A Gentleman's Wager (19 page)

The White Boar Inn was a white-faced, low-fronted building, with a bowed roof and dusty lattice windows. Bella bullied the room numbers from the landlady over a bottle of mouldy claret, and she and Louisa eventually parted company on the stairs.

‘Annabella!’ Joshua exclaimed when he opened the door to find his sister on the other side. ‘I thought you were safe at Lauwine trying to steal Lucerne’s heart or something. What are you doing here?’

‘Shopping, and paying you a visit.’ She hefted her purchases at him, and smiled at his frown. Good old predictable Joshua, only bothered about how far she stretched his finances. This was just as well, since she preferred not to lie to him.

‘Oh lord! I hope you haven’t spent too much.’

‘Don’t worry. I haven’t.’ She chuckled. ‘I couldn’t find anything I really liked.’

The clouds vanished from his eyes and his expression became more welcoming, though he still eyed her packages suspiciously. ‘Well, I guess you’d better come in.’ He held the door open for her. The room was boxy, with lime-washed walls that were yellowing near the ceiling and around the low-set window. It held a dresser with a cracked washing jug set on top of it, a table, two armchairs and an uncomfortable-looking bed with a patchwork coverlet. Joshua’s greatcoat was hanging from a hook on the back of the door.

‘You’re not on your own, surely, are you? Isn’t Lucerne with you?’

‘No. Louisa.’

‘Then where is she?’

Bella dropped her purse on the chair. There was a spider’s web stretched across one of the window-panes, she noted with amusement as she tugged open the ribbon fastening her cloak. ‘She went to find Captain Wakefield.’

‘Oh!’

Bella turned sharply to face him, fabric flapping about her shoulders. ‘What’s wrong with that?’ she demanded. Surely he wasn’t going to make a fuss over her going in to see him alone. ‘It’s not as if they don’t know each other.’

Joshua closed his hands over his face. ‘It’s not that,’ he said in a low, almost plaintive voice.

‘Then what?’

‘He’s with bloody Millicent Hayes, isn’t he.’

Bella let her cloak drop to the hardwood floor. Oh God, she thought, feeling slightly sick. She met her brother’s hazel eyes. Perhaps there was still time to stop her.

Louisa stood before the door with her heart pounding. Once again she was poised outside Frederick Wakefield’s
room
, summoning her courage and beating down her self-doubt, but this time Vaughan wasn’t around to frighten her off. She tapped lightly twice, but there was no reply.

Perhaps he was out.

She thought she ought to rejoin Bella but, instead, she lifted the latch. It made a tiny click and the door swung inwards an inch. Cautiously, she peered around the edge. The room was dark, the heavy curtains still drawn against the daylight, and it smelled odd: overtly raw and masculine.

She stepped in and let her eyes adjust to the light. Discarded clothes littered the floor, and she stepped over an empty wine bottle to reach the curtained bed. Was this really his room? She found its squalor hard to equate with him; he was always turned out so smartly. Perhaps he was ill. She tiptoed to the bottom end of the bed and peeped through a slight gap in the fabric. Frederick was indeed still in bed. His head lay upon the pillow; he looked sleepy and dark around the chin. Louisa started to say his name, but then the blankets moved and a thin arm snaked across his torso, stopping the sound in her throat.

He was with another woman.

Less than seven days apart and he’d forgotten her. She nearly retched as her bile rose. Meanwhile, Millicent Hayes rolled over and propped her head on his chest.

Louisa had managed to stumble out into the corridor when Joshua and Bella found her. She felt drained and cold, but allowed herself to be steered into Joshua’s sparse chamber.

‘Don’t worry, Louisa. It’ll be fine,’ lied Bella.

Louisa slumped into the only comfortable chair, content to let Bella fuss over her. It meant she didn’t have to
think
. Instead she clutched Bella’s lace kerchief, too numb to cry, and watched Joshua order tea in a bid to make himself feel less superfluous. When it arrived, she reluctantly accepted a cup. The scalding liquid made her swollen lips tingle with pain, but at least it made her feel something.

Five minutes after the tea arrived, a second loud rap at the door broke the stiff silence. It was Captain Wakefield. He seemed to sense all eyes on him, but he was clearly unaware of the tension in the room, or the fact that he was the cause.

After the most uncomfortable five minutes of her life, Louisa caught Bella’s eye and they stood in unison. ‘We ought to get back before it gets dark,’ Bella explained as she swung her cloak about her shoulders.

