To Love a Libertine

by LeFey, Liana

  The memory of his kisses assaulted Eden, and she knew the woman spoke true. He had demanded everything of her, body and soul. He wouldn’t be satisfied with anything less than possessing all of her.

  “Had I never met Henry, I’ve no doubt but that I could have loved Percy, in time,” said her hostess. “He is, as I’ve said, a good man, if a bit rough around the corners. He certainly did not deserve the pain I gave him. In speaking so candidly with you now, I hope to prevent history repeating itself, for he is my friend, and I would not wish him to endure such injury ever again.”

  The pieces finally settled into place, and at last Eden understood. Lady Montgomery had indeed wounded Percy. Deeply. And this was her attempt to protect him and thereby make amends.

  “I shall say one thing more, and then vow to be forever silent on the matter,” said Lady Montgomery.

  Steeling herself, Eden held her breath—heaven only knew what the woman would say next.

  “I wish to allay any fears you may have regarding my relationship with Percy. Despite what the gossips say, we are friends only. I’m in love with my husband, as Percy knows all too well. Believe me when I say that he has no romantic illusions where I am concerned.”

  Involuntarily, Eden’s gaze dropped to where the countess’s hand rested on her belly.

  “Indeed,” chuckled the lady, the sparkle returning to her gemlike eyes. “As you can see, I’m quite content in my marriage. Indecently content, some have said.”

  Not quite knowing what to say, Eden merely nodded.

  Her blushing response elicited another laugh from her hostess. “I shall be even more shocking and venture a prediction that you will be as happy as I, should you marry Percy. But you must decide your course soon,” she urged. A mischievous grin broke across her face. “Once you have accepted him, I shall be most pleased to assist you in convincing your family of his suitability. I excel at gentle persuasion.”

  Eden doubted that even Lady Montgomery, with all her influence, could achieve such a feat. It would take nothing short of a miracle to make her stepmother approve of Percy.

  “Now! Let us move to other, more lighthearted subjects, shall we?” said Lady Montgomery with all cheer. “Do you enjoy playing cards?”

  The scenery passed by without Eden even seeing it. Lady Montgomery’s words kept running through her mind. Many assumptions had been drastically altered by the visit. It was one thing to hear a man’s words and observe his behavior while he was putting his best foot forward in an effort to impress. It was another entirely to hear the testimony of others on his behalf.

  And what testimony! Lady Montgomery had no reason to trust her with such dire secrets. She’d taken a huge risk in doing so, for there wasn’t an ear in London that wouldn’t be tickled with unholy glee to learn the truth.

  Eden had come today half expecting the woman to try and dissuade her from accepting Percy’s suit. She’d anticipated ominous warnings about his lack of moral fiber—and to be sure, her hostess had been brutally honest in that regard, but her warnings had been mingled most curiously with praise.

  Immediately upon her arrival at home, her presence was requested in her stepmother’s chambers. The door opened as Eden raised her hand to knock, and a frazzled-looking maid scurried out. The sympathetic glance the girl shot her was a clear warning: their lady mistress was in a foul temper this afternoon.

  “Come in, Eden,” called Catherine from within.

  Dragging her feet would only make her stepmother suspect she had something to hide. Which, of course, she did. Composing her features into a pleasant expression, she entered the inner sanctum.

  Propped up by half a dozen pillows in the massive bed, her adversary appeared deceptively small and frail. “How went your visit with Lady Montgomery?”

  “She’s a delightful hostess. I believe we shall be good friends.”

  “Don’t prevaricate,” snapped Catherine. “What did she tell you about him?”

  “Nothing I did not already know,” Eden lied. “His past indiscretions were briefly mentioned, but she assured me he is a changed man.”

  “This from the woman with whom he is rumored to have maintained an ongoing affaire? All of London whispers of it! Do you think me deaf?”

