Beauty in Disguise (3 page)

Thoughts of the past rushed through her mind. She had done the unthinkable—she had eloped. Almost from the time they could walk, young women were taught the importance of keeping a spotless reputation in the eyes of the
ton.
The two quickest ways to lose that invaluable status were simple: to be alone in the company of a single gentleman or to elope.

She was young and gullible and Lord Salford had swept her off her feet. The feelings she’d had for Lord Dalton caused her to hesitate; how could her heart have changed so quickly? But Lord Salford knew what he was doing. He said that Lord Dalton had not complimented her enough. He had not demanded her company or declared her his only happiness. Lord Dalton was going to leave to go into the army and was only dallying with her affections. Looking back on it now, it was easy to see that Lord Dalton had been the truer gentleman, recognizing her youth and protecting her from the gossips.

But in the end it did not matter. Lord Salford said if he could not have her, he would die of a broken heart. Then he told her they must elope, as she was underage. Romantic thoughts disappeared. Indeed, she was horrified! She would be eighteen in a few months; why could they not wait until then? Why did he not go to her father and ask his permission? She was sure he would give it, though he might want her to wait those few months. No, Lord Salford said, her father would try to make her believe he was not good enough for her.

So they had traveled to Gretna Green to be married. She knew it was wrong; she wanted no part of it, but Lord Salford had been relentless and she was too young to see his actions as proof that he was not a gentleman. They spent four endless days on the road, only stopping to change horses and eat. The trip alone should have opened her eyes. Lord Salford had ridden alongside the coach for much of the time, and came inside at night to sleep. He was uncommunicative and sullen, offering none of the endearments he had generously doled out the previous few weeks. He feared her father would discover their intent and would follow them to stop the marriage. She was afraid to tell him she had left a note for her father explaining her actions. It would never occur to her to just disappear!

When they got to Scotland and Salford discovered that she did not come into possession of her fortune at eighteen, he left her. He never married her, and he abandoned her with only her pin money from last quarter. She found herself desolate in a strange country after traveling days in a carriage alone with Salford. She had done both of the things that would tarnish a young woman’s name.

Her ruination had been complete.

Even her father could not forgive her, so he cast her off. And only a few short months later, Kathryn decided God could not forgive her, either. Life had become one unanswered prayer after another until she rarely sought Him anymore. She believed it made her stronger, but she missed the comfort and peace God had always given her.

Now she was to keep Charity in some semblance of proper behavior during Lord Dalton’s visit.

“Oh, why does he not come? I am so bored I could scream. I should have accepted Harry Bolton’s offer to go for a drive today. Now I am quite sorry I did not.”

Kathryn sighed in frustration. “Charity, I am all out of patience with you. The past two weeks you have been anxious and overwrought. It will not bring him here sooner. I have told you again and again that a man of Lord Dalton’s stamp will expect and
prefer
a properly behaved young woman, not one prone to go into a fit of the dismals.”

Charity appeared to take her advice to heart as an hour later Kathryn sat in the window embrasure of the drawing room, as she always did during tea. Charity sat before the tea tray looking beautiful and demure. If only it had been natural and not by design.

Kathryn had gone to her room to freshen up, and once again sat in front of her mirror seeing a stranger. How she wished she could meet Lord Dalton without hiding behind her mask. It was impossible, of course, for many reasons. She knew he must despise her for what she had done to him. He would not be happy to see her. More importantly, she could not bear to see the pity on his face if he recognized her. She could avoid her previous life with her disguise. She could not bear it should he discover her identity and turn his back on her.

She came back to the present and watched young Lacey as she very slowly and meticulously carried an overfull cup of tea to her. “You are doing splendidly, sweetheart,” she whispered. Lacey was starved for affection in the most pitiable way. She was sadly neglected, though Kathryn found her eager and willing to learn everything she could.

She was almost upon her with the cup of tea when the door opened and the butler announced in a deep baritone, “Sir John, Lord Dalton has called.”

