My Lady Notorious (22 page)

Chastity went to him. Alone, she would be constantly accosted, and why shouldn’t she have a moment of pleasure too?

For a while they danced moderately, but then he picked her up to
twirl her in the air. Chastity squealed, fearing she was showing her
all, and that her wig would fly off. She was also terrified by his size
and strength which made her like a child in his arms. She realized
she’d never before been out in the world unprotected by father,
brother, or Cyn, but here she had no one to save her from this giant.

He lowered her slowly against his body. She sighed with relief to
have her feet on the ground again, until she realized his maneuver had
rucked up her petticoat at the front so a good part of her legs was
bare.

He gave a mock growl and kissed her.

Chastity was totally helpless. One mighty arm clamped her in place.
His other hand held her head, and her skull seemed to fit that hand as
neatly as an orange would fit her own. His hot mouth assaulted her and
when she resisted, his thumb slid forward to force open her mouth. His
heavy tongue invaded. This had never happened to her before.

She felt swamped, engulfed and overpowered, but her senses were
swimming, and she knew her mouth had softened under his skillful
pressure. That frightened her more than anything.

He drew back, slowly. “That’s better, my pretty. What’s the matter? You have someone else here?”

Grasping the escape, Chastity said, “Yes.”

“Too bad.” His hand moved up to press and circle over her breast.

Too hard. It hurt. The trace of pleasure had gone, replaced by terror. She was going to be ravished, here in this room. She’d
never
been pawed like this, even by Henry Vernham.

She strained back against Gresham’s rock-hard arm. desperately
seeking an escape, but he took the opportunity to bite her neck. “Too
bad, indeed,” she gasped. “But I slipped away from him because he
wouldn’t feed me. Truly, sir, I’m famished. I… er… can’t give my mind
to other matters until my stomach stops aching.”

He laughed and nibbled at the upper curve of her breast. “In truth,
I’m starved myself now you mention it, and I don’t suppose I should
really eat you, delicious though you are.”
Eating
, thought Chastity hysterically.
This is what they meant
! “Heather must have food here somewhere,” he said, “and we’ll both need to keep our strength up, won’t we?”

Dizzy with relief, Chastity smiled at him. “Especially me, sir,” she said coyly. “You being so big.”

“You won’t believe it, my pretty, I promise you.” He grabbed her hand and clutched it to his bulging penis.

Chastity froze in disbelief. It would tear a woman apart!

He chuckled. “Are you sure you want to stop for belly-food? You can eat me all you want, and I promise to fill you up.”

At his words, Chastity’s stomach almost did rebel. “Oh, yes,” she
said quickly. “More sure than ever!” All she wanted was to be free of
him, and then she’d be off to her room and safety. She had a few names
and her nerve had utterly gone.

He steered her into another room, his arm protection from the crowd,
but also imprisonment. It would be almost impossible to break free, and
if she did, he’d catch her in a moment. Would a scream for help achieve
anything? If it did, it would probably expose her identity.

She felt almost faint with horror at that thought.

She’d rather be ravished.

She would have to convince him she was as eager as he and hope he’d leave her side for a moment, perhaps to serve her with food.

She wasn’t paying much attention to her surroundings except to note
that the room was crowded, until those around let out a roar. She
jumped. “What is it?” she gasped.

“Haven’t you seen the theater yet, sweetheart?” Gresham asked. As if she were a child, he hoisted her on his shoulder.

Chastity realized they were in Heatherington’s ‘theater.’ A plinth
had been built at one end of the room and chairs set out for the
audience. The entertainment was so popular that the chairs were all
full and people were standing all around the room. Presumably this was
where the singing had taken place earlier, but now the performance was
not music but copulation.

The couple were both naked except for full-face masks. They grunted
and contorted in a most extraordinary position that Chastity would not
have believed to be physically possible.

She fought her way down.

“Not to your liking?” Gresham asked in surprise.

“Er… too stimulating!” Chastity gasped. “I really must control myself until I eat.”

He chuckled and moved his back against the wall. He pulled her to
him. “Hot, are you?” he asked. “Pity to waste it…” He pulled up her
skirt at the back and fondled her thighs.

