Angel in Scarlet: A Bound and Determined Novel (6 page)

Faded? She didn’t even begin to know what that meant. Well, best to ignore it or they’d probably spend half an hour talking about how sun lightened the furniture and she’d understand even less at the end. “Yes, perhaps things will work better this time.” Her mother did worry about her, and her mother didn’t need more worry. She had enough to worry about with Angela’s brother; the boy never could seem to settle on one thing, and his desire for gambling and opera girls did not seem to diminish with the years. And that was not even thinking of grandchildren: Her mother definitely longed to see the family continue, and Angela’s brother had made it clear he’d not be taking a wife for years, if ever. Angela forced her smile higher on her cheeks. She hated to disappoint her mother.

“Don’t worry, dear.” Her mother paused beside her and patted her cheek. “I know you will find that special man. How could anybody fail to see how perfect you are?”

Lord Colton could, that’s who. He certainly didn’t think she was perfect. “I am sure you are right, Mother. And I do intend to be a perfect wife.”

“You just need to be less picky—and perhaps you should not try so hard.”

“I don’t know what you mean.” She worried, though, that perhaps she did. After she’d found out about Colton’s actress, she had tried so hard not to show that she cared, tried to be the woman society expected her to be, tried to be a woman who would never fuss, never complain. She had been so sure that if she could be perfect enough, then Colton would love her. She had worn herself out with trying, but she could not explain any of that to her mother.

“I think you do.” Her mother gave her a sharp look. “But it does not matter. And perhaps I will simply tell your father to accept the next proposal to come your way.”

“That will mean I’ll be wed to Lord Wilber. I do believe he is due for his monthly proposal on Wednesday. I know he proposed to Lady Bliss two days ago and she’s been married to Lord Duldon for some weeks.”

Her mother pursed her lips. “Now, that would not do. That man can barely manage to ride a pony. I am sure he could never handle a mare with spirit. Although I would love somebody to say yes to the man. He’d probably faint dead away. I’ve always wondered if proposing to every eligible young lady is not his own ploy to avoid matrimony.”

Angela found a genuine smile lighting her face. There was a reason she loved her mother so dearly. “I’ve never considered that. You may be right. He certainly never seems eager—more that it’s a duty. I suppose if he continually proposes, nobody can claim he isn’t trying, not even his mother.”

“Yes, and you know Lady James hounded the poor boy for years about getting married.”

“And then he started asking everybody.”

“Well, not everybody. I don’t think he ever asks anyone who might actually say yes.”

“I think you may be on to something. I heard he asked Sarah Swilp a few weeks ago, and he certainly never showed interest in her before she became attached to Mr. Perry.” Grinning quietly at her mother, Angela took another piece of toast and nibbled a corner. Missing her morning tea had left her famished.

“I hadn’t heard that.”

“I am surprised, Mother. I thought you knew everything.”

Her mother resumed her seat, settling her skirts in a neat half circle. “I must be slipping. But now we must talk about Lady Perse’s party. Everybody will be there, including more than a half dozen eligible young men. I am quite sure that she intends to help you find a husband, perhaps even a love match. I know her pride will be most upset if she doesn’t see you married by Christmas.”

Asking how her mother knew that would be pointless. She’d probably had a nice long chat with Lady Perse about Angela and what a failure she was. They’d chosen a husband for her and she’d managed to send him running in the opposite direction. “I will do my best, Mother.”

“I know that you will, Angela. You just have to be more accommodating. Men like an agreeable woman.”

“I’ve heard that before. I am working at being most agreeable.” And if only her mother understood exactly what she meant by that, she’d probably fall into a faint.

“Lord Colton, may I have a word?” The husky undertones of Madame Rouge’s voice caught him almost as soon as he stepped through the door.

“Of course.” In truth, he’d rather flee than face Ruby at the moment. She always seemed to see far more than she ought.

Ruby gestured to a door, just past the one that led to her parlor.

He followed obediently, if reluctantly.

The door led to a small room, hardly more than a closet with a small desk crammed in the middle, a chair on each side.

“Please sit,” Ruby said, gesturing to the seat nearest the door as she slithered behind the desk.

He raised a brow in question.

“It’s my porter’s office. I know it’s oddly placed, but Simms’s pride demanded a space of his own. I rarely use it, but there are already several gentlemen in the parlor, and what I need to say is not public.”

He made no comment, simply waited for her to continue.

She leaned forward, her magnificent breasts presenting a most pleasing view—although he found himself less interested than usual.

“I understand you are meeting Miss Ripon here this evening.” She stated it as fact, not question.

“I can only assume she told you that.” He would have to be careful of the odd relationship between Miss Ripon and Ruby.

“Yes, she sent a note asking my advice.”

“She seems to be asking for it quite often.”

