A Hint of Seduction (12 page)

“Did I hurt you?” he asked, his breath ragged.

“No, again I’m surprised. I didn’t expect to find your kisses so pleasurable.”

He smiled softly. “I’m glad I please you.”

“Did you enjoy my kisses?” she asked with some hesitancy.

“Very much so.”

She returned his smile. “I really must go. If I delay longer, the sun will be bright and I will surely get caught slipping back into the house. I can’t let that happen.”

“You’re right. But first, my uncle is having a dinner party tonight. I’ll have an invitation sent over. Do you think you and your sister can come?”

“I believe our schedule is full.”

“Try?”

He picked up her hood and placed it back on her head, pulling it low over her face and stuffing her hair to the back of her shoulders.

Lord Chatwin cupped his hands for her foot so he could lift her onto the saddle. Without looking back at him, she took off, intending to let the mare have her head and gallop out of the park, but she very quickly realized Lord Chatwin was following her at a distance. He rode his gelding and was leading the other horse.

She stopped and turned around and rode back to meet him.

“Why are you following me? Is something wrong?”

“No.”

“Then go some other way. Someone might see you following me.”

Lord Chatwin smiled. “Miss Reynolds, I’ve been following you ever since you left your aunt’s house an hour ago.”

She gasped. “Surely not.”

He smiled. “Of course I have.”

“I would have noticed.”

“I’m very good at what I do.”

That I can’t argue with.

“If you chose to meet me, I wasn’t going to have you riding the streets alone with no protection. What kind of gentleman would I be if I did something like that?”

“The kind I
thought
you were. But I see now that is not true.”

“I always try to be a gentleman whether or not I succeed.”

“Why did you wait until I got to the park to make yourself known? I could have turned over your horse at any time along the way.”

“Yes, but we wouldn’t have had our kiss, and I don’t know about you, but I am most happy I didn’t miss that.”

Catherine gave him a guilty smile. “You are a charmer, my lord.”

“And you are a beautiful temptress, Miss Reynolds. Now ride fast. You are chasing daylight and you don’t have much time.”

That exciting, thrilling feeling whipped through Catherine again. She smiled at him before turning her horse around and racing out of the park.

Eight

“U
P
,
DEAR GIRL
,
up! See what a beautiful day it is outside. Spring is here and the birds are singing. Life is beautiful. Up, up.”

Her lids were heavy, but Catherine tried to open her eyes against the glaring streak of sunshine streaming through the window dressings Victoria had just flung open. She didn’t want to wake up. She wanted to think about a handsome man, a warm, strong embrace, and moist kisses that sent shivers of delight from her head to her toes.

Suddenly her eyes popped open.

“I couldn’t let you sleep a moment longer, as we have much to do today.”

Catherine squinted against the strong glare of the sun. “Have I overslept?” she asked groggily, remembering she hadn’t gotten any sleep last night because of her secret, wonderful rendezvous with Lord Chatwin.

“No, no. It’s not late. Now, put your pillows behind you
and I’ll get your tray. I have chocolate and toast ready. Madame Parachou is already on her way over to fit you for another gown.”

More gowns? Surely not.

“Sweet mercies, Vickie,” she mumbled, touching her fingertips to her lips as she remembered Lord Chatwin’s kisses and how they made her feel all delicious inside. “I have a room full of gowns I haven’t even worn yet.”

“Oh, you do like to exaggerate. You can’t possibly have more than four or five, maybe six that you haven’t worn.”

That was six more gowns than she needed as far as she was concerned, and she had more than enough day dresses, carriage dresses, walking dresses, not to mention all the gloves, bonnets, and wraps to match.

Victoria stood before her and smiled down at her with her brown eyes sparkling like the finest of gemstones.

“You don’t have plenty. Not anymore. I sent word for Madame Parachou to come at once, and I told her there would be an extra payment for her if she made it here within the hour.”

Catherine had realized when she first arrived in London months ago that there was no point in quarreling with Victoria about clothing. That was one argument Catherine wouldn’t win.

She pulled her nightcap off her head and shook out her long hair, letting it spill over her shoulders. She remembered how her breath had come rapid and deep when Lord Chatwin had cupped her hair in his hands and let its length thread through his fingers as if he were caressing the finest silk.

Still looking quite pleased with herself, Victoria waved
a sheet of vellum before Catherine and said, “Guess what arrived very early this morning?”

“I have no idea,” she mumbled as her thoughts drifted back to her meeting with Lord Chatwin a few hours ago. Their kisses, and the pleasure they created inside her, still lingered with her.

She could still feel his strong arms around her. It was unbelievable to her at how warm his body had been and how strong his arms and firm his chest. His lips had been soft and tasted of apple. She moistened her lips, hoping to find the fruity taste still there, but it was gone.

