Chapter Nine

"Is this to your liking, my lord?"

Austin barely glanced at the sheets of paper before him before his mind drifted back to the pair of determined brown eyes that had been haunting him all night. "Good," he grunted, reaching absentmindedly for his glass of whiskey and waving his butler away.

"But, my lord, you did not choose."

Austin grumbled something unintelligible as the warm liquor washed through his body. He couldn't focus on a single thing. Not the ruckus echoing through the townhouse as workmen traipsed in and out conducting repairs. Not his butler, who had been trailing after him all morning asking him asinine questions like what drapes he would like in the drawing rooms. He could not even concentrate on the fact that he had the day to himself, free from the pressures of an impending wedding and his needy betrothed.

All he could think about was Miss Lavender and her schedule .

Truly, he didn't think such a mundane word could cause such a visceral reaction in him. He shuddered as he lurched to his feet, wandering anxiously to the sideboard to pour himself another drink.

To his frustration, his butler shadowed him. "My lord, then is this to your liking?" he asked, showing Austin a swath of fabric.

Austin hardly looked at it, annoyed. "I do not care about such things," he grumbled. "Leave me be, won't you?"

The butler's hand fell to his side. "My lord, you had tasked me with the job of renovation. I hesitate to make a decision you may not like."

"Just keep everything the same then," he snapped, stalking to the window instead. "No changes. Tell them to make their repairs and change nothing in the process."

"Understood, my lord." Still, the butler hesitated. Austin could feel his eyes boring in the back of him without turning around .

"What is it?" Austin pushed through gritted teeth, already frustrated with whatever was to come.

"If I may make a suggestion, my lord—"

"You may not."

"Of course," the butler said quickly. But he remained, silent for just a few moments before he said, "I only wished to point out that you will be a married man soon. It is likely that the future Lady Derby will spend most of her time in the London house. Perhaps it would be a good idea to make changes that may better suit her taste."

Austin said nothing. He only turned slightly, fixing his glare on the butler. The other man stiffened and sank into a deep bow.

"Pardon me, my lord," he said hastily and all but scurried out of the room.

Alone, Austin did not feel any better. Between staff offering unsolicited advice and a mousy lady hounding his every thought, he was in a constant state of irritation. He could hardly be thankful for how quickly the repairs were being made. Soon enough, he could visit his family estate to see if it had returned to its former glory. That was the main reason he'd agreed to all of this madness in the first place, after all.

A schedule. That would not stop hounding him.

Austin reached into the breast pocket of his waistcoat and pulled free the sheet of paper folded within. Last night, Miss Lavender had eagerly pressed this into his palm, taking full advantage of his stunned state. She hadn't even seemed annoyed with him any longer. He couldn't help but wonder if she had meant to distract him with his irritation before making her announcement.

"Take a good look, my lord," she'd chirped. "And be ready when the days come."

Then she'd left him standing there, her friend giving him an apologetic smile as she left as if she too knew exactly what Miss Lavender had done.

A trap within a trap. And he'd walked right into both.

Austin sighed as he unfolded the letter and skimmed his gaze over the long, detailed list of events. Some were marked with an asterisk which she had explained meant she was yet to secure an invite. Everything listed, however, came with another set of instructions. What to wear, how to act, who to speak to.

He thought of Miss Lavender sitting on the floor of her library, poring over this list with such detail. Her hair slung over one shoulder, ink smudged on her hands. A focus in her eyes that blocked out the world around her.

Why did a girl, with such obvious romantic ideals, agree to an arranged marriage?

He simply couldn't understand it. She was detailed, she was driven, and she romanticized the ton and the London Season. Wouldn't she have preferred to attend these events on her own and fall in love with a man on her own?

"Perhaps she knows how foolish such ideals are," he mumbled to himself, trudging over to his desk. He sank into his chair with a huff, tossing the list on the desk's surface. He rested his neck on the back of the chair, his eyes wandering to the portrait across the room over the mantle.

The late Countess of Derby had been a beauty in her youth. With natural blond ringlets and a pair of ice-blue eyes that made her the envy of her time, she'd once held the heart of nearly every man in London. Or, at least that was what the late earl had said. When she'd married the earl, it had broken the hearts of many.

Austin had learned early on in life that marriage was simply a show for others. Even if such a thing like love existed, it was not enough for a marriage to work. His stepmother's love for his father had only fizzled into underlying resentment when Austin came into this world. Even though she had accepted Austin like he was her own, she'd never forgiven her husband.

