by Jen YatesNZ
‘Falcon-Smythe has his name on Selena’s card twice,’ he growled, as if his fingers hadn’t just slipped beneath the upper back edge of her bodice to caress the skin at the center of her back.
Lady Baxendene plied her fan and said, ‘He’s eminently eligible; will be the Earl of Caldwell eventually and that family is plump enough in the pocket it won’t matter Selena’s portion is so small.’
‘He has a bit of a rep,’ Hades said repressively. Then leaning close to Jane’s ear, murmured, ‘I’ve a mind to waltz with you tonight.’
Holly spluttered a little with laughter, then looked archly up at her brother.
‘A bit of a rep is a bad thing?’ she taunted. ‘You would know!’
‘I would, Holly Molly.’
His voice had a serious tone to it. But as his fingers trailed up to brush her neck again, Jane had to agree with Holly. However, she wasn’t about to give the hypocritical—rake—the satisfaction of any response whatsoever. Lady Baxendene had vetoed all waltzing tonight.
If he persisted she might just swat him with her fan.
‘He’ll answer to me if he’s playing fast and loose with my niece. She’s just stepping out into society. She should have the pick of the season!’
‘Maybe she wants Lord Jasper,’ Jane commented mildly. ‘Having come to know Selena, I’d guess she’ll make her own choices.—As will I,’ she added, soto voce for his ears only.
‘She’s hardly had a chance to discover what she wants!’ he answered, then scowled down at her as if his words were meant for her also.
With a challenging quirk of one eyebrow, Jane turned to smile serenely in Selena’s direction.
‘She’s thrown to the Beresfords, Haden,’ Lady Baxendene said repressively. ‘If he’s her choice nothing we can say will change it. He’s quite the catch—and they make a stunning couple.’
‘And,’ Holly added, ‘he’s never seriously pursued anyone else. He’s always played the field.’
‘Nevertheless!’ Lord Baxendene pronounced direfully, and moved off to join the circle about his niece.
To Jane’s annoyance every nerve ending down her spine prickled with awareness and a desire for his arousing touch. Infuriating man. Waltz with him? Thankfully there’d be no waltzes tonight!
Lord Ashdown appeared out of the crush on the dance floor and made an elegant bow before asking if Lady Baxendene was up to dancing with him. Lord Brisco was right behind him and took his wife off to promenade around the room.
When Lady Baxendene admitted dancing was not something she could manage tonight, Ashdown took the vacant seat and settled in to chat and Jane allowed herself to relax a little.
Selena was dancing the first of her two dances with Lord Jasper, and where before she’d been bright and happy, now she positively scintillated. Jane couldn’t help wondering how long the girl would hold to her avowed intention of making no firm attachment this season.
As the dance came to an end her line of sight to her charge was blocked by a wall of pearl grey and black.
‘May I have your dance card?’
‘I don’t have one.’
‘Why not?’ Hades demanded, scowling down at her as if she’d committed some social solecism.
‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ she said, resorting to sarcasm to hide her intense inner excitement at the thought of dancing in his arms. ‘I’m here to chaperone.’
‘Doesn’t mean you have to sit here watching her every move. I’m here. Holly and Brisco are here. And Mama is here for goodness sake! That gown was never meant to be hidden away in the chaperone’s corner.’
‘Nevertheless—,’ Jane tried again, for no matter how excited her body was at the idea of dancing with the man, her brain at least had enough sense to know it wasn’t a good idea.
Stepping behind her chair before she could finish what she’d started to say, he bent low by her ear and commanded, ‘Save me the supper dance. If you give it to anyone else I’ll cause a scandal by calling him out. Promenade with me.’
His hand was under her elbow and he almost lifted her out of the chair. Regardless of how unwise it might be, she was powerless to resist anyway. As she came upright at his side, he turned to greet Ashdown.
‘Evening, Haden,’ the older man said with the easy familiarity of an old family friend. ‘I shan’t be staying. I need to get home to Glory. It’s not been one of her better days, but she insisted I look in and report back to her. She used to love these affairs. Besides, Georgi’s first granddaughter and all! I had to look in and see how it went.’
