Lady Emma's Dilemma (9781101573662) (15 page)

They walked farther down the quiet path until a break in the line of trees and hedges brought them to a different view of the river.

“Here we are, Lady Fallbrook. We shall be able to see at least part of the fireworks from here.” He stopped beneath a tree where a lone Chinese lantern swung from a low branch.

Gazing up at his engagingly handsome face, she wondered if he would attempt to kiss her and what she would do if he did. With a thumping heart, she decided this was preferable to watching Mrs. Bruce simpering over Devruex.

“Now this is better, is it not?” Darley asked softly.

“Much.” She gazed up at him, the lantern casting a deep red glow over his broad, handsome features.

Their eyes held for a moment and he said, “Lady Fallbrook, I must tell you how honored I am that—”

To her amusement, he cleared his throat and tried again. “That is, I am above honored that you would entrust me—”

“Good evening, Lady Fallbrook.”

At the sharp voice cutting through the warm night air, Emma jumped and whipped her head around to see Lord Monteford approaching them along the shadowed path. An immediate feeling of annoyance rushed through her at the unexpected interruption.

“Evening, Monteford,” Darley said, and Emma could see that he also appeared unpleasantly surprised by the visitor.

Monteford, dressed in a dark evening coat with a ridiculously high collar, bowed deeply to Emma. She refused to hold her hand out for him to salute. The niggling instinct
that had warned her against him last night solidified to avid dislike. “Good evening, Lord Monteford,” she said coolly, determined not to be more polite than necessary.

Ignoring her slight, he turned to his friend. “Good evening, Darley. Mrs. Pennyworth is wondering where you got off to,” he stated pointedly.

Emma did not care who Mrs. Pennyworth was, and she did not like Lord Monteford's scolding tone of voice. She sent an encouraging look to Darley, fully expecting him to give Monteford a proper set-down for his barely veiled impertinence.

Instead, to her surprise, Darley stood there looking down, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

“So shall we escort Lady Fallbrook back to the fireworks?” Monteford said with a sharp look to Darley.

Lord Darley, clearly uncomfortable, frowned and said, “Er, certainly, Monteford.”

Emma shot Lord Darley a look of exasperation, disappointed that he would allow Monteford to bully him this way. She was certainly not going to stand for this insufferable cheek from Lord Monteford another moment.

Sending him a scathing look of contempt, Emma said, “Such attentions are certainly not necessary, my lord. I am perfectly capable of finding my way. Good evening,” she finished abruptly and turned away.

“Oh! Please permit me to escort you back, Lady Fallbrook,” Darley called.

Already striding down the graveled pathway, she tossed over her shoulder, “There is no need,” and kept walking, aware that they were following her.

A feeling of deep disappointment hit her hard. She would certainly be striking Lord Darley off her list of potential lovers and would definitely not be driving with him in the park tomorrow. She had no interest in someone so unwilling to stand up to his overconfident friend.

She heard Monteford say, “Darley, why don't you toddle
along? Lady Fallbrook may trust me to make sure she returns unmolested.”

Glancing back, she paused when she saw Darley's abashed expression. Pressing his lips together, he made a shallow, quick bow and muttered, “Good evening, Lady Fallbrook,” and walked quickly past her down the lane.

Staring after him and gritting her teeth in annoyance, Emma hitched up her shawl and continued marching up the path, back toward the main promenade.

“Lady Fallbrook, allow me to offer you my arm.”

Insulted beyond speech, Emma turned her head to see that Lord Monteford had caught up with her. His unctuous smile caused a repulsed shiver to ripple through her body.

“No, thank you, Lord Monteford. I have no desire for your company,” she said coldly and resumed walking. She could no longer see Lord Darley.

An instant later, a hard grip on her arm abruptly halted her steps. The unwanted contact startled her to the point that she stared at his fingers gripping her flesh for a moment before looking up at him. A searing anger brought heat to her cheeks. No one had ever touched her person so roughly, not even Charles.

“Now we cannot have this, Lady Fallbrook,” he said in a patient tone. “After your bold glances at the theatre and last night, I would not have expected such coyness from you.”

