A Wicked Way to Win an Earl (13 page)

“You should have come with us last night, Delia.” Charlotte gestured to include Lily and Eleanor. “Mother has transformed the wilderness into a kind of pleasure garden for the house party. We found the loveliest little pavilion tucked away behind a thick clump of bushes. I'm sure Mother put it there in case the young ladies wished to hide from overly persistent gentlemen.” She looked pointedly at Robyn.

“Why are you looking at me?” Robyn protested. “After Delia went to bed, I was off to the billiards room with Shepherdson.”

“And likely in no condition to be persistent with anyone, on any subject,” Alec said.

“Well, it was really Archie we were avoiding,” Charlotte admitted. “He appeared late in the evening and followed Lily about all night, pestering her with his ardent admiration.”

“Indeed?” Delia darted a look at Lily.

Lily stirred her tea. “Yes, but there is nothing to worry about, Delia. Ellie and Charlotte are very good at finding hiding places.”

But Delia
was
worried. She'd been so busy dallying with the earl she'd failed to keep a watchful eye on Lily.

Eleanor noticed Delia's dismay. “It's an excellent hiding place. Secluded, and only for the ladies. You should come with us tonight, Delia.”

“I'll come, of course.”

Robyn perked up. “A secluded pavilion full of young ladies and gentlemen not permitted? Ellie, Charlotte . . .” he began in a wheedling tone.

Eleanor shook her head. “No, Robyn. You're as bad as Lord Shepherdson, and he goes everywhere with you. You'll ruin everything if we let you come.”

“But I promise to behave, Ellie,” Robyn coaxed. “You'll never even know I'm there, and I promise to send Shepherdson away. Not just for tonight, but for the rest of the house party.”

“Oh, very well. I suppose you can join us, but we'll banish you at the first sign of improper behavior.”

“Does that rule apply to everyone?” Alec asked. “Will the ladies also be banished if they behave improperly? For instance, what if Miss Somerset were to try and flirt with me? Would she be banished from the party?”

Eleanor turned her attention to her other brother. “You are a dreadful tease, Alec. Anyway, I never saw
you
after dinner last night at all. Who knows what sort of deviltry you
were engaged in? Will you be mysteriously disappearing again this evening?”

“No. It seems I'll be at the pavilion with your party, Eleanor, protecting Miss Lily from Archie and Miss Somerset from Robyn. Or Robyn from Miss Somerset, if necessary.” His teasing dark eyes lingered on Delia.

“You're hardly a saint, Alec,” Charlotte said tartly.

Too right!
Delia couldn't resist shooting him a little smirk.

He smirked right back at her, and even had the effrontery to look delighted. “Oh, I think I can behave at least as well as Robyn does.” He leaned back in his chair and stretched out his legs so his booted feet brushed against Delia's skirts.

She jerked her legs away from him, glaring.

“Oh, we can be assured Alec will behave, Charlotte,” Robyn said. “He'll be at his saintliest for the remainder of the house party if he intends to be engaged by the end of it. Though why you'd want to get leg-shackled, Alec, I couldn't say—”

Robyn was interrupted by the sound of voices in the breakfast room. It was the countess, speaking in low, soothing tones. Delia did not recognize the other voice, but it was high and fretful. “You cannot imagine the dust and dirt, my lady! Intolerable. Mother retired to her chambers in a nervous fit.”

Lady Carlisle came out onto the terrace looking rather hunted. “Ah, here we are.” She stepped forward with a relieved expression when she spied her four children.

A dark-haired young lady swept along after her hostess, prattling away and daintily carrying the hem of a green gown in figured silk trimmed with matching wide green ribbon at the waist and hem.

Of course
. The earl's future betrothed was arriving today. Had arrived, in fact, in all her aristocratic perfection. Delia took one look at Lady Lisette's mouthwatering gown and
glanced down at her own plain pink gown with a sigh. She looked as if she'd just emerged from Hannah's scrap pile.

Lord Carlisle and Robyn rose at Lady Lisette's entrance. Robyn bowed and then flopped back into his chair, but Lord Carlisle took her hand, smiled down at her, and murmured something Delia couldn't hear.

