Nicola Cornick

by The Dukes Mistress

  His hand slid down to her ankle. ‘So, you are saying that if we were somewhere more private you would not object?’

  ‘Of course I would.’ Why had she ever even thought about doing this? No lady would ever even consider baring her ankles to wade in the sea and particularly in front of a man to whom she was not related. But then, she thought with more than a little despair, she was no longer a lady. Not in anyone’s eyes. So, what did it matter?

  Justin’s eyes were on her face and he removed his hand from her ankle. ‘There is no need to look so blue-devilled. I promise I won’t do anything you don’t like.’ He stood. ‘Remove your stockings. I’ll turn my back while you do so and take my own boots and stockings off. There is no need to worry about someone seeing you. This is my property and, for the most part, is quite private.’

  She nodded and waited until he walked away from her. She did not glance his way as she peeled off her stockings and placed them carefully with her half-boots, then rose. The sand felt cool and grainy between her toes.

  She glanced at Justin. His feet were bare as well, as were his strong, muscular calves. She swallowed but before she could look away, he saw her. ‘Ready? Then come.’

  He waited for her to join him and together they walked to the edge of the water. ‘I should warn you it is cold,’ he said.

  ‘I won’t mind.’ She stepped daringly close and a wave lapped at her feet. He was right, it was cold but the feel of the water was so delightful she hardly cared. She picked up her skirt and stepped further out. A gurgle of laughter escaped her when the water washed over her toes. ‘This is wonderful! How can you bear to be in London when you have this?’

  She turned to look at him and his expression wiped the laughter from her face. ‘But of course, you must be used to it. I must sound like the most idiotic of school-girls.’

  ‘No.’ His eyes were on her face. ‘I have never seen you laugh before. Not like that.’

  ‘Oh.’ She felt ridiculous under his scrutiny and self-conscious that she was standing in the sea, her ankles exposed, the hem of her skirt wet and dirty and laughing in a way she had not since she had left school. ‘I must look extremely foolish.’

  ‘You look beautiful. I would give you the sea if it were possible, just to see you laugh in such a way.’

  ‘Justin…’

  But he had already caught her up in his arms. His mouth descended on hers in a kiss that made her forget she stood at the shore of the sea. Her skirt dropped from her hands and she did not notice that it trailed in the water. She only knew him: the taste of his mouth, the feel of his chest against hers, the beating of his heart.

  He lifted his mouth and stepped away from her. ‘That was not what I intended to do. I vowed I would stay away from you.’

  ‘Why?’ The day felt a little less bright. ‘Or perhaps I do not need to ask. I imagine you must despise me.’

  ‘You think I would kiss you like that if I despised you?’ He caught her hand. ‘Come with me. I don’t want to stand in the sea and talk.’

  He led her from the water to the wood she had used before as a bench. ‘Let’s sit here.’

  She sat on one end and he sat next to her, his thigh pressing against hers. She could feel his warmth through her thin skirt. He turned to look at her. ‘I don’t despise you, Belle.’

  She glanced at him. ‘I can’t imagine why you don’t. After what I did to you.’

  ‘Did you do anything to me?’ he asked softly.

  She was puzzled. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Did you conspire with your husband to kill me?’

  ‘No, I never did.’

  ‘I believe you.’

  Stunned, she stared at him. ‘But why would you believe me now? You did not before.’

  ‘Because, except for that one moment when you told me you knew of your husband’s trap, I have never found anything to indicate you are other than what you appear. I was determined to find some evidence that your lovely face and sweet smile hid the soul of a wicked seductress. But there is no evidence and so I was wrong.’ His eyes were on her face. ‘I have no right to beg your forgiveness, but I will hope that some day you will forgive me. I’ve no doubt it is you who must despise me for participating in a wager which must have seemed the worst betrayal of a friend and then, three years later, setting out to seduce you.’ He looked away from her towards the water.

  ‘Why did you wager for me?’

  He glanced back at her and a wry smile touched his mouth. ‘I had some idea that I might be able to save you from your husband. I had no idea how, but at the very least I intended to make certain you did not fall into the clutches of Banbury or Farley.’

