Destiny of the Heart (Viking Destiny) (14 page)

Derrick walked into his town home in a fine rage.
Kristen was the most stubborn, incredibly interesting woman
he'd ever met, and he was no closer to winning her over than
he had been in the caves. And he certainly didn't like the idea
of Bard taking her to the theater. Derrick thought he might
commit an act of violence if she ended up marrying that
wretched man. He handed his gloves and riding crop over to
his butler, who bowed and accepted the items with care.

Derrick briefly glanced at the butler and nodded.
Williams could tell he was in no mood to be trifled with and
winced slightly as he began to impart the news of the day.

Derrick took a deep breath and sighed heavily. "Just
great. Did he say what he wanted?"
“No, sir. But, he did look to be in a good mood.”
Derrick shrugged. "Well, that's something at least.
Thank you, Williams."
Williams bowed and went about his chores while
Derrick squared his shoulders and headed for his study. He
was rather surprised that Scott was there. Usually he called
his younger brothers to him when one needed to be raked
over the coals. Oliver and Charlie thought it was because he
liked the home advantage. Derrick thought he just liked
inconveniencing the rest of them.
When Derrick walked into the study, Scott was sitting at
the window reading a book. He looked up and smiled.
"Ah, there you are."
"Here I am."
Scott set the book down and stood up. Derrick noted
that despite Scott giving up his more rigorous male activities
since getting married and settling down, he was still quite fit. It
was a Shane trade mark to have golden eyes and dark hair,
though Derrick, Tristan, and Oliver looked the most alike.
Scott and Charlie took after their mother while the younger
three took after their father.
"I understand wedding nuptials will be forthcoming
soon." Scott said with a broad smile.
Derrick lifted a brow. "Who's getting married?"
Scott frowned. "Are you deliberately trying to annoy
me?"
Derrick laughed. "Certainly not. I'd rather not be
lectured, thank you."
"I've heard you're quite infatuated with a certain young
woman, a woman I picked out for you, I might add. Made an
ass of yourself at a ball and everything."
Derrick nearly choked and walked over to his brandy
table. "Drink?"
"Yes, thank you."
Derrick poured a glass for Scott and one for himself. He
turned and handed the glass to his brother before taking a
long drink from his own glass.
"Scott, let me be perfectly clear as you seem to be
getting conflicting information. I am not getting married."
Scott snorted. "My boy, if this girl has you chasing her
across the ballroom floor and nearly ripping the head off an
opposing lord, I think you should reconsider the contract."
"Good lord, where did you hear such nonsense?"
Derrick asked appalled, but only because he knew it was
bloody well true.
"Don't bother denying it. I have it on three separate
eye-witness accounts." Scott said knowingly before taking a
drink. "My advice is to snatch her up before she's taken."
Derrick rolled his eyes. "Yes, well I'll be sure to take it
under advisement."
"Charlie seems to like her. Oliver, too." Scott said
cautiously.
Derrick narrowed his eyes. "Your manipulations won't
work on me, Scott."
"I'm just saying. Now, Nicole decided to make this trip
with me, so I've sent missives to Charlie and Oliver as she'd
like to have dinner tonight."
Derrick straightened his spine. "I have theater plans."
"With Kristen?" Scott asked hopefully.
Derrick gave his brother an annoyed look. "In a manner
of speaking."
"Well either you do or you don't, my boy. It's as simple
as that."
"Nothing is that simple and well you know it."
"Fine, fine. Be difficult if you wish, but I warn you, keep
dallying and you'll regret not taking action. It's been my
experience that when a woman causes you to take leave of
your senses, love isn't far behind." Scott clapped Derrick on
the shoulder.
Derrick groaned. "Really, you need a hobby. One that
doesn't involve meddling in my affairs."
Scott chuckled. "We'll do an early dinner so you may
keep your plans. In the meantime, Nicole and I will take a stroll
through Hyde Park. It's a lovely day and the doctor
recommends she walk. Good for the baby, don't you know."
He said proudly.
Derrick couldn't help but grin as he loved his niece
Rebekah, and was hoping they'd have a boy this time around.
Scott finished his brandy and set the empty glass on the
brandy table, then waved as he left the study to find his wife.
Derrick plopped into a chair. He was actually looking forward
to dinner with his family tonight. It was always nice, so long as
Scott didn't bring up Tristan or Morocco. He sighed through his
nose and prayed that Scott didn't put him in a foul mood
before seeing Kristen. Then he frowned as Scott's words
came back to haunt him. He didn't love her, did he? No.
