AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘Good afternoon, Lady Amelia. I have no idea,’ Laura lied with a smile. ‘A pretty girl, is she not?’
‘That is Lord Wykeham’s bastard.’ The other girls gave shocked giggles at the word. ‘I think it is disgraceful that he brings her to a respectable house party like this.’
‘She is an innocent child.’ Laura kept her voice reasonable and pleasant as she held on to her temper with an effort. ‘You cannot visit her parents’ sins on her head.’
‘Perhaps you aren’t as worried about appearances as the rest of us,’ Lady Amelia said with a toss of blonde curls. ‘But those of us who are not still on the shelf have to maintain higher standards.’
The effort to remain pleasant was so difficult that Laura scarcely registered the insult. ‘Provided her father is not intending to create any more babies while he is here I really do not think we are in moral danger, any of us.’
‘Ooh!’ squeaked one of the young ladies. They were loving the frisson of scandal and her bold words, Laura could tell. Now they would giggle and whisper together and pretend a delicious alarm every time Avery hove into view.
Avery. In her shock at seeing Alice every other thought had fled. Now she realised that the only reason the child could be here was because Avery was, too. Why on earth hadn’t Lady Birtwell told her? And why hadn’t she had the sense to ask who the other guests were in the first place? Because I was so agitated about Avery and that encounter in the park, that’s why. I just wanted to run away and I have run right into the enemy’s lair.
‘Lady Laura?’
Laura blinked at the woman standing in front of her, hands neatly crossed over her lace-edged apron. It did not take the large bunch of keys hanging from a chatelaine to tell her this was the housekeeper, new since her last visit. Run away now while you still can. Turn and say it is a mistake, you aren’t staying…
‘May I show you to your room, my lady?’
Reality swept over her, stark enough to steady her reeling thoughts. She could not leave now—too many people had seen her and this flock of silly, gossip-mad girls would make a scandal broth of speculation if she fled moments after walking in through the door. Somehow she would have to find Avery and tell him what had happened, make him understand she had meant no harm.
‘Yes, of course. Thank you. Come along, Mab.’ Smile, walk, behave normally. See? No one has noticed anything is wrong.
*
The door had hardly shut behind the housekeeper before Mab burst out, ‘That was her! Miss Alice—so his lordship’s here, too. What are we going to do, my lady?’
‘It is all under control.’ Mab’s unexpected panic calmed her, gave her focus as she reassured her. ‘Alice will pretend she does not know me and I will seek a private interview with Lord Wykeham and explain.’ She had said nothing to her maid about that last, disastrous encounter and Avery’s threats. ‘Now, help me tidy up because I must go down to see Lady Birtwell, it is only courteous not to delay.’
‘What if he is down there?’
‘Lord Wykeham will not make a scene in front of everyone, Mab.’ At least, she hoped he would control his temper long enough for her to get him alone and explain.
*
Washed, tidied and outwardly composed, Laura made her way towards the head of the stairs. Someone moved in a cross corridor and she glanced along it to see a man close a door behind him and walk off towards the servants’ back stairs, a coat draped over his arm. She recognised him from Westerwood Manor: it was Darke, Avery’s valet.
Without giving herself time to lose her nerve, Laura turned into the passage. At the door she hesitated, hand on the knob, then the sound of voices from the direction of the stairs made up her mind for her. She could not be found standing alone on the corridor reserved for the bachelors outside a gentleman’s bedchamber door.
With a twist of the wrist the door was open and Laura was inside, as breathless as if she had run. She closed the door and leaned against it while she caught her breath.
Avery, in his shirtsleeves, was standing with his back to her, head bent over the sheaf of papers in his hand. ‘Yes, Darke?’ he said without turning.
‘It is not Darke,’ Laura said.
He went very still. As the moment dragged on Laura saw the broad shoulders, the silk of his waistcoat drawn tight across his back, the point where the ties drew it in at his slim waist, the tight buttocks and the long line of his thighs, all exposed without the tails of his coat. He was a magnificent male animal and, much as she hated him, she knew she wanted him, too. And that made her even more vulnerable.
Avery laid the papers down on the dresser with care, knocked the edges together and then, only then, turned to face her. Laura realised with a flash of insight that he had needed the time to get control of himself, but whether he was controlling anger or lust, she was not sure. Both, perhaps.
‘This is a surprise,’ he drawled. ‘Would you care to explain yourself or would you prefer to lock the door and undress first?’
‘Is it necessary to be so crude?’ she snapped. ‘Or so arrogant? Your bed is the last place I want to be. I had no idea you would be at this house party, so I came to explain before you saw me and did something rash.’
‘I do not do rash things, my dear.’
‘Oh, yes, you do. You steal other people’s children, you kiss women you hardly know, you abduct people in parks…’
‘I’ll give you the kisses,’ he said, a smile curving his mouth. It was not a reassuring sight. ‘Those were rash, I concede.’
