| |
ATTENDING BALLS WASN’T something Alex enjoyed, but tonight there were more butterflies in his stomach than normal. Knowing both his sister and his wife were going to be introduced to society at the same time was enough to make his palms sweat. He waited for them downstairs, sipping a small glass of brandy to help steady his nerves. He was glad he had decided to have a drink because when the two of them came in, he felt his mouth get dry.
His sister looked lovely, wearing something in a soft green color to complement her eyes, but Rachel drew all of his focus. She was wearing red again, like she had as the Raven, but in a more subdued, dusty color. The neckline of the dress dipped down where her breasts were and fell away at the shoulders. So much of that soft, sun-kissed skin was showing, he felt he might blush from looking at it. The silk of the dress glimmered in the light, cut close to her body and down along her legs. Tiny pearls decorated the waist which was narrow enough to fit his hands around. The rest of her was lush and full, making the comparison much more noticeable. In short, his wife looked ravishing.
"Have you been waiting long?" Daphne was speaking to him. He forced his eyes away from Rachel.
"No, just long enough for a little drink of courage."
"You look very handsome. I didn't know you had an evening suit."
"I bought it at the beginning of last season. I wanted to fit in with the rest of the crowd."
At the time, he had felt guilty about spending the money when he had so little, but he considered it to be an investment. If he found a wealthy wife and saved the family, the money spent was well worth it. Now he was glad to have it on hand for escorting his wife around town.
"You both look lovely tonight." Alex said.
His sister blushed and titled her head away, unaccustomed to the flattery, but Rachel just smiled. She knew she looked beautiful and no doubt expected it to help her with their wager. Men were often felled by a woman in the right dress. He would need to be very careful around such temptation.
"I feel like I'm a different person in this." Daphne twirled around so he could get the full view of her dress. "I don't think I have ever had one so nice."
"I'm surprised the shop was able to get you one so quickly."
"It was one that another woman had rejected and only need a bit of hemming."
"Why didn't she want it?" Alex didn't like the idea of his sister having someone else’s rejected garments.
"She didn't like the color. Said it would make her look ill."
"Lady Harris would look ill in every color." Rachel snapped. "This looks beautiful on you and it was our good luck she didn't want it."
"Lady Harris?"
Alex was surprised to hear that Rachel knew of such a woman. She was a shrewd and heartless leader of society. She had never approved of him, and he avoided her as much as possible. After his business venture had fallen through, she had made sure every eligible heiress knew how empty his pockets were. The woman was a malicious enemy.
"We were introduced at the dress shop. I don't think she likes me very much." Daphne lost her smile, and it felt like a punch to the gut for Alex.
"Don't worry, she doesn't like most people. Just avoid her if you can and she will grow bored enough to move on to someone else."
In the carriage, Daphne was so excited that she was barely perched on her seat, watching the people outside the window as they moved through London. She sat backwards but was hardly sitting at all. Alex and Rachel sat across from her and were leaned back to make room for her to enjoy the scene. The joy lit up her face and her eyes were wide with wonder.
"Thank you for taking her shopping. I would have been at a loss for what to get." Alex whispered to Rachel.
"It was a new experience for me. I haven’t had many women in my life."
"Many men?"
She jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow, and he let out a whoosh of air.
"Only those that lost their money to me."
"Still pleasurable in your company."
That flattery got a slight turn up at the corners of her lips. It was more of a smirk than a smile, but he liked it. He wanted to see more amusement from her.
"Are you nervous about tonight? You haven't been around these kinds of people before."
"Gentlemen come into the club all the time."
"Not with their wives. The women of the ton are the vicious ones. They can tear a person to shreds."
Her expression faltered for just a moment. "I'm not scared of them."
"They don't warm up to new comers. They will interrogate you in the most subtle ways until they have stripped you of confidence. I have seen it done to many others trying to make it into their ranks."
"I'm not like other women. I show no fear because I have none. I have faced tougher odds than this and walked away with the win."
Alex couldn't help but laugh. "You think you will be able to win them over on the first night?"
"You find me charming."
"I have strange tastes."
Rachel pursed her lips together, and Alex had to struggle not to laugh again, suspecting that might make things worse.
"How confident are you about tonight?" he asked.