It was easy to see why she was the belle of the season. She had straight, inky black hair gathered into a thick knot at the back of her long neck, smooth creamy skin, and melting dark brown eyes, thickly lashed and sparkling. Her gown fit her slim, petite figure to perfection. She flashed a pretty smile up at Lord Carlisle, who hovered over her as if she were in danger of collapsing at any moment into an extraordinarily graceful swoon.

Delia just resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Dainty, delicate ladies did seem to bring out a man's protective instincts. Judging from Lord Carlisle's ridiculous fawning, he wasn't an exception to that rule.

Well, it appeared Lord Carlisle preferred the gaudy, extravagant, showy red rose after all.

All of his formidable attention was now focused on Lady Lisette. He seemed to have forgotten Delia was even there. Which was just as it should be, of course. She
wasn't
disappointed. Not in the least. She was simply shocked at how effortlessly he drifted between ladies, as if he were wandering from rose to rose in the garden. Today he was every inch the aristocratic gentleman of the
ton
. A few days ago he'd been the rake who debauched village women on public roads.

And last night, for one brief moment with her, he'd been a gentleman. But who would he be tomorrow? The man who seduced an innocent young lady for sport and then sent her back to Surrey in disgrace?

Lord Carlisle drew Lady Lisette forward as if she were a prize to be presented to the rest of the gathering. “Lady
Lisette, you know my brother, Robyn, and my sisters, Eleanor and Charlotte. This is Miss Delia Somerset and her sister, Miss Lily Somerset. This is Lady Lisette Cecil.”

Delia and Lily nodded politely. Lady Lisette's wide brown eyes narrowed. She measured Delia and Lily, noting every detail. “These must be the two young ladies your mother spoke of,” she finally said dismissively. “She said you have guests from the country.”

There was a patronizing emphasis on the last words, as though “the country” were equivalent in Lady Lisette's opinion to Dante's seventh circle of hell. Delia glanced at Lily, who continued to sip her tea calmly. She gave Delia a tiny shrug and a bland smile as if to say,
Who cares what she thinks?

Eleanor must have caught the subtle glance between them. She sat up in her chair. “Yes, Delia and Lily were kind enough to come from Surrey to be our guests for the house party. They're our
particular friends
, you see.”

It sounded like a warning, and Lady Lisette seemed to consider it one, for her eyes went as cold and hard as stones. “How lovely they were able to accommodate you, Eleanor. It's kind of you to invite them. I imagine you don't have the opportunity to spend much time in society, Miss Somerset.”

This last comment was directed at Delia. Before she had a chance to answer, however, Charlotte spoke up. “Eleanor and I just returned from a visit to Surrey ourselves, Lady Lisette. I think you'd be pleasantly surprised at the society there. We found the company quite entertaining.”

Lily held her napkin delicately to her lips at this blatant lie, but Lady Lisette didn't seem to notice. Her eyes were still fixed on Delia. “I would be surprised indeed,” she said in a bored tone; then she turned to Lord Carlisle with a little toss of her head. “Alec,” she cooed, laying her hand flirtatiously on his arm. “I find myself in need of some exercise after such a long ride in the carriage. Isn't there an
archery course set up on the west lawn? I thought I saw it as we passed.”

Alec gave her an indulgent smile. “There's an archery course, and cricket and bowls and a variety of other games. I think you'll find my mother has gone to great lengths to ensure our guests are well entertained over the next few weeks.”

Lady Lisette inclined her head, as if the entertainments had been set up for her own exclusive enjoyment. “Splendid! You will escort me?” She turned away, clearly intending to exit the terrace on Alec's arm and leave the rest of the party behind.

Alec turned back to the group at the table. “Does anyone else fancy a game before luncheon?”

The last thing Delia wished to see at the moment was Lady Lisette deploying her arrows, but Ellie, who seemed to have shaken off her laziness, shot at once to her feet. “Archery sounds like just the thing. Come along, everyone! We don't wish to keep Lady Lisette waiting.”

