“This is not about George,” Amelia replied. “This is about me. Us.”
Alex felt his brow rise again, of its own accord this time. He was tempted to drop his act, since he had no idea what she was talking about. “Us?”
“Us. This must be kept quiet. George would never forgive me if rumor got out that I was secretly seeing you.”
His grin slackened and he was hard put not to gape at her. If she actually thought he would take her as a lover, she had just become a good candidate for Bedlam. However, after her abrupt dumping of him, perhaps he could have a bit of fun and lead her on before turning the tables. Somehow, he managed to regain his equilibrium. “I don’t have a calendar with me, but if you would give me a preferred date, I could probably accommodate you.”
She frowned. “Accommodate me?”
Alex shrugged. “The word is rather bland, but I am trying to be polite.” He put the rakish smile back in place. “I could use a more vulgar word. Some of my other ladies like that. They find it…quite titillating.”
Amelia gasped as his words sunk in. “You are a complete cad.”
“Point noted.” Alex shrugged again. “I only aim to please.”
“So I have heard.” She sniffed. “You and that silly club of women.”
He gave her a naive look. “Are you asking me to disband the club for you?”
“No. I am asking that you do not make me a member.”
“I am not entirely sure, but I think membership is voluntary,” Alex replied in a dry tone.
“Then why did you send me this?” Amelia reached over the arm of her chair to pick up a small box with Madame Dubois’s label attached to it. She opened it to reveal cream-colored silk.
Alex stopped smiling. Even before she lifted it out of the box, he knew it was a replica of the negligees he sent to each of his conquests. “How did you get that?”
“Don’t be coy.” Amelia gave an exasperated sigh. “You sent it to me, thinking I would agree to be one of your conquests. As if I would acquiesce to a rake?”
Alex ignored her haughty, harsh tone. Why had he ever thought her to be desirable? “For the record, I send a negligee after the assignation, not before.”
“You assumed I would say yes.”
“I would never do that,” Alex said, careful to keep his own voice neutral. “Especially not with you.”
Amelia hesitated, apparently not sure if he was being sarcastic or not. He kept his face impassive.
“Then who sent it?”
“I have no idea,” Alex replied. “I will speak to Madame Dubois—” He paused as the door burst open and his brother walked in.
“What the hell is going on in here?” George’s face was nearly purple. “I will not be cuckolded in my own home with the Prince Regent present, no less.”
Amelia’s porcelain skin turned even paler. “It is not what it looks like.”
“No?” George waved a piece of paper in front of her.
Alex recognized it as her note. In his haste to cram it into a pocket, he must have missed and it fell to the floor. “I can explain…”
George turned to him with a sneer. “I am sure you can. You’ve always been able to explain your way out of things. Not this time.” He turned back to Amelia. “How long has this been going on? Since we married?”
She drew herself up to sit straight in the chair. “Nothing has been going on. If you will calm down and listen to reason—”
“Do not lie to me. I will not stand for it,” George nearly bellowed.
“If you want to keep this from turning into a scandal, you might lower your voice,” Alex said.
“Yes, George,” Amelia added. “We can explain.”
Her husband glared at her. “We? We can explain?”
She swallowed hard. “I mean, I can explain.” Amelia looked at Alex. “It would be best if you left us.”
He did not wait to be told twice. He turned to walk toward the door and then froze in place. Inis was standing in the doorway, looking at the negligee Amelia still held in her lap.
…
Alex wasn’t surprised the next morning when the butler announced George had arrived—at an unfashionably early hour—and waited for him in the front parlor. He’d expected something of the sort after last night’s incident.
He contemplated letting the esteemed duke cool his heels, but he didn’t need to bait George today. Since he’d left without having a chance to tell his block-headed brother that nothing happened, he might as well do so now and get the whole bloody mess behind him.
He just wished it would be so easy with Inis. She’d turned and run last night before he could explain. When he’d gotten to the ballroom, she was nowhere to be seen, and neither was Caroline. It was only after a half hour of searching everywhere that he found Brice, who told him both women had left.
Inis had not returned to Dansworth House, either. Alex had stayed awake until dawn waiting for her. His eyes burned from lack of sleep, and his head felt thick as a brick as he made his way down to the parlor.
“What was the meaning of your preposterous behavior last night?” George turned and flung the words at him as soon as he crossed the doorway.
The butler closed the door behind him discreetly, although Alex felt sure half the staff would probably find a reason to go through the hallway in the next few minutes.
He sat down and poured himself some tea from the service, added a lump of sugar, and stirred it. “I swear nothing happened between your wife and me.”
“And I should take the word of a self-proclaimed rake?”
“Think of me what you like,” Alex replied. “Did you give Amelia a chance to explain anything?”
“I listened.”
“Well, then you know nothing has gone on.” Alex took another swallow of tea and wished he had a brandy.
“That does not explain the negligee, does it?” George all but sneered at him. “You do know I am aware of that ridiculous club? The Ravaged Revelers or some such thing. Those women just could not keep the news of the ‘gifts’ to themselves, could they?”
“Damn it.” Alex set the teacup down. “I did not send Amelia that negligee.”
