Dinnisfree grunted. “If you want her so badly, have her. From what I observed the lady seemed to want you as much as you desire her.”
Trent’s fingers automatically curled into fists. “She is not the type of woman to simply be taken.”
“Do not get your hackles up. All I’m saying is that if I were in your shoes, I’d just seduce her and be done with it. What matter is it that your duplicitous wife may or may not be still alive? It is not as if you intended to marry Lady Audrey anyway, so I do not see the difference.”
Trent’s whole body tensed. “I do not want to talk about it anymore.”
“My God.” Dinnisfree’s eyes narrowed. “You were planning on marrying her. Do you love her?”
“No,” Trent snapped. “I am incredibly fond of her, think she is brilliant, actually, and since I desire her I thought a marriage between us could actually be quite convenient.”
“Yes, I see. Marriages of convenience are excellent ideas. She gets a protector, and you get a serviceable, delectable woman who would never have expected any sort of soft emotions from you.”
Trent glared in his friend’s direction. “I don’t like your sarcastic tone.”
“Sorry. In my defense, a mocking tone is better than actually telling your friend they are a bloody fool, is it not?”
“Yes, I suppose it is,” Trent said, filling his own response with a sharp edge. “I knew what I was doing.”
“So you say. Do you know what you’re going to do now?”
Trent hadn’t allowed himself to really consider his future, because he knew what honor bound him to do and there was no part of him that wanted to find Gwyneth alive. Reluctantly, he met Dinnisfree’s gaze. “I’ll go to France and see if I can locate Gwyneth.”
“And if you do?”
The question reverberated in his head. “I’ll ensure she’s safe, give her enough money to live her miserable life out on and then come back here and live out the rest of my miserable life.” Trent jerked the towel off his lap and swiped at the sweat trickling down his forehead as Dinnisfree stared at him with that annoying assessing gaze he liked to use when he was trying to make a point.
“Sounds rather cheery and promising.”
“Do you have a better suggestion?” Trent snapped.
“You could tell Lady Audrey the truth.”
“You know I can’t,” he growled. “It’s not as if I can explain how it is I married a woman who turned out to be a double-crossing spy whose real name I did not even know when I married her. She’d want to know how I know such things.”
“Good point,” Dinnisfree said. “Tell her a version of the truth.”
Trent shook his head. “No. No matter how much I want her, I would not make myself an adulterer nor would I put her in such a tenuous situation as not to actually be my legal wife. What if we had children? They could be bastards.”
“I’m sorry. I did not think it all the way through. I tend to do as I wish and damned the consequences or moral implications.”
Trent clasped Dinnisfree’s arm. “You do not give yourself enough credit.”
“What if I’m wrong and just saw a woman who looked almost exactly like Gwyneth? Would you marry Lady Audrey then? Do you want me to scare away any possible suitors while you’re gone?”
A strangled laugh escaped Trent. “I’d like to say yes, but God only knows how long it might take me to be certain whether Gwyneth is dead or alive. I’d be a selfish cad to prevent Lady Audrey a happy marriage if the right gentleman comes along, knowing I may very well still be married. No. I have to let her go. Do me two favors, though.”
“Name it.”
“Her father is going to try and force her to marry a man she does not want, according to Sutherland.”
A wicked smile pulled at the corners of Dinnisfree’s mouth. “You want me to persuade the man not to ask her.”
Trent nodded. “I do, indeed. I’ll get the man’s name to you before I leave.”
“Consider it done.”
“Nothing nefarious,” Trent amended, seeing the gleam in Dinnisfree’s eyes.
“I’m offended,” Dinnisfree said cheekily. “I can be persuasive without being nefarious.
Satisfied, Trent nodded. “Favor number two has to do with Thortonberry.”
Dinnisfree smirked. “I thought it might.”
“Keep him away from her.”
“Have you considered you might particularly dislike Thortonberry and not been giving him a chance to prove himself worthy of her, because it is her he is after?”
