One Rogue Too Many (13 page)

Her gaze strayed back to the sculpture. She took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “Will
we
do that?”

The little minx deserved a lesson in listening to her husband-to-be. He rubbed his jaw and studied her. Her wide eyes seemed to be pleading with him to dispel the notion. “Do you know how to stand on your head?”

“No,” she said on an exhale.

“Hmm…neither do I. Perhaps we should leave this one to the acrobats.”

Understanding flitted across her expression. “Oh, you beast!” She whacked him on the arm, laughing. “You’re teasing me.”

He captured her around the waist and nuzzled her neck. “Serves you right for disregarding my warnings. I told you this wouldn’t be fit for ladies’ eyes.”

She snaked her arms around his neck and tipped her face up. “It was educational, however.”

“Can we agree that any further lessons will come from me?”

“Agreed.”

He closed the distance between them, his lips lightly pressing to hers. God, he wanted more.

He pulled her to him, her lush breasts crushed against his chest, and delved his tongue into her sweet mouth. A soft sound in her throat made him hard in seconds.

Denying himself had been taking its toll. He woke every morning with a painful cockstand that left him in such a foul mood that his servants kept a wide berth. And his growly demeanor had done nothing to ease his daughter’s fear of him. Gabby was the answer to every ill he had, but she was also the problem. He didn’t know whether to further their encounter or send her away as quickly as possible.

That was untrue. He knew what he needed to do, but he was short on willpower. Footsteps outside the tapestry made his decision for him.

“You’ll want to see this,” Corby said, his voice muffled.

Damn.
He directed Gabby toward a tall cabinet that might fit both of them if they crammed together. If not, at least he could hide her.

When he jerked the cabinet doors open, she recoiled. “Ew!”

Primitive phalluses tied with leather strips hung from pegs inside. “Get in,” he whispered harshly. “Your reputation is at stake.”

She allowed him to deposit her in the cabinet. He barely fit with her, but he was able to pull the doors closed behind him in time.

There was a loud sigh from the room. “This is what was so important for me to see?”

It sounded like Thorne.

“Oh!” Corby’s surprise was evident in his tone. He tried to cover it with a chortle. “You seem unimpressed. I have the largest collection of erotic art in London.”

“Yes,” a third voice piped up, likely Ledbery’s, “the largest in all of England, I’d wager.”

“Once you’ve seen one fornicating couple, you’ve seen them all,” Thorne said in a bored tone.

Gabby began to shake, her bottom jostling against Anthony’s erection. He wrapped his arm around her waist, thinking she was afraid, only to realize she was trying not to laugh.

“Don’t you dare make a sound,” he whispered in her ear, her suppressed laughter contagious. “You naughty girl.”

The shaking increased until he knew she was going to get them discovered. He would take some lumps from her brothers for ruining her, but there would be no more questioning his claim to her.

“Shh, sweetheart.” As much as he looked forward to marrying her, he didn’t want her reputation ruined for his gain.

“I have no time for this nonsense,” Thorne said. “I’m here to find a wife, not loiter in a dark room with you and Ledbery. I’ll leave you two lovebirds to it, though.”

“Lovebirds!”

“We aren’t like that,” Ledbery protested.

“I couldn’t care less,” Thorne said, his voice fading as he left the room.

Anthony wasn’t certain if the other men had followed or stayed behind, so he tightened his grip when Gabby tried to move. Her sweet scent filled his nose, blocking out the mustiness of the cabinet. “Listen.”

She held still as he strained to detect any noise outside the cabinet.

They stood that way for a long time, Gabby’s derriere snugly nestled against his crotch. Her breathing sounded uneven, or maybe that was his breath.

“Anthony,” she murmured, “I think one of those
things
is touching me.”

“It’s close quarters. Wiggle a bit and maybe that will help.”

She shimmied, managing to arouse him even more. This must be what hell was like.

“I can still feel it,” she hissed. “On my back.”

Heat rushed into his face. “Yes. Sorry, love. I think it’s all clear now.”

“Is that
you
?”

He pushed against the doors and light burst into the cabinet. They were alone, but he didn’t know how long they had before Corby tried to show off his collection to another gentleman.

