A Scandalous Past (Regency Romance, Book 4) (6 page)

Before she knew it, Clayworth went around
the other side and propelled himself into the seat beside her.

Heavens, he was agile. She hadn’t realized
that before.  In addition to having the body and face of a
god, Lord Adonis apparently was quite graceful. Quite a feat for a
man of his age.

When she smirked to herself, he caught the
look out of the corner of his eye. “Something humorous, Miss
Avery?” he asked, directing his bays down South Audley Street.

“I was just thinking that you are in
marvelous shape for a man of your many years.” There, that ought to
be offensive enough to make this sojourn end quickly.

Unfortunately, the earl chuckled in
response. “I’m younger than Haversham,” he informed her.

Was he? Cordie shook her head and refocused
on her escort. “Indeed? One wouldn’t know it. You’re so stuffy,
making you seem older—almost ancient.”

He quirked a grin. “No, my dear, you have it
all wrong. In comparison to your Haversham, I’m simply an
adult.”

She frowned at her failed attempt to
irritate him as they turned down Curzon Street. He’d been much
easier to annoy the night before.  What had changed? And why
was he seeking her out anyway? He never courted anyone. He never
danced. He never drove girls around the park in his exquisite
phaeton.  None of this made any sense.

“Nothing else, Miss Avery?” he asked.

“Nothing else?” she echoed.

“You don’t have any other ruthless comments
to make? Old and stuffy. Is that the best you can do?”

Cordie’s mouth fell open. He knew she was
trying to insult him? And he thought it was amusing?

When they turned on to Park Lane, Cordie
caught sight of Kelfield House—Livvie’s new home. She’d never even
been allowed inside. The imposing mansion towered above them,
reminding her of her goals. She needed a lenient husband who would
love her and allow her freedom. She was wasting her time with
Clayworth.

She glanced up at her escort, knowing with
all certainty he was the last sort of husband she wanted. He’d
given Marina all sorts of freedom, which was a plus, but he had
never shown her an ounce of affection.
Cold and
unfeeling
—she remembered hearing his late wife’s long suffering
complaints.  It was good that she knew that aspect of his
personality, or she might be flattered by his attention.

Just as they entered Hyde Park, many sets of
eyes focus on the pair. Cordie glanced around at the other open
carriages, pedestrians, and those on horses. It was easier to count
the number of people
not
looking at her. She sucked in a
surprised breath.

At her side, Clayworth seemed amused. “It
appears you are indeed quite popular, Miss Avery.”

Her mother’s words echoed in her mind. “I
don’t think it’s me who’s caught their interest.”

“Of course it is. You caught everyone’s
attention last night. Mine. Haversham’s. All of the
ton
.”

As if conjured up by Clayworth’s words,
Cordie spotted Haversham just a few feet away, atop a magnificent
grey hunter. He tipped his head in greeting and his light blue eyes
twinkled devilishly. She had to catch her breath.

Beside her, Clayworth grumbled something
about a fortnight’s advantage and dishonorable men. Whatever that
meant, Cordie had no idea. She smiled at the marquess and her heart
leapt as he pushed his hunter forward, stopping at her side.

“You are even more radiant out of doors,
angel,” Haversham drawled smoothly.

Marcus Gray was even more devastatingly
handsome in the light of day.  A blush settled on Cordie’s
face when she met his gaze. He looked at her with the same wolfish
grin Kelfield always wore whenever he spotted Livvie. Her heart
raced. Thank heavens her mother hadn’t scared the man away. “Thank
you, my lord.”

At her side, Clayworth sighed. “Haversham,
how surprising.”

“Indeed,” the marquess replied, “I don’t
believe I’ve ever seen so much of you, Clayworth.”

“I think I preferred it the other way.”

Haversham tossed back his head and laughed.
“Afraid of a little competition?”

“Hardly. I would simply rather deal with
honorable
men. Those who are as good as their word.”

The marquess quirked a grin at Cordie.
“Pity. I believe Miss Avery prefers me just the way I
am.”           

