The Heiress

  "You don't happen to have an old rug you don't mind getting rid of?" Richard asked suddenly, and Daniel glanced his way to see that the horror that had been on his face had now been replaced with a smile. Richard obviously had an idea.

  "Why, you're still abed."

  Suzette shifted her eyes from the window she'd been staring at, the window Daniel had entered through the night before, and glanced to the door as Lisa entered and moved toward her.

  "You're always up with the birds. Are you not feeling well this morning?" Lisa asked with concern.

  Suzette grimaced and turned her gaze back to the window with a small shrug. She wasn't exactly sick, unless it was sick with worry. She had been lying here for quite a while now, simply allowing the events of the night before to replay in her head. The more she recalled them, the more concerned she was. When she'd found Daniel in her room, she'd been positive things would be all right. He had come to agree to her proposal. They'd marry, she'd pay off the gambling debts and all would be well.

  The two passionate encounters they'd shared--first here in her room and then in the carriage--had only solidified her certainty in her mind. But the end of the night had left her in turmoil. Daniel had been so cold and curt at the end as he'd set her down, straightened her clothes and said they should leave things until today as agreed. After that he'd fled as if the hounds of hell were on his heels and she couldn't help fearing he'd had second thoughts, that perhaps she'd done something wrong and he'd reconsidered.

  Perhaps she shouldn't have been so responsive to his kisses, Suzette thought with a frown. Perhaps he now feared she may be free with her favors. Or perhaps he was one of those men who expected women to dislike participating in such carnal delights and was disgusted by the pleasure she'd taken in his caresses and kisses. And she had taken pleasure in them. Suzette had never before experienced such raw and powerful need in her life. In fact, she'd never even come close. She'd never even been kissed before Daniel.

  Suzette didn't know what she would do if he returned today with the news that he had decided not to accept her proposal. She supposed she would have to find another man to replace him, but the problem was that she wasn't sure that was possible. She couldn't imagine any of the other men she'd met last night drawing such pleasure and passion from her. The very idea of allowing any of them to touch and caress her as Daniel had done last night left her cold. It didn't bode well for the future if she was married to a man who couldn't stir her passion as Daniel had. Especially now that she'd tasted that pleasure.

  "Suzy?" Lisa asked uncertainly, settling on the edge of her bed.

  Sighing, she glanced to her and forced a smile. "I am fine. I just felt lazy this morning."

  "Oh." Lisa smiled with relief. "Well, I came to tell you that Robert is here."

  "Oh," Suzette murmured, not really caring that Lord Langley was visiting. A family friend and neighbor, Robert had spent a good deal of time at Madison over the years. In truth, he had been at Madison more than away from it and was like a big brother to them all. An annoying big brother who liked to tease and harass them like any true brother did.

  Shortly after Christiana had married Dicky and moved to the Fairgrave townhouse in London which Dicky apparently preferred to the family seat, Robert himself had moved to town, abandoning them in the country for the lure of London life. Apparently, he had kept track of Christiana however, since it was his letters that had their father come to town where he'd wound up landing them in trouble again with his gambling.

  "I thought perhaps you might want to ask him about Lord Woodrow," Lisa persisted. "I thought perhaps he could tell us if he is honorable and what he thought of him as a man."

  That caught her attention and Suzette was suddenly sitting up. "That's a good idea," she announced, slipping her feet to the floor to rise. Perhaps she could learn enough to understand if she had erred horribly in her behavior last night, and how she might fix it if she had. Besides, she'd like to know more about Daniel, everything about him really. He was to be her husband after all. Well, at least she hoped he would be.

  "I shall send Georgina up to you," Lisa announced, rising and heading for the door.

  "Thank you," Suzette called, but didn't wait for the maid to arrive. Now eager to get below, she slipped from bed and began searching for clothes to wear. She had selected an outfit and was brushing her hair when Georgina arrived with a basin of water. Suzette smiled at the maid, and listened absently to her chatter as she quickly washed herself. She then dressed with the woman's help and stood patiently as Georgina again brushed her hair. The moment she was done, however, Suzette rushed out of the room and headed downstairs, eager to question Langley. She considered him a good judge of character and was curious to hear what he thought of Daniel.