‘Thanks,’ Bax said warmly, shaking his hand. ‘Mama, I’m taking Jane for a stroll. Will you keep an eye on our girl so I may be accorded at least a modicum of this diligent chaperone’s attention?’
‘Of course,’ Lady Baxendene said, raising one dark eyebrow at her son and waving them off. ‘Here comes Lady Jersey and the Countess de Lieven. No doubt to pass judgement on our Selena!’
Jane smiled. With the light of battle in her eye, Lady Baxendene looked as if she’d never known a day’s illness in her life.
As Hades led her around the edge of the dance floor, Sally Jersey’s voice followed them.
‘Who is that exquisite creature on Lord Baxendene’s arm? I hope she knows what she’s about? Your son’s irresistible when he’s on his best behavior, Georgiana!’
More so when he was on his worst behavior, Jane opined privately, knowing that thought best kept strictly to herself!
‘Do you know what you’re about?’ the irrepressible man asked.
‘Yes,’ Jane snapped, still fighting to suppress her wicked thought, ‘and it’s not what you’re about. When will you go down to Bancombe Park and The Chase again?’
Not the most sensible of diversionary tactics, but it was the best she could dredge up in the circumstances.
‘When a certain Angel of Mercy is ready to accompany me.’
‘Not going to happen!’ She hoped there was more certainty in her voice than she could find in her heart about that. ‘And let’s not argue.’
Dancers were forming sets for a quadrille.
‘Dance this dance with me then?’
‘No, thank you. Take me back now.’
He slanted her a teasing glance, his grey eyes dancing with smoke and stars.
‘If you intended to be proper you should not have worn that dress,’ he murmured. ‘Besides reinforcing that lack of angularity already noted, the color makes your eyes shine like a vixen with—mischief on her mind.’
Jane set her jaw, and forcefully turned their steps back the way they’d come. Best he never discovered how hard she found it to be remotely proper around him.
They’d barely taken two steps when Jack Galsworthy pushed through the crush of people to make his bow before her.
‘Mama,’ he said, bending over her hand. ‘I’ve had the devil of a time trying to find you. Seems like the whole of London is here. Bax!’ He nodded briefly in Bax’s direction then turned back to Jane. ‘I’ve come to beg a dance. Are you booked for the next?’
‘No, I’m not,’ Jane said quickly before Hades could get his mouth open. ‘I’d be honored to dance it with you.’
‘Where shall I find you?’
‘Over there by Lady Baxendene,’ she said.
‘Thank you, Mama.’
With another brief nod in Bax’s direction, he disappeared into the throng.
‘He doesn’t fool me with that Mama nonsense,’ Hades muttered, scowling after Jack. ‘Mark my words, Jane, he no more sees you as his Mama than I do!’
‘Nonsense!’ Jane said roundly. ‘You’re suspicious because that would be your modus operandi.’
‘Absolutely. I’d use any advantage I had. Takes one to know one!’
Annoyed at the stupidity of the suggestion Jack’s attentions would be anything other than filial, Jane pulled her arm free and settled herself in a chair at Lady Baxendene’s side.
‘How are you holding up, my Lady?’ she asked.
&nbs
p; ‘Better than I thought I would, but I probably should give in now and go up.’
‘I shall escort you, Mama,’ Bax said.
‘I’d like to say goodnight to Selena first and tell her how proud I am of her.’
As soon as the girl came off the floor Lady Baxendene bade her goodnight and Hades led her out of the room, stopping to say goodnight to guests along the way.
They’d just made it out the door when the orchestra began warming up for the next dance. Jack stepped between her and her last view of Hades back as he supported his mother out of the room.
‘Lady Baxendene doesn’t look so well,’ Jack observed as they took their places in a longways Country Dance. There was only time to agree with Jack’s comment before they were swept into the rhythm of the dance.
She had no hesitation in agreeing to go out on the terrace with him once she’d seen Selena headed to where her aunt sat. The cooling night air would be welcome.
