Rules of a Ruse (Regency Christmas Brides #2)

Chapter 6

Chapter Six

With the morning sun streaming through the window, Alden stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his cravat with meticulous care. His valet stood a few steps back, poised to render any assistance that might be needed.

Breaking the silence, Hastings spoke up. “Is this cottage much more to your liking, sir?”

“It is,” Alden replied, dropping his hands from his cravat. “I have yet to see one giant house spider, which I prefer. Greatly.”

“I was told that the staff went to great lengths to ensure you were comfortable in this cottage, but dare I ask why we are not residing at the manor?” Hastings inquired.

Alden turned to face his valet. “I think it is only prudent until I convince Miss Sidney to marry me.”

“And what if you can’t?”

He sighed. “Then I suppose I will have to select one of the young women that Miss Sidney will introduce me to.”

Hastings stepped forward and brushed off Alden’s jacket. “If that is the case, what do you intend to do with Miss Sidney? ”

Alden grimaced slightly. “I will have no choice but to evict her once I sell the horse farm.”

“I understand.”

“But let’s hope it won’t come to that,” Alden said. “Life would be much simpler if I were to wed Miss Sidney. She is beautiful and I find her to be quite tolerable.”

“Tolerable?” Hastings repeated, raising an eyebrow.

Alden shifted uncomfortably in his stance. He didn’t dare admit that he found Miss Sidney to be much more than tolerable. He found her to be quite delightful and he didn’t mind lingering in her presence.

A knock came at the main door, and Hastings excused himself to answer it. A few moments later, he returned to announce the coach had arrived to take Alden to the manor for breakfast.

Alden exited his bedchamber and descended the stairs. He accepted his great coat from Hastings and placed it on. Then he exited the cottage and stepped into the awaiting coach.

The coach jerked forward, covering the short distance to the manor. It gave Alden only enough time to reflect on how eager he was to see Miss Sidney. He felt bad about how they had left things between them the night before. His intention hadn’t been to upset her over the Christmas decorations but rather to help her. But he had messed that up. Badly.

Once the coach came to a stop, Alden exited and hurried up the steps of the manor. The door was promptly opened by the butler, and he came to an abrupt stop in the entry hall. The servants were busy with decorating the manor with greenery of all kinds.

Alden turned to the butler with a bemused look. “What is going on?”

The butler looked at him like he was a simpleton. “We are putting up decorations for Christmas, sir.”

“Yes, of course, but under whose permission?” Alden pressed .

Miss Sidney’s voice came from the corridor. “Mine,” she said firmly.

Alden shifted his gaze towards her. “I don’t understand. I thought it was too difficult for you to see the manor decorated for Christmas.”

“It is,” Miss Sidney responded, stopping in front of him. “However, as you pointed out, I am not the only one who lives here.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry. That was rather callous of me to say…”

She put her hand up, stilling his words. “You have nothing to apologize for since you were right. I was only thinking of myself.”

“There is nothing wrong with that,” he attempted.

Miss Sidney turned her head to watch the servants place greenery on the iron railing. “It was when I was choosing to let grief rule my life,” she said. “Besides, I have to admit it is nice seeing all of this greenery inside.”

“It is,” Alden agreed, his eyes following hers. “And the smell is rather enchanting.”

“I thought I would dread looking at the decorations, but they bring up many pleasant memories, as well,” Miss Sidney said with a smile. “My mother would always decorate the manor well before Christmas Eve, despite the superstition that it was bad luck. She never believed in such things.”

“Neither do I,” Alden said, “but I do hope you intend to put up mistletoe.”

Miss Sidney did not look amused. “I do not think mistletoe is necessary to celebrate the holiday.”

“You are wrong,” Alden said. “Mistletoe makes Christmas that much more entertaining. You never know who will be caught under it.”

“Well, I assure you that I have no intention of standing under the mistletoe with you or anyone else for that matter,” Miss Sidney stated with a tilt of her chin .

Alden laughed. “You say that now?—”

She spoke over him. “I will say that always ,” she said in a firm tone. “Now, would you care for some breakfast before we call on Mrs. MacBain?”

“I would,” Alden said, offering his arm. “May I escort you to the dining room?”

Miss Sidney accepted his arm and they strolled towards the dining room. Once they arrived, she dropped her arm, and he went to pull out a chair for her.

Once she was settled into her seat, Alden sat next to her and a footman stepped forward, placing plates of food in front of them.

He shifted towards Miss Sidney. “I am rather eager to meet Mrs. MacBain,” he said. “Does she know that I am wife hunting?”

“Yes, I mentioned that you were looking for a wife, and quickly,” Miss Sidney responded.

