Page 13 of Not a Chance in Hell (The Chances #6)

April 12, 1840

“Y ou promised me you would behave!”

“And you believed us?” Samuel scoffed. “More fool you, say I.”

Lilianna tried not to smile. “Yes, I’m starting to see that now.”

It was easy to forget sometimes that her brothers were five and twenty and seven and twenty respectively. They were gentlemen—Samuel would be the Marquess of Aylesbury one day—God forbid that it happen anytime soon, like if their father decided to follow in their Uncle William’s footsteps and abdicated his title before death—and they were members of Society. Respected members of Society. At least, they were supposed to be.

And that was why she had presumed that a promise from their lips that they would behave this evening, of all evenings, would be kept.

Why she had been so foolish, she did not know. She never expected much from Frank.

“But I am busy!” Frank scowled, dropping onto the sofa with a glowering expression. “Can’t a girl stay in her workshop at all hours so that she can fix the—”

“No,” came the answer from Lilianna’s lips. She grinned to hear their father chorus with her.

Frank’s scowl deepened.

“I am not saying you cannot spend any time in your… your workshop , for want of a better term,” said their father.

Lilianna watched as her sister glared. “You don’t have to call it a ‘workshop’ if you don’t want to. Call it ‘the room that no one wanted and so when Frank begged for—’”

“But when there is an important family event, yes, I expect you to attend,” continued their father hastily, pouring himself a large glass of brandy. “Myself and your mother—oh.”

Lilianna, standing near the door to the hall, stifled a grin as her mother entered the room, took the glass of brandy out of her father’s anticipating hand, and took a large sip.

“Steady on there, Florence!”

“It’s a b-big night,” said Lilianna’s mother, staring perceptively. “Isn’t it, Lil?”

Benjamin was reading a book in an armchair but looked up at their mother’s pronouncement. “Is it?”

“I w-wish you’d had Clarke do m-more with your hair, d-dear,” fussed their mother, approaching Lilianna with eager fingers.

Lilianna dodged her attempts to re-pin her hair as Benjamin piped up, asking, “But why is it a big evening?”

“You’ve not been paying attention, have you?” Samuel grinned from the fireplace, warming his hands.

Frank was giggling and Lilianna flushed. Well, surely, it wasn’t up to her to explain things to her brother—he was a man, after all, not a child any longer.

“But why is tonight—”

“Mother, my hair is perfectly—”

“I suppose I should pour myself another brandy,” mused their father.

“But why is it—”

“Oh, Benjamin, for heaven’s sake !” snapped Lilianna, pushed beyond all endurance, her nerves frayed enough as it was. “Because the Earl of Taernsby is coming to dinner and he wants to marry me!”

There was silence in the drawing room. Silence, that was, other than Benjamin’s astonished spluttering, Frank’s giggles, the crackle of the fire, and the sound of brandy sloshing in a glass.

“Right,” said Lilianna awkwardly, hoping to goodness they would presume the red in her cheeks was from the flickering of the fire. “Glad we’ve got that sorted. Brandy.”

She wasn’t usually one for strong drink, that being far more the purvey of her brothers, but tonight of all nights it was probably acceptable.

When she approached her father and reached out to take the second glass of brandy he had poured, however, it was made clear to her that it was not acceptable.

“Not on your life,” her father said forcefully, tugging it away. “You’re going to want a clear head for this evening, Lil. Trust me.”

Throwing back his head, he downed the entire glass in one.

Lilianna stared. “And you don’t?”

“Oh, I came to this dinner with a mussed head to begin with,” said the Marquess of Aylesbury with a smile.

Her stare became one of slight panic. “Oh, Papa! Of all of them, I had depended on you to be… Well. Normal. You mean you’ve already had a glass of something?”

“What? Oh, no, no, that isn’t what I meant,” her father said swiftly, placing a reassuring hand on her arm.

