Unconventional Suitors 02 - Her Unconventional Hero (8 page)

Griffin wanted to curse. Friends? Blast it all, how could he ever convince her to marry him if she only saw him as a dratted friend. He closed his eyes and sighed, deciding to set that aside for the time being.

“I’d be honored,” he half lied. He figured it was a start at least.

The smile she gave him made him feel as if he were the most important man in the world. He made himself stand and offer her his hand lest he be tempted to take her into his arms and kiss her. The heady combination of moonlight and emotional intimacy made him crave something even more from her, but he knew she wasn’t ready for that, and he would hate to jeopardize their newborn friendship.

He wasn’t sure if it was only his imagination, but Griffin could have sworn that she held on to his arm a little tighter as they returned to the ballroom. He wondered if there was any way possible that she felt attracted to him as he did to her. He quickly dispelled the thought, for it was pointless to contemplate something he may very well never have an answer to.

The bright light caused by the numerous flickering candles nearly blinded them as they returned once more to the crowded ballroom. The orchestra was resting in between dances, but the hum of people conversing was nearly deafening.

Griffin lowered his mouth to Lady Adel’s ear and spoke loud enough for her to hear above the noise, “I’m still planning on claiming that dance you promised me.”

“But of course.”

Unwilling to part with her just yet, Griffin led her to the refreshment table and procured a glass of lemonade and handed it to her before grabbing one for himself. They sipped the tepid liquid in silence as they waited for the next dance to begin.

Griffin’s eyes scanned the throngs of people. He saw a man that resembled his brother-in-law, Lord Moncreif and did a quick double take. Sure enough, the portly man was indeed his sister’s husband. Confusion settled over him, for he hadn’t received word from his sister that she was in London, and Rose always informed him when she was coming to Town.

Setting his lemonade down, he turned to Lady Adel. “I apologize, for it appears as if I will have to claim my dance later. I see someone I must speak with posthaste.” Then he turned and fled into the crowd.

As was her custom, Adel was up long before what was considered normal in Town. She basked in the silence of the wee morning hours, loving the serenity she found. This morning was different, however, for instead of being woken up by one of her usual nightmares, or being roused from her slumber by her melancholy, she had awoken with thoughts of Lord Straton rolling around her head, curious beyond reason as to why he never came and retrieved her for the dance he was so adamant about claiming.

She knew it wasn’t wise, but Adel couldn’t help but worry about his reasoning. Had she done something that had put him off? Was he withdrawing from her after their unguarded conversation in the gardens? Perhaps in hindsight he was feeling rather foolish for opening up to her and sharing his deepest and most personal of pains. She truly hoped that was not the case, for his openness is what made her feelings for him turn from that of irritation to that of tenderness.

Sitting at her dressing table, she loosened the ribbon tied around her braid and began running her fingers through her hair to separate it. Picking up her ivory backed hairbrush, she began to brush her hair, counting the strokes as she stared at herself in the looking glass. She groaned quietly when she noticed that the smudges of gray were once more noticeable underneath her eyes. She would have to have her cook begin preparing her a hot posset nightly if she wished to remain free from the dratted things. The last thing she wanted was someone commenting on them again.

Laying down her brush, she slid a container of powder towards her and picked up the puff, applying the dusty contents liberally under her eyes in an effort to disguise the black circles. Slouching down in her chair with a harrumph, she bemoaned the ineffectiveness of her effort, for it barely made any difference at all.

By the time she joined Aunt Tabitha and Katherine in the breakfast room, she had already been up for several hours. She had penned and prepared another article for
The Morning Post
to be sent out with the days post as well as sorted through her entire wardrobe, deciding upon which dresses she would wear for the next fortnight’s worth of entertainments. If she had been at home in Kent instead of in Town, she would have sneaked quietly from the house and gone on an early morning ride to cure her ennui, but being in the city did not afford her that option.

“Another restless night?” Aunt Tabitha queried, as she peered up at her over the rim of her teacup. Adel walked to the sidebar and picked up a plate. “Suffice it to say that nearly every night is a restless one. There is no need to comment on it daily.” She knew she sounded rude, but her own irritation at her restless slumber goaded her on.

