Read an Excerpt
The Second Time Around
The Worthingtons
By Ella Quinn KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP.
Copyright © 2017 Ella Quinn
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4201-4565-6
CHAPTER 1
Pulteney Hotel, London, 1815
"And this is Viscount Wolverton." Patience Worthington watched as Almeria, Lady Bellamny, smiled as she introduced the gentleman to the Duchess of Bristol. Almeria turned her black eyes on Patience. The smile didn't fade at all as she said, "Wolverton, I believe you have already met the Dowager Countess of Worthington."
What in God's name is he doing here? Patience inclined her head and held out her hand. "Indeed. The years have treated you well, my lord."
Bowing, he took her fingers in his. "As they have done to you, my lady."
His lips hovered over her hand and prayed he would do nothing more than kiss the air above them, but no. The devil pressed his warm, firm lips to her knuckles; even through her gloves she could feel his touch and fought the urge to suck in a breath. "Thank you, my lord."
One would think after all these years and his betrayal she would be immune to him. And one would be wrong. She held her breath, counting — One, two, three, four, five. Thank God — until he finally straightened and returned her hand to her. Patience let out the breath, yet she could not control the pounding in her breast. It took all the control she had not to make an excuse and leave the room. Yet, she could not do that to Dotty Stern, soon to be the Marchioness of Merton.
"He has been a friend for a very long time," Almeria continued, as if she had no idea of the havoc she had created by inviting Wolverton. "Though he hardly ever comes to Town."
"Well, my dear," Lord Bellamny said, "you couldn't be here so often if it wasn't for the help he gives me. Someone must assist me in my experiments."
"Very true, my dear."
Patience made the mistake of glancing up at the same moment Richard Wolverton stared down at her. His amber eyes smoldered as they had the last time she had seen him, only days before her marriage to the old Earl of Worthington.
Had he finally decided to take a wife? If so, it was about time. Her throat tightened as she thought of the young ladies who'd be happy to snatch up a handsome viscount. Well, it was no bread and butter of hers. He could wed whomever he wanted.
Well-bred chuckles by the other guests distracted her enough to drag her gaze from Wolverton's. She had to get away from him. Fortunately, the next guests to arrive were Lord and Lady Thornhill. Dressed for once as if they actually belonged in England. Normally, they wore the raiment of the places they had visited.
Drat him. He'd stopped kissing her fingers but still had not let them go. Patience jerked her hand out of Wolverton's grip and hastily made her way to her friends. "I am so glad to see you here." Her voice sounded as if she had been running for miles. "What a lovely gown."
"It is not in my usual mode, but I quite like it." A faint line appeared between Lady Thornhill's brows. "You seem a little out of sorts. Chaperoning young ladies can be very tiring, I'm sure."
"Not at all." Really, Patience had to calm herself. If only she had known he would be present, she could have prepared to see him again. "In truth, Worthington and his wife have taken them in hand. Which is a great relief to me as you must imagine."
Lady Thornhill's gaze did not leave Patience's face. "I had wondered how you would like their marriage. It must be a huge change for you. All of you."
"It is working out exceedingly well." She flashed the other woman a smile. "Particularly for the children." Her four girls and Grace's seven brothers and sisters had taken to one another like ducks to water. Patience had heard stories of children not getting on with each other. Then again, they had all been properly raised, and wanted the best for their elder brother and sister.
"The numbers are not even," the duchess announced, thankfully cutting short any further inquiries. Patience had barely had an opportunity to fully adjust to her new living arrangements in Stanwood House when Miss Dorothea Stern, the duchess's granddaughter and a friend of Grace's family, had come to visit for the Season. This evening was the betrothal ball for Dotty and the Marquis of Merton.
The duchess waved an imperious hand. "Some of you gentlemen will have to escort two of the ladies." Focusing on Patience's daughter Louisa, age eighteen, and Grace's oldest sister, Lady Charlotte Carpenter, also eighteen, her grace raised a brow. "I did not wish to give any of the young gentlemen the idea they were being singled out for you younger ladies. Make them work for your affections. It is never good for a gentleman to be too sure of himself."
Merton made his way quickly to his betrothed. Although he was a cousin of Worthington's, Patience had not cared at all for the young man until he had met Dotty. Perhaps in some cases it was true that the woman made the man.
Not that Patience would know about that. Nevertheless, the pair was obviously in love, and it had turned out to be a good match.
She shifted her gaze to her stepson, Mattheus, Earl of Worthington, only to find him staring at Wolverton then at her.
Well, fiddlesticks! There was no hope now that Matt would not ask about the man. She would love to be able to tell him it was none of his business, but that was not and would never be the truth. Not only was he the sole guardian of her daughters, his half sisters, but she was living under his roof, or rather Grace's. Which was the only way she could remain close to her children. Patience would never be allowed to remove the girls from his home.
