A Pledge of Passion (The Rules of Engagement) Read online

  "She is indeed," he replied absently. "I can find no remaining sign of the damage." Not that he'd really looked. His attention was suddenly on the woman wearing the gown rather than the garment itself.

  If asked the day before, he would have sworn her eyes were gray, but here in the garden, they seemed to have taken on the hue of the surrounding greenery. Likewise, the morning sun revealed distinct streaks of gold in what he had formerly considered nondescript brown hair. He had not previously thought Lady Mariah particularly remarkable. Compared to the statuesque Athena that was her cousin, the diminutive and delicate Mariah had seemed a bit colorless, but seen out of doors in the sunlit garden, she was altogether lovely, like some misplaced wood nymph. He shrugged off the fanciful thought and came toward her, offering his arm. "If you are ready?"

  ***

  Mariah stood back as Mr. Needham handed Lady Russell into the carriage. It took several minutes before she managed to settle her ridiculously voluminous skirts that took up nearly all of the forward-facing seat. "My dear Mariah, I fear you must needs take the seat opposite. Otherwise, you will be swallowed up in my silks."

  "Of course, my lady," Mariah replied, wondering why Lady Russell had worn such enormous hoops for traveling. She wondered if this was also part of the master plan. Perhaps Lady Russell had intentionally worn them so Lydia would be forced to ride with Lord Marcus. Mariah was filled with equal parts shock and admiration for the lady's sheer audacity. She'd played them all like a master puppeteer.

  Reclining back against the red velvet squabs, Lady Russell retrieved a small green bottle from her traveling satchel. "Laudanum," she explained. "I am an exceedingly poor traveler. I find the incessant rocking of the coach wreaks havoc with my constitution. Thus, I prefer to sleep." She uncorked the bottle, wrinkled her nose, and took several delicate sips. "There now." She replaced the bottle with a smile. "Let us be off to Bedfordshire. Mr. Needham!" she called out the window. "I am ready to depart."

  Mariah exhaled a sigh of relief that Mr. Needham had decided to ride with the coachman, only to suck in a breath as the door opened. She held it as he climbed inside, filling the small space beside her with his very large presence. He looked to the rear-facing seat with an expression of confusion. "My dear Needham," Lady Russell said, "I count on you to keep our guest entertained while I lose myself in the arms of Morpheus."

  "It will be my pleasure and honor to do so," he replied with a gallant smile as he took his place beside Mariah. He then rapped sharply on the roof three times, which jolted the coach into motion.

  The moment he sat beside her, Mariah felt a constricting sensation in her chest that had nothing to do with her stays. She was already far too aware of him for her peace of mind, and now their thighs were nearly touching, for heaven's sake! She pressed her body closer to the window in an effort to create more space.

  While Lady Russell reclined against the squabs, Mariah peeked discreetly through the curtained coach window, hoping to distract herself with the sights and sounds of the bustling city. Traffic was heavy as they navigated the streets. Everywhere she looked there was noise and movement—vendors hawking wares from their barrows, burly footmen carrying elegant sedan chairs, and bellowing drivers cursing the pedestrians who darted dangerously through the two lanes of traffic. The air was also vaguely tainted with the mixed smells of horse droppings, refuse, and soot. Yet even under this sensory assault, Mariah remained almost painfully aware of the gentleman beside her.

  "This must be your first visit to London, Lady Mariah?" Mr. Needham asked.

  She released the velvet curtain as if it had scorched her. "Have I given myself away with my gawking?" Feeling her cheeks suffuse with fire, she dropped her gaze to her lap. "How gauche I must appear."

  "Not at all," he chuckled warmly. "Your curiosity is delightful. After spending so much time in the city, it's all too easy for one to forget its many charms. How do you find London?"

  "I find it utterly fascinating," she gushed. "It is so lively compared to the countryside."

  "It is indeed," he agreed. "While there are many more beautiful cities on the Continent, and certainly much cleaner ones, London is quite unique in its character."

  "I wish I had time to see more of it," she said wistfully. "But I promised to return home within a fortnight."

