Scarlet Kisses (16 page)

“People are watching.”

“You don’t like to be seen, do you?” he asked as he took a small step forward.

Alyssum was completely aware of his approach. She took a small step back. “I prefer if people kept to their own business and not get involved in mine.”

“Well said.” Robert nodded with a smile.

Alyssum twitched her lips and looked away before she found herself stepping towards him and seeing if he still smelled the same, warm, male and arousing.

“Is that Miss Gilbert talking to Harry?” Alyssum asked anxiously as she saw a young blonde speaking to Harry.

Robert followed Alyssum’s gaze quickly then muttered a curse that made Alyssum’s eyes widen.

“That’s her,” Robert ground out between clenched teeth. Miss Mariah Gilbert was one of many people in society who loved to speak ill of Harry’s scar. Robert and Alyssum watched as closely as they could through the crowd in the parlor. They watched as Harry stared not at Miss Gilbert but straight ahead. They noticed his jaw tick as she spoke.

“Excuse me.”

“Pardon me.” They both paused as they had spoken instantaneously. Robert stepped aside and waved her forward. Alyssum began crossing the parlor to make her way towards her brother. Robert walked right behind her.

“So good to see you here,” Alyssum’s voice dripped with sweetness as she spoke to Mariah and stood by her brother. “And how lovely you look tonight.” Alyssum’s gaze ran down Mariah’s yellow dress.

Robert stood on the other side of Harry. His icy gaze staring at Mariah.

“Thank you.” Mariah beamed at Alyssum’s complement and she ran her hands over the dress.

“I believe I had the same gown once.” Alyssum titled her head, looking at the gown. “But that must have been years ago. I stay with the latest fashions. Very daring of you to wear such an outdated gown.” She smiled brightly, sweetly.

Mariah froze as she realized she had just been insulted. Her mouth moved to bite out a retort.

“Excuse us will you, Miss Gilbert.” Alyssum slid her arm around Harry’s “I would like my dear brother to take me to speak to the Duke of Linkinshire. He has such high-standing friends.” She pulled Harry away from a gaping Miss Gilbert.

“I hate it when you do that,” Harry muttered as they walked away.

“I love it when she does that,” Robert spoke as he walked beside Alyssum.

Alyssum found herself smiling as she held Harry’s arm and he led them over to Duke, who was swamped with eligible ladies and their mothers.

“Poor man.” Robert shuddered at the young, innocent misses.

“That’ll be you one day,” Harry replied.

“You too.” Robert retorted. They both had titles that needed heirs.

Duke caught sight of Harry and Robert approaching. They smiled at him as they noticed his distress.

“Excuse me, ladies.” He bowed respectfully and pulled himself out of the group. He sighed as he reached Harry and Robert. He nodded down to Alyssum. “Lady Alyssum.”

“Duke.” She smiled.

Robert looked down at her in surprise. “You call him Duke but you won’t call me by my first name?”

Alyssum ignored him. “How is your night faring, Duke?”

Duke smiled as he noticed Alyssum ignoring Robert. “Demanding,” he replied to her question.

“They won’t leave you alone until you marry and produce an heir.” She shook her head sympathetically.

“Well, if you’re offering?” He grinned. Even at thirty, Duke’s grin was young and roguish, making her grin back.

“Watch it,” Harry warned.

Duke smiled and nodded his head to Harry, obviously understanding the protectiveness between Harry and his sisters.

“Excuse me,” Robert grumbled then turned and left. Harry watched him leave with a frown.

When he turned his gaze back to Duke, Duke arched a brow and Harry nodded.

“Excuse me, Alyssum.” Duke bowed his head then left and followed after Robert.

“You too?” Alyssum looked up to Harry, who smiled.

“I’ll see you at dinner.” He patted her hand then disentangled his arm from hers.

Alyssum watched as Harry and Duke walked towards Robert who stood beside a servant and took a drink from the tray.

