Good Earl Hunting (7 page)
Authors: Suzanne Enoch
Tags: #Romance, #Regency, #Short Stories, #Historical
He shifted his grip from her wrist to twine his fingers with hers. “I know there’s the precedent for seating according to rank,” he said aloud, looking over her head to catch her father’s eye, “but I prefer to sit next to Theodora.”
The viscount cleared his throat. “I... I have good cause to believe there would be a riot, Vashton, if I monopolized you by seating you between my daughters.”
“Miss Meacham may sit where she likes. I wish to sit beside Theodora.” He glanced at her, catching the incredulous, dawning amusement in her eyes. “I likely should have said something when I arrived, but I wanted a chance to discuss matters with Theodora, first, to see if she returned my interest. My infatuation. And now I should be speaking privately with you, Beldath, but I’ve never been in love before. I fear I may have circumvented tradition.”
“‘In love,’ my lord?” Lady Beldath squeaked. “With Theodora?”
Ignoring that, he returned his attention to Theo. “Well, this isn’t going at all like I’d planned,” he said dryly, willing her to meet his gaze. “Come with me.”
“My lord!”
Geoffrey glanced over his shoulder at Lord Beldath. “I’ll speak with you shortly.”
Theodora nodded, walking hand in hand with him through the gawping crowd and out to the hallway where he pulled the door closed behind them. Her visit to his bed chamber earlier made more sense now. She believed his interest in her, thank God. Her concern had been that no one else would believe it.
She’d dressed to look compelling when she hadn’t a need in the world to do so, as far as he was concerned. He’d meant to give her a secret with which she could tease her family and friends. She’d trusted him, and had been embarrassed as a result. He vowed right then that that would never happen again.
“Have you changed your mind?” she asked, green eyes avoiding his and a frozen, clearly unfelt smile on her face.
“Is it ridiculous,” he returned, taking her chin in his free hand and tilting her face up, “that a man who’s seen war, who’s had lovers, who’s laughed at friends for writing silly, sentimental poetry about the charms of women they barely knew, is it possible that such a man could fall in love at first sight?”
“You didn’t love me at first sight,” she countered, her expression easing despite her words. “You called me a cold fish.”
And he would likely be paying for that for the rest of his life. He hoped he would be. Slowly Geoffrey leaned down to touch her lips with his. “You made me angry that night. You made me realize that I’d begun listening to all the drivel being fed me by the herd of sycophants and lick-spittles who appeared the moment I became the Earl of Vashton. But I was never angry with you. I was angry with myself, and I took it out on you.”
“That’s un–“
Kissing her again, both to keep her from telling him that his rudeness was understandable and because he wanted to, he shook his head. “It was mean and thoughtless. And no, I did not fall in love with you that night. You caught my attention that night. I don’t think you’ve been out of my thoughts, since.”
“Well. That’s very nice,” she murmured, sliding an arm around his shoulders and lifting up on her toes to kiss him again.
“I asked about you, as well. Your friend Agnes Rawlins lives fairly close to me at Vashton. I called on her so many times that I had to confess to her parents what I was about or they would have expected a proposal.”
“Oh, my. Did she know what you were about?”
“She did. Miss Rawlins was quite helpful. She told me about the plays you used to author and stage as a girl, about how you would do anything for your family and friends, about how you’d given up on the idea of romantic love after seeing the way your sister went about finding a husband. By the time your father’s invitation arrived I’d begun debating whether I could simply appear on your doorstep without being dragged off to Bedlam.”
Her sensuous mouth curved in a slow smile. “You make a very good argument, you know. And since we’re being honest, I...wished that you had looked at me that night and said you weren’t interested in Belle. That you wanted me.”
“I do want you,” he whispered. “When I arrived here I hoped – desperately hoped – that I hadn’t ruined everything, and that you would be the image I’d built of you.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “And was I?”
Geoffrey shook his head. “No. You are infinitely more. And so while I previously fell in love with the idea of you, since I’ve arrived at Beldath I’ve fallen for the actual you. I love you, Theo. If you wish it, I’ll spend the next four months calling on you and bringing you posies and taking you for drives, and then I will ask you to marry me.”
Theodora took an unsteady breath. “If I wish it?”
“If you wish it. Or I could do this, and we could see to all those other things after.” With a hard breath of his own he sank down on one knee, taking both her hands in both of his. They shook, though he couldn’t be certain whether he or she was the more unsteady.
“Geoffrey,” she whispered, tears glinting in her grass green eyes.
“Theodora Louisa Meacham, I would be the happiest man in the world if you would be my love, my partner, my companion. Theo, will you marry me?”
For a long moment Theodora looked down at his upturned face. This man, the one she’d daydreamed about before she’d dismissed the notion as folly, was everything she’d ever wanted and had never thought to find. Was one day enough for her to decide the rest of her life? On the other hand, how many days was she supposed to wait?
She nodded, a pair of warm tears rolling down her cheeks. “I love you too, you know,” she managed. “Yes, Geoffrey, I will marry you.”
Practically leaping to his feet, he gathered her into his arms, kissing her hot and openmouthed. “I knew it wasn’t just me,” he murmured. “I knew you felt it, too.”
Oh, she did. Just when she’d gone from wary cynic to believer in fairy tales she had no idea, but she knew – she knew – that this was meant to be. Theo laughed against his mouth as the drawing room door burst open and her family and friends piled into the hallway to offer their somewhat incredulous congratulations.
And to think, this morning she’d been complaining about a fox hunt, when the hunter had actually been after her. And she was exceedingly happy to be caught.
THE END
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Traditional Regencies
Regency Historicals
The Bancroft Brothers
With This Ring
Lessons in Love
Anthologies
The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown
The Griffin Family
Contemporary Romantic Suspense
The Notorious Gentlemen
The Adventurers’ Club
The Care and Taming of a Rogue
A Lady’s Guide to Improper Behavior
The Scandalous Brides
About the Author
A lifelong lover of books, Suzanne Enoch has been writing them since she learned to read. She is the author of two well-received Avon Regencies, The Black Duke's Prize and Angel's Devil, and five Avon Romances: Lady Rogue, Stolen Kisses, By Love Undone, Taming Rafe and Reforming a Rake. Born and raised in Southern California, Suzanne lives a few scant miles from Disneyland with her collection of Star Wars action figures and a Cairn terrier named Katie (after the heroine of her first Regency). She's still looking for her own hero, and hopes he will be handsome, titled, and just a little wicked. Meanwhile, she's currently at work inventing him in her next historical romance.
To learn more, please visit
Suzanne Enoch's website.
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