Chapter 19
Anything to Declare?
Izzy made no protest as Ben placed her hand possessively upon his arm and led her from the room. The scandal was moving at breakneck speed, an almost tangible ripple of shock making its way through the crowd.
“This way,” Ben urged, guiding her away from the ballroom, slipping away from the main rooms as he led her through the darkened rooms. Guests were clearly not allowed in this part of the house, but any footmen stationed to enforce this rule had disappeared to discover what was happening elsewhere.
Izzy didn’t bother asking him where they were going. She really didn’t care. So long as they were away from the curious gazes and gossip, and far away from Alveston and everything he stood for, it hardly mattered. All that mattered was that Ben was safe.
Opening a door onto what appeared to be a small parlour, Ben checked it was unoccupied. Satisfied, he pushed her inside and closed the door behind him. “You wonderful, wicked, astonishing girl!” he exclaimed, gazing at her and shaking his head.
Izzy grinned at him, not above preening a little.
“I believe what you mean to say is, thank you, Izzy, for helping me uncover Lord Alveston, and prove to the world what a despicable human being he really is, whilst saving Boreas from the gallows and proving Mr Midwinter to be a hero to Britain.” She quirked an eyebrow at him. “I’m waiting.”
He gave a bark of laughter and reached for her, hauling her into his arms. “Thank you, Izzy, you dreadful creature. Where the devil did you learn to play cards like that, and how did you come up with such a brilliant plan?”
Izzy shrugged, deciding he did not need to know that it hadn’t precisely been a plan as such, more serendipity. “That’s a long story, and if I’d told you what I had in mind, you would have told me to leave Alveston alone, because I’m too silly and frivolous to be a help to you.”
“Oh, no. I can’t have that,” he objected, tightening his hold on her. “I never said silly nor frivolous, but I’m afraid you just have to accept that a fellow does not act with the clearest of motivations when the girl he’s head over ears for puts herself in danger.”
“Not clearly at all, considering—” Izzy broke off, mentally replaying what he’d just said. “Did—? Did you just say—?”
“Head over ears. Yes, I did.”
“Oh.”
Izzy stared at him. The room was dark, the furniture only lumpy shapes lit here and then by moonlight that slanted through a gap in the curtains.
Ben was little more than a silhouette too, and then he stepped closer, his face appeared cast in silver as the moon illuminated his handsome features, his fair hair glinting white, like some mythical creature come to steal her away to a far-off land.
“Feel better, do you?” he asked, sounding amused, his voice husky.
“A bit.”
“Only a bit?” He tsked, lowering his head and nuzzling the tender place beneath her ear “I must do better.”
Izzy put up her chin. “Yes, I rather think you m-must. I mean, really. That’s twice I’ve saved your skin and—”
Whatever she might have said next was lost as he pressed his mouth to hers and kissed her.
Izzy sighed, every thought gone in an instant.
Alveston, the card game, the ball—all of it slid from her mind like melted butter, leaving nothing but the feel of his mouth upon hers, the strength of his arms as they held her tight.
“Izzy, Izzy, you are the most magnificent, wonderful, dreadful girl I’ve ever met,” he whispered, nipping at her ear.
Izzy pressed closer, gasping as his hand slid up to cup her breast. “I ought to have had my wicked way with you that night in the attic, I ought to have ensured you knew you belonged with me. I knew it then, even if you didn’t. ”
Izzy huffed and pushed at his chest, glaring up at him. “You rotten liar. You knew nothing of the sort.”
He grinned at her, his white teeth flashing in the moonlight. “Ah, my sweet, you’re not the only one who can play his cards close to his chest. But I was in no position to court you, was I? What could I have offered you but a life of danger and uncertainty?”
“I would have taken it, and gladly,” she told him, reaching up and putting her palm against his cheek. “I would have done anything for you. I still would.”
He stilled, covering her hand with his own, holding it against his cheek. “You would?”
She stared at him, shaking her head in wonder. “Don’t you understand, you foolish man? I love you.”
He let out a breath of laughter, turning his head to press his lips against her palm. “Only you, Isabelle Honeywell, could fall in love with a smuggler.”
“And a spy,” she pointed out.
“Just so,” he whispered, gazing at her. “You know saved more than my life that night, you saved me. You gave me something to live for, to dream of, and hope for. But I never believed I would see that dream come true.”
