Devil's Bargain (18 page)

Beside her, Adrian nodded. “Louise is an excellent choice. Thank you.”

“You can watch in here.” She opened a doorway and led them into a tiny chamber furnished by an overabundance of pillows and a large, thick mattress on the floor. To one side was a heavy curtain that covered nearly the entire wall. Lynette barely had time to look around before the petite woman was pinning her with a harsh stare. “Whatever ye see, stays here.
One word escapes yer lips, missy, and I’ll ruin ye. Mark my words—”

“She understands, Jenny.” That was Adrian, stepping forward smoothly. “She will not tell a soul.”

Apparently, Jenny did not believe him. She spent the next few moments burning her gaze into Lynette, who could do no more than return the look. Finally, Lynette realized what the woman wanted. With a slight nod, she agreed.

“I will tell no one. I am a minister’s daughter, so you may count upon my discretion.”

Jenny arched a single, well-defined eyebrow. “A parson’s brat.” She glanced speculatively at Adrian. “I bet ye have yer hands full with her.”

“No more than absolutely necessary,” returned Adrian dryly.

Lynette shifted her gaze to him, startled and a bit hurt by the comment, but Jenny cackled. “Tell me another whopper, Addy.” Still cackling, she shut the door, leaving behind a single candle hidden in a slight indentation in the side wall.

Lynette looked down, focusing on unbuttoning her cloak in the gloom. When she spoke, she kept her voice casual, hoping not to betray any of her seething emotions. “Was that the Jenny from your childhood? The one who taught you?”

He did not answer. Were she not studiously unbuttoning her cloak, she would have shot him an angry glare. As it was, she had to lean down to unfasten the lowest button.

His fingers were warm on her chin as he lifted her up.

She complied stiffly, not wanting to look at him.
But his touch was firm, and eventually she stared into the dark pools of his eyes.

“You do not like her.” His voice betrayed a slight hurt that was startling.

“I-I do not know her, my lord.”

“Adrian,” he corrected on a weary sigh.

She nodded, using the movement to dislodge his fingers from her chin. She didn’t know why she was being so difficult. Indeed, she didn’t know why her nerves felt on edge, her thoughts angry, and her body alien. This entire situation was strange, and she felt frightened, edgy, even afraid.

And yet…

“She is an old friend, Lynette. I trust her to keep your reputation safe.”

She did not look up as she pulled off her cloak. “When did my reputation become so important?”

Suddenly he gripped her, his words fierce. “Everything about you is important,” he whispered. He twisted her shoulders, turning her to face him. “We cannot be angry with one another tonight. We cannot!”

He spoke with conviction, yet it was apparent from his expression that he did not know how to correct the situation. Unbearable tension coiled between them, and from his words, he hated it. As did she. But he did not know how to change it.

Lynette felt shame wash over her. Her feelings were confused, her situation untenable. And yet nothing was happening that had not been explained in some part to her. This was not the way to learn, she realized. More than that, this was not the way to get Adrian to explain. So she softened, looking away.

“I am sorry, Adrian. I feel…” She shrugged, searching for the words. “I dislike Jenny because…” Her voice trailed off as she searched for the words. Eventually, she settled on a half-truth. “She knows so much more than I do.”

“It is her profession.”

Lynette nodded, knowing he referred to the night’s activities, whatever they might be. But in truth, that was not what she meant. Jenny irritated Lynette not because she was so much more worldly than Lynette, but because she knew so much more about Adrian. They had a shared past. A shared love.

Looking into Adrian’s eyes, Lynette wondered if anyone could truly understand the complex man before her. The best hope was that a lifetime’s experiences might shed insight into his inner thoughts. A lifetime of shared moments that Jenny already had and Lynette would never find. Because, all too soon, she would marry someone else and her time with Adrian would be over.

Because of that, Lynette felt unaccountably sad. And jealous. And bitter with envy because long after Lynette was married and gone, Jenny would still be here. Still greeting Adrian with openmouthed kisses in a dark hallway that led to a bedroom.

Once again, Lynette felt Adrian’s hand on her chin, lifting her up so she could look into his eyes. “You do not like her, and yet you extended her your curtsy. You were kind and gracious, and for that I am very pleased. And grateful.”

