An Unlikely Alliance (13 page)

Being betrothed was another reason for her
current fascination with all things adventurous and forbidden. Her
life was over before it started. The man she was betrothed to was a
good man, if one could call him a man. At one and twenty he was two
years her senior and in a terrible state to be a husband. Having
only just finished at University, his only goal in life was to warm
the beds of courtesans and gamble away his inheritance. With
striking features and a rakish grin, he could easily get away with
all seven of the deadly sins and come out unscathed.

So in one last fit of going against the
demands of society and her parents, she snuck away to dance. It was
the last night before they were to leave for London. After all, the
Season would start soon, and although she was betrothed, her
parents wanted her to attend. They hoped she would gain some
friends, considering most her time would now be spent in London,
once the wedding was completed. Not wanting to take any chances of
getting caught, she would often practice in the small hunters lodge
next to the stream. It was only a mile from her house, close enough
for her to feel safe but far enough away she felt she wouldn't be
discovered.

Laughter bubbled out of her as she reached
the cabin and slammed the door behind her. The air was charged with
excitement. Emma made sure to lock the large wooden door, as was
tradition, and then turned to start the fire.

After lighting the nearest lamp, she began
swaying her hips. The rhythm started slow and sensual as she lifted
her arms above her head and snapped her wrists. And as her hips
continued to sway, she allowed her hands to twist and turn,
convulsing her body into the familiar rhythm taught to her by her
Romany friend.

A loud thump jolted her out of her haze.

She shrieked as a cloaked figure walked
toward her.

"I've been waiting for you."

His voice sounded gentry. Too much like a
gentleman, but there were no gentleman in the area she knew of,
other than her betrothed and his family.

She swallowed and slowly walked backward
toward the locked door, her mind a jumble of ways she could escape
without the man grabbing her. How could she have been so stupid to
come out her alone? Yet she had done so for the past two months
without disturbance.

"Aw, my pet, do not run away from me just
yet. I have something special planned for you."

"No thank you." Her voice was weak. Quickly,
she turned the notch to unlock the door, but the man's hands pushed
her against the wooden frame.

"Oh, you won't be leaving. There is no way
out."

He slammed her body into the door and began
rustling with her skirts.

This was not happening; it could not be
happening.

She tried to scream but was immediately
silenced by his large hand.

The other hand continued to frantically grab
at her skirts. She kicked him in the shin and tried for the door
again.

"Okay, pet, now you've made me angry."

With a guttural growl, he ripped open her
dress, revealing her bodice, and leered at her breasts. Her corset
and chemise still covered her body, but she felt horribly exposed
and dirty.

"So you like to tease, do you? You little
witch, I should have known you would want me like this. You've been
begging for months. I almost had you so many times, but now I'll
have you as much as I want. I know you want it too. If you scream
it will just make it better for me." He leaned in so she could
smell the reek of brandy on his breath. "Nobody will want you now.
Nobody will have you but me."

Her pulse raced as she fought frantically to
free herself from his grasp. Her prayers were answered as the door
she was leaning against began to move wildly behind her. Shouts
were heard on the other side of the wooden door.

The man cursed and pushed her down before
opening the back window and escaping. Utterly exhausted and weak
she fell to the ground in one giant heap alternating between sobs
and choking.

The door opened revealing her father and
their nearest neighbors the Rawlings and, to her horror, the man
she was betrothed to. Naturally all they saw was a young girl with
her clothes torn, alone and crying.

Nothing needed to be said, because no matter
how many times she tried to explain what had happened, nobody
believed she hadn't invited advances from a man. Not even her own
parents, and especially not the man who had earlier that year
pledged himself to be her husband.

Emma never danced again.

Chapter One

London, England

Four Years Later

Nicholas was convinced his wife of five
years had gotten used to his habit of pacing when he had something
on his mind. Yet back and forth he went as the clock on the wall
chimed noon. He felt it in his skin, in his bones.

She was going to protest.

They'd both been in his study since he
brought the suggestion to her ears, and her expression in those
past few hours hadn't changed to anything more agreeable than it
was at this moment.

"What exactly do you mean when you say he's
already here?" she inquired, the slight rise in her voice giving
away that she was a little more annoyed than he had previously
guessed. In a span of five seconds, her mouth was open to ask
another question, and he silenced her with his hand.

Usually their arguments
went the other way around. All she needed to do was flash a smile
in his direction and he would buy the blasted moon, if it would
make her happy. But today the tables were turned, because it
was
he
who was
asking the favor.

And it was obvious she had more self control
than he did, which oddly enough wasn't surprising, given the
circumstances of their marriage. Naturally he assumed it was
because she was a woman, but mentioning that around her wasn't good
for his health, which meant he kept his mouth good and shut. Yes,
compromising his dear wife before she had any chance to protest had
turned out to be the best mistake of his life.

He flashed one of his most genuine and
sensual smiles, and noticing the breath steal from her lungs, he
leaned over and kissed her firmly on the mouth.

"I did give you his title,
did I not? The
Good
Duke of Tempest? Or as some call him
The Angel Duke
? He isn't the sort of
rake people describe him as," he mumbled against her already
swollen lips. "Furthermore, I don't think he's here to create
scandal. Quite the opposite, in fact." He placed a hand on her
cheek. "Need I add he wasn't nearly as wild as I was in my—" He
stopped short of finishing that sentence when he noted the flash of
anger on Sara's face.

"Admittedly, not the best reasoning I could
come up with," he confessed teasingly. "But you must trust me on
this."

****

She shook her head, wise enough not to speak
for fear she might kill him with her pointed words. Her expression
did the talking as she widened her eyes and tilted her head for
more. A better reason was expected, this was Nicholas Renwick
speaking. He had a purpose and excuse for everything, God bless
him.

