An Unlikely Debutante Page 2

  All three fell quiet as they contemplated the truth behind the words. Alex saw his sister open her mouth and knew he had to say anything to stop her getting her next quip in. Sometimes his sister could be too sharp, too observant, and his character flaws had taken enough of a verbal beating today already.

  ‘All I’m saying is I could take any woman here today and turn her into the perfect debutante. All she would need is a few fancy clothes, good manners, some passing knowledge of banal topics of conversation and me as her sponsor, of course.’

  Georgina sighed and rolled her eyes. ‘Have I ever told you you’re arrogant and insufferable?’

  ‘Once or twice.’

  Pentworthy held up a hand. ‘Wait, wait, wait. I have an idea. A wager.’

  Alex eyed his brother-in-law uneasily as he saw the excitement shine in his sister’s eyes.

  ‘Whitemore, we give you six weeks to turn one of these country lasses into the perfect debutante. The first ball of the London Season will be around then—that can be the test. If she fits in, has a full dance card and doesn’t do anything scandalous, then you will have won the wager.’

  ‘What are the stakes?’ Alex asked. He knew he should decline right away, but he’d never been able to resist a challenge.

  ‘If you win, Georgina and I will never mention marriage or try to pair you off again.’

  Already Alex felt the smile spreading across his lips. He would be free to accept invitations to dinner without having to worry whether some eligible young miss would be placed next to him, expecting to be wooed.

  ‘And if he loses?’ Georgina asked.

  ‘Then he has to seriously look for a wife.’

  Alex waved a hand dismissively. Admittedly the stakes were high if he lost, but he wasn’t in the habit of losing and didn’t plan on starting now. How hard could it be? Most of the young women in attendance at the Pottersdown Fair were the daughters of the country gentry. Even if he were unlucky and a servant or shop girl was selected, six weeks was a long time. He was sure he could teach them the basic etiquette for the ballroom.

  ‘Who chooses the woman?’ he asked.

  ‘We’ll leave it to chance. Once we’ve agreed and shaken hands, it’ll be the next unmarried woman of an appropriate age to walk past us.’

  ‘And if she doesn’t agree?’

  ‘That is part of the wager, my dear fellow. You have to persuade her.’

  ‘And you’re not allowed to pay her,’ Georgina added quickly.

  Alex nodded slowly. There was a small chance the woman or her family might flatly refuse to be part of this, but Alex was charming and eloquent and there weren’t many things he couldn’t persuade people to do. Besides, what young woman wouldn’t want to be bought beautiful dresses and escorted to sumptuous balls?

  ‘I’m in,’ Alex said, holding out his hand and suppressing a smile as his sister squealed in delight. He shook Pentworthy’s hand, then slowly all three turned to look to see who would be the next eligible young woman to walk past.

  He saw the brightly coloured skirt first and with his heart sinking in his chest he slowly let his eyes travel upwards to confirm his fears. Beside him, Georgina was in hysterics, laughing in a very unladylike manner. Even his brother-in-law was chuckling softly.

  ‘Do you want to give up now?’ Pentworthy asked quietly.

  Alex shook his head, but even he knew it would be a stretch to transform the pretty gypsy girl into a member of the gentry. Gypsies had a bad reputation, much of it unfounded, but Alex knew the young woman walking towards him would be more at home dancing around an open fire than waltzing through a ballroom.

  Chapter Two

  Lina eyed the gentleman in front of her suspiciously. ‘You want me to do what?’

  He sighed, threw a glance back over his shoulder to where his sister and another young man were sitting, barely able to conceal their mirth, before trying to explain again.

  ‘My name is Lord Whitemore,’ he began slowly.

  ‘I got that part,’ Lina said, adding under her breath, ‘I’m confused, not deaf.’

  ‘The woman sitting over there is my sister. The man with her is her husband. They have made it their aim in life to see me settled down with a wife and no doubt multiple children.’

  ‘That’s lovely,’ Lina said. ‘But I hardly see how any of this concerns me.’

