Lorena tried to read his face and saw amusement. “I owe you nothing.”
“But you do, Lorena,” he told her. “You owe me a kiss.”
“What?” Lorena gasped.
“I left the pie in the kitchen. You owe me a kiss.”
Lorena stilled as her mind recalled that morning so long ago in the Valdeston estate kitchen. She remembered Ashwick leaving the pie, but she also remembered every single kiss they’d shared since that day. Especially the one she’d given him in his bedchamber the day she’d given him the toga pin.
“You already received your kiss.”
He shook his head and something dangerous flickered to life behind his eyes. “You kissed me. Every time. I’ve not once kissed you, my love.”
Lorena gasped and allowed herself to remember those stolen kisses and recalled that every time they’d kissed, he’d asked her to kiss him first, except for the first time when she’d simply kissed him, hoping it would be the end of her debt.
Her cheeks heated and she whispered, “You’re a beast.”
He smiled and pulled her even closer. “I am.” He didn’t even feel shame.
“You’re obnoxious.”
He laughed.
“Cruel. Horrible. Obnoxious.”
“You already said that,” he told her, still smiling.
She had more words. “Arrogant. Inconceivable.”
One of his hands touched her cheek, and his eyes seemed to dance as he said, “I don’t think you told me you loved me today.”
Lorena stiffened in his hold and said, “Deceitful. Dishonorable.”
“Lorena,” he cooed.
She stiffened again to stop herself from melting. “I shall never kiss you again.”
The light flared in his eyes again and he said, “You will.”
She leaned forward and whispered, “Never.”
His thumb brushed her mouth, and his eyes went there.
She shivered.
His eyes returned to hers and he whispered, “You still owe me.”
And now she knew exactly what she owed. A kiss. She couldn’t believe that when he’d spoken of her debt on the night of the fire, he’d been speaking about something so trivial. Something they’d already shared, even if he’d not kissed her first.
Well, if he thought she would kiss him again, he was very wrong. Moreover, she was going to force his hand… or his lips, if she were being more precise. With his hold on her so tight, she felt a slight power overtake her. He wanted her just as much as she wanted him and she would have her debt cleared before they wed, she vowed.
But to test her plan, she slipped her hand along the back of his neck and brought his head close to hers. Holding his eyes, she watched as his darkened and asked in a low voice, “When you kiss me, do you plan to use your tongue?”
His eyes widened and he growled before his forehead came to rest on hers. His breathing was hard and the hand on her hip and the one on her cheek tightened.
She smiled, even though she couldn’t deny that she did like when his tongue slipped into her mouth, his hard lips pressing against hers.
“I do plan to use my tongue,” Ashwick promised.
Lorena felt a pulling between her legs.
He went on, “But do you remember that when we made that bargain, I told you that I would choose the place on your body that I kissed?”
She swallowed and when she decided she couldn’t speak, nodded her head against his.
His hand traveled from around her hip to her front, down until it settled over her most intimate place. The place that very hand had been only hours ago.
She let out a whimper and tightened her hold on the umbrella, letting her body sink on his hand and declaring herself to be a complete wanton. She vowed never to return to the innocent woman she’d once been.
“Here,” he whispered while holding her eyes. “I’m going to kiss you here.”
“Oh, god,” she whispered as her body trembled with heat. “You can’t.”
He pressed his hand to her more firmly and groaned. “I can and I plan to use my tongue.”
“Oh, god,” she whispered again. Her eyes closed, and she proceeded to rock against his hand.
“It’ll be better than my hand.”
She whimpered again and felt close to exploding just from the memory of what he’d done.
He pulled his hand away.
“No.” Her eyes flew open.
“Not now,” he told her, his voice darkening. “I must go.”
Lorena tried to push back her desire, but it was no use. She needed him to stay. She recalled the day she’d thrown tea on him and the way he’d groaned, much like she groaned when he touched her, while she was touching him between his legs. She recalled what she couldn’t very well see in the dark the other night, but was almost sure his hand had been where hers had been that day long ago.
He moved to step back.
She cupped him.
His head flew back. “Fuck.”
There was that word again, but instead of embarrassment, she felt hot desire scorch her.
“Stay,” she whispered and slid her hand up the firm length that she could feel through his pants.
His eyes came back to hers and he growled, “What the hell have I done to you?”
She licked her lips.
His eyes moved to her mouth and darkened to nearly black.
“Kiss me,” she said as she slid her hand back down.
She watched in fascination as his eyes rolled back and a second later, he jerked himself from underneath the umbrella, speared her with his dark gaze, spun away, and marched toward the hedges.
Lorena frowned and shouted, “Come back!”
He didn’t stop. He didn’t even look at her. He was gone.
Lorena groaned in frustration and stomped into the house.
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CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
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Lorena received a note from Sophia for the society to meet at her father’s townhouse and arrived just in time to watch Genie step out of her father’s carriage. Maura had ridden with Lorena and the three women met at the door.
Lorena turned to Genie the moment her feet stopped and asked, “How’s your father?”