“Good, that will save us a considerable amount of time,” Alden said, picking up his fork and knife.

Miss Sidney gave him a curious look. “I do find it fascinating that you would be so willing to enter a marriage of convenience just to inherit a horse farm.”

“The horse farm is very profitable.”

“It is, but what if taking a wife makes you miserable?” Miss Sidney asked. “You will be tied to her for the remainder of your days.”

Alden nodded. “That is why I will need to choose wisely.”

“Is that even possible in such a short time?” Miss Sidney inquired.

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Alden asked. “After all, I am an excellent judge of character.”

Miss Sidney didn’t quite look convinced. “If you say so,” she muttered, turning back to her food.

Alden leaned towards her. “You don’t believe me?”

“It seems rather far-fetched to me,” Miss Sidney replied .

He set his fork and knife down and turned to face her. “Besides being quite beautiful, you also have a tender heart. You care, far more than you let on. And I have seen the way you treat your servants. It is with compassion and kindness.” He paused. “Tell me that I am wrong.”

Emotions flittered across Miss Sidney’s face, but he couldn’t decipher them. Was it sadness? Disappointment? Finally, after a long moment, she spoke. “You flatter me, sir.”

“It was merely the truth.”

“You are wrong about me, though,” Miss Sidney said. “I am not as kind as you have led yourself to believe.”

Alden gave her a knowing look. “I truly doubt that, considering you are willing to help me out of the goodness of your own heart.”

“Well, I… uh…” Miss Sidney’s words came to an abrupt halt when an older woman with silver hair stepped into the room. “Aunt Cecilia,” she shouted. Loudly. She almost seemed pleased by the interruption.

Alden rose and Mrs. Hardy waved him back down. “Take your seat, young man,” she said, softening her words with a smile. “It is nice to finally see you fully and not through a white sheet.”

“It is a pleasure to finally meet you,” he greeted.

Mrs. Hardy sat down and he followed suit. “You must excuse me, but sometimes I feel like I need to be invisible,” she said.

“I can understand that,” Alden responded with a grin. “I have often wished that I was invisible around my family, especially my brother.”

Miss Sidney reached for her teacup and brought it up to her lips. Her perfectly formed lips. Alden cleared his throat at his wayward thought. Where had that thought even come from? He was just trying to convince Miss Sidney to marry him, not develop feelings for her. Feelings would just complicate things. And he didn’t need any further complications in his life.

As Miss Sidney returned the teacup to the saucer, she turned her gaze towards her aunt. “Will you be accompanying us to visit Mrs. MacBain?”

“Heavens, no!” Mrs. Hardy exclaimed. “I think it is best if I stay behind and work on the bagpipes.”

“You play the bagpipes?” Alden asked.

Mrs. Hardy bobbed her head. “Yes,” she replied. “Some people would consider me quite proficient.”

Miss Sidney lifted her brow. “Who are these people?”

With a dismissive swipe of her hand, Mrs. Hardy replied, “It matters not. I will be regaling you both soon with my impressive skill.”

“I can’t wait,” Alden responded.

“Trust me, you can,” Miss Sidney muttered to him.

Mrs. Hardy gave her niece a pointed look. “Make sure you take your lady’s maid with you to call upon Mrs. MacBain. I do think you will have a much more open conversation without an old lady being present.”

“You are hardly old,” Miss Sidney attempted.

“That is rubbish! I have one foot in the grave,” Mrs. Hardy declared.

Miss Sidney turned towards him and explained, “You must forgive my aunt. She is prone to exaggeration.”

“I find it delightful,” Alden responded.

Mrs. Hardy beamed. “Thank you, Mr. Dandridge,” she said. “I knew I liked you.”

Rising, Miss Sidney remarked, “Please excuse me, but I need to retrieve a hat.”

Alden rose as Miss Sidney departed from the room, his eyes lingering on the doorway. She had looked rather alluring in her pale blue gown. It had complemented her stunning blue eyes that seemed to bore into his soul, making him wonder what she saw .

Mrs. Hardy’s voice reminded him that he wasn’t alone. “I do hope you intend to act like a gentleman when you call upon Mrs. MacBain.”

He returned to his seat. “I do.”

“Good.” Mrs. Hardy held up her knife. “Because I am also proficient in knives.” Her words held a warning.

“Are you?” he asked, unsure of what else to say.

Mrs. Hardy lowered her knife to the table. “Not really, but I hope I got my point across.”

“You did,” Alden confirmed.

She nodded before she rose. “Enjoy your visit with Mrs. MacBain. Not only is she eager to get married, but she can be rather entertaining.”

