A Traitorous Heart

by Tammy Jo Burns

  “Kala, I think it best that you stay clear of the director,” Tessa hedged.

  “Why?”

  “I just think it would be a good idea. Bring me a towel for my hair and a bathing sheet.”

  “What do you know about the director that you don’t want me to know?” Kala watched as Tessa motioned her to go away while she climbed out of the bath. “You know that I helped take care of you those first days.”

  “I know, but humor me.”

  “Tell me about Mr. McKenzie. You know he kept looking at me last night.”

  “He did?”

  “Yes.”

  Tessa worried her lip as she came around the screen wrapped in the bathing sheet and her hair piled on top of her head under a towel. Kala and Tessa made eye contact briefly before Tessa looked away.

  “You know something,” Kala accused. Before Tessa could respond one way or another, Sarah came into the room.

  “Sarah, I desperately need your help,” Tessa said, relief lacing her words. “The fire singed my hair last night. I need you to work your magic and make it presentable once more.”

  “Coward,” Kala muttered, flinging herself into a chair as Tessa sat at the dressing table. While Tessa sat still for Sarah, another knock sounded at the door. “I’ll see who it is.”

  “Dru, what are you doing here?” Tessa felt relief at Kala’s words knowing that she would not be alone with her again for more questioning.

  “I came to check on my lovely niece. And how are you doing today?”

  “I am more than fine, Dru.” The woman came up behind her and met her gaze in the mirror. “I promise,” she held up her hand for her to take and shared a knowing smile with her.

  “I believe you are,” the other woman replied, squeezing her hand. “Do you feel up to a fitting for your ball gown?”

  “I suppose.”

  “Good. Mrs. Brown should be by within the hour to do a final fitting. In the meantime, let’s send for a tray of refreshments.”

  “Dru, we just broke our fast not long ago.”

  “I find I am hungry,” she evaded.

  “You’re expecting again!” Kala exclaimed.

  “Yes,” the older woman said with a grin.

  “How exciting,” Tessa jumped up and gave the other woman a hug. “How are you feeling?”

  “Perfectly well, besides being hungry all the time. No sickness this time, thank goodness.”

  Tessa slipped behind the changing screen and pulled on a robe contemplating Dru’s announcement. She found herself drifting, wondering if she and Derek would someday have children. Who would they look like? Would they take more after him or her? Would they have little boys that followed him around the estate, or little girls that helped her? Suddenly she found herself feeling an overwhelming longing to hold a tiny bundle in her arms and share the moment with her husband.

  “Tessa, are you coming out?” Kala inquired impatiently.

  “Coming,” she called back, startled out of her reverie.

  The women sat around the room visiting as Sarah cleaned up. Tessa loved the feeling of belonging that she felt with these women. She curled up in her chair listening to Kala and Dru chatting, interjecting when she could. A short time later Sarah showed Mrs. Brown into the room. The woman carried a huge bundle in her arms, and a basket hung from one arm.

  Somehow the woman managed a curtsy even while holding all that she did. “Your Grace, my lady, Miss Simmons.”

  “Mrs. Brown,” Dru greeted the woman back warmly. “We are very excited to see what you have created for Lady Blackburn’s debut ball.”

  “I do hope you are pleased,” Mrs. Brown said as she sat down her basket. She laid the parcel across the bed, unwrapping it gently to reveal the most exquisite dress Tessa had ever seen in her entire life. A deep sapphire empire-waist dress lay across the bed. Beading covered the skirt, a black ribbon lay across the waist.

  “Well, what do you think?” Kala asked impatiently.

  “It’s beautiful,” Tessa said breathlessly.

  “You also have matching shoes,” Mrs. Brown pointed out as she unpacked a small box.

  “I don’t know what to say.” Tears glistened on her lashes, and her hand trembled as she reached out to touch the gorgeous dress. “Mrs. Brown, your work is exquisite.”

