Already His (The Caversham Chronicles - Book Two) Read online

  “Hullo dearlings,” Elise greeted the children. “What have you got there?”

  “These are our kittens,” the little boy, who appeared to be about nine, said solemnly.

  “Well if they’re yours, why are you turning them loose under the bushes?” Michael noted that Elise wasn’t being accusatory, but sounded instead like a curious child herself. He was sure she did so to put the children at ease.

  “Our mum says we can’t keep ’em, ’cause we have ’nough cats,” the boy said. “An’ everyone knows kittens grows up to be cats.”

  She turned her attention to the crying girl, the little thing barely out of nappies, holding onto two of the kittens and petting the third in her lap. “Why are you crying then, sweeting?”

  “My kitties.”

  “I know they are, and they’re very cute kittens, too,” Elise replied.

  “She don’ want ta turn ’em loose. She’s ’fraid they’d get eaten by monsters.”

  “There’s no such thing as monsters, you know,” Elise reassured the little girl. “In fact, in all my years, I have yet to see one. And I’m pretty old.”

  Michael watched Elise lower herself next to the little girl on the grass. “They’re awfully cute kittens. Mind if I pet them?” When the child nodded, Elise stretched out a hand and began to pet the feline head closest to her. Within moments two of the three kittens were climbing onto Elise’s yellow carriage dress, but she didn’t seem to mind at all. Most young ladies of his acquaintance would not have sat upon the ground or allowed the sharp-clawed little creatures to venture onto their expensive clothing.

  Not Elise. She was the opposite of every other young lady he knew. Her gentle mien with the children raised his opinion of her even more. She would make the right man a fine wife and good mother to his children. And if he were honest with himself, Michael had already begun to picture her lithe, naked form in his bed. The resulting discomfort each time it happened was the price he had to pay for thinking of his best friend’s sister in such an improper manner.

  “I’m sure you’re thinking this is a good place to leave them, and it might be if they were just a wee bit older,” Elise said sweetly to the children. “I’m thinking that because these are still babies, they might need a mummy. Just as you two do.”

  Both towheaded little ones nodded in agreement.

  “What if I could be their mummy and take them home with me? I’d give them a good home in our barn with lots of mice to catch and they’ll have ever so much fun there.”

  The little boy smiled and puffed up pridefully. “Their mum is the bes’ mouser in all London! They’d be perfect for the job, milady. Don’t ya think so, Meggie?”

  The little girl’s mouth spread slowly into a smile and she nodded her head in agreement, stray curls falling free of her cap.

  Elise beamed, happy at rescuing the little felines. “Wonderful! Have you by chance named them yet? You’ll have to tell me, for I’d hate to confuse the little dears by changing their names.”

  “This’n ’ere’s Blackie.” The girl handed the very shy black kitten to Elise. “An’ this is Tiger and the other orange one is Naughty.”

  “He hasn’t done anything yet to be naughty,” Elise replied.

  “No, silly!” the boy said. “That’s ’is name. Naughty.”

  Elise giggled. “Oh, I’d love to know how he came about that name.”

  “He pusses his brothers away when it’s time to eat,” the girl said.

  “Thank you for telling me. I’ll have to see to it that he has his own dish, then.” Elise gathered the three kittens and replaced them in the little crate.

  “Would you like to learn how they fare, dearlings?” Both children nodded their heads. She looked at Michael and asked, “What time do you have, my lord?”

  He removed his pocket watch and flipped the lid. “Ten minutes after three o’clock.”

  Elise raised an eyebrow, then gave him a half-crooked smile and he understood. She had missed her appointment with Sinclair, which had been his intention all along. But she wasn’t as upset as he’d thought she’d be. Turning back to the children, she said, “Meet me back here in one week, at precisely three o’clock, and I shall tell you how they are getting along. Agreed?”

  Again, the children nodded.

  “Michael? Will you help me?” she asked.

  He extended his hand and she handed him the crate. Her amber-eyed gaze danced in merriment. “Hold that while I rise.”

  He watched her rise, unaided, a willowy lass swiping grass from her skirts. They then bid the children goodbye, with Michael carrying her new pets back to his phaeton. Placing the box on the bench, he assisted her up, and went around to sit next to her. As he drove his team back onto the path, he asked, “Why did you tell them you would meet them in a week?”

  “Because first, it reassured them that the kittens they care so much about are going to a good home. Second, I do plan to be here next week and I’m willing to bet that by then they will have forgotten about the kittens. If I’d suggested tomorrow or even the day after that, there will not have been enough time passed and they might still cling to the pain of losing their kittens.”

  Her logic astounded him. Michael had never seen her manage children before, and that she cared what caused a crying working-class babe upset sent a warm feeling to his heart. He was learning there was so much more to Elise than he’d ever suspected.

  “What do you plan to do with them?”

  Without hesitation she said, “We shall give the two males to your mother for her birthday and I shall keep the female.”

  “Kittens? Are you sure?”

  “Absolutely,” she replied. “They’re perfect.” Elise spoke at him as though he didn’t know women.

