The Incorrigible Mr. Lumley (21 page)

Joanna could barely catch her breath when
the music ended and her partner led her back to Aunt Ophelia.
Seeing who else stood there made her stop breathing altogether, at
least for a moment. Mr. Lumley and Sir Frederick were the bookends
to Aunt Ophelia and Sir Jasper, and that bounder, Lord Westbourne
had joined them while Joanna danced.

Mr. Lumley appeared nonchalant, but Sir
Frederick’s eyes shot daggers at him. Lord Westbourne, on the other
hand, was as cool and collected as if he believed no man was
competition for him. Yet Sir Jasper flexed and opened his fists,
practically daring anyone to challenge him.

Good heavens, what a recipe for gossip! Were
she and her aunt to be fought over in front of half the ton? The
men might as well rip off their shirts and box each other to the
floor. A nervous giggle escaped, and she quickly covered her mouth.
Perhaps that would not be the best thing, having them disrobe in
the ballroom. The matrons might gasp if a fight broke out, but
would faint dead away seeing half-naked men.

She carefully avoided greeting anyone by
name, so she didn’t have to acknowledge Lord Westbourne. The man
made her shudder. She thanked her partner for the dance, stepped
between her aunt and Mr. Lumley, and pulled out her fan.

“You dance so elegantly.” Mr. Lumley’s voice
next to her ear sent shivers down her spine.

“Thank you. Sometimes I feel as though I’m
galloping about the floor.”

“You are exuberant without losing
grace.”

Feeling even more heated, she fanned herself
hard. “You’re being too kind.”

“I’m not. I would never beguile you with
flattery. There’s no need, with such a specimen as you.”

“Now you do go too far,” she whispered.
“Everyone will hear.”

“I’m not afraid to let them know I think
you’re lovely.”

She could think of nothing to say in
response. His words overwhelmed her. If what he said were the
truth, she wished Sir Frederick would hear. She wanted to tell the
man
this
was the way to court a lady. She wanted to believe
Mr. Lumley was courting her.

Sir Frederick wandered away. Sir Jasper
left, too, and Lord Westbourne took his place beside Aunt Ophelia.
He spoke in low tones, but his voice carried to Joanna. “Have you
considered my offer?”

“Do not speak of it here,” Aunt Ophelia bit
out.

“I am not a patient man.”

Aunt Ophelia turned to Joanna. “I saw Lady
Jersey earlier. Have you seen her gown? The embroidery at her hem
must have taken the seamstress months to complete. I’ve never seen
the like.”

“I shall look for her when I’m dancing. I
did see the most exquisite hat, though. Large rubies surrounded by
white, downy feathers on an emerald turban.” Joanna had seen
nothing of the sort.
Lady Jersey’s gown
was their secret
code to launch into a conversation sure to send off whatever
obnoxious gentleman had joined them.

“My, it sounds striking. I wonder if I could
find the right shade of gold silk for a turban to match the topaz
pendant my dear husband left me. What do you think? A matching gown
and hat to draw out the amber in the stones.”

Joanna grinned. They enjoyed seeing who
could design the more outrageous costume. “I wish Mama would allow
me to wear red. I would dress in it from head to toe, with ermine
at the sleeves and around the train. Do you think I should borrow
Mama’s rubies or emeralds to wear with it?”

Mr. Lumley coughed beside her. She smiled at
him. “What do you think? Should I have a red gown made this Season?
Or wait until winter?”

He cleared his throat. “If a red gown would
make you feel like a Diamond in the Water, I say you should have
it.”

She tipped her head and studied his eyes.
Was he laughing at her or with her? “Very well. I shall ask Mama to
take me to Bond Street tomorrow. Will you come, too, Aunt? You may
inquire if they have gold satin in stock.”

Just when Joanna was running out of inane
conversation, Lord Westbourne took his leave, promising to call on
Aunt Ophelia soon. Joanna turned away and covered her mouth with
her hand to contain the laughter bubbling up. Too late, she
realized she was practically nuzzling Mr. Lumley’s shoulder. The
crisp scent of his soap filled her nostrils.

