Chapter Ten
L issa ran her fingers along the gold wallpaper, hoping to find a crack or feel an airflow that didn’t belong, but so far nothing appeared out of the ordinary. That, however, didn’t dampen her spirits. Though they’d been investigating the room for nigh on two hours, she loved the mystery and the anticipation of discovery. Feeling like she did was how it had been in France. She craved a life such as that now as well. She just couldn’t give it up.
Even after hearing Delilah’s story, she nevertheless wished to move forward toward an independent future while still supporting her grandmother. If she had to, she could follow Delilah’s route for a short while, but as she had additional skills, she doubted that would be necessary.
“Have you found anything?” Anthony’s voice carried across the large room.
She answered as they had planned so no one would suspect. “You have hidden it too well.”
“I can’t find yours either.” He sighed. “I will not admit defeat yet.”
He sounded so sincere, she laughed. “Nor will I.” She continued running her hands along the wall until she reached a large china cupboard. The glass doors and mirrored back made it appear there was twice the amount of crockery inside. She gave it a cursory glance, as the china was unremarkable, and continued to the other side to lay her hand against the wall. That was when she noticed the cupboard was anchored to the wall. How odd. The piece was far too large to be moved without at least two men. There was no reason to anchor it.
Curious, she walked back to the other side to find it also anchored. Not a little confused, as it would be much easier to steal the china from inside than to take the cabinet, she crouched down to see if perhaps the legs were uneven, making it necessary to affix the furniture to the wall.
“What do you see?” Anthony’s voice had her looking over her shoulder.
“Nothing remarkable.” She was about to get up, but since she was already on the floor, she knelt down and looked beneath the furniture. Her breath caught at the sliver of an opening in the wall. She ran her gaze along the width of the cabinet and found another sliver. Reaching beneath it, she pressed her fingertips to the opening. Cool air met her skin, and she shivered. Could this be it?
Pulling her hand out, she sat back on her heels and studied the cabinet.
“What have you found?” Anthony stood above her, his voice low.
“I’m not sure.” She looked up at him. “Beneath this furniture, there are two breaks in the wall wide enough to be a doorway, but the china cupboard is affixed to the wall.”
He cleared his throat before offering his hand. “Here, let me help you up so we can investigate further.”
She took his hand and rose before studying the cabinet. “I think we should open it.”
“I agree.” He took hold of the knobs on the glass doors and opened the cupboard. “It looks like a typical china cupboard.”
She licked her fingers then ran them along the back in the area where the breaks in the wall were. She definitely felt air. “The back of this must open somehow.”
“Let me check.”
Not excited about stepping away, but well aware he had more experience with hidden doors, she backed up and let him move into the opening.
As he ran his hand along the back, she kept looking over her shoulder to make sure no one was about. But when she heard a click, she snapped her head around to see his hand beneath the shelf with a china tureen.
“I’ve got it.” His words were whispered, but the excitement in his voice was obvious. Slowly, he pulled, and the back of the cabinet shifted to the right, revealing the wall.
She looked over her shoulder again before whispering in his ear, “No one is near.”
She actually saw the shiver that raced up his back before he stepped forward and pushed against the wall. It didn’t budge. He ran his hand along one side and found a latch covered in wallpaper, but a keyhole could be seen if looked for. He pulled a slender lever, but it didn’t move.
She had pins in her hair she could use to unlock it. Her heart sped at the opportunity to explore further, but the sound of voices froze her. “Someone comes.”
She stepped back, prepared to cause a distraction while Anthony closed the hidden door.
Just as the voices sounded in the doorway, she found herself pushed against the wall next to the cupboard as Anthony’s tongue dove into her mouth. Hot fire shot through her, and she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck, grabbing at his hair.
When his mouth left hers and he licked his way down her chest, she noticed the voices were silent. Opening her eyes, she found two men watching them. She should tell Anthony, but his tongue found its way beneath her neckline to her nipple, and the feelings coursing through her were too strong to ignore. Instead, she let her eyes close again and her head fall back against the wall, thrilled by the desire flooding her veins.
“I say, are you starting dinner early there?”
Anthony’s head left her chest so fast, she would have fallen to the side if he still weren’t pressed against her, his erection proving he’d lost the purpose of his kiss.
He looked over his shoulder. “Oh, Lord Buswick. Our host did say we could use any room, correct?”
