The other guests returned to the picnic area, but Ellings and Claybrook remained, comfortable being they were all cousins. There was familiarity and friendship between them.

  If only she and Bethany had slipped away with the others, then she’d not be in this now smaller gathering with the two dukes who made no secret of their dislike.

  She took a step away, ready to slink into the shrubbery if necessary.

  Mrs. MacGregor reached out and grasped Tessa’s elbow to keep her from straying far.

  “I have been remiss and insist on introducing you to everyone, Darius.” Her eyes sparkled as the side of her mouth tipped. “I shall correct that error now, beginning with Lady Bethany and Miss Theresa.”

  Claybrook’s lips pressed together as the corded muscles in his neck tightened. “We are acquainted,” he ground out through clenched teeth.

  Ellings nodded, but his glare wasn’t near as chilling as it had been in Hyde Park.

  Perhaps he realized his mistake in his accusations or was filled with guilt for the way he had spoken to her, but Tessa wasn’t nearly ready to forgive him.

  “Then let me introduce you to the others.” She smiled up at her cousins before looking back at Tessa. “I will send word when the course will be available for our use.”

  “I pity the poor women who end up with either of those dukes,” Bethany grumbled after Mrs. MacGregor led Claybrook and Ellings away with a hand on each arm so that they stayed near.

  Tessa agreed, though in her heart she wasn’t so certain.

  Chapter Ten

  Darius truly regretted his treatment of Miss Theresa.

  He had been wrong.

  So bloody wrong.

  Yet it was unlikely that she would forgive him.

  He wouldn’t forgive himself.

  He’d treated her despicably and all because of a phrase meant in jest.

  Bloody hell!

  He scrubbed a hand over his face and let out a sigh before taking a sip of the Scot's whisky MacGregor had provided. It burned down his throat, which was welcoming, but the taste was not to his liking. The Scots could learn much about making whiskey from this American, though it was unlikely they’d be willing to learn, believing theirs was superior. It was something he had discovered at the marriage of Claresta to MacGregor during Christmas of 1815—his first Christmas in England.

  “If not for our cousin, we would not be here,” Leopold grumbled.

  “Rule number sixteen?” Darius questioned.

  “Do not attend social functions where you are expected to interact with women.” Leopold took a drink of the whisky, cringed then handed the glass to MacGregor. “You do have brandy, do you not?”

  MacGregor chuckled and retrieved the whisky and replaced it with Leopold’s drink of choice.

  “What is this about rules?” MacGregor asked.

  “Rules on How to Avoid Matrimony for the Duke in Training,” Darius announced. While MacGregor laughed, Claresta jerked back with an audible intake of her breath. She then crossed her arms over her chest, shifted her weight, tilted her chin, and stared Leopold down.

  He glanced away, and then pulled at his cravat before he took a hasty sip of his brandy.

  “These rules, they are yours?” Claresta demanded.

  “They are important!” Leopold argued.

  “A few are actually worth knowing,” Darius added.

  “Such as?” Claresta demanded.

  “Such as do not ruin a miss.” He shot a glance at Leopold and recalled his reaction when he’d first read his rules. “Though I do not need to be told that it would be bad form to do so.”

  Leopold turned on him. “Do you even take them seriously?”

  “Yes, and no,” Darius answered honestly. “I know what is expected of me in Society, and I certainly knew how to conduct myself around a female long before sailing to England. Further, I do not need a list of rules telling me what I must not do.” Heat flushed through his body as his pulse sped and for the first time, Darius realized that he’d been keeping his anger buried. “It is an insult to be treated as if I am a lad on leading strings and I am done with your rules and censorship. I shall go where I please, when I please, and without permission from you.”

  “And you will likely find yourself unhappily wed by May,” Leopold yelled back before he swallowed the rest of his brandy. “Do not complain to me when that happens.” He then set his glass aside and stormed away.

  “Goodness!” Claresta whispered as regret filled Darius.

  “I apologize that you had to witness our argument.”

  She hitched a brow and chuckled. “I am not.” She then linked her arm with his. “Stroll with me in the garden and tell me all about Leopold’s rules.”

  Claresta listened with great interest as Darius explained that the rules existed because English females were conniving and manipulating and being an American, he was not prepared to protect himself. Darius could laugh at the absurdity now that he’d told Leopold exactly how he felt about the control he had attempted to force on Darius.

  “How many rules are there?” Claresta asked.

  “Nineteen,” Darius answered.

  She frowned. “You would think he could round it out to twenty.”

  “There are already too many and I beg of you not to offer any more.”

  Claresta leaned in and nudged his arm. “How many have you already broken?”

  “Eleven,” he answered. “Though one was unintentional, and I nearly broke another.”

  “Which was unintentional?”

  “Be boorish.”

  “Yes well, Leopold certainly has mastered that one,” Claresta grumbled. “And which ladies did you break these rules with?”

  He hesitated. Did he tell Claresta the truth? If he were to do so, she would likely assert herself and attempt to be a matchmaker between him and Tessa. Whereas, if he claimed that there had been several women, then it would be a lie.

