Regency Romances

by Grace Fletcher

  Chapter 3

  Lord Coventry

  The weather was bitterly cold, but that did not deter Inese. She enjoyed parties, and it would definitely take more than bad weather to stop her from attending one that was hosted by her friend's family. Her father had had a gift of a fur-lined cloak delivered to her. She knew it was his own way of apologizing for what they had almost done to her. She was presently wrapped warmly in the cloak as she made her way to the house of Lord Bradley.

  Lord Bradley met her on the steps, smiling warmly at her. They had barely finished exchanging pleasantries when Freya joined them.

  "Good evening, Inese," she said. Her eyes narrowed as she looked longingly at Inese's cloak.

  Freya led her inside. The seating was arranged in two rows, and the two rows faced each other. Inese had barely sat down when Freya tapped her and whispered conspiratorially.

  "There is Lady Antebellum." Freya nodded at a beautiful woman with a long mane of beautiful blonde hair.

  "I have seen her at several parties, but I do not know who she is," Inese replied.

  "She is the wife of Lord Antebellum."

  "I will be sure to make her acquaintances before I leave today," Inese said absentmindedly.

  "No, silly," Freya grinned, "I am not pointing her out so you can make her acquaintance. I want to tell you about the gossip that I heard about her."

  "Really?" Inese feigned interest. Inese gave no care for gossip, but she had no choice but to indulge her friend who seemed to know everything about the London social scene.

  "Yes," Freya leaned closer to her, "I learned that she is having an affair with the Count of Wellesley."

  Inese gasped. "How true is this?" she asked despite herself.

  "I heard it from a reliable source. The affair has also been going on for what seems like forever."

  Inese shook her head in amazement. "I will never understand the way of the English."

  Freya chuckled. "That is the way of the ton. Lords and Ladies have extramarital affairs even though it's not often made public. The Lords can also take the liberty of taking mistresses who might even bear children. It is the way of the ton."

  "I don't want to be part of the ton then," Inese said distastefully.

  Freya pushed her playfully on the shoulder. "You are entirely too sensitive, Inese."

  Inese was retorting when she changed her mind. There was no point talking to Freya about how distasteful she found the sinful ways of the ton.

  The musicians arrived at that moment, and they started to prepare their instruments for performance. Freya had left her side to go to another lady, and they both seemed to be engrossed in gossip. Inese watched the musicians eagerly as they readied. The sound of a determined stride coming down the aisle suddenly caught her attention. Instinctively, she turned to see who it was that was arriving so late. Sweeping up the aisle was the Earl of Bedford.

  Her heart caught in her chest, and she almost swore out loudly. Why did he have to have quite an effect on her? He looked so regal and elegant as he made his way towards the table. Bedford was not a very handsome man, but the confidence and power that he exhumed were enough to dazzle anyone. His luxurious black hair was just as perfect as the man himself, and his brown eyes fluttered around, probably searching for her. The thought of that brought a smile to her face.

  Bedford, who didn't seem to have seen her, moved to sit directly across from her. Inese groaned. How could she survive the night when the man she was trying to forget was just sitting across her? He did not notice her immediately, and for that, she was grateful. She watched him speak briefly with the two maidens who sat on either side of him. She frowned when she saw one of the maidens batted her eyelid boldly at him.

  As they announced that the music was about to start, Bedford looked forward, and his gaze fell on her. She had been meaning to avert her eyes, but it was too late. He had already seen her. He blinked and frowned before he finally flashed her a smile.

  Inese, despite the loud thudding of her heart, kept the calm and cool exterior. She smiled and nodded her head towards him. She quickly averted her eye after this and turned her attention to the pianist.

  "Good evening, madam," a gentleman said who sat just beside her.

  "Good evening."

  Across the table, she could see Bedford's lips pressed tightly together. Could he possibly be angry that she was having a conversation with another man?

  "The weather has been awfully cold for a while now, hasn't it?" the gentleman continued.

  "Quite well. Christmas is fast approaching and with it the winter."

  "You are right, Madam. I have never experienced a colder Christmas like this one."

  "I think a bit of brandy would warm the blood up just fine."

  The gentleman smiled, impressed. "You seem well-versed in this affair."

  "Indeed," she said, smiling. She peeked at Bedford only to see him looking even more disagreeable.

  Their eyes met, and she smiled slightly at him and turned her attention back to the musicians. One of the musicians thanked Lord Bradley for his patronage before heading back to his piano. He held out a hand to the other musicians and began the music.

  At that moment, Inese forgot all about Bedford as she flew without wings into the beautiful, magical land of music. The music was incredibly beautiful, while the tones that were seduced out of the musical instrument swept over her. Right there and then, she dreamed of herself and her German lover. She dreamed of herself as the damsel in distress and her German lover as her knight in shining armor.

  She was so engrossed in her dream that she did not notice that anyone was before her. It wasn't until she heard the voice that she was jerked out of her dreamland.

  "My lady would like to have a word with you in the tearoom," a girl that she knew as Freya's maid said, pointing at a rather dark corner.

