How to Wed an Earl (24 page)

He kissed her neck and dipped his head lower, smiling against her skin when she shivered in response. “I need to be reminded. Let me take a closer look at the rest of you.”

His wife’s hands wandered the planes of his back, pulling him to her. “I would hate for you to claim things without seeing the evidence first,” she teased.

He emitted a laughing groan as he proceeded with his investigation.

It would take some time to get used to being sought after. People surrounded her. Everywhere Penelope went, people wanted to talk to her, and her every move was noted by London’s gossips. She was the Town heroine, and everyone seemed to want a piece of her.

“Since I went through a lot of trouble to reach you, madam, I think I deserve a dance,” Lucas said when he finally reached her side.

Without further preamble, Lucas took her hand and led her to the dance floor. It all happened so quickly, she didn’t have time to do anything but tread along in his wake and whirl about the dance floor with him in a sweeping waltz.

She was about to ask him which friend her uncle had talked to when she saw a black scowl sharpen his features as he looked at something over her shoulder.

“I see Olivia is still not heeding my advice to stay away from Blakewood,” Lucas muttered.

“Oh. Is he dancing with her again?”

“Again?” He looked fit to be tied.

She nodded. “He was her partner in a quadrille earlier in the evening.”

Her husband’s eyes narrowed. “Apparently, I need to have a talk with Blakewood.”

“Yes, you do,” She agreed. “Shall I invite him over for tea?”

His gaze snapped back to her. “I’ll take care of Blakewood.”

“No, you will not.”

“I won’t?”

“No. Lucas, I told you I believe his intentions are honorable, and if you give him a chance — ”

“Over my dead body.”

“Don’t say that! I wouldn’t be able to bear it if something bad happened to you.”

“Because you’re in love with me,” he stated with a smile.

She almost groaned out her frustration. “This is hardly the time to discuss such things, but yes, I’m in love with you. Are you happy now?”

“Very. I would like to take you out to the gardens, so I can show you how happy I am.”

Penelope resisted when he tried to whirl her to the sidelines, near the French doors leading to the grounds. “Hmmm. I think you are trying to change the subject. We were discussing your sister and Blakewood.”

“And I told you that I was going to take care of it.”

She gritted her teeth. Lucas could be so intractable. “How will you take care of the matter? By frightening young Blakewood?”

“I can be very convincing when I want to be.”

Well, so could she
. “You are going about this the wrong way, Lucas.”

His grip on her waist tightened. “Olivia has never disobeyed me before. I will not tolerate it.”

“She is a grown woman now. Don’t you think you should show her you respect her choices? You have raised an intelligent young woman, Lucas.”

“Her wisdom seems to have left her,” he muttered. “I can sense that you are dying to suggest a plan of action. Out with it, nymph.”

“I think you should welcome his suit. That way, they wouldn’t be sneaking about behind your back, and we can get to know him better.”

“No.”

“You already know they’re going to continue seeing each other regardless of what you say. Wouldn’t it be better to have them do it in the open, so we can supervise?”

“He will ruin her to get back at me.”

“You sound like my uncle.”

Lucas was clearly outraged. “Bloody hell, woman, I am nothing like your uncle!”

She gave him a pointed look. “He, too, is very stubborn and convinced you married me only to get back at him.”

Lucas seemed content to remain silent.

“Well?” she prodded.

He gave her an impatient look. “Well, what?”

“Did you marry me only to get back at my uncle?” She didn’t know why she was pursuing the issue. She really should stop before Lucas gave her an answer she did not want to hear.

The last strains of the waltz were dwindling, and Lucas whirled her to a halt before whispering his reply. “I do not give a damn about your uncle.”

Do you give a damn about me?
Penelope had to bite her tongue to stop herself from asking him the question as they took a turn about the ballroom. She was about to continue pressing her point on the subject of Olivia and Blakewood when an elderly gentleman of average height and a distinctive Irish accent approached them.

“Ravenstone, you should introduce me to the lovely young lass on your arm,” the elderly gentleman suggested.

