Sweet Hoyden (20 page)

'Does Lord Asheville return your devotion?"

The question brought unbidden tears to her eyes, and she looked away in
dismay. "I doubt it. His behavior has never betrayed the slightest affection
for me beyond what is polite. His conduct while he believed me to be in
Suffolk
does not indicate
a man who is lovesick. In any event, a man as stylish as my husband would
regard it unfashionable to be in love with his own wife. Someone else's mayhap,
but never his own."

'I wish, how I wish, I could do something to end your agony, my lady,"
Francois exclaimed.

'I shall be content to return to my home in

'It will be an honor to escort you," Franccois replied, "but I
cannot help but hope we do not encounter Lord Asheville this evening."

Pandora cast him a sympathetic smile and then adjusted her domino and mask
before they left the box, where the servants were still putting out the
miscellany of tidbits she had been unable to touch. By the morrow she would be
back in
Hanover
.

'Time is passing, sir, and I am of the opinion we will have unmasked long
before we arrive."

'So much the better, for we will be done with pretense at last, and that
must be a great relief to the both of us."

His words seemed uncannily appropriate, and momentarily they unnerved her.
Then she cried, "La! What a clear night it is. How fortunate we are the
weather is not inclement."

The earl clucked his tongue reprovingly. "Surely you can talk about
something of greater import than the weather, ma'am."

'You are at present a stranger to me, so on what subject may we converse
with any certainty?"

'There are many things. Life. Love.
There is no subject we cannot broach, for our masks make mountebanks of us
all."

'So, you are a confessed mountebank, sir." Pandora chuckled. "I
confess I am disappointed in you."

'I pray you, do not think ill of me, for when we
unmask, the truth will be evident to you at last."

'You talk in riddles, and I grow weary," she said with a sigh.

'You need be weary no longer, ma'am. Look at the sky. The firecrackers have
begun to explode. 'Tis time to unmask."

Pandora looked up to where the crackers were exploding and lighting up the
sky with their fire. Other couples parading in the gardens paused, too, and
then, with a great deal of laughter, they began to unmask each other.

When the last firecracker faded out of the sky, Lord Asheville said in a
soft voice, "The masquerade ends," and reached out for the strings of
her mask. Pandora had no option but to allow him to unfasten them. "Why,
Madame de Chambray, as I thought," he said, sounding satisfied.

'And you, sir? I am in a fidge to know the identity of my gallant this
evening."

'Can you not even hazard a guess?"

'Lord Merston?" With one movement of his hand he untied his own mask.
"Lord Asheville," she gasped, feigning surprise. "How amusing
this has been," she added in her flirtatious manner.

'I have also enjoyed the evening," he admitted, "but nothing can
last forever, especially when it is a sham. Reality always beckons."

'Alas, that is so. Shall we return to the rotunda, or do you have other
plans for the rest of the evening?"

He caught hold of her hand and drew her toward him. "As we are alone at
last, and so rarely, I am bound to confess I have no wish to share your company
with others."

'Lord Asheville!" she protested laughingly. "You go too far."

'Unlike Sir Aldan Buckley I have no care whether your husband lives or
not," he whispered, his face close to hers now.

Pandora's heart was beating so fast, she was certain he must be aware of
it. "I… love him dearly," she murmured. "I must caution you that
there can be no other in my life."

His lips touched hers, and his arms went around her. Pandora clung to him,
reveling in the kiss and in just being with him again. The yearning she
experienced bore no relation to the short period of time they had been apart.

When he drew away at last, his eyes were very dark, looking deep into hers.
"Come with me to

'We cannot. Lady Asheville…"

'Do you not recall that my wife is in
Suffolk
?"

'I was in mind of your mother. She is at present resident at your
house."

'You need not fear her. Lady Asheville retires early nowadays, so there will
be no one to disturb us, I assure you."

Once again he drew her toward him, burying his face in her neck. "I was
bewitched by you from our very first meeting. You must be aware of that "

Before she could reply, he kissed her again-her neck her cheeks, and,
finally, her lips. Pandora ached with longing, and so persuasive was his kiss
she was only vaguely aware that she had achieved what she had set out to do.
That hardly mattered anymore. Of much more importance was the feel of his arms
about her as he rained kisses on her face Pandora felt she was drowning in the
pleasure of

'What do you say?" he asked as he drew away a small smile playing about
the corners of his lips' "Let us be away to a place where we can be alone
to delight in one another for as long as we wish "

'What of your wife?" she asked in a frightened whisper.

'To the devil with her," he answered, drawing her close to him again.
"It is Madame de Chambray who delights my heart tonight."

It was his calling her Madame de Chambray that finally broke the spell. It
was, of course, Louise de Chambray he wished to seduce. His words of love were
for a Frenchwoman, so, far from triumphing over him,
Pandora was forced to concede he had bested her without even being aware of it.

With a cry of anguish she tore away from his embrace. "No!" she
cried. "No!" and turning on her heel, she fled from him with tears
flowing down her cheeks.

Her speedy change of mood startled the earl, who stared after her for some
moments, and then, casting off his domino, he made to follow her, only to find
that Francois de Fontenac was blocking his path.

'Out of my way, monsieur," the earl demanded, making to push past him.

'You have gone too far now, my lord. Madame de Chambray's anguish is also
mine, and you will meet me over this."

'You are scarce breeched," the earl replied, not troubling to hide his
contempt.

'I am old enough to draw your cork, as indeed I will."

'Step aside."

Any other man, even if he were not of such tender years, would have done the
earl's bidding, for his manner had become decidedly icy, but Francois asked,
"Do you refuse to accept my challenge?"