  "Do you plan to come back to town for the season?" he asked.

  "No. I cannot. I was supposed to have done so the year before last, but my father was struck ill and never fully recovered."

  "You have my sympathies."

  "You are very kind, Mr. Needham." She looked again to her lap. She didn't understand why she suddenly felt so awkward and self-conscious. Making polite conversation had never seemed such a burden. She wished she was more like Lydia, who was possessed of not only greater beauty, but a quicker wit and a clever tongue.

  After a time, the traffic lessened. They had turned north out of the city, but the roads were ill repaired, and the jostling increased. Although she tried to maintain a decorous space between them, the rocking motion of the carriage kept throwing her smaller body against his larger one. Each time the coach jarred her into him, she got a whiff of his distinctive scent, a subtle musk hinting of bergamot.

  Seeking distraction, she turned back to the window, but the next time she dropped the velvet curtain, she found Mr. Needham watching her most intently with his deep-set golden-brown eyes. Fighting the urge to fidget, Mariah forced a smile to her lips. "It appears we are leaving London. You mentioned visiting many other cities on the Continent. Have you traveled extensively, Mr. Needham?"

  "Yes. Quite extensively. Marcus and I took our grand tour together, and then six years ago when he joined the Foreign Service, he asked me to become his secretary. We have lived abroad most of the time since."

  "Which place is your favorite?" she asked.

  "Italy," he answered without hesitation. "It is sunny and warm, as are the people. I particularly enjoyed Florence. My second favorite place would be the Dutch Republic. Probably because we spent the most time there."

  "What were the people like?"

  "I found the Dutch are quite similar to the English in their character."

  "How do you mean?"

  "Much like us, they are a pragmatic and industrious people who take great pride in their trade."

  "Did you learn to speak their language?"

  "I did. It behooves one to learn the local tongues. Marcus has a great command of Latin and French, the primary languages of diplomacy, while I have a respectable knowledge of German and Dutch, the tongues of our greatest allies. Speaking of which, would you be terribly offended if I reviewed some correspondence? I apologize for even asking you, but I've received some important letters for Marcus that require immediate translation. "

  "I don't mind at all," Mariah replied, wondering if her colorless conversation had bored him. "Please feel free to attend to your duties."

  "Thank you for your indulgence," he replied with a smile.

  He then reached into the leather satchel he'd carried into the coach and retrieved several wax-sealed documents. With Lady Russell still softly snoring and Mr. Needham engaged in his correspondence, Mariah took advantage of the opportunity to study him.

  Her attention was drawn first to his hands, large and well formed with long fingers stained at the tips with ink smudges. She wondered that she hadn't noticed before, but then again, he'd been wearing gloves. She'd earlier noted the dark shadows beneath his eyes. He must have been up very late working. She admired his discipline and respected his diligence.

  Her gaze tracked next over his clothing. He wore a coat and breeches of navy broadcloth and an ivory damask waistcoat with gold buttons. His suit was plain but well fitted to him. He might even have been taken for an upper class tradesman but for the fine tailoring and the expensive Mechlin lace adorning his collar and cuffs, which clearly marked him as a gentleman.

  She liked that he wore his own hair, a lustrous shade of dark chestnut brown, r
ather than a powdered wig like so many gentlemen preferred. He combed it straight back from his forehead, secured in a queue. It was a severe style that drew the eye to the distinct widow's peak in the center of his forehead. With his angular features and longish nose, she decided that Nicolas Needham was not an uncommonly handsome man—until he suddenly glanced up at her. For the second time, he'd caught her watching him. There was something mesmerizing about his golden-brown eyes. His lips pursed and his brows lifted ever so slightly, suggesting that he read her thoughts. Although they weren't alone, the closed carriage suddenly seemed far too intimate.

  "Have you finished with your correspondence?" she asked.

  "For the nonce," he replied, folding the letters that covered his lap and stacking them neatly inside his case. "There is nothing else so pressing that I would deny myself the companionship of a charming lady."

  "Are all London gentlemen so generous with their flattery?"

