Midnight Masqerade

by Shirlee Busbee

  It pains me to tell you this, but you must be on your guard with him at all times or you will be like my poor, deluded sister, who, even knowing that he is a bounder and a clever schemer, still yearns for him. And worse, he knows it and continues to play upon her ill-advised affection for him. (He visited with her just yesterday at the plantation where we are staying. I find it curious that he chose to call at a time when I was away and unable to deny him my sister's company.) It is not pleasant for me to write to you of this, but if I can prevent you from falling under his wicked spell, then it shall be worth whatever shame I shall suffer for it.

  I could have wished that things would have been different for us, but please believe me, Melissa, when I say that I do care deeply for you and that I hope, in spite of all that has passed between us, that you will consider me your friend and know that I sincerely hope that should you ever need help, you will turn to me. I may have failed you lamentably by what I realize now was a most dishonorable offer on my part, but 1 shall not fail you in the futute. And if you go ahead with this terrible misalliance, I know in my heart that someday you will need my help and that I will be able to redeem myself by proving to you that I will stand by you in your hour of need.

  Latimer.

  Crumpling the letter in her hand, Melissa stared blindly out over the green expanse of lawn, wishing violently that she had not read Latimer's words. She mistrusted him, she suspected that much of what he wrote was a tissue of lies, but she could not forget his warnings. A bitter laugh es caped her. There wasn't, as far as she could see, much difference between Latimer and Dominic, and she thought it particularly ironic that Latimer should warn her against the man she was to marry on the morrow. There was little in Latimer's letter that she did not already know. Hadn't Josh, when he had first told her of Dominic's presence in the neighborhood, warned her about him? But the information about Dominic's past relationship and yesterday's visit with Deborah, Latimer's sister, disturbed Melissa more than a little. As a matter of fact, for one mad moment she was eaten alive with sheer jealousy, and it was only the sound of the approaching horses and men that brought her back to reality.

  Composing herself with a struggle, Melissa ripped the letter into shreds, thinking that she would like to do the same to Dominic's heart. Scattering the scraps, she walked toward Leonie and the others. If she had thought Latimer's letter ironic, that was nothing to the caustic amusement she felt when Dominic's surprise was revealed. By some evil coincidence, he had bought as a wedding present for her the very cottage Latimer had proposed as a love nest.

  As the others exclaimed and commented on the pretty little building-newly painted and refurbished for the bride-Melissa stood there staring blankly at it. Thinking his bride-to-be was overcome with delight, Dominic said softly as he stood near her, "I know that we will come often to visit your brother, and I thought that you might like to have your own place to stay. It is small but very comfortable, and if you like, in the future we can make some additions to it."

  Diffidently he added, "There are fifty acres with it, and I have hired some men to start construction of a small stable and some paddocks-we may decide to keep some of our horses here at certain times."

  When Melissa still remained silent, Dominic glanced around, and seeing that the others were already climbing up the steps that led to the small gallery, he caught her shoulders between his strong fingers. "The cottage and the land are yours, Melissa. They are my gift to you."

  His words startled her and she stared dumbly at him, her black-lashed, golden-brown eyes widening in astonishment. It was the first time that she had looked directly at him since the night at the tavern, and Dominic felt himself drowning in the mysterious depths of her lovely eyes. His gaze dropped to her mouth, and remembering its warmth and sweetness, he muttered huskily, "We will stay here tomorrow night after the wedding. . . . "

  Chapter Thirteen

  SOMEHOW, Melissa was never certain how, she kept from laughing aloud hysterically. It seemed that this place, this quaint little cottage with its rose-covered gallery, was destined to be the site of her loss of innocence, and it gave her absolutely no comfort at all to realize that it would be Dominic, as her husband, who initiated her into womanhood rather than Latimer, as her so-called protector. For one wild moment she considered telling Dominic why she was not precisely thrilled with his choice of a wedding gift, but common sense, something Melissa felt strongly she had been displaying a decided lack of lately, exerted itself and she merely flashed Dominic a false smile.

