Three Weddings and a Kiss

by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss

  She glanced at him suspiciously. “What do you mean?”

  A calm, slightly mocking expression had settled on his face, as if he were contemplating a proposal he fully expected her to refuse. “Would you like to have an adventure tonight, Miss Acland?”

  No one had ever said anything like that to her before. She readied herself for an insult, an offensive proposition—but she couldn’t stop herself from asking, “What kind of adventure?”

  “Just a small one.”

  She knew she should refuse immediately…yet the temptation to agree was strong. The thought of going back to De Gray house right now, fresh from such crushing defeat, was none too appealing. “What if my mother discovers that I’m gone?”

  “You were willing to risk that for Spencer, weren’t you?”

  “Yes, but…” Lidian fell silent, unable to believe that she was hesitating. Tell him to take you straight home, she thought. After all that’s happened, you should know what comes of trusting men, no matter how appealing they seem. She was caught in the position of being unwilling to say no and unable to say yes. She settled for looking up at him helplessly, her brows quirking in a frown.

  Suddenly De Gray laughed and straightened her cloak, drawing the hood protectively around her face. “Come with me,” he said, making the decision for her.

  “Where are we going?”

  “The pleasure gardens at Vauxhall.”

  “I’ve heard of that place. Aren’t there prostitutes there? And thieves?”

  “Every kind of person you can imagine,” he said, walking her toward the long line of private carriages waiting outside the club.

  Lidian was at once worried and intrigued, wondering how she had come to this turn in her life, going to Vauxhall with a man she barely knew, in the middle of the night. “Why are they called ‘pleasure gardens’?”

  “Perhaps you’ll find out,” he said in a tantalizing tone.

  “Before I agree to go with you, you must promise that you’ll be a gentleman.”

  He grinned and signaled for his carriage. “Unlike the other men of your acquaintance, Miss Acland, I never make promises I can’t keep.”

  4

  With all the whispers of decadence and scandal that accompanied the mention of Vauxhall, Lidian had never actually been quite certain what it was. She quickly discovered that an evening at Vauxhall, an area located north of Kensington Lane, was exactly like attending a party—the most amazing party she could ever imagine. She had never been exposed to a large group of such uninhibited people: aristocrats, dandies, ladies, and prostitutes. Music from a large orchestra filled the air while food vendors sold ice cream, cheesecakes, and biscuits. Lines formed at a lottery booth where tickets were sold for a chance to win colorful trinkets.

  Lord De Gray paid the extravagant sum of two guineas apiece for them to enter the gardens. Lidian took care not to meet anyone’s gaze and stayed close by De Gray’s side. However, curiosity soon got the better of her, and she stared at her surroundings with wonder. The gardens were laid out in a pattern of five walkways, some of them covered with awnings and bordered with trees, with gravel or brick underfoot. A cold night breeze whipped around her, and she shivered, glad for the warmth of her thick wool cloak.

  De Gray stopped and purchased a narrow black felt mask for her, similar to those many other people were wearing. “No proper young lady would be caught without one,” he assured her dryly, “as well as husbands spending a night away from their wives, or young bloods who wish to appear dashing—”

  “Are you going to wear one?” she asked, letting him tie the strip of felt behind her head.

  He turned her around to face him, adjusting the mask until she could see through the eyeholes. “It’s no scandal for me to be here, Miss Acland. You, on the other hand, would be ruined.” Noticing that Lidian’s gaze had strayed to a man walking by with a tray of biscuits, he smiled slightly. “You must be hungry. You barely touched your supper earlier.”

  “I was too nervous to eat. I kept thinking about…” Her voice trailed away as she recalled how eager she had been to see Chance.

  “Forget about that,” he said abruptly, and drew her toward the Grove, where more than a hundred supper boxes were located. They were filled with couples enjoying plates of ham, tongue, and chicken while listening to the orchestra. The music was loud and invigorating, causing all thoughts of Chance to fade from Lidian’s mind. De Gray seated her at a supper box, its interior painted with a country scene by the artist Francis Hayman. The crowd hummed and sang along as the orchestra played a popular tune.

