Authors: Gloria Harchar
"
I don
'
t know...
"
For a moment, the self-assured Charlotte seemed to falter, then stared at the huge chandelier hanging over the ballroom and said,
"
A strange dream overcame me one night.
"
"
A dream?
"
Nicola
asked, following Charlotte
'
s gaze. She froze.
"
Oh, my,
"
she whispered.
Malcolm
looked at the chandelier and, seeing nothing, wondered if there
was
something about
Nicola
that elicited strange phenomena.
"
Don
'
t tell me you are
both
delusional.
"
"
What?
"
Charlotte exclaimed, seeming to shake herself out of her reverie.
"
Oh, dear, I must have eaten something that has made me restless. In my sleep, someone sang odes to Lady
Nicola
'
s beauty and wit. Anyway, I awakened with the greatest urge to meet you, so I insisted that Clarence include you on the invitation. No offense, but upon reflection I wish I had dreamed
about Falcon, instead.
"
She gave
Malcolm
a look filled with appreciation.
Clarence ran a pudgy finger down her bare arm.
"
Bestow your charms up on me, Charlotte, my sweet, and don
'
t waste them on
Malcolm
. He is too besotted with his wife to appreciate you.
"
Malcolm
started. Was his preoccupation with
Nicola
so obvious? Bloody hell, he hoped not. He resisted frowning. Instead he nodded to Clarence, then turned to look at the opulent ballroom. Granger Estate, located just a few miles from London, was one of many obscure places at which the Duke entertained.
Although
Malcolm
tried to get
Nicola
out of his mind, her presence by his side caressed him. The scent of oranges drifted from her, tangy and sweet, sent freshness into his dank soul. As moodiness shifted over him, he
surveyed
the guests. He wanted these people to fear him. He needed to hide behind their fluttering hearts, because he didn
'
t want anyone to see his true character—that of a jealous younger brother who had coveted a title, and who feared hell. The sunshine that radiated from
Nicola
might reveal the hideousness of his
decayed
soul. Not only that, but he didn
'
t deserve friendships or camaraderie from anyone—not after what happened to his brother.
A statuesque woman appeared from the crowd. Lady Teresa, William
'
s widow,
Malcolm
realized. He had wondered if she was in town—had dreaded the meeting. The sight of her brought back all those agonizing days of watching William die, her accusations. Now, he waited for the prick of remorse to stab him, waited for the gut-wrenching agony that had ripped him apart those days when his brother lay in unnatural sleep, those three agonizing days before his father exiled him to India. The emotions never arose, buried too deep in the thick la
ye
rs of ice.
Teresa ignored him as she approached.
"
Excuse me, Your Grace. I couldn
'
t help but overhear. Is this the n
ew Countess of Falconwood?"
"
It is,
"
Malcolm
answered.
"
May I introduce my wife, Lady
Nicola
? This is Lady Teresa, Countess of Wendleton.
"
Malcolm
studied her, the woman who had swept his brother off his feet. After ten
ye
ars, she hadn
'
t changed. She was still beautiful, w
ith raven-black hair and white-
as-snow skin.
"
Is it true what I hear, that you are being so crude as to discuss business with the Duke?
"
Teresa threw him a mocking smile.
She was trying to embarrass him, put him in his place. She still held him responsible for William
'
s death. Which, of course, he was. Another cold la
ye
r of ice encased him.
Nicola
looked confused and stared at Teresa. Then she smiled.
"
You were married to my husband
'
s brother?
"
"
Ye
s, although I
'
ve been a widow much longer than I was a wife.
"
Teresa
'
s lips thinned and she glared at
Malcolm
.
"
Your plans backfired, did they not, when your father didn
'
t die as quickly as your brother?
"
He decided he was wrong. Teresa
had
changed. Small creases fanned out from her dark
eyes
, signifying aging and something else that made him uneasy.
Ye
ars of grief had etched lines around her mouth, her forehead. But he didn
'
t want to think how he had caused that
anguish
.
"
I heard that you remarried before you were out of mourning. Wakefield, wasn
'
t it? He died, too, within a two-
ye
ar period.
"
Jerking her head as if slapped, she stepped back. Relentlessly, he continued.
"
Then there was the Viscount Sagely, who also perished. Your husbands all die early deaths. No wonder you
'
re not married now.
"
Her e
ye
s darkened.
"
And what about you? Coward that you are, you merely waited like a vulture in India before your return to England to claim the title and the lands.
"
Nicola
, damn her goodness, stepped between them.
"
William
'
s death was a tragic accident that affected everyone—most of all the ones who loved him. And he was widely loved,
"
she stated firmly.
Teresa
'
s attention remained fixed on
Malcolm
.
"
Yes
, most loved him. But others were murderously jealous.
"
Malcolm
glared at her.
"
Haven
'
t you learned by now not to prod an animal? You might get bitten.
"
Teresa lifted her chin defiantly.
"
Taking William from me was the worst you could do. You can
'
t hurt me anymore.
"
"
Oh? I know what you do every Thursday night.
"
"
You... you
...?"
Oh
ye
s. He knew. When he
'
d first arrived from India, he
'
d had Gaspar follow her to discover her secrets because he knew she would be dangerous and hostile to him. Now, as he watched her turn as white as the plaster figurine of Venus behind her, he should have been pleased by his forethought. But all he could feel was a yawning emptiness.
Teresa gave a jerky nod.
"
I must check on my aunt. It was a pleasure meeting you,
"
she said to
Nicola
, then stared in horror at
Malcolm
before scurrying away.
Clarence whistled, then turned to
Nicola
.
"
See what I mean about your husband? What the devil do you know that has Lady Teresa scurrying away like that?
"
he asked
Malcolm
, lifting his shaggy brows.
"
Believe me, Your Grace, you don
'
t want to know.
"
Malcolm
gave the Duke a hollow smile.
"
Now, can we discuss the subject of changing the uniform of the King
'
s army?
"
He was aware of how
Nicola
hovered, her brow puckered in worry. Why would she be concerned? Did she think to protect him in some way?
He almost laughed,
but held the sound in check be
cause, with horror, he sensed it would come out as a sob. The wound of William
'
s death was reopened, and he suddenly feared that she could see. If she discerned the gangrene in his soul, she might try to heal it. And
there was no hope of doctoring
such festering gashes.
Clarence shook his head.
"
You are an eccentric man,
Malcolm
. I always knew that about you. Nobody comes to a ball to dicker for a contract.
"
Malcolm
forced his mind back to business.
"
And few invite a gentleman who is openly in trade.
"