The Debutante's Wager (The Curse of True Love Book 4)

by Donna Cummings

  It made her feel reckless, and scandalous, willing to bet everything she owned to continue those sensations.

  It was why she had told herself to leave. What other wild behavior would he provoke if she continued in his company?

  Yet how could she win the wager if she did not try to provoke him into that very same wild behavior?

  She laughed at the dilemma, one of her own making.

  A noise behind her, near the door, made her turn around. Her heart pounded, hoping it was him, yet she needed a bit more time before she was ready to return to their verbal sparring.

  To her relief, and disappointment, it was not Lord Travender, but an elegant beauty who moved serenely in Tess's direction. She could not help but admire the strands of pearls the woman wore, more than were currently fashionable, but the perfect accompaniment to her regal bearing.

  The woman halted next to Tess and opened an ivory fan depicting an assortment of Greek mythological figures.

  "What a mad crush it is this evening!"

  "It is," Tess agreed. "I had to escape to catch my breath."

  "I am envious of you being crushed in the arms of that handsome rogue," the woman said with a chuckle. "Though there is little need for envy, since he has eyes for no one but you. I imagine he shall be offering for your hand quite soon."

  Tess opened her mouth to protest, but she was too stunned by the woman's words. She had been so caught up in the bantering games with Lord Travender, it never occurred to her that anyone else had noticed his attentions. It was flattering, but still, an offer of marriage?

  "I do not anticipate that occurring," Tess said.

  "Truly? But you are obviously smitten too."

  "I will not deny there is an attraction between us, but nothing more. We have just recently met, in fact."

  "But that is why attraction is so powerful," the woman answered. "It pulls you together so that you can fall in love. You are not likely to fall in love if you are repelled by someone."

  Tess laughed. "True. Yet what if it remains as attraction? It is entirely possible it does not progress beyond that."

  "There is always that chance." The woman tossed her a wink. "Though I find it worth the risk to discover where it might lead."

  All of a sudden, Tess felt a compulsion to confess her fears about falling for Lord Travender while his heart remained out of reach. This woman was poised and sophisticated, and had most likely fallen into love—or attraction—many times. Perhaps she could advise Tess, or at least help ease her misgivings.

  She shook her head at such foolish thoughts. They had not even been introduced and she was considering pouring her heart out to a veritable stranger? Such madness. It was nearly as foolhardy as considering, even for a minute, giving her heart away first.

  Tess turned to head back into the ballroom. "Thank you for your advice," she said.

  The woman gave her a reassuring smile. She reached her hand towards Tess, but dropped it when they both heard, "Miss Arrington, there you are."

  Tess felt her heart pounding at a rate that surely bordered on unhealthy, all because of the sound of his voice. It tempted her to have another, more intimate, dance with him here on the flagstones. Fortunately, that was not a possibility, not with the woman gazing on them, serving as an unwitting chaperone.

  He stood before her, smiling as if he had unearthed a prize he had sought for a millennium. It made Tess lightheaded. She had to break the spell he caused, before she lost all sensibility.

  "Lord Travender, I would like to introduce—"

  There was no one there. They were quite alone.

  Her heart began beating even more fiercely. With attraction, of course. It could not be anything else. Yet at that moment, she did not care, about the wager, or the future, or anything but discovering what such a strong attraction felt like when it was shared with this man.

  Tess glanced from side to side, and seeing that nobody was near, she placed her lips against his.

  He did not hesitate. He pressed his lips against hers, as if he had done it every day of his life, and began to gently seduce them open. She had no intentions of denying him. He wrapped his arms around her slowly, drawing her into his embrace, and Tess could feel her body rejoicing at the strength and tenderness he exhibited.

  She raised her hands until she could link them behind his neck, ensuring he did not retreat. He must have realized her intent, for he tipped his head back slightly and grinned. "I am yours, Tess, for as long as you wish."

