Devon was righting his own garments and smiled back at her. “That’s one way to put it.”
Suddenly, Lily jerked up her head, her heart in her throat.
“What is it, Lily?” he asked, his brows drawing together.
“We must catch up with the other coach immediately!” she cried. She lunged for the door that separated them from the coachman and rapped on it sharply. “George. George. Catch up with the coach and stop them. Now!”
“Yes, m’lady,” George replied, clucking to the horses. They took off at a gallop and Lily fell back into Devon’s lap.
Devon wrapped an arm around her waist and whispered in her ear. “What’s all that about? Why the hurry?”
“I just remembered what I said about Annie and Eggleston not possibly being able to make passionate love inside a carriage.”
Devon’s deep laughter rumbled against the velvety interior. Then he stopped, his Adam’s apple bobbing rapidly as he swallowed. He lurched across the seat and rapped loudly on the coachman’s door. “Faster, man, faster!”
CHAPTER 29
The rumors started subtly like most rumors do. Lily had been back in London for only two days when she noticed more whispers as she and Annie walked in the park, more fans snapped in front of faces as she left various establishments about town. The talk about her being the author of Secrets of a Wedding Night had been nothing compared to this dustup.
The house party was over and all the guests had returned to town. Apparently, they’d wasted no time in engaging in gossip over the weekend’s activities.
The sennight could not pass quickly enough.
Lily scribbled off a letter to Cousin Althea informing her that she and Annie would be arriving a bit later than expected. She hadn’t had a chance to speak with Medford yet, but he’d written, telling her she and her company were more than welcome to stay in the town house he’d provided for Evans as long as they needed. Lily was thankful for the reprieve. The next time she saw Medford, they’d have to discuss his marriage proposal. Every time she thought about it, a knot formed in her stomach.
“No matter about the gossip,” Lily said to Annie as they walked along Bond Street one afternoon, pretending to shop. “As long as the rumors aren’t about you, I don’t mind in the least.”
“They seem rather nasty.” Annie turned to look at a woman giving them a decidedly unpleasant stare. “What do you think they’re saying?”
Lily bit her lip. She knew exactly what they were saying. Everyone wanted to know whether she or Devon had won the blasted bet. The truth was, they’d both won, but as long as they remained silent on the subject, no one would know.
And she did trust Devon not to tell.
He might be a gambler, but he’d promised he wouldn’t profit from the bet, and she believed him.
She took Annie by the hand and led her down the street, her own head held high. “Like I said, it doesn’t matter.”
* * *
Lily stood in the corner at the Donningfords’ ball wondering how long the interested stares and whispers would last. She wore a beautiful golden ball gown, one she’d recently sewn using material from an older gown. She’d planned to wear it to one of Annie’s debut evenings. Now she felt as if she were a glowing beacon in the ballroom, drawing all eyes to her. She’d made up her mind to find Annie and leave, when a footman approached bearing a folded note on a silver tray.
She hurriedly opened it and glanced at its contents.
Meet me in the rose salon—D
Lily quickly flipped the note closed. She bit her lip. What was Devon doing here and why would he want to meet her in the salon? When they’d arrived back in London, they’d agreed they should stay away from each other for the remainder of her time there. What did he want with her? Another rendezvous? Butterflies scattered in her stomach. Hmm. It was tempting. She couldn’t allow another tryst, of course, but somehow she also couldn’t resist going to see what he wanted.
She moved about the ballroom slowly, aware of the many pairs of eyes that watched her. When a particularly loud thud—caused by one of the orchestra members tipping over his chair—drew everyone’s attention to the front of the room, Lily made her move. She quietly slipped out the doors and into the hallway. A few passersby nodded to her. She simply smiled and kept walking. She made her way down the staircase to the front of the house. When she reached the door to the rose salon, she paused and took a deep breath. She smoothed her hair, yanked off her gloves, pinched pink into her cheeks, and slipped into the salon with a bright smile on her face.
