Sally MacKenzie Bundle (135 page)

“It matters not the slightest. Let’s just step out this door and enjoy the cool night air.”

“All right.” Grace went into the dark with him. “So have you got your uncle to agree to come? It is most important. Aunt Kate is still not herself.”

He’d noticed. Lady Oxbury had been standing on the other side of the room with a group of chaperones that included Mrs. Fallwell, Lady Amanda Wallen-Smyth, and Lady Gladys, the Duke of Alvord’s aunt. She’d seemed to be staring off into space while the other women conversed. At least she’d paid scant attention to Grace’s whereabouts and the nefarious men who might be luring her charge astray.

No matter. He had been paying careful attention. He intended to be the only nefarious man to tempt Lady Grace into misbehavior. He maneuvered her so her back was to the balustrade and his back was to the door, his body shielding hers from anyone who might venture onto this little corner of the terrace.

“So, what has your uncle said?” Grace frowned at him, but didn’t protest her location. Had she not realized his intentions?

He smiled slightly. She looked especially alluring tonight. Her skin—her lovely, wonderful skin—was an enticing play of cool, creamy paleness and seductive shadows.

“Lord Dawson, what did Mr. Wilton say? Is he coming?”

“Hmm?” He could not help himself. He’d surreptitiously removed his gloves and stuck them into a pocket; now he put his hands on her upper arms. His fingers smoothed her silky skin. He heard her breath catch.

“He didn’t say anything. I didn’t ask him.”

She had looked slightly alarmed and slightly expectant when he’d touched her. Those expressions vanished and she glared at him.

Would she slap him if he tried to kiss her?

“Why didn’t you ask him?”

“Besides the fact he is not in Town at present—”

“I
know
that!”

“—I thought it inadvisable to push him too hard. He may smell a rat, you know, and refuse to set foot on Motton’s estate.”

“Oh. Yes, I see.” Grace put her hands on his waistcoat and looked up at him. Her voice held sincerity and a touch of pleading. “That would be terrible. I’m convinced he is the author of Aunt Kate’s discontent. He
must
come.”

Did she know she was driving him mad? He covered her gloved hands with his bare ones. “I think he will come, but if he doesn’t, his estate is not so far from Motton’s. I will devise a way to get him and your aunt together.”

“You promise?”

Zeus, she was looking up at him as though he could work miracles. He was only a man. He could not decide the future; he could not determine anyone’s fate.

But he wanted to. He wanted to work miracles for her.

He would find a way. He could not promise Alex and Lady Oxbury would reach the accord Grace so obviously hoped for, but he could promise to bring them together. He
would
succeed, even if he had to knock Alex out and abduct him to do so.

He bent his head toward Grace. Her eyes grew wary; she started to draw back. He slid his hands up her lovely arms to her beautiful shoulders.

“I promise.” He moved closer. She stayed still, like a frightened rabbit, frozen, ready to bolt. He would not let her bolt. He was her fox; he would consume her.

“I promise,” he whispered again, against her mouth. He traced her lips with his tongue. She sighed softly and he slipped inside.

She was hot and wet. She was his. Her body sagged against him—her lovely, soft, rounded body. Her hands moved up to his neck; his hands moved down to her hips, urging her even closer, pressing her against his need. He could not get enough of her. He plunged his tongue into her sweetness…

She pushed against him. Had she been struggling for a while to get free? No, he would have noticed, even through his madness. He raised his head.

“Lord Dawson.” She was panting, her lovely breasts heaving, but she still clung to him. His cheek had not yet felt the sting of her hand. “You go too far.” She spoke in a breathy whisper.

He smiled and kissed the tip of her nose.

“Sweetheart, believe me, I intend to go a lot farther.”

She inhaled sharply, but still made no move to slap him. How far could he go? Regrettably, it would be inadvisable to investigate on Lord Fonsby’s terrace.

“Just not tonight.” Did she look disappointed? Splendid. He put her hand on his arm and headed back inside. He could barely wait until he had the time and privacy to see just how far Lady Grace would permit him to venture.

Chapter 12

Alex stared out at the rain. It splashed in the puddles on the terrace and ran like tears down the Coade stone statue of Hermes he’d purchased in a moment of whimsy.

