word.
The butler was never going to risk his position by leaping like a gazelle into the kitchen to report their betrothal to the other servants.
He was obviously the reliable sort who would take a secret to the grave.
But would the other servants not notice she and Hermia had suddenly moved in? How was Trajan going to introduce them?
When she pointed out the obvious, he relented. “All right, Timmons. Let the staff know, and have them prepare rooms for Lady Florence and her aunt. They are going to stay with us for the next few days. Perhaps longer. Perhaps permanently,” he said, purposely goading her.
She cast him a smile that reeked of insincerity. “Or not.”
“Right, no firm plans yet. And we will need my carriage brought around. Lady Florence and her aunt are presently lodged in Weymouth. Utterly inconvenient. They need to move in here this very day.”
The butler sprinted off, delighted.
“I suppose you are right,” Trajan admitted once they were out of the butler’s earshot. “Frampton would immediately grow suspicious if my own servants had no idea you were my betrothed. We need to keep this ruse believable.”
“Yes,” she said, but this was going to be a problem for her afterward.
One that might be impossible to overcome.
How was she to break off her engagement to England’s most eligible bachelor without completely ruining her reputation once her assignment was accomplished?