If the Earl Only Knew (The Daring Marriages) (21 page)

Kate woke with one thought.

He would leave.

Now that Robert had been found, there was no need for Wynbrook to stay and every reason for him to go. She should have been pleased at the outcome, and of course she was. Robert had been found alive and it appeared he would make a full recovery. Only a few days ago, she’d feared her brother was lying dead in a hedgerow, so this was the best possible outcome.

Looking out her window at the sparkling reflection of the sun on the ocean, she was strangely disappointed to see the adventure end and wondered at her own reaction. Was she so used to excitement and danger that living without left her strangely flat? It was odd that she had never felt this way when Robert had left her in Gibraltar. On the contrary, she had enjoyed the quiet time to herself, even when Robert had been gone for months.

Even in her isolation, she had never felt this sense of disappointment. Perhaps it was because her time with Wynbrook was finally coming to a close. The truth rattled, unwanted, around in her brain. She fought against it, but even she had to acknowledge that she had enjoyed his company and had come to trust him.

Kate sighed and rang for help getting dressed. She chose a simple but becoming white muslin and allowed the maid to dress her hair a bit more around her face than her usual severe bun. She could not possibly be dressing for Wynbrook. No, not possible.

Kate took a moment to wander through the house, taking stock of its condition. The rooms were barely furnished with the basic necessities. No knickknacks or personal touches decorated the rooms. Not even a throw rug on the floor cheered the spaces. Kate disliked clutter, but even she found the space sterile and uninviting. The house had a rather vacant and forlorn feel.

Kate entered the sitting room and found Wynbrook and her brother already there. Wynbrook and her brother had each taken one of the chairs, her brother ensconced with a stack of newspapers. With her entrance, they both rose briefly until she settled herself on the settee, but only Wynbrook spoke. “Good morn to you, Lady Kate. You look well this morning.”

“Thank you,” she replied, trying very hard not to be delighted in his compliment. She thought she was looking quite tolerable until Miss St. James waltzed into the room.

Emma entered the room looking as fresh as a daisy. Kate had heard the expression before, but until she met Miss St. James, she had not known what it meant. With blond ringlets framing her face, sparkling blue eyes, and a perfect peaches-and-cream complexion, Emma did in truth remind Kate something of a daisy. She had a quaint little rosebud mouth with rose-colored lips to match. Her simple muslin frock was fresh and snowy white. She was several inches shorter than Kate and decidedly plumper, with a generous bosom and rounded hips. Overall, she looked like a girl who had stepped out of a portrait, more perfection than an actual real human being.

Her brother had barely glanced at her when Kate entered, but for Miss St. James, the paper was laid aside and he vaulted to his feet, though it clearly pained him to do so. Kate glanced at Wynbrook to see if he also had fallen under the spell of the deliciously ripe Emma St. James, but he was looking at Robert with amusement in his eye. Kate turned back to Miss St. James with more charity in her heart.

“Miss St. James, so good to see you this morning. I trust you had a pleasant night. Here, please sit.” Robert motioned for her to take his own seat and then, without dropping his eyes from her face, sat in the seat across from her without realizing that he had just usurped Wynbrook’s chair.

Wynbrook only smiled at this and joined Kate on the settee. Kate scooted herself all the way over to the side in order to prevent any of
her
touching any of
him
, yet still his thigh brushed up against the fabric of her gown. Of course it was not inappropriate but she could not help but glance more than once at that strip of fabric that rested along his thigh.

“What brings you on your journey, Miss St. James?” Kate asked Emma to distract herself from sitting so close to Wynbrook.

“Oh, I have embarked on a remarkable journey,” said Emma with a wide-eyed smile. “My stepmother has arranged for me to marry a man in America. I know it seems a bit unusual to wed someone you’ve never met, but he and his family were close friends with my stepmother’s family and he is quite a respectable man. I also confess an interest in seeing parts of the world that are foreign to me and cannot wait to see what the American shores might look like. It all seems a very great adventure, though my journey has already been so exciting, I am not sure if America will be any more thrilling than this.”

“I have sailed to the Americas and other territories many times for trade,” said Dare.

