Deceived (16 page)
Authors: Bertrice Small
“Almost?”
She looked seriously at him.
She looked seriously at him.
“Whatever you do, madam, I expect no scandal,” he said quietly. “As for the rest of the terms of our arrangement, we can discuss them
after
our child is born. We are civilized people, are we not?”
after
our child is born. We are civilized people, are we not?”
“What if it is a daughter?” she inquired nervously.
“Then after a season in London, to which I will accompany you, we will return to Hawkes Hill to make another attempt.”
Calandra shuddered openly.
“Boys run in the family, my dear,” he said. “I think you will be fairly safe from my unwelcome attentions.” He bowed politely and exited her rooms.
Downstairs again, he found that George and Betsy, as well as the other Bowens, had disappeared, but his grandmother stood in the hallway while Aurora said good night to Justin St. John.
“Will you ride with me tomorrow?” St. John said, smiling down at her in a proprietary way the duke found extremely irritating.
“It is tomorrow,” laughed Aurora. “I am exhausted, and shall spend most of the day in bed. The day after, perhaps.” She turned to the dowager. “May I, ma'am? Would it be all right?”
“Of course, my dear, but not too early, St. John. Nine o'clock will do very nicely. Remember me to your mama. I am sorry she was unable to attend tonight. You must arrange to bring her to tea some day quite soon. Perhaps when the weather is warmer.”
“Thank you, ma'am,” he replied. Then he kissed the dowager's hand, and lastly Aurora's, lingering over hers a trifle longer than he should have. “Good night, my lovely goddess of the dawn,” he said softly, but not so softly the others didn't hear.
Aurora blushed at the unexpected compliment.
“Get along with you, you young rogue!” the dowager scolded.
Releasing Aurora's hand, St. John replied, “Good night, Cousin Valerian. I had a very good time, I vow. Congratulations upon the impending birth of your heir. You will give the duchess my kindest regards?” Then with a final bow he was gone through the door.
“Impudent puppy!” snapped the duke. “Are you sure, Grandmama, that it is proper for Aurora to ride with that devil. I do not think it wise at all. Two grooms must go with them.”
“Two?” Aurora said, surprised.
“One groom will be quite enough, Valerian,” the dowager said sharply, looking at her grandson.
“I am far too tired to argue,” Aurora said. “I am going to bed. Is Cally still awake, Valerian?”
“She was when I came down,” he answered her.
“Then I shall stop in and say good night,” Aurora replied, and she hurried up the staircase.
“Come into the drawing room with me,” the dowager commanded her grandson. “I must speak with you.”
The lights in the drawing room had already been extinguished, but a bright fire burned. Standing just past the closed door to the room, Mary Rose Hawkesworth said to the duke, “Aurora must be married, and St. John is a suitable prospect if he pleases her. I will not allow your boyhood rivalry to interfere, Valerian. Do I make myself clear?”
“You have already decided on St. John, haven't you?” he responded.
“It is not up to me, my boy, it is up to Aurora,” she answered him in prim tones.
“Grandmama, do not fence with me. I know you well. You very carefully engineered George and Betsy's rapprochement, and do not deny it. Oh, I will not tell on you, never fear. It is a good match, but I do not believe that Justin St. John is a good match for Aurora.” The duke went to the sideboard and poured himself a large whiskey.
“You have a wife, Valerian,” Mary Rose Hawkesworth said quietly.
Her grandson spun around, a shocked look upon his face.
“Do not deny that you are attracted to Aurora,” his grandmother continued. “Oh, you are usually discreet, but I see how you look at her when you believe that no one else is observing you, and I believe that of the two girls, she would have been the better wife for you; but you married Calandra, and she is now expecting your child. That, my dear boy, settles it. I know that Calandra is a coldhearted little bitch. I am astounded you have managed to impregnate her, but you have. As you cannot have both girls, and Calandra is your wife, Aurora must be married to another man. Do not interfere with me, Valerian,” the dowager warned her grandson sternly.
“Do not interfere with me, Grandmama,” he replied calmly. “I am the head of this family, and if I decide that a gentleman shall not wed Aurora, then he shall not.”
“And if she loves him, Valerian? What then, my boy?”
“Aurora could not possibly fall in love with St. John,” he said with complete assurance.
“Perhaps not, but there will be some man who surely catches her fancy in the next few months. You will have no choice but to stand by and watch as she picks a husband, Valerian,” his grandmother said.
“We will see,” the duke answered her.
“If you cause a scandal, or hurt either of those girls, I will never forgive you,” the dowager threatened him.
“Surely, madam, you know me better than that,” the duke said.
The old lady shook her head. “I am not certain I know you at all now. There is no way you can escape your marriage, Valerian. Perhaps if she had not proved fertile, you might have found a way, but not now. Calandra is with child.
