Already His (The Caversham Chronicles - Book Two) (34 page)

Beverly nodded. “It seems my viscount and your earl have one thing in common. They are determined to drive us crazy with this desire to make us wait. Which is why
we
, not just you, are moving on to the next phase. Our men need some gentle prodding. Perhaps attention from other men will make them realize that we are not the simpering little fresh-from-the-schoolroom misses they think we are.” Beverly’s shoulders sagged as she set the pencil down and looked at her. “I am a woman fully grown. Why, girls younger than we are marrying and having babes. That’s what I want, Elise. I want children. Lots of them.”

“My sentiments exactly,” Elise agreed. “Michael thinks to make me wait. And if he had his way, until the wedding night!”

Beverly’s eyes grew comically wide and her jaw fell open. “I just want to get Christopher to make the announcement. I don’t mean to incite his jealousy to the point of anger, or... or....”

“The bedroom?” Elise straightened her spine and pressed on, “I do. I want Michael to want me in that way. Because that is the way I want him. There. I’ve said it!” Elise prayed she didn’t lose her friend over her declaration. “You, more than anyone in the world knows this Beverly.” She saw the profound concern in her friend’s expression. “My confession has likely shocked you, and I hope you do not choose to end our friendship over this, but I just had to say it.”

“Elise, have you ever stopped to examine why this rush to intimacy, when you’re just months away from a wedding?”

Elise considered her friend’s words. “I have not.” She mused as she shook her head. “Though....” Elise tried to think of a way explain the profound emptiness she felt when she thought of life without Michael, a devastation unlike she’d ever experienced in her life. Elise broke her silence, then smiled. “You have brought up a question I shall ponder tonight as I try to fall asleep. When I have an answer, you will be the first to know.”

Beverly nodded, then she looked up from the sketches she worked on and asked, “What if something should happen? Such as getting with child? Or, suppose the wedding gets called off for some reason, and you’ve lost your... your...”

“What? Maidenhead? Virginity?” Elise looked into Beverly’s clear blue eyes and said honestly, “Then I will have lost it to the only man I’ve ever loved and ever will.” Elise checked to make certain they were still alone, then leaned in close to her friend and dropped her voice to a whisper. “If I find I am with child, I’ll just live out my days in the country somewhere. Scotland perhaps, seeing as Ren’s always threatening to send me to that crumbling pile of stone anyway. Maybe in a few years, when the excitement of it all dies down, I could return and live quietly on my mother’s dower property. But none of that will come to pass,” Elise added while simultaneously praying her words were true. “You’ll see. Michael loves me.”

Her friend’s eyes widened. “Has he told you this?”

“Not in so many words. But in his actions, yes, he has.”

She remembered how tender he was with her the night in the parlor at Woodhenge, when he showed her the wonder of being intimate without taking her virginity. He could not possibly have been so caring with her that night and not love her. And the following morning, there was the fear so clearly evident on his face when she rode the filly she’d since named Zephyr. He had to care for her as more than the sister of his best friend, after all he’d asked her to marry him!

“Of course you know me,” Elise lamented, “open book that I am, I told him that I loved him. Though he said he knew, and felt it was a good thing that I have this feeling, he did not...” Elise choked down a knot of emotion. “He could not say he reciprocated yet. He said he needed time to get used to this new relationship between us.”

“But he did say he wanted to marry you, correct?”

Elise nodded. “He asked me in front of his entire family and mine. He wants to wait until the family is out of mourning because he doesn’t want society to think his siblings and their daughters were ill-bred. After the banns are read, we can marry immediately, if I wish.”

Beverly plopped back against her seat. “Except for the proposal with both families present, Michael’s plans for the wedding sound utterly
un
romantic,” her friend said. “Very much like my own non-proposal. Huddleston and I were riding in the park one morning when he just said, ‘I suppose we suit well enough. Perhaps we ought to marry when the season is over.’ So casual and unemotional.”

