The Perfect Suitor (Bewildering Love Series) (13 page)

She seemed surprised when the conversation changed to the physical. “You are jesting, of course?”

“No.”

“But a woman’s touch is softer, more enticing.”

He moved uncomfortably in his seat. “Why don’t you show me an example of a woman’s kiss and then I’ll show you mine.”

***

Eve knew he was challenging her to a game they both wanted to play. She smiled playfully, and he held out his arm in invitation. She ducked under it and moved closer to him. The scent of shaving soap and bourbon lingered between them. Gently cupping his face, she tenderly placed her lips upon his. She combed her fingers through his hair while pulling his lips down harder upon hers. A shiver of excitement shot down her body and she leaned into him, craving the feel of his hard muscled chest against hers. He tasted good, smelled good, and felt so good that she wanted to continue kissing him forever. Placing her hand on his muscular thigh, she gave it a squeeze and raked her nails down the length of the muscle before she finally backed away, knowing he had enjoyed every moment of her woman’s kiss. “Well?”

***

Paxton tried not to wrap his arms around the alluring lady against him. After all, this was still a contest he planned to win. He felt his erection go hard from the passionate and emotional kiss, and he was slightly relieved when she backed away so he could gather his passions back under control. “Not ghastly.” He tried to act as if the kiss hadn’t affected him, although her smile told him that she was aware it had.

Before she could argue with his comment, which he knew she would, he ran his hands up through the back of her fiery hair, spilling her pinned curls down her back in a glorious red river. Without hesitation, he angled his head and pulled her to his kiss. At first, he kissed her gently. Light, coaxing kisses teased and enticed, and then, sliding his tongue along her lips, he tugged at her bottom lip with his teeth. When her mouth opened, he gently invaded the warm recess of her mouth, delving and tasting. His left arm circled around her back and he pulled her closer as he tilted his head to the side, his right hand slowly caressing her partly exposed shoulder, feeling its way down to her low cut bodice where he was tempted to free a breast from its constraints, but he didn’t dare. Instead he ran his hands on the outside of her gown, cupping her breast and running his thumb over her hardened nipple as he softly manipulated the peak. Reason was quickly fleeing.

***

Eve pressed herself as close to him as she possibly could in a moving vehicle. She was intoxicated by his touch. This was what she sought, pleasure from the man she loved.
Loved.
She hadn’t known how strong her feelings for Paxton were until this very moment, feelings she had tried desperately to ignore. However, at this very minute, she knew she could no longer deny what she felt. Her tongue mated with his as they each explored the other’s body. Eve ran her hands over his chest, feeling the power of his muscles as they shifted with his machinations. She was so caught up in these new sensations and the heat of unspent passion that she moaned aloud, forgetting where they were until the carriage slowed and the driver yelled out, commanding the grays to stop.

Paxton immediately broke away, trying to help Eve straighten her dress. With shaky hands, Eve tried to collect the scattered pins from the floor to fix her hair. She could tell by the look on his face that he felt contrite. Neither of them had meant for the kiss to escalate as it had. They seemed to lose their rein on passion and all sense of decorum when they were together.

She knew he was going to apologize for his behavior as he cocked his head sideways, and then, obviously thinking better of it, he didn’t speak. Instead, he took the pins from her trembling fingers. “It’s all right.” He was trying to soothe her frayed nerves while pinning her hair back into place, most likely vowing to himself to keep his distance from her from now on.
Drat!

“I… I guess you think you won?” She tried not to sound unnerved as she prayed for her heart to stop racing. With her hair finally brought back to some kind of order, she looked at him. She could see regret on his face and it took all her strength not to burst into tears. He still didn’t wish to marry her.

He smiled gently, which only made her feel worse. “No, love. I think we both have just realized that we lost.” Paxton opened the door and the footman helped Eve down.

Feeling downhearted, she walked away.
Blast him. And blast me for loving him.
She heard the carriage leaving and refused to turn around. Instead, she went into the house and put on a fake smile for her parents who were waiting up for her. She purposely began to take down her hair as she entered. After telling them she had a wonderful time, she fled to her room, unable to stop the few tears that escaped on her way up the stairs.

***

“Where to, sir?” the driver called down as the coach sped away from the Stonehaven residence.

“Saint James Street!” Paxton hollered, knowing the driver would know he was heading to his club. He felt like the biggest wretch. He should never have instigated such a challenge to Eve when he knew how she felt toward him. His encouragement only hurt her. “Hell and damnation! What has the woman done to me?” He muttered as he leaned his head back against the plush seat. Her scent still clung to the air. No matter how much he wanted to, he was no longer going to see Lady Evelyn Manning. He told himself the sacrifice was for her sake, but something told him it was also due to the solid wall he erected around his heart years ago when it came to women.

