Yet, she had always returned his smiles. On the rare occasions they’d been in the same room, she had not looked quickly away. She had met his eyes and held his gaze, and she had smiled back. Every time. Ludo remembered every one of those occasions, from the very first, when his breath had caught in his throat in astonishment that such a woman should look at him with such open friendliness. That was where it had ended, though, for no one would dare introduce him to her. He’d all but begged on a couple of occasions, but with no joy. What kind of blaggard would introduce a man like him to such a lovely, innocent creature? Not one that Ludo had found. Though, perhaps Tommy….
Ludo moved forward. If he walked straight up to them, Tommy would feel obliged to make the introduction. The poor fellow was too good-natured to cut him. It was a rotten thing to do to such a nice chap, but needs must.
“Oh!”
Ludo stopped as someone ran into him.
“I beg your pardon,” he said at once, though he was certain it had not been his fault. A woman gazed up at him in horror, a note clutched in her gloved hand. Was that one of the Ratched sisters? Ludo had reached out and taken her elbow to steady her, and now the woman appeared to be in shock. He let her go before she could scream blue murder. She was still staring at him, and still clutching the note. Ludo frowned.
“Is that for me?”
Her gaze darted wildly around the room. She looked as if she might be sick.
“Miss Ratched?” Ludo began, beginning to feel rather awkward. “The note. Was it meant—”
Before he could finish, she thrust the note towards him. Ludo took it from her, at which point she gave a little shriek and ran away. Good Lord! Did she think he would ravish her in full view of the blasted ballroom? Aggrieved, Ludo tore open the note and stared down at it with a frown.
Meet me in the library at ten o’clock. B x.
Ludo’s breath caught.
B.
Felicity Bunting was known to her friends and family as Bunty.
Surely… Surely she wouldn’t. He looked up, his gaze moving at once to where she was speaking to Tommy, and their eyes met. She smiled at him, a shy smile that made colour bloom on her cheeks, before she turned away again.
Hope rose in his chest. Ridiculous and foolish, for it was far more likely the B in question was a bored wife or a merry widow. There had been enough of those in the past to know it was the most obvious answer. Yet he wanted it to be Bunty, even as he knew he ought not go if it were. Ludo checked his watch. There was an age to wait yet, but he wanted to be sure he knew where to go, and that they were not observed. She was a nice young lady. Innocent.
If they were caught….
If they were caught, she would have to marry him.
He set down his glass and went in search of the library.
Bunty seethed with fury. She’d been having a perfectly nice evening—a miracle in itself—when she had taken herself off to the retiring room to freshen up. There, she had heard the Ratched sisters whispering together. The older sister, Jennifer, was already married. The younger, Sylvia, was not, which was something Sylvia intended to rectify this evening. Bunty was only astonished they were working together. The two of them were rivals in all things, and she thought Sylvia a fool to trust her sister to help her. That was neither here nor there, however. The fact was, they intended to trap Lord Stanthorpe into marriage, and Bunty would put a stop to it.
“A Christmas wedding,” Sylvia said, giggling. “And he’s as rich as Croesus, Jenny. Richer than your sweet William.”
Bunty left, rushing from the room before they came out from behind the screens and saw her. She pushed her way through the crowd until she found Lord Stanthorpe again. He was right where she’d left him earlier, thank goodness.
“Tommy!” she said, grabbing his arm and towing him away from a conversation with Aubrey Russell. “Sorry,” she added over her shoulder to Aubrey as she dragged Tommy across the room.
“Whatever has got you in such a pet?” Tommy asked, anxiety in his eyes.
“Oh, Tommy, the Ratched sisters have hatched a scheme. If you get a note from someone signed B, do not believe it is from that pretty Belinda Lovelace you were so taken with. It’s a trap. If you go to the library, as the note suggests, you’ll find Sylvia Ratched waiting for you, and no doubt her sister and friends will burst in moments later.”
Tommy blanched, the colour leaving his face so suddenly it might have been funny in other circumstances.
“Lud,” he said faintly.
“Quite so,” Bunty said, only too appalled by the vision of good-hearted Tommy married to such a shallow, mean-spirited creature as Sylvia Ratched. “So you must not go.”
Tommy shook his head, his tumble of golden curls bouncing at the movement. “Indeed not. In fact, I’ll go one better. Dull affair, at any rate. Was going to take Aubrey to my club.”
“A splendid idea, Tommy.”
“Don’t need to tell me twice, Bunty, and I shall be on my guard from now on.” He reached out and took her hand, shaking it vigorously. “Thank you, Miss Bunting. I shall never be able to repay you. Never.”
Bunty smiled at him. “You’re welcome, Tommy. Now, do run along.”
She watched him hurry away and then turned. Bunty was not by nature a heroic creature, but such a vile scheme ought not only to be thwarted but exposed, even if she was the only witness. Taking a breath, she turned and headed towards the library, intending to give Miss Sylvia Ratched a piece of her mind.
Chapter 2
“Wherein misunderstandings and a hasty marriage.”
London
December 7, 1820
Ludo had found the library with no trouble. It was well away from the ballroom, and an excellent location for a tryst. Now all he had to do was twiddle his thumbs until ten. Ridiculously, his palms were sweating, and his heart thudded in his chest. He was acting like a bloody schoolboy. But why? Why did Bunty want to meet him like this? If it was Bunty, murmured the voice of reason. He silenced it, wanting too badly to believe it was her and no one else. Likely it was the only way she thought they could meet. She must know as well as he did that no one would ever introduce him to her, and that smile, that sweet smile she had given him, surely a smile like that was a sign of encouragement? Wasn’t it?
Finally, it was time. Ludo walked out of the ballroom, checking surreptitiously that he was not observed as he made his way to the library. He almost passed one of the Ratched sisters on the way. She was red-faced and looked furious, but did not see him, thank heavens. He lingered in a shadowed alcove as she rushed past. Ludo waited a moment longer, until he was certain no one was around, and then hurried on to the library, where he hesitated outside the door. Please. He sent up the prayer to a God he had largely ignored, and who had no reason to do him any favours, yet he opened the door and… there she was.
She swung around, her eyes growing wide as she stared at him.
The poor girl looked terrified. Likely she was having second thoughts about this mad scheme now. He could hardly blame her.
“Miss Bunting,” he said, smiling and doing his best to look harmless. He closed the door behind him and moved into the room, noting that she moved the exact same distance away from him. “There’s no need to be alarmed. I… I won’t take advantage of the situation, you have my word. Only… I cannot pretend I wasn’t surprised. Extremely pleased, but… surprised.”