Legendary Lover (11 page)

102

<£%
IE
 
HAD
 
HIS
 
CLOTHES
 
CONVEYED
 
TO
  
BELGRAVE

Square. He didn't require a valet tonight, he told his batman, who delivered his wardrobe change; he was capable of tying his own cravat.

He dismissed Venus's maid as well, dropping into a gilded chair in the boudoir once she'd left. "Don't look at me like that," he cheerfully replied to Venus's questioning stare. "I'll help you."

"I'm not sure I care to know how adept you are at dressing ladies."

"I'm not adept at all, but I'm willing to learn if it means being alone with you."

"I hope you know what you're doing. We don't have much time."

He glanced at the clock. "How long can it take to dress?"

"You don't realize how much has to be laced and buttoned and hooked."

"Don't worry. We'll still have time."

She recognized his tone of voice.
"No, absolutely not."

"I may pout." He thrust out his bottom lip.

"Pout away. If you want me to accompany you, you'll do this my way. And I still have to have my hair arranged. Are you accomplished with women's coiffeurs as well?"

They'd bathed at the cottage. Jack had had tanks installed in the attic that were supplied with water from the river and, ingeniously heated with coal, offered hot water for the shower-baths he favored.

"I am not. I'll fortify myself for the dull evening

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ahead
while your maid arranges your hair. Where's your liquor?"

"In the library.
I'll have some brought up."

"Never mind.
I'll fetch it. I liked your curls that night at Peggy's."

"Then I'll have Maude arrange curls. Your wish is my command, my lord."

He laughed. "If only it were true, my imperious young queen."

"And here I've been on my best behavior," she lightly mocked.

But she was on her best behavior, or Jack Fitz-James brought out the best in her, the level of her contentment extraordinary. And for a woman very much familiar with having her own way, she found herself willingly deferring to him in many instances.
Such as this dinner and soiree, for example.
She didn't relish appearing on his arm tonight. After the wagers staked and the inevitable gossip, she knew they'd be the cynosure of all eyes.

He seemed immune. She preferred a less conspicuous role.

But he returned shortly with some liquor and entertained her while Maude arranged her hair in ringlets, with fragrant white roses over both ears along with elaborate diamond clips. He knew every bit of scandalous gossip about town, and as he sipped his cognac, he regaled her with humorous stories of the fashionable world.

"And if Ned's
maman
quizzes you on Ned's future betrothed, I'll warn you now to plead ignorance. Ned told her a month ago he was about to become engaged, after -she'd been hounding him unmercifully. Once Lily finds a beau, he expects the pressure on him will cease.

104

So he has only to survive the season, and his
maman
will have her hands full with Lily's marriage plans."

"I'll be pleased to tell her I know nothing. Now you're sure she won't take offense at an extra guest added at such late date?"

"Lady Darlington is flighty as a hummingbird. She won't even notice. Just smile and nod your head when she chatters on."

"How like a man," Venus rebuked, frowning into the mirror. "You don't even listen."

"She talks of nothing at great speed. There's no need to listen. You'll find out for yourself soon enough, so you needn't defend your sex with such a scowl. I like Frances. I just wouldn't want to be put into a carriage with her for more than a two-block ride."

"Her husband is deceased?"

"Killed riding to hounds, drunk as a lord. He died happy."

"Do you ride?" She knew so little of him.

"To hounds?"

She nodded and her maid frowned and reset a pin.

"Occasionally.
I prefer steeplechase. My stable of jumpers has taken me a decade to bring up to scratch. We'll have to go riding at
Castlereagh
sometime. You ride, don't you?" She looked like a woman who would be fearless in the saddle.

"My parents' stable is primarily racers. I ride some."

"I just bought a new racer.
The morning after I met you."
He smiled at her in the mirror. "I should rename him for the occasion. He's going to take the Derby this year. Why don't you stay and see him run?"

"The
Duras's
horses are racing at
Longchamps
. You're welcome to come over if you like." She spoke as casually

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as
he. "My brother rides in the amateur events. Do you have family?"

"A distant cousin in Devon, hoping to inherit, whom I've never liked because he's so damned malicious.
My solicitor keeps him at bay with quarterly funds. Then there's my maternal aunt whom I seldom see.
And Peggy.
She's the closest I have to family."

"She's a wonderful surrogate family. You're very fortunate."

"I agree. She'll be there tonight."

"How very nice.
Another person I know. Thank you, Maude, it's very nice. I can manage now."

A small hush descended on the room as the maid left.

"I find myself selfishly monopolistic of your company. I may have to learn how to do your hair."

"Anytime."
She twirled around on the satin-covered stool and gazed at him lounging in her boudoir chair. "I'd much prefer you."

"While I prefer you to all else."
He raised his glass in salute. She was an enchantress, an elegant Primavera with white roses in her hair. And his, he thought with
a
unprecedented possessiveness.

"Are you ready to begin tying and hooking?"

"In my current mood, it's going to require nerves of steel to keep you chaste until after the ball."

"There's always Maude."

He shook his head. "I can do it. And in three hours, we'll be away from London again."

"That makes even the inevitable stares endurable."

