Surrender the Stars (26 page)

"Aren't you happy that the family has been welcomed so readily into society? You all were a tremendous success at Carlton House, and Harry has overheard several young men at the clubs discussing Lindsay's charms." Mouette snapped the thread and smiled mischievously at her sister. "Already she has Lord Fanshawe on the verge of a proposal! You have no idea how many fashionable young ladies have been angling to catch his eye!"

"A proposal?" Lindsay tried to laugh. "You exaggerate, Mouette."

"This is all well and good," Devon said absently, sipping her tea, "but I didn't realize that taking up residence in London would mean that we would have to attend all these tedious parties! Could President Madison have intended that we endure such unremitting torture?"

"Mama, what do you mean?" asked Lindsay.

"Oh, it's just unbearable. One receives invitations like
these
"—she sifted through the pile for emphasis—"You see, we have several for each evening. We would arrive in a home that has been virtually emptied of furniture to accommodate the crush and then we would endeavor to squeeze into it. No one can sit, and it's much too crowded for cards or music. After a quarter hour, carriages are called and one waits in a long line, then goes on to the next rout, and then the next." She shook her head in remembered horror. "I swore that I would never attend another rout unless it was being given by a close friend or relative!"

Mouette laughed. "Well,
that's
reassuring since we are planning to give one on the twenty-fifth! Besides, Mother, I think you're being a trifle selfish. If you refuse to venture forth to mingle with society at these routs, how will Lindsay meet men?"

"I really wish you would stop that!" Lindsay cried. "I'm perfectly content."

"Are you in love with Dudley?" her sister pressed.

She was saved from answering by the appearance of Raveneau in the doorway. "Good afternoon, ladies," he greeted them, entering to kiss his wife's brow. "And Anthony, hello to you, too!"

The little boy was buttoning his pants but looked up to declare, "I'm not a lady!"

"You most certainly are not. What's been going on here?"

"Mama's been complaining that we may have to attend a lot of routs," Lindsay explained. "As you can see, the morning post brought scores of invitations!"

"That's a good sign." Andre nodded. When Devon looked up in alarmed surprise, his teacup in her hand, he took it from her and chuckled. "Don't panic,
ma chere,"
he murmured, taking a place beside her on the mahogany settee. "You'll be spared the routs, for the moment at least. I just visited the House of Lords and received an invitation, ostensibly from the Regent, who seems to be afraid to venture outdoors in daylight these days for fear of being jeered by the populace. At any rate, he's taking his visitors to Oxford on the fourteenth—this Tuesday—and asks that we join the party."

"Why would the Regent include us in such an illustrious group?" Devon wondered.

"The Whigs have stirred up so much public sentiment against him and for Princess Caroline that I think he is uncertain whom he can trust. Add to that the rather remarkable adulation the czar and his fellow visitors have been receiving here, and one may be assured that the Regent is currently feeling very insecure indeed. No doubt we, as newcomers, appear to be relatively harmless to him."

"Hmm. And there's the fact that we're American," Devon mused. "Our presence would not only make Prinny appear magnanimous, but it would also add a certain spice to the group."

"I've always wanted to see Oxford," Lindsay said dreamily.

Andre smiled, then looked at his older daughter. "Did I mention that Mouette and Harry are also invited? And where is my son, the newest buck of St. James's?"

"He went to Tattersall's at least two hours ago to claim his new horse," Mouette told him, careful not to say Ryan even in front of little Anthony. "He looked almost excited before his departure!"

"Better a horse than a woman," he replied dryly.

Lindsay pretended to rearrange the plate of cookies while inquiring, "Papa, what shall we do in Oxford? What's the reason for this journey?"

"I imagine that the Regent wishes to impress the czar and the various rulers. Who could fail to be impressed by Oxford? I believe that there are some formal plans, however. Degrees for the czar and the king of Prussia, a magnificent dinner at the Radcliffe Camera—"

"The circular, domed library?" Lindsay exclaimed. "I have seen drawings of it. It's the best thing at Oxford—at least I think it may be! Oh, I can hardly wait!"

