Mr. Malcolm's List Read online

  “A project?” Selina prompted, as Julia hesitated at that point and seemed loath to go on.

  Julia glanced at her cousin, who only scowled more ferociously at her. Julia continued undaunted, although she appeared to be having difficult meeting Selina’s gaze. “Perhaps ‘project’ is not the right word,” she said. “It’s really more of a lark.”

  “Humph,” Cassie snorted, and rolled his eyes.

  His cousin ignored him and continued, “You see, there is a young gentleman, a Mr. Malcolm, who is widely known for his arrogance. He distinguished me by paying me some very pointed attentions, but then humiliated me by withdrawing his suit.”

  “How dreadful for you. I am so sorry.”

  Julia waved away Selina’s expressions of sympathy with an impatient gesture. “Yes, it was quite unpleasant, particularly when I discovered that he has a list that he judged me against, and found me wanting.”

  “He has a list? What sort of list?”

  “It is a list of the qualifications he is looking for in a bride. But he believes himself to be so superior to the rest of us mere mortals that the qualifications are quite unreachable. I would love to see Mr. Malcolm receive the comeuppance he deserves by playing a small prank on him. And I remembered how in school you were up for any sort of lark.” Selina was given no opportunity to object to this reading of her character, but she thought that Julia must have confused her with someone else, for Selina herself remembered nothing of the sort. “I thought if we were to present you as the perfect woman he is looking for, and then allow him to discover you have a list, and he does not meet the qualifications on your list, it would be a perfect sort of poetic justice.”

  “But Julia, if he is as arrogant and fastidious as you say, surely I will not attract his attention either?”

  “There is that possibility, but then you are better informed than I or any other young lady has been. You know about the list, and with some tutelage from me and my cousin you have a much better chance of meeting the requirements.”

  Selina glanced over at Lord Cassidy, wondering how this disheveled, comical-looking man could tutor her in the feminine wiles necessary to attract a refined gentleman of particular tastes. He saw her wondering glance and explained, “Malcolm’s my good friend. I know him better than most.”

  “But you agree he deserves this prank played on him?” Selina asked him.

  Julia replied before Cassie could. “Of course he does. He would not have offered his assistance if he did not think so.” When Selina continued to look unsure, Julia said impatiently, “Do not be such a namby-pamby, Selina. You will not be doing anything to Mr. Malcolm that he has not already done himself to more than one young lady, myself included.”

  “It is just that I think your little prank is doomed to failure. What do I know of attracting gentlemen? I doubt Mr. Malcolm will even look in my direction.”

  Cassie looked over at Julia, wondering what his cousin would say to that. He knew she hated to play second fiddle to any woman, but there was no denying that his cousin paled in comparison to Selina. Where Julia’s hair was light red, Selina’s was a dark, rich, reddish-brown. Where Julia’s eyes were pale green, Selina’s were a lustrous, emerald green. Where Julia’s complexion was a fashionable white, Selina’s skin had a golden cast, almost as if she were glowing. Any gentleman would look in Selina’s direction and, once they had, they would continue looking.

  Julia mentioned none of that, however. “I think in the right setting and with the correct set of circumstances, you can attract Mr. Malcolm’s attention,” she said. “I must say, this little prank is the only thing that has tempted me to venture back into society. I do hope you’ll agree to help me or we may have to cut your delightful visit short. I doubt I would be in the mood for much socializing.”

  Selina immediately grasped Julia’s meaning. She had been invited with a specific purpose, that of assisting Julia in humbling Mr. Malcolm. If she refused to assist Julia in this endeavor any entrée into London society would be denied her. She sighed, weighing her options. As much as she disliked the idea of setting herself up as a mantrap it did sound as if Mr. Malcolm would be receiving his just deserts. And there was always the very real probability he would never even notice her, in which case Julia could not blame her if the plan failed.

  “So what is it you want me to do?” Selina asked, and Julia smiled in triumph.

