A Most Unconventional Match (10 page)

‘Then rearrange your call for later. Being widowed and living in seclusion, it cannot matter much to her which evening you assist her.'

‘Does,' Hal responded determinedly. ‘Family event,' he continued, embroidering as he went. ‘Wouldn't wish me to desert widow.'

Having on so many occasions compelled Hal's assistance by invoking her status as his poor widowed mother, even Letitia Waterman wasn't inventive enough to find a way to fault that laudable sentiment. It appeared his last-minute ploy might work after all.

His mother's frown deepened. Accustomed to getting her way in all things, Letitia Waterman wasn't pleased to be outmanoeuvred, especially by her slowtop of a son.

Knowing he'd better escape before she devised a more effective counter-attack, Hal hopped up.

‘Must go. Not keep Montague and Chelmsworth waiting. Pleasure, Mama.'

‘Surely you can remain a little longer. Lady Tryphena should be here any moment and will be most distressed to miss you. And I cannot be happy about Englemere entangling you in family business he ought to be taking care of himself. 'Tis greatly presumptuous of him when I most especially wanted you to attend Lady Cowper's ball.'

Might his mother be a tad jealous of his devotion to his friend? Hal wondered. He'd never thought she cared a fig that he'd spent so many of his school holidays at Englemere Hall. If it had irritated her, 'twas probably just that she'd missed having him at her beck and call.

‘Be other balls,' he replied, intending to hie himself north before he could be called upon to escort her to any. ‘My regrets to Lady Tryphena and Kendall.' Bowing deeply, with a huge sense of relief, Hal headed for the door.

His departure came none too soon. As his hackney rounded the corner from his mother's house, he spied Lady Tryphena alighting from another carriage in front of it.

Thank heavens he had escaped her…both this evening and for the Cowpers' ball! Hal's sense of euphoria dimmed, however, when he recalled the stratagem he'd used to buy his freedom.

He'd claimed he was to escort Elizabeth Lowery to a family party. Although he was certain she wouldn't accept an invitation to go out—it being too soon after her husband's death and it being Hal who was asking—he was still going to have to make her an offer. He didn't mind playing fast and loose with the facts, but he couldn't reconcile it with his conscience to have avoided his mother's company by employing an outright lie.

Still, the embarrassment of stumbling through a sure-to-be-quickly-refused invitation to Elizabeth Lowery had to be less humiliating and uncomfortable than spending an evening with his mother and Lady Tryphena, Hal reasoned, none the less already dreading the awkwardness of having to tender one. Resolutely he turned his mind from that unpleasant prospect to the much more enjoyable thought of spending the evening with convivial men who shared his interests.

And trying, as he did so, to squelch an irrational flare of hope that Elizabeth Lowery might actually accept his invitation.

T
he next day at the same pre-noon hour as his previous visit, Hal arrived at Green Street, making a short stop at the mews behind the town house before ringing the front doorbell. This time, after informing Hal that his mistress was presently occupied in her studio, Sands seemed less surprised when Hal asked to visit with Master David while the boy's mother finished her morning's work.

Knowing that at some point he was going to have to deliver an invitation to Elizabeth Lowery, Hal's nerves were knotted even tighter than they'd been the previous day. Recognising that fact, he hoped to stay longer with David, both to distract himself and in anticipation of the pleasure his surprise would bring the boy.

David's mother would likely be less enthusiastic, but Hal believed her when she'd affirmed that she valued his opinion and wished to do what was best for her son. He was fairly confident that her concern for her son's happiness would overcome whatever misgivings the lady might harbour over the new addition to her household.

Once again his spirits rose as David fairly bounded into the room. ‘Mr Waterman! Have you come to play soldiers? I don't have the army, but Mama gave me back the general. He's working wonderfully.'

‘Glad to hear it. Must work in father's office. But other plans first.'

‘Not now, then?' The boy's eager expression faded. ‘Mama said you are very busy. Could you play later?'

‘Work later. Come sit.'

Looking puzzled, the lad took a chair beside Hal and gazed up at him inquiringly.

‘Growing into a man. Must prepare. Lowery Hall yours, learn to care for it. Begin formal studies.'

‘Mama said I am to have a tutor. Will it be hard?'

‘No, interesting. Make you wiser, stronger.'

The boy nodded solemnly. ‘Mama says I must be strong, like Papa would want me to be.' His lips quivered. ‘It's hard, though. I miss him so much.'

Feeling a pang of his own, Hal reached over to ruffle the boy's hair. ‘Gets easier. Responsible, now father's gone. Help Mama. Take care of what's yours. Not expect Nurse or Mama to do it. Think you can?'

The boy puffed up his chest. ‘I'm very 'sponsible. I'm strong, too. I can help Mama.'

