by Golden Angel
Standing in a corner was Felix with a lady that was so similar in build and hair color to Cordelia that it took Philip a moment to remember his wife was wearing a garnet colored gown with black overlay this evening, not a blue with cream. From a distance, the resemblance was striking, although after a moment Philip recognized the widowed Lady Winchester, whose facial features were quite different. With her hand on Felix's arm, she was obviously flirting, and going by his rakish smile back, he was enjoying the attention.
Frowning, he looked down at Gabrielle who had gone quite pale, her eyes now averted from that corner of the room.
"Are you all right, my dear?" he asked, ostensibly referring to her stumble, but truthfully he was more worried about the blank, pale expression on her face.
Since the strapping she'd gotten for sneaking off with Mr. Pressen, Gabrielle's behavior had been faultless. Philip quite enjoyed her company now, and she seemed to have relaxed around him, not feeling the need to prod him for a reaction. While she and Cordelia weren't exactly bosom friends, he knew his wife was happy with how their relationship had settled ever since Gabrielle's behavior had started to turn.
While he didn't blame Felix for enjoying the flirtatious widow's attentions, considering how Gabrielle had been ignoring him ever since the incident with Mr. Pressen while being utterly charming and flirtatious with her circle of suitors, he didn't like seeing Gabrielle hurt either. And she obviously was. Well, perhaps this would be a lesson to her on how Felix felt when he had to watch her do the same with an entire group of young men, anxious to catch her eye. Philip had no doubt Felix would do no more than flirt with Lady Winchester, perhaps dance with her, but he had to be enjoying having a woman chasing after him after Gabrielle's continued rejection.
"Yes, my foot just caught on my hem," she said, taking a deep breath and pasting a brilliant smile on her face. It didn't reach her eyes.
Philip felt rather helpless. His feelings of protectiveness for Cordelia had already included Gabrielle, and in many ways she'd begun to earn them on her own merit. While she never mentioned her past or the way her father had treated her, Cordelia brought it up quite often when she wanted Philip to be more lenient. It was rather impressive, in a way, how Gabrielle never used any of her past to make excuses for her behavior. Then again, perhaps that indicated just how deeply her past had cut her that she didn't even want to mention it as a ploy to gain pity. On the other hand, Felix wasn't accustomed to being unsuccessful with a lady, and while it certainly seemed to have piqued his interest with Gabrielle, it was also wearing to his self-esteem. A harmless flirtation to bolster it shouldn't be worth mentioning, especially as Gabrielle had been snubbing him, and yet...
That evening he decided not to sneak away with Cordelia. Gabrielle had obviously been affected by seeing Felix with Lady Winchester; she was more buoyant, more charming, and more flirtatious than ever. Even Arabella looked at her askance a time or two, as she blatantly flirted outrageously with several of her suitors. Not once did she look in Felix's direction again, not even after he returned to Philip and Cordelia's side to join in the chaperoning duties.
Tomorrow night he could slip away with Cordelia, tonight Gabrielle would have to take precedence.
******
Dreamily, Cordelia clung to her husband's arm, letting him lead the way back to the ballroom. She'd been a bit disappointed the night before, when Philip had resisted sneaking off. He'd said he was a bit worried about Gabrielle, after returning from dancing with her. Once he'd discreetly pointed out Felix talking with a gorgeous woman off to the side of the ballroom, Cordelia had understood. While Gabrielle hadn't stepped over the line with her behavior, she'd certainly skirted it a few times. The Earl of Cawdor and the son of the Marquess of Surrey had been even more moon-eyed than usual after the attention she'd paid them. The bouquets that had arrived this morning for Gabrielle had been enormous.
Tonight, Gabrielle had seemed back in her usual spirits. Ignoring Felix, of course, but the wild look was gone from her eyes, and she had returned to her usual level of charm and flirtation, which had made Philip feel secure enough to whisk Cordelia away.
They'd gone to the morning room, which had a very comfortable daybed - and no lock on the door. It had excited Cordelia wildly, knowing that they were in more danger of being caught than ever. Philip had been just as on edge, his cock hard as a rock. He'd sat on the day bed and had her straddle him, so that the back of her skirts flowed down over his legs, keeping their bodies hidden from anyone who might walk in.