Robyn uttered a defeated groan, but he dragged himself to his feet and offered his arm to Delia. “Shall we go shoot some arrows at some targets?”

Delia glanced at Lord Carlisle as he walked away with Lady Lisette on his arm.

Don't tempt me.

The sun continued to shine with cheerful insolence, despite Eleanor's wishes to the contrary. Guests began to arrive in earnest, and they crowded onto the lawn, drawn outdoors by the warm rays. The ladies, dressed in light muslin gowns of every color, strolled across the green expanse, peeking at the gentlemen from underneath the cover of their parasols. The gentlemen flapped and paraded around the lawn bowl court or the cricket pitch like a disorganized flock of birds, flaunting their skills for the ladies. It was all very romantic and picturesque. Delia would have enjoyed it immensely were it not for the blot on the landscape that ruined the effect.

The blot—Lady Lisette, hanging on the earl's arm, his dark head inclined toward hers. He seemed to be fascinated with whatever it was she was saying. Perhaps she was regaling him with tales of the dirt and dust on the roads? Describing her mother's recent nervous fit? Asking if he could help her locate Surrey on a map of England? Whatever it was, Delia hoped with all her heart he found it tedious.

“May I ask, Eleanor,” Charlotte began peevishly, “why you were suddenly taken with a fit in favor of archery? I thought we were going to sit on the terrace and mock our guests as they arrived?”

“Too right,” Robyn echoed. “Laze on the terrace all day and mock the guests. I'm destroyed this morning, you know, Eleanor.”

Delia believed him. She thought he'd offered her his arm to be gallant, but gallantry seemed to be too taxing for Robyn this morning. The farther they walked, the more she began to suspect she was the only thing holding him upright.

“You're destroyed
every
morning, Robyn,” Eleanor snapped.

Delia glanced at her curiously and noticed her mouth was a thin, tight line.

“Whatever is the matter, Eleanor?” Charlotte quickened her steps to catch up to her elder sister, and laid her hand lightly on Ellie's arm.

Eleanor thawed a little at the affectionate gesture. “I'm anticipating a game of archery with about as much enthusiasm as the rest of you. It's the dullest sport imaginable. But I refuse to leave Alec alone with that, that . . .”

She stopped, as if words failed her.

“That scheming snob?” Charlotte asked.

“Precisely,” Eleanor said in grim tones. “I'm willing to spend a tedious afternoon at archery if it means delaying Lady Lisette's transformation from scheming snob into the Countess of Carlisle.”

Lily looked surprised. “Oh, dear. You don't care for Lady Lisette?”

Delia said nothing. She trudged along, propping Robyn up and trying to hide the fact she was hanging on Eleanor's every word.

“No,” Eleanor said shortly. “I don't relish the idea of
having her for a sister-in-law. Of course, my opinion would be nothing if I believed she'd make Alec happy.”

Delia took a deep, quiet breath. Her heart jumped and thrashed in her chest until she was sure everyone could hear it. Alec and his lovely companion had disappeared around a corner, but Delia could still picture his dark head bent toward Lady Lisette, and the annoyingly enthralled expression on his face. Either he didn't find gallantry as taxing as Robyn did, or Eleanor was mistaken.

Robyn looked at his sister with a puzzled expression. “But Alec
asked
Mother to invite her. She's the toast of the
ton
, after all. If he wants to marry a scheming snob, I suppose that's his choice. Have you ever known Alec to do anything he didn't want to do, Eleanor?”

“Don't you see, Robyn?” Eleanor asked. “He
thinks
he wants to marry her, but the point is, Alec is most assuredly not in his right mind!”

“Not in his right mind!” Robyn repeated. “He seems remarkably sane for a man not in his right mind. I've known very few madmen with Alec's arrogance.”

“At the risk of offending you, Robyn,” Eleanor said, “I feel compelled to point out your brain is addled from an excess of whiskey, and has been for the better part of the past year. Otherwise you would have noticed a change in Alec's behavior since Father died.”

There was a brief, charged moment of silence. Then Charlotte said, “He
is
the Earl of Carlisle. He has responsibilities now.”