The earl drew a sigh. "Call on me on the morrow, de Fontenac. If you
are still of that mind, I will name my seconds. Now, be pleased to step aside
for if you do not, I will be obliged to knock you down."

Frangois did step aside, and the earl rushed past him. He suspected Pandora
might attempt to leave the pleasure gardens, rather than rejoin her friends in
their box, and accordingly he made for the entrance. He caught sight of her
near the gate and called out her name. She glanced back before hurrying on to
where numerous carriages awaited their aristocratic owners.

Frantically she looked for the St. James carriage
in which she had arrived, but in her state of anguish she could not
distinguish it from the others, and because the earl was fast catching up with
her, she dashed out to hail a sedan chair. So great was her pain and so
desperate was she to escape him, she did not see the curricle bearing down upon
her until it was too late.

The earl did see it in time, and he shouted a warning that arrested her
immediately, but the carriage still caught her a
glancing blow and she was knocked backward, losing her senses almost
immediately. Just as the intense pain erupted inside her head and darkness
began to claim her, she realized that the earl had been calling her Pandora.

THIRTEEN

Lady St. James arrived at Asheville House in a great state of anxiety as her
facial expression showed quite plainly. The few minutes before she was ushered
into the library where Lord Asheville was ensconced seemed a lifetime to her,
and she paced the hall continuously.

'Lord Asheville," she said breathlessly as he rose from his seat behind
the large mahogany desk. "How is Pandora? The news of her misfortune had
only just reached me, and I beg you tell me without delay."

The earl looked grim and unusually pale. "I can tell you nothing at
present, my lady."

'But you must…"

'The physician is with her now. I am hoping his opinion will be a favorable
one."

'Has she perchance regained her senses?"

'I fear not, and there is no knowing when she is like to do so."

Rosamond St. James had discarded her muff and was wringing her hands in
anguish. "The fault for all this is mine."

'I am fully aware where the blame lies," he said severely. "I am
the most to blame, and I must carry that burden always, but it is also true
that Pandora would never have embarked upon this folly had it not been for your
encouragement and aid."

Tears began to run down Rosamond's cheeks. "You cannot castigate me any
more severely than I have myself since learning of this catastrophe."

The earl turned away from her. "Then I have nothing more to say to you,
ma'am."

'She is not in any danger," the viscountess persisted, ignoring his
pointed dismissal of her. "Pray tell me she is not in danger of her
life."

'I regret I cannot give you that reassurance, ma'am."

Lady St. James had never seen him look so implacable. "If Pandora has
been given notice to quit…"

At this suggestion the earl turned round again and thumped his fist on the
desk top. "Do not even suggest that, my lady!"

Startled, she begged, "What may I do to help? Only say it and it will
be done."

'Nothing. There is nothing either of us can do. I
have called in the finest physician in
London
.
Pandora's life is beyond the ministrations of any of us."

'I cannot conceive how this can have happened." wailed the viscountess.

'Can you not?" the earl went on mercilessly. "When foolish females
gather together, 'tis evident to me tragedy is bound to ensue."

'Twas only meant as a jest."

'You will observe that is no longer diverting."

'I wonder if it ever was," she mused.

'Lady St. James, if… when my wife recovers her senses, I would be obliged if
you'd kindly refrain from soliciting her company."

'If it means her well-being, I most certainly will," the lady vowed,
"but I am bound to tell you I am inordinately fond of her. I feel I must
also tell you that if you had not been so intransigent, Pandora would not have
been driven to subterfuge."

The earl was astonished by her attack. "My lady, whatever Banbury Tales
she might have related to you, be assured I have always treated my wife with
the utmost indulgence."

'Indifference, more like," the viscountess scoffed, well into her
stride now. " 'Tis easy for you to blame others
for the faults that lie at your door, my lord. Have you ever told Pandora that
you love her? I'll warrant you have not."

'Lady St. James, you go too far."

'Mayhap I do, my lord, but before I leave this house, I will go even
further, when I say Pandora only became embroiled in this tomfoolery because
she was madly in love with you!" She snatched up her muff and saying,
"Good day to you, my lord," she marched out of the room, leaving the
earl looking stunned.

As the door slammed shut behind her, he sank down in his chair once again,
to stare blankly into space until a lackey arrived some time later to inform
him that the physician had completed his examination.

'I tell you, I do not want beef tea,
Nan
,"
Pandora insisted. "I do not want anything to eat. Now, be pleased to take
it away and do not dare to bring it back."

Nan
fluffed up the pillows, and Pandora
sank back against them closing her eyes. "This peevishness is to be
expected," the abigail said soothingly.
"Doctor Challis warned me that you would suffer the megrims, but you are
still exceeding pale, ma'am. You really should take a morsel; otherwise you'll
not get back your strength."

'Do you really think I care?" Pandora responded, her voice faint.

'Oh, my lady,"
Nan
chided, casting her a reproachful look. "After the nasty fright you've
given us. Despaired of your life, we did."

'I beg your pardon for that,
Nan
,"
Pandora replied, displaying some of her old spark, "but I have ever been
a trial to those about me, and I dare say I always will."

'If you do not eat something soon, ma'am, I shall feel obliged to fetch her
ladyship, and you would not dare gainsay her."

'If you do so,
Nan
, I shall dismiss you
immediately."

There came a knock at the door, and a moment later the earl peered in.
Pandora had dreaded the moment she would have to face him, although she had a
hazy recollection of his being at her bedside from time to time. Then she had
hovered between consciousness and oblivion, so he could not take her to task.
Now there was no escape from his wrath.

'You look much improved this morning, Pandora," he said, with a
heartiness that didn't ring true, as he came further into the room.

'Do you think so?" she responded ungraciously. "I do feel much
improved."