They walked to the end of the terrace to lean against the balustrade and look down into the gardens where flickering lanterns in the trees lent a magical charm to the night.
‘So, are you finally ready to enjoy life a little, Jane?’
‘What do you mean?’ she asked, mildly startled at his use of her name rather than the less intimate ‘Mama’.
‘You can’t have had much of a life with the old man. He was sick for most of your marriage. In fact,’ he said, leaning a little closer as if to share a secret, ‘I have to wonder if you even had a sex life with Papa! You never got pregnant. And you still have the bloom of innocence about you.’
Jane stood for a moment with her mouth hanging open.
Then she snapped, ‘I loved your father!’
‘But were you in love with him?’ he murmured, turning and folding her in his arms before she had any inkling of what he was about.
By the time her mouth came open to protest, his head lowered and his mouth closed over hers, and she tasted brandy on his tongue. Bending her back a little over his arm, he pressed his advantage, thrusting his tongue deep while using his lower body to press her back against the balustrade.
When she gathered her scattered wits enough to shove against his chest and try to disengage he obligingly unhanded her and stepped back a little.
‘Did he ever kiss you like that?’
Her hand swung and connected with his cheek with a satisfying sting and a slap echoing in the silence at the end of the terrace.
‘You—arrogant—’
‘Puppy!’ Bax growled, when it seemed she wasn’t going to be able to find a satisfactory word herself. Jane had never been so pleased to see him.
With his hand against his cheek, Jack glared at her as if it were she who’d done something despicable.
Bax’s chest was swelling and Jane knew the next words out of his mouth would be a challenge she couldn’t allow. Her—friend—fighting her step-son was an ugly scene she didn’t want to imagine.
Reaching for Bax’s arm, she squeezed tight. He held her gaze and ground his jaw.
Taking a breath, he turned back to Jack.
‘You were leaving, Galsworthy, I collect!’
Belligerence in every feature, Jack stared up at him, before lowering his eyes and turning away.
‘Oh—and Galsworthy! If I see you within speaking distance of Lady Rotherby again you’ll answer to me.’
‘So that’s the way of it,’ Jack muttered, his lip curling in an ugly manner.
‘You’ll apologize for that—or meet me!’
‘No, Hades!’ Jane said stridently. If she didn’t take control the unthinkable could happen yet! She pressed her fingers hard into the iron muscle of his forearm.
‘You’ll apologize to me, Jack, or you’ll no longer be welcome at Rotherby Hall!’
‘You think you have that power?’ he sneered.
Then as both Bax and Jane continued to stare him down, he muttered an apology and left.
‘He’s been drinking,’ Jane said, feeling the need to excuse the inexcusable—because he was James’s son.
‘No excuse,’ Bax growled. ‘Why wouldn’t you let me deal with him for you?’
‘I can manage Jack myself.’
‘I suppose I have to agree—but I could’ve done it better!’
Jane rolled her eyes, but allowed him to tuck her arm in his and walk her slowly back through the rooms to Holly and Arabella.
Jane was grateful Holly was too excited to notice anything amiss.
‘Lady Jersey has promised vouchers for Selena at Almacks!’ she gloated, as soon as they were close enough to converse. ‘Her success is sealed!’
‘It was never in doubt,’ her brother asserted loftily.
Guiding Jane into the vacant chair at Holly’s side, he bent low and murmured by her ear, ‘I’ll be back for the supper dance. I think I’ll tell the orchestra to change the program and play a waltz.’
‘You can’t!’ Jane said, scandalized to her toes. ‘Lady Baxendene was very explicit there could be no waltzing at Selena’s first ball!’
And she’d been counting on that fact to keep her out of Hell-bent Hades’ arms.
‘Lord Baxendene is now in charge and he can do exactly as he pleases in his own house!’
‘But—Selena won’t be allowed—’
He tapped her nose with one long finger.
‘I’ll see about that too! I shall approach Lady Jersey and I’ll be totally irresistible because I shall be on my very best behavior!’
With a wicked wink the arrogant creature strode off into the crowd, obviously having spotted his quarry easily from the vantage point of his extra height, leaving Jane unsure whether she was fuming with annoyance or anticipation.
