Page 29

T o his annoyance, Piers found it difficult to remain angry with Belinda for long.

She was so earnest, so anxious to please him, that it felt churlish to punish her for calling him a rake.

It was hypocritical anyway when he’d been determined to be seen as one.

It was a long way from Devon to London, with several stops for refreshments and to change the horses—it would have taken too much energy to spend all those hours in a foul temper.

Once Belinda had apologized, and he’d accepted, he found himself very comfortable with her company, and there was no lack of conversation.

She told him all about her family background and revealed what she knew of her sister’s attempts to find herself a husband before they both lost their home and their social standing.

Piers had rather hoped that she’d trust him enough to tell him about Lieutenant Coyle.

Even though the man was dead, he still felt an inexplicable urge to punish him for taking the innocence of a young woman barely out of the schoolroom.

If the man was going to make her his, he should have provided for every eventuality—including that of being drowned.

Neither she nor her sister should have had to fend for themselves.

They had, however, done an extremely good job of it, because no word had ever reached his ears of any scandal touching them.

Araminta’s late husband had been a brute, by the sound of it.

He hadn’t taken any care of the ladies under his roof and had drunk and debauched himself into an early grave, without making any proper provision for those he ought to have protected.

As Piers listened to Belinda, he realized one should not judge on first impressions—everyone had their story and had been shaped by their trials as well as their triumphs.

Initially, one should give everyone the benefit of the doubt.

“Your new resolution to be open and honest in all your dealings with people is a good one, Belinda. It means you will have no skeletons in closets, and you need not let what you have done and what has happened to you in the past undermine what you try to do in the future.”

At that point, the carriage jolted, and he glanced out the window to see where they were.

“It looks like Hatfield. It’s high time they dealt with the highway here—what’s the point of toll roads if they’re not kept up to scratch?”

Belinda was leaning back in her corner opposite, looking exceedingly weary. It must be so much harder for a delicate young woman to travel than it was for a fit and healthy man. If she fell asleep, it was no great matter. She would at least be refreshed by the time they arrived at Forty Court.

“Thank you for listening to me, Piers. I confess—you’re a bit of an experiment. Having decided that I am going to be a well-behaved young lady from now on, and be honest in all my dealings, I decided to start with you. Fortunately, you don’t seem to have judged me, which was what I was afraid of.”

“I shall endeavor not to do so, not now, nor at any point in the future. We have all done things of which we’re not proud— but there’s no need to atone for them for the rest of our lives. We learn our lesson, and we move on.”

She met his gaze steadily, her expression earnest. “I’m learning so much from you. Thank you. Who would have thought we would ever be in such accord?”

He threw his head back and laughed. “Who would have thought it, indeed! But I must ask you to temper your honesty a little. Many people in London Society will take advantage of your openness—it’s always advisable to hold a little bit back.

It would please me greatly if you didn’t tell your sister too much about our dealings in Devon.

Word will get back to the earl, and I’m concerned about his reaction.

I don’t want another Chetwynd challenging me to a duel! ”

Belinda gasped. “Oh! I had never thought of that. Well—I don’t suppose he’ll ask me directly anyway.

But I promise to be circumspect about what I tell Araminta about us.

About the particulars, I mean. I presume there is no harm in me telling her how much I like you?

I wouldn’t be engaged to you otherwise, would I? ”

This made him chuckle. “If you can put in a good word for me, no matter how you do it, then I think it is all to the good.”

The coach went over another hole, and Belinda, who had been leaning back against the squabs, was pushed forward, before falling back and knocking her head.

“Next time, I shall hire a better-upholstered carriage,” he promised.

Next time? Why was he certain there’d be a next time?

Maybe because he was enjoying himself—more than he had in years.

In Belinda’s company, the grim memories of his parents’ deaths were dimmed, his concerns over Oliver and Charlotte were eased, and his desperate need for revenge against the French revolutionaries was laid aside.

