by Olivia Drake
The maid ran the bristled brush through Maddy’s long hair. “’Twasn’t just that. He also bade me deliver the rejections, too.”
“Rejections?”
“Aye, t’ the other lords who bid on ye.”
Maddy frowned at the maid’s reflection in the mirror. “What? I never wrote any such notes.”
“Lord Rowley did so on yer behalf.” Clearly approving of his highhandedness, Gertie resumed her brushing. “He told those gents ye’re his wife now an’ they’re not t’ bother ye no more.”
Maddy was too stunned to be calmed by the rhythmic strokes of the brush. In all the preparations for the hasty wedding, she hadn’t spared a thought to notifying the disqualified gentlemen. She ought to be incensed that Nathan would make such a move without consulting her. The auction was, after all, her doing.
Yet if truth be told, she felt relieved at being spared that chore.
In particular, Lord Dunham would no longer pursue her now that she had a husband. Her cousin wouldn’t be lurking around every corner, waiting to force his attentions on her. But how would he react when—if—they met in society?
Maddy refused to think about that now. Nothing else mattered except this night when she would give herself to a man she scarcely knew. A man who could smile and charm when it suited him, yet who regarded his own father with brutal loathing.
Restless, she jumped up from the stool. “His lordship should be here soon. You had better finish unpacking.”
“Aye, milady.”
Her bare feet silent on the soft carpet, Maddy paced through the doorway and into the vast bedchamber with its rose and green décor. Never in her life had she imagined living in such luxury. Numerous candles cast a warm glow over the French-style furnishings, the chaise by the tall windows, the upholstered chairs by the fire. On the large canopied bed, the apple-green coverlet had been turned down invitingly, while a sea of plump feather pillows lined the gilt headboard.
Very soon, she would lie there with Nathan.
Her insides squeezed again. When would he come to her? What would he say? Was he still fuming?
He and his father had joined the ladies in the drawing room not long after dinner. Both men had looked furious after their brief time alone together. It was clear they’d quarreled, and she burned to know the source of their enmity.
At the earl’s request, Emily had entertained the group by playing the pianoforte for the better part of an hour. Afterward, Nathan had declared it time for him and his bride to retire for the night. He’d aimed a hard stare at his father before pressing a warm kiss to Maddy’s cheek. Go on up, darling. I’ll join you very soon.
It had all been for show, she knew. All the lovey-dovey nonsense was merely a trick to needle his father. She’d returned here over half an hour ago, and with every tick of the ormolu clock on the marble mantel, she wondered where Nathan was, what could be delaying him.
Had he and the earl quarreled about her?
She felt uncomfortable in the role that had been assigned to her. Playing the uncouth, jabbering strumpet would only taint Lady Emily with scandal when the girl made her debut. But the stage had been set, the first act set in motion, and how could the script be altered now?
Troubled, Maddy paced back into the dressing room to find Gertie arranging unmentionables in a drawer. It occurred to Maddy that she’d seen nothing of Nathan’s belongings. “Where are his lordship’s things?”
“In the connecting room. ’Tis the way of the gentry fer a husband and wife t’ sleep in separate chambers.”
“Oh?” That was welcome news. It meant she’d have a private retreat from him—and this gloomy household. “Well, I’m glad to hear it.”
Gertie chuckled. “Ye might change yer mind once his lordship has his way with ye.”
“I very much doubt that.”
“Time will tell, milady.” The maid’s smile took on a certain wistfulness. “Ah, ’tis a fine thing t’ address ye as ‘milady.’ Yer mam would be so proud t’ see ye take yer rightful place in society.”
Maddy grasped the woman’s chapped hands. “Gertie, I meant to warn you. You must never mention my connection to the Duke of Houghton, not to anyone. Nobody here must know about my past.”
“But Lord Gilmore would be happy t’ learn of yer blue blood.”
“Nevertheless, you’ll promise me. Please.”
Gertie gave a reluctant nod. “Aye, milady, I won’t betray ye.” She shooed Maddy out of the dressing chamber. “Now, run along t’ bed. ’Tis best ye wait for his lordship there.”
