Secret Pleasures (25 page)

His talk with Robert had awakened something in Darien he had kept crushed
—
hope for
him
and Ivy
.
A future with the only woman he could ever imagine loving suddenly seemed less
an
impossibility
.
Yes, he had his regrets, but some could still be corrected.

A young servant Darien did not know bowed as they entered the salon
.
Immediately, the buzz ceased and all eyes turned toward them
.
The group gathered was much older than expected, and much smaller
.
They all must have been speaking loudly at the same time
.

Maddox, who appeared positively youthful next to the two old gentlemen leaning on canes, turned to glare at Darien and Ivy
. 

Darien put his hand on Ivy’s lower back and searched for an ally
.
His niece, Lea, sat next to her father on a lime-green settee
.
Her plum gown with satin trim clashed with the furnishings
.
A green and purple peacock feather, her only adornment, drooped from her auburn hair
.
She appeared as miserable as Ivy no doubt felt
.

“Are we early?” Ivy said near his ear
.

Darien found his sister in a grouping of chairs, surrounded by three matronly relations Darien could no longer remember
.
Robert was nowhere to be found
.
His nephew’s absence confirmed Darien’s suspicion that Robert was far more upset by Arianna’s marriage than he dared admit
.
And that’s how one’s ruin began
.
Darien did not want to see his nephew spend the next ten years of his life being a drunken recluse
.
Pride would not interfere with Darien’s relationship with Ivy ever again
. 

Arianna Maddox suddenly stood before them in the center of the formal receiving room, a clear viewing for the guests scattered in chairs and sofas
.
Her gown of white lace ruffles entwined with pale pink ribbon created a halo around Miss Maddox
.
She resembled a strawberry cream pastry
.
Her youthful innocence had been accentuated, probably the thing for most brides, but considering the groom, Darien found her appearance terribly disturbing
.

He must find a way to stop this wedding before it happened
.
Not for revenge against his father
,
or to find out what really happened to Philip, or even to save his pig-headed nephew, but to save Arianna.

Arianna stared up at Ivy and the two contrasted like Eve facing down the Virgin Mary
.
They were mirror images in some transposed world
.
Darien thought the scene would make a telling painting, Ivy in red, her full milky breasts contrasted by the fiery jewel at her throat
.
Her lush curves impossible to ignore
.
And Arianna, slight in the layers of her lace-trimmed dress, a delicate charm at her throat.

“Miss Templeton, you are looking stunning tonight,” Arianna gushed
. 

Darien widened his eyes at the girl’s obvious admiration
.
Arianna Maddox practically glowed in Ivy’s presence
.

“Thank you, Arianna.
”
Ivy’s casual use of the girl’s first name caused her to blush.

“I made you something.” Arianna dropped her gaze and shrugged
.
“It’s silly, I know, but you were so kind to offer your compact
.
I did not realize that the painted enamel flowers were encrusted with jewels until I came home
.
My mother thought I should return it but, I do so love it.”

“I am so glad it has found a proper home
.
A woman of substance, which you are very soon to be, Arianna, should never be without the finest of accoutrements.
”
Ivy glanced at Darien as if he were a gob of the chocolate she relished, which almost made him blush
.

“Well,” the girl pulled a trinket from the pocket of her skirt and stared down at it as if the tiny bouquet were a piece of large lint
.
“I don’t know if you care for posies.”

She held the dried offering out to Ivy
.
Fat lavender blooms were entwined with a vine of ivy and braided ribbons
.
“You can tuck it away in your things to make them smell fresh.”

Ivy took the bundle and brought it to her nose
.
She sighed deeply, a sensual moan disturbing the opal and catching the light
.
Even Maddox tensed from his position in the corner.

“This is divine
.
Lavender smells different when grown in the West Country
.
This is my favorite scent in all the world.”

“I did not realize you two were such fast friends?” Darien said, ready to excuse himself to retrieve them drinks
.

Arianna startled as if she were just made rudely aware of Darien’s existence
.
She curtsied abruptly, almost sending her off balance
.
“Lord Blackmore, how nice to make your acquaintance.”

“I did not realize you two were not properly introduced,” Ivy said
.
“Forgive me.
”

Darien bowed and shook Arianna’s gloved hand, which she quickly yanked away.

“Hard to believe you shall be my mother, isn’t it
?
Shall I call you Mum, Mama or Mommy?
”
Instead of finding his comment funny and irreverent, Arianna appeared green
.
“I’m only joking, Miss Maddox
.
May I fetch you refreshment.”

Arianna’s mother hurried from across the room and put an arm around her daughter
.
“Arianna, why don’t you play for us before dinner?”

Mother and daughter retreated to the piano.