Lucas grinned. “Good evening, Colonel Martin. I am glad you were able to make it tonight. My wife has been looking forward to meeting you.”

She stood there like an idiot as her hero, Colonel Martin, bowed low in front of her. For the first time in her life, she had absolutely no idea what to do. Should she hug him? She wanted to hug him.

“Speak up, lass,” Colonel Martin demanded, straightening. “I didn’t come all this way just to be stared at.”

Penelope could feel her blush at the reprimand. “I am a big admirer of your work, colonel.”

“So I heard.” Colonel Martin grinned. “Your husband told me about the way you defended a donkey from a violent, drunken carter.”

“Lucas helped, too,” she admitted.

“Did he?” Colonel Martin gave him a speculative glance. “It would be good if your husband supported my efforts in Parliament.”

“I doubt my wife will ever speak to me again if I don’t,” Lucas joked.

When Colonel Martin turned back to her, his voice was serious. “Lady Ravenstone, I came not only to meet you but to ask for your help.”

“I’ll do anything I can,” she assured him.

“Your husband told me you are aware of the
Cruel Treatment of Cattle Act
.”

Penelope smiled. “And I know you are responsible for that law, colonel.”

The elder gentleman nodded. “A few friends of mine want to form a society to make sure the law is upheld when it comes to the treatment of animals such as cattle.”

“I see.”

“It’s still in the early stages,” the colonel said. “But we would appreciate any help you can give us. People listen to you, and rumor has it you are gifted with talents for treating sick animals.”

“I do my best,” she confirmed.

The colonel grinned. “Well, if you would honor me with a dance, we can talk about the particulars.”

It was not a request, but she didn’t mind in the least, and with Lucas’s approval she joined the colonel in a lively country reel.

Colonel Martin danced with a level of energy that was unexpected for a man of seventy odd years, and Penelope had trouble keeping up with him let alone concentrating on the conversation.

He moved like a man possessed. If this was how he danced, she could only imagine the vigor with which he policed the streets of London to apprehend those who disobeyed the law and abused the beasts in their care.

“Your husband was right to suggest I meet you,” he admitted right before the leaders of the dance called another step.

“Is that so?” she asked breathlessly as they danced down the line.

“Ravenstone said you would be willing to help us organize the society we are planning to create. There are always animals in need of tending.”

She nearly collided with another couple as she and the colonel moved down the line. Talking to one’s partner while dancing a country reel was tricky, especially for someone like her, who had not had many opportunities to participate in any sort of dancing in her life.

“I would be delighted to help,” she promised.

The lively dance offered no more opportunities to talk and by the end of it, she was out of breath.

“Are you tired already, lass?”

She could only nod.

“You would probably be more suited to supporting the cause rather than implementing it.” Colonel Martin stared at her, as though reaching a decision. “Would you like to meet my friends?”

When she nodded her assent, he led her straight to a group of people who were involved in a discussion near the edge of the dance floor. She was introduced to a bespectacled man called Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton and another named Sir James Mackintosh, who were gracious enough to include her in the discussion of founding a formal society that would aim to put measures in place so that Martin’s Act was implemented.

A few minutes later, Lady Uffington joined the group. “I am not an active participant,” she said, “but I agree there’s a need to uphold the law for the vulnerable so they are not abused.”

She was glad to have another woman on board, and she was about to say so when Lady Uffington softly said, “Thank you for saving my son.”

“It was nothing, my lady. I only did what anyone would have done in that situation.”

Lady Uffington studied her for several minutes before stating, “I disagree. I can’t imagine what would have become of my Teddy had it not been for you and your husband.”

She didn’t know what to say to that, so she commented on the plight of the kidnappers instead. “I heard the boy’s nurse has been apprehended.”

Lady Uffington discreetly cleared her throat. “Yes. And you will be glad to know I have taken your advice and given the girl’s family some money. I cannot forgive what she did, but I thought you would approve.”

“That’s, er, very magnanimous of you.”

“Thank you. Since Teddy’s rescue, I have been thinking a lot about what it means to be of ‘noble’ class.” Lady Uffington smiled. “Now then, where is that handsome husband of yours so I can thank him as well?”

