“If you will follow me, sir,” the butler said.
To their left was a hallway, and Aaron was directed to the second door on the right. A young woman with blonde hair, no older than twenty, stood at a far window with her back to the door. She wore a yellow day dress with white lace around the bottom hem and sleeves. When she turned, she offered him a smile.
“Sir Aaron, it’s an honor to have you here in our home.”
Aaron stifled a frown. He recalled someone mentioning that the Bagwells were an older couple with numerous children. Yet the wife appeared no older than twenty. Well, who was Aaron to judge? Perhaps Mr. Bagwell had remarried, and like so many wealthy men, he had chosen a far younger woman as a second wife.
“The honor is all mine,” Aaron said. The door clicked behind him. The butler had left them alone. So, this was the young wife of the man with whom he was to meet. The daughter would never be allowed alone with him. “I admit that your invitation to tea was unexpected yet welcomed.” He glanced around. “And Mr. Bagwell?”
“He’ll be here soon enough,” she replied. “Please, sit. There is no need to stand on my account.” She directed him to a cream-colored couch before walking over to where several decanters sat. “When I heard our Chatsworth had a new resident, and no less a brave knight such as yourself, I must admit I was delighted. I knew I just had to meet you.”
She poured him a measure of brandy without asking him first, followed by a glass of wine for herself. How strange that the butler had not remained behind to see to the drinks.
“And now, we finally meet,” she said, offering him the brandy.
He nearly choked when she took the place beside him rather than one of the other chairs.
“The letter I received mentioned the theater,” he said, hoping to move along the meeting even if the husband was not yet in attendance. She was pleasant enough in looks, but he would not receive any funding if he was caught in a compromising position with the wife of a man he hoped to gain as an investor.
“Oh yes, of course,” she said with an air of disappointment. “What do you plan to do with it once you’ve purchased the building?”
Aaron cleared his throat. “At the expense of sounding rude, should we not wait for Mr. Bagwell to arrive? I would not want him to miss anything I say.”
The woman took a drink of her wine and then motioned to a side table behind him. “Would you be a darling and set this aside for me?”
He did as she bade only to turn around and find that she had moved closer to him in the interim.
Two things came to mind at once. The first was that a married woman was clearly flirting with him. Some lines he would not cross, and this was one of them. The second was that he felt conflicted about being here. Not only in the presence of another woman but also in that he was breaking the agreement he had made with Miss Dunston.
Coming here had been a mistake, yet the damage was done. “I would like to convert it into a gentlemen’s club.” He explained his plans, and with each word, Mrs. Bagwell smiled, nodded, and sometimes even sighed. When he was done, he reached for his brandy, which he had placed beside the wine glass, and finished it off in one gulp.
“I think your plan grand, Sir Aaron!” she said as she clasped her hands together at her breast. “So much so, in fact, that when Father returns… I mean my husband…” She laughed. “I’ll tell him he should invest with you.”
The warning bells pealed in his head, and he glanced at her hand. No wedding band. Then he realized the truth and quickly stood.
“You’re his daughter?”
The young woman leapt from her seat. “Yes,” she said enthusiastically. “I’m Susanna. My parents are away for the week, you see, and I heard so much about you that I just had to meet you. This was the only way!”
Aaron’s heart was close to bursting from his chest. He was alone with an unmarried young woman! Not only would her name be ruined, but his would be as well! Not only that but he would have to explain this situation to Miss Dunston if word got out!
Why would I have to explain anything to her?he thought. Miss Dunston was a spoiled child at best. He was an honored knight. Had her tempting ways truly muddled his mind to the point that he could be so easily tricked by this young woman?
“Miss Bagwell,” he said, slowly backing toward the door, “my being here with you without benefit of a chaperone is inappropriate, as much for me as for you.”
She sniffed. “And who will tell?”
“Surely, your butler will say something!” he said, mustering as much incredulity as he could into his tone.
As Miss Bagwell moved toward him, he felt like a rabbit being stalked by a fox. No, he could never compare himself to a rabbit. Perhaps he was a fox, and she was a hawk. Yes, that was better. Either way, he was the prey and she the predator.
“Coleman has been paid well for his silence, Sir Knight,” she cooed. Cooed!
His back hit the door, and he grasped the handle and turned it. “Nevertheless, I must leave. Perhaps we’ll speak another time.”
Without waiting for a response, he hurried from the room, down the corridor, and out the front door to his waiting carriage.
“Mistrals!” he shouted to the driver before leaping into the carriage and blessedly slamming shut the door. Thankfully, Miss Bagwell had enough sense not to chase after him, but he drew shut the curtains all the same.