His Reluctant Lady Read online

  “It’s the way you appreciate him. You gave yourself credit for the way he turned out.” Before he could add anything, she said, “And yes, I’m aware you gave me credit, too.” She kissed his cheek before she ruffled Perry’s dark hair.

  “To be fair, he wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you,” he teased, a twinkle in his eye. “Who was that missive from? Your sister?” He nodded toward the desk.

  “Oh, umm…” She hated lying to him, but if he knew the truth, he’d forbid her to answer it. He might even go so far as to get his friend Perry Ambrose involved. But Mister Robinson had helped her out when she needed it. The least she could do was hear him out. Clearing her throat, she offered what she hoped was a convincing smile. “It was from a friend. She wants to go to the Western Exchange. She doesn’t know if she’ll buy anything. Mostly, she wants to look around and see if something catches her fancy.”

  “Is this Catherine?”

  She hesitated to say yes, but it wouldn’t be a complete lie.

  Perry grabbed Nate’s hair and laughed when Nate winced.

  Relieved her son had just given her an excuse to change topics, she chuckled and lifted him from Nate’s arms. “I think it’s time for him to take a nap.” She stood up and bounced him in her arms. “Why don’t you go to White’s and I’ll take a trip to the Western Exchange?”

  “I suppose it is long overdue that I play chess with Perry.” He rose from the settee and kissed her. “I just hope I manage to go easy on him. I’d hate for him to lose his confidence.”

  “To hear him talk, you’d swear he was better at chess than you.”

  He let out a playful snort. “The poor man honestly believes it.”

  “I’ll see you when you return, my lord.”

  She gave him another kiss and left the room, eager to get dressed so she could leave the house. While her lady’s maid brushed her hair, she recalled the instructions in Mister Robinson’s letter. He had asked her to go to Catherine’s house to meet him. She knew that he was friends with Catherine’s husband. All things considered, that was the safest place to meet without causing undue attention. But what did he want to see her for?

  Once her lady’s maid was done helping her get ready, she had the footman get the carriage. By the time she arrived at Catherine’s townhouse, her curiosity was getting the best of her. As soon as the footman opened the door, she practically ran to the front door. Before she made a fool of herself and pounded on the door, she took a deep breath and calmed down enough so she was able to manage a few polite taps.

  Once she was invited into the house, the footman led her to the drawing room. To her surprise, Ethan and Mister Robinson were waiting for her. She knew Mister Robinson would be waiting for her, but she had no idea Catherine’s husband would be there too. She thought Catherine might be there since Mister Robinson asked her to meet him here. Pushing aside her confusion, she stepped into the room and waited for the footman to leave.

  “Care for some tea and biscuits, my lady?” Ethan asked, motioning to the chair.

  She sat down and accepted the cup. “Thank you.” She glanced at Mister Robinson who sat across from her in another chair. Looking back at Ethan, she asked, “How is Catherine?”

  “She’s doing well,” Ethan replied. “She’s resting upstairs. She’s been tired ever since she found out she’s expecting a child. She takes a nap this time of day now.”

  “I suppose my being here at this time is on purpose?” Claire guessed.

  “I thought it might be best if we talked in private,” Mister Robinson said.

  Ethan approached the doors. “You owe me for this,” he told his friend.

  He gestured that he understood.

  “All right.” Claire waited for Ethan to leave them alone before she set the cup back on the table. “What do you wish to discuss, Mister Robinson?”

  “Call me Christopher,” he insisted. “I never was one who stood on formality. Sure, I must do it out there in the world when others are watching. But here when there’s no one around? I say let’s throw aside the restraints and be friends. I’ll refer to you as Lady Roderick if you wish, but I insist you call me Christopher.”

  “Very well. You may call me Claire.”

  “Good.” He placed his hands on his knees and leaned forward. “I need your help with Lady Richfield.”

  Her eyebrows furrowed. “Lady Richfield? Was she the lady here the other night at the dinner party?”

