Kidnapping the Viscount Page 2
“He can stay with me,” Logan said. “I don’t mind.”
“If he skips his nap, he’ll be cranky this evening,” she argued.
“Not if I keep him entertained,” Logan replied. “I’ll teach him how to throw darts at your brother’s portrait.”
She gasped. “You’ll do no such thing! That portrait was a gift.”
“Melissa,” Logan began, “you can’t honestly expect me to accept such an atrocious gift as long as I can see his face. Once we blot him out, I’ll be more than happy to accept it.” He glanced at Gill. “I enjoy his wife and their two children, but if I have to look at Malcolm’s face whenever I sit in the drawing room, I swear I’ll end up going to an asylum. It’s just not natural to have a picture of your brother-in-law in your drawing room.” He shuddered.
“It was a gift from him and Regan. They were being nice in giving it to us.” She picked Mathias up.
Logan waited until she had her back turned to him before rolling his eyes.
Gill hid his laughter and set the glass down. “I don’t think anyone suffers as greatly as you do, Logan. I think Malcolm had that family portrait sent over just to annoy you.”
“Oh, that can’t be true,” Melissa argued.
“It is true,” Logan replied. “I insist we get rid of the blasted thing unless you let me cover up his face.”
“I can’t do that,” she said. “We’re expecting him and his family over here for dinner in a few days. They’ll say something if you ruin the portrait.”
Logan groaned. “This is ridiculous,” Logan said. “It’s my townhouse. I’m an earl. I should have a say in what is or isn’t in the drawing room.”
She considered his argument and nodded. “You’re right. I’ll make a compromise with you. We’ll have the portrait up whenever they come over. When they’re not here, we’ll put it somewhere else.”
“All right. I’ll do that. The thing goes up to that attic at once.”
“The attic?”
“The further your brother is from me, the better it is for everyone. It’s bad enough I have to see him at White’s and at the occasional dinner party.”
Melissa sighed but didn’t argue. Instead, she offered Gill a smile then left the room, carrying Mathias with her.
“If I didn’t love my wife, the whole situation would be impossible,” Logan told Gill.
Gill finally laughed. “Why don’t we go out? We could take a horseback ride through the park.”
“I’d rather go fox hunting. I have the need to chase something that is as sly as my brother-in-law. You know he gave me that portrait to annoy me.”
“Yes, I know.”
“Does Miss Duff have a brother?”
“She does. He’s two years older than her.”
“I hope he’s not as unpleasant as Melissa’s brother. If it was up to Malcolm, I’d be dead.”
Gill shook his head as the two left the den. “Surely, that isn’t true.”
“It is. He took me dueling while I was betrothed to her.”
“If that’s the case, then why isn’t one of you dead?”
“Because I let him live,” Logan said. “I knew it would break Melissa’s heart to live without her brother. So I let a bullet graze his wrist.”
Gill’s eyes widened. “You’re that good of a shot?”
“I can shoot anything, no matter how fast it is.”
“Remind me to never get on your bad side.”
Logan chuckled. “I will, should you ever get annoying.”
Chuckling along with him, he followed Logan out of the townhouse so they could go fox hunting.
Chapter Two
“Make sure you tell Miss Beaumont she’s pretty when we’re out today,” Gill’s mother told him as she barged into his bedchamber.
He glanced over at her as his valet adjusted his cravat. “How many times do I have to tell you it’s not appropriate for you to come into my bedchamber? You should wait until I’m downstairs.” Didn’t she ever stop to consider that he might be in a state of undress when she came into his bedchamber?
“You’re taking too long to get ready for our outing,” she said as she sat in a chair. She shot him a pointed look. “Your father was a punctual gentleman. He never once kept me waiting.”
“I want to be sure I look my best this afternoon.” And that was true. He was going to go right by Miss Duff’s residence, and he wanted her to think he was handsome, should she happen to look out the window and see him.
