The Last Waltz: Hearts are at stake in the game of love... (Dorothy Mack Regency Romances)

by Dorothy Mack

  The earl’s attendants redoubled their efforts to bring the fever down with increased sponging of his heated body. Adrienne was engaged in this task that evening after the doctor’s visit when her patient began to mutter incoherently. This wasn’t a new development; he’d had periods of delirious ravings all along, mostly about the battle just fought. Sometimes phrases and snatches made sense, but they were never uttered in conscious awareness. Dominic had called out to herself and to Lady Tremayne on occasion too, but even when his eyes were open they showed no recognition of persons or of his surroundings.

  The muttering increased in frequency. Tonight it appeared to be concerned with Lady Tremayne. He seemed to be begging her to do something. Adrienne doggedly continued to bathe his face in the tepid lavender water, soothing him with hands and soft words while she made a determined effort to blink back the tears that seemed always near the surface these days. Naturally it was Lady Tremayne who would occupy his dreams. She was his fiancée, after all, though to Adrienne’s knowledge, the woman’s name had not once been among those who had called to ask about Dominic’s progress. If only he would get better, she could see him in Lady Tremayne’s arms without shedding a tear, she vowed, and then berated herself for trying to make deals with the Almighty.

  Under her ministering hands, Dominic moved his head from side to side, his lips contacting her palm. “If you’d come closer, I could kiss you properly.”

  Without conscious thought, Adrienne leaned over and covered his mouth with her own. She froze in consternation when the lips under hers firmed and began to move against her own in a fashion that sent shockwaves of sensation shooting through her body. Her eyes flew open, but Dominic’s remained shut.

  “Adrienne! My dear, that is so unwise of you!”

  A hot tide of colour surged into Adrienne’s cheeks as she jumped back and stared at Miss Beckworth coming in to take over the late-night shift of nursing. “I … I know, Becky. I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me, but Dominic is still delirious. He … he’ll never know.” She was rising to her feet as she spoke in a breathless fashion.

  The women’s eyes met as Miss Beckworth walked over to the bed, her skirts rustling softly. “I’m thinking of you, dearest. I believe we must leave Brussels as soon as Dominic is out of danger.”

  Adrienne lowered her lashes to conceal the pain that shafted through her at this pronouncement. After a moment, she said dully, “You are correct, of course. I’ll speak to Moulton tomorrow.”

  Miss Beckworth followed the girl’s exit, a troubled expression on her comely countenance, before seating herself beside the bed.

  In the big bed, Dominic’s eyelids flickered once, then closed.

  CHAPTER 19

  Only those sounds indigenous to the natural world disturbed the hush in the far corner of the garden on this lovely day in midsummer. Bees were going about their business in the flowerbeds beyond the hedges, and crickets were chirruping monotonously. An occasional whir of wings indicated a bird’s passage. Beneath the spreading branches of a handsome chestnut tree, a girl seated on a rustic swing moved idly back and forth from time to time, but mostly she just sat quietly, the only human element in the peaceful scene.

  The Castles had been at Harmony Hall for a full month now. The kindness of their reception by the countess, the pleasure she took in their company, had quickly expunged all of Adrienne’s doubts and forebodings with regard to her father’s family. That she was Dominic’s mother was enough to predispose Adrienne in Lady Creighton’s favour sight unseen, but it had been a case of mutual liking from the moment the travel-weary little party had drawn up before the open doors of the rosy brick edifice that was the earl’s family home, to see his mother awaiting them in the entrance.

  Tall, slim, and attractive with fair hair lightly sprinkled with grey and the smooth skin of a younger woman, Lady Creighton was easily recognized as the source of her son’s good looks. She also possessed in full measure her son’s openhearted generosity and interest in people, allied to a graciousness of manner that made her a delightful hostess. She had made them all welcome and set them at their ease within five minutes, but her blue eyes kept returning to Adrienne, and at last she had put out an impulsive hand to touch one gleaming ruddy curl beneath the bonnet of chip straw.

