A Loving Scoundrel (17 page)

D
ANNY SLEPT SO SOUNDLY
she was disoriented when she awoke and keenly disappointed. She assumed that she must have been dreaming that she was going to a ball. But then the knock came at the door and she opened her eyes to find she really was in Regina Eden’s house, really was going to a ball.

A bath was drawn for her after her nap, and then it was time to get ready. She was led to Regina’s room again and set before the vanity so this time she could watch Tess work her wonders with her hair. Regina was being dressed as well by another maid, yet all the while she was giving last-minute instructions that Danny barely heard, she was so fascinated by what was happening to her appearance.

Tess was using a jeweled tiara with a large amethyst at its center to tame her curls. With the tiara as a dividing point, the short curls left at her temples were twisted to look like ringlets, and the rest was combed in such a way that it resembled a short style many women had favored a few years back. Then in quick order, they were tossing petticoats over her head and draping her in the most exquisite ball gown.

The dress was basically a pale lavender silk. It had two layers of tulle lace ruffles toward the hem. To the second layer the maid had attached another border in white silk, over which violet lace was added. Once the same violet lace was added to the short puff sleeves, a narrow layer to the low, wide décolletage, and a half inch to the top edge of the long white gloves that she was also to wear, the entire effect was as if the ball gown had been created just so to begin with.

They had had to cut the shoulders, since the waist had been a bit high for Danny to begin with, Regina having a shorter torso than hers. But with the insertion of more white silk and violet lace that blended in with what had been added to the sleeves, it now fit her snugly about the waist as it should.

The entire ensemble was so fancy, Danny was reminded of the dream she’d had of the beautiful angelic woman. It had come true. For one night, she would be that incredibly beautiful woman. Danny simply couldn’t stop staring at herself. Regina had to literally drag her away from the mirror to go downstairs when they were done.

“Close your mouth, Jeremy, do,” Regina complained when they found Jeremy waiting in the foyer for them.

He didn’t, and he wouldn’t stop staring either. Danny started blushing. She had a feeling he hadn’t even heard his cousin’s admonishment. Deep down, though, she was so pleased she could barely contain it.

He looked splendid himself in his formal black togs. His coat was open, the frilly white cravat tied loosely, giving him a rakish look. His raven black hair had been combed back, but it wouldn’t stay. It fell over his temples and about his neck. His expression thrilled her.

He was shocked by her appearance, no doubt about it. She’d been shocked as well, so she understood why he could do nothing but stare.

Regina had to nudge Jeremy several times. When he finally paid attention to her, he dug in his feet and said adamantly, “She ain’t leaving this house looking like that.”

“And what’s wrong with the way she looks? I’ll have you know—”

“She’s too bloody beautiful and you know it, Reggie.”

She stared at him wide-eyed. “Well, that was the point, you daft boy.”

“Not even close. Didn’t expect her to look like this. She’ll cause a sensation the likes this town has never seen. She stays home, and that’s my last word on it.”

Regina tsked at him in annoyance.
“You
stay home.
She’s
going to the ball. Come to think of it, you don’t really need to be there to accomplish what we’re after. I can spread the word quite easily without your attendance. She has to be there, though. The rumor won’t fly without the proof staring them in the face.”

“You aren’t listening, Reggie.”

“No,
you
aren’t. This is quite out of your hands now. I’m going to save you despite yourself. Come along, Danny, and get in the coach.”

Jeremy followed them, of course. And continued his objections all the way to the Aitchisons’ home, which wasn’t all that far. The ball was taking place in one of the mansions near the first Malory house Danny had visited.

Regina had stopped listening to Jeremy as she was quite annoyed with him now. Danny did, too, for that matter. She was disappointed that he was making such a fuss and didn’t quite understand his reasoning. She was too pretty? Was going to cause a commotion because of it? She’d thought that had been the idea, to dispute the false rumors that Emily Bascomb was spreading.

Riding with Jeremy in a coach again also brought back memories of the night she’d met him. Jeremy must have guessed what she was thinking from her expression because he whispered to her, “Quite the change from the last time we rode together, eh? You’re rather good at bolting from coaches. Feel free to do so anytime now.”

She gave a soft snort at his suggestion. The man was determined to be in a rotten mood and predict dire consequences for tonight’s agenda.

But reminded of what they’d done that night, she whispered back, “D’you think he’ll be there?”

Without having to ask whom she meant, he said with a shrug, “Wouldn’t matter if he is. It’s his servant that would recognize us, not him.”

Regina stopped Jeremy once more, just before they entered the Aitchison mansion. With a finger poked in his chest, she snarled, “If you don’t stop with the doom and gloom, I’ll never speak to you again.”

“Do you promise?” he asked.

She ignored that and added, “And if you
are
going in there with us, then do your part and act appropriately smitten, or this entire farce will be pointless. Now get hold of yourself, Jeremy. The performance is about to begin.”

The moment was at hand and Danny was finally hit with a large dose of apprehension. Regina had drilled her with a long list of dos and don’ts while they were working on her gown. She was afraid she was going to forget every one of them now. And then she was simply struck dumb by the sight of a high-fashion ball in full swing. The lights, the colors, the most exquisite ball gowns twirling about the huge room. She’d never seen anything like it in her life.

Her mouth must have dropped open, because Jeremy hissed in her ear, “Stop looking like you’ve never seen anything like this. You are supposedly gentry tonight and accustomed to such entertainments.”

“Yes, but I ’ave”—she paused to cough, then continued—

“have
done very little socializing,
hav
ing only just finished my schooling.”

“Reggie feed you that line?”

She blushed. “Yes, and a lot more.”

