“Ma chère,” crooned the aunt, casting a suspicious glance toward Sin. “Where have you been? According to the servants, your coachman returned with a splitting headache, claiming he had no recollection of what had happened. I am so sorry I did not arrive as planned. When I made it to Westmorland House and you were nowhere to be found, I was about to contact Scotland Yard. What have you been doing? Andwhois this gentleman?”
Sin took that as his invitation.
He stepped forward, offering his best attempt at a bow. “The Earl of Sinclair,madame. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
It occurred to him that he did not know much about this aunt. He knew the former Duchess of Westmorland had been of French ancestry, but that was about the sum of the information he possessed about the family. That and their hideous wealth.
Oh, and the fact that the last duke had been fucking his faithless wife.
One dare not forget that salient bit of information.
“It ismademoiselle, Lord Sinclair. I am not married.” The aunt frowned at him. “Your name is familiar, but I am afraid I do not recall why.”
He smiled grimly. “I am sure I know the reason, but it hardly matters.”
The aunt withdrew from the embrace with Lady Calliope, taking a step back and examining her. “What is the meaning of this, my beloved niece in such tatters?”
In truth, Lady Calliope did look as if she had just returned from war. Her hair was plaited into a messy braid she had fashioned herself. One of her sleeves was missing. Her elegant gown was wrinkled and torn.
She looked thoroughly compromised.
He cleared his throat and jumped in before Lady Calliope could explain away her disheveled appearance. “I witnessed Lady Calliope’s carriage being overtaken by footpads yesterday. They delivered a vicious blow to her driver’s head. I gave chase, but in the crush of the street traffic, I was unable to reach her. Rather than seek the authorities and sound the alarm, I deemed it best to chase after her myself. By the time I was able to overtake her carriage, the brigands had reached the countryside.”
His betrothed’s eyes widened at his subterfuge. The excuse was rather silly, he had to admit, but he had not bargained upon an interfering aunt when he had formulated his plan.
Her aunt gasped. “Footpads!Mon dieu, I cannot believe it. How fortunate that you were there, my lord, to come to her rescue.”
“I managed to scare the villains off, but a violent storm was rolling in,” he continued, warming to his cause. “I was left with no choice but to remain with Lady Calliope on one of my estates, overnight, rather than travel in the storm with no coachman. Knowing that I have compromised her, I have offered Lady Calliope my hand in marriage, and she has graciously accepted.”
“My lord, I am eternally grateful to you for rescuing my beloved niece! But I cannot help but to think a marriage is precipitate,” her aunt said. “After all, Westmorland is on his honeymoon. No one even knows Callie was alone with you.”
“Unfortunately, I was unable to act the gentleman,” Sin added, hoping the maiden aunt would understand what he was intending to convey without too much detail.
The aunt frowned. “Do you mean to say…”
“Yes,” Lady Calliope interrupted, glaring at him. “It was all rather…hasty and sudden. Thedramaof the moment overcame us both.”
He grinned back at her, enjoying her irritation, the orchestration of her ruin. “My love for Lady Calliope blossomed overnight. I have long admired her from afar, but since the fates have so conspired to throw us together, I find myself unable to live without her. I was so pleased when she confessed she feels the same way about me. I realize this is all highly irregular, of course. My lapse in propriety was egregious, and I will be pleased to rectify the matter with as much haste as possible.”
“You are in love?” the aunt asked, her gaze flitting between Sin and Lady Calliope.
“It is a new love,” his betrothed said with a pained smile.
“Desperately in love,” he added.
“Well, our family is known for our eccentricities. I cannot say I am pleased with you for violating propriety in such a shocking fashion, but I do understand the temptations of being alone, overnight, especially given the horrors the two of you had been through. I am so thankful to you for saving her.” The aunt paused to beam at him. “All is forgiven, my dear boy, as long as you promise to take very good care of our beloved Callie.”
Bloody hell.This was going better than he had imagined.
Of course, if Westmorland were here, he would likely have resorted to fisticuffs. Sin and Westmorland were acquaintances, but not friends. However, he knew the man well enough to know he would not be impressed with Sin having absconded with Callie overnight, only to return with her wearing a tattered gown. Nor would he have swallowed Sin’s flimsy tale so readily.
How obliging of him, getting married and leaving on his honeymoon.
This eccentric French aunt was no match for Sin.
“I promise to take excellent care of Lady Calliope,” he told the aunt. “It will be my greatest honor to make her my countess.”
And to use her dowry to save myself from ruin.