  Two

  One week later, Selina was regretting her hasty agreement to Julia’s plan. She had already spent half of her annual income on the new wardrobe that Julia said was essential to catching Mr. Malcolm’s eye, she had yet to attend even the most innocuous social event, and her head was spinning with the contradictory instructions Julia was giving her.

  “You must exude a certain elegance of mind, a knowledge of the world, while still retaining the naïveté that gentlemen find so charming,” she told Selina, as they sat beside each other on a sofa in the Thistlewaite’s drawing room, with Cassie sitting across from them.

  “Do you know anything about the Corn Laws?” Cassie asked Selina.

  “What? Yes, of course.”

  “That’s good then,” Cassie said, beaming at her.

  Julia launched into another lecture, only to be interrupted by her cousin once again. “Oh, I almost forgot,” Cassie said. “No winking.”

  “Excuse me?” Selina said.

  “Malcolm doesn’t like flirtatious tricks.”

  “Cassie, if you were paying the least bit of attention to me, you would have realized that is what I was just saying to Selina. I was explaining to her that there should be no artificiality in her behavior when she pretends an attraction to Mr. Malcolm.”

  “That doesn’t sound anything like what I just said,” Cassie said.

  “Excuse me for not using words of fewer syllables to ensure that you would understand—”

  “Well if you are so smart, Miss Hoity-Toity, why couldn’t you pass Malcolm’s little test?”

  “Perhaps if you’d warned me—”

  Selina had heard enough. “Stop it this instant!” she said, breaking into their argument. The cousins turned to look at her, their eyes big. “I have heard enough of your petty bickering this week to last me a lifetime. I believe I have an idea of what Mr. Malcolm is looking for. Now what plan do you have for us to meet?”

  Selina, peeking out from behind the door of her host’s library, could not believe this was the manner in which she was spending her first ball. She had been introduced to her host and hostess, danced one dance with Cassie, and then been ushered into the library to hide for the rest of the evening. Mr. Malcolm was apparently in attendance, and her cohorts felt that she should present an air of mystery to pique his interest. After her first dance she was to disappear while Julia and Cassie mingled with the rest of those in attendance, whispering about the new Incognita.

  Selina could not help but reflect that the society in Bath, as elderly as it was, was superior to that of the harebrained cousins. “I should have gone to Sussex after all,” she said aloud, still standing at the door and peering into the empty hallway.

  “I beg your pardon?” a voice said from behind her.

  She whirled around to see a young man standing in the room, apparently having risen from his seat at her entrance. And the sight of him made her very glad she had not gone to Sussex. He was the most beautiful man she had ever seen. The library was not well-lit—evidently the hosts did not expect their guests to seek refuge there in the middle of a ball—so Selina could only hope that when seen in the full light of day he would look less like a Greek god and more like a mere mortal.

  “I am sorry to disturb you, sir,” Selina said, when she finally recovered from her surprise.

  “It is no matter,” he said, folding a paper he held in his hand and slipping it into his pocket. “I was just reflecting on the futility of a dream.”

  Selina, who had been reflecting likewise just moments ago, was now thinking perhaps she’d been overly has
ty. “Is any dream futile? It gives us hope, and hope is a good thing.”

  “In your opinion. Others of us may believe, as the poet said: ‘Hope is the most hopeless thing of all.’”

  “What a sad conviction to hold! I prefer to believe, like Johnson, that hope is the ‘chief happiness which this world affords.’ But perhaps you hope for something unworthy, in which case you deserve to hope in vain. Confess, sir, you were hoping to win at the gaming tables this day and you have lost, and now you are indulging in a fit of pique.”

  The mysterious gentleman smiled. “I would not confess to such childish conduct, although had I played I would have hoped to win.”

  “So you contend that you hope for something worthy.”

  “I do, indeed.”

  “Then it is my hope that you obtain it,” Selina said, smiling.

  “I am honored. Perhaps I am mistaken in thinking hope a useless thing,” he said, staring intently at Selina.