“Yes,” Eleanor agreed. “And while it may be important for
the Earl of Carlisle
to marry the toast of the
ton
, I'm not sure Lady Lisette's much-vaunted charms would tempt
Alec
.”

Was there a difference?
Which of the two of them was toying with her? Whichever one it was, Delia felt sure it wasn't the same man who was courting Lady Lisette.

“Come, Eleanor,” Charlotte said. She took Ellie's arm. “Do let's hurry and catch up with them.”

The two of them hurried off, tugging Lily along with them. Robyn seemed disinclined to hurry, and Delia wasn't sure he could make it to the archery field without her, so they quickly fell behind. Robyn was silent, apparently lost in thought, but after a while he turned to Delia. “Do you think Alec is mad?”

“Must one be mad to consider marriage to Lady Lisette?” she asked, a bit ashamed of using such an obvious ploy.

Say yes say yes say yes.

He shrugged. “Not at all. She has her choice of suitors. Her father is a wealthy earl and she's a noted beauty.”

Well. What a
very
long list of
very
fine qualities.

“I don't think Lord Carlisle is mad, no.” A rake, yes. A tease, certainly. A base, conscienceless seducer? Possibly, though it was doubtful she'd ever find out now Lady Lisette had arrived.

Which was just as it should be. She wasn't in the least disappointed.

Delia doubted that young lady would allow her prey out of her sight for the remainder of the house party. She'd clutched at his arm as if she were starved, and he were a tender, delectable morsel of beef.

A frown settled between Robyn's brows and he was silent for some minutes. “If my father were alive, he'd insist his heir marry the toast of the
ton
. Perhaps that's what Ellie means—Alec is determined to make a spectacular marriage, as any proper earl would. I'm
damned
grateful I'm not the Earl of Carlisle.”

“Perhaps,” Delia replied. It was bad enough Lord Carlisle's hard body, teasing black eyes, and low, mocking laugh haunted her dreams, but it was becoming more and more difficult to see him only as a powerful, deceitful, arrogant earl. She'd fit the pieces of his character together
so easily, only to have the puzzle knocked from her hands and spilled to the floor. Now it was as if she were missing pieces, or trying to force together pieces from a dozen different puzzles.

They had reached the west lawn by this time. Delia scanned the field and her heart sank. Most of the guests had gone off for luncheon. Ellie, Charlotte, and Lily had taken three targets lined up next to one another on the far side. The empty space next to them, the space for Delia and Robyn, was the one right beside Lord Carlisle and Lady Lisette.

There was no help for it. Delia stepped forward to take her place but stopped abruptly, her eyes widening.

Lord Carlisle stared at her, his eyes gone black with rage. “Where the devil have you been?” He kept his voice low, so only she could hear him.

Delia gaped at him, astonished.
Maybe he was going mad.

“What do you mean? We were walking from the terrace.”

“It took you long enough!” Lord Carlisle ground out. A muscle twitched in his tightly clenched jaw.

Robyn joined them and laid a hand on his brother's shoulder. “No need to get worked up, brother,” he soothed, eyeing Alec as if he were a rabid dog who'd begun to foam at the mouth. “No need to unsettle yourself. We're here now. I apologize for keeping the party waiting.”

Robyn turned to Delia then. “Are you an accomplished archer?” He motioned to the servant who held the bows and a quiver of arrows. The man stepped forward and Robyn selected a bow for her.

“I'm afraid not.” She smiled at Robyn, determined to ignore Lord Carlisle's murderous expression.

But Lord Carlisle wasn't about to be ignored. “Perhaps you shouldn't play the game if you're not sure of winning, Miss Somerset.” He glowered at her over Lady Lisette's
shoulder. Lady Lisette turned and looked at Delia as if she were trying to remember who she was.

“Do you only play games you can win, my lord?” Delia asked, trying to keep her tone mild to hide the fact she was becoming nettled.
What in the world was the matter with him?

“I do tend to win those I play.” His dark eyes never left her face.

“Oh, I'm sure that's true,” Lady Lisette gushed, trying to catch Lord Carlisle's attention.