Unable to think clearly for a moment, she shook off his grip and continued to stare at him. “In the face of such insufferable presumption I hardly know what to say.”

“Come now,” he said with a chuckle and took a step closer, “there really is no need for these artful displays of shyness, my lady. We both know what is between us. I will not think less of you for your boldness. Unless this is a hint that you would prefer that I sweep you off your feet. Actually, you impress me as a woman who would enjoy such a display of my passion.”

Emma closed her mouth, for she knew that she must have been gaping at him like a caught trout.

“You know, I do not believe that I have ever met anyone with less reason to be so arrogant. You will cease to importune me, sir.” Turning on her heel, she took quick steps to place as much space between them as possible.

“Is it possible that you mistake my intentions?” she heard him say as he came up behind her.

She walked faster. “I do not give a fig what your intentions are, sir.”

“Oh, but I believe you will when you learn that they are completely
honorable
, my lady,” he said as he practically trotted alongside of her.

This pronouncement slowed her pace and she almost laughed at the ridiculousness of this scene.

“You must be mad! I do not even know you. If you think I will feel any different because of your professed honorable intentions, you are seriously misguided.”

Lord Monteford had the gall to look affronted. This time, when she felt his harsh grip on her arm, she was prepared.

Spinning around, she jerked her arm down and then kicked his leg as hard as she could. The impact caused her toes to sting through her soft leather slippers. When he landed on his backside with a thud she looked down at him in complete shock, surprised that her hastily planned defense had been so successful.

Gathering her trailing shawl, she watched his stunned face and thought that this sort of thing was not at all what she had in mind when she had decided to come to London for some excitement.

He quickly scrambled to his feet, and she turned to run from him, but his speed was such that he was in front of her before she could take more than a few strides.

“Not so fast, my lady. You will pay for this insult.”

For the first time, she felt a frisson of fear. Despite the fact that only some trees and hedges separated her from thousands of people, she knew by the harsh frown distorting
his handsome features that he did not intend to let her go so easily.

Refusing to show any of her trepidation, she stared up at him defiantly, prepared to defend her honor in any way she could.

“No, Monteford, it will be you who pays. I suggest you name your second.”

At the harshly spoken words, Emma whipped around and gasped in surprise to see Devruex approaching, some ten steps away. His almost casually spoken words shocked her as much as his unexpected presence. Even in the inadequate light, she could see the cold fury stamped upon his features.

S
tunned by Jack's words, Emma felt incapable of finding her voice. Shifting her gaze back to Monteford, she saw that he looked shocked as well.

“Are you challenging me, Devruex? But this is too droll. You mistake the situation, my friend. Lady Fallbrook and I were just indulging in a bit of high spirits,” Monteford said in a jovial tone of voice, completely unlike the tone he had used toward her a moment ago.

Sorely tempted to kick him again, Emma opened her mouth to call him a liar, but Devruex spoke first.

“I mistake nothing. And you are most unwise to add insult upon insult. Swords or pistols?”

At the implacable tone in Devruex's voice, Emma felt even more alarmed than she had a moment ago. This absurd scene had gone far enough and she felt the immediate need to intervene. “Stop this nonsense! Would the two of you stop speaking as if I am not standing right here?”

Devruex shifted his angry gaze to her. “Emmaline, if you think I am going to let him get away with this, you are terribly mistaken.”

She started to argue when a shrill voice suddenly cut through the air and they all turned to see Mrs. Willoughby rushing toward them in a flurry of plum silk skirts. “You must not duel! You cannot!”

She stopped in front of Devruex, her beautiful face marred by an outraged scowl.

“This is not fair! I will not stand for this! If there is going to be a duel fought then it must be over me! What will everyone think? It is not fair, I say.” She turned to Monteford and stamped her feet. “Monteford, you shall break my heart! After everything I have given you, how dare you insult me in this manner. No! It will not be so! I want a duel fought over me! Lady Fallbrook, it is most unfair of you to steal my thunder like this.”

