Page 23 of No Match for Love (Regency Love Stories)

Danby nodded slowly, almost to himself. “I think I shall seek an introduction. Would you do me the—”

“Excuse me, Danby, I believe my mother is needing me.” He escaped before being forced to help Danby further his acquaintance with Miss Faraday.

Since he’d said it, he needed to follow through, so he crossed to the corner of the room in which Mother was conversing with the Haddingtons and Lord Allston, another young man near Lucas in age.

Come to think of it, there was an overwhelming number of young men at this party.

Usually, it was the opposite as Mother subtly tried to offer marital options to her sons.

He frowned a bit. What was she up to?

“Ah, Lucas,” Mother said as he approached. “I was just telling Lady Haddington about your thoughts on the working class that you’d expressed the other night. She is founding a charity and was very interested in what you had to say.”

Lady Haddington nodded. “I have long told my husband that these people cannot possibly survive on the little they make—and for such menial jobs. Children even. Why, Lord Haddington might soon be attempting to garner support for a bill to prevent the hiring of children. The things they are allowed to do—it’s despicable! ”

“Indeed it is,” said Lucas, “but if you take away a child’s ability to work, many families will suffer even more. We must address the problem elsewhere. In the wages. And the working conditions. And—”

“Oh dear, I wish I had brought my book with me,” Lady Haddington cut in. “I have a book, you see, where I keep all my ideas. Dear, did you bring it, by chance?”

Lord Haddington had been staring over his wife’s head, clearly not paying much attention to the present conversation. “What? Oh, ah, no, I did not.”

“Dear me. Perhaps I can call on you later to hear more of your thoughts. I can bring my daughter; I am absolutely certain she would be fascinated with the subject.” Her voice was well-practiced, with an oily slyness to it.

Ah. So this was truly about the woman’s daughter.

And likely her matrimonial prospects. How different this faux interest in helping others was to Miss Faraday’s kindnesses.

The way she’d tended that woman’s wrist the night before and remembered the young children said a lot about her genuine nature.

And just like that, he’d fallen back into thinking of Miss Faraday.

Lady Haddington was watching him expectantly.

Right. Her daughter. Not wishing to be caught in the woman’s machinations, he said only, “My mother is well-versed in my opinions and would certainly share them with you when desired.” He caught his mother’s eye and saw the humor there.

She pressed her lips together in amusement.

He was less amused but did not blame her for being entertained.

Lord Allston took that moment to enter the conversation that, until then, he’d only been a bystander to. “Lady Cheltenham, you said that woman’s name is Faraday? Is she, by chance, connected to the Faradays of Dover?”

Yet again, Lucas was caught in another conversation surrounding Miss Faraday. He prepared to extricate himself.

“I do not know, Lord Allston, but you are welcome to ask her.”

“I do believe I will. Might I prevail upon you for a formal introduction?”

“Certainly.” Mother caught Lucas’s eye as he retreated. “My son would be happy to provide the introduction.”

Blast.

“Ah, thank you. After you, Lord Berkeley,” Allston said sedately, gesturing him forward.

Lucas briefly considered feigning deafness.

Was this part of his mother’s attempts to push Miss Faraday and Charlie together?

Introducing the woman to umpteen men seemed a poor way to make Charlie want to court her in earnest. If Charlie felt at all like Lucas, it would push him to the bodily harm of said eligible men.

He gritted his teeth then stalked in the direction of the dancers.

Lord Allston followed him to where Miss Faraday was now dancing with Lord Danby.

Apparently the man had found his introduction.

Wonderful. Lucas stood several feet away, waiting for the current song to end while Allston clasped his hands behind his back, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet.

For some reason, the action grated on Lucas’s nerves, and he was just about to beg the man to stop the movement when the music came to an end.

Miss Faraday stepped back from Lord Danby, but he was apparently not willing to let her go just yet.

“Miss Faraday, I truly cannot believe our paths have not crossed before now, but I am determined to have them do so in the future. What would you say to a ride in Hyde Park tomorrow?”

Miss Faraday’s jaw slid to the side in thought. “Ah, tomorrow. No, I do not believe I am available.”

“No matter. The next day?”

“Actually”—she dragged the word out—“the last time I took a ride, I found myself sneezing for days. I do not know that a closeness to horses would be particularly prudent just now.”