  Tess shivered at the intimate way he spoke her name, and what his words seemed to promise. She should have returned a quip about their wager, yet she resisted. This was too momentous for her to pretend it was merely a ploy on her part.

  She almost wished she had never instigated the bet. It made it nearly impossible to know if any of this was genuine. Yet if she had not commenced this wager, she would not be in Lord Travender's embrace right now.

  She brushed away all of the thoughts trying to intrude. He held her close against his body, and Tess discovered how strong his attraction for her truly was. He continued to kiss her slowly, deliberately, as if convinced he would not have another chance to do so for a very long time.

  If Tess had her way, they would be kissing and exploring this delicious attraction every waking moment. She had never experienced anything so wanton, so wicked, so wonderful.

  "Perfection." She sighed against his mouth. "Absolute perfection."

  "Perfection would be hearing you say my name."

  "Lord Travender—"

  He gave her a mock growl before tipping her over his arm, holding her tightly, yet keeping his kisses away from her. She lifted her mouth towards his, pleading, trying to tempt him. He shook his head, grinning wickedly.

  "Do you want more kisses, Tess?"

  "Do you? Tony."

  His mouth descended towards hers. Finally. Tess closed her eyes and melted into the breathtaking sensation of Tony kissing her more passionately than before. It was a kiss that seemed to go on for blissful ages. She floated away, reveling in the most exquisite experience of her life.

  A loud gasp wrenched her out of the dreamlike state, followed by a series of outraged murmurs, and then a sound as though someone had slumped onto the flagstone terrace.

  Tess opened her eyes—and instantly wished she had not.

  The entirety of London stared back at her, watching as she thoroughly compromised herself in Lord Travender's embrace.

  ***

  Aphrodite gaped at Ares. "That is your notion of playing matchmaker? An immortal god and you use the age-old threat of scandal to bring this pair of lovers together?"

  She knew her voice was rising, but it mattered little, since she had dragged Ares to a secluded spot in the garden. There was just enough moonlight for her to see the sheepish expression on his face.

  "I do not have the methods at your disposal, nor do I have the experience," he said. "I truly thought I was assisting, since it seemed you were thwarted from using your usual means."

  It was true. She had tried to clasp the young woman's arm, knowing the contact typically transferred a shot of true love into the recipient's heart, but Aphrodite had had to retreat before she could attempt it. She had briefly entertained the notion of giving the fan to the young debutante, but Aphrodite treasured the trinket too much to relinquish it, even for true love's sake.

  Drastic measures had indeed been required. Especially if it prevented another failure before they returned to Mt. Olympus. For all she knew, that imp Eros was aiming to replace her. She would never permit that to happen.

  "Never mind, darling. You assessed the situation and made the correct decision based on the changing circumstances. Just like when you are on the battlefield."

  Ares grinned, clearly relieved that she was not angry. "What is the point of being amongst the mortals if we cannot act as they do at times?"

  "I agree." She pulled him towards her for a passionate kiss. "It should prove most entertaining if we were to
indulge in a compromising situation."

  "We have no audience," he reminded her.

  She smiled against his lips. "Let's pretend we do."

  Chapter 6

  Tony strolled into his cousin Julian's breakfast parlor, as he had done many times before his unexpected wedding to Tess.

  "I am surprised you are here." Julian set his cup back into the saucer. "You have your own chef now, as I understand it. A sort of wedding gift."

  Tony filled a plate with an assortment of breakfast items, food he was usually ravenous for, but today he was too distracted to care.

  "Dining here each morning is a tradition I find hard to relinquish."

  It was not entirely the truth. Yet how could he confess to his happily married cousin that marriage was just as Tony had feared it would be? Once he and Tess had spoken their vows, every conversation afterwards was just as grave and solemn. He missed the playful banter, and the risqué humor Tess no longer indulged in.

  It had been the most miserable sennight of his existence. Even worse, Tess seemed just as downcast.

