A Taste of Temptation (21 page)

“I hope my mentioning that hasn’t caused you any duress.”

Lynette smiled. “Not at all. I was wondering if you would have time to go with me tomorrow after we’re finished with our reading group?”

“Of course, we’ll plan on it,” Olivia said, feeling excitement for her friend.

Olivia watched Lynette walk away and immediately started looking for Andrew’s Aunt Claudette. She needed to find her and ask the address of the new apothecary.

“Olivia, dear,” Agatha said. “Lady Colebrooke is talking to you.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Olivia said, looking at the beautiful blonde woman who stood in front of her with such calm and poise that Olivia had liked her the moment they’d met.

“I must have been daydreaming. What did you say?” Lady Colebrooke laughed and then said, “No doubt your thoughts were on your husband. I understand perfectly. I still find myself daydreaming about Daniel and we’ve been married over a year. I just wanted to say good-bye and I’ll see you at our reading group tomorrow afternoon.”

“Yes, I’ll be there. Thank you for the invitation, Lady Colebrooke.”

“You must remember to call me Isabella.” Olivia smiled, suddenly feeling better than she had in a days. She had made another friend. “I will.” When Isabella was gone Olivia reached over and gave her aunt a hug.

Agatha looked a little surprised but flattered. “What was that for?” she asked.

“I just wanted you to know that I’m happy to see you.”

“You just saw me yesterday.”

“I know, but keep in mind you have been my constant companion for the past twelve years. It’s only natural I miss you.”

Agatha smiled. “What a sweet thing to say. I miss having you around the house, too, but I’m staying busy.”

“I’m sure you are. Tell me, do you know the name of the apothecary that Andrew’s Aunt Claudette mentioned that first night were at his house?”

An unusual frown flashed across Agatha’s face. “Yes, indeed I do, but not because I asked. She told me I needed to pay him a visit. Imagine, her suggesting such a thing.” Olivia tried not to smile that a certain rivalry existed even though the ladies had been apart for twelve years.

“Would you like for me to send the name and address over to you? I certainly have no use of it.”

“Early tomorrow, if you would. I’m going out and would love to stop by and see what he has.” Olivia glanced in Andrew’s direction again and caught site of the Marquis of Musgrove Glenn. He was leaving a group of gentlemen he had been talking to. Perhaps this would be a good time to talk with him about Lady Lynette.

Olivia wasn’t having any success with her own marriage, but perhaps she could help her friend with the love of her life.

“Would you excuse me, Auntie, I see someone I want to speak to.”

“Of course, Livy. You run along and I’ll see you get the information first thing in the morning.” Olivia followed the Marquis and caught up with him just before he left the room.

“How are you tonight, Marquis?” she said, coming up from behind him.

He stopped and smiled when he saw her. “Quite well, Lady Dugdale. My best wishes to you on your marriage.”

“Thank you, my lord.”

“Matrimony obviously agrees with you. You look lovely tonight.”

“That’s very kind of you to say so, sir.” She smiled at him, took a deep breath and said, “I was talking to Lady Lynette earlier and she was telling me how you two have known each other for a long time.”

“Yes, I see her each Season, of course, and our families have gone to the same house parties for years.”

“I suppose that’s how she knew the names of your children.”

“She knows my children?” he asked.

Olivia could see by the expression on his face that he was a bit confused as to why she would be talking with him about Lynette and his children.

As far as Olivia was concerned, if the Marquis was looking for his third wife there was no reason he shouldn’t consider a woman who already loved him and cared about his children. And since he didn’t know that, Olivia had decided to make it her business to enlighten him.

“Yes, I remember a few days ago when we were all talking together that she asked about your children and called each of them by name.”

He seemed to ponder that a moment. “You know, you’re right, she did. I do recall that now, but I’ve never taken my children to a house party. They’re much too young. Perhaps she heard their mothers talk about them.”

