Games (Timeless Series) (28 page)

“The Thorpes are
not here?” Sophie frowned.

Giselle’s face flamed and she felt trapped
. She did not know what to say, so she opted for the truth. “No. I told you they were going to Louisville. I expect them back any day now.”

Maizie interrupted
. “You needn’t worry about having a proper chaperone. We have been very attentive to Giselle. We are always present when the two are alone in the house.”

“Except when they’re in the library after dinner
,” Marcus added, eyeing them carefully. “Am I correct?”

Guilt seeped into both women’s expressions as they
nodded.

“
Mon Dieu
,” Giselle huffed, not liking the direction the conversation was taking. “You act as if I am a ninny. I do not need Minnie and Maizie to protect me from Simon. The man, while being odious, is a perfect gentleman and would never do anything I did not want him to do.”

Her vehemence shocked all at the table
. Sophie and Marcus glanced at each other once again, and silent communication passed between them.

“Will you two stop,” Giselle said in exasperation
. “I know what you are thinking.”

Sophie smiled and questioned softly, “What are we thinking,
ma fille
? I would like to know.”

“You
are as bad as Papa with your innocent question,” Giselle hissed. “I know you think there is something between Simon and me. Well, you can just put the thought out of your mind right now, because there is nothing between us. Do you understand?”

“We don’t think anything
.” Marcus eyed her thoughtfully. “We simply thought it interesting you spent your evenings with him in the library after dinner. Especially since you find him
odious
.”

“Well
, you can thank those two for throwing us together. I have this feeling they think we are the match of the year.”

Both women shrugged
. Minnie spoke up. “He is a nice man and he is available.”

At this point
, Marcus threw back his head and laughed.

His laughter annoyed Giselle
. “I’ve listened to quite enough about Simon Harrington and how nice he is. He is odious and one of you can marry him if you think he is such a great catch.” She shoved away from the table. “I have work to do. I will see you later.” She stormed out of the room.

~~

Watching her go, Marcus smiled. “Oh, yes,” he muttered under his breath. “Something is definitely going on, and I mean to stay until I find out what.” He turned to the ladies and winked, saying in a louder voice, “My daughter is protesting just a little too much.”

Minnie nodded and spoke in a conspiratorial whisper
. “We think so, too! She says she has no interest in him and he says the same about her. But you need to see the two of them together. Mark my words. They’re taken with each other.”

Giselle
opted to clean out a stall to keep busy. As she worked, her thoughts were on her parents and how she was going to keep her activities with Simon private. Their visit came at the worst possible time as far as she was concerned.

Her father was no dummy
. He knew his youngest daughter too well. If she didn’t hold her temper in check against his attempts to rile her, her parents would figure something had happened between her and Simon. Her parents were not prudes, but they were conventional enough to force the issue of marriage if they ever learned of the night she spent in his room.

Giselle had her pride
. She would never take a man who was forced to marry her, ever. Simon had made his intentions known and she had entered his room with full knowledge of them. Since trapping him into marriage was not something she desired, Giselle resolved to keep her cards close to her chest and play her hand carefully. If she looked at the situation as a poker game, even though her parents were the players this time, she could maintain her calm.

By dinnertime, she felt confident about her abilities to play her game well enough and strolled happily into the dining room, where the four players, all smiling at her entrance, were seated around the table.

“Good evening.” She walked over and gave each parent a kiss on the cheek before sitting. “I trust you had a nice afternoon?”

“Yes,
ma petite
, we had a very pleasant afternoon getting to know the children,” Sophie replied as the servants began serving their meal.

“I a
m sorry I didn’t spend any time with you. We are preparing for winter out in the stables and things are pretty hectic.” She left out the fact that most of the work did not involve her.

“No need to worry
.” Sophie’s expression warmed with her smile. “We enjoyed playing games with Colin’s lively ones. They are quite spirited. Takes me back to when you and Marguerite were little.”

Grinning,
Giselle nodded. “I love them all, but you had best watch out for Melanie. She has a way of stealing your heart.”

“She is a little heart thief,” Marcus chimed in, chuckling
. “They all are. I’m especially taken with baby Rebecca. She reminds me of you at her age.”

“Yes
. They are all so special. Makes me wish I had a couple of grandchildren of my own.” Sophie’s smile turned wistful.

Giselle recognized the subtle hint and ignored it
. “Marguerite should be able to provide you with one in no time, since she is close to marriage again.”

“Of course
. But I was thinking more of your children,
ma fille
. When are you going to lasso one of those poor souls you’ve been torturing?”

“Mama
. You make it out to be a game. Marriage is serious.”

“Yes, Giselle, it is serious
. Do you take any of those young men seriously? I mean, enough to think of marriage?”

“I want what you and Papa have,” Giselle said, shrugging
. “I do not worry about finding someone and neither should you. I am in no hurry and I refuse to be pushed into it. Besides, if I never marry, I can stay here and be Auntie G.”

“I see you have this all planned out
.” Marcus’s amusement was clear.

“Well, no, not exactly
. Bradford has hinted at something more lasting and I am seriously considering it. But if I am totally honest, I have to say there is just something about him that makes me hesitate. While I like him a great deal, he does not really excite me.”

Minnie spoke up
. “I’ll bet Simon excites you.”