“Indeed. And this room will be all about delectable treats, after all.” The man stared at her, but could see little, since Anthony blocked his view.
She gave the two men a ladylike nod. “I look forward to meeting you at dinner, gentlemen.”
The other lord’s brows rose in surprise. “I do believe we’ve been dismissed, Buswick.”
“Yes, so it seems. Let us try the library, then, shall we?”
As the two men turned and headed back out, she remained silent, not sure she could hold herself upright if Anthony stepped back.
He turned back to her, confusion in his blue gaze. “I apologize. Leighhall had said we could use any room with our mistresses, so it was the first action that came to me to hide our real purpose.”
She wanted to kiss away his apology, but revealing how much she enjoyed his touch now would scare him away. “No apology needed. It was a brilliant idea.” She fluttered her lashes at him. “ Mon amour .”
He blinked before understanding dawned. “Yes. Though I do hope we need not resort to such activity again.”
Feeling a bit more stable, she let her hands slide from around his neck. “I think we should investigate this room another time.”
“Of course.” Anthony stepped back, but stared at her chest.
Looking down, she found he’d pushed her neckline beneath her breasts in his hunger. She quite liked that, but still righted her clothing and pretended a coolness she was far from feeling. “Now that you found what you sought, my lord, shall we go up and change for dinner?”
Having turned away as she covered herself, Anthony held his arm out for her without looking back. “I believe that would be appropriate.”
She took his arm and hid her grin. If he lost himself with her in a simple kiss, she couldn’t wait to have him help her undress and dress.
As they entered the front foyer, they found a man carrying a woman over his shoulder as he climbed the stairs. The skirts of her dress were thrown over her head. She grinned at them just before she slapped the man’s arse.
“Alice, you keep doing that and you won’t be able to sit tonight.” His words were followed by a loud whack and Alice laughing.
Lissa looked to Anthony, who chuckled before coughing. He tried to move toward the first step, but she halted him. “What was that?” It wasn’t anything she’d seen, done, or read about.
“Um, it’s hard to explain.”
“Oh really, Anthony. It’s me.” She practically growled at him. She was no stranger to sex, but what she’d just witnessed appeared to be punishment. Yet the woman had asked for it and liked it. It made no sense.
He took a deep breath then finally looked at her. “Some people enjoy the sting, as it excites them before copulation.”
She raised her brows, absolutely sure it was something she would not be interested in at all. “Do not attempt that with me.”
His eyes widened. “Of course not.”
Confident he was aware of her limitations, she made to move forward, but he didn’t. Instead, he whispered in her ear, “Remember, this is not real.”
She completely disagreed. The new attraction they had to each other was very real. “Shall we?” She gestured toward the stairs.
Finally, he moved, and they ascended in silence. When they entered the room, they discovered the valet there waiting to help Anthony dress. He’d already lit a number of lanterns in the now-darkened room. She couldn’t believe her good fortune, as she had no doubt Anthony would hide in the dressing room if left to his own devices.
Moving to the armoire, she turned her back and opened the doors to choose her dress for dinner, having pulled out a few before the valet had arrived to unpack for Anthony. Choosing a deeper-blue dress with a daring square neckline, she laid it on the bed. It was far more suited to her coloring.
When she turned, she found Anthony facing her, bare chested and far more muscular than she’d expected from a man of the peerage. Then again, he didn’t live that life. His chest was well defined and had a sprinkling of blond hair across the mounds. His abdomen rippled as he lifted his arms for a clean ruffled shirt. But before the shirt came down, she noticed a neat scar that jolted her memory. He’d been shot. If the duchess hadn’t saved his life, they would not have been able to renew their friendship. That thought made her pause as her chest tightened. Anthony made the world a better place to be. Even if many didn’t know it, she did.
As the shirt came down, it hid him from view, so she turned back to the armoire and closed the door before crouching down and opening her trunk. Pulling two additional daggers from its depths, she slipped them into the deep pocket of her dress. At the slight noise they made, she remembered the necklace Anthony had given her. Pulling it out, she decided it matched her dress perfectly. Rising, she turned to the bed to see Anthony standing in just his shirt. Unfortunately, it came down to the middle of his thighs, but what was revealed was impressive. His thighs were well muscled and his calves looked harder than the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. But they were not perfect, as two other scars, not nearly as neat, marred one thigh and the opposite calf.
