Page 36 of The Rake to Reveal Her

‘He probably said it to amuse Sally, that being the sort of naughty comment she likes.’

‘Well, I wouldn’t,’ Theo said flatly.

‘I suspect he’d soon figure that out, and accommodate his wit to your tastes.’

‘Then I’d have to wonder whether he possessed any strong convictions of his own.’

Lady Coghlane raised an eyebrow. ‘You’ll certainly charm him if he prefers ladies being difficult.’

Theo blew out a sigh. ‘I’m sorry, Aunt Amelia. I shall try to be more accommodating, and look for the positives in each proposed match. So, how do we begin the campaign? Ask them all to dinner and parade me around, like a horse at Tattersall’s?’

‘Since I know you’re only funning, I’ll not dignify that with a reply. Sally is giving a musicale tomorrow evening, and they should all be present—no one turns down an invitation from Lady Jersey! Having heard how unusual you are, I suspect she’s as eager to meet you—and see how the gentlemen react to you—as I am for you to meet the gentlemen.’

‘Wonderful,’ Theo muttered. ‘Now I get to perform under the eye of one of the most discriminating arbiters of the ton. Even in Portugal, everyone had heard of Lady Jersey.’

‘Just be yourself, child. She will enjoy your natural wit. We’ll have Marston prepare another gown for the musicale, but in the morning, we must definitely call on the modiste. After Sally’s party, I expect you’ll be engaged for some entertainment every night.’

Theo tried not to shudder at the prospect of spending every evening for the foreseeable future being trailed through the ton like a fat minnow on a hook until some acceptable gentleman bit. But Aunt Amelia was doing everything she could to assist her, and much as she yearned to flee back to Thornfield Place and don her well-worn habit, she should be grateful. ‘Thank you, Aunt Amelia. My responses may not have reflected it, but I appreciate all your help.’

Lady Coghlane’s gaze softened. ‘I know it’s hard for you, leaving your familiar world for one so foreign to you. I’ll try to make entering this one as easy as I can.’

‘I know you will,’ Theo said, tears pricking at her eyes.

Her aunt patted her hand. ‘Don’t worry, child. I promise, you’ll feel more confident once we get you properly outfitted and gowned.’

The awful vista rose before her of being measured and probed and pinned, then having to look at fabric and trimming and lace until her eyes glazed over. Reminding herself this was all for Charles, Theo swallowed hard and said, ‘The dressmaker, tomorrow morning, whenever you are ready.’

She was sipping the last of her tea when the butler came in. ‘A gentleman has called, Lady Coghlane. I told him it wasn’t your usual day to receive visitors, but he insisted I inform you of his presence.’

Aunt Amelia turned to her with a triumphant expression. ‘See! It begins already.’ Looking back at the butler, she said, ‘Which impatient gentleman has called, Foster?’

‘Mr Dominic Ransleigh, my lady.’

Theo gasped, and Aunt Amelia gave her a significant look.

His doubtful gaze going from his mistress to her guest, the butler said, ‘I hope I was correct in admitting him.’

‘Yes, indeed, Foster,’ Lady Coghlane said. ‘The gentleman is Miss Branwell’s neighbour in Suffolk. Tell him we’ll join him directly.’

Chapter Seventeen

Impatient to see Miss Branwell, Dom paced the drawing room. Knowing it was impossible for his still-recovering body to ride as far as London, he’d been forced to hire post chaises, and the longer the trip dragged on, the more concerned and anxious he became. When the last hired carriage cracked a bow, delaying his arrival for hours, he’d been ready to grind his teeth in frustration. He’d finally reached London the previous night, far too late to call.

During the interminable journey, he’d had plenty of time to ponder the conundrum of Miss Branwell’s unexpected decision to marry and consider what he might do about it. Though he’d not planned on taking so giant a step this soon, he had been toying for some time with the idea of courting her in earnest.