Devon was there, leaning against the mantelpiece, the picture of relaxation. Oh, my, the man looked good. As usual. Perhaps a rendezvous wasn’t such a bad idea after all.
She struggled to keep the nonchalance in her voice. “Devon, whatever are you doing here? And what are you thinking, asking to meet me like this?”
“We need to talk.” He moved to greet her and bowed over her hand. “You look ravishing, by the way.”
Lily tamped down her involuntary response to his compliment and raised her brow. “What is it? Why have you summoned me?” She tried to return his smile.
“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Lily, but I thought you should know. There are rumors—”
She waved her hand in the air. “Yes, yes. I know all about the rumors. It’s nothing really. Didn’t you expect everyone to wonder which of us won the bet?”
Devon shook his head. “No, Lily. We’ve got a much larger problem.”
Lily looked at him askance. “What could be a bigger scandal than you making a lurid bet about me.” She laughed. “We both agreed how we would handle it. I haven’t said a word, have you?” A twinge of apprehension unfolded in her belly. Had Devon said something after all?
“Of course not,” he assured her.
She let her shoulders relax. “Then we’re perfectly fine.” She turned toward the door. She needed to leave. Now. Before she threw herself into his arms and begged him to make love to her again. The settee looked positively inviting.
“Damn it, Lily, will you listen to me?” His voice contained a serious note that made apprehension unfurl in her belly.
She paused, her hand on the doorknob, and looked back at him. “What? What is it?”
“The rumor,” Devon said, his dark eyes boring into hers, “isn’t about the bet. The rumor is that you and I eloped to Gretna Green.”
CHAPTER 30
“How did this happen?” Lily sat down hard on the edge of the settee and glared at the tips of her slippers as if the dainty footwear were responsible for her current troubles.
Devon paced back and forth across the rug in front of her. He scrubbed his hand through his hair. “One of the coachmen must have said something. They can be bought for a few quid. But believe me, if I find out it was George, I’ll have his neck.”
Lily pressed her fingers to her temples. Her mind raced. “No, no, it’s fine. We’ll simply deny it.”
“It won’t be that easy.” Devon continued his pacing.
She fluttered her hand in the air, a smile on her face. “Yes it is. You know how gossip goes. A few days and this will all blow over.” She stood and shook out her skirts. “Now, I’m returning to the ballroom. Lord knows they are all probably wondering where I went. If they find out I’ve been in here with you, it’ll make it that much worse.” Straightening her shoulders and taking a deep breath, she stepped toward the door.
Devon met her there and put his hand on her shoulder. The calm look on his face, the trace of pity, made her breathing quicken. “Lily, if you deny it, if you say it wasn’t us, it will only serve to put Annie in a more questionable light. Your sister’s reputation is at risk.”
“No,” she whispered, shaking her head. “No. We can deny it, I tell you.” She slipped through the door and left before Devon had a chance to say another word.
Lily moved back into the hallway and up the grand staircase. Thankfully, no one was about. What had Devon been thinking, summonin
g her to a darkened salon to be alone with him when rumors were already swirling about the two of them? Good heavens. It would only serve to make it all worse.
She paused outside of the ballroom doors, smoothed her skirts and breathed deeply. She must not look flustered. She must remain calm, as if she’d only left briefly to use the convenience.
She slipped through the doors back into the party and gulped when she realized how many eyes were upon her. Lady Eversly was the first to approach her. “There you are, my dear Lady Merrill. I’ve been looking for you all evening.”
“Lovely to see you, Lady Eversly,” Lily replied. “We must talk later.” She tried to slip past the woman, but Lady Eversly stopped her with a hand on Lily’s capped sleeve.
Lady Eversly gave her a sly smile. “You must tell me dear, is it true?” Her voice was a salacious whisper.
Lily blinked at her. “Is what true?”
Lady Eversly’s catlike blue eyes widened. “Why, that you’ve married that rogue Colton? The entire town is agog with the news that the two of you have eloped.”
