Chapter 5
Chapter Five
F elix stepped back and watched Dorothea’s dark eyes gleam with desire, her lips still slightly moist from the kiss they had just shared. She was already smoothing out her dress and adjusting her gloves, her composure impeccable. Felix smirked. She was well-experienced indeed.
“I should return to the main room,” she said, her voice low and teasing. “We would not want anyone to overly concern themselves with my prolonged absence, now would we?” She gave him a wink before tilting her head in a familiar, knowing way. “But later… perhaps you could visit my townhouse? Midnight, I trust?”
Felix offered a casual smile as though the arrangement was routine. “Of course. I would not dream of disappointing you.”
She touched his arm briefly before gliding out of the dim alcove, casting one final look over her shoulder. “Wait a couple of minutes before you follow. Let us not stir up any gossip too soon.”
Felix exhaled as she disappeared into the lively hum of Lady Brimsleigh’s soirée and his tension from their rendezvous slowly dissipated. He was not in any rush to return to the main room—certainly not after that exchange. He needed a few moments to himself to temper the persistent heat in his chest.
Instead, he turned and wandered down a side corridor of the grand house, away from the music and chatter.
Lady Brimsleigh’s home was lavish and sprawling, with plenty of nooks and corners where one could escape unnoticed. It was one of the reasons he often agreed to come to her balls. He had no particular destination in mind, just the intention to waste a few minutes before making his way back to the soirée.
As he wandered, Felix’s thoughts began to drift as his usual composed demeanor returned. He could not help but smirk with amusement at how easily he slipped into these encounters yet always maintained a well-defined distance. None of it affected him: not the women, the flirtations, or the inevitable gossip that followed. It was all just part of the game that he played better than most.
It was the cry that first caught his attention, and he abruptly stopped walking. A high-pitched squeak of an exclamation was followed by a string of mutterings that he could not make out. His curiosity piqued, Felix moved quickly, slipping through the door to his left and out into the cool night air.
What greeted him was a strange, almost comical sight. Lord Mortcombe, pale as a ghost, was retching at the sight of something below the balcony.
He glanced up at Felix and muttered, “It was not me!” then darted away rapidly.
Felix furrowed his brow but stepped further out on the balcony, realizing it was Mortcombe’s cry he had heard. His gaze fell immediately upon Lady Eloise. She stood near the balustrade with one hand pressed against her cheek, and even in the dim light, Felix could see a thin line of blood trailing down her pale skin.
His heart beat a little harder.
“Lady Eloise?” Felix was beside her in an instant, his voice edged with concern. “What happened?”
Lady Eloise startled, her hand dropping from her cheek. “It is nothing, really.” She smiled, but it was shaky. “I stumbled and—well, I fell. That is all.”
Felix raised an eyebrow, his tone growing more protective. “You fell?” His gaze darted to the door through which Mortcombe had just disappeared, his jaw tightening. “And Lord Mortcombe just… what? Stood by and watched you injure yourself?”
Lady Eloise shook her head quickly, flustered. “No, no, it was not him. I—I tripped over my gown and hit the edge of the balustrade.” She gestured vaguely to the stone railing. “It is nothing. He just… does not tolerate blood very well, it seems.”
She tried for another faint smile, and again, it was unconvincing.
Felix narrowed his eyes. “You never stumble.” His voice was quiet, but there was an undeniable note of disbelief. “I have never seen you trip over your gown in all the years I have known you. And Mortcombe, gagging at the sight of a scratch? I do not buy it.”
She swallowed, clearly flustered but holding her ground. “Your Grace, I promise, it is fine. He did not do anything. I was just… clumsy.”
Felix crossed his arms, leaning in slightly. “You are lying,” he said, his voice dropping to a softer, almost coaxing tone. “What really happened? What did Mortcombe do to you?”
She glared at up at him, her hand cupping her cheek once more. “Why do you care so much?” she demanded.
Felix recoiled, blinking at her question and straightening up. Why did he care so much? He had never cared about anything or anyone.
“Why… you are… you are my best friend’s sister, of course. I have known you since you were a child. I have a duty to protect you.”