"As confident as I am that you noticed the neckline of my gown before we left the house."
"It's a nice neckline."
"Revealing my bosom."
"It's a nice bosom."
Back to the smirk again.
"Would you care to make a wager on tonight's outcome?" Alex asked, knowing she would get that spark in her eye at the suggestion.
"You already bet against me. Now you want more?"
"Smaller stakes. An evening alone, winner decides what we do."
"Like scrubbing floors or shoveling the stables?" She smiled.
"Yes, clothing optional."
She flushed, but he noticed that her eyes deepened in color. She wasn't against the idea of them being naked. They still hadn't consummated the marriage and it was becoming difficult. He wasn't sure how much longer he could continue to suffer the irritation of her being within reach yet untouchable.
"What are the terms? I can't very well go around asking people if they find me charming."
"No, you won't be able to tell if you were a success tonight, but we will know by tomorrow afternoon. The number of calling cards we receive will tell."
"A calling card?"
Alex sometimes forgot that Rachel had grown up in a different world and might not know how things worked in this one. It seemed silly as he thought about the best way to explain it to her.
"People will send over little cards with their names on them. That indicates they would like to call on you at some point, perhaps become friends."
"What if I don't want to be their friend?"
"You ignore the card and don't send them an invitation."
"Seems like a waste of time."
"It is. Wasting time is an art form in London."
"I'm not sure I believe you." Rachel was looking at him sideways with her eyebrows drawn together.
"You can ask Daphne about it later; she will tell you the same thing." Alex glanced out the window his sister was staring through and saw that they had arrived for the ball. "I need an answer quick, or the chance is lost."
“Fine. I will accept your challenge. There will be a stack of cards for me arriving tomorrow."
"I would settle for a single one."
Her hand extended to take his in a shake, but this time he needed more. With a tug he pulled her forward enough to seal it with a kiss. It was brief, just a gentle pressing of the lips, but he felt her gasp. He smiled as she pulled away blushing. His sister was hiding her giggles behind her hand as they left the carriage.
Tonight's ball was hosted by Lady Winship ...or Walters ...perhaps Wicksham. Alex couldn't remember, but it hardly mattered. It was the only invitation Rachel could secure on such short notice. If Alex had been in charge, he would have attended something larger with Ashford and his wife, but he was willing to follow along. This wasn't going to be the most well-attended party, but it would be a good place for them to start. Alex was grateful it wasn't a more elaborate event so it was less of a risk.
There was a small group of musicians playing to a mostly empty dance floor. People were more interesting in gathering to exchange gossip or flirtatious glances. These were the types of events where people often met their paramours without the company of their spouses. Alex might have been part of such an arrangement in his younger years on occasion. Now the only women he paid attention to were the ones he arrived with.
Alex knew Rachel would approach this evening as she did everything, with fearless determination. With Daphne by her side, he watched as she began to introduce herself to people around the room. He chose to stay back and let her make her own way through the crowd. It was highly inappropriate, and most people appeared shocked by it. Some gave her an amused smile and even returned the greeting, but some gave her the cut direct.
She should have given up after that, but she kept going. Eventually, she made a full circle. No doubt everyone in the ballroom was going to remember who she was. It was time for him to intervene and offer her a break.
"May I have this dance?" Alex came up behind her, placing a hand on her waist and whispering into her ear. "You have been neglecting your poor husband all evening."
"My husband has been keeping busy without me for years."
"No, he was simply biding his time until you arrived."
"He can wait a little longer."
He spun her around to face him, and she pressed against his chest with her hands outstretched across it. Her eyes were wide and staring at his mouth with the same simmering gaze she’d had when they had left the carriage.
"No, he can't."
By chance, the musicians began to play a waltz, and he pushed her backward until they were on the dance floor. Alex wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close enough to breathe in the sweet scent of her. He began to lead her in circles, moving to the rhythm of the music. She didn't struggle or try to lead as he might have suspected, but gave way to the motion and leaned into him for support. Though usually he found no enjoyment in dancing, this moment might change his mind.
"I have never danced before." The sound of Rachel's voice was breathless and low, vibrating with a sensuality that only Alex heard. "My father thought it unnecessary I learn, and I never had an interest in it."