“And you are surprised?” It was Ruby’s turn to raise a brow.

“It merely seems a trifle odd.”

Ruby laughed. “Far less odd than you would think. I have learned that the ladies of society are always looking for intimate information and are sorely lacking in sources. You’d be surprised how many seek me out.”

“But an innocent young lady like Miss Ripon?”

“I would admit that is less usual, but not without precedent. I do my best to fill a need for knowledge that our world seems unwilling to provide.” She leaned back, glancing at the oil lamp that cast a faint glow through the small room.

He waited a moment, but she remained silent, seeming lost in her own thoughts.

“You called me in here, Ruby. Surely you have more to say than to point out that which you already know.”

Ruby focused her blue eyes upon him again. “Yes, I do. I understand you have also invited Lord Granderson to join you this evening.”

How did she know that? “And?” He had no desire to explain his plans for the evening to Ruby. He was quite sure she would not approve.

“It is not to your normal taste. I know you have sometimes…worked with him in the past, but do you think it wise in this case?”

“I think it is what I want, and Miss Ripon told me that she was willing to do anything I wished, that she wanted to do whatever I liked. And I believe it was upon your advice. Will you change that advice to her now? I am sure if you talked to her and told her the full truth, you would have her running to the hills. Don’t act as if I am luring her to her doom; it was you, not I, who started this. I have never deliberately sought to ruin a woman in my life.”

Ruby studied him carefully. “You sound almost as if you want me to advise her to run. I would have thought you’d be delighted to have such a pretty girl at your beck and call. And I have advised her of far more of your tastes than you might believe. She seemed more curious than frightened.”

“Then why question Lord Granderson?”

“It simply seems a bit much, a bit fast. There is a great distance between having her show you her breasts and introducing another man to share in the fun. And there is the question of his discretion—although I admit I’ve never known Granderson to spread a rumor. It is almost as if you wish to scare her off. Oh my, that is your plan, isn’t it? You want her to refuse, to leave. You are trying to push her further than she will go.”

“Why would I want that? She is pretty and willing. Why would I wish to scare her away?”

Ruby only smiled. “I thought about stopping this, but I think I will leave you to your game. It will be interesting to see which of you backs down first. I do hope you have been honest with Granderson about what you truly desire. It could get messy otherwise.”

“I do not know what you mean, but I am always honest.” Why did he constantly feel that Ruby was one step ahead of him? Hell, she was one step ahead of everyone. It was probably why he’d never tried to proposition her. No man wanted a lover who saw right through him when he was at his most vulnerable.

“I know.” Ruby stood. “I’ll have Simms escort you up and then have Lord Granderson and Miss Ripon brought up in turn.” She walked to the door. “I do hope you know what you’re doing, Lord Colton. Although it will be equally fascinating if you do not.”

Angela swallowed hard as she followed the porter up the wide stairs. Somehow she’d pictured Colton meeting her at the door and leading her up a quiet stair. Instead, she’d been let in the front door and forced to stand in the open hall, waiting for someone to tell her where to go. Shivers had run up and down her arms with all those men, many of whom she knew, milling about. Why the house was so crowded tonight, she didn’t know, but it had been most uncomfortable. Even in her deep hood, her face hidden, she’d worried about being found out, certain that the men had spent far too long staring at her, trying to see her shadowed face.

Her nerves felt frayed and exposed, her victory at having forced Colton to take this next step long forgotten.

The other night at the ball had been exciting. Yes, she’d been afraid of being discovered, but the sense of freedom and exhilaration had overshadowed everything. When she had gazed into his eyes, nothing else mattered. She had seen his desire, seen the fire that burned in him, and the rest of the world had faded.

And in the park, she’d felt a sense of victory.

That was definitely not the case now. Every step she took made her question herself more. Did she really mean to do this?

She paused and peered down the stair, trying to see beyond the edges of the hood, which hindered her vision. Ruby stood just outside the door to the parlor but did not glance up to meet her gaze. Perhaps that was the problem this evening: Every other time Angela had met with Ruby, the madame made her feel that she had hope. Tonight, she had seen doubt. There had been a strange expression on Ruby’s face. She’d sensed that Ruby wanted to say something, to give her some warning, but Ruby had stayed silent.

What would happen if she just turned and ran?

Nothing.

Nobody would stop her. They might question why the crazy woman in the cloak was running, but nobody would ever know it had been her—and Ruby would certainly never tell.

She looked up the stairs.

Fear would not rule her.

Two more steps and she would be at the top.

She glanced down one more time. Ruby was still not meeting her eyes.

Turning back, she plowed into a masculine chest. Her hood slipped and she grabbed for it just in time.

“Watch out. You should look where you are going.”

She knew that voice: Lord Thorton.

