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Any further arguments at this point would be futile. Lady Bedford was adamant in her wishes For now, Tabitha would pretend to acquiesce to her mother’s request. It was the only way to get through the rest of the night. Hopefully, she could slip away from the party without being missed.
“Very well, Mother. I will consider Lord Vance’s proposal, but not tonight. I need to be in a better frame of mind. Perhaps we can have his lordship over later in the week for dinner to discuss it further.”
Lady Bedford practically leapt out of her seat and rushed over to embrace her daughter. “Oh, my dear, I knew you would come to see reason. His lordship will be most happy to hear it. Come, we will speak to him at once.” She grabbed Tabitha’s hand to lead her out of the library.
“May I have a few moments to compose myself?” Tabitha spoke, extricating her hand from her mother’s grasp.
“Of course, but don’t be too long.”
Tabitha waited until her mother left, before throwing herself onto the couch as she let out a curse. Her parents would not be pleased when they found her missing tomorrow morning, but it was the only way. She had to escape the situation and assert herself, especially to her mother. Tabitha was determined not to let others make her choices for her, not in love or anything else.
Over the years, Tabitha had written to her Aunt Caroline about the situation with her mother. Her aunt had been a sympathetic ear since she had been forced into a loveless marriage herself, but was now a widow, free to do as she pleased. If Tabitha stayed with her aunt for a few weeks, perhaps her mother would see reason. With her plan in mind and ready to rejoin the party, Tabitha stood to leave when she heard a grunting noise from the far side of the room.
“You shouldn’t allow your mother to force you to do something you find distasteful,” an unfamiliar voice said in the room's stillness.
Tabitha nearly jumped out of her skin. She turned around to find the source of the voice. From behind the veranda curtains emerged a man. His dark hair was disheveled from being behind the thick velvet fabric, but his green eyes held a spark of amusement. When the interloper finally stood to his full height, he was a head taller than Tabitha. The man’s body was broad, and the cut of his clothes accentuated his fit physique. He had a square jaw which ended at a proud chin below chiseled cheekbones and a nose that was slightly crooked, which only enhanced his allure.
Tabitha’s stomach did a flip. The problem was, she wasn’t sure if it was because the interloper had overheard the conversation or because he was the handsomest man she’d ever seen.
CHAPTER2
Lord Andrew Claridge was not the type of man to hide at the first sign of a disturbance. Hell, most of the time, he was the one causing the disturbance. But he was also smart enough to know when to let things play out, which was how he’d ended up hiding behind curtains listening to a family spat at the Viscount Bedford’s party.
Just prior to the ladies entering, he’d been hiding for a completely different reason. A determined mama and her daughter had pursued Andrew most of the evening, and he’d sought a few moments of peace and so had stolen into the library. As he’d studied the volumes on the shelves, he’d heard footsteps. Not knowing what else to do, he had ducked behind the curtains before anyone could see him.
He had heard the entire conversation between the young lady and her mother. As the argument had continued, he’d found himself feeling sorry for the poor girl now standing before him. Like himself, she didn’t want to do what others expected of her. Andrew could relate to a parent’s disappointment.
After all, he’d lived in his older brother’s shadow most of his life. Nothing he did had ever been good enough. On more than one occasion, Andrew had been reminded that he was the primary source of his father’s grief.
So at a young age, Andrew had decided that if he was going to be blamed for every slight, imaginary or not, he might as well make the most of it. The rakish lord was widely known throughout the gaming halls and houses of ill repute. He had a reputation for being a keen card player and a passionate lover. And while Andrew enjoyed the company of women just as much as the next man, he knew the dangers of being caught alone with an unmarried lady of the upper class.
But before he could make his escape, Andrew had to get past the lady who stood between him and the door. As he had listened to the mother and daughter speak, Andrew had formed a picture in his mind of the young lady. He’d imagined a short, bookish type, plain, perhaps with glasses, given she had sounded educated and had a strong opinion about matrimony. From his past experiences, the smart ones had an air about them that naturally repelled suitors.
What he saw was the opposite of his assumption. The young lady stood just about to his shoulders with chestnut hair that reminded him of a sunset in fall, with rich hues of red and gold spun throughout. Her facial features were delicately balanced with rounded cheeks, a pert nose, and a set of full lips, now slightly parted. The bodice of her gown gave a generous glance of her ample breasts, and the material cinched at her waist to show the voluptuous curves of her hips. Her eyes, which were round in surprise at the moment, were gray with specks of green and held a fierceness behind them. His cock twitched in appreciation.
Now was not the time for amorous thoughts. He had to leave. The lady’s gaze followed Andrew as he walked around the sofa and bowed. Hopefully he could charm his way out of this awkward situation quickly and quietly.
“I’m terribly sorry for the interruption, but I was looking for the gaming room,” he said with a jovial lift to his voice.
His companion, still too stunned to speak, stood, fixed in place, her mouth agape.
“Fear not, miss. What I overheard will not leave this room. I am the epitome of discretion in delicate matters such as these.” He tried to reassure her with a roguish arch of his brow.
Andrew waited for her to respond. The lady glared at him, her mouth now pursed in a tight line. She stood straighter and squared her shoulders before speaking.
“How dare you listen in on a private conversation. Who are you? What are you doing in my home? I’ve never seen you before.”
Her house?Then she must be Lord Bedford’s daughter. He’d overheard a guest earlier in the evening mention that the viscount’s daughter, Miss Tabitha Crestwood, had a sharp tongue.
The questions came so rapidly that Andrew didn’t have time to answer them. It was impressive that she had regained her composure so quickly. Most young girls in her position would have flown into a fit or fainted at the thought of being alone with a man.
“My name, dear lady, is Lord Andrew Claridge.” He bowed again. “Lord Hurst invited me, as his friend, to accompany him here tonight. I merely slipped in here to have a few moments of peace. If I had known I had to make a reservation for the room, I would have.”
He finished with a grin, trying to make light of the uncomfortable situation once again.
I need to get out of here.
There was no need to add any more fuel to the fire, which was his reputation. Although Miss Crestwood piqued his interest, now was not the time or the place. Someone could return any minute looking for the lady. The last thing he needed was to get involved.
