Linnett sighed heavily, but then twirled delightedly about the room. “Do you know, Lottie, you are quite right about this dress...I think it does make my eyes more noticeable, even though I say so myself...I look quite stunning! Lord Charles won’t be able to resist me tonight!”
Chapter 4
It was half an hour later when Linnett descended the wide staircase. Her hair was piled high on her head in an artful array of loose curls and her long neck adorned with the emerald and pearl choker. Her green dress swirled and shimmered around her shapely form. John could see Linnett’s green cat-eyes glinting from where he stood in the hall, waiting for her to descend. When Linnett had reached the bottom stair, John stepped forward and offered her his arm, saying gallantly, “You look absolutely beautiful, my dear, and your dress is utter perfection.”
Linnett took his arm and glanced up at him coyly through her lashes. “Why, Mr. Foster, you do surprise me. Such pretty words! La, who would have thought you capable of flirting? Certainly not I. Are we ready to depart? My wrap thank you, Lottie. Do not wait up for me, I shall manage on my own tonight.”
Lottie slipped a long fur cape around her mistress and curtsied to the group before turning back up the curved staircase. The merry little entourage consisting of Linnett, John Foster and Sir Thomas made their way out to the waiting carriage. On the short journey, the two men tried to make conversation that included Linnett. However, she wished to be left alone with her thoughts of the night to come and gazed out of the window. John and Sir Thomas eventually reverted to discussing business, talking until the coach swept up to the entrance of Sir Henry James and Lady Margaret Peabody’s imposing residence.
Linnett gazed in amazement as she entered the ballroom. The magnificent chandeliers twinkled and sparkled in the light of a hundred candles. The large ornate mirrors that hung on all four walls reflected the soft flickering light and the colourful twirling couples as they danced to the violins and harpsichord. The music was provided by a group of local ladies who had volunteered to play for the dance that evening. The wooded floor had been highly polished and gleamed with a rich mellow glow. The silks and satins of the guests’ clothes shimmered, their jewels sparkling, reflecting the light caught from the glowing candles and lamps that lined the walls. Linnett gazed around her with delight, one foot tapping in tune with the music. “There you are, puss! My dear, may I present you to Colonel and Lady Stanhope.” Sir Thomas beamed at Linnett and she dutifully smiled and curtsied. “Colonel, Madam,” she murmured politely.
“The Colonel will shortly be leaving for the Colonies, Linnett,” her father began, but a cough from just behind her startled Linnett so much that she spun around rather too quickly and collided with John Foster. She unbalanced and tripped sideways over his feet. Linnett started to stumble, but before she could fall farther, she found herself caught up in a pair of strong arms and pressed firmly against a broad chest, a pair of amused grey eyes gazing down into her own.
Linnett felt the vibrations rumble deep in his chest as he apologised, “My fault entirely, I startled you. Please forgive me. Are you quite recovered, Miss Wainwright?”
Linnett glared up at John and took a step back away from him. “You simpleton!” Linnett hissed. “What do you think you are doing creeping up behind me like that? Now everybody is looking at us. Leave me at once! Oh, and Mr. Foster, do try to remember it is Lady, not Miss!”
John held on fast to the delectable little spitfire and shook her slightly, saying, “This is quite unnecessary behaviour, Linnett. I simply wished to meet the Colonel. My home is in Boston where the Colonel is to be posted. In a crush such as this, people are bound to fall over one another. Now calm down and come and dance with me.”
He smiled roguishly down at her, and just for a moment she was tempted. He looked quite different when he smiled like that, and he was rather good-looking. Lottie was right, she realised with surprise. He was even impeccably dressed that evening, although he lacked the fashionable touches that Linnett so admired in Lord Charles’s choice of attire. John wore plain knee breeches and silk stockings in white, a plain high-necked white shirt and stock, topped by a deep wine-coloured dress coat edged in black velvet. His highly polished black shoes were unadorned by fashionable buckles or bows. His dark brown hair was left unpowdered and simply tied back with black velvet ribbon.
