The Scoundrel and I - Katharine Ashe Page 0,3
the wrists of his coat.
Four years of marriage and still besotted, poor chap.
Tony didn’t go in for that perfect woman nonsense. In addition to the rules of the Royal Navy, he lived by one self-imposed rule: treat every woman with utter courtesy and never get within leagues of an altar. That hadn’t been difficult to accomplish while at sea. But in the six months since his dear departed great-aunt gave Maitland Manor to him, he had been home, where hopeful maidens abounded. He liked a pretty girl as much as the next man, but he steered clear of matchmaking mamas and their lovely young leg shackles.
His already sick stomach twisted into a bowline knot.
Blast it.
Perfect or not, there was only one woman for him now. He knew what he had to do, even if the mere thought of it made him want to head for open sea.
By golly, there was an idea! He would rejoin and ask to be posted to the East Indies. The admirals said if he ever returned they’d give him any mission he liked. Then he would leave her and the little ones at Maitland Manor, with as much money and as many servants as they needed to live like a merry band, perfectly happy without him.
“The captain does not wish to marry, my lord,” Lady Bedwyr said. “He prefers bachelorhood.”
She was not wrong.
“I preferred bachelorhood as well,” Cam replied. “Once upon a time.”
Tony frowned into his glass of brandy.
He couldn’t rejoin, of course. Not without his first lieutenant, John Park, who at this moment was being readied for burial in dirt. Travesty. No naval officer who had served England and his captain so faithfully should be put to rest in the earth.
Two tiny hurricanes whirled into the parlor.
“Mama, Letty says I may not braid her doll’s hair!”
“Margaret always tangles it up!” her sister hollered.
One golden blond, the other ivory and ebony, the twins looked up at the countess with identically pleading eyes.
“Girls,” Lady Bedwyr said calmly, “we have a caller.”
“Uncle Anthony!”
“Captain!”
They launched themselves at him. Into his lap they leapt, one wrapping her little arms about his neck and the other presenting him with the abused doll.
“See what Margaret’s done, Captain!” Letty exclaimed. “She’s ruined Bella’s hair.”
“Well, I don’t know about that,” he said, examining the matted mess of silk. “Daresay there’s a comb about the house somewhere.”
“But combing will tear it all out,” Letty said.
“Then she shall wear a wig like Lady Rowden,” Margaret stated.
Letty’s little brow got dark.
“Here’s what,” Tony said. “I happen to be acquainted with a pair of dolls searching for two little girls of their own. What say you ladies if I bring them over and introduce all of you?”
“Hurrah!” Margaret exclaimed, tightening her arms about his neck.
“Thank you, Captain,” Letty said fervently. “We shall be most, most happy to meet them.”
Tony’s throat was too tight, and not only from Margaret’s snug little arms. He could not be fonder of these mites. But he wasn’t ready for three of his own. Not all at once. Not all of the sudden.
Even more importantly, he didn’t want a wife. He’d always been as happy as a drunken sailor on his own, even when he wasn’t actually drunk. Now that his friends were all knotted up in wedded bliss, he was delighted to enjoy the fruits of their domestic tranquility while avoiding it entirely himself.
But he could not avoid this.
This was not for pleasure. This was for honor.
From across the parlor he felt his friend’s studying gaze. Blast it, but he shouldn’t have come here. Not today. Not in this muddle.
The earl rose to his feet. “Come, poppets. Let us find your sister and invite her for a stroll in the park.”
They clambered down from Tony’s knees.
“Care to join us, Anthony?” the earl said as the little girls took their father’s hands.
Tony shook his head. “I’ll beg off this time.”
The trio went from the parlor.
“Will you dine with us en famille tonight?” The countess’s soft foreign vowels rolled over the words.
“Afraid I can’t.” Tony set down the glass of brandy untasted. The stuff would never taste the same again. How many times rolling on the deep, without another sail in sight, had he urged his first officer to relax and enjoy a peaceful moment of well-deserved leisure? But John Park had been dedicated to his work and devoted to his captain. It hadn’t been until Tony insisted that his lieutenant finally gave a try to enjoying himself like a regular fellow.
Once introduced to