Cordie looked from one of them back to the
other. Were they really quarreling over
her
? The saintly
Lord Adonis and the devilish Lord Haversham? Two days ago she never
would have believed it. In the park, everyone’s eyes were on them,
and they must all appear to be participants in a poorly acted play.
If her mother heard about this, Cordie would never be allowed to
leave her room again. “Actually, I’d prefer not to have these sorts
of conversations out in public,” she replied.

Private conversations are my favorite,”
Haversham replied with a wink.

“Cordie!” came a friendly squeal from across
the park.

She turned in her seat, spotting Phoebe
Greywood racing across the park towards them holding a blue bonnet
to her head, with her brother, Matthew, quick on her trail. 
It had been weeks since she’d seen Phoebe—well, she’d spotted her
at the Staveley ball, but hadn’t gotten the chance to speak to
her.  Cordie was relieved when Phoebe finally reached them—her
silly friend was creating even more of a scene.

While Phoebe tried to catch her breath,
Matthew hissed something in her ear, but she paid him no attention.
Her eyes were focused solely on Clayworth.  Cordie glanced
over her shoulder at the earl, who met her gaze with a frown. 
How could she have forgotten Phoebe intended to set her cap for
Clayworth? This was perfect. Or it could be, if she had the chance
to think the situation through.

“Phoebe, Mr. Greywood, have you met Lord
Clayworth? Or Lord Haversham?”

Phoebe’s azure eyes sparkled when she shook
her head.

“We’re truly sorry to interrupt,” Matthew
Greywood apologized. “Phoebe saw you and was anxious to—”
      

Suddenly, Phoebe found her voice. “Mother
just told me the news. Please tell me you’ll ride to Norfolk with
me
. We’ll have so much fun catching up.”

Norfolk? Cordie shook her head. “What
news?”

“I’m sorry?” Phoebe looked confused, which
wasn’t all that different from her usual look.

“You said your mother just told you the
news. I don’t know what news you’re speaking of.”

“Oh?” Phoebe frowned. “Well, Lady Avery said
you’d both visit us at Malvern Hall for the next fortnight.”

Cordie’s mouth fell open. Mother had told
her of Mrs. Greywood’s visit this morning, but she’d neglected to
mention the invitation to Norfolk. What was this about? If Phoebe
knew, she’d tell her for certain. Cordie glanced back at Clayworth
with what she hoped was an innocent smile. “My lord, do you mind if
I walk with my friend for a moment?”

The earl’s dark blue eyes assessed her, then
he nodded tightly. “Don’t go too far, my dear.”

She nearly groaned. 
Don’t go too
far
? Did he think she was a child? She was a full-grown woman
of twenty and didn’t need his directives. “Of course not,” she
answered with a fraudulent smile.

Matthew Greywood stepped forward and lifted
Cordie in the air, placing her safely on the ground. “There you
are, Miss Avery.”

She smiled a thanks to the man who was now
too busy to notice her, his interest suddenly enraptured with
Clayworth’s flashy phaeton.  Before she could link arms with
Phoebe, a strong arm snaked around her waist. She turned and smiled
up at Haversham. How had she not noticed him dismount? “My lord,”
she whispered, “there are too many people about.”

“I’ll have to figure out a way to get you
all alone.” He slowly released her, and offered her his arm. The
promise of his words made her giddy and breathless all at once. He
turned his heart-stopping smile on Phoebe. “May I escort the two
most beautiful women in the park?”

Phoebe giggled, and quickly took his empty
arm. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lord.”

“Just think of me as an old friend of the
family. Commander Greywood is an old companion of mine.”

Phoebe grinned. “Mother thinks Uncle Simon
is too reckless.”

Haversham laughed, a rich sound that made
Cordie’s heart flutter. She was completely smitten with the man.
What a glorious feeling. He towed her closer to him, and she
reveled in the feel of the muscles of his arm. He was perfect.

The marquess glanced down at her and winked
before turning his attention back to Phoebe. “So, you are taking my
Miss Avery to Norfolk?”

“Y-your Miss Avery?” Phoebe squeaked.

Cordie flushed, too embarrassed to look at
her friend.

“Mmm,” Haversham answered as they stepped
towards a copse of trees. “I don’t know how I’ll go on without her
for an entire fortnight.”

“Oh, my,” Phoebe replied breathlessly.

He smiled down at her, a charming rogue in
every way. “You don’t mind allowing me a few moments alone with
her, do you?”

