"But what of doubts?" she asked. "Surely he has doubts? Marriage is a remarkably permanent state."
"Doubts are for those who do not know their own minds. " Roman's voice was firm. Lady Overton studied him thoughtfully. "And do you know your own mind, my lord?"
"Indeed I do. " Roman nodded.
"And yet you seem to hesitate. How very interesting. " She smiled pleasantly then directed her gaze to Alexei. "And what of you, Your Highness?"
"I have no doubts as I am not about to marry. Do not forget this betrothal is nothing but a farce."
"What if it wasn't?"
"But it is."
"Oh do humor me for a moment, Your Highness. If indeed you were about to marry Pamela, would you have doubts?"
"No, Lady Overton, I would not, " he said without a moment's pause, and realized he meant every word. "I should consider myself extremely lucky, as I consider her quite exceptional. However, it is a moot point."
"Why?"
"Because Miss Effington has no intention of marrying me nor do I have any intention of marrying her, or anyone. Ever."
"Why not?"
Alexei stared at her. "Earlier this evening Lord Edward said our talk was not on the order of an inquisition. Is that because he had allocated that duty to you?"
"Come now, Your Highness, Pamela's father would never relinquish such an important task. If he felt an inquisition was necessary he would certainly have taken it upon himself to carry it out. " Lady Overton laughed. "Any inquisition I may conduct is entirely my own idea."
"To what end, Lady Overton?"
"Pamela is not only my cousin, she is my dearest friend. I am concerned about everything that concerns her. However"—she shrugged—"this is simple curiosity, Your Highness. Nothing more than that."
"Nothing?"
"Not a thing. " Her green eyes were wide and completely innocent, and Alexei did not believe her for a moment. There was obviously far more to the quiet, reserved Lady Overton than met the eye. But he suspected Roman already knew that.
"Would you like me to find Pamela for you?" Lady Overton asked. "I shouldn't mind a few minutes on the terrace myself. It's exceptionally warm in here, but then it always is."
"I would be happy to accompany you. " Roman offered her his arm.
"No, I shall go myself. " Alexei sighed. "It will provide a momentary respite if nothing else."
"I suggest we all go, " Lady Overton said brightly. "We shall certainly avoid any hint of impropriety if we are all together."
Roman raised a brow. "Impropriety?"
"The Effington terrace is well-known as a place for private conversation." Lady Overton cast Roman a distinctly seductive look. "It has any number of secluded locations well suited to meetings of a clandestine nature."
A speculative gleam appeared in Roman's eye. "Then we should waste no time in proceeding to the terrace."
Alexei smiled in spite of himself. It was most annoying to be with two people who were as obviously smitten with each other as these two were when Alexei was trying to keep his own emotions in check. He wasn't sure he had ever envied another man before, but he envied Roman now. Roman and Lady Overton had the rest of their lives ahead of them.
He and Pamela only had however long this sham of an engagement lasted. Of course, there was no reason why they shouldn't enjoy it. Indeed, once he found Pamela, if Lady Smythe-Windom could be avoided, and Roman and Lady Overton encouraged to drift away to their own assignation, a few intimate moments with Pamela on a shadowed terrace under the stars might well be the perfect way to begin doing just that.
Twelve
When I see Pamela again I shall waste no time in declaring myself. I shall marry her at once. Shewill no doubt be very pleased.
George Fenton, Viscount Penwick
Pamela sucked in a hard breath. "George!"
"I heard you were back in London. " George gazed at her as if he were a starving man, and she were a roast of veal. It was most disconcerting. "It has been a very long time." George Fenton, now Viscount Penwick, looked precisely as he had the last time the two of them had stood on this very terrace engaged in a private meeting. Then as now he was an attractive man, a few inches taller than she, with hair nearly as fair and regular features. He didn't appear to have changed at all, at least in appearance.
"Hasn't it though?" she said weakly, and wondered how best to escape gracefully.
She should have been prepared for this encounter; indeed, she should have known George might be here tonight. Or at least realized that she would at some point come face-to-face with him whenever she at last returned to London. She simply hadn't given him more than a passing thought. And even if she had, she never would have envisioned their first meeting to be alone on the Effington House terrace. Dear Lord, she would have avoided the terrace like it was infested with plague if she had so much as suspected this was a possibility.
"Now if you will excuse me. " She tried to circle around him, but he moved to block her way.
"A moment, Pamela, please. " His voice held a pleading note that might have been quite effective if he had been anyone else. "We have a great deal to talk about."
"We have nothing to talk about. " She nodded firmly and started around him again, but once more he stepped in front of her.
"We have not seen each other for six long years."
"And it has not been nearly long enough."
"You have not forgiven me then?" Disbelief sounded in his voice.
"Forgiven you?" She paused for a moment as if giving the question some thought, resisted the urge to scream at him, and forced a pleasant smile to her face. "No."
"You never gave me the opportunity to explain, you know, " he said in a reproving manner that quite set her teeth on edge.
"Didn't I?" She gasped in feigned dismay. "How could I have been so thoughtless? Yes, I remember now. " She crossed her arms over her chest. "All of London somehow became aware that you and I, well, that you had seduced me—"
"You were scarcely reluctant if I recall. " George gave a satisfied chuckle.
"No, George, I wasn't reluctant because I foolishly believed we were in love with one another and planning to spend the rest of our days together."
"I did love you, " he said staunchly. "Quite profoundly."
"If you loved me so profoundly, how is it that you allowed everyone to learn of my... my indiscretion?"