Taking advantage of her low neckline, he'd used his mouth and teeth on her nipples, his hands on her buttocks, while she bounced on his cock, riding him to an intensely exciting orgasm. Her clit still throbbed, and her nipples tingled as his seed slowly slid down her inner thigh. She loved knowing she'd been thoroughly debauched, that Philip's essence was on her, and that no one else in the crowded ballroom knew.
"Bloody hell."
Jerked from her happy reverie, Cordelia tried to focus, wondering what had made Philip curse so coarsely. "Philip?"
"Gabrielle." He said her name in a short clipped tone. "She's dancing with Fenworth. How the hell did Felix let that happen?"
His pace picked up as he moved quickly towards where Gabrielle's circle would be waiting for her to finish her dance. Arabella was still there, her brother the Duke beside her, scowling and looking almost as thunderous as Felix did, standing beside them.
Seeing them coming, Felix's expression looked pained.
"What happened?" Philip demanded in a low voice, as soon as he reached his friend. Cordelia was almost surprised at the passion in Philip's voice. He really had come to care about Gabrielle. Knowing that he loved her, Cordelia felt no jealousy about that, only joy that her husband felt the same as her. It was obvious his interest was fatherly, despite the fact there wasn't much of an age difference, and for Gabrielle's protection. It made her fall a little more in love with him.
"Lady Winchester came up and distracted me. Before I could get her hooks out and send her on her way, Arabella had distracted Manchester, and the next thing we both knew, Fenworth was leading Gabrielle out to the dance floor, and it was too late to do anything without causing a scene," Felix said grimly. He jerked his head in a kind of circular motion. "Everyone's spread out. He won't have a chance to try and get her alone, even in this crowd."
The large number of people in attendance should have made it easy to slip away, which was how Cordelia and Philip had managed it, but as Cordelia looked around the ballroom, she saw what Felix meant. Every exit from the ballroom had someone standing beside it. She'd been so caught up in her happy daze that she hadn't even noticed when she and Philip had walked by Felix's middle brother on their way back into the ballroom. Near the doors to the gardens, the Earl and Countess of Spencer and Lord and Lady Brooke were waiting, Lord Hyde and Eleanor were next to the staircase that led to the main entrance of the house, and the eldest Mr. Hood, Arabella's other brother, and the Irvings were next to the other, more discreet exits from the ballroom into the other areas of the house.
Beside her, she felt Philip relax as he noted the guard they'd set up. Fenworth would have no chance to convince Gabrielle to walk with him after their dance and try to get her alone. According to Philip, the broke Viscount would happily ruin Gabrielle in order to get his hands on her dowry; there would be no discretion from him, unlike Mr. Pressen. Just dancing with him would cause some talk, but as long as it was just a dance it wouldn't be very much talk.
To all of their surprise, Fenworth didn't even try to lead Gabrielle to one of the side entrances. Instead, he very properly returned her to her circle, bowing over her hand before he took his leave.
Cordelia moved to stand near Gabrielle as conversation resumed, the Earl of Cawdor enthusiastically describing the current play at the theater.
"Gabrielle, you should stay away from Fenworth. Philip was quite distressed to see you dancing with him."
For a moment, just the tin
iest moment, Gabrielle shrank in on herself a bit, as if she was upset to hear that she'd caused Philip worry. But then she shook it off, her demeanor as haughty as it had ever been in the past. "It was just a dance, Cordelia. Don't be so stuffy. He was the perfect gentleman."
Her eyes slid to Felix and then away again, Cordelia noted, and she promptly forgave Gabrielle the haughtiness. Especially since her response had been much less viperish than it would have been in the past.
"Lady Dunbury, have you been to the theatre recently?" the Earl of Cawdor asked, breaking into the conversation.
"No, we've been quite busy," Cordelia said with a smile. That and she'd discovered Philip hated the theater, although he said he'd take them if they wanted to go. Cordelia was curious, but she had no burning desire.