  The parlor door was closed when Suzette stepped off the stairs. She almost stopped to look in, but then spotted Lisa in the breakfast room and headed there instead.

  "Oh, that was fast." Lisa rose as Suzette entered, but then hesitated and asked reluctantly, "Did you want to break your fast before we join Christiana and Robert?"

  Suzette glanced toward the food on the sideboard, but shook her head. "I shall eat something after we talk to Robert."

  Lisa didn't hide her relief and Suzette wasn't surprised. While Suzette and Christiana had always looked on Robert as a brotherly figure, she suspected Lisa had developed something of a tender for the fellow the last couple of years. The girl had the tendency to watch him with calf eyes and trail him about like an adoring puppy. So far, Suzette didn't think Robert was really aware of her feelings, but then men could be incredibly obtuse at times.

  "Shall we go join them in the parlor then?" Lisa hurried around the table toward her.

  Suzette nodded and moved back into the hall, curious as to why the parlor door was closed. It really wasn't proper behavior for a married lady to be alone in a room with a man who was not her husband. But she knew nothing untoward would be going on in there. Now, had Lisa been alone in a closed room with Robert, Suzette might have worried the girl was attacking the man, but she didn't worry about that with Christiana. However, she wasn't terribly surprised when Lisa hurried to the door, opened it and strode right in declaring, "There you are!" in a high trill, before finishing with a scowl. "Haversham said Langley was here. Why was the door closed?"

  Suzette bit her lip with amusement as she followed Lisa inside and noted the startled expressions on Robert and Christiana's faces. It seemed obvious they'd been discussing something serious, but now appeared more surprised by Lisa's attack than anything.

  It was Christiana who said soothingly, "I'm afraid I closed it without thinking when I entered." Managing a smile, their older sister added, "Come sit down. I was just about to ask Langley if there are any balls we should attend tonight."

  "I thought we were attending the Hammonds' ball tonight," Suzette murmured as she and Lisa moved to take up seats on the settee with Robert. She noted the exchange of glances between Robert and Christiana and wondered what they'd been talking about before she and Lisa had arrived.

  "Yes, of course," Robert said easily. "I think Christiana meant what other balls there are after it."

  Suzette glanced to Christiana to see her nodding in agreement, but then turned her attention back to Robert as he began to list the coming events and balls over the next few days. Suzette waited patiently, listening with half an ear in case she needed to attend any of the events to find a replacement for Daniel, but finally interrupted him to ask, "Do you know Lord Woodrow?"

  Robert paused, appearing surprised by the question. Obviously, Christiana had not revealed Suzette's plans or that she'd proposed to Daniel. Finally, he said, "I--Well, yes, as a matter of fact I do. We were at school together. He is good friends with Richard Fairgrave."

  Suzette shook her head at once. "No, he isn't. In fact he doesn't like Dicky at all."

  "Really?" Robert asked with interest, and then glanced meaningfully to Christiana and said, "They used to be th
e best of chums in school."

  Suzette hadn't a clue what the silent message was, but was too concerned with finding out what she could about Daniel to worry about it for now, and said, "What can you tell me about him?"

  "His family is an old and respected one. He was the only child. His father was a second son, but Woodrow's uncle died about a year ago without issue and Daniel inherited the Woodrow estates and earldom."

  "Oh Suzy, he's an earl!" Lisa squealed with excitement.

  Suzette merely frowned, wondering why he hadn't mentioned as much, and what that might mean for her. Noting the way Robert was now glancing from her to Lisa curiously, she grimaced and gestured for him to continue.

  Robert shrugged. "What else do you want to know?"

