Gayle Buck (5 page)

Chapter Five

Victoria glanced back once as she flew up the terrace steps. She saw through the hedges Lord Damion’s rapidly approaching figure. His dark hawkish face looked forbidding as he slipped her pistol into his pocket. When he glanced up and caught sight of her, his mouth tightened in grim fury.

Victoria did not wait, but nipped neatly through the french doors into the breakfast room. Swiftly she went around the long table and into the hall. Another tête-à-tête with Lord Damion was not to her liking, not while the pulse jumped in her throat and her limbs shook like so many leaves. It was beyond her comprehension why he should have affected her so.

Without taking notice of the footmen’s curious glances, Victoria picked up her skirt and started up the stairs. She intended to take refuge in her room and so avoid Lord Damion’s unwelcome attentions until she was summoned to an audience by Sir Aubrey. If she had a few minutes alone, she could regain her composure.

There you are, my dear.” Victoria whirled on the stair with a gasp. Sir Aubrey paused, taking in at a glance Victoria’s heightened color and her muddied hem. His world-weary eyes lighted in knowing amusement. “Forgive me. I did not mean to startle you, Lady Victoria.”

“It is of no consequence, sir,” said Victoria. Her fingers trembled slightly as she drew up her shawl. She wondered how she could gracefully escape before Lord Damion appeared. She placed no confidence in him not to rejoin battle before the household and the thought of such a scene was distasteful to her.

“I see that you have dared the gardens this morning,” said Sir Aubrey with a nod at her stained skirt. “Naturally you are chilled. Come, Lady Victoria. There is a fire in the sitting room and I have much to discuss with you.”

At Victoria’s expression, Sir Aubrey chuckled. He said dryly, “It is either I or Damion. Quite frankly, you would do better with me. My nephew is a devil when he is crossed.”

Victoria was fully aware of the truth of Sir Aubrey’s observation. She guessed that Lord Damion must have reached the stone terrace. She could not now escape to her room before he caught up with her. Deciding quickly, Victoria joined the old gentleman at the bottom of the stairs. “You persuade me, Sir Aubrey.”

“Indeed, I hope to do so,” he murmured as he ushered Victoria into the sitting room. He closed the oak door softly behind them and motioned her to a striped silk wingchair before the hearth. “I prefer that Damion not join us just yet. He will naturally assume that you fled in terror to your room and it will be a short time before he discovers otherwise.”

Stung, Victoria said quickly, “I assure you that I do not fear Lord Damion.” The memory of his burning kiss rose unbidden and she resolutely thrust it away.

Sir Aubrey took the wingchair opposite her. His cool eyes were penetrating. “Curious how one can be mistaken. I was certain that Damion and his love-making brought a catch to your lovely throat that frightened you very much.”

A tide of hot color swept Victoria’s face. Monstrous that Lord Damion had taken liberties with her at all, but for Charles’s uncle to guess it was to complete her humiliation. She said in a mortified voice, “I cannot pretend to misunderstand you, Sir Aubrey. I can only assure you that I did not seek, nor did I wish for, Lord Damion’s attentions!”

The old gentleman chuckled gently. “How wise of you not to deny the obvious, my dear. In truth, I am well acquainted with Damion’s character. I did not think that you had ventured into the gardens this morning without compelling reason.”

“In my few dealings with him, Lord Damion has rarely given me much freedom of choice,” said Victoria shortly.

Sir Aubrey regarded her with curiosity. “Do you dislike him so much, then?”

Victoria’s breast rose in indignation. She said hastily, “He is insufferable!”

“How thoroughly refreshing. I assure you that is not usually the case,” said Sir Aubrey dryly.

“So I am given to understand. Lord Damion took pains to inform me of his fatal reputation upon our first meeting,” said Victoria disdainfully.

“Did he,” murmured Sir Aubrey, an appreciative gleam lighting his eyes. “It is true that he is called the Demon, and for just cause. However, you must understand that he has grown into his cynicism quite naturally. The foolish creatures will throw themselves at him.”

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Victoria’s brown eyes flashed molten gold sparks. “But I have not, so I fail to see why I am subjected to such familiarities. In all frankness, Sir Aubrey, I find Lord Damion’s behavior unpardonable.”

