The Secrets of a Lady

by Jenna Petersen

  Leaning over, he whispered something to the footman, then they stepped inside.

  “Viscount Berenger and Lady Audrey Jordan,” the man announced as the crowd turned to watch the two of them enter.

  Audrey felt the scrutiny of the people around them as Griffin led her forward to the seats where they would watch the presentation. The women all looked jealous, while the men seemed relieved. It wasn’t often a man stayed in mourning for his wife as long as Griffin had. Audrey supposed he made the other widowers look bad for marrying again or taking on new mistresses within weeks of their wives’ deaths.

  “You’re quite the catch, aren’t you?” she teased. “All the women look like they want to scratch my eyes out for being on your arm.”

  Griffin helped her settle into a chair, then took his place beside her. “Or perhaps they are jealous because you are the most beautiful creature in the room.”

  The pleasure from his comment warmed her from the root of her hair all the way down to the tips of her toes. The fact that Griffin found her beautiful was still a shocking one. When Audrey pictured herself, it was still as the gangly young girl who’d nearly tripped over her own feet to get close to the man at her side.

  “You’re a flatterer,” she said, trying to look as if the comment hadn’t affected her so much.

  “I tell the truth.” His tone didn’t return her teasing. Turning in his chair, he looked at her straight on, forcing her eyes to meet his. “You are beautiful. And there’s no one in this room I would rather be with than you.”

  As he moved to sit properly in his chair again, Audrey turned her face away. Being around Griffin was confusing. Part of her was thrilled with his attentiveness and caring toward her. The other knew their association would come to an end and leave her yearning all the more for him.

  “There’s Ellison,” Griffin whispered into her ear.

  She spun around to look in the direction he was indicating and found herself locking eyes with Douglas Ellison. For the first time since she’d been introduced to him three months before, the man looked furious. He was staring at Griffin with a deadly glare. Audrey recognized what Noah had told her was true. Ellison thought of Griffin as a competitor for her affections.

  Her first reaction was terror. Griffin was in far more danger now than she’d suspected, for Ellison would do whatever it took to get what he wanted.

  Then, slowly, the fear dulled, leaving her with the realization that this was exactly the situation she needed. If she was to manipulate Ellison into a proposal to bring her closer to him and to his secrets, using Griffin might just work.

  ***

  “It was a lovely ceremony, don’t you think?” Lady Charlton leaned closer to Noah with a breathy sigh as she twirled a strand of blonde hair around her finger.

  “Lovely,” Audrey’s tone was flat as she arched an eyebrow at her brother and rolled her eyes.

  Griffin nearly laughed as her brother flashed her a grin in return and looked down at Lady Charlton with a smile. “You always find the right words to describe such an event. Always eloquent.”

  The woman dissolved into girlish giggles that grated on Griffin’s ears, but he nodded in polite agreement. Noah was awful, the way he teased his sister.

  “What a happy foursome we make.”

  Griffin stiffened as he turned, for he already knew who he would find behind them. Douglas Ellison.

  Noah beamed as he straightened up a bit. “Ellison, where were you? My sister had begun to droop without your presence.”

  Audrey smiled as if nothing could be truer, sending a shot of possessive anger through Griffin.

  Ellison gave Griffin a pointed, irritated glare. “Somehow I doubt that. She and Lord Berenger looked very cozy when they came into throne room.”

  Audrey stepped forward to touch Ellison’s arm. “You must have been mistaken. Noah here had become… involved…” She shot another glare at her brother. “With Lady Charlton. Lord Berenger was simply kind enough to escort me in his stead. I was looking for you all over. You cannot imagine my pleasure when I saw you across the room.”

  Griffin clenched his teeth as Ellison’s stern face began to soften at her lies. The man truly believed Audrey cared for him, that she was his to claim. The thought was a sickening one.

  “Then I wish you’d seen me earlier so we could have been seated together. I haven’t seen you since your unfortunate disappearance at the Trafalgar reenactment.” Again, he sent a cold glare in Griffin’s direction.

