“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears,” he quoted, pleased at the sound of it. Then he realized he could not say Romans, and sat there for the next half hour trying to think of a fitting substitute. When he could not find a word that worked as well he gave up the task, not too upset his political career had come to nothing after all.

  Malcolm, who was unable to locate Selina anywhere else, realized that she must be in her bedroom. He knew it was not at all appropriate for him to talk to her there, but as she was already hopelessly compromised, he figured it no longer mattered whether or not they paid strict attention to the proprieties. So he rapped lightly on the door to her bedroom, a little surprised when she told him to go away even before she knew it was he.

  “Selina,” he said, “I need to speak with you.”

  There was a short pause, and then Selina said without opening the door, “I believe you’ve said quite enough already.”

  “Please, Selina, I want to apologize,” Malcolm said.

  The door opened and Selina stood in front of him, her arms crossed in front of her. She did not appear to be in a very good mood. “I am waiting,” she said.

  “Surely you do not expect me to stand here in the hall where anyone might happen by,” Malcolm protested, when she made no move to let him in.

  She stood watching him a moment and then proceeded him into her chamber, leaving the door open behind her. “I hope if someone chances upon us you will remember that I preferred you to stay in the hall. I do not want to be accused once again of attempting to compromise you,” Selina said.

  Malcolm did not respond, his attention caught by the obvious signs that she had been packing. There were dresses piled on the bed and an open trunk on the floor. “What are you doing?” he asked her, staring around him in dismay.

  “It is called packing,” she said.

  “But you cannot leave!”

  “Why ever not? You cannot pretend that you will miss me. I was sure you would be eager to see the last of such an unsavory character as myself.”

  Malcolm winced. “Selina, that is why I am here. I wanted to tell you I was very wrong to accuse you of trickery. My mother was behind the events of this afternoon.”

  Selina’s angry expression slipped for a moment, to be replaced by one of surprise. “Your mother locked us in the conservatory?” she asked. “But why?”

  “She was determined to secure you as a daughter-in-law. She admires you very much.”

  “Well, I am honored that your mother likes me, but I could wish she had not demonstrated it in so unusual a manner,” Selina said.

  “She was afraid I would make a muddle of it on my own, I suppose, which I have,” Malcolm said. “That is why I have come to beg your forgiveness.”

  “Yes, I suppose you have. Vicar’s daughters abound in Christian forgiveness, do they not? Fine, you are forgiven,” Selina said flatly.

  “Why do I get the impression you are being insincere?” Malcolm asked.

  “Forgive me for not being more effusive, but it is a little difficult to be accused of participating in some heinous scheme to dupe someone one moment, and then not an hour later be told that all is well because you’ve found your mother was behind it all. Did you proceed to wash your hands of her, as well? The Honorable Jeremy Malcolm could not bear to associate with anyone who was less than perfect, even his own mother.”

  “Selina, you do not understand; I still want to marry you,” Malcolm said.

  Selina could not believe the gall of this man. Did he honestly think she would just fall into his arms because he said he would marry her? “No, sir, you are the one who does not understand. I still do not want to marry you. Did you really believe you could come here and say ‘I’m sorry’ and all the events of the last few days would be erased? I realize you are used to getting what you want, but even you must recognize it is not that easy.”

  “But what about your reputation? It has been irreparably besmirched.”

  “Hang my reputation! I would rather be considered a fallen woman—although that is quite an exaggeration of the facts of the matter—than to be placed in a relationship where I am not trusted. What if we were to marry and one day you found that your slippers were missing? I would probably be hauled before a magistrate and accused of theft!”

  “I can assure you that would never happen. I realize that my behavior of the past few days has been offensive. No one regrets it more than I do,” Malcolm said, reaching for Selina’s hand. She quickly pulled away, and he realized that she was far too angry to hear his apologies. But he could not permit her to leave Hadley Hall. He had to find some way to convince her to stay at least a few more days.

  “I understand completely why you feel you cannot accept my proposal, but please continue to accept my hospitality. Do not feel compelled to leave.”

  Selina calmed a little at his reasonable tone. “Thank you, sir, for extending the invitation, but I feel it would be best if I left as soon as possible.”

  “Selina, be reasonable. You may not be concerned about your reputation, but I do care about mine. If you leave and we are not engaged, people are bound to think I behaved dishonorably toward you. Why, Cassie has already threatened to end our friendship if I do not marry you. If you stay on for a few more days, perhaps a week, and we enter into a pretend engagement, then later we can say that you jilted me. At least then no one can accuse me of behaving badly.”

  “But then I will be labeled a jilt,” Selina said.

  “Better a jilt than a—”

  “I grasp your point,” Selina said hurriedly.

  “I was going to say reject. That will be my role, unfortunately. What did you think I was going to say?” Malcolm asked, smiling.

  “It is not important,” Selina said. “So you are saying that I will only have to pretend for a few days—”

  “I think a week would be better,” Malcolm said, interrupting her.

  “All of the guests are scheduled to leave in three days anyway. I do not think our performance needs to extend past their departure,” Selina said, looking suspiciously at Malcolm.