She wished she could see him better, that the moon would shine brighter so that she could see his face, see the look in his eyes. But then he spoke, and the dim light seemed entirely perfect, cocooning them and keeping them safe from prying eyes.
“As a boy, I fantasied about going home from the moment I learned of Winsham Castle. Since then, I’ve climbed over the ruins and walked through the empty rooms and tried to imagine myself living there, but it never seemed real, it never seemed a possibility.
Not until now. Not until you, Izzy. Do you think you’d like to rebuild it with me, to make a life for ourselves there?
It might not seem very exciting after the past weeks, but—”
This time it was Ben whose words were cut off as Izzy threw herself at him with such enthusiasm that he staggered backwards onto the arm of a well-padded settee.
Down he went, sprawling on his back and taking Izzy with him.
They tumbled in a heap upon the cushions, with Izzy’s skirts and petticoats billowing around them as Ben snorted with laughter.
“Good God, Izzy. I’m not going anywhere; there’s no need to ravish me with such violence.”
Izzy struggled to a sitting position, readjusted her spectacles and regarded him as coolly as was possible in the circumstances, which was not cool at all as she discovered the intimacy of the position. Her cheeks burned and her breath caught.
Ben waggled his eyebrows. “Well, now you have me where you want me, what will you do with me?”
Izzy’s heart thumped as she felt the undeniable press of his arousal, positioned snug and firm between her thighs.
Liquid heat pooled low inside her, something between an ache and a hot throb of tension focused at the apex of her legs.
She swallowed, wishing she could find something clever to say, but she seemed to have used up all her boldness at the card table.
“Nothing to say, Miss Honeywell?” he asked, gently teasing.
“I’m thinking,” she retorted, chin up.
Ben nodded, his expression grave. “Just so. One always needs a plan. Carry on. I shan’t disturb you.”
Oh, but he did disturb her, she thought wildly.
He had disturbed her from the very first moment she had laid eyes on him, disrupting her sleep, invading her dreams, until he had stolen her heart along with her peace of mind.
Now, as if to underscore all that he’d done, he lifted his hips, pressing himself against her, against the secret place that throbbed and burned, and something like lightning bolted through her, making her breath snag in her throat.
“Izzy,” he murmured, reaching for her. “Kiss me, my wicked girl, before I lose what’s left of my mind. I’m dying here.”
Well, at least it wasn’t just her, she thought with relief, and removed her spectacles, dropping them gently to the floor as she lowered herself down, finding his lips with her own.
He let out a soft moan that set everything inside her alight, the knowledge that he wanted her as badly as she wanted him, enough to chase any doubts or anxieties away.
She had been so afraid for him, had hated spending time with Alveston so much when she wanted to dance with this man, to look up and see this man’s face, but it was done, and they were free, and he was hers.
“I didn’t get to waltz with you,” she said sadly, a giddy feeling in her heart as his deft fingers slid around her back and undid the fastenings on the bodice of her gown with such speed even Janet could not have matched him.
He glanced up at her, a roguish smile playing at his lips.
“This is better than waltzing, my love, but I’ll gladly dance with you whenever you wish.
It might not be prudent to stay in town after your little scene this evening, however.
I think you’d best let people forget just how exciting you are before stirring them all up again. ”
She pushed herself upright again, and her dress sagged as she’d known it would, watching with interest as her stays loosened and went the same way thanks to his clever fingers.
“Exciting?” she repeated, watching the way his eyes glittered in the dim light.
She heard his swift intake of breath as he gazed at her breasts.
Feeling she ought to live up to such a description, she pressed against the rigid shape nestled between her thighs and he gasped again, the sound mingled with laughter.
“If you were any more exciting, a fellow might die of it, you naughty creature. God, Izzy, but you’re beautiful. Are you really mine?”
There was a wondering quality to the question, as if he really couldn’t believe it, and the knowledge that he too had his moments of vulnerability made her heart ache even as it seemed to expand in her chest. His warm hands closed over her breasts, and she sighed, her head tipping back as he palmed them gently.
“All yours, if you’re sure you want me?” For he was not the only one who wished for assurance. She remembered too vividly how he had hurt her by leaving Little Valentine the way he had.