  Audrey smiled as she took Ellison’s arm and leaned a fraction closer to him. “Yes, I do apologize about that unfortunate incident. As I explained in my note, I began to feel a bit ill. Lord Berenger was merely being overprotective of me by taking me home.”

  She slanted a quick glance in Griffin’s direction and he saw a brief apology appear in her eyes.

  “Is that what happened?” Lady Charlton asked with a blank giggle. “Some people have been gossiping about it.”

  Griffin clenched his teeth as Audrey’s face paled just a fraction before she smoothed away the anxiety. “Well, you know how it is, Lady Charlton. People will make up a story if they can’t find a real one, won’t they?”

  Griffin couldn’t help but stifle a smile as Lady Charlton’s dim expression suddenly became aware. Of course she was thinking of the rumors that had circulated after her latest husband’s death. Some of the crueler gossips even called her the Very Merry Widow.

  “Yes, that’s very true, Lady Audrey,” the blonde woman said, blinking a few times as her cheeks reddened.

  Noah arched an eyebrow at his sister. “Well, I see the dancing has begun. Perhaps you would do me the honor, Lady Charlton?”

  “Of course.” The young woman smiled as if there had never been a problem.

  “Idiotic woman,” Ellison growled as the pair disappeared into the crowd only to reappear on the dance floor a moment later.

  “She’s only repeating gossip,” Audrey said with a small sigh. “As the ton is known to do.”

  Griffin noticed the slight waver at the corner of her lips and wondered if she was thinking of the rumors five years ago. The rumors his wife had created. It stoked his anger even further, and his resolve to do the right thing when it came to Audrey and her future.

  Ellison nodded with a triumphant grin in Griffin’s direction. “I would love a dance with you. We could continue our discussion… in private.”

  “Of course,” she said with a smile even Griffin would have taken as sincere. “If you’ll excuse us, Lord Berenger.”

  He gave a quick nod, unable to speak for fear he’d say things he would later regret. Her assignment was dangerous enough without him adding his choice comments about the safety of spending time with blackguards and traitors.

  As they moved out onto the dance floor, he scowled. It was even harder to watch Audrey in the arms of a madman now that he’d held her in his own. He didn’t want Ellison to have any claim on her, real or imagined.

  Holding back a colorful curse, Griffin headed across the ballroom to the back where the porters were handing out champagne. It wasn’t exactly a strong brew, but it would do to take the edge of the rage boiling in his chest. He took two glasses and skulked to the back of the room. The last thing he wanted was to be noticed by the straining Mamas and hauled out to dance by a string of tittering, foolish girls.

  Just as he reached the back corner of the room, he heard a laugh. It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary in a crowd, but the sound froze him mid-stride. As he slowly turned to face the noise, his mouth came open in shock. There, not ten feet away from him, was his mother.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Griffin didn’t remember walking across the room, but found himself at his mother’s elbow nonetheless.

  “Mother?” he asked, interrupting her conversation. The women she was with moved away with smiles and brief greetings for him.

  “Griffin!” She turned to give him a quick hug and a kiss on his cheek. “There you are!”
>
  He prayed his voice would have some level of calm to it when he spoke. “What are you doing here?”

  Her face fell as she moved out of his arms to look him up and down carefully. Her brown eyes narrowed in concern, but she continued to smile as she said, “After I wrote you, your father and I began talking. I hated to miss all the celebrations, and we wanted to see you. So we came.”

  He took her arm to lead her away from the bulk of the crowd. “I wish you’d told me, Mother, so I could have greeted you.”

  “What’s wrong?” She leaned closer to give them some level of privacy. “You seem out of sorts.”

  With a deep breath, he smiled at her. She could know nothing about what was really happening or why he was so stunned at her presence. “Nothing. I’m just surprised.”

  His mother pursed her lips and gave an unsure, “Hmmm. Well, that windbag Lord Eldergray caught your father and dragged him into political discussion, so you may not see him for quite some time. But I’m so pleased to see you.”

