“You’d fight a duel?” Cassie stared at him in disbelief. “With Leo? For me?”
Reggie smiled, a quite intimate and extremely personal kind of smile. A smile that promised everything that Leo feared. And everything Cassie wanted. “I would indeed.”
“But Leo’s very good at that sort of thing.”
“It scarcely matters how good he is.” Reggie shrugged. “He has insulted you, and anything else is insignificant.”
“Oh my.” Any remaining doubts vanished with her sigh. “That’s so very…perfect of you.”
His smile widened to a grin. “Do you really think so?”
“Absolutely.” She nodded and cast him a brilliant smile. And wanted nothing less than to throw herself into his arms and finish what they’d started last night right here and now, in front of Leo and God and anyone else who might be watching.
“Now then, Effington?” Reggie’s firm gaze met Leo’s.
“No need for anything of that sort, I should think. Duels, I mean. Nasty business for all concerned, really.” Leo turned to Cassie. “I do apologize, Cass.”
“For?” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“For,” Leo paused for a moment, obviously deciding exactly what he was sorry for. “For thinking you would let your emotions overcome your good sense.”
“Very nice, Effington,” Reggie murmured.
“Thank you.” Leo grinned.
“I think it’s scarcely more than adequate,” Cassie snapped.
“Very well then.” Leo rolled his gaze toward the skies. “I am truly sorry, Cass. I am sorry that I thought you could have Berkley in your room last night. I am sorry that I fully expected to find the two of you rolling about on the ground just now—”
Cassie’s eyes widened with shock. “Leo!”
Reggie coughed to cover a laugh. What on earth did he find so amusing? This wasn’t the least bit funny.
“My apologies, Berkley.” Leo grimaced. “I didn’t mean to imply that you would take such liberties.”
Reggie’s expression was cool, but laughter danced in his eyes. Cassie would have given a great deal for a pistol at the moment. “However, you have no difficulties implying I would allow such liberties? Or worse, I would take such liberties myself?” She stepped closer to her brother and poked her finger hard at his chest. “What did you think I would do, throw him down on the ground and leap on him?”
An odd choking sound emanated from Reggie. She paid it no mind. She would deal with him later.
“Well?” She poked again, harder.
“Stop it, Cass, that’s both annoying and painful.” Leo grabbed her hand, pulled her a few feet away, leaned close, and lowered his voice for her ears alone. “I have spent too many years watching over you to stop now.”
“For goodness’ sakes, Leo, you needn’t—”
“It may well have been unnecessary in the past and may indeed be unnecessary now, but I see the look in his eye when he looks at you. God knows, I have worn that particular look in my own eye when there was a woman I, to be blunt, wanted. Worse than that, there is the very same look in your eye. You’ve never been interested in any man the way you are interested in him.” Leo’s voice hardened. “I have no intention of dropping my guard when it comes to the two of you. We allowed Delia to lull us into laxity, to my eternal regret.”
Cassie snorted. “You’re the only one regretting it. She’s the very picture of happiness.”
“Through nothing more than dumb luck.” Leo’s eyes narrowed. “I shall watch you day and night if I have to. One sister may well have fallen into scandal, but I shall not permit another to do the same.”
“It’s not your decision,” Cassie hissed. “Nor your life.”
“It’s my duty.” A sanctimonious note rang in Leo’s voice.
Shooting might well be too good for him.
Reggie cleared his throat. “As much as I am not included in this discussion, although I must confess to a fair amount of curiosity regarding what the two of you are whispering about, I suggest you continue it at another time and we return to the others. If indeed they are as famished as you say, Effington.”
“Yes, of course.” Leo cast Reggie a relieved smile, the kind of smile that claimed kinship and common ground between men that women simply could not comprehend.
Perhaps she would simply take to carrying a pistol on her person in the future.
“We shall continue this later, Leo.” She turned on her heel and stalked around the trees to the waiting horses.
She was certain she had been this angry with Leo in the past, but at the moment she couldn’t remember when. Why was it so impossible for her brothers to believe she was competent enough to make her own decisions? She was four and twenty after all, and if she chose to plunge into scandal or ruin or indeed, if she chose to be eminently proper, it should be her choice, not theirs. Sometimes, it was most frustrating being a woman. And a woman without a pistol at that.
Cassie reached her mount, and both Reggie and Leo stepped forward to help her remount her horse. She cast her brother a scathing glare. He returned a weak smile and obediently stepped aside. Reggie helped her on to the saddle in a manner so proper that even the most discerning brother could not object. Why, his hands didn’t so much as stray an inch from her waist, nor did they linger a moment longer than necessary. All of which would have only strengthened her resolve to do bodily harm to her brother if not for the look in Reggie’s eye. No doubt the very one that so concerned her brother. And certainly the very one that dissolved any resistance and all doubts she might have.
“Thank you, my lord,” she said coolly.
“My pleasure, Miss Effington.” The corners of his mouth quirked upward in a private smile that bespoke shared secrets and unstated promises.
Perfect.
The trio started back toward the rest of the party. Conversation was limited, although Reggie and Leo did exchange a few polite words. Cassie, pointedly, did not so much as glance at her brother. While she hadn’t spent nearly enough time alone with Reggie, and had neither a satisfactory answer to her question nor a declaration of his feelings, she had seen a side of him she had not expected. Furthermore, he had offered to duel Leo over a mere insult and wasn’t that very much an indication of his affection? Did men truly risk their lives for women they did not love?
Regardless, she loved him and she wanted him, and she was determined to have him. Anticipation trickled through her, and she smiled to herself.
The path to scandal had never looked so inevitable.
Or so delightful.
Fourteen
Women are fragile, exquisite creatures who hold our hearts in their hands and can transport us to heaven with a single look.
Robert, Viscount Bellingham
Leo was as good as his word.
