Captive Pride (17 page)

Noah's smile was strained as he danced with Eve, but she did not notice. And though he gave the impression of listening to her senseless chatter, in truth his thoughts were far away, wrapped in the searing, exciting memory of CC's passion. At first, when he'd reentered the ballroom and Eve had joined him, he'd been grateful for the diversion she presented, but now he was finding her company stifling. He found himself constantly searching the crowd for some sign of the vibrant emerald gown and the woman who wore it. Cursing himself for being a fool to even think of CC, he forced all remembrances of the other woman from his mind and concentrated solely on Eve's less than stimulating conversation.

CC descended the front staircase to find John in the wide hall talking with Matthew. Her smile was shaky as she greeted them, but neither man seemed aware of it.

“CC, darling, I didn't know that you'd gone upstairs….” John took her hand and kissed it as he met her.

“I needed to rest for a moment and freshen up a bit.” Her words were not a lie. She enlisted Anna's help, and they had made short order of styling her hair again and smoothing the wrinkles from her gown. Anna had been smart enough not to question her mistress's unusual condition, and CC had been greatly relieved at not having to explain.

“I hope you weren't feeling ill.” Matt was quick to worry, for he remembered her need to get a breath of fresh air.

“Oh no. Nothing like that,” she reassured him.

“Good.” His smile was warm with honest affection as he regarded her, and noticing her becomingly heightened color, he wondered what had transpired between her and Noah in the garden.

“CC? Would you care to dance again?” John invited.

“Of course,” she accepted, glad that it had been John to ask and not Matthew. Not that she didn't like the younger Kincade; she did, very much. It was just that she wanted to avoid any further contact with Noah, and dancing with Matt would have been like waving a red flag before an angry bull. “Matt, if you'll excuse us?”

“Until later.” He bowed slightly as John led her back inside to join the dancers.

Eve's grip on Noah's arm was possessive as they stood together at the side of the dance floor.

“I'm so glad that you came tonight,” she purred, pressing her full bosom against the hard-muscled strength of his forearm as she turned to look up at him.

“So am I,” he replied evasively.

Realizing that it was getting late and that the ball would soon be over, Eve knew that she had to make her play for him now or risk losing him until the social scene brought them together again.

“There is no reason for our evening to end just because the Demorests' ball does.” Her gaze upon him was openly brazen so there would be no mistaking the invitation she was offering.

Noah was about to decline as graciously as he could when he caught sight of CC returning to the ballroom on John's arm. She looked totally happy and completely at ease. Though he didn't quite understand why, he was suddenly furious, and he diverted his attention quickly to the lovely widow clinging to his arm.

“Is there a reason why we have to wait for the ball to end before making our departure?” he asked in low, seductive tones.

Eve's breath caught in her throat as she looked up at him with luminous eyes, unable to believe her luck. “No. No, of course not….”

“Do you have your own carriage?”

“Yes,” she breathed excitedly.

“Then shall we have it brought around?”

“Please…”

Noah took charge in his usual manner, and after speaking privately with Matt for a few moments in the music room, he searched out Edward to bid him thanks and good night. CC, it seemed, was nowhere to be found as he and Eve were making their departure.

“Edward, please relay my deepest appreciation to your lovely daughter for her hospitality this evening,” Noah told his host.

“I shall do that,” he agreed, puzzled by her absence. It was in the poorest form not to be available to bid her guests good-bye. “Also, I had a private matter to discuss with you, and I was wondering if you could luncheon with me tomorrow.”

“I'd like that.”

“Shall I meet you at the Demorest home? Say about noon?”

“I'll be waiting.”

CC had heard Noah as he'd ordered the Woodham carriage brought around, and though she'd tried to deny it, a shaft of pure agony had penetrated her heart. Kincade was the vile, amoral beast she'd thought him to be. He had gone from her to Eve without a pause, and just the thought of it left her feeling sick. CC disappeared from the ballroom when she noticed Noah and Eve moving toward the front hall. Seeking refuge in the seemingly deserted music room, she was determined to remain out of sight until they were gone.

“Is something wrong?”

The sound of Matthew's voice behind her surprised CC, for she had thought she was alone. Sweeping about to face him, she forced a cool expression.