She was lovely, intelligent, unusual, and would never bore him. She’d infused him with a desire to do something important and exhibited total confidence that he would find such a calling—at a time when his own confidence in the future had been at a low ebb. It was thanks in large part to her avid interest in Bildenstone and her probing questions about the land and the estate that he’d started driving out, leading him to the idea of establishing a draught-horse-breeding operation.

And he’d never, ever, desired a woman with the intensity that he wanted her.

After interminable days of waiting, ready to explode with the urgency to discover the truth—and find out whether or not he’d be radically altering his future—Dom hadn’t been about to let some starched shirt of a butler deny him entry. He was reasonably sure Miss Branwell, never one to fuss about dress, would join him immediately, even if not properly attired for receiving calls. Though if she didn’t appear in the next few minutes, he’d quit the room and go looking for her.

Then he heard the whisper of moving hinges and looked towards the doorway. Miss Branwell entered, stopping him in mid-stride.

She looked radiant in a dark-blue gown with military trim, and she’d done something new to her hair. The glossy brown locks twisted and curled and framed her face in little ringlets that made those luminous brown eyes seem enormous. His mouth dried and for a long moment he could not take his gaze from her face.

She stared back just as fixedly, seeming to drink him in. That ever-present, instantaneous something sizzled in the air between them.

‘Mr Ransleigh, how nice to see you again.’ Lady Coghlane, whom in his total absorption with Miss Branwell, he’d not even noticed, walked over to extend her hand. ‘I’m so pleased you decided to take me up on my offer of hospitality, though I didn’t expect to see you in London this soon!’

He pulled himself together and retrieved his manners from wherever they’d gone missing. ‘I came to town unexpectedly. Thank you for letting me in—even though your butler said you weren’t receiving today.’

‘We’re always available to friends and neighbours, aren’t we, my dear? As it happens, though, you’ve caught me at some correspondence I must finish. Theo, might I impose on you to entertain our guest? Perhaps a walk in the garden? It’s such a fair afternoon.’

Throwing Lady Coghlane a look of gratitude, Dom said, ‘A walk in the garden would be delightful. If you would indulge me, Miss Branwell?’

‘Of c-course,’ she stuttered, still looking unsettled.

As soon as he’d bowed Lady Coghlane out, she turned to him. ‘What is it? Is something wrong at the school? Are any of the children hurt?’

‘No, nothing like that,’ he assured her, forgetting until that moment how concerned he’d been about her welfare when Jemmie turned up unannounced. ‘Shall we walk?’

She exhaled a long breath. ‘Now that my heart has commenced beating again, I think I can manage it. I’ll even be able to contain my curiosity over what brought you to London until we get outside, out of earshot.’

He offered his arm and she took it. Ah, he thought, closing his eyes to savour the delicious thrill that tingled through him at the touch of her hand. She must have felt it, too, for she inhaled sharply and looked up at him, her dark eyes wide.

Realising she was staring, she blushed a little and said, ‘It’s good to see you again, Mr Ransleigh. Even better, now that I know none of the children are in danger.’

He was the one in danger, Dom thought as he led her to the town-house garden. Thank goodness servants lurked behind every overlooking window, else the minute he got her out the door, he might have succumbed to the ever-present urge to kiss her.

‘How was your journey?’ she was asking him. ‘You didn’t ride, did you?’

‘Can’t quite manage that yet,’ he replied. ‘I came post.’

‘You appear refreshed. Your arm didn’t pain you overmuch?’

‘No more than always. I have to admit, I made rather liberal use of the laudanum last night.’

‘Now, since you’re well accustomed to my directness, may I skip further pleasantries and ask why you’ve come to London? You mentioned nothing before you left Bildenstone beyond a trip to Newmarket and a visit to Holkham.’

‘I hadn’t planned on coming. Until I was told the rather astonishing news that you’d suddenly conceived an urgent desire to marry. So urgent, you abandoned the school and headed for your aunt’s house with hardly a word to anyone. Jemmie was most upset.’

‘You’ve visited the school,’ she guessed, colouring.

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