Scarlet Kisses

by Tish Westwood

  He had then dragged himself out of the box and began running. He had to know who she was.

  Lilly gasped as she ran. Her hands were bunched in the dress’s skirt as she held it up and ran. The dress was way too long for her. It trailed behind her and she had to gather more in her hands. Seeing an alcove, she jumped inside and whipped the curtain closed. She moved back and gasped as she bumped into music stands. She heard heavy footsteps run past.

  She placed her hand over her panting mouth. When silence filled the hall, she exhaled in relief and moved to leave the alcove. She poked her head out and looked up and down the empty hall. She tiptoed out and then began walking quickly.

  A hand grabbed her arm and yanked her back against a hard chest. Her mouth opened, ready to scream, but a strong hand clamped over her mouth. She gasped against the man’s palm.

  “Hello, Scarlet,” he breathed into her ear.

  No, no, no. This wasn’t how it was meant to happen.

  “Let’s see what you’re hiding behind this mask.”

  As she felt his hands untying the bow at the back of her hair, she struggled in his grip. He grunted against her strength but kept hold of her. The mask came off and she was spun around in his arms. She heard him gasp. Too afraid to look up, she kept her head down until strong fingers gripped her chin and tilted her head back.

  Her eyes widened as she stared, not into Robert’s brown eyes, but Mr. Jackson West’s blue gaze.

  “Lilly?” he breathed.

  “Please don’t say a word,” she gushed out.

  He shoved her back. “You? You’re Scarlet?”

  Lilly was shocked by how much anger she saw in his expression. She shook her head. “I’m not Scarlet.”

  Jackson laughed and arched a brow at her dress. He then frowned as he looked closely at it. Lilly knew it was practically falling off her, and the Scarlet he had seen at Lady Brook’s had fit into the dress with perfection.

  “You’re not her. But you know who is. You took the dress from her.”

  “Please, I beg you, don’t say a word about this to anyone.”

  Jackson’s grin curved his lips. “You owe me one.” He pulled his coat off and handed it to her.

  “Better run before Robert finds you.”

  She took the coat and shrugged into it, wrapping it around the scarlet gown. Before she turned, his voice stopped her. “It’s Alyssum isn’t it?” he asked.

  Lilly stared up at him in silence and he grinned broadly.

  “Both your secrets are safe with me.”

  She sighed with relief and then smiled as she saw an easier way to finish her plan.

  “Get Robert drunk tonight.”

  Jackson laughed and took a step toward her. “You want to run that by me one more time?”

  “Which tavern do you frequent?” she asked and stared at him intently.

  “The Dove,” he answered.

  “Take Robert there tonight, get him drunk but not too drunk, and I’ll give him his real Scarlet for the night.”

  Jackson shook his head at her. “What are you planning?”

  “My best friend’s future happiness.” She smiled brightly. “Now get him drunk and I’ll send Alyssum at ten o’clock.”

  “Bit early.”

  “Not for a lady. Now do as you are told.”

  Jackson laughed and bowed his head to Lilly. When he looked back up it was to see her running down the hall. He watched her until she disappeared and then turned as he heard approaching footsteps. Realizing he still held the black mask, he shoved it into his pocket and stepped forward just as Robert rounded the corner.

  “Did you see her?” Robert asked, panting.

  “No.” Jackson smacked Robert’s shoulder. “Sorry.”

  Robert exhaled in defeat.

  “Come on, let’s watch the end of this boring play then get drunk at The Dove.”

  Robert followed him back to the box. Halfway back to their box, Robert frowned at Jackson. “Where’s your coat?” he asked.

  “I gave it to a pretty little thing,” Jackson answered with a jaunty grin.

  Robert chuckled.

  Hours later Alyssum closed her bedroom door, leaned back against it, closed her eyes and exhaled.

  “Please don’t be mad,” a quiet voice reached her.

  Alyssum’s eyes snapped open to find Lilly sitting on her bed beside the scarlet gown.

  “You.” She stepped forward.

