“Our wedding is fast approaching, so I need to make some adjustments to my calendar in order for us to spend some time away after the ceremony,” he had told her when she demanded to know if he was avoiding her three days ago.
Tempest had regretted comforting him when he gave her a brilliant smile and tried to lean in for a kiss. She swiftly avoided it and almost fell in her haste to escape him. Hudson’s laugh had rung out in her ears causing her to grit her teeth and almost cuss him out in words that would shock a nun.
“Who do we have here?” Tempest muttered to herself in shock even as Judith continued with her tirade of how much she loved weddings and couldn’t wait for the day she would walk down the aisle to her beloved.
Tempest was no longer listening to her. Her attention was now on the woman in the bright yellow dress, who just alighted from a carriage and was now looking around.
Valerie!
She could hardly believe her eyes. So the peagoose had the nerve to arrive here for her wedding even after what she did! The shameless lout!
Ooh, Tempest wished she could wring her cousin’s deceptive neck! She would have to control her temper and find out why Valerie was here.
“Judith, would you be a dear and fetch Miss Valerie Haddington to my room,” she instructed with a lightheartedness she didn’t feel as she flounced from the window to settle herself on her bed.
When the maid’s eyebrows rose because it was highly unconventional to receive visitors in one’s room, Tempest giggled insincerely and said, “She’s my cousin. Besides, we have so much to talk about; I wouldn’t want anyone to interrupt us in the drawing room or elsewhere.”
Judith nodded and went to carry out her mistress’s instructions. Tempest paced the room as she waited for her fickle cousin. She thought of what she would do to the henwit. Maybe dragging her cousin’s hair would make her know that she wasn’t in the mood for any nonsense from her.
A knock sounded on the door, and Tempest hastily rushed to her bed to sit casually on it.
“Miss Tempest Haddington,” Judith announced, and Valerie entered the room in a whirl of yellow silk.
“Oh, Tempest!” her cousin said as the maid shut the door.
Tempest coldly eyed the beautiful young woman. “Come to wish me a happy married life, Valerie?” she queried with acidic bite. “Or perhaps you’ve come to tell me about your betrothal.”
Valerie’s face became as white as a sheet. Tempest enjoyed watching her cousin’s reaction to her barbed words. Then Valerie’s face changed from white to red as she realised her cousin knew what ought to have been a secret to her.
“What are you talking about?” she said in a shaky voice as she pushed herself into the room. Tempest’s countenance made her pause beside the bed.
“For shame, Valerie, haven’t you fooled me enough?” Tempest asked, as she rose to her feet, her eyes flaming like that of a fiery furnace. “How dare you show your face here after the way you deceived me into ending your engagement with Hudson? Everything you told me about him was pure lies!”
Twirling her hands with tears smarting her eyes, Valerie replied, “Oh , Tempest, you don’t know how much I have regretted what I did. I was deceived by the young man who I erroneously got engaged to. He told me all those mean things about Hudson and begged me to find a way to end the betrothal because he loved me. I foolishly believed him, but I recently discovered that all those things he said about Hudson weren’t true. The oaf was actually talking about himself!”
Tempest wasn’t interested in listening to the conversation about the man her cousin was engaged to. She was more concerned with what her cousin had done to her and Hudson.
She lifted a hand to stop her cousin from blabbering about what was none of her business. Valerie stepped forward and clasped the hand.
“Tempest, you don’t know how much I have suffered,” Valerie carried on as tears streamed down her lovely face. “Finding out all those vile things about Hudson weren’t true nearly sent me to bedlam. I was so ashamed of myself and what I had done to that poor, innocent man.”
Tempest’s eyes narrowed perceptibly. Where was her cousin heading with her theatrics now? After successfully deceiving her that first time, Tempest didn’t think she was inclined to believe Valerie again.
Valerie moved away from her and strode to the window. She stared down at it for some seconds before twirling to cast wet eyes on her cousin.
“I have not been feeling well; I have lost so much sleep concerning this matter. When I heard you were to be wed to Hudson in a few days, I decided to come here to do the noble thing.”
Tempest eyed her suspiciously. “Which is?”
“Take your place, of course.”
Tempest had thought nothing Valerie said or did would ever surprise her again. She was clearly mistaken as the breath whooshed out of her in shock. The chit was here to marry Hudson.
There! Your problem has been solved. Valerie will take your place while you have your freedom back.
If that was the solution, then why did she feel as if her heart had just been wrenched from her chest? Why did the image of Hudson and Valerie joined in holy matrimony leave a taste worse than vinegar in her mouth?
A step forward drew her closer to her cousin. Placing her hands on her hips, she sternly asked, “Why have you changed your mind all of a sudden?”