He seldom went to White’s, although he’d been a member for years. He often found the atmosphere filled with gossip seekers. Men, he discovered, could be worse than women when it came to gossip. A few minutes later the coach came to a stop and he stepped to the cobblestones and entered the establishment. Making his way through the main room, he went to a somewhat secluded table along the back wall, acknowledging various acquaintances with a nod of his head. He was surprised when the waiter brought him a snifter of bourbon without him having ordered. “Thanks.”

“Mind if I join you?” Cole walked over from God-knows-where and sat across from him.

“I didn’t know you’d be here tonight.”

Cole gave him a crooked smile. “I had a hunch
you’d
show up.”

Paxton downed his drink with a large gulp. “Please tell me you didn’t wager on my appearance in the betting book.”

The betting book, dating back to 1763 when White’s was rebuilt after a fire destroyed the original all-male establishment, was famous at the club. The book held wages on every matter possible, from who would beget an heir first to who would lose his fortune at the turn of a card.

“I must say I was tempted, not for the money but for the sheer pleasure of being right.” Cole lit a cigar. “Alas, I would have had to explain why I thought you were going to show up, and that would mean an explanation of your relationship with Lady Evelyn, which is no easy task.”

“We are friends.” Paxton gave him an irritated look that said, “Don’t argue with me.”

“Yes, I assumed as much.” Cole laughed and then changed the subject. “Did you find out who your sister’s mystery man is?”

“Not yet, but I will. Have you ever seen him before?” Paxton played with his new glass of bourbon, swishing the liquid around in a circular motion as he tried to picture the man in his head.

Cole leaned back on the hind legs of his chair. “He looked familiar. I think I’ve seen him around, perhaps at Gentleman Jackson’s or Almacks or Tattersall’s, or even here for that matter. It’s hard to miss a man of his stature.”

“True. Do me a favor and keep an eye out for him. I think he and I should have a little discussion.” Paxton slammed his fist down on the table as he remembered the villain’s bold advance upon Lydia in the middle of his cousin Rebecca’s annual gala, and in front of him, no less.

“I will ask around and see what I can dig up. Did you ask Rebecca for her guest list?”

“The list is endless. Besides, he may have come with an invited guest and my cousin invited more than half of London’s elite. It’s like trying to find a glass of drinking water in the Thames.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The ball held at the Stonehaven home was a smashing success. It appeared the viscountess had invited every available bachelor in the city, and it seemed they all decided to attend, all except for the Earl of Devonhurst. At first, Eve was thoroughly disappointed by Paxton’s rudeness, but after thinking it through, she realized his nonattendance was for the best, which was obviously how he saw his absence as well. Besides, Lord Bakersfield and Count Vernon were present, filling up Eve’s time with dances and pleasant conversation.

Lydia Witley and her cousin, the Duchess of Arlington, were also present, and both ladies had felt it necessary to explain Paxton’s lack of manners to Eve. Lydia had told her how her brother hated such gatherings. She claimed he was only seen at previous such events because he felt it his duty to his sister. Now that she was staying with Rebecca, his escort wasn’t necessary and hence his absence.

When Lydia realized how much her explanation hurt Eve, she added that it was clear Paxton cared for Eve and his staying away from her was a way to protect his heart.

At which point, Rebecca stated that she thought Paxton was a coward for not attending Eve’s party. The duchess then said she was certain the earl was in love with Eve and his denial of this fact was only going to destroy him. She was being overly dramatic, in Eve’s opinion, but she appreciated the sentiment. Nevertheless, Lord Devonhurst wasn’t there. Eve decided to enjoy the evening that she and her mother had put so much effort into planning.

At the end of the evening, Eve found herself alone with Henri, who stayed until the last guest departed. He had been cordial to her all evening, although he spent most of his time weaving in and out of the clusters of people, conversing with all the men he passed. Upon taking his leave, he kissed the back of Eve’s hand with a bow and left. It was then that Eve became suspicious of his behavior. It wasn’t that she expected or even wanted Henri to take advantage of their seclusion, but she could not help but wonder about his intentions toward her.

She had a feeling that, if Brandon had been the one standing there at the end of the night, more would have transpired, at least a kiss holding more affection. Earlier that evening, Brandon had kissed her, albeit gently, on the lips. It was a brief interlude, and Eve was glad it had happened for she couldn’t help but compare how different Brandon’s kiss was from Paxton’s heated embrace. She enjoyed a closeness with Brandon, and the kiss they shared had been nice but far from earth shattering. His kiss definitely didn’t leave her reeling for control as Paxton’s kisses did. A lone caress from Paxton made her tremble and filled her with desire.

