A Virgin for the Rakish Marquess (In War and Love #3)

Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

R ichard smiled to himself at his interaction with Lady Selina. Her reaction to him had been a pleasant surprise because she always looked cocksure whenever he saw her at her brother’s estate or when she was terrorizing small-minded noblemen who thought she was one to be trifled with.

He recalled how she had flushed at his nearness, and found that it gave a young air to her appearance. He had always thought her handsome, but at that moment, he thought her beautiful .

His hands burned where they’d wrapped around her, the memory of her small waist in his hands flashing through his mind.

But his smile quickly dropped when he spotted his mother holding court, as though she were the hostess, at one end of the room. She looked as she always did—dressed elegantly in a rich velvet gown in a shade of burgundy that gave color to her pale skin. She was overdressed again , and he knew that meant only one thing—one of her rivals was present and she was trying to make a point.

He hadn’t even expected her to be in attendance, as she usually shunned parties that involved long stays away from the estate. Eli, the Marquess of Mulford and one of his oldest friends, had failed to mention that he had sent her an invitation as well. Richard would scold him later for such a terrible oversight. But, for now, he would avoid conversation with her.

However, she spotted him, and contrary to what he’d hoped, she made her way towards him with slow, deliberate steps. He frowned at her flair for the dramatic—another thing he disliked strongly about the woman who birthed him.

“You could at least try to pretend that you’re happy to see me,” she scolded with a false smile. “I am your mother, after all.”

“You cannot fault me for my displeasure, can you?” he asked.

She rolled her eyes. “You really do need to work on your conversation skills, Richard. You are a duke.”

“Why are you here?” Richard asked, ignoring her attempt at emotional manipulation. “Eli didn’t mention that he’d invited you.”

“I’m here to mingle with the rest of the ton,” she answered, smiling. “And to ensure that you do the same.”

“I do not need you to play matchmaker for me.” He frowned.

“Find yourself a bride, then I won’t need to,” she threatened. Then, plastering a bright smile on her face, she turned to a group of matrons. “Lady Sarah, it’s been an age since I last saw you.”

Richard’s eyes darted around, looking for an escape before they could approach him, but he didn’t move quickly enough, and soon they had him surrounded by their unmarried daughters.

“How do you do, Your Grace?” Lady Sarah asked. “I believe you know my daughter, Charlotte.”

Richard shot his mother a glare, but she walked off with a triumphant smile on her face.

“I am well, Lady Sarah,” he answered, causing the woman to preen visibly.

“Your Grace, we have been introduced before,” another matron spoke up. “I am Lady Justina. This is my daughter, Beatrice.”

She pushed her daughter forward, and the others took turns introducing their daughters as well. But as disinterested as Richard visibly was, they were undeterred. He almost admired their dedication.

“Your Grace, we are all curious to know,” Lady Vivian said, looking around suspiciously. “We heard that you ended your engagement to Lottie Barnes.”

Richard frowned, straightening to his full height as he realized that he had stayed too long with the group if they considered themselves acquainted well enough to be asking such questions.

“I believe I must mingle with other guests,” he announced, not caring for their disappointment. “If you will excuse me.”

He walked off, heaving a deep sigh, and turned to take another walk in the gardens, since his first attempt had been interrupted by Lady Selina. He sincerely hoped that the gardens would be devoid of guests and quickened his steps.

Stepping onto the balcony, he felt much better as the cool air wrapped around him. He had never enjoyed social events, but his position demanded that he attend.

“Your Grace!” a feminine voice called out to him.

He stopped in his tracks, turning around with a frown as he spotted the unfamiliar face. She had been introduced to him earlier, but he didn’t even recall her name.

Why was she seeking him out?

He raised an eyebrow as she came to a stop near him, unable to meet his eyes.

“Good evening, Your Grace,” she greeted with a curtsy. “I am Beatrice Canton.”

The Earl of Verity Hill’s daughter. What does she want with me?

She visibly shook with unease before him, and he found himself irritated that his solitude had been interrupted.

If she was going to be brave enough to seek him out, she should have been bold enough to at least speak so she would not waste his precious time.

“How may I help you?” he asked.

“I…” she stuttered. “I just wanted to make your acquaintance. You… I have heard of your bravery, and I… I…”

“Lady Beatrice,” he said with a polite smile, “if there’s nothing of import requiring my immediate attention, I will take my leave.”

He turned to leave, but she stopped him by grabbing his sleeve, her eyes darting around suspiciously.

He frowned at the complete lack of decorum and tried to pry her hands off his arm, but she held firm, her eyes still darting around.

He wondered what would have her behaving so improperly.

He heard voices in the distance and saw the way she perked up in excitement. When she stepped closer to him, he realized that he had been caught in a trap. She had meant to use a scandal to trap him in marriage.

He tried to pull his arm free without hurting her, but she held strong.

“Unhand me at once, Lady Beatrice,” he demanded.

“It will be only a moment, Your Grace. Can’t you stay a little longer?”

He pulled at her hands, and the second he was free, he felt himself being pulled backward into one of the bushes. A hand was slapped over his mouth.

His eyes widened, and he struggled against his attacker.

“Your Grace?” he heard Lady Beatrice call, her hands digging into the foliage just beside the one he was hiding in.

“Your Grace?” she called again, before stomping her feet in anger and storming off.

His eyes adjusted to the dim light, and his eyebrows shot up when he saw that his assailant was none other than Lady Selina.

She was pressed against him and didn’t seem fazed by it as she peered around the bushes. He was very aware of her softness pressed up against him. One long, elegant leg was wedged between his, stirring his desire as he struggled against her hold.

Richard frowned. Lady Selina was still pressed against him, her hand covering his mouth even though Lady Beatrice had long since gone. Voices approached again, and he frowned even harder, realizing that Selina must have had the same thought.