  Inese was taken aback. However, before she could ask her where the tearoom was, the maid had walked away. Inese rose to her feet and made her way towards the dark corner. She soon saw another door there. She stood by the door, unsure of what to do next. Freya had summoned her to the tearoom, but she knew not the way. She was not even sure if the door she had just seen was the way.

  She stared suspiciously at the door and walked slowly to it. There was no footman at the door, so she simply pushed it open and walked into a very small room. It was definitely not the tearoom because several goblets were carefully placed on shelves in the room. Seeing another door she took it and soon got to a well-lit hallway.

  Inese could hear several voices and laughter as she walked down the corridor. Twice, she saw a man and woman walk out of a room together. At this point, she was almost tempted to go back. She, however, remembered that Freya would be patiently awaiting her, and she forged on, determined to find the tea room.

  When she finally came upon the room that seemed like the tea room, she walked in, exhausted from the long walk. The room was dark and close, and she could barely even see what was in front of her.

  "Freya!" she called, feeling uncomfortable. There was no response

  She heard a sudden movement behind her and gasped. Someone was inside the room with her.

  "Who is here?" she asked, her voice quivering just slightly.

  Seeing that there was no response, she rushed back towards the door, pulled it but she was met with stiffness. She tugged at the door again with greater force, but she was unable to get it open.

  She took two steps back, confused. She had entered easily through the door, and just a moment later, she was unable to make her way through the door again. She pulled again with all her might. Nothing happened.

  "Who is here?" she asked, now terrified.

  "What are you doing here?" she heard a strangely familiar voice say.

  She heard movements and moments later, light flooded the room again. She gasped when she saw a man standing a few feet away from her.

  "Who are you?" she asked again, taking careful steps towards the door.
/>   "Have no fear. I'm not about to harm you," she heard.

  The man walked briskly towards her, and she stood frightened and rooted to a place. The man stopped a few feet away from her, and it was then that she realized why their voice had sounded so strange yet familiar.

  She gaped at him.

  "Madam!" The man who had sat beside her and who she had spoken briefly with in the ballroom was standing right in front of her, and he also looked just as surprised as she was.

  Inese opened her mouth to talk, but she closed it almost immediately for she realized that she did not even know who the man was or what his name was.

  "I am Inese, Inese Strupule," she said.

  "I am James Wiggins, the Earl of Coventry," the man replied, his eyes roaming greedily over her.

  Inese could see the greed in his eyes, and suddenly, the panic that she had felt earlier returned. She gave a little smile, and he stared blatantly at her bosom. Appalled, Inese averted her eyes and looked away. She was feeling extremely uncomfortable, but there was no way she could get out of the room.

  "Haha!" he nodded, oblivious to her reaction, "you must be the German belle that I've heard so much about."

  "Indeed, I am German," Inese replied as she looked around the room for another way out.

  She groaned when she realized that there was no other door in the room, asides the one she had entered through.

  He laughed, then licked his lips with his tongue. "Then I guess our meeting tonight was premeditated by God. I've heard a lot about you and I've always wanted to make your acquaintance."

  Inese gave a dry but polite smile.

  "My lord, I would be happy to make your acquaintance too. However, I need to get to Freya, my friend, but the door doesn't seem to budge. Could you perhaps help me out?" she asked.

  His eyes narrowed, and his eyes went to her bosom again. She shifted uncomfortably.

  "My lady, why are you so eager to take your leave? We are just beginning to know each other, don't you think?" he said and took two steps towards her.

  Inese's heart thudded loudly in her chest. She was far away from the ballroom, and no one would ever know if the earl made improper advances. She decided to keep him at bay while she found a way out.

  "Not at all, my lord. It would be my pleasure to make your acquaintance. However, I need to leave for Freya."

  Coventry placed a hand on her shoulder suddenly and she flinched. "I'm sure Freya will understand why you are not with her."

  "I'm sorry, sir but I have to leave," she said and shifted to the right so that his hand slid off her shoulder.

  She made for the door again in haste and pulled it with a strength that surprised even her. The door, however, was unyielding.

  He was quick to get to her, his eyes gleaming with a mischievous light. "The door will not be opening."

  She shrank away from him in fright and pulled at the door again.

  "The door will not be opening," he said again with a cold icy voice, "not until I am done with you."

  She turned towards him again when she saw that the door would not be opening.

  "Get away from me."

  He chuckled. "But we are all alone in the room."

  Inese's fear made her ill, and she turned to the door again, pulling it with all her might. He lunged for her suddenly, grabbing her hair and in that moment of panic, she pulled with all her might, and the door flew open. She felt her hair clip being pulled, and her hair cascading down her neck. However, she didn't give a care for all she wanted was to get as far away as possible from the man.

  What she saw as she managed to free herself and step out from the door made her blood run cold. Standing right by the door was Bedford, and he looked incredibly furious as he regarded her. She knew she probably looked a mess, especially since her hair had now been let down.

  She was about to open her mouth to tell Bedford what had happened when Coventry stepped right out of the room behind her. Inese shrank and hurried away from him. As though things couldn't get any worse, he held the clip that he had managed to pull out of her hair in his hand.

