Heaven Bound (A Blakemore Family Book: Madame Lou Series Book 2) (10 page)

Unfortunately, she couldn’t help but compare every man she encountered to Jackson Bradley, so none of them had been able to measure up to her ideal. Adeline knew it wasn’t fair of her to do so, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. Even though she hadn’t seen him in months, Jack’s presence in her psyche was as strong as if he were in the same room.

Tonight they were attending a ball at Lord and Lady Clifford’s. They had finally managed to break down a small barrier to the domain of the upper ten thousand, but it was just a crack for now. Adeline would actually have to marry one of these gentlemen in order to be fully accepted into that elite group of peers, and even then she knew she would always be referred to as ‘The American’.

What Addie really longed to do was find a group of reformers she could join, but so far she’d had no luck. She was finally ready to resort to asking one of the servants if they might be able to point her in the right direction. It had taken time, but a few of them had finally begun to thaw their ‘stiff upper lips’ and it seemed that the upper staff was taken with their new mistress. Or at least, that is what Emily had confided. Adeline was ready to test that theory out. She just couldn’t take another long day of sitting around waiting for callers who never came as the ladies of the Ton were still not playing nice.

“Dance, Miss James?” Lord Grafton had approached her while she was musing about her plans. Not overly handsome, but tolerable with his thinning brown hair and thick frame, the Duke of Grafton was at least equal in height to Adeline, unlike the Marquis of Townshend, who was several inches shorter.

She smiled and curtsied, and allowed Lord Grafton to lead her onto the dance floor. She noted that it was a pleasant change from American balls as all Englishmen seemed to be good dancers. They spun around the floor until the tune ended, and then the viscount was there to take Lord Grafton’s place. He seemed to show up everywhere she was, and was certainly the most aggressive of her beaus.

“You are lovely, as usual, this evening, Miss James.”

“Thank you, Lord Denbigh,” Adeline responded, quite used to his compliments by now. But recently he had begun to hold her a little too close while they danced and was attempting to take liberties that she was not ready to grant. Like now, he was leaning in close and blowing hot breath into her ear.

“Come take a stroll in the garden with me. It’s a pleasant evening.” The viscount’s grip tightened slightly as if he didn’t want to let her run away.

“Maybe next time,” Adeline said, wondering if he intended to let her go. “I fear I’ve felt a bit under the weather all evening and was just about to beg off when you appeared. But I did so want to dance with you, Lord Denbigh.”

“I’m honored that you chose to end your evening with me, Miss James.” He pulled her just a bit closer and whispered in her ear. “Next time, perhaps you’ll allow me a private moment in the garden?”

Although he had asked, Addie had the distinct feeling that it had not been a question. However, she did not want to upset the man who might very well become her husband someday. “Of course,” she agreed, relieved that he finally pulled away.

“May I call on you tomorrow?” The viscount asked, apparently more eager than she’d first imagined. “I would so enjoy seeing what you’ve done with the house.”

“I—I suppose you may.” Adeline couldn’t think of reason to say no, other than that she wasn’t sure she wanted to be alone with him.

“Excellent,” Lord Denbigh said, bowing over her hand and kissing her gloved fingers. “I shall count the hours until tomorrow.”

Unsure as to what she’d just acquiesced, Adeline sought out her father in the card room to let him know she was going to enlist the chauffeur to drive her home.

“Just make sure you tell him to return for me,” Simon told his daughter right after he folded his hand. “I have to try to win at least one hand before I call it an evening.”

The drive back to their house took no time at all. Emily was there to help her undress and prepare for bed. “Emily—oh, I mean, Stone— remind me to ask Mr. Phillips about workers tomorrow.”

“I don’t know why you want to go looking for that sort of trouble, Miss.” Emily said, finishing the braiding of Adeline’s hair into a single plait for bed. “You should just concentrate on finding a husband for now. After that’s taken care of, you can go off and find yourself a new cause. Who knows, you may even decide you enjoy marriage and won’t want to find anything to distract you. Or maybe you’ll take up a proper charitable activity like orphans or the ladies’ society.”

