The Reluctant Suitor (58 page)

“You’re looking especially lovely tonight, dear. Alistair has just arrived and informed us that Samantha and Percy will also be there tonight at the Assembly Rooms with Stuart and Berenice. From what your aunt has been telling me, many of your past suitors have been making inquiries about you and intend to be at Lansdown tonight as well in hopes of renewing their own courtship. Of course, I doubt you-know-who will be there.” Christina dared not mention Colton’s name for fear of touching off another lengthy bout of tears. She did, however, think it a shame the man wouldn’t be there to see just how

eagerly other swains welcomed his very noticeable absence from Adriana’s side. It would certainly serve the libertine his just due to realize the zeal other gentlemen freely evidenced in their desire to win Adriana for themselves. Perhaps it was her own entitlement as a parent to feel put out by the man for what she considered a personal affront against her daughter, but then, she couldn’t dismiss from mind another who

’d grieve almost as desperately if the couple parted forever.

Christina heaved a sigh of lament for her old friend. “Dear Philana was simply mortified by his sudden fatherhood and marriage to that actress. She was quite put out that special licenses could be bartered by favors to the archbishop in order to legitimize such hasty nuptials. Nevertheless, dear, she hopes you will forgive her son and reconsider his proposal of marriage, but I had to tell her that I didn’t see any chance for that occurrence. As handsome a husband as his lordship would make, a woman must be able to trust in the integrity of her spouse. Yet there are those who seem fiercely loyal to him and defend his actions.

As much as poor Alistair is trying his best to remain discreetly mum about the matter in Tilly’s presence, ‘

tis obvious he admires his nephew a great deal. He has even spoken in his favor to your father, going so far as to argue that his lordship’s actions could be considered noble when compared to other aristocrats who turn their backs upon illegitimate offspring while arrogantly pretending they’ve done nothing scandalous. At the moment, however, Alistair doesn’t want to set Tilly awry by his defense when ‘tis evident she’s just as loyal to you. If I can believe my eyes, I’d be inclined to say the man is very much smitten with your aunt.”

Adriana offered a meager smile, the best she could manage under the circumstances. “He’s probably more stunned than anyone by his infatuation, having managed to remain a bachelor all these many years.”

“Yes, I can understand why he’d feel that way,” Christina agreed. “As long as we’ve been friends with the Wyndhams, he has never seemed overly enthusiastic about courting women or even getting married.

Perhaps you-know-who gets his independence naturally. Still, it will be interesting to see just how it all comes out with Tilly and Alistair. Like you, she is not without her admirers. Even so, I don’t know that her three sons will take kindly to having a stepfather. Being full-grown and with children of their own, they can hardly protest, especially since Tilly would ignore their advice anyway.” Having said that, Christina smiled as she beckoned to her daughter. “Come along, dear. By now, your father is probably pacing the floor, wondering what’s keeping us.”

No sooner had their party arrived at Lansdown Crescent than Adriana found herself besieged with requests from handsome gentlemen vying for her attention, or at least hoping for a dance or two fairly soon, or even later on. As far-fetched as it seemed to Adriana, word that she was in Bath without her usual escort had spread even to London just since the previous day, for sons of their Regent Park neighbors had come to Bath to test the waters, but only those rippling around the daughter of Lord Standish.

Sir Guy Dalton had stood at the forefront of the collection of young men who had been watching for her.

As soon as Adriana entered, he had swept into a flamboyant bow and immediately engaged her in a vivacious conversation about the city and the approaching New Year, two days hence. Although Adriana smiled and chatted with the young knight for several moments, she graciously demurred his invitation, having no other wish than to join her own parents when he tried to coax her into one of the seats the Reverend William Dalton had reserved in the Assembly Room for his family and their guest, the archbishop.

The music in the ballroom was both soothing and uplifting, and in spite of her recent gloominess, Adriana felt somewhat rejuvenated, at least enough to dance with Sir Guy and several other young men who had been keeping a close eye upon her. Still, after returning to the sidelines, she was unnerved when Roger Elston stepped close in front of her.

