Page 3 of An Earl Most Inconvenient (Regency Mishaps #2)

CHAPTER 3

“ D o you think that we might be nearly finished for the morning?” Diana whispered, as the drawing room door swung shut and the room fell silent at last.

“Gosh, I do not know,” Grace replied, pushing a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. “I feel that I should be grateful for all this attention, and all these gifts,” she added, glancing at the table in the middle of the room which was now groaning under the weight of several bouquets of flowers and boxes of chocolates and sweets tied up with pretty ribbons of all the colors of the rainbow. “But I am rather exhausted by it all.” She sat back in her chair with a soft thud and exhaled.

Exhausting was the right word for it, Diana thought, as she rose and poured them both another cup of tea. All morning they had entertained a string of visitors, all suitors vying for Grace’s attention. Despite her sister’s beauty, she had been somewhat surprised at the sheer volume of gentlemen wishing to make their intentions clear following the ball last night. After their unfortunate interaction with the Earl of Silvermere, Grace had managed somehow to find it within herself to be a little more forthcoming. It was as if the earl’s attentions, unwanted as they were, to Diana at least, had increased Grace’s confidence somehow, and made her more willing to engage and dance with other gentlemen who approached her. In the end, Diana had been pleased with how the evening had turned out. But she would be glad when this morning’s visiting hours were complete, and they could have some time to themselves.

“I wonder if anyone else will come,” Grace said, glancing anxiously at the door.

“Do you expect anyone else?” Diana asked. Her patience was wearing a little thin now, replaced by fatigue and a desire for solitude, but she sensed that her sister was hoping for something else, or perhaps someone else, to walk through the door. Of course, the earl had not yet shown his face, but Diana would be astounded at the audacity of the man if he did show up, considering how their interaction the previous evening had gone.

“Not particularly,” Grace replied, but her eyes were still fixed on the door.

Diana, determined to distract Grace from whatever thoughts might be filling her mind at that moment, decided to probe her sister a little on her reaction to the morning’s event. “It is very positive that so many suitors have made themselves known,” she said. “I am sure that there must be a suitable match for you amongst them. Do you have a particular favorite?”

Grace closed her eyes and let out a sigh. “I do not know, Diana,” she said softly. “It is such a big decision, and sometimes I wonder if I am at all equipped to make it.”

Diana smiled. “Well, I will help you, do not worry. We’ll work it out between us.” At least Grace seemed receptive to her guidance, she thought. Her sister could be stubborn and willful, but Diana was sure that she knew best, as her older sister. She had acted as a mother to Grace since their own mother had died, and if Grace would only trust her on this matter, then everything would turn out fine.

A few moments of blessed silence passed, then there was a tap at the door.

Diana let out a resigned sigh, leaning back against the plush upholstery of the settee. “Another one! I am not sure I can bear it!”

Grace laughed lightly, seeming to have come to life again. “Come now, Diana, is it not you who always says that I should make an effort? This gentleman might be the one we have been waiting for all this time!”

The door swung open, and there stood the Earl of Silvermere, two large bouquets of roses in his hands, his handsome face peeking out between them. How dare he appear? Diana felt her heart began to race at the audacity of the man. She forced herself to smile, although it was the last thing she wanted to do at the sight of the odious man. Had he not understood her message to him last night? She would never let him marry her sister. Not in a million years.

But Grace’s smile was genuine, Diana could tell, and her heart sank a little at the realization.

“My Lord, what a pleasure it is to see you,” Grace said in greeting.

The earl dropped a low bow, then placed his flowers on the table. “I see I am not the first to pay call this morning,” he observed, with a wry smile. He nodded towards the flowers he had brought. “Flowers for both of you, of course.” He glanced at Diana, as if wanting to see her response, a flicker of mischief in his eyes.

“Thank you, My Lord,” Diana replied, through gritted teeth. He was being utterly transparent in bringing flowers for her too, seeming to be polite and thoughtful but no doubt only doing it to try and soften her up. Well, it would not work.

“You are not the first, indeed,” she replied. “My sister has had many visits this morning following last night’s ball. Many eligible gentlemen have come to pay court to her.”

“And I am not surprised at all,” the earl replied smoothly. “A young lady of such elegance and beauty will always attract attention. But let us hope that it is the right kind of attention.”

“What can you mean by that?” Diana asked sharply. “I hope that you are not implying that anything improper could have happened?”

“No, of course not,” the earl replied. “I would not dare suggest such a thing, and I am sure it would be impossible in your presence in any case, Lady Diana.”

Diana bit her lip, itching to respond to him but forcing herself to hold back. She wanted nothing more than to tell him to leave, but she knew that that would be unforgivably rude, and potentially open up the floodgates of gossip against herself and her sister. The Earl of Silvermere may have a reputation as a rake, but he was still an earl, and that status alone ensured that he commanded respect in society, whether he deserved it or not.

The earl turned to Grace. “I trust that you had a pleasant time last night?” he asked. “Did you finally bless the unfortunate Mr. Sinclair with a dance?”

Grace giggled. “He is not unfortunate! You should not speak of him like that!”

