The Earl's Secret Bargain Read online

  The other gentlemen chuckled, but Pennella narrowed his eyes at him. If Pennella had taken the time to listen to Miss Giles, he would have realized she didn’t like gossip. But he didn’t, and that gave Toby a surprising advantage. And this was one advantage he was going to pursue.

  Going to her house unannounced would never do, but he could send her a request for another visit. By the time he reached his townhouse, he knew exactly how he’d word the calling card. And he didn’t waste any time in sending it out.

  Chapter Seven

  “You received a second request from Lord Davenport to see you?” Lady Seyton asked two days later as Regina and her mother sat in Lady Seyton’s drawing room.

  Though Lady Seyton had directed the question to Regina, her mother spoke on her behalf. “Yes, we did.”

  We? Regina bit her lower lip so she wouldn’t say something. There was no ‘we’ in the calling card he sent. It was only for her. But leave it to her mother to treat this as if they were both being courted.

  Lady Seyton chuckled as she poured them a cup of tea. “The first time together is always the hardest one. A second request from the gentleman almost assures a proposal is imminent.”

  Regina’s mother let out a squeal of delight. “I just knew it!” She squeezed Regina’s arm before Regina could take her cup of tea. “I just knew he was interested in you.”

  “You think all gentlemen are interested in me,” Regina reminded her then took the cup from Lady Seyton.

  “But this one wants to see you again. It’s a good sign.”

  “I agree with your mother,” Lady Seyton said then sipped her tea. “This just might be the one.”

  As much as the prospect excited her, Regina couldn’t help but think it was too soon. The walk in the park was very enjoyable, more so than she thought possible. But it was only one time. What if the second venture didn’t go so well?

  What a silly question. Regina knew what it meant. It meant she had to start all over again, something she dreaded. Not only had she found Lord Davenport refreshing, but she didn’t know if she had the strength to go through the initial pleasantries with someone else. All right. Perhaps she hadn’t been so pleasant with Lord Davenport, but he’d had a surprisingly good sense of humor about the whole thing. It was hard not to find such a gentleman attractive. More than just attractive, really. He was someone she could fall in love with.

  After they finished the tea, her mother patted Regina on the arm and looked at Lady Seyton. “Now that we have a gentleman who wants another visit, what is the best way to proceed?”

  “I’d say it’s a good idea to keep doing what you’ve been doing all along,” Lady Seyton replied. “Obviously, it works.”

  “But surely, there must be something more to it than that,” her mother pressed.

  “Besides delighting him with your personality, I can’t think of much more a titled gentleman wants except to get an heir.”

  Her mother glanced Regina’s way, and Regina shrugged. Why Lord Davenport liked her well enough to want to see her again, she didn’t know. She’d been pretty skeptical about gentlemen and marriage in particular. The fact that she hadn’t scared him off spoke volumes of how much the poor man could endure, something that probably amazed her mother to no end.

  Her mother offered her a smile. “Perhaps we ought to remind him of how important heirs are to gentlemen. I’ll hint about such things when he comes by.”

  Regina’s eyes grew wide. Good heavens! Did her mother really think that was a good idea?

  “That’s a good idea,” Lady Seyton replied. “It never hurts for someone other than the lady to subtly remind him of these things.”

  “I can certainly do it, and I assure you I’ll choose my words with great care.” Her mother stood up. “Thank you for your advice, my lady.”

  Lady Seyton rose to her feet, Regina quickly following. “I fully expect this is the one who’ll propose.”

  Her mother’s smile widened at the prospect, and Regina had to admit she hoped Lady Seyton was right.

  ***

  On the day Lord Davenport was due to arrive, Regina had planned to wait in her bedchamber for his arrival, but the task proved much too daunting. She tried to focus on her book. After her tenth failed attempt to understand what she was reading, she gave up and put the book aside.

  Not sure what to do with her time until he arrived, she left her bedchamber and slowly walked down the hall. To her surprise, her mother came rushing up the stairs.

