The Magic of You (18 page)

“Yes, I can, but go ahead and tell me why you think I can’t.”

“He’s the worst of them all.”

“I know that.”

“He’s got a temper that defies reason.”

“I know that, too—firsthand.”

“He’ll never get along with the family.”

“That’s a possibility.”

“My father hates his guts.”

She rolled her eyes. “I think the whole world knows that by now.”

“The Yank would have hung him, you know. He actually would have hung him.”

“Now, there I’d like to differ. Warren loves George too much for it to have come to that.”

“She wasn’t exactly singing his praises at the time,” he reminded her.

“She didn’t have to. She was carrying his baby, which speaks for itself.”

He finally stopped to face her, his expression too serious by half. “Why, Amy? Just tell me that. He’s the most unlikable fellow I’ve ever met. So why in the bloody hell did you have to choose him?”

“I didn’t—exactly.”

“How’s that?”

“My feelings did,” she tried to explain. “My reaction to him every time he’s near.”

“Hell’s bells, you’d better
not
tell me this is all about lust.”

“Blister it, lower your voice,” she hissed. “And some of it is lust, I’m sure. I certainly hope I desire the man I intend to marry. Why, you’d be lecturing me if I didn’t, now wouldn’t you?”

He wouldn’t address that, since it was unrelated as far as he was concerned. “You said some of it is lust? Let’s hear the rest of it.”

“I want to make him smile again. I want to make him happy. I want to heal his wounds.”

“So give him a bloody book of jokes.”

Her eyes narrowed sharply on him. “If you’re going to be sarcastic—”

“That was sincere advice, I’ll have you know,” he insisted indignantly.

Her look was skeptical, but she gave him the benefit of the doubt. “These needs are real, Jeremy, and quite compulsory. They won’t be satisfied with something temporary. And the passion he arouses in me isn’t going to go away either. When he kisses me—”

“I don’t want to hear this.”

“Blister it, give me some credit. D’you think I would have picked Warren Anderson if I’d had some choice in the matter? He’s everything you said he is and more. But I can’t help what he makes me feel.”

“You can,” he staunchly insisted. “You can simply ignore it.”

“
You’re
telling me that? A man who leaves the house every night just to take his pants off?”

A bright splash of color rode up his cheeks and he groaned. “Why is it I’m the only one who ever hears how bloody blunt you can be?”

She was finally able to smile at him. “Not anymore. Warren’s found out firsthand and he doesn’t like it either. But too bad for both of you.”

He gave her an exasperated look. “And what’s
he
have to say about all this?”

“He won’t have me.”

“Well, thank God.”

“But he wants me.”

“’Course he does. He’d have to be half dead not to, and he ain’t that. But what have you got once the lust is gone? Nothing. At least he seems to know that.”

“So you’re saying you don’t think I can make him love me?” she asked a bit stiffly.

“That cold fish? I’m sorry, Amy, but it just won’t happen. Accept that now and save yourself some heartache.”

She shook her head at him. “Then I guess it’s lucky for me that I’ve got enough faith for the two of us.”

“It’ll be lucky for you if m’father don’t kill him when he hears about this.”

She crooked a brow at her cousin, but her tone turned downright menacing. “Are you going to tell him?”

“Now don’t eat me,” he protested. “It’d be for your own good.”

“You let me worry about my good, and while you’re at it, remember that I trusted you with my confidences, and I wouldn’t like it one little bit if you betrayed me.”

“Bloody hell.” He sighed.

“You might also remember our wager, Jeremy, and get ready for a month of abstinence.”

He stiffened at the reminder. “And you’d hold me to it, wouldn’t you?”

“No doubt about it.”

“Well, this little chitchat certainly accomplished wonders,” he said disagreeably.

“Don’t look so woebegone. You’ll like Warren once I change him.”

“Where did you find a magic wand?”

Across the hall, James crossed his room to lay Georgina on their bed. “You won’t be doing this again,” he warned as he helped her strip down to her chemise. “It was too tiring for you.”

“Nonsense. Being carried from room to room? It was probably too tiring for you.”

He stood back, one brow arching. “Are we attacking my virility?”

