The Marquis' Mistake

by Giselle Marks

  Sebastian however had been watching Alicia’s every move and although he was across the ballroom spotted Mallinder’s pursuit. Being obstructed by his friends as he followed, Sebastian sought to catch up with Alicia and Mallinder. Alicia reached the safety of the withdrawing room ahead of Mallinder, so while Sally pinned up her hair; he loitered outside waiting to accost her. Sebastian finally shrugged off his friends’ well-wishing and waited a little further back in the corridor.

  Some ladies left the withdrawing room gossiping, but Alicia was not among them. Captain James Redgrave walked past Major Mallinder and acknowledged him. Finally Alicia left the room and Mallinder caught her arm and put his finger to her lips, pushing her into a small empty sitting room. Sebastian watched and followed waiting behind the door that Mallinder closed behind him. Alicia was frightened, but at first Mallinder seemed determined to avow undying love in the most florid terms and then beg her to agree to marry him. Alicia tried to reject him politely, not expressing the disgust for what she had heard of him. Stating she did not think they should suit and she would prefer if he did not approach her again, Alicia edged to the door and tried to escape.

  Major Mallinder was not going to allow that to happen. He grasped her tightly and pulled her to him, kissing her forcibly. All the while his hands were wandering and groping her body. His hands were pulling at the neckline of her dress, but the stiff gold lace resisted his efforts to tear it. Alicia expecting the reaction she felt to Sebastian, was surprised to feel nothing but revulsion. Digging her sharp pointed little heel into Mallinder’s instep she stamped down as hard as she could, pushing hard at him and stamping down once more. With a squeal of pain Mallinder released her and she ran to the door which was already opening, to admit Sebastian. He strode forward and hit out with his left to Mallinder’s right eye, following up with a right upper-cut to his nose, which promptly blossomed with a shower of blood. Mallinder went down fast. Scrambling back to his feet and preparing to defend himself, Sebastian ducked a wild blow and then hit him once more this time to his left eye.

  “Mallinder, leave this house before I have you thrown out. You are no longer welcome.”

  Sebastian walked to the door and held it open as Mallinder stumbled out his nose bleeding profusely. Sebastian closed the door behind him, leaving Alicia to compose herself, as he watched the Major walk to the front door. Then he returned to the sitting room to check on Alicia. She had smoothed her dress back down and had calmed her ragged breathing. Her hair remained tidy and her ball gown was not torn, so she felt she had got off lightly.

  “Thank you Sebastian, so much for rescuing me from that horrible man,” Alicia said slightly tearfully.

  The Marquis’s impulsive action in her defence and the forcefulness with which he had hit Mallinder had greatly impressed her. Sebastian checked he was still tidy in the mirror, trying to force a polite calm to his expression, although his brown eyes still flared with heat.

  “I knew I should have taken my coat off before I hit the bounder, I have ripped the stitches under the arms,” he complained pungently.

  Then kissing her cheek, he offered her his arm and they left the room together.

  They collided with Captain James Redgrave.

  “Farndon, Miss Lambert, I was looking for Major Mallinder, I saw him a few minutes ago and I had something to say to him. You haven’t seen where he went?” declared the Captain.

  “I believe he suddenly felt unwell and went home,” the Marquis replied evenly.

  “Oh a headache I assume, it’s very stuffy in the ballroom. I expect we shall have ladies swooning before the night is over.”

  “No, I believe he had the sudden onset of a broken nose and two black eyes. You’d be sensible not to encourage that acquaintance,” Sebastian said looking down at a slightly grazed set of knuckles. “I shall return you to Lady Sophia, Miss Lambert.”

