The Irresistible Lady Behind The Mask (Historical Regency Romance)

by Emily Honeyfield

  “Now that I have stated my grievance, goodnight!”

  Hudson watched in disbelief as his wife attempted to leave the room. He raked his fingers through his hair with frustration.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” His voice was strained with tension.

  Her body curved in his direction, and her eyes held surprise.

  “I’m retiring to the adjoining room, of course. I gathered that room is mine.”

  Deciding he had to tread delicately, “Certainly, it’s yours, but I don’t think you’ll have any use of it tonight.”

  Her delicately carved brows rose. “Why not?”

  “This is absurd, Tempest. This is our wedding night!”

  “The idea of consummating our marriage holds little appeal to me.”

  The words exploded in her husband’s ears leaving him dumbfounded for minutes. As Tempest swirled around to leave the room, Hudson strode to where she was and jerked her into his embrace.

  “What is the meaning of this, Tempest,” he rasped, trying to control his temper.

  “You’ve got your wish, haven’t you? We’re wedded, now leave me alone!”

  A frown creased his forehead. “So this is your way of paying me back for the way we got married, eh?”

  When she remained silent but glared at him rebelliously, he sighed. Matching anger with her wouldn’t solve the situation. From history, he had to deal with Tempest softly when she got into one of her moods.

  Releasing her hand, he cupped her face and caressed it gently. “Tempest, I apologise for the manner in which I got you to marry me, but if you’re honest with yourself, you’ll realise I had no choice in the matter.”

  She cocked her brows.

  “If you hadn’t interfered with my marriage plans to your cousin, you wouldn’t be here now.”

  His wife remained mutinous in silence.

  Hudson registered that he had to change tactics with her. For some reason, he believed that if he lost this night with her, he would lose her forever.

  Desperate now, his voice softened. “Tempest, could you please meet me halfway? I know we got married in the most unusual of circumstances, but I’d love us to put it behind us and make the most of our marriage.

  “I believe that despite the circumstances, fate brought us together. I would love us to go back to the way it used to be between us before things went awry. I would love us to build a marriage based on love. If we deal civilly and kindly with each other, I believe with time, we will come to love each other and have if not a perfect marriage, then a blissful one.”

  ***

  Dear God, she was tempted! Oh, she was almost persuaded by the words, but she couldn’t! If their union was to be consummated, she would never be able to return to her old life. She had spent a long time by the window thinking of how the rest of her life would play out. Dread had filled her at the image her mind painted. Surely, she would be a candidate for Bedlam if she were to remain as Hudson’s wife. Although they were married, she still desired to return to London.

  Perhaps he shouldn’t have left her alone to think for so long. Had he come upstairs with her immediately, she knew she would have given in and would probably be regretting it now.

  However, his words were weakening her resolve. She yearned to tell him that she already loved him and part of her wanted to be with him. Indeed she wanted to be loved by him, but wasn’t that wishful thinking? Who was to say that after he got his inheritance, he wouldn’t cast her aside? After all, without considering her feelings, he had deigned to marry her cousin!

  Removing her face from his grasp, she coldly told him, “You’ve got your wish, now leave me alone!”

  He grabbed her shoulders as she made to move away. “I demand you stop this nonsense this minute!”

  “Or what, Hudson? Are you going to force me into bed the same way you forced me into marrying you? Or perhaps you intend locking me in your chambers with only bread and water for company!”

  “I might just do that seeing that you can’t be relied on to be reasonable! I cannot make heads or tails of your behaviour. Why can’t you simply let go of how we got married and start anew?”

  “Because I can’t forget how you brought me here under false pretenses, how you forced me into a marriage I never wanted. So, don’t act all innocent here. I repeat, you’ve got what you want, so don’t pretend as if you actually want the marriage. Or could it be that one of the criteria to your inheritance is having the marriage consummated or staying married? Well, you’re never going to have it because I don’t intend fulfilling any of those conditions for you!”

  His brows rose towards his hairline. “What the devil are you talking about?”

  Regarding him with scorn, she flung at him, “Don’t pretend like you don’t know what I’m talking about. It doesn’t suit you.”

  His blue eye darkened as he abruptly jerked her into his arms and placed his lips on hers. The scorching kiss seared Tempest to her bones.

  Her nipples tautened perceptibly as Hudson expertly explored her mouth. His hands began moving all over body, and by the time his large hand clasped one aching breast through her robe, it was all she could do not to let out a primitive moan. When his other hand reached for her hot and moist core, Tempest knew that if she didn’t stop him now, she would give in to the wild passion blazing between them.

