Deceiving the Duke of Kerrington (Ladies of Deception) (14 page)

            Hope
had to consciously remind herself not to drop into a curtsey as was her natural
inclination. Instead she forced what she knew was a painful smile on her face
and murmured, “Pleased to meet you.” She couldn’t miss the look of disdain
Eliza gave her and she wondered if she somehow knew that she was betrothed to
her beloved Pierce.

            Luckily
Lady Tolliver and her daughters saw some other people they knew and took their
leave fairly quickly. Hope didn’t know how much longer she could’ve stood being
in Eliza’s presence.

As they left, Caroline
placed one gloved hand on her arm, “Are you okay Noelle, you look rather pale,
is it the heat? It is particularly warm today.”

“As a matter of
fact, I am feeling ill. Hopefully it’s just the heat for I’d hate to take ill
and have to spend the remainder of the party in bed.” Though she spoke the
words, she actually realized that she liked the idea of being able to stay up
in her bedchamber until the party was over, avoiding both Eliza and Pierce. She
mulled the idea around in her head of faking sick so that she could get out of
it.

“Oh no, wouldn’t
that be horrid if you had to miss your own engagement ball?”

“Truly.” She
hoped Caroline didn’t pick up on her facetiousness.

“Well I insist
you go rest. I would hate for you to miss anymore of the party than you have
too. Maybe if you get out of the sun for awhile and take it easy you will feel
well enough to come to dinner tonight.”

“Are you sure
you wouldn’t mind? This is such a lovely tea and I know how much work you have
put into it.”

“Darling, I care
about your health more than all of this,” she gestured to their surroundings
with one gloved hand.

“Thank you.
Hopefully I’ll see you at dinner.” And with that, Hope turned and left the
gathering, certain that she was going to be ill and not sure if she could make
herself endure the rest of the weekend.

Chapter 17

Tucker had just
helped tie a fresh cravat around Pierce’s neck before helping him slip into his
black tailcoat. As always, he looked immaculate before stepping out of his
room. He had been worried about Noelle ever since his mother had informed him
that she had taken ill at the beginning of tea that afternoon and had wanted to
check on her more than once since then but something had always detained him.
He scowled as he thought of one of those impediments—Eliza had found him on his
way back to his room after their ride that afternoon. She had pressed herself
against him, trailing circles over his arm as she looked at him demurely
through lowered lashes. He knew she was trying to play coy but he could see
right through her. Beneath her mock innocence lay a conniving woman and he knew
that there was no way he was going to fall into her trap again. He felt foolish
for ever having done so in the first place.

He had tried to
dismiss her and escape to his room to freshen up and change but she moved to
block him. He had finally had to physically move her out of his way before he
could escape her presence. He dreaded another draining encounter with her, not
sure why she couldn’t get it through her head that he wasn’t interested.

That’s probably
why he was anticipating seeing Noelle so badly, with her things had become
comfortable, she never made him feel smothered or trapped. And he delighted in
her easy going nature and their badinage. He reached her room and knocked
sharply on the door. A few seconds later the door flew open revealing an
enchanting Noelle. She was dressed in a silk sage green dress, her hair
arranged in a Grecian knot on top of her head with a few loose tendrils curling
around her face. Pierce glanced down at her throat and was disappointed to
realize she wasn’t wearing the necklace he had given her, but maybe she was
saving it to wear to the ball tomorrow night.  He instinctively reached for her
but before he could so much as touch her she had taken a step out into the
hall.

When he reached
for her hand she recoiled, “It’s not necessary your grace, no one is here to
see so there’s no need to pretend.” He looked at her confused but she just
started walking without him.

He rushed to
catch up, grabbing the bare part of her arm just above her glove and pulling
her to a halt. She looked down at his hand as if she were disgusted, “What is
the meaning of this?”

“That’s what I’m
wondering. Why all of the sudden are you eager to be out of my presence?”

“It’s not a
recent development. If you recall correctly, I’ve never been eager to be in
your presence. Remember I was forced into this with no choice in the matter, or
have you forgotten?”