  Mallinder slunk away in fury. Another minute and he would have succeeded in compromising Miss Lambert, but now his efforts to do so were at an end. The Marquis was determined to put a spoke in his plans. Well if Miss Lambert would not become his bride willingly, he would abduct her and if the Marquis got in his way again, Mallinder would enjoy seeing that pretty boy suffer. Simple death would be too good for him after he had thrashed him. The pretty boy had caught him off guard, but that would not happen a second time. He would have his revenge on Sebastian Vernon and taking Alicia Lambert would only be the first part of it. Farndon would no longer be so pretty when he had finished with him.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Lady Madelaine accompanied Alicia riding in Green Park on the next morning. Alicia had already told Lady Sophia of Farndon’s rescue of her from Major Mallinder’s clutches and she in turn told Sir Anthony. She repeated the story to Lady Madelaine. After their ride they returned to Chalcombe House, where Louis was teaching Sebastian fencing. The punishment of Percival Purcell had been dealt with by Louis. After his parents and Lord McKinlay had rebuked him, Louis had summoned him to the room that him been altered for her training sessions. Louis expressed his disappointment that Percival had let him down, in not improving his behaviour as he had promised.

  “I have been shown the letter from your former headmaster and was saddened to hear you are still starting fights, getting into all kinds of trouble and your studies have also fallen behind. You are not a stupid boy, so you have no excuse for such laziness. Which is your worst subject?”

  “Greek, my lord.”

  “Go and fetch your Greek books, so I can see where you are currently up to.”

  Percival obeyed much cowed by Louis’s stern demeanour. Louis looked through his work and found it to be extremely poor. He had failed to learn even the most basic verbs and tenses.

  “I dislike beating children, but an exception must be made in your case. Start from the very beginning and redo all your Greek lessons. Tomorrow you will report to me before breakfast with your books and I will check over your work. Then we will fence with wooden swords, for every mistake you have made I shall hit you once with my sword. I will question you and for each wrong answer I shall hit you again. Not even you will be capable of mischief after that. When your Greek reaches its proper standard, we will cover your other weaknesses. Your Latin, Mathematics and French also seem especially weak. You will learn how to behave and become a better scholar or you will find you are black and blue all over.”

  “The British army expect their officers to have a decent education. You are old enough to realise your behaviour is unacceptable. You are lucky to have a position in society, of which you should choose to be worthy, Percival.”

  Percival was very sore indeed after Louis’ first session with him but his Greek improved dramatically. Sebastian entering the room as Percival was answering Louis’ Greek questions while being battered with a wooden sword, felt slightly sorry for him. Then remembering Jemima climbing up his back, decided Louis was being harsh with good reason. So when Percival protested Greek was a useless language to learn and he bet the Marquis could not remember what he had learnt of it at school. Sebastian very calmly quoted a piece of iambic pentameter that he had learnt at about his age.

  “I found learning Greek and Latin extremely useful. It made learning, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, German, Dutch, French and even English much easier. Like the Comte de Morlaix I have never found laziness or stupidity, attractive qualities. I would have thought you would want to make your parents proud of you, Percival. The Comte is going to a lot of trouble to tutor you. You should make the most of such an opportunity.”

  Sebastian’s first lesson with an unbuttoned foil once again shirtless resulted in three minor cuts, none of which required stitching, but Madelaine whom he had been fighting said he would have landed one of his thrusts if he had not pulled back not wanting to injure her. He was now fighting longer and better. They still also used the wooden swords and he landed a couple of blows on Madelaine’s padded sleeves, but a third got through and dealt her a thwack against her cheekbon
e which left a fast growing bruise.

  Sebastian apologized profusely for damaging her beauty, but she laughed and said he should apologize to Edward, because he would be the one suspected of beating her.

  ***

  Two days after the Laurences’ ball, Alicia received a note. It appeared to be in Sebastian’s handwriting and was on sandalwood scented paper. It asked her to meet him to ride early the following day alone. Alicia was surprised at such a request and tempted to obey, but then she reread the note and doubted it had come from Sebastian.

  Dear Alicia

  Please meet me to go riding alone at eight tomorrow morning in Green Park. Meet me by the bench we ate a picnic at. I must see you alone. Please do not refuse to see me. I yearn for your kisses.