Genie shook her head. “It could be any day now.” Her eyes had been sad when she’d climbed out her carriage, but they held a larger abundance of sorrow now. Genie’s coloring even seemed to be off.
Lorena took her hand and decided on another topic they would discuss once they entered the house.
The butler, who Lorena noticed was dressed more fashionably than any butler she’d ever seen with a pale green waistcoat that matched his eyes, showed them into the drawing room and Lorena was surprised to discover that Sophia was not alone.
She was nearly sitting on the lap of a young and very handsome man who couldn’t seem to take his eyes from her. When Sophia finally noticed her company, she grinned but did not pull away from the man.
“Darlings,” she cried. “This is Levi.”
Lorena blinked and took in the man she knew to be an actor and Herbert’s nephew. He was lean and even seated looked to be quite tall. His hair was blond and his eyes were a blue that seemed nearly gray.
When he grinned, Lorena noticed dimples.
He stood and bowed while Sophia made the introductions.
Levi then said, “Sophia has told me all about you.”
Genie asked, “But who are you?”
It was then that Lorena remembered she’d not told Genie about their adventure back to the tavern, so everyone settled into a chair while Lorena shared the tale.
In the end, Levi said, “I’m guiltless.”
“I believe you,” Lorena said.
Sophia’s eyes widened and she said, “I thought it would be much harder to convince you of this, though it o
nly took me seconds upon meeting Levi to know he was innocent.”
Lorena looked Levi over and suspected the man had lost the last shred of his innocence long ago, but was guiltless of the fire that burned Ashwick’s home to the ground. He didn’t look like a man who’d been made to ‘pay’ for his crimes.
Genie turned to Lorena and said, “Wouldn’t you at least like to hear why he couldn’t be guilty? Perhaps ask him where he was during the fire?”
“I don’t need to,” Lorena told her. Then she told everyone about Lady Ashwick’s visit that morning with Lady May in accompaniment.
Sophia made a sour expression and said, “I never cared for Lady May, though I often pretend that I do. She does host quite lovely parties and usually knows gossip long before anyone else does.”
“Is that how you were invited to Ashwick’s party that night?” Lorena asked.
Sophia nodded. “But I tell you now that Lady May is much more scandalous than either you or I.”
Lorena’s eyes widened as she recalled the very scandalous things she’d done with Sophia… then she recalled the very scandalous things she'd done with Ashwick. She said, “I wouldn’t be too sure of this.”
“Oh, be sure,” Sophia said with narrowed deviant green eyes.
Genie sighed. “Well, I suppose since the mystery has been discovered, we’ve nothing else to do.”
“Oh, but there is,” Lorena said. “We must begin arranging my engagement party.”
This brightened Genie and she said, “Let’s.”
Sophia added, “And I’ll get my father to make you a new gown.”
Then Lorena added, “And a very extravagant one for Genie, since we will use my engagement party to ensure that she and Francis are finally betrothed.”
Genie gasped and her eyes widened. “How would we arrange such a thing?”
“We let him compromise you,” Lorena told her. “In front of the party.”
Genie’s eyes widened further. “He’d never do it. I’ve even tried to get him to kiss me during our rides through the park. He never touches me, rarely looks at me. He simply instructs and stands so far away that his voice remains the only insurance that he is even there. He’d never compromise me in front of others.” She looked so distraught.
“He might,” Lorena said, recalling what Francis had told her about Morris. “He wants you, Genie. He all but confessed to it when I visited you the other day.”
“Truly?” Genie asked with hope consuming her every feature. “What did he say?”
Lorena pressed her lips together and said, “I can’t tell you exactly what happened. I swore to Francis I would say nothing.”
That seemed to be enough for Genie, and Lorena watched as tears filled her eyes before she said, “He’s all I’ve ever wanted, Lorena.”
Lorena squeezed her hand and swore, “Then you shall have him.”
“I like your friends,” Levi confessed, and it was only then that Lorena remembered he was in the room. Then he spoke to Sophia. “When you said your Spinster Society was not what it seemed, at first, I didn’t believe you, but now…” His eyes roamed the group with captive fascination, as though they were actors on the stage and he their audience.
Lorena stared at him and said, “You can’t say a word.”
Levi said, “Only if you swear to get me an invitation to the party.”
Sophia rose and said, “Of course, now allow me to show you out. You’ve heard far too much.”
Levi seemed hesitant to leave, but did follow Sophia out the door, all the while staring at the women. “Fascinating,” he said before he was gone.
A moment later, Sophia returned with that twinkle in her eyes. “Isn’t he beautiful?”
Lorena smiled. She would not rank him anywhere near one of the Men of Nashwood, but had to admit, Levi was handsome. “Quite.”
The women then began to speak about the party, with Maura only listening, and their plans were made.
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CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
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Lorena awoke, disappointed that Ashwick had not slipped into her bed the previous night. She’d tried to remain awake, hoping he would come but eventually had let sleep overtake her, sure he would wake her and have his way with her.
