by Alice Gaines
“I suppose you’ve heard the news,” Lady Deauville said.
“Of Captain Northcross’s engagement?” she said. “I attended specifically to wish the couple well.”
“It’s an advantageous match for both families,” Lady Deauville said. “We’re all so pleased.”
“Indeed.” If this woman truly welcomed the marriage, she must have calculated it would restore the groom to her bed somehow. Perhaps, instead of warning Lily, she should have a few words with Captain Northcross’s intended. But then, she had her own difficulties to deal with.
Before those difficulties materialized in the person of Roger Montgomery and he occupied the rest of her time for the evening, she’d best do what she could to find Lily Northcross.
“I hope you’ll excuse me,” she said. “There are some people I’d like to speak to.”
“Of course.” The woman turned and swept away, having delivered what she’d assumed would be an unpleasant shock and not receiving the response she’d expected.
Bess headed off, only to discover that two shadows followed right behind her—Rose and Anna. That would never do. If they overheard her conversation with Lily, they’d foil her plan to keep Montgomery silent by marrying him. She stood for a moment, letting her gaze rest on first one and then the other.
“Why don’t you two go and enjoy yourselves?”
“Tonight?” Anna scowled at her. “I hardly think so.”
“Then go pretend you are,” Bess said.
“You’re up to something,” Anna said. “I’m not going to let you get away with it.”
“Nor will I.” Rose lifted her chin in the obstinate manner she seemed to have learned from Anna.
“I’ve already agreed to marry the man,” Bess said. “What more damage can I do?”
Both of them stood there, not moving from the spot and watching for Bess’s next step.
“Anna, why don’t you find Lieutenant Weston? You know he admires you,” Bess said.
“He does,” Rose said. “Very much so.”
“He looks at my figure. He has no idea I have a mind,” Anna said.
“The way you two spar?” Bess said. “That can hardly be true.”
“Bess is right, you know.” Rose curled her arm around Anna’s. “Let’s go find him.”
“I’m not going to leave your side,” Anna said.
“Do go along,” Bess said. “At least one of us might fall in love.”
“Love?” Anna said, but she could do little as Rose led her away, firmly enough that she’d make a scene if she tried to resist. Rose would keep Anna busy with matchmaking. Now if she could manage to avoid Montgomery long enough, she could speak to Lily privately.
The ballroom was full to the seams, the normal company of guests swelled by local dignitaries and members of other noble houses from the surrounding counties. Invitations would have been sent far and wide for the exciting announcement. Viscount Hadleigh and his wife stood by the captain toward the front of the hall, but Lily was nowhere to be seen. Bess reached for a glass of champagne on a tray held by a passing footman, but a hand came down on hers before she could take it. Montgomery, her husband-to-be, took her fingers and brought them to his lips. “You look especially tempting this evening, my dear.”
“I don’t know why I should,” she said. “I’m well covered.”
“Ah, but I have a keen imagination,” he said. “Let’s dance, shall we?”
The orchestra had just begun a waltz, which was just as well, as she’d long forgotten the steps to anything else. She allowed him to escort her to the floor where couples swirled, the brilliant hues of the ladies’ gowns mingling in the turns.
She could defy him, but what would be the point in that? If she refused to engage in his charade, he could always expose Jack Sterling’s identity and ruin her plans for her friends.
He waltzed as he did everything else—with calculated competence. His hand at the exact center of her back, he held her at the prescribed distance from his body as he led them in the steps with a military precision. But then, everything about him met or exceeded convention, from the tailoring of his suit to the smile affixed to his face. How could any woman on earth find fault with him? How could any woman really want him, either?
“I’m looking forward to our wedding night,” he said. “Aren’t you?”
“You needn’t pretend this is a love match.”
“I’m not. But I am eager to bed you.”
She almost missed a step but recovered. “For the love of God, why?”
“I’ve wanted to plow you since the night we met at the opera.”
That seemed so long ago now. The first time she’d felt Jason Northcross’s mouth on her own as he’d stolen her very breath. Since then, he’d stolen much more from her, and given the chance, she’d surrender again.
“You were like the others,” Montgomery went on. “Rejecting me out of hand because of my station in life.”
“Perhaps it’s not your social status people object to but your person.”
He only continued smiling at her. Apparently she no longer had even the power to provoke his anger. “I hadn’t arranged to meet you there. I only wanted to listen to the music. Your disdain excited me. I determined to have you.”
Her stomach did a flop at that, and a tiny scrap of her virgin’s fear returned. The first time with Bert had been dreadful, but she’d endured it. She could endure a second time.
“I may make good use of that mouth of yours, too,” he said.
She did jerk to a stop then, but the dance ended, saving her embarrassment. Montgomery smiled down at her in a particularly evil way. He’d scored a point against her, and they both knew it.
A throat cleared toward the front of the ballroom. The entire Northcross family, except for Lily, had assembled next to the Swans and their daughter. Time for the announcement had come. Montgomery took her arm with enough force to brook no opposition and led her toward the front of the crowd. All the better to add their news to the happy occasion.
By now, a throng of servants circulated with trays of champagne for a toast. This time, Montgomery didn’t interfere when she took one.
