Love and Marriage

by Alexandra Ivy

  Her tension eased at the faint hint of teasing in his tone. She had feared a stern lecture that would have stolen all pleasure from the evening.

  Lowering her lashes she glanced through them in a flirtatious manner.

  “Why, Mr. Drake, you sound almost jealous.”

  The gray eyes flared with ready desire as he stepped close enough for her to be wrapped in his heat.

  “Insanely and unashamedly jealous, Mrs. Drake,” he confessed without hesitation.

  A heady pleasure shivered through her at his possessive gaze. “Very well, you are free to bloody the nose of any gentleman who ogles me,” she graciously conceded, her smile provocative. “As long as I am free to return the favor for any female who sinks her talons into you.”

  He chuckled as he reached out to encircle her waist with his arms.

  “Why, Mrs. Drake, you sound almost jealous.”

  Just a few weeks ago Addy would have sliced out her tongue before admitting such a weakness. She had been far too resentful, and perhaps even too frightened, to reveal any vulnerability to her husband. Now, however, she tilted back her head to regard him with open honesty.

  “Insanely and unashamedly.”

  He drew her closer with a low growl of satisfaction. “Do you know what I think?”

  “What?”

  His head lowered to stroke his lips over her cheek and down the line of her throat.

  “That it would be far more pleasant to remain quietly at home rather than being battered and bruised at a stuffy ball.”

  Addy was rapidly coming to the same conclusion as familiar swirls of excitement danced through her stomach. Adam had only to touch her to make her melt with pleasure and this occasion was no different.

  What woman with the least amount of sanity wouldn’t prefer to remain in her chambers with a handsome, skilled lover rather than be squashed by a crowd of chattering strangers?

  Unfortunately her building desire could not entirely dismiss her realization that it was a poor hostess who constantly disappeared with her husband when a guest was patiently awaiting her arrival downstairs.

  She and Adam had abandoned the poor Vicar far too often during the past week.

  “We can not forget Mr. Humbly,” she forced herself to mutter as the lips nuzzled the sensitive line of her collarbone. “He will be leaving at the end of the week.”

  For a moment the lips continued seducing away her good intentions. Then, just when Addy had decided the Vicar could fend for himself, Adam heaved a regretful sigh and pulled away.

  “I thought that I was the one boringly chained to duty and responsibility?” he mourned.

  She gave a wry smile as she smoothed the crushed fabric of her gown.

  “I fear Mr. Humbly has been a reprehensible influence upon you. Over the past few weeks you have become a veritable rogue.”

  “While you have become positively proper,” he teased, reaching up to trail a finger along the deep curve of her neckline. “At least upon most occasions.”

  She playfully knocked his hand away with her fan. “We must go down. Mr. Humbly will be waiting.”

  “Oh, very well,” he reluctantly conceded, holding out his arm.

  Together they left the chamber and walked down to the front salon. The house was blessedly silent without the provoking presence of Lord and Lady Morrow, and while Addy occasionally felt a faint pang of remorse at the knowledge they must be furious at having been tossed out the door, she did not regret Adam’s decision for even a moment.

  It was sheer delight to awaken in the morning without the burning fear she was about to face disaster. Or even to work upon her portrait without her mother’s unceasing complaints.

  Of course, she could not entirely regret her parents’ tumultuous visit, she reminded herself. Mr. Humbly had warned her to appreciate what she possessed. After her parents’ chaotic presence she fully appreciated the silent peace of her household.

  Stepping into the room, Addy smiled as the Vicar hurriedly rose to his feet.

  “My dear, what a lovely gown,” he said with an admiring gaze.

  “Thank you, Mr. Humbly. Might I say you are looking very dashing yourself?”

  The Vicar dropped his gaze to his own dark coat and pantaloons with a sorrowful sigh.

  “Very kind of you, Addy, but I fear I never appear dashing. I can never seem to keep all my bits and pieces together.”