  “I would rather not say.”

  Claresta hitched an eyebrow. “One or more than one?”

  “I would rather not say.”

  “Only one?” She began to grin as she skipped ahead until she was in front of him, turned and started walking backwards. “Who?”

  “I shall not say.”

  “You hold a tendre for her.”

  “I am not certain I trust her.”

  Claresta stopped and Darius nearly ran into her. “Why not?”

  “Perhaps Leopold is correct, that women cannot be trusted when the man in question is a bachelor duke.”

  “I suppose,” she offered with reluctance. “Though, I would not agree that all are of that mind.”

  Claresta returned to his side and Darius continued his stroll, hands locked behind him, contemplating her words. “How can you tell who to trust? I really do not want to become as unpleasant as Leopold or cynical, but fear that it may already be happening.”

  “That is difficult to answer, but if you gave me a name, I would tell you honestly.”

  Tessa had promised to provide names of the ladies and misses he was to avoid yet she never had. If she wished to manipulate him for herself, she’d have provided a long list just to ensure that he remained by her side.

  Except she gave no indication that she wanted him at all even though he would court her with the slightest bit of encouragement.

  But how could he be certain that hadn’t been her plan all along?

  Darius nearly groaned. Leopold’s lecture had first made him suspicious and then Miss Lowrey in the park had been a perfect example, yet despite the dire warnings from his cousin, Darius had only heard of a few stories of a miss ruined and a lord forced into marriage. If that is what Tessa had wanted, she could have trapped him long ago.

  Bloody hell! He was tied up in knots over a woman he wanted, who did not want him, and perhaps he was using an excuse of distrust to distance his heart.

  He nearly stopped as the realization swept over him. Darius wasn’t protecting himself from all women by suddenly being suspicious, he was protecting himself from the pain of rejection even though Tessa had no idea that he had fallen in love with her.

  “Why do you not tell me of the women attending your al fresco.”

  “I suppose I could,” she offered, then tilted her head and looked about. “If you wish for someone who is honest and would no more manipulate than I would, I am afraid there were only two women here that I know well enough to guarantee that they will always speak honestly. I am certain that there are many more, I simply know these two better than most. And, had they wished to trap a gentleman into marriage, they would have managed to do so by now.”

  His chest tightened, already knowing who Claresta would name.

  “Lady Bethany and Miss Theresa.” She confirmed his suspicions. “Had either wished to wed, neither would have needed to bother with subterfuge, given their families are connected and wealthy. In fact, I am surprised neither has settled.”

  He did not need any other name, and he had been a bloody fool. The one woman he had trusted now wished to have nothing to do with him and it was his own fault. And, if there had been a chance that he might win her heart, he’d destroyed that possibility.

  “You do need to marry,” Claresta reminded him. “I can provide you with names of ladies I believe would be suitable and who I think you would get on well with, other than the two I just named because I think they are worth considering as well.”

  “What of love?” he nearly whispered. His parents had a great love, but was that only suitable for those who are not connected to a title? Except, Claresta married a mister, as had Lucinda, both daughters of dukes.

  “One can only hope that they are lucky enough to find such for it always arrives unexpectedly.”

  It was not the answer he had hoped for, but his cousin spoke the truth. Love may elude him, but that wasn’t the concern for today. Instead, he needed to find and apologize to Tessa and he hoped that she forgave him.

  Tessa searched for her brothers, but they could not be found. The al fresco had come to an end, and she would like to leave, but could not do so unless she chose to leave Hadden and Edmond behind.

  “Blast!” she muttered under her breath as she strode to the front of the house where she encountered Mr. MacGregor. “By chance have you seen my brothers?” she asked politely.

  “They have already gone.”

  Her eyes widened. “Gone!”

  “Yes, they left with friends and muttered something about leaving the carriage for you.”

  “Thank you, Mr. MacGregor,” Tessa said tightly as she envisioned the ways she would make them pay only to have her thoughts interrupted by Mr. MacGregor when he chuckled.

  “They did not tell you?”

  “No, they did not,” she bit out. “Which is why I remain because I have been searching for them.”

  “I will have your carriage brought around.”

  “Thank you.” Never had she been so embarrassed in her life and her brothers would pay the moment she returned home, even if she had to search the whole of London for them, and then she’d make certain Father took them to task. She hadn’t tattled on either of them since she was a child, but their leaving without a word to her was beyond rude and reckless. This was also the second time that Hadden had abandoned her in a sennight.

  As her carriage arrived at the front of the house, she politely thanked Mr. MacGregor for the hospitality and apologized for being tardy in her departure since she was the last to leave.

  “That was so bloody humiliating,” she grumbled as the carriage pulled out of the drive and onto the road.

  She continued to seethe, unable to release her anger or tension, and frustrated that she was alone and could not vent her displeasure. Had she known that she was to be abandoned, Tessa would have asked Bethany to join her, but nobody had bothered to mention that she’d be alone.