“No.” Trent left no room for argument with his hard tone. “I have not. I overheard the man say he would never be loyal to a wife. She does not deserve that.”
“There are worse things, my friend. She could end up married to a man who beats her or verbally abuses her or treats her as if she is less than nothing. I frankly do not see Thortonberry as that sort of man.”
Trent jerked to his feet and glared down at his friend. “I don’t care what sort of man you see him as. Just do as I have asked.”
Before Dinnisfree could reply, Trent stormed to the locker room. He could not explain to his friend that the thought of Audrey being in a marriage that made her unhappy twisted his insides. Then again, the thought of her happy in another man’s arms twisted his insides as well. “Hell and damnation,” he muttered.
Later that night after making the necessary polite greetings at his cousin Gillian’s fete, Trent made his way to the terrace to meet Audrey. Tension vibrated through him with every step he took. He needed the exact right words to say to her, so she would not walk away from here tonight doubting herself. Damned if he had any idea what he was going to say. If only he could simply tell her the truth, but the truth was something he couldn’t give her. Tonight would have been so different if Dinnisfree hadn’t gone to France and seen the woman he thought might be Gwyneth. Trent pushed the useless thought away. If Gwyneth was alive, he couldn’t offer Audrey marriage, so there was no point in lingering on what might have been.
He would never hold Audrey in his arms and caress her bare silken skin. Nor would he ever plunge himself inside her or feel her laughter tickling his neck or listen to her witty rejoinders that always made him laugh. He would never fill her belly with his child.
He tensed. Where the hell had that thought come from? Not once after he had concocted his plan to marry her had he considered the children they might have, so why now? Angry with himself, he focused outward as he stood near the terrace door for a moment and studied the chattering, milling crowd. Somewhere in this room was a decent man who had the ability and desire to marry and offer Audrey the world and maybe even his trust. He was not that man. Had never been that man. Perhaps things had turned out for the best, yet still, the idea of her marrying another man, even a good one, made Trent’s heart constrict oddly.
Opening the door, he stepped into the cool moonlit night then took a deep breath, filling his lungs until they ached. Something felt wrong. He paced the silent terrace, examining his thoughts and releasing his breath bit by bit. It was the same deep breathing ritual he’d come to rely on in the past when he was on assignment in France.
As the last bit of air expelled from his lungs, he frowned. The problem was he was bloody selfish. He longed to feel Audrey’s soft body underneath his and he knew he never could. The sooner tonight was over, the better.
He moved to the outer edge of the terrace near the garden and away from the windows or door. No one could see them in this alcove and if anyone chanced onto the terrace he would hear the door open and move them farther into cover onto the garden path. The terrace door creaked open as if connected with his thoughts, and Audrey emerged into the moonlight and blazing torches, a tormenting vision of beauty in green velvet that contrasted alluringly with her creamy skin. As she neared him, the heart-stopping picture she presented made a physical ache burn within him. He took a ragged breath and tried not to stare, but it was hard. Her emerald eyes sparkled and her low-
cut gown displayed her ample, creamy breasts to perfection. A bolt of lust shot through him as it always did when he was near her, but this time the strangest sense of pride accompanied the lust. Ridiculous. She was not his.
If he were smart, he would keep distance between them, hear what her problem was, tell her they could no longer carry on as they had and depart the terrace before the dance that had just begun in the ballroom came to completion. Dread cut him to the bone, but was also the thing that made him open his mouth to be done with it. “Audrey―”
She stepped close to him and into the shadows. “You have no idea how glad I am to see you.”
He scrambled to find some kind words to say to put the needed distance between them, but her flowery perfume filled his nose and made it difficult to remember to control himself, let alone think how to terminate their relationship. All he wanted to do was circle his arms protectively around her; instead, he forced himself to step back. There was just enough moonlight that he could see the hurt expression that crossed her face and it felt as if a knife had been driven into his heart.
“Are you not glad to see me?” she asked.