Your child.
The Fifth Duke of Farminster will enter this world before the new year. That is an undisputed fact.”
Your child.
The Fifth Duke of Farminster will enter this world before the new year. That is an undisputed fact.”
He did not respond to her words, and turning, the dowager exited the drawing room for her own chambers. As she passed Calandra's bedroom, she could hear soft laughter, and she smiled. Thank goodness for Aurora. She would keep that flighty chit her grandson was married to on the straight and narrow during her pregnancy, and there would be a healthy child. But afterward? Who knew what arrangement Valerian had made with his wife in order to elicit her cooperation, if indeed she had cooperated with him at all. It was so terribly unfortunate.
Valerian Hawkesworth remained standing in the drawing room where she had left him. He stared into the fire, cradling the whiskey glass in his hands. What did it matter that Calandra and he had little use for each other. There would be a child, an heir, to follow him, and wasn't that what he wanted, as Aurora had asked him earlier. Wasn't it enough? It didn't matter that Calandra would live out her frivolous life in London going from party to party like a bee going from flower to flower. He would have his son. If his mother would not be there for him, his father would. And his grandmother, and his aunt Aurora.
Aurora.
His grandmother was right. She would choose a man and marry. The best he could hope for was that she remain nearby so he would not lose her entirely. But he would lose her. He would lose her to a husband, to her own children. Oh, she would be kind to her little nephew, he had no doubt, but Valerian Hawkesworth would not have Aurora. He might have her friendship. Her sympathy. But nothing more, and the problem was that he wanted more.
He wanted her.
His grandmother was right. She would choose a man and marry. The best he could hope for was that she remain nearby so he would not lose her entirely. But he would lose her. He would lose her to a husband, to her own children. Oh, she would be kind to her little nephew, he had no doubt, but Valerian Hawkesworth would not have Aurora. He might have her friendship. Her sympathy. But nothing more, and the problem was that he wanted more.
He wanted her.
Damn her for stealing his heart! And damn Calandra that she did not want him! If Calandra had loved him, it could have been different.
No.
It would not have been different, he had to admit to himself. He was in love with Aurora Spencer-Kimberly. He had never been in love with his wife, and he never would be. He would never capture the heart of either of these women, but at least he would have his son. It didn't seem enough, but it would have to be, he knew.
No.
It would not have been different, he had to admit to himself. He was in love with Aurora Spencer-Kimberly. He had never been in love with his wife, and he never would be. He would never capture the heart of either of these women, but at least he would have his son. It didn't seem enough, but it would have to be, he knew.
As for his cousin, Justin St. John, he wondered if St. John was really attracted to Aurora, or if he was simply playing with the girl to annoy Hawkesworth. He didn't want Aurora hurt, yet how could he forbid her St. John's company? He couldn't. The thought, however, of his cousin making love to Aurora infuriated him. He would watch St. John closely to determine his intentions, and in this effort, he knew, he would be ably assisted by his grandmother. She would not want Aurora harmed, or her heart broken by a cad, even if the scoundrel was a blood relation. The duke turned from the fire and placed his whiskey tumbler on the silver tray from where he had originally taken it. Then with a sigh he left the drawing room, seeking his own bed.
A lonely bed.
A lonely bed.
Aurora heard him pass by her bedroom door. By now she knew his step. She was angry at the duke. Angry that he made Cally so unhappy, although she knew that most of the fault lay with her sister. She was angry at him that a compliment from his lips could cause her heart to race. That those intense blue eyes could make her knees go weak when he looked meaningfully at her. She wondered what it would have been like if she had married him. Would he have made her as unhappy as he was making Cally?
No.
Cally's problems stemmed from her inability to enjoy the physical pleasures of the marriage bed. I may be a virgin, Aurora thought to herself, but I know I would enjoy a husband's attentions.
No.
Cally's problems stemmed from her inability to enjoy the physical pleasures of the marriage bed. I may be a virgin, Aurora thought to herself, but I know I would enjoy a husband's attentions.
Especially if that husband were Valerian Hawkesworth,
the little voice in her head said slyly, and Aurora was suddenly shocked by her own thoughts. She had had her chance to marry the duke, but she had gone out of her way to avoid her deceased father's wishes. She had deliberately deceived Valerian into thinking Cally was his intended bride. No one had forced her to subterfuge. It had all been her own idea. She had bullied Mama into going along with her. George, of course, knew her well enough to realize if Aurora didn't want to do something, she wouldn't, and had in turn done what he believed was best for the family. Both she and Cally had behaved childishly in the whole matter. Now they were going to have to live with the results of their chicanery. It wasn't going to be easy, she knew.
the little voice in her head said slyly, and Aurora was suddenly shocked by her own thoughts. She had had her chance to marry the duke, but she had gone out of her way to avoid her deceased father's wishes. She had deliberately deceived Valerian into thinking Cally was his intended bride. No one had forced her to subterfuge. It had all been her own idea. She had bullied Mama into going along with her. George, of course, knew her well enough to realize if Aurora didn't want to do something, she wouldn't, and had in turn done what he believed was best for the family. Both she and Cally had behaved childishly in the whole matter. Now they were going to have to live with the results of their chicanery. It wasn't going to be easy, she knew.