“My lady.” He smiled into her eyes as if entirely guiltless of any previous wrongdoing.

Her mouth stretched tightly in a crisp smile as she inclined her head in a meager nod of recognition. “Mr.

Elston.”

She would have brushed past him immediately, but he advanced in the direction in which she sought to flee, guilefully preventing her escape as he looked casually about the hall. Then, as if totally unaware of her wish to leave him, he smiled down at her and found icy shards boring into him. His gaze descended from those dark orbs as if drawn irresistibly to her bosom, the higher, creamy curves of which were set off to perfection by the shallow bodice of her darkly hued gown. Whether the man was merely seeking to refresh his memory or contemplating something more devious, Adriana could not determine, but she was no less incensed.

“Rather surprising to find you out and about without your gallant escort,” Roger remarked loftily. “Has his lordship forgotten you perchance, or found another lady with whom to wile away his time?”

Adriana pointedly snubbed the miller by turning aside and vigorously fanning her burning cheeks. As persistent as always, Roger stepped forward until they were once again standing shoulder to shoulder.

His eyes scanned the dancing couples nonchalantly as he sniffed a pinch of snuff.

“As for myself, I’m in quite good company, having escorted the very beautiful Miss Felicity and a pair of casual acquaintances of hers, who’ve been craving to see Bath for themselves for some time.”

“Have you become a guide of late, Mr. Elston?” Adriana asked coolly and flicked a glance behind him to smile at Felicity and the two young ladies, each hardly much older than ten and seven, who were nearly chirping with excitement as they glanced about the ballroom.

“Indeed, no, my lady. I’m far too busy with the mill to take on such whimsical tasks. Indeed, so swamped was I with orders to fill today that my livery barely made it to Gladstone’s house at the appointed hour.”

“That’s nice,” she replied coolly and was about to walk away when he caught her arm. Turning her head to look at him, she gritted out a smile as she warned, “Take your hand off me, Mr. Elston, or I shall start screaming this very instant.”

He complied forthwith. “Goodness, I didn’t mean to distress you, dear lady. I only wanted to introduce you to Felicity’s friends. Impressionable young girls, they are, truly bedazzled by aristocrats, it seems.

They’d be especially honored to meet you. Of course, between Felicity and her friends, I find myself perplexed, wondering which one to lay the honor of a marriage proposal. But then, Felicity is the only one who still resists my manly quests and appetites. She’s such an innocent, poor dear. As for the other two I must confess they have left me somewhat jaded by their eagerness to please.” He patted a hand to his yawning mouth as if terribly bored. “Why, they lift their skirts for any smallest whim of mine and don’t mind that there’s three abed. . . .”

Cheeks burning, Adriana turned abruptly from him and started making her way through the crowd toward her parents. Their presence promised her absolute safety. When she drew nearer the place where they stood, she realized her father had been watching her keenly, and though he voiced no question as she joined him, his eyes bespoke his concern.

“Just angry, that’s all, Papa,” she acknowledged at his silent question. “The man is an utter cad. Too bad you didn’t cut him like Maud said you threatened to do. You might have prevented the debauchment of two silly maids.”

Gyles harrumphed in some discomfiture. “Maud shouldn’t be reddening your innocent ears by repeating my ominous threats, girl.”

Smiling up at her father, Adriana laid a hand upon his finely tailored sleeve. “Papa, I’ve been around horses long enough to know the difference between a gelding and a stallion. Mr. Elston should definitely be a gelding.”

Gyles winked at her above a grin, having given up all hopes of trying to suppress it. “One of these days, girl, I may consider performing that service, just to keep you safe from that ogre, though it’s too bad about the silly maids. Obviously they never learned that some men are dastardly sorts, but I’m afraid there’s nothing we can do to enlighten them. They’re old enough to know better. Besides, if they’ve ignored the admonitions of their parents, ‘tis doubtful they’ll accept advice from strangers.”