“You look tired and uncomfortable. Why not take your bonnet off and come over here? You can rest your head against my shoulder—I’ll pull the blinds down so nobody can see, although I think such contact is permissible for a betrothed couple.”

It meant a lot to him that she trusted him enough to remove her bonnet, settle herself next to him, and lean against him. Without thinking, he put his arm around her shoulder and drew her closer. She made no effort to rebuff him.

He tried resting his cheek against her hair. Again, she didn’t comment or rebuke him, and when he glanced down, he saw her eyes were closed.

Ah, asleep already! No wonder she wasn’t complaining. He resigned himself to being a bolster for the remainder of the journey unless they went through an absolute crater that bounced her into wakefulness again.

He flipped open his watch, then peered through the blinds to see whether their surroundings had become familiar.

Yes—they were coming into Bishop’s Stortford now, by the look of it.

But if that was the case, they wouldn’t reach Forty Court until midnight, and a family with a new baby would not thank them for it.

Besides, he would probably be prevailed upon to stay the night because the Earl of Aylsham would want to have words with him in the morning, which would interfere with his plans.

He rested his chin on Belinda’s head and kissed her lavender-scented curls.

It was surprisingly comforting to give comfort to somebody else.

But even though she was sweetly asleep, he couldn’t help but be aware of her and her feminine allure.

Life was going to be a torment for the next few weeks, or months, or however long it took to break off their engagement. Assuming they would...

He nudged Belinda awake. “I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, my dear, but we’re not going to make Forty Court.

As your family isn’t expecting you to arrive today, I suggest we head into Town, and I’ll take you to George Street, where you may spend the night.

I don’t know if Mr. Chetwynd is in residence, but I shouldn’t think it matters either way, since you are family and there are bound to be some servants there to look after you. ”

She sat up straighter and gently rotated her ankle a few times. “I can see no harm in that. If Roland’s there, we can go on to Forty Court tomorrow. I might even steal a moment to visit Caroline.”

“Caroline?”

“Yes, Miss Brent. You know, the lady who has been chaperoning me at the Lyon’s Den.”

He snorted. The idea of anyone at the Lyon’s Den having a chaperone was most entertaining. It wasn’t exactly that kind of place.

“Ah, yes. I remember her. I’ve seen her talking to Starveling once or twice.”

“Starveling?”

“Yes—one of Mrs. Dove-Lyon’s staff. An impressively built gentleman and a veteran soldier. I wonder—”

“What do you wonder?” Belinda’s hand rested close to his. It was all he could do not to grasp it and kiss it.

“I had an interesting conversation with the fellow before I went to Devon. It seems someone has performed the miracle of touching his heart. I wonder if that person might be Miss Brent.”

He had expected her, as women usually did, to immediately start asking for details connected with this juicy piece of gossip, particularly as it involved her friend. Instead, she surprised him by asking, “Has anyone ever performed the miracle of touching yours, Piers? Was Charlotte the one?”

“Charlotte? Alas, no. I’m not entirely certain that I have a heart—although I am exceedingly fond of Oliver, even though I’ve never met the boy. And I have an avuncular relationship with young Tom.”

“You’re avoiding the question. I meant, in a romantic way.”

He reached for her again and hugged her to him. “Not until I met you, my bride-to-be.”

She shoved at him, but not hard enough to break his grip. “You’re teasing me again, sir. Kindly desist, or I shall have to punish you.”

“I can’t think of anything more enjoyable.”

“Ah—you’re impossible! You’re almost as difficult a companion when you’re in a good mood as when you’re in a bad one.”

“I see you’re beginning to understand my character, Belinda. I pray it won’t make you hate me.”

She bit her lip. “I was inclined to, at first. But I’m prepared to give you a second chance.”

“Excellent! Then I shall do the same for you.”

An awkward silence fell between them, and he wondered what she was thinking. Was she turning those words over in her head, in the same way that he was? This conversation was becoming dangerous.

“I’d like to call in at the Old Forum on our way to George Street. There are a couple of messages I wish to leave at the earliest opportunity.”