The uncertainty in her voice tightened his chest further. He had never been afraid to do something difficult in his life, but he couldn’t seem to make himself say what needed to be said.
“Trent, whatever is the matter? Is it the same thing that was wrong at the Marlows’ ball?”
Frustrated, he tugged a hand through his hair. When the devil had he become a coward? He needed a few more minutes with her. Stolen moments. “Nothing’s the matter. Your beauty astonishes me, as always, that’s all. Her eyes widened, and he couldn’t resist moving close enough to touch a dangling curl of her silky hair. “I’ve never seen hair with glistening waves like yours. My fingers twitch to plunge my hands into your hair.” This was foolish. He had to stop. In one moment.
“I always thought I looked rather like a witch.” She spoke in a breathless whisper.
He felt winded himself but from the need pounding through him. The desire between them swirled in the air with the breeze. “Not a witch.” He brushed his fingers against a particularly enticing curl that lay against her bare skin. “The word conjures the wrong image.”
Her lashes swept down, veiling her eyes. “What word would you use to describe me?” The tremble in her voice betrayed her anxiety and made him want to soothe her.
No matter what, he never wanted her to be uncertain of her worth. He cupped her chin and raised her face until her shining green gaze met his. “I’d label you an enchantress. The word brings to mind a woman who is irresistibly charming, fascinating and beautiful.”
Her perfectly kissable mouth parted slightly. He had to have one last kiss and then he would tell her. His hand moved up her arm of its own volition. Underneath his touch, she trembled and gooseflesh covered where his fingers trailed. Her response caused a rush of possessiveness to grip him and he curled his hand around her shoulder and squeezed gently before moving to trace the long slope of her neck while his blood roared in his ears. “Of all the women I’ve known and encountered not one has had a complexion to match yours. I’ve never seen skin so smooth in my life.”
“Never?” Amusement vibrated her tone. She darted out her pink tongue and licked her lips.
He groaned. Jesus, this was too hard. “One kiss,” he mumbled more for his benefit than hers. She nodded.
Walk away after this, bloody fool. It was hard to concentrate on anything other than the fact that the soft shadows he wanted to explore filled the hollow of her neck.
Attraction was a fiendish thing. Why did he have to want her so much? Why couldn’t he have desired a courtesan, or a widow, or any other woman who he could have simply bedded? Audrey’s tongue darted out to lick her lips, and his pulse took off in a race against his good senses as he fisted his hands into her hair and tilted her head back. “I’ve something I must tell you.”
She took his hand and pressed it against her chest. Underneath his fingers, her heart pounded wildly. “And I’ve something I must ask you. But not yet. After our kiss.”
When he groaned, a knowing smile came to her lips.
“Enchantress,” he taunted as he ran a thumb across her lips. She was so soft, so very kissable and so very likely to make him forget himself.
“Sorcerer,” she whispered back as his lips descended over hers.
Now, this was a kiss a lady could rationally think meant the man loved her, or desired her in the very least. Trent’s lips were heaven on hers. She couldn’t fathom why he’d only kissed her twice. Blast the man. He needed to unleash the passion he kept under such tight control more often. Heavens, she was glad he was finally letting loose. His warm, sweet lips tantalized her, even as her brain registered surprise when he pulled away.
Please, God, don’t let the kiss be over. A wicked grin tugged at his lips as he tilted her head back and kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose and then her eyelids. “Every time I see you, when I lie down to sleep at night I dream of kissing you.” His voice was a strained growl.
She delved her hands into his hair and pulled his lips close to hers so with each breath he exhaled the fire within him washed over her. An uncontrollable shiver took hold. “I hope that is not all you dream of.”
The hunger and tenderness in his eyes made her knees weak. A softer smile graced his lips. “No.”
The admission sent a jolt of satisfaction through her and took all her inhibitions away. Standing on tiptoes, she twined her arms around his neck and kissed him with all the longing, love and need in her heart. Her mouth burned with each stroke of his tongue against hers. She could not stop the moan that escaped her, nor could she prevent her smile when he tugged her closer. He stroked his fingers down her neck and followed the path he created with feather-light kisses that made her dizzy.
