Midnight Masquerade

by Shirlee Busbee

  The silence spun out, the three men waiting in varying degrees of impatience. Melissa swallowed with difficulty, licked her dry lips, desperately hoping that inspiration would come to her. And just when she was positive that she would disgrace herself by having a case of the vapors, something that Dominic had said earlier popped into her brain. Not meeting the gazes of any of the men, she looked down at the hem of her gown and stammered, "It—it w-w-was the a-a-agreement."

  "What agreement?" Dominic snapped, wondering what sort of a trick she was pulling now.

  Josh's expression was gentle as he coaxed, "You had an agreement to meet with Mr. Slade tonight in his room?"

  Horrified that her words would be interpreted that way, Melissa opened her mouth to protest, but it was Dominic who said explosively, "That is a damned lie—I do not go about seducing innocent young women! I never made any assignation with your niece!"

  Josh sent him a cold glance. "You, sirrah, are already on dangerous ground. I would not compound your errors by calling my niece a liar!"

  Dominic's mouth shut with a decided snap, and from the furious glance he sent her way, Melissa knew that he would like nothing better than to wring her neck. This was an appalling set of circumstances in which to find oneself, and though she sympathized with Dominic's position, at the moment she was far more concerned with concocting a plausible explanation for herself. She risked a look at her uncle and regained a little of her courage from the encouragement she saw in his eyes. He was, she knew, shocked and revolted by the state of affairs, but he would help her in spite of where her own stupid folly had taken her.

  Actually, once his first astonishment and dismay had waned, Josh was delighted with the situation. He had been plotting and scheming for years to get Melissa married to a wealthy, aristocratic gentleman, and now, just when he had been about to give up hope, she had plunged into a most compromising situation with a most eligible gentleman! If he had arranged the affair himself, this little contretemps couldn't have turned out better, and it was only by exercising the greatest self-restraint that he prevented a satisfied smile from creasing his mouth. Since one of his fondest dreams was about to be realized, he could afford to be magnanimous. His voice soothing, his manner warm and confiding, he said, "Come now, Lissa, tell us what happened tonight. You don't need to fear us—we are your family and we will do our best to shield and protect you from any disagreeable results that might arise from this unfortunate incident." He bent Dominic a telling glance. "We will all do what is expected of us!" Looking back at Melissa, he continued, "You have nothing to fear. Whatever you say will go no further than these four walls. Speak freely, my dear, and tell us about the agreement."

  Melissa licked her lips again, wondering helplessly what would happen if she just refused to say anything. For a long moment she considered the idea, but then rejected it, having the lowering notion that if she refused to offer some sort of reason for being in Dominic's room, the four of them would be there indefinitely.

  Keeping her eyes averted from Dominic's half-naked form as he stood beside the bed, his white shirt still gaping open to reveal the black, curly hair which covered his muscled chest, she said in a rush, "It was the agreement about Folly. I wanted to talk to him about some of the things that we had discussed this afternoon."

  It was a feeble excuse, almost nonsensical, but it was the best that she could come up with under the circumstances. She dared not reveal that she had made a terrible mistake, that it had been Julius Latimer she had come to see and not Dominic Slade. She shuddered as she imagined the expressions on their faces if she blurted out that information! But it was apparent that the explanation she offered found no favor with the gentlemen, and she wasn't surprised at the look of patent disbelief that Dominic shot her or the skepticism she saw in Royce's eyes. Josh, however, betrayed no lack of mistrust in her statement, and with relief, hating herself for having to lie so blatantly to him, she continued doggedly, "I only meant to speak a moment with him—I—I—I n-n-never intended to—to..." Her throat closed up and she could not force another lying word from her mouth. The entire situation was too humiliating, and she wished desperately that this embarrassing inquisition could be put off until tomorrow. She felt soiled and tawdry. It didn't help her state of mind to have two of the gentlemen in the room staring at her as if this situation was her own fault. That most of the blame lay at her feet she was more than willing to admit, but not all of it was her doing, and as the minutes passed, she was conscious of a stirring of resentment. How dare they look at her this way!