“Oh, do I have a rival?” the earl said, with a chuckle. “I do not like this news in the slightest.”

Diana bristled at the tone he was taking. “It does not paint you in a good light, My Lord, to speak ill of a perfectly decent gentleman.”

“Perfectly decent he may well be, My Lady,” the earl replied, “but perfectly decent is not very exciting, is it?” He glanced at Grace as he spoke, and she giggled again. Diana thought that she could bear it no longer. She fidgeted in her seat, itching to say something to put him in his place. If ever a man deserved bringing down a peg or two, it was the earl.

And yet, when he cast a glance towards her and held her gaze, she felt that familiar heat of a blush beginning to bloom on her cheeks. She looked away immediately. This man was infuriating—the effect he seemed to have on her! The sooner she could persuade him to leave, the better.

“My Lord, my sister is very tired,” Diana announced. “We had a late night, as I am sure you did too, and this morning has been very busy. No doubt you have important business to attend to today.” She left the last sentence hanging in the air, hoping that he would take the hint, but she could tell from the mischievous look in his eyes that he was not going to give in so easily.

“All my other affairs can wait,” he declared. He got to his feet and strolled casually towards the window. “It is very fine outside. Perhaps if you are feeling tired, Lady Grace, then a walk in the park might revive you?”

Grace gave a little squeak of excitement. “There is nothing I would like more, My Lord! We have been cooped up indoors all morning, and I am sure that the fresh air would do me good.”

“Well, that is settled then,” the earl said decidedly. He stole a glance at Diana, as if waiting to gauge her response. There was something like a challenge in the look that he gave her.

“You are too tired for walking out in the park, Grace,” Diana said firmly. “I think it would be better if you stayed at home and rested.”

Grace narrowed her eyes. “Diana, please do not speak to me as if I was a child,” she said softly. “I would like to take a walk with the earl, and you cannot stop me.”

“What if any other callers should come, though?” Diana went on, aware that a hint of desperation was creeping into her voice. “It would be most impolite if we were not at home during the time for morning calls.”

The earl had the audacity to roll his eyes. “Come now, Lady Diana. Surely there is not a gentleman in London who has not already been here?” He looked again at the table of gifts and offerings. “Your sister wishes to join me for a walk in the park. Will you really refuse her?”

Diana paused for a moment. It seemed clear to her that she was not going to win this battle without pushing the boundaries of propriety beyond what felt comfortable to her. “She may go, but she will need a chaperone, and I am sure all the servants are far too busy.”

The earl’s mouth twisted into a smile. “Well, perhaps you could join us yourself? I can think of no better chaperone.”

Diana sighed in frustration. “I could not possibly. I, too, am exhausted!”

Grace looked at her pleadingly. “Please, Diana. Remember what you always say about making an effort?”

Diana’s mind raced with all the reasons why this proposed jaunt to the park was a terrible idea. Someone might see them and begin to gossip about her sister and the earl. Or her sister might fall into a faint, after the exertions of the morning. But she could see from the look in Grace’s eyes that she was quite determined, and Diana knew that she could not allow her sister to walk with the earl unchaperoned. She would have to agree to the plan.

“Very well,” she said, with a grim sense of resolve. “But we must not be out for too long. The sun will be hot as the afternoon progresses.”

“I am very glad to hear it,” the earl said. “I am sure that a mere half an hour in the fresh air will do you both good. Shall we go?”

A little while later, they found themselves in the park, walking along a wide path through the trees. The sunshine warmed Diana’s skin, and the laughter of children echoed in the distance. It was the perfect way to spend a spring day, but Diana could not relax. Everything the earl said or did rankled her. Grace walked beside him, her head tilted slights as she listened intently to every word he said. Diana trailed a step behind, her irritation simmering just beneath the surface.

The earl had been talking about his estate and how plentiful the hunting and fishing were. Grace had never before shown the slightest interest in such things, but now she was behaving as if it was the most fascinating topic on Earth.

“Your estate sounds wonderful, My Lord,” Grace was saying, a little breathlessly. “I would love to see it one day.”

Diana’s skin prickled. She did not like the way this conversation was going. “Is there anything else to do on your estate besides killing things, My Lord?” she asked, trying to keep her tone light.

The earl turned to look at her. “You sound as if you object to my hobbies, Lady Diana.”

“I object to many things about you,” she said in a low voice, hoping that Grace, who was a little way ahead of them now, would not hear.

“I can tell,” the earl replied. “Although I am at a loss as to how I can have been so unfortunate as to offend you.”

Diana glared at him. “How could I not be offended by all your talk of killing innocent creatures?”

“But you eat game for dinner, I am sure, and enjoy the fish course too?”

Diana flushed. “Of course, but it’s different to kill an animal for fun. Not at all the same as killing animals for food.” She did not like the way he was trying to make her look like a hypocrite, though, and she decided to change the subject. “And the décor on your estate, My Lord, pray tell me if it is as garish as your cravat?”

The earl glanced down at his orange cravat, a look of amusement in his eye. “Oh, you do not like my cravat either? I fear that I will never please you, Lady Diana. It seems a hopeless case.”