“Oh! You must tell me everything you know, so I can be prepared for all the fun I will have on my arrival.”

“But what if you don’t like this man you are supposed to marry?” Kate was never one to avoid pointing out the obvious even if it was an unwelcome grounding from flights of fancy.

“I am sure that will not be a problem. If we decide we are not compatible, then I will simply return home with my maid.”

Kate said nothing more, and the line in Robert’s brow deepened significantly. Kate feared Emma may be in more trouble than she imagined if she decided against the marriage. Kate was not sure how to broach the subject with her though, and in the end, it was really none of her concern. It was only that Kate felt a sense of obligation to Miss St. James since she had helped to save her brother’s life.

There was a slight pause while everyone in the room shared concerned glances for Miss St. James’s well-being, save the lady herself, who seemed quite at ease and unaccountably happy.

“I do not suppose I could trouble you for a look at one of your newspapers?” she asked Robert, who immediately handed her the entire stack, including the one he was reading.

“Thank you! I am so glad to catch up with my reading. I have not been able to get the
Times
for several days since I began my travels.” She donned gloves to keep the ink from staining her hands.

“You enjoy reading the paper? Capital,” praised Wynbrook. Kate also thought it admirable for her to read the paper, though was not pleased to have Wynbrook point it out.

“Not really,” said Emma with a smile. “I mainly read for the society pages.”

“I also enjoy glancing at them from time to time,” said Wynbrook with a playful banter. “Mostly, of course, to see if I am listed.”

Kate rolled her eyes at such an abominably arrogant thing to say, though she suspected that the words were only spoken to tease. Determined not to rise to such easy bait, Kate addressed Emma instead. “You enjoy the gossip columns?” Once again, Kate was surprised that a woman who had clearly been trained in medicine and could keep a cool head in times of crisis would be amused by such trivial societal pursuits.

“Oh yes, I confess I do. I’ve never been to London, and so I enjoy reading about the intrigues of the society ladies and gentlemen,” said Emma with infectious excitement. “Of course, it’s the closest I will ever come to London. In truth, it reads like one of my stepmother’s novels. I cannot wait to open the page and find out what happened next. With all this excitement, I am a few days behind in my reading. I believe I shall begin three days ago.”

“That was the day of my sister’s wedding. Lady Jane to Sir Gareth. I hope it was mentioned. It would please my other sister, Anne,” said Wynbrook.

“Let me see.” Emma bowed her golden head before the newspaper, her eyes gleaming. “Oh yes, here it is, the wedding of Lady Jane. They say the bride looked radiant and the wedding attracted all the notables of society.”

“Ah, my sister will like that,” said Wynbrook.

“Since Lord Wynbrook is eager to make an appearance in the pages, do tell us if he has been identified.” Kate gave Wynbrook one of her biggest smiles.

“Let me see,” said Miss St. James from behind her newspaper, missing the sarcasm in Kate’s tone. “Why yes, I do believe he may be.
All may not be entirely well for Lord W in his own quest for matrimony, for Lord D has refused Lord W’s offer, saying he would never relinquish his sister to him. Will Lord W ever find a bride? We know many a matron who would be happy to supply her daughter for such a prize!
”

Miss St. James looked up over her paper, her smile fading as she noted the look of confusion on the faces of her new friends. “Oh!” Emma turned to Kate, her mouth a perfect oval. “Were they speaking of you?”

“I hope not,” grumbled Kate. “But what is this nonsense of you talking to Wynbrook about me?” she demanded of Robert. Had he truly tried to scare Wynbrook away from her?

Wynbrook and her brother exchanged equally blank faces. Finally, Wynbrook blinked in sudden recognition. “I know. The conversation we had about sailing away from society when we were speaking of your ship. You said you would never relinquish her to my hands.”

“Oh, the
Lady Kate
.” Robert shook his head.

“Your ship is called the
Lady Kate
?” asked Miss St. James. “That is unfortunate.”

Kate, Robert, and Wynbrook all exchanged a similar glance. It was indeed most unfortunate.

“Shall I continue reading?” Emma asked.

“There won’t be any mention of us the next day,” said Wynbrook with confidence.

