Chapter Eleven
A deline let Lord Bellamy lead her back to where her mother and father stood. She pulled in a breath in an effort to push back the growing panic that skittered up her spine. During their dance—one her father had insisted upon—Lord Bellamy had preened and spoken casually about their future together. How he planned to spoil her. How pleased he would be to have such a handsome wife.
Dumbfounded, she had no words in response. She stared up at him as they danced in and out of the line. Then, each time she opened her mouth to respond, he handed her off to another partner in the line. Shock had her going through the motions of the reel automatically. Now she faced her parents, her father smiling broadly and her mother subdued. Adeline put her polite facade firmly in place.
“Thank you for the dance, my dear,” Lord Bellamy said.
“It is so nice to see you two getting the opportunity to get to know each other better before the wedding,” her father said.
Her mother reached for Adeline’s arm and tugged her to her side, giving her waist a tiny squeeze. Adeline let out a breath. Surely, her mother wouldn’t allow this. “Perhaps not so loud, my dear. Private matters need to be discussed.”
“Nonsense,” her father said far too loud. “Bellamy and I have discussed it, and we have come to a decision. Bellamy, what do you say to a celebratory drink?”
“Sounds excellent.” Lord Bellamy’s triumphant gaze swung to her. He reached for her hand and brushed a kiss over her gloved fingers. Adeline struggled not to shudder.
Once the two men had walked away, her mother flipped open her fan. “Don’t look so worried. You’ll only cause more speculation than your father already has by announcing your engagement so publicly.” She patted her arm. “Don’t worry, I will speak with him tonight.”
Adeline nodded, but she glanced frantically around the room for George. Her mother could fuss at her father, but George was the only one to whom her father would listen. Where had her brother gone off to? She fanned herself. Her heart beat too loudly in her ears. What had happened? Her father had promised her until next month. “Mother, I need to take a moment to settle my nerves. I am going to go to the retiring room.”
“Of course, dear. I understand.”
Adeline blindly walked through the crowd toward the double doors that led out of the ballroom. What was she going to do? Her initial panic quickly began to fade to a familiar sense of resignation. Nothing, she would do nothing. She had no options unless her brother could somehow save her.
“Adeline!”
She raised her head. Lucy and her husband stood a few feet away along the edge of the ballroom. The duke never danced, so the couple tended to keep to the edges as they chatted with other guests. They also never stayed at social functions long. Adeline knew that Lucy was only in town this season to help her with her husband hunt. And what a waste, as it didn’t matter anymore. She was going to end up the wife of Lord Bellamy.
Lord and Lady Hartwick approached. “Adeline, I haven’t seen you all night.” Her friend smiled. “Dancing with lots of eligible gentlemen?”
Adeline tried for a smile, but as she looked up at her friend’s husband, the only thought that raced through her mind was, I know who tried to kill you . Good Lord, the scars on his face were because of her father. She was so ashamed she couldn’t even look at him. She dropped her gaze to her hands. If they knew the truth, Lucy would not want to be her friend anymore. The duke could ruin her family as easily as breathing. Her mother and brother didn’t deserve to be buried under her father’s misdeeds. Lord, it was so hot in here. She needed to find a way out.
“Yes, plenty of dancing. Please excuse me.” Adeline turned in the opposite direction and hurried away.
She looked left and right as she struggled to find an escape from the ballroom. Then she spotted the French doors to the veranda. She bit her bottom lip. She wasn’t allowed outside alone. Well, blast it all; perhaps if she got herself into a bit of trouble, Bellamy would rescind his offer? Either way, she needed some fresh air, or she would go mad with her swirling thoughts.
She took one last glance around for her brother, and not seeing him anywhere, she slipped through the door into the night. She gulped in a lungful of cold air. A loud male laugh came from her right, followed by more male laughter. It had her scurrying out farther to the left and into deeper shadows. She got to the edge of the stone veranda and laid her hands against the cold stone of the balustrade. Goose bumps rose on her skin as the cold air settled in around her. But she didn’t mind; the cold cooled her overheated face as she raised it to the sky. Tonight was clear, and Cassiopeia hung right above her in the sky.
“Lady Amberley, what are you doing out here alone?”
Adeline whirled around. A man stepped out of the shadows where he had been leaning against the wall. He puffed on a cheroot, and she saw Lord Kingsbury’s chiseled jaw in the soft flare of light. Her racing heart slowed somewhat.
“You startled me,” she said. “Again.”
He stepped closer. “Sorry.” A sheepish smile played across his lips as he threw down the cheroot and ground it under his heel. “ You startled me. What are you doing out here alone?” he repeated.
