Scarlet Kisses (15 page)

“Robert,” she gasped as she clutched him to her.

Robert froze. Her hands pulled on his coat, urging him to keep going but he raised his head, staring down at her. “You know who I am.” His voice was rough, like it had been on the balcony. His expression turned hard then he was reaching for her mask.

She went wild in his arms as his fingers touched her mask at her temples. She shoved him, pushed him and even bit him.

“Ow!” Robert looked at his hand that she had bitten. “Who are you?” he demanded. “Why is it so bad for me to know who you are?” He watched her panting against the wall, slightly slinking away. He took a step towards her and she ducked around him. He grabbed her skirt and yanked her back to him. Her back hit his chest.

“Why don’t you want me to know?” he breathed in her ear. “Are you married?” he asked, fearful.

“No,” she whispered.

Robert breathed a sigh of relief as he rested his forehead against her temple. “This is our secret,” he whispered. He then reached for the tie at the back of her hair.

He pulled the tie and she struggled in his arms with a new strength. He grunted as she kicked his shin. The mask slipped from her face and fluttered to the floor. He followed the mask with his gaze and watched as it landed on the floor.

Alyssum stared, gaping at her mask on the floor at her feet. It was dark in the room, but all he had to do was drag her to the window to find out her identity.

She suddenly heard Harry’s voice in her head,
Lesson number two in protecting your virtue
.

She turned quickly in Robert’s arms. His gaze was on the floor but as she turned he moved to look up. Her heart skipped a beat as they stared at one another. Robert was looking at her, but he couldn’t see her.

Robert squinted in the dark again. He grabbed Scarlet’s arm, about to drag her to the light at the window. He paused as he saw her face coming closer to his.

Alyssum saw stars and pain erupted in her head. She gasped and gripped her forehead. Harry hadn’t told her it would hurt so much.

Robert swayed on his feet after her forehead struck his. While he was dazed, Scarlet swooped up her mask from the floor and ran for the adjoining door.

Lilly stood from the chair across the room as Alyssum flew in and locked the door behind her.

Already seeing her urgency, Lilly grabbed her cloak and drew it on.

“What did you do to him this time?” Jackson asked as he sat up on the bed.

Alyssum swayed on her feet as she held her forehead.

“You head clocked him?” Jackson asked impressed.

“Harry taught me,” she told him as she grabbed her cloak from the bed.

“I bet he also taught you knee to man’s bollocks?” he asked while watching her put on her cloak and draw the hood up.

“Yes,” she replied.

All gazes swung to the adjoining door as Robert hammered his fist on it. “Open the door, Scarlet,” he shouted.

“He sounds mad,” Lilly whispered.

“You think?” Jackson arched a brow.

When Robert slammed into the door, making it rattle, Alyssum grabbed Lilly’s wrist and pulled her from the room. Jackson followed after them.

Chapter Nine

Alyssum woke with a splitting headache. Her eyes drifted closed as she remembered Robert’s embrace, the way he had moved against her. She wanted more, much more.

Last night had been different from the night they had first kissed. That night on the balcony she had kissed a masked stranger, but last night she had kissed Robert and loved it.

Alyssum looked up as a light knock came to her door. “Come in,” she called as she slid from the bed.

Meg walked in. She paused as her gaze landed on Alyssum’s forehead. “My lady, what happened?” she gaped as she stared at the yellow bruise on Alyssum’s forehead.

“Oh, I walked into a cupboard in the kitchen.”

Meg nodded. “Which gown would you like to wear to Lord Avery’s dinner party?”

“Oh,” Alyssum breathed. She had forgotten about Lord Avery’s. Hopefully her headache would be gone before nightfall. “Um, the blue one with the gold embroidery.”

“Yes, miss.” Meg moved around the room as Alyssum walked to the basin and cleaned her face with cold water. She sighed as the cold water touched her bruised forehead. She touched the bruise and winced. “Damn it,” she muttered under her breath.

Violet looked up from her spot in the garden, gasped and stood.

“What happened to you?” she asked Alyssum as she stared at the ugly yellow bruise.

“That’s what we need to figure out.” Alyssum moved aside her yellow skirt and sat down on the blanket that rested over the grass.

Violet sat down beside her. “What did you do, Alyssum?” she looked at her sister with worry.

“I saw Robert.”

Violet nodded for her to continue.

“As Scarlet,” she finished.

Violet’s mouth shaped into an O. She then nodded one more time slowly. “Does he know?”

“No.” Alyssum shook her head then winced and touched her bruise.

“Lesson two,” Violet muttered.

“Yes,” Alyssum replied while still holding her head.

“He’s lucky you didn’t use lesson five.”

Alyssum chuckled.

“All right. You bumped your head,” Violet said casually.

“I told Meg I knocked into a cupboard in the kitchen.”

Violet nodded. “You were getting a midnight snack,” she said.

Alyssum smiled. “You’re a genius.”

Violet smiled and shrugged a careless shoulder.

Robert rolled over with a groan. He shouted as he was suddenly weightless and then thumped to the floor. He dragged himself up and looked at his surroundings. He nodded, recognizing his bedroom in his London townhouse.

Standing on wobbly legs, he stumbled over the bottle of port he had drunk last night. After losing Scarlet for the third time, he had left Jackson at the tavern and swallowed his sorrows in a bottle. He couldn’t believe it. He had had her. In his sight, in his arms and she had gotten away, again. He had been so close. He had removed her mask. If only there had been a candle lit in the room, then he would know right now who she was. He could still remember the feel of her. Soft, luscious curves. Her bottom lip much fuller than her upper lip. Her faintly rose-scented skin. Long, wavy tresses, softer than her skin.

With a grumble, he reached the dresser and poured water into the basin. He splashed his face and gasped against the cold. He splashed his face over and over, clearing his muddled brain.