Chastity wriggled desperately, but this only seemed to encourage
him. Someone bumped into her from behind knocking the breath out of
her, but also knocking Gresham’s hand away.

“Beg pardon,” the person murmured. Chastity stiffened as she
recognized Cyn’s voice. Part of her wanted to hide; part of her wanted
to scream for help.

“Gresham,” he said casually. “I see you’ve found yourself a pleasant armful.”

“Indeed,” said Gresham, and turned Chastity in his arms. “Meet Lord
Cyn, my pretty.” He placed his hands possessively over her breasts.

Chastity prayed for the earth to swallow her. Cyn looked remarkably
untussled for someone who’d been in this mayhem for over an hour. He
clearly had no suspicion as to her identity. He smiled at her with
careless good humor and gave a slight bow. “Charmed, my dear.”

Chastity didn’t want him to recognize her, but nor did she want him
to leave her here in the clutch of this giant. If necessary she’d
reveal all. “The same, I’m sure,” she said in her false voice. “I’m not
averse to entertaining two, handsome.”

Gresham’s hands tightened. “Hey, none of that.”

Cyn smiled. “I’m afraid that isn’t my game either, pretty one. If you want to seek me out privately later…”

And how many assignations is that you’ve made? thought Chastity. And how many have you kept?

Gresham chuckled. “She’ll be worn to a frazzle by later, my friend. I’d seek another partner if I were you.”

Chastity forced a smile. “Oh, very well, but can’t we at least get to the food?”

“All right, all right,” said Gresham, “we’ll find it.” As an aside he said to Cyn, “A wench of truly ferocious appetites.”

“She’ll need to be,” said Cyn. “As it happens, I know where the food is. Come on, and I’ll show you.”

The next room after the theater was almost empty and the people
there appeared to be simply talking. Unfortunately one of the people
present was Rothgar, offering snuff to no less a person than the Earl
of Bute, confidant and mentor of the young king, supposed lover of the
king’s mother! Was this place, then, the true face of Society? Could
the king himself be present?

Chastity glanced at Cyn, but he didn’t seem to have noticed his
brother, and Rothgar had his back to them. Where, Chastity wondered,
was the luscious Sable?

Then they entered the next room where two tables were laden with
food and drink. Unusually, there were no small tables, and so people
had to eat standing up. A dozen or so guests were doing so, with
strange hilarity.

Strange until Chastity and her escort arrived at the tables. Even
food, apparently, was not beyond the lewd ingenuity of Lord
Heatherington.

Down the center of each table, food had been formed into the shape
of a body—a woman’s on one, a man’s on the other. Most of the interest
centered on the female figure. Parsley nestled at the juncture of her
blancmange thighs, and glace cherries formed the nipples on the
half-melons of her breasts. The men were leaning over to nibble off
those cherries, which they then replaced from a bowl by the side.

Chastity looked to the other table, where the cherry was predictably
on the end of a cucumber. She grabbed some innocuous bread and cheese,
thinking she’d never be able to eat cucumber again. Gresham moved over
to take a turn at the cherries. This was her chance, but Cyn had stayed
with her.

She wondered what he would do if she slipped away— it was none of
his business after all. On the other hand, this would be the only
moment to warn him of his brother’s presence.

She hesitated. She had to escape, but she could warn him first. He
turned to the table to pick up a chicken leg and she plucked the note
out of her bosom. She leaned over beside him, pressing against him as
she reached across for some grapes. She slipped the note into his
pocket.

He turned quickly, frowning at her.

“Why, what is it, my lord?” she asked, nervously.

“Nothing,” he said, but with an intent look, as if he was seeing her for the first time.

Chastity glanced at Gresham, who grinned at her and leaned down to
seize a cherry in his teeth. He’d be back in a moment. “I must go,” she
said. “I need to relieve myself!”

He too glanced at Gresham, then grasped her wrist. “Come. then. I’ll show you where.”

He dragged her from the room. Gresham let out an enraged bellow. Cyn
pulled her down a short corridor and out into the chilly night.

“What are you doing?” cried Chastity, gasping from the cold wind.