Alden had stood up with Mrs. Hardy and found himself curious as to what she meant by that. Isn’t that what he wanted? Someone that wanted to get married, and quickly? Yes. This was a good thing.

Elinor descended the stairs with her lady’s maid, Sophia, following behind her. She glanced at all the greenery on the iron railing and memories came rushing back to her. Her mother loved nothing more than to decorate their country home for Christmas. She was glad that Mr. Dandridge was brave enough to broach the subject with her.

Standing in the entry hall was Mr. Dandridge. He truly was a handsome man, but it mattered not. She had to stick to her ruse if she wanted to be the owner of the horse farm, despite the guilt she felt for her actions.

Mr. Dandridge met her gaze as she stepped onto the marble floor of the entry hall. “Miss Sidney,” he greeted politely.

She returned his smile and she realized how easy it was to do so. “Mr. Dandridge.” She felt a slight fluttering in her stomach as she held his gaze. This would not do. She couldn’t develop feelings for a man that she was trying to cheat out of his inheritance.

Fortunately, the butler’s arrival drew her attention. “The coach is out front,” he announced as he moved to open the door.

Mr. Dandridge offered his arm and she accepted it. He led her out the door and towards the awaiting coach. Once he assisted her in, he reached back and did the same for Sophia. The simple action touched Elinor’s heart. Not every man of her acquaintance would be so considerate of her lady’s maid.

Sophia came to sit down next to her and placed a blanket over their laps. Mr. Dandridge sat across from them and the coach jerked forward.

“It won’t take too long to arrive at Mrs. MacBain’s manor,” Elinor said, feeling a need to break the silence.

“That is good,” Mr. Dandridge said. “I must admit that the manor looks very festive.”

Elinor nodded. “That it does.”

With compassion in his eyes, Mr. Dandridge said, “I do hope the decorations don’t bring up too many bad memories.”

“That is the thing,” Elinor started, “it has brought far more good memories than bad ones. I didn’t realize how much I missed them until now.”

Mr. Dandridge’s eyes crinkled around the edges. “I am glad to hear that.”

Elinor cocked her head. “Will your family miss you for Christmas?”

A dry chuckle escaped Mr. Dandridge’s lips. “Good gads, no,” he replied. “Last Christmas, my father spent his time with his mistress and my mother spent it with her ‘gentleman friend’.”

“And what of your brother? ”

Mr. Dandridge shrugged. “He will no doubt spend it with a woman that he is momentarily fancied with.”

Unsure of what else to say, Elinor settled on, “I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry, as well,” Mr. Dandridge said. “I shouldn’t have brought it up, but Christmas is not a big deal in our family. Not like it was in yours.”

Elinor fingered the strings of the cloak that was tied around her neck. “My mother thought Christmas was the time for family.”

“And what of your family?” he asked. “Do you not want to spend time with them for Christmas?”

She frowned. “I was disowned by most of my family after I refused to marry the person my uncle selected for me.”

Mr. Dandridge gave her a look that could only be construed as sympathy. “That must have been rather difficult for you.”

“It was, but I don’t regret my choice,” Elinor said firmly. “I knew the risks when I ran from the chapel.”

“I think you are brave.”

Elinor huffed. “Brave?” she repeated. “That is not what my family considered me. Selfish. Stupid. Inconsiderate. Those are the words that they used.”

“Well, they would be wrong.”

“Thank you, but I made my bed and now I must lie in it,” Elinor said.

Mr. Dandridge smirked. “I hope it is a rather comfortable bed,” he quipped.

Elinor grinned. “It is,” she replied. “There is no other place that I would rather be.”

“Then you made the right choice,” Mr. Dandridge said. “I am only glad that you still have your aunt, Mrs. Hardy, to keep you company.”

“I am rather fortunate,” Elinor admitted.

Mr. Dandridge cleared his throat as he shifted in his seat. “ Have you considered what you will do once I take over the ownership of the horse farm?”

No.

Because that won’t happen.

But she couldn’t tell Mr. Dandridge that. “Not yet,” she replied. There. At least that much was true.

Mr. Dandridge held her gaze as he replied, “You could always marry me.”

Elinor’s brow shot up. “I beg your pardon?”

With a glance at Sophia, Mr. Dandridge continued. “I need to marry someone, and we get along nicely. It could be the perfect solution for both of us.”

“You are offering me a marriage of convenience?” she asked in disbelief.

“I am, but it would be beneficial to both of us,” Mr. Dandridge said. “After all, when I sell the horse farm?—”

“ What?! ” Elinor asked, cutting him off.

Mr. Dandridge bobbed his head. “I intend to take the funds of the horse farm and buy land in England.”