Certainly not. But...
***
Kristen decided that she wanted to dine out before the
theater, so she and Mel went to the Albany to enjoy a peaceful
dinner. Actually, Kristen was hoping to miss Derrick's arrival
altogether, and then perhaps he wouldn't be inclined to come
that evening. She was going to have the devil's own time
explaining it to Lord Bard as it was. But, Kristen was quickly
learning that things were never going to go the way she
planned them.
As they walked into the dining room of the Albany, they
heard raucous laughter from a table near the entrance. Kristen
briefly glanced at them, not thinking anything of it, and
stopped dead in her tracks. She didn't believe it. Derrick was
there, with Oliver and Charlie, so she could only surmise the
other two were the Duke and Duchess of Hollingsworth. She
grabbed Mel's hand and turned to leave, but got two steps
before someone called her name.
"Kristen?" Derrick asked, standing up.
All the members of his table turned to look at the
woman they'd heard had completely muddled their dear
brother's brain. Charlie and Oliver waved enthusiastically.
Nicole smiled brightly. Scott regarded her with calm interest.
Mel pulled Kristen toward the table. She briefly
considered digging her heels in, but was sure that wouldn't go
over very well with the duke and duchess, and offending them
could seriously hurt her chances on the marriage mart. She
went along, albeit it in silent protest.
"Lord Shane." Kristen inclined her head politely.
Derrick smiled and the frigid ice around Kristen's heart
melted just a little more. She didn't understand why this man
did the things he did to her. She was so sure that when she
had heard of her mother and Mel speak of love....she stopped
that thought right there. She was not in love with Derrick
Shane. What a horrible thought! No, it was best she continue
with him as she had been, or better yet, not at all.
"Kristen, I'd like you to meet my other brother Scott,
and his lovely wife, Nicole. Scott, Nicole, this is Lady Kristen."
Kristen curtsied and smiled warmly. "Your graces."
"Oh, stuff! Please call me Nicole. Would you care to join
us?"
Kristen smiled. She liked Nicole immediately, and she
certainly wasn't at all what Kristen had imagined a duchess to
be like. Kristen looked at Mel.
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, where are my manners?" Derrick
asked himself reproachfully. "Scott, you remember Lady
Atchkinson, Guy's wife?"
Mel curtsied as well. "It's nice to see you again, your
graces."
"Ah yes, lovely to see you again, Meloney." Scott said
merrily.
Mel smiled and inclined her head. "We'd be delighted to
join you, Lady Nicole."
"Splendid. But, just Nicole if you please. The title is sill
among friends and family." Nicole winked at Kristen, and
Kristen got the distinct impression that Nicole would be just
like Mel. Both trying to get her to marry Derrick.
She grinned despite herself.
Derrick grabbed two more chairs and set them right
next to him, of course. Mel took the lead and sat in the chair
next to Oliver, leaving Kristen to sit in the chair next to Derrick.
Kristen gave Mel a stony look before taking the seat, and Mel
smiled unabashedly. She knew she'd pay for it later, but in the
meantime, Mel thought things were working out perfectly. And,
Mel noted, Scott seemed to be taking an interest in Kristen, as
well. Perhaps Scott could convince her that Derrick was a
worthy match.
"So, my dear Kristen, tell us something of yourself."
Scott said.
Kristen looked at him and smiled kindly. "There's not
much to tell, your grace. I'm in town for the season. The rest is
quite the usual drollery, I'm afraid."
Scott chuckled. "Well, I meant to know how you've
managed to capture the attentions of my dear brother here."
He clapped Derrick on the shoulder.
Derrick gave Scott a warning glance. The last thing he
needed was his family scaring her off. But, to his surprise,
Kristen wasn't scared. In fact, she was her usual self.
"Ah, well as to that, I'm afraid I hit him over the head
with a vase. I think there might have been permanent
damage."
Scott's fork had stopped midway to his mouth. He
blinked several times, looked at his wife, then Derrick, and
finally back to Kristen. Derrick grimaced and glanced at
Kristen. She didn't look the least bit afraid. Finally, Scott burst
out laughing. Derrick's shoulders relaxed.
"Good lord, Derrick. Is she the one from the cave?"
Scott asked.
Derrick's fork clattered to his plate. "How in blazes did
you find out about that?"
Scott merely waved his comment away. "Kristen, I must
tell you what a pleasure it is to meet you. I've heard so much
about you. Do you really fight with men?"