“Do you see something you like?” Anthony’s voice had her snapping her gaze to his.
She didn’t need to play the role of mistress to answer him honestly. “I do. I look forward to this evening, when I can better explore all that I have seen.” She licked her lips to indicate she would like to do more than touch.
Anthony’s chest rose suddenly. “My love, you tease me unmercifully. We must attend the dinner and games.”
Games? This was the first she’d heard of games. “What kind of games?”
He shrugged as he bent to pull on his trousers. “I do not know, but I’m sure we will enjoy them.”
She hoped the night didn’t go too late. She planned to rise as early as she usually did to get into the secret door before anyone was up, including the servants.
After laying the necklace next to her dress, she pulled out the two small daggers from her pocket. As they were in the enemy’s home with many a randy man about, she preferred to be prepared. With one dagger strapped to her thigh and another to her forearm beneath her long sleeves, she felt comfortable with Anthony. But in case they were separated, she would add one to her boot and another within her pocket.
With nothing else to do as the valet finished dressing Anthony, she strode to the bookcase and found the book Lady Fancy’s Folley , which she’d been looking at with Delilah earlier, curious about what was on page six of the story about a lady of quality who fell in love with a man of a lower class. According to Delilah, the lady’s father would kill the man and sell her to a cruel duke. Of course, she ran away and made her living as a prostitute.
She opened the book and turned to page six. Her heart recognized him as her match. She’d found her love. The one man who could make her happy forever. With that realization, Fancy opened her dressing gown and whispered his name.
Now why would Delilah mention that page? Perhaps there was something else. Lissa looked further down the page, but the door closing as the valet exited interrupted her, and she turned to find Anthony looking particularly enticing in his black tailcoat and white waistcoat, though the colors were a bit severe for his personality. If she didn’t know him, she would be quite impressed. Setting the book back onto the shelf, she moved forward. “I do believe I will need to keep Alice from absconding with you.”
His eyes rounded as he grimaced. “Yes, please do.”
She strolled closer and walked around him. “Yes, you fit the part perfectly.” She stopped in front of him and turned her back. “Now if you could unbutton me, I can dress for dinner.”
Initially, he didn’t react, but finally she felt his fingers on her dress. At first it was as if he were afraid to touch her, but by the fourth button, she felt his fingers brush her back. The touch sent heat flowing through her limbs, and she found herself wishing they didn’t have to attend dinner, but she kept her purpose in mind.
“You are unbuttoned.” His voice was raspy. “Do you not wear a shift with these gowns?”
She faced him, holding her gown in place. “No. I believe that would defeat the purpose. These stays are lined so as to be mostly comfortable.” Though the padding at the top beneath her breasts to make them appear bigger was an odd feeling.
Turning toward the bed, she lifted the gown over her head. It was no easy task, but she managed, not willing to press Anthony’s limits so close to dinner. Once free of the dress, she stood in nothing but her stockings, daggers, shoes, and stays, which pressed her small breasts upward from beneath. As she laid the light blue dress on the bed, she glanced over at Anthony to find he’d turned his back toward her.
She shook her head at how much of a gentleman he acted now, when in France, he treated her like a fellow soldier. Lifting the skirts of the dark-blue dress, she tunneled into it before straightening. Fortunately, the arms were quite loose, making the dress fairly easy to pull into place. Holding it up, she walked back to where Anthony stood contemplating the door. “I’ll need your help with these buttons.”
He turned, sweeping his gaze over her. “I am happy to assist.”
She turned, but spoke over her shoulder. “I must admit, you are the handsomest lady’s maid I’ve ever had.”
“Thank you. I will take your kind words to heart.” His chuckle belied his words as his fingers tightened her dress about her with each button. “There. I believe my work is done.”
Instead of turning toward him, she strolled to the mirror in the corner to see the final result. At first, it was difficult to believe it was her. She looked almost five years younger with the square neckline that barely concealed her areolae. The darkness of the dress made her skin seem lighter, and the wisps of her hair about her face softened it considerably.
Lifting her hands to her hair, she pulled out all the pins, then rolled it into a loose knot and resecured it. The result made it look as if she’d just tumbled out of bed. “Perfect.” She turned to face Anthony. “Don’t you think?”
His gaze fastened on her face for a moment before sweeping over her like a lover’s kiss.
Her body reacted with tingles along her arms and down her legs.
When his gaze returned to her face, he appeared stunned.