What was he doing here? Well, she knew what he was doing here, but he didn’t seem the type. He always seemed so proper. She’d actually vaguely considered him as a possible husband. Granted, she’d considered most currently unwed men as possible husbands. And while he was not the most attractive of men, neither was he ugly, and he’d always treated her with utmost courtesy. “Do pardon me.”

He stopped beside her, his eyes searching. She should have deepened her voice, but she had not considered her disguise beyond the hood that kept her face so fully in shadow. It had never occurred to her that she would need to talk to anyone other than Colton and Ruby.

Thorton kept his gaze locked on her. “You should be more careful.”

“I will,” she whispered, trying to keep her voice low.

“Are you looking for someone?” he asked.

How did she answer that? She lowered her head, so that she could see nothing but a square foot of floor. “I know where I am going.”

“Are you sure you don’t want some company?”

If he was heading downstairs, did that mean he’d already been with somebody? She would have thought that was how it worked.

“I am fine.” She tried to step forward, but his hand came down on her arm, stopping her.

“Do we know each other?” He leaned toward her, his voice insistent.

She tried to pull away, being sure not to let the hood slip. “Let me go.”

“Answer my question.”

“I am sure we don’t.” She pulled harder.

“You seem quite familiar.”

“No.”

“What is your name?”

“I am quite sure you’re not supposed to ask that.”

“Ahh, a woman who knows the rules. I do like that.” His fingers bit deeper into her arm.

A sense of panic took her.

“Excuse me, madam. I believe I am expected to show you to your room. I did not realize you had strayed behind.” The porter returned to the top of the stairs.

Relief.

Lord Thorton’s fingers bit tight once more, then relaxed. His hand fell to his side, and without another word he continued down the stairs.

She hurried up the last few steps to the porter and let him lead her down the hall. They turned one corner, and then he paused before a closed door.

“Are you sure you wish to do this?” he asked.

Her mouth gaped, although she knew he could not see. Was he trying to dissuade her? Surely that was not part of his employment.

“Yes, I am sure,” she answered, her voice full of far more conviction than she felt.

“Very well.” He rapped upon the door and, hearing a reply from within, gestured for her to slip through.

Refusing to give in to the butterflies that massed and circled in her abdomen, she took that step, reminding herself of all the possibilities. Yes, she felt fear, but what of all the other things she felt, what about that sense of anticipation and wonder? If Colton could make her feel so much in a public garden, what might happen now that they were alone? No, that was not the way to think. Think of the game, think only of the game. Think of winning, of claiming her victory.

Angela had come—assuming that was Angela beneath the enveloping cloak. He hadn’t been sure that she would. In fact, he had rather thought that she would not, hoped she would not. It was hard to believe that she had thought this out. Why would any man marry a woman once he had had her? Well, there were reasons, money among them, but men sought a virgin on their wedding night. No man wanted a wife who was easily seduced or, in the case of Angela, one who attempted to do the seducing.

Could she be telling the truth? Could she want nothing more than him?

He did understand the need to explore forbidden desire. Could this be nothing more than that?

His body could certainly understand such motivation, but his instincts still cautioned him.

She inched farther into the room, letting the door shut behind her. The heavy cloak covered her, the hood so deep and full he had trouble believing she could see at all.

She stood still for a moment, then pushed the hood back, strands of blond hair trying to cling as it fell. He locked his eyes on her face, her bright eyes showing an edge of fear. The pulse in the side of her neck beat fast, despite the calm steadiness of her step. He resisted the urge to smile. She didn’t want him to know that she was anxious.

He saw her excitement as well: the wide pupils, the flush on her cheeks.

Remembering how much enjoyment she’d taken in their risky play the other night, he had to shift his weight, wishing his pants were looser.

Her lips parted, a fast quick breath escaping and then another pulled in. Her eyes stayed on his as she walked toward him.

“You came,” the needless words slipped from his lips.

“Yes. I admit that I considered hiding away, but this is what I want, and I learned as a child that you must work for what you want.” She stopped about two feet away from him.

“And you are willing to work?”

“Have I not already proved that?”

“You definitely proved something.” The urge took him to run a finger down her cheek, but he fought it off. He was forgetting his purpose here this evening. He needed to ensure that she had no desire to continue this game. It was not suitable for a young lady of her position. He did not want to be responsible for the ruin of anyone, and certainly not of a woman he had once, if mistakenly, thought he felt strong emotion for.

No. He needed to be sure she fled this place, never to return, and that she never played these games again—not with anyone.

It was the decision he had reached soon after he told her to meet him here. Somehow he had to push her so far that she could not continue. She had said she would do anything, and he would see if she meant it.

