Whom Shall I Kiss... an Earl, a Marquess, or a Duke?

by Laura A. Barnes

  When he turned around, he needed to duck as a pillow flew near his head. Eve stood in rage at his rejection. She looked for something else to hit him with—something more hurtful than a pillow. When she lifted a vase, Wilde moved to her side in an instant. He pried the vase from her hands and set it back on the table. He enclosed her in his arms and held her as her anger settled. Wilde pulled away, gently tipped her head, and placed a kiss on her cheek.

  “You look stunning tonight, beautiful Eve.”

  “Not enough for your attention.”

  “It is not you, but me. I forgot an engagement I am expected at. I forgot I was to escort my sister home from a ball. Please forgive me, Eve. I promise, I will make amends to you.” The lie slipped easily from his lips. There was no ball, let alone a sister to escort.

  “Promise?”

  “I promise. Now be a dear and forgive my insensitive nature.”

  She pouted her forgiveness as she settled back on the divan. Since, he didn’t want to leave her disappointed in him, he leaned over and took her lips in a kiss. It was a kiss to show her how desirable he found her. His lips dominated her into sighs. He pulled back reluctantly and called himself a sucker. He never let another woman dictate his carnal urges. Maybe he should spend the night with Eve. Maybe then he could remove the debutante from his thoughts. When he bent over to kiss Eve again, her heavy perfume invaded his senses. Eve’s musky scent overpowered him as his memory recalled the scent of lilies, and his mystery lady’s huge eyes stopped him in his tracks. He drew away and decided to leave before he did anything he would regret.

  Wilde left Eve’s room and wandered outside. Once outside, he hailed a hackney and directed the driver toward his club. There he could get rip-roaring drunk and erase the look of sweet innocence from his mind. He would drink enough spirits to stop himself from acting all sorts of a fool. Wilde would drink the touch of her fingers under his away. He hoped anyhow.

  SIDNEY STAYED AWAKE past midnight recording her notes. She collected more data from the ball than she expected. It started as a little experiment, but her thoughts turned into the realization of making this a full thesis. Everything from a gentlemen’s reaction to a lovely face who was dressed to perfection, to the competitive spirit gentlemen displayed for a lady’s hand. Those were only a few examples compared to what she observed. There were also her reactions to the evening’s festivities. From her dancing to her conversations with her three primary subjects. Each interaction held different experiences from the other, but they each held a spark of attraction of some sort. One thing more than apparent was each gentleman’s reaction to her appearance. Each one of them scrutinized her bodily form from the top of her head to the tips of her toes—more than once.

  Never one to be shallow, Sidney had to appreciate their gazes. While she never cared if a gentleman thought she was attractive, she did enjoy having her ego stroked. Their compliments made her feel special. Now she began to understand how simple girls turned crazy at a few words of flattery. When someone comments on your display of beauty, it gives confidence in yourself. This experiment would be an eye opener for Sidney in more ways than one.

  A single look remained locked in her mind more than the others. It was his gaze that touched deep into her soul. When their eyes met as he kissed her hand good-bye, they spoke of a connection she was unclear on but wanted to discover the unspoken. She remembered how her hand trembled under his and how disappointed she became when he left her, not once glancing back.

  Sidney rose from her desk of scattered papers and moved to her bed. Marquess Noah Wildeburg. Wilde. The lone wolf of the English ton who shied away from debutantes. If he dallied with them, it was only to leave them in ruin. No good ever came from any lady who fell into Wildeburg’s trap of charms. He rescued her toes and danced with her. He sought her out, amongst all others. All the other gentlemen from the ball faded as she recalled word for word of their exchange. As her eyes drifted shut, her mind faded away to dream of his touch.

  Chapter Four

  The blinding sun streaming in through the windows and the covers being dragged away from her curled form interrupted Sidney the next morning from a deep sleep. If that wasn’t bad enough, the bustle of servants invaded her room with water for a bath. Then her mother shouted instructions to her maid about her attire for the day. Sidney moaned and pulled the blanket back over her head as she tried to block out their invasion. However, her mother had other plans for her.

  “It is time to rise, Sidney. We need to prepare you for afternoon calls. Our house is already full of flowers this morning. You were a hit last evening. The parlor will be packed with beaus dancing attendance on you. Oh, the excitement. Your poor father has locked himself in his study with instructions not to be disturbed.”

  Sidney pulled the covers past her eyes as she watched the flurry of her mother conferring with Rose, her maid. Each of them tossed dresses from her wardrobe to the side as they tried to find the right day dress that would complement her complexion, which would be difficult because Sidney usually chose more predictable and dependable garments to wear, not the flattering type.

  “She has nothing, Lady Hartridge. Whatever shall we do? The gentlemen will run when they see her in these dresses.”

  “Yes, all rags, every last one. Well it is a splendid thing Sidney is the same size as Sophia Turlington. I sent a missive asking Sophia to loan Sidney a few dresses until we can get her to the modiste. She should arrive shortly with them. For now, Sidney shall bathe, and you can style her hair before her callers appear.”

  Sidney sighed. “Is all this necessary, Mama?”

  “Yes, darling. The duke shall arrive, so you must be your best dressed for him above all others.”