Elise rose and began to walk the length of her room, something she did to help her think through things. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he was friends with Michael and Ren. They are so alike. both Michael and Huddleston portray cool civility, when under that veneer both have a passionate streak that runs very deep beneath their hardened exterior.” She shook her head as she continued pacing, wondering what to do to get their men to profess their love. “It’s just a matter of cracking the outer shell, to release that pent-up passion.” Both young ladies nodded at that.

“So what do we do?” Beverly asked.

“I don’t know about you, but I plan to find the strongest nutcracker possible. Michael is a tough nut to crack.”

“I don’t think I like the sound of this.”

Elise patted Beverly’s hand. “All will be well. You’ll see.”

W
ithin the week, two of the many gowns Elise and Beverly ordered were ready. And after discussing it with both Christopher and Michael, they’d accepted an invitation to the Riddlesworth annual ball. She’d heard those were always
the
most difficult invites to come by, making the Riddlesworth ball one of the most anticipated events each year. And, from everything Elise and Beverly had heard, tonight’s ball might even be attended by the King himself. With Lia in the country, Ren worked constantly and said he would pass on attending the affair that evening so as to catch up on some business reading.

Thus, with her grandmother agreeing to act as their chaperon, and having arranged to pick up Beverly promptly at eight-thirty, Elise readied herself with the assistance of the ever-glowering Bridget. Meeting the maid’s gaze in the mirror, she said, “Bridget, it is important that Beverly’s escort meet us here with Michael and I, and that we all go together. You know she doesn’t have a female relation to chaperon her.”

“I know you two are up to something, I just don’t know what it is yet.”

“It’s nothing that will get me banished, if that’s what you’re thinking. I just want to make Michael proud to be my escort this evening,” Elise said, hoping she pacified her maid. She hoped their new dresses would show the two gentleman what could be theirs tonight, if they wanted.

The gown she chose to wear was pale peach watered silk, and very simple in design. As had been proven on the night of her own ball, the simple designs suited her more than frills and lace. The wide-scoop neckline with narrow off-the-shoulder straps also created the miraculous effect of enhancing her modest bustline while accentuating her waist. The silk moire fabric then flared out only slightly, enough as to be deemed appropriate, and fell to above her ankles. The scalloped hemline of the gown turned out far better than she’d imagined after seeing it on paper.

And for the first time all season, she and Beverly wore the exact same dress. Intentionally. The only difference in their dresses was her friend’s was ice blue with a white silk shawl to match her blond-haired, blue-eyed loveliness. With Elise’s darker peach delicate lace shawl to match the silk and plain peach satin slippers, she and Beverly would make a striking pair of friends.

Elise had pulled her short brown hair back with small combs and around her throat she wore a simple single strand of tiny pearls, with earrings to match. The simplicity of her entire ensemble should garner the desired effect from Michael. This was but a first step in her escalating plan to make him insane with desire for her. If this didn’t work, she’d have to ramp up her plan to the next level, and she’d continue to do so until he gave in.

She was not going to let him forget she existed, the way her father forgot about her, leaving her out in the country while he lived in Town. She wasn’t going to allow that to happen with Michael.

M
ichael and Christopher Huddleston stood in the parlor with Ren, brandy in hand, conversing amiably while they waited on the three ladies upstairs. If Elise and Beverly had hoped to find he and Huddleston impatient at having to cool their heels in the parlor, they were mistaken. Michael knew the games ladies played.

“I don’t envy you, gentlemen,” Ren said through a grin. “I couldn’t imagine having to go through these games only to end up with a woman who will vex you for the rest of your days. And, believe me these two will do just that.” He lifted his glass and downed the rest of his drink.

“Myself, I’m rather looking forward to being vexed,” Christopher Huddleston replied. “Can’t think of a more beautiful creature to have vexing me.”

“Sounds to me like you’re in love, Huddleston,” Michael teased.

