Becoming a Lady (3 page)

He shook his head. “You’re not going to get out of it that easily.”

“Fine.”
She set her rag down and walked around the counter.

Mr. Seton’s gaze roamed over her, displeasure registering on his expression. A part of her died inside and made her wish she had dressed accordingly.
But no.
She would continue with her plan.

He swept his hand through the air, indicating her attire. “Are you going to change?”

“No, Mr. Seton. I do not plan on changing myself for
anybody
, no matter how charmingly they smile or how sensually they speak with a British accent.”

He grinned. “Actually, I was referring to your clothes.”

“So was I.”

Chuckling, he shook his head. “You continue to amaze me with your forthright personality.”

“Forthright? I don’t believe I have ever been described in such a way.”

He offered his elbow. “Shall we?”

“You still want to take me to dinner even though I’m not in the proper dress?”

“But of course. Since I now know you think me charming, I shall try my hardest to win you over.”

A blush crept up her face even though she tried not to let it affect her. “Try all you want for the good it will do you.” She glanced at the elbow he still offered. “I don’t see the need to take your elbow when we will be moving to that table over there.” She motioned her head in the direction in the empty table sitting in the far corner.

He glanced that way before meeting her eyes again. “I thought we would go somewhere else.”

She arched an eyebrow. “And pray, who would my chaperone be? Although I’m nothing but a working class woman, propriety dictates I have a chaperone, does it not?”

“Indeed it does, Miss Paxton.” He swept his hand in front of them. “Then let us adjourn to the table, shall we?”

“Yes, we shall.” She stepped ahead of him. “You know, I highly recommend the food here. I know the cook personally.”

“I’m quite certain the meal is tasty.”

“It is. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

It wasn’t until they were almost to the table that she noticed his limp. She’d thought he used the walking stick for show, like most proper men of nobility she had seen. “May I ask how you were injured?”

He looked at her with hesitancy in his gaze. Finally, he nodded.

“For three years, I’ve been in the cavalry as a high-ranked scout officer. Six months ago I was injured and nearly had my leg taken off.”

She gasped. “That’s horrible.”

Like a true gentleman—one she wasn’t used to—he pulled out the chair and she sat. Her heartbeat did a little flip. Confused, she rubbed her forehead. Something must be wrong with her to feel this way about a man she didn’t know.

After he took the chair across from her and sat, he linked his fingers and rested them in his lap. “My brother saved me from the butcher who wanted to saw off my leg.” Mr. Seton shrugged. “I may have a limp for the rest of my life, but at least I still have a leg.”

This poor soldier! To think what he must have endured. Suddenly, Mr. Seton didn’t seem a threat to her any longer. The contours of his face softened, which in turn softened her heart as she stared at his handsome face. Green eyes warmed her as his gaze held hers prisoner, and his lips tempted her beyond anything she’d experienced before. She dared to admit she enjoyed the pitter-patter of her heart when he smiled.

“Y—you are correct. At least you have your limb. And what a wonderful brother you have, indeed,” she said.

“That he is. I literally owe him my life.” Mr. Seton took his eyes off her and glanced around the nearly empty room. “I honestly thought there would be more people here tonight.”

Shaking herself out of the transfixed stupor he’d put her in, she shook her head. “Most people only come for the drink—not to dine.”

As she studied him in silence, those traitorous thoughts snuck upon her again. He seemed like such a strong man—even with an injured leg—and she wondered what it would feel like to be held in his embrace. A warm shiver ran over her and she rubbed her arms.

“Are you ill?” he asked.

“No.” She straightened and folded her arms, leaning on the table.

His expression changed to that worried look he’d given her earlier when he assessed her clothes. But this time, his stare aimed at her arms on the table.

“Is something wrong?” she asked. “Do I have a bug on me?”

His gaze snapped up to hers. “No. I have seen no sign of insects on you.”

“So why are you staring at me like that?”

“Do you always place your arms on the table in such a way?”

She glanced at her limbs. “I suppose. I never really thought of it.”

“Tell me, have you been put through school?”

“Of course.
My mother had a friend who helped me out from time to time. Why do you ask?”

“Do you know it is bad manners for a lady to sit in that fashion at the table?”

She snorted a laugh and leaned back in her chair, which of course made her arms fall at her side. “Manners, you say? What, pray tell, are manners? Apparently, you have no clue to my upbringing.”

He watched her through hooded eyes as his finger and thumb outlined his mustache. “Actually, I do, Miss Paxton. I know more about you than you think I do.”

Her heart sank and she scolded herself for this reaction. She should have figured he’d know about her life. Yet for some reason, she didn’t want a man like him to think less of her. When disgust touched his expression, she knew she had failed.

Chapter Three

A series of expressions flickered across Miss Paxton’s face. None of them made Calvin happy. Perhaps he should have been a little gentler with his words, but it appalled him to think she had no manners. What appalled him more—he would have to teach her to become a lady before she met with the Duke of
Longdale
. If Miss Paxton acted this way for five minutes in the duke’s presence, the old man would keel over. Certainly, his heart would stop as well.

Calvin took a deep breath. He definitely hadn’t expected Dorothy to be so uneducated when it came to etiquette. Being a scout officer hadn’t taught him how to teach a woman to be a lady. He didn’t even have to teach his younger sisters how to do this kind of thing. Yet, it was something he’d have to do in order to earn his pay. After all, Calvin had promised the duke he’d find his long-lost granddaughter.