Returning to the bedchamber, Maddy spied a door half hidden in the shadows of the far corner. That must be the one connected to Nathan’s quarters. The coil of tension inside her tightened. A part of her yearned for him to join her—yet another part hoped he would stay away.
Perhaps getting into bed had its merits. If she was ensconced beneath the covers, he couldn’t gawk at her in this revealing nightdress. Darkness would be preferable, as well.
Intending to blow out all the candles, Maddy headed toward a table near the fireplace. She was halfway there when the rattle of a doorknob froze her in place. In the next instant, the connecting door swung open.
Chapter 11
Her husband stepped into the bedchamber. Their eyes locked as he paused in the doorway. Tall and intimidating, he wore a robe of forest-green silk tied with a gold cord at his lean waist. He wasn’t smiling. The harsh angles of his face hid all trace of those attractive dimples.
No one would mistake Nathan Atwood, Viscount Rowley, for a proper gentleman. Not with his shoulder-length black hair drawn back by a leather thong at the back of his neck. Not with his brawny muscled build and the sun-burnished tone of his skin. And certainly not with the avid manner in which he eyed her.
His bold gaze swept over her as if he could see right through both her negligee and the gossamer nightgown beneath it. Perhaps he could.
Maddy crossed her arms in an instinctive attempt to shield herself. Other men had looked at her with lust, but none had seen her in such scanty attire with her hair unbound. It was jarring to reflect that she’d met Nathan only two nights ago.
Although they’d exchanged solemn vows in church, he was still very much a stranger to her. She knew little of his private thoughts. When she’d agreed to participate in his scheme, Maddy had only had a glimpse of his dark side. Rather, he’d seemed to possess the arrogantly charming nature of many noblemen. But the witty gentleman who’d coaxed her into this hasty marriage had vanished.
Perhaps he had never truly existed.
In his place was a ruthless lord who’d wed her for the purpose of vengeance. The hatred he’d directed toward his father today had been unsettling, to say the least. If Nathan was capable of holding such a powerful grudge for so many years, it stood to reason he might be dangerous, volatile, aggressive.
How much could she really trust him?
Shutting the door, he walked toward her, watching her closely as if to identify her weaknesses. Fear leaped inside her, the fear of being at the mercy of such a dominant male. Would he take her straight to bed? Would he strip her naked and ravish her? A sizzle of excitement scorched her veins. Her knees wobbled and she reached out to grip the back of a chair. The clash of emotions within her made no sense. How could she dread him and crave him all at the same time?
As he drew near, Nathan veered suddenly toward the fireplace. Only then did she notice that he carried a champagne bottle and two glasses, which he placed on a side table. There was something civilized about his action that helped to assuage her nerves.
Coming closer, he put his hands on her shoulders. The warmth of the contact quickened her heartbeat. But if he intended to seduce her, he made no move to do so. “Madelyn, I must say—”
He broke off at the sound of footsteps behind her. Gertie trotted into sight and bobbed a curtsy, her manner respectful. “Good evening, Lord Rowley. Should ye or milady be wantin’ anything else?”
His attention
flicked to the maid. “No. And pray see to it that we are not disturbed for the remainder of the night.”
His deep voice held the promise of intimate secrets soon to be unveiled. He still gripped Maddy’s shoulders, and she wondered what it would feel like for his hands to slide all over her body. She wanted him kiss her again as he’d done at the close of their wedding ceremony. To overwhelm her so that she didn’t have to think.
The maid left, the door shutting quietly. Nathan stepped away, leaving Maddy frustrated. As he went to pour champagne, she said rather breathlessly, “What did you mean to tell me just now?”
He brought a glass and pressed it into her hand. Their fingers brushed and a spark scurried up her arm, raising the fine hairs on her skin. Nathan lifted his own flute in a toast, clinking glasses with her. “I wanted to offer you my compliments on a fine performance today. You could not have been more perfect in your role.”