  One dark brow slanted upward over his intelligent and expressive eyes. "I believe many are, but I am exceedingly frugal with mine."

  "Oh?" She experienced another sudden flush of warmth. Unaccustomed to flirtation, Mariah found herself reverting back to the trite remarks that had compelled him to seek better entertainment only an hour ago. "Have you been to the duke's home before?"

  "Yes. I have accompanied Marcus several times,” he said. "But I understand His Grace has recently made a number of improvements."

  "Indeed? Then I count myself fortunate to have been invited to see it." She grimaced internally. Another long silence ensued. She held her tongue, refusing to break it with another trite question. She wondered how long he would politely endure her dull discourse before making another excuse to occupy himself with work.

  "Do you enjoy house parties, Lady Mariah?" he asked.

  "I don't know," she confessed. "This will be my first one."

  "You have never been to a house party?"

  "Sadly, no," she sighed. "I visit my cousin Lydia from time to time, but there are rarely other guests. I live a truly dull life."

  "Have you any hobbies?"

  "Nothing out of the ordinary," she replied. "I paint a bit, read a lot, mostly poetry and plays."

  "Who are your favorites?"

  "I love Shakespeare, Mr. Pope, and Mr. Dryden."

  "Really? I also enjoy Dryden. What of music? Do you play?"

  "Only cards! I am a superior whist partner but a pitiful musician," she said ruefully.

  "At least you acknowledge it," he chuckled. "I know far too many people who take great pride in assaulting one's ears."

  "I would never be so cruel."

  His lips curved ever so slightly in the barest hint of a smile. He had a truly lovely smile. Too bad he used it so sparingly. Mariah decided to make it her mission to make him smile, whether he wanted to or not.

  "Do you ride?" he asked.

  "I used to. I very much enjoyed the hunt with Papa, but I am no longer permitted to participate as I was once wont to do. Since he has become an invalid, Mama allows me little freedom for fear of an accident. Her greatest terror is that I will leave her alone to care for him. It's quite stifling." The confession to this near stranger had gurgled out so thoughtlessly. She wondered why she'd shared with him feelings she'd never voiced even to Lydia—how truly suffocated she felt. "What of you, Mr. Needham, do you enjoy house parties?"

  "Not particularly." His confession came as a great surprise. "I often find these affairs exceedingly stifling. As one who must earn his bread, my time is rarely my own, so I also highly value my moments of solitude. Although I have learned to adapt to social demands, I am not a social creature by nature."

  "Are you not?" she asked, somewhat surprised by his candor. "I never would have guessed."

  He shrugged. "One quickly learns the need to be entertaining."

  "I don't believe I possess such a talent," she said.

  "Surely you only need the guidance of one who is more experienced. Of course, you already have the advantage of Lady Russell's acquaintance."

  "We are only newly associated," Mariah said. "Through Lydia. I have no other connections in London, and few even at home."

  "Do not feel yourself at a disadvantage, my lady. I have an unusually wide circle of acquaintances, but my true friends are very few.” He continued with a dry laugh, "Taken as a whole, I am less than ideally suited for a career in diplomacy."

  "Then why did you choose it?" she asked.

  "I didn't precisely seek it out. I had set my sights long ago on a post in the Office of the Exchequer."

  "The Exchequer?" she repeated with surprise.

  "You think it sounds dull?" He laughed then, a warm and rumbling sound that tickled her ears. "I suppose it does to most people, but I have always had a remarkable aptitude for numbers and had aspirations of one day achieving a cabinet post."

  "An admirable ambition," Mariah said.

  "But it wasn't to be," he replied with a sigh. "Attaining such a position is nearly impossible without patronage."

  "Patronage? What do you mean?"

  "I mean that government posts, even lowly clerkships, are rarely granted according to a man's ability, but rather according to their social and political connections, of which I had few. I next thought to seek out a position as an estate factor, but then Marcus secured his diplomatic position and asked me to assist him."

  "You have done this for six years, but you don't enjoy it?"

  "I enjoy some aspects of the job, but I am an Englishman and miss my own country."

