Woo'd in Haste (11 page)

“That would marry you,” he said softly. She stilled. Shocked.

Delighted. Her lips moved without will, curving into the sort of smile that held that secret kind of pleasure.

“Are you
asking
me?”

“God, no! I would never—”

The smile flattened. “You would never wish to ask me?”

“Never consider it a right until I had secured your father’s permission. I know, I’ve gone about this all wrong.” He looked down their bodies, a flush reddening his cheeks. She liked the way his cheeks would turn pink in large splotches with embarrassment. “Bianca, I would like nothing more than for you to be mine.”

“That’s better,” she said. “But of course, it’s impossible. My father will never say yes. Forget about your lack of fortune and family, until my sister, Kate, is married, he won’t even consider letting me have a suitor. Sometimes a woman needs to take matters into her own hands. Do you love me?”

He looked surprised, as if the question was absurd or irrelevant. “Do I
love
you? I have adored you from the first moment I set eyes on you, before I even knew you.”

That secret tendril of pleasure began unfurling within her again.

“Good, then. We’ll elope.” The idea was a nascent one, spontaneous, born of the desire to take their passion to completion, to not have to wait for anyone, especially
Kate
, ever again. It wasn’t wise and it wouldn’t be easy. Luc would no longer have a position, naturally her father would be furious. As a married man, it might not be easy to find a similar position, or one traveling the world as a companion. She had little money of her own, enough for books and ribbons and sweets at the market.

Even knowing all of that, she didn’t care.

“Bea, your father will say yes.”

She laughed. “I love you, but you are hardly suitable.”

“I’m not a tutor.”

“I know.”

“You do?” He seemed so surprised it made her laugh. He was so strong and confident but at times so insecure and tentative.

“It doesn’t define you, Luc. You are so much more than the occupation you take out of necessity. I’d love you regardless of your employment and position.”

“I didn’t mean—”

“You could be a Duke and I couldn’t love you more.”

He grabbed her face suddenly between his hands and kissed her. Such an impossibly sweet kiss. One that told her he loved her with his lips, with his breath.

That love wrapped around her, the way her mother’s arms had when she was still a child, the way she had yearned for an embrace ever since.

“We’ll leave, at the end of the week,” she murmured, thinking aloud. “In the confusion of all the guests taking off. But I’d better go before someone finds us here and ruins everything.”

“Bianca, wait!” His expression was so earnestly entreating that she almost did. But extending this sweet moment might jeopardize all their future ones.

“Till tomorrow, my love,” she whispered and then slipped out of his embrace and out of the curtained alcove. She crept across the now dark room, lit only by a waxing moon, and reached the library door, her heart at once full and light. For the first time that she could remember, everything was right with her world.

“B
ianca, what is the matter with you? You can hardly lie abed all day with a house full of guests.”

Bianca moaned as Lottie’s strident voice cut through the delicious warmth of her dreams, dreams that had been full of Luc, full of his touch, his breath. She buried her head into her pillow and grinned at the reminiscence of last night’s pleasure.

So very wrong, but oh, so right.

The day brought more guests to the manor. Not only did Kate’s other two guests arrive but their neighbors also came for the festivities. Which this afternoon was a picnic with archery and cricket, and any other entertainment spontaneity desired.

She was walking across the lawn with Mr. Bagley, a sandy-haired man of average height with a kind smile, who had arrived only an hour earlier, when she spotted Luc and Thomas emerging from the house and approaching the party. To watch the archery competition, no doubt. Her heart leapt in her chest at the sight of Luc, even at this distance. Even though she wouldn’t be able to acknowledge him the way she would like.

“Do you mind stopping here a moment, Miss Mansfield?” Bagley said. “I do believe that’s my cousin. I had no idea he had been invited. Who is that young boy with him?”

She looked back at Mr. Bagley and saw that his gaze, too, was focused on Luc and Thomas.

“My brother,” Bianca answered slowly, trying to make sense of Mr. Bagley’s words. “But that gentleman accompanying him is his tutor.”

“His tutor?” Bagley turned to her agape. “What foolishness is this? Viscount Asquith, a tutor?”

