Page 67 of Tempting the Marquess

Chapter14

Occasionally,just occasionally, London would put on a day so agreeable in temperature and breeze and sunshine, it made residents quite forget that at other times of the year it could be most unpleasant.

Today was one of those perfect days. Samantha, Caroline, and Aunt Jane had decided to take advantage of it with a stroll down one of the less popular, thus quieter and more serene, paths in Hyde Park. Her aunt had advised that gentle exercise and fresh air were both good for a mother-to-be, and unlike those who instructed ladies of quality to stay out of the sun to avoid nasty freckles, she believed sunshine in small doses to be good for thesoul.

Samantha had to agree.

Alongside evenings at the theater with astonishingly good acting followed by inappropriate conversations with elderly reprobates, it seemed. David Underwood was a complete scapegrace, shocking and indelicate and unrepentant…and yet there had been something endearing about him, too. Amusing. At no time had she sensed any kind of cruelty or malice in the man, just someone who didn’t give a fig about society rules or norms. Actually, the only truly alarming moment had been when he’d taken her wrist to stop her leaving, and she’d felt a small jolt ofheat.

That had been unnerving. Surely she couldn’t be attracted to a sixty-year-oldman.

“Samantha Charlotte!”

She nearly jumped a foot in the air. “Sorry, was I woolgathering?”

Caroline laughed. “Well, Jane and I have been trying to get your attention for a good five minutes. What were you thinking about? Or,” she added with a sly look, “is it more who you were thinking about that is thecase?”

“I just…I just have a lot on my mind rightnow.”

“And the tiredness and nausea,” said Aunt Jane, patting her arm sympathetically. “It’s not a nice combination, poordear.”

“Wait a minute,” said Caroline, coming to a halt on the gravel path and pinning Samantha with a look. “Tiredness and…nausea?”

Her aunt took an audible breathe, her mouth opening and shutting like a fish out of water. “It’s just a stomach upset. Samantha will be right as rain in notime.”

Caroline snorted. “That might have been a smooth rescue, dear mama-in-law, if I wasn’t already aware that Sam beat Lord Standish about the head with a stick and dragged him back to her lair for hours of unspeakable impropriety.”

“To be strictly factual,” mumbled Samantha, “it was his lair. And we dragged each other.”

“La la la,” said Aunt Jane, covering her ears. “I cannot hearthis.”

“Oh, hush,” said Caroline tartly. “My mother and father anticipated their wedding day. If George hadn’t caught us, I daresay Stephen and I would have also. And may I remind you, ma’am, of the inadequate gap between your wedding day and the premature birth of your eldestson?”

Samantha gazed at her aunt in surprise. “Gregory was…oh! That’s how you know the pulling out method is as unreliable as a sponge.”

“Pfft,” said her aunt, her cheeks scarlet. “All right, fine. Andrew and I may have anticipated our vows. Once.”

“Ha!” said Caroline. “You were two little rabbits in springtime, weren’tyou?”

Aunt Jane sniffed like a haughty empress. Then her brown eyes took on a devilish glint, and curling both hands in front of her, she hopped twice down thepath.

Caroline burst out laughing, and Aunt Jane joined in, her shoulders shaking. Tears running down her face, Samantha giggled uncontrollably. It was just as well this particular path was clear right now, otherwise the three of them would be transported to Bedlam with all haste. But the laughter felt so good. Cleansing, even.

“Thank you,” said Samantha, when they were calmer. “I desperately neededthat.”

“Whatever for?” said Caroline archly. “You’re only an unmarried ton daughter expecting a baby to an injured lord trapped in a foreign country we’re practically at war with. Tiny matter.”

“Much obliged for that succinct summary of mylife.”

“Oh, darling,” said Aunt Jane, giving her a hug. “William will be home soon, and when he’s well enough, I’ll organize you the most marvelous wedding. Then in the New Year you’ll be just another society matron with a surprisingly sturdy premature baby. It happens so often, such news doesn’t even interest Lady Havenhurst nowadays.”

Samantha sighed. “You really think it will all befine?”

“Yes,” said Caroline. “We will make it fine. In fact, I insist that 1816 be without sadness or violence of anykind.”

Aunt Jane shuddered. “I want to write to Liverpool and propose a ban on pistols. People are entirely too eager to shoot others…that is why I was so surprised to see David last night. I could have sworn he had beenshot!”

“Is Mr. Underwood really that bad?” asked Caroline. “I tried to talk to Stephen about him last night, and he just got this pained look on his face and then distracted me. But now I really want toknow.”