“This could be interesting,” he muttered.
A footman stopped in front of them, and in his hands, he held a tray of cigars. When Freddie gave the tray a second look it was clear they were not the usual kind of cigars his father purchased from the merchant in London. Tobacco and hashish mixed together gave a long-burning and heady experience.
He took one of the cigars and waited for the footman to light it for him. Sitting back on the couch, he drew on the cigar and inhaled deeply. His brain immediately felt a spark from the hashish. He had smoked enough of the drug at university to know that this cigar was finely made.
Beside him on the couch, Godwin and the young lady were getting well acquainted. When she opened the placket of Godwin’s trousers, and went down before him on her knees, Freddie decided three was a crowd. He rose from the couch and made a solo circuit of the room.
Apart from himself and Lord Godwin, there were few other young male guests. The members of the Bachelor Board all appeared to be much older men. Men who were being serviced in various ways by both women and men.
He wasn’t naïve enough to think sex involved just women and men in a biblical sense. University had shown him things that had opened his eyes. Several of his friends were known to frequent special clubs in the city of Oxford.
“Bored?” said Osmont’s nephew.
“No, just watching. If I find something that takes my fancy I shall partake in it,” he replied.
Osmont’s nephew sidled up to Freddie and stood close. His breath was warm on the back of Freddie’s neck. Any closer and his lips would be on Freddie’s skin.
“If you don’t see what you like, there are rooms upstairs where you can find some other more intimate gatherings. The more you indulge, the more points you can score. You wouldn’t want Lord Godwin to get ahead of you, would you?” he purred.
Freddie was a simple man when it came to sex, but he was determined to beat Godwin in succeeding to the Bachelor Board. Extra points could make all the difference.
He chanced a look toward the couch where Godwin was lying back, his eyes closed, while the young woman ministered to him with her mouth. It was time to venture a little farther afield.
“Lead on,” he said.
Upstairs was a series of rooms, all with their doors left wide open. As he walked the length of the upper floor, he caught glimpses of the activities going on in each room.
From the first room came the loud crack of a whip and the thwack of it landing on flesh. A loud groan quickly followed. Craning his head around the door, Freddie saw a woman dressed in a leather corset standing over a portly naked man who was tied to the edge of the bed. From the bright red marks crisscrossing the gentleman’s back, it was obvious they had been at the whipping session for some time.
In the corner of the room sat a group of well-dressed gentlemen, sipping drinks and watching the proceedings.
“Lily has a long wait list if you wish to be thrashed by her tonight.”
Freddie shook his head. He had no desire to have the skin on his back flayed. It was odd that some men developed a taste for what every ill-behaved child dreaded. Sexual punishment was not to his liking.
The second and third rooms had various orgies taking place on large beds. Men and women were tangled together. The air was rank with the smell of sex and the sound of whimpers and groans.
When he turned and started to head back toward the staircase, Osmont’s nephew seized Freddie by the arm.
“You didn’t try the last room,” he said.
Freddie fixed him with a glare. Osmont’s nephew released his grip.
“I take it that is the room where a gentleman can be serviced by a young man. If it is, I am not particularly interested,” replied Freddie.
“I was going to offer you my services. You could ride me hard, like you did your horse the other night. I promise I can take every inch. Or if your tastes run more to observing, there is a foreign diplomat in there, teaching a young man about international relations. You are most welcome to watch.”
The chuckle which escaped Osmont’s nephew’s lips made Freddie’s stomach churn. He had no ambition to be involved in any of the nocturnal activities taking place. Even the extra points on offer could not entice him. He would chance his luck with future challenges to regain the lead from Godwin after tonight.
“Actually, I am feeling a tad unwell. I gave the wine and brandy a good nudge at luncheon today, so I might call it a night. I hope your uncle won’t take offence. Tell him I shall attend more of the parties, and next time I won’t stand on the side of the dance floor and watch.”
Freddie handed a nearby footman his glass and turned toward the stairs.
Osmont’s nephew put a hand on Freddie’s shoulder. “Are you sure I cannot tempt you with something, or someone?”
“Not tonight,” replied Freddie.
Godwin was heading upstairs with his female hostess when Freddie stopped to inform him he was leaving the party.
Stepping out into the night air, Freddie took a deep breath. The mixture of hashish and alcohol was creating merry hell in his mind. His head was spinning.
He pulled out his pocket watch and squinted as he tried to read the time. It was still this side of midnight.
“You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Rosemount. So much for wanting to mix with the members of the Bachelor Board,” he muttered.
He turned and took one last look at Osmont Firebrace’s house, silently promising himself he would own a fine residence once he made his fortune with the Bachelor Board.
He was about to hail a hack and go home when he remembered the invitation he had received for a gathering at a home in nearby King Street.
“Come on Rosemount, show some spine and get out into society,” he muttered. If he made an appearance at the party, he could still salvage something of his evening.
As he strolled the short distance to King Street, his mind began to clear. He had seen enough of the seedier side of London society for one evening; it would be good to spend the rest of the evening with people his parents would consider respectable.