Viscount?
Bianca longed to ask if perhaps Bagley had forgotten his eyeglass, but she didn’t wish to be rude. However, clearly, there was some deficit with the man’s vision.

“Mr. Dore is hardly a viscount,” she said with a laugh. “My father hired him on the recommendation of our neighbors, the Colburns.”

“Lucian
Dorlingsley
,” Bagley said haughtily, “is the Viscount Asquith, and heir to the Earl of Finleigh. He has been good friends with the younger Colburn since Harrow. I assure you, that man is my cousin and I know not what scheme he is playing at, but he is no tutor. In fact, last I had heard he was still conducting a Grand Tour on the Continent.”

Luc Dore, Lucian Dorlingsley. A coincidence? A black fog settled over Bianca’s thoughts and heart. Why had he lied?

“Shall we go to him then?” she asked brightly. “It must be some lark, some wager, I suppose.”

It was a matter of steps before they were face to face with Luc. His expression seemed to shift swiftly from a happy anticipation to wariness.

“Bagley.”

“So it’s true!”

Luc’s ashen face nodded tightly, confirmation of the news that had already sent her emotions spiraling in dark confusion.

“What’s true?” Thomas asked.

She looked at her brother, who was looking back and forth between them with a furrowed brow. What was she supposed to tell him?

“I—”

“Bianca, let me explain.”

She shook her head. But she did want an explanation. So she followed him when he pulled her aside. And then looked past him blankly, at where Bagley and Thomas still stood, staring at them.

T
he moment he saw his cousin, the bottom had dropped out of Luc’s stomach. Then there was that look on Bianca’s face, wary and pleading, as if she hoped to hear anything but the truth. This was not how he had wanted to reveal himself to her, but he had waited too long and fate had stolen the moment from him.

He took her hand in his. Her gaze snapped up, blue eyes narrowed, and she pulled away.

“You lied to me. You came to us under false pretenses, a false identity. You made love to me as another man! I gave you everything, and it all meant nothing.”

“I’m still me,” he said weakly, under the verbal onslaught. He was unprepared for this, for having to defend himself and his actions, but he shouldn’t have been.

“No, you’re a viscount,” she vented. “Someday to be an earl. You are not the impoverished tutor I thought you to be.” Those blue eyes were welling up with tears. “You took away my choice.”

Her choice. The unspoken significance terrified him.

“Bianca, you have to understand,” he said quickly, “I never meant to deceive you. I’ve tried to tell you again and again.” Her eyebrows raised but she was unmoved. “This whole mess . . . Reggie said your father would never let me woo you until your older sister was married. I just wanted a chance to get to know you.”

“There is a difference between getting to know me and deceiving me. Surely your goal could have been attained through more appropriate means.”

Her tone was cold, growing icier with each word. Though she still stood merely inches from him, she was distancing herself. He had to stop this, make her understand.

He ran a hand through his hair.

“But would I ever have gained such access? The midnight conversations? The rambling walks? It was Colburn’s idea and I stumbled after cautiously, but I am glad that I did. I love you, Bianca.”

“Blame it on Reginald, yes. How even more cowardly of you. So my father might reject your suit. You jump immediately to deception. What am I to think of the manner of man you are? How am I to entrust myself to you ever again?”

Ever again.
He—no, Lucian Dore, impoverished tutor—had had her love. He was intensely jealous. Of himself, yes but no, not himself, of the role he had played.

“Do you have nothing to say?” she pressed and he opened his mouth to speak but she was already turning away.

“What have you embroiled yourself in, Asquith?” Bagley asked, joining Luc as he stared at Bianca’s retreating form.

“Love, cousin.”

“Really? A damnable way to go about it.”

With a sigh, Luc finally turned to Bagley and shook his hand. “Where did Thomas go?”

“The boy? I sent him off to watch the archery. Thought it for the best.”

“Thank you. I’d say it’s good to see you again but . . .”

“Ruined your plans, did I?”

Luc grimaced. Yes, in a way Bagley had, but he could hardly blame the man. He shook his head. “Though I’d appreciate your discretion for the time being, no. The one who made the mistake is me.”