So if Count Vernon considered himself one of her suitors, why didn’t he try to take advantage of their time alone? What were his feelings toward her? Something was decidedly odd about him.

***

It was now the full light of day, and after contemplating her suitors for a good deal of the night, Eve came to the conclusion that Count Vernon held no serious affection toward her, nor she him. He was a man, and thus he was supposed to lust after her. Yet he never looked at her like most men did. She knew she wasn’t being vain, for Count Vernon didn’t give any woman attention or admiring glances. She was aware some men actually preferred other men to women, but she didn’t think that was the case with the count. He always seemed preoccupied when he was in her company. More importantly, when she played back all the times they had spent in each other’s company and she pieced bits of conversations together, she realized Henri never spoke of himself. He never really talked about anything other than government issues, which under normal circumstances wouldn’t mean anything. However, since he was French and their countries had only recently stopped fighting, his interest in such matters was questionable.

For instance, why would the count choose now to holiday in London? And why, London? There had to be many other more fascinating places in the world to visit. She knew relations between England and France were stable with the Bourbons back on the throne, but she was also aware of the ongoing unrest in France.

Usually bored by such matters, she couldn’t help but listen once in a while to Henri’s diatribes regarding his country. It was clear he was disappointed at how the now limited monarchy had given up the territory gains won by the French army under Napoleon Bonaparte. And it seemed to upset him that the layoffs in the army and bureaucracy were causing discontent.

Yet, he was happy that the émigrés, who fled under Napoleon’s rule and then returned once the Bourbon’s had regained the throne, did not regain their lands confiscated by Napoleon’s government. And he was gladdened by the fact that special privileges were not restored to the hereditary nobility. Though he didn’t say so in such explicit detail, it was obvious to Eve when she thought about his words that he held no love for the Bourbon regime or the new bicameral legislature. He was completely against the Chamber of Peers and yet for the elected Chamber of Deputies. He was also strongly against the fact that only the wealthy were allowed to vote. Because Henri limited his conversations to certain people, and only expressed his opinions once in a while and never all at one time, no one but Eve would have been able to outright call him a revolutionary, but it was suddenly clear to Eve that Henri Leverett, Count Vernon, was a staunch supporter of Napoleon Bonaparte.

It was also apparent that Eve knew more about France than she realized. She was now suspicious of Henri’s reasons for being in England for, if he was so concerned about France’s state of affairs, why was he here? Why was he not in his own country trying to correct the wrongs he felt had been dealt to his fellow Frenchmen? The only logical and scary conclusion was that he was a spy. She wondered why he would be spying on England when Napoleon was exiled on some far away island. And what in the world was she going to do about her discovery? She could inform her father of her suspicions, but he’d probably think she was reading too much into the things Henri said.

While she contemplated the small list of people she knew, the Earl of Devonhurst continued to come to mind. Paxton was a noble and a peer of the realm and so could certainly see that this information was given to the right people.

Deciding Paxton was the person to confide in, she was determined to do a little investigating herself. She penned a note to the Earl of Devonhurst informing him of her suspicions and then readied herself for a ride with Lord Bakersfield. Tonight she would insist Henri escort her to the Duke and Duchess of Talesman’s gala.

***

Paxton sat in his study poring over the ledgers and then sorting the correspondences that had arrived that morning from his estates. He noticed the pink one and cursed as he tossed the note into the trash. It was one of many missives he’d received in the last few weeks from Lady Beverly. She was trying to reconcile with him, which was never going to happen. The deceitful woman was very persistent. Her husband hadn’t been in the ground more than a few hours before he received the first such letter. He didn’t lift his head at the knock at the door. “Come in.”

“My Lord.” James came in carrying the silver salver, atop which was a small white missive. “This just arrived, and noticing it wasn’t an invitation, I thought it may be of some importance.”

Paxton grinned. James was a good butler, always taking his job seriously, always acting with the utmost dignity, and always so stiff and polished in his manner that Paxton couldn’t help but smile. At this moment, James stood ramrod straight at the side of Paxton’s desk, perfectly balancing the tray on one hand. Paxton took the message. “Thank you, James.”