A flush of pleasure washed through her, and Lynette smiled. Their gazes locked, and she felt a tingling in her body. By now she recognized the sensation. It was
awareness. Anticipation. But then, abruptly, they heard footsteps, and Adrian broke away.

With a single quick movement, he blew out the candle.

“Say nothing,” he cautioned in a whisper. She nodded her understanding even as the footsteps drew her attention.

The sound came from beyond the curtain, which Adrian drew aside to reveal a huge window occupying nearly the entire wall. On the other side was a room decorated in the same style as this one, though with a little more color, a little more workmanship. Many candles burned in wall alcoves. Large pillows filled the floor. Gauzy curtains adorned the walls, including the opposite side of their window, muting her view of the room but not obscuring it.

The footsteps stopped, and she heard female laughter.

Then Adrian distracted her. He was no more than a dark silhouette crossing to her side. He drew close to her and whispered in her ear, “They cannot see you, but if you are loud, they will hear you.”

She nodded, not knowing who
they
were. Not sure she wanted to know. She felt his hands on her arms, soothing as he stroked her.

“Relax, Lynette. You are here to watch. I will explain events as they transpire.”

She took a deep breath to steady her nerves.

“Think of it as a special kind of theater,” he suggested softly.

The show began.

The door to the other room opened, and a small, muscular woman literally danced in. Her head was
thrown back, allowing her thick brown hair to fly about her veiled face. Her clothes were as gauzy as the curtains, many layers of veils floating about her in an enticing, almost mesmerizing display. Behind her stumbled two young gentlemen, lords by the look of them. Drunk, by the sound of them.

They were laughing uproariously as they came into the room, but as Lynette watched, she realized they were not quite as inebriated as they appeared. Indeed, they seemed more…lustful than drunk. Their gazes glued to Louise, watching with a hungry interest as she twirled and floated about the room.

“Louise is very expensive,” Adrian whispered. “Often gentlemen pool their resources, sharing her for a night.”

Lynette twisted, her eyes wide with surprise. “Two men with one woman?”

She felt his smile. “It is quite common to have more than one partner. And,” he added, his tone becoming apologetic, “your husband will be intrigued by the concept.”

“Even if he doesn’t outright demand it?” she asked. She already knew the answer.

“Many do, yes. But most women find it easy work—sharing the load, so to speak.” Then he turned her back to the display. “Louise always dances first. Indeed, she is extremely talented.”

Lynette wondered at the note of admiration in his voice. At least she did, until she began to watch the woman perform. “Extremely talented” was a gross understatement. Louise literally captivated her audience with her movements alone.

But this was not the normal movement of the dances Lynette had been taught. Nor were they what
she had seen on the stage. This dance was sensuous, fluid, and very erotic.

Never before had she seen a woman display herself so openly, and yet so coyly. Louise would extend her hand to one of the gentlemen, her bare arm floating toward him, touching him, sometimes even stroking his chest, his arm, his leg. But as he reached for her, she would spin away. Her hips twirled, her breasts skated dangerously close to their outstretched fingers, but the men missed and she danced free.

More than once the girl turned toward the window, arching her back or performing some amazing gymnastic feat. There was no doubt that the dancer knew Adrian and Lynette were watching. There was also no doubt that she enjoyed it, enjoyed showing off.

“See how she loves what she is doing?” whispered Adrian. “It is not just her skill, although that is considerable. There is pure joy in her movements, pride in her body. She is alluring because she loves doing this.”

“Dancing?” whispered Lynette.

“Pleasing.”

Silence reigned as all four spectators were captivated. But all too soon, the mood changed. The gentlemen were becoming restless, their hands more grasping. Beside her, Lynette heard Adrian’s sigh.

“They are young and impatient. Older men enjoy taking their time.”

Lynette nodded, storing that information for later, knowing she would need all the skills she could learn to keep her husband entertained.

“Now watch,” whispered Adrian. “She will allow them to start disrobing her.”

