Page 50 of A Match of Misfortune

“Shall we be on our way?” Cecily asked, forcing a smile to her lips. She could hardly bear another moment of her sister’s disappointment. It was one thing to go to balls and soirees, knowing that even if Adelaide were able-bodied, she would not yet be out in Society. But to experience places in London where Adelaide could go if she were not bound to her invalid chair was insufferable.

Fredrick took hold of Adelaide’s hand and bowed over it. “You will be sorely missed today.”

Nash gave a silent chuckle, and to distract herself, Cecily leaned in briefly as she passed him. “Perhaps you could learn a thing or two from your cousin’s example,” she whispered.

He discreetly grasped her wrist, pausing her and making the length of her arm warm at his touch. “Is that an invitation?”

She met his gaze, her heart strumming a rapid beat. If anyone was to believe they were truly betrothed, they could not continue on as they were. She sighed in resignation. “Unfortunately.”

Nash’s grin grew. “Don’t be too excited by the prospect.”

“I assure you, I’m not in the least.”

“What are the two of you whispering about?” Lord Rothsburg stepped up next to Nash, his gaze shifting between them. The way the attention of the room turned to Cecily and Nash, she was glad for her forethought, despite how her stomach knotted at what the shift in her and Nash’s relationship might look like. Even if it was only a pretense.

Nash shot his cousin an unapologetic smile. “If you must know, I was telling Miss Bradshaw how utterly breathtaking she looks today.”

Cecily’s cheeks burned at his spurious compliment, but Lord Rothsburg laughed and set a hand on his cousin’s shoulder. “I do not doubt it, which is why I feel it is important to mention that I shall take my chaperone duties most seriously.”

Nash’s gaze flicked toward his mother. “Ah, so this is really just a changing of the guards?”

Lord Rothsburg gave a sharp nod. “Precisely. From Aunt’s watch to ours.”

Nash laughed and gestured Cecily to go ahead of him, then paused. “Are we allowed to walk next to one another, or is that too scandalous a notion?”

“I suppose that is acceptable.” Lord Rothsburg pointed a finger at Nash. “But do not make me regret my leniency.”

Nash lifted his hands as though he’d been warned, then he gestured Cecily through a second time. “After you.”

With one last smile toward Mrs. Markham and Adelaide, she stepped across the threshold, cursing the way her whole body went into a frenzy as Nash placed a guiding hand on the small of her back.

“Hands to yourself,” Lord Rothsburg said with a laugh.

Nash glanced over his shoulder. “You mean to enjoy this, don’t you?”

“Every minute.”

Bridget took hold of her husband’s arm as they started down the front steps toward the carriage. “Oh, do not give them such a hard time. After all, they are betrothed and are therefore granted more privileges than if they were simply courting.”

Nash held out a hand to assist Cecily into the carriage. “Might you enlighten us about some of those privileges? As we are so new to this, I want to make certain we take advantage of them all.”

Cecily stilled mid ascent, glancing down at him with widened eyes. Here she’d thought his mild greeting when she first saw him this morning meant he was going to behave himself. She should have known better. Yet instead of looking repentant at her aghast expression, he winked at her! Why had she ever allowed herself to think this a good idea? To make a co-conspirator of the most wicked flirt in all of England? She supposed sound judgment was not typically a requisite to an act of desperation, but it was certainly a consequence of it, and she was regretting her decision more with each passing comment he made. This was not what she had meant by encouraging him to play the part of two people in love. The impending conversation she dreaded having with him clearly needed to happen sooner rather than later. She needed to clarify a few of her own rules.

Realizing she could say nothing now, however, she set her gaze forward again and stepped inside the carriage. Bridget entered behind her and took the seat at her side. Lord Rothsburg followed, situating himself on the forward-facing seat next to his wife, while Nash slid onto the bench across from Cecily. His knees pressed against Cecily’s skirts, the sensation of it regrettably becoming the focus of her attention. The carriage was made to seat four people comfortably, not five, particularly not with one of them being Nash’s size, and when Fredrick clambered in, the interior felt uncomfortably snug.

The footman at the door began to shut it when something darted inside above their heads. Cecily glanced up in time to see a swallow hit against the window nearest her. The flapping of its wings was startlingly loud in the small space as it attempted to free itself.

“Get ahold of it,” Lord Rothsburg cried, standing and putting a protective hand up over his wife. He was too far to do anything, and unfortunately, he was now covering the bird’s only exit.

“Carefully, though, so you don’t injure it,” Cecily said.

Bridget shrieked when it hit the window a second time, and Nash attempted a grab for the swallow, but with the frantic flapping of its wings, he retracted his hands. It came toward Cecily.

Cecily squealed, ducking. “Open the window.”

Nash did so, and with one last frantic blur of motion, the bird disappeared through it as quickly as it had come in.

The group sat in stunned silence for a moment, the wide-eyed footman standing at the still opened door. “Forgive me, I did not see⁠—”