by Heather Boyd
Of course, she’d been too upset to enjoy the moment fully. But she did remember how comforting he had been, and the scent of him, his aftershave and warmth, was very nice, too.
They nodded to each other, and then Lord Wade drew her onward. After a moment, he cleared his throat. “Now, confess: who do you fancy yourself in love with?”
“I’m not in love with anyone,” she said quickly, praying he’d not noticed her staring at Lord Sorenson.
“Oh, I think you are. Is it Lord Carmichael who now causes you to blush, or is it someone else entirely who has caught your eye and imagination?”
“A friend wouldn’t ask me such a blunt question,” she said, doing little to hide her discomfort.
“So, it’s someone new. Not a bad choice, I suspect.” A sly smile curved his lips. “It is hard not to notice your attention is divided tonight,” he said quietly.
She glanced at him swiftly. “No, it is not. I would never be so rude to you.”
“I think the fellow has utterly turned your head, and in so short a time, too. It might even be love at first sight.” He nudged her shoulder with his in a companionable manner. “You needn’t be embarrassed. I’ve known from the start how the wind blew with you. You hadn’t yet met the one who caused your lady parts to quiver.”
She gaped and then snapped her mouth shut. He couldn’t have said that out loud? He couldn’t know the effect Lord Sorenson had on her?
She didn’t dare meet his gaze, and her face grew very hot as she tried not to think of Lord Sorenson and her lady parts. She wanted to flee from her embarrassment, especially when she realized her nipples seemed to have grown unusually sensitive beneath her gown. She had to get away from everyone until the sensation passed.
Unfortunately, Lord Wade took her arm and hooked it through his before she could take one step away from him. Anna kept her lips tightly shut. She would pretend everything was normal. It was the only thing she could think to do.
“It’s a perfectly natural sensation. I’m happy for you. We’re going to remain good friends, Miss Beasley, no matter what happens next. You’re still the second-most interesting woman in the room.”
Anna stared at him. “Second-most?”
“I knew you were still listening to me.” He chuckled as she remembered what he’d confessed to before. What a goose she was. Of course, she would come second to the lady he admired. “Friends help each other see the truth, especially when it’s to their advantage, and give their friend a chance to make someone see what they are missing out on.”
Anna shivered, suddenly chilled. Lord Wade had no idea what he was talking about. She had no chance of keeping Lord Sorenson’s attention. Her chances were less than hopeless. “He’d rather look at other women than me,” she confessed quietly.
“Such an imbecile. Sorenson will come around eventually.”
She looked at Lord Wade, startled. “I wasn’t talking about him.”
“I was.” Lord Wade laughed again. “All men are devils until the right woman tames them. Sorenson watches you even now.”
Anna glowered at Lord Wade. “He watches everyone.”
“He’s watching you now. Again. Look to your left and see.”
Anna did—and her gaze fell on Lord Sorenson immediately. Carmichael was no longer with him, but Lord Sorenson was staring at her and Lord Wade, a frown line growing between his brows.
Hadn’t he been farther up the room, closer to her father, a moment ago?
Anna turned away from him quickly, determined to put the earl from her mind. Lord Sorenson’s interest was purely about how long she could hold her tongue about the murder she’d stumbled upon.
She looked around the room, resuming her search for an agreeable husband. “As I said, he looks at everyone a great deal. Do you see Lord Carmichael anywhere about?”
“Carmichael? Why would you want him?”
She pulled a face. “So I might avoid him.”
Lord Wade smiled slightly. “Yes, I’d heard you’ve been enemies since childhood. Surely he’s not so bad.”
“Indeed he is that bad.” She dredged her memory for an example of Carmichael’s real nature. “I have many good reasons not to like him. For instance, one day, just after he and his parents came to stay for a visit, Carmichael took my new parasol without my permission into a neighbor’s dovecote so he might observe the birds without getting their leavings splattered over his coat. The parasol was a rare gift from his mother. It was beautiful and dear to me.”
“That sounds a reasonable precaution but…” Lord Wade began, but then frowned. “How long was he inside the dovecote?”
“An hour and more. When I saw him, he just passed me the ruined parasol and thanked me for the loan of it.”
Lord Wade scowled. “I think you’re very wise to keep your distance from that one then.”
“I wish I could, however, my father is his godfather, and he holds Lord Carmichael in great affection. Avoiding him is not always possible but I do my best.”
Lord Wade smiled again. “You cannot hold his friend accountable for the childish behavior of a mutual acquaintance?”
Anna’s cheeks heated. “Which friend?”
“You know the one: tall, red-haired, handsome, and with a fondness for following you about this ballroom.”
“He is not.”
“You two make quite the pair.” Lord Wade laughed. “You’ve been sneaking peeks at him since the night you met him at Almack’s, and he’s doing the same now.”
“I certainly do not look at him more than anyone else,” she declared hotly, not enjoying Lord Wade’s insistence.
“Not a bad choice, if you ask me.”
Anna bristled, unhappy that Lord Wade was becoming overly familiar. No wonder Miss Hayes did her best to avoid him. She might have to withdraw her friendship if he kept this up. “I did not ask your opinion.”
