The Viscount's Sweet Temptation (2 page)

“A few hours, my lord.”

“As soon as you can safely do so, we must turn around and return to the inn.”

“Very good, sir.”

The door snapped shut and Morley turned his thoughts to getting out of this situation as gracefully as possible. He was not ready to marry
anyone
. Not the marquess’s daughter, nor the Thornhill chit. How did he find himself in situations like this? At least with Lady Susan, daughter of the Marquess of Boxworth, he’d had some less than gentlemanly intentions, although he’d come to his senses before acting on them. The girl was rumored to have left suddenly for Paris at the same time an undergardener on the marquess’ estate had taken a position elsewhere.

Now, two years later, Boxworth was trying to force Morley into a union with the girl. Morley had a strong suspicion if he were to agree to the marriage, he’d find himself with an infant born months too early but normal in size and health. The thought of a child didn’t scare him any more than the thought of marriage. The idea of being forced to marry a girl he couldn’t trust to bear him a legitimate child rubbed his nerves raw. And the idea of some other man’s child inheriting his father’s title was too much to bear.

If there were any chance the child could be his, he’d be the first to step forward to accept his duty. He hadn’t been the only man visiting Boxworth’s estate during the week he was accused of compromising Lady Susan. He was simply the man she chose to blame for her condition.

Chapter Three

Harriet stared into the darkness outside the carriage window and wondered how she would redeem herself from this bumblebroth. Why hadn’t she enquired as to who had arrived in the Wrenthorpe carriage before climbing aboard? The night was so chilly, and the blankets on the seat so enticing, she’d drifted off to sleep before discovering who her traveling companions would be.

Blast! This entire mess made it painfully clear why she was the good child in the family. Miriam would never have attempted such a folly without thorough planning. And Lee—well, Lee was always up to something behind their parents’ backs, and she wasn’t truly certain she knew the half of what he’d done. But he managed to successfully pull off any scheme he attempted.

Now here she sat with Lord Morley, quite compromised and with nothing to show for it. Not even a kiss! With another heavy sigh, she turned to see what Morley was doing, only to find him studying her. He didn’t even pretend anything to the contrary, nor did he glance away once their eyes met. She couldn’t make out his expression in the darkness.

She realized he could be asleep for all she saw, but he turned to the window and pushed the curtain aside. “It’s quite miserable out,” she said by way of conversation.

“Quite.”

“Are you headed to London for the holidays?”

“Bath, actually. My aunt is too set in her ways to travel, and she begged me to visit her.”

Bath. Harriet imagined there were myriad places in Bath to wait out Grandpapa’s wrath. That would give her time to develop a better scheme. She practically bounced off her seat in excitement at the possibility of going there. “Will Lady Eleanor be visiting your aunt also?”

“No. All my sisters are in Wrenthorpe for the winter.”

She thought about that for a moment. As the heir, she assumed he should always be in attendance at family gatherings. But then, Lee tried to miss as many as possible. Something about wild oats, he usually told her with his familiar laugh that always made her feel she was unable to see something quite obvious. “You must miss them when you visit your aunt. I would think her celebration would be rather dull in comparison.”

He laughed. “Dull. Yes, delightfully so. My two older sisters have seven children between them. Thankfully, Lady Eleanor and the other four younger sisters have yet to marry, but there are altogether too many voices in the Great Hall when the little ones join us from the nursery.”

“How delightful that must be,” Harriet cried. “My own family is nothing like that. Lee plays the pianoforte while Miriam and I sing, then Mama reads from the Gospel according to St. Matthew. I can’t wait until I have nieces and nephews to play with.”

“You are welcome to mine.” Morley suddenly cleared his throat and turned away as if he realized how close they were to the possibility of his relatives becoming hers.

Harriet tried to remember what Ellie had said about her brother, but nothing specific came to mind. She couldn’t recall the details of any stories, yet she had the overwhelming feeling she had known Archie forever. Lord Morley, she corrected. If Papa or Grandpapa caught her calling him by name, they would never believe there was nothing between her and the lord.