  ‘I have made a wager with my sister and brother-in-law that hopefully will stop them meddling in the affairs of my heart for the foreseeable future. You are that wager.’

  Ever since Lina had blossomed from a gangly girl into a pretty young woman she had received many indecent proposals both from the men she travelled with and the customers she flirted with at the fairs. She usually found the best way to deal with them was a sweet smile, a swift knee to their nether regions and a quick escape.

  She’d just summoned the sweet smile when Lord Whitemore’s eyes narrowed and he quickly stepped back.

  ‘Not like that,’ he clarified. ‘Goodness, what sort of man do you think I am?’

  ‘We have been acquainted for less than five minutes,’ Lina said. ‘I have no idea what sort of man you are, Lord Whitemore. Now, if you would excuse me, I have work to do.’

  She moved quickly, darting away through the crowds without looking back until she was sure she must have lost him. The fair was getting busier as the morning turned into afternoon and it was easy to hide herself amongst the large groups of visitors.

  ‘You’re quick on your feet,’ a low voice came from close to her ear.

  Lina tried to hide how she jumped as Lord Whitemore’s words tickled her neck.

  ‘All the better to get away from lecherous men,’ Lina said, turning to face the young gentleman.

  ‘I understand your reluctance to consider my proposal, but I’m in a bit of a sticky situation. I cannot lose this wager. My sister would see me settled with some sweet, banal wife before the year was out and my life would be miserable. And I do hate to be miserable.’

  Despite her instinct to run as far away from this man as fast as possible, Lina felt a little intrigued. When she’d told his fortune, he’d been dismissive and bored, but even then she’d sensed an energy, a simmering vitality hidden underneath. A few minutes earlier she’d found herself watching him from a distance as he’d laughed and joked with his brother-in-law, wishing she knew exactly what it was that made his eyes sparkle and caused him to fling his head back and let out a raucous laugh. Now he was right here, in front of her, and she knew the safest thing would be to leave and not look back.

  ‘What was the wager?’

  ‘Come share a drink with me and I’ll explain everything.’

  ‘What was the wager?’ she repeated without moving.

  Lina watched as Lord Whitemore appraised her before answering. She got the sense he wasn’t a man who people said no to, but she stood her ground, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

  ‘I made a comment about the conversational ability of today’s debutantes,’ Lord Whitemore said eventually. ‘And I said I could turn any young woman into an acceptable debutante within six weeks, no matter her background.’

  ‘And your brother-in-law challenged you to do just that?’

  ‘Exactly.’

  ‘With me?’

  Lord Whitemore grimaced. ‘It wasn’t you specifically. It was the next woman of marriageable age to walk past.’

  ‘And I’m the lucky girl? What happens if I refuse you straight away?’

  ‘I lose the wager.’

  ‘Why should that matter to me?’

  Lina watched as Lord Whitemore’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly and she saw the flicker of a smile on his lips.

  ‘Right now of course it doesn’t, but come and have a drink with me and we can work the details out.’

  Glancing over her shoulder as a ruse to buy a few seconds to make a decision, Lina deliberated. Although she knew she should be working, trying to earn the money she owed Uncle Tom, Lina had been performing at
village fairs since she could walk and she was bored. She wanted more in her life than travelling with the same people, working the same jobs. She wanted excitement and adventure, and maybe this was her chance.

  Lord Whitemore was already walking away towards one of the tents serving the local cider by the time she turned to face him again.

  Muttering a string of expletives under her breath, Lina watched him go, wondering when he would realise she wasn’t following him. As much as she complained about her gypsy family and way of life, she couldn’t stand the arrogance of the upper classes. No one in her family would act so imperiously, especially if they wanted a favour. This Lord Whitemore needed her—he’d admitted as much not two minutes earlier—and now he was expecting her to scamper after him like some obedient puppy.

  With one hand lifting her skirts, Lina hopped over a muddy puddle and wove through the crowds back towards the lively country music. She allowed herself a satisfied smile at the thought of Lord Whitemore arriving at the cider tent on his own, joining the small group of young women hovering by the musicians.

