“Lady Courtland,” Grayson said, moving swiftly to her side.“May I present Viscount Raleigh, Mr.Pimperington, and…” He trailed off.
“Oh, yes, of course!”Pimperington blustered.“Gels,” he said, motioning to the females to step forward.Then he turned back to Kate.“This lovely widow is Mrs.Parker and her sister, Miss Collier.”
“My lady.My lord.”Both women simpered and fluttered their eyelashes at Grayson in a manner that made Kate’s composure all the more appealing, by contrast.How easily he had forgotten the differences that drew him to her.
“Wroth, you wretch!”Raleigh cried accusingly, dropping the quizzing glass to stare unabashedly at Kate.“I wagered a small fortune that you had discovered some new gambling den.Lud, no one will win in the betting books, for who would have ever thought you to rusticate in the country?But I can see why you’re here,” he added, bowing low to Kate.His usually amusing charm suddenly grated.
“Eh, what’s that?Oh, I should say so,” Pimperington said, edging closer.The ladies, not to be outdone, crowded in, too, and began to pepper Kate with questions.
“Why is it we have never seen you in London?”the widow asked coyly.
“Eh, what?Yes, what are you doing, buried up here in the country?”Pimperington asked.
“Perhaps she thought to keep the marquess all to herself,” Miss Collier suggested, and Grayson knew he had to put a stop to such talk before it grew out of hand or Kate, taking offense, said something regrettable.
“Or perhaps Wroth thought to hide this diamond from the rest of the world,” Raleigh said, coming to Kate’s defense in a way that irritated Grayson.He felt a primitive urge to lay claim to her, to announce his possession in no uncertain terms.Schooling his features to reveal none of the emotions that surged through him, Grayson leaned toward her.
“Indeed, I’m afraid that you have found me out,” he said, his brow lifting slightly.“I’ve been enjoying a respite from Town with my future bride.”
Chapter Thirteen
Grayson’s announcement was met with varying degrees of shocked expressions on the faces of the company, not the least of which was his intended.
She recovered her composure quickly, but the other females gasped and gaped rudely, while Pimperington ogled her in an unseemly fashion, his rapt gaze moving over the white expanse of her breasts with an interest that made Grayson livid.
Raleigh was the only one who did not stare at Kate as if to determine exactly what she possessed that had managed to ensnare the Marquess of Wroth.Instead, the viscount was watching Grayson, his usually languid gaze bright with interest.
“This is splendid news!”he said, with a broad grin.“Should have known you’d snatch up such a goddess without giving the rest of us mortals a chance.May I be the first to tender my congratulations,” he added, bending low over Kate’s hand.She nodded rather dazedly.
“And when is the wedding to be, my lord?”Mrs.Parker asked slyly as she raised her fan to flutter about her face.“We have heard nothing of your engagement in Town.”
“It is of long standing, arranged by our families when Kate was but a child,” Grayson said, fixing the nosy woman with a fierce gaze that made her step back.“Now that we are both of an age and mind to wed, I suspect the ceremony will be held very soon.”
“Marriage?Wroth?I say, this is something!Now none of you can complain about me getting lost.Like to take up the reins, you know,” Pimperington said.“Had to try out my new curricle, you see.Must have taken a wrong turn somewhere, but all’s well that ends well, as the Bard would say.”
“We’ve been traveling forever,” Miss Collier complained.
“And still would be, if we hadn’t spied the house chimneys,” Raleigh muttered.
“Well, we can certainly set you to rights again,” Grayson said, cursing the ill luck that had brought them to Hargate.As much as he would like to send them on their way with all speed, common civility demanded that he offer them something.
“I can show you the proper route at once, but if you would care for some refreshments, you may join us in the drawing room.”
“What’s that?Refreshments, you say?Just the thing to revive us!”Pimperington said loudly, and Grayson had no choice but to lead them into the gallery.
To his surprise, he felt a restraining hand upon his arm.“You go on ahead,” Raleigh said, waving to Pimperington and a pale-looking Kate.“I want to speak with Wroth for a moment.”
As he watched the rest of the party disappear, Grayson resigned himself to a brief interrogation.Although he had no patience with some of Raleigh’s dandified antics, beneath the frivolous exterior beat the heart of a genuinely kind friend, a rarity among theton.
And Grayson knew he could rely upon the viscount’s discretion.Striding toward the study, he motioned Raleigh to a seat and shut the doors behind them.
“Well?”There was no mistaking the humor in the viscount’s tone.
Grayson turned.“Well, what?”
Raleigh laughed.“What are you really doing in this godforsaken place?And with a gel who looked as surprised as I was to hear that she’s to wed you.”
Grayson frowned.He did not know why Kate had seemed so startled.Did she think he would have seduced her nearly to the point of consummation if he entertained no thoughts of marriage?The idea annoyed him.Did she think so little of him?