And as desperate as she was not to marry whomever Grandpapa had chosen, she cared too much for the brotherly image she held of the man across the coach from her. She would not try to trap him. “It’s surprising we’ve never met,” she said. “Ellie and I spend all our time together during the Season.”

“Not surprising at all, given I avoid balls and the usual entertainments.”

“So does Lee. Or maybe he only avoids the ones where Mama will be attending with Miriam and me.”

“Well.” His lips thinned and he grasped his thighs so tightly his knuckles whitened. “Lady Eleanor has been out for two years. Have you also?”

“Yes.”

“And have either of you found yourselves a beau? I imagine the young bucks must be fighting over both of you in the ballroom.”

Harriet giggled. “We are having so much fun we refuse to consider anyone for at least another Season. Oh, but you mustn’t let on to Lord and Lady Wrenthorpe. Ellie would be so angry with me for telling you.”

His smile might have warmed her heart if she had been able to see it more clearly, but as it was, it sent butterflies skittering about in her belly. If he would only make an appearance at one of the balls, it would surely become a crush. She recalled having seen a miniature of Archie a few years ago and giggling with Ellie about how handsome he was. Perhaps she was lucky they were in the dark carriage. Actually experiencing that roguish smile he was known for would certainly ruin her heart for any of the other young men she would meet.

Then she remembered the reason she was in such a predicament. Grandpapa’s summons. She might not have the opportunity to meet more young men if the duke had his way.

And the Duke of Danby always had his way.

Harriet sighed and turned back to the empty blackness beyond her window.

“Such a heavy sigh for one so young. I imagine you are beginning to realize the depth of your father’s distress upon discovering you missing.”

She swallowed the lump that suddenly threatened her ability to breathe. Papa would order her locked in her room for months, she was certain. Assuming he didn’t simply hand her over to the duke’s chosen bridegroom. “It’s not my papa I fear. He will forgive me eventually, once Mama reminds him how she defied her father, the duke, by marrying Papa. But the duke…I’m not at all certain what he’ll do.”

As if the duke had far-reaching powers, the carriage suddenly began to sway and the back end seemed determined to pass the front. Harriet hit her head on the window, the blow ringing slightly louder in her ears than the
crack
from outside.

Harriet flew onto the floor when the right side of the coach dropped to the roadway. She tried to catch herself, fearing the door would fly open. The heavy weight of her companion slammed into her, knocking her breathless.

When the conveyance finally stopped moving, she tried to crawl out from beneath Lord Morley. He also scrambled to right himself.

“Are you hurt?” he asked, helping her onto the tilting bench.

Pain pounded above her right ear, and her elbow ached. “I’m not certain. My head hurts but I’m speaking, so it mustn’t be severe. What happened?”

“I would guess we lost a wheel.” He braced with a hand against the carriage wall when he opened the door. “Smithers!”

“I’m sorry, my lord. The wheel hub seems to have cracked when I lost control in the mud.” The driver moved with a slight limp as he rounded the carriage and inspected the damage. “We can’t go anywhere until the wheel is replaced.”

Cold, damp wind blew in around Archie, sending a chill over Harriet that only worsened with the ominous news. She pulled the blankets around her. Her scheme had gone so horribly wrong! What would they do now? How would she get out of this without everyone knowing what she’d done?

Her companion ran his fingers through his hair in a manner more indicative of stress than concern for his appearance. He glanced over his shoulder at her before speaking again to Smithers, who stood shivering in the rain, his hat drooping severely. “Take one of the horses and ride on to the next town. See what sort of coach you can acquire there.”

The man tugged his limp hat brim and nodded. “Yes, my lord.”

Archie pulled the door closed and staggered across the space to the front bench where he perched on the edge of the seat and braced a hand against the window to keep from falling. “It would appear we are delayed a bit.”

 
Somehow, Harriet couldn’t find it in her to be disappointed.

Chapter Four

Morley felt his backside sliding on the smooth leather bench and he pushed his heels into the floor in a futile effort to retain his seat. “It’s no use.” Bracing his hand against the side, he rose and nearly fell into Lady Harriet’s lap.