  Yours truly

  Sebastian Vernon

  Although Sebastian called her Alicia in private he had addressed his letters to her correctly as Miss Lambert and he had always signed just the one word Sebastian. So deciding it was better to be careful she wrote a note to Sebastian.

  Dear Lord Farndon

  I received a note which appears to be in your handwriting, but I doubt you would ask me to go riding with you alone at eight in Green Park as stipulated in the note. It was signed Sebastian Vernon and all your other notes however unsuitable, were signed only Sebastian. Could you confirm whether you wrote it? I am prepared to ride with you at such an early hour, but Greenways would as always accompany me.

  Yours truly

  Alicia Lambert

  She sent the note with a footman to Langsdown House. Sebastian arrived by way of reply and asked to see the note confirming he had not written it. Together they went to see Sir Anthony who was very shocked at its implications.

  “Would you mind if I borrowed your riding habit and bonnet together with Yellow Star tomorrow, Alicia?”

  “You wouldn’t risk another girl for the assignation? That would be far too dangerous.”

  “I was thinking of setting a trap for Mallinder, but I thought Randall would fit into your habit quite easily with a little strategic padding and the addition of a veil. He would be armed with pistols and he is very tough despite his size. Perhaps Greenways would accompany him to the gate of the park, to make it look like you were diffident about the meeting?”

  “It would be a relief if the bounder was locked up in Newgate,” declared Sir Anthony.

  Alicia took Sebastian to the drawing room where they could be alone to talk, leaving the door open for respectability’s sake.

  “Sebastian, are you still determined to marry me?”

  “I could wish for nothing more, Alicia. Surely you know that by now?”

  “Then could you tell me what you would expect of me in marriage?”

  “I don’t quite understand what you want to know. I want you to be my wife, where we live or go would be decided between us. I wish to make you happy.”

  “But you are not asking for a marriage of convenience where we would live largely separate lives?”

  “I would hate that, I want you as my partner and companion in all things. Did Amalie and Phillipa say something that frightened you? I would try not to make too many demands on you, if you are concerned.”

  “Miss Crouch and Miss Clarkson said nothing disparaging about you. They sang your praises, but I got the impression they had shared your bed every night, except when they had angered you, am I correct?”

  “Yes, I don’t sleep well. I prefer to have female company sleeping beside me, is that so wrong?”

  “Did you make love to them every night?”

  “Usually several times. Would that frighten you? Some nights they couldn’t of course but there are other ways to please a woman and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t kiss and cuddle.”

  “And you would want me to share your bed every night?”

  “Unless one of us was ill or you really wanted to sleep undisturbed, I want you beside me at all times.”

  “And you would want me to enjoy your lovemaking?”

  “I should be a very poor lover, if I did not want you to get pleasure from me. I know most society couples sleep in separate rooms, is that what you would prefer?”

  “I don’t know Sebastian, what if I don’t enjoy it? I hear some women find it unpleasant.”

  “You are not one of those women. You would not respond so passionately to my kisses if you were. I know I leave you aching for more, wanting me to make love to you. There are ways I could give you pleasure without taking your virginity. Would if relieve your fears if I were to show you that I can give you pleasure?”

  “I think it might, but would not that be difficult for you? In Cambridge you were… Your…” Alicia blushed unable to phrase the thoughts she had of his naked body in Cambridge when he had been clearly ready to ravish her.

  “Every time I kiss you Alicia, I react like that. I have held back from going further than kissing you. I can hold back until we are wed, but I really desire to make love to you. I would love to see you rapt with ecstasy.”

  He stood and moved to the corner of the room out of sight of the open door, pulling her with him. Taking her in his arms he held her close to him and kissed her deeply. This time he moved his hands down to her buttocks and pulled her taut to his groin so she could feel how he was reacting to her. She gasped as he caressed her as the all too familiar ache began deep inside her. He was hard and throbbing against her belly. She moved her hand between them and reached down to where he had grown so firm, reaching over his clothes to feel the hardness of his erection. Now he had to suppress a sigh of desire and moved her hand away.