“Was that necessary?” Ivy said as soon as they disappeared
.
“She’s actually a sweet girl
.
We cannot blame her for these circumstances.”

Lily watched from the corner and waved them over in a very unsubtle swish of her fan
.
She bowed to her companions and marched to an empty table arranged for chess.

“You’ve done it now, and we’ve yet to sit for dinner.
”
Ivy took his arm and they strolled to Lily, nodding to disapproving strangers who turned their faces away at their efforts
. 

“I wanted to ask her if she intended to tuck me in at night
,
but I refrained.
”

“If that is the case, I applaud your restraint.
”
Ivy genuinely grinned at him for the first time all night.

“At least you look the part of an heir to an earldom.
”
Lily
flicked
her fan open like a bull tamer
unfurling a whip
and fanned herself rapidly
.
“Thank you for dressing appropriately, Darien
.
And Ivy, you are lovely as usual.”

Darien spotted Maddox glaring at them but he turned away the moment they made eye contact
.
Mrs. Maddox settled Arianna on the piano’s bench
.
After a few disjointed notes the hackles on Darien’s neck rose like porcupine quills.

“Where is Westhaven?” Darien demanded
.
“Dinner is never served past eight
.
Eating late gives him indigestion.”

“He’s been retired all day
.
This is not easy for him, Darien.
”
Lily squeezed her fan shut
.
She wore an emerald gown that showed her to be as trim as she was in her teens
.
The permanent frown around her eyes and mouth as she scanned the room showed that indeed the years had been difficult. This evening appeared to be no exception.

The door opened
,
and gratefully, Arianna broke off from abusing the piano’s ivory keys.

Doctor Shipley slipped into the room and headed directly for Henry Maddox
.
They conferred briefly and Maddox’s scowl deepened
.
Darien straightened, his interest
piqued
for the first time this evening.

Maddox turned to address the small gathering
.
“Lord Westhaven regrets he will not be joining us for dinner this evening
,
but hopes we enjoy the fine meal he has had prepared for our arrival.”

Lily slumped in
to
an empty chair
.
Her husband brought her a sherry and she downed it.

“You predicted that, Lil.
”
Major Fitzgerald gripped his wife’s shoulder.

“What’s wrong with Westhaven?
”
Darien said suspiciously
.

“He’s not been well
.
I’ve told you that, Darien
.
You do not have forever to bury your grievances.
”
Lily smiled as couples passed and blatantly stared at their intimate conversation
.

“Then why the bloody hell is he marrying a girl close to the age of his eldest granddaughter.
”
Darien did not shout though his voice seemed to boom over the other guests hushed voices.

“He needs an heir since you have refused to provide one
,
” Lily said fiercely
,
but in a drastically lowered voice
.
“Until recently, you made it quite clear that you would not marry
,
or provide a son to continue the Blackmore line
.
If the estate passes to the crown, everything will be lost.”

“And good riddance, I say.
”
Major Fitzgerald spared his wife one long glance, then found his daughter to guide her into the dining room.

Lily did not glance in her husband’s direction, just rubbed her forehead.

Darien folded his arms over his chest, but did not defend himself
.
He was not a useless relic just yet, but neither could he claim that he and Ivy truly intended to settle down to create a dynasty.

“Ah, but then we have your boy, Robert Fitzgerald.
”
Darien did not intend to let his sister justify his father’s heavy-handed actions
.
“Don’t think I don’t know Westhaven has already petitioned the House of Lords to make your son his heir.
”

“Perhaps we should be seated, Darien
.
You two can discuss this later.
”
Ivy touched his arm and he flinched, not realizing how long he’d been waiting to confront his sister
.

“
Henry
Maddox has held up the petition
.
Too many old family lines are getting muddled
.
Not to mention that the crown needs funds
.
The war in America put a strain on all our fortunes.”

Darien blinked
,
but saw the truth in the deep lines around his sister’s eyes
.
He did not want the land his family had held for centuries to fall into the hands of the crown, perhaps be sold off to strangers
.
His mother and brother were buried on these grounds
.
And as painful as it was, Darien did not want to lose the ghosts that roamed these halls
.
His mother had taught him how to play on the very piano recently defamed by Arianna Maddox.

“This is just a ploy by the old man to scare me.
”
Darien narrowed his gaze on his sister
.
“He’s probably upstairs with a fat cigar, a bottle of brandy and a naked woman.”

“You know our father never brought another woman under this roof and he never will.
”
Lily stood and turned toward the dining room, unescorted and undeterred.

“And what do you call Arianna Maddox?” he called to her retreating form.

“Desperation.
”
His sister stopped and turned to face him
.
“Shall we adjourn to dinner
?
The other guests are waiting.”