  “Are you sure it’s appropriate for a lady to be caught running through the house?” Regina asked, a hint of amusement in her tone.

  “I have good reason to run,” her mother insisted and took her by the arm before guiding her back to her bedchamber.

  “What’s wrong? Is my hair out of place or my dress not properly secure?”

  “No, no. Nothing like that.” Once they were in her bedchamber, her mother shut the door and turned to her, a wide smile on her face. She took a calling card out of her pocket and showed it to her. “Lord Pennella wants to see you again, too.”

  “What?”

  “Isn’t it wonderful? You have your pick of two titled gentlemen.”

  Regina could hardly speak. She thought for sure Lord Pennella wouldn’t want to see her again after the way she talked to him.

  “I’m going to give a little extra money to Lady Seyton. Her techniques work like a charm,” her mother added. “I’ll send Lord Pennella a card back and accept on your behalf.”

  Regina opened her mouth to stop her, but her mother hurried out of the room. She considered calling after her mother. But really, what good would it do? Her mother would love to tell her friends that her daughter had two titled gentlemen vying for her hand. The least Regina could do was give her mother the luxury of doing that. It wasn’t like she had to say yes if Lord Pennella proposed.

  “Miss Giles,” her lady’s maid said, peering into the bedchamber, “Lord Davenport is here.”

  Good. A much needed distraction. Right now, she would enjoy the afternoon. She thanked her lady’s maid then went down the stairs. Recalling the way Lord Pennella had admired his reflection in the window, she kept her steps silent as she approached the drawing room.

  She stopped before she reached the open door, so he wouldn’t see her. She peeked into the room. Lord Davenport stood by the window, just as Lord Pennella had. But he had his hat in his hands and his gaze was focused on the floor.

  “I hope you’ll be at Lord Toplyn’s ball.” He shook his head. “No, that doesn’t work.” He paused. “I was planning on going to Lord Toplyn’s ball and wondered if you’ll be there.” He sighed and tapped the hat.

  It took her a moment to realize he was trying to think of a way to ask if he could see her again. He probably didn’t want to seem too eager. The thought made her skin warm in pleasure. It was very sweet that he worried so much over whether or not he could spend time with her. Indeed, it was a refreshing change from the other gentlemen she’d met. Lord Davenport really was sincere in his affections for her.

  He turned to the window and hesitated a few seconds then asked, “Did you hear Lord Toplyn’s having a ball?” Seeming to be satisfied, he nodded and looked toward the doorway.

  She took that as her cue. After she entered the room, she curtsied. “Good afternoon, my lord.”

  He bowed. “It’s an honor to be here.”

  “The butler will bring our tea in soon. Will you have a seat?”

  He nodded and sat on the settee.

  She hesitated to sit by him. If he’d been Lord Pennella, she wouldn’t have even considered it. But this was Lord Davenport, and she wanted to. In a bold move that she never thought she’d take, she sat next to him and noted that he smiled. Relaxing since he hadn’t been taken aback by her bold move, she returned his smile and asked, “How have you been since we last talked?”

  “Good. And you?”

  “I’ve been fine. Nothing of interest happened.”

  “It d
idn’t?”

  She shook her head. She hadn’t realized how much she’d been looking forward to seeing him again until that moment. “No, it didn’t. I’m glad you came by today.”

  “You are?”

  She studied his expression and fought the urge to chuckle. If she guessed right, he worried that she hadn’t given him a second thought over the past three days. “Yes, I am.”

  The butler came in and set the tray of tea in front of them.

  She waited until he left before she continued talking. “I know it doesn’t seem like I enjoy much about London,” she began as she poured his tea.

  “Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” he quickly spoke up. “You seemed to enjoy the park the other day.”

  “Yes, I did. And I wanted to thank you for steering my mother away from gossip. It was nice to spend an afternoon without listening to who is doing what and who performed the worst scandal.” She handed him his cup and poured tea into hers. “Maybe if I didn’t have to listen to it so much, I wouldn’t mind.”

