The Betting Season (A Regency Season Book) (8 page)

“
I was hoping I could talk with you about this Catholic proposal.”

“
We aren’t in the Lords until Monday,” Berkswell replied. “Perhaps we could speak before that day’s session.”

“
I was hoping I could talk with you before then, sir.”

Jason couldn’t care less about Catholic relief —in fact, he couldn’t remember the last time he took his seat in the Lords—but he would owe Eckley a debt if the man managed to pull Berkswell away from Pippa. If only for a little while.

“
I’m certain Liverpool would appreciate it if you could give me just a few moments of your time.”

Berkswell frowned. Then he looked down at his sister, mumbled something Jason couldn’t hear from his distance, and then turned her care over to Harrison Casemore.

One down, one to go.

After Berkswell and Eckley started back towards the grove’s entrance, Pippa, the blonde, and Casemore continued along the main path towards the gardens. The trio didn’t even notice Jason in the shadows as they passed him, but he caught Pippa’s rosewater scent and he stepped from the darkness. A moment later, Jason merged into the milling crowd, just a few people behind his quarry.

Up ahead, Casemore laughed at something one of the two women said, his hulking frame shaking with mirth. Hmm. Who even knew the man had a sense of humor?

The trio continued towards the supper boxes and Jason held back, not wanting Heath or any of the others to catch a glimpse of him. From his position, he could at least see where Casemore planned to lead the ladies. But then Pippa stopped, halting her brother and the blonde a moment later.

“
What is it?” Harry asked.

But Pippa wasn’t sure. Just a feeling that she was headed the wrong way. She shook her head. “I just want to explore a bit. I don’t want to find our seats quite yet.”

“
We’re already late.” Harry scowled. “I am meeting…someone, and I just want to see you settled before I go.”

Someone? A woman, if Harry’s sudden inability to meet Pippa’s gaze was any indication. Perhaps he was a wolf, like Berks had suggested. How interesting. “Very well,” she conceded, knowing she wouldn’t win against her brother anyway. Best just to let him think he won.

Georgie flashed Pippa a surprised expression, to which Pippa only shrugged. They’d do exactly what they wanted once Harry went to meet his
someone
.

They let Harry lead them towards the supper boxes and Pippa’s face burned when she caught Lord and Lady Heathfield’s curious gazes on her. She must have made an awful scene at their ball that night. What must they think of her?

“
Here we are,” Harry announced, gesturing Pippa and Georgie into one of the boxes. “Sit down. I’ll be back…soon.” And then he hurried off through the crowd.

“
Where do you suppose he’s headed?” Georgie asked, as Harry disappeared from their view.

Pippa shook her head. “To some clandestine meeting, I’d guess. Berks informed me tonight that Harry is a wolf. I had no idea.”

She briefly scanned the surrounding boxes, looking for Lord Colebrooke and caught Patience’s eye, several yards away. Oh, yes, she had promised Berks would
find
Patience later this evening, hadn’t she? Pippa nodded at her friend to acknowledge their agreement and hoped Berks would return in time to play his role.

“
And you thought if you went along with his plan of sitting in the box, that we’d do what we liked after he’d departed?”

Pippa grinned at her friend. “You really do know me very well.”

Georgie nodded as though that was quite obvious. “So what do you want to see? The Indian temples? The spring gardens?”

Pippa wanted to see it all, but first… “Let’s just head back the way we came.”

They quickly exited their box and started back towards the entrance, Pippa very careful not to meet Lord or Lady Heathfield’s gazes this time. She should probably apologize to the lady at some point, but Pippa had no idea what she could possibly say. It would help if she remembered what exactly she should apologize for.

A man in rough clothes bumped into Pippa on the path and muttered a barely comprehensible, “Sorry, mum,” before blending back in with the crowd. And what a crowd it was. A more diverse group of people Pippa had never seen. Everything from regal ladies and gentlemen to the middle and much lower classes.

“
One could get lost here and never find their way out,” Georgie muttered.

Pippa squeezed her friend’s arm. “Isn’t it grand?”

Georgie laughed, but said nothing else as they navigated the vast sea of people.

Just as they approached the grove, a hand reached out from the shadows and caught Pippa’s arm. Before she could let out a squeal of surprise, she found herself staring up at a gentleman in black half-mask. A roguish smile lit his lips, then he tugged the mask off.

Colebrooke.

