Читать книгу Rescued by the Viscount - Anne Herries, Anne Herries - Страница 12

Chapter Four

Jack yawned over his brandy as he relaxed in his boldly patterned silk dressing gown, his feet stretched out before him, his head back against the soft leather of the comfortable wing chair in his private sitting room. What he had expected to be a tedious evening in the company of his cousin, of whom he was fond but not in the least enamoured, had turned out to be more promising than he’d imagined.

He had no idea what had made him flirt so outrageously with a certain young lady. Jack’s aversion to becoming emotionally involved with a beautiful girl ran deep and was of some years’ duration. Normally, he reserved his flirting for older—married, or widowed—ladies, who understood that nothing serious was meant or offered. After all, even if he was considering a marriage of convenience, he had no intention of ever allowing a woman to take over his heart and mind, to inflict the kind of pain that he knew could result from loving too much. He knew from experience how disastrous that could be, for he had learned it when very young and seen two people dear to him nearly destroyed by a love that was too powerful.

However, Miss Charlotte Stevens was a revelation. He’d known from the first that she was a bold minx, because of that escapade when she had narrowly escaped being abused by a pair of rogues. Though, in fairness, what was a man to think when a young woman went about dressed as a youth—and, according to one of the men, had been seen climbing out of a window?

Whose window might that be? Jack pondered the mystery, a half-smile on his mouth. Had she been visiting her lover—or was there more behind her reckless behaviour?

Having spent some time in her brother’s company, Jack was inclined to think that her mission might have been in some way related to him, simply because he was not the kind of young man to acquiesce to his sister behaving loosely. Indeed, Jack had seen him frown when Charlotte danced with a man who was known to have questionable morals. He’d been waiting to let her into the servants’ quarters that night, so he must have known where she’d been—but surely he could not condone his sister going out alone in the guise of a youth? It was far too dangerous!

Jack had seen enough of the girl at their first meeting to be intrigued, for she had a mischievous twinkle in her eyes and a way of laughing that caught one’s interest. There had been nothing in her behaviour then, or that evening, to suggest that she was wayward or indeed wanton. Yet in his arms she had seemed to become a different girl. Light and nimble, she moved with him instinctively and he did not recall having felt so swept away by passion while dancing ever before. When their waltz ended and she seemed a little dazed, he’d known an overwhelming urge to sweep her up in his arms and run away to somewhere quiet where they would not be disturbed. His arousal had been almost painful and he’d wanted to shower her with hot kisses and feel the satin softness of her skin as they lay together...but he’d known that he could not treat her in such a fashion. She was the daughter of a gentleman...but was she a lady?

Jack frowned, because the need to question made him angry. He did not wish to think ill of her—but what lady would act as she had? What could possibly have driven her to such reckless behaviour?

He could not bring anything to mind. Surely Matthew Stevens was not so careless of his sister’s safety that he would allow her to go wandering about alone at night...and why had she climbed out of a window? Had she also climbed into the window of a house across the park?

Jack frowned over it as he tried to remember who lived in the houses at the other side of St James’s Park. But of course, he couldn’t be sure how far those rogues had chased her before she ran from the park gates.

Shaking his head, he finished his brandy and thought about pouring another, but decided against it.

He was no nearer to solving the puzzle of Miss Charlotte Stevens, but he had no intention of letting the matter drop. Jack would make it his business to discover more about the family and their circumstances. They were newcomers to the social scene in London. Though they had presumably come to give their daughter a Season, their background might bear more investigation. The best way to discover what he needed to know was to cultivate Matt Stevens’s acquaintance; a few card evenings and a drinking session at the club should prove enlightening, for he believed that the young man would be easy enough to pump for information.

Jack did not consider what his interest in the girl might be when he discovered what he needed to know; it was merely a mystery to be unravelled, which amused him, and a mild flirtation with a pretty girl was never a waste of time, though where it might lead was another matter.

* * *

Next day, Jack saw the two girls walking arm-in-arm through the park and smiled inwardly, as he noted that Julia’s maid was walking some distance behind, as no doubt she’d been warned to do by her mistress. He’d wondered why she’d insisted that she would not drive with him, but would meet him if he chose to walk through Hyde Park that afternoon. Now what mischief was she up to?

He doffed his beaver hat to the ladies, one eyebrow quirked as he saw Julia’s wicked smile. ‘How pleasant to meet you, cousin...Miss Stevens.’

‘Yes, what a surprise,’ Julia said, a challenging smile in her eyes. ‘We are getting to know one another, Jack dearest. You must know that Charlotte is to be my best friend. I love her already and you must be nice to her or I shall never speak to you again.’

‘I am almost tempted to do her some mischief,’ Jack murmured so softly that only the ladies closest to him might hear. ‘Yet I fear she does not deserve it and, worse, you would not keep your word.’

‘You wretch!’ Julia cried and gave him a little punch on his arm. ‘Did you hear him, Charlie? I declare he is not worthy of our notice. We shall walk on alone.’