  “As I am to see you,” he replied with a much more genuine smile, for the sentiment was true.

  It had been a long while since he’d seen his mother. After Luci’s death he’d hidden away, refusing all invitations from his parents or any other family members. His mother’s letters had become increasingly concerned over the months, but he always answered them as if she’d asked no questions about his health and well-being.

  “Your letter said Noah and Audrey Jordan were staying with you during the celebrations.” She rose to her tiptoes to see over the crowd. “Are they here tonight?”

  Griffin’s mind sliced to Audrey on the arm of Douglas Ellison. The image gave him a bitter taste in his mouth.

  “Yes, somewhere.”

  “I haven’t seen Audrey in so long… or Noah.” She arched an eyebrow and gave her son a sly look. “Tabitha Jordan has been so upset since Audrey left to see the world under only her brother’s watchful eye. Has she told you much about her travels?”

  Griffin twisted his mouth and gave his mother an appraising stare. Of course she would be curious about Audrey. His mother had always liked her, and had probably been as shocked about her scandalous disappearance as her own mother had been.

  “Not much. I believe the travel has done her good, though,” he said. “You’ll see when we find her.”

  “Well, let’s do just that, shall we?” his mother asked, practically dragging him across the floor in hopes of finding his houseguests.

  ***

  Audrey nodded at something Douglas Ellison said while she smiled at her brother. Thankfully, Noah had broken company with his widow and returned to her side to chat with her and the man they hunted. So far their discussions hadn’t born fruit. Douglas insisted on discussion about the weather and continued to harp on Audrey’s leaving the reenactment early. Despite her explanations and reassurances, he seemed to suspect that more was behind her exit than she was saying.

  Thank God he didn’t know how true that was. As he droned on endlessly in the background, Audrey’s mind briefly went to the moments in the carriage with Griffin. His hands on her, his mouth…

  “Audrey Jordan!”

  Pivoting at a female voice calling her name from a few feet away, Audrey stared in disbelief as Lady Penelope Ashton, Griffin’s mother, came toward her with open arms. Griffin was a few feet behind, and it appeared he was being dragged by his mother.

  “Lady Ashton?” Audrey said, phrasing her name in a form of a stunned question as the other woman embraced her and placed a kiss on each of her cheeks.

  “Yes, my dear. Oh you do look well, just as Griffin said you did,” she gushed, placing a gloved hand on Audrey’s face as she beamed at her.

  Audrey nodded, her head spinning. Here she was, staring at the mother of the man she had just been fantasizing about. The man who she’d promised to come to for untold intimacies in just a few hours. Glancing over at Griffin, his heated stare told her he was thinking the same thing. With a little shiver, she watched Lady Ashton move to her brother’s side.

  “And Noah! Or should I say Lord Lockhart? It’s hard for me to see you as anything more than a dirty-faced little boy getting into all kinds of trouble, my son in tow!”

  Noah stood gape-mouthed for a moment before he stepped forward. Taking her hand, he placed a kiss on the top and grinned. “Lady Ashton, what a pleasure it is to see you. You look as beautiful now as you ever did.”

  “You flatterer!” She tapped his hand with her fan and smiled. “You haven’t changed at all in the years since I saw you last, only gotten better at playing the rake.”

  Griffin stepped forward to take his mother’s arm. “Mother, you may remember Mr. Ellison. He’s my neighbor and a friend of Lord Lockhart’s and Lady Audrey’s.”

  “Lady Ashton,” Ellison said with a low bow. “What a pleasant surprise, Berenger hadn’t mentioned you were in London.”

  “I’m afraid I surprised him.” Lady Ashton nodded to Ellison. “His father and I came to London on a whim.”

  Noah nodded, but Audrey could see the concern in her brother’s blue eyes. They were working under conditions they had never encountered on assignments on the continent. There they only had to watch out for each other. Here they had family and friends who could easily interfere in their business, as Lord and Lady Ashton had done. Every time people they loved came into contact with Ellison, they put themselves in unknown danger. It was a terrifying thought.