“Finding you a place to piss, my lovely. That is what you want,
isn’t it? Or was Gresham more than you could swallow?” He wasn’t like
Cyn at all. He sounded hard and angry.

“But it’s so cold!”

He whipped off his coat and wrapped it around her. It formed a prison and he used it to drag her close.

“My lord… !”

His lips silenced her. They were hard and allowed no refusal, but
Chastity melted. She’d hungered for this for so long. Did it matter
that he didn’t know who she was? She’d take this moment and treasure it.

Once she surrendered, she was lost. Her arms slid around his body.
She molded herself to every inch of him. She took his tongue inside
her, sweet and spicy…

He suddenly broke free and dragged her further along the building
behind some bushes, hushing her. He seemed breathless. Chastity was in
a daze.

Then she heard Gresham. “Where the devil is he? Ho! Malloren, you rogue! Come out and return my wench!”

After a few more curses he went back into the house and slammed the door.

Cyn rose and pulled her with him. “Do you want to rejoin him?”

Chastity shook her head. She wanted to stay here with Cyn forever, safe and warm in his coat, and let the world go hang.

He raised her chin with his knuckles. “What then do you want?” Still
there was that hardness, but one thing was clear. This moment came from
heaven. It was a chance to love Cyn without endangering him.

“I want you,” she whispered.

He caught his breath. “I wonder why…”

There was no answer to that and so Chastity waited. He let his hand
travel down her neck and shoulder and slid his fingers behind the stiff
stomacher to touch her nipple. This evening had been too much for her,
and her senses were disordered. She collapsed back against the rough
brick wall and let him do as he willed.

He rolled her nipple gently, and Chastity shivered in response. He
pressed his hips against her, and she couldn’t help but thrust back at
him.

“You do want me, don’t you?” he said softly. “Well, my sweet little
wanton, so too do I want you.” He pulled his fingers free and led her
further along the house.

“Where are we going?” asked Chastity, feeling raw in the cold night.

“Via the kitchens. I don’t really want to have to duel my friend over you. You’re hardly worth that, are you?”

Again that hardness gave Chastity a frisson of unease. She reminded
herself that he didn’t know who she was; he thought her a whore, or a
lady of very easy virtue. Did she really want to be treated as one?

But, imperfect as it was, this would be their only chance. She went with him.

She entered the kitchen and Chastity staggered at the heat and
noise, amazed the house wasn’t on fire. The servants were roaring
drunk, but trying to manage the spits and keep food and drink moving
above stairs. Some had given up. A leg of mutton smoldered, and one
drunken woman snored, slack-lipped, in a corner.

No one noticed as Cyn appropriated a basket and put in some sliced
meat, fruit pies, and a pot of whipped cream before leading Chastity
onward. She looked back and saw a cook turn around and search blearily
for his cream.

They passed the butler’s pantry which conveniently had a half-dozen
bottles of wine open. One bottle and a couple of glasses went into the
basket. Chastity ventured a protest.

Cyn glanced at her. “You did complain of hunger, sweeting. I intend to satisfy you in all respects.”

He was smiling and yet still she sensed a chill behind it. In a way
she welcomed the coolness. She didn’t want him to feel warmly toward
this chance-met doxy.

Yet again, she acknowledged, they were living a lie.

He led the way to a set of narrow servants’ stairs. There were
candles standing in a row, and a lamp to light them by. Cyn lit one and
gave it to Chastity to carry as they climbed the stairs.

Cyn would have been hard put to express what he felt at this
development. She was a wanton, after all. He’d left her safe in her
room then found her, painted in her true colors, playing the whore. She
had no reason to join this company except to seek a man.

He could have wept.

On the other hand, he was going to have her. If she thought to trick
him as she’d tricked Gresham, she’d catch cold at it. She’d expressed
willingness; she had come without protest; soon he’d be able to assuage
the lust that had been tormenting him for days. That kiss alone had
been enough to set his body throbbing.

And by God, he’d make sure she remembered him. Perhaps she had
rolled in bed with half the men in England, but she wouldn’t forget Cyn
Malloren.