‘Young Galsworthy seems a personable gentleman,’ Holly said. ‘Does he always call you ‘Mama’?’
Though thankful for the distraction, Jane couldn’t control the grimace at the mention of Jack’s name, which Holly immediately noticed.
‘Oh—I’m sorry,’ she murmured. ‘Was he being—facetious?’
Jane sighed. When had she ever been able to keep anything from Holly?
‘Your brother tried to warn me Jack’s attention had no filial basis, but was something else entirely.’
‘And he was right?’ Holly asked, her green eyes flying wide.
‘Hades arrived as I was delivering a slap, which Jack didn’t half appreciate. Naturally, Hades wanted to call him out. I managed to avert that. But, predictably, Jack now believes I have some sort of—liaison—with your brother. No doubt we’ll be the next on dit!’
Holly’s eyes danced.
‘So you might as well have that affair with him now as the gossipmongers won’t believe otherwise anyway!’
Jane found herself rolling her eyes again.
***
Would this bloody night never end! He wanted to spend every minute of it in Jane’s company, which was highly inappropriate or tantamount to a declaration! Every moment spent away from her was deadly boring. He’d never hankered for a woman’s company like this before.
When he desired a woman, he set out to seduce her, with usually predictable results, then moved on. He didn’t spend time with them, talk with them, as if they were a friend!
Jane was a friend, from their youth, a distant cousin, that was all!
Camberwell and Chumsley joined him where he leaned against a pillar, moodily surveying the room and wishing every last guest, bar one, to perdition.
‘Damme! Been a while since Bax House has seen a crush like this!’ Chumsley declared.
He wasn’t in the mood. Thank God for the supper dance and a legitimate reason to return to Jane. Chumsley and Camberwell, damn them, stuck to his heels like glue, Chumsley demanding an introduction to Jane.
If he had his way there’d be no gentlemen introduced to her and she’d only ever dance with him. Dammit! What was wrong with him?
***
Lord Jasper Falcon-Smythe, bending over Selena’s hand, came upright with a sta
rt.
‘They’re playing a waltz?’ His face fell. ‘I imagine you’ve not received permission to dance the waltz yet!’
Selena’s already smiling countenance glowed.
‘Lady Jersey has given me permission!’
Her skin glowed and her emerald eyes danced with excitement.
‘Really?’ Lord Jasper’s disbelief was obvious. No one was granted the right to waltz at their first ball. ‘It’s—irregular, waltzing at your first ball. I don’t want to cause a scandal for you. We could promenade.’
‘Truly,’ Selena said earnestly. ‘Lady Jersey has sanctioned it. I think my Uncle Bax can charm a woman to do most anything he wants! And he wants to waltz!’
Selena didn’t glance at her and yet Jane felt her cheeks heat.
Lord Jasper’s frown faded and he smiled delightedly into Selena’s eyes before leading her onto the floor.
As they moved off, Jane felt her heart galloping uncomfortably in her chest. Although Hades hadn’t come to claim her, she wasn’t foolish enough to think he’d go to so much trouble and fly in the face of convention, to leave her sitting while the orchestra played the waltz.
Though she tried not to, she couldn’t help scanning the room to see where he was, her heart thumping right into her throat when she found him striding towards her. Two other gentlemen trailed him, one tall and lanky, the other not so tall and slightly paunchy.
Lord Baxendene’s face was a study in surliness. Even then he was so handsome it made her chest ache. What had occurred to so completely obliterate his usual suave and wickedly mischievous self?
Then he was introducing his companions to her, most graciously.
‘Lord Chumsley,’ he said, indicating the tall, lanky individual. Then turning to the other, he said, ‘Lord Camberwell. And this is Lady Rotherby.’
Both gentlemen made polite bows.
Then Lord Chumsley gushed, ‘The glory of your hair lights up the room. I literally begged Bax for an introduction, my Lady.’
‘And your beautiful creamy skin,’ the chubby Camberwell hastened to add, almost slobbering in his eagerness.