Sighing, Valerie left the window and walked to the bed where she carefully settled herself upon the sheets. Tempest noticed her tears had dried up faster than a pond in summer.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Valerie looked at her as if she ought to know the answer to her own question. “I can’t allow you marry Hudson knowing it’s all my fault that you got acquainted with him in the first place.”
Tempest dropped her hands and glared at the fickle woman seated on her bed. Valerie must think she was all shades of foolish. What a silly answer to give!
“And what about your intended?”
Valerie scoffed in an unladylike manner. “That rake! That libertine! He’s nothing but a cheap liar. There’s nothing to his name, no title, no lands, and no properties! He’s not going to inherit a penny from his father! Not one!”
Tempest clicked her tongue as her cousin continued, “I found out all he said about his brother were pure lies! He was the one who put a bun in the servant’s oven. He was the one who his father disinherited. The scoundrel went about carrying the rumour so everyone would believe him. You see, his brother is something of a recluse. The poor man had no idea his name was being slandered by his own brother to the ton. A friend of his who just arrived from the South of France heard and told him about it. The man came out of his hiding place and confronted his brother about the rumours.
“I heard it wasn’t a pretty incident. I believe a duel would have been fought but for the intervention of their father. Now my former betrothal’s name has been expunged from the family completely by the irate father.”
“And unfortunately, you couldn’t have access to his elder brother,” Tempest finished for her bitingly.
Valerie’s eyes widened as her lips parted. “Whatever do you mean, Tempest?”
More than irritated by her cousin’s duplicity, she walked over to the bed and tautly tilted the young chit’s face. Tempest smiled bitterly when she saw the fear in her cousin’s eyes.
“Do you think I’m a fool, Valerie? You might have fooled me that first time but I won’t allow you do that again,” she snapped at her. “What is this I hear about you running around, making a cake of yourself in search of a wealthy husband?”
Valerie shook her head causing Tempest to drop her hand and step away from her. Her penetrating gaze, however, didn’t lessen. Tears flooded Valerie’s eyes.
“Those rumours are false,” she said in a raised voice. “Why, Tempest, I didn’t peg you down as one to listen to gossip, especially vile ones about your cousin!”
Tempest sighed. She was already tired of the young woman’s ability to be dramatic. Tempest turned away from her to star
e out the window as yet another carriage arrived. This time around a robust woman almost fell out of it. Ordinarily, it would have been hilarious to her, but she didn’t at all feel like engaging in humour. Not when she was discussing such a delicate matter with her fickle cousin.
Valerie came to stand beside her, her eyes imploring. “You must believe me when I say the gossips about me are pure lies!”
Turning abruptly in her direction, Tempest asked, “Why do you want to marry Hudson? Why have you changed your mind all of a sudden? Last time, you couldn’t stand the man, let alone marry him.”
Valerie rolled her eyes and stamped a slipper-clad foot on the carpet. “Haven’t you been listening to all I’ve been saying? I’m here for retribution. I have to do penance for what I did to you and Hudson.” Then she strolled to the window to look down. “Besides, I’m tired of London. Strombridge looks like a peaceful place to live.”
The penny dropped! From having tea with the old biddies once a week, Tempest heard gossip that Hudson was to inherit the estate. Little wonder her cousin was here. Most likely she had heard and realised that Hudson wasn’t as poor as she had thought. Indeed, Valerie was nothing but a gold digger!
“Out!” Tempest pointed at the door.
Valerie turned to look at her with surprise.
“This conversation is at an end. Leave my room this minute!”
“Why, Tempest, I didn’t think you would be all-fired up to marry Hudson, giving your views about marriage,” Valerie taunted with bitterness in her eyes.
“My reasons for marrying Hudson are none of your business. And I warn you to think carefully before you come peddling rumours my way. Lastly, I’ll advise you to be careful in your quest to marry a wealthy man at all cost. You might just end up with the Devil himself, not that you wouldn’t deserve it for your fickleness.”
Valerie jerked as if Tempest had physically hit her. With anger in her eyes, she swept past her cousin and hastened to the door.
Tempest sat on her bed and placed her hands across her face when she heard the door shut quietly. When did Valerie become so vain? What a pity!
Chapter 24
Sitting in a chair by the window, Hudson chuckled as he endured yet another ribald comment from his brothers. They had all arrived the previous evening with their father and were even gulping down large amounts of port making them noisier.
He didn’t have a care for them because his attention was on his betrothed who was prancing about in the garden with her maid. Through the French windows of his study, he could clearly see her.