Both Katherine and Aunt Tabitha wisely remained silent as she filled up her plate with a scone and clotted cream, two links of sausage and eggs. By the time she joined them at the table, they had already seemingly forgotten her remark and were chattering animatedly between themselves about the house calls they were planning on making that morning. She tried to feign interest in the plans they were making as she squeezed a slice of lemon into her tea, but eventually her desire for food won out and she concentrated on relieving the rumbling in her stomach instead.

Several bites into her meal the butler walked into the room. He extended a silver platter to her where a nondescript white envelope lay on top of a cream colored one. Her heart began to race as she scooped them both up, placing the white one in her lap and leaving the other one, with her name scrawled on front in a bold hand, on the table beside her plate. Was Mr. Bell sending her a correspondence so soon? She didn’t dare open it in front of her family. Ignoring both letters, she slowly resumed eating.

“Adel, who is the missive from?” Katherine asked as she eyed the envelope on the table.

“I do not know.”

“Well, open it and find out,” Aunt Tabitha urged.

Adel set down her fork and wiped her hands on her linen napkin before picking up the envelope and breaking the seal. Unfolding a single sheet of parchment, her eyes quickly slid to the bottom of the letter to see whom it was from. Lord Straton’s name stood out from the page, causing her heart to race. She quickly read the contents of the letter before folding it up and setting it once more on the table.

“Well?” Katherine pried. “Do not keep us waiting.”

Adel tried to tame the smile that was threatening to split her face, but it was to no avail. “Lord Straton has invited us to afternoon tea at his sister’s residence. We must let him know at once if we wish to attend so that he can arrange to pick us up.”

“His sister? I do not think we have been introduced,” Aunt Tabitha pointed out.
“She has only just come to Town,” Adel explained. “But I hear she is a lovely girl. Shall we accept the invitation?”

Katherine looked at her curiously. “I thought you loathed the man. Why all of a sudden do you desire to spend the afternoon in his presence?”

Adel attempted to appear nonchalant as she picked haphazardly at the remainder of the scone on her plate. “I must admit to some curiosity about his sister. I have heard so much about her.”

Katherine and Aunt Tabitha exchanged a confused look. “My dear, how have you heard so much about this mysterious lady? I myself haven’t heard a word spoken of her in any social circle.”

Adel realized her mistake too late. “Lord Straton has mentioned her to me.”

“Is that so?” Katherine was looking at her strangely, making Adel want to squirm under her scrutiny.

“Regardless, I think it would be a pleasant way to spend the afternoon. Much more pleasant than wiling away the hours in the parlor working on needlework or reading.”

“If you wish to go,” Aunt Tabitha responded, “we would be delighted to accept the offer. Pen him a missive posthaste and have one of the footmen deliver it at once.”

Adel rose from the table, forgetting about the envelope in her lap until it fluttered to the floor. She bent to retrieve it, holding it behind her back as she smiled. “Very well, please excuse me.”

Sitting down at her writing desk, Adel penned a quick acceptance to Lord Straton before handing it off to her maid to see that it got delivered. Once the maid had left, she slid the other letter from the envelope and read: Mrs. Tiddlyswan,

Congratulations on your latest column. You have definitely recaptured some of your original genius with the report of Lady Grace blackmailing Lord Crestin. Now our dear readers are anxiously awaiting the next installment where we learn the cause of such blackmail. I have included your payment with this letter and look forward to our continued business association.

Mr. Bell

Adel slid several notes from the envelope and tucked them away in her enamel-carved jewelry box and sighed. The column she had just sent off this morning did not contain a single word regarding Lady Grace and Lord Crestin. Mr. Bell and her readers were sure to be disappointed. Truth was, she hadn’t seen either of them since the night she had learned of the blackmail, but tonight when she attended the Wilkenson ball, she would have to be more alert. She knew that if she didn’t learn something new soon, Mr. Bell would not be pleased.

