Three Times the Scandal (19 page)

“
Mae, stop it. How can you joke?”

Mae’s hands returned to her hips. “How can you not? Do you think I should sneak off to a brothel one evening for instruction? I could go on one of Aunt Clara’s card-playing evenings.”

Fingertips covering her eyes, Alicia sighed into her hands. “Just because men make merry with trollops, doesn’t mean they’d desire to marry one. Gentlemen don’t marry whores.” She rose to her feet.

Mae rose too, and faced her. Although smaller, she was far more belligerent. “Then how do you account for the countess?”

Alicia gasped. She stared at her younger sister in disbelief. “She is not—”

“
Don’t you ever pay attention to the society tattle?”

“
But—but, they accept her.” To disguise the trembles that rolled through her limbs, Alicia folded her arms. She had heard chitchat to suggest the countess was not entirely respectable, but she had dismissed the tales as spiteful rumours.

“
Of course they accept her,” snapped Mae. “She knows all the gentlemen intimately. I wonder if she’d share her knowledge.”

Alicia shook her head, not willing to believe that high society could be so duplicitous. “Then she is an exception. I still believe that a gentleman requires a woman of good taste and breeding as a wife, someone who will not embarrass him and who complements him.”

Mae met her gaze, bitterly defiant, though her cheeks glowed dark pink. “What he needs is someone who can satisfy his urges for base pleasures.” She clasped Alicia’s shoulders and shook her so that her head rattled. “Do you really intend to spend your life lying stiff as a board while some ogre grunts over you? I certainly don’t. I’ve a taste for something far more appealing.”

“
What do you mean a taste? The only thing you’ve a taste for is trouble.”

Mae’s smile was easy and broad, but there were secrets woven into its texture.

“
Well, mayhap that’s also true, and maybe ‘tis also a good thing. You realize Sir Hector has men out looking for her, and not the sort you’d wish to be found by.”

“
Of course, I do.” Alicia worried her lip with a tooth. Part of her sincerely hoped the men never found Fortuna, although she desperately longed for her sister’s return, and to know that she was safe. Some of her concern must have showed in her face, because Mae’s expression sobered. She wrapped an arm around Alicia’s shoulders. “We could find her, Alicia, if we put our minds to it.”

Alicia sighed and sagged into the cushions of the window seat. “How? I’ve no idea where to even begin.”

Mae flopped down beside her. She leaned close, so that her breath whispered against Alicia’s ear. “I’ve been thinking about it. Don’t you think it odd that Lord Darleston was the last one to see her? Neither he nor his brother normally ask any of us to dance.”

In truth, Alicia remained suspicious of both the Darleston twins. Their rather timely appearance just as they were all preparing to leave the ball did rather point to their involvement, but Fortuna had never had any real dealings with them. Irritably, she scratched her nose. “Both the Darleston twins have been seen since. So, they haven’t left town.”

“
Well, I don’t believe Fortuna has either, considering the weather. In fact, I’m almost certainly she’s with one of Darlestons’ set.”

Alicia pushed herself into a more upright position and grasped her sister’s arm. Mae knew something. She was itching to share whatever she had worked out, but in her typically spiteful way she was dangling teasing morsels to see what reward she might command before sharing. “Who? Which of them?” Alicia shook her.

The younger girl waited until Alicia stopped shaking her and then gave an infuriating shrug. “I’m not altogether sure. I mean, they were all in attendance.” She purposefully raised eight fingers. “Let’s see. Connelly was asleep under a table by the time we left. He came with Mrs. Hanshawe, but they didn’t stay together long, and Caroline Phelps gave him a slap about the cheeks for being too free with Ada. Colonel Brightlingsea came with his two nieces. I’ve always thought he seemed somewhat out of place among that group. They’re mostly half his age. Anyway, he avoided the other men all night for quite obvious reasons. I spoke to the girls. They were quite lovely, but hopeless ninnies when it came to being out amongst society.”

Alicia pursed her lips. Fortuna’s vanishing act clearly hadn’t been the only excitement that night, but that didn’t mean she wanted to listen to hours of pointless observations, especially when Mae had clearly gone over this list of suspects several times in her head and narrowed it down.