  Her smile faltered a little and there was an awkward silence. Selina was suddenly aware that she should not have remained alone in the library with a strange gentleman carrying on a philosophical discussion. “I should go,” she finally said, but made no move to leave. She realized as soon as the words left her mouth that she had nowhere to go. She had been instructed by Cassie and Julia to stay where she was until they returned for her. Thankfully, the gentleman said he should be the one to leave, and walked to the door where she still stood.

  She stepped aside but he paused in front of her. “I would be delighted if you would save a dance for me, once you return to the ballroom and we have been properly introduced, that is.”

  Selina just nodded, suddenly shy. It was only after he left the room that she remembered she would not be returning to the ballroom.

  Mr. Malcolm entered the ballroom to find his friend Cassie searching for him.

  “Where have you been? I’ve got a likely prospect for you. Young filly, deep-chested, long legs….”

  Malcolm was regretting having ever used that horse analogy. Cassie had described every young lady he’d seen since in equine terms.

  “I am not interested, Cassie. I think I’ve found a likely prospect of my own.”

  “What?” Cassie said, looking alarmed. Malcolm looked over at him in surprise.

  “Why do you look so concerned? I thought you wanted me to find a suitable young lady.”

  “I do, I do. It’s just that there’s a new girl in town that everyone’s talking about. She’s visiting my cousin Julia for a few weeks. She has quite the air of mystery.”

  “That sounds rather alarming. I tend to stay away from young ladies of mystery. It usually turns out they are pining away for their dancing master or some other equally unsuitable parti.”

  “No such thing, I assure you,” Cassie said, but Malcolm just ignored him, looking casually around the ballroom.

  “I wonder how long she will be in the library,” Malcolm muttered, and Cassie looked up, startled.

  “What’s that?” he asked his friend.

  “Oh, it was nothing of consequence,” Malcolm said. “She’ll probably turn out to be married or equally ineligible,” he mumbled to himself.

  Cassie did not reply. He only looked searchingly at his friend for a moment before excusing himself. Malcolm just nodded, still scanning the ballroom. He found himself a little ambivalent about meeting the young lady again. He had been quite impressed with her during their first meeting, but he was worried that when he encountered her again he’d find that he’d endowed her with nonexistent qualities in his eagerness to find an eligible bride. She had seemed like an answer to a prayer, arriving in the library so suddenly when he had almost convinced himself his quest was futile. Even in the darkness of the library she sparkled. Her large eyes glowed with intelligence and humor, and her smile enchanted him with its sweet sincerity. The more he thought about her the more impatient he became to meet her again, so he could discover for himself the exact color of those fascinating eyes.

  Cassie rushed to the library to find Selina sitting rather disconsolately on a sofa, staring into space.

  “Selina, did you meet a gentleman in here?” he asked her.

  Selina looked up, startled by Cassie’s sudden entrance. “What? Oh, yes. Yes, I did. He asked me to dance.” The thought of missing that dance caused Selina to frown. She wondered what there was for Cassie to grin about.

  “Excellent,” he said. “I think we should return to the ballroom so that you can have that dance.”

  “Really? Do you know the gentleman?” Selina asked.

  “I rather think I do,” Cassie replied, smiling even more broadly.

  Cassie and Selina joined Mrs. Thistlewaite to await Julia’s return from dancing. Mrs. Thistlewaite was a petite, timid woman with “delicate nerves.” She was no match for her headstrong daughter and allowed Julia an inordinate amount of independence. She and her husband had been approaching middle age when Julia was born so Julia’s birth was greeted as a miracle. Mr. Thistlewaite had been an indulgent father during his lifetime and even now Julia was able to coerce her mother on those few occasions she opposed Julia by saying: “Papa would have allowed it.”

  Mrs. Thistlewaite greeted her nephew and Selina warmly, rising at their approach and dropping her shawl on the floor. Selina recovered it for her.

  “Oh, how clumsy of me. Thank you, Selina. Such a dear girl. But why have you not been dancing? I have not seen you dance with anyone other than Cassie.”

