Once Upon an Accident 02 - Lessons in Seduction (2 page)

“Did I tell you about the diary I found today at the bookstore?”

Victoria gave her a knowing look but said nothing about her lack of tact. “No, you didn’t.”

“It was quite amazing I found it because it was buried at the bottom of a crate. The proprietor told me he’d bought it at some estate sale.”

“Really?” Victoria’s attention had now turned back to the dancers on the floor, but Cicely knew that her aunt had a habit of keeping one eye on her surroundings and her ear to the conversation.

“It is more an accounting than a personal diary. I am not sure what it means or if it is real. But it seems that one of five men kept a diary while they conspired against the throne about the time of the Terror. I have no idea from where they came, but I think they may be very significant.”

The first strains of a waltz sounded before Victoria could answer.

Cicely really hated this dance. While she sometimes had requests for country dances from various cousins and gentlemen she knew from The Historical Society, she rarely was asked to waltz.

“Lady Cicely.”

She glanced over her shoulder to find Douglas standing to her left, a smile curving his beautiful lips. Curling her toes into her slippers, she told her heart to stop doing flip-flops. All she could do was stare at him.

His wavy dark hair never seemed to stay in place, yet always looked tidy.

The mischievous twinkle in his eye sent heat racing up her spine. A few murmurs reached her and brought her out of her stupor. It was then she realized her faux pas. Flushing, she curtsied.

“Your Grace.”

He took her offered hand and waited for her to rise before asking, “Would you honor me with this dance?”

She didn’t pretend not to hear the whispers growing louder.

Accustomed to them or not, they were still disturbing. Regardless, she held her head high and looked him right in the eye. “I would be delighted to dance with you, Your Grace.”

He led her out to the dance floor and within moments they were whirling with the other dancers. The feel of his strong hand providing gentle pressure on her waist, his body close to hers made her head spin.

The heat of him warmed her front, though she tried not to think about it.

Her body already tingled, and she knew from experience she lost all thought when that happened.

“I owe you a world of thanks, Lady Cicely.” He smiled down at her, a genuine smile because the man thought she was no threat to his bachelorhood. And she wasn’t. She didn’t want marriage, but she did want him. “Lady Sara has been after me since I walked in the door and I shudder to think what would happen if I had to dance with her.”

She tried not to laugh, but she couldn’t help it. “You should be ashamed of yourself, Your Grace. She cannot help it that she can’t dance.”

“I danced with her last week and my feet will never be the same. Who would have thought such a small woman could inflict that much pain?”

He shook his head and chuckled, clearly amused with himself. “So I am serious when I tell you I owe you a boon.”

This was almost too good to be true. “You will grant me a favor in return?”

He nodded and expertly twirled them around a slower couple. She licked her lips and numbly followed his lead. Truthfully, she knew he thought nothing of the offer. In Douglas’ mind, she was sure he assumed she might ask for a ride in the park, or the use of his box at the theater.

This had been handed to her on her silver dancing card.

“Your Grace?”

He leaned closer to hear her. She normally didn’t speak that loud, but with the sound of the orchestra, not to mention the fact she was out of breath from dancing, she understood he was having problems hearing her.

“I call in your boon. I do have a favor to ask of you.”

Nodding, he straightened and again twirled her around. “Ask and you shall receive.”

“I was wondering, if you wouldn’t mind, would you teach me how to seduce a man?”

Douglas, Duke of Ethingham, stopped in mid-step and stared down at Lady Cicely completely nonplussed. Never in his life did he expect that to be the favor she asked him.

“What did you say?”

She frowned at him, a little wrinkle appearing between her finely sculpted brows. A couple ran into his back, causing him to trip forward, his body brushing against Cicely’s. For that instant, her breasts, amazing breasts he’d had no idea she had, pressed against his chest, and it knocked the wind out of him. In his arms he felt a woman, lush in all the right places. He shook his head and stepped away, bumping into a dancing couple. Douglas turned and said with a growl, “Would you mind watching where you are going?”