  Eden’s temper flared, but she managed to keep her voice low and even. “Whatever you’ve heard is untrue. I can assure you Lady Montgomery is not the sort of woman to commit adultery. She is in love with her husband entirely. I’ve seen the way her eyes follow him, and I’ve heard her account of the events leading to their marriage.”

  “And you believe them?”

  “She has no reason to lie and nothing to hide by doing so,” Eden again fibbed. “She and Lord Tavistoke are friends, nothing more. Do you really believe Lord Montgomery would tolerate his presence if he suspected otherwise? Do you think he would name him a friend or have him stand as godfather to his child?”

  “I never boast to know why men behave the way they do, and you would be wise to never assume anything regarding their motivations, either.” Catherine’s eyes were hard. “For all you know, Lord Montgomery may be a besotted fool and his wife a shameless cuckold with an innocent face.”

  “I can say with complete confidence that neither description is the least bit accurate,” Eden insisted, bristling. “She made a mistake. She accepted Per”—she faltered at her stepmother’s piercing glare—“Lord Tavistoke’s offer initially because she feared her own feelings for Lord Montgomery. Fortunately for them all, she changed her mind before it was too late.”

  “Whether or not it was too late is still highly debatable,” grumbled Catherine. “I take it the woman approves of a match between you?”

  “I should like to think so,” Eden said meekly. “She invited me to visit her again next week.”

  Catherine’s eyes narrowed. “You realize if you accept his suit, there can be no turning back? I doubt whether any decent man would have you after such an association, no matter how well you guard your virtue. I don’t like it. Not one bit.”

  That was stating the obvious.

  “I concede your opinion of him is not entirely undeserved,” Eden replied with as much calm as she could muster. “His past is certainly not an unblemished one. That said, his recent behavior speaks to a much different attitude. You yourself have often said that with age comes wisdom. Is it so hard to believe he might have changed, that he might have grown beyond his prior, self-centered ways?”

  “Yes,” snapped the older woman. “Since we’re quoting clichés, allow me to reiterate a common one: a leopard cannot change its spots. Eden, the man is a reprobate, and he will likely remain a reprobate until he dies of the pox or gets himself run through over some sordid affaire!”

  “You condemn him without even knowing him!”

  “I don’t need to know the man personally to arrive at a wise decision regarding his character,” huffed Catherine. “His past actions speak for themselves. If his heart was in some way wounded by Lady Montgomery’s rejection, it was probably long overdue. Sauce for the gander, in his case. I would say he got exactly what he deserved.”

  “It wasn’t like that,” Eden countered, the knowledge she’d gained burning within her. “Have you no compassion at all?”

  “Ha! You might ask him the same question regarding the legion of bastards he’s fathered over the past decade.”

  “That has nothing to do with—”

  “It has everything to do with you!” thundered Catherine, setting off a fit of coughing.

  Darting over, Eden handed her the glass of water from her bedside table and held it for her as she drank. Alarmingly, her stepmother’s hand burned with fever. “Please don’t stress yourself so. We can discuss this another time—when you are well. Have you sent for the doctor?”

  “We will address it now,” insisted Catherine, this time keeping her voice low. “I may be ill, but my reason is in no way incapacitated. And I have no need of a doctor. It is a cold, not the plague.”

 
; “I cannot disagree with your judgment of his past behavior, but I can disagree with your harsh judgment of him as he is now. I beg you to allow him to prove his worth.”

  Her stepmother regarded her with narrowed, assessing eyes. “Very well, I’ll allow him to call upon you—but only under the strictest supervision. Don’t think your disappearance with him yesterday afternoon went unnoticed.”

  Eden’s heart began to pound.

  “Don’t excite yourself; I know nothing happened,” replied Catherine testily. “I shall be worse than a shadow to you, girl. Don’t think for a moment that I won’t be watching his every move. I fully expect this leopard to expose his spots. And when he does, I will be there to point them out.”