  He wanted to remind her that knew women well enough. He had two sisters and five nieces. He’d also had several mistresses before. So he knew the fairer sex enough to know that an animal wasn’t high on their list of gifts they’d want to receive. Women wanted baubles. Baubles and trinkets.

  “Michael, all little girls have a soft heart for fuzzy warm creatures.”

  “Did I mention my mother is turning fifty-five? She’s hardly a little girl.”

  “She was a little girl once and I doubt she’s changed so much that she’d refuse these adorable kittens.”

  Damn her, but she was more than likely correct. And he didn’t understand why he hadn’t thought of a pet before. She was right. His mother did like animals and he remembered her having several cats as he grew up.

  “I’m learning much about you, Elise. And it’s all so very different from what I’ve known of you all these years.”

  “We all grow up at some point.” Then she turned mischievous amber eyes to him and said, “An’ everyone knows kittens grows up to be cats.”

  He smiled, chuckling at her imitation of the young boy. “I do have another question. How do you know which one is female and which two are male?”

  “Well, aside from the fact that I looked to confirm as I held them, orange cats are usually boys. And because this female is black, I’ll keep her. She’ll be more vocal once we separate her from her litter mates, and as she gets older.”

  “You seem to know a great deal about felines.” Even to his own ears he sounded smitten, and that just wouldn’t do. He had to remember this was his best friend’s little sister. Until he could work up the courage to bring up the topic with her brother, she was off limits.

  “I should,” she replied. “I have thirteen of them now.”

  “Thirteen cats, and this one is black. Are you afraid you’re setting yourself up for a run of bad luck?”

  “I don’t believe in such superstitions. A woman must make her own luck if she’s to get what she wants in this world.”

  Lady Elise Halden, Michael was learning quickly, was a breath of fresh air in this stifling society of theirs. If he didn’t watch himself, he might actually fall hard for this sister of his friend.

  “Did I menti
on,” she began, “that nearly all thirteen of my cats are female?”

  “No. Why is that?”

  “Because they’re the best hunters.”

  Michael threw his head back and laughed heartily.

  The next morning’s gossip columns all reported that a certain unmarried earl had been seen in the company of the unmarried sister of a certain duke and that the two appeared to be having a wonderful time in each others’ company. The column ended with speculation as to how long it will be before the earl in question took this unmarried lady to bride.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Upon the return of Michael and Elise to Upper Brook street, a good hour past the time they’d agreed to, Michael went directly to Ren’s office.

  “How did it go?” Michael asked, taking a seat opposite his friend.

  “After I told him I was refusing his suit and warned him off my sister, he became somewhat incensed, demanding a reason. So I told him I knew about his previous betrothal and the circumstance surrounding the dissolution of the contract.

  “Then I asked him about his extracurricular sport. He denied it at first, but when presented with the proof you provided me from the father of the girl, and the reports from his former staff, he became defensive. I’d swear I saw a desperate, dangerous glint to his eyes. I told him I didn’t care one whit about his sexual peccadilloes as long as they don’t involve gently bred young ladies, and as long as the women involved were willing and left their beds uninjured. That upstart bounder had the nerve to tell me I was ‘too gallant’ with the type of women they chose to play with. Then I warned him I would be watching them now, and one wrong move would see them all imprisoned—or worse—for assaulting our fairer sex.”

  Michael digested what his friend just said. “She needs to be guarded at all times. Elise cannot be allowed alone, in case he should do something rash, either in desperation or retaliation.”

  “I agree, which is why I’ve already sent for Cartland. You remember him, don’t you? I used his firm a couple of years ago when Lia...,” Ren coughed through the hitch in his voice. “When she went missing.”

  Michael nodded as he lit a cheroot. The man’s firm was the best in town. Michael had used him several times on his more important cases, and could swear the man had connections from the bowels of hell itself, to his own noble ranks. “She can’t know she’s under guard or she’ll do something imprudent—like evading her protectors.”

  “Yes,” Ren conceded. “She can be a stubborn little hellion when told she ‘must’ or ‘cannot’ do something.”

  “You’re forgetting, no one knows this better than I.” Michael thought of several instances when as a child Elise had been ordered by her father or stepmother not to follow him around when he’d come to Haldenwood to visit. It was all to no avail. She’d followed him anyway. Sometimes she was caught and punished and other times he could have sworn someone watched him, but could never prove it was Elise.

  His friend gave him a wan smile, then exhaled the smoke he held. “Thankfully, she seems more interested in the abundance of young bucks making the rounds this year than hounding you. I gave her a very stern lecture about comporting herself in a ladylike manner, as befits her station, else she’d get sent back to Haldenwood, or worse, I’ll send her to The Box, and there would be no other seasons for her.” As Michael hooted with laughter, Ren continued, “I think I got my point across.”

  “About tonight,” Michael said, “are we going to the Holderman’s? It’s expected to be a crush, as usual.”

  “I believe so, though I’m not sure yet. Marcus hasn’t been feeling well, so Lia and I may not attend. But Elise and Beverly have been looking forward to it since the invitation arrived. If we do attend, I will have to avoid the card and billiard rooms. I will play the courteous, attentive spouse and entertain my wife and her friends—all the while watching over my sister.”

  “Nothing serious with my godson, is there?”

