“I know,” Cassie said a bit more sharply than she intended. “And I’m not avoiding him.”
“Oh?” Delia raised a brow.
“Well, perhaps I am a bit.” Cassie blew a frustrated breath. “But I certainly can’t if I accept this invitation.” She waved the note from Lady Pennington, which had prompted Cassie’s visit to her sister.
“He’s certain to be at this country house party.”
“I have no doubt of it. I understand he and Lord Pennington are quite good friends.” Delia paused.
“Tony and I are going. In fact, I’ve already sent our acceptance. You may drive out with us.”
“I have a great deal of work to do,” Cassie said firmly. “I need to complete my drawings before I can return to Berkley House. And then there will be all sorts of measurements to take and selections of—”
“Nonsense. That’s nothing more than an excuse and not a particularly good one at that. You can take your drawings with you and finish them there. A few days in the country will be good for you.”
“I suspect being in close proximity to Lord Berkley will be anything but good for me,” Cassie said under her breath.
If truth were told, with every passing day, she more and more wanted to be in close proximity to him. Wanted him to take her in his arms and kiss her again and again until she melted at his feet. Wanted all sorts of things she shouldn’t want. All sorts of things that would ultimately lead to her ruin. It was terrifying and made all the more so by the fact that every time her thoughts turned to Viscount Berkley—
as they did constantly—ruin did not seem quite so dreadful. In point of fact, ruin and scandal and everything else she’d feared being part of her very nature were becoming almost irresistible.
“I can’t remember the last time I attended a party in the country that wasn’t at Effington Hall,” Delia said thoughtfully. “We shall be there next month for the Roxborough Ride, of course, and while it will be wonderful to see all the varied Effington relations gathered in one place, I must admit I’m quite looking forward to this party at Holcroft Hall, where I am not related to virtually everyone in sight.”
“Do you know who else is attending?”
“Not everyone. Mother and Father were invited, but they’ve begged off. However, Mother says Leo and Christian will definitely attend. I understand Cousin Thomas and Marianne have also been invited. Lord Berkley, of course, his mother and younger sister—”
“His mother is feeling better then?” Cassie drew her brows together. “I should probably pay her a call as soon as possible.”
“That will have to wait. She is leaving for the country in the morning. Berkley Park, Lord Berkley’s estate, borders on Lord Pennington’s.”
“Which explains why they are such good friends, I suppose.” Cassie narrowed her gaze. “But how do you know all this?”
“Mother told me. She’s apparently been quite busy today.” Delia cast her a wry smile. “Lady Pennington, Lord Pennington’s mother, that is, delivered your invitations in person this morning. She and Mother then paid a call on Lady Berkley.”
“I had no idea they were such bosom bows. Until recently, I don’t know that I’d ever heard Mother mention either lady. Doesn’t this sudden companionship strike you as odd?”
“Not really.” Delia shrugged. “They are of a similar age and experience. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they hadn’t shared secrets together during their first seasons in society and are simply continuing an old friendship.
“At any rate, Mother had a great deal of information that she was more than willing to impart, but her real purpose was to convince me to encourage you to attend the house party.”
“Encourage?”
“Encourage is perhaps inaccurate. Her exact words were something to the effect of tie her up and toss her in a carriage if need be.” Delia grinned.
Cassie laughed. “That sounds like Mother, although I can’t imagine why she’s so insistent on my attendance.”
“She said she had her stars charted and read again and yours as well, I gather, and it would be a grave mistake for you to miss this party. Something about the confluence of this and influence of that means this foray in the country falls in a period of great possibility for you. A critical moment that could well change your life.”
“Really?” Cassie sighed and collapsed into a damask-covered chair. “How…exciting.”
As much as she and her sister scoffed at her mother’s passion for astrology and all things mystical, even the strongest skeptic had to admit that her mother’s predictions and forecasts, guided by the stars, her cards, and a very sweet, apple-cheeked woman named Mrs. Prusha, were accurate an amazing percentage of the time. Her children, as well as her husband, had long ago realized it was far better to abide by Georgina Effington’s words than to risk the consequences. Her mother’s claim that this particular gathering was of such significance could not easily be dismissed. Cassie’s stomach twisted.
“She also noted that you have begged off all social events since Lady Puget’s ball, and she’s quite concerned. She fears you will never find a husband if you stay at home.”
“Yes, well, you scarcely need the stars to determine that.” Cassie traced the pattern on the fabric on the arm of the chair with her finger, noting with satisfaction in the back of her mind how perfectly suited it was for this room. She drew a deep breath and forced a casual note to her voice. “I could always reform Lord Berkley and marry him, I suppose.”
“That is indeed a possibility,” Delia said evenly.
Cassie’s gaze snapped to her sister’s. “Do you think so? I mean, do you think a man with an infamous reputation can truly be reformed?”
Delia chose her words with care. “By the right woman, I think most certainly.”
“I don’t know.” Restlessness pulled Cassie to her feet once again, and she meandered around the edges of the room. “I’ve never had the tiniest desire to reform a man. It’s the last thing I ever wanted.” She paused by the mantel and moved the French bronze clock to the right a bare quarter of an inch. “It’s never made any sense to me that you would marry someone all the while planning to change him. Indeed, change the very things that you probably found attractive in the first place. Beyond that, marriage is forever, and if attempts at reform fail…it’s simply always seemed a very great risk.”
She wandered to the window, adjusted the fall of the drapes slightly, crossed her arms over her chest, and gazed out at the street below. Still, for the right man, the risk might well be worth it.
“Delia,” she said slowly, “I think I may have been wrong.”
Delia gasped with feigned dismay. “You? Wrong? How could such a thing have happened?”
