Page 27 of A Match of Misfortune (Bachelors of Blackstone’s #7)
Cecily’s cheeks burned at his spurious compliment, but Lord Rothsburg laughed and set a hand on his cousin’s shoulder. “I do not doubt it, which is why I feel it is important to mention that I shall take my chaperone duties most seriously.”
Nash’s gaze flicked toward his mother. “Ah, so this is really just a changing of the guards? ”
Lord Rothsburg gave a sharp nod. “Precisely. From Aunt’s watch to ours.”
Nash laughed and gestured Cecily to go ahead of him, then paused. “Are we allowed to walk next to one another, or is that too scandalous a notion?”
“I suppose that is acceptable.” Lord Rothsburg pointed a finger at Nash. “But do not make me regret my leniency.”
Nash lifted his hands as though he’d been warned, then he gestured Cecily through a second time. “After you.”
With one last smile toward Mrs. Markham and Adelaide, she stepped across the threshold, cursing the way her whole body went into a frenzy as Nash placed a guiding hand on the small of her back.
“Hands to yourself,” Lord Rothsburg said with a laugh.
Nash glanced over his shoulder. “You mean to enjoy this, don’t you?”
“Every minute.”
Bridget took hold of her husband’s arm as they started down the front steps toward the carriage. “Oh, do not give them such a hard time. After all, they are betrothed and are therefore granted more privileges than if they were simply courting.”
Nash held out a hand to assist Cecily into the carriage. “Might you enlighten us about some of those privileges? As we are so new to this, I want to make certain we take advantage of them all.”
Cecily stilled mid ascent, glancing down at him with widened eyes.
Here she’d thought his mild greeting when she first saw him this morning meant he was going to behave himself.
She should have known better. Yet instead of looking repentant at her aghast expression, he winked at her!
Why had she ever allowed herself to think this a good idea?
To make a co-conspirator of the most wicked flirt in all of England?
She supposed sound judgment was not typically a requisite to an act of desperation, but it was certainly a consequence of it, and she was regretting her decision more with each passing comment he made.
This was not what she had meant by encouraging him to play the part of two people in love.
The impending conversation she dreaded having with him clearly needed to happen sooner rather than later.
She needed to clarify a few of her own rules.
Realizing she could say nothing now, however, she set her gaze forward again and stepped inside the carriage.
Bridget entered behind her and took the seat at her side.
Lord Rothsburg followed, situating himself on the forward-facing seat next to his wife, while Nash slid onto the bench across from Cecily.
His knees pressed against Cecily’s skirts, the sensation of it regrettably becoming the focus of her attention.
The carriage was made to seat four people comfortably, not five, particularly not with one of them being Nash’s size, and when Fredrick clambered in, the interior felt uncomfortably snug.
The footman at the door began to shut it when something darted inside above their heads. Cecily glanced up in time to see a swallow hit against the window nearest her. The flapping of its wings was startlingly loud in the small space as it attempted to free itself.
“Get ahold of it,” Lord Rothsburg cried, standing and putting a protective hand up over his wife. He was too far to do anything, and unfortunately, he was now covering the bird’s only exit.
“Carefully, though, so you don’t injure it,” Cecily said.
Bridget shrieked when it hit the window a second time, and Nash attempted a grab for the swallow, but with the frantic flapping of its wings, he retracted his hands. It came toward Cecily.
Cecily squealed, ducking. “Open the window.”
Nash did so, and with one last frantic blur of motion, the bird disappeared through it as quickly as it had come in.
The group sat in stunned silence for a moment, the wide- eyed footman standing at the still opened door. “Forgive me, I did not see?—”
“It is not your fault,” Lord Rothsburg said, ensuring Bridget was well with a scanning gaze. His eyes turned on Nash, humor dancing in them. “It is his. The birds have decided they are against him.”
The footman, visibly relieved at the sentiment, gave a nod and eagerly closed the door. The collective gaze shifted to Nash, who was checking his clothing for something. “Honestly. At least this one did not relieve itself on me.”
Rothsburg laughed, and his wife looked at him. “What is he talking about?”
“Yesterday at the docks, Nash had an encounter with a seabird. Right on his forehead.”
Cecily placed a hand over her mouth, but she could not contain her laughter.