And his marriage would be no different. He didn't intend to be unfaithful like this father had been. No, he didn't want to be anything like his father. But that didn't mean he would be happy. That didn't mean he intended to nurture the relationship in any way. After the wedding, they would go their separate ways. A marriage in name only, like many others in London. He didn't even care about having an heir.

But until then, he had to adhere to his betrothed's foolish schedule. Austin picked up the list again and resisted the urge to sigh as he took in the next event. To his surprise, it was tomorrow. And a garden party. How different was that from a tea party?

With every second that went by, he was beginning to regret agreeing to any of this. Perhaps, if he played his cards right, he could make Miss Lavender regret it too.

***

The time for the garden party could not come quickly enough. Lavender was up from dawn, all but bouncing off the walls in her excitement. Not because of the event itself. She'd attended a garden party before and had found it dreadfully dull. There was no dancing and she had no interest in the games the ladies could play when they were not gossiping with each other.

But this party was different. The Countess of Lively would be in attendance. And Lavender would have an earl on her arm.

He wasn't the best option, she thought to herself when time finally came to prepare for the afternoon event. He was shabby, uncouth, irritable, and had such little social etiquette that it was a wonder he had been given the title in the first place. But he was an earl in the end. Attending the party on the arm of a titled gentleman was the first big step in executing her plan. She wouldn't let what happened yesterday affect today.

So she chose her gown carefully. A lovely primrose-colored gown with lace lining the neckline and the hems of her puffy sleeves. Her matching bonnet was settled over her perfectly styled hair. Her gloves and fan were simple enough to complement her attire without overshadowing it.

She'd detailed how Lord Derby was to dress for the event as well but she had little confidence that he would do it. It wasn't enough to lessen her excitement, though. She would simply make the best of what she was given. After all the time she'd spent preparing for this, she had no intention of letting this chance slip through her fingers.

For her father and his name, Lavender would see it through to the end .

She decided to take a carriage to Lord Derby's townhouse rather than ask him to come to her. A last minute alteration to her plan, but she didn't want to risk anything going wrong.

Thankfully, his townhouse wasn't far from hers. The carriage pulled up to a run-down house with a broken iron gate barring it from the street. Men came and went through the open front door, whom she assumed were there to work on the debilitated house. The paint was crumbling, the small garden overrun with weeds. The steps that led to the front porch were broken and the front door desperately needed to be replaced.

Lavender said nothing as she approached, silently drinking everything in. She spotted a man giving orders by the porch and waited for him to notice her. When he did, he quickly hurried over to her, bowing.

"Pardon the confusion," he said breathlessly. "You must be Miss Lavender. I am the butler of this house."

"Good day," Lavender greeted, smoothly stepping to the side as two men carted plywood into the house.

The butler looked visibly distressed by her sudden presence, which amused her a bit. "Please follow me, miss. I will inform Lord Derby of your arrival."

"Thank you," she murmured as she followed behind him, trying not to stare at the broken windowsill as she went by.

Inside the townhouse was no better. The foyer hummed with activity as men trudged back and forth, apparently under the watchful eye of the anxious butler. The carpet he brought her across was worn and frayed at the edges, barely hiding chips in the hardwood floor. A staircase greeted her on the other end of the foyer and Lavender breathed a sigh of relief when the butler took her past the creaking steps and to a nondescript door around the corner.

The butler gave her a hasty bow once inside. "Please make yourself comfortable, miss. Lord Derby will be with you shortly."

"Yes, thank you. Wait a moment."

The butler paused in expectation. Lavender pointed to the fading, peeling wallpaper of blue flowers. "Do you know what Lord Derby intends to do with the walls? "

The butler looked confused. "He has not said, miss. But the wallpaper is in desperate need of replacing."

"I agree. But perhaps you could find the same type?" Lavender smiled at him. "A simple suggestion, that's all."

"A-ah, yes, miss. I shall see to it. Please, excuse me."

Lavender gave him a small smile as she watched him leave, then turned to face the room.

What a…sight. She didn't know what to think of it. The entire townhouse was in desperate need of repairs, that was for certain. Everywhere she looked she spotted something broken, chipped, or worn.