As she joined in the conversation, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Philip watching her, his gaze moving back and forth between her and Gabrielle. Was he wondering what they'd said to each other? Did he think Cordelia was hiding something from him again?
Her heart sank, although she kept the smile on her face. His expression was blankly stern, and she couldn't help but wonder, even though she'd confessed her love for him, did he still not trust her?
And if he didn't now, would he ever?
Chapter 17
Later, all of them would realize how easily they'd been played. How incredibly, deviously clever Gabrielle was. Later the Countess of Spencer would look at the younger woman with a touch of awe, although she'd never dare to congratulate her, in case the Earl overheard. Lady Hyde would be aghast at the cunning maneuvers. The Lady Brooke would quirk her lips and comment to her husband that the beginning of their marriage wasn't nearly so fraught. Of course, Arabella was a part of it, but even she was shocked at how easily it had all come about - at least, up until the crucial moment.
Philip and Felix were incensed, as was to be expected.
And Cordelia... well Cordelia was relieved and strangely joyful. Well, with the final outcome, at least.
It all started when the flounce on Cordelia's hem tore, due to an unfortunate misstep by Arabella. In the moment, there was no sign that the mishap wasn't an accident.
Off to the retiring room Cordelia went, with Lady Hyde, to make the necessary repairs.
A few minutes later, at his post by the garden door, Lord Hyde was approached by a footman with a rather titillating note, in his wife's handwriting, asking him to come meet her for a clandestine rendezvous. Seeing the Marquess of Dunbury, the Duke of Manchester and the ever-present Mr. Hood still standing with Lady Gabrielle and Lady Arabella, he decided there was no harm in going to meet his wife.
At about the same time as Lord Hyde was heading towards the house's library, a similar note was brought to the Marquess of Dunbury by a different footman. Aroused and incited by the words, the Marquess grinned at how far his little Cordelia had come since they'd wed. Excusing himself, assured that the ladies were still sufficiently chaperoned (especially as this ball seemed particularly low on rakes hovering about), Philip hurried towards the morning room the note had indicated his wife would be waiting for him in.
No sooner had he exited the ballroom, than a delighted Lady Winchester approached and practically threw herself on Felix, causing a small stir. Simultaneously, Arabella had signaled to a group of young ladies that she told her brother she "particularly wanted him to meet." All five young ladies were cousins, blonde, blue-eyed, rather shrill, and overjoyed at the prospect of meeting not just a Duke, but such a singularly handsome Duke. The horrified nobleman found himself suddenly surrounded by the bevy of blonde beauties, all chattering to him at once.
So it was that Gabrielle made her escape.
The entire plan was so brilliant, executed so flawlessly, that she would have surely achieved her goal, if not for one small miscalculation on Arabella's part. When Arabella had stepped on Cordelia's dress, she’d done it too hard. The flounce had torn so badly that the maids in the retiring room recommended just removing the piece entirely, which took substantially less time than sewing it back on. Anxious to return to her husband and the ball, and not particularly caring whether or not she had a flounce at the bottom of her gown, Cordelia had agreed.
Upon returning to the ballroom, Eleanor had frowned and wondered where her husband was, causing Cordelia to look towards the garden doors and see the back of her stepdaughter's pale mint green gown disappearing into the darkness. Immediately, she commanded Eleanor to find the men, and Cordelia dashed after the escaping young woman.
Well, dashed as much as she could without drawing undue attention to herself.
Her heart was certainly pounding as if she were running a race.
Once she was out of the ballroom, she was able to move much more quickly, which was good because so was Gabrielle. Fortunately, even though Gabrielle had chosen to wear a green gown, the pastel colors that were so popular for debutantes didn't blend well in the dark garden. Unfortunately, that made it all the more possible for Gabrielle to be seen by others as well.
Rushing as quickly as she could along the pathway, Cordelia felt a surge of relief as she saw Gabrielle not far ahead of her, approaching an empty gazebo.
"Gabrielle!" she hissed, in a loud whisper, trying to project her voice and desperately hoping there would be no one else to hear her.
