His Mistress (7 page)

“If you are not otherwise engaged, my Lady, perhaps we might enjoy the pleasure of each other’s company this evening?”

Although his manner was courteous, there was also a soft note of confidence in his voice. It suggested he fully expected her to agree to his proposal. Despite her desperate battle to maintain her composure, a small part of Jane resented the self-assurance she heard layered beneath his words. Was she so transparent where he was concerned? It was a question she didn’t care to answer. Her eyes narrowed as she met his bold gaze.

“You presume a great deal, sir.”

“I think you misunderstand, my Lady.” There was a challenge in his dark brown eyes before he lowered his gaze in a deferential manner. “I wish to be of service to you.”

For a long moment, Jane stared at him in disbelief. Had the man she was to marry just offered to surrender himself to her commands? The idea elated and appalled her in one split second. Here was the type of challenge she’d been looking for since Angélique had declared her ready to use her abilities. And yet, she hesitated. She instinctively knew Tobias would not be easily managed, and it made her question her ability to bend him to her slightest command. Insecurity won the battle of indecision.

“Unfortunately, I have other obligations this evening.” She declined his offer with a quiet firmness that belied the tumult inside her.

“Then may I serve you tomorrow night, my Lady?” Again, there was the self-satisfied note in his voice that said he was certain she would accept his offer. She clenched her jaw at the notion he thought it easy to gain her favor. She might be a novice, but she was not a fool.

“I am otherwise engaged tomorrow night as well…but the next time we meet perhaps I shall consider your request.”

Although Tobias didn’t raise his gaze to meet hers, she knew the deliberate pause in her answer had the effect she’d intended. Her response served as a rebuke for his arrogant belief she would easily give way to his request. The way he held himself rigid was evidence of his surprise and frustration that she’d not easily agreed to his offer. Despite her bemused state of mind, confidence bloomed inside Jane as she watched the frustration cross Tobias’ strong, angular features.

“As you wish, my Lady.”

There was respect in his voice, but she could tell he was vexed by her rejection of him. Once more he reminded her of a powerful, restless jungle cat pacing the confines of his cage looking for a way to escape his prison. Had she made a mistake to deny him tonight? No, the shock of seeing him here in
La Maison des Plaisirs Sombres
was too much for her to cope with at the moment.

It would have been a mistake to accept his offer when her senses were reeling. Still, the desire the desire to keep him from seeking relief with any other Lady in the club consumed her. Jane stepped up onto the landing next to him and stretched out her hand to gently brush a lock of his hair off his forehead. The midnight black strand curled around her finger. She was glad she’d left her gloves behind in Angélique’s suite this evening, otherwise she would not have been able to enjoy the silky feel of his hair against her skin. Without realizing she’d come to a decision, she leaned into him and brushed her lips against his ear.

“I offer you a test of willpower. If you can save your seed for me and me alone, I shall grant your request the next time we see each other.” She heard the sharp hiss of air he pulled into his lungs and smiled as he jerked his head in a quick nod of agreement.

“I will do as you ask, my Lady,” he rasped.

“Then until we meet again,” she whispered. Jane lightly grazed her lips along the edge of his jaw then climbed the remaining steps to the balcony’s top landing.

It was an effort to do so, but Jane forced herself to maintain a moderate pace until she was in the corridor outside the gallery. She paused for a brief moment, one hand pressed into her stomach as a tremor worked its way through every inch of her. Dear God, had she actually managed to make a man obey her with little more than a few words and a light touch? And even more importantly, the man had been Tobias. The knowledge sent another shudder through her.

Why hadn’t Angélique warned her that Tobias was a member of the club? Jane gritted her teeth, in frustration. She understood the rules of
La Maison des Plaisirs Sombres
all too well given the traitor in their midst, but this was completely different. She drew in a deep breath then released it before she made her way through several softly lit corridors toward the back of the club and the suite Angélique maintained at
La Maison des Plaisirs Sombres
.

Her friend’s maid and seamstress answered Jane’s quiet knock on the suite door. Bernadette smiled her welcome and invited Jane into the brightly lit salon. For a moment, Jane squinted as her eyes adjusted to the light.

