A Hint of Seduction Page 6

  Most gentlemen looked uncomfortable and rigid sitting on a horse, not knowing how to move with the animal. Somehow Catherine knew that this man would sit tall but comfortable in the saddle, his body moving easily with each stride of his mount.

  Yes, she had no doubt that he would look simply dashing sitting in the saddle atop the horse he called The General.

  “Might I think your hesitancy means you are considering my request?” he asked.

  She cleared her throat and her wayward thoughts and lifted her shoulders and her chin defiantly. “Absolutely not, sir. I will not meet you. If I were caught in the park alone with you, I’d be banned from every respectable household in Town.”

  Catherine knew she couldn’t allow that to happen no matter how tempting his offer. She had every intention of gaining introductions to the three men she sought. Once she made contact with someone from each of the families, she needed to be accepted into their homes. That was the only way she could start trying to discover her real father.

  Lord Chatwin moved a step closer to her. “No one will see us. I promise.”

  She felt his breath flutter past her ear and her chest tightened. For reasons she really didn’t understand, she hedged again.

  “How can you promise such a thing? Someone saw me riding your horse just this morning and now everyone is talking about it.”

  For the first time that evening she saw displeasure ease across his face.

  “I know. I’ve heard about nothing else all evening. You certainly know how to start gossip.”

  “I can assure you that was not my intention.”

  “I’m beginning to believe you. No one knows you are that lady, do they?”

  She considered what he said. “Not that I know about, and I desire that it stay that way.”

  “I don’t intend to tell. Do you?”

  “Certainly not.”

  “Good. There’s no reason to think your luck won’t hold for tomorrow morning as well.”

  “But, my lord, it would be folly to tempt fate twice.”

  He smiled. “I think there is every reason to tempt fate more than once. I do it every day.”

  “I am not that bold.”

  “You don’t give yourself enough credit. I think you are.”

  A twinkle shone in his eyes and his gaze stayed steadily on hers. For a moment she could believe he spoke the truth. Was she truly the way he saw her?

  “Catherine, there you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you. You must not wander away from me again.”

  Catherine turned at the sound of her sister’s voice. Victoria hurried toward her so swiftly that her light brown skirts billowed behind her long legs.

  Lord Chatwin took a short step away from Catherine as Victoria almost hurled herself between the two of them. Catherine had to step back in order to make room for her.

  “It’s so nice to see you, my lord. It looks as if you are doing well,” Victoria said to the earl.

  “Quite fine, Mrs. Goosetree. And might I say you are looking lovely this evening.”

  Victoria gave him a tight smile, but she couldn’t keep her brown eyes from sparkling at his flattery. “Thank you, my lord. How nice of you to notice me when there are so many beautiful ladies in attendance tonight.” She cleared her throat and lifted her chin slightly while letting her lips relax from the strained smile. “I see you have made the acquaintance of my half sister, Miss Catherine Reynolds.”

  “We were just getting better acquainted,” he said as calmly as if they had been talking about the weather.

  “Yes, I saw how closely you were getting acquainted,” she said rather stiffly and turned from Lord Chatwin and centered her pointed gaze on Catherine. “I wasn’t aware you two had met. Who presented you to the earl, Catherine?”

  Merciful goodness.

  “Oh, well it was . . .”

  Her mind raced. What was she going to say? She didn’t want to lie to Victoria, but how could she tell her no one had introduced them? Should she own up to having met Lord Chatwin in the park earlier that morning when she was riding?

  No.

  She had to think of something. Fast.

  “Why are you hesitating?” Victoria asked.

  “Perhaps because she can’t immediately remember the name of the person who did the honors,” Lord Chatwin said.

  Catherine almost gasped out loud. He dare speak for her? And to say something that was so out of character. She had a very good memory.

  “Miss Reynolds was just telling me how this was her first party, and that she was having trouble remembering the names of all the people she’s met.”

