Page 25 of The Gift of a Christmas Scandal

Chapter Twelve

As Selina dressed for the evening, her stomach was completely aflutter. All afternoon, she had tried to seem unconcerned about the Duke, yet she found herself watching him, as always. Just the thought of what they had done the previous night, and what she fully intended they would do this night, had been enough to leave her flushed all day, to the extent that her mother had enquired if she was sickening for something, her cheeks were so pink.

She ached for his touch – for his very specifically placed touch. And it seemed that he also struggled with remaining casual in her presence, for many times throughout the day, their eyes had met. Once, he had raised an enquiring eyebrow – she had smiled, and given the tiniest nod. He had returned the smile, before turning away. It had been enough to make her feel as if a fire had been started in her body. She had licked her lips, and gone to seek out a cooling drink.

And now, here she stood, in that scarlet gown.

It did suit her well. The black lace that edged the bodice also formed part of the sleeves, which were designed such that they barely clung to her shoulders, leaving a creamy expanse of décolletage exposed. The onyx and jet beaded necklace she wore had a trailing droplet, which fell towards the secret shadowed place where her breasts met. The lace at the hem was a pleasing contrast, and the whole made her golden hair seem to shine more brightly than normal.

She was pleased – and quite sure that the Duke would find it pleasing to the eye, for it clung to the curve of her body almost scandalously. Which thought brought to mind the memory of his hands tracing that curve of her hip, and lower. Tonight’s scandal could not come soon enough!

When she walked into the parlour before dinner, her eyes went to him immediately. He stood near the fire, and had just looked up from gazing into it. His eyes went wide when he saw her, and he stilled, completely, for a moment, almost as if he had ceased to breathe. Then, slowly, his face lit with that oh so dangerous sardonic smile, and he sketched the slightest bow in her direction. She inclined her head, and moved across the room to Mariel.

Between her breasts, tucked into the top of her stays, the carefully written note she had prepared moved against her skin as she walked, a continuous reminder of what she intended. She had a moment of doubt – what if he did not come to meet her? What if he had changed his mind? But no – his eyes had very much said that he had not. During dinner, she was, again, seated beside him, with Lady Phyllida on his other side. She took a rather inappropriate delight in watching Lady Phyllida’s annoyance with her presence.

And an even greater delight in ‘accidentally’ brushing against the Duke… Alex… at every chance she could manufacture. Not to mention the few times that she managed to surreptitiously trail her fingers across his thigh… and, once, a little further. The hard ridge of his desire told her just how aware of her he was. As did the tiny groan that her action drew from him, which he transformed into a cough.

Soon, the gentlemen called for port, and the ladies went to the parlour. Lady Phyllida gave Selina a positively venomous look, raised her nose in the air, and stalked out of the dining room. Selina was hard put not to laugh. It seemed that Lady Phyllida disapproved of her gown. Once in the parlour, she settled into the window seat with Mariel – they would not be there long, for the ballroom was to be opened in half an hour’s time. The sound of the orchestra hired for the occasion tuning up could be faintly heard, filtering through the house.

“You look beautiful, Selina. That colour suits you so well – far better than all of the pastels that we are told are more suitable for young ladies. But I can see a lot of disapproving sidelong looks from the older women present, and jealous looks from the younger ones. You have really decided to make this as dramatic as possible, haven’t you?”

“Well… I might as well make it memorable, in every way…”

Mariel gave a little snort of laughter.

“From what you have said, it would be memorable regardless…”

“Yes… you have the right of it there.”

“How will you get the note to him?”

“I haven’t quite worked that out yet… perhaps dancing…”

“Oh! That’s a good idea – you have the note with you now, then?” Selina made a small movement of her hand indicating the swell of her bosom, and Mariel’s eyes filled with mischievous amusement. “It will, then, carry the scent of your perfume… How clever of you.”

Selina blushed, thinking of his scent, thinking of the scent of her own arousal the previous night. She shivered, desire, and nervous fear mingling.

“I do wish that the men would hurry, and that we could go to the ballroom now. Just sitting here is making me nervous – so much could go wrong!”

“Selina, you must trust your planning. No matter what goes wrong, I am quite sure that we will be able to still… turn it to your purpose.”

Selina nodded, twisting her fingers together to release some of the nervous energy that filled her. At that moment, the door opened, and the gentlemen appeared. Selina sighed in relief as she and Mariel rose and moved forward into the room.

The Dowager Duchess stood, and spoke quietly.

“Gentlemen, if you would escort the ladies to the ballroom, I believe that the evening’s entertainment can begin.”

Men all over the room offered ladies their arms, and Selina had a moment of hope – quickly crushed when Lord Hockingmoor appeared at her side. Sighing, she allowed him to lead her from the room – at least she knew that, after tonight, she would not ever have to tolerate him again. If, of course, everything went as planned.

~~~~~

Alex’s nerves were wrought to a fever pitch. All day, in small ways, Selina had teased him – as, he had to admit, he had teased her. ‘Accidental’ brushes against each other had left him aching for her, and during dinner, her touch on his thigh and then on his aching manhood had left him barely capable of thought. Well, thought of anything but Selina, and touching her again, as he had the previous night – that and more.

She had not yet arranged for a note to arrive in his possession, but he had to assume that one would, that whatever she had thought to be a solution would provide the required scandal at the required moment. The thought of what ‘the required moment’ might involve was enough to drive him mad.

He had hoped to escort her into the ballroom, to take that small chance to whisper a question, to discover the plan, but Lady Phyllida had placed herself in his path, just as Hockingmoor had swept in to claim Selina. He had gritted his teeth, and accepted the need to placate Lady Phyllida. The thought that, after tonight, he would, hopefully, never have to do so again, made it more bearable. Obviously, he would have to ask Selina to dance… Then he might have the chance to speak with her, or to receive a note. And, if he could manage it, it would be a waltz – the chance to hold her in his arms was impossible to resist.

For a moment, as he watched her walking with Lord Hockingmoor, doubt assailed him – did she really wish this? What if she had changed her mind – what if there had been no note for that reason…? He shook the thought away.