She took a sip of champagne, the bubbles bursting on her tongue. “I’m not sure your family would agree with you.”
“That’s the plan.” He reached out to catch a lock of her unbound hair, letting the golden strands sift through his fingers. “May I say, your beauty is an unexpected bonus. It will make this marriage so much more enjoyable.”
The cool calculation in his tone crept down her spine. It was a reminder that first and foremost, she was his tool of retaliation. Any desire he felt for her was merely sweet icing on the bitter cake of his hatred for his father.
She took a step back, out of his reach. “Nathan, I must ask you. Why does your father despise you so much? He can’t be entirely coldhearted. He appears to love your sister. And at dinner, he had no end of praise for your late brother.”
Nathan’s face hardened. “Never mind why. Our agreement is for you to play your prescribed role without question.”
“But shouldn’t I at least have an inkling as to what caused the strife between you and your father? You both looked fit to kill when you came into the drawing room after dinner. You must have quarreled about something.”
He paced to the table to refill his glass. “You really wish to know? Then I’ll tell you. Gilmore wants me to meet with his lawyers in the morning. He’s pressuring me to annul my marriage to you.”
“Annul!” Maddy gripped her wineglass. If the marriage was invalidated, would Nathan still pay her the stipend? Would she lose the funds to open her shop? Would Lord Dunham once again prey upon her? “Well, what did you say to him? Surely you refused.”
“Good God, of course I refused. I won’t play into that devil’s hands.”
A measure of tension seeped out of Maddy, and she sank down into one of the plush chairs by the fire. Sipping her champagne, she watched Nathan prowl the bedchamber like a caged lion. Perhaps this was her chance. She might never have a better opportunity to improve her distasteful role in the household.
“I imagine the earl was only considering your sister’s situation,” she said. “Lady Emily is making her debut, and even I know that our marriage is bound to harm her reputation.”
Nathan sent her a fierce glare. “Emily will be fine. I’ll make certain of it.”
“How? By turning that scowl on some hapless young stripling until he agrees to court her? Honestly, Nathan, that’s hardly a sensible plan.”
“So what do you suggest? That I should reconsider the annulment?” He stepped aggressively to her. “No, you wouldn’t want that. You’re a fortune hunter, Madelyn. You need this marriage as much as I do.”
Unnerved by his attack, she stared up at him towering over her. His temper was a powder keg set off by the smallest spark. She wanted to defend herself, but that would mean exposing her private plans, plans he must not know. “All I meant was that perhaps there’s a way to improve the present state of affairs—at least somewhat. So that I’m not such a ruinous liability.”
He paced away a few steps and turned to glower at her. “How? You’re a common actress, a woman of ill repute. I purchased you at an auction where other men were bidding to win you as their mistress. By tomorrow morning, all of society will be buzzing with the scandal.”
“Yes, I’m well aware of that.” Maddy cringed to think of being branded the villainess who’d enticed the Earl of Gilmore’s heir. She would be the target of every vicious gossip in London. Draining the last of her champagne, she held out her empty glass. While Nathan refilled it, she went on, “However, I’ve been thinking. Perhaps it isn’t necessary for me to behave in quite such a vulgar manner. Perhaps I could tone down my act. I’m sure your father would still detest me even if I were to pretend to be a refined, dignified lady.”
Nathan frowned. “You speak like one already. Where the devil did you learn the diction of the upper class?”
At the quizzical look on his face, she strove for a wide-eyed, innocent expression. He mustn’t guess that her mother had been born and bred a lady. Or that Maddy hoped to confront her grandfather, the Duke of Houghton, sometime in the near future.
If Nathan kept secrets, then she could do likewise.
“I’m an actress, aren’t I? My talent is mimicking speech and mannerisms. With your permission, I’ll convince the dowager to give me lessons in deportment. Over the course of a week or two, I’ll transform myself into the epitome of propriety.”
She braced herself for his attack. After all, her idiotic behavior today had been Nathan’s idea, a key component of his plot against his father, though for what reason Maddy still didn’t know.
