“He may be more open to a match with you then.” He kept his voice even, hoping he wasn't giving away how important her comments were to him.
“I seriously doubt it. He'll just find another heiress to replace Miss Hamilton.”
He took one of her hands in his. Her skin was so very soft and delicate, the color of cream. “I'm glad you realize he wouldn't make you happy, Sophia.”
He allowed his thumb to brush across the underside of her wrist, unable to resist touching her in some way.
“Happiness in marriage is a gamble at best.”
“You don't really believe that, do you? Your sisters married for love.”
“My sisters were very lucky in their choice of husbands. I doubt I should be so lucky.”
“Even with a fairy wish?”
Sophia laughed. “You know as well as I that there is no magic where love is concerned.”
His thumb moved in circles against her skin. “Didn't you wish for us to be stuck together forever?”
“That had nothing to do with love and everything to do with driving you mad.” She pulled her hand away from his touch. “Don't.”
“You like it.”
“I shouldn't.”
He brushed his thumb against her lower lip. “There isn't anything wrong in liking to be touched.”
“Are you trying to ruin me?”
Ian paused. It would be the quickest way to gain his goal, but no. He didn't want her forced to be with him. He wanted her to come all on her own; to want him. “Perhaps just a little.”
Color flooded her cheeks, but she didn't flinch away again from his touch. Ian pulled her into his lap.
“What are you doing?” She grabbed his shoulders as if she were going to push away, but she didn't.
“I am going to kiss you senseless.” His mouth took hers before she could say anything else. He caressed her face, his fingertips barely grazing the surface of her skin before sinking into her thick, soft hair. Her scent flooded his senses with a seductive combination of flowers and warm female skin. His blood thickened as he deepened the kiss.
Sophia relaxed into his arms as she parted her lips to accept his. She wound her arms around his neck and eagerly pressed her body to his. She was beautiful and he had to hold on to his sanity or take her here on the couch. She was passionate, responding to his kiss by tasting him back, fueling the fire.
He lifted his mouth from hers and stared into her eyes. They were slumberous, her mouth swollen from his kisses, her body sprawled across his lap. She looked rumpled and delightful. “I should let you up.”
Sophia's eyes cleared of passion and sat up so quickly, she elbowed him. He caught his groan. “This is highly improper. Anyone could have come in.” She moved over to the other side of the sofa. “We must stop doing this.”
Ian chuckled. “It's the wish.”
“It is not the wish.”
“Then what is it?”
Her eyes filled with tears and he instantly regretted his words. There was no way she could be feeling what he felt. Hell, he couldn't even name his feelings.
“We must stop, Ian. Nothing can come of it.”
Ian looked down to compose himself. She stopped him at every step, but now was not the time to make her see his feelings were real. “Meet me here tonight. We have to go over the plans for Miss Hamilton and Captain Smith-Williams. I'm going to need your help.”
“Of course. Midnight, correct?”
He took her hands. “Be careful with Lord Bateman today. Make sure he does not suspect anything.”
“I will.”
He kissed her, softly. “I will see you tonight.”
Chapter 17
S
ophia came down the stairs, tying the peach ribbons of her bonnet under her chin. Lady Catherine, Lord Bateman, and Miss Hamilton waited for her in the entryway. “I'm so sorry I kept you all waiting.”
“Will your sister be joining us?” Lord Bateman asked.
“Mrs. Matthews will not be joining us,” said Sophia. “Shall we begin?” She stepped outside, leading the group through the small park to the lane.
Miss Hamilton came up to her. “It is so beautiful in this part of England. I had no idea.”
“The Lake District is very beautiful. Our estate north of here is very pretty,” Lady Catherine said. “This is nothing compared to the hills and lakes.”
“I've not been north of here, Lady Catherine. I'm sure the landscape is stunning.” Sophia squeezed Theo's hand. “I hear Scotland is also very pretty. Have you ever been?”
“I've not, but my brother has.”
“Scotland is quite the wilderness,” Lord Bateman said.
“I've always wanted to go,” Miss Hamilton said. “Sir Walter Scott's books paint such a beautiful picture of what it must be like.”
Sophia laughed. “Sir Walter's Scott's Scotland is fiction. The reality is probably quite tame.”
“I'm not sure I agree, Miss Townsend. In my experience, Scotland is quite savage.”
“Lord Bateman, this is 1822. Surely there are no savage places left in the country.” Sophia laughed again. “Besides, the king himself visited Scotland only last month. I doubt he would visit if it were that savage. Do you mean to tease us?”
“To what purpose, Miss Townsend?”
Sophia glanced behind her. “What do you mean, Lady Catherine?”
“Do you think my brother exaggerates?”
Miss Hamilton spoke quickly. “What sort of shops shall we find in Beetham, Miss Townsend?”
Sophia was happy for the escape. Lady Catherine seemed ready to pounce on every word. “There is a fine leather shop. I love the gloves there.”
“Here. In Beetham? They cannot be as good as the ones we purchase in Town,” Lady Catherine said. “Where in London did you shop? There is a glove maker on St. James's Street that I prefer.”