  Ellison gave each woman a thin smile. “Perhaps I could fetch you ladies a bit of punch?”

  Lady Ashton nodded. “Oh that would be lovely, Mr. Ellison. I’m certainly parched by the heat in this overcrowded room, and Audrey looks a bit warm, herself.”

  “Very good.” Turning, Ellison gave Audrey a long look. “I shall return as quickly as possible.”

  “Do,” Audrey choked out, shocked but still desperate to continue her game with Ellison. During the dance they’d shared he’d been much more attentive with her, and she knew his jealousy might drive him closer to her yet.

  Griffin nodded to the two women as Ellison disappeared into the crowd. “Will you two excuse Noah and I, as well? I wanted to speak to him about a matter of some importance.”

  “Go then, I’d like a moment with Audrey anyway,” Lady Ashton said with a warm smile in Audrey’s direction.

  Griffin returned her smile, then motioned for Noah to follow him. Audrey watched them go with the knowledge that her brother was probably about to get an earful from the angry Viscount. She winced at the ramifications for their future friendship, then turned to Lady Ashton with a falsely bright smile.

  “I am so happy to see you, my lady,” she said. “It has been far too long.”

  Audrey was thankful she only had to force her facial expression, not the emotion in her response. She was glad to see Lady Ashton. The woman was one of the kindest people she’d ever known. Seeing her now brought back memories of a happier time.

  “Yes, you haven’t graced our home since…” The other woman paused as she placed a finger on her lips. Suddenly her face softened with memory. “Why, it must be since Griffin’s wedding. You shouldn’t have stayed away so long.”

  Audrey nodded with a weak smile, though she felt no pleasure at Lady Ashton’s reminder of Griffin’s marriage. The only emotions accompanying that memory were pain and humiliation.

  Lady Ashton continued without waiting for her answer. “I must say you’ve changed so much. Your time on the continent has done you good.”

  Audrey blushed. “Thank you, my lady. My brother is an interesting travel companion, and I’ve seen many wonderful things while abroad.”

  An arched eyebrow was her companion’s reply. “Not many got to see those things with the war going on, did they?”

  As the blood drained from her face, Audrey searched for an answer to her companion’s subtle innuendo. “Well, some of my brother’s business concerns-”

  “You don’t have to explain to me.” Lady Ashton nodded
. “It isn’t of any import. Just-just be careful, will you?”

  Nodding, Audrey wondered how much Lady Ashton knew. Her eyes were full of concern.

  “I’m always careful.” Audrey touched the other woman’s arm to give it a gentle squeeze.

  Lady Ashton turned her head away quickly, wiping her eyes before turning back with a dazzling smile. “I’m pleased at how well Griffin looks. After Luci’s death, we were quite worried about him.”

  Her companion’s face fell as sorrow and a touch of anger filled it.

  “I imagine it’s difficult to lose the love of one’s life,” Audrey said softly as she looked over the crowd.

  In the distance she saw Griffin and Noah deep in conversation. Griffin looked handsome in his dark evening clothes. His dark blond hair curled around his forehead and he held himself like a Roman god.

  “Or any spouse.” Lady Ashton sighed.

  Wrinkling her brow, Audrey turned to face the woman beside her. Was Griffin’s own mother now implying that he hadn’t been happy in his marriage to Luci?

  With a shake of her head, Lady Ashton looked into Audrey’s eyes. “I wonder if it is your presence… and your brother’s, of course… that has made him look so much better?”

  Audrey actually backed up a step in shock. “I’m sure having his best friend by his side helps Griffin enormously. And time tends to heal, as well.”

  “I think it’s more than that,” Lady Ashton said with a gentle smile.

  “There you are!”

  Both women turned to see Griffin’s father crossing the room with a grin on his face. Audrey was stunned, as always, at how much Griffin looked like the older Earl.

  “Charles,” Lady Ashton said, holding out her hand to her husband with a smile. “You finally broke away from Eldergray, did you?”

  “It took an age!” the other man laughed. “Dear God, he can talk the ear off a mouse.”