  With regret, she wrenched her lips from his and stepped back, breathing heavily.

  He was also breathing hard as if he just ran around the estate. “Let that keep you warm tonight, wife!”

  With that, he spun on his heels and left her alone in the room. Tempest jerked when the door slammed hard behind him. She fought the tears that smarted in her eyes. Of what use would crying be?

  She, however, buried her face in her hands and shook as sobs wracked her body. Hudson would never make love to her tonight and in the future because of her rejection. Although her body craved for his completion, she had to be sensible about it.

  Chapter 26

  “Why, Tempest, you look absolutely dreadful. Being Hudson’s wife not agreeing with you?” Valerie questioned the minute her cousin set foot in the drawing room the following morning.

  Tempest almost let out the most unladylike groan ever. If she had had foreknowledge of Valerie’s presence in the drawing room, she would have avoided the place like the plague.

  Ignoring her cousin’s taunting words, she strode to one of the brocade chairs and settled herself in it. Swiftly, a maid appeared to pour her some tea and serve her some tiny biscuits. The maid asked her if she would love some breakfast, but her mistress declined.

  When the maid still hovered, Tempest raised a questioning gaze.

  “Begging your pardon, Mrs Danvers, but I’m waiting for further instructions,” the young girl said, twining her hands.

  Tempest’s brows arched. Thinking the maid was getting feeble-brained, she queried, “Further instructions for what?”

  The maid let out a little gasp while Valerie giggled audibly a few feet away.

  “As the mistress of Strombridge estate now, I … I … don’t know if you have a specific task you want me to carry out.”

  Belatedly realising her status now that she was Hudson’s wife, twin spots of red stained her cheeks before she said, “I … er … see to it that the remaining guests are … er … treated nicely … fed and all that.”

  The maid curtsied. “Yes, Mrs Danvers.”

  As the maid took her leave, Tempest then understood why the maids had stared queerly at her as she brushed past them on her way to the drawing room. She had thought it odd that each one of them had stood as if they were waiting for something. She had thought they were in training or something. Even the butler after exchanging pleasantries with her had also cocked his brows.

  Despite the hopelessness of the situation, she giggled. What did she know about running a household? She would have run a mile instead of being given such a huge burden back home in London.

  Still ignoring
Valerie who was laughing softly, she sipped from her cup of tea.

  “I do say, Tempest, that you’re going to find it absolutely difficult being the mistress of this manor. Mayhap if I had married Hudson, I would be better equipped to handle it than you,” Valerie quipped.

  “But you didn’t, and I did,” Tempest threw at her with derisive bite.

  “Yes, you did,” Valerie agreed with a curt nod, her face impassive. “And how is life as Mrs Hudson Danvers?”

  Tempest rolled her eyes. “Oh, for God’s sake, Valerie, it’s less than twenty-four hours since Hudson and I were wed. Save your question for weeks later.”

  Valerie’s eyes widened a little. “Why so testy this morning, Tempest? One would think you had a terrible night,” she stated sweetly then added, “Or didn’t your husband live up to your expectation between the sheets.”

  Tempest darted a warning glance at her cousin. “That was quite bold of you, Valerie. I beseech you to watch your tongue.”

  Valerie clicked her tongue, placed her teacup and saucer on the stool beside her chair and leaned back to regard her cousin with amusement in her eyes.

  “Tempest, I haven’t said anything out of the ordinary. Women talk about such things all the time. If you had been interested in marriage before now, you would have known.”

  “Well, I don’t intend doing what every married woman out there engages in. You should know by now that I don’t do the conventional. So, if you’re expecting me to discuss my husband’s prowess in bed, then, my dear, you’re sorely mistaken.”

  Duly chastised by her cousin’s words, Valerie sighed. “I do not mean to offend, Tempest. We’ve always being close, and I believe I share practically everything with you. I just thought you might want to exchange confidences with me seeing that I’m the closest thing to a friend that you have.”

  Tempest desired to tell her that she would rather confide in Aunt Agnes and Aunt Beth a thousand times before the thought of talking to her would cross her mind. She, however, decided not to be cruel. After all, it wasn’t Valerie’s fault that she was fickle. Possibly, she couldn’t help it since she didn’t have an elderly female in her life to teach her that life was more than riches.

  When Tempest didn’t say anything, Valerie went on, “Anyway, I do say Hudson must be very satisfied by now. He finally got his wish.”