  Malcolm hurried to dispel her suspicions. “You are right, of course. I had forgotten that was the date they had mentioned. So you will stay for the last three days of the house party then?”

  “I suppose so,” Selina said. Malcolm wished she sounded a little more excited.

  “Good. And we will behave as if we are engaged?” Malcolm asked.

  “I will not deny it if asked, but please do not expect me to play the doting fiancé. I refuse to go that far.”

  “Of course not, I do not expect it of you,” Malcolm said. “Although if you could behave as though you do not find me utterly repulsive, that might make our engagement a little more believable.”

  “But I thought you could not abide deception? Surely you would not want me to prevaricate?” Selina asked, wide-eyed.

  Malcolm realized the next three days were going to be more difficult than he could ever have imagined.

  Not two minutes after Malcolm left there was another knock at the door. Selina resisted the urge to yell, “Go away,” remembering that she was supposed to be a happily engaged woman now. So she went to the door, to find Julia in the process of opening it.

  “Selina, I am so glad you and Malcolm have worked out all of your problems. I was absolutely consumed with guilt, but now I can be happy again,” Julia said, following Selina into the room.

  Selina was in the midst of returning her clothes to the closet. She continued with that task, while Julia made herself comfortable on the window seat. “I am overjoyed that you no longer have me on your conscience,” Selina said.

  “What are you doing?” Julia asked, ignoring her friend’s sarcasm.

  “I am unpacking.”

  “Unpacking? How can you be unpacking, we have been here for over a week. I do not understand,” Julia said.

  “Yes, well, I had begun to pack, but then changed my mind, and now I am unpacking.”

  “Why had you begun to pack? Surely you were not going to leave right after becoming engaged? I have to say, I am quite pleased with the way things turned out. I had thought at first that I may have ruined your prospects, but now I think you must admit that you have reason to be grateful to me.”

  This was too much for Selina to bear. “Well, before you begin congratulating yourself too enthusiastically, you should know that Malcolm and I are only pretending to be engaged until the house party ends, at which time I plan to jilt him.” Selina began to smile slightly. “You know, I think that is the only part of this whole business that I will enjoy.”

  Julia sat up in her seat and stared at Selina in dismay. “What do you mean, pretending to be engaged? Why would you pretend? You seemed to be getting along rather well when I saw you together in the fountain this afternoon.”

  Selina blushed at the reference to her aquatic activities, busying herself with the remaining dresses on the bed. “Yes, well, that is what finally determined me against Malcolm. He had the unmitigated gall to suggest that I had arranged the afternoon’s events in order to compromise him.”

  “Did you?” Julia asked.

  “Of course I did not!” Selina said, offended. “Lady Kilbourne did.”

  “Really? I would have never suspected it of her. She always behaves so properly. I find her a little intimidating, actually. I had wondered if Cassie was behind it, but it was executed so well I had to discount him immediately. If he had done it, he would have been the one to end up in the fountain.”

  Selina found herself giggling at Julia’s comment, much to her own surprise. She sobered almost immediately, throwing herself onto the bed and wailing, “Oh, why do things have to be so complicated?”

  “I wish I knew. I would have never expected to fall in love with someone like Henry. He’s so…nice,” Julia said, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

  “I wish my problem were that Malcolm is nice, but it is the exact opposite. You would not believe the things he said to me.”

  “But you said Lady Kilbourne locked you in the conservatory. Does Malcolm know?”

  “Yes, he is the one that told me. And he apologized for his suspicions of me, and said he still wanted to marry me. But it is not enough, Julia. He’s distrustful of me and he’s being forced into marriage with me. That is not the foundation for a happy relationship.”

  “Did he know that you wanted to leave?”

  “Yes, that is when he came up with the idea of the false betrothal. He said he did not want people to think he had behaved dishonorably toward me.”

  “I think that was an excuse to make you stay, Selina. It is not like any of us would have gossiped about the matter. No, I believe he is more anxious for this match than you suppose.”

  “Do you really?” Selina asked hopefully.

  “I do indeed. Which is not to say that he should not be allowed to suffer a little,” Julia said, with a wicked smile.

  “Julia, perhaps it would be best if you did not interfere,” Selina said, a little worried by that smile.

  “Nonsense. Everything will be fine. Trust me.”

  Selina would as lief trust a snake, but she nodded meekly, having learned that it did not pay to argue with Julia.

  Sixteen

  It is to be wondered why Selina and Malcolm were feigning an engagement when practically the entire house party knew it to be a pretense. Malcolm had confided the truth to his mother, who had confided in Mrs. Dalton, who had confided in Mr. Dalton. Selina had of course told Julia, who had told Henry and Cassie. The only person who did not know what was transpiring was Mrs. Thistlewaite, who would not have cared anyway, as she was engrossed in a particularly challenging piece of needlework.

  However, the entire party went out of their way to pretend they were totally unaware there was anything amiss with the engagement. At dinner, that was all anyone spoke of and, upon retiring into the drawing room afterwards, the conversation was still focused on the supposed nuptials, until Selina felt she would rather scream than answer another question about when the wedding was to be, and where, and who was to make up the bridal party.