H
e had professed his love before. And when she had heard those words last, her heart had melted inside her body, she had glowed from the warmth of them. Now, she felt a wrenching despair, a mixture of pleasure and pain. She was angry with him. He didn’t seem to understand how devastating this betrayal was. How it changed everything. He has taken away her choice, just as Kate had. With this betrayal, his
love
became a prison as much as her life had ever been. If only he understood, perhaps she could forgive him.

Forgive? She shook her head at her ridiculous thoughts. Nothing made sense at all.

She stalked away from them, reaching the gaggle of guests even as she realized that among the crowd was the last place she wanted to be. She spotted Alice and instinctively headed toward her friend.

“Might I steal you away a moment?” she asked, even as she forcefully dragged her friend away from her conversation with the Stanbury twins.

Bianca marched her across the lawn and ushered her behind the hedgerow to where a marble bench provided a picturesque view of the pond in the distance.

“I’m in trouble,” she stated. Alice, in the middle of settling herself on the bench, shot her a doubtful glance.

“The tutor? I told you nothing good could come of letting yourself fall in love with him. Evil as Kate is, you will not be isolated here forever.”

“But I am in love with him,” Bianca objected before she remembered that at that very moment she was not quite in love. She was far too irate. Still, she had to fill Alice in on all the events of the last three days. “I let him . . . take liberties.”

Alice’s shocked gasp sent a hot blush to Bianca’s cheeks.

“He asked me to marry him and I said yes. We were planning to elope.”

“Where did my level-headed friend go? You have never been the impetuous, reckless one. Always telling me when
I’m
being ridiculous.”

“I know.” Bianca moaned. She was an infuriated, confused mess. “I just . . . at first I thought him forward and odd. Then I realized he was shy and sweet and utterly charming. And now . . . now I think him a complete cad!”

“What happened?” Alice demanded. “Not that taking liberties isn’t caddish behavior, but clearly you approved of those.”

Bianca blushed again. Just the mention of those liberties filled her head with wicked images, with erotic memories that were better forgotten because never again would she feel his hands on her, his mouth . . . oh, dear Lord, his mouth!

“He . . . he lied to me!”

Bianca sat on the bench, as well, and buried her head in her hands, overcome by a new emotion. It was all so embarrassing. Perhaps he was not the dancing master but the whole abysmal situation was nearly as bad.

“Bea? What did he lie about? Is he already married?”

“No!” The idea was so shocking, Bianca sat up. “No, he lied about who he is! He’s not a tutor. Not even remotely. In fact, I’m quite certain his family would be shocked to learn he had taken up such an employment. A future earl working as a common servant?”

Alice choked. “Future what?”

“You heard me. Earl. Mr. Bagley, you met him the other night, is his cousin and recognized him. I cannot tell you how embarrassing that moment was. I had to beg him not to say anything to anyone else. If anyone will unmask the fiend, it will be me. And I’ll make him pay first.”

“Mr. Dore? Heir to an earldom?”

“
Not
Dore. Dorlingsley! Viscount Asquith. Heir to the Earl of Finleigh.” Alice’s eyes widened and Bianca shook her head. “Stop gaping about the fact that he’s titled. Can you believe the effrontery? To make love to me under an assumed name? To trick me in such a way?”

“Bianca.” Alice shook her head in disbelief. “You’re going to be a countess!”

“Hah. As if I’d marry a man who deceived me so.” Bianca paced the length of the room, her fury growing again as she fed it with righteous indignation.

“You mean you would have eloped with a poor tutor of no family and no living, but you would reject him because he’s a future earl?”

Put that way, in Alice’s reasonable tone, it all seemed so ridiculous. Bianca giggled. “Yes?”

“No.” Alice shook her head, laughing, too. “No, you will not reject him. I was wrong when I said nothing good could come of this. At least you were compromised by a quite eligible man.”

“How did he manage to go incognito? How did the servants not gossip? Did no one in the Colburns’ household other than Reggie know his true identity? And Reggie! That mischief-maker. He vouched for Luc.”

“That
is
curious. Oh, another positive aspect is that your father can hardly reject his suit now, can he? He ruined you, after all.”