The Wolf's Pursuit (London Fairy Tales #3)(18)

If things were different. If she truly were looking for a husband, would she dare look in his direction?

"Lady Gwendolyn." Hunter turned around with every intention of giving her a curt bow and asking for a dance.

Good intentions died the minute he set eyes on her person.

"I thought I told you to change?"

"Yes, well, as you so lovingly pointed out, I'm hard of hearing. Besides, I still listened."

"Yes, if listening means going behind my back and doing something just as scandalous."

"It's a cape."

"It's red."

"My, my, my, what very big eyes you have to notice such a bright color, Wolf."

Hunter gripped her elbow and pulled her toward the dance floor, shouting to Montmouth, "Permission to waltz with the fair lady?"

"Absolutely not!" Montmouth ground out.

Dominique elbowed him. Montmouth cursed and finally gave a nod.

"Lovely." Hunter placed his hands on Gwendolyn's body, nearly swearing as he did so. "I have half a mind to punish you."

Gwen glared. "And I have half a mind to slap you across the face."

"Pray tell, what is stopping you?" Hunter crooned into her ear.

"I do not wish to touch you."

"Have you taken to lying now that you're a spy?"

Gwen tensed in his arms. "Are you that confident in your looks, your grace?"

"Not at all," Hunter answered honestly, pulling her closer than what was considered appropriate. "I was speaking of my skills in the bedroom, of course."

"I wouldn't know."

Hunter chuckled warmly, his lips nearly touching her ear. "Would you like to?"

Gwen jerked back, her face flushed. "You're making a fool of yourself."

"As are you." He assessed her coldly; she squirmed in his arms. "The way I see it, every person in this room is straining to hear our conversation. Alas, we are speaking in hushed tones, so they cannot know what we speak of. But care to guess what they do know?"

"Not really." She clenched her teeth. "But I'm sure you'll tell me anyway."

"Good girl." Hunter chuckled and pulled her body more tightly to his. "At this very moment, the ladies are commenting on your blush, the way it covers your cheeks and dips ever so naughtily down your neck into the deep canvas of your breasts." Hunter hoped what he was doing would work, because if it didn't, he was going to have to excuse himself and jump into the Thames in order to cool his arousal.

Gwen gasped.

"The men, however, are another matter entirely. You see, men notice the blush. That much is true. It tells them that against popular gossip, you are in fact quite innocent. And the way your eyes blaze tells them the rest."

"My eyes?"

"Yes."

The dance was nearing an end. Hunter guided their steps to where she would be most visible by the ton.

"I don't understand. What do my eyes have to do with anything?"

"They show your spirit. Your fire, but my dear, they speak one language I fear every man in this room is just begging to use with you."

She lifted an eyebrow.

He leaned in, gripping her body so she could not run off, and whispered into her ear. "Sex. You look like sex."

Gwen jerked away from him, nearly tumbling to her bottom, righted her skirts, and slapped him across the face.

People gasped.

Women began to gossip, and as expected, a few women, ones he was sure had just given the girl the cut direct not a week before, were huddling around her and telling her to stay away from his evils.

Hunter rubbed his cheek and walked by a few gentlemen.

One stopped him. "I say, what did you do to make the lady so offended?"

"The lady did not care for my advances," Hunter admitted, appearing to look quite put out as he shook his head and cursed. "I thought she was tainted, but it appears the joke has been on all us young men. To think, she wants to marry! And it has been proven, though you did not hear this from me, that the lady herself is untouched."

"Untouched," another man whispered.

And much like wildfire, or a storm, or perhaps a giant explosion taking place in the room, it was spread that Gwen was entering into the marriage mart, and she was completely pure.

Hunter walked off to a darkened corner and exhaled.

"Well done," Wilkins said behind him.

Hunter did not turn around. Instead he nodded his head just once and went in search of Gwen. By now she would be exhausted, and he needed to watch her every move. The game had been laid out, the pieces moved.





Chapter Five





Wolf—

The only thing you'll be eating is your words and perhaps any crumbs of humility I decide to throw your way! You are a deceitful, horrible person! If I find myself in your arms again before the week is out I will pull a pistol on your most useful and favorite anatomical part!

– Red





The man was either a genius or purely insane. Men came in throngs from the ballroom's distant corners, each of them expressing sudden interest in taking her for a ride in the park or asking her opinion about some new poetry written by Byron. Another asked her if she was free to marry as soon as the end of the week!