  At De Gray’s gesture, a waiter brought them plates piled with miniature roast chickens, paper-thin slices of ham, pastry, and cake filled with layers of cream and berry jam. Lidian applied herself to the food hungrily, pausing in surprise as De Gray handed her a glass of wine.

  “I’m not allowed to drink wine,” she said, hesitating.

  De Gray lowered his mouth to her ear. “I won’t tell,” he said conspiratorially, his low voice causing a pleasurable prickling along her spine. She smiled and accepted the glass, taking a sip of the rich red vintage. De Gray urged more delicacies on her and teased her until she couldn’t help laughing at his nonsense. She leaned into the warmth of his side with increasing trust. The novelty of being in such a place and receiving the flattering attentions of a handsome man worked a peculiar spell on her. She wanted the night never to end.… She was in the middle of an enchanting dream. Fireworks were set off at the conclusion of the musical performance, spinning rocket wheels that shot into the sky and bursts of colored light that unfolded into brilliant blossoms. Lidian watched in delight while the crowd cheered at each new display.

  Afterward De Gray escorted her from the supper box and strolled with her toward the Grove. “I wish I could feel this way forever,” Lidian said, still glowing from the wine and entertainment.

  “What way?” he asked, smiling at her excitement.

  “As if I had wings!” She sighed suddenly. “Of course, tomorrow I’ll have to come back down to earth.”

  De Gray stared at her with dark gray-green eyes, and for a moment there was a strange touch of yearning in them. Lidian had the feeling he wanted to say something to her, make her understand something important—and yet something held him back.

  Finally he replied in a neutral tone, breaking the spell. “Tonight isn’t over yet.” Stopping at the lottery booth, he paid a few shillings for her to draw a prize. At his urging, Lidian plunged her hand into a bowl of paper tickets and curled her fingers around one. She pulled it out and handed it to the man in the booth.

  “A prize for the lady!” the man exclaimed, examining the number on the ticket. He reached behind the counter and retrieved a small object for her. It was a painted tin whistle strung on a blue ribbon.

  Lidian hung it around her neck and blew it until she produced a shrill sound. Without ceremony De Gray removed the whistle from her puckered lips and tucked it inside her cloak.

  “Now, whenever I whistle, you must obey my summons,” Lidian said with a laugh.

  De Gray smiled and made a slight bow. “Anytime, my lady.”

  She regarded him dubiously. “You won’t forget your promise, will you?”

  He stared down at her and stroked aside a tiny wisp of hair that had caught on the edge of her mask. “Never.”

  Lidian didn’t protest as he slid his arm familiarly around her back. They strolled along some of the walkways, where couples promenaded back and forth and randy young men ogled the women who passed. As they neared the end of the Hermit’s Walk, Lidian caught a glimpse of two entwined figures, a man and woman kissing passionately in the shadows. She blushed and glanced up at De Gray, who had also seen them. Lidian wondered how many other women De Gray had brought here, and if he had ever seduced a girl into forgetting her inhibitions along one of these shadowed walkways.

  “Have you ever been in love?” Lidian asked shyly, gazing at his austere profile.

  “I’v
e felt something close to it, a time or two.”

  “Perhaps someday you’ll know what it’s like,” she said in her most mature tone.

  She heard the catch of a laugh in his throat. His voice was brushed with irony. “I certainly hope so.” They stopped at the most narrow path Lidian had seen so far. It looked dark and quiet, a tunnel of shadows and rustling leaves. “That is known as Lovers’ Walk,” De Gray said. “Any young woman foolish enough to venture there is practically begging for a scandal.” He turned to her, one brow arched mockingly, and gestured to the path. “Shall we?”

  “I don’t know,” Lidian said, wondering what he wanted from her. Perhaps he was trying to make her look foolish, painting her as a timid, silly creature. But she couldn’t possibly go in such a place with him. It was bad enough to be at Vauxhall, away from the protection of her mother, drinking wine…She should put a stop to it now. She had no idea what had come over her, behaving so irresponsibly.

