by Lucy Monroe
Annabelle’s eyes followed his and her heart constricted. Ian, the blackguard, was sitting for the entire polite world to see, next to Miss Caruthers. Annabelle wanted to say something pithy, but could not speak past the lump in her throat. So, he was not interested in beautiful women? She wanted to look away, but could not make herself.
Ian chose that moment to look her way. He inclined his head in acknowledgement.
She ignored him and finally managed to turn away. She stared toward the stage, her eyes unfocused while her heart cracked into a million little pieces.
It was Freddy Jenkins all over again. Only this time it hurt, bone deep. Freddy had courted her for an entire Season before discovering that his heart belonged to the beautiful Miss Potts. The only thing injured that season had been Annabelle’s pride. As Diana had reminded her, she had been able to laugh. She didn’t feel like laughing now.
“I say, Annabelle, are you all right?” Ceddy’s worried tones penetrated the fog of pain surrounding her.
“Yes, of course.” She flicked the moisture from her eyes with her gloved fingertip.
“I’m just impatient for the play to start. Do you suppose it is as funny as everyone says it is?”
Ceddy didn’t look as if he believed her, but mercifully the curtain went up on the first act of As You Like It. Annabelle forced herself to laugh when those around her laughed. By the time intermission came, she had better control of her emotions.
Diana touched Annabelle’s arm. “My hem caught on the carriage when we arrived.
Won’t you come to the ladies’ retiring room with me to fix it?” Annabelle latched on to the excuse to leave the box. Ian might come during intermission to chat with Robert. If he could pull himself away from Miss Caruthers, that is. “Certainly.”
When Robert made noises about escorting them, Annabelle looked imploringly at Ceddy. Her friend understood immediately.
“I’m hankering for a cup of punch, myself. I’ll escort them.” Annabelle stifled a sigh of relief when Robert agreed. She and Diana followed Ceddy out of the box.
“Is anything the matter, Annabelle? Was not the first act exceedingly amusing?” asked Diana.
Annabelle forced a smile. “It was too funny by half.”
“Annabelle, I know that Robert rang a peal over you earlier, but you must realize that he did not mean to injure your feelings. He was scared for you and when your brother gets frightened he can act like a fool.”
Diana’s fervent words brought a genuine smile to Annabelle’s lips. “A fool, Diana?”
“Yes, a fool. And you may tell him I said so. Though I doubt it will do any good.
I’ve already told him myself.”
Annabelle said, “You are a true friend.”
Diana squeezed Annabelle’s arm. “Now and forever.” Annabelle returned the gesture of affection. “Thank you. You may set your mind at rest. Robert has not done any lasting damage to my feelings.” If only the same could be said for Ian.
Diana searched Annabelle’s face. “If you say so.”
“I do. Now, let us take care of your hem.”
Ceddy agreed to wait for them in the lobby. They made quick work of Diana’s hem.
Annabelle discovered that she needed to use the necessary.
“I’ll wait in the lobby with Ceddy. It’s much too warm in here,” declared Diana, fanning herself vigorously with a silk fan died blue to match her overdress.
Ceddy must have gone for refreshments because he was not waiting when Diana came into the lobby. She decided to stand just beyond the door of the powder room, so that she could easily see Annabelle emerging or Ceddy returning. Robert would be furious to know that she was by herself in the lobby. She could not face the heat of the room filled with women. It made her nauseous.
Taking a deep breath to dispel the sensation, she scanned the crowd for any sign of Ceddy. A man approached her. He did not look as if he had shaved in a week and his clothing was a rude parody of the clothing her husband wore to perfection. She shivered.
Perhaps she should return to the Annabelle.
He did not give her the chance before boldly greeting her.
“You’d be Lady Hamilton?” His voice held an insolent edge.
She turned to go back to the overheated room without acknowledging him. His next words startled her into immobility.
“You and I would be related, we would.”