He was good, or wicked, depending on one’s
view of him. There was no way romantically minded Phoebe would turn
him down. They stopped walking and her friend gaped, open-mouthed.
“Cordie?”

This was her one chance. Who knew when she
would see the marquess again? “Please, Phoeb?”

Phoebe nodded her head and looked back
around the bend they had just taken. “I don’t think they can see us
from here. But don’t go too far.”

Phoebe had barely finished her sentence
before Haversham whisked Cordie behind a tree. She blinked up at
him, an appreciative smile tugging at her lips. In less than a
second, his hands were planted on her waist and he loomed over her.
“What,” he whispered in her ear, “are you doing with Clayworth,
angel?”

Cordie swallowed nervously, placing her
hands on his firm, powerful chest. “I wasn’t given a choice in the
matter.”

He grinned at that. “Not your cup of tea, is
he?”

She shook her head.

“Too stuffy?” he asked, slowly lowering his
head.

She nodded.

“Too noble?” he whispered across her lips,
and Cordie was certain her heart was about to pound right out of
her chest.

“I don’t want to think about him,” she
admitted, desperately wanting Haversham’s lips to touch hers more
than anything.

He apparently read the need in her eyes, as
his smile vanished and he leaned closer. His cheroot scented breath
washed over her, and Cordie closed her eyes, more than ready for
his kiss.

An instant later, his hands left her waist
and his chest disappeared from beneath her fingertips. “Agh!” came
his masculine complaint.

Cordie blinked her eyes wide. Haversham was
on the ground five feet away from her with Clayworth standing over
him, fire in his twilight eyes.  Then the earl scowled at her.
“You, back to my phaeton!”

She hated being ordered about. Over the last
few weeks she’d had to follow every stricture from her mother.
She’d been kept from her dearest friend. She’d been made a prisoner
in her own home. She hadn’t enjoyed one moment of freedom—except
for those few moments she’d spent in Haversham’s company.  The
Earl of Clayworth would not dictate to her.

Hands on her hips, she glared back at him.
“You’re not my keeper.”

He stalked towards her, tightly grasping her
arm in his hands. “You are under my care until I return you to your
mother’s doorstep. If you want to throw yourself at every scoundrel
in Town, you’ll have to do so on your own time.”

Clayworth pulled her back through the copse
and into the open park. Cordie struggled to free her arm. The earl
only increased his pace, and Cordie couldn’t catch one glimpse of
Haversham or Phoebe. In no time, they reached Clayworth’s phaeton
and he tossed her into the seat, anger rolling off him.

After he took his spot on the seat and began
directing his bays out of the park, Cordie chanced a glance at him.
Clayworth’s sculpted lips were drawn up tight, his eyes focused on
the path ahead of them. A muscle twitched in his jaw, and Cordie
felt unexplainably guilty, which was hard to understand. She didn’t
owe the earl anything. She didn’t even like him. She never had.
What did she care that he was angry?

“Are you going to mention this to my
mother?” she finally asked as they crossed Park Lane.

Clayworth’s head whipped towards her, fury
flashing from his eyes. “Am I going to mention that
I
allowed the most depraved man in the country to abscond with you?
I’d rather not.”

“I don’t think he’s depraved at all.”

Clayworth shook his head and refocused on
the street. “I don’t believe you’re thinking at all.”

They rode the rest of the way in silence,
neither of them looking at the other. Cordie had never been more
relieved than when she entered her house and Lord Clayworth said
his goodbyes. Thankfully, he didn’t mention Haversham, which was a
blessing.

***

Brendan tossed the reigns to a footman
before bounding up the steps of his Hertford Street home. He’d
never been so close to throttling a woman in his life. He would
have liked nothing better than to tell Lady Avery what a fool she
had for a daughter, but figured that wouldn’t help his case to
search Avery House. If they were indeed going to Norfolk for a
couple weeks, perhaps he could search the place without anyone ever
knowing. He had always been a master at maintaining his control,
but every second he spent in Cordelia Avery’s presence tested that
control to its extremes.

His large, oak door opened before his foot
even landed on the last step, and Higgins met him with questioning
look. This was odd. His butler generally hid behind an unflappable
façade.