Wagered to the Duke (BookStrand Publishing Romance) (33 page)

She slammed both hands on the keys of the pianoforte, making an angry, discordant noise. “So I was
sold
to the duke, like a horse at Tattersall’s!”

“One can be forgiven for thinking that way, but that’s not what really happened,” Anthony countered. “According to him, he merely bought the marker that happened to have your name on it. That’s all. You’re no one’s property to buy, sell, or wager, so it really had nothing to do with you. His Grace has no claim on you, nor does anyone else.”

Of course it had nothing to do with her, and of course Nathan had no claim on her. She knew her brother was right, but her heart sank all the same. Now that she was back in London, safe under her brother’s roof, and Waldrop was dead, why would Nathan want to have anything more to do with her? He was a duke who could have any woman he wanted.

She started playing another sonata, this one by Beethoven. “Why did the duke even summon you?”

“To explain all of this to me, and offer his assurance that you’re safe from Waldrop as well as our stepfather.”

“And that’s all?”

Anthony was his usual, inscrutable self. “He said he hopes to see you at the ball this evening.”

That
was all? She almost hit another wrong key. “I haven’t received an invitation.”

“If he said he hopes to see you, Kate, then that’s an invitation,” said Georgiana, who sat by the fireplace cuddling one of the twins.

“No, it isn’t.” Kate got up from the pianoforte and swept over to the mantel where she plucked a cream-colored card engraved with the Loring crest. “I haven’t received one of these, and this particular one is made out only to you and Anthony.”

“That was before his aunt knew you and your mother were back in London,” Georgiana explained.

“He specifically stated he wants you to come,” said Anthony.

“Did he include Mama in the invitation?”

“I’m afraid not.” He cast a rueful glance at his mother, who sat on the sofa next to Georgiana, holding the other baby.

“I have no desire to go,” their mother declared. “I’d much rather stay here and look after the babies. But if the duke told you to bring Kate, then I think she should go.”

“Maybe he only said it to be polite,” Kate argued as she staggered back to the pianoforte. “If he really wants to see me, then why hasn’t he called on me since coming to London?”

“Pray, why would Loring or any duke pay a call on you?” asked her mother, who, along with Anthony and Georgiana, still didn’t know the truth about what happened on Kate’s journey from York to Derby. Then Anthony might be forced into the awkward position of insisting to Nathan that he marry her, yet Nathan evidently didn’t want to marry her, or he wouldn’t be going ahead with tonight’s ball. “A duke has many duties and responsibilities. Of course he said it to be polite, but surely you don’t flatter yourself that His Grace
really
wants to see you—as if he doesn’t really want to see anyone else. Can you think of anything more absurd?”

She could indeed, but this wasn’t the time to regale her family with the story of what really happened to Kate between York and Derby. She lowered the lid over the keyboard, too forlorn to play anymore this afternoon, and besides, her vision was suddenly blurring, even though she was wearing her spectacles.

“Kate, do come with us,” Georgiana pleaded. “You can wear one of your new gowns.”

Kate shook her head. “I’m afraid I’m not feeling well. Please excuse me. I think I’ll lie down for a while.”

“Kate!” Anthony called after her, but their mother told him to leave her be. Kate heard no more as she rushed upstairs to her bedchamber and threw herself across the bed.

Secretly she longed to go to the ball, just like Cinderella, but she couldn’t bear the idea of going only to see Nathan dancing with other women, all of whom would be much younger and prettier than she. Clearly he hadn’t found true love on their madcap journey last month—or if he’d been looking for it, then he’d apparently been disappointed and disenchanted by what he’d found.

But Kate hadn’t been looking for it, either, yet there’d been moments when she foolishly thought she might have found it.

Once again, her mother was right. He was really only being polite. This wasn’t the first time Kate had been asked to a party by someone who sounded as if they really wanted to see her, when in fact they just wanted more people at the party so they could claim it was a success, because once she was there, the person who’d asked her would favor her with nothing more than a greeting and she was thereafter left to flower the nearest wall.