Lucas had not known she’d suffered from their ride.

Lord Danby opened his mouth, but Miss Faraday’s eyes alighted on him.

“Lord Berkeley!” She made for him with alacrity, and Lucas was momentarily dumbfounded by her delighted expression as she crossed in front of him.

“Your mother told me the garden blooms are just perfection right now. Would you escort me?”

Lucas blinked at her. In all their acquaintance thus far, she had not once tried to sequester him alone or act as other women often did.

There had to be some reason she was acting so now.

“Certainly,” he said, thankful that none of his surprise bled into his voice.

“Ah, first, Miss Faraday, may I introduce Lord Allston? Lord Allston, Miss Faraday.” Considering his duty completed, he held out his arm to Miss Faraday and escorted her out the open drawing room doors.

Once outside, Miss Faraday blew out a breath, glancing over her shoulder before saying in an undertone, “I promise I will not rely on your rescue indefinitely.”

“Were you in need of rescue?” he asked as they entered the first row of hedges. The moon was full, and silvery light bathed the walled garden, revealing a stone walking path through the hedges lined by flowers.

“Yes, thank you. I promise not to keep you out here long. Only a few minutes, then we might return, if that is amenable to you?”

If she was not going to offer, he would not pry as to why she needed rescue, but he hoped it was because she did not wish to continue dancing or conversing with Danby. “Yes, that is agreeable.”

“Wonderful.”

They crossed through the garden in mutual silence.

Lucas glanced over his shoulder at the party.

It seemed to have continued without much care for two of the group missing, though someone appeared to be standing in the framed light of the drawing room doors, looking out.

He turned back to Miss Faraday at the same moment she muttered, “Drat.”

“Is everything well?” he asked.

“Yes, yes, just a frustrating rock has lodged itself in my shoe and—” She grunted a little as she kicked her foot. “Impractical slippers. Just a moment.” Suddenly she dropped down to a crouch in the middle of the path, digging within her shoe.

Unsure what he ought to do, he shifted his weight, looking around. Whoever had stood in the drawing room door was gone now.

“Drat it all, there’s more than one,” she murmured to herself.

“Do you think you have a sensitivity to horses then?”

“What?” The word was muffled as she bent over. “No, not at all.”

Just then, Lucas’s eyes caught on another shadowed figure making its way through the garden to them.

Likely, his mother had decided they were too long alone.

Except... the figure was distinctly male.

And it had come from the side of the house, not the terrace.

As a precaution, Lucas stepped in front of Miss Faraday’s crouched form.

His eyes remained focused on the person—a man, he was nearly sure of it—coming toward them.

“Aye, well this is the first spot a luck I’ve ’ad this evening,” the man said.

He was not far now, and Lucas’s shoulders lost some of their tenseness as he recognized Colin but not all of it, both because of Miss Faraday’s presence and because it was highly unusual for Colin to seek Lucas outside the club or Sperry’s office.

“Colin,” Lucas said, glancing down at Miss Faraday. Their eyes caught for the briefest moment. Hers were wide and confused.

“I apologize, Lucas, but I cannae wait or send a letter. This problem is far too big not ta address now. Patrick’s just arrived at the club, and he’s in real bad shape—” Finally, Colin pulled up short, noticing Miss Faraday. His brows shot up. “Apologies again, I dinnae realize ye were not alone.”

Miss Faraday shot to her feet, gaze swinging between them. “None necessary.” Her eyes landed on Lucas. “I will see myself back to the house so you can converse with your... friend.”

“No.” Lucas did not need much time to realize that was not a good option.

It was ungentlemanly, for one, but more than that, it caused more problems than it helped.

Miss Faraday already had suspicions of him, and this would exacerbate them if he did not have a chance to speak with her first. The party would wonder where he went, and someone might come out to find him.

Several scenarios ran through his head in seconds. None of them worked particularly well.

“Colin, go to the servants’ entrance and have Cook put you in the—no, that will cause too many questions.” He ground his teeth, trying to find the best option.

“I truly do not mind—” Miss Faraday began.

“No. Just a moment, I will...” Lucas trailed off. Why could he not grasp control of this situation? He was generally so capable of doing so and quickly.