  “It’s just like Matthew’s hair was thirty years ago,” she said softly, smiling at the bemused girl, “and your eyes too are so like his, but you must favour your mother in features, my dear, for that delicate chin never came from the Castles, nor those dimples. Despite the colouring, the boys have more of Matthew’s cast of countenance, especially Luc.”

  The girl on the swing smiled to herself as she tried — and failed — to recall the nervous dread with which she had approached Dominic’s mother. Lady Creighton had made them all feel at home, including Becky, in whom she had discovered a compatible nature. If she could not summon up the anxiety, she could well recall the relief that had spread through her that the initial meeting had gone so pleasantly. She had been so oppressed in spirit herself at having to part from Dominic that the journey had made no impression on her. Even now, she could barely recall any details except that Jean-Paul had withstood the trip well and Becky had suffered from seasickness during the channel crossing. Moulton had made all the arrangements for them, concealing his surprise behind an impeccably wooden facade, but she had felt like a heartless wretch for deserting Dominic when he was so ill. The fever had broken that night, fortunately, the night she had kissed him, but she wasn’t going to think about that. Becky had taken upon herself the task of informing Dominic of their intention to leave, and Adrienne had never inquired as to what actually passed between them. She herself had not even seen her cousin the following day, having obeyed Becky’s instructions to supervise their packing while she took over Adrienne’s share of the nursing. She had gone about the preparations with a heavy heart that she tried conscientiously to conceal. After all, Dominic’s life and leg had been spared; there was so much for which to be grateful. Becky reported that, though extremely weak, he had been improved enough to insist upon being shaved, and had even felt able to glance through the pile of mail that had accumulated over the past week. When Adrienne had gone in to bid him farewell two days later, she had found him in so cheerful a frame of mind she had been hard pressed to try to match his mood. He had stressed his relief that his cousin would be able to give his mother a comfortable first-hand account of his progress to allay the anxiety that would follow on the receipt of his letter. He had forbidden Moulton to inform her ladyship of his wounds when the doctor had operated on the night of the battle. Adrienne had experienced a sharp pang of conscience as she realized that she had been too wrapped up in her own reaction to Dominic’s danger to spare a thought for his parent.

  She pushed one foot in its blue kid sandal against the worn place in the grass and backed up on tiptoe, releasing the swing to go forward again as she recalled Lady Creighton’s relief and thankfulness at learning about her son’s narrow escape. On the subject of the full recovery of the leg she had, unhappily, been unable to reassure the countess, and from the lady’s disgruntled snort after reading her son’s latest letter, it seemed Dominic had neglected to keep his parent informed as to his progress.

  A little sigh escaped Adrienne as she lazily pushed the swing. She felt so cut off from Dominic. She had accepted that he would no longer be a part of her life, but she longed for some news of him, at the same time dreading that it would most likely be word of his marriage to Lady Tremayne that would arrive. At the beginning of their visit, Lady Creighton had questioned Adrienne and Becky eagerly about her son’s fiancée, but the questions and references to Lady Tremayne had ceased tactfully when she found her guests strangely reticent on the subject. Adrienne had braced herself again today when the countess had cheerily announced the reception of a letter from her son, but there had been no mention of his upcoming marriage. She herself had received a letter from Sarah, and Becky had been in communicati
on with General Forrester, but they had written from Paris and had nothing to say about Dominic. Perhaps he was already married to Pamela even as she sat here mooning. It was time to quit mooning and focus her attention on their future. The quiet weeks at Harmony Hall had been a marvellous respite that had seen Jean-Paul restored to health, but they were no closer to a plan for the boys’ future.