“What about
yesterday? You seemed to enjoy my presence then, or am I just imagining that?”

“Perhaps it was
a momentary lapse in my judgment, I’ll take care to be more careful in the
future.” She turned from him and began walking briskly down the hall. He caught
up to her as she had started to descend the staircase.

Pressing his
body to hers he pinned her against the banister, not knowing how else he was
going detain her before he got to the bottom of her odd behavior.

“Unhand me you
oaf!”

“No, not until
you tell me why you are being so short with me tonight. Last time we were
together you were a completely different person.” He reached up and ran his
long fingers down her neck causing her skin to tingle. She hated the way her
body betrayed her at his touch but he was so much larger and stronger than her that
she couldn’t pull away.

He ran his
fingers from her throat down to her collarbone then traced small circles down
her arm, stopping and concentrating on the spot of bare skin above her glove.
“Tell me you aren’t enjoying this.”

“I’m not
enjoying this,” she said flatly but he knew she was lying by the look in her
eyes, the same look she always had when he evoked passion in her.

She looked
straight at his chest so as to avoid his smoldering gaze, “Why are you doing
this to me?”

His fingers
stilled. He honestly didn’t know why he did anything in regards to her just
that he did what felt natural and being with her and touching her felt as
natural to him as breathing but he wasn’t going to tell her that. Instead he
pulled back, “I don’t know. Let’s go, I’m sure they’re waiting for us.”

Hope reluctantly
allowed him to take her arm, disappointed that he hadn’t said more, that he
couldn’t admit to feeling some sort of connection between the two of them. But
of course he wouldn’t when he was in love with Eliza. Her heart hurt and she
wondered if the pain would ever go away or if her life with him would be a
constant reminder of how she could never have all of him, that she would always
share him with someone else.

She tried to
force a smile to her lips as she entered the dining room, the long table almost
completely filled with guests. She found it easier to smile once she caught a
glimpse of Eliza eyeing them with disdain. She might not have Pierce’s heart
but she would be his wife and have his name and that was something that Eliza
would never have. That thought at least helped to cheer her slightly.

Pierce sat her
down between Elliot and an older gentleman she had yet to be introduced to
before going and sitting across from her between Eliza and her sister Alice.
Eliza leaned over and placed a hand on Pierce’s arm and whispered something in
his ear before laughing flirtatiously. Hope couldn’t stand to watch them
together, to see her touching Pierce. She briefly allowed herself to think of
him kissing Eliza the way he had kissed her and her stomach churned, the
thought making her ill.

To distract
herself from the bothersome scene she turned to Elliot, “Good evening Lord
Martineau, might I say that you are looking exceptionally handsome tonight?”
And she wasn’t lying, Elliot looked perfectly rakish in his silver waistcoat
and black jacket, his hair slightly longer then what was fashionable and his
eyes as blue as a clear summer sky.

“Of course
milady, as long as I’m allowed to return the compliment. You are looking good
enough to eat; maybe we should skip dinner and just feast on you!” Hope
couldn’t help the laughter that escaped her throat at his ridiculous remark.
She knew by the way that he had delivered said compliment that he was teasing
as always, but though it had annoyed her yesterday, tonight she found his
antics to be the perfect antidote to distract her from Pierce and Eliza.

Across the table
Pierce watched Noelle laugh at something Elliot had said and he had the strong
desire to slug him. He felt annoyed that she was laughing with him and enjoying
his company when she had made it clear earlier that she couldn’t stand his. He
watched as Noelle leaned in closer to Elliot and said something that made him
laugh in return. They seemed to be getting along much better than they had
yesterday and it annoyed Pierce to no end.

As the dinner
progressed his mood grew darker. Noelle hadn’t glanced his direction once the
entire evening, being completely wrapped up in Elliot who was performing
animatedly for his rapt audience of one. Instead he had to listen to endless
chatter from Eliza and her even more boring sister Alice. Eliza took every
opportunity she could to brush up against Pierce. He would feel her legs
pressing to his thighs under the table or she would casually rub one of her
bare shoulders up against him as she would lean in to tell him something.
Truthfully he hadn’t heard a word she had said all night and each time she made
physical contact with him he felt his skin crawl. It was hard for him to
believe that there had ever been a time when he had craved her affections.