“I’m sure that’s how she knew, but how lovely of Lynette to remember and to ask about them.”

Olivia watched the Marquis’s gaze look around the room until his gaze found Lynette. She was talking to an older lady whom Olivia didn’t recognize. Lynette’s rose-colored gown flattered her full figure. The red birthmark on her cheek couldn’t be seen from the profile facing them.

All they saw was a tall, lovely, self-confident woman talking easily to her companion.

“The truth is, she’s always been around, but I’ve never paid too much attention to Lynette,” the Marquis admitted honestly.

Obviously not.

“But it was kind of her to take an interest in my children.”

“Very kind,” Olivia said. “And not only does she love children and is kind hearted, she’s really quite intelligent.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt it.” He turned back to Olivia. “It’s a pity she’s never married.”

“Too true. I’m sure she would make some gentleman an honorable wife, and I know she would be a splendid mother.”

He smiled indulgently at Olivia again, as if he was catching on to her ploy. “No doubt you are right about her.”

“There you are, my darling,” Andrew said, coming up to Olivia and slipping his arm around her waist. “I’ve been looking for you.”

Olivia knew that couldn’t be true. They had been in each other’s sight since arriving at the party.

He squeezed her waist gently with his hand as he said,

“Thank you, Marquis, for keeping her company, but she promised the next dance to me and it’s about to begin.” Olivia mumbled a hasty good-bye as Andrew ushered her to the outer rim of the dance floor. They got in position and at the right downbeat took the first step that led them into the flow of all the others crowding the floor to waltz.

Andrew’s frame was strong, firm, and secure as he guided her through the steps. She loved the feeling of being so close to him, if only for a short time.

“You looked as if you were enjoying your discussion with the Marquis.”

“Hmm, I was. Is that the reason you decided we must dance?”

“Yes. You looked like you were enjoying yourself too much. Do you think a married woman should take so much pleasure in another man?”

She eyed him with a curious stare as they moved among the other dancers. “My pleasure came from the topic of our conversation, not from the man I was with.”

“And what subject were you discussing?” he asked as he led her in a turn.

For a moment Olivia wondered if Andrew could be a little bit jealous and a spark of hope ignited inside her as she said, “Lady Lynette.”

“The Duke of Knightington’s daughter?” he asked.

“Why?”

“Because she’s my friend.”

“In what way were you discussing her?”

“In a flattering way.”

Andrew’s brow wrinkled and his eyes darkened as they swept effortlessly across the dance floor in time with the music.

“What you just said told me nothing, Olivia.”

“Quite the contrary, my lord, it tells you Lynette is my friend and the Marquis and I were having a friendly chat about her.”

“I think your daily amusement comes from tormenting me, my dear wife.”

“And I think you should trust that I wasn’t discussing anything inappropriate with the Marquis.”

“I didn’t think you were.” His words contradicted the wrinkle between his brows.

“Then why question me?”

“I was merely curious, and I might add, you still haven’t told me what the two of you were talking about.”

“I thought I did. We were discussing Lady Lynette.”

“You are impossible.”

You are impossible.

His words floated over her like a warmed blanket on a cold night. It wasn’t what he said but how he said it. He voice was low and sensual as if he were trying to seduce her. His gaze penetrated hers and she felt connected to him in a way she hadn’t before.

“I could say the same thing about you.” Andrew smiled at her and Olivia felt like her heart flipped in her chest. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and breathe in his scent. She wanted to feel his warm breath on her neck, behind her ear, but all she could do was continue the complicated back steps of the waltz as Andrew guided her.

“But would it be true?” he asked.

“Most definitely, my lord.”

“I’m glad Lady Lynette is your friend,” he said, lifting his arm for her to walk under.

“I think she’s the only young lady who’s not angry with me for taking you off the marriage mart.” Andrew chuckled. “I just realized that you have very effectively taken the conversation off what you and the Marquis were taking about.”

