Cupid's Choice: She's a shy beauty in distress. He's a chivalric gentleman. (16 page)

Instinctively recognizing the truth of what he had said, Guin exclaimed, “I will tell Percy!” She stared fearfully up into his handsome face, with its hateful smile, that was bare inches above her own. She could feel his panting breath on her skin, and she shuddered suddenly.

“Then he would challenge me to a duel, and I would have to kill him, my dear,” said Lord Holloway, his mincing voice at chilling contrast to the utter coldness of his voice. “I have killed before, you know. No, you will not tell Lord Holybrooke.
Will
you?”

He lightly pinched her cheek. She jerked her head away, giving a sob. He laughed softly. “I thought not. You and I will deal well together. We shall enjoy several delicious
tête-à-têtes
. And when I am done, why, perhaps I will marry you.”

Lord Holloway released her wrists, freeing her arms, and drew her upright.

Guin shrank against her chair back, staring at him, her breath coming fast. She could not think what to do. She felt trapped. Her heart was tripping over itself with fear. At least he was not touching her anymore.

His eyes glittered at her. “Now, my dear, you will show me that we have come to a perfect understanding. I shall kiss you again, and this time I will not need to restrain you. You understand me, of course.”

Guin stared in horror at Lord Holloway. She was trembling uncontrollably, and her flesh was bruised where he had held her wrists. She could not stop the shuddering breaths that shook her. Mutely she shook her head, denying the nightmare in which she found herself.

He encircled one of her wrists, and his powerful fingers closed cruelly about it. “You do understand, Miss Holland, don’t you?”

Guin gasped as the bones in her wrist seemed to grind together. She understood. All too perfectly. Lord Holloway meant to use her for his own purposes, confident that there would be none to champion or protect her. He had shrewdly taken Mrs. Holland’s measure. That lady was blinded by ambition. She would be more inclined to berate her daughter for missishness than put any stock in a terrified report of unwonted liberties. As for Lord Holloway’s threat against Lord Holybrooke, Guin believed implicitly that his lordship would carry it out. There had been that in his eyes and his cold voice which had utterly convinced her that her beloved twin would be in danger of his life if she were to fly to him.

Lord Holloway nodded as though he could read her tumbling, disordered thoughts. “Now, my dear.” He slowly slid his hands up her bare arms to her shoulders and drew her trembling body toward him. He lowered his head and took her mouth once more.

Guin shuddered. She felt his repulsive embrace, in all of its loathsomeness. She held herself as immobile as she could despite the gorge that rose up inside her. The musk scent he favored filled her nostrils, surrounding her with proof of his possession. One of his hands slid around to find and caress her breast through the thin silk of her dress. Guin jerked under his fingers. Lord Holloway raised his head an instant, to laugh softly in her face, before he drove his mouth down hotly on hers again.

An inarticulate cry gurgled in her throat. Something snapped in Guin’s mind. She became a snared animal, unthinking, unreasoning. No thought of the threats held over her head could withstand her revulsion and fear. She struggled wildly, twisting in Lord Holloway’s arms. He uttered a coarse expletive and tightened his hold on her.

Suddenly the iron arms were no longer about her, the hateful mouth was no longer plundering her own. Abruptly released, Guin fell awkwardly back in the chair. When she straightened herself up, she saw Sir Frederick drive Lord Holloway out of the box, one hand clenched in the back of the man’s cravat and the other pinning Lord Holloway’s arm painfully across his spine. With a violent shove, Sir Frederick released Lord Holloway to stagger without dignity into the passageway.

Immediately Sir Frederick turned, his breathing slightly elevated. His appearance was impeccable, with not a crease in his coat to play witness to his exertions. His mouth was unsmiling and held in a tight line. “Miss Holland! Are you quite all right?”

Guin’s face flamed. She turned her head away from the hard, inscrutable expression in Sir Frederick’s eyes. She lifted one shaking hand to her hot cheek. “Yes, thank you, Sir Frederick.” Her voice sounded strangled even in her own ears. She swallowed a gasping sob.

Sir Frederick sat down on the chair lately vacated by Lord Holloway. He did not attempt to touch her. “How came you to be here alone with Lord Holloway?”

There was anger in his voice, and Guin assumed it was directed at her. She lowered her head, tears starting to her eyes again. “Percy went to see some friends he saw in the pit. An admirer of Mama’s invited her to take refreshments, and she said—she said that she was certain I would be perfectly s-safe if Lord Holloway and his cousin remained with me. Then Lord Holloway sent Miss Baker away and—and—” Her voice became wholly suspended. The tears slipped down her face unchecked.