The Earl of Trent and his partner laughed. Trent said, “If you want to hold a discussion, Your Grace, I suggest you leave the dance floor.”

“Your Grace? Do you mind?” Cicely asked. Embarrassment and reprimand colored her voice.

The nerve of the chit. She was looking up at him with those velvet brown eyes, and a little pout forming on her full mouth—not that he had ever noticed that either, until now. He pulled her back into his arms and started to waltz again. The steps were automatic. He didn’t hear the music. He no longer noticed his surroundings. She demanded his attention—her and her damned question. He forced his grip to gentle and his expression back to bland, which was not easy to do with his heart beating the way it was—or the rush of blood to his groin. Something he had never experienced in her presence before now.

“You needn’t look so appalled, Your Grace.”

So he had not succeeded with his card face. “I’m not appalled.”

She laughed. He realized he hadn’t heard her laugh that carefree before this night. The sweet sound captured him and almost had him stopping again on the floor. “Your Grace, I know better than that. The expression on your face was beyond priceless. Do not worry, you have schooled it well.”

Another bubble of laughter rose from her throat. Douglas knew he should be mad at her amusement at his expense but he couldn’t. In the time he’d known the young woman, he’d not often seen her smile, let alone laugh. He was pleased to see that she seemed to be moving on from her past. And her pleasure was the reason for the delight that wound through him, curling into his heart.

But if he let her know how it had affected him she’d use it to her advantage. It was what women did. Retreating into his role of duke, he said, “Lady Cicely, I doubt very much that Lady Victoria would approve of your suggestion.”

She didn’t laugh, but she did smile. “I think at my age I can make my own decisions about this. But, since you appear to be so appalled by the idea—”

“I didn’t say I was appalled.”

She continued as if he hadn’t said a word. “Then I shall mark you off my list.”

The music drew to a close when she made that comment. They stopped and he released her from his arms, but noticed they were near the French doors that led to the terrace. He should walk her back to Lady Victoria, but her last statement piqued his interest. Against his better judgment, he took her by her elbow and ushered her out into the night.

The dimly lit area was perfect for liaisons, and he had used it to his advantage more than once before. He knew a corner where they would be left alone. He pulled her along in a not-so-gentlemanly fashion.

Once there, he ushered her into the darkened corner. He backed her up against the wall, stepping close enough that the skirts of her gown brushed his legs. They hadn’t been this close when they had been waltzing. There was a hint of lavender in the air. He didn’t know if it was from her or the garden behind them. Resisting the urge to lean closer and sniff, he crossed his arms over his chest and gave her his best “I am the duke” stare. Bloody chit just smiled at him.

“Really, Your Grace, it is fine. I completely understand. I am a bit plain and not at all to your normal tastes.” She licked her lips nervously and he followed the movement. Aggravation burned a hole in his gut as he realized he was wondering how she would taste.

He shook his head, trying to focus. “What I want to know is what you mean by propositioning me while we are waltzing, and what do you mean by mark me off the list?”

She frowned now. He could almost see the wheels turning in her head. Lady Cicely was reserved, but Douglas had always sensed something just below the surface. He knew there were many times, probably through habit, that she refrained from making any comments on a subject. Her intelligence was not unknown, but he wondered how much of it she did hide.

“It really isn’t important now that you took yourself out of the running, Your Grace. You offered a boon, I simply asked for what I needed fulfilled. I understand you not wanting to. So this conversation should be closed.”

The calm, rational tone of her voice had him grinding his teeth. “I think I need to know just exactly what you are talking about.”

She stepped back and came to an abrupt stop when she hit the wall behind her. Narrowing her eyes, she placed a hand on each hip.

“Since you have declined participation, it isn’t any of your business.”

She noticed something over his shoulder and her eyes widened. He turned to look and saw nothing, but had left just enough room for her to scoot around him and out of the corner. Before he realized what she was about, she’d stepped far enough away that he wouldn’t be able to grab her arm without some of the other occupants of the terrace noticing.

Without turning around she said, “No worry, Your Grace. I will see myself inside. Thank you for the dance.”