"You are doing wonderfully."
"I'm doing nothing but looking pretty on your arm."
"You are wonderful at it."
She smiled in that unrestrained way that made his heart pound. There was something so alluring about a woman who didn't hold back her feelings. If she could express her joy so completely one could only imagine how she expressed her passion.
"I find I enjoy your hands touching me. At least when we dance."
The first sentence was enough to stoke his lust, and the second did nothing to dampen it. He had devoted much of his time since the marriage imagining what it would be like to touch her in all the most intimate ways. He could be very creative.
"We could leave early and explore the possibility you might like it in other settings as well."
She considered it for a moment and he felt his breath catch. He focused on her answer and didn't pay attention to his steps, causing him to trip over his own shoes. That broke the moment and Rachel shook her head.
"I haven't been here long enough to establish myself with your peers. If I want to win our wager, I need to make sure everyone has gotten to know me.”
Alex wished he could just call off the wager tonight and enjoy time alone with his wife, but if he did that, she would leverage it for more distance between them. He had no doubt she was serious about making him into a housemaid, if she won and that wasn't going to gain him much with her. He needed a chance to seduce her, and for that, he needed to win.
The dance ended and the couples separated as they melted back into the crowd. Alex saw Daphne against the back wall, not talking to any of the other guests. He had worried that his sister's shy nature was going to be a problem, and it appeared he was right. Rachel might be too bold but his sister was not bold enough.
"Andrews, is that you?"
Lord Bittleby appeared at his side.
Alex had to greet him cordially. It made his skin crawl to put on a smile and exchange pleasantries with such an unpleasant man, but he had no choice.
“Hello Bittleby. I wasn’t expecting you to be here tonight.” The two men shook hands, forcing Alex to wipe his in his pants to remove the dampness he got from the other’s palm.
"I hear you brought your sister." Lord Bittleby said, his lips pulling back into a slow smile.
Bittleby had recently suffered a fall from his position in society by offending the wrong duke. Thomas had made sure that the young man was not welcome in most of the popular places, so he was forced into the lesser-known parties. That would explain why he was here instead of a bigger event. After the way he had treated the duchess before Thomas had married her, he deserved worse. This was not the kind of man Alex wanted to take notice of his sister.
"She's back in London and I thought she might enjoy it, but I have been keeping a close eye on her." Alex's expression made clear what that meant.
"I hear you also brought a wife."
"Yes, I recently got married. Very unexpected and romantic.”
"She seems familiar, but I can't place where we have met. Who is her family?"
Alex had prepared for this. "She’s from an old Spanish line of aristocrats. Her father is very wealthy, but prefers to remain unknown."
"I knew you were in need of a rich wife, but that seems like a desperate choice.”
"How can you look at her and think that?"
Both men turned to watch Rachel across the room. She was talking to one of the older ladies, and when she laughed, it proved his point. Rachel was like a bright flower among the dull grass. Alex knew every man in the room would be looking at her. He flinched. She turned to give him her victory grin, and the warm intimate feeling returned. Her focus was only on him and winning their challenge.
"I definitely think I have seen her before." Lord Bittleby leaned in and squinted at Rachel.
"You wouldn't forget a face like that."
The lord pursed his lips together but still couldn't remember her. Alex was grateful Rachel had always been wearing a mask when she was the Raven. Dressed in proper gowns, she looked nothing like the gambling hell’s leading lady. Keeping her secret identity a secret was crucial in making her a proper viscountess.
Alex took his eyes away from her for just a moment, and when he looked back, Rachel was gone. She had been standing only a few feet from the door to the garden, so he suspected she had gone out for fresh air. She was accustomed to the security she had in the club, as well as the freedom of going where she wanted, when she wanted. There was always one of her father’s men watching out for her and now that was gone. They were going to have to talk about this soon, before she ended up getting hurt in a bad situation.
Outside, the light from a full moon cast shadows across the lawn and illuminated his new wife standing in close conversation with an older man. At first, she was smiling and relaxed, but the old man leaned in. Her demeanor changed quickly.
Alex ran in their direction, but he was not fast enough. She slapped her palm across the man’s face hard enough to be heard from the house and Alex could only watch. It looked like the man was going to raise his hands against her as well before Alex finally reached them.
