Scandal of the Season (18 page)

“I don’t know how to dance the minuet either,” she finally admitted. “I have never danced in public.”

Hannah gave her a look that reminded Victoria of her own mother. “Anne, will you please tell me what is really going on?”

Victoria wanted to cry out that she wasn’t Anne any longer. But deep inside her, she would always be the pickpocket. “I am not the daughter of a country squire.”

“Are you Somerton’s mistress?”

After last night, she assumed she was his mistress, at least for the rest of the week. “Yes,” she admitted.

“Why the lie, especially to me?”

“Somerton didn’t want anyone to know that I was not as educated as most of the women he associates with. He thought it best to make up an identity for me.”

Hannah shook her head. “It makes no sense coming from him. He, of all people, knows my background. He should have known that I would have accepted you no matter how you were raised. Unless…” Her voice trailed off and a faraway looked entered her eyes.

“Unless what?”

Hannah smiled. “Unless he made up the story to make you more acceptable to others in the
ton
. Widows are always taking lovers so for you to be with him is not the most scandalous of stories.”

Victoria furrowed her brow. “I don’t understand. Why would that matter to him?”

Hannah clasped Victoria’s hands with hers. “Don’t you understand? It means he intends to bring you to London and introduce you to Society. It means he will most likely ask for your hand!”

Hearing the excitement in Hannah’s voice, Victoria wished she could feel the same enthusiasm. But she knew better. Somerton had not invented the story to introduce her to Society in town. Nor did he want to marry her. She was just his pretend, now real, mistress for the week.

Remembering Lord Ancroft’s words about how Somerton did not keep mistresses, she knew once the week was over, so was their time together. A short-term mistress was all she would be to him.

And she would never be anything more.

After Hannah left the music room, Victoria wandered over to the window. It hadn’t snowed in a day and now small patches of grass had started to show through the snow. She rested her forehead on the cold window as a shiver ran through her body. She missed her small house and the children.

But she also knew that once she returned to London, she would miss Somerton even more.

Anthony walked to the entranceway and almost laughed. Ten gentlemen attempting to bring a large fir tree into the house was almost comical. They finally pushed the tree through the door and stopped. He moved out of their way so they could maneuver the thing down to the ballroom.

“Is this not the most ridiculous thing you have ever seen?” Hannah asked him as she reached his position at the threshold of the salon.

“It is entertaining to watch.”

“My husband is a madman. Why he insists on this foolish notion is beyond me. Last year the tree sat on the table. That was perfectly acceptable. But this monstrosity will overtake the room.”

“He loves you,” Anthony said feeling a quick stab of envy. He brushed aside the emotion. He didn’t want love, only respectability again. “He only wants to make you happy and proud.”

Hannah smiled and gave her husband a loving look. “That he does. Perhaps someday I shall be able to repay his generosity.”

“I doubt he expects anything but your love in return.”

Before Hannah turned her head away from him, he noticed the look of pain in her eyes. He wondered at her reaction. Maybe Hannah and Farleigh were not as in love as they appeared to be.

Love did not matter. It only caused heartache for one of the people involved. Love didn’t help his mother when Father was having multiple affairs and even a child with another woman. Love was for fools and Anthony wasn’t a fool.

He watched Victoria walking down the corridor. His heartbeat increased as she came closer. Maybe he was just a bit of a fool.

“Might I speak with you alone?”

Hearing the staid tone of her voice, he wondered if something was wrong. So much for the afternoon he had planned. A leisurely lovemaking and bath together. “Go to our room. I shall join you in a minute.”

He watched her slim hips sway under the brown wool of her skirts.

“Did you say anything to her after I left?” he asked Hannah.

A slight blush darkened her cheeks. She quickly related the conversation in the music room.

“Damn,” he muttered. “Now she is probably angry with me for letting you know about her dancing.”

Hannah frowned at him. “She didn’t seem angry. A little embarrassed but not mad.”

“Well, she isn’t about to take her anger out on you. She will reserve that honor for me.”

“Good luck, then,” Hannah said and then moved away.

With a sigh, Anthony walked up the steps to their room. Opening the door, he found Victoria staring out the window of the small salon.

“What is wrong, Victoria?”

She bit down on her lower lip. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“What exactly are you thanking me for?”

She glanced down at the floor. “Teaching me to dance. You didn’t have to do it. But it was a very kind thing—”

“I did not do it out of the kindness of my heart.” Anthony wasn’t even sure he had one. “You should know me better by now.”

