Simmer All Night (25 page)

"So, do you like my surprise?" the earl asked. "This taste of home?"

"I do," she said smiling. "I'm a little appalled you went to this much trouble, but I do love it. Thank you, Grandfather." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

He beamed and preened. "What's a little trouble when your only granddaughter is getting engaged? Besides, I thought the theme appropriate for you and Morgan."

"Lord Welby and I."

He scowled. "I'm not announcing that betrothal. Never intended to. Want to make it you and that rapscallion Morgan."

"Don't even think about it." Chrissy tensed and scowled right back at him. "Just because I offered my thanks for your efforts, don't think I'm not still furious with you."

"I understand that you are a little upset. Dance some more, child. Activity is good for ridding the body of ill humors." He gave her shoulder an appeasing pat, then called out to an elderly gentleman passing by. After introducing the Marquess of Wirth to Chrissy as an old and dear friend, the trio made small talk for a few minutes.

When the marquess moved on, Chrissy smiled sweetly up at the earl and returned the conversation to the matter at hand. "Grandfather, try and announce my engagement to Cole Morgan and I will have a case of ill humor the likes of which England has never seen."

"Now, muffin."

"Don't 'muffin' me. I mean it. And while we're discussing this, explain something to me, would you? If you never intended to support my marriage to Welby, why did you go along with the idea?"

The earl frowned down at his fingernails. "Because of Morgan, of course. Your mama told me the man needed encouragement to realize what you mean to him, and after the daggers he shot in Welby's direction the day he arrived, I figured I'd play along and see if the young lord was the push your young man needed."

"He's not my young man," Chrissy insisted.

"If you say so," the earl dryly replied, gazing past her shoulder, "However, you might want to tell him that."

Chrissy didn't have to look to know that Cole was bearing down upon her. Lovely. Just lovely. She couldn't find the fiancé she had, and couldn't get rid of the one she didn't need. Or didn't want to need, anyway.

Sending a groan of frustration skyward, she ducked away from her grandfather, skirted the grand circle forming in the center of the hall and slipped into the hallway leading toward the library and the music room beyond. She'd hide out there for a time and collect herself. And think.

She was beginning to recognize the sensation creeping over her. She'd felt the same way every time she broke an engagement.
Oh, Chrissy. You're not going through
with it, are you? You're going to break it off with Welby.

Then the sight of the Kleberg children kneeling outside the library door brought her up short The door was cracked open a little more than an inch and Michael spied inside while Sophie kept her ear pressed toward the opening. Both children's eyes were as round as a Royal Derby plate.

Concerned, Chrissy came up behind them and listened to hear what held them in thrall.

"I will go to her and tell her," came Welby's voice. "For days now my heart has been at odds with my sense of honor. I cannot withdraw my marriage proposal, but neither can I bear to give you up. I have feelings for you, my dear. Deep feelings. It would be wrong for me to say more before I have spoken with Christina."

Deep feelings? Who is in the room with my fiancé?

A feminine, trembling voice spoke. "You mustn't I won't allow it."

Chrissy's chin dropped in shock.

Chapter 10

"Lana?" Chrissy murmured.

She nudged Michael aside so she could see into the room.

The library's two occupants did not notice her arrival, so intent were they upon each other. Behind a large mahogany library table, Lana stood facing Lord Welby, her expression filled with turmoil. "I spent time with you to help Chrissy, not to win you for myself. I wanted what was best for her."

"You still do. We both know now that I'm not the right man for Miss Delaney. If I were I wouldn't be falling—"

"Don't," she interrupted. "No. You can't. We can't. I forbid it."

"My dear, whether I give voice to it or not does not stop me from feeling it."

"You're mistaken. You hardly know me. Nothing happens this fast." Lana brought her fingers up to her temples and massaged them in small circles.

"It can. It has."

"No. You don't know what you want, Lord Welby. Two weeks ago you wanted Chrissy."

