Page 5

Armestead Hall

North of Watford

Hertfordshire, England

Edward watched the front drive from where he stood at the floor-to-ceiling window in the portrait gallery.

Many of the guests had broken into smaller groups—some to make paper decorations for the hall, some to compile a list of parlor games they wished to play each night, and some to do nothing more than read in the library.

And one group had decided to make certain everyone knew how to perform the current popular dance steps and were conducting lessons in the ballroom.

He, however, had wanted to do none of that.

Instead, he’d needed a break from his sisters’ constant chatter or the bragging from the men, so he’d retreated to the portrait gallery. It was antiquated and old-fashioned, which meant none of the guests naturally wished to come here… unless they wanted privacy for scandalous endeavors.

That had a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

He wanted the privacy, but as of yet, he hadn’t found a woman to indulge in scandal with; perhaps he wouldn’t during the house party, and that was fine with him too.

As he watched the children cavort on the lawn and play in the several inches of fresh snow on the lawn with their governesses standing by, a traveling coach made its ponderous way up the lane and then turned onto the half-moon drive.

Eventually, the dull black vehicle stopped at the top of the curve.

Once the driver hopped down, he opened the door to the coach and put down the steps.

Seconds later, he assisted a woman out of the vehicle, but she wore a hooded cloak, so she wasn’t immediately identified.

Another woman Edward assumed was a maid or a companion exited next.

They stood there with a breeze rippling the folds of skirting and cloaks while talking to the driver, who gestured toward the house, no doubt trying to convince them to go inside.

Who the devil was that? He’d thought all the invited guests had already arrived days ago. Despite himself, he was curious, and he continued to watch the scene below until the women moved out of his sightline.

Tea wasn’t far off, so perhaps he could keep himself busy until then, or perhaps he’d go bedevil his sisters.

It was rare that they were together at the same time.

Of course, he could convince Reggie to leave his wife’s side and go riding with him through the snow-covered fields.

After all, it was an exercise they used to enjoy together.

The decision was removed from his grasp when Burson found him in the portrait gallery.

“There has been a late arrival for the house party, Your Lordship,” the butler said without his usual preamble. “I thought you should be aware.”

Edward nodded. “Who is it? I saw the traveling coach arrive.”

“Apparently, the roads are quite hazardous with snow, and it took more time than the traveler anticipated.”

“I can believe that, but who is the late arrival?”

“The Viscountess of Havelock. She is a friend of Lady Katherine’s and was invited by her. I informed your sister of her arrival, but she referred me to you as she is busy with her sisters.”

Though he didn’t recognize the title, Edward nodded. “Very well. Where is she?”

“The lady is currently in the entryway, trying to explain to the footmen why she is late and which pieces of luggage are more fragile than the others. I had one of the footmen take some of her luggage as well as her maid up to the guest room she’ll share with Miss Thompson.”

“I see.” Miss Thompson was a younger lady who had tried to gain his attention, for it was no secret she wished to marry a title and wanted an engagement by the year’s end. “Then I shall go down directly.”

“Very good, Your Lordship.” Then the butler departed.

Edward massaged his temples, for yet another megrim was brewing. He might be an earl, but he didn’t enjoy entertaining or socializing, especially when much of it was due to being housebound with all these guests.

By the time he reached the entry hall, he wasn’t in a mood to do the pretty with yet another person, but when his gaze connected with the viscountess’ as she turned to address him, every muscle in his body froze, for he recognized her.

Why the devil hadn’t the butler used her birth title—Lady Nancy?

She stood at an average height with her blonde hair upswept into a messy chignon.

A dress of gray wool paired with an ivory shawl did nothing to showcase her body with curves in all the right places.

She’d just taken off her cloak, for she still held it in her hands.

When last he’d seen her, she had been a willowy slim young girl, but obviously the years had been kind to her; perhaps she was a mother.

Regardless, the change in appearance made her all the more attractive.

He closed his mouth with an audible snap of his teeth.

It wouldn’t do to stare at her as if he were a green youth.