Sir Frederick reached over and took her chin in a gentle hand. Turning her face toward him, he wiped away the tears with his handkerchief. His voice level, he said, “It is over now, Miss Holland. Your mother and Lord Holybrooke will soon return. You mustn’t show them this face.”

“No, no! You are right, I must not. There would be questions,” exclaimed Guin, hastily wiping her eyes with her hands. She took his handkerchief from him and finished what he had started. Then she blew her nose. Bunching the handkerchief in her hand, she looked into Sir Frederick’s concerned face and managed to form a smile. “Is this better, dear sir?”

“Infinitely,” said Sir Frederick gravely, though privately thinking that she looked as though she had been shattered. Her face was extremely pale, and her lashes were damply clumped together. There was dazed shock in the depths of her eyes. He urgently wanted to fold her into his arms and reassure her that she was safe. But he could not. He had not the right.

His hand suddenly clenched on his thigh. “I should like to beat him to a bloody pulp!” he said savagely.

Guin gave a low cry of instant protest. “Oh, no, no! You mustn’t! It would cause such trouble for me!”

Sir Frederick stared at her, his dark brows snapping together. “Trouble for you, Miss Holland! The boot is on the other foot, I assure you. When you relate to your mother what has happened—”

“I can’t tell her! Oh, you don’t understand! Lord Holloway is-is—” Guin made a helpless gesture and another stifled sob broke from her.

Sir Frederick grimly surveyed her. His understanding was quick. Obviously Mrs. Holland was still cherishing hopes of an offer from Lord Holloway, and her daughter was petrified at the thought of incurring her mother’s displeasure by recounting the pretty scene he had chanced upon. “Then let your brother or your uncle know. They will know how to protect you.”

Guin shook her head adamantly. “Lord Holloway threatened—” She covered her mouth, her expression appalled.

For an instant, there was silence while Sir Frederick regarded her with gathering incredulity and wrath. “Are you saying that bastard has threatened the lives of your family?”

Guin fought for self-control, her breast heaving. She clasped and unclasped her fingers in unconscious tension. “I—I have said too much, Sir Frederick. I wish you to disregard it.”

“The devil I will,” said Sir Frederick flatly. “If you think your brother would thank you for this misguided loyalty, you are mightily mistaken. As for Colonel Caldar, I doubt that a man of his caliber will stand idly by while some cowardly cad takes advantage of his niece!” He looked around with a profound frown. “Where is Colonel Caldar? I thought he was to come tonight.”

“I wish he had,” said Guin with suspended tears in her voice.

At once Sir Frederick regretted his angry tone. “Forgive me, Miss Holland. I had no right to speak to you in such a fashion.” He took her hand in a careful grasp. “If you will allow me, I will handle this matter. Will you trust me?”

Guin looked into his earnest face for a long moment. The anxious kindness she perceived in his eyes was staggering to her bruised self-esteem. She could scarcely comprehend it. Her heart fluttered in her breast. All at once the dread that had crushed her from the first moment of Lord Holloway’s attack lifted from her soul. She smiled tremulously. “I will trust you, Sir Frederick. With all my heart.”

He lifted her hand to his lips. He was deeply moved. “You honor me, Miss Holland.”

There was a rustle and a laughing word. Mrs. Holland came back into the box, accompanied by a gentleman of advanced years who was obviously besotted with her. Lord Holybrooke followed in his mother’s train.

Mrs. Holland at once saw Sir Frederick. He was sitting at his ease in the chair next to her daughter, one leg straightened out before him. She blinked and glanced around the otherwise empty box. “Why, where is Lord Holloway?”

No one answered her surprised query at once. Sir Frederick rose and greeted Mrs. Holland with a civil bow. He recognized the gentleman with her and nodded and exchanged pleasantries. Lord Holybrooke stepped forward to shake Sir Frederick’s hand, welcoming the baronet with obvious friendliness.

Mrs. Holland repeated her question, this time looking at her silent daughter. She was frowning. “Where is Lord Holloway?”

Sir Frederick neatly shifted, placing himself between Mrs. Holland and her view of her daughter. Suavely, he said, “His lordship was forced to leave, Mrs. Holland.” He heard a soft gasp followed by a stifled giggle behind him. He did not show by even the quiver of a muscle that he had heard Guin’s self-betrayal,

Mrs. Holland pouted petulantly. “I don’t understand. Did Lord Holloway say where he was going? Did he have another engagement?”