‘Start now, then. Ready?' Hal stood and motioned toward the door.

Looking mystified, the boy followed Hal from the room, down the hall and out the back stairs towards the mews.

‘Are you going to show me your horse? He must be very big! I should love to have a pony. Aubrey got a brindled pony last year. He let me feed him a carrot when we visited Uncle Nicky at Christmas. I told Papa I was old enough to have a pony, too, but he said I'd have to wait. We just have the old carriage horse, 'cause Papa didn't like to ride and Mama is afraid of horses. That's silly, don't you think? Horses are beautiful! When I'm grown, I shall have dozens!'

Smiling at the boy's chatter, which relieved him of the need to contribute anything to the conversation, Hal continued until they reached the small stable block which held, as David had told him, only a modest carriage and one ageing carriage horse.

And David's surprise.

‘Have something for you. Must be very responsible, take care of him. Promise?'

Before the boy could reply, Hal led him inside the small stone structure. Upon spying his rescuer, the puppy dropped the piece of rope he'd been trying to tug out of the hand of a smiling groom and gambolled over to Hal, yipping joyously.

A few days of good feeding had added a bit of flesh to his bones and a bath had revealed fur of an indeterminate brown. With his perky ears almost healed of their cuts and his soulful dark eyes, the dog looked much more attractive than the night Hal had found him near Covent Garden.

‘A puppy!' David exclaimed, bending down to stroke the little animal's back. ‘Oh, thank you! I've always wanted a puppy. I shall take good care of him, I promise!'

‘Your responsibility,' Hal cautioned. ‘Feed him daily. Brush him, bathe him. Train him. Very important.'

‘Down!' Hal commanded the dog, who was trying to jump up on his knees. The puppy dropped back to his haunches, the rapid brush of his tail stirring up the straw on the stable floor. ‘Must be well behaved,' Hal continued. ‘Otherwise, a nuisance.'

‘Oh, yes, I want to train him! You'll teach me how?'

‘Later,' Hal replied, smiling again at the boy's excitement. ‘Get to know him first.'

‘What is his name?'

‘Your dog now. You name him.'

‘What do you think? A name is very important, isn't it?'

‘See size of paws? Going to be big. Needs big name.'

‘How about “Max”? Do you think he would like that?'

Hal nodded. ‘Good name.

‘Max!' David called, catching the puppy, who'd been running in circles around his legs, nipping at his shoelaces. ‘Your name is Max now,' he told the animal, tilting the dog's head so the puppy looked up at him. ‘You shall be my dog and you will learn to be very obedient and I shall be proud of you.'

As if agreeing with that statement, the dog barked and licked David's chin. ‘That tickles!' David cried, rubbing his chin and laughing. Sitting down on the stable door, he let the puppy crawl into his lap, barking and licking him.

His heart warmed by the boy's delight, Hal tossed the watching groom a gold coin. ‘Help boy with dog.'

‘Be proud to do it, sir,' the groom replied, catching the coin and slipping it inside his shirt in one smooth motion. ‘A pure pleasure it is to hear the little master laughing again. Pup's a cute one, too.'

‘My thanks.' Satisfied that the dog's care wouldn't be an imposition on the household, Hal turned and walked toward the house.

‘Mr Waterman!'

Halting in mid-stride, Hal looked back. David, with the puppy nipping at his heels, ran up to him.

‘Thank you, thank you so much! I just know Max is going to love it here.'

‘Be good friend to you.'

‘As good a friend as you are. And…do you think I could call you “Uncle Hal”? You are Uncle Nicky's good friend and so that makes you almost like an uncle, doesn't it? Aubrey calls you uncle and you're not really his uncle either.'

Something in Hal's chest twisted as he looked down at the eager young face gazing up at him. He loved spending time with Nicky's son Aubrey and Sarah's friend Clare's offspring as well, but all these children possessed both a mother and a father who cherished them. He had never felt quite so needed as he did at this moment, bathed in the glow of David's admiring gaze.

He held out his hand. ‘Uncle Hal.'

Giving a whoop of glee, David shook it. ‘Thank you, Uncle Hal. C'mon, Max, let's go play with your rope!'

Smiling, Hal watched the two run off. David was so hungry for masculine attention, so appreciative of small kindnesses. It might be harder than he had anticipated, Hal thought as he re-entered the house, to turn the care of the boy back over to Nicky.

By the time Hal had returned to the parlour, the pleasant aura generated by the interlude with David and the dog gave way to a return of dread. Since putting off unpleasantness never diminished it, he'd determined upon arriving here today that before going to the library, he would meet with Elizabeth, confess what he'd done, and deliver the damned invitation.

