CATHY MAXWELL.

Married in Haste.

To Erin and Brian McGlynn May you be merry and lack nothing. -SHAKESPEARE.

Chapter One.

London, 1814.

Tess Hamlin slammed open the door to the ladies' retiring room. "Where is Leah Carrollton?"

The chatter of a half dozen young women dressed in their ball gowns of silks and Indian muslins came to

an abrupt halt. The close air smelled of perfume, powder, and candle wax. All eyes turned to the doorway.

Tess smiled, pleased that she had their attention. She walked into the room.

Eyes widened and several pairs of lips formed silent O's but no one answered.Anne Burnett, Tess's very best friend, gently touched Tess's arm, trying to pull her back. "Please, Tess.This isn't the time or the place. I shouldn't have said anything. Let us go back to the ballroom."

Tess shook Anne's hand away. "I am not going to let her get away with it. Not this time."

She confronted the young women. Many were new to this Season and, since Leah was one of them, her

supporters. One or two others there had weathered previous Seasons-although none, not even Anne,had seen as many as Tess.Not that Tess couldn't have contracted for a husband any number of times over the last several years.

Occasionally, a lord or two had made her pause and consider her obligations to marry, but she'd held off. She was an heiress and, without being vain about her looks, she knew men found her attractive. Why else would they have dubbed her "the Incomparable"?

But she wasn't ready to settle down. She enjoyed the stirring of male appreciation when she entered a

room. It gave her a feeling of power, a power she'd lose once she was married. Yes, some women claimed marriage gave them new freedom, but Tess didn't agree. She'd watched too many women grow disillusioned and bored after the heady thrill of the wedding. Their lives were over. Even her brother Neil and his wife Stella went their separate ways.

To her, freedom had to mean something more than the liberty to come and go as she pleased without a chaperone or the opportunity to take on lovers once an heir was born. But she didn't know what the extra "something" was. Life should hold more than socializing and gossip, but what else was there? Until she knew the answer, she wasn't going to trap herself into marriage.

She brought herself back to the moment. The silly girls practically shook in their kid slippers at the thought of incurring her displeasure. She honed in on a tall blonde, Daphne, the oldest daughter of a duke.

"Daphne, do you know where Leah is?"

"N-no, I don't," Daphne squeaked out.

Anne shut the door behind her. "Tess, stop this. You are giving the poor girl a fright."

Good, sweet Anne. "If I don't crack the whip every once in a while then we'd all be run over by the likes of a Leah Carrollton."

"Did someone mention my name?" A young woman stepped out from behind a j.a.panned privacy screen. She was a bold, voluptuous beauty with just the right touch of pout to her lower lip to make men dance in constant attendance.

Since the beginning of this year's Season, Tess and Leah had been cast in the roles of compet.i.tors, at first more for the contrast in their looks than any real disharmony between them. Tess was a proud red head who stood equal in height to most men. Poems had been written comparing her eyes to the light sparkling off the blue waters of the Mediterranean or the stained gla.s.s in Salisbury Cathedral.

Pet.i.te Leah's exotic dark eyes and coal-black hair seemed to have the power to mesmerize men. Even the Prince of Wales had succ.u.mbed to her charm.

In between these two rivals stood Anne with her soft, curling brown hair, heart-shaped face, and trusting eyes. Tess didn't understand why everyone didn't see what a n.o.ble, wonderful person Anne was. Anne preferred staying in the background and easily forgave slights from others. Why, she was so kind, she'd even forgiven that odious gossip Deland G.o.dwin. Years ago when she was first presented to Society, he' d branded her a "toad eater," the term used to describe a woman without any means of support other than reliance upon the whims and goodwill of her relatives.

Well, she'd not be ill-treated this time. She had Tess to champion her.

Leah made her way to a washstand to wash her hands. Her gaze met Tess's in the large mirror hanging on the wall. "Did you wish something, Miss Hamlin?"

"It's nothing-" Anne started but Tess cut her off.

"You know what you've done. The question is, do you dare own up to it in front of the others?"

Leah accepted a linen towel from the maid as she drawled lazily, "I haven't any idea what you are talking about." She moved away from the mirror toward the door. "Now, if you will excuse me, I am promised for the next dance."

Tess stepped right in her path. "Mr. Hardiston." All her anger could be summed up in that one name.Leah stopped. Her lips curved into a smile. "Archie?"Tess almost growled with anger. "You know he was Anne's.""I know no such thing. Had he made an offer?" Leah looked to Anne, whose face had gone pale.Her expression gave Tess a stab of guilt but she forged ahead, speaking for Anne. "He was going to.""But he hadn't, had he?" Leah said."His mother had talked to Anne's aunt.""But he had yet to speak his thoughts," Leah reiterated, raising her voice so that all in the room could be privy to what was being said. "Had he?" she asked Anne directly.