“So she said.”
“And you don’t believe her?”
“I have not decided. At the moment, she’s packing to go back to her father’s for an extended stay.”
“That is a bit extreme.”
“No one plays me for a fool.” George stormed over and sat down opposite Alex. “But I am not here to discuss my wife.”
Alex sighed. His brother had the same look on his face as when he had been a prefect at Eton pointing out some violation of rules. “No?”
“No. Your rash behavior should not surprise me, but it does.”
He was obviously going to have to listen to a lecture on his behavior. Once George got started, it was better just to let him blow his steam. But God, Alex really wanted a brandy.
George gestured around the room. “I allow you to live in this house—”
“Only because you prefer the townhouse in Mayfair and someone has to keep this place up.”
“Nevertheless, it is the ducal house.”
Alex shrugged. “I can move.”
“Not far enough,” George replied. “You’ve really gone and done it this time. What were you thinking bringing her to my ball? Have you no decency?”
Alex felt his temper begin to rise. Berating him was one thing, but berating Inis, who didn’t deserve it, was quite another. He wondered how George had found out she was a commoner so soon. “All right, you win. Inis had been handling and training my horses.”
His brother’s eyes nearly popped. “Handling your horses?”
“Yes. Jameson thinks she is quite good at it.”
“Your groom thinks Lady Fitzgerald is good at handling horses? I say, that is simply amazing.”
Alex frowned, wishing his brain wasn’t so foggy. “Who the hell is Lady Fitzgerald?”
“Your guest,
you imbecile.”
His frown deepened. “I have no idea what you are talking about. Inis O’Brien is an orphan whose services I won in a card game.”
George stared at him. “Oh, dear God. This is even worse than I thought.”
Alex felt a stirring of unease. “What is?”
“Your guest is an orphan, quite true.” George heaved a big sigh. “But her name is not O’Brien. The Earl of Lockwood recognized her last night. She is Lady Inis Fitzgerald, niece of the Duke of Kildare. He is her guardian.”
It was Alex’s turn to stare. He only hoped he was not gaping as well, since his whole face felt numb. He knew Inis had lied to him when she’d first arrived, but he’d thought she didn’t want to go back to a poverty-stricken family. But she was the niece—the aristocratic niece—of a powerful Irish duke who happened to be her guardian as well.
Holy, bloody hell.
“Are you sure?”
His brother looked at him as though he was a complete idiot, which he probably was. How could he have been so stupid not to question her more?
“If you would deign to chat with some of the more upstanding members of White’s, instead of your rakehell friends like Barclay and Kendrick, you might have heard that the Duke of Kildare’s niece has been missing,” George said coldly. “Apparently, she did not approve of her uncle’s choice of a husband for her and ran off.”
That sounded like Inis. Several other bits and pieces of information were beginning to fall into place. Her not wanting to return to Ireland. Wanting to go to the States. Using an assumed name. Not wanting to attend any social functions…
Why had he not picked up on those little things? How difficult it must have been for her to keep all those problems hidden. He truly never meant to humiliate her.
Alex thought of the “lessons” he and Caroline had set up. Using the proper utensils at a dinner. Making polite, meaningless conversation. Learning how to read and write. How to dance… Momentarily, he recalled the waltz instruction and how wonderful she’d felt in his arms. He pushed the thought away. All this time, while he’d been hatching his grand scheme to humiliate his brother by presenting a lowly commoner orphan as a lady, Inis was a lady. She’d already known how to do all those things and had pretended she didn’t. Some other woman would probably laugh herself silly after each of those lessons. Had Inis?
What a fool he had been. What a complete fool.
…
Caroline’s father’s carriage pulled up to Dansworth House just as George’s carriage was leaving.
“Ye doona have to come in with me,” Inis said to Caroline as the coachman opened the door. She lifted the skirt of the day gown Caroline had lent her. “It will take me less than five minutes to pack the things I actually own and return.”
Caroline shook her head and stepped out after Inis. “I don’t know what happened last night to make you so angry with Alex, but I think somebody had better be there to act as a buffer.”
“I doona want to talk to Alex at all,” Inis said.
“I’ve known the man for several years,” Caroline said. “He’s not about to watch you leave and say nothing.”
Inis sighed. “I suppose ye are right. And truthfully, I do owe him a thank-you for allowing me to work here.” She just hoped she would be able to face him without dissolving into tears like one of the idiotic debutantes. She would not let him know how much it had hurt to see Amelia with the negligee. He’d been in love with the woman, in spite of what he said, and he obviously still had feelings for her. And that meant that taking Inis to his bed had been nothing more than sport. Just like the other conquests on his list. How could she have been so stupid as to think she was different from the rest of the women?
“Perhaps ye could detain Alex for a few minutes?” Inis said. “If I have to speak to him, I would prefer doing it on my way out.”
“I can try,” Caroline said.
“Thank ye. I am going around to the back. Ye can tell Evans ye came to call.”
Caroline grimaced. “This is an ungodly hour to be calling on anyone. I have no idea of why the ducal carriage was here at this time. I hope nothing is wrong.”