“I quite agree with you, my dear. Indeed, I am unable to account for Damion’s unusual conduct. He does not make a habit of abducting females or pressing his suit where it is not wanted. You can only have set up his back in some fashion, for I assure you Damion can be a perfect gentleman when he so chooses.” Sir Aubrey eyed Victoria speculatively. “However, I did not ask for this interview to discuss Damion’s character, or lack of it. I assume that Charles did not inform you that he wrote to Lord Robert’s solicitor?”

Victoria stared at him, taken aback. Sir Aubrey smiled thinly. “I see that he did not. There were apparently very few letters, but the solicitor was able to tell Lord Robert of Charles’s marriage. Naturally the earl requested to see the letters. He remained interested in Charles’s life though he never himself approached his son. Lord Robert confided much in me in those days. He informed me that he had changed his will and had added a codicil that pertained to you. Do you believe in fate, my dear?”

“I believe more in relying upon God and one’s own abilities,” said Victoria, still disconcerted. Charles had never mentioned such lengthy correspondence. Victoria now wondered if Charles had not had a premonition of his own death and attempted a reconciliation with his father. Whatever else Charles had meant to do, he had kindled Lord Robert’s interest in his marriage, thought Victoria.

Sir Aubrey nodded in satisfaction. “You are very much as Charles described—practical, spirited, and well bred. I believe you will suit Damion admirably.”

Victoria started. She looked at Sir Aubrey’s calm expression and hoped that she had misunderstood him. “Surely I have mistaken your meaning, sir.”

Sir Aubrey raised his thin brows. “I did not take you to be dense, my dear. Pray allow me to clarify myself. I am proposing that you wed my rakehell nephew, Lord Damion St. Claire.”

Victoria let out her breath slowly. “You jest, Sir Aubrey.”

“I assure you that I am quite sober, Lady Victoria,” said Sir Aubrey. “Lord Robert privately discussed this possibility with me after Charles’s death and again on his deathbed. The codicil I spoke of will provide a substantial allowance entailed solely to you and your children if you become the next Countess of March. You see, he wanted both to provide for you and, if possible, to bring Charles back to the family through you.”

“I understand, I think. But it is truly too absurd a notion to contemplate.” Victoria respected Sir Aubrey for attempting to discharge a dying man’s wishes, but she was not prepared to sacrifice her own independence.

“But why should it be absurd?” Sir Aubrey leaned toward her, his expression earnest. “You have the fire that Damion likes, my dear. No simpering miss will do for him. He needs to be challenged. And St. Claire is a very wealthy young man in his own right, besides being Lord Robert’s heir. What could be more advantageous than a match between you?”

Victoria stared at him incredulous. It was almost comical that Lord Damion’s uncle should approach her for such a reason. “Lord Damion strikes me as quite capable of choosing his own bride. And since it is obvious that he has taken the greatest dislike to me, I doubt that I would be his most likely choice.”

Sir Aubrey impatiently waved aside her observation. “Nonsense! Still your doubts on that head. Damion has come to realize the importance of setting up a nursery since he will now be the head of the family. And he will be guided by me in making the most suitable match.”

Remembering the implacable expression in Lord Damion’s eyes, Victoria could not imagine anything less likely. She suddenly pitied Sir Aubrey. Lord Damion’s rakehell life must greatly trouble the older man if it compelled him to search for a bride for his nephew. Sir Aubrey’s efforts were doomed in her case. Even if she were to consider such an outrageous proposal, Lord Damion’s reputation alone would give her pause. One certainly could not expect him to be a compatible or faithful mate. Moreover, she had herself found him to be arrogant, ruthless, and overbearing. Victoria said gently, “Sir Aubrey, what you propose is impossible. Lord Damion and I would never suit. I am sorry.”

“I do not propose a love match, but a marriage of convenience!” said Sir Aubrey, mistaking the cause of her lack of enthusiasm. “Pray allow me to speak frankly, Lady Victoria. Such a marriage will make you secure for your lifetime, with position and every imaginable comfort. Every door in society will be open to you and that, my lady, counts for much in this world. As for Damion, the acquisition of a wife will lend him respectability. He will more than likely continue to keep his mistresses, but that need not concern you once you have produced an heir. Damion would not have any objection to your own affairs, of course, as long as you exercised discretion.”

Victoria made a strangled sound and threw up her hand for him to stop. Sir Aubrey snorted. “After tagging after an army I did not expect you to be missish, girl!”

