The Seduction of Lady Phoebe (41 page)

She’d loved him since she was a child. If he’d asked for her hand when she’d first come out, she would have accepted him. Now, at one and twenty, she was wiser.

Sebastian—he hated his given name—spent the last few years dangling after Anna’s best friend, Phoebe, who was now marrying Lord Marcus Finley. With no more cover and his mother nagging at him to wed, he’d turned to Anna. Yet, the past two years had made it impossible for her to marry him unless he truly loved her and all she was. She wasn’t sure they even knew each other anymore.

Anna met his gaze coolly. “Lord Rutherford, pray, what brings you here?”

“Oh, Anna dear,” her mother said. “Lord Rutherford has very kindly offered to help by escorting you to Charteries for Lady Phoebe’s wedding.”

Anna raised a brow and stared at Sebastian for a moment before turning to address her mother. Lady Marsh reminded Anna of a wraith. Her mother’s dark brown hair was still unmarked by silver. She always dressed in flowing gowns and draped gauzy shawls around her shoulders, giving the impression she would blow away if one breathed hard enough. Mamma desperately wanted Anna married and could not understand how it was she’d reached the age of one and twenty still single.

As objecting to Sebastian’s escort would do her no good, Anna kept the smile on her face. “Yes, Mamma, very kind of him.” She glanced at him and thought she saw the remnants of a smug look on his face. “How do you think of these ideas?” she asked sweetly.

His lips twitched slightly. “I really couldn’t tell you, Miss Marsh, it just popped into my head. We
are
both attending the wedding after all.”

It did not auger well for him that he used her mother to get his way. “Yes, we do have that in common.”

“Well, my dear,” Mamma said, apparently oblivious to the tension between Anna and her guest. “Lord Rutherford would like to leave fairly early. He is to stand up with Lord Marcus, you know.”

Anna’s expression didn’t change, nor did her dulcet tones. “Indeed? How interesting. I trust you’re not doing it for the practice, my lord.”

The innocent expression in Miss Marsh’s large blue eyes belied the stubborn set of her lips. Rutherford turned his choking laughter into a cough and looked down so she couldn’t see his expression.

When he raised his head, she was in negotiations about something with Lady Marsh. He took the time to admire her. As always, Anna was elegantly attired. She wore a day gown in printed mulberry, and he could make out the lean lines of her slender figure. Lately, his fingers had itched to touch her in ways they never had before.

Gleaming chestnut curls were allowed to escape the loose knot held by combs at the back of her head. During the past year, her heart-shaped face had lost much of its youthful roundness. When she stood, the top of her head was below his collar-bone. Rutherford had kicked himself at least a dozen times in the last few weeks for not having made a move to engage her affections sooner.

He simply always just assumed she’d be available when he was ready, but he couldn’t have been more wrong. To his chagrin, after Anna made it very clear he’d have to win her heart, he’d noticed other gentlemen of his ilk also vying for her hand. He wished she’d go home to Kent where he’d have a better chance. At least he’d have her alone. The only other gentleman of marriageable age living in their area was that insufferable pup, Percy Blanchard. Rutherford had nothing to fear on that score.

“But, Mamma,” Anna said reasonably, “the Season is almost over. There are only two weeks left, and it will be terribly flat with Phoebe gone. Papa is at March Hill and so is Aunt Lillian. I’ll be perfectly fine. I can leave from the wedding. If we take the coast roads from Sussex . . .”

“Anna,” her mother interrupted, “I will not hear of you taking that route, it is too dangerous. You will stay on the highway where it’s safer.”

“Yes, Mamma. Of course, you’re right. Should I take everything with me or will you send it by courier?”

Rutherford frowned slightly. Anna had just won the argument and had really made no concessions at all.

“You will never fit all your baggage in the coach,” Lady Marsh said. “Have your maid pack your trunks, and I shall send them.”

“Thank you, Mamma. I can make the arrangements. There is no need to put yourself out over it.” Anna bent and kissed her mother’s cheek.

“Very well, my dear. Thank you.”