  “Please. I had good intentions.” Lilly jumped up, her hands raised in surrender. No longer wearing the scarlet gown, she was garbed in one of her white dresses. Her hair was no longer unbound.

  “What were you thinking?” Alyssum whispered angrily.

  “That you would see sense.”

  “How?”

  “Did you like seeing Robert running after another woman?” Lilly asked with her hands planted on her hips.

  “He wasn’t running after another woman. He was running after Scarlet.”

  “And who is Scarlet?”

  “Me!”

  “Ah-ha,” Lilly exclaimed victoriously while Alyssum exhaled. “You are the woman he wants, so stop being difficult and go to him.”

  Alyssum’s heart raced. She remembered the feel of his kiss on her lips, his body against hers. She nodded before she knew what she was doing.

  “Really?” Lilly asked.

  “Yes,” Alyssum breathed.

  Lilly squealed in excitement. “Okay, I have my carriage waiting outside—”

  “What about your parents?”

  “It’s bridge night at the Harvey’s and my jail warden’s fast asleep,” she replied.

  Alyssum nodded and they both turned their gazes to the dress.

  “How did you get the dress?” Alyssum asked.

  “Your butler let me in and I stole it. Now, Robert will be at The Dove and slightly drunk, so if he tries to take your mask off and you’re not ready, a simple shove should put him on his backside.”

  Alyssum smiled and nodded. She was doing this. She was going to Robert.

  “Oh, we have one slight problem.”

  “What?” Alyssum asked cautiously.

  “Mr. West has the mask.”

  Alyssum stared wide eyed before shouting, “Mr. West? Why does Mr. West have my mask?”

  “Shhh.” Lilly looked to the closed door then back to Alyssum. “He has your mask because he took it.”

  “Lilly Darrel, you better start talking.”

  “All right.” She held up her hands. After releasing a deep breath, she began, “Once I knew Viscount Lambert had seen me, I ran. I hid in an alcove for a minute but when I came out a man grabbed me.” Lilly released another breath as she spoke quickly. “I was so scared, I thought it Robert. Then, while all these thoughts of how my plan was ruined were running through my head, he took the mask off and turned me around. It was Mr. West.”

  “I wouldn’t get too excited about that. The man has a reputation for scandals.”

  “I know,” Lilly said cheerfully. “Anyway, he promised he wouldn’t say anything to Robert. And he’s helping with the rest of my plan.”

  “What’s the rest of your plan?”

  “To get you to go to Robert. And you will go,” Lilly said sternly as Alyssum moved back a step.

  “Things are getting complicated,” Alyssum muttered. “It was just supposed to be one night, one kiss, with a man I would never know.”

  Lilly smiled. “Get dressed, Alyssum. You’re about to have a second night, and a second kiss, with a man you know.”

  Alyssum chewed her bottom lip. “How do I see him without my mask?”

  “I’ll get it back. Now quickly.” She looked to the clock. “We’re running late.”

  Jackson looked at the clock in the corner of the room and tried not to grind his teeth in impatience. It was eleven o’clock. Where were they? He looked across the table to where Robert sat with a full drink in his hand.

  “To almost capturing Scarlet.” Jackson lifted his cup a
nd clinked it with Robert’s. He took a swig then lowered his cup and grouched that Robert wasn’t drinking.

  Get him drunk, Lilly’s voice rang in his mind.

  “Come on, Lambert. You’re supposed to take a drink when there has been a toast.”

  Robert blew out his breath and took a drink. Thinking fast, Jackson dove forward and held the bottom of his cup up. Robert made a noise of distress but swallowed his drink before it splashed over him.

  When Robert’s cup was empty, he smacked it on the table and glared at Jackson. “What the hell was that?” he demanded, wiping some ale from his chin.

  “You’re moping,” he stated. “Have another drink.” He waved the barmaid over.

  “Hello, my love,” she purred.

  “Two drinks, please,” he ordered without looking at her.

  “Okay, my love,” she breathed then sauntered away.

  Jackson groaned and dropped his head onto the table while Robert chuckled.