  ‘I see.’ So he had wanted to protect her after all. She should have known that.

  ‘Do you?’ he asked. ‘I have destroyed your reputation, your life, based on my own blindness. You do not know how damnably sorry I am.’

  She touched his arm. ‘Then I will repeat your words and tell you that I don’t despise you. How can I when Lucien hurt you so terribly? I cannot blame you for wanting revenge for I would have as well. And I must ask your forgiveness for I hurt you as well by doubting you.’

  ‘There is nothing to forgive.’

  ‘But there is.’

  ‘You are too good.’ His mouth curved in an odd smile. ‘I always considered you too far above me—I suspect you still are.’

  ‘But I am not.’ She caught his hand. ‘I could not understand how someone like you would even notice the dull mouse I thought myself to be. But you did not mind when I had nothing to say and you made me laugh and I did not feel so stupid. Except when you attempted to teach me to play billiards.’

  This time his smile held amusement. ‘I would not have called you stupid. Merely unskilled.’ His smiled faded and she dropped his hand. ‘So what do we do now?’ he asked. ‘I’ve no intention of forcing you to my bed. I’ve torn up my copy of the contract and I trust you will do the same.’

  She suddenly felt cold but it was not only from the clouds that had covered the sun. ‘I can leave tomorrow, then.’

  He stared at her. ‘That is not what I meant. I would have you…’ He frowned and looked up at the sky. ‘It is going to rain. We need to leave the beach and then we can finish the conversation at the house.’

  She nodded and sat back down on the log to pull on her stockings and boots. He handed her a handkerchief.

  ‘You’ll need to remove the sand from your feet first.’

  She nodded and bent her head, her cheeks still warm. As she finished, she saw clouds had blown in and the wind had whipped up. The atmosphere suddenly felt as whirling and charged as her emotions.

  They walked back to the house in silence. By the time they reached the terrace, the wind was blowing in strong gusts and large drops of rain had started to fall. He caught her hand, pulling her up the steps. Justin pushed open the French door and then stopped abruptly.

  He muttered an oath and dropped her hand. Belle caught her breath, almost careening into him. It was then she saw the visitors. If she could have run then, she would have.

  The man was tall and broad-shouldered and, despite his elegant appearance, she had no doubt he was very powerful. The woman who sat on the sofa was equally elegantly dressed and quite beautiful.

  Justin drew in a breath. ‘Giles. Marguerite. I will own I was not expecting you. Otherwise I would have been here to welcome you in a more suitable fashion.’ For one of the first times since Belle had known him he sounded flustered.

  The woman rose. ‘We had heard you were to be here a day or two ago, but when you did not arrive, we were rather worried. So we decided we would stop and see if there was word of you. Mr Jackson informed us you were home although out, but we decided we would wait.’ Her smile was warm, but when her gaze fell on Belle, the warmth faded. ‘I do not believe I have met your guest.’

  Justin took Belle’s hand and brought her forward. ‘Lady Milborne, may I present Lord and Lady Haversham? Their estate borders
on Falconcliff.’

  ‘I am pleased to meet you,’ Lady Haversham said coolly.

  ‘And I am pleased to meet you.’ She met Lady Haversham’s gaze with as much aplomb as possible under the circumstances. The name of Haversham was vaguely familiar and then she recalled why. Lord Haversham had been Justin’s superior, the man he had rescued during Waterloo.

  ‘Lady Milborne,’ Lord Haversham said politely. His expression was no less cool and she knew very well that they were well aware of who she was. And why she was here. And they did not approve.

  She could not fault them. ‘My lord.’ She managed to meet his eyes.

  She turned to Justin. ‘I…I imagine you must wish to converse with your friends in private. And I must change. If you will pardon me.’

  She left before he could say anything. She feared it she stayed much longer, she would burst into tears.

  Ellen had just finished helping Belle dress for dinner when Mrs Keith bustled in. ‘His Grace wished me to inform you that Lord and Lady Haversham will be dining with him tonight as well.’

  ‘Thank you.’ The possibility of pleading a headache had crossed her mind, but she decided it would only be cowardly. She had no idea what he had told them, if anything to explain her presence, but if any of the rumours had reached their ears, she wondered that they would even consent to sit at the same table with her.

