Let Love Find You (25 page)

“You mean only give the appearance of being in hot pursuit of Lady Amanda, so my father thinks I gave it my best effort?”

“Exactly.”

Robert gave that a moment’s thought before he frowned. “But how would that work, when she’s bound to fall in love with me?”

Devin refrained from laughing. “Perhaps by not sounding quite sincere to her? Or you could seem a little bored with her
company? Or you could simply let her know you’ve been ordered to court her.”

Robert looked appalled. “I can’t risk telling her the truth! That could get back to my father.”

“Then I repeat, keep it tepid. The girl’s not stupid. If she senses you’re not really interested, then she’s not going to accept a proposal, when you’re not the only prime catch of the Season who she’s met. As long as she leans toward the other, you’ll be safe.”

“I have competition?” Robert sounded worried, but then Devin noticed a glint of excitement in the boy’s eyes.

Devin groaned to himself. What the hell had he just done? But Robert hurried off before Devin could say anything more. He still had a hat to return, so he stuffed the little hat in his pocket and decided to pay Amanda’s aunt a visit to find out where she’d run off to.

The butler led him straight to the parlor.

Julie St. John glanced up at him from the book she was reading. Her brows snapped together before she lashed, “Do I need to fire my butler? I hope you know you wouldn’t have got your foot in the door, young man, if you’d asked to see Amanda.”

Devin almost winced. Amanda had spilled the beans obviously. “Yes, I know she’s moved—”

“That’s not why you would have been turned away. She doesn’t allow her beaus to call on her, hasn’t since last Season, so you might as well wait until you find her at a social. You’ll be turned away at her brother’s door, too.”

She hadn’t left town? And he wasn’t being called on the carpet by her aunt for his improper behavior with Amanda? Then why did the woman sound as if she’d like to be breathing fire at him?

He carefully tested the waters, grinning. “Is that so?”

Her golden brow went up at a sharp angle. “You find that amusing, do you? Why?”

“Possibly because I’m not one of her beaus? I’m Devin Baldwin—”

Julie snorted. “Should have said so. According to my son Rupert, we have you to thank for warning us about that rake sniffing at Mandy’s heels. Rue spoke highly of you—despite your nickname that he finds so amusing.”

Devin choked back a laugh, her manner was so quarrelsome. “I take it you disapprove of my matchmaking as much as the grand dame Mabel Collicott does?”

“Mabel! There’s nothing grand about her! That old biddy doesn’t have a lick of sense when it comes to
anything
. Caught her spreading rumors about my son during his rakehell days that weren’t the least bit true. Have been feuding with her ever since. In fact, if I hadn’t decided to hire you to look after Amanda’s romantic interests this Season, I’d hire you instead to put Mabel Collicott out of business.”

Devin was incredulous. Yet another member of Amanda’s family was trying to hire him? He couldn’t confess that he was already working for Lady Ophelia when she’d sworn him to secrecy.

“I will be happy to keep an eye out for good prospects for your niece. You don’t need to hire me to do that.”

“Nonsense, can’t have you working on our behalf with no compensation. Succeed and you will be pleasantly surprised.”

Devin gave up trying to talk the lady out of it. She was much too bullish to accept a refusal. He wouldn’t take her money, though. He would leave it to Ophelia to confess the matter if he was successful. And he would be, if Amanda continued her
riding lessons, which meant he was going to have to keep their relationship strictly professional henceforth.

Not until he got home did he realize he’d forgotten to return the bloody hat, which was still in his pocket. But Amanda could collect it at the farm. He just wished he wasn’t looking forward to her next visit so much.

O
PHELIA HAD KEPT AMANDA
so busy yesterday, she hadn’t felt like going to any of the parties she’d been asked to attend last night and had simply gone to bed early. Her new riding ensemble had arrived late in the afternoon, and she was feeling much better about her next riding lesson. Dare she say she was even looking forward to it, now that she was so sure the biggest hurdle was out of the way? But she didn’t fall right to sleep.

She’d tried to imagine Kendall and herself riding in the park together, pictured herself on a lovely white mare that she was able to handle exceptionally well thanks to Devin. But she kept seeing Devin riding beside her instead. Well, she could blame that on her lessons, which had barely begun. She was taking one too many steps ahead, placing Kendall beside her before she mastered riding. Just thinking she could ride didn’t make it so.

But then the memory of that kiss snuck up on her and wouldn’t go away. Again, she tried to pretend it was Kendall doing the kissing. That would have made it so much more exciting, she was sure. Yet, that actual kiss had been the most
exciting thing she’d ever experienced with a man. While she assured herself Kendall would do even better, she kept seeing amber eyes looking deeply into hers. How aggravating! Obviously, she needed to actually kiss Kendall to make sure he followed her into her dreams instead of Devin. With a low growl, she put her pillow over her head and started counting sheep.

But this morning she was in a chipper mood. Optimism was an amazing thing, brightening the day and putting a smile on her face. Suddenly, once again, she had two men to choose from! Robert Brigston had been forgiven for his less than circumspect behavior the other night. His scandal had died a quick death. Larissa had jotted her a note all about it, but the note had been delivered to the wrong house yesterday, so Amanda didn’t receive it until this morning.

It occurred to her that she could forgo any more riding lessons and simply concentrate on Robert, but she put that thought aside. Now that she felt riding was something she
could
accomplish, she wanted to see it through for herself, not just for Kendall—even if it meant she had to continue dealing with Devin.