“No, why do you ask?” CC was not about to reveal the truth of her feelings to anyone.

“No reason. I just hadn't expected to find you alone when you have a house full of guests,” he shrugged.

“You're absolutely right,” she said hastily, “and I suppose I'd better rejoin them.”

Girding herself, CC started reluctantly toward the door, knowing that she would come face-to-face with Noah in the front foyer as she made her way back to the ballroom. Only Matt's next words stopped her.

“Please, CC,” he spoke earnestly, “I wasn't criticizing you for taking a moment to relax. You don't have to rush back to the ballroom to be with your guests. After all, I'm a guest, too.” The engaging smile he gave her lightened her heart. “Stay. We can talk for a while.”

“I'd like that,” she managed, relief stealing through her at being saved from a confrontation with Noah and Eve. “I'd like that a lot.”

Anna greeted CC at the door to her bedroom when at long last CC finally made her way upstairs to retire for the night. Noting the strained exhaustion in her mistress's unusually pale features, Anna wondered what had really taken place during the long hours of the ball.

“Miss CC? Aren't you feeling well? Shall I help you undress and have a bath sent up?” Anna offered as CC sank down wearily on the bed.

“A bath would be heavenly, Anna. Thank you….”

“I'll tell the others right away.” Anna hurried off to order the bath, leaving CC alone for the first time in hours.

Exhausted, CC sighed as she slipped off her shoes, and then, eager to get to bed, she stood up and began to undress by herself. It was when she stripped off her chemise that she first noticed the smear of dried blood on the inside of her thigh. A potent rage filled her at the sight of the damning evidence that testified to her own weakness. How could she have been so stupid as to surrender to Kincade? She knew what kind of man he was! His behavior tonight only convinced her all the more firmly that he was an unprincipled opportunist.

Quickly, lest Anna return and discover her foolishness, CC rushed to the washstand to scrub the telltale stain. Even as she washed the reminder of Noah's possession from her flesh, she could not erase the memory of him from her mind…the sensual heat of his touch, the thrill of his kiss, the rapturous glory of his total possession….

CC muttered a vile curse under her breath. Lord Noah Kincade was a filthy, arrogant…Her hatred of him at that moment was so fierce that she couldn't think of any expletives horrible enough to wreak on his character.

CC frowned as she reflected on all that had happened during the course of the night. Noah had assumed, just as Matt had, that she was engaged to John. He had accused her of attempting to use Matthew, though she wasn't sure how she was supposed to be using him or to what end. And even though she had fought him almost from the start, he had insisted that he was only taking what she was offering….

Suddenly, in a rush of revolting realization, it all became clear to CC, and she shook her head in stunned, outraged bewilderment. As naive as she'd been, she hadn't understood Kincade's accusations before, but now a disgusting awareness dawned. Lord Noah Kincade had thought that she was prostituting herself in hopes of winning them over to the rebel cause….

The knowledge that he had suspected her of such degrading behavior only served to intensify her already hostile feelings for him. He thought her no better than a common tramp! He had used her as such, and even the discovery of her untouched state had not altered his opinion.

Her anger was so powerful that she felt physically ill, and she was pale and trembling when Anna's soft knock came at the door. Snatching up her dressing gown, she pulled it quickly on, fearful that without it Anna might somehow know of her indiscretion. Bidding her servant to enter, she forced herself to present a calm front as the maid directed the belowstairs servants where to put the tub and then supervised as they filled it with hot water.

“Is there anything else I can do for you, Miss CC?” Anna offered solicitously.

“No. I think I'll just soak a while and then go on to bed.”

“Shall I bring you a sherry? You're still looking rather peaked,” she noted with concern.

The offer of a sherry did sound soothing, and CC agreed, “A small brandy might just be the thing, Anna. Thanks.”

Quickly and efficiently, Anna directed the other servants from the room and then followed them downstairs to get the liquor for her mistress. As she poured the brandy into a crystal snifter, she pondered the situation. Something was amiss, but she wasn't sure just what it was. Usually after a party Miss CC was lighthearted and full of gossip and interesting tidbits of all that had happened. This unusual silence by her was troubling. Anna suspected that it all had to do with her earlier unkempt state, and she wondered if something terrible had happened. Something that maybe she should talk about.