  Addy could not help but laugh at his complaint. It was true his coat was already rumpled and his cravat askew, but his sweet smile and amiable disposition more than compensated for any lack of elegance.

  “I think you look charming,” she insisted.

  The Vicar turned to smile at Adam. “Perhaps we should leave before your wife quite turns my head.”

  * * *

  Addy stifled a yawn as she glanced about the sea of guests that had currently pushed her and Mr. Humbly into a distant corner.

  Although she had tried to muster a bit of enthusiasm for the Vicar’s sake, she discovered the minutes dragging past with painful slowness.

  Even with her new gown she had no desire to twirl about the dance floor or to encourage the numerous male gazes that strayed in her direction.

  In truth, she wanted nothing more than to return home and be alone with her husband.

  Addy gave a faint shake of her head. Who would ever have suspected that she would one day desire a dull, uneventful evening with Adam?

  It was hardly the stuff of schoolgirl dreams. But at the moment she could think of nothing more delightful than being cuddled upon Adam’s lap in front of a warm fireplace.

  Glancing toward her companion, Addy grimaced at the round countenance flushed with heat and the manner in which the Vicar occasionally winced at the shrill giggles as desperate debutantes attempted to be noticed among the crowd.

  Poor Mr. Humbly.

  He looked nearly as miserable as herself.

  “It is very crowded,” she said, hoping to ease his discomfort.

  He leaned forward, clearly unable to hear her above the loud din.

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “It is very crowded,” she shouted over the noise.

  “Indeed,” he agreed, then his eyes widened. “Oh dear.”

  “What is it?”

  “A matron in a turban. Mind your toes, my dear.”

  He pulled her deeper into the corner as a large countess stomped past missing Addy’s toes by a mere breath.

  “Good heavens.” She rolled her eyes heavenward. Enough was enough. Not even her toes were safe in this crush. It was time to retreat. “I believe I shall find Adam and see if he is prepared to leave.”

  There was no mistaking the sheer relief that rippled over the Vicar’s countenance.

  “A fine notion, my dear.”

  She reached out to pat his hand in sympathy. “Wait for us in the foyer. I will not be long.”

  Sucking in a deep breath, Addy plunged her way into the crush, grimacing at the overpowering perfumes and the numerous male hands that reached out as she passed by.

  Gads, she would be black and blue before she ever discovered Adam, she thought with a stab of impatience.

  Only sheer perseverance allowed her at last to battle her way to the far door and, drawing in a deep breath, she scanned the dance floor for a sign of Adam.

  Not seeing his familiar form she had turned her attention to the numerous gentlemen huddled beside an open French door when a hand suddenly clamped her elbow with surprising force.

  Abruptly turning her head, Addy discovered Lord Barclay regarding her with a glittering gaze.

  “Addy, at last,” he drawled with his most charming smile. “I have struggled to reach your side all evening. Unfortunately you have been surrounded by the most persistent admirers.”

  Stifling her instinctive impatience with the shallow dandy, Addy forced a polite smile to her lips.

  “Lord Barclay.”

  “I do hope that you have saved me a dance?”

 
; “Actually I was just searching for Adam so we can take our leave.”

  He arched a golden brow. “Surely not so early?”

  “Yes.”

  The too-handsome features seemed to harden at her obvious indifference to his determined pursuit. No doubt he expected every female to swoon with appreciation at his manly charms, she thought with an unusual flare of cynicism.

  “I begin to think that you are avoiding me.”

  She bit back the urge to inform him that she would be delighted never to encounter him again. His constant flirtations were becoming wearisome.

  “Nonsense,” she politely denied. “I am simply fatigued by the crush.”

  His lips twisted with a hint of mockery. “And anxious to be home with your husband?”

  She met his gaze squarely. “Very much.”

  There was a stiff silence before his expression cleared and he offered a half bow.

  “Of course. I believe I saw him headed toward the card room. Allow me to escort you.”