His mother smiled in approval. “I suppose it’s acceptable then. I want you to get along with her. Her parents are very influential. It would be advantageous to please them.”
Yes, he was well aware that his mother wanted this marriage for the social advantages she could get from it. She’d liked Miss Duff for the same reason. Miss Duff’s father was an earl, and she was in Ladies of Grace, a group that was prestigious in its own right. Miss Beaumont’s family, however, was well connected to the more impressive members of society, such as Lord Cadwalader. For his mother, that made Miss Beaumont a better choice. Miss Duff had been his first choice, though, so he had pursued her instead.
When Miss Duff rejected his proposal, he’d allowed his mother to make the arrangement. Now he wished he hadn’t. If he’d thought for one minute Miss Duff would be asking him to take her back, he wouldn’t have done it. Then he wouldn’t have the complication of dealing with Miss Beaumont. That was, of course, if Miss Duff was going to fight for him.
When the valet finished, Gill’s mother headed for the door and waved for Gill to follow her. “Today is going to be so much fun!”
It would be if Miss Duff happened to see him with Miss Beaumont. He prayed fate would intervene on his behalf and let him cross her path today.
“Are you sure you want to walk to her residence?” his mother asked as they headed down the hall.
“Whose residence?” he blurted out before he recalled she had no idea he was thinking about Miss Duff.
His mother looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. “What do you mean, ‘whose residence’? Miss Beaumont’s, of course!”
“Yes, I want to walk. Isn’t that what we’re doing today? Taking a walk?”
“I suppose so. I had assumed we’d take the carriage over to her residence and walk at the park.”
“Everyone walks at the park. I’d rather walk around town.” When she didn’t seem all that enthusiastic about his plan, he added, “Someone prominent might happen to see us walking with Miss Beaumont as we pass their townhouse.”
At that possibility, her eyes grew wide in interest. “I hadn’t thought of it that way. I like that idea. I like it a lot!”
Yes, he knew she would, which was why he’d used this kind of logic to get her to do what he wanted. They left the townhouse and walked down the street. His mother was rambling on about her plans for Miss Beaumont after the marriage, but he wasn’t paying attention. There wouldn’t be a marriage between him and Miss Beaumont…not if Miss Duff had something to do with it, which he hoped she would. They arrived at Miss Beaumont’s within ten minutes and stayed with her parents long enough for his mother to exchange pleasantries.
He glanced over at Miss Beaumont. She was staring at the parasol in her lap. She didn’t seem all that excited to be going on this walk. He suspected she wasn’t any more enthusiastic about this upcoming marriage than he was. He would have to ask her about it when an opportune moment came up.
“Oh, I can’t condone any kind of scandal, either,” his mother was telling Miss Beaumont’s parents. “I’ve kept a careful eye on Gill ever since he was a child. I assure you, his reputation is spotless. Why, he hasn’t even kissed a lady, let alone taken one to bed.”
Gill’s face grew hot, and he had to glance away from everyone. Good heavens. Did his mother have to come right out and say that? Even if it was true, they didn’t need to know it. When he dared a peek at Miss Beaumont’s parents, he noticed they were as shocked as he was.
He nudged his mother in the side and gave a slight shake of his head.
“What?” his mother asked.
She didn’t get it. She just didn’t get it. For all her talk of propriety, she didn’t know when she was proper or not. Hiding his exasperation, he said, “I think we should take that walk now.”
“Oh! Right.” She chuckled and turned back to Miss Beaumont’s parents. “He’s excited to be taking this walk with your daughter. He’s talked of little else all morning.”
That was a lie, but since she’d gotten off the topic of his personal life, he didn’t say anything. Miss Beaumont joined them, and the three headed out of the townhouse.
As usual, his mother took over the conversation. Neither he nor Miss Beaumont said anything. Sure, his mother would pause long enough for one of them to offer a simple reply, but that was the extent of their input into the discussion. At the moment, she was talking about the latest fashion and an upcoming ball. He was barely paying attention. It seemed that Miss Beaumont was keeping up with her much better than he was. At least, she seemed to be by the way she was smiling and making eye contact with his mother.