Anne shifted and Tess knew she wished she were in a hundred different places than right here, right now.But Anne had to learn to defend herself. "Tell her, Anne.""Please, Tess, let's leave before it's made worse.""No, for once, I'm not worried about making a scene. You are my friend and I'm not going to let this little jade get away with disgraceful behavior." She turned to Leah. "He was about to, until you set your cap for him, something you did for no other reason than to strike out at me by hurting her."

"That's absurd!" Leah countered.

"Is it?" Tess demanded. "Mr. Hardiston has no grand fortune or connections. He is not what your grasping mother would consider an eligible party."

Anger flashed in Leah's eyes, but she didn't correct Tess's a.s.sessment of her mother. Instead, she said,

"Archie's very dear. Character is worth more than money."Tess doubted a Carrollton would recognized a decent, honorable character if it sat down to dinner withthem, but she didn't put that sentiment into words. Instead, she called Leah's bluff. "So, we can allexpect an announcement of your betrothal?"

"Of course not," Leah said quickly. "Mr. Hardiston and I didn't suit."

"Ummm hmmm," Tess said doubtfully. She lowered her voice. "I think your attraction to Mr. Hardiston had a great deal to do with the marquess of Redgrave offering for me two weeks ago. You and your

mother had found a fine pigeon to pluck and then his attention turned in my direction and you couldn'tcompete."Leah's chin came up. "Redgrave meant nothing to me.""None of them mean anything to you," Tess replied. "You are going to the highest bidder."For a second, it was if the air had been sucked from the room. Two bright spots of color appeared on Leah's cheeks. Anne gasped in surprise.Then Leah struck back. "And they mean something to you?""Wooo," breathed their small audience at Leah's daring. No one had ever dared to challenge Tess. Even Anne's jaw had dropped.

Tess stepped back, rea.s.sessing her opinion of Leah. The chit had mettle. "At least I have a sense of honor."

"As do I."

"So you say," Tess returned without conviction. She addressed the others. "We must respect each other. Think how it would be if I set my cap for Daphne's beaux or yours, Amy," she said to another girl standing off to the left. "The Season would be chaos. We would be behaving little better than tribal women."

The comparison made several women frown in distaste.

"We have a code amongst ourselves. A sense of honor," Tess said. "Leah overstepped herself." Several of the debutantes murmured agreement.

"What nonsense!" Leah countered pa.s.sionately. "I did nothing untoward to draw Mr. Hardiston's attention. He asked me to dance. I flirted. Where would any of us be if we couldn't flirt a little? Mr. Hardiston is free to go back to Miss Burnett anytime he wishes."

"I don't want him any longer," Anne hastened to interject.

Leah smiled in triumph. "See?" she said to Tess. "You blame me but Miss Burnett says she doesn't want him. I did her a favor by showing his true nature."

"Don't try and paint this white-" Tess started but Leah cut her off.

"You can't tell me what to do. You're not the queen, Miss Hamlin, but merely one of the players in the marriage game. A game you have been at for quite a few years. Oh, wait, I forgot. You enjoy being unattainable. You flaunt your looks and your precious inheritance. You accuse me of false affections, but in reality, you are the one who is guilty of the charge. You aren't really interested in marriage. You would have accepted Redgrave's offer if that was it. No, what you want is to be the center of attention, to be spoiled and made much of since you lack the heart to follow through."

"Why, you little-"

"Upstart? Yes, I am! I'm giving you compet.i.tion, Miss Hamlin. You accuse me of not being honest? Why, you are the most dishonest of all. You are using Mr. Hardiston as a way to put me in my place, but you're not doing it for Miss Burnett. You're doing it for yourself."

Leah's words. .h.i.t with sharp accuracy. Tess felt the color drain from her face.

Anne rose to her defense. "That's not true! Tess has the greatest heart of anyone here."

Leah ignored Anne, focusing on Tess. "You've heard the name they've coined for you, haven't you?"

Tess narrowed her eyes. She doubted if Leah meant "the Incomparable." "Which name?"

"The Ice Maiden." Leah let her tongue roll over the words. "They swear you are the coldest of women, completely indifferent to anyone's heart but your own."

Leah's words were met with appalled silence. For a second, Tess stood stunned. She had heard the name whispered about but hadn't thought the sobriquet had applied to her. She looked around. The other girls had suddenly become interested in the ceiling or the pattern in the carpet. Anne was silent.