Hopefully, she would be as kind as she'd been the day he'd had the effrontery to criticise her, refuse him quickly and let him return to his work with a minimum of embarrassment. He had only a few more ledgers to inspect, if the ones in the library represented all that Lowery had kept, and once he'd finished his perusal of them, he should have a complete enough picture of the Lowerys' financial condition to be able to recommend to Elizabeth how she should proceed.

Calling to the footman on duty in the hall, he asked the man to inform his mistress that Hal requested to see her at her convenience.

She didn't keep him waiting long. Hal felt the change in the air, the subtle wafting of her rose scent, before he turned to see her enter the room, her glowing beauty making it seem as if light itself had entered the chamber.

She was so lovely, it made him ache, while the brilliance of the smile she turned on him made it agonisingly difficult to think.

Fortunately, the rituals of greeting were so ingrained the words came automatically to his lips. After an exchange of courtesies, he took the chair she offered.

‘Are you making good progress through the ledgers? Is there anything else I can do to help?'

‘Hope to finish today. Suggestion to think about, though.'

‘And that is?'

‘First, must sell some of husband's collection. Regrettable, but necessary. Review it, decide what can part with.'

She nodded. ‘I had expected that. Indeed, I've already prepared a list of those pieces which I think might be easiest to sell. And if that was “first”, then I expect there must be a “second”. I hope you didn't save the bad news for last,' she said, her tone turning nervous.

He smiled, glad that he'd be able to reassure her. ‘Not bad. Investment proposition. Suggest use some of rental from Lowery Hall to buy shares. New canal project. Should show handsome return.'

‘I know no more about canals than I do about finance, but if you recommend it, it must be a wise move.'

‘Previous venture highly profitable. Expect this one will be. Secure your, David's, futures.'

‘Are you sure?' Her eyes lit. ‘That would be wonderful! Ever since that horrid Mr Smith's visit, I've been so worried, wondering whether we would be able to pay off the debts and still be able to fund David's schooling. And the mortgages on Lowery Hall! Everitt always preferred living in town, but David might not. I should like him to be able to terminate the lease on Lowery and return to the estate that is his birthright, should he so desire.'

Hal nodded. ‘Details to work out. But by time old enough to decide, should have choice.'

Elizabeth shook her head, setting her golden curls dancing. ‘How can I thank you enough?'

Silk shimmered just so in the sunlight, Hal thought. Would her curls feel like silk, were he to run his fingers through them? Would the touch of her face be like satin against his palms, if he could cradle her chin in his hands as he longed to do?

Trying to stifle his always-simmering desire, Hal mentally shook himself back to the task at hand. It was so tempting to say nothing and bask in the light of her presence a few minutes longer before proceeding to the library. He hated to have to utter the confession that would extinguish the grateful glow in those blue eyes and turn her smile to a look of distaste or scorn.

None the less, it was time to confess. He'd start with the easy one—Max. ‘Brought David present. Puppy. Boy should have dog.'

Her eyes widened. ‘A puppy? Oh, my! Yes, you did tell me he ought to have one, but I must confess I didn't expect you to find him one so…speedily. Everitt didn't keep dogs and we never had them about the house growing up. I…I expect I shall learn to adjust.'

‘Won't be in house. Stay in stables. David train him. Teach responsibility.'

Hal paused, suddenly recalling his joy at receiving a puppy of his very own from Nicky upon his first visit to Nicky's home, Englemere Hall. Hal's own mama believing that dogs didn't belong in the house of a gentlewoman, he'd never had one before—and had never been without one since, though, with his city lodgings so small, he left the dogs at his country estate.

The unquestioning loyalty and affection of that small animal all those years ago had helped fill the deep void of loneliness in his heart. ‘Something to care for, care for him,' Hal explained.

Elizabeth nodded. ‘A friend and companion. Yes, I can see it could do him good. How thoughtful you are! Please accept my deepest thanks.'

‘One more thing,' he made himself say.

She smiled again, her expression warm, almost…tender. ‘And that is?'

‘So sorry, terrible idea, but done. Can't unsay it. Problem. With my mother.'

‘Can I assist in some way?'

She seemed so concerned and eager to help, which made it that much harder to keep going. Gritting his teeth, Hal forged ahead. ‘Wanted me at ball. Lady Cowper's. Didn't want to go. Said I had previous engagement.' He took a deep breath. ‘With…with you.'

When Elizabeth remained silent, Hal's courage dropped to his boot tips. ‘Couldn't lie. So must ask. To…to go out. Somewhere. There, done it. Can refuse. Meant no disrespect to you or Lowery,' he added, resisting the urge to tug on his restricting neckcloth.

Feeling sweat trickling down his back, he turned his face from her quizzical gaze and prayed for her to refuse him quickly.

‘If I understand correctly,' she said after a moment, ‘your mother wished you to escort her to Lady Cowper's ball and you refused, saying that you had a previous engagement to accompany me…somewhere?'