Unfortunately at that moment, Linnett caught sight of Miss Nancy Trubane, a rival for Lord Charles’s affections. The pretty brunette was giggling and pointing in their direction. Then Linnett realised with horror that the person Nancy was giggling with was no other than her beloved Charles. Lord Charles stood watching them with one knee nonchalantly bent and one hand lazily swinging an eye glass. A tall young man with fair good looks, twinkling blue eyes and an affable, if slightly affected, nature, he was dressed in the very height of fashion, sporting a tall powdered wig, a beautiful satin coat of pale blue, frocked in gold. A large diamond pin in his white silk stock winked and sparkled, catching the light as he turned, laughing and chatting to the dimpled and giggling Miss Trubane.
Lord Charles was ruled by his very forceful mother; this formidable lady had decreed that her only son should marry her best friend’s daughter, Nancy. This was a match that the two mothers had contrived to bring about since their children were in short skirts. Charles was a rather weak man who hated confrontation and felt contented in the company of the mild-mannered and frivolous Nancy. Whenever he complained about his Mamma’s high-handedness to Nancy, she would soothe him and restore his good humour.
Linnett looked around for some distraction, but her father and his acquaintances had wandered away so she swung her attentions back to John, who had given up the idea that Linnett might agree to dance with him and was about to walk away. Linnett cried out, “Stop! Do not leave me standing here quite alone! Quickly -- take me over to fetch lemonade.” Linnett grabbed hold of his arm.
“I thought you wished me to leave you alone?” John raised a quizzical brow.
“Well, now I’ve changed my mind! A lady’s prerogative you know! After all, it is the very least you can do, after knocking me over like that.” Linnett grasped John’s coat sleeve to stop him walking away.
“Linnett, for the last time, I did not knock you over; you walked into me. Since you have no wish to dance, I shall waste no more of your precious time. I bid you a good evening.” John plucked her hand from his sleeve, bowed curtly, turned and strode away, quickly disappearing as he weaved amongst the press of people in the crowded room.
“Odious man!” gasped Linnett, flabbergasted. “What an objectionable vile man he is!”
“To whom are you referring...surely you cannot mean moi?” asked an amused voice at her side. Linnett spun around startled.
“Oh, Charles, my dearest, hullo, no of course not you! I mean that odious man John Foster of Boston America, my father’s business partner. He is such a rude ignoramius! Did you witness him cannon into me? I cannot believe that he nearly knocked me over completely.”
“I believe I might have seen something of the kind.” After years of living with a difficult mother, Charles found it advisable to wholeheartedly agree with any female whose ire was up.
“An oaf indeed. I declare, what a crush!” he said. “Come, dear girl, and do let us dance. I have something I particularly need to discuss with you tonight.”
Charles took Linnett’s hand and led her through the crowd onto the dance floor, where they danced in a reel. Afterwards, breathless and laughing, they made their way over to the refreshments. Linnett took her lemon drink from the footman and sipped the cool, deliciously refreshing liquid. She glanced around the other dancers, spotting John amongst them. He was partnered with a pretty red-headed girl. Linnett was surprised by the twinge of envy she felt as she watched their progress across the dance floor. John was an accomplished dancer, and Linnett wondered how an American trader had learned to dance so well. Charles interrupted her musings. “Linnett, would you care to step outside with m
e? I do rather need to talk to you.”
This is it, thought Linnett, shivering with excitement. At last he is going to propose! “Of course, Charles dear, but I rather need to visit the powder room first...”
Charles’s mouth turned down. “Linnett, you look absolutely fine. You have no need of powder and what not. Come along with me now!”
Linnett found herself propelled none too gently across the dance floor. “Charles! For heaven’s sake stop, Charles!” Lord Charles wasn’t listening, and when he reached the other side of the dance floor, he opened the French doors that led out onto a large balcony. The walls surrounding were covered with roses and honey suckle, forming an arching bower that gave them some privacy from within. The flowers gave off a deliciously heavy perfume. Charles closed the doors quietly behind them and then walked to the stone balustrade of the balcony that looked out over the gardens.
Linnett took a deep breath of sweet scented air, leaning on the edge of the balustrade before turning to Charles.
“What a heavenly place,” she said. “It reminds me of the balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet, it is so romantic. Don’t you think so, Charles? Charles...are you listening to me?”
