Tananguard 02 - To Love a Lord (7 page)

He laughed in surprise and grabbed at his jaw in pain. “Aw that hurts. Mistress? No, I’m not looking for a mistress. But I would court you properly if you would let me.” He had turned quite seriously suddenly.

“Court me?” she asked in surprise. “For what purpose?”

He laughed again
, and again he groaned in pain. “What other purpose is there for courting?”

“
Perhaps you didn’t understand me. I will not be a mistress, Mr. Tananguard, and what you imply you cannot mean,” she argued.

“But I do. I intended it upon seeing you in Sarah’s parlor before you even played the pianoforte,” he said frankly.
“And our time together yester eve only reiterated that desire.” He smiled as her cheeks flared red.

She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came. She studied him for a moment. He seemed quite serious in his
confession, but it could not be. He must know that! She shook her head. “I am a commoner, Mr. Tananguard. You are the son of a lord. Surely your father would disapprove, and even if he didn’t, we are from different worlds. I would ruin your good name.”

He sighed. “I know what I want, and I know what my father would want for me.
Commoner or not, I would like to see you again. I would like to know who you truly are, Josephine.”

“No,” she answered stubbornly.
He couldn’t possibly mean what he said. He was looking for a way to make her his mistress without seeming to.

“No?” he asked in astonishment. “Why?”

“I am going to be frank with you, Mr. Tananguard. My brother is merely eighteen. He’s handsome, he’s charming, and he’s a scoundrel. He’s not perfect, but he tells me how it is. He frequents pubs, casinos, and other less reputable places, places where many nobles are seen doing things that make my ears burn. He mingles with these men, gambling and drinking. And to quote his words, he says, ‘All they want is a pretty woman to bed when there’s a need. Don’t be drawn in by their pretty words. You’ll only be hurt in the end.’ So I ask myself, ‘Why would he—you—risk everything to court me?’ The answer is in my brothers words.” She watched him, waiting for a response. Her foolish, romantic side hoped she was wrong in her assumption, but how could she be?

Connor seemed to be struck speechless. His face had dropped, and he seemed stunned. Finally, he spoke. “It’s very hard to argue against your logic. I could tell you my intentions are true, and I wouldn’t dishonor you in such a way. But how would you know if I was telling the truth? All I can ask is for you to trust me. Allow me to prove myself.”

“And how do you propose to do that?”

“A friendship, simple and true. You are friends with Sarah? Why not
with me as well?” he asked.

“A friendship…nothing more
,” she said doubtfully.

“Yes. No needless flirting to show my intentions. No hid
den innuendos. Simply you and I getting to know each other as two individuals.”

“No attempted kisses?” she asked, wishing she had just kept her mouth shut. It had been such a nice kiss, and it had sparked such warmth within. She could feel her cheeks coloring at the memory.

He smiled slyly. “I will try to be a gentleman.”

“Try?” she said in alarm.

He laughed. “No kisses.”

She took a deep breath and released it. “Very well. I agree
, but only on one condition.”

“And what is that?”

“You call me Sophia Murrieta, especially to your peers. It is a respected name in Spain. It will not tarnish your own name.”

He sighed. “I do not care about such things.”

“That is my condition, Mr. Tananguard,” she said stubbornly.

“Very well, but only if you call me Connor when we are alone
or even when your housekeeper is present. Mr. Tananguard is such a hassle.”

“My
housekeeper?” she asked in puzzlement. She didn’t have a housekeeper. Mrs. Lovegood had been such when her uncle and aunt had occupied the home next door. She had been the housekeeper to both households, but when her uncle and aunt were forced to move, they simply asked Mrs. Lovegood to care for their home. She lived there, caring for the home as instructed and continuing her work for Josephine’s parents. And now that Josephine was the only one living here permanently, Mrs. Lovegood only assisted when Josephine truly needed help. But she was not Josephine’s housekeeper. She must have said as much to Connor to keep appearances.

“Yes, Mrs. Lovegood. Where is she, by the way?” he asked curiously.

“She…yes, she went to the market,” Josephine said. It would be wise to keep that pretense for now. A woman living alone was unheard of, and her brother was rarely there. The home was his, but Josephine saw him once or twice a year if that.

“I see. Well? What say you?” he asked.

She studied him in contemplation.

“It is not a difficult decision.
I am Connor, your friend and confidant. And you are Sophia.” He waited for a reply.

Her face furrowed, but she nodded in agreement. “
A friendship it is.”

*

Connor
spent the rest of his morning with Sophia, finding it very difficult to keep his hands away from her. It would have been easier if Mrs. Lovegood returned. He very much wanted to take Sophia in his arms again. It had felt so right kissing her and holding her close. But he would be patient and prove to her he was honest in the fact he wanted to court her for marriage. Until then, he would be a complete gentleman even without a chaperone.

High noon came sooner than Connor would have liked, and he found himself bidding Sophia goodbye in order to make his
luncheon with Cunningham. The meeting worried him after insulting Lady Cunningham so readily the day before. Connor knew Cunningham was not partial to his wife, but surely he would defend her honor.

Connor was quite surprised to find he was wrong. Cu
nningham had nothing but praise for Connor for yesterday’s event.

“I would have supported you whole-heartedly had I remained. I should have remained. The incident would not have occurred had I,” he’d said with remorse. “Rebecca can be very harsh, and I’m certain your actions were well justified.”