As usual, she was looking stunning in a sea green dress that was a contrast to her red hair yet complemented it beautifully. He wondered if the wedding dress he had instructed to be made for her fit perfectly.
Although she was of medium stature, she filled out nicely. He couldn’t wait to see her in the white lace dress encrusted with pearls. It had cost a fortune, but he didn’t mind. Tempest was worth all that and more; he couldn’t wait to see how the dress moulded nicely over her breasts and her slightly flailing hips. If it were possible, he wouldn’t allow her to change from the dress until it was time for them to retire to bed so he could take it off her delectable body slowly and caressingly.
God’s truth, he had been avoiding her because with each passing day came the realisation that he truly wanted Tempest to be his wife. Not just for Aunt Agnes’s joy and peace of mind, but for his, too. His desire for her grew, but he had to acknowledge that it was more than bedding her.
It was like those feelings he had for her in his youthful days never died. Perhaps he had only suppressed them after she had bluntly rejected him. But now that she was within reach and set to wed him, they had risen to the surface again, which was one more reason he kept away from her. Blurting out his feelings for her was sure to make the wench laugh in his face. The chit wouldn’t fail to use it against him at any given opportunity. Thus, he had to guard his heart carefully.
Moreover, he had also stayed away from her to keep from hearing her pleas and arguments about him letting her go. Why she didn’t realise that it was already too late astounded him. Mayhap it was her stubbornness that kept her pushing to be freed.
Seeing that she hadn’t yet accepted that their wedding was inevitable, he had painstakingly taken measures to thwart her escape plans. The stubborn woman had tried escaping through the stables but hadn’t known how to saddle a horse let alone ride one.
When one of the groomsmen innocently related how his bride wanted to ride a horse without a saddle because it had been too heavy for her to carry, he had laughed heartily. The man, not realising that Tempest had meant to escape from the estate had suggested to Hudson to teach her how to ride since she wanted to do so desperately.
Hudson chuckled inwardly. He would only teach her how to ride after they became man and wife. Then they would ride together in the mornings; one of his favourite pastimes.
“He isn’t hearing a single word we’re saying!” exclaimed one of his brothers into his musings. “Hell-bent on undressing his bride with his eyes is he.”
There were guffaws all around.
“I dare say he has dreamt of his wedding night ever since his betrothed accepted his proposal,” added another brother, which solicited another round of laughter.
Hudson smiled warmly. They could joke about it all they wanted, but indeed, he couldn’t wait to take Tempest to bed and unlock her passionate side. Apparently, she didn’t know she had one. He would explore it to its heights. Their fiery kiss convinced him that they would deal nicely together. While he slid into her hot, moist, and tight sheath, she would cling to his back with her small hands with moans of pleasure escaping her lips.
“Ahem!” Rawdon cleared his throat looking knowingly at his brother.
Hudson couldn’t help the blush that crept up his face at the knowledge that he had allowed his erotic thoughts get out of control until his brothers noticed his state of arousal.
“Best you keep that sheathed afore her father sees it and calls off the wedding mistaking you for a lascivious cad!”
Hudson had wanted to ask what the devil he was yapping about when he belatedly noticed a maid shut the door.
“The baron has arrived,” Rawdon informed him, and Hudson groaned inwardly.
The messenger he had sent with the letter inviting the baron to his daughter’s wedding had returned with disconcerting news. The man had been furious, to say the least.
The thought of confronting his prospective father-in-law cooled his ardour faster than a splash in an icy stream. Sighing, he took a gulp from his port.
*****
“Papa!” Tempest called as she rushed into her father’s arms to receive his hug and his kiss. Although they weren’t overly affectionate by nature, she was happy to see him and admitted that she had missed him.
Smiling, her father held her hands and looked her all over. “I ought to throttle you,” he declared and laughed.
“But why, Papa?” Tempest asked with bewilderment.
“Why, for eloping!” he barked, not noticing the colour had washed off her face in his ire as he dropped her hands to slash the air with his in anger. “When I received Hudson’s letter informing me of both your decisions to elope, I swear I almost came down here to take a twig to both of you,” the man said still not noticing the look of horror on his daughter’s face. “But your Aunt Beth calmed me down. Pity she couldn’t come with me. She’s under the weather, and the trip might be too much for her.”
Tempest wasn’t interested in her aunt’s ailment because she had already received correspondence from the woman regretfully informing her why she wouldn’t be present at her wedding. Tempest hadn’t bothered writing to her aunt about her predicament because she had hoped to escape from Hudson and relay all that happened to the woman when she got back to London. Alas, that wasn’t going to be the case since both hers and Hudson’s fathers were already here.
The Irresistible Lady Behind the Mask: A Historical Regency Romance Book Page 21