He was distractedly plucking the petals from a yellow rose and frowning. “I beg your pardon? Oh, yes, it is quite lovely, I do agree. The thing is this, Linnett... we’ve known each other nearly all our lives, and we are good friends, are we not?" Excitedly, Linnett held her breath, her heart beating fast. Charles blurted, “I really value your friendship, and I would like to ask you your opinion about something, um, well something rather delicate....”
Linnett’s eyes shone as she cried, “Oh Charles, yes! The answer is yes! Oh my darling, darling! Charles? Charles, is something wrong?.... Charles!” Charles had taken a step backwards, and he had a look of absolute horror on his face.
He grasped Linnett’s wrists pulling them from his neck where she had reached up to twine them. “I say, old girl! No, Linnett! No... no. Huge misunderstanding. Sorry...so sorry! Not us, not you, not you at all...but Nancy!"
Linnett felt her face freeze, and suddenly she felt nauseated. Nancy? Oh, God.
“Nancy!?... Charles.... Nancy! For Goodness sake, Charles! You mean to tell me... you dragged me out here to talk about... Nancy?"
Charles looked wretched.
“Yes. I am so sorry, Linny, I thought you had guessed! My wretched mother has had us paired off since babyhood. Nancy’s mother is my mother’s closest friend, you see,” Charles said, running a hand distractedly through his hair. He was quite unprepared for what happened next.
Charles was suddenly propelled backwards over the balustrade, his white satin-clad legs disappearing over the edge, leaving one shiny black buckled shoe behind on the balcony floor. Linnett leaned out over the edge and peered down into the darkness. There had been a loud splash shortly after Lord Charles had fallen, but since then, only silence.
“My word, but we are out of sorts this evening,” a deep male voice drawled from behind her. Linnett spun around, and her hand flew up to her mouth in surprise. “Mercy...Oh... It’s you! You scared me half out of my wits!”
John stood leaning against the wall, one eyebrow quirked, and said, “I do hope you haven’t killed that poor unfortunate boy.”
“Well, I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,” Linnett said, lifting her chin defensively.
John stepped forward and stooped to retrieve the black shoe that Charles had left behind when he fell. Holding it up, he examined it critically “Oh come now, this is hardly Cinderella’s slipper, is it? I watched the whole thing, Linnett. You didn’t think I would let my future wife disappear out onto a balcony with another man and not keep a close watch on the pair of you? You pushed him over the side....oh yes you did, Linnett!” John wagged his finger at her as Linnett shook her head in denial. “I saw you do it!"
Linnett spun away from him, vexed, giving a snort of derision. Oh, why couldn’t the wretched man go away and leave her in peace? Ignoring John, Linnett peered over the balustrade down into the darkness calling in a loud whisper. “Charlie, Charles are you alright? CHARLIE- CAN- YOU- HEAR- ME? Um, perhaps, Mr. Foster, you would be good enough to call to him? Your voice may carry better than mine.”
John stayed where he was and said, “I have no intention of leaning over that wall and ending up as the erstwhile Lord Charles did, you know.”
Linnett whipped around to face him. “What do you know about it? Absolutely nothing!”
Linnett recalled his earlier words, something about his future bride. “I don’t know where you acquired the idea that I would consent to marry you, but while you are here, let me put you straight once and for all, Mr. Foster, -- I would not marry you if you were the last man on this earth! Is that clear enough for you? You may finish your business with my father and return to whatever uncivilised place you came from and leave me in peace!”
John stepped forward and grasped Linnett by her shoulders, giving her a little shake. His slate-coloured eyes bore down into hers. Linnett glowered up at him defiantly; she shoved her hands up between them, attempting to push his hands off her shoulders.
“Let go of me, you arrogant swine!”
John tightened his grip, his fingers digging into her tender flesh as he yanked her into his arms, crushing her tight against his chest. And then, he did what he had been wanting to do since he had first laid eyes on her. His mouth came down hard upon hers, and he kissed her thoroughly.