“Maybe,” Adeline said doubtfully. “But after the viscount’s visit is over, I do want to at least inquire about it, just to find out what the current state of affairs in London is.”

“Very well,” Emily said before she left to find her own bed for the evening.

Adeline woke the next day after more dreams of Jack and Clara. They’d been haunting her for weeks now, each one more cryptic than the previous. They would start out on the ship, usually they were just having tea or taking a stroll on deck, but then they all ended with Clara dying back in New York and then begging Adeline to find something or someone in London. Sometimes she dreamed of being in Jack’s arms again, and feeling so safe and protected. Those were the worst dreams of all, because she always woke from them wondering if she would ever feel that way again in the arms of one of the men destined to become her husband.

This morning she had woken from one of those Jack dreams and she’d floated through the morning feeling quite content and sort of tingly. By the time she was ready for the viscount’s visit, she’d convinced herself that she would give Lord Denbigh a chance to prove that he could make her feel that safe as well. Dressing carefully, she picked out one of her prettiest day gowns. Today she would decide if the viscount was to be the one.

Arriving at precisely three o’clock, Lord Denbigh was his most charming self. Father sat as chaperone, trying not to look bored. But when the viscount suggested a stroll in the garden, Simon eagerly gave his approval. Adeline knew it was an excuse to get her alone, but she was determined to find out if this man would suit her as a husband, so she allowed for the slight indiscretion. Besides, the English weren’t quite as stodgy about these things now that Queen Victoria no longer sat on the throne.

They strolled at a leisurely pace for a few moments until some rose bushes blocked the view from the house. Then the viscount became quite forceful, pulling Adeline hard against his length in an iron grip.

“Lord Denbigh,” Addie squealed. “Must you hold me so tight? You’re hurting me.”

“Nonsense, my dear, this is how a man keeps a woman close to him.” He pressed his lips against her exposed throat, working his way up her chin toward her mouth. “You’ll learn to like it, and maybe it will excite you.”

Adeline pressed a hand against his chest, worried now about just what liberties he intended to take. Before she could object any further, he captured her mouth in a kiss that was not gentle. One hand held her body to his in a steel grip, while the other pressed on the back of her head, holding her firmly, helpless against him while he ravaged her mouth with his. He forced his tongue between her lips, plunging its hot probing wetness deep into her mouth. Pressing her up against the garden wall, one of his hands came around to her front and he began to squeeze and pinch at her breasts, while the other hand took a handful of her bottom and pressed her against his male hardness that he was rubbing against her.

Horrified, Adeline struggled against him, but he was too strong. Finally lifting his mouth from hers, he nipped at her ear and encouraged her to struggle harder.

“Oh, yes, my sweet American flower, I knew you’d be a handful. We are going to make such a beautiful couple both in and out of the bedroom.”

Adeline couldn’t believe he was saying those things or manhandling her like this. “Please, Lord Denbigh, let me go. Please let me go or I’ll scream.”

“Mmmm, yes, I’ll enjoy that when we’re on our honeymoon. I enjoy loud, energetic lovemaking.” Moving away from her, he smiled wickedly as he adjusted his clothing. “Until next time, Miss James.” And he left her like that; disheveled, bruised, and wishing she could go back in time and decline his invitation today. If he believed she would want to marry him after such a demonstration, he would be sorely disappointed.

Upon returning to the house, however, her father was quite excited to report that the viscount had made a formal offer for her hand.

“It looks like he enjoyed himself quite well on your little stroll.” Papa said, giving his daughter a knowing look. “So, when do you want the wedding to take place? I was thinking we should consider having it at Westminster.”

“I’m sorry, Father, but I don’t think the viscount is the man I want to marry.”

“But, I thought...” Simon looked confused by his daughter’s decision.

“Yes, well, I changed my mind.” Addie didn’t have the heart to confess to her father what a rake the viscount really was. “Now if you don’t mind, I would like to lie down before dinner.”