“Thank you for the recommendation, Lady Catherine. I will look for the shop when next I'm in Town.”
“That won't be for a long while, will it, Miss Townsend? If I understood your sister correctly, that is. Didn't she say it would be a while before you returned to London?”
Sophia winced. Why did Lady Catherine have to bring that up, now of all times? Nathaniel's refusal to take her to London still stung. “Then it's a good thing I've found a glove maker here in Beetham, isn't it?”
“Is there a book shop, Miss Townsend? I would love to have a new novel for the journey,” Miss Hamilton asked.
Sophia swallowed her gasp at the slip.
Lord Bateman pounced. “What journey is that, Miss Hamilton?”
“Why, the trip to your estate, my lord,” Miss Hamilton said quickly, too quickly given the way Lord Bateman's eyes grew hard. “You did say it was more than two days' journey, did you not?”
Sophia held her breath and waited for Lord Bateman to answer. She glanced over at Theo, who was pale. Sophia squeezed Theo's hand in support.
“I did indeed, Miss Hamilton. You did not read anything on the journey here.”
“We had so much to discuss, Brother. There was no time,” Lady Catherine said. “Theo, dear, we shall pick out some books together. Then we can trade when we've completed them.”
“What a good idea, Lady Catherine,” Theo said in a rush.
Sophia could feel the tension leaving Theo's arm as she relaxed. It had been a close thing. “What type of book would you prefer, Lady Catherine? A romance? Or an adventure?”
“I think a romance. Can you recommend one?”
Sophia laughed. “My sister is the reader. I would be happy to have her recommend one for you. The bookshop in Beetham is usually well stocked, thanks to the influx of visitors to the Lake District.”
“Small villages are so delightful, with their eclectic collections of little shops and tradespeople,” Miss Hamilton said.
“It has made staying in Beetham tolerable, but I will miss London a great deal.” Sophia took in the stone buildings and narrow streets that made up Beetham. There were no museums, no musicales, no theater. She missed the hustle and bustle of the City. The pace in Beetham was slow and steady, year after year. London's pace was exciting.
“Are you certain you cannot convince Mr. Matthews to return to London next year?”
“He is quite determined, Lady Catherine.” She was going to have to come to terms with being a spinster. Nothing had gone as she had planned.
“You may yet find your way back to Town if you marry, Miss Townsend.”
Sophia ignored Lady Catherine's remark as the party entered the village at the far end, by the church. She felt she deserved the comment, considering how many times she had issued similar cutting remarks to others. She glanced around as people milled around the shops and the public house at the end of the lane and resigned herself to never escaping Beetham.
“How quaint,” Lady Catherine said. “Shall we start with the glove shop?”
“Yes, let's. I would love to purchase gloves for my mother. Which shop is it, Miss Townsend?” Theo asked.
“Just there, past the bakery.”
“Is there a place where a man can get a pint, Miss Townsend?” Lord Bateman asked.
“There is a public house, my lord. Just down the lane, where the carriages are.”
“Then if you ladies will excuse me, I shall leave you here to shop.” Lord Bateman bowed before he left for the pub.
Sophia watched as he crossed the lane. She hoped Theo had covered her blunder well enough not to raise suspicions, but she doubted it. Lord Bateman would keep Theo close until he could wed her. It was going to be very difficult to escape his notice.
“Miss Townsend, are you coming?” Lady Catherine said.
“Yes. Of course.” She followed the two ladies into the glove shop, which was small and well lit but cramped. Gloves of various colors lined the wall and the shelves in the windows, blocking some of the light. Sophia hovered near the window to ease the discomfort the closed-in space gave her. She might like shopping, but she hated the boxlike feeling of the small shop. She watched as Lady Catherine helped Theo find a suitable pair of gloves for her mother. It occurred to her that Lady Catherine would be hurt when Theo eloped with the captain. Despite her condescension, Lady Catherine truly liked Theo. What was there not to like? She was so nice to everyone.
“Miss Townsend, I found the perfect pair,” Theo said with a smile. “The leather is very soft.”
“I may have to agree with you, Miss Townsend. This shop has some very fine gloves,” Lady Catherine said.
“Shall we go?” Sophia asked once they had paid for their purchases. She led them out of the shop.
“Miss Townsend! How delightful. I was hoping to run into you.”
Sophia groaned. Mrs. Dellwood hurried across the street, her high-pitched voice echoing off the stones.
“Mrs. Dellwood, I did not see you there. May I present Lady Catherine Grayson and Miss Hamilton? Lady Catherine is Lord Bateman's sister. Mrs. Dellwood is the vicar's wife.”
“I'm delighted to meet you both. I had hoped Mrs. Matthews would throw a party that would allow us all to get to know one another.”
“I'm afraid there's been no time for that, ma'am.”
“Indeed, Mrs. Dellwood, our stay is a short one. We've only planned to stop for a few days,” Lady Catherine said.
“Well, I'm sure there will be plenty of time for parties when your brother marries Miss Townsend.”
Sophia felt her cheeks heat. How had this bit of gossip reached Beetham? “You are mistaken, Mrs. Dellwood.”
