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She looked toward the heavens as if invoking a greater power to help them. “This is a disaster, which is normally how my attempts at social events turn out. There must be a way for me to leave without being seen at all. That shouldn’t be hard since I am quite unnoticeable anyway.”
Grayson smiled softly. “I will not argue that point right now, but despite your thoughts about your anonymity, we were seen on the dance floor together. Who knows how many people watched us leave through the patio doors? If we don’t return soon, I am afraid the amount and type of gossip that follows will not be pleasant.”
Addie gave a quick nod of her head, her lips tightened with determination. “We shall leave through the garden. If anyone questions either of us after tonight, we merely say I took ill and you escorted me home.”
Grayson pinched the bridge of his nose. “Addie, the only way out of the garden is to climb over the fence.” He raised his brows. “Are you prepared to do that?” Meanwhile, his mind was in a whirl trying to think of a way out of this, but every idea led him right back to a quick betrothal and wedding.
What amused him more than anything was his almost delight at that result.
“I would happily crawl over the fence than walk through that room with my gown undone and we
aring your jacket.” Addie’s voice cracked and she had begun to shiver. He drew her into his arms, his heart twisting at her distress, but she was correct, things would not go well if they entered the ballroom together with Addie in such disarray.
The couple who had passed by the library door had moved on and the strains of a country dance floated from the ballroom. Addie looked up at him. “There is only one way. You must re-fasten my gown.”
Grayson’s jaw tightened. Women were indeed the strangest of creatures. Why she would allow herself to be dressed in something that did not fit unless she wore a contraption that left her unable to breathe was a mystery. “Absolutely not. You could not breathe,” Grayson growled.
“Breathing is overrated, my lord. I would rather be in a full swoon and carried out of the house like a sack of potatoes than be seen like this.”
He thought about it for a minute as he studied her worried countenance. To have Addie’s virtue called into question if she returned in a loosened gown after being gone for a noticeable amount of time with him, was not the best thing to do.
“All right. This is what we will do. I will re-fasten your stays and gown, but not as tight as your maid had it.”
“The gown won’t close otherwise,” Addie moaned.
Grayson was torn between howling in frustration and laughing uproariously at his predicament. All the years he’d played the rogue before he married Margaret had not taught him how to deal with this mess. He’d undone and done up numerous gowns very quickly in every sort of situation one could think of. Except this.
But it was up to him to get them out of the house without ruining Addie’s reputation. “Yes, the blasted gown will close. I assure you. Certainly well enough to get us out of the ballroom and back into my carriage. It is quite crowded and despite the hundreds of candles, the lighting is not bright. I will merely walk very close behind you so no one can see the back of your gown that well.”
Addie sighed. “That will appear quite strange, but I don’t see as we have any other choice. She slid his jacket off her shoulders and handed it to him. He shrugged into the garment and twirled his finger in the air to indicate she should turn around.
Touching her warm, soft skin did strange things to his lower parts. His cock immediately began to show interest in the proceedings and seemed prepared to come out and play.
He chastised himself for his salacious thoughts as he did his best to get the gown fastened enough for propriety’s sake, but with enough room for the poor woman to breathe.
He bent close to her ear as he worked the last fastener of the gown. “Promise me you will toss this garment into the trash the minute your maid removes it from you,”
Addie gasped and glanced over her shoulder. “I could never do that. Mother would be outraged!”
“The gown doesn’t fit,” he growled.
She sighed. “Mother always ordered my gowns too small, hoping by the time they were finished I would have lost enough inches to fit into it.”
He stared at her. “That’s absurd. Why would she think you need to lose inches?”
Addie opened her mouth to speak, then closed it, then opened it again. “Because I am not as slender as other girls.”
He shook his head in disgust. Here was a woman with a perfectly acceptable, curvy, lush body, and her mother wanted her to fit into something smaller. He would never understand women. “You are not as tall as some ladies, either. Does she have plans to stretch you on a rack?”
Despite the pained expression Addie had been wrestling with, she burst out laughing. Not one of those titters or giggles that other ladies were so fond of doing. An honest to goodness laugh. It made him laugh, and he pulled her in for another kiss.
“Here they are!” Lady Stratford, a very attractive and recently widowed lady, who had made suggestions to him earlier, walked into the library with Lady Stevenson and Lady Diana on her heels. The three women watched them, a growing expression of horror, mixed with delight, on their faces at catching them in the dark room in each other’s arms.
And they hadn’t yet seen the back of Addie’s gown.
Nothing to be done for it. Grayson placed his hand at Addie’s waist and pulled her close. He could feel her heart pounding against his side, and worried that she would now actually swoon.
Propping her up, he said, “Ladies, how very thoughtful of you to search for us. I’m afraid you’ve caught Miss Mallory and myself as we were celebrating. She has just made me the happiest of men and consented to be my wife. I hope you will wish us happy.”