So handsome, his light blue eyes sparkled in the moonlight. Pippa’s heart leapt and her breath caught in her throat at his vision. “My lord!” she said on a sigh.

“
My dear Lady Philippa.” And the way her name flowed from his lips made tingles race across Pippa’s skin.

Beside her, Georgie cleared her throat, which brought Pippa back to the present. Who knew how long she might have stood there gaping at Lord Colebrook otherwise?

“
Oh!” Pippa glanced at her friend. “Lady Georgiana Bexley-Smythe, this is Viscount Colebrooke.”

“
My lady.” Lord Colebrooke inclined his head in greeting. “You are Stalbridge’s sister?”

A crinkle formed on Georgie’s brow, but she nodded. “Do you know my brother?”

Lord Colebrooke frowned as though he meant to say something but changed his mind at the last minute. “Only by reputation.”

Georgie winced, but her expression returned to normal a moment later. “Even through all these people, I do see someone I know. Will you excuse me?” she asked, not waiting for an answer before she disappeared into the throng.

“
Georgie!” Pippa called after her friend. What if she got lost in this crowd? “I wish you hadn’t mentioned Stalbridge.” Poor Georgie was beleaguered enough by her familial connection.

Colebrooke looked off in the direction Georgie had gone. “I do hope I didn’t make her run off.”

“
Georgie’s resourceful. I’m sure she’ll be fine.” At least Pippa hoped so.

“
Don’t frown, my lady, you make me feel like the worst sort of cad.”

“
You couldn’t know she’d react in such a way. “ Pippa refocused on her handsome Sir Galahad. “Would you care to join us in our supper box this evening, my lord? I’m certain my brothers would like to make your acquaintance.”

“
Afraid I already have plans,” Colebrooke drawled, then he offered his arm to Pippa. “But do let us stroll the gardens until then.”

A jolt of something went through Pippa as she took Lord Colebrooke’s arm. She glanced up at the viscount, catching his profile. His strong jaw, his aristocratic nose. A smile tipped the corner of his mouth as he caught her looking at him.

“
How are you enjoying the Season, sweetheart?”

Pippa turned her gaze back to the path in front of them. “A bit strange, honestly.”

“
Strange?” he chuckled. “I thought ladies lived for the Season.”

Pippa had certainly been anxious to attend her very first one, of that there was no doubt. But… “Well, in many ways it has been more than I’d hoped for, but in others…”

“
Yes?” He led her towards a darkened, less crowded path.

“
Well, I’ve been more than a little frustrated so far.” The shame of her first ball, that awful bet, the occasional look from haughty matrons. Her first Season was nothing at all as she’d thought it would be.

“
I do hate to hear that,” he said softly, stopping along the now darkened path which seemed quite empty. “I hate to think of you ever feeling frustrated.” He drew her in front of him and he tipped her chin up with one bent finger. “I have wanted to do this since I first laid eyes on you.” He dipped his head towards hers, and before Pippa knew what or how it happened, Lord Colebrooke’s warm lips pressed against hers.

Her eyes fluttered closed and she would have tumbled to the ground if he hadn’t, at that moment, wrapped one arm around her waist, drawing her closer to him. Her hands landed on his chest, which felt hard as stone beneath her fingertips. Pippa gasped and Lord Colebrooke lifted his head, a rakish grin on his face.

“
I think we should do that again.”’

He could think? She could barely rub two thoughts together. “Lord Colebrooke,” she started.

His grin widened. “Jason,” he whispered, dipping his head once more. “Call me Jason.”

“
J-Jason,” she echoed before his lips found hers once more.

But this time he kissed her more urgently, as though driven by some force Pippa couldn’t understand. His tongue touched the seam of her lips, and Pippa’s mouth opened in surprised. And then… Then his tongue entered her mouth, making her belly drop to her toes. He moaned, tightened his hold on her waist and tangled his tongue with hers.

Pippa had never imagined such a sensation, and though she wanted to follow Lord Colebrooke…er…Jason down this uncharted path, a little voice in her mind screamed of danger. She pushed against his chest and turned her head away from him.

Jason’s lips found her cheek and he kissed her softly there. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?” he whispered, though his breath sounded labored to her ears.

How could she possibly answer him? She didn’t know what was wrong. She didn’t know what was right. She didn’t know anything. “I don’t know anything about you, my lord.”

He lifted his head and gazed down on her. “What do you want to know?”

“
Everything,” Pippa said on a sigh. Then she spun out of his reach and started further down the darkened path.