Kristen wasn't surprised that the duke had heard of her
since he'd signed the marriage contract with her mother, but
he seemed uninterested in bringing that up, so she followed
suit and left it alone. She surmised the rest of the family didn't
know about it, and she would respect the duke's wishes to
keep it that way.
"I'd prefer not to if I can help it, but I do believe a lady
should be able to take care of herself. I have fought with men
in the past, yes."
Scott looked at her as if she were a delightful gem.
Nicole covered her smile with her hand, knowing then and
there that Derrick had met his match in the lovely Kristen.
Oliver and Charlie exchanged knowing glances. Mel grinned.
"How very interesting. Would you share a story with
us?" Scott asked.
Kristen pursed her lips in thought for a moment and
decided there was no harm in telling them a story. Perhaps it
would even make Derrick leave her alone. So, she launched
into a story about Kristen and her mother traveling around
Europe the previous season and how they'd run into a
carriage of brigands on the road. The brigands thought they'd
help themselves to Kristen and Marie's belongings, but were
quite surprised when they discovered that the two women they
believed to be defenseless, were in fact, quite capable of
wiping the floor with them.
From there, more and more stories went around the
table. Scott talked of Derrick's childhood. Mel told them stories
of Guy. Charlie and Oliver teased Derrick. Kristen and Nicole
discussed their hatred of balls. All in all, Kristen felt very
comfortable. It was the first evening out that she'd enjoyed
since coming to London. And, she didn't even mind that it was
with Derrick's family. She glanced at him and found him giving
her a strange look. She leaned over.
"Derrick, are you alright?" She asked quietly.
"Concerned for me, m'dear?" He asked, just as quietly.
She lifted a brow. "Must you always try to get a rise out
of me?"
"Madam, you steal my joy." He teased.
She laughed softly and shook her head. "You're
incorrigible."
Unbeknownst to either of them, everyone at the table
was watching them. Derrick and Kristen seemed to light each
other up. Whatever Kristen's fear about Derrick, it seemed she
didn't think of them so much when he was around.
And, whatever issues Derrick had with monogamy and
settling down were a long way from his mind in her presence.
Scott was of a notion that she may just be one of the best
things to happen to the Shane family, because if Derrick could
settle down, perhaps the others could, too. Of course, he
didn't get too excited yet. She still didn't know about Charlie.
Dinner continued for a couple of hours and no one
thought of the time. That was until Lord Bard showed up.
Kristen saw him walk toward her and her smile faded. Lord
Bard looked rather angry; nevertheless, he approached the
table. Kristen would give him points for bravery, but she wasn't
sure he had any sense. After the way Derrick reacted to Lord
Bard the other night, she thought she should excuse herself.
She glanced at Mel to let her know this was all her fault, and
then stood up.
"Could you all please excuse me for just a moment?"
She asked evenly.
Derrick followed her gaze and his lips tightened at the
sight of Lord Bard. What the devil was he doing here, and how
did he know they were there? He folded his arms across his
chest and gave the bounder his darkest scowl. Scott cleared
his throat, no doubt trying to get Derrick's attention, but Derrick
simply ignored him.
"Derrick, love, your eyes are rather bright. Do calm
down, they're only talking." Nicole said gently, knowing full
well what could happen when his eyes lit up like that.
Scott knew, too. In fact, they all did. Of the five
brothers, Derrick was probably the most dangerous when he
was of a mind to be. He didn't act on that unless pushed, but
when Scott had banished Tristan to the seas, they'd all been
introduced to this side of Derrick. Charlie and Oliver had nicks
and bruises aplenty, but it was Scott who wasn't able to walk
for a week. His eyes were the tell-tale sign that he was being
pushed too far.
Mel moved over to Kristen's vacated seat and put a
hand on his arm.
"Remember her troubles, Derrick." She whispered
softly.
Derrick turned to look at her slowly. He didn't know
what it was, but something in the sadness of Mel's eyes made
his heart wrench for Kristen. She didn't want to get married.
She didn't want to be in London, going to the theater, and to
balls. She would rather be at home reading, or out at sea on
an adventure. He turned back to look at Kristen with Lord
Bard, happily noting that Bard was becoming more and more
furious by the moment. Derrick also noticed that everyone's
tension seemed to ease, so his eyes must have stopped
glowing. Damn his eyes for giving his intentions away, he
thought angrily.
Chapter 16