A Little Mischief (14 page)

“I’ve been humming all morning, Isabella. We’ve already received three more invitations to parties next week. We must decide which ones to attend.”

“How nice,” Isabella said, hardly hearing her aunt. “I’ll leave it to you to make the decisions.”

Auntie Pith put a finger to her lips as she thought for a moment, and then said, “I think we shall accept them all. There is no substitute for being sought after.” She stopped in front of the sofa and picked up the wadded gossip sheet. “What happened to this? I haven’t had a chance to read it yet.”

“Oh, I’m sorry; I’ll pick up another one for you while I’m out.”

“No, it doesn’t matter,” she said, laying the paper on the side table. “I’ll get one later.” Her small eyes twinkled brightly. “Imagine Lord Colebrooke’s first party since his return, and he singled you out last night and asked you to a picnic in the park. And you agreed. This is the best news we’ve had in three Seasons, and we will not let this opportunity pass us by. I’m simply faint with happiness.”

“Auntie, please don’t get puffed up about this. Really, it’s only an afternoon in the park.”

“Nonsense. He saw how beautiful and charming you are, and he is interested in you. I’m sure of it. Oh, what a catch he would be. Your father would be so delighted.”

“You must not read too much into this. I’m sure he will call on many ladies in his search for a wife. In fact, last night I heard Lady Katherine Spearmont mention that the earl was calling on her later in the week.”

That wasn’t exactly the way Lady Katherine had worded her statement, but it was close enough.

“Balderdash. She is not as lovely as you, nor is she as intelligent. Besides, you are the first he’s calling on, my dear, and that is very important.”

Isabella must remember the stern Lord Colebrooke she first met rather than the desirable Daniel she kissed last night. “We really don’t suit, Auntie.”

“Oh, piffle, you say. You would suit with any titled gentleman.” She looked at the clock on the mantel. “It is half past. Time for Lord Colebrooke to arrive. Where’s your picnic basket?”

“On the table by the door along with my coat, my bonnet, and my gloves.”

“Good. Perhaps I should check the basket for you and make sure Mrs. Duncan saw to it that the cook put in everything you need.”

“Wait,” Isabella said, wanting to stop her aunt from looking in her basket. “That’s not necessary. I’ve already done that. Besides, I wanted to ask you a personal question,” she said, thinking quickly. “Have you ever been kissed? On the lips? By a man? Who wasn’t your father?”

“Oh, dear.” A grim expression clouded her aunt’s features.

Isabella felt the flush creeping back into her cheeks. She’d had no idea she was going to ask that question in such detail. Her thoughts of Daniel and their passionate embrace must have triggered her question.

“What made you ask that?” Auntie Pith studied her for a moment.

“I’ve been thinking about kissing recently,” she answered honestly.

“Has Lord Colebrooke already made an overture toward you?” Auntie Pith didn’t wait for an answer, but kept talking. “No, no. He’s far too much a gentleman to do that. Perhaps someone else. But I can understand you wanting to know what you should do if any man is bold enough to ask for a kiss. You must give him a resounding no. If he does not accept your refusal, you are to box his ears and demand he bring you home immediately.”

Isabella laughed lightly, thanking heaven her aunt didn’t know about last night. “Thank you, Auntie Pith, I will certainly know how to take care of Lord Colebrooke if he steps out of line.”

“Or any other man. Oh, there’s the door. It must be the earl. Sit down and put this book of poetry in your hands. We must not seem too eager. We’ll pretend not to notice that he is one minute late.”

Half an hour later Isabella and Daniel were seated on a blanket in Hyde Park with two picnic baskets between them. The air was crisp but not cold and as still as midnight. A sprinkling of sunshine filtered between gray clouds.

The warmer weather had the park filled with magnificent horses, elaborately decorated carriages, and handsomely dressed couples strolling around the spacious grounds. Daniel and Isabella had been stopped three times by people wanting to welcome the earl home. They had finally found a quiet spot under a tree away from the busy walking paths.

Isabella thought Daniel looked positively dashing in his crisp white shirt, dark brown coat, and narrow striped waistcoat.

His hair was brushed stylishly back, and his neckcloth and collar were tied unfashionably low under his chin. Isabella found herself constantly looking at the strength she saw in his neck and couldn’t help being affected by it.

She found herself wanting to press a kiss on the throbbing pulse she saw beneath his skin. She wanted to lean over and feel the warmth of his skin on her lips and his taste on her tongue. She wanted to be close enough to breathe in the clean scent of his shaving soap as she had last night.

But she settled for taking a deep breath and asking, “How is Gretchen this morning?”

“Much better than I had hoped with all thanks to you.”

“Me?”

“It seems you convinced her last night that there is a possibility Throckmorten will show up alive and well. She’s going about her merry way to the luncheon she’d planned to attend and a tea later today.”

“I’m glad to hear that since we don’t yet know that the man is, indeed, dead.”

His gaze stayed tightly on hers. “You might not, but I do.”

“Did she tell you why or how she happened to be in the garden last night?”

“She swore to me that she just needed some fresh air and that she had not made arrangements to meet with Throckmorten.”

“Hmm.” Isabella didn’t believe that, and by the look on Daniel’s face he doubted his sister, too.

He leaned closer to her. “I’m not sure what you mean by that?”

“By what?” She feigned innocence.

“Your hmm. What do you know that Gretchen hasn’t told me?”

“Nothing, really,” she insisted. “I have taken walks alone in gardens, so I can understand her wanting to do so after the upsetting day she’d had.”

“I hope she finally understands that she needs to stay out of all gardens unless she is chaperoned.”

Isabella nodded sympathetically. “I’m sure she sees the wisdom in that now. Tell me what you found out from the coach drivers.”