  The man coming around the corner of the hedge was able to feast his eyes on the delectable picture presented by a red-haired girl, hatless, in a snowy white muslin gown with blue ribbons trailing down behind her to the grass as she moved rhythmically to and fro, in and out of the dappled patches of shade provided by the huge tree. Her complete absorption in her thoughts allowed him time to discover that her expression of wistfulness, almost unhappiness, was at variance with the harmonious visual composition.

  “Hello, little one.”

  Dominic had the exquisite pleasure of witnessing the radiance that transformed Adrienne’s countenance briefly at his unexpected appearance.

  “Oh, Dominic, you’re limping!” she said, sobering abruptly and bringing the swing to a halt. “Does it hurt much?”

  He laughed with pure joy. “No, not at all. I’m just grateful to be walking again.”

  Adrienne had re-exerted her control in the interim. “Is Lady Tremayne with you?” she asked, her expression carefully polite.

  “No, and to be quite accurate, Pamela is no longer Lady Tremayne.”

  The colour that his sudden appearance had brought to her cheeks drained away at once, leaving her deathly pale. She moistened her lips. “Then you are … already married?”

  “Not I — Pamela!” he said with emphasis.

  “I … don’t understand.”

  “Pamela became the wife of the Comte de Levèque last week in Brussels.”

  For a second, Adrienne simply stared in disbelief; then her compassion was stirred. “Oh, Dominic, how awful for you! I’m so sorry!”

  “Well, don’t be. Only one thing could make me happier than seeing Pamela wed to another man.”

  He certainly looked happy enough. Adrienne felt herself relaxing slightly. “And what is that?”

  “Seeing you married to me!” Dominic said simply. To his chagrin, Adrienne looked away from him swiftly, but not before he had seen the soft lips quiver.

  “What is it, my love? Is the thought of being married to me so repugnant?”

  She faced him then, but her eyes were guarded. “Are you asking me to marry you because Lady Tremayne jilted you, Dominic?”

  He swooped on her then, releasing the hands that were grasping the swing’s ropes. “Come out from there so I can show you why I want to marry you after I apologize for such a maladroit proposal.”

  The light in Dominic’s eyes ignited a response in Adrienne’s as she came willingly into his embrace. For a long moment, he stood there savouring the feel of her in his arms while he lost himself in the warmth of those soft, southern-sea eyes. “Will it atone for my clumsiness if I tell you that I asked Pamela to release me from our engagement at the Richmond ball? It was not quite the action of a gentleman, but knowing she was not in love with me and was encouraging another man, I felt justified in asking for my freedom.”

  “Why did you not tell me then, Dominic? I was so desperately unhappy that night.”

  “Because she refused to release me. It wasn’t until the day after the battle that she sent back my ring with a note saying she had reconsidered my request and was acceding to my wishes.” He grinned at the expression on Adrienne’s face. “Now, let us be charitable, darling. She may simply have regretted trying to hold an unwilling fiancé.” He put a finger over the lips that had parted indignantly. “Now that I have apologized for such an unpoetic proposal, do you think I might show you why I want to marry you?”

  Adrienne nodded shyly, but there was nothing shy or reserved about her reaction to his kiss. The feel of his mouth on hers produced the same explosion of sensation that had disconcerted her the first time their lips had met. This time she responded joyously, abandoning herself to the mysterious delights of the senses. She could have remained in that kiss forever, but Dominic raised his head all too soon to stare down at her, slightly shaken. “And I thought you were still a child!” he murmured, readjusting his thinking with effort. “That was certainly an improvement on our first kiss.”

  Adrienne grew very still, her eyes huge and questioning. “Wh-what do you mean?”

  Dominic smiled at her tenderly. “You thought I was delirious, and I let you. Things were in such a muddle then. I shouldn’t have done it, of course, but I came out of a nightmare where I was trying to explain to Pamela that it was you I loved, and there you were just inches away. The memory of that kiss is what kept me sane these last interminable weeks without you. I didn’t know it was possible to miss someone so much. I didn’t really know what love was until you burst into my life.”

  The oblique reference to his former engagement was not lost on Adrienne. There was nothing childish in the candid gaze raised to his as she said quietly, “I knew I was in love with you when you picked me up after Bijou threw me, Dominic, but I couldn’t believe you could ever prefer me to Lady Tremayne. She is so very beautiful.”

  His arms tightened about her in instinctive protest. As he shifted his weight to relieve the bad knee, the swing came into his line of vision. “May we sit for a moment?” Seeing the spasm of pain cross his face, Adrienne made no demur when he sank onto the swing, pulling her onto his lap as naturally as if they had belonged to each other forever. He set the swing moving with one foot, saying nothing for a moment while he cradled her more comfortably in his arms.

  “There is no denying I thought myself madly in love with Pamela in the beginning. Now I can see that it was merely an infatuation with her beauty and popularity that couldn’t stand up to discovering her real nature, but no one could have told me that at the time. I’m not proud of myself for such stupidity, but there’s no escaping it.” He stopped the swing and lifted her chin with gentle fingers so she could read his eyes when he asserted, “I know the difference now, my one and only love, please believe that. You began to weave your way into my heart right from the first moment, and in case you might wonder if there is any element missing in what I feel for you,” he added in some embarrassment, “you have only to feel my heartbeat when I am close to you.”

  Meeting his eyes steadily, Adrienne laid her hand over his heart and felt it racing. Their eyes locked together in a look as old as time. “I thought I would have to woo you slowly,” whispered Dominic. “Instead, you overwhelm me.”

  This time it was Adrienne who ended the long kiss out of the sheer necessity to draw an unrestricted breath. “I think you must love me,” she said somewhat unsteadily, “to take on such a totally ineligible bride.”

  Dominic chuckled and tucked her head beneath his chin as he resumed the slow swinging. “I have already been warned about your lack of dowry and accomplishments, and find the subject a dead bore,” he said firmly.

  “I also have two penniless brothers to establish.”

  “We have two penniless brothers to establish,” he corrected.

  “And there is Becky. I could never desert Becky after all she has done for us.”

  “I could dwell happily under the same roof with Becky forever, my love, but I believe General Forrester has other plans for her future.”

  “No, really, Dominic? I was almost sure he loved her!” Adrienne tilted a sparkling face to his and was promptly kissed in reply.

  “Any more objections or impediments to our immediate marriage?”

  “Your mother?” she mentioned hesitantly.

  “My mother is eager to welcome her new daughter whenever we decide to leave this delightful but uncomfortable perch.”

  Adrienne bounded off his lap, dimples in evidence and eyes full of mischief. “Weakling!” she teased as she extended a hand to help him rise.

  The stiffness of his injured leg became more apparent
as they walked slowly through the garden toward the house, hand in hand.

  “It may be that we really have had our last waltz, my darling,” Dominic said apologetically. “I hope you won’t mind too much.”

  A fierce protective love surged through Adrienne, but she said with an airy wave of her hand, “We’ll just find something else to do together.”

  ***

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  ALSO BY DOROTHY MACK

  The Substitute Bride

  The Raven Sisters

  The Impossible Ward

  A Companion in Joy

  The Belle of Bath

  The Last Waltz

  An Unconventional Courtship

  The Steadfast Heart

  A Prior Attachment

  The Reluctant Heart

  The General’s Granddaughter

  The Unlikely Chaperone

  The Mock Marriage

  The Courtship of Chloe

  The Lost Heir

  The Awakening Heart

  Temporary Betrothal

  The Counterfeit Widow

  The Gamester’s Daughter

  The Gold Scent Bottle

  The Abducted Bride

  Published by Sapere Books.

  11 Bank Chambers, Hornsey, London, N8 7NN,

  United Kingdom

  saperebooks.com

  Copyright © Dorothy Mack, 1986

  Dorothy Mack has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this work.

  All rights reserved.

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