James nodded and, like a loyal English soldier, marched out of the room. Paxton set the note down and continued with his ledgers. As time went by, he decided to take a break and turned to look out the window at the park. It was then that he saw her. Eve, dressed in a burgundy confection, was linked arm in arm with Lord Bakersfield as they strolled along the park path. He realized that, before he turned around in his chair, he had a feeling she would be there, and there she was. She looked happy, but he did notice how she glanced at his house a few times when they went by. He wanted to go to her, to tell her he was sorry that he missed her ball for his sister had informed him of Eve’s upset at his not attending. But looking at her now, he realized he made the right decision to put some distance between them. She deserved a man who could give her his whole heart. He wanted her to be happy, and from the looks of it, the marquis did that for her. He ignored the emptiness filling him and turned back to his work.

It wasn’t until later that evening that he finally got around to reading Eve’s message and cursed himself for not reading it sooner. He would never have guessed the note from her.

To my dear friend Paxton,

I fear one of my suitors is the dastardliest of men, and knowing I can rely on your privacy in this matter, I have enclosed his initials to indicate to you the person of whom I write: H.L. I will keep a close eye on him this evening and let you know if my suspicions prove correct.

Your friend,

Evelyn Manning.

“Hell and damnation!” Paxton shouted as he jumped from his chair. The woman was going to get herself killed. He quickly went through his stack of invitations trying to gain an idea on where to look for Eve this evening. He pulled out the Talesman’s invitation. Theirs was the largest event for which there was an invitation among the stack. He decided to start his search there. He could only hope Eve was behaving herself and not giving herself away, or worse, that she wasn’t telling the count her suspicions. He didn’t know how Eve found out the count was a spy, and he blamed himself for underestimating her. It was a mistake he wouldn’t make again.

***

Eve sat across from Henri in the grand carriage contemplating her plan. She was not about to expose her suspicions regarding the reason he was in England for she feared the outcome of such a move. Earlier this afternoon, she had almost confided in Brandon, but she hadn’t. A part of her knew it was because she wanted Paxton to help her with this so they could spend time together. It had been weeks since she last saw him.

Eve looked at Henri, and when he smiled, she felt an eerie sensation fill her body. She refused to be fearful. She felt it her duty to find out the count’s true purpose for the good of her country. This could be the most important thing she would ever do in her life, she thought, and she could not allow fear to cause inaction.

She turned to Lydia, happy her new friend had agreed to accompany her to this evening’s gala. She hadn’t told Paxton’s sister about Henri, nor was she about to. The fewer people involved, the better, she felt. She was glad of Lydia’s escort because the last thing she needed were her parent’s watching her all night. Besides, she knew Lydia would enclose herself in the card room, thus allowing Eve time to be alone with Henri to do a bit of spying of her own.

***

It didn’t take Paxton long to find Eve at the Talesman’s. She was the only woman who stood in a group consisting of all men. As he entered the circle of males, he greeted acquaintances and then politely asked the count if he could steal Eve away for a dance. Seemingly not caring one way or the other, Count Vernon nodded his approval and continued to discuss France’s state of affairs.

Eve suddenly found herself led toward the dance floor. “My lord, I would rather remain next to my escort this evening, if you don’t mind.” She tried to pull her arm out of his grasp.

“I do mind.” Paxton swung her around and into his arms and began to move them effortlessly around the dance floor.

“Really, Paxton, you can be the most boorish, selfish…” They separated for the dance called for it and then came back together. “Rude, egotistical…”

“That’s enough.” He smiled down at her as they met again.

“No, actually, it’s not. First of all, friends don’t behave cowardly toward one another.”

He looked confused.

Is he so obtuse that he’s unaware of his rudeness?
They separated and then came back again. “If you didn’t want to attend my ball, you could have given me an excuse for your absence.” Eve tried to disguise the hurt in her voice by clearing her throat. She looked down to blink away tears.

She knew he hadn’t meant to hurt her and most likely thought he was doing the exact opposite by staying away. He seemed to want to say something but then realized the dance floor was not the place to discuss it, especially with her on the verge of tears. He looked around to make sure they were not seen, and then pulled her down a long carpeted hallway, then down another hall and through a door and into a lovely conservatory. She followed willingly.

Eve felt warmth from all the lush greenery suddenly encircling her. Amidst the ferns and lemon grass was an iron bench beneath a matching white trellis. The trellis was covered with honeysuckle vine. She inhaled the sweet scent deeply.

“I like this place.” Eve wiped a tear from her cheek.

“I knew you would.” He led her to sit on the secluded bench.

“Do you always know the particulars of houses you visit?”

“It’s good to know,” he answered, clearly not about to explain anything further about his knowledge of this room.

Eve shrugged, no longer feeling sad now that he was talking to her again. “Now that we are alone, what do you wish to discuss?” she asked in a no nonsense way, willing herself not to be drawn in by him.

“I’m sorry about not attending your ball. I…”