Mr. Swan stepped forward. “It gives me a great deal of pleasure to announce the merging of our family with that of Viscount Hadleigh. My wife and I are more than pleased to give our daughter, Alice’s, hand in marriage to Captain Northcross.”
A congratulatory cry went up along with a clinking of glasses. The happy couple accepted the well wishes, the lovely bride-to-be blushing prettily. When the to-do had died down, Montgomery led her the last few steps to stand beside Lady Hadleigh. “If you’ll oblige me, Lord Hadleigh, Mr. Swan.”
“I say, what?” the viscount replied, as though most of what went on around him went over his head.
Swan nodded. “Of course.”
“I have my own happy news,” Montgomery proclaimed loudly enough for his voice to travel to the back of the hall. “Lady Rushford has only yesterday agreed to become my wife.”
A buzzing filled the ballroom except for one corner in the back. A glass crashed to the floor and shattered. A cry followed. One word. “No!”
Oh dear heaven, Lily. Bess finally spotted her where she stood next to the vicar. All the blood had drained from her face, and she held her fingers over her mouth. She stared back at Bess for a few seconds before turning and running from the hall. Disaster.
She shoved her glass into Montgomery’s empty hand. “Excuse me.”
“But we’ve only just announced—”
Before he had a chance to grab for her, she launched herself into the crowd and made her way to the rear as quickly as the crush of bodies allowed.
She found Lily on the terrace, her eyes round. “Oh Lady Rushford, what have I done?”
“Don’t say a word. Someone might overhear.” She grabbed Lily by the shoulders and propelled her across the terrace, down some steps, and along a gravel path that would take them safely away from the house and
any curious ears.
“This is my fault, isn’t it?” Lily wailed. “If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be marrying him.”
Finally, they arrived behind a topiary chess piece, and Bess deposited Lily onto a marble bench. “Hush, child. You’ll get us discovered.”
Lily pulled a handkerchief from her bodice and began to cry into it, rather loudly. “I’m so sorry. Jason wouldn’t let me visit you, so I wrote out some pages in my room. I shouldn’t have done it.”
Bess sat beside the girl and wrapped an arm around her waist. “You mustn’t blame yourself. I was careless, too, or you wouldn’t have found out our secret.”
“I was taking the scene to Imrey to deliver it to you,” Lily said. “You can trust Imrey completely.”
“I’m sure you can.”
“That’s when Mr. Montgomery intercepted me.”
“Lily, believe me. This is not a catastrophe.”
“But I begged you to let me learn from you.” Lily gave the linen in her had a vicious twist. “And look how I’ve repaid you.”
“It’s not the end of the world,” Bess said. “One can’t keep a secret like that forever. Someone was bound to find out eventually.”
Lily stared at her, an expression of pure horror on her features. “This won’t be the end of Jack Sterling? Oh please, I couldn’t bear it.”
“Of course not. Montgomery agreed to remain quiet if I married him. I’m sure he’s a man of his word.” That last required a leap of faith, but it was a leap she’d have to take.
“I’d die if Jack Sterling stopped writing,” Lily declared. “I’d just die.”
“That won’t happen.”
“And it would be all my fault.”
By now, Lily had given up on wailing—thank God—and had settled on sobbing quietly. If only Bess could have gotten to her earlier, she wouldn’t have made that scene back in the ballroom. She could only calm the girl now and hope for the best.
Bess shook Lily’s shoulders gently. “Now, you must listen to me carefully and do exactly as I say.”
Lily snuffled once more. “Whatever you say, Lady Rushford, I promise.”
“You must say nothing about any of this, do you understand?”
“But you’re going to marry that horrid man.”
“Hush. He’ll be my husband, and I’ll need to give him my respect.” How she’d manage that wouldn’t be easy. Still, she’d only need to honor him in public while doing her best to avoid him in private.
“But that’s the worst of it all,” Lily said. “You can’t marry him when my brother is in love with you.”
“Oh, child, no.”
“He is. I can tell. He can hide things from other people. Sometimes he can fool Thomas, but he can’t fool me.”
“Lily, dear, it’s a romantic dream.”
“I see how he looks at you. He doesn’t know I watch him, but I do. His eyes go all soft, and he gets a silly smile on his face.”
Actually, Bess had seen that expression on his face herself. Bert had even worn it a few times after they’d been married for awhile. One might call that love, and certainly, she’d been tempted to let her face take on the same features when gazing at Jason.
“When the two of you spent the night alone in the cottage, I had such hopes that you’d announce your engagement.”
“And you’re absolutely not to say anything about that night, do you understand?” she said.
“I would never do anything to hurt you, Lady Rushford. It’s only that . . .” Lily’s voice trailed off, and she did more violence to her handkerchief. “You and he belong together. He loves you, and I so hoped you loved him in return.”
Damn it all, she probably did love the man. That would explain so many things. How his touch had wielded such power over her right from the first. How her gaze wanted to linger on him and returned to him at the least opportunity. How he’d created such a need for him inside her that she’d invited him to intimacies she’d only shared with her husband. She’d do it again if he asked, much to her everlasting misery.