Cally was terrified of being with child, frightened of childbirth, vain about her figure, which she declared was going to be ruined. Had she not been more fearful of Valerian, Aurora believed her sister would have found a way to rid herself of this new life she carried. Fortunately her distaste for the marriage bed was enough to make her behave, because if she lost this child, she would be forced to endure her husband's vigorous attentions once more. If, however, she brought this child to a successful birth, and it was a sonâ
Oh, pray God it was a son!
âthen she would never again have to face her husband's animal lust, she had said to Aurora.
Oh, pray God it was a son!
âthen she would never again have to face her husband's animal lust, she had said to Aurora.
Aurora considered her sister's words.
Animal lust.
It actually sounded rather wickedly delicious. She caressed her round breasts beneath the coverlet, undoing the ribbons that tied her nightgown, and slipping her hand inside the garment to fondle the warm flesh. What would it be like to have a man doing this? She thought of Justin St. John, but his face was almost instantly replaced by that of the duke's. For a moment Aurora felt guilty, but she pushed her guilt aside. It was only pretend, and only she knew what she was thinking. Her nipples grew hard with her thoughts. Sucking her index finger a moment, she began to rub the wetness about the hard little nub, smiling languidly as the familiar tingle began between her legs. Her other hand slipped down to push between the swollen flesh. She was already wet.
Animal lust.
It actually sounded rather wickedly delicious. She caressed her round breasts beneath the coverlet, undoing the ribbons that tied her nightgown, and slipping her hand inside the garment to fondle the warm flesh. What would it be like to have a man doing this? She thought of Justin St. John, but his face was almost instantly replaced by that of the duke's. For a moment Aurora felt guilty, but she pushed her guilt aside. It was only pretend, and only she knew what she was thinking. Her nipples grew hard with her thoughts. Sucking her index finger a moment, she began to rub the wetness about the hard little nub, smiling languidly as the familiar tingle began between her legs. Her other hand slipped down to push between the swollen flesh. She was already wet.
Aurora closed her eyes. Her breath was coming in hard little pants, and she struggled to keep the sound low lest she awaken Martha. She imagined a dark head on her breast, and tugged suggestively at her nipple. Would his mouth feel like that, or would it be much more wonderful than she could even imagine? The index finger of her right hand found that sensitive spot hidden within her nether lips, and she teased at it. What would it be like to lay naked in a bed with the man you loved? To feel his weight on you? To have your bare breasts crushed against his hard chest? To have his member inside you? Aurora worked her finger fiercely against her pleasure nub, and suddenly the lovely melting feeling swept over her, leaving her almost breathless with her release. Tonight, however, it wasn't quite enough, and she didn't understand why. It had always been enough before.
Aurora couldn't sleep. What was the matter with her? It was probably the excitement of the ball. It had been a lovely time, made even more so by the knowledge that she had contributed so much to the preparation. She had very much enjoyed helping the dowager, and she had learned a great deal of what was expected of the wife of a well-to-do man with a big house. There had been no parties or balls on St. Timothy. Her father had taken his pleasure in Jamaica or Barbados prior to his marriage, and during the brief period between her mother's death and his remarriage to Oralia. Unless there were other families on an island, society was scant.
It was not so here in England. They were a very social people, and she had to admit that she frankly enjoyed it. Not London society, as Cally had, but this country life suited Aurora very well. In the weeks since she had first arrived, she had ridden with her brother and Betsy, gone on several picnics with the Bowen sisters and their friends, and played tennis on the grass. The country families were friendly, and while proud of their lineage, they were not snobbish like the London society folk she had met.
If I meet a man I can love, and marry him, I shall always live in the country, Aurora decided.
If she met a man.
Well, she had met several nice gentlemen this evening who appeared eager to know her better. Me, or my dowry? she considered suspiciously. Of course, Justin St. John didn't need her dowry or her income. He was, according to the dowager, comfortably off in his own right.
If she met a man.
Well, she had met several nice gentlemen this evening who appeared eager to know her better. Me, or my dowry? she considered suspiciously. Of course, Justin St. John didn't need her dowry or her income. He was, according to the dowager, comfortably off in his own right.
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