"Two weeks ago I knew I was ready to marry and I methodically went looking for a bride. Yes, Miss Delaney appealed to me. She's a beautiful, fascinating woman." Then his voice deepened, grew husky. "Understand that I never expected to find love in marriage. It's not the way of the Harrington family. I thought with Christina I could find contentment, friendship. I thought I could be happy with that. But then you launched your campaign to convince me to take a trip to Texas and I found out that love can exist. It does exist."

She winced and shut her eyes. "Then it must die,"

"Why?"

"Because of Chrissy! You are engaged to marry her. And even if that insurmountable obstacle didn't exist, there is still the problem of who you are and who I am. You are the most eligible bachelor in England. I'm a homespun widow with two hooligan children. You can't... be attracted to me."

"Yes, I can, and I am. Very much so." Welby lifted her hand and pressed a kiss against her palm. "I ask you not to speak of yourself and the children in such a deprecatory manner."

"I won't betray my friend."

"Of course you won't. My dear, have you not told me she sets great store in making a love match? Wouldn't it be a greater betrayal of your friendship to allow this force to go forward knowing love does not exist on either side?"

"But it could, given time," she protested. "You're a wonderful man, and Chrissy could come to see that."

"She loves another," he argued. "Is Cole Morgan the man?"

Lana's head jerked up and her gaze met his, her eyes wide and wary. "I never said that."

Welby gingerly pressed his fingers against the discoloration beneath his eye. "I drew that conclusion on my own."

In the hallway, Michael Kleberg whipped his head around and gaped at Chrissy. He whispered, "You love Mr. Cole?"

"Shush!" she whispered back.

"Mrs. Kleberg," Welby continued. "Lana, I don't wish to hurt Christina either. She is a lovely woman, both inside and out. I recognized that from the beginning. If you recall, I spent a great deal of time with her once she accepted my suit. I kept hoping that as we came to know one another better, something special would bloom between us. It never did. Instead, I began looking forward to the visits of a very beautiful, very special woman who seemed determined to send me to Texas. Did you know I decided to make the trip that very first day?"

Bewilderment colored Lana's voice as she said, "But you argued against it every time."

"Yes. Because I wanted to be with you. I'm afraid my gentlemanly honor is as shallow as a birdbath. However, I am comforted by the knowledge that Christina's affections lie elsewhere. If she's the type of friend you believe her to be, she'll be glad you've found a chance for happiness." He stepped closer, his voice growing intimate. "I won't give you up, my dear. Not when it's taken me so long to find the woman of my dreams. Do not ask me to give you up. Tell me you return my regard."

"I can't," she breathed, pulling away from him. "Even if I did, I can't. Don't you see?" Lana backed away, bumped into the Louis XIV settee, and swayed a bit trying to get her balance. Welby reached for her, steadied her. Their gazes met and held.

Chrissy wouldn't have been surprised to see every lamp wick in the room burst into flame, so heated was the look they shared. A smile began to play about her lips.
Kiss her, Welby. Do it.

Even as he leaned toward her, Lana wrenched from his arms. "I feel so guilty. I didn't mean for this to happen. I never dreamed a man like you would look twice at me. I never expected to feel like this again."

"Say it, Lana. Say it outright. I need to hear it."

"Oh, Lord Welby." She shut her eyes. "I can't. I can't repay Chrissy's friendship by stealing her fiancé."

Chrissy couldn't bear for Lana to suffer another minute longer. She breezed into the room saying, "Don't be ridiculous. The man is not a piece of jewelry to be filched from a box. Although I will admit he is very pretty."

"Pretty?" Welby repeated, sniffing with disdain as Lana gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. Chrissy saw hope mingled with mortification in her friend's eyes and decided to take the opportunity to cover a little ground with the viscount. Lana deserved the best and Chrissy meant to see that she had it. She had a few questions to ask the man. "Michael, Sophie, you two might as well come in on it. Your knees are probably tired by now. Shut the door behind you."

