The Mammoth Book of Regency Romance (74 page)

What had Jack said just last night — that the boy had a stellar reputation? Not that Jack would know. He had been paying very little attention to the two all evening. If this was how he usually played chaperone, then chances were Stephan and Addy would be headed down the aisle sooner rather than later.

Seeton belched under his breath, and Roan grimaced. He had little tolerance for people who drank in excess. Having lived with a father who couldn’t hold his liquor, he knew the ugly sides of inebriation. She deserved better.

“Lord Drayton, will you join us?” Addy asked in a sweet voice.

Jack, who was deeply engrossed in his book, glanced up at Roan, the sides of his mouth lifting slightly.

“Come, Roan,” Addy urged. “We are only playing for sweets.”

She did have a point. “Very well, if you insist.”

Seeton sat up straighter and shuffled the cards while Roan made his way to the small table. He sat to Addy’s right, which meant his bad side was facing Stephan, who looked exceedingly uncomfortable as he slid the cards to Addy.

Looking pleased that he’d joined them, she shuffled the cards one final time and began dealing them each a hand. Seeton finished off his brandy and motioned for a footman to refill the glass. Addy, looking serious all of a sudden, set the remaining cards in the middle of the table.

Lord Seeton lifted his brandy to his lips and took a long drink. When he set it down, he glanced at Roan. “Lord Drayton, I have heard you lost your ship in battle. What a shame.”

“Yes, it was a shame.”

“Taken by surprise?”

“Actually, I was taken in by a traitor, a man I respected.” Little had Roan realized that the man, his first in command, was reporting back to the French. The frigate came out of nowhere, a thief in the night, taking him and his men by surprise.

Roan had looked into the eyes of his first in command before he’d slid his blade deep inside his black heart. Seconds later, he’d felt the cannon blast when an overzealous lieutenant had mistaken a wave of his arm for a signal to fire.

“Must have been quite a blow,” Stephan murmured, adjusting the cards in his hand.

“Stephan,” Addy said, looking aghast.

Seeton did his best to appear confused as to why she would be angry with him, but failed miserably. “I did not mean to offend you, Drayton. I merely meant that it had to be a horrific thing to live through. Is that how you were injured?”

Beneath the table Addy reached for Roan’s hand, squeezing it in silent support. It was the slightest of touches, ending as quickly as it started, but a gesture that touched him to the core. He cleared his throat. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I was injured in that blast. I am lucky to have survived the attack on my ship. Many of my men were not as fortunate.”

Seeton nodded as though he was interested, but Roan knew better.

The first game went relatively fast, with Addy winning. Stephan’s growing irritation was extremely obvious, and determination etched his brow as he lifted his cards for the next round.

Though Addy had slid her hand away from Roan’s, her stockinged toes brushed over his boot. He sucked in a breath. First she touched his hand and now his foot. Did she seek to comfort him, or was there another reason behind the gesture?

Stephan set his cards down triumphantly, his eyes bright, his smile wide. His cheeks were flushed, and Roan wondered if the alcohol wasn’t to blame. That, or the excitement of competition. Either way, it was a sad display.

Roan set his cards over Stephan’s and the smile faded from the other man’s lips.

Releasing a heavy sigh, Seeton pushed the winnings towards Roan and finished off his brandy. Roan handed the sweets to Addy, who positively beamed with delight.

Stephan pulled a kerchief from his waistcoat pocket and mopped at the perspiration at his brow. “It’s bloody hot in here. Adelaide, perhaps you would like to join me for a stroll about the gardens?”

“Not alone,” Jack said from his position near the door, and Roan smiled inwardly, glad to see that his friend wasn’t completely lax in his chaperoning duties.

“Do not pull yourself away from your novel,” Addy said with a smile, already standing. “Roan will accompany us.”

Roan buttoned his jacket and followed the young couple out the door. “We shall return shortly.”

Jack nodded, looking relieved he did not have to leave the comfort of his chair and his novel.