  “Yes. She’s the most beautiful creature who ever graced the Earth.”

  Her eyes grew wide. “You fancy her?”

  “What gentleman wouldn’t?”

  “Well, granted she’s got money and is attractive, but…” She hesitated to continue.

  As if he could read her mind, he asked, “What can I offer her? Not much, I’m afraid. Unless my guardian dies without a son, I’ll get his title, but I’m not eager to see him go. What I really wish is that he’d get a wife so he has something better to do than watch over me.”

  “You’re not being fair to your guardian. He watches over you because he loves you and wants what’s best for you.”

  “I’d still feel better if he found someone else to love and watch over.”

  Shooting him an amused smile, she sighed. “What do you want me to do? You can’t want me to introduce Lady Richfield to your guardian.”

  “No, of course not. The last thing I want is for her to fall in love with him. I intend for her to fall in love with me.”

  “And you want me to help with that?”

  “Yes!”

  “But how?”

  “I was hoping you’d find a way to talk to her, perhaps at the next ball? Find out what she enjoys. Where are the places she goes to? I need to get through her wall.”

  With a sigh, she sat back in her chair. “I barely know anything about her. I don’t even know how to approach her.”

  “You’re a lady. She’s a lady. Just discuss lady things.”

  A slight chuckle rose up in her throat. “Not all ladies enjoy the same topics. But all right, I’ll do what I can to find out more about her.”

  “You’re a wonderful person, Claire. Much too good for your husband.”

  “Now, Christopher, that’s not fair. My husband is a good man and I love him very much.”

  He shook his head in sympathy. “You’re a brave lady to put up with him.”

  “Brave is right. He’d have my head if he knew I was talking to you.”

  “I am in your debt.”

  “You are not. As far as I’m concerned this pays you back for helping my sister avoid marriage to the wrong gentleman.”

  “Have it your way then. We are even, but if I ever need a favor or if you do, then I hope we can rely on each other?”

  She rose to her feet and nodded. “I suspect we’ll be friends even if my husband will never approve.”

  Chuckling, he stood up and bowed. “It’s ever a pleasure to be in your presence.”

  “I can’t promise anything. I might not find anything useful.”

  “You will. You’re a smart lady.”

  Hoping she’d be able to meet his expectations, she left the drawing room.

  Chapter Five

  “I’ll never find anyone like Lord Dabney,” Sophie said, letting out a mournful sigh as she pressed her forehead against the carriage window. “My heart is breaking with each breath I take.”

  Agatha resisted the urge to roll her eyes and pulled imaginary lint off her violet dress instead. She should have known that taking her sister to this evening’s ball would require much patience. How she wished she were writing instead.

  “Lord Dabney had a delightful way of laughing,” Sophie continued with a wistful smile on her face.

  “Sure, if you enjoy a bunch of wheezing,” she muttered.

  She glared at her. “He didn’t wheeze.”

  “No, he didn’t. It just sounded like he did.”

  With a huff, she ran her hands along the ruffles in her dress
and shrugged. “So he didn’t have an elegant laugh. What does that matter? The important thing was that he showed great merriment.”

  “Sophie, I know it’s hard to believe, but things worked out the way they did for a reason. Now you can focus on finding someone who’s better. Even if you must bear the burden of the bedroom to give him an heir, it helps if he’s the right kind of gentleman.”

  Sophie stared at her for a moment and despite her pink cheeks, she leaned closer and whispered, “Is the bedroom really that awful?”

  Agatha bit her tongue. She should never have voiced that thought aloud. All she’d done was scare her poor sister, and Sophie was far more delicate than she was. With a smile, she ventured, “There’s nothing of interest in the bedroom except your dresses. My advice is to let your husband do his business while you think of all your lovely dresses.”

  “Is that what you did?”

  “I was only married for one day, so I only had to be with my husband one time and one time is all I needed to realize how boring the whole process is.” Actually, painful and humiliating. But she decided not to burden her sister with that. Perhaps if her husband took the time to make sure she was ready for consummating their union and had the decency to respect her, her sister would only be bored. That would be a great kindness on his part. Returning her gaze to Sophie, she said, “Remember we’re here to find you a titled gentleman. That will make everything else easier to accept.”