“God forbid. I’m not ready for you to prove how strong and inexhaustible you can be, James Malory—but I’ll let you know the moment I am.”

He gave her a brief kiss for that promise, then moved off to put out the lamps her maid
had left burning. She followed him around the room with her eyes, a pleasant habit she’d gotten into ever since she’d been his cabin boy on the
Maiden Anne
.

She waited until he returned to the bed with her night robe to remark, “When Clinton and the others leave, Warren is going to be left alone at the Albany.”

“So?”

“So we have a big house here, James.”

“Don’t even think about it, George.”

She ignored the warning tone. “Sorry, but I have been thinking about it. I’m his sister. There’s no good reason why he can’t stay with us.”

“On the contrary. One perfectly good reason that comes to mind is we’d bloody well kill each other.”

“I’d like to think you have a little more forbearance than that.”

“Indeed I do. It’s that Philistine you’re related to who hasn’t got any.”

“He’s improving.”

“Is he? Then what’s he doing at Knighton’s Hall taking lessons in the ring?”

She frowned. “He isn’t.”

“Beg to differ. Seen him with my own eyes.”

“You don’t have to sound so blasted pleased about it. It could be mere exercise.”

“Try again, George.”

She waved a dismissive hand. “So it’s nothing to worry about.”

“Do I look worried?”

“Exactly. I’ve seen you fight. Warren doesn’t stand a chance, even with lessons. He ought to have figured that out by now.”

“Ah, but Tony intends to teach him.”

“Whatever for?”

“Because it amuses him to do so.”

“Does it indeed?” she nearly growled. “Well, it shouldn’t amaze me that that brother of yours has yet to do a single thing to endear himself to me.”

“He’s not doing it for you or your brother, m’dear. He’s doing it for me.”

“I’d already gathered that much.”

“And I appreciate it.”

“You would,” she groused.

James chuckled and lay down to draw her into his arms. “Come now, you’re not going to suggest I turn the other cheek if he starts something, are you?”

“No, but I shall hope you will practice restraint when or if he does.”

“You can hope, m’dear.”

“Now, James, you wouldn’t actually hurt my brother, would you?”

“Depends on how you define ‘hurt.’”

“Very well, I can see I’m going to have to speak to him on this subject, since
you
aren’t going to be reasonable.”

“It won’t do you a bit of good,” he predicted. “He’s not going to be satisfied until he has another go at me. Principle, you know.”

“Pride, you mean, and I really hate this. I don’t see why you two can’t get along.”

“I’ve been exceptionally gentle with him.”

She sighed. “I know you have, and I am infinitely grateful, but even your ‘gentle’ is too much for Warren.”

“If you’d like me to refrain from speaking to him a’tall, I’m sure I could manage it.”

“No, it’s Warren’s problem,” she said dolefully. “Much as I’d like to fix it, I don’t suppose I can—and how did we get so off the subject? I’d still like to offer Warren our hospitality.”

“Absolutely not.”

“But you heard it mentioned tonight that he’s going to look for something permanent that they can all use when they’re in London, so it wouldn’t be for very long.”

“No.”

“Then I’ll just have to move to the Albany to keep him company.”

“Now, George—”

“I mean it, James.”

He gave in abruptly. “Very well, invite him. But he’ll refuse, you know. He won’t want to spend any more time with me than I do with him.”

She grinned and snuggled closer. “While I’m getting concessions, why don’t you help me figure out the perfect woman to tame my hot-tempered brother? He doesn’t want to marry, but the right woman could—”

“Forget it, George, and I do mean
forget it
. I wouldn’t wish him on my worst enemy.”

“I honestly think marriage could change him for the better, James.”

“Not bloody likely.”

“But—”

“Could
you
contemplate living with him for the rest of your life?”

“Well, no, not the way he is now, but—James, he’s drowning in unhappiness.”

“So let him drown. It couldn’t happen to a more deserving fellow.”

“I mean to help him,” she said stubbornly.

“If you can be that cruel to some poor, unsuspecting woman, suit yourself.”

“That’s not funny, James Malory.”

“It wasn’t meant to be.”

Chapter 22

“What the deuce are
you
doing here?” Anthony asked in surprise as he came up behind James on the fringes of the ballroom floor.