  Although disliking the thought of remaining in the company of the notorious rake, Addy had little choice but to accept his offer.

  “If you wish.”

  Steering her through the nearby door Lord Barclay halted as they came upon a vast crowd just leaving the supper room.

  “We shall never make our way through,” Barclay announced, abruptly tugging Addy across the hall and thrusting her through an open doorway. “We shall find a less crowded route.”

  “Where are we going?” Addy demanded as he gave her a firm shove forward and she noted they had entered a deserted library.

  “Why, to find the flawless Mr. Drake, where else?” he retorted with a return to his earlier mockery.

  “I do not think . . .” Addy’s words stumbled to a halt as she turned about to discover Lord Barclay firmly closing the door and then turning the key in the lock. “What are you doing?”

  “Just ensuring a bit of privacy,” he retorted, turning about to face her as he slipped the key into his pocket.

  “Privacy?” Her brows snapped together. “Why should we have need of privacy?”

  He gave an ugly laugh. “Not even you are that naive, my dear Addy.”

  Her bewilderment swiftly hardened to anger as she regarded him with distaste. If this was some sort of joke it was not at all amusing.

  “You will call me, Mrs. Drake, my lord,” she informed him in icy tones. “And I demand that you unlock that door immediately.”

  Her captor strolled forward. “I think not.”

  “What?”

  “I have waited far too long to have you alone. You have been annoyingly elusive.”

  Addy backed to the center of the room, more annoyed than alarmed.

  “Are you foxed?”

  “Merely drunk upon my desire for you,” Barclay retorted, continuing his path toward her.

  “If you are not foxed then you must be mad. I demand that you release me at once.”

  Halting before her, the nobleman regarded her with a taunting smile.

  “You are in no position to demand anything, Mrs. Drake.”

  “I shall scream.”

  “No, you will not,” he said in confident tones. “Just think of the scandal you will cause if you are discovered alone in the room with me. And we both know how desperately your paragon of a husband dislikes the faintest hint of scandal.”

  He was right, damn him, she seethed. She would never bring such scandal upon Adam. Not that she was about to admit as much to this wastrel.

  “I shall tell them you forced me into this room,” she warned.

  He shrugged. “And I shall say that you lured me here and then lost your nerve when it came to the sticking point. It will be a toss-up to discover whom the ton will believe. In either event there will be a deafening thunder of gossip for weeks to come.”

  Her hand itched to slap his handsome face. Only the knowledge such an action was bound to make the situation worse restrained her.

  “Why are you doing this?”

  His gaze deliberately swept over her neckline. “I said you were naive.”

  “Balderdash,” she snapped.

  Barclay gave a sharp laugh. “What a poor opinion you possess of your charms. You husband is clearly not performing his duties.”

  “You are not so desperate for a woman that you need force one against her will.”

  “Thank you, my dear.”

  Her nose flared with distaste. “What do you want?”

  He paused for a moment before folding his arms across his chest. “If you must know the truth, my dear, my first desire was to annoy Adam.”

  “Why?”

  A sudden sneer twisted his lips. “You cannot imagine how extraordinarily tedious it was to be forever in the shadow of Adam Drake. At school he was the darling of every teacher. The rest of us were constantly berated for not living up to Drake’s scholarly excellence. He even managed to thrash us upon the sporting field. And of course, he never created the least amount of trouble. He was utterly perfect.”

  Addy did not bother to hide her pride in her husband. “Adam can hardly be blamed for being superior to you at school.”

  “Oh, it was not just at school that I was forced to be lectured upon the numerous attributes of your husband,” he continued, the hard glitter in his eyes sending a faint trickle of fear down her spine. “My own father was forever throwing Adam’s sterling character into my face. Adam never gambled or drank his evenings away. Adam did not toss his allowance away on opera dancers. Instead he nobly sacrificed his life to the efforts of the War Department. It would be enough to make any gentleman sick to his stomach.”