He caught himself against the back of the bench, his face inches from hers. He held his breath. She gasped but did not flinch, as if she trusted him not to hurt her.
Foolish chit
. She was obviously unaware of all the things that could happen while alone in a carriage with a man, even beyond the chance of freezing to death before Smithers appeared with the hired coach.

Or had she intended just this sort of misadventure? Her father could be ten minutes behind them, growing angrier by the minute at being forced to travel in this storm. Would he appear at any moment, threatening Morley’s life if he didn’t marry Lady Harriet the instant a special license could be acquired?

Realizing he was still staring into her eyes, he pressed against the wall and straightened as much as possible, given the angle of the conveyance. “As this corner is the low point, it would seem I must share this bench with you.”

“Oh. Yes. Of course.” Her words had a breathy, dreamy air. She smelled as innocent as her wide eyes proclaimed her to be. Her lower lip trembled, tempting him to nibble it.

Tearing his gaze away, he reached out a hand. “I believe I should sit in the corner, there, as I am so much larger than you.” He lifted the blankets and helped her up. She had such a slight build; he easily lifted her and held her away while he took his seat.

Lady Harriet struggled to keep some distance between them on the bench, but it was impossible. She slid towards him, and tried to push herself up the slippery slope they sat upon.
 

He smiled. “I’m afraid you’ll have to sit next to me, at least until Smithers returns. Just think of me as your brother.”

Her eyes stole a glance down his person before she turned her head away and clutched the blanket to her bosom. “Oh, but you look
nothing
like Lee.”

The emphasis on that word intrigued him, bringing out his foolish, flirtatious mood. “Oh? And is he three feet tall and equally wide?”

Her laugh sent warmth coursing through him. There was nothing artful or scheming about the light ring of her tone. “No, that wasn’t what I meant. Lee is quite fair where you are dark. And quite slender, where you are—”

“If you dare say that I am the rotund one, I shall dump you out into the mud to wait with the horse Smithers left behind.” He had to fight to keep his brows drawn together. He wanted to smile with her. Wanted to pull her to his side and discover all the ways he could make her laugh.

She pushed at his arm as if to distance them, the effort useless given his position against the wall. “You are as cruel as Ellie always said! I was going to say you have a much more—oh! But I mustn’t say such a thing.”

Now he was dying to know what she meant to say, which completely surprised him. She seemed too inexperienced in intimacies to mean anything suggestive, flirtatious. He rarely considered whether a woman found him attractive. He received enough attention from widows, and a few matrons whose husbands were still living, to know he was not lacking in whatever it was that women found desirable in a man. What did Lady Harriet look for in a husband?

That question stopped him cold.

Smithers had better be riding like the devil. Remaining in close quarters with Lady Harriet Thornhill could be dangerous to Morley’s freedom.

Lady Harriet’s laughter slowed, and she let loose a sigh. “This is all my fault. I do apologize, Lord Morley, for damaging your carriage.”

Anger flared again in his gut and he thought of the scheming Lady Susan. At least she had only threatened his freedom. “You? What did you do, sabotage the wheel?”

“Of course not. I would never risk anyone’s live, and certainly not my own, no matter what the situation. I merely meant if I hadn’t hidden in here, you wouldn’t have had any problems. All my schemes end up going awry. I don’t know why I even considered trying to thwart Grandpapa.”

He clenched his teeth and tried to ignore the bitter emotion overwhelming him. While he was upset with the chit for putting him in such a compromising situation, he was reasonable enough to know where her blame ended. “If the wheel was damaged, it would have broken whether or not you were aboard. Now relax. I will not bite, out of anger or any other unfettered emotion.”

Her weight settled against him. He adjusted the blankets to cover them both and tried to ignore the scent of sweet pea blossoms that stirred whenever the blankets moved. He inhaled deeper and ignored the stirrings in his groin. Her perfume managed to be both virginal and seductive at the same time.

Sweet temptation.

Morley shifted on the bench, but that only served to bring Lady Harriet more firmly against his side. His arm, pinned between them, had the agonizing sensation of pins and needles. He lifted it and placed it on her shoulders. “Forgive me, but there is nowhere else to put my arm.”