Lisette (4 page)

“No. I didn’t know that.” Lisette was
surprised.

“Well, I am always in agreement with you,
about choices for whom we wed—and certainly it was unlike the
duchess to set it all up, but I hope you will be more generous
towards Marston now that there’s no expectation. He is a bit like
my Monty, I think. But Monty was rather pensive when I said so, and
murmured something to the effect that Marston was not so aloof and
arrogant as he seemed—solitary.”

“Solitary?” Lisette felt that dip in her
stomach.

Juliette waved her hand. “He put it like the
Viscount was a man carrying too much inside of him, alone.”

Lisette swallowed and looked around,
murmuring, “I am sure he is mistaken. Tis arrogance, that lofty
thing the Marston’s are rumored to always have had…”

“Um. Perhaps. But even if that is so—the
reputation—it would mean he hasn’t many friends.”

Lisette laughed and looked at her. “Well, of
course, I will be civil to him if—we ever meet. I would not have
been half so—well, the way I was, if I had not been caught off
guard by mama just throwing him at my head. I feared she really
would force some match. I believe I told him that it wasn’t him I
objected to, but that I am not ready to settle down.’

Juliette smiled wickedly. “Oh, you should.
Believe me, marriage, particularly to a man you desire—and love,
one who likes you with spirit. Mmmm.”

“Shame on you.” Lisette chuckled.

“Ah, I haven’t forgotten, it was you who said
you did not blame me for becoming lovers with Monty.”

They had linked arms and were walking toward
the Marquis. “Your husband is deliciously handsome.” Lisette said,
“And he’s completely daft for you.”

“True.”

They laughed and joined Monty, who invited
Lisette to their box.

“No. Thank you. Now that I have talked to
Juliette, I believe it was that, and fresh air, I needed tonight.
You go on. I’ll walk a bit under Samuel’s eye, and then perhaps get
a bite to eat before I go home.”

“Be careful.” He winked at her again.

“I will.”

Juliette said, before they went on, “We’re
leaving for Wolford in the morning. Do come and visit when you get
down.”

“I will.”

After they had gone, Lisette stood there, not
really paying mind to the crowds and people on footpaths and
arriving in coaches, or the orange sellers and other peddlers who
were calling out from various spots. The air was tinged with coal
fires, wood and that winter sharpness. Her cloak hem was likely
damp and would crystallize soon.

She felt too restless now to go home. She
checked to see where Samuel was, and spied him. He nodded, assuring
her he was not going anywhere. This time, she walked further but
slower on the path.

It would be so different now with Deme going
off to Rose Hill, Haven with him, and wed. With her two brothers
off in the service. The twins would be home this summer and likely
stay. Her mama would not know what to do with a completely empty
nest, and she missed them dreadfully since they had left for
school.

Everyone was growing up and starting adult
lives. Not that she minded becoming one. She had always been
treated as someone with the ability to think for herself. However,
part of her was sad that all their carefree fun was behind. She
knew they would get together, have those competitions at Wimberly
when possible. Even Jude was going to be studying law. Therefore,
she supposed she had plenty of time now to gobble up life and amuse
herself.

Lisette turned and walked back. She had
gotten up to some larks, taken risks too in her visits to London.
She enjoyed the excitement of seeing things taboo and forbidden,
that were not really all that shocking to her. She enjoyed the
company of people who were not the same stiff faced sticklers that
made up the ton. That world was narrow and constricting, filled
with people living shadowy lives. She felt sorry for anyone who had
to be a prisoner to it.

There was a ruffle of male laughter to her
right and Lisette looked over in a distracted way, only to halt
when she recognized Viscount Marston’s tall form.

He was standing to the side and did not see
her. He was talking to another male only a bit under his six foot
four height. She knew this was not one of those times he was
showing up where she was. He seemed engrossed in conversing with
the man.

She made a step to go on, but the fellow with
long hair, hatless, looked up and caught her eye. He murmured
something and she knew what it was when Marston turned her way.

“Gentlemen.” She felt awkward, considering
and aimed to proceed as soon as possible.