  Tony seated himself at the table, setting his plate atop the pristine white tablecloth. Perhaps Julian had some worthwhile advice to share. After all, his path to marriage had not been a smooth one.

  "Julian, I wonder if—"

  Great-Aunt Aurore sailed into the dining parlor. "Marital troubles already, Tony?"

  He nearly growled, especially since she seemed less than sympathetic at the possibility. "Not at all. I have merely grown accustomed to breakfasting with my family—"

  Great-Aunt snorted, and not delicately. "You cannot bamboozle me, young man. You have tried and failed over the years. I have many tales I could divulge about you."

  Julian bit back a grin. "I am certain you could blackmail the entire family, if you so choose. Thankfully you are a kindhearted soul." He narrowed his eyes at Tony but continued to address Great-Aunt. "All of us are grateful for your compassionate nature."

  "Indeed," Tony said with a laugh. It was the best course of action, at least until Great-Aunt Aurore could no longer remember his youthful escapades. Best to turn the conversation to another topic. "I had expected your wedding to occur before mine. Has Frederick changed his mind about making an honest woman of you?"

  "Oh, I have always been honest. I just have not—"

  Julian coughed, loudly. Or perhaps he had choked. Fortunately, it served as the perfect diversion.

  "There are so many details to be considered," Great-Aunt continued. "Such as what we shall do once the ceremony is concluded."

  "I consider myself quite modern and forward thinking," Julian said with a chuckle, "but even I balk at Frederick continuing to serve as coachman after you are wed."

  "Perhaps a cottage somewhere so he can indulge his love for gardening," Tony suggested. "As well as his love for Great-Aunt Aurore."

  "That sounds splendid!" Great-Aunt said. "Although I suppose I should consult with him, to see if he finds it agreeable. It has taken me decades to convince him this marriage is a good idea. If he changes his mind now—no, I do not have another half century available to change it back."

  Tony wondered if it would take just as long to win Tess's affections. He nearly shuddered at the thought. He had to devise a method to return them to those carefree moments from before they were wed, when his heart thundered at the expectation of seeing her, his thoughts centered only on her, anticipating what wicked thing she might tease him with next.

  He missed the temptation of her kisses, especially when they had seemed the harbinger of additional passionate pursuits. Instead, he was left wondering if they ever would share a marriage bed.

  "Tony! Have you even heard a word I uttered?"

  "Yes, of course I have," he fibbed. "Did you need my assistance with the wedding? I could speak with Frederick, if it would help."

  "It would help if you determined what you need to do to fix your own wedding woes."

  He wanted to grumble, but she was correct. He had a bride, who came with a world-renowned chef, and here he was dining with his relatives instead of the woman who consumed his thoughts every waking hour.

  Tony slumped in his chair. "I have no idea what I should do. I am convinced I must do something, yet I know nothing about how to make a bride happy."

  "Is she unhappy with you?" Great-Aunt Aurore's face clouded over as if she was about to tweak his ear for such ill-mannered behavior.

  "No. She seems unhappy in a general sense. As though she finds marriage rather disagreeable."

  That truly pained him. He did not want her to regret their marriage. He certainly did not regret it. He just wished it was different. More like their courtship actually. Even if he had not realized it was a courtship until too late.

  "The marriage came about in a way she did not anticipate," Julian said kindly. "So her life has been upended as yours has."

  "I realize that. Yet surely there is a way to smooth things over, so that we might return to when we were both trying to win our wager—"

  "This family and their wagers," Julian muttered, rolling his eyes heavenward. "I am afraid to ask what it involved."

  Tony quickly detailed the particulars of the bet. The reminder of how it had come about, and Tess's delightful efforts to make him succumb…he sighed at what he had lost while trying to win Tess's heart.

  "I am more concerned that you did not fall instantly in love," Great-Aunt said, frowning. "Are you certain you did not feel an unusual sense of excitement and anticipation when she was in your company? Or perhaps there was something like lightning racing through your veins, setting your entire being on fire."