Sometimes she wondered if her late husband had left the girls as wards of Matt so that Patience could never remarry. Yet, she doubted her late husband would have been deliberately cruel. His unkindness had been one of benign neglect, and an inability to love a woman other than his late wife, Matt's mother. If only she had known that before she had wed him her life would have been much easier.
The duchess's personal butler announced dinner, and Matt strode to his wife, who was standing not far from her. He took Grace's arm, and was about to offer Patience his other arm when Wolverton appeared next to her. "Allow me, my lady."
She could have screamed with frustration. His only purpose could be to complicate her life. "Thank you, my lord." She was going to murder Almeria. "What brings you to Town?" He must have slid a glance at her because the side of Patience's face began to burn. As it had always done when he was staring at her. "You."
Patience gasped. Not loudly, she was much too self-contained to draw attention to herself. But Richard could feel her pulse jump, and he was pleased that he still had the ability to shake her calm, to make her react to him. He wondered if her old husband had been able to command her attention in the same way. The corners of his lips twitched. Probably not. Whether she knew it or not, she was his and always had been.
If only he hadn't been such an idiot. Who forgets the year of his beloved's come out? A young man who had traveled halfway across the world looking for adventure, that was who. By the time he had returned home, it was just days before her marriage to Lord Worthington. He had argued with her father to be able to see her, but it was as if her parents had locked her in the house. When they'd traveled to Town for the wedding, he had followed. However, his pains had been to no avail. Neither her mother nor father was going to let him ruin their plans for Pae. After all, an earl outranked the heir to a viscount. There was also the scandal that would ensue if she broke the betrothal just days before the nuptials. He would not have cared, but he was the only one. Even his parents would have been appalled if Pae jilted Worthington for Richard.
Too late. That is what everyone had told him. But he wasn't too late now.
Her startled blue gaze flew to his eyes. "In that case, you might as well take your leave."
"Can't." He pushed her chair in. "I rode up here with Bellamny. Doesn't like to travel alone."
"I am surprised he is here at all. He never comes to Town."
"There is a scientific meeting at which he is giving a paper." A footman poured wine and Richard searched for changes in her. There was no need to tell her the part he had played in arranging the scientific assembly. "He could not miss the opportunity to gather with fellow scientists."
Her long fingers, almost devoid of rings, wrapped around the stem of the wineglass, then slid up to hold the goblet between her thumb and index finger. "I assume it is a great honor."
"Indeed." If Richard had his way he'd drag her out of the room. Once he had her in his arms, he would convince her to marry him.
Several years ago, after her period of mourning had run, Lady Bellamny had taken Patience in hand, bringing her to Town and teaching her what she needed to know to go on as a widow. He had been surprised, and not at all happy about that turn of events.
As Patience had not given old Lord Worthington the second son he desired, Richard had assumed she would return home with her daughters. He would have pursued her again and this time no one would have talked her into marrying someone else. Then again, that she had wed his lordship was partly his fault. He never should have given in to the temptation to see a bit of the world. Yet what young man truly considers the disasters can take place in his absence?
She turned her head, giving her attention to the gentleman on the other side and giving him a view of her glossy blond hair. Her skin appeared as soft and silky as it had when she was younger. He raised his hand and almost allowed his index finger to trace the line of her jaw.
Almost. Yet he noticed the current Lord Worthington glaring at him. Richard lifted his wineglass in a salute, but the younger man did not respond in kind. Instead, he canted his head toward his wife as she spoke in hushed tones, and nodded toward someone on his side of the table. If there was going to be trouble from Worthington, Richard should discover it as soon as possible.
After the second course was served, Worthington rose, holding up his glass. "To Miss Stern and my cousin Merton. May they have a long and happy marriage."
As she participated in the toast, Patience smiled, even though a tear hovered on her thick, dark blond lashes. Then she sniffed, and before she could reach her reticule, he had his handkerchief out, dabbing the corner of her eye.
"What are you doing?" she whispered fiercely. "Stop it this instant. You will draw attention to us."
"Why were you crying?" His tone was sharper than he'd wanted it to be, but he couldn't bear for her to be sad or in pain.
"Tears of happiness." Her fingers fluttered as if to wave him away. "What does it matter to you in any event?"
"You should know the answer to that question." He trailed one finger down the soft skin of her bare arm, causing her to tremble. "I want you, Pae."
Her spine went rigid. "Do not call me that."
He took a sip of wine. "You used to like it when I murmured it in your ear."
"That," she said in a cold tone most probably meant to put him in his place, "was a very long time ago."
Another toast was made, putting an end to their discussion ... temporarily. "I understand there is to be at least one waltz at the ball this evening. I would like to reserve it."