“Lady Lisette.” The Viscount’s eyes looked
intense in the winter night. He glanced around, obviously noticing
she had no one with her. “We have run into each other rather sooner
than I expected.” He smiled faintly.

A couple passed in front of her. She waited.
“Yes.” Her gaze moved to his companion. “I had thought to see the
play but once here, realized it was only restlessness. A walk and
air and I am quite content.”

He had followed her gaze and came toward her,
inviting the man to join him. “If you’ll allow me. Lady Lisette
Willingham, Mr. Smith.”

“How do you do.” She smiled politely.

“Well, thank you.” He returned it and
Lisette, getting a clearer look at him under the lights was
thinking his name hardly suited him. His face was interesting and
there was something in his warm brown eyes…

She looked at Marston.

Mr. Smith said, “Allow me to fetch us
something warm to drink.”

When he had stepped away she murmured,
“Friend of yours?”

“Yes.”

“He has a—interesting face.”

“I’ve always thought so.”

She pulled her eyes from his own compelling
visage, and followed where the man was walking toward a vendor.
“What does he do?”

“He works for me.”

“As?” She glanced at him.

He shrugged. “My secretary.”

“Ah.” She nodded and smiled, but something
about his tone, and the man, made her doubt that.

“Should you be here alone?”

“Samuel, the driver, is just there.” She
motioned with her hand. “But I have been here dozens of times
alone. Father and Deme keep a box here. What brings you?”

His gaze moved over her face but he said,
“Restlessness,” with a bit of irony.

The man, Mr. Smith, returned and handed them
warm drinks. He had his own and stepped back from them a bit,
lighting a cheroot.

Sipping, studying him, she knew she was being
obvious under Marston’s constant eye, but his friend intrigued
her.

Glancing back at the Viscount, she searched
for some benign subject while she finished the drink—thinking she
must leave afterwards, considering it could be more awkward for him
than herself.

Marston sipped. His lips breathed out a misty
breath before he offered in quiet tones, “I am glad my words with
you today dissolved any lingering tension between us, Lady
Lisette.”

“Lisette. Please, no formality.” She grimaced
to hide her flush.

Oh, there was tension, at least in her body,
when their eyes met. But she said, after clearing her throat, “I
must apologize. Now that I think on it, I have behaved rather badly
during the… um. Though I implied otherwise, it was not you
personally I objected to…”

Drat. She wished she had never started trying
to explain.

He did that particular quirk of his lips and
offered, “I understood perfectly.”

“I was horrid.” She offered bluntly whilst
looking around, “I have always been plain speaking, but I was rude,
and I apologize.”

“Accepted.”

Actually hearing a laugh in his voice, her
eyes went back to his craggy face. For another moment thier eyes
clung. He added, “I would expect no less from a woman with your
spirit. I was doggedly persistent.’

She chuckled. “You were.”

Lisette walked over and handed her cup to Mr.
Smith who was collecting them. “Thank you. That was the very
thing.”

“You’re welcome.” His eyes touched hers too.
She saw a smile and warmth there.

He went back to the vendors.

She regarded Marston.

Lisette was suddenly more than ashamed of
herself. There were other ways she could have dissuaded him. She
was filled with an odd regret. Looking at him objectively, without
all of that expectation, she was seeing so much more.

Wetting her lips, she managed a smile and
said, “I shall leave you and your—friend—to your conversation. I am
glad we ran into each other this way. I should hate to leave London
and never have apologized. It was gracious of you to accept,
considering.”

Again, his eyes seemed to hold humor. “Had I
not been the object of it, I would have found it completely
entertaining. Particularly when I discovered you were ready to
abandon your family and take up residence at Lord Montgomery’s
estate.”

“Oh, lord.” She laughed aloud and shook her
head. “I did take it to the extreme. But then, I am of the Wimberly
clan, we are nothing if not that.”

His gaze was fixed on her smiling mouth.