  “How do you know the duke will call today? He said nothing to the contrary after our dance.”

  “But that is proof right there. He danced with you, therefore he will call on you today, not your father.”

  “Mama, I am sure Sheffield dances with many girls and does not visit them the next day.”

  “Very true, but then again you are not any ordinary girl. When you caught his eye last night, he couldn’t take his gaze off you. Even your Papa remarked on Sheffield’s interest in you.”

  Sidney half listened to her mother prattling on about the duke’s regard for her, as well as the other gentlemen she danced with last night. She didn’t have time for this interruption today. She needed to document the rest of her data and prepare for the next stage of her experiment. However, afternoon tea with a variety of male suitors calling on her would be an excellent opportunity to gather more data, especially if her main subjects were all present. Yes, this was a grand idea.

  As she rose from bed, she made her way over to her desk to clear her work from the night before. If her mother or Rose caught wind of her research, it would be over before it even started.

  She gathered the papers and slid them into the top drawer. When she glanced toward her mother and Rose, she noticed they were still going through her wardrobe, taking note of which pieces to keep. Since they paid her no attention, she locked the drawer and hid the key in her secret hiding place. Sidney sat in her chair as she waited for directions. She realized it was pointless to argue with her mother, nor did she want to. Her mother’s excitement over Sidney finally being taken noticed of caused Sidney to remain quiet. She did not want to steal the joy of this moment away from her.

  The greatest wish for any mother of the ton was for a duke to notice their daughter—not only the mothers but the fathers too. If a duke called upon a young lady, then there was never a worry the young girl would marry. The young lady didn’t necessarily have to marry the duke. She could marry anybody. Her chances for marriage greatly increased simply because of the attention the duke paid her. All the gentlemen would compete for her hand, if only to brag that they had snagged her from a duke.

  Before long, there was a bustle of activity outside her bedroom door. Lady Turlington breezed into her bedchamber, with Sophia tr
ailing in on her tail. Phee rolled her eyes as their mothers embraced each other, gushing with excitement at Sidney’s good fortune. As Sidney and Sophia were best friends, so were their mothers. When the two older women came together, they were a force to be reckoned with. It was yet another reason why Sidney wouldn’t be able to back out of her experiment. Lady Turlington would make it her mission for Sidney to wed. If Sidney secured a grand match, then she could pave the way for Phee to make one too. While Sidney had no intention of getting married, she couldn’t bring herself to halt their fun. In the end, Sidney knew she wouldn’t be a bride, but she would deal with that later.

  Phee wandered to her side and leaned against the desk. She gave Sidney the what have you gotten yourself into stare.

  “I told you this wasn’t a good idea,” Phee whispered.

  “Nonsense. This is working out better than I had planned.”

  “How so? You are about to be called on today by London’s most eligible bachelors.”

  “I know. It’s perfect. What better way to do my research than by having them come to me instead of me searching them out?”

  “This is crazy, Sid. You will get caught, and then you will have to marry one of them.”

  “You worry too much, Phee. I have it all under control. There is so much to tell you too. I wish we were alone.”

  “That will be impossible, unless you can get our mothers’ attention directed elsewhere.”

  “I have an idea.”

  Sidney wandered near the bed, where the two women discussed which of Sophia’s dresses they could alter for Sidney to wear this afternoon. She trailed her fingers over the soft material. The silk felt soft against her fingertips. She wondered how it would slide against her skin, compared to her usual woolen dresses. A light blue dress, with lace for trim, caught her eye. Her hand hovered over the creation as she glanced at Phee. She sent her friend a silent message, asking if she could borrow the dress and if it would be a good choice. Their silent exchanges made their friendship perfect. They understood each other so well, they finished each other’s thoughts. Phee smiled her approval and nodded her head at Sidney’s choice. Sidney lifted the dress off the bed and turned toward her mother.

  “Mama, will this dress do? I think I heard some girls gossiping last night that the duke’s favorite color is blue.”

  Both mothers gasped at this piece of news. She heard Phee choke back a laugh at her lie. Her mother directed Rose on the alterations while Lady Turlington offered her own suggestions.

  “Why, Sidney, this dress will look marvelous on you. The blue washes Sophia’s color out. We must hurry, Franny, if we are to get this dress done in time.” Lady Turlington gathered the dress from Sidney’s grasp and hurried Lady Hartridge out the door.

  “Yes, Cora, we must rush to prepare this gown. Come, Rose, we must have all the hands we can get,” Lady Hartridge agreed as they rushed out of the bedroom. As soon as she left, she popped back into the room. “Now, Sidney please stay out of trouble until we return. Can you and Sophia visit in your room?”

  “Yes, Mama. We will wait for your return here. We must compare notes about the ball.”

  “Notes? You aren’t—”

  “No, Mama, of course not. I meant gossip. Old habits die hard.”

  Her mother gave her a doubtful stare. Sidney could tell her mother wanted to question her further, but Lady Turlington called for her attention. With a frown, she reluctantly followed her friend. Sidney would have to work on her terminology better, or else someone would catch onto her lies. She glanced over at Phee to receive a look that indicated that was a close call. Sidney moved to the door, shutting it against any listening ears. She moved over to the window and motioned for Phee to join her on the window seat. When Phee rested next to her, Sidney reached for her hand and shifted toward her to share her data.