  “Lord Dabney was a titled gentleman.” Sophie sighed and traced her ruffles. “I would have been a countess and had a future earl.”

  “You can still be a countess and give birth to an earl. You must stay focused. There’s no sense in dwelling on the past or what might’ve been.”

  She clasped Agatha’s hands and took a deep breath. “You’re right. And wise.”

  The carriage came to a stop and Agatha couldn’t be more grateful that the long ride was at an end. She followed her sister out of the carriage and into the large townhouse belonging to Lord Clement. She knew so little of the host but it was nice to see how many available gentlemen were there.

  She turned to Sophie and smiled. “You have plenty of titled gentlemen to choose from. We just need to find the one who has the most money.”

  “Is the amount of money he has that important?”

  Chuckling, she scanned the ballroom. “Of course it is.” If she was going to be stuck in marriage, she might as well surround herself with more money. “They say money is a cold companion but don’t heed any mind to that nonsense. Money will never run off to a mistress or demand more of your time than you’re willing to commit. You get to tell it what to do.”

  “Surely, there must be some marriages that develop into love.”

  This time Agatha did roll her eyes. She shouldn’t be surprised by her sister’s naiveté, considering she thought Lord Dabney was an impressive gentleman. Tapping her fingers together, she studied the gentlemen who weren’t dancing and finally spotted one who showed promise.

  “Sophie,” she began as she nudged her sister, “what about Lord Sheldon? I hear he has a carriage with gold wheels. Judging by his clothes, I’d say he’s very comfortable, financially speaking of course.”

  “He looks old.”

  “Well, he did lose his wife. He’s older than your typical bachelor, but he needs an heir and is old enough where he’ll probably leave you alone most of the time. Besides, thirty-four isn’t that old.”

  “I suppose…”

  Agatha took her sister by the arm and led her toward him. “Besides, all you have to do is dance. We have other gentlemen here to consider.”

  She nodded her consent and Agatha arranged it so that they were dancing. Thankful for the reprieve, Agatha found a vacant settee and sat down, mindful to examine the other gentlemen.

  “Mind if I sit next to you?”

  She looked up at a lady who seemed familiar. “I know you from somewhere.”

  “I’m Lady Roderick. I was at Lord Edon’s dinner party.”

  “Oh, of course! I’m sorry I didn’t remember who you were.” She patted the seat next to her. “Sit, please.” It’d be nice to have a conversation with a lady who wasn’t trying to find a husband. “You’re married to the gentleman well noted for his expertise in politics.”

  She smiled and folded her hands in her lap. “Yes, that’s him. He loves to engage in political discussions with other gentlemen.”

  Agatha often envied the gentlemen for their ability to speak their political opinions so openly. “Well, he seems like an intelligent person.”

  “He is.” After a moment, Lady Roderick asked, “Are you here to find a husband?”

  “Me?” She laughed and shook her head. “Goodness, no. I have no desire to go through that headache again. I’m here on behalf of my sister. She wishes for a husband, hopefully one with a title and a substantial amount of money.”

  “So you’re here as a chaperone?”

  “Yes, and I never imagined it could be so dull. I can think of many things I’d rather be doing. But what about you? Are you here for pleasure?”

  “Yes, I am. My husband and I like to attend a few balls, mostly so we can talk to our friends and dance. But tonight, we’re also here to help our friend find a wife.”

  Her eyebrows rose in interest. “Interesting. I’m seeking a husband for my sister and you’re seeking a wife for your friend. Who is your friend?”

  “Lord Clement.”

  “The host of this ball?” She tried to remember who Lord Clement was, but her mind drew a blank. “Where is he?”

  Lady Roderick stood up and scanned the room before pointing to him. “He’s talking with my husband. He’s the one with the cane.”