  “Now we will go and discuss other things, unless you really want me to make love to you here in front of the servants?”

  “Do all men react like that when they kiss a woman?”

  “Most young men are aroused by kissing a woman they want. Some might take a little longer to react, but normal healthy men are made to respond to women.”

  “Major Mallinder didn’t react that way. He was holding me so tight I would have noticed.”

  “Was he drunk? Some men are slower to arouse when they’ve had a lot of alcohol.”

  “I could smell no alcohol. Why, when he was trying to tear my dress, should he not have been…?”

  “From what I have learnt he beats all his women. It may be the only way he can get aroused. It would explain a lot about his behaviour. He might even prefer men to women. Some men have a thing about very fat women, others prefer a particular style of women, but most could make love to any woman if they chose to.” Sebastian thought back to how Mallinder had been before he had hit him and realised he had seen no signs of arousal on the man. Sebastian looked very grim and his face was flushed with blood.

  “Do you still want to? You have gone very red.”

  “No, talking about Mallinder was very effective. I wish I had hit him a lot more, I can always buy another coat,” he laughed but no smile reflected in his eyes.

  Sir Anthony had invited Sebastian and his father for dinner that evening. It was a quiet evening in with no other guests. They enjoyed a good meal and then retired together to the drawing room where they conversed as the ladies drank tea and the men had a glass of brandy. Lady Sophia suggested Alicia took Sebastian to the ballroom to show him his flowers. They returned half an hour later looking a little flushed and rumpled but no one commented. Before the Duke and Sebastian took their leave Alicia went to fetch her riding habit and some heavy veiling for Randall to wear on the following morning.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Before returning to Langsdown House Sebastian asked his father if they could visit Miranda on the way home. They were admitted by her butler as the night was still young, but the house was quiet. No guests thronged the public rooms and most of the young ladies who had resided in the house had already moved on to other establishments or protectors. The butler showed them into a private sitting room upstairs where Miranda was seated playing a Mozart minuet on her spinet. She stood and welcome
d the Duke and his son, curtseying correctly. Sending her butler to fetch refreshments, she bade them be seated.

  Miranda was a statuesque blonde with an opulent uncorseted figure. She had classically perfect features and violet blue eyes with long dark lashes. Her mouth was full and her skin was neatly but not excessively painted. Few of the ravages of time showed. A stranger might have guessed her age at thirty and a very beautiful thirty at that. The butler returned with Sebastian’s coffee and a decanter of Madeira with glasses for Miranda and the Duke. They thanked the butler and Miranda dismissed him.

  “Is Francesca still living here, Miranda?” Sebastian asked sipping his coffee.

  “Yes, she is engaged to my head footman. They will stay with me when I move out next month. I intend to spend a season in Bath. It is near enough to the Castle for Alistair to visit regularly. My butler and cook have found more prestigious positions, but I shall retain a small staff until next year when we shall announce our engagement.”

  “Would she be still awake I would like to speak to her, if I may?”

  Miranda rang the bell and sent the butler in search of Francesca.

  Francesca appeared shortly afterwards. She wore a plain dark dress and her hair was neatly arranged in a plain bun but she moved gracefully like the dancer she had formerly been. Her face was carefully made up, but although the scars had faded, some still showed jagged under the paint. Sebastian saw through the scars remembering the beautiful vivacious girl she had once been. Francesca smiled seeing Sebastian and his father in the sitting room and curtseyed deeply.

  “Francesca, I forgot to invite you to my bachelor party on next Tuesday night at eleven o’clock in Covent Garden. Please ask your fiancé to accompany you, it will be quite respectable. My father and Miranda will also be attending along with a number of my former mistresses and their protectors.”

  “That is very kind of you, my lord. Mark and I will be pleased to attend.”