Why couldn’t he just leave them alone? Diana fumed inwardly as they walked along the path, their feet crunching on the gravel. She would have to warn him off, she decided. He could not continue under this illusion that his advances towards her sister were welcome, or even tolerable.

But still he went on. “Perhaps you and your sister could come and call on me,” he said, his voice light and pleasant. “Then you could advise me on what changes would be required in order for you to find the décor acceptable?”

“That will never happen, My Lord,” she whispered, so that only he could hear her. “I promise you, that will never happen.”

Grace turned back to look at them. “You are too slow!” she cried. “I am going to walk ahead to the lake. I cannot wait to see it, in this beautiful weather!”

Before Diana could call out to stop her, Grace had strode on ahead, and Diana knew that she could not now call her back without drawing attention to them. The avenue was busy with members of the ton, promenading and enjoying the fine weather. It was bad enough for them to be seen out with the earl, let alone for anyone to think that anything untoward was going on.

Perhaps this was an opportunity, she thought to herself, as Grace disappeared from view along the path ahead of them. She turned to the earl. “I do not know what your intentions are, My Lord, but I must tell you to stop immediately.”

“My intentions?” the earl said, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh, do not play the innocent with me,” Diana said hotly. “I know all about you, and if you think that I will let my sister entertain any serious thoughts of you, you are deluding yourself.”

“I am not sure what you think you know about me,” the earl replied. “But I have done nothing improper with regard to your sister, and I would thank you to cease your baseless accusations.”

His smile had dropped now, and there was a hardness in his eyes that Diana had not seen before. She felt a little intimidated by him, but she was determined to say what needed to be said.

“I will not let you court her, and I certainly will not allow you to marry her,” Diana said firmly.

He stopped walking, and stood still in the middle of the path. It was a little more secluded now, where they were standing, and Diana looked about her a little anxiously. No one else was around. They were alone amongst the trees.

She felt her heart race as the earl stepped closer, his demeanor now serious. “Tell me, Lady Diana,” he said softly. “What is it that you truly fear?”

Diana swallowed, her breath catching in her throat. “I fear for my sister’s well-being. You have no intention of courting her sincerely, do you?”

The earl took another step closer. “And if I do? What will you do to stop me?”

“I won’t allow it,” she declared, her voice steady despite the fluttering in her chest.

“Is that so?” He leaned in, his breath warm against her ear. “Or is it that you are simply afraid of what may happen if I were to pursue you instead?”

Diana’s heart raced, and she felt the heat of a blush creep up her neck. “How dare you say such a thing! I want nothing to do with you,” she insisted.

He moved even closer, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he observed her reaction. “Perhaps you do not want me to marry your sister,” he whispered, “because the truth of it is that you want me for yourself. Is that the real reason that you protest so much?”

Diana felt hot as he stared at her. How dare he speak to her like this? It was not to be tolerated. Her cheeks burned as she tried to compose herself.

“You are talking nonsense, My Lord,” she said, forcing the words out of her mouth. Something about the way that he was looking at her made her want to turn and run, but her feet remained rooted to the spot. It was as if she could not tear herself away from him.

“I would be lying, Lady Diana, if I said that I did not find you attractive,” the earl said, his voice still low. “But the truth of the matter is that you are too uptight for me. Too precious, too pretentious. You think very highly of yourself, I can tell, and that is not an attractive characteristic in a young lady.”

“How dare you speak to me in that way?” she demanded. “I am shocked that you would say such things to a lady, and one who you hardly know!”

The earl laughed, a rather harsh look in his eyes. “The problem is your character, Lady Diana, don’t you see?”

Her anger flared, and she opened her mouth to retort, but he cut her off with another laugh. “But the fact is that it is far too easy to wind you up. I find it rather entertaining.”

“Entertaining?” she echoed incredulously. “You dare treat my sister’s future as some kind of game?”

“Far from it,” he replied. “I am taking the challenge very seriously indeed.”

Diana could think of nothing to say to him in response. She simply stood and stared at him.

He leaned in even closer, his voice dropping to a whisper that sent shivers down her spine. “I will tell you one thing, though. I will marry your sister. And nothing can stop me. Not even you if you offered yourself instead.”

With a smirk, he stepped back, leaving her breathless and confused, unable to formulate a response. Before she could gather her thoughts, he turned and walked away, clearly intending to catch up with Grace and to exert his charms over her as they stood together at the edge of the lake.

Diana stood frozen, her heart racing in her chest. She hardly knew what she was feeling, the whirlwind of emotions swirling within her was so strong. How dare he speak to her like that? A wave of anger swept over her, but she felt a pang of embarrassment too. Was he right? Was she really so uptight? Perhaps that was why she was doomed to be spinster forever.

She pushed the thought out of her mind. She would not let him upset her, she was determined. The most important thing was for her to protect Grace, and not allow her to get swept up in the earl’s intrigues.

But he had unsettled her and she did not like it. The way he looked at her, and that flush in her cheeks that seemed to be inevitable every time their eyes met. The whole situation was infuriating.

She took a deep breath and began to walk after them. She could not allow her sister to be alone with that man, not even for a moment. There was too much at stake.