Carrying the liquor, she returned to the room and knocked only once before admitting herself. It did not surprise Anna to find CC already soaking in the steaming tub, and she drew a small table near and placed the brandy upon it within easy reach.

“Thank you, Anna.”

“You're welcome. So how was the ball, Miss CC?” Anna tried to encourage her to talk, hoping to discover the reason for her strange mood.

“Fine,” came her answer.

“Did your father seem to enjoy himself?” she asked as she moved quietly about the room picking up CC's discarded clothing.

“I think so. He was quite pleased that everyone came.”

“Indeed, there was a crowd, and Lord Kincade was here, wasn't he?”

At the mention of his name, CC couldn't prevent herself from tensing, and Anna noticed but did not comment on it.

“Yes, he came, and so did his younger brother, Matthew.”

“Was the brother wearing dark blue?”

“I believe so; why?” CC cast a glance at her maid.

“I'd caught sight of him one time and thought him quite good-looking, too. Still, there is just something about the older one that's—”

“I know.” CC cut her off sharply, not wanting to hear her sing Kincade's praises. Anna knew nothing about the man; she only saw the gift wrap, so to speak. “I'm really tired tonight, Anna….”

Anna took the hint and started for the door. “Will you be needing me for anything else?”

“No. You go on. I'll be fine.”

“Good night, then, Miss CC.”

CC was glad when Anna had gone. Sipping from the relaxing liquor, she soaked in the hot, perfumed bath for a long time after her departure, wanting to ease all the unfamiliar aches from her slender body. Only when she felt drowsily content and free of Kincade's scent upon her did she emerge from the tub and dry herself. Clad in her most comfortable nightdress, she finally slipped beneath the covers of her bed.

Sleep should have come easily. She was warm, content, and safe in her own bedroom, but images of Kincade kept disturbing her rest. Whenever she closed her eyes, a vision of Noah as he had been in the summerhouse would loom before her, his silver eyes burning with passion, his hands reaching out for her with sensual intent. CC tossed and turned, growing more and more distraught over the heat that surged through her whenever he entered her thoughts. She hated him and all he stood for, yet he was haunting her. The memory of his touch alone had the power to send her pulses racing.

Getting up, she padded restlessly to the window. Parting the heavy drapes, she stared out across the quiet city as she tried to come to grips with the riotous feelings Noah Kincade stirred within her. From the very beginning, he had not fit any preconceived mold she had of English noblemen…. He was not fat and ugly; he was not effeminate. What Kincade was, CC acknowledged grudgingly, was devastatingly handsome. She recognized now that he was the consummate rake and a masterful lover. Though she knew she hated him and his mercenary ways, her body had responded to him as to no other.

CC shivered and retreated to the warmth of her bed, protectively pulling her blankets up to her chin. She had given in to Kincade's sensual demands in a moment of weakness, and she vowed that it would never happen again. She was going to make every effort to ensure that their paths never crossed again. Feeling slightly reassured and a little more in control, CC curled on her side and closed her eyes.

The remembrance of Noah leaving the ball with Eve Woodham pierced CC's drowsy thoughts then, sending a pang of heart-pain echoing dully through her, and a silent tear was tracing a lonely path across the softness of her cheek as sleep finally claimed her.

 

Matt left the ball and returned to the inn a short time after Noah had departed with Eve Woodham. Since his discussion with the military men in the study earlier that evening, he'd found himself growing more and more aware of the loyalists' attitudes and more and more annoyed with their puffed-up ways until he finally felt the need to escape their stifling presence.

He was troubled as he settled himself at a quiet table in a corner of the taproom. The liquor he'd consumed that night had rendered him slightly philosophical and he found himself, for the first time, confronting and challenging his own aristocratic views of life. Savoring the cool tankard of ale Polly quickly served him, he almost wished that Noah would return from the merry widow's so he could discuss things with him.

A wry smile lifted the corners of Matt's mouth as he thought of Noah leaving Eve Woodham's company early. If ever there was a colonial woman guaranteed to attract Noah's attention, it was Eve. She was gorgeous, sophisticated, and most obvious in showing just how interested she was in him. It pleased Matt to know that at least some part of Noah's old self remained, and he knew that there was little chance of his brother returning any time soon.