“Not really. I told you we were discussing Lynette and so are you and I.”

“So what were you doing, telling the Marquis all about Lady Lynette’s many attributes?”

She looked at him with surprise in her eyes. “Yes, that is exactly what I was doing. How did you know?”

“I didn’t. I was guessing.”

“Well, he is looking for a wife, a mother for his children, and I think Lady Lynette would be perfect for him.” He twirled her under his arm again and as she faced him once more he said, “Really?”

“You don’t?” she threw back at him.

“Well, I don’t think I’ve ever thought about Lady Lynette getting married.”

“Do you think because of her blemish no man would want to marry her?”

“No. I’ve just never had a reason for the subject to cross my mind.”

“I suppose most gentlemen might consider her a spinster now. She is past the age most young ladies marry. But perhaps it’s time the Marquis looked at a woman who would not only be a good wife but a good mother to his children.”

The wrinkle returned to Andrew’s brow. “And you told him this?”

“No, of course not. Not directly, anyway. I only hinted at it. I just planted a seed and perhaps got him to thinking about her in that way.”

Andrew’s eyes darkened again and the corners of his mouth tightened. “So setting a snare for me wasn’t enough.

Now you want to try to catch the Marquis in one as well.” Olivia’s breath caught in her throat as the dance ended.

“No,” she whispered. “You’ve got it all wrong. That’s not my intention at all.”

Her husband let go of her as if she were a hot poker.

Why hadn’t it dawned on her that Andrew would have thought her desire to help Lady Lynette was only meant to entrap the Marquis?

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Fourteen

8

A
ndrew headed for
the breakfast room not knowing whether or not Olivia would be joining him. Their conversation had come to an abrupt halt several nights ago when he realized she was trying to leg-shackle the Marquis, and he hadn’t had a detailed conversation with her since.

For the past three days Andrew had spent more time at his club than at his home. He had only seen Olivia for short pe-riods of time during the past seventy-two hours. He left without seeing her in the mornings and would arrive at home in the evenings with just enough time to dress and escort her to the parties. Once there they parted ways and he wouldn’t see her again until it was time to take her home.

He’d tried to enjoy the drinking, gambling, and the late night races in Hyde Park. He found himself going from White’s to three and four other clubs in one night before heading home at dawn. For some reason a life that was once so important to him now held little fascination.

Just when he was beginning to think Olivia might not be as devious as he first believed, her true intentions were revealed to him again. He’d thought on it a lot the past few days as he played cards, and for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out why she would want to entrap the Marquis for Lady Lynette.

He wondered if either of them knew what Olivia had in mind. The Marquis had danced with Lynette the past couple of nights but he’d danced with other ladies, too, including an older, wealthy widow.

Andrew had known both the Marquis’s wives and they had been beautiful women, not that Lynette wasn’t in her own way. Andrew enjoyed being around Lynette and he considered her lovely despite her birthmark. She was cheerful and had never let the discoloration on her cheek keep her out of sight of Society. He’d always admired her for that. As far as he knew Lynette had never even had a beau court her.

If the Marquis was interested in Lynette he would pursue her. He didn’t need Olivia’s help.

The first thing Andrew noticed when he walked in the dining room was that candles were lit. In the ten years he’d lived at this house he couldn’t remember candles ever being lit at breakfast no matter how gray and dreary the day.

He knew the light had to be Olivia’s idea and for some reason he liked that. He found it almost comforting.

The
Times
was beside his plate as usual and just like all other mornings there was a place setting for Olivia. He had wondered since he’d not been to the dining room in several mornings if she might have decided to have breakfast in her chamber.

He sat down in his chair, opened the paper, and started to read. Whibbs came in and quietly poured his coffee.

Andrew was deep into a story about a murder in the hells when suddenly he was aware that Olivia was in the room with him. He hadn’t heard her come in but he knew she was there. He slowly lowered the paper and saw her standing at the buffet table pouring tea with her back to him.