Rutherford wanted to shake his head. When he’d proposed last week, and she’d refused, he thought it was out of pique that he hadn’t asked earlier. It had been clear she was no longer a scruffy little girl in pigtails wearing grown-up clothes, but in fact ready to take on the role of his wife.

Was
something else going on?

“Lord Rutherford,” Anna said. “I shall be ready to leave when you are. I’ll see you in the morning.”

He watched her walk out of the room and a sense that she had walked out of his life passed over him.
Drat the girl
. She was up to something, and he needed to find out what it was. Perhaps he should have been spending more time with Anna and less hiding behind Lady Phoebe’s skirts. He was being ridiculous. He’d known Anna since her birth. That was one of the reasons he wanted to marry her. During the past few years his life had been complicated enough. With her, there would be no surprises.

He almost offered to escort her to Kent, but he’d received a message from the Home Office to hold himself ready, so he needed to return to London after the wedding.

He bowed to Lady Marsh. “My lady, I trust I shall see you in the morning. I am glad I could be of service.”

“My dear, Lord Rutherford, I cannot thank you enough for offering to keep an eye on my poor little Anna.”

Rutherford gave her his most charming smile. “Not at all, my lady, it will be my pleasure.”

He took his leave. Poor little Anna, indeed. The minx. What could she be up to that necessitated an early return to Kent?

Rutherford arrived at his townhouse in Berkeley Square to find a letter waiting for him asking him to attend Lord Jamison of the Home Office. He immediately set out again. Whatever it was, it had to be important for them to contact him after he’d sold out.

Twenty minutes later he entered Jamison’s chamber.

Jamison stood and motioned Rutherford to a seat. “Glad you could come.”

He regarded the large, buff, fair-haired gentleman with a sapient eye. “What is it you need me to do?”

“We think we’ve a bit of a problem in your area of Kent.” Jamison glanced through some documents on his desk. “All along the coast actually. You’re not the only one we’re calling in.” His bushy brows drew together. “We’ve heard rumors out of France that some of Napoleon’s former officers might take up his cause. I’ve no doubt they’ll be trying to run information through the smuggling gangs. That’s where you come in.” Jamison put his elbows on his desk and leaned forward. “Harry Marsh used to keep track of the smugglers in your area. You’ll have to do it now.”

Rutherford frowned. “I thought they’d disbanded. That was the reason Harry could leave to work elsewhere.”

Jamison shook his large head. “No, my boy. Harry had got someone else to take them over. Never told us who it was. All he’d said was the man was responsible and would have good control over them. After all, it was only to have been for a few months.”

Rutherford leaned back in his chair and blew out a breath. “I wonder who? I’ll have to scout around and try to find out who their head man is. Harry always took the lead with them. I went a few times, but I’m not even sure they’d remember me.” Rutherford sat up and scowled. “I wish to hell he’d stayed and not gone over to France.”

Jamison nodded. “He was a good man. Reckless, but good. A shame his family can’t be told the truth about his death.”

“I’ve no idea how they’d feel about him being an Intelligencer. Better to let them think he died in Badajoz rather than on a mission.” Most Englishmen thought spying the lowest form of vocation. If they only knew the military could not have won without its spies and the information they gathered.

“I’ll be able to travel to Kent in a couple of days.” Rutherford stood. “I’ve a good friend getting married. I’ll go after the wedding.”

Jamison rose and held out his hand. “Thank you. I know you don’t have to do this.”

Rutherford shook his former chief’s hand and smiled. “I’ll accept your thanks. You’re likely the only one to offer it.”

“Rutherford,” Jamison said, “let me know if you need reinforcements.”

“You can be sure that I will.”

Damn
Harry Marsh for going off and getting himself killed. Who the devil did he find to take his place? A mental review of the men in his area capable of handling the task came up with nothing. Two years ago, they were either all too young, gone off doing other things, or incompetent.

The only good thing to come of this was that he would be able to escort Anna home after the wedding ceremony. He wondered how she’d take that bit of news, and decided not to tell her until they were already at Marcus’s family’s estate.