  Her chin lifted and she said stiffly, "I never meant to put myself in a compromising position, and if Mr. Slade had been a gentleman"—she slanted him a haughty glance—"instead of a rutting boar, then none of this would have happened."

  Dominic's face darkened and his hands clenched into fists. Why, that lying little slut! he thought furiously. She comes uninvited to my room, arranges herself seductively on my bed, returns my kisses with avid enjoyment and then has the gall to say that I am the one who is at fault! With a great effort he kept himself from speaking his thoughts aloud, but he promised himself savagely that he had a score to settle with Miss Melissa Seymour!

  His eyes narrowed, he drawled mockingly, "But what else could I do—especially when I find a sow in heat in my bed!"

  Melissa gasped, her topaz eyes flashing with molten golden sparks, her cheeks flushed with fury. "A sow in heat!" she hissed. "Th-that's a disgusting thing to say!"

  Dominic's eyebrow flicked upward in cynical surprise. "Surely no more disgusting than what you said?" Only by the most tremendous willpower having gotten his own flaming temper under control, he was almost enjoying himself now, wondering idly how he could have been so misled by something as simple as an untidy bun and a pair of disfiguring spectacles. Seeing Melissa as she really was, he understood now the comments about her loveliness that the Manchester men had dropped. And he would be the first to confess that she was indeed lovely. His gaze resting on the enchanting sight she presented, the honey-colored hair tumbling in wild abandon about her shoulders, her lovely eyes bright with temper and her delightful bosom heaving with suppressed anger, Dominic thought that he had never seen another woman who appealed to him so powerfully. It was, he decided with a sudden sensual twist to his lips, truly unfortunate that Royce had arrived so inopportunely—it would have been very interesting to see how far the little minx would have gone in order to snare a husband! Realizing where his musing had taken him, Dominic cursed under his breath and his enjoyment vanished. He had been neatly jockeyed into an untenable position, and here he was mooning over the very creature who had applied the whip!

  Josh concluded that enough insults had been traded and it was time both principals became aware in what direction their duty now lay. Clearing his throat portentously, he said, "This is a most distressing affair, but I am thankful that there is an honorable solution for us all."

  Dominic stiffened, surmising where Josh was leading. It didn't come as any surprise to him—he had been expecting it from the second that Melissa's identity had been revealed. He shot the source of his predicament a dark look. She was clever, he'd grant her that, but although he might be forced by circumstances to make an honest woman of her, she wasn't going to find him a complacent husband! He was furious that having escaped the most elaborate traps set out by some of the most expert matchmaking mamas and their daughters, he had been well and truly snared by such a seemingly artless country miss. Not that she had responded so very artlessly to his embraces. Dominic thought savagely. His only consolation, and it was poor comfort at best, was that at least he'd be able to take pleasure from her body, if nothing else. With arrogant thoroughness, his gray eyes moved slowly over Melissa's slender form. Marriage was something that he had sworn to avoid, but perhaps it wouldn't be too hellish, he decided coldly, if she lived up to the promise of passion her wanton responses to his kisses had revealed.

  Melissa was so embarrassed and shocked by what had happened t
hat she had not given thought to her situation beyond the most pressing problem: explaining her presence in Dominic's room. Somewhat naively, she was hoping that now, having given her explanation, no matter how weak it sounded, Josh would escort her home. She expected to get the worst scolding of her life and she was prepared for Josh to be angry with her for a while, but that would be the end of it. Of course, it was going to be uncomfortable the first few times she was in company with Mr. Slade, but that too, she was foolishly confident, would pass in time. After all, she reminded herself optimistically, no irreparable harm had been done. Yes, it was a disgraceful position to have found oneself in, and there was no doubt that she would never forget this humiliating experience, but Royce had appeared at a most opportune moment and in spite of how sordid it seemed, her honor was still intact. Why she had so ardently returned Dominic's kisses she refused to speculate, yearning only to put this mortifying experience behind her. Later, when she wasn't so sensitive about it, wasn't so inexplicably attracted to the disruptive Mr. Slade, she would examine her perplexing and uncharacteristic reaction to him. For now, she just wanted to go home.