Linnett’s reaction when he released her was sluggish. She was paralysed with shock, frozen at first and then amazed by his audacity, but then she struggled to be free of him. Linnett succeeded in kicking his shins and stamping on his feet, but John didn’t flinch; he pulled her back into a firm embrace, his arms tightening around her. Strangely, then, Linnett found that because he held her so fast and she couldn’t pull away, she began to relax. The clean male smell of him aroused her senses as his body warmth seeped through the flimsy material of her gown, warming her flesh, lulling her. She could feel the steady beat of his heart and the slow sensuous pressure of his lips made her languid, her lips responding of their own accord to his.
Linnett was suddenly and acutely aware of her own body, her breasts pressed up against John’s hard chest. Her heart sped up, and blood raced through her veins, desire she had never experienced before holding her enthralled, and it was as if time stood still. Everything was his kiss. Linnett’s lips moved involuntarily, responding to the hypnotic, sensuous rhythm of his mouth and the impudent flicking of his tongue against her lips. Compliantly, she parted her lips, allowing his tongue entrance; she was intensely excited by the unexpected invasion of her virginal mouth.
Then, without any warning, John released her, and Linnett staggered backwards, befuddled and unbalanced by his sudden withdrawal. Startled, she stared up into his face, noticing his tightly held jaw and disapproving expression. “J..John?” Her faltering voice sounded breathless and Linnett realised she was panting, so she placed a hand over her heart unconsciously, to slow her breathing.
“So you like a kiss, my girl?” he drawled with acid sweetness. “Did Charles not come up trumps tonight... hmm? You thought that I might do as the consolation prize perhaps?” John raised a sardonic brow.
Linnett was totally bewildered, hurt and confused by his sarcasm, and a wave of pure white rage washed over her. She lashed out with her foot catching him a painful blow on the shin, and then raised her fist and cracked him hard across his jaw. Spinning, she flew away through the door, and yanking it open, she dashed back into the ballroom.
John stood stunned for a moment, then turned and rested his forehead on the edge of the cool stonework of the balustrade, putting his arms up either side of his head as he closed his eyes. God, he had been so wrong! How could he have mistaken her ardour for that of a wanton? Indeed, her passionate response had been a real surprise to him, and now that he had so wounded her feelings it would be well nigh impossible to court the chit! Damn her pride - dam
n his! He grinned ruefully, rubbing the side of his face; he’d got rather more than he’d bargained for, certainly not a maiden’s chaste slap. He’d had lesser blows in taverns back home!
Linnett, meanwhile, had made her way down to the garden. She slipped through the warm, moist heat of the conservatory and out into the cool spring air.
"Charles, where are you? Are you alright?" she called.
Linnett walked along the gravel pathway that wound between dark hedges and led to the pond beneath the balcony. The pale moon cast eerie shadows in front of her, and the gaps in the hedges loomed dark and menacing. She shivered, glancing nervously from side to side. At last she came to the pond, its black waters glinting still and oily in the moonlight, but there was no sign of Charles anywhere. Linnett wondered whether the pond were deep enough for poor Charles to drown in. Gingerly, she reached down, placing her hand into the cold black water. Shivering she leaned further forward on tiptoes, her feet on the stone edge of the pond. She was unprepared for the sudden shove in the middle of her back, and Linnett fell face first into the black depths of the pond.
Coughing and spluttering, she surfaced, gasping with cold and shock. Linnett half swam and half stumbled to the edge of the pond, her hair falling in a sodden mass over her face so that she could hardly see. A strong arm reached for her and pulled her out onto the path. Linnett grasped hold of what she realised was a body that was as wet and as cold as her own. “Charles?”
“Yes, you hellion, it’s me!” he hissed.
"Oh, Charlie, I’m so very sorry, really I am! I suppose I deserve the fright you gave me but Charlie.... really, look at me!"
Charles looked at Linnett and started to laugh. "You do look awful, Linny, but you deserve that... and worse! You could have killed me, you witch!"
Linnett, relieved that he was laughing and seemed unhurt, said, "I did know there was a pond there but not how deep it was. I was so afraid you’d be drowned! Oh my blessed temper, I don’t wonder you’d rather marry Nancy!"
His Spoilt Lady Page 3