Seducing the Rake (Mad, Bad and Dangerous Heroes) (17 page)

As his
wife.

He shook his head, fighting the pull of that seductive image. She was an innocent and he was a rake, with no honor or decency left.

Marriage was out of the question.

“Do you plan to meditate over your tea or to drink it, young man?” The duchess was staring at him with narrowed eyes.

Morland managed to wrench himself from his daydream. He smiled crookedly at Chessy. “You see what I mean, Miss Cameron. A regular dragon, she is.” He seated himself and sampled his tea, but all the while his mind was fixed on the vision of beauty before him.

Chessy smiled at these skirmishes, which both people clearly took great pleasure in.

“Jackanapes,” the duchess muttered. “Lovely tea, by the way, Miss Cameron. I’m afraid I don’t recognize the blend. Hyson? Gunpowder?”

“It’s first-grade Imperial Crimson Robe. I couldn’t resist the indulgence of bringing it with me from Macao. The tea comes from bushes limited to the emperor’s personal use, and the bushes are said to be more than four thousand years old. It was—that is, my father always—” She put her saucer down with a faint clink. “It was his favorite, you see.”

Chessy cleared her throat. “But how remiss of me. I-I’ve neglected to offer you any of these lovely lemon tarts that Mrs. Harris made this morning.” She spoke in a rush, her face still pale, and Morland watched her with growing worry.

What was it that she struggled to conceal? “None for me, thank you. I wouldn’t want anything to interfere with this superb tea.”

The duchess studied Chessy as she sampled the housekeeper’s work. “Quite tolerable,” she pronounced when she had finished the crumbly sweet. “Good cooks are hard to find, especially when one is new to London. You must be very resourceful, Miss Cameron.”

Chessy’s eyes flashed to Morland’s face. “Simply a bit of, er—luck, Your Grace.”

At that moment, her “luck” slanted her a dark smile, which Chessy resolutely ignored. “Would you care for another?”

The duchess declined. The old woman’s brow knit as she fingered the silver cane propped beside her chair. “Not related to the Kinross Camerons, are you?” she demanded abruptly. “Not at all the thing, I’m bound to tell you.”

“I believe not, Your Grace, but I cannot honestly say for certain. My father has been many years in the East, you see, and I have never had occasion to meet any of my relations, Highland or otherwise. In fact, I’m afraid my knowledge of the family tree is quite sketchy.”

The duchess looked thoughtful for a moment, then sat forward, her cane caught tightly between her gnarled fingers. “I’m having a party two days hence, Miss Cameron. Nothing special. Just a small affair—old friends and such. But I’d be very pleased if you would attend.”

Francesca looked slowly from the duchess to Lord Morland. “That is very kind, of course, but … I believe I must not impose on such short acquaintance.”

The duchess’s chin rose imperiously. “My dear girl, if
I
do not choose to feel imposed upon, then how can
you
find anything to dislike in the scheme?”

Chessy looked helplessly at Morland. “But I have not—that is, I am quite unprepared for—” She caught a breath. “I had not planned upon attending any fashionable events while in London.” She ran her hand absently over her serviceable muslin dress, her eyes grave. “No, I’m afraid it’s quite out of the question, though I thank you for the honor you do me in asking.”

The duchess barely contained a snort as she studied the slim, self-possessed female beside her.

“The honor will be all mine, I assure you. You could take London by storm with your eyes and figure. Yes, and I’ve half a mind to watch you do it.”

 Chessy blinked. She felt the force of the duchess’s will. Even worse, when she looked up Morland’s eyes were upon her. Something in the intensity of his look made warmth shoot through her.

She watched his long fingers cradle the fine porcelain teacup, bronze against pale blue. Somehow the sight reminded her of all the other things those strong fingers had cradled.

His mistress’s naked breasts and white thighs, for a start.

Or Chessy’s own silk-clad body, as he’d pulled her struggling from the window …

Her cheeks flushed with color. Why couldn’t she put those shameful memories out of her head once and for all? The man was obviously the worst sort of libertine! It was absolutely unthinkable for her to let her thoughts run on this way.

But somehow her eyes were on his lips, and she remembered the heat she had felt when he had kissed her in the kitchen. The way he had shuddered when he had touched their joined mouths.

Chessy looked down, making a great business of refilling the duchess’s teacup. When she looked up, the duchess was studying her keenly.

“You’ve not given your heart away already, have you?”

“H-heart?” Chessy stiffened.

“Warned you she was a dragon, didn’t I, Miss Cameron? Nothing for it but to answer her, you know. When she’s on to a thing, she’s like a dog to a bone.” Morland’s eyes darkened. “Have you? Formed an attachment already?” he asked softly.

Chessy felt a strange pressure in her chest. Her fingers curved over the edge of the table as she fought for composure. “My heart is quite my own, though I don’t know what business it is of
yours,
my lord. I’ve yet to meet any man who could tempt me to give up the pleasures of independence.”

Morland’s brow rose. “A bruising setdown, my dear. Observe how I bleed.” His eyes were smoldering with an emotion Chessy could not read. “But you might find that the men of London are a different breed from those you’ve known in the East. Perhaps if you were brave enough to look, you might find someone who would make you glad to set aside your precious independence.”