"Don't worry about stares," he said, rising from his
chafr
. "No one will dare when you're with me."

Chapter 8

cssso

/E WELL KNEW HIS AUTHORITY.
 
NOT A SIN-

gle
disparaging word, not an untoward glance was directed at her when they arrived at the Darlington soiree. And the anterooms were filled with guests waiting for dinner to be served. A string quartet supplied music for the milling crowd during the
quartre
heme
mauvais
and Lady Darlington was as bubbly and effervescent as Jack had warned. Taking his advice, Venus smiled and nodded her head and when their hostess fluttered away, she couldn't make sense of anything she'd heard.

But Lily was far from a tomboy with braids. She was a ravishing young red-haired beauty who took exception to Jack's companion with a
pouty
, sullen moue. Jack seemed not to notice, and once she was whisked away by her mother to meet other guests and Venus mentioned Lily's sulky response, he only said, "Nonsense. She's just jittery with all the commotion tonight."

When the next sulky beauty approached them, though, he was less obtuse. Lady
Tallien
, elegantly small and shapely, introduced herself with a haughty, assessing glance for Venus. "I understand you're the lady who dabbles in charity work. Did everything work out for you at Brookes, Jack, darling?" she snidely went on, her

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perfect
brows rising in mockery. "I understand your interest in charity work garnered much interest."

"Then you understood wrong, Bella. Miss
Duras
and 1 are old acquaintances. Her father and my uncle were friends. So we're practically
family
."

"Will you be in London long, Miss
Duras
?" If looks could kill, murder charges could have been filed.

"I'm not sure." Jack's former lover had pale platinum hair and dark eyes like his. What a lovely couple they must have made, Venus resentfully thought.

"I'm hoping to convince Miss
Duras
to stay for the season," Jack interposed. "She hasn't seen
Castlereagh
, and I thought she'd enjoy the Derby as well."

"Really?"
Icicles dripped from the gelid word.

"Lord
Redvers
has been the soul of hospitality," Venus silkily murmured, unable to resist a barb of her own.

"Sarah will be vastly disappointed, Jack." Lady
Tal
-lien spoke in punctilious rebuke.

"I can't imagine why."

"Really, Jack, you have to have been aware of her intense interest in you. Everyone says how well matched you are."

"Then everyone's wrong. You overreach, Bella. I dislike young maids. Ah, there's Ned.
If you'll excuse us."

Lady
Tallien
was left seething with temper—always a danger.

(V*
IE
 
OF
  
YOUR
  
LOVERS,
  
NO
  
DOUBT,"
  
VENUS
  
RE-

marked
as they strolled away. "She seemed quite willing to kill me on the spot."

"Ignore Bella, darling. She can be a bitch."

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"An advantage at times, I'm sure. She seemed very familiar with you. How many more will I meet tonight?"

None as forward as Bella, he hoped, although an uncomfortable number of ladies in attendance tonight had been his lovers. "This is why I avoid society. I'm already inclined to leave, and dinner hasn't even been announced."

"Too many husbands glaring at you?"

He shot her a lowering glance. "You know better than that. How many aristocratic marriages do you know that are love matches? The husbands here tonight spend more time with their mistresses or in their clubs than with their wives."

"So we won't be disturbed by irate husbands, only irate lovers."

He grimaced. "You find this amusing, don't you?"

"Fascinating.
Do you know how many women in this room are looking at you?"

"Could we change the subject? I can't imagine it will be productive in any way."

"Of course, my lord," she purred.

He sent her a sidelong glance. "I may have to spank you if you don't behave."

"Hardly an incentive to behave."
She fluttered her eyelashes at him in flirtatious parody.

"I can see you're going to be difficult to control tonight."

"I tried to warn you to leave me at home."

"Maybe I should turn you over my knee and spank you right now."

His voice was much too calm for comfort. She quickly scanned his expression.

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"You think I wouldn't?" His dark glance was audacious, his hand tightened on hers.

An unwonted thrill spiked through her senses at the thought of so salacious a spectacle. At the possibility that he actually meant what he said. "You wouldn't!" she whispered.

"Behave or you'll find out," he said, smiling faintly.

"Don't say that . . ." Her voice was low, tremulous. "Or we might have to leave precipitously."

"We can't leave yet." But he felt it, too—the irrepressible excitement, the shocking lust. His restless gaze swept the crowded room. "Come out on the terrace with me." His words were casual but a volatile impatience shaded the words. "It's cooler out there." He drew her toward the terrace doors open to the warm spring night.
"And dark."

"Jack, don't," she protested, realizing what he meant, knowing all eyes were on them tonight. "Please." She kept her voice low, aware of the glances directed at them as they weaved through the throng. "Don't be reckless. We can't do this. Jack!"

Ignoring her, he pulled her along, crossing the threshold onto the terrace, taking them down a shallow flight of steps onto the lawn, and striding toward a vine-covered pergola as though he were familiar with the gardens, as though he'd been here before.

"How can you even think of this, damn you," she whispered, not daring to raise her voice in the night silence.

"Don't pretend you're not wet and ready, because I know better."

"Someone might walk out here!" She didn't have his cultivated disregard for the world.