How to Seduce a Scoundrel (5 page)

Just as Ramsey made the request, Hawk appeared at her side. “Julianne, I believe this is our dance,” he said.

Our dance
. She smiled at her friends and relinquished her fan to Georgette. As Hawk escorted her to the dance floor, she felt as if she were walking on air.

Hawk gritted his teeth as he led Julianne away. He’d wanted to smash his fist into Ramsey’s face after catching the scoundrel eyeing Julianne’s body.

He’d had no choice but to rescue her from the lecherous man. Ramsey was six and thirty, much too old for an innocent like Julianne. And Hawk knew too much about Ramsey’s bad character to let him near her.

As they stepped onto the wooden floor, the orchestra struck up the opening bars of a waltz. Julianne’s lips parted.

Hawk looked into her stunned blue eyes. “I suppose you’re familiar with the steps.”

She shook back her glossy curls. “I am.”

He lifted his brows. “And your brother approves?”

“He would not object to you waltzing with me.”

Hawk wasn’t entirely sure of that, but it was too late to back out now. He took her gloved hand and clasped her slender waist. When she just stood there, he murmured, “Put your other hand on my shoulder.”

She winced and complied.

“You’ve never waltzed,” he said.

“My brother is overly protective. It is ridiculous.”

The music started with a flourish. He kept the steps small for her sake and caught her watching her feet. “Look at me.”

She lifted her lashes and regarded him with a mischievous smile. “You are being conservative because you fear I will disgrace you.”

“Is that a dare?” Before she could answer, he whirled her round and round in dramatic circles.

A breathless laugh escaped her. “Oh, this is wonderful.”

He’d waltzed with more women than he could recall. All of them had told him he danced divine. Not one of them had ever expressed such sincere exuberance. But this was Julianne’s first waltz, and she would find it special, unlike the jaded women he ordinarily danced with.

Her flowery perfume drifted to him. He looked into her shining blue eyes and found himself hoping she would never succumb to the cynicism so common among the ton.

“A penny for your thoughts,” she said.

He let out a dramatic sigh. “I’m crushed you think my thoughts are so worthless.”

“Until you tell me, I cannot be certain,” she said.

Her naturally husky voice never failed to captivate him. “I might shock you.”

She gave him a saucy grin. “You may try.”

He enjoyed teasing her. “You would have to pay me a king’s ransom for my current thoughts.”

“How much is a king’s ransom?”

“A thousand pounds.”

“Oh, it must be very shocking indeed.”

“That is why I named such a high price.”
Because I dare not admit I find you utterly enchanting tonight.

Her eyes lit with mischief. “What if I call your bluff?”

“In that case, I had better quadruple the price.” Then he whirled her round and round again. When he neatly evaded a near collision with another couple, she laughed.

He winked at her. She’d always been a bit saucy, and naturally her family claimed he was a bad influence. But her sweet excitement over her first waltz tugged at him.

The couples whirling past blurred. Her blue eyes softened, and he found himself mesmerized by her long lashes. Gradually, her smile faded, and her lips parted a little. He became all too aware of the soft curve of her waist beneath his hand, and something inside his chest shifted.

As the music wound down, he slowed his steps until the very last note. His blood hummed in his ears. Unable to let her go just yet, he held on to her. He was dimly aware of others walking past. His heart knocked against his chest as he gazed at her lush mouth.

The air between them heated and crackled like the calm before a summer storm. A forbidden thought struck him like lightning.

I want you
.

An unnatural silence descended over the ballroom, alerting him. He glanced beyond Julianne to the mirror. In shock, he realized all the other couples had exited the dance floor. The back of his neck prickled as he turned his head. A huge crowd had gathered around. Everyone was staring at Julie-girl and him.

Wild applause broke out.

A Scoundrel’s Code of Conduct: To avoid the parson’s mousetrap, lie through your teeth.

I
n a daze, Hawk led Julianne off the dance floor. His heart still thumped hard. What the devil had happened?

He’d lost his head over Julie-girl.

The crowd pressed closer. Everyone spoke at once and at considerable volume as they squeezed past.

“Did you see the way he looked at her?”

“Dear God, I thought he would kiss her.”

“I almost melted into a puddle watching them.”

“Oh, my,” Julianne said, her voice breathless.

“Keep walking,” he muttered. Bloody, bloody hell. Half the damn ton had witnessed him clutching Julianne and gazing into her eyes like one of her many besotted beaux. Damn, damn, damn.

In all her innocence, she’d managed to bewitch him.
He’d fallen under a spell. That was the only explanation for his idiocy. No, it was worse. Far worse. Desire had flooded his veins—for his best friend’s sister. For God’s sake, he was her guardian. She was forbidden.

He glanced at her sideways. Her dreamy expression made him feel like a cad. Obviously, she was still caught up in the magical experience of her first waltz and probably didn’t realize the significance of what had happened.

If the damned scandal sheets hinted at an engagement, they would both find themselves in hot suds. How the devil would he ever explain it to Tristan?

Stupid, bloody fool.

He had to do something to turn the tide. When he spotted his aunt sitting by the wall, he knew he must leave Julianne with her. Then he’d make himself scarce in the card room and laugh off any gibes from the other gents.

Heads turned as he led her through the crowd. He gritted his teeth and did his best to ignore the stares.

He’d not gotten far when Amy Hardwick and Lady Georgette waylaid them. Their excited expressions spelled trouble.

“Everyone is talking about your waltz,” Georgette gushed.

“My heart nearly stopped when everyone applauded,” Amy said.

He considered leaving Julianne with her friends, but Ramsey cut a swath through the crowd.

