Rory (17 page)

Oh dear. She nodded, afraid of where the conversation would lead.

Another step and he was within arm’s reach. She took a quick step back, lost her balance, and would have ended up on her bum if not for Johnny grabbing her about the waist.

“Are ye all right, lass?” he asked, pulling her close. She could feel the unsteady hammering of his heart against her chest, along with the unmistakable stiffness of his anatomy.

Rory followed Georgiana out onto the verandah and down the pathway that led along the side of the manor house. “Where are we going?”

“It is a surprise,” she said, a wide smile on her lips.

Dinner had ended two hours before, and he had spent the better part of those two hours in a card game with Victor and his mother. Georgiana had talked to Lillith for a while, and he had thought when she disappeared earlier that perhaps she had decided to retire for the night.

Apparently he’d been wrong.

Hearing music, he glanced at Georgiana.

“They are having a party,” she said with a coy smile.

“The servants?”

Shannon had not said anything about a party, and he had
noted that Edward had been the only servant attending after dinner.

Intrigued, he followed her up the pathway.

The windows to the servants’ hall had been opened, and the music slipped out into the night. Laughter and voices were raised in joviality and he could not help but smile.

“They certainly know how to make merry, do they not?” Georgiana said, as they approached the window.

The majority of the group was dancing, including a certain blond-haired servant who positively beamed at her handsome partner.

Rory felt like he’d been socked in the stomach, and now he knew why Georgiana had brought him here. She wanted him to see Shannon with Johnny.

As Shannon and Johnny took hands and strolled down the line of dancers, he felt more than a tinge of envy toward the young man.

Why had she not told him about the party? he wondered.

The dance ended and Johnny took Shannon’s hand and they walked out the door. Rory was in an awkward position. He had never been the type of man to snoop, and he felt strange doing so now, and yet when Georgiana kept walking down the pathway and stopped at the corner of the house to spy on the two, he caught up with her.

Georgiana put a finger to her lips.

He hesitated, then stopped behind her, glancing over her shoulder at the two. He could not hear their discussion, but when the boy took a step toward Shannon and she faltered, he nearly stormed toward them, but Georgiana held tight to him and shook her head.

The music started up again, a slow tune that Rory didn’t recognize. Johnny took Shannon in his arms and they were dancing, close together, in each other’s arms, her hand on his shoulder,
one clasped firmly in the man’s other hand, while Johnny’s fingers nearly encompassed her tiny waist.

Mine.
Everything within him screamed the single word.

The two looked like lovers in a quiet moment. A romantic moment, and Rory was reminded that all he’d had with her were stolen moments, but those stolen moments had nothing to do with romance.

Ironically, most of his liaisons had been similar, quick couplings, with nothing romantic about them. He remembered earlier today how the two had their heads together looking at something. Rory had caught a quick glimpse of the engraving, of which Shannon had seemed truly fascinated.

Rory had skill when it came to archery, boxing, hunting, and fencing, but when it came to a hobby in terms of artistic ability, he lacked in all ways.

Johnny leaned Shannon back, following her with his body, his mouth hovering above hers, and Rory saw red.

The servant as quickly let her up. Shannon laughed as he spun her in a fast circle and then rested her forehead against his shoulder.

Rory clenched his teeth. He’d had enough of this.

Georgiana squeezed his hand and he looked at her.

There was a light in her eyes that had been missing before, and was that the slightest curving of her lips?

“Come, let us leave them to their little party,” she said, and started walking back up the path.

He turned back to the couple, still dancing in the small courtyard under the moon. Shannon’s laughter cut through him like a knife through butter.

Betrayal was not an emotion he was familiar with, and now it burned within him like a fire raging out of control.

M
arilyn made her way through the throng of guests to her aunt’s side. She had not realized so many people would be attending the dinner party. At least luck was with her, because Lady Anna had yet to make an appearance.

“Hello, my dear,” Aunt Lillith said, kissing Marilyn on each cheek. “How lovely you look in that new silk frock. I told you that the color would make your eyes even more prominent.”

“Thank you, Aunt Lillith. You do spoil me so.”

“And I enjoy spoiling you,” Lillith said. “And speaking of spoiling you, where is Stanley? I thought he would be here by now.”

“He will be late. He had a business matter to attend to.” Marilyn had noted the one negative quality about her betrothed was that he was constantly tardy. Thank goodness what he lacked for in punctuality he made up for in kindness. And Lord knows he loved her. He told her as much just yesterday. It had been an awkward moment, made worse still when she could not reciprocate and return his sentiment. Yes, she cared for him, but love … she wasn’t so sure about.

“Ah, he must have heard us talking, for there he is,” Lillith said, motioning to Stanley, who upon seeing them, brightened immediately.

He was dressed in an expensive navy suit that fit him well, and Marilyn felt a little spike of pleasure rush through her as he approached.

“How he adores you,” Lillith said, sounding pleased.

Stanley rushed to her side. “You are angry with me,” he said, and Marilyn could not be cross with him.

The well-practiced lecture on punctuality died on her tongue when the double doors to the parlor opened and Lady Anna appeared on the arm of a tall man with auburn hair. Dressed in a handsome suit, and with his hair swept off his forehead, he cut a dashing figure. Where had she seen him before?

“Do you know her?” Stanley asked.

Aunt Lillith followed his gaze. “Ah, yes, that is Lady Anna.”

“Lady Anna. I have heard her name before.”

Marilyn felt her cheeks grow warm. No doubt he had heard the rumors that circulated through London of late. It was impossible to go anywhere without hearing about her scandalous interludes with multiple partners.

“We met Lady Anna at Claymoore Hall, didn’t we, Aunt Lillith?” Marilyn blurted, trying with difficulty to ignore the racing of her heart.