  “Th—”

  “Don’t you dare thank me now,” her stepmother grated, coughing again. “I shall look for your gratitude when it is due—when your blindness is cured. I know you, Eden, better than you know yourself. You’re stubborn and willful, and you won’t listen to me or anyone else. You’ve always learned your lessons the hard way. In this instance, however, the stakes are too high to let you make a mistake.”

  Falling back against the pillows, Catherine closed her eyes. “Rather than have you ruin yourself by attempting to see Tavistoke behind my back—and don’t even try to deny you’ve considered it,” she added, lifting a knowing brow, “you will do this on my terms. You will be chaperoned at all times. All correspondence will be monitored. If he behaves in anything less than a gentlemanly manner, he will no longer be received.”

  Her spirits sank. What would her stepmother say when he came asking permission to court her on Monday?

  “One day, when you’re older and wiser, and happily settled with a decent husband, you will be grateful for my having taken a hard stance on this now.”

  “You assume he won’t pass muster. What if he proves worthy?”

  Catherine laughed weakly. “Should he actually manage such an impossible feat, I shall of course consider his offer, if he ever comes to scratch. But in the event he does not, I insist you continue to entertain other offers. I have had several gentlemen express interest in you, and I plan to introduce you to them as soon as possible, before everyone begins making assumptions about you and that…that…” She sighed and closed her eyes. “Lord Tavistoke.”

  Eden could only offer a meek nod. It was that, or get into another argument and possibly lose what tenuous ground she’d gained. How would Percy ever overcome her stepmother’s prejudice?

  Chapter Eight

  Saturday

  The party was barely tolerable, even with Genevieve to keep her company. The furtive glances cast Eden’s way disturbed her not, but the absence of Percy’s presence was a keen disappointment. Several times she caught herself turning to see if he’d slipped in behind her. It was utter nonsense to assume the man would show up simply because she’d mentioned her intent to attend. Ridiculous.

  And yet she’d hoped. Such had been her optimism that she’d even worn one of her new gowns tonight. Ruefully, she admired the sea-green-and-cream damask. The ornate, gold-gilt roses embroidered on it and the matching silk ribbons fastening the front were the very height of fashion. Wasted. On a dinner party. Really, she ought to have saved it for a ball.

  Music drifted throughout the room as Genevieve showed off her skill at the harpsichord. Lady Torrington had asked Eden to play also, but she’d declined. While her friend might be confident enough to play before an audience, she herself was not so brave. Perhaps if she actually took the time to practice…

  The last note rang out, followed by polite applause. All she could think about was Monday. What she would wear, how she’d behave, what Papa would say when Percy asked permission to court her. Standing, she turned—and very nearly collided with the very man in question.

  “I thought you might like a glass.” Percy proffered a delicate flute of champagne. “My apologies for being so late. I do hope you will forgive me.”

  An indefinable tension eased in Eden’s midsection, one she hadn’t been aware of until its absence. He had come, and he was here for only one reason. Unable to help smiling, she drank him in along with her champagne, relishing the freedom to do both without reprisal.

  He was as handsome as ever and his attire was, as always, splendid. Sky blue silk damask woven in a subtle pattern of birds clung to his broad shoulders and trim torso, flaring out at the hips to a full coat-skirt in the most current mode. But his clothing wasn’t what captivated her. The lodestone that drew her was his dark, laughing gaze.

  Though gladdened by his presence, a shadow crossed her heart at the thought of what this might cost. “I thought not to see you until Monday.”

  A crease appeared between his brows. “What is it?”

  Beckoning him close, she lowered her voice. “My stepmother will be furious when she learns of this. She is ill at home.”

  “I doubt you will have any difficulty once she hears I came without an invitation,” he informed her with a wicked grin. “I could not help myself. I had to see you.”

  Eden cast him a dubious look. “Mmm. While I would like to flatter myself, I rather think you came to find out what Lady Montgomery and I talked of,” she teased, putting aside her worries about her stepmother.

  “I’ve already been to see her.”