“Lord Holloway did not say, ma’am,” said Sir Frederick with perfect truth.

Mrs. Holland shook her head over it. She was annoyed and it showed in her expression. “Well! What a very odd thing, to be sure. At the very least I would have thought Lord Holloway and his cousin would leave a message for me.”

Lord Holybrooke had been listening closely. His gaze left Sir Frederick’s bland expression to travel to his sister, where she was still sitting in the shadows of the corner of the box. He was aware of undercurrents he did not understand, but one thing was perfectly clear. Sir Frederick was shielding Guin from a too-searching questioning.

With swift presence of mind, Lord Holybrooke said quickly, “Mama, the curtain is about to go up, and you are not seated! Allow me to pull this chair farther forward so that you and General Layton may converse more readily.” He suited action to words, gracefully fielding the general’s expression of thanks as well as Mrs. Holland’s fond expression of appreciation.

Sir Frederick quietly adjusted the heavy velvet curtain and tied it back to its original appearance. Then he sat down on the chair next to Miss Holland, pulling the seat forward a few inches so that his body would partially hide her from Mrs. Holland’s casual glance.

Lord Holybrooke seated himself next to Sir Frederick Hawkesworth. He leaned forward to speak across the gentleman to his sister. He had thought it strange that Guin had not said anything even to him. “Guin! Are you quite all right?”

“Of course, Percy.”

Her voice was suspiciously bright and sounded strained to Lord Holybrooke’s attuned ears. The young earl muttered under his breath and half rose from his chair.

Sir Frederick swiftly laid a detaining hand on Lord Holybrooke’s arm and interjected in a lowered voice. “Your sister has sustained a shock, my lord.” On his other side, he felt her convulsive hand on his sleeve. He let go of the earl to reassuringly cover her fingers. Firmly, he said, “You must trust me, Miss Holland.”

Lord Holybrooke had sat back down, but his eyes had narrowed dangerously. In a savage undertone, he demanded, “Holloway?”

Sir Frederick nodded. He glanced warningly toward the two seated at the front of the box. “We shall confer later, my lord.”

Lord Holybrooke hesitated, and reluctantly nodded. It was obvious that something of awful moment had occurred. Equally obvious, his sister had no desire to bring whatever it was to their mother’s notice. It was apparent Sir Frederick knew what had happened, and he meant to preserve discretion until there were fewer ears. Lord Holybrooke was therefore also enjoined to trust in Sir Frederick’s judgment. The young earl settled himself to watch the remainder of the play with a frustrated sense of impatience.

As soon as the curtain went down, Lord Holybrooke suggested to his mother that it would be best to return home. “I am persuaded that Guin has the headache. She will not be at all in her best looks on the morrow if she does not rest, and we are to go to Lady Beasely’s
soiree.”

Mrs. Holland nodded. “Quite right, Percy. Guin, why did you not tell me that you were not feeling the thing? I would have sent you home hours ago with the coachman.”

“I—I did not wish to spoil your pleasure, Mama,” said Guin falteringly, glancing quickly at her brother and Sir Frederick.

“Well, you have in any event. It is so utterly boring to be obligated to bear with someone who feels unwell. No doubt that is why Lord Holloway and Miss Baker went off so precipitously,” said Mrs. Holland. She smiled at her admirer. “I regret that we must part company this early in the evening, sir.”

“If you do not object, Mrs. Holland, I would count it an honor to escort you and Miss Holland home,” said General Layton gallantly.

Mrs. Holland bestowed another dazzling smile upon the general and accepted his kind offices.

“I had hoped that after you see Mrs. Holland and your sister safely home, Lord Holybrooke, that you might join me at White’s,” said Sir Frederick in a casual voice.

“Of course, sir. I shall be delighted to do so,” said Lord Holybrooke promptly.

The party exited the theater. Sir Frederick took leave of Mrs. Holland and her daughter as their carriage was driven up. Miss Holland’s fingers clung to his for an instant too long, and Sir Frederick smiled down into her anxious face. “I shall wait upon you tomorrow, Miss Holland, if I may?”

“Of course, Sir Frederick,” she said in a somewhat subdued voice. She turned then and climbed up into the carriage. Mrs. Holland had already been handed inside by the general, and that gentleman then followed the ladies, at Lord Holybrooke’s insistence.