Until now, Heathbrook had assumed it had involved some last-minute chiding of Heathbrook’s youthful indiscretions. But the choice ofMother’scousin rather than one of Father’s own cousins or siblings as guardian was just odd. And Heathbrook would never be able to get past that until he learned why Father had done it.
Chapter 5
Giselle fretted as she stood before her mother in their drawing room. She wore a white muslin dress with triple flounces in the skirt and a sweet little spencer of royal-blue velvet, which had double frills at the neckline. Giselle liked flounces and frills—not only did they make her feel feminine, they reminded her of her favorite flowers, carnations. Besides, the skirt was just high enough to show off her matching royal-blue velvet boots.
But Maman was certainly taking her time about assessing her ensemble to determine its suitability for an outing. Giselle wished Maman would say she looked beautiful, that the earl would fall right into her arms.
What a foolish wish. For one thing, Maman never gave such effusive compliments. For another, Giselle did notwanthim falling into her arms. Her life had become complicated enough as it was. And the earl would probably only fall into her arms if he wished to offer a more indecent arrangement. She was having none of that.
“Well?” Giselle asked impatiently. “What do you think, Maman?”
“May I see the bonnet?” her mother asked.
“Oh! That is the best part!” Moving to the chaise longue, Giselle picked up her blue velvet bonnet, placed it on her head, and tiedthe wide blue ribbons with a little flourish. “Is it not glorious? I love the white silk lily ornamentation that contrasts with the blue.”
Her mother sighed. “You look like a princess in that ensemble.”
Tears sprang to Giselle’s eyes. Perhaps her mothercouldgive effusive compliments after all.
“And far too lovely for the earl,” her mother added.
“Maman!”
A frown crossed her brow. “I still can’t believe you didn’t tell me you were spending time with the man at your half sister’s home. Why would you hide that?”
The question felt like a dagger sliding into her heart. Not that Giselle had ever experienced such a thing, but she imagined it would feel exactly like this awful pain in her chest.
The deception was so hard. She did not regret her decision, but she did regret how it affected Maman.
She turned around to gaze into the mirror so she would not be forced to lie to her mother’s face. “I-I did not know what would come of Lord Heathbrook’s attentions. I was not sure he was seriously interested in me until he proposed. And then everything changed.”
“You are happy to be engaged to him, aren’t you?”
Facing her mother once more, she smiled broadly. “I am very happy.”
That was actually true. It was as if Lord Heathbrook …Heath… had lifted a weight off her chest. She had passed onto him the responsibility of getting proper papers for her and Maman, and now she could breathe again.
A knock came at the door, and Giselle turned toward the sound. “He is here!”
For pity’s sake, stop that! This is not a real courtship.
Yet Giselle could barely keep from hurrying to the door. That was for their manservant, Mr. Carr, to do. Unlike their lady’s maid, Brigitte, who was as French as they were, Mr. Carr was a real English butler, recommended by their landlord in Bath. So, Giselle forced herself to stand still and let the man perform his duties, so that Heath could see she had not lied about their financial prospects.
Granted, beyond Brigitte and Mr. Carr, they only had a cook and a maid-of-all-work, but Maman’s inheritance from Giselle’s stepfather was enough to pay them every year. And that was perfectly adequate.Theywere adequate without an earl wandering about, suddenly hoisting her into the air, and then giving her a kiss that was much more than adequate.
She sighed. When had she started wanting more than adequate? Why did she feel her pulse quicken when he entered? Why did the frank male appreciation in his gaze as he looked her over make her heart thump madly in her chest?
He bowed to Maman. “Bonjour, Madame Bernard.”
After Maman nodded and greeted him back, he turned to Giselle, and his voice turned husky, like thunder at the very beginning of rumbling. “Bonjour,ma fiancée.”
“Good afternoon, Heath,” she said primly. Why, oh, why, must he appear so very fine in his beige trousers and his double-breasted coat of chocolate-brown superfine with gold buttons? Not to mention his brown leather riding boots?
“You look like a veritable water nymph in that gown,” he said in English, his eyes practically eating her up.
“Thank you, sir.” She looked him over critically to hide the way she wanted to eathimup with her eyes, and added offhandedly, “Meanwhile, you look handsome as usual.”
He laughed. “How is it you manage to make looking handsome sound like a character flaw?”