Lilianna examined him closely. He did not appear to be intoxicated. It would have been rare for her father in the first place, but he had said…

“Why can’t I ask him his intentions?” Frank was saying behind her to a stuttering Mama. “I just think, the first gentleman she’s ever bothered to ask to dinner—”

“It was just… Well. I am nervous,” said the marquess.

Lilianna’s attention snapped back to her father. “Nervous? You , nervous?”

She could not recall the man ever being nervous before. He was her father. He was Papa. He was always tall, and proud, and strong.

The Marquess of Aylesbury nodded ruefully. “Well, I… Ahem. No one has ever come to actually take my daughter away from me. You’ve always been very good at batting them back, but now…”

He looked a little lost.

Lilianna’s affection swelled as she threw her arms around her father’s neck and kissed him on the cheek. “No one is taking me away from you. Not truly.”

And that was when the jangling sound of the doorbell echoed through the house.

Lilianna stiffened.

“Hell, he’s here!”

“ Samuel !”

Her mother’s remonstrance to her brother continued, but Lilianna could not concentrate as she released her father and gave him a nervous smile. “You are not the only one who is tense,” she confessed.

Her father grinned and brushed a lock of her hair from her eyes. “That’s a good sign, if you ask me. I was terrified of impressing your mother when I knew I loved her.”

“When I knew I loved her.”

It was the sort of sentence Lilianna wished she had time to consider, to ruminate on, to ask her father precisely what he meant—but there was no time. The door to the hall was opening and in stepped Humphreys accompanied by—

Her breath caught in her throat.

Well, he did look particularly handsome, dressed like that. The finest of suits with the most expert of tailoring, his hair finely coiffed in a way that felt far more formal than she’d ever seen, and—was that a gold pocket watch chain?

“The Earl of Taernsby, my lord,” said Humphreys stiffly.

Lilianna gave the servant a nod before stepping forward. She’d had a talk with the butler, with all the servants, that very afternoon. If the family was going to disgrace themselves, and she had a horrid feeling that they would, the servants at least would treat tonight with the solemnity it deserved.

Humphreys bowed, took a step back, then winked behind Arthur’s back before leaving the room.

Forcing herself not to sigh— could no one in this place be trusted? —Lilianna instead curtseyed to Arthur, who bowed in turn.

“My lord,” she said softly.

“Lady Lillianna,” he returned.

Just those three syllables were enough to make her legs quiver, but as she straightened, Lilianna concentrated on not quite meeting his eye.

That would be the end of her, she knew. And as she appeared to be the only sane one of the lot.

“C’mon, then, let’s have it out!”

Lilianna gasped as her eldest brother strode forward and nudged her out of the way. “ Samuel !”

“And who are you, then?” asked Samuel sternly, glaring at the newcomer. “Come to bewitch my sister and take her away?”

“I rather think that’s my job, son,” said their father with a smile as he stepped forward. “Aren’t I supposed to be the one who speaks to the man?”

Frank raised her hand. “If anyone should interrogate the blighter, it should be me!”

Lilianna groaned, lifting a hand to her temples in exhausted disappointment. After all her preparations, and their promises to behave…

“F-Frank, it really should be your f-father,” their mother was saying.

It did not appear to matter. Frank had risen from the sofa and elbowed their brother away from the bemused earl. “I’m her sister, and I’m the one who knows her best! How do you intend to keep her happy, eh?”

“ Frank ,” hissed Lilianna under her breath, trying to tug her sister away. “This really isn’t the time for—”

“‘Frank’?” Arthur said with a slight frown. “But I thought—aren’t you Frank?”

Lilianna glanced around at the brother to whom Arthur was referring.

Benjamin blinked up from his book. “Sorry, got lost in my novel—who are you?”

If they were purposefully attempting to disgrace her, they could not have done a better job. Lilianna wondered if it were possible to disown the lot of them and just—well. Marry Arthur.

She swallowed the rising panic and confusion. Not because she was in love with him. No. Most definitely not.

When she turned back to their guest, her sister was explaining the confusion.