  She entered the drawing room with a great deal of trepidation. Lord and Lady Haversham were already present as well as Justin. Lord Haversham and Justin were conversing near the mantelpiece and Lady Haversham was standing near the window. In profile, her belly was slightly rounded, and Belle saw she was with child. Unexpected envy and longing hit her with such force she was stunned. Then she saw everyone look at her and she forced herself to move into the room.

  Justin came to her side. He had changed as well and wore a dark coat and pantaloons. They all looked very elegant and she felt plain and dowdy in her simple cream gown. His expression was polite, with none of the passion she had seen in his eyes at the shore. The afternoon had begun to seem like a dream.

  ‘We will dine shortly,’ he said. ‘Come and talk to Lady Haversham.’

  She was doubtful that Lady Haversham wished to converse with her, but she crossed the room with him.

  ‘At least the rain has stopped,’ Lady Haversham remarked when they reached her. Her gaze fell on Belle. ‘Justin told me that you have not seen the sea before.’

  ‘No. It is very lovely.’ She knew she must sound stiff. Justin moved away and she resisted the urge to grab his arm and force him to stay with her. ‘I had no idea it would be so grand. I suppose that is why I decided I must wade in it the very first thing, which is why I looked so dishevelled when I met you.’

  Lady Haversham seemed to unbend a little. ‘I quite understand. I did the very same thing when I first saw it. I insisted that Giles stop the carriage so I might get out and touch it. He would not allow me to remove my slippers so I fear they became quite ruined.’ She smiled a little and then it faded. ‘How long will you be at Falconcliff?’

  ‘Perhaps a few weeks. I have not decided.’

  ‘I see.’ Her clear blue eyes studied Belle as if she could not quite make up her mind about her. But before she could say more, dinner was announced.

  Belle might have enjoyed the dinner if the circumstances had been different. Both Lord and Lady Haversham were excellent conversationalists. Lady Haversham had been with her husband at the Congress in Vienna and later at the Duchess of Richmond’s ball on the eve of Waterloo. She learned, as well, that Lady Haversham and Justin had grown up on neighbouring estates in Kent. She realised she knew very little about his life during the years he had been away from England. The camaraderie between them left her in no doubt that they cared deeply for Justin.

  She was a complete outsider.

  Belle was relieved when the dinner was over. Her relief was short-lived when she realised that she and Lady Haversham were to withdraw and leave the men to their brandy. She had no idea what she would say to the cool and elegant Lady Haversham.

  The other woman apparently knew the house very well. She led Belle to the drawing room with the confidence of one who had been there many times before. She indicated one of the sofas near the mantelpiece. ‘Please sit down, Lady Milborne.’

  Belle sat and Lady Haversham took the chair next to her. The gaze she turned on Belle’s face held no warmth. ‘As you perhaps gathered, I grew up with Justin and I consider him a brother. He was nearly killed and then forced to leave England because of your husband. I do not know all the details, but enough to know that you hurt him badly. I do not intend to let you hurt him again. He saved my husband’s life at Waterloo and I owe him a debt I can never repay.’

  ‘I do not intend to hurt him,’ Belle said quietly.

  ‘Then why are you here?’

  ‘Because I too have debts I must repay.’

  ‘I see. And what debts are those?’

  ‘Justin was merely a pawn in my husband’s scheme for revenge. He had to pay for my husband’s madness. My husband paid nothing and so I am paying his debt for him. And my own. That is why I am here.’ She was too tired to dissemble. Let Lady Haversham make of it what she wanted.

  ‘You are repaying your debt to him by becoming his mistress?’ Lady Haversham appeared incredulous.

  ‘That was our original agreement. We signed a contract that outlined the terms. At the end of the Season my debt will have been paid.’ She looked at Lady Haversham. ‘Or would have been. He changed his mind and does not want me after all. So you need not worry as I will no doubt be leaving shortly.’

  ‘Good heavens! A contract? That is so…so cold!’

  ‘It was only to be a business arrangement.’ Belle found her cheeks were heating despite her effort to sound cool. ‘We were not entering into it for any other reason.’