It took Tess a second to recover from her initial shock, but once she did, she found she did not dislike the t.i.tle...and she liked Leah's bold frankness. Her earlier edgy restlessness vanished, replaced by the stirring of interest. The inkling of an idea tickled her brain.

Considering her rival with new respect, Tess said thoughtfully, "Perhaps we should settle this another way."

Leah raised a suspicious eyebrow.

Aware that everyone in the room strained to hear her quietest word, Tess said, "I want you to leave Mr.

Hardiston alone. You, on the other hand, have stated in so many words that the two of us are equals."

"We are.""You believe we are.""Everyone says it," she shot back hotly."Would you be interested in proving that theory?"That caught Leah up short. She frowned. "There is no way to prove such a thing.""Yes, there is-in the way these things have always been proven.""Which is?" Leah asked, her interest piqued."Marriage offers."Leah sniffed. "Oh, well! You are the undisputed queen of that contest. Of course, you've been at this game longer than I have."

Her insult drew a chorus of "Oooo's" from the other girls, but Tess just laughed, enjoying herselfimmensely. "Not in the past, but the present, this evening."Anne laid a hand on Tess's arm. "I've seen this look in your eyes before, Tess. Don't do whatever you are thinking."

"Oh, pish, what is life without a little risk?" Tess turned to Leah. "Plus the Garlands' ball needs a littleenlivening. It's a complete bore. What do you say, Leah? Shall we make a wager?""I never gamble. It's a waste of money.""Our wager isn't for money," Tess protested. "If I win, you will leave Mr. Hardiston alone-"Anne groaned. "He means nothing to me. Not any longer!"Tess held up her hand for quiet. Anne was being silly. Mr. Hardiston was her last chance for a decent match. Her aunt had threatened to hire her out as a companion if she didn't take this Season."And if you win, then I will-" Tess paused. What did she have that Leah would consider to be a suitable prize? It had to be something she had that Leah didn't. Connections. "If you win, I will see thatyou receive an invitation to Mrs. Burrell's musicale one week from Wednesday."Leah went very still. "You can do that?"Tess smiled. "She is very fond of me. And who knows? If you impress her, you may receive the vouchers to Almack's that you have so far been denied. Then there will be no doors closed to you, Leah."

Leah wet her lips. "What are you proposing?"

"Nothing harmful. I'm willing to wager that I can receive a proposal of marriage before you can. This very night, in fact."

A gasp from around the room met her words.

"You're joking," Leah said.

"No, I'm very serious."

"Tess, that doesn't sound right," Anne protested.

Tess shrugged. "Is it right that they consider us little more than ornaments or bank accounts or brood mares?" She addressed the other women in the room. "In the last two hours, have any of you had an escort ask you about yourself? No, of course not. They rattle on and on about their interests and their pursuits but they don't care anything about us other than our appearances-and our dowries. Worse, most gentlemen believe you are fortunate they've even bothered to notice you. Of course, we can't help but notice them since most have sour breath or reek of Imperial water. I swear, the scent of cloves and frankincense at these events makes me nauseous."

Her observations were quickly seconded. Daphne added, "I danced with one gentleman who was so ugly I could barely look at him, but then he made a very unkind comment about the looks of another young woman. I wondered if he owned a mirror and could see himself! Worse, he trod on my feet. When I complained to Mama, she reprimanded me for speaking ill of him since he has an income of five thousand pounds."

Immediately, the other women erupted with testimonials of similar experiences.

Good, caring Anne tried to speak reason. "It's true some of us have been ill-used. I certainly want nothing to do with Mr. Hardiston after his perfidy-but it doesn't mean we should make a mockery of the sacrament of marriage. It's immoral to place a wager on something like an offer of marriage."

"Pooh!" Tess answered. "Men bet on this sort of thing all the time. Why, there isn't a men's club around St. James that doesn't have a betting book filled with the possible matches for the Season and wagers on each. I've been in that book dozens of times."

"I have too," Leah said. "Of course, the last time was when everyone thought Redgrave would come up to scratch. My father and brothers had placed bets-which they lost," she added with a bitter look at Tess.

Tess grinned, unrepentant. "Not bad for an aging debutante, hmmm?"

Leah's eyes darkened with anger, but then a smile came to her lips. "No, it isn't," she admitted.

"Whatever happened to Redgrave?" Tess asked with idle curiosity. "Truly, all I did was smile at him. I was surprised when he abandoned his pursuit of you."