Was she also trying to trap him in marriage?

What is it with ladies and scandals?

He pulled at her hands, but she placed a finger over her lips in a gesture of silence. He stilled but made sure that she knew he was displeased with her plan by glaring at her.

Did she really think that her strength would be enough to hold him down?

If he were to move quickly, he would be free of her grasp and escape before the guests came and caught them in such a compromising position, but the voices sounded so close. He decided against escaping, but that didn’t mean he would accept being trapped so easily.

He grabbed her shoulders and spun them around, so her back was pressed to the wall she had trapped him against. Her eyes widened, and she gasped, but he slapped a hand over her mouth in return.

“Did you hear anything?” a voice asked from beside them.

“No.”

“I’m sure I did,” the first person said. “Let’s return to the party. It’s too cold to be outside.”

Richard released her as soon as their steps faded into the distance, stepping back himself. She was still pressed against the wall and visibly shaken.

“If you wanted a marriage that desperately, I believe there are more effective ways than trapping a man in a scandal,” he scolded with a glare. “I would never have expected that from you, but I guess desperation makes people do things they never thought they would.”

Selina frowned, snapping out of the daze she had been in.

“What do you mean by that?” she asked, visibly confused. “I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, Your Grace, but I only meant to help when I saw what Lady Beatrice had planned to do.”

Richard raised an eyebrow at her in disbelief. “You do not expect me to believe that, do you?” he asked with a sneer. “You just happened to be close enough to pull me into a scandalous position, and we were almost caught before I stopped you.”

She scoffed, folding her arms. “I am not impressed that you would think so little of me, but you do not know me well enough to assume I would stoop so low.”

“You’re correct in your assessment that I do not know you, but you are nearing spinsterhood,” he stated. “Wouldn’t marriage to a duke be a very advantageous match for you, Lady Selina?”

“You disrespect me, Your Grace.”

“I am stating things as I see them.”

“You must visit a physician, then, because your vision is failing ,” she snapped. “I had thought you two knew one another, but upon closer inspection, I discovered the truth of her actions. Perhaps I shouldn’t have interfered—you would have been only a few steps from the altar with your bride, by now. If I want a match, I assure you I will not need a scandal to secure it.”

“Yet, you’re unmarried.”

“Because I choose to be.”

She made to step away, but he caught her hand in his.

“Unhand me, Your Grace.” She frowned at her hand in his. “You obviously find my presence as revolting as I find yours.”

“We are not done with this conversation.”

“I believe you already concluded that I was attempting to trap you in marriage, and I see no reason to continue defending myself,” she snapped, her eyes flashing with hot anger. “I must return to more appealing company before my absence is noticed.”

Richard could not help but notice how polite she had been throughout their argument, and he took a step back to analyze the entire ordeal.

If she had indeed wanted to trap him, would she not have made a noise when they heard the steps approaching?

She had actually saved him, and now that he realized it, he felt positively foolish to have accused her so.

He could choose to pretend that he didn’t realize his mistake and let her walk away, but his conscience would never let him rest.

He stepped closer to her, intending to apologize, but was intrigued by the way her eyes widened in shock.

He risked another step closer, his proximity bordering on impropriety, but her blush and inability to meet his eyes teased the part of his brain that loved mischief.

Her breath hitched, and a rapid pulse beat at the base of her neck. His tongue was tempted to taste it, but he cleared his throat, shattering the allure of the temptation.

“I suppose I must offer my thanks. You did indeed help me out of a dire situation,” he said with a smile. “I should offer you a reward in return.”

She was unable to meet his eyes, and her cheeks were visibly red with an adorable blush that ran down her face to her neck and disappeared into her décolletage. He was sorely tempted to see just how far beneath the blush went.

He shook his head, realizing that he needed to be away from her. He had never found himself thinking such improper thoughts about any gently bred lady, and he didn’t intend to start now.

“You can ask for whatever you wish,” he added, unable to tear his eyes away from her very appealing décolletage despite wisdom telling him to do so. “There is little to nothing I cannot accomplish.”

She shivered and took a step back. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips. Unable to help himself, Richard’s eyes followed the movement. Her lips were full and glittered in the moonlight. He wondered what they tasted like and how red she would turn if he were to kiss her.

“I do not want anything from you,” she answered, meeting his eyes.

He frowned in surprise. He had been expecting her to use the situation to her advantage. She wasn’t married, so she could have asked him to marry her. She was a duke’s sister, and her brother was doing well financially, so she would not need money from him.

If she wanted gifts, he could get her anything she desired. He was interested to know what she desired of him so he could learn what sort of woman she was.

“Why?” he asked. “I am being very generous. Books, jewels, dresses. I can have anything made for you. Many women would love to be in your shoes.”

“I did nothing that needs rewarding, Your Grace,” she answered with a graceful curtsy that irked him. “I only did what I thought was best. Besides, you helped my family a few weeks ago, and that was a feat worthy of a reward, yet you took nothing.”

She was being so polite that he was tempted to pull her into his arms just to see her lose her sense of propriety.

“Surely you want something.”

“I assure you, I want nothing, Your Grace,” she assured him. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I believe you said that staying outside for longer is dangerous. You really should take your earlier advice, Your Grace. You do not know what sort of people are lurking about the estate.”

Richard, stunned into silence, watched as she quickly returned to the house. His lips still tingled where her hands had touched them, his fingers subconsciously rising to his lips before he caught himself.

He really needed to rid himself of thoughts of Selina, but first, he wanted to see what she would ask for once she’d thought better of his offer.

Everyone wanted something, and he wanted so desperately to see what it would take to make her eyes go as wide as they had earlier.