Diana stared. Her mouth opened but nothing came out.
“You look as if you don’t believe me. Well, our grandfather had taste for other women besides his wife and I’m the living proof,” said the offensive man.
Suddenly, Diana’s power of speech returned. “I don’t know to what you are referring and if you do not cease speaking to me, I will be forced to call for help.”
“Oh, high and mighty, aren’t we? Just how uppity are you going to be when I make our family attachment public?”
She could not believe what the man was saying. She related to this ruffian? It could not be true. “You must be mad.”
His smile made her shiver. “Do you think I would make such claims without proof?
Not Chester P. Thorn.” He patted his breast. “I’ve got letters written by our grandfather to my grandmother, an uncommon pretty bit of fluff in her day.” Diana felt faint. Five minutes before she had been much too hot. Now she felt like ice ran through her veins. The very thought of Thorn claiming a familial relationship sent all the air flying from her lungs. Robert would be appalled to have his wife the center of such an ugly scandal.
Thorn chuckled nastily. “You are beginning to see things my way, I think.”
“What do you want?” She forced the words from lips barely able to move.
“Nothing too much. It’s time your side of the family shared a little of the goods with my side, meanin’ me. I thought you might want the letters as mementos of our grandfather. I could not give them to you for nothing, naturally. They should be worth a few hundred pounds to you for sentimental reasons.”
She wanted to slap Thorn’s greedy grin right off his face. She had never been so angry in all her life. Nor so helpless. She tried to rally. “How do I know you really have these letters? I’m sure your family would have tried to sell them before if you did.”
“My grandmother had her own code of conduct, for all the good it did her. I didn’t find them until the old bird passed away a month ago. She had ’em hidden in her room.” He pulled a piece of folded stationary from the pocket of his rumpled coat. “Brought one along for you to see.”
He wouldn’t let her hold it, but even from a distance she recognized her grandfather’s bold scrawl. The ink swam on the page before her. Her grandfather wrote in such a way that there could be no doubt that he was on intimate terms with the recipient of the letter. She blinked away useless tears. Crying would do no good. This disgusting little man had her in his power and he knew it.
“Now, don’t try to weasel out of sharing the goods. You could come up with plenty o’ loot selling those pretty baubles around your neck.” Diana’s hand flew to her neck and grasped the flawless pearls Robert had presented her with on the day of their wedding. What he suggested was impossible.
“You’ll be hearing from me. Be ready when you do.” With those final words, Thorn melted away in the crowd.
Within moments Ceddy had returned. “Should have waited with Annabelle, eh what?
Don’t know who might accost you in a public place like this.” Diana almost laughed hysterically at Ceddy’s chastisement. She wished with all her heart she had stayed in the stifling powder room.
Ian brushed the curtain aside to enter Lady Beauford’s box. He searched for Belle and swore under his breath when he realized she was not there.
Hamilton greeted him. “Annabelle has gone to help my wife with her hem.” Ian’s brows rose in question. “You didna go with them?” Hamilton cleared his throat and tugged the sleeves of his already impeccable coat.
“Finchley accompanie
d them.”
Ian stared at Belle’s brother and tried to fathom the message in the other man’s eyes.
“Why?”
With another man he would not be surprised, but Hamilton let his wife out of his sight only under duress.
“I am not in either of their good graces right now.” Ian nodded in understanding. “Lady Beauford told you about Belle’s adventure yesterday.”
“Adventure? She could have been seriously injured.” Ian felt a rush of sympathy for the other man. It could not be easy being the brother of a woman as independent as Belle. He knew being her husband was going to be a challenge.
Once he got her to agree.
At least Hamilton’s words explained Belle’s refusal to acknowledge him. She was angry with him for telling her aunt about the riot. He had no intention of letting her get away with sulking. “I’ll see about finding her in the lobby then.” Hamilton’s shoulders stiffened. “I believe I would care for some refreshments. I will come with you.”