She took a step closer. He could smell her perfume: roses and spice. When he had been courting her, she had always smelled of lily of the valley. Somehow the scent demonstrated a change far greater than he wanted to think about. He had to succeed. He had to send her running back to her parents and the safety of society.

“What would you like me to do?” Her voice whispered about him. Her gaze had dropped to his mouth.

The arousal he’d been fighting sprang into action. The problem was that he could think of more than a few things that he’d like her to do—and not a single one of them was decent. His hand itched with the urge to touch, to stroke her pale flesh, to teach her exactly what it was he’d really like.

No.

Although that would surely send her running back to safety.

No.

He only indulged himself with willing, knowledgeable partners, and while she might pretend to willingness, she couldn’t understand what it was he wished of her. He could not believe that Ruby had truly told her everything. Well, Granderson would be a test of that.

“Are you going to speak, my lord? I cannot do what you wish if you do not tell me. Tell me what you want. What should I do?” Another half step forward. If she took a deep breath, the tips of her breasts would brush his chest.

It was all he could do not to step forward himself, not to bring them into contact.

There was something so different about her from the quiet woman he had come to know in the end, something so like the fiery girl who had drawn his attention. But was it real or an act? Could one person change so much?

“What I want is for you to be quiet. I will tell you when we are ready to proceed.” His own frustration made him brusque.

She blinked at his harsh tone. “I don’t understand.”

“I don’t need you to understand. I need you to do as I say. That is what you said you were here for, is it not?”

“But…”

He turned from her and walked to take a seat before the empty hearth.

He heard her move to take the seat across from him. No words passed her lips.

Where was Granderson? He had hoped the man would be here before her. It would have been good to have the time to reassure himself that Granderson fully understood the game that they played. And if the two of them had greeted her together, she might have turned on her heels before she even came through the door. Even Ruby had made it clear she found his plans unacceptable; how much more so would Miss Ripon?

Her toe began to tap. His sweet lamb was not the patient type. He stared into the fire and did not look at her.

The pace of the tapping increased.

It was difficult not to show his own impatience.

A rap at the door.

He glanced over in time to watch her head turn.

The door opened and Granderson entered, his polished black boots sounding a tattoo of their own. “Forgive my tardiness. I am glad to see you waited.”

Her mouth dropped slightly, and he could see the thoughts racing behind her eyes.

“Don’t worry. We would never start without you,” he replied.

What was going on? Angela could only stare at the strange man. He was blond and tall, although a few inches shorter than Colton and slightly broader. A smattering of gray marked the sides of his head. She half-recognized him, had probably been introduced at some point, but she could not truly place him. And what was he doing here? What if he recognized her? She might be willing to take more risks than she ought, but that didn’t mean she actually wanted to be ruined. Why was he here?

She started to ask but caught herself. She would follow Colton’s directions for a few moments more. For now she would trust, hard as that was.

The two men embraced once, slapping each other on the back, and then they both turned to consider her. The stranger’s eyes felt most appraising, particularly as they stopped upon her bosom. Her hands started to rise to fold across her chest, but she restrained them. She could not suppress the shudder that took her, however.

What was happening? What exactly did Colton have planned?

Forcing her eyes back to Colton, she concentrated on his face and nothing else. His eyes were cold, but as she kept her gaze on his face she detected a subtle change, something hard to measure.

She closed her eyes for the barest of seconds and tried to find that belief in herself that Ruby had spoken of. If she could pretend even for a few moments that all was as she wanted, this just might work. All she had to do was believe.

She pulled in a deep breath, remembered her cause. She could do this.

She opened her eyes and met Colton’s gaze. For a second she felt that he saw nothing but her, and something warm flickered in her belly. When he looked at her like that, it was much easier to pretend she would do anything for him. A hesitant smile formed upon her reluctant lips.

She could do anything—at least for a few minutes at a time. And that was how she would do this, minute by minute.

And then his face changed again; a flicker of doubt and then ice entered his eyes. His gaze moved to the other man. “Granderson, have you had the pleasure of meeting, Angela, my angel?”

Her momentary warmth fled.

He was using her name? Somehow she’d thought they’d cling to anonymity here at Madame Rouge’s, even if it was only a pretense. And Lord Granderson: She did know him—not well, but when she’d first come out, a few years ago, he’d occasionally hung about the edge of the ballroom before heading off to the card room. She should have recognized him immediately.

Granderson stepped forward and placed a finger beneath her chin, turning her face to his. He looked her straight in the eyes, his dark-brown ones gleaming in the candlelight. “Yes, I do believe we have been introduced,” he said. “Although I do not remember her being such a beauty.”

“I’ve only recently begun to fully appreciate her myself,” Colton replied, stepping away.

He was moving back? She was here for him. If he left the room, she really would run—and never look back. Locking her knees, she tried to hold herself still.