“Bonsoir, Lady
Mystère
,” the young woman said pleasantly. “Madam Bissette is changing, but will be ready soon. I have laid out your gown for the party in the dressing room for you. As soon as I have finished helping Madam Bissette, I will be in to assist you.”

“Thank you Bernadette.” Jane nodded her thanks as the other woman hurried back toward Angélique’s dressing room.

As the maid disappeared into the adjoining room, Jane removed her mask as she always did when she was in the safety of Angélique’s private sanctuary. The last thing on her mind was changing for the Sunderland party. Her encounter with Tobias had left her feeling shaken and vulnerable. Jane inhaled then exhaled a sharp breath before she crossed the floor to the liquor cart. In a jerky movement, she reached out for the decanter of brandy and poured herself a small shot. She swallowed the alcohol in one swift gulp only to regret it a moment later. Fire streaked its way down her throat, and she coughed violently as the brandy spread its burning sting through her chest.

“
Mon Dieu
,
ma chérie
,” Angélique exclaimed as she entered the salon. “What in heaven’s name are you doing?”

“I’m having a drink of brandy to settle my nerves,” Jane rasped as she set down her glass and turned toward her friend.

“But we are to attend Lord Sunderland’s soirée, and you haven’t even changed.”

“That would be because my dearest friend in the world didn’t prepare me for the fact that my husband-to-be is a member of
La Maison des Plaisirs Sombres
.”

“
Merde
, so you saw him,” Angélique said softly. “Did he recognize you?”

“No, I thought he had at one point, but I’m certain he has no idea that Lady
Mystère
and Lady Jane are one and the same.”

“Forgive me, Jane. I wanted to warn you, but I could not.”

“Not even though you know
both
of us and that we are to marry?” Jane glared at her friend. “I’ve been coming here for almost a year, and this is the first time I’ve ever seen Tobias in the club. You should have said something.”

“No,
ma petite
. If I had told you, I would have been no better than the traitor we have in our midst.” Angélique eyed her with disappointment. “Even if I
had
told you about Tobias, I would have in all fairness been obliged to speak of you to him as well. Would you have wanted me to do that?”

“No, that is something I’ll share when the time is right,” Jane said quietly. “I’m sorry. It was unfair of me to think you should break the rules where I’m concerned. I’m simply flustered by his appearance in the club. Why haven’t I seen him before now?”

“I imagine his work has kept him away.” Angélique shrugged slightly. “I have learned not to ask questions of my clients.”

“When he does come to the club, does he…” Jane’s voice trailed to a halt as she realized she might not want to know the answer to her unspoken question.

A slight smile of understanding tilted Angélique’s lips. Jane winced at the gentle amusement flashing in the Frenchwoman’s eyes. Angélique knew her far too well not to know precisely what Jane was thinking.

“If you are asking does he have a special Lady he indulges himself with when he is here, then
non
.” Angélique’s brow furrowed in contemplation. “In fact, I think it unlikely Tobias has found a woman strong enough to make him yield to her command.”

The memory of Tobias’ frustrated expression sent a wave of excitement through Jane. Tobias had yielded to her tonight. It had been with great reluctance, but he’d yielded nonetheless. The knowledge filled Jane with a sense of purpose.

“Then I shall be the woman who makes him yield,” Jane said with a quiet resolve. Angélique shook her head with concern.

“That will not be an easy task,
ma petite
. Tobias is not like other men, Jane.” The Frenchwoman’s expression was that of someone gently trying to steer her away from danger. “Tobias has never submitted completely to any woman. It is a game he plays, and he has mastered it. The more layers you tear away, the harder he will fight you.”

“I know.” She nodded at Angélique’s warning. “That was quite evident tonight.”

“You spoke with him?” the Frenchwoman exclaimed softly.

“Yes. I didn’t know it was him until he approached me…and offered to be of service,” Jane replied. The memory of turning around and seeing the wicked grin on Tobias’ face set off a flurry of butterflies in her stomach.

“
Merde
, to my knowledge, Tobias has never approached a woman in the club before. He has always come to me to arrange private introductions.” Angélique’s surprise changed to excitement as she smiled. “But this is
magnifique
,
ma chérie
. That he sought you out demonstrates he recognized your innate strength. He wishes to test himself with you.”