  With narrowed eyes, Tempest asked, “Which is?”

  Valerie looked surprised. “Oh, come now, Tempest, don’t act as if you don’t know Hudson married you just to get his hands on his aunt’s money? Why, it was the topic of the day yesterday … well, after your gorgeous wedding dress. It was said that getting married was one of the stipulations his Aunt Agnes made; otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to inherit her wealth. Why do you think he was so desperate to get married? It could have been anyone else provided she was a female and willing.”

  Tempest only just managed to keep from cursing out loud. So she was right, after all. The oaf had only married her to secure his aunt’s wealth in his coffers! Why, that lying cad! He had completely deceived her, sprouting nonsense about them starting anew and being friends again. He had married her under falsehood. Surely that was a basis to call for an annulment to the farce of a marriage.

  Although she had regretted it at that time, she was mighty glad now that she hadn’t allowed him to consummate their marriage. How dreadful that would be by now. Definitely, she would be beyond consolation for falling for his lying tongue even though he could use it very well and not just for speech.

  Her colour heightened as she recalled the passionate kiss they had shared and the intimate way he had touched her. Never had anyone touched her in such a bold manner, and the sizzling sensations she had felt all over her body had been very new to her.

  Choosing not to reply to her cousin even though tumultuous emotions raged inside her, she simply sipped her tea.

  Her silence apparently unnerved the young chit. “Tempest, are you trying to lead me to believe that you knew about the inheritance all along?” She sat up as her eyes enlarged. “Was that why you married him? Do you hope for a share from his aunt’s wealth? Or did you marry him just to help him secure it?”

  Her conjectures were getting on Tempest’s nerves, but she stifled the urge to snap at the young woman who was staring at her with blatant curiosity.

  “Valerie,” she called with false softness, “have you been told you ask too many questions? It would do you a world of good if you learned to mind your business!”

  The young woman’s lips parted in surprise. “But we’re cousins, Tempest. We’ve always been close.”

  Tempest wondered if Valerie believed that if she said that often, it might turn out to be true.

  “We should confide in each other.” Then she shrugged with an indignant expression on her face. “I only thought to warn you about what I heard. It isn’t every day that one gets to hear that her husband married her simply to get his inheritance. But knowing you with your cynical view about marriage, I should have guessed that it would be a marriage of convenience that would suit you and nothing else.”

  The newly-wedded woman wondered what she could do to stop her cousin from her idle chatter. Perhaps ignoring her would pass the message that she no longer wanted to talk about her marriage.

  “Although I don’t understand how Hudson would allow you go back to London and to your old life. The ton would tear him to shreds. He would be a laughingstock amongst his peers. Mayhap if he had married me, I would have chosen to stay with him because there isn’t much to go back to in London. As a matter of fact, I’m totally enjoying the countryside. I never knew it would avail one of so much freshness, peace, and tranquility.”

  Tempest bit her tongue hard to keep from asking Valerie when she was repairing to London. Such idle chattering every day from her cousin was bound to drive her insane. Since she never made mention of returning to London to continue her life without Hudson, she wondered how her cousin got to deduce the matter uppermost in her heart.

  Perhaps Valerie knew her so well, after all. She knew that settling down here in the country wasn’t to her taste. When she had roused alone on the bed in the adjoining room to Hudson’s chambers, she had laid there, wondering what she would do all day as Hudson’s wife.

  When Judith arrived to help her dress, Tempest had gazed intently at the maid to see if in her demeanour the maid was wondering why she had risen from the adjoining room instead of her husband’s bed.

  Tempest didn’t know much about the life of married couples. Her parents had shared a bedchamber even though her mother had her own room where her belongings were kept. Since Aunt Beth who brought her up had neither married nor discussed the topic with her, Tempest didn’t know if it was unconventional not to share a room with her husband.

  When Valerie continued talking about marriage and its trappings, Tempest grew very bored. Acknowledging that she wouldn’t stand one more sentence from the vapid wench, she rose and excused herself.

  Tempest knew where she was headed immediately she left the drawing room. Having it out with Hudson was the only thing she could think of at that moment. He would have to be a very good liar to convince her this time around that he wasn’t only after his aunt’s wealth when he kidnapped her to marry him under false pretenses.

  With determined strides, she reached Hudson’s study and knocked briskly on the door.

  ***

  Hudson was shuffling some papers on his oaken desk when a sharp knock sounded on his door.

  “Enter,” he called.