Struck speechless by such outrageous behavior, Emma fought back an unexpected wave of laughter. Glancing over at Devruex, she saw the muscle in his jaw working and there was a suspicious glint in his eyes. He turned his head and for an instant their eyes met in shared amusement.

Marveling at the vain audacity of Monteford's mistress, Emma shook her head in amazement. “My dear Mrs. Willoughby, I have to say that your inappropriate forwardness is as impressive as Lord Monteford's. The two of you are indeed well suited.”

Mrs. Willoughby closed her mouth midscold and her scowl cleared. For a moment she looked flattered.

Next to her, Devruex's cough sounded suspiciously like a laugh, but Emma kept her gaze on Mrs. Willoughby.

But at Monteford's guffaw, Mrs. Willoughby's face changed again in a flash. “There you go again! How do you do it? You just insulted me, yet your tone is as if you were inviting me to take tea.”

Shrugging, Emma said, “I would apologize, but I find you terribly vexing.”

“Ha! Me vexing? You are not so different from me, Miss High-and-Mighty Lady Fallbrook. I suspect that you would behave exactly as I am, were I trying to steal Devruex from you. Looking back, I now suspect that Devruex's arrival was not a coincidence this morning. Really, it is too unsporting of you to want both of them.”

“Both! Good Lord, I certainly do not want either of them.”

“That's rather lowering to a gent's address,” Devruex said, his deep voice filled with languid amusement.

Emma saw the glint in his dark eyes and felt mortified at her presumption. “That is—er—what I meant to say was that Lord Devruex and I do not want each other—” She stopped, realizing how foolish she must sound.

“Speak for yourself, my lady.”

At this rejoinder, Emma's gaze flew back to Devruex's, and the expression in his eyes had her heart thumping anew.

“What's this? Have you been trying to steal a march on me, Devruex? Maybe I will meet you at dawn, at that.” Monteford's tone was more bluster than threat.

“No! Monteford,” Mrs. Willoughby shrieked, “you must think of my reputation! How could I ever face anyone again if you duel over another woman? You shall break my heart, I swear.”

“Mrs. Willoughby, no one is going to fight a duel,” Emma said sternly. “You are a most curious creature. Why you would find a duel fought over you flattering baffles me. I find the very suggestion insulting as well as uncivilized.” She lobbed a pointed look at Devruex. It was imperative that this talk of duels stop. Why, Grandmère would have apoplexy if such a thing reached her ears, Emma thought in horror.

Devruex met her gaze squarely, but his expression didn't change.

Mrs. Willoughby gave a petulant shrug. “I am sure that is easy for you to say. I probably should not have spoken so to you, but I have always let my temper run away with me. Something I am sure you know nothing about as you are the
perfectly perfect
Lady Fallbrook,” Mrs. Willoughby said scornfully.

“You would not have thought so a few minutes ago,” Monteford muttered as he reached down to rub his leg.

Mrs. Willoughby turned to him and put her hands on her hips. “Monteford, come away-with me at once! I am livid! You shall not fight a duel with Lord Devruex over another
woman. If you do not come at once you shall force me to something desperate—like—like sending a note to your mother. Neither one of you would like that, I'd wager.”

Monteford raised an index finger and pointed it an inch away from Mrs. Willoughby's face. “Now you are overstepping yourself, Sally. You should not have followed me. You know I always insist upon the distinction of rank being preserved. Go back to our party at once.”

“I shall not! You cannot make me!”

Emma cringed as Mrs. Willoughby's voice reached an entirely new octave.

At that moment, Devruex stepped forward and offered Emma his arm. “May I escort you back, Lady Fallbrook? I believe the fireworks have come to an end,” Devruex said with dry amusement.

Hesitating for an instant, Emma looked into his devilish black gaze. Feeling her heart lurch she took his arm. “Why, thank you, Lord Devruex. I believe there have been enough fireworks for one evening.”

A
s they set off down the path at an elegant pace, Emma hardly knew what to say and struggled with the inelegant urge to giggle as she heard Mrs. Willoughby's continued shrieks behind her.

Casting a quick glance at Jack's striking profile, she thought it ironic that he should be the one to come to her rescue.