“Lord Armestead.” Her hazel eyes widened as she beheld him, raked her gaze up and down his figure. “I… I’d hoped Kitty would be the one to greet me.”

“She is otherwise engaged at the moment.” Good God, what is she doing here?

The woman who’d turned him down thirteen years ago, the woman he suspected had broken his heart even before he’d known he might have been in love with her?

For that matter, why didn’t he realize that she was friends with his youngest sister?

He’d never told Kitty of his rejection, so how did she know?

“Lady Nancy.” He stared, couldn’t help it, for he hadn’t seen her in years, but she had obviously married if she was a viscountess.

“Uh, welcome. I never thought I would see you again after… er, after our last meeting.” Well aware the butler looked on with curiosity, heat went up the back of his neck.

The shock on her face mirrored the same uneasiness currently coursing through his veins. “That was another lifetime ago.”

Burson softly cleared his throat. “Might I take your cloak, my lady?”

“Uh…” The viscountess looked about the entryway as if monsters would seep out of the woodwork and attack her. “No. Excuse me.” Then she wrenched open the front door and fled outside.

Edward blinked. He glanced at the butler. “That was rather unexpected.”

“Indeed, Your Lordship.” Burson frowned. “Shall I continue to have her luggage brought upstairs? I sent her maid to the servants’ hall to settle in.”

“Yes, continue. I’ll go after the lady and see if can’t bring her to calm.

” Though that would be a huge feat, since she no doubt still despised him.

While Burson’s expression said that might be more trouble than it was worth, Edward dashed outside, following the viscountess down the handful of steps to the curved drive below.

Snow came down with lazy elegance, drifting through the dull gray skies with big, lacy flakes, but while it was an annoyance to be sure, his attention was focused on the woman donning her black cloak who gazed forlornly after the traveling coach that rumbled off the drive and onto the lane that would lead to the carriage house.

“I wanted to go home.” There was such disappointment in her voice that it tugged at his chest. “I suddenly changed my mind; coming here was a mistake.”

How she knew he’d come after her, he would never know.

Perhaps she heard the crunch of the snow beneath his bootheels, or perhaps she felt his presence behind her, but Edward couldn’t help but frown.

“Is it the prospect of attending a house party you don’t like or is it the advancing Christmastide season?

” When she didn’t answer and the snow continued to fall around them, he huffed, and the air clouded in front of him.

“Or perhaps it’s my presence you object to? ”

They would have things out between them, or he would lock himself in his rooms, for he couldn’t survive such a strain over the next couple of weeks, and besides, this conversation was a long time coming.

With a sigh, she turned to face him. The bottom two inches of her dress were wet from the snow, and he hoped she wore half-boots beneath that fabric instead of slippers. “Everything you mentioned?”

He shrugged. “You tell me, Lady Nancy.” Not wanting to seem weak before her, Edward crossed his arms at his chest. “Why the devil would you even wish to be here? Surely you would have known who the host of the event was.” Was he still a touch irritated after all this time that she’d refused his suit?

Of course. Should he have grown as a person and forgotten that slight?

Again, yes, but seeing her again, taking him by surprise had shocked the hell out of him, and the irrational part of his brain urged him to make a cake of himself again.

I can’t do that.

“Kitty invited me, and for the love of heaven, don’t call me Lady Nancy or even Lady Havelock. You and I have history between us, and quite frankly, I have grown tired of formality.”

That only made her more mysterious. “What does your husband have to say about inviting a veritable stranger—and a man at that—to call you by your Christian name?”

“Ha.” When she blew out a breath, the air clouded briefly about her head. “I have been a widow for two and a half years, and even if I hadn’t been, I long ago ceased caring what my husband thought.”

His eyebrows rose in surprise. There was much to assume in that statement, so he started with the obvious. “You are a widow.” It bore repeating and wasn’t a question.

“Yes. I also have a twelve-year-old son.”

“Ah.” He relaxed his arms, and not knowing what to do with his hands, he clasped them behind his back. “Did you bring him? My sisters have several children between them, and he would be in good company.”