It was an amazing night, the moon full and bright, stars as far as the eye could see … and yet it paled in comparison to Addy. In the span of a few days he had come to realize that his feelings for his best friend’s sister had changed from doting big brother to something altogether different. Any man would be fortunate to have such a bride, and Roan felt himself disliking Seeton for the sole reason that he was well on his way to having what he himself would never have.

“Look at the moon,” Addy said, lifting her face to the sky.

Roan thought of the nights on his ship, and how enormous the sky was. During those times, he had imagined what his friends were up to in London, and knew that he would never change places with any of them, for there had been nowhere else he’d wanted to be.

He still had times when he missed the ship, the ocean and the camaraderie he’d shared with his men.

Addy’s laughter rang out, bringing him back to the present. Roan slowed his pace, watching the handsome young couple ahead of him, feeling far older than his twenty-eight years. His gaze lingered on Addy’s slender form, at the way the pale-green silk fell on her curves and accentuated her long legs.

Addy glanced over her shoulder and then stopped as she waited for Roan to catch up. She slid her hands up and down her arms. “I forgot my shawl,” she said with a shiver for good measure. “Lord Seeton, would you mind retrieving it for me? I believe I left it in the dining room, hanging over the chair.”

Stephan glanced at Roan, pressed his lips together, and gave a curt nod. “Of course. I’ll be right back.”

“Thank you,” she said, her tone sweet.

When he disappeared down the pathway, Roan turned to her with a smile. “I could have gone for it.”

“I wanted him to go.”

His pulse skittered. “Why?”

“Because all night I have wanted to do this,” she said, pulling him towards the high hedge, and wrapping her arms around his neck.

His mouth opened at the same time her lips covered his, and all thoughts evaporated as her sweet tongue swept into his mouth.

Her breasts were pressed flush against his chest. He couldn’t remember moving, and yet he had one hand flattened against the small of her back, the other at the nape of her neck. He deepened the kiss, and she moaned low in her throat.

A door opened and footsteps headed their way. He took a step back, his heart a roar in his ears. Sweet Jesus, what had just happened?

“I’ve wanted to do that since I was eight years old,” she said under her breath, making the blood in his veins boil. Every fragile detail of her perfection was outlined in the moon’s golden glow, and he had the insane urge to pull her back into his arms and kiss her until she couldn’t stand.

The heavy footfalls on the pathway behind him brought him out of his musings.

“Ah, here we are,” Seeton said, and Addy’s gaze shifted to beyond Roan’s right shoulder.

“Thank you,” she said, as he slid the shawl over her shoulders.

“You’re welcome, my dear,” Seeton said.

Roan gritted his teeth.

“Yes, that is much better,” Addy said with a husky quality to her voice. “I already feel warmer.”

Her eyes sparkled with mischief, reminding him of the girl she had once been and the seductive young woman she had become.

“I want to be alone with you,” Stephan whispered against Addy’s neck, the smell of brandy on his breath overpowering. His lips had brushed her ear and she took a quick step back. Just moments before she had thrown all caution to the wind and kissed Roan — and it had been wonderful.

She hadn’t even needed to coax him. No, his tongue had danced with her own, his lips firm, yet gentle, his hands running over her body. His fingers had slid into the hair at the nape of her neck, and she had been lost.

So lost in the moment she had not even heard Stephan return. It had been Roan who had stepped away, but he had been shaken. In fact, he was still shaken. She could see his hands trembling and she hid a smile.

He wanted her … just as she wanted him.

Already she could see the panic in his eyes. All she could hope was that he did not run away. That would ruin everything.

And her life would never be the same.

“Adelaide, did you hear me?” Seeton asked, sounding disturbed.

“Why do you wish to be alone?” she asked, even though she knew exactly what he had in mind. All the girls at Saint Francis’ School of Young Ladies talked about men’s secret desires. Sister Mary Catherine said to never trust any man, for they were truly wicked creatures.

Addy didn’t know about that. She trusted her brother, of course, and always felt protected when she was with him. Protected, the same way she felt with Roan. Aside from her brother, his was the opinion that meant the most.

“I wish a moment alone with you,” Stephan said under his breath, and Addy’s stomach tightened. Had Roan heard his request?

The way he straightened his shoulders said he just might have.