Frederick Wakefield stood in the street and watched the carriage roll away. He was surprised nobody had come to find him, although he conceded that it hadn’t been the best-timed visit ever, and Joshua had known full well he was busy. Jesus! Only a few moments either way and they’d have met Millicent on the stairs – then all hell would have broken loose. ‘Did you know they were coming to town?’ he asked Joshua.

‘I had no idea,’ the other man replied weakly. He was staring at the dirty cobblestones with a rather moody, downcast expression etched into his brow.

‘What’s wrong? Is something the matter with your sister?’

Joshua shook his head. ‘She saw you,’ he said.

Wakefield blinked. ‘Excuse me?’

‘She saw you.’

‘Who? When?’

‘Louisa. She saw you with Millicent. I’m sorry, there was nothing I could do.’

Wakefield shook his head in disbelief. ‘Impossible. I was in my room! She couldn’t possibly have seen me.’

‘She let herself in. Clearly your attention was diverted.’ Joshua thrust his hands into his pockets. There was no sympathy in his voice. His comments were just neutral statements of fact. ‘You’re bloody lucky, you know. Bella would have emptied the chamber-pot over the pair of you.’

Wakefield’s shoulders sagged. Leaving Louisa behind at Lauwine had been hard and he hadn’t wanted to go, but the fight with Lucerne, and Vaughan’s constant tormenting, had forced him out. Of course, nobody had forced him into Millicent’s arms, but her abundant charms had been a welcome comfort. That tumble had probably just cost him what little chance he had with Louisa. He couldn’t chase after her, and he doubted she’d read a letter. In short, he had no way to undo the damage. His only hope was to pray for a miracle.

‘Lou, open the door,’ called Bella as she pounded the wood with her fist. Only the muffled scrape of wood on wood answered her, as though a heavy object were being dragged across the room. Bella tried the latch again. It rattled ineffectually; the bolt had been pulled across on the other side. A loud thump came from within the room, followed by a tearful curse, and then the scraping resumed.

What was the stupid girl doing?

Pulling the beech blanket box in front of the door, Bella realised. ‘Louisa, don’t be stupid. Open up.’

She slumped against the frame. It was no use. Louisa hadn’t said a word all the way back to Lauwine. Why would she choose to talk now, when locking herself away was a far easier option? She cursed Vaughan for causing the fight in the first place, and cursed herself for suggesting
they
go to town. This whole stay at Lauwine was a nightmare. They should have stayed at the Grange, dreaming of possibilities instead of trying to live them.

‘Louisa, open the door!’

Her cry was met with silence.

Louisa hid in the bottom of her closet with the hems of her long skirts swaying around her. The sound of Bella hammering on the outer door was muffled here. She closed her eyes and saw Millicent coiled like ivy around Wakefield, their limbs entwined and their skin exposed to the cool air.

He was naked. She’d never seen him naked. He had dark hair around his nipples and a darker bush about his rearing cock. Even in the gloom, she could see how eager he was. All this time she’d thought that he cared for her, but now he’d thrown her over for this trollop.

His body had moulded to Millicent’s as he moved to kiss her. Revolted and fascinated, Louisa had continued to stare as he rolled over onto her belly. When it became clear he was about to enter her, she’d turned away, unable to watch any more.

In the darkness of the closet, she swallowed her rising bile, and finally her tears began to fall.

Bella stirred, roused by the noise of Lucerne stoking the fire, and stretched out her stiff joints. He’d also laid on more coal, and she guessed he’d probably come straight from the stables. His hair was windswept, and wisps of steam were rising from his damp clothing. She wondered where Vaughan was; the two men had ridden out together.

‘When did you get back?’ she asked.

‘A few minutes ago.’ Lucerne came over to her. He took up one of her cold hands affectionately. ‘You’re
freezing
. Come closer to the fire.’ He began to rub some life back into her fingers. ‘How long have you been sitting there?’

Bella shrugged her shoulders; her fingers were tingling as the circulation returned. ‘I came up after dinner. I must have dozed off.’

‘Have Charles and Louisa turned in?’

‘Louisa has. I don’t know about Charles.’

‘He’s winding the clock with your maid,’ announced Vaughan as he entered the room. ‘And he’s making enough noise about it. You can hear him grunting from the landing.’