“Ah, there you are, Lady Julianne,” Ramsey said. “I’ve come to claim the dance Hawk stole from me.”

Hawk stared daggers at him. “She does not wish to dance.”

Beside him, Julianne stiffened. Her friends watched with wide-eyed expressions. He didn’t care.

Ramsey frowned. “And who are you to answer for the lady?”

“Her guardian.”

Ramsey laughed. “Famous. The hawk is guarding the henhouse.”

Hawk gave him a freezing look. “You accuse me of having improper designs on the lady?”

Ramsey smirked.

Hawk narrowed his eyes. “Lest you or anyone else harbor the wrong idea, I will set the record straight. Lady Julianne is practically a sister to me.”

All around them, heads turned. Several gentlemen chuckled and regarded him with amusement.

Ramsey lifted his sandy brows. “Yet you object to her dancing with other gentlemen.”

“I object to
you
.” He’d heard another disgusting rumor recently that Ramsey and six of his dissipated friends had sneaked a prostitute into one of the private rooms at the club and taken turns with her. There was no way Hawk would let the vile fiend dance with Julianne.

Ramsey bowed. “Lady Julianne, I must withdraw my request. Your
guardian
objects.”

After Ramsey left, Hawk blew out his breath. As the tension slowly drained from his body, he realized Julianne’s fingers were trembling on his sleeve. With alarm, he saw her face had turned pale. “Julianne, are you unwell?”

Her lips parted, but she said nothing.

“I had better find you a chair. Can you walk?” Hawk asked.

Amy Hardwick took her arm. “We will escort her to the retiring room, my lord.”

He thought Julianne looked ready to faint. “She is ill. I’ll fetch my aunt and take Julianne home.”

“No.” Georgette glared at him. “We will take care of her. She is like a sister to us.”

Amy shook her head at Georgette. Then she addressed him. “My lord, we will send for your aunt if Julie does not recover quickly.”

As they retreated, Hawk frowned. Damn Ramsey for vexing Julianne. Obviously
he
had offended Georgette by refusing to allow her rakehell brother to dance with Julianne.
Too bloody bad.

Lady Julianne is practically a sister to me
.

In a cold daze, Julianne thrust the horrible thoughts from her mind and stumbled as she entered the lady’s retiring room. She could hardly recall walking there.

Amy steadied her. “Have a care.”

“There are no chairs available,” Georgette said. “She must rest.”

Julianne stared about the room, so numb she could barely feel her limbs. Three maids bustled around the women, repairing dangling curls and torn flounces. High-pitched giggling sounded from the window seat. None of it seemed real to her.

One of the maids finished tidying an elderly lady’s coiffure and turned her attention to Julianne. The maid’s eyes widened.

Georgette beckoned her. “Is there somewhere private we may sit?”

“Yes, my lady. Follow me.”

The maid found a candle and led the way. She opened a door to a bedchamber next to the retiring room. Julianne leaned on Amy’s arm as they followed the maid. While the maid lit a candle branch with the taper, Julianne sank onto a settee. She clutched her gloved hands in an effort to stop them from shaking.

Amy sat beside her. “All will be well,” she whispered.

No, it would not.

The maid dipped a curtsy and addressed Georgette. “Shall I get her something? Poor gel looks sickly.”

“Wine,” Georgette said. “For all of us.”

The maid nodded and left the room quietly.

After the door shut, Amy huffed. “Wine for all of us?”

“I need something to soothe my nerves, too.” Georgette sat on Julianne’s other side. “Dearest, tell us what we can do to help?”

Julianne covered her face. Despite her gloves, her fingers felt icy. The numbness started slipping away. Hawk’s words echoed in her ears again.
Lady Julianne is practically a sister to me
. Oh, God, he did not love her.

“It’s natural to cry,” Amy said.

“I cannot.” Julianne’s throat felt thick. “I don’t want him to see my splotchy face. Then he will know.”

Georgette chafed her arm. “How could he be such a brute?”

“Not now,” Amy hissed.

“Well, I am angry on her behalf,” Georgette said. “He treated her abominably.”

The threatening tears welled in Julianne’s eyes. She tried to hold them at bay, but it was no use. Her entire body shook as she wept.

Her friends remained silent until she’d spent her tears.
When Julianne shuddered, Amy gave her a handkerchief. “Lean on me,” she whispered.

Julianne rested against Amy’s thin shoulder and swiped at her damp cheeks.

“Georgette, there is a pitcher and bowl on the washstand,” Amy said. “Will you wet a cloth and bring it?”

“Of course.”

Julianne closed her eyes, but his words kept creeping into her thoughts. He didn’t even know he’d crushed her. She ought to be grateful, but pride wasn’t much of a salve for her wounded heart.

Water splashed into the china bowl. “I shall never understand men,” Georgette said. A clinking sounded, likely the pitcher. “He was so attentive on the dance floor, and then suddenly he insisted Julianne was a sister to him.”

Julianne started gulping air. She jerked upright. Panic clawed at her chest with every short breath.

“Slowly,” Amy said. “Take one breath at a time. I am right here beside you.”

Don’t think. Breathe. Don’t think. Breathe
.

Georgette’s skirts swished as she approached. “Amy, I’m frightened. She is gasping for air.”

“Julie, focus on one breath. Just one,” Amy said.

Julianne yanked at the gold chain holding the locket. She had to get it off. Now.

“Hold still,” Amy said. “Georgette help me.”

Georgette knelt and took Julianne’s hands. “Be still so Amy can unclasp the necklace.”

As Amy fumbled at her neck, Julianne bent her head. When the locket fell onto her lap, Georgette scooped it up. “Amy, put it in your reticule for safekeeping.”

She never should have worn it. Never should have shown him.