  Agatha rose to her feet and looked in the direction she indicated. She smiled. He was young enough for Sophie and, better yet, he had money. Her gaze traveled the room. “Does he own this townhouse?”

  “Yes.”

  Perfect. He didn’t rent the townhouse. He owned it. And he had a gold handle on his cane and dressed in fine clothes. “I have a terrific idea. You say your friend is looking for a wife?”

  “Has been for a couple years.”

  “Why don’t we give fate a little nudge? Perhaps my sister and your friend will make a good match?”

  “Where is your sister?”

  Agatha motioned to Sophie who was finishing her dance with Lord Sheldon. “She doesn’t fancy him. She thinks he’s too old for her. Lord Clement, however, is younger so he might be more to her liking.”

  “There’s no denying she’s pretty. I think he’ll like the match.”

  Agatha gestured for her sister to join her. This might just be the break she needed. If she could secure a husband for her sister tonight, then she didn’t need to waste another evening at a ball.

  Sophie reached them and shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t bear to spend the rest of my life with him, even if he has a title. He’s absolutely dull.”

  Agatha resisted the urge to tell her Lord Dabney was worse and said, “Lady Roderick happens to know the gentleman who is hosting tonight’s ball and he’s available. We’re going to introduce you to him.”

  “Does that mean I don’t have to talk to Lord Sheldon?”

  “There are plenty of available gentleman here. All you need is one.”

  With a look of relief, she nodded. “All right. Where is this gentleman you wish to introduce me to?”

  “This way.” Agatha slipped her arm around her sister’s and followed Lady Roderick. “I have a good feeling about this one,” she whispered to her sister. “I want you to be on your best behavior. He’s exactly the kind of gentleman you’re looking for. Make sure you tell him that you’re having trouble deciding which gentleman to dance with next. That should prompt him to ask you for a dance.”

  They reached him and waited for him and Lord Roderick to turn their attention to them. Once they got acquainted with each other, Agatha told Lord Clement, “My sister is in her first Season
.”

  “How are you enjoying it so far?” Lord Clement asked Sophie.

  “It’s a little overwhelming but I’m enjoying it immensely. Everyone’s been so kind,” Sophie glanced around the room, “which makes it difficult to pick which gentleman to dance with.”

  Agatha silently congratulated her sister for slipping in the hint so well. There just might be hope for Sophie yet, as long as she could keep her focus where it needed to be.

  “I wish I could suggest a dance,” Lord Clement began, motioning to his cane, “but I’m afraid my limp prevents me from doing so.”

  Agatha cleared her throat so he’d look at her. “Perhaps we might talk for a bit on the veranda?”

  “That’s a good idea,” Lady Roderick agreed. “Besides, it’s awfully warm in here. Some fresh air would be nice.”

  Since Lord Clement indicated his agreement, the group headed toward the veranda. On their way outside, Agatha saw that Mister Robinson was at the ball. At the moment, he was talking to Ethan. She told herself that her heart raced because she hoped he wouldn’t see her, not because it thrilled her to catch a glimpse of him. Before he realized she was there, she slipped between her sister and Lady Roderick to block her from his view. All she needed was for him to distract her from her mission.

  When they reached the veranda, Lady Roderick sat on one of the benches and opened her fan. Her husband sat beside her and asked, “Are you feeling better?”

  “Much.” With an apologetic smile, she looked at the others and explained, “I do fine for a while, but being around a lot of people in a closed space can make me uncomfortable. I need a reprieve now and then.”

  “Or it could be an excuse to get your husband to dote over you,” Lord Clement joked.

  Agatha shot Sophie a meaningful look. A gentleman who had a title, wealth and a sense of humor! Her sister would do well to marry him. It might even be an amiable marriage. Noting there were only two benches and there was room on the bench where the Rodericks sat, she hurried to sit on Lady Roderick’s other side. “I have smelling salts in my reticule should you feel faint,” she said before anyone could ask questions. “I hope you don’t mind sitting with my sister,” she told Lord Clement.