“Do you think so?” Chessy said gravely. “For my part, I doubt it. And my visit here is strictly in the nature of business. Once my father and I complete that business, we shall return home. As swiftly as possible.” She rose to her feet. “And bravery has absolutely
nothing
to do with it.”

The duchess rose also, an odd smile on her face. “Yes, you are the very much the image of her.”

“Her?”

“A friend of mine. A very dear friend. But I fear we have provoked you quite enough for one day.” The duchess pressed a vellum card into Chessy’s fingers. “Just in case you change your mind, my dear.” She chuckled, shaking her head. “Demned if I wouldn’t relish seeing Louisa Landringham’s face when you came in. She’s reigned over the
ton
long enough, if you ask me. Come along, Tony.” She moved imperiously toward the door. “I cannot abide laggards!”

Morland studied Chessy intently. “Are you truly recovered, Cricket?”

Chessy nodded, her fingers clenched at her waist.

She watched his hand rise to her chin. Her heart began to pound as his warm fingers brushed her cheek. The pad of his thumb skimmed the full curve of her lower lip.

Heat. So much heat
.

“Of—of course, I’m all right.”

He gave her a tight, unreadable smile. “You are quite wrong, you know. It
is
a question of bravery, my dear. Sometimes to feel, to
really
feel, is the most terrifying thing in all the world.”

And then, before Chessy could recover her breath for a scathing retort, the azure-eyed earl was gone.

~ ~ ~

 “Unusual gel.” The duchess’s face was thoughtful as she settled back in the carriage. “Don’t believe I’ve seen eyes like that in years. Not since—”

She twisted her cane idly. The likeness was remarkable! But she could not reveal her suspicions to Morland until she was absolutely certain. Heavens, what if she was right?

“Since?”

“Oh, nothing. Do you think she’ll come?”

“Impossible to say. She’s a mind of her own, as you’ve seen.” Morland’s face was shuttered, unreadable in the shadows.

“What is that father of hers about to let her languish by herself? The man ought to be horsewhipped.”

Morland said nothing, but the hardness in his eyes suggested he saw a great deal of merit in the idea.

“She really could take the
ton
by storm.” The duchess’s voice was wistful. “In a week she’d be knee-deep in suitors and positively flooded with offers. How vastly amusing it would be to—” She straightened, her face settling into its usual formality. “But talking won’t pay toll. What’s to be will be. If the gel chooses to be headstrong, there’s nothing more to be done.”

Morland smiled faintly, remembering the fire in Chessy’s eyes when he had accused her of being afraid. “Don’t give up hope, my dear. Miss Cameron may come around yet.”

The duchess studied him sharply. “I suppose you mean to say no more than that.”

“Afraid not, Your Grace.”

“I remember now why I felt the need to issue your father, the duke, a slashing setdown upon our first meeting.”

“I can’t imagine him taking it well.”

“Oh, the rogue didn’t. Not in the least. But we soon found how to go on and then we became fast friends. I miss him greatly, you know,” she added softly.

Morland caught her hand gently. “So do I. More than I ever imagined.”

The duchess cleared her throat. “I only wish that I could see Louisa Landringham’s face when she realizes that her throne has been toppled.”

Chessy did not move.

Her heart was pounding, and she could still feel the warm imprint of Morland’s hands at her chin, the gentle slide of his thumb across her lip.

And the
hunger,
the unimaginable
wanting…

What does that make you, fool? Just another one of his light skirts, that’s what!

She walked to the window and stared out at the narrow square, where a border of spring bluebells trembled in the wind.

Her fingers tightened on the starched curtains. She simply
had
to forget the wretched man. He was nothing but a distraction, and right now
any
sort of distraction was dangerous for her father.

But her gaze lingered on the carriage rounding the corner. Her finger slid softly against her lip as she remembered the pressure of Morland’s hand, the faint brush of his breath at her cheek.

What if she had her chance? What if for just one night she could be like all the other carefree, laughing ladies with nothing more important on their minds than who would partner them at dinner and whether their dance cards would be filled?

Chessy’s vision blurred. She had been snubbed too often by the supercilious sons and daughters of English merchants and government officials in Macao, Calcutta, and Madras. How they had delighted in cutting the daughter of a rootless adventurer notorious across half of Asia.

Are you afraid?
a goading voice asked.

Maybe I am. If so, I have good reason to be. Those wounds cut deep.

But just once, what would it feel like to be escorted by a woman who could guide and advise her? To feel the warmth of a man’s eyes in appreciation, rather than the hard, speculative leers she was used to receiving?

And where better to hear information than at a
ton
ball?
a sly voice whispered.
Where else do the wealthy and elite of London gather to gossip but at such an evening’s entertainment?

Yes, at such an event she might hear all sorts of useful gossip, even news about who might recently have acquired a precious Chinese book with fittings of pearl and solid gold.

Chessy’s chin rose. Indeed, she
would
go! The information she acquired would be invaluable. She might even gain an introduction to several well-known collectors. Any one of them might have received word that the stolen book was now being offered for sale—no questions asked, of course.

She crossed the corridor to the opposite room. Carefully she probed the bricks above the empty fireplace until one sprang free.

Chessy pried a long green box from the recess and opened it.