“No one ever does. Usually to their detriment.” He smiled serenely. “I can spot an ill-fated match from twenty paces. And a better one in less time than that.”
“If you are so skilled at matchmaking, perhaps you should consider stop being cowardly and face the facts. You are never going to win yourself a wife unless you take action. You should worry more about making a marriage yourself.” She gasped quickly, shocked again by her own boldness at suggesting such a plan. “But not to me, of course.”
“No, not you. We’d never suit for marriage.”
Despite being cross, Anna felt bad suddenly for how she’d spoken. “I’m sure the lady would be happy to marry you if you are sincere in declaring your affections.”
“Matchmaking is not a skill you possess, Miss Beasley, or our association would have borne better results by now.” He sighed. “Your father is beckoning us to him.”
Anna glanced ahead. Her father did appear anxious to have her return. He was craning his neck in a way he usually had no need to. Had he heard of last week’s murder at last? Anna’s stomach pitched and roiled in worry that he might learn what she had stumbled upon. “Thank you for your company, Lord Wade.”
“As ever, it has been an enlightening experience talking with you,” he promised.
They joined her father and Lord Wade quickly excused himself. She watched him flee toward the card room and then looked up at her beloved father. “Is something wrong?”
“No, no.” He glanced around them, smiling broadly. “But I have news. Good news indeed to share.”
Anna tried to smile too—to feign excitement she didn’t feel at his words.
“Lord Carmichael has asked to stand up with you tonight,” he whispered. “I promised him that you were free and very willing to dance with him at short notice.”
Anna groaned under her breath. Lord Carmichael was a pain in her backside. She’d hoped to fill her dance card only with potential suitors.
She thought quickly of a way to avoid the dance for as long as possible. “If you will excuse me, I need a moment to myself.”
“You are love
ly already,” her father promised. “But by all means, seek the retiring room to improve upon perfection.”
He brushed her chin with his knuckles, beaming at her until she had to flee his presence. If only Papa wasn’t so determined to have Carmichael squire her about the dance floor. He would be disappointed when Carmichael eventually married, most likely to Miss Angela Berry, and very soon, too.
Anna knew which rooms had been set aside for the ladies and followed a pair of chattering women in that direction. However, as soon as those ladies slipped inside the retiring room, Anna sidestepped into the very first chamber she came to and shut the door firmly behind her.
She pressed her hand to her chest, excited by her daring escape. She would be scolded if she were discovered here alone but there was no choice.
She would have to speak to Father about her intense dislike of Lord Carmichael. She had to stop him from making arrangements for them to dance together behind her back, and soon.
The air suddenly stirred beside her. “What are you doing here alone, Miss Beasley?”
Chapter 9
Miss Beasley yelped and turned to face the dark corner where Gilbert had hidden when she’d suddenly stepped into the room.
“Goodness!” she cried. “You scared me.”
Gilbert moved toward her, lifting his gloved fingers to her lips. He pressed them firmly against her to silence her. “You must be quiet,” he whispered.
“Why?” she mumbled around his fingers.
He was still a long moment, studying her in the moonlight cast by the open drapes. Miss Beasley intrigued him as no other lady he’d met so far had. A pity he’d not the time to explore the attraction building in him, and what he sensed of hers even now. “So no one learns we are alone together.”
He brushed his fingers gently across her lips, wishing he’d taken the time to remove his gloves first. Miss Beasley had pretty lips. He found them fascinating to watch.
Unmindful of the potential scandal, she drew closer. “Did you discover who killed Miss Goldwell?”
“Not yet.” But he had come to this room to lie in wait for a candidate. Carmichael had gone to another likely location where an attack might be made, the library on the other side of the house. Together, they hoped to thwart the killer if he was here tonight.
Gilbert’s heart had stopped when someone had slipped into the room, and when he’d recognized Miss Beasley by the color of her gown and the curves of her body, his heart had raced with dread.
For a moment, a very brief one, he had wondered if he’d been so very wrong about her.
However, he felt the killer would have reacted very differently to his presence, had they come here with murder on their mind.
“I cannot forget what happened to her.” Scared eyes met his. “Can you?”
He returned his fingers to her lips as women passed the door, laughing loudly as they went. He listened until they were gone. “I’m sorry you had to see her like that.”
Miss Beasley shivered. “It is not right that no one knows about it.”
“No, it is not right, but it is how it must be for now if the killer is to be captured.”
Her eyes searched his face again. “Are there any clues at all?”
“Very few.” Confiding in Miss Beasley hadn’t been a consideration but he felt he owed her an explanation and hope. “We suspect the person responsible is someone frequently overlooked by society. Someone who stands at the fringes.”
Miss Beasley swallowed. “Is that why you’re hiding here? Are you trying to catch them in the act of attacking someone else?”
“Yes,” he confessed. He smiled quickly, lest she thought he considered her a suspect. “But I seem to have caught a pretty lady instead.”
“I’m not the killer,” she said, fingers rising to her throat. “I simply needed a moment to myself before I return to the ball.”
He noted she ignored the compliment but touching her throat revealed his words had indeed affected her. If it wasn’t so dark in here, he thought she might be blushing. “What has upset you tonight?”