“I don’t know.” Cassie cast her sister a wry glance. “It has never happened before.”
“Not that you’d admit anyway. What precisely are you wrong about?”
Cassie searched for the right words. “I am beginning to think the mere fact that a man has a questionable reputation does not mean he is not a decent sort. Beneath it all, I mean.”
“I gather we’re talking about Lord Berkley.”
Cassie nodded. “He’s not anything like I thought he would be.”
“Not infamous, then?”
“Oh no, he most certainly is infamous, at least his reputation is. As for the man himself…” She returned to the sofa and plopped down beside her sister. “I get the most ridiculous impression that he’s somehow not the kind of man to do the sorts of things that could be considered, well, infamous.”
“How very interesting,” Delia murmured.
“I don’t understand it.” Cassie shook her head. “I am usually such a good judge of character.”
“You’re a good judge of the obvious.”
Cassie’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Are you saying I’m shallow?”
“Not precisely, but you’ve never been good about looking below the surface. My dear Cassie, you have an excellent eye for color, and your taste is impeccable, and you can see a great deal of potential in things that I cannot, but you’ve never been able to extend that same skill to people.”
The import of her sister’s words sank in. “You are saying I’m shallow.”
“No. I’m saying you have never had to look beyond face value when it comes to people. Therefore, you never have.”
“That sounds suspiciously like shallow to me.”
Cassie was well aware that she had any number of faults, but she had never thought of herself as shallow.
“It seems to me,” Delia’s words were measured, “that Lord Berkley is an excellent example. Were it not for the fact that you and he were thrown together, you would never have given him any consideration at all. Based on nothing more than gossip, you had decided he was not the right match for you. You never gave the man a chance.”
“Good Lord.” Cassie slumped deeper in the sofa, closed her eyes, and pressed the back of her hand to her forehead. “I am shallow.”
“Furthermore, your insistence as to the kind of man you claim you want, this ridiculous Lord Perfect—”
“That’s quite enough, thank you. You’ve made your point. I needn’t hear any more.” Cassie groaned.
“I’m a dreadful, dreadful person. A dreadful, dreadful shallow person.”
Delia laughed. “Don’t be absurd. You’re not at all dreadful. You’re really very nice and terribly clever and quite generous and, I know it’s very immodest of me to say, extremely pretty.”
“And shallow.” Cassie heaved a heartfelt sigh.
“Not shallow exactly. For goodness’ sakes, Cassie, I never said shallow.” Delia huffed. “You simply make up your mind about something—in this case Lord Berkley—and refuse to let anything dissuade you. You always have, you know. And you refuse to consider the possibility that you could be wrong.”
“But I did admit I was wrong.” Cassie opened her eyes and bolted upright. “That should count for something. I admitted it right here not more than a minute or so ago. I said I was wrong about Lord Berkley.”
“And isn’t that something to consider,” Delia snapped.
“What on earth do you mean?”
“Come now, Cassie. Surely you can see what’s right in front of you?” Delia leaned toward her sister and pinned her with an unyielding gaze. “For the first time in your life, you’re admitting you’re wrong. Acknowledging that you were mistaken. And the impetus for your revelation is—”
“Lord Berkley,” Cassie said, a note of inevitable surrender in her voice. It made perfect sense. No man had ever confused or annoyed her as Berkley did. And no man had ever kissed her as he had. And no man had ever made her want to kiss him back.
“Oh dear.” Cassie sank back once again and met her sister’s gaze. “Could I possibly be in love?”
“I think that’s a possibility to be considered.” Delia nodded in a somber manner, but her eyes twinkled.
“You did tell me he was quite nice and you find his laugh irresistible. He’s charming and kind to small children.”
“And don’t forget his eyes.” Cassie sighed. “They’re gray, you know, and quite, quite wonderful.”
“If I recall, you said something about wanting to fall headfirst into them?”
Cassie grimaced. “It doesn’t sound at all good, does it?”
“It sounds wonderful.”
“I’ve never been in love before, you know.”
“I do indeed, and it’s past time.” Delia nodded firmly. “In some manner, probably known only to the stars, Lord Berkley has penetrated your resistance. I think it’s grand.”
“I’m not sure it’s grand at all.” Cassie wrinkled her nose. “I think it may well be a bit of a problem.”
“How on earth is this a problem?”
“I’ve presented him with Miss Wonderful. The very woman he’s always wanted. Felicity Bellingham. Judging simply by the looks cast in her direction by any man in her presence, she is the woman every man has always wanted.”
“Yes, well, she might not have any interest in him.” Delia shrugged. “She is extremely sought after.”
“How could she not be interested in him?” Indignation rang in Cassie’s voice. “Why, with the possible exception of his reputation, he is an excellent match. In truth, I’m rather surprised no one has snapped him up before now.”
“One could say the very same thing about you. Obviously fate was saving you for one another.” Delia cast her a smug smile.
“You needn’t look at me like that.” Cassie huffed. “Very well, I admit it. I want him. I’ve never wanted a man before, and I want this one. He’s not Lord Perfect, but for whatever reason, I want him. So what am I to do about it?”
Delia laughed. “Obviously love has addled your mind.” She leaned closer to her sister. “My dear Cassandra, you have always been the belle of every ball. I have seen you attract and discard any number of men through the years. You have perfected flirting to a fine art.”
“I fear, my lord, you have me at a disadvantage,” Cassie murmured.
“Now, you simply have to focus all your efforts on one particular man with the express purpose of keeping this one.” Delia settled back and smiled. “Miss Bellingham is of no significance, and Lord Berkley doesn’t stand a chance.”
“It would be something of a challenge.”
“And you’ve never backed away from a challenge.”
“The stakes are exceedingly high.”
“Nothing less than your heart.”