  Julian covered a smile with his napkin. Tony shifted in his chair. He had indeed felt the sensations his aunt described, but in a region quite a ways lower than his heart.

  "It appears I am the one in this family who is truly cursed," he replied, "for I have not fallen in love, at first sight or otherwise."

  He was not even certain he would recognize the emotion if he did encounter it, yet he was wise enough to leave that unsaid. Great-Aunt Uproar would be lecturing him throughout the day and into the night and then enlisting Felicia's help too.

  Great-Aunt studied him from across the table for several long moments, and her expression gradually softened. "Instantaneous true love is still a possibility. It would be rather unusual, yet the curse does seem to work differently for every one of us."

  Julian nodded. "It certainly does. What can we do to assist you, and your bride?"

  "I am not certain. I want Tess to be happy, as she was before we plighted our troth."

  "What does she enjoy? What makes her smile? What sort of hat does she prefer?"

  Great-Aunt continued to pepper Tony with questions until he raised his hand to halt the inquisition.

  "I have no answers because I realize how little I know about my bride. And I must remedy that."

  "Perhaps you should start with what she wanted from the wager," Julian suggested. "It was why she was willing to put her own heart at risk, after all."

  Tess's grandfather. Of course. Why had he not realized it sooner? Most likely because he was bemoaning the absence of the Tess he desperately wanted to return. Perhaps there was a way to make that happen after all.

  He stood abruptly. "Thank you both for your assistance. It has been most invaluable."

  "Will you be returning for breakfast tomorrow?" Julian asked.

  "I hope not." Tony grinned and headed for the door. "I most sincerely hope not."

  ***

  Tony waited impatiently in the drawing room. He had been cooling his heels for at least a quarter hour, and was beginning to think he had misjudged the wisdom of his plan. Surely there were other suitable methods to win Tess's attentions. He took a step towards the door, just as it opened slowly.

  A white-haired man peeked inside the room. Finally! Tony opened his mouth to request the man fetch Tess's grandfather, for he was impatient to meet her beloved relative. The man strode towards To
ny, and that is when he noticed the streaks of paint on the man's hands.

  Tony gulped at how he had nearly created another disaster. "Mr. Arrington, it is my pleasure to make your acquaintance. I regret you were too ill to attend the wedding—"

  "No need for formalities here." He cackled. "After all, you were caught kissing my granddaughter by everyone in London."

  "Not quite everyone," Tony said, fighting off a smile. "There were a few who had sent their regrets to the hostess that evening."

  "Not enough to keep her from being compromised."

  Tony winced. "A fact I shall likely regret the entirety of my life. I can assure you I am quite fond of Tess, and did not intend any harm, to her or her reputation."

  Mr. Arrington studied him for a moment and then motioned Tony to sit on a nearby settee. He settled himself in a brocade wing chair. "Tess told me of your wager."

  "I can explain—"

  "There is no need. She said she had instigated it in order to have my painting returned."

  "Yes, that is one of the reasons I am here. I brought it to you." He glanced at the paper-wrapped package he had set across the room. "I apologize for not returning it sooner. I had no idea of its significance when I won it initially."

  Mr. Arrington grinned. "My late wife would be absolutely tickled to know her portrait had been the basis of so many wagers. In truth, we had painted these as a sort of wager…But that's a tale for another day."

  Tony was intrigued but decided not to press for more details. He had other information he needed, and quickly. "What did Tess tell you about our wager?"

  "It involved falling in love, and losing one's heart. And the prizes at stake were this painting and our chef Henri. But I do not recall Tess telling me that anyone has been declared the winner." He tilted his head. "Did you cry forfeit?"

  "No, neither of us did. Yet there seemed little point continuing. Henri oversees the kitchens at my household most days, and Tess wanted the painting so she could return it to you."