"I am not dancing. I must chaperone my daughter."
Obviously, he had not done sufficient research into the guest list. "Why would your daughter be here?"
Her sigh was one of pure exasperation. "She and Lady Charlotte, Lady Worthington's sister, are friends with Miss Stern. She is also a cousin of Lord Merton. So you see, I have no time for your games." Pausing, Pae raised her chin in a somewhat pugnacious manner. "Whatever they might be."
What she said made sense, but something was not quite right. Naturally, one would think that a mother would chaperone her daughter. Yet, yet ... "I never understood the reason you did not bring your children home."
"That was not an option open to me."
Why the devil not? The only time he had gone to her father after he'd returned to England, he'd been baldly told that she would be very well off if she survived her husband.
"Worthington is their guardian, and would not even entertain the suggestion that they reside anywhere but in his house."
Bloody hell! Why the deuce hadn't Richard asked Almeria Bellamny how things stood? Because you are too damned proud to go begging for information.
For years, he had listened eagerly to every tidbit dropped about Pae, and he had waited for her to have her fun and come home. To come to him.
He had also assumed she was still in love with him, as he was with her. Well, she might very well be, but if she had to leave her daughters in order to marry him, courting her was going to be much more difficult than he had originally thought. And he didn't have forever. After all, neither of them was getting any younger, and he still had to produce an heir.
Somehow, some way, he must convince Pae to spend the rest of her life with him.
CHAPTER 2
Later that evening, Patience found a chair next to her old friend and mentor, Almeria Bellamny. "Why did you not tell me Wolverton would be here? He was not on the guest list."
"Neither was my husband." Her answer was typically cryptic.
"But you knew."
"Yes, I was aware that he planned to join George." She focused her obsidian gaze on Patience. "What I did not know was whether you still cared for him. You have never mentioned him."
Rather she did not allow herself to think of Richard. What good would it have done? She had her daughters and must be happy with them. Remarriage, even to a man she had loved, was out of the question. "I have no feelings for him."
One black brow rose. "You may attempt to lie to yourself, my dear, but do not try to lie to me."
"I do not wish to have any reaction at all to him." She let out a puff of air that made the feather hanging down along her cheek flutter. "One would think that after all this time I would not feel anything at all."
"Perhaps if your marriage had been better ..." Almeria let the sentence hang in the air between them.
She was the only one who knew how devastated Patience had been at her husband's lack of affection. Matt had some idea, but she would never have confided in him about his own father. "He was extremely charming." And her husband had been a skilled lover. If he had not been so considerate of her in that way, she might not have fancied herself in love with him. "If only he could have got over his first wife's death."
Almeria's lips pinched together. "I tried to tell your mother that Vivers men mate for life. Even if he wanted to, he could never stop loving Elizabeth, and marrying you off to him was no good." Almeria gave a fatalistic shrug. "But she was too thrilled about the match to listen."
"Thrilled indeed." Patience remembered well the raptures her mother had been in when the offer of marriage had come. "Had I known, I would not have had hopes that we could fall in love." If Wolverton had not left her to go traveling around the world, if he hadn't broken his promise to come home before she had her come out, she never would have wed old Lord Worthington. Yet he had not arrived until the offer had been made and accepted, the settlement agreements signed, and the wedding was just a few days away. "There is no point in crying over spilt milk. I had Matt and the children to keep me company. He was more of a father to the girls than his own father was."
And still was. He had always been there for them. The only unfortunate part of it all was that it meant she would never know true love in a marriage. She had not missed it as much before he had wed Grace. Yet having to live in the same house with the couple who were so obviously in love, and to see what she had missed, it was becoming increasingly difficult to be sanguine. And now there was Merton and Dotty. Since the rift between both branches of the Vivers family had been healed, there would be frequent visits between them and Worthington and Grace. Nevertheless, there was nothing for it, and she could not truly blame him for wishing to honor his father's wishes. Patience sighed.
"You could have an affair," Almeria said casually.
Patience opened her mouth, then snapped it shut. How her friend could make the most outrageous statements in such a matter-of-fact tone, she had no idea. "I beg your pardon?"
"You heard me. As long as you are discreet, no harm will come of it."
Except that she had absolutely no idea how she would explain her absences to her stepson and Grace, not to mention her daughters. If they even noticed. Not once since Patience had moved into Stanwood House with the girls had any of them needed her in the middle of the night. There must be something about sleeping on a floor with six other children that was comforting.
Still, an affair was not the answer. At least she did not think it was.
Before she could respond to Almeria's suggestion, Worthington pulled up a chair and sat in it. "Was Lord Wolverton bothering you?"
(Continues...)
Excerpted from The Second Time Around by Ella Quinn. Copyright © 2017 Ella Quinn. Excerpted by permission of KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