  "What do you think of him?" she asked at once. Langley was usually a very good judge of character, though he'd rather fallen short on Dicky. But then his father had been ill at the time, and had in fact died shortly after Christiana and Dicky's wedding. Attending to his father, Robert hadn't spent much time at Madison when Dicky was courting Christiana, and when he had been there he'd been distracted and anxious over his father's health. Suzette suspected his father's death was the reason he had suddenly taken himself off to London. It seemed likely he'd been avoiding the family home full of such sad memories.

  "What do I think of him," Robert murmured thoughtfully, his eyes slipping toward the ceiling briefly, before he glanced back and said with a small shrug, "I always liked him. He was smart, with a good sense of humor. He tended to stand up for the downtrodden, defending anyone some of the nastier fellows picked on. We do not move in the same crowds now, but I've never heard a bad word against him since that time either. He seems a fine fellow." He paused and raised his eyebrows. "Now why do you ask?"

  "Because Suzette is going to marry him," Lisa announced with a grin.

  Robert sat up straight, amazement on his face and Suzette scowled at Lisa and corrected, "We may marry. He will give me his answer today."

  "He will give his answer?" Robert asked with amazement. "You asked him?"

  Christiana definitely had not explained the predicament they were in then, Suzette thought and supposed she shouldn't be surprised. They had kept what their father had done quiet the first time as well. Robert was like family, and as such she didn't doubt he probably would have offered to help, but none of them would have felt comfortable with that. It would have changed the balance of their relationship, making them beholden to him, and none of them desired that. Besides, it was just plain humiliating to admit to such a horrible flaw in their father. And she had no intention of confessing it now, so said, "Why shouldn't a lady ask the man if she likes him?"

  Robert appeared nonplussed by the question.

  Not giving him a chance to recover, she asked, "Are his parents still alive?"

  Robert hesitated, but then said, "His mother is, but his father died some years ago. That's why the title and estate went to Daniel rather than his father." He paused briefly to frown, and then added slowly, "I think I heard his mother was ill earlier this year, but I'm sure she recovered."

  "Does he drink?" Suzette asked.

  Robert seemed surprised, but thought briefly before saying, "I don't recall him drinking overly much when we were younger and I haven't heard that he has taken to drink since."

  "What about gambling?" Suzette asked and noted the way Christiana and Lisa both stiffened and leaned forward a little. It was an important question considering what their father's gambling had got them into.

  Robert shook his head with certainty. "I'm sure he doesn't. He always eschewed pastimes like that when we were younger. He said he thought anyone who threw money away on games was an idiot."

  "Mistresses?" Suzette asked. It wasn't unusual for men to keep mistresses, either before or after marriage, but she found she didn't like the idea of sharing him with another woman.

  "I am sure he has had them," Robert said with solemn honesty. "However, if he has, then he's been very discreet about it."

  Suzette was about to ask another question when the sound of throat clearing made her pause and glance toward the parlor door. Haversham, the Fairgrave butler stood in the parlor doorway.

  "Yes, Haversham?" Christiana asked at once.

  "Lord Fairgrave asked that I relay the message that he has returned. He and Lord Woodrow shall be joining you here shortly, my lady."

  "Daniel's here?" Suzette asked, sitting up and peering past the butler in hopes of spotting the man who had haunted her dreams last night.

  "Yes, my lady. He is assisting his lordship in carrying something to the master bedroom."

  "Oh." Suzette drooped a bit with disappointment, but her mind was now buzzing with worries and questions. Was he going to tell her his decision? He was supposed to. What was he helping Dicky carry upstairs? And would he take the opportunity to ask Dicky for her hand in marriage? She supposed, strictly speaking, that he should speak to her father, but Daniel was aware of the situation and probably thought it more appropriate to speak to Dicky.

  "Thank you for relaying the message, Haversham."

  Christiana's words distracted Suzette from her thoughts and she glanced up as Haversham said, "Of course, my lady."

  "There!" Lisa said brightly as the butler turned to move away. "Dicky's going to join us. That will be nice, won't it?"