The carriage started forward, nearly sending Nash toppling on top of Cecily. Thankfully, he righted himself and quickly closed the window before resuming his seat. He pinned Cecily with an accusatory look. “You find that amusing?”
“You getting mucked on by a bird? I certainly do. Perhaps you truly have lost your luck.” At her careless words, she stilled, only then realizing the implication of what she’d said.
Bridget’s gaze was already on her. “What is this about Mr. Markham losing his luck?” Her gaze shifted to him. “Is that why these bad things keep happening to you?”
Cecily met her concerned look and gave a dismissive wave of her hand. “No, I am only teasing him.”
“I gave her my luck,” Nash said matter-of-factly. “The night of the Darlingtons’ ball, right before the situation with Lady Darlington.”
“That is what you meant by saying you gave it to her,” Lord Rothsburg said as if he now understood something.
Fredrick stared at Nash with a bemused expression while Bridget hummed thoughtfully. “That makes perfect sense,” she said. “I do not know why I did not consider it before.”
“It does?” Nash asked, sounding as surprised by her acknowledgment as Cecily was. Apparently, despite his declarations, he did not entirely believe his own conclusion.
“Oswald has always told me what a fortunate man you are, and yet practically since I met you, it seems quite the opposite is true. To a ridiculous degree. So, tell me how it happened.”
Nash’s gaze turned to Cecily. “She beguiled me with those lovely, dark eyes of hers, and I simply handed it over.”
Cecily scoffed to cover her unease at the falsehood, or perhaps it was at how her heart sped up at his ridiculous declaration.
Either way, she shook her head. “That is ridiculous. As I have said before, you cannot give someone your luck. And even if you could, I did not beguile you. You simply offered it to me.”
Bridget’s lips pursed in consideration. “I have never heard of such a thing—someone giving away their luck—but it is undeniably clear you have lost yours. Which would leave one to reason: like anything lost, you should be able to find it again.”
“Yes, that is what reason suggests,” Lord Rothsburg said with a chuckle.
His wife sent him a frown before turning her attention to the others. “Perhaps we should all put our minds together and come up with ways Nash might attempt to regain it.”
Lord Rothsburg looked far too pleased with the conversation. “That sailor yesterday did say being mucked on by a bird is good luck, and then Miss Bradshaw agreed to marry you. That alone seems like evidence you are already on your way to having it restored.”
Nash shook his head, situating his foot more firmly against Cecily’s as if anchoring himself. It was a strange notion which Cecily immediately put away. Though she did keep her foot where it was, as there really was nowhere else to place it.
“Precisely,” Bridget said, nodding excitedly as if she did not realize her husband spoke in jest. She paused.
“Though I’m uncertain that one actually is true—the part about the bird.
It seems more like something a person would say to alleviate the embarrassment for the unfortunate recipient of the bird’s singular aim.
” She appraised him. “You are not left-handed, are you? I suppose it would not matter, for it is not as though you’ve recently switched the hand you most rely upon for tasks. ”
“I have seen ladies turn a chair three times around before playing cards to ensure they have a lucky hand,” Fredrick offered.
Lord Rothsburg smiled at the suggestion, his gaze shifting to Nash. “Yes, you could take to spinning yourself thrice over each time you are to leave your house.”
Bridget sent her husband a scowl this time.
“It was a helpful suggestion, and unless you mean to do likewise, perhaps you should keep your thoughts to yourself.” She shifted her gaze to Fredrick.
“It is certainly something to consider. Three is said to be a lucky number. Or is it that all odd numbers are unlucky? Perhaps besides three? I know I’ve heard it said that one should never sit down at a dinner party with twelve other guests, as thirteen is the most unlucky number of them all.
” Bridget released a quick exhale. “I seem to more firmly remember what one should do to avoid bad luck rather than those things one can do to bring about good luck.”
“What of a coin or a lucky talisman?” Cecily said, feeling like she needed to offer something to the conversation, as nonsensical as she found it to be.
“Of course,” Bridget excitedly agreed. “I have an uncle who keeps a coin with a hole in his pocket. Occasionally he will spit upon it and wish himself luck. Perhaps we might find a similar object at one of the antique shops on New Bond Street.”
Nash’s gaze slid to her. “At this point, I’m willing to try most anything to get my luck back. ”
Cecily had an unsettling feeling that he had come to his own idea, and that it somehow involved her and the deal they had made.