“No offense taken. What I want to know, my lord, is why you pass on this road? Few do unless they are on their way to my neighbor’s home, Upton Falls.”
“Yes. Lord Smith.” He gave a nod, instantly regretting it as pain lanced through his temple. “I am on my way to see him, but I’m sure he’ll be glad to hear of the care you’ve taken to protect his interests.”
Two women emerged from the carriage as well, one older and one… He stopped. Red hair wasn’t normally his preference, but in this case…
The young lady was stunning. Auburn hair loosely pulled back, ivory skin, and pale green eyes, tipped at the corners to give her innocent features just a touch of mischief and provocative appeal. Well, that and her obscenely full mouth. Pale pink lips that looked achingly soft and full, the sort a man could spend hours kissing.
Her dress was the perfect shade of pale green to bring out the color of her eyes, and while the neckline was far too conservative for his liking, the fichu hiding any cleavage her dress might have exposed, the fabric hinted at the sort of curves a man dreamed of.
The gentleman cleared his throat, reluctantly calling Ethan’s attention back. “Lord Smith is not only an excellent neighbor, but his brother just married my niece. We’re family now. Which is why, if you are a friend of his, you are one of ours as well. We must insist you join us for dinner.”
He grimaced. All he wanted was to crawl into a bed and sleep the worst of his hangover off. “Kind offer…” He stopped—what was the man’s title again? Had he shared it?
The other fellow turned back toward the older woman, who gave a quick jerk of her chin. What were they agreeing to? “I am Viscount Northville. And this is my lovely sister-in-law, Viscountess Northville, and her daughter, Miss Natalie Blake.”
He ignored the rolling of his stomach as Red approached, her lips turned into a lovely and kind smile. Funny, but his uncle would like this one. Right title, pretty, and innocent, she had all the markings of a good wife with just a touch of sin mixed in to make her interesting.
She closed the distance between them and gave a small curtsey. If only the dress showed a bit of cleavage. “A pleasure, my lord.”
He bowed in return, the beginnings of a plan forming. She’d be fun to spend a bit of time with. Hold off his uncle until past the deadline…
But he must have bent too far. Because with his stomach compressed, suddenly, it gave a violent roll, pitching wildly like a ship in a storm.
He felt the bile rising and then all the contents of last night’s sins came violently up his esophagus and out of his mouth, landing in a putrid pool at the lady’s feet.
He blinked several times, noting that the vomit had splashed up on her dress a disgusting shade of red in contrast to the pale green.
He swiped a hand across his mouth and straightened, noting her wide, horrified eyes. Clearing his throat, he returned, “The pleasure is all mine.”
Natalie attempted to process what had just happened as a smell so foul hit her nose, her nostrils curled. She took a step back as she yanked up the hem of her gown, but it was already too late. Her dress was ruined, and her slippers…
She could feel the rancid wetness sinking through the shoes and into her stockings. Her own stomach turned, and she brought a scented kerchief up to her nose, attempting to mask the stench.
Her gaze lifted to the man who’d just defiled her favorite gown. Despite the pasty color of his skin and the flop of blond hair on his forehead, she could see that he was handsome. Strong jaw, blue eyes, though a little dull currently, he was tall and a bit thin but still…his clothes were expertly cut. An earl, she’d heard the driver call out.
Which meant her uncle had just invited him to dinner for the express purpose of creating a match for Natalie. That was the only explanation for why they’d have a road altercation with a man and then invite him to dinner.
Even though she’d yet to have a season, Natalie knew men found her appealing. Her mother claimed it was a combination of her features and her genteel nature. Natalie couldn’t say. She just knew that she didn’t particularly like conflict and so she often conceded to avoid it. Was that genteel?
In her mind, it was cowardly. Now, Natalie’s sister Emma, she knew how to cause a stir. Their mother had always claimed that the tendency would be Emma’s ruin, but as far as Natalie could see, her sister’s bolder nature had helped Emma find the perfect man to love and share her life with.
Her stomach rolled again, this time having nothing to do with the vomit staining her dress. Natalie wished for love, but she knew the likelihood she’d ever experience the emotion was so slim.… She trembled.
Her mother would have her trussed and tied to the highest-ranking lord before Natalie would even find the courage to squeak.
“Oh dear,” her mother mumbled, also covering her face. Her uncle tugged at the lapels of his coat and Natalie dared to peek up at the lord who’d managed to paint her in bodily fluid. He looked…bored.
The kerchief dropped a half inch. How did he manage it? Did he not have a shred of decency?
Or was he like Emma—always in a bit of trouble? The idea made her cock her head, interest making her forget to cover her nose.
“I would be honored to attend dinner,” the earl added, pushing back the hair that had wilted onto his forehead. “Tonight I will surely be dining with Lord and Lady Smith, but any night after that would be fine.”
She blinked. He was going to just pretend he hadn’t vomited all over her? How did he manage it? How did he not even appear sorry?
She dreamed of being so bold and brash. In fact, she’d written down a list of deeds she would commit if she were braver. She’d started her compilation of naughtiness at the age of thirteen and now, at eighteen, the list had grown quite long. They’d started small—steal a cooling pastry from the windowsill—but they’d grown ever more daring as she’d gotten older. Her imagination was far bolder then her actual person.
She’d like to swim in the river at night without her clothes, and dance in the rain, climb a tree, attend a masquerade ball. and…
“Tomorrow, then?” her uncle asked, giving her mother a sidelong glance. Her mother’s nose twitched in distaste. It was a tiny gesture that most would never notice, but Natalie knew her mother well, and that twitch meant that her mother did not like the earl despite his title.
Then again, her mother was desperate to see Natalie wed. Her uncle had grown tired of supporting them, and a good match for Natalie would mean a good dowager home for the countess.
This was surely the reason her mother answered, “Tomorrow sounds lovely.”
Natalie’s belly gave another roll of objection. They would not sincerely attempt to match her with a man who’d just heaved all over her…would they?
CHAPTER TWO
Ethan climbed back into his carriage, a wave of self-loathing crashing over him. He’d just tossed day-old liquor from his stomach onto a woman’s dress and hadn’t even bothered to apologize. Over the course of his adult life, he’d learned to fake anything he wished. But it was in these sorts of moments he wondered if his uncle wasn’t correct after all…perhaps Ethan was just as horrid as his father’s brother assumed.