“Why?” he groaned. “You aren’t supposed to be talking at all.”

Danny shrugged. “I suppose she figured I’d make a mistake or two.”

“Or three or four. This was
such
a bad idea. I’ve simply lost my mind, no other answer for my agreeing to this. And it’s your fault, you know.”

She swung around, wondering how the devil he could blame any of this on her. “How’s that, mate?”

“I want you so much, I simply can’t think at all clearly anymore.”

Danny’s mouth dropped open again, to the accompaniment of a vivid blush. Her knees had gone weak, giddiness swirled in her stomach, and an image of them twirling about the dance floor without a stitch of clothing on popped into her mind….

Why
did he have to say things like that, that got her all mushy inside? And now, of all times, when she was on display to half the ton?

Regina moved closer to whisper, “Don’t upset her now, Jeremy. Let her have her moment of glory. She’s quite brought the house down.”

Danny swung back around. Sure enough, the music was still playing, but the dancers had all halted, every single one of them staring her way. Her blush deepened. So did Jeremy’s groan.

“I warned you she’d cause a sensation,” he told his cousin in disapproval.

“And I’m pleased you were right. If you haven’t noticed, Emily
is
here, and at this precise moment she’s looking daggers at our Danny.”

“Our Danny? When did she get to be
our
Danny?”

“I take credit when it’s due.
You
might have found her, but
I
helped to make her shine, dear boy. Now stop looking like you’re annoyed with her. You’re supposed to be in love. Do your part. Or do I need to instruct you how it’s done?”

He rolled his eyes at her, but he did start grinning. And he warned Danny, “We’re about to be overwhelmed. Remember, no talking if you can help it. ‘Yes,’ ‘No,’ ‘Nice to meet you,’ ‘Goodbye.’ That should do you fine. Do a lot of head nodding, goes a long way in a conversation.”

He wasn’t joking about being overwhelmed. It had only taken two people whose curiosity simply wouldn’t allow them to wait before approaching them, then twenty more followed suit right behind them. Regina Eden proved once again how amazing she was. She fielded all the questions, made the statement about the lost voice and sore ankle as she’d planned to, and kept Danny from having to do any more than smile and extend her hand in greetings, at least for the most part. A few people were persistent and managed to get a word or two out of her, but it seemed more like a competition on their part, so they could tell their friends, “Well, she spoke to
me!”

She didn’t try to keep track of any of the names she was hearing in the introductions, didn’t expect to see any of these people ever again. She was playing the part of a young miss fresh out of the schoolroom who just happened to have caught Jeremy Malory’s eye and was making him seriously consider giving up his bachelorhood. She was Danielle Langton, with repeated mentions that she was distantly related to Kelsey’s family.

Of course
that
became a source of conversation as it was remembered that Kelsey came from The Tragedy. Apparently her mother had shot her father over his gambling debts, then killed herself, both being an accident. She hadn’t meant to shoot him or fall out the window afterward, but then that’s why it had been termed The Tragedy.

Nothing was stated as fact, but the ton ended up assuming Danny was a Langton from Kelsey’s side of the family, assuming she was engaged to Jeremy already, assuming she belonged among them. That several older gentlemen swore she looked familiar to them, Regina explained as a phenomena known as “if they hear it enough times, they believe it and begin to think they always knew it.”

Jeremy had also relaxed and stopped complaining, after watching how smoothly Regina handled all the questions. One handsome young man came back though and must have missed the part about the sore ankle. Danny had been introduced to him she was sure, but she couldn’t remember his name.

He flashed her an engaging grin. “I intend to shoot m’self if you won’t allow me the first dance, Lady Danielle.”

Jeremy didn’t give her a chance to reply to such an outlandish statement. “You won’t have to do that, Fawler,” he told the fellow. “I’ll be happy to oblige in that regard. She won’t be dancing with anyone but me. Now move along.”

The expression on Jeremy’s face was so unnerving, the fellow didn’t say another word; he simply backed off rather quickly.

Even after the last person moved on and she was finally standing there alone with Jeremy, the room was still buzzing about her. She’d played her part well, though, and was feeling mighty triumphant about it.

“Would you like to try dancing?” he asked her when they had a few minutes with no one else nearby.

“And muck up a good performance?”

“I didn’t spend an hour twirling you about Reggie’s parlor for you not to at least try it while you’re here. If you trip a time or two, your sore ankle will be blamed. You know there’s not much to it. You just need to follow my lead again.”

She did want to try. It looked like such fun. So she nodded and let him lead her out to the dance floor. And for a short while, she forgot about where she was and all the people watching her.

His grip was firm, his palm against hers warm, the skin slightly rough. Was the rest of his skin like that, too? she wondered. Her hands almost itched to find out. And that image was back in her mind, of the two of them twirling around the dance floor, her legs wrapped tightly around him, both of them naked, the music filling her, him filling her, oh, God…

“What’s wrong?” Jeremy questioned, hearing her gasp.

“Nothing,” Danny lied, and desperate to get her mind off lovemaking, she asked, “That chap wasn’t serious, was he, about shooting himself?”

“Course not. I’m sure he tells all the young misses that. Flattery of that degree is bound to work for him occasionally. I prefer to stick to the truth, so what I would have said would have been, if you don’t make love with me soon, I’m going to shoot m’self.”

She blinked at him, then burst out laughing. “You call that the truth?”

“Well, stretched a little, but the sentiment was apt. I
am
getting desperate, dear girl.”

She caught her breath. It was there in his eyes, not so much desperation, but passion hot enough to burn. She glanced away, was desperate herself to bank those fires of his before she succumbed to them.