Page 40 of War of the Wedding Wagers
He regarded her with interest, his smile sardonic. “You might be able to, but I don’t think I can.”
“But you must! Oh, Sir Frederick, you must think I came here chasing after you when nothing could be further from the truth.”She pulled Caroline’s note out of her pocket. “I found this. It’s from Mr. Greene and he’s asking her to meet him near the park gates tonight. It can only mean one thing—”
“Pray, calm yourself, Miss Fairchild,” Sir Frederick said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder as if he wanted to maintain their earlier contact when Amelia knew this was much too dangerous.
She stepped away. “My words the other night clearly did not have the desired effect, alas. Caroline and Mr. Greene plan to elope tonight and you must speak to her and stop her.”
Sir Frederick sent her a long look. “You are kind for taking such an interest in my sister.”
“How could I do otherwise when I see how youthful folly could lead her into a lifetime of unhappiness?”
Smiling, Sir Frederick indicated Missy, making a cup with his hands to indicate he’d now help her to remount. “Let us talk about this on the return. For you see, I wonder if I am too harsh with Caroline. Perhaps I am denying her what would truly be in her interest if I thwarted a match between the pair. Not an elopement, of course. She might never recover from the scandal of that. But,” he went on, when he’d ensured Amelia was securely in the saddle, and he was mounting his own horse, “who am I to say that Greene and she wouldn’t be a fair match?”
Amelia barely knew what to say, she was so surprised at his turnaround. “But he is a…a fortune hunter. And he is so much older, trading on your sister’s youth and innocence. Such a man could never be trusted.”
Sir Frederick raised his head to gaze at a passing flock of starlings. “How do you know that, Miss Fairchild?”
His question took her aback. “Why, he has all the hallmarks of a rake. And surely that is why you objected before.”
Sir Frederick shrugged. “I have given the matter some thought, I must admit. In fact, furthering my acquaintancewith a certain…young lady…has made me reconsider my long-held belief about first impressions. We are all fallible. We make mistakes, we take what is on offer. We think we know better when it comes to other people’s choices. That’s only human.”
Amelia felt herself burning from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. Was he referring to the fact she’d thrown herself at him? And he was excusing his alacrity in taking what was on offer, realizing how wrong was his initial assessment of her?
She swallowed, dismissing these thoughts to return to the question at hand. “But Caroline is barely out of the schoolroom. And Mr. Greene is so much older. His intentions aren’t… pure.”
“But he’s a suitable enough match,” said Sir Frederick. “He comes from a respectable family. He’s in line for a baronetcy—tenuous, I’ll admit, but he’s made no bones about the fact that if his sickly cousin dies, he will make Caroline Lady Greene. And if Caro truly cares for him, should I be cruel enough to thwart her desires?”
“If you want her happiness for years to come, then yes!” Amelia said before she could stop herself.
“Bravo.” Sir Frederick dropped the reins and gave a couple of desultory claps while his eyes danced. “Do you realize how delightful it is to bait you, Miss Fairchild? Forgive me, it is not gentlemanly, I know, but you are such a charming mix of earnest good intention and wildfire I really do not know what to make of you. Why, back there, by the tree—”
“Oh, but that was so wrong! I… I’ve never done that before! I behaved just as you said before…about offering what no man could refuse and now I am so mortified I cannot believe we are riding back and having this conversation as if it never happened.”
“Is that what you’re thinking? Why, I’m reliving it in delightful detail. It happened, Miss Fairchild, and surely yourenthusiasm would lead me to think you’d not be averse to it happening again.”
“Oh, no!” She shook her head with perhaps a little too much vehemence. “Please, Sir Frederick. I have a reputation to uphold. Please promise you’ll never mention it to anyone.”
He shrugged. “Of course not.”
“And so you’re going to see your sister immediately? Whatever else she does, she cannot elope with Mr. Greene tonight.”
Sir Frederick inclined his head. “She cannot. And nor will she marry him. He is not the husband for her, she will soon come to realize.” He glanced at Amelia. “Though sometimes one doesn’t realize the apparent truth until we have made our beds. I wonder if you and your Thomas Blackheath would have been as well partnered as you might have supposed. I would wager not.”
“Why, that’s a terrible thing to say! To speak ill of the dead. Of a man who sacrificed his life for his country.”
“Just as you were prepared to sacrifice your exuberance because he preferred a wife of maidenly restraint.” Sir Frederick grinned. “Admit it, Miss Fairchild. Do not be coy and tell me that you’ve never felt a hint of relief that you weren’t forced to become a Puritan.”
Amelia didn’t answer. He’d hit a nerve for it was true that last year, when she’d felt a frisson of interest in a charming young man who had offered no encouragement but been simply the most delightful company as he’d confided in her his hopes in winning the fair debutante he’d subsequently married, Amelia had been struck by how very differently he’d wooed his sweetheart: with playful affection, abundant admiration, and lots of laughter. Yes, she’d been struck by how very different his approach was to Thomas’s. And, in truth, his charm had been infectious, evoking a great more warmth on Amelia’s part thanwhen Thomas had earnestly entreated her to become his wife so that they might please God with their devotion and toil.
Even Edward had scoffed at him at the time—though of course he’d dared do no such thing after Thomas’s untimely demise.
“There is a great deal of difference between a good man like Thomas and a rake,” she said, not looking at him.
Sir Frederick digested this. Then he asked, “Who is the rake? Mr. Greene? Or me?”
Amelia shrugged. “You have a winning way with the ladies.”
“Are you accusing me of charming you unwillingly?”
