A Dash of Scandal(68)

Phillips left to prepare Millicent a cup of tea, and she took the time to remove her gloves and pelisse before going upstairs. It was then that she heard a light knock on the door. She glanced down the hallway, expecting the butler to come answer the door. When he didn’t immediately appear she realized the knock was really too soft for him to have heard it.

Thinking the viscountess must have thought of something else she wished to say, Millicent hurried back to the door and quietly opened it.

Her arm was grabbed and she was whisked outside into the darkness.





Fourteen




“He that wants money, means, and content, is without three good friends.” If that is true, it is to Lord Dugdale’s benefit that he still has Lord Dunraven and Lord Chatwin as good friends. From what this humble soul hears, money is one of the friends who left him.

—Lord Truefitt, Society’s Daily Column

“Shhh. Don’t scream. It’s me.” Chandler gently pulled Millicent out of the house. He left the heavy door slightly ajar so that it wouldn’t throw the latch inside.

It was good he spoke and let her know who he was because it was so dark she couldn’t see a thing. She allowed him to usher her to the far corner of the town house, which was hidden from view of the street by a tall shrub. It had rained most of the evening and the moon was completely covered by clouds, making the night pitch-black and heavy with gray mist.

Millicent leaned against the side of the wet house, her heart pounding with excitement and trepidation. Already the wet grass had soaked through her satin slippers, chilling her with dampness.

“Angels above, Lord Dunraven, what are you doing here, and at this time of night—I mean morning?”

“Shhh. Not so loud.” He moved in closer to her, and she could almost make out the features of his face, feel the warmth of his body. “I wanted to see you.”

She wished she could see his eyes, but it was just too dark and misty. “Then why, sir, in heaven’s name, did you not attend one of the parties tonight? You knew which I would be attending this evening.”

“I had other things I needed to do, but I realized I didn’t want the night to end without seeing you.”

“Phillips has only gone for tea. He’ll be right back. I must go inside.”

“I’ll only keep you a moment. I’ve been waiting more than an hour for your return. I was beginning to think I had missed you and that you had already come home. Is anyone else in the house awake other than the butler?”

“Of course, my au—” She stopped just before she said the word aunt. Heavens! He had her so surprised she almost forgot herself. “Never mind about that. And don’t you dare change the subject.”

“You can change the subject but I can’t?”

“Yes. I can’t believe you have once again endangered my reputation by sneaking around to see me. How many times must I insist that you—”

Suddenly he dipped his head and kissed the tip of her nose. Millicent was so shocked that she stopped midsentence. That simple show of affection took away her anger.

“It’s hard for me to believe I’m here, too,” Chandler said.

“Have you no care for my reputation?” she asked, trying to regain her exasperation.

“I’ve told you I do. And I mean that.”

“Do you want to get caught in a position like this with me and have to marry me?”

“No man wants to be forced into marriage.”

The firmness and quickness with which he answered didn’t go unnoticed by Millicent. “Then why must you constantly steal around to see me? We are going to get caught and either my character will be ruined for the rest of my life, or we will be obliged to marry by special license. What you are doing is madness.”

“I know. Have faith, Millicent. I told you we won’t be caught. You have to trust me.”

“How can I trust you? Every time I begin to convince myself that you are a gentleman, you do something crazy like this to prove that you are a rogue, a scoundrel, and a rake of the highest order. I’d be a silly fool to trust you.”

He moved his body closer to hers, pressing her against the wall. Her vision was adjusting to the black, misty night, and she could make out that he smiled at her.

“Yet, here you stand in the darkness with me while the household sleeps.” He stretched out his arms from his sides. “I’m not holding you. You are free to leave me and go inside.”