Grabbing her hand, he helped her climb from their hiding spot and dragged her toward the tapestry. She jerked his wrist to get his attention.

“What is it?” he asked.

She looked up at him with smoky gray eyes. “I don’t mind that it was you.”

He really couldn’t resist. Clutching her chin, he tipped her face up for one more hard kiss. “I don’t know how much longer I can court you, Gabby. I want to marry you badly.”

She raised a slender brow. “So we can do that?” She pointed to an etching of another couple in a creative, yet reasonable, embrace.

“And several other
thats
,” he said, grinning.

He checked the area outside of the tapestry and, finding it vacant, snuck from the room with Gabby in tow.

***

Sebastian made several rounds of the gallery and drawing room where Lady Corby was serving refreshment before checking the terrace a second time. There was still no sign of Lady Gabrielle. And Ellis was missing too.

As he reentered the house, he spotted Lady Gabrielle on Ellis’s arm headed toward the refreshment room. Her cheeks boasted a rosy glow and her normally perfect coiffure was mussed slightly. Flames licked at Sebastian’s belly. The damned rogue had been playing a game of slap and tickle with her. She turned an adoring gaze on Ellis, and Sebastian knew he’d been beat.

He hated losing.

Worse, he hated losing to Ellis, but this wasn’t a carriage race. Nor was Gabrielle a wide-eyed wallflower shaking in her slippers when he or Ellis asked for their dance cards in a bid to see who could dance with the most neglected ladies.

That had been Sebastian’s idea. He had become depressed seeing the same ladies lined up along the ballroom walls, the hopeful sparkle in their eyes dimming with each unsuccessful ball. The poor girls had reminded him too much of his sister, Eve.

Every inch of him clenched in anger as it dawned on him what was really at stake. Lady Gabrielle had been the path to his sister’s salvation. Marriage to a duke’s daughter would have smoothed Eve’s way back into society, and Lady Gabrielle would have helped her. She was too tenderhearted to do otherwise.

His sister would have had a strong ally and Sebastian, a wife he couldn’t help but love eventually. He had been close to having everything he wanted, until Ellis came back to Town. Ellis probably hadn’t even wanted Lady Gabrielle until Corby told him that Sebastian was courting her.

Bloody
thief.

He spun on his heel to leave Corby Place before he caused a scene he would later regret and jerked back in surprise. “What the hell do you want now?” he growled at Corby and Ledbery.

The two miscreants wore slimy grins that made Sebastian want to wash his hands. They were slipperier than a whore’s— Well, he didn’t trust them and he would leave it at that.

Ledbery clamped an arm around Sebastian’s shoulders. “Come have a drink, Thorne.”

Sebastian shook him off. “I only drink with my friends.”

Corby faked a sniffle. “Why, Lord Thorne. Now you’ve hurt our feelings.”

“A heart is required for feelings, and rumor has it you haven’t a whole one between the two of you.”

“Really?” Corby’s cheekbones jutted in his face when his smile widened. Everything about the viscount was too sharp, including his cunning gaze. “We heard a more interesting rumor circulating the Den of Iniquity this week.”

“I’m not interested.” Sebastian pushed Corby’s shadow aside, which was no real feat since Ledbery weighed little more than a scrawny rooster. His long, skinny neck and scarlet waistcoat completed the image.

Sebastian stalked for the exit.

“A certain lady would be interested,” Corby called.

Sebastian stopped and cursed under his breath. If they were referring to another rumor about Eve, someone was going to pay with his blood. He turned toward them, his own smile dangerous. “Let’s have that drink, gentlemen.”

“Splendid,” Corby said.

He wouldn’t be so pleased once Sebastian called them both out for slander.

Fourteen

Gabby stood in the foyer of Lord and Lady Norwick’s second London house, Kennell Place, with close to two hundred other guests. Their excited voices swelled within the massive space and echoed off the marble columns.

Anthony edged closer to her. “This is madness. Are you certain you want to stay?”

A gentleman rammed into Anthony and knocked him flush against her. His arms steadied her when she wobbled. She leaned her body into his while she had the opportunity. Of course, she wanted to stay.

The past few days had gone smashingly well with Anthony, and the opportunity to explore the massive home and all its nooks and crannies with him was irresistible.