  Raul was plucking away at his strings, tapping his foot to keep time for the little group. When he caught sight of Lina he nodded towards the empty space that had been cordoned off for dancing. It was the same at every fair—people would wander about for the first hour or two, enjoying the cider, looking at the different goods to buy and inspecting the livestock, but before long they would gravitate towards the music. Huddles of young women would look longingly at the fresh-faced young men across the open-air dance floor, hoping someone would ask them to dance. Of course no one wanted to be the first to sashay out into the open with everyone watching, and that was where Lina came in.

  ‘Ready?’ she asked a young man whom she was probably distantly related to. John was only a few years older than her, with a mass of dark hair and deep brown eyes. He was popular with the village girls wherever they went. He and Lina always took to the dance floor together, performing for the onlookers before splitting up to entice others to dance. It was a well-practised routine and as Raul saw them come together he motioned to the other musicians to up the tempo.

  One of Lina’s greatest pleasures in life was dancing. As the music washed over her, she didn’t even have to think about the steps, just allowed her body to take over and move instinctively to the music. At these times she forgot about the audience gathered watching her and instead danced this first dance as if she was the only person in the entire world.

  Round and round they spun, their feet barely touching the ground, and only as the music slowed temporarily did Lina catch sight of Lord Whitemore making his way to the front of the crowd.

  ‘My dance, I think,’ Lord Whitemore said as he reached them, catching Lina by the hand. At the same time John winked at a young country girl, beckoning her out to join him, so now there were four on the dance floor.

  ‘Lord Whitemore, I applaud your persistence, but I am working,’ Lina said, pulling away.

  ‘Enticing people to dance?’

  ‘Exactly.’

  ‘Then let me help.’

  Before Lina could even open her mouth to protest Lord Whitemore had gripped her firmly around the waist, pulled her in closer so her body was pressed tightly against his and whisked her off across the grassy dance floor.

  ‘I don’t need your help.’

  ‘It is nice to help out your fellow human being. Rewarding.’ He spun her unexpectedly and flashed a flawless pearly white grin.

  Out of the corner of her eye Lina could see her brother looking in their direction. She gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head. The last thing she wanted was for Raul to come hurtling at an influential landowner. One well-placed punch and they would be moved on before the fair was even fully underway.

  ‘Fifteen pounds,’ Lina said, as she was twirled backwards and forward. Lord Whitemore was a good dancer and it was taking all her considerable skill to keep up as he guided her this way and that.

  ‘Fifteen pounds?’

  ‘That’s my price.’

  ‘That might be a slight problem.’

  Lina bristled. ‘You don’t think I’m worth fifteen pounds?’

  ‘Not at all, my dear, I’m sure you’re worth ten times that figure. But one of the conditions of the wager is that I am not allowed to pay you.’

  ‘Then why would I do it?’

  ‘From the goodness of your heart?’

  Lina laughed. ‘My heart isn’t that good. Six weeks is a long time. If I’m with you, becoming the perfect debutante, I’m not working. I’ll lose money.’

  As the last note of the dance sounded, Lina felt Lord Whitemore release his grip just a little. He still wasn’t letting her go, but seemed content to hold her at arm’s length and regard her for a moment.

  ‘I would not be able to pay you,’ he said slowly. ‘But there was no rule against the giving of gifts.’

  Lina tried to hide the flare of hope in her eyes. Maybe this was the solution she’d been hoping for. Uncle Tom might moan, but he would accept payment of her debt in jewellery or other goods, as long as he was paid.

  ‘What would I be expected to do exactly?’

  ‘You would come and live with me for six weeks.’ Lord Whitemore held up a hand just as Lina opened her mouth to protest. ‘I will, of course, ensure you are properly chaperoned during that time. Your reputation will be safeguarded.’

  ‘My brother will still protest. He is rather protective.’

  ‘As all good brothers should be. I will talk to him, man to man, and give him my assurances that nothing untoward will happen.’