  “I don’t think the people involved in the scandal want others talking about it.” He cleared his throat. “I know I wouldn’t.”

  “I doubt my mother would either. It’s different when you’re the one on display.” She put the teapot down and returned his smile.

  “I agree. And sometimes a person stumbles into a situation without even meaning to.”

  “Exactly. We don’t know why the person did what they did. It’s not up to us to judge their motives.”

  After a moment, he sipped his tea. “I was wondering, did you hear Lord Toplyn’s having a ball?”

  Hiding her smile, she nodded. “My mother mentioned it. She makes it a point to go to as many as she can.”

  “Well, I’ll be there, and I’d be honored if you saved two dances for me.”

  Pleased, her face grew warm. “I’ll do that.”

  She couldn’t recall a time when anyone had such a pleasant effect on her. It was more than the beginning of romantic attraction that she felt. Deep down, she knew this was a gentleman who had the potential to be a friend, a companion she could spend her life with, sharing its ups and downs. Perhaps he sensed the same connection she did.

  “Lord Davenport,” her mother said, breezing into the room, “it’s good to see you again.”

  She gave an elaborate curtsy that almost made Regina spit out her tea. But she managed to swallow it before any damage was done.

  Lord Davenport quickly set his cup down and bowed. “Thanks for having me.”

  “Oh, anytime,” her mother replied. She sat in the chair close to Regina and gestured for Lord Davenport to sit. “I thought we’d sit and talk for a while before going out.”

  Sensing her mother was up to something, Regina studied her expression.

  “In fact,” her mother began as she took Regina’s cup from her and added more tea to it, “just last night, my daughter and I were talking.”

  Regina’s eyes narrowed as her mother added a lump of sugar to the tea and stirred it with a spoon. “Where are you going with this?” Regina asked, sure she didn’t want to know. Morbid curiosity, however, was getting the best of her.

  “You needn’t be so shy about it,” her mother told her then handed her the cup. “Drink up, dear.”

  Regina shook her head and handed it back to her. “I’m not thirsty anymore. You take it.”

  “Very well.” Her mother took a sip. “It’s very good. I should pay my compliments to Cook.”

  “It is good tea,” Lord Davenport said.

  “Would you like more?” her mother offered.

  “No, thank you. Like your daughter, I’ve had enough,” he replied.

  Regina wondered why her mother was stalling. There was obviously something on her mind—something she was scheming—and she had yet to come out and say what it was. And worse, the longer she waited, the more uncomfortable Regina felt.

  “We usually drink green tea,” her mother rambled. “It’s supposed to be good for your health. Or so I’ve heard. But lately, we’ve been trying different flavors. Sometimes you have to do that, you know. Do something different so you can find out what you might be missing.”

  “Where are you going with this, Mother?” Regina asked again. If she had any clue, she could take measures to turn the conversation in another direction.

  “Just talking about tea.”

  No, she was only using that as a means to get to what she really wanted to discuss. Regina closed her eyes for a moment and prayed for patience.

  “As I was saying,” her mother continued, “trying something new might be exciting.”

  “Are you referring to traveling?” Lord Davenport asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

  “No, though that is a good way of seeing what else life has to offer,” her mother said. “There’s more to the world than the little corner we live in.” Before Regina could open her mouth and suggest her mother get on with it, her mother gave the tea back to her. “What do you think of this black tea, dear? It’s good, isn’t it? Drink up.”

  Deciding she’d had enough of this silly game, Regina put the cup back on the table. “This isn’t about tea, and I know it. What are you getting at?”

  “Children. Specifically, grandchildren for me in my old age,” her mother blurted out.

  Regina’s jaw dropped. They had no such conversation!

  “Lord Davenport,” her mother continued, “I assure you that my daughter would make a wonderful mother. She comes from a healthy stock, too. She could have many sons.”

  “That’s enough, Mother,” she spoke up once she could talk. She stood up. “Now is a good time to go to the carriage.”