“Is it not perfect?”
Blinking, he finally nodded. “It is. You are.”
“Good.” She lifted her skirts and swept past him, in a hurry to break the odd spell his gaze cast upon her body. Reaching into the bottom of the armoire, she pulled out her soft kid leather boots. Definitely not indoor shoes, but for dinner, they would be fine. Sitting on the bed, she untied the laces of a boot before kicking off her shoe.
Anthony’s shadow in the lantern light fell over her. “Allow me.”
When she looked up at him, the lantern’s glow highlighted the gold strands of his hair, making him appear like a sun god. “Do you know how to lace up boots?” She held out the boot in question.
“As a matter of fact, I do.” Taking the boot from her, he knelt.
She lifted her skirts up to her knee, and he slipped the boot on, then expertly tied it. As he did the same with the other, her curiosity wouldn’t let her remain silent. “How do you know how to do that?”
He rose, a comfortable smile on his face. “My nephew, Darius’s son. I’ve laced his boots for him on occasion.”
“You’ve spent such time with him?” That surprised her, as the brothers’ relationship seemed strained at best.
“I have…when my brother is not about.”
When he didn’t elaborate, she didn’t ask anything further. Instead, she took a dagger from the bed and slipped it into her right boot. Then, rising, she picked up the other dagger and dropped it into the sheath sewn in her left pocket, since she could wield them with either hand. When she’d finished, she stepped into the center of the room. “I believe I’m ready for dinner.” She turned around in a slow circle.
Anthony shook his head then walked to the bed and lifted the necklace she’d forgotten. “Not yet. We must show everyone that I spend my fortune on you.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Of course, a sign of ownership.” It bothered her more in this setting than in the drawing rooms of London’s elite, where wives had status.
He stepped behind her and laid the cool metal on her chest to secure it at the back. “Remember, Lissa, this is only a role.”
She swallowed down her irritation. “Yes, of course.”
When he stepped back, he offered his arm. “Let us join the others and see what we can learn.”
She gave him a seductive smile. “About our host or the activities to ensue?”
“Both will be of benefit to us, don’t you think?”
She set her hand upon his arm. “I do.”
As soon as they entered the corridor, they encountered another couple going to dinner. Both seemed in a jovial mood, which made it much easier to get into the spirit of the party. All four of them entered the parlor together, Anthony pulling her to the right once inside. She glided along with him, used to his strange habit. He’d once told her it was to scout the territory, something he’d done since serving as an investigator for the Bow Street Runners.
The other couple moved into the room, immediately seeing others they knew. Anthony leaned in. “The blond man by the tall window is Viscount Leighhall.”
Lissa studied the man. He was broad but more slender than Anthony, and almost as tall, with sharper features. His brows were thin and rose in a point. His straight nose ended in a bit of a bulb. Beneath it were clefts above and below his lips, easy to see, as he was clean shaven. His very short hair revealed rather large ears, which accentuated the oval shape of his face. Overall, he made a striking figure. “He is attractive, and if his manners are equally inviting, I can see why he has no problem finding a bedmate.”
Anthony looked at her. “It is good to have an opinion of a woman, as I see him as no more handsome than Buswick there by the fireplace or Rothbury next to the writing desk.”
“I understand, as I would not know if Delilah were prettier in the eyes of a man than Alice.” She looked from the obviously sophisticated blonde woman to the red-haired one from earlier who sat on a wingback chair, one leg thrown over the arm. Of course, that could be because her arse still hurt.
“I assure you, mademoiselle, there is none here who could take my attention from you.”
At Anthony’s overly exaggerated comment, she chuckled and placed her hand on his shoulder even as she looked to her right to find a couple had moved near. “Anthony, you need not turn my head with flattery. My heart belongs to you.”
“Oh, Lord Buswick. Please, allow me to introduce you to Daguette. My dearest Daguette, this is Lord Buswick.”
Lissa surmised things were less formal in this setting. “Lord Buswick, it is lovely to meet you.”
The lord gave a nod. “And Lord Bellamore, may I introduce Violet?”
Violet had hair of deep auburn and blue eyes so dark they did indeed appear violet. The woman gave a soft smile to Anthony before facing Lisette. “I have not seen you here before.”
“I have not been here before. I do hope you can tell me what to expect.”
The woman gave her a wide smile. “I will do so with pleasure.”