He, on the other hand, was intentionally leading them down streets that would take them to Miss Duff. He didn’t know if it was wrong to pray that Miss Duff would happen to be looking out the window of her townhouse as he passed, but he prayed for it anyway. This entire walk was pointless if she didn’t see him with Miss Beaumont.
As it turned out, fortune prevailed. Not only was Miss Duff at her residence, but she happened to be coming down the steps toward the sidewalk as they were approaching. He quickly tuned into what his mother was saying.
“I don’t know what music Lord Steinbeck will have, but knowing him, he’ll ha
ve only the best,” his mother was rambling. “There’s no one who can rival him.”
“Well, there is Lord Edon,” he said.
His mother blinked in surprise. Up to now he hadn’t contributed anything substantial to the conversation, so he could understand her shock. She chuckled and waved her hand dismissively at him. Then she told Miss Beaumont, “He teases us. He doesn’t have anything to do with people like Lord Edon.”
Another lie. He was acquainted with Lord Edon. He might not be friends with the gentleman, but he spoke to him from time to time. He just hadn’t told this to his mother. But then, since when was he required to tell her who he spoke to? He was a grown gentleman after all.
They arrived at Miss Duff’s townhouse, and he pretended he’d just noticed her.
“My son will be a respectable husband,” his mother told Miss Beaumont. “I can assure you of that.”
Miss Duff paused on the steps of the townhouse. Their eyes met, and he let his gaze linger on hers. She bit her lower lip as if she was tempted to call out to him. Whether she planned it or not, it was a seductive sight, and he felt his body surge with a desire he’d never had for any of the other ladies. It was always like that with her. From the moment they met, it seemed as if he’d been lit on fire.
He had to remind himself that he couldn’t run up the steps and talk to her. He must not say anything. All he could do was hold her gaze and hope it conveyed the possibility she might have him if she pursued him.
“Don’t you agree, my dear?” his mother asked him.
Realizing he hadn’t heard the earlier part of his mother’s statement, he forced his gaze off of Miss Duff. “What?” he asked his mother.
“I was saying it’s necessary to associate with the right people,” she said. “Surely, you agree.”
“Yes, of course,” he mumbled.
He glanced back at Miss Duff, and he was pleased to note she was still watching him as he, his mother, and Miss Beaumont kept on walking down the sidewalk. Goodness, but Miss Duff was the most exciting lady he’d ever come across. If only she’d said yes to his proposal. They could have already been married, and he could have already taken her to his bed.
He couldn’t give up hope. There was still a chance he might be with her yet.
Unfortunately, they reached the point where they had to turn down another street. He would have gone back past Miss Duff’s townhouse if he could.
No, you must not go back. You can’t make it easy for her. She needs to prove she’s serious about being married to you. Don’t be too eager. Give her enough interest but not too much. Otherwise, this whole ploy might not work.
And this must work. If he did nothing else in this life, he must marry Miss Duff.
***
He wants me.
Heather watched Lord Powell as he, his mother, and Miss Beaumont went down another street. There was no doubt about it. She’d caught the passionate heat in his gaze. He might be betrothed to Miss Beaumont, but he really wanted to be with her.
She needed a plan. She needed a way to get to him. Going to his townhouse with a chaperone hadn’t done any good. There had to be something else she could do. Perhaps if she got him alone somewhere, she might be able to convince him to break off the betrothal. She’d once overheard her brother’s friend tell him that it was hard to resist a lady when there was no one else around and she was flirting with him.
She thought over her options. How could she get him alone? She couldn’t sneak into his townhouse. It wasn’t that she was above doing such a thing. Now that she was no longer a part of Ladies of Grace, she could do any scandalous thing she wanted. Rumors didn’t bother her.