“Not much.” Daniel released a heavy sigh. “It appears that because the night was so foggy, they were all huddled by a fire, and not a one of them would admit to seeing anything unusual.”

“Do you suppose Mr. Throckmorten was playing a horrible trick on Gretchen?”

“No. Last night was no caper, but odd that you should mention the word
trick
, because that word has entered my mind, too.” His eyes searched hers thoroughly. “I don’t know how my sister fits into this, Isabella. And I don’t know how you fit into it, yet.”

“Me?” She studied him, surprised at how quickly he turned the conversation to her. “Sir, I have had nothing to do with these strange goings-on.”

“I want to believe you, but I find it difficult considering you have managed to be around both times Gretchen has seen Throckmorten on the ground,” he answered in a pondering tone.

“We have been victims, not participants. And remember that you were with me last night when we found Gretchen.”

“I know. But I seem to remember that you were the one to mention that we might want to look in the garden.”

Isabella suppressed her anger because he did have his sister’s welfare at heart, but she didn’t want to let him off the hook too easily. “I had no prior knowledge that Gretchen or Mr. Throckmorten would be there. It was merely an intuition.”

“I’ll accept that for now, but I’m not going to stop looking into this until I find out what’s going on.”

“I heartily agree that we should.”

A couple strolled by, and Daniel and Isabella remained quiet for a moment while the man and woman passed.

When Daniel spoke again, his expression turned serious and his voice was low as he said, “Isabella, we need to talk about what happened last night.”

“Which part? Finding Mr. Throckmorten’s body or the copulation?”

“Damnation, Isabella.” Daniel looked around to see if anyone was close enough to have heard what she said or his swearing. “Do not use that word. There was no copulation between us.”

“You said we were on the verge.”

“We had a few kisses.”

“Passionate kisses, Daniel.”

He nodded. “We got a little more intimate than we should have, but it won’t happen again.”

“Is that because you didn’t enjoy it?”

His gaze swept softly over her face, and Isabella had the feeling that, like her, he was remembering the smallest details of their interlude.

“No, of course not. You know I did, but that doesn’t make it the right thing for us to be doing. What we shared last night should be saved for your husband.”

Isabella thought on that for a moment. “But I’ve already told you I don’t plan to marry, so no one need ever know that you and I were so intimate.”

“It is my desire that no one ever know. I should have been more in control, and I will be from now on when I’m around you.”

“Daniel, there are so many things about you that I don’t understand. I don’t know why I reacted to you the way I did. I don’t understand the things you make me feel, but I know that just talking about our kisses makes me want to kiss you again.”

“Bloody hell, Isabella.” He glanced away from her. “Don’t tell me things like that.”

“I’m only speaking the truth.”

“I don’t doubt it, but it’s not a subject that we can discuss. And you are the one who should be telling me not to talk so freely to you and not swear in front of you.”

“But I want you to talk freely to me, and I don’t mind if you swear.”

“And that is part of your allure, Isabella, and that is what I have to fight. You are so honest with your feelings and so free with your attitude. I find it refreshing but dangerous for both of us.”

“That’s not my intention.”

“I believe you. Now, let’s see what cook prepared for us.”

Daniel opened his basket and looked inside. “Let’s see, we have bread, duck, cheese, and claret.” He looked up at her. “What do you have in your basket?”

Isabella hesitated. She wasn’t ready to quit their conversation, but Daniel made it clear he was. She opened her basket and said, “I have a white wig, an old black cloak, and a large bonnet.”

Daniel grinned endearingly for a moment and then he started laughing. “It would be very foolish to let you go with me, Isabella.”

“If I don’t go with you, I shall go by myself and ask for Mr. Throckmorten.”

“I believe you would, but I can’t let you do that, either.”

Isabella closed her basket lid. She leaned toward Daniel, smiled sweetly, and softly said, “Daniel, I go with you or without you. Your choice.”

***

Half an hour later Daniel was sitting by Isabella in the landau, though no one would recognize the lady in the carriage beside him. Daniel had his driver take them to an abandoned building on the east side of the park where Isabella had quickly donned the white wig, oversize bonnet, and large cloak.

Daniel trusted his driver not to say a word about Isabella’s change in appearance or their detour to Throckmorten’s house. But he didn’t know what would happen if they passed anyone who knew either of them well. Up close, no one would believe Isabella was an old woman.

Daniel found it difficult to say no to Isabella, especially when it gave him the opportunity to spend more time with her. She held his attention like no other woman ever had.

He realized he was becoming much too attracted to her. Sometimes she seemed fiercely independent, and at other times she seemed abandoned like when he had mentioned her father. He was attracted to both sides of her.

He reasoned that his first concern had to be for Gretchen, and he still wasn’t convinced Isabella didn’t have a connection with whatever was going on with Throckmorten. His disappearance from the garden was the most baffling thing that had ever happened. And he intended to get to the bottom of it.

Isabella was a distraction he didn’t need, but he was reluctant to give her up. Even now, sitting so close to her on the carriage seat, he found he wanted to move his leg over an inch or two and feel the warmth of her body beneath the mountains of cloak she wore. He wanted to move closer and tell her how dressed as an old lady didn’t in any way take away from how she made him feel. He found her just as enticing as she was in the garden the night before.

He knew he was a fool for agreeing to this charade, but he had to admit that it held a strange, exciting appeal. He knew if they were caught he’d be forced to marry her. That had given him pause. But if she was courageous enough to risk her reputation to be caught with him in disguise, he had to be willing to risk his freedom to spend a few more minutes with her.

They pulled up in front of Throckmorten’s house, and Daniel jumped down. He reached back up for Isabella and took her hand and helped her step down. Her fingers were warm beneath her glove, and a shiver of desire raced through him.