"It was not deliberate, I assure you. Certainly you can understand. One mentions something to a friend one trusts who then mentions it to someone else and so on and so forth, and before you know what has happened—"
"Before you know what has happened, one's reputation is shattered. " She glared. "Did you consider at all what would happen to me the moment you told that trusted friend?"
"That may have slipped my mind."
"And that wasn't all that slipped your mind, was it?" She gritted her teeth. "When I first became aware that our involvement had become public, I thought we could simply marry at once, and any scandal would eventually fade. Imagine my surprise to discover that you were all but betrothed to a lady I had no idea existed!"
"Constance always preferred the country, " he said quickly. "She was rather shy that way."
"I was rather shy!"
"But you were exciting, Pamela. " He stepped toward her eagerly, and she moved back. "I had never met a woman as exciting as you."
" I was exciting?" She couldn't believe he was saying such a thing. Six years ago she would never have used the word exciting to describe her or any part of her life. If any word described her then it was, well, dull.
"Indeed you were. " He nodded vigorously. "You were beautiful and had no idea you were beautiful. It was most exciting. Beyond that, you were passionate and eager and charmingly innocent at the same time. And your family connections were impeccable."
"My family connections?" she said slowly.
"Absolutely. Come now, Pamela, regardless of emotion, I would never allow myself to become involved with any woman whose family connections were not impeccable. One never knows where such involvement might lead."
Had he always been so shallow? She narrowed her gaze. "As my family connections were so impeccable, and I was so exciting and you loved me so profoundly, why did you not beg off your engagement and marry me?"
"Oh, I couldn't possibly have done that. " He scoffed as if the suggestion was too ridiculous to consider.
"I had given my word after all. Besides, Constance stood to inherit a great deal of money. Far greater, frankly, than your dowry or your expectations. Which she did inherit by the way." And mercenary. "So you sacrificed love for money?"
"Not at all. I was quite fond of Constance. And you needn't make it sound like that. Like it was"—indignation washed across his face—"wrong."
Pamela stared. This was the creature she had thrown away her future for? How could she ever have thought she was in love with this ludicrous excuse for a man? What an idiot she'd been. And what remarkably poor taste she'd had.
"I am so happy you got what you wanted, George."
"But I didn't, not entirely. " A note of reproach sounded in his voice. "If you had just given me the opportunity to talk to you before you vanished from London, I would have explained everything."
"Do forgive me. " Sarcasm rolled off her words. "I had all the explanation I needed." He stared. "I do not remember your being quite so curt."
"I have changed a great deal, George. " She waved away the comment. "Curt is the least of it."
"I have changed as well. " He paused as if to allow the significance of his words to sink in. "I am widowed now."
"My condolences."
"Which means I am free to wed. " An expectant note sounded in his voice. Good Lord. She groaned to herself. "I wish you every happiness."
"You have never wed, " he said pointedly.
"Yet. " Her tone was firm. "I have not yet wed. " She'd really had quite enough of this. "Now if you would be so good as to step out of my way—"
"No, Pamela. " George shook his head. "I have no intention of stepping out of your way. Not now. I have waited far too long to be with you again. There are things between us that must be acknowledged." She stared for a long moment. It was exceedingly satisfying to note that, aside from a bit of lingering anger and an unrelenting desire to rip his throat out, she really felt nothing at all for him. Perhaps irritation at the moment but nothing anywhere near the vicinity of her heart. Certainly George was very much the same although why she hadn't seen his true nature six years ago could only be attributed to the fact that she had been very much a fool. To her credit, she had realized rather quickly after she'd left England that what she had felt for George was not merely a mistake but indeed had no more substance than air. An enormous sense of freedom accompanied the realization that she'd been right.
"And I have wasted far too much time. Good evening, my lord. " She started off, but George grabbed her arm and yanked her into his arms.
"Pamela, don't you understand? I love you, and I have always loved you. I was a fool six years ago, and I shall not be a fool now. " He lowered his lips to hers.
"I swear to you, George, if you attempt to kiss me, I shall use my knee to inflict great bodily harm on an area which you would probably prefer to preserve."
He stilled. "You would never do such a thing."
"Oh, but I would, and, furthermore, I would enjoy it. Very much. " She smiled in an overly sweet manner. "Do you wish to have children, George?"
He considered her for a moment, then sighed and released her. "You have changed."
"Indeed I have. " She smoothed her dress, then glared at him. "Whatever were you thinking?"
"I wasn't thinking. " He huffed. "I was swept away by passion."
"Passion?"
"Yes, " he snapped. "You are the only woman I have ever felt anything approaching passion for."
.
"Really?"
"Yes. " He nodded, then hesitated. "I probably should not confess such a thing, but as we have been lovers—"
She winced. "I daresay two rather hurried encounters scarcely makes us lovers."
"Nonetheless, we were. Indeed, you were very nearly my first."
"Very nearly?" She had the oddest urge to giggle.
"A maid or two before you perhaps. " He shrugged. "They scarcely count. You were my first lady of quality."
"That explains it then, " she murmured.
"There was no need for you to leave London. We could have..."
"We could have... what?" She was almost afraid to hear his answer.
"We could have been together."
"In spite of your marriage?"
"My marriage had nothing to do with us. You could have been my"—he paused dramatically—"mistress."
She stared at him for a moment and struggled against the laughter that threatened to overcome her.
"Mistress?"
"It would have been quite wonderful. " He sighed with anticipated rapture. "I would have taken excellent care of you."