  “Having fun?” he asked with a laugh.

  “She won’t leave me alone,” Jackson muttered against the table. “I swear she’s stalking me.”

  Robert laughed again.

  “I only bedded her once. I managed to escape the last time we were here but now she won’t leave me alone.”

  Robert cleared his throat to stop his laughing. “You must have made an impression.”

  “Hardly. I wasn’t even trying,” Jackson mumbled. He sat straight then leaned back in his chair as his stalker approached and placed the cups down.

  “Anything else?” She stared down at Jackson with hungry eyes.

  “Nope.” Jackson shook his head. “This is all.”

  Jackson watched her leave. “No more barmaids,” he spoke to himself.

  Robert laughed. “You better be careful she may have poisoned your drink.”

  Jackson looked down at his cup. Staring at it with assessing eyes, he then reached over the table and swapped his cup with Robert’s.

  Robert burst into laughter.

  “Well, drink it then,” Jackson dared.

  Robert raised the cup, saluted Jackson and downed the contents. Placing the cup on the table with a thud, he stared down at the mug with a frown then groaned. He looked up to Jackson. He groaned again and swayed on his seat.

  “Lambert?” Jackson snapped, worried.

  Robert fell forward and planted his face on to the table with a thud.

  “Lambert!” Jackson stood and reached over. He paused as he saw Robert’s shoulders shaking. With a sigh, he sat back down and watched as Robert raised his laughing face.

  “I hope that hurt.”

  “Worth it.” Robert laughed and rubbed his forehead.

  Lilly and Alyssum peeked around the corner of the tavern. Black cloaks hiding their identity as they stared wide eyed at the tavern. Barmaids walked with jugs in their hands, their dresses low and revealing. Men groped and yelled drunkenly.

  “Let’s leave,” Alyssum breathed, terrified.

  “No way. Come on, let’s get you upstairs and I’ll send word for Jackson.”

  “Lilly,” Alyssum’s voice was filled with worry.

  “Come on.” Lilly grabbed Alyssum’s hand and pulled her through the crowd. They caught a glimpse of Jackson and Robert across the room but managed to avoid detection as they hurried up the stairs to the rooms Lilly had secretly arranged.

  Jackson knocked on the door to room five. It opened and a small hand reached out and pulled him in by his coat. He laughed as he was tugged into the dull candle-lit room and listened to the door shut behind him.

  “Isn’t this cozy,” he said, as his gaze ran over the small room. A table and two chairs sat in one corner, a small writing desk against the wall, a privacy screen and then a single bed in the centre of the room. A door stood to his left, adjoining to the room next door. He looked behind him to the two women in black cloaks. “Love the look.” He winked. “Miss Darrel.” He nodded to one hooded figure. He turned to the other. “Miss Rosewood.”

  Lilly dragged her hood back with a gasp. “How did you know who was who?”

  Jackson grinned then pointed his finger down to the floor. Lilly looked down and saw the hem of her white dress peaking out.

  “You wear white,” he answered.

  “And you…” He looked to Alyssum. “Well, we all know what color dress you’re wearing.” He looked down to the scarlet hem peeking out from beneath her cloak.

  She reached up with a black-gloved hand and pushed her hood back.

  “Alyssum.”

  “My mask, Mr. West.” She held out her hand.

  Jackson reached into his pocket, brought out the mask and placed it in her waiting hand.

  “He’s not as drunk as you would like.” He looked to Lilly. “But he’s drank enough for her to knee him again if she wants.” He turned his gaze back to Alyssum and saw a red blush heat her cheeks in the dark, shadowy room.

  “He’s waiting.”

  Alyssum turned to Lilly who stepped forward and gave her an encouraging hug. Jackson rolled his eyes.

  “I expect you to keep your mouth shut,” Alyssum snapped at him and walked over to the bed. She untied her cloak and laid it down. She gave one last look back to Lilly before stepping through to the next room.

  “She must know how to kiss,” Jackson muttered while staring at the closed door.