Lucerne frowned.

The corner of Vaughan’s lip curled up as he noticed Lucerne’s solicitous attention to Bella. He shoved a hand into the pocket of his wine satin robe and glowered sullenly. Bella self-consciously pulled her hand away from Lucerne. ‘Thanks,’ she mumbled.

‘Where’s Louisa?’

‘I was just about to explain to Lucerne; Louisa isn’t feeling too well. She went to bed right after we got back.’

‘Oh.’ Vaughan licked his lips slyly.

‘Nothing serious, I hope,’ said Lucerne. His blue eyes flickered with concern.

‘No, she’s just tired from the trip. I expect she’ll be fine tomorrow.’ Bella realised that at some point she would have to explain to Lucerne what had happened. She hated lying to him now, but what choice was there? She wasn’t about to tell him in front of Vaughan.

‘Do you want a drink, Lucerne?’ asked Vaughan. Lucerne inclined his head. ‘Bella?’

‘Yes, thank you.’

Vaughan pushed a strand of hair behind his ear. His hair was wet, like Lucerne’s, but had recently been brushed and fell about his shoulders in tight damp
ringlets
. He walked to the sideboard and returned after a moment.

‘My lord. Miss Rushdale.’ He handed them both balloons of cognac. Lucerne settled on the
chaise longue
and beckoned for Bella to join him. She sat down at the opposite end, but Lucerne moved along and put his hand on her knee. He’d obviously decided that, having already broken his promise to Joshua, there was no point in being hypocritical. Vaughan shot them an odd glance but made no comment, so Bella relaxed. She watched him throw a cushion onto the floor and stretch out before the fire like a sleek black cat. He rolled onto his back and clasped his hands behind his head.

‘How was town?’ he asked.

‘Quiet.’

‘But Louisa’s tired.’

‘She tires easily. You know that.’

‘Of course.’ He closed his eyes and yawned languorously. Lucerne pressed his thumb into Bella’s palm, but his reassurance didn’t stop her wondering why Vaughan was curious about their trip. He didn’t normally inquire after Louisa, so she found his sudden interest faintly disturbing.

Vaughan yawned again. The fire gave out a shower of sparks. He rolled over to avoid them and sat up to rest his back against the
chaise longue
. He was right beside them now, but that didn’t stop Bella snuggling closer to Lucerne. She rubbed her cheek against his chest and let a contented smile spread across her face as he began to stroke her hair, comforted by his closeness. He dropped a kiss on to her forehead. Bella craned upwards and he kissed her again, this time on the lips. Their duplicity made her feel a little smug. It was a rare pleasure to put one over on Vaughan, especially when he sat so close.

However, Lucerne wasn’t playing favourites; no sooner
had
he kissed her than he reached out to Vaughan and brushed a solitary caress across the nape of his neck. Vaughan sighed affirmatively, while Bella found herself grinning, unaccustomed to hearing him make such a revealing response.

Lucerne kissed her hand and then guided it to the back of Vaughan’s neck. Her fingertips pressed softly against the sensitive skin. Vaughan tilted his head forwards and Bella drew a line upwards through his hair. She wondered if he could tell the difference between her touch and Lucerne’s. Her fingers darted back to his spine then bravely edged forwards around his collar-bone. She wished she really had him as completely under her power as he seemed at that moment. He’d teased her so often that she was desperate to see him at her mercy for a change.

Vaughan tilted his head to one side. Bella slid her hand into the open neck of his shirt and ran her palm over his chest. He sighed, resting his head on Lucerne’s lap. Then his eyes opened and he looked up at them.

Suddenly the atmosphere in the room changed. Vaughan’s eyes narrowed alarmingly. They seemed to smoulder with the realisation that it wasn’t Lucerne touching him. Bella unrelentingly tweaked his right nipple. Angry he might be, but there was no denying that he was also aroused, and she owed him. Vaughan clapped his hand over hers, preventing any further action on her part. Bella reluctantly started to pull away, but he held her fast.

Uncertain of what to make of this she turned to Lucerne for answers, but his eyes gave her no clues. Vaughan’s grip on her wrist slackened and his hand slid up along her inner arm, tightening again below her shoulder. He jerked her forwards so that she was looking down at him, her mouth poised just above his. He flicked
his
tongue across her bottom lip, making the sensitive nerves there sing. She could see his erection; his tight form-fitting trousers hid nothing.