A Perfect Groom (17 page)

“What?”

“There is a puddle before us,” she pointed out.

He smiled. “So there is,” he agreed.

Her gaze ripened to a glare. “A gentleman, on seeing that it is too wide for me to traverse on my own, and seeing that he is wearing boots and I have but thin slippers, would offer to carry me across.”

“My dear, you have called me many things, but never a gentleman.” His smile widened. “However, since you insist…”

Bending low, he pitched her over his shoulder and strode through the puddle. She was still sputtering as he set her on her feet on the other side.

Her chin climbed high. “And now I see why,” she informed him icily. “You, sir, are no gentleman, nor will you ever be.”

Justin threw back his head and laughed as she stalked away. Now, this, he thought, was the Arabella he knew…

Twelve

Tea was just being served when they arrived. Arabella chatted with Georgiana and Julianna for a time, then moved to sit with her aunt and uncle. Finally, she wandered off a short distance away from the others. A pair of chaise lounges beckoned beneath the shade of a tree, and it was there she directed her steps. Uncle Joseph had been discussing his prized hunting retriever with Sebastian, and Aunt Grace was busy flitting from guest to guest.

All the while, there wasn’t a single moment she wasn’t aware of Justin — where he was, who he was with, everything about him.

It was distracting. Disturbing. And most disconcerting.

For something had changed last night…and she had the oddest sensation that she was falling for him…

Which would be most unwise.

Indeed, downright foolish.

Yet she found herself battling the helpless sensation there wasn’t a thing she could do to fight it. And deep down, she wondered what it would be like to be wanted — to be pursued — by Justin Sterling.

Exciting, to be sure.

Dangerous, without question.

He’s broken half the hearts in London
, warned a voice.
If you let him, he’ll break yours, too
.

He was the kind of man she had always despised, the very antithesis of all she believed in, of all she held dear.

Yet she had only to catch the merest glimpse of him, and she was curiously short of breath. There was a strange flutter in her chest. When he wanted, he could be completely engaging and wholly charming. By heaven, she herself had been charmed!

She winced as she thought of all that happened last night. McElroy’s advances — the wretch! And then there was the matter of that disgusting bet at White’s. Just thinking of it made her shudder all over again.

But Justin hadn’t disclosed it to be nasty or mean. Somehow she knew, in some strange, unfathomable way she didn’t fully comprehend, that he’d been trying to protect her — which was totally at odds with the type of man she thought he was!

It made no sense that she should confide in him as she had. The details were fuzzy, but she remembered pouring her heart out, revealing all her deepest fears and flaws, sobbing against his shoulder.

And what had he done? He hadn’t been appalled. He hadn’t been disgusted. He’d simply held her, and it had felt remarkably good and right. And…oh, but she’d wanted him to hold her again this afternoon, back at the stream. She wanted him to kiss her as if there was no tomorrow…

Oh, but she was a fool! He’d kissed her once —
once
! — and surely it wouldn’t happen again. It was well known the woman didn’t exist who could put his heart under lock and key.

So why had he called her beautiful? Had he meant it? Of course not. Her heart contracted. From his own lips, he was a womanizer, a niggling little voice reminded her. No doubt it was naught but habit, a slip of the tongue, in much the same way he called her sweetheart.

Still, a curious sadness dwelled in her breast. Ah, if only…

On and on her emotions squalled and blustered in her chest. But he was right about one thing. She was wild. Wanton, and a little shameless. Lord, but she was a hypocrite! To think she had lectured him as she once had…Her conscience was proving most troublesome indeed. She was shocked at her own audacity as they had sat at the stream. Why had she queried him as she had?

Oh, indeed, she had no doubt that many of the tales she’d heard of his scandalous behavior were true. He’d admitted as much this afternoon. Never had he pretended to be anything but what he was. A rogue and a rascal. A rake and a libertine.

And yet…a part of her whispered that he wasn’t the cold-hearted man he pretended to be, though everyone was convinced he was.

From the corner of her eye, she saw him drop a fond kiss on Julianna’s cheek. Her throat tightened oddly. When he was with his family, he was…different somehow. With them, he was care
free
, not care
less
. He wasn’t what she’d first been so convinced he was, uncaring or insensitive. Last night, she realized shakily, had proved it.

She didn’t know what to make of it. She didn’t know what to make of
him
.

A high-pitched squeal pierced the air, followed by another. Sebastian and
Devon
’s little ones were tottering across the lawn as fast as their chubby little legs would carry them. Every so often they glanced behind at their pursuer, Justin. A woman Arabella suspected was their nurse trailed behind. Arabella shook her head as if to clear it.

Even as she watched, he caught up with them, laughing, scooping them up, one in each arm. It was a sight so unexpected, so startlingly unlike the man she thought she knew, that her jaw nearly dropped open. At that precise instant he raised his head.

Their eyes tangled. Arabella couldn’t have looked away if the earth had crumbled beneath her feet. Indeed, she decided hazily, that was how he made her feel.