“Then he received his first test tonight.” Exhilaration flooded Jane’s senses as she remembered how Tobias had agreed, albeit reluctantly, to her instructions. She met her friend’s curious gaze and smiled. “I refused his offer of service for tonight and tomorrow night, but promised that if he would hold his seed for me, I would oblige him the next time we meet.”

“
Mon dieu
, I can just imagine how he reacted to that.” Angélique gasped with a peal of laughter before she stepped forward to take hold of Jane’s hands, a serious expression on her face. “But remember, Tobias Lynsted has never relinquished control of his inner demons to any woman.”

Jane simply nodded and squeezed her friend’s hands in a silent gesture of understanding. In response, the Frenchwoman kissed Jane on both cheeks. Stepping backward, Angélique eyed Jane with amusement.

“Come, we will arrive fashionably late for Lord Sunderland’s ball. But first, you must change, and I must have Bernadette attend to this hem of mine,” Angélique said with sniff of irritation as she lifted the skirt of her gown to show where the material had fallen loose.

Jane smiled as Angélique pulled her toward the small changing room her friend had put at her disposal whenever the two of them were to leave the club for a late night affair. It took only a few minutes to change her gown, and when she was ready, Jane returned to the salon. From Angélique’s boudoir, she heard the soft sound of her friend and Bernadette arguing with each other about how best to repair the Frenchwoman’s gown.

Smiling, Jane shook her head in amusement and crossed the salon to retrieve her mask from the table just inside the entrance to Angélique’s private rooms. The marble surface of the half-moon tabletop was cool against her fingertips as she picked up the mask.

The silk ribbons rustled softly as she tied the domino securely behind her head. When she’d finished, Jane stared at her reflection in the mirror hanging on the wall. The woman staring back at her wore a simple black mask that made her eyes seem larger than normal. The dark blue gown she wore clung to curves Angélique always claimed to be envious of.

In the candlelight, the iridescent satin shimmered with color. It was her favorite of all the gowns she’d bought when she had gone shopping with Angélique yesterday. The modiste had been saving it for another customer, but her friend had managed to finagle the woman into fitting it to Jane’s body.

The dress revealed softly rounded shoulders and a full bosom. Tentatively, Jane touched the base of her throat and allowed her hand to move slowly downward. Her head tilted to one side, she studied the way her body curved outward then inward and then outward again. While she’d initially balked at Tobias’ decree that she replenish her wardrobe, she was forced to admit that she enjoyed the new gowns.

The last time she’d worn anything this lovely was the night she’d given herself to Barnaby. The random thought made her turn away from the mirror with a jerk. There was little point in revisiting the pain and misery of that period in her life. That young woman was dead and buried. Even the woman she’d become over the last fifteen years had changed over in the past few months.

This evening she’d changed even more. Tonight she’d dared to bend a man to her will. Months ago when she’d insisted Angélique teach her how to use her feminine strength, Jane hadn’t really believed she’d ever achieve the ability to bend a man to her command. But tonight, she’d made Tobias do her bidding with only a few soft words. Never in her life had she ever experienced such confidence in herself until Tobias had agreed to her terms earlier tonight.

Once more, a delicious exhilaration pulsed its way through her veins. The emotion quickly changed to trepidation. From the moment she’d accepted Tobias’ marriage proposal, she knew he would be a problem where her heart was concerned. But she’d never dreamed he would present such a complex one. The world of
La Maison des Plaisirs Sombres
was wicked, sinful, and filled with the darkest of erotic desires.

It was a world Tobias obviously knew well, and one which she was still learning. Did she really have the strength to make him yield to her completely and utterly? Jane swallowed the knot of trepidation suddenly threatening to close her throat. What she lacked for in knowledge, she would make up for in determination.

All her life she’d had little to no control over her own destiny. But all that had changed here in
La Maison des Plaisirs Sombres
. Here she’d been granted permission to be the one in control without penalty or disapproval. In this private, anonymous haven, she could satisfy every one of her desires. And her greatest desire at the moment was to bend Tobias to her needs when it came to how she wished him to pleasure her.