“Perhaps you didn’t, but it was a thoughtful thing to do anyway.”

“Maybe I had an ulterior motive,” he suggested with a slight smile.

She looked up at him and returned the smile. “Oh?”

He stepped closer to her until he was only inches away from her. “You might want to thank me properly.”

Closing the distance between them, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Exactly how would I do that?” she whispered in his ear.

“Kissing me would be a perfect start.” He waited to see if she would do as he suggested.

She gave him a sensual smile that almost made him forget about letting her control this situation. Her head tilted and moved nearer as her eyes closed. Tentatively, her lips touched his as if unsure how to proceed.

He resisted the urge to pull her closer, wanting her to learn that she could take the reins in lovemaking. Feeling her tongue touch his lips, he opened for her, deepening the kiss as his desire burned. She moaned softly when their tongues met.

He sensed the minute her shyness disappeared. She pressed herself closer to him, rubbing her hips against his hard cock. Moving her hands to his cravat, she untied it quickly. As his control slipped, he pulled off his jacket and waistcoat, eager to feel her naked skin on his.

He unfastened the buttons on her dress and slid it down to the floor. He made quick work of her undergarments as she tugged at his linen shirt. She pulled away slightly as she pushed his trousers down over his hips.

“Shouldn’t we move to the bed?” she asked.

“No. I want you right here on the floor by the fireplace.”

She frowned slightly, staring down at the carpet. “Won’t that be uncomfortable?”

“Don’t worry, I will be on the floor and you shall be on top of me.” He pulled her back to him and kissed her again.

Victoria returned his kiss. He wanted her on top of him? A rush of excitement flowed through her veins. He moved his lips down her throat until he reached her nipple. As he drew it into the hot recesses of his mouth, she gasped. She grabbed his shoulders for support.

He dropped to his knees and kissed his way down her belly as his fingers slid between her folds. His lips quickly replaced his fingers. As his tongue slid across her nub, she thought her legs would give out on her. With nothing to reach for support, she tried to keep herself standing. Passion built to a steady crescendo and as his finger entered her, she let the climax wash over her until she collapsed against him.

With a laugh, he brought her down on top of him. She straddled his hips and sat up on him. Trailing her nails down his chest, she smiled at his little hiss.

“Now what?”

His smile set her heart pounding. “Do whatever you like.”

“Oh, I like this,” she said, bending over to swipe her tongue across his nipple.

“What else do you like?”

“There is just so much to like.” She kissed her way across his chest and down his muscled stomach. Reaching his shaft, she wrapped her hand around it and slid her hand down. “Do you like that?”

He groaned in reply.

“What about this?” Gently, she circled the top of his cock with her tongue.

“Far too much,” he whispered, clutching her hair.

“Then you must like this.” She brought him fully into her mouth.

He bucked under her as he groaned. The sensual feel of him in her mouth made her moan. She felt powerful and in control as she slid him in and out.

Suddenly he dragged her back up on top of him. His eyes were almost completely green and filled with a burning desire.

“Ride me, Victoria.” When she didn’t reply or move, he added, “Slide me inside you and it’s just like riding a horse.”

Feeling his hardness at her opening, she glided down on him then stopped. With him fully inside her, she smiled down at him.

“I have never ridden a horse before.”

He groaned and lifted her hips, showing her what she instinctively knew. She removed his hands from her hips and brought them to his sides. She wanted to be in control this time. She wanted to drive him mad with longing until he reached his peak.

Anthony watched her face as she rode him hard. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d enjoyed making love with a woman as much as he did with her. She was sensual, playful, and definitely not shy. He wanted this to last for hours but the pull of desire was sending him quickly higher.

Her breathing became fast and shallow as she moaned in pleasure. He couldn’t let go yet. He wanted to watch her face when she came, see the passion.

“Somerton,” she moaned as she increased her tempo.

Watching her eyes close and her mouth open as she tightened around him did him in. He brought her hips down so he filled her completely and let go to the passion riding him. He couldn’t ever remember feeling like this with a woman. Sex had always been just a physical release for him. He’d never wanted more.

He still didn’t want more. But with Victoria, something was different.

And he wasn’t certain he liked the feeling.

Victoria finally returned to the reality that she was lying on top of Somerton’s hard body. His fingers splayed her hair across her back. Under her ear, she could hear the sound of his steady heartbeat. She didn’t want to move. She didn’t want this moment to end.

“If we don’t get moving soon, we shall miss the luncheon,” he said in a soft tone.

“Must we?”

“Hmm, I am afraid we must. I have a job to do.”

