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Her loveliness was heart jerking. She had tested the mettle of his control and he had failed. An unusual occurrence as he had never before been so consumed by passion. She had tasted delectable, her flavor one of pure addictive temptation that had tempted him to sink his cock into a woman he had never seen. Madness. Utter reckless madness.
What had possessed him? The only thing he was sure of was that a prayer, even when muttered hastily, on occasion seemed to work. He had braced himself to enter the dreaded marriage mart, after surmising Lady Evelyn would reject his offer. And now a young lady was fortuitously dropped into his lap…into his bed.
He would need to be swift and decisive in order to stem the tide of scandal that would surely follow. She was irrefutably ruined. Edmond had become accustomed to the worst that Society could offer in regards to malicious gossiping. This young lady would be destroyed in the most absolute sense. Honor demanded that he wed her, yet he hesitated. She had roused his body before he’d even seen her, and now looking at her dark exotic beauty, the craving only stirred with more turbulence. The last thing he wanted was a wife he would desire, after all, intimacy between a man and woman always led to greater sentiment, and to love was surely the path to irrevocable heartache. Bloody hell.
What the hell was he to do? With the scandal that had embraced him following his wife’s death, he could walk away unchallenged from the gossip, but it would be unconscionable to leave this young lady to the vultures. Edmond would crush any man who would even think to treat his daughters with such callous disregard. Yet he could not take a woman like her to be his wife. Even now, with an audience, he was in the shadows fighting the lust pounding through his veins, and fervently willing his damn cock to subside. “Everyone out,” he said, rousing from the bed.
Lady Gladstone swayed and recognition dawned on her face. “I…I… Wolverton?”
Before he could confirm his identity the countess’s rounded eyes slashed to the frozen young lady and a sneer curled the countess’s lips.
“How could you, Miss Adeline? I will see you ruined for this.”
Adeline…beautiful, an inane thought to have at this very moment, but he thought her name as comely as her face and figure.
The young girl jerked to her feet. “Lady Gladstone, I entered the wrong room. I never intended—”
“You knew full well whose chamber you were crawling into, you wanton tramp!”
Lady Marriot gasped and Miss Adeline sucked in a harsh breath. Red bloomed on her cheeks, and he detected the slight tremble of her frame.
The countess, righteous in her fury, marched farther into the chamber toward the young lady. “I will see that your family is not welcomed in any drawing room in all of London. How dare you come into my home and—”
“You forget yourself, madam, and you will hold your tongue,” Edmond said with icy disdain, sudden fury pounding through his veins at the uncalled for attack. It was evident to all Miss Adeline was already mortified. What did the countess hope to gain from besmirching her further?
His hostess flushed and tried to stammer an apology, which he waved off, impatient to be alone so he could dress and deal with the matter before it turned into a circus. “I would be obliged if everyone departed. I will be out shortly,” he said in a far milder tone.
“Miss Adeline is my fiancée, and I demand satisfaction for the insult,” Lord Vale hissed coldly. “I demand your full name so I may have my seconds call on you. This is a matter of honor.”
Edmond did not even acknowledge Vale’s asinine demand for a duel. From what Edmond knew of the earl’s character, he wouldn’t know honor if it strolled up to him and bit him on the ass.
A visible shiver went through Miss Adeline. “I am not his affianced lady.”
The earl glowered and she straightened her spine, looking past him. The spark of fire intrigued Edmond and he suppressed the flare of interest. He should not care to know why she had recklessly thought to compromise someone, and why she was not twittering with excitement at the hope of being Lord Vale’s countess.
Voices rose from in the hallway and footsteps moved closer. The vultures were already swarming. “Close the door,” he ordered flatly. Things were already beyond the pale.
Lord Gladstone flushed and complied. “Wolverton, this is insupportable,” he growled.
As if he were just hearing Edmond’s title, Lord Vale stiffened and he peered closer into the dark. Edmond did not move from his shadowy corner. He was naked. The gossip would turn into something much harsher and vindictive if they were to realize his state. “I urge everyone to depart my chamber. I would caution silence.”
Immediately the young lady took a step toward the door.
“We must repair this damage. Whatever happened must never leave this room,” young viscount Ravenswood said with a heavy sigh.
“I agree,” Lady Gladstone said, pressing a palm to her stomach.
“Surely you do not believe such a thing possible,” Lady Marriot interjected, looking too pleased. There was no doubt she was eager to depart and provide fodder for the throng. “All of society is in the hall, and they will not depart until they see who has left the chamber.”
Miss Adeline’s throat worked as she attempted to swallow. Eyes glistening with tears scanned the room, not fully settling on anyone.
The countess inhaled. “What are we to do?”
Edmond stifled a curse. “Gladstone, I will meet you in your office shortly. I will also speak with Miss Adeline’s parents if they are here. It may not have any weight, but I would like to at least assure them their daughter’s virtue is intact. You entered this chamber quite shortly after her.”
The silence was heavy. Several eyes settled on the young lady, noting her apparel, her bare toes peeking from the hem of her night rail, and the tumbled mass of beautiful silken hair. It did not escape Edmond that Ravenswood, Gladstone, and Lord Vale narrowed in on her obviously swollen and thoroughly ravished lips.
Hell. Edmond could walk away and remained unscathed. Society was ridiculous enough where all blame for this mishap would be placed wholly at her feet. He noted the pained awareness glimmering in her eyes, a quiet desperation that hinted at her position in society.