So the little minx thought she could get away that easily? Irritation lit through him. He was not used to people ignoring his requests.

Suppressing the urge to shout, he said, “Lady Cicely.”

She stopped and glanced back at him, one eyebrow cocked. The fire that flashed in her eyes did nothing to cool his reaction to her.

“I would like to discuss this further.”

Sighing, she turned completely around to face him. “Your Grace, I know you are accustomed to throwing out orders and having them followed.” She drew closer. At first, he thought she might have been a bit apologetic until they made eye contact. Irritation and anger colored her brown eyes, darkening them. “But, you see, you turned me down, so therefore it is none of your business. I am neither your family nor your charge. And I doubt that your ducal powers would encompass my list.

We are through here. Now.”

With that pronouncement, she turned on her heel and marched back into the ballroom. At first, he couldn’t think. He was too stunned. He’d never in his life had a person refute his command. And Cicely, who nary said boo to him in the two years he had known her, had the nerve to tell him no? Then walk away from him?

He stalked toward the French doors, barely able to keep from growling. As he stepped into the ballroom, a wave of heat swept over him and he tugged at his collar. Damn crowds. Even as the mixture of scented perfumes and body odor reached him, he knew his discomfort was more from the social environment than the actual temperature.

Matchmaking mamas and their clinging, simpering daughters bored him to tears. He had come tonight because Lady Victoria had asked him to attend. He could never turn down Colleen’s mother-in-law. He had a weakness for pretty women, but it went beyond that. Since the discovery of his relation to Colleen, Lady Victoria had treated him as one of the family. To him, that meant the world.

He spotted her talking to Lady Bridgerton in the corner with the other matrons and decided to seek her out. Normally, he would avoid most of the women in that area. More than one of them had a family member they were trying to foist upon him. He took a deep breath. He could take it.

“Your Grace.”

He ground his teeth together when he recognized Bridgerton’s voice.

Douglas repressed the urge to tell the earl to bugger off. He’d gained Bridgerton as a friend when he was accepted as part of the Penwyth family. Just a few years older than Douglas, Daniel still had the matchmaking mamas after him too. With his title, looks, not to mention his ready wit, he was considered a great catch. The same age as Sebastian, he had taken another path than his happily wedded friend.

Daniel seemed as disinclined to marry as Douglas was.

“Bridgerton.” Douglas nodded as he completely turned to face him.

This had better be short. He was on a mission. “Is there something you need?”

He couldn’t stop from clenching his teeth. Aggravated didn’t begin to describe what he was feeling. His friend’s eyebrows rose all the way to his hairline and Douglas silently cursed himself for revealing his feelings. He just could not accept that he had been dismissed, and by a woman who was known for being even-tempered and soft-spoken.

Daniel noticed his state, but didn’t comment. “Sebastian wanted me to make sure you came for Jane’s baptism tomorrow.”

He sighed, thinking of his cousin’s newest addition to the family. “I take it that it was my cousin and not Penwyth who asked?”

Daniel’s grin grew as did Douglas’ irritation. “No. But then, Sebastian lives to make Colleen happy, so I am sure she is behind his request.”

Douglas hated family gatherings of any sort. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, trying to quell the uneasiness that had risen. “I told them I would try to make it.”

“Not good enough.” Daniel grabbed a glass of champagne as a waiter walked by. “Colleen apparently wants you front and center, and you are to ride there with the family. And, before you complain, I have to be there, too.”

Sighing, Douglas looked out over the sea of dancers trying to locate Lady Cicely. When he spotted her, standing in a corner sipping champagne and talking to Dewhurst, panic set in. He didn’t have time for this.

“I will be there, what time?” He didn’t take his eyes off her as he asked his question. What the devil did she think she was doing with Dewhurst? He was a rake of the first order. When he saw her smile up at the earl, looking through her long lashes, his stomach muscles clenched.

Why had he never noticed her smile before tonight? And why was she flirting with Dewhurst? Was he on the blasted list? Whatever that list meant.