  Lina shrugged. If Lord Whitemore could persuade Raul to let her stay with him for six weeks, then she would be mightily impressed. Many people thought gypsies to have loose morals and easy virtues, but in Lina’s experience the same standards were expected of the young gypsy women as every other young woman. They might not live the same conventional lives as everyone else, but if they wanted to find a decent partner to settle down with, they were expected to be untouched and unblemished on their wedding night.

  ‘And whilst I am staying with you for six weeks...?’ Lina asked.

  ‘I will teach you to dance, to converse, how to address people at social functions.’

  ‘Really complicated skills, then.’

  ‘I admit you can dance, but can you dance a waltz? You can converse, but can you impress a group of society matrons with your demure manner and correct forms of address?’

  Lina shrugged. This was why she had always steered clear of the county dances in the towns and villages they visited. There were so many rules, so many opportunities for other people to look down on her, it hardly seemed worth the effort.

  ‘These things matter. Don’t ask me why, I happen to agree with you. Life would be much more fun if some of the formalities were dispensed with.’

  ‘So I’d live with you, have lessons in dancing and how to conduct a banal conversation. Anything else?’

  ‘At the end of the six weeks we would attend a ball together. That is the test. If you get a full dance card, behave appropriately and are successful at blending in with the other debutantes, then I will win the wager.’

  ‘And I return to my family.’

  ‘Exactly, and although I cannot pay you, you will be able to take all the new clothes and gifts with you when you leave.’

  It probably wouldn’t be enough to pay off her entire debt, Lina thought, but at least it would be a start. Something to keep Uncle Tom at bay for another few weeks.

  ‘I will do it,’ Lina said.

  She gasped with shock as Lord Whitemore picked her up and spun her round. He looked boyish and carefree for a moment, the frown she had picked up on during his fortune telling wiped from his face.

  ‘If you can persuade Raul,’ she added.

  ‘That, my dear, will not be a problem.’

  Chapter Three

  ‘You want to do what with my sister?’ Raul asked, his fists clenching although h
is hands remained by his sides for now.

  Alex smiled. It was a well-practised smile that normally portrayed confidence and instilled a sense of trust in the recipient. It was a smile that had served him well over the years, but today it was falling rather flat.

  ‘I want to turn her into a lady—the perfect debutante to be precise,’ Alex said bluntly, realising a direct approach would be better with the suspicious man standing in front of him.

  ‘You want to marry her?’

  ‘Good God, no.’ Alex held up a mitigating hand. ‘I am sure your sister would make any man a wonderful wife, but that is not what I am proposing.’

  Quickly he outlined the details of the wager he had accepted and the role Lina would play in the matter.

  ‘Is this what your lot think of as fun?’ Raul asked, shaking his head. ‘Do you not have better things to do with your time?’

  Alex stiffened at the insult.

  ‘As a matter of fact I do. I run an estate of nearly a thousand acres, with a dozen farms and nearly five times as many residential properties. I employ over two hundred people in various roles and in addition to all that I devote a large amount of time and effort to buying and training racehorses.’ Alex softened his expression and his tone as he saw the respect blooming on the other man’s face. ‘But I also have a sister. A particularly meddlesome sister. And I consider it well worth taking six weeks away from my other responsibilities to ensure I never have to endure her romantic meddling again.’

  ‘What about Lina’s reputation?’ Raul asked.

  Smiling, Alex gave the other man a reassuring pat on the upper arm. He knew he had won this argument already. Lina’s brother would not bother asking about the fine details if he wasn’t going to accept the proposal in principle.

  ‘Your sister’s reputation is of the utmost importance to me.’ It was the truth. Alex didn’t go around ruining young women’s reputations, whatever walks of life they were from. He doubted this Lina was as pure and innocent as her brother liked to believe, but he would treat her like the most precious virgin for the duration of her stay. ‘My sister is staying with me for the next two weeks. As she is a married woman of good reputation, I trust she will be an adequate chaperone. After that I will arrange for my widowed aunt to visit.’