“I’ll admit, it’s quite possible. I can’t think of a feeling that compares. It’s almost like drowning, but happily. No, willingly.”

“Well, I can safely say, I don’t have those emotions,” Michael said. “I’ve known Elise far too long to melt like butter to her hot knife.”

Ren choked back a laugh. “Refills, gentlemen? I certainly could use another and God knows how long they’re going to keep us here.”

“That won’t be necessary, brother.” Michael swung his gaze toward the doorway and watched Elise and her friend enter, followed by Lady Sewell, the Ladies’ chaperon for the evening.

He unconsciously reached a hand to his throat, to pull the cravat loose. The damn thing was cutting off his breath, he thought as he watched Elise cross the room. She was a vision. An incomparable, arousing vision in peach silk, with a style and form to tempt even a monk into sin.

He wasn’t sure what they were up to, but he knew something was afoot. Perhaps he’d best prepare Christopher. “When they smile like that Huddleston, be on your guard. The minxes have something up their sleeves.”

“Camden, you’re blind. They aren’t wearing sleeves,” noted Huddleston with appreciative awe.

“You would be wise to heed his warning, Huddleston,” Elise’s grandmother said. “I have done my best to corrupt both of my charges this season. As both are determined young ladies, if you’re their targets, be warned I say.”

Both young ladies blushed, the warm color so fetching on Elise. Michael watched his future wife lean over to Lady Sewell and say “You’re the one who told me I must hook the fish before I can land him. I’m merely trying to get the fish to make the final commitment and ‘jump into my pan’ as you’ve so often said.” Elise met his gaze and smiled.

Lady Sewell, sharp as ever, quickly replied, “I see I shall have to teach you to cook soon. Right now you wouldn’t know what to do with him once you have him there. But as you learned to fish quick enough, learning the other skills shouldn’t be a problem.”

After the laughter died down, Michael placed the evening wrap over Elise’s shoulders, Christopher doing the same for Beverly, and Ren for his grandmother. Leaving Ren to his work, the duke’s laughter behind the closed door was heard by all, as the foursome and Lady Sewell left for their evening out.

The Riddlesworth affair lived up to its reputation as
the
fete
of the season. People were crushed together in nearly every room of the spacious home on this late spring evening, making the house rather warm, which caused quite a few party-goers to seek the slight breeze outdoors. The terrace and gardens were appropriately lit with torches to protect the reputations of those seeking fresh air. Michael’s gaze never wandered far from Elise, who enjoyed chatting with her friends and dancing. He had to suppress a surge of possessiveness in order to allow her to finish her season unencumbered.

For now, he would just have to satisfy himself with knowing Elise would also end this arrangement if he’d let her. He grinned at the thought.

Each time she took to the dance floor on the arm of any male from twenty to sixty, he wished he could take back those words and make her his officially, right then. And every time a man looked at her as though she were a sweetmeat he wished to devour, Michael wanted to plow a fist into the chap’s face.

By the time the evening was over, his innards were twisted in knots, and he knew it would only get worse before it got better. Perhaps he’d have to ask her not to smile so frequently or laugh so genuinely at every funny thing some inane fop whispered to her. Of course, he knew her well enough to know that if he made such a request, Elise would only escalate the flirtation just to spite him.

No, he wouldn’t interfere with her fun. Soon enough, they’d be married and she’d be carrying his child. That would settle her, just as it did a high-strung filly.

M
illing in the crowd at the Riddlesworth home was one of the two young men whose aim it was to get Lady Elise Halden to the house party they were planning to host for their friends. Marlowe watched as their target flirted with every man who showed her attention. Of course, he could never report this to his cousin. Even before Caversham’s lackeys had gotten to him, Sinclair would have seethed just witnessing this gay, laughing temptress flirting with every buck but him.

Since his cousin’s beating earlier this week, Marlowe changed his thinking and he now agreed with his cousin. It was no longer just about gaining her sizable dowry for their group. The whore needed to be taught a lesson.