  “Are you afraid?” he asked softly.

  “Certainly not!” Lidian tried to reason with herself. What was the worst that could happen? He might try to make an advance to her…and then she would reprove him, and that would be the end of it.

  Recklessly she started down the path, and he fell into step beside her. Soon they passed another couple, whispering and exchanging kisses, and Lidian averted her gaze. She began to feel increasingly nervous as they were plunged into thicker darkness, the trees blocking all but a few gleams of the sky overhead.

  “It’s very late,” she commented. “It must be past midnight.”

  “Two o’clock, I’d guess.”

  She tried to think of another topic of conversation. “Will you be attending the Brimworthys’ ball on Friday?”

  “I hadn’t considered it.”

  The path became narrower, more intimate, another world away from the bustling, busy city of London. Unnerved by the silence, Lidian asked abruptly, “Lord De Gray, are you planning to make an advance?”

  He laughed, stopping and turning her to face him. “Would you like me to?”

  “No, it’s just that…if you are, I would rather have done with it right away, instead of worrying about it!”

  His voice was soft and amused. “You have the least patience of any female I’ve ever encountered, Miss Acland.”

  “I’m a very patient person. Just not where you’re concerned.”

  “Why is that?”

  “You make me so…so…” She floundered for the right word and finally settled for “annoyed.”

  “Really.” She saw the flash of his white teeth in the darkness. “Well, in the future I’ll try to be more agreeable. And since you seem to be so eager for my advances…” He bent down to her and brushed a kiss on her lips, as light and soft as the touch of a butterfly’s wing. Drawing back, he smiled at her. “Now your adventure is complete.”

  Lidian laughed, reassured by his casual gesture. “Thank you,” she said, meaning it sincerely. He had accomplished the impossible, turning one of the worst nights of her life into something quite enjoyable. Tomorrow she would pick herself up and go on with her life. And from now on she wouldn’t be naive. She would never let a man take advantage of her again.

  De Gray stared into her upturned face and lightly fingered a lock of hair that dangled at her temple. “I’ll take you home now.”

  After he brought her back to De Gray House in his carriage, Lidian reached her room the same way she had left, through the servants’ door and up the back stairs. It wouldn’t be long until dawn. She knew she would be exhausted for the approaching day, but she didn’t care. She undressed and slipped into bed, pulling the covers high beneath her chin. Later she would think about Chance, about how he had looked and all he had said, but for now her thoughts were filled with fireworks and music…and the memory of Eric De Gray’s arms around her. “I’ll see you soon,” Eric had said with a teasing glint in his eyes as they had parted tonight. “Just to make certain you’re recovering.”

  She knew he was referring to her unpleasant experience at Craven’s tonight and her feelings about Chance. “I intend to recover very quickly,” she had assured him. “I have no illusions left about men. I won’t ever make such mistakes again.”

  “So cynical,” he had mocked, and left her with a grin.

  During the next month there was no word from Chance, nor did Lidian expect there to be. She would have preferred to have a great deal of time alone, to reflect on her past and why she had been so vulnerable to a man like Chance, but the De Grays kept her constantly busy with parties and musical evenings, afternoon calls, and carriage rides through Hyde Park. She was becoming acquainted with the circles of Julia’s and Dollie’s friends, most of them likable and accomplished women. Her mother seemed happier than she had been in a long time, and Lidian realized how much Elizabeth had missed all the social activities they had enjoyed so many years ago.

  Eric De Gray came to visit every few days, and in spite of her efforts to remain indifferent, Lidian found herself looking forward to his arrivals. Her heart beat faster every time she heard his deep voice in the entrance nail, and when she went to greet him, she was aware of the insolent but flattering glances he cast down the length of her body. His manner with her was friendly and teasing, similar to his relationship with Dollie.

  On one of De Gray’s visits, he lounged in the parlor with Dollie and Lidian, reminiscing with his sister about their childhood escapades, particularly the time they had stolen the gardener’s clippers and applied their budding artistic talents to resculpting the hedges in the formal garden. “Poor Edward,” Dollie exclaimed, laughing, “he was punished along with the two of us.”

