Page 42 of Beguiling the Baron

Chapter 27

Two weeks had passed since Hal had made love to Tia, and he was a changed man. Life had accepted him back, there was a spring in his step, and the folly had been forgotten.

All he needed to do now was curb his insatiable desire for her and set about the task of winning her heart.

This he was unlikely to do without making an offer of his own. But was he ready to raze the fortress he’d constructed around his heart after Mary?

Despite the joy that bubbled up at the idea of making Tia irrevocably his, he continued to be beset by doubts. They had yet to come to any consensus about Polly. He wasn’t sure he was ready to reveal to Tia the grim secrets of his marriage and Mary’s death, and he had also to win Sarah Wyndham around. She, although polite enough, clearly neither fully understood nor trusted him.

Worst of all, if Hal wanted to court Tia in the traditional way—and he did, very much—she would no longer be able to live beneath the same roof as himself. So, in order to win her, he ought to let her go.

But how could he bear her absence?

He rapidly discovered, however, why Society had laid such a rule upon its upper echelons. It took all the sang froid he could muster to treat Tia normally in front of her mother and Polly. He was forced to avoid being alone with her, for fear of falling upon her like a ravening wolf, and rapidly removing all barriers between them.

The situation was intolerable. But he couldn’t think of a solution that would please either of them. Thus, he’d taken to ever more frequent cooling dips in the river, and increasingly bruising rides around his estate.

A gallop around the bounds was what he needed right now. It was late July, and after a spell of light summer rain, the weather had cleared. He could take Juniper out and tear across Haden’s pasture, perhaps come back along the lane via the village. Afterward, he would have tea and refreshment with Tia.

His mind conjured up a vision of her face, recalling the delightful way her lips curled up at each corner, the Cupid’s bow of her mouth, and the angle and straightness of her nose. He imagined her eyes, their warm honey-brown color, mellowing into something deeper when she gazed at him. As if she were right before him now, he could see her black lashes and silky eyebrows, charmingly arched, giving her a quizzical appearance. He grinned as he pictured the soft arc between chin and throat—the jaw determined, like its owner.

He strode across the cobbles of the stable yard and cast an eye around the carriage lodge. Then looked again. His pleasure faded.

“Michaels!” he called to the head groom, who was leading Juniper out to meet him. “What happened to the Stanhope?”

“I believe Miss Wyndham took it out to give Miss Pelham a run around the lanes, my lord.”

Hal’s whip clattered to the cobbles. “Miss Wyndham can drive?”

“I don’t know, sir, but the young lady wasn’t driving today.”

Panic slammed into him. “Who the deuce was?”

“A gentleman called Mr. Leigh. He informed me he was a friend of Mr. Brooks, he whose father is Member of Parliament for—”

“Yes, yes, I know who his blasted father is.”

Tia had taken Polly for a carriage ride, without his permission? In the company of a young man? His shock gave way to fury. “What direction did they take?”

“Toward the village, sir.”

After the village, the road led along the valley to Chippenham.

Chippenham? He smacked his fist against his thigh. Of course. Today was the day of the fair she’d been begging him to attend.

A thousand curses on the woman. Not only had she gone without his permission, but she’d also abducted Polly. What was she thinking, taking Leigh as her escort? It was highly improper. Could she not have taken Lynch, or Aldergate instead?

Completely unacceptable. He couldn’t allow his future wife to attract the attention of the tabbies by gallivanting off with a young man he’d never even met. Perhaps it was as well he hadn’t yet proposed to her. Evidently more taming was required.

Seizing his whip from the ground, Hal leapt onto the mounting block and straddled his horse. “Thank you, Michaels. That will be all. Juniper, on.”

He was going after her.

And Lord preserve her when he caught up with her.