“It is always a pleasure to have you visit for however short a time,” Mercy said, her gaze straying to where Lord Archibald stood. “Come tomorrow with Helen and Francesca and stay for lunch. We have much to catch up on before your party.”
“I would like that very much.”
Blythe stepped forward and linked her arm through Emma’s, pulling her away from the others. “Come, I’ll walk you out.”
They made their way to the front entrance, but Emma cast furtive glances behind. “What just happened?”
Behind them, Mercy had detained Lord Archibald and his face had darkened to an intense hue of crimson. “I fear he didn’t like the way Mr. Randall smiled at you.”
Emma stopped. “In what way was his smile wrong? I thought Mr. Randall was a very agreeable gentleman. Very handsome, too. I should not mind getting to know him a little better.”
Blythe patted her friend’s hand. “My dear, Tobias Randall appreciates a pretty woman as much as the next man. He just fails to hide how much. He was flirting with you in front of your cousin and Lord Archibald did not care for it.”
“With me? Oh. Oh.” Emma’s smile grew until she beamed. “Oh, how unexpected and exciting. What’s he really like?”
“There is no ‘oh’ about it,” Blythe warned. “Trust me, Tobias Randall is definitely not the man for you.”
“What makes you so sure?” Emma’s hand rose to her cheeks. “He’s not at all what I expected. He even asked to dance with me. Archie hasn’t done as much and he knows full well I enjoy dancing. I was in dread of being a wallflower at Lady Dunwoody’s soiree, but now I cannot wait for the evening.”
The object of their discussion, Tobias, stepped around the others. “It was a pleasure making your acquaintance, Miss Trimble. I look forward to seeing you often.”
“And I you, sir.”
Blythe’s heart pounded. A man like Tobias would have no proper intentions toward a woman. His smile might make a woman’s insides curl into knots, but he wasn’t likely to have honorable plans unless there was something to gain. With a sinking heart, Blythe remembered Emma had a substantial dowry. The lure of that wealth could be great for the penniless man. She pulled Emma toward the waiting carriage and away from the brazen pirate before irreparable harm was done to her friend’s eager heart.
Six
A thick cloud of dust rose up from the drive, partially obscuring Tobias’ view of the feminine arm
waving through the window. Nice lady. Insufferable prig of a lord though. Blythe’s friends were a mixed bag of personalities; Miss Emma so warm, Lord Archibald painfully stiff and proper. Would they all be like that? He had tomorrow night’s soiree to suffer through without offending anyone important and he was not looking forward to the event.
“A word, brother.” Leopold caught his arm and led him down the front steps forcibly and across the gravel drive.
Tobias glanced over his shoulder as they reached the lawn and strolled out onto the grounds. Blythe stood beside Mercy, a worried expression marring her pretty features. Now what? “What the devil are you doing?”
“Getting to the bottom of a mystery,” Leopold growled.
Tobias had not missed being pushed around by his elder brother for the past ten years. Leopold seemed entirely too happy to throw his weight and position as head of the family in Tobias’ face. Up until now, Tobias had gone along to keep the peace, but there were limits to how much manhandling he would tolerate at four and twenty years of age. “Is there something else going on? Honestly, can’t you just give up and leave Romsey behind. I swear you’d be a happier man without the responsibilities inherent with this place.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’ll never leave Romsey Abbey. But this discussion is not about me. It’s about you. What the devil do you think you are doing?”
Tobias shook off his brother’s grip, and tugged his coat sleeves back into place. “What now? Was I not gentlemanly enough today? Have I embarrassed you with my manners or lack of?”
“The problem is that you were entirely too gentlemanly. Are you intending to pursue the lady for a wife because flirtations such as I’ve just witnessed usually leads to a marriage proposal.”
Tobias stared at his brother in surprise. Blythe wouldn’t marry again. She was still in love with her dead husband and disliked Tobias in the extreme. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not interested in marriage and I was not flirting with her as part of a seduction. She’d sooner cut me than marry me.”
“Miss Emma Trimble is an unmarried young woman and well respected in the district. You have no cause to flirt with her again unless you’re prepared to take a place before the alter and marry her.”
Tobias laughed at his mistake. Devil take it, he’d thought Leopold was referring to his interactions with the prickly countess. He hadn’t one iota of interest in Miss Trimble and had thought he’d acted the part of a gentleman. Apparently he hadn’t done well enough.
What would Leopold say if he learned of Tobias’ night-time visit to Blythe’s bedchamber two weeks ago? While nothing at all had happened between them, it would be considered scandalous. More than likely, his brother would have a seizure over the harmless conversation. Tobias would have to be even more reserved when conversing with women. “Miss Trimble is lovely and my intentions toward her are entirely proper, I assure you.”
Leopold gave him a long assessing stare. “She has a dowry of four thousand pounds and you have asked about marriageable young women recently. Have you set your sights on Miss Trimble already?”
If he was going to live comfortably, he did need funds. “Miss Trimble is attractive, and has an easy manner about her. But there is just one small problem. She appears to already be in love.” He shrugged. “She fancies Lord Archibald.”
“Oh.”