Climbing the front steps of the house, he promised himself he would go back to one of Osmont’s parties and sample some of the attractions for himself. If Godwin scored valuable points over him by virtue of having indulged this evening, then Freddie Rosemount would rise to the challenge next time.
Chapter Five
With a glass of brandy in his hand, Freddie began to make a circuit of the party. He stopped and greeted several people who were friends of his parents. He promised to write to his mother and let her know he had made their acquaintance.
He was beginning to wonder if it was physically possible to die of boredom and whether he had been too hasty in leaving Osmont’s sordid soirée when he received a tap on the shoulder.
“Devil of a ride you showed the other night. There was never any doubt you were going to win.”
Freddie turned to a hand held out in greeting.
“Francis Saunders. A pleasure to meet you. As I was saying, Lord Godwin didn’t stand a chance once you were halfway down Tyburn Lane leading onto Park. The fool was thrashing the hide of his horse right to the very end.”
Freddie took Francis’s hand. He blinked when he beheld the shock of white hair on the other man’s head. It couldn’t have been any whiter if he had stolen one of the Queen’s swans and used it as a wig.
Francis laughed. “The hair? My father swears there is a strong Viking vein in the family’s blood and that’s where my coloring comes from. Something about Ragnar Lodbrok and the siege of Paris.”
“Or more likely that you took one look at your first horse and went white with fear, but don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story.”
Freddie looked to one side of Francis and caught sight of the dark-haired beauty who had spoken. Her smile warmed his heart.
Beside her was another young woman with fair hair. As with Francis, her appearance made Freddie gasp. It was as if a po
rcelain doll had come to life and was standing before him. But, beyond her beauty, she also had the coldness of something made of delicate china. Her gaze held a disapproving look.
“My sisters, Evelyn and Caroline,” said Francis.
Freddie bowed. “Freddie Rosemount. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
The dark-haired girl stepped forward and eagerly offered him her hand. She gave an air of self-confidence which delighted him. He guessed she only curtseyed when the situation demanded it of her.
“My friends call me Eve. Such a pleasure to meet you, Freddie. I must confess I was screaming at the top of my lungs by the time you reached the finish line at the end of the race. It was so exciting. You rode like a god,” she said.
Freddie’s mood and evening immediately lifted. He had met a few well-wishers on the night of the ride but hadn’t thought his fame had spread as far as the elegant ballrooms of cultured society. It was odd that a young lady such as Eve Saunders would be out late at night, watching illegal and dangerous night rides. She stirred his interest.
“I am surprised you were at the race. It was very late. I take it your parents were not aware,” he replied.
Caroline rolled her eyes, while Francis and Eve shared a conspiratorial grin.
“There are ways and means of getting about after dark in London without stuffy parents finding out. Your ride has been the talk of the young set for most of this week,” said Eve.
Something within him sprang to life at her words. She wasn’t as beautiful as her sister, but she had a charm about her that could have a man begging to be at her beck and call. Her brown-and green-flecked eyes held a thousand unspoken promises.
“You wicked thing,” he replied, with a grin.
She raised an eyebrow as he spoke, and he immediately recognized a kindred spirit. He had wondered if there were mischievous girls among the unwed misses, and the one standing before him immediately raised his hopes.
“So, are you all residents here in London? I’m still finding my feet and only know people I have met over the years through my parents. I don’t know many of the younger set, so I am at a disadvantage,” Freddie said.
“We live permanently in London. Papa and I are in the import trade, mostly from South America. I was at Eton for a year the same time as you, but I don’t’ recall us ever having met,” replied Francis.
Freddie heard Francis’s words of explanation, but his gaze and mind were firmly fixed on the hazel eyes of Eve Saunders. Her long black lashes tempted him with their every blink.
Eve smiled, and Freddie could have sworn she batted her eyelids ever-so-slightly. His manhood gave a twitch. He had been offered all manner of sexual delights this evening, yet none of them had stirred his soul like the girl who now stood before him. He let out a soft breath and tried to cool his blood. Interesting.
“And apart from mad horse racing, what else do you do, Frederick?” asked Caroline.
Freddie caught the death stare Eve shot her sister, and chuckled. The Saunders siblings were fast becoming the highlight of his evening’s entertainment. “I’m engaged in a short-term cadetship at the House of Commons at the moment. Learning about the inner workings of parliament and all that. I am expecting to take up a post with the British Library just after the New Year,” he replied.
Caroline looked down at her pale green evening fan and proceeded to make a subtle show of flicking it open and fanning herself. She made no attempt to hide her displeasure and obvious boredom with their encounter.
Freddie and Eve caught each other’s gaze.
“Francis, dear brother, I think Caroline would like to take a turn about the dance floor. She is in dire need of entertainment,” said Eve.
“And what about you, Eve dearest? I thought you promised Lord Towell the next dance. He is on your list, is he not?” replied Caroline.