Joanna sobered instantly, and lifted her
gaze. He looked down at her, his nostrils flaring briefly. She
quickly flung open her fan and brought it between them, fluttering
away the heat that overtook her. That motion only brought another
wave of his fragrance to her. Her shoulder brushed against his firm
chest, making her hands itch to explore the muscle there.

What was she thinking? Her thoughts became
so wicked when he was around. Another wave of warmth overtook
her.

Mr. Lumley’s mouth pulled back on one side.
“Yes, red becomes you.”

The music started up. She straightened her
shoulders. “I believe this is your set, sir.” She took his arm and
followed him to the center of the room. He looked so handsome
tonight, although his dark green waistcoat and black jacket were
nothing unusual for him. The wave in his hair had been tamed, the
chestnut color slightly darker in the light from the multitude of
candles and lamps than when they stood in the bright sunshine. His
eyes looked more golden than green, burning with some emotion she
couldn’t name.

That heated glow caressed her, sent ripples
through her middle. She had to tear her gaze away for fear of
bursting into flames in the middle of the dance floor. Besides,
everyone was bound to see the way they held each other during long,
passionate looks. She didn’t need to be the object of gossip and
innuendo. It was bad enough Mr. Lumley and Sir Frederick had been
so close to blows in front of everyone. She couldn’t let her own
behavior be called into question.

Yet her smile must have touched each ear,
she was so happy dancing with Mr. Lumley. This was what she’d hoped
for from her Season. This was what she wanted in her life.

After their set, they joined Lady Hannah and
Trey for a brief walk outside. The cooler air made Joanna aware of
how damp she’d become while dancing. She shivered as a breeze
danced across the bare skin of her back above her gown.

“Are you cold? We can go back inside,” Mr.
Lumley offered.

“The cold is refreshing, actually. I’d
prefer we remain out here.”

“Then we shall.” He led their group to a
stone bench and motioned for the ladies to sit.

Lady Hannah tucked a lock of hair into the
twist on the back of her head. “You are so lucky your brother
doesn’t accompany you to these affairs, Lady Joanna.”

She laughed. “I should think the guaranteed
dance partners would be a boon.”

“It’s embarrassing to have to dance with
one’s brothers. Everyone knows who they are, so everyone knows you
had no other offers to dance.”

“But it allows you to demonstrate your
grace, so others might see and wish to stand up with you.” Oh,
dear, she sounded just like her mother.

“I suppose.” Lady Hannah sighed. “By now,
the gentlemen should know who I am, and watched me dance at every
assembly and ball. I don’t understand why I’ve so few offers.”

Trey piped up. “Perhaps they also saw the
scowling watchdog hovering nearby.”

Mr. Lumley growled. “I do not hover.”

Joanna laughed. “But you do not dispute the
growling watchdog claim?”

“I am an elder brother. I have a duty to
watch over my siblings.”

“I do not see you observing Trey’s partners
between sets. Don’t you worry about him?” Joanna didn’t feel the
need to hide her flirting from his siblings.

Mr. Lumley looked up at his younger,
slightly taller, brother. “I worry more for his partners, than
about them.”

Trey punched Mr. Lumley in the arm and they
all laughed. Joanna enjoyed seeing how they acted with each other.
They were so close. And seeing Mr. Lumley’s concern for his sister
was touching. Did Robert worry about her in that way? He almost
never accompanied her in the evening, and when he spoke of her
finding a husband, his role in it sounded more like a duty than a
concern.

Mr. Lumley truly cared for his sister’s
safety. He’d never consider an offer from the likes of Sir
Frederick.

Joanna realized her friends were preparing
to return to the ballroom. She rose and took Mr. Lumley’s arm. She
wished she could see into the future and know if Mr. Lumley would
make an offer for her. She couldn’t imagine marrying anyone
else.

Chapter Sixteen

David arranged for a picnic on the Friday
before he was due to leave for Bridgethorpe Manor. Hannah was
disappointed to learn she and Trey would be the only other people
invited, but he’d insisted he needed time with Lady Joanna without
all the interruptions a larger party provided.

Hannah smiled knowingly. “Oh, I
understand.”

“Don’t read too much into this. I’m still
not certain where I stand with her.”

“Take a measure of advice from your little
sister, then. Your picnic will be much more enjoyable if you
sit
with her.”