 At one time
when she had placed her hand on top of his while laughing obnoxiously at some
story she was relating, he reached over and placed his other hand on top of
hers with the intent of removing it from his person.  Before he had a chance to
move it Noelle looked over, her eyes widening at the sight of his hand on top
of Eliza’s and she quickly looked away. Perfect, he thought as he removed her
hand from his and sat back and folded his arms across his chest.

He had no idea
that Noelle had been introduced to Eliza until she turned to make conversation
with his side of the table for the first time the entire meal by saying, “So
tell me Lady Norton, how do you and the duke know each other? You seem quite
comfortable together.”

Pierce’s face
blanched as Eliza flashed a dazzling, if insincere smile. “Mine and Pierce’s
relationship goes way back to when we were both children, doesn’t it darling?”
Before he could answer she continued, “With our family’s estates bordering each
other, we were practically raised together. Pierce had such a boyish crush on
me, didn’t you darling?” Of course she didn’t let Pierce answer before she was
babbling on once more, “It was only natural that as we got older that we would
fall in love.” She turned doe eyes on him then and Hope was sorry she asked.

Pierce spoke
then, “Darling,” he ground out acidly, “would you like me to tell them how the
story ends?” He took delight in the putrid shade of green her face went, knowing
that revealing her true character had not been part of her plan.

It didn’t take
long, however, for her to gather her whit’s about her and remark coyly, “I
wouldn’t be so quick to divulge the ending of our story yet, I didn’t think it
had been written.”

Hope rose to her
feet suddenly causing her chair to scratch loudly across the floor as the
entire table turned to look at her with curious expressions. She turned to
Elliot and said, “It’s feeling quite oppressive in here, would you mind
strolling with me through the gardens so I can get some fresh air?”

“Of course, my lady,
I’d be delighted.” He rose and took her arm, placing it into the crook of his
elbow as he led her out of the dining room and into the black inky night.

As soon as they
were out of sight, Hope dropped her hand from his arm and groaned, looking up
at the stars that were sparkling like the diamonds and jewels that graced the
lady’s necks inside. She was so frustrated that she felt like screaming, and
had she been alone she just might have.  Elliot sat on a marble bench, his forearms
resting on his thighs and watched her with humor in his eyes.

When Hope no
longer had the desire to scream, she went and perched on the bench next to him
and said, “I can’t stand Lady Norton, or your lovely friend Pierce for that
matter.” Her chin jutted out defiantly as she crossed her arms across her
chest.

Elliot laughed,
thinking she looked like a child pouting. “I don’t care much for Lady Norton
myself, but Pierce isn’t so bad a fellow. Besides the fact that he’s much more
arrogant and better looking than myself.”

“You’ve got that
right.”

Elliot looked
wounded, “You admit that he’s better looking than I?”

Color suffused
Hope’s cheeks as she stammered, “Don’t put words into my mouth.”

“I didn’t have
too.” He looked at her shrewdly, “Tell me you haven’t fallen in love with
Pierce, have you?”

Hope looked
away, embarrassed that he’d see the truth etched on her face. “I’m not that
great of a fool. Besides, what would it do for me to fall in love with a man
who is in love with someone else?”

Elliot was taken
back, “Surely you aren’t implying that Pierce is in love with Eliza? That’s
preposterous!”

“Is it?”

“Of course! He
was in love with her once but that was a long time ago and believe me, he would
never be stupid enough to fall in love with her again.”

For one brief
moment her heart lightened before his next words sent it crashing into her
stomach once more, “For that matter, he would never be stupid enough to fall in
love with any girl ever again, he learned his lesson well the first time.”

“That’s
horrible.”

Elliot gave her
one long assessing look before asking, “Is it? For whom? Him or you.”