Sara cleared her throat, and Nicholas bit
his lip and looked away. The tension in the room was enough to send
her over the edge of sanity, then again most of the strain had to
do with the fact that Nicholas had been denied access to Sara's bed
for the past week on account of being away at their country
estate.

Now that he was in the city, it was hard to
think of anything else but having her husband in her arms again. It
was obvious he shared her feelings, considering every time he
looked at her she felt vulnerable enough to blush. The man made no
apologies for the way he looked at her. He merely raised an eyebrow
and winked in her direction as if that would solve the
argument.

Nicholas got up to pace again then stopped
and grabbed Sara by the shoulders. "Sweetheart, Seb's reputation is
spotless. His own grandmother even tried to trip him up on account
of he's too concerned for his reputation. Like I said, he's
harmless and quite the uh…gentlemen once you get to know him. I
don't see why letting him stay here will pose a problem for us or
for our guest. Do you even know why his reputation is so famous?
It's not because he was a rake of the first order. It was because
nobody could seem to catch him."

Sara let out the breath she had been
mindlessly holding. "So he's an arrogant rake?" Nicholas gave her a
warning look. "Well, why doesn't he just stay in his townhome? He
is a duke, and a wealthy one at that."

"You are correct, but you're forgetting that
his sister and her cousins are staying there for the Season. It
wouldn't be appropriate for him to be in a house full of unmarried
ladies. It would be more comfortable for him to stay here instead
of a house full of green girls. His grandmother is chaperoning them
for the Season." Nicholas knelt next to Sara. "And I haven't seen
him in years. It would be nice to have him near. Don't we have
enough space to accommodate ten families if we desired?"

It was true, Sara thought. Renwick House was
one of the larger mansions in Mayfair, bigger than the duke's own
home, which was almost blinding to look at it was so massive. And
Nicholas hadn't seen his friend in so long…

Yes, it would probably be best for Sebastian
to stay with them. But what of her cousin? She was to arrive any
minute. She was also coming to town for the Season. Her cousin was
two years past a marriageable age and while not desperate, needed
to secure a husband before her return to the country estate.

Her cousin Emma was of good birth and
breeding. Honestly she just didn't want the infamous rake to gain
wind of the scandal that had taken place with her dear cousin. Even
Nicholas wasn't aware of the girl's sordid past. Although she
loathed keeping things from her husband, this was one secret that
wasn't hers to tell. It would be up to Emma whom she would deem
worthy of her tragic tale.

Sara had been wondering for months how the
girl had faired after such an ordeal. Hopefully the emotional scars
did not run too deep. Obviously she felt ready for marriage or she
would not have asked for Sara to chaperone.

Resting her head on her hands, she sighed as
her husband continued with reasons why the duke must stay with
them.

"Sara, he's looking for a wife, not a
mistress," Nicholas argued.

She had only caught the last part and
nodded.

The mention of a mistress sent Sara's blood
to boil. Nicholas took note and grinned wildly before he said, "Do
you trust me?"

"No." She crossed her arms and scowled.

"Liar," he whispered in her ear. The air
around her face tensed as he trailed hot kisses down her neck.
"I've missed you." He moaned into her hair before kissing her ear,
alternating between licking and biting. She closed her eyes in
ecstasy.

His mouth soon found hers. Minutes later she
was splayed across him, absolutely wrung with pleasure. Drat the
man and his seduction abilities.

"Fine," she mumbled as she fixed the front
of her dress. "He can stay."

"Ahem."

Both Sara and Nicholas turned toward the
door, scurrying to straighten their wrinkled clothing.

****

Sara was too focused on her own
embarrassment to take in the man who had interrupted them, until
the maid walked in and promptly dropped the refreshments on the
floor. With a blush, she fell to her knees and began cleaning up
the mess. Sara watched utterly puzzled as the maid frantically
stacked the china onto her tray. Within minutes she had finished,
albeit loudly as china moved around the tray, and with a squeal
scurried out of the room.

Sebastian had been turned toward the exiting
maid, and then his gaze was back on Sara.

Her mouth dropped open.

Nicholas leaned in. "It's not polite to
stare, m'dear."

Her eyes widened in shock. Next to her
husband, the man standing before her was the most beautiful
creature she had ever laid eyes on.

A warning label should come
with such men. Not that it would have kept her away from Nicholas,
but
still
.

From his rakishly charming smile to his
haunting blue eyes, the man was a force to be reckoned with. His
dimples ran deep connecting with a firm jaw line and aristocratic
nose. His eyes, while clearly blue, were so large it was almost
uncomfortable to look at him directly.

As if reading her thoughts, the
golden-haired Adonis smiled, making Sara immediately close her eyes
and shake her head. His perfectly straight teeth and dimples added
to the already devastating effect.

"Sara, are you unwell?" Nicholas asked,
concern lacing his voice. "Here, why don't you sit down?"

She shook her head, then
glanced between the two men, mumbling under her breath, "I don't
even want to know. I truly don't." It was impossible to imagine
what the two men had done to the ladies of the
ton
in their day.

Sebastian and Nicholas grinned at one
another then embraced.

"Both of you were launched into society at
the same time?" she asked.

Nicholas nodded while Sebastian winked. And
though she didn't think it possible, his dimples became more
pronounced, making it blasted hard not to smile back.

Sara took a steadying breath and smiled for
the first time at Sebastian. "Your grace, words cannot even begin
to describe how interesting I feel the next couple of weeks will
be."

"My sentiments exactly," he murmured,
kissing her outstretched hand.

"Now if you'll excuse me, gentlemen, I'm
going to go make sure our maid is still breathing. Good day." She
curtsied and floated out of the room.