Lady Eloise tutted and turned away from him. “You have no such duty. Leave me alone.”
“I will do no such thing!” he cried. “And you, Eloise Manning, will tell me what happened this instant. I demand it of you.”
To his surprise, Lady Eloise still didn’t look back. She was always so composed, so poised, and seeing her like this—shaken, vulnerable—only made Felix’s protective instincts flare more intensely. He gently took her hand, turning her and examining the cut on her cheek more closely.
“Eloise,” he said, his tone softening. “If something happened, you must tell me.”
She bit her lip, her hesitation clear, but after a long moment, she sighed, closing her eyes briefly as if gathering her thoughts. When she looked at Felix again, her expression remained resolute, but something in her gaze wavered—whether it was trust or resignation, he could not quite tell.
Her shoulders drooped as she finally admitted, “I stumbled on purpose.”
Felix blinked then burst out laughing, the sound deep and incredulous. “You did what ?”
Lady Eloise flushed, glaring at him. “You heard me,” she snapped, folding her arms. “I erroneously thought Mortcombe would catch me.”
Felix could hardly contain himself, his laughter shaking his entire frame. “Mortcombe? Catch you? Of all the men in this room, that spineless fool?” Do not tell me you are interested in that nitwit.”
Lady Eloise rolled her eyes, sighing dramatically. “Of course not. I am, however, interested in his wealth , ” she clarified as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “He would be a good match.”
Felix’s laughter faltered for a moment, replaced with genuine confusion. “Of all the wealthy lords, you wish to choose him ? My Lady, there are available men with fortunes in the Ton that would actually be capable of holding a conversation without dashing away at the first sight of blood.”
Lady Eloise shrugged, the cool night air catching the loose strands of her hair. “He is the easiest to… persuade ,” she explained carefully. “If I am going to secure my family’s future, I do not have time for someone more… difficult.”
Felix chuckled again, shaking his head in disbelief. “So your grand strategy to seduce Mortcombe was by tripping over your gown?”
He had seen some ineptitude in ladies before but never anything quite like that.
Lady Eloise nodded, her cheeks flushed. “I thought he would come to my rescue,” she mumbled, clearly embarrassed.
Felix’s smirk widened. “Seduction by clumsiness,” he mused, folding his arms across his chest. “That is a new one. Did you honestly think that would work?”
Eloise shot him a defensive look. “It could have! He looked concerned enough—until the blood showed up.”
Felix leaned in, eyes sparkling with mischief. “You, My Lady, seducing a man?” His tone dripped with mockery, his grin widening. “Impossible. You are far too prim and proper for that.”
Lady Eloise’s eyes flashed with daring as she straightened her posture. “I could seduce a man if I so desired,” she said, her voice fierce.
Felix arched a brow, highly amused. “Oh, really? And how exactly would you go about it, then?”
“I have my ways,” she shot back, flustered but defiant.
Felix leaned against the railing, utterly enjoying himself now. He had forgotten how much fun it could be to actually converse with a woman from time to time.
“Go on, then. Tell me your grand plan. How will you seduce Lord Mortcombe—or anyone for that matter? Enlighten me.”
Lady Eloise bristled, clearly annoyed at his teasing. “It is not something I need to explain , Your Grace. I know how to charm someone.”
Felix gave a low chuckle, leaning closer as if they were conspiring over some great secret. “Prove it, then,” he whispered. “Prove you can seduce someone.”
Her cheeks reddened at the challenge but her response shocked him even more. “I do not need to prove anything. Tell you what. If you think you know everything, then you show me .”
Felix blinked, his amusement gone. “What?”
“How to seduce a man,” she said firmly though her voice wavered just slightly at the obvious absurdity of her own request.
Felix barked out a laugh, shaking his head. “Well, women are generally my area of interest.”
“Oh, you do know what I mean! Since you are so… experienced in that area, you would know best. Teach me.”
He gulped, considering it for a moment but then shook his head, “Absolutely not. You have lost your mind, My Lady. What would your brother say?”