"Having trouble?" Alex grabbed the man by the arm, prohibiting the strike. "You appear disheveled. You took a fall, perhaps?"
"This upstart had the nerve to strike me!"
"Is that really the story you want to tell the other guests when you go back into that ballroom?"
No man wanted to admit he had been struck by a woman. "No. I think it might have been a fall after all."
Alex released him and allowed him to shuffle back into the ballroom. They were finally alone.
"What just happened here?" Alex kept his voice soft and his tone low so not to frighten her with his anger.
"That man felt he had the right to proposition me. A married woman!"
"I thought you knew how men behaved."
"In a gambling hell, yes, but this is supposed to be a proper home. I'm not a courtesan who gets paid for my company, so why would he approach me like that?"
"Men are the same no matter the room they are in."
"Are there some women in society who agree to such things?"
Alex looked at the confused expression on her face and realized that he didn’t know how to explain that to her. He didn’t want her to get a negative idea about marriage, but some truths were hard to avoid.
"Only the unhappy ones. Let's find Daphne and go home."
The quiet discomfort followed them home. Daphne watched the two of them, but didn’t ask what caused the silence and at the house she chose to retire to her room. Rachel attempted to do so as well but Alex followed her upstairs.
“I would like to be alone tonight.” Rachel said as the approached the bedroom door. Her head was tilted down and her shoulder were slumped, matching the sad tone of her voice.
“I’m sorry tonight didn’t go as you hoped.” Alex tried to find the right words to comfort her.
“I hoped for Daphne to do well and she did.”
“You were also hoping to do well.”
“We won’t know if I did until tomorrow.”
The strong tone of confidence was gone from her voice as she spoke and Alex felt a stab of guilt over their wager. He could have helped make it easier for her to make introductions, but he chose to let her fail in order to further his own cause. Now he was facing the outcome of that decision. At the door, she tried to slip into her room quickly but his hand reached out, wrapping around her elbow, stopping her. The motion made her twirl around to face him and her eyelashes sparkled with tears.
“Are you sure you want to be alone? You have had a difficult night.” He asked, keeping his voice gentle.
“If you are referring to what happened in the garden, I barely remember.”
“I thought you were a better liar.”
Alex reached out to cup her chin in his palm and tilt her head back to look at him. Her eyes were watery and her cheeks a bright red. He could feel the tension in her body, as she held back the tears threatening to spill.
“He frightened you.” Alex growled. “Did he do something I don’t know about?”
“No, you had a good view of the entire scene. Front row I should think.”
The tone of her voice was sharp and her cheeks reddened further.
“I was simply trying to help.”
“I didn’t need your help, but I didn’t want your attention. That man thought the worst of me and you got to see how he treated me.”
“Do you think I might think poorly of you because of that?” Her bottom lip trembled. “You’re my wife. I’m not going to change my opinion over the wrong assumptions of a drunken fool. I know what type of woman you are and I find it mesmerizing.”
She was going to argue, he could feel it in the movement of her face in his hands and he couldn’t bare it. Using one of his thumbs to brush across that full bottom lips to distract her he swooped in for a kiss. Her mouth was just as hot and sweet as he remembered, pulling him in until their mouths were devouring each other. His hands never moved but he could feel her pressing against his chest, then sliding around to clutch the fabric of his shirt beneath his coat. Those soft breasts he had admired beneath the fabric of her gown were now rubbing against him and he felt himself losing control. His hand now slipped down to the back of her neck and tugged her tightly against him. That’s when he tasted the saltiness against her lips.
“You don’t have to stop.” Rachel said when he pulled back to see her face streaked with tears. “I know it’s been longer than it should. I’m your wife and this is what’s expected.”
Alex stopped what he was doing, a cold sensation flushing through him. “You are willing to bed me out of duty?”
Rachel nodded and he felt his body clench, pulling back from her. He felt he need distance to keep himself in check.
“I see there are many wrong assumptions being made tonight.” Alex could feel from the way she had kissed him that she wasn’t being entirely honest about it being just about duty. “I’m not going to bed you until you want the pleasure as much as I did. If you say that not tonight, I’m willing to call your bluff.”
The sound of the slamming door echoed behind him.