“Daguette, I’d like to introduce you to our host before we settle in making new friends.”
She wrinkled her nose at Violet as if she must appease Anthony, and then faced him. “I would be honored to meet him.”
With a quick nod to Buswick, Anthony led her across the room. As they approached, she studied the woman on Leighhall’s arm, hoping she would be able to shed light on the man. She was tall and thin and blonde, similar to him, but with a large bosom and hips, and a wide face.
As they drew closer, the man turned his gaze to her and swept it over her thoroughly, as if cataloguing all her attributes for a later time, before moving his attention to Anthony. “Ah, and here is young Bellamore. You must introduce me to this beauty at your side.”
She pasted on a smile, not at all impressed.
“My lord, it is my distinct pleasure to introduce you to my dear Daguette. Daguette, this is Viscount Leighhall, our kind host.”
She set her free hand on her chest. “My lord, it is an honor.” She looked up at Anthony then back at Leighhall. “ Mi amour has told me of his high esteem for you on more than one occasion.”
The man lifted his chin in clear hubris. “I imagine I could teach him many things, but tell me, you hail from France, do you not?”
“Indeed I do.” Again she looked upon Anthony as if he were her only reason for breathing. “My Anthony was there fighting when we met. I will always treasure that day.” When she turned back, she could see Leighhall was clearly not thrilled with her constant reference to Anthony, so she changed tack. “When he told me of your brilliant idea for a house party, I said we must meet you. And then to hear from Delilah that you have been hosting such a lovely gathering for years, I must say I was intrigued by a man of such creativity and foresight.”
“Mademoiselle, I simply saw a need and a way to fulfill it.” Again the man puffed with pride. “It is not so easy to find the perfect person with which to share these weekends, but I am quite fortunate to have the lovely Selene as my guest.” He gestured toward Anthony. “Lord Bellamore, this is Selene, a woman of incomparable attributes.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Selene. I hope that you and Daguette will enjoy this weekend.”
The woman gave them a secret smile. “I’m most sure we will.”
“Leighhall!” The shout from the doorway had them all turning. “Is dinner not ready yet?” Lord Pemberton, as Anthony had identified him, strode in like a boar at a picnic, searching the room for his mistress.
Alice waved from where she now knelt on the chair. “And here I thought I was dinner.”
Violet responded from the settee where she spoke with Delilah, “No, dear. You’re dessert.”
More laughter followed, and Anthony guided Lissa away from Leighhall as Pemberton motioned for Alice to join him to formally meet their host.
It was all rather civilized and yet not. Lissa found herself curious not only about Leighhall and his secrets, but also about what they would encounter for the rest of their stay. As Anthony introduced her to yet another couple, she knew in her heart that after this, she could never marry. Life was so much more than tea and dress fittings.
“Daguette, you look good enough to eat.”
At Lord Rothbury’s comment, she smiled. “And so do you, my lord. I have no doubt that Delilah will tell me exactly what you taste like.”
The man’s eyes widened before he pulled Delilah closer and whispered loudly for them all to hear, “Do not be telling all our secrets, my dear.”
The woman rolled her eyes before patting him on his chest. “Do not worry. I would never say anything you wouldn’t.”
The lord stared at her a moment then grinned. “You are far too smart for me.”
“Yes, but I do not stay with you because of your mind.” As the woman’s gaze roamed downward, Lord Rothbury stood straighter, obviously assuming his manhood was the woman’s reason for staying.
But Lissa already knew it was for the man’s wallet that Delilah remained with him.
It was an unfortunate place for a woman to be in. She herself wished to be the captain of her own fate. Too long had she allowed her grandmother to dictate her actions.
Just then, a footmen came into the room and rang a bell.
Anthony offered his arm, and she laid her hand atop it. He allowed the others to leave before moving forward. “Not exactly what I expected.”
She leaned in as they strolled down the corridor. “What did you expect?”
“Honestly?”
She nodded, very curious what he had envisioned.
“I believe I expected an orgy of some type.”
She chuckled softly. “Do not rule it out quite yet. For all we know, there may be a naked woman on the dining room table that we all must pull our food from.”
“No.” His eyes rounded at her comment.
“You did see our dressing room, did you not?”
As color rose up his neck and his Adam’s apple bobbed, she grinned. She didn’t know what half the items in there were, but she had some guesses. And her guess was that Anthony knew exactly how to use them.