“My brother is not here, and I am serious!” she insisted, stepping closer, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. “You have done this countless of times. You could teach me if you wanted.”
Felix, still shaking his head, leaned back against the balcony rail, folding his arms. “Your brother would have my head. There is no way I will do what you ask.”
Lady Eloise, knowing exactly how to provoke him, lifted her chin defiantly. “Then let us bet on it.”
Felix arched a brow. “A bet, you say?”
“Yes. You show me how to seduce Mortcombe, and I have one month to succeed,” she declared, her eyes gleaming with the challenge. “If I win, I will have secured my family’s future. If I lose…”
“If you lose?” he echoed. He could not resist the draw of a bet. He hadn’t realized that his best friend’s little sister had become so feisty, but he rather liked it.
“If I lose…” She paused, then said, “To make it more interesting, you must abstain from laying with anyone else for the duration of that month.”
Felix’s smile faltered, replaced by genuine shock. “Now I know you have lost your mind.”
Lady Eloise crossed her arms, lifting an eyebrow. “Are you afraid that you cannot do it, Your Grace? Or perhaps you just do not think you have anything of value to teach me?”
Felix’s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing as sparks of competition flickered in them. “I could teach a woman that in my sleep, My Lady,” he said, his tone low and daring. “But not you. Not the sister of my best friend.”
“I am not only my brother’s sister,” she said defiantly. “I am my own person with my own decisions and thoughts. I am a woman now.”
And what a woman you are.
“I know,” he frowned. “You know that is not what I meant.”
Lady Eloise stepped even closer, the night air swirling around them as she continued to pressure him. “So you are afraid!”
He exhaled slowly and let out a growling breath.
Can I really do this? Can I play this game with Jeremy’s sister?
His eyes swept over her body. She looked demure, as she should, but he could easily imagine her draped in silk and swaying her hips. He could imagine her leaning forward and whispering into his ear, her lips stained as red as the widow’s had been.
“You should know that I am afraid of nothing,” he replied, his voice husky.
“Not even of me?” she asked, taking a bold step closer to him. “Not even of abstaining for a whole month?”
Felix cleared his throat. Her heat and her scent, that of a fresh spring morning, enveloped him. He had to admit that it would indeed be a struggle to abstain for an entire month. After all, a man had needs. But he was not one to be beaten and certainly not by a woman such as Eloise.
“Of course not,” he replied, licking his lips as he looked down at her. “One month. You have one month to seduce Mortcombe, and I will not touch anyone for the same period.”
The challenge hung heavily between them, their faces mere inches apart. Felix’s eyes flashed down to her lips for the briefest moment as a thick and undeniable wave of heat passed between them. Gone was their playful banter, replaced with something far more dangerous.
Felix took a step forward, closing the distance between them, his voice low as he added, “Do not for one second think that I will make this easy for you.”
His breath caught, the tension sizzling between them like a fuse waiting to ignite. For a fleeting moment, Felix wondered what it would feel like if their lips touched. The image roused a fire inside of him that he never knew he possessed for her.
Eloise tore her gaze away before anything further could happen, breaking the spell. “I must return to the ball,” she said, her voice tight with restraint.
Felix, his hand reaching out almost instinctively, caught her by the wrist before she could leave. “Wait.”
His voice softened as he pulled her to him gently, reached into his coat pocket, and produced a handkerchief. Her chest heaved, her porcelain skin tantalizing him and stirring his desires.
He dabbed at the small cut on her cheek, his touch tender and caring. How desperately he wanted to grab her, to push her against the wall and take her. Eloise’s gentle whimpers as he dabbed at the cut did not help. A fire now burned brightly within him, but their wager prevented Felix from addressing it. He gritted his teeth in an effort to rein in his urges.
Felix lingered a second longer before stepping back, his hand falling to his side. “There,” he murmured, his voice rougher than before. “All better.”
Eloise swallowed hard in an obvious effort to pull herself out of her daze. “Thank you,” she whispered, stepping back.
With one last look, she turned around and left the balcony, leaving Felix behind in the moonless night.
I have no idea what just happened, but I know that I liked it…much more than I ought to.