Page 29 of Rogue's Lady

“Hemley?” Mrs. Randall echoed. “Why, one of my dearest friends resides just south of the village!”

“Then we should certainly stop and call on her,” Will replied. “Would you like to go, Miss Antinori?”

“I would indeed,” she replied. “A day out of the smoke and crowds of London sounds delightful.”

“If your estate is located near Amelia’s home, ’tis rather ambitious to speak of driving there and back in a single day,” Mrs. Randall said, frowning. “Oh, I’ve no doubt you do so often enough on horseback, but the journey by carriage would be slower.”

Before Will could think of some other inducement, Mrs. Randall’s brow smoothed. “But I’m sure Amelia would be happy to have Allegra and I stay the night with her. You could leave us at Pinetree Manor after we visit your estate and return the next day to escort us back to London, if that would be agreeable to you, Lord Tavener.”

Two days out of London to walk with and talk with and tease Allegra Antinori. Even though his supposed goal was to put her at a distance, the prospect electrified Will. “That would doubtless make the excursion more comfortable,” he replied. “Would you wish to undertake such a journey, Miss Antinori?” he asked, willing her to agree.

She opened her lips to answer and then hesitated, her eyes widening. Will knew the instant it occurred to her that spending two whole days, rather than just one, in his company would be even more of a goad to Lynton. Flashing him a look of understanding, she said, “If you are sure your friend would not find it an imposition—and Lord Tavener can be away from the city for another day, I should happily undertake the journey.”

“Having an extra day at Brookwillow will allow me to look into more estate business,” he said. Or likely through it, he thought, envisioning the new holes that must have worked themselves into the roof by now.

“I’m sure Amelia would be happy to receive us,” Mrs. Randall said. “I’ve already had two letters from her since arriving in London, chiding me for not yet paying her a visit. She suffers from a rheumatism that makes carriage travel quite painful, you see. I shall write her at once.”

“I must send a note to my bailiff and can have my man deliver the letter to your friend,” Will told her. Torn between the compulsion to push this matter to a conclusion and the wistful hope of retaining Allegra’s favor, he felt compelled to add, “I must warn you, my estate is in rather poor condition. Still, its setting overlooking the river and the drive itself are both lovely.”

“I would love to see your Brookwillow,” Allegra said.

With those lustrous dark eyes gazing expectantly at him, for a moment Will wished despairingly that the estate to which he’d pledged to escort her was worthy of her obvious anticipation.

Idiot, he told himself, squelching the emotion. The whole purpose of his plan was to disappoint her, to make her withdraw from him at the same time they maneuvered Lynton closer into declaring for her. “I’ll make the arrangements. Shall we say later this week?”

“I shall propose to Amelia that we set out in two days’ time and let you know as soon as I have her reply, Lord Tavener,” Mrs. Randall said.

“My man will come by to collect your letter this afternoon, ma’am,” Will said.

A discreet knock at the door distracted them, followed by the entrance of the butler. “Colonel Jessamyn and Sir Thomas Reede to see you, Mrs. Randall, Miss Antinori.”

Having accomplished what he’d come for, best that he take his leave—rather than remain to stoke his ire by watching Jessamyn and Sir Thomas pant over Allegra. Only the knowledge that she had no inclination toward either of them allowed him to calmly bow to Mrs. Randall before turning to take Miss Allegra’s hand.

“Thank you for a most warming turn about the garden,” he murmured, unable to leave without referring at least once to the unacknowledged passion between them. He brushed his lips over her gloved hand, savoring her lavender scent. “I await our outing with utmost anticipation.”

A barely perceptible blush colored her cheeks and she raised her eyebrows in reproof. “As shall I, my lord.”

Despite his ostensible purpose in conveying Allegra to Brookwillow, Will couldn’t help the spring in his step as he descended the front steps of Lynton House and hailed a hackney. Two days in her company! ’Twas a boon he intended to relish…right up to the minute when her tour of Brookwillow ended her interest in him for good.