  Knowing that something more was expected of her, she grimly kept the smile pasted on her lips and said brightly, "How very thoughtful of you! Thank you!" She searched desperately for something more to add to what was undoubtedly meager thanks for such a munificent and unexpected gift, but her brain seemed to have frozen, his statement about tomorrow night blotting out all else. The sensuous expression in Dominic's eyes as he continued to stare at her mouth made Melissa feel weak. To her horror she could feel her breasts tingling with anticipation of his lips on her nipples, and she was unbearably conscious of a sudden tremor of insistent desire fluttering low in her abdomen. Helplessly she swayed nearer to him, her lips unconsciously parting, and her pulse leaped as his hands tightened on her shoulders and the gray eyes darkened with passion. . . .

  "Dominic!" Leonie called out from the shade of the gallery. "Aren't you going to even let Melissa see the inside of the house before tomorrow?"

  As if stung, Melissa jerked away from Dominic, and Dominic, murderous thoughts concerning his favorite sister-in-law sliding through his mind, slowly pivoted to face Leonie. A tight smile on his lips, he said darkly, "Someday, Leonie, I am going to strangle you-especially if you don't cultivate a bit more tact!"

  A saucy grin on her face, Leonie said airily, "Melissa, don't pay him any heed. He is always threatening me, but as you can see, I have survived-and prospered wonderfully!" She turned a limpid gaze on Dominic's handsome features and added dulcetly, "Please, dear Dominic, may we see the interior?"

  A reluctant laugh came from Dominic, and as the moment of intimacy with Melissa was clearly shattered, he took her arm and escorted her toward the cottage. "I hope you approve of what I have done. There wasn't much time, but I left fairly comprehensive instructions about what I wanted while I was gone. If there is anything that you don't like, we can always change it later." He cast Melissa a bone-melting smile. "I believe that it will prove to be sufficient for our needs, though."

  Still shaken and flustered by her reaction to him, Melissa kept her face averted and mumbled some reply. She hoped it made sense-certainly nothing else did these days!

  The interior of the cottage was delightful, but Melissa was so acutely conscious of the fact that she would share this house with Dominic tomorrow night that she didn't really remember much of what she saw. She knew the front parlor was quite spacious considering the small size of the building, and she vaguely remembered some rooms with cream-colored walls and window hangings of pale rose, but of the downstairs furnishings she couldn't recall a single item. In addition to the parlor, there was a decentsize dining room, a small breakfast room and an even smaller room that could be used as an office, and upstairs were two comfortably large bedrooms connected by a tiny dressing room. It was the bedrooms that attracted her attention most. Alone in her bed that night at Willowglen, she could suddenly see in clear detail the carved rosewood bed with its deep lavender satin coverlet, and remembered Dominic's voice saying huskily, "This will be your room and bed ... I hope you will allow me to share it with you ... frequently."

  In the darkness of her room, Melissa realized that this was the last time she would ever sleep here ... alone. Her breath caught painfully in her chest. Tomorrow and for all the tomorrows that would come she would be Dominic Slade's wife; she would share a bed with him for the rest of her life. She was aghast at how much that knowledge excited her. Aghast and furious! Her fists clenched at her sides, and she stared sightlessly up at the ceiling. He
must never guess, she thought feverishly, at the tumult his touch aroused within her. No matter if there were times that her body betrayed her, she must always be on her guard and never let him see into her foolish heart. Almost with relief she turned her thoughts to Latimer's letter. For the first time she wished she hadn't destroyed it, wished she had it in her hands right now so that she could read and reread the ugly words that he had written about the man she was to marry.

  Unfortunately, though she tried earnestly to believe evil of Dominic, she found it hard going, particularly when she remembered how kind he had been to Zachary, and of course, there was the cottage.... How many men, even those besottedly in love, would present their brides with such a tasteful little house and fifty acres? And then there was Folly. Dominic had been very fair about his purchase of the stallion, even when their coming marriage would seem to make his offer unnecessary. How kind and generous he had been.