“Not anymore he isn’t. He is paying particular attention to another young lady this evening and has not even bothered to acknowledge me,” replied Eve.
Francis looked from one sister to the other, and Freddie caught the look of pained resignation on his face. This was obviously not the first, nor probably the last time he would have to deal with headstrong siblings.
“Come,” snapped Francis.
Caroline took his roughly offered hand and allowed her brother to lead her away. As he watched them go, Freddie caught wind of Caroline rebuking her brother for his lack of manners toward her. His sympathies went with Francis. Caroline was a shrew.
Eve turned to Freddie.
“I am so sorry about that. She gets jealous if any gentlemen show an interest in me. She thinks because of her beauty she should be the first of us girls to be married. God forbid I ever beat her to the altar, she would never forgive me. Mama says I am stubborn, but Caroline could give lessons in the art.”
Freddie wasn’t too concerned with Caroline Saunders and her disappointment—his attention was fully captured by her sister. There was a feistiness about Eve that had him quietly imagining what it would be like to have her naked and in his bed.
Chapter Six
Eve was relieved beyond words when Francis took Caroline away and left her alone with Freddie Rosemount. She had been searching for him at various parties and balls since the horse race, hoping he would eventually surface at one of them. His unexpected appearance at the gathering this evening afforded her the opportunity to ask some of the long list of questions she had compiled for him.
Standing this close to him was a pleasure she was silently relishing. The spice of his cologne had her taking in long appreciative breaths.
When she had first seen him at the end of the horse race, it had been dark and there had been a sizeable crowd gathered around him. She had barely managed to get a glimpse or two of him amongst the mass of people.
Here at the ball, she had him all to herself.
After Lucy and Avery’s wedding, she had gone home and looked at her private list of all the men she knew in London who might be candidates for matrimony. She had scratched several men from the list, only stopping when she realized nearly everyone on it had good reason to be removed.
But, tonight, she was intent on discovering if Freddie Rosemount was true to the wickedness of his horse riding.
He was taller than she had expected, only realizing it when he had stood next to Francis. At six feet four inches, her brother towered over most other men. Freddie, she guessed, was perhaps only an inch shorter than her brother.
Freddie was well built. Francis was a long, tall string bean, whereas Freddie had wide shoulders. The sleeves of his evening coat showed his well-developed muscles to their best advantage. His tailor knew exactly how to cut the cloth to the man. Well-dressed men always caught her approving eye.
“So how are you finding London on your own?” she asked.
He gave her a sideways glance before replying. “How do you know I am in London on my own? Have you been spying on me?”
Eve gave him her best coy look. She straightened her back, allowing her ample bust to be displayed to its best advantage. It wasn’t every day that a young lady was afforded the opportunity to talk to a young man barely of her acquaintance, and she knew it wouldn’t be long before Francis tired of Caroline and returned to her side.
Freddie and Eve’s gazes met. They were only a matter of a foot or so apart. Too close by accepted social standards, but Eve was not about to take a step backward.
His deep, brown eyes were pools of dark, rich coffee. His long black eyebrows added the perfect frame to his chiseled features. Even the small crow’s feet, which appeared at the corner of his eyes when he smiled, had been crafted by artisans. Eve could stand there all night and make a slow, luxurious assessment of his handsome face. She was in no particular hurry to be anywhere else. “Well actually, yes. Yes and no. I have lots of friends and relatives in London, and one of them happened to mention you have the run of your father’s house to yourself. I did consider breaking into your house if I couldn’t run yo
u to ground before the end of the week,” she replied with a smile.
Freddie laughed at her reply, and Eve felt emboldened. In the time available to her she decided she would push the barriers a little further.
“So, tell me about the horse race. Why were you racing against Lord Godwin Mewburton in the middle of the night? It was so exciting.”
Freddie looked around the room. There were plenty of guests close by, some close enough to be within earshot. “I could tell you, but we may need to go somewhere a little more private. Are you game?”
It took all of Eve’s self-control not to clap her hands with glee. Freddie Rosemount was beginning to sound like the perfect candidate for a husband. She was always game.
She offered him her arm and they walked a short distance away to a nearby private alcove. They were still in sight of the dance floor and other guests, so propriety was theoretically being observed. He stood with his back to the dance floor ensuring no one could see his face. He leant in close.
“Now if I tell you, I need you to promise it will stay our secret. If you dare to tell your sister or your brother, I shall know,” said Freddie.
Her heart pitter-pattered with excitement. She had never before felt these sorts of sensations when near a young man. Freddie and his delicious secrets would be all hers.
She eagerly nodded her agreement.
“It was part of a game. Winner gets to join a secret society. Tomorrow we are to be given our next challenge,” he explained.
Eve’s heart felt fit to burst with excitement and disappointment. A secret game. But why did the men get to have all the fun? Young, unmarried ladies such as herself were never afforded that level of amusement. A piano recital or the opera was dictated to be suitable entertainment for her, none of which were exhilarating.
“Any idea what the next challenge is going to be?” she asked.
Lord of Mischief Page 3