Plenty was wrong, but Inis held her peace. Although she had arrived at the library door too late to hear the exchange of words, the furious look on the duke’s face didn’t need any interpretation. Perhaps the duke’s early morning visit would work in her favor, Inis thought as she walked around to the back of the house. Alex was probably dealing with the repercussions of being caught with Amelia last night.
She had no idea how things had turned out since she’d left as soon as she realized what Amelia was holding. She’d gone straight to Caroline and asked if they could leave, so she didn’t know if word of the scandal was already making the rounds. Not that it was her business, she reminded herself. Alexander Ashley was obviously a man who could not control his desires. And Inis would not—would not—think about how wonderful she had felt when that desire had been lavished on her. No. No more thinking about Lord Ashley. All she had to do was collect a few items and get out of his house.
Mrs. Olsen raised her eyebrows as Inis entered the kitchen holding the blue gown and slippers she’d worn the night before, but the woman made no comment. Luckily, the maids had already been dispatched to their duties, and Inis didn’t encounter anyone on her way up the back stairs to her chamber. Quickly, she filled the small satchel she’d arrived with her original belongings, leaving the clothing Alex had given her in the wardrobe. She picked up the simple linen night rail she’d laid out on the bed yesterday afternoon. She probably should leave that, too, but she stuffed it inside her bag. It would remind her that she was not part of the silk negligee club.
Inis paused at the door to look around the small room. Oddly, she felt more like she was leaving home here than she had when she’d left Ireland. She wished she could go out to the stables and say goodbye to Goldie, but she didn’t think her resolve would hold up if she did. Besides, she’d have to explain things to Jameson. Better just to leave things as they were. She had to get out of here before it was too late. Once away from Mayfair, she could disappear in the city.
She swallowed hard, closed the door, and then headed down the steps. A part of her was tempted to sneak out the back door and into Caroline’s carriage, but she was not a coward. Just a few words of thanks, and she’d be out the door. She straightened her shoulders and walked toward the parlor.
Alex was standing in the doorway, obviously waiting for her. Inis lifted her chin, but before she could say anything, he spoke.
“Going somewhere, Lady Fitzgerald?”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Inis froze when she heard Alex say her real name. She looked past him to Caroline, who was watching from the sofa with what almost looked like an amused smile.
Inis relinquished her brogue. “How did you find out?”
“The Earl of Lockwood recognized you.”
He must have been the dance partner who’d looked vaguely familiar. So much for praying she wouldn’t be recognized.
Alex moved aside and gestured her into the parlor. “We will talk in here.”
He wasn’t smiling. His expression could have been carved from granite. She put down her bag and walked into the room.
“Sit.”
Inis remained standing. “I am not a dog.”
“Do forgive me,” Alex said, “I forgot you are Lady Fitzgerald, niece to the Duke of Kildare.”
Perhaps this was not a good time to defy him. He hardly sounded polite. She took one of the spindly legged chairs that was short enough so she could keep her feet on the ground.
Alex closed the door and took the other straight-backed chair. “Were you ever planning to tell me the truth?”
She shook her head. “I could not. You would have sent me back to Ireland.”
“Damned right.” When Caroline cleared her throat discreetly, Alex gave her an irritated look. “Forgive me, but I do not bloody hell feel like being a gentlema
n at the moment. I’ve been played a fool for weeks.”
Inis felt her temper begin to stir. “I’ve been played for a fool, too, my lord.”
“I am not the one who posed as a poor orphan with no family,” Alex said. “Nor was I the one who acted like I knew nothing of Society and needed lessons in deportment—”
“That was your idea. You were the one who wanted to train a poor orphan girl to act like a lady to humiliate your brother.”
“She does have a point,” Caroline said.
Alex shot her another annoyed look. “She made a fool of you, too, acting like she didn’t know how to use proper utensils or converse properly or to read and write. She was probably secretly laughing while you were teaching her.”
“I was not laughing,” Inis muttered. “It seemed easier to go along with it.”
“Why did you feel you had to?” Caroline asked before Alex could reply. “Why do you not want to live in Ireland?”
Inis hesitated before deciding it really didn’t matter anymore. “My uncle betrothed me to an earl’s son.”
Alex stared at her. “Another truth you kept from me. How many more lies are there?”
Her temper snapped. “You are not one to speak of lies, my lord.”
“I have not lied to you about anything.”
“No? Then perhaps you forgot to mention that you still lusted after your former betrothed?”
“I do not lust, or even care, about Amelia,” Alex said. “I—”
“Oh, really?” Inis interrupted him. “Then why the bloody hell did you give her one of your famous silk negligees? I saw it with my own eyes last night. Do not deny it.”
A strangled sound came from the sofa. “Is that why you were so angry?”
Inis turned to Caroline. “He actually arranged to meet her in the library—”
“I did not arrange that.” Alex scowled. “I got a bloody note from Amelia asking me to meet her there.”
Inis scowled back. “What difference does it make which one of you sent a lover’s note?”
“It was not a lover’s note,” Alex snapped. “Amelia was angry about it and wanted me to take the blasted thing back. I have no idea who sent it to her in the first place.”
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