“—but I never liked Francesca —”

“Such a p-pretty name,” said their mother, who was clutching her brandy glass on the sofa. “My b-babies are all grown up.”

“—so I’m Frank,” said Frank inflexibly. She glared up at the interloper. “Is that a problem?”

Lilianna swallowed. So many gentlemen attempted to coddle Frank, to treat her like a delicate flower. She was more a wrench than a wisteria.

“No, I don’t think so,” said Arthur airily with a shrug. “What do I care what you call yourself?”

Frank’s eyes widened. “You… You don’t think it is unladylike, uncouth, and without charm?”

“ Frank !”

“Well, that’s what you said last week, Papa,” she said with wide-eyed innocence.

A slow smile started to creep across Lilianna’s face as Arthur snorted.

“It may be unladylike, uncouth, and without charm,” he said easily. “But if you like it, I don’t see what anyone else’s opinion has to do with it.”

Lilianna watched as her sister beamed.

“ See , Papa!” Frank said triumphantly. “And he’s an earl, so I would say that’s one for and one against. You’re acceptable, Taernsby.”

“Thank you, Frank,” Arthur said with a grin, as though daughters of marquesses who demanded boys’ names and then immediately addressed him as if they were his equal were an everyday experience for him.

“Can I get you a drink, young man?” asked the Marquess of Aylesbury. “Something strong to fortify yourself to deal with this rabble in which you’ve found yourself?”

It was like watching a play. Lilianna did not wish to interfere, not all the time, at least, and it was important to her that he could survive this on his own. If… Well, if she were to accept his advances and finally agree to be Arthur’s wife, then this would be the family he would step into. A loud, rambunctious, often nonsensical family.

And this was only their branch of the Chance family. Her father’s three brothers had their own varieties of foolhardiness to contend with.

Arthur inclined his head, evidently grateful at her father’s suggestion. “That would be most pleasant, thank you.”

“What tipple do you favor?” asked her Papa, striding over to the drinks’ cabinet and waving aside a footman who had appeared, almost like magic, to be helpful. “I have brandy, port, whiskey, wine…”

Lilianna caught her mother’s eye and beamed as they watched. It wasn’t a test, not really, but at the same time, it very much was. There was only one right answer to this, and Lilianna prayed Arthur was smart enough to see it.

Arthur had followed the Marquess of Aylesbury over to the drinks cabinet and was perusing the numerous bottles within it. No, that isn’t right. He needs to say—

“What would you recommend, my lord?” Arthur asked quietly, looking up at his host. “I am happy to be guided by you.”

Both Lilianna and her mother breathed sighs of relief.

The marquess beamed. “Oh, the brandy, most definitely. Its rich smoothness is perfect for a spring afternoon like this! The honey notes of this ’47—”

“I adore the ’47. It’s one of my requirements for a good dinner,” said Arthur jovially. “But have you tried the ’56, my lord?”

The knot in Lilianna’s stomach unwound itself as she watched two of the men who meant the most to her converse happily.

“I’d be more than happy to send a set of six bottles along to your butler, with my compliments,” Arthur was saying.

“That is most generous of you, my lord.”

“Oh, please, call me ‘Taernsby,’” he said with a charming smile.

With the way his shoulders relaxed, the dimple in his cheeks, Lilianna saw her father’s approbation gained in that moment.

“And you must call me ‘Aylesbury.’ Everyone does,” Papa said with a laugh. “Brandy, Samuel?”

“Please, Papa.”

“Here, let me,” said Arthur swiftly.

Picking up his own glass and accepting the fresh one that his host had just poured, their guest for the evening strode across the room to the fireplace, where Lilianna’s oldest brother had returned to warming himself.

“Thank you,” Samuel said stiffly.

Arthur inclined his head then held his glass out for a small toast. Just as her older brother lifted his own in return, his mouth moving, Arthur also muttered something she did not catch.

Lilianna glanced at her mother, who mouthed, “What did they say?”

She only had time to shrug before both Arthur and Samuel were crowing with delight, clapping each other on the backs, and generally treating each other like long lost-brothers.