  Selina and Cassie exchanged a look but thankfully Julia arrived just at that moment and a reply was not necessary.

  “Cassie! What is Selina doing here? You are going to undo all my hard work. Everyone is fascinated by the new Incognita. If they actually see Selina they will no longer be interested in her.”

  “Why, thank you, Julia,” Selina said.

  Cassie began to tell Julia about the meeting in the library when he was interrupted by the arrival of Mr. Malcolm.

  Selina, still unaware of the identity of the mysterious man from the library, was thrilled to see him again. In the brighter light of the ballroom she was able to determine he was just as handsome as he had first appeared. This had the unfortunate effect of making it difficult for her to breathe, or to think, for that matter. So it took a few moments for her to realize that her mysterious stranger was being addressed as Malcolm by Cassie.

  “Malcolm!” Selina said in surprise, and then flushed when all heads swiveled in her direction.

  Mr. Malcolm, his eyebrows raised, smiled quizzically at Selina. “That is correct. I, however, have not yet learned your name.” He then turned to his friend Cassie to perform the honors.

  “Mr. Malcolm, may I present Miss Dalton.”

  “Miss Dalton, I am pleased to make your acquaintance,” Mr. Malcolm said, bowing over her hand.

  Selina sank into a curtsey and hoped desperately she would be able to rise again, for her legs suddenly seemed too weak to support her. This was the insufferably arrogant man who went around breaking ladies’ hearts? The ridiculous charade she was embarked on now seemed more impossible than ever. Selina knew she was no more immune to a glance from those blue eyes than any other woman. If Julia, who was much more sophisticated than Selina, had succumbed, what chance did she, a lowly vicar’s daughter, have against those seductive, glittering orbs and that devastating smile?

  Mr. Malcolm requested the next dance but before Selina could collect her scattered wits to make a reply, Julia had stepped between them and addressed Mr. Malcolm.

  “Unfortunately, sir, you have arrived too late. Miss Dalton has been besieged by admirers since she arrived and has promised all of her dances. Regrettably, I have not enjoyed such success and have this dance free.”

  Mr. Malcolm hid his disappointment remarkably well. “Then perhaps I could have the honor of this dance?” he asked Julia.

  Julia accepted with a commanding glare at her cousin Cassie, who offered his arm to Selina. Apparently he was to dance with Seli
na once again to give credence to Julia’s lie. Selina wondered where the rest of her partners were to come from, but when she exited the dance floor she was besieged by eager gentleman and danced every dance for what was left of the evening. Unfortunately, every gentleman she met paled in comparison to Mr. Malcolm, who left the ball shortly after his dance with Julia.

  Three

  Julia and Selina sat with Mrs. Thistlewaite in the drawing room awaiting the morning’s callers. Julia told Selina that there would probably not be many callers as the London season had officially ended a few weeks ago. She had a great many other things to say as well but Selina, although pretending to listen, was instead wondering how to act should Mr. Malcolm call.

  “Selina, are you listening to me?” she heard Julia ask in a sharp tone of voice.

  “Why, of course, Julia. You were lectur—that is, you were advising me.”

  “So you agree with what I said?”

  “Of course I do. You have the greater experience in these matters,” Selina said absently, thinking that perhaps she should have worn a more demure gown. Her salmon colored gown was very stylish, but she thought it might be a little too flashy in combination with her hair. But Julia, who was a pattern-card of elegance, had assured her it was “just the thing,” so she comforted herself with that knowledge.

  The butler announced the first caller, a Lord Sylvester Mountjoy, and Selina shook off her abstraction to entertain Lord Sylvester, one of her dance partners from the previous evening. Fairly soon the Thistlewaite’s drawing room was filled with eager young gentlemen, and Selina found herself enjoying her social success and forgetting Mr. Malcolm. So she was quite startled when Reeves, the Thistlewaite’s butler, announced his name.

  He strode into the room, greeting Mrs. Thistlewaite and Julia before approaching Selina.

  “Good day, Miss Dalton. I trust I find you in good health?”