  “I gathered so much research, I don’t even know where to begin,” Sidney laughed.

  “First, I must tell you who you danced with before the Duke of Sheffield. It was No—”

  “Noah Wildeburg,” Sidney finished.

  Sophia pulled away with a look of astonishment. “How can you sit there calmly? He is the worst scoundrel of the ton.”

  “And he is perfect for my experiment. I could not have gotten any luckier.”

  “Sidney, he will ruin you. You must not pursue him in your theory.”

  “Oh, I won’t be pursuing him. He will be pursuing me.”

  “What makes you think he will seek your company?”

  “He will chase after me out of competition. There was another factor I had not considered before, until I was caught between Wildeburg and Sheffield. There was a sense of competitiveness between the two.”

  “It spells trouble. I thought you already had a marquess picked out.”

  “Yes, Holdenburg, but I have scratched him. I danced with him at the ball, and he was a total bore. He couldn’t see past himself or a deck of cards enough for me to entice him. No, Wildeburg will be a much better choice. Mark my words, Phee, he is interested.”

  “How can you be so sure? He doesn’t mess with many debutantes, let alone the wallflowers.”

  “Well I’m not a wallflower anymore, am I? Plus, I sensed a connection with him last night.”

  “What kind of connection?”

  “There was a spark when he held my hand, and his eyes turned heavy with...” Sidney became lost in her thoughts as she remembered her moment with Wildeburg.

  “Sidney?” Sophia watched as her friend turned dreamy. This was not the Sidney she knew. Wildeburg left more of an impact on Sidney than she realized.

  “Mmm, yes? Well ... You know ... That is...” Sidney mumbled as she rose and walked to her desk. She drew out her notes and turned to Phee, “Here are my notes from the ball.” She handed them over for her friend to read.

  “Don’t think for one minute I don’t recognize how Wildeburg has affected you more than you are saying. On top of that, Rory is suspicious of your behavior, and he will not be easy to detour.”

  “I am unused to the charms of a rogue, and it threw me off balance. However, I have my head together this morning, and I understand how focused I need to be around these gentlemen. I will take care of Rory. I decided he shall play a part in this experiment too. I didn’t realize I could draw his interest, but he looked upon me differently too. Another aspect to my research: how to entice a friend into kissing me.”

  “You are playing with fire, and you will get burned.”

  “Mmm, funny. Rory said almost the exact same thing when we danced.”

  “I guess there is no changing your mind?” Phee asked.

  Sidney released a laugh, “Absolutely not. The fun has yet to begin.”

  Sophia realized her friend wouldn’t stop in her pursuit of the knowledge of a gentlemen’s behavior towards a lady who interested him. So, she must follow Sidney and make sure she stayed out of as much trouble as she could. When Sidney decided to accomplish a goal, there was no stopping her until she reached the end. Sophia only hoped Sidney avoided a scandal. Because from where she sat, she looked to be heading toward one.

  Sidney regarded Sophia as she read through her notes. She realized her friend worried about her getting into trouble. However, she had developed a plan to avoid any sort of scandal. She didn’t tell her the most important aspect of her research: to find them soul mates. Sidney believed there was somebody special out there for everybody, and they only needed to find each other. That was the sentimental side of her that was in opposition to her scientific mind. She was a romantic at heart. While she studied the tomes of scientific nature and human behavior with her father, she secretly read romantic novels late into the night. Nobody knew about her secret habit, not even Phee. They shared everything, but this one secret Sidney kept to herself. She didn’t understand why, because Phee would never judge her for it. She would want to trade novels back and forth. Sidney felt that if she understood how the male species courted, she could find them their mates. Sh
e already knew the traits of Sophia and herself, and now all she needed to discover were the traits of the gentlemen who would be compatible with them. Her three subjects were complete opposites from each other and would be perfect to study. Set aside the attraction toward one of the gentlemen, and she would be successful in this endeavor.

  “If I read this correctly, you are saying the number one thing a gentleman will pursue a lady for is her looks. For starters, he will ask her to dance if she is pleasing to the eye by how attractive she is dressed.”

  “Yes, all the gentlemen proved the theory at the ball. Sheffield most of all.”

  “How so?”

  Sidney wandered around her room, keeping her face shielded from Phee. She didn’t want her friend to notice her hurt feelings. “He didn’t even recognize who I was. He had to ask me what my name was while we danced.”

  “Of all the arrogant, pompous fools.”

  Sidney laughed at the description of Alexander Langley, the Duke of Sheffield. Phee’s support soothed her hurt thoughts. “Yes, he is at that. However, he apologized, and we shared a lovely dance. Only now I’m afraid Mama has it in her head that he will offer for me. The duke is the last man I want or need.”

  “No, you do not need to be saddled with somebody who thinks he is above all else. I will help discourage him from you after you have collected your data from him. He is most definitely not your type.”

  “None of them are my type, Phee. I am only using them for research. Nothing else. I will not marry any of these gentlemen.”