He turned his head towards the door as his valet walked in. Thomas crinkled his nose at Robert’s disorderly state. Still wearing his clothes from last night, he was a wrinkled mess.

“A bath first,” Robert croaked then cleared his throat.

Thomas nodded. “Lord Avery’s dinner party tonight,” he reminded Robert before leaving the room.

Robert groaned loudly. He had forgotten completely about tonight’s event.

Lord Avery. A rich man. A brilliant man. A complete nodcock. He was well known in society for his snobbish manner and famous art gallery that he loved to boast about. Lord Avery held a dinner party every year to show off a new piece of art in his large collection. And he was also a well-known admirer of Lady Alyssum Rosewood.

“Don’t leave me alone with the man,” Alyssum whispered to Violet as they stood in the line to enter Lord Avery’s house. “Not for one second,” she whispered as she stared at the largely built man. He looked like a boxer with his meaty hands and round face.

Violet smiled at her sister. “Calm down,” she whispered back as the line drew them closer to Lord Avery. “I’ll protect you.” She giggled.

Alyssum took a deep breath before stepping before Lord Avery.

His hand caught hers and he placed a wet kiss to the back of her hand. Alyssum tried not to cringe at her ruined glove.

“You look lovely, Lady Rosewood.” His dark eyes ran over her, taking in her deep blue dress. His eyes paused and stayed on her bodice.

Alyssum tugged her hand but he was too busy ogling her breasts to release her.

“Lord Avery,” a man’s loud, happy voice broke Avery’s gaze. Alyssum took her hand back but her unease didn’t settle as she looked up to her rescuer.

Robert grinned down at Alyssum. Her stomach did that irritating flip and desire rushed through her veins as last night’s events came crashing down on her. Pinned between his body and the wall, his mouth on her while he rubbed his hard body against hers. She swallowed audibly. “Viscount Lambert.” She curtsied. She took a quick glimpse behind Robert and found Violet smiling at her. She would speak to her later, for now she had to get through this.

“Lady Alyssum, you look ravishing.” Robert said.

Alyssum felt her body responding, heat blooming between her thighs. She ached.

“Excuse me,” she said a little too loudly. She curtseyed fast then walked away from Robert and Avery.

Walking through the crowded parlor, Alyssum kept her gaze straight ahead and not back towards the line where Robert stood.

“Alyssum!”

She gasped as someone caught her arm. She then relaxed as she saw Lilly’s smiling face.

“Jumpy tonight, are we?”

“You could say that,” Alyssum muttered.

“Nice haircut.” Lilly inspected Alyssum’s newly cut fringe. Wisps of her black hair were swept over her forehead.

“I had to hide the bruise,” Alyssum whispered then, with a quick look around to find no gazes on them, she swept aside the fringe Meg had cut for her.

“Smart.” Lilly nodded. “And ouch.”

Alyssum smoothed her fringe back in place. “It was Violet’s idea. We applied so much powder I looked like a clown, then Violet came up with the idea of a fringe.”

“He’ll never see it.”

“If anyone asks, I knocked into a kitchen cupboard.”

“Done.” Lilly nodded once.

“You look wonderful by the way.”

Lilly’s smile brightened and caught a few passing gentlemen’s gazes. “Thank you.” Lilly looked down to her light pink dress. “I finally got Mother to let me wear something other than white.”

“Well, it looks lovely.”

“Quite. You should wear the color more often, Miss Darrel,” Jackson said as he stepped up beside the girls.

They both shifted nervous gazes at him.

“Though I prefer to see you in scarlet.” He winked.

Lilly gasped and kicked his shin. Jackson hid his cringe and laughed instead.

Lilly’s cheeks flushed red at her actions but Violet saved her from having to apologize as she stepped into the circle.

“Lady Violet.” Jackson bowed to her. “I dare hope you won’t kick me.”

Violet looked to Lilly and Alyssum in confusion. “No.” She shook her head to Jackson.

“I’m glad.”

The back of Alyssum’s neck tingled. Her skin sizzled as she felt someone’s gaze on her.

“Ladies,” Robert voice spoke directly behind her. She drew her back straighter, her chin notching higher. Lilly noticed and gave a small shake of her head in disapproval.

Alyssum turned and stepped aside, giving Robert entry into the circle.

Their gazes caught and held as he moved in. He then turned to Jackson. “Are you behaving?”

Jackson grinned in reply and looked down at Lilly, who kept her gaze averted.

“Miss Darrel,” a stern voice broke the circle.

They all saw Lilly exhale miserably. She then turned to her stern chaperon.

“Coming, Miss Rickton.” Lilly turned back to the group and gave a small curtsey. She then turned on her heel and followed Miss Rickton back to her parents.

“Lady Violet, would you like to join me in viewing Lord Avery’s new piece of art?” Jackson offered her his elbow.

Violet smiled at Alyssum as she took Jackson’s offered arm and answered, “I would love to.” Jackson and Violet both smiled knowingly at Alyssum then turned and left her and Robert alone.

Robert watched Jackson and Violet walk through the bustling crowd before turning to face Alyssum. “Pity there’s no dancing tonight. You owe me a dance.”

“I do not,” she replied, while ignoring how her body wanted to sway into his and melt.

“You do. I know you were about to accept my offer of a dance before Miss Darrel interrupted us. It seems she does that a lot.”

“She has good timing.”

Robert chuckled. “You wound me.”

“You exaggerate.”

Robert didn’t chuckle this time but laughed loudly. People standing nearby looked at them.

“Stop it,” Alyssum said in a hushed tone as she looked at the people around her.

“Ah, wouldn’t want society to know that we’re happy.”

“It’s not that.”

“Then what?” He arched a brow and waited.