A Christmas Scandal (26 page)

A Christmas wedding to the Duke of Bellingham. Any other socialite in Newport, Rhode Island, would be overjoyed at the prospect, but Elizabeth Cummings finds her mother’s announcement as appealing as a prison sentence. Elizabeth has not the slightest desire to meet Randall Blackmore, let alone be bartered for an English title. Her heart belongs to another, and the duke’s prestige, arrogance, and rugged charm will make no difference to her plans of elopement.

Against his expectations and desires, Randall Blackmore has inherited a dukedom and a vast estate that only marriage to an heiress can save. Selling his title to the highest bidder is a wretched obligation, but to Randall’s surprise his intended bride is pretty, courageous, delightfully impertinent—and completely uninterested in becoming a Duchess. Yet suddenly, no other woman will do, and a marriage in name only will never be enough for a husband determined to win his wife in body, heart, and soul…

“Miss Cummings. Is that you?”

She jerked her head up and took an extraordinarily short time to compose herself before walking toward him. From the tree.

“Would you care to stroll with me?” Rand asked.

“Actually, I’m getting a bit chilled and was going back inside,” she said, and continued walking by him toward the house. He grabbed her arm firmly, ignoring her small cry of outrage, and steered her away from the house. Some girls might have screamed, but Elizabeth it seemed had been well-schooled on the art of not creating a scene.

“I’m so glad you’ve decided to join me.” He looked down at her and she stared straight ahead. She was such a stalwart little thing, he nearly smiled.

“We had a beech tree like that in our garden growing up. Much larger, though. It was a wonderful place to hide. I imagine they were imported from Europe.”

“I believe so,” she said, her voice sounding strange.

“A perfect place for a tryst.”

She stiffened next to him. “I wouldn’t know.”

“Wouldn’t you,” he said blandly.

“I want to go back inside now.”

“That is too bad.”

Her arm felt slim beneath his hand and he thought he felt the slightest trembling. Good. He wanted her afraid at this moment, he wanted her to feel as much discomfort as he had when he realized she was beneath that damned tree with Henry Ellsworth.

Finally, they reached the end of the lawn and stopped. She crossed her arms in front of her as if she were the affronted one.

“I do not want you seeing him again,” he said, before he even realized what he was going to say.

“I don’t know what you mean.” Ah, she was getting her fire back. He smiled at her, which only made her frown more fiercely.

“Henry Ellsworth. The man you think you love.”

She gasped and his smile widened.

“You are rude,” she said, “How dare you imply—” She stopped and let out a breath, and he watched as myriad emotions crossed her features. Then, lifting her chin, the effect of which was ruined by the slight quivering there, she said, “Yes, we love each other. And you are keeping us apart.”

“You cannot love him. You cannot love anyone you have not been with for more than ten minutes at a time. I am always amazed how quickly foolish girls fall in love.”

“I am not foolish and I am not a girl. You cannot know what is in my heart, or his.”

He stepped to her, their bodies only inches apart. They were so close, he could feel her panicked breath, coming out in short puffs, hitting his throat. “Have you been kissed?”

His question seemed to startle her. “I don’t know how you mean.”

“Tonight. Have you been kissed?” he ground out.

“Henry would never take such liberties. He is a gentleman,” she said, lifting her head imperiously.

The relief he felt was staggering, and extremely disconcerting. “I’m very glad to hear it,” he said. “Because I daresay I wouldn’t want my mouth touching yours if you had.”

With one quick motion, he pulled her to him, giving her perhaps two seconds to scream her protest before pressing his lips against hers. She kept her mouth shut tight, her body stiff against his as he moved his mouth gently against hers even as he held her relentlessly in his arms. “It doesn’t matter whether you enjoy this or not,” he said against her lips, feeling angry and perverse and jealous beyond measure. “Your friend beneath the tree is likely watching and cannot know you hate me. He did not steal a kiss and now he must watch you willingly kiss me.” She gasped and he chuckled lightly.

“I do hate you,” she said. “I will never willingly touch you. I will never willingly kiss you. You make my skin crawl.”

Rand lifted a hand to her face, holding her so loosely she could easily have wrenched free. He moved a thumb along her full bottom lip and felt her tremble beneath him. “You’re trembling,” he said softly, mesmerized by the way her mouth felt beneath his thumb.

“I’m cold. And frightened.”

He smiled, his eyes looking into hers. “Yes, you are,” he said. “But not for the reasons you think.” He stepped back, releasing her and thought for just a moment she might actually rear back and slap him, but she restrained herself. Frankly, he thought he deserved a good slap.

“You are cruel beyond measure,” she said, her eyes darting to the beech tree and for a fleeting moment he actually felt sorry for her. Anger overcame that softer emotion almost immediately.

“You would be well to remember that should you ever think to speak to Mr. Ellsworth again I will make your life a living hell. I will not be made a fool. I will not.” Rand forced a smile that wasn’t truly a smile at all. “Shall we go back to the ball?”

Rand hated the way she looked at him but didn’t know what else he could have done. Certainly he was not going to allow her to continue this fantasy that she could be with Mr. Ellsworth. He’d best secure her as his bride as soon as possible. This entire trip was not going at all like he expected, most surprising being his own reactions to her. He had never in his life threatened a woman and had anyone told him he would, he would have laughed. Even now, his words still ringing in his ears, he was slightly ashamed that he had sounded so cruel for he was not a cruel man. Make her life a living hell. Indeed. Other than marry her, he was unsure what he could do to make her more unhappy. He didn’t know why the thought of her being kissed by another man drove him nearly mad, but it did. He wanted to force such weak thoughts from his head, he wanted to feel nothing for this girl.

And be sure to catch up with your favorite

characters from

A CHRISTMAS SCANDAL

and meet a sexy new couple in

Jane’s next book,

coming in 2010!