Further Than Passion (22 page)

Regina shifted in her chair. "We traveled to London at Pamela's invitation, and I was encouraged to believe you had an interest in Melanie."

"Were you?" He sampled his liquor, drained the

193

glass, and rudely went to pour another, which he enjoyed while Regina regrouped.

"Since our arrival, you haven't shown a hint of curiosity. What are your plans toward her?"

At least she'd spared him extra aggravation by getting straight to the point, without any dillydallying, which sped the conclusion. But what should it be? It was on the tip of his tongue to blurt out that he wouldn't propose in a thousand years, that he despised Melanie, but once the pronouncement was voiced, Regina would pack them up and head out. Kate would go with them, and he'd never see her again.

He'd convinced himself that it was what he wanted, and he'd advised Kate that their liaison was finite, but with reality beating down on him, he was stricken at the thought of her departure.

His nights loomed, a solitary, quiet expanse that she'd imbued with passion and laughter. How could he persevere without her? Yet it wasn't fair to Regina to lead her on, to feign excitement where none had been generated.

He never should have let Pamela persuade him into allowing their visit. It had been folly from the outset.

"I have no
plans
for her." The women bristled, and more gently, he added, "We would be a terrible matc
h
— as I'm sure you recognize. Please avail yourself of our continued hospitality for the next week, but after that, it will be best if you return to Doncaster." He stood and downed his brandy. "I trust you will make my apologies to Lady Melanie."

He marched out, and Pamela hesitated, then chased after him, following him out of the house and into the drive. An argument was pending, and he was happy to

1
94

oblige her, but he detested that she would vent their private quarrel in front of the footmen.

"Marcus!" she called when he would have clambered into his carriage.

He whipped around, his fury and antipathy abundantly clear. "Say it fast, Pamela. I'm in no mood for more of your shenanigans."

She smiled, pretending all was well. "We didn't have our conversation about my monthly financial requests."

"Each and every one is denied."

Mone
y
—
o
r the lack of i
t
—
a
lways riveted her attention, and any pretense of civility was abandoned. "She demanded a meeting. I couldn't tell her no."

"Why not?"

Pamela struggled for a reply he'd accept, ultimately choosing, "She deserved an audience."

"And now she's had it."

"You can't send them home."

"I can, and I have."

"You never gave the bloody girl a chance."

"She didn't merit one. I can't fathom why you selected a candidate who is so unsuitable for me."

"Wha
t
—
p
recisel
y
—
i
s it that you would deem to be
suitable
for your exalted self?"

"We could start with an individual who isn't a child and who has a personality."

Pamela fumed, her mouth pursed in an unbecoming grimace. "Am I to pull another fianc
é
e out of my hat? Like a magician at a fair?"

"What you d
o
—
o
r don'
t
—
h
as ceased to matter to me."

"What about our"—
s
he caught hersel
f
—
"your
inheritance? The clock is ticking toward your birthday."

195

"I don't care if you and I end up living on the streets. I really, really don't."

"Bastard!" she hurled.

'Tut, tut, my dear. There's no need to question my antecedents. I'm positive my parents were married before I was born."

Her hostility unmasked, she trembled with rage. "I won't let you fritter away like this."

"I don't see how you can stop me."

"I'll ruin you! I'll fight you in the courts. I'll take you for every penny you have. I'l
l
... I'l
l
..."

She couldn't conjure up any other threats, and her blustering slid off like water. There was no way to force his hand. "Why don't you find yourself a rich husband, so that I can pry your greedy fingers out of the Stamford coffers?"

"You're a cruel beast!" she seethed.

"Yes, I am."

"I hate you!" She whirled away and ran inside, slamming the door so hard that the windows rattled.

He climbed in the coach, settled himself against the squab, and relaxed as the horses trotted away.

14

"I wish you wouldn't bother Lord Stamford with my troubles."

"Why?" Chris queried. "He's really a very nice fellow, once you get past the bluster."

"Still, it embarrasses me. Please promise that you won't con
f
ide in him agai
n
—
a
bout me or Selena."

"We need his advice, Kate. There's something shady about Selena's money."

"I doubt you could get him to pay any attention to the situation. He assume
s
—
a
s with everyone in Londo
n
—that we're a couple of country bumpkins."

"We
are
country bumpkins. That's why he'll help us. We're like fish out of water."

"I've written to her solicitor, Mr. Thumberton, about the discrepancies. Your mother had the letter delivered last week. I'm wailing to hear from him about an appointment."

"That's well and good, but Stamford is available immediately."

197

"I don't want his assistance!" she insisted, with more bitterness than was necessary.

"Why don't you like him?"

"I just don't, and I won't have you pestering him."

"All right," he concurred, as their carriage rattled to a halt. "I won't approach him," which was a lie to soothe
h
er ruffled feathers. Whether Kate liked it or not, Chris intended to parley with Marcus as soon as he had the chance. Despite what was whispered about him, Stamford was very shrewd, very smart, and Chris was positive he'd have many excellent ideas as to how they should proceed.