Her stepdaughter stopped and whirled around, before shaking her head in disbelief. "Cordelia! Go away!"
"What are you doing?" Cordelia demanded as she finally reached Gabrielle, panting from the effort of her exertions to catch up.
Something flashed in Gabrielle's eyes, but it was too dark to make out exactly what emotion it was. "I told you I would accept the first offer of marriage that I was given, and I have."
"It can't be a worthy offer if you have to sneak away to marry the man," Cordelia said, aghast. She remembered when Gabrielle had threatened that, of course, but she truly hadn't taken the words seriously. Especially now, when Gabrielle was being courted by any number of suitable gentlemen. Gentlemen that would appreciate her beyond the financial benefit she could bring to a marriage, which meant that she could wait for a better offer. Men Philip would approve of. With Gabrielle obviously trying to run away to meet her erstwhile suitor, there was no way he would be on the approved list, which most likely made him a fortune hunter or a scoundrel or both.
"We're eloping, it's romantic," Gabrielle said in a low voice. She looked around, obviously making sure they were alone. "Now go away."
"Gabrielle, I'm trying to help you. You can't really want to do this."
"Of course I want to, why else would I be out here? I can't spend one more day in that house, I just can't. I don't want to go to balls anymore, I just want to be married and go live in the country, away from... from everyone." There was something almost wild in Gabrielle's voice, and Cordelia's heart clenched; her stepdaughter certainly sounded as if she meant it. Even more so than she had when she'd threatened something similar after her first spanking. And she certainly hadn't said she wanted to go out to the country then. What on earth could make Gabrielle want to return to obscurity when she'd been such a social hit? "If you want to help, go distract everyone until I'm gone."
"No. Whatever is wrong, Gabrielle, we can work it out. We'll talk to Philip and-"
"No! Just go away. If you won't distract them, just don't tell them where I've gone or the second your husband catches up to me I'll tell him all about how you trapped him into marriage." Gabrielle's tones had turned viperish, the cruel, callous voice she'd always had when she'd threatened to tell on Cordelia to her father.
Cordelia's jaw dropped. "What?- I never- That's a lie!"
"But it's not, that's what makes it so perfect," Gabrielle said with a bitter laugh. "I overheard you and Marjorie talking about inviting him to the house party, one of a few gentlemen, and how you would be able to entice him into marrying you."
Fear struck Cordelia's heart. It hadn't been like that. Not entirely. She'd hoped one of the gentlemen
Marjorie had invited might be willing to help her. Save her. She'd prayed that there would be a gentleman who would offer marriage, rather than a more indecent proposition. Marjorie had picked out the Marquess of Dunbury as a distinct possibility, having met him before and thinking that he would suit Cordelia well. They'd had many conversations about him, before and after his arrival, especially once he'd shown interest.
No, she hadn't trapped him into marriage.
Yes, some of those discussions could have sounded like plotting.
Cordelia's own innate honesty wouldn't allow her to lie to Philip, not if he asked her directly. Would he think he'd been manipulated? Would he think her proclamation of love was insincere? Would this break his trust in her when it was already so tenuous?
It was thinking of his trust that she realized what she had to do.
Maybe he could forgive the past, but she knew that if she didn't do as he had asked now, in the present, he would not be able to move past that. Not again.
She took a deep breath, praying she was making the right choice, her heart already cracking with the thought that this might lose her Philip's love and trust. "Tell him whatever you wish, but I am not letting you do this. If you don't turn around right now and come back to the house with me, I will go straight to Philip and bring him out here. I might not have the strength to drag you back inside, but he certainly does."
Bristling, Gabrielle gaped at her. "You can't do that!"
"I can, and I will."
"But I'll tell him everything! He'll never trust you again! He'll know what a scheming charlatan you are!" Gabrielle's voice got higher, louder, and Cordelia winced. Please let this area of the gardens be deserted.
"I hope he knows me better than that," she replied in a low voice. "If nothing else, despite what I may or may not have done in the past, I will not betray his trust now. I will not provide you with a distraction or assist you in disrespecting my husband's authority over you as his ward."