Well, she wouldn’t give the Duke of Loring—for she had to start thinking of him that way—the same satisfaction. Besides, hadn’t he said it would be too scandalous for him to choose a bride who’d been wagered to him? She couldn’t imagine he’d consider it less scandalous if she’d been sold to him, regardless of what her brother said to the contrary. Let His Grace find his bride from among tonight’s debutantes if that’s what he wanted. He’d be disappointed and disenchanted in the end.

But as she rolled over on the mattress, feeling terribly queasy, she wondered if he would ever feel as desolate as she did now.

Or as silly.

That evening, Nathan dressed up in his formal best and stood next to Aunt Verity, receiving one member of the
ton
after another. It seemed everyone had a daughter in her late teens or early twenties. Not one guest brought a daughter or a sister who was even close to his own age of twenty-eight.

Not even the Baxters.

“She said she was feeling too ill to come,” Anthony Baxter said ruefully. “I begged and pleaded with her…”

“Did you happen to tell her of our conversation this morning?”

“I told her some of it. She was shocked to learn that you ‘bought’ her from Lord Waldrop, even though I tried explaining to her that it was just the marker you bought. I doubt it was even legally binding.”

Exasperation gripped Nathan, and he lowered his voice as he leaned toward Anthony. “Did you not tell her that I asked you for her hand?”

“I wouldn’t let him,” Mrs. Baxter chimed in. “I think it’s better if Your Grace very happily surprises her.”

Nathan had to admit he thought that was better, too.

“Besides, under the circumstances, I didn’t want to tell her that as a means of persuading her to come this evening,” Anthony added. “She insists she’s not feeling quite the thing anyway, so she remains at home with our mother and the twins. You can always call on her tomorrow, if you’re that determined.”

Nathan tightened his jaw, thinking he was even more determined than that. He’d call on her tonight if only he could find a way to escape.

They moved on to make way for the next arrivals, but Nathan scarcely heard the names given to him, as he’d hardly heard any names all evening. He only heard one name ringing endlessly in his head, and most especially in his heart.

Kate…Kate…Kate…

It didn’t help that he was introduced to more than a few Katherines, or maybe they were Catherines. Regardless of the spelling, and for all their beauty and impeccable family connections, none of them was the Kate he wanted.

As the last of the guests filed into the cavernous ballroom of Loring House, Aunt Verity swept up to his side, tall feathers bobbing in her intricately coiffed hair. “Did she come?”

“I’m afraid not.” Nathan swept his gaze over the crush of
ton
as if he still hoped to see her somewhere. Perhaps she might have stolen in from the garden, or a side door. “Her brother informed me that she wasn’t feeling the thing this evening.”

“What a pity,” Aunt Verity tutted. “First Princess Charlotte and Prince Leopold send their regrets, and now your true love. I was so hoping to meet her. Oh well, at least she can’t be indisposed for the same reason as Princess Charlotte.”

“I should hope not,” Nathan muttered as he recalled the heartbreak he’d caused her the night they’d made love. But at the time he couldn’t risk putting Kate in the same condition that Princess Charlotte was recently announced to be in.

“At the very least, we can start the dancing. Who do you think you’d like to dance with first?”

Nathan could only think of one person he wanted to dance with first—the only person he wanted to dance with—or at least stumble around the ballroom with her.

“My dear aunt,” he said, gently laying a hand on her arm, half of which was covered with a long, white glove. “Start the dancing when you wish. I will choose someone later on.”

Aunt Verity’s face clouded. “How much later? Before midnight, I hope.”

“I hope so, too.” Before she could protest further, he swiftly exited the ballroom, heading for the front hall where the doors were still wide open.

As he dashed through them and down the steps, he nearly knocked over two late arrivals slowly making their way up the steps. “Beg pardon,” he said quickly as he continued down the steps and then froze.

Offhand, he could only think of one person—no, two people—who would deign to arrive only after everyone else was gathered in the ballroom. His heart sank as he slowly turned to survey the tardy couple, who’d turned to glare back down at him. At least he assumed they were glaring. It was hard to tell, since it was dark outside and any light came from behind them, spilling out the gaping front doorway and obscuring their faces.