“They probably never had a father like you who cared enough to want to protect them.” Smoothing a hand fondly over his crisply tailored lapels, she smiled up at him adoringly. “I love you, Papa, more than any man on Earth.”

“Now who’s being dishonest?” he questioned gently, delving into eyes that in recent days had lost much of their lively sparkle. “There is one you love through and through.”

She blinked away a start of tears. “Aye, Papa,” she admitted sadly, “but I fear he doesn’t love me.”

“We shall see the way of it, my dear, perhaps even as early as tonight. Who knows?” He patted her hand reassuringly and then, sweeping a glance about the ballroom, casually motioned across the room toward its entrance. “Now there’s a familiar face, and I believe he’s searching for you.”

Adriana’s heart leapt within her bosom, for she could only imagine that Colton had indeed come and was looking for her. Cheeks rosy, she searched in the direction her father had gestured and felt a sharp twinge of disappointment as she caught sight of the very handsome Riordan Kendrick. Apparently he had just arrived, for he was peering about as if he were indeed trying to find someone.

Equal to her father’s height, Riordan had the advantage of being able to look over the heads of the women and the vast majority of men. He seemed rather methodical in his quest as he glanced about the room until Adriana finally felt his eyes settle . . . and stay . . . on her. A slow grin traced across his lips.

With the same unswerving dedication, he pressed through the chatting couples who had collected behind the chairs and benches of the spectators seated around the ballroom floor.

Adriana couldn’t believe that word of her estrangement from Colton was spreading so quickly, but here again seemed viable proof of the alacrity with which it was advancing. Riordan Kendrick was obviously taking the initiative to press his suit.

She had almost forgotten how handsome the man was . . . and just how dedicated he had been to have her for his own. Still, when she returned his smile, it was as if something had gone missing from her spirit.

As much as she had once believed she’d be pleased to have Riordan as her husband, she couldn’t easily accept that premise now, not while the image of Colton Wyndham still loomed unrelentingly in her mind

. . . and her heart. Perhaps in time the agonizing pain would diminish, and she could consider the ones who really wanted her, chief among them, Riordan Kendrick, who as far back as nearly two years past had evidenced his fierce commitment toward that end.

“My lady, mere words cannot fully justify how much I’ve missed you these past months,” he murmured warmly as he halted before her. “I made every effort to keep my mind from dwelling upon the lady whom I had lost and to absorb myself in overseeing renovations to my private chambers at my country estate, desiring not only to assuage the vacancy lingering in my heart, but to find a way to win you for my wife.

Should I dare hope that your presence here in Bath and the very noticeable absence of your usual escort is reason for me to rejoice?”

A vigorous flagging of a handkerchief across the room caught Adriana’s attention. Curious to know who in the world would be so bold in the Assembly Room, she leaned aside slightly to peer past Riordan’s arm, since his height blocked her view. The distressed individual was none other than Samantha, motioning to her rather frantically from across the ballroom. Considering her friend’s lack of aplomb, Adriana could only believe something of a serious nature had upset her.

Laying a hand upon the marquess’s arm, Adriana looked up at him beseechingly. “Your pardon for being so rude to excuse myself at this very moment, Riordan, but I must find out why Samantha is beckoning to me. She seems terribly distressed, and I can only wonder what has happened. . . .” Adriana could not allow herself to continue, for her heart had turned suddenly cold at the thought of Colton lying dead or wounded somewhere.

Riordan glanced around to see for himself what was going on behind him and readily affirmed that Samantha did indeed seem greatly disturbed. “Here, follow me, and stay close,” he bade chivalrously, taking Adriana’s slender hand within his. “The crowd is far too dense for you to maneuver through it easily.”

Adriana was quite willing to let him pull her along behind him, for his tall, broad-shouldered form easily forged a path through the mass of people. As soon as they neared Samantha, the woman rushed toward her and clutched her arm in desperation. Her face had lost most of its color, and though she was making every effort not to break down, her lips were trembling with the threat of that possibility.