Finally, the woman across from him lifted her chin and straightened her shoulders. She linked her fingers together and rested them against the table. “There is something you should know about me, Mr. Seton. To survive in this life, I’ve had to deceive many people. I did all I could to reach my goals. Forgive me,
my lord,
but I was not raised with a nanny who fed me with a golden spoon. I was not served sumptuous dishes around the clock for my meals, and I didn’t take tea with the high-and-mighty. You and I come from completely different worlds.”

He nodded and opened his mouth to speak, but Jeremy arrived with drinks. Calvin ordered the house specialty—not caring what it was at this point—and breathed a sigh of relief when the young man left their table so Calvin could return his focus to Miss Paxton.

Sadness lurked in the depth of her eyes, yet a bit of pride still left had her lifting her stubborn chin. Apparently, she wasn’t ashamed of her upbringing.

“So, Miss Paxton, where should we begin?” He drummed his fingers on the table.

“I would like you to tell me why you’re here.”

“Indeed, I shall.” He sipped his wine, surprised that it didn’t taste watered down. “Your grandfather, the Duke of Danby, has sent me. He wants his family to come to
Longdale
Castle for a celebration of his eightieth birthday. Your grandfather requires your presence on this most special occasion.”

She rolled her eyes. “I am not
family,
Mr. Seton, so sorry to disappoint you.”

“You
are
family. Why else would he send me all this way to find you?”

“Perhaps this is a form of punishment. Mayhap the duke is upset at you for some reason or another.”

Calvin wanted to laugh, but held it in this time. “You are mistaken, Miss Paxton. I can assure you, the duke was quite serious when he hired me. Not only that, but he respects my father too much to
punish
me, as you so delicately put it.”

Anger appeared in her blue eyes, hard as steel. She twisted the linen napkin on the table as if she were choking the devil himself. “Mr. Seton, believe me when I say I have no grandfather. When the old duke discovered his son had gotten my mother with child,
Dukie
didn’t waste a shilling on helping my mother raise his granddaughter by herself.
Longdale
made certain my mother and I lived in squalor and that nobody knew of Lord George’s mistake.” She shrugged. “Now tell me why would
Longdale
want to bring me back into Lord George’s life after all this time when they went to great lengths to hide the illegitimate granddaughter? I’m quite certain the duke has a litter of grandchildren from Lord George by now, anyway.”

Her voice dripped with pain and betrayal, tugging at Calvin’s heartstrings. He’d always been the one to side with those who wanted to hide their past transgressions. Never had he actually listened to the utter sadness from one of these transgressions to understand how they felt.

Calvin shook his head. “Lord George married Ada Martin, and they had one child—Randolph
Whitton
. After the death of his wife, Lord George lived a reckless life, during which time he met your mother and you were born. This is what I know of your father and half-brother.” He reached across the table and gently took Dorothy’s hand, caressing her fingers. “Your grandfather feels it is time for you to meet your brother, Randolph.”

Her gaze dropped to where his hand lay. Slowly, her anger disappeared and the lines in her lovely face turned soft. But within seconds, her expression changed again and she withdrew her hand.

“Forgive me, Mr. Seton, but I cannot go along with this. I refuse to acknowledge being related to a half-brother, an absentee father—and especially, a pompous grandfather.”

Folding her arms smartly across her chest, she glanced around the room, doing all she could not to look at Calvin. Strange how he understood her so well, and his heart softened from hearing all of her struggles. Still, he had a job to do, and he would not fail. The duke would pay Calvin very well to bring Miss Paxton back. He could only hope she liked to barter, because this was the only way Calvin could think to get her to accompany him back to England.

Jeremy returned with their plates of food to the table. The young man only met Calvin’s eyes briefly before he looked at his sister. Calvin had heard about Jeremy’s health issues, and just looking upon him this evening, Calvin could tell the rumors were true. The young man walked sluggishly, and the pallor of his skin let Calvin know Miss Paxton’s brother was quite ill, indeed.

Dorothy acknowledged her brother with a nod before she grabbed her fork and dove in like a starved woman. She ate so fast and stuffed her mouth so full, Calvin worried she’d choke on her food. After taking a few bites himself, he could stand no more. He must stop her from making such a scene.

“Miss Paxton?” he said.

She lifted her head and met his gaze. “Yes?” she answered around a mouthful of food.

Inwardly, he groaned. “Tell me about your brother, Jeremy.”

Dorothy nodded and swallowed, for which Calvin was relieved since he didn’t want to see the half-eaten food in her mouth.

“A year after I was born, my mother married and had another child.”

“So Jeremy works and manages this inn with you?”

“He does, and he’s very good with our patrons. Not only
that, his bookkeeping skills are
highly commendable.” She smiled proudly.

“I heard,” Calvin continued, “that he’s ill. Is this so?”

Her smile dropped. “You heard correctly. He has some kind of lung ailment the doctors can’t seem to cure.”

“What doctors have you taken him to, may I ask?”

“Just the locals who come to the inn.
We can’t afford anyone else.”

“What of your mother and stepfather? Do they not earn a living?”

Dorothy sipped her glass, keeping her pretty eyes on him. “No,” she said, placing the glass on the table. “My stepfather left my ma almost as quickly as Lord George did. Ma died a year ago. She was stabbed in the alleyway.”

Sadness pierced his heart. “Accept my sympathy. Forgive me for not knowing.”

“How could you have known?” She shrugged. “I doubt my grandfather knew any of this—or that he even cared.”

Calvin released another relieved breath. For certain, the duke would
not
want to know that his granddaughter had been fending for herself lately. “So tell me, what would you do to have a skilled physician care for your brother?”

“What wouldn’t I do? Jeremy means the world to me.” She shoved another forkful of food into her mouth.

“I’m glad you said that.”