Read Online The Wolfe Wager by Jo Ann Ferguson - Free Book Online
Authors: Jo Ann Ferguson
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doing here?”
“I thought to call upon you, Uncle, while I was driving past Hanover. Square,” said a deep voice behind her.
Vanessa whirled. Her eyes widened in horror as she raised her gaze along a pale blue waistcoat worn beneath a gray coat and past a high collar closed with a sedate white tie to meet ebony eyes in a sternly sculptured face. Taken aback, she gasped, “Lord Brickendon!”
“You remember me today?” He dipped his head toward her, but the motion did not hide his grin as he reminded her of her cold words at Almack’s. “I am honored, my lady.”
“My lady?” demanded Lord Mendoff.
Lord Brickendon’s smile grew wider as his eyes twinkled with amusement. “Uncle, I am surprised you have not met Lady Vanessa Wolfe before this.”
“You are Lady Vanessa Wolfe?” the earl sputtered. “Lord Wulfric’s daughter? Why didn’t you say so?”
Before Vanessa could remind him that she had tried to enlighten him about her name more than once, Lord Brickendon laughed. The older man glowered at him, and Vanessa wished she had never considered asking the earl to help her. If his actions today were representative of his character, Lord Mendoff would have very little influence with the present government.
“Uncle, you have made an incredible mistake by playing the duddering rake with a marquess’s heir.” Lord Brickendon’s eyes glittered as he added to Vanessa, “I assume you wish to depart, my lady.”
“Yes.” She was grateful for his gracious attempt to remedy the situation. “My business is done here.”
Lord Brickendon’s chuckle sent more heat clamping around her. “I see that it is.” He stepped aside and motioned for her to join him in the antechamber. “I shall knock upon my return, Uncle,” he added, “in case you have another caller with you.”
He closed the door to shut off the old man’s grumbled curse. Vanessa was relieved not to hear her name muttered, but the earl’s courtesy was belated.
“How are you doing, my lady?” asked Lord Brickendon as he led her across the grand antechamber.
She was pleased he did not offer her his arm. She did not want to touch or be touched by any man at that moment. She whispered, “That man is your uncle?”
“It is said that every family has a black sheep or two in their midst.” He smiled. “It is my family’s misfortune to have a full flock of them.”
Vanessa did not return his smile. Shivers rolled along her, but she would not let him guess how unsettled she was. A word of this spoken into the wrong ear would spread the tale throughout the Polite World. Her shame did not bother her, but she knew how it would reflect on her aunt.
As Lord Brickendon hurried her down the stairs and through the empty hallway a slight, feminine form appeared.
“I believe this is yours,” Lord Brickendon said as the maid held out a rose-colored spencer.
Vanessa reached for it, but her fingers trembled. Lord Brickendon said nothing as he took it and settled it over her shoulders. She whispered her thanks, but wished she could find the words to ask him to conceal this whole predicament.
When they reached the walkway, Lord Brickendon said, “I would venture a guess that Lord Mendoff mistook you for another—shall we be generous and say lady?—he hoped to have join him this morning. Accept my apology in lieu of the one he may be too mortified to send to you.”
Vanessa was sure her color was as bright as his waistcoat, but she kept her head high. “That is generous of you, my lord.”
“Nonsense.” He waved aside the tiger and opened her carriage door himself. Handing her in, he smiled as she settled herself on the leather seat. He closed the door behind her. Through the window, he asked, “A word of counsel if I may?”
“Of course.”
“Choose your calls more carefully in the future, my lady. My uncle may be a doddering dunce, but a lady as comely as you inspires ideas in even the most opaque head.” His eyes twinkled as he
“I thought to call upon you, Uncle, while I was driving past Hanover. Square,” said a deep voice behind her.
Vanessa whirled. Her eyes widened in horror as she raised her gaze along a pale blue waistcoat worn beneath a gray coat and past a high collar closed with a sedate white tie to meet ebony eyes in a sternly sculptured face. Taken aback, she gasped, “Lord Brickendon!”
“You remember me today?” He dipped his head toward her, but the motion did not hide his grin as he reminded her of her cold words at Almack’s. “I am honored, my lady.”
“My lady?” demanded Lord Mendoff.
Lord Brickendon’s smile grew wider as his eyes twinkled with amusement. “Uncle, I am surprised you have not met Lady Vanessa Wolfe before this.”
“You are Lady Vanessa Wolfe?” the earl sputtered. “Lord Wulfric’s daughter? Why didn’t you say so?”
Before Vanessa could remind him that she had tried to enlighten him about her name more than once, Lord Brickendon laughed. The older man glowered at him, and Vanessa wished she had never considered asking the earl to help her. If his actions today were representative of his character, Lord Mendoff would have very little influence with the present government.
“Uncle, you have made an incredible mistake by playing the duddering rake with a marquess’s heir.” Lord Brickendon’s eyes glittered as he added to Vanessa, “I assume you wish to depart, my lady.”
“Yes.” She was grateful for his gracious attempt to remedy the situation. “My business is done here.”
Lord Brickendon’s chuckle sent more heat clamping around her. “I see that it is.” He stepped aside and motioned for her to join him in the antechamber. “I shall knock upon my return, Uncle,” he added, “in case you have another caller with you.”
He closed the door to shut off the old man’s grumbled curse. Vanessa was relieved not to hear her name muttered, but the earl’s courtesy was belated.
“How are you doing, my lady?” asked Lord Brickendon as he led her across the grand antechamber.
She was pleased he did not offer her his arm. She did not want to touch or be touched by any man at that moment. She whispered, “That man is your uncle?”
“It is said that every family has a black sheep or two in their midst.” He smiled. “It is my family’s misfortune to have a full flock of them.”
Vanessa did not return his smile. Shivers rolled along her, but she would not let him guess how unsettled she was. A word of this spoken into the wrong ear would spread the tale throughout the Polite World. Her shame did not bother her, but she knew how it would reflect on her aunt.
As Lord Brickendon hurried her down the stairs and through the empty hallway a slight, feminine form appeared.
“I believe this is yours,” Lord Brickendon said as the maid held out a rose-colored spencer.
Vanessa reached for it, but her fingers trembled. Lord Brickendon said nothing as he took it and settled it over her shoulders. She whispered her thanks, but wished she could find the words to ask him to conceal this whole predicament.
When they reached the walkway, Lord Brickendon said, “I would venture a guess that Lord Mendoff mistook you for another—shall we be generous and say lady?—he hoped to have join him this morning. Accept my apology in lieu of the one he may be too mortified to send to you.”
Vanessa was sure her color was as bright as his waistcoat, but she kept her head high. “That is generous of you, my lord.”
“Nonsense.” He waved aside the tiger and opened her carriage door himself. Handing her in, he smiled as she settled herself on the leather seat. He closed the door behind her. Through the window, he asked, “A word of counsel if I may?”
“Of course.”
“Choose your calls more carefully in the future, my lady. My uncle may be a doddering dunce, but a lady as comely as you inspires ideas in even the most opaque head.” His eyes twinkled as he
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