***

By the time his carriage rolled to a halt in front of the Desmond’s townhouse, Griffin was in a most excellent mood. He hadn’t been entirely sure if Lady Adel would accept his invitation to have tea at his sister’s or not, so that she had so quickly done so, delighted him immensely. That, combined with his desire to see Rose, proved a heady combination indeed.

As soon as he was shown in to the parlor, it was clear that the ladies were anticipating his arrival. All three of them stood at once, their bonnets secured tightly under their chins, their pelisses buttoned up tightly. He greeted each one of the ladies in turn before offering his arm to Lady Adel.

“Shall we be on our way?”

Griffin purposely assisted Lady Katherine and Aunt Tabitha inside of his carriage first, ensuring that they would sit next to each other on one bench before he turned and helped Lady Adel inside. His hands may have lingered a bit too long on her waist as he did so, but he couldn’t help noticing the delicious way her curves fit into his palms so perfectly.

As the carriage began rattling along, he turned to the ladies and said, “I must admit that my sister is hesitant about our visit.”

Aunt Tabitha gave him a disapproving frown. “Then why did you invite us along, my lord?”

Griffin let out a slow breath before explaining, “Though she is hesitant, she is also most anxious for the company. I am afraid that her husband, the Baron Moncreif, has a nasty propensity for keeping her a prisoner in her own home. Rarely does he let her socialize and even more rarely does he let her come to Town. Her visit to London surprised her as much as it did me. I think she could use some friends.”

“Will her husband object to our visit?” Lady Katherine asked, a note of concern in her voice.

Griffin smiled sadly. “If he were to be made aware of it, he certainly would, but I do not intend for him to find out.”

Lady Adel turned concerned eyes on him, “I do not wish to put your sister at risk. Perhaps we should rethink our visit.”

Her concern for his sister was touching. Griffin wanted to ease her worry but not just with words. The emotion in her green eyes made them appear more bright and compelling than usual. He could not manage to make himself look away. Surely if her aunt and sister were not present, he would not be able to keep himself from kissing her just then.

“No,” he insisted. “Rose would be devastated if we did not come, for she is sincerely looking forward to meeting all of you. As long as you do not spread word of it all around Town, no harm will come from a simple afternoon of tea.” All three ladies nodded, though he wasn’t sure if he had properly convinced them or not.

When the carriage rolled to a halt, Griffin looked out the window at the pathetically shabby townhouse his sister called home while in London. For a brief moment, he experienced an inordinate amount of embarrassment on his sister’s behalf, for certainly it was a great shame for her to be kept in such conditions.

As they waited for the butler to answer the door, Griffin felt the need to apologize on behalf of his sister, but as he was about to do just that, the heavy wooden door swung open, just barely, and a frantic whisper was heard, “Hurry up and come in.”

One thin, bony hand reached out and clasped onto Lady Katherine’s pelisse, pulling her in to the house with more force than was necessary. Lady Adel turned wide, questioning eyes on him, but before he could respond, the same frail hand was pulling her inside as well. As soon as all four guests were safely inside, Rose reached behind them and slammed the door shut.

“Rose, where is your butler?” Griffin asked her curiously.

A brittle, unamused laugh escaped his sister’s throat. “Do you think my dear husband would waste even a shilling on hired help when he can spend it on his doxies instead?”

Griffin cringed, and not entirely because of his sister’s admission. He was very aware that all three of their guests gasped at her boldness, but he hadn’t the heart to chastise his poor sister and make her feel anymore humiliated than she surely already did being married to the monster she had been forced to wed.

Instead, he tried to overlook her error and distract the rest of them from it as well. “Rose, I’d like you to meet Lady Adel,” he said with a glance in her direction. “And this is her sister, Lady Katherine, and their Aunt Tabitha.”

Rose had the courtesy to appear embarrassed, as a blush stole across her gaunt face. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Technically I am to be addressed as Lady Moncreif, but I cannot stand it. If I may be so bold, can I ask you to simply call me Rose?”

The Lady’s Adel and Katherine looked to their aunt for permission. Griffin was certain they had never met anyone quite like Rose before. With a slight and uncertain nod of her head, Aunt Tabitha granted her permission.