Page 25 of Unforeseen Affairs (The Sedleys #6)

He sensed a slight hesitation on her part—perhaps born from wondering whether he meant to provide her family with all the details of their sorry and short-lived association—but at the moment Colin was only concerned with doing the last honorable thing he could.

Because the one thing that would be necessary in order for him to truly be content to live with his actions, of which he would never have thought himself capable, was out of the question.

For he was far too young to marry.

He hadn’t even made post captain yet.

If I ever make it , he glumly corrected himself.

Despite the lateness of the hour upon their arrival, the house was lit, and when they were admitted inside by the butler the sounds of conversation and laughter spilled out into the hall, increasing in volume as they drew near.

And, he thought to himself as he followed the butler toward the voices, there’s the matter of Alice . Whom he did , in fact, intend to marry. She was one of the main reasons for this entire undertaking, for only the restoration of her brother’s reputation would allow them to one day be together.

His nerves now completely shot, he glanced to his side.

Miss Sedley appeared serene and ethereal in the soft, warm lamplight. Her face was exquisite in its structure, distinguished and dramatic. She’d a richness about herself that was not for the faint of heart. She really was altogether quite lovely, and he’d already said as much to her.

He felt a sudden pang of emotion, one he could not entirely wrap his head around.

Then the door to a tidy, tasteful drawing room was flung open, and Colin was out of time to ruminate.

The room was set up, oddly enough, with a small dining table laid out with dinner, where a handsome woman and an older man were seated across from each other.

The man looked very much as if Colin had met him before, but he couldn’t quite place him.

“Charlotte?”

The familiar-looking man, with a tidy mustache and an admirably thick head of hair that was closer to gray than its original dark brown, was clearly perplexed.

“Have you decided to join us after all? But you were already abed? So what ho, why the get-up?” He stood, wearing his height as easily as he did his fashionable waistcoat.

“Powder blue? I didn’t even know you possessed a gown in that color, surely—” Suddenly he noted Sir Colin, and his expression tightened. “What’s all this, then?”

The man turned to the lady behind him, who was still seated. She wore a loose tea gown, with her dark hair pinned in a soft, informal style. Surprise was evident on her face as well.

Colin had rarely dined with his parents over the past year he had spent ashore.

On occasion he would sup with his mother, but more often than not he ate at the Rag, despite the mean fare, and despite the fact that his father did the same—they did their best to avoid one another there, after all.

He’d sat for a meal with his father exactly once since he’d been on half-pay.

Colin felt a sudden, intense embarrassment at trespassing on this intimate familial setting. But he did his best to maintain his composure.

“I apologize for my intrusion, sir.” Colin bowed his head slightly, then looked to Miss Sedley. He started, for she was as blasé as ever, going so far as to yawn into the back of her hand.

He cleared his throat and spoke again.

“Only I encountered Miss Sedley…” Colin paused. He’d better tread as close to the truth as possible. “I encountered Miss Sedley at an engagement in Bayswater, and I promised to see her home safely, as the hour was growing late, and she was without a chaperone.”

Lying by omission to protect a young lady was certainly the lesser evil in this situation, wasn’t it? Colin could not say with certainty anymore.

Miss Sedley’s father—as Colin presumed he was—crossed his arms and leveled an intense, inscrutable look upon his daughter, who responded with a bold look of her own.

Colin sighed.

“How rude of me… Papa, this is Sir Colin Gearing,” she said, waving a hand in his direction.

“Second lieutenant, Her Majesty’s Navy,” Colin added hastily, praying it might temper Miss Sedley’s cheek. Colin would never dream of addressing his father thus.

“So lovely to meet you, Sir Colin, and so kind of you to offer Charlotte your assistance,” the woman at the table said. Her face was so gentle that Colin almost forgot what a scoundrel he’d been.

Almost.

“I’m Mrs. Susanna Sedley, and this is my husband, Mr. Ajax Sedley. Thank you so much for bringing Charlotte home safely. We are in your debt.”

Colin responded with a perfunctory nod, feeling a cad of the first order.

Then, her voice laced with concern, Mrs. Sedley turned to her stepdaughter. “Charlotte, darling, what have you been about? Why didn’t you leave word?”

“I was at a spirit circle. I didn’t wish for you to wait up and worry.”

“So you deceived the staff and slipped away?” scoffed Mr. Sedley, shaking his head in resignation. “Well, now I’m bloody well worried! And what of Cousin Bess? If you keep this up I’ll have to move her here , where you can’t escape her notice.”

“Ajax, there simply isn’t the room,” Mrs. Sedley said lightly. Then she smiled beneficently, her hands folded in her lap.

“Sir Colin. I know it’s somewhat irregular, but would you care to join us for dinner?”

Colin hesitated. “Er, are you quite sure?” His guilt still weighed heavily on him. “I do not wish to intrude.”

On the other hand, rejecting her hospitality might arouse suspicion.

But how could he dine with Miss Sedley and her family when he’d all but taken advantage of her a short time ago? His cheeks burned as he recalled her touch on his face, the softness of her lips under his…

Was it all that bad, though? a horrid little voice asked. After all, she was a willing participant, if you’ll recall.

Colin set his jaw.

Mr. Sedley was studying his daughter, one eyebrow raised as if he didn’t believe a word of either her explanation or Colin’s.

But then he shook his head with a sigh, and when he looked again at Colin, he had taken on a completely new bearing altogether: grinning wide, face open, posture relaxed.

Practically an entirely different person in an instant.

No longer an intractable father, but a gracious host.

“Intrude? If anything you’d be doing me a favor, what with all this rich fare and wine and my wife, as you can see, unable to take even one bite.”

“Oh? Have I truly not taken one bite?” Mrs. Sedley said in mock incredulity.

Mr. Sedley returned to his seat.

“Very well, one point to you. Sir Colin, please join us, for I am lousy with expensive foodstuffs, and my wife has been unable to take even four bites.”

Mrs. Sedley laughed and shook her head. “You know as well as I, I haven’t been feeling much for anything lately beyond a bit of toast.”

“Mrs. Stone recommends barley water, recall,” Miss Sedley interrupted in a cool, aloof voice.

Still standing alongside him, she wasn’t smiling—she hardly ever did, Colin knew by now—but her eyes sparkled with life.

“Pah, barley water. What does she think you are, a mewling babe just out of the sick bed?” Mr. Sedley said fondly, then paused, his eyes widening as if he’d only just realized something.

Mrs. Sedley raised her brows at him in question, but Mr. Sedley shook his head and returned to form.

“At any rate, Sir Colin, please sit. The more the merrier, as they say.” Mr. Sedley lifted his glass of wine in salute.

“Yes,” Miss Sedley said, her gaze dropping to Colin’s mouth—only for a moment, but enough for him to notice. “Please stay.”

It was nice, his company being wanted—not because of his fame, but because of the genuine kindness of his hosts. It was an unfamiliar feeling, and it filled him with gratitude.

“Very well, then,” Colin said cheerfully, vowing not to think any more of the events of the last hour, or of the lurid imaginings they had brought forth. He could manage this.

There were no footmen in sight, so he pulled out a chair for Miss Sedley.

When she sat down, he caught a glimpse of the small of her back, where his hands had been a short time ago.

His breath caught.

What had he gotten himself into?