Thinking of Noah, Matt wondered why his brother had wanted to be alone with CC in the garden. He knew that it had to have been important since Noah had gone to all the trouble of inventing an excuse to send him inside, but beyond that he had no clue as to the reason. At first, after discovering Noah's manipulation of the situation, Matt had suspected that he might have been interested in CC, but then, when he'd departed the party in Eve's company, he'd dismissed the thought. Whatever had passed between Noah and CC, it had not had to do with courtship. It would have made absolutely no sense for Noah to attempt to woo their lovely hostess and then leave with the widow.

Matt took a deep drink of his ale as he thought of CC. She was a beautiful woman, and he'd found her company most delightful. He had been pleased when he'd found out that she was not promised to Robinson, and he had even considered paying court to her himself until the memory of Faith's delicate beauty had intruded. Faith had been in the back of his mind all night, and though he'd tried to put the thought of her from him, he'd been unable to dismiss her completely, even amidst the splendor of the ball.

As he finished off his drink and signaled for the barmaid to bring another, Matt pondered again all that had happened during the last few days. The attitudes of Winthrop and Thornhill had shaken the foundation of his respect and love for his homeland, and he now found himself questioning the very tenets of his life.

He firmly believed that the colonists were true Englishmen, and since they were, they deserved every benefit of the laws of the land. He thought it completely outrageous that the two officers considered their men blameless. They'd claimed that the attack had not been reported, yet Matt couldn't help but wonder if it had been reported and then arrogantly dismissed, just as they had dismissed his outrage.

Matt was seething in frustration. He had to learn the truth.

The sound of the door opening drew his attention, and he glanced up to find Noah striding into the room, a black scowl marring his handsome features. Matt thought it odd that there had been no sound of a carriage drawing up, and he wondered how his brother had gotten back to the inn.

“Noah…” he called out.

Noah noticed Matt sitting alone at a table, and he made his way across the sparsely populated room to join him.

“You're back early,” Matt noted with some interest as Noah sat down opposite him. “I hadn't expected to see you until morning.”

Noah's gaze turned glacial at his teasing, but he didn't respond right away as Polly approached the table to serve Matt his fresh mug of ale.

“Can I get you anything, Lord Kincade?” Polly offered. The last night she'd spent with him had been even better than the first, surpassing even her most ardent dreams, and she was eager to be available to him whenever he wanted her.

“No. Nothing, Polly,” he answered brusquely to deliberately discourage her. “Thank you.”

Disappointed, but having no other recourse, Polly retreated to allow them their privacy.

“Well?” Matt prodded, sensing there was much he wasn't telling.

“Well, what?” Noah ground out.

“What happened with Eve Woodham? I didn't hear a carriage. I—”

“I chose to walk back,” he answered.

“You chose to walk?” Matt quirked one dark brow in disbelief.

Noah glared at him. He did not want to discuss any of what had happened this night; not with Matthew, not with anyone.

“Walking is a mode of transportation,” he drawled. “Now, if you've finished trying to pry into my private affairs…my intention in returning was to retire for the night….”

“All right.” Matt hid his grin by taking a drink. Noah was being as stoic as ever, and no matter how intriguing the circumstances, he knew that his closemouthed brother would not reveal a thing.

“You returned early from the ball yourself,” Noah pointed out as he leaned back, relaxing a bit now that Matt's inquisition was at an end.

Matt's previously bemused expression turned serious as he replied, “I had things I needed to think about.”

“Such as?”

He eyed Noah levelly before answering. “I had a slightly unsettling discussion with Winthrop and Thornhill.”

“The military officers? Why?” His curiosity was piqued.

“I had overheard them talking about the quality of troops stationed here, and I commented to them on the lack of discipline.”

“Yes…”

“I related all that had happened with Faith the other night and they were singularly unimpressed. It seems to me that they care very little about the plight of colonials. Some of their remarks were most disturbing and led me to believe that there might actually be a good reason for all the unrest.”

Noah's lips quirked as he asked sarcastically, “Are you saying you're not nearly so furious with me now for my traitorous ways in betraying our country?”

“I'm saying that if Winthrop's and Thornhill's attitudes are pervasive among those representing our government, then it's no wonder that there is vast potential for a revolt.”