“I’m right, aren’t I?” Lily declared. “You do love him. Lady Rushford, you belong together. You must see that.”
“Dear Lily, even if it were true, and I don’t grant it is, the match would be impossible,” she said. “He needs the right sort of wife, and I’m not her.”
“He needs you to be happy.”
“That sort of romance is reserved for books. We have to live in the real world.” Reality seemed less and less appealing by the minute, but that was all she had.
“Lily?” The man in question appeared from behind the chess piece. “What are you doing out here? What’s wrong?”
Lily swiped at her eyes. “Nothing. A silly fancy, no more.”
“It sounded like something,” he said. “That was a bit of an outburst.”
“I was surprised at Lady Rushford’s news,” Lily said. “I’m recovered now.”
“Then you’d best go to your room to refresh yourself and then return to the party,” he said. “I want the evening to shine for Miss Swan.”
“Of course. I’ve been quite thoughtless.” Lily rose, and Bess squeezed her hand.
Lily started past her brother but stopped beside him. “Fluff-head.”
“Not now,” he said.
At that, Lily huffed and resumed her march toward the house. Captain Northcross didn’t move from the spot but stood in awkward silence for a moment.
Finally, Bess got to her feet. “Congratulations on your impending marriage.”
“Bess, I—”
“It was expected, of course. You’ve made an excellent choice in Miss Swan.”
“I know it’s none of my business.” He shifted his weight to his other foot. “I can’t help but ask. Roger Montgomery?”
“He grew on me.” Rather like an unpleasant rash. She probably couldn’t convince this man she was happy about this match, but she could require him to keep his opinions to himself. “I’m not at so advanced an age that I can’t remarry.”
“Of course you’re not,” he said. “I’d never suggest such a thing.”
“Well, there you are, then.”
“You can’t have fallen in love with him,” he said.
“I married a man I didn’t love once before, and that worked out to be quite tolerable.” She stood and returned his stare. He wasn’t marrying for love, either, and they both knew it. “I’ve respected your choice. I hope you’ll do me the same favor.”
He straightened, stiffening. “Certainly. I wish you nothing but the best.”
The door had shut between them. They’d never be lovers again, nor friends. They might at some future point become acquaintances. He’d have children by then, and with any luck, she’d be a widow again. Oh dear. If she honestly thought life held no more than that, she’d drink herself into oblivion. She might very well do, in any case.
“And I wish you complete happiness,” she said. “I have no doubt you’ll find it.”
“May I escort you back inside?”
“Thank you, no. I think I’ll stay out here a moment. The air’s lovely.”
He went away finally, mercifully before either had invited the other to their wedding. She sank down onto the bench again and stared off into the darkness.
*
Jason was pouring his third whiskey when Vajra appeared at his elbow. At least this wife-hunting business had given him the pleasure of seeing his business partner and close friend again. He lifted his glass in a toast.
“Is that the image you’d have your fiancée take away from the party tonight?” Vajra asked. “Her husband-to-be getting drunk?”
“I’m not drunk.”
“Not yet,” Vajra said.
“You’re especially tedious when you’re right.” Jason set the tumbler back down.
“Ah, you found him, I see.” Peter came up from behind him. “He hasn’t changed since India.”
“He’s lost some weight,” Vajra said. “Must be yo
ur dreadful English food.”
“Not at all,” Peter said. “He’s pining away out of love.”
“Do shut up, will you?” Jason grumbled.
“Pining? Why should he do that?” Vajra said. “The poor girl has agreed to marry him.”
“Not the Swan chit.” Peter clapped his hand on Jason’s shoulder. “He’s lost his wits over another woman, but she’s spurned him for another man.”
“Really?” Vajra smiled. He did it easily. The man obviously knew that the expression made him exceptionally handsome, given the contrast between his white teeth and glowing, dark skin. He’d turned more than a few female heads since he arrived. Jason would do well to warn him off Sarah, but if he had to be miserable, so could everyone else.
“I never knew our friend Jason to lose in matters of the heart,” Vajra said.
“I don’t think that’s the organ that’s giving him the most trouble,” Peter said.
Both of them laughed. That shouldn’t gall him. He’d do the same if he were in their place and one of them wanted a woman he couldn’t have. The problem was that Peter had it wrong. He had fallen in love with that outrageous, ridiculous, and overwhelmingly sensual woman. What a thing to discover on the evening you’d made a public announcement to marry someone else. Not that marriage and love had anything to do with one another, but the irony was more than his weak will could manage just at present.
“So, who’s the lady who’s had the very bad taste to refuse our friend?” Vajra said.
“The very one whose own engagement was announced directly after Jason’s,” Peter said.
“Lady Rushford? Interesting,” Vajra said. “Your lingam still has excellent taste, my friend.”
“Another word in that vein, and I’ll rip your tongue out of your head,” Jason said. Where in bloody hell had he put that drink? Ah, there. He picked it up again and took a generous swallow. Probably one he’d regret.
“You shouldn’t torment him,” Peter said. “At least, not while I’m not around to enjoy the sport.”
“Can’t you two find some more productive use of your time?” Jason said. “Pulling the wings off flies or something?”
They laughed again.