When he flicked his tongue across the hollow of her neck, an ache blossomed in the pit of her stomach and nearly stole her breath away. He circled his hands around her back, kneading her burning flesh as he went. She clung to him, digging her fingers into his arms while savoring the waves of pleasure his kisses sent through her body.
Her father was wrong about Trent. Satisfaction filled her chest. He wanted her just as much as she wanted him, and he’d never kiss her like this if he didn’t intend to marry her. Her future would not be miserable but filled with love. With her pulse leaping, she reached back and grasped Trent’s hand to place it over her thundering heart. She wanted him to understand exactly how he made her feel before she asked him how he felt about her.
At first, his hand stiffened and then he growled before curling his fingers around her breast. Blinding need pounded her and she arched farther toward him. When he traced his finger back and forth over the material covering her nipple, her body responded instantly. Her nipples grew taut beneath the fabric of her dress as his mouth became more demanding and his fingers rubbed harder and with frenzied urgency.
In her haze of pleasure, a melody filled her head followed by a strange sound. Almost like boots against the cobblestone of the terrace. The thought froze her for a second before her mind screamed a warning.
“Good God.” Her father’s harsh voice echoed around her. Before she could react, Trent released her and swept her behind him with a firm hand. He stood erect before he spoke.
“Lord Bridgeport, let me explain.”
Notes of music and the chatter of the crowd gushed in from the now open terrace door. Audrey trembled uncontrollably where she stood. What had she done? Staring at the broad expanse of Trent’s muscular back, she shook as she hurriedly tugged her dress to try to make herself presentable to her father. Things would be fine once Trent asked for her hand.
“Explain?” a harsh voice she didn’t recognize demanded. “I hardly think Lord Bridgeport or myself are in need of an explanation. It’s plain enough by what we just happened upon what is going on,” the man snarled.
Audrey’s belly cramped so fierce she had to dig her
fingers into her sides and breathe deeply. A sickening suspicion increased the pains coursing through her. She could not see around Trent, but she didn’t need to. Mr. Shelton was the only man other than her father who would be angered, rather than scandalized, by finding her on the balcony in Trent’s arms.
“Look, Shelton, I don’t know what has your bristles up, or frankly why you’re even out here, but I’d suggest you take your leave. This is a private matter between Bridgeport and myself,” Trent snapped.
Shame swept over Audrey as she cowered, hidden from her father and Mr. Shelton, behind Trent’s back.
“No, you look, Davenport.” Her father’s violent tone made her jerk. “Shelton has every right to be out here. It’s you who has no right. Shelton is going to marry Audrey.”
“What?” Disbelief filled Trent’s voice.
“Not anymore,” Mr. Shelton shouted. “I’ll not have a wife that has been soiled by another man.”
“Wait a bloody minute, Shelton,” Audrey’s father said. “I’m sure we can work this out.”
Hurt flooded her at her father’s pleading words. He cared nothing about her or her feelings. It was the match that was important to him. He’d not stood up for her or her reputation. If he had any love for her, he would have. Tears burned the back of her throat.
In front of her, Trent shifted his stance, widening his legs and rounding his shoulders. He looked very much as if he was preparing to fight. Was he? Heavens, this was going too far. She had to do something. She opened her mouth to speak but Trent’s deep voice drowned her out. “I demand you take back your insult against Lady Audrey. No one has been defiled, as you so nastily suggested.”
Audrey pressed a shaking hand to her forehead. She most definitely had wanted to escape marrying Mr. Shelton, but not this way. She’d never intended to shame or anger the man. And Trent―heavens. She squeezed her eyes shut for a second. She prayed he wouldn’t think she had intended to trap him into marriage. She was going to be sick. No. She refused to allow herself to be ill. Swallowing hard, she squared her shoulders and stepped to Trent’s side.
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