“
The colonel was most disappointed not to see Aunt Bea.” A merry smile crept across Mae’s features, bringing colour to her cheeks and her dimples appear and disappear. “I do believe he has quite an eye for her.”

“
Mae! I’ll give you my new bonnet with the bronze and gladioli trim if you just tell me what you suspect.”

“
Truly?” Her sister’s smile broadened still further.

“
If you’ll cut to the conclusion.”

“
Very well. Dovecote. Giles Dovecote.”

It took a moment to even picture the man. He was a close friend of the Darleston twins, but she couldn’t recall Fortuna ever having paid him any particular regard. “Was he even there? I don’t recall even seeing him.”

“
Nor did I, but I heard him announced and the Mortons were looking for him.”

“
And because you didn’t see him, you think he’s the culprit? I’m not giving you my bonnet for that.”

Mae sucked in her cheeks and let out a long suffering sigh. “Alicia, don’t you see. I think Dovecote was hiding from the Mortons, and didn’t Mama say she found Fortuna on some outside balcony after she refused Sir Hector?”

“
Yes. Alone.”

Mae shook her head, causing her pretty ringlets to shake. “One doesn’t stand on a moonlit balcony alone. I’ll wager my whole allowance that she was with Giles Dovecote.”

Mae’s willingness to bring money into the argument leant considerable weight to her conviction. Her sister scrimped and saved every penny so that she could afford the nicest things, which was why she was constantly borrowing everyone else’s more modest purchases. She rarely joined in their sisterly wagers. “If you’re so convinced, explain why Mama didn’t see him. You had to pass through two empty rooms to reach that balcony. I know because I went out there later looking for her.”

Mae’s pretty smile returned. “Simple. Gentlemen don’t require a door to make an exit. I’ve heard of few who are immeasurably fond of using windows, and Giles Dovecote happens to be one of them.”

A nervous flutter stirred in Alicia’s belly. There’d been ivy trailing from that balcony; there was no doubt trellising too, so it wouldn’t have been so very difficult to climb down. She clasped Mae’s skirts, crumpling the delicate sprigged muslin. “What do we do?”

Mae tweaked the curtain and glanced shiftily up and down the corridor. “We should challenge him. Go to his house and confront him. I shouldn’t be at all surprised if we find Fortuna there, sitting as calm as you please in his drawing room.”

“
No!” Alicia rose, but there was nowhere to pace in the tiny alcove. “We can’t. It’s improper. We’d simply make ourselves the subject of more horrid gossip. We should ask Gabriel to call instead. That wouldn’t raise any remarks.”

Mae’s full lips contorted into a sour pout. She remained seated. “Gabriel would be hopeless. He’s far too green. He’d believe anything that Dovecote said. Besides, our dear brother is spending all his time with Father and Vicomte de Maresi at Brooks’s. He has his hands full enough attempting to persuade father from gambling away whatever assets we have remaining. Please, Alicia. If our family is soon to be ruined due to whatever complication Fortuna’s flight has caused, then our actions will hardly make a difference even if they are discovered. And, we may just find Fortuna.”

“
I suppose.” Alicia conceded. The crux of the matter was she would feel better for knowing that Fortuna was safe, even if
safe
was a rather ambiguous term when in the company of a confirmed rakehell. She dug her teeth into her lip. “I know I shall regret this,” she said.

Chapter Eight

“
Fortuna, can I get you anything?” Neddy’s voice pierced the gloom of the guest chamber. Fortuna raised her head from the pillow and managed a weak smile. Neddy stood on the threshold, clearly awaiting an invitation to come in, curiously different to how he’d been the night before.

“
You can come in.” She propped herself up on her elbow.

Neddy came and sat beside her on the bed. “Giles and my brother have gone to Brooks’s. I expect they’ll be a few hours. I thought you might like some company.” He reached over and gently smoothed a stray curl from her cheek. Fortuna leaned into the caress, recalling how his touch had swept across her body earlier, bringing pleasure.

Neddy kicked off his boots and climbed onto the bed proper, so that his body curved neatly to her back. Some of the tension she felt eased from her body as his arms wrapped around her. Fortuna closed her eyes and breathed in his scent. She wished Giles were here too, even though she was tired out.

“
All this fuss with Sir Hector will work itself out,” he said.