  Suddenly angry with herself for entertaining such charitable thoughts about Dominic Slade, Melissa scowled. It was his unfair charm, she decided darkly. And his laughing eyes. And that mocking mouth and . . . Gritting her teeth, she deliberately made herself remember some of the nastier things that Latimer had written about him. Such as the way Dominic was still working his perfidious charm on Deborah, even when he was betrothed to another woman! Uncle Josh's early comments about him floated unpleasantly through her brain, and with a muffled groan she sat up in bed.

  There was no use pretending. Despite all she knew about him, Dominic Slade fascinated her as no other man ever had, but much worse, in her opinion, was that just his slightest touch, even though she knew he was a caddish womanizer, could fill her with all sorts of wild longings. She must protect herself, must remember that he was not as he appeared; and she must guard herself against falling under his wicked spell-she was not going to be enslaved like poor Deborah! Oh, no! She was going to show Mr. Slade that not all women were such silly susceptible creatures as foolish Deborah!

  Her mouth set in a stubborn line, she contemplated the future. It was not a pleasant task, and she was extremely conscious of the unpalatable fact that not only would she be battling the beguiling influence of Dominic's spurious attractiveness, but battling the dictates of her treacherous heart and body too. She began to consider ways to accomplish her aims, finally hitting upon a scheme which she hoped would keep him at a distance.

  The seesaw of emotion that had kept her awake until nearly dawn did not diminish as the hours of her wedding day sped by. She had dutifully allowed Frances and Aunt Sally to coo and flutter about her as they decked her out in the lovely high-waisted muslin gown with its delicate silver threads and wound sweet-scented orange blossoms through her tawny curls. It was difficult not to share their excitement, and despite her best efforts to the contrary, when Zachary finally placed her hand in Dominic's as they stood before the local preacher to say their vows beneath one of the soaring mimosa trees near the house, her cheeks were attractively flushed, her eyes shining and there was an endearingly tremulous curve to her rosy mouth.

  Dominic looked devastatingly handsome in his wedding finery, the dark blue cloth coat fitting his broad shoulders admirably, the snowy whiteness of the fine cambric stock and ruffled shirt enhancing the natural darkness of his skin. Short, buff kerseymere trousers revealed the lean, muscular shape of his thighs, and his white silk stockings fitted snugly against his elegantly formed calves. But it was his face which captured Melissa's gaze, the full force of those sometimes haughty, sometimes laughing and at all times strikingly handsome features suddenly hitting her like a blow. His black hair was neatly brushed, but one errant lock persisted in waving near his temple, and Melissa knew an impulse to reach up and brush it back. As soon as the idea crossed her mind, her heart sank. Oh, dear! How was she going to resist him if at the very sight of him she could feel all her hard-won resolutions crumbling?

  The ceremony was brief and the kiss they exchanged before the assembled family and guests was chaste, betraying none of the hot surge of passion that Dominic experienced when his lips touched hers. The blood hammering in his veins, he lifted his head and tucked her hands beneath his arm, turning coolly to present his bride. In seconds they were engulfed by a laughing, congratulating mass of relatives and friends.

  During the festivities that followed, Dominic tried very hard not to reveal his growing impatience for the moment when he would have his bride to himself; when he would not have to share her attention with others, especially what suddenly seemed to him an inordinate amount of gentlemen who appeared determined to wrest his bride from him. Every time he sought her out, invariably some rackety fellow would be there to claim her regard-and to his jaundiced eye,, the fellow was always young and handsome! Even Jason Savage, who was in attendance, had deserted Catherine's side to spend several moments in teasing conversation with Melissa. Not that he blamed him; Melissa's radiant loveliness left him breathless, and no matter whom he was talking with, no matter how interesting the conversation, his eyes kept searching the milling crowd for her tawny head, his ears constantly attuned for the sound of her voice.

  No matter what she had vowed to herself in the darkness of her room, as the afternoon passed Melissa discovered that Dominic could tangle her emotions without even lifting a finger. All he had to do was smile beguilingly at the various, clinging females or bend his dark head confidingly to speak to this one or that, and she would be quite certain that he was a perfidious scoundrel weaving his dark spell on- unwary innocents. But then across the room his gray eyes would meet hers and she would find herself beset by a melting desire, a desire for the numerous toasts to be over, for the congratulations to be said, for Dominic and her to be alone. ...

