The Incorrigible Mr. Lumley (18 page)

Folding his arms across his chest, David bit
back a smile. “You can’t have it both ways. The lady is looking for
a husband. Either declare yourself and ask her to wait until you
grow up, or walk away and leave her to a man who’s ready now.”

“What do you mean grow up? I don’t see you
in any rush to meet the parson.”

“There’s no rule that you can’t marry before
us. Mother would be thrilled to hear one of her sons was settling
down.”

Trey grimaced and continued to watch Miss
Clawson float about the floor.

When Lady Joanna returned and her dance
partner went off in search of some punch, David resumed his
position at her side. She looked into his eyes as if she wished to
read his thoughts, then said, “You weren’t able to find a partner?
There are plenty of young ladies wanting to dance, if you look
about.”

“I hadn’t noticed. I was watching only one
lady.”

Her eyes widened. “I see, and is she dancing
this set without you?”

He moved a step closer, lowering his voice.
“I’ve the pleasure of speaking with her for a short time, at
least.”

She smiled and glanced down. “Very short.
I’ve a partner for the next set.”

“But I’ve your company when most men will be
envious, in between dances. That is enough for me.”

She nibbled on her lower lip. A sudden urge
struck him to taste the damp pink flesh there. David cleared his
throat and broke eye contact with her. He listened to her chat with
the young man who brought her a glass of punch, wondering why, when
he finally decided to spend time with her, she had an unending
stream of dance partners.

At supper, he finally had her alone. Alone,
with Trey and Miss Clawson, Sir Richard and Hannah all crowded
around the end of one table. He turned to Lady Joanna. “What do
you—?”

“Lady Joanna, did you see the dress Miss
Smithers is wearing? Pink. Not a pale pink, or pink sprigged. Bold
as you please pink. And the ruffles. Have you ever seen that many
ruffles?” Hannah stopped to draw her breath.

“‘That many’ is correct,” Miss Clawson
agreed. “I counted nine at the hem, and three at the neckline.”

David looked at the other men, and both
appeared to be quite interested in the food on their plates. He
took a bite of something that swam in a white sauce. It tasted
pleasant enough, but was not worthy of a worshiping gaze. “Lady
Jo—”

His sister and Miss Clawson chattered away,
overpowering the sound of his voice. The only way he would be heard
over them and the rest of the guests would be to yell, which was
not conducive to a private conversation. He had nothing to say that
couldn’t be heard by others, but he sought the intimacy of words
shared just between the two of them.

Lady Joanna patted her lips with the white
linen napkin and offered him a smile. “This meal is delicious,
isn’t it?”

“Quite,” he called back, even though she sat
beside him. “I’ve heard their chef was trained in France.” He
hadn’t heard any such thing, but gossips said anyone who was anyone
wanted a French chef.

She lifted a brow and took a nibble of her
food.

They continued in this manner until they all
had set down their forks and napkins. David leaned and spoke in
Lady Joanna’s ear. “Shall we escape to the garden?”

She nodded. As he rose, so did the other
men, and the six of them paired up and wound through the tables to
the French doors leading outside. Oil lanterns hung in the trees,
lighting the paths through the manicured beds of colorful flowers.
David walked slowly, keeping a casual attitude about him. “This is
much nicer. The cool air. The quiet, even with the voices of our
friends so close.”

“It’s quite pleasant. The light in the trees
gives them such a mystical appearance. One might believe in fairies
and magic.”

Seeing the light dance off the loose curls
at her neck made him feel the magic. He longed to touch one, to see
if her hair was as soft as it looked.

“Are you in Town long, or will you be
leaving for another race meeting soon?”

Did she want him to stay in Town? His
breaths grew shallow. A breeze sent a whisper of her perfume to
him, and for a moment, he couldn’t breathe. He paused in the shadow
between two trees, turning to face her. “I…I’m not certain what my
plans are.”

“Did you receive the invitation to my aunt’s
card party on Thursday? She invited your family.”

“Then I’m certain we shall all be there.” If
Mother had mentioned it, he hadn’t paid attention. He’d get the
details in the morning.

“I’m glad.” Her lips trembled, drawing his
gaze to them. He stepped closer, tempted. He bent his head,
glancing at her eyes to judge her permission. She looked…hopeful.
Leaning closer, he inhaled her citrusy scent and brought his lips
closer to hers—

Lady Joanna shrieked and batted her hand in
front of her face. “Get it away!”

David jumped back. “What?”

“That…creature.”

A large moth dove past. David swatted at it,
waving like a Bedlamite until he finally knocked it away. Laughter
rang out down the path.

“Is that a new dance from France, brother?
You must teach me so I may impress the young ladies, too.”

“Very funny, Trey,” David growled back.

Lady Joanna giggled. “I’m sorry. I’m rather
frightened of insects. I know it’s silly for one who spends as much
time as I do outdoors, but there it is. I’m a ninny.”

“No apology necessary. Perhaps we should
join our friends.” David offered his arm, and they walked toward
the others. As they passed through another shadow, he scowled. He
should be grateful to that insect for saving him from doing
something foolish, but he was not.

Thursday afternoon, Joanna rose to meet the
Lumleys when they entered Aunt Ophelia’s drawing room. “I’m very
glad you all could come.”

Mr. Lumley introduced his mother to Joanna
and Aunt Ophelia. Lady Bridgethorpe acknowledged them both, then
spoke to Joanna. “I’m happy for the chance to get to know you
better. My daughter speaks of you so often I feel as though we’re
close friends already. You and your aunt must call on us when
you’re free.”

“That would be lovely, my lady. As soon as
the others have arrived, we’ll pick our partners for cards. Perhaps
you’d care to sit while we wait?” Joanna led the woman to an
upholstered chair set to one side of the room.