She lifted her head and stared down at him with a smile. “Have I been distracting you today?”

He brought her lips down to his and kissed her tenderly. “Every day,” he muttered.

“All right,” she mumbled, crawling off him. “Do I have time for a bath?”

He glanced up at the clock on the small table. “No,” he replied with a laugh. “And if we don’t hurry, everyone will wonder why we were so late.”

Victoria glanced around and noticed the time. With a gasp, she gathered her clothing and ran for the linen press. “I can’t believe what time it is!”

Somerton followed behind her, dumped his clothes on a chair and poured water into a basin. As she pulled out her undergarments, he brought a cool cloth to her neck. She stilled as he moved the cloth down her chest, under her breasts and arms and lower to her folds. After washing her, he did the same to his body. As much as she wanted to wash him, she had to get dressed.

She pulled on her undergarments and then turned to him. “Will you please lace my stays?”

“Of course, my lady,” he said, then nipped her shoulder.

She giggled. Once her stays were tied, she slipped the gown over her body.

“That is a perfect color on you,” he said, staring at her pale blue silk gown.

“Thank you.” She watched as he changed into his clothing for the afternoon. The urge to forget the luncheon overcame her as he pulled the linen shirt over his hard chest. She wanted to run her fingers through the smattering of fine hair covering his nipples.

“If you keep looking at me like that we will not make the luncheon,” he said. “And as much as I would love to miss it, I believe Hardy would be suspicious if we both were gone.”

She blinked as heat crossed her cheeks. She’d never been one to gawk at a man before, but with him, she could not seem to help herself. “I agree. We need to be at the luncheon.”

She looked away from the temptation. “Does that mean you agree that we should continue our charade?”

“Yes. We shall attempt to make Hardy believe we are unhappy with each other.”

“Very well.”

When he finished dressing, they walked down to the dining room together. They entered the room to find Hardy staring at them from across the room.

“Someone does not look happy to see us together,” Somerton whispered.

“No, he does not.” Victoria glanced at the table to find her seat. Seeing her place card, she said, “He most likely won’t be pleased with the seating arrangements either.”

“And yet, you do not seem terribly distressed to be sitting near me again.”

“Perhaps I should ignore you.”

After taking their seats, Victoria did her best to pay no attention to the man next to her. But every intake of breath brought the redolence of sandalwood. Every movement he made caused her gaze to slide to him. She had thought that after making love with him her desire would be satisfied. The opposite seemed to be happening.

It was as if she could not get enough of him.

The consequences of her actions would most likely end up being heartache. Deep in her heart, she knew they were not meant to be together. There was far too big a difference in their positions. She was a thief. He was a viscount who would someday become an earl.

If she could only toughen her heart against him.

Once the luncheon ended, she met with Hannah to discuss where to place the decorations for the ball tomorrow night. Excitement filled her as she thought about attending her first ball. She entered the room and sighed.

Footmen stood on ladders attaching white festoons to the ceiling. Lord Farleigh was in the corner of the room, directing more servants on how to tie the tree so it would not fall during the dancing. And Hannah was walking directly toward Victoria.

“Anne, come in and help me!” she said with a friendly smile. She took Victoria’s arm and led her to the far end of the room. “I planned on gaming to be set up here, but I just don’t think there is enough room!”

Victoria glanced around and then walked to a closed door, which led to a small salon. “Why don’t you put the gaming room in here?”

“It’s far too small.”

“But wait,” she said, walking to the end of the salon where another door was shut. “This one opens to the library. Why not set up the tables in both rooms?”

Hannah frowned as she walked through the rooms. “I do wonder if that will put those who want to gamble too far away from the others.”

Victoria laughed. “Since it is mostly men who gamble, I think they would prefer it.”

“You may be right.” She glanced around the two rooms and smiled. “I think this will work.”

Hannah linked arms with her. “Now, how are you and Somerton getting along? You both practically ignored each other during luncheon.”

As much as Victoria would love to have a woman to confide in, she could not tell Hannah everything. “We are arguing more.”

“I had heard that.” Hannah sighed. “Somerton is a hard man, Anne. I do understand why it would be difficult to be his mistress.”

“Yes,” she murmured but was lost in thought. From whom did Hannah hear that she and Somerton had been arguing? Could Somerton have planted that seed?

“Well, not to worry,” Hannah said. “I know just the thing to bring Somerton around.”

“Oh?”

Hannah smiled. “You shall find out later.”

Victoria continued assisting Hannah but could not get that ominous statement out of her mind.