In the interim, he'd prepared to move Selena into a more suitable neighborhood, and he'd cover her bills until the fiscal mess was resolved.

He peeked out the curtain, gazing at Selena's dilapidated apartment building. "Before we go inside, I have a question for you."

"I won't answer it," Kate retorted, "until you apprise me as to how you cozied up to Selena, and how you found out she's my sister."

"I asked her if she was."

"When?"

"After I brought you there the first time, I returned on my own." She scowled, and he laughed. "Are you satisfied?"

"But why would you?"

"Because she was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen"—
h
e blushed at the admissio
n
—"and I couldn't resist."

Kate groaned. "Your mother will kill me."

"Why?"

198

"Selena is my dirty little secret, and Regina aided me in arranging her affairs only after I swore that I'd never reveal her existence to a single soul. If she learns that the two of you are acquainted, she'll have an apoplexy, and she'll blame me."

"Before all's said and done, I imagine she'll have more than an apoplexy."

"What do you mean?"

"May I pose my question now?"

"I suppose you may."

In a dither, he straightened his cravat and shifted on the seat. His entire life, his mother had handled the important decisions. She'd managed his assets, had hired and fired his employees, had wrangled and finessed himself and Melanie so that things always went her way.

At age eighteen, and almost nineteen, his heritage weighed heavily on his shoulders. He didn't like how Regina acted or how she treated others, and he loathed the air of tension and distrust that she'd fomented at Doncaster.

He was ready to initiate a transformation, to render his own solutions, but this was the biggest decision ever. It was shocking; it was outrageous, and he'd discussed it with no one, had sought no counsel. Was it for the best? The recipes for disaster scared him witless, but he had to determine his own fate, had to establish his independence.

A vision of Selena flashed in his mind, of her as they'd danced at the masquerade ball, and his heart swelled with pride and joy. He might be young and untried, but in this he wasn't mistaken. He could arrive at no better choice, not for himself, and not for the people of Doncaster.

¹⁹⁹

"You're Selena's guardian."

"Yes, I am."

He cleared his throat. He'd repeatedly rehearsed his speech, but he hadn't realized it would be so difficult to recite.

"So I need t
o
... that i
s
.. .
1
wish t
o
..."

"For pity's sake, Chris. Spit it out."

"You like me, don't you, Kate?"

"You're terrific."

"I'll be a worthy husband, wouldn't you agree?"

"Absolutely."

"I was hoping that was your opinion. Miss Duncan," he formally requested, "may I have Selena's hand in marriage?"

Kate gasped. "No. Your mother would murder us both."

"I don't care about my blasted mother!" he sharply remarked.

"This is so sudden, so unexpected."

"It is."

"You can't have thought it through."

"But I have."

"How can I grant my permission?"

"I'm inquiring as a courtesy, Kate," he gently explained. "I want you on our side, but we'll forge ahead, no matter your reply. Don't have me shame her by eloping."

She studied him as if he were speaking in a foreign
lan
guage. "You've known her for what? Five days?"

"As have you. Can you seriously tell me I'm wrong?"
 
He had to persuade her! Wi
th
her as his ally, they could
fac
e down Regina. "Think of what it would be like t
o
have Selena at Doncaster, as my countess. With

200

her there to help me, we could institute so many changes."

The picture he painted was painful to her, and she leaned into the squab and massaged her temples. "I appreciate that you don't want to talk about Regina, but Chris, you can't have fully considered the ramifications of crossing her. She'll never allow the match, and she'll do whatever she can to stop you."

"Don't worry about Regina." He was growing more confident by the moment. "I want to be happy, Kate. Selena makes me happy. Say
y
es."

For a lengthy interval, she was silent, contemplating and reflecting, and finally she murmured, "I don't have many memories of my mother, but Selena reminds me of her."

"It would be so fitting to have her at Doncaster. I believe your mother would have liked Selena's being there."

She stared him down, searching for his resolve. "Are you sure?"

"I love her, Kate. More than life itself. Give me your blessing."

With a sigh of resignation, she relented. "As if I could refuse you."

He let out a whoop of glee, flung open the carriage door, and leapt out, but he was too impatient to delay as she tottered along behind him. At the apartment, they'd been watching for him, and before he could knock, a maid answered. He swept past her and toward the parlor, as Selena rushed out.

"Chris, you're here!"

He kissed her on the cheek, maintaining some decorum in front of her servants. "I told you I'd come at two."

201

"Some men visited me. They said you'd sent them."

'They're moving you on Friday."

"To where?"

"I've taken rooms for you at the Car
l
yle Hotel, just until we locate something more appropriate."

Kate caught up to him, and Selena sparkled with delight. "Kate! Kate!"

She ran forward and hugged her sister, and thoug
h
Kate was disconcerted by the display of affection, her fondness for Selena was too strong to ignore, and she hugged her back.