  Bedford's eyes narrowed as he stared at the hair clip before he turned his gaze right back at her disheveled hair. She need not be told, she already knew what was in his mind.

  "I am sorry if I had disturbed anything by my presence," he said, his lips set in a tight grim.

  "No, Bedford," Inese said, wanting to clear the air so there would be no misconception, "this is not as it appears."

  "I assure you, Miss Strupule, I know what this is," Bedford replied.

  His words broke her heart, and she turned frantically to the man who had caused it all. Coventry was simply leaning casually against the wall with an amused look on his face.

  "Coventry, tell him," she said. "Tell him that nothing happened between us."

  This seemed to get Bedford's attention because he also looked expectantly at Coventry.

  Coventry, on the other hand, slowly straightened up and moved towards Inese. At that moment, loud footsteps were heard across the hall. Inese saw her Freya racing down the hallway, her maid and two other people in tow.

  "Inese, I have been looking all over London for you. You scared me."

  Inese, who was already overwhelmed by all that had happened, was happy to see her friend.

  "Miss Strupule," Coventry said suddenly, calling her attention back to himself, "here is your hair clip," he said as he handed the clip over to her.

  Freya and her companions gasped in shock. Bedford looked hurt. Coventry didn't stride off without winking at her, a snide smile on his face. Inese had an intense urge to scratch the snide smile off his face with her fingernails.

  Inese knew what every one of them was thinking. Goodness! She would think the same too if she were in their shoes. She had just walked out of a room with Coventry, she looked ungroomed, her hair was disheveled and worse still, he handed her hair clip right in the full view of everyone present. They could never believe that she was not having an affair with Coventry.

  Inese turned her attention back to Bedford. "I was locked in the room with him. Nothing happened between us."

  Bedford's face hardened as he regarded her. "I will take my leave now."

  He didn't look back at her as he strode off.

  Inese was close to tears now. "Freya, I was on my way to you when I was locked in the room with him. I was not having an affair with him."

  "Inese," Freya said, kindly and moved towards her, "I do not blame you."

  "Really?" Inese heaved a sigh of relief. Finally, someone here was believing her. How lucky she was to have Freya as her friend.

  "Yes. It is the way of the ton. Everyone does it, don't they?" she turned to her companions, and they all nodded.

  Inese was confused, and she looked from Freya to her companions. "Do what? I don't understand."

  "Do not beat yourself up over this," Freya said kindly, "you are not the first maiden to have a tryst in London, and you would definitely not be the last."

  "I did not have a tryst with Coventry!" she snapped, angry that even her friend refused to believe her.

  "You should have told me, Inese. You should have told me that you were interested in Coventry and I would have arranged for the two of you to be alone."

  "Freya, do you not believe me?" The tears were beginning to slip at this point.

  Freya's companions were gloating, but she did not give a care.

  "Kindly excuse us," Freya said to her maid and her companions and moments later, she was alone with Inese at the hallway.

  Freya pulled out a handkerchief and cleaned Inese's tears with it. She then pulled Inese into a bone-crushing hug.

  "I did not have a tryst with Coventry!" she whispered, exhausted from the happenings and the tears.

  "You don't need to fight it," Freya whispered back, "just admit what you have done, and it would be easy on you."

  "I did not do it!" Inese insisted.

  "You don't have to lie to me, Inese. I'm your f
riend, and I will make sure that this isn't hard on you," Freya said.

  "I did not do it."

  "You can trust me with the truth. I can make sure this doesn't become a full-blown scandal."

  Seeing that Freya was not going to believe her, Inese pulled away from her.

  "I would like a retiring room. Will you show me where I can find one?" Inese asked.

  "Are you sure about this?" Freya asked.

  "The retiring room?" Inese said again, "Please," she added softly.

  "This way," she said, and put her hand to Inese's elbow to lead her.

  Once she got to the room, Inese took her time to regain her composure. She was shaking all over, and it wasn't until she had stopped shaking that she finally heaved a sigh of relief. When she had calmed sufficiently, she powdered her face and straightened her shoulders.

  "I will not cower before anyone or any scandal," she muttered as she fixed her hair back into place.

  What was done was done, and there was no point crying over spilled milk. She knew that she might be the object of gossip by the next day, but she didn't give much care. When she was confident that she felt and looked better, she walked out of the retiring room.

  Inese, who had assumed that Freya would be waiting for her, was shocked when she didn't see her. Wondering what might have taken her away, Inese made her way back to the ballroom.

  The ballroom was quite livelier than she had left it, and whiskey could be seen in every corner of the room. As much as Inese looked around, she still could not catch a glimpse of Freya. Since a stream of bodies was all over the place, it was harder to see her.

  As Inese got back into the ballroom again, she realized that some men were eyeing her lewdly while several groups of women talked behind their fingers and nodded towards her. Inese was not sure if it was her imagination, but she could have sworn that everyone in the ballroom was looking at her with disdain. It was as though they all had known what had happened to her.

  Forgetting immediately all about her earlier resolve not to let the scandal get to her, Inese made for the entrance door half running. She could feel their eyes on her, but all she wanted was to get away from their prying eyes.