Midnight Temptations With a Forbidden Lord (12 page)

“My apologies for not acting sooner.” Mr. Torrance’s demeanor was cross and he directed his displeasure at the newcomer. His sister threaded her arm through Mr. Torrance’s and smiled brightly to make up for her brother’s sour mood.

Charlotte focused on their rescuer again. A gentleman, most assuredly. He was neatly put together, wearing a light brown suit with a cream-colored vest. His dark brown beard was trimmed short and he had a strong, commanding presence. His smile was kindhearted and welcoming.

Ariel looked at the gentleman with an expression of awe. “I can’t thank you enough. Surely it wouldn’t be too forward to ask the name of our rescuer?”

“Lord Jack Greyson at your service.” His voice was deep, provocative even, his hazel eyes arresting and a perfect blend of both green and brown.

Lady Hargrove said in a squeaky voice, “The president of the Zoological Society?”

“The very one,” he responded with a tip of his hat in Lady Hargrove’s direction. “How do you do, my lady?”

Lady Hargrove flicked her fan open and studied the man standing across from them. “Very well. Thank you for your assistance.”

“I just happened to be making my rounds this afternoon. Charlie takes offense at birds of any type. He was merely trying to pluck it away from the young lady’s head.” He still spoke directly to Lady Hargrove, as though waiting for the rest of the introductions to be made.

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lord Greyson,” Genny said. “I am Miss Camden. This is my cousin, Lady Charlotte, and her friend with the feathers atop her hat is Lady Hargrove’s daughter, Lady Ariel.”

“A pleasure,” he said to Genny.

“The camel has a name?” Genny asked, clearly entertained by the situation as she giggled again.

“All the animals do, madam.”

“I think we’ll stand back from the camels from now on,” Ariel said, a wry grin on her face as she studied the animal that wanted to snack on her finely made hat. “Though I find them oddly beautiful.”

The brown beast then spat a wad of something dark and gooey at their feet. The two younger women gasped as they jumped away from the disturbing mass of slop.

“Never fear,” Lord Greyson said. “It’s merely his dislike of your hat that has him agitated and showing his leadership skills. Really, it’s a defense mechanism when they are unsure of a situation.”

“You’re very informed,” Mr. Torrance pointed out.

“I should hope so, kind sir, otherwise I wouldn’t be fit for this position. I’ll bid you all adieu. Please enjoy the rest of the exhibits.” With another tip of his hat in their general direction, Lord Greyson headed off. His stride was quick, but he nodded to many of the guests and offered a polite hallo as he went on his way.

“What an odd man,” Ariel whispered in her ear.

“He was, wasn’t he?” Charlotte had to agree. “Here one moment to save the day and your hat, and gone just as quickly.”

“I think I’ve had all I can take of the camel house.” Genny couldn’t keep the amusement from her voice, drawing all eyes to her. “Let’s see if the elephants are more hospitable and accepting of our company.”

“So long as they don’t take it upon themselves to shower us with water, I’ll be quite happy to move on,” Miss Torrance said with a grin.

Genny turned around and headed deeper into the animal park, forcing them all to follow. Ariel looked behind them once more before capturing Charlotte’s arm with hers and following their group.

The elephants were tranquil and standing on the far side of the pond within their enclosure. Charlotte was glad their group didn’t stop there long, because the delay at the camel pen had brought her meeting with the marquess closer. She was anxious to reach the monkey house. Surely he agreed to the terms outlined in her letter. If he hadn’t, why would he decide to meet her at all?

Dark clouds started to roll in overhead and their parasols wouldn’t protect them if rain were to come down in sheets.

“We may be in for quite a storm,” Ariel said.

“I think you’re right.” The wind started to pick up and Charlotte had to put her parasol away or risk losing it to a strong gust of wind. This couldn’t be happening. She had to meet the marquess. “Perhaps there is a shelter up ahead where we can step inside,” she called out to the others in her group.

“We might as well try and find somewhere to wait out the storm,” Lady Hargrove said, and Mr. Torrance ran ahead to look for shelter before they could say anything further.

Within minutes, they were at the monkey house, and Charlotte pulled her friend aside as she looked around, hoping to spot the marquess. Should she tell Ariel why she’d wanted to come here of all places today? The rain still hadn’t begun, but it didn’t look far off.

“I failed to mention something important about today.”

Her friend looked at her quizzically.

“The marquess said he would meet me here. I sent him a letter, asking for his aid in my ruin.”

Ariel’s mouth dropped open in surprise. “How could you not tell me!”

“I wasn’t sure how today would turn out, or if he would come.”

“What did you say in the letter?”

“I explained my circumstances and he responded with a request to meet me here today.”

Ariel looked around them, too. “I don’t see him.”

“He’s already approached me, so I’m sure he is near.”

“When?”

“When we were at the aviary,” she said in a whisper, so no one could hear her. She wasn’t sure how she felt about sharing all her secrets with Ariel anymore. Shouldn’t she keep some to herself?

“You sly devil, Charlotte. I can’t believe I didn’t take notice of his presence.”

“It was fleeting. No more than greetings were exchanged. That and the request that I meet him here five minutes ago.”

She pulled Ariel over to the first cage in the row and looked at the creatures climbing around on the trees. They were the same monkeys she’d once seen in a circus; their bodies were black and their faces and chests ivory-colored. The bronze sign labeled them as capuchin monkeys.

“Perhaps he has already gone.” She hated to voice her fears, but she couldn’t help herself.

“He’ll come. He’s already gone to the trouble to approach you once, he’ll not resist doing so again,” Ariel said.

“How can you be so sure?”