"Neither can I!" cried a voice, infused with mock gaiety, from the corridor. An instant later, Ryan peeked around the door frame, one eyebrow arched above blue eyes that danced with devils. "I don't know what we're speaking of, but I did overhear Lindsay's words, and, infected by the rare, unbridled excitement in her voice, I lost my head."

"I wish that you would," Lindsay muttered.

Devon pretended not to hear. "Come and join us. Have you brought your new horse safely home?"

"Indeed!" He came into the room, obviously in high spirits, and sat down beside Mouette. "A finer piece of horseflesh I've never seen! His name is Simon, and he's a magnificent black stallion. We liked each other the moment we met yesterday. They told me at Tattersall's that Simon's never taken to anyone this way before."

"My goodness," Lindsay murmured, unable to stop herself, "it's a shame he's not female. This sounds like a match made in heaven!"

"Well, we'll all go down to the stables to meet this steed," Andre proclaimed, ignoring his daughter, "but first we should inform you of our plans for next week."

At the mention of the word
horse,
little Anthony had produced a wooden miniature from his pocket and was now showing it to Ryan, who inspected the toy with sober approval. After a moment, he glanced up absently. "Plans?"

"We're going to join the Regent's entourage when he takes his European visitors to Oxford on Tuesday," Devon informed him brightly. "Isn't it exciting?"

Ryan's smile faded slightly, and then he blinked. "Did you say Oxford?"

"That's right!" Mouette chimed in. "We're all going! I for one cannot wait to escape from London for even two days. It will be a lovely diversion!"

"I've always wanted to see Oxford," Lindsay said again. "I've read so much about it, I half expect the town to be shrouded in a magical haze."

Ryan took a deep breath. "Well, I hope you all enjoy yourselves, but I'm afraid that I cannot join you. I have a previous engagement on Tuesday."

"How mysterious!" Devon lifted delicate brows. "Won't you elaborate?"

"I'd rather not." Determinedly, Ryan returned his attention to Anthony, bending his head to the boy's level and thereby avoiding the curious stares from the adults in the room. "It's a... private matter."

Lindsay's cheeks grew warm as she stared at his crisp ebony hair. A private matter? What else could that mean except an appointment—a rendezvous—with Lady Chadwick? The sight of her parents exchanging knowing looks only intensified Lindsay's mixed feelings of outrage and mortification. It galled her to realize that she cared what he did and to remember the scenes between them first at Carlton House and then in his bedchamber here. Worse, she had succumbed to Ryan's charm just hours later in Hyde Park when she should have ordered him to leave her alone with Dudley Fanshawe. Now, Lindsay looked away from him and gazed out the window at the garden court below, wondering what was happening to her and why.

"You're being very difficult, Nathan," Mouette was saying. "What shall we tell the Regent?"

Before he could answer, Roderick appeared in the doorway, paler than usual and breathing hard from the effort of climbing the long flight of stairs. "Lord Fanshawe is here to see you, sir," he intoned with a bow to Raveneau.

"Send him up, Roderick."

One or two minutes passed slowly before Dudley came into the morning room. Clad in a dark blue coat of superfine with brass buttons and snug biscuit-colored pantaloons, his blond hair shone in the sunlight and his light blue eyes gleamed with confidence. "Hello, all!" he proclaimed, smiling at each family member in turn. "Isn't it a fine day?"

"It certainly is, Lord Fanshawe," Devon replied politely. "Won't you sit down and tell us what brings you to Grosvenor Square?"

"With pleasure, Mrs. Raveneau."

Lindsay felt a bit overcome as she watched him approach, then take a seat next to her on the settee. Dutifully, she whispered, "Good afternoon, Dudley."

"It is now," he murmured, gazing first into her eyes before letting his eyes drop to the low neckline of her pale blue morning dress. "You're looking lovely as usual, my dear Lindsay."

She tried not to blush when she glimpsed Ryan's black brows arch upward. "It's kind of you to say so."

Arabella had arrived with a steaming pot of tea. Devon poured and then, once their guests had taken a sip, inquired, "Have you called for the sole purpose of gazing upon our daughter?"