Waving an arm in a pretense of hitting her,
David fought not to laugh. He’d arranged for a meal to be prepared
and the basket loaded into his curricle, along with some pillows,
and a carpet to sit on. He made certain a nice bottle of wine and
stemmed glasses were included.

After handing Lady Joanna into the curricle,
David drove to Richmond Park. Trey and Hannah rode in a second
curricle, and their servants traveled in a cart with the supplies.
The park was a short distance from London, and the rolling meadows
were an escape from the city. He followed a path to one of the
ponds and chose a spot under a tree where they could sit. They
disembarked, and the servants set up the picnic.

“This is lovely.” Lady Joanna spread her
arms and spun on her toes, taking in the scenery. “Look, there are
deer.”

David glanced where she pointed. “It’s
difficult to imagine we’re so close to the noise of the city, isn’t
it?”

“We should—that is,
I
should come
riding here one day. I imagine there are no rules against galloping
here.” Her cheeks flushed, and he was pleased to hear her slip and
let him know she thought of them as a couple.

He looked in the distance, where a pair of
horseback riders loped up a gentle rise. “It appears not.”

Hannah also looked in that direction. “What
fun. It would be like being home at Bridgethorpe.”

The carpet, spread under a tree, held the
baskets and a pile of pillows. David motioned for Lady Joanna to
join him on the carpet. “Are you hungry? My father’s cook outdid
herself and will be very concerned if we return with any of this
food.” He unwrapped some cheese and located the knife to cut a
piece.

Kneeling nearby, Lady Joanna looked over the
tins and bundles. “She must have imagined you invited a much larger
party. How are we to eat so much?” She gracefully rolled to sit on
one hip, her legs curled close.

“Perhaps we can take a turn around the pond
later and work up our appetites for a second meal.”

“I should have to dance all night to be that
hungry. But it looks delicious, so I’ll at least sample
everything.”

“That should satisfy the cook. Would you
care for some lemonade?”

After he poured their drinks, they ate and
made small talk. Surprisingly, Hannah and Trey ate without joining
in the conversation. David made a mental note to thank them
later.

Birds sang in a stand of trees nearby and
the tension in David’s muscles melted away. He hadn’t realized just
how relaxing it was to be outdoors in a quiet setting. He spent so
much time in the paddocks at Fernleigh, it was just a natural part
of his day. “Are you outdoors with the horses much when you are in
Hampshire?”

“As much as I can be. Mother insists I spend
a good portion of my day behaving as a lady should. I easily
escaped her notice, though, and put Patriot through his paces each
day. I often rode one or two of the other colts around the
paddocks. If I had my way, I would spend my entire day with the
horses.”

He nodded. “It doesn’t seem fair we have to
do those other things, like eating and sleeping.”

Laughing, she agreed. “It’s quite
inconvenient, isn’t it? Although I imagine the horses need their
rest, too.”

“I’m lucky my father has Fernleigh.” David
leaned back on one arm. “I can’t imagine what I’d have done if I’d
been required to find work. Managing Fernleigh isn’t work, it’s a
joy. Trey seems to feel that way about his law studies. While I’m
happy for him, I just can’t imagine spending the day with my nose
pressed to a page as I scribbled proceedings.”

“No, I can see where that would be dull,
although some of the cases must be quite interesting.”

Hannah rose from the carpet. “I’m going to
walk by the pond.” Trey followed when she walked off.

Lady Joanna nibbled like a mouse at her
piece of cheese, and David popped a strawberry covered in cream
into his mouth. “Tell me something about you.”

Her brow creased. “Like what? Hmm. I love
horses.”

“No, something I don’t know. Something no
one else knows.”

She peered at him from the corner of her
eye, and he wondered if she trusted him with such intimate
knowledge. They knew each other so little, yet entire lifetimes had
been born of such short acquaintance. She lowered her hand to her
lap. A small grin pulled at her lips. “I hate peas.”

He burst out laughing. “Now we are getting
somewhere. I love peas, but hate turnips.”

“We are in agreement there. I love the color
green and hate red. It’s so bold.”

“But what of your ermine and red silk gown?”
he teased. “Weren’t you and your aunt to shop for such a
garment?”

“Oh, I’d forgotten. Maybe I’ll discover a
quiet red.”