Her friend grinned at her. “Because I saw him behind a tree just before he disappeared into the crowd.”

Charlotte’s breath hitched and she froze to the spot, not wanting to give away that she was looking for someone. Fat drops of rain hit her hands and face. And though she should care that her maquillage would run, she didn’t want to seek shelter from the rain just yet.

Ariel looked up at the sky. “I don’t think we can wait here much longer.” She chewed on her lower lip contemplatively.

“We can’t leave yet.”

Suddenly, an umbrella was shielding her and Ariel. “No, we can’t have you leaving just yet.”

“Good afternoon, Lord Castleigh,” Ariel said with a beaming smile on her face.

Had she known he was coming up behind them? Oh, she would pay for this later.

“How did you think to bring an umbrella along with you today?” Charlotte asked, still not ready to turn around and face the marquess.

“Bea thinks of everything for our day excursions.” He reached around her and handed another umbrella to Ariel, who took it without hesitation, opening it up as she walked a few steps away from them without being asked.

“We have temporary privacy,” he whispered in her ear.

She slowly turned, her skirts brushing against his legs as she did so.

“Why did you want to meet?”

“To clear up a few things. It’s much easier to do so in person than on paper.”

“Was my request not clear?”

“Very. This is also a lot safer than missives, which can be traced back to the sender. You should take care to protect your good name, my lady.”

“Is that not the opposite of my purpose in courting your favor?” she countered.

“Yet, if we should be caught out too soon, it will be the end of your little game.”

She narrowed her gaze. “How can you be so sure?”

“That’s how these politically aligned marriages work, my dear. You do something your father disapproves of and I can promise you he will move up your wedding date.”

She pursed her lips. The bitter taste of anger flooded her. “I despise Mr. Warren. And I will stop at nothing to end the engagement.”

“Have you thought of what that would mean for you in the long run?”

“I would be an independent woman.”

“To do what, my lady? Continue attending your balls and soirees without censure from the rest of the ton?”

The rain was starting to fall harder and plopping against the top of his umbrella at a steady staccato.

“You make me out to be a fool.” She took a step away from him, and rain hit the back rim of her hat. “I know what social ruin would mean for me, but I have a way to live quietly in another town, even on the Continent should I wish it.”

He thought about this for a moment, narrowing his gaze on her and taking a step closer so she was under the umbrella with him again. “How many years before you come into your inheritance?”

It annoyed her that he had figured her out so easily. “Less than three years.”

“And how will you keep yourself until that time?”

Of course he would ask about the one problem she hadn’t solved yet.

The marquess whistled out a breath and shook his head. “Just as I thought. You haven’t figured it out.”

“Perhaps we could make an arrangement.”

His eyes snapped back to hers, anger evident. “It’s beneath you to whore yourself out.”

Her mouth dropped open again. “I didn’t mean that!” she hissed back.

The anger seemed to leach away from him. “Aside from your father loosing favor in the House of Lords, what benefit will I gain from an alliance with you?”

“You are different than I imagined.”

“Only because you put too much stock in gossip.”

Why were they arguing about this? “Are you angry with me? If you dislike my approach in this, then I will find another to help me. I thought—”

“That I would help you because I responded to your letter? You’re right about one thing: I will not let you find someone else for your charade. I think I’ve become a humanitarian since we met.” He put his forefinger under her chin and tilted her head up toward his, stepping closer still. “You’re liable to find more trouble than you’ve bargained for, and I would hate to see such a lovely woman destroyed by her own lack of sense.”

She ignored the insult. “What do you propose?” she whispered, hating that she wanted him to lean his head closer so she could feel his breath on her, so she was close enough that they could kiss.

“You could marry me.” When her mouth dropped open, he released her and stood tall again. Had he wanted to kiss her? “Though I don’t think that’s quite what you had in mind.”

“The only thing that could persuade me to marry is true love.”

He shook his head at her again. “You are more naïve than I thought. No one in this day and age marries for love.”

“I’m starting to dislike you at a rather alarming rate.”

“Hopefully not as much as your Mr. Warren.”

“He’s not my anything.” She looked away from him, frustrated that she couldn’t keep her emotions in check.

“No, I suppose he’s not. But he will be if we can’t come up with another plan for you.”

“Can’t you simply court me in public?”

“And have your father rush your nuptials? It won’t work.”

He made a valid point. She really hadn’t thought this through. Ariel would have to help her come up with the best ways of ensuring she didn’t have to marry Mr. Warren.

“I introduced myself to you hoping that we might be found in a compromising situation,” she admitted.

“I knew what you were about, my lady. Besides, that’s far too risky. Your father would have my head in a duel if I ruined you. I like my head right where it is, on my neck, Lady Charlotte.”

That earned him another smile. How was it that the marquess found humor in just about any situation? “Why do you want to help me?”

“Because, despite my better judgment, I have grown to like you these past few days.”

She pinched her lips together to keep from smiling, but was unsuccessful.

“I think you are laughing at me, my lady.”

“I might be.” She turned back to the monkeys and saw two of them huddled together grooming each other as they sat atop a wooden platform. “There has to be a way to make this work,” she thought aloud.

“Tell me why you dislike the thought of marrying Mr. Warren so much.”

“We agree to disagree about many things.” She tilted her head to the side so she could see him from under the rim of her hat. “We are ill suited and a union between us would make us both miserable.”

“Perhaps it’s not you that needs ruining but Mr. Warren.”

She gave him a droll look. “That man is as proper as they come.”

He raised one brow. “So you’ve been led to believe.”

“What do you know that I don’t?” She loved gossip as much as the next young lady.