  Lady Kilbourne and Julia were having more fun than they could remember in their attempts to put Malcolm and Selina out of countenance. Lady Kilbourne was particularly successful when she suggested that Malcolm and Selina ride out in the morning so that Malcolm could introduce his affianced bride to his tenants.

  Malcolm, who appreciated what his mother was trying to do, thought she was in danger of going too far. Selina was far from looking the part of the blissful bride, and looked particularly perturbed at Lady Kilbourne’s suggestion.

  “Perhaps it would be better if we took such a tour once the banns were posted,” Malcolm suggested.

  “What? And have your tenants feel as if they were the last to know? I do not think that would serve at all,” Lady Kilbourne protested. “No, it is better for you to go tomorrow.”

  Malcolm looked over at Selina with a shrug, as if to say he had tried, but there was no gainsaying his mother. Secretly, however, he was pleased. The more people Selina was introduced to as his fiancé, the harder it would be for her to wriggle out of the engagement. Malcolm figured that was probably why his mother made the suggestion in the first place, and he began to feel a whole new respect for her. He also realized that his poor father had never really stood a chance.

  He left Selina’s side to walk to the tea tray, where he was joined by Julia. “So you and Selina are to make a match of it after all,” she said.

  “It does appear that way, doesn’t it,” Malcolm said.

  Julia smiled at the way he phrased his response, which caused Malcolm to wonder what it was that made her grin so. “I am very pleased that you are to marry my friend,” Julia said, “but I must tell you that there is one person who is still not reconciled to the match.”

  “Indeed? Who might that be?” Malcolm asked, hoping she would not say Selina.

  “Why, Mr. Ossory, of course. You must have noticed how he admires her. He confided to me that he wishes she will cry off, for he still has hopes in that regard.”

  Malcolm looked over to where Selina sat just in time to see Henry approach her and sit in the seat Malcolm had just vacated. He had no way of knowing that Julia had arranged matters so Henry would be seen in company with Selina at the same time she was telling Malcolm that Henry admired Selina.

  “I am sorry that Mr. Ossory still entertains hopes in that direction, because he is destined for disappointment,” Malcolm said, looking quite fierce.

  “I must admit I would be happier were he not to attain that particular goal,” Julia said. “So I have come to warn you not to do anything foolish that might turn Selina against you and cause her to break the engagement, because then we will both have cause for regret.”

  Malcolm just nodded, still observing Henry and Selina, and Julia smiled, pleased to see him looking so tormented. She was less pleased when he walked briskly over to Selina and Henry, demanding his seat be returned to him and making it very obvious he was angry.

  Henry walked over to Julia’s side, looking rather bewildered. “I swear, I do not know what is wrong with Jeremy. His mood seems irrationally violent. I had just gone over to speak to Selina as you suggested and he nearly bit my head off. I hope he and Selina work out their differences soon.”

  “Oh, he is merely jealous. I told him you still had hopes for a match with Selina, and he is indulging in a fit of temper.”

  “You did what?” Henry asked, his voice louder than usual. When Julia noticed they had become the cynosure of all eyes, she quickly pulled him out the doors that led to the gardens.

  “It is perfectly harmless, Henry. I just wanted to be sure that he values Selina as he ought. I thought if he knew that you were waiting in the wings he would be even less likely to allow Selina to break their engagement.”

  “Julia, I have had it with you inventing stories and getting me involved in these silly schemes of yours. I would have thought you’d have learned your lesson by now.”

  Julia was surprised to see that Henry was really angry. “But, Henry, this is not a scheme, it’s really very innocent. You don’t even have to do anything. Although it might be a good idea if you showed Selina a little extra attention.”

  “You see! That is exactly what I mean. I refuse to pretend an attraction I do not feel, just because you have been fabricating stories.”

  “But it is not an attraction you do not feel. You are attracted to Selina.”

  “So now I am not even allowed to decide to whom I am attracted? The least you could do is allow me to decide that! Does this seem as though I am attracted to Selina?” Henry asked, and pulled Julia into his arms, where she was very thoroughly kissed. “Well?” He asked afterward, but in a completely different tone of voice than he had used previously.

  “Henry,” Julia said softly, still nestled in his arms, “I thought you were nice.”

  So Henry bent and kissed her again, in a manner that was considerably naughtier than it was nice.

  Things were not proceeding as well for the couple still left in the drawing room. After Henry and Julia left the room, Selina turned to Malcolm and questioned his behavior toward Henry.

  “Yes, I am sure you would not want me behaving unkindly toward Henry,” Malcolm said, in a voice laden with significance.

  “I do not want you behaving unkindly toward anyone,” Selina said. “But particularly toward someone who is supposed to be your friend.”

  “Yes, he is supposed to be my friend, just as you are supposed to be my intended bride.”

  Selina looked at him in justifiable confusion. “I gather from your tone of voice I am expected to infer something from that statement, but I am sorry to say that I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

 

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