“Indeed, we did,” Lillith replied. “She’s a delightful young lady.”

“I should very much like to meet her,” he said, kissing her fingers. “For any friend of yours is a friend of mine.”

He was such a passionate man, so kind and good to her. She savored the kisses they had shared and the few heated moments. In fact, on more than one occasion she had very nearly given him her maidenhead, if only to prove to herself that what she felt for Anna was wrong, but she stopped short of doing so.
She would wait until her wedding night and Stanley had agreed, but there had been no denying the passion in his eyes.

“Here comes your friend now,” Stanley said excitedly.

Marilyn straightened and tried to calm her nerves. They had not seen one another since the ill-fated carriage ride where Marilyn had denied Anna’s advances, and the letters Anna had written to Marilyn had gone unanswered. She had read only one, and it had been a flirtatious correspondence that hinted at getting together very soon.

Marilyn’s heart was a roar in her ears as Anna stopped before her.

“My dear friend, how I have missed you while you’ve been away,” Anna said.

Marilyn forced a smile and hoped that Stanley could not read through her nervousness. “How very kind of you to say, Lady Anna,” she replied in a high-pitched voice.

Anna’s lips quirked as she glanced from Marilyn to Stanley.

Marilyn could feel Stanley’s gaze on her, and she glanced up at him. “Forgive me. How rude. Stanley, I would like for you to meet my friend Lady Anna. Lady Anna, this is Lord Sutton, my fiancé.”

Anna’s brow lifted. “Fiancé, oh yes, that’s right,” she said, her lips curving in a smile that looked almost genuine. “Congratulations to you both, and what a pleasure it is to meet the man who has stolen my Marilyn’s heart.”

The way she said “my Marilyn” was altogether too intimate, and Stanley pursed his lips together as he glanced between Marilyn and Anna.

He cleared his throat. “It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Lady Anna,” Stanley said, suddenly looking like a proud peacock. “I was just telling Marilyn that any friend of hers is a friend of mine.”

“How very sweet,” Anna said with a coy smile.

“My husband is motioning for me to join him,” Lillith said. “Please excuse me. So good to see you, Lady Anna. I’m so very glad you could join us this evening.”

“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world, Lady Graston,” Anna replied.

Marilyn glanced at Stanley. “Would you mind getting me a glass of punch? I am parched.”

“Of course, my dearest,” he said, his gaze shifting to Anna. “Would you like a glass as well, Lady Anna?”

“Yes, thank you,” she replied, watching as Stanley walked off, her gaze lingering too long on his backside to suit Marilyn’s tastes.

“He is such a sweet boy, though a bit too stiff, if you ask me.”

“I did not ask you,” Marilyn said in a gruff voice.

Anna lifted her brow. “Come, Marilyn. Let there be no harsh feelings between us.”

When Marilyn didn’t respond, Anna said, “I am glad you are back, Marilyn. You have no idea how much I have truly missed you.”

“Thank you. It is nice to be back.”

“You are living with your aunt now?”

“Yes, while my mother is in Greece.”

“When does she return?”

“By January … right before my wedding.”

Anna smelled incredible, a combination of lavender and vanilla that made Marilyn’s heart skip a beat.

Anna licked her carefully rouged lips and leaned toward Marilyn. “Meet with me in private or I shall die.”

Marilyn straightened her shoulders, stunned at the blunt statement. “We have gone through this before, Anna. My feelings have not changed.”

“The eyes do not lie, Marilyn. I believe you feel something for me.”

Was her attraction to the woman obvious to others? “I am spoken for, Anna.”

Something Marilyn couldn’t distinguish flashed in the other woman’s brown eyes but was gone a second later. “Perhaps you will reconsider.” She leaned closer, her lips nearly brushing Marilyn’s neck. “Just one night, Marilyn.”

The temptation to say yes was incredible, for since the day she had met Anna at Claymoore Hall, the woman had left a mark on Marilyn’s heart.

She had not dreamt that she would be attracted to a woman in a physical way, and yet when Anna had kissed her that night at Claymoore Hall, she had felt an overwhelming sense of excitement that could not be denied.

“I will not be unfaithful to Stanley.”

Anna sighed heavily. “You are not married yet, Marilyn.”

True, but soon she would be, and if she did anything now, she would feel extreme guilt.

Stanley was too good to her, and he knew the truth about her past, knew that she was a bastard and not the true daughter of Lord Melton. And he still wanted her. Wanted her because he said he loved her.

“Perhaps it is time for you to find a husband,” Marilyn said, glad to see Stanley making his way back toward them.

“Actually, there is a gentleman I am considering. He is an American, and my grandmother is very excited about him.”

“Will you move to America?” Marilyn asked, trying hard to ignore the pain she felt at the notion of Anna moving an ocean away. What was wrong with her? She should be jumping for joy.

“Yes, I would. He lives in Virginia. A wealthy plantation owner.”

“I see.”

Anna lifted her chin. “I think the change would be good for me. After all, I have grown weary of England. Do not get me wrong, I shall always consider England home, but I would very much like to see the vastness of America. I understand it is easy to start over, and Lord knows that would not hurt me.”

Anna’s reputation was scandalous, and it would be rare for her to find a man in England who was not acquainted with her sordid past. Even a foreigner would find out about her if he came to England. As though reading Marilyn’s mind, Anna said, “My grandmother has planned a trip to Virginia this next spring.”

Spring was an awfully long way away.

“Here we are, ladies,” Stanley said, handing Anna a cup of punch and Marilyn the other.

A bell sounded in the dining room and the room fell silent.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please be so kind as to follow us to the dining room,” Victor said, and with Lillith on his arm, he escorted the guests into the dining room.

“I had better find my companion,” Anna said. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Lord Sutton.”