As Robert took the brandy from the tray, he tried to dull out his sudden anger at seeing Alyssum flirting with Duke. He had never seen her like that, smiling, grinning at another man. He now wondered how many men she had flirted with when he never even thought about Alyssum with men. She had always just been Alyssum to him. Simple, infuriating, beautiful Alyssum.

“Robert, are you all right?” Harry asked as he and Duke appeared beside him.

“I’m fine.” He took a sip of his drink. “Boring night, is it not?”

“I’ve found it quite eventful,” Duke replied.

“Robert, Lisa Knight is here tonight,” Harry informed him.

“Great. Just what I needed.” He looked over to the doorway in time to see Alyssum leaving the room, probably on her way to view Lord Avery’s art collection. He drank the rest of the brandy in one gulp and set the empty glass on the table. “Excuse me,” he muttered and stalked away.

Robert’s boots thudded over the floor as he made his way to the cause of his anger. Alyssum stood smiling beside Violet and Jackson in Avery’s gallery. Jackson’s gaze caught his as he approached and his friend frowned, obviously noticing the anger in Robert’s gaze. He stepped forward, leaving the girls to stand before Robert.

“What are you doing?” he muttered, but Robert ignored him, stepped around him and stood before Alyssum.

“Enjoying yourself?” he asked.

Alyssum’s smile slipped as she looked up at Robert. “It’s a nice evening, yes.”

Violet and Jackson both watched them carefully.

“Enjoy speaking with Duke?”

A crease furrowed Alyssum’s brow as she answered. “Yes.”

“It seemed you did.”

“What are you getting at?” She took an angry step forward, tilting her head back to look at him.

“Nothing. You just seemed quite a natural at flirting with Duke.”

Jackson groaned behind him, while Violet’s eyes widened as she watched intently.

“Excuse me?” Alyssum whispered with wrath and took another step forward. “I was doing what?”

“Flirting.” He nodded with a tight smile. “You did it quite well. Looking to become a duchess?”

“Oh.” Alyssum breathed deeply and shook her head. “You’re one to talk. How many women have you flirted with?”

“Lost count.” Robert shrugged.

“How many women have you snuck out onto the terrace with during dinners, luncheons, balls?”

“Why do you ask?” He took a step forward, almost brushing her chest with his. “Would you like to join me on the terrace?” he spoke quietly to her.

“Oh, no,” Violet whispered and looked around to check that no one else was in gallery.

Alyssum, no longer able to speak in her rage, raised her foot and brought it down hard on Robert’s boot. She smiled as Robert cringed and groaned.

“Anything else you would like to say?” she demanded.

“He’s done.” Jackson stepped in, grabbed Robert’s arm and dragged him out of the gallery and back into the parlor.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Jackson demanded as they walked through the parlor. “You want Harry to kick your ass?”

Robert grumbled then stopped limping.

“Well?” Jackson demanded. “What the hell happened back there?”

“I didn’t like seeing her flirting with Duke,” Robert snapped.

Jackson ran his gaze over the crowd and paused on a young miss with black hair. “There’s Lisa Knight.”

Robert looked through the crowd then stared at the smiling Miss Knight. She was completely unaware that she was on a list that rested inside Robert’s coat.

“Are you going to go talk to her?”

Robert shook his head slowly. “Not tonight,” he muttered and looked away.

“You do realize that could be Scarlet?”

Before Robert could reply, a servant stepped into the room. “Dinner is served,” he announced.

They filed into the dining room and took their seats. Robert’s gaze was on Alyssum as she sat on the opposite side of the table, farther up.

He was staring at her again. Alyssum shifted in her seat and kept her gaze fixed on Lord Avery who was speaking. Her neck tingled with complete awareness of Robert’s gaze. She couldn’t believe the anger he’d displayed in the gallery. She had just been talking to Duke, and he had dared to call her a flirt.