“But I believe there is,” said Emma, her head behind the newsprint. “
On the return to London, Lord W was seen riding away from Town with the sister of Lord D. No one has seen either of them since. Could the two lovebirds be making a run for Scotland with the brother in pursuit? We leave it to your fertile minds.
”

Kate’s heart stopped beating for a moment. Someone had seen them. She’d been so worried about her brother, she had not thought for one instant about the repercussions of being seen leaving in a coach with Lord Wynbrook. Robert’s mouth was a thin, firm line. The humor had drained from Wynbrook’s face. Silence pervaded the sitting room.

Miss St. James took up the next paper and they all waited for her to read it. Later, Kate would wonder why Emma had to be the one to read the column, but somehow it was she, the only one whose life did not depend on the few sentences written, who was the neutral party to read out their fate.

Miss St. James cleared her throat. “
Lord W, along with Lord D and his sister, remain missing. Though a shocking elopement can be the only explanation, Lord W’s family remain strangely silent. Of course, who can blame them?
”

Emma gave Kate a sympathetic smile. She was a kind executioner.

“Anne will ring a peal over my head,” muttered Wynbrook, putting his head in his hands.

“This is nonsense,” said Kate in a voice that did not quite seem her own. “We simply need to tell people that…” She paused but could not quite think of what story they could tell. The truth was the stuff of those ridiculous lurid novels, even without the peg leg. Who would possibly believe them?

“We shall tell people we planned to meet Darington on our journey,” said Wynbrook, straightening his spine. “We then traveled together to your home, where we were married.”

“Married?” Kate glanced around the room, silently pleading her case to all present. “Surely there can be no cause for anything so extreme.”

Silence once again reigned in the sitting room. Miss St. James sat pretty as a picture, her hands clasped demurely in her lap.

“Robert?” Kate barely mouthed the word.

Robert’s face was grim. He directed his comments to Wynbrook. “I should not wish to entrap you into any arrangement you would not otherwise choose. You have done us a great service. More from you is not required or expected.”

“Thank you, my friend, but there is nothing else that can be done. We shall be married as soon as may be.”

“Do not talk about me in such a manner!” demanded Kate. “I am not a commodity to be exchanged in the public market. Wynbrook, your scruples do you credit, but you have provided me with great assistance and I shall never demand a proposal from you because of it. There will be no wedding.”

“As much as I dislike to disagree with a lady, I fear I must disappoint you,” drawled Wynbrook. He had overcome his initial shock and now appeared as he always did—confident with an aura of unruffled calm and a slight element of humor, as if mildly amused by the tragedy unfolding before him.

“I have been seen running off with the sister of a peer of the realm,” continued Wynbrook. “It is an offense only a wedding can rectify, and even that may not be enough for high sticklers to propriety.”

“No!” Kate was adamant. She would not be cornered into marriage, nor would she allow Wynbrook to be trapped. It was not fair to either of them, no matter what her personal desires may be. “You are a lord and a gentleman, and I shall not allow you to be forced into marriage because of a few idle words in a gossip column. No one who was in possession of all the facts could possibly feel that your willingness to assist us in our time of need should be rewarded by matrimonial entrapment.”

Kate met Emma’s eye hoping to find support. Instead, Emma gave her a sympathetic half smile. “I fear that society can be quite unforgiving,” said Emma. “Having read the gossip columns for many years, I can tell you that these things are unlikely to be quickly forgotten. In a case such as this, I feel Lord Wynbrook has indeed done the honorable thing.”

Wynbrook and Miss St. James exchanged smiles, only furthering Kate’s ill humor.

“I do apologize,” said Kate, having difficulties in meeting Wynbrook’s eye. “But I am forced to be disagreeable in this matter. I simply will not allow you to propose marriage simply to protect my reputation.”

“It is not only your reputation that will suffer.” Wynbrook turned so that she could no longer avoid him, and she was drawn into the strange warmth of his green eyes. “According to the papers, I have abducted the sister of a peer the realm. If I do not return married to said young lady, I will find my society lacking. No decent person will speak to me. My own sisters will be forced to cut the acquaintance.”