“
Humph!”

Neddy’s breath puffed against her neck.

She sighed. “I just don’t know where I am anymore, Neddy. Sir Hector won’t let go, and I don’t know how to explain last night to myself. Are we lovers, or just friends?” She rolled over so that she could look him in the eyes. Their grey irises were shielded by his long unruly fringe, which she delicately brushed to one side. There were faint freckles across the bridge of his nose that she’d never noticed before.

“
Fortuna, what we shared…it’s all about fun to me, sexual enjoyment without the worry of commitment. I’ve seen what marriage has done to my brother, which is why I sow my oats carefully. I think you’re wonderful, but I’d be lying if I said I wanted to share the rest of my days with you. I can’t comment for Giles. He doesn’t see things the same way I do. I think you could call him your lover. You can call me that too, if you like.”

She stared at his lips in silence a few moments. Tears threatened her eyes, even though he had told her precisely what she’d expected to hear. “Free love.” She shook her head. “It’s idealism. Society couldn’t function as Giles’s suggests. It would dissolve into a horrid jealous mess.”

“
I think you’re misinterpreting him. Giles believes in serial monogamy. He just doesn’t see why people can’t love each other without marriage being part of the affair.”

“
If that’s true, why did he invite you into our bed?”

Neddy lightly cupped her cheek, so his thumb rested upon her lips. “Because, he’s terrified of imposing his will upon you. He knew you were intrigued after the moment in the garden. I rather pushed the issue, Fortuna. I don’t think it would have happened otherwise, not unless you’d specifically asked.”

Fortuna sat abruptly. “Are you saying Giles did it just to please me?”

Neddy rolled onto his back and propped himself up upon his elbows. “Fortuna, he enjoyed our tryst. I’ve been to bed with Giles before. We’ve shared lovers before. All I’m saying is that he cares about you. I’m damned if I understand the depth of it. He doesn’t normally mix himself up in the personal affairs of his lovers.”

Voicing an irritated sigh, she sat back against the headboard, and tried not to picture his former lovers.

Neddy rolled over and crawled towards her so that he straddled her body. Fortuna eyed him warily, recalling the hard muscles concealed beneath his clothing, and his pale smooth skin. However, when he leaned in to kiss her, she raised a hand between them. “Not without him here.” That would be breaking an unspoken rule.

Neddy dipped his head. “I guess Giles isn’t the only one feeling the pull.”

When she bowed her head in embarrassment, he raised her chin with his curled fingers.

“
It’s just—”

“
Don’t try to explain. I understand.” He sat back on his haunches before rolling onto his back to stare up at the canopy. His red hair lay fanned against the sheet, and his breathing slowed, so that she thought he’d actually drifted off, until his lips moved again. “Of course, this doesn’t change the fact I’m standing to attention.” He slid one palm over the long bulge inside his breeches. “Is watching on your list of no-nos too?” He gave his hips a playful wriggle, and she caught a glint of his eyes beneath his eyelashes.

“
I don’t know.” She bit her lip, unable to tear her gaze from his loins. There was something both primal and sensual about watching him rub himself, about seeing the way his hips lifted in time with his strokes.

“
What about if I undress a little?”

Fortuna gulped but nodded her consent, already hung on the anticipation of watching him feather his fingers over his bare cock the way he was currently doing to the tented fabric of his breeches.

The lining of his breeches were red, a sharp contrast to the buff of the outer. Beneath those he wore white drawers. Neddy pushed both fabrics down and wriggled out of them. His cock lay flat against his stomach, treacherously long and rosy at the helm, where the foreskin was already drawn back. He covered the head, and closed his palm over it, before using a second hand to massage the length in a nice slow glide.

Fortuna watched in fascination, with her lips parted, noting the nuances of his movement, and how it was not simply a straight up and down motion, but encompassed a twist of the wrist. She thought of mimicking the motion when she was with Giles. Even when she closed her eyes to imagine it, she was still aware of Neddy beside her and the slick sounds of his palm and fingers working together. Each touch made the ache in her abdomen grow. Too conscious of it, she nevertheless resisted its pull. Hands neatly clasped, Fortuna focused on how his body seemed all in rhythm, panting, stroking, climbing, each aspect complementing the others.