  A brief silence had fallen after Josh had spoken, and it was Royce who eventually broke it. A sardonic smile on his mouth, he said to Dominic, "It seems that we are about to become more than just friends."

  His lips slanting into a derisive smile of his own, Dominic nodded his dark head. Glancing at Josh, he stated coolly, "Naturally, I will marry her."

  "You will not!" Melissa said forcefully, her eyes wide with astonishment. "I have no intention of marrying anybody, and certainly not you!"

  Gray eyes gleaming cynically, Dominic regarded her flushed features. What sort of game was she playing at? He had agreed to marry her, so what more could she want? Thinking that she was overplaying the outrage just a bit, he drawled wearily, "Oh, come now, my dear, wasn't that the point of all this?"

  "Don't be ridiculous!" she snapped, rising from the bed in one graceful motion. Grabbing her cloak from the chair, she faced her uncle and demanded furiously, "Take me home! I don't want to spend another moment in the same room with him!"

  Levelly, Josh stared back at her. "That's unfortunate... since you are going to marry him. After tonight's happening you have no other choice."

  Melissa blinked at him, hardly able to believe what he said. "You cannot be serious, Uncle!" she finally got out when she realized that Josh did not seem to share her feelings about the situation.

  "He's very serious," Dominic replied dryly. "There is no other solution. If word of what occurred here were to be bandied about, our reputations, yours in particular, would be ruined." Sneeringly, he finished, "But I'm sure you knew that before you came here."

  Furious at his insinuations, Melissa spun around and slapped his mocking face with the open palm of her right hand. "That's a lie!" she spat, golden-brown eyes blazing. "I don't want to marry you—you conceited lout!"

  This was all that was needed to cap a thoroughly infuriating situation, and her hand had hardly connected with his cheek before Dominic's fingers closed painfully around her shoulders. Shaking her violently, he snarled, "Well, believe me, I don't want to marry you either—a more hot-tempered, ill-mannered shrew I've never met!"

  Josh intervened hastily, fearful that all his plans were about to come tumbling down around him. Jerking Melissa away from Dominic, he said quickly, "Royce, get Dominic out of here for a moment or two. I wish to speak to Melissa alone."

  "Intending to remind her of what a catch she's on the verge of throwing away?" Dominic remarked snidely.

  Moving indolently across the room, Royce murmured, "Be a good fellow, Dom, and put on your boots and come with me." He smiled angelically. "We'll drink a toast to your betrothal."

  Dominic sent him a look, but then a reluctant grin crossed his mouth. Without a word, he pulled on his boots, buttoned his shirt and dragged on a coat. A second later, Melissa and Josh were alone in the tiny room.

  A hint of despair in her eyes, Melissa demanded, "You don't really mean to try to force me to marry him, do you?"

  Her obvious distress at the idea worried Josh. He was a kind man and he had never wanted to hurt Melissa. But she had to be made to see reason. "Melissa, dear," he began, "you have no other choice. You must marry Mr. Slade. You have disgraced yourself, and the only way out of this shameful affair is for you and Mr. Slade to marry. This is not the way I would have preferred your betrothal to come about, but I'm afraid that I must insist upon your doing the honorable thing."

  Melissa's mouth tightened, and with Dominic's insulting words burning in her brain, she was not in any sort of mood to think rationally. Besides, nothing had happened! Josh was using this situation to further his own gains—well, she wasn't about to let him sacrifice her happiness just so he could get his hands on the money from the trust! Her chin raised, she stated grimly, "I am not going to marry Mr. Slade and you cannot make me!"

  Josh regarded her sadly. "But I can, my dear," he finally said in a tired voice.

  "How?"

  "Simply by exercising my right of authority over your brother. Your father's will named me joint guardian, and while I have allowed you to have full control, if you defy me in this I shall have no choice but to remove Zachary from your, ah, lascivious influence."