Giselle almost choked on her food and she felt heat steal its way up her face, trapping her again
. Looking for some way out, she quickly said, “Maybe so, but he is not for me. He has made his intentions perfectly clear and I mean to abide by them.”

Marcus’
s eyebrows shot up. “So you two have had conversations about intentions in such a short time? What went on in the library?”

Giselle realized she was getting in too deep and it was time to back up a little
. “Nothing, Papa. Why are you so interested in my dealings with Simon? I barely know the man.”

“It seems you know him well enough.”

“I do know one thing. Simon is a confirmed bachelor. I have accepted the fact and have no plans to change his mind. You four act as if we were perfectly suited to each other. You have to know me well enough to know that I would never want anyone who did not want me. I refuse to listen to any more.”

Marcus heeded the warning in his daughter’s voice by changing directions
. “So, Bradford’s finally found the courage to speak up? I take it this is a recent conversation?”

“Yes
. He has made it perfectly clear that I am wife material.”

“I should think if you’ve gotten that far, he must have something to hold your interest
. Although he does seem a little stiff.”

She shrugged
. “He is all right when he is not talking about his mother. And I do wish he was not quite so predictable.”

Sophie smiled
, then reached for her hand, giving it a loving squeeze. “He does seem a little contrived,
ma petite
. I heard his mother is marrying, though—to some breeder who lives out of town. Once they are wed, he may not be so wrapped up in her.”

“I have
not made up my mind about Bradford just yet.” She was quiet, staring at her food. When she continued speaking, her voice was pensive. “I am also beginning to see how my actions may hurt some men, so I am not as willing to play silly games anymore.”

Marcus and Sophie’s meaningful glances met
. Sophie’s gaze moved to her daughter and she asked gently, “What do you mean?”

“Oh
, Mama. Do not pretend you do not know how mean my actions have been. I simply never realized it before now.”

“Giselle, you are what you are
. But you are not cruel. Why would you think you are? What brought all this on?”

“It seems as if I hurt Bradford
, and I feel as if I may hurt him more by refusing to marry him. He appears very determined.”

“Have you led Bradford on?”
Marcus asked. “Given him reason to expect marriage?”

“No
. I flirted with him and I probably dangled a promise of what could be in my smile, like Simon says I do. But I never went past that point. I did not even know he was thinking in terms of marriage until he spoke up on Saturday.”

Not realizing her honest
admission spoke unsaid volumes, Giselle missed Marcus’s knowing smile.

“Well, there you go
. A promise in a smile without the words is only half the equation. If a man is too timid to demand more, he doesn’t deserve more. I certainly don’t want you thinking about marriage to Bradford because he expects it. Your happiness is my biggest concern, not Bradford’s feelings.”

A
commotion at the door caught everyone’s attention as Simon Harrington strolled into the room.

A smile spread
across Giselle’s face at his arrival. “Simon!” she said, her voice filled with pleasure. “You are back. Come and join us. My parents came for a visit.”

Both parents had obviously observed the smile
. Their eyes met in another silent communication.

Simon
sat in the empty chair next to Giselle. “I heard the Thorpes had company.” He acknowledged Minnie and Maizie with a nod. “You ladies look ravishing this afternoon. You must be getting your beauty sleep.”

The two women blushed
. Maizie patted her hair and Minnie smiled coyly.

He then turned an
d nodded at Marcus and Sophie. “It’s good to see you both again so soon. But I’m surprised, considering Giselle told me on Saturday she’d just spent time with you.” He kept his speculative gaze on the older man until Marcus chuckled.

“Let’s just say we had some questions we felt needed to be answe
red after your visit yesterday,” Marcus said, still smiling.

Giselle caught his
comment and her gaze moved from Simon to her father and back again. “You two had a visit yesterday?”

“Yes
.” Simon turned his attention to her and the smile he bestowed sent little tingles up and down her spine. “At your suggestion, I stopped by to pay my respects.”

Her glance went from her mother to her father. “Papa
, why did neither you nor Mama tell me that you saw Simon? Why all the subterfuge?”

Marcus
studied his water glass, not meeting her gaze.

“I’ll tell you why
,” Simon cut in. “It’s because they’re being busybodies. They’re as bad as Minnie and Maizie.”

“No
. We merely wanted to see our baby. Is that a crime,” Marcus asked.

Shaking
her head, Giselle said, “I cannot believe you two. You are spying on me.”

No one spoke
for an uncomfortable moment until Simon’s bark of laughter filled the quiet room. “It runs in the family, Giselle. They can’t help it.”

“Well
, they can just go home, because there is nothing to see.” Her annoyed gaze sought first her father’s, then her mother’s. “I have told both of you that Simon and I do not suit, so put it out of your minds.”

Marcus cleared his throat
. “Of course, my dear. We’re just relieved you’re thinking seriously of marriage to Bradford. He’d be a fine husband.”

Simon’s smile died
. He turned to Giselle and his words cut like a knife. “You’re not considering marrying that jackass?”

Even though
Giselle felt the same way, she had had her fill of manipulating men. “I might be. But if I am, I truly think it is none of your business, Monsieur Harrington.”

Forgetting the other occupants of the room, Simon’s steely green gaze caught Giselle’s defiant one and held it for several long seconds before he hissed, “
It’s Simon. And you damn well know it.”