Adeline opened her mouth to tell him everything. Lord, she needed to tell someone. But her good sense kicked in, and she snapped it shut. Instead, she shook her head and turned back to look out at the empty garden. It must be too cold tonight for shadowed trysts. Even the men laughing at the other end of the veranda had gone back inside. All was quiet except for a slight ruffling of dead leaves as a breeze blew across the lawn. Adeline rubbed at the goose bumps on her bare arms.
“I needed some air. Why are you outside in the cold, Lord Kingsbury?”
She felt him move closer. His presence overpowered her senses. The mix of smoke and something spicy and masculine underneath made her stomach flutter with…anticipation? Whenever she was near him, she felt this warm, fluttery feeling. It felt like possibilities. She hugged herself closer as she choked back tears. Except there were no more possibilities. She was trapped.
“I also needed some air.” His hands clasped her arms and rubbed gently up and down. “You shouldn’t be out here. You will freeze.”
She turned to face him. His hands continued to rub her arms, transferring some of his warmth to her. “Why did you need to get air?” she asked again.
“Truth?”
She gazed up at him and nodded.
“I saw you dancing with Lord Bellamy. I didn’t like it.”
“I didn’t like it either. My father has agreed to Bellamy’s offer of marriage. Lord Bellamy was kind enough to inform me while we were dancing.”
Kingsbury swore softly under his breath, but they stood so close that she didn’t miss the colorful curse. His anger on her behalf ignited her own anger at her father. Certainly, Lord Bellamy must have offered him money to clinch the agreement. Why must she be the pawn in his negotiations?
She stared at the green and gold paisley pattern of Kingsbury’s waistcoat, then laid her hand against his heart. His broad chest felt as warm and solid as she’d imagined, and she wished to burrow against it until she could breathe again around this tightness in her chest.
His breath hitched at her touch. Raising her gaze to look into his eyes, she tried to ascertain his feelings. Did he also feel this strange pull between them? His eyes were swathed in shadows, but his lips curved into almost a smile. Then he brushed his thumb along her jaw.
“Kiss me,” she blurted out.
“Pardon?” His hand dropped to his side as though she had burned him with her words.
“Kiss me. I have never been kissed. I do not want Lord Bellamy to have my first.”
Lord Kingsbury stared down at her with apparent regret. “I don’t know…” He shook his head.
Perhaps he was being a gentleman, or perhaps he had no desire to kiss her, but what she said was true; she did not want Lord Bellamy to be her first kiss. So she laid her pride bare. “Please.”
*
Adeline took another step forward, erasing the space between them and sending his pulse jumping. As always, she smelled so good. And the hand she’d laid on his chest seemed to brand him with its soft touch. His conscience ceded control to his overwhelming need to taste her lips, and he slid an arm around her waist. “Are you sure you want me to be your first kiss?”
The moonlight glinted off her spectacles and made the amber color of her eyes luminous. She nodded.
He cupped her delicate jaw and brushed his thumb over her full bottom lip. Just as he thought, so soft. Then he leaned down to press his lips to hers, thinking to keep it simple and quick. But Christ, she tasted even better than she smelled, and he brushed his lips against hers again for another taste. A small sigh escaped her lips, and the sound ignited the flame of his desire for her that he had kept tamped down until now.
He tilted her head to capture her mouth in a long, sensuous slide of lips. Adeline rose onto her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her fingers played with the hair at the nape, and he let out a low groan of satisfaction at the press of her soft curves against him.
She was a perfect fit for him. The truth of it washed through him with a certainty he had never felt with another woman. Now that he had tasted her, he could never let her belong to that villainous old goat. He raised his head and waited for her eyes to flutter open. When they did, she looked as dazed as he felt.
Her beautiful eyes blinked owlishly. “Thank you for being my first kiss.” A small furrow appeared between her brows. “But I fear it was a mistake.”
“Why? Was it not enjoyable?” He bent to nuzzle her neck, placing a kiss behind one ear.
“No, the opposite. Much more enjoyable than I anticipated. You have probably ruined me for all other kisses.”
“Good.” He pulled back to look straight into her eyes. “Don’t marry Bellamy.” Marry me instead .
The thought sprung forth, surprising the hell out of him. But yes, this lady was meant to be his. Adeline Amberley had fallen into his arms that day in the bookstore, and she had charmed him in every moment he had spent with her since. He never took for granted the gifts fate offered.
“I haven’t a choice.” She stepped out of his embrace and the sense of loss was immediate. “You couldn’t possibly understand my circumstances.” Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. Then she fled across the veranda—the moonlight chasing her—until she disappeared into the house.