Anna entered her bedchamber to find Lizzy packing. “Did you send the note off?”

“Yes, miss, I had a footman take it,” Lizzy said. “Told him it was a letter from me to home.”

“Good. We’ll be traveling home after the wedding.” Anna looked at the clothes spread around the room. “You’ve no time to lose. Everything must be packed this afternoon. I shall make arrangements for the courier to pick the trunks up in the morning.”

“Yes, miss. I have to say, I’ll be glad to be home.”

For the first time that day, Anna relaxed. “Yes, it will be good to be back in Kent again. Do you want me to help you?”

Lizzy grinned. “No offense, miss, but you’re no hand at folding. I’ll have it done in a trice.”

“Very well, then,” Anna replied. “If you’re sure you don’t need my help, I have some shopping I should complete.”

“No, miss.” Her maid shook out a gown. “You go on.”

Anna found a footman to accompany her, left a message for her mother with the butler, and walked out the door in the direction of Bond Street. She had several items of clothing she needed to fetch and a new hat to buy, as well as silk stockings and other small items she’d not find anywhere closer than Dover.

Two hours later, pleased that she’d found all she needed in such a short amount of time, she returned to Marsh House in time for tea.

Her mother handed her a cup and Anna helped herself to some of the various biscuits as well as a scone with clotted cream and jam. “I’ve finished my shopping and Lizzy is packing. The carter will pick up my trunks in the morning.”

“I hope you have a wonderful time at the wedding, my dear,” Lady Marsh said. “I was so pleased to hear that Lady Phoebe is finally marrying. She certainly has taken her time settling on someone.”

“Yes, Mamma. We are all delighted for Phoebe.” Mamma had in no way approved of the license Phoebe had been given and could not fathom any lady waiting for a love match. Mamma’s match had been arranged and she and Papa had got along very well until Harry died. Then it all seemed to fall apart.

Lady Marsh frowned. “I don’t understand why Lady Phoebe had to pick the most eligible gentleman available this Season. Really, Anna, I think you could have done something more to interest him.”

Anna valiantly forbore sighing. Lord Marcus Finley, Phoebe’s intended, had been the topic of conversation since early September. “Mamma, I’ve told you. He formed an attachment for Phoebe years ago,” Anna said. “The only reason he danced with me, that one time, was to aid her. I never had a chance, and I would have looked ridiculous trying to set my cap at him.”

“Please do not use that vulgar term,” her mother replied. “There
is
Rutherford, my love. He is very eligible, and his mother told me that since he didn’t do a good job attaching Lady Phoebe . . .”

“Mamma,”
Anna interrupted. “Phoebe had no interest in Rutherford. They are friends. That is all.”

“As I was saying, my dear, Lord Rutherford is free and in need of a wife. I am sure, if you would only make yourself
agreeable
to him, he’d be happy to make you an offer.”

Anna resisted the urge to cast her eyes upward. She missed the intimacy she’d had with her mother before Harry’s death. Everything was so different now. Anna certainly wasn’t going to tell her mother Sebastian had proposed. Trying to turn the conversation away from marriage, Anna said, “Mamma, why do you call him Lord Rutherford, when you’ve known him all his life?”

“That is what we do, my dear. You would be well advised to remember he is no longer a schoolboy, but rather a very eligible gentleman.”

“Yes, Mamma,” Anna replied meekly and rose. “I must check on Lizzy. She has a lot to pack and not much time. I shall see you at dinner.”

“Oh, my dear, I forgot to tell you, I am dining with Lady Worthington. I do not plan to make a late evening of it, but if you have retired by the time I come home, I shall see you in the morning before you leave.”

“Please give Lady Worthington my best wishes and enjoy yourself.” Anna kissed her mother’s cheek and left the room.

Anna walked to the library. If she was to spend the better part of two days in a coach, she’d need books. After searching the shelves, she selected a novel she hadn’t seen before. She looked more closely at the cover, opened it, and tilted her head. The pages were full of pictures of naked couples doing the most shocking things
and
directions as to how to do them. She shut the book, then opened it up again, fascinated by the pictures.