Kathryn’s eyes sought the earl’s face of their own volition, and she felt a nostalgic wish in her heart that it was she in Charity’s place.

The teacup, so lovingly carried, rolled awkwardly across the carpet and a horrified gasp was the only sound heard upon this stentorian announcement. Kathryn’s quiet assurance directed at the disconcerted Lacey was the only thing that kept the self-conscious child from fleeing the room in tears.

“Jarvis frightened me, Miss Montgomery,” whispered the dismayed little girl.

“Indeed he did, Lacey. It is of no matter, for we will clean it up momentarily.” Kathryn discreetly bent to mop up part of the spill with her napkin as Sir John shifted his eyes from the small disaster to the man now coming toward him. Kathryn sensed Lord Dalton’s awareness of the situation and appreciated that he did not draw even more attention to Lacey.

It made her remember his kindness. He was a more mature version of
her
Lord Dalton, but his characteristics appeared to be intact. She decided she could not be responsible for her wayward thoughts while he was with them.

* * *

“Dalton, my boy, welcome, welcome!” Sir John stepped forward in obvious exuberance, hand outstretched in greeting. “Told the ladies you and I had agreed upon no specific time of arrival, so we have begun tea as usual. Apologize profusely, my boy.”

Lord Dalton entered the salon that seemed full of staring eyes. He realized that the two young children and one young girl were quite obviously Sir John’s progeny. There was also a lady of indeterminate age sitting by the window, but based on her appearance she was not a guest.

His quick observations did not show in his expression. He greeted his host graciously in return. “Sir John, I am honored. Please feel no dismay over beginning your tea. More to the point, I must apologize to your lady for my late arrival. I had no wish to upset your schedule further, so as you see, I have presented myself in all my dirt. Do forgive me, please.”

He could not tell them about this morning’s pursuit. He had begun his search for the woman of last night at the inn and hoped to have her direction by noon. Though she said she would return tonight, he wished to be prepared. He wanted her name and where she lived. His old tendencies in the army died hard.

His efforts had been fruitless. Three hours later he had not uncovered one clue. The vacant expressions on the faces of the people he talked to were easily verified as truth and not an attempt to protect one of their own. Yes, he had seen her only by the light of the moon, but he was no young buck allowing romantic settings to invent what did not exist. Her beauty, though seen only in shadows, had been unmistakable even without a clear description of her features. But there had been the rub. He could give no one that description.

Such defeat only made him more determined. She would
not
disappear as Kathryn had. He would not allow it a second time.

She was a lady, of that he had no doubt. He might speculate on the reasons that brought her to the bridge in the middle of the night, but he was determined to find out why.

To own the truth, he chuckled at himself. Having no luck finding her among the locals, he realized that her status as a lady might not be known to them. He decided he would question Sir John’s household as to her name and whereabouts.

He also began second-guessing his leading from God. He was attracted to her and clearly felt he was to know her, an instinct telling him he might already know her, even while acknowledging that was impossible.

His mother had advised him to avail himself of Sir John’s offer for a few weeks. He needed to accept what was due to his family name by finding a wife and setting up his nursery. But those he met during his short time in London seemed no more than schoolgirls only just out of their own nurseries! His mother suggested he stop trying to shop for a wife and let love come naturally.

He would not rest on his laurels as he could in Town. But women flocked to him in London, though he hated it. He need only pick one, yet not one had touched a chord in his heart. So he had taken his mother’s advice to visit Sir John.

Here in Trotton, the delight he felt on the bridge when the fairy responded to his banter made him think that love might come naturally, after all. He would meet her tonight, then await an opportunity to know her in the daylight. He would try to overcome his fear that he would not be able to judge her character accurately.

His mind came back to the drawing room as Sir John greeted him in return. “Do not mention it, I say, do not mention it,” he repeated in a now-familiar habit. “But you do remind me of my manners. Please allow me to introduce my family.” He whispered an aside, “Not to worry that they’ll be under your feet the entire visit, my boy, but I told them they must do the pretty to welcome you.”