Indeed, as they watched, Louise twirled close to
one gentleman. But this time, as she danced behind him, stroking his chest, he managed to twist around, grasping one of her veils and pulling it free. Louise danced away, still modestly covered, but by one less piece of fabric. Meanwhile, the gentleman raised his trophy aloft. His companion cheered.

Then the other man got his chance, pulling another veil free.

Soon Louise’s upper half was naked. Her breasts were not very ample, but what she did have, she used to great effect. The pace of her dancing increased, and she shook her shoulders, making her breasts jiggle. The men seemed fascinated with the display, reaching out to touch or stroke, and once to kiss.

“Men love breasts, Lynette,” Adrian whispered in her ear. “We love to see them, to hold them, squeeze them…”

“And kiss them?”

“Of course.”

As she watched, Louise allowed the men to do just that. Meanwhile, Lynette felt her own breasts grow heavy, her nipples tighten and ache. She wanted to be touched. To be stroked as the men were doing to Louise. She wanted Adrian to touch her.

But he did not. So Lynette continued to watch, feeling slightly frustrated but setting it aside as she watched Louise arch backward, giving one of the men full access to her upper body. He feasted on her breasts, suckling noisily, while her hands undid the man’s cravat. In moments, while he nuzzled and teased her upthrust bosom, Louise removed his shirt, spinning behind him to take it from his body.

Lynette gaped in awe at the woman’s skill. She had managed to partially disrobe him without the slightest
interruption in his actions. And then she had danced away.

But even that was obviously choreographed. Clearly she planned her actions, because even as she spun free of one man, she danced within reach of the other. This second fellow was younger than the first. He was shorter, less muscular, but no less eager to grasp what his companion had lost.

Taking Louise from behind, he pulled her backwards into him, grasping her breasts and pulling at the nipples. Even through the curtain, Lynette could see the dancer stiffen, not in alarm but sensual delight. Unconsciously, Lynette arched as well, leaning backward into Adrian’s embrace. He caught her arms easily, holding her steady, but he did not caress her.

Instead he whispered, “Some women like it rough. They like their breasts to be held tightly, to be squeezed and twisted.” Indeed, that was exactly what the younger man was doing, and Louise was trembling as she released a loud moan.

“The sounds she makes drive her men wild. She is as well known for her exuberant noise as her dancing.” As if to confirm his words, Louise writhed and gyrated in the younger man’s embrace, releasing moan after gasp after ecstatic cry. And that only made the men more ardent, more frenzied in their movements.

Then, suddenly, Louise danced away.

“She will allow them to disrobe her now.”

Lynette could not take her eyes off the display. She whispered her question. “Completely? She will be naked?”

Again she felt Adrian’s smile.

“Completely.”

It was as if his words caused it to happen. The men were overly eager now, their intentions obvious. As Louise danced before them, they actively pursued her, moving about the room, cornering her only to have her slip free. But each time they came close, they exacted a cost: they pulled away another of her veils.

Oddly enough, her face covering was one of the first to come free. The men apparently wanted her mouth as well, and occasionally the younger man would grab her not to remove another veil but to kiss her deeply, almost brutally.

The woman allowed it. Arching against him, pressing her body intimately along him, then she would once again slip free.

“See how her lips are red and swollen?” Adrian whispered. “That is why women put color onto their mouths. It is so they look like that.”

Lynette nodded, realizing this was exactly the look the baroness tried for.

“There,” Adrian continued. “She is naked.”

He need not have said so; Lynette could see it and, indeed, could barely pull her gaze away. Never before had she seen another naked woman. And such a woman, as well! Her body was firm and muscular, her breasts high and pointed. Or so Louise gave that impression. Indeed, it was hard to tell as she whirled and spun about the room.

“Louise is getting older,” whispered Adrian. “Her breasts are sagging a bit. Her legs are not as flexible as they once were.”

Lynette blinked, trying to see what he saw but unable.

“But the men cannot tell, can they?” Adrian continued.

Lynette shook her head. The gentlemen seemed as avidly interested as she.

“Her movements allow her to emphasize her legs and her breasts. See how she thrusts forward. She even holds her breasts high.” Fitting action to his words, Louise had put her own hands on her breasts, playing with them while the men watched. But as she did so, she lifted herself, hiding any potential sag.