Penelope scanned the room. “I do not see him anywhere.”

Her hostess shrugged. “Perhaps he went out into the gardens for a breath of fresh air.” She gave her an approving look. “You have changed Ravenstone, you know. He used to shun soirees such as this.”

“His sister is enjoying her first Season,” she reminded the older woman.

Lady Uffington’s brows rose. “There was no need for him to re-enter Society’s ranks to launch his sister. He is doing it for you, my dear. I never thought Ravenstone would be so devoted a husband.”

She almost smiled. Lucas might not love her yet, but he had certainly dedicated himself to his husbandly duties. Then again, performing duties was a big part of who Lucas was. His devotion might not have anything to do with her at all.

The group was discussing the best ways to disseminate information when Olivia appeared at her side, accompanied by Lord Westville.

“Olivia, is anything wrong?” Penelope looked questioningly at Lucas’s friend, but he avoided her gaze by flicking an imaginary piece of lint from his superbly tailored evening coat.

Olivia’s clenched fist crushed her lacy handkerchief. “I cannot find Lord Blakewood, and Lucas is also nowhere in sight.”

Westville hesitated before speaking. “We are not certain what is happening. I am sure Ravenstone knows what he is doing.”

“He is going to kill Lord Blakewood!” Olivia wailed.

“Calm yourself, Olivia,” she said quietly, “Lord Westville is correct. This is no time to go into hysterics. Lucas knows what he is doing.”

Olivia shook her head. “He is going to murder Lord Blakewood, and everyone will say Lucas was acting just like our mother.”

Penelope turned to Westville. “My lord, would you mind taking Olivia home while I try to find where my husband has gone? I don’t think she can take any more of this, uh, excitement.”

“Of course,” he said. “My aunt and I will take care of her.”

“Lady Wortley will not mind your absence?” Olivia asked.

Westville looked uncomfortable at the mention of his current mistress. “Lady Wortley will find someone else to entertain her tonight.” His discomfiture was obvious as he faced Penelope. “How do you plan to get away from here if you fail to find Ravenstone?”

“Lucas will not leave me here without a means to go home. Even if I fail to find him, I am sure he has made some arrangements.”

Westville seemed doubtful. After a moment’s hesitation, however, he accepted her explanation. “Very well, but send word if you need me to come back.”

She swallowed past the lump in her throat as she watched Westville take Olivia away, stopping only to collect Aunt Lucy before they were swallowed by a rainbow of ball gowns.

She waited a few minutes more before excusing herself from Colonel Martin’s group, stopping every once in a while to talk to people while surreptitiously scanning the ballroom.

There was no sign of Lucas at all.

Where was he? She couldn’t believe he would actually ignore everything she’d said while the two of them were dancing. She refused to believe it.

Lucas loved his sister. She knew he was capable of seeing past his duty of obligation and relent for the simple reason it would make Olivia happy. She had to convince him of it, because if she couldn’t convince Lucas to bend enough to consider his Olivia’s happiness, what chance did Penelope have of ever convincing him to love her?

She pasted a smile on her face as another group of people crowded around her, and she danced when someone asked her to dance. But every second that ticked by, Penelope was aware of Lucas’s absence. She reminded herself to have a little faith every time she scanned the room and failed to see his face.

But as the minutes turned to an hour, she felt the tiny hope that had flared in her heart since their wedding burn out.

Lucas finally tracked Blakewood in the Uffington library. He’d been searching for the young man for the better part of the last half hour.

The hesitation he felt when he strode into the large, dimly lit room thoroughly annoyed him. There was no reason to feel like he was betraying Penelope by pursuing a goal she did not approve of. This had nothing to do with her. Bloody hell, he was only doing his duty by protecting Olivia.

This was not the time to weaken in his resolve. Just because Penelope gave him endless pleasure in bed did not mean he would let her control his actions out of it. He’d been far too indulgent with her as it was.

“Blakewood,” he called out to the young man standing in the middle of the room. “A word, if you please.”