  Victoria turned back to the earl with a confused expression on her face. “It’s true I’ve kept her busy tonight meeting everyone in attendance. But what does surprise me is that Catherine is usually so very good with names and faces.” Vickie paused. “So tell me who presented her to you so that I might thank them.”

  Lord Chatwin cleared his throat. “It was his grace the Duke of Beaumont. You do know him, don’t you, Mrs. Goosetree?”

  Her lashes fluttered. She was clearly impressed.

  “Oh, my, yes, yes, of course. We were first introduced years ago. I didn’t realize His Grace was here tonight, nor did I know Catherine had been presented to him either. I haven’t seen him this evening.” She looked around the room smiling as she touched her hand to her hair. “I don’t know how I could have missed, but how splendid of him to do the honors.”

  “I believe he was on his way out when he left us,” Lord Chatwin said.

  Victoria turned a slightly disapproving face to Catherine. “You must remember the names of all the dukes, my dear. Forgetting any name is unacceptable, but forgetting a duke is an outrage.”

  Catherine bristled and forced herself not to look at Lord Chatwin. He hadn’t managed to help her at all. She knew enough to know that forgetting the name of any titled gentleman was just as big a faux pas as conversing with a man to whom she hadn’t been properly introduced.

  “I know it’s unforgivable, Vickie.” She threw Lord Chatwin a “thank you for nothing” look, but to her half sister she smiled and said, “It won’t happen again. I promise.”

  “Good.” Victoria returned her focus to Lord Chatwin. “Now, my lord, was there a particular reason the duke made introductions to my sister tonight?”

  Catherine was surprised at Victoria’s impudence.

  Lord Chatwin cleared his throat again and said, “Yes. Absolutely. With your permission, of course, I’d like to call on Miss Reynolds tomorrow afternoon and take her for a ride in Hyde Park.”

  Victoria shook open her fan as she smiled sweetly at him. She pretended to ponder a moment or two before she said, “How lovely that would be, but alas, Catherine isn’t available. Unfortunately I’ve already agreed to other plans for her for tomorrow afternoon. You understand that we couldn’t possibly change them at this late hour, don’t you?”

  “Of course, Mrs. Goosetree.”

  “And you will ask her for another time, won’t you, my lord?”

  “I’ll consider it an honor.”

  “Splendid.”

  Catherine wondered if the earl had changed his mind and decided he wanted her to go for a proper ride in the park with him or if he was just using that as a cover for Victoria’s benefit. She didn’t know what plans Victoria had for her tomorrow, but she knew they wouldn’t be as interesting as riding in the park with the handsome and intriguing earl, and not nearly so stirring as meeting him in secret at dawn.

  “Thank you, Lord Chatwin. We shall look forward to another time. Now, come along, Catherine. I can see that you are dead on your feet. I will take you home. Good night, my lord.”

  “Mrs. Goosetree. Miss Reynolds.”

  Victoria turned away and Lord Chatwin quickly stepped up to Catherine and softly whispered where only she could hear, “Before dawn in the park. I’ll be waiting.”

  His voice so close to her ear sent shivers up her arms and down the back o
f her neck. She couldn’t believe Lord Chatwin still wanted her to meet him.

  Alone.

  And she couldn’t believe how much she wanted to deny her common sense and do just that, but of course, she couldn’t.

  Could she?

  Catherine and Victoria immediately collected their wraps and called for their coach. As soon as they were comfortably seated inside the warm compartment and headed toward home, Victoria clasped her hands under her chin and started laughing.

  Hazy yellow light filtered inside the cabin of the landau from lanterns that were positioned outside the coach. Catherine saw self-satisfaction in Victoria’s face. That seemed strange to her. She thought she’d get a stern rebuke from Victoria as soon as they made it to the carriage for failing to remember a duke’s name.

  Catherine found the rocking motion of the carriage and the clipping of the horses’ hooves on the hard-packed road soothing. Her heart rate slowed, her breathing calmed.

  After a few moments she turned to Victoria and asked, “What has you feeling so jovial?”