Lady Hannah followed, taking Joanna’s hand
and pulling her to one side. “Tell me what gentlemen will be here.
Whom shall I have as a partner?”

“There are a few I’ve not met, but they are
friends of Aunt Ophelia’s. I’m sure one will suit you, for at least
an afternoon.”

“I hope that is true. I grow tired of
spending so much time with my brothers. I’m glad we are friends. I
miss my sisters terribly.”

“Oh look, Miss Clawson is here. Let’s hear
how her night at Vauxhall went.” Joanna led Lady Hannah to join
their friend. Mrs. Clawson sat with the other matrons who were
already deep in conversation.

After everyone had arrived, Aunt Ophelia
walked to the center of the room and clapped her hands. “It’s time
to find your partners for whist and take your seats.”

Much scurrying and laughter followed as the
younger people paired up. Joanna searched for Mr. Lumley, when Lord
Henry Vickers stepped in front of her. “Have you a partner, Lady
Joanna?”

“Why, no, I do not.”

“Wonderful! I’m an excellent player, never
fear.”

Losing at cards was not a large concern for
her. Missing the chance to flirt with Mr. Lumley was. She searched
the table to see if he’d found a partner and found him watching
her, a bit of disappointment showing on his features. She smiled
and motioned to an empty table. He nodded.

Joanna turned back to Lord Henry. “Shall we
sit here?”

He followed her to the table and held her
chair. Mr. Lumley walked up a moment later with the very plain
daughter of Aunt Ophelia’s friend. Joanna realized the girl was his
second choice, but it made her heart swell to see him coming to the
aid of a girl who was not likely to be anyone’s first choice.
Joanna smiled at the girl. “Miss Culpepper, I’m glad we’ll have
this time to visit.”

“Thank you,” she said and awkwardly sat to
Joanna’s right.

This put Mr. Lumley to Joanna’s left. All
too soon, Joanna discovered what a distraction he was. If he’d been
her partner, sitting across the table from her, she still might
have smelled his cologne, the deeply musky scent, and would have
seen every smirk and lift of the brow as he signaled his intent to
play a certain card. That would have made concentration difficult
enough.

As it was, she had to keep her hands close
to her, clutching her cards tightly on the small table when the
desire struck to touch his sleeve as she talked to him. She made
certain to speak more often to Lord Henry, since he was her
partner.

After the game had finished at each table,
they rotated partners, but another young man paired with her before
Mr. Lumley could. When this happened yet again on the third game,
Joanna sent a silent plea to her aunt.

“Shall we take refreshments now?” Aunt
Ophelia asked when that game finished. She rang for the footmen to
serve them, waving a hand at Joanna to find Mr. Lumley.

He found her first. “I’d hoped to be
partnered with you at least once.” He offered his arm and led her
to walk about the room.

“So had I, but it was not to be, was
it?”

At the back of the room sat a box of wooden
alphabet blocks on table only large enough for two players. They
would not be alone in the room full of people, but they’d be able
to talk unnoticed by the others. She motioned toward the table.
“Shall we sit here? It’s not cards, but we could play a game while
the others refresh themselves.”

“Splendid idea.” Mr. Lumley held her chair
while she sat, then took the seat opposite. The table was quite
small, the setting pleasantly cozy.

Joanna opened the box and took out the small
blocks. “Who shall go first?”

“Allow me.” He picked out three letters and
set them on the table before her.

“You make it too easy on me.” She quickly
put them in order, spelling
joy
. “Now my turn.”

Mr. Lumley easily spelled
patriot
from her letters. The words bounced back and forth.
Affection.
Kindred
.
Court. Knight
.

They went back and forth in this manner for
a bit. “Let’s make it more difficult.” He set four letters out, one
above the other, which indicated she was to determine the words
each letter began.

Y

S

M

H

Picking up more alphabet cubes, Joanna made
you
from the first letter, and
me
from the third. She
then spelled
send
, but was stuck on the last word. Mr.
Lumley reached out and changed
me
to
my
. She ran
words through her mind beginning with H, and after tossing aside
horse, she spelled
heart.

But that meant
send
was incorrect.
She took away the letters she’d placed there, and finally,
perplexed, she looked into Mr. Lumley’s expressive eyes. He smiled,
then one at a time, he slid letters in place beside the S. T. O. L.
E.

You stole my heart
.

Joanna’s heart fluttered in her breast. Her
eyes jumped back to meet his. Did he mean it? His smile wavered
slightly, then he gave a nod. Joanna smiled back, then quickly
swept aside the blocks before someone else could read them.

Aunt Ophelia stood in the center of the room
and called out, “Shall we play another game? Loo, this time.”

Everyone began shuffling toward the tables.
This game didn’t require partners, so all they needed to do was
find a table together and they could converse all they wanted
without appearing rude. They couldn’t speak intimately, but Joanna
didn’t care. Enough had been said already.

Chapter Fourteen

The reading room at the club was as quiet as
a tomb, and equally dark and chilly. David scanned the papers for
news of the race meetings around the country, taking mental note of
which horses won and identifying Triton’s main competition, paying
attention to the meetings where Patriot was not entered. By
entering those meetings, Triton could build his reputation as
planned, thus increasing his attraction as a stud horse.

David looked around the room and wondered
why so many young men were there. Were they taking refuge from the
Marriage Mart, too? He’d taken the coward’s way out, slipping away
before his family sat down to a light dinner. If he’d joined them
in the dining room, Mother would have questioned him about their
afternoon at Lady Ophelia’s. She’d been dying to get to know the
infamous Lady Joanna, about whom he’d said little but his siblings
had said so much. His mother had certainly seen his quiet chat with
Lady Joanna when they played with the alphabet cubes, and
undoubtedly had many questions. She couldn’t have half as many as
he had.