“I do not think so, Miss Townsend. My cousin says Lord Bateman paid very close attentions to you. How happy your sister must be to know you will be so well married.”
“I would not put stock in speculative gossip, Mrs. Dellwood,” Lady Catherine said coldly.
Sophia watched the color fade from Mrs. Dellwood's cheeks at Catherine's blunt statement. Sophia was trapped. If she supported Mrs. Dellwood, it would give credence to the gossip. If she defended Catherine, it would make any future relationship with Mrs. Dellwood difficult. “We should let you get back to your errands, Mrs. Dellwood.”
“Yes, of course. Please give my regards to Lady Danford and Mrs. Matthews,” she said.
“I would be happy to, ma'am.”
Sophia ushered the ladies away from Mrs. Dellwood and on to the bookshop.
“I cannot believe she brought up that gossip,” said Catherine. Sophia bit the inside of her cheek to stop the tirade she saw was building up. Catherine had been there. She'd seen the marked attention her brother had paid to Sophia. Now she was pretending it had never happened?
“Your brother spent a great deal of time with Miss Townsend prior to her leaving Town. I can see how that could be misconstrued,” Theo said gently.
“Shall we go into the bookshop?” Sophia desperately wanted this topic to go away. She didn't need Theo defending her to Lady Catherine. Theo would only come out the loser in the battle. She was just too sweet.
“This discussion is not over, Miss Townsend,” Catherine said as she made her way past Sophia.
“There is nothing to discuss. Your brother made his choice.”
“I suppose this means you'll pursue Mr. McDonald, then.”
“I'm pursuing no one, and if I were, it would be none of your concern.”
“I would caution you about Mr. McDonald.”
Sophia fought the urge to roll her eyes. What could this woman possibly say about Ian that she didn't already know?
“You'll never be accepted in the social circles to which you aspire if you marry him.”
“It doesn't stop you from pursuing him.” The words were out of her mouth before she could even think. Oh, how she wished she could grab them out of the air and stop them.
“It's different for me, as the daughter of an earl. I shall be accepted no matter what.”
Lady Catherine breezed into the bookshop, leaving Sophia standing there with the door open. She would be so very glad to see the last of Lady Catherine Grayson.
* * *
Ian sat in the library in Horneswood with Tony Matthews and Captain Smith-Williams. The mating of his ram with several of Tony's ewes was complete. Once Smith-Williams eloped with Miss Hamilton, all the reasons keeping Ian in Beetham would be gone, save one: Sophia.
“When do you think we should elope?” Smith-Williams said. They had been strategizing over the best way to get Miss Hamilton away from Bateman.
“Bateman is getting suspicious of the attention you are paying her,” Ian said.
“I've tried to stay away,” the captain replied.
“Even when you are in the room, you are watching her. You don't even try to hide your emotions.”
“I remember what that was like,” Tony said with a smile. “You aren't much better, McDonald.”
“Is there some lady who has caught your eye? Miss Townsend, perhaps?” Smith-Williams asked.
Tony laughed. “The man has been infatuated with her for the last three years. It's been fun to watch.”
“I'm glad I could provide you with some entertainment, Matthews.”
“Turnabout is fair play, McDonald,” Tony said with a smile. “You watched me deal with my affections for my wife in amusement.”
It was a true enough statement.
“For what it is worth, I think Miss Townsend likes you a great deal, McDonald. I've seen you kissing her quite a bit.”
Ian felt the color rise in his face.
Tony's eyebrows rose. “Are you setting out to ruin my sister-in-law?”
Ian tightened his jaw. “I've had enough of this conversation. I'm not out to ruin anyone. Can we get back to the matter at hand? Captain Smith-Williams, you will announce tonight that you intend to leave the party tomorrow for Lancaster. You have business there.”
“And if they ask what business?”
Ian sighed. He should have known a military man would have no imagination. “You could visit a member of your old regiment, perhaps.”
“That will work. Then I come here, correct?”
“Yes. I've already mentioned this to my wife. We will have a room prepared for you. How do you plan to prevent him from being seen from the Lodge?”
“You'll have to stay in the house. I would like several days to pass before having Miss Hamilton join you. This should keep Lord Bateman from becoming suspicious.”
“I will talk to Miss Hamilton tonight, then, before dinner to let her know the plans.”
“No. She will not be able to hide her feelings. It's best to tell her as little as possible.”
“I can't have her think I've deserted her, McDonald.”
Ian needed a drink; he hated this type of thing. He would rather get everything out in the open and deal with it. Unfortunately, with Miss Hamilton possibly pregnant with Smith-Williams's child, things could not be out in the open. “She will know you aren't deserting her. I just think it would be better if she thinks you are going to Lancaster to make way for your future together.”
“Ah. Makes sense. Good plan.” Smith-Williams stood. “I shall return to the Lodge and begin to pack my things. I'll inform Mrs. Matthews at dinner tonight that I intend to leave in the morning.”
Tony rose to his feet. “We shall expect you tomorrow, then, Captain.”