As the children rushed in and took a bouncing seat on the settee, Chrissy motioned for Welby to sit in one of the desk chairs. Silently, he considered for a moment before tossing her an I'll-indulge-you-just-so-far look and taking the seat. Lana stood behind her children, one trembling hand on each child's shoulder. "Chrissy, I—"

"Be quiet, Lana." Chrissy pursed her lips, folded her arms, and pontificated. "I know it was terribly rude of me to eavesdrop, but it was awfully interesting and let's face it, that's just the sort of scandalous behavior I'm famous for. Now, if I understand this situation correctly, you"— she looked at Welby—"my fiancé, and you"—now to Lana—"my best friend, have fallen in love. Am I right?"

Welby gazed warmly at Lana as he replied, "You are."

"Oh, Chrissy, let me explain," said Lana.

Chrissy held up one finger. "Answer the question, please."

"All right, yes. Yes, I do love him, but I didn't mean to and I wouldn't if he hadn't been so sweet to the children and so nice to me and if I didn't know you didn't love him and I suspected you were in love with Cole."

"Lana dear, let's limit the number of clauses in one sentence here. Otherwise I tend to get lost. Now, where was I? Oh, yes." Chrissy leveled a fierce look at Welby. "Do you have any idea how lucky you are to have earned this woman's love?"

His chin came up. "I am."

"Tell me about it."

"Playing the guardian's role, Christina?" he inquired, arching a brow.

Slyly, she grinned. "Would you rather it be me or Michael?"

He winced. "You have a point. Very well. Allow me to tell you what I see when I look at Mrs. Kleberg." He leveled his gaze upon Lana. "I see a woman of exceptional qualities. I see a woman with a generous spirit, a kind nature, and a gentle patience. I see a strong woman. I see a woman whose subtle sense of humor never fails to bring a smile to my face. I see a woman of quiet beauty who both stirs me and brings me peace. I could go on for hours."

"Oh, Lord Welby," Lana said, her voice trembling on a sigh.

"Darling, don't you think it's time you addressed me by my first name?"

"Oh, Bruce."

Chrissy smothered a smile. "I hope you
will
go on for hours sometime. She obviously loves hearing it. However, I need to know a few things in particular before I countenance this match."

"Match!" Lana protested. "But Chrissy, we haven't... he hasn't asked... you've made an unwarranted leap—"

"No she hasn't," Welby stated. To Chrissy, he said, "If I were free, my first act would be to ask Lana to become my wife."

Lana squeaked as Chrissy nodded and said, "Consider yourself emancipated as of this moment. However, I get to finish asking my questions before you get around to yours. Now, even though Lana is my dearest friend and I think she is the finest woman in the world, I am not unaware of the potential problems she might bring to a marriage with a British lord. For instance, how do you feel about her lack of pedigree?"

"She's not a horse, Miss Delaney. I'm marrying Lana, not her family tree."

I knew I liked this man,
thought Chrissy. "She has no dowry."

He gazed at Lana and his voice gentled. "Her smile, alone, makes her wealthy beyond measure in my eyes."

He is good.
"Lord Welby, what are your feelings toward her children?"

"Why, I love them, too, of course."

She cocked her head and studied him carefully. "Even after the pranks? The worm sandwich? The vests on the statues?"

"Especially after all of that. Sophie and Michael have spirit, they have grit. While I won't try to take their father's place, I will be proud to stand in for him and guide them in the years to come."

"But you're supposed to hate us!" Michael exclaimed.

"That's right, Mr. Viscount Welby," Sophie piped up, her brow knotted in confusion. "We did those tricks so you'd be mean back to us and Miss Chrissy wouldn't like you and wouldn't marry you because you aren't the right beau for her and I guess that's because you're supposed to be our mama's beau and I bet our daddy who is an angel up in heaven now picked you out for us." The longer she talked, the more her frown eased. By the time she finished she was beaming. "Isn't that nice of our daddy?"