What on earth?

“I had no idea you were also a member,” Samuel was saying eagerly. “There aren’t that many of us in Bath.”

“I suspected you were from the moment I saw your cufflinks,” Arthur returned with a dry laugh. “It seemed too good to be true, but I thought I would try the code word.”

“Terrible shame we haven’t made your acquaintance before,” said Lilianna’s brother cheerfully. “Lil, he’s a—”

“Member of that silly secret club of yours,” supplied Frank from the sofa, a glare of concentration on her face as she frowned at her notebook. Where she’d pulled it from, Lilianna could not guess. “The one that doesn’t allow ladies.”

Oh, of course . Understanding dawned in Lilianna’s mind as her eldest brother and Arthur chattered away happily, swapping stories of how they had joined.

Well, she could never have predicted that. So, that was her sister, her father, and one of her brothers swiftly charmed. He had already, of course, charmed her mother at the concert. Arthur was working even quicker than she could have predicted.

Lilianna swallowed, sipping the glass of wine that her father had brought over to her. It was all going so… so well. Better than well. Better than she had hoped.

But that still left…

Her mother asked Samuel a question about this secret club of theirs, one her brother at great pains tried to explain that he wasn’t permitted to explain, and Arthur meandered across the room to the armchair where her younger brother was seated.

Lilianna’s shoulders tightened. Benjamin’s reputation was not as it should have been, to the constant chagrin of their parents. He did not appear to be able to stop himself from getting into scrapes. He was, in a way, the perfect companion for the Earl of Taernsby, who appeared to have bedded half the country.

But she knew Benjamin. He was soft, and sensitive; he wouldn’t respond to the roguish secret club guff that their elder brother loved so much.

Benjamin stiffened with awkwardness at the stranger’s approach, placing a bookmark in his novel and looking up warily.

“Are you enjoying the book?” Arthur asked politely. His voice was quieter, now, softer, modulated differently. “It’s The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe, isn’t it? I adored her A Sicilian Romance .”

And in that moment, her final sibling was won over.

“Have you read it? I have found it most difficult to find a copy—the lending library here in Bath is subpar,” said Benjamin eagerly, brightening up.

“I have a copy signed by the author, as it happens,” Arthur said, dropping into the companion armchair and nodding. “Yes, I was fortunate enough to encounter someone who had met her before she passed on one of my trips to Italy, and when I asked them what she had said about the setting…”

“He’s d-doing v-very well.”

Lilianna turned at the soft words to her mother, seated beside Frank.

“A little too well,” grumbled Frank.

“Th-There’s no such thing as too w-well when it comes to m-meeting a family,” their mother said, chiding her daughter. “And he is imp-portant t-to you, isn’t he, Lil?”

Lilianna swallowed. She turned back to her youngest brother, who was gesturing wildly now as his discussion on novels continued with Arthur Nelson, Earl of Taernsby.

Yes, he was important to her. Far more important than she liked to admit. Here was a man who had been warm yet not condescending with her sister, respectful and generous with her father, laddish and bold with Samuel, sensitive and cultured with Benjamin. All he had to do now was marry her, and her mother would adore him for all eternity.

There was so much to this man—but a part of her could not help but wonder whether any of the facets of Arthur she had seen this evening were true. Were real. Were him.

“You’ll have to borrow the volumes,” Arthur was saying.

Benjamin’s eyes widened. “No, I couldn’t possibly. Signed by the author? I wouldn’t dare!”

“I’ve gained a great deal of enjoyment from them and I see no reason why you shouldn’t, either,” said Arthur firmly. “I insist. Enjoy them!”

“Gosh, that’s very kind of you.”

The dinner gong echoed from the hall, halting their conversation.

“Oh, good, food,” said Lilianna’s father, who looked to her mind as though he’d had quite enough brandy for one day. “My dear?”