  "Lascivious!" Melissa breathed, incensed, the furious expression on her face making Josh take a nervous step backward.

  But he was determined, and telling himself uneasily that Melissa could be made to see reason, he said firmly, "Yes, lascivious! I didn't want to say anything in front of Dominic, but, child, what you did tonight is scandalous, and you should be thankful that he is willing to marry you."

  Melissa thought she would explode with wrath. Thankful! Ha! Insulted would be more like it, she reflected indignantly. If Josh thought for one minute... "I won't let you browbeat me into doing this! I will not marry Dominic Slade!"

  Josh shrugged. "Very well, then, don't. But don't come crying to me when I remove Zachary from Willowglen and when I refuse to let you see him."

  "You can't do that!"

  "I can," Josh replied in a hard voice. "I can and I will." When Melissa still stood glaring at him, obviously not believing what he said, he explained quietly. "If you do not do as I say, I will go to Judge Hartley in the morning, and as much as it will pain me, I shall tell him of tonight's doings." He cocked an eyebrow at her. "After that, do you think he will allow you to have control of Zachary? Of course," Josh added fairly, "it will be for only two years. When Zachary is twenty-one, I cannot stop him from living where he wishes, but until then..."

  With a painful thump of her heart, Melissa realized sickly that Josh meant every word he said. He would take Zachary away from her—her father's will gave him the right. She swallowed back the sudden tears that clogged her throat. The two years didn't matter, but the loss of her reputation did, and she could just imagine the gossip and stares that would follow her once tonight's event became common knowledge. That it would become common knowledge was a foregone conclusion, especially when Zachary was removed from her care—even if Josh swore the judge to silence.

  Her face pale, Melissa looked away from Josh. Zachary would hate living at Oak Hollow, hate having Josh supervise his activities—he might even hate her for being the cause of his removal from Willowglen. Another, more terrifying thought occurred to her: Zachary might even challenge Dominic to a duel, feeling that Dominic had dishonored his sister and brought shame to all of them. Miserably conscious of the trap closing in on her, Melissa sought some other solution. There was none. Unless she married Dominic Slade, she would be labeled a fallen woman, her brother would be taken from her and whatever dreams or hopes they'd had for the future would be destroyed. It was unlikely that any reputable horse breeder would wish to deal with a woman whom scandal had marked.

  It wouldn't matter what she did with her life; there would always be those who would whisper behind her back, those who would refuse to let their wives, daughters and even
sons associate with her. Bitterly she acknowledged the unfairness of it all—she would be condemned, but Dominic Slade would be allowed to walk away from the incident untouched, perhaps even gaining the admiring stares of some of the gentlemen.

  Realizing that she had no alternative, Melissa met Josh's stern gaze and said crisply, "Very well. I will marry Mr. Slade." A surge of angry pride brought a militant sparkle to her topaz eyes and she vowed huskily, "But I promise you—Mr. Slade will not find me an obliging wife!"

  Chapter 12

  "Obliging" was not a word that Dominic had ever associated with the provoking Miss Seymour, and he certainly did not apply it with regard to tonight's unfortunate affair.

  Seated in one of the darker corners of the main room of the tavern, Dominic had few doubts that his bride, and there was never any question in his mind that she would marry him, would prove to be very disobliging. She might have put on an excellent performance about not wanting to marry him, but he assumed that it was just another example of her contrary nature. And even though the prospect of marriage brought him little joy, there were two things of which he was confident—that he was going to enjoy exerting his husbandly rights and that his cantankerous, willful, disconcerting and utterly fascinating bride-to-be would never bore him. That thought brought a rueful smile to his mouth, and seeing it, Royce asked, "A little more resigned to your fate?"

  Dominic grimaced. "Yes. But I'll admit that I'm not particularly enamored of the idea and that if she was any other female except your cousin, I would have found some way out of the tangle." He turned serious. "You do believe me when I said that I didn't realize who she was, don't you? I am capable of many things, but not, I hope, of seducing a relative of one of my most intimate friends."