Page 7 of The Baron’s Halo

“I beg your pardon, Lord MacKay. Please continue.”

“Ladies first as always, Miss Devereaux.” His curiosity must be satisfied on what she had been about to ask.

The lady’s cheeks grew bright and rosy. “I merely wondered if any of your relations had found their prospective brides yet, my lord.”

Biting back a smile, Sandy paused to consider his answer. “One of my cousins, as I said, is now married, so he has found his happiness already. The others, as far as I know, are still searching, although one cousin may have a particular young lady in mind.” But her original question had sounded as though it had been directed specifically toward him. So how to address that answer without appearing too forward. “For myself, I don’t quite know how to answer you. If I say yes, I have found a young lady, you might think me a cad worse than Lord Barclay for being here with you and not with her. If I say no, you might believe I am not considering you as a prospective bride.” He deliberately stared into her exquisitely blue eyes, so wide they seemed to fill her face. “I would not have you believe that for a single moment.”

Her entire face grew bright red, then drained to a pasty white.

Good lord, had he alarmed or offended her in some way? He gave her a minute, hoping she wouldn’t swoon out here in the park.

“If you would tell me, my lord,” Miss Devereaux’s breathing steadied as she seemed to collect herself, her face returning to a more normal, rosy complexion. “What was the most outrageous wager you have engaged in thus far?”

The unexpected question gave Sandy pause. Possibly his most outrageous wager had involved an evening with a delectable night flower and an ostrich feather, but he certainly couldn’t reveal that to a lady such as Miss Devereaux. Something a bit less salacious yet still extreme enough to fit the bill. God knew he’d been party to many such wagers over the years. “I believe that particular wager occurred when I was twelve years old and involved myself and several of my cousins.”

“Young boys can be that shocking, my lord?” She obviously didn’t believe that to be true. “I don’t have any younger brothers or perhaps I wouldn’t need to ask that question.”

“Our family, in addition to being wagering fools, have always been inclined to be daredevils.” An understatement if ever that was one. “My cousins Julius, Francis, Ulysses and I were at my grandfather’s estate in Hertfordshire one summer, as I said, when I was twelve. The four of us had been swimming in the River Mimram that ran through the estate. There were several trees overhanging our swimming area and Ulysses—we call him Yule for short—the oldest of us, wagered me that I couldn’t climb one of the trees.”

“That doesn’t seem shocking in any way, my lord.” Her soft smile made Sandy’s heart miss a beat.

“No, but the worst part of it was yet to come.” Sandy shook his head, wondering how boys managed to survive into adulthood. “It was a willow tree which, if you do not know, is not meant for climbing at all. I had a devil of a time getting up there because the branches kept cracking and popping every time I put a foot on them.”

“Goodness, my lord.” Miss Devereaux looked alarmed, which was edifying considering Sandy had obviously survived. “You were quite the daredevil.”

“Oh, but wait.” Sandy brought the carriage to a halt just before the Hyde Park Gate. “Once I reached the specified branch and won that wager, Yule called out that he had a better wager for me. He said he’d wager I would kill myself if I jumped into the water from the tree.”

“He wanted you to kill yourself!” The shock on Miss Devereaux’s face matched that of his mother’s when she’d found out about the exploit. “Obviously, you said no.”

“Well, I was pretty high up in the tree. If I hit the ground I knew I might well have been severely injured or killed. But hitting the water, I believed I would live to win the wager.” The memory of standing in there in the tree, calculating how likely his odds of surviving were was permanently etched in Sandy’s memory.

“And what was the wager for, if I may ask?”

“Yule’s collection of tin soldiers we’d been playing with before we’d gone swimming.” Grinning at her indignant expression, Sandy shook his head. “To a twelve-year-old boy, Miss Devereaux, the game was very much worth the candle.”

“Well, obviously you survived.” Her smile had turned rueful.

“As you see.” He motioned to himself. “I hit the water with a loud smack, leaving my chest on fire with a bright red mark on my belly. That was how my mother found out about the wager and why my grandfather took a cane to me.” Literally adding insult to an already stinging injury. “I could only sleep on my side for several nights.”

“But you won the set of toy soldiers?”

“I did. I have them set up in the library at my home in Carnwath, waiting for my sons to play with them.”

“Hopefully, however, not to wager over?” Miss Devereaux’s lips had pursed, but there weas also mirth deep within her eyes.

“Well, they will come by it honestly if they do.” With a sigh, Sandy started the team again and drove them smartly out of the park. He couldn’t help feeling they were speaking of their own children to come. The idea warmed his heart.

In no time they had arrived back at Miss Devereaux’s townhouse. Sandy helped her down and escorted her to the door. “Thank you so much, Miss Devereaux, for allowing me to drive you this afternoon. I hope you enjoyed yourself.”

“I did, Lord MacKay. Thank you for a lovely and enlightening outing.” The lady smiled at him as the door opened. “I trust you will refrain from such daredevil ways before I see you again.”

“I will so endeavor.” Sandy gazed into her eyes, never wanting her to leave. “Will you be attending Lady Bascomb’s card party tomorrow evening?”

“We will, my lord.” The hint of expectation in her voice thrilled him.

“Then I hope you will allow me to partner you in some of the games.” His heart beat fiercely as her gaze softened. “I think we would enjoy being partners—at whist or pique.”

“I believe so too, my lord.” Her smile became rueful once more. “As long as your wagers are all within reason.”