“Where are you off to in such a hurry, Your Grace?” she asked in a very haughty voice. “Did you somehow find out I’d decided to make an appearance, after all?”

Bloody hell and damnation!
Nathan bowed so quickly and deeply, he wondered why he didn’t topple over headfirst and split his fool skull on the steps—not that he was complaining. But he would certainly deserve it in this case.

“Your Royal Highnesses,” he blurted. “Do forgive me. As I’m sure you’ve heard, I’m quite new at being a duke, when I’m really just another savage from Scotland. I’m delighted you came after all. May I offer my felicitations on your happy news?”

Princess Charlotte of Wales marched down the steps toward him, while her husband of one year, Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Something-Or-Other, remained firmly planted on the top step. “Did you just mistake me for a princess?”

He caught a glint of light in her spectacles as he finally recalled that voice by its tone, and he felt his heart soaring as he gifted her with a broad smile. “As a matter of fact, I didn’t mistake you for a princess at all, Miss Katherine Baxter. This probably sounds silly to you, but to me you
are
a princess.”

She gaped at him for only a moment, long enough to make his racing heart trip and almost stumble, but just in time she smiled back and said, “I don’t think that sounds silly at all.”

He eagerly took her right hand into his, though what he really wanted to do was throw his arms around her and never let her break free of his embrace. “I’m so glad you came, only—well, who is that, if it isn’t Prince Leopold?”

“One of my brother’s footmen,” she explained, and she turned to address the manservant. “You may return home now. I know this gentleman, and I can assure you I’m perfectly safe with him…because I’ve always been safe with him before.”

“As you wish, Miss Baxter. Have a pleasant evening.” The footman tugged on his forelock and scurried down the steps, vanishing into the evening mist.

“Your brother told me you were justifiably furious with me for various but valid reasons,” Nathan said.

“I was sold to a duke—as if that’s any less scandalous than being wagered to one—but I felt, since I’d been reduced to mere chattel, that you would only send me away as you hoped to do back in York and return to the business of choosing your bride at this ball.”

“Only I never bought
you
, silly lass. All I did was buy a marker that had your name on it.”

“So my brother told me, but it means if my stepfather can’t pay you five thousand pounds, you can claim me and do as you please with me.”

“Point taken, but I don’t recall dispatching wild horses to drag you here,” Nathan said. “You’re free to leave me at anytime. I only hope you say good-bye if you do, because you didn’t last time.”

Her voice softened. “That’s because I hoped to see you again. And only after my brother and wife departed this evening did I realize how silly I was being. So here I am.” She gifted him with a warm smile as she took his left hand into her own, holding them up alongside their already clasped right hands. “I thought I might steal into the ball after the dancing had started, and then—oh, I don’t know. I didn’t want to meet you again in a noisy receiving line, so I thought I might observe you from afar for a while, like I did at Ellington Hall, and then—well, I’m not sure what I would’ve done next, but I certainly wouldn’t have allowed myself to be charmed by some rogue you would’ve punched. I suppose it would have depended on who you danced with, and how many times.”

He laughed and held her hands against his chest. “You’re the only one I want to dance with, Kate.”

“You mean I’m the only one with whom you want to stumble around the ballroom floor.”

“The only one with whom I want to stumble through life. That’s why I was leaving just now. I was going to rush over to your brother’s town house and try to talk sense into you.”

“Even if I’d been in bed, in my night rail?”

He grinned. “I do believe I’ve seen you in bed already. In your night rail.” For that matter, in even less.

“You’ve seen me in bed, but not in my night rail,” she reminded him. “I believe I was wearing a shirt I borrowed from you. And were you
only
going to talk sense into me?”

“No, I thought I would also do this.” He brought his lips to hers, still holding her hands in a firm grip. Still, he felt her trembling as her mouth avidly yielded to his, letting him taste the warm sweetness he remembered from their journey, and…“Brandy? Have you been drinking brandy, Kate?”