Page 12 of No Match for Love (Regency Love Stories)

“It is brilliant.” Charlie grasped the back of the chair opposite Lucas and grinned wildly.

“Hello, Charlie,” Lucas said, not looking up from his work. He was in the library today to give his father sole use of the study for estate business. “What is so brilliant?” Did he really want to know?

“My plan, of course.”

Lucas set down the letter, schooling his expression into one of interest. He did not want to offend Charlie, but he was immensely busy. “That plan being?”

“Courting Miss Faraday.”

Lucas’s next breath was tighter than usual. But then Charlie added, “But not truly courting her.”

“Charlie, if you intend to play with that woman’s emotions—”

His brother shook his head. “You misunderstand me. I have no desire to play with her emotions. Quite the opposite. I dislike the idea of having to declare oneself before getting to know the object of one’s declaration, so this will allow me to get to know her first.”

Lucas took in Charlie’s open, excited expression. He had a bad feeling about this. Probably because it involved Charlie and women. He’d already shown himself to be flippant with money, horses, time... Why would this be any different?

Would Lucas care so much if it were another woman?

Of course. That was a ridiculous question.

It was the principle of the thing. It was not honorable to play at courting someone one did not intend to marry.

It had nothing to do with Miss Faraday in particular—he hardly knew her.

Sure, she had been surprisingly kind to the children the day before.

And she had shown a bit of wit when they’d visited her home.

And shown loyalty and humor at the ball.

But that was not enough to know someone or to care if one’s brother courted that someone.

Charlie circled the chair, sitting down. Or, more appropriately, throwing himself down. His brother did nothing sedately.

“Here is the plan.”

“You realize I’ve not asked to hear it.” He picked back up his letter to punctuate his point.

Charlie ignored him and leaned forward, excitement shining in his eyes. “You will come with me.”

Lucas froze, the letter in his hand rustling with the tightening of his fist. “What?”

“If I am never alone in my calling on Miss Faraday, no one will know if I am courting her in earnest. I will be able to come to know her more fully, and you”—he raised his voice as Lucas opened his mouth to respond—“you will have an opportunity to be out of the house more.”

“I am out as much as I need to be.”

“Your clandestine evening adventures every three or four days hardly count.”

Lucas forced the paper down, meeting Charlie’s eyes with a narrowed gaze. No one was supposed to know about that.

Charlie chuckled. “You are not particularly subtle, you know. If you truly wish to leave undetected, I would be happy to educate you.” He raised his hands, palms out.

“But I am not here to judge your actions. Hey, if you come with me, it would make those nighttime jaunts far less suspicious, should Mother or Father come to learn of them.”

Indignation rose. It was not as if Lucas was doing anything wrong when he left.

He just didn’t wish anyone to know just what he was up to.

.. Which, come to think of it, did not bolster his idea that he was doing nothing wrong.

But just because Lucas liked to keep his pugilism to himself did not mean he was doing something improper.

Lucas cleared his throat, picking his letter back up once again. “Charlie, I am far too busy to be privy to your non-courting courting.”

“If I marry, Mother may put off hinting at your need to marry.”

That was appealing but not enough for Lucas to join this harebrained scheme. Lucas would have to marry eventually, regardless.

Charlie sighed, slapping his knees as he came to his feet. “Very well. I shall just have to court her in earnest, I suppose.”

Lucas nodded. Yes. That was just what Charlie should do. He ignored the twisting in his gut that disagreed and instead picked up his pen.

Charlie circled the chair, making for the door. “I can only hope that, in the end, I want to move forward with the courting.”

His pen hovered above the parchment. “And if you do not?”

Charlie shrugged. “Then I will stop. Do not worry; it will not taint our family’s reputation. It would take far more to do that than a failed courtship.”

“But it will taint hers.”

Charlie lifted his shoulders again. “That is hardly your concern.”

That was not true. Anything that happened in Lucas’s family was his concern, and as a title-holding member of Society, he was honor bound to ensure that those within his sphere of influence were also well-looked-after.

Besides, Lucas did not like Charlie’s plan, plain and simple.

He set down the pen, mentally cataloging each of his options before settling on the best. “Five outings. I will join you for five outings. At that point, you must decide whether you want to continue courting her in earnest. Any more than that, and people will begin to gossip over the amount of attention we are both giving her.”

Charlie grinned, rubbing his hands together. “Brilliant. Five outings. You have yourself a deal.” Slapping the top of the doorframe triumphantly, he bounded from the room.

Lucas shook his head at the spot his brother disappeared from.

For more reasons than one, this was not a good idea.

Nothing with Charlie ever was. More than likely, this would end up a repeat of one of Charlie’s many schemes—great or small.

Like when Lucas had been forced to return to the village near their estate after Charlie had forgotten the one thing that Mother had requested he get while there.

Charlie had claimed he would go back after he ate, but the weather seemed to be growing worse, and if Lucas hadn’t gone, it likely wouldn’t have happened.

Or there was that time when Charlie and Marietta—

Pain sliced through Lucas at the unexpected memory of his twin sister. He pushed it down with effort, closing off his mind to more recollections.

He would help Charlie with this. He would help Charlie as he could not help Marietta.

He took a deep breath, swallowing back his emotion and replacing the control he’d worked so hard to perfect over the years. This was why he’d done it. He needed control to avoid pain and to make the best, most clearheaded choices.

Resigned to the future, Lucas picked up his pen again and finished the short missive to Colin regarding the club. The man had a few more potentials for Lucas but wanted to review them in person, which meant another of what Charlie had deemed his clandestine evening adventures.

That was good. Lucas needed a few rounds to clear his head.

Between his memories and the thought of seeing Miss Faraday, he might need more than a few rounds.

A few more afternoons in her company were sure to rid him of this discomfiting sensation she seemed to give him, though.

It was an emotion he could not identify, and that concerned him.

He pushed that from his mind too, focusing on what he could control. His and Colin’s work, his helping Charlie, and a few good rounds of boxing.