Lily sucked in her breath. Leave it to Catherine to ask such a question. And she’d drawn a crowd, a crowd who stood in a semicircle around Lily. Apparently, enough of the partygoers had imbibed to the point where they weren’t satisfied with watching her, now they were actually asking questions. Horrifying questions.
Lily cleared her throat and glanced at the onlookers. “Who told you that, Lady Eversly?” she asked, scrambling to invent an answer that would not cast aspersions onto Annie. But there was no help for it. Lily couldn’t allow the ton to believe she and Devon had actually eloped.
Lady Eversly leaned closer. “I have my sources, my dear Lady Merrill, don’t ever doubt it. The rumor is that Colton’s coach left the house party headed north to Gretna. You and your sister left around that same time, did you not?”
Lily swallowed, and attempted to laugh. “Why in the world would two adults run off to Gretna? It’s not as if we require anyone’s permission.”
Lady Eversly’s voice was a salacious whisper. “Why, I can think of a score of reasons. Uncontrollable passion”—she winked at Lily—“immediately comes to me. Couldn’t wait for the banns, eh? Now, is it true or isn’t it?”
Lily opened her mouth to issue the denial lodged on the tip of her tongue.
The doors behind her opened. Devon chose that particular moment to reenter the ballroom. Perfect! He couldn’t have waited five more blasted minutes? Lily squeezed her eyes shut. When she reopened them, the look of knowing curiosity on Lady Eversly’s face was unmistakable.
“Oh, I see you two do have your secrets,” Eversly whispered a bit too loudly. “I daresay if you didn’t already have your scandal broth over that pamphlet”—her voice dipped on the last word—“you’d be quite the outcast, but between you and Colton, this is no doubt going to make you more popular than ever.”
“No, no, no.” Lily shook her head and backed away from the woman. “You’re mistaken.”
“Is it true or not?” Eversly followed Lily eagerly. “Do tell.”
Lily backed up until she hit a wall, a wall that turned out to be Devon’s chest. She craned her neck to look up at him and gulped.
“Is what true?” Devon asked, flashing his perfect smile at Catherine.
Obviously Catherine wasn’t immune to his dark good looks either. The hint of a blush stained her cheeks. “Did the two of you elope to Gretna Green?”
Devon arched a brow. He bent his head a bit. “It’s true,” he said, wrapping an arm around Lily’s waist. “The countess is a countess no more. She’s the Marchioness of Colton now.”
CHAPTER 31
Devon ushered Lily through the blur that followed. The smiles, the exclamations, the best wishes. All of it. He planted his hand firmly on the small of her back and escorted her through the throng of well-wishers. He ensured one of the matrons would escort Annie home when she was ready, and then he hurried Lily out to his coach.
The sooner they left the ball, the better.
Once they were safely ensconced in the carriage, Lily dropped her head in her hands. “What. Just. Happened?”
Devon relaxed against the seat and regarded her with a smile on his face. He shrugged. “I did the only thing I could.”
“Claim we’re married?” Lily’s voice held an hysterical edge.
He grinned. “I notice you didn’t deny it.”
“You’re much too calm,” she whimpered, leaning forward and burying her face in her hands again. This time she rested them against her knees.
“I don’t know what you mean,” he answered.
She glanced up at him. “You’re sitting there, smiling at me as if you are truly a besotted bridegroom and I am your bride.”
He shrugged again. “Why not?”
Lily sat up again and shook her head frantically. “No, no, no. This is madness. This cannot be happening.”
Devon leaned forward. He placed a hand on her shoulder. “Listen to me, Lily. It’s not such an awful idea. You’d realize that, if you’d calm down and think about it reasonably.”
“Reasonably?” she echoed. “There’s nothing the least bit reasonable about this.”
Devon squeezed her shoulder. “Think about it. The word is out that my coach traveled to Gretna. Thank God, they all think it was you and I. If we deny it, the obvious conclusion will be that it was Annie. Do you want that?”
Lily sucked in her breath. “No, no. Of course not.”