Slowing her pace, she was relieved when Roan quickly caught up to them. Stephan didn’t even try to hide his agitation as Roan joined them and they made their way to the end of the path, towards the veranda that led back into the house. She covered her mouth with her hand and forced a yawn. “It is getting late, Lord Seeton. Thank you for coming over this evening. I quite enjoyed our card game.”

“You are angry with me for not letting you win?” he asked, looking concerned that might very well be the case. “I would have given you the sweets, you know that, right?”

She frowned. “I am not angry. Why would you think such a thing?”

“The night is young and you wish me to leave.”

“It is nearly eleven, My Lord, and I did not sleep all that well last night.” This was not entirely a lie. She had tossed and turned until early morning when she fell into a fitful slumber.

“I did not realize you were keeping track of the time.”

“You know that is not what I mean, Stephan.”

His eyes softened at the use of his Christian name. He glanced over his shoulder at Roan, who had once again fallen behind, and she wondered if he was paying attention to the conversation.

“Let me at least bid goodnight to your brother,” Stephan said. She knew he wanted her to ask him to stay.

“Certainly.”

Jack looked up when they walked into the room, and she glanced over at Roan. He appeared pale, and had a difficult time making eye contact with her brother.

Did he feel guilty for kissing her? she wondered. What would Jack say if he knew the truth? He had been the only parent she’d had these past few years since Aunt Mildred passed away. He was not comfortable in the role, she could tell that much, especially since he seemed so keen to marry her off to Stephan.

Would he approve of Roan courting her, or would he be angry with them both?

She honestly didn’t know the answer. She felt Roan’s gaze on her and smiled, recalling the feel of his lips against hers, the stroke of his tongue as they kissed so passionately.

Heaven.

Stephan slid his hand over hers, his fingers tight. “May I call on you tomorrow?”

She forced a smile. “I must visit an old friend.”

“When will you return? Perhaps I can come by.”

“I do not know how long I will be. I hate to cut my visit short, considering it has been such a long time since last I saw her. Perhaps you could come by later in the week?”

“Of course. How inconsiderate of me.” Stephan glanced to something past her shoulder. “Thank you for your hospitality, Jack.”

Jack closed the book. “Thank you for coming. We shall see you next time.”

Stephan gave a curt nod in Roan’s direction. “Lord Drayton.”

Roan nodded. “Lord Seeton.”

She felt Stephan’s hand on her back as they walked from the room and, when he closed the door and they were alone, Stephan turned to her, taking both her hands within his.

“I care for you very deeply, Adelaide,” he said, his eyes intense as he stared at her. “I hope you feel as strongly about me.”

She breathed through her mouth in order not to take the full brunt of his stale breath. To her shock, he leaned in and kissed her.

Unlike the kiss she’d shared with Roan, this kiss lacked fire and intensity. Worse still, Stephan pressed a little too hard, his teeth biting into her top lip.

She took a step back, but it was too late. Roan had opened the door. He looked stunned to find them there.

Sweat poured down Roan’s face. Jack had always been a worthwhile fencing opponent, but Roan had not remembered him being so fluid with his rapier. Or perhaps his injuries had finally caught up to him, giving his friend the upper hand.

The skin pulled tight on his burned arm with each strike of Jack’s sword. Several times Jack had hesitated, and Roan had seen the indecision in his friend’s eyes. He was afraid of hurting him. The knowledge was sobering, to say the least.

“What happened during that walk last night? You left so abruptly afterwards,” Jack said, coming back with a half-hearted blow that made Roan want to roll his eyes. “Did Seeton say something to offend you? He is young, and quite often does not think before he speaks.”

That much was obvious.

Roan was having a difficult time thinking of anything other than Addy. He ran through every memory of their younger days, of the time since he had seen her again. From the first moment he had realized little Adelaide had grown into a stunning woman, to that heart-pounding kiss in the garden. The kiss had been so intensely gratifying that he’d been unable to sleep last night. Instead, he’d spent the hours tossing and turning, the slight pressure of the blankets against his heated loins too much to bear. Finally, he had fallen into a fitful slumber that ended with a nightmare of Addy marrying Stephan.