Cassie paced the width of her bedchamber and tried to convince herself shooting her brother was not a reasonable response.
During yesterday’s picnic, throughout the rest of the day, into the night, and again all day today and this evening, Cassie had been constantly under the watchful eye of Leo or Christian. And on those rare moments when neither brother was within sight, she suspected they had turned their attention toward Reggie. Unfortunately, Miss Bellingham seemed to devote a great deal of her attention to Reggie as well. And while his response didn’t appear to be considerably more than cordial, only a dead man would not be flattered by the flirtatious attention of Miss Wonderful. It was most annoying, but there was nothing Cassie could do about it save remind herself that she was confident of Reggie’s affection. Still, Cassie was unable to spend any time with him at all, and she suspected Miss Bellingham had no such restrictions.
At least—when the men of their party had been off shooting or something equally boring, and there hadn’t been a brother breathing over her shoulder—Cassie had had more than enough time to finish her sketches for Reggie’s house. She’d also had the opportunity for a long and most productive chat with Gwen.
Before dinner tonight, Reggie had given his wholehearted approval to her ideas. Not that the two of them had been alone, of course. No, Reggie had given his approval along with his mother and sister and most of Gwen’s other houseguests.
Miss Bellingham had shown more than a passing interest in her designs. Rather odd, Cassie had thought, and vaguely disturbing. Mr. Drummond, however, had been most complimentary, and it had been enough to make her want to run screaming into the rose gardens when she’d realized she could have dragged Mr. Drummond bodily to her bed and her brothers would scarcely have noticed. Apparently neither Leo nor Christian thought Mr. Drummond or Lord Townsend or any of the other single gentlemen present save Reggie posed much of a threat to Cassie’s virtue. The thought did cross her mind, though, that, for brothers who had long wanted nothing more than to have her wed, they were being rather particular now as to the possibilities available. Christian, though, did seem to be seeking protection as much as giving it. Lucy was most determined to be wherever he was, by his side every moment if possible, although Cassie had to give the girl her due; she was both subtle and clever. Indeed, if one wasn’t already cognizant of Lucy’s intentions toward Christian, one might not notice the rapt attention she paid him. Christian, however, was all too aware of the girl and did his best to avoid any action that might either encourage her or be misconstrued by anyone else. Still, Cassie noted he looked at Lucy with an odd mix of terror and fascination and wondered if indeed someday he might cast his eye in her direction. Certainly Reggie noticed Lucy’s pursuit of Christian, and while Cassie had had no opportunity for more than a passing word with him, every now and then she’d catch him watching Lucy with narrowed eyes and muttering to himself, “Practice.”
Lord Bellingham, on the other hand, was too besotted with Lucy to notice her single-minded concentration on Christian. And the girl encouraged his interest by occasionally favoring the young lord with a flirtatious smile or a coy glance or by laughing at something he said in a manner that indicated he was the cleverest man in the entire world. It was obvious to Cassie that Lucy had little need of practice. Pity she couldn’t ask Lucy to resolve her own problem at the moment. Cassie didn’t doubt the girl would have any number of ideas on how to slip out of a room practically guarded by an older brother. Although Cassie had a rather excellent plan regarding that herself.
A knock sounded at the door.
She flew to it and yanked it open. “What on earth has taken you so long?”
“You told me to wait until everyone was abed.” Delia stepped into the room curiously. At this late hour, she was clad only in her nightclothes and a most discreet robe. “Do try to remember I have a husband to attend to, and I thought it prudent to wait until he was asleep.”
“I thought you might not come at all.”
“I could scarcely ignore your fervent plea after dinner. Whatever is the matter?”
Cassie looked down the hall and was not the least bit surprised to see Leo’s door cracked open again tonight. She wrinkled her nose, snapped her own door shut, and leaned back against it. “I need your help.”
Delia raised a brow. “With Mr. Drummond or Lord Berkley?”
“Reggie, of course.” Cassie furrowed her brow. “I don’t care a fig about Mr. Drummond, although I will say he’s quite charming.”
Delia grinned. “I’d say he’s perfect.”
“Not for me.”
“I agree.” Delia studied her sister cautiously. “I’ve scarce had a minute to talk to you since our arrival. How goes the campaign for the heart of Lord Not-a-tall-Perfect?”
“It’s dreadful, Delia.” Cassie resumed her pacing.
“Oh? And I thought, from what I have seen, anyway, that it was going rather well. There is a way he has of looking at you.”
Cassie stopped and stared at her sister. “Everyone seems to have noticed that except for me. Why is it you can see something in the way he looks at me or something in the way I look at him that I can’t?”
“Because, Cassie dear, we are watching for different things.” Delia crossed the room and sat down on the bed. “Now then, what is the problem with his lordship?”
“Oh, the problem really isn’t with Reggie. I am convinced that he does care for me. Indeed, there is every possibility he even loves me, although he has not yet said it, which is rather annoying.”
“I thought his annoying nature was one of the things you found irresistible about him?”
“It is. Well, not precisely, although I do think he wouldn’t be nearly as interesting if he were—”
“Perfect,” Delia smirked.
“Exactly.” Cassie nodded firmly. “Mr. Drummond is apparently perfect, and while I can’t find a single thing objectionable about him, I am not at all attracted to him.”
“Of course not.”
“I do appreciate you not being overly smug about it. Not telling me how right you were and how wrong I was about the very idea of Lord Perfect.”
“As well you should. It’s been extremely difficult.”
“Still, it’s rather odd, isn’t it?” Cassie glanced at her sister. “That perfect isn’t especially appealing but annoying is almost irresistible.”
“Love is rather odd, dear heart.” Delia watched her sister pace for a moment, then sighed in resignation.
“However, there is some sort of problem, isn’t there?”