He didn’t.
So, she’d went about her morning in her usual way, or at least, what had become usual for her now that she had servants. Jane brought in breakfast and served it to her at a small table by the window while two other maids made Lorena’s bed.
Lorena looked over her breakfast and noticed there was much more food than she’d been served on precious mornings. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had eggs. “Where did this food come from?”
“The cook,” Jane told her.
Lorena had met the cook the other day and found her to be a sweet woman, but then said, “Yes, I understand that, but where did she get the eggs and the meat?” Lorena’s breakfast usually only consisted of bread and tea.
Jane placed her hands on her hips and said, “I imagine she picked it up in the market.” Then she gave Lorena a look that visibly asked if she was ill.
Lorena sighed and shook her head, deciding she would ask Ashwick about the food later. They’d most definitely not come from her budget.
Once breakfast was through, Jane changed Lorena into one of her gray gowns and Lorena paused in the hall when she noticed a painting she’d never seen before. A park scene of a lake, children, and women sitting and standing around on a beautiful clear blue day. She added the lovely painting and the statue to the list of things she would question Ashwick about.
In the drawing room, she found her aunt and Maura. Maura was embordering silk while Aunt Tilda was reading a paper with rapt interest. At her interest, Aunt Tilda looked at her with a stunned expression.
“Do you know a Levi?” Aunt Tilda asked.
Lorena frowned and confessed, “I do. Why?”
Aunt Tilda’s expression turned dire and she said, “You must read this.”
Lorena's stomach plunged. She quickly decided that sitting seemed like a good idea. She’d just taken her seat when she was forced to rise again as Lady Ashwick and Lady May strolled into the room and stopped at the edge of the rug.
“Tell me it isn’t true,” the older woman said.
“Oh, dear,” Aunt Tilda whispered.
Lorena’s heart was racing. “What has occurred?”
“Dear,” Aunt Tilda called, “you should read the paper.”
Lorena looked at her aunt. “What does it say?”
“Read it,” Aunt Tilda told her.
“Never mind that,” Lady Ashwick said.
Lorena swallowed around the lump in her throat and turned to look at her.
“It says,” the countess began, “that you not only stepped into a tavern, but drank ale, all the while hunting the man who’d burned down Ashwick’s home. Then you had the audacity to drag my son into this debacle. It’s worse than your debut.”
Lorena blinked and wondered if anyone would ever forget her debut. “That’s in the paper?” She took her seat once more and swore she would shake some sense in Sophia when she saw her. “I’m so sorry, my lady. I—”
Lady May said with accusation in her eyes, “It reads like some fantastical piece or heroism, but this most assuredly means you cannot marry Ashwick. You’ll soil the family name.”
Lorena had stopped agreeing with the woman the moment Ashwick’s name was mentioned. “I beg your pardon?” The words came out colder than she’d intended, but she would not give up Ashwick.
Ever.
Lady May’s eyes widened.
Lady Ashwick moved to a chair. “You cannot marry my son. Not after this, and I don’t care if your engagement and party were mentioned alongside the story.”
“They were?” Lorena asked. Her
heart raced and she promised to do more than shake sense into Sophia. She’d have Jane hit her with a basket. How could her friend have betrayed her?
Lorena opened her paper and began to read about both the Men of Nashwood and the Sensational Spinster’s Society, which was not their name, but Lorena decided she would allow it. But the first thing she realized about the article was that Sophia had not written it at all. Instead, it was written by a Robert Seam. She didn’t know any Mr. Seam, but continued to read and discovered that all the information had come from Levi. Sophia was innocent. This made Lorena smile, but it also meant that she was more to blame than anyone. She’d said far too much in front of Levi and had thus broken one of the Society rules. No men allowed. But it was lovely to know that Sophia could be trusted. She had a feeling that Sophia would not be pleased when she read her paper that morning.
This was confirmed when Lorena’s next gift arrived, and Lorena decided to speak to Mr. Sudworth about how to do his job before the day was through.
“Did you see this?” Sophia asked dramatically, with Genie on her heels. She paused to look at Lady Ashwick and Lady May. Then she smiled and curtsied. “Lady Ashwick, Lady May. So lovely—”
“You’re one of them,” Lady May accused through narrowed eyes. “A Spinster Sister, running around with those Nashwood Brothers.” Lorena wasn’t sure she’d ever heard any of the Men of Nashwood mentioned with disdain, but she did admit to herself that she liked what Lady May had called them. The Spinster Sisters and the Nashwood Brothers. It made them seem like two teams of champions and after further perusal of the article, she didn’t mind it so much. It did exaggerate precisely how the villain of the tale had been caught, but Lorena knew that Sophia could fix it. Then she realized that Levi, though he’d given the world more details into the society than Lorena wished, had kept his promise and left out Lorena’s plans for Genie and Francis at the engagement party. This, more than anything, gave Lorena a sense of relief.
Lady Lorena’s Spinster’s Society ( The Spinster’s Society) (A Regency Romance Book) Page 18