  Victoria looked at Catherine. “The Marquis of Westerland and Lord Chatwin, of course. I can’t believe you have caught the eye of the Marquis and one of the Terrible Twosome Earls.”

  Catherine was puzzled. “It pleases you that I’ve caught Lord Chatwin’s attention?”

  “Did I not say as much?”

  “Yes, but why?”

  “Because it’s wonderful to be sought after by an earl!” Victoria sighed contentedly as she relaxed against the seat cushion.

  “But he’s considered a rogue.”

  “Oh, yes, he’s a rogue of the highest order,” Victoria agreed gleefully.

  “An unredeemable one I might add, if all I’ve heard about him is true,” Catherine said, still wondering why Victoria would want her to be pursued by a gentleman with a blemished reputation.

  “I’m sure every morsel you have heard is true, but he’s also an earl! And everything worked out perfectly tonight.”

  Catherine didn’t understand her half sister at all. From the moment she’d arrived in London, Victoria had preached that she must find an acceptable young man to marry before her first Season was over.

  How could a rogue, no matter his title, be acceptable?

  “What exactly worked perfectly?”

  “My plan, of course,” Victoria said with a satisfied smile. “Lord Westerland was captivated by you tonight. I observed the way he couldn’t take his eyes off you while you were dancing with him. And when I saw Lord Chatwin come in earlier tonight with the Earl of Dugdale, I remember that Lord Chatwin saw you right away and watched your every move.”

  I bet he did.

  “He couldn’t stop looking at you even when he talked to Lord Dugdale. I knew immediately that he was interested in you.”

  Oh, yes, I’m sure of it.

  Victoria flipped open her fan again and continued talking as the carriage bumped along the road leading into Mayfair.

  “But I decided I wouldn’t introduce you right away. And it was the right decision. When I didn’t proceed at once to present you to him, he found someone to make the introductions for him. And to ask the Duke of Beaumont—well, that’s almost like asking the Prince himself to do the honors.”

  Catherine couldn’t keep a smile off her face. If only Victoria knew the real reason he’d come looking for her was not because he’d been enchanted with her but because she had his horse.

  “The Marquis would be the better catch for you, no doubt about that, but for the past ten years I’ve watched that earl outfox cagy fathers, escape irate dukes and guardians, and bring pushy mamas to tears. It’s time he was caught.”

  Victoria stopped talking and laughed again. Catherine couldn’t believe how excited her half sister was about Lord Chatwin.

  “What a challenge—what an achievement it would be to snare him. Mark my words, dear Catherine, Lord Chatwin will be asking for your hand before this Season’s over.”

  The smile withered from Catherine’s lips. “Vickie, you can’t be serious. Surely you don’t want me to marry a man with such a questionable reputation?”

  Victoria’s stern gaze landed on Catherine’s eyes. “Of course I do. I can see I have much to teach you about Society. Our father left you in the country far too long. He should have sent you to me years ago.”

  “I couldn’t have left him while he was ill.”

  “I know and I’m glad you were there with him. But because of that you are two years late on your coming out. Now, the first thing you must remember is that it’s your reputation that matters in this Town, dear Catherine, not his. It would be very difficult for an earl to do anything that would tarnish his name beyond repair. You, on the other hand, are a very different matter.”

  Catherine was aware of that. That was why she had continued to reject the earl’s tempting invitation to meet him at dawn.

  “Besides, remember my allowance from our father will increase if you marry a titled man,” Victoria said. “As a widow, I’m aware of my finances and desire to keep my standard of living.”

  How could I forget?

  Catherine asked her sister, “If you are happy about his desire to take me for a ride in the park, why did you tell him I wasn’t available tomorrow afternoon?”

  “Because, my dear, that, too, is part of my plan. It will make you far more appealing and intriguing to all of them if I keep you at a distance.”

  “But from what I’ve heard about Lord Chatwin and the Terrible Twosome, I don’t believe he is interested in marriage at all, only a bit of sport.”