Funny, Kate’s dog’s name was Hermes.

Damn. He turned away from the window. He should light some candles—it was too dim in the library to read.

He didn’t want to read.

He walked over to his desk. Windom, his estate manager, had been after him to work on his accounts ever since he got home. Something about a drainage problem in the south fields and a new kind of seed…

Blast it all! He left the desk and went back to the window. He’d tried to work on the damn accounts almost every day since he’d fled London. Windom was getting impatient with him. He didn’t blame him. He was getting impatient with himself. His attention was shot to hell. Nothing interested him any more.

What the blazes was he going to do? He had to put Kate behind him. He couldn’t spend the rest of his days drifting from room to room, staring out windows.

The rain continued to fall. It had been misting or pouring every day since he’d got back to Clifton Hall. Everything smelled musty. He could feel the damp in his bones.

It had been too wet to work in the fields or take Lear for a good long gallop, but he had the sinking feeling those activities would no longer cure him of the dismals.

He shouldn’t have left London. Hell, he shouldn’t have left Kate’s room, but something in her glib tone had shot straight to his heart like a well-aimed arrow.

Maybe if he had stayed and simply enjoyed what she was offering, he would have cured himself of this infatuation. Perhaps they could have had an enjoyable liaison for the Season. He might have got tired of her—or she of him, of course. In any event, he could have finally put this longing to rest.

He rested his forehead against the windowpane. God, could he ever fill the hole she’d torn in his heart? He had lived for years with the emptiness of loss, but he’d still had a vague sense of hope. Now that was gone and in its place was this bleak ennui. He felt as if he were dead, but had just forgotten to lie down in his coffin.

He closed his eyes, then opened them again and straightened. No, he was not some silly fribble to be brought low by love. The very thought was nauseating. Damn, he was acting like some court-card, some mewling dandy
poet
. Disgusting.

And what if David actually married Lady Grace? It would have to be over Standen’s dead body, but stranger things had happened. If he did not want to cut all connection with his nephew, he would have to learn how to meet Lady Oxbury in social settings. At David’s wedding, the christening of his first child—

He squeezed his eyes shut again. God, the pain that thought caused him. But he had to get over it. He wanted David to be happy.

He would stop this ridiculous moroseness immediately. Lady Oxbury was just a woman, and there were plenty of women in the world who would be happy to spend time with him—women who were younger, more beautiful—

No, he was not ready for comparisons. He would not think of Ka—Lady Oxbury. He would not think at all. He would just do. He would start slowly. There was no hurry. Just taking the first step to free himself from this awful gloom was—

“Sir?”

His butler was at the door. He’d been so lost in thought, he hadn’t heard the man approach. Well, that would change right now. “Yes, Grant? What is it?”

“This just arrived from Viscount Motton.” Grant handed him a note. “The footman is awaiting your response.”

“I see.” He pulled his spectacles from his pocket and glanced over the text.

Motton was having a house party at Lakeland, was he? Splendid! What could be a more perfect first step out of his misery? True, sometimes the viscount allowed his odd sense of humor to rule his better judgment—one of his gatherings reportedly included a competition to determine who possessed the worst singing voice—but a little screeching was a small price to pay to get out of the dungeon Clifton Hall had become.

If the planned festivities were too wearing, well, he’d been wanting to talk to Motton about the viscount’s new cultivation scheme and to view his fields firsthand. And if that failed to amuse, Lakeland was only a day’s ride away. It would be easy to come home.

“Grant, tell Lord Motton’s footman I shall be delighted to attend.”

“Lord Dawson has arrived, my lady.”

“Oh.” Grace’s heart almost leapt from her bodice. She stopped packing to press her hand to her chest. Just the man’s name made her stomach flutter as if it housed a flock of sparrows. “I’m not quite ready. Is my aunt packed, Marie?”

“No. Ye both are taking forever. Yer just going for a few days, ye know, not weeks.”

“Yes, I know. It’s just, well, I’m not certain what to expect…” She glanced around the room. Perhaps she should just pack her entire wardrobe and be done with it.

“I’ll put him in the blue parlor and have some brandy sent in.”

“Perhaps that would be best. I won’t be too much longer.”