Taking deep breaths, she concentrated on Lord Avery who seemed very pleased to have her undivided attention. But even though her eyes were on him, her mind was on Robert. Her heart began beating faster as she remembered their rendezvous at the tavern. She could see his eyes as he stared down at her with passion, feel his body molding to hers as his hands clutched her to him. It had been so different. They had reunited in a fiery passion, wanting each other so desperately over the week that they had been separated. She didn’t know how much longer she could be around Robert as just Alyssum and not give herself away somehow. She found herself wanting to kiss him every time he stood near her. Even when he was angering her.

After dinner, the ladies left the room and returned to the parlor while the men stayed to have their port.

“You couldn’t keep your eyes off her,” a gentleman laughed as he spoke to Avery.

Harry looked over and listened to the conversation.

“Lady Alyssum
is
mesmerizing,” Avery replied, which caught Harry and Robert’s attention.

“Excuse me, gentlemen.” Harry stood and walked towards the parlor. He knew to leave before Avery started fishing around at marrying Alyssum.

He made his way straight to his sisters and mother. “Fifteen more minutes and we’re leaving,” he whispered.

“Thank God,” Alyssum replied quietly. Violet laughed when their mother huffed.

“Well, I’m enjoying myself,” she told her children.

“That’s because you don’t have Avery drooling down your chest,” Harry said, which caused Alyssum and Violet to laugh and Caroline to huff louder.

Harry looked over as the other men entered the parlor. He spotted Jackson, Robert and Duke. “Excuse me.” He nodded his head to his family and made his way across the room and out onto the terrace.

“What’s going on?” he asked the men as they all stood out on the terrace.

“It’s not Lisa Knight,” Robert announced.

“And how do you know that?” Harry crossed his arms.

“I’ve had Scarlet up against me aplenty. I know her body and Lisa doesn’t have the same curves.”

“He’s trying to say her breasts are too small.”

“Thank you, Jackson,” Robert said and Jackson nodded.

“So it’s Katherine Jenkins. Congratulations,” Harry said.

“There is still someone on that list,” Duke spoke cautiously.

Harry glared. Duke shrugged and leaned back on the railing, pulling a cigar out of his coat pocket. “Is anyone going to say it?” he asked as he lit the cigar and took a long draw.

“Alyssum Rosewood,” Jackson said with a grin.

“You want another black eye?” Harry asked.

Jackson sighed. “It just healed,” he muttered.

“Alyssum is beautiful,” Duke said. He then held his hands out as Harry and Robert glared.

“It’s a possibility you should at least check,” he mumbled around his cigar.

“I’m with Duke, and I speak for Tucker as well,” Jackson said.

“Where is Tucker?” Harry asked.

“His father,” Duke answered and they all murmured in understanding.

“Anyone notice Alyssum’s new haircut?” Jackson muttered and Harry sighed for patience.

“Scarlet,” Harry snapped, “is not Alyssum.”

“We’ll see,” Jackson replied.

“What about her new haircut?” Robert asked, confused.

“It looks nice,” Duke said.

“It’s covering her forehead,” Jackson said exasperated. “Doesn’t anyone see that? Robert, you told us when Alyssum saw you again she head clocked you. I think that would cause a bruise.” He stared at them like they were idiots then frowned as they all stared at him strangely. “What?”

“You said when Alyssum saw him again,” Duke answered.

“Did I? Huh. That’s just because I think it’s her.” He shrugged his shoulder then jumped back as Harry came for him.

“Easy.” Duke grabbed Harry before he reached Jackson. “We’re not in the tavern.” He shoved him back.

“When we leave this house…” Harry warned Jackson.

“I’m shaking,” Jackson mocked, causing Harry to growl.

“Harry, when did Alyssum cut her hair?” Robert asked dazedly.

“I don’t know, I only just noticed it when Jackson mentioned it.”

Robert furrowed his brow.

“I’m heading home,” Harry muttered then turned and walked back inside the parlor.