“The two of us marrying isn’t completely insane.”
“How can you even try to make sense of this lunacy? It’s ludicrous, that’s what it is.” She slumped back against the seat, her arms hugging her middle.
“I take that personally,” he said with a laugh.
“You should.”
Devon sat back against the seat. “It’s the only way to save your sister’s reputation.”
Lily looked up at him with a heartbreakingly vulnerable look on her face. “Why? Why would you want to marry me?”
“I have to marry sometime, don’t I?” Devon said. “And you do happen to be the reason my hand is free at the moment.”
“And one woman is as good as another?” Lily shook her head.
* * *
Devon regarded her. He couldn’t keep the smile from his face. It was true that when this had all begun, he’d been intent on revenge, but so much had happened between them over the last days, he couldn’t even recall now why he’d been so hell-bent on it in the first place. And for some reason he’d been unable to let her go to Northumberland. The thought of her marrying Medford filled him with anger, an anger born of jealousy. He’d told Lily once that he was never jealous. But over the last few days he realized it wasn’t true. No, he couldn’t let her marry Medford. Couldn’t live with it if it happened. And if she would just see reason, she’d realize this wasn’t such a bad idea after all. This way, she and Annie could stay in London, and Annie’s reputation would be saved. Lily must see that.
When the coach pulled to a stop in front of the town house where she was staying, Devon escorted Lily to her door. She let herself inside and turned to face him. Devon leaned in and kissed her cheek.
“Don’t worry about a thing,” he said. “I’ll make all the arrangements. No one will know. We’ll keep the wedding secret, no servants. Everyone will think we were married in Scotland.”
Lily placed her hand on his sleeve. “Devon, I need time.” She drew a deep breath. “A day. I’ll give you my answer tomorrow night.”
* * *
She climbed the stairs to her bedchamber, her feet feeling like leaden weights. She didn’t bother summoning Mary. Lily needed to be alone … to think. She wrapped herself in her night rail and robe and paced the worn carpet in her bedchamber.
She was torn. It would serve Devon right to marry her and discover she was poor. On the other hand, she couldn’t very well let him shackle himself to her for eternity not knowing she was destitute. Even if it woul
d save her sister’s reputation.
At least Lily knew if she married him, their future in the bedchamber wouldn’t be awful. That part was downright tempting actually.
She shook her head. There was more to consider. What about Annie’s future? As much as Lily might be willing to marry Devon regardless of his own lack of money, the fact was, they would be forced to live on his inconsistent gambling winnings. She shuddered. She couldn’t do that to her sister. But the alternative was allowing Annie to face the scandal of an elopement.
Lily pulled her robe tighter around her middle and stared out the window into the darkness. She shivered. What would she do? What could she do?
* * *
Lily waited in Lord Medford’s well-appointed drawing room, her stomach in knots. She owed him an explanation. A thousand explanations.
She hadn’t slept last night. Or today either. No doubt the circles under her eyes were proof of that. She’d spent the entire evening tossing in bed, trying to come to a decision that made the most sense for everyone. She’d spent the day pacing the floor of her borrowed bedchamber, weighing the possibilities. Now, it was late at night and it was time for her decisions.
The door opened and Lily sucked in her breath. Lord Medford strode in, his familiar countenance so welcome. Lily expelled her breath.
Medford’s face was tight. “To what do I owe the pleasure, Lady Merrill? Or should I call you the Marchioness of Colton now?”
Lily winced. He’d heard the rumors. Of course he’d heard the rumors. And beneath his devil-may-care façade, she sensed Medford’s anger.
Lily stood and hurried over to him. “I came to explain.”
“My lady.” He bowed and offered her a seat again. Lily’s heart tugged. He was being so kind. Kind and civilized. Just like Medford.
She reluctantly sat down. Turning her face up to him, she bit her lip. “I am not married.”
His shoulders relaxed a bit. “Engaged?”
Lily shook her head. “No. But Colton did ask me.”
Secrets of a Wedding Night Page 23