What good was having a pristine reputation when she couldn’t have the gentleman she most wanted? She’d gone down that path, and look at where it’d gotten her! She was done being good. It was time to do whatever she had to in order to get Lord Powell.
After a moment, an idea came to her. With a smile, she returned to her townhouse.
***
“Mother, I wish to have a word with Miss Beaumont,” Gill said when they returned to her townhouse. The three had stepped into the drawing room, and this was probably the only time he could secure a private conversation with Miss Beaumont. “Would you allow us a moment of privacy?”
“I don’t know if I should,” his mother replied, glancing uncertainly at Miss Beaumont. “What if you do something inappropriate?”
“I’m not going to do anything inappropriate,” he promised. “I only wish to ask her something. I assure you there’s nothing scandalous in what I’m doing. Besides,” he looked at Miss Beaumont, “you can scream if I do anything I shouldn’t.” He turned back to his mother. “And you can wait right outside the drawing room doors.”
His mother fidgeted for a few seconds but then relented. “All right. But keep it short.”
“I’ll only be five minutes,” he said.
Though she still didn’t seem sure this was a good idea, she nodded and left the drawing room. He followed her and, with another promise he would be on his behavior, shut the doors. Good heavens. The lady had just humiliated him by telling Miss Beaumont and her parents that he was as virginal as a monk. What made her think he was going to ravish Miss Beaumont right here in her own drawing room?
If I’m going to ravish anyone, it’s going to be Miss Duff.
He forced the thought aside. Now wasn’t the time to give into fantasies.
He turned to Miss Beaumont and approached her. He gestured to a chair. “Will you sit?”
Looking surprised, Miss Beaumont did as he wished. “What do you wish to discuss?”
He sat across from her and kept his voice low in case his mother was listening. Well, there was no ‘in case’ about it. He was certain she was listening. He had no doubt she was pressing her ear to the door.
“I have a matter to discuss with you,” he began. “I’m afraid I’ll have to be blunt about it. I don’t wish to upset you, but it might not be something I can avoid.”
Her eyebrows furrowed in concern. “What is it?”
“I’m in love with another lady. I had asked this lady to marry me before our betrothal. The lady said no, but it turns out she does want to marry me after all. I’m terribly sorry. I didn’t think she would change her mind when I agreed to the arrangement your parents made with my mother.”
To his relief, she relaxed and said, “Thank goodness. I don’t want to marry you, either.”
Then it was just as he’d suspected. She wouldn’t be heartbroken if he put an end to the engagement. “I’m glad to hear that. I was hoping the feeling was mutual.”
“Oh, it is.” She smiled. “I know our parents will be upset, but this will be for the best.”
“I agree, except I was hoping we could continue on with the betrothal for a little longer.”
“Why?”
“Well, that lady I mentioned earlier… The one who wants to be with me after all…” How could he best word this? “Her name is Miss Duff, and there’s a small possibility that the reason she’s had a change of heart is because I’m not available.”
Her eyebrows furrowed. “Is it wise to pursue a lady who only wants you because you’re betrothed to someone else?”
“I’m hoping she’ll fight for me in order to prove me wrong, but in order for her to seriously pursue me, I can’t be with my mother all the time. My mother has a tendency to be like a shadow.”
“Yes, I noticed that.”
“And you’ve also noticed she dominates the conversation. It’s hard to get a word in when she’s around.”
She nodded. “I noticed that, too.”
“I’m certain Miss Duff and I could have a love match, but I’ll never have a chance if my mother’s around all the time.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“I was wondering if you’d go to the ball with me in two days. I know Miss Duff will be there. Perhaps when she sees us dancing, she’ll make a move to dance with me. I might be able to talk her into eloping that night.”
“Do you really think she’ll run off to Gretna Green with you?”
“You and I are close to being married. We’ve already started reading the banns. She will have to act quickly if she wants to secure me as a husband.”