“Do not let us detain you then.” Belle spoke from the entryway. She moved forward to take her seat, giving her brother a cursory nod and ignoring Ian altogether.
Lady Hamilton sat down next to Belle, giving the impression that she had not seen either man. Hamilton frowned. Finchley came in. He offered Lady Beauford, who had been dozing in her chair, some punch.
“What, oh thank you, Cederic.” Belle’s aunt patted Finchley’s arm. “You are a very thoughtful boy.”
Ian took the chair next to Annabelle. “Good evening, Belle. Enjoying the play?”
“My lord. I thought you and Robert were leaving.” She did not look at him as she spoke.
“I was coming to look for you. I dinna need to leave now.” She opened her fan and began waving it before her, still keeping her eyes focused away from him. She looked regal as a queen in her gown of silver net over a pale green underskirt. Her hair had been piled on top of her head. Curling tendrils escaped and tempted him to touch them.
Finchley offered her some punch.
She turned to greet him with a smile and Ian felt jealousy flash through him. “Thank you, Ceddy, you are always kind.” She finally turned to face Ian. “My lord, I believe you have taken Ceddy’s chair.”
He glared at Finchley and his friend shook his head in denial. “Not at all. I believe I will go try my charms on your aunt, don’t you know?” He was gone before Belle could protest.
“Finchley was there yesterday, too, Belle. Surely, I dinna deserve all your wrath.” Her shoulders lifted in a movement of disdain. “He did not insist on going for the doctor or alerting my aunt to the afternoon’s events.” He was right. Her anger from the day before was still fresh. “Belle, you canna continue in this independent fashion.”
“What I can or cannot do is of no concern to you.”
“You are mistaken if you think that, lass. I’ll no have my wife putting her life at risk.”
She went back to gazing out at the audience. “Then I suggest you save your breath for Miss Caruthers.”
How had Miss Caruthers gotten into their discussion? The beauty could do as she pleased. Ian had concern only for the stubborn woman sitting next to him.
Insight came slowly. “You’re jealous.”
Her fan closed with a snap. “Don’t be ridiculous. I merely think you should save these little lectures for the lady that holds your true interest.” He did not like the unhappy timbre of her voice. “I’m no interested in Miss Caruthers.”
She turned blazing eyes to him. “You have exhibited many faults since I met you, my lord. You are arrogant and make erroneous assumptions. Until now I had always at least believed you to be a man of honesty.”
“I havena lied to you.” Several heads turned at his roar.
“You are causing a scene.”
He stood up. “Finchley, please make my excuses to Miss Caruthers.” Ian turned to Belle’s aunt. “Lady Beauford, your niece is a trifle overset. I will see her home.” He extended his hand to Belle. “Come.”
She glared at him for a full minute before giving a miniscule shrug and standing.
“The evening is ruined already. I may as well go home, but I would rather Ceddy escorted me.”
“Finchley has other business to attend to.”
When she looked like she would argue, he grasped her hand and turned to leave the theater.
Belle did not say another word until he had placed her in his carriage. “I hope you are satisfied with this night’s work, my lord. Dragging me from my aunt’s box is bound to make us the latest on-dit for many a day.” The carriage lamps illuminated her mutinous expression.
“I didna drag you and my name is Ian.” Her eyes widened at his enraged tone. Good.
“Say it.”
“There is no reason to shout.”
“Say it.”
She winced. “Ian.” She crossed her arms over her chest and frowned at him. “I’ve said it. Now you can stop shouting.”
He nodded and spoke in a more reasonable tone. “Explain to me again why you think I lied.”
“Do not order me about.”
“’Twas a reasonable request.”
“It was not a request.”
She was going to make him daft before he finished courting her. He asked with overstressed courtesy, “Would you please explain to me why you think I have lied?”
“You said that you didn’t want to marry a beautiful woman.” That was all? “I didna lie, Belle. How was I to ken ye’d change from one meeting to the next?”
