Candace Camp - So Wild A Heart

He let out a growl of frustration, startling a passerby and making the man move quickly to the opposite side of the street. It seemed too bizarre, too absurd, that she could possibly be the fetching woman who had rescued him last night. He had been in his cups, of course, and he’d had only a hazy memory of the woman’s face, but he’d remembered those wide, expressive gray eyes and the way they had lit with laughter and excitement. How could she have been the same person as that drab, infuriating creature he had forced himself to propose to this afternoon?

It had been the woman from last night who had responded to his kiss. He had felt the warmth and excitement in her, the same passion that yesterday had sent her flying into the midst of a fray. He smiled a little as he thought about the kiss, remembering the warmth of her lips, the sweet eagerness. He wasn’t sure why he had done it—he had wanted to get back at her in some way. She had been so infuriating, so cold and controlled, so contemptuous of him, that he had wanted to show her that he had the upper hand. And he had done so, despite the slap. The slap only showed how much he had struck a nerve with her; he suspected that she was more furious at herself for responding than anything else.

He knew, too, that he could make her respond again. Hell, if he put an effort into it, he could make her fall in love with him. Devin knew that he could be charming. There had been many women over the years who had succumbed to that charm—even some who most people would have said were far too circumspect to have anything to do with a rake such as Devin Aincourt. Generally, he simply did not make the effort to woo a woman who resisted him; there were too many others who were quite happy to climb into his bed…and there was, of course, Leona, who always retained first hold on his affections.

But this time, he thought, this time it just might be worth the trouble. So the American wench thought that he was poor husband material…. Any other proposal would be better than his. He wondered how she would feel about that after a few days of determined wooing. The smile that touched his lips at that thought was not pleasant. He would be charming and attentive; he would seduce her with great care and tenderness. It wouldn’t be difficult, not with the kind of passion that he had felt in her this afternoon. And when he had her deeply in love with him, telling him that she wanted more than anything to marry him…well, then he would smile and say that he was sorry, he never offered more than once.

Just the thought of the scene brought him a great feeling of satisfaction. He was, he thought, a wicked man at heart, just as Leona had said last night. Breaking the American chit’s heart had a great deal more appeal for him than marrying her.

He changed the direction of his path, heading now for his sister’s town house, a stately white affair that took up most of a block in Mayfair. The footman knew him and merely bowed as Devin walked past him and took the stairs to his sister’s sitting room upstairs. He was relieved to find her alone rather than receiving callers, frowning over a framed circle of needlework.

She looked up at the sound of his footsteps, and a smile broke across her face. “Dev!” She rose quickly to her feet and started toward him, holding out both her hands. “I am so happy to see you—although I should scold you for what you did last night, or, I should say, didn’t do. It was terribly embarrassing. I felt a fool trying to tell Miss Upshaw that you were really a very nice man.”

“No need to lie about me, Rachel,” Devin said with a smile, greeting his sister with a kiss on the cheek. “You know I am anything but a nice man.”

“Well, everyone else in Town will tell her that. I was hoping to present a counterargument. But it was a little difficult when you did not even have the courtesy to show up.”

“Well, I made up for it today. I went to her house and asked her father for her hand.”

“Dev!” Rachel’s green eyes, a warmer, feminine version of her brother’s, lit with delight. “You never did! Really? Oh, I am so happy. I liked Miss Upshaw on sight. I think she will make you a wonderful wife. I know this is the right thing—you will be so happy.”

“Not if my happiness depends on marrying her. She turned me down.”

“Turned you down?”

Devin chuckled. “Well, it soothes my wounded feelings somewhat to see you look so shocked at the notion. I am sure our esteemed mother will tell me that it serves me right.”

“Well, it probably does,” Rachel admitted. “But, oh, this is so disappointing. I had really hoped…”

“Don’t give up hope, my love. I have a plan.”

“A plan?” The look Rachel turned on him was tinged with suspicion. “What do you mean? A plan for what?”

“For turning the tables on our Miss Moneybags,” Devin replied lightly. “I intend to woo the chit. Get her to take back her refusal.”

Rachel frowned. “But why? I thought you didn’t want to marry her anyway? I would have thought you would be glad she turned you down.”

“Glad to have an American nobody tell me I was not good enough for her?” Devin asked coolly. “I think not, dear sister. I am happy not to shackle myself to her, but that doesn’t mean I was pleased to be rejected.”

Rachel’s frown deepened. “Devin…”

“What?” He looked at her with great innocence. “I thought you would be happy for me to make a push to fix her interest.”

“I would be if I thought you were serious. But it sounds as if it is a game for you, and it seems a cruel game.”

“Don’t worry about the American. Just think of all that lovely money waiting for us to snatch it up.”

“Devin! You make us sound so…”

“So what? Mercenary? Well, aren’t we? Haven’t we always been aimed in the direction of money? Was it not the prime objective of your marriage? And Caroline’s? Haven’t I always been the slackard who would not do his family duty of wedding an heiress? The Aincourt coffers, after all, are a bottomless pit.”

“I hate it when you talk that way,” Rachel said, her face saddening. “Caroline and Richard loved each other. He has been heartbroken ever since her death, and you know it.”

“I know.” His face softened a trifle. “And I am a wretch to remind you of your own sacrifice. Especially when I have always been too selfish to match it.”

“I don’t want you to sacrifice your life, Dev. I want your happiness. That is all that I care about.”

“Well, it will make me happy to win over your Miss Upshaw. And that is why I want you to have a party and invite her to it.”

“Have a party?”

“Yes. A party which I shall attend—and where I will endeavor to repair the damage I have done to Miss Upshaw’s opinion of me.”

Rachel gave her brother a long, considering look. The hard light in his eyes frightened her a little, and she wondered if she would be doing the American girl a serious disservice by helping Devin try to charm her into accepting him. But then she thought about Miss Upshaw and their conversation of the night before, and it occurred to her that Miranda Upshaw was capable of holding her own with anyone, including Devin.

“All right,” she said finally. “I shall throw a ball for Miss Upshaw. She can scarcely refuse to attend a party designed to introduce her to the Ton.”

“Thank you, dear sister.” Devin threw her a playful bow. “I am eternally in your debt.”

“I shall hold you to that promise,” Rachel retorted in the same vein, then added, more thoughtfully, “It will be interesting to see which one of you wins out.” Perhaps, with any luck, they both would.