She frowned at him. “Why do you think I’m upset?”
“I saw your expression change as you spoke with Lord Wade.”
She shrugged. “He unsettles me occasionally, but it is not him I flee.”
Gilbert stood straighter, more than a little worried by that remark. “What are you afraid of?”
“I am not afraid. I am annoyed. Father has promised I will dance with Carmichael soon.”
Carmichael was supposed to be patrolling the library by now. Had he intended to disappoint Miss Beasley tonight by not arriving to dance with her? That seemed unnecessarily cruel. “What if he didn’t come?”
“Then he would finally do something to make me happy,” she said, and then sighed. “No doubt my father pressured him to dance with me tonight. I’d rather not be a duty, all things considered. I just wish he’d go away or say no to Father with a hint of finality.”
“I’ll talk to him,” Gilbert promised, silently vowing to keep them as far apart as he reasonably could.
“You will? Why?” Her hand moved to her cheek and yes, he was certain she was blushing furiously now.
“He’s my friend and he’s being manipulated.”
“He has a spine made of jelly. He’s forever promising Father one thing or another, and his godmother, too, for that matter. It is not possible to please everyone. I learned that long ago, and I wish he would, too,” Miss Beasley declared, chin rising proudly.
Clearly Miss Beasley did not want to be around Carmichael, but she always seemed to be talking with Lord Wade, a man whose character seemed quite devious. She deserved better. “Is there something more than friendship between yourself and Lord Wade?”
She laughed bitterly. “I like him, but not the way you suggest. Not romantically.”
Someone cackled with laughter directly beside them, outside in the hall. He placed his hand over her mouth again, hoping whoever it was would quickly go away. He and Miss Beasley had been alone for too long. He had to let her go as soon as silence returned to the adjacent hall and send her on her way.
He bent close to whisper in her ear, “You should go.”
“You keep saying that to me,” she whispered back.
“I’ve no wish to harm your reputation.”
She considered that a moment, and then sighed. “No one will notice I’m missing yet,” she promised. “Do you need help looking for Miss Goldwell’s killer? I should like to offer any assistance I can.”
“Bow Street has the matter well in hand. I have Carmichael, too.”
She rolled her eyes. “You need someone better equipped to ask intelligent questions than Carmichael.”
Gilbert muffled a laugh. “I think Carmichael did too well turning you against him. You do know he’s something of a genius, don’t you?”
“Price Wagstaff is an imbecile and a scoundrel,” she said flatly. “His friend would know that about him by now. All he is interested in is chasing the nearest skirt.”
Gilbert was amused by her hostility toward Carmichael. “Carmichael may never have attended classes when we were in school together, but he passed every test with time to spare. He is smarter than most men, myself included.”
“What? That cannot be right. You’re…”
Gilbert touched her arms lightly. “I’m what.”
Miss Beasley wet her lips. “Well, you’re obviously very intelligent and…”
Gilbert cursed under his breath as his body reacted to the flick of her tongue across her lips, and the praise. He desired her, though he couldn’t pursue her until the murderer had been captured.
Still, there was no reason why he couldn’t reveal his interest and see what happens. “And?”
“What else is there to say?”
He leaned close. Recklessly close, and he heard her breath hitch. “I think you’re very attractive, too. I notice you,” he whispered. “When you arrive, when you leave. Who you talk to. Who
you dance with.”
Miss Beasley trembled when he set his hand to her shoulder. “You do?”
“Oh, yes. You are quite lovely to watch. So graceful and always smiling.” He moved his hand so his fingers brushed against her throat and slid them up to cup her face. “If I had time to spare, I might do nothing else but watch you.”
Miss Beasley collapsed back against the wall behind her. “You’re too kind.”
“I’m really not.” Had she no idea of how appealing he found her? He’d have to fix her lack of understanding on the matter of her desirability. He moved closer, crowding her against the wall. His blood was pumping fast through his veins. Desire was robbing him of his manners, and he knew it. He didn’t care. He lowered his head until their lips were very close. “If I was kind, I’d not want to do this.”
He sealed his lips over hers and kissed her thoroughly for several long minutes. It was obvious Miss Beasley was inexperienced. He had to coax her to part her lips and when she did, he flicked out his tongue to taste her.
She tasted of the punch she’d sipped earlier and smelled of heaven, too.
He pulled her into his arms, setting aside what he’d originally come to this room for. All he could think of was showing Miss Beasley how much he admired her. She wound her arms about his shoulders and he moaned against her mouth, closing his eyes to savor the moment of their surrender to passion.
The next moment, Miss Beasley was wrenched out of his arms.
He opened his eyes in a daze and found Lord Wade’s scowling face before him. “Sorry to interrupt,” Wade murmured. “But you should know better.”
Miss Beasley blinked several times and then covered her lips. Her cheeks were definitely turning a fiery pink now, and her eyes were wide with shock.
Only then did he see their hostess, Lady Windermere, standing just inside the room, too. She did not look pleased with them.
Lady Windermere addressed Miss Beasley first. “My dear, unmarried ladies prowling the halls without chaperones in tow must always remember to lock the door when they sneak away for stolen kisses.”
