Cupid's Choice: She's a shy beauty in distress. He's a chivalric gentleman. by Gayle Buck

Tattersall’s,” said Sir Frederick easily.
    Colonel Caldar nodded again. “Aye, the boy has been mad about acquiring a hunter for the winter months at Holybrooke. He is not here?”
    “No, indeed, brother! I have just been telling Sir Frederick that Percival will be sorry to have missed him,” said Mrs. Holland, asserting herself. She disliked at any time to be ignored or to be obliged to listen to a conversation that was not of interest to her.
    “When you came in, I was soliciting Mrs. Holland’s permission to drive out with Miss Holland,” said Sir Frederick smoothly.
    “Capital! A bit of fresh air will be just the thing for you, Guin,” said Colonel Caldar with a nod and a smile at his niece.
    “Arnold, I am not at all certain—” began Mrs. Holland, with the gathering of a frown.
    “Nonsense! Guin will not come to any harm. I am persuaded Sir Frederick is a capital whip,” said Colonel Caldar . He gestured with his hand for his niece to get up from where she was sitting. “Well, come on, Guin! Run upstairs and put on your straw. It will not do to keep Sir Frederick’s horses waiting.”
    “Yes, Uncle!” Guin obediently leaped to her feet. She purposefully did not glance at her mother’s face as she hurried across the room toward the door. She did not want to see Mrs. Holland’s expression, fearing that she would be denied the treat so surprisingly held out to her.
    Colonel Caldar opened the door for Guin, giving her a wink as he ushered her out. Guin realized that she and her uncle had become co-conspirators. She was quite breathless at her own, as well as her uncle’s, audacity.
    Before Colonel Caldar closed the heavy paneled door behind her, Guin heard him say, “I understand that you have enjoyed a brilliant career, Sir Frederick. You must tell my sister and me something about your travels.”
    Guin gave a small almost hysterical laugh as she picked up her skirts and ran up the stairs.
     
     
     

Chapter Eight
     
    Once Colonel Caldar and Mrs. Holland had seen Guin off with Sir Frederick, Mrs. Holland immediately rounded on her brother. “I am not pleased, brother! I do not know what you were about to push Guin into driving out with Sir Frederick! Anyone could see that she had no wish for it. And I scarcely knew where to look when you told her to run upstairs like some hoyden! I shall have something to say to her when she returns, I assure you.”
    Colonel Caldar regarded his sister thoughtfully. “You would do better not to, however, Aurelia. Has it occurred to you that this is the first gentleman who has ever bestowed any attention on Guin? I don’t think it will suit your plans to discourage her when someone as well connected as Sir Frederick chooses to make her an object of his gallantry!”
    “But Sir Frederick is a mere baronet, Arnold,” said Mrs. Holland, her frown deepening. “I do not wish to encourage that connection in the least!”
    “Perhaps not! However, it will do Guin a world of good to learn how to conduct a polite conversation with a gentleman. Sir Frederick is just the sort to overlook her awkwardness. He is a diplomat, recall! And she will do better, then, with the next gentleman,” said Colonel Caldar.
    By the time he had finished speaking, Mrs. Holland’s frown had disappeared and she was regarding him with a half-opened mouth. With a tinge of respect, she said, “Why, Arnold, what a clever notion. I did not expect it of you, to be sure! I quite see how Sir Frederick could be very helpful to Guin. And he is very well connected, isn’t he? My head positively reeled with the names of I don’t know how many princes and noble families he has been associated with.” She gave a decisive nod. “Yes, I think we shall encourage Sir Frederick’s friendship. I shall invite him to our rout.”
    Colonel Caldar left his sister in the front parlor, complacently revising her seating plan for the upcoming evening party. He was smiling to himself and felt something like