Lord Fanshawe laughed as if she had made a great joke. "Certainly that would be reason enough, my dear Mrs. Raveneau, but, in truth, I had another errand. You see, I received a letter from my parents today. At their ages, they prefer life at Grimley Court, our family estate in Oxfordshire, to the social whirl of London. However, upon hearing that the Regent has planned a trip to Oxford, they have written requesting that I invite a select few from that group to visit Grimley Court on the fifteenth of June."

"How kind of them," Devon said, wishing that her family were elsewhere.

"I inquired at the palace regarding the list of people traveling with the Regent and then decided that ten, with my parents, sounded like the proper number." Dudley squared his shoulders and grinned. "Straightaway it came to me that this family should be among those invited. That includes Sir Harry and Lady Brandreth, of course."

"Who will fill the last two places?" Mouette asked.

"I thought that the Earl and Countess of Chadwick might round the party out nicely. They are the right ages and jolly good company, don't you think? Have you all met them?"

Lindsay choked on her tea and Dudley looked on, unsure of what he should do. Finally Ryan stood and leaned over to strike her back lightly with his palm. "Steady on, brat!" he exclaimed, his words of encouragement underlined with an amusement that only she could discern.

When Lindsay had recovered her composure, she looked up to see Ryan taking snuff. Languidly, he commented, "I've just realized that I had my dates mixed. I'm free after all this next week and would be delighted to join my family for this outing to Oxford and Grimley Court."

* * *

"I can't sleep."

"Mmm?" Drowsy and contented after lovemaking that had rivaled their early days together, Devon snuggled closer to Andre's chest. "Why not, sweetheart?"

"I'm wondering why Ryan suddenly changed his mind about Oxford. That empty-headed dandy pose might get him by Dudley Fanshawe, but he can't fool me. 'Dates mixed' indeed!" Raveneau narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "It was quite obvious that he didn't want to accompany us, then thought better of it."

Wide awake now, Devon pushed back her hair and tried to read his face in the shadows. "I agree, but I thought that the reason for his turnabout was quite obvious, considering it came immediately after he learned that the Earl and Countess of Chadwick would be among those visiting Grimley Court."

"Yes, it would seem that he couldn't resist the opportunity to be near Lady Chadwick."

"Hester is very beautiful," Devon said tentatively, "and although Ryan has not been very forthcoming about their shared past, it does seem obvious that he still has feelings for her. You know that I have rather keen instincts about these things, and I am convinced that Lady Chadwick returns those feelings. I know that you don't want any scandal, and with Lord Chadwick along there is always that possibility, so I can understand your concern, and—"

"You're starting to babble,
cherie
," he interjected ironically. "And I fear you've underestimated me. Did you really think I would remain blind to the situation that's developing between Ryan and Lindsay?"

It seemed that her heart had stopped. Finally, Devon managed a weak "Pardon?"

"I have eyes. And I'm not so old that I've forgotten how people behave when they're falling in love."

"What are you saying?"

"Simply that I believe Ryan didn't want to go to Oxford for some personal reason. Perhaps people know him there. However, I don't think it was the prospect of being near Hester that overrode his misgivings; I think it was the idea that Dudley would have Lindsay all to himself."

Devon hardly knew what to do. It went totally against her temperament to play false with Andre, but if she agreed with him everything could be ruined. "Darling, I think your paternal imagination may be getting out of hand! When did you conceive this notion that Lindsay and Ryan are falling in love?"

"It's crept up on me, I suppose. I didn't
want
to think it, but the seeds were probably planted that first time I saw them together in our house in Pettipauge. There have been plenty of clues ever since, and I've reached a point where I can't ignore them."

"But they despised each other then! And they've argued most of the time ever since! It's only lately that they've struck a rather unsettled truce—"

Raveneau interrupted with a short, sarcastic laugh. "Do you take me for a fool, my love? I can assure you that I am not, nor have I forgotten our verbal skirmishes during the months after we met. If memory serves me, we spent virtually all our time together either pretending we detested each other or else making love!"

She blushed in the darkness. "Lindsay has a completely different character from mine. You know perfectly well that she has always kept a tight rein on her emotions. She has told me that she does not even find Ryan physically attractive, that he isn't her type."

"He's too much like me! Sometimes I feel as if I'm watching myself thirty years ago and it scares me to death!"