His gaze remained fixed on Delia.

“I find that difficult to believe, my lord.” Delia held up the bow Robyn had selected for her and adopted a shooting stance. “Overconfidence more often leads to failure than success, and no one wins every time.”

“That one is too large for you, Delia,” Robyn interrupted. He selected another bow from the servant. “Here.” He stepped behind her, so her back was pressed against his chest, and his arms went around her. He placed her hand on the belly of the bow, closed his own hand over the top of hers, and together they pulled the bowstring back. “That's better,” he said huskily into her ear.

Delia held the bow motionless, staring down the sight line to the target so she could avoid looking at Lord Carlisle. She didn't need to look at him to know his eyes bored into her. She could feel the heat of his gaze on her face, her body. She suppressed a shiver.

“Games would be dull indeed if we always knew the winner beforehand,” Robyn said, oblivious to the tension in the air. He stepped away from Delia. “No one would ever want to play.”

“Oh, I don't know, Robyn.” Lord Carlisle seemed to be making a great effort to keep his voice even, but Delia heard the fury underlying his casual tone. “There are certain
games where engaging in the play is tremendously satisfying, regardless of whether one wins or not. Have you ever played a game like that, Miss Somerset?”

Delia lowered the bow and turned around to face Lord Carlisle, but she had to fight the urge take a step backward when she saw his expression. He was white-faced and furious, as if he held on to his control by the merest thread. She swallowed. Either Robyn was right and Lord Carlisle had indeed gone mad, or they were no longer discussing archery.

“Oh, I know just what you mean, my lord,” Lady Lisette interrupted eagerly. “I find it quite satisfying to shoot arrows, regardless of whether I hit the target or not.”

Charlotte made a noise that sounded like a muffled laugh. Alec ignored both Lady Lisette and his sister, however, and remained focused on Delia with such furious intensity she began to feel like a butterfly pinned by its wings.

“Miss Somerset?” Lord Carlisle barked.

He wasn't going to let it go
. “Yes, I have, my lord,” Delia said hotly, losing her temper. “But my pleasure in a game depends almost entirely upon my partner. Any game is enjoyable if one's partner is pleasant, whereas if one's partner is insulting and bad-tempered, that same game becomes a misery.”

Lord Carlisle laughed at this. “I'm afraid I can't agree with you, Miss Somerset. I find my pleasure in a game to be much, much greater when I'm matched with a
worthy
partner. It's the challenge that stimulates.”

Over Alec's shoulder Delia saw Lady Lisette's puzzled expression. Lily and Charlotte fiddled with their bows and pretended not to listen, but Eleanor was staring at Delia and Alec, openmouthed, clearly listening to every word.
And speculating
. Delia felt a hot flush start at her neck and surge into her cheeks.

Robyn cleared his throat. “Ah, yes. Of course, that is, it's important one's partner . . . Ladies? Are you ready to shoot?” He'd obviously decided a change of topic was in order.

The ladies murmured their assent. Delia gripped the belly of the bow and pulled the bowstring back tight enough so it dug painfully into her fingers. She held, noticing that the head of her arrow trembled slightly.

She shot. Her arrow hit the white petticoat of the target.

It was a bad shot, and no wonder. Her hands shook with a combination of embarrassment and rage. She glanced to her left at Lady Lisette, who looked smugly pleased with herself and annoyingly lovely, her countenance tinged a delicate pink with victory. Her arrow had hit dead in the center, the gold heart of the target.

The gentlemen clapped politely, but Lord Carlisle didn't look at the targets. He watched Delia, his eyes moving insolently over her, one eyebrow aloft and a grim half smile twisting his lips.

All at once she started to envision a new target.

Robyn handed her another arrow, then stepped back and smiled his encouragement. Delia nocked the arrow and was just about to release the bowstring when she saw out of the corner of her eye that Lord Carlisle was next to her. She stiffened, holding the string taut as he leaned in closely—so closely she felt the heat of his body behind her. “Does our game please you, Delia?” He was so close his whispered breath tickled her ear. “I hope so, for I ache to give you pleasure.”