Carole Mortimer - The Lady Forfeits

‘Mr Johnston obviously spoke out of turn.’ Gabriel’s expression was grim as he anticipated his next conversation with the pompous little upstart who had so obviously put the fear of God into the Copeland sisters that they had felt as trapped as cornered animals. ‘This is the reason your two sisters have run away?’

‘I believe it was … the catalyst, yes.’

Gabriel eyed her curiously. ‘But only the catalyst?’

Diana grimaced. ‘My sisters have found life at Shoreley Park somewhat limiting these past few years. Do not misunderstand me,’ she added hastily as Gabriel raised his brows. ‘Caroline and Elizabeth were both dutiful daughters. Accepted the reasons for our father’s decision not to give any of us a London Season, or indeed his wish to not introduce us into London society at all—’

‘Am I right in thinking your father made that decision based on your mother’s behaviour ten years ago?’ he interrupted gently.

Blond lashes lowered over those sky-blue eyes. ‘Our father certainly blamed the … excesses of London society for my mother having left us, yes.’

Circumstances meant that Gabriel himself had not been part of that society for a number of years, but nevertheless he could understand Copeland’s concern for his three no doubt impressionable daughters. ‘He did not fear that keeping you and your sisters shut away in Hampshire might result in the opposite of what he intended? That one or all of you might be tempted into doing exactly as your mother had done and run away to London?’

‘Certainly not!’ Her reply was both quick and indignant. ‘As I have said, Caroline and Elizabeth found life in the country somewhat restricting, but they would never have hurt our father by openly disobeying him.’

‘They obviously did not feel the same reluctance where I am concerned,’ Gabriel pointed out with a rueful grimace. ‘Your presence here would seem to imply that you believe your sisters to have finally come to London now.’

In truth, Diana had no idea where her sisters had gone after they’d left Shoreley Park. But having searched extensively locally, with no joy, London, with all its temptations and excitement, had seemed the next logical choice. Except Diana had not realised until she arrived here quite how large and busy a city London was. Or how difficult it would be to locate two particular young ladies amongst its sprawling population.

‘I believed it to be a possibility I might find at least one of them here. My sisters did not leave together, you see,’ she explained as Gabriel once again raised arrogantly questioning brows. ‘Caroline disappeared first, with Elizabeth following two days later. Caroline has always been the more impulsive of the two.’ She gave an affectionate if exasperated sigh.

Gabriel’s face darkened ominously. ‘They had the good sense to bring their maids with them, I hope?’

Diana winced. ‘I believe they both thought that a maid might try to hinder their departure—’

‘You are telling me that they are both likely somewhere here in London completely unprotected?’ The earl looked scandalised at the prospect.

Diana was no less alarmed now that she had actually arrived in London and become aware of some of the dangers facing a young woman alone here—over-familiarity and robbery being the least of them. ‘I am hoping that is not the case, and that the two of them had made some sort of pact to meet up once they were here.’ Rather a large hope, considering Elizabeth had seemed as surprised as Diana—and resentful—by Caroline’s sudden disappearance. ‘In any case, I am sure they will have come to no harm. That we may even one day all come to laugh about this adventure.’

Gabriel was not fooled for a moment by Diana’s words of optimism and could clearly see the lines of worry creasing her creamy brow. It was a worry he, knowing only too well of the seedy underbelly of London, now shared. ‘I trust you did not also come to London unchaperoned?’

‘Oh, no,’ she assured him hurriedly. ‘My Aunt Humphries and both our maids accompanied me here.’

‘Your Aunt Humphries?’

‘My father’s younger sister. She was married to a naval man, but unfortunately he was killed during the Battle of Trafalgar.’

‘And am I right in thinking that she now resides with you in Hampshire?’

‘Since her husband’s death, yes.’

Good Lord, it seemed he did not have just three young, unruly wards to plague him, but an elderly widow he was also responsible for! ‘And where is your aunt now?’

She looked apologetic. ‘She does not care for London and has stayed in her rooms since our arrival.’

Thereby rendering her of absolutely no use whatsoever as a chaperon to her niece! ‘So,’ Gabriel announced heavily, ‘if I am to understand this correctly, your two sisters having run away, you have now decided to offer yourself up as a marital sacrifice in the hopes that, once they learn of our betrothal, they will be encouraged to return home?’

Diana met his gaze steadily. ‘It is my hope, yes.’

Gabriel gave a hard and humourless smile. ‘Your courage is to be admired, madam.’

She looked startled. ‘My courage?’

‘I am sure, even in the relative safety of Hampshire, that you cannot have remained unaware of the fact that you are considering marriage to a man that society has wanted nothing to do with this past eight years?’

‘I have heard … rumours and innuendo, of course,’ she admitted gravely.

Gabriel would wager that she had! ‘And this does not concern you?’

Of course it concerned her. But if no one could be persuaded to tell her of this past scandal, what was she expected to do about it? ‘Should it have done?’ she asked slowly.

He gave a bored shrug. ‘Only you can know the answer to that.’

Diana frowned slightly. ‘Perhaps if you were to enlighten me as to the nature of the scandal?’

Those sculptured lips twisted bitterly. ‘And why on earth would you suppose I’d ever wish to do that?’

Diana stared up at him in frustration. ‘Surely it would be better for all concerned if you were to inform me of your supposed misdeeds yourself, rather than have me learn of them from a possibly malicious third party?’

‘And if I prefer not to inform you?’ he drawled.

She gave him a frustrated look. ‘Did you kill someone, perhaps?’

He smiled without humour. ‘I have killed too many someones to number.’

‘I meant apart from in battle, of course!’ Those blue eyes sparkled with rebuke for his levity.

‘No, I did not.’

‘Have you taken more than one wife at a time?’

‘Definitely not!’ Gabriel shuddered at the mere suggestion of it; he considered the taking of one wife to be ominous enough—two would be utter madness!

‘Been cruel to a child or animal?’

‘No and no,’ he said drily.

She gave another shrug of those slender shoulders. ‘In that case I do not consider what society does or does not believe about you to be of any relevance to my own decision to accept your offer of marriage.’

‘You consider murder, bigamy and cruelty to children or animals to be the worst of a man’s sins, then?’ he asked with a bleak amusement.

‘I have no other choice when you insist on remaining silent on the subject. But, perhaps, having now made my own acquaintance,’ she suddenly looked less certain of herself, ‘you have decided you would no longer find marriage to me acceptable to you?’

Was that anxiety Gabriel could now see in her expression? Had the young fool who had rejected her, no doubt because of that change in her circumstances, also robbed her of a confidence in her own attraction? If he had, then the man was not only a social-climbing fortune-hunter, but blind with it!