Dalton was led to a matronly woman, still possessing a good figure despite her cap and graying hair. She was introduced as Sir John’s wife, but he had already deduced her parentage of the three younger members of the party. “My dear, this is Lord Dalton, who has come to put a few of my best hunters to the test.”

Dalton bowed over the extended hand and smiled at the woman politely lowering her head in return. “Your servant, ma’am. I can only wonder at your generosity. My intention was to put up at the inn, but your husband would not hear of it. I vow to remain least in sight during my stay so as not to disrupt your normal routine.”

“My lord,” Lady Dinsmore said, chiding him, “you speak nonsense. Of course you will stay with us. I hope you will find it quite comfortable here. Being so far from London, we are always exceedingly happy to have company.”

She arose and began to walk toward the fireplace. She continued speaking, and it was obvious that she expected him to follow. “Indeed, we stand upon no ceremony here.”

It was then that Dalton became conscious of the young lady seated on the settee before the fire to which Lady Dinsmore had been leading him. His heart knew a moment’s hope that the woman he met last night sat before him, but immediately he deduced that the blond child bore little resemblance to his midnight wanderer.

“Before we overwhelm you with the entire family, I will introduce you to my daughter so that you may receive your tea and make yourself more comfortable. I fear you must be fainting from malnutrition.”

Standing six feet two inches in his stockings, his size belied her statement so shockingly that he began to laugh, feeling that he might enjoy a stay with such a family.

He was once again aware of the woman in the window embrasure. Her lowered head shot up at his laughter.

Lady Dinsmore led him to the young woman serving tea, who flushed prettily and slowly raised large eyes of deep green. She was exquisite, but she was merely a child, and he had no interest in schooling his wife!

“This is my oldest daughter, Charity, my lord. She has been eager to meet such a distinguished guest,” she said, and with a maternal pat on his arm, added, “and to hear all about London. I am afraid you will be heartily sick of relating the latest
on dits.
”

The
very
young lady bowed her head in greeting. He thought no further than proper manners in meeting the child.

So when he bowed low in turn and again smiled at the girl, it was with the same courtesy as he used to greet her father. “Miss Charity, I am charmed, I’m sure. I understand this is where I am most likely to receive a cup of tea,” he said, smiling. “So beautiful a young lady goes a long way to reviving one. However, I confess that a cup of tea would not come amiss.”

“Oh, my lord, how kind,” the girl said, batting her eyelashes at him brazenly. He was honestly at a loss for words at her behavior, but he was able to mutter a quick thank-you when she handed him his cup.

Dalton heard a weary sigh from the woman in the window seat. Apparently, she was also aware of the young girl’s impropriety. Indeed, her parents did not seem to notice. He decided then and there that he wished very much to meet the woman who was so quiet, but all-observant.

* * *

Kathryn covertly watched the events unfold in front of her from the moment he walked into the room. His charm completely won over his hosts. His manners were impeccable, and his smile was heart-stopping, releasing the two dimples she had never been able to get enough of in London. They had been well hidden in the shadows of the night before, though she could not remember whether he had actually smiled at her or not. She was glad for her out-of-the-way placement and the opportunity it afforded to watch him openly without attention.

She was wrenched from her ruminations as Lady Dinsmore signaled for Jacob.

“My lord,” she began, “I should like you to meet my two youngest.” Jacob bounced off his chair as Lacey left Kathryn’s side, and both joined their mother.

“Lord Dalton, I should like to make you acquainted with my son and daughter, Jacob and Lacey.”

All watched as Jacob put one arm across his stomach and one arm behind his back and bowed deeply from the waist. The room smiled as a whole, excepting his older sibling, as he made his first attempt at being a young gentleman. Jacob was eight and showed not the slightest tendency toward the Dinsmore handsomeness. But Kathryn had grown to love the young boy, who was grateful for someone’s attention and, though a little boisterous, for the most part just wanted to be loved.