  ‘Indeed!’ Lady Haversham stared at her. ‘So Justin offered you carte blanche and you accepted merely for business purposes?’

  ‘Something like that. My husband owed him two thousand pounds. He did not want the money so we came to another arrangement.’ She felt her cheeks grow even hotter.

  To Belle’s surprise, Lady Haversham’s brow snapped down. ‘He forced you to become his mistress in order to pay your husband’s debt? Why ever would he do such a despicable thing?’

  ‘My husband set out to destroy him and he nearly succeeded. I, too, hurt him. I cannot blame him for wanting payment. But his behaviour has not been despicable at all. For you see that, despite our agreement, I am his mistress in name only. He informed me today that he has torn up the contract. I do not think you need to concern yourself that he will be hurt by me because there is nothing between us.’

  ‘I am beginning to think that I should worry about you as well. So he has not seduced you, despite your agreement. And you think there is nothing between you.’ Her coldness had disappeared and she stared at Belle with fascination.

  Belle flushed. ‘Of course there is not. I would not have told you any of this except that I wanted to reassure you that Justin is in no danger from me. I will leave here as soon as possible.’

  ‘Without paying your debt?’

  Belle looked away. ‘He does not want payment. He made that very clear.’

  Lady Haversham suddenly smiled. ‘Oh, but I think you are wrong. He is very interested in your fulfilling your obligation. I suspect that now that he has you here, he will chivalrously refuse to take advantage of you under his roof.’ Her smile faded. ‘I will own I was not pleased when Brandt sent word that Justin meant to bring you here. I was determined to defend him against you. But I do not think I am wrong when I say that you care for him.’

  ‘No, you are not wrong and that is why I must go.’

  ‘I think,’ Lady Haversham said, ‘that is why you must stay.’

  They both looked up as the men entered the drawing room. Lady Haversham touched Belle’s hand for a brief moment. ‘If you need anything, you have
only to send for me.’ She rose and smiled at her husband. ‘My love, I rather think we should depart. I am tired and I’ve no doubt Justin and Lady Milborne are fagged as well from their journey.’

  Her husband’s answering smile left no doubt of the strong bond between them. ‘If that is your wish.’ He grinned at Justin. ‘I fear that I am reduced to obeying her every whim.’

  ‘Hardly.’ Lady Haversham made a face and caught Justin’s hands. ‘We will expect you very soon at Haversham Hall. And Lady Milborne.’ She suddenly kissed his cheek and stepped back.

  Haversham bowed over Belle’s hand. ‘Goodnight, Lady Milborne.’ He looked at Justin. ‘I will see the colt tomorrow, if I may.’

  They made their departures and suddenly the house seemed all too quiet. She turned and saw Justin was staring at the mantelpiece. He turned his gaze to her. ‘I imagine you are fatigued as well. You may retire if you want.’

  His voice was polite. That he was dismissing her was clear. She looked at him for a moment. ‘Goodnight, then.’

  ‘Goodnight, Belle.’

  She made her way to her room and closed the door behind her. The lamp had been lit and the room was warm, but it did not erase the sudden loneliness in her heart.

  And why had she bared her soul in such a way to Lady Haversham? And confessed why she was here? Lady Haversham had been kind, more than kind, but she should not have told her all those things.

  And how could Lady Haversham think Justin still wanted her to fulfil her contract terms? He had made it very clear he did not want her here. And certainly not in his bed.

  She would tell him tomorrow she intended to leave as soon as possible. Despite Lady Haversham’s words, she could think of no reasons for staying.

  Chapter Ten

  She woke the next morning to another clear blue sky and to the sound of quiet footsteps. For a moment, she had no idea where she was and then she remembered. She was at Falconcliff. Her stomach fluttered and she resisted the urge to crawl back under the snug, warm bedclothes. She opened her eyes and sat up. Ellen had just set a fresh pitcher of water on the dresser. She turned and gave Belle a shy smile. ‘Good morning, my lady.’ She came to stand by the bed and folded her hands neatly in front of her. ‘Mrs Keith says to ask you if you would like a tray brought to you or do you want to take breakfast in the dining room?’