“I might ask you the same thing.”

Anthony made a disgusted face. “My little love has a fondness for dancing, wouldn’t you know. Don’t know how she does it, but she drags me to one of these things every so often. What’s your excuse?”

“Amy,” James said in answer, nodding toward the eggshell-blue ball gown that just twirled past them. “The little minx decided at the last minute that she’d like to attend this ball, and there was no talking her out of it.”

“And with Eddie boy and Charlotte out of
town, yours truly got stuck with chaperoning? And all on your lonesome, too. George not up to it yet?”

“Not quite, but she was up to trotting out words like duty, responsibility, and
practice
, so what was I to do? But if I’d known
you’d
be here, I would have delegated the pleasure to you. In fact, since you are—”

“Oh, no.” Anthony laughed. “I did my fair share of keeping an eye on the little darlings with Reggie. ’Fraid it’s your turn.”

“I’ll remember this, you bloody ass, see if I don’t,” was James’s surly reply.

Anthony put his arm around James’s shoulders. “Buck up, old man. At least
he’s
here to amuse you.”

James followed his brother’s nod toward the tall American on the opposite side of the dance floor. Warren looked quite different, decked out formal—almost civilized. It was heartening to note he was enjoying himself no more than James was, but that didn’t improve James’s mood. He’d much rather be home with his wife.

“I’d already noticed,” he said disagreeably. “And here I thought my luck had changed when he was absent from the family visits most of this week.”

“You can thank me for that, don’t you know. I daresay he’s dropping into bed each night with moans and groans, I’ve had him on such a grueling schedule.”

“So he
did
agree to let you train him?”

“Did you doubt it?” Anthony replied. “He’s quite dedicated to improving his skill, and with his longer reach…Don’t be surprised, old man, if he knocks you on your arse next time you tangle with him.”

“You, dear boy, have gone on too long without being knocked on your own arse,” James shot back. “I’d be happy to remedy that for you.”

Anthony merely laughed. “Let’s hold off a bit more, shall we, till the wives understand us a little better. Ros gets downright testy when she disapproves of my actions, damn me if she don’t.”

“I hate to mention it, but you’re only making me more eager.”

“And what would George say?”

“She’d probably thank me. You’re not one of her favorite people, you know.”

Anthony sighed. “What’d I do now?”

“You offered to train her brother.”

“And how’d she hear about that?”

“I may have mentioned it.”

“Well, I like that,” Anthony complained. “Don’t she know I’m doing the chap a favor?”

“We both know who you’re doing the favor for, and I appreciate it even if she don’t.”

Anthony suddenly grinned. “I hope you remember that when it’s over, because he’s not bad, you know. ’Course, he hasn’t got bricks for fists like you do, but he packs quite a wallop when he finds an opening. I’ve gone home
with a few pains myself this week.”

James wasn’t worried. “So how soon before he feels he’s ready?”

“I’d say a month, but with his impatience, I’ll be hard pressed to convince him to wait that long. The chap really is a powder keg of boiling emotions, and though I daresay he’ll be pleased to take them out on you, I’m not so sure you’re solely to blame for them.”

“Oh?”

“I’ve caught him staring off into space a few times with a besotted look, and we both know what’s usually responsible for that.”

“Poor girl,” James replied. “Someone ought to warn her off.”

“I’d be happy to if I knew who she was, but he won’t fess up. Gets downright furious when I rib him about it. By the by, I’d say that’s going to be your only advantage by the time I’m done with him, his anger.”

“I’m well acquainted with it
and
his inability to control it.”

“Yes, I suppose you are. But I wonder who it’s directed at just now.”

James again followed Anthony’s look across the room to see that Warren was most definitely scowling at someone on the dance floor. There were too many couples presently dancing to figure out who that someone might be, but James’s curiosity was assuredly pricked.

“D’you think it’s his lady love?” James wondered aloud.

“Damn me if I don’t.” Anthony grinned. “This ought to be interesting.”

“If he does anything other than scowl.”

“Where’s your faith, old boy? The night is young. He’ll dance with her eventually—or attempt to throttle whoever she’s with.”