Laughter threatened to overcome her and Victoria was forced to exert all her will to remain sober. She found difficulty in speaking, but managed to say, “Forgive me, sir. But I could not countenance, even for a moment—”

“Damion is naturally aware that a marriage of convenience is hardly the stuff of romantic fancy for a young woman. But you are particularly well suited for such an arrangement, my dear. A widow has few illusions about conjugal bliss. And Damion would feel deeply in debt to whomever he married for agreeing to amiable cohabitation. I hardly feel it necessary to point out that can only be an advantage to his lady.”

Victoria’s amusement was swiftly dissipating. “Sir Aubrey—”

He overbore her attempt to interrupt him. “Lady Victoria, his lordship was my dear friend as well as my brother-in-law. I respect the hope behind his expressed wishes, which was the desire to keep the March family line linked with the earldom in some fashion. Having met you, Lady Victoria, I am persuaded that were you to fill the role of Damion’s wife, you would be a credit both to him and to the March family.”

Victoria shook her head. “Sir Aubrey, I am sorry to disappoint you. I am flattered by your favorable impression of me, but truly-”

Sir Aubrey laughed. “My dear, I am a cynic regarding women and their natures. You appear to be a cut above some and that was the deciding point in your favor.” He allowed his voice to reflect impatience. “I am an old man with little time left to me, Lady Victoria. Pray leave off the ladylike demurrals and give me a straight answer.”

“Indeed, I am trying to,” said Victoria.

“My dear, you must see that time is of the essence. You are here and the opportunity to snare Damion before he returns to London, where there will be countless others to vie for his favor, is not to be brushed lightly aside. In short, you would be a great fool not to take advantage of it.”

Victoria saw that it was impossible to gracefully decline Sir Aubrey’s audacious proposal. He was determined that she would consent. “Then I am a fool, Sir Aubrey,” said Victoria bluntly. “I am sorry to wound you, sir, but there is no point in pursuing this absurd conversation further. I have no intention of being a party to this scheme. I do not anticipate remarriage at all, and especially not to Lord Damion St. Claire.”

Sir Aubrey shrugged. He said cynically, “I have found nearly all women alike in the end. You married once for position and you will again. It might as well be Damion.”

Victoria went white. She had to fight back the sharp retort that rose to her lips. Sir Aubrey was accusing her of being an opportunist of the worst kind. She could scarcely believe that he had indeed been told the details of any correspondence from her husband. Charles could not have hidden the happiness they had found in their short marriage. Surely Lord Robert would have commented on that to his confidant.

Victoria wondered if Lord Damion was a party to his uncle’s strange scheme. She knew him to be headstrong and arrogant but he had not yet impressed her as dishonest. Surely he did not countenance Sir Aubrey’s scheme. “Is Lord Damion aware of your fantastic proposal to me?”

Sir Aubrey’s heavy lids hooded the expression in his eyes. “My dear Lady Victoria, does it matter?” He seemed impatient at her naiveté.

“I suppose that it doesn’t,” said Victoria. Suddenly she felt oddly disappointed and looked at Sir Aubrey with dislike. “I will be obliged to you to immediately call out a carriage. I will be setting out for Belingham Manor within the hour.”

“Ah, that spirited temper which Charles wrote of so expressively at last comes to the fore. Lord Robert was particularly struck by those passages, you know.” Sir Aubrey was gently mocking. “Believe me, my dear, I admire your control. You make it quite plain that at this moment you wish me to the devil and my demon of a nephew along with me.”

“I have no intention of bandying words with you, Sir Aubrey,” said Victoria firmly. “At this point I wish only for a carriage.”

He smoothed his coat sleeve meticulously. “I fear that you must bear with us for a while yet. This morning at first light I sent to Belingham Manor to inquire whether Lady Belingham and her daughter have returned from Bath. Regrettably they have not.”

Victoria gazed at him with some suspicion. “Surely there is some mistake. I am expected.”

“I am sorry, my lady. I believe it was an unexpected trip made to whisk that wild child out of the clutches of an ineligible suitor,” said Sir Aubrey. At her expression of dismay, a faint complacement smile curled his thin mouth. “You are naturally quite welcome to extend your stay here as long as you wish.”

Sir Aubrey’s explanation closely echoed Sir Harry Belingham’s own comments about his younger sister’s willful nature. Reluctantly Victoria relinquished the notion that Sir Aubrey was attempting to fob her off.