Page 6 of The Baron’s Halo

“That seems to be a favorite pastime.” Sandy wondered just what thoughts she’d been engrossed in, but of course could not ask. “I hope driving in the park is another way you enjoy spending your time.”

“I hardly know, my lord, for I’ve never done so before.” Miss Devereaux spoke soberly, but then rose and smiled sweetly, sending a lightning bold to Sandy’s heart. “But I hope to find out shortly. If you will excuse me, I’ll only be a moment.” The lady hurried from the room, seeming to take most of the light in the room with her.

To pass the time, Sandy engaged Mrs. Grey in conversation about various suitable topics including several entertainments she and her daughter had accepted invitations for, so the time was well spent. When Miss Devereaux returned, she was newly attired in a stunning blue and white striped carriage dress. The white jacket, embroidered around the edges with a large, bold floral pattern, draped over her arms ending in bell sleeves, and over her hoops into a short train. An ensemble certainly made to be seen by all members of the ton.

Sandy jumped to his feet, feeling as though he should make some remark about her stunning appearance. He feared, however, that his exuberance would make her uncomfortable, so he merely smiled enthusiastically and asked, “Are you ready to leave?”

She nodded and cast her gaze downward, twining her fingers together as though she would pull them off.

An awkward silence ensued in which Sandy tried to think how to take his leave of Mrs. Grey when he could scarcely take his eyes off her daughter. At last he simply said, “We will return shortly,” then headed for the front door, hoping to God this awkwardness would soon pass.

Once Sandy had helped Miss Devereaux into his carriage and took his own place beside her, he’d gotten himself in hand. Perhaps some conversation would lighten their drive. “We have a perfect day for our drive. One is never certain what the weather will do in September.”

“That is true, my lord.” Her polite answer gave nothing to allow him to continue along that topic.

He waited, hoping she would produce her own conversational gambit, but after a few minutes of dreadful silence, Sandy feared he’d need to take the bull by the conversational horns. He pointed to a robin hopping bravely toward a crust of bread over in the grass in front of a passing house. “A crown says that robin gets his bread crust.”

Miss Devereaux’s neck turned so quickly toward him the muscles in her neck creaked. After a moment’s consideration, she returned her gaze to the robin, who had indeed secured the bit of bread. “What an odd thing to place a wager on, my lord.”

“Not in my family, I’m afraid. We Quartermains are all wagering fools, if I say so myself. Always have been.” He turned the horses into Hyde Park and started them down Rotten Row.

“Who is ‘we?’”

Excellent. He’d finally managed to pique her interest. “Currently it’s myself and six of my cousins plus my grandfather actively wagering. In the past my mother and her brothers and sisters were avid wagerers as well.” He leaned over conspiratorially. “I’ve been told my mother wagered on how quickly she could bring my father up to scratch.”

“Goodness.” Fortunately, Miss Devereaux didn’t look scandalized in the least, merely interested. Providential on so many fronts. “And did she win?”

“Oh, she did indeed. I must let her tell you that story. It’s one of her favorites.” Sandy slowed the horses. Not many carriages out this afternoon despite the excellent weather, which made a slow turn around the avenue quite manageable. He wanted to spend as much time with Miss Devereaux as possible.

“Was that the only time your relatives have wagered on a marriage?” The lady cocked her head, a rapt look on her face.

He’d managed to capture her attention at last, but with perhaps the worst subject he could be talking about with her. Still, his cousin Alex had told all the remaining cousins they should be forthright about the family wager. Well, in for a penny…

“Actually, it’s not. My grandfather recently set me and my cousins a marriage wager.”

“A marriage wager?” Her brows dipped into a deep vee. “What does that mean?”

Taking a deep breath and sending a prayer up to a beneficent God, Sandy launched forth into the circumstances of last month’s summons, his grandfather’s challenge to them all, and his cousin Alex’s hasty wedding ten days later.

“By rights that should be the scandal of the Little Season, Lord MacKay.” The indignation in her voice made Sandy’s heart sink. “Marriage is a sacred bond, not something to be cheapened with such a thing as a wager.”

“I doubt my cousin or his wife would deem their marriage cheap simply because it occurred abruptly.” Well, that certainly wasn’t the reaction Sandy had expected from Miss Devereaux.

The lady’s brows had eased from their deep frown, however, her lips were still firm. “I did not mean to criticize your relatives, my lord.” She looked uncomfortable and cast her gaze down at her lap. “Please forgive me.”

“At this instance, of course, Miss Devereaux. I’m certain it seems strange to those who have not grown up in such a family.” Blast. How to get the conversation back on a safer track. “And all my cousins of marriageable age know they need to begin the hunt for a wife in any case. We are at that age at which it becomes expected. Grandfather is merely giving us all a nudge. We’re truly keen on the idea, well, with the exception of my cousin, Tom. Mr. Thomas Weston. He’s the youngest of our set and thinks he should have his freedom a bit longer.”

“Did you finally convince him to join in the wager?” Apparently, Miss Devereaux’s good spirits had returned and she smiled at him.

“It took a bit of convincing from us all, but he came around eventually. Of course, Grandfather had to sweeten Tom’s lot to include a ship of his own with a crew before he’d give his consent to marry at scarcely one-and-twenty. Still,” Sandy turned them back toward the Hyde Park Gate and slowed the team to a walk, “now we are all actively searching for brides.”

The sentence hung in the air between them for much too long.

“I don’t—”

“Have you found—”

They started speaking at the same time, so of course they then both stopped talking at once.