“What are you talking about?”
This conversation was getting more bizarre by the minute. “I swear, Belle, I dinna understand the way your mind works.”
“You said you would not marry a beautiful woman and you have given up courting me to pursue Miss Caruthers. Either you lied or changed your mind. Neither speaks well of your honor.”
Pain lanced through him at her accusation. Just as his family had done, Belle assumed that the only excuse for his actions precluded integrity. His parents had believed that he had acted dishonorably when he cried off from his engagement to Jenna. He had
not told them about the incident in the garden, but it should not have mattered. His stepfather and his mother should have believed in him.
As should Belle. “Ye believe I am without honor?” Belle’s expression changed. He watched as first confusion, then uncertainty clouded her eyes. She sighed heavily. “No.”
A band that had been constricting Ian’s heart loosened.
“The only woman of beauty I would willingly marry is you.” Her eyes widened. “You think I’m beautiful?”
“Aye, Belle.”
Her expression said that she did not believe him. He waited for her to call him a liar again. When she did not, he began to relax.
She uncrossed her arms and stared at the reticule in her lap, playing with its strings.
“I was not talking about me.”
“But you are the lady I want to marry.”
“Then why did you escort Miss Caruthers to the theater and refuse Robert’s invitation?” When he did not answer fast enough, she gasped. “I will not believe it.” Now what had her fertile imagination conjured up? “I probably willna either.” She ignored him. “You will not marry me and take another lady as your paramour.” His temper exploded. “Ye will no question my honor in this way.” She huffed in outrage when he pulled her into his arms. “I dinna want a paramour. I want a wife.” He ground the words out past the anger in his chest, his lips almost touching hers.
She trembled at the intimate touch. She twisted her body in his lap. “Let me go.” Her squirming rapidly turned his fury to another, stronger, emotion. Passion. He tightened his hold on her, reveling in the torture of having her body so close. “Nay, Belle.
I’ll no let you go.”
Her struggles ceased the moment his lips covered hers. It was as if she was too shocked to move. Ian took advantage of her confusion and deepened the kiss. He let go of her w
aist and buried his hands in her hair, untying the ribbon that held the silken mass atop her head. It tumbled over his hands. He felt all control desert him. He barely had enough sanity to reach out and close the curtains on the carriage windows. This is what he had wanted since the night of the Markham ball.
She renewed her struggles to get free. She pulled her mouth from his and he concentrated on kissing her shell-pink ear. She shivered. “Ian, you must stop.”
“Nay.”
“We were having an important discussion.”
He kissed her throat and she groaned. His lips moved back to cover hers. “We will finish our argument later.”
She sighed against his lips. “Very well, but it was not an argument.” He would have disagreed with her. ’Twas definitely an argument, but she tugged his mouth close for a deeper kiss. He obliged her willingly, sliding his tongue into her mouth and exploring its warmth.
She moved restlessly in his lap and he grew hard in response. It felt so good. She was like sunshine on the heather strewn hills of home. His hand dipped to caress her soft flesh through her bodice. She whimpered.
Her head tilted back. The look of utter abandon on her face pushed him over the edge. He was desperate to see her. Slipping the tiny cap sleeves of her gown down her arm, he freed her breasts. Pulling back, he took a moment just to feast on the sight of her bare skin. The flawless shape of each creamy white mound peaked in a pink succulent nipple.
“Perfect.”
She expelled the breath she had been holding. He cupped one breast, tenderly playing with the nipple between his thumb and forefinger. She acted as if she had been jolted with an electricity machine.
“Ian.”
“Hush, Belle, ’tis all right, lass.” He continued his ministrations as she moaned with increasing passion. She mindlessly rubbed her backside against him. Thoughts of embedding himself in her body filled his mind. Breaking his lips away from her mouth, he trailed hot kisses down her neck and to her breast. When he took her already taut nipple in his mouth, she screamed.
