Page 9 of Two of a Kind
She pushed away the obvious. Not even for Guy Dannon would she risk the scandal of being ruined. Besides, it would permanently put her marriage prospects in the river if she did do something that outrageous. Added to that would also be her father’s swift and complete retribution.
It had to be something that would give Guy pause, but still keep her reputation intact. A deed which would get back to Guy and make him think twice about proposing marriage. She also needed this plan to involve someone whom Guy not only trusted, but who could be relied upon to immediately go to him and reveal all that she had done.
“And what if . . . oh.”
What if Guy had a friend who could influence him enough to make him have serious reservations about marrying her? Even better if that someone already had their own concerns about the future union of his friend and a certain young lady. The look on James Radley’s face after she had kissed Francis Saunders was not one of approval.
With Guy due to attend the ball tomorrow night, there was every chance that James Radley would also be in attendance. If James could be convinced of the folly of his friend offering for her, and of the need for him to do something about it, he might just be the solution to her problem.
“This could work,” she whispered.
Leah slid down in the bed and huddled under the warm blankets and cover. Shadows from the flickering light of her bedside candle danced across the bed canopy. Lifting up the candle, she peered into the corner of the cream silk bed canopy, her gaze settling on a spider web.
A friendly spider had taken up residence there a week earlier and had created quite a clever web across the corner. She really should make mention of it to the household staff. No doubt her mother would be horrified that she hadn’t, but she found the industrious labor of the spider to be fascinating. Every day, it worked at expanding and strengthening its web. Day after day, slowly but surely, its plans were being transformed into a masterful reality.
She should become more like the spider, planning a series of small incremental changes which, when complete, would lead to a different life. One that was in no way what her family had in mind for her.
James Radley was key to those plans.
Chapter Six
In his current state of career and life upheaval, James was not certain of many things. He was, however, sure of this: Guy was rushing with undue haste into an ill-suited union with Leah Shepherd. Guy was meeting with Tobias Shepherd on Wednesday afternoon, which meant that come suppertime tomorrow, his friend would have himself a fiancée.
Marriage wasn’t something that one simply ticked off on a to-do list. But the way Guy was going about it, James suspected that in Guy’s mind, it was. House, wife, and safe seat in parliament. It was all so cold and calculating in its execution.
“Did I tell you I am meeting with our local parliamentary selection committee at the end of the month?” said Guy.
“No. Why?”
A glint of something shone in Guy’s eyes. “Because I am going to work my charm on them so that by this time next year, I will have a real shot at being preselected for a safe seat.”
James stared at him. The hard-drinking, rakish Guy Dannon who he had known since Eton was fast disappearing. In his place was a man with steely determination. James wasn’t certain that he liked this new version of Guy.
He picked at several dog hairs on the sleeve of his evening jacket and flicked them away. He really should not wrestle with King after he dressed for formal occasions such as tonight’s ball—a furry dog was the enemy of the well-turned-out gentleman.
“Have you discussed any of this with Leah?” asked James.
Guy downed his brandy, then fixed James with a hard, almost mocking look. “Are you barking mad? Of course, I haven’t discussed this with her. She is a slip of a girl. I’ve paid her sweet compliments each time I have visited at her parents’ home, and foolishly fussed over her at a garden party. Not that being pleasant to her in public got me very far on Saturday. I was disappointed in both you and Francis over getting Leah all excited at the end of the game. She would not have kissed him if the two of you had not encouraged her with your foolish behavior.”
James was not going to mention the minor detail of neither him nor his cousin being involved in Leah’s sudden decision to plant a kiss on Francis’s cheek. Nor was he going to say anything about his own reaction tothatkiss. If Guy had any inkling that he wished he had been the one she’d kissed, their friendship may be called into question. James stirred from his personal musings. He really had to force himself to stop thinking about Leah. She was not for him. He just wished his nightly dreams were not full of images of her naked and in his arms. And those lips.
“Her father will tell her that she is to accept my suit. After that, she will do as I instruct,” said Guy.
James closed his eyes for a second, while he absorbed the magnitude of Guy’s words. Leah had no say in anything.
He rose from his chair, suddenly wishing he had not committed himself to attending this evening’s ball. He would have cried off but considering the mood that Guy was in, he knew he would be made to pay for it. He had also promised Claire he would help her practice her waltz, and he didn’t wish to disappoint his sister. If he could avoid spending more than the required polite amount of time in Leah’s company, he might just make it through this evening with his heart still in one piece.
Guy followed him out to the cloakroom of White’s club and handed over his token to the attendant. Once they had retrieved their evening cloaks and hats, they walked the short distance from St James Street to King Street. While Guy took the lead, James lagged a step behind, his mind still concentrated on Guy’s determination to press ahead and marry Leah.
Once inside the elegant mansion on King Street, he left Guy and went in search of his family. He found Claire and his mother in one of the anterooms. His other sister was nowhere to be seen. Disappointment at her absence added to his growing dark mood. If he could just get Maggie to attend more social events, she might be inclined to move on with her life. To find love once more.
“I was beginning to think you were not coming,” said his mother.
James placed a dutiful kiss on Mary’s cheek. He smiled at her soft, playful rebuke.
“I am always late, but never once have I failed to arrive,” he replied.
Mary patted him gently on the cheek. “Cheeky boy.”