Marie laughed. “My lady, any time waiting is too long for most gentlemen.”

Grace let out a long breath once the door closed behind Marie. How was she going to survive this house party? She’d be spending days in close proximity to Lord Dawson with hours free to wander the estate in relative—well, perhaps actual—privacy. Many opportunities for him to do exactly what he’d done at Lord Fonsby’s soiree…and more.

Ooh. Her knees gave out and she sat down abruptly. Fortunately, the bed was there to receive her. She was throbbing again.

She’d decided she was going to sow a few wild oats, yes—but only a few. Not a crop. She was still marrying John Parker-Roth in a matter of weeks; in fact, she was leaving for Devon after the house party to make the final preparations. She was not at heart—could not be—a hoyden.

Where was the proper, prim, always-follow-the-rules Grace when she needed her? She was only the veriest whisper in the farthest, darkest recesses of her mind.

She must get herself under better control. Once she wed John…well, she could not be lusting after another man.

But she
was
lusting after another man right now. She covered her face with her hands. Dear God, she was. How was she to stop?

She should have slapped Baron Dawson there on Lord Fonsby’s terrace. He’d expected her to do so, she could tell. He had put his tongue in her mouth and had run his hands over her person, pressed his body against hers—ohh…

She hadn’t wanted to slap him, she’d wanted to tell him to do it again. And when he’d said he intended to go a lot farther, she’d almost begged him to do so immediately—sooner than immediately if possible—there on Lord Fonsby’s terrace. She’d wanted to cry when he’d taken her back inside.

Was she mad?

She
was
mad. She was also in serious, serious trouble.

It was all very well to have an adventure or two, but John would expect her to be a virgin on their wedding night. She wasn’t familiar with all the particulars—usually the discussion of a woman’s marital duties happened on the night before she was expected to assume those duties—but she’d be willing to bet the odd sensations she felt with Lord Dawson were closely linked to the marital act. They certainly were linked to nothing she’d ever experienced before.

She rubbed her forehead. Perhaps she should discuss the problem with Aunt Kate. Her aunt had been married. By all accounts, she’d been faithful to Oxbury, so she must also know how to control these peculiar urges.

Grace put her last few items in a valise and went to her aunt’s room. Hermes met her at the door, barking and dancing on his hind legs.

“Sorry, Hermes. I don’t have any treats.”

Hermes paused, gave her a long look, and then sneezed and trotted over to the hearth to lie down.

“Are you ready to go, Grace?” Kate stood by her bed, surrounded by portmanteaux. “As soon as Marie makes Lord Dawson comfortable, she’s coming back to help me finish packing.”

“You look as if you are taking as much as I am.”

Kate pushed her hair back off her face. “It’s ridiculous, isn’t it? We will only be gone a short while. I’m sure I am bringing far too many things.” What was the matter with her? She wasn’t usually so indecisive.

It was nerves, of course. She was hoping Alex would be at this house party.

No, she was dreading it.

It made no difference what she felt. If he was there, she would have to tell him about his child.

Dear God! She sat down quickly. A child.
Alex’s
child.

“Aunt Kate, I need to ask you something.”

Grace was looking down at her skirt, twisting the fabric with her fingers. Something was obviously amiss. “Yes? What is it, Grace?”

“I’m a little concerned…That is, I should probably tell you…Well, as you know, Lord Dawson will be at this house party…”

“Of course I know—he’s downstairs waiting. As he was kind enough to offer us his protection on the drive out to Lord Motton’s estate, we should not keep him waiting.”

“Yes. Well, the thing is…” Grace finally met Kate’s gaze. “I might need protection from him.”

“What?!” She knew she should never have accepted this invitation. “I will have a word with him immediately. If he thinks—”

Grace flushed. “Or he might need protection from me.”

Kate’s jaw dropped. For a moment she couldn’t muster a single sound. “I-I don’t think I understand.”

“I thought you might know what to do. I mean, you’ve been married. You must know all about the urges one feels.”

“Ah…” Urges? Grace hadn’t said urges had she? “Er…” What should she answer? Just a short while ago, she would not have known what Grace was talking about, but unfortunately now she was all too familiar with urges—and not very familiar with controlling them. “What you should do—”