Arriving back at his modest rooms, he called for Barrows. “I’ve several letters to write and I’ll need a runner to take them to Brookwillow. I’ll be paying a brief visit later in the week.”

“Very good, m’lord. Give me the letters when you’ve finished. In the meantime, I’ll pack our bags.”

“You won’t need to accompany me. I’ll be engaging a carriage and there won’t be room.”

About to exit, Barrows stopped short on the threshold. “Engaging a carriage? You do not intend to ride?”

“Mrs. Randall, Miss Antinori’s chaperone, has a friend near Hemley whom she wishes to visit. Since I planned to go to Brookwillow anyway, I offered to escort the ladies.”

Barrows stared at him for a long moment while Will felt his face heat. “You’ve been planning to visit Brookwillow? And I was unaware of that fact?”

Will took refuge in hauteur. “I don’t tell you everything, Barrows.”

“Apparently not. But you probably should. Shall I arrange for the carriage?”

“No, I’ll take care of it. As for the packing, I’ll only be gone for two days, so I won’t need much.”

“It would be better if I went along. The ladies will not be much impressed if you do not bring a valet.”

“Not impressing them is the point,” Will murmured. “In any event, it’s already decided.”

Barrows shook his head. “You’re going to regret declining my assistance.”

“Go!” Will said irritably, dismissing him. Sometimes he wondered which of them was master and which, employee. But given how uncomplainingly Barrows had shared his poverty and the very resourceful assistance he often provided, ’twas only natural he felt he ought to be part of whatever Will was planning.

Except that Will didn’t think he could bear having even Barrows, who knew him perhaps better than anyone on earth, present to watch him tear his heart out while he drove Allegra away from him.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

FROM THE MOMENT Hobbs escorted Lord Tavener out and Colonel Jessamyn and Sir Thomas in, Allegra was occupied by a steady stream of visitors. It seemed virtually everyone she knew in London had either attended the musicale or heard of it, and all were anxious to applaud her performance or inquire about the evening.

It wasn’t until late afternoon that Allegra was able to get away to her own chamber to reflect upon Lord Tavener’s warning. Though she’d known Uncle Robert’s spiteful wife disliked her, she was genuinely surprised at the lengths to which Sapphira was apparently willing to go to discredit her.

It both angered and saddened her that Sapphira apparently felt compelled to use every means at her disposal to exclude from the society over which she reigned a person she judged unworthy of it. Thank heavens that, though a product of the same world, Uncle Robert had quite different standards!

He had continued to value her mother despite the choices she’d made and had always shown the greatest respect for Allegra’s talented father. Once again, she was humbled that Uncle Robert believed her worthy of inclusion among the ton her mother had abandoned—despite the fact that it seemed increasingly likely that Allegra would never feel comfortable there. She was grateful, too, that if her dream of winning Rob’s heart was not realized, she would have Uncle Robert’s legacy to fall back on.

Should she eschew the polite world and settle on her country manor, she could think of few in society she would miss, save Rob—and Lord Tavener. She felt herself smile. Would he still deign to recognize a musician’s daughter, even after he’d married an heiress?

Once she allowed herself to think of him, the indiscretion she’d fought all day to forget breached the barrier of will and came flooding back. Little shivers rippled across her skin as she remembered the feel of his lips on hers.

She’d never imagined such joy, such wonderment, such a powerful, compelling rush of sensation could result from the simple brush of a man’s mouth over hers.

Not that she’d been able to limit herself to just that first gentle contact. No, having wondered so many times what it might feel like to kiss him, she’d been unable to resist the unexpectedly overwhelming response he evoked in her. No wonder Molly had been so captivated by her rogue!

She should have pushed him away after that first caress, but doing so became simply impossible once his tongue teased its way into her mouth, igniting a maelstrom of wicked, irresistible desires. Rather than step back, she’d wanted to press her body closer, deepen the kiss, nearly desperate to taste more of him, to urge his hands and mouth to continue their explorations.

No, it would not have been fair to slap him for his effrontery when all she’d wanted was still more of his delicious impropriety. Her face heated, her lips and nipples burned at the thought.

---