When her laughter subsided, they were left
with several moments of awkward tension, and Lisette
realized—awareness. How ironic. She finally put a name to it and
this was likely the last time they would encounter each other
before she left London, and would be gone until the spring.

What brought her out of that consciousness
however was realizing his friend stood there, and she was so
engrossed staring at Marston she was ignoring him.

“Enjoy your evening.’” Nodding, Lisette
turned abrupt to walk up toward the coach. She could feel them
watching her and though she was ready to leave, she walked some
distance past the coach and into the shadows.

She stopped and muttered, “Bloody hell. That
was—odd. Embarrassing too.”

For a moment holding her gloved hands to her
cheeks, she wished she could go back and do it all over again.
Not—that she could bend to her mama’s will, but she would not have
been so dramatic and called him those names…

Wheeling, she marched back and to the coach
and climbed in. When they pulled out, she could not resist looking
over.

Marston stood there, hands in his coat
pockets, watching.

She knew then, on her way home, that it was
not that feeling of (there he is again, or he is watching me
again), dread, she felt. Rather, it was a, (you are daft Lisette,
honestly daft.) Perhaps she just needed this time away from London,
from him, and everything would be set to rights. She was sure of
it. There were all sorts of things she wanted to do and now she
could actually plan to do them.

* * * *

“Interesting,” Mr. Smith murmured to Elisha
later that night as they sat in the library/study.

“That’s what she thought about you.”

The man grinned and arched his brow. “She’s
beautiful. Quite unaware of it, I think. But perhaps, just
comfortable with who she is. I had forgotten, having only seen her
at a distance, how attractive she is.”

“Yes.” Marston poured a finger of whiskey and
stood by the fire, looking into it. “She apologized.”

“She also lost her sense of time and place
looking at you.”

“She’s leaving London until spring.” Elisha
arose and drew in several deep breaths while he walked over and
stared sightlessly out the window.

“You were very good with her, responding
naturally and appearing at ease.”

“Don’t critique me tonight, Smith,” Marston
grated. “I’m not bloody in the mood to be analyzed.”

“Of course not.”

Elisha instantly felt bad for his response.
He rubbed his nape and offered calmer, “Forgive me; I’m not going
to be much of a conversationalist tonight.”

“There’s nothing to forgive.” Smith joined
him, standing at his shoulder and after taking a sip from his glass
murmured, “I shall be leaving soon for Gray Heath. Shall I give
your regards to your mother and sister?”

“Yes.” That tone was tight, contained.

Smith laid a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t
give up hope. All you have to do is attend what she enjoys and what
makes her at ease with you.”

“I doubt I shall have the opportunity.”

“You will. I believe that, my friend. I could
feel something between the two of you, and it wasn’t just on your
side.”

Chapter Three

The Wimberly mansion was in chaos the next
morning—baggage and trunks being loaded, the duke in the lower
hall, trying to help the duchess round up all her animals. Dogs
barking, while Deme and Haven—already dressed for traveling too,
were seeing to their own things. Lisette followed the footmen with
her trunks while putting on her warmest coat. There was snow out,
but the sun made an appearance.

Out on the street, Patrick and Samuel were on
their perches, whilst everyone was getting in. Lisette would ride
with her parents and was already in her seat, waiting for her Mama,
who was standing in the doorway, still talking with the
housekeeper.

She could hear Haven laughing and saying
something to her father about taking the ribbons if Deme did not
stop acting as if she was suddenly as fragile as glass just because
she was with child. There had been an early call from the family
physician, and he seemed to confirm it.

It was decided that Deme and Haven would wed
via the special license and her parents would host a celebration in
the spring. The couple would go to Rose Hill after the marriage.
Patrick declared he would stay at Wimberly and keep working for the
duke. He loved his position. He and his grace were all the closer
friends since they would be grandfathers soon. In a sense, they had
both raised Haven, and her becoming a part of the family seemed
natural.

Finally, her Mama climbed in, the white fur
swaddling her petite figure, and having a pooch in her arms. All
the other creatures were finding a snug niche to ride in. The
parrots were in a covered cadge.