  Fortunately, Lord Davenport rose to his feet and agreed that a carriage ride sounded like a good idea. Relieved, she accepted his arm and hurried out of the room, leaving her mother behind them to catch up.

  Chapter Eight

  “You’re not still upset with me, are you?” Regina’s mother asked the next morning during breakfast.

  Regina glanced at her father who was buttering his biscuit. Why didn’t he ever take measures to restrain her mother’s tongue in the twenty-three years of their marriage?

  “Regina?” her mother pressed, leaning toward her. “Are you really going to ignore me?”

  Regina set the fork next to the fruit on her plate and sighed. “Are you not aware the butler’s in the room?” she whispered.

  Her mother looked over her shoulder. “Harold, will you please leave us for a few moments?”

  The butler left the room and closed the door to ensure their privacy.

  “Now, will you please talk to me?” her mother asked, turning back to her.

  “Fine,” Regina finally relented. “You want me to tell you the truth? The truth is you embarrassed me yesterday.”

  Her mother’s eyes grew wide, and she glanced at her father who shrugged. “Regina, the last thing I want to do is embarrass you.”

  “Then in the future, don’t tell any gentleman who comes to see me that you want grandchildren.”

  Her father nearly choked on the biscuit he’d just put in his mouth.

  “You see?” Regina motioned to him. “Even he knows such talk is inappropriate.”

  “Inappropriate?” Her mother had the audacity to appear surprised. “Lady Seyton told me to do it.”

  “She did no such thing.”

  “She said we should get the gentlemen to think of having an heir.”

  “I’m sure she meant to be subtle about it.”

  “There was nothing wrong with the way I brought up the subject.”

  “You practically offered my services as a brood mare.”

  Her mother gasped and pressed her hand to her chest. “I did no such thing.”

  Glancing at her father, Regina said, “She said I came from good stock and could give him many sons.”

  Her father winced. “That was a little too bold, my dear,” he told her mother.

  “Well, gentlemen aren’t known fo
r taking hints. They require boldness,” her mother insisted. “I recall having to tell you it was time for you to get married since you were in your late thirties.”

  “That was different,” he said. “The gentlemen coming to see Regina want to get married. There’s no need to convince them.”

  “But they need to be convinced that they’re better off marrying her,” she gestured to Regina, “than someone else.”

  Regina almost said she already knew which gentleman she wanted to marry but held her tongue. Who knew what her mother would do with such information?

  “Camilla, you know I don’t often come down on you about these things,” her father gently said. “But in this case, I must insist you refrain from saying such things in the future.”

  With a sigh, her mother nodded. “Fine. I won’t speak of children or grandchildren anymore.”

  “Thank you, Father,” Regina told him.

  “Why are you thanking him?” her mother asked. “I’m the one who promised not to do it.”

  When Regina looked heavenward, her father chuckled. “Why don’t you two go shopping?”

  “What a lovely idea!” Standing up from her half-eaten meal, her mother gestured to Regina. “I saw the most beautiful gold dress the other day. It’s absolutely divine. It’ll be perfect for Lord Toplyn’s ball.”

  Regina’s ears perked up. Lord Davenport would be at the ball. Without bothering to finish her own meal, she jumped up and followed her mother out of the room.

  ***

  A loud cheer rose from the gaming room at White’s as Toby walked through the front door. Catching Orlando lounging by the window, he went over to him. “What’s the big commotion in the other room?”

  Orlando forced his gaze off the window so he could look at him. “They’re betting on which one of you will get two dances with Miss Giles at Lord Toplyn’s ball.”

  Feeling a smile tugging at his lips, he sat by his friend and leaned toward him. “That’s an easy one. I will.”

  Orlando’s eyebrow arched. “You’re not so easily given to bragging. That’s Pennella’s thing.”

  “It’s not bragging if it’s the truth. I went to see her yesterday, and she promised she’d save two dances for me.” In a lower voice, he added, “She’s really a marvelous lady. She’s witty, intelligent, and funny. It seems a shame that I hadn’t met her sooner.”