Long legs closed the distance between them. The little ones were still giggling in delight as he came to a halt directly before her. The merest hint of a smile lurked on his lips, a smile that somehow managed to both dismay and disarm her.

“I don’t believe you’ve had the privilege of meeting my niece and nephew.”

“Indeed I have not.” There was a breathless catch in her voice. Was he aware of it?

“Then may I present Geoffrey Alan Sterling, and his sister Sophia Amelia — or Sophie, as we call her.” He glanced at the chaise next to her. “May we join you?”

“You certainly may.”

Arabella smiled at the children. They were darling, with plump round cheeks and wee little noses.

“Oh, my. What little angels.” She tipped her head to the side and regarded them. “Geoffrey has his father’s hair, but his mother’s eyes. And Sophie has her mother’s hair, with her father’s eyes.” She shook her head. “Their coloring is so different, it’s amazing they’re twins.”

“That’s what everyone says.” Justin moved to sit in the chair, only to find it a bit narrow with the two little ones in his arms.

“Here, let me take one of them,” she said immediately. She patted her lap. The little boy promptly scampered from Justin’s lap onto hers. Sophie, however, clung harder to Justin’s neck, clearly reluctant to leave the safety of her uncle’s arms.

“They’re just over a year old,” Justin commented, “so of course they don’t speak much yet, except for Mama and Papa — and Uncle Justin, of course.”

“Of course,” Arabella echoed, biting back a smile. She nodded at Sophie, who had popped a finger into her mouth and regarded her with wide gray eyes. “She’s adorable.”

Justin’s smile widened. He glanced at his niece. “I predict, Sophie, that you’ll someday be a beauty and take the
ton
by storm, just like Miss Vicar here.”

Arabella bit her lip and looked away. There. He’d said that she was beautiful again. She wished he wouldn’t say things he didn’t mean, that weren’t true. Unsure how to respond, she said nothing. She didn’t notice that Geoffrey was busy playing with the ribbon ties that closed the front of her bodice. All at once Justin cleared his throat. His gaze slipped down, then quickly away. It was then Arabella noticed the little boy had undone the ribbon. The opening in her bodice had begun to gape.

She gasped. “Oh,” she cried, flustered. “Oh!”

“Only a year old,” Justin teased, “and drawn to the ladies already.”

Swiftly Arabella did up the ties again. She didn’t want to laugh, but she couldn’t stop herself, either. “Perhaps he’s been too much influenced by the company of his uncle!”

Justin chuckled. “Perhaps. But let’s see if we can find something else to amuse this young man.” He fished his pocket watch from his trousers and dangled it before Geoffrey, who immediately grabbed for it.

In the meantime, little Sophie’s eyelids had begun to droop. A companionable silence settled over them. Geoffrey played with his watch, while Sophie drifted off to sleep.

There was an almost imperceptible tightening of Justin’s arms around the little girl. Or was it a trick of her eyes? Even as the thought spun through her mind, he pressed a fleeting kiss against her curls. There was a strange tugging on her heart at the sight of Justin, so dark and striking, with Sophie’s golden head tucked beneath his chin, one booted leg stretched out before him. Something stark and strong stirred within her.

A week ago she’d have soundly denounced a rake such as he as being utterly incapable of loyalty and devotion. But seeing him with a child in his arms…His love for his niece and nephew was so very much apparent. That they adored him in turn was unquestionable. It was a side of him she had never dreamed existed. A side of him she had never thought to encounter.

Her head was suddenly whirling. Was she wrong about him? Was there more to the man than the cavalier facade he presented to the world? Was it possible his arrogance was just a mask, his cynicism a shield?

Alas, there was no time to consider. The Dowager Duchess of Carrington had stopped before them. Her snowy white head tipped first one direction, then the other as she beheld them. A slow smile crept across her lips. Before either Arabella or Justin could say a word, the duchess spoke.

“I knew it.” Beneath her shawl, her bony shoulders shook with laughter. “I knew it the first night I saw the two of you dancing together at the Farthingale ball.”

Justin arched a brow. “Your Grace?” he murmured.

The duchess was gazing at Arabella. “Walter was never the man for you, dear. I daresay you’d have been bored silly with him within a month.”

Arabella gaped.

The duchess continued, leaning on her cane. “But you and Justin…well, ‘tis just as I told your aunt. The two of you look remarkably fine together. La, but I can almost hear the wedding bells now!” She was almost giggling as she transferred her gaze to Justin. Raising her cane, she shook it at him almost playfully. “Now,” she stated briskly, “all that remains is to find the right man for Julianna. Ah, but she has proved remarkably stubborn thus far, hasn’t she?”

Arabella was speechless as the duchess sauntered away. To her utter shock, when she turned her gaze to Justin, she discovered an utterly wicked amusement dancing in his eyes. Oh, how dare he laugh! Moreover, how
could
he, particularly in light of what the duchess had said about wedding bells?