“But your Great-aunt Edith loves this horse farm,” Elinor argued.

“Yes, but once I inherit it, I can do whatever I wish with it, including sell it,” Mr. Dandridge said.

Elinor felt her back grow rigid. “Have you told your Great-aunt Edith this?”

“No, but?—”

She spoke over him. “How could you even consider such a thing?” she asked. “The horse farm is profitable, and you could use the income to buy more land. You don’t need to sell it.”

Mr. Dandridge let out a deep sigh. “I know you are attached to the horse farm, but this is just a business decision. It isn’t personal.”

“It feels personal,” Elinor muttered.

“If we were wed, you could continue to run the horse farm until it sells,” Mr. Dandridge said. He said his words as if he were dangling a treat in front of her.

Elinor couldn’t quite believe what Mr. Dandridge had revealed. How could he even consider selling the horse farm? This was her home. Her sanctuary. And he wanted to take it away from her. She couldn’t let that happen. Lady Edith would be furious to know of Alden’s intentions. She loved this horse farm almost as much as Lady Edith did.

“No,” Elinor said.

Mr. Dandridge furrowed his brows. “No?”

Elinor pressed her lips together before saying, “I won’t marry you.”

“Whyever not?” Mr. Dandridge asked. “It is the perfect solution for both of us.”

“It may be a solution for you , but not for me,” Elinor said. “You seem to forget that I ran away from a marriage of convenience.”

“Yes, but I would be a fair and generous husband.”

Elinor shook her head. “I don’t want a ‘fair and generous’ husband,” she responded. “If I marry, it will be for love.”

“Love?” Mr. Dandridge scoffed. “Not this again.”

“You don’t seem to believe in love, but I do,” Elinor declared. “And you would be the last man I would ever consider marrying.”

“Surely you can’t be serious. Think of your future. What would you do once I sell the horse farm?” Mr. Dandridge pressed.

Elinor shrugged. “I don’t rightly know, but I will figure it out,” she said.

“All right, if you really feel that way, then I take back my offer,” Mr. Dandridge responded.

“Thank you,” Elinor said.

“But you are wrong to dismiss me so easily,” Mr. Dandridge remarked. “Loads of women would want to marry me, given the chance. ”

“I have no doubt.”

Mr. Dandridge glanced out the window before saying, “It is true. In London, I am considered one of the most eligible bachelors.”

Elinor didn’t know why Mr. Dandridge was trying to press his point. She could care less about how many women would want to marry him. He had offered her a marriage of convenience and she refused to even entertain it. But he was still the great-nephew of Lady Edith- who she owed so much. She should at least attempt to be civil with Mr. Dandridge.

“I hope I did not offend you…” Elinor started.

Mr. Dandridge put his hand up. “You did no such thing.”

“Good, because I hope we can still be… friends,” she said, tripping over the last word. She needed to pretend to get along with him for the sake of the ruse. But once he failed to marry by the Twelfth Night, she would evict him. Not the other way around.

He smiled. “I would like that.”

“As would I,” she replied, forcing a smile to her lips.

“And in the spirit of friendship, I should note that you aren’t the usual type of young woman I would be interested in,” Mr. Dandridge said.

Elinor reared back slightly. “I beg your pardon?”

Mr. Dandridge’s smile grew smug. “You are pretty enough to tempt me, but my interest lies elsewhere.”

“What does that mean?” Elinor asked, not knowing if she should be offended or not. But she was leaning towards being offended.

“It doesn’t matter, does it? After all, you were the one who turned down my offer,” Mr. Dandridge responded.

“Yes, but it was for a good reason,” Elinor pressed.

Their conversation came to an abrupt halt when the coach came to a stop in front of a modest manor and Mr. Dandridge moved to open the door. He stepped out and reached back to assist them. She removed her hand the moment she was on firm ground.

Elinor turned her head away from Mr. Dandridge as she considered his words. What did he mean that she wasn’t the type of young woman that he usually went for? Had he been trying to get a rise out of her or was it just a passing comment? Regardless, she would not dignify his comment with a response.

Or so she thought.

She shifted her gaze towards Mr. Dandridge and said, “Just so you know, loads of gentlemen wanted to court me.”

Mr. Dandridge offered her a brief smile. “If you say so,” he simply said.

“No, I am in earnest,” Elinor insisted. “I was largely considered the diamond of the first water in my first Season.”

“I believe you,” Mr. Dandridge said in a lackluster response.

Clearly, he did not believe her, which irked her even more. Now he was just trying to pacify her. What an infuriating man!

Unfortunately, before she could release her sharp tongue on him, the front door of the manor opened.