Oh, Clare had no illusions thatshewould be the chosen bride. Far from it. At nine and twenty, in addition to being a scandal-ridden ruin, she was a confirmed spinster, but it didn’t keep her from morbid curiosity.
Ash had been a dashing figure in her life for over ten years now, ever since she and Meredith had become close friends during their debuts. He was always up to something, always the subject of an interesting tale. Once, Ash had famously announced to the King that he would never take a wife. And his exploits through the years certainly seemed to reinforce his claim. He was as scandal-ridden as Clare herself. Though as a man and a peer, he could get away with it.
And he never seemed to give a toss what rules he broke or what Society thought of it. They were cut from the same cloth, the two of them. She’d always known it. But last night had been the first time she’d had a chance to see it so closely. There had been a comradery between them last night, unspoken though it may have been. She’d felt it…and she guessed Ash had felt it too.
“Will you go riding with us later?” Meredith asked, causing Clare to pause in adding a ridiculous amount of cream to her scone.
She nearly choked. “Certainlynot. I highly doubt the other young ladies and their mothers would appreciate my presence.”
“I don’t see why not,” Meredith replied, rubbing a hand atop her expanding belly. Meredith was expecting her first child in February. This house party had been planned to take place before her confinement. She was in a race against time to find a bride for her unwilling brother. “Given my condition, I’ll be in the open carriage. You may ride with me.”
Clare reached out and patted her friend’s hand. Meredith was fierce and loyal and wonderful. Clare was fortunate to have such a steadfast friend. But even Meredith’s patronage couldn’t keep the debutantes and their mothers from whispering behind their hands and their fans when Clare was around.
Even now, as they sat at the breakfast table, there were multiple pairs of eyes trained on her. Meredith didn’t always notice, but Clare never missed it. She’d learned to live with thejibes and the gossip over the years. Had even learned to pretend to ignore it all. But she’d never learned how to keep it from bothering her.
Which was one reason her encounter with Ash last night in Griffin’s study had so thoroughly surprised her. First, she was not aware that Ashford Drake even knew her name, let alone was “well aware” of who she was. When he’d said those words, she’d nearly melted to the floor in a puddle. And then he’d gone on to apologize to her for how she’d been treated by thetonand even added a bit of scorn for Marsden.
It had all been quite shocking, really. But none of it was as shocking as his proposal that they meet again…tonight.
She’d tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep for thinking about it. She’d challenged him, asking him if he thought she would be an easy conquest. Which honestly wasn’t fair. But she’d learned through the years that most men she encountered in dark rooms alone were quite willing, if not eager, to present her with a scandalous proposal.
For all that Ash was known for his outrageous behavior, Clare had no indication that he was a lout. Meredith adored him, and the only conduct Clare had seen from him through the years had been nothing but honorable, if high-spirited. Still, she had to be certain that he wasn’t asking her to return, hoping for a quick swive in the study. Because as handsome and charming as he was,thatcertainly wasn’t going to happen.
Not that it wasn’t tempting.
He’d surprised her further by insisting that he only wanted to talk to her. No one wanted to talk to her. Ever. Meredith, Griffin, Griffin’s younger sister, Gemma, and Gemma’s new husband, Lucian, the Duke of Grovemont, were her only real friends. But Ash had seemed truly sympathetic last night.
It made her want to see him again. It made her want to talk to him. Only she must tread carefully. Under her mother’s watchfuleye, any slight misstep was cause for dramatics, and Mama had a penchant for waking in the middle of the night and checking in on her daughter. An exceedingly unpleasant and unfortunate habit.
Clare sighed and took another bite from her scone. As enticing as it was to contemplate another late-night, brandy drinking session with Ash, she had best not tempt fate. Her reputation had not survived her first scandal. A second one would be certain to ruin her forever.
CHAPTER FOUR
Ash couldn’t remember the last time he’d spent such a restless day. He’d done everything expected of a man in his position—gone riding across the property with the other gentlemen in the morning, endured a tedious luncheon on the veranda with the entire party, taken an afternoon drink with Southbury in his study, and even walked alone through the orchards in a desperate attempt to shake the growing impatience inside him.
None of it helped.
By the time dinner arrived, he was in a foul mood, though he hadn’t fully admitted to himself why.
Then he realizedshewasn’t there.
“Lady Clare will not be joining us this evening,” Meredith had said casually as they walked into the dining room. “She’s feeling unwell.”
A megrim, she had called it.
He hadn’t believed it for a second.
Clare Handleton was not a woman who retired early.
He had spent the evening feeling absurdly irritated at her absence, sipping his wine too fast, barely hearing the conversation around him. When he finally escaped to the study,he told himself itwasn’tbecause he was hoping she would be here.
And yet, here he was. He’d waited for too long. Far longer than he’d ever waited for anyone in his life, come to think of it. Patience wasnota virtue he possessed. Still, something inside him held out hope. Told him to continue to pretend to read, even though he’d been staring at the same page of the book he’d opened for what felt like hours.
And then—finally—just as he was giving up hope, just as he was about to toss the bloody book aside and march up to his bedchamber, the door burst open, and Clare rushed inside. She was breathless and beautiful, her golden hair slightly mussed from her hasty movements. Her long limbs all fluid and graceful as she flew into the room like a goddess.
Relief. That’s what hit him first. Pure, undeniable relief.
“There you are,” he said before he could stop himself. Damn it.