“Lana says the countess has the best parties,” she said.

According to Drew, some circles considered Lady Norwick’s parties to be scandalous. He’d scowled when his wife had reassured Gabby’s mother the rumors about the countess were exaggerated. He hadn’t contradicted Lana, however.

At the moment, Gabby’s brother was glowering at her and Anthony, so she eased from his embrace.

Lana looked up into her husband’s face and snorted with laughter. “Drew, you’re behaving just like Jake did when
you
were courting me.”

Drew’s jaw dropped. “I am not. Your brother was a raving madman.”

Lana’s brows shot up, and she laughed when her brother, Jake Hillary, who was standing close by with his wife, elbowed Drew.

“A madman, am I?” Mr. Hillary quipped. “At least Ellis is
properly
courting your sister, you scoundrel.”

Although Gabby didn’t doubt Drew had been more than improper in his pursuit of Lana, Mr. Hillary seemed to have forgiven him. The men exchanged good-natured jabs and began telling embarrassing stories on each other until Lord and Lady Norwick climbed the stairs halfway and turned to address the crowd. A ripple of shushing sounds traveled the room, and the roar died down.

Lord Norwick cleared his throat. “Lady Norwick and I welcome one and all to Kennell Place. It is our pleasure you could join us for what is sure to be an enjoyable afternoon, since my clever wife dreamed up the event.”

Raucous applause followed along with a humorous suggestion from a gentleman behind Gabby that the earl shut his mouth and let the lady speak.

Lord Norwick’s hand flew to his chest as if he’d been gravely wounded, but the smile never left his face. “The masses have spoken, Lady Norwick.”

The countess, a tiny woman with a very large personality, signaled for everyone to quiet down again. Once she had the crowd’s attention, she explained the rules of the treasure hunt she had organized, waving her hands for emphasis. There were many treasures hidden throughout the mammoth house and gardens. The first couple to find all the items would be declared the winners.

“Now, pick your partners—one gentleman to one lady—and gather a list from one of the footmen around the room. May the best couple win.”

Gabby cared nothing about winning the game. She was simply looking forward to the chance to wander the corridors and explore rooms. There was no telling what masterpieces graced the walls of Kennell Place. People shoved forward, jostling to get their lists first. Anthony’s arm went around her waist protectively and kept her from stumbling.

“Watch out for her,” Drew said to Anthony as he pulled Lana close to keep an eager young man from trampling her.

Gabby lost sight of her family members as the crowd carried them deeper into the house. Anthony managed to grab a paper, then led her toward the servants’ domain. They stopped in a narrow corridor, and Gabby leaned against the patched plaster wall to catch her breath.

He read the list aloud. “A model ship, statue of Aphrodite—a portrait of the fifth viscount’s dog?”

Gabby returned his smile and shrugged.

“A rare specimen of orchid, the family Bible…” He released a forceful breath. “There are at least twenty items on the list. This could take hours.”

“Hours alone sound lovely to me.”

A corner of his mouth inched upward. “Remind me to send a thank-you around to Lady Norwick later.”

When he held out his hand, she took it and they hurried toward the servants’ staircase. The corridor on the second floor was congested but orderly, unlike how it had been moments before in the foyer.

“I’m surprised the earl doesn’t mind having his home invaded by guests like this,” Anthony said.

“Kennell Place belonged to Lady Norwick before they married. Lana said the countess never liked the house and compares it to a prison.”

“That explains the reason she and her husband reside elsewhere.”

Gabby meandered the passageway with Anthony trailing at a leisurely pace. He made no complaints when she stopped to admire a painting or run her fingers over the contours of a marble. How she would love to feel the smooth, cool stone without her glove.

She sighed wistfully as she dropped her hand from the statue. “Such a beautiful piece. It’s a shame it is rarely enjoyed.”

When she looked up, Anthony was watching her, his eyes deep blue and shimmering.

“What is it?” she asked. “Did I say something wrong?”

He shook his head. “Come with me.”

Taking her arm, he led her back to the staircase. They climbed the stairs in silence. Gabby didn’t care where they went, so she didn’t question where he was leading her. Reaching the third floor, he guided her down the abandoned corridor, checking each room as they passed.