  “Even though he had nothing to do with it?” Lidian asked in surprise.

  “Our parents never discriminated among their children,” Dollie replied. “If one was naughty, the others were spanked as well.”

  “Edward never complained, though.” An absent smile crossed De Gray’s face. “He was the responsible one, always helping to pull us out of our scrapes, sharing our beatings for things he didn’t do.”

  “What a dear he was,” Dollie exclaimed, smiling as she brushed a sudden tear from her eye. “I miss him. Do you still think of him often, Eric?”

  De Gray’s smile faded, and he picked a stray thread from the soft wool of his trousers. “Always.” He kept his face averted and changed the subject. “Would the two of you care to join me in a ride through Hyde Park tomorrow morning?”

  “Oh, yes,” Dollie said instantly.

  Lidian hesitated. She considered any number of excuses but finally settled for the truth. “Thank you, but I’d rather not. I don’t ride very well.” It had been years since she had ridden a thoroughbred, and certainly nothing comparable to the quality of the mounts in the De Gray stables.

  “We’ll find a gentle horse for you,” De Gray said. “There’s a five-year-old in the stables named Lady.” His eyes twinkled as he added, “A quieter and more responsive female I have yet to meet.”

  Dollie laughed and pretended to pummel him for his remark while Lidian shook her head. “My riding habit is old and sadly out of style, and besides—”

  “Oh, do borrow one of mine!” Dollie exclaimed.

  “But I can’t—”

  “No arguments,” De Gray said softly.

  Before Lidian could reply, Dollie left the room, saying, “I have just the thing, a black habit, form-fitting, with a blue scarf. I’ll go see about it now!”

  “Wait,” Lidian called after her, but the girl didn’t seem to hear. Nonplussed, Lidian gave De Gray a wry smile. “Well, it seems I’m going to ride with you tomorrow.”

  “You’ll enjoy it.”

  A silence fell over them. It was their first opportunity to talk privately since the night at Vauxhall. “What did, your brother look like?” Lidian asked suddenly. “I’ve never seen a portrait of him.”

  “I have one that was painted of the three of us—Edward, Dollie, and me—when we were much yo
unger. It was my mother’s favorite. She had it taken down five years ago when he died. She said she couldn’t bear to look at it. It’s at my town house now.”

  “I’d like to see it someday,” Lidian said without thinking, and then colored. It sounded as if she were angling for an invitation.

  He laughed at her discomfort. “That could be arranged.”

  She hesitated and asked quietly, “How did it happen?”

  Eric understood that she was referring to Edward’s death. “A riding accident. He fell during a jump he never should nave tried.” He stood and walked about the room, pausing to examine the figurines on the fireplace mantel. He glanced at Lidian swiftly. It wasn’t easy talking about Edward, but something in her warm brown eyes encouraged him to continue. “I’ve thought about him every day since. He and I were nearly inseparable. God knows I never wanted to step into his shoes. At times I—” He stopped and closed his hand around one of the figurines, his fingers gentle on the fragile porcelain. “I wonder if I’ll spend the rest of my life being a poor imitation of Edward.”

  “Surely no one’s asked you to,” she murmured.

  Eric shrugged. “Edward was meant to be the next earl and to manage the family’s affairs and produce the heirs my father wants. He was born for it, not I. While Edward always made the highest marks at school and conducted himself honorably, I spent my time playing pranks and chasing after barmaids.…And now I find myself trying to live up to the damnably high standards my brother set.” Eric smiled crookedly. “One of my former friends actually called it a ‘stroke of luck,’ losing Edward. I’ve never given a damn about the family fortune or the title. I feel as if I’ve stolen it all from him somehow.” Eric set down the figurine while a wash of uncomfortable heat built beneath his cravat. He hadn’t meant to say so much…he’d never talked so freely about Edward to anyone. Sensing Lidian’s small presence nearby, he turned and discovered that she was standing just behind him.