When she arrived at the farm a little later that morning, she stood in the open doorway of Devin’s little office for a few moments before Devin noticed her arrival. He was sitting at the desk, slowly pounding his fist on something flat and circular. She couldn’t imagine what it was, but he seemed to be trying to flatten it. No, actually, he didn’t really seem to be paying attention to what he was doing, looking quite pensive, even brooding. Was this his typical demeanor when he was alone? She wasn’t going to let his dour disposition ruin her splendid mood.

“Hello!” she said cheerily.

He glanced up. “I was expecting you yesterday,” he said in a
grouchy tone. “When you didn’t show, I figured you were going to abandon this project.”

“Not a’tall. It just took some time to get this skirt made.”

She didn’t spread her legs as she’d done in the demonstration for her family, but she pulled the brown velvet material to the side so he could see she wasn’t wearing a skirt. She thought that would get a smile out of him. It
was
his idea, after all.

But all she got was a nod and a mumbled “Perfect” as he stood up.

“And besides,” she continued, having trouble maintaining a perky tone now, though she still tried, “Pheli pinned me down yesterday to help with the big party she’s having at Norford Hall in a couple of weeks.”

“I received an invitation. It doesn’t sound like it’s just for your brother’s birthday.”

“No, it’s going to be a typical country party with all sorts of fun things to do! And there will be a ball to finish it off. D’you think you can have me ready for the party?”

“Can horses fly?”

She laughed and lightly scolded, “Oh, come now, it’s not that far-fetched. I’m feeling much better about it now, thanks to you and this newfangled riding habit.”

“Glad to hear it.” He raised a brow. “Is that gathering at Norford also an occasion to present all the best eligibles for you?”

“Of course! D’you think Lord Kendall will be back from France in time? Pheli found out his address and sent him an invitation, of course.”

“So he’s still at the top of your list? No new callers lately you’re considering instead?”

He sounded a little too curious, as if he was waiting with bated breath for her answer. Was he still considering her his
good deed? Still intended to meddle in her affairs? After she’d made it perfectly clear she didn’t want his help? Well, not in
that
regard. She did want his help with her riding lessons, and maybe some advice about men if she could get up the nerve to ask him.

She gave him the simple truth. “I don’t receive callers other than my friends, haven’t since my first Season. And before you make some snide remark about that being responsible for my unmarried state, I’m sure I told you that I don’t encourage men I’m simply not interested in.
Kendall
will be allowed to call when he returns. And—” She snapped her mouth shut, deciding not to mention Lord Robert, when all they’d done was argue about him before.

But Devin wasn’t letting that by. “And?”

She tsked. “I’m sure you’ve heard that the truth came out about Robert Brigston, that he’d merely imbibed too much at the ball because of his nervousness, resulting in his overexuberance with the ladies, and his saying things he doesn’t even remember saying.”

“Your brother bought that nonsense, I suppose?” Devin asked brusquely.

“Why wouldn’t Rafe be understanding about it? He’s done some foolish things when he’s been foxed, too.”

“That is the nature of drink. But—never mind. Why don’t you just trust me on this: that boy isn’t for you. I’d recommend that fortune hunter Farrell Exter before I would Brigston. At least Exter would worship you for what you could bring to his impoverished family.”

“Then it’s a good thing I’m not taking your recommendations! Besides, the Exters aren’t impoverished, Farrell simply isn’t in line for the title or the wealth, so of course he’s looking for a rich wife and is honest enough to make no bones about it.
Now
why
are you so dead set against Robert?! Just because
you
didn’t pick him for me?”

“Of course. That’s the only reason.”

She narrowed her eyes at his quick agreement, not believing him for a minute. But she noticed his hand was pressing down on that flat thing he’d been pounding, as if he was trying to hide it now. She suddenly recognized its color.

She gasped. “Is that my
hat
?”

“I’m afraid I sat on it.”

She turned wide eyes on him. He ought to be blushing but he wasn’t. If anything, he looked defensive.

“One of the men must have cleaned off my desk and knocked it on my chair, then forgot to put it back.”

“And you decided it wasn’t flat enough so you had to pound on it, too?”

The blush she’d expected showed up, but it was so slight, she barely noticed it with his dark tan. “Of course not.”

So he had just been distractedly pounding on her hat without realizing it. No matter. She wasn’t about to argue with him about a silly hat. To prove it, she smiled and remarked, “Poor hat, it deserves a burial at the very least. Now, shall we get to my lessons?”

He abruptly took her elbow and led her around to the middle aisle. “Where’s your chaperone?”

“He got distracted by your horses as we drove up and walked down to the left field for a closer look at some of them.”

Devin sighed. “I warned you not to bring your brother.”

“I didn’t.” She kept the smirk to herself.

But she almost laughed at Devin’s expression when her chaperone came up the aisle to join them. He’d wanted her to bring a male relative along, but he obviously wasn’t expecting it to be the Duke of Norford.

D
EVIN DIDN
’
T LIKE SURPRISES
of this sort, but he recovered quickly enough, thanks to Preston Locke’s friendly and easygoing manner. And the man wanted to talk horses! That put Devin even more at ease. Yet he didn’t doubt for a moment that the minx had done this deliberately to discomfit him. Dragging such an important personage along to something so trivial as a riding lesson? When she had an abundance of male relatives of less stature?