She wandered over to one of the large bay windows washing the room in natural light. Of course, the paint was peeling from its surface. Lavender ran her finger over the sill, studying the lines sunken within.

"Do you make it a habit of arriving at other's residence without prior announcement?"

The grumble from behind sent her heart racing. Lavender let out a calming breath before turning to face him, a retort ripe on her tongue.

It died the moment she laid eyes on the earl. He looked…handsome. Not the rough handsomeness that had been hiding under layers of scowls and an unkempt attire. It was as if it had all been scrubbed away, revealing the gorgeous man underneath. His hair looked like it had been brushed and styled away from his face, with a healthy sheen that made it seem like he had washed it just this morning. His waistcoat was fitted to his body, the white shirt underneath molded to his muscular forearms. The bruises he'd sported yesterday had faded to a dull brown color.

It was like he had stepped right out of every lady's fantasy. One of her fantasies.

Even that ever present scowl was not enough to slow her racing heart. Goodness, what had gotten into her?

"Well?" the earl growled.

Lavender turned her back to him, taking a discreet deep breath. "I thought it would be best if I came to you, my lord," she explained, grateful that her voice sounded normal. "I did not want to leave it in your hands."

"How kind of you," he drawled. She listened to his approach and steeled herself. Something odd was happening in the pit of her stomach. Like a host of birds were swarming her insides. "Let us get this over with then."

Unable to help herself, Lavender risked looking at him. He was only two feet away from her, frowning out the window. "You look well put together, my lord," she said. "Perhaps a smile will be enough to complete it."

"I have no reason to smile. I have been dreading this from the moment you gave me that foolish list."

"You will thank me when we arrive at the party and no one will have any reason to speak badly about you."

He scoffed. "If you think they need a reason to do such a thing, you don't know the kind of people you're dealing with."

Fair enough. Her father had seen firsthand how damaging the wagging tongues of the Ton could be. And she was sure Lord Derby was no stranger to their harsh words.

"Forgive me," she murmured. "That was insensitive of me."

"Why? Because I am a bastard?"

"Yes," she replied without hesitation.

For a beat, the earl said nothing. Lavender was almost certain that she'd upset him further by being so blunt. Just as she was about to apologize, he exhaled sharply, the sound sounding suspiciously like a breathy laugh.

"For such a small lady," he said, "you certainly enjoy playing with fire."

"A small flame never hurt a soul before," Lavender said, giving him a small smile. He didn't smile back. But he didn't scowl either. He only stared at her without saying a word, eyes searching her face as if he were looking for something.

Lavender turned away, heat crawling up her neck. "You have a lovely home, my lord."

"Sarcasm does not become you," he drawled from behind.

She wandered over to the unlit hearth, staring up at the white molding lining the ceiling. "I speak the truth. Certainly, it is a little worse for wear but I can see the charm hidden beneath it all. What are the renovations you intend on doing?"

He didn't answer right away. After a few seconds of silence, she didn't think he would answer her at all. But then he said, "I am only going to repair all that are damaged. I have no intentions of changing anything."

"Good. I wouldn't want you to."

She sensed his surprise before she saw it. "You don't?"

"Of course not." Lavender ran her hand over the mantle. "You have a lovely home, my lord. And I can see the charm hidden underneath it all. I would hate for you to change the true character of this beautiful house."

"I…did not expect you to say that."

"Why?" Lavender raised a brow at him, a mirthful smile playing around her lips. "Did you think I would criticise every inch of this place?"

To her surprise, he hesitated before he nodded, "Yes."

Her mirth spilled over into true laughter. "Well, you needn't worry about that. This is your home, my lord. You can do whatever you wish with it. Even if I did not approve of your plan, you do not strike me as the type to care."

"I do not."

Lavender nodded. "But…if you did care, I hope you will not change those ornate bookshelves." She pointed to the other side of the room. "I adore them."

Lord Derby took in the bookshelves for a moment. He leaned against the bay window, crossing his arms. Lavender wondered if it was safe for the window to have such heavy weight pressed against it, considering its state.

"Those were a favourite of my mother's as well," he murmured so quietly that she almost didn't hear him.

"Your mother's…?" It took her a moment to remember. "Your mother was a maid, was she not?"

"She was."

"Was she—"

"We have a foolish party to attend, don't we?" He moved away from the window, stalking towards the door. "Let us get this over with then."

He didn't wait for her to respond before he left her staring after him.