  “According to Prescott, he’s teething. But you know me, old man. When it comes to those I love, I’m ever cautious.” Ren chuckled. “Lia thought my bringing the doctor around was premature, but damn it, Marcus is my son and if I want reassurance from a physician, then I shall have it.”

  Michael tapped the ash of his cheroot into the ashtray, and resumed his relaxed posture. “Though I fully acknowledge the fact that I have a responsibility to provide an heir, I don’t know that I’m ready for the ups and downs being a husband and father entails.” He flicked at an invisible speck on his coat sleeve. “I rather liked my nice, orderly existence without the added emotional complications. When the time comes to marry, I shall find someone who doesn’t disturb my composure or try to rearrange my orderly routine.”

  “That person doesn’t exist, I tell you,” Ren replied. “Find someone who will challenge you and upset the routine, man. I highly recommend it.”

  Michael coughed, thinking there was a young lady upstairs who did just that, but taking her to bride was out of the question. “I don’t disagree, Your Grace. What is most important is finding the balance of biddable wife and divine temptress,” he said as he rose to take his leave.

  “That is the challenge my friend,” Ren said, following him to the door.

  “Until tonight then,” Michael said, immediately wondering if he should take the evening off and work on the stack of contracts that needed review.

  “Until tonight.” Ren confirmed.

  That evening, as Elise prepared for the night out, she mulled over in her head how she would explain to Sinclair her absence when he’d called earlier. She decided that, instead of fabricating a tale of some minor crisis, she would simply tell him the truth. Doing so was easier on the head, not to mention the heart.

  She was disappointed that he didn’t show up, and that he didn’t send a note explaining his absence. It would have been the gentlemanly thing to do. But she didn’t have long to think further on it as Beverly entered the room with a radiant smile and twirled around to reveal the gown she’d selected to wear.

  Ice blue silk with dark blue flowers embroidered in a scalloped ring around the hem, the color highlighted her fair complexion magnificently. “Beverly, you’re absolutely beautiful. Have I ever told you how much I envy you your blond curls and blue eyes? Not to mention your abundance of cleavage,” she added while looking down at her own imperfection.

  “Here we go again...” her friend began. “I’m beginning to think you’re fishing for compliments.”

  “Not so! Have you ever noticed that when we are out together, it’s your looks that attract men to come chat with us? Of course, I hold my own during the conversations, but I have no illusions as it concerns my average looks. My eyes are set too far apart, my nose is too wide, and my mouth far too big.”

  “You’re also too skinny, and your hair is too straight.” said her grandmother as she entered Elise’s room.

  “Yes, I know, Grandmother, but I can do nothing about any of it.”

  Both girls laughed at the truth in her statement.

  “All those features you described fit beautifully on you, darling girl.” Her grandmother waved her cane impatiently, saying, “Come, it’s time to be off. We have only one gentleman with us tonight as your brother has decided to stay in after all.”

  Elise exchanged a look with Beverly before linking arms with her dearest friend, and stepping out of her room and into the waiting night.

  Shortly after Michael arrived at Caversham House to pick up the ladies, he and Ren stood in the drawing room discussing the security measures surrounding the ladies. “There will be three guards at the Holderman residence, one in front, one in back, and one inside. I’ve added another groom to the coach. They are all armed.”

  “How did you get a man inside at Holderman’s?” Michael asked. “Is he a footman?”

  “No. Cartland has a gentleman working for him. The man is a former spy for the crown and the second son of a lower-ranking noble. His name is Mr. Stephen Carroll. My secretary is
now securing an invitation to all events we will be attending for the rest of the season. The man will come and introduce himself to you. Introduce him to the ladies as your friend. Do the same for him as you would for any other peer we come in contact with.

  “The ladies know nothing of the increased security. I’d hate for them to worry, and as I told Cartland, this is likely for just a few weeks, to make certain Sinclair is respecting the boundaries I set him.” The men heard the chatter of the women as they came down the stairs. Ren added, “I cannot ask you to refrain from the gaming, but I would be forever indebted to you if you’d keep an eye on them for me.”

  “There’s no fun in stripping those dilettantes of their fortunes.” Michael pulled at his cuffs, and straightened his coat. “I’d rather have the challenge of besting you out of a few shillings, than taking vowels from amateurs.”

  “Same for me,” Ren laughed, then took a sip of his brandy.

  The ladies’ voices drew closer as they came down the stairs, and Michael noted his friend’s concerned expression. “Don’t worry,” he said, “I shall keep her in my sight at all times.”

  “Right. Well, that’s about all I can ask, isn’t it?”

  Both men watched as Lady Sewell, Elise and Beverly entered the room. Michael’s breath caught in his chest when he saw her, an airy vision in pale green silk with ivory lace accents. The scoop neckline revealed a modest amount of cleavage. A large pear shaped diamond fell from the center of a perfectly matched set of pearls to settle invitingly into the hollow just above her breasts. Diamond and pearl drops graced her delicate earlobes and a tiara of pearls and diamonds rested on her short brown hair. The image she presented was one of true sophistication and elegance. As always, her amber eyes sparkled full of life as they met his gaze.