Vickie placed a tray across Catherine’s lap and laid the sheet of vellum on the tray. She looked down at Catherine with a very pleased smile on her face and said, “This is an invitation for us to attend a dinner party at Lord Chatwin’s uncle’s house this evening. Isn’t that wonderful!”

Yes, because she wanted to see Lord Chatwin again. What was she doing thinking about the earl? She needed to concentrate on finding her father.

“I’m glad if you are pleased,” she said, keeping her eyes on the tray of hot chocolate, toast, and cooked figs. She wasn’t sure she should sound interested in Lord Chatwin.

“Of course I’m pleased. I’m ecstatic! I can’t believe how well your first week is going.” Victoria walked away from the bed and over to Catherine’s dressing table and sat down on the stool.

She looked at Catherine in the looking glass. “I always suspected I had very good matchmaking skills and this proves it. And it’s quite enjoyable. I might hire myself out to make matches for other young ladies.”

“Would you really want to do that, Vickie?”

“Yes. For a fee, of course, you understand. And I would
let it be known I’m available only after I have you safely betrothed to Lord Westerland or Lord Chatwin, which shouldn’t take too much longer. One of them is bound to make an offer very soon. Everything seems to be falling right into my plan.”

Catherine knew Victoria well enough to know that if she spoke in favor of something, Vickie would talk against it.

With that in mind Catherine said, “Vickie, I’m not as old or as wise as you, but from all I’ve heard, Lord Chatwin is not a good choice for me. I understand he will give a lady attention for a few days and suddenly start paying court to another without so much as a good-bye.”

“You cannot believe everything you’ve heard about the earl. It can’t all be true.”

Catherine smiled to herself. Victoria had said just the opposite last night. Obviously it didn’t take much to sway her.

“Lord Westerland is not nearly as handsome, or charming or friendly as the earl.”

“Friendly?” Victoria screwed up her face into a frown. “That has nothing to do with which man will be the better husband for you. I must admit that Lord Chatwin presents the bigger challenge, so naturally he would be the better choice. And I find matching wits with him quite stimulating.”

Sometimes Catherine didn’t understand Victoria’s reasoning.

Catherine sipped her chocolate and pondered her half sister’s words. Yes, Lord Chatwin was a challenge.

“Other ladies have not known how to make Lord Chatwin seek their daughters. I do. We will not fail, dear Catherine. I know what I’m doing.”

“I’m not sure I want a husband,” she said as thoughts
about her real reason for being in London swept through her mind once again.

Vickie’s brown eyes rounded in horror as her lips formed an O. “That’s blasphemous! Of course you want a husband! All young ladies do.”

Catherine had to smile because Victoria looked so stricken. “I meant right now. I would like to have time to get to know more people here in London.”

“Lord Chatwin is young, handsome, and titled. He will provide well for you and give you many children. What else could you want?”

“How about love?” she asked, remembering her conversation with Lady Lynette, remembering how Lord Chatwin’s kisses had made her feel passion for the first time in her life.

“Love? You don’t know what it is and neither do I. Perhaps there really isn’t such a thing as love. Those kinds of fanciful notions only exist in poetry and daydreams, and it seems only to affect young ladies like you.”

Lord Chatwin certainly had all her senses on alert, but could she ever love him?

“I don’t know anything about love,” she admitted, “but I think I should look for a man who will love only me. Not someone who will give me attention for a few days and then move on to another lady.”

“Don’t worry about anything like that. It’s not important right now. All that will work out once you are married.” Victoria rose from the stool and turned back to Catherine. “Finish your chocolate. The only thing we need to do is get him, or Lord Westerland, to offer for your hand, and I’m working on ideas about how to accomplish that.”

And Catherine had her own plan she was going to be working on tonight. And she’d start with seeking out Lady Lynette.

J
OHN DIDN
’
T KNOW
what was wrong with him. He must have eaten something that hadn’t agreed with him. He felt restless, which was unusual for him.

Not only that but he kept watching the front door with the anticipation of a youth waiting to look at his first nude. He wanted the next person to walk through the front door of his uncle’s home to be Miss Reynolds.

The party had started well over two hours ago. Champagne flowed, flowers graced corners and tables, and hundreds of candles burned throughout the house. His uncle’s dinner parties were always well attended, and the one tonight was no exception.

The music had remained lively and John had already danced with three young ladies who had just been presented at court. But right now he couldn’t even remember what they looked like. He had no one on his mind but Miss Reynolds.

He knew the two sisters had other events to attend. Miss Reynolds had said as much, but he’d been hoping Mrs. Goosetree would decide to pass on the other parties and come directly to his uncle’s house.

It didn’t appear they had done that. And he was beginning to think they might not show at all.

He couldn’t help but wonder whether Mrs. Goosetree sincerely didn’t want him pursuing Miss Reynolds or if the older sister was just trying to make him appear eager? She
wouldn’t be the first to have tried it. The odd thing was that it had never worked before, and he kept telling himself that he couldn’t let it this time.