  “Sick with jealousy, you mean,” she said before she could halt the words.

  He lifted an indifferent shoulder, the firelight dancing over his countenance and adding a hint of menace to his too-perfect features.

  “Perhaps. In any event, I decided that it might be a great deal of fun to bring the high and mighty Drake down to the level of the rest of us mortals. And what better means of destroying a gentleman’s arrogance than by seducing his wife?”

  Addy’s stomach turned at his sordid plot. What sort of man deliberately seduced a woman for petty revenge?

  “A pity for you that I have no desire to be seduced.”

  “Actually it is a pity for you,” he said in low, mocking tones.

  A rash of unease prickled over her skin. Although she tried to assure herself this man would not harm her with a hundred guests just outside the door, she could not wholly deny there was something unnerving about the dark anger that smoldered in his eyes.

  Jealousy.

  Envy.

  And the bitter resentment of a weak man toward a stronger, more powerful will.

  A dangerous combination.

  “What do you mean?” she demanded in a steady tone, thank heaven.

  Without warning he reached out to grasp her chin in a cruel grip.

  “Had you simply given in to my advances, we could have enjoyed a delightful few weeks before I allowed Adam to discover our relationship. As it is, you shall be punished as a straying wife without any of the enjoyment.”

  “You are mad.” She twisted away from his grasp to glare at him. “Adam will never believe I betrayed him.”

  Barclay laughed easily at her fierce words. “You know very little of a gentleman’s pride if you think he will not suspect the worst. Especially a man such as Adam. Why, he nearly called me out for merely speaking with you.”

  His words struck her with the force of a blow.

  How would Adam react if he found her alone with a handsome rake?

  Their relationship had altered over the past few weeks. They were closer, bound tighter and far more intimate than ever.

  But she could not forget the memory of his anger when he had found Barclay with her at the ball.

  How furious would he be to discover she had been locked alone with Barclay for goodness knew how long?

  Her heart clenched in fear
.

  No, she could not bear to lose him.

  Not now.

  Not when she had just fallen in love with him.

  Realizing that Barclay was watching her with a smug amusement, Addy abruptly squared her shoulders.

  She would not allow this horrid wretch to suspect that she doubted Adam’s trust for a moment.

  Maybe, just maybe she could escape before any true damage was done.

  “Perhaps you are so fickle, my lord, but not Adam,” she forced herself to retort.

  “Fah.” He waved a dismissive hand, utterly confident in his power to have his revenge. “He may have ice in his veins, but even Adam will be male enough to suspect the worst when he discovers you in my arms.”

  She shuddered with sheer loathing. “It is little wonder your father found you such a disappointment. You are a pathetic creature.”

  Fury rippled over his countenance as he reached to grasp her upper arms.

  “And you are in need of a lesson in manners, my sharp-tongued shrew.”

  “Let me go.”

  “Not a chance.”

  With frightening ease he hauled her closely against his body. At the same moment, the muted sound of Adam’s voice floated through the air.

  “Addy. Addy are you in there?”

  “Adam,” she cried, struggling to free herself. “Please, help me!”

  Chapter Fifteen

  With a strength he did not even know he possessed, Adam slammed into the locked door and crashed it open.

  Thank God he had seen Barclay hauling Addy into the room from his position down the hall, he told himself, stumbling into the library. Although it had taken an eternity to battle his way through the crowd, he held on to the hope that there would have been no time for the lecher to harm his wife.

  Shoving the broken door shut to avoid the passing guests who had, thank God, been too involved with a brawl in the card room to note his odd actions, Adam turned to face the couple in the center of the room.

  Heady relief flared through him as he realized Addy appeared tousled but safe. His relief only deepened as she angrily stomped on Barclay’s toes before rushing to Adam’s side.

  His relief swiftly sharpened to fiery fury, however, as his gaze swept over the nonchalant nobleman.

  “Barclay,” he said as if it were a curse.