  He looked down as he felt Lilly shove his shoulder.

  “That’s my friend you’re talking about.”

  “Would you rather I talk about you?” He arched a brow and grinned. And not just any grin, but the grin that he wore before he seduced and ruined a girl.

  “I would love that. Perhaps you could take me in your arms and kiss me,” she announced like an actress on stage, her hand at her heart, her eyes wide. “Then we could be married and live happily ever after.”

  “Quite the display,” Jackson grumbled, a bit annoyed that she hadn’t become star struck by his grin. Most girls did. Why wouldn’t she, the little minx?

  “Now you sit on your side of the room and I’ll sit on mine.” Lilly turned and marched over to the small writing table. She sat down on the wobbly wooden chair.

  Jackson ignored her instructions and instead of sitting at the table on the other side of the room he walked over to the bed and slid onto it. He leaned back with a sigh and placed his arms behind his head.

  Lilly grumbled at how comfortable he seemed.

  “Would you care to join me?” he asked from the bed while he stared at the ceiling.

  He smiled as he heard her harrumph.

  As Robert sat at the table alone finishing his fourth ale, he watched as a blonde barmaid came over to him. He sighed as he remembered his past. Most of the women he’d been with had been blonde, a few red-head. But now all he wanted was midnight locks wrapped around his hands as he plundered deep-red lips.

  The barmaid came and leaned her hip on the table. “There’s a call for you coming from room four.” She winked. “But if you want to join me in room ten you’re most welcome.”

  Robert smiled with a soft laugh. The rooms upstairs were only used for one thing and sleeping wasn’t it.

  “A most generous offer I must decline,” he told her. A month ago he would have taken both offers, but now, all he wanted was one woman—Scarlet.

  She shrugged and her dress slipped farther off her shoulder, revealing more of her large breasts. Robert finished the rest of his ale.

  “Will I be escorting you to room four?”

  “I’ll be declining that offer as well.”

  The blonde raised her eyebrows. “You’re saying no to both offers?” she said surprised. She shrugged a flippant shoulder then walked away. He watched her walk up the stairs.

  With a groan, he waved for another drink. Hurry up, Jackson.

  As another drink was set before him he looked up in surprise as the blonde came back.

  “The answer is still no,” he told her gently but firmly.

  “The gir
l’s got a message for you.”

  Robert exhaled and shifted in his seat. It had been too long for him. He was a lusty man who liked to be bedded regularly.

  “What is it?” he asked testy. Could these women not take no for an answer?

  “She said to tell you her name is Scarlet.”

  His heart leaped. Was it really her? “Room four,” he said dazedly.

  “Yeah,” she nodded then jumped back with a squeak as he jumped from his seat and ran up the stairs.

  Robert didn’t knock but opened the door and stumbled in. He threw the door shut behind him and stepped into the dark room. He frowned as the room looked empty. He shouldn’t have drunken that fourth ale, he thought to himself as he swayed in dizziness. Movement by the window caught his attention. He squinted his eyes in the dark. No candles lit the room, only light from the window. “Scarlet?” He stepped farther into the room, making his way towards the window.

  “You owe me a garter,” a husky, shaky voiced reached him.

  His breath caught as she stepped from the darkness. Her masked face was hidden in shadows but her scarlet gown was lit in silver light.

  He moved forward, his steps eating up the distance between them. He saw the slight widening of her eyes behind her mask before he captured her face in his hands and smothered her gasp of surprise with his lips.

  Alyssum felt drunk off his kiss. Her brain turned to mush as her body sparked with awareness and her stomach somersaulted with longing. He tunneled his hands into her unbound hair as his mouth moved roughly. She gasped as her back was suddenly pressed into the wall. She responded to his hunger by kissing him back wildly. Her tongue met his, her hands groped inside his coat, wanting to feel him.

  His mouth left hers to kiss her cheek. His breath panted hotly against her skin as his mouth traveled over her jaw. “God, I’ve missed you,” he whispered hoarsely. His lips moved to her neck. He licked then sucked.