But Nathan only gave her a keen stare. “And you truly think this will improve matters for Emily?”
“If I don’t slurp my soup or blather like a silly chatterbox, then I won’t be a constant embarrassment to the family. And it will perplex the gossips if the notorious Lady Rowley proves to be quiet and circumspect, the model of ladylike behavior.”
Unexpectedly, Nathan chuckled. “You, quiet and circumspect? I’ll wager you could never manage that.”
She gazed up at him from her chair. His lips were tilted slightly, not quite a smile but enough to reveal a beguiling hint of dimples. The champagne must be having an effect, for she suddenly felt giddy and vibrant. “Then I accept your wager. And you will pay me a token if I succeed.”
“A token.”
“Yes. Something with diamonds, perhaps.” Had she really said that? Maddy wanted to call it back. Demanding jewels would fortify his view of her as a fortune hunter.
But it was too late. He set down his glass and extended his hand to her. “Agreed. We’ll shake on it to seal the bargain.”
She stared at his outstretched hand. His fingers were long and masculine, the nails neatly trimmed, his skin bronzed by the sun. The prospect of touching him reawakened that earlier tug-of-war in her, the battle between the need to flee and the desire to stay. “That isn’t necessary,” she demurred.
“I’ll be the judge of that,” he said in a commanding tone. “Come, give me your hand now.”
By the shrewd gleam in his eyes, it was clear that he’d noticed her hesitancy about their night together. He was challenging her to reach out and touch him. And why shouldn’t she do so? She’d made her choice upon agreeing to this marriage. In church, she had vowed to be his wife in every sense of the word. And if truth be told, she wanted to lie with Nathan, to learn everything he could teach her.
No matter how much the darkness in him might alarm her.
Leaning forward in the chair, she lifted her hand and his fingers firmly closed around hers. The contact sent a flash of warmth up her arm and over her skin, tightening her breasts and hitching her breath. He must have felt it, too, for the fire in his eyes scorched her.
Rather than shake her hand, he firmed his grip and tugged her up out of the chair, using momentum to propel her into his arms. He plucked the champagne glass from her fingers and set it down on the table before drawing her fully into his embrace.
Her heart hammered at his sudden closeness. With every inhalation, she drew in his scent of soap and sandalwood.
As she clutched at his muscled shoulders to steady herself, the pattern on his dressing gown suddenly caught her attention.
Seizing the distraction, Maddy traced the embroidered design with her fingertips. No wonder she hadn’t noticed it until now. It was very subtle since the mythical winged creatures were sewn of the same rich green threads as the garment itself. “Dragons?”
His eyes gleamed an identical green. “Indeed. The Chinese are quite fond of them.”
A hundred questions about his travels in China crowded her mind. But now was not the time to ask them.
“The workmanship is exquisite.” She slid her fingers across the broad expanse of his chest, appreciating both the fabric and the warmth imbued by his skin. “The silk is amazingly soft. It’s finer than anything I’ve ever seen in a shop.”
“My warehouse is full of silk. I’ll give you as many bolts as you like so long as you keep fondling me like that.”
He looked quite rakish with a smile playing on his lips, reminding her of the dashing gentleman he’d been at the auction. Maddy’s insides tightened into an aching knot. The deep V of his collar revealed a swath of his chest. She had been trying not to dwell too much on the bare flesh beneath his dressing gown.
But now she could think of nothing else.
He seemed to be waiting for her to say something, so she murmured, “I do very much want to be here with you tonight.”
By way of response, his hands skimmed downward to cup her bottom and lock her against the solid column of his body. They stood with his chest to her breasts, his loins to hers. Her breathing grew shallow as the heat of him penetrated her flimsy nightdress.
He stared down at her, his gaze intensifying, desire evident on his face. A thrill unfurled inside her. He’d kept his hot-blooded passion hidden behind a mask of caustic wit and cool authority. But now he looked ready to take what he desired.
His eyes glittered in the candlelight. “We’re in perfect accord, then,” he stated. “There will be no annulment. I intend to make certain of that. Tonight. Now.”