Adeline escaped to her room, mortified that her father had known what sorts of things the viscount had planned for their ‘stroll’. Was that the sort of thing English gentlemen thought was part of the courtship? But of course, she’d known a kiss in the garden was likely, she just hadn’t been prepared for it to turn into physical molestation. She rang for Emily, needing to change her gown. It felt ruined somehow and she didn’t think she’d ever wear it again.

A few hours later she made her way to the dining room, only to discover that her father had gone to his club for the evening. Deciding to have a tray sent to her room, Adeline wandered downstairs to the kitchen to discuss what she’d like to eat with cook, forgetting that she was entering the servants’ domain where she was not necessarily welcome.

“Miss James!” Mrs. McAllister, the housekeeper, exclaimed. She stood abruptly from the long trestle table in the servants’ hall, being the first to notice that the mistress had entered their realm. Several others who were sitting around having tea, reading, or sewing also stood and all conversation stopped suddenly.

“I’m so sorry,” Adeline apologized immediately, realizing that she’d made a terrible error. “I keep forgetting that I’m not at home. You see, back in New York, I sometimes got lonely when Father went out at night or was away on business and I used to eat my dinner in the kitchen. But I can see that just won’t do here. If I could just have a word with Mrs. Canter, about what she should send up to my room, I’ll be out of your way.”

“This way, Miss.” Mrs. McAllister led Adeline into the kitchen after sending one of the maids ahead of them to warn the cook. “It’s no wonder you are distracted after the afternoon you’ve had.”

“Oh, dear, does the whole household know what happened then?” Addie had forgotten that there was always a servant about, whether you could see them or not. She wondered if one of the gardeners had witnessed the whole horrid incident.

“I shouldn’t have said anything, Miss.” Mrs. McAllister said, embarrassed by her comment and looking as if she wanted to cut out her own tongue. “You just surprised me showing up in the servants’ hall and I said the first thing that came into my head.”

“But, everyone does know what the viscount and I did in the garden, don’t they?” Adeline hung her head feeling quite like this had possibly been her worst day in England.

“That’s just how things are in a house like this.” Mrs. McAllister confirmed. “But don’t you worry none about it, Miss. It only earns you the admiration of all of the staff that you didn’t let him keep going, and thank goodness you refused his suit. It wouldn’t do to have that rakehell as master of this house.”

“Thank you, Mrs. McAllister. I’m glad to hear that you approve. Now maybe I won’t be so lonely when Father is gone. And I promise not to come barging down here without some warning first next time. But I do think there will be a next time, if you all don’t mind too much.”

“Well, considering how kind you’ve been, I think we might be able to tolerate the lady of the house coming for a visit from time to time. Now, about your supper tray.”

“Yes, and one more thing, please, Mrs. McAllister. I need to ask Mr. Phillips a question, if you could have him come find me.” Adeline was more determined than ever to locate the local labor reformers and lend her support.

“Of course, Miss. I’ll leave you with Cook while I go and fetch him.”

Mrs. Canter, the cook that Father had hired to run the kitchen appeared out of the pantry, wiping her hands on the apron around her wide waist. She was a petite woman of indiscernible years, with a salt and pepper bun tucked under a white cap. Her bright blue eyes took in the sight of the lady of the house in her kitchen and she adjusted immediately.

“Well then, will you be wanting to tell me how to run my kitchen or are you just one of those ladies who wants a taste of everything before it’s served?”

“Neither, Mrs. Canter. I’m just a bit lonely here in a new country with no friends to speak of yet. I hope you don’t mind, but I feel even more out place upstairs sitting at an empty table than I do down here watching and listening to you all keeping busy. I wish I had something to keep me occupied as well. But I’m hoping Mr. Phillips with be able to assist me with that.”

“What, you think you should be chopping vegetables or cleaning silver? Your father pays us too well to allow for that.” Mrs. Canter talked while she walked around her kitchen, checking pots and looking in her oven.