  “I see.” Eden’s smile remained fixed in spite of sudden, overwhelming resentment. He’d sought out a former fiancée’s counsel regarding her?

  Something of her bitterness must have shown itself, because Percy moved a little closer and whispered, “She was most disobliging and refused to say anything but that I’d be a lucky devil should I manage to win you.”

  Though she didn’t believe him for a moment, Eden relaxed. Obviously, Lady Montgomery’s verdict had been in her favor or he wouldn’t be here now. Still, it rankled to know he’d wanted her approval in the first place. “You may be comforted to know she was equally complimentary of you and as mindful of your privacy” she fibbed, dishing out the same sauce in return.

  “Liar,” he accused lightly, his brown eyes warm.

  “No more so than you.”

  “We are well matched, are we not?”

  “That remains to be seen.” Eyes were following them now. “Though it pleases me you wished to see me again so soon, I’m beginning to wonder if it was not a very unwise choice,” she murmured, taking another sip.

  “Unwise or not, I’m here,” he replied, unrepentant. “Since it cannot be undone, why not make the best of it and use these stolen hours to our advantage?”

  Taking the arm he offered, Eden let him guide her over to an unoccupied corner.

  “What thought you of Sabrina?”

  Such was her surprise that it took her a moment to formulate an answer. “As I said, she was very kind and generous in her description of you. She was also quite honest concerning your faults.”

  “The sins of the past follow on one’s heels as faithfully as a loyal hound.” He gave her a wry half smile. “Obviously, my more redeeming qualities won out over my errors, else you would not be speaking to me now.”

  “Yes,” she answered. “What you did for the sake of your friends’ happiness was truly commendable. As for your more recent conduct, she was unable to find fault with it.”

  “I wondered whether she would tell you what really happened,” he murmured. “That she did so says a great deal regarding her estimation of your character.”

  “I’m happy to have passed the test,” she snipped, unable to keep her ire completely in check.

  “My apologies for her no doubt rigorous inquiry.” His expression turned grim. “She meant well.”

  Eden softened. “Yes, she did. You are blessed in your friends.”

  “That I am. I suppose there is no point in keeping you ignorant concerning my current pursuits, either.”

  She stared askance at him.

  “I cannot discuss it here, but suffice it to say if we marry, you will need to be aware of them so that should
anything surface it will not cause an unnecessary rift between us. I’ll keep no secrets from you, Eden, though you may one day wish I had.”

  “Yes. She adjured me to cultivate fortitude should I choose to continue our association.”

  “She was right to warn you. But now is not the time to speak of such matters.” He glanced about. “We’ll talk more when there is adequate time and privacy.”

  Curiosity sat in the pit of her stomach, burning like a red hot coal. Later. “Indeed, I think it would be wise, for the moment, to refrain from discussing any matters of import. Perhaps we should join in a game of Hazard or backgammon?” She gestured to the tables set up along one side of the room where people were beginning to settle now that the musical entertainments had ended.

  “Of course.”

  Though they took on various partners and played many different games, Eden knew it would not go unnoticed that the two of them played each other more often than anyone else. By the time dinner was served, their hosts had made a place for their uninvited guest—right next to Eden. It could not have been made plainer that they were thought a couple.

  While it was a pleasure to be so near him, she knew they must present a respectable front. Each made a point to include their other dinner partners in conversation. When at last, after two hours, everyone was sated and the gentlemen ready for their port, she and Percy parted ways. The looks from the women around her told her she was in for an inquest.

  Fortunately, Genevieve stepped in and linked arms with her at once, preventing its commencement. “Don’t be bothered by them,” she whispered in Eden’s ear. “No doubt they are each of them choking on their own liver for want of being in your place.”

  “You are kind to come to my rescue,” Eden told her, giving her arm a light squeeze as they walked.

  “I will confess an ulterior motive,” said Genevieve with a naughty little smile. “I’m hoping Tavistoke will introduce me to one of his acquaintances who will then fall madly in love with me and propose.”