The Marchioness of Aylesbury rose in a rush of silks and smiles, and Lilianna could not help but smile to look at her. Her parents had truly been made for each other. The story of how they had found each other had been told so many times she could almost recite it.

Her pulse lurched. And was this part of the story she would tell one day… to her own children?

As though he could read her thoughts, Arthur was grinning when she looked up to meet his eye. “Shall we?”

She had never been taken through to dinner by a gentleman who was courting her before. Lilianna hated how her hand shook as she placed it upon his arm, and she tried not to notice Frank’s smirk as her sister rose and took Samuel’s arm.

The dining table was resplendent. Lilianna had been most careful in her instructions to Cook and Humphreys, and both had surpassed themselves. The silver service gleamed in the brilliant light of copious candles and candelabras, the floral decorations astounding and the pineapple atop the central display truly impressive.

“You’ve gone all out for me,” muttered Arthur with a grin as he helped her to a seat.

“Don’t be silly,” Lilianna said archly as she sat. “We dine like this every day.”

But her cheeks flushed as he lowered himself into the seat beside her.

Surely, he could see that it was for him, that she wanted to welcome him into the family, to show him what living as part of the Chance family was like.

“Ah, thank you, Humphreys,” her father was saying as the butler poured Lilianna’s mother a glass of wine. “I must say, the place looks—”

“Completely normal,” Lilianna said, the heat in her cheeks blossoming as she felt Arthur’s eyes on her. “Thank you, Humphreys.”

The butler grinned. “Anything you wish, Lady Lilianna.”

The footmen stepped forward as one and began to serve the family. Frank was chattering away with Benjamin about the need for reform within the world of engineering—“I mean to say, if we prevent ladies from entering the field, are we not halving the ingenuity of the pack in a stroke?”—while Samuel was talking about politics to their father, their mother listening in sagely and interjecting at all the right places.

Lilianna looked at her plate and nodded to herself approvingly. Roast pheasant with a plum sauce and roasted vegetables to start. Excellent.

It was all going to plan.

“So, are we on schedule?”

She started at the soft whisper from her left, and smiled at Arthur, who returned it. “I am sure I don’t know what you mean.”

“You know exactly what I mean,” he retorted. “I know you, Lilianna. You like order, you like a plan. This evening—it’s all been planned out, hasn’t it?”

Of course it had been. Did the man think a spectacular dinner like this just happened by accident?

“I couldn’t say, I’m sure,” she said, sipping her wine. The heat and flare of the spices in the red wine could not beat the heat in the man’s stare.

Arthur took a bite of his pheasant and moaned slightly with delight, which was not particularly helpful in calming Lilianna’s racing pulse. “This dinner is absolutely delicious. I’ll have to send my cook round to beg for the recipe.”

“Or I could just send Kay around with it,” Lilianna shot back in a low voice, laughter dancing in her tones. “She knows the way, after all.”

Arthur rolled his eyes. “You’re never going to let me forget that, are you?”

“Most definitely not,” she said quietly.

No, she did not wish to forget a single moment of this. Of any of it. This was to be her love story, Lilianna was starting to realize, and it was perfect.

“You’ve charmed my family.”

Arthur grinned. “Good. That was my intention.”

“Such different things to different people. I was dazzled by the variety,” Lilianna said lightly as Frank slammed her cutlery down and started sniping at their brother. “I suppose the question is, who are you, really? The charmer, the lout, the great reader?”

Sipping his wine before answering, Arthur winked. “Whoever you want me to be, Lady Lilianna.”

Grinning as though he had spoken the most amusing joke of all time, he returned to his pheasant.

Lilianna could not eat another bite. Her mouth was dry, her appetite gone.

“Whoever you want me to be, Lady Lilianna.”

“I was afraid of that,” she said quietly, turning away to mutter something to a footman.

It had been a convenient excuse—that candlewick really did need trimming; it was almost criminal that Humphreys had let it go on like that—and out of the corner of her eye, Lilianna could see that Arthur, rather than looking self-congratulatory at his winning remark, instead looked crestfallen.