  “Merciful goodness, Catherine, you’re not supposed to think that way. And every titled man is interested in marriage. It’s just that some take longer than others to make up their minds.”

  “I didn’t think he was the kind of gentleman you wanted me to be interested in.”

  “His being an earl makes all the difference. My dear Catherine, there is a reason our father left you in my care. I will not fail him. I will see to it that you make a perfect match, and I would prefer it with the earl who couldn’t be caught. Now, sit back and relax and trust me to handle everything.” She laughed again. “I think I’ll have a spot of sherry when I get home. I’m so pleased with myself, I deserve it.”

  Catherine turned her head and looked out the small windowpane and watched the street lamps pass by.

  How could she relax now?

  Victoria seemed to have made up her mind that the earl was the man she wanted to snare for Catherine. He was certainly far more appealing than the Marquis of Westerland.

  She could only hope Victoria wouldn’t be too disappointed when Lord Chatwin dropped her like a hot poker once she returned his horse.

  Finding a husband was not what Catherine wanted to do right now. Yes, the earl was the most handsome man she’d ever seen, and she would enjoy the opportunity to explore the wonderful feelings that stirred inside her whenever she was near him, but finding her real father had to come first. She wanted to know if his eyes were blue like hers. Did she have his smile or the color of his hair? She had to fill in that part of her past that was missing.

  Six

  MISS CATHERINE REYNOLDS was fascinating, John thought as she and her half sister disappeared from his view.

  He’d always been good at reading women. It was as if he could see inside their minds and know what they were thinking. He’d always known ahead of time which lady would agree to a rendezvous with him and which one would decline.

  Until Miss Reynolds.

  He hadn’t been able to read her. And not being sure about her decision made her all the more intriguing. Would she meet him tomorrow morning or would she just send him word where he could pick up The General?

  A few more moments in her presence and she would have had him forgetting he even had a horse.

  She’d had no trouble looking him in the eyes when she spoke to him. He liked that. He also liked the fact that she found it difficult to lie to her sister about t
heir lack of a proper introduction, while it hadn’t bothered him at all to do it.

  It wouldn’t matter if Mrs. Goosetree asked the Duke of Beaumont about presenting Miss Reynolds to him. Everyone knew the old duke couldn’t remember much of anything anymore.

  John knew that Mrs. Goosetree was playing him, and that didn’t bother him, either. Other guardians had used the hard-to-get ploy with him in the past. It was amusing that she didn’t know he was on to her.

  He loved a good game—as long as he won.

  And he would.

  The lovely Miss Reynolds’s explanation of why she ran off with his horse seemed reasonable and plausible, but that didn’t take away the rub of the teasing he was getting.

  “Fines, did you find your horse?” someone called to him from across the room.

  John looked up and saw one of the old bachelors looking at him and grinning. He smiled and waved to the dandy, hoping like hell the old curmudgeon wouldn’t join him.

  He was amazed at the commotion that the lady riding his horse had caused.

  Miss Reynolds was a menace.

  Did she know what she’d started?

  The furor over this could be bigger than the time when he was twenty and was caught trying to crawl in the bedroom window of Miss Penelope Hardgraves. Thankfully his uncle Bentley had appeared on the scene and kept him from being leg-shackled.

  The gossips had always written about him. That was nothing new, but this story seemed to swell with a life of its own.

  “I saw Miss Reynolds leaving with her sister just a moment ago,” Andrew said as he walked up beside John. “What did you find out?”

  John turned to his friend and said, “That she is more intriguing than ever.”

  Andrew shook his head in exasperation. “Damnation, John.”

  “What is it?”

  “I fear you are in more trouble than you know.”

  John harrumphed. “Why do you say that?”

  “I wasn’t asking about the lady. I was inquiring about what you found out regarding the whereabouts of your horse. The prizewinning Thoroughbred for which you paid an enormous amount of money. The General, do you even remember him?”