  "I think I would as well," she said. "I would very much love to travel, but I am certain I would not like to be away for a lengthy period. Now that you are home again, how long will you stay?"

  "That depends very much upon the outcome of the house party."

  "I don't understand the connection."

  "You may be aware that there is a forthcoming peace congress. We and our allies are to meet with the French at Aix-la-Chappelle in hope of ending this pointless war. The delegates will be announced at some point during the party."

  "Lady Russell mentioned that Lord Marcus desires to be chosen."

  "Yes, but there are others who also perceive this as the ideal opportunity to make their careers. Marcus's chief rival is Edward Montagu, who just happens to be Lord Sandwich's nephew. As Secretary for the Southern Department, the selection really should fall to the Duke of Bedford, but he's far more enamored of cricket than matters of state. Were it up to the duke, he would probably choose the best cricket players."

  "How absurd!" she declared. "I can hardly countenance that our ministry could be run by such frivolous methods."

  He shrugged. "When the vast majority of the power is in the hands of the few, there is no one to govern the whims of those who rule."

  "You sound as if you would change it."

  "I would," he said, "were it within my power to do so. But as it is, I have no voice. I suspect, however, that the duke will permit Lord Sandwich, as the plenipotentiary, to choose his own people."

  "Lady Russell seems to think Lydia can help Marcus in his career."

  "Although statecraft is a man's game, one should never underestimate the influence of women. In truth, foreign policy is shaped as often in the bedchamber as in the council chamber." He flushed. "I pray you will pardon my indelicate remarks."

  "I take no offense at frank speech, Mr. Needham. In truth, I prefer it to guessing what people really mean."

  He smiled warmly. "Your candor is most refreshing after my years in diplomatic circles, where people take disingenuousness to an art form."

  "Is Lord Marcus such a man?" she asked.

  His gaze narrowed. "What do you mean?"

  "I care greatly for Lydia. She has already been hurt deeply by Lord Marcus. One can't help but question his sincerity. She waited six years for him, and only now that she's decided to call it off does he show any interest in wedding her. Is this all just a game to him, Mr. Needham?"

  He considered
the question. "Mayhap it was a game at first, but I think it all changed once he saw her again. I believe his desire to win her back is genuine, although his means of doing so may leave much to be desired."

  "His means?" The hairs on her nape instantly rose. "What are you saying, Mr. Needham?"

  "Let us say that Marcus ascribes wholeheartedly to the belief that all is fair in love and war."

  "Love?" Mariah pulled back with a frown. "Is it true? Do you really believe he loves her?"

  "In the years I have known Marcus, I have never seen him so obsessed."

  "If that is so, why did he wait so long?"

  "Because was too young and immature. Furthermore, he resented the arranged marriage. Had they wed sooner, it would have been an unmitigated disaster."

  "Why would you think he's ready now? Has he changed so very much?"

  "Yes, I believe he has. Marcus is still Marcus, but his wild streak has tempered. Moreover, whether he realizes it yet or not, I believe Marcus is indeed in love with Miss Trent."

  "That sheds quite a different light on matters, doesn't it?" Mariah said.

  "Marcus does not like to be thwarted. He is formidably single-minded when he wants something. One might call him an unstoppable force."

  "And Lydia is the immovable object. How do you suppose it will end?"

  He shook his head with a sigh. "Either very well or very badly. After six hours together in the coach, I daresay they will come to some sort of understanding."

  Lydia had given up on Marcus in the belief that he didn't want her, but if what Mr. Needham said was true, and the love match Lydia had always dreamt of was more than just a dream, she hoped Lydia would find it in her heart to forgive Marcus.

  "What of you, Mr. Needham?" Gaze downcast, Mariah began plucking the fingers of her gloves. "Do you ever think of marriage?"

  "I do not," he replied. "To do so would be pointless."

  She forced her gaze upward to search his eyes. "Why is that? Do you not desire a home . . . a family?"

  "It's not lack of desire, my lady, but lack of means. I have no title, property, or fortune."