Chapter 48
Tremaine townhouse
Cavendish Square
Two nights later Cam and Graham attended one of the premier balls of the Season given by Lord and Lady Tremaine in their opulent mansion on Cavendish Square.
When they were greeted enthusiastically by the high and mighty of London Society, Cam realized how very different life would be now she was married, and not just married to anyone, but to the heir of an old, important and very rich earldom.
The fact that Graham Hepburn also looked like a young god was an added bonus.
Cam had slipped her glasses into her small velvet reticule, joined the receiving line, and received congratulations from her host and hostess.
When she and Graham stepped into the grand ballroom, the three hundred guests slowly fell silent when the Tremaine butler introduced their party in a wonderful deep baritone that very likely reached the ladies’ withdrawing room.
Her dashing father stood on her left, Eliza and Winstead just behind.
It was the first time Cam realized she now had precedence over her older sister, and always would since she would be a countess someday.
Cam didn’t lord it over her sister, but she was smiling inside.
Graham leaned down, but not very far, and said close to her ear with its sparkling diamond earring, “Put on your glasses so you can see how everyone is staring at you, my beautiful wife, resplendent in the green gown I selected for her.” He paused, grinned down at her.
“Not to put too fine a point on it, actually Ryder selected it since he has amazing taste. He does, however, believe I will perhaps reach his level if I am assiduous in my practice.”
Cam hesitated so Graham took her reticule, lifted out her glasses and set them on her nose, carefully hooked them behind her ears. “There, now you look perfect.” He paused. “I shall ask my father if there are St. Lucy jewels for you to wear.”
“Your father is still in something of a state of shock since his son is married, so let’s wait until the queen invites us to dine at Buckingham Palace.
” She gave him a mad grin then blinked up at him.
“Ah, this is splendid. Now I can see.” She adjusted her glasses and looked out over the throng of beautiful gowned ladies, the men in their stark black with shirts so white they were nearly blinding.
She didn’t realize many were studying her, didn’t realize her nervous stillness was taken by all to be a sign of proper arrogance.
Graham leaned down, whispered against her ear, “They are all here to pay you homage. Do not forget that. Ah, Cam, should I tell you what we will do when we are finally back to your father’s house, in our bedchamber?
Should I whisper to you how I plan to lower your lovely gown, lick your beautiful white shoulders?
And then slowly, very slowly, lick and kiss down your beautiful self all the way to your toes? ”
She gulped, couldn’t help staring into his eyes, so filled with wickedness and promise, she gulped again.
And she was no longer nervous. Her chin went up, her beautiful white shoulders straightened.
It didn’t matter she was wearing her glasses.
She was no longer a young girl at the mercy of her older sister and that witch Averil.
Now, she was quite ready to take on the world.
She saw her father had blended in with a group of his friends, she heard him laugh at something a gentleman said.
Lady Tremaine, mother of three healthy boys, her hair so blond it appeared nearly white, appeared at their side.
Lady Tremaine followed Cam’s eyes and said, “Poor sweet man, how my husband and I have always admired him, counted him a good friend, and now, to be saddled with a mad wife, such a dreadful thing to have happen. A pity her madness wasn’t recognized before he married her.
Everyone feels deeply for him. Everyone believes it proper that dear Averil is where she should be, with her family and kept safe.
” Was that a bit of malice Cam heard in Lady Tremaine’s voice?
“I imagine both you and your sister were saddened at this tragic turn of events as well, ah, but life, it sometimes gives us sorrow, sometimes joy.”
Cam nodded solemnly, said nothing at all.
She towered over Lady Tremaine, who was as short as Queen Victoria.
It was fortunate all three sons had their father’s excellent height.
Lady Tremaine was near fifty, but she didn’t look it.
Her incredible white-blond hair was twisted about at the back of her head and curls fell alongside her face.
Her eyes were a lovely green-blue, and kind.
As for her jewels—diamonds at her throat, ears, wrists sparkled under the soft candle chandeliers.
Lady Tremaine studied Cam a moment. “My dear, I first saw you when you were perhaps ten years old. You were clutching your maid’s hand, your hair in thick braids down your back, glasses on your small nose.
I remember you were laughing, nearly dancing with excitement when you saw a swan on the Serpentine.
I knew looking at you that you would become quite beautiful.
And do you know what I realize now? Your glasses with the stark black frames give you a wonderful distinction.
” She looked over at Graham. “As for your husband, well, I don’t wish to be indelicate but let me say I cannot wait to see your children. ” And she trilled out a charming laugh.
She heard Graham thank Lady Tremaine, saying he only hoped their children would have his wife’s face and his excellent eyesight, which made her laugh more, and caress his arm.
“My dears, allow me to introduce you to my friends. Ah, Lord Graham, my son Elias very much wants to meet you. And here he is, nearly crowding me away.” Graham laughed, squeezed Cam’s hand and joined a group of young men.
Cam greeted guests she’d met before, of course, but now they treated her differently.
She was no longer a girl with a nice dowry whose father would ensure she wasn’t nabbed by a fortune hunter.
No, she was a future countess, not only a countess, but an important countess, a very rich countess. She was now Somebody.
As for Graham, his story had been the topic throughout Society for several weeks. He was soon surrounded by both men and women, the women to flirt, many of the men to discuss investing in his train projects. He was a man of the future. He was a man who would change the future.
When the first waltz filled the ballroom from the orchestra on a dais at the far end, Cam watched Graham weave his way in and out of the guests, not pausing, until he was with her.
“Come,” he said, took her in his arms. “Have no concerns about my stepping on your toes, my aunt Sophie taught me to waltz two years ago when I confessed I didn’t know how.
She worked me like a horse until finally she patted my cheek and said I was now proficient enough to dance with our new little queen.
” To prove it, Graham twirled her in a lovely circle.
Cam felt like she was floating, round and round they went, guests stepping aside to watch them.
She laughed and glided and swayed and once he even lifted her off her feet to swing her around.
When he slowed, laughing with her, Cam panting, she gave him a blazing smile.
“That was splendid. Goodness, Graham, let me catch my breath and let’s do it again.
Mr. Petty taught me to waltz. He said I was as graceful as a swan’s neck.
He should have waltzed with you, he would have swooned. It was a pity he had such wet hands.”
“Wet hands? I shall keep on my gloves, just in case.”
Cam danced with a half dozen other gentlemen, Graham with an equal number of ladies, but when a waltz was played, they were again the focus, so smooth and elegant they were.
Cam couldn’t remember ever being happier than she was at this moment—sparkling candlelight, a room full of beautiful people, laughing, dancing, her wedding night, and that was a night she would remember when she was departing this earth.
She saw Eliza waltzing with Winstead, saw her laugh at something he said, really a delightful laugh.
She wished she could say something to make her sister laugh.
Then again, at this perfect moment in time, she didn’t care.
They didn’t arrive back at Ormond Square until two o’clock in the morning.
Six minutes later Graham was kissing her neck, her shoulders, her breasts, and she was clutching him to her, moaning, biting his ear, her hands rubbing up and down his back, and lower.
His touch, his mouth, were amazing and all the while he whispered wicked things to her, many of them she still didn’t understand, but it didn’t matter.
She knew she would understand everything by Christmas, and what a glorious thought that was.
Wait, she was being shortsighted. She just might understand everything by next week.