  Suzette grimaced at Lisa's feigned good cheer. The young woman was peering at their older sister almost pleadingly and Suzette knew she was asking Christiana to give Dicky a chance. The young woman obviously believed his claims from the night before that he regretted his behavior and wished to make it up to Christiana. Suzette, however, was on the fence about Dicky. Despite Daniel's comments last night about a brush with death changing a man, she just had trouble believing he could change so much so quickly. Still, she supposed Chrissy was stuck with him as her husband and it would make life easier for her sister if he had experienced something of an epiphany and become a new man.

  "Chrissy?" Lisa asked and Suzette glanced to Christiana as the other woman stood up.

  "I should have asked Haversham to have a tea tray prepared and brought to us. I shall do it now," she announced as she hurried out of the room.

  Suzette watched her go, and then simply sat there staring at the open door, waiting for Daniel to appear and put her out of her misery. Why had he suddenly announced last night that they should leave it until today as originally agreed? He'd followed her home and climbed in her bedroom window to tell her yes, for heaven's sake. At least, she'd thought he had. What if he'd really come to tell her no, but had been forestalled by her assumptions? Suzette hadn't really given him much of a chance to explain his presence, but had assumed that was why he was there and then had thrown herself at him like some loose woman.

  Truly, she'd rather attacked the man when she thought on it. She was the one who'd kissed him first in her room and then . . . well, things had got quite heated. Perhaps he hadn't wanted to tell her that he'd come to refuse her offer after indulging in such passionate moments. That would explain why he'd merely put her off in the end, Suzette realized with alarm and suddenly stood up.

  "I need to change my slippers," she announced and then hurried from the room before anyone could question her. Really, it was a lame excuse, but was all she could come up with off the top of her head to escape. She simply couldn't wait any longer for Daniel's answer. The not knowing was driving her mad. Suzette intended to hunt down the man and make him tell her whether he was willing to marry her or not at once. There would be no more assumptions or delay. She simply had to know now.

  Haversham had said Daniel was helping Richard carry something upstairs, so that was where she headed, hurrying up the stairs and then striding along the hall. She was just passing her room when a door up the hall opened and Daniel stepped out. Suzette paused at once, her heart suddenly racing. This time she was not going to run up and throw herself at the man. She would let him come to her and tell her what his decision was and
that was that.

  Chapter Six

  Daniel closed the bedroom door behind him, but then paused, a little concerned about what might be taking place in the master bedroom. He and Richard had barely got the carpet-wrapped George in bed and covered him with the bed linens and blankets when Christiana had entered in search of her husband. She hadn't seemed to notice the lumpy presence in the bed destroyed by the melting ice, but she might if Richard did not get her out of there quickly, and if she saw George there would definitely be trouble. Everything would have to be explained to her and he wasn't at all sure how she would respond to finding out that Dicky really was dead, but hadn't really been Dicky at all. Not to mention the fact that Richard was the true Earl of Radnor and was a man she hadn't even met until the day before, just hours before he'd bedded her. She would probably be incredibly upset.

  However, Richard had said he should leave and indicated he would handle things. Daniel supposed he would just have to hope for the best and go downstairs to wait and see what happened. There was very little else he could do at the moment. Shaking his head, he turned to start up the hall, but slowed as he spotted Suzette standing by her door in the hall facing him.

  She looked beautiful to him in a gown of white muslin, her dark hair falling about her shoulders in soft waves. But her face was a little pale and there were dark smudges under her eyes that suggested she hadn't slept any better than he had last night. It made her look oddly vulnerable and delicate and as he came to a halt before her he couldn't resist reaching out to brush his fingers down her cheek.

  "You look beautiful this morning," he said quietly, his gaze settling on her lips. They were slightly swollen and rosy at the moment as if she'd been biting them with worry and he had a strong urge to kiss them better, but made himself resist the urge.

  "Thank you," Suzette murmured and managed a smile. She then blurted, "You look beautiful too. I mean handsome."

  Daniel chuckled slightly, and let his hand slip back to his side before asking, "How did you sleep?"