Connor certainly believed they were, but shouldn’t Cunningham stand up for his wife in such things? Connor studied the man. He didn’t know him well, not anymore. Declan and he had been friends when they were boys—Connor being the younger by little over two years—but Cunningham had been sent to boarding school at the age of eight and had rarely returned to Westbrook. He was sensible and honorable, though. That much Connor still knew.

“Why did you
marry her?” Connor blurted out. He recalled what Sophia told him yesterday, but he wondered Declan’s side of the matter.

Declan’s eyebrows rose in surprise. He gave a forced laugh and shook his head.

“My apologies. The question was too personal,” Connor said.

Declan shrugged. “We were friends once, Connor. And I hope to be so again. I will answer your question. She thought she was with child…my child. At least that is what she persuaded me to believe. It wasn’t until after we were wed that I discovered she had a lover and I was her pawn.”

“Then why not annul the marriage? Why stay with her when she was unfaithful?”

“You mean
while she
isn’t
faithful?” Declan asked with a wry smile. “Yes, I know of her…pastimes. And no, I have not done anything about them except keep track. There will come a day when I will act, but the time is not right.”

“Not right?” Connor asked in astonishment. “How can you stand by and allow her to disgrace you the way she does?”

Cunningham frowned. “You need every viewpoint before drawing conclusions. There are other people and other lives at stake besides my own. My reputation will survive, but I have made promises that I intend to keep. Once those are met, the divorce will happen.”

Connor nodded. “Of course. I should have realized you had
a purpose.”

“I must make certain her family is secure before I disgrace them,” he said quietly. “They were nearly bankrupt when I met Rebecca. I believe I was not only her pawn, but her mother’s pawn as well. But Lord Sterling is an honorable man, and his other children are innocent of Rebecca and Mary. I have to consider their futur
e before making anything final.”

Connor discovered much about Cunningham that day. The man was one of the most honorable, pleasant-mannered individuals he would ever know.

The rest of their meeting went well, and Connor succeeded in avoiding Rebecca while there. That is until he was departing. It was very uncomfortable trying to leave the house as she was returning. She scowled at him the entire time. He did his best to ignore it and greet her as expected. He was almost out the door without incident when she called his name. He groaned within but turned expectantly.

“You do not apologize?” she asked curiously.

“Have you?” he asked.

“Apologized to whom?”

“To the woman you insulted.”

She laughed. A side of her he had never seen before erupted with that laugh. It was an honest laugh, not forced or flirty. And it was attractive, he realized with alarm. He was beginning to see
how someone might be sucked into this woman’s charm…or perhaps he should say guile.

“I wouldn’t tell you even if I had,” she said honestly, a smile still lining her lips. She eyed him then. “What makes you do different than everyone else
?”

He frowned at the question. “
I do not understand what you mean.”

“Don’t play coy with me, Mr. Tananguard. You are different. You do not seem to care what society thinks of you. I thought perhaps you were simply naive, but I’ve done my research. I no longer think that.
What is your ruse? What are
you
playing at?” she asked suspiciously.

“I have no
ruse. I am who I am, and that is that. Now if you will excuse me, I must be going.” He turned to leave.

“I never noticed you much until yesterday, you know. An
d even in that short amount of time, I do believe you. You are…unique.” She paused then added quietly, “Had only you been there instead of
him
.”

He was certain the comment was not meant for his ears, but he had heard it nonetheless. What did she mean by that
? His gut knew the answer, but he refused to acknowledge it. “You need to get out more because there are many like me.”

She smiled at that and swayed right up to him. “No, I think not.” She ran her fingers lightly across his shoulder. He stiffened visibly, and he caught her eyeing him sweetly beneath her lashes. “You should join me for tea tomorrow. Declan will be gone by then. He is returning to Westbrook for a time, but I suspect you already knew that. He’s asked you to take care of his business arrangements while he’s away, hasn’t he?”

Connor frowned down at her, trying his best to show his disapproval of her actions. “You need not concern yourself with those. I’m certain if there is anything you should know, your husband will inform you of it. Thus, there is no need for me to join you for tea. Good day, Lady Cunningham.” With those words, he left before she could pull him in further.

Connor
didn’t go home until late that evening. His mind was a whirl. His thoughts running from Lord Cunningham, the arrangements they had made, Lady Cunningham and her obvious offer, and Sophia Murrieta. There was too much to think on, so he had gone to a pub to gamble and drink it away. When he did finally return home, he found Lucas waiting up for him. The year they had come to London, Lucas’s father, Lord Archibald Hoffman, had offered them both rooms in his London home, and they had lived there since.

“Where have you been?” Lucas asked curiously.
“I haven’t seen you since yesterday afternoon.”

Connor gave the simplest answer.
“I went to a pub.”

“A pub or a woman’s home?” Lucas said
.

Connor shook his head and decided to play along.
“If you knew, why did you ask?”

Lucas shrugged his shoulders. “How was it?”

Connor laughed, not answering.

They stood in silence then Lucas said suddenly, “The servant girl.”

“The servant girl?” Connor asked in confusion.

“The one you insulted at Lady Markham’s
yesterday. She’s the one,” Lucas continued.

“
I don’t recall insulting a servant girl,” Connor said.

“Ye
s, the one who played the pianoforte. I was not there long, but I do recall the reference to her being a maid,” Lucas explained.

Connor shook his head. Lucas
would
remember that small detail amongst everything else which occurred. “What about her?”

“It’s time to play The Game, Connor.” He gave Connor a meaningful look.