  Finally her wish was granted. The last toast, the last congratulation, had been given and she and Dominic drove away with shouts of good wishes and laughter ringing in their ears. They had not gone fifty feet before the realization suddenly hit her that this man, this tall, distinguished stranger sitting beside her in the smart new gig, was actually her husband and that he now virtually owned her. Legally he now had the right to control her possessions; even more frightening, he had the right to do anything he wanted with her body. ...

  She stared at the strong tanned hands as Dominic expertly guided the high-stepping gelding along the red-dirt road, visualizing those same expert hands on her body, removing her clothing, touching her shoulders, her breasts, her stomach, her . . . Melissa's heart pounded erratically, and she angrily wrenched her gaze away from his hands and stared stonily ahead. This must stop, she furiously berated herself. She had to remember not to weaken, not to let him bewitch her!

  If Dominic noticed that his bride was unusually stiff and silent, or if he had thought to comment on the way it had seemed to him that she had smiled and flirted outrageously with every man under the age of one hundred on her wedding day, he kept it to himself. He slanted a glance in her direction, noting with a curious sense of pleasure the sweet curve of her cheek and the delicate line of her jaw. She was enchantingly lovely, he thought not for the first time today, remembering the way his pulse had leaped when he had watched her approach him before the preacher. He had told himself repeatedly that she was a deceitful, conniving baggage and that this was simply a marriage of convenience, that it was only her manipulations that had brought it about. Yet he could not help the wave of possessiveness that flooded his body whenever he looked in her direction or the odd feeling of pride he felt when he saw how effortlessly she charmed his family ... and, he recalled blackly, any man who came near her. That, he vowed, was going to stop immediately! She was his wife and he wasn't going to have a bunch of pining, lovesick fools hanging about his household. Jealousy was an emotion he had always scorned and one that he had never before encountered. That might have been why it never occurred to him that for a man who scoffed at the green-eyed monster, he was displaying clear signs of having been bitten-badly.

  It had been a long, tension-filled day for both of them, and Melis
sa was almost glad when the cottage came into sight. Dusk was just beginning to fall, and she welcomed the slight coolness that the increasing darkness offered from the humid heat of the day. Longing for nothing more than a refreshing wash and a soft bed, she said unthinkingly, "Oh, I can hardly wait to be out of this gown and in my

  "

  Flushing wildly when she realized how her words might be interpreted, she waited in an agony of embarrassment for Dominic to reply. There was a suspicious twist to his lips, but he only murmured gently, "Yes, I imagine so. I have taken the liberty of hiring a maid for you, and I trust that she will have everything you require ready and waiting for you."

  Melissa digested this information in silence. She hadn't had a personal maid in years and she didn't know that she necessarily wanted one now, but against her will, she was touched by his apparent thoughtfulness. Then she sighed. If he was going to continue to be nice, he was going to make her task of withstanding him even harder than she had imagined. Perhaps, she decided bleakly, this was how he had managed to enslave Latimer's sister.

  Determined to let him see that she was unaffected by his actions, she gave an impudent toss of her honeycolored curls and said airily, "Thank you-that was very kind of you."

  Although Dominic might have hoped for more of a response than a casual thank-you, he was not dissatisfied with her acceptance of his gift. She baffled him and he never quite knew what to expect from her; she could just as easily have been offended by his gesture. It was her changeability that both fascinated and infuriated him; one moment she could be all melting smiles and the next she would flash him a look that would have sent a lesser man staggering to his grave. She had obviously planned and schemed to entrap him, and yet once the deed was done, she had pretended that marriage to him was the last thing she wanted. He shook his head at her contrary nature, wondering, as he had so often since he had first laid eyes on her, precisely what sort of game she was playing. At least tonight, he thought with a sudden tingle in his loins, he'd reap some reward for having allowed himself to be so stupidly caught in a snare so conspicuously baited that even now he was positive that his wits must have gone wandering.