Behind the Rake's Wicked Wager(46)

‘I am afraid Mrs Wilby is not at home,’ offered the butler. ‘She left a message to say she is visiting Lady Gisburne today and after dinner they are going on to a concert at the Lower Rooms.’

Ignoring him, Susannah confronted Jasper.

‘Get out of my house. Immediately!’

‘Not until we have had this out. You have hurled every insult at me and I think you owe me the opportunity to reply!’

‘There is a note for you, madam,’ Gatley went on. ‘The maid found it beneath the hall table when she was cleaning this morning. I have put it on the mantelshelf in the morning room.’

She paid no heed to him but continued to glare at Jasper. It was like confronting a wild animal. If she took her eyes off him he would pounce.

‘Well?’ His own eyes narrowed, anger darkening them to slate-grey.

‘I have nothing to say to you,’ she threw at him.

‘But I have plenty to say to you.’ With a growl he caught her wrist and dragged her towards the nearest doorway.

Gatley dithered beside them.

‘Madam—’

The viscount turned upon him, saying imperiously, ‘We are not to be disturbed!’

He dragged Susannah into the morning room, closed the door and turned the key in the lock.





Chapter Seventeen

‘No, do not shut the door on us, Gatley,’ Mrs Logan called out to the butler as she trod up the steps to the house. ‘Mrs Coale and I have come to see if Miss Prentess has returned yet.’

He held the door wide to admit them and as Zelah followed Kate into the hall she cast another glance at the butler. He was definitely looking a little flustered.

‘Miss Prentess has come in, madam. She is in the morning room. With Lord Markham.’ He stood before them and if he had not been a most stately personage, Zelah would have sworn he was hopping from one foot to the other. He continued, as if the words were wrenched from him, ‘They have locked the door.’

Kate’s eyes widened and the look she cast at Zelah was positively triumphant.

‘Well, this is a most interesting development,’ she murmured.

Gatley cleared his throat. ‘I was wondering if I should call Lucas...’

‘No, no, if you will be advised by me you will leave well alone,’ said Zelah.

‘I agree,’ said Kate. ‘We will come back another time, will we not, Mrs Coale?’

Zelah was having difficulty concealing her smile.

‘We will indeed,’ she managed. They stepped out of the door and she paused as a final thought occurred to her. ‘And, Gatley, I suggest you fetch up a bottle or two of your finest claret. For a celebration.’

A rare gleam entered in the butler’s eye and a smile broke over his usually austere features.

‘I will indeed, madam!’

* * *

Susannah tore herself free, saying furiously, ‘You cannot give my staff orders!’

He stripped off his gloves and threw them on a side table.

‘You could have told him to throw me out.’

‘I should not need to. It should be perfectly clear to him that you are unwelcome in this house.’

The angry light faded and he grinned.

‘I doubt if your butler has ever been called upon to eject a peer before.’

She bit her lip, fighting back an answering smile. He was standing in front of the door so she could not escape, but she was not prepared to forgive him so easily.

‘Very well, my lord, say what you have to and be gone.’ Rather than look at him she removed her bonnet and cloak and set them carefully over a chair.

‘When I heard you had left town with Warwick I thought you were running away from me again.’

‘I never run away,’ she told him haughtily, then spoiled the effect by adding, ‘but it would be understandable if I should do so, after the way you have treated me. You tried to seduce me. You used me shamelessly.’

‘I did,’ he agreed. ‘And you gave me my own again for that, did you not, madam? Leaving me tied to the bedpost.’

She grew hot at the memory. Her cheeks burned.

‘I am not proud of my actions that night.’

‘You should be.’ He paused. ‘You are a woman to be reckoned with, Miss Prentess.’

Embarrassed by his praise she turned away.

‘Nonsense. I did what was necessary to protect myself.’ As she was doing now, closing her mind to the attraction she felt for him. After all, he would soon be gone and she would be alone again. She had a vision of the bleak, cold years stretching ahead of her and felt the sudden sting of tears.

Susannah rubbed her eyes. She felt incredibly despondent. If Jasper did not leave soon she knew she would begin to cry. She summoned up every ounce of energy to say angrily, ‘If that is all, perhaps you will go now, and leave me in peace.’

‘No, it is not all,’ he retorted. ‘You have thrown a great many accusations at my head, madam. I demand the right to defend myself.’ He walked to the window and stood looking out, his hands clasped behind his back. ‘You accused me of being a rake. I am not, madam. I admit I have indulged in many a flirtation, but the women have never been unwilling.’

‘Hah!’ She curled her lip. ‘Would they have been quite so willing if you had not had a title, and a fortune?’

‘I would like to think there is more to me than that, but you are right, Miss Prentess, I cannot be sure.’ He added quietly, ‘Since meeting you, madam, I am not sure of anything.’

She had to steel herself not to crumble at this sudden diffidence. To distract herself she went to the mantelpiece and picked up the note that was resting against the clock. She said, as her fingers broke the seal, ‘Your doubts will fade once you are gone from Bath.’

‘Oh, you may be sure I shall do my best to forget this,’ he retorted.

She paid no heed to his words, her attention given to the paper in her hands.

‘This is the note you sent me yesterday?’

He gave a quick look over his shoulder. ‘Yes, I—’

‘Oh, heavens.’ One hand crept to her cheek, she could feel the colour draining from her face. ‘You were

g-going to, to—’

‘Yes,’ he interrupted her. ‘I was going to offer for you.’

‘B-but why?’ She felt almost dizzy.

‘I have already told you, I love you.’

She lifted her hand.

‘No, no, that was an error. You don’t even like me.’

He laughed harshly.

‘You are quite right. You are the most maddening, exasperating woman I have ever encountered, but it has not stopped me falling in love with you.’

She could only stare at his back, groping for words that would not come. After an uncomfortable silence he continued.

‘Oh, pray, don’t be alarmed, madam. I may love you to distraction but after what has passed this morning I will not put you to the trouble of refusing me. You have made your sentiments perfectly clear.’

She shook her head.

‘No. You do not understand. I—I cannot allow you to be near me...’

‘I do understand,’ he said gently. ‘You honoured me with your confidences and they made me realise how repugnant my advances must have been to you.’

He still had his back to her, his gaze fixed on the view over Crescent Fields. Her heart was beating so hard it was difficult to speak, even to think, but she knew she had to try, and she must get it right, or she would never see him again.

‘N-not repugnant,’ she whispered, moving closer. ‘I cannot allow you to touch me because of what happens to me when you do.’ She reached out and put her hand on his shoulder. ‘I want you so much it terrifies me.’ He turned at that and with his eyes upon her it was twice as hard to go on, but continue she must. ‘I have never felt such an overwhelming desire for anyone, for anything in my life before. When you kiss me I am in danger of forgetting everything, my fear of men, of losing control, of falling in love...’ her voice faded until it was little more than a breath ‘...of you breaking my heart.’

He raked his fingers through his gleaming black hair, saying unsteadily, ‘Oh my dear, I swear I will never do that. But you have to trust me.’

‘I do, Jasper, I do trust you.’ She put her hand up and touched his cheek. ‘Do you see what this means, Jasper, do you know what I am asking? I want you to seduce me.’

Still he did not move. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she reached up and touched her lips against his. Immediately his arms came round her and with a sigh she leaned against him, twining her arms about his neck. Their kiss was long and languorous and incredibly gentle, but when at last he broke away she rested her head on his shoulder, aware that not one of her bones felt strong enough to support her.

‘Oh dear.’ She clung to him, murmuring the words into his neckcloth. ‘I do not think I can stand.’