‘I believe your cousin merely means to tease you,’ Charlotte said and laughed.

‘He is clearly in an odd humour,’ Julia accused. ‘We shall ignore him. Oh, look, here comes your brother. It seems everyone is walking in the park today.’

‘More of my cousin’s plotting, I dare say,’ Jack murmured as he matched his pace to Charlotte’s and his cousin walked a few steps ahead to take Matt’s arm. ‘Somehow I do not think these chance meetings—do you?’

‘It would seem unlikely,’ Charlotte admitted. Her head lifted as she met his eyes. ‘Is your cousin a flirt, my lord?’

‘Oh, most definitely. You should warn your brother not to lose his heart to her. I shall certainly put him on his guard.’

‘I believe Matt can take care of himself,’ Charlotte replied. ‘Julia is a delightful companion, but I imagine her parents intend her to marry well?’

‘Naturally, she is the heir to a sizeable, though not huge, fortune, left to her by her godmother.’

‘As I thought,’ Charlotte said, meeting his enquiring gaze honestly. ‘Matt has a small estate and some capital, though by no means a fortune.’

‘He is surely your father’s heir?’

‘Yes, of course, but Papa...Papa has some unfortunate debts,’ Charlotte said honestly. ‘Whether he will have an estate to leave to my brother is not certain. I have a little money of my own, but we are neither of us a good prospect—unless money is no object. In matters of the heart it does not always matter what one has, does it?’

‘You are very straight, Miss Stevens. Is that wise, do you think?’

‘I see no reason to lie, sir. My mother hopes that I shall make a good match and perhaps be able to help Papa a little, but I would not deceive anyone in the matter of our circumstances.’

‘Some would say you would do better to keep the information to yourself, at least until a proposal is made.’

‘Yes, indeed. I do not shout it from the rooftops, but I have confided in Julia and she is bound to mention it to you, I think.’

‘Julia has few secrets from me. We’ve always been almost as brother and sister.’

‘Yes, she told me as much, which is why I thought it safe to confide in you. Obviously, we do not wish it generally known, for it might spoil my chances, but I do not accuse you of being a gossip, sir.’

Jack looked at her intently, trying to discover why she had been so open with him and his cousin. Was she telling him that she did not consider him a likely suitor, therefore felt it did not matter what he thought of her? Or was she putting him on his mettle, challenging him?

She intrigued him more each time they met and he felt his hunting instincts rise, as if scenting exciting prey. It might be that Miss Charlotte would be interested in becoming the mistress of a man who was prepared to free her father of debt and advance her brother’s prospects...or was he misjudging her? After all, he could not know what had led her to the mad escapade that had so nearly been her undoing.

Hearing a little sound of alarm from Charlotte, he glanced at her face and saw the colour had left her cheeks. She was staring at a couple of men walking towards them and he noticed that her hand trembled on his arm.

One of the gentlemen was Lord Harding and he halted as he saw Matt, lifting his hat. The other man was one of the two rogues who had been pursuing the young woman at his side the other evening, though Jack did not know his name.

‘Stevens, well met,’ Lord Harding said. ‘Patterson and I were arranging a little trip to a new gambling hell of which I am a member—for this evening. I think you would enjoy it, we dine at my house at seven.’

‘No! I can’t,’ Matt blurted out, his eyes staring like a hunted rabbit and a hot tide of colour sweeping his neck. ‘I am engaged to...’

‘Matt is engaged to me this evening for cards and dinner,’ Jack supplied easily. ‘Forgive us, Harding, but we have somewhere to be. Mr Patterson...’

He tipped his hat slightly, but did not remove it. ‘Excuse us, please, I do not care to keep the ladies standing. The air here, you understand, is not fitting.’

His tone was cutting and he saw the anger rush into Harding’s face, turning it puce. The man had a choleric temper and would end by having a fit if he were not careful. Jack’s insult had been deliberate and yet veiled so that although Harding knew perfectly well what was intended, he could not make anything of it, but would no doubt find a way to retaliate another time.

Once they were safely past, Jack looked at his companion. She was still a little pale, but had recovered her composure.

‘You do not like that gentleman?’

‘He...he led Matt into bad ways and my brother lost money he could not afford. What capital he has is in trust, you see, and he has only an allowance from Papa.’

‘Yes, I understand. Do not fear, I shall not allow your brother to gamble for large stakes at my house. We play for amusement only.’ Jack spoke the lie easily. As a rule there was no limit set, but he would make certain that the young man stayed within his means; there were innocuous games of chance that could be played for a few guineas. Some of Jack’s friends might think he’d run mad, but since they were content to drink his fine wine, eat the excellent food his chef prepared and simply talk, they would be happy enough to indulge themselves while he played for shilling points with his protégé.

‘Oh, I dare say he can afford to lose a few guineas, but not thousands,’ Charlotte said ruefully. ‘That was how he came to lose—’ She broke off suddenly, a flush in her cheeks. ‘I am looking forward to the drive to Richmond and the balloon ascension, sir. It was so kind of your cousin to extend the invitation to me.’