  As the carriage took her further from the MacGregor estate and toward London, Tessa considered several punishments for her younger brothers, though some were a bit farfetched and difficult to accomplish. However, they would pay. Somehow Hadden and Edmond would both pay.

  At the sudden list of the carriage, Tessa grasped the seat to keep from falling, her anger forgotten when the carriage came to a stop. She glanced out the window but could see nothing and therefore opened the door and stepped out.

  “What is wrong?” she asked of the driver who knelt beside one of the carriage horses.

  “He stepped in a rut and injured his leg. I am afraid to have him continue as it may cause irreparable harm.”

  Well, they couldn’t have that. “What do you propose we do?”

  He straightened. “I am not certain Miss Theresa. I cannot leave you alone with the carriage to go for help. Nor can I leave the carriage and cattle alone while you join me in searching for help. And you certainly cannot go off on your own as that would be equally as dangerous.”

  She supposed he was correct. “How far away are we from another estate?”

  “I do not know. We have been traveling for nearly half an hour, but I cannot recall what is ahead and the MacGregor estate is too far behind.

  “Should we simply wait for someone to come by?” This was another reason to be angry at her brothers. Had one of them bothered to remain and ride with her, she could remain with the carriage with either her brother or the driver while the other went for assistance.

  “It is likely what we will need to do.” The driver then looked to the sky. “Though it is likely to get dark soon and I would not want to be out here with not knowing who will come by or when.”

  “Unfortunately, and thanks to Hadden and Edmond, we have no choice.”

  Though, she could return to the MacGregor estate. If the carriage had traveled for half an hour, then the walk should be no more than an hour, she supposed. She’d never really timed how long it took to walk the same distance a carriage would travel, but it could not be overly long. Further, there was not much along the road and little traffic so it was likely she’d arrive unscathed, and Mr. MacGregor would be able to assist them.

  Yes, that is what she would do as it was a better plan than remaining at the side of the road all evening hoping to be discovered.

  “I am going to return to the MacGregor Estate,” she announced then marched away.

  “I will come with you,” the driver called.

  “You must stay with the carriage and cattle for I would not have them stolen.”

  “I can release one of the horses and you can ride him.”

  Tessa frowned. “He is a carriage horse and not used to someone on his back. Further, there is no saddle.”

  “You would arrive at your destination quicker,” the driver argued.

  She supposed he was correct, and she could ride astride. She did so in the country. All she could hope was that nobody saw her. “Very well. Prepare the horse and I will ride for help.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Darius was pondering Claresta’s words on his return to London. He had remained at her home longer than the other guests and spent time talking to her and MacGregor. It was good to have their perspective and so different from the conversations he had with Leopold.

  However, Darius never gave his cousin the name of any female that he may have broken the rules with even though she asked several times.

  As the carriage slowed, Darius looked out the window and then frowned.

  Was he hallucinating or was Tessa astride the back of a horse, without a saddle and riding toward him?

  Darius reached up and knocked on the ceiling of the carriage even though it was already slowing. When it finally came to a stop, he opened the door and stepped out.

  His eyes had not failed him for Tessa indeed straddled a horse bareback, her skirts hiked revealing shapely calves. Never had he seen a more desirable sight. However, for her to be here as such meant something was very wrong.

  “London is the other direction,” he offered, not certain what to say.

  She frowned and Darius regretted making light of the situation.

  “What has happened?”

  “A carriage horse was injured. I was returning to Mr. MacGregor’s home in hope of finding assistance.”

  “Could one of your brothers not have done so?” He knew they had accompanied her.

  Her face flushed. “They left with friends. My driver is up ahead with the injured mare and carriage.”

  No matter how independent, her brothers should have never left her to return to Town alone. This stretch of road had little traffic and she could have been set upon by ruffians.

  Anger rose and Darius marched to her horse. “Come down from there.”

  She sucked in a breath. “I shall not be ordered about.”

  Blast! He knew better for she was a stubborn one.

  “Please, allow me to assist you.”

  Tessa narrowed her eyes. “That is not necessary, Your Grace. I can find my way to the MacGregor home. You may continue on to London. I would not want you to think that I have somehow been dishonest and think this is a ploy to trap you.”

  Her words stung and they were well deserved. “I would not think that of you, nor will I leave you alone.”

  “I do not need your assistance.”

  She did need him but was not willing to admit such.

  “Tessa, please allow me to return you to London so that you might send help to your driver.”

  “MacGregor is closer.”

  “He is not. You are little over halfway to London so there is no cause to inconvenience MacGregor.”

  She turned the horse. “Very well, then I will ride for home.”

  “As you are now? I am certain no one in London will notice,” he offered dryly.

  Tessa blew out her breath and glanced down, noting her bare legs, and attempted to pull her skirt further down. It was a gown meant for strolling in gardens and not near full enough to pass as a riding habit.

  Darius reached up. “Let me assist you, Miss Theresa.”

  She glared down at him. “I do not even like you very much.”

  “Nor should you,” he admitted. “But that does not mean that you should turn down my offer either.”