  “I am glad you are pleased,” the woman said, a smile across her face. “Now let’s get you in it and see if we need to make any adjustments.”

  “I’ll be back in a moment,” Dru said and she slipped from the room. True to her word, she returned within minutes, a sly grin on her lips.

  “What did you do?” Kala asked her aunt.

  “I just wanted to make sure Derek knew what color jewels he should purchase.”

  “You are so very wise.”

  Dru started to respond, but halted when she saw Tessa step around the screen. The dress enhanced the color of her eyes and made her skin look like alabaster. Her hair shone fiery red.

  “You are absolutely beautiful!” Kala whispered in awe.

  “You will be the envy of every woman at the ball,” Dru added.

  “Derek will definitely be fighting off the men, poor man.”

  “It will do him good,” Dru chuckled. “Mrs. Brown, I do believe it is perfect. You have far exceeded yourself.”

  “Thank you, Your Grace.”

  “Do you think Derek will like it?”

  “If he doesn’t he’s a bloody idiot,” Kala told her.

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “I know I am.”

  “How do you two suggest we do my hair?”

  “Piled loose on top of your head, I should think,” Dru said thoughtfully.

  “Yes, with diamond pins stuck throughout so they sparkle in the light,” Kala added.

  “You will be the most beautiful woman there,” Mrs. Brown added.

  “Of course she will be, since the ball is in her honor, it shouldn’t be any other way,” Dru smiled at her gently.

  “What else do I need to know to prepare for the ball?”

  “Get out of that dress and I will make sure you are prepared for anything and everything that might happen during the ball,” Dru instructed. The women spent the rest of the day helping Tessa recall her short time at the finishing school and all that she learned while there as well as other things that would ease her way into society. “I think your great-aunt, grandmother and mother would all be proud of the way you turned out,” Dru hugged her fiercely before she and Kala left.

  “I hope so,” Tessa replied huskily, hugging the older woman tightly.

  Chapter 36

  Tessa and Derek were afforded some privacy for the next few days as she recovered from the effects of the theater fire. They spent the time together sharing information about their past and talking about their future. He walked in on her one day sitting at the desk in the study scribbling away on a piece of paper.

  “What are you doing?” He asked dropping a kiss where her shoulder met her neck. He nibbled his way up to her ear, and she bent her head to give him the access he needed.

  “I am attempting to make a list of all that will be needed for the fair in the spring.”

  “You really want to host this, don’t you?”

  “Yes. I think your tenants have been without one for too long.”

  “You mean our tenants.”

  “Yes,” she smiled shyly up at him, allowing him to capture her lips.

  “Do not move,” he instructed and crossed the room to shut and lock the door. He came back to her, removing his superfine. Derek tugged her up out of the chair and moved aside the papers. He lifted her to perch on the edge of the desk.

  “What are you doing?”

  He pulled a small box out of his pocket and held it out to her. She tentatively took it, opening it to reveal a beautiful ring set with diamonds and sapphires. He gently removed the signet ring from her finger and placed it on his pinky. Then he took the new ring from the box and slid it on her fing
er, then kissed it where it now resided.

  “Now you have a wedding ring to be proud of.”

  “I was proud of the other one,” she whispered.

  “Now I am going to have my wicked way with my beautiful wife.”

  “Derek, what will the staff think?”

  “That we are desperately in love and cannot keep our hands off of one another,” his lips moved possessively over hers once more, cutting off further arguments.

  Sometime later, Derek sat in the leather chair behind the desk and Tessa sat in his lap. Both of them breathing heavily and trying to recover from their previous exertions. Tessa enjoyed the feel of Derek playing with her hair and hearing the beat of his heart beneath her ear. She cupped her hand around his neck and pulled him down for a deep, all-consuming kiss.

  “Are you all right?” Derek asked softly, dropping kisses across her face.

  “Yes.”

  “I wasn’t too rough?”

  “Derek, you are my husband, and I love you. That also means I love it when you are tender and when you aren’t. I like how we show our love for each other in different manners, and I am sure there are many yet to be explored,” she smiled wickedly causing his body to respond again. She felt the response and said, “In fact, I would love to show you something,” and slipped to her knees in front of him. When her mouth touched him, he gripped the arms of the chair trying to maintain control of his body.

  “No more!” He cried out after several minutes and spun her around so that she lay on her stomach across the desk. He entered her in one swift motion and felt her inner muscles clench him tightly and with one swift plunge they both flew into passion filled oblivion.

  * * *

  The next day Tessa spent most of the day luxuriating in a decadently hot and scented bath then began getting ready for the ball. She found herself battling nerves and nausea at what she faced that evening. The theater had been bad enough with all those curious eyes following her and whispers behind the fans.

  She and Derek would be the focus of this evening, ensuring that every eye would be trained on her. Dru kept telling her that she expected the ball to be a crush and one of the most talked about events of the Little Season. Tessa’s stomach turned sickeningly at the thought and she found herself running for the chamber pot. Sarah walked in to catch her heaving.

  “Oh, my lady, are you sick?”

  “Nerves,” she leaned wearily against the bed, taking the wet cloth Sarah held out to her.

  “But you did fine at the theater.”

  “Sarah, Derek and I are being announced to society. Everyone who will be there came to ogle at us and talk about us behind our backs. I don’t know if I can do this.”

  “You can,” the little maid said forcefully. “You will show those people that you are just as good as they are, if not better. Now, I am going to get you some toast and tea to help settle your stomach.” Sarah jumped to her feet but paused before leaving the room. “You know, my lady, you give all of us on staff hope that someday we might find a love like that between you and Lord Blackburn.” Tessa found herself smiling back at the maid.

  Several hours later, her nerves under control, Tessa found herself looking in the mirror at someone she didn’t recognize. Derek had sent up a set that included a sapphire and diamond necklace and earbobs. She found herself fingering the beautiful choker.

  “Tessa!” She heard Derek call her name, impatience lacing his voice. Tessa left her room and saw him pacing at the bottom of the stairs.

  “Tessa, we are going to be late for our own ball,” he called up the stairs while checking his pocket watch.

  “I am ready.”

  He followed the sound of her voice to see her standing at the top of the stairs. She began to descend, and what he saw made his breath hitch. The beautiful sapphire colored ball gown made her eyes sparkle. A set that contained sapphire and diamonds adorned her ears and her graceful neck. Her red curls were piled loosely on top of her head with tendrils escaping to cling to her neck. There were hints of diamonds shining in her hair from the combs holding up the mass of curls. She walked down the stairs toward him.

  “Contessa, you simply take my breath away.”

  “Why, thank you, my lord.” She curtsied graciously before him when she reached the bottom of the stairs. He took her left hand, bowing over it and brushed a kiss over the wedding ring and her surrounding fingers. The feel of his lips sent pleasant tingles along her spine.

  Ramsey waited with her cloak and Derek’s cane. Derek led her out to the carriage and then climbed in after her. Luke acted as their tiger for the evening and dressed in the Blackburn livery. He looked very smart, and Tessa told him so.

  “Oh, Lady Tessa, you look gorgeous.”

  “Why, thank you so much, Luke,” and she leaned down to brush a kiss on his cheek. The boy blushed to the roots of his hair. “Have you been keeping up with your studies?”

  “Some,” he muttered, scraping the toe of his shoe along the ground.

  “Starting tomorrow, we will begin working on them together again. How is that?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Come on Tessa, let’s get going.” Derek winked at Lucas before climbing into the carriage.

  * * *

  Derek and Tessa were finally able to leave the carriage after it crawled along for at least thirty minutes. Tessa’s eyes widened as she glimpsed all the people milling around the house through the windows.

  “It looks like we did not beat the crowd after all.”

  “All these people are here for the ball?”

  “They want to see what all the fuss is about. You are the talk of the ton, did you not know?”

  “No,” she shook her head warily. They joined the Thornbrooks’ and Kala in the receiving line. Drucilla patted her hand and tried to calm her, seeing the look of shock on her face.

  “Tessa, everything will be fine. This had to happen at some point. Take a couple of deep breaths, paste a smile on your face, and do not let the bastards get you down.” At this Tessa began to giggle and then laughed openly. “Well, so to speak,” Drucilla said in a wry aside.

  “Oh, Dru, you are too much,” Tessa gave her a quick hug. She threw back her shoulders and pasted on a brilliant smile. Her eyes sparkled, matching the color of the sapphires in her ears and around her neck. “I am ready,” she announced to her new family.

  They stood in the receiving line for over an hour when Tessa began shifting on her feet. Derek quickly bent to whisper in his aunt’s ear.

  “Are you two ready?”

  “Yes,” Tessa said, taking a deep breath.

  Kala, Drucilla and Richard moved towards the staircase that led into the grand ballroom. Tessa barely noticed that the trio parted as if they were the Red Sea, and Derek escorted her to the foreground. She found herself so mesmerized by the scene in front of her she barely heard their names announced by the footman.

  There were hundreds of candles lighting the ballroom. On the balcony sat a string quartet ready to play at the command of the hostess. Roses were everywhere, leaving a sickly sweet smell in the warm room rather than their usual sweet perfume when enjoyed outdoors. It seemed as if hundreds of people were there staring up at them. She saw ladies whispering to each other behind fans, and men leering through their lorgnettes. She felt rather weak all of a sudden.

  “Smile,” Derek whispered. She must have for he gave no other orders. He led her down the steps and into the first dance of the evening. Everything whirled around her in a blur. She thought she stumbled, but Derek must have righted her. “Look at me,” when she failed to, he said the command again. She did and felt less dizzy for doing it. “You know, this is our first dance as man and wife.”

  “Yes.”

  “Tessa, do not let these vultures frighten you. In the end, you are more honorable and loving than any of them. We will make it through this night, together.” She nodded her head in response. He pulled her a little closer than he should have in public. They went
into a turn and he grimaced just a little.

  “Your leg,” she exclaimed.

  “Will be fine. It is just a little sore after all the activity form the theater and sometimes it gets an awkward catch.” When the music ended, he led her to the side of the room where a group of people awaited them. Richard asked for the next dance. By then, Tessa had her wits and her emotions under control.

  “Your ball is quite a crush.”

  “It is overwhelming.”

  He gave a chuckle. “Dru feared if you knew exactly how many people would attend that you and Derek would have high-tailed it back to Blackburn Hall.”

  She threw back her head and laughed, “A wise woman indeed.” Derek stood at the side, letting the voices of the people float over him as he watched his wife laugh at something Richard said. He felt truly blessed to be married to such a woman. Gabriel came up to him and interrupted his thoughts.

  “Do you mind if I have the next dance with your wife?”

  “If she doesn’t mind.”

  “She’s very beautiful tonight.”

  “Yes, she is.”

  “I have a meeting with a contact in about thirty minutes.”

  “Here?”

  “Yes. She is supposed to have information on French movement, but we believe she is a double agent. I will be feeding her false information about British troops.”

  “I thought you had given up that particular flavor?”

  “I am only luring her along for information.” Just then the music ended, and Richard guided Tessa toward them. Gabriel went out and met them halfway. He took Tessa, and they lined up to begin the next dance. “I owe you an apology, my lady.”

  “For?”

  “It seems I misjudged you from